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discount-elysium · 5 months

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Pale Static Exchange Gift

Happy Pale Static Exchange @nonsal! I wrote a fic for your requests. You can read it on ao3 here, or under the cut below, whichever you prefer! I hope you had a lovely holiday season, and that you enjoy your present!

FIC: (You are) the life I needed all along

PAIRING: Harry/Kim, Harry & Kim

Summary: Harry invites Kim to a nice dinner, and it does not, in fact, go spectacularly wrong.

YOUR APARTMENT’S SHOEBOX OF A KITCHEN - The room is warm, the dough under your hands is pleasantly sticky and forming well, the radio is softly playing, and you’re in the middle of making dinner for your favorite person. Life, for the moment, is good.

SHIVERS [Medium: Success] - Outside of your window, the grey expanse of cloud hangs low and dismal over the rain-dampened street. Few people brave this temporary lull in the downpour: a man rushing to meet his sister, a woman coming home early from work, two sticky-faced children sharing an adventure.

Revachol no more sleeps than her people do–but perhaps even she’s afforded a moment’s repose, in all this rain.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - And you, Harrier Du Bois, have a stew pot full of broth, several pounds of farmer’s-market-Lynne’s best chuck, onions, carrots, potatoes, and a fuckload of herbs cooking on the stove. From the smell of this kitchen right now, you might as well be the best cook that ever lived.

YOU -

Fuck yeah I am! I’m a superstar chef. Gorący Kubek eat your heart out.

Admittedly I did once light my kitchen a little bit on fire. But it was a very little bit! Barely worth bringing up any more, really.

…I do okay.

YOU - For a moment, you put a little more force into kneading your bread dough than is probably strictly necessary.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Aw, who cares about the kitchen fire? That was two months ago. Might as well have happened to a different person.

HALF-LIGHT - There’s still scorch marks on the counter.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - And? Nothing here’s unblemished, including Harry, but that’s not the point. Can’t you feel the saliva pooling under your tongue, Harry? Can’t you smell the air?

PERCEPTION (Smell) [Easy: Success] - It does smell very nice.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Thank you.

YOU - Of the various pastimes you tried your hand at post-Martinaise–and there were many–

ENCYCLOPEDIA - Knitting, journaling, bird-watching, cooking, drawing, wood-working, knitting again–

YOU - Cooking is the only one that seems to have really stuck. It does you good, having something to keep your hands busy that produces tangible results. It doesn’t hurt that recently, those results have been delicious.

And today, you’re finally going to do the thing you’ve wanted to do for months!

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Failure] - Sleep with Kim!

VOLITION - Khm. Ah. The other thing Harry’s wanted for months, Feel-good.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - No one appreciates genius in its time. :(

VOLITION - …

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Success] - …fine. Feed Kim your food.

YOU - Homemade bread and stew may not be the fanciest fare, but they’re still good, and you’re confident that you can make them well. Kim’s going to come over to dinner and eat something you’ve made him, and he’s going to enjoy himself.

LOGIC - This is going to go over better than the scarf did.

YOU - You pause, momentarily, in your kneading.

EMPATHY - Hey, he said he liked the scarf!

RHETORIC [Easy: Success] - No, he said it was ‘thoughtful.’

EMPATHY - Which is a way to say you like something!

LOGIC - If he liked it so much, why doesn’t he ever wear it?

PERCEPTION [Easy: Success] - It was a little…lumpy.

INLAND EMPIRE - Warm, soft white wool, cloud-like under your fingers. You were in the craft store for a case and touched it in passing–you left without it. That night you thought of aerostatic pilots with long white scarves to ward off the chill of interinsulary travel; you thought of Kim, blowing warm air over his cold fingers in alleyways and turning up the collar of his coat. You went back to that little store a day later.

HAND EYE COORDINATION - I did my best! Speaking of which–

YOU - Idly, your hands move. The warm dough stretches, elastic under your hands. You’ve oiled a bowl already; you put your dough into it for its first rise and cover it.

CONCEPTUALIZATION - Like the pupa in its chrysalis: warm, enclosed, waiting for change.

YOU - With your stew cooking and your bread rising, there’s not much else you need to do in the kitchen. You putter out to your living room with the intention of tidying up, but it’s…honestly not that bad?

COMPOSURE - Khm. Yeah. That would be from the compulsive nervous cleaning you already did a few hours ago. I can only hold this ship together so much, and luckily this time, the nervous energy was constructive!

LOGIC - Kim’s been to your apartment before, Harry. He’s seen it worse than this.

YOU - The only other thing you were planning to do was pick out a post-meal board game. You don’t have very many board games–they’re expensive–but you’ve started a little collection since Martinaise, and you’re hoping Kim will want to play one tonight. You think you’ve narrowed it down to two options, Beyond the Pale–

ENCYCLOPEDIA - A two to four player semi-cooperative game about aerostatic pilots lost in the Pale, desperately trying to repair their aerostatic while fending off possibly-hallucinatory creatures from the Pale–but the pilots may have hidden motives…

YOU - And Tailor Made.

ENCYCLOPEDIA - A shorter, but very charming two to four player game about sewing custom blankets to attract various cats to sleep on them.

YOU - But maybe only giving Kim two options is too restrictive? Maybe you should just pull your whole collection out and let him pick?

EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] - Harry. Try taking a deep breath.

YOU - You take a deep breath.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT - You can breathe deeper than that! Put your diaphragm into it!

YOU - You take a second, deeper, manlier breath. Then you take another, because real athletes always give 110%.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT - Your hands stop shaking.

YOU - Oh.

EMPATHY - Yes, oh.

YOU - I was panicking, wasn’t I?

EMPATHY - Mmhm. Want to make a guess about why, Harry?

YOU -

What is this, introspection? Self-awareness? I don’t like it. Real men keep their mysterious emotions bottled up inside their chiseled and rugged chests until they, for unrelated reasons, abruptly die of bleeding ulcers or heart attacks. (Opt out)

I can do this. I can have a whole entire thought about my emotional state and I probably won’t even cry about it. (Opt in).

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] - In the halls of Precinct 41, Satellite Officer Jean Vicquemare is abruptly struck by the irrational feeling that he owes Patrol Officer Judit Minot 5 reál. He shakes his head, and the baffling certainty passes.

YOU - In preparation for this terrifying new endeavor, you take a quick lap of your living room. Then you close your eyes very tightly–

LOGIC - Is that really a necessary step?

EMPATHY - Shush.

YOU - And you confront the question. Why are you worrying?

YOU -

Because you want tonight to go well.

Because since minute one of your haphazard reentry into this world, it’s been a little bit about Kim, hasn’t it? Not all about Kim–he would hate the thought of that–but a little. His Kineema called you back to life. When everything in the world was terrifying and nonsensical, he was a steady point against which you could orient yourself. You rebuilt yourself painstakingly, and he didn’t help, exactly, but he gave you grace. He was gentle with you when you stumbled.

And in the months since Martinaise, he’s continued to be your friend. He’s not perfect, and neither are you. There have been arguments, and doubts, and low points. But when you need him to have your back, he has. Every time.

And it’s not that you want to repay him, exactly, because you don’t owe him. But tonight, you want him to feel warm, and well fed, and appreciated. You want him to feel good with you. Because of you.

….because you love him.

YOU - You get the oddest feeling that there was a more honest choice you could have made–a thought there you turned back from fully confronting. But that’s a silly thing to think about! Haha. Ha. Phew. Emotions sure are hard. Good thing you won’t be looking directly at yours again any time soon.

EMPATHY - …Harrier.

YOU - Anyway, that was a productive realization: you really want tonight to go well! And you definitely know exactly what you can do to make that happen, and to not have to think any more deeply about this whole thing: make dessert!!

EMPATHY - …I give up. I don’t get paid enough to manage this mess.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY - Amen, brother.

…

YOUR APARTMENT - By the time Kim knocks on your door that evening, you’ve got the stew ready in the nicest bowl you own, homemade bread waiting on a cutting board beside it, and a berry crumble ready to pop in the oven once dinner gets started. Your slightly-lopsided kitchen table is as neatly set as your mismatched silverware allows for. Your apartment is clean. Your boardgame choices are set out. You’re all set to woo–khm. What an odd slip. You’re ready to impress the hell out of Kim.

KIM KITSURAGI - Kim knocks on your door at 19:30 on the dot, precisely on time. When you open the door–

REACTION SPEED [Easy: Success] - HE IS WEARING THE SCARF.

KIM KITSURAGI - With his collar turned up, and the scarf tucked in around his neck, the lumpiness of it is less noticeable than it was in your memory. He looks warm, and comfortable. For no particular reason, your breath catches in your chest.

YOU - “You look nice!”

KIM KITSURAGI - Taken slightly aback, Kim blinks.

SUGGESTION [Medium: Failure] - Uh, shit. Uh–try saying more? That’ll fix this.

YOU - “In my scarf, I mean. Or–your scarf. Because I gave it to you, so it’s–it’s your scarf.”

PERCEPTION [Medium: Success] - Kim’s smiling, now. It’s small, but it’s there.

YOU - “I should probably invite you inside.”

KIM KITSURAGI - “Yes, detective. Unless you’re planning to serve dinner on your doorstep.”

YOU - You lead Kim inside, and offer to take his coat. Kim shrugs out of his coat and scarf and watches with a faint air of confusion as you hang them up on coat hooks for him–something he could very easily do himself. Out of the bright orange jacket which you sometimes privately think of as his armor, Kim always looks a little softer and smaller. It’s a good look.

KIM KITSURAGI - When you pull out a chair at your kitchen table for him, Kim goes still, briefly. His dark eyes search your face for something, and you’re not sure exactly what he sees. “Detective,” he says.

RHETORIC - He sounds almost wary.

COMPOSURE [Medium: Failure] - Unable to bear the weight of his gaze, you wave vaguely towards his seat at the table. “Go ahead. Sit down, get started. I’ll just–uh. Pop in the crumble.”

YOU - If you take longer than you need to, strictly speaking, to find your oven mitts, open your oven, and set the dessert in–if you wait until you’re sure you’ve heard Kim’s weight settle into his chair, and the click of serving utensils–well. Hopefully the other detective in the room isn’t going to call you on it!

KIM KITSURAGI - By the time you join him at the table, Kim has in fact started eating–he, like many other people who grew up in the years following the Antecentennial Revolution, doesn’t tend to leave food sitting long before tucking in.

INLAND EMPIRE - Memories of hungrier days linger long after they’re gone. You’d know, Harry.

KIM KITSURAGI - He passes the cutting board towards you, an evenly-cut slice waiting for you there. “It’s all very good. Thank you.”

COMPOSURE [Challenging: Success] - The sting in your eyes comes as a surprise, but you blink, hard, and manage to push it back before you do something horribly embarrassing like cry over Kim complimenting your food.

KIM KITSURAGI - Kim settles a hand on your elbow, gently.

REACTION SPEED - Not fast enough for Kim not to notice, though.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] - Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi is an excellent detective. From the moment you opened your door, he’s been gathering evidence: your uncommonly clean living room, the way you took his coat, the way you pulled out a chair for him. Nothing you do goes unnoticed. He’s coming close to a conclusion, now.

EMPATHY - Are you actually willing to hear it?

YOU -

Distract him. Open your mouth, say something outrageous, and draw his attention away.

[Volition: Challenging] - Look at Kim, and wait for what he has to say.

VOLITION [Challenging: Success] - You steel yourself. It’s difficult to meet Kim’s eyes–those eyes that, for all their far-sightedness, see so much–but you bring yourself to do it. You wait.

KIM KITSURAGI - “Detective.” He pauses a moment, then, “Harry. You know you don’t need to impress me.”

YOU - “Can’t I want to?” Suddenly the words are bubbling up at your lips, urgent. “Don’t you deserve to be impressed, Kim?”

RHETORIC - You know that sounds like–

EMPATHY - Shut. Up.

YOU - “I just want you to stay. For good food, and for berry crumble, and for–to trounce me at board games, after. I want you to have a good time with me. Is that too much?”

PERCEPTION [Challenging: Success] - Kim lets out a very controlled breath. He’s looking at you very steadily.

KIM KITSURAGI - “No, Harry. That’s not too much.” His hand tightens for a moment on your elbow, and then he lets go. He takes the bowl from in front of you, and ladles stew into it, setting it back in front of you full. “Eat, before it gets cold, hmm?”

YOU - The rational thing to do would be to do as Kim says, but instead you say, like a child in need of reassurance, “So you’re staying?”

KIM KITSURAGI - There’s something in the way he’s looking at you, now, that you cannot fully parse. “Yes, I’ll stay.” He looks away with a smile–an almost private little curve of his lips. “We have plenty of time.”

#pale static exchange #pale static exchange 2023 #harry/kim #disco elysium

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jordanraye47 · 23 days

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Headcanons about my favourite characters (yk who my fav is but whatever stfu /respectfully) [some ANSGT for y’all depressed people] ITS SO MUCH IZZY OMFG

Izzy is Scarlett’s younger sister. Idc if the order of seasons don’t let it make sense. Scarlett has older sister energy so I decide that they are sisters.

Noah has dyslexia. He loves to read and won’t let dyslexia stop him‼️Like his sisters see him with the same book for 3 months bc it takes AGES to read one

did I forget to mention that? He’s the youngest of ALOT of sisters (inspo from @deadmxnsparty on TT from the fic Stakes)

I have SO MUCH on izzy I need one list js for her so I’ll try and put a few on this one.

Her hair gets really really messy and often covers her face. So she ends up having to manually hold up her bangs if she has to look someone in the eyes or smth cause her hair covers up her eyes.

She canonically has psychosis, and being a pretty expressive and hyper person, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with emotions. So regardless of how many psychotic attacks or breakdowns she has, she never gets a full grip on how to handle them. So it ends with her running away from whatever situation she’s in so nobody sees her, and so she doesn’t hurt anyone.

NOAH AND IZZY ARE BEST FRIENDS BC I SAID SO

Just like Duncan, I think Izzy has some family that’s in the police or involved in it. So she’s definitely familiar with law and punishments. But she’s also really good at getting away with it.

Imagne if like Scott Izzy and Scarlett were siblings 😔 izzy would be a farmer lmao

I CANNOT FIND OUT IF SHE IS SCOTTISH OR IRISH ISTG

she wears crocs, attack me

She is not allowed in the kitchen alone. During cooking challenges on TD, she’s either js put to the fucking sidelines or someone it put on duty just to make sure she doesn’t fuck up.

got recruited by the FBI and/or army. She’s smart and strong like ??????

omfg I’m so bloated rn fuck my uterus

COURTZZY HCS (my pookies)

its js criminal x lawyer so she KNOWS the law, she just dgaf

regardless, she tries to help Courtney w work whenever she needs it. She probably has no idea what she’s doing but she tries helping at least, and she’s js happy when Courtney is. So like if Courtney passes an important test or smth, she js goes along w the excitement, even though she has no idea what’s happening.

and speaking of school n shit; Izzy dosent prioritise school, nor focus much on it. Especially compared to Courtney. But shes smart, enough to understand that Courtney is passionate about it. And as much as she likes bothering Courtney and hanging with her, Izzy’s quiet when she thinks Courtney needs silence to study, or just alone time in general.

IOTSSSS😈😈 (the angst is going hard rn. REREADING THIS IT SOUNDS SO DEEP AND LOWJRY POETIC IM PROUD) I wanna make this into a fic😔

Man the survivors guilt is CRAZY‼️🙏

Like she has Eva but the feeling that she had the opportunity to change the outcome still lingers. Like why didn’t she argue with Duncan enough to not let Noah stay

It’s not that she thought Noah wasn’t able to protect himself, but he didn’t. He didn’t exactly know how to fight, and he couldn’t sass his way out of death.

Duncan had to practically force Izzy along when they walked back. The danger of the island hadn’t properly gotten to her then, but if it had, she wouldn’t have let any of her friends out of her sight for a second.

She wasn’t strong enough to protect everyone, but she’s convinced she could’ve done better. And maybe Noah, Courtney, Owen, Lindsay and everyone else could’ve made it.

Like I said, the survivors guilt is pretty rough after a fucking massacre ykwim?

And she was 16 when this happened. And so was everyone else. And regardless of age, nobody should’ve gone though that, alive or not.

Her relationship to things associated with the death of her friends are definitely weird. Like when things like showering and drinking water felt like tasks. Like watching the water from the tap run for 10 minutes cause the image of Noah’s dead body in the water, surrounded by his own blood, wouldn’t leave her alone.

She felt disgusted by herself when she avoided water like the plague. She refused to leave the house, even to just go out with the trash or pick up the mail.

The neighbours across her father’s apartment used to come to her door and ask for her parents. They complained about how loud she was when she was outside by the playground when she was 10. Their jaws would probably drop if they saw how she’d changed.

She found herself on multiple occasions, talking to herself. Just to make sure she still had a voice. She hadn’t talked in ages. And even if she did, it was only to her siblings maybe once a week, and maybe a word or two to her parents if they were lucky.

Even after turning 17, the mentality and maturity stayed the same. The memories of that island never faded. But the others did. She had a few videos and pictures on a digital camera, and that was the best preserved memories of her friends. She was afraid that if she lost these, she’d forget their voice and face.

#total drama #total drama izzy #total drama headcanons #td headcanons #td izzy #LOW-KEY SO PROUD #I WANNA MAKE A FIC #NOW #VLTE FOR FIC ON MY PAGE #angst is going hard rn #Not harder than me tho‼️🙏#IOTS #island of the slaughtered #izzy connelly #izzy td #courtney td #ITS 2:44 IN THE MORNING

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vivilove-jonsa · 1 year

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2022 end-of-year fic review ✨

thanks to the wonderful @chispas-and-broken-bindings for tagging me! I know I've dropped out on fic writing this past 11 months but I was tagged and want to play :)

what's your ao3 account?

Vivilove

2. how many words did you write in total in 2022?

roughly 55k on ao3 (all but 900 of that was in January)

roughly 335k in original works (from February through December)

3. how many fics did you publish in 2022 // multi-chapter vs. one-shots?

three total - 2 multi-chapter (one was updates to an ongoing story) v 1 one-shot which I totally blame Christopher Catesby Harington and his sequel news for!

4. what was your longest-fic // shortest fic?

The one I wrote the most words on in 2022 was You Give Me Goosebumps. Started in early January and had it finished by month's end and it clocked in around 44k words. The shortest was We'll Say Hello Again at 900 words (again, I blame Kit)

5. what was your most popular // least popular?

The Farmer's Wife has by far the most kudos, subs, comments and bookmarks. I guess the one shot was least popular but I really appreciated all the lovely folks who popped into the comments to say hello when I posted it <3

6. what fic didn't perform as well as you thought it would?

I was happy with the response to all of them.

7. what fic performed way better than you thought it would?

Honestly, it became hard for me to predict the fandom's reaction to my stuff by the time I decided I needed a change. I was satisfied by how these three fics performed. I do remember having the most fun with the commenters on Goosebumps trying to solve the mystery :)

8. what was your favorite fic you wrote in 2022?

Goosebumps was the most fun to write as fics go but I've loved the books I've written since then more.

9. what was your favorite fic that somebody else wrote in 2022?

Now, this is why I really wanted to do this!! I'm totally cheating and talking about multiple fics. Sue me. I'm not reading nearly as much fic anymore but I love an excuse to talk about the ones I adored. So, in no particular order, my faves from last year were:

Take me out and Lounge act by @cellsshapedlikestars I'm picking on her but I loved both of these and also help me out of the shape I'm in which finished in '22 as well :)

Reach out with both hands by @thewolvescalledmehome Oof, I always love her wounded Jon.

And finally, everything by @kittykatknits !! I am so, so happy she returned to posting Jonsa this past year but want to give a extra loud shoutout to Race Car Driver Jon and the Most Awesome Sansa Ever in He's Going the Distance !!

(I have a thing for Sports Jon apparently with race car, football and baseball fics listed.)

10. tag your friends so they can play as well!

Tagging @kittykatknits @cellsshapedlikestars @thewolvescalledmehome @winterrose527 and @woodswit and anyone else who wants to do this.

#tag games #fic writing #end of year review #jonsa fic

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mazm-imagines · 11 months

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Some Call It Stalking, I Say Walking Just Extremely Close Behind

hi guys. remember the illness fic i was talking abt for months. well. I finished it. 6956 words. oh my god what is wrong with me. TW for sh/cutting, it is not used in that context but just in case yk. Blood and stuff like that. also MAJOR THY CREATURE SPOILERS !!!! This is abt boss 3 so if ur not there yet dont read if u dont want spoilers teehee. fic under the cut

The Mad Scientist didn’t know much.

He didn’t know how, when, or why he was born.

All he knew from the moment of his birth was that he wanted to know.

That thirst for knowledge consumed every part of him. Not even a minute passed from conception and he had already shuffled through the papers below him, dim green glow of various bioluminescent specimens aided him in his reading. Even without them, a Nepe’s superior senses would have been sufficient enough.

From there he learned about matters of science, of humanities, of theology, and much more. Each book he pored through only multiplied the lust for knowledge. Papers, journals, artifacts, samples, it was never enough. No fact was forgotten. The Scientist couldn’t stay content to be confined in that library much longer. As of that point, he was only a mere concept. The word he could have described it as was ‘madness.’

It was almost cruel, to never be satiated, to know everything yet nothing.

He wandered yes- of course he did. A curious mind couldn’t stay idle. He had long since familiarized himself with the other creatures that were just like him.

Boring.

He already knew how Nepe worked.

The residents of the tower were where his real curiosities lay. He was always watching, hearing from the shadows, especially careful to not get caught by the hunter. Even in her old age her keen senses would have sniffed him out.

The other residents… not so much. The seamstress and the sailor seemed to be dimwitted enough. The farmer already lost most of his memories and the painter was near catatonic from grief. Perhaps if the raging alcoholic of a manager was sober he would be observant enough.

The only one with their head attached to their shoulders was the mortician he knew as Noah.

Noah could be described as… stingy, analytical, calm. It felt as if Noah’s eyes could look right at him. At least before the Mad Scientist would induce a dizzy spell on him– another one of the Nepe’s abilities.

Even when bickering with the seamstress– Justine– he’d stay poised. But the Scientist had the privilege to read Noah’s ledger. Suffice to say, Noah certainly had some pent up feelings.

And sometimes Noah prayed. Noah prayed for many things: for prosperity, for his loved ones, and for their souls.

In humanities and theology, the Scientist often read of the concept of a soul. What was a soul? According to what he had read, a soul consisted of many things, of memories and of humanity.

In the anatomical diagrams he examined, no human looked like him.

Golden horns, paper white skin and hair, and black sclera with goat-like pupils.

He wasn’t a human at all, but that was a forgone conclusion. As for memories, he had memories right? He could remember reading his favorite books or what he had done a minute ago. But there was a certain memory that started to arise the more he came to himself.

A memory that didn’t belong to him.

A memory of a man poring through documents, just as he would that entire time.

The first glimpse into that memory was when he had found a sheet of paper: an experiment log documenting research on what made a human. Concepts of willpower and emotion scattered throughout.

The back of a black-haired man flashed before his eyes.

“More… more…”

The man spouted a mantra of madness whilst filtering through the books strewn around: all useless junk to him.

That was the first time he had ever seen that man, but it wasn’t the last.

He scanned the page again, searching for a name.

And a name he got.

“Victor.”

Victor was a common name from what he had known. It meant winner, triumphant, champion, all that was virtuous in the world.

The Mad Scientist didn’t have a name. There was no one that even knew of his existence to even call him anything.

It was always quiet in the library, but the newfound revelation of his memory made the silence deafening.

His core… was Victor. It was a human’s.

Perhaps it was time to christen himself.

In humanities, he had read of Erysichthon, a Greek king cursed with an insatiable hunger. Even if it was a literal hunger, he couldn’t help but empathize. He too was cursed with an insatiable hunger: the hunger for knowledge. It was a suitable mantle to take up in his eyes.

No point in contemplating now, he had a world to dissect. His name from that point on became Erysichthon.

What was a human? What was a Nepe? Who determined such arbitrary terms? What was the difference? Was it the soul? Flesh? So many research questions and so little practice.

The definition of a soul was so… flimsy. Centuries of philosophical debate and no true answer? Erysichthon was determined to find out. As of late, he had felt more and more restless– unrestrained.

He only knew of the green earth from behind the pages. He had no need of theoreticals anymore, only hands-on, personal experience could ever satisfy him again.

For that, he would need a new form, so as to not… scare his specimens.

Research question: Can a Nepe be human?

The form he held now was raw, untainted, untouched by all influence except madness. But it wasn’t human.

He could change his form, that was a skill he learned by looking on a piece of shattered glass. On a whim he wished to change his white hair to green, and there it was. Ever since then he would toy around with his form. A Nepe can afford to be malleable.

Now it was time to push the limit, innovation came from necessity as they say.

He’d have to clear up the marks on his face first- lest he looked like the notebook he scribbled in. Then there was the matter of his skin and hair. The pale white was considered unnatural, unless he was an albino- but he wasn’t even a human! He was at least two times the size of one.

Horns atop his head were monstrous, no creature on earth could compare. His pupils were akin to a goat’s, not to mention pitch black sclera.

Unfortunately, those would have to go too.

Erysichthon had never interacted with a living breathing human up close, but he had interacted with a dead one. Many, many dead ones. They were mainly mangled corpses he dissected, but he could piece two and two together as to what a living human should be by now. All the research and… observing wouldn’t be for nothing.

In one thought, he could feel himself getting smaller, frail. It wasn’t a permanent transformation, his power still remained intact enough to turn back.

Floating hands seceded to nothing, and from the dead space under his coat legs grew out. Muscles, bones, and sinew all manifested from thin air faster than one could comprehend.

As soon as the feet touched the ground, Erysichthon’s legs gave in. It was a strange feeling to walk on two legs rather than floating about. With a clumsy step forward he planted his face onto the stacks of books below him. Ouch.

The face that gazed back at him on the base of the bronze statue in the theology room was near unrecognizable. The only features that stayed even remotely intact were the green tips that lined the newfound raven black hair and slitted black pupils centered on yellow irises. Tsk, can’t change it all he supposed.

Old fashioned clothes that barely held onto his shoulders weighed him down. Ah, he forgot to account for that as well.

It was time to discard them too, the large bowknots and fur-lined coat was so last century–

–But he didn’t want to let go of them either…

From what he had read, children often dressed in non-threatening fashion. Shorts or shortened dresses, vibrant colors, and adorned in decorations. The Nepe girl he had met certainly looked the part. It was in his taste to say the least, but would it be suitable? He’d often read that adults and children were expected to present differently. Maybe he should blur the lines a little.

Research question: Why are adults and children expected to wear different clothes?

The black turtleneck shrunk down to a white blouse, with cuffs and neckline adorned by signature yellow bowknots. His fur coat morphed into shorts and suspenders.

Can’t forget the footwear-

Simple dress shoes and knee-high socks were good enough.

The oversized green bag of notes shrunk down as well to fit his new size.

The new form felt odd, to say the least. His height had been cut by half: places he could reach before were now off-limits. The sensation of placing one foot after another was oh so very foreign. There was nothing Erysichthon couldn’t learn though. This was merely a trial in his experiments.

However… What were the limits of this new body? What was inside? It was a rough shell of what a human should be. Humans bled, cried, drooled- and many other functions. This vessel was under his mercy, if he so desired, he wouldn’t have to do any of those things.

This was his first experiment.

After taking a shard of glass off the floor, Erysichthon pulled up his right sleeve. With one painless swipe against his arm, he started to observe the results.

…

Perhaps he made a miscalculation, if the smoke leaking out indicated anything. In the span of 5 seconds, the wound sealed up.

There were two things to be noted:

No nerve endings to feel anything. Pain, pleasure, warmth, or coldness would be rendered null. No nerve system.

No blood either, he was lacking the blood vessels or any parts at all to even have a functioning cardiovascular system.

This meant he had no organs, supposedly. He had a cheap imitation of a muscular system at least.

It was an oversight, nothing a little willpower couldn't remedy. His dissections and research would finally come in hand.

Erysichthon managed to will a heart into existence, or at least the simulation of one. Placing a palm over his chest met him with the rhythmic thumping of a heartbeat. How lovely…

Not stopping at that, he made room for the rest of his organs. Nerves slowly manifested in flesh, he had now felt the absence of warmth in the room- and the warmth in his face.

This should do the trick.

Once again he picked up the shard of glass and swiped over his arm.

Ow- It hurts!

He cried out before looking into the wound.

Yet before he had even noticed the blood dripping out, he recognized the water leaking from his eyes. Slender fingers crawled up to his cheeks to paw at the tears.

I’m… crying…

I’m crying in pain!

Just as he couldn’t help the tears, he couldn’t help the mad laughter erupting from his throat.

I’m crying! I’m bleeding! I really have become human…

Before that moment, he had never cried before. There was a bizarre delight to be found in weeping. But Erysichthon was a bizarre creature.

Just as easily as he willed the wound open, he shut it back closed. Smeared blood evaporated back into the smoke it came from.

Now that he had perfected his form, it was time to roam around.

Erysichthon pulled open the door of the library and carefully peeked out, not a soul could be seen as far as his eyes could tell.

Instead there were Nepes made of green ooze. Oh yes, he knew of these creatures. This was his domain, and they would leave him alone well enough.

The foot he placed forward nearly stumbled, he wasn’t ready to leave the support of the walls quite yet. Hugging the walls, he carefully moved to different rooms, calling out a demure ‘hello?’ in each one.

It was apparent there would be no humans there, well, nothing wrong with using a bit of omnipotence right?

2 humans were located on the first floor, another was located on the second. A few more were located on the fourth.

If he were to approach any other floor besides the first, they would surely have gotten suspicious. The corruption of the tower led by Nepes kept the residents on edge.

Another touch of omnipotence wouldn’t hurt-

And just like that, he found himself at the imposing front doors of the tower.

Oh this would be fun.

What wasn’t fun was the numerous Nepes imitating mangled dolls that patrolled the halls.

–

“Noah, we're damn stuck! We’re going to die! Stop laughing!”

“Pfffft… how can I not when you tripped over your own dress? We are going to die, can’t I go out with a laugh?”

“Stop! Stop it! I’ll sew your mouth shut!”

“Alright alright I’ll stop.”

“Hmph!”

“...Klutz.”

“You-! Bastard!”

Justine balled up her fists before plunging them straight into Noah’s chest. Her victim could only stifle a weary laugh behind a hand.

Just as Noah was about to open his mouth, a crash was heard from behind them.

“Who’s there?” Noah stepped in front of Justine so as to take initiative. Turning his head had let his calculating eyes gaze upon the intruder.

Currently said intruder was planted face first on the floor– An even bigger klutz than Justine.

Is that a child?

“Sir William?!” Did Justine know this person?

“William?! I’m not William!” Ah. She was mistaken. The boy she mistook for “William” raised his head to look back at them. Noah couldn’t tell if it was his bleariness, but something looked unnatural about the irises that met his own. He wasn’t exactly at his sharpest of senses but something was certainly off.

Upon further inspection, the “boy” was… a man surely. Childish clothes had almost convinced Noah of his youth, but his neck and limbs indicated otherwise. Oh God he’s one of those.

Those bastards that wouldn’t fess up their age no matter what.

Noah felt the blood leak from his face once he realized the sort of person he would be dealing with. But his age wasn’t one of the more important questions Noah had.

Yellow eyes with slitted pupils…

“Justine get behind me- and you- stay back.” From the pocket of Noah’s pitch black coat, Justine vaguely made out a glint.

“Wah?! What’s wrong?!”

“Stay there. Move any closer and I won’t hesitate.”

“Hesitate to what?!” The black-haired man cried out.

“Noah, you're scaring him! Stop! Please…” Justine had rarely seen this anger from the poised Noah. It was terrifying to hear the steely voice from his bandaged neck. And not once had he raised said voice. Considering he had been on edge the past week or so, perhaps this was the culmination of his exhaustion.

She tugged at Noah’s sleeve as a silent plea to calm down. Biting blue eyes looked down Justine’s honeyed brown ones.

That was enough to defrost Noah’s temperament it seemed, as his furrowed eyebrows loosened.

“Fine. I have a few questions for you. And you better start talking.” “Yes sir!”

“What’s your name?”

“I’m uhm I’m Ery- E-”

“Out with it.” The more Noah pressed, the more the black-haired man flushed in embarrassment.

He had no mercy! Perhaps that no-nonsense attitude is what EL liked most about him.

“Noah!- Take your time! Don’t listen to him alright?”

Truth be told, Justine was wary of the new stranger. Something about him… felt off.

But he looked just like William-! At least, what he would have looked like if he managed to grow older. On the off chance that this was a victim of the tower, she couldn’t let Noah throw him to the dogs! Or well, the Nepes.

“I’m EL…” “How did you get in here? The doors are shut. I’ve tried for damn ages to open it! We were just there. Even the back is closed- And here you are, waltzing in…” The last words trailed off as Noah started to grumble to himself in irritation.

“I- uhm… I came here right around the time of the attacks! I got stuck… and hic…”

“It’s been two weeks and you think I’d believe that?”

“It’s true! Please believe me! I passed out in the middle of it… I just woke up…”

“Noah… be nice.”

EL didn’t particularly mind the pressing, not when he could finally meet his dear specimens. But it would be suspicious if he didn’t put up any resistance, especially for someone like Noah.

He just couldn’t contain his excitement to meet them!

I can't wait to harvest them~

As a Nepe of madness, Erysichthon had an unusual ability: the ability to impart obsession onto those weak of mind. A natural charm that allured the vulnerable. Slowly yet surely, he watched Justine’s hesitation waver.

EL was practically imprisoning his overwhelming joy within a pitiful expression. From his limited vision on the floor he could see Justine take slow steps from behind Noah, approaching cautiously before she knelt by him.

She fell for it… just as hypothesized~

“Justine- What are you doing? You can’t just-!”

“Noah, he’s one of us. He’s scared and alone.”

“Look at his eyes! Only damn Nepes have those yellow eyes!” Damn, he did make a good point.

“Can you stop making assumptions? You think you know everything? Let’s ask EL alright?”

“Alright EL. What’s with those eyes of yours hm?”

“I, uhm, have a condition… It’s just like that… I swear I’m not a Nepe!”

Damn! He was as observant as EL hypothesized, but this would be troublesome…

He could eat that memory later, for now he had to ensure their trust. With a quick nod of his head, he induced another bout of exhaustion onto the other man.

“Is that so? You must think I’m stupid if-” before Noah could finish his snide remark the low growl of a Nepe was made apparent.

“Grrrrrr…”

“Dammit. We stayed here for too long. Justine, we have to go.”

“What about EL?!”

“You already know. But whatever, you do what you want. I feel dizzy.” With that Noah ran off leaving Justine alone with EL.

This is my chance… To take her as a specimen-!

“Well… he’s not saying no! Let’s go EL!” EL was snapped out of his thoughts by Justine offering a hand to him. He only gave a cheerful smile in return.

“Oh! Thank you… thank you so much!”

“It’s no problem!"

Mustn't get too hasty… I could secure the whole camp.

One mental note later and EL was being led out by Justine to the stairs.

“Oh wow EL! Your grip is… really strong!”

“Ahahaha… I hear that a lot. I’ve just been carrying a lot around! I used to work at a library so-! Just used to carrying books around.”

EL wasn’t sure when he had gotten used to lying as easily as he “breathed.” Perhaps Justine was stupid and his lies were flimsy or he just really was a natural at it. Either way, Noah wouldn’t be fooled.

“And EL… are your legs alright? I noticed that you’ve been limping a lot. Is that why you tripped earlier?”

“Oh! I was running away from a Nepe and I just… tripped. It hurts-!” EL whined out to sell his story. He was just a klutz but whatever made Justine pity him he would gladly take advantage of. To further encourage sympathy, EL willed open a few blood vessels around his knees to simulate bruising. His newfound pain receptors forced him to wince for real this time. The pain was enough to make EL drop- he had never experienced such agony before... He never experienced pain at all till an hour ago!

Justine’s eyes darted downwards once she felt the pressure on her hand pull her down as well.

“Oh EL! You poor thing! I didn’t even notice before! We have to get out first but as soon as we get there I’ll wrap it up.” Justine gave a reassuring squeeze to EL’s hand before helping him back up.

That squeeze… for what possible reason could she have done that for? The concept of love was quite foreign to EL. Yes he knew of it from his research, but he’s never felt love in its true form. He loved his specimens technically. But Justine’s pure affection? Strange… It wasn’t a bad feeling at all. EL could feel his face heat up for some odd reason.

“Are you okay EL? Your face is quite red too…”

“Ah! Yes yes I’m alright! Don’t worry!” Perhaps he should try to show his affection too, as an experiment that is.

—

After carefully navigating around the Nepes, the two could finally make their way to the gallery hallway.

“The stairs are coming up soon, our camp is on the fourth floor though… Don’t worry, if me and Noah could come down here, I'm sure we can go up just as easily! Leon’s on the second floor too just in case.” Justine let out a nervous smile, bottom lip quivering ever so slightly. Perhaps EL should return the favor from earlier.

“It’ll be alright! I think-” EL’s attention was drawn away to a shine on the floor. Ever a curious mind, EL let go of Justine's hand to examine.

The shining item seemed to be a scalpel. Justine hovered behind him in intrigue as well till a realization froze her in place.

“This- this is Noah’s…”

“Really?” EL pocketed it away, just in case he could return it later.

“Maybe he dropped it…”

No matter how much Justine tried to hide her anxiety, EL could feel it practically radiating off of her. Nepe’s sense and all.

“Maybe he did! It’s okay Justine. It’ll be okay!” EL wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about what to say, all he could do was regurgitate trite words he read from novels. But an attempt to comfort was made nonetheless.

“I… I hope so. Let’s go…” Justine gave a smile tinted with melancholy before shaking her head.

After grabbing EL’s hand again, Justine carefully inched toward the stairwell door.

One peek around the corner and Justine immediately gagged.

What on Earth could she have seen?

“N-Noah!” Before he could even ask, he received an answer. EL stole a look for himself and-

Noah was propped up a corner, smoke flowed out from the top of his head as a hollow expression graced his features. A Nepe was sitting on top of him, feasting. EL noted the scalpel lodged into its forehead, all the while it remained unbothered. Noah put up a fight it seemed.

Perhaps he overdid it with the exhaustion spells these past few weeks or so.

“He’s… No... no no no no no.” Justine cried to herself. Her legs caved as all her worries were confirmed right then and there. Tears streamed down her face with choked sobs shackling her judgment like a collar.

It seemed she would be out of the picture.

EL could have done something, at the very least.

“Justine… I must say, I enjoyed this time with you. Stay here alright?” EL was about to do something quite reckless. Science was all about alternating variables. At the very least, he couldn’t let his specimens get tarnished.

“EL… No! No! Please don’t… don’t!” Justine tugged on his sleeve in an attempt to get him to stay. Unfortunately EL was far stronger than she would be as he pulled his sleeve away to prepare.

“I’ll kill it.”

“I’ll… I’ll come with you then.” Justine hastily wiped away her tears with a sleeve. Clumsily, she stood back up with a newfound determination.

She wasn't as weak as he thought after all.

Research question: If I were to rip a Nepe open, what would happen?

With no particular plan, EL ran into the Nepe as fast as he could, plunging a scalpel into its chest before shoving it into an adjacent wall.

“Justine! Drag Noah out! I’ll take care of this.”

“Got it!” Justine took Noah by the underarms before dragging him away. At least, attempting to- he was two times her size. Not that EL cared. He had to retrieve Noah’s memory before it got digested.

That wouldn’t be an easy task. Now that EL had shrunk down by half, he realized just how small a human was compared to a Nepe. Even with Noah’s 210 centimeters, the Nepe was a third taller than him.

The Nepe attempted to bite at his skull which EL would dodge haphazardly.

Left right left right. A tedious dance and song.

Sit still would you.

EL pulled out the scalpel in its stomach before jabbing it back into the Nepe’s neck, hopefully pinning it to the wall. Just for good measure, he wrapped a lithe hand around its throat, squeezing ever so slightly. After ripping out the scalpel from its head, EL slashed across its stomach to rummage around for memories.

The lack of organs would be accounted for by the black smoke. EL had an approximate 5 minutes to retrieve the memory, yet he could feel the smoke attempt to seal around his wrist.

It didn’t take long before EL found the small stone- stones? This Nepe seemed to have collected quite a few memories from Noah. Just touching them gave him a bout of hunger. He couldn’t eat these today though.

“Justine-! Take these!” EL lazily tossed them to her with one hand, paying no mind as to what she was actually doing.

“Oof! Got them!” Justine dropped Noah in favor of holding the memories. Which one was Noah’s?! Were they all his?!

Now EL had full freedom to play as he wished. Ripping the scalpel out from its neck would give Erysichthon two blades to slash with.

Oh oh oh- I wish it was a human… Oh well!

He gave a little pout at the fact he couldn’t just dissect a live human, but that didn’t stop his desire to cut up a creature all the same.

That troublesome Nepe had been going after his head that entire time. Perhaps he should return the favor. With a forceful stab across the Nepe’s neck, he managed to behead it in one fell swoop. Huh, that wasn’t supposed to happen.

The Nepe was merely a doll made of fabric then, that was the only reasoning he had for being able to behead a 8 ft monster.

It certainly made his job easier! WIthout much of a complaint, he proceeded to cut away at the body maniacally. A look of madness crept up to his face, yet he was far too consumed by the euphoria of it all to even hide it.

He saw a small sparkle within the Nepe.

More memories? They didn’t seem to be Noah’s at least, based on the aura he was receiving.

Just as he was about to pull out the last batch of memories deeper within the shadows, EL shrieked in pain at a stabbing sensation around his ankles.

What the hell was that?!

“EL!” A shrill scream called his name from across the room, snapping EL back into his senses. Looking down met him with his attacker.

The Nepe head he threw away earlier came back with a fury, currently it was biting away at his ankles.

Well, that was a sign, if any to finally leave. Taking both scalpels, EL jammed them into the Nepe before scrambling to Justine and Noah, blood trailed not far behind.

“EL! Are you okay?!”

“Yes- yes- How’s Noah?” He asked through gritted teeth.

“He’s taken in some of his memories and fell back asleep… What do we do?!”

“Wake him back up of course!”

Justine stared at him with a confounded look before nodding.

“I suppose you’re right…”

Noah was laying down beside Justine, sleeping peacefully with glasses lopsided. For all his sternness while those eyes were open, he looked quite gentle in slumber. As if in sync, both EL and Justine shook him to break that peace.

“Noah! Wake up! Someone just robbed your store!” Unorthodox method from Justine, but it worked.

“Huh- huh wuh huh-” Dark lashes fluttered open, revealing the piercing blue underneath.

“What happened… Blood… I smell blood.” Noah removed his glasses from the bridge of his nose before rubbing at his eyes. A quick sniff let Noah assess the situation as he replaced the spectacles.

“Oh, it’s you.”

“Noah! He saved you!”

“I- I can see that…” Noah immediately jumped to his disdain for the intruder, completely missing the fact that he was his savior. It wasn’t till his eyes wandered down to the bite marks at EL’s legs did he realize. Of course he could never admit he was ever wrong, Justine would surely have a field day if he did.

“We don’t have much time till the Nepe gets back up, we have to get out of here-” EL gasped out in pain as the blood kept dripping, his small hands could barely hold the wound shut. Yes he could have just willed it closed, but not in front of Justine and Noah! Noticing his pain, Noah rummaged around his pockets to look for something. EL didn’t know what for till the hand came out with a small roll.

He was actually going to help him? EL could feel his face heat up at the kind(?) gesture. An equally warm feeling lit from somewhere within.

“Did you get a fever too? Stick your legs out. You have an abnormally large amount of blood, it just won't stop…” EL complied wordlessly, readjusting his position for easier access. Noah examined the wounds before unrolling the bandages.

“This won’t be a bang-up job, I’ll treat you properly when we get back.”

“You’re taking him back with us?!” Justine beamed at his newfound acceptance, eyes that were shining with tears now shone with joy.

“Hm, I don’t think Nepes attack each other.” Erysichthon just had, but they don’t need to know about that. Without batting an eye, Noah continued to wrap up EL’s legs, albeit hurriedly. He seemed to be still on edge as from a distance, the faint growls of the Nepe could be heard.

“I was right! I was right! Bet you feel a bit stupid now Noah.” Justine playfully elbowed him in the rib until he stared her down. His stare was enough to make her retract her arm.

“Hahaha. I’ll speak to you two later, right now I need some maze flower tea…” With one final wrap around, Noah tied the bandages into place and offered a hand to EL.

“Get up. We don’t have much time. Do you need help walking?” Justine stood up with him to also offer a hand.

“Ehehe… just a little!” The warm feeling in his face returned, the pink blush wouldn’t go unnoticed by his new companions.

“Oh EL- your face! Are you… happy? Oh wait you must be sick! Ohhhh we have to get out!” In a rush, EL grasped their hands firmly in his. The force slightly pulled Noah down as his eyes widened in shock. He didn’t expect such strength from such a tiny body. In a few seconds EL could see the emotions dancing in Noah’s eyes before they settled in indifference.

“He’s fine, probably embarrassed. His hands are cold.” There was a world of difference between Justine and Noah’s hands. Justine’s were small, the same size as EL’s own, yet calloused from labor. Noah’s meanwhile were quite large, enveloping his own hand in a comforting grip. The consistent feature between the two was steadiness that could carry a soul.

Justine took the initiative in letting EL lean on her shoulder as Noah was far too tall to shoulder him. Instead Noah squatted near the Nepe head.

“What are you doing?! We have to go!”

“Give me a second Justine.”

With a mighty pull, Noah wrung out the scalpels before plunging them back in a few times or so. For good measure, he kicked the slowly reattaching torso across the room.

“Alright I’m done. Let’s go”

—

“Ahhh Justine! Noah! You’re back! AND-! Is that a new comrade?! Huzzah! Huzzah! Although… You all look like-”

“We know Leon. Do you have the bag?”

“Yes! I would never forget! Care to at least regale me of what happened?!”

“Mhm later. Not now. Set him down there Justine.”

Justine carefully plopped him up on a dusty table for Noah to examine. EL made a mental note prior to hold back on the blood quantity this time, lest Noah gets suspicious.

“Your rapid blood loss was a miracle, I’m surprised you didn’t pass out then and there. But you’re one unusual human I suppose.”

Human! He called him a human! EL’s face was graced with a rosy blush once again, this time in delight.

“That too I guess.”

“What’s your name, little guy?”

“I’m EL!” What started as a rushed mispronunciation ended up as his new epithet. What was even the point of coming up with a name only to not even use it? Well, not that he minded.

“EL really saved us back there! You won’t believe it Leon!”

“Wahhhh?! Really?! Little guy I thank you for saving my comrades! Tell me all about it later alright?” The man named Leon smiled brighter than the bioluminescent specimens of the third floor. His excitability matched EL’s own it seemed. He had more to him up close than Erysichthon would have thought from a distance. This experiment was truly a success.

“My name isn’t little guy! I’m EL!”

“Ahahaha my mistake!” Leon gave a light-hearted thump on EL’s back, only to be met with a loud cough. Unfortunately that cough would land right on Noah who was currently sanitizing the bite marks.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you to cover your mouth when you cough?’

“Sorry! It just hurt-”

“That’s what antiseptic does.” EL didn’t even notice the slight stinging compared to the newfound sensation of getting thumped on the back. Justine came over to rub his back instead in an attempt to soothe it.

“Leon, didn’t Alex tell you not to do that.” Noah dryly let out.

“I uhm- Yes! Sorry sorry- I just got excited! We have a new friend!”

“You can play with him later.”

“Don’t worry Leon! He’s here to stay.”

To stay… for now he could indulge in that “eternity.”

“To stay?! Huzzah new friend! I can’t wait to show you to Alex!”

The hunter… She would see through his disguise surely?! Unless Noah and Justine were to pull a favor for him.

“Mhm. Alright EL, hop off.” With one final wrap around, Noah completed the treatment. EL silently obeyed the command, however he underestimated the pain that came with applying force directly on his ankles. Mindlessly he jumped down from the table instead of slowly sliding off.

“Ye-OWCH!” He fell with bandaged knees hitting the carpet. Noah groaned in frustration whilst Justine and Leon came to his aid.

“EL! Are you okay?”

“Little guy! You gotta be more careful!”

“Wahhh! I’m alright! Just- hurts a little.”

“Why on Earth would you jump down? What am I going to do with you…” Noah inevitably kneeled by the two doting on EL. Were you born yesterday? He would’ve asked if this ditz didn’t just save his life. EL was an absolute klutz in his eyes, but admittedly his kindness was charming. He seemed to be determined too, Noah could respect that.

“Sorry! Sorry… You worked so hard on my legs and I messed it up-” This guy was hopeless. Although, he vaguely reminded Noah of the kids back at Winston in a way even though he was an adult.

“Justine, Leon, you two can go on ahead. I promise I won’t put EL in a coffin. I’ll get him back safe.”

“Eh? Why?”

“Indeed! Why so?”

“I need to have a private word with him. Besides, I think he burst something again.”

“But! But we just met! And the Nepes- Can’t we go back together?!”

“Are you afraid Leon?”

“No! Of course not! I was merely worried for you two! Ahaha!”

“You can stay by the next set of stairs then, or wander around. Try seeing if the third floor is safe.”

“Noah, are you sure? You nearly became a Nepe’s dinner and-”

“I took a rest, I'll be fine Justine. Look at me.”

“I- alright. Don’t get caught again, alright?!”

“I know I know. Thanks.” With a final send-off, Noah dismissed the other two to the third floor. With no witnesses, Noah was finally free to discuss with EL.

“Alright EL, are you okay now? Nothing hurts?”

“No sir!”

“Oh quit it with that sir business. You’re making me feel old. How old are you anyways?” Finally, the moment of truth.

“Hm… I can’t tell you that!” Dammit. He was one of those people. Although unbeknownst to Noah, EL didn’t prepare an answer to this question in the first place.

“Touche. Although I suppose that was a personal question anyways. I owe you an apology for earlier. I wasn’t in the best of states, and well. Jumped to conclusions. How silly of me.” Noah turned his head aside in embarrassment. He can’t believe he was being sincere. All the while EL was smiling happily. How peculiar to see this tender side of the ruthless Noah. This was an unexpected outcome.

“It’s alright! I don’t really mind.”

“I’ve seen all sorts of people while carrying out funerals, from corpses to guests. I suppose it’s not entirely strange to see someone with eyes like yours in the first place.”

“Really?! I’d like to see one day.”

“A- a funeral? You want to see… dead people?” Noah was dumbfounded at the desire to see someone dead. With a shocked look on his face he pushed back the glasses on the bridge of his nose. EL really was seeing a rainbow of emotions from Noah today. And he loved every one.

“No!” A lie on EL’s behalf, but he could tell from his reaction that wanting to see dead people wasn’t normal.

“No no no! I meant like- people?”

“Eh? Haven’t seen people before? It really is like you were born… nevermind.”

“I- well I have! It’s just… I didn’t live in a place with many people. I heard there were a lot here so-!” That technically wasn’t a lie, just wording around the truth of the matter.

“Ah. That explains a bit.” Well now Noah felt like a right bastard for bullying a sheltered kid with a mutation.

“Eh? What does that mean?”

“Hm. Nothing.”

“Wait- please tell me!”

“Aren’t you a curious one? I promise it was nothing of value.”

“Okay!” EL stared at Noah with inquisitive eyes. The goat-like pupils started to freak him out ever so slightly, but the innocent expression that framed them made him feel guilty to even think those thoughts in the first place.

“And… I must thank you for saving me. I owe you. Without you, I don’t even know if Justine would have lended a helping hand. I can’t imagine living a life as lost…”

“Hm. I think she would have! She worries a lot, yes, but with some encouragement she can be of use! She cares a lot for you too, I think.”

“You’re right I suppose. Gah, this means I’ll have to tell her my gratitude too.” Noah groaned into his palm. It was not the thanks itself that made him exasperated but rather Justine’s smug face. Perhaps Noah over-estimated how willing Justine was to rib him in the first place.

“Mhm! Don’t worry! She seems really nice! I don’t think she’d say anything bad to you for it right?”

“I guess. Well that’s my problem for later. Let’s go now.” Noah stood up from the floor before dusting himself off. Once he was finished with tidying up, he offered a hand back to EL. A hand he was more than eager to accept.

For the next few months, EL lived happily among his beloved residents. The hunter- Alex- at first was hesitant to accept him, her keen senses nearly sniffed him out. However with the alibis of both Justine and Noah, she left him alone well enough. The alcoholic manager named Chris would boss him around, something about “respecting his elders.” The farmer he knew as Ben was a curious creature, lost. Leon the sailor was a jovial spirit, exciting him with his mere presence. EL had only met the catatonic painter named Hanna briefly. She went back to sleep soon enough. All these humans were so fascinating.

A Nepe like him couldn’t have possibly understood the concept of heaven, but those months were the closest he could've gotten to one. The time he spent with Justine and Noah especially made him experience what could only be undeniably human emotions. He never wanted it to end… perhaps it was time to reap his harvest and keep his darling specimens forever.

“Is that… a human?”

“EEEEK he’s bleeding!” A gagging noise followed by a thud on the floor. Justine had fainted.

“Noah! We have to help them! Justine and this guy!”

“Eugh. Fine, you take care of Justine, I’ll take this guy.” With a hefty pull, the warm hands that once enveloped EL’s own once upon a time ago had shattered into pieces. A sharp gasp followed with heavy grunts.

“Noah! Are you okay?!” Setting Justine aside to a safe place, EL sat by Noah to tend to him instead.

“God have mercy… I’ll- be fine. Please look after Justine. I’ll take care of this guy.”

“At least let me bandage your hands first!”

This human… no. This was no human. No human could crush bones like glass. Another specimen to collect.

Things have turned quite curious indeed.

#mazm #mazm thy creature #mod gwaaaaar #Noah #Mazm noah #EL (thy creature)#Erysichthon #EL #Erysichthon (Thy Creature)#justine moritz #tw s/h #Leon Berger #Noah Evans #thy creature #gwaaaaar writing

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saidtherivertothemoon · 1 year

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not the best idea...

A/N: Please do not listen to SZA and be in the mood to write. This is will end so poorly. HOWEVER, please listen to Kill Bill by SZA while you read this. Also I didn’t fully proof read this so if there is a typo no there’s not :3

I will add trigger warnings as this is a straight up angst post. This fic is centered around things such as: cheating, toxic relationships, violence, serious angst.

Full story is under the cut.

It was a month since everything came to a crashing halt. You were devastated, even so far away from your pride to beg not to be left alone again. Your eyes stung, your face stung, your head hurt. You couldn’t breathe. The cold wind was your only comfort each night as you stood on the balcony. A breeze pushed on your shoulders and you kept hearing his voice echo in your head.

“I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever find out. ”

You remember how those words tore you in half, on that night. He had been so distant for a while, his smiles disappeared first. Then his touches, his calls, his responses, everything about him that you knew. He was always gone but always smelled like someone else when he decided to crash on your couch when he needed to “get away from the world and spend his time loving you”. You didn’t want to believe that he could be running off with someone behind your back. The idea was so foreign, but after you caved and looked through his phone you saw all of the texts, the calls, the selfies, the body of a stranger with his own. You wanted to throw up. The screaming came next, your fire inside of you was hotter than you’ve ever felt and you wish he was burning the same way you were burning.. His golden eyes were so calm, so distant and calm. He almost seemed bored with your outburst.

“Let’s stop wasting each other's time. I don’t see the point of us being together if you think this little of me.” You had struggled to keep your vision and voice steady. You fought not to faint. You wanted to strangle him that day. To fight him, to scream but you couldn’t move. It wouldn’t be like that the next time.

You tried to snap out of it, goosebumps had prickled on your skin and you took in a deep breath of the frigid air and watched a white plume appear when you exhaled. You had to go to your therapist in the morning. Even the bed felt so much emptier without him next to you felt horrible, you used to be so warm next to him, was she warm too? Did she get to run her fingers through his hair in the morning? Did she know about his goals? You even wondered if she knew about you or if she was just another girl caught up in his game. Somehow you remembered two things before falling into a dreamless sleep.

It’s funny how you sat in your therapist’s office. Looking so neat, clean and put together, sitting on a soft couch and speaking so calmly. She noted how you were trying so hard to emotionally distance yourself from the pain you’re feeling. She was wise enough to say that there are plenty of men who wouldn’t take you for granted. You were trying so hard to be mature and you nodded, the dull ache was there even after all this time. You were trying so hard to be mature when you left her office, the world a blur. You were desperate to be mature when you found a post on Insta showing off his new girlfriend at a farmer’s market you had wanted to visit.

It was so funny to you how he looked so carefree and happy with her. He really didn’t give a shit did he? Keigo was just so happy to stab you in the chest one day and sleep with a girl you’ve never seen before while you were “dating”. You couldn’t make sense of where you were walking in the afternoon streets. There were too many noises, it was too bright, your tears were obscuring your vision. Your chest hurts even worse than before. Why couldn’t you focus on anything anymore? The world is so sharp and vivid and so easy to point out things that made your eyes light up and laugh with Keigo. You began to realize his smiles were fake. You kept seeing him in your mind and as you replayed everything in your head things began to match up. You don’t know how you got to the train station and a bench to sit on while you waited for a train. He kept your mind occupied in the worst way. Your idea from the night before came back to your apartment. You wondered if that idea would lead to circumstantial evidence. Would it matter after this? When you got home you undressed and changed into comfortable house clothes you were able to think clearly, he didn’t occupy your mind as your mind was calculating times, dates, two numbers you had saved. This wasn’t the best idea that was forming in your head. It’s insane how you kept telling yourself that these choices were all for love. It was never love for him, but the act of self love. This was the last time someone broke your heart.

It took 30 minutes to write the text message with a rational and straightforward message. You refused to let your true emotions bleed into this text and you didn’t want to make your next move idea so obvious. You went about your day with a false sense of normalcy by cleaning and reorganizing your messy bookshelf with clarity and making your bed with some strength.This was almost childish when you swore you were being mature about this. So mature when you organize your bag and reorganize it for the third time. The action comforted you while you tried to ignore the text a bit longer. It was the ping from your phone that gave a sharp sensation in your gut and the message you doubted you’d even get. With great discretion you managed to read the text through your notification bar. You soon caved and checked your phone.

“Come to my place this Saturday, the passcode is the same.”

Deep down inside you truly know this wasn’t the best idea.

It was odd how on Saturday there was a difference in how much you could focus on the world around you. The sky was turning to a soft orange and purple was such a beautiful sight. The stars were beginning to faintly shine above you. You felt the cool air on your cheeks, and you felt the pleasing and comforting sensation in your chest. The cardigan you made and wore was soft on your skin while you walked and watched the stars for a moment. You stood for a moment and wondered if you still wanted to do this. You could go home and forget this idea, you could listen to the small voice of reason that was clinging to your mind as you felt this heartbreak. You pawed at one of your pockets. The cold metal was still there, she could still continue with this plan.

It was still so jarring to know that Keigo would cheat on you and yet he was expecting you to show up in his apartment.

Saturday appeared as it felt and it was a slow arrival which was a stark contrast to the short ride to his apartment. He was so out of reach and you wondered if he only allowed you to come to speak with him so he could gloat. The idea made you sick but you decided to bear with this.

Maybe this really isn’t the best idea.

When you arrived, you used the passcode and entered his apartment. It wasn’t as empty as it used to be. You began to see that there were items in his apartment that had come from “girlfriend”. It was torture when you saw how much of his attention she had, and she seemed to have been at home so peacefully. When you took your shoes off you tried to ignore the fact that your slippers you used to wear when you were in his apartment were swapped out with smaller slippers that definitely were her's. This is a lost cause.

“Did you hear me?”

You didn’t hear Keigo when he was talking to you and managed to get your attention. You were about to speak but he managed to cut you off before a word could be spoken.

“I should have done this the right way, and I’m sorry. When I met her it was the same time I was falling out of love with you”

His words began to fade in and out when he began to carve your heart out with his words.

“I got carried away and you got hurt, she knew about you too but didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t her fault. She wanted to apologize and is in the kitchen. Please let me apologize too.”

Why did your face feel so numb? He was saying it like he caused a minor inconvenience with someone who had no problem dating a man in a closed relationship. You found yourself sitting in the kitchen, not listening to a word that was being said. You know your face was blank and it felt cold and numb. How was it that you still managed to love a lost cause? You remembered glimpses of her face. She had a soft round face and long hair, almost an innocent look that wouldn’t give you an impression that she would do something like this. They kept talking but you didn’t listen to a single word, but instead you waited for your moment. You felt that this visit was coming to an end. It was crazy how a cheater and a girl could attempt to give you closure that you lied about needing in that text. Keigo’s back was turned to you, wings still his familiar blood red. He was missing a few feathers from his previous fight that you wish he would lose. He was washing out three mugs and spoons while prattling on about something while you struggled to focus. His little girlfriend went to help him and never saw the knife you took out and held. Nobody should have to deal with either of them, they couldn’t marry and break the hearts of others. They would lie so selfishly, and not spare a thought about how they ruined someone else.

You unfolded the knife that was in your pocket. How did you get here?

“Please understand.” was all you heard while you were able to hear before a scream ripped out of Keigo. Another scream wrenched out of him, there was fear in that scream. You don’t know how long it took for your bodies to come crashing down. You didn’t know your hands could squeeze so hard, you didn’t know that your were so far removed from the world of the living. The bruises that were beginning to form could not be felt. A lot of things could not be felt. You just squeezed his neck harder, the shock left him unable to move. He never thought you could do something like this. You used to be so docile. He did something that cost him his life after that very thought. Called for his girlfriend to help her while she stood in terror in fear. She panicked when your eyes snapped to her while you were essentially breaking his neck.

You didn’t know you could slam someone’s head into a hard floor so hard. His wings were flapping so uselessly while he tried to get up. Something was wrong, he knew it. Something with very wrong when he was fighting with his body to cooperate.

You don’t know how you managed to turn to someone else so quickly, she was also slammed to the ground and screamed as she was beaten senseless. It was so odd how you heard screams then you didn’t. You didn’t see anything, you didn’t feel anything. You didn’t feel the blood that covered your hands. It never even registered that she stopped moving, or that she was beginning to grow cold.

Keigo has a balcony, you shambled over to it and opened the sliding windows to feel the air on your skin. Your hands carry blood through his apartment, but the sky carried a calming breeze cooling you and helping you ground yourself. As you tried hard but you

felt so out of it, things didn’t feel real at all anymore. You didn’t look back at the two bodies laying on the kitchen floor.

How did you get here?

You just killed your ex, and his girlfriend too, you wanted to go to sleep, this was too much for you.

#keigo x reader #bhna reader insert #hawks x reader #hurt no comfort #angst #like fr im actually not joking i very out of pocket for this one.#i have something some much more light hearted to post tomorrow i prommy #hawks x y/n #mha reader insert #okay have fun

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makahimetenshi · 10 months

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Follow me inside the wastelands - Chapter 13 -Arthur Maxson x Female Sole Survivor Fanfic

This one will be a long fic with a lot of chapters, I already write the concepts. Since I don’t play as Nora in Fallout 4 because Nate for me is the real protagonist the personalities and ideas are pretty fanbased from another fanfics I read

If you are very very very delighted with one fic and want a continuation I didn’t write or post you can donate me at least $5 bucks, most of this fics have next chapters I don’t finish because lack of motivation but hey a $5 is a $5, I see a few reviews and coments that fics that are abandoned months laters receive coments of wanting to know what happends next. Here it is, I finished my handling with you all, enjoy the fic

By night Arthur came back and the first thing he did was surprise her with a chap kiss on the cheek, Nora looked at him confused but he had a very bright smile on his face.

-I prepared a feast for us tonight, when they knock at the door hide in my room until i tell u okay?

-Feast? what are we celebrating?

-Your plan is going smooth, i had the confirmation from Preston that the men arrived at place and the supplies are on their way -Nora smiled a bit and show him a sketch of how the fencing should go in the map around the beaches -did you go there?

-Not yet, tomorrow ill arrive for the first time

-Be careful to fight the mierluks during the day, if theres fog cancel the operation and try another day, remember that mierluk queens love fog to hide, use the day to settle in the buildings but do not start combat -he nodded and hug her from behind, looking at the letters written on a side of the table.

-Why you don't use holotapes?

-Im used to have my pipboy but not everybody has one, terminals are not always powered and i been told i have a very special calligraphy

-You are using something that’s called italics

-Correct

-Not many knows how to read that, but i must admit is like a signature writing of you right now

-Macready had his reasons to act like that, why do you wanna go down there?

-Don’t you believe me capable?

-I didnt say that, is just that you have the paladins to act on your orders

-Does Preston or this mercenary knows anything about us?

-Not exactly, i didnt explain much

-I believe that if you make me close to you in their eyes, they will trust me more -Nora turned her head to look at him, that was certainly unexpected.

-Do you want to have a relationship with the minutemen?

-We kinda often work together thanks to you

-I believe you can justify that they were people and citizens of the Commonwealth the Brotherhood of Steel was helping

-Yes but this level of organization is going beyond of simple farmers organized, your group grow up good and we are getting involved often

-And you want to be around?

-I can be, despite whenever i want to do it or not, if im needed ill be there, you in the middle or not -he didn't want to tell her the real reason, that he prefer to be there to not put her on risk because that will surely cause a fight.

-I trust you to come back sane and sound -she said and give him a chap kiss on the cheek, surprising him who hugged her stronger

If she cameback for him, he will do it too despite how dangerous the situation turned out tomorrow.

There was a knock on the door, and both separated, she went to the room and Arthur recieved the people who went inside to settle the dinner.

The only thing that Nora will eat as homemade food were soups, stating that the only way she can eat non radiated made in this century food was blinfolded, since everything looked awful and non desirable. Arthur hated that, he hated not being able to make her live more comfortable, it wasn't a good life not being able to eat

-You know i'm asking recipes to the scribes so i can give directions to the cookers right? you are making it very hard

-One time i ended up eating human meat -a cold shiver run through Arthur spine at hearing that -have you ever seen bacon before? well it looked like it, tasted good, crispy, no radiation, find out later that it was human, i didn't have the courage to eat anything again in that place, but did not have the forces to keep moving after not doing it for three days. Well at least i know iguanas existed back in my days

Arthur shut his damn mouth, if she find out about the geckos she would die of starvation...

-Do you dare to explain me why the mercenary had such...

-Weird attitudes? -he nodded, eating his bramin meat, cutting it into pieces- he is not really a minutemen, he is a mercenary hired by me, right now he is at Sanctuary with his son Duncan

-That doesnt say much

-I saved Duncan lifes by finding the cure to his mole rat disease, we wenttrought a lot to find that medicine and he bring up the kid here after he was cured and safe to travel -she take sip on her soup

-So he is in debt with you

-And hit on me once if you are actually asking that yes -the man pressed his lips and puush the attention away eating his steak- but i dodged it, i was into someone else by that time, a long way has passed since

Huh a hint of Noras love life, that was unexpected, but if she said that was a long time ago so he didn’t mind.

Her gaze turned dark and she sip onto her Nuka-Cola. She was into someonelse, almost two years ago, before destroying the institute.

And she was sleeping with his killer.

No, she was the killer, the one that execute him.

-Is something wrong? -Nora snapped at soon she was approatched, she shake her head and pick up the salt to use it over her food.

-No, i just chew something weird and was trying to figure out what it was

He knew she was lying, it was common for him finding her zooning out, she had a lot of demons inside.

-If you are giving him a house and food, he should be more respectful -he said drinking some Nuka-Cola too

-Leave him, he is almost as young as you are and have a thought life

-Thats not excuse

-He doesn't own me loyalty, he is a mercenary, ill respect that boundary, end of the story -and by finishing that conversation, she keep eating her soup

Altought Arthur understand that she wasn’t commanding soldiers with training and a mindset to fulfill orders, he was worried that her relationships were so...volatile. Still, great job organizing civilians at least, she standed up the most it was possible with revels and starving people and they achieved great things, recognized her strength and how ferocious she was.

After the dinner and plates were out, the man came into the room with...some expectations actually, and they were well readed, Nora flipped him onto the bed and she sat over his pants, unbuttoning the dress he had now forbidden to touch since the last time he went to exited break some buttons. It was a long way down and he cant keep his hands still on place, so they were moving all up on down over her ass, loving the shape and the feel under his fingers.

-Fuck me like there’s no tomorrow, general -gosh he wanted to say that all day, he wished to be ridded and commanded by this strong woman. He did it with her before, now it was his turn to summit.

She laughed and hummed, the buttons were all open but she still covered her chest closing it around

-There will be a tomorrow, but you gotta fight for the reward -out of nothing, she step onto her knees and moved foward, Arthurs heart stopped when she as bold as always sat her crotch over his chin, he saw her lick her lips and smile, still covering her chest, his arms and shoulders covered by the skirt of the dress- over heat and undress me, win the view, come on

He gasped and say nothing, just grabbed her ass to bring her closer and manage her weight on his face, starting to lick and suck over the warm pantys making her moan. It was going to be hard to not rip them off.

Arthur moaned when she grab him by the hair to move his head and command him over her pussy to move in whatever way she wished more.

The next day, Arthur leave for battle, and Nora felt absolutely horrible about it, she can't have any update, any notice, ask anybody, hack some terminal, check on some radio because she was imprisoned in...Arthurs quarters which didn’t have much. She wanted to cry, full of worries for his well being.

She get it, it wasn’t necessary to punish her like this, she get the feeling Arthur had when she leaved.

But at night the man came back, stepping in his power armor without his helmet, surprising her, well this was weird to see, he almost never used that thing and he smelled...fishing...

-Sentinel -he stated, making chills all over Nora skin, he knew he didn’t have to sentinel her for nothing that she will take it seriously- im taking a shower and then i want you undressed in bed, im being clear?

-Yes elder...-she said actually confused, the man came out from his power armor and smiled at her lightly before closing the door of the bathroom

Nora put on a bath and underwear at least, she was confused, stranged, she didnt need this mystery, but when he came out the door she ran to hug him. He was dressing light and comfy, and didn’t have any injuries at first sight, less if they were going to have sex tonight.

-Sentinel -he said again, making Nora chew her tongue, what the hell does he wanted? -i thought i ask you to wait in bed

-Are you alright? did everything went well? i was so worried...-his hands went to unbuckle the lace of the bath, making her cheeks red and taking out a gasp of surprise, she looked at his face and he was just smiling, chill, relaxed, holding his temple, one of her legs raised slightly but she didn't find a boner in his pants.

-I also told to wait for me undressed...-this was no time to play Nora wanted to know things and...

His hands went to cup his cheeks, taking her thoughts elsewhere clearing her mind in blank at making her stare into his blue eyes, then he slowly walked pushing her, making her walk backwards until her calves touch the edges of bed, he guided her body by the shoulders to sit on it, still holding their gazes. One of his hands went to her mouth, making his fingers play with her lips, hipnotized by how the flesh moved under his tips.

-Arthur how are you...-he shuuuuuuush her, thing that Nora didnt like at all and he noticed, laughing in the insides, but still went forward and move a finger inside her mouth, making her suck it at least the tip while their eyes were holding.

-Since i take the lead of the mission and succeeded- her ears open up but she was annoyed that hell make this report a sexual play -ill take the lead here too...

-Yes...elder -as soon she said that his finger went deeper in her mouth, only half way, and her tongue worked around it. Still, eyes locked with each other.

-You were right about the mireluk queens, the worst thing aren't her acid spit but that bitches puushes hard back, the only way to break her legs was throwing mines under her -Nora look around his body, but he didn't look hurted or anything

-Did the elder fight alone? -she mumbles and then he pushed his finger deeper, Nora could see the growing boner on his pants, this was really erotic for both, as confused and lost she was before now her panties were all wet.

-I didn’t say you could ask questions...Sentinel -he whisper as the other hand moved some locks of hair behind her ear, making a nice caress over her cheek, she started sucking on his finger and he hummed, like laughing- I was all about destroying the eggs but Preston interfere and said that we can cook with them, i didn’t know that, it has a lot of lipids inside, something you usually dont expect from a fish but there it is

-Did you install over the police station or...-a second finger went all the way down her mouth, surprising her.

-Oh my the sentinel is impatient to know the news...-he laughed a bit and grabbed the other side of her head with his fingers, using the short hairs as rides to move her head like he wanted, still, slowly to not hurt or scare her, by now Nora should understand his game.

-I just want to know if my dearest elder need some help or...-his fingers left her mouth and he moved her head harsh against his stomach, Nora almost automatically used her fingers to move down his pants and underwear, releasing his length, now it was just right there on her face.

-Your dearest elder...-he said using both hands to cup her head, fingers getting tangled between her black locks, caressing her ears and neck while she melted down on how nice it feeled to be managed like that- exploded and fill with bullets every motherfucker that came across his way

-Good to know...-a moan left her lips when he pushed her head back, she was before at a side of his cock and now she was in front of it, Arthur moved her carefully in circles, playing, making her wish and desire, scratching the back of her head making her purr and get lost on her thoughts again.

-Your elder claimed that land for you -at hearing that she look up surprised again, a hand left her ears and went to jack himself, making that gorgeous wet sounds that make Nora burn in the insides

God she didn’t know were to move, react, what to do with her damn life. She wanted to look or suck it but also wanted to pay attention to his words

-Is it done?

-Undress, Sentinel -as soon he said that, Nora take down the bath off her shoulders, of course she was wearing his favorite black lingerie- tomorrow we will shoot some other motherfuckers as we start fencing the place -one of his eyebrows reacted at the feeling of masturbating himself, making Nora aware of it nononoono she should be the one pleasuring the elder Maxson…

-Arthur i wanna blow you...-the way her eyes were filled with lust and admiration break him apart, he look at her body in black underwear, groaning at the view of the his perfect pre-war black widow fantasy wife

-I gave the orders today, and tomorrow, and ill give all the orders i need to also claim you -she nodded down her head, her breath was changing in rhythm and he could see it in the way her breast moved up and down- you are going to obey Sentinel

-Only to you elder- thats it, he cant hold it any longer, both hands pick up her head on the sides, filling between her legs with expectation

-Suck me -in the moment he said that his breath stopped for a second, but she didnt hesitate in use her hands to hold him and swallow him entirely in her mouth

He will claim her all it was needed to remind her she was the elders perfect woman, if it werent for the damn contraceptives he was sure that this two weeks alone in his quarters were more a mating season than imprisonment for bad behavior. A very primitive and crazy part of his brain wished everytime they were together for her to end up pregnant with his seed, a child, his Maxson heir, their baby.

He craved for it.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14242575/13/Follow-me-inside-the-wastelands

#fallout 4 #elder maxson #arthur maxson #sole survivor #makahimefanfic

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blouisparadise · 3 years

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We frequently get asked what our members favorite fics are, so for today’s rec list, we asked each member of BLP to choose FIVE favorite fics for this list - no repeats allowed. Please keep in mind that this is not a complete list of our favorites - there are so many amazing BL fics out there that we all have a lot more than this! Still, we hope you enjoy. Happy reading!

1) Take Off Your Business Suit | Explicit | 3082 words

“Yes, let me get another chair.” Louis said, leaning up off of the desk. He stood up but before he could leave the office to get another chair, Harry was grabbing his hand.

The words that came out of Harry’s mouth made Louis’ knees weak and heart beat quicken. “Just sit on my lap.” Harry said. Whatever he said afterwards didn’t make it into Louis’ ears as he was moving quickly over to Harry and placing himself on Harry’s lap.

Louis would take anything Harry wanted to give him; hand touching, lap sitting, all of it. Louis hadn't realized he was holding his breath until it came out in a quiet sigh. “Okay so th-this one will be slightly different right?” He asked as he pointed at the sheet of paper in front of him.

2) Quietly Our Hearts Beat | Explicit | 7539 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Louis and Harry in the universe of ‘A Quiet Place’.

3) A Love Reaction | Explicit | 9968 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Louis’s staring up at him, head tilted slightly back, and his blue eyes are glassy, locked with Harry’s in an unblinking and gentle gaze. He looks ready to do whatever Harry says, to please him whatever way.

4) To Love Without Reason | Explicit | 8854 words

“Come on in, soldier,” Louis pats Harry’s chest and walks away, leaving Harry to follow behind.

Harry stands in the living room, looking around at Louis’ dwelling. Family pictures placed high on a shelf, certificates of Louis’ practice, and other trinkets that make Harry entirely too nostalgic.

“I have to warn you,” Louis says as he puts the kettle on, the water droplets from his hair trickling down the golden skin of his back. “The door jams if you lock it so you'll have to leave it ajar.”

Harry acknowledges with a soft hum, too entranced by Louis’ glistening skin to form a coherent reply.

5) No Good Unless It’s Real | Explicit | 17021 words

Louis is a very busy farmer who’s just trying to make it to his next nap and Harry’s the new hot vet that’s determined to infiltrate every area of his life.

6) A Springtime’s Wilt, An Autumn’s Bloom | Explicit | 20593 words

Harry is Louis' personal chauffeur, and although he hides his feelings for his boss behind a wall of rigid professionalism, Louis still manages to squeeze through the cracks.

7) Ready To Fall | Explicit | 21220 words

“Ninety and rising,” Nick says triumphantly, as though making Harry’s heartbeat pick up by thrusting an obscenely attractive person in front of his face is any kind of success. “Louis Tomlinson has just walked into our control room and suddenly our dear Harry Styles has lost all ability to speak. Could this be some kind of strange coincidence?”

“I hate you,” Harry hisses, forcing his eyes back into Nick’s direction, uncaring that the mic must have picked it up. “I thought we agreed that you were going to play fair.”

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Nick denies, except he’s holding up a picture of Louis’ face now, sharp cheekbones prominent, soft lashes nearly sweeping against his cheeks as he looks down, and his fucking mouth –

“A hundred and two!” Nick crows, all but clapping his hands together in glee. “The highest it’s ever been!”

“To be fair, I did bend over the desk on purpose,” Louis’ voice comes crackling in the headphones. Harry practically breaks his neck whipping his head around at the sound of it, gaping at him through the glass panel. “You can’t really blame him for getting a little excited about that, can you?”

8) Written In The Stars (That’s You And Me) | Explicit | 22632 words

Louis pushes himself up on one elbow and stretches enough to just barely trace his fingertips over Harry’s jawline. Harry’s eyes drop to track his movements as he does it again. “D’you feel that?” he whispers.

To him, it feels like all of the universe’s magic lives just beneath his skin when he touches Harry with intent. It feels like something special. Louis watches Harry’s lips part and wants to touch that too. He almost does, but then Harry shakes his head. “Feel what?”

9) Middle Ground | Explicit | 23561 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Harry moves to a new town for work where he meets the enigma that is Louis Tomlinson.

10) England Has My Bones | Explicit | 24087 words

The next time Harry thinks about calling, it’s 4.14 in the morning on a Parisian hotel balcony.

11) Like A Siren In The Night | Explicit | 24868 words

“There is an infestation in my home,” Louis hisses, righting himself quickly and pushing his way past Harry, heading directly for the kitchen. He’s rather haphazardly dressed himself, a coat thrown on over a loose flannel shirt and black pants, slippers on his feet.

Harry resists the urge to sigh, closing the door and trailing behind him slowly. “What kind of infestation?”

For all he knows, Louis is going to claim that there’s a ghost infestation. Harry has no idea what the end game is here – all he knows is that Louis has found at least three complaints a week to bring up since he’s been living on Harry’s property, and he’s been living here for six months.

It’s way too many fucking complaints, is what Harry is saying. Especially when most of them are ridiculous to start with.

12) Hold Onto This Heaven (Of Yours) | Explicit | 25213 words

An ode to being too young, too sad, and too in love.

13) The Devil’s In The Details | Explicit | 25372 words

He squeals when Harry smacks his bum as he bends over to pick up his bag, swinging it over his shoulder. Harry smiles smugly at him, bottom lip caught between his teeth. “When are you going to start calling me professor?” He asks.

“When you actually are one,” Louis says with his hand on the doorknob. He cocks his head to the side in curiosity. “Isn’t that how words work? You did study English, right?”

Louis’ quick to slip out the door before Harry can smack him again, his laugh echoing through the hallways as he makes his way to his next class with flushed cheeks and a bright smile.

14) A Trail Of Honey Through It All | Explicit | 27086 words

The boy in front of him, well really, the man in front of him, was like something out of a confusing wet dream. Built, tall, tan and muscular, his skin glistened with sweat after a long day of working outdoors with his hands. He was wearing a cut up old American football shirt, the bottom hem was torn and the sleeves were cut off to the point where the t-shirt was really just a loose tank top. The shorts he had on had clearly been full length jeans at one point, and were now just crudely cut off above the knee. His white socks were pulled up too high on his calves, and the brown work boots he had on were old as fuck, the leather peeling along the edges of the soles. Curly brown hair stuck out from the edges of his backwards snapback, and there was a smudge of grease wiped along his brow bone. The smattering of hair along his jaw proved that he hadn’t shaved in a week or two, the hair growing in thicker across his upper lip and around his chin. His sinfully bowed mouth was pink and plump, and Louis was suddenly hyper-focused on the way that he chewed at the toothpick stuck between his lips. He looked like he needed a shower. Louis wanted to lick him.

15) You Fit In My Poems (Like A Perfect Rhyme) | Explicit | 27598 words

The one where Harry works in an old bookshop and Louis is the pretty stranger that ends up stranded there in the middle of a storm.

16) Where The Lights Are Beautiful | Mature | 31170 words | Sequel

The accidental bonding A/B/O fic.

17) Once Upon A Dream | Explicit | 33319 words | Sequel

Louis is psychic and gets caught in the middle of a murder investigation led by FBI Special Agent Harry Styles.

18) Stuck On You | Explicit | 33983 words

Louis’ life revolves around his stickers. Harry’s life revolves around his job. The universe has decided their worlds should revolve around each other.

19) Coeur De Pirate | Explicit | 34207 words

He tilts his chin up as the Captain strides across the deck, his footfalls falling loudly against the planks. The crew watches them from afar.

Stepping into his space, the Captain wraps an arm around Louis’ waist and pulls him in. He lowers his head to breathe his words against Louis’ cheeks. “I won,” he whispers, “I’ve come to claim my prize.”

20) What This World Is About | Explicit | 34472 words

An eighties American high school AU; there are first times, football games, and feelings.

Alternatively titled: the beginning.

21) Close To Nowhere | Explicit | 34589 words

Louis and Harry are psychics who kind of hate each other. They go to Tennessee to investigate a haunting.

22) Before We Knew | Explicit | 39830 words

Louis has been skeptical of soulmates for years so it seems like fate when he finally bumps into the owner of the obnoxiously large signature printed onto his skin since age sixteen: Harry Styles, a human rights attorney who is firmly against soulmates.

23) The Space Between | Explicit | 39917 words

Harry Styles is the alpha rockstar who can’t sleep and doesn’t know why.

Louis Tomlinson is the omega PhD student who helps him figure it out.

24) The Sweetest Incantation | Explicit | 40580 words

Harry is a witch who's still working on developing his powers and Louis is a werecat who falls into his life and turns it upside down.

25) Worth Dying For | Explicit | 44906 words

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Louis says, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. In the center of the table, a set of three glossy photos stares up at him, mocking him.

“A security detail is non-negotiable, Louis, you know this,” his mum reminds him, tapping the middle photo with two fingers.

Louis doesn’t look back down at the pictures, gesturing towards them wildly, over-dramatically. “This is not a security detail!” he protests. “This is a lanky college student. In what world do you hire someone like this kid to protect me?”

26) Tastes Like Summer, Smiles Like May | Explicit | 47519 words

A cold prince, an alpha with nothing left to lose and a kingdom with a secret.

27) Love’s Truest Language | Explicit | 48195 words

The first part was meant as a joke. He didn't really expect Harry to buy anything. It was just Louis’ way of softening the ‘get the fuck out’ blow.

“Where's your order forms, then?”

“I don't want your flowers.” Louis chided before directing all of his attention to the arrangement in front of him.

Harry laughed under his breath as he stood to his full height, “Who said anything about them being for you, love?”

28) Through The Wheatfields And The Coastlines | Explicit | 52855 words

The one where Louis needs inspiration, and a certain cowboy and his lamb are the perfect distraction.

29) Latibule | Mature | 54322 words

A Spirited Away AU of sorts where Louis just wants to heal and be left alone, only for all his plans to be destroyed by the hands of an infuriating British God.

30) Warming Up To You | Explicit | 56227 words

Prompt 111: Louis and Harry are strangers that somehow got stranded during a blizzard. They find themselves in an abandoned cabin and have to cuddle for warmth. Cuddling leads to much more.

31) Feeling Borrowed, Always Blue | Explicit | 68214 words

Louis has been dreaming of his wedding since he was young - he just never expected it to happen like this.

32) Curly Bun Man | Not Rated | 68597 words

I just paid for these Doritos but they're stuck in the vending machine and I know you've been waiting but I am not going to let you buy something until you help me. AU.

33) Waiting On You | Explicit | 76584 words | Sequel

“Vampires,” Louis says with disgust, glaring over at the vampire who is noisily slurping from the woman’s neck nearby.

Zayn gives the neat fang marks on Louis’ neck a meaningful look.

“Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” Louis finishes, ignoring Zayn when he rolls his eyes.

Louis takes a long sip of his milkshake, presses his fingers against the marks on his neck, and definitely doesn’t think about the vampire who left them there.

34) Through Struggles, To The Stars | Explicit | 80582 words

Louis is a Starfleet captain trying to find his place in the universe. Harry is a prince just trying to do what's right.

35) I Want You So Much (But I Hate Your Guts) | Mature | 83648 words

AU in which Louis gets accepted to play for the Manchester University Alpha-Beta Football Team. The only problem: Louis is actually an Omega. He is determined to make it big in the football world, though, and he can't do that bound to an Omega team. With the help of a faked doctor's certificate and some pretty strong suppressants he is ready to fight for his dream.

That Harry Styles (Alpha, second year and youngest football captain of the A-B team in ages) doesn't seem to like him complicates matters, though.

36) Where You Lay | Explicit | 86038 words

When Louis's upcoming heat threatens his success at his new dream job, he asks the best (and only) person he can think of to help him through it: his best mates' best mate, Harry Styles. Harry reluctantly accepts, and together the two navigate a strange friends with benefits relationship that quickly turns complicated.

37) And Down The Long And Silent Street | Mature | 86090 words

Wherein Louis and Harry are on the opposite ends of the social ladder, but their paths still cross on the filthy streets Louis calls his home. The odds are staked against them from the beginning, and even more when Louis' past finally catches up with him.

38) Swim In The Smoke | Explicit | 101778 words

“What about this, Captain?” Liam asks, nudging the boy kneeling between their feet with the toe of his boot. The boy hisses and swipes at him, slurring out something unintelligible around the makeshift gag Niall had to stuff in his mouth. He misses by a mile and tries again, just as ineffectively.

Harry looks down at him, at the way the sun streams over his face and shoulders, at the way the gag stretches his mouth, lips pink and chapped. He’s lithe and pretty, smudged all over with dirt. They had found him tied up below deck, mostly unconscious, next to a barrel full of gold. He’s clearly a prisoner, but there’s something familiar about him, something that niggles at Harry’s brain. Something he can’t quite put his finger on.

“Put him in my cabin,” Harry decides, turning back to deal with the rest of the loot. The boys screams out jumbled curse words at Harry’s back, muffled by the gag, and Harry can’t understand any of it.

39) The Galaxy’s Edge | Explicit | 113921 words

Things never quite go as they are planned during a simple rescue job.

40) Tainted Saints And Velvet Vices | Explicit | 126057 words | Sequel (WIP)

A self-fulfilling Hogwarts AU in which Louis is new to seventh year and Harry is the resident devil-may-care Slytherin set to make his entire experience a living misery. Due to less than favourable circumstances they're forced to forge an unwilling, tentative relationship for their own survival. Repressed emotions, decidedly unromantic ballroom dancing, Triwizard Tournament tasks, creative jinxes and twilight flying above the Forbidden Forest ensue.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

#fic recs #blp fic recs #bottom louis #top harry #larry

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megamegaturtle · 3 years

Text

in the dumpster fire of 2020, i fell in love with dramione

here’s some fic recs in no particular order of favorites (ao3 edition). this is going to be a long ass post, but a link to all my bookmarks on ao3. again, long post. you’ve been warned:

remain nameless by @heyjude19-writing - the coffee shop au that’s 300,000 words that’s friends to lovers and becoming better people (complete)

measure of a man - okay so like. i’m going to explain this story terribly. but like. hermione is a healer, she’s also part farmer. she super heals hard to heal patients. and oh boy. there are the malfoys. we have narcissa as herself. scrop as the cutest baby kid alive, and draco as a poltergeist. JUST. THIS STORY. START READING. IT IS SO GOOD. AND DELCIOS AND ALSJDFJLA you will come away feeling super empowered. (WIP)

subtle perfection - the ice skating/muggle au that’s is asldkfjsaljf really smoking hot but like the ice hurts my feels (wip)

seven year witch by @thelastlynx- draco and hermione keep meeting up in the summers between school years (WIP)

when midnight comes - TIME LOOP AU. head boy and head girl au. (complete)

O for Outstanding - hogwarts teacher au. also, draco has a thing for shoes *wink* (WIP)

regrets only - MADE OF HONOR AU. draco realizes a little too late he’s in love with hermione. but now he has to stop but support a wedding! (WIP)

never in heart - the one where where hermione and draco are best friends, but stupidly did an unbreakable vow to get married if they’re not married by 30. time is running out to find a spouse, but like, why take the easy route and marry your best friend? (complete)

nine months - hermione and draco have what is supposed to be a one night stand...several times, but oops. someone is pregrant :D (WIP)

love and other misfortune by @senlinyu - a veela!fic. and in the first few fics i read in the fandom. it made me continue reading more dramione. this is sen’s fault (complete)

living the dream - the one where draco is a high class escort looking for his mate. also a veela!fic. i am here for positive sex work (one shot)

the gloriana set - absolute hilarious perfection with the best little hufflepuffs (complete)

armature cartography - the one where draco somehow ends up as hermione’s boyfriend but she’s not sure how dating works (one shot)

thirteenth night - the one where draco is obliviated to pay for his crimes, but hermione is his caseworker (complete)

traditions - the christmas fic that gets my feels (complete)

everything little thing she does (is magic) - the one were draco and hermione go to parties together as a ruse! (complete)

the preferred hour - the one where scorp and rose start dating and draco is this super nice widower and...asdlfjasdljf JUST READ THIS ONE (one shot)

blood rights - creature!fic. also, draco and hermione have to get married (complete)

precious things - *cue ugly sobbing* the journey of draco’s growing love for his family through many years after he accidently knocks up hermione and....it’s a christmas fic. that hurts my heart, but it’s so good. (one shot)

fight this feeling - the best friend au! but like, unrequited feelings. these two silly gooses (complete)

courting customs most sacred by @heyjude19-writing - pansy thinks she’s doing hermione a favor, but like draco gets how purebloods do etiquette (complete)

as you wish by @scullymurphy - is this a princess bride ref? yes, yes is it. is it about costumes and movies? yes it is. (oneshot)

all you want by @senlinyu - the first A/B/O fic i’ve ever read. it was good. so i read it. i don’t even like this trope! but it’s worth it! :D (complete)

where we go from here - this hurts. so much. ron dies in a horrible accident leaving hermione alone pregnant with their child. draco is the real bro and helps and alsdjfasldjf family. feels. dad feels. i can’t. (complete)

in search of sunrise - a very cute onesot where draco and hermione stay up all night (oneshot)

tough love - hermione has to date a few bad men to get to the right one (complete)

each day anew - the 50 first dates au. hermione needs help relearning who she is every day (complete)

with teeth - the one where there are many, many horcruxes (oneshot)

wait and hope by @mightbewriting - ugly crying. hermione lost her memories and draco is the best husband. just. take all my love. (complete)

broken by @inadaze22 - hermione is back from italy. there is a secert. it will wreck you. (complete)

waif and strays - the familiar au! draco becomes hermione’s familiar because she’s a little lost and lonely and he’s a little lost and lonely too (complete)

apple pies and other amends - the baking!au where i want to eat everything. also. it’s very cute. (complete)

off the cuff - the cinderella au! someone forgot their glass slipper, i mean...cuff (complete)

universal truth by @scullymurphy - the modern wizarding P&P au. ugh. so good. (complete)

an education - the one where hermione is forced to help draco learn about the muggle world a little bit (complete)

Inosculation - the one where hermione has to marry draco to save her life because of a stupid curse. they are very cute. (complete)

the calm to her storm - ron passes away and rose and hugo befriend scorp and hermione has to befriend draco and it’s great (complete)

a boy of hans - hanahaki au. sad ending.

Dancing with Draco - THIS SERIES IS SO GOOD. okay, so like. draco has to help hermione dance for the yule ball. the sequeal is super good too.

The Oblivious Ones - a fake marriage story. hermione and draco meet in the pysch ward at st. mungo’s and go off to look for her parents

what you think is right - this story is so painful. one of the best 1st POVs i’ve read. it’s hermione pov. her parents are dying and it’s affecting her marriage with draco and god. just read it. (WIP)

Deine Zauber Binden Wieder - the ochrastra au no one asked for, but it’s like. really fun. (oneshot)

the green girl - hermione is sorted in Slytherin when she’s 11. this story. i still think about it to this day. (complete)

a year in the countryside - hermione wants to escape for the craziness of the big city so she moves to the cute country side. to only find draco malfoy living there too. (complete)

don’t take the sinner - THE MARRIAGE LAW FIC WITH A TWIST. hermione has to marry harry and ginny has to marry draco, but like, no one stays with their spouse. no cheating involved. (complete)

Draco's Baking Dilemmas - the great british bake off au. i don’t need to say anything more. hermione is the judge. draco is the baker. yes. and yes. (complete)

starving - sex is like food. or rather. sex is like pizza. it’s good when it’s cold, but like. it’s better when it’s hot :D (oneshot)

#dramione #Harry Potter #draco malfoy #Hermione Granger #dmhg #dhr #literally the only good thing about 2020 is dramione

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shurisneakers · 3 years

Text

shut in [epilogue]

Summary: When your high profile mission goes terribly wrong, you’re forced to hide in a safehouse with a man you’ve never met before. With seemingly nowhere else to go, you’re forced to work together to figure out who is trying to have you assassinated before it’s too late. (Sam Wilson x Reader, Hitman AU)

Warnings: anxiety, ptsd, swearing

Word count: 4k

A/N: annnnd we’re done :)) thank you to my resident bully @midnightsunfae for really getting this fic off the ground and helping with the planning. ily upo and thank you to everyone who’s read this series over the 5 months it’s been going on. it’s meant the absolute world to me :’)

Previous Part || Shut In Masterlist

Your fingers tapped rhythmically against the table, an indicator of the nervousness that was building to a crescendo in your chest.

“Are you sure you wanna do this?” he asked, hand placed gently on your forearm.

You nodded, eyes downcast. If you looked at him, you wouldn’t be able to find it in yourself to follow through with it.

“I am,” you said quietly, swallowing to get rid of the lump in your throat.

“Okay,” he confirmed, letting his arm drop gently.

Ten minutes to go. You took a sip of water nervously. The glass had already found itself shifting back and forth on the table in search of the perfect place. It was a fruitless quest anyway.

The door was painted a dark green, steps leading up to it from the pavement.

“Are you sure he won’t mind?” you asked quietly, standing a stair below him in apprehension. Neither of you had contacted him or sent a message, just showed up at his place exhausted and covered in a thin layer of dirt.

“I know he won’t.” Sam raised his fist to knock thrice, a pause before knocking two more times.

A code.

He turned around slightly, checking to see if you were fine. The longer you stood out there, the more afraid you were of someone spotting the both of you, putting an end to your life before it even began. You had a feeling that paranoia would continue for a long time.

The door swung open, revealing a tall man with blonde hair leaning against the doorway with one arm. There was a nick above his eyebrow, an old scar that hadn’t faded over time. Even though his other hand was concealed behind the door, you could tell that he was holding something by the way his muscles were clenched. Years of training wouldn’t disappear overnight.

"Sam." Surprise overtook his face in a second. "You're alive."

"Don't sound so happy, I can't handle it." Sam rolled his eyes, an affectionate smile on his face. "This is Y/N, we need a place to stay."

“It’s just been a while since I heard from you, man. Coming from a hit?” Riley didn’t think twice about moving aside, scrutinising dried blood on your person as you walk past. “Nice to meet you, I’m Riley.”

It was a cane in his hand. Sam’s mention of his limp flashed in your mind.

You gave him a small wave and a quiet re-introduction of yourself, following Sam into the house.

“You could say that.” Sam paused, a hand on Riley’s shoulder as he says something out of your ear shot to him.

Riley’s face turned stoic immediately, a nod of his head and a deep exhale soon following. “Stay as long as you need.”

“Thank you.” You pressed your lips together in a straight line with a corner quirked upwards, a half smile of sorts.

“Bathroom’s down the hall, to the right.” He pointed out the direction. “I’m getting you some food. Gumbo still your thing, Wilson?”

“Anything other than peanut butter.”

Riley was a blessing you could have never prepared for; knowing exactly what you both would need and anticipating emotions you had no idea you’d be feeling. For someone who had guests show up completely uninvited to crash on his couch, he was ready as ever, given that he had been through the same thing a while ago.

It was difficult. Fuck that, it was one of the hardest things to go; not pretending like everything around you would fall into soon and that you would be fine because you had to. You had worked too damn hard for you not to be.

But you knew things weren’t going to be fine right off the bat and it would be foolish to think it was.

“Sam, look at me,” you commanded gently, but there was an edge of firmness to your tone. You were sitting on the bench near the entrance of the park.

“I’m sorry, things were going good and I thought-” He shook his face that was hiding in his palm, elbows resting on his knees.

His attacks didn’t come nearly as frequently as yours. It was easy to think that he had no trauma just because he learnt how to deal with it better.

“Look at me, Sammy.” It was just a walk in the park, a stroll that should have lasted twenty minutes tops. You had been on that trail before for the same purpose but something triggered him today, someone’s gaze who lingered too long on the both of you.

He clenched his fists, lifting his head to meet your gaze.

“Breathe with me.” You exaggerated the movements to have him follow, a system the both of you had come up with when anxiety attacks used to hit at random. A temporary solution to an aftermath that would go on for hours, days even.

It took him a few staggered breaths to get there, finally falling into routine with you. He could feel his heartbeat slow to what it was but the pit in his stomach wouldn’t subside for a while.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“You have nothing to apologise for,” you reassured, still making sure he was breathing with you. You were nervous too and your eyes were still darting about to survey your surroundings, but he needed you at that moment. “We’re safe. We’re okay.”

“No one’s here,” he mumbles, interlacing your fingers and bringing it to his forehead to lean against your hand.

“We’re okay,” you repeated, giving him the space he needed. “We’re okay.”

“Will someone be joining you?” The waiter prodded softly. If it wasn’t your incessant tapping at the table, the clammy palms and constant checking of your watch was a clear giveaway that you could use a bit of kindness that day.

“Yeah, any minute now.” You smiled at her. She simply nodded, refilling your glass of water before leaving you alone.

You looked at your watch and sighed.

Seven minutes.

Things were fine. Things were good.

Sam and you were… undefined. Labels almost seemed too constrictive for now and it wasn’t like the both of you didn’t know what the other felt. It was kind. It was soft. Sometimes you kissed his cheek when the sunlight bounced off his face while he watered the succulents and the smile he gave you was addictive. Other times he snaked an arm around your waist and leaned his head on your shoulder while you watched the street from the kitchen window.

It made you happy, and so you tried to force away the stem of doubt that creeped into your heart.

Riley had introduced the concept of movie nights and the occasional mob movie would make it in there just to poke fun at. He showed you around the city, inviting you to go grocery shopping with him at the farmers market, the best places to get a glimpse of the music scene or to subtly point out potential date night spots.

He was a genuinely nice guy, and if you thought Sam was fun to hang out with, you were not prepared for the both of them together. You could tell why Sam adored him.

“Y/N, I don’t know how you stayed with him for all that time and didn’t murder him in his sleep.” Riley glared at Sam who had once again left his collection of music CDs strewn around on a couch. It was all in jest; it was well known that Sam found an anchor in music that kept him up late at night for a sense of calm.

“It was a close call sometimes,” you added playfully, giving Sam a grin.

“You weren’t exactly easy to survive with either.” He scoffed. “How many times did we watch Megamind in a row? Eight?”

“You wouldn’t stop watching Die Hard,” you accused, arms crossed over your chest. “It was payback.”

“You made the rule saying we couldn’t watch things more than twice in a row and you broke it first.”

“I’m gonna go,” Riley interjected. “But y’all keep at this. I heard it’s good for your soul.”

“Stay there,” Sam demanded, pointing to where he was standing a second ago. “You’re gonna be play judge since you started this shit.”

“I really don’t want to.” He shook his head, staying put nonetheless, amusement clear as day on his face.

“The laundry.”

“The dishes.”

You both narrowed your eyes at each other. His argument didn’t hold a match to yours.

“You know what, I was wrong,” Riley announced to no one in particular. “I’m pretty sure you guys would kill each other under any other circumstance.”

The smile on your face faltered but you straightened it back out with a clearing of your throat before firing a comeback.

It was barely a second, almost unnoticeable. But Sam caught it.

Four minutes.

Almost time.

The tapping became more intense, and the rate at which you pulled out your phone to check the time increased.

Fuck, this was a bad idea. How were you supposed to behave with him after all this time?

Something was wrong. Something was off.

Sam wasn’t blind to it. He could see it under the smile you eased into at game night, the complaining when too much food was ordered for three people to eat, the good natured teasing when he rolled over to your side of the bed at night to steal your blanket.

Something was eating at you, gnawing at you from the inside.

His suspicion was confirmed when you whispered at 2am one night to what you thought was an asleep partner that you wanted to move out. Find a place of your own.

His stomach dropped instantly but he didn’t so much as move a muscle.

“I need to get out. I need to have a life,” you sniffed, doing your best not to wake him up as you traced circles into his skin lightly. “I don’t know what it’s like to be independent. I won’t know unless I figure it out myself.”

The air had a chill to it and it was one of the times you had asked him to sleep in the guest bedroom with you instead of on his own, knowing that it was one of those nights where you could use a little extra warmth.

“Even when we were in there I couldn’t stop thinking about whether this thing between us was just because we were forced to stay together. You said it wasn’t, and I know that but I can’t help but think-” Your voice cracked. “Would you come back to me if things were different?”

He didn’t answer, even though he knew what he wanted to say with all the certainty in the world. Your fingers continued to draw on his skin. He continued to let you.

Sam didn’t even bring up the conversation that morning, or that week. Instead, he held you a bit closer whenever he could and gave you the space to hopefully open up to him on your own time, letting you know that he’d be there to listen.

It took a while. You both were in the middle of watching a movie that wasn’t Die Hard when you told him that you needed to talk to him about something. The hesitancy in your voice and the fixation your fingers had with the hem of your sweater was painful to witness.

He understood, of course. He always did. That you needed to experience what it was like to live, not survive. That decades of living with other kids, living under an abuser, living in a safehouse for months, was restrictive and suffocating and you needed to find what made you happy.

And so did he. It was something both of you had to do eventually, exit the bubble you had been staying in under such ardent protection for those two months.

Riley was wonderfully supportive of it, vowing to find you the best apartment that New Orleans had to offer. You didn’t doubt it.

His place had been colourful and bright and everything you could have asked for after the monotone walls you were used to. But it wasn’t yours.

A few weeks later you had moved out. Sam left a lingering kiss on your forehead, a sign to say that he’d be here whenever, whatever.

You made a Shakira joke. He laughed.

A completely fresh new start. If you failed now, it was all on you.

And what a terrifying thought that was.

It had been four months since you had left Riley’s apartment behind.

Four months since you had seen either of them.

The cafe was starting to feel too small for this event. Too intimate, too-

When the bell above the cafe chimes, something at the back of your mind instantly wakes up, sending you on high alert.

“Y/N?” he called out from behind you.

You knew he’d be early.

“Sam.” You breathed out, standing up to face him.

Video calls didn’t do him any justice. He had a particular glow to him, an aura of confidence that wasn’t there the last time you saw him. His beard was neatly trimmed and the smile that tugged at his lips the minute you caught his eye was beautiful.

You didn’t realise how different he looked until the time apart. Months of makeshift workouts and peanut butter as your only source of protein had done a number on him. You remembered him being leaner, and what you now realised was the constant burden of fatigue on his face.

“You look good.” An understatement escaped you, but he did.

He had a deep blue shirt on that hugged him in all the right places. Months of seeing him only black and grey had you damn near drooling when he wore other colours after you got out.

Not that you were staring, but his biceps had definitely made a wonderful return.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” Sam sent you a smile that instantly put you at ease. “Independence looks good on you, sweetheart.”

You gave a small laugh, gesturing for him to take a seat. Should you have hugged him? Shook his hand? Kissed hi-

“It’s been a while,” he politely interrupted your overthinking. “How are things going?”

You let out a small breath. It was a big question, one that you had answered over text and call a few times but it was different now. He was in front of you now and you couldn’t bullshit the way you used to on call occasionally.

“Weird,” you admitted. “I don’t know what to do with myself now that I have all this time.”

“It takes some gettin’ used to.” He nodded in agreement, leaning back in his chair.

A lot of your time went into trying new hobbies. Knitting, pottery, drawing- anything that you could get your hands on. Things didn’t always catch on, some discarded just after the first week. Others stuck, bringing you bits of triumph every time you moved forward with your newfound skill.

“You still seein’ your therapist?” He flashed a smile at the waitress who filled his glass of water.

Ah, yes. Dr. Bishop had been one of the first people you sought out.

“Yeah.” You took a sip of water. “See her weekly.”

You still had money left over from all the hit jobs that you had done. As much as you wanted to leave every inkling of that life behind, you needed the cash to live. You had enough for the time being, but you knew that eventually you had to start working; if not for the money then for the peace of mind.

“How’s that goin’?”

“She thinks I talk in elaborate metaphors. The gang’s what I call my toxic family, he was my abusive father, stuff like that.”

There were moments where you thought you saw someone you knew standing at a corner, vendors giving you icy looks from across the street, footsteps outside your door that seemed too damn loud. But nothing ever came of it.

“Thanks for the tip, by the way.” You extended a smile to him in appreciation for the idea.

“Worked with my therapist, figured it would be the same with yours.” He shrugged casually. It wasn’t like you wanted to lie to her, and you weren’t. But some things were better left in the dark.

“But I think it’s helping.” You exhaled deeply, eyes downcast. “The nightmares are reducing.”

“That’s a lot of progress.” The corner of his mouth quirked upward in pride.

Several feelings erupted from that look, some that you’d spend the whole day revelling in if you didn’t force yourself to move on.

“How about you?” you diverted the subject back to him. “How’s Riley?”

“He says he misses ya.” Sam laughed. “Says he can’t handle me alone, that he needs you back to save him.”

“What have you been doing to that poor man?” you teased, easing back into your seat. “He was fine when I left him.”

“He’s got a fancy new job now and it’s been going to his head. Needed a little humbling.”

“You’re not going too hard on him, are you?” Even though you knew he wasn’t, it was fun to make sure.

“Nah, I’d say it’s just about the right amount.” Sam grinned and you felt the familiar flutter return to your stomach. “I’ve been doing good. Working on getting my license.”

“Oh yeah, how’s that going?” You were thrilled when he said he was going to look into becoming a youth counselor, knowing that it was something he had been genuinely wanting to do for ages.

“With my background, or lack of it, it’s a little trickier than I thought it would be,” he divulges a bit more seriously. “Riley’s been pulling a few strings and I got a few contacts but it’s gonna take some more time.”

You bit your lip, worry rising for him. He deserved it, he earned it. It fucking sucked that it wasn’t going to be an easy, direct path.

“We’ll figure it out,” you said quietly, reaching out to intertwine your fingers with his in reassurance.

The contact brings with it a small spark. You wondered if he still felt it.

“Yeah. We will.” He sent you a soft smile at your action, not making any effort to move it. “You been on any dates lately?”

You let out a snort at that. “Loads. Have fellas lining up at every corner for me.”

“I bet.” He’s more bold, a bit more open than he was in the first month when you both got out. “How many of them do I have to fight off?”

“I’d say six as a rough estimate.” Your expression mimicked one of consideration. “I hope you’ve been getting your hours in at the gym.”

“I’ll kick it up a notch,” he promised, hands raised in surrender.

“You better. We’re supposed to go for laser-tag.” A dumb callback to a joke he made on one of your last days there.

“Or paintball.” He remembered. It made you unnecessarily giddy. “I added an escape room to the list too.”

“Hilarious,” you fired at him, rolling your eyes slightly but the happiness on your face proved otherwise.

His laughter died down eventually, paving the way for the comfortable silence that lingered between you both. Your eyes fell down to where your hand still held his, biting your lip to conceal a smile.

“Y/N,” he called out, pulling your gaze back to his. “Jokes aside… how are you?”

You let out a breath at his question. You knew it was coming.

“Riley found me an apartment,” you murmured.

Sam looked up from his phone. “Yeah?”

“It’s a nice place. Lots of sunlight. Quiet too.” You toyed with your fingers. “But it’s about an hour away. More if you consider traffic.”

Sam set his phone down gently on the bedside table, indicating that you had his full attention.

“I don’t want you to think I’m abandoning you, because I’m not. I wouldn’t, I just-”

“Hey,” he interrupted calmly, twisting his body to face you. “I don’t think you’re abandoning me. If this is what you need, then you should do it.”

“I don’t know if this is what I need. I don’t know what I’m doing, I’ve never been-” the frustration in your voice only increased as you went on. “-I don’t even know if this is going to work. What if I hate it?”

“Finding out what you hate is just as important as what you like, I think.” He watched you toy with the fidget square he had gotten you. “And you know that if you don’t feel like it, then you can come back here at any moment.”

“I know.” It was a comforting thought. A safety net.

“But would this make you happy?” That caught you by surprise.

It wasn’t something you had thought of. You thought of the negative consequences, the devastating effects it could have on you, how it could be the worst possible decision you’d ever make.

“I don’t know,” you mumbled, a new anxiety setting in. “I guess we’ll see.”

You liked the neighbours who played the piano way too loud at 2am, the really terrible coffee at the therapist’s office and the feeling the paper plane on your dresser gave you when you occasionally looked at it.

You didn’t like how hot the apartment could get, especially during the afternoon, or the guy who sold magazines down the street who cursed at everyone for no reason, or the gentrified Indian food they served at the mall.

But Sam was right. Figuring out what you didn’t like was just as beautiful a journey as figuring out what you did.

“I’m happy.” You breathed out. “Or I'm working towards being happy. But it’s there.”

He doesn’t say anything to that. Simply slipped his palm under yours to lift your hand, pressing a kiss to your knuckles.

“I’m proud of you.”

If anyone could feel the heat that rose to your face they would probably think you had a fever.

The fear that you had, the one of what things would be like if you weren’t forced to survive in a confined space together, had begun to fade the minute he called out your name that day.

It was Sam. Your Sam.

You shake yourself out of your train of thought with a small smile, making a move to gather up your belongings without letting go of his hand for a second.

“Well, c’mon then. Those paintballs aren’t going to shoot themselves.”

“Are you saying this is a date?” There was a smirk on his face that wasn’t there a minute ago.

“Would you still consider it one once I annihilate you?” You tilted your head in a challenge.

“That would never happen, first of all.” He scoffed. “Second… I was thinking that maybe we could do something normal for a change.”

That had you more interested than the prospect of adventure sports. You had enough of it for a lifetime, frankly speaking.

“Lead the way, Cinnamon.” He only rolled his eyes at the nickname, sending you a vaguely threatening look. You just laughed.

“This place got good coffee?” He looked around at the establishment and its patrons.

“One of the best.”

“Then I don’t see why we have to go anywhere else,” he offered and you nodded, relaxing back into your place with the same sense of warmth in your heart that only intensified with his proposal.

He raised his hand up to flag the server, the same girl who had been helping you out since you got there, asking for two menus.

The smile he sent her was infectious. It was good.

“Sam,” you began quietly. “I missed you.”

His eyes softened, the sunlight reflecting in it making it shine like dravite. “I missed you, too.”

“Ready to order?” The waitress stands beside you with a notepad.

He looked at you and you nodded with a smile.

Things were different. You were different.

And he still came back to you.

--fin--

here’s my ko-fi if you’d like to support my writing <3

thank you so much for reading!

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moonbeamsung · 3 years

Text

You’re Just a Boy in a Blueberry Field

No fruit is sweeter than a summer love.

member: haechan

au: blueberry farmer!haechan x gn!reader

word count: 5.0k

genre: fluff, very light angst

warnings: mentions of food

author’s note: It’s here! I actually wrote most of this last summer, but only recently did I find the time to edit and get it ready to be posted. I added some parts and changed a few things, and now I like it quite a lot, so I hope you do as well! Thank you @astroboy-lele for beta-reading :) As always I would love to hear any feedback on this, and I hope that you enjoy the fic!

taglist: @astroboy-lele @kyuwoyo @rvse-hvvck @nakamotocore @kisshim @leejunini @chicksung @mrkcore @radiorenjun @moon-jun @jisungiest @stayctday @byutafy @jujubean23 @treasurehobi @bluejaem @lyshoonn @vera-liscious @allegxdly @cupfullofjeno @thats-a-jen-no-no @yo-ddream

network tags: @kpopscape @neo-constellations @culture-cafe @dreamlab-nct @k-dinernet

Thank you lovely Ana @rvse-hvvck for this additional header!

Donghyuck knows everything there is to know about those blueberries.

Without even pausing for the briefest of moments to think, to instinctively recall the information instilled in him throughout his childhood spent on the farm, he can answer any question that’s thrown at him. He can point out just the right color of berry to pick so that they’ll be ripe when you eat them later. Likewise, he can also tell you which ones are best to eat now, as you pick them, pretending not to notice when you pop one or two into your mouth and grinning when your eyes light up from the sweetness.

A day comes where he, filled with mischief as usual, places a not-so-ripe blueberry into your hand, and you, being so wrapped up in the peacefulness of the morning that surrounds you, fail to notice its red color and don’t think twice about lifting it to your lips, biting into it with your teeth. When the tart taste meets your tongue, your face contorts into an expression that elicits a raucous fit of laughter from him. You’re the first one in the fields that day. When the sun had risen on the horizon, the fleeting touch of color in the sky that dawn left behind still lingering above, he had been there, sitting on the front porch as always to greet customers.

Donghyuck knows every bug that loves to rest on the branches of the blueberry bushes. After spending so much time next to you as you scan them for the pops of vivid blues and purples that are hidden behind jade green leaves, he begins to learn that you are not fond of any bug, no matter how harmless. It’s cute, he thinks, how you inspect every berry that you drop into your basket, fearing that some small creature is lurking on it. If you do find something, he hears a small noise of both surprise and disgust before you fling the perfectly good berry away from you. It also hurts a little, knowing that it’s one less for you to take home.

When more people arrive at the farm after you, he’s forced to leave your side and get them started on their own search for the delicious fruit that’s nestled among the branches of nearly every bush. And if they ask where the best ones are, he specifically points them in the direction of the fields where you aren’t. It isn’t a lie, really, because they’ve had a good harvest everywhere this year.

...Okay, so maybe it’s a little selfish on his part, but who can blame him for wanting you to have some of the most plentiful bushes all to yourself?

Wednesdays are his favorite because it’s always the least crowded of all the mornings they’re open for business, and he can spend more time following you as you make your way down the rows, admiring the focus on your face and the way that you sometimes pause mid-reach, closing your eyes and standing still as the sun peeks through the clouds and casts its warm glow down onto the farm. A gentle sigh tumbles from your lips, darkened by the violet nectar that remains from the countless blueberries that have crossed their usually pink-tinted threshold. You resume your search after a few seconds, catching his eye and returning a smile he didn’t even know was there.

He makes the berries taste a little sweeter when he’s next to you. The purple juice that stains your fingers is a little darker. The sun feels brighter and warmer than ever, its heat shining down onto your skin.

One particular morning, after you finish picking all the blueberries you can carry, you decide to accompany Donghyuck on the porch, sitting beside each other in matching rocking chairs that first belonged to his great-grandparents, the farm’s founders. The familiar sounds of birds chirping and the low mumbling amongst customers meet your ears. You both gaze fondly at the horizon while immersed in casual chatter, all the while tending to several families as they come and go.

Whenever a car turns off of the two-lane, paved road and onto the noisy gravel path leading into a small grassy area that functions as a parking lot, Donghyuck excuses himself from the lively conversation both of you always find yourselves sharing. He stands, brushing his hands off on his faded denim overalls that are only slightly too large for his frame. His hand lifts up the baseball cap he always wears while the other runs through his hair, and your gaze falls on the back of his neck where it rests in longer strands. You always wonder why he keeps it like that since he complains about how hot it makes him feel. The humid summer air is stifling enough as it is, after all. The thought vanishes only moments after it arrives, though, and he flashes a brilliant grin at you over his shoulder as he descends the wooden stairs leading down to the patio.

Today, a happy looking family gets out of a shiny silver minivan. The mother and father with two kids, a boy and a girl, make their way toward the covered patio and Donghyuck bounds down the steps like always, grabbing 4 stacked pails in his calloused hands. You lean forward a little in the creaky old rocking chair, your weight in your toes, ears just barely picking up his conversation with them. He greets the parents warmly, shaking their hands and then he kneels down to be eye-level with the small children. The little boy seems shy as he clasps his fingers in front of him, thumbs twiddling back and forth, while his sister is clearly the opposite. She skips over to the much taller boy, saying hello.

“Do you two like blueberries?” He asks them, one arm resting on his knee and the other extending a pail out in front of him. The young girl nods enthusiastically before she takes the container from his hand and turns around, passing it to her brother as he nods, making eye contact with Donghyuck for the first time. A small smile grows on his face when he’s met with the wider one of the unfamiliar but still welcoming stranger. His sister speaks up again, “Every Friday we get to help Mom make her famous blueberry pie!”

“Is that right?”

“Yep! In the morning we always go to the supermarket and get fresh blueberries,” she explains. Her mother leans down, softly telling her that this week they’re here to pick blueberries instead, fresh from the farm they were grown on.

“Really? So that means we’re not buying them at the store anymore?”

“Well, honey, today we can pick enough blueberries to last us for a whole month’s worth of blueberry pies.”

“And besides,” Donghyuck starts, still kneeling on the ground next to her, his boot leaving an imprint in the dirt underneath it, “it’ll taste even better since you picked them yourselves, don’t you think?” The boy punctuates his question with a wink.

The young boy steps up for the first time, grin stretching even wider as he finds the courage to happily agree with the wise words. Exclaiming eagerly and in a way that only a child can, he takes his sister by the hand that’s not holding his small bucket before scurrying off, their parents close behind after grabbing pails for each other as well as a third that their daughter had forgotten in the midst of the excitement.

As Donghyuck joins you on the porch once again, you can’t help but smile as you remember how he interacts with each and every customer that passes through the weathered fence surrounding the property. When he talks to kids in particular, his eyes seem to light up, and you see just how much of a kid he still is deep down. His playfulness never fails to make an appearance whenever you spend time with him.

You’re thankful for the moo of a cow in the distance that interrupts his question of why you’re smiling like an idiot and hopefully drowns out the steady sound of your pounding heart.

The next week he tells you that the rest of his family is out of town, and he’s been left with the responsibility of running the farm all on his own. He usually does most of the work himself these days anyway since he’s getting older and more mature, although some of his jokes say otherwise. You miss the way his mom would poke her head out of the upstairs window of the main house, calling out a greeting to you both from across the property, overjoyed at the sight of her son spending time with the particular customer he’s mentioned so many times before. Whether he would share an amusing anecdote of yours with his siblings at the dinner table or point out something that reminded him of you, it was far too easy for her to figure out how he feels about you.

In an effort to spend more time with him, keep him company and just help out in general, you offer to stay at the house with him for a little while. Or at least until his family gets back from their trip, and to your delight, he agrees. You arrive in the late evening, on a day when the fields are closed, just in time to catch the setting sun as it disappears behind the trees and power lines that seem to stretch for miles in the distance. Tugging an overnight bag of belongings with you, you knock twice on the wood of his front door.

It opens swiftly and Donghyuck welcomes you inside, wearing an apron that he must have outgrown 10 years ago, at least. You snicker at the snug choice of attire and he shoves your shoulder, though not with enough force to make you stumble. He whines a little in that saccharine-sweet voice of his that makes your heart clench, but you don’t give in. Not this time.

When the farm is closed for the day, the family has a chance to pick from some of the bushes that are planted in a more secluded area, all to ensure that they also have a big enough supply of the fruit to last them for the season. So Donghyuck had woken up at the crack of dawn, although you aren’t sure why. He had made his way downstairs and out into the dewy air of the morning, gathering just enough blueberries to bake a cobbler that night when you came over, since he’d learned it was your favorite treat after hours of conversation about anything and everything. The recipe comes straight from his great-grandfather, he informs you, and it’s written on a yellowing piece of paper in handwriting that you couldn’t read even if you tried. He, however, can somehow decode the seemingly nonsensical swirls and lines on the page. You suppose it’s part of the magic of the family recipe that gets passed down with it.

Donning an apron yourself, you join him at the sink as you begin washing the berries, gently grabbing a handful at a time as you let the tap water clean them. When you both reach into the large container at the same time, your hands brush and you almost scoff at the swell of your heart that you feel inside your chest.

As you’re working together to make the batter that you will soon pour into his mother’s finest glass baking pan, Donghyuck briskly swipes his fingertip on the side of the bowl where the mixer had splattered the combined ingredients, extending it in your direction. You raise an eyebrow at the boy and said fingertip before turning your head away.

“If you really think that I would lick that off your finger, then you’re terribly mistaken.”

Coyly, the mischief-maker in question retorts back as you glance at his impishly delighted expression. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” you state rather firmly, but matching the mirth in his eyes with a glimmer of amusement in your own. “I’ll settle for the spatula, thanks.”

“Suit yourself.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes, your answer completely expected. At least he tried.

You won’t deny that you enjoy sampling a bit of the batter of a dessert as much as anyone. But not that much.

Left with no choice, he takes himself up on his own offer and sticks his finger into his mouth with an audible ‘pop,’ exaggerating the action just to get a rise out of you, feeling the upward curl of his lips when you react ever so slightly with a silent chuckle.

You’re adding the last bit of flour to the mixture when you accidentally get some of the powdery substance on your hand in the process. Turning the automatic mixer off, you momentarily forget about your stained skin and you make the mistake of wiping your face with the back of your wrist, smearing the white stuff on your cheek. Donghyuck notices, of course, and an innocent attempt to help clean up the mess only ends with the two of you blushing like crazy.

“Let me help you,” he speaks up.

“Don’t be ridiculous, the pan’s not that heavy, and even if it was, I’m strong enough anyway—”

You’re about to pick up the glassware but his sudden strides over to you from across the large kitchen cause everything you were saying, doing, and thinking to come to a complete stop. You’ve never really had a problem with personal space before, but right now he’s leaning down and his face is so close that you’re afraid to even breathe for fear that the action might just throw you off balance and towards him. For fear that you might not push his chest away with your hands if that happens.

He’s bending his knees to match your eye level and his hand lifts from its place at his side, hovering in midair not far from where the flour still lingers on your skin. His eyes had been so focused on the stain but the shrinking proximity between you and him pulls his gaze from your cheek to your eyes, blown wide and confused because you still have no idea that there’s something on your face.

The undoubtedly palpable tension in the room almost reaches down his throat and pulls the words from his vocal chords in an effort to dispel the heavy air circulating around the both of you.

“There’s… uh… you have flour…”

Donghyuck still hasn’t broken the less than comfortable eye contact, but he’s unable to look away for reasons unknown to him. After an agonizing amount of seconds your brain switches on again, albeit slowly, and you’re able to properly process the position you’re currently in. Your own hand starts to lift and though the movement is slight, it’s enough to draw his eyes down to it and he finds the strength to complete his goal at last.

His thumb swipes across your cheek and without even thinking he pops it into his mouth once again, forgetting about the unpleasant taste of flour. The way that the boy’s face scrunches up when the bitter powder meets his tongue doesn’t eliminate the awkwardness completely, but it’s a start. You hastily make an effort to avert your gaze as you frantically wonder if he caught your face that’s surely as warm as a blazing fireplace, all because he did the unthinkable with that stupid finger of his.

You won’t let yourself dwell on how his hand is just the right size to cradle the side of your head, or how much nicer his lips look up close, or how they must taste like the blueberries that he snuck into his mouth as you made the cobbler, or how you wished he had used his lips on your cheek instead of his thumb.

How you wish he had closed the almost nonexistent distance between your flushed faces.

These thoughts do nothing to ease the steadily growing heat that’s currently taking over your skin. Your eyes land on the glass pan and you take the opportunity to grab it, acting as a sort of distraction for your mind and also as something to snap you both out of your embarrassed hazes.

You get the finished dessert into the oven with no trouble after that, and now you have a little over half an hour of time to kill before it’s ready, so Donghyuck leads you into the nicely furnished family room and plops down onto the plush couch. When you don’t immediately follow he glances up at you, sensing that you’re still hesitant after the awkward moment. He smiles softly and almost apologetically, as if he’s sending a silent signal that you’ll both move past it soon enough, an invitation to put the incident behind the two of you. And you accept it.

You take a deep breath before you sit down next to him, sinking into the cushions underneath and behind you. The material dips slightly under the weight of both your bodies and gravity itself seems to be in control as it pushes you together, shoulders bumping and the sides of your legs being pressed up against each other. Thankfully, the television roars to life with the laughter of a live audience on one of your favorite shows, and you exhale a puff of air you didn’t even know you were holding in. With every scene that lights up the large display, you curl up further and further into his side, his arm migrating across the back of the sofa and winding around your shoulder only a few centimeters at a time.

This feels like home. Donghyuck feels like home.

The buzzer of the oven interrupts when you’re halfway through another episode, prompting you to jump to your feet just as abruptly as the alarm-like noise had started blaring. Consequently his arm flops down by his side as he mentally curses the loud intrusion into what had become a comfortable atmosphere, an atmosphere that was finally surrounding you again after what felt like an eternity but had really only been an hour.

In no time, you’re returning from the kitchen, the warm blueberry contents of the cobbler oozing out onto the flowery pair of plates you had grabbed from the cupboard. Handing one to him and setting the other aside for yourself, you quickly go back around the corner to grab two tall cups of cold milk. Your second time joining him on the couch comes more easily, almost all of the earlier tension having dispersed into the room, wafting out the windows along with the delicious scent of the fruit baked into the sweet, flaky crust. In fact, you’re fairly sure that it’s strong enough for even his neighbors down the road to smell. Which reminds you: you need to package some up to deliver to them tomorrow, per Donghyuck’s suggestion.

You’re most definitely sure that he smells the aroma, of course, because it’s hard to ignore the eagerness with which he takes a large bite of the dessert. “We make better bakers that I thought we would,” the boy comments, taking a sip of milk. The white mustache that it creates above his top lip when he lifts the glass to his mouth is enough to make you giggle, and you’re unaware that this predictable reaction was his objective all along. He grins, rather satisfied.

With your stomach now full, a head-plaguing drowsiness begins to set in. It slowly fills your senses enough for you to drift off, fork nearly falling out of your hand and onto the floor before he catches it, along with your weight when you slump down against his shoulder. Donghyuck is barely able to reach one of the end tables, and he sets the dishes and silverware down next to the now empty cups. Your body unconsciously clings to his like a koala to a branch, with both hands clutching one of his arms and a leg hooked over his thighs.

He takes one look at you and wishes he could pause time, to stay here forever. It’s not every day that he meets someone who can easily match the amount of snark he possesses. Simultaneously, you also balance out the friendship you share with your compassion and sense of wonder about the world, always evident in your morning routine when you come to the fields. Donghyuck has noticed that you bring out those same qualities in him, perhaps more than anyone else ever has. And just like you’re holding him right now, he vows to hold on to you.

As much as he doesn’t want to get up and for the evening to progress, he knows he should, that it has to. So he manages to detach from the hold of your limbs, gently pushing himself up and off of the couch so he doesn’t disturb you.

Glancing at the large antique clock above the doorway that leads out into the hall, Donghyuck realizes it’s much later than he thought. He decides to turn in for the night, but on a regular day he usually finds himself still awake well past midnight, despite the need to wake up early the next morning and run the farm from the crack of dawn.

Since you’re tired and he doesn’t want to risk you waking up alone in an unfamiliar bed and place, he comes to the conclusion that he’ll join you. Only leaving your side for a moment, he puts the cobbler into the refrigerator and turns off the kitchen lights behind him as he goes. Softly padding halfway up the stairwell, Donghyuck makes sure there’s enough light for him to see where he’s going before making his way back into the living room one last time. He tucks one arm underneath both of your bent knees as tenderly as he can, and places the other behind the middle of your back, hand gently curling against your waist. He carries you with probably the most delicacy he’s shown in his entire life.

Going upstairs is generally an easy task, but doing so while carrying another person is a different story. He would never forgive himself if he were to hurt you in any way. If even your foot happened to bump the wall next to you, a burst of frustration at himself and his own carelessness would surface regardless of the impact’s intensity

Your position in his arms gives him yet another opportunity to gaze upon your peaceful expression, and he begins to think more deeply about what you are to him. Looking forward to your visits makes his work so much more enjoyable and worth it. You’re someone who truly appreciates what he and his family do for a living and you faithfully support them with your business as a customer whenever you can, which is a rare thing to find in most people that come. Most are just bored and in need of something to occupy themselves or their kids. Sometimes they don’t even pick that many berries. But you always make sure to bring your own basket, which holds just as many as if not more than the ones the farm provides, and fill it to the brim. In his eyes, you’re special.

Amidst the mostly-asleep state that you’re in, your eyes just barely open far enough to see a blurry picture of Donghyuck’s face as he carries you through the house and up into the bedroom he had suggested you share. He sets you down onto the soft mattress before pulling the covers up to your stomach, retreating into the attached bathroom to quickly change into a thin t-shirt and his favorite pair of plaid pajama pants.

The memory of that conversation floods back to you. Initially, you refused the offer, saying that he would rest better if he had more space to move around. But being the clingy person he is, he had pouted desperately as you struggled to stand your ground in the discussion. “Fine,” you had huffed, only half-frustrated with those doe eyes he always uses to get his way, and your lips had great difficulty holding back a smile.

The hum of electricity that can be heard emanating from the next room snaps you out of these thoughts, and is enough to wake you up a bit more. Your gaze scans the surroundings for a minute or two before he opens the door again, his eyes now looking as heavy as your own.

Donghyuck joins you under the blanket and shifts to lay on his side, facing you. It’s funny that you’re both able to adjust to a situation so intimate and new almost instantly. Still on your back, your head turns and you’re conscious enough to raise an eyebrow at the boy. There’s that pout again.

“Please?” He mumbles, his bottom lip jutting out in an action he’s perfected. You know exactly what he’s after: cuddles.

You don’t even try to hide the playful roll of your eyes as you scoot a little closer, but it’s not close enough for him. He gets impatient, meeting you halfway, and this time it’s him that flings a leg over yours. An endearing, small noise of contentment from him fills your ears as you take notice of his arms, now interlocked behind your neck and around your shoulders. You melt into the snug position, a hand landing on his forearm that’s laying across your chest. Turning ever so slightly to the side, your other hand winds around his middle and eventually rests just above his hip, pulling him into you even more. Donghyuck nuzzles his face into the side of your neck, a few strands of your hair tickling his skin as he sighs in complete and utter bliss.

Determined to savor the moment until the irresistible inevitability of slumber starts to overtake you once more, you fight to stay awake with all of your might. But in what you thought was only the blink of an eye, the glittering stars visible through the bay window’s sheer drapes morph into the pale golden rays of first light. There’s a soft murmur of your name along with an unintentional, almost imperceptible peck to the place where his lips meet your skin, and you’re wide awake. Not to mention a little shocked.

He’s utterly unfazed, though, slowly waking up now that the sun has gotten brighter, its beams filtering into the room and hitting his already glowing face that becomes a gorgeous honey-colored hue.

Donghyuck reluctantly withdraws his arms from your form after one last embrace, effortlessly rising from the wrinkled bed sheets and offering his hand to you when you start to do the same. A sleepy smile makes a home on his features and he reminds you of your task to deliver a portion of the dessert you made to his next-door neighbors.

That’s exactly what you do, first making yourselves presentable in the bathroom by smoothing down wild bed hair and freshening up your faces with cool water. Being around to see each other’s natural morning states is a major act of trust, and he doesn’t miss an opportunity to poke fun at you for it.

“How long does it normally take for you to do your hair every day before you come here?” His tone is dripping with feigned innocence, but the sly grin on his lips says otherwise.

“Shut up, Hyuck.”

Tupperware container in hand, your shoes step in rhythm with his as you amble along the grassy shoulder of the street together. Somehow you end up hand-in-hand by the time you reach his neighbors’ front patio.

“Donghyuck!” The elderly woman at the door greets him with a twinkling voice, her husband coming into view soon after. “Look who it is, honey,” she motions fondly to the boy who they both once knew to be much shorter and younger, but now is all grown up before their eyes. “You’re getting so tall. It seems like only yesterday you were scurrying through the blueberry fields and waving to us through the gaps in the fence.”

“Yes ma’am, it does,” he responds politely. The couple has been living there for as far back as he can remember, and quite honestly they feel as if they’ve become part of his family, too.

Her warm brown eyes light up. “Is this the customer your mother was telling me about last week? She mentioned how close you’ve become, and now I’m finally seeing it for myself. You make a lovely pair.”

“Oh—” Donghyuck startles. Not much can get him flustered, but he hadn’t exactly been anticipating for his mom to recount all the things he’s said about you to the sweetest and most innocent of elderly couples. Of course they would assume that there’s something going on.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, with you. He wouldn’t mind at all, really. He’ll just need to have a word about a little thing called privacy with his mother later.

You see the glint of panic in his eyes and speak up. It’s not often he makes such an easy target for teasing. “Thank you,” you state graciously, the smugness in the statement only noticeable to him. “We’re very happy together.” He feels you lean into him, fingers unwrapping from his and gripping the other side of his waist. You know exactly what you’re doing, and so does he.

Almost forgetting to hand over the slices of cobbler you’d cut earlier, Donghyuck nudges you to do so, and the four of you exchange thanks and farewells before you’re on your way back to the farm.

“Happy together, huh?”

“Shut up, Hyuck.” You mumble something else afterwards that he doesn’t quite catch.

“What’s that? Didn’t hear you,” he sings, stopping in his tracks. You do the same. “Shut up and what?”

“...And kiss me.”

After many days and many nights spent wondering, you can confirm that his lips do, indeed, taste as sweet as the blueberries in those fields.

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sophteaa · 2 years

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Hiii, ok so we had to write a fanfic for class and somehow I ended up writing a secret history vampire au? I’ve never written fic before and it’s by no means perfect but I thought I’d post it here. Also it definitely doesn’t make sense chronologically or with some of the plot but whatever lol. Sorry if formatting got weird on tumblr

It’s <900 words and also has some Richard/Francis and I’d rate it maybe teen, there’s nothing graphic

The Secret History - Vampire AU

“And if beauty is terror,” said Julian, “then what is desire? We think we have many desires, but in fact we have only one. What is it?”

“To live,” said Camilla.

“To live forever,” said Bunny, chin cupped in palm.”

~ Donna Tartt, The Secret History

I knew I should be glad that I had escaped direct involvement in the poor farmer’s death, but admittedly, some part of me longed to have been a part of their ritual, despite its dark outcome. It was what we stood for, something grand, a brief escape from monotonous mortality. It had taken months of effort after all, and rightly so, I think, I couldn’t help feeling a little left out.

The others must have sensed my bitterness, or else they also felt regrettably that I couldn’t have been a part of it, seeing as I learned what happened anyway, as Francis approached me some time later. He had knocked on my dorm room door after dark, and when I opened it he walked in looking a tad nervous.

“Francis.”

“Richard.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, yes, just… we were talking yesterday, and… there’s something else that happened at the bacchanal. Something we feel you should have been a part of. You’re one of us now, after all,” he said, looking down.

“Oh. Did Henry send you?”

“I told him I would handle it.” When he didn’t immediately elaborate, I prompted him to go on.

“Well, so, what is it?”

“There was a reason that man got killed, and why we all came back so covered in blood.” He paused. “We have that saying, ‘live forever,’ and, well, Henry had a way to do that. To make us live forever.”

“Wh- How? I don’t understand.”

Francis looked around like he was searching for a way to explain. Finally he looked back at me and gave an odd, open mouthed smile, and then turned away again, exposing the side of his neck. The smile wasn’t really a smile; it showed me his teeth, two of which, I realized, his canines, were longer and pointier than they had previously been and looked unnatural in his mouth. On his neck were two tiny red dots about an inch and a half or so apart.

“F-Francis, '' I gasped, “no.” But it made sense, really, because it explained so much about Henry. How he was so good so young at translation and languages, how he had the money he did, why he lived so much in his studies that he hadn’t known about the moon landing. His perception of murder.

“ Yes. Henry is a vampire. We all are, now. Except for you and Bunny of course. Henry’s much older than us though. The books we read… he was actually alive when some of them were written. He was born in Greece. Ancient Greece.”

“That’s- that’s how you guys were able to have a real bacchanal. How he’s so impossibly good at Greek.”

“Yes,” Francis said, “it's quite impressive really, how much he knows and how well he’s kept the truth of it under wraps.” He sat down on the bed beside me - I had gone to sit down in my shock. “We only killed that man because we had just been turned, by the way. We were so hungry right at first and still out of it from the bacchanal. Normally human blood isn’t necessary, but we needed it then to complete the process.” To my astonishment, he then pulled a small vial from his pocket that looked to be filled with blood. “Luckily, we had the foresight to collect some extra from him in case we needed it.” Francis reached up and put a hand to my shoulder as I stared at him. “Will you join us?” He asked.

“Will I join you,” I repeated faintly. The sane thing to do would be to say ‘no, of course not,’ but as he held my gaze I found myself wondering what it would be like to truly live forever, to watch as the world changed around us, to have all the time in the world to learn, and read, and travel, and to stay young always. To be gods. And I thought also of how it would be to grow old and wrinkled and forgetful, while my peers, my beautiful, brilliant friends, stayed just as young and lively as they are now.

“Yes,” I whispered. Francis’s hand traveled from my shoulder slowly up my neck to cup my jaw. I repressed a shiver.

“Okay, good,” he breathed. “If you’re sure, it will be easier for both of us if…” He leaned closer, face now inches from mine, his other hand finding my arm. I closed the gap between us.

The kiss was slow but electric, both of us nervous. After a while his lips moved to my jaw and I tried not to think about the implications and just lose myself in the feeling.

“It’ll only hurt for a moment,” he whispered in my ear before placing one last kiss on my lips and then moving back down to my neck. Before I even knew it was happening, the world faded into hazy darkness.

#the secret history #tsh #vampire au #dark academia #vampires #Richard papen/Francis Abernathy #richard papen #francis abernathy #henry winter #fanfic #fanfiction #gay #donna tartt #oneshot #writing

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tangledstarlight · 3 years

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oh all of this silence and patience (oh im pining in anticipation)

listen it’s still august in some timezones so this totally counts as posting something in august okay? okay! i hope people like this, it took me far too long to finish, but also special shoutout to the wonderful @ourstarscollided who really helped me with the whole first section of this fic, without her i truly would still be working on it, so thank you eunice, you’re the best!💜 okay enjoy!

the first firefighter!luke fic for anyone who wants to read that first, though it can be read alone: ao3 / tumblr

also on ao3!

lil disclaimer: i’m still not a firefighter and i also know that they dont use fire poles anymore but lets just ✨pretend✨ for the visual okay. this takes place between part 4 and 5 in the original fic!

trigger warnings! lots of swearing, implied sexual content.

RATED T –– there’s no graphic scenes but there’s a lot of kissing and fading to black, so rating might change if anyone needs me to 😬

Word count: 6,072

“Look who it is!”

Julie feels a grin pull up on the corners of her mouth as she spots Luke’s station captain coming around the end of one of the fire trucks Julie is walking between, sending her a wave of the clipboard she’s holding. “You’re here early.”

“Yeah, class ended early and I thought I'd pop over to see if I could get some extra time with Luke,” Julie shrugs, holding up the pale grey burlap bag that Alex had packed their food into.

And there’s a sympathetic look that crosses over Harrison’s face, because she knows that the younger woman knows she’s in charge of Luke’s shifts and the reason why Julie comes over every Tuesday to have lunch with her boyfriend.

Because that’s why she was here. To have lunch with him like she did every Tuesday between her classes and when the fires of LA would allow. Sometimes Alex would text her to stop by to pick up a packed lunch for them, sometimes she made something herself, sometimes they just ordered in. The food wasn’t really the point, it was just getting to spend some time together. Julie had never really thought about it before, but there was always something, someone, somewhere, trapped or hurt or on fire. Luke was a very busy person, and it meant sometimes their lunches got interrupted by blaring alarms and him pressing a quick kiss to her lips before rushing off.

Tuesdays were apparently very busy days for a firefighter.

“What’s the master chef prepared for you this week then?” Harrison asks, crossing her arms and clipboard across her chest and lifting one brow, “Y’know Alex used to cook for us, he’d send Luke in every Saturday he was on shift with all sorts of goodies.”

Julie bites her lip to try not to laugh at the exaggerated sigh that leaves the older woman's lips as she shakes her head sadly. There was something about Vivian Harrison that just— put people at ease. The first time Julie had officially met her there had been a warm hug and teasing remarks and there was just something that had viscerally reminding Julie of her aunt Victoria that it was kind of impossible not to like the station captain after that.

“He was pretty busy so it’s just some sandwiches,” she wrinkles her nose a little before smiling, “I’ll tell him how much you’re missing his cooking though, I’m sure the blame will fall completely on Luke.”

Harrison laughs, and tilts her head slightly as she shrugs, “That boy of yours is just very easy to blame.”

She feels a sudden flush to her cheeks at ‘that boy of yours’ that she hopes can be played off by how warm it always is in the station. She can see Harrison’s lips twitching, like she’s about to say something teasing, but Julie is saved from it by two people walking past them and a change of mind.

“Morales, can you tell Patterson his lunch is here.”

“Sure thing Cap,” one of the guys says, shooting her a wide smile that Julie feels compelled to return quickly before he’s rushing off, past the fire engines and up some stairs. And Julie’s about to ask Harrison if they’ve been busy today and if she’d found time to visit the farmers market they’d talked about last time, but another voice interrupts, and Julie hadn’t even realised the other guy hadn’t followed his friend.

“So you’re Patterson’s girl, right?” The blonde asks, eyes scanning her up and down in a way that makes her want to hide behind someone. There’s something vaguely familiar about him, probably because she’s seen him in passing for the last couple of months but never talked to him. Which wouldn’t have been weird if most of the other people in the station hadn’t introduced themselves the first time Luke had invited her to one of their station parties, and made an effort to talk to her whenever she'd stopped by since.

“Yeah, I’m Julie,” she smiles politely, trying to put emphasis on her name. She doesn't mind being known as Luke's girl by people at the station who have actually made an effort to get to know her.

“Right, right, nice to meet you Julie. I’m Nick, I’m sure Luke’s mentioned me,” he grins, teeth showing and shoulders pulling back like he’s expecting her to — what? Clap? A small furrow works its way between her brows as Nick starts up a conversation without even waiting for her response and she suddenly understands what Luke means about him. Because he has mentioned the condescending, stereotypical blonde frat boy before, and never in a good way. It was mostly followed by some very creative swear words and a mumbled ‘he’s going to get either himself or one of us really hurt one day’.

She tries to follow along with the conversation, nodding politely and laughing whenever Harrison forces one out, but Nick only seems interested in talking about himself, and normally she can feign interest, but right now all she wants is to talk to one person in particular.

There’s the sound of too many voices heading in their direction and Julie turns around, eyes searching for one person, but all she’s met with is a collection of firefighters she vaguely knows and tries not to let her disappointment show too clearly on her face.

“Wow Molina, don’t look so excited to see us!” An elbow nudges her side and Julie glances up to see Carrie Wilson has appeared in the place that Nick had just stood, eyebrows raised and a blinding smile as the other blonde frowns from behind her, still trying to carry on his conversation.

“No! I am glad to see you all it’s just—” Julie starts, eyes a little wide as she looks at the other girl because Carrie had only ever been nice to her, but Luke had a lot of stories about the blonde being ruthless and rude to people she was mildly inconvenienced by.

(One of Luke’s favourite stories was about Carrie loudly telling some girl that Nick was flirting with how he had used the same lines on her two months before. Luke told it every chance he could get, sparing no details on the look of horror that has taken over Nick’s face.)

“You’re here for Patterson,” Carrie cuts her off with a wink, elbow nudging her lightly again, “Don’t worry, we all know. He should be down soon.” There’s something about how she says it that raises more questions than answers for Julie, furrow between her brows and mouth opening to comment when Carrie just nods her head behind her, and Julie turns around to spot Luke.

It’s impossible, Julie knows it’s impossible, but she could swear time slows down. Like she’s in some rom-com movie where the main character sees their love interest for the first time.

Only she’s not in a film, she’s stood next to a fire engine and trying to care about what the people around her are talking about and it’s far from the first time she’s seen the love interest. But the world still feels like it’s in slow motion all the same as she looks up as Luke calls her name from the second floor, grinning at her from over the banister and holding up one hand in that universal signal for ‘wait’.

And Julie waits, not that she could really do anything else with the firehouse blurring at the edges and Nick's voice fading into the background. Focus entirely on Luke.

She’s never seen someone slide down the pole before, didn’t even know that they still used them in firehouses, but Julie’s pretty sure it shouldn’t be as hot as it is. Though, she supposes, it could just be Luke. His hand wraps around the metal and Julie swallows as her eyes are drawn to his arms, to where his top pulls tight and his forearms are on show. If this was a film, there’d be some stereotypical song about sex playing in the background right about now. All her slightly hazy brain can supply is the chorus to Lady Marmalade on repeat. His legs wrapped around the pole, ankles crossed and thighs pressed together, comes into view as he slides down the metal, all cool and in control, and Julie's throat goes dry.

She knows how much strength it takes to slide down a pole. Her and Flynn had taken a few pole dancing classes a few years ago in an attempt to add some sort of exercise into their day. Julie can still remember how much her arms ached and the bruises that littered the insides of her thighs after even the simplest of moves.

It was hard, and Luke was making it look so easy.

His feet hit the ground, and even though she’s too far away to actually hear it, she’s pretty sure they must make some sort of thudding sound. Because that’s what happens, right? You slide down the pole and your feet hit the floor with a thud that shows you’re ready for action. Only Luke isn’t going off to put on his uniform and fight a fire or save a life.

He’s walking towards her, suspenders swaying and smile widening and eyes never leaving her face.

And look, she knows that she’s seen Luke fully naked, fresh out of a shower or panting on his back. But seeing him slide down that fucking pole in his white t-shirt, suspenders by his knees and hair a mess? Hottest thing she has ever seen. And he knows it if the way his teeth sink into his bottom lip as he gets closer is anything to go by.

“How long did it take you to practice all that, Patterson?” Carrie asks, and Julie can hear the teasing tone in her voice and would normally enjoy seeing Luke stammer and blush, but right now she’s the one feeling too warm and is pretty sure if she started speaking right now all that would come out would be a high pitched noise.

“About the same amount of time it takes you to do your hair,” is his easy reply and Julie watches as Carrie rolls her eyes, hair flipping over her shoulder, and because he’s momentarily not looking at her, Julie tries to pull her thoughts together. To get a hold of herself. This is not the first time she has seen him in his uniform, she has seen in him in far less, and she will not turn into a blushing mess right now!

“Alright you lot, back to work!” Harrison interrupts before anyone can say anything else, and everyone starts walking away, some nudging Luke as they go, some giving her a wave, and she thinks she must smile back, at least she hopes she does. Her brain is still very much focused on Luke and how his thighs probably looked coming down that pole without the heavy duty trousers. “You tell Alex I’m still a fan of the flapjack he makes,” Harrison says as she walks past, dropping an eye into a wink and giving Luke a look she doesn’t understand.

A tense smile pulls at Julie’s lips that she hopes comes across as genuine and not just her unable to speak because of her incredibly hot and infuriatingly knows it boyfriend.

“You alright, Jules? Looking a little flushed, need me to get one of the EMT’s?” Luke asks, all innocence and anything but subtle as he rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet, teeth still chewing on his damn lip.

“Just—” she clears her throat, trying to glare up at him, but already knowing it’s ruined by the heat in her cheeks and how she can’t stop staring at his arms. God, she hasn’t been this distracted by his arms since their first date. Blowing out a breath, Julie drags her eyes away from where his arms are crossed across his chest — which, she’s like, 80% sure he’s doing on purpose right now, the little shit — and up to his face just as he raises an eyebrow at her.

“It’s just a little warm,” she finally manages to get out, raising her hand that’s clutching the reusable grocery bag too tight, “Alex sent me with lunch.”

Luke’s eyes light up at the mention of Alex and food, hands dropping from his chest to eagerly reach for the bag and Julie can’t help but giggle at how quickly he can switch from cocky to cute.

“Swee-et! Alex is best,” he grins down at her, drawing out the first syllable of the word and bobbing his head at her. “You wanna eat outside?”

Julie doesn’t respond, just nods her head and links her fingers through his empty hand, letting Luke lead her out of the fire station and to the little grassy area outside. There’s already a blanket on the ground, two bottles of water and a warmth spreads through her for a different reason as Luke pulls her down to the ground and spreads out the food Alex has given them.

They get an hour.

An hour to eat lunch and curl up together to talk and giggle and try to keep their hands visible at all times. It’s both her favourite and the most tortuous hour of her week so far. And Luke’s just leaning in to whisper something in her ear, his breath against her cheek sending shivers down her spine when the alarm starts blaring from inside and his head drops to her shoulder with a sigh that mingles with her own groan.

“I gotta go,” he mutters into the fabric of her t-shirt, and she can imagine how his lips would feel brushing against her skin if they were somewhere else right now.

“I know,” she sighs and carefully moves her shoulder so he has to lift his head up, eyes apologetic as they meet hers. “Be careful?”

“Always am,” Luke smiles gently at her and then he’s getting up and leaving her on the blanket and feeling the loss. Julie watches him go, knees pulled up to her chest and blowing him a kiss when he turns around to wave one last time like he always does when the alarm inevitably ends their lunch date early.

Which normally Julie was fine with.

He was at work. He had a job. He had an important job.

Running out in the middle of lunch was fine. And it would have been fine today, if he hadn’t slid down that damn pole and filled her head with all sorts of ideas and left her fidgeting in her seat. It doesn’t help that Luke clearly knows, if the way he presses a kiss to her forehead and mutters a sorry, eyes a little wide and promises to see her later.

Which is all well and good, but Julie can’t help but feel like he did it on purpose and wonders if there’s a way for her to make him feel just as flustered as she had an hour earlier.

It takes her a while to form a plan of revenge, and then it takes a while longer for her to gather all the things she needs. And okay, maybe at some point she forgets why she’s doing all this, and then Luke mentions the pole at the station and how it makes his muscles ache sometimes as he says he’s going for a shower and Julie remembers the sight of him coming down and redoubles her planning.

The hard part comes when she has to pick a day. Because she can’t lure him to her house, not while her dad is working odd hours and her brother is home and Victoria still has a tendency to show up unannounced. Which leaves finding a time when his apartment is empty.

Not an easy feat when Reggie works from home part time, and can’t actually be trusted to stick to his word when he says he’ll be out and Alex has a weekend routine he’s hard pressed to change and likes to get home from work and relax. Plus she has to check when Luke isn’t working on a weekend, which turns out to be the easiest part, because it turns out Harrison really likes her and was happy to schedule Luke a weekend off when she asked.

Sure, she could have enacted her plan while one or both of them were home too but, well Julie knows the boys are all very close, and she knows that they’ve accepted her into the closeness with welcome arms. But she’s not sure she wants to have sex while they’re eating leftover lasagna down the hall. Feels a little too close for her liking. Plus, she has a plan that might end up involving their bath and she’s not sure they’d want to be there for that.

So Julie bides her time. Changes her mind on what clothes she wants and practices different poses on her bed at night and drops little hints about a weekend alone together.

Alex makes plans first, announces that he’s going with Willie to an out of state kids skateboarding competition to help cheer on Willie’s little proteges. He makes a big deal out telling them all the dates and how they had plans to go to some couples spa on their way back and how his restaurant would be ‘more than happy to supply any meals for two that you two might want’.

It had gone over Luke’s head, just nodding and asking about the competition. But Julie had gotten the hint.

And then a few days later Reggie said he had ‘big plans’ with her dad and brother of all people. He’d said it one afternoon when she’d stopped by to see Luke before his week of night shifts, how they were going to go camping so her dad could take some photos for a project and Reggie could teach Carlos to fish, and then he’d dropped his eye in a dramatic wink when she’d asked if that was the same weekend Alex was also away.

(Julie knew that she probably should have found it a little weird how often Reggie seemed to talk and hang out with her family, but the first time she’d gotten home to find him sitting at the dining room table, helping her dad edit photos and offering to order pizza, had felt strangely right.

Like he had always been a part of their family.

Luke had asked her once, a few weeks after they first started dating if it was okay. If she didn’t mind that Reggie had seemed to attach himself to her family. He never explicitly said anything, but she’d known him long enough by then to see the hints, the secrets she wasn’t aware of yet. Of lonely childhoods and something lacking. The hints that he’d found that with her family. And even if she hadn’t been fine with it already, she wasn’t about to stop Reggie. The Molina’s had never been shy about taking in lost souls.)

So apparently she hadn’t been quite as subtle as she thought she’d been with her hints. Both boys clearly conspiring to get her a weekend alone with their best friend. Julie’s just glad that Luke clearly hasn’t noticed. Or if he hadn’t, hadn’t teased her about it.

And that their apartment is empty when she uses her key to let herself in on Friday evening, Hotdog already waiting by the shoes for Luke, head tilted as she looks up mewling softly in disappointment.

“Sorry sweetie, he’ll be home soon though,” Julie mummers, bending down to scratch behind the cat's ears before stepping out of her shoes, which Hotdog happily moves to sit on top of instead. “Be sure to make a big fuss when he gets in so I know, alright?”

Hotdog doesn’t respond, just fixes her eyes back on the front door to wait for Luke, and Julie moves further into the apartment, laughing quietly at the plate of brownies Alex or Willie have clearly left out for them on the counter, blushing slight as she reads the short message scrawled on a post-it note,

‘Don’t mess up my kitchen ;)’

She tries not to let herself think too hard or long about how clearly they all knew about her grand plans for the night. And the next day, and hopefully the whole weekend if things went according to plan.

Picking up the plate on her way through the kitchen, Julie shrugs out of her coat to leave on the back of one of the kitchen stools, because if Luke missed her shoes in the hall, he won't miss this, and she’s really hoping he’ll get the hint to head towards his bedroom. By the time she’s made it to Luke’s room she’s lifted the cellophane off the plate and taken a bite from one of the brownies. Definitely Willie who’d baked them, he was always doubling up the chocolate content. Where Alex was experimental in the kitchen, Willie was a traditionalist who believed chocolate was the best way to set a mood. Julie couldn’t really fault his logic as she moves into Luke’s room.

His room looks the same as it had the first time she’d seen it. Only now there’s a bottle of her perfume on his dresser, and some of her clothes on his ‘laundry’ chair, and polaroids of the two of them stuck in the corners of the photo frames of him and the boys. And Julie knows if she thinks about it, that her room at her dad's house is also littered with pieces of him as well, and she knows it’s only been a few months, but it feels like years. Like her life had been full of all these little gaps she’d never noticed until they were filled with Luke.

Putting the plate down, she starts moving around his room. Pulling out the firefighting coat he’d brought home a few weeks ago because he’d found a rip in the shoulder, rooting through his wardrobe for the plain blue cut off she’d seen the last time she was over and laying them out on his bed. Tilting her head, Julie mentally puts together her outfit one more time. Shorts, suspenders, Luke’s cut-off, coat, maybe the shoes? She bites her lip and decides to come back to it, to see how everything looks on.

It’s strange, Julie thinks as she clips one side of her suspenders to her shorts, how nervous she is about this. It’s not like this is the first time they’ll have slept together, but it is the first time she’s done anything like this. Dressed up in something other than a pretty dress for dinner that he’d taken great care of taking off her.

What if he didn’t like it? What if he thought it was weird? What if he got home and was too tired to do anything? He’d been at work all day, after a long week of working, maybe she should change her plans and do it tomorrow night? What if—

She cuts her own thoughts off with a groan, sitting down on the end of Luke’s bed to take a breath and fiddle with knee high sheer socks dotted with little stars that she’d ordered online. Logically, Julie knows that Luke will like this, that he’ll look at her with those eyes of his that can’t hide a single emotion and smile at her slowly and call her beautiful.

Because he’d been complimenting her since their first date, and every day since. Little things and big changes and all the between. He really did seem to like her just as much dressed up and with make-up on as he did when she’d just woken up on a morning with her hair a mess and pillow creases still on her cheeks.

And that in itself was scary.

Because he liked her for her and didn’t need her to change. She’d never really dated anyone before who didn’t want her to be less invested in music or spend less time with her family or who didn’t like Flynn or even one guy who thought she should try a different scent of shampoo. They’d all been relationships littered with red flags, big and small.

But not even Flynn could find a real warning sign about Luke. Maybe he was a little co-dependant on his friends, but neither of them could say anything because they were a little co-dependant too. And maybe he could be a little over enthusiastic, but he also knew when to give her space. He had a stable job and good friends and was cute and lived in a nice area and he had a cat.

And, once upon a time, he had had a similar dream to her.

One of the things Flynn had managed to dig up on him during her ‘background’ check was an old low quality video on youtube of three boys in a garage playing instruments that looked too big for them but taking the whole thing seriously. Voices cracking on the cover of Summer of ‘69 they were playing, but Julie had seen the way they grinned at each other, at the way a younger Luke had bounced around the small space and Reggie had rocked on his feet and Alex had thrown a drumstick in the air and caught it again. They were kids, but they were talented and it's at that moment that Julie realises Luke was right. They could have made it.

She wonders what would have happened if fate hadn’t intervened in the form of a fire. She’s pretty sure Luke has wondered the same thing too. He doesn’t talk about it much and Julie’s never sure how much to push because he seems happy in his life and choices. And plus, if it hadn’t been for a fire in a record store, there’s a chance they wouldn’t have met.

Julie frowns a little at that thought as she rolls on her second sock over her knee and stands up, straightening out her shorts and twisting the side of Luke’s cut off up and tying it into a knot. She’s never been the biggest believer in fate since her mom died but she thinks there’s something a little like fate that’s pulled them together. And she thinks they’d have met with a fire or without a fire, with music or without.

She wrinkles her nose at herself in the mirror at that thought, rolling her eyes at how cheesy it sounds even to herself. Fate and destiny, who did she think she was? They were just two people lucky enough to find each other.

An alarm goes off on her phone to tell her she’s got half an hour before Luke is due home and this is her last chance if she wants to change her mind.

Tilting her head a slightly to the side, Julie takes in her high waisted shorts, red suspenders dangling by her thighs, the way her t-shirt cinches at her waist and reveals just a strip of skin above her shorts where she knows Luke likes to rest his hands when he pulls her close. She’d taken extra care with her curls and all she had to do was apply some lipstick and touch up her eyeliner and she’d be ready.

It’s Flynn’s voice in the back of her head as she tucks curls behind her ears to lean a little closer to her reflection and, as she pulls back, smacking her lips once before letting them rest in a pout, she can’t help but reiterate it, “I do look hot.”

The front door shuts and Julie can hear Hotdog meowing and Luke’s muffled voice down the corridor as she’s pulling his coat over her shoulders. It’s far too big for her, hanging below her knees and she has to roll the sleeves up three times to free her hands, but the collar smells like smoke and metal and Luke and his last name is written across the right hand side and his station across her back.

That was the part that Flynn had said would really get him — his name on her. Luke wasn’t exactly possessive, but she and Flynn had agreed there was just something about it that was A Lot, in a good way. (Unlike buying a pole and installing it in Luke’s room for a weekend, that was A Lot, in a bad way. Her plan had gone through many different phases before settling on this one. Luckily, it was also the cheapest.)

“Jules?” Luke calls and Julie bites her lip as she carefully climbs on to his bed, and kneels in the middle before changing her mind and crawling off the other side to stand next to it instead.

“I’m in here,” she calls back and she hears something dropping to the floor, probably his bag she guesses, and then his footsteps sounding down the hall.

Julie’s glad she opted for the shoes, just simple black heels, but they give her an extra lift and something more for Luke to look at as he opens his bedroom door. She has one knee slightly bent and resting on her toes, coat sleeves hiding the way her hands are balled up at her sides and one shoulder raised a little higher than the other as she tilts her head at him, biting her lip.

He freezes in the doorway, mouth partly open like he’d been about to say something only to get lost somewhere between his brain and vocal chords as his eyes seem to lock on to the coat she’s wearing before traveling down to her bare legs and Julie watches him swallow, adam's apple bobbing. Just as his eyes get back up to her face she moves one hand to tuck her coat behind her hip and hook her thumb under her suspenders in a way she’s seen him do countless times.

And it gets the reaction she wants, his eyes zeroing in on her hand and tracing up the line of red that covers her chest. Luke’s tongue darts out to swipe across his bottom lip as he blinks and finally drags his eyes back up to her face, pupils blown wide and she watches as he lets out a heavy breath.

“Hi,” she breathes out, and almost immediately regrets it. She's trying for sexy but thinks it just comes across as gasping. Which she hopes she’ll be eventually at some point tonight, but would at least like to be touched a little first.

“You—” Luke starts, and his voice is rough like he’s not used it in hours so he swallows again and Julie’s momentarily distracted by the way his throat moves before his speaking again, “Is that my coat?”

“Maybe,” Julie shrugs, turning slightly so she can pull at the collar of the coat to peer down at the name stitched in the fabric, “Oh look, it does say your name. Would you like me to take it off?” She blinks up at him with a soft smile.

Julie doesn’t know if it’s the smile or her words or just everything about the moment, but Luke lets out a low groan and before she can even blink he’s stood in front of her, hands on her hips and fingers brushing against her strip of visible skin, just like she knew he would. And she’s thankful for the heels all over again when it gives her the little extra height that means Luke doesn’t have to bend down quite so far to brush his lips across her cheek.

“You’re fucking gorgeous,” he mutters, lips ghosting along her jaw and Julie has to rest her hands against his chest to steady herself as her legs already feel wobbly. If she didn’t love him, she’d almost hate him for how easily he can affect her.

“Luke,” she whines as he continues to avoid her lips and trails one hand up his chest to wrap around his neck, fingers winding into his hair to tug lightly which only results in making him huff a laugh against the skin below her ear before giving in and pulling back.

“So,” he starts, press a light kiss to her cheek again again, “fucking,” he kisses the corner of her lips, “beautiful.” And he finally presses his lips to hers, soft at first and then she nips lightly at his top lip and he flexes his fingers against her hip, tugging her a closer with her suspenders to deepen the kiss.

Julie walks them backwards until the backs of her knees hit the edge of his bed and Luke takes the lead from there, lowering her down without breaking the kiss. He pulls away just enough to gasp for a breath, and she looks up at him, chest heaving and takes her chance to start her own teasing trail of kisses up his neck and across his jaw.

“Fuck,” he mutters and Julie smiles as she sucks lightly at his neck and sees the red mark her lipstick has left behind. She just hopes it lasts long enough for her full plan.

“This was because of the pole thing a few weeks ago, right?” Luke asks a few hours later as they lie in the middle of his bed, blankets half pushed to the floor and Julie’s spent the last five minutes kicking her legs back and forth to try and dislodge the reminder from covering her legs without having to turn around or sit up. She’s perfectly comfortably lying on her front, licking chocolate off her fingers from one of the brownies that Alex and Willie had been correct in leaving for them.

“Maybe,” she tries to shrug, but it’s awkward in this position and she quickly gives up to just look at him from under her lashes with a smile.

Luke laughs, his fingers trailing up and down her arm and over her shoulder a few times before he sits up slightly and leans over to press a kiss to her shoulder, “If I’d known it would cause such a reaction I would have slid down that pole in front of you months ago.”

“It might have still taken us months to get to this. Your roommates have very annoying schedules,” she shakes her head sadly and she thinks her hair has to be hitting him in the face, but he doesn’t say anything, just carefully gathers it in one hand to drape over her other shoulder, his lips still brushing soft kisses across her skin.

“Yeah. I’d get rid of them if Alex didn’t feed me for free and Reggie didn’t get us so many free tickets to stuff,” he sighs, breath blowing against her skin as his nose nudges over her shoulder blade until his lips follow and his rest his chin on her shoulder, and all she has to do is turn her head a little to find his eyes on her lips. “Though it would be so worth it for weekends like this.”

“Guess we should just make the most of this one first, huh?”

It’s a little awkward, and Luke must be uncomfortable with his torso twisted like it is, but it’s easy to kiss Luke, and to roll over until she can push him back down until his back hits the mattress and she can hover over him instead.

“You sound like you have a plan,” Luke comments, and his hands rest on her hips, fingers tapping against her as he looks up at her with those damn eyes of his. The ones that can’t hide a single thought or emotion. And all she can see is love, and okay yeah, probably a lot of lust.

“There might have been some bullet point list involved,” she shrugs one shoulder, her hair slipping over as she moves and Luke’s fingers flex against her, squeezing one hip as he lets out something that sounds halfway between a laugh and a groan.

“That shouldn’t be this hot,” he shakes his head, but his eyes are still shining and Julie loves him.

So she tells him. And kisses him. And wonders if it’s too soon to suggest they spend all their weekends together forever.

#julie and the phantoms #jatp fics #julie molina #luke patterson #jukebox #jatp #firefighter!luke au #serioulsy what else am i supposed to tag fics on here ghfj #*fics #i post this then i go to bed. enjoy and goodnight 😌

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she-who-the-river-could-not-hold · 3 years

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Crackling Fires 2021 | October Fic Challenge

"Picking You"

hosted by: @crackling-fires | prompt(s): day 02 – pumpkin patch | ship(s): Raven x Murphy | wc: 936 Raven’s recent injury leaves her chilling in the truck while everyone else goes pumpkin picking. But Murphy doesn’t seem to like the idea that she doesn’t get to participate, so he decides to do something about it.

Raven was perfectly content to sit in the back of the pickup truck, hot chocolate in hand, but apparently Murphy wasn’t feeling it. She watched him with narrow eyes over the brim of her cup as he ambled over towards the car. His fake nonchalance was a half-assed effort at best; it wasn’t random that he was walking over towards the truck and splitting off from the rest of their friends.

“What are you doing Murphy?” She called over to him once he was close enough.

He shrugged. “Just thought I’d see how you were doing. Is that a crime?”

Rolling her eyes, Raven gestured towards the pumpkin patch that lay just beyond them. From here, she could see Clarke and Bellamy bickering about how big of one to get and Jasper was delightedly grabbing as many of the small ones as he could carry. It was the weekend before Halloween and tonight they were all planning on carving them while watching cheesy scary movies. At the rate they were going, they were going to totally make this farmer’s day with the size of their purchases.

“Don’t you want to find the perfect pumpkin with the rest of them?”

“Yeah, well,” he shoved his hands impossibly deeper into his jeans, “what about you? You can’t trust them to make sure you get the right pumpkin too.”

“I already told Monty what size I wanted,” Raven responded, both amused and touched by Murphy’s concern. “Besides,” she added with a tap to her leg, “still not really a great time for me to squat and measure pumpkins.”

Murphy’s face fell as he looked down at her leg and guilt wormed its way into her gut. She hadn’t meant to make it about him. She knew now the car crash wasn’t his fault, but that didn’t erase the tension that had simmered between them for the last couple months (completely unhelped by the lingering crush she'd been developing on him).

“I know,” he mumbled, his eyes flicking away then. “That’s also why I came over.”

Somehow Murphy seemed embarrassed, which was something she was pretty sure she’d never seen him feel throughout the last two years of knowing him at Arkadia College. When she opened her mouth to apologize, he quickly raced to cut her off.

“What if I gave you a piggyback ride?”

Raven didn’t mean to burst out into laughter, but she did and was immediately glad she’d finished most of her drink and didn’t spill it all over her and the blanket.

“You? Carry me?”

Murphy let out a scoff. “Just because I weigh 150 pounds wet doesn’t mean I can’t carry you.”

A few more giggles escaped but they slowly stopped when she realized he was being serious.

“You should get to pick your own pumpkin,” he said quietly, scuffing his shoe against the ground. “It’s only fair.”

Chewing on her lip, Raven contemplated the offer. It would really be nice to feel included with everyone else again. Even with her physical therapy progress, she still resented feeling left behind. And if the snarky guy who she’d reluctantly grown feelings for over the past semester wanted to offer her a piggyback ride, who was she to say no?

“Okay.”

Murphy looked up at her in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected to get this far.

She waved her hand towards her. “Come here, I should be able to hoist myself onto your back from here.”

A slow grin began to spread across his face as he quickly closed the space between them. Raven hoped he didn’t catch her sucking her breath in when she got a waft of the cologne he always wore. She hated how much she associated it with him, that hint of spice and wood. He was like fall personified when he wore it and she hated how good he looked in a flannel too.

He obediently turned around then, kneeling slightly to bring himself to the right height. She knocked back the last of her hot chocolate and then shimmied out from the blanket and pulled herself up onto his back.

“All good,” she announced once she was situated, thankful he couldn’t see the way her face burned at the feel of his hands on her legs. Had they ever touched each other before? Maybe while passing drinks at a party, but she was suddenly very aware that she wasn’t even sure they’d hugged before.

“Great!” She hoped she wasn’t reading into the slight change in pitch in his voice as he tightened his grip on her.

Sliding her arms around his shoulders, Raven tried to let herself relax into the moment. Which luckily was easy enough once Murphy returned to cracking his usual jokes. He was careful to not jostle her leg too much and she tried to not blush at the curious looks from their friends once they joined them in the patch.

Even as her fingers began to tingle from the cold evening beginning to encroach on them, Raven found herself laughing as she led Murphy throughout the rows of pumpkins, instructing him at which ones to look at closer. She forgot to worry about their closeness and let herself sink into holding onto him, letting her head rest on his shoulder as they all paid for their pumpkins.

And she didn’t miss the way he seemed reluctant to let her go, so once they arrived back at the dorms she made sure she suggested he carry her back up as well. He happily accepted and Raven decided that maybe her feelings weren’t so one sided after all.

#crackling fires 2021 #cracklingfires #raven x murphy #raven reyes #john murphy #the 100 #the 100 fic #kathryn writes: cracklingfires #kathryn writes #kathryn writes: the 100 #murven

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captainimprobable · 3 years

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Alright I caved. Here’s chapter one of the still unnamed sequel to No Apologies, my Lumity coffeeshop AU. It’s been seven months since I finished the fic so I hope yall are still down for the ride! The chaos starts now :) ~

“This might be a bad time to tell you this, but roosters….kinda freak me out.”

“Amity, we are literally swimming in roosters right now.”

Amity hugged herself, shaking but still managing to roll her eyes. “We are metaphorically swimming in roosters.”

Luz snorted. “Whatever, Miss Accurate.”

They both looked at the rooster pen in front of them. A cow mooed in the distance, and they took a moment of silence to question the life choices that had led up to this moment.

It didn’t take very long. The pipeline went like this: Amity had decided to work part time at a coffee shop to piss off her parents, and two years later she was on a six month anniversary trip with a chaotic ball of energy, tripping on bird feathers at a barn many miles away from home. Simple.

“It...it was just supposed to be an air bnb,” Luz said helplessly.

“Luz, what did the ad say?”

Luz scrambled to take her phone out of her pocket, mindlessly swatting away the pig trying to eat it out of her hand.

“Uh…’stunning country views and a realistic farming experience.’” She stomped her foot. “That is so misleading!!!”

“I genuinely think I’m about to pass out.” Amity said, swaying slightly.

“Babe, don’t say that. The roosters can smell your fear.”

Amity glared at her girlfriend. “Ha ha,” she said sarcastically. “Fine, what’s next on the list they left us?”

Luz pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper covered in lines of print detailing exactly what they had to do in order to stay at the barn. It was politely decorated with a post it note that read “Good luck, suckers!”

“Inspect the roosters,” she read. “Check for obvious genetic defects. Separate these roosters from the rest.”

Amity held up a hand to stop her. “No. Nope. I am not inspecting roosters. I am not separating roosters. I am going back inside, and I am going to read a book, and I am going to pretend there are no demon chickens out here ready to peck my eyes out.”

Amity gingerly tiptoed around the roosters, taking care not to touch any of them. One brave animal attempted to peck at her skirt, but she let out an unholy shriek that scattered them all. Luz watched Amity flee the scene, sighing. She picked up the list Amity had dropped and scanned the next few lines. “The roosters with these defects will be…” she trailed off. “Oh,” she said, realization dawning. “Oh no.”

Amity must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew, it was dark and Luz was shaking her awake.

“Amity, wake up, we have an emergency.” Amity was up in an instant. “What’s wrong? Are you okay???” “Yeah, I’m fine!” Luz assured her. “It’s just uh…..” Luz rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “We have a...situation?”

Amity yawned and stretched, rubbing her eyes as she stood up. Immediately, Luz grabbed her hand and began dragging her outside. “Ugh, what time is it?” Amity asked, stumbling along behind Luz.

“Uhhh about one am I think? I had to wait until now to do this. It’s better under the cover of darkness.”

Immediately, Amity felt a sense of extreme trepidation. Whatever was waiting for her outside was definitely not something she wanted to see.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she was met with the sound of roosters clucking. When they reached the driveway, she stopped dead. “Luz,” Amity said slowly, blinking repeatedly to make sure she was seeing things correctly. “Why are there a dozen roosters in your car?”

“There’s actually fourteen,” Luz said, but faltered when Amity glared at her. “Okay, so the thing is, well….the farmers wanted us to separate the roosters because these are the ones with defects. And these are the ones they’re gonna sell for meat.”

“Oh god,” Amity groaned. “Don’t tell me-”

Luz’s grin looked almost evil in the moonlight. “We’re gonna save the roosters.”

“Luz, where the hell are you planning on bringing them??? Most roosters live in captivity!”

“So I looked it up, and it said that roosters thrive in forest climates, and the nearest forest is only two hours away!!!!”

Amity wanted to say she was surprised, but she knew Luz well enough at this point to know to expect this from her. She reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Luz,” she said gently. “I love how big your heart is, and I love that you want to save these animals. But roosters are supposed to live on farms. Also, you had chicken salad for lunch.”

Luz looked at her with puppy eyes. Fuck. Amity couldn’t resist that.

She sighed. “Fine,” she said. “We can save the roosters. But you know the farmers are gonna make us pay for them.”

“Ahhhh thank you!” Luz squealed, throwing her arms around Amity’s neck. She kissed her cheek. “You’re the best.”

“I know,” Amity grumbled. “Now get in the car before I change my mind.”

It was going fine until they reached the gas station. The roosters were in the back, probably shitting all over Luz’s car, and Amity was in the passenger seat, gripping the door handle and trying not to freak out.

“Shit,” Luz said over the radio about a half hour into their ride, summing up Amity’s thoughts nicely. “We need gas.”

“I’ll get it,” Amity volunteered quickly. Anything to get out of the car, anything to get away from the ominous clucking emerging from the backseat. She opened her door. And that’s when all hell broke loose.

Fourteen roosters, smelling freedom and gas station muffins, burst from the back seat into the front, climbing over Amity and streaming out of the passenger side door. Amity shrieked and fell out of the car, scraping her arm on the concrete as roosters used her back as a jumping off point into the night.

Amity hissed as she used her arms to get up, her scraped elbow burning. Luz ran around the side of the car to help stop the roosters, but it was too late. They both watched helplessly as the birds flapped their wings and hopped away.

It was two thirty in the morning, and they had released roosters into the town.

They were both silent as they ruminated on what had just happened. The birds clucked in the distance, joining the cicadas in their unholy screaming.

“We need to go,” Luz said at last, far more calmly than the panicked look in her eye suggested. She helped Amity up, careful not to touch her injured arm and, without another word, they both got into the car and sped away.

Since they were fugitives now, they could no longer sleep at the barn. Forgetting the fact that the barn’s owners had their information and would no doubt charge them for the roosters anyway, they quickly picked up their things, got back into the car, and bolted. They drove for a couple of hours, trying in vain to ignore the strong smell of bird shit emanating from the backseat. The streetlights illuminated the scene: feathers in the backseat, feathers in Amity’s hair, blood gently staining the paper towel Amity was holding to her elbow.

After awhile they passed a sign for a Bed and Breakfast and Luz, having determined they’d gotten far enough away from the scene of the crime, turned the car in that direction. They were quite a sight as they straggled into the quaint house, but the elderly owners asked no questions as to why they had shown up at four in the morning covered in feathers, so Luz and Amity gratefully stumbled up the stairs, finally collapsing in their new room. Despite the summer heat, Amity was shivering, so Luz hurried to light the fireplace.

Once she’d tended to the fire, Luz sat down on the floor next to Amity. “Show me,” she said, gesturing to Amity’s injured arm. Amity wordlessly offered up her elbow, which Luz inspected. “You don’t need stitches,” she said gratefully, pulling out a Naruto bandaid.

“How could you possibly know that?” Amity asked quietly. Luz shrugged. “I was really clumsy as a kid.”

Amity raised an eyebrow. “Okay, fine, I’m still clumsy,” Luz admitted.

Their silences were usually comfortable, but this one most definitely was not.

“I’m really sorry,” Luz finally whispered, gingerly covering Amity’s wound with a picture of Sasuke Uchiha. “I didn’t mean to ruin our anniversary trip.”

They hadn’t spoken much since The Incident. Amity had stared stonily out the car window while Luz drove and occasionally attempted to covertly glance at her girlfriend. Hours had passed without Luz saying a word, a feat which Luz was secretly quite proud of.

“I really thought we’d manage to have a normal, nice time,” she continued, “but I ruined it, and now there’s a town being terrorized by roosters and it’s all my fault.”

Amity didn’t say anything for a few moments and then, unexpectedly, she started to laugh.

“Um,” Luz said. “Amity? Did you hit your head, too????”

“No, no,” Amity said between giggles. “It’s just- it’s so us. Who else would this happen to?????? We released fourteen roosters onto an unsuspecting town in the middle of the night, and your car is covered in shit. I really should’ve expected something like this.” “So...you’re not mad?”

“I was,” Amity admitted. “In the car, I was kind of pissed. I mean, you did wake me up in the middle of the night, which, as you know, is never a good idea, and we did have to flee our romantic trip like criminals. But then I started thinking, and, I don’t know.” She smiled almost shyly at Luz.

“I knew what I was getting into when I told you I loved you,” she said simply. “And I’m happy being with you, even if I did have to face one of my worst fears.”

“Oh my god,” Luz said, lower lip trembling. “You’re gonna make me cry.”

“Don’t go all soft on me now,” Amity said, rolling her eyes with a smile.

Luz launched herself at Amity, and they fell over, rolling across the carpet a few times before finally landing next to each other on the floor. Luz touched her forehead to Amity’s. “I’ll always be soft when it comes to you,” she said.

“Gay,” Amity whispered back, but leaned forward and captured Luz’s mouth with hers.

After the day they’d had, neither of them had the energy to get up, so they ended up sleeping on the floor that night, cuddled up on a blanket next to the fire.

“Happy anniversary,” Luz mumbled sleepily into Amity’s neck right before she drifted off to sleep.

“Happy anniversary,” Amity answered.

Despite it all, they both fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

#lumity #the owl house #this will be posted on ao3 once im almost finished with the whole fic #it may be awhile but whatev #writins #i sincerely hope enough people remember my fic that ppl will read this

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