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bizbat · 6 months

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And I Wake Up Alone.

~ Bruce Wayne x Black!Fem!Reader

~ Mild Smut

~ Angst

~ Wc: 880

~ The first part in a series based on Amy Winehouse's discography

~ Crossposted to AO3.

~ You can find more of my works here.

~ It's hard loving Bruce.

It's okay in the day, I'm staying busy.

Tied up enough so I don't have to wonder where is he.

Got so sick of crying, so just lately,

when I catch myself, I do a 180.

I stay up, clean the house, at least I'm not drinking.

Run around just so I don't have to think about thinking.

It's not hard to love him.

It's not hard to care about him, he's probably the most selfless man you've ever met. It's not hard to be comforted by his presence, there's something so soothing about his muscular arms wrapped around your waist. It's not hard to find him beautiful, even the parts of his skin that have been marred with scars still get soft kisses whenever he's shirtless in your presence. It's not hard to love Bruce. It's just hard to be in love with him.

It's hard knowing that some nights, he won't be coming back to bed. That one night he might not come back at all. And it's not too much different during the day. So you stay busy. In the morning, you get dressed, wake up Damian and Duke, and together you go eat whatever Alfred's made for breakfast. Then you go to work. Throughout those eight hours you keep yourself occupied, sometimes with work that's not even due till next week, just so you have something else to focus on.

Then, when work is over, you go home. You help with whatever homework Duke is pretending (for your sake) to struggle with, watching documentaries with Damian where he will correct the narrators, and having tea with Alfred after dinner.

That silent sense of content that everyone gets

just disappears soon as the sun sets.

It's almost perfect.

He's fierce in my dreams, seizes my guts.

He floods me with dread,

soaked in soul, he swims in my eyes by the bed.

Pour myself over him, moon spilling in.

It's almost perfect when he slips into bed beside you, the alarm clock on the dresser beside you reading 3:49 AM. It's almost perfect when his scarred hands brush over your soft, brown skin, caressing your sides and pressing chapped kisses to your neck and shoulders. When his hands and tongue give you all the love he neglects from you during the day, kissing, and sucking, and stroking. When he holds you to his bare chest, your hearts beating in tandem with one another. When he holds you tightly, as if he's trying to consume you in the sweetest, gentlest way possible.

And I wake up alone.

It's not perfect when you dream of him. When you can so vividly see the announcement of his death on the front page of The Gotham Gazette. Or when you see him laid in his casket, his face and hands red with blood and dark with bruises, ready to be buried beside his parents. It would be a nightmare if it wasn't so prophetic, if it wasn't true.

If I was my heart I'd rather be restless.

The second I stop the sleep catches up and I'm breathless.

As this ache in my chest, as my day is done now,

the dark covers me and I cannot run now.

My blood running cold, I stand before him.

He, surprisingly, is still there when you jolt awake. He's there when you're rapidly breathing in and out, terrified at the prospect of what will likely be his future.

It's not the feeling of his cold hands rubbing "comforting" circles into your skin, or the almost robotic way he tells you to breathe, or the sip of icy water he gets out of bed to get for you that calms you down.

It's the feeling of his weight in the bed beside you, his strong thigh lightly pressing against your own, the warm concern in his eyes that brings you back to Earth. He pulls you into his chest and you just breathe him in. All of him, the clean scent of his skin after his shower, the flowery detergent that you insist on using for your bedsheets, the smokey scent that seems to always accompany him no matter what. Once he sees that you've calmed down, once your heart returns to beating at its normal pace, he asks what’s wrong.

It's all I can do to assure him.

"Nothing."

When he comes to me, I drip for him tonight.

Drowned in me, we bathe under blue light.

He doesn't believe you, he's not stupid, but he knows it's not something you want to talk about. He can't blame you. He never wants to talk when you ask him what's wrong. So he won't make you. Instead he lets his gaze linger on your own, his lips press to your own, lets you love him. Let's you be in love with him. He lets you be soft against his muscles. And you let him be firm against your plush body. You let him love you back. Still wrapped in his warm, slightly sweaty, embrace, the both of you drift back off to sleep, legs intertwined and bonnet slightly askew.

And I wake up alone.

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gwydionmisha · 7 months

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Personal: For Profit Healthcare and Me

So remember how Peacehealth drove all the independent offices in four specialties out of business, thus forcing everyone to use their clinic, then closed those clinics to force everyone to go to their central clinic two counties to the south? And remember how both the Doctors who were running that clinic made a deal to operate out of a clinic a regional medical conglomerate was opening near the hospital? so instead of me spending all day on a sixty mile each way trek for my treatment I was using the last three months of skeleton crew treatment at old clinic which ended the last Thursday in September? Remember how they said we could all follow our doctors there?

Yeah, about that.

I've been dutifully calling ever two weeks to see if they were letting people schedule appointments yet. They sent out a letter saying they were open. I stayed up Tuesday to get in sorted. it was a whole drama because the automated maze to get to the scheduler was as much of a hassle as Peacehealth's and prone to dropping calls, forcing one to start from scratch each time. so that was frustrating and tine consuming.

Apparently they have no access to our health records, so it was a start from scratch situation. Me, mentally: Shit! This is going to be HOURS. Only it wasn't for all the wrong reasons. They take Medicare, but not Medicare Advantage. So if I want it covered I have to lose most of my benefits including having Medicaid pay my big Medicare copay. O.o. Or I can pay for expensive treatments myself as uninsured.

I was upset, but I remembered superstar medical social worker lady personally calling around town to talk dentists into taking medicare dental coverage for me thus opening up my small city so that medicare patients can now get root canals and crowns instead of learning to live without chewing.

So I still thought it was salvageable. Problem is she's gone and the woman replacing her is a busy supervisor who likes to call me two hours into my sleep cycle without warning and then gets angry at me for not being charming. Previous lady asked when was best to call and would schedule calls in advance for a time when I was able to be awake and functional. it is a lot easier for me to be charming when I wasn't just ripped out of REM sleep and am now being interrogated about something.

New lady is a supervisor and super busy with supervisor things and is made of no and is snippy. I can not make her understand that not only is a 120 mile round trip over mountain passes dealing with the traffic mess along the highway in the major metropolitan area where I once got caught in a four hour traffic jam and couldn't get off to pee, is an entire exhausting day for me and that plus a treatment would not only mean i could do anything useful that day, but the next day to. She can't grasp how much pain is involved in long car trips or how much treatments take out of me. She keeps hard selling me on this and then calling me resistant and recalcitrant like I'm the one being unreasonable for considering this basically insurmountable at my level of disability.

She did not fight the in town clinic for me. She did not try to argue them around.

Her, repeating a suggestion she has made over and over since the closing announcement: You should just get your GP to do it.

Me, explaining for at least the third time because we have this conversation every time we talk: I asked my GP last spring like you asked. They can't do it. It can't be administered by a GP. They'd need to hire a specialist and build new facilities for compounding and for special storage of medication.

Her: Well just ask you GP to give you a different treatment.

Me: There are no other treatments. I have medications to manage symptoms. These treatments are the cure. There is only one cure.

Her: You are being recalcitrant!

Me: There is literally only one cure. No new ones have been invented since last February. The cure is working. I'm getting better. i will get worse again with only symptom management.

But she kept arguing with me because I was being stubborn about facts being facts. My GP can't pull an entire brand new treatment regimen out of her ass. She would not let it go or let me go and I was exhausted because it was hours past when I would normally be asleep at this point and also what was the point of her hard selling me on demanding the imaginary alternative treatment or the 120 mile trip. I ended up giving and and saying something like, "I have to go now," which I know is rude, but we spent this entire conversation with her neither listing not understanding and basically acting like I was the asshole here.

So I'm fucked and I'm frustrated and angry. I was literally at the point where I was going to get better really quickly if I kept doing treatments, but if we stop now I'll be back to square one with it all to do again if another clinic opens.

And it's all like this because Obama and Biden didn't have the balls to stick to their universal free healthy care guns and decided to adopt the capitalist give away Republican health plan in pursuit of bipartisan buy in they did not get, which anyone paying attention told them they could not get, which Mitch McConnell vowed they'd never get as part of the project to make Obama a one term president at all costs. They burned all their political capital on a bullshit give away to insurance companies when they could have taken the same or less of a hit just giving up a developed country level health care system. No fucked up website needed for sign ups. No red tape or copays or catch 22 shit like I'm dealing with now.

#Personal

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joonsytip · 1 year

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Anonymously Yours || Joshua Hong [Teaser]

Pairings: Joshua x Fem!Reader

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Crack, Humour (Broken coz mine), high school au, enemies to lovers au, strangers to lovers au, anonymously yours au.

Synopsis: After an accidental text message turns into a digital friendship, you and Joshua start crushing on each other without realizing you both see each other frequently in real life.

Notable Mention: You both hate each other's guts...

A/N: We are having best friend Mingyu and King Jeonghan in the house.

Banner credits to my baby @wannabeyourshua <3

Inspired By: Mexican Flick - Anonymous yours.

Dropping on : 11th March, 2023. 10 AM IST

A/N: To be added to the taglist please send an ask or comment under this announcement post or under the SVT Flick - Fic Masterlist post.

Please heart, comment and reblog if it piques your interest, would really help to keep me going <3

Main story out now, checkout here

[SVT Flick - Fic Masterlist] [SVT Masterlist]

Teaser under the cut.

Unknown Number:

[3:05 AM] Hey!

It was great meeting you!

Maybe we should meet again sometime soon :)

What do you think?

You:

[3:09 AM] It's 3am for god's sake???

You got the wrong number!

Unknown Number:

[3:10 AM] Haha, not funny! It's me.

You gave me your number at the party :(

You:

[3:12 AM] They obviously gave you the wrong number.

Now stop right there & let me sleep!!!

The blaring sound of the alarm is hurting your ears and adding to your headache.

"Ugh, I can't even sleep without getting interrupted.", you groan but manage to lift your body to do two trivial things. One, stopping that goddamn alarm. Two, checking your phone.

8 AM. The time glares back at you.

You have a class at 9, well assignment submission to be more precise and you're still in your bed, half awake.

Next half an hour goes in a blur as you gobble down your breakfast and smoothie that your mother makes daily, it's almost like a tradition and good part is that you don't hate it. The only bad part is that the same conversation that follows everyday of them insisting you to join the family business and you dismissing them because you have a passion that you want to turn into profession.

Currently you're waiting for your best friend, Hyeri, who's never not late to pick you up.

As soon as you cross the threshold of the school, Hyeri is hijacked by Jeonghan, her tennis partner and Hyejoo, her sister situates herself with basketball teammates when she spots themselves.

And you're left alone.

And you're used to it.

The final bells rings indicating that you should be now sprinting to the class to avoid the grudges of your literature teacher.

You are with your full concentration tangling the wires of your earphones around the phone while climbing up the stairs when you suddenly bump hard into someone.

Your whips up to see the other person, glaring at you having his shirt stained in coffee which he was supposed to drink.

"Sorry, very sorry", you take out your handkerchief and just as you try to dap on the shirt, that person backs away.

"Please give me your number, I'll pay for the drycleaning.", you say politely.

"No need, I can pay for myself", that person grumbles, "Do me favour and from next time keep your eyes open while walking."

He says and walks away leaving you speechless and infuriated.

"What an idiot, I was trying to be nice.", you mutter before sprinting to the class.

Joshua is already having a bad day so when the only thing he was looking forward to, iced latte from his favourite café got spilled on his shirt because of some girl who can't walk straight, he is vexed.

Fortunately, he doesn't have classes within next hour so he goes straight to basketball ground. He has been enrolled into this high school recently so he has no friends, neither he intends to make any.

He fishes out his phone and taps on a contact who's name he doesn't know and proceeds to send a text.

Joshua:

[9:35 AM] Hey, sorry for waking you up last night.

Stranger:

[9:36 AM] No worries, I fell asleep right back.

Joshua:

[9:36 AM] A heavy sleeper it seems lol.

Stranger:

[9:37 AM] You can say that. And whoever did this to you is so mean, they could have told you no instead of doing this.

Joshua:

[9:37 AM] Ikr. I was at this party last night when my best friend insisted me to ask her number coz according to him I was checking her out.

Stranger:

[9:40 AM] Didn't work out for you :(

Taglist: @wannabeyourshua @hoeforhao @kimmych @chocolatekdramakpopfreak @starlight-night0 @alyssng @imsjane @i-dont-give-a-fok @gaebestie @meowmeowminnie @hanniehaeism

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magicaldragons · 2 months

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AHH REY I LOVE YOUR FICS ARE WE GETTING ANY NEW ONES SOON?

(before i say anything love, i'm so glad you like what's out there so far :' really keeps me goin)

babe, let me be honest, i'm this (🤏🏼) close to announcing a meeting where: i provide snacks, we all sit at a round table, and i proceed to narrate each story i have – in its entirety and with great detail, because the actual writing will take some time lmao

honestly though, i've been juggling a lot – shit's gone 100 to -23 super fast, as i type this in fact i'm running on very little sleep, i've been awake since 7 am yesterday (and it is currently 6pm where i am lmaooo)

i see myself being completely swamped with things for a bit longer, but i'm jotting down sentences and dialogues for my fics whenever i find time

there is definitely more coming, and i will try to get it out there quicker, but unfortunately i cannot guarantee exactly when, (officially, my schedule clears up a bit in september ;-;) but know that varadeva has me in a chokehold, and i don't see this obsession going away anytime soon lol x.X

#salaar #varadeva #but honestly i'm super hyped to know you've liked my prev work :" tysm

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sodabranch · 2 months

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Halo again. I have the sudden hunch to announce that I'm not legally liable for any caffeine highs and mild injuries to oneself that I may or may not be remotely associated with. Take care of yourself <3

ANYWAY—

1. I thought of a scene of two similar company ships land on the same moon. The doors of them open. An employee from the ship sticks their head out, peaking out to see the other ship. At the same time, an employee from that ship does the same. Another employee from each side joins in on the staring...

Then, Justice checks to see what its crew mates are looking at. Once again, at the same time, someone else sticks their head out... They also have a nutcracker?! (I imagine it being Woody, but it could also be another of Justice's model.)

Haven't developed anything past this, other than an epic team up time and Justice gifting Woody a hat it took off an enemy nutcracker.

2. How would Justice react to the employee/master returning the favour?: helping it with the chores and trying to stop it from getting damaged from entities, even if it means injury to themself?

Also, if I give Justice a kiss on the cheek, how does it respond? :3

3. I had a realisation: there are giant pumpkins and beehives in the game. We have moons with straight up forests in them, which the employees can look up info about. I'm starting to think that with a mix of research, determination, and cooking prowess, Justice could actually cook banger meals more often.

4. What's Justice's problem with bright colours?

5. Justice using its dancing abilities to pull a tired employee out of bed, to make sure they're awake for this morning's excursion, and forcing them awake as they suddenly have to keep up with Justice's moves.

~ Halo

Good time for my internet to have returned, you are my saviour...

Also apparently I don't have the need to spoiler content because Tumblr already does it by itself?? Technology...

I'M ALSO HOLDING YOU ACCOUNTABLE, YOU HAVE BROUGHT THIS UPON ME AND YOU HAVE TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES GGGGRAHH!!!

But ok, I've honestly never thought about the idea of two ships landing on the same moon, which open the door to many many possibilities?????

I think the idea about Woody is kinda cute lol,, I would love to see them interacting,,,, I believe Justice would be very interested in his liking for classical music :3 like going out of its way to find a record player to play some for its new friend <3<3

AND IMAGE JUST SEEING A CLONE OF YOURSELF AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS SPENT ON SOLITUDE I WOUDLD BE TRIPPING BALLS;;;; like, I just think Justice would be really really confused at first, but will push forward and try to strike up conversation, maybe ask if the other one knows if there are more out there??? what are you doing here?? what huh??

Also :sob: Justice wouldn't let them help, that's what it is for!! You'll have to rip it out of it, and maybe it will just let you help preparing the ingredients for cooking or sweeping some dust,,

AND THERE'S NO WAY IT WOULD LET YOU GO NEAR AN ENTITY;; enemies be blasted instantly. If something were to actually happen to you, even if that something is a single scratch it would get you out of there to get you parched up as soon as possible

ANASKDKJSDJSAFHJFJHAHJAGS THE KISS OMGGG I feel it wouldn't register it as first,,, then get so giddy LIKE OMGG LOVE!!!! it would enjoy it very much and hug you so tight. Maybe it would try to copy you in the future and smash its face against your cheek,, resulting in a bruise phftttt it has learnt it's lesson

Honestly, if a machine was able to blush it would <3

ALSO NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT YEA!! Maybe with the help of a friend they could go forage for some goods. I also think cracking open one of those pumpkins would be such a chore

But oh god if I wasn't willing to do it.

And we better not talk about the beehives,, I imagine the crew has had some bad experiences with them.

I am now left wondering about the mansion's kitchen..

Also I, myself, being sensitive to them, felt that bright colours would be pretty straining to a creature who solely bases its perception on sight alone;; any flashing or bright light would hurt it :( that's mostly it,, keeping it as a fun fact.

THE LAST PART D'AWWWW IM MELTING IM CRYING,,, an employee thinking they could maybe oversleep while they're travelling to the moon but no, Justice can't let that happen!!

A cold water bucket would be too harsh, so why not start the day on a good note! You suddenly are swept to your feet by the Nutcracker, who is now taking you for a quick dance session.

And when the dizziness finally settles, you are bound to follow it's steps as the crew watches, chuckling a bit,,

You groan, but soon cave in :3 thanks Justice!

#ask #my guys #sobbing crying WAWAWAWA #I LOVE THIS!!!#I tried to draw more but the pain showed itself and I had to stop RAGE #IM RAGING #I WANNA DRAW JUSTICE LOVE

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pinkmoondoll9shihtzu · 10 months

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phenomena-posting but its sad and long so readmore

idk if this sounds unhinged or like im projecting but last night i think i had some kind of psychic ptsd meltdown over my friend saint's death 2 years, i will try to explain.. All things considered, i don't know the exact day of their death, but i believe it was the night of august 6th 2021 because it was announced to all their friends the next day on the night of the 7th. And with stuff like that, people usually tell you as soon as they can. yesterday i wasnt really paying much attention to the date or anything & going about my day as normal but as night came on i started to feel so unbearably emotional, so lonely, i started crying and then it wldnt stop. Like for hours and hours it just kept escalating, i mean i am a very sad person in general so it wasn't too unusual except that usually i can calm myself after a while.. i was sitting there like doing deep breathing exercises and trying to repeat nice mantras to myself but the tears kept pouring out .. i tried going to bed early just to see if i could sleep it off but i lay awake ALL night tossing and turning. After a few hours of trying to sleep it finally dawned on me what day it was. this day last year i was at the bladee show/having a wild night in the city so i had plenty of distractions. but this year i was alone and i wonder if i was somehow picking up on the pain saint felt when they died, or the pain of others mourning them at this time of year. Not on some empath shit but i do believe the trauma of death can leave huge energetic scars on space & time. idk it could've very well just been my body remembering something that i was not consciously thinking about. many such cases.. once i realized what day it was i just tried to keep praying to saint and comforting the pain in their soul...(if thats a thing thats possible).. i still feel rancid from not sleeping and my eyes are like swollen shut but i guess i just hope tomorrow will be better ):

i miss my friend so much..honoring their memory is one of the only things that really keeps me going artistically, not gonna lie i really be getting no satisfaction or sense of accomplishment from it lately, the loneliness makes it hard to see a future but i know i cant give up because saint wouldn/t want that.. Oh how i miss my friend.

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persephone-is-here-omg · 2 years

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Coping Mechanisms.

Pairing: James Bond/Reader.

Warnings: Smut, fingering, oral (female receiving), drinking in the tub.

Word Count: 4528.

Rating: 18+.

Masterlist.

If you’re reading this fic, please consider checking out and reblogging this post. And, if at all possible, donating. Thank you.

So, I wanna thank @youvebeenlivingfictional because if I had not come accross her absolutely fantastic Old Dog series, I would have never considered writing this one. But, honestly? All her fics are amazing.

Your body aches, you need a shower and a bed. Nothing is broken and there is no blood, but you're not fine. The mission had gone tits up. Well, not exactly, but if it wasn't for Bond you'd probably be dead, too. Like her. He had come and taken care of that which you couldn't, even if you wanted too. You were grateful for that, for him being there. As an MI6 agent knowing who to trust, and deciding to trust someone, was always a risky business, but Bond? If you could describe him in two words, they would be reliable and reckless. Somewhat contradictory, maybe, but never inaccurate.

He doesn't talk as he drives, something you're grateful for, too. You don't think you'd be able to talk without bursting into tears, at least not at this very moment. You need to be alone and process, you don't think you'll get that luxury, as much as you'd like it.

"I don't think there's need for one of us to keep guard, we've lost them and they wouldn't know where to start, anyway" Bond explains matter-of-factly, he sounds like he looks, exhausted.

You nod and gather yourself before you speak "I don't think either of us would be able to stay awake after all that happened"

He wants to ask, you can see it in his eyes, but doesn't.

The safe house is a small, unassuming flat in a small, unassuming residential building in the outskirts of the city. It should be enough to lie low for a few days, while extraction is confirmed, and the mess gets cleaned up. You change cars on the way, get some take out food and finally arrive there long after midnight. Bond double-checks the locks while you look around the rooms and make sure no one is waiting for you.

Bond is sitting on the arm of the sofa, looking at you. He's clear blue eyes analyse you, is almost too much, and you don't know what he is looking for or at. You know he likes what you're wearing, he said as much, joked about ridiculously short hems. Had leaned in and played with the hem of your dress as he carefully looked over your shoulder, as he counted all guards.

“This place has one bedroom” You announce tiredly and leaning against the frame of said bedroom’s door.

Bond looks at you and huffs a laugh “Of course, it does. I’ll keep my hands to myself if you do the same”

You laugh and shake your head “We’re adults, and we’re exhausted. I’ll step into the shower first, if you don’t mind”

Bond gestures with his hand in the general direction of the bedroom “Go on”

The water is almost scalding as you stand under the stream, you groan at the soreness in your muscles, wonder at the bruises that you will see the next morning. Try to not think about tonight. Your job is done, and so is Bond’s. You force yourself out of the shower, mindful of leaving Bond some hot water.

You ruffle through the duffle bag on the bed with the few things you managed to get out of your original apartment as Bond heads into the bathroom. You change into a pair of wide legged pants and a long sleeved, cropped top. Your phone vibrates in your hand.

“Are you safe?” Q’s voice comes from the other end of the secure line.

“Yes. Things got slightly out of hand” You say, wincing as you sit down “But we’re in the safe house”

“Good. There should be a laptop in the safety. Use it to get all the documents you found” Q instructs “Mallory isn’t quite happy with the mess you and Bond left behind”

“I am not quite happy about it” You counter and turn around when you hear Bond step outside the bathroom.

Your eyes wander the expanse of his exposed torso, the way the muscles move and strain under his skin as he moves his luggage from the floor onto the bed. Bond catches your wandering eyes, something you don’t have the mind space to name right now flickers in his, and then he sees the phone.

“Hello, Q” He says loud enough for Q to hear.

“Bond” Q greets back “Do you have the thumb drive?”

“I do, yes. Not only that but we managed to copy a good amount of files from Andrade’s computers” Bond explains, sounding as unbothered as ever “Is there a computer here we can use to get those securely to you?”

“I was explaining, there is a computer on the safety. Use that. The files should transfer in a few hours”

“Extraction?”

“Still a few days away. We need to clean up the mess before we get you two out”

“How bad is it?” You ask.

“It could be much worse” Q reassures you “Just a few days, and you will be back”

The conversation fizzles out and Q closes the line. Bond opens the small closet and moves a panel at the back, uncovering a safe box. He enters his personal code, puts in his fingerprint, and gets a computer out of it. As soon as the computer is ready to start the transfer of the files, he plugs the thumb drive in. Your phone lights up with a text from Q, it reads ‘Transfer started.’

“You need to eat” Bond says when he comes into the small kitchen and finds you with a glass of scotch in your hand.

You shrug “Do I?”

“Getting drunk on an empty stomach and letting perfectly good food go cold won’t make things better” Bond’s argument is sound enough. You have to give him that as he hands you a plate with a couple of slices of pizza in it.

You take it and make a show out of biting onto the first one.

“Cheeky” He says and grabs one for himself.

You sit down in one of the chairs and look at Bond again. He’s wearing a pair of grey sweatpants, no shirt, the light dusting of blond hair on his chest catches the light of the kitchen, and he finds you staring again. If he is thinking anything of it, he keeps it to himself. You like staring at Bond, and you’ve made your peace with it. Up to this point, it has never been an obstacle in this mission. Other things were, but certainly not that.

Is past two thirty a.m. when you crawl onto bed. The bottle of scotch has less than half left in it. You’re buzzed, and you curl in on yourself, pull the covers up to your eyes.

You wake up with the slivers of sunlight leaking in through the spaces between the window and the curtains. Bond is sitting on the bed, the computer on his lap, he is typing something when you peek up at him “Q?”

He nods, fingers still typing "Q is just making sure everything is still in order"

You sigh and sit up, then stand and walk out into the kitchen, look through the drawers and cabinets until you manage to find a package of coffee. Is not your usual, you're not sure if it is even good, but it'll have to do. You take it back to the bedroom and offer a mug to Bond. The computer is back on the bedside table.

"Have you thought about what you'll say when they ask why didn't you take the shot?" The question takes you by surprise.

"I..." You start but close your mouth, try to gather your thoughts "Does it matter? He's dead. She is, too. The work is done, you did it"

"They will ask" Bond insists "And if you slip up in eval, they might pull you off of field duty"

“I know” You do know. But you wanted to do the right thing, too “I thought I could help her” The thought is out before you can stop it.

“You’re not the first agent to deal with something like this, but you have to find a way to manage this and come out the other side”

You look at Bond, but he is not looking at you. He’s looking straight ahead, and you know what he is talking about. You’ve heard about it. About her. Vesper. Smart, beautiful and dead. You’ve heard the comments and the whispers. Nothing is harder than trying to live up to the memory of a woman long dead, is a futile exercise, one you’ve no interest endeavouring in.

“I saw…” You clear your throat “I could have been her” Is all you manage to say before you have to steady yourself and take a deep breath.

“But you aren’t. You’re here” Bond’s words are oddly reassuring, and you turn your face towards him, he’s looking at you now. The look he gives you says a lot, even if his words say so little. This look you exchange is between two people who have got too close and allowed this job to take a lot from them.

Watching Bond take on a task as mundane and domestic as breakfast feels odd. Not because you don’t think he is a functional adult that does his own cooking, it’d be strange if he was capable of keeping himself alive on this job, but not take care of basic human needs. It feels odd because it humanizes him, it shows an unexpected and caring side to a man capable of a lot of violence. But he does go through it. Not that there is much to work on, just left over cold pizza from last night that he heats up and hands you on a plate.

You fill the tub and get in. Bond is out, getting acquainted with the surrounding area, you appreciate the alone time. You can think and drink, the half bottle of scotch sits on the floor, beside the tub.

You reach for the bottle and take a swig of it. It burns as it goes down your throat, and you grimace, hissing. That first day, you had parked the car outside the airport, got out and waited for Bond leaning against the passenger’s side door. His blue eyes had landed on you the moment he had stepped out, he was studying you the whole drive, asking questions that he knew the answers to. Measuring those answers and determining, little by little, if you could be trusted.

Later that night, Bond had come into your room, crouched in front of you and buckled your heels for you “Just making sure they’re buckled right. Wouldn’t want any accidents” He had looked up at you, and you had felt the heat of his gaze travel over you, all the way from your feet, to your face.

You had given Bond a silent, little smirk. A muted “Thank you”

The memory brings a smile to your face, you huff a soft laugh and take a deep breath. You lean over the lip of the tub and grab the bottle once again, take another swig and let the alcohol go down your throat.

You wish your mind would stay on those moments with Bond, but it does not. It refuses to.

You can see it so vividly. You ran towards her. Ana was laying on the floor, she wasn’t moving as you kneeled beside her, there was a pool of blood under her head, one of her eyes was black and her lip was split. The door had slammed closed behind you, and you turned your head to find Andrade looking down at you.

“I knew it had to be you” He stalked towards you and there was no time for you to grab your gun. He grabbed your arm and threw you on the floor. You knew, back then, you had to get away or he would have killed you. Andrade kicked your side and the air left your lungs. Your leg flew up, and you missed his crotch by inches, but it was enough to make him stumble back. It had been enough for you to be able to grab the gun. Your side was on fire as you pointed at him. Breathing was hard and your eyes were swimming with unshed tears.

You had signalled him to move “Stop” You said once he wasn’t between the door and you “She’s dead” You had said, more to yourself than to him. Your finger hovered over the trigger “Give me a reason, and I’ll do it” But for some reason you couldn’t do it. Then Bond had come in.

He had noticed how stiff you were, how you couldn’t pull that trigger, your watery eyes and the way your shallow breathing rattled your chest.

Bond walked to your side and put his hand around your trembling one “I can take care of this” His voice had been soft. His hand had settled you, allowed you to turn your eyes slowly to him as he took the gun from you.

Bond nodded as he took the gun from you, you had looked at Ana’s lifeless body then walked out of the room. Bond pulled the trigger.

You break the water surface and take a deep breath.

“I was starting to worry you wouldn’t come up” Bond is leaning against the door frame, arms crossed.

“Sorry” You’re not sure what you’re apologizing about.

But Bond moves, with that fluidity that only he can achieve, and walks into the bathroom and crouches beside the tub. Takes the bottle and helps himself to a swig of it, then puts it out of your reach.

You raise an eyebrow at him and he puts his arms on the edge of the tub, one over the other, then rests his chin over his folded arms “Can’t let you develop bad coping mechanisms”

He says it with an amused lilt to his voice, but you can tell he is being serious, too. Albeit careful with the way he says things “No more drinking”

“Do as I say, not as I do” You counter and Bond just smiles that knowing smile of his and points at you with a finger.

You’re keenly aware that Bond can see your naked form in the clear tub water “You just wanted to have a peek”

“I have been known to be curious” He counters.

“Creep” You tease him.

“There’s only so much I can do with you like this” Bond deeps a finger in the warm water and looks at you, waiting for you give a sign that this isn’t something you want. But it never comes. You want this, the distraction, his presence, that playful gleam in his eyes. You want Bond to do whatever it is he is thinking about doing.

His hand is in the water and you look at it, then into those blue eyes of his “You’ll get wet, Bond”

“I’m trying to” Bond drags a finger over your knee. Eyes fixed on your face as he moves that finger, his hand up your thigh. You part your legs just enough for Bond to reach the apex between your thighs, to flick one finger over that bundle of nerves and watch as you gasp.

Your hand wraps around his bicep, and you keep your eyes on him. A challenge.

“Do your worst, then” You breathe and dig your nails into his skin, just enough for him to feel the bite, the sting of it.

Bond hisses and the corners of his mouth lift up just slightly. His finger drags between your lips, from your entrance to your clit, your hips buck. He tilts his head as he watches your reaction. His other hand moves slowly over the water and cups one of your breasts, his thumb circles your nipple until it hardens and you groan, close your eyes and let your head fall back onto the edge of the tub.

When Bond pushes a finger inside you, all the way to the knuckle, he lets go of your breast and takes your chin in that same hand, makes you look at him “Are you sober enough for this?”

He’s not asking if you want it, the fact is you have not made an effort to hide it. He wants you sober enough for it. This.

You nod, but realize he probably wants to hear you say it. So you give him what he wants “Yes”

“Good” There’s promise on the way he says the word.

Bond drags his thumb over your lip and you scrape your teeth over it, there’s a fire in his blue gaze that lures you in as he circles your clit once again. He rewards you with one of those knowing smiles when you gasp.

He cups your chin again and beckons you forward, closer to him, to his lips. Again, that smile was there and his fingers.

Bond is so good with his hands, his fingers.

You close the space between your mouth and his, Bond’s other hand clasps the back of your neck as he thrusts a finger inside you, your mouth opens in a breathless gasp, and he deepens the kiss. Bond leans in until your back is resting against the back of the tub again and drags his finger almost completely out of your cunt, only to add a second and thrust them in at an agonizingly slow pace.

“More” You demand and Bond gives you an amused look.

“Ask politely” But he circles your clit and your hips jolt on their own.

You frown at Bond and he licks his lips “More, please” You breathe as Bond actually pulls his fingers out and you watch, mesmerized, as he grabs the back of his shirt and pulls it over his head.

He wraps his hand around your neck and pulls you closer, until your lips crash against his. Bond’s other hand is back between your thighs, his thumb circling your clit as you pant against his lips.

Release is right at your fingertips, so close you can taste it. When you cum, your back arches and the water sloshes around you, your nails dig on Bond’s arm and he looks at you intently. Blue eyes boring into you, intense and unflinching. Bond kisses you again and he pulls back the corners of his mouth tug upwards “Ready to get out of the bath?”

Bond takes your hand and stands, he follows the movement with those eyes of his as the water cascades down your body. There’s hunger in his eyes, his gaze feels like a brand on your skin as you step out of the tub gingerly and Bond wraps his arms around you, pulling you into a kiss.

You’re still drenched, but his arms wrap tightly around your waist, one of his hands moving down your back to your rear as you wrap your arms around his neck and bury your hand in his short hair. You arch into him, as Bond spanks your ass hard and you gasp, the water on your skin making the sting more intense. He grabs a handful of your ass, and you shiver against him, lifting your leg and grinding against him. The denim of his jeans is rough against your skin, reminds you that he’s still mostly clothed but you’re completely nude and at his mercy.

“I like you like this” His voice is barely above a whisper “Naked and wet”

“That sounds bad” You tease and bite his earlobe. Bond slaps your ass once again and then moves his other hand down to your thigh, patting it until you wrap it around his narrow waist.

“I’m sure you’ve been waiting to know just how bad it can get” Bond says as he starts walking out of the bathroom and towards the bedroom.

Bond’s mouth is on yours as soon as your ass touches the mattress, his groan reverberates all over your body, and you try to pull him on top of you, but he grips your hips “On your hands and knees”

A part of you wants to protest, the other part is intrigued by the idea of following Bond’s instructions in this specific scenario. So you turn around, get on your hands and knees.

You wait to hear the shuffling of fabric, the zip of his pants being pulled down. You get something completely different.

There’s no warning for it, you just feel Bond’s mouth on you and gasp loudly. He grips your thighs tightly, keeps you in place when you try to pull away from the drag on his tongue against your pussy. Within seconds you’re almost melting under Bond’s ministrations, moaning his name as he sucks your clit between his lips. Is this why the interns fall all over themselves for him?

That thought makes you let out an unexpected giggle that earns you one more slap on your backside, the skin burns pleasantly and you groan, closing your eyes. Bond is good. He’s so damn good with his mouth.

“Bond” His name is a breathless plea coming from your lips and he keeps a tight grip on your hips, preventing you from rocking them against his face. But you push on your hands, leaning in closer. He licks from your clit to your entrance and you shiver. Bond’s low, guttural laugh vibrates from your core into your whole body. Another swift spank lands on your ass, and you arch your back.

Its enough to make you cum against his mouth, soaking his face and chin as your legs tremble and you breathe hard “Oh, God” You whisper as the aftershocks of your release course through your body and Bond licks you through it. You jump as his teeth close over your ass cheek, hissing at the burn and the knowledge that his bite will leave a mark, as he pulls back and you see him stand up as you look over your shoulder.

Bond licks his lips. You hear the jingling of his belt buckle while keeping your eyes on his and before long you feel the teasing smoothness of his tip against your pussy. You arch your back and shiver as he thrusts slowly into you, his hands tight on your hips.

Bond bottoms out and grinds against your ass. His grip on your hips tightens until you’re sure his fingers will leave bruises, but it feels good. The pain laced pleasure grounds you into the moment and allows you to walk back from the edge, calm yourself enough to enjoy the stretch of his cock inside you.

“That’s good” Bond says, tugging you back against him when you try to scurry away and rock your hips “Stay still” He breathes, voice strained.

When he moves is a low, sensuous drag of his cock against your walls, and a humming sensation extends through you. Warm and fuzzy, and you shiver and clench around Bond’s length. Hear his groan in response and a lazy smile spreads over your lips, your eyes are halfway closed and you yelp when he slaps your buttock again.

“You like that” He whispers in your ear as he bends over you and wraps an arm tightly around your waist, the angle makes you feel him even deeper inside. Your breath catches in your throat and the only sound out of your lips when he pinches your nipple is a strangled gasp.

“Y-yes” You stutter, even though he wasn’t really asking, not when he can feel the way your body reacts to what he is doing to you. Not when he can feel just how so much wetter you get with every thrust of his hips.

Bond pulls back, and he buries a hand in your hair, forcing your back to arch and your fingers barely touch the mattress, as his thrusts turn deeper and harder, more brutal and less controlled. Is the kind of pleasure laced with just the right amount of pain to get you out of your head.

Soon enough, Bond is tugging on your hair until you’re on your knees and your back is against his chest. He lets go of your hair and his arm comes around your waist holding you upright. His free hand wraps around your neck in a firm hold. Bond’s breath is warm against your cheek and you turn your face just enough to kiss him as your hips move back into his, meeting him thrust for thrust.

That arm around your middle sneaks down your front and cups your centre, his fingers glide easily between your outer lips and Bond bites your earlobe “I knew you were a good girl”

His words make you shiver, your walls clench around his length and Bond lets out a breathless chuckle against your ear.

He starts to circle your clit right at that moment, his fingers slick and shiny as you look down and watch his hand move against you. It feels like you’re about to burst at the seams, it makes a new wave of wetness rush out of you and that heat in the pit of your stomach turns into a raging fire. Your hand wraps itself around Bond’s wrist, nails digging into his skin as you both move your hips faster and harder.

The sounds of your bodies colliding against each other fill the room, your mouth hangs slightly open and it's almost too much as you feel yourself tighten around his cock and cum hard. There are white dots dancing in your vision as you groan and gasp for air, arching against his chest and cursing loudly.

Bond doesn’t stop circling your clit or pumping hips as you do, instead he keeps going until your whole world feels like it has narrowed to the feel of his fingers on your bundle of nerves and his cock dragging in and out of you.

Is overwhelming and you almost want to tell him to stop, but you can’t. It feels too good, and you’re cuming again, harder than before, your whole body is trembling and if Bond wasn’t holding you up, you’d crumble into the mattress.

Bond’s own thrust start to lose their pace, they become staggered and the sound he makes causes you shiver again, clench around him once more

“I could get a few more out you”

His voice sounds almost cruel as he says it, but he pulls out of you and almost immediately you can feel the warmth of his semen against your inner thighs and see some of it land on the sheets. His breathing is ragged and he bites your shoulder “I probably will, later”

He helps you lay down on the bed and climbs onto it beside you, his arm snaking around your waist again. His thumb circling your hip distractedly, his lips on your shoulder “Did that work?”

You laugh softly, still breathless and nod “That’s one impressive trick”

Bond smiles and tilts his head, intense blue eyes fixed on you “I can repeat it as many times as you need”

“I’ll keep it in mind when drinking in the tub starts looking appealing then”

#james bond #daniel craig #james bond x reader #007 #no time to die #q #007 x reader #james bond x you #007 x you

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darkacademiaarchivist · 1 year

Text

Why does a man seek to destroy the world?

TIME FOR DOING EMBROIDERY AND LOSING MY MIND OVER MAG 160; THE EYE OPENS (oh god oh no oh god)

(i think the first time i was listening to this i was makind dinner and i was just. losing. my. shit. Obviously)

(teasing) Anyways, don’t tell me the phonebox down there doesn’t appeal to your retro aesthetic.

can we talk about how Jon REMEMBERED a small thing Martin said ONCE while he still kinda hated him?

MARTIN: I mean, they’ve finished all the interviews? Apparently they’re calling it a “terror attack.” ARCHIVIST: Doesn’t surprise me. (heh) Appropriate, in a way.

..... (imagine the news tho if it got out that legit paranormal stuff was happening)

ARCHIVIST: Let me know if you see any good cows MARTIN: Obviously I’m going to tell you if I see any good cows.

isnt it funny how nothing after this moment ever happened :'))) (i swear EVERY TIME i see cows i go "omg good cows / is that a tma reference??"

Hello Jon. Apologies for the deception, but I wanted to make sure you started reading, so I thought it best not to announce myself.

NO GOD PLEASE NO

[The Archivist makes a pained couple of sounds out-of-statement-character, as if he’s trying to tear himself away from the statement and physically cannot.] [When he picks the statement back up, the words sound like they’re being torn from his lips.]

CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW FANTASTIC JONNYS VOICE ACTING IS HERE???? he even sounds like Elias...... help

Why does a man seek to destroy the world?

because you're a stupid bitch man jonah, hope this helps <3

It’s a simple enough answer: for immortality and power. Uninspired, perhaps...

"why is it always immortality, why does no one ever want anything more interesting?" (jonah magnus is a basic bitch)

All this talk about the freedom of being evil and destroying the world... i mean i guess but you could also.... not do this?! have you considered the joy of making the world a tiny bit better. he's a coward.

I am to be a king of a ruined world, and I shall never die.

WAIT HE ACTUALLY SAID THAT?? i thought that was one of that fanon quotes

Jonah / Elias' backstory is so interesting and i wanna punch him i HATE that his plan worked. i'm 100% convinced tho that the web was always pulling some strings, Jonah is giving himself waaaay too much credit

Gertrude would HATE knowing that she contributed to him figuring out his ritual...

How is Martin, by the way? He looks well. You will keep an eye on him when all this is over, won’t you? He’s earned that.

ELIAS I WILL STAB YOU WITH MY NEEDLE!!! (i know we say Elias is gay AND homophobic but he said gay rights here)

i gotta saw the summoning, for lack of a better word, is a absolute BANGER; it's so powerful

I – OPEN – THE DOOR!

CLOSE THE DOOR JONATHAN

MARTIN (frantic) Wake up. Wake up. Wait, John, John, John, WAKE UP! [He slaps the Archivist; the Archivist immediately shudders awake with a disoriented yell.]

😭😭😭

No. No, it’s everywhere. They’re all here now. (voice shaking – but in awe?) I can feel all of it.

wouldn't it be funny tho if the apocalypse was just contained to the UK? if they hadn't left the EU it would be the EU too but the fears respect their decisions.

Look at the sky, Martin. Look at the sky. It’s looking back.

this quote HAUNTS me TO THIS DAY!!!!

@a-mag-a-day

#the amount of comments i wrote for this one makes me once again wish for a tma script book #i'd annotate the SHIT out of that #and assign like a coloured tab to each fear #a mag a day #the magnus archives #mag 160 #my post #tma spoilers

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legolasbadass · 1 year

Text

Office Hours, Part 25

Summary: Lorelei Browning has just secured a job as an assistant professor at Exeter College in Oxford. Naturally, she is eager to prove herself and meet every challenge sent her way, but what she does not expect is the tall, handsome stranger who will quickly become much more than a colleague…

Relationship: Richard Armitage x OC (Professor AU)

Word Count: 2.5k

Rating: T

Read on AO3

Somehow, even with the conference behind me, I only become busier as the end of the term draws near. Between assignments to correct and papers to edit, I barely have a moment to myself, let alone to spend with Richard. Unfortunately, the suspicions that began to gnaw at me at the conference have only grown with each passing day. I know Richard well enough to know when he is troubled, but every time I question him about it, he merely dismisses my concerns.

I desperately try not to let it worry me, especially as I have so many things demanding my attention at work, but I lie awake at night, watching him sleep, wondering what he is hiding from me. One moment, I am convinced all is well. I am convinced that Richard would never lie to me or intentionally hurt me in any way. But then he yet again evades my questions and locks himself in his study, and doubt festers in my heart. Even when he holds me or makes love to me, I feel this unbearable distance between us. Is this how he felt when I wanted to keep our relationship secret—when I refused to open myself to him?

The only person I could share my worries with is Beatrice, but I have been reluctant to do so due to her recent breakup. Still, simply being in her presence will help, which is why I am even more excited about her visit. I have not seen her since Christmas—the longest we have ever been apart since we met—and I cannot wait to see her. I was hoping I would get a chance to visit her in Edinburgh this time, but the conference and the release of my first monograph, on top of my classes, left me with no time to travel to Scotland for the weekend, so Beatrice happily undertook the journey to Oxford once again.

Mist hugs the city as I leave campus after my last tutorial of the day and drive to the train station to pick up Beatrice. It is a busy day in the city, with every park and café packed and cyclists rushing through the streets, but I find peace in the tumultuous atmosphere. After a short drive, I arrive at the train station and make my way through the main station building. Through the speakers overhead, a voice announces train arrivals and departures, but it is so muffled that I cannot make out the details. So when, a few minutes later, a wave of people rushes out of a hallway, I am surprised to see Beatrice among them, her long blonde hair, slightly tousled from travel, swaying in the air as she runs toward me. Once she is within reach, she nearly jumps into my arms and squeals so loud that many people turn around to eye us in annoyance. But we are both too happy to care as we hug each other tight.

“It’s soo good to see you! How are you?” she exclaims. Then, when we pull away, she playfully pats the top of my head and says, “Aw, my little hobbit—I had almost forgotten how small you are!”

I give her a look of mock annoyance, then say, with a hint of worry in my voice, as I recall her recent breakup, “I’m good! And how are you?”

“Good!” she echoes, and to my relief, she seems to mean it. “Really good now that I’m reunited with my bestie—I missed you so much!” Her voice is heavy with emotion as she pulls me in for another hug.

“I missed you, too! We can’t go this long without seeing each other ever again.”

“Well, that should be easier to arrange from now on,” she says, a twinkle in her eyes.

“Oh? Why’s that?” I ask with an inquiring rise of my eyebrows.

“How about I tell you over lunch? My treat!”

“No—I was going to invite you to lunch!”

She shakes her head. “No, no. My treat—I insist!” she says in a way that leaves me with no choice but to accept.

We talk non-stop as I drive into the city centre, then as we walk to Vaults & Garden, a lovely café tucked inside the church of St Mary the Virgin. Since the sun is now sneaking through the cloudy sky, we decide to eat in the garden outside, from where we have a stunning view of the Radcliffe Camera above the budding tulips, violets, and cherry blossoms. It is still rather chilly, but thankfully, the church shields us from the wind. I wait until we have ordered our food and are enjoying our drinks before returning to our earlier conversation.

“So … are you going to tell me now?”

She smiles widely. “I just accepted a new job offer. In London!”

“London? That’s only an hour an a half away from here!”

“I know!” she exclaims giddily. “We can visit each other all the time!”

I reach out to squeeze her hand as I smile. “That is such good news! What’s the new job?”

“You are looking at the new editorial director for fantasy at Bloomsbury Publishing. I start next month.”

“Shut up!” I exclaim in surprise. “Beatrice, that’s amazing! Congratulations!”

Her smile widens, and she waves her hands in excitement. “Thank you! Honestly, I can’t believe it—it’s my dream job!”

“I’m so excited for you—you really deserve it!”

“Thanks, Lor,” she says. “Look how far we’ve come already compared to when we met; I’m proud of us.”

With a smile, I glance at the beautiful city I now call home. “Yeah, I’m proud of us, too,” I reply just as our food arrives. We are silent for a little while as we eat, then Beatrice gasps as though in sudden realization.

“I forgot to congratulate you on your book!” I shake my head dismissively, but she goes on, “I received it only yesterday so I just started reading it on the train, but it’s amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever read such an entertaining academic book.”

“Oh, you flatter me!”

“I mean it! I’m not just saying that because you’re my best friend—I’m really enjoying it!” she insists, and heat rises up my neck. “And clearly, I’m not the only one who’s impressed by you. I was reading some reviews—”

“Oh, God, not you, too!” I say, half groaning and half laughing.

Beatrice looks at me inquisitively.

“Richard was reading some reviews out loud to me last night, even though I kept trying to make him stop,” I say, giggling at the memory.

“Awww! That’s so cute!” she exclaims with a wide smile. “So things are going well between you two?”

“Really well,” I reply, though I cannot stop my recent suspicions from tightening their hold on my heart once more.

Beatrice notices the change in my countenance immediately. “Uh oh, what’s wrong?”

I sigh. “Nothing.”

“No—tell me. I can tell there’s something.”

I sigh again, trying to dislodge the tightness in my chest. “There’s nothing wrong, it’s just … I have the strangest feeling that he’s hiding something from me—but that’s crazy.”

“Why do you get that feeling?”

“It started a few weeks ago, at the conference I organized with a colleague. He was late—I didn’t mind him being late—but he gave me this really vague excuse, and his mind seemed to be elsewhere. I’ve also noticed he’s been constantly checking his phone since, but when I question him about it he just shrugs it off. And I don’t know if this is related or not, but he’s in touch with this professor at Harvard with whom he might be working on a project soon—which is really exciting—but whenever I ask him about it, he changes the subject.”

“That’s weird….”

“Yeah, and I hate that because we’ve always shared our research with each other and exchanged advice, and now … I don’t know—am I freaking out over nothing?”

“Well, I don’t know, but you should definitely talk to him about it. Just let him know you’ve noticed how he doesn’t talk about his work with you that much anymore and you miss that.”

“I guess I should do that … It’s just—things are perfect between us right now! And I’m so afraid of doing anything to mess it up again.”

“Oh, Lor,” Beatrice says in a calm, comforting voice as she reaches out to squeeze my hand. “I get that—I really do—but you can’t just stay silent on things that bother you because you don’t want to mess anything up.”

I trail my free hand through my hair. “I know, you’re right.” Suddenly, I realize how insensitive I am acting and shake my head. “Sorry for dumping all this on you, especially considering….” I trail off, not wanting to scratch that scab, but Beatrice does not seem bothered at all.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. Paul and I weren’t in love or anything—it just didn’t work out. And I guess it’s good that it didn’t because now I’m moving to a different city and it would have ended anyway. Long distance relationships are too tricky.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” I reply quietly. “Still, I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

Beatrice shrugs, then a playful smirk lights up her face. “If I’m still single when I’m 40—you’ll marry me, right?”

“Oh, of course! Hopefully, Richard will understand.”

“Or he could join us?”

We both burst out laughing, and soon, the conversation degenerates into our usual—and somewhat inappropriate—nonsense. It is only now that I realize just how much I missed Beatrice. She is right; long-distance relationships—be they romantic or platonic—are hard, and I am beyond relieved to know she will be near once more.

***

“Wow! This place is amazing!” Beatrice exclaims as we peek into the Exeter College Dining Hall. The late afternoon sun spills through the stained glass windows onto the polished floor and empty wooden tables. “It looks like the Hogwarts Great Hall!”

After lunch, we walked through the city centre, passing by the Radcliffe Camera and the Sheldonian Theatre. Then, as we passed by Exeter on Broad Street, Beatrice insisted I give her a tour of the college campus as she did not get the chance during her last visit.

“Yes, it does bear similarities,” I reply with a chuckle before dragging her toward the next stop on our tour. “So, I showed you the courtyards, the library, and now the Dining Hall,” I muse. “Would you like to see the chapel? There’s a bust of Tolkien there—it was sculpted by his daughter-in-law, Faith Tolkien—”

“I want to see your office!” she says with a wide smile. “And maybe your professor?”

My laughter echoes through the empty corridor as I lead her back toward the courtyard. “He’s not here—he had some meetings online so he went home early.”

“Bummer,” Beatrice replies, pouting playfully.

“You’ll see him tonight!” I remind her about our evening plans. “He’ll text me when his meetings are over and we’ll meet him at the pub. By the way—he told me he was a bit nervous about meeting you. He says he needs to make a good first impression or else you’ll convince me he’s not good enough for me.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Beatrice chuckles. “Well, I won’t go easy on him, but I already have a pretty good impression of him.”

I smile as we climb up the ancient wooden stairs leading to the college offices. Through an open door, I see Sarah chatting with a student in her office, and I wave at her before reaching for my keys. “Alright—here we are!” I say as I unlock the door, and we enter my office.

I had time to tidy up yesterday after my tutorials, so everything from my desk to the walls lined with bookshelves is perfectly organized. Pale, grey light fills the room from the diamond grid window, and Beatrice gasps as she leans against the windowsill to watch the busy courtyard and the chapel to the left. Then she turns around, and a mischievous smile appears on her face as she gestures to the bookshelves behind my desk.

“So, is this where you did it with your professor last time I was in town?”

“We didn’t ‘do it’ that time,” I say, shaking my head, realizing my mistake too late.

“That time?” Beatrice raises an inquisitive eyebrow. “Meaning you did it at another time?”

Heat crawls up my cheeks, telling her all she needs to know.

“Lor, you are a dirty, dirty girl,” she says with a smirk. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks, I learned from the sluttiest,” I reply in the same tone, causing her to laugh.

“Hey, I never had sex in my office!” Beatrice retorts. “Though I did have sex in a library once….”

“You did?”

“Yep,” she chuckles as she leans against my desk. “Senior year of my undergrad. Her name was Lauren. Man, she was hot—but not as hot as you, of course,” she adds playfully.

“Don’t flirt with me—I’m taken!”

Beatrice shrugs. “What Richard doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” I shake my head in amusement. Then, with an even more naughty smile, she says, “So, where else did you have sex with your professor on campus?”

“Nowhere!” I retort, but I can’t help but add, “Not yet, anyway.”

Beatrice bursts out laughing. “That’s my girl.”

Suddenly, my phone rings, and I smile when I see Richard’s name on the screen. “Hey!”

“Hi, love, how are you?” His rumbling voice asks from the other end of the line.

“I’m good! I’m giving Beatrice a tour of campus,” I reply, looking back to her just as she leans closer to the phone, causing me to chuckle.

“I thought a tour of the campus was our special thing?” Richard says playfully, and I can practically hear that charming smile of his. I smile in return as the memory of our first meeting, right here in my office, floats to my mind.

“Oh, don’t worry—that still has a very special place in my heart.”

He chuckles. “So, I was calling because my brother was actually thinking of dropping by this evening. What do you think of him joining us at the pub?”

“That would be great!” I exclaim.

“Yeah? Is that okay with Beatrice?”

“Hold on.” I move the phone away from my face and look at Beatrice. “Richard’s brother is in town. Would it be okay if he joined us later?”

“Absolutely!”

I smile and return my attention back to Richard. “She’s alright with it. What time shall we meet you there?”

“How about 7:30?”

“Sounds good! So we’ll see you later.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I reply before hanging up.

A wide grin is spread across Beatrice’s face. “So, this brother … is he hot?”

I laugh as I shake my head. “He’s married.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“He’s not bad looking at all.”

“Then I’m really looking forward to tonight,” Beatrice says with a playful wink before I lead her onto the next step of our tour.

Taglist: @lathalea @linasofia @mcchberry @fizzyxcustard @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @i-did-not-mean-to @xxbyimm @middleearthpixie @enchantzz @myselfandfantasy @notlostgnome @laurfilijames @swoopswishsward @quiall321 @dianakc

Let me know if you’d like to be added or removed from my taglist, or tagged in future chapters! 💙

#richard armitage #richard armitage fanfic #richard armitage x oc #richard armitage x reader #richard armitage x you #professor au #office hours

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korgidorgi · 2 years

Text

Nightmare - Lena Luthor x Reader

Hey, so, I just had a really really fucky nightmare and no ones around so i'm writing this at 3/4am while by the grace of everything good in this universe I'm on call with one of my friends. This is literally what fucking happened to me (not including Lena and snuggles lmao)

Word count: 2019

Warnings: Its a nightmare i literally had like 2 hours ago, night pedestrians (iykyk), cursing

Summary: Y/N has a nightmare and instead of vibing on call they get snuggles :3

Walking through the house, your music blasts from your pocket as you head for the kitchen to grab a snack.

“Guys, it's coming!”

“Oh shit-”

You rush to the living room, stopping your music as you join your brother and his band of friends. Your mom sits behind the group as you all kneel on the floor.

“Heads down,” your brother instructs, “heads down!”

You all put your heads to the carpet. The drawn out sound of a car going by echoes through the house, signaling it's presence. Everyone's breathing is irregular, some shaky as they assume the worst and prepare. The house soon goes quiet and your brother relaxes, moving to sit upright again.

“Okay,” he states, “we’re clear.”

“That quick?” one of his friends asks.

“Yeah, it kind of does a pass over thing.” Your brother explains.

The group goes back to their normal activities and you shakily stand up to return to the kitchen for what you wanted. On second thought, you head back to your room, deciding to chill for a bit.

You must have fallen asleep. Peeling your eyes open, to glance around your dark room, the red from your reptiles night light gently flooding your room. Almost as clear as day, you see it. The static silhouette of an entity stands between you and the door. You can hear the hiss of a car going by slowly. You immediately shut your eyes, forcing it to leave your vision and hoping to whatever is good out in the universe that it passes. You try again to open your eyes, finding it increasingly more difficult to do so. You take a moment to syke yourself up. You try to move, noting how numb your limbs feel, almost as if they're not your own. Your eyes are impossible to keep open, but you still manage to fling the sheets off of you and stumble down the hall to your brothers room.

You open his door, not caring for the small squeak of the hinges and you throw yourself to his floor, shaking him awake.

“Bro-” you begin, “I fucking saw it, I saw it.”

“What?” He groggily responds.

“The sk!nw@lker, oh my god, it was in my room and it was all static and shit and-” You begin to tear up, looking around his room frantically.

“Hey, hey, calm down.” He tries to soothe.

You catch something out his window on the ground. It's one of your friends, Shane.

“Hey, Shane’s here.” You announce.

“Mom’s also here.” He adds, noting the sound of the front door opening.

You get up to go greet her, acknowledging Shane’s presence as he makes his way up the basement steps to join you and your mom. It's a surprise visit for her, but she’s tired enough to let it slide tonight.

The overwhelming feeling that something is watching you continues to gnaw at the back of your mind. You glance over your shoulder, but see nothing around the house.

Your eyes shoot open, the red from your reptiles night light flooding the room.

Fuck me. Fuck. me.

“I’m going to shit myself-” You mumble to yourself. “I am going to shit myself.”

You go to open discord, beginning to write about the nighttime adventures of your mind to your friend group. You stop mid sentence, looking at the time. 3:33 am.

Broskis, I’m going to shit myself

BRUH

I’M FUCKING DONE

You sit up in your bed, turning around to lay on your stomach, facing your headboard and wall to avoid your door. You text on the discord a little bit more, not expecting anyone to be awake. To your surprise, Lena responds, offering surprised reactions. You get on one of the voice channels, not expecting anything to happen and begin plugging in songs for the bot to play. Lena soon joins you on the channel.

“Hi, darling.” She greets quietly. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah,” you half whisper, “I’m just- what the fuck bro.”

“I’m sorry about your nightmare.” She offers.

“Okay- bro, it was about the fucking Night Pedestrians,” you state, “you know them?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Yeah…” You trail off. “And then it just has to be the goddamn witching hour. What the fuck.”

“That’s wild.”

“I’m going to shit myself, Lee.” You say. “I. Am. Going. To. Shit. Myself.”

“Aww, darling...”

“I don’t want to talk about it until it's not the fucking witching hour.” You state, still shaken up about the whole ordeal.

“Yeah, I get it.” She responds.

You can hear the nod in her voice, imagining her nodding her head in agreement. You’re a bit more of the superstitious type than she is. She doesn’t fully understand the whole Night Pedestrian talk, but she knows what you’re talking about. It wouldn’t mean as much to anyone else as it does to you that she adopts your behavior when it comes to cryptids and folklore.

You sit in silence, listening to the music of the bot playing softly in the channel. It’s quiet enough to hear her, but loud enough to provide a distraction. You whip out your laptop, opting to write a small blurb for your social media.

You keep track of the time, watching the clock tick closer and closer to 4 am. You try to write a little bit, managing out a few sentences. A soft knock echoes throughout your apartment.

“Lena,” you whisper into your phone, “someone’s at my fucking door-”

“Yeah, it’s me. Now open up.” She leaves the discord call.

You slowly get up to go let your best friend in. As you approach the door, you can hear her using the spare key you gave her. She swings the door open and closes it behind her, locking it. She’s clad in casual clothes that look like she just threw on. She immediately walks up to you and embraces you, wrapping her arms around your shoulders and pulling you close to her. You take a moment to compute and eventually wrap your arms around her torso in return. The two of you stand there for a moment before you break the silence.

“You didn’t have to come all the way out here for me-” you begin.

“And let you suffer here alone?” She pulls back a little bit, looking down at you. “Not a chance.”

She pulls you back into her embrace, placing a soft kiss to your forehead. Your grip on her slightly increases at the motion and you bury your face into her chest. She begins to rub her hand up and down your back briefly before pulling back.

“Would you like to put something on to watch,” she offers, “would you like to attempt sleep again?”

“I…” you stammer, looking down. “Did you come here without shoes??? Lena, you really didn’t have to-”

“Y/N,” she grabs your face gently, “I’m here for you. Doesn’t matter how, when, or why. I don’t want to sit back there on call, unable to give you hugs and cuddles and comfort when you so clearly need it.”

“But-”

She shushes you, bringing you back to her previous question. “What do you want to do?”

“Would you like a drink?” You deviate again.

“Y/N,” she warns, tilting her head and raising a brow. “If you don’t decide, I will.”

You look away before beginning to turn to your bedroom. You begin shuffling over, Lena following you with a hand on your back. You crawl under your covers, offering her space and letting her crawl in with you. She grabs your favorite throw blanket and throws it up, unfurling it over you. The tortilla print decorates a large circular area of the bed as it drapes neatly overtop you and Lena. You shuffle down the covers and turn to her, snuggling up to her as she drapes an arm over you. You wrap your arms around her waist, holding onto her tightly and burying your head into her chest.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asks softly, beginning to play with your hair.

You glance at the time over her shoulder at your alarm clock on your nightstand. “It had the Night Pedestrian in it…”

She hums in response, continuing to stroke your hair.

“My brother was in it, I still lived with them, like I never moved out,” you begin. “He knew how to tell when the Night Pedestrian was coming and he had like this weird ritual when you put your head down and avoid their gaze and pretend like they're not there. It kinda does like this passover thing.”

You take a moment to think of what else to tell her. She doesn’t stop brushing her fingers through your hair, gently grazing her nails against your scalp soothingly.

“So he had friends over and he knew when it was coming so we all avoided it. I can't remember if my mom came home before or after I ‘woke up’, but also when she came home, one of my brother and my friend came over at the same time but from downstairs. And because it's a dream, the house is kinda wonky so things are off, but it's relatively similar. But at some point, I wake up, and as I’m opening my eyes, it's like those Backrooms entities or whatever, you know them?”

“Mhmm,” she hums, letting you continue.

“So it was like that, but like it was all static. And I tried to get out of bed, but like, my body was all numb. So I finally was able to get to my brothers room and I woke him up and I cried that I saw it. And I think that's when we both got up and mom came home and our friend came in the basement door. He was younger than he actually it, but that probably just because I haven’t seen him in forever.”

You shift slightly, increasing your grip on her.

“It just- it felt so real.” You whisper. “The glow from Glue’s night light, the ambience of the room, everything was there and it was just this static entity.”

You sniff and rub your eyes into your shoulders and forearms to wipe away the wetness that’s begun to spill.

“I’m sorry you experienced that.” Lena increases her grip on you briefly before pulling back to look at you.

She brings a hand to your face, wiping away your tears. She places another soft kiss to your forehead, bringing you into her embrace again.

“Thank you for texting the discord about it.” She praises. “You’re very brave for opening up to us like that.”

“I was just in shock and I was shaken up about the whole thing-”

“Yeah, and it’s okay to feel like that and let the others know.” She cuts you off gently. “Even if it's at some ungodly hour of the night, someone will be up and available to be there for you. You’re not alone, darling.”

She places another kiss to your forehead.

“Thank you for coming over. I really appreciate it.” You hold onto her.

“Anytime, darling.”

A short period of silence falls over you both before you decide to break it.

“Ugh, I wish I had a girlfriend.” You huff, half joking. “Non-stop cuddles and shit like this.”

You bury your face further into her, trying to snuggle closer. You hear a soft chuckle emanate from your goddess of a best friend.

“I could be your girlfriend.” She offers.

“Wait shit, really?” You whip your head up to look at her.

“Yeah,” she confirms, placing yet another soft kiss to your forehead, “really.”

You shoot her a huge grin, placing a quick kiss on her cheek and snuggling into her again.

“Goodnight, Girlfriend.” You bid, closing your eyes as you finally settle.

“Goodnight my darling.”

#lena luthor x reader #x reader #fanfiction #supergirl #lena luthor #supergirl fanfic #supergirl imagine #lena luthor imagine #i had a nightmare #so i wrote a fic about it #also i too want a girlfriend #i wish it was that easy #wow y/n look at you go

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cljordan-imperium · 7 months

Text

Heaven Visits The LaVeaus - 2

“See, I told you this trip would be good for you.” Cade finally made it up to them and clapped Arthur on the shoulder. “And Mama Marie and the spooky bunch has adopted another stray. I guess we’re brothers now, Arthur. Wait till you taste her food! We may never get you back to England.” They all laughed as they began to head in to see exactly how big of a feast Marie HAD prepared.

Arthur snorted at Cade’s quit and rolled his eyes. “You’re all spoiling her. How am I supposed to take her home now?” He side-eyed Cade, a slight smirk toying on his lips.

Cade shook his head, “I guess you won’t. We’ll keep her and you can go home alone, you grumpy asshole. She’ll fit in better here anyway. Bet she’ll think it’s a vacation.” He ducked a swing from Arthur, who wasn’t really trying hard to actually hit him. Laughing he shoved his friend back, glad to see that the man was..could it be...no…actually SMILING?! Seemed the slight and fair beauty he’d brought over with him HAD done some good for the old goat.

“Do I need to go get Alexander to separate you two old war horses?” Mel’s amused voice broke into the men’s exchange. “Hey, don’t threaten us with a good time, beautiful.” Cade winked over at his fiance’. “Although I’ve dealt with his cranky ass when he’s tired before, I’d prefer you NOT.” This got a laugh from Arthur. Damn, the little woman had started to heal the man. Hot damn! This might not be the serious visit he’d been afraid of. Eggshells shelved?

“Where is the bastard?” Arthur asked, looking around the estate that was even larger than his brother’s back in England. The land here was different, but just as old, and there was something about it that had a different feel. Something darker, even in the bright Louisiana sunshine.

“He didn’t land until almost midnight last night from his flight, so he is still passed out upstairs. We can see if he’s awake when we drop off your luggage, old man. If he misses Mama Marie’s cooking, he’ll be pissed.” Cade laughed and clapped Arthur on the back as he jerked his head toward the back of the SUV. “Come on, your wife packs like mine. I’m not hauling all that up by myself.”

Arthur looked between Cade and Melania for a moment, a brow raised. “Maybe it’s something about witches.” It was said flatly, with no derision, and then he headed to the back of the vehicle, leaving both Mel and Cade staring at one another, mouths slightly agape and trying not to laugh. Yes, he was going to fit right in.

*****

Alexander had been groggy, but awake, when the men had taken the luggage upstairs. He made some kind of unintelligible response about breakfast and headed in to get a shower. Cade just shook his head as he headed downstairs again. Alexander has known Mel for over a decade and was considered family. After all that had gone down jn Serbia and after, Cade considered him a brother too.

"The grumpy Brit will be down in a minute he's showering." Cade announced as he came into the dining room that looked like a Cajun and Creole buffet had exploded all over it.

"There is more than one? I thought mine was it." Heaven teased her husband who made a grumble but pulled her close to kiss her softly none the less.

''He learned it from Alexander I think." Mel teased. "Especially before coffee it's not safe to have him around loaded weapons."

"No weapons talk around the new children." Marie came through and tsked at Mel. "Breakfast. If I'm going to have to listen to the men and their guns all day, I'm not listening to you talk about them while we eat."

"Of course, Mama." Mel kissed her mom lightly on the cheek before starting to point out all the delicacies that Marie had prepared. Crayfish, shrimp, grits, cream sauces, and richness abounded. As a nod to their guests, Marie had even been able to get the local butcher to make blood sausage.

"And someone remember to feed Archibald so he doesn't try to come in and visit." Dontanion's very heavily old French accented voice called from the kitchen.

"Who is Archibald?" Heaven asked, looking confused why a friend would not be wanted as a visitor with so much food being laid out.

"My pet albino alligator. Come on, you two have a complexion in common. I raised him from a baby. Albinos aren't rare to be born, but they rarely make it to adulthood. Being white in the bayou is a liability." Mel explained as she led the petite woman into the kitchen grabbing a bag of mega marshmallows and then chicken thighs. "He LOVES marshmallows!"

"You spoil him!" Cade called after her in tease.

"Says the man I equally spoil!" Mel turned and stuck out her tongue at him. "He's ornery, but I love him." She laughed as she looped her arm with Heaven's and led her to the dock. “I just tolerate Cade.” Winking over at the beauty next to her, she laughed harder.

Heaven & Arthur Shelby belong to @call-sign-shark

@raincoffeeandfandoms @blind-the-winds @saltysupercomputer @aziz-reads @toribookworm22 @writingmaidenwarrior @jessica-writes22 @late-to-the-fandom

#writeblr #my ocs #my writing #friend's oc #Behind These Masks #Heaven x Arthur #Melania x Cade #LaVeaus & Shelbys #Louisiana #Bayou #writeblr community #writeblr connect #witches #found family

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pbandjesse · 20 days

Text

Happy May Day!

I am glad I stayed home today. I still wasn't feeling amazing. But I was able to enjoy my day. Even if I was still nauseous.

I slept alright enough. The new curtain next to my head blocks the light a lot better and while I still woke up, I was able to more easily fall back asleep. I was awake enough to be aware of James saying goodbye. And went back to sleep for an hour.

When I woke up I was a little off. But mostly I was good. I cleaned my face and got dressed. And would just wander around the house for a long time. I spent some time just cleaning up. Putting things away. I tried to vacuum but our vacuum keeps thinking it's jammed. No idea what is up with that. I would change the kitty litter though and Clorox some stuff.

I would spend time with sweetP. Just hanging out. I had egg salad on toast. I would go out to the car to get the last of my car chips. It was beautiful outside but a little hot directly in the sun.

I started working on a little painting project. Sat on the front door step and started laying out the hearts I wanted to paint on the door. The sun was a bit to bright but I have the outlines done. I'll go back in with paint soon.

I came back inside and would hang some stuff in our room. James was going to hang the last panel of wallpaper tonight so that was exciting. The bedroom walls could finally basically be finished. And I am really happy about that. I still would like to get a small rug for the floor but everything else feels really finished and that feels really nice.

We are having our little house warming this weekend and so I want the space to at least have some areas done. And I think we have done a pretty excellent job overall. Like there are still projects for sure but it's coming together and that feels really good.

I spent a long time today working on cleaning out the one fish tank. I might be getting a frog for in there. Haven't 100% decided but I moved out all of the decor and washed the rocks. Took a while but it wasn't to bad. Was nice to try it all clean.

I would answer some work emails. And lay in bed. Lay on the couch. Lay around. I didn't feel amazing. And whenever I tried to do to much I felt sick. But I kept drinking water and trying my best to be okay.

I remembered that the new labor exhibit was opening at the museum tonight. I very much wanted to go to that and me and James decided I would just meet them there. Felt like a good plan.

I had a phone meeting today with Salvatore from the national guard and it went really well. He seems really sweet. Retired military, daughter in the girl scouts, loves working with the kids. They want to get me in the schedule for sometime in July and then again in the fall. Excellent. I love working with the national guard kids so I really hope we can continue this going forward.

After my phone meeting I would catch up on April's knitting. I still need to sew down thr edges but the last 11 days I was missing is done. And I can start May. That took a while though. I had put the little screen in the studio window so Sweetp could have somewhere to sit and watch the world and I would knit and listen to a video. It was nice. I was having fun.

I made a little microwave pizza as a late lunch. And got myself ready to go to the museum. But that would not be my only stop.

My first stop was Petco. I wanted to look at their frogs and things. This Petco never has a very good selection but it was still fun to look. And I enjoyed seeing different options. I may chose to get a tomato frog? I really would like a turtle but I don't have the infrastructure (or a large enough tank) right now. But maybe that is where I will end up. I'm not in any rush.

I went to the museum next. And was very excited to see Jessica because she just announced today that she's pregnant with baby number 2!! So excited for her. It was also just really nice to see everyone else.

After giving James many hugs I went to go get a drink and ran into Margaret. Who asked if we could talk on the phone tomorrow because there has been discussion about brining me on part time to help run events. This is an amazing opportunity for me. It would be flexible hours, a pay increase, and I would get to be doing something I really enjoy! And as my grant position at camp comes to an end this would just be really great. A next step, somewhere I already love.

I would also go and find Jesse to talk to him so I wasn't going into the conversation with Margaret blind. He gave me some ideas of what to negotiate for, when I could actually start (immediately), and how Meril would also be in on this. And honestly the three of us would be such an amazing dream team the museum wouldn't know what hit it. I really hope this works out.

I really also just enjoyed talking to people. About our trip. And seeing the new exhibit! Which I think was done so well. I already know a lot about union history, but seeing more contemporary and Baltimore specific stuff was awesome. And the layout and design choices were great. I really enjoyed it.

I would hang out at the desk with James. I got some food and would watch the desk while James got some too. And it was just good. People watching. Chatting with friends and guests. It was a good night.

I was excited to come home though. A little later then I had thought but that's okay.

When we got home I would go and change. I watched my frog tank for a while and actually saw my loach. No omelet sightings today but I did see him yesterday. I also moved the very hearty snail from the other tank to this tank and I hope he's as strong in here as he has been in the other.

James is in our room hanging the last piece of wallpaper. It wasnt going super well and I left the room because I thought I wasn't being helpful just sitting there writing this. But I am going to go check on them now before I take a shower and we get ready for bed. It has been a long day. But I am feeling a little better. Still not great but not as perilously bad.

Tomorrow I have a feild trip and it's the brave bee program. I really like that one. And then I have my phone meeting with Margaret. And me and Celia just made plans to go to the Dutch market after work. I am looking forward to the day. I hope the heat is t to bad and I'm not nauseous anymore.

Wish me luck and good vibes. I love you all. Goodnight!

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adoracora-elizabeth · 2 months

Text

But Papa! Why? Chapter 43

When she heard the shower being turned off, Cora started with the orange juice. Molesley had apologised profoundly that there was no cook to make them breakfast this morning. Cora had tried to reassure him that it was no problem at all. They had been standing on the doorstep unannounced, Molesley did not seem to be reassured, and he had been in the kitchen when Cora entered this morning.

'I promise you Molesley, I do make my breakfast in London myself.'

'But you are now with Mr. Crawley, and I should provide the staff you need.' Molesley had protested.

'Do not be silly. It is perfectly alright. We did not announce our arrival, and I do not mind. Please do not feel guilty or ashamed. His Lordship does not mind either.' Cora had smiled at him and said jokingly. 'As long as there is breakfast, he does not mind.' When she had seen Molesey’s face she had quickly added. 'I am joking Mr. Molesley. In his own London home, he has to make his breakfast. We both do not have a butler at home. It is a luxury that we have you here.'

When she entered the kitchen this morning, she was relieved that Molesley was not there himself. It seemed he had accepted that Cora would make breakfast.

It took a while before Robert finally came downstairs.

"This smells like heaven." He said, while he turned on the coffee machine to brew himself one.

"Are you alright?" Cora asked concerned when she saw him making the coffee.

"I am." Robert said surprised. "Why do you ask?"

Cora took the eggs out of the frying pan and put them down on a plate with the toast and beans. "You never start you day with coffee. You rarely drink coffee at all. So, I am a bit surprised you are starting this day with a coffee instead of a cuppa."

Robert sat down on one of the chairs. "I did not sleep much, so I hope this will wake me up."

Cora sat opposite of him and put the plate down in front of him. "I am sorry, I did not notice."

"You were snoring as soon as your head hit the pillow."

"I do not snore." Cora replied.

Robert pulled up one eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?" his mouth pulled in a cheeky smile.

"Maybe a little." Cora said timid.

With twinkling eyes, Robert stretched out his hand and touched Cora's. "You are cute when you sleep, do not worry about it."

"Only when I sleep?" Cora winked at him. "I will try not to worry about my snoring, but I do worry that you did not sleep. Especially after the long walk we did."

After the meeting with Jacob, Robert drove Cora around the area. Once they reached the far end of the estate, she had asked if they could go for a walk. On the grounds she had seen that there were several beautiful gardens, they had walked through the Rose Arbour on to the Wildflower Meadow. It had been a long walk, but Cora did not mind walking. Especially not with her arm linked in Roberts. She could vision them walking through the gardens with little ones running in front of them. Or even in their old days, needing each other for support, wanting to enjoy the beauty of life.

"What was keeping you awake, honey?"

"Dad send me an email about Mr. Bricker last night."

Cora had just brought her fork to her mouth, but she froze midway. "From 'Advertisements by Mr. Bricker' That Mr. Bricker?"

"Simon Bricker indeed." Robert looked at her, there was a worried wrinkle on his forehead. "He is insisting that there will be another meeting between you and him."

"But how does your father know about that? I am sure Mr. Bricker would have contacted Harold about this, and not your father? It does not make sense."

"Harold has been the one who send the emails to my father."

"That still does not make sense Robert." Cora sounded annoyed. "Why did Harold not send them directly to you? What is going on?"

"Simon has found out that you are Cora Levinson and not MacLaine. He also knows you are my fiancée." Robert grinned. "I still love saying that." Once more he stretched out his hand to take Cora's in his. "Next year I can call you, my wife." He brushed with his thumb over the back of Cora's hand.

Cora smiled back. "I love you, but can you please tell me why Mr Bricker is still contacting Harold. I thought Harold had taken care of that business. I still regret going there."

"You got all the information we needed from him, so please do not regret it. As Papa said, you did amazing that day and gave us so much inside in what to do and where to go."

"But this business is keeping you up at night. That means something went wrong, as I suspected."

"Cora please." Robert squeezed her hand. "There is nothing Papa cannot solve about this. It is just me who is worrying. It is not only this business with him, in the middle of the night I suddenly realised that if we do not find a contractor fast, we will not be able to have our wedding here next February."

Cora let out a soft, 'oh' "We will find a contractor. And otherwise, we will find a solution. Maybe we should reset the date to the year after?"

"NEVER" Robert yelled, he continued on a softer tone. "I cannot wait another year to be married to you. Please do not suggest that again. Another year will also mean Marmaduke will not be able to be there with us."

"Sweetheart." Cora started carefully. "Marmaduke will probably not see another Christmas. That was why you rushed their wedding day."

"It will also add another year before we can try to start our family."

A warm smile appeared on Cora's face. "We do not have to wait with that, do we?"

"If we are still marrying this February, we will have to wait. You do not want to be heavily pregnant on your wedding day or having morning sickness either."

Cora now laughed out loud. "We should pay your father a visit as soon as we are back in London. I do believe we made a mistake with my visit."

"Cora, trust me when I say that it will all be alright."

"That is why you have not slept, because everything will be alright."

Robert let out a deep sigh. "Mr Bricker is insisting on meeting you again and that is what is bothering me. Papa will make sure the business will not be affected. He already mentioned buying 'Advertisements by Mr Bricker'. I hope we can find a way to keep him away from you. When you told me he had a weird look in his eyes I knew he would be trouble. And I promised to keep you safe and protect you."

"More reason for us to move up here to Downton as soon as the building is finished. We will be far away from him." Cora said. "Now, let us clean up this mess and then we will have to go back home."

"Do we have to go back?"

"I am afraid we do. Baxter and I will have to finish the advert we are working on by Tuesday. I also promised Rosamund to pay her a visit tomorrow."

"Do I have to come to?"

"I only promised I would go; I know how you are with sick people."

Robert looked down. "I feel ashamed, and I promise I will pay Rosamund and Marmaduke a visit, but I find it hard."

This time it was Cora who took Robert's hand. "I know my dear. I know. Rosamund also knows and she does understand. As long as you promise to make that visit very soon. You will not forgive yourself if you have not and it is too late."

#cora crawley #downton abbey #robert crawley #downton #cobert #fanfiction

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bookmaker-untaken · 6 months

Text

ghostwritten by my childhood nana mizuki chokehold

jing- yaun x reader // nanoha!au

Word Count: 9Fitty (950)

Author’s Note: My therapist told me to write more stuff for myself,, so,,

A cool breeze blows across the battlefield, it’s whistling echoing in your ears. You have path of destruction, straight as an arrow, and in your wake lie men gurgling their own blood, crawling around on their knees, and grabbing for things they cannot see. Their cries are swept away in the wind.

You march on.

In your path stands a single man. The air crackles around him. He is tall, with long white hair that flaps like a flag in the breeze. His eyes are a color you’ve never seen before. The look on his face is also something you’ve never seen before – eerily calm, free of judgment.

You look up at him.

“I, Jing Yuan,” He announces in a strong, clear voice. “Arbiter-General of the Xianzhou Alliance and leader of Cloud Knights challenge you to single combat,”

You stare at him. You’re used to hearing curses laden with spit and flecks of blood, not this. Combat, though, you recognize. Wordlessly, you reposition yourself into a fighting position and you lunge at him.

To onlookers the battle seems only to be a blur of motion, accented by the yellow glow of the general’s spear and the red of your blade. He forces you to keep on the move, making you work for every jab you take. Your swings are powerful, alike to a machine.

And then … you make mistake, and he knocks your sword out of your hands. It rattles to the ground a few feet away. Both of you follow it’s ark to the dirt.

And then he is upon you, his spear at your throat. Your eyes are locked, both of you heaving.

“Please,” He says, “Surrender. I do not wish to kill you,”

You swallow something sour and bring your leg up to kick his spear out of your face and turn to run, but he appears Infront of you, the air around him crackling with electricity.

You take the spear in both of your hands and pull, which surprises him and allows you to land a solid punch before running to your sword. With a roar of more feeling than you have allowed yourself in years, you lunge at him again. He simply knocks your sword awake and you fall to the ground once more.

He is looking at you with the same face as before, even out of breath.

“Aren’t you going to kill me?” Your quiet and voice is raspy with misuse.

Something sparks in his eyes, something you cannot name.

“That is not for me alone to decide,” He replies. “I am no executioner.”

ii.

The room has a small window from which you can see the endless black pinpricked with stars. They give you food from a slot in the door and you scoop it up and run to the other side of the room, stuffing it into your mouth with your back to the door.

The general has visited you, once or twice. The first time he’d asked questions. When you didn’t answer, he’d stopped. You wished you were trying to hide something then – at least you could say something.

You are waiting, although you do not know for what.

The door’s airlock hisses as it opens and you freeze, whirling around to face the general from the corner, caught shoveling food in your face by the fistful. Your eyes dart around. There is nowhere to run.

“Hello,” He greets, but does not move from his place near the door. It slides shut behind him.

You stare at him. Very slowly you wipe the rice that sticks to your cheeks with the back of your wrist.

“I – “ He breaks off, than sighs. “We were able to contact your master, Lady Testarossa,”

“My Mother,” You correct automatically.

The General draws his lips into a thin line. He inhales, then looks directly at you. “She is not willing to exchange information for your freedom.”

You are silent. You stare at him for a long time. It feels like your bones are freezing over.

“She – “

You force out. “Can I see it?”

“What?”

“The hologram. Can I see it.”

The General gives you a wary look.

“I believe you, I just – I just need to see it.”

The Generals eyes are swimming with an imitation you recognize from Mother’s servants. Pity.

“Let me see it! I need – “ You heave and the General starts to step forward, but stops himself. You still jump back anyway.

The General sets a blue square on the bed and presses it’s top with one finger. A miniature figure of you Mother flickers, wavy in the hologram.

“ – For that failure?” She laughs.

You involuntarily jerk.

“Absolutely not! If they got captured, then they are no use to me. They can die there for all I care! I have no need for defects! – For defects! – For defects – “

Your face is blank, save for your eyes blown unnaturally wide.

The hologram bursts into flame, and the fire alarm above you rings – soaking your sheets and the cloths your wearing that had almost been lit aflame.

iii.

For the next few days you do not eat. Or drink.

You do not move from your bed.

The room’s sensor insist that you are alive, so everybody believes it.

One day, the General returns.

“I have an offer for you,” He says, in that too soft voice of his. “I’ve seen your skills in battle and believe you would make a great asset us. I’d like you to be one of my retainers – as a Cloud Knight.”

“I am no Knight,” Your voice is sharp but holds no malice.

“Don’t worry,” He gives you a small smirk – the stars breaking though a space storm. “No one is, at first.”

#jing yuan x reader #hsr x reader #Nanoha AU #my fanfiction #i thOUGHT I TAGGED THIS LORD

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allykakamatsu · 8 months

Text

The Demon Siblings, Chapter 1.

Rating: T

Original Characters

Chapter 1 Trigger Warnings: Parental Abuse, not shown but implied.

Story as a whole loosely based on @yusuke-of-valla Demon Fam Au.

One night, Yuna went with her Mother Ivy for a business deal, and for better or worse, that night changed her life forever.

Chapter under cut

A Contract Gone Wrong

10 years ago, Yuna:

“Alright, we’re here!,” Mom announces making me wake up from my nap as she parks the car outside of a somewhat old looking church, “Yuna sweetie it’s time to get out!”

“Ah, coming mom!” I agree trying my best to wake myself up and stay awake, easier said than done given that it’s well past my bedtime.

“Okay, let’s get a move on, don’t want to keep my client waiting.” Mom states as she takes my hand and we walk inside the church. Apparently someone wants to commission Mom for a painting but they wanted to meet up here for some reason, and because it’s late and Mom couldn’t get a babysitter because everyone’s afraid to go outside with the Demon barrier being weaker so she’s taking me along.

Still, I have my sketchbook at least and once we’re inside the church it does look very nice so I can hopefully just draw while I wait for Mom to talk to her client. But….

“Mom, are we here early?” I ask a bit confused because I can’t see anyone else in here.

Mom smiles before answering. “Don’t worry about it sweetie, they just said they’d meet me outside, you just wait in here so no demons will try to get you, okay?”

“Okay but…. Are you sure this is a good idea being here this late?” I’m sure this is just nothing, but…. Something is giving me a very bad feeling about this.

Mom smile turns somewhat aggressive as she replies. “Normally no, but this is life changing money this client is promising, it will me fine, so just stay in here and don’t cause a scene, got it?”

“Got it.” I agree making Mom nod approvingly as she goes back outside, but I can’t shake my nerves so I go and sit by the door so I can hear if something goes wrong.

“-so once you sign here and here, we have a deal.” A male voice that I don’t recognise says outside the door, and I’m assuming it’s Mom’s client.

“Ah perfect, but can I give it one more read over first?” Mom asks and I guess the man agrees cause I barely hear the crinkling of paper being passed over, and after a minute of silence I hear the sound of pen hitting paper.

“The contract is now sealed,” the man states as (I think) Mom hands the paper back, “now then- wait, that’s not your name written there.”

“Contract never said it had to be my soul that I gave up.” Mom replies sounding smug- wait soul?!Is… is Mom bargaining with a demon?!

“What-?! Oh the hells it doesn’t, damn it your majesty I though I told you to take this to Seth first to make sure there’s no loopholes,” the demon replies with exasperation, “fine, I guess a deal is still a deal, but you do know the soul has to be nearby for me to take it right?”

“Oh I know, and she’s just inside there.” Mom answers-!! Inside…. I’m the only one in here…. Is she…. No, no way…. She wouldn’t, would she?

Creaking the door open a bit to not draw any attention, I see Mom with her back to the door looking at her nails like this is boring, along with the still exasperated Demon who’s a guy with black hair, blue eyes with slitted pupils, along with cat ears, claws and double tails (a Japanese Nekomata I think if I remember from my Demon studies correctly) and wearing a fancy suit. He also looks me in the eye after a moment but instead of any anger or ‘I am going to eat you’ he just looks at me with pity.

After that the Nekomata glares at Mom like he’s trying to burn her with an eye blast. “Oh you are a monster, fine then, if this is the type of parent you are then the kid will probably be better off in the Hells anyway.” With that the demon snaps his fingers-!!

“Fire!! Fire!!,” I yelp as I’m surrounded by flames which gets Mom’s attention, “Mom help me!! Please!”

“Now Yuna, you remember that you promised you’d do anything to make me happy,” Mom tells me with a smirk on her face, “well this will make me a lot happier, so just be nice for the demons, okay?”

“H H Huh…?,” I stammer not knowing what to say as Mom walks away, “w wait, Mom-!! AGH!!!!!”

Fire fire oh god!! It’s not hurting at least but why am I surrounded by it?! Thankfully it goes away after a minute…. But I suddenly have much bigger problems because now I’m in some kind of throne made of obsidian and gold?!

What…. What’s happening….?!” I manage to ask while struggling to breathe, I don’t know if it’s because of the stress, the air, both or something else but what is going on, and if this is a dream I want to wake up!

“Child, I know this is stressful but calm down.” the Nekomata demon tells me as he rubs my back a little, and while it helps me breathe it doesn’t help my stress.

“A Are you going to eat me….?,” I ask while pinching myself and hoping this a dream but unfortunately not, “all my t teachers day demons eat people….”

“Okay first of all that’s only the flesh demons, 95% of us don’t do that,” he assures me, “and secondly, my boss who your ‘mother’ was supposed to give her soul to but gave yours instead, she’s a big softie for kids so you’ll be alright, I promise.”

“O Okay…. But…..,” I struggle to get out as now I’m starting to cry, “why… why would Mom do this…? I I was good, I I did everything right and w when I messed up I fixed it…! W Why would Mom s send me away…!”

“Because some humans are worse than any demon down here,” the demon tells me while handing me a napkin to dry my eyes with, “some people are so selfish and power hungry they’ll hurt anyone, even innocents to do it. This isn’t your fault child, alright?”

“I I guess…” I… I’m still not entirely convinced. I have to of done something wrong for Mom to do this, when she gets mad it’s always my fault. But before I can think of anything I get distracted by two pillars of fire appearing in the room and a pair of people coming out of each.

The first one has a demon woman with blonde hair, red eyes, pirate clothes and has a golden tail and matching scales on her face, and she’s accompanied by a boy slightly older than me with somewhat dark skin and neat brown hair and eyes.

The second one meanwhile has a demon man with dirty blonde hair with blue eyes, fangs, red face markings, horns and a Japanese style outfit so I’m assuming he’s an Oni, and he’s with a girl also a bit older than me with braided pale brown hair and maroon eyes.

“Ah- what?!,” the boy yelps as the two demons look confused, “w what’s going on here?! Where am I?!”

“I’m assuming the Burning Hells,” the girl replies looking freaked out but probably the calmest out of the three of us, “which isn’t good but honestly I’m surprised my Father didn’t do this sooner.”

“Okay, we’ll unpack that later,” the Oni states as he pulls over the pirate and the Nekomata, “why the hell are there kids here, the ones we were negotiating with were adults.”

“Well, I don’t know about you two,” the Nekomata explains while pulling out a piece of paper and the two kids go over to me nervously, “but the boss forgot to send the contract for loophole checking so the one who I was sent to signed her daughters soul away instead, that shy blue haired girl over there.”

“!! H Hi….” I stammer still feeling very nervous about all of this.

“Wait, they can do that?,” The pirate asks as they pull out a piece of paper and read it, “oh fuck you’re right.”

“Glad to know incompetent law makers aren’t just an earth thing.” The girl quips shocking me and the boy and the three demons laugh.

“How are you so calm about this miss, our parents sold us to hell!” The boy yelps panicked.

“It’s Ayra, Ayra George, so don’t bother with the miss thing please. And my father never gave a damn about me, and he’s power hungry as hell,” the girl replies, “so I always kinda figured it would either be I get out of the house or he’d sell me off, either to a devil or an orphanage.”

“Um…. Since we’re introducing ourselves, I I’m Yuna….,” I awkwardly introduce because I should probably at least be on good terms with the kids I’m in this mess with, “a and I’m in the opposite boat, I was always being the best I could be, and I I thought my Mom cared about me but…. I want to say I guess she didn’t but I can’t shake the feeling I did something wrong….”

“Hey, what did we say about this, don’t blame yourself child, okay?” The Nekomata reminds me and I nod even if I’m still not entirely convinced.

“The cat guy is right,” the boy agrees, “and I might as well introduce myself as well. I’m Henry Oliver, and I…. Well, I noticed my Dad was becoming more distant lately but…. I didn’t think it was because of this, so I guess I’m in the middle of the ‘saw this coming’ spectrum? I’m sorry I just have no idea what to do right now.”

“Don’t worry kid, I think we’re all confused right now, but we’ll work something out” the Dragon assures him with a toothy grin and I see she has very sharp teeth, “oh, I’m Ryoko by the way! And those two are Akio and Mahiro respectively.”

“Greetings.” The Nekomata, Mahiro, states politely with a small bow meanwhile the Oni, Akio, awkwardly waves, I suppose he’s a bit shy.

Before anyone else can say anything else though, the door to the throne room swings open (and me and Henry hold onto each other in panic) and in comes two people.

The first is a teenager girl with messy black hair with red tips, along with blood red eyes with black sclera, pointy ears, horns and a tail as well as a pink red and black gothic styled dress.

The second is a woman who looks very similar to the girl, but is easily the tallest person in the room, and is wearing a red, gold and black dress, pure black hair that’s long and messy, one eye covered with a gold wrap and the exposed one is bright red with black sclera, and even longer tail and horns.

“Alright, I have arrived, where are those new souls-?!,” the woman declares before spotting me Henry and a surprisingly calm Ayra and looks frustrated, “guys, why the hell are there three eight year olds here?”

“A Actually I’m seven….” I mumble hoping what Mahiro said about the boss being a sucker for kids is true.

“As for what happened boss,” Mahiro explains while handing the woman 3 pieces of paper, “there was a loophole in the contact and the signers sold their children’s souls instead of their own. This is why I told you to have Seth double check the contracts first.”

“Ugh, jackasses, and I’ll remember next time,” she groans before turning back to us, “and kids, I’m gonna explain what’s going on here. First of all, welcome to the Burning Hells, wish the circumstances were better but oh well. And before you ask no I’m not gonna take your souls or do anything to you, you’re kids and your parents swindled all of us so don’t worry about that.”

“Oh, um, thank you madam.” Henry states awkwardly.

“Just call me Aravni,” she tells us all with a smile, “now, normally I’d send you all back no problem, however your parents just sold your souls away so like hell I’m sending you back to them, so, do you have any other relatives?”

“Not that I’m aware of/Nope/I was adopted and Mom is the only person from my adopted family that I know.” Henry, Ayra and myself answer making Aravni and the other Demons in the room look at each other in concern.

“Okay, that’s out,” Aravni states after a moment as well as a bit of face wrinkling, “how about plan B, kids, how would you like to stay here instead?”

“….. What?!” All three of us ask because, yeah, what?!

“Aww, don’t freak out kids,” the teenager says cheerfully finally joining in-Agh she’s picking us up!, “things down here are great! Plus staying with Mom in particular means you get a nice house, good food, and most importantly, yours truly as a big sis.”

“Raquel calm down you’re scaring the kids!” Akio yelps as he runs over and helps us all down and is it just me or do I feel a bit dizzy.

“Aww come on Aki I was just being friendly.” Raquel replies with a toothy grin.

“Yeah well can your friendliness come with a warning next time please….” Ayra mumbles looking even more dizzy than me so we both just lean on each other while Henry just looks baffled.

“Ehe, yeah, those two are a bit much, especially together, but you get used to it.” Ryoko assures us with a wink.

“I believe we should confirm if they want to stay first before you say that Ryoko.” Mahiro chimes in making all the demons, even Aravni, pout.

“Well, I don’t know about you two,” Ayra states, “but it looks like our options are either here or an orphanage, and I’ve already been to the latter and I know it isn’t good, so unless just being down here will kill me then I guess I’ll stay.”

“Don’t worry, it’s totally safe for humans, it’s been a while but we’ve had some stay for decades before,” Aravni assures her as she and Raquel get excited, “now, what about you two?”

“Well…. If it isn’t any trouble then I suppose so?” Henry agrees albeit looking noticeably less sure then Ayra- wait why is everyone looking at me now- oh right.

“I…,” I say not knowing for sure but sighing as I realise no one will really miss me back on the surface, “I guess….”

“Alright, hi five kids!” Ryoko tells us and after the three of us look at each other awkwardly for a moment we all return it and I crack a smile despite myself. I don’t know what I did to make Mom send me here but, whether I deserved it or not, maybe I’ll avoid making those same mistakes here.

“That’s the spirit,” Aravni tells us all with a smile, “now, as much as I’d love to give you three the tour myself, me and Mahiro have to go talk to Seth, not only to get the loopholes out of these contracts, but also to make sure this get’s formalised. I’ll be back in like an hour though, promise!”

“Later Mom!,” Raquel says cheerfully as the two demons leave before smirking, “alright new siblings, we have an hour to screw around and find out until they’re done, how’s about a kitchen raid?!”

“Um, by raid, do we mean steal food or actually raid it?” Henry asks looking curious and like he’s not opposed to either option.

“We do the latter sometimes, but for now let’s stick to the former,” Akio explains with a small chuckle, “you kids need some cupcakes.”

“He’s right, and here’s your warning,” Raquel agrees before picking us up again-!!, “now let’s get going-!!”

“FIRE!!!!” Henry screams as he hides by pressing into me for dear life because Raquel has fire coming out of her back!

“Huh, oh, these are just my wings,” she explains like this is normal, “all Noble Demons get fire wings, but unless I actively want to hurt someone with them they don’t burn, promise.”

“Beautiful…” I blurt out cause now that the panics over and I’m getting a better look at the pink, yellow and red flames they do look lovely.

“And awesome.” Ayra agrees also looking impressed, and after hesitating Henry uses his free hand to phase it through the flames, and after a few times and it seemingly not hurting he smiles brightly.

“If you think that’s awesome, I got something to show you kids tomorrow,” Ryoko adds as she and Akio start running with Raquel flying after them, “now come on, let’s go!

#original story #original characters #the demon siblings #Tw: implied parental abuse #chapter 1

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