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meltinghun · 5 months

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A real gentleman ; Joseph Descamps.

summary: Joseph and Reader never got really along until something changed.

warnings: genderneutral!reader, enemies-to-lovers, idiots in love!!, Y/N mentions lol, just kiss already.

author's note: Hi! I wrote this bc I fell in love with Mixte 1963, and when I looked up for ffs, there were NONE, so I said, 'I'll take one for the team' and came up with this. Please keep in mind that I'm not a writer and english is not my first language, I'll appreciate it if you can point at any errors. <3

The chilly breeze hitted their faces, making them close their eyes momentarealy due to its force, breathing in the smell of wet soil mixed with the freshly made bread from the bakery a few houses down the road.

The day looked very promising; today they woke up a little bit earlier than usual, using the extra time to finish in advance some english homework assigned for the next week and even strarting a big upcomig proyect due to the end of the month, hearing the weatherman in the radio as a background noise, announcing that it was going to be an unusually warm day of autumn.

Everything seemed perfect, the subtle orange hue of the skyes illuminating their face as they walked and the soft rumbling of cars passing by the principal street made them feel like a character of one of those romantic movies they dearly love watching, a thought that felt reinforced when every leave they stepped on made a perfect crunch sound. A soft greeting left their lips when they walked past one of their neighbours who was heading out to work like many other people did at those hours.

It truly felt like a peaceful morning.

'You seem lost in thought. Are you daydreaming about me already?'

Until it wasn't.

They dedicated a slight scowl towards the person who dared to interrupt their peace and inhaled a big breath of air before answering.

'Not even in your greatest dreams, Descamps.' They made a condescending gesture with their hand. 'Now leave me alone, yeah? I was perfectly fine until you came with your annoying presence.'

A booming laugh abandoned his throat. 'Don't act so disinterested. I know you couldn't live without my annoying presence even if you wanted.'

Joseph Descamps. He was a classmate of theirs that took an interesting liking towards their persona, or how they liked to say, a liking towards making their life miserable.

Since the start of the year he took every possibility to annoy them out of their mind, it started with some snark remarks insulting their way of doing certain things and it slowly progressed to petty acts, such as slighty tugging their hair when passing each other, hide their belongings when they aren't looking and even blocking their path by standing in the entryways, smiling down at them while demanding a 'password' that changed every day. Just petty acts meant to be a pain in the head.

He was everything they couldn't stand: a bully with some serious narcissist tendencies who, on top of it all, loved to get a rise out of people by pushing their boundaries and provoking them in any possible way.

But even with that horrendous description, Y/N couldn't avoid that rare feeling at the bottom of their stomach whenever he was close. At first they thought that it was a reflect of how disgusted they truly felt by his persona and the gross acts he usually did, a few weeks later, that feeling was accompannied with their heartbeat increasing when they noticed that he was invading their personal space, but chalked it up as just being nervous of his tall frame hovering them like some sort of prey, that made total sense on their head. However, some days later, he did something that made them realise what they truly felt for the boy with the patch.

It started to rain towards the end of the day, exactly 15 minutes into their english class and the frustration was clearly palpable, it was so unexpected that nobody could've predicted it; what it seemed to be a passing grey cloud turned out to be a massive downpour, Y/N started to complain with their friends about how it was a shame that they chosed to use the new sweater their grandmother knitted for them and how sad it was that now it would get ruined under the relentless rain. When the class was over, they noticed how Joseph went outside the building running and disappeared behind the school gates. They thought it was really weird, but they knew better than to expect something coherent from him. Minutes passed and it seemed like the temporal was getting worse so a few people decided to just suck it up and walk under the cold rain, sighing for themselves and rapidly lamenting once more the lost of the sweater, they prepared to follow the steps of the brave mass of students when a breathless voice interrupted their movements.

'L/N, wait!' A disheveled and completely soaked Joseph made himself seen, his shout drawing attention to the both of them.

'What do you want now, Descamps? I'm already late to home, I don't need you keeping me here any longer than necessary.' They stated with a confused frown, curious as to why was he there but trying to mask it behind indifference.

A smirk made its presence on his sharp features. 'I know, but I couldn't just let you go like that under the rain, that wouldn't be so gentlemanly of me, don't you think?' From behind his back, he pulled a blue umbrella and extended it to a dumbfounded Y/N.

Was that really happening right now? Did the most annoying person they ever met just ran under the rain to bring them an umbrella? And not only that, but he somehow managed to get one with their favorite color, too. Did he just called it to be a mere gentlemanly act?

It might as well start raining cats and dogs.

They opened and closed their mouth, being left without anything to say for the first time, a half-hearthed chuckle interrumping their messy train of thought.

'I heard what you said about your sweater and how sad you would be if it got ruined.' They swore that their heart would get out of their chest for how hard it was beating. 'And I didn't want you to get heartbroken for it, so I thought that you could use one of these.'

He closed the distance that separated them by taking a few steps, reaching out for their free hand and making them hold the umbrella, the contact between their fingertips sparkling a something deep inside each other.

'I know we are supposed to not like each other, but let me be nice to you for once, please.' His eye shining with an intensity they couldn't explain. 'Don't worry, we can keep hating us tomorrow.' When he saw that they wouldn't object, he turned around and began walking outside, getting under the rain once more.

Feeling the heat creeping on their face and having found their voice, they asked out loud.

'How did you know?' His head turned around enough for them to see his face. 'How did you know that it's my favorite color?'

They knew that it could've perfectly been a mere coincidence, something insignificant that shouldn't be overly analized, but something told them that it wasn't like that. They really hoped it wasn't. And it was confirmed when he flashed them another one of his infamous smirks.

'Sometimes I listen to you more than i should.'

Since that very moment it's been really difficult to fight the involuntary smiles that made a way into their face when he unexpectedly tries to integrate them to a conversation by asking their opinion on a subject, or the feeling of warmth that invaded their chest everytime they made visual contact and let's not forget how everytime they both "accidentaly" brush hands Y/N had the extremely rare need to interlock their hands with him.

But after all, he was still Joseph Descamps, the attractive cocky idiot who is always up on some trouble that he himself seeked out.

'...-ou cold?'

They blinked repeatledly with confusion written all over their face, the taller boy smiling down at them for being able to catch them distracted.

'Huh?'

'I asked if you weren't cold.' He repeated the question slower, a soft look on his eye. 'You are shivering'.

If he didn't pointed it out, they wouldn't noticed that, in fact, they were shivering. The chilly air becoming colder than before making them lowly insult the unstable weather of the so-called "unusually warm day", having only a thin cardigan that didn't do much to help.

'It's nothing. The school's a few blocks ahead, and I can take a little bit of cold.' Grumbled under their breath, only to sneeze some moments later.

The boy snorted while shaking his head before swiftly taking off his coat and placing it on their sholders. 'You are not going to catch a cold, or at least not on my company.'

'You are being awfully nice to me lately.' In a slight moment of braveness, they blurted out the question that was tormenting their head. 'Are you flirting with me, Descamps?'

An incredulous look got settled in his face, and they regretted saying it immediately, wishing to come back on time to stop themselves and save them from the embarrassment. Did they read the signals wrong? Was he only trying to become their friend? Was he only being nice? Was he...?

'Yes! Thank you for finally noticing it, I was starting to think that you were cruelly ignoring my advances.' A beautiful and dashing smile was sent in their direction, the biggest they ever saw him smiling.

And it was because of them.

A shaky sigh left their lips accompanied by a nervous laugh, not realizing they were holding their breath, with equally shaky hands coming up their head to accommodate their hair on a jittery action.

'I... I didn't know, really. I had a slight impression, but I thought that I was imagining things.' They cleared their throat in an attempt to regain their cool and collected personality. 'So, when are you taking me on a date then?'

The slight quiver on their voice was noticed by the still very amused boy, who took mental notes on how cute they looked flustered and to try to do it again in the future when given the opportunity.

'Would you accept if I asked you to skip school with me and have a date right now? I don't think I can wait any longer.' He asked with a playful tone, typical of him.

They let out a snort. 'I would tell you that you are crazy if you think that I would do something as risky as that. But lucky for you, I'm free today, so meet me at the cinema at four o'clock.'

'Then I shall see you there.' Replied between soft laughs, not believing that this was really happening. 'Some recommendations for this poor soul?'

The open gates were a few meters ahead of them, the other students that hanged outside throwing curious and shocked looks on their direction when they noticed the much larger coat that lied on Y/N's shoulders and the flustered smiles on their faces.

'Yes, the most important thing, don't you dare being late. If I get there and I don't see you, you can even forget that we know each other.' He brought both hands up in the air in a sign of redemption. 'I'm serious about this. You'll regret it if you do.'

'I wouldn't even dare thinking about it, I'll let Magnan take my other eye before screwing my opportunity with you.'

Their eyes widened at the hidden seriousness of the statement and the simplicity with which he pronounced it, the sincerity of it all making their heart race like crazy. Slowly nodding their head while trying to gather their thoughts.

'Well, it's settled then, at fo-...'

'Four o'clock sharp, I couldn't forget even if I wanted to.' He made a pause, regaining his usual playfulness. 'Should I bring you flowers? I want to be a real gentleman with you.'

'Okay, now you are showing off that you know how to flatter someone, shut up.' Rolling their eyes with a smile, they started walking toward the gates, leaving him behind. 'And I like camellias, for your information.'

'I only wish to flatter you, nobody else!' He said loudly, making people start to whisper about the supposed swear enemies.

'You don't want to know.' Was the only thing they said, accompanied by a slight shrug of shoulders.

Trying to bite back a bigger smile they waved him off, getting closer to their friend group with each step they took, all of them looking the exchange with incredulous eyes, silently begging for an answer as to what just happened.

They never before wished that the day would end up sooner.

#mixte1963 #mixte 1963 #joseph descamps #joseph descamps x reader #vassili schneider #voltaire high #mixte 1963 x reader #enemies to lovers

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bradshawsbaby · 4 months

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Sprinkles of Love

Pairing: Bob Floyd x Female Reader

Summary: It's Bob's birthday and you want to do something special for him. The problem is that you've only been on two dates, and you can't get out of your head about making that first move.

Word Count: 6.6k

Author’s Note: Happy Birthday to my #1 Guy, Lewis Pullman! I thought we all deserved some sweet Bob fluff to celebrate!

Warnings: Tooth-rotting fluff, featuring the jitters and nervousness that comes with a new relationship.

You glanced at your phone for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, your fingers itching to reach for it where it sat taunting you on the counter near the cash register.

Biting down on your lower lip, you peeked surreptitiously over your shoulder before finally picking it up, your finger hovering hesitantly over the green messages icon.

“Are you finally going to text him or are you just going to keep staring longingly at your phone all day?”

Your cousin’s teasing voice startled you, pulling you out of your silent reverie as you fumbled the phone, nearly dropping it to the floor in your haste to get a grip on it and shove it inside your apron pocket.

Alexandria just laughed in response, her dark eyes sparkling as she slid a tray of freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies onto one of the display case shelves. Normally, you would have complimented her on how amazing they smelled, but given the knowing smirk she was sending your way, you stuck your tongue out at her instead.

“Stick your tongue out at me all you want,” she told you, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. “But I know you, and I know how badly you want to text him. So why don’t you just do it already and save yourself all the torment?”

“Lexie,” you groaned, your phone suddenly feeling like a rock inside your pocket. Why did your cousin have to know you like the back of her hand?

You were saved from having to elaborate, however, when one of the timers dinged in the kitchen, signaling that the newest batch of muffins you and Lex had put in a little while ago was finished. She shot a pointed look in your direction, making it clear the conversation wasn’t over, before turning on her heel and going to take the muffins out of the oven.

Since it was the usual mid-morning lull and the only customers currently inside the bakery were a college student working on her laptop near the window and two elderly ladies enjoying conversation over scones and tea, you figured you should be both a good cousin and a good employee and go help Lexie in the back.

Despite the fact that you had already been working at the bakery for a few months now—ever since you had moved to San Diego—you still couldn’t help but be blown away whenever it hit you that your cousin had really accomplished the dream she’d been chasing since you were little girls. For as long as you could remember, Alexandria had been wanting to open up her very own bakery, a cozy little spot where people could come to read, hang out, and relax, all while enjoying some homemade treats and delicious coffee. It seemed like just yesterday that the two of you were playing with her Easy-Bake Oven, and now here she was—living the dream as a successful small business owner. You couldn’t have been more proud of her. Or more grateful that she’d given you both a job and a place to live when you’d decided to follow in her footsteps and make the move out to California.

Lex was like the big sister you never had. She gave the best advice and she knew you inside and out. Which was normally a good thing, but judging by the way she was looking at you from under her dark lashes, you knew today was going to be one of those days where she insisted on pushing you out of your comfort zone.

You sighed in exasperation as you helped her set the freshly baked orange cranberry muffins—a favorite among her loyal customers—on the cooling rack. “I wish I hadn’t even mentioned it. It’s not that big of a deal,” you insisted, supremely conscious of the weight of your phone pressing against your thigh as you worked.

“If it’s not that big of a deal, then why do you seem to be making it one?” Lexie replied with that razor-sharp wit of hers, winking when you shot her a dirty look over your shoulder.

“I’m not!” you insisted, although you knew that was a complete and total lie. You were being ridiculous and you knew it, but every time you even thought about sending him a message, your heart started pounding inside your chest and your palms got all gross and clammy.

Lex crossed her arms over her chest, throwing an exasperated look heavenward. “Babe, you’ve already been on two dates with him and he wants to take you out on another. Do you seriously think you’re going to send him running for the hills if you send him a text wishing him a happy birthday?”

When you heard it out loud, it did sound pretty stupid. He was such a great guy, so sweet and attentive and caring, and he had done nothing to indicate that he was losing interest or that he would be freaked out by such a simple message. But still…

“I do want to text him,” you confessed, biting your lip as you carried the empty muffin tray over to the large sink where your cousin washed all her baking supplies.

“So what’s holding you back?” Lexie asked, her voice gentler this time as she leaned her hip against the counter, clearly trying to understand. She’d seen your heart get broken enough times to know that you were much more cautious now when it came to entrusting it to other people.

You sighed softly, fiddling with the strings on your pink-and-white striped apron as you tried to put your feelings into words. “It’s just—we’ve only been on two dates. I mean, they were really amazing dates, but still. Only two. And our birthdays only came up once in passing on our first date. He never mentioned it again, even when he called the other night to ask me if I’d like to go out this weekend. So on the one hand, I do want to text him to wish him a happy birthday, but on the other hand, what if it weirds him out that I remembered? What if he thinks I’m some kind of obsessive stalker and gets the ick and then ghosts me?”

“For wishing him a happy birthday?” your cousin questioned skeptically, her eyebrows rising until they were practically touching the edges of her blunt bangs.

“I’ve been ghosted before for less,” you muttered in embarrassment, knowing that your love life was a disaster compared to your cousin, who had been with her soon-to-be-husband since high school.

Lex softened immediately, stepping beside you and wrapping a comforting arm around your shoulders. “I know,” she murmured soothingly, rubbing your arm with a gentle hand. “But those guys were jerks who didn’t deserve you. From everything I know about this guy, he sounds so great. He seems like the kind of guy who would be happy that you remembered his birthday.”

Honestly, you couldn’t argue with her there.

Bob Floyd was unlike any man you’d ever met before. He was everything you’d ever hoped to find but had feared you never would, the kind of perfect that seemed too good to be true, the gentleman that you had thought existed only in fairytales.

It had been over a month now since he’d stepped off a storybook page and walked into your life.

You could still remember that afternoon so clearly. It was a Saturday, and the bakery had been surprisingly dead. Lexie had decided to run to the bank, leaving you in charge of things in her absence. You’d been rearranging some of the pastries in the display case when the bell over the front door chimed, signaling a customer.

Stepping up to the counter, the words of greeting died in your throat when one of the most handsome men you’d ever seen in your life approached, a shy smile stretching across his face.

“Hi,” he greeted you in a soft-spoken voice, shoving his hands into his pockets. He was dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, and yet you’d never seen a guy look better.

“Hi,” you echoed, your eyes widening as you got lost in a gaze as blue as the cornflowers that grew in your grandparents’ backyard.

The two of you just stared at each other for a couple minutes, neither of you saying anything, even as the air between you seemed to spark and hum with electricity.

“Um, I was, uh, hoping that you still had some cupcakes left. I know it’s a little later in the day and my neighbor who recommended this place said that you should always get here early, but, um, I have a little barbeque that I’m going to and I wanted to bring some dessert. I’m hopeless at making anything myself,” he rambled, his eyes crinkling as he laughed somewhat nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

It was only when he cleared his throat awkwardly a moment later that you realized you hadn’t yet responded to him.

“Oh! Cupcakes!” you exclaimed, your voice coming out a little louder and squeakier than you had intended. “Of course!” Running your hands down the front of your apron, you shook your head slightly to try to knock some sense into it. You walked over to the display case, indicating that he should come take a look. “Normally we’d already be sold out of a lot of these, but it’s been quieter today than usual, so we still have plenty left. I guess it’s your lucky day.”

“Seems like it,” he smiled, his blue eyes latching onto your face.

Something about the way he said it made your insides feel as gooey as the batter Lexie used to make her double chocolate fudge cake.

“How many cupcakes do you need?” you asked, working overtime to keep from getting flustered.

“I think two dozen should be fine,” he replied, his eyes roaming over the display case shelves. “Hmm, they all look so good, I wouldn’t know where to start. Do you have any recommendations?”

“The lemon zest cupcakes are really popular. So are the red velvet and the coconut cloud. Oh, and the German chocolate.” You laughed sheepishly. “Honestly, they’re all really good.”

He laughed in response, a small dimple appearing in his cheek that only further endeared him to you. “Which one is your favorite?” he asked, his voice so earnest it made your chest ache.

You didn’t even have to think about it. “The funfetti,” you told him, indicating the vanilla cupcakes baked with rainbow chips and topped with swirls of vanilla frosting and an extra dash of sprinkles.

“I’ll take a dozen funfetti cupcakes then. And you can surprise me with the other dozen,” he grinned, making you smile.

“I hope you and everyone at the barbeque enjoys,” you said after you finished ringing him up, sliding the two boxes of cupcakes towards him.

“I’m sure we will. This place comes highly recommended,” he replied with a smile. “Are you Lexie, the owner?”

“No, no, I’m her cousin,” you explained, introducing yourself by name.

“I’m Robert Floyd,” he said, holding out his hand to you. “But everyone calls me Bob.”

“Very nice to meet you, Bob,” you beamed, sliding your hand into his and shaking firmly. His hand was large and warm and calloused and it felt like yours had been made to fit inside it.

“Nice to meet you, too,” he murmured softly, holding onto your hand for another second or two before slowly releasing it. He was quiet for a moment, then added, “I’m sure I’ll be back again soon.”

“We serve really good coffee,” you said suddenly, desperate to find a reason to get him to come back. “And we open really early. You know, if you want to get some on your way to work.”

Bob’s beautiful blue eyes twinkled behind his glasses. “I’ll be sure to do that. Thank you.” He picked up his boxes of cupcakes and turned towards the door. Before he left, he shot you one last smile that melted your insides. “See you around.”

After that, Bob Floyd had found plenty of reasons to stop by the bakery. The following Monday, he’d stopped by in the morning to grab coffee for him and his friends on his way to work. That was when you’d learned that he was a naval aviator stationed at North Island.

“You were right about those funfetti cupcakes,” he told you, patting his stomach with a grin. “I think I ate about half the box before I thought to share them with anyone else.”

Your eyes crinkled and you felt your skin grow warm as you smiled in response. “Good, I’m so glad.”

You made sure to slip a cupcake in with all his coffee orders, a gesture which he didn’t fail to notice, judging from the extra large tip he left in the jar.

“See you soon,” he smiled, balancing all that coffee in his large hands as he backed out of the bakery.

From then on, he was there practically every day, stopping in for coffee or for some cupcakes after work. He often picked up things for other people—his friends or his neighbor who had recommended the bakery to him. But for himself, he always stuck with the funfetti cupcakes.

“I know I should branch out and try something new,” he told you one day through a mouthful of sprinkles. “But I can’t help it—these are just so good.”

It had taken nearly two weeks for Bob to work up the nerve to finally ask you if you might be interested in getting dinner with him sometime. You’d had to bite your tongue to keep from immediately screaming, “YES!” in his face,

The two of you spent your first date at a gorgeous little seafood restaurant right on the water, and then went for a long walk on the beach afterwards. It was truly the best date you’d ever been on. Bob was a perfect gentleman, attentively listening to everything you had to say and making you feel as though he actually cared about what was important to you. He’d even draped his jacket over your shoulders as you walked by the water, noticing the way you were shivering slightly in the dress you’d worn. You had been hoping he would kiss you at the end of the night, but like the gentleman that he was, he’d simply brushed your cheek with his lips, asking in a hushed voice if you’d like to see him again.

You wanted that very much.

On your second date, Bob took you mini golfing, something you’d told him that you hadn’t done since you were a little girl. You didn’t think you’d ever laughed so much as you did that night, no matter how terrible you turned out to be at miniature golf. Just like on your first date, Bob walked you to your door at the end of the night, his hand resting on the small of your back as you turned to look up at him, your eyes begging him to give you a proper kiss goodnight.

He had to duck his head slightly as he leaned in closer, a lock of his honey-colored hair draping across his forehead as his gaze latched onto yours, your breath mingling as the two of you inched closer and closer.

It was a soft kiss, sweet and chaste. His lips just barely brushed against yours, sending a shock of electric currents up and down your spine. When he pulled back, the both of you were flushed and stammering.

“C-can I call you tomorrow?” he asked, still so shy even after two dates.

“I hope you do,” you whispered with a smile, squeezing his hand before slipping through your front door.

Faithful to his word, Bob had called you the next day. The two of you were supposed to be going out again this weekend.

But that brought you back to your current dilemma—his birthday. You knew you were being stupid about this. Texting him for his birthday wasn’t tantamount to a marriage proposal. It wasn’t like you were trying to throw him a surprise party or invite yourself over for cake. It was a text message for crying out loud. And even though it had only come up once, he had told you when his birthday was. It wasn’t like you had gone to North Island and asked to see his personnel file.

The truth was, you were just terrified of screwing things up. You’d gone on plenty of dates with guys who had seemed really nice, who you had really thought were into you, only to be ghosted or flat-out rejected. Deep down inside, you knew that Bob was different from all those other guys, but still—the thought of sending him running made your stomach twist into knots.

“Babe, you know what I’m going to say,” Lexie murmured, your cousin’s voice pulling you out of all your convoluted thoughts. “If you never take a risk, then nothing’s ever going to change. I know you’re nervous, but just go for it. The worst that happens—seriously, the worst case scenario—is that he ghosts you. But you know what? If he does that, then he wasn’t worth your time anyway. And if he doesn’t? Well, maybe he’ll start to fall even harder for the gorgeous girl who remembered his birthday.” She grinned, wrapping both arms around you and pulling you in for a tight hug.

“Ugh, why do you always have to be right?” you grinned ruefully, pulling back from your cousin’s embrace and fiddling nervously with the scrunchie on your wrist.

“It’s a gift,” she replied with a wink, turning to look over her shoulder when the bell over the front door chimed. “I’ve got it,” she told you, squeezing your arm before heading back out to the front.

That left you alone in the back kitchen, your phone burning a hole in your apron pocket and your heart hammering inside your chest.

“Okay, don’t be an idiot,” you murmured to yourself. As far as pep talks went, it was far from the most inspirational, but it did the job as you pulled your phone out. “It’s not too much too soon. It’s just a text,” you breathed out. “It’s just a text.”

Opening your messages, you found Bob’s name—he was right near the top after texting you just yesterday—and opened up your conversation thread, chewing on your bottom lip.

Before you could talk yourself out of it, you tapped out a quick message that you hoped was short, sweet, and to the point and hit send.

Happy Birthday, Bob! I hope you have a wonderful day! 🥳🎉

You felt hot all over as you shoved your phone back into your pocket, your pulse stuttering in your veins as you wondered how long it would take him to see it. From what he had told you about his job, he often spent hours in the air each day, so chances were good he didn’t even have his phone on him right now.

You weren’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Taking a deep breath, you squared your shoulders and determined not to think about it. A task that was much easier said than done. But as you walked back out into the main part of the bakery, you found that a small crowd had formed, so you jumped into assisting your cousin behind the counter.

“Well?” Lexie asked under her breath as you helped her fill a couple boxes with a dozen cinnamon chip muffins.

“I sent it,” you murmured in reply, purposely avoiding her direct gaze. “But I haven’t heard anything back yet.”

As much as you had tried not to, you’d been compulsively checking your phone every five minutes.

Lex shrugged and waved it off. “It’s still early yet,” she said confidently, carrying the boxes over to the patiently waiting customer.

You threw yourself into various tasks around the bakery, anything that would keep your mind off your phone. You restocked the shelves in the display cases, organized the money in the cash register, wiped down the counters in the kitchen, scrubbed the baking pans, frosted cupcakes, replaced the coffee beans, and waited on any customers who walked in.

A couple of times, your phone buzzed in your pocket and your heart jumped into your throat, only to sink down to your stomach when you pulled it out and found that it was just an email notification or a text from your mom.

The longer you went without hearing from Bob, the harder you had to work to convince yourself that he wasn’t ignoring you.

No. He wasn’t ignoring you. Bob wasn’t like that. You were sure of it.

It was a little after noon, just when you’d taken a cup of coffee into the back for a short break, when you felt your phone buzz again, vibrating against your thigh through your apron. Swallowing nervously, you put your coffee down and reached into your pocket, a small gasp escaping you when you saw Bob’s name on the screen.

You could scarcely unlock your phone fast enough, opening up the text thread to read his reply.

Wow, you remembered! That means so much to me. Thank you! ☺️ Sorry it took me a little while to respond—we were doing some test flights, but I’m on my lunch break now and I’ll be on the ground for the rest of the day. How are you?

It took every ounce of self-restraint you had not to scream and jump up and down like a little girl. It felt like a boulder had been lifted off your shoulders. You hadn’t freaked him out! He hadn’t ghosted you! It was just like Lexie said—he was happy that you remembered.

Grinning like a fool, you leaned against the counter and typed out a response, not caring that your coffee was getting cold.

I’m doing great! Glad to hear you got some flying in on your special day ✈️ Doing anything to celebrate?

It was only after you had sent the message that you began to fret that it sounded like you were being nosy about his plans, or worse, trying to insert yourself into them.

But then Bob responded a minute later and put your worries to rest.

Nothing too fancy. My friends ordered lunch and got me a cake. They sang “Happy Birthday,” too, even though I begged them not to lol. I usually keep it pretty lowkey on my birthday.

You smiled as you wrote back, Was it a funfetti cake?

His next response came in no time at all, and it made your stomach flutter to imagine that he was focusing entirely on you and your conversation during his lunch break.

If only! It was really good, but I don’t think anything compares to those funfetti cupcakes 😋

At that moment, Lex walked into the back, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the huge smile plastered on your face. It felt like it was going to get permanently stuck there.

“Well, well, well,” she grinned, sidling up next to you. “Should I take that glowing smile to mean you finally heard back from your lieutenant?”

You ducked your head shyly, your cheeks growing warm. “He isn’t my lieutenant,” you insisted.

“Mhm, sure,” your cousin grinned, laughing loudly when you nudged her in the side. “So it worked out after all? He didn’t say you were a freaky stalker? I shouldn’t be expecting the police to burst down the door any minute?”

“Okay, okay,” you groaned, realizing how ridiculous you’d been behaving that morning. “You were right. It all worked out. He was very touched that I remembered his birthday,” you murmured, sheepishly scuffing your sneaker against the floor.

“I’ve gotta say it—told you so,” Lex smirked victoriously, wrapping her arms around you and planting a kiss on your cheek.

“Yeah, yeah,” you muttered, feigning annoyance even as you grinned and returned your cousin’s hug. “You know, Bob was actually just texting me that his friends at work got him a cake, but that it just doesn’t compare to your funfetti cupcakes,” you told her with a proud smile.

“What can I say? They are pretty damn delicious,” she winked, her chest puffing up with pride. A sudden thought struck her as she looked at you. “Hey, what time does Bob get off from work?”

“I’m not sure exactly. Usually around six or seven, I think,” you told her, your brow wrinkling in confusion. “Why?”

“Hmm, perfect,” Lexie mused, tapping her chin as she glanced over her shoulder.

“What do you mean?” you asked, arching an eyebrow. Your older cousin was always plotting something.

“I mean that the bakery closes at five-thirty,” she said, as if you weren’t already well aware of that fact. When she realized that you weren’t exactly catching her drift, she went on, “Which means you could invite Bob over for a little after hours birthday treat if you’d like,” she grinned.

“Lex!” you gasped, scandalized.

Your cousin threw her head back laughing. “I didn’t mean that you should jump his bones in the middle of the bakery! I’d actually prefer it if you didn’t do that,” she chuckled teasingly. “I just meant you could surprise him with something sweet, on the house. Something we make here,” she added with a pointed look that made your cheeks grow hot in embarrassment.

“Oh,” you mumbled, nodding your head slowly. “Right. Of course.” You cleared your throat slightly. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?”

“Of course not! Anyone who makes my cousin this happy is welcome to free cupcakes anytime,” Lex said firmly, cupping your face in her hands and beaming at you.

“You’re the best,” you told her, throwing your arms around her and squeezing her in a tight hug. “I’ll text Bob now and see if he thinks he’ll be up for it.”

“If you’re the one asking, I’m sure he will be,” she winked, nudging you playfully before turning to go back to the front counter.

Once she was out of sight, you turned your attention back to your phone and bit your lip, trying to think of the best way to phrase what you wanted to ask him.

Speaking of funfetti cupcakes, any chance you’d want to swing by the bakery on your way home from work? We close at 5:30 today, but we make special after hours exceptions for our best customers 😉🧁

Was that stupid? That probably sounded stupid. Would he think that you were suggesting a quickie on the bakery floor the way you thought your cousin had been suggesting? Oh God, could you unsend that message before he got it?

I would love to! Is 6:45 too late?

This man didn’t cease to amaze you.

No, that’s perfect!

See you then ☺️

You tried your hardest to smother the smile that was threatening to completely overtake your face, but you couldn’t do it. This man gave you butterflies like you’d never experienced before in all your life, and the thought of getting to see him in just a few hours made you feel like you were going to burst from excitement and anticipation.

You didn’t even have to tell Lexie what Bob had said. The second she saw your face, she just smiled knowingly and told you, “I’ll be out of here by six.”

Time had never seemed to move so slowly as it did that day while you waited for closing time to finally come around. Lex observed your growing impatience with amusement, giving you as many odd jobs as she could to hopefully make the minutes go faster.

When the clock finally chimed five-thirty, you practically sprinted towards the door, locking it and flipping the closed sign around to ward off anyone who might have tried to stop by for a last minute treat.

“Good thing business is so good or I might get mad at you for scaring off customers,” Lexie teased.

True to her word, your cousin helped you clean up and then was heading out the door by six o’clock.

“Have so much fun,” she told you, blowing you a quick succession of air kisses. “And tell Bob happy birthday from me,” she added with a wink before slipping out the door.

With your cousin gone, that left you about forty-five minutes to finish getting ready before Bob arrived. You quickly set a playlist of classic 60s tunes to play softly through the speakers—you and Bob had discovered you had a similar taste in music about halfway through your first date—and then hurried into the bathroom to fix up your hair and apply a little bit of make-up. You usually didn’t bother with much when you were working, but you wanted to look nice for Bob.

Once you were done getting ready, you went into the back to get his little birthday treat set up—Lexie had made a fresh batch of funfetti cupcakes towards the end of the day just for the occasion. You had just finished placing one of the cupcakes on a small plate with a lace doily and inserting a candle into it when you heard a faint knock on the front door.

Your heart rate immediately began climbing as you ran your hands over the T-shirt and jeans you’d worn today, hoping you looked halfway presentable. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, you stepped out into the main part of the bakery and felt your legs instantly turn to Jell-O at the sight of Bob standing at the door, a bouquet of your favorite flowers in hand. You’d only told him once in passing how much you loved them, and he had remembered.

Wow, that really did mean a lot.

“Hi,” you greeted him, standing in the open doorway and beaming up at him.

“Hi,” he echoed, that little dimple making an appearance as he smiled down at you. After a beat, he seemed to suddenly remember that he was holding the flowers in his hand. “Oh, these are for you,” he said, holding them out shyly.

“They’re beautiful, Bob,” you breathed out softly, accepting them with a smile and pressing them to your nose. “My favorite. You remembered.”

“Just like you remembered my birthday,” he said, his blue eyes sparkling with an emotion you couldn’t quite name, but which you knew you felt just as much as he did.

The two of you stood there like that for a few moments, just gazing into each other’s eyes and smiling dreamily. Then you came to your senses.

“Come in, come in,” you told him, stepping out of the doorway so that he could enter and then closing the door behind him. “Gosh, these really are such beautiful flowers. That was so sweet of you. You didn’t have to get me anything. It is your birthday, after all,” you said, guiding him to a table in the center of the room.

“I wanted to,” Bob replied, taking a seat. He was still in his flight suit and he looked so handsome. “I’m happy that they made you smile.”

“It’s hard not to smile when I’m around you,” you told him, the words slipping out of your mouth before you could think twice about them. Your cheeks grew warm when you realized how vulnerable they were, and you buried your face in the bouquet once more.

Bob’s cheeks had grown rosy as well, and you noticed that his leg was bouncing nervously underneath the table. “I feel the same way,” he murmured softly.

You could have thrown your arms around him and kissed him right then and there, but then you recalled the actual reason why you had invited him over.

“I have a surprise for you,” you said suddenly, smiling brightly as you laid the bouquet of flowers down on the counter. “Wait right here and close your eyes,” you told him, waiting until he had done so before hurrying into the back and lighting the candle you’d tucked into his cupcake.

When you stepped back into the main room on quiet feet, you found that Bob was still patiently sitting with his eyes closed. Your heart swelled with deep affection—and was it possible something even deeper? You had never met anyone like him and you were certain you never would again.

It was at that moment that you realized “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes was currently playing through the speakers, as apropos a sign as you could imagine.

You cleared your throat slightly as you approached the table, the candle sparkling in front of your face as you brought it closer to the birthday boy.

“I know you said you weren’t a big fan of being serenaded with ‘Happy Birthday,’ so I’ll spare you my vocals,” you teased, setting the plate down in front of him. “But Happy Birthday, Bob.”

Opening his eyes, Bob glanced from your face down to the cupcake and then back up to you again. He seemed at a loss for words, his eyes growing wide behind his glasses.

“This is—this—thank you,” Bob finally said, his voice sounding a bit hoarse. “I can’t believe you did all this for me.”

You smiled, sitting down beside him and gently resting your hand over his. “Blow out your candle before it melts into your cupcake,” you giggled.

He grinned at the sound of your laughter, leaning in closer to blow out the single candle, though he kept his eyes fixed on you the whole time.

“Lexie baked them fresh this afternoon. There’s a whole bunch more in the back that I’m going to be sending you home with,” you told him, your heart skipping a beat at the way his face lit up.

“What did I do to deserve all this? This is the best birthday present ever,” Bob chuckled, wrapping his fingers around yours and squeezing lightly.

“I’m glad you think so,” you murmured, glancing down at the table shyly. “The truth is, I was a little nervous to text you earlier.”

Bob looked surprised at your admission. “Why?” he asked, astonished.

You bit your lip and hesitated, but then decided to be honest. Like Lexie said, if you never took a risk, then you never got to see anything change. “I know this is going to sound so stupid, but I was worried you would think it was too much if I texted you for your birthday.”

“Too much?” he repeated, his brow crinkling in obvious confusion.

“You know, just because you had only mentioned your birthday once. I thought maybe I would seem too desperate or clingy or something if I reached out. I thought it would freak you out,” you confessed. “I know that sounds pretty dumb when I say it out loud.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Bob assured you, shaking his head slowly. “I know what you mean. To be honest, I think I’ve had that problem myself. Y’know, coming off too eager and scaring girls away,” he admitted, blushing as he ducked his head.

“Oh, Bob,” you murmured in understanding, lacing your fingers through his. With all the other things you two had in common, it shouldn’t have surprised you that a crappy dating history was something else you shared. “You could never scare me off,” you promised him.

Lifting his head, he smiled at you and reached out slowly, his fingertips stirring a few wisps of your hair as he brushed your cheek lightly. “And you could never freak me out. It meant so much to me that you remembered my birthday. It made my whole day, in fact. Even more than the funfetti cupcakes,” he said, his eyes crinkling. He was quiet for a moment, thoughtful, then added softly, “I remember everything about you.”

“You do?” you whispered, feeling a sudden surge of emotion well up in your throat.

He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving yours. “Your favorite movies, the fact that you like tomatoes but hate ketchup, the way you throw your head back when you laugh really loudly. Your favorite flowers. I remember it all.”

“Bob,” you breathed out, the tears brimming in your eyes as your gaze dropped from his eyes down to his mouth.

You weren’t really sure who moved first, but soon enough, Bob was holding you in his arms, your lips pressed together in a kiss that was much less chaste than your first one, but just as sweet. Your arms snaked around his neck, one hand burying itself in his soft hair, the other resting on the nape of his neck. He let out a soft groan in response, one of his large hands resting on your hip and the other splaying across your back, holding you close.

It was a kiss that was so much like Bob himself—gentle, kind, tender, sweet, affectionate, attentive. He didn’t demand more than you were willing to give, he didn’t try to take anything from you. He just wanted to make you feel how much he cared about you, wanted to make you feel special and cherished. And he did. You hoped more than anything that you were doing the same for him.

Because the truth was that you were already falling for Bob Floyd, and falling hard.

When the two of you finally pulled back—a mutually hesitant parting borne solely of the need for oxygen—you smiled breathlessly, closing your eyes as Bob rested his forehead against yours.

“Okay, maybe that was the best birthday present ever,” he chuckled quietly, his lips brushing against your temple.

“I think so, too, and it’s not even my birthday,” you grinned, resting your head against his shoulder. “Are you going to have your cupcake?” you asked, glancing down at where it sat on the plate, still untouched.

“Mhm,” Bob nodded, wrapping an arm around you and brushing his fingers up and down your arm. “But there actually is something I’d like to ask you first,” he said, suddenly sounding nervous.

Lifting your head, you looked up at him, trying to figure out why he suddenly looked so flustered.

“Of course. What is it?” you questioned, resting a hand on his arm.

“Well, all of this has been amazing,” he began, pushing his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose. You had noticed they had a tendency to slide down when he was particularly nervous. “But there actually is one more thing that I’d really like for my birthday this year.”

You raised your eyebrows curiously. “What is it?”

Bob swallowed deeply and then looked directly into your eyes. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Your lips parted as a little gasp of delighted surprise escaped you. It may have been Bob’s birthday, but it felt like you were the one being showered with gifts today.

“Oh, Bob, yes! Yes!” you exclaimed, throwing your arms around him and pressing another kiss to his lips.

“Yes?” Bob repeated between kisses, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Yes,” you told him seriously, cupping his cheek in your hand. “Nothing would make me happier.”

“Oh, darlin’,” he breathed out, the term of endearment falling easily off his tongue in that adorable midwestern accent of his. He pulled you into his arms once more and kissed you soundly.

You giggled softly as you reached for the funfetti cupcake and removed the candle, holding it up for him to take a bite. “Happy Birthday, Bob.”

#robert bob floyd #bob floyd #bob floyd x reader #x reader #x female reader #top gun #top gun: maverick #lewis pullman

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theyhavetakenovermylife · 4 months

Note

Hey! I've been absolutely loving your fanfics since I found them recently, and I was wondering if I could please request a Domestic Dream style of story with 2012 Raph?

Domestic Morning (Fluff)

2012!Raphael x reader

A/N: Heyo💚 I most definitely can and thank you so much💚 It’s been some time since I’ve looked at my Domestic Dream stories, but I feel like I got pretty close. Hope you enjoy❤️

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Warnings: Fluff❤️

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The soft January sun shone through curtains, casting a warm glow through the frozen window, lighting up the small New York bedroom, stirring you awake. Your half open eyes peaked out over your warm blanket, watching how the ice on your window glistered in the orange sunlight. The rhythmic sound of your parents moving around in the kitchen reached your ears, as you felt your senses starting to awake. You stretched your arms and legs, shifting slightly as you poked your limbs out from under the blanket, and out to the cold of your room. But as you moved, you felt the arm around your torso tighten, pulling you close against the hard yet comfortable surface of the plastron of the arms owner. You couldn't help but smile as you felt the strong arm of Raphael wrapped protectively around you, turning over to look at your still sleeping boyfriend. Last night had been just like any other weekend. Raph had stayed over, and you both enjoyed the comfort of each other's presence, keeping the cold of the January wind away.

As you watched your boyfriend’s sleeping face, you couldn’t help but let your fingers trace over his face, feeling the structure of his bones and his soft green skin. Raphael hummed as his eyes flickered open, his green orbs meeting yours. He smiled at you with a sleepy smile, still not fully awake.

“Good morning”, he said with a raspy voice, that made your heart flutter in your chest.

“Good morning”, you said, smiling back at him.

Raph shifted to sit up before he pressed a tender kiss to your forehead. As he stretched and yawned, you couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness. Your relationship with the hotheaded but lovable turtle had become a constant source of joy in your life. You and Raph felt so comfortable around each other, to the point where you could be your true selves around one another, even in the house of your parents.

The familiar scent of breakfast wafted into the room, as you decided it was time to face the day. You and Raphael headed towards the kitchen, hand in hand, your sleepy minds and hungry stomachs eager for the food that brought such a lovely smell. As you entered, your parents greeted you with warm smiles.

"Good morning, you two!”, your mom greeted the two of you with a smile, as she flipped the last pancake onto the tall stack, your father smiling at you as he filled the dishwasher.

"Good morning, Mrs. (L/N), Mr. (L/N)," Raphael grunted in his deep voice, offering a shy smile.

“Good morning to you too, Raphael”, your father said, as he started washing the bowl that had been used for pancake batter.

“We thought you would like to sleep in today, so we’ve made breakfast", she said, motioning to the spread of freshly made pancakes, eggs, and bacon on the table, waiting with the rest of the set table.

“Thank you! It looks great”, you smiled brightly.

"That’s good. Now, sit down, both of you, and dig in!" your dad chimed in, urging you towards the table.

As you all sat around the table, sharing laughs and stories, Raphael couldn't help but marvel at the scene he found himself in. It was not a situation that Raph hadn't found himself in before, and yet he couldn’t help but feel emotions take over him. Your parents, who were well aware of his non-human appearance, had never treated him any differently. In fact, they had embraced him as part of the family, telling him so every now and again.

Between bites of pancake, Raphael stole a glance at you as you were talking to your father, a sense of gratitude and disbelief washing over him. How did he get so lucky? A mutant turtle living beneath the city streets, yet here he was, welcomed into a warm and loving home by your family. He could no longer count how many times he had stayed over at your place, or the amount of times your parents had invited him over for dinner.

As your mom filled her plate with more food, she caught the way Raphael looked at you. His eyes filled with calm admiration, his shoulders relaxing as he got caught up in his own head, just listening to your voice as you spoke. However, as he watched you, he couldn’t shake the feeling of your mother’s eyes on him. He turned to her, feeling slightly embarrassed from being caught staring at you, a blush appearing over his cheeks.

Your mother smiled warmly at him. "I hope you know that we’re really glad you're part of our lives, Raphael. You make our daughter so happy, and that means the world to us", she said, making sure only he could hear her.

Raphael's usually tough exterior softened as he nodded in appreciation. "Thanks, Mrs. (L/N). It means a lot to me too".

As the morning unfolded, Raphael couldn't shake the feeling of warmth and acceptance that surrounded him. The clinking of utensils against plates, the laughter echoing through the room. It all felt so ordinary and yet so extraordinary to him. He marveled at the simple joys of sharing breakfast with the ones he cared about, surrounded by the love of your understanding family. An ordinary human family that talked and looked at him, his mutant turtle body never making them scared.

After breakfast, you and Raphael decided to head back to your room, in order to relax for a bit, enjoying the rest of your Saturday morning. Laying on your bed, cuddling under your warm blanket, watching the snow covered roofs outside of your window, just enjoying the quiet moment together. Raphael couldn't help but reflect on the journey that led him to this moment. He remembered the days when he had felt like an outcast, misunderstood by the world above. But now he had you, and you had accepted him for who he was. A mutant turtle. These kinds of ordinary things had never been in the cards for him, yet here he was, in his girlfriend’s warm bed, stomach full after a breakfast her parents had made. It was an unrealized dream come true.

"You're awfully quiet, Raph. Everything okay?", you asked, breaking the silence.

He turned to you, a soft smile playing on his lips as he thought of the words to say. You knew of Raph’s feelings about your family, and how touched he had been when they accepted him into their lives. Sure, thay had been shocked when they first met him, but they had been calm, asking him questions and making an effort to get to know him. And you knew that to this day, that still touched him.

"Yeah, everything's more than okay”, he said, hugging you tighter against him in your spooning position, resting his beak into the crook of your neck, his warm breath fanning over your skin. “Sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am to have you and your family in my life. Not everyone would be so accepting of a mutant turtle".

You squeezed the arm he had wrapped around you reassuringly. "Well, they see the person you are, not just the exterior. And I see it too. You're kind, loyal, and you'd do anything for the people you care about". You turn in his arms, so that you were facing him, just like you had done earlier that morning. “And that’s some of the many reasons why I love you”.

Raphael grinned, his heart swelling with affection as he huffed out a chuckle. "You always know what to say, don't you?" He smiled as he rested his forehead against yours, letting out a relaxed sigh, once against thinking about how lucky he was. “I love you too, (Y/N)”.

You smiled as your lips met in a tender kiss, before the two of you cuddled close, your head resting against his plastron, your fingers making soft shapes on each other’s skin. You and Raph couldn’t think of a better way to spend your Saturday mornings, than spending it in each other’s arms, talking and dreaming about your future together.

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sofiaispunk · 1 year

Text

The Bakery Crush - PART (1/2)

Joel Miller x Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

summary: Just two fools clearly in love, pining over each other because ... well, they are fools.

words: 3kish

warnings: angst, JEALOUSY, Joel being a fool, smut, pining, age gap, bad puns, heartbreak, 18+

You enjoyed the little things in Jackson. The little fairy lights that brighten up the street and making Jackson almost feel like a magical wonderland, the vibrant colors of the changing leaves in autumn, the sound of the flowing water from the nearby river, but what you enjoyed the most was the smell of freshly baked bread from your little bakery on the corner in Mainstreet.

Shortly after arriving in Jackson Maria assigned, you to baking duty, since you were a professional baker before the outbreak, and showed you to your new working place.

It was a charming little bakery that had been abandoned for years but as you peered through the dusty windows, you immediately saw the potential.

Tommy, Maria’s husband, helped you turn the rusty shop into your dream bakery. You spent countless hours painting the walls a warm shade of yellow, installing new cabinets and countertops, and laying down fresh tiles.

You were determined to make the bakery stand out, a place with a warm atmosphere where everybody felt welcomed. You even found old wooden crates to use as shelves, hung vintage baking utensils on the walls, and added some decorative flowers for the ambiance.

That was a year ago and since then your bakery has become the favorite place of the residents of Jackson and Jackson became your home.

You were busy kneading a batch of dough when you heard the familiar jingle of the bakery's bell.

"Hey there, Ellie!" you greeted her with a smile. "How was school today?"

"It was fine," she replied, shrugging off her backpack. "But you know what would make it better? A freshly baked blueberry scone."

You chuckled. "You never change, do you? One blueberry scone for my favorite customer coming right up."

As you handed her a warm scone on a napkin, Ellie grinned mischievously. "Thanks, (y/n). This looks berry delicious!”

You couldn't help but chuckle at her pun. "That's a good one, Ellie. You really do have a way with words."

She grinned. "Thanks, I try. I mean, it's not like I'm rolling in dough like you are." She waggled her eyebrows at you and took another bite of the scone.

You laughed lightly, continuing to work on your dough, "You're too much, Ellie. But you always make me smile, that’s why you my favorite, y‘ know."

"Well, that's what I'm here for," she said with a grin. "To brighten up your day and eat all your delicious scones."

You rolled your eyes playfully. "You're lucky I like you, kid."

Ellie finished up the last of her scone and sighed contentedly. "Man, that hit the spot. I don't know how you do it, really. Your scones are always so flavorful and yummy."

"It's all about using the best ingredients and putting my secret ingredient in … love." You answered playfully, slightly cringing at your cheesy answer.

Ellie just groaned silently but nodded. "Well, it shows. You know, you really raisin the bar when it comes to baked goods."

Now it was your turn to groan. "That one was a bit of a stretch, Ellie."

"Hey, I can't help it. I'm on a roll today."

You both laughed as she grabbed her backpack and headed over to you to give you a small hug and a quick kiss on your cheek "Thanks for the scone. I’m off to Dina’s. See you, tomorrow.”

And with that Ellie rushed her way towards the exit.

"Take care, Ellie," you called after her with a smile. "And keep those puns coming, kid."

It was getting late and you were closing the store front for the day. You packed up the leftover treats from the bakery and couldn't help but think that maybe Joel would want to enjoy them. So you gathered up some pretzel pieces, bread, two scones that Ellie loves, and some croissants and made your way to Joel's house.

The evening sky painted in different hues of orange and pink. The streets were quiet as most people had retired for the night. You walked leisurely towards Joel's house, taking in the sights and sounds of the town you had grown to love.

When you reached the house, you knocked on the door and waited. Ellie opened the door with a surprised look on her face.

"Hey, Ellie. Sorry to drop by so late. I thought maybe you and Joel would want to have some of these leftover treats," you said, holding up the bag of the baked goods.

Ellie smiled, "Of course we would. You know he can never resist them, and neither can I. Come on in."

As you followed Ellie to the kitchen, you couldn't help but notice how cozy and warm their home was. The living room was dimly lit, and the only source of light came from the candles on the coffee table.

“Joel's not home yet, though.“ She said while tearing up a piece of croissant, “I don't know where he is, and it's kind of weird because he's never out this late."

Your eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Really? That's strange. Do you want me to stay with you until he gets back?"

Ellie shook her head. "No, that's okay. I'm sure he's just caught up with something. Thanks for the offer, though."

You nodded and headed over to the door, "Sure, no problem. Let me know if you need anything, okay kiddo?"

Ellie nodded and bid you goodnight and you made your way home, in desperate need of a warm shower after a long day at work.

You stood under the warm shower, the water cascading down your body, the stream slowly relaxing your muscles, allowing yourself to let your mind wander. Thoughts of Joel flooded your mind. You couldn't help but think about his chiseled physique and his strong, defined features. His nose, perfectly carved, led down to his plush lips that always seemed to be turned down in a permanent scowl.

But then, there was his smile. The one that could light up an entire room, the one that made your heart skip a beat. The way his face changed, softening, and becoming almost boyish, when he talked to Ellie. His soft brown eyes crinkling with laughter every time Ellie tells one of her many jokes. It was like seeing a completely different side of him, that almost felt like was just reserved for you and Ellie.

You let your soapy hands glide over your body pretending they were his big, calloused ones exploring your body. Steam filled the bathroom as your moans and whimpers echoed though the small room.

You drew tight circles on your most aching part while imagining the way his broad shoulders would feel under your hands, and his strong thick fingers, that always seemed to be working on something, replacing yours. His lips sucking and licking on every part of your body, consuming you.

"Joel,” you let out a final moan, your voice not much above a whisper, as you reached your peak, your walls clenching around nothing.

The water started to cool as you tried to catch your breath, bringing you back to reality. You took a deep breath and stepped out of the shower, wrapping yourself in a fluffy towel. You knew you needed to push these thoughts aside, but a part of you couldn't help but think about Joel and wonder where he could be at this hour. You just prayed that he was okay.

The next morning, while you were getting ready to open the bakery, you noticed Joel and Ellie walking in. To your surprise Joel was carrying a bouquet of flowers and a bag of coffee beans, which caught you off guard.

"Good morning, (y/n)!" Ellie chirped, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Morning, Ellie. Morning, Joel. What brings you guys in today?" you asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Joel smiled warmly. "I just wanted to say thank you for the bread and scones yesterday. They were delicious. And I thought you might like these flowers and coffee beans as a small token of my appreciation."

Your felt your heartbeat race as he handed you the small bouquet of wildflowers. "Thank you, Joel. That's very thoughtful of you."

Ellie nudged you with her elbow, a sly grin on her face. "Looks like somebody's got a secret admirer… well, not so secret," she teased.

"Ellie, please. That’s enough" Joel gave Ellie a stern look. Ellie just shrugged innocently in return and skipped off to the display case, leaving you alone with Joel.

"Listen, I don't want to keep you from your work. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate what you do for me and especially for Ellie. And, well, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

“Thank you, that means a lot, Joel” you blushed slightly.

“Anytime, darlin’,” he placed his warm hand on yours and you felt a flutter in your stomach at the contact of his skin.

As if reading your mind, Ellie sauntered back over, a chocolate croissant in hand. "What's going on over here? Are you two making googly eyes at each other?"

Joel laughed. "No, Ellie. She and I were just having a friendly conversation."

But Ellie wasn't convinced. "Uh-huh. Sure, you were. Well, I'm going to go enjoy this delicious croissant. You two keep doing your thing."

As she walked away, Joel turned back to you with a warm smile. "Don't mind her, darlin´. She's just teasing. But, really, thank you again for everything."

As Joel and Ellie were about to leave, Ellie turned to you, "I almost forgot to ask you if you wanna come to the community hall tonight and watch a movie with us?"

"Really? You want lil’ old me to come with you?" you teased.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Duh. We wouldn't have asked if we didn't want you to come. We're watching this old western movie that Joel loves. You know, to keep up with his cowboy persona."

Joel chuckled. "Ellie, you know I'm not a real cowboy. But, yes, we would love it if you came. “

You grinned. "I would love to come. And I'll bring some blueberry scones."

Ellie's eyes lit up. "Yes! I knew you would say that. Those are my favorites."

You made your way to the community hall, the twinkle lights hanging above the entrance, casting a warm and inviting glow. The hall itself was a modest, single-story building with wooden walls and a sloping roof. Overall it was a cozy space and pretty much the center point of your little community.

As you entered the hall, you were greeted by Tommy and Maria , who were standing by the door, handing out programs for the evening's event. They both smiled and greeted you warmly.

"Hey there, (y/n)!" Tommy said. "Glad you could make it."

Maria chimed in. "Yes, we're all excited for the movie tonight. Have you seen it before?"

You shook your head. "No, I haven't. But I've heard good things. Ellie seemed excided."

You made some small talk about the movie and the bakery before you spotted Ellie and Joel sitting in the front row. You made your way over to them, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation.

"Hey, guys," you said, sitting down next to them. "Looks like we got good seats."

Ellie grinned. "Of course, we did. Dad always gets here early to get the best spot."

Joel chuckled. "That's right. Gotta be prepared."

Joel was holding a big bag of popcorn and handed it over to you, your fingers barely touching, sending shivers down your entire body. "’M glad you could make it.” he whispered into your ear. You felt his breath lightly tickling your earlobe.

"Oh, I have a small favor," Ellie exclaimed, turning back to you, causing you to abruptly snap out of your trance.

"Dina's birthday is next week. Do you think you could make her a cake?" Ellie asked shyly. “Only if you want of course and only if you have enough spare ingredients. I know it’s a lot to ask from you but Dina is not just any friend … well… she is my friend of course but she is my best friend and special and I want to do something extra special for her. I am sorry, just forget I said anything. “ Ellie was visibly distressed.

You smiled and put a reassuring hand on her arm to stop her rambling. "Of course I can. What kind of cake were you thinking about?"

Ellie's eyes sparkled with excitement. "She loves chocolate. And... wait for it... peanut butter."

You laughed. "Well, it sounds like we'll have to come up with something extra special for her then."

Ellie hugged you tightly and you couldn’t help but feel so much adoration for the girl. In the short timespan you knew each other she crawled her way into your heart and became part of your family.

Ellie nudged you. "Oh and look, there's Karen and her grandkids. She's been raving about your cinnamon rolls all week."

You looked around the hall and were surprised to see how many people had shown up for the movie night. There were families with kids, elderly couples, and even a few teenagers.

You smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. Maybe I'll make some for the next movie night."

The lights dimmed and the movie began, Joel and Ellie sat on either side of you, munching on popcorn and occasionally making side comments about the movie. You were immediately drawn into the Western that was playing, with its sweeping landscapes and rugged cowboys which kind of reminded you of Joel.

About halfway through the movie, a woman sat down next to Joel and began talking to him, completely ignoring the fact that you were in the middle of a film. Ellie let out an annoyed huff and shushed her, but the woman didn't seem to get the message.

You turned to Ellie and gave her a gentle nudge. "Hey, now. Let's not be rude," you whispered.

“She’s the one being rude. “Ellie rolled her eyes but quieted down and turned her attention back to the movie.

You on the other hand found yourself growing more and more distracted by the conversation between the woman and Joel. They laughed and chatted, and Joel seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her company.

Your curiosity was piqued, and you couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Who is that woman? How do they know each other? Did he invite her to watch the movie with him? You tried to focus on the movie, but every time the woman laughed, your attention was drawn back to their conversation.

Your thoughts didn’t seem to quiet down and raced through your mind, and you found yourself feeling increasingly agitated. At the corner of your eye stole a glance at Ellie, who was engrossed in the movie.

You strained your ears to catch snippets of the conversation between Joel and the woman and immediately noticed the flirtatious undertones in their banter. The woman was playing with her hair, and Joel kept stealing glances at her. You felt a knot forming in your stomach as you watched them.

At one point, you heard the woman mention something about a rodeo, and Joel's face lit up with a smile. "Oh, you were a natural on that bull," he whispered, chuckling.

The woman grinned. "Yeah, until I fell off and almost broke my arm," she replied, playfully punching Joel in the arm.

Then, the woman leaned in close to Joel and whispered something in his ear. You couldn't hear what she said, but Joel's eyes widened, and he let out a low chuckle.

She leaned back in her seat. "What do you say, cowboy?" she asked, winking at him.

The credits rolled and the lights came on, and you quickly stood up and you couldn’t wait to get out of there. You couldn't bear to be in the same room as Joel and the woman any longer. You didn’t care how childish you were behaving or if somebody would notice your weird behavior. The jealousy and hurt were too much to bear in this moment.

You hugged Ellie tightly, not wanting to let go. "Thanks for inviting me, Ellie. I had a great time," you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

Ellie looked up at you with concern in her eyes. "Hey, you ok, right?" she asked, sensing that something was off.

You forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, of course, Ellie Bellie. Just a little tired," you lied.

Joel and the woman looked over at you, and you nodded in their direction goodbye, unable to meet their gaze, and quickly made your way out of the hall.

Once outside, you steadied your breathing and tried to compose yourself. You felt foolish for letting your emotions get the best of you. Afterall, Joel was a free man, and he was entitled to date whoever he wanted. You knew this, but you still couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment and hurt.

Suddenly the sky opened up and it started to rain heavily. It felt like the world was crying with you. The raindrops were mixing with your tears, and you couldn't tell the difference between the two. The wind was picking up, and you felt cold to the bone. It was as if the weather knew the pain you were feeling and was trying to make it worse.

Your body was shaking uncontrollably, and you felt foolish for thinking that there could have been something between you and Joel. How could you be so naive? Joel was just being kind to you, and you misinterpreted his kind gestures and turned it in some twisted delusional romantic idea.

How pathetic of you for even considering the possibility that Joel might have had feelings for you.

You wrap your arms around yourself, trying to hold yourself together as the rain continues to beat down on you.

At the end of the day, Joel Miller, was nothing more than your stupid little crush.

Part 2

#joel miller fic #pedro pascal #aesthetic #joel the last of us #joel x reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller x y/n #ellie tlou #ellie williams #the last of us hbo #tlou fanfiction #joel tlou #pedro is daddy #pedro almodóvar #pedrohub #pedro gonzalez #jealousy

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waltzingwithspirit · 8 months

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PICK A CARD: MESSAGES FROM MAHADEVI (CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE)

Top Left: 111 ; Top Right: 222; Bottom: 333

Disclaimer:

This is a general reading take what resonates and leave the rest

No one is allowed to copy my work under any circumstances

DM for a personal tarot reading

All personal readings are paid.

HAPPY RADHA ASTHAMI 🤍♥️🤍

🌸111🌸

Be grateful for all that you have. Be grateful for all that you have been blessed with. You may think you lack, but the truth says otherwise. You have the warmth of the sun, coolness of the moon, you have water to drink, you have food to eat, you can walk among beautiful scenery. You have all that you need, so don’t look for more. If you have a guitar, play a song instead of dreaming about building a boat. You have all that you need and more. Be creative, once you start focusing on what all you do have, you’ll feel much richer. I am hearing you should spend time with your mother, help her in her work, be sweet not rude, it will go against you. Walking in nature barefoot will bring you tremendous results, especially if you are having troubles with rahu or shani. If you are taking sone sort of therapy /any healing sessions it will be successful, in 3 months you’ll notice a difference. Give service to cows and animals in general, this good karma will bring you recognition and even fame for some of you. Some of you need to cut your hair, even just a little bit to let go of the energy. Others need to start sadhana and grow their hair out. REGARDLESS take good care of your hair, it’s important. Keep it braided if you need to conserve energy. Wear more orange and red, and don’t let a day go by without writing how you felt today, why you felt that way, and end it with a gratitude list. Not just you, I am seeing your entire family successful, if you have been considering a family business or have one, this is a good sign. Comment ‘Mahadevi’ to Claim! 🌙 DM TO BOOK A TAROT READING 🌙 🌻 Thank you for letting me read for you 🌻

🌑222🌑

Okay so listen, you know you have a choice, you have the choice to speak up your idea in the meeting, you have the choice to say ‘No’. You always have a choice. You are not tied down by chains, you are not tied down at all except by your mind. No cages exist outside your mind. It is your greatest friend and has the ability to be your greatest enemy too. How do you want it to serve you? That’s again a choice. Make the right one. Choose freedom. Choose expression. Don’t let others walk over you, tell them you have plans and you can’t help them today, its okay. HAVE THE COURAGE TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT. If you never ask, you’ll never know. You think you don’t have much to offer so you become the person who doesn’t need anything, and that not doing anyone any good. DEMAND YOUR RIGHTS. Ask for what you want. You want your partner to come watch you play violin? ask him, have the courage. You are a lion then why do you pretend to be a sheep. You could be born in the year of the horse as well. Some of you are lion yoni. Behave like yourself, the more you astray, the more depressed you feel. You want adrenaline, and you are scared of the same. Trust me, if you let loose you won’t run wild and return home safe. You are somewhat terrified of what could happen if you let yourself be, since you’ve never been, you can’t comprehend and with the fear of uncertainty, so you are always on edge, to say what you actually want to but never do and they are out the door. Other have a pre-conceived notion of you that you want to keep, honey its not healthy you have to let that go before it swallows you complete. Your fire has been watered down, its time to bring it back. Comment ‘Mahadevi’ to Claim! 🌙 DM TO BOOK A TAROT READING 🌙

🥀333🥀 If you have been seeing a humming bird, or after reading this if you see one, don’t be surprised. They are a sign that you are taking everything too seriously, even things that shouldn’t be taken that way, you have forgotten to stop and smell the roses. It seems like you are someone who has a responsibilities on their shoulders, and you just can’t seem to relax. Between all things mundane, you have forgotten to keep track of your soul’s purpose. Many of you don’t know why you are here. You world is limited to the material realm. You are being told to take time out for honoring your soul’s purpose. One of them is ‘Joy’. You are not here to be in a low or neutral emotional state, you are hear to feel joy and spread joy. It could come from any number of things, from just taking a day off or making time for your hobbies or laughing your ass off. You are here to be curious and be filled with wonder and awe. All these responsibilities are making you anxious, you can’t sleep, you can’t eat, and all you do is think all the time, about business and about family and that’s all your life is, you aren’t even in there. I am not saying you shouldn’t focus here, you should these are key areas of life but take a step back, take some time for yourself. HEVAY BURN OUT ENERGY. This isn’t even burn out, you are toasted and done, most of this is coming from the fact that most of your day you do things put of compulsion, you don’t want to do them, but you do. Figure out how to honor your soul’s purpose, and find joy in things or simply do what brings you joy. There is work that need to be done within the family dynamic as well. One step at a time and step starts with you. Comment ‘Mahadevi’ to claim! 🌙DM to find your Soul’s Mission🌙

- EL TAROT

#pick a picture #pick a pile #pick an image #pac reading #pick a card reading #pick a photo #pac tarot #free tarot #pick a card #ask response #channeled reading #channeled message #kaali #padma lakshmi #mahadevi #hindu #krishna

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mxnaluv · 1 year

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Flowers pt 1

Pairing: HowlxFemalePresenting!reader

Featuring: Howl Pendragon

Genre: Fluff, Established Relationship, Proposal, Mentions of Marriage

Summary: It's Y/N's Birthday so Howl and Markl surprise her!!

Reader's Pronouns: She/Her

Warnings: One suggestive part but it's not SUPER suggestive but very subtle.

I sat in the warm, cozy living room and idly read one of my favorite books, Pride and Prejudice. It had been my birthday today and I had been eagerly waiting for Markl to get home. He had been out with his new friends from Porthaven, so I had been left to myself in the castle. I had been feeling a bit lonely lately, and this book made me feel a little better.

With Markl and Howl constantly going out, I have to do things to keep myself busy. Like trying out new recipes, reading the latest books, or maybe even walking around the town and talking to the people.

But sooner or later, the words consumed me on the pages. I looked up from the comforting book and saw that it was getting late, and I hadn't eaten yet. I then got up and started to make some dinner, feeling a little guilty about taking my eyes off the book for even a second. I started to feel isolated and alone again, but cooking dinner gave me something to focus on other than my thoughts.

Not long after, I heard the door open. I turned the stove off and looked behind me to see that it was my lover Howl with a bouquet of roses in his hands. "I'm home," he yelled and went into the kitchen.

"Happy birthday, my love," he said, holding out the beautiful roses. ‌The roses were a light pink with a hint of blue. They were the perfect birthday gift.

I gratefully took the bouquet and admired them. "They're absolutely beautiful," I said, "but you didn't have to get me flowers."

"I know," he replied, "but I couldn't resist."

These are truly beautiful Howl," I said, kissing him on the cheek. I put the flowers in a vase and continued to cook dinner. Soon, he came and helped me cook.

After a filling dinner with Howl, I started to clean up the cooking mess that we had made.

Howl then got up from the table behind me, then hugged me from behind. I felt his arms snake around my waist, and I could smell the sweet scent of his breath on my neck. "I have something to show you," he said.

Howl turned me around so that I was facing him, then smiled and took my hand. He took me to the front door, then he switched the house door into our favorite place—the garden with a little cottage in the middle.

He opened the door slowly, and the sweet smell of flowers hit me. I looked to the outside and gasped. ‌Rose petals were headed towards two elegantly-dressed chairs, with another red rose in the center of the table. It felt surreal and dreamlike, like I was seeing this place for the first time. It was beautiful and magical, like nothing I had ever seen before.

The moonlight shone perfectly through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating the tablecloth with a soft, white light. The fields of daisies and sunflowers surrounding it were bathed in the orange hues of the setting sun. Having Howl by my side all felt like a dream come true. But every day with him felt like a dream come true.

He took my hand once more, then walked us to the table. We stopped in front of a chair and he let go of my hand, then he pulled out the chair for me. ‘Thank you Howl." I said as I sat down.

As he sat down in the other chair, Markl and his other friends came from behind the hill with a beautiful cake, which they then presented to me. “How did you guys know it was my birthday?” I exclaimed, surprised, and touched. ‌Their thoughtfulness and generosity touched me.

“Happy birthday, Y/N!” Markl said as he lit the candles. They began to sing a heartwarming birthday song to me, and I savored the moment by blowing out the candles with a smile on my face. The cake was delicious, the roses were amazing, and the company was warm and welcoming. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday.

“Y/N, what did you wish for?” Markl exclaimed, drawing out the name. He seemed genuinely excited to hear the answer, with a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye.

"If I say it out loud, then it won't come true." I smiled.

Howl then cleared his throat and stood up. I looked towards him and he started to take something out of his back pocket.

I gasped once more as a hand went over my chest as he then got down on one knee. The atmosphere was instantly transformed into something magical and peaceful.

It was a delicate platinum ring with a heart-shaped diamond mounted in the center of the band. My eyes teared up with happiness as I saw the ring for the first time. I couldn't contain my feelings and started to cry.

"Since you were there for me through all of my ups and downs, I have always loved you. I can't imagine going a day without you by my side. Will you marry me?" He professed.

I got up from my chair and held him as tight as I could, never wanting this incredible, magical moment to end. ‌I was in awe of how lucky I was to have him in my life, and how much I loved him. “Of course I’ll marry you Howl!”

I could tell that he was extremely excited and nervous about this, and I was too. He hugged me back tightly, then he pulled away and put the ring onto my finger. It was the most sentimental and emotional moment of my life, and I'm happy that I could share it with the one person who had been there for me every step of the way.

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drefear · 10 months

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Distance (Christina Perri)

Miguel x Reader

TW: extreme angst and sad feels, smut.

"The sun is filling up the room

And I can hear you dreaming

Do you feel the way I do right now?"

You squint at the blaring bright light shining in through your curtains. You turn over into the warm, large body next to you and feel the soft rhythmic breathing on your cheek. The feeling makes your body relax even more as you lean to snuggling into his bicep under your head. You look up through your lashes to see his beautiful, sleeping face and take a mental snapshot to burn into the backs of your eyelids, wanting to see this memory every time you blink. Finally feeling him shift, you stiffen before moving to get out of bed. You never let yourself have these moments with him, they would ruin everything. These emotions would ruin everything, and you don’t want to lose the small piece of him that you do get to enjoy.

"I wish we would just give up

Cause the best part is falling

Call it anything but love"

The glow of the orange screens glow across your face. That gorgeous face that Miguel adored so much, studied every second he could without you noticing. He felt you wake up today, felt you watching him, and then you moved and left without a word. That was how many mornings went. One of you would wake up and disappear without a trace, as if nothing transpired, as if you were tangled in each other the night before and trading gentle caresses as your lips refused to separate.

You both never spoke of what was going on between you. It was just assumed, being professional and acting as if nothing was going on until one of you got desperate enough to seek sexual relief from the other. Or that’s how it started. But soon it grew into more. Longing glances, gentler touches, a lack of distance when you would talk about anything. It all showed, and everyone else could tell there was a palpable tension between you two. No one would ever know what happened at night, how Miguel’s hands would leave his own fingerprints on your thighs, and how your scent would soak into his sheets. How you’d find his hair all over your bedroom, and how relish in the way he groaned your name as you kissed his neck.

And neither of you would ever admit that something more had blossomed, grown into a delicate flower, and now was being completely neglected.

"And I will make sure to keep my distance

Say, "I love you," when you're not listening

And how long can we keep this up, up, up?"

The fears had begun when you started to memorize the planes of his face, the way his eyes shifted to yours when he spoke to everyone about missions, how he smelled like a bonfire and fresh musk. You realized you were in love with Miguel O’Hara.

Miguel’s realization was around the same time, as he noticed how you liked chocolate chip cookies after a meal, that you always wore mismatched socks, and that sometimes, when you laughed fully, you hid a hint of a snort. He knew he loved you as he found these traits.

And you both spoke to the other when they weren’t listening. The blind leading the blind, you’d watch him walk across from Sector to Sector and lean into the palm of your hand, mumbling something about his shoulders. He’d see you share your food with other spiders, and would be jealous of the way those fries got to savor the feeling of your mouth. You both soaked up the presence of one other, but only when one’s back was turned. You drank him in when he was focused on reading reports, and he admired you as you swung from platform to platform.

"Please don't stand so close to me

I'm having trouble breathing

I'm afraid of what you'll see right now"

You never wanted him to see you as fragile, as flawed. Your skin was always glowing, make up always light and pretty, everything had to be perfect for him and you refused anything but the best when it came to him seeing you.

He refused to let you see him weak, or fearful. He was the head of the spider society, the strongest among most, and the most terrifying. How could he ever let you see him when he was petrified? How would you react to seeing a man of science and justice cower down?

"I give you everything I am

All my broken heart beats

Until I know you'll understand"

You both had terrible stories, people who had hurt you, events that created the people you were. His lack of family and longing for love made him jeopardize an entire universe just to experience a daughter's love. You’d lost friends and family due to your abilities, and felt the guilt of everyone tormenting you constantly, and heard the voices of those who had lost their lives due to your incompetence. You knew he could understand your situation, could sympathize with your consistent pain. He knew the same.

But neither of you would dare utter a word about your deepest troubles. What might the other think?

"And I will make sure to keep my distance

Say, "I love you," when you're not listening

And how long can we keep this up, up, up?"

Hushed moans and mumbles of praise echoed off of your skin, and Miguel’s heartbeat pressed against your chest, like a metronome. Gasps, pants, grunts, and curses flew around both your ears as you pleasured each other intimately.

Under him, he leaned down to you and pressed his forehead to yours while he caught his breath.

“...ve you.” He whispered, and you opened your eyes.

“What?” You questioned, and he slightly shook his head.

“I- it was nothing.” He closed off instantly and you just let him, watching him roll over and turn the light off. The darkness felt like it swallowed you whole as you replayed what he’d said in your head.

Of course you heard it, your spider senses picked up on it, but you were surprised. No words came out of your mouth, but as he slipped out of you and fell onto his side, you traced small hearts on his skin. Not a single syllable was exchanged after that as he fell asleep, and as you turned away from him, facing your window and watching raindrops hit the glass, you felt your own raindrops slip down your cheeks from the inner turmoil you felt. The words rolled off of your tongue once you were confident he wouldn’t hear you.

“...I love you too, Miguel.”

You shouldn’t have been so confident, because you were wrong.

"And I keep waiting

For you to take me"

His hands darted across the holographic keyboard on his desk as you shot a web and swung up to meet him. Silently, you dropped off a few papers and turned to leave. His hand caught your wrist and, confused, you turned to see him not even looking at you. He was just holding you there, not saying anything. But the wish was clear as day, and you slid your hand up his arm, moving to stand by his side and hold him. He bent into you, nuzzling his head into your neck as you heard the sound of a familiar video he watched constantly, and just pet his head as he pulled your smaller frame into his large one.

"You keep waiting

To save what we have"

His hands shot out as you two fought an anomaly, yanking you out of the way as Peter ran past you both to continue wearing it down. You looked up at his face and found something on him that you’d never seen him openly express during a mission; fear.

For a second, neither of you spoke as you stared into each other’s eyes and understood the implication of the other's emotions. The others kept fighting, swinging around as you two just stood, frozen in time and trying to decipher how to keep going without breaking the hold on one another.

A scream seemed to shatter the glass wall you two had built in those fleeting moments and you both looked to the source of the sound, habitually falling right back into the battle.

"So I'll make sure to keep my distance

Say, "I love you," when you're not listening

And how long can we keep this up, up, up?"

No one discussed what had happened, even though everyone saw it. As the group dispersed, you hung back to stay and maybe hopefully hear those words you’d wanted him to say to your face, to have him admit he was in love with you and to enjoy saying it back. You wanted to hear the music of his voice, taste the caramel of those feelings on your own tongue, and then savor them from his lips.

But you were met with tense silence and his heaving back. You reached out to grasp his shoulder, to see his face, but stopped inches away as tears threatened to break through and expose your secret soft spot for him. Your heart shouted in your ribcage and threw a fit of rage, practically ricocheting off of your muscles as your breathing became shaky and painful. Squeezing your eyes shut, you turned away from him and began walking towards the exit without a single sound. Once the metal doors closed behind you as you stepped into the hall of the building, your back fell to the wall and the cries began to burst from you, loud and hoarse wails ripping through your throat as your hands and wrists pulled at the skin of your face to wipe away the evidence of your sadness.

How did you let him worm his way into your heart? Into your soul?

“Make sure to keep my distance

Say, "I love you," when you're not listening

How long 'til we call this love, love, love?"

On the other side of the doors, the large man was sitting with his legs spread, elbows on each knee as he gasped for air. He’d been holding his breath since you’d all gotten back, holding in the sorrows and dreads he’d had flash across his mind when you’d almost gotten hurt. His lungs burned at the lack of air as he tried to hold himself together until everyone was gone.

And then you stayed back, waiting to try and clear the confusion and mass of tension between you two. But just like him, you couldn’t do it and you left without any way of fixing these knotted strands of complicated thoughts and sentiments. His eyes were screwed shut as he heaved in oxygen like he’d just been drowning, and his hands shook as his claws refused to sink back into his skin. Lodging the talons into the skin of his own knees, he gripped himself as if to hold himself together. MIguel’s throat felt tight and began to feel numb from how he had been clenching his jaw.

You both had been so close, yet so far, and you both refused to close the distance.

A/N: I'm so sorry I was feeling sad and mushy and needed to write miguel being sad and mushy as well and then I thought to myself "huh. lets give it a sad ending," as if i don't do that enough already.

#miguel spiderverse #miguel x reader #miguel o’hara smut #miguel o’hara #miguel o’hara x reader #miguel o'hara #miguel spiderman #miguel smut #angst #miguel angst #miguel o'hara angst #drefear playlist

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electronicwitchcollection · 6 months

Text

~*Accidental Mate: chapter 6*~

You had left your home earlier than needed this morning, wanting to enjoy the warm summer sun on your way to work. Your report was secure in an envelope in your hand, swaying lightly at your side as you walked. The breeze was refreshing, teasing through your hair you had to keep down in order to hide the teethmarks bruising your neck. You felt surprisingly refreshed considering the nights sleep you had. It was plagued with vivid dreams, sensual lovemaking that had lingered with you this morning when you had woken. You felt light, carefree as you headed to your Captains office, looking forward to getting back into your routine. Today was going to be a good day, you could feel it.

A flash of orange caught your attention in the distance, standing out drastically in the sea of black uniforms and dark hair. You'd notice that floppy mess of bright orange hair anywhere. Ichigo was weaving in between the forming crowd of people on their way to work, trade mark frown on his young face. "Ichigo" you greeted him with a friendly wave as he neared you, stopping him short

His face relaxed upon seeing you, offering a half smile "YN, hey. How you doing?" He had stopped to chat with you, nodding to the side of the path where you wouldn't be in the way of the mornings traffic "heard you were the one Kyoraku lumbered Grimmjow with "

You chuckle at the pained look on his face, at least someone knew the right amount of sympathy you deserved, unlike Renji. "Better now that I'm home" you grin at him before sighing, you had a feeling many people would have questions over the trip you would rather forget "It wasn't that bad, you seeing Renji today?" Anything to change the subject

"yeah, I'll catch up with him and Byakuya later, promised Rukia I'd help train her new squad members" Ichigo explained while rubbing at his nose, seemed awfully itchy all of a sudden. You held back a laugh at the familiar way Ichigo addressed your Captain, knowing full well it aggravated him to be addressed so informally . He leaned in closer to you, giving you a strange look.

Leaning back slightly you raised a confused eyebrow "what are you doing?" He wasn't usually one to invade personal space like this, at least you've never witnessed it. You weren't actually opposed to physical contact and closeness, it was, however, unexpected from the young man.

"sorry, it's just.." he leaned in a little closer despite your obvious discomfort, sniffing at you curiously as his brows furrowed in confusion"you smell strange"

"I smell? Like what?" You ask flabbergasted, raising your arm to sniff at your uniform. It smelt fine to you, you had showered this morning and the subtle smell of vanilla still lingered on your skin "is it bad?"

"no" he shook his head, leaning in even closer trying to associate the smell with the memory refusing to come to the forefront of his mind "it kinda smells like.." the rest of Ichigo's sentence was abruptly cut off by a fist swinging in from nowhere, clocking Ichigo in the chin and sending him tumbling to the ground. You gasped, startled by the unexpected turn of events.

Grimmjow was suddenly standing in front of you, chest heaving with rapid breaths as he glared down at Ichigo rubbing at his darkening chin "what the fuck is wrong with you!" Ichigo snapped at the Espada from the floor, returning an icy glare. Grimmjow usually at least gave him the courtesy of a threat before he attempted to fight him.

Grimmjow had seen red when he saw Ichigo leaning in towards you. Invading your space, getting to close to what was his. He would be damned if he would just roll over and let that bastard try to steal away what was his. He thinks he could be a better mate? Give you what you needed. That weak ass bitch couldn't provide for you the way Grimmjow could, couldn't protect you as well, could please you as well. His alpha pride was screaming at him to annihilate the threat, take on the challenge Ichigo unknowingly laid down

His hands curled into fists, pupils thinning into slits as he regarded the other male angrily getting to his feet. Big mistake. "What the hell is your problem?!" Ichigo seethed through clenched teeth, shoving Grimmjow roughly in the chest, before ducking another lightening fast fist aiming for his nose. Grimmjow snarled back, animalistic and dangerous, sending all your hairs on edge

You had seen enough, finally getting over the shock you rushed in between them, laying a hand on each of their chests to try and diffuse the situation "stop!" You told them both sternly, eyeing first Ichigo then Grimmjow. Both their chests were heaving with unexplained anger. Well, Ichigo's anger was explainable, considering he had just been sucker punched for no apparent reason. "What's going on?"

"Ask him! Crazy bastard" Ichigo exclaimed angrily, though at least taking a step back. Grimmjow growled in response, trying to advance closer. He didn't even look at you as you pathetically tried to keep him in place, staring daggers over your head at his intended target. A small crowd had gathered around, curiously watching the spectacle unfold in the middle of the street

"You think your better than me?!" Grimmjow snapped to the orange haired man, pushing you away effortlessly. Not thinking clearly, he hadn't thought to adjust his strength as he pushed you. He knocked you away harder than he intended, not even glancing your way as you tripped over your own feet at the sudden force and landing on your ass with a huff. That was the second time that asshole shoved you over, and you were just about finished with it . "Think you can take what's mine?!"

"Don't shove her!" Ichigo ignored Grimmjow's shouting, reaching down to offer you a hand up with muttered concern . You were about to gratefully accept the hand when Grimmjow lunged at him, tackling them both to the ground in a frenzy of trading blows and spited insults. You jumped to your feet yourself, at a loss of what to do. You needed to stop the fight before it got out of hand and weapons were involved, but you weren't stupid enough to risk getting close when they were wresting around on the floor like that

"stay away from her" you heard Grimmjow threaten before throwing a punch to Ichigo's face, getting blocked by said man's crossing arms "the hell are you on about? You're the one who hit her asshole!" They seriously couldn't be scrapping because you got knocked over. There was a deeper meaning behind this scuffle, which you couldn't care less about at this point, you just wanted them to stop fighting.

"cut it out!" You tried calling to them, your plea washing over both their heads as they grappled in the dirt. Ichigo got his foot between them, planting it on Grimmjows stomach and kicking him off as hard as he could. Grimmjow landed in a crouch, feet and hands skidding across the floor with the level of power he was kicked with. With both men springing to their feet you took the opportunity to dart in between them. You trusted Ichigo enough to not accidentally attack you when your back was turned to him, so chose to fully face a pissed off Grimmjow, murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"Grimmjow, stop" your plea came out strained with the exuberance you needed to attempt to hold him back, shoulder shoved into his midsection, arms wrapped around him. He felt hot to the touch, whole body vibrating with adrenaline as he glared at his rival, standing a few feat away watching intently, ready to react if he were to turn on you. That only enraged him further. Like he was some rabid beast who couldn't control himself around his own mate. His mate who was annoyingly trying to hold him back from defending his claim. Not mate, Grimmjow mentally corrected himself.

"woman" Grimmjow lowly warned you, attempting to get around you without shoving you again. You stubbornly followed his movements, not letting up the pressure you had on his middle. Grimmjows eyes flicked down to yours. You looked mad, confused. A little scared. That bastard had scared you, and he was going to pay "move"

"no" you stubbornly refused, tilting your chin up to meet his eye. Trying to get him to see you were serious, if he was going to try and get at Ichigo, he was going to have to go through you first. You couldn't tell in that moment if you were being brave or stupid "not until you calm down"

"My my, isn't it wonderful to see you children all playing nicely together" A new voice interrupted the moronic display, musical lilt indicating thick amusement in the deep voice. Relief flooded you at the new appearance, someone to help talk sense into this idiot. Urahara had walked over to investigate the commotion, amused grey eyes peering over the fan he had in his hand, loftily wafting it over his face. His usual hat was tilted back enough to allow his eyes to be visible as he watched the chaotic scene, sharp vision taking note of all the visible damage between the two parties

"You!" Grimmjow growled, turning away from you so suddenly your arms lost their grip, to stomp over to the eccentric exile. Urahara pointed at himself in a over exaggerated "who, me?" kind of way, lowering his fan to reveal the ever present smirk on his face "come with me" Grimmjow growled a moment before he grabbed Urahara by the face, muffling an unmanly squeak before dragging him away with the help of his sonido technique. The quick departure knocked up an angry cloud of dust where you had last seen Urahara standing

You stared amazed in the space where they had disappeared, waiting for your brain to catch up and make sense of what had just happened. The crowd of nosy onlookers started to disperse, gossiping between themselves at the spectacle they had just witnessed. Your mouth opened and closed a few time as you struggled to form a coherent sentence. Well, Grimmjow was Urahara's problem now. Or depending on how you looked at it, Urahara was Grimmjow's problem.

A heavy hand on your shoulder embarrassingly made you jump in fright, adrenaline wearing off made you a little wary. Ichigo had that frown back on his face as he looked down at you. "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you?" He asked softly. Like Renji, he didn't agree with violence of any kind against woman and seeing you get shoved to the ground irked him. Not to mention he knew how important you were to Renji, he would look out for you the same way he would want Renji to look out for his own sisters, how Renji had already looked after his sisters

"Im fine" you promised. You really were, you didn't hit the ground hard, and your ass cushioned your fall. Ichigo let his hand slip from your shoulder as you turned to face him "are YOU okay? That's one hell of a bruise forming on your chin" you nodded the the rapidly blackening mark across his jaw. Ichigo rubbed it gently with a shrug

"lucky shot"

"Do you know what got him so mad?" You couldn't for the life of you what could've sent Grimmjow into such a fit of rage. Neither of you had even noticed him until he started swinging. There was nothing he could've overheard you two say that would warrant a reaction like that. Ichigo shrugged, seemingly Unphased by the altercation now that it was over

"It's Grimmjow, does he need a reason?" Fair point well made. In your very limited experience of Grimmjow, no, he didn't need an excuse to become unhinged. Just another part of his radiant personality

"You know, I would of happily followed you back here if you had asked. You didn't need to drag me across the Seireitei by my face" Urahara happily told Grimmjow when they came to a stop outside of his own small lab on the outskirts of the twelfth. Kyoraku had gifted him the space after his help during the Quincy war, along with the option to return to soul society at his pleasure. While he had decided to split his time between here and the world of the living, the gesture was appreciated.

Grimmjow ignored the overly happy quip, all but ripping the door from its hinges and walking into the lab. Grimmjow restlessly paced the little free floor space, waiting for that idiot to follow him in. Urahara leaned against one of the desks, watching Grimmjow pace like a caged animal.

"what can I do for you Mr. Jaegerjaquez?"Urahara questioned in a light tone. While he found it better to be direct with Grimmjow, he couldn't always pass up the opportunity to tease him. Perhaps this wasn't the time for that though.

"there's something wrong with me, you need to fix it" Grimmjow spat the words, unrelenting in his pacing, refusing to look him in the eye. He hated asking for help, loathed feeling weak. Urahara had proved himself to be a genius, even if he was a childish asshole. If anyone knew how to fix him, it was this guy.

"Yes, I'm leaning towards anger management issues with psychotic tendencies myself, but without the proper examinations I wouldn't like to diagnose.." Okay, there was always time to tease the explosive Espada. Urahara stopped his comical, yet accurate assessment of Grimmjow's mental state when said lunatic whipped around to bare his teeth. Urahara held up in hands in mock surrender, trying hard to remove any evidence of amusement from his face "What are your symptoms?"

"I think someone used one of those shinigami spells on me" Uraharas eyebrows shot up under his messy hair, he hadn't expected that. He waved his hand in a 'elaborate' motion, interested in the unusual claim "I keep getting feelings , thoughts that ain't my own. It's like I can't control my own damn thoughts or actions "

That didn't sound like any "shinigami spell" Urahara had ever heard of. Being someone who had mastered nearly all of them, and created a few of his own, he very much doubted there was one like that, that would escape his notice. Grimmjow was being vague for some reason, very uncharacteristic for the blunt man. "I'm going to need you to tell me everything Grimmjow, if you'd like for me to help you. I cannot fix what I do not know"

Grimmjow growled frustrated. Of course the nosy bastard would want to know every little detail. Gritting his teeth, Grimmjow saw very little choice in the matter "I fucked someone. Now I can't get the bitch out of my head. She's making me feel things I don't fucking feel. My instincts are overpowering my head, I feel like I'm going out of my damn mind." Grimmjow dragged his hands down his face, mentally exhausted battling with his instincts and intrusive thoughts. Already they were creeping in, demanding he go back and finish off that punk Ichigo, take that woman back to her den and fuck her to cement his claim.

Urahara studied Grimmjow for a moment. The dark circles under his eyes, his restless moving around. He did look like he was fighting some internal battle, and that he wasn't necessarily coming out victorious. The idea that Grimmjow had gotten feelings for this mystery woman flashed through his mind briefly, before comparing the notion to what Grimmjow had said.

While Grimmjow may not have experienced caring for someone before, let alone love, it really wouldn't explain his instincts going haywire. Nor feeling like he wasn't in control of his own thoughts or feelings. Love could make one do crazy things, it didn't actually turn them crazy. He was concerned for Grimmjows sanity as it was.. Urahara concluded it had to be a hollow thing, not human. He had studied hollows for decades, everything from their special abilities, their eating habits, to sleeping habits to..

"Grimmjow, when you slept with this woman, was it by chance your mating season?" Urahara had a suspicion he knew what had happened, though if it had happened without Grimmjows knowledge or this woman's consent... oh boy

"Rutting season" Grimmjow automatically corrected, nodding the affirmative yet waving a dismissive arm. The fuck had that got to do with anything? He had halted his pacing to watch the hat wearing idiot come up with a solution to his problem

" I see, and did you, per chance, happen to claim her?" Urahara asked as evenly as he could, pressing his fingertip together over his chest

"I fucked her?" Why did this idiot always have to speak in riddles. Fucking is fucking. What more was he getting at

"You misunderstand. Did you claim her? Mark her? Bite her hard enough to draw blood?" It was scary how accurate he described what had happened that night. Grimmjow remembered the taste of your blood on his tongue as he sunk his teeth into your neck. How you moaned like a bitch, writhing beneath him as he marked you as his own,ah shit. Grimmjow reluctantly nodded, seeing where this fool was heading

"Congratulations ! It appears you have successfully mated!"Urahara proclaimed animatedly, clapping his hands together as though it was a joyous revelation. Impossible. You were a shinigami, not a hollow. He couldn't of ACTUALLY mated with you , despite his inner alpha taking over his instincts and treating you as such.

"bullshit" Grimmjow snapped, kicking over a small table, sending paper flying all over the floor. A just reaction to the nonsense he was being presented with, He needed a solution, not some crazy story this crackpot had cooked up "She ain't a hollow"

"No, I agree, it is quite unusual that you had mated with someone who could not reciprocate" Urahara absentmindedly rubbed over his scruff on his chin, thinking over all he knew about hollows and their matings. No studies were ever conducted between Hollows and humans, however. This was completely unprecedented. "But it seems to be the likely cause of your distress. You've formed a bond, it's understandable how it could be effecting your instincts, it's a big change"

Grimmjow looked like he was about to throw up. His eyes were wide with shock, staring at the floor hardly believing the words he heard. He couldn't be bonded to you. You drove him fucking insane. He didn't want a mate, didn't want to be bonded. You were a weak shinigami bitch, you couldn't even mate! How could he have mated with someone who couldn't mate!

"How can I break it?" Grimmjow asked almost desperately. There had to be something he could do to undo what happened. He'd be willing to try just about anything. He couldn't stay like this, couldn't be bonded to you. To someone who wasn't even bonded to him

"Im afraid you can't, hollows mate for life as far as our research has revealed " Urahara watched silently as Grimmjow struggled to wrap his mind around the surreal reality Kisuke just delivered. It was a lot to take in, granted. Grimmjow leaned heavily on the wall, sliding down the cool surface to sit on the floor, legs suddenly feeling weak. He propped up one leg, using his knee to support his elbow as he raked his fingers through his hair, internally imploding

"So..." Urahara's teasing voice made a reappearance, curiosity getting the better of him. He hated half stories and questions left unanswered, he honestly waited as long as he could before asking, admittedly, it wasn't that long. "who's the lucky lady?"

Grimmjow sent Urahara a murderous look at the return of his teasing tone. Funny, Urahara mused, he was well aware of the old proverb "curiosity killed the cat", turns out, the cat was about the kill the curiosity.

Grimmjow was just about ready to make him eat that hat. The fake innocent look he got in return wasn't fooling him. Bastard was enjoying this. Well fuck, Grimmjow thought, amazingly considering answering the question before it dawned on him. The fuck was your name again? He racked his brain trying to remember what the old drunk had called you when he introduced you. He couldn't remember, his annoyance dominated the memory, too pissed at being lumbered with her to pay attention to what they had said. His face must have show his confusion

"Grimmjow! Don't tell me you don't know her name!" If he didn't get that stupid look off his face, Grimmjow was going to punch him. It wasn't like he had planned any of this, why would he bother to remember your damn name!

"I didn't fucking listen when she told me! We didn't talk so I didn't fucking ask. I was never going to see her again! She's not in the 11th!" Grimmjow angrily defended himself. He felt like he was going insane. This had to be some kind of joke. Mated to someone who wasn't mated to him, mated to someone he didn't even know the name of.

"well there's a start, do you know what division she's in?" Urahara tried to help narrow it down, his own selfish curiosity getting the better of him. Though he thought it best to find out her identity, he'd have to have a chat with her, explain everything that was going on. Grimmjow didn't seem stable enough to adequately explain the situation. He barely seemed to grasp it himself.

"No" Grimmjow hadn't asked and she didn't offer up the information. Not that he would've listened if she had. The whole thing was a damn mess.He couldn't concentrate enough to seriously try and remember her name, not with the tormenting thought of Ichigo getting close to you dominating his thoughts. "That damn Ichigo knows her"

"Ichigo knows a lot of people Grimmjow, that doesn't exactly narrow it down" Urahara explained gently. The Espada seemed one distasteful joke away from loosing his mind, perhaps it best to save his teasing where Ichigo is concerned. He'd already stumbled upon their fight this morning, before nine am no less. He didn't want to add fuel to that particular fire

"The old drunk knows her, made me go on a mission with her" That was useful information at least, seemed a visit to the head captain was in order. He should be made aware of the situation, considering what Urahara knew about hollows and how protective they could be with their mates, that's not even fracturing in the influx of testosterone and other chemicals when in mating season. Thankfully, hollows only had two mating seasons a year.

"The fuck am I supposed to do now?" Grimmjow grumbled from the floor, forming and releasing a fist in his lap, absentmindedly flexing his bruised knuckles. Ichigo's jaw was tough, he hated to admit. Not so tough that he couldn't break his jaw though.. that was an appealing thought.

"These feelings aren't going to go away. If anything I imagine they'll get stronger as they progress and solidify. Perhaps it best for you to try to get to know this woman, see if you can't get her to fall in love with you" Grimmjow bristled at the word, head snapping up to stare at Urahara as though he had suddenly sprouted another head. Why the fuck would he want to do that?

"why the fuck would I do that?"

"Because, Grimmjow, your feelings aren't going to go away. I'm not confident in saying what will happen if they're not reciprocated. Your instincts are going to want to be around your mate. Wouldn't it be better if she also wanted to be around you?" Urahara Sincerely hoped Grimmjow would take his advice seriously, he had a few theories of what could happen if you didn't accept his advances. From his experience, nothing good ever came from denying your instincts.

"How the fuck do I do that?" He asked carefully, not wanting to seem suddenly eager to win you over. He was still debating running away, finding himself a den in the Forrest and living off the land away from everyone. Would be a damn sight easier than trying to prove himself as a mate. Sure, he could easily kill any man that chose to challenge him, could hunt and kill to provide you with food. He had no problem satisfying you, if your previous encounters were anything to go by

"Romance, Grimmjow. Romance. Women appreciate a sensitive man who'll talk about their feelings. Now I'm not one to brag, but I've been quite successful with the ladies myself" there was that urge to vomit again. Grimmjow felt like his whole world had been pulled from under his feet, dumping him mercilessly into the dark unknown. He hardly heard the blonde man prattle on about romance, flowers and chocolates. Didn't absorb the recommendation for candle lit dinners and moonlit walks. The whole idea made his stomach churn, he felt suffocated in the room, walls closing in on him.

Grimmjow jumped to his feet, ignoring the call of his own name as he marched himself out the room, looking for the salvation of wide open spaces. Grimmjow ripped the door open, not stopping when he roughly bumped into someone trying to enter, unhearing the muffled call from Urahara and the annoyed remark from whom he had body checked. As soon as he was free of the walls he ran, sprinted as fast and as hard as he could to the tree line. Pushing himself further, easily weaving between the dense trees, running as far away from his problems as he could

"Captain Hirako, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Urahara finally addressed his new guest after they had lost sight of Grimmjow in the trees. A problem to deal with at a later date. Unprompted visits from his long time friend weren't uncommon, though it was quite early in the day for Shinji to be avoiding work.

"how many times do I gotta tell ya to stop with all that Captain nonsense" the usual greeting from over one hundred years ago fell as easily from his lips as breathing did. He breezed into the room as if he owned it, looking down at the array of papers strewn out on the floor, raising a questioning eyebrow to his companion

Urahara just shook his head. He'd deal with the mess later. He indicated to the empty chair in-front of him, smiling when his friend stubbornly chose to stand leaning against the same wall previously propping up Grimmjow

"you look stupid in that hat". Shinji couldn't help but add the tease. They struggled to have a conversation without at least one jab each, which delighted him to no end. At least he didn't have that same stupid look on his face as he used to have when Kisuke first became Captain. The years had given him a confidence he didn't possess back then.

"almost as stupid as that wonky hair cut your sporting" Urahara grinned from behind his fan, unable to hide the amusement from his eyes. He enjoyed their back and forth, Shinji's dry wit hadn't changed much over the years.

"so, what the hell is his problem?" Shinji Hirako asked of his friend, nodding to the door Grimmjow just ran through. Urahara sighed, Grimmjow wasn't going to make this easy on himself. But that was a problem for later. He instead, smiled at his new guest, pulling his fan from the folds of his top to fan his face.

"Grimmjow just received some very difficult news" was the simple explanation offered. Shinji nodded, he already had a pretty good idea what that news was, it was actually what he had came to speak to Kisuke about. Shinji went on to explain what he needed to explain, getting a similar solution to the one he had thought of himself. A very awkward meeting was needed, and soon.

#Accidental mate #grimmjow x you #grimmjow x reader #grimmjow smut #grimmjow jaegerjaquez #bleach #kisuke urahara #ichigo kurosaki #bleach fanfiction #bleach smut #small Shinji appearance

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collapsedglasshouses · 15 days

Text

WOULD YOU SAY I'M WORTHY || THREE

PAIRING: Noah Sebastian x OFC ; slight Nick Folio x OFC

DIVIDERS BY @saradika-graphics

SUMMARY: When Eden meets Noah, her life is anything but perfect. Her heart is far more broken than Noah can even guess at this point. Will he be able to mend the wounds he hadn’t caused?

WARNINGS: angst, fluff, eventually smut, mentions of grief/loss, mentions of alcohol consumption, mentions of mental health issues, mentions of illnesses

A/N: I like this chapter a lot, maybe it's the vibe idk. Let me know what you think and please consider reblogging! ♡

TAGLIST: @measuredingold @cncohshit @lma1986 @missduffsblog @cookiesupplier @thescarlettvvitch @bngurngheart @dream-machine-love @arkiliastuff @vinyardmauro @lacktoesandtoddlerants @princessmarshmallowx @circle-with-me @thisbicc @xxkittenkissesxx @malerieee @smoke-in-diamond-shape @thatgirlforever5 @veronicaphoenix @justeli6

If you wanna be added to the story's taglist or to my taglist in general, leave a comment or message me privately!

MASTERPOST || MASTERLIST

Halloween night always felt magical in Eden’s neighborhood. The air buzzed with a sense of excitement and the moonlight painted everything around the houses in a silver glow. A gentle breezed carried the smell of wet leaves and pumpkins. Streetlights made shadows that danced on the sidewalks and most of the houses were covered with cobwebs and spooky decorations.

While Eden was getting ready she heard a couple of leaves crunch under the feet of families wandering the streets and the sound was mixed with the laughter of trick-or-treaters. Even though Eden wasn’t the biggest fan of her birthday, she loved how everything was tinted in a warm orange light by Jack-o’-lanterns. Her landlord had carved four of them and placed them in front of the small apartment building she was living in. The night held surprises around every corner and the air was filled with joyful chatter of kids in their bright and sometimes spooky costumes.

Meanwhile, Eden found herself standing in front of her mirror. Her hand ran over her hips as she admired her costume. The black corset dress hugged her curves seemingly perfect and the white Ghostface mask added a hint of mystery to her appearance. She couldn’t even recognize herself anymore. She normally was pretty reserved and quiet, only letting out her outgoing side when she had to at work, and this also reflected in her style of clothing. However, her skin was adorned with a few different stories. The tattoos that covered her left arm, her hip and her right leg all had their own tales to tell, but she usually kept them to herself.

Today should be different. Her whole arms and legs were exposed. She somewhat felt naked. As if the tattoos would suddenly start to talk. For a second, she thought about covering up but then she remembered something important. No one over there knew her. No one knew what the story behind her tattoos was. No one would question her about the things she desperately wanted to hide and suppress. No one over there knew her.

She could be a completely different person tonight. They only saw the confident woman under the mask. Not the exhausted self she was the rest of the time.

She sighed, pleased with herself, before putting the mask off again. She grabbed her phone and purse and left the house. Right as she reached her car, there was a small group of children running down the street. They were all giggling and showing the candies they had gotten to their parents that waited for them. A sad smile washed over her face for a second, but she decided to ignore the hole in her chest, before getting into her car and driving off.

As she arrived at the venue, the party was already in full swing. The music thumped through the walls of the house and Eden could occasionally hear laughter echoing through the chilly air. She sat in her car for a second, while starring at the building. There was no going back.

She took a deep breath, before grabbing her mask from the passenger seat and putting in on again.

“You got this, Eden.” She mumbled to herself, before getting her purse and then stepping out of her car. She walked reluctantly towards the front door and considered for a second whether she should write to Nick that she was here or simply enter, but then someone was already yanking the door open.

It was a guy, dressed in gray, with a cute racoon mask on his face.

“Woah, sorry.” The man yelped and held onto the door frame in shock but his tone quickly changed to a skeptic one. “And who are you?”

Before Eden could even answer him, a familiar face pushed Racoon-Guy to the side and beamed at her. “Let me through, Matt. This is Eden!”

Eden smiled to herself under the mask. His costume was unmistakable. He was Freddy Krueger, complete with the widely-known striped sweater, hat and glove with fake razor-sharp blades.

“Get in here!” Nick shouted at her over the music and carefully grabbed her hand to get her in the house.

“You look absolutely stunning, Eden! I didn’t even know you had tattoos.” He complimented the girl while leading her to the table where the drinks stood at.

“Thank you. You look great yourself.” She answered him shyly, while eyeing the table.

Until now, she had simply tried to ignore the crowd of people in the room, but the anxiety was slowly creeping into her bones. She hated crowds, she hated large amounts of alcohol, she hated parties. She asked herself again what she was actually doing there.

“Where is the birthday kid? I wanna at least congratulate him.” Eden mumbled to Nick as he held up a beer, asking silently if it was okay to open it for her. She nodded, while he answered. “I actually have no fucking idea. I lost him an hour ago.”

Eden nodded while taking the beer Nick held to her. She lifted the mask for a short second to take a sip, when she remembered. “I actually can’t drink. I drove here.”

“You can sleep in my room, if you want. I have a spare couch.” Nick smiled at her shyly and she blinked for a second.

“You live here?” She asked him and he nodded. “The boys and I all live here.”

Eden nodded before thinking to herself, if it was a good idea to crash at Nick’s place. It would be the first time in ages that she wouldn’t sleep in the comfort of her own home. But when someone accidentally bumped into her, she realized that she would probably end the evening in a panic attack if she didn't drink. So, she nodded. “Okay, I’ll sleep here.”

Nick smiled brightly at her, before nodding in a direction, signaling her to follow him. They walked to a small group gathered in the corner of the living room.

“Guys, this is Eden.” Nick introduced her to the people, and she shyly waved at them for a second.

“Woah, awesome costume.” One of the men, dressed as cupid, said to her and she thanked him quietly. “I’m Jesse by the way.”

Nick began to introduce the others after that. There was Jolly and Nicholas, dressed as pirates. There was Bryan, dressed as Marty McFly. And there was the raccoon guy that opened the door, Matt.

They all began to chat, while Eden found herself just standing next to Nick, following their conversation. Eden was feeling herself zoning out as the next hour passed. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but she began to notice how little she actually knew Nick and kind of felt out of place for a second.

She lifted her mask again, just enough to take a big sip of her beer, when she heard Jesse next to her exclaim in excitement.

“Oh man! I just thought we could get a glimpse of the girl Nick can’t shut up about.” He joked as Eden let the mask fall on her face again. She noticed how she blushed and was glad she had the costume to cover her face.

“Oh, shut up. I’m not always talking about her.” Nick protested and Eden saw how he tried to cover up his own blushing cheeks while drinking from his beer.

Eden didn’t know what to say, so she blinked for a second, before deciding to cover Nick’s back. “I think that needs to be a mystery for a bit longer.”

The guys chuckled while she patted Nick’s back for reassurance. He smiled at her shyly for a second, before they began to chat again. Eden’s gaze wondered over the room. She had been right, she knew nobody. But that was also relatively normal considering how little she left the house when she didn't have to go to work.

Her gaze lingered on a man standing at the other end of the room who seemed to be looking across the space just like her. He stood tall, with long brown hair falling down his back. Dressed as a vampire, he had this mysterious vibe about him, like he just stepped out of a spooky tale. The darkness of his costume matched his eyes, making him look both charming and a little bit eerie. Eden felt intrigued by him, maybe because he looked like he didn’t want to be there. Just like her. When he smiled at the guy standing next to him, Eden felt herself smiling with him.

Nick snapped her out of her thoughts, when he gently tapped her shoulder.

“Are you okay?” He wanted to know and gave her a sweet smile that she wished she could return to him, but her mask was still hiding her face.

“Yeah… Don’t worry. I just need some fresh air.” With that, the woman ran a hand over his arm and walked away from the group and out the door to the small garden. There was a pool and a couple of cozy benches. She was glad nobody was out there. She sat down and put her mask off.

Right now, she noticed how anxious she had been in there. Her whole body was tense. It had been years at this point since she last went to a party, considering the last years had been tough and definitely nothing to celebrate, but she hadn't realized how hard it actually had been for her to enjoy herself at a party.

She was snapped out of her thoughts, when she heard someone stepping outside. She turned her head and saw the vampire from before. The man stepped close to her and stopped for a second when he saw her sitting there. It took him a second to decide what to do before he pointed to the seat next to her on the bench. “May I?”

Eden nodded.

“I spent the whole evening wondering who was under that mask.” He cheekily exclaimed and ran a hand through his long hair. Eden chuckled, feeling a sense of ease in the man’s company. “Well… The secret is out now.”

After that they fell into a comfortable silence, both deep in their thoughts. Eden was surprised by the easiness that the man next to her radiated. Normally, she would have stood up and went back inside, but he seemed to calm her spirits without doing anything at all.

“Honestly,…” The man began, “I really hate celebrating my birthday.” Eden’s eyes shot to him, realizing he was the only reason she was there that night. “I didn’t know you were the birthday kid. Happy Birthday.” She exclaimed with a sweet smile on her lips.

“Thank you.” He quietly reacted, the corners of his mouth shooting up for a couple of seconds and Eden noticed it made him uncomfortable for a while.

“So, how old are you turning?” She then wanted to know.

The guy, with a casual grin on his face, replied, “24.” A brief pause hung in the air as Eden nodded at his answer, before she exclaimed, “Birthdays aren’t really my thing either. Parties even less.”

Curiosity sparked in him, Noah asked, “When’s yours then?”

Eden, a touch more shyly than she already was, responded, “Today.”

“Really?” He exclaimed with widened eyes, “Well, happy birthday to you too!”

She smiled for a short second, appreciating the sincerity in his wishes, while he asked her how old she turned.

“26.” She shortly exclaimed and looked straight ahead. She wanted to be normal about this, but her age always reminded her about how fast her young adulthood was slipping through her fingers.

“I’m Noah, by the way.” He introduced himself after a minute of silence. “Eden.”

“Eden? Where does that come from?” Noah asked, intrigued by the girl’s presence. Something about his gaze relaxed Eden. It didn't feel forced to talk to him. It felt like he genuinely wanted to make her feel better.

“I mean it is a really biblically name, but my parents just thought it sounded spooky and since I was born on Halloween and it’s their favorite holiday, they named me that.” She explained to him and felt how she slightly cringed at her statement. She really hated the reason behind her naming. If her parents had been strict religious people, she would have understood, but needing to explain that they just thought it sounded a bit scary, made her feel silly.

“Let me guess, you have siblings called Carrie or Annabelle to round up the spooky theme.” Noah joked, but when he saw her face, he stopped laughing. “Please tell me I’m wrong.”

“I have a younger sister called Raven. So, close.” Eden exclaimed while Noah took a deep breath.

“I think that’s both really pretty names but when I think of your parents, I see two really bubbly people who actually do not even know what the names originally meant.” – “Sounds about right.”

Eden tried to ignore how her cheeks became a slight tone of pink because of his compliment.

Noah noticed how Eden shifted in her seat and decided to change the topic. “Nick was talking about you the other day. Only positive things, of course.” – “Really?” Eden’s face must have been a deep shade of red at this point.

“Totally. He thinks you’re pretty cool.” Noah exclaimed, not telling her how Nick ranted about how beautiful she was the second he came home from that bar the first time.

Eden’s curiosity piqued, but her thoughts held her back from prying further. She wondered what Nick had said about her but decided to keep it to herself for now. Maybe some time she would be comfortable enough to ask Nick himself.

“And?” She asked Noah and he shot her a confused look. “What and?”

“Am I pretty cool?” She jokingly asked the vampire in front of her. He laughed at her question in a sweet tone and Eden also couldn’t help but grin.

“Yeah. I would say the statement ‘pretty cool’ is pretty accurate.” He answered her honestly and Eden felt her cheeks heat up again. She rolled her eyes while smiling and looked away. “You know, you don’t need to lie to me just because I’m sleeping here tonight.”

“I’m not lying, ghosty.” He justified his previous exclaim.

“Ghosty?” She asked him while laughing slightly.

“Yeah, you’re gonna be the sexy ghostface forever in my mind, Eden.” He boldly stated and Eden immediately felt warmth spread in her stomach. Did he really think she looked sexy?

“Maybe, you’re forever going to be the handsome vampire in my mind.” She then answered him, not really knowing where her boldness came from. Now Noah was the one to blush and Eden couldn’t help but feel proud. She didn’t think she would have this kind of effect on anyone with her words.

“So, you’re staying tonight?” Noah then wanted to know, fidgeting with his fingers, to calm his nervousness because of her compliment.

Eden nodded. “Yeah, I’m sleeping on Nick’s couch.”

Noah nodded.

Right as he was about to ask her something, the door to the garden was opened.

“Hey, Eden. I’m heading to bed. Should I show you where you're sleeping tonight?” Nick said to her, and Noah couldn’t ignore his facial expression. He wasn’t too happy to see the two of them alone, so Noah tried to ease Nick’s spirits by standing up and walking towards him.

“I was going to bed anyways.” Noah exclaimed and shot Eden a last smile, before patting Nick’s shoulders and getting back into the house.

Eden also stood up, trying to suppress her disappointment about Noah’s disappearance while shooting Nick a smile.

Nick signaled her to step into the house first, which she accepted. Inside, she noticed that almost everyone had been gone at this point and she wandered how long she had been sitting outside with Noah.

“By the way, don’t worry about your makeup. We have bought some remover because of the Halloween costumes.” Nick said to her after wishing everyone that was still downstairs a good night.

“Really thoughtful of you.” She answered him while trotting behind him to his room. When they entered it, she was met with a sweet view. The room screamed Nick. Some band posters where hanging on the wall, while a fishing rod stood in the corner. Some drum sticks randomly laid around.

“I’m sorry that I dragged you here tonight, Eden.” Nick exclaimed, while Eden sat down on the couch. “Oh, don’t worry. I had fun. Just not a fan of big crowds.”

“Kinda ironic, considering you’re a bartender.” Nick answered her with a sweet smile on his face, while grabbing a blanket and one of his pillows.

“Maybe, but at the bar I have a counter to keep people off of me.” Eden began while getting out of her tights. “And if they are mean to me, I can throw glasses at them.”

Nick laughed slightly, while going to his closet to grab a shirt for her to wear for the night.

“Do you maybe have a hair tie?” She sweetly asked Nick and took the shirt from his hands.

“I think, I’m the only one in this household who doesn’t own one.” Nick exclaimed with a lopsided grin and Eden nodded, realizing there were a lot of men with long hair in this house, but Nick was not one of them.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find one.” She exclaimed, before asking him where the bathroom was, and he gladly showed it to her.

When she entered the room, she locked the door after her and began her evening routine. Sadly, she wasn’t able to brush her teeth, but it was okay for one night.

Right when she was ready and changed, she heard a soft knock on the door and went to open it. The first thing she saw was a tattooed chest, when she lifted her gaze, she was met with a neck, just as tattooed. She felt how her heart began to beat fast.

Soon she looked into dark brown eyes. Noah.

“Sorry, didn’t know you were in there.” Noah excused himself as Eden needed a second to compose herself. She knew he was tattooed but she didn’t know that he had so many.

“Don’t worry, I just finished.” She mumbled and felt like she stuttered the words out. She was about to step away, when she remembered something.

“Do you maybe have a hair tie for me?” She asked him softly and he began to smile. His hair had been up in a bun, but soon he opened his hair to give her his hair tie.

“No, you can’t just give me that.” She wanted to protest but he grabbed her hand and put the elastic in it.

“Don’t worry, keep it. I have enough.” He answered, before they changed places, Eden now staying outside the bathroom.

“Thanks.” Eden whispered, still intimidated by his presence.

“Good night, Eden.” – “Good night, Noah.”

#bad omens fanfiction #bad omens fanfic #bad omens fic #noah sebastian fanfiction #noah sebastian fic #noah sebastian fanfic #noah sebastian x oc #noah sebastian x ofc #nick folio fanfic #nick folio x ofc #nick folio x oc #nick folio fic #noah sebastian smut #bad omens smut #collapsedglasshouseswrites #bad omens rpf

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underscar · 8 months

Text

THE SCULPTURE & THE SCULPTOR

Pairing: Makima/Female Reader

Summary: The sun was slowly setting on a brisk evening, casting a golden-orange glow over the bustling streets. The air was crisp and cool, signalling the beginning of autumn, and the leaves on the trees had started to turn shades of auburn. You met her that fall evening, and fell in love that October. Warm sunlight elapsed your memories and your love story with Makima and it all felt like a dream, until it erupted into a nightmare. The phrase "separating the artist from the art" is one that dates back long ago. Both the art and the artist can be seen as their own entities; yet, the artist has the control and power to destroy that oeuvre.

CHAINSAW MAN MASTERLIST

A/N: finished this oneshot. was shorter then i expected it to be but that’s alright. as always, i’ve been occupied with school and work and volunteering and just…life.

WORD COUNT // 3209 words

The sun was slowly setting on a brisk evening, casting a golden-orange glow over the bustling streets. The air was crisp and cool, signaling the beginning of autumn, and the leaves on the trees had started to turn shades of auburn.

The streets were packed with people going about their daily business. Groups of students hurried home after their after-school activities and cram school, their backpacks slung over their shoulders and their uniforms crumpled from a long day of studying and play.

Workers in suits walked with purpose, their briefcases in hand, eager to catch the earliest subway home to their families. Their fatigue expressions spoke of long hours spent in the office, but they soldiered on, determined to make it home to their loved ones.

And amidst the sea of people were others, simply out to get their shopping done before the night fully set in. The bright lights of the shops and neon signs illuminated the streets, beckoning shoppers to come in and browse their wares.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the city transformed. The neon signs grew brighter, casting colorful shadows on the pavement. The streets became livelier, with people pouring out of restaurants and bars, ready to enjoy the night ahead. Despite the crowds and noise, there was a sense of peace and harmony in the air.

Tokyo was a city that never slept, but on this fall evening, it seemed to slow down just enough for everyone to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the changing season.

The multiple chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling of the pet shop also casted a warm, golden glow over the store, giving it an almost magical quality.

The shop was located just a few blocks away from your apartment in the bustling city of Tokyo, and you often found yourself wandering in on lazy evenings to browse the various pet supplies and see the cute cats and dogs. The puppies specifically were your favorite.

Today, you found yourself standing in the soap aisle, surrounded by an array of colorful bottles and containers. You were looking for a special shampoo for your new puppy, a fluffy golden retriever that you had adopted a few weeks ago, disregarding your father's displeasure. The recent adoption makes your dog duo now a trio.

As you scanned the shelves, you noticed a woman with reddish hair knitted in a braid standing a few feet away, examining a bottle of dog shampoo. A brand you recognized. She was dressed in a stylish outfit, a suit that was as sleek as a cats coat, along with a trench coat that didn’t drown her form, yet instead curved it like a cape, all complete with a perfume that smelled so strong, like greek gardens in heaven.

“That brand is rather cheap,” you blurt out. The snobby words escaped your lips unnoticed.

She turned to you with a raised eyebrow, her expression conveying a mix of surprise. “Pardon me?”

You suddenly realized how snobby and rude your comment sounded, that you even spoke at all. You didn't even know this woman, and here you were, making assumptions about her shopping choices. Feeling embarrassed, you cover your face and you quickly tried to backtrack.

“Um - uh, well this is,” you stop yourself from stuttering and clear your throat. “I actually had to return it recently. Both of my retrievers had an…uh,” you lower your voice, “really bad skin infection after using the soup. I just would never recommend it.”

The woman's expression softened slightly, but she still looked a bit guarded. "I understand," she said coolly. “But just because a product is bad doesn’t typically relate to its affordability, does it not?”

You looked down at your purse, feeling shameful. “Ah, slip of the tongue. My apologies. I misspoke.”

As a child of affluent and politically influential parents, you were constantly surrounded by privilege and power. From the lavish parties and exotic vacations to the private schools and exclusive clubs, your life was a far cry from that of the average person. However, despite the obvious perks of your upbringing, you often found yourself feeling like an outsider, rather than fitting in with those around you.

Perhaps it was the fact that you stood out from the crowd with your designer clothes, expensive technology, and sleek cars. Or maybe it was the subtle differences in your upbringing that made you feel out of place, like the way your parents talked about politics over dinner, or the fact that they were always traveling to meet with world leaders and dignitaries. Whatever the reason, you worried that people saw you as snobby or spoiled, simply because of your background. And to be honest, there were times when you felt like those labels were justified, just like now.

The women smiled. “You’re cute.”

Your face instantly burned with embarrassment.

You weren't sure how to respond, and you wondered if she was flirting with you. You looked up shakily from your purse, your eyes then meeting hers. You gasped when you noticed her exotic eyes. They were a striking yellow color, with multiple red rings within them. For a moment, you were mesmerized by their beauty, forgetting your embarrassment and confusion, being hypnotized.

Nevertheless, as the woman's stare became apparent, you realized that you had no idea how to respond to her comment. You stammered out a few awkward words, trying to come up with an explanation for your sudden embarrassment, but nothing feasible came out.

She quirked her head. “Also slip of the tongue. Apologies.”

She then stuck out her hand to you. “I’m Makima. You?”

Your lip quivered as you spoke her name. “Makima…”

The moment you told her your name, you had become hers.

You embarked on your relationship the following October, and it was during that same month that you found yourself falling deeply in love accompanied by autumn weather.

“Moving fast in your relationship”—your father spat. He wasn’t wrong, but you were loving every moment and day under Makima.

You and Makima spent countless evenings together, her walking you down the vibrant streets of Tokyo, discovering hidden gems, and indulging in the city's rich culture. She effortlessly unveiled a side of the city that had eluded you in your privileged upbringing. Not only were the experiences enchanting, but it was Makima herself who drew you closer. Her magnetic aura captivated you from the moment you met. Makima's intelligence, wit, and care for dogs made you constantly crave her company. She destroyed your perspective, forced you to question your assumptions, and told you to embrace the beauty of imperfection.

As your relationship deepened, Makima entrusted you with a secret—she was a devil hunter. Although she didn't reveal the specifics of her career, you knew she held a high position and enjoyed the benefits that came with it, evident in her lifestyle and the numerous dogs under her care. She had a contract with a Devil, but she didn't disclose the details of this arrangement, nor did she want you to be involved in her dangerous work. Respectful of her wishes, you refrained from prying for more information.

Instead, Makima had you to stay at home and keep your relationship separate from her professional life. Since you had never worked before and your parents supported your financial needs, it seemed reasonable for you to take on the responsibility of caring for her pack of dog, along with your two, now in Makima's home. After all, she had generously moved you into her house. You willingly embraced this role and followed Makima's instructions, appreciating the opportunity to contribute in your own way while living under her roof.

Thus each day fell into a rhythm.

Mornings arrived with the stirrings of sunlight, coaxing you from slumber. Always when you woke up, you were alone. In the corner of your eye you would see the bathroom light on underneath the door, where you could hear water running. This signalling Makima getting dressed. She always woke up early before you could register her leaving the bed at all. In order to not disturb her, you would use the guest bathroom.

Then, afterwards, you’d go downstairs and start to prepare breakfast for you and the hoard of dogs, their wagging tails adding cheer to the steaming kitchen. Makima however never ate breakfast at home, despite her waking up early enough to eat, she always left for work without doing so. Subsequently, as plates were made, Makima would come downstairs, to the dogs and your excitement.

Makima, adorned in her immaculate devil hunter suit and trench-coat, would depart early for her duties, her presence exuding confidence and purpose. Before leaving, she would grace you with a tender farewell before sealing it with a kiss. "Be good," she would softly utter as she crossed the threshold. To whom those words were directed remained a mystery—once you pondered if they were intended for your exuberant four-legged friends gathered by the doorway or if, in a strange twist, they were meant for you?

Once Makima embarked on her work and you found yourself confined within the walls of her home, the hours stretching ahead, blank canvases awaiting strokes of purpose from the artist—you the canvas. Yet, a familiar pattern emerged as her absence settled in.

Thoughts, ceaseless and unrestrained, flooded your mind, overwhelming you, akin to a tumultuous storm brewing within. Pondering became second nature, almost synonymous with migraines. Your rumination meandered through various facets of you and Makima’s relationship, occasionally interrupted with words of your father.

Primarily, your thoughts gravitated towards Makima—inevitable, for love held you captive in this home. In her presence, the mental restlessness waned, and your mind found solace in the assurance she exuded. Thinking less was effortless when she was near, her mere existence a balm for your turbulent thoughts. She found your thoughts cute, thoughts worried so much for her sake.

Your relationship continued to winter, and winter was cold and bleak.

"I'm scared," you admit, your voice filled with trepidation.

The reality of Makima's career as a devil hunter was something that had taken a toll on you more than you had initially anticipated. At first, you had been intrigued by her strength and determination, admiring her for her ability to face the darkness of the world you lived in head-on. However, as time passed, you began to see the darker side of her world, and it started to affect you in ways I hadn't imagined. Death seemed to linger around Makima like a shadow, both in her professional and personal life.

The constant threat of powerful devils and dangerous missions weighed heavily on her shoulders, and that weight often spilled over into your relationship. The nights when she returned from a particularly gruelling battle, covered in blood and forsaken things, were nights filled with worry and fear from yourself. You couldn't help but imagine the worst and dread the possibility of losing her.

But it wasn't just the physical dangers that troubled you. No, it was the emotional toll of her work. The secrets she had to keep, the compromises she had to make, and the people she had to sacrifice for the greater good of her cause began to gnaw at your conscience. It amazed you how she kept herself so disciplined and stable despite it all. Work, with its constant demands and unpredictable hours, easily seeped into you and Makima’s home life.

There were nights when she would receive urgent phone calls, forcing her to abandon our plans, which she did with ease. Though you would lie if you said it did not leave you feeling neglected and alone. Alone constantly in this home, lost with your anxieties and thoughts.

Makima raises an eyebrow, her expression curious. "Oh. Scared of what, my dear?”

"I'm scared of…losing you, Makima," you confess, your words laced with vulnerability. "Lately, it feels like our relationship isn't a,” the fear of possibly offending her scared you more than anything, “uh, priority to you.” You used that word carefully.

Makima's gaze intensifies as she considers your words. "So, you believe I should reassess my priorities?” she asked. “And you think you’re a priority? Is that what you’re saying?”When she worded it like that you felt awful and belittled.

You stumble over your words. "I... I mean, we're dating, and... I just want to feel like we matter to each other.” You were sheepish, like a school girl.

Makima held her chin high, looking down at you through her long lashes. "Darling, don't be afraid to express yourself. If that's how you feel, I want to understand.”

You let out a shaky sigh, your voice filled with resignation. "I understand you're busy, Makima. I just don't… want you to stress yourself too much." You force yourself to say these words to please her and in a way, end this.

“Good. I’ll make sure not to.”

The winter winds howled and pounded against the windows, rattling the panes and sending shivers down your already tense spine. The room was bathed in the soft, flickering light of the fireplace, its crackling providing a comforting contrast to the harshness of the outside world and the void that was inside this distant home. The room was in a void of silence until Makima broke it.

"Look at me," she states, her eyes fixed on the book placed in her hands.

For some reason, despite your dismay, you do what she says easily and look into her eyes.

In the corner of your eye, you could see a flicker of understanding passing through Makima's eyes as she reaches out to gently touch your hand. "I hear you," she murmurs softly. "I may have been preoccupied, but I assure you, our relationship matters to me."

A glimmer of hope ignites within you as you meet her gaze fully. "Really?"

She nods, her expression sincere.

As you take in her words, a sense of reassurance washes over you. Perhaps, in this moment of honesty and vulnerability, you and Makima could strengthen your love. “I love you,” you say with no thought but with hope.

Before she could respond to your heartfelt declaration, a familiar tone chimed from her phone, interrupting the moment like a cruel déjà vu. You hold in a resigned sigh as Makima swiftly rose from her seat, reaching for her trench coat and draping around her, shielding her from the unforgiving cold that seemed to have no effect on her. It was a stark reminder that her duty called her away once more, leaving you alone and vulnerable to the haunting thoughts that seemed to shadow your every moment.

With the slam of the door, she disappeared into the night, and you watched her silhouette retreat into the darkness, a sense of loneliness creeping in. It was a feeling you had grown accustomed to, a feeling you had faintly hoped would change after the discussion you just had, a recurring ache that accompanied her absence. Once again, you found yourself left alone with your thoughts, the crackling fireplace the only company in this wintry night, its warmth unable to completely dispel the chill that had settled deep within you.

Whining, your pack of dogs circled around your dejected figure, their eyes filled with concern, their tails arched down, dejected.

As you sat there, alone, a whisper escaped your lips, barely audible, “I wonder…if I’ve made a mistake.”

Spring had arrived with its characteristics of humidity and warmth and the scent of freshly brewed coffee, but for you, it brought not the promise of new beginnings but the sting of heartbreak.

You had chosen this place for its cozy ambiance, hoping to find comfort in each other's presence. It had been so long since you both had went on a date, after all, Makima was dedicated to her work, and you spent your whole free time, home alone. But as the conversation grew heavier, the air around you seemed to thicken, and the pleasant background noise became a distant murmur.

Makima's words cut through the serene setting like a bolt of lightning. "Let's end things."

Your heart skipped a beat, and you couldn't believe what you were hearing. The gentle clinking of coffee cups and the chatter of other patrons seemed to fade into the background. Your voice trembled as you choked out a bewildered, "What?"

Makima's expression remained cool and detached, as if the weight of her words held no emotion at all. "Yes," she repeated, her voice devoid of tenderness, she rubbed her chin, as if she hadn’t decided already, "we'll end this...relationship."

Tears welled up in your eyes, but you held them back, not wanting to break down in the middle of the coffee shop. The woman you loved, who had once meant the world to you, now felt distant and unfeeling.

"Consider this a good deed on my part," she continued, her tone as indifferent as ever. "You were an obedient girlfriend, ______. Be proud."

As her words settled in, you felt a sense of betrayal and loss wash over you. The cozy coffee shop had transformed into a backdrop for your heartbreak, the world around you now irrelevant as you grappled with the end of a love that had once seemed unbreakable. Tears welled up in your eyes, and you couldn't contain the rush of emotions any longer. Your hand moved to cover your face, fingers trembling as you tried to hold back the sobs that threatened to escape. The coffee shop around you faded into the background as your grief and sorrow spilled into your trembling hand.

Makima watched you silently, sipping the dark coffee, her gaze unwavering but devoid of any warmth or remorse. In her eyes, this relationship had lost its worth, and she believed that ending it was an act of empathy, sparing you from the emotional decay that had started to seep into your life. Meeting Denji had changed everything for her, and you were left to bear the consequences.

To her, it was a good thing, a release for both of you, though for very different reasons. In her own way, she believed that you had gotten lucky, even if it didn't feel that way in the midst of your heartbreak. She saw it as an act of kindness, despite the undeniable manipulation and use of your emotions. In her eyes, this was her way of sparing you from further deterioration, even if it meant severing the connection that had once meant so much to you.

You knew, deep down, that you would recover from this heartache, that you would eventually find a way to live without Makima. But in that moment, as you wept in the coffee shop, it was hard to see beyond the pain and confusion that had come with the end of a love that had once consumed your heart.

© UNDERSCAR 2023 - All rights are reserved to underscar. Do not repost, copy, change/modify, plagiarize, translate or screenshot my work: this will also include not reposting my writing on other social media platforms and writing platforms.

#© UNDERSCAR #not proofread #makima x reader #csm x reader #chainsaw man x reader #chainsaw man x y/n #chainsaw man x you #chainsaw man x female reader #csm x fem reader #csm x y/n #csm x you #x female y/n #x fem!reader #makima x female reader

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spicywhenspeaking · 5 months

Text

If I'm There: Chapter Seventeen

read from part one here!

summary: Noah and Natalie met in high school and developed a relationship through their love of music and art. Falling in love, innocent and young, they think nothing can keep them apart. However, sometimes in the pursuit of your dreams the things we love the most get left behind.

warnings: mentions of alcoholism

this is a complete work of fiction, these characters while based on real people are totally made up. :)

edited by me hungover this morning....soooo if you see something spelt wrong no you didn't.

taglist : @lma1986 @cookiesupplier @notingridslurkaccount @blackveilomens @thisbicc @thebadchic @laurpartyprogram @jessitpwk @samanthasgone

Roughly 10 years later, June 5th, 2023

Beep

The constant beeping of my alarm begins waking me up and as I roll over to hit the snooze button when I suddenly hear the pattering of footsteps and then a small “oof” of a body launching themselves in the air and landing directly on me.

“Ouch!” I call out and the mass now on top of me dissolves into a fit of giggles.

“Mom!!! wake up!!! Ashley’s mom will be here soon!” Erin is full of energy today. Her friend Ashley’s mom is taking her and some of her friends to Six Flags for the day to celebrate the end of the school year. I roll my comforter up to cover Erin up in a burrito of blankets and she starts to laugh even harder. “Mom! Let me out!” Erin’s voice squeaks out between laughs.

“Okay, okay. Be free little one,” I tell her while unwrapping the blankets covering her. I see her face poke out the top and lean down to cover it in kisses. “Oh, I love you so much!! My little baby!! I can’t believe you just finished third grade! Stop growing please !” She laughs and wiggles out of the bed. “Moooom! Please get up, I need to eat breakfast.”

We travel downstairs into the kitchen together and I turn on the coffee maker while gathering the supplies needed to make breakfast. I start making pancakes and soon we hear clunking around coming from the other room. “Do I smell pancakes!?” Haylie calls out from behind her door. Erin runs to the other side “Auntie Hales come to eat breakfast with me!” she calls out and the door swings open surprising Erin. She jumps slightly but recovers as soon as Hailey picks her up and swings her around the hallway toward the kitchen where I’m flipping the last pancake onto the large serving plate. “Pancakes and bacon! I hope you’re hungry,” I call out and pour two cups of coffee and a glass of orange juice for Erin. “I’m starving! Thanks, Mom” Erin says. “Yeah, thanks, Mom!” Haylie jokes.

We didn’t mean to stay at Haylie’s this long but every time I considered moving Haylie wouldn’t hear it. She loves having us here and we love being here and after a while, we really felt like a little family. Speaking of families, my brother is coming to visit soon. Kyle and Maggie are both coming. Together.

After I left they became closer and eventually fell in love. I didn’t know how long it would last but after Kyle enlisted in the Marine Corps they got even closer. When he was stationed in Okinawa in a surprise to us all they secretly eloped so they could live off base together. They are still together now and happier than ever. They have a five-year-old girl, Natasha, who Erin loves so much. The girls are so sweet and we love any chance we can get them together. They’re coming to visit next week for a week and I’m really excited.

A lot has changed in the last ten years. Kyle and I have grown to be incredibly close. I think us both becoming parents changed a lot. Unfortunately, our Mom never recovered from her alcoholism and passed a few years after Erin was born. She met Erin a few times but I was very protective, especially in those first few years of her life and I didn’t want her seeing my mom when she was at her worst. Our Dad lives in Austin now, he wanted to be close to me and his grandchild after our Mom died, and at first I was really hesitant, but over the years a lot has changed. Our relationship is pretty good now and Erin loves her grandpa so much, he likes taking her to the library and the park on the weekends, or to get ice cream after school.

We finish up our breakfast and help Erin get ready for her day trip with her friends. We pack her a small bag since they’ll be having a sleepover after their day at the amusement park. Erin is running around her room trying to decide which stuffed animal she wants to take, she’s deep in thought trying to choose between her stuffed giraffe and her frog build-a-bear we made a few years ago for her birthday. “Froggy! I choose you!” she declares and for a moment everything about her is Noah.

Noah. I never heard from him after I sent the letter. I thought about reaching out again but between life with a newborn and working on finishing my apprenticeship time just slipped away from me. Then she was getting bigger and I was getting settled into my new career as a tattoo artist and when I saw that he was in a new band that was really picking up, that same insecurity that Alex planted all those years ago came right back. her words echoing, “You’ll ruin his life you know? His whole career. He will throw it all away for you. Is that what you want?” I stopped trying, I stopped waiting and I have tried every day of Erin’s life to be everything she needs. When I listened to that first album I was amazed. By his talent, what he was creating for himself was exactly what he wanted. I cried so hard listening to it, I threw the CD in the box that was hiding in the back of my closet.

Ashley’s Mom picked up Erin about an hour later. “Have fun and be careful okay? Listen to Ashley’s Mom and I will call you before you go to bed tonight, she has my number if you need to call me at all okay?” I ask and my sassy daughter in her rush to leave is nodding and just saying “Yes, okay Mom, I will, Okay..Mom she’s here!! Can I go please??” she pleads and I laugh and give her a big hug, and kiss before walking her to the car outside.

Later when I’m getting ready for work I decide on a simple white tank with my faded loose-fit jeans that are covered in holes, but the most comfortable pair of pants I own. I throw on some light makeup and put my hair up in a loose bun. “Wow! How can you make a plain white tank look so hot?!” Haylie loves to hype me up so I give her a little spin and mock bow. “Thank you!” I say as I finish packing my bag and filling up my water bottle. I’m trying to only work a half day so I can do some emotional spending, if I can finish my appointments before getting any walk-ins, Target is all mine.

Waving goodbye I head out the door and hop into my car to head to work. I bought a new car when Erin was five and I love it so much, it’s perfect for us. A little Honda CRV in black. My books have been filling up lately and I was able to pay off the car early last spring which was an amazing feeling. I take off down the street and it’s a short drive to the shop only ten minutes, I turn on the radio and my usual station is playing. “Up next we have a song that’s picking up some traction on TikTok and normally we don’t care about that. But, this is a band I like so to celebrate their upcoming show in Austin, up next we have Bad Omens with Just Pretend” the DJ says and I audibly groan and hit the power button on the radio and just commit to the silent drive into work. It hasn’t been impossible to avoid his band but I try, everyone laughs at work when they come on a playlist. They all anticipate me calling out “Hey Siri” or “Okay Google,” “Alexa” followed by “Skip!” I think they all just assume I don’t like the band and I’m happy not to elaborate.

I get to work and head to my station to get set up for my first appointment. It’s a repeat client and we are finishing up her sleeve tattoo with filler and some color. It doesn’t take very long and before I know It I’ve finished two more clients and it’s almost 2 pm.

I continue to clean my station since my client left a half hour ago. My plans to cut out early and go shopping came to a crashing halt when I heard the jingle of the door opening and four guys walked in, two of whom I hadn’t seen in about a decade. I knew they were in town but I mean, Austin is a huge city. They could have walked into any tattoo shop. But no, the man I’ve been avoiding, actively avoiding since he left me, alone, unknowingly pregnant and devastated is right there. Right in front of me, it’s like every feeling I worked through in therapy is rushed back to the surface.

He hasn’t seen me, too busy talking to Ryan at reception and I overhear “Yeah, I think Nat is available. She doesn’t have anyone on her books for the rest of the day” he says, looking down to check my logbook. “Hey Nat!” He calls to me and the four eyes follow, two in particular getting hit with immediate recognition. “Do you have time to fit these guys in? They say they’re just looking for some small line work?” I see his whole frame tense and his mouth opens slightly, almost in awe, "Natty?" we whispers.

I’m frozen, I’m speechless and our eyes are locked. I’m staring into the eyes of the man that I used to love, that’s the father of my child he doesn’t know. I have to speak. I have to say something. NATALIE! SPEAK ! SAY SOMETHING! I scream to myself internally before I finally breathe out and manage to speak. I try to keep a calm face as I respond “Um, yeah sure. Just get them to fill out the paperwork and send them back.” I duck back down into my little station and try to calm my breathing. I look around and there are pictures of Erin everywhere, I move to quickly remove all of them from my workstation and pick up my phone to call Haylie

“911, this is an actual emergency and I’m freaking out!” I rush out in a harsh whisper “Noah is here. At the shop. With his band. And they want tattoos! WHAT THE FUCK!”

thank you loves! <3

dividers from here!

Next chapter ->

#noah sebastian #noahsebastian #Noah Sebastian smut #noah sebastian x ofc #Noah Sebastian angst #Noah Sebastian fluff #bad omens fluff #bad omen smut #bad omen fanfiction #bad omen fic #noah sebastian fanfiction #bad omens fanfic #bad omens rpf #bad omens smut #noah sebastian fic #lf Im there noah #rpf fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic

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thunderwavesolveseverything · 4 months

Text

Magic Lessons and a Sleepover

[Astarion x Named Tav]

The vampire’s lips twisted into a wide smile, his sharp teeth glinting in her eyes. He could hear her heartbeat accelerating. It was all too easy for him to prey on the girl below him. “Already craving for more, are we?” he taunted, savoring the taste of power. “As much as I would love to sink my teeth into your delicate neck,” Astarion brushed his lips against the mark he had left on her the previous night.

Phayelynn gasped at the slightest prick of his fangs, not enough to draw blood but enough to make her bite back a wanting moan.

Astarion pulled away abruptly, “I don’t think our companions will forgive me should they find out.” His face flared with a faint expression of worry as he continued, “You may have been healed, but you lost a lot of blood already.” He seemed disappointed that he couldn’t indulge in his desires and added, “You should rest.”

Unsure if this was more embarrassing than earlier with Gale, Phayelynn let out a long sigh and rolled over to her other side, making sure her back faced him.

What just happened? And what the hells was wrong with her?

Or....Phayelynn gets a magic lesson from Gale and then gets invited to an awkward sleepover with Astarion.

---

Okay, so like I totally love Gale (I hadn't super cared for him during my first playthrough, but after a handful of saves in, he's grown on me). But yeah, I loovvvee Gale- but in a, I want him to adopt me and be my surrogate father figure and teach me all the coolest spells and I'm giving that dream to Phayelynn here cause she deserves it 😂💜

(word count: 6,001 )

Read on AO3 or below :)

Masterlist for Phayelynn's adventures here

Magic Lessons and A Sleepover

As the sun began to set and the sky turned into a shade of orange and pink, Phayelynn busied herself with setting up her bedroll. The smell of burning wood filled the air, the sound of the campfire crackling and popping, easing whatever nerves she had residing within her.

She had just returned from bathing in a nearby river with Shadowheart. They both desperately needed to wash away the dirt and sweat from their bodies and had decided that it was better to stick together instead of going off alone. Shadowheart filled Phayelynn in on all the details she had missed while being taken by Ethel. Phayelynn listened attentively, grateful for the distraction. The simple act of sharing gossip as if they were best friends and the gentle sound of the flowing water and the fresh air brought her a sense of comfort and normalcy.

Phayelynn was cramming her day clothes into her backpack, carelessly tossing her boots next to it, when an abrupt glimmer of purple light caught her attention. For a moment, she felt a jolt of fear, wondering if someone had stumbled upon their camp. Was it Ethel? Or another Gur?

But as she turned to look, she saw that it was only Gale, holding an illusion of a woman in the palm of his hand. The purple glow emanated from the woman’s form, casting an esoteric aura around her.

Relief washed over her, and she let out a wry smile. She looked back down at her bedroll, intending to settle down for the night, but her curiosity got the better of her. Her gaze flickered back up to Gale, and she found herself drawn towards his tent.

The closer she got, the image of the woman became familiar to her. It was the goddess, Mystra.

“Mystra?” she awed at the detailed and intricate illusion.

Gale was lost in thought and jumped when Phayelynn’s voice broke the silence. He quickly dispelled the magic.

“Sorry,” Phayelynn blushed, feeling a pang of guilt for interrupting.

“It’s alright,” he said, trying to collect himself. “You just startled me, is all. I-I was miles away.” He shook his head as if trying to clear it. After a moment, he let out a cough, nodding at Phayelynn. “You know about Mystra?” he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

As Gale waited for her response, she felt a twinge of discomfort. Today seemed to be the day everyone was sharing their deepest secrets. Astarion and Gale had done the uncomfortable thing and divulged their stories, but Phayelynn wasn’t sure if she was ready to do the same. After a moment of contemplation, she gestured toward the spot that was once occupied by the illusion,

“My mother taught me a little about Mystra,” she said. “She was a wizard.”

“I knew there was magical prowess in you,” Gale wore a smug expression as he snapped his fingers. His interest was piqued now, “What school did your mother study?”

“Oh,” Phayelynn lowered her gaze. She appeared hesitant as she spoke, shuffling her feet uncertainly. “I don’t know.�� It wasn’t entirely a lie. “She used to fire a lot. That’s all I really remember.” She tried to redirect focus back to Gale. “Why were you conjuring an image of Mystra?”

“No special reason, really,” he gave her a feeble smile. “I was just practicing an incantation.”

Phayelynn couldn’t help but feel uneasy as she watched Gale wave her off. She remembered what Shadowheart had told her about Gale’s condition and couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something more to Gale’s incantation.

“Are you okay?” she asked, trying to keep her tone casual. “Shadowheart told me about earlier. I nicked a pair of boots that were glowing all mysteriously if you’re hungry.”

“No, it’s not that,” He started, giving her a slight chuckle before looking thoughtful. “Thank you.” He nodded. “It’s hard to explain, really. It’s just- the need I sometimes feel to see her- it’s indescribable.No sculpture or painting, or even a song, could ever do her justice. Only the fabric of magic itself embodies her: the Weave.”

“Wow, that was really poetic,” Phayelynn couldn’t help but smirk and giggle, teasing him lightly.

Gale feigned offense. He placed his hands on his hips and replied, “I do like poetry, thank you very much.” However, his mood quickly turned thoughtful again as he let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, Phayelynn. I don’t mean to be in a dapper mood. I actually wanted to apologize to you before you turned in for the night.”

He seemed genuinely contrite for something, but Phayelynn couldn’t tell what that something was, “Apologize?”

After a moment of reluctance, Gale spoke up. “I’m sorry,” he said, his expression bleak. “I played a part in what happened to you today.”

Confused, Phayelynn furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

Gale’s shoulders sagged as he continued, “When we were facing the Gur, I hesitated. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Astarion, and I considered letting the hunter take him. But my hesitation led to the Gur singling you out, and you ended up getting hurt. I apologize.” As Gale bowed his head.

Phayelynn frowned, the fight with the Gur flashing in her mind in scattered pieces. She looked at Gale earnestly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault,” she said, “I got hurt, but it’s not because of you. I did the thing I always do- I fuck around, then I find out.”

She removed her hand from his shoulder and waved it, trying to emphasize her point, “Trust me, it’s not your fault. My uncle’s an elf, and not even an old one, but I think I’m the reason his hair is starting to fall out,”

She smiled triumphantly as Gale smirked at her joke, and she paused for a moment until her expression turned serious, “Actually, I owe all of you an apology. I need to stop putting my nose in these people’s business. I’m used to my uncle being there to stop me from doing anything stupid, and I got carried away. But after what happened today, I have one goal - to find a cure to get these damned tadpoles out of our heads.”

There was a moment of somewhat awkward silence as Gale hummed in agreement. He clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes fixed on her as if trying to read her thoughts. However, just as Phayelynn was about to bid him goodnight, Gale’s eyes widened. He held up a finger, signaling her to wait there, before swiftly disappearing into his tent.

“I nearly forgot! This I do owe you an apology for. I was going to give this to you earlier, but you had gone off with Shadowheart,” he said, peeking his head out to face Phayelynn before once again disappearing inside.

Phayelynn craned her neck to see what he was doing as Gale’s hands deftly moved through various objects scattered around. After a few moments of rummaging, he found what he was looking for and let out a jubilant sound. He emerged from his tent, holding Phayelynn’s lute in his hands. It had been properly fixed and looked practically brand new. The strings gleamed in the moonlight streaming through the trees, and the wood was polished to a shine.

As soon as he approached her, Phayelynn’s eyes went wide with emotion. Without any delay, she reached out to take the lute from his hands, gasping in awe as she held it close to her chest. He smiled warmly at her, passing the instrument to her with great care.

“My lute!” she choked.

“Yes. I happened to have a pair of lodestones lying around, and after a simple mending spell, it’s as good as new. You might just have to tune it,” he said to Phayelynn, looking pleased with his work.

Phayelynn didn’t have words at first, instead, she threw herself at him in a hug, her hand tightly wrapping around his shoulders while the other held out her lute. She rushed to express her gratitude, thanking Gale profusely. Gale was initially taken aback by the sudden hug, but soon, he patted her back and laughed at her excitement.

Phayelynn looked up at him, her eyes wet. “You have no idea how much this means to me. My dad gave me this lute before he died,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

She examined the lute as if it wasn’t real, but she was pleased to find it looked and felt exactly the same. Gale’s mending spell had done wonders, and Phayelynn couldn’t thank him enough.

“You’re quite welcome,” Gale smiled affectionately. He hadn’t realized the level of sentimental value the lute carried when Astarion had shoved the broken instrument at him, ordering him to use magic to fix it. “I’m glad I could help.”

He found himself unable to rid his mind of the sudden intrigue of her past but didn’t want to be the one to open an old wound.

Instead, he got an idea- an idea he might regret, but an idea.

“I could show you the spell if you would like. Just in case you ever need to repair it again,” he said, motioning to the lute. The idea continued to spread, and before he could think through what he was offering, he kept going, “Magic is…my life. I’ve been in touch with the Weave for as long as I can remember. There’s nothing like it. It’s like music, poetry, and physical beauty all rolled into one and given expression through the senses.” he spread his arms out fiercely as he explained, his enthusiasm pulling her attention away from her lute. “Perhaps I could teach you. I see potential in you; there is a sense of the Weave within you, and I’d hate to see that potential wasted.”

When he saw Phayelynn’s face, he couldn’t read her expression - was it one of skepticism, as if she thought he was joking, or a warning that he had crossed a line? Despite his doubts, he decided to continue, “I know it won’t be easy, but with the right guidance, I believe you have the workings of a powerful wizard inside you.”

“Wait, you’re serious?” Phayelynn’s eyes widened, her voice trembling with excitement. “You mean, you would be willing to teach me more than just the basic tricks and spells I know? You’re talking about real, powerful magic?” she asked, her voice filled with eagerness and anticipation.

“Well, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves- I won’t be teaching fireball anytime soon,” Gale motioned cautiously with his hands, already seeing a dangerous look in her eyes. At her frown, Gale responded with a nonchalant shrug, “But I don’t see why I couldn’t teach you more useful spells?” he replied, “Here, let’s try reaching into the Weave together to see what I’m working with.”

As he positions himself, Gale waves his hand and beckons Phayelynn to join him by his side. His movements are graceful, almost dance-like, as he raises his arms up to chest level, palms facing each other. With his palms facing each other, he creates a ball of bright purple energy that crackles with raw power. The energy remains suspended between his palms, and he takes a moment to showcase his talent. His fingers move in intricate patterns, his hands rotating and manipulating the energy. It pulses and glows as if it has a life of its own. The air around them seems to hum with the intensity of the magic.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, Gale releases the ball. It shatters into a myriad of tiny particles, each one gleaming brightly before vanishing into the air without a trace. Phayelynn looks on in wonder, impressed by Gale’s command of the arcane. Gale nods in satisfaction, pleased with his demonstration.

He motions before him, giving Phayelynn a nod of his head, “Now you,”

“What?” Phayelynn gasped, “Now? But I---”

“Trust yourself.” Gale tells her, “I’ve seen you call the Weave before. You don’t have to master it right away.”

“I-I, okay, yeah, sure.” Phayelynn gulped, taking a step forward.

She had watched Gale perform the gesture, and she couldn’t help but feel the urge to add her own personal touch to it. She was a performer at heart, and the thrill of bringing her own flourish to it was tempting. But Gale was taking the time to teach her, and she wanted to show him that he was not wasting his time.

She began to imitate the gesture, she did so slowly and with great care. She wanted to make sure that every movement was precise, every gesture intentional. With her palms facing each other, she outstretched her hands, feeling a bit clumsy at first. But as she concentrated on reaching for the Weave, she could sense a flicker of magic within her. She pulled at it, shaping it into the same ball of energy that Gale had shown her. As she held the magic in her hands, she felt a surge of power. The energy pounded and blazed, alive with possibility. She held it for a few moments, savoring the feeling as it glided through her fingertips.

But then, she suddenly felt a strange sensation. It was as if someone had placed a soothing hand on her shoulder and whispered a kind word in her ear. The feeling was tender and comforting, and it reminded her of her mother. For a moment, she was transported back to her childhood, to a time when her mother’s touch had the power to make everything okay. But as quickly as the feeling had come, it was gone. Surprised by the suddenness of it all, she dispelled the magic before it could fully take hold, and it dissipated into millions of tiny pieces.

She braced herself for Gale’s disappointment- for him to tell her she failed. But to her surprise, Gale’s face lit up.

“Outstanding!” he was pleased, as evidenced by the intensity in his voice. He move forward with his instruction, “This is a tad bit more advanced, but I have the utmost confidence. Repeat after me, h-thran mystra-ryl kantrach-ao.”

The words were undoubtedly of some significance or importance, as Phayelynn noted in his deliberate tone. With unwavering focus and a deep sense of determination, Phayelynn repeated the incantation out loud, paying close attention to every syllable and inflection.

Without any warning, a bright flash of purple light erupted before them. The light was accompanied by a sweet scent of rosewater that filled the air and a warm feeling of comfort and well-being that enveloped them all. Phayelynn could taste a faint sliver of Weave on her tongue. It was a flavor that was both sweet and familiar to her, and she knew that it was a sign that the spell had worked.

“Very, very good.” Gale continued to sing her praises, but his lesson was not yet over. He proceeded to challenge her further, encouraging her to think deeply and creatively. “Now, picture a concept of harmony as true as you can.”

Phayelynn contemplated the idea of harmony, initially in the context of music, trying to think which song shows off the concept the best, but then realizes that it goes beyond just that.

Memories from her early youth come to mind. She remembered how her mother’s eyes would light up as she regaled her with bedtime stories of her time as an adventurous explorer. Her father, on the other hand, would patiently teach her the first slew of chords on his old lute, instilling in her a deep appreciation for music. She couldn’t forget the countless afternoons spent chasing her little sister down the stone-clad halls of their home, snow falling down from the sky from the world outside as they laughed and shrieked in delight.

Harmony wasn’t just a musical concept but an important aspect of life that brings people together.

Phayelynn feels another burst of energy as a brilliant flash of purple sparkles around them. She feels a comforting presence as if she is being held protectively by the gentle hand of Mystra. As she basks in the feeling of safety, she notices Gale laughing in disbelief as he takes in his surroundings.

As Gale marvels at the scene before him, he realizes that Phayelynn has successfully channeled the Weave on her first try. “You did it!” he exclaims, clearly impressed. “How does it feel?”

“It feels like....like home...” She struggled to find the right words to describe the feeling but eventually turned to Gale with a smile and said, “Thank you, you’re a great teacher.”

“Oh, I know.”

Phayelynn couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his hubris.

As they stood basking in the glow of their success, she suddenly felt a sense of unease- as if they were being watched. Her eyes darted to the right, where she saw Astarion staring at them from his tent across the way. A wave of embarrassment washed over her as she realized that the rest of their companions could see their little performance.

The Weave evaporates.

Gale let out a sound of disappointment, his eyes fixed on the depleting magical energy. Phayelynn glances at him, her expression almost apologetic.

“There it goes,” Gale’s gaze remains fixed on the spot where Mystra’s presence once was, and his face betrays a hint of sorrow. “How easily things slip from us, no matter how hard we’ve worked to obtain them.”

After a few moments of silence, he turns to Phayelynn and realizes that he’s kept her from her bedroll for too long. “You should get some rest. No doubt we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow,” he suggests. “I really enjoyed our lesson tonight. We can continue tomorrow if you’re up for it.”

“I’d like that.” Phayelynn nods absentmindedly as Gale speaks, her attention focused on Astarion.

As she looks at him, he meets her stare and flashes her a playful yet charming grin before disappearing into his tent. She can’t help but wonder if that smile was an invitaiton to join him. The thought sends a shiver down her spine, and she feels a sudden rush of heat to her cheeks. She tries to maintain her composure, but her body seems to be betraying her, and she finds herself looking away quickly, her heart pounding in her chest.

Just as Astarion disappeared into his tent, Gale followed Phayelynn’s eyes and caught the vampire’s sneaky retreat. He let out a laugh at Phayelynn’s flushed cheeks, but his tone quickly turned watchful.

Perhaps he was still cautious of Astarion and the seemingly growing relationship between him and Phayelynn. “You need rest,” he said, “don’t let him keep you up all night.”

Phayelynn blushed even harder with humiliation as she was caught off guard. “It’s not like that!” she exclaimed, trying to defend herself. “First Shadowheart, now you?” She felt like she needed another dunk in the river. “I-I think he’s just hungry after all the fighting we did today,” she added, her voice trailing off slightly.

But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Astarion’s grin was more than just a simple hunger pang.

“Hmm...I see,” Gale said with a hint of distrust in his voice. “Well, good night, Phayelynn.” His knowing look made it obvious that he wasn’t entirely persuaded by her words.

Phayelynn promptly said her goodnights to Gale, thanking him once again before scurrying away in a hurry to avoid any further embarrassment.

As soon as she reached the campfire, Phayelynn heaved a sigh of relief. She sat her lute down gingerly next to her backpack and started to reach out for her bedroll, only to realize that it was missing. Her heart skipped a beat as she frantically scanned the area around her.

“What in the hells is going on?” she mutters to herself in frustration.

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat, and she whipped her head up and towards the sound to see Astarion opening the flap of his tent. A wave of realization hits her.

So he had been inviting her in earlier? But why was he being so elusive about it?

After a moment of indecisiveness, she made up her mind and started walking towards his tent, passing by Lae’zel’s tent on the way. She was sharpening her blade with a look of disapproval directed towards Phayelynn. Phayelynn averted her gaze and continued her walk with quick steps.

Once she reached Astarion, she looked inside his tent, noticing immediately that her bedroll was laid out next to his. Perplexed, she pointed at it and asked, “You moved my bedroll? In here? Why?” Her tone didn’t have to betray her shock, as her face did most of the hard work.

He let out a groan and turned his head away, unable to face her. He then pouted and shifted his weight to one side, popping a hip out in an offhanded manner. “Please,” he emphasized with a drag of his voice, “don’t think too much of it,” he said, trying to brush off the situation. “I just thought I owed you a decent night’s sleep after you risked your life for me, almost getting killed by the Gur,” he explained.

With a flick of his hand, he gestured towards her belongings, scattered around the fire, indicating that she should gather them. “Now, go grab your things before something else happens to them.”

Phayelynn was feeling mischievous and wanted to tease Astarion a bit more, but she could sense that he was tired and not in the mood to keep up their usual playful banter. So, instead, she smiled and decided to give him a break. She hurriedly gathered her belongings and made her way back towards his tent. Astarion, surprisingly being a courteous host, kept the flaps open for her and allowed her to enter first before closing them behind him.

As Phayelynn settled into her space, Astarion’s eyes followed her every move. He watched as she carefully placed her lute near her bedroll. The lute had been in a sorry state, but now it looked as good as new. Astarion nodded in approval.

Gale could be useful, it seemed.

Phayelynn shifted her position, trying to get more comfortable on her bedroll, and noticed Astarion watching her. She felt a bit self-conscious and wondered if he was staring at her with some kind of intent. Astarion quickly stood up straight as if trying to hide the fact that he was observing her, and then settled on his own bedroll, sitting down with a little distance between them.

Astarion finally spoke up, “So, what were you and Gale up to? Was he attempting to steal another helmet?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No, actually,” she replied, “Gale’s going to start teaching me some magic. I was able to channel the Weave for the first time.”

As she spoke, Phayelynn noticed Astarion’s expression shift. He seemed to grow more distant, and for a moment, she wondered if she had said something wrong.

But then he looked at her with a playful smile, “Oh, so that’s what the light show was all about- I didn’t realize you were so close.”

Phayelynn propped her head up with the palm of her hand, her elbow sinking into the soft pillow beneath her. “I like Gale,” she said with a hint of a smile. “He’s a good friend.”

Astarion, on the other hand, was not as impressed. He let out an audible huff and promptly crossed his arms against his chest, making his disapproval evident. “I’ve come across plenty of people who are hungry for power,” he said, his voice laced with a hint of concern, “but Gale takes it a bit too literally for my liking.”

Phayelynn looked up at Astarion with a smile on her face. Her laughter filled the small space, reflecting off the canvas walls. She patted his knee, sensing that he was envious of the time she had spent with Gale, and maybe that was the reason why he had been spying on them.

“Aw, you’re a good friend too, Astarion. Don’t be so jealous,” she teased.

“Jealous? Oh my dear, you are hilarious,” he said. He let out a sarcastic laugh that dripped bitterness as if appalled by her accusation of jealousy. “I’m not jealous of the walking encyclopedia. You can have your fill with the wizard; why the hell would I care who you spend your time with?” he said, shaking his head. He scrunched up his nose, giving Phayelynn a dismissive wave as if to indicate that he was content to leave the matter at that.

Phayelynn felt a bit hurt by Astarion’s comment. Maybe she had thought too much into it. But she couldn’t help but sense that something was bothering Astarion.

She frowned.

She hadn’t had the chance to check in on him after Gandrel.

“How are you doing after everything today?” She was careful with choosing her words as she tested the waters on what Astarion was willing to share. “With Gandrel hunting you?”

“Well, he’s not anymore,” Astarion’s response was short and to the point. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Which is all that matters, really.”

She watched as he looked down at his lap, his hands clenching into fists. Her eyes widened with realization. This was why he moved her bedroll into his tent. He didn’t want to be alone. He needed someone to be there for him, to make him feel safe. Phayelynn felt a flush rise to her cheeks as she realized the implications of this, but she pushed the thought aside.

Phayelynn sat up and reached out a hand to rest on Astarion’s knee, her expression filled with genuine concern.

Astarion was different. He didn’t fit the archetype of the evil vampire that deserved to be hunted. He was kinder, and despite how naive it may have been of her to think so.

“Why was he after you? Did you do something to him back in Baldur’s Gate?” she asked, her voice low- wanting to understand.

However, Astarion’s response was not what she expected. He immediately swatted her hand off his knee, glaring at her with critical eyes. “What did I do?” he sneered, leaning closer to her in a threatening manner. “What about you? Being chased by all those flaming fists in the city?”

She blinked at him a few times, gaping, “What? How do you-”

Astarion cut her off, “Your tadpole was reaching out to mine while the hag and Shadowheart were working to heal you,” he said, his expression grim. “I thought if I put some distance between us, it would stop, but-”

Now Phayelynn cut him off, eyes widened in dread. “You saw everything?” she squeaked, feeling a sense of vulnerability wash over her.

Astarion nodded, his muscles relaxing slightly. “Bits and pieces,” he said, his voice flat and measured.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her brow furrowed with worry. She sat up straight, pulling her hands onto her lap and moving away from him slightly. “But what you saw... I don’t know how much you saw, but I can’t talk about it, okay?”

Her voice was quiet, as if she was afraid of what might happen if she said too much.

Astarion could see the fear in her eyes, and he knew that whatever it was, it was something serious. He nodded his head, letting her know that he understood, and they lapsed into an uneasy silence. He kept his suspicions and want to pry the truth out of her to himself.

To be honest, he hadn’t seen much of what had transpired. All he could recall was her frantically scurrying through the bustling streets of Baldur’s Gate, attempting to evade the city guard. A single, persistent thought was etched across her thoughts - failure to kill ‘him’ and how disappointed ‘Raphael’ was that she hadn’t. Astarion wasn’t familiar with either Raphael or who ‘him’ was, but he didn’t see the significance of enquiring about them just yet.

Astairon’s voice broke the silence as he spoke up, “Well, whatever it is you’re running from if you watch my back, I’ll watch yours.”

Phayelynn nodded in response, her eyes fixed on the ground as she tried to gather her thoughts. The weight of the unspoken truths between them hung heavy in the air, but for now, it felt good knowing they had each other’s backs.

Astarion’s voice was hushed, almost conspiratorial, as though he wanted to ensure that only she could hear what he was about to say.

“It seems my master wants me back,” he whispered, his words hanging in the air as he waited for her reaction.

Phayelynn didn’t expect him to share more with her, and she looked at him with concern.

“Well, you don’t have to go back,” she said as if it’d be that easy.

As he laid back, he laughed at her remark, “Ha, you precious thing,” He then stared at the ceiling of his tent with a narrow look, almost as if he could set it ablaze with his gaze. “I was turned into a vampire nearly two hundred years ago by Cazador Szarr, the vampire lord of Baldur’s Gate. He’s an insatiable monster obsessed with power- I his spawn. If he wants me back, he’ll get me back.”

Phayelynn’s expression was one of skepticism as she spoke up, “I don’t understand. Why would he send a monster hunter after you when he’s a monster himself?” Her confusion was understandable, given the circumstances. It would have made more sense if a local farmer had alerted the Gur after a recent influx of their livestock being drained of their blood.

“Only Cazador would send the Gur after me because it was a group of Gur that had killed me all those years ago,” the memory was one of the only vivid ones he kept of his past. “I would’ve died had Cazador not appeared and saved me.” He recounted bitterly.

Phayelynn attempted to reassure Astarion, “Well, he can send anyone he wants. We won’t let him take you. You’ll be safe with us.”

Astarion chortled at her words. “Safe?” he repeated. “You have no idea of the immense power that a vampire lord like Cazador possesses. Cazador can change shape, become a mist, call wolves to do his bidding, and shrug off blows like they’re nothing.”

His body was visibly tense, his hand waving about as he tried to paint a picture of his master for her. He flinched his head to the side, giving Phayelynn a piercing scowl as he tried to convey how naive she was. He pointed toward the entrance of the tent, “He could walk into our camp tonight and slaughter us all with his bare hands.”

Astarion’s words were meant to strike fear into the heart of Phayelynn and they did. “And if death were the worst thing that happened to you, you’d be lucky.”

Phayelynn looked at the flap as if Cazador was just outside them, “Do you think he would do that?” she asked, her voice shaky.

Astarion seemed exasperated as he let out a sigh and lowered his hand, running his fingers through his hair. After a brief moment of silence, he spoke up, his ominous demeanor shedding off him like a cloak, “To be honest, I don’t think he will come himself. I’ve never seen him leave Baldur’s Gate. However, he has a surplus of underlings who are always ready to do his bidding, so it is highly likely that he will send them after me.”

He let out another sigh, looking Phayelynn in the eye, “We just need to keep our wits about us.”

Phayelynn nodded and shifted to her back, trying to find a comfortable position, but Astarion’s warning made it difficult for her to relax.

As the night wore on and the darkness outside deepened, Astarion also gave up on the idea of resting, sitting up, and reaching for one of his books.

The sound of the pages rustling filled the otherwise silent tent as he read. Phayelynn used the rhythmic sound of the pages turning as an indication of how much time. As she listened, she realized that she had been lying there for much longer than she had thought, caught up in Cazador, the Gur, her magic lesson with Gale, and Astarion having seen her memories. The flipping of the pages seemed to blend with the beating of her own heart.

Frustrated, she rolled back onto her side, peering up at Astarion as he focused on the text below him. He heard her move and turned his head to meet her eyes.

“So...about you biting me....” she started.

He raised an eyebrow, “Seriously? I already fed you earlier, didn’t I? And I’m even allowing you to sleep in my tent again. What else could you possibly need from me?” His voice held a note of exhaustion as if he had already given everything he could offer.

He saw her cheeks gain color, and he knew he had her.

Astarion put the book down and ran his hand through the hair at the nape of his neck, playing with a loose strand between his fingers. Tilting his head slightly, he looked at her with a searing gaze, his eyes practically radiating heat. He leaned over, dropping his face closer to her, both hands resting on either side of her head. He heard her breath catch.

“Unless, of course, you’re looking for another nibble?”

His voice carried a husky timbre, sending quivers down her spine.

As he leaned closer, his breath was warm against her neck, hitting her with a wave of anticipation. His eyes were fixed on hers, waiting for her response.

She felt her own voice faltering as she struggled to speak, her throat suddenly dry. “Um, I was just wondering if you needed to, you know, eat- after today,” she managed to say, eyes locked on his face and how close he was.

Phayelynn gasped in surprise as she felt the slightest prick of his fangs, not enough to draw blood but enough to make her bite back a wanting moan.

As Astarion settled into his own bedroll, he leaned back and arranged the soft cushions around him for added comfort. With a book in his lap, he tried to resume reading the pages before him, trying to ignore Phayelynn, who was visibly disoriented. She was trying to wrap her head around what had just happened between them. She opened her mouth, but before she could even utter a word, he shushed her.

“Go to sleep,” he said in a small but firm voice.

Phayelynn felt a knot form in her stomach. She looked over at him, but he avoided making eye contact with her. His silence made it feel like an eternity had passed as she watched him turn a page and then another.

Unsure if this was more embarrassing than earlier with Gale, Phayelynn let out a long sigh and rolled over to her other side, making sure her back faced him.

What the hells was wrong with her, she thought.

#astarion x tav #tav bg3 #astarion x oc #astarion romance #astarion x reader #gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #gale x tav #tired dad gale of waterdeep

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con-clavi-con-jae · 5 months

Text

The awaited Polyvessels winter solstice celebration fic no one wanted.

This ended up just being me throwing every thought I've had recently about them into a fic, but I see nothing wrong with that. It's kinda inspired by a post @ghxstly-death made.

Warnings? Kinda? Basically there's like a small bit where Ves and III get caught doing some not holy activities but it's literally just two not at all explicit lines, idk. (Also III is trans bc I can)

21st of December, 4:30 in the morning.

Vessel was already up, which isn't surprising for him. Except this time, it wasn't for any kind of nightmare or suffering. He was excited, extatic even, to start the celebration. Today was the first day of winter. Tonight would be the longest night of the year, the one night where Sleep is at Her highest power, and can reach out to them the most.

Vessel ran down to the living room with the candle he'd made for Sleep, and sat down on the couch, thinking up his first offering. It had to be something special, since it was the most important day of the year. He felt Her hands on his shoulders, whispering to him about how grateful She was to have such devoted followers. With a wide grin under his mask, Vessel looked out the window. It's still snowing, a perfect day to rest, give out offerings, and show how grateful they were to their Lady of Dreams for the year that had passed.

Vessel lit the candle and looked intently at the flame, taking deep breaths. Then, he started the prayer. It was quiet, he always preferred to pray in silence when he was alone. He then set everything up for his offerings of the day, and took a short nap on the couch.

A few hours later, II woke up and went down to the living room, waking Vessel up with a kiss and blowing the candle out, "Good morning, sweet thing. Did you sleep well?" He sat down next to his partner, petting his hair as he wakes up, "I hope She didn't keep you up too long."

Vessel sat up, holding II close to his body and feeling the warmth of his partner's body, it was all he wanted to concentrate in, but he had his duties, and II had theirs. It's not fair to keep them occupied... but II's hair was soft and smelled good, Vessel just wanted to keep his face buried in it and forget about all his troubles. Still, Sleep needed his devotion, he loved serving Her, and he would do so as needed. Vessel kissed II's lips quickly and went to the altar room, mixing up the dried herbs for their first ritual of the day.

II, meanwhile, decided to cook up a nice, elaborate breakfast for his boys, as well as the first offering of the day. The presence of Sleep could be felt, everywhere. As II started up the cooking, he lit the candle he kept in the kitchen and thanked Her for everything She did for all of them. IV and Vessel had gone to buy some groceries that week, so II had a wide array of ingredients for his cooking, another thing they were grateful of. They decided to make some French toast, orange juice and scrambled eggs, something special for this special occasion. As he tossed the ingredients on the pan, making quick work of it all, they murmured intentions and incantations only loud enough for Sleep to hear them, expressing gratefulness and asking for a safe winter.

As the rest woke up, III made his way to the altar room, and IV to the kitchen.

III walked up behind Vessel, his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders taking the man out of his work. As Vessel turned around, he was entranced by the way the candles lit all around the room made III's dark skin look as golden as the small lip ring he wore, his now short red hair tied up in a bun. III was always so enticing, Vessel could gaze at him for hours and never get tired. "You're staring again, love," the taller man giggled, resting his chin on Vessel's shoulder, "what are you doing anyway?"

"Just making some incense... they're drying, actually," Vessel responded in a calm manner, trying to focus on the offering. They were six small cones and four bigger ones, and contained orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and sandalwood, among other things. "When they're dry after breakfast, we can light one."

The sparkle in Vessel's eyes when he worked on his offerings always filled III's heart with love, just needing to get it out by kissing all over his boyfriend's mask and holding him tight.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, IV tiredly made his way in and dropped his head onto II's shoulder, groaning at the amount of light and all the noise outside.

"Good morning, Ivy. Slept well?" II asked softly, getting another groan he assumed was a yes from IV, "good. Wanna help me set the table?" IV shook his head no at II's question, burying his face into his partner's neck. "Alright then. Call the boys, will you?"

IV sighed, kissing his way down II's neck, humming tiredly as II set the table, still unable to speak and not wanting to let go of his love.

"Ivy, go look for Vessel and III, and maybe I'll make you some coffee, okay?" II asked, sweet but stern, and IV finally let go of him to go look for the others.

IV made his way up to the altar room, slamming the door open and finding a rather enticing view. III sat on Vessel's desk, his thigh over the other man's shoulder as he kneeled on the floor. "Ahem, guys, II wants you to go down, but not in that way..." IV teased, blushing and looking away with a playful smile.

When they noticed their boyfriend standing at the doorway, Vessel and III pulled away and got themselves fixed up, walking out the door looking at the floor in attempt to avoid IV's eyes.

In the kitchen, II had set up a table full of all the things he knew his boys loved, a red candle in the middle lighting up the room.

"You really didn't have to, II... you're so sweet, come here~" III grabbed the shorter vessel by the hand and kissed him in between soft laughs, meanwhile Vessel sat down and started the prayer.

"Our sweet Lady of Dreams, bless us in this cold day, as the dark nights start and Your power reaches farther than ever, we thank You for Your protection, and hope You can get us through the darkness." Vessel recited, his voice full of hope and devotion as he held on to the others' hands.

"And the night comes down like heaven," the rest responded, before excitedly digging into their food while they chatted about their plans for the day.

"So, what's everyone thankful for this year?" II started, taking a long sip of the juice in his glass, "I, for one, am grateful for getting nominated four times for drummer of the year."

"Self-centered much?" III teased, kicking him lightly under the table and getting into a little war with II, stepping and kicking at each other's feet, "well I am grateful for how the band's been growing. All of us."

Vessel and IV shared a look, rolling their eyes at their partners' childish antics. "I'm just happy that we get to spend the solstice together at home, at the very least. With all the tours, it's a miracle we even get alone time anymore." IV sighed contently as he ate his sweet food, the strong taste of cinnamon weirdly reminiscent of all the years they've done this together. "What about you, Ves?"

Vessel froze. What is he thankful for? What did he do this year that the others hadn't mentioned? The band was his only big accomplishment, and he didn't know what exactly could count as his anyway. He spoke up quieter than the rest, "I'm just glad to have you guys... I'm not... entirely sure if I've done anything worth it besides writing and all..." his hand grabbed the fork tightly, stabbing at the eggs on his plate absentmindedly. Then, he felt III and IV grab his hands, and II shot him a worrying look.

"Love, you've done so much more than that... you're just such a beautiful human, I wish you could see that." II's voice was stern yet dripping with love, their eyes looking into Vessel's as the others held him. Vessel heard Sleep's encouraging whispers all around him, and it all combined made him smile as he thought back on his year again.

"I'm grateful that I have you and our fans to support me through my healing. It's been a hard year, and I couldn't have done it without you." Vessel finally got slightly louder, his voice more secure and his posture straighter. They were all happy for this, seeing Vessel get better, all of them getting better, it was all they could ever ask for.

Rituals went by, the morning was peaceful, and in the evening, they all sat in the living room together. Incense brunt as IV sat next to the coffee table, stabbing cloves into slices of dried orange to make them look like little suns and tying thread around it. He wore a hoodie that was probably stolen from Vessel, as it was tight around the chest but reached around his mid-thigh, and was bundled up in a cozy blanket he shared with II. The shorter Vessel, in turn, sat on the couch right behind him and wrote down all his intentions for the next year. Their hair was tied and they had his tongue out, a soft sight that made all the boys instantly warm inside.

Meanwhile, III and Vessel sat on the couch together. Vessel strummed on his guitar and III hummed some of their older songs, memories of the beginning of the band flooding his mind and making him nostalgic. He'd been having thoughts about his life, what he wanted to do with it, and the future of his relationship with his partners, and it just all came out of him without a warning. "Do you guys think we should get a child?" He suddenly spoke up, not knowing where that comment had come from.

"And how exactly would we procure this child?" Vessel softly asked, not fully against the idea but not sure if he'd do a good job at caring for a kid, "we practically don't exist, so we can't adopt, and you're the only one with the right 'equipment' for it..." IV laughed loudly at the comment as he stood up to hang the decorations he'd made.

"Well I, for one, think that's a beautiful idea if you'd be all up for it." II mused as he passed III the notepad with his intentions, "you could write that for next year, if we all agree?" They looked at IV, who nodded excitedly, and then back at Vessel.

After a bit of thinking, Vessel agreed. "If that's the will of our Lady, then I don't see how it's a bad idea." He assured calmly as he watched III write it down with his messy handwriting.

The notepad got passed around, stories from their past dreams were shared, and it all was shaping up to be a beautiful celebration.

"Wait but what does it mean to dream that some guy I never met dies to save me?" IV groaned as he laid on the floor, his dark hair splayed out, "like, do I just... feel helpless perhaps?"

Vessel wrote all that down on IV's dream journal, thinking about all the possible meanings that could have, "that's a good one. Or maybe you sacrifice parts of yourself for others?" He wondered while his hand stayed buried in III's curly hair, all three of them relaxing when II came in with cups of hot chocolate. "Thanks, honey... sit here, please?"

II rolled his eyes, laying on Vessel's lap as the four of them kept chatting and finishing up their dream journals for tonight's most special ritual.

II finished first, as usual, so he went outside to the garden to start up the fire to cook the food. They'd made sure to get the highest quality ingredients for tonight, since his cooking was an offering, and this night, Sleep deserved the best of the best. The fire rose and II cooked up a nice stew for himself and his lovers, to keep them warm during the cold winter night.

When Vessel finished, he got out to sit by II, wrapped up in a blanket, his head on his partner's shoulder as he hummed softly, letting the fire and II's soft touch warm him up.

"You look tired, love. You sure you wanna stay up tonight?" II whispered lovingly as he pet Vessel's hair. The taller man nodded, quiet and probably asleep by now. II laughed at this and covered his love in the blanket as he kept checking the stew. It'd be done in one more hour.

Meanwhile inside, III and IV laid together on the couch, a quiet conversation going on between them before IV broke the comfortable silence. "I have a question, my flower... why did you ask that now? About the kid, I mean." III's eyes widened at this, but he looked away, uncomfortably avoiding the topic, so IV decided to explain himself first, "I promise I'm not mad, it's just... it's a weird time to ask that, y'know?"

III sighed, burying his face into IV's chest and kissing him softly, "I suppose this last tour just gave me a lot to think about, my life, our future together..." III blushed as he explained this, not really knowing how to.

IV cut him off with a kiss, caressing his hair lovingly, "well, I believe we'd make gorgeous kids, and you'd be a great parent. So we're good." III grinned widely, getting on top of IV and kissing all over his face. They were both just insanely happy to be back together, alone, after all this time.

Their sudden kiss assault was interrupted by II calling out to them, the food was ready. They both ran outside, holding their dream journals and putting on warm matching sweaters, which Vessel and II also had on. The boys were already sitting by the fire under a blanket, so III and IV joined them and grabbed their plates as Vessel started another prayer.

"Lady of Dreams, protector of the night, we offer You our thoughts and all that we are, and You save us from the dangers of this mortal realm. All we dream, it is for You, and all You give us is sacred." With that, Vessel collected all their journals, as well as the page with all their intentions for the year to come, and tossed it all into the fire.

"The night comes down like heaven," they all said together and sat back on the floor, wrapped in the warm blanket and feeling each other's bodies pressed against their own. It was a special night, and the thing they were all the most grateful for, is being together at last.

#sleep token #vessel sleep token #ii sleep token #iii sleep token #iv sleep token #polyvessels #sleep token fanfic #idk i finished this at 1 am #i hate/love it

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bepisbee · 13 days

Text

more vidow SDV baby owo

Vio felt heavy and warm. He was so comfortable right now. There was something so satisfying about a good sleep after working hard and a nice hot bath. His mind was still groggy, in that calm state before you remember you have shit to do.

He peeked his eyes open. The room was still pitch dark, well before his usual wake up time. Vio snuck out for a very quick bathroom relief before snuggling back into the soft comforter.

He may have over exaggerated his cabin’s heating ability. Vio shut his eyes again, before he started listing more to-dos like investing in better central heat, or firewood.

Vio turned over and froze, startled. He had forgotten his house guest. Good thing he was quiet to get up earlier. Watching him sleep felt invasive.

Shadow's pretty face was smoothed out in dream bliss. His hair looked amazingly soft, and as he looked closer he noticed just how sharp some of his teeth looked. Vio wondered if he was part monster or something else. He fell asleep again like that, facing and admiring his new housemate.

Hours later it was his stomach that woke him up. Vio grumbled and curled into himself deeper. This time sunlight peeked in through the curtains. He sighed and hid in the blankets, knowing it was fruitless. He had fully intended to stock up on a few supplies in town last night. Or at least some eggs and bread from Red. Maybe some juice. What he wouldn’t give for a really good orange juice right now. He frowned, maybe he needed to eat better.

He definitely needed to restock his food. He had pretty much nothing. He turned over to find the bedside empty. Vio felt a bit disappointed until he heard some dishes clatter and sizzling.

He sat up and rubbed his eye. “Hmmuh?” Totally in just a pair of boxes, he made his way to the little kitchen. There he is! Shadow was humming something. In a black long sleeve tunic and some sweatpants. He was frying something on the stove, and on the counter was a loaf of bread that smelled amazing.

“Good morning,”

“Oh, hey!” Shadow turned to him with a warm smile. “Mornin,” He swooshed the pan with ease, flipping what looked like an omelet over. There were two empty plates sitting out with toast. Shadow cut the egg in half and slid it onto the plates. “I made breakfast as a thanks for putting up with me.”

“Oh wow. That smells good, where did you even get the stuff…?” Vio happily accepts the food.

“I had a few things, and bothered Red.” Shadow joins him at the table, sitting close next to him. “You must’ve been real tired to sleep this long.” he teased.

“Pathing and planting take a lot more than you’d think.” Vio defended between bites.

Shadow looked him over. “I can imagine. That kind of work takes a different kinda strength.”

He had no abs by any stretch of the imagination, but he certainly wasn’t out of shape either. Shadow’s gaze lingered a little too long.

“So what’s today’s plan?” He might even get to see him in action.

“Watering everything,” He thinks, “ I need more wood, for the fireplace storage, and some stock to make as planks to repair the coop. This place came with one, but the seasons haven’t been kind to it.”

He was so grateful any pets or animals from the farm had long been adopted out to their rancher, Malon, down south of town.

“Ooooh axe work, huh? I can help with that,” he flexed. He loved being a show off, almost as much as the color it made his new friend turn.

“I would really appreciate that,” Vio cleaned up their dishes.

“I’ll meetcha out there, dear.” Shadow gave him another once over, lingering on his bare thighs. With a satisfied smirk he grabbed a small pack over his shoulder and headed out.

Vio flustered and ran to the bedroom. He had been so sleepy earlier it hadn’t even crossed his mind. He grabbed a shirt and shorts and pinned his braid up. After grabbing a few waters, he joined Shadow. He saw him near the edge of the farm looking at a fence that had been worn off.

Vio approached with a questioning noise.

“Hm? Do you get monsters at night? There’s claw damage on your fence. Looks like a plant zombie maybe,” He ran his hands across the wood. “I’ll work up some traps and defenses for you this week,"

“Only after sundown,” he dismissed. “I have a bow so they aren’t much of a bother yet.”

“They will be, infestations always grow.” Shadow stood back upright. “Well, that’s a future us problem, huh? Let’s go chop some trees!”

It started off strong, and as time passed they shared their talents and knowledge. By the end of summer the farm almost doubled. The trees and brush cleared off, fences repaired and trapped, and coop rebuilt and painted. The clucking of cuccos always made sure there was never silence on the farm. As did Shadow’s penchant for humming or singing while at work.

Vio looked over at the watered plots and scarecrows. Even with the chickens it felt too quiet and sad. Shadow was mining today for some supplies. They needed some copper and iron and magic gemstones for projects

He looked back to the beebox he was finishing up. It would line the side of the plots they kept the flowers. He wasn’t entirely sure how it worked, but overnight bees would move in.

He nodded to himself and stood up, brushing the dirt off his knees. Shadow whistled at him as he straightened.

“Good work! Your woodwork always looks so clean!” unlike Shadow, who has both dirth and blood smeared across his hands and face.

“How do you even function?” He chastised playfully. “That isn’t your blood is it?”

“Haha only a little.” He rubbed it off his nose. It made it worse. Ever since helping outside, more freckles had appeared. Covered by bits of adventure, Shadow grinned at him. “Obvious dibs on the bath.”

He had no idea what came over him, but without permission from his brain, “Want a hand?” came pouring out. “Uh- for uh- because it’s long and knotted- ya know?” he over-explained at the devious smirk from how off that sounded.

“That’s sweet of you, I’ll take an extra hand detangling this mess. Best treatment It’ll have gotten in years.” He gives pity on the poor boy. “I'll leave ulin the conditioner for you too,” Shadow stripped his bag onto the porch and gave a mock salute to start the water heater.

Vio buried his face in his hands. Why did he say that!? He swore at himself, packing up and going in himself. The bathroom was shut, the smell of fresh soap wafting out. At least Shadow had understood his intention, as not an attempt for inappropriate conduct. He half wished that he had taken it that way. He sort of did.

He washed up his hands and prepared some iced drinks. That sounded great after today. He ended up putzing round with cleaning. He settles on putting up his braid and staring unreading at his book. Every little sound from the bathroom made his perked ears twitch. He wasn’t sure what he was listening for.

Eventually his roomate came out, satisfied, clean, and toweled. The warm waft of fresh soap and coconut oil flooded the room. Somehow his skin looks incredibly soft, everywhere but his hands.

Shadow slipped on some casual pants while Vio pretended to be distracted. He peeked over the book top. Huh. Freckles there too.

Shadow sat between his legs, on the floor in front of the couch.

“O-oh. H-how was your bath?” He put the book down, grabbing the combs and brushes he had to the side. Why was he nervous? It was hair, for fuck’s sake.

“Very nice,” he purred. “Haven’t taken this many baths close together in so long.” Shadow melts as Vio starts running his nails down his scalp. gathering the mass of thick purple curls in his direction.

“Mm. How were the mines?” Vio supplied him with the opportunity to fill the space while his awkward shaky hands worked. Slowly he untangled the knots and brushed out his thick locks. There was an unbelievable amount of hair for only being past his shoulders. Shadow’s whole body seemed to just melt as he worked, babbling freely about minerals and gems and monsters. They got into a rhythm and the rest of the cabin seemed to just disappear between the two of them. Vio even opened up about farming and what crops he was planting this season.

He continued brushing and running his hands through even well after he was done. Vio kept the soft back and forth and started putting a little braid in his hair, mostly his bangs. He brought it back across the top of his ears and into the back.

“This should help keep your bangs out of your eyes when you’re fighting.” he hummed. “Wouldn’t wanna mark you up if you don’t have to.”

“Aw I don’t usually mind. Makes me look tough,” Shadow grins and tilts his head back to make eye contact, the back resting in Vio’s lap. He did have a few tiny scars on his face, and some on his arms and a few on his exposed chest.

“Still…” Vio traced them gently with the pads of his fingers. “I don’t like the thought of you getting hurt badly,”

Shadow’s skin raised in goosebumps. He kept eye contact for a minute before Vio suddenly flushed and took his hands away realizing what he was doing.

“Sorry! Didn’t mean to be uh- so handsy.” He stood up and stepped over Shadow, basically running to the kitchen to start more tea. It was too late in the day for another coffee.

“Oh Don’t be sorry, darlin. “ He watched as he went. “You can be handsy with me anytime,” His eyes narrowed with a devious smirk. Vio kept his gaze away, though now the tips of his ears were visibly red. He felt Shadow’s stare on his back. He gave in and turned to look, finding Shadow with one knee raised up, draping his arm over it and leaning on the couch. He was actively flexing trying to look hot. It succeeded.

“It is illegal to look like that, stop it.” Vio chastised, bashful. He threw Shadow’s undershirt at him from the back of a chair. Shadow laughed and covered up for his sake. As big of a flirt he was, he was honestly pretty inexperienced and when it came down to it would shy away. More talk than action.

“You wanna come with next time? You’ve got good arm strength, and I got extra swords. Plus that bow of yours, that aim is untouchable!” He offers as Vio sat back on the couch. Shadow sat properly on the seat next to him.

“I dunno…”

“Come ooonnnn,” he whined “You’ll do great! We’ll kick ass,”

“Alright. But only on a rainy day so I don’t have to worry about my crops.” Vio relents.

“Yes!!” Shadow cheered and began planning a trip in the higher levels of the local mine with him. Nothing could go wrong with Vio there!

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