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#// keep off the dash: failed step one
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Big Brother | Alexia Putellas x Reader
how is this the first first Alexia fic I'm writing lol. based on this request Enjoy:)
“Mamá, we see Ingrid?” your four year old son asks as you put on his shoes.
You can’t help but laugh. He had a bit of a crush on the Norwegian much to Mapi’s displeasure since he wanted nothing to do with her. “Yes baby, she will be there.”
“Jana too?” He questions grabbing his tiny football off the bed beside him.
“All of the girl’s will be there Nico,” you tell him before he can go down the list of all his favorite Barça players.
The answer seems to satisfy his curiosity as you place him back on the floor and he begins to kick the ball around the room. You busy yourself picking out an appropriate outfit to cover your growing baby bump. You and Alexia had been having some trouble over the last year with trying to conceive. After several failed attempts you were both extremely happy to finally see the positive test results. You had kept the pregnancy from your friends out of fear and had just recently told your families now that you were well into your second trimester. You planned to begin telling everyone else in the coming weeks, as the bump was definitely getting harder to hide.
“Amor, are you ready?” Alexia’s smooth voice fills the room causing Nico to launch the ball in her direction. “Be careful, remember?” She asks calmly, catching the ball before it could do any damage.
“Lo siento mamá,” he tells you, coming to place a gentle kiss on your stomach. 
Alexia lifts him in the air, inducing a fit of laughter as she tickles his sides, “go play in the living room until we leave.” Nico dashes out of the room with the ball at his feet.
“How do you feel mi vida?” Alexia asks, wrapping her arms around your waist. 
“I feel good.”
“And my baby girl? She’s good?” She leans down, placing a few kisses on your growing stomach.
You run your fingers through her hair as she rises back up, “you don’t know that it’s a girl yet love.”
“No, I know that’s mi princesa in there. You just don’t want to admit it cause then you’ll have to get bumped to second place,” she teases, pulling you into a sweet kiss.
You immediately pull away when you feel Alexia try to deepen it, “nope, we have to go.”
“I can be quick cariño,” she says with her eyes roaming over your body. 
“We both know that’s a lie,” you laugh, moving around the room to grab the last of your things. You can feel her eyes boring into you with each step you take. “Tonight, if you behave babe. Now come on before we are late.” 
Alexia’s gaze softens when you turn back towards her, “beso,” she pouts from her spot. You give in as usual and connect your lips with hers, letting her deepen just enough to please her. “Come, you’re going to make us late.”
You roll your eyes, grabbing the hand she holds out for you and heading for the living room. Nico barrels into Alexia’s legs the moment he catches sight of her. “Alexia watch,” he says, moving to show her how many kick-ups he could attempt. Alexia groans at the habit he picked up of calling her by her name, but watches nonetheless. You on the other hand thought it was hilarious, anything football related and he would call her Alexia like he heard on the TV, but any other time it was mamà. 
“Good, we will keep practicing. Now come on, we are going to be late.”
Alexia gathers everything you guys need and leads you both to the car. Mapi and Ingrid were hosting a team dinner party to celebrate the end of the season. And while you loved all the girls, team dinners were stressful. There were a lot of people, a lot of conversation, and an overly excited 4 year old you had to keep an eye on. This was the first one you would be going to pregnant and you weren’t necessarily looking forward to it, but Alexia assured you she’d keep everything in line. She rubs a soothing hand along your thigh as she drives and engages in an animated conversation with your son.
As you arrive, she helps you and Nico both out of the car before placing a kiss on the side of your head, “when you want to leave, we will.” That was your favorite thing about Alexia, the way she was always willing to put your needs above anything. 
“Nico!” Mapi says excitedly as she opens the door with her arms spread wide to him. Without a care in the world Nico ducks under her arm and sprints off towards Ingrid who was making her way towards you, “one day the kid will realize I’m the cool one,” Mapi huffs. 
Alexia chuckles sliding past Mapi’s still open arms just as Nico did. Having mercy on the defender you let her wrap you in a hug. “How are you Marìa?”
“You’ve always been my favorite Putellas,” she tells you. 
Alexia rolls her eyes, grabbing your hand and leading you around the room to greet everyone. “Move,” she tells Patri from her spot on the couch.
“Qué?” Patri questions her captain's harsh tone with a wide smile.
You interject before Alexia can speak again, “Amor stop,” you whisper harshly at her attempt to have the girl give her seat up to you. Captain Alexia was very entitled and you hated that, always quick to try and order her teammates around even off the pitch. You drag her by the arm to the bathroom just as you see Nico plop down in Patri’s lap. 
“What is wrong? Do you feel sick?” Alexia begins to check you over.
“Remember when I said ‘tonight if you behave?” Alexia nods with a smirk. “What you just did is not behaving. I’m perfectly capable of sitting in a chair.”
“But princesa likes the couch.”
“I’m serious Alexia, no more.” She crosses her arms across her chest with a glare, and you’ve never been more sure your son was her twin, even if she didn’t push him out. You kiss away her frown and head back to the party. 
Much to Alexia’s amusement Patri and several others have vacated their spot on the couch when you arrive back. “Alexia come play,” Nico shouts, as she places you on the couch. 
“Yeah Alexia go play,” Mapi teases, flopping down beside you. Alexia looks at you as if she’s seeking approval and you give her a nod sending her on her way. “She’s so whipped it’s disgusting.”
You don’t even mention the fact that she’s just as whipped for Ingrid. Mapi keeps you company for a while before feeling left out that she wasn’t asked to play. Tonight was going a lot smoother than you expected. Alexia made sure to run behind Nico and ensure he wasn’t bothering anyone for too long and she’d check in on you every so often, placing a single kiss on your forehead.
“Hey, congrats (y/n),” Marta tells you as she passes by. You thank her, finding it a bit weird as she was not the first to say it, but Alexia loved to brag on you. You figured she had told them about the new client you had been working hard to land at work. 
It’s when everyone finally gathers around the large table for dinner you find out the real reason. Nico insisted on sitting by Lucy, claiming they had to as they were best friends. After she ensured you it was fine you let him stay beside her and took your spot by Alexia. Halfway through the meal you freeze as Lucy shouts, “YOU'RE PREGNANT?”
“What?” you ask, startled at the claim. 
Alexia goes to stand up and go full-on protective mode when Nico speaks up, “Yep, I’m a big brother!” 
“He told me first,” Ingrid says, making the boy blush.
You and Alexia share a glance before letting out a laugh. Maybe it wasn’t the smartest decision to tell him before you let the girls know.
“Well cats out the bag I guess,” you sigh.
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radiance1 · 4 months
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"I have lived for thousands of years, seen the rise and fall of civilizations both known and unknown to man. I have tasted the old magics, became one with and conquered the eldest flame where many have failed and been reduced to dust." The phoenix stood tall, flame leaking from its form and dancing along the ground. Its eyes were narrowed, various emotions dancing within and all were none too pleased.
"I have grasped my power through the blood of the fallen, from humble ghost to staggering False God. And you believe that I, wielder of the black flame and one who stands above an uncountable number of ghosts would EVER." The phoenix paused, letting the weight of its words sink as the temperature of the room reached all new levels of heat. Underneath his suit, Batman could feel himself sweating up a storm, he squashed down the urge to take off his suit and instead stuck close to the pillar hiding him from sight before slowly moving along the shadows.
"Ever, Allow myself to be bested by a mere mortal, the last of his race and a demi-goddess!?" The great beast hissed out the words, as if the mere implication alone was a slight against him as he waved wing. A tsunami of black fire spilled forth, forcing the separation of Superman and Wonder Woman as they both sought refuge from the attack. "I have felled far more despicable foes than you three, and you will all kneel before me!" The great bird raised itself to the sky, flapping its wings and taking off to the sky.
The roof of the warehouse melted far before the phoenix could reach it, and its path was uninhibited as it took the sky. With it's back to the sky it reached its wings back, condensing magical fire before slamming them downwards with a great amount of force.
Black fire rained down on those below, Superman quickly located and held onto Batman. Using his superior agility to keep both from harm as Wonder Woman dashed from pillar to pillar. After the rain of fire ended the three met up once more with none to many injuries.
Superman had minor burns, a consequence of taking damage and Batman's place, and Wonder Woman wasn't any worse for wear either, in fact, she was better off than her ally. Batman stepped down to the ground and stared up at the Duke of the Ghost Zone with narrowed eyes.
===
Lol you actually thought I was going to finish this? Hah! No. Anyways, that phoenix is Vlad, why is he fighting the Justice League? I don't know.
Make it enough.
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covetyou · 4 months
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best in show
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ao3 ⋆ masterlist
pairing: Dieter Bravo x f!reader rating: Explicit (18+ only!) warnings: dual narrative, masturbation (m), voyuerism, drug reference (our boy is sober but struggling), subby Dieter, slight humiliation kink, very brief mentions of other sex acts (anal play, PIV, cum play), reader talks Dieter through a very nervy wank. word count: 3.7k summary: The Academy Awards, the most well known, well planned, film award ceremony in the world. So why is the host missing?
A/N: @agentjackdaniels happy holidays from your space sisters secret santa! sorry if this is a bit early for you - it's the 20th in my time zone, I promise! I went the route of award show!Dieter with a twist. Welcome to the Oscars, with your eccentric host - Dieter Bravo.
the suits mentioned are from SNL (blue, we're ignoring the yellow pants), the late late show (pink) and the tonight show (green).
dividers by @saradika-graphics follow @covetedfics and turn notifications on for updates on future fics
"Bravo, you're up."
You rap your knuckles against the door again, hoping against hope that he just hasn't heard you and he isn't coked up out of his mind.
"Bravo!" you shout, knocking harder this time, as a voice blares through your in-ear. Fifteen minutes until showtime and the host is still nowhere to be seen. And it is your fault. You'd drawn the short straw and had been tasked with being his handler for the night, keeping him out of mischief and on time. Currently, it looked like you were failing at both.
"Right, I'm coming in!" You cannot be dealing with this shit. You're not paid enough.
You open the door, poking your head around to see if he's inside the dressing room, like he should be, only to find it completely empty. Stepping inside and closing the door behind you, you take in a deep breath and put your hands on your hips. Fuck. Whoever's idea to put Dieter-fucking-Bravo as the host for this years Oscars really needed a kick up the ass, and you'd be first in line to do it.
The room looks tidier than you expected. There's not an obvious illicit substance in sight. Sparkling water sits on the vanity, along with make up and haircare products. You didn't even know where his stylist is, but it was nice to know she'd at least been here. His clothes are still neatly lined on a rail - the first hanger is empty and you assume that's a good sign. It's got to be, right?
Except, Dieter Bravo is still nowhere to be found, and you've ran out of places to look for him.
The only conundrum is all the lights are still on. He'd left the room in such a hurry that he hadn't bothered to switch them off, and yet no one had reported him frantically dashing out in a drug fueled mania.
Even the bathroom light is on. And the door is ajar. You think it won't hurt to check inside, or at least turn the light off. A place like this burned through electricity like nobodies business, but your compulsion to turn off unused lights wins out and you're heading toward the bathroom on auto-pilot.
You only hear the whimper when you're already pushing the door open, and by then it's too late to stop.
That's how you find yourself stood in the doorway, watching as Dieter Bravo furiously jerks his cock with his eyes slammed closed and his head thrown back. You could back out, you should, but instead you stare transfixed as his fist moves over himself, so lost in it all that you don't even think he's noticed you standing there. You really should go before he notices.
Making a quiet retreat you -
"Stay."
Your eyes snap to his. He's looking at you now. His hand has stilled, squeezing himself tight, and you frown. You shouldn't. You shouldn't have even come in, and you definitely should not be seeing this, and you even more certainly must not be considering his offer.
"If you want. Please."
The nod of your head is so small it's practically imperceptible, but he sees it and groans deeply, resuming his strokes on his cock. It's framed in vibrant blue, and you're reminded how he wouldn't even be here if he didn't have that suit. One of the conditions he'd made on hosting was he would get to have a "more exciting" wardrobe, and the green, pink, and blue you'd seen wheeled in on his rail earlier today certainly lived up to that.
It looks good on him. He looks good. Fuck. You really should go, why did you nod your head.
You watch him swipe pre-cum from his head and draw it down his cock. He looks painfully stiff, and you wonder how long he's been at it, if this is the first time today or if he's been jerking himself every opportunity. Either way, you're mesmerized, watching as his large fist draws up and back down his length. You should do something - go, say something, tell him to stop, join in.
Instead, you just stand there, gaping at it like a fucking idiot. Why is your mouth watering.
"Please I-"
"You don't have long," you interrupt.
"I know, I know, I just - I can't -" he pants, looking at you with desperation.
"You can't what?"
"Come. I can't come."
You hold back a laugh. From what you'd heard about Dieter Bravo, that was not a problem he seemed to have very often. You don't hold it back well enough though, and a small sound escapes you, triggering a shudder that you watch run down his back.
"Oh god."
"Did you -?" like me laughing at you, you cut yourself off.
You lean against the doorframe, attempting nonchalance as Dieter tugs on his cock, watching you as you watch him.
You dismissed him earlier, regarding him with indifference and not ever really looking at him. But, appearances alone tell you he's changed. No longer is there a sunken look to his face from too many nights spent out of his mind. He looks healthy, healthier than you've ever seen him, but he looks scared. Frightened, borderline terrified even. You know the only thing standing between him and pure panic is his stiff cock in his hand.
It's probably why he can't come, but is equally desperate to. And if he liked you laughing, well, maybe you could give him a hand without actually giving him a hand.
"If you don't come soon, they're gonna catch you."
He groans, and his strokes slow, becoming more deliberate and focussed as you talk to him.
"Do you want that? Do you want to be caught with your dick in your hand?"
"F-no. No, I don't."
"Then you've gotta be quick and come."
He nods his head frantically, then looks down at his cock here it lays heavy in his hand. He spits, gliding the saliva across his length.
"If you're not careful you're gonna make a mess all over yourself."
"Fuck, don't stop. Please don't stop."
Five minutes - has anyone got eyes on Bravo.
The stage managers voice blares through your in-ear so loudly that you know Dieter has heard it. You purposefully hold the button on your mic as you watch him, making him pinch his lips shut to hold back his moan.
"I've found him," you say into your headset, releasing the button. Let it be known you are not bad at your job, and if anyone was going to find him first it would be you.
"Didn't say you could stop. You still need to come."
"I do, I do, I need to - "
You're holding down the button on your headset again, and he audibly groans this time.
"He's in the bathroom."
When you release the button for the final time, you raise an eyebrow at him. His breaths are coming in ragged and heavy, his eyebrows pinched together as his eyes threaten to flutter closed. You're no expert, but you can tell he's close, and by the movement of his hand you can tell he's still struggling to get there.
"Look at me."
Dieter looks up, pleading with his sad, pathetic eyes. You'd be lying if you said all of this wasn't turning you on. If it hadn't turned your legs to jelly and you weren't grateful for the sturdy doorframe propping you up. If your panties weren't soaked through and your core wasn't throbbing just from watching and speaking. If you weren't desperate to take him in your hand, bend yourself over the sink in front of him, anything.
But there was no time.
With four minutes to go, you do the only thing you can.
"Come, Dieter."
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He's due on stage soon. He knows he is. That very thing is the reason why he shouldn't be doing this, but the very same reason why he's doing it in the first place. He needs it, something, anything, to take his mind off of it all and to take the edge off. Six months of sobriety and too many people to keep him accountable meant he couldn't - wouldn't - turn to his usual vices, so this would have to do.
He's struggling. Any other day and he would've come already, maybe to the thought of some gloriously plush tits, painting golden tan lines with his cum. Or a tongue swirling expertly around his asshole. Or the grip of something warm and wet and hot around his cock that wasn't his own fist. But today, nothing is working.
The bang on his dressing room door startles him, not only making his whole body twitch, but his dick too.
And then comes your voice, muffled but so obviously you even through two doors.
"Bravo, you're up."
Shit. He's gotta finish fast, he can't go out here like this, and he can't go out there with nothing to relieve the panic coursing through his veins. And then his mind flicks back to earlier in the day, meeting you and shaking your hand. Your hands had been soft, and you'd smelled fresh and clean. It calmed him. But then you'd listed off everything you needed him to do and told him and his team to get to it with a sharp click of your fingers before stalking off. His cock twitches again, and suddenly he has exactly the fuel he needs to get himself off.
He begins moving his hand again, stroking his balls gently in the other. You've probably gone away, stalked off with your ass jiggling in your pants just like earlier. He grunts, closing his eyes to savor the image. You'd looked good. He can remember the clip of your sensible heels on the floor now. Fuck, he'd let you step on him with those shoes given the chance.
"Bravo!" Another knock on the door and another sigh. If you stay there knocking long enough, it'll get him off. He just knows it.
"Right, I'm coming in."
He knows he should panic. Knows he should stop, tuck his cock away, pretend he was just using the bathroom and washing his hands. But he doesn't. The threat of being caught, by you, spurs him on. If only he could get closer and just fucking come already.
The door of his dressing room opens, and Dieter has to bite back a moan. When the door closes again, he has to fight back disappointment until he hears your footsteps just outside the bathroom. He never fully closed the door, and there's no time to shut it now. He's so close.
"Oh fuck," he whispers, looking down at his weeping cock where it's gripped in his hand. It's rock solid, flushed tip oozing pre-cum that trickles from his slit and coats his fingers with every jerk of his fist.
Time drags on as he hears you walk around, looking for him. And then your footsteps approach the door and he can't help but whimper at the idea of you catching him with his cock in his hand.
His eyes slam shut, his head tilting back as he bites back a louder moan. He doesn't hear the door open, but feels the air shift, blowing a cool breeze over him that makes his dick throb in his hand. If the blood wasn't pounding out of his head so hard he would have heard your small intake of breath as you took him in.
He really should stop. But he doesn't.
And when you go to leave, he really should let you go, but he doesn't do that either.
"Stay."
You're beautiful, in a way that you wouldn't even recognize in yourself, but fuck are you beautiful. Even when you frown at him, eyebrows pinching together, you're beautiful.
"If you want. Please."
Dieter Bravo is not a begging man. Outside of the bedroom. Or the bathroom. Or anywhere else where his dick can get involved really. He didn't beg for this job, they'd approached him. He tried to make himself into such a diva that they'd retract their offer, but his agent was determined for him to take it and for once get some good PR under his belt. The promise of good PR did nothing to stop his nerves.
When your head does the tiniest of nods he feels like he could cry. Knowing that you're watching him - and, fuck, how attentively you're watching him - his balls draw tight, threatening to spill themselves before backing off. It's still not enough. Why the fuck is it still not enough.
"Please I-"
"You don't have long."
Your voice. It's like it's just been drizzled over his brain and is melting him from the inside out, turning his body to goo.
"I know, I know, I just - I can't -" he pants, looking at you with desperation. He doesn't want to admit it, but he knows it's painfully obvious that he can't come if his life depended on it. And it practically does - if he didn't come and get out there as soon as possible, his career would very likely be over. He can see the headlines now - BRAVO ABANDONS OSCARS IN COKE FUELED FRENZY. If he still did coke, he wouldn't be having this problem.
"You can't what?"
"Come. I can't come."
He knows you try not to, but he hears your laugh. It's small, but coming from you, directed at him, it does things to him he didn't expect. He lurches forward as his whole body shudders.
"Oh god."
He squeezes his eyes shut again, hoping that this'll finally be it, finally be the thing that sends him over the edge.
"Did you -?"
He didn't come, that much should be obvious, he thinks. But then he's looking at you again and gets lost in your eyes as you watch him with such nonchalance that it makes him ache down to his bones.
"If you don't come soon, they're gonna catch you."
He groans, desperate strokes becoming slow and more deliberate as he listens to your voice. If you just keep talking to him he'll get there, and this will all be over and he can get out there and do his damn job.
"Do you want that? Do you want to be caught with your dick in your hand?"
"F-no. No, I don't." Liar.
"Then you've gotta be quick and come."
He nods his head frantically, and spits down onto his cock, watching as his hand glides up and down. He imagines it's your hand for a moment, smaller more delicate fingers pulling at his cock, smoothly moving back and forth in an attempt to get him off.
"If you're not careful you're gonna make a mess all over yourself."
Dieter doesn't give a shit about that right now. Just a little longer and he'll be there, he knows it. He just needs you to keep going.
"Fuck, don't stop. Please don't stop."
Five minutes - has anyone got eyes on Bravo.
It's muffled, but he can hear the words clear as day through your in-ear. The stage manager sounds pissed, and the devilish look in your eye as you reach to press the button to respond has him biting back a moan and stilling his hand on his cock.
"I've found him."
He lets out a shaky breath when you finally release the button again, his cock feeling red hot and angry in his hand.
"Didn't say you could stop. You still need to come."
Looking to you, he starts jerking his cock again and nods. "I do, I do, I need to - "
And then you're pressing down the button to speak into your headset again and he's groaning before you even speak.
"He's in the bathroom."
He doesn't give a shit if they heard. His knees feel weak and his eyes are ready to clamp closed, but he can't resist staring at you and that cocky look on your face as you release the button again. Your eyebrow quirks at him and he knows in that moment he'd get on his knees and beg you for something, anything, if only he had the time.
"Look at me."
Dieter looks up, feeling the desperation roll off himself in waves. He wonders if you can feel it, and if any of this is having any affect on you at all. Fuck, he hopes it is. He's going to come. He's really, actually, going to come.
Time's ticking, he knows it is, and his balls are getting tight and tighter again, he can feel them pulling up but he still can't -
"Come, Dieter."
And his vision goes white as he explodes in his palm.
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You're staring at him. He can't believe he just did that and you can't believe you stayed to watch. And you talked him through it.
More specifically, you're staring at the cum splashed all over his shirt and how it's slowly but steadily trickling down the fabric. He's lucky he opened his jacket before pulling his cock out, or the whole outfit would be ruined. Dieter is so blissed out that he doesn't even notice, softening cock still in his hand and eyes still closed.
Until rapidly cooling cum drips onto the back of his hand and he's opening his eyes, looking down to the crime scene splattered across his shirt.
"Fuck."
The panic in his voice is obvious. People will be bursting in to collect him any moment, and there's one hell of a mess to clean up. But, you're a problem solver by nature, it's why you're so good at your job.
"Take it off!" you tell him, snapping out of your cock induced trance and gesturing to the ruined shirt.
"What? I didn't think there was time to-"
"I'm not fucking you right now," you hiss. "You've got two minutes, take it off, I'll grab another. You've got other outfits, right?"
"Yeah. Yeah the shirt with the pink suit should work. My stylist is gonna fucking kill me - wait did you say right now - "
He's alone in the bathroom, tucking his dick away, throwing his jacket aside and peeling the soiled shirt from his shoulders before you can answer. Usually he hides the evidence, but there's not time to stash the extra shirt anywhere when there's another sudden knock on the door. The best he can do is throw his jacket back on over his bare shoulders so at least he's not seen to be topless and alone with you as he steps into his dressing room.
The door swings open just as you reach for the hanger of the pink suit, stopping you in your tracks.
"Dee. They're looking for you," his stylist walks in, looking at her phone. She spots you first, before flicking her eyes to Dieter and pointing in confusion. "Oh, hi. Where's your shirt?"
He shrugs, shoulders rising high as you stare at the exposed section of his chest now on full display beneath his jacket. "Changed my mind about it. Looks good enough like this, right?" He checks himself out in the mirror and adjusts his hair a fraction as if nothing untoward had just happened.
You're starting to understand how he won his own Oscar all those years ago.
His stylist seems to be just as eccentric as he is, and is thrilled by the choice to go shirtless. You're not sure your boss will be, but before you can offer a different shirt, Dieter is being whisked away by the production crew, all with confused looks on their faces as they take in his outfit. Dieter takes one last look back at you, mouthing a quick thank you as he's dragged off to begin the show.
The 96th Academy Awards go off without a hitch. You're already hearing reports from online that Dieter Bravo is a hit, his opening outfit being lauded as unique and a breath of fresh air for a sometimes stuffy and overly serious award ceremony. You watch him out of the corner of your eye through two costume changes - both times watching as he leaves wearing a shirt under each of his bold colored jackets.
It's a chaotic, well oiled machine, and by the time all is said and done and after parties are in full swing, you're winding down and saying thank yous and goodnight to the crew who made it all happen. One last sweep of the dressing rooms and you'll be on your way home too.
Empty, empty, empty. And then you're opening the door to Dieter's dressing room, ready to flick the light off and put the building to bed.
Except, Dieter Bravo is there, a vision in deep emerald green, holding the messed shirt from earlier in the evening in one hand and scribbling a note onto the back of a small card with the other. He sees you enter, and looks as stunned to see you as you are to see him.
"No after party?"
He looks sheepish, almost embarrassed when he answers.
"Not any more."
Admittedly, it was perhaps a stupid question to ask a recovering addict. "Oh."
You both awkwardly stand for a moment, Dieter keeping his eyes locked on the card in his hand before he's walking toward you and shoving it in front of you. You take it just as he edges past you out of the dressing room.
There's a note addressed to you and a number, scribbled hastily in Dieter's messy handwriting.
"I didn't want to be too forward, I know these things are..." he trails off with a wave of his hand. "Was just gonna leave that here and leave it up to you."
I owe you my life. Let me take you for coffee. Call me? D x
Looking up from the note, you can see him hesitantly make an exit. Calling after him, he stops in his tracks, spinning on his heel to look at you with more hope than you expect he intended.
"I'm just about to close up, if you wanted to go grab that coffee?"
And so, at 11pm on the night of the 96th Academy Awards, you find yourself in an empty diner, drinking bad coffee with Dieter-fucking-Bravo.
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perpetuallyconfused10 · 8 months
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Drive Me Home (2/2)
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Part 1 Content Warnings: Creep at the Bar™, Soft Hotch WC: 2.5K
。。+゜゜。。+゜゜。。+゜゜。。 “Come on. Just one more!” Emily begs you, her voice loud over the constant chatter. She reaches over the unsettlingly sticky tabletop to grab your forearm, then, sensing your vacancy, searches for another target. “Garcia? JJ?”
Two margaritas and four vodka shots is all it takes to unravel whatever illusion of dignity you’ve managed to scrounge together since joining the BAU. Two margaritas and four shots has you giggling at anything said, funny or not, and struggling to keep your eyes open. Now, if Emily has her way — and you’ve come to learn that she often does when the team unwinds at the bar — a tequila shot is in the cards for you too.
“I’m out.” JJ says with a shake of her head, “Any more and I won’t be alive to see tomorrow morning, let alone Monday.” 
“That’s the whole point,” says a now-pouting Emily as she spins in her seat to hound Garcia into agreeing to another round. The first to Morgan’s at the bar making friends, as he puts it. Watching him with a smile pulling at his lips is Reid, who nurses a soda and regales the rest of you every so often with numerical predictions of his chances for success.
Your head is spinning, and it’s got everything to do with the alcohol flooding your veins, not the unfortunate reality of your boss sitting at the head of the table, with those two top buttons open, exposing just a glimpse of his throat. He’s been checking his watch as often as is socially acceptable. Somewhere deep in the haze of your mind, you suspect Rossi, who's long gone, bullied him into coming. Now he nods along with Reid’s tangents, inserts a comment or two whenever the younger profiler takes a breath.
Emily calls your name once more, pinning her hopes onto you. It’s a rookie mistake you make when you nod, having not processed her question properly. By the time you realize what you’ve agreed to, it’s too late to back out. Suppressing a groan, you grab your card and slide out of the booth. You try not to think about squeezing past Hotch as you do it, try ignoring the warmth that spreads into you when your forearm brushes his shoulder. 
You fail. Sweet as ever, Garcia offers to join you, but you shake her offer off with a smile, standing on only-slightly-unsteady legs and making the short walk to the bar.  
As you slot yourself into the crowd waiting for their drinks, you debate whether Emily will notice you taking a water shot instead of the tequila you’ll buy for her and Garcia. You’re about to take the risk and order one when an unfamiliar hand settles itself on your lower back. Brow furrowing, you whirl around, hoping to see Prentiss or Morgan behind you. 
Those hopes are dashed pretty quickly. A stranger presses in close to your side. His fingers curl around your waist in a manner so confident it’d make you laugh, were you sober enough to react with more certainty. Instead, you shiver. And of course he takes that to be a sign, his grin cheshire-cat-wide. 
“I’m sorry. Do I know you?” you take a moment to respond as you cover his hand with your own, moving it away from you. 
He’s tall, blonde, what many people would deem attractive. But his smile is too quick to appear and just lopsided enough to look practiced. “Not yet,” he says. “What are you drinking?”
“Nothing more now. Just water.”
Your tone is clipped, impersonal, and you hope he gets the message. 
If he does, he chooses to ignore it and steps even closer, reaching the same hand across your body and resting it against the bar, boxing you in against it. The proximity has your stomach sinking. 
Stephen — really, you’ve no idea what his name is, but he looks like a Stephen, and the type to spell it with a ‘ph’ over a ‘v’, just for the status of the extra letter — raises an eyebrow at you. “Just water? Come on, honey. What do you want? It’s on me.”
The pet name sounds wrong on his lips. You’re an FBI agent. You’ve dealt with the sickest people humanity has to offer, seen more in your short time with the team than most people see in their lives. You’re an excellent shot, giving even Morgan a run for his money. You should be more than capable of dealing with a freak who gets a little too close at the bar, for fuck’s sake. 
But you’re tired and a little dizzy, and the scent of his cologne makes your head spin in the wrong kind of way. Emily wouldn’t hesitate to shove him hard, and JJ wouldn’t get herself into this situation in the first place. You’re not Emily or JJ though. You’re just you. 
“Thank you, but I’m really not—” 
The bartender cuts you off to ask for your order, and you try to forget Stephen’s eyes on you as you rattle it off, opting for an extra glass of water just to spite him. 
He isn’t pleased, though his face says otherwise. “You don’t really want that. No strings, I promise. Just let me buy you a drink. Just one.”
You’ve had enough. “I’m not interested.” 
Now the smile drops from his face, leaving it a blank mockery of neutrality that makes you sure ‘no strings’ is an empty promise. He leans in even closer, and you suppress a wince at the sensation of his breath against your skin. “You know, you don’t have to play hard to get.” Stephen’s tone is rougher now, all of its artificial sweetness abandoned. He looks you up and down, eyes the neckline of your shirt with a frown. “It’s obvious what you’re looking for.”
Your throat constricts. The air is hot. Too hot. It’s all you can do to keep your hand steady as you pay for your drinks. “I told you, I’m not looking for anything. Or anyone.”
When the bartender slides your drinks across the bar, you rush to grab them, nearly spilling them in your haste to leave. You’re not that lucky. Stephen’s arm is still in your way. You don’t like how your breathing speeds up, chest heaving just a little despite your attempts to remain unfazed, but it’s all too much. 
Stephen opens his mouth to retort again. 
He doesn’t get far. 
“Move.”
 A new hand settles itself on your back, and its fingers curve ever so slightly around your hip. If you wanted to back away, there’d be more than enough room. But you don’t. 
Turning slightly in Hotch’s hold, you’re not surprised to see him issuing Stephen with the full force of his glare. The creep’s hand retreats, though he stays put otherwise.
“Here, sweetheart,” Hotch takes the tray from you, not even bothering to look at your ‘admirer’ again. His focus is on you, now, and his eyes are soft, one corner of his mouth curving up. “Thought you could use a hand. I think Prentiss might kill you if you drop another of her drinks.”
You manage to pull yourself together enough to roll your eyes. Of course he picks now to bring that up. “That was one time, Aaron. I don’t think she even remembers it.”
Now Stephen turns and walks to the other end of the bar, and you feel your shoulders loosen at the distance. 
Hotch notices, because of course he does. Instead of walking you back to your booth, he stays put and searches your face. “You okay?”
You nod. “Fine. I don’t know why I didn’t…”
Trailing off, you scan the bar. Garcia is laughing at something Prentiss says (some kind of story, based on the gestures she’s making). Reid watches them with fondness in his features, Morgan back and sitting by his side.
“You shouldn’t have had to do anything,” Hotch says quietly. His arm rests by his side now. “I think I’m going to head back. You want to go home?”
“Yeah. I’m gonna call a cab.”
He tilts his head, echoing your words from months ago with just a hint of a smirk playing at his lips. “Everyone and their mother is calling a cab. I’m driving you.”
“Hotch…” you sigh. You can’t trust yourself, now, not to say the wrong thing, not to comment on the something that’s changed between the two of you since you gave him a ride home, not to wonder if he’s noticed it too. 
“Let me do this for you. Please.”
His insistence is too gentle to argue with. 
“Okay.”
Hotch takes the tray of drinks, leading you back towards the rest of the team. 
“You’re an angel, honey,” Garcia tells you. She squeezes your hand in thanks as Hotch sets down the shots and hands you your water. If anyone noticed anything wrong, they don’t mention it, and you’re grateful for that small mercy.
“I think we’re going to head out now,” says Hotch. His hand hovers just above your back, almost touching you, as he goes on to explain that you aren’t feeling well and shouldn’t chance a cab.
You’re not too drunk to miss the communal grin passing through the group like the flu, so you file it away for later and hug the rest of the team one by one, giving Reid a tired smile and a wave goodbye. 
Hotch leads you out of the bar and out into the cold in search of his car. You feel yourself take a real breath for the first time in a while. 
“Are you alright?”
“Fine. Thank you,” you say, and mean it. The chill in the air helps to clear your head some. At the very least, you don’t feel nearly as drunk as you did inside. 
Hotch hums, unlocking the car. Climbing into the passenger seat, you can’t help but laugh.
“What?”
You look over at him, groan quietly. “You’re a liar, Aaron Hotchner. Your car is so much cleaner than mine.”
It really is. You glance over the interior in search of a coffee stain or a loose wrapper, but come up empty handed. 
“Guilty,” he shrugs. “And it’ll stay that way, if you behave.”
You’re pretty sure your brain short circuits when he puts his hand on the back of your headrest to reverse out of the parking spot. It takes you longer to respond than usual to his gentle taunting. When you do, it’s a little half-hearted. Maybe you aren’t as sober as you thought. 
“Please, Hotch. I’m not about to throw up in your car. I’m not that far gone.” 
“No. You’re not,” he pauses, opening the window anyway. “We’re back to ‘Hotch’, now? What happened to Aaron?”
You give him the most innocent look you can manage and plug your address into his satnav. “You’re right there.”
You’re pretty sure the look he gives you now is reserved for murderers. And clearly, on some occasions, you. 
Eventually, he relents. “You called me ‘Aaron’, earlier.”
“You called me ‘sweetheart’,” you blurt out before you can stop yourself. Resting your chin on your hand, you turn your head to look out of the window. You don’t want to see the smug expression you’ve come to recognise over the past few weeks, reserved almost exclusively for you. You know he wears it now. 
“Did I?”
You don’t answer. Your fingers move to cover your lips, as if that’ll stop you from making more of an idiot of yourself than you already have. 
Somewhere in the back of your mind, you register his sigh. “Look in the side pocket,” he says, his voice quiet.
“What?”
“In the compartment in the door. Take a look.” 
You follow his instructions, finding a few CDs tucked away there. You’re about to tease Hotch for his taste in kids’ audiobooks when you spot it, and feel your breath hitch. 
“Hotch…” You say, turning over the copy of Carole King’s Tapestry in your hands. It’s still wrapped in plastic, still new. Taking the disc out of its case, you look to him for permission before sliding it into the player. “When did you…?”
“Indiana. I saw it a few weeks ago, and it made me think.”
You press play, and I Feel The Earth Move floods the car. “You really didn’t have to—”
“—I wanted to,” he frowns as he says it, determination etched into his face. “I don’t have much of a collection, but it’ll get there.”
A comfortable layer of quiet settles between you as you watch the world move outside, late-night stragglers heading from offices with briefcases in hand, or stumbling out of nearby bars, arm-in-arm and laughing. It’s been a long while since you took that first journey alone with Hotch, since your determination not to think about him in any non-professional way wavered and cracked. Now, weeks later, you take turns to bring each other coffee in the morning. You ask him about Jack and revel in how content he is to talk about his son. You look at him and wonder if this slow, tentative thing you’ve built, this easy friendship, is all you’ll ever share.
If it is, you can’t bring yourself to be upset. But you glance at him now, his hair falling over his forehead, and think to yourself that it might not be.
Three songs or so later, Hotch turns into your street. You point out your apartment and wait for him to turn the engine off, but he doesn’t.
“Thank you for tonight,” you say, simply to have something to say that isn’t an admittal of something you really shouldn’t be confessing to. 
He hesitates. The car stays running. “You’ve got nothing to thank me for.”
You nod towards the CD player, pressing pause. Silence. “Thank you for this, then.”
“It was your idea,” Hotch says, “You’re a lot more thoughtful than you give yourself credit for.”
It’s sweet. Too sweet. 
You laugh at him. “God, you sound like a fortune cookie.”
“I’d make an excellent fortune teller.” 
There’s that tone again. It’s flat, but with something exasperated lingering beneath it, something fond.
“Go on, then. What’s in my future?”
He sighs. “A nasty hangover. And a text or two hundred from Garcia, complaining about hers.”
You snort in acknowledgement. “And what do you see in yours?”
Now he turns the engine off, leaning back against the headrest and turns to study you. His eyes trace from yours down to the curve of your lips, and to where your hands lay intertwined in your lap. For a long moment, he says nothing. Your breath is starting to turn the windscreen foggy. Then, with a gentle grip, he takes your hand and brings it to his lips, kisses the tender skin on the inside of your wrist. 
“If you’ll have me? Another very uncomfortable conversation with Strauss.”
Your soft, tired smile is answer enough. He leads you to your front door, kisses your forehead, and sees you inside. When that conversation is over, he promises, he’ll be driving you home much more often. 
It isn’t very long before he makes good on it, and Reid is a little richer.
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kingofspadescos · 5 months
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Astarion x Reader - All You Wanna Do
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Warnings - ANGST WITH GOOD ENDING
TW - Trauma, Sexual trauma mention
ALMOST MADE MYSELF CRY FROM THIS-
So in Six we all know Katherine Howard's (the pink one) song right? '
'All You Wanna Do'
And it goes through her lovers but how they only used her for her body?
Tell me that isn't Astarion.
Imagine after escaping Cazador (or at some point) he tries to get back out into the dating pool. He just wanted something, anything to make the numb feeling go away. And he thought he found it, but every day he'd wake up to an empty bed and every time he could feel more and more of himself break. Its an endless vicous cycle that he tries desperstly to break but fails inevitably.
He gives up, slinking back to the shadows and watching from afar.
But then one day when he slips out at night to visit a midnight market he accidently bumps into someone.
And it just so happens to be you.
He tilts his head when you smile up at him
"Sorry, sir, apprantly the skill of walking has alluded me" you said.
He's dumbfounded, a snarky remark at the tip of his tongue but unable to make it past his lips. How could it? You were truly breathtaking, the moonlight reflecting off your skin in a way he could only describe as ethereal.
And the way you looked at him, oh gods your eyes had him reeling. There was no hunger in them, no want, no lust, just embarrassment and genuine kindness, something he was not used to being the target of.
He could handle pure mindless need, but this? Such a sweet innocent little thing like you? Oh, no, he couldn't handle that. Not when you looked at him like he actually mattered in the world.
He barely managed out a stangled 'its fine' before dashing back to his dwelling...where he proceeded to lock himself away for days.
What else was he supposed to do? His heart was beating to another rhythm, a time that only meant heartbreak, anger, and self loathing. He couldn't handle it, not again.
But then, after a few days, a knock sounded at his door, and with caution he had opened it to find you there, holding his blade.
"Hi! You dropped this at the market a few days ago" you said "I asked around about you so I could find you, which was tremendously easy, apprantly there is only one known vampire around here."
And there that smile was again and those same eyes that had him crumbling.
"Thank you" he had coughed out, gently grabbing the blade. He wanted you out, far away from him as possible, just so he could function normally. But then your fingers accidently brushed his and he was almost done for.
Panic, excitement, fear, and hope came down on him in waves as he looked into your eyes again. He barely manged to stop himself from taking a step back as if the adoration and happiness that were captured in your eyes had physically pushed him.
"Well I should probably get going" you said turning to walk, and a new panic rose in his chest, the fear of never seeing you again.
"Wait!" He said too quickly for his own liking "come in for some tea, won't you? It's the least I could do to repay you."
From there you two go closer and closer, spending as much time together as possible. Each second he spent with you he felt his heart reach out towards you as if to embrace you and never let go.
But the fear was still there, the fear that he would get to close and you would leave him, just like everyone else.
However, the day came when you confessed. A new dagger in one hand and a rose in the other you looked up at him with those eyes. The same eyes he had yet to act normal about and told him you liked him and wanted him to be yours and you to be his.
The cold hand of panic that crippled his heart made an appearance, twisting the fear into his body and causing his knees to buckle. God's, he felt so stupid, felt so vulnerable and useless, but then a warmth surrounded him.
Your embrace.
You held him, arms tightly woven around his body keeping him secure to you.
"You can say no, you can tell me no" you had whispered, and he almost jumped at the out "but if you're willing to let me hold your heart ill shall cherish it til' the sun no longer shines and even then I shall create my own."
You had him in tears, hands clutching at you in desperation and head burying into your neck.
The rest of the night was spent with assurance and love, you guiding him through a simple kiss that led to nothing more.
And in the morning when he awoke, he cried again when he saw you curled into his side, hand clutching his with the intent of never letting go.
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strawberri-elixir · 3 months
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Sleepless nights
╰⇢ 24. I like- no- love you.
Warnings: not proof read very well
note: WRITTEN PART AGAINNN (shits happening y'all) also i think it's longer than the last written part(?) not too sure tho
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“Ready to go?” You turned to the boy in front of you. Everyone else had already left, leaving you and Yuta to get home on your own.
“Hm? Oh, yeah I’m ready to go.” The boy responds, looking back out towards the lake again.
You take the spot beside him, resting your arms against the railing and leaning your weight him. He didn’t respond, only letting out a small grunt when your bodies came in contact.
“What’s got you looking so serious?” Your eyes never leave the water.
“… nothing.” He sighed.
“Oh, didn’t you have something you wanted to tell me?”
“I’ll tell you later.” Yuta offered a small smile in hopes of getting you to drop the topic. You didn’t.
“Yeah like I believe that.” You playfully push the boy, tugging him back from the railing. “Come on! Let’s go home, you can tell me on the way.”
The two of you began walking around the lake, Yuta had suggested you take the long way around, to spend more time together, he told you.
It wasn’t long before the two of you found yourselves at park stationed near the entrance, where you eagerly dragged Yuta towards. You sat on the swings for a while, seeing how high you could go before launching yourself off and landing on the gravel.
“I win.” You give Yuta a cheeky grin as you stood a few inches ahead of him.
The boy gave you a playful pout, rolling his eyes as he went back to the swing set. He began swinging slowly, seemingly trying to find the right words to say.
“Yuta?” You chime. “What’s wrong?”
"It's nothing, just a little tired." He sighed.
"Let's go then." You took a hold of his hand and dragged him away towards your house. "You can tell me whatever you wanted to tell me on our way back."
Thus leading to Yuta's first failed attempt to confess of the night.
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The two of you ended up somewhere in town, strolling through the dimly lit streets as you passed stores and booths as you went.
"Come on! We're almost home." You pick up your pace as you dash under the street lights with Yuta jogging behind you.
"Slow down a bit." The dark haired boy calls out and his hand slips through your grip.
When you didn't slow down, Yuta let out a soft chuckle and ran after you, quickly catching up to you. He grabbed you hand and planted his feet, forcing you to an abrupt stop.
Only, the momentum you had was enough to throw off of your feet.
"Ack-" You fell backwards, grabbing for whatever you could to break your fall. And you managed to grab something. Or someone. You latched onto Yuta's arm and pulled him down with you.
"Why'd you drag me down??" Yuta pushed himself up with a smile.
"You're the one who sabotaged me in the first place!" You pull yourself up and wipe the dust off of your clothes.
"Nope. That was all you." He chuckled.
"Whatever." You roll your eyes and keep walking again.
"... really like..." You heard faint mumbling coming from behind you. Yuta was looking away with a blush on his face.
You stop walking, turning around to face him fully. "Did you say something?"
"Nope. Nothing at all." The boy started walking faster, brushing past you.
"Suit yourself." You shrug as you jog to catch up to him.
Meanwhile, Yuta is internally cursing himself out for chickening out once again. His second failure of the night.
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"You're good to shower now." You step into your room, refreshed and ready for bed.
"Okay." He grabbed his spare clothes from your closet and walked down that hall.
You were left alone with your thoughts as you heard the water running from the bathroom. It didn't take a genius to notice Yuta had been acting strange. But what was going on in his mind that he couldn't ask you for help?
As your thoughts continued to stir, you were completely oblivious to the fact that the water had stopped running and in stepped Yuta soaking hair and a towel around his neck. He immediately hopped into bed beside you, effectively pulling out your thoughts.
"Now what has you looking so serious." He smiled.
"We're best friends right?" You turn to look at him.
The boy looks at you with a confused look, like you had just said something ridiculous. "Of course we are, why?"
"You just seem so out of it today, like something's bothering you. And I just thought you'd tell me if anything was ever bothering you." You mumble.
Yuta gives you a soft look, he hadn't realized how different he was acting, or how much it bothered you. He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.
"No, nothing is bothering me. I just..." He trailed off.
"Just what?" Your curiosity peaked.
"Nah, it's nothing. Don't worry about, I promise you, I'm just tired." The boy offered you a weak smile before pushing himself up and off the bed. "I'm going to dry my hair, you go to bed first, alright?"
You let out a frustrated sigh, shifting your body to lay down and pulling the blanket over your shoulders. "Fine. Goodnight."
As Yuta walked out, you were once again left with your thoughts. So many questions were swirling about in your mind. What was he trying to say earlier? Why was he giving you such mixed signals? Does he secretly hate you? And he was planning on breaking off your friendship, but felt guilty about it because you guys had known each other for so long???
All your thoughts came to a halt as you heard the door open again. You stilled yourself as you felt Yuta's weight settle beside you. He let out a heavy sigh as he made sure to pull the blanket back up to cover you fully.
He looked over your shoulder to your face, checking for any signs of consciousness. When he saw none, he leaned closer, and pressed a gentle kiss on your cheek.
"I like- no- love you." He pulled away. "I'm such an idiot."
The boy settled under the blankets and fell asleep, completely unaware that you had heard the entire thing.
Third time's a charm... kind of.
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Masterlist | Next
fun facts:
— you forced yuta to sit in the baby swing as you pushed him (he got stuck)
— yuta is a heavy ass sleeper
taglist: closed!
@sur-i-ki @aespaforlifersyall @camilo-uwu @butterflyqueen234 @shinsukeee @tanchosanke @meguemii @lees-chaotic-brain @you-always-made-me-blush @jayathelostdragon @chilichopsticks @polarbvnny
@frumira @sad-darksoul @hellyyy06 @rosieandthethorns @zellwa @iluv-ace @h3xi2g0n3 @morgyyyyyyy @bellaabee082 @koiir @g0rep1ty @k4romis @beaniedoodz @seventhcinema @macimcnaron @pumpkin6969 @wowowwin @neigee @someonethatisnobody @vndl-1 @yoyo-yui
@blehtotheblehtothebleh @c4ttheart @blogforblorboscreaming @creative1writings @tiredjxnna @mint129106 @mentallyunstablemanlover @anianurst @milesmorals @sleepytoges @azulsmermaidprincess @toges-cough-syrup @liveincans @jals-stuff @yievieslxt @yell-lemonade @inupibaldspot @hyssoplampflickers @lilysaltwater
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webslingingslasher · 10 months
Note
Hi Mm this is socks lmao, but could I request something with reader having a horrible day where everything goes wrong, nothing feels right, and she's tired of like carrying the world and everyone one else on her back and Peter is just the sweetest guy ever babying her and hold her while she cries? Yep that's me, but with no Peter
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sowwy it took so long, i had a few requests for this and put them all in one giant pot. i also hope everyone here is feeling better ❤️
Totally broken, you just needed someone to hold you. 
It had been an awful day of an awful week of an awful month. Punch after punch, you couldn’t take anymore. Holding yourself the entire walk to the frat house, only allowing yourself to sniffle and keep a steady flow of tears, nothing too hysterical to pass in public. 
Almost tripping over a curb you choke back a sob, all you could do was manually breathe and think of the path to the house. You weren’t even sure why you wanted to go there anyways, you’d never gone to Peter before all upset and choked up. 
And knowing him, he’d hate it and send you away informing you that taking care of your crying mess wasn’t in his job description. 
Focusing on breathing, you knocked at the solid door and prayed Peter would answer, save for any of his brothers mid breakdown. But, like most of today and this week, things did not go in your favor. 
“Trouble?”
He wasn’t your boy. 
“Is Peter here?” shoddy breaths, you’re about to collapse in a sob, you shouldn’t be here. “Actually, nevermind, I’m,” you inhale sharply, tears skip down your cheeks, “I’m, um, gonna go home.” 
Spinning on your heel a warm hand closed around your wrist tugging you inside, “no, you’re not. Parker would fucking kill me if I let you leave like this.” Wiping your cheeks and trying to pull away, “he wouldn’t want to deal with me, I should…” shaking his arm off and trying to make a dash before he caught you by the hood of your jacket. 
Gagging you pull at the neckline, “what the fuck, Ethan?” 
“Parker!” He calls up the stairs, adrenaline killing your tears, trying to pull away but useless in his grip. Jerking the fabric, trying to release it from his hold, “let go, Ethan!” 
“Parker!” Wincing at the shriek in your ear, “see? He doesn’t care, I sho-” 
Your shoes squeak on the floor, holding your jacket as far as you could from your neck when Ethan dragged you across the landing of the house, fumbling into his chest to stop the tension. He was being anything but gentle, raising his fist to pound at the wall. 
“Parker! Get the fuck down here!” 
While trying your last attempt to break free, Ethan twists the hood in his hold, causing you to pause in an awkward position, if you moved you’d be choked. “Ethan, I swear to fucking god I’ll-” 
“Park-” 
Stomps on the stairs.
“Say my fucking name one more time, Keznek, I fucking dare you.” 
Like a deer in headlights, you freeze. The second Peter hits the landing his frustration was washed into concern, not even caring his brother and best friend was watching, pouting all soft. You weren't crying anymore but the evidence showed, written all over your face was a cry session.
“My baby,” feathersoft, his words scooped you up and held you. Ethan’s hand dropped the second Peter took a second step, abandoning post and taking the stairs two steps at a time. Standing in front of you, his thumbs run under your eyes, “why’s my girl so sad, hm?” 
Suddenly, that lump in your throat you’ve been swallowing won’t stay down. Blinking fast trying to stop tears, which fails useless as your bottom lip trembles and he’s being so soft and he’s never been this comforting before. A sob escapes, the dam breaks. 
Peter’s never seen you cry before, you’ve called him once before while upset and he thought that hurt him. Watching you cry and desperate for air makes him break, he’s never had a girl come to him so broken. He doesn’t even know what to do or say, “give me a cuddle, c’mon, I know how happy that makes you!” 
Instantly you’re wound around him, exhaling shaky breaths in his chest while he scratches slowly at your back. Tears bleed through his shirt but he doesn’t say a word, he thinks he might be making it worse because you’re getting worse. 
Racking breaths made him push you away, he was genuinely scared you’d pass out. 
“Okay, c’mon. Take a breath and follow me, okay?” Choking as you gasp, his hand holds yours tight until you reach a room off the kitchen, Peter sits on the edge of a couch and holds your hands. “Deep breath, baby.” You try to do it but fail, whimpering an apology. “I’m not asking you to stop crying, I just need you to breathe.” 
It’s weak but he takes it, “one more for me,” it’s smoother this time, rubbing at an eye to clear your vision. Gulping, you force yourself to take another deep breath, this one ceasing the tears for the moment. 
Peter pushes himself backwards to sit on the couch, patting the small spot next to him you follow the command. Your butt in the small space, legs thrown over his lap. “You almost knocked yourself out, trouble.” 
He’s trying to lighten the mood but you just feel vulnerable and sad, resting your cheek on his shoulder you sniff. Voice breaking at the words, “I’m really sad, petey.” And fuck, he hates that nickname, but the way you uttered it, like a child with a terrible confession, made him want to hold you and never let you leave. 
Hands tickle up and down your legs, “wanna tell me why?” 
Blowing a shaky breath you shug, a tear falls when you blink. 
“I mean, everything?” To Peter, it sounds like you’re holding back and he won’t stand for it, not until he knows what made his girl cry like that. 
“I’m here for you to unload, I’m trying to take that,” he gestures to your body, “and put it here,” crumpling the tension into a ball and forcing it into his heart. 
“I failed my math test, I was fired from the campus store, Zoe and Lana are fighting and they want me to pick a side but I know they’ll get over it and then I’ll always be the asshole that chose a side, and to top it all off my sister called me and I felt like it was my job to give relationship advice cause,” you give a dry laugh, “obviously, I’m in the right position to tell people about their shit boyfriend.” 
A shit sandwich, you were right. Everything was wrong. 
“What can I do for you?” 
Because he feels helpless, but he’s done more than enough already. 
“Just… hold me.” 
“I can do that.” 
And he does, even a little longer after you said you were finally okay. 
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frenchkisstheabyss · 11 months
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♡ atomic blonde♡
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♡ Pairing: boyfriend!mingi x chubby!fem!reader
♡ Summary: Comforting your boyfriend after he gets a new look gets you into trouble but the good kind.
♡ Genre: smut w/ a dash of fluff
♡ Word Count: 1.4kish
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♡ Warnings: oral sex (m & f receiving), unprotected sex (ya'll know better), creampie, a lil spanking, scratching, nibbling, some rough play (nothing major), pet names (baby, my girl, etc).
♡ A/N: Mingi's wrecking me and I am not okay. Just FYI.
@anyamaris save me from myself
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“You hate it” Mingi sighs, staring at his choppy blonde hair in the mirror. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision to take a pair of scissors to his hair. He had no plan going into it. Only that he needed to do something…anything…different to get out of his own head. But you can see it all over his face that he's second-guessing it. Stepping into the bathroom, you dodge the clumps of fire-red hair scattered across the tiles, to get a closer look at your boyfriend’s new hair. “I love it” you smile sweetly, rocking back and forth on the balls of your feet.
Mingi watches you in the mirror for a moment, skeptical. He tousles his hair, trying and failing to style it. “It’s okay. You don’t have to lie.” You grab his arm, turning him to face you. “Hey, look at me,” you say, momentarily losing yourself in those gorgeous pools of sable he calls eyes, “When have I ever lied to you?” Mingi cracks a faint smile, his lips pressed together to keep him from full-on cheesing. “Never.” You play with his hair a bit, gathering them into small spikes. “Exactly. I think it looks pretty hot. I’d definitely throw my panties at you.” 
Your comment gets a laugh out of him precisely as you intended. All you ever want to do is see that adorable smile of his. It’s your favorite thing in the world. Sometimes Mingi gets down on himself, wondering if he is, in fact, good enough in one way or another. When you feel that way, doubt weighing heavy on your shoulders, he makes sure to remind you how special you are. “Yesterday, today, and tomorrow” he likes to say. A small reminder that you were, are, and always will be perfect in his eyes.
Pinching his cheeks, you plant a quick kiss on his peachy lips. “Yesterday, today, and tomorrow, remember?” Mingi nods, feeling all of the blood rush to his cheeks. He turns back to the sink, rubbing his cheeks to chase that rosy hue away. “Anyway…” he mumbles, shifting his focus to cleaning up his mess. “Anyway?” you scoff, rolling your eyes, “I’m glad we could have such a touching conversation. I have to get started on dinner. I’m out of here.” You walk off with your arms folded across your chest and your nose in the air. As fake offended as a girl could ever be.
You make it a few steps down the hall before Mingi’s behind you, his arms around your chubby figure as he trails kisses along your neck. “What was that you were saying about throwing your panties at me?” You giggle, your body wriggling against his, “That’s what you got out of what I said? Really?” You never wear pants around the house, a habit he’s grateful for when he easily squeezes your fluffy thighs. It tickles enough that you twist away from him, stumbling backward. “Mingi…I have things to do!” He raises an eyebrow at you, taking one step forward for each one you take back.
“So do I.” “Aah!” you squeal, being pulled into an intoxicating kiss. Even with your eyes closed, paralyzed by the artful way his tongue dances with yours, you’re seeing stars. Holding you firmly by the hips, he guides you into the bedroom without even looking. Your shirt’s being pulled up over your head before you make it through the doorway with his following right behind. When he gets like this he has a one-track mind. Nothing else matters. He only wants one thing and it’s you. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, you run a hand across his lean chest, the other palming his thick bulge through those godforsaken gray sweatpants.
An invention by the devil if there ever was one. Mingi’s knees nearly buckle from the unexpected friction. Each time you brush your palm against him he gets harder and the warmth between your legs intensifies. By the time his sweatpants are at his ankles, his leaking tip on your tongue, he’s throbbing. Placing your tongue on the underside of his head, you lick upward, collecting his precum on your tongue. Mingi pets your cheek, watching intently as you take him into your mouth, your warm, tight lips hugging his length with no room to spare. “So…fucking…beautiful,” he says, each word broken by the flutter of your cheeks.
There’s something about feeling the pulsing veins of his cock through your cheek, your head rocking back and forth, that he can never get enough of. You gag the tiniest bit when he hits the back of your throat, knowing how insane it drives him when you take more than you can handle. He can already sense that familiar feeling prickling in his stomach. Shit, why were you so good at this? Mingi grabs you by the neck, not too hard, just enough to rip himself from your mouth with a wet suctioning noise. You look up at him so innocently, proud of being able to push him to the brink that quickly.
“Bend over” he commands, your gentle giant replaced with something more domineering. You slide back on the bed, spreading your legs to expose your moisture. “Only if you say please.” Without a word, he reaches out to stroke your clit through the thin lace. Your breaths grow shallow when his fingers push the fabric to the side, sinking into you until his knuckles are flush against you. “Please” he whispers, rotating his wrist at just the right angle to have you pushing against him for more only to snatch his fingers away, “Pretty…pretty…please”. “Mmhmm” you whine, tossing your panties behind you and getting on all fours.
This view of you is so tempting. That juicy ass of yours sticking out. Your pussy so wet and desperate to take him. Taking a deep breath, he gets his head together. Not yet. A marvelous sting radiates through your body when he palms your ass with a slap, pushing you forward to lap at your entrance. “Mingi, fuck, yes” you’re moaning and he’s thrusting his tongue into you. He brings his fingers back up to massage between your petal-soft folds. Each time your body quivers, pert nipples dragging against the bed heightening your pleasure, it only deepens his hunger for you. The way he’s devouring you, drinking you down like a man who hasn’t had water in days, has you screaming every filthy word you know into the sheets.
Shit. Fuck. Goddamn it. Motherfucker. “Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me” you cry out, nearly throwing a tantrum, an explosion brewing in your core. You feel his husky laugh vibrate against you. “What was that?” he taunts, flipping you onto your back and climbing on top of you. You lick yourself off of his lips, dragging him into a kiss. “Fuck…me” you moan down his throat. He drives into you, your body immediately erupting into shivers as your walls clamp around him. Your world's shattering. Your heart's racing. Is he trying to kill me? The room’s spinning. You’re lightheaded. I might be dying. Worth it.  
“Is my girl gonna cum for me?” he’s almost singing, nibbling at your bottom lip. Your nails digging into his back is as close to an answer as he’s gonna get and it’s enough for his motions to grow harsher. Your ears are ringing, eyes rolling to the back of your head. Such a mess you’re making creaming all over him like this. “That’s it, baby. Mmm” he coos, keeping his pace even as the overstimulation tears you apart, but that doesn’t last long. Soon his motor skills go to hell and he’s pouring into you, whispering praises into your cleavage.
Your bodies go limp together, your muscles as strong as a pot of boiled spaghetti. Mingi flops down beside you, struggling to catch his breath. Out of the corner of your eye, you see your panties near your head. You pick them up, throwing them on his head. “There, I threw my panties at you.” “I’ll…treasure…these…forever” he pants, twirling them around his finger. You cozy up to him, resting your head on his chest. “You know, that’d be a nice color on you.” “Hmm?” You gesture towards your panties, “The pink.” Mingi stares at them, weighing his options. “Pink” he sighs, kissing you on the bridge of your nose, “I like it.”
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🍸 Harry Crosby headcanons
18+ -helluva lot of nsfw under the cut but interspersed with a lotta fluff and domesticity…to me that’s the appeal of this man, cannot be separated one from the other: the unassuming sweater wearing vet at the block party is also a man of hidden depths.
Long promised and woefully incomplete, the word count was getting out of hand so I’m tossing it out, there’s more where this came from. Not edited so, apologies
Entirely co-written by myself and my comrogue @crazymadpassionatelove , enhanced and bedazzled by chats with @ab4eva including special additions from other guests who commented under my announcement post, credit is given at each specific point for their contributions
|screencap cred grabbed from: @hawkinsfuller
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First off let me say it’s been ages since I read A Wing and A Prayer. I remember loving it, loving him and I cannot stress how much I respect and admire the real Harry Crosby and his Jean, the Missus of our dreams.
This is purely for fun, a heavy mix of both Boyle’s portrayal and a tad of Crosby’s real life vibes as taken from his accounts by me. Sometimes you gotta take historical figures’ virtues in one area -say navigation and math- and translate it to the more suggestive aspects of life -say, how to find a clitori- *gunshot*
Because this man’s biography is the most oral-leaning, drink-your-respect-women-juice book ever. Ok, almost ever. For a wwii book at least. Uhem so -I am prejudiced, sue me.
See, sometimes it’s the quiet, stressed ones with a self consuming desire to please who have the cozy sweaters and the attentive appreciation for your interests and the stubby fat schlongs and the propensity to keep you in suburban comfort all your days
The compulsive drive to call you “button” and be on time for church and thank you for your scrambled eggs each morning with eager kitchen countertop oral before waking you children up with annoyingly soft catchphrases they’ll recite fondly at his funeral: “rise and shine” etc
Also back to the perfectly respectable schlong for just a moment -This is a Thing! Justice for the perfectly adequate plug stoppers, not everyone needs a rolling pin, who can resist giving head when the head is the same gorgeous color as his lips?!
Mr Crosby is skipping off to lecture college kids about literature post-war with a pep in his step that you put there without fail, you can’t help it, it’s as essential as the matching “his and hers” coffee mugs you bought during your honeymoon
Cookies slightly burned cuz you’re busy as bunnies in the bathroom while the kids ride bikes in the cul-de-sac is a Crosby staple
This is a man who as husband keeps you well supplied with mixers and microwaves and cute little nighties and also loves your brain -SCORE.
Loves to gift you with bath oil and fun stuff to smell good. He's into lavender. It benefits him in the end, loves to sit on the edge of the tub and just talk with you for ages
Croz’s go-to distresser is to have Jean sit on his face until his vision spots
She knows as soon as he walks in the door. Fixes him a Shirley Temple, takes him by the hand to the bedroom and …..boom.
De—stressed
As for the ptsd nightmares? He just barely starts to thrash in his sleep and Jean is rolling that man over and taking matters into her own hands
You’re Jean now, you do realize that don’t you? It was never ever going to be anyone but Jean
This man leaves love letters on your pillow, in your apron pocket, in the dash of your car anywhere at all that you’re likely to be. All of this even though he’s gonna be home by six that evening.
Also, hear me out: lots of evenings he just lays down next to you for ages, facing each other on your sides, absentmindedly mapping your body with his calloused palms and fingering you for ages while talking about Persuasion.
Actually gives a shit about your opinions too, and not in the way of wanting to argue them. When you make a good point his eyes get even droopier and he grabs your neck and…
“You're one smart cookie Mrs Crosby”
“My clever, wise, beloved…”
Honestly though, deep connections and the ability to go vulnerable, and if those moments are often concluded with little laughs to shake off the moment -it doesn’t diminish it
Can actually talk about dying to you, not in a morbidly preoccupied way, but he can face it and admit it and be vulnerable enough to acknowledge the likelihood
Then get on with what needs doing
He appreciates how well you grow to know him, and he in turn makes a lifelong study of you
Also, this man is so highly attuned to your well being.
Yes you have to put up with his stress but for you? He will man-up repeatedly and without thought. He doesn’t even think twice about just up and leaving whatever situation is tiring you. did you see him hop up to get the fuck outta that bar fight? Yeah so, you’re bored? Tired? Stressed? It’s not even machismo it’s just a homebody not giving a fuck with the subtext of “my wife and I would like to go home and read and cockwarm”
Often gives the shiftiest excuses to army buddies and coworkers just to go home and hang with you, swears he has to repair that squirrel feeder -or that an alligator is in his swimming pool, “sorry guys maybe drinks next week”
Don’t tell the guys but…HE PAINTS YOUR TOENAILS
Maybe some of your high school friends snickered about Harry Crosby way back when. Making googly eyes at you and barely getting out the most stammered greetings? Bookish and a little clumsy at times?
Ha, you won in the end
He comes home in one piece, that beautiful schlong still intact
you prayed for that ok?
“Lord keep my husband safe -- and his girthy manhood in tact as well” …for the babies you’re hoping for of course...just that… kneeling in silk pajamas each night, adding this addendum with a blush but was always faithful to keep it in your prayers
Sometimes you have that thought in church as well...so you has to take a couple deep breaths and calm yourself...it's because you want children...not because you’re already so sprung off this man's dick after only a couple weeks of married life.
weeks that feels like a lifetime ago now, by the way
Prim and lovely Jean Crosby staring off into stained glass worlds thinking of having her tight little hole tugged open and her guts rearranged, it’s even worse than her thoughts prior to the wedding, because she’s had the experience, then suddenly it was ripped away
And she’s empty and scared to death for him
She gets asked to sing at the funeral of a lieutenant who never even got off the ground during a training flight,
work and church and such are hopeless distractions
Wanders through the department store wondering if every other wife misses this way, does everyone feel the same primal ache?
Dear Jean Crosby terribly worried she’s a freak yet entirely unrepentant for it
But ya know what’s probably funny? Across the ocean Harry Crosby is sometimes so direly missing his wife in the carnal way that he just about spaces out too, and god knows there’s zero privacy anywhere and the showers are the showers but like???? it’s just a no-go most times and everyone gets very confused when he’s in this mood?? Not at all suspecting baser distractions are what’s at play. Somehow someone figured it out, maybe he actually snapped a little about having five seconds to himself while reading a letter and they’re like
OH
And somehow there seems to suddenly be five minutes or so when NO ONE but Crosby is in the showers?!
It only takes him two minutes to get there but he needs to stand there catching his breath and clutching at his heart while he thinks of Jean sprawled beneath him
This is probably Douglass’ doing? Because he’s a good dude, he doesn’t underestimate Croz AND he’s a dirty little bastard himself
“Fellas, the man got himself a wife while half of you guys are virgins? Of course he has urges?”
In a quiet, rare moment, Gale bends his ear -Harry is so modest and low key...unlike some folks *looking at you Bucky*- “So, uh, where'd ya say you and the missus went off to before ya came here?“
Gale’s gotta casually open the door for this conversation “Lots of good sights to see? I, um, haven't done much traveling myself”
It takes Croz a few conversations until he realizes just what Gale means, until then there’s a lot bewildered eyebrows at the inquiry and bashful appreciation for the interest: “Major Cleven I-I already told you, sir, we had a little cabin in the Alleghenies for a week?“
He's been telling Jean about Major Gale Cleven, about how she'd really like him. Gale is a good fella. He tells her about all their "travel talk"
Until one day Jean writes back: “Oh honey, that Cleven of yours is a virgin”
Whether Harry divulges to Gale anything he learned about ladies in that little cabin in the mountains writhing before a fire on a bearskin rug, that first time Harry actually didn’t stop and ask if Jean was dying every time she made a noise but instead, kept going until her cried properly built and she screamed…
well, it was probably an abbreviated account that mostly consisted of “wives are just wonderful people, Major Cleven” with a far off look in his eyes
Gale leaves him to it after all- Harry was married for like 3 seconds before he left, It's literally either playback of the last horrific mission or thinking of the curve of her spine
He gets the dreamiest look on his face, eyes all shiny, mouth a little slack
Somehow these two can be so passionate and yet it’s so wholesome and good and angelic?!!! It’s the allure of them
Because it’s all in these gentle and safe and good boundaries? Like it isn’t complicated and yet it’s not simple and it’s neither settling nor is it turbulent. something to be said for “doing it right”
They genuinely thank God for each other, they’re so sure it was always intended to be just them
I have 1k of headcanons just for the homecoming ok? Y’all will have to request those separate
But once home:
The eye contact they make at social events?? It’s a whole language, the most loving and adorable thing ever
He may not be a real gem of a singer but he’s an excellent hummer. so much gentle humming around the house while he’s fixing the stove light or rocking a baby to sleep or-
You know what I mean don’t you? Some men can just humm and you’re instantly wet? No I don’t mean humming a Billie Holliday tune
I mean humming when you make a new reaction to his incessant fingering while he’s reading, makes him look away from the page and arch a brow, highly inquisitive puppy dog look on his face, reading glasses pulled down.
*a new spot? After all this time? Must investigate further*
This man, when in his element, is a goddamn tease, he’s impossible, he’s goofy, he makes sex the joyous sacrament its supposed to be every damn time and he ain’t shy to remain stark naked for ages
Praise kink for miles in that, once you’ve praised him, he will keep doing whatever earned it for the next two hours. Brace yourself
He can recite your favorite literature passages (he knows them and took pains to memorize them by your tenth anniversary) when he’s gently plowing you from the back with his hand on your neck and your ear lob in between his teeth
He’s a biter my friends -gotta keep quiet somehow, can’t scar the passel of children y’all made, after all
So many excuses given to kids about “mama and I need to talk about the mortgage” -very rarely is mortgage even thought of once the door is closed and locked
But that brings us back to the early days, it’s one thing to know someone so well after all those years but the early days?
Two Virgins named Jean and Harry went straight from the chapel to fucking like Bunnies before he went to war
Harry had done his research tho. All that reading…
Harry Crosby totally ate his wife out on their wedding night.
even though he’d never really seen a full vagina before
he’s a bit methodical, yeah? At first? with a hint of overly flustered and terribly delighted
So I’m just picturing him like hunkering down there, tentative but firm hands on your thighs: “to get my bearings, honey pie” as he takes in the lay of the land
because there’s a lot happening down there on a lady, ok? -there’s petals and more petals and slippery slopes and little buttons and a tiny hole that has to be for pee, no way he’s supposed to go in that one?! but, but she doesn’t have another? Well the backdoo- no can’t even think of that. Oh god ok, ok, vaginal opening, -I guess that’s a vaginal opening?! and due north, a little button that makes her squeak when I touch it. ok ok, might as well start there…
I can see him with a metaphorical pencil behind his ear, ready to jot down notes
Jeanie finally sighs and grips him by the ears and hauls him up for a kiss and just grinds against him and insists it’s lovely
“just kiss me, silly.” she says to him after awhile.
“Mmm, I do like kissing you, Jean” he grins back
he’s naturally kissing his way to her boobs and staying there a lovely long time but she starts pushing at his dark head, *hint hint* lower down her belly and lower, and lower and he’s so caught up he doesn’t even realize it until there’s a sweet little patch of curls under his chin and he looks up with the oddest expression of curiosity and doubt on his face only to be met with Jean’s expectant eyebrow
She wouldn’t want me to?—-*ah, she just face planted me in pussy, ok then*
Lapping at it with the biggest grin, there may or may not have been some noise complaints
the whole apartment complex just knows he’s a good husband, never would peg him as a stud if you met him in the hallway but, Jean sure takes forever to say goodbye to him in the mornings so he must do something right
All the neighbors just can't help but be happy for those two kids
They cook them food and leave the casserole dishes on the landing so they can savor each other for as long as possible before he leaves
Next Sunday they show up at church like dutiful little Americans and they’ve got hickies everywhere and his cheeks are a permanent pink, Her knees are red and raw under her church dress
I feel like maybe they get a little adventurous as their time together draws to a close? Maybe they break a dining room chair? She's too mortified to put it out on the curb
*saves it for 50 years*
Some of those wedding china ends up in pieces on the floor. Can't explain to her aunts why they don't have a full set all of a sudden
i really hope he never loses that occasional hair trigger premature ejaculation tendency.
Sometimes it even shocks him, “O-Oh...shoot”
The last day together is a dismal and precious night
The poor man probably laid there on her sweaty boobs after blowing his last load with the saddest *fml* face on as he processed it being, indeed, his last
But HOMECOMING!
and now the war is over they can set up house and make babies
A small breeding kink, after all, these men marched home from war and basically were told "get a job and let's repopulate for all the boys we lost!"
It’s so damn primal when you think about it but under the veneer of the starched and polished 50’s
Croz can't think straight in that tight little hole, let alone think of the ramifications of another baby
“Give it to me, give me another, come on Harry, we've got an empty space in the Christmas card anyway, think of it!! fill me up baby oh godddd Jesus bless your pretty dick-*
it’s the most mundane reasons and he still busts a nut like she’s some filthy vixen and not his sweet and slightly too optimistic wife
frantic love making with a sweater and socks still on, too
Jean is a writher because the longer they are married the longer he lasts and soon she’s come and he just keeps going and she cannot keep quiet then and he’s too big to ignore or calm down between, just thick enough to always be tugging just right and she fully sobs from it sometimes
Often she’s trying to cup herself?!? Fully spasming and shaking and curling in but his strong forearm is over her belly and his lips on her ear
This man is a god at spooning sex
she is so cock feral when she falls pregnant it almost alarms him
The books didn't say anything about this?! He's exhausted and dehydrated and his classes are suffering as a result
Wants to ask Egan if he encountered this phenomenon
His war buddies become a new father support group
"Hang in there pal, only three more months"
They’ll be in the kitchen just chatting before dinner, she wants to tease him. Scoops a little cherry pie filling onto her finger. He licks it and sucks it off -- bites the finger too, in the background dogs are barking and kids are running amuck
As the Crosbys you’re in for a life of very benign but nauseatingly idyllic Christmas parties.
Snow globes, y’all
Sweaters, spiked eggnog and very well thought out gifts
Harry is the sort to carry Jean's purse when they are out shopping and she is trying on clothes. He also has no problem going and buying her sanitary napkins at the drugstore when she's on her period, because it's completely normal and there's nothing for anyone to be embarrassed about. Basically, he is just stupidly in love with her. He's like a puppy who will always follow, but she doesn't take advantage of that fact (credit to:@noneedtoamputate)
He is Harry “Have You Met My Wife?” Crosby back home, too, it’s even worse when he gets tipsy and his confidence grows and good luck shutting him up about how beautiful she is
This is the sorta man whose kids only learn Daddy was a goddamn boss during the war when they’re outta college, a very casual “oh yeah, that was sort of a thing, pass the salt.”
It’s canon this man cut his own son’s hair all his little life, propped him up on a little stool in the back yard and got to trimming -some of the only times the boy ever heard of those devastating missions
Imagine? Same man who used to take you out on the porch into the night air and rock against his sweater when you were a baby and wouldn’t settle is the same man who bombed the hell outta Fortress Europe
He’s the kind of man whose kids are so enamored over how both sides of the coin could settle in the same man, they end up making a documentary about him
Now I also need you to think of this man at bath time in the early 50’s -Shirt sleeves rolled up, top two buttons on his pristine white button up shirt popped with a peak of chest hair showing through, his curls getting steamed by his kids bubble baths
He’s got the prettiest slightly hairy forearms, y’all -according to Jean at least
Gives himself a bubble beard to make his kids laugh, will stay on his knees watching them play for ages, fully participating
His white shirt gets fully transparent with all this splashing and Jean has to really keep her mind on what’s next when she can so easily see his hair and pretty little nipples pebbled in a chill under them. Stops her whining about water on the floor in seconds.
Harry’s already hushing her and mopping it up with a towel anyway
The Crosby kids will have memories of their idiotically in love and enthralled parents who loved being parents, wrapping their baby selves snuggly into towels and setting them on the counter and just cracking up over how cute they looked with their chubby and shiny widdle faces poking out of terry cloth
Jean and Harry spend a lotta time doing that, they just love their kids, ok?
Brushing their cute little Croz curls
Jean can’t say no to a single one with their sad puppy eyes their daddy gave them
Sometimes they sit the kids in front of the fireplace (they obviously needed a house with a fireplace after that honeymoon) and line them up. Talk about them as if they aren't sitting right there. "Honey, look at those gorgeous eyes -- and his smile! Oh my, who do these cuties belong to?"
But it’s not all placid domesticity. Picture this:
Crosby with a mega phone, organizes a neighborhood Easter egg hunt. He's in charge, his aviators on, taking this so seriously
There are maps, he’s planned this for weeks, some of those traits and skills he picked up during the war come back at the oddest times
this gets even more intense if any of the war buddies are there
Harry writes letters to them strategizing, they all come and bring their own kids
It makes the local paper for being one of the biggest Easter egg hunts the state has ever seen
Night falls, children fall asleep and there are still some eggs left. Armed with booze and flashlights, the boys go out to collect the rest
Harry and Jean don't collect any though, they end up in a bush necking somewhere
Bucky gets very adamant about finding them and Brady is just as adamantly begging him not to
But Major Egan cannot be stopped, he rallies his men, hopping on the kids’ bikes and scooters
Everyone heckling each other in the dark suburban neighborhood
"Ya lost your touch Buck, keep up will ya?"
They all end up in a schnapps induced heap in the Crosby's backyard, long limbs all folded up on too small equipment
Jean and Harry leisurely stroll back up the street under lamp glow to their house where everyone is feral and collapsed and calling loudly for their hosts
Sharing soft little smiles and picking twigs out of each others hair
They tuck these idiot men in on the couches and floor, blankets, sleeping bags and dogs
Hear me out: Jean is the only human able to talk a belligerent Bucky out of his thirtieth beer
She has that sweet way about her that makes every person wanna be a better man for her
When he finally gives in and throws his arm over her little shoulders and swears she’s a good woman, Harry is there with the pan and the aspirin and the blanket
She makes them all the most perfect hangover breakfast the next morning, gingham checked apron stretched over swollen belly
Harry nuzzles her belly when she stops at his plate to dish up the eggs
Everyone wants to gag over how perfectly content these two are but that would be a waste of the best breakfast in the USA
And if Jean happens to make the best baked goods on the block - Croz is making sure everyone knows just who’s muffins those are on the bake sale table. Or if she wants to pursue a career or education? Harry is her biggest cheerleader, doing anything and everything to support her and being sure that everyone knows how incredible she is at what she does. (Credit @blurredcolour)
They may be the sweater wearing, block party and Sunday school couple but don’t think anybody gets away with being snide to Mrs. Jean Crosby -there will be comeuppance, even if it’s just an exquisitely literate verbal evisceration.
There's even more often a roaming band of local kids who kick the shins of everyone who's mean to Mrs. Crosby, because she gives them sweets and feeds them when they're hungry and cleans up their scrapes when play gets too rough and -if Mr. Crosby hands out a comic or two to the boys that "accidentally" tripped some bloke who was harassing his wife, well. All is fair in love and war. (Credit to @promptedwordsmith)
When in the summer of 49 the Crosbies get a swimming pool dug? It might as well be considered public property.
not just the kids who are attached to the crosbies, though. your home is a constant revolving door of visitors - including a bunch of ex-servicemen. if it's not bucky lounging in the pool, or rosie painting the fence in his shirtsleeves because he wanted to be helpful, then douglass is smoking a cigarette in the yard while trying to make you laugh. ev is asking harry to show him how to read this goddamn map bc they're supposed to be taking a trip to the grand canyon in a month, and bubbles is over for dinner every other night. even brady sometimes shows his face, if only to carp at harry for getting them lost over france that one time while working the barbecue because you asked him to. when you and harry bought the house with an extra room you weren't sure you would ever use, you didn't expect it to be occupied as often as a popular hotel. if anyone ever had any bad intentions toward the crosbies, they're definitely rethinking it. those that don't...well. being in the air corps teaches one all sorts of creative ways of getting back at people. (Credit to @fidelias)
Imagine all the different skills the Crosby kids (_and their neighbor friends who never seem to leave_) learn from these guys?
“Oh yeah, Bucky Egan taught me how to swim while wearing his aviators…”
In other words:
Harry Crosby went home and built himself a little Norman Rockwell Camelot and then opened the doors of the kingdom to his buddies and -that’s as it should be.
And that’s not even mentioning how the Air Force and the CIA walked up to his front porch and interrupted a backyard ballgame to ask him for his help
It sucks to be super smart and needed when all ya wanna do is teach literature, go camping and help keep the church life going
But still
Jean sure looked good in Pakistan, the kids enjoyed a new culture and Harry likes to say he may have done some good
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shadebloopnik · 21 days
Text
Angelic Alastor AU
"Al!"
The angel turned to the voice and the sound of flapping wings just in time to see the two Archangels land behind him. The smaller of the two- with porcelain skin, rosy cheeks and an otherworldly beauty, bounded towards him full of energy. Golden eyes peered up at him as he spoke.
"Just finished with our spar, and Michael said he loved the hat! I told you it was a good idea!", Lucifer spoke, deep chuckles seeming to brighten the area by its mere presence. He punctuated his words by adjusting the top hat on his head, replacing the usual golden crown, a prideful smile on his face.
"Your brothers clearly love you too much.", Alastor snipes before facing the taller angel, and giving a polite bow. "Your Highness."
Michael gives a solemn nod, adorning a small soft smile. "Always good to see you, Altruist. I had ample time before my next meeting, so I figured I'd accompany my brother on his way to your little appointment."
Michael bore nearly identical features to his younger brother, possessing the same blonde locks, white skin, and golden eyes, albeit being considerably taller. What he lacked, falling a bit behind Lucifer's beauty, he made up for with his dignified grace, a regal authority that rivalled no other. He reminded Alastor of a frozen tundra amidst the plans for the creation of life, as precise as every detail on each snowflake.
"Very well that you did, your Grace, as your brother appears to need it quite a lot."
"It was ONE time! And your directions were very unclear!"
"I fail to see how 'meet me at the gates' translates to 'circle the entirety of heaven for 3 hours', my friend."
"There are a lot of gates in heaven! No matter! They just finished constructing the new nebula! We gotta check it out Alastor! Come on!", Lucifer said, practically bouncing on his feet in excitement and circling the other in flight before dashing off in a burst of speed.
Michael let out a rare chuckle as Alastor sighed in seeming annoyance.
"Always so sprightly, makes me wonder how you keep up with it all, Altruist.", the Archangel spoke, stepping to stand beside the red eyed angel.
"Trust me Sire, its tempting not to follow.", Alastor replied, deadpan as he set his gaze to the direction the Morningstar set off on. Left alone with the other Archangel, without Lucifer with him, Alastor couldn't help but feel a bit insecure. Shuffling his mismatch wings, he subtly moved the upper white set to cover the red and black wings below, his hold on his cane, tightening ever so slightly, though not enough for Michael to notice.
Michael smiled, finding no offense whatsoever from Alastor's words and the casualty of his jabs towards Lucifer. Despite his words, Michael could see the fondness Alastor possessed for the shorter angel, clear as day. Alastor was powerful, only ranking below the Archangels themselves in sheer strength, and would be of higher standing if not for his reclusive nature.
He always wore a smile wherever he went, but it was different for Lucifer, softer, fuller. Alastor shied away from any interaction with his angelic kind, but fully welcomes Lucifer's presence, seeking it, even. It was without a doubt that Alastor cared for his younger brother, his loyalty and selflessness when it came to the younger angel was palpable, fitting of his title, and for that, he had Michael's complete and utter respect.
"But you will, you always do.", Michael turned to face the angel, golden eyes meeting peculiar red. "Its why I trust you with his life."
Its a bit ridiculous perhaps, considering Lucifer was far more powerful than Alastor could ever be, but in the end, it mattered little. Alastor held his brother's heart, and Michael could guess it rang true vice versa.
Alastor's smile froze on his face, his sharp tongue silent as he gazed into the Archangel. A bout of silence passed, broken only by the Morningstar barreling back into Alastor at high speed.
"Alastor come on slow-wings! Hah! Get it? Slow? Wings? Come on, its hilarious, lets goooo!!", Lucifer bounced, gripping at the taller angel's arm, making a show of pulling him along. Evidently he didn't use much force, seeing as how Alastor wasn't immediately carried off, but it was enough to drag the angel rather quickly still.
"Later Michael!", the star spoke with a cheerful wave, before speeding off, dragging a squawking Alastor behind him as the other hastily flapped his mismatched wings, as he struggled to keep up.
Michael smiled at the scene, before turning to leave for his meeting.
Protect his heart, Alastor, it's all I ask of you.
_________________________
The wind roughly brushed the trees around them, as 3 pairs wings fluttered to land, every flap bringing forth powerful gusts. Michael surveyed the area as he went down to Earth, a mossy swamp littered with fireflies, blues and greens seeming to glow under the night sky. He wrenched his eyes down. He couldn't bear to look at a star right now, not after....
He shook the thought away, marching to look for the angel he was looking for. He'd been searching for hours, burning through the whole day. Alastor truly was a recluse, he was impossible to locate when he didn't want to be found. This was the last place he didn't look yet. They'd let Alastor design these swamps, letting him have at least a little hand in the creation of Earth despite his numerous refusals.
There at the edge, he could see him, standing at the edge of the water, mismatched wings cocooning him, the white set covering his entirety until his black wings were nearly out of sight.
"Altruist."
Alastor remained silent, his back to the Archangel. It was perhaps the most disrespectful thing Alastor's ever done to him, what with all his usual obsession with propriety.
"Altruist.", he called again, voice growing desperate, frustrated.
Still, there was no answer.
Michael clenched his teeth, the day's proceedings catching up to him, leaving him with far, far too many emotions.
"Alastor-"
"Don't."
Alastor's voice was cold, an icy tone that rivalled his own. It made Michael angry, frustrated and bitter. Can't Alastor see that he's hurting too? That he's also grieving?
"I lost him too, Alastor."
His voice was filled with emotion he wouldn't dare name. He had to be strong and steady for his brothers, for the rest of heaven. Im front of Alastor though? In matters regarding Lucifer? There was no one Michael could relate to more.
So why can't Alastor see? Did he think this was easy for Michael?! He lost his brother too! He's not the only one suffering!
But deep inside, Michael knew. It wasn't the same. He knew how deep the bond between Alastor and Lucifer ran, perhaps deeper than he ever had with his brother.
Michael's heart was already given to Heaven as a whole, but Alastor's only belonged to one.
"Tell me Michael, whose life did you entrust to me, again?", Michael felt ice crawl up his spine, his heart growing heavier with each word. Alastor spun around, unfurling his wings to face the Archangel. His crimson eyes were redder than usual.
"How, pray tell, am I supposed to do what you asked, when you cast down the one I was supposed to protect? Tell me how can I protect him from the fiery pits you all threw him into? How, am I supposed to GO ON WITHOUT-!"
'Without them', he almost said. No, he couldn't be reckless, couldn't let his emotions get the better. They couldn't know about his own relations with Lilith, he promised the two he'd stay safe. No matter how much it ached, he couldn't go against them.
Michael furrowed his brows in understanding, letting the accusations wash over him. If it were anyone else, he'd have already smote them down for the audacity, but this was Alastor. This was the angel who held his brother's heart; angry and emotional and dreadfully loyal to the star even now. If anything, in respect for his brother, he could endure this.
Schooling his expression, he'd gaze back at the fuming angel before him, his face a blank slate.
"Lucifer's actions were reckless and destructive, with severe consequences. His reckless disobedience, his affiliation with the first woman, its shattering the very foundation of order we worked so hard to maintain. Such crimes cannot go unpunished."
His voice was cold, adopting the mask of a ruthless prince. Right now, he wasn't a brother, he was Michael, Sword of Justice, Protector of Heaven. He had to learn to separate each title, it was the only way to ensure he did his role right. He can't be a brother right now. He won't, not for this.
He wishes it made it hurt less.
As emotionally compromised as he was, Alastor couldn't mask the pain in his face as he squeezed his eyes shut at Michael's tone, knowing he was now speaking to a soldier, not a friend. The sight of it almost made Michael want to break down the mask. Almost. Not nearly enough to actually do so. He was able to bear casting down his own brother, this was nothing.
The thought sent another pang to his heart, and he pushed it to the back of his mind.
"I love him too..", his voice was low, resigned, all energy leaving him as he looked away from the angel before him. Michael was so so tired. "It had to be done."
The swaying of the leaves and the buzz of nearby fireflies were the only things breaking the deafening silence. Now that he thought about it, didn't Lucifer help make these? Little bursts of light flying amidst a darkened swamp...
Why must everything hurt Michael today?
He heard the other take a deep breath, and turned to see the other adopt a smile. It didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Thank you for your visit, your Highness. You may take your leave now."
Alastor always smiled, even when he didn't mean it, but none of those ever felt as wrong as this one.
"Alas-"
Michael cut off his own words at the other's glare. Alastor's eyes glowed a deep red, his sclera giving its own crimson glow. His glowing wings seemed to curl closer around him. All this while still keeping on that damned smile. It was uncomfortable. It served little to intimidate someone as powerful as Michael, but this wasn't about power.
He's never seen Alastor look so broken.
He may be set apart from the other angels, but he always looked so happy with Lucifer.
......but Lucifer isn't here anymore, is he?
Suppressing a sigh, Michael kept his voice level. ".....Altruist."
Alastor's smile only seemed to widen, contrasting with how his wings curled tighter around himself in a cocoon.
"I wish to be alone. Now.", the deceptively cheerful tone made Michael sick.
Without another word Michael turned around. There was no fixing this. Alastor looked as though a single action would cause him to flee. If Michael didn't take his leave, he'd have left anyway. All Alastor wanted was Lucifer, and Lucifer was condemned in Hell. There's nothing he could do.
As he spread out his wings, he took one last glance at Alastor's smiling face, before taking off, ignoring the muffled sounds of sobbing he left in his wake.
It was the last time he's ever seen Alastor smile.
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Text
Ride or Die (Santiago “Pope” Garcia x fem!reader): Chapter Two (of 11 - COMPLETED SERIES)
Series summary: Together, you and Santiago have been “soldiers” then “friends” then “lovers”; but can you ever figure out what comes next, especially when Santiago can’t (or won’t) stop running? 
Series genre: a LOT of tasty angst, tasty smut, best friends to… lovers?
Warnings: see series warnings, here. Please note this series is 18+ / NSFW / MDNI. Minors or ageless blocks interacting will be blocked.
Series info: this is a COMPLETED SERIES. Posting schedule and series masterlist are here. 
Author’s note: Thank you SO much for the response to Chapter One! And if you're still with it, I hope you enjoy chapter 2! It has been a LOOONNNNGGG time coming! 😆 This one is slightly shorter, with a bit of exposition to bridge between the OG instalment and the meat of our newly embarked upon continuation! The next chapters are where things really kick-off, but I do hope you enjoy this stoking of some tension, and, of course, finally seeing Santiago again - for the first time since the jarring conclusion to chapter one!!!!!! 
Word count: 4.8k for this part 
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“It’s okay,” Frankie rumbles, looking at you levelly. “You can ask me about him.” 
You sigh, squirming in place - on the rear porch steps of your sister’s home - as your game is finally unmasked. Your pretense dashed. 
The hubbub of the lazy, Sunday BBQ is nothing but background to you now as Frankie zones in on your true wants, rendering you as an observer - rather than a participant - in the annual gathering you usually draw an abundance of joy from. 
Not so today, despite your best efforts at going through the motions. At pretending like everything is fine. 
Up to now, chatting idly with your bud in this safe little bubble, you’ve cycled through a gazillion conversation starters; each to emphasise just how interested you are in Frankie, and Whatever He Has Going On. Clearly though, you have failed to convince. Your friend simply knows you too well. Knows your weaknesses. 
Your one true weakness. Santiago “Pope” Garcia. 
You look at kind-eyed Frankie apologetically from beneath your lashes, sorry that your flimsy chat has failed to mask your disinterest in... um, whatever it was he was saying. 
“Shit, I’m sorry, Cat.” Then, so help you, you ask the question you’ve actually been burning to ask all day. “How’s he doing, Frankie? Really?” 
Confirming the shift in tone, Frankie sets his plate of food aside and nestles his bottle of beer on the corner of the lowest porch step. Now you’re having a conversation. The pilot tents his fingers together in his lap, giving your question the full merit it deserves. “Pope?” 
Who else? 
“He’s… fine,” Frankie nods, studying your face as he says the words. Noticing -no doubt- the way you chew on your lip as your gaze wanders, fixing on the man in question. As you watch him mingle comfortably, effortlessly, amongst the throng of people on the lawn. Making connections, as per usual. 
Your stomach drops. An unease jostles in the pit of you. The niggle of regret. 
You shouldn’t have invited the guys here today. Shouldn’t have agreed to have them be present at your family gathering. Shouldn’t have agreed to follow-up it up with a squad weekend at the beach house - no matter that it’s tradition. But, then again, who were you to disrupt the usual way of things? And, more so, who were you to pretend that you didn’t want to see him again? After all this time? 
In truth, you had wanted nothing else but to see him again. That is, until you had laid eyes on him, and then, very quickly, you had pivoted. Wanted nothing more than to keep your distance. 
Why? 
Because by all accounts it’s true. 
Santiago is fine. 
Santiago certainly looks fine. He looks fine in all senses of the fucking word. He looks as though he’s thriving, in fact. 
Your face falls at the implication: that he’s thriving without you. 
With effort, you hum, schooling your expression into something neutral; however, Frankie’s already on to you. “Is that what you wanted to hear, chiquita?”
You turn your head towards your friend and exhale a small, pitiful laugh. Pondering Frankie’s question, you set your own plate and beer down too – a signal that shit’s getting real. 
Is it? 
Is that what you wanted to hear? 
“I don’t know. I don’t know what I wanted to hear, Cat.” With a dejected sigh, you lean your head on Frankie’s shoulder, hooking your arm into the crook of his elbow. “Does that make me cruel? If I don’t wanna hear that he’s happy?” 
Your buddy doesn’t answer rightaway, but he does rest a reassuring hand on your thigh in response, his plush bottom-lip protruding as he pouts – apparently mulling over whether or not to throw you a bone. “Okay. Look,” he begins  - always a soft-touch for you - and you instantly perk-up just a little. “He had a rough spell when you left and-” Frankie huffs out air, shaking his head as though he might have gone too far in divulging already “-fuck, actually, you don’t wanna know.” 
You head snaps up from Frankie’s shoulder as it begins to shake with mirth, your curiosity piqued. 
“What?” you probe, as Frankie turns his head to look at you, a smile cracking his sharp features. Apparently, Frankie has a small part of him which is cruel too. “We stumbled upon his heartbreak playlist. And it was not pretty.” 
“Come on now,” you protest, a little too defensively, your mouth suddenly dry.  “I hardly broke the fucker’s heart.” 
Frankie pumps his eyebrows. Shrugs his shoulders. Then, his bark-brown eyes mist over, just a little. “More likely than you think, chiquita.” 
With that, your eyes flick right back to Santiago’s figure on the other side of the yard, as if trying to reconcile Frankie’s assertion with the reality you see before you. After all, Santiago “Pope” Garcia looks fine. In all senses of the word. 
Right this second, for example, he’s engaged in a highly tactical water fight with your kid nephews. About to enter the killbox any moment, you wager, given that 5 and 7-year-olds don’t seem bound by those pesky rules of engagement. His cargo shorts are – naturally - far too tight, and he’s wearing his crisp blue shirt as though he forgot what buttons did half-way through getting dressed, the fabric split in a deep, plunging “V” across his tan chest. 
Despite all that, however, the thing which captures your attention most, is the beaming, wide-open grin he has painted on his face. 
He looks... 
...Happy.  
Genuinely happy. The bastard. 
This is the first time he’s seen you since he stormed out of your apartment all those months ago. The first chance he’s had to make things right - and he hasn’t spoken a word to you all day. Despite being in your family’s yard. Eating your sister’s food. Playing with your goddamn nephews. You broke his heart, apparently. So Frankie tells you. And yet this fucker dares to looks happy. 
So… Is that what you wanted? 
For him to be happy? 
Without you? 
Or… is a small part of you cruel? 
You’re not sure about the answer to that question, but you do know that your eyes turn mildly devilish as they flick back towards your buddy, your voice hushed and downright conspiratorial. All of a sudden, you’re not concerned with being the bigger person. 
You decide you’ll willingly catch that bone Frankie is throwing. “Tell me more about this playlist, Francisco.” 
You need this, you justify internally. You need something. Some sign that Santiago is hurting too. 
You’ve needed this for months, in fact; but, goddamn - you especially need this before you and the squad spends a whole weekend together up at the beach house. 
You need it badly.
Why? 
Because you’re not fine. 
Not fine at all. 
Not fine without him. 
This is your family's yard, and it’s your family’s  party, and it’s the first time you’ve seen him since he stormed out of your apartment all those months ago… and you’re emphatically not happy about it. Have found that, despite what you had hoped for, your reunion hasn’t solved a damn thing. Hasn’t eased the knot in your chest. Hasn’t allowed you to feel any sense of resolution.
“Fuck.” Your eyes brim over with the realisation, wet and glassy, and a tight lump balls in your throat. 
“Come on,” Frankie mutters - softly but urgently - as your eyes begin to swim with emotion. He nods up towards the interior of the house, and you are endlessly grateful when, with minimal spectacle, your buddy bundles you inside, his arm slung casually around your shoulder for comfort. 
You’re not the retreating type. At all. You have always been comfortable running headlong into things that scare you. Even so, it is a marked relief when you do slink inside. A relief that you were able to save face. Keep your pain hidden. But, most of all, it is a relief that you no longer need to suffer Santiago’s abject joy. 
It is a relief in the same way it is to retreat from the blazing sun, and you immediately find sanctuary in the cool, shaded interior of the house. 
Still, given the tumult of emotions inspired by his general proximity today, you are less and less sure that you can handle this trip. 
The only thing pushing you to go through with it, in fact, is the knowledge that there’s one thing harder than being close to Santiago… and that’s being apart from him. 
Perhaps Frankie’s wrong. Perhaps you didn’t break Santiago’s heart when you left. But, one thing’s for sure. Leaving him had certainly broken yours.
Truth be told, even after all this time, you’ve barely begun to put yourself back together. 
You’re in pieces; which - to be fair - is always how Santiago liked to see you, isn’t it? 
A friend. A soldier. A lover.  
That’s the only way you can stand to view him now. In mere fragments. In the shrapnel of stolen glances; because trying to see him all at once? That’s like trying to stare directly at the sun. 
He is too bright for you and it burns. Even with all this distance. 
***
You’re surrounded by laughter and chatter, yet you feel an unease. An unrest in the pit of you. 
Will’s ballcap is tugged down over your eyes under the guise of staying warm - a flimsy excuse, considering the raging fire pit in the centre of you all, acting as the warm sun to your orbits of beer, passed amiably around from hand to hand via the cooler at Will’s side. 
Naturally, the conversation has veered sharply towards the crude - it reliably does when you are and the boys are all together. 
“For real, Pope. Since we’re, uh, sharing,” Tom interjects, already looking far too pleased with himself. “Do you ever play up the knee thing to… encourage women to go on top?” Tom’s question earns shocked titters from Will and Frankie and, despite yourself, a softly exhaled laugh from you. 
“Why are you so obsessed with me?” Santiago asks Tom with an assured grin, and, upon being subject to the group’s attention, he leans forward in his camp chair. He drains the dregs of his beer and tosses the emptied bottle into the gathering pile in the sand, the label already peeled off by his nimble fingers.
Tom presses him for an answer, and you see Santiago’s pearly flash of teeth glinting in the firelight. “Play it up, buddy?” Santiago emits a deep, throaty chuckle which bobs in his corded neck. The sound is echoed by the other boys too, the threshold for laughter pleasantly lowered by the alcohol. 
Their movements are growing increasingly pack-like - a little less measured and a little more instinctual. Less individual and more unified. Moving as a team even as they sit still, with their spread legs and dropped shoulders and dipped chins. Alert eyes glinting in the dark with each lick of flame. Their energy would intimidate you, you think, if you didn’t know them. If you didn’t feel safer here than anywhere else in the world.
Still wearing that grin, Santiago scoops his hand over his stubble, his finger and thumb tracing around his mouth. “It’s practically a pick-up strategy.” His voice is warm sand and it scrapes you. Leaves a mark. 
Frankie titters off to Santiago’s side - a chaotic, beer-addled laugh. To his other side, Will grins too, his laughter striking a robust and deep note, even whilst shaking his head as though he’s somehow above it all. Together, their sounds form a cacophony you can feel deep in your chest - like the rumble of bass from a speaker, or the subdued roar of the ocean. 
If they are a pack, you - for once - are at odds. You feel it now more than ever, and it jars you. You are hyper-conscious that no display of mirth falls from you; and, in fact, the corners of your mouth turn down. 
Instead, you dwell on this roar - this rumble and hum under your skin. If you feel like the tide, like you are being swept up, Santiago is your shore. Everything about him draws you in, and you feel you could wash him away with the force of your need for him. 
Regardless of that, you continue to do precisely what you’ve been doing all night. You try to bury everything. To subdue your feelings. To calm this frenzy deep in the pit of you. In this moment, thinking about Santiago pursuing people other than you - listening to the damn stories - you take that urge quite literally, digging your bare toes deeply and intently into the sand as though you could disappear wholly into it. 
But; even that reminds you. 
Everything reminds you. 
Santiago. 
You’ve thought of nothing else all night. 
How could you? 
And, you feel the lack of him. 
The roughness of the sand against your smooth skin is a poor substitute for the rasp of his stubble. For the grit of his voice against your throat. The warmth of the curling, licking flame is a poor substitute for his body heat. His curling tongue. His fingers. The way you bury your feelings has nothing on how he buried himself in you. 
You fall into memories, tacky and hot, tumbling, and yet Will’s voice rips you abruptly back to the present. 
“How in the hell do you spin that one, man?” he asks Santiago with a genuine curiosity, his ice blue eyes dancing with amusement.  
Santiago risks a sheepish glance at you then, as though sensitive that his prowess with women might offend you in some way; but your eyes simply glance off of his like a flung spark from the fire pit, desperate to turn towards the dark and rid yourself of any heat which he may ignite. Desperate not to linger on the way the shadows and the light pool across the harsh planes of his face. The way his dark eyes are flickering and alive, and entirely capable of burning. 
And so, Santiago continues, relishing his moment. “Come on. It’s easy,” he breezes. He clears his throat, fully readying to inhabit his role. He shuffles in his chair and changes his demeanour, his body language, his voice. Shifting and contorting himself until he is layered with seduction. His frame even grows bigger, bolder, his legs spread. Chin raised and eyes hooded with a slow, sultry blink of those long lashes. 
Even this performance of heat hurts you; burns. Burns brightly enough that you have to look away from him before your skin is singed by it. “Hermosa,” he rasps, voice pleasantly scuffed by beer and smoke, the sound so rough and gritty you swear you can feel it scrape your skin. Your core clenches around the full, deep, dark tones of him, as though they alone could fill you.
The fire throws out careless sparks like cracked whips, and, like them, you cling to a dying heat. This vestige of the way he spoke to you in the dead, dark night at one time, your bodies all salt-slick skin. “You’re right,” he purrs, and you see that his body has shifted - angled towards Tom. 
You feel embarrassed. You feel alight, as though somehow, they could all find you out in this moment. Could sense the wet slick pooling between your legs. Smell it somehow. Like all of a sudden their eyes will converge on you and they will know - hear the flutter of your pulse in your throat. Sense the throb building in your core. Feel you barrelling from dull ache to desperation. 
“About what?” Tom asks, playing along as Santiago sneaks a hand up his thigh. 
Santiago’s smile is lopsided. Charming, but full of challenge. “Thinking that I’m a bad idea.” He’s hamming it up, for sure, but the syrup and grit in his voice is taking you right back there all the same. Right back to between those sheets, and a disobedient heat snakes down your back. 
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” 
“Well,” Santiago offers with faux regret, voice husky, and you can’t help but lift your eyes back to him. Can’t possibly look anywhere else now. Can’t help but observe the smirk twitching his appealing mouth and the way his thick brow arcs up. “‘Cause my knees are shot from years in the military, so I’m afraid you’ll have to get on top and ride me senseless.” 
God in heaven.  
Looking at him was a mistake, even like this. Even as he feigns seducing Tom, of all people. There’s just something about the rough edge layered into his voice right now. Something about the firelight painting his sharply-angled face with shadow. The flickers causing his smouldering eyes to glint with an echo of that formidable, latent heat. 
You feel this vestige of warmth in you ignite. Feel it begin to blaze and catch. You feel memories of him, his skin, his touch, amassing grain by grain. Ever so suddenly you are the shore now. Parched. A hot, baking expanse seeking its relieving tide. 
God, you want him. 
You feel your core shiver around the memory of him slipped into you, deep and dirty, teeth on your throat, and it’s almost too much to take. 
You need him, even though you’re still so damn angry with him. 
Or… no. No, that’s not it. Yes - you want him because of it. 
You need to fuck the residual anger from beneath your skin, for it has festered there for months now. Months, and you need it to move. Need it to give. Need it slaked and sated and gone. 
It’s not a healthy desire, you think, and you feel a little shame at that. You are grateful then - as Santiago effortlessly drags you back into the inescapable pit of him - that the boys’ laughter tears you abruptly from this impossible yearning. Gives you a lifeline. Reminds you where you are. How far you’ve come. 
You got out. And that meant leaving him behind too, didn’t it? 
“You’re such a fucking dog, man,” Will snickers. 
The chair over, Frankie’s shoulders are shaking with laughter too, his head tipped up to the sky and his eyes disappeared with it. You wish that you could laugh like that. That you could feel light, but instead you feel heavy and sick. 
“That works?” Tom asks incredulously, and you take another hasty swig of your beer, the froth hissing against your lips and a hoppy taste flooding your tongue. You briefly wish it was something stronger.
“Don’t go getting ideas, Tom,” Santiago says smugly, slapping his buddy emphatically on the thigh. “Works when I do it.” 
Oh, you bet it does. You bet it works. 
Tom throws Santiago a stink-eye then, before sitting slightly taller in his chair, his face contorting in a clear attempt to smoulder. “My knees are shot from years in the military...” Tom echoes, trying to inject a similar level of grit into his voice... and, the contrast? The failure? It is… an instant relief. 
Tom’s attempt is laughable, in fact. And so, when your favourite pilot’s dense, throaty chuckle sounds out to your side once more – this time, you can’t help but crack a smile too. Indeed, the laughter which spills out of you is a welcome vent, and so you reach for it wholeheartedly. 
There is an eruption of good-natured, teasing banter from the boys now - and Tom looks miffed that his attempt to tease Santiago has almost entirely backfired. Then, grasping for this welcome escape route a tad too eagerly, perhaps, you submit your own dig. “You might wanna run that script again. Give us a little less of that insurance infomercial vibe next time, buddy.” 
Frankie can barely breathe from laughing now, his hand coming to clutch his belly, and it’s pleasantly infectious. The atmosphere is safe and cocooning and familiar, and for the first time tonight you almost forget. You almost forget the thing that you haven’t been able to forget for months. That Santi isn’t touching you, and that, God; you need him to. 
But then, your relief is snatched from you all too suddenly. “Well sure,” Tom aims, his shot primed to land. “You would know how it goes, right? First hand? Did Pope use that line on you too, right before he and that guy from the bar practically double-dipped you?” 
The group fucking brace. 
You can feel it. 
It’s the exact same energy as when you’ve all grabbed for purchase in the helo or the humvee, right before a collision. The world seeming to flow in slow motion, your stomach being tossed up in the air and rolling as you lurch and sink.  
Most of the time, sure. You pride yourself for being able to take the boys’ banter on the chin. For having a thick skin. For being able to muster a scathing comeback, rolling off your tongue without a thought. 
But this? This has you beat for a second. This has a sinkhole opening up in your middle.
You meet Will’s eyes for a split second in desperation, but he looks at you helplessly, and you know. You know you need to say something. You know you need to, before they witness -before he witnesses- you falling apart. Before you let your silence reveal that you’re not over Santiago. That this hang isn’t ‘just like old times’. Not like ‘before’. That maybe, it can never be how it was again. 
Finally, something comes to you, and you grab for it; once again, a little too eagerly. “At least I got some, Tom. I doubt you could even seal the deal these days.” You push the words out and hope they sound light, even as you feel a tremor in your body. In your throat. Even as you feel Santiago’s eyes on you without looking. Can imagine them, dark and knowing, and worst of all… apologetic. Maybe even pitying. “Oh hey! Just like your ‘career’ in real estate!”
“Ohhhhh shiiittt,” is the prevailing sentiment from the group, hands flung up into the air as Tom realises he’s just been owned by your spectacular throwdown. 
Good, you think. Good. You’re glad the asshole’s getting his comeuppance but, even so, your petty victory does little to fill the hole in your chest, your heart still hammering and your fingers still trembling subtly against the cool, wet neck of your beer. 
To your surprise though, Tom doesn’t even bite back. Not this time, and that makes you feel even more annoyed, somehow. It makes you feel as though your anger is misdirected. As though Tom’s not the asshole here. As though he’s not the dude you’re fuming at after all. 
Still, your comment served its purpose well enough, you think, as steady, safe banter erupts again. You are pleased that you avoided the full impact of this collision, brakes slammed on as you still teeter on the cliff edge; but your heart feels bruised and rattled in the roll cage of your chest all the same. 
Mainly though, you are pleased that you are no longer the focus of everyone’s attention. However, your skin warms when you notice one man’s eyes remain on you, his gaze fixated and hooded and intense, and a shiver of heat dips down each notch of your spine. 
You look away. You tug Will’s cap a little further down over your eyes and you wait. You wait for the topic to shift so that you can excuse yourself without the cause being quite so obvious. You wait, until you can’t take the heat from this fire a second longer. Then, and only then, you make your excuses and dip out, retreating into the empty, quiet shell of the house. 
You pad into the kitchen, the cool interior immediately relieving against your hot skin, gooseflesh snaking down your arms and making your hairs stand on end. The dim light is certainly a respite from the searing brightness of the fire and the sting of the smoke in your eyes. But most of all, of course, it is relief from him. 
Santiago. 
It’s rough. Rougher than you expected. You simply can’t take this distance from him. You’d thought, before, that the miles between you - between here and Colombia - had been hard to reckon with. But this distance? The vanishingly small distance where he’s right here yet has never felt further out of your reach? That’s a thousand times harder. This petty distance – this rupture, this wound – hurts far more, because it feels far harder to heal. Far more festering than a clean break, and seeing him has already torn out every self-applied suture. 
You don’t like that things seem to have been irrevocably changed. You don’t like that your two bodies - which used to be so in sync - are now so awkward around one another. Purposefully aloof, rather than tactile. Remaining so separate, rather than together. 
It has been slowly amassing all day, the weight of this pain. Of this lack. And now, after feeling the absence of his touch so intensely - of that blessed togetherness- ironically, you finally need a moment alone. 
You cross the room and fold yourself over the kitchen counter, hinging at the hips. You rest your head in your hands, laying your forearms flat along the cool, marbled surface. 
For a brief moment, it is even a relief. You breathe deeply. Put him out of your head. But, after only one moment more you find yourself missing the pain. You’ve become fond of it, in a way. You haven’t been able to let go because, in truth, you’ve wanted to feel the continued burn of this loss - like a scar.
It is the only proof you have left that he touched you at all. 
That you came close to having something with him. Within touching distance of it. 
But now… 
You sigh deeply. You hate this torment. You hate not knowing how to be around him. The way the familiar is recast as unfamiliar. Your certainty now uncertainty. Your home now a hotel. 
You’ve spent the whole day so far keeping your distance. Talking only to the group, always some buffer of Tom or Will or Frankie in between you. Always leaving one seat between your bodies. Avoiding prolonged eye contact. Going out of your way to make sure the two of you were never left alone.
Being left alone with him is the last thing you want; and the first, of course. 
And, as if on cue, a low whistle sounds from behind you. You know the sound without looking, and your body stiffens. “An ocean view and now this?” Santiago jokes cautiously as he approaches behind you, clearly faced with a perfect view of your ass as you fold over the counter. “Pretty sweet deal. You should get Tom in on this real estate action. He might actually sell something.” 
Despite everything, all of it, you can’t help but laugh at that. You appreciate the dig at Tom a hell of a lot more than you should, actually. 
“Listen. Are you… alright?” Santiago asks next, much more softly. You hate the way his voice prickles the hairs on the back of your neck; but also, you don’t hate it at all, of course. 
You inhale and stand, pushing your torso up from the counter. You look up to the top of the cabinets, not blinking until the would-be tears have dried, and only then do you turn towards him. 
Santiago. 
Only then do you face your sun, praying that you will not be singed.  
All day, you have had a buffer in between the two of you. Clouds, to dim his brightness. But now, it is just you and him, alone in the kitchen of the beach house. 
This bland domesticity sure is a far cry from the field, yes. From your original shared domain. But, it also serves as an all too painful reminder of the last time you saw him. Of the last time his lips moved against yours. Of the last time, in that kitchen, that he’d had you. Taken you, bunched up naked against the fridge as he filled your slick heat with his fingers. As he kissed you and tongued you and claimed you back, as if he ever intended to keep you. 
It is a reminder of the time he had told you he loved you, and with finality, you had both realised that it still might not be enough.
You turn towards him, finally, and you brace. 
Brace like you’re about to collide. 
Like there will be an impact when your eyes meet.
Your brace like you’re expecting hot tempers, hot feelings, hot words. Wounds splitting and salt being rubbed in. 
Still, that’s not at all what you get. 
Instead, Santiago’s eyes are as wet as your own. All of his boldness and bluster is gone, and he’s standing on the very perimeter of the room as though he is the one who dares to venture no further. As though you might burn him if he gets too close. 
“I missed you,” he rasps, and despite the softness and the sincerity of the words, they feel like a rough struck match against your skin. 
You try desperately. Try desperately to fling this offered spark away before it catches, but it is futile. 
He missed you, and his admission already has you blazing for him. 
He’s standing mere feet from you.
And, despite everything, all you can think about is closing this oh so petty distance. 
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iliketangerines · 17 days
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Some angst😎 reader sacrifices themselves to save the others ((you can write like whoever you wanna write for it)) like I have a TikTok where it’s a shadow saving sonic and throwing him through this thing and there’s sad music in the background and im just imagining like reader pushing them through a portal as she turned and is now alone with the enemy- she’s clearly gonna die but she’s bring the rest sometime-
you go first
a/n: i wrote something similar to this, so i'm keeping this one short
pairing: raiden x gn!reader
warnings: none :)
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you lay on the ground, coughing up blood as Shao Kahn towers over you, axe overhead and ready to slice your head clean off
Raiden knocks the weapon from Shao Kahn’s hand, growling as starts to fling bolts of lightning toward the draconic general
getting up on wobbly legs, you try to stumble over to Raiden, to help in his fight, but Liu Kang grabs onto your arm and starts to pull you back through the portal
you struggle as  you watch Shao Kahn start to overpower Raiden, picking up his axe and swinging it in large arcs to catch Raiden off balance
he starts to lose, to falter in his steps as he tries to avoid Shao’s blows, and panic settles into your body as Liu Kang brings you closer to the portal and away from Raiden
Raiden can’t die, no, he was champion, the chosen one
he cannot die
and so, you pull your knife and swing it towards Liu Kang, drawing his blood and causing him to let go of you, and you make a mad dash toward Raiden
pulling at his arm, you draw him away from Shao Kahn, telling him to leave it alone and go back to the portal
begrudgingly, Raiden runs, hand in yours as he drags you to the portal, but you’re so tired and your lungs are filling with blood
you can hear Shao’s heavy footsteps behind you, pounding along the dirt as he roars at you both to come back
your legs are failing, faltering, and you know you’re not going to survive
your ribs are cracked, broken bones digging into your lungs, your head spins with every harsh movement and blood runs down from your head into your vision
life was coming to an end for you, and Raiden was refusing to let go of your hand as he neared the portal
just as he runs through the portal with you in tow, you let go of his hand and yank it back just as it blinks out of existence, stabbing your foot into Shao’s foot to stop him from running through the portal into Earthrealm
the last glimpse Raiden catches of you is General Shao’s axe swinging high over your neck as you wave goodbye with a small smile, eyes closing shut as you accept your fate
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dmwrites · 6 months
Text
It had been long enough now that the pattern was familiar. It started as a gnawing emptiness, looking for something that wasn’t there yet. It was apparent on every face, the need for a task, the greed and satisfaction that came with reward.
The rules were simple- Grian had explained them when they had all shown up in this new world. Get a task. Keep it a secret. Do the task. Succeed. Don’t die, even though you will. The feeling of incompleteness while waiting for a task hasn’t been in the explanation- or, at least, Martyn hoped it wasn’t just him who felt this way.
Martyn kept to himself a lot this season, and it was in a cave that he received his next secret task. Martyn often wondered how the book that held his task got to be in his pocket. The tasks were delivered timely every week, with no apparent source. Martyn suspected that whatever, whoever was giving them these tasks did not appreciate people dwelling on the source, as Martyn always got a headache when thinking about it.
Martyn felt a heaviness in his pocket- a new secret task delivered. He stepped back, finally striking down the zombie that had climbed quite a distance to get to him. Martyn went into a small alcove in the cave, well-lit already from his exploration. Just to be safe, he boarded up the gaping opening in front of him, so no mobs could possibly do a lick of damage to him. He’d already suffered so many hearts lost with his recklessness.
Martyn opened the small book, which glowed a slight purple, held it up to the torch light to read his task.
Find RenTheDog
Martyn’s breath stilled in his chest. It was two words, two very simple words, and he read them over and over again like they were a hymn, a passage he failed to really comprehend.
“He’s not-”
Martyn hit a button on his communicator, scanned through the names listed, every participant in this game. Ren was not among them. Martyn knew that. Martyn knew that. This was the second game in a row the dog had been absent from, which tore Martyn’s heart in ways only Ren could, but it was fine. Or, it had been, until now, until this task stared him in the face.
Martyn let out a choked laugh.
“It’s… this surely would be a hard task, first of all.” The hollowness in his voice kind of dulled the joke into nothingness. “He’s not here. Ren is not… here.” He tried to emphasize his point, put his finger to his name, but it ended up being more of a caress of the name on the page.
No one answered his open-air monologue, which he’d expected. So, with nothing to go off of, besides those two taunting words, Martyn dug his way to the surface.
He soon stood before the secret keeper, before that damned mark that he knew, by god he knew none of it was just mere coincidence.
“So I’m guessing you just want me to have to pick a harder task, is that it? Hoping I’ll fail big time and you can get me out of your hair faster?” Martyn snarled at the stone before him. “Well, baby, I’m a cockroach, so good luck with that.”
He pressed the button before him, with the sign under that read “reroll for a harder task”. There were whispers, some kind of poem that Martyn, in his anger, didn’t bother reading, and then a book appeared in mid-air, a deep red this time. Martyn caught it before it fell, ripped the cover open.
Find the Red King.
“Fuck you!” Martyn yelled, outrage and mourning and yearning pouring out of him all at once. “I can’t… why? Why on earth are you doing this to me? I can’t do this… I can’t-”
He could see people coming, whether to complete their task or to see what the yell had been about, and he ran. He didn’t know the land, having spent so much time underground, so it was a blind dash towards the tree line. His heart was thudding, his mind a mess.
There was, however much he tried to tamp it down, a blossom of hope. He slowed down eventually, when he hit a world boarder, thinking hard. Twice now, the secret keeper had told him to find Ren. They must know who Martyn was, who had held the axe. No one better to find him.
Martyn looked for RenTheDog. He built a tower of cobblestone to the sky, scanning the land far below. He ventured into the deepest caves, calling out Ren’s name and hearing it echo back to him with more and more desperation.
But the day was only so long, and, eventually, Grian’s message in chat confirmed what Martyn had already known.
<Time is up. Anyone who hasn’t completed their task yet has failed. Meet at the secret keeper.>
“So, did anyone fail their tasks this week?” Grian asked to the gathered group.
Martyn strode forward in the silence that followed, hit the button that said “fail”. He bit back a pained moan as a row of hearts was taken from him. He could hear sympathetic groans and gasps behind him, others trying to share in his pain. But they didn’t know, not really.
“What was the task?” Grian asked curiously.
“I’d rather not say.” Martyn said. He turned and walked past his friends, out towards the setting sun. It hurt. It all hurt.
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phoebepheebsphibs · 17 days
Note
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She saw an opportunity
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Short story!!
@tmntaucompetition @littlemissartemisia
Prev || Next
Claire was getting sick and tired of it all. Chasing after a little science lab brat like Artemisia was proving to be more difficult than she'd first expected it to be. The annoying little kid could dimension hop, and Claire was becoming exhausted trying to keep up with her. She kept leaping from one universe to the other, one world after the next. Claire kept after her, but Misa always seemed one step ahead. And even beyond that, she made allies everywhere she went! She had every advantage, meanwhile Claire felt shortchanged at every turn.
And now this whole competition. Claire had hoped that something like this would be easier for her. She'd had a look around, and this dimension or whatever it was seemed different than the others -- it wasn't a full world like the rest, it appeared that there was only the compound and arena, nothing more and nothing beyond. There were no windows, no exits, just a series of halls and corridors and lanes and stadiums that looped in on each other and curved back to the start. There were some apartment rooms you could access, but even those seemed closed off from the outside. Claire had a sneaking suspicion that there was no "outside". Good, that would make escape difficult for the little mutant, and capturing her would only be a matter of time. She was already past her deadline, and the hunt for her lost experiment was bordering on obsession by this point. She was exhausted, tired, the light was slowly going out. It felt hopeless. But she couldn't give up now, not when she was so close! She'd donned a disguise to hide her face at first, hoping that would help. Sure, the bird mask and hooded cloak were a bit shady, but Claire loved the dramatics. Of course, most people refused to help someone who looked like they were cosplaying the guy from the neighborhood watch sign. Most folks turned her away, some redirected her on wild goose chases, one even tricked her into getting gassed with hallucinogens that made her see her worst fears! She'd eventually (and reluctantly) given the disguise up, and tried again. Still, he failed. Over and over and over and over again. And again. And again. This was getting ridiculous. She would never... find... her?
No way.
No WAY!!
It was her! That irritating little mutant was standing right over THERE, along with several other mutant turtle tots, and one grown one that was talking angrily on the phone while the children played behind him. It couldn't be this easy... could it? Claire snuck closer and closer to the group. She hid behind pillars, watching them carefully. There was a chubby child that kept hugging a slider turtle, and a very messy turtle that seemed the same age as Misa, who was playing with splattered ketchup and potatoes on the floor. Artemisia was dancing after a butterfly that had distracted her, chasing it around the group and slowly distancing from them as she went after it. The teenager in purple turned his back to them all.
It was now or never.
Claire rushed forwards, grabbed Misa, and dashed away.
The little girl started screaming and crying in her arms, kicking furiously as Claire made her escape. With one arm, she pressed her into her chest; with the other she held her head in place. She wasn't going to get bitten again, she'd learned her lesson from before... The children immediately started crying, the fat one sobbing and scrambling closer to the grownup, catching his attention. The messy one was stunned for a moment, confused as to what had happened. The third immediately gave chase.
"MISA!!!" he shouted, running after Claire as fast as he could.
She turned her head to watch as the kid sped up behind her. Dang, he was fast! He couldn't be any older than 7, maybe even younger! But he ran like the wind, jumping up and pouncing on her back. Claire was knocked to the ground, poor Misa was pinned beneath her.
"Get off of me!" Claire yelled, slapping behind her as she tried to stand up.
"LET GO OF MY SISTER!!" Leo screamed, punching and kicking and slapping and clawing at Claire, even pulling her hair as he fought against her.
Misa managed to crawl out from under her chest, crying and screeching as she ran back to the others. Leon continued his assaults, doing as much damage as a six year old could do, scratching and swiping at her and shouting as loudly as he could. Claire kicked him in the back, scrambling out from under him and letting him fall to the floor behind her as she ran away before the grown up could come after her, too. They were more concerned with Misa and Leo, checking them to see if they were terribly injured.
Claire kept going until she was certain they weren't following her. She darted behind a corner and stopped to catch her breath. This was intolerable! How was she expected to get that atrocious little turtle mutant back if she was constantly outnumbered and surrounded by other mutants?! This was impossible! She couldn't even fight against a tot! How was she supposed to do this?
"Perhaps I can help."
Claire whirled around, looking for where the ominous voice had come from. She couldn't see anyone. She felt something tapping against her foot. Looking down, she saw a disembodied hand, the same one that had spored her before. She screamed, and stomped her foot onto it, hoping to destroy whatever demonic thing it was. It vanished beneath her heel.
"Please, there's no need for such emotional reactions," the Hand.PNG said as it crawled out from a shadow behind her. "I simply wanted to offer my services."
"What... what are you?" Claire asked, stepping away skeptically.
"A prompter, if you will. My purpose is to drive the story forwards. In this instance, YOUR story."
"And how would you expect to do that?"
"Simple. How would you like to recapture not only Artemisia, but four extra turtle specimens?"
"How am I supposed to do that when I can't even catch one turtle tot?"
"Patience, dear one. I have a plan. You will have an ally soon, I simply need to change his perspective... as for you, you must contact your 'associate' and invite him to come here, he will be integral to the plan."
Claire glanced back at the hall she'd just run down, as if she could look back and see the turtle she'd lost again through the crowds. She would do practically anything to get her back, and these scratches across her arms and back and the rips in her fading hair were proof of this.
"...Am I to understand that you are promising to capture Artemisa for me?"
"Oh, heavens no, I wouldn't ever dream of doing such a thing! But I can tell you how it can be accomplished. This is your story, not mine. And you won't get just one, you'll get them all."
"I don't need them all, I just want the one."
"Understandable, but what would you do if Misa were to escape again? Who would you use for your studies and experiments? And in any case, if they should be caught together she will be far less likely to leave them. It would be better for you to take them all, wouldn't you agree?"
Claire grinned wide.
"What did you have in mind?"
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imagines--galore · 1 month
Text
||Written In The Stars||
Summary: You had met him in the forest. A meeting that left an impact on you, just as it did. Neither of you escaped unscathed from your encounter. At least your heart didn't. And after that fateful run-in, perhaps it was finally time to bring to light what was clearly written in the stars. Pairing: Legolas x Reader Rating || Genres || Warnings: T. Romance. None. A/N: When I tell you I swooned at the Cinderella bit? I mean I ADORE the live action Disney remake and the dance scene is just gorgeous. Hope you enjoyed it @kililove. Also I couldn't help it! You HAVE to watch that dance to envision the last part of this fic perfectly ok?!
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The first time you met him had been a chance affair.
You had been running through the forest, wind whipping through your hair. It was quite the norm to find you racing through the trees of the forest you called home. There was just something freeing about it, with the adrenaline rushing through your body, the wind whipping through your hair, and the near endless shelter of the forest you adored with all your heart.
Lothlórien was truly a place to behold no matter the season. The leaves would dance with the wind, the trees would sing joyful tunes to the morning sun, and lullabies to the moon and stars at night. The flowers would sway in the breeze, the animals would play with no fear of being hunted or coming to any harm. If there were ever to be a place akin to Valinor in Middle-Earth, it would be your home.
As you cleared yet another obstacle in your path, you let out a laugh that echoed against the very leaves of the trees you passed. Your laugh was one of pure joy, of freedom and utter happiness. You felt like you would race off the edge of the world and even then you would keep running because who's to say the world ended there.
And perhaps it was that laugh that pulled him towards you, that compelled him to halt whatever he had been doing and his head to instead follow the sound of your laughter, echoing as you raced away.
Any other person would've dismissed it and went back to their task, but not this listener. He was curious. Curious to know who would laugh like that while racing through the trees. A laugh so full of joy in such dark times. Surely this person had only ever known joy and nothing more. Sorrow, hopelessness, loss, none of these words could ever be associated with a person with such a laugh.
Little did he know why you laughed so. He would come to know later, much later, all that you had suffered, all that you had lost, all that you would loose. But despite it all, you never lost your will to live, and live happily. Live to enjoy everything around you. From the smallest of flowers, to the grandest of trees, nature brought you a sense of joy that nothing ever had.
Well that is until you met him.
You saw him from the corner of your eyes, a figure of gold and green that ran a few paces to your right. He had given no indication for you to stop, not that you were about to. You kept running, hair flying behind you, skirts ripped to allow your legs better movement, cheeks flushed, eyes bright as you turned you gaze ahead.
For him you were something akin to a wild thing as you raced through the forest. Free and untamed, like the horses he had seen racing in the fields of Rohan. He was barely able to make out your face, and wanting to look at you properly moved to step in your path.
But you quickly evaded him, all but dancing out of his way, jumping over a fallen tree, and continuing.
And so began a little dance.
One where he would try to get you to stop, but you would always change course and dash off. You should've found it annoying, and perhaps a little alarming that an elf was chasing you. But you didn't.
In your heart of heart you somehow knew he meant no harm. You had even allowed yourself to laugh at his failed attempts, a laugh that only prompted him to increase his efforts tenfold.
And not just because he wanted to stop you. But because if his attempts would make you laugh so, then he would gladly do so over and over.
Just to hear that sweet sound again.
Perhaps Lothlórien had traces of old magic left, something that was effecting his mind.
As he rounded a large tree, intent on stopping you once more, he skidded to a halt at the sight that greeted him.
You stood at the very edge of a cliff, your back to him, gazing out at the near endless landscape as it sprawled in front of you. The setting sun cast the last of it's warm glow, the wind blowing softly, prompting you to inhale deeply, closing your eyes, and holding out your arms at your sides. Almost as if you were embracing the very beauty of the nature around you.
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He stood a few paces behind you. The very scene would remain with him till the end of days was something akin to ethereal. For him, everything in that moment was just that, ethereal. But none more so then you.
He had no idea who you were. For all he knew, you could be a mirage created from the very deepest recesses of his heart. What he did know, was that the moment he had heard your laugh, before he had even laid eyes on you, he had begun to feel his soul slip away from him.
And when you finally, finally, turned your head ever so slightly to look at him over your shoulder, he felt the very essence of his soul, his fëa, leave him to bind itself to you forever.
While he struggled to keep his composure, given how intense the moment was for him, you couldn't help but wander if perhaps your heart was beating so fast because you had just been running, or because it was beating so fast that it was trying to tell you something.
To tell you that the elf who had run after you and beside you, was the other half of your fëa.
Neither of you spoke a word, not as the sun disappeared and the stars peeked out. Not as the forest around you began to come alive with the creatures of the night. Not even when the moon shone down, bathing her cold yet somehow gentle glow on the both of you.
You were each lost. Lost in each other. It was almost as if you could read his heart and mind, and he could do the same to you. You could see his bravery, his loyalty, his kindness, his weaknesses and strength. And him? He could see your empathy, your joy, your devotion, your fears and resilience.
You were the one to make the first move. One step forward. A movement that he matched. One foot in front of the other, the wind blowing softly, pushing your hair back from your faces, the moonlight allowing your elvish features to glow in the dark. You were both only three feet away.
Two.
One.
A brief pause where you were almost nose to nose, your eyes never leaving the other's.
Intense.
Wanting.
Passionate.
Adoration.
Heated.
How were you able to convey all that and more with just that one look, you had no idea.
But then it was over.
You walked past him, slowly picking up speed, until you were running once more.
And this time, he did not follow.
                                             ————————–
You never forgot him.
He never forgot you.
You knew him by name, he was a Prince after all, and a member of the Fellowship.
All he knew about you, was the color of your hair, how expressive your eyes had been, and how, in his eyes, you were the very image of perfection.
He did not follow you that night. Not when he could not make any promises. Not when he had a mission to see to.
Legolas had often wandered what awaited him beyond the destroying of the ring, should he survive. He had no desire to go back home. And while he had made plans to travel Middle-Earth with Gimli once Aragorn was King, it never felt right in his heart.
And as he walked out of the Citadel, where the newly crowned Aragorn, and his Queen Arwen, were dancing so joyfully, he began to envision his own mysterious lady. The one he had met in Lothlórien.
The Lady.
Who was never far from his thoughts.
Who occupied his heart.
Who held his entire soul and had no inclination of it.
He could still picture her so clearly in his mind, he mused as he walked past the blooming tree in the middle of the courtyard.
You standing there at the edge of the cliff. Unconsciously his gaze lifted to the very end of the walkway along which he strolled.
An elleth with y/h/c hair, strangely the same color the figure standing at the end of the walkway possessed.
A figure, dressed in a blue dress, a color that reminded him of open skies during the day and the twinkling stars at night.
.
.
.
.
He stopped.
His eyes widened.
His heart quickened.
His fëa rejoiced.
His feet catapulted him forward.
The figure had her arms open. And while the last time those arms had been open to embrace nature, this time they were open to embrace him.
And while the last time the both of you had walked past one another, wanting, no yearning, for the other, this time it was different.
You watched him dash closer, you stumbled a few steps forward, until finally, you had him in your arms.
Neither of you knew how long you stood there for. Minutes. Hours. Days. Months. Years. Eons.
It was all the same.
"It would seem our meeting was written in the stars." His voice was low and gentle, prompting a warmth to race through your entire body as you hummed in agreement.
"The stars in my dreams were the ones who told me to come find you tonight." You responded, a dream you had had not so long ago coming to the forefront of your mind. "I was flying. On a Star. And it told me it would take me to you."
He joined your laughter, the both of you still holding each other close. Now though, he pulled back so he could look at you, his arms still wrapped around your waist, while yours laid over his shoulders.
"And here you are." He whispered, his gaze searching yours.
You gave a nod and a smile. "Here I am." You reassured him, leaning to press your forehead against his.
The music from the open door of the Citadel was perhaps what compelled him to lean back slightly. While your arms dropped to the side, one of his hands never left your back.
Your eyes never broke their intense stare as the both of you, slowly, began to dance to the song filtering from the Citadel.
You danced, and you danced, and you danced.
Your need to be close to him over-powered all else. His need to touch you overtook any sense of decorum he had.
Neither of you spoke a word, and yet you didn't think anything needed to be said. Not when your eyes spoke for you. Not when your Fëa sang to one another.
You were sure of what you felt for him, and he was sure that his heart belonged to you.
And as the new dawn greeted you with her warm glow, you finally allowed your eyes to close, an act he mirrored.
Before sealing that unspoken promise to never leave each other with a kiss that was more binding and irrevocable, then any vow a living being could make.
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hardly-an-escape · 1 year
Text
I saw pictures of Ferdie in a tux earlier today and blacked out and wrote this | rated T for public makeouts | 1445 words
- - -
'cause every Dreamlord's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man
- - -
Hob would be the first to admit he isn't much of a fashion plate these days. In fact, it’s one of the things he deeply appreciates about the 21st century so far: just how much easier it had become to simply get dressed.
No more fussing with hose and doublets and codpieces. No more wigs or complicated ascots or fancy hats or cufflinks. Pair of jeans, decent jacket, and you were out the door. And if your shirt didn't have holes in it people considered you fairly put together, all things being equal.
Still, he takes pride in looking well, like he always has. Keeps his hair nice, stays away from crappy fast fashion. And since his TA makes a point of teasing him about how many undergrads have a crush on him (despite the enormous eye rolls that conversation always generates), he figures he must be doing something right.
And before anyone asks, yes, he also finds the juxtaposition with Dream amusing. “Painfully normal history professor on a hot date with an exquisite goth king” is hilarious any way you slice it; in fact, Hob secretly lives for the subtle double-takes when he introduces people to his boyfriend.
Yeah, I pulled that, he thinks smugly to himself. He just couldn’t resist my devastating Levis-and-t shirt combo.
- - -
“I’m off, love,” said Hob, draining his coffee. “Don’t forget the fundraiser tonight, yeah? They're doing it at the natural history museum. Cocktails at 6:00, dinner at 7:30, and you know I can't come home to collect you after that meeting, so please don’t be more than fashionably late and I'll meet you there.”
“Hmph,” said Dream. “Must we go at all?”
“It’s literally in my contract to do one of these a year, I’m afraid,” said Hob. “And I did promise Professor Hathaway that this time, and I quote, my surprisingly dashing partner would be in attendance. Besides,” he added, pausing to press a kiss against his glowering lover’s temple, “you know you love to dress up. Just think of it as your own little Met Gala.”
“And are you wearing... these?” queried Dream, gesturing disdainfully at Hob’s well-loved corduroys.
“You like these trousers,” said Hob with a cheeky grin. “You think they make my bum look good.”
“Hmm.” Dream slid a hand onto Hob’s hip and pressed his nose into the hollow of his throat in a way that never failed to send a shiver down Hob’s spine. “Perhaps I do. Perhaps I could demonstrate. Perhaps we could skip—”
“Nice try, my love,” laughed Hob, and detached himself regretfully. “I will see you at 6:00 o’clock, we will schmooze lovely donors with lots of lovely money, and never fear, I will be wearing something other than my old cords.” He punctuated each sentence with a touch of his lips. “Now I really have to go.”
He dropped one last kiss on Dream’s upturned mouth and snagged his bag on his way out the door.
“No later than a quarter after six! Promise!”
- - -
Dream sauntered up the steps of the museum at 6:33, exactly as he had intended, and followed the sounds of revelry toward the crowd of literature professors, history lecturers, administrators, graduate students, donors, and various hangers on who always seemed to turn up at this sort of event.
The professors and lecturers would be bored, the administrators avid, the graduate students petrified, the donors sleek, and the hangers on clustered around the hors d'oeuvre table. So it always had been and so it always would be. Strange, how the glad-handing traditions of the waking world mirrored so perfectly the events of state he had endured in the Dreaming.
He accepted a plastic flute of sparkling something from a waiter and looked about for Hob.
Dream soon spotted his paramour in the midst of a cluster of people paying court to Professor Hathaway, who liked to surround herself with handsome younger men as frequently as possible (and could get away with it, partly due to being an absolute powerhouse in the field of art history and partly due to being eighty years old and four and a half feet tall in her socks).
Hob was laughing, plastic flute in hand, and even from across the room Dream was so captivated by the sparkle in his eye that it took a moment to realize just what Hob was wearing.
It was an impeccable dinner jacket, nipped in ever-so-slightly at Hob’s slim waist, where a single button closed the front. Stark white cuffs peeked out at the wrist, and a touch of texture on the lapels drew the eye upward, across the snowy dress shirt to the perfectly tied bow tie at Hob's throat.
He twisted to the side to listen politely to the man standing next to him – clearly a donor – and Dream's eye drifted down, where excellently tailored trousers emerged from the hem of the jacket, gave the corduroys a run for their money, and led down to a pair of highly polished Oxford shoes.
Hob's hair was swept back from his forehead, and the five o'clock shadow that had looked a bit scruffy that morning had somehow, by the mysterious alchemy of formal wear, been transformed into something rakish and debonair.
Dream's mouth was suddenly and inexplicably very dry.
Of course, Hob chose that moment to scan the crowd and catch Dream's eye, flashing him that brilliant smile and waving him over to join the group. Dream swallowed half his wine in one go and obeyed Hob's beckoning hand.
"Madam, may I present to you Morpheus, as promised," Hob said laughingly. "I have proved he still exists and must beg your indulgence if he fails to appear at a faculty party for another year and change."
"Professor Hathaway." Dream took her wrinkled hand and bowed low over it. "I am as charmed by your presence as ever. I know I have only just arrived, but would you briefly excuse us? I find I must borrow Robert for a moment."
She tittered and waved them off as Dream neatly excised Hob from the conversational circle and steered them away from the crowd and down an empty gallery.
"Everything alright, love?" asked Hob. "Did something happen while I was at work?"
The tinge of concern on his face lasted right up until Dream pulled him behind a trilobite diorama, divested him of his drink, grabbed him by the lapel of his perfect dinner jacket, and fitted their mouths together with mathematical precision and intensity.
"Ah. I see," said Hob after a long and breathless kiss. "One of those moments. Like the suit, do you?"
Dream considered growling at Hob; quickly weighed and dismissed the relative merits of, in order, demanding where exactly Hob got off looking like that, demanding to be taken home and ravished, and demanding to be ravished on the spot; and finally settled for pushing him back against the glass case and kissing him again, as thoroughly as possible.
It was several more moments before they broke apart, and the white expanse of Hob’s shirt was heaving slightly as he straightened his tie and swept a hand through his hair.
“Are you not going to tell me I’m late?” asked Dream, retrieving his plastic cup and draining the remaining wine, already gone slightly flat.
“That joke’s gotten a bit old by now, hasn’t it?” said Hob. “Besides, I fibbed, because I know you very well. Cocktails didn’t start until 6:30 and dinner’s not until 8:00. Got to let everyone get a bit toasty before the auction starts.”
“Liar. Rogue. Charlatan.” Dream grumbled. “I cannot possibly remain in the waking world that long. My realm requires—”
“Tell you what,” interrupted Hob. “If you stay through the main course, you can plead a headache and we’ll leave when they serve dessert; they won’t need me after the speeches anyway. And then…” his voice dropped lower “...if you don’t mind, all these studs and cufflinks are very fiddly. I may need quite a bit of help getting out of this monkey suit once we get home.”
He leaned forward and brushed a promising kiss at the corner of Dream’s mouth, and something inside Dream shivered in a way he still was unaccustomed to.
“Your terms are acceptable.”
Hob smiled again, one of the soft smiles that Dream had learned were especially for him (and for which he was privately willing to endure many more fundraising galas).
“I love you,” he said simply. “Thank you for coming tonight.”
Dream found his hand and squeezed it gently as they turned to rejoin the party.
“I love you, too,” he said.
- - -
PS: picture, if you will, Lord Morpheus at the fundraising dinner in the velvet Saint Laurent suit Tom wore to the premiere. because it amuses me.
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