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thef1diary · 3 months

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Little Big Fan | Eight

— Little Big Allergy

Series Masterlist

wc: 3.6k

Note: I am not a medical professional, so please let me know if something is incorrect

"Don't you dare think about cancelling, you are going on that date," your best friend's voice rang out of your phone on speaker while you were choosing a dress for tonight.

You turned to look at the phone, as if your best friend was standing there, "I'm not going to cancel, I just don't know what to wear," you responded, placing another dress against your body but frowning.

"Wear that one sexy red dress you have, who knows, you might just get laid tonight."

You shuffled through your closet, finding the red dress in the back, which was expected since you didn't wear it in a long time. You held it out in front of you, "don't you think it's too revealing for the first date? Maybe I could wear this next time."

It was a backless, short garment with two straps. While the back was revealing, so was the front, which featured two cutouts around the hips and exposed a bit of cleavage due to the lack of material.

Your friend hummed, "so we're planning a second date as well huh?" You could basically hear her smirk on the other end. "Well I hope this date goes well," you reasoned, but the jittery feeling didn't go away.

"You and Max are already good friends who happen to flirt occasionally, what could go wrong?" Then after a short pause, she added, "actually no, don't answer that. Try your blue dress, I bet he'd like to see you in blue."

After almost every interaction you've had with Max, starting from the grocery store, you've told your friend everything. Which is why when she suggested wearing blue, you weren't opposed to it.

Putting your red dress back in the closet for another time, which was hopefully soon, you held a navy blue dress in your hand, examining it before holding it up against your body.

While this one, like the red dress, had two straps holding it together, it was longer, reaching a few inches past your knees and including a little slit down the side for convenience.

"Alright, this is the one," you stated and continued conversing with your friend while you changed and began doing your makeup.

"So Bella is at Tyler's?" She asked, making you nod before realizing that she couldn't see you. "Yeah, she'll be there for the weekend."

"Oh how fun!" You could hear the sarcasm in her voice and chuckled, "it's fine, she should be spending time with her dad."

"The same one who called her overdramatic? Did you seriously have to have a kid with a guy like him?" This was a conversation you've had with her many times, and you would always reply with the same answer, "we were young and immature, but Isabella is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"She truly is, which makes me glad that she turned out like you more than him." You chuckled, "oh trust me, I am glad about that too. It would've been a nightmare if I had to see a little version of him all the time."

"So, speaking of Isabella, how are you going to tell her that you are dating someone who happens to be her favourite person in her favourite sport?"

You groaned, "I don't know, I really don't know. I can't stop thinking about it, because of what Tyler told me," you explained. "Are you still believing his words? Actually scratch that, why are you letting your ex determine your future relationship?"

"God, why do you have to ask such questions," you muttered, taking a moment to think about your response.

"I don't want to believe him, I have a feeling something else happened that day which he didn't tell me about. Plus he's not only my ex, he's the father of my child. I don't think of him as anything more than that."

"Honestly that asshole shouldn't even be considered the father of such a beautiful little girl," your friend stated, and you couldn't help but agree with her.

"Anyways, let's not talk about him, I don't want to ruin my mood before the night even starts," you comment, with your friend humming in agreement.

"You're right, let's talk about Max!" She exclaimed, making you chuckle. That's whom you ended up talking about for the remainder of the time you were getting ready.

Even though she knew all the details right from day one, she wanted another whole story time of how you and Max met, leading up to when he asked you out. Instead of opposing to repeat the story, which you don't even know how many times you've told her by now, you happily told her all the details as if it was the first time.

A few minutes after you ended the phone call with your best friend, your phone rang again which you initially thought was a call from Max. However, it was a call from an unknown number.

You answered the call, and you were met with a woman's panicking voice on the other end, "is this Isabella's mother?"

"Yes, who is this?" You asked first, calming down the inner voices that instantly thought about the worse possible scenario involving your daughter.

"I'm Emma, I don't know if you know me but I am actually at the hospital, with Isabella." You tightened your grasp on the phone, as it was close to slipping away from your hands at Emma's words.

"What happened and which hospital are you at?" You instantly began moving around your house, finding your car keys as you waited for a response.

Emma told you the address as you were leaving through the front door. "She had a severe allergic reaction, and I thought it would be best to bring her to the hospital. I am sorry for disturbing you, I wasn't able to get in touch with Tyler."

You took a deep breath in, knowing that it was bound to happen someday, even though you would rather not have it happen at all. "I'm on my way, should be there in ten minutes. Thank you for letting me know."

It would've been pointless to argue with her, especially since she was the one who informed you of the situation at hand and had the decency to take your daughter to the hospital.

You rushed into the hospital within eight minutes, a record time for you, and you might've broken a few speeding laws but it was for a good reason. It didn't take too long finding Isabella, considering she was in the ER, with a frantic woman standing nearby, whom you assumed was Emma.

As soon as she spotted you, her first words to you was another apology, "I am so, so sorry, I had no idea she had a peanut allergy." That led you towards one question, well more than one but you started off with just one, "what happened?"

She sighed, before telling you how she spent the entire day with Isabella. "One of my friends came by and dropped off some baked goods, I swear I had no idea that it had peanuts in it."

You reasoned that if you calmed her down, it would calm you down as well, because the increasing dread in your thoughts would not benefit you in any situation. You put your hands on her shoulders, "I'm not blaming you for it, you didn't know."

You looked at the doors leading to the ER, "how bad was it?" Emma hesitated before muttering words that made your heart ache, "really bad, she started swelling up everywhere and then passed out."

You tried to sit down, but the need to know her well-being caused you to walk back and forth in the hallway. Your phone buzzed in your hand, and you were about to ignore it until you recalled something really important.

"Shit!" Max was calling. Of course he was, after all he was expecting you to be home and ready for a date tonight.

"Hey, I'm standing at your front door, are you home or?" He started and awkwardly chuckled, causing you to shut your eyes, imagining how the night was expected to go. He was probably holding a bouquet of flowers, looking like an idiot standing by the door because you weren't home.

"Max, I'm so sorry, I'm actually at the hospital." There was no reason to lie, but even after telling the truth, you didn't feel any less guilty.

"What happened? Are you okay? Is Isabella okay?" His response was quick, and slightly surprising but you've known Max long enough that his kindness wasn't as shocking anymore.

"It's Isabella, allergic reaction," you briefly described, and heard some shuffling around on the other end before he asked for the address. "You don't have to come," you told him as you normally did, but he didn't agree again, saying "I want to."

You didn't argue with him, as your heart warmed at the fact that Max wanted to see Isabella himself, and stay right by your side until she was completely fine.

Quickly telling him the address as you noticed a doctor walking towards you and Emma, you hung up the call. "Which one of you is the patient's guardian?"

You stepped forward, "I'm her mother, how is she?"

"It was an anaphylactic allergic reaction, however everything is under control. We've administered epinephrine but we will be moving her to the ICU for a few hours just for observation purposes in case the symptoms are back."

You let out a sigh in relief, as did Emma. "Thank you," you nodded towards the doctor. Once they left, you sat down, the anxiousness leaving your body.

Looking at Emma, who was standing against the wall in front of you, you had another question brewing in your mind. "Where was Tyler when all this happened?" You asked, remembering that she called you only because she couldn't reach him.

"He said he had an emergency meeting come up," Emma spoke her words carefully, earning raised eyebrows from you. "He left you alone with my daughter?" You had to confirm the words you were hearing and scoffed once she nodded.

"It's not your responsibility to take of my child, it's his. You're not her guardian nor babysitter, you shouldn't have to do that." Emma shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal, "it's not the first time."

"How dare he?" You muttered under your breath before standing up and stepping closer to her. "We both have epipens for situations like this, and I am assuming that since you didn't know about her allergy, Tyler didn't tell you about the epipen either?”

Emma shook her head, "no, he didn't."

His lack of attention, led Isabella right to this moment. If he had told Emma about your daughter's allergy, or even what to do when she has allergic reaction, neither of you would be this worried about her health.

Emma, having realizing the depth of the situation, sighed, "I haven't been able to get a hold of him and if it weren't for Isabella constantly talking about you and telling me your phone number to the point where I had it memorized, I wouldn't have known what to do in this situation."

You pitied the woman standing in front of you, especially as you also knew that it was not her fault. You cracked a smile, "she talks about me huh?"

"Oh yeah, she considers you the best mother in the world, and based on her stories, I agree with her."

Then, you heard Max calling your name, walking towards you in a rush. He instantly wrapped an arm around your waist as if it was an instinct, "is she okay?"

Emma stepped away, picking up her phone for another useless attempt of calling her boyfriend.

You wrapped both arms around Max, bringing him in a hug, "yeah, she's okay."

Once he pulled back, he cradled your face with his palms, "are you okay?" You smiled, and your eyes filled with unshed tears because of his question. "Much better now."

Then, Max noticed your outfit which happened to be the dress you were supposed to wear on your date. "Wow," he breathed, his gaze unwavering, taking you in.

He was also dressed up, wearing a suit with a bow tie, and you couldn't help but reach up to touch it, "cute," you commented, making him raise his brows.

"Cute?" He repeated with a questioning tone. You nodded, biting your bottom lip to prevent a smile. "Cute and handsome."

"You are beautiful," he replied, watching as you avert your eyes because his gaze was intense.

"Oh, Max, this is Emma," you decided to introduce them, and added, "she's the one who brought Isabella here."

Max raised an eyebrow in question, "I thought Isabella was with Tyler?" He asked, directed at you more than Emma.

"Well, he wasn't home when this happened, only Emma and Isabella," you stated, and Max gauged your emotions for a moment, quickly recognizing the underlying rage you had directed at your ex. Max knew you'd be discussing this later, in the safety of your own house, so he didn't ask you to elaborate.

A nurse came by, "Isabella is now conscious, and asking for her parents," they stated, along with the room number.

Emma looked at you and Max with a fond smile, before turning towards you, "I think I should get going now that you're here."

A genuine smile graced your lips, "thank you, Emma, for bringing her here and for staying with her even without him."

"Of course, she's the cutest little girl and I'm glad to get to know her." Both of you stood still for a moment, debating on whether or not you should hug her. Then, without thinking twice you initiated a hug that was easily welcomed by her.

You waited till she left your sights before looking at Max, "let's go?" You held out your hand but he shrugged, "she's asking for her parents, you should go."

You stepped forward and grabbed his hand, "you're coming with me," you decided for him. Although Max didn't pull away, he asked, "what if she doesn't want to see me?"

"Trust me, she'll be happy to see you," you convinced him and walked towards the room she was admitted in while holding each other's hand.

When you entered, Isabella's smile widened once she spotted you and Max. "Mama, Maxy!" She cheered, though quieter than usual.

A nurse stood by her side, monitoring her health and checking the IV drip inserted into your daughter's arm.

"Oh my angel, how are you?" You dropped Max's hand and walked closer to her, lightly kissing her forehead. Instead of a verbal response, she formed a thumbs up with her hand.

Then she looked at the door again, "is daddy coming too?" Isabella asked, sounding hopeful. You shook your head, "no sweetheart, daddy is not coming."

Instead of the usual deflated mood, she shrugged, "it's okay, Maxy's here." She held her arms around asking for a hug, only flinching for a moment since she forgot about the drip connected to her arm.

Max quickly stepped forward, bending over to hug her. "All good, Bella?" He asked, once he felt her arms wrap around him tighter. She nodded for a moment then shook her head against him, "it hurts," she whispered.

He brought his hand up to ruffle her hair before pulling away, "you are a very brave girl."

"Really?" She asked, and scooted over a little so Max could sit beside her. He nodded, "of course! Very brave."

She beamed, snuggling closer to him before looking at you. "Mama, come here," she patted the other side, and surprisingly the three of you were able to fit on the very small hospital bed.

A nurse was constantly in the room, checking in on Isabella's health from time to time and since there weren't any repeated symptoms of an allergic reaction, the three of you were out of the hospital in a few hours.

Max followed you in his car, and carried your sleeping daughter inside the house. Instead of taking her straight to her bedroom, he laid her down on the couch in case she wakes up and needs her mother.

It was safe to say that you were not going too far away from her any time soon.

You were in the kitchen, filling up a glass of water when he returned. He stood behind you, with his hands trailing down your sides before resting on your waist, and his chin on your shoulder. "Did I tell you how stunning you look?"

You hummed, "maybe a few times but I don't mind hearing it again."

He turned you around in his grasp, "well, you look breathtakingly beautiful."

You blushed, "you and your compliments," you chuckled. "What's wrong with it?" He asked, but you shook your head, "nothing, it's just I'll never get bored of hearing it."

He smiled, "good, because you'll be hearing at least one every day."

You tilted your head to the side, "every day? Are you sure you won't run out?" He shook his head, "not unless you keep finding ways to make me speechless."

Both of you remained in that position for a moment but then you frowned, "I'm sorry,"

"For what?" He tilted your chin up as soon as you averted your gaze away from him. "We weren't able to go on the date."

Max let out a sound in protest, "I'm pretty sure your daughter's health matters so much more than our date night. Plus the night isn't over," he added with a smile, confusing you even further.

"What does that mean?" He parted away from you and it quickly made you miss the warmth that his body provided you. "Why don't you go change into something comfortable," he suggested, almost pushing you out of the kitchen.

You weren't opposed to the idea, so you went upstairs to change after checking on your daughter. You found the most comfortable pair of sweatpants and a shirt, and removed your makeup as well.

Walking back downstairs, you saw Max waiting at the bottom of the stairs for you. He had removed his blazer and bow tie, unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt as well.

He held out his hand, waiting for your hand to hold his, and although you were confused, you wouldn't pass up an opportunity to hold his hand.

"It's not much, definitely not up to first date standards but we'll manage," he commented as he led you to the kitchen table where he had prepared two packets of instant noodles.

"I haven't been on a date in forever so anything you do will set my standards." You smiled when you noticed the lit candle.

"Well, then I will raise your standards next time by taking you out on a proper date." He held the chair out for you, waiting for you to sit before rounding the table and sitting down himself.

It took two minutes before Max moved his own chair right next to yours because he didn't want to sit on the opposite side. You chuckled at his antics but it was much appreciated.

"What's on your mind?" he asked once he saw you visibly thinking. You shrugged, "I don't think we should be discussing these thoughts on a first date."

"This is far from what a first date should be like, so there are no rules. I know you want to talk about what happened at the hospital," he prompted and he was spot on, so you agreed.

"I can't believe he actually left Isabella under Emma's supervision. Not that there is anything wrong with her, but it's not her responsibility!" Max nodded in agreement, "where was he?"

"In a fucking meeting," you exasperated, eating another forkful of the noodles. "It must've been very stressful for Emma," you sighed, finishing your short rant because you truly had no words for your ex's irresponsible behaviour.

Still, Max listened to every word. Once you were finished eating, he turned your chair towards him. "We can agree on the fact that he is an incompetent father."

"Yeah, I don't even know what would've happened if Emma wasn't there either. He surely wouldn't have left Bella alone right?"

Max shrugged, "hey, stop worrying about what could've happened. Bella's safe, she's okay." He placed a palm on your cheek, rubbing his thumb back and forth in a soothing motion.

You nodded, "you're right." Making eye contact with him, you were quickly lost in his gaze. While it almost made you want to look away, you couldn't.

"You know," you started, wanting to divert away from the current topic. He hummed, urging you to go on.

"I don't really care for an extravagant date, all I really need is you. I'm happy with this, with us." He smiled, to the point where you could notice the creases forming at the corners.

"I'm happy with us too, but I will be taking you out on an extravagant date because you deserve it, as well as much more."

You rolled your eyes playfully, knowing that it would be hard to convince Max otherwise, but you could think of a few ways to try when the time comes.

"Thank you for being here with me," you added, needing him to know about your appreciation. Your words also hinted at all the moments he shared with you, and Isabella.

He seemed to understand your hint, "I'm glad to be here with you, both of you."

Taglist: (continuing the taglist in comments) @xjval @mrsmaybank13 @cherry-piee @urfavnoirette @solphin @burningcupcakefire @nessacarty1 @dreamsarebig @omgsuperstarg @fanficweasley @redbullgirly @llando4norris @wonnou @randomgirlnumber13 @dark-night-sky-99 @chanshintien @leilanixx @gisellesprettylies @peachiicherries @monsieurbacteria6 @67-angelofthelordme-67 @arian-directioner @distancedss @morenofilm @sachaa-ff @lighttsoutlewis @teamnovalak @casperlikej @sadg3 @d3kstar @lewisvinga @lpab @queenofmanydreams @glitterf1 @honethatty12 @drunk-teens-doing-drugs @its-avalon-08 @yourbane @oconswrld @noneofyourfbusinessworld @ssrcsm @softtina @hockeyboysarehot @formulaal @namgification @tallrock35 @bloodyymaryyy @formulanni @ellouisa17 @phantomxoxo

#little big fan fic #max verstappen fluff #max verstappen x you #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen fanfic #max verstappen fic #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #thef1diary fic #f1 fluff #fluff

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nutmeggery · 9 months

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I need Neil Gaiman to know that Good Omens 2 made me feel emotions I haven't felt in nearly a decade.

When I heard there was going to be a Good Omens 2 I was looking forward to it, of course. I just wasn't expecting it do anything super special to my emotions. I was sure I'd enjoy it, though. I really enjoyed s1.

But, for the last few years, I watched shows and afterwards basically thought well, that was fun, and I quickly moved on and didn't think much about them. There was only about 3 shows in the last 5 years that had made me feel truly emotional and stayed on my mind to the point where I felt like I needed to engage in fandom for a while. (Good Omens 1 was one of them.)

I wasn't spoiled by the leak. I never even knew there was a leak. So I had no idea what was coming in s2. And oh boy...

See, I'd watched Our Flag Means Death, a show where you don't expect the lead characters to kiss, because, well, that never happens in these types of shows, right? And this is important because when they did kiss, it felt like a door that had been locked with just about all the high security locks in the world had suddenly, inexplicably, been opened. Something switched inside me. It took me months to understand what it was, but when I thought about Good Omens before s2 came out, I realized what it was.

I would never truly enjoy a bromance they're-only-queer/in love-by-your-own-interpreation story ever again. Stories where nothing is confirmed, just subtext that anyone who doesn't want to see it can easily deny and mock those who wish it was more.

While it was clear that Crowley and Aziraphale cared a lot about each other in s1, and were probably in love, it was still just a fun ship for fans to play with in fanfiction and fanart. Do they love each other? Oh sure. In what way? Well, that's up to interpretation. Ok, cool. But it's not quite Our Flag Means Death, is it?

Then I watched Good Omens 2. And from episode 1 I saw my favourite Angel and Demon duo love each other. And I was having the best time. I hadn't had such a good time watching a show in a long while. It was not only right up my alley, it was an alley I wasn't even aware was my alley until I saw it. I enjoyed seeing the old characters, the new characters. Oh, I was wonderful.

It was clear to me that, of course Crowley and Aziraphale love each other, are IN love with each other, showing it in their own way. And I wasn't expecting it to be THIS obvious.

And then when the kiss happened, I couldn't believe it. I covered my mouth with both hands and gasped and sat up straight in my seat. I had never expected it--the heartbreak it added to the already heartbreaking scene--it rewired something inside me.

It was like my emotions had been locked up in a stall like a horse for so, so long, and now the gate had been opened, the stable door kicked down, and the horse was running out onto the large pasture into the daylight, bucking and kicking up grass. Oh my god, I have to take a few minutes to process that entire 6 hour marathon of emotions.

And by a few minutes I meant a few days.

More than a few, actually.

I didn't need a kiss to understand how much they loved each other, but I did need the kiss to understand how intense and heartbreaking their separation is for them after everything.

But more than that, the kiss broke a barrier. They really did it, I thought. They really dared.

Aziraphale and Crowley aren't human males, no, but they're played by male actors. And that is significant. That makes the kiss significant. In the world we currently live in.

Weeks later, I'm still obsessed with the show, re-watching s1 and 2, reading the book again, listening to the audio drama. And I'm on tumblr, seeing people's posts and art to somehow sate my hunger for a s3 that doesn't exist (yet).

And I'm having a wonderful time.

#good omens #good omens 2 spoilers #go2 #neil gaiman #im queer and emotional #NEIL LIKED IT?!#asdsdksfksnvkjdnvdkjvd

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dalliancekay · 3 months

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The 'Aziraphale Still Believes in Heaven' Take

Is one that I see so often. Too often. The way many fans (still) say Aziraphale is so naïve, he's never learned anything, he never changes, Metatron just offered him a promotion and he happily jumped on it. Happy to go back to Heaven. Still in their clutches. Leaving Crowley behind. Cos nothing lasts forever. Amirite? Poor long-suffering Crowley. So patient. Goes through so much. Aww. Takes that say that because Crowley never told Aziraphale about the venom in Gabriel's "Shut your stupid mouth and die already", Aziraphale has no idea that Heaven is not the good guys, that he still believes they are on the side of truth and light.

Takes that claim Aziraphale wants Crowley to come to Heaven and be an angel again so they can be happy like in the good old times. Takes that basically say that Aziraphale is stupid. And blind. LISTEN Do you mean this Aziraphale:

Who knew before Crowley did that something is rotten in the state of Denmark, that things are wrong and one can get in a lot of trouble for a thing as minor as a suggestion to improve things. Is this the Aziraphale that would seriously suggest to Crowley, who he was immediately deeply anxious over, to go back to 'good old times'? What good old times? How is Heaven a place of light when:

A bunch of angels comes down to Earth to bully and PUNCH ONE OF THEIR OWN?

Why would he think they are the light when they shame him for being who he is?

Yes, I HC is that ultimately, Aziraphale still believes in God, in Her inherent goodness, even if Her tasks were often odd... and not lining up with what he thought was right. He thinks (remember my own HC) something somewhere went wrong with the what She wanted and the how it was understood and executed. And yes, Aziraphale wants to do good. But that's not tied to him being an angel. And it's not a bad thing ffs! Crowley does good as well. Aziraphale might be the only one who knows, but he knows. Maybe getting humans out of the Garden to seek knowledge was always a (certainty) possibility, and maybe not, but it was Aziraphale's decision to arm them.

And She didn't make him Fall for it. And do you remember when:

Aziraphale first openly questioned that Heaven was actually doing what God actually wanted? He had a think after the Flood, didn't he. He did what he thought was right. He trusted Crowley over his fellow angels, with his own sense of rightness. He and Crowley saved the kids that Aziraphale triple checked the Archangels saw no problem in letting die to make things easier. And She didn't make him Fall for it. In Edinburgh:

Az re-evaluated the thinking he was taught and did a full 180 degree turn, trying in few hours to save the grave-robbing girl AND the possible future lives of children that could be helped via more learning. And when we come to Metatron and his threats, we don't see the full conversation, but don't we see enough? Aziraphale says that he's not interested. Metatron keeps nagging at him. Pushing the symbolic coffee from Coffee or Death at him. Flattering him with obvious untruths. After all, Aziraphale knows what Heaven thinks of him. He tried to reason with Metatron before. Metatron tells him they know how deep his disobedience lies:

Aziraphale is not a fool. He knows this is an offer of come quietly or we will find a way to destroy you and your demon this time. Aziraphale didn't have to hear Metatron's quip of: "For one prince of Heaven to be cast into the outer darkness makes a good story. For it to happen twice, makes it look like there is some kind of institutional problem." He knows the system is rotten. He knows for a LONG time. Did you see his face when he met Muriel and realised what a lonely sad existence they lead.

AND Crowley doesn't love Aziraphale despite the fact that he's being used to get out of trouble, being made to listen about random things the angel enjoys from symphonies to food and plays, and who continues to believe in goodness and kindness. CROWLEY LOVES AZIRAPAHLE BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS AND because he sees Aziraphale for what he is, an angel who thinks for himself, changes his mind, learns, angel who is brave, who stands for the right thing, who sacrifices his own happiness for the safety of others, especially the demon he loves. They are the same. They are lonely. They are one of a kind. And they love each other.

Aziraphale wants to stay at home. In the home he built for himself and Crowley. On Earth where he's found so much to love. But he knows it is impossible. As Crowley confesses his love, Aziraphale struggles to stay on his plan to push him away, to make him stay. He'll miss Crowley terribly. He wants them to be together. For him, they were an 'us' the whole S2. However tenuously. Fragile existence and all that.

But even this was ripped away from him. And whatever he's planning, he knows he needs to do the first steps on his own. He can't submit Crowley to the torture that being in Heaven is going to be for him, an unwanted, despised angel. And that would be even worse for an unwanted demon. He had to push him away.

So he leaves. Furious. And determined. Whether it is to burn the place down or find God and ask Her all the questions to Her face I don't know. But his love will push him through.

And if I see one more simplistic take of the snarky demon is really good isn't he, so that means the stuffy angel is bad (and needs to change to be worthy of the demon) I will curse their dreams with lines about shades of grey. AZIRAPHALE AND CROWLEY ALREADY LOVE EACH OTHER

#good omens #aziraphale #crowley #ineffable husbands #aziracrow #neil gaiman #good omens 2 #ineffable divorce #good omens thoughts #aziraphale my beloved #aziraphale is such a bastard #aziraphale defense squad #good omens meta #hc #the final fifteen #season 2 #kaypost

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samandcolbyownme · 2 months

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Summary: anon request- "Hear me out, y/n is on a girls trip to Vegas. When out at a club one of her friends spots Colby (and friends) and plays wing woman mentioning to Colby that he is y/n's "hall pass." He's interested and they party and hook up all weekend. Including heavy smut and dom Colby, please"

Warnings: this story is going to contain reader CHEATING on fiancé with Colby, SMUT18+, Hall pass Colby, LOTS of unprotected sex, rough sex, fingering, oral (f rec), hair pulling, choking, creampie, scratching, biting, lots of filth

Again, this one shot is going to contain reader cheating on fiancé with Colby as their chosen hall pass.

Word count: 8.2k | kinda proofread

╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗

N I G H T * O N E

"I'm so excited for this trip." You say walking to your rental car, "I can't believe we're here!"

Your best friend, Hadley sighs, looking around, "I know! Im so glad we agreed on doing the solo bride and maid of honor trip."

You nod, throwing your suit case into the car, "So the hotel?" You ask getting into the drivers seat. Hadley gets in and nods, "Yeah we gotta get ready."

"Ready for what?" You look at her with a laugh.

"Please tell me you didn't think we were staying in the hotel room all weekend.." she shakes her head, "No baby. We're throwing a bride sash on you and not having to pay for any drink."

You laugh, "Okay. Yeah. Your idea sounds so much more fun."

"There's the spirit." She punches your arm handle and you laugh, "I'm so glad you remembered the bride sash. I literally forgot about it until right now."

She points to herself, "I'm the maid of honor, of course I'm going to be on top of things."

You nod and shake your head as you continue to drive to the hotel.

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

By the time you got settled and showered and all dressed up to go out, a few hours have passed by, making it time for you and Hadley to go out.

"Oh!" She rushes to her suit case and pulls out the sash, "can't forget this!"

"Yes!" You laugh and point to her. She walks over and lifts it over your head, "Perfect." She steps back, pointing to the door, "Let's go."

Luckily, the club you were going to, was only a short walk away.

You get your ID back from the bouncer and you walk in, looking around.

Every thing was so, alive.

You were amazed and excited because you can scratch going to Vegas off of your bucket list.

"Alright." Hadley says, "Let's make that sash, work."

She interlocks her arm with yours and pulls you towards the bar. You had to admit, you didn't think the sash would work.

A guy does a double take, smirking as he reads over your sash, "Bride to be? Huh." He nods, "You get a drink yet?"

Haley nudges you and you laugh, "Oh, Um. Not yet."

"Here." He waves the bartender down and motions to you and Hadley, "Add the next two drinks to my tab."

The bartender nods and you smile at the guy, "Thank you." He winks and looks away. You turn to Hadley and laugh quietly, "Oh my god."

She prances in place and squeals quietly, "I knew it would work."

After the last two hours of mingling and sipping on drinks, Haley rushes up to you and grabs your arm, "Guess who the fuck is here."

You look around, "Who?"

"Colby Brock."

You feel your face relax with shock.

Colby is your celebrity crush basically. You adored him. He was in fact, who you told your fiancé your hall pass is.

"Isn't he the-"

You nod, already knowing what she's going to ask, "Yes. Yes." You laugh slightly, "Avery knows my hall pass is Colby."

She covers her mouth, "how often does this fucking shit happen?" She sighs, "So if you meet him do you get to use it?" She look at you and raises her brows, "Cause I mean.. I would."

You laugh, "um, no. I don't think that you can ac-"

"Come on." Hadley pulls you through the crowd and your heart starts beating. You can't sit there and say you haven't thought about Colby while having sex or while doing it solo, because you have.

Colby's hot, like godly, you'd let him ruin your life hot.

So, you would in fact risk it all, "Hey." You pull Hadley back to you, "Keep it low key, I don't want very many people knowing about my embarrassment if I get rejected."

She smirks and nods, "Alright. I gotchu."

You move over to an empty table and sit down, your eyes scanning the crowd. Hadley leans in, "Okay, so I'm going to wait for Colby to go up to the bar and then I'll go talk to him."

You laugh at her, "You're too good at this." She shrugs, "Wingwoman things."

You look around, anxiously thinking about what you wanted to do.

Well, you already knew what you were going to do, you were mainly anxious about the possible outcomes for the repercussion of it.

After a little bit of waiting, she gasps, "Oh. There he goes." She quickly gets down from her stool and she looks at you, "Look cute, okay?"

You nod and quickly go into the mode of trying to be cool and cute.

You force yourself not to look over there, you couldn't believe that this was even happening, like, Hadley was right, how often does this shit really work out?

A few moments later, Hadley returns and she nods, "He's interested."

Your eyes go wide, "no." You shake your head, "You're lying." She laughs, "That would be a sick joke. I'm serious! I gave him your number. I told him to text you because it's a big deal. Blah blah privacy. You know."

You stare at her, slightly in shock, "This isn't real. This isn't happening."

Hadley sighs and reaches out, pinches your arm. You wince in pain, "ouch?" You look at her and she smirks, "You're awake. This isn't a dream."

You laugh, "Oh my god." You sigh, "What about Avery? Oh god. I don't think I can do this."

Hadley lays a hand on your arm and leans in, "y/n. Look at me." She squeezes your arm, "You know that saying, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?"

You nod and she nods, "Exactly.."

"The fact that you're thinking about passing up the chance to fuck Colby Brock." She shakes her head, "Are you seriously going to do that?"

So along with the whole wanting to fuck Colby, you also have had this, weird feeling, that you could always pull him.

Maybe it was just your ego expanding because you know you're hot enough to actually pull him.

"Is he really the person you'd risk it all for?" Hadley asks and you sigh, "Fuck, yeah. I mean, look at him."

She laughs, "Good, because here they come." She straightens up and you sit up, "Oh fuck. Fuck." You smile as Colby's eyes meet yours.

The way he makes you feel soaked just by looking at you, really tells you that you made the right choice.

"Hey, guys." Hadley smiles, "Colby, who's your friend?" Colby smile and motions to the blonde next to him, "This is Sam."

You laugh slightly, smiling at you nod, "We know. We watch your videos." Your eyes move from Sam to Colby.

He smirks and nods, "We appreciate it."

"So which one of you is the bride to be?" Sam leans in looking for the sash, "Ah. There she is." He smiles up at you and you tilt your head, "Here I am."

"I'm going to go get a round for us, be right back." Sam points and you nod, your eyes following Colby as he sits down next to Hadley, "So when's the big day?"

You couldn't lie. You were so nervous you could throw up.

"Um, three? Weeks? Three and half maybe." You slowly lick over your bottom lip, "It's been quite crazy." You laugh and bring your drink up to your lips.

"That sounds like you need to take this-" Colby pauses and looks at Hadley, "How long are you here for?"

"Mm." Hadley pulls her straw from her lips, "The weekend. Friday to Sunday."

Colby looks back at you, "you need to take this weekend to relax."

You slowly pull your bottom lip between your teeth and if it was just you and him, you'd jump him right then and there.

"That's what I've been telling her! The whole plane ride here." Hadley sighs, "she deserves this." Hadley looks from you, motioning to Colby with her eyes and you can't help but laugh, "Yeah, yeah. I know."

"Tell you what, our friend is throwing a party tomorrow night, why don't you guys swing by?" Colby looks between the two of you and you nod.

This man has you in a mental chokehold, "That would be great, just text me the details."

He smiles at you and nods, "I'll do that."

Sam walks back up and sets the small tray down on the table, "Here we go." He grabs a glass and holds it up. You all follow along with raising yours and Sam looks at you, "To the bride to be."

Your she's move from Sam, locking onto Colby's and he smirks, tilting his head slightly, "to the bride to be."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

"Alright. I think we're going to head out." You say getting down from your stool.

"So soon?" Sam jokes and you laugh, "Yeah, it's almost two am."

"Fair enough, did Colby tell you about our friends party?" Sam asks and you nod, "Oh right, yeah. Colby. Text me the address and stuff."

Colby points back, "Yes, thank you for reminding me."

The more you drank, the more the tension of wanting to fuck each other was growing quickly.

You smile and link arms with Hadley, "Thank you for the drinks!" Hadley turns, "Bye guys!" She waves and you walk out.

The cool, night air chilling your overheated bodies.

"That did not.. just fucking happen." You press your fingers to your lips and think for a moment, "What the fuck."

Hadley sighs, "Ah yeah. That's what you get for waking up in Vegas." You laugh, "Yeah, but wait, we didn't wake up here this morning."

"Can you just-" she laughs, "don't ruin this for me."

"Oh. Sorry." You both drunkenly laugh as you walk back to the hotel. As you make your way in, you dig your room key out of your purse.

You step onto the elevator and the only thing on your mind right now is Colby.

"Are you thinking about him?" Hadley asks and you nod, "Oh yeah."

"Are you gonna do it?" You can tell she looks over at you but you keep your eyes on the doors of the elevator, "Do you think it's worth it?"

"So you think Avery was serious about the whole hall pass thing?" Hadley asks, and you both walk off the elevator.

"I mean.." you sigh, "I couldn't tell if they were joking or not."

Hadley looks around and leans in, her voice going quiet, "The way Colby was looking at you tonight.. tells me that there's no way that man didn't catch feelings for you right then and there."

You roll your eyes and she tilts her head, "I'm your best friend, so I'm going to be honest with you.. let's not forget who doesn't even want you on this girls trip to celebrate their upcoming wedding."

You nod, "We talked about it.. it's fine now."

She nods, "Okay. But still."

You look up at her, "Look I know you don't really care for Avery, but they're who I'm here, celebrating to being married to soon, okay."

You both needed to sleep. You've been flying, driving, and just non stop going all day.

You sigh, "We just need to go to bed and the alcohol isn't helping.. so yeah." You turn around and walk into the room.

You go over to the door that conjoins your rooms and you stop to look over at her, "If this happens, are you going to tell anyone?"

A smirk grows on her lips and she shakes her head, "I promise I won't." You nod, laughing slightly, "I'll let you know how it goes."

She salutes you, "As you should."

You laugh, "goodnight."

You walk into your room, leaving the door unlocked and you go to get undressed. As you're stripping down, you can tell your phone goes off so your heart starts to beat faster.

You grab your phone and walk in to the bathroom, smirking as you see it's a text from Colby, mainly just giving you the address.

You bite your lip and type up your text back, Sounds good. See you tomorrow.

You set your phone down on the counter and take a deep breath as you turn on the shower. As you're waiting patiently for the water to get hot, Colby responds.

You pick up your phone and smile as you read his text, It was really great to meet you and Hadley.

You hop into the shower and pull the curtain closed. You turn your back to the water and tilt your head as you type, It was really nice meeting you and Sam. You both are just absolutely unreal.

You hit send and rest your phone on the little shelf thing so you can take an everything shower.

You couldn't go without checking your phone, in hopes to see his name pop up.

You couldn't lie. This was all a lot for you right now, like you couldn't believe that Colby Brock and Sam Golbach know who you are.

When Colby finally answers, you give it a few minutes before you unlock your phone and read over his text, Speaking of, I gotta say. What she said kind of really peaked my interest.

You take a minute, because this could go one of two ways.

Something tells you to just roll with it, so that's what you do, what did she say to you again? I just want to confirm that she got all the details that we talked about, lol.

You sit your phone down, forcing yourself to finish your shower before looking at your phone again.

It was a twenty nervous filled minutes.

You wrap the towel around yourself and walk out to the room. You sit down on the bed and read what he said, Oh, I see. So you were in on it. If I have to say, that's probably the hottest pickup line ever.

Something flips in your stomach, peaking your interest even more.

You lay back, holding your phone above your face as you type, I just need to know if it's a real thing, ya know?

You jump slightly when you see Avery's name pop up at the top of your screen. You let out a sigh and accept the FaceTime with a smile, "Hey, babe."

"What's going on, baby?" They ask and you sit up, "Just got back from the club a little bit ago.. you?"

They shrug, "Nothing. Just got back from Cam's house."

You nod, "Oh yeah? How was that?"

"Eh. I just can't wait until you're back on Sunday, but you probably are having way too much fun without me."

You laugh slightly, seeing Colby's text appear at the top of the screen, It can be as real as you want it to be, y/n.

"Do you miss me?"

You chew the inside of your lip, nodding as you look at Avery through the screen, "Of course I miss you, too!" You laugh slightly, "Why would you think that I didn't?"

"I'm just messing with you, babe." Avery laughs and you roll your eyes, "Very funny." You yawn and Avery sighs, "Yeah I'm going to head to bed."

"Yeah, me, too." You nod, "I'll call you tomorrow, alright? I love you."

"I love you, sleep good." Avery smiles and waves before hanging up and you take a second to process the call.

You get this really strange feeling that you, honestly, have never felt before.

You didn't like it.

You thought about what you wanted to do, and either way, if your suspicions are right, at least you can say that you fucked Colby Brock, right?

You go to Colby texts and type, The Venetian. Floor 25 room E, last room on the left.

You hit sent and you toss your phone as you now anxiously await the sound of a knock on your door.

A few moments later, theres a soft knock on your door.

You walk over, peeling back the tape on the peep hole to look and to your shock, you see Colby. You push the tape back over and open the door, "How'd you get here so fast?"

"I was down in the casino actually, how weird was that?" He glances down, raising a brow a he tilts his head to the side, "So.. you're really getting right to it, huh?"

You look down, completely forgetting that you were in just a towel, "Oh.. shit. Wow this is embarrassing." You turn around and Colby walks in, "Mm. I like it."

You look at him shyly and smile, "Oh, okay."

"So.." Colby walks up to you, "Can I ask you a question?" You look up at him, giving him a smirk, "Of course."

His eyes stay on yours, which makes it kind of hard for you to stay focused as he asks, "Out of everyone, why me?"

You bite down on your lip, "I mean." To step back and motion to him, "Have you seen yourself?"

Colby chuckles and shakes his head, "I should be asking you the same thing." He bites his lip and sighs, "I am very flattered that I am what you call your - "He puts air quotes up, "Celebrity Hall Pass.." he laughs, "And you being hot makes it ten times better."

You bite your lip, "How do you.. wanna do this?" Your eyes flick up to meet his and he shrugs, "How ever you want to do it, baby."

Baby, you smirk, god you wanted him.

He steps closer to you and you can feel yourself freeze.

His hands hover over your body. Teasing you with the oh so close presence. You grab his wrists and push his hands to meet your body.

His fingers dig to grow his grip tighter. Your hands slide up to his neck and your eyes never move from his, "I want you."

That's all it took - Colby lifts you up, your legs wrapping perfectly around his waist and he walks you over to the bed. He gets up on his knees before laying you down.

His lips crash into yours with that fiery passion you knew you felt. You moan against his lips as he grinds his bulge against your bare cunt, causing you to whimper out.

You needed him, you want him so bad it hurts.

"You sound so pretty, baby." Colby leans up, shifting all his weight onto his left arm as his right hand drags up to the top of your towel, "Can I take this off?"

You nod, "Yes, yes." You bite your lip as he pulls back the towel, revealing your fresh out of the shower body.

Colby can tell you instantly want to cover up. He licks His lips and leans down, "I think.." he presses a kiss to your neck, leaning back to make you look at him, "You are the hottest fucking person I've ever come in contact with." Your pussy grows wetter and your cheeks grow hotter from his words, "You hear me?"

You nod and lift your body so he can pull the towel from under you, "Hey." He tosses it and leans in, "You are fucking beautiful. Okay?" He nods at you and you nod back.

He plants a kiss to your forehead and you feel his hand drag down your body. He stops at your waist, looking from his hand to you, "Can I touch you?"

You nod quickly, laying your hand on his to push it down to your achy cunt, "Yes." You breathe out, "Please."

Colby's voice is low, "Spread 'em for me, baby."

You comply, parting your thighs. He smirks and you move your hand so you can watch his hand slide down to press his middle finger to your clit.

You let out a gasp and buck your hips, you needed more, "Colby!" You whine out and he chuckles, resting down on his side and presses a kiss down your shoulder, "Tell me what you want, sweetheart."

"I need you in me." You whine out, turning your face to look at him. You lay a hand on your cheek and moan out.

He watches your face twitch with pleasure as he drags a single finger between your folds, listening to you let out another moan as he pushes that finger into you.

"Fuck." You breathe out, rolling your hips, "C-Colby."

"What, baby?" Colby asks and you whine, "more.." you whimper, "I need more."

"How do you want me to fuck you baby?" Colby slowly pushes in another finger, obliging to your request, making you moan out.

Colby chuckles, "Want me to be slow and gentle?, Or do you want me to fuck you rough and hard?"

You nod, whimpering out, "y-yes."

"Which one baby? Talk to me." Colby curls his fingers inside of you and you arch your back off the bed, "F-fuck me.. hard and rough."

"Hard and rough? Mm" Colby leans down, kissing up your neck, "you want to be treated like a slut now don't you?"

You nod and Colby chuckles, "Words, sweetheart."

"Yes." You whisper out, "I want to be a slut for you."

He pulls his fingers out and stands up, "Rub that clit for me while I undress, baby." Your hand drags to your clit and you gasp as you slowly rub circles over your it.

"That's it, baby." Colby nods as he strips his clothes from his body, "You're so wet already." He smirks, as climbs onto the bed, "I turn you on that much?"

You nod, laying your hands on his shoulders, "oh yeah." You bite down on your lip as he positions his hips in between your thighs.

"I couldn't wait to be inside of you the second I saw you sitting at that table." Colby whispers as he rubs the head of his cock against your opening, "So fucking hot."

He inches his cock in, a groan from him mixing with your moan. Your nails dig into his shoulders and you squeeze around him.

Your eyes roll back as you feel him stretching you the further he pushes in, "C-Colby."

You drag your nails up his back, moaning out loudly as he pulls out and thrusts back in. His pace is slow, but his thrusts are hard.

"Does your fiancé make you feel this good?" Colby mumbles with his lips against your forehead. You gasp out, tilting your head back, "Fuck, no no no."

Colby slips an arm under your back and holds you up slightly. His other arm supporting his weight as his thrusts grow faster, more vicious.

"You have the pussy that was made for me." Colby moans lowly and you whine, "You feel so good."

Your nails sink into his shoulders as he rams himself into you. You moan out with each thrust, eyes rolling back as he lays you back on the bed.

He leans up, hands reaching down to hold your hips, and his thrusts grow hard, "F-fuck."

Your back arches against the bed and you groan loudly, "F-fuck.." you gasp, feeling yourself come undone around him.

"Fuck, fuck." Colby groans, tilting his head back. He pushes your thighs back, pinning them down as he watches his cock disappear into you repeatedly.

As he's fucking you through your orgasm, you feel his thrusts growing sloppy, "Where do you want me to cum, baby?"

You roll your eyes, shrugging as you whimper out, "Anywhere, I don't care."

He groans and nods, "Fuck." He thrusts his hips forward, slowly thrusting as you feel his cock twitch inside of you.

You couldn't help but moan.

Colby slowly pulls out, still keeping your thigh pinned back, "Fuck. Tell your fiancé that I'm sorry in advance."

You bite down on your lip and furrow your brows, "Huh?"

He lets go of his grip on your thighs and leans down, hands beside your head, "I said." He chuckles lightly, "Tell your fiancé that I said I'm sorry because I'm about to murder this pussy every day you're here."

You swallow, nodding desperately. Now that did fuck him, you're addicted.

"Really?" You whimper out quietly and he smirks, "Any chance I get, baby. This pussy is mine this weekend, right?"

You nod and Colby tilts his head, "Come on baby. Let me hear it."

You smirk up at him and nod, "This pussy is yours for the weekend."

Colby presses his lips to yours, "Glad we're on the same page." He winks and moves off of you, "Now come on. I need a shower."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

N I G H T * T W O

You and Colby fucked again last night.

You fucked again this morning.

And you're one hundred percent sure that he's coming back to your hotel room after their friend's party, which was honestly kind of boring.

You and Hadley were loners until Sam and Colby and some of their friends joined. Once you got a few drinks in you, the night got a little bit better.

When you're finally ready to leave, you look a Colby, "Are you, um." You laugh slightly, voice going lower, "Coming.. over tonight?"

He gives you a nod, "Do you want me to?"

You smirk, "I think we both already know the answer to that question." He nods, a smile on his face, "I think we do, yeah."

An hour later, Colby is opening the hotel door from behind you. Your back is pressed against it, and his lips are on yours.

He walks you backwards through the door and kicks it shut before bending down to lift you up, "This dress is fucking hot as hell, baby."

You smirk, "I thought you'd like it."

"Seems like you know me well enough already." He teases as he walk you over to the bed. He lays you down and lays down on his side next to you, fingers gently dragging up and down your thigh.

You giggle, "I mean, I can't lie. I've followed you on social media for so long, so that kinda helped prepare me for this."

"Smart girl." Colby slips his hand under your dress and you part your thigh a little more, "Sometimes." You breathe out with a laugh.

Colby's fingers drag up and down your clothed pussy, "Are you wet for me?"

"I've been all night."

He smirks and presses his lips to yours as he reaches down to undo his belt. You eagerly pull your dress up and work it up over your head before moving to get your panties off.

As soon as the clothes are off and scattered, Colby's on his knees on the bed by your feet, "Roll over." He motions, "Ass up, sweetheart."

You smirk and roll over onto your stomach, glancing back over your shoulder as you feel his hands on your ass.

They stay on your ass as you raise your hips, keeping your arms bent flat by your head.

"Good girl." Colby says lowly, gliding his cock up and down your soaked slit.

You push your hips back as he slides in and you grip the sheets, letting out a loud moan, "Fuck, Colby."

His hands tightly grip your hips and his speed picks up. He pulls you back to meet each of his thrusts, "Can't get enough of you."

You moan out in response, pleasure consuming you as he hit that perfect spot with each of his thrusts, "F-Fuck." You whine out, "Gonna cum."

You felt so close already and you blame the connection you and Colby have.

It's incredible.

Colby leans down, sliding his hands up your body to grip your shoulders. He pulls you up and you push yourself up onto your hands.

His hands slide around your throat, gradually closing his grip tighter, "Such a good little slut." He breathes out, "Fuck."

You let out a strangled moan, eyes rolling shut as he pounds you into orgasm.

Colby groans as your walls squeeze his cock, "Fuck, baby. That's it, cum for me." He focuses on guiding you through your high, loosening his grip on your throat and you gasp.

His left hand goes to your shoulder and his right hand grabs your hair and gathers it into a makeshift ponytail, "Can I fill you again. Sweetheart?"

You nod your head, wincing as he pulls, "Words. Baby."

"Y-es." You moan out, "Fill my pussy."

Colby smirks at how much control he has over you. He knew you would do anything for him. He had you wrapped around his finger.

"If you say so." He smirks, pushing your face down to the bed.

You let out a loud moan as the slight position change and Colby's hand keeping a tight hold on your hair, "Fuck."

Colby moves his left hand down to your hip, gripping it right as he thrusts harder into you. You clench around him, urging him to fill you, just like he did before.

"Please please please." You whimper, "Fuck, fuck fuck."

"Whose pussy is this?" Colby asks and you smile as you moan out loudly, "Yours, baby. It's yours."

He pushes his cock all the way in as he lets go of your hair to grip your hip. He pulls out slightly and pushes back in, "Fuck."

He allows you to feel his cock twitching as he fills you completely before he pulls out fully. He lets out a sigh, "You are fucking perfect." He leans down to look at your face. He brushes hair from your eyes and smiles, "Do you need anything?"

You shake your head, "No I think I'm going to go for a shower though."

He tilts his head and before he can even say anything you smile, "Come on."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

S U N D A Y * M O R N I N G

Colby ended up staying the night with you again and you found yourself wide awake around four a.m.

You just laid there, rethinking everything.

You reach over slowly, making sure not to wake Colby and you grab your phone from the stand. You bite your lip as you navigate through your phone and into your text message threat with Avery.

You struggled to type out your question, because you didn't want it coming off as bad, but you just had this feeling that either way, with you being in Vegas with a fiancé who doesn't even want you here isn't going to make it better.

You locked your phone, deciding on not sending a message. You cuddled back into Colby's chest and he pulled you closer, "You okay?"

You nod against his chest, a soft toned lie coming from your mouth, "Yeah."

It's quiet for a few minutes and you clear your throat, "I'll be right back. I'm going to see if Hadley has any melatonin or something..."

Sounded like a decent excuse.

You got up, walking over to the connecting door and quietly unlocking it. You push it open and step in. You quietly prance over to her bed and sit down on it slowly, "Hey." You whisper, "Hadley."

She stirs but still no luck. You lean down, "Hey. I need to talk to you." You whisper slightly loud and her body jolts, "what.. the fuck? Y/n?"

She rubs her eyes, "what time is it?"

"I don't know like four thirty?" You move to get over the covers and your sigh as you lean back against the headboard, "I'm stuck."

"On?" She knows, she just wants you to make yourself say it out loud, so you do, "Calling.. off the wedding.."

"Why?" She rubs her eyes, "Like, because you've been hooking up with Colby or because you want to be with Colby."

You know the answer, but you stay silent.

"Do what makes you happy.. I mean.. all I'm gonna say is that you're with someone who doesn't even want you here celebrating their wedding."

You nod, "But.. I still slept with Colby."

"Okay, before he starts to get skeptical about what-" she tilts her head, "what are you here for?"

"Oh." You nod, "I told him I was coming to get some melatonin. I was going to text Avery but I chickened out."

"Well before he starts wondering why you're taking so long, I think first off you need to find out whether or not Avery was serious with the whole hall pass thing but you can play around it either way. Just tell them that you got to meet Colby and I was joking about it or something."

You stare at the bed, thinking for a moment before you nod, "Yeah." You look at her, "That's good. Thank you." You go do get out of her bed, "Sorry for waking you up."

"Mhm." Hadley mumbles as she moves around to get comfortable again, "Night. Good luck."

You let out a soft laugh as you make your way back to the conjoining door. You quietly slip through, closing it beside tip toeing back to hour side of the bed.

Your eyes move up and down Colby's sleeping figure and you just can't help yourself.

You move onto the bed, sitting on your knees as you lean down to lay a few kisses over his abdomen. You glance up at him and smile as he stays asleep.

You reach up, laying a hand on his cheek, "Colby?" You whisper as your thumb strokes his cheek, "I need you."

"You need me, mm?" Colby smirks and you're not in the mood for jokes, which Colby picked up on when you moved to straddle his waist.

You slip your shirt off and toss it, leaving your boobs in full view. You're thinly clothed cunt hovering above his sheet covered cock, growing harder as the situation continues.

"Yes." You whimper out, "I need you." Colby's hands grip at your waist and slide up to move your shirt, "Whatever you need, sweetheart."

You leaned down, pressing your lips to his and his hands slide around to your ass. He pushes you down as he pushes his hips up.

You moan as his cock grinds against your clit, "F-Fuck." You whimper against his lips, "Please."

He flips you over moving the sheet to bring it over you and he moves his body to hover over yours, "You're needy early this mornin'.." Colby tilts his head, "everything alright?"

His hands move down to slip into the top of your panties and you gasp as you feel his fingers brush your clit, "I'm good."

You were in fact not good.

Far fucking from it.

Your mind was racing as lighting speed, did I just ruin someone's life? What if doing this wasn't worth if? There's a chance Avery could have been serious about it..

You let out a groan, grabbing onto his neck, "Fuck me. Please." You could cry from the amount of emotions you have, you just wanted Colby for fuck them all away for a little while.

He pulls his hand out of your panties and he slips them into the waist band, pulling them down your legs.

He pulls them over your feet and your knees are spread wide. You reach out for him and Colby smirks as he leans down. His lips sync with yours and you wiggle your hips, moaning out as you feel the head of his cock rub against your soaked folds.

You bite down gently on his bottom lip, gasping as you feel his cock slide in to you. Your nails digging into the top of his shoulders as you tilt your head back, mouth parted as you moan loudly.

"O-oh.. F-Fuck." You arch your back and Colby takes the opportunity to slip his arm under your back and hold you like that as he begins to thrust.

His lips meet the valley between your boobs, planting open mouth kisses as he moans against your skin, "Please don't leave today."

"Colby." You whisper, clenching your walls around his cock, "I-I ha-" Colby cuts you off with a sloppy kiss and he shakes his head, "No. no. Baby, please don't say you have to."

He rests his forehead against yours and you moan out, "why?" Colby rolls you over so you're now the one riding him, "Why, what baby?" He asks, hands tightly gripping your hips as you move your hips up and down.

"Why shouldn't I leave?" You breathe out as you dig your nails into his chest. He bucks his hips upward, "Do they fuck you better than me?"

You shake your head, "N-not even close." You smile and look down at him, rocking your hips against his as you tilt your head back.

Colby slides his hands up from your hips, gripping your boobs to knead at them.

You let out a moan, whimpering as you look down at Colby, "I'm so close."

Colby slips you back over, one arm bent by your head to hold his weight and the other on your cheek, "You feel so good."

You were desperately chasing that high when all of a sudden your phone rings. Your head snaps and to the side and from as far as you can lift it, you know it's Avery.

"Fuck." You gasp, trying to sit up. You groan when Colby doesn't move and you groan, "Colby, I need to answer that."

"Answer it. I'm not stopping." He leans up and you quickly grab your phone, "please don't say a thing."

He smirks at your plea and shrugs, "My mouth will be full don't worry."

You answer the phone, sounding like you just woke up, "Hello."

"Hey," Avery says, "What are you doing?" Your eyes fix on Colby bending up your legs and pushing them up and away from him, "Trying to wake up." You laugh slightly, gasping quietly when Colby's tongue presses to your clit.

I mean, he did give you a few minutes of talking normal to your fiancé, so you can't be mad.

"Yeah." Avery laughs anxiously, "Sorry about that."

You hum in response, mainly towards Colby slipping a finger into your soaked cunt, "No.. it's fine." You breathe out and Avery stays quiet for a few seconds, "Doesn't sound fine."

You know this is turning into an argument. The anger rising within you, is starting to make you not want to care if they hear another person making you cum.

You arch your back up off the bed as Colby adds another finger and you manage to choke out words, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You huffed when you said it's fine." Avery says, a hint of anger dashing their words, "No. no. You know what. You come home today, I don't want to fight with you. I shouldn't have even brang it up."

You look down at Colby who is staring up at you, beautifully to add. His fingers thrust into you at a slow pace, curling up ward right when you needed him to.

You felt awful for being on the phone with your fiancé while Colby Brock is knuckle need in your pussy.

Also, turned you on in such a way that could never ever be waterboarded out of you.

"Avery." You say, pausing as Colby moves to rub your clit with his other hand, "I just woke up." You breathe out, turning it into a fake yawn, "What's going on with you?"

They take a breath and start speaking, "I just wanted to call and say that I love you so much and I'm so excited to see you today. You're going to make sure a beautiful wife. My beautiful wife."

Your stomach drops and you get that same gut feeling that you got when you were on the phone with them.

Your whole demeanor changes and Colby notices, stopping his actions as he sits up. You hold your hand out to him displaying one finger and he nods.

You move to sit up, "Avery.. what's going on?"

"What do you mean what's going on?" They ask and you rest your head in your foreheads, "I don't know, you must haven't ever called me to tell me you love me like this before."

You mainly repeat it just so Colby can know what's going on. You lay back down and roll your hips towards him. He smiles, taking the hint right away.

He leans down, tongue sliding in between your folds and you fight back a moan. Luckily, it was Avery's turn to speak.

"I'm just.." they sigh and you bite down on your lip, waiting for them to continue, "I'm nervous but so excited about the wedding I just wanted to tell you that I love you."

Their excuse didn't sit right with you.

"Oh." You laugh slightly, "I see. Well.. I love you, too, baby."

Your words made Colby's grip tighter on your hips. You look down at him just as he rises to his knees, hand gripping the base of this cock as he slides it against your glistening cunt.

You know this was going to be hard.

"What time does your flight get in?" Avery asks and you hum as you keep your lips pressed together, "Five.. I think."

Colby pushes his cock in and you lay a hand over your mouth, "Fuck." You quickly cover it up with a laugh, "I'm so excited to see you."

Colby thrusts his cock deeper into you and you clench your jaw as you close your eyes. He lifts your right leg, placing his hand flat against the back of your thigh so he can push it back.

You fight back the moan from the new angle his cock is sliding in and out of.

"That's the spirit." Avery laughs and you weren't sure, but you thought you heard the sound of a distant door shutting, "Alright, I think I'll let you go back to sleep."

"Mm." You hum lowly, "Okay." You lay your left hand on Colby's as you keep the phone pressed to your ear.

He leans down, replacing his hand on your leg with his bicep so he can interlock his fingers with yours. You squeeze his hand and tilt your head back, "Wait." You laugh, trying to make it a funny story, "Hadley and I were at the bar and you'll never guess who I seen leaving just as we got there."

The lying is good, keep it going. Avery hums, "Mm, I'm not sure."

"Colby Brock." Your eyes meet his and his gives you a wink, followed by a cocky grin. He didn't give a fuck about your finances feelings.

Only yours.

Colby really didn't you. He thought you were literally the perfect girl ever for him. He wanted you so bad that he sprinted to you at every call or text.

He wanted to be yours just as much as he wanted you to be his.

"I'm not su- wait." Avery laughs, "Colby Brock, isn't he the.. fuck, what do we call it?" They pause for a minute and you ask, "Hall pass?"

You smirk at Colby and take your hand from his grasp, moving it to place your fingers on either side of his slowly moving cock.

He fights back groaning at the sight and you bite down on your lip as Avery laughs, "That's wild. What did Hadley have to say?"

"She pointed him out as he was waking away and all she said was, How often does that shit fucking happen." You answer, sliding your fingers up to your clit.

Your eyes stay locked on Colby's as you continue to speak, "She asked if that meant I could have sex with him and I said no. Avery wouldn't like that very much."

A laugh leaves their lips and Colby bites down on his, smirking as he shakes his head.

"Exactly. I would in fact, not like that. Thank you, baby." They sigh, "Alright. I'm going to bed. I love you."

"I love you." You whisper, "Mhm.. bye." You hear the three little beeps and toss your phone off the bed, sitting up at you reach up to grab Colby's neck slightly rough,"fuck me good."

Colby smirks, taking your hand from his neck and pins it above your head. He does the same with your other one. He holds both of your wrists against the mattress with one of his hands as he holds his weight up on his left arm.

Your legs wrap around his waist and your arms go to his neck, tangling your fingers in his hair as his thrusts speed up.

His face is buried in your neck, leaving little love bites on where he can kiss. He whimpers out quietly, "I can love you better than they can." He kisses up your neck, whispering in your ear, "I can fuck you better than they can."

He lets go of your hands and you instantly sig your nails into his back, squeezing his cock with the walls of your soaked cunt.

You drag your nails upward which causes a groan leaves Colby's lips, "Fuck, baby."

He lifts his head to look at you, "Stay. Please." He presses a sloppy kiss to your lips, whimper the next words against them, "Stay with me."

You bit your lip, "C-Colby.. wh-"

"Y/n." Colby moans out quietly, his forehead resting against yours, his eyes on you, "We work. I know you know we do."

You arch your back, rolling your hips to meet his, "Fuck.." you moan, looking up at him, "Yeah." You breathe out, "We do. We do, baby."

"Fuck." Colby groans, "As soon as I saw you." Colby shakes his head, letting out a sigh, "I just fucking knew that you were who I needed in my life."

You smile, panting as your orgasm is teetering on the edge, "F-Fuck, s-so cl-" Colby lays a hand on your clit and you gasp, nodding as he runs fast circles with his fingers.

"Fuck. Fuck." You moan out loudly, "C-Colby." You cling to him, moaning constantly as your body explodes with fireworks. Your walls pulsate around him as he kisses your neck, moving up to kiss your lips.

You feel his cock twitch inside of you and you use your ankles, that are interlocked behind his back, to pull him in closer to you.

You could tell that he loved it.

"Fuck." He groans out, a smile on his face, "So fucking good for me." He presses a kiss to your temple and slowly pulls out, "Come on."

Colby stands up and holds his hand out, waiting to lead you to the shower with him. You smile as you sit up, taking his hand to follow.

He walks in, closing the door behind you and you go to turn the water on. You turn to face him, "I think.." you swallow, she's searching the ground as you the strength to say it out loud.

"What's going on?" Colby is hesitant now, unsure if you're going to say anything towards him.

You bite your lip and try to fight back crying, "I think Avery is cheating on me." You keep your eyes on your feet you quickly see Colby's before he tilts your head up to look at him.

"What makes you think that?" Colby asks, thumb rubbing over your cheek. You sigh and nod towards the steamy shower, "Come on."

You pull him back and get into the shower with him. The warm water rushing over both of your bodies.

"They said they went to Cam's house and I've heard from multiple people that Cam doesn't like me. And then they call me at five am and wants to tell me how much they love me?"

Colby keeps his hands on your waist, nodding as he continues to let you rant, "I just.. usually that isn't a good sigh. I've been through something like this before with another person and they were in fact cheating."

You take a breath and Colby cups your cheeks, "You deserve someone who worships you. Who love you inside and out."

Was he referring to himself?

He places a gentle kiss on your lips but that quickly grows into a slow, hands groping each other make out.

"I just.." Colby sighs, "Fuck."

"Say it." You urge him, "Tell me."

Colby's hands slide up to the sides of your neck. His eyes search your face, "I.. I don't want to scare you away."

You shake your head, "You won't." Your eyes stare into his and he nods, "I honestly.. think I may be falling in love with you."

You nod, "I think.. I may be falling.. in love with you, too."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

Hi hello! Thank you so much for reading! Please tell me what you thought of it, as always I love you all! 🖤

Likes and reblogs are majorly appreciated!

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the-promise-has-been-made · 8 months

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Like with all Mike Flanagan shows, I have to sit and stew on The Fall of the House of Usher for a bit to let it fully settle, and then I'll probably have to rewatch it to get the full picture.

But what I can say now after the first watch has sat with me for 2 days is that compared to Hill House which dealt with grief, Bly Manor which dealt with love, and Midnight Mass which dealt with faith, House of Usher for me dealt with consequences. Madeline and Roderick were offered the deal that they could basically do whatever the heck they wanted, and all the consequences of their horrible actions would not be suffered by them. Which is essentially what capitalist super-rich experience all the time - and we, the ordinary people, suffer the consequences. It's funny that they thought it worked like that, but I guess they saw their father who suffered no consequences for abuse and for mistreating their mother whom he had ann affair with (if it even was that, and not rape) - but he did suffer consequences, he was strangeled to death by a dead woman. And Griswold, who seemingly suffered no consequences for his fraud and the many crimes of his company, except he did - he was literally cask of Amontillado'ed which is honestly the funniest thing! But for the Ushers, the consequences were suffered not just by the anonymous masses, not just by the thousands upon thousands that suffered and died because of their actions (powerfully depicted by the rain of bodies Verna showed Roderick in their meeting in his tower) and not by Madeline nd Roderick themselves, but very directly, very brutally, by their own children - who all in the span of a few days were driven insane and horrifically killed. They were offered this deal, and while Madeline had no children and made sure afterwards that she never would, Roderick already had two children by that point. He signed that deal not for some hypothetical children he might have, but for Frederick and Tammerlane who were already alive then, and for his 4 as of yet unborn children! They barely hesitated. The Ushers TOOK that choice away from their children, they doomed these children before they were even born. And they doomed even their grandchild before she was born. If that doesn't show the crippling consequences of actions we take today, I don't know what does. Every decision the rich and powerful make today has devastatign consequences for generations to come - not hypothetical, but very real and very dire consequences. But these people don't care about that, because it's not consequences they suffer NOW, so it's not their problem. The Ushers are charicaturized representations of that mindset, their children representations of the generations of people fucked over by their decisions. That's why I am torn between feeling glee at the bizarre demise each of the Usher children met (cause let's face it, they were all assholes and messed up) and at the same time feel immense pity for them (because the fact that they were assholes and messed up was almost not their fault but a product of growing up under the trauma Roderick and Madeleine suffered when they were children, and in a mindset where they genuinely believed being richer than God made them immune to cosequence, and because their fate had been decided for them without their knowledge).

But also, Verna gave EACH of these kids an option. They were all going to die, sure, but they were given the choice to do the right thing. Prospero was offered the chance to end his orgy and his filming of incriminating material but he chose to continue. Camille was offered the chance to turn around and go home and instead die peacefully in her sleep. Napoleon was offered the chance not to lie to his boyfriend and bring a fake 'cat' home, and instead go home, sober up, get his shit together, be honest about his fuck-ups. But he didn't. Victorine was offered the chance to say 'no, this treatment is not ready for human testing' but instead she deceived what she believed to be an innocent, desperate woman into essentially signing away her life. Tammerlane could have stopped her jealousy, her envy, and instead reach out to her husband, actually communicate, actually appreciate him, but she didn't. And Frederick, well, Verna spelled it out for him, didn't she? He had to bring her home, he had to bring out the pliers. He CHOSE to abuse and brutalize and mutilate his wife when she was completely defenseless, helpless, and innocent - yes she had gone to the orgy because she felt unappreciated, unseen, and nothing actually happened, she didn't cheat, her only 'crime' was chosing to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He chose to be a monster to her and to their child. All of them could have stopped, could have chosen to reflect on their actions and be better, do BETTER. Instead, they doubled down on their horrific behaviour, and sealed their own fate. All except Lenore, who until the very end chose to be good, chose to be kind, chose to see the best in people. That's why she was the only one to whom Verna appeared with kindness, giving her the certainty that her life mattered, that her sacrifice would save thousands, that her mother would do incredibly good in her name in the future, and she did not die with horror and suffering, she died peaceful, quick, quiet, like Verna had offered all the others. Verna was not so much a demon as she was the personification of "actions, meet consequences".

TLDR: The Fall of the House of Usher is the hardcore version of 'play stupid games, win stupid prizes' and will for me be part of the 'rich people actually suffer consequences for their shitty actions' cinematic universe.

#The Fall of the House of Usher #The Fall of the House of Usher spoilers #major spoilers #so many spoilers #the 'rich people meet consequences' cinematic universe

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bettsfic · 2 months

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Betts. how do I stop feeling jealous of everyone and everything and just focus on myself? I'm tired of being comprised of nothing but envy.

story time:

so i was recently at Millay, which is one of the top artist residencies in the country. they have an acceptance rate of something like 3%. when i was shown my room, there was a packet of all the residents' artist bios. i sat down and read through all of them. most of them were like half a page in length, single-spaced, listing out accomplishments i could never dream of. one artist had won a guggenheim. one author had published 12 books. another author published her first book at 19 years old. these were people who were extremely well accomplished and respected in their fields.

and we all became very good friends!

and then there was me. my bio was 3 sentences listing out a couple short publications and awards and other residencies i'd done. and my honest to god first thought was, "wow, the jurors must have really liked my writing to have accepted me among all these great artists."

and my second thought was, "that's the healthiest thing i have ever thought."

i had no jealousy of their accomplishments. even though my career hadn't even begun compared to theirs, i didn't attend dinner that night with any impostor syndrome. and that confirmed for me that i had grown out of whatever place i used to be in as a person, where i was basically a raw wound wrapped in barbed wire. everything hurt me and i hurt everything in return.

jealous feelings come from an intense need of external approval, but as i've mentioned in other asks, approval and validation is a well that gets filled over time. at our introductory dinner that night, i didn't talk about my work in the hope of convincing everyone i deserved to be there, which was what i would've done a few years before. instead we all ended up talking about a TV show. the most highbrow place i've ever been in my life, and we're getting wine drunk and discussing at length a cheesy discovery channel reality series. the guggenheim winner: loves box turtles. the guy who's published 12 books: his favorite movie is Spirited Away. the girl who published a book at 19: reads One Direction fanfic. the well-lauded poet: old school tumblrina.

actually, 4 out of 7 of us read fanfic and we had some great conversations about it. sometime i'll tell you about introducing the co-director of the residency to AO3.

when you think of the most accomplished and successful writer you've ever read, remember that they are, at the very core of their being, a nerd. and if you were to eat dinner with them, you would, with enough polite inquisitiveness, be able to unlock the goofy side of them that binges Property Brothers.

so that was the big change for me, i think. i started asking a lot of questions. i stopped talking and i started listening. it seems counterintuitive that admitting to not knowing stuff shows confidence, but it does. pretending you know stuff is what looks insecure. i think for me, i put so much of myself in my work, i wanted my work to be lauded so i could feel accomplished, and feeling accomplishment would let me believe i deserved to exist. but over time, i've reframed that mentality. my work is a thing that exists beyond me and is private to those who read it. it comes from me, but it is not me. what i am is just the person i am, and my life is a series of moments i choose for myself, and i am allowed to exist.

even sending this ask shows that you've begun filling your well. it takes someone who's already come a long way to realize jealousy isn't the status quo and is a feeling to be overcome. and you can overcome it. you can reach a place where you have enough success that other people's success has nothing to do with you, and you're free to just be happy for them. and when you read work that's better than yours you feel joy at learning something new.

so put your work into the world and let it be rejected. you'll rack up a couple wins or close calls, and those will give you energy to be rejected some more. and eventually you'll be rejected so much that rejection doesn't feel like anything, and you will have won enough to realize your work has a place in the world, and that place is no bigger or smaller than anyone else's. your work is allowed to exist simply as it is, and you are allowed to exist simply as you are.

#writing advice #feelings #jealousy

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tarjapearce · 1 month

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Iridiscent (Pt. 5)

Pirate! Miguel O'Hara x Mermaid! Reader

WARNINGS: MINORS DO NOT INTERACT. Mentions of slavery, secondary character death, introduction of characters, violence, mysticism, implicit dark rituals and black magic , mentions of blood, power dynamics, power imbalance. Whump scenarios

Summary: A purpose and a choice lays before Miguel's path.

A| N: CENTURIES after, here is our pirate ❤️ Thanks for waiting this chapter!

So far Peter had proved himself to be useful enough to keep up with the fastened peace Miguel was used to.

He didn't slack off or fell behind. If anything The Red Eyed Demon was somewhat impressed. For being a regular merchant there was surely more than met the eye. Life truly never ceased to bring a much needed dose of surprise.

They had escaped Hacienda Valverde, Miguel had to dispose of a couple of guards in the way to retrieve some ammo and other tools. However a new challenge laid ahead.

Get inside a brigantine.

"So, according to you, we just have to keep ourselves hidden until the boat comes. Then we snuck in and hide again."

Peter spoke as he crunched over the jungle's tree roots. Gun strapped to his hip and a sword on the other. Tense muscles still ached, the blows from the guards had left Miguel to handle the physical duties, giving a brief but welcomed rest to the merchant's ribs.

Miguel nodded and stopped for a moment to have a proper look at his surroundings, the familiar smell of rotten wood and moss filled in his lungs, "Basically."

The pirate mumbled as he took a better look into his milieu, unmistakably they were following the same path he took when foraying up into the Hacienda.

With a groan, he pulled Peter up the tree trunk to cross on the other side. Each landed with a heavy thud, a couple of branches crunching under their weight.

"And..." Peter heaved, "you're sure this will work because...?"

"I've done this before." The pirate cut in curtly, a subtle way to say his reluctant companion to shut up.

Peter just nodded and followed him. The soursops kept stretching until they reached some Acai trees.

"We'll need a uniform for you." Miguel glanced briefly Peter's way to then swing his machete through the foliage, ending the life of whatever plant had dared to cross his way.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Miguel sighed on Peter's surprise and turned to see him, "I'll pretend to be your prisoner. But for that we'll need an uniform."

"No offense pal, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm beaten."

Miguel shrugged nonchalantly, "Makes it more believable. They'll think you got in a fight with the slaves. Happens all the time."

This earned Miguel a disgruntled groan.

"I don't look English enough!"

Miguel deadpanned. "You're white, that's more than enough, just fake the accent and you'll be fine."

Peter's stomach flipped uncomfortably at the implication of his words. Slaves? Fights? He looking English? God forbid MJ to know about his whereabouts or his companies. He was already imagining his wife being horrified for the things he was about to do.

"You've traded slaves before?"

Miguel snapped his head at him so quickly with a glare that made Peter recoil with his hands up in defense.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

The merchant quieted down when Miguel brought a rugged finger to his lips and furrowed his brows, then moved his hand down, a signal for them to hide.

Peter swallowed as he ducked and crawled over a nearby thicket, Miguel however hid behind the tree trunk

The indistinct voices murmuring from a distance alerted the fugitives, Miguel peeked out from a standing tree and saw a small group of guards. Three in total.

One stopped in a nearby hollowed and broken trunk, unbuttoning his pants. Miguel's ever alert gaze darted to the other two that walked away a few meters to give their colleague some privacy as they discussed their next rest layoff, completely unaware of the murderous intentions stalking them.

Miguel crouched, to be eye to eye level with Peter and whispered as he handed him the hefty rope in his weathered hands.

"Take the guy in the back. I'll get the other two."

"W-Wait, what am I supposed to do with this?! Choke him?"

"Exactly. Try to not damage the uniform. He looks your size."

Peter gulped with a panic surge and sighed, "Just for you to know, I don't look-"

"Just shut the fuck up and kill that man! "

Miguel hissed, a vexed tinge in his voice as he tightened his grip on the machete and Peter gulped again. Before the merchant could protest Miguel was already prowling over the other two men.

Peter sighed and remained crouched. The soldier kept baptizing the tree with his pungent scent, earning a temporary disgusted look from the merchant.

With quiet steps, and hitched breath he ventured in through the thickets, keeping himself hidden and quiet as possible while his hands rolled and fisted on the rope.

Peter's heart hammered within his ribcage, pounding with such force his chest thrummed. Bile slowly rose in the back of his throat, he was about to kill a man after all. Something he sometimes fantasized whenever his customers were too pushy or demanding in rough seasons with his prices.

But now that he got to experience the real deal, his hands couldn't help but tremble, soft pants turned agitated the more he approached.

The soldier was too into his own musings by buttoning his pants back that felt a bit too late the rope knotting around his throat.

Peter used his back as a lever and with a sudden downward pull brought the fatheaded guard bending above his knees, hands flailing, gasping for air as he tried to remove the rope out of his obliterating neck.

The soldier's muffled and unintelligible gasps soon turned into gurgles and weakening grunts. Peter couldn't see him, yet the man's face went into a chameleon-like state as his face erupted with several shades of blue and purple while his life escaped before the quiet witnessing of mother nature.

Peter heard the other men's cries as Miguel swung his machete in their bodies, ending their lives in swift moves.

The lurid crack made the merchant to tighten his grip for a bit more, making sure the life had faded from his target.

The soldier's deadweight against his back felt like he carried a block of pure lead, no longer moving. His uniformed arms hung loosely on each side of Peter.

"He's dead." Miguel spoke in between pants as he sheathed his weapon and rolled his shoulders in, releasing some pressure from his joints.

Peter however was clutching the rope tighter, his eyes shut and his teeth baring.

"Hey!" Miguel called but his ally was far too gone. It quickly came to realization what was happening. Peter was panicking. With a sigh he approached carefully and removed the rope from his hands in a firm but mindful tug. The soldier slid down his back and fell to the floor, the overgrown grass muffled the body's fall.

"Pet-" Miguel didn't get to finish his name since the aforementioned crawled behind a tree and retched with all his might.

"O-Oh god... I just" He folded again and Miguel scrunched his nose in mild disgust. He begun examinating the fallen's bodies in search of something that deemed useful, in the meantime.

"I just killed a man." Peter gasped to then wipe his mouth with the back of his shirt.

"Congratulations." Mumbled Miguel as he gathered some ammo within a soldier's hat.

"The hell you mean congratulations?! I just killed a man!" Peter held his stomach as he slanted and panted against a tree, his head hazed with a mix of adrenaline and nausea.

"A man that wouldn't hesitate to plow some bullets into you even if you weren't a threat."

Peter just groaned and rubbed his stomach in circles, trying to soothe the gnawing anxiety within his guts.

"You'll get used to it." Added Miguel with a weak shrug, "Better get your uniform soon, we have to hide the bodies."

Peter retched a final time and Miguel groaned, annoyed, he stood and took a handkerchief from one of the soldier's pockets and waited till Peter finished to hand the fabric piece to him, the latter wiped his mouth and heaved a deep exhale.

"You done?" Miguel's shoulders squared

Peter nodded and without much thinking Miguel slapped him, hard across his face to make all the queasiness abandon his body in a go as he stumbled to the side.

Blue eyes widened both in surprise and and anger.

"W-What the hell was that for?!" the merchant growled and stood inches away from the muscle mass and Miguel nodded, pleased at his reaction.

"You're angry?"

"Yes! You don't go around slapping people like that!" Peter pushed him as he rubbed his cheek.

"Think that as life slapping you again. And again and again" He crouched to resume his gathering, "And again. What will you do about it?"

"If you slap me again, we'll have a problem, pal."

Miguel chuckled at Peter's sudden bravado. With a soft shake of his head he handed him a knife.

"What will you do about it?"

Peter frowned and looked straight in his eyes.

"I'll beat your ass."

Miguel huffed, and patted his shoulder a tad rough while pushing the knife further into his hands.

"Now you know what to do with the guards if you wanna see your kid again."

Ironically, Miguel had just repeated the same words Mundaca had once taught him, and always proved effective. Of course he understood Peter's discomfit for such life changing event, he had spent the night crying after giving the foreman's a taste of his own cat 'til he died.

Night had segued in, covering the endless horizon underneath a stary blanket, the smooth back and fro motion from the dark waves, deemed a worthy sight of admiration after death provoking activities. The saltine breeze caressed the men's skin in an attempt to soothe the underlying discomfit.

Miguel and Peter had found a proper hideout, a spot nearby downhills, where they could see the port and every ship that docked down. The foliage covered them, blending their presence within their ever green density, away from local predators.

The fire cracked cozily within a circle of rocks, oozing with its warmth in every direction anyone approached. Warming up more than bodies and rattled memories.

Miguel laid down in the grass, as Peter sat before the fire that slowly cooked their meal. Some fishes and potatos they'd managed to find in another camp were deemed a proper meal for both.

Peter watched Miguel as he laid.

Strong hands and arms tucked behind his robust nape, eyes closed, almost peacefully. His rugged and cinnamon skin was embedded with faint scar lines that had blurred overtime, leaving a trail of faint white scratches that could only be prominent to the eyesight if he came close enough.

But after witnessing what he could do with his bare hands, the merchant decided he was rather fine at the current distance. His mind however brewed with so many questions his brow furrowed.

"Why did you become a pirate?"

Peter mumbled and Miguel's brows twitched in a mild pucker.

"Had nothing else to lose."

It wasn't in him to share such intimate details of himself with strangers. But Peter had been honest ever since they met, and it was only fair to share tiny bits that remained as universal truths without poking at the too personal territory.

And, au contraire of what people believed of pirate's unruly nature, they all ruled themselves by a code. Miguel respected it as much as he could, specially one of it's most basics and antiques of rules. A truth for a truth.

Peter flipped the fishes to then poke the potatos with a stick, sinking the tip in them to probe at their level of doneness.

"What will we do once in the ship?"

"We hide." Miguel explained simple, "As soon as we get inside, two things can happen." He raised a finger and Peter perked his ears.

"Or you're asked to put all the prisoners to the brig," Miguel raised another finger, "Or you're taken to another area to other duties. You know where a brig is right?"

Peter shrugged with a pout and Miguel groaned while throwing an eye rolling look his way.

"You landlubber..." he shook his head and sighed, "The brig is usually located in the lowest deck. There's no missing in it. Unless you're fucking dumb and end up in the bilge."

"You spill jargon as if I actually understand a thing. I've only been on a boat-"

"Ship." Miguel corrected, earning an irked sigh from Peter.

"I've only been on a ship three times in my life. When my mother gave birth to me, when I tried to look for a better way to keep my business afloat and when I was pressganged by the English a few days ago. So pardon me for not being a connoisseur of a ship's anatomy."

The ramble made Miguel chuckle with derision.

"Relax, mecha corta. I really need for you to understand that no matter what, we need to get in the ship. That's the only way out we have." (Short stack)

"I know." Peter grumbled, "I just... miss my family." He admitted with a slow yet sharp bite to the fish as Miguel nodded absently.

"Haven't properly met my daughter, haven't seen my wife in almost a month."

Miguel just watched him before rising and seating. He took a impaled fish and pulled it's flesh gently with his fingers and ate in silence.

If anything, the Red Eyed Demon understood him better than anyone.

He'd understand the despair of being away, not knowing anything from his little girl for months, he'd definitely felt the disappointment in Peter's eyes. The all too familiar feeling of being a failure for not being there often weighed his mind way too many times he liked to admit.

"And now I hang out with pirates with a pissy ass attitude." Peter chuckled the last bit for himself, "Where are you from, anyways?"

"Born and raised in a Spaniard Hacienda."

Peter hummed as he munched on a roasted potato and nodded. "Born and raised in Queens, New York, USA."

"Yeah, could tell by the accent."

"Family?"

Miguel shrugged while pulling the fish's spine apart and put it within the giant leaf

"All dead."

Peter stopped in his motions to stare at him with a brief mix of surprise and disturb in his eyes.

"Sorry."

"Así es esto. Now, there's one more possible thing that can happen in the ship." (It is how it is)

Peter wiped the rest of fish on his mouth and paid undivided attention to him.

"There is a minimum chance for us to be discovered once aboard. Though minimum, is still a possibility."

"Ok."

"If we ever get discovered, don't run, don't beg and for God's sake do not jump over the board."

"So we surrender?"

Miguel nodded while eating his dinner in a few bites.

"What if they want to kill us?"

"Though that's a fifty fifty, I'm more inclined to believe they won't. My size alone always brings people's curiosity, so let's use that. You said you were a lock master, right?"

Peter nodded almost dumbly, " A locksmith. That's... my business. Yeah."

"Then, we'll be good"

"And if we don't?"

"We jump over the board."

"But you said we don't-"

"I know what I said, just do as I tell you, alright?"

"Fine."

For how long they've waited? Hours? No. Definitely days. The sun had gone up and down four times in a row. And the guards were already packing in.

Gathering and scourging for food was a a risky move, since the guards in Hacienda Valverde had found a couple of corpses the deathly duo left in their wake.

Miguel had kept him well fed and making sure he'd recover properly. If they wanted to leave, Peter had to give him the best rendition of his opposite being. He hsd to be strong, for his little girl awaiting back at home and himself.

Upon the fifth day, The both stared with keen and curious eyes the horizon. The first few english frigates docked, announcing with their sumptuous flags on top, the arrival of the HMS Amberjack. A navy galley.

Peter however smacked Miguel's chest when his eyes noticed another ship behind. This one had two flags. One black and the other a clear piece of Spain.

Miguel's brows furrowed with alarm and confusion.

"What is he doing here?" The pirate muttered under his breath upon recognizing the Spaniard captain's ship.

Another galley, piloted by none other than a famous privateer that spaniards hired whenever a route or a pirate proved themselves a nuisance for the merchants in the area.

None other than Constantino Salazar de Olivares, or infamously known as El Brujo, took the steering wheel of El Aquelarre. A galley that could easily be mistaken by the devil's ship itself, spat right out of darkness and abyss.

"You know him?" Peter quirked a brow on his annoyed reaction.

Of course Miguel knew him. Olivares was after Mundaca, and his crew. El Brujo had been on a relentless hunt for his father figure a long time ago.

"If you're dangerous enough either spaniards or english men send him for your head. But el cabrón proves himself more annoying than anything with his stupid ass beliefs."

"What's wrong with them?"

"He calls himself a sorcerer. Him being here is no good. Something's happening. If we can, we avoid him."

Peter just nodded and soon, the plan was set in motion.

They changed and practiced Peter's locksmith skills once more, before making sure he could get Miguel out of his shackles without a hitch, if the situation demanded it.

And once ready, both men made a descend downhill, threading carefully through the jungle to beckon closer into their common enemy's territory.

Miguel could sense Peter's discomfit as he pressed the weapon against his back.

"Relax. Once aboard, try to stick nearby."

The closer they got, the more men and noise they could hear.

"Round'em up boys, we gotta leave before midday!"

The captain shouted somewhere. The slaves, much to Peter's distraught, were held in chains, shackled in a bee line as they were pushed up aboard.

Miguel murmured little indications to Peter the more they ventured in everyone's radar. Bit by bit, they managed to sneak in the prisoner's registration under fake names.

They passed the first security filter without much trouble. Slowly but surely, the line grew shorter. El Aquelarre came into view and a chill ran down Miguel's spine.

It wasn't only the mysterious and supernatural aura that oozed from the black ship, but the feeling of something unknown calling him. Pulling him close like magnet. And then he saw him. Saw the man that had been chasing Mundaca for almost a decade.

Tall, dressed up in a crimson red coat, black pants and boots. A large and fat shiny feather adorning his triple black edged hat. A couple of talismans, and rhinestones necklaces adorned his tattooed neck and wrists.

Constantino was a good looking man. His eagle like nose, matched perfectly his symmetric squared face. Thin but pretty lush lips, hidden underneath a scruffy, thick beard. Bushy brows that could rival Miguel's, what stood out the most, however were his feline eyes rimmed in black.

Pale green that people often mistook for gold. Watching, ever mysterious and impassive his surroundings. A dangerous pretty man that wouldn't hesitate into sacrificing anything in the name of his beliefs. Leaning against a palm tree.

"Hold on... What was your name again?" The guard before them asked while he took Miguel by the nape and examined him.

"Johnson."

"Ah... Must be a new face 'cause I haven't see you around."

Peter scoffed nervously, "I was assigned up the state."

The guard tittered as he shoved Miguel inside, a couple of flogs were delivered by other armored men, the pirate hissed, his flesh had forgotten what was to take a taste of that whip's mean end. If anything Peter's accent was a bit too good. It suited him, sadly.

The quartermaster looked at Peter with a curious glance while circling him.

"You look familiar."

"I-I've been told I have a common face. Same for my cousin. We're-"

"Shut yer gob."

Peter obeyed as the man slapped disdainful his back. His heart beat increased a houndred per second.

"That uniform looks a bit too big on you, Pete."

The pirate looked at him, concerned despite his own pain. They were almost there. Freedom at the tip of his calloused fingers.

"Well," Peter swallowed as his eyes darted to Miguel, "Taking care of that bastard is a good workout. Specially when said fucking idiot keeps running away!"

The guard laughed merrily and squeezed his shoulders. Peter laughed and nodded with him.

"Oh, tell me about that. Chasing slaves is fun. We should get dogs to make a competition. Sadly, Pete..."

The merchant's face fell as soon as the quartermaster pulled out his gun and pointed it at Miguel.

"You'll have to go in the other ship. As much as I'd love to keep you both, and see you chasing that dumb mammoth, the brig's full. Ya get me?"

Miguel rose to his feet in a haste as the other guards tossed him outside the ship. He had to keep the calm despite the burning and scorching fury shouting to be unleashed. To teach them what he was made of.

"Tell Smith to take the rest to Olivares' ship."

"Yes, sir."

Peter didn't waste a second longer and told the guard behind, assuming he was the Smith guy, to take the remaining group of slaves towards the black and eerie ship.

He walked ahead of the group and sighed with relief, if it wasn't for his quick thinking and impersonation of a couple of his clients, who knows what would've happen.

The gun was pressed against Miguel's back and sighed

"Sorry for that. You ok?"

Miguel just nodded, a tad uncomfortable by the tingling burning in his skin and the fact that his plan was dramatically changing.

A crisp, strong and cold gust of air pushed both men forward, coaxing to approach faster. As if the universe was unable to wait a second longer for them to meet their fate and ebbed them to get inside as soon as possible.

Constantino's green eyes met Miguel's red ones for a brief second, clashing with unspoken grudge. The latter could see how El Brujo smirked as he was taken to the brig.

But little had realized Salazar that he had summoned yet another demon to his ship.

Miguel's mind was rampant. The moment he had stepped in the ship, his brain was already counting the men and recollecting as much information as he could swot on.

The guards, or rather the lack of them, made him frown. Were they on cover torturing the upcoming slaves? Probably. Or they could be in the weapon room, readying the canons and powder for defense.

Just as Miguel had said, the brig was located in the lower deck, and what he found there, churned Peter's heart with an uncomfortable stir.

Slaves. Grown men and youngsters all put in cages, like wild animals for a merciless and dehumanizing show. The ship hasn't even sailed yet, and their heads already had a price.

Each knew their fate. Spain, England even America and Cuba. Others hoped for a quick death, if the diseases and whipping on earth didn't, the injuries in their body would.

Some slaves looked up to meet their new trip colleagues with keen eyes, hoping for a novelty. And Miguel didn't disappoint. A collective round of hushed whispers in different languages echoed as he entered.

He was put on a cell with another young black man, and the rest was put in the remaining cages.

Silence reigned heavy in the brig once the guards left at haste. Curiously, if he had seen a couple of guards, was to say he'd seen too much of them. The ship was desolated. Even for a galley. But to Olivares, this seemed like another day.

Seconds and minutes dragged on too slow, but the hefty and slow steps from the darkened hall alerted the men.

All eyes could see the pair of beady glowing golden eyes, approaching, preying. The black and shiny feather on his hat waved at the beat of his walking. Constantino was selecting the future sacrifice for his ship.

It was mandatory, since Olivares believed subjugated blood protected against all evil once in the sea.

His imposing frame blocked the view further to the darkened hall, emerging like if shadows themselves had spat him right before them. Beady and eerie eyes raked over the fine and twisted selection of men that stared back with fear. Green gold orbs glanced a little to long in Miguel's way, to then shift his eyes to a young man.

El Brujo had made his selection. With a snap of his fingers he pointed at the man and two guards came and fetched him. Needless to say the young slave fought, cried and asked for mercy. But it all fell upon deafening ears.

Miguel wasn't precisely a believer, he'd rather to not dwell too munch into things that didn't provide or granted him a purpose, food or money. But after seeing a mermaid with his own eyes, he couldn't remain completely skeptical to the mysterious ways of the world and how they wove it's intricate connections together.

The youngster was dragged away and the rest could only watch in fear silent. Making themselves as small as they could. They knew how things would end for their companion.

The rituals Constantino did, left the slaves trembling in fear. He'd start chanting in Latin, then have the man's throat slit and his blood smeared in whatever surface Olivares decided to put on, and then throw the body at the sea, to feed the monsters lurking underneath. Serving his purpose of sacrifice.

Peter returned a couple of hours later, with a disturbed and paling countenance, strong emotions surely made a show of his face.

Bile rose up his throat, like his discomfit. When he entered the brig every pair of eyes were on him as he quickly removed his coat, trying to break the link that tied him to that awful event, leaving his stained shirt with spots of long dried blood. He sat a few steps away of Miguel.

The latter didn't have to ask too much as to what had happened when Peter's hands did all the talking. There was blood in them. Dry and crusty flakes came off as the merchant rubbed them on his pants.

Olivares had ordered him to paint the ship's board with the young man's blood.

"He... He killed him." Peter stammered to then gulp the sudden lump tightening in his throat. His breath hitched.

"Of course he would. He's coo-coo on the head. He believes 'imself sorcerer or some shite like that."

The man next to him spoke, like the sacrificed man, he was young, didn't passed the nineteens, tall, lanky, some piercings on his face and tattoos on his marred and whipped flesh.

His hair was tucked back in a lose thick bun, thanks to his dreadlocks. His eyes dark, ever pondering and assessing the situation before him.

"Then how do'ya explain we survived that... monster of storm, Hobie?!" Another man with a heavy accent spoke, and some nodded as if encouraging the questioning.

"Cause it's a sturdy ship, you twat, it's well built!. Spain has the best craftsmen in the navy." The man shrugged nonchalantly.

"He hunted down a monster!"

That perked Miguel's ears. "What monster?"

Peter and the man next to him looked with a quirked brow his way. Miguel didn't strike as someone gullible for such nonsense.

"I don't know, man. But the storm was so strong the ship nearly sinks. All we could hear was screams and some guards saying, 'we've got her.' And then? The biggest and meanest of waves start hitting and wipes half the crew!"

Miguel blinked almost dumbly.

"This ship's hunted cause that Olivar man has made a pact with the devil."

"It's a rumor, Adé." Hobie mumbled, a little annoyed they couldn't see past superstition.

"It is not! Think about it! This famous pirate dies, and all these... mysterious things start happening at sea. Ships start sinking, waves turn bigger and bigger each storm, just cause they saw this... monster."

"Are you forgetting we nearly drown, ship an all? The sea is angry!. And since this... Captain captured whatever, it's even angrier at us. He shouldn't be a fool and trust demons to take care of us and return that thing to where it belongs!"

The other slaves nodded. Superstition was rampant in every ship Miguel visited. But again, he simply couldn't remain a non believer forever when a mermaid ate his quartermaster before him and everyone aboard his forsaken ship.

While the chained men discussed other underworld like stories, Miguel scooted closer to a much more calm Peter.

"How many men you saw?" he asked in a low, almost hushed voice.

"Like twenty five, including the captain. Most are in their barracks."

Miguel nodded with an emerging idea in his mind. The slaves were bigger than the crew itself if he could convince them to join his cause, not only would they be free, but he'd have a temporary ship to finally get his own back.

But would they follow him?

That was a significant question. If there was something life had taught him, was to preach with an example. Only then he'd get the right people to get his goal achieved.

"What're ya planning?" Hobie spoke as he kept glancing to the door.

"Excuse me?" His bushy brow quirked with disdain.

"Excused. What're ya are planning?"

Miguel remained quiet for a bit. The young man had spoken enough to prove himself a rational and quick thinker, and his knowledge of ships didn't go unnoticed.

"Escaping and seizing the ship."

Hobie couldn't help but titter quietly on Miguel's words.

"Well, break a leg, mate." He shook his head.

Miguel shrugged as Peter begun lock picking his shackles. Mirth slowly left Hobie's body, surprise and hope took over.

"Wait. wait... What are you doing?"

"Escaping, to seize the ship."

"Wait!" Hobie demanded once more, turning the whole attention the attention of the whole group towards them.

"Have you even seen the pigs outside? They're armored to the teeth! They'll kill you."

"I rather fuck around to find out than dying to a man's madness, boy."

The shackles embracing his wrist possessively, fell to the floor. Defeated.

"Will you get us out of here?"

"Please! Get us out!"

The slaves begun pleading, raising their voices and Miguel roared with his commanding voice.

"Cállense!" (Shut up)

Peter looked outside the door as quiet returned to the brig. With a deep inhale, Miguel spoke.

"If we want to get out, you'll listen. Understood?

Mostly nodded.

"I can't free you out just yet." Some faces fell, other sighed with resignation, "I need to confirm the information first, we need to be careful. If we get caught, we all die. Simple as that."

"How can we know this white man won't sell us out?"

Another collective rounds of nodding flooded the future crew.

"Cause he was beaten and press ganged by the english too. He's a merchant not a guard."

"And a locksmith." Peter quipped, trying to clean his sudden reputation.

"You said the waves wiped half the crew right?" the man nodded, "Peter here says it's twenty five men in total, including the captain."

"We're more than them?" Hobie asked, nonplussed for a second.

"Apparently. That's why I wanna go and see myself, cause if it's true, we can take this ship to ourselves."

"Now you're the crazy one." Another man spoke.

Miguel's brows furrowed with annoyance, tired of the pessimistic thinking when the chance laid obvious and ahead of them.

"I'll make it simple for you. If we don't succeed we'll get to either Spain, England or Cuba, where each of you will get at much three hundred for your head, if you're not injured." Some men recoiled at the information,

"Some won't even endure the first month of labor under the english. You think Spaniards and Cuban are bad? Wait for you to be at the hands of British."

He stood and Peter opened the door's cell. His true seize standing proud among the rest. Some gasped.

"If you want a number define your value, be my guest. The less useless in my way, the better." Miguel smoothed his wrists and moved them to stretch his fingers.

"But if you want to live and experience life out of those shackles, you'll wait till I return and act like nothing happened in the meantime, understood?"

Hobie chuckled and nodded. The rest followed with a new sense of renewed hope.

"Aye, sir." He saluted.

Sneaking out wasn't hard, but keeping himself hidden proved to be rather tricky.

Narrow and wooden halls extended left and right, and after what it felt hours he cleared the weaponry room, seizing some for himself. A short ranged knife and a rope. The pistols would be fetched later, when the heist would start. For now, he'd need to be as quiet as possible.

The brig was the extension of the armory. Canons and rifles laid in every direction his eyes landed. All left behind by a wiped crew.

The creaking door however made him hide under the gunpowder barrels, the tinkering of rhinestones and talismans made his breath hitch. He saw Salazar going further the room, and then he disappeared in plain sight.

Confused, Miguel snuck closer and he pressed an ear on the wall.

There were definitely steps and voices. Salazar spoke, and another door was opened.

How could he disappear and be in another place?

His brows puckered and soon his hands pressed against the wall. Taunting and feeling for any irregularity in it. A little current of air flowing in a side made him blink.

A hidden passage. Of course.

He pushed the apparent sturdy wall and to his surprise it budged enough to create an opening to another hall. He sidled inside and hid behind some boxes.

He could see the hall empty, candle lit by the lamps etched to the walls. Floor damp, the saline water pungent.

Was he on the bilge?

Salazar's feather bounced as he walked behind the sturdy door. There was no room for doubts.

With careful steps he approached the end of the hall and snuck in last minute before the door closed with a loud thud.

He hid once more under a pile of musty ropes and ammo. The room was lit up in a cold hue of blue. The crystal-like resin Constantino used to lit the lamp, sparked in a pale blue and aqua sparks, cracking merrily as the fire consumed it within the translucent goblet, amplifying the magnitude of the illumination.

"Cuando lleguemos, la reina no tendrá más opción que darme todo lo que le pida. Ya que te rehúsas a cumplir mis deseos, veremos si desafías a la corona." (When we arrive? The queen will have no choice but to give me everything I ask for. Since you refuse to grant my wishes, let's see if you refuse The Crown)

Miguel could see Olivares from a slit between the ropes.

A deaf thud echoed and Salazar let out an ominous yet rich laugh. Way too entertained.

"Aunque me encantaría que me consumas, aún tengo otros planes en mente." (Although I'd love to be consumed by you, I've still got other plans in mind for you)

Without much say, Olivares left after turning off the resin again. Letting the room to drown in darkness once more.

When Miguel was sure none would come again, he stepped out of his hiding spot and approached the goblet, he had no immediate fire, but knew how to start one. It was one of the first things Mundaca taught him.

He took two pieces of resin and crashed them together until sparks flew again. Illuminating the room with the soft blue hue again.

The clinking of chains demanded his attention. And his heart nearly stopped at the sight.

It couldn't be, could it?

Cruelly chained by your neck and wrists, with heavy links attached to the floor, allowing minimum movement. A hook trespassed the fin of your tail, nearby it's start, holding you in place from a corner.

Defeated, beaten and bleeding; trapped behind thick walls of glass that provided a clear image of your overall state.

Tortured and injured.

You were real. Mermaids were real. And they bled.

You bled.

He didn't have to repeat himself that they weren't real to try and justify your mere existence. Not when you laid before his eyes. Subjugated, demoralized and meek. A demure creature far too different from the monster he met at the ship.

But instead of feeling joy and that twisted sense of pride for a fellow human to have captured you and had your will broken, something else nested in his chest.

Compassion and confusion.

How had Constantino achieved his younger self's dream? How was this possible?

He stepped closer and his breath hitched for a second time. For once in forever, your eyes met his.

Acknowledging eachother.

Taglist:

@nerdykat @munixumai @raiirai @sarapaprikas-blog @deputy-videogamer @rizahawkeye1380 @littlenyx @marit332 @iz-iplier @mad-hatter-rici @viriexo @obi-mom-kenobi @allysunny @lishdfish @not-ur-average-fangirl @freehentai @darksidecorner @winteringfalls @ellasarich @eustashh @nyxismoon @murnsondock @pluviophilis @oooof-ifellforyou @oharasmommymilkers00 @plusultrayokai @teacoffeeflavored @ctizu1 @dickfartcheesy @s0lm1n @vonev @iwumrndbm @azuredragonstrike @Iyykeyyy @arrozyfrijoles23 @frompeach @ghostlyworld @liamdasimp @straw-berry-ghoul @migshusben @nediks

#t writes✨#miguel o'hara #miguel o'hara x reader #miguel o'hara x you #atsv miguel #iridiscent #pirate!au #Pirate! Miguel

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jade-len · 5 months

Text

so today i tricked my very straight male friend into reading svsss.

okay look, i wasn't planning to at first and it's not like it was completely my fault. he wanted to read it!

i was showing him how badly they fucked up mu qingfang in the donghua by comparing it to the english novel design (he said that mu qingfang went from looking like a soft dilf to a predator registered on the epstein island list). and then, i showed him how different some of the other character designs were like gongyi xiao's ("he looks like he'd be a genshin character" -friend, to eng novel design) and luo binghe's ("lowkey, he kinda gives airbender vibes" -friend, to bunhe eng novel design)

so that was all i was gonna show him, nothing else. but after seeing them, he goes, "these designs actually look hella cool. what's the book called?"

now, do i:

A. tell him the name, eventually revealing that it's a danmei when he looks it up?

B. just straight up tell him that it's a danmei?

C: don't tell him the name just yet, spill the summary, get him interested, and tell him to not search anything up about it because there's heavy spoilers and it will reveal them the moment he types it up on the search bar

i go with C, obviously.

me: so, basically, some guy named shen yuan transmigrates into an incel harem male power fantasy novel where the protagonist, luo binghe, has hundreds of wives. thing is though, the guy pretty much took over the body of binghe's teacher he had when he was a teenager, who turns out to be a really scummy dude. and now he has to be nice to him so that the protagonist doesn't rip off his limbs and put him into a pickle pot in the future to suffer for eternity.

friend: that sounds hilarious and horrifying at the same time.

me: yes it is, and you should read it. it's like. my favorite novel at the moment. but don't search up anything about it because people spoil that shit. i'll let you borrow my novel

friend: nah don't worry, i'll just pirate it

friend: wait. does it have pictures?

me, my plan coming together: yeah, it has pictures. buuut, when you pirate it, it doesn't. trust me dude, i tried and was severely disappointed. plus, the physical copy is so much better

friend: fuck yeah ok thanks

me: hold on though. i'll text you later to see if my friend who's borrowing it rn is done reading it

he's hyped. he's excited. he craves a good book and a good transmigration interpretation. he's especially happy about the fact that it takes place in a chinese setting with cool powers and an actual good main character. "this sounds so good, god i wanna read it so bad."

i tell him that binghe is actually adorable, too. that it's pretty much found family! my friend then asks if shen yuan adopts him and becomes a father figure or something.

and i said "yes". you know, like a liar. (the father figure part probably isn't a lie though)

now i'm gonna give him the novel tomorrow! of course, i'm gonna cover the chapter 2 bunhe sexual awakening scene with washi tape and say that my baby cousin (sorry baby cousin, you would never <\3) scribbled all over that paragraph with her markers, and since i'm a neat book freak, i put washi tape and just wrote the scene! i don't know if that's really all too believable, but he didn't seem to care that much. just a simple "if my baby cousin did that to my book i would punt them into the sun"

i think what'll be more hilarious is the fact that you can't really tell that svsss is a BL. especially not volume 1. there's like, only a few lines indicating, but if you remove the baby binghe sexual awakening scene then you probably won't be able to know (...if you don't really read romance or anything. idk he's kinda dense anyways). so let's hope he gets attached and has a slow descent into the homo before i drop svsss vol 2 on him!

ok anyways i'll update you guys later with a reblog. maybe in about two or three days lol

(also don't worry, we already fuck around with each other on a daily basis like this. he's already tricked me into reading some manga i was unprepared for, and i thought that it'd be funny to mess around with him using svsss this time lol)

#greatest prank ive ever donee i think #manipulation 100 fr #absolute tomfoolery #am i a bad friend for this? perhaps. is it hilarious? definitely.#this is truly the most moment of all time #svsss #mxtx svsss #the scum villain's self saving system #luo binghe #luo bingmei #shen qingqiu #shen yuan

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hopelesslyromanticshark · 2 months

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i don't know if you're taking requests (feel free to delete if you're not!!) but could you maybe do leo with a child of hypnos who learned morse code for him and yk, confesses like that??

⋆⭒˚.⋆ a sleepy sunday kinda love; leo valdez x daughter of hypnos! reader blurb

content: leo valdez x daughter of hypnos! reader warning: none, i don't think author's note: so so soft, i love this one so much. i also realized too little too late that you said child, instead of daughter. but i had kinda already written it in a female manner, which i feel so bad about!!! and i almost wrote this as hcs when you said blurb ugh this ask has taken so many turns lol AND I WAS SO EXCITED FOR THIS ONE BC I AM BUT A SLEEPY GIRL IN A NOT SLEEP WORLD also i should wait to post this one for sunday bc like the vibes, but i dont have that kinda patients

sunday mornings were set aside for lovers, that much you were certain. so many songs sang of it, so it must be true. 'a sunday kid of love' by etta james. 'sunday morning' by maroon 5. i mean, you get the point, right?

those were the few mornings you allowed yourself to actually sleep in before another long week, cuddled up on leo's chest. waking up slowly and softly felt like going to church; something scared that even the gods couldn't touch, some repetition that kept away the mundane and boring. something holy to believe in, to dive head first into.

"morning, sleepy head," leo mused, in that early morning voice that always left you buzzing. you didn't reply, just squeezing closer to his side as he pressed his kisses to your temple.

"whatcha want for breakfast?" he breathed out, his eyes resting closed but a soft smile on his lips as his fingers flirted with your sleep tank top and the waist band of your matching shorts. even though you were a daughter of hypnos, it never failed to amazing leo how many matching pajama set you had or how you always managed to look godlike in them. he's never seen someone make sweatpants work as well as you do.

"you already know what im gonna say," you muttered against leo's neck and he could feel as your lips twitched upwards into a tiny smile.

"pancakes coming right up, princess," leo hummed, though he didn't move an inch. he wasn't quite ready to leave the soft bed or, more importantly, you.

"i make the coffee and tea, you make the pancakes?" you offered, eyes drooping as you continued to lay against his chest. these positions in the kitchen were already set in place, but you always asked. and leo always hummed back, like he did today. still, no movement from either of you in the bed for a few more minutes.

"we gotta get up," you yawned out, forcing yourself to sit up and attempting to escape the bed but leo jolted forwards, wrapping his arms around you and dragging you back into the bed. not that you gave much of a fight.

"in a few. shush, sleeping boy here," joked leo, pressing a kiss to your shoulder before snuggling back into his pillows. you brought your fingers up to where leo's arms were, ghosting them over the skin there before smiling to yourself, determined to show leo your new trick.

.. / .-.. --- …- . / -.-- --- ..- / -… ..- - / .-- . / --. --- - - .- / --. . - / ..- .--.

(i love you, but weve gotta get up)

you could feel leo shift from behind you as you tapped this pattern, smiling to yourself as you could basically hear the cogs in his brain turning.

"we don't have to do anything, this is our house," leo huffed but you could hear the smile in his voice as he leaned over you, looking into your eyes with so much adoration in his own, "and when did you learn that, huh?"

you just smiled up at him, reaching your hand up to his cheek and beginning to tap your fingers there.

.. / -.. --- -. - / -.- .. … … / .- -. -.. / - . .-.. .-.. / …- .- .-.. -.. . --..

(i dont kiss and tell, valdez)

"whatever, keep your secrets," leo mused, rolling his eyes, before leaning down and capturing your lips in a soft and gentle kiss.

yeah, soft sunday mornings were your favorite. especially with a boy like leo valdez.

#postcards from covey ౨ৎ #return to sender ౨ৎ #hoo #heroes of olympus x reader #leo valdez #leo valdez x reader

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savannahsdeath · 10 months

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Hiii, so I wanna request an ellie x reader where they are like fake dating but then one night they're out at a bar and some guys are messing with/bothering (basically harrasing) reader and Ellie BEATS them up. Like bad lol. Then reader gets mad at Ellie, insisting she could've "handled it herself" but then ellie ends up accidentally saying she's in love with reader hence why she got so protective

i cant stop thinking about this omg.

ELLIE WILLIAMS X READER

mdni please<3

warnings: 18+!! mention of alcohol, catcalling, sa and just creepy guys overall, blood, fighting

writers note: writing this took my blood sweat n tears and im not sure wether it was worth it or not

while you and ellie had been close and even affectionate with one another, the nature of your relationship had always been that of simple friends. holding hands, sitting on her lap, or other romantic gestures seemed natural and casual between the two of you without any thought to anything more. however, you were both acutely aware that everyone believed you were romantically involved and you knew that was one reason you were still single.

when you were in ellie's room you began to notice little things. she had framed pictures of the two of you together, notes and sketches she had made about you, and a diary full of your name. dina and jesse kept teasing you about it, but 'isn't it what friends do?'

and, god, how oblivious you were.

one day, you took her out to a local bar, feeling the need to just drink and forget about everything for one night.

as you walked into the pub, you couldn't help but notice all the heads that turned to watch as you passed. it was like something in the air compelled you to turn to look at her. a familiar feeling of warmth ran through you and you instinctively reached out to take her hand. ellie giggled at your gesture, but didn't let go and you continued through the crowd which got already bored with your appearance.

it was just a normal night, the drinks making you a little tipsy and loosening your tongue, but everything was going just fine.

you saw a group of boys your age suspiciously eyeing you and ellie, their gaze mostly focused on you and your clothes.

well, that's true, you didn't put your everyday clothes on, but you had a good humour and felt like dressing up... actually, who am i trying to lie to? you wanted to look good for your friend.

she didn't notice the boys, but you did. your eyes met with the one in the leather jacket, and he looked away quickly. his group turned back to their beers, but you couldn't stop thinking about the way he glanced over at you.

the situation made you a little uncomfortable, but you played it cool and ignored the boys, turning your attention back to ellie. she was in her element, chatting away in a loud and lively fashion, her hands flying to emphasize whatever story she was telling. you couldn't help but let out a laugh as you took in the scene.

things were going just fine until one of the boys approached you. "hey, gorgeous." he said, in a voice that was trying just a little too hard to sound casual. "can we buy you a drink?"

ellie frowned, her gaze flickering between you and him. "she's not alone."

the boy tried again, undeterred. "i wasn't talking to you." he scoffed, his voice dripping with condescension as he turned to ellie, pointing you with his chin. "who wears a dress like that if they're not looking for a good time?"

ellie looked shocked for a moment, then her eyes narrowed. she leaned towards the boy, keeping her voice low. "this dress looks like it's worth more than you make in a month. now, leave us alone."

the boy laughed, turning his attention back to you, seemingly oblivious to the warning. "why don't you take off the dress and let us see what's underneath?"

you watched ellie open her mouth to answer for you again but you cut her off with a shake of your head and quiet 'let it go'. she looked at you, her mouth half open, as if she was waiting for your permission before starting her response. she rolled her eyes at you, but said nothing.

the boy seemed frustrated that his insult was met with no reaction. he jabbed his finger at you. "or maybe you're just a dyke?"

at that, ellie's eyes flew open. "the fuck did you just say?" she hissed, clenching her fists to the point her nails were digging into her palm.

you gripped her wrist, trying to pull her away. "ellie, come on–"

as things were just starting to escalate, a bartender rushed over, looking agitated. "hey, hey! none of that in here!" he pointed at him. "you, out now!"

the boy scoffed, as did his friends, but obediently left. you could hear him muttering complaints under his breath, but his voice faded away into the background din of the bar.

you kept close to ellie as the boys were led out.

ellie was still fuming, taking a few deep breaths. she looked up at you with daggers in her eyes. "why did you stop me? he deserved more than that." after a little pause she added; "no one will disrespect you like that. and no one can disrespect you when they're unconscious."

you weren't sure whether to be amused or horrified at her comment. "and how exactly were you planning on achieving that?" you asked, raising an eyebrow.

ellie smirked, taking your hand in hers. "you don't need to know. just know that i was prepared if things had gotten out of hand."

that answer did little to ease your skepticism. "you know you can't go around knocking people out like a character in a movie, right?"

ellie raised her eyebrows, staring at you with a challenging expression. "sure i can," she grinned, "if the situation calls for it.

"ellie," you said, "be serious." but ellie's confidence was charming, and you couldn't help but crack a little smile. "alright," you added. "just... try to keep your cool next time, alright?"

she nodded, squeezing your hand. "promise. no knocking heads unless i absolutely have to."

you decided to leave the bar shortly after, not in the mood to socialise anymore. she told you to wait outside as she, obviously, paid for the both of you.

the atmosphere outside wasn't so cozy - not only because it was cold and windy, but you also saw those boys there, smoking and laughing. you thought about going back inside but they didn't seem to notice you - well, not at first.

one of the boys spotted you and instantly smiled. he nudged his friend and said something you couldn't quite make out. the two of them laughed and started approaching you. "hey," the first one said, "is your little girlfriend taking too long in there? we could take you home and warm you up."

the thought of people thinking ellie is your girlfriend seemed funny but not new to you, so you ignored it.

you rolled your eyes at their comment, but kept your expression neutral. "no, thanks, but you might want to work on your pickup lines. 'warm you up?' really?"

the two boys exchanged a look and laughed. their friend said "oh, she's feisty. we like that."

you felt your stomach drop. ellie was still inside the bar and you had no clue how long she might be. not too long, you hoped. i mean, how long can paying for a few drinks take?

as if on cue, ellie opened the door and came out. she stopped dead in her tracks as she noticed the two boys who'd just been hitting on you.

she took a moment to take in the situation, then rolled her eyes and scoffed. you were relieved to see she was wearing a smirk that told you she was ready for whatever was coming.

the two boys stared at ellie, eyes darting from her to you and back again.

"oh, hey ellie." you exhaled, putting on your best fake smile. "good timing. we were just about to–"

ellie didn't give you the chance to finish. "sorry i took so long." her tone was friendly, but it was obvious she was trying to claim you as her territory. all three boys watched her in silence.

"can i help you, boys?" ellie said sweetly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. she put her arms around your waist, which only amplified her already mocking tone.

the boys watched her with leering eyes. the tall blonde one put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "we were just saying how pretty your friend is." he paused, raising an eyebrow. "she sure looks... hm, how do i describe it? slutty?"

at that, ellie's demeanor changed, and her previous smile faded. her look was cold as ice, and she clenched her fists again.

'this is getting out of hand'

"hey," the tall blonde said, "i bet there's something better under that dress." he pointed at you.

"yeah, there's a fucking gun." you hissed.

he didn't seem to take you seriously, as he should - you were in fact completely unarmed. the only weapon you had was... well, ellie. "we'd like to personally test that theory."

ellie's knuckles turned white. "i'm here with her."

"look, you can watch from a distance." the blonde laughed. "but me and my friends here are going to have a good time with a girl like this, whether she wants it or not."

you felt yourself flush with embarrassment. "oh, uh, no. we're just leaving." you said, grabbing ellie's wrist and trying to pull her away.

ellie wasn't having any of it. "go to the car and wait for me there." she whispered, tossing the keys to you.

"you're crazy." you whispered under your breath.

"just do it," ellie hissed. "i can handle them, and i don't want you getting involved."

'like i'm not involved already.'

it was impossible to argue against that last point, and you reluctantly followed her instructions.

you were surprised they didn't try to stop you but you realised they probably know what's going to happen.

as you opened the car door and got in, you watched the situation from the safety of the passenger's seat. the boys had surrounded ellie, one with his hand on her arm and the others laughing and pointing at you. you couldn't hear them but you guessed what they talked about. they were just little shadows in your eyes now, you barely could tell which one's ellie.

from your vantage point, you watched ellie and the three boys facing off. she spoke in a quiet, measured voice that you weren't sure you wanted to hear the contents of.

suddenly, you saw the blonde reach towards her. that was enough for her.

she slapped his hand away, and in a swift motion, kicked him in the groin. he let out a, silent for you, cry of pain and sank to the ground, while the others were still recovering from the surprise. ellie turned to them and and soon they were all on the ground. the blow knocked the last boy out cold. ellie quickly turned to the blonde, who was now sitting up and holding his injured part. without a word, ellie approached him and kneed between his legs just as he was about to stand up.

the boy groaned, dropping back to the ground. ellie reached down and grabbed him by the shirt. she hauled him back up, and raised her fist again. you turned away, not wanting to look at the scene and uncomfortably shifted in the passenger seat, hoping it'll be over soon.

she took her time. you didn't know what could they possibly say to piss her off that much but you didn't want to.

she approached the car and got in, not saying a word to you.

you didn't say a word either, you just watched her cautiously driving. your anger started to grow - at the boys, at the whole situation, even at ellie. what she did was just reckless, one of them could be armed... or have really good skills. plus, they barely touched you and the comments didn't really get to you anyway.

you let out a frustrated sigh and turned to her. "why did you have to make such a big deal out of nothing? i could have handled it just fine on my own."

ellie didn't look at you or even acknowledge your words. she kept driving, her attention focused on the road.

you weren't sure what to think, but it frustrated you that she was acting like this. 'why can't she just drop the tough girl act and admit she overreacted?'

you tried again. "ellie, come on, i know you were just trying to help, but–" you sighed. "just ignore me, i guess."

you turned to look out the window in annoyance, but then ellie spoke suddenly, her tone deadly serious. "you know i was right to do what i did."

you whipped your head around to look at her in surprise. "what do you mean?"

ellie looked straight ahead as she kept driving. "those guys would have taken advantage of you," she said quietly, "like it or not."

her words hit you like a ton of bricks. you sat in silence for a moment, trying to process what she said.

"but that's ridiculous," you frowned, "i wouldn't have let anything happen."

ellie shot you a look. "you really think you're the one in control of the situation? sweetheart, you have no idea. as soon as you let them talk to you, it was out of your hands."

you mockingly laughed. "oh, so i can't handle them but you can? what am i, a deer surrounded by lions?"

ellie sighed, shaking her head. "god, you're infuriating," she said, keeping her eyes on the road. "yeah, actually, you are like a deer surrounded by lions – completely oblivious to how predatory these men are."

she cast a sharp and serious glance at you, making you flinch.

"i can handle myself." you repeated, with growing annoyance. after a moment, you added; "why the fuck would you do that? you should mind your own business."

"i make it my business to look after my friends." ellie answered, still not looking at you.

you felt your blood boil, but you forced yourself to remain calm. "i don't want you to look after me, ellie. you are my friend, not my babysitter."

"oh, i'm sorry!" she shrugged, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "i thought friends protect each other!"

you scoffed at her last comment. "how exactly was i in danger?" you asked. "they barely even touched me!"

she sighed again, this time with irritation. "jesus, you were really lucky, alright? i get that you feel like your ego's been hurt by all this, and i'm sorry. but if i hadn't stepped in, you could have been hurt. maybe the situation wouldn't have escalated to violence, but i wasn't taking any chances." she looked at you, her expression softened and she seemed truly concerned. "do you understand?"

you huffed but your tone calmed down a little. "that was my problem, not yours."

"fine, it was your problem," ellie rolled her eyes. "just don't get mad at me for looking out for you."

"i'm not mad." you said, your tone turning defensive. "i'm annoyed you think i'm incapable of looking after myself."

her eyes fixed on you, cold and sharp. "you're lucky i was there."

she parked the car in front of your house, where she was supposed to sleep this night. at least, you planned it like that. now you'd prefer to be alone. you let her in anyway, hoping to talk about what happened in better circumstances.

as soon as you came in, you took some ice bags and went back to ellie. her knuckles were bloody red and swollen, even though she didn't seem to be hurt. she looked up and took the bag from your hand, but her expression was still stern.

"thanks." she said in a raspy monotone, holding it to her hands.

you cleared your throat awkwardly, hoping that the ice would help ease the situation. "ellie, i just want to say i appreciate what you did, but–"

she sighed and shook her head. "don't start."

"well, i was going to." you said, unable to hide your irritation. "you overreacted. i don't need your help. it was my problem to deal with."

ellie stayed silent for a moment, as if contemplating what you just said. "i might have overreacted," she admitted, "but i still don't regret what i did."

you sighed and threw your hands up in frustration. "we're just going around in circles here. why can't you understand that i can handle myself? i don't need you. i didn't ask for your help. i don't understand why you just have to get all protective over me."

ellie sighed, dropping the ice bag to her side. her voice was still calm, but with a hint of anger. "i was trying to look out for you. i was trying to do something nice, and you just keep yelling at me for it."

you felt your confusion growing even more. "but- why?"

she shook her head in disbelief. "because i love you."

the air seemed to suck out of your lungs when she said that. her words were unexpected, and you wanted to know if you heard her right. "what did you say?"

ellie chuckled and nodded, her expression almost teasing but still nervous and even a little aggresive. "i said i love you, of course."

you couldn't reply, too stunned to speak. you just stared at her, feeling the familiar heat on your cheeks rise.

she clicked her tongue at your obliviousness. "that's why i'm so protective. that's why i couldn't just ignore how they talked to you."

you just blinked, still unable to process what she said.

ellie must have sensed your confusion, because she continued. "i'm not your babysitter, alright? you're a big girl. you can take care of yourself– but that's not what i meant." she took your hand in hers. "i'm worried about you because i love you."

the realization of what she'd said suddenly hit you like a train, and you felt your heart race. for what felt like an eternity, you just stared at her, still not believing what you were hearing.

ellie just smiled, a little bit embarrassed, as if she hadn't just made one of the most profound declarations of love imaginable.

"so," she said quietly, "can you forgive me now?"

her tone was so innocent, so sincere, that it seemed almost cruel to keep arguing with her. it seemed cruel that you ever did.

in the end, you nodded. "yeah, i can."

that was all it took for ellie's expression to light up.

#ellie williams x reader #ellie williams #ellie williams x y/n #ellie williams x you #ellie x reader #ellie x y/n #ellie tlou #reqs open #ellie the last of us #protective!ellie

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