#I've stolen from a store like one. and I didn't want to. and was pressured into it by my and

[hunny-bean]

Too Close For Comfort

Pairing: Frank Castle x F!Reader

Summary: Frank comforts you after he is forced to kill a man in your shared motel room.

Word Count: 5.4k

Warnings: 18+ (Minors DNI), Gun Violence, Dead Body (Not Frank's. Don't Worry), Explicit Sexual Content, Little Pinch of Angst, Long Ass Flashback, Porn With 3.5k Words of Plot

A/N: This is the first fic I've ever written! I've been wanting to write for the JB fandom for a while and I finally decided to go for it. I'm planning to write for a lot more of his characters in the future, but I figured Frank was a good starting point. Hope you like it! I'm open to feedback if you've got it. XOXO.

Read on AO3

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After almost three months of living in an old stolen pickup truck and a series of shitty motels, you had learned to count your blessings. An important one, you quickly came to realize, was good water pressure. You were in the middle of your forth shower in the three days you and your new travel partner had been in this town, and you were trying your best to savor the moment. Since the closest companion of long showers is long trains of thought, you allowed your mind to wander back to how your adventure first began.

You took a step back in the cereal aisle in your local grocery store to examine the top shelf and ran directly into someone trying to pass behind you. Startled, you dropped the basket you were carrying full of frozen veggies and canned soups, and watched them roll in all directions. You whipped around so quickly you almost joined your soup on the floor, but luckily a strong hand shot out to steady you before you could.

"Whoa. Sorry 'bout that," the stranger said. And that was how you met Frank Castle. Surprisingly, your first impression of him had nothing to do with his gentle giant aura or his warm, gravelly voice. Your first impression happened before you even laid eyes on him, and that was how backing up into him was like hitting a brick wall with your car. He didn't stumble or falter. He didn't even flinch.

"No, sorry, that was my fault," you replied, your cheeks flushed from creating a loud noise in a public place. The stranger removed his hand from your arm and glanced down at the floor where your bags of peas laid, slowly thawing.

"You, uh... You want some help with those?"

"Oh, I got it, don't worry."

The man mumbled an "alright" and you watched him start to walk away, expecting him to leave the aisle, but he only took a few steps before his foot brushed a stray can, and he bent down to help anyway.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that," you said when all the groceries had been collected.

"No problem," he muttered. You weren't sure why, but there was something off-putting about him. Later you realized it was the stark contrast between his gruff outer appearance and his quiet way of speaking. He was so intimidating but he seemed so trustworthy. "You have a nice day, ma'am."

Before he could walk away, you found yourself calling out to him, too curious to let him leave without asking any questions.

"Hey, I don't think I've seen you around here before. Are you. . . new in town?"

He seemed amused by your attempt to start a conversation, but decided to indulge you anyway. "I'm just passin' through. So you, uh, you really know everyone that lives here?"

Although he seemed genuinely interested in what you had to say, he kept subtly glancing around like he was about to cross the street or something. When he turned his head, you noticed the remnants of a week-old bruise on his jaw.

"Pretty much, yeah," you responded. "So, life on the road, huh? Sounds pretty exhilarating."

He let out a friendly chuckle. "Yeah, I guess it can be. If exhilarating is what you call lukewarm showers and buying all your food from the gas station."

You smiled back, happy the man seemed to be warming up some. He seemed less on edge, and you weren't sure why, but that made you feel accomplished in some way.

"Well, this isn't a gas station," you remarked, playfully contradicting his earlier statement.

"You're right, it's not," he said. "But I had to make an exception because-" You watched as he pulled a round object from his jacket pocket, holding it up and waving it slightly as if to show it off. "-gas stations don't carry mangoes."

You mock gasped, unable to fight back a smile. "Pocket fruit? I hope you were planning to pay for that. Or are you 'just passing through' because you're on the run from the police?"

You expected him to laugh at this, but instead you saw him staring intently over your shoulder at a man who had just entered the aisle. He seemed to identify the new arrival as some sort of threat. You saw that they were looking directly at each other, and you suddenly felt uneasy. Before you could ask what was wrong, several things began happening at once.

The man at the end of the aisle pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at the two of you. No, not at you, just at the kind stranger, who immediately pushed you behind him as the first shot rang out, followed by a second one. Thankfully, they both missed the two of you, but the second bullet grazed the basket you were still holding which was sticking out from behind the stranger's leg. Instantly, you dropped the basket and began sprinting for the nearest exit with the stranger close behind you.

You ran through a door marked 'EMPLOYEES ONLY,' which the stranger quickly barricaded with a tall shelf packed with bulk boxes of paper towel rolls. As the shooter banged at the door, the two of you found an exit at the back of the stock room, which you flung open and rushed through into the building's side alley. The stranger pulled you behind the building to where his vehicle was conveniently parked, almost as if he'd been anticipating an emergency escape. Too terrified to argue, you didn't protest when he ordered you to get in the passenger seat and jammed his keys in the ignition. He tore out of the parking lot and onto the main road, carrying you away from your home and the man who had tried to kill you both.

It took you half an hour to work up the courage to ask questions.

"Who was he?" you asked, softly. You're sure he heard you, although he seemed happy to pretend he didn't.

After a few long moments, when he realized you weren't going to stop staring at him until he answered, he begrudgingly responded.

"A bad man."

"Why did he wanna kill you?"

"I, uh, took something from him," the stranger said, studying his rear view mirror to see if you were being followed.

"Are you a bad man?" you asked, tentatively.

At first he just sighed, and for a moment you thought that's all he was going to give you for an answer, but then he spoke.

"I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what you're asking."

"Then. . . can you take me home?"

"I can't turn around yet, not 'till I know we're not being followed. Then I might be able to take you back so you can pack a bag or two."

"Pack?! For what?" you exclaimed, dreading the answer. There was another awkward silence while the man planned his answer. "Why do I need to pack? Tell me!"

"That man, the one with the gun? He has a, uh, habit of targeting his enemies' loved ones."

"But we barely know each other, why the hell would he-"

"He doesn't know that."

"Besides," he continued after a while, "I don't really. . . have any loved ones. So he's kinda grasping at straws to find somebody I'd want to protect."

"So, he thinks you would care if I died, and now we're both in danger?" You stared at him in disbelief.

"Pretty much, yeah," he mumbled.

After that, the truck was silent for a long while. The only time you spoke in the next two hours was to give the stranger your address. You watched the trees and road pass by beside you, trying to figure out what you would pack when you finally made it home for possibly the last time. You were lost in thought so long that you were pulled out of your head by the truck's tires bouncing over the dip in your driveway. You didn't even know you had turned around.

"You get ten minutes. We're traveling light, so don't go crazy." You began to hop out of the truck before the stranger's voice stopped you in your tracks. You turned around and saw that he was looking at you for the first time since you escaped the grocery store. "For the record," he began, contemplating what to say next, "I would care if he killed you."

You just stared back at him, not knowing how to respond to that.

"I'm gonna keep you safe, alright?" he promised, and you believed him.

You nodded, and went inside to gather your belongings. There was just something about this man that made you want to trust him. You managed to fit everything you needed into a large duffel bag and a back-pack. Looking around you, you realized something. You lived alone and all your friends lived out of state. This town had nothing to offer you except a shitty restaurant job. Most likely, the only person who would even notice you were gone was your boss. You took a deep breath before returning to the truck, putting your life in the hands of someone you just met.

You hopped back in the passenger seat, and the stranger helped you toss your bags in the backseat after checking that they were of a reasonable size. "You ready?" he asked.

"Fuck, no. Lets go."

The two of you took off down the road in a different direction than before, hoping to throw the bad man off your trail. After about an hour on the road, you looked over at the stranger to find him smirking slightly, lost in thought.

"What?" you asked, happy the mood seemed to be lightening despite your situation. He glanced over at you momentarily, and instead of providing a verbal response, he just reached into his pocket and handed you a slightly dented but still perfectly ripe mango. You took it from him with a smile.

"What's your name?" you asked.

He looked at you for a long moment, before seeming to make a decision. "Frank. What yours?"

You were brought back to the present by a torrent of freezing cold water, telling you you had been in there too long. You were thankful that Frank seemed to prefer morning showers. As you stepped out and dried off, you thought about the man chasing you. Eventually, when Frank opened up to you, he revealed that his name was Jordan Carlisle, and that his father was involved in the murder of Frank's family. You also discovered that the thing Frank had taken from him was his father's life. It had been so long since that day at the grocery store, and you wondered if you'd ever see him again. Maybe by this point, he'd given up on his revenge, and decided to leave Frank in peace. But Frank said Carlisle wasn't the type of man to just give up, and that if you ever wanted to stop running, someone would have to die.

During your few months together, you also learned that Frank wasn't the type to run away or avoid confrontation. The only reason he hadn't met Carlisle half way and taken him down was to keep you safe. That and the fact that he had been forced to leave behind some supplies shortly before you met and was left with nothing but a handgun, two bullets, and a pocket knife. (All things you could use to kill a man, but probably not a trained assassin).

You were both anticipating the end of the chase, however, because Frank had recently acquired various new firearms and a respectable pile of ammunition, and he was getting a little tired of running. Also, there's only so much distance you can put between you and your attacker before he realizes he's moving in the wrong direction. You had just pulled your favorite cotton nightgown over your head when-

*BANG*

You heard the unmistakable sound of the motel door being forced open. You heard a gunshot and something hit the floor. The sounds of a physical struggle just behind the bathroom door simultaneously relieved you and caused your heart to slam against your rib cage. At least you knew Frank was still alive. Unfortunately, so was the person who broke in. You couldn't see him, but you were pretty sure you knew who it was.

Two more gunshots shocked you into motion. You slid under the bathroom sink and tried desperately to remember what Frank told you to do on your first night together in case of a break in. He told you to get outside and find a hiding spot or barricade yourself in a closet or bathroom and wait for him to come get you. His voice in your head was commanding you, "Do. Not. Move." You tried to do as you were told but the urge to make sure Frank was alright was growing stronger. The muffled grunts and thuds were scaring you. You couldn't tell who had the upper hand and you didn't know enough about guns to determine which shots came from which man.

A loud cry of pain from Frank was your final straw. There wasn't a single thought in your head, let alone a plan, but you couldn't keep hiding while someone you cared about was potentially getting himself killed. You ran to the bathroom door, unlocked it, and threw it open with as much force as you could manage. The door slammed into the wall beside it with a loud crash. A distraction.

Just a few feet in front of you, Jordan Carlisle was caught off guard by the sound and he twirled around to find the source. Almost instantly, his gun was trained on you. Suddenly, you felt consumed by fear unlike anything you'd ever felt before. You heard the gunshot and flinched violently backward, as if you could somehow escape the bullet, stumbling back onto the bathroom floor. You screamed and squeezed your eyes shut tight, waiting for the impact, but it never came. You hesitantly opened your eyes just in time to watch Carlisle collapse onto the dirty motel carpet, eyes open and unseeing. He was dead. The chase was over.

Almost immediately you burst into tears, unable to get the image of his lifeless body out of your head. You knew you should be relieved, but there was something about almost dying that made you prone to emotional outbursts. You gazed up at Frank across the room, who still had his gun pointed at the spot where Carlisle had been standing moments before. He slowly lowered it and looked over at you where you were sitting on the floor, sobbing. He seemed angry, like every cell in his body was infused with a furious energy, and he had just shot the thing he was taking it out on.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" Guess now it was your turn. "I TOLD YOU IF SOMEONE BREAKS IN, YOU FIND A PLACE TO HIDE AND YOU STAY THERE."

"I was j-just wo-horried about you," you hiccuped.

"I HAD IT COVERED."

"I'm sorr-"

"YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN YOURSELF KILLED. THEN ALL OF THIS RUNNING BULLSHIT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING."

You turned your head away from the shouting and found yourself looking directly at Carlisle again. This time, you were unable to turn away. It was like you were completely frozen, tension locking all your muscles in place, rendering you incapable of even the slightest movement. Your tears began falling harder but you were barely making a sound. Your lungs were tight and burning. You couldn't even draw in a full breath. Frank's reprimanding faded into background noise. You found yourself wishing desperately that you were anywhere but in that room.

"Oh, fuck," Frank muttered when he saw you damn near hyperventilating. He calmed down considerably when he realized yelling at you was only making things worse. "Shit, I didn't want you to see this."

He made his way over to your side of the room and knelt down to be at eye level with you. You barely acknowledged his presence.

"Hey, look at me," he asked gently. You didn't move your head. Softly, Frank cupped your cheek, the one farther away from him, and used it to turn you in his direction.

"You're gonna be okay," he promised. "Can you stand, sweetheart?"

Seeing Frank alive and calm helped you come back to yourself. Slowly, you nodded. Frank stood and held out his hand to you, which you used to pull yourself up with a little effort. You managed to get upright, but your legs were shaking so hard you weren't sure if you'd be able to walk. It was pathetic, and you were quite sure Frank would agree, but he didn't say anything about it. He just took one look at you and scooped you up into his arms. You were embarrassed by your incompetence, but you had finally stopped crying, and that was an accomplishment in and of itself.

Frank carried you over to your bed on the far side of the room and laid you down carefully. On your way over, you passed his bed which was closer to the bathroom, and saw two bullet holes in the pillow Frank had been laying on when you left to take a shower. That was when the relief hit you. You felt no more grief or fear or regret, only solaced by the fact that you were both alive and safe at last.

"Stay here, alright? Don't move," Frank murmured. He turned to walk over to the body again but you grabbed onto his arm before he could leave. He looked back at you questioningly.

"I heard you get hurt," you mentioned shyly. "What happened?"

Frank's eyes revealed that he was happy you were talking again. He seemed touched that your first concern when the shock wore off was for him.

"Ran into the nightstand," he admitted, rubbing his side. "It's just bruised, nothing to worry about."

You had a feeling he wasn't telling you the full story, but you decided to accept his answer. As far as you could tell, he wasn't bleeding anywhere and he didn't seem to be in much pain. Satisfied, you let go of his arm and turned to face the wall. You had a feeling you wouldn't want to see what was about to happen.

You laid there for a while, listening to Frank working behind you. You heard something being dragged across the floor, several grunts of effort and a sickening thud. You heard the faucet running in the sink and the sound of the bathroom door closing. There were footsteps moving around the room. . . the sound of someone changing clothes. You smelled the air freshener left in the bathroom cabinet masking the scent of blood.

Finally, after God knows how long, you felt the bed dip slightly as Frank sat down on the edge. You sat up and moved next to him, resting your head on his shoulder after a moment of hesitation. He put his arm around your shoulder and held you closer to him. The two of you weren't usually this affectionate, but you had certainly grown closer during your time together, and you figured the situation called for it.

"Do you think the police are on their way down here?" you asked.

Frank shrugged. "Probably not if they haven't shown up by now." Frank tried and failed to fight back a small smile. "Either that guy behind the front desk is a really heavy sleeper, or he did something to piss off the jackass in our bathtub. The only other people in this dump checked out yesterday," he said. You couldn't help but smile at that along with him. You were just so happy to be alive.

The more you let that thought run through your head, the more you wanted to be close to him. You needed more than an arm around your shoulder after you almost got shot in the head. You wanted to be held. 'Oh, sue me,' you thought. 'Who wouldn't?'

But you tried to let it be enough. You weren't sure how Frank would react to more than what you were already doing and you were too nervous to find out. You felt Frank shift next to you and realized that overthinking had caused you to become tense. The silence between you grew slowly thicker and you were worried he was about to pull away from you. In that moment, Frank standing up seemed like the absolute worst thing in the world that could happen to anyone, and you weren't about to let it.

'Fuck it', you thought, and with one quick movement, you were straddling his lap with your arms thrown over his shoulders, pulling him closer to you. He was caught off guard for a brief moment, but a second later his arms were wrapped around your waist, holding you just as tightly. You buried your face in his neck, breathing him in and savoring the feeling of his pulse against your cheek.

"We're okay, Frankie," you breathed. "It's over."

"I told you I was gonna keep you safe, sweetheart. I don't make promises I can't keep."

The two of you stayed like that for a while, content to just hold each other until the sun shone through the curtains. Well, you thought you were content, but it wasn't long before the closeness started to affect you. He was just so warm and solid, and suddenly you felt like he was wearing too many clothes. You wanted to feel him. Feel his heartbeat and the warmth of his skin on yours.

Your stomach was tight with desperation and you felt tears forming behind your eyes. You needed to be closer. Your thighs tightened around Frank's hips and he felt your breathing get heavier against his neck. You shifted your position slightly to ease some of the wanting in your veins but you froze when you heard Frank's breath hitch.

As you settled your weight on his lap again, your new position provided a new sensation. There was something warm pressing against your inner thigh. Even through Frank's impenetrable denim jeans, you could feel it heating up.

Frank was just as aroused by your position as you were. He wanted you, too, but you knew he would never admit it because he cared about you too much to do anything that could potentially hurt you.

The worst part was, you could feel it getting bigger and pulsing softly right next to where you wanted it the most, and he knew you could feel it. He knew, and he knew you wanted it, but he still wasn't saying anything about it because he was too damn stubborn. He probably thought you weren't in your right mind and would regret it in the morning but that was just such bullshit. You could never regret him, and you were going to make sure he knew that.

There was still some part of you that was afraid to make a move, and that part of you really wanted Frank to break first. So, you decided to make him unable to ignore it any longer. Pretending to adjust your position again, you settled down directly on top of his bulge, making sure it was exactly where you wanted it. The feeling of his cock hardening against you sent another wave of desperation through your body, causing you to tighten your limbs around him again. Still feigning innocence, you rolled your hips once for good measure, grinding down on him to see his reaction.

You didn't see it so much as feel it, when his arms tensed up around you and he turned his head away from you in frustration. You could feel your blood pumping hard, and you were sure your face was flushed. You wondered if he could feel your heartbeat the same way you could feel his pressed up against your clit. You felt his cock twitch again, even through three layers of fabric, and you could barely take it any more. You rolled your hips again, purely on instinct, and accidentally let out a soft moan.

Frank exhaled sharply and slid his arm from around your waist to pull your head away from his neck.

"What are you doin', sweetheart?" he asked, looking at you sympathetically when he saw your wrecked face. Suddenly, it was all too much for you, and there was nothing you could do to stop a rogue tear from sliding down your cheek.

"Please," you whispered, and that was all you had to say.

He put a hand on the back of your neck and pulled you toward him before lightly brushing his lips against yours. You pushed forward, wanting more, but Frank pulled away before you could really kiss him. He just sat there for a moment, searching your eyes for any signs of reluctance or any lack of clarity whatsoever. In the end, he found nothing but pure desire and maybe, just maybe, love.

This time, when he leaned in, you met him half way. This time, it was more than just a brush of lips. Frank kissed you like you were the most precious thing in the world to him. Gentle, yes, but also tortuously deep. You felt his tongue brush against your lower lip and gently coax your mouth open to kiss you harder, and it was warm and wet and perfect. As your need got worse, you began to grind down on him again, sighing into his mouth from the friction.

The hand he had on your neck moved up to tangle in your hair, tugging gently, while the other one shifted to settle on your lower back as he encouraged harder, slower movements of your hips. As he forced you down against him, the feeling of the rough denim on your clit through your thin panties caused you to whine quietly. Every slight movement sent sparks shooting up your spine.

You shifted your body backwards and reached down between you to tug at his zipper, but it didn't want to come down. Frank let you struggle with it for a moment, but just as you started getting frustrated, he took over for you.

In one swift movement, you were on your back underneath him, your legs still hooked around him. He sat up for a moment to pull off his shirt (revealing his fucking perfect abs that seemed completely unfair and you were about to LOSE YOUR MIND BECAUSE HOLY SHIT) and then he was back on top of you, pressing one last kiss to your lips before pulling away to look you in the eyes.

"You sure you want this, sweetheart?"

"Don't you fucking dare leave me like this, Castle."

Frank snorted, rolling his eyes affectionately. "Yes, ma'am."

With one hand, he reached down to unzip and tug down his pants and underwear, freeing his flushed cock from it's uncomfortable confines. It was bigger than you expected it to be, which is saying something because you already knew he was big from rubbing against it. He was so hard it looked painful, and he gave himself a few tugs to take the edge off. Just watching it drip onto the bed had you feeling dizzy. You were unbearably wet and all you wanted was to feel it inside of you.

Luckily, Frank seemed to tell as much, because he slid his hand up your thigh, kissing your neck gently and pushing the hem of your nightgown up to your stomach. He hooked the fingers of one hand in the waistband of your underwear but he paused there, waiting for some sort of go-ahead. You nodded at him, and he sat back again to tug your panties down your legs and pull them off.

This time, instead of immediately climbing back on top of you, Frank took a moment to admire you from an upright position. He gazed hungrily at your exposed cunt before swiping a finger through your folds and brushing your clit with the pad of his thumb. You jolted at the feeling, whimpering when he did it again just to watch you shudder.

"Frankie, please," you whined.

Frank decided to have mercy on you, and he came up to kiss you as he lined the tip of his cock up with your aching hole. He pushed slowly until the thick head was all the way in, surrounded by your soft, fluttering walls. It was a stretch, and it wasn't even half-way in. You appreciated Frank giving you a moment to adjust, but you didn't want one. You wanted to feel all of him, even if it hurt.

Hooking your legs tighter around him, you tried to push him into you. It didn't work, obviously. You didn't think you could move Frank if you barreled into him full-force, but he got the message.

In one smooth thrust, he buried himself fully inside you, grunting loudly and whispering an "Oh, fuck" into your neck. Your back arched up off the bed and you moaned loudly as his cock hit sweet spots inside you that you didn't even know existed.

Having Frank hovering over you, connected to you in so many ways, was easily the best thing you'd ever experienced. You were both breathing heavily and shaking as you waited for the initial pleasure shock to wear off.

Once you adjusted, you shifted slightly under him, trying to fuck yourself on his cock. Whatever stimulation you managed to get from that was nothing compared to when he actually started moving. Each thrust was slow and deep, sending waves of bliss coursing through you. You couldn't stop the gasps and whimpers that kept escaping, nor did you want to.

Franks arms were on either side of your head, closing you in so all you could see and feel was him. You had never felt so safe in your entire life. Every movement was so complete and perfect. Nothing was rushed or forceful, but it was still all pure pleasure. You were sure you had never been this wet before.

Feeling Frank's back muscles shift under your fingertips as he thrust into you was mesmerizing, and hearing him moan softly and curse against your pulse point was sending shivers through your body. Every time Frank pushed his cock back inside you, you felt yourself ascending further, rapidly approaching your peak. Every time he pulled out slowly so you could feel it dragging against every part of your sensitive walls, you wanted to sob from feeling so good.

It wasn't long before you were crying out from your release, tightening your grip on every part of Frank and leaving long scratches down his back. When your climax finally hit, you swore you were having an out-of-body experience.

"Attagirl, that's it," Frank whispered as he felt you spasm around him. "Oh, fuck, sweetheart. Where-" he began. Reluctantly, you rubbed your hand on your stomach. You hadn't had access to birth control in almost six weeks and shitty motels don't provide condoms. Even the ones with good water pressure.

You rubbed the back of Frank's head gently as his thrusts grew more erratic, grabbing onto and playing with his hair. Suddenly, he pulled out of you and jerked his cock barely three times before he was finishing on your stomach with a quiet groan, painting it with his cum.

Breathing heavily, the two of you collapsed next to each other, coming down from your highs and processing what just happened. Idly, you began playing with the mess on your stomach as you thought about what was next for the two of you. There was no way in hell you were letting Frank drop you off at your house and just take off after that. You know you said "It's over," but it couldn't really be over, right?

"Stay with me," you whispered.

"I'm not goin' anywhere, baby."

"I'm not talking about tonight. When you take me back home, stay with me."

Frank pushed himself up on one elbow, looking at you in disbelief. "Sweetheart, I don't think I can-"

"Then I'll stay with you. My house is a family heirloom, I've only gotta pay for water and electricity. It'll still be waiting for me whenever I need it."

"I can't let you do that. You have no idea how much I want to, but I'd get you killed."

"Then stop moving for a while. No one would find you in that town. Just stay with me. Please. If you hate it, you can leave."

Frank sighed, glancing around the room before settling his gaze back on you. He brought his hand to your face, brushing his fingertips down your cheek like you were a precious artifact. You both knew he wasn't ready to let you go.

"Okay."

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#jon bernthal #frank castle #frank castle x reader #frank castle smut #jon bernthal x reader #jon bernthal smut #frank castle fanfiction

[valeskakingdom]

I'm an artist. I just want to paint the town crazy (part47)

Some weeks passed by and Jerome indeed made sure Scarlet would recover fast. He helped her with stolen medication against the pain, he robbed every store to get enough other medication for her, and he even robbed blood bags since she lost a huge amount of blood since she was too weak to walk. He cared about her more than he did about himself. Experiencing almost losing his doll made him realize how much she meant to him. She was his weak spot, he wouldn't deny it - but how cruel would it be for Jerome's ego if everybody saw how vulnerable he can be? It would be a shame! Nobody would respect him anymore, nobody would see him as a real threat - they would probably dare to call him a loser or even a pussy that couldn't handle his life without his doll. Whether it was true or not, he didn't want anyone to accuse him of wrong shit that would crack on his ego. He had to show them he was smarter, stronger, and even better than what they would eventually think about him - and he did. Not just the medical care he did, oh no, he did a lot more. He did some kind of training with her like how to walk with a straight back, stretching her muscles, and doing some workouts to strengthen her stamina. Day by day Scarlet needed to jog a few miles, run upstairs and downstairs several times, and do sit-ups, push-ups, and other stuff. Of course, he didn't torture or pressure her. He knew she needed some time to recover, but with the right treatment, you always can recover faster than people would expect.

And it worked. Within weeks, Scarlet recovered super fast. It was like she was never injured, she was never shot by Andy, and she never felt unconscious due to her massive blood loss. Scarlet became the old one, luckily. Her power came back, her mastermind, her stamina - everything was the same - and not to mention her bloodthirst and need to kill.

"So, my love," Jerome grinned, rubbing his hands in excitement "Are you ready for today? Remember today's the day we present Gotham as our real comeback! Better be up to the mark"

"You don't need to tell me what to do or how to be, Jerome" Scarlet grabbed some of her guns and hid them in her clothes anywhere ready to hand "I know myself best what and how to do. I'm not a beginner just because I've been dead. I'm the old one as before with my glorious mind and skills"

"Oh, I know, I know, princess," Jerome snickered "Not even the experience of death can change you - turning out to my advantage. I mean, who would not be happy about having a strong intelligent woman in their life with a deranged mind?"

"So you're calling me crazy?" Scarlet frowned at him, giving him one of her death dares. She hated being called crazy. She wasn't crazy, she was different, ordinary, or special. She wasn't any stupid lunatic who had no plan for life and was talking to some of the weird voices they'd hear.

"No, no, my doll," Jerome cupped her face "Quite the contrary, you're quite talented, you're special! How many people in Gotham do you know have equal abilities as you? There's no one out there in this rotten town. You're the diamond beyond all those mineral ores. You're outstanding, your human physical appearance is stunning, your mental structure is prodigious, and let's be honest," Jerome smirked "You're Gotham's number 1. See, the citizens fear you and adore you at the same time! You could take advantage of this and start a riot, a war of good and evil could be created with one finger snip - isn't that glorious?"

"Sure, J" Scarlet smirked, placing her hands on his cheeks softly "I am prepared for the Noble War, but are you too? People can be outrageous when they're starting a riot, you know? They try to replace someone to be better, we saw that on Dwight, remember? And we don't want that to happen again, do we?"

"Surely not," Jerome chuckled "But don't worry doll, I won't let anyone try taking you away from me. This kind of problem will be erased quite easily" He thought of the way he killed Dwight: manipulation, praising, and then killing. He surely knew that when starting a riot he wouldn't have time to tie people up on chairs and tape some dynamite on their bodies - so his plan was doing a blood rush like killing all men that tried to get in her near. He at least was the one who was allowed to be with her and not the others.

"Of course it will," Scarlet chuckled "It's gonna be a real bloodbath since people don't accept your comeback. Many want you dead after you let the cult fall and conceded them to be arrested in jail."

"They didn't match my expectations. How can I count on those people when they're praising an idiot that's trying to be me? They aren't loyal enough to us, they would follow any guy that's trying to implement apparent visions and plans I might have" Jerome muttered "What we need are trustworthy and loyal partners, people that just trust us. And how do we find them best?"

"We scare the shit out of them and make use of their anxiety like with guinea pigs" Scarlet gave him her darkest grin "We pull them out of their comfort zone and form them into our little helpers who do the dirty work for us"

"Oh, doll," Jerome grinned, cupping her face one more time and pressing his lips on hers softly "What would I do without you and your wonderful mind?"

***

Jerome and Scarlet lurked through the streets of Gotham City to find a perfect place to start the show. It had to be a big place, a public place would be the best. The park? Nah, Gotham's park of a little piece of grass that was surrounded by a little puddle. It wasn't very big, you couldn't even use it for festivals or speeches. The park was so unattractive that almost no one visited it in their free time. The park was always empty, even in summer.

The municipal building was no place either. Most of the people in town didn't pay attention to what was happening at the building's front door. Some eventually watched a scene for two minutes but most of the people simply ignore it.

So what was the best place to start a riot? To spread chaos? To start the end of Gotham City?

You're right! It's in front of the GCPD! You wonder why? It's simple! Gotham is full of crimes, it's full of danger. The people feel unsafe! They're scared! Whenever there was a danger they ran to a hidden track and hide - and their favorite hidden track was the GCPD. It was the place with the employees who try to eradicate evil. They knew they could trust these people, they knew they'd do anything to keep people like Jerome and Scarlet away from the citizens.

Good that Scarlet and Jerome weren't alone though. In the meantime, Jerome organized a little team of his and Scarlet's old friends and people who hated Jim Gordon and the whole GCPD. They wanted to see Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock dead. They wanted to see the GCPD burn, they wanted to see the officers being scared and helpless, not knowing what to do anymore - and so Jerome's and Scarlet's followers would stand in front of the GCPD's entrance with all their weapons to hold the officers back from trying to defeat them. They, especially Jim Gordon should see the ultimate danger in Scarlet and Jerome. He should fear them, he should see their appearance as a threat, he should despair because he wouldn't have a clue how to hold them back - he and the whole GCPD should surrender.

"The boys are on their positions, see?" Jerome pointed at the guys, standing around the street and entrance. They all tho looked like street men, nobody would recognize them - same with Scarlet and Jerome. They wore scarves and masks, gloves, and old, dirty clothing to resemble the underclass. They looked like poor people walking around in the hope to get some money or food for the day.

"Yeah," Scarlet nodded, looking behind her right to the GCPD's entrance "The cops don't notice a thing either. They're probably too stuck with paperwork. You think it's time for us to start?"

Jerome said nothing at first, he was analyzing the situation: many people walked around, there were no cops that would recognize a thing, and there was no Jim Gordon who would become suspicious - the time was perfect! There was no austerity, no danger, no paternalism - nothing! Scarlet and Jerome could simply start with anything they wanted to, no one would give a shit.

"Do it! Now or never" And this was the moment when Scarlet grabbed her rapid shot under her clothing and shot in the air to the signal danger is coming.

She wanted to make people scream, she wanted to see them panic and anxious, she wanted to see them trying to run away but they would be held back by her co-workers - and all this happened. When Scarlet started to shoot, people screamed and tried to flee but they were held back by the other so-called street men, who started shooting too. Some shot at the people, and some simply shot in the air to scare them away. It was so glorious to see how they were driven in the middle like some guinea pigs that were running away from a predator, squeaking, whining, and trying to find a possible way out. Some of them even nudged others forward to be saved from the shots.

On the other hand, it was glorious to see how helpless the cops, especially Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock, watched this scenario. Of course, they sprinted to the entrance to help, they already grabbed their guns to eventually, shoot - not possible. Right in front of them, several men blocked the entrance and pointed their guns at them, ready to shoot at any time. So their only option was to watch and see the chaos and mess Jerome and Scarlet would make.

"Oh, hello Jim, hey Harvey" Scarlet chuckled darkly "Now you see the world burn," She started cackling maniacally and walked towards the scared people that were surrounded by her co-workers "Citizens of Gotham, long time no see, right? I'm about to say we kinda missed you a little, but see: we're back! We have so much to tell you! So much to show you! There's much to do with you!" Scarlet chuckled "Like this" Scarlet went up to her upcoming victims and pulled one girl out of the crowd. She was whining, crying, and screaming at every movement Scarlet made at. She was so scared her hands and legs were shaking, she couldn't even formulate a normal sentence!

"Seems like things getting outta control, Jimbo, huh?" Jerome chuckled darkly "Your little men seem impressed to see us. You see, I'm not dead, I'm fully alive, made of flesh and bone! HAHA!" He laughed "Be honest, you missed to the see good old Jerome in his action, eh? You had enough time to prepare"

"What we miss is a quiet minute in Gotham City," Jim muttered "Ever since you vanished into thin air, Scarlet became Gotham's newest problem. She had caused a stir much more than you. She became bigger than you, worse than you"

"When has she even not worse than him?" Harvey questioned irritated. He just remembered her beginnings: the way she killed her parents brutally with no remorse or guilt, the way she blackmailed and punished her dad's coworkers if they didn't behave, her manipulative behavior toward everyone- she was just pure evil.

"My doll? Worse than me?" Jerome couldn't believe that. His doll could never be worse than him, rather equal to him. No one could be worse than him, right? He was the ultimate "No, no, no. That's not possible, she's been the somewhat decent one beyond us. She-..."

"Then watch this" Jim nodded in her direction to let them watch her scene.

"Oh, I know y'all are scared of me and my boy, by ut you don't need to! See, we all are just humans, right? We have different shoots, and needs, wishes, and demands...but all we want is satisfaction, right?" Scarlet embraced her anxious victim, pretending to calm her down "Shhh, I know you're anxious, believe me, I know how it is being driven into a corner, helpless, feeling boxed in..." she then leaned her head on her victim and slowly grabbed her knife out of her pocket "You think there's no way out but there is! Do you See the light at the end of the tunnel? This is your day, this is your way out of all your sorrows, this is your way to salvation" And so Scarlet stabbed her victim right into her neck over and over again. Scarlet loved it, she enjoyed every stroke she did to let her victim's neck. This blood, the whimpering, the body's twitching whenever the peak of the knife hit a nerve in her neck - it was wonderful.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Scarlet let the bled-out and unconscious girl fall to the ground like some piece of trash "This is no murder, this is salvation! Let's look at this poor girl. She was so young, so anxious about the new, so jumpy about the unknown... And why? Because of her family and all the people that caused her trust issues, fear of commitment, inferiority complex because of her body or her nose, and the feeling of being neglected whenever she was not involved in something. Death through me was the best thing that could have happened to her! There's no more suffering, no sadness, no overthinking, no degrading and reviling! She's free, free like me, free like all of us very soon! You just need to follow us, follow us into our dreams! Let's make our dreams come true! For you! For Gotham!" 

This little speech was what Jerome has impressed again about her. This was the real Scarlet. So manipulative, so creative, so brutal - even though, stabbing someone wasn't something special, the way she did it was amazing though. She was a true cult leader, the things she said were reliable, expressive, so vivid and emotional. This showed her again that she was the one. She was the one he wanted to be with, to make plans with, to kill with - because of this, he knew it was the right decision to talk to her in Arkham back then and to revive her after all. She was his muse, she was his secret weapon, she was his right hand, she was his chosen one.

"Amazing, doll!" Jerome applauded "I couldn't have done it better," he grinned "Y'all don't need to be afraid of us. We want to show you an opportunity without problems and sorrows. We want to show you how it is to be free, how to solve problems without feeling guilty for wrong decisions, we offer you a better way to live! We all know things may be complicated in life, especially with narcissistic parents who implement degrading and brutal measures to form us the way they want us to be. We want to show you how to fight against it!"

"Killing is not the right way! Killing is a crime! Killing is evil! All you want is to turn us into psychos like you to rebel against the GCPD! You don't wanna change Gotham, you want to destroy it!" You heard a younger male voice bravely yell through the anxious crowd. You could see others gave him a shocked look. They couldn't believe what he has dared to yell at Scarlet and Jerome. Has he become crazy? Has he really taken leave of his senses? He dared to insult them! He dared to make head against them!

"Who said that?" was the sentence Scarlet and Jerome equally said with huge devilish grins on their face when they looked over to the crowd. They both thought the same: They were impressed by his brave - he dared to resist even though he knew the consequences, he knew he'd die.

"It was me!" The younger man stepped forward, right in front of Scarlet and Jerome. He really showed no fear. There was no stammering, no shaking hands or knees, he seemed calm after all - he was a real talent, and someone like him would be of good use in their team eventually, that's what Jerome thought if there wasn't the problem of his point of view towards them.

"You're brave, my friend, mouthy but most of all you're silly and dumb. People like you always try to be the hero in every story. They try to rescue the princes from the evil stepmother but end up dead since they underestimate the evil power" Jerome chuckled bitterly.

"You're not even better! You're like every villain in a Disney movie: mouthy, absent of reality, and a megalomaniac! But in the end y'all are failing since good shall triumph!" The young men yelled in the hope to get support by the others. Sadly though, no one supported him with a "yes!" Or a "yeah!" Or any other claim since all the people were way too scared of Scarlet and Jerome. They all knew it was his death desire, they all knew it was a huge mistake to raise his voice against them.

"He reminds me of my brother. Always knew things better, always liked to command, always thought he was right, and always thought he was the better one than me." Scarlet muttered angrily, grabbing her gun and pointing it right at the guy "I hate people like my brother. They're driving me nuts! They make me hear his voice again telling me what to do or how to stop certain things" Then she started even imitating her dead brother "Hands on the table plate Scarlet! Your behavior is so rude, Scarlet! You have no manners, Scarlet!”

Jerome just started grinning, he knew what was coming - Scarlet was becoming insane. She was in psychosis, it was like she was a role in a completely different movie, it was like her personality switched with a finger snip - and this was something Jerome loved about Scarlet. It was her hidden talent, one trigger and she was the most brutal person he knew - he was about to say she became something he would consider a monster in any action movie.

"But I won't listen to my brother anymore! I am my free agent! I can do whatever I want! I'm no minor anymore who needs to be taught what's right or wrong!” And that was the moment when she started shooting at this guy, again and again, and again - up to the moment where she was out of munition. People started screaming, they tried to run away, far away from the corpse, from Scarlet or Jerome - but for sure, they couldn't. One of their sudden moves and the co-workers grabbed their guns and pointed them at the crowd to stand still.

Scarlet was full of hate, she couldn't control it though. She felt such enormous hate towards her brother that every guy who just reminded her a little of him was a red flag. It was a no-go, people like her brother were all the same, she knew that. People like him were bad, they were treating everyone like shit, they were the monsters in the world and not Scarlet! He was the reason why Scarlet became the way she was! He was the one with her parents who drove her insane! She could have lived a normal life as she used to be a normal girl, but no! She was the scapegoat in the family, she was always the guilty one, and she was always the victim! There was no doubt people like them would act the same - she just knew it, and so she had to end their lives.

“And you,” Scarlet looked up at the crowd with the most aggressive and evil death stare she could give them “You should better listen to me: You see, being mouthy and trying to tell me what's right or wrong is not the right way to get put of this situation. You won't anyway! You're stuck with me in here!” She slowly walked to the crowd with her weapon “There's no way out. No fleeing, no fighting, no annoying, no rebelling. If you do, you'll die like your little friend here,” Scarlet chuckled darkly “It would be such a tragedy, wouldn't it? So, I wanna make you a little offer. I don't wanna kill all of you, yet, I wanna make use of you instead. You should be part of our team! You should work with us! You should be free like Jerome and me!” She smiled at the crowd “So who's in?”

#jerome valeska #gotham #dc #dcmultiverse #jerome valeska x reader #dc villains #dc villian #gotham city #gotham fandom #gotham jerome valeska #gotham jerome #gotham series #gotham fanfic #jerome valeska fandom #jerome valeska x you #cameron monaghan x reader #gotham x reader #jerome x reader #dc universe #cameronmonaghan

[in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather]

Deafest Silky,

I was thinking about you and I hope you're doing well! All of your stories have been such a gift to myself and many others.

I in no way want to pressure you, and I completely understand if you no longer wish to share your writing. But I just wanted to tell you that I still think about your stories with frequency. They are all meaningful and I genuinely wonder how they will continue and what beautiful conclusions you have in store!

The Bear and Maiden Fair is one of my absolute favorites of yours, but there are really so so many! I am truly enraptured with Bear & Maiden and I hope to one day be able to read what you have in mind for them, even if I have to buy it off a shelf!

Unforgivable, Ibi Amour Ubi Dolor, Malocchio, Red Riding Hood Jacques, even Jacques not knowing his birthday and the spicy backstory for Fiammata and scar worship. The dynamic between Jacques and RC in Ibi Amour is one of my favorites too! I often thing about where that story may go.

Tetrawizard, Amortentia, Runaway Bride, Fairy Wine, Stolen Car are all versions of Clyde that I think about often.

What Am I To You and Ready or Not Kylo are so beautiful and perfectly suited to Kylo.

Cowboy Flip, the concept you mentioned for Quintessence, and zombie invasion Flip also replay in my head when I think about flip.

You have added to each of my favorite characters in much deeper and more meaningful ways than the movies did themselves and I’m very thankful to you for that. Your characterization much more so than the movie versions, are what I picture with each of these men now.

I wish we could give back to you and add to your enjoyment here, but I can only extend my deepest thanks and gratitude for all your writing you've gifted everyone with! 💛💛💛

Oh, my darling ❤️

I am honestly speechless. That these stories stay with you and that you would take the time to so sweetly write about them - it's incredible 💗

I will absolutely make sure you can read them - I've been thinking about a discord or a private account here that I can use to share all these existing stories with people who appreciate them. I suppose maybe an account here would be the simplest since we're all here anyway.

But now that you've brought up these stories that are so dear to me being different from what I had read back when I came across the fandom, it's so meaningful to me 😭

I love Stolen Car and I think about it often since it deals with an imperfect Clyde - insecure, angry, prejudiced in some ways, and a very jagged pill with a spoiled RC who - spoiler alert - ends up being the reason Jimmy's wife and Moody meet in the first place, as if she and Clyde didn't already have enough problems. I love where that one goes.

I also love Ubi Amor and it has such fun developments, with an RC who is arguably even more audacious and profligate than Jacques, I can't wait now to share more of it with you 😍

And I was just thinking about Ready or Not last night and how it's all very fast and intense, I'm so glad you remember it and like the concept ❤️

And all the other stories you mentioned, the ruined weddings, AUs, and all these concepts that have made me/us explore the boys and their personalities, they're all so dear to me. The best thing I can hear is that they feel like themselves or that you've accepted and grown attached to those characterizations 🥴 That's the most important thing to me, a compelling story and a character that stays with you ❤️

Thank you so much for your wonderful words, they make me happier than I can express ❤️ You make it worth it to stick around 😍

[hearteyes-for-killmonger]

17. Flightless Bird

"I've found youu, flightless bird," was the song that played from a white woman's iPhone as Erik strolled tall and proud into the gas station.. She had it playing as she stood in front of an open refrigerator in flip flops holding the glass door against her shoulder. Erik turned his attention to the man behind the counter with bumpy brown skin full of blackheads and a thicket of coarse, dark, and wiry hair. Flashing the badge that said Howard, he spotted movement from the corner of his eye. Someone in his peripheral.

---

Ivy stood iced over and terrified. She couldn't make herself move though she knew in her mind she needed to run.

Run, girl, move.

She backed up a little, her eyes focused on the danger looking dead at her. Could she catch a break?

It was a big snake. A big ass snake on the ground that she had to get by without running into the road and she hated snakes. She was on the extremely narrow side of the road outside of the line on the highway praying no one hit her, but she was on her way to a meetup spot. She needed to keep going to get to a further point because she felt anxious, paranoid that the dentist was after her and that she was too near. It was why she'd left the gas station, there was too much going on and she didn't feel right.

"I'm done waiting," Ivy stood losing her patience.

"Police should be coming soon," the attendant remarked in a transparent attempt to keep her away from him but she had had enough. Enough of being fearful, enough of people not believing her, enough of police.

Fuck the police, she thought as she walked gently from the small store and looked left and right before re-entering. She didn't have a dime, credit card, or ID.

"Hey. Can you call me a cab?"

"Cab?"

"CAB. A CAB. Call me a CAB," she reiterated loudly. He knew what the fuck she was saying.

He was hesitant, looking as though she were trying to set him up. Sighing, he decided to do the humane thing though it looked like it hurt him. He slowly pulled out his phone unlocking it and grudgingly handing over. Ivy snatched it and snatched a snickers and a bag of sun chips too. They were the closest items she could grab, running as best as she could. She was starving.

She tapped the screen to keep the phone awake. He couldn't abandon the store so when she got a good distance, she stopped to take a rest to breathe. Maybe the cops would come faster now since she stole someone's shit. Maybe she needed to do a string of crime to get some attention and some assistance.

Calling her boss, she left a message explaining her situation in shorthand. She didn't know anyone else's number by heart, no one's but her brother's and that nigga was in Florida with his sheisty ass. Then on top of that, it wasn't her phone she was calling from which meant he probably wouldn't even answer it in case it was someone calling to look for him or collect money.

"Ivan!" She nearly screamed when he answered.

"Ivy?... Where you been?! I been calling you, leaving you messages. Where you calling from?"

"A stolen phone. Ivan! Remember that stalker mom told you about?"

"Yeah!"

"He kidnapped me and mom! He's tryna kill me and I'm running now 'cause my ass is scared! I tried to kill him, he's like 6'2 250 and I freaked, Ivan, I don't know if he's dead or alive or some kinda physically fucked up and I'm scared to go back. He has everything! My cards, my wallet, money, ID, keys-"

"Sis, slow down. You say this nigga.. he kidnapped you?"

"Kidnapped! He sliced my ass up like Freddy, my thigh fucked up! I'm a send you a picture!" Taking a pic with the flash, I try to send it but it won't go through because of course there's no connection or hotspot. "The picture won't send right now but-"

"Hell nah where you at, I'm a get there. Can you get somewhere like a friend's house or hotel?"

"Ivan you need a credit card to book a hotel and I card the police but they ain't shit."

"What you call the police for?! Damn, sis. Rule of the hood, you never call the feds! You wanna die?!"

"IT'S ALREADY LIFE OR DEATH, IVAN!!"

"Look I'll book the hoe, just tell me where you headed."

"You gotta pay the uber too can you use your phone to set it up? I'll tell you in a few minutes where to send it to."

---

Erik peeped over his shoulder spotting a little girl next to a figure he'd initially ignored. She looked at him and that was when he knew he was right in what he'd wanted. He could have one of those things if he wanted.. one of his own. He'd teach it and feed it and raise it. It couldn't be too difficult. Perhaps it'd take after him and have an interest in the arts.. he could see it in his mind's eye. He'd provide limitless canvases.

The thought excited him. He'd be a mentor and enrich the next generation, showing the world the meaning of true artistic vision, he and his protege. His seed.

Unlike his damned mother, he'd nurture the gift.. not fear it. She didn't deserve a child as brilliant as he. She couldn't handle it or see the blessing for what it was and in the end.. it cost her her life.

He threw a packet of lifesavers on the counter looking at the attendant.

"You reported an injured woman.. I don't see an injured woman..," Erik glared.

"Yes, I called and reported a woman who came in with the blood on her clothing and on her thigh?" Get to the point. "She was black woman," he gestured, "She stole from me, she took my-," I don't care. "My phone and ran ou-"

"About how long ago?" Erik's stare was pressuring.

"It was about- It was about fifteen minutes ago.. What about my phone?"

Fuck your phone.

"An injured young lady is wandering about and you're concerned about a phone?" Erik's squint shamed the man and silenced him all at once. "Do you have any sort of tracker on it?"

"Yes. It has happened before, my phone being stolen, so I installed what is an app to help me to-"

"Yeah aight take this phone and do what you gotta do.." Erik handed over Ivy's phone watching as the attendant worked his magic to point him in the direction of the lost young lady.

"Very effective app," Erik commented watching the guy work. He tuned out completely once the guy started his story about his last time being robbed. "Alright," he cut in interrupting one of the most uninteresting tales of the year, "When I locate the young lady we'll get her some medical attention and it should be pretty easy to return your phone to you.

"You need information? To write in a- uh report?"

The reminder had Erik itching to leave. He had his hot trail and he wasn't actually an officer.

"Yes, let me take that info," he nodded with a snap, "Oh gee, seems I need to head to my cruiser. Give me a second will ya?"

Exiting the store with the mints in hand, unpaid for, he quickly climbed into the car with a shake of his head and pulled away.

@dessianna1 @twistedcharismaaa @soufcakmistress

#original #erik killmonger #killmonger #erik stevens

[laurelleghuleh]

𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐅 | 𝐂𝐇. 𝟏𝟕 "𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦"

𝐚/𝐧:

Read the masterlist first.

The first flashback is narrated in third-person.

Everything here is (and will always be) totally consensual: Daphne’s (/your) character is strong enough to stop Levi or at least to oppose him whenever she wants (as already shown in the previous chapters)… But as you’ll see, she doesn’t want him to stop. The scene in question shouldn’t trigger any of you. Breathplay is involved but I hope you’ll perceive it just as steamy as it’s to me. If not, let me know.

More notes at the end.

𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬: “Make His Pockets Hurt” - jk... “Woman” by Harry Styles, “Tear You Apart” by She Wants Revenge, “She’s My Collar” by Gorillaz and Kali Uchis.

𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤

“Master, that girl... Daphne... She accepted,” said the hooded man, scratching the scar on his chin trying in vain to ease his agitation. A hint of discomfort painted his voice: every time in the presence of that thug he couldn’t help but think if each of his previous choices had not only led him further down, lower, where that maggot reigned.

The Master took a long, noisy sip from his stein, slammed it on the table, and then let out a coarse, belly laugh.

“I knew it. I KNEW IT! That little girl... That little girl really thought she could escape me.”

The hooded man stood motionless, almost paralyzed, in front of the Master. He had just condemned a poor girl he didn’t even know to certain death. He thought he reached his lowest point in life. All around him, the Master’s minions in the room began to laugh and mock the girl in unison, only to impress their boss.

With another smash of his tankard, the Master restored the silence in the room.

“Shut your stupid mouths, you jerks. Who said you could talk about her, huh?”

They obeyed.

“Well, what can I say, Sergeant?” He told the hooded man, “You soldiers are really good at following orders. You always get your job done. Not like these idiots I have to deal with every damn day... Well, here’s your reward, as agreed.”

At that signal, a door on the right opened and a moment later, a girl with long crimson hair, icy eyes, and an equally glacial attitude entered the room. Stoic, calm, and collected in the grip of the two men who were dragging her inside, perhaps now resigned, the girl appeared in all her beauty in front of her now former owner.

The Master, barely reaching her shoulder in height, approached her and roughly stroked her face. “Here is your reward for putting that big mouth of yours to good use for once, Tabitha. You are free now. Happy?”

From above, the girl looked down at him with disgust, as she had always done, but at least now for the last time. She was no longer his.

“Forgive me for the inconvenience, Master, but the Ripper is here.” said one of his lackeys breaking into the room at that point.

Before the Master could say or do anything, another man showed up in the room. His unmistakable beige trench coat, his imperious height, his marked and grim face: Kenny the Ripper had arrived.

“Ah, Kenny! My man!” The Master greeted him vigorously.

“Wo, slow down, gramps. My man my ass. I'm just here on business. Try not to waste any of my precious time and hurry up already.”

𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

“Here it comes!” I shouted at Levi, throwing him an apple.

He caught it on the fly and looked back at me dourly.

“Kindly offered by the kitchen of the barracks. And by kindly offered I mean kindly stolen.” I added with a chuckle.

“From the barracks? Tch , I’d rather drink the water from the drain. Or horse piss. Or shit-” Levi started to grumble, as he swirled the apple in his fingers with a disgusted air.

“Okay, okay. Stop. I got the gist. Geez…” I interrupted him with a snort. “Give it to me…” I said then, taking the apple back. “Are you sure you don’t even want half of it? You haven’t touched anything since yesterday...”

No answer.

“Levi, it’s going to be a very loooong day. You need it.” I insisted.

“Whatever…” Levi finally said, averting his eyes.

So I removed the stem, placed the base of my thumbs on top of the apple, wrapped it with both hands, and began to tighten it with strength and precision.

“What are you doing? You wanna break it with your bare hands?” the Captain commented harshly.

“Even the hardest things can be broken,” I began to say and looked up at him, “If you just know where to apply the right pressure, Levi  ” and with a thunderous crack the apple split in between my hands. His eyes slightly widened in amazement, as did his lips that parted in a small “Not bad”.

“All yours,” I told him, handing him his half.

After leaving the barracks, we poured into a crowded street adjacent to the building. Despite the time, there were already a lot of people around. Voices, heavy rumbling footsteps on the cobblestones, shouts, the deafening toll of hooves on the pavement, the hustle and bustle of the carriages: the district seemed to have woken up long before us.

After a few minutes spent in silence, I took the first bite, asking Levi, “So? Where are we going?”

“In an hour or so, a carriage will take us to a nearby tunnel for the Underground. But first, we have to get some things,” he informed me.

“Like what?” I mumbled with my mouth full.

“I know a place where we can get some bladed weapons, ammo for my gun-”

“Uh, can I get one too?” I asked him enthusiastically, clinging to his jacket.

“Forget it,” he said, taking a bite of his apple and not even deigning to look at me.

“Oh cooome on!”

“Absolutely fucking not,” Levi declared head-on, “Let’s try to avoid any unnecessary fights or else. No firearms, no ogm. Just a regular patrol, we’ll take a look around, and that’s it. My gun is just for caution. One is more than enough.”

“Roger, Captain. Anything else?” I asked him, taking another loud bite.

“Wigs, maybe a hat or a scarf, I don't know, something to make us less recognizable,” then he glanced at me over his shoulder, quickly scanning my figure, “And some clothes for you. I don't know how safe it is to wander around in the Scouts’ uniform…”

“Right... Well, once back I’m gonna need a new uniform for sure,” I commented, tapping my stomach with my fingers. “I think I've put on a few pounds, you know?”

The food of the Survey Corps could not be defined as top-tier, nor substantial, however, it was certainly enough to feed a soldier; enough to fix a body like mine which hadn't seen a decent meal in months, if not years. In the Underground, I had always eaten for survival, never for pleasure. The first time I managed to buy a meal worthy of being called such, I found myself a few minutes later throwing it all up in a toilet. A meal that tasted of queasy guilt, a sin that I should never have to do again. After that, I decided to only ever ingest what was strictly necessary.

At that point, Levi halted in the middle of the road and turned towards me, forcing me to unconsciously do the same. Still lost in those old memories, I didn't realize that a hand was approaching my face. With a delicate gesture of his fingers, Levi took something away from my lips, probably an imperceptible crumb. Then he let his hand linger a little longer around my chin as if to give me a closer look.

“Well. It’s a good sign… ” he pointed out, trying to make it sound like a mere and flat comment. Yet, the expression he had painted on his face betrayed him. He looked so relieved. “It means you're getting healthier,” he added at the end.

I kept staring at him in silence, still, with one hand in midair and the other one in my pocket, my mouth open and my mind completely empty. Seeing me totally panicking, Levi bent down and reached with his mouth the last piece of apple that was left in my hand. Still close to my palm, chewing in silence, he motioned me with his head to resume walking.

After a solid minute, I blinked and came back to my senses, then I quickly joined him. As if nothing had happened, Levi had already taken his quick pace and usual severe posture back.

We walked for what felt like several minutes until we finally found ourselves in front of a small shop. Some dark curtains obscured what was behind them, but a majestic and bizarre sign on the outside spoke clearly: it was the bazaar the Captain had mentioned to me shortly before.

“Here’s the deal. The shop is run by a wrinkled piece of shit, a police lackey. He'll definitely give us a discount just because of Erwin. We go in, we buy what we need, and we get the hell out of here as soon as possible. The less time we waste, the better. All clear?”

“Crystal clear. There is no need to ask every time, you know that right? I can hear you perfectly.” I replied with a hint of malice.

“You never know with you,” he said, raising one of his eyebrows. “Let's go. I’ll do the talking. Go and see if you can find something useful in the meantime. And don’t steal anything else or I'll cut off those hands of yours. I’m not kidding, Daphne.”

“I’ll see what I can do about that stealing thing… Can’t promise anything...”

To that answer, Levi shook his head as an imperceptible smile curled his lips. Without further ado, he opened the door and made his way into the store where we were greeted by the shrill doorbell, a stocky small man with an eccentric air, and a young girl who seemed to want to be everywhere but there.

Levi didn’t miss one second and immediately approached the owner, while I quickly set out to find what we needed. The bazaar was as extravagant as his proprietor. It really seemed like we had just entered another dimension. Chandeliers with all different and bizarre shapes, objects of all kinds, and colorful fabrics were hanging down from the ceiling. The shelves were overflowing with any devilry, from ordinary household utensils to unique pieces of furniture. The whole rear area was instead dedicated to clothing and from a distance, you could already recognize some rather extravagant pieces with feathers and sequins. But before I could get started, a feeble voice caught my attention.

“Welcome, I’m Lisa. Can I help with anything?” said the girl I had seen just before.

Her voice sounded as faint and meek as her appearance. A small stature, very light skin, almost porcelain, hay-colored hair arranged in two long braids, an old pair of glasses clumsily resting on a slightly arched nose: she looked like one of those old dolls. Everything about her seemed so familiar, like a lost memory, as if I already knew her... In fact, I couldn’t help but notice how she resembled a friendly face, a sister I had not seen in a very long time: Eve . That thought struck me so strongly that all of a sudden I remembered how close I was to finally return to the Underground. And that ultimately pushed me to hurry up and do my part. I had no time to waste.

“Hi Lisa, I’m Daphne. Yes, actually I need a lot of stuff, but I don't even know where to start…” I said, giggling. The bazaar was a real mess.

Lisa was more than happy to help me with my research. At my every request, from bladed weapons to wigs, the girl's face seemed to get more and more confused. She must have asked herself from time to time what the hell were we doing there.

~

“Oi. Found anything?” I heard Levi's voice coming from behind my shoulders after a while.

“Yes, look!” I turned around wearing a lilac wig I had just found. Levi's face fell into an annoyed expression.

“You really couldn't find a color more ridiculous than this,” he commented with his arms folded.

“Oh come on! That's not true!” I replied with a shrill voice.

I have to admit that there was something about shopping that made me unexpectedly happy, almost childish. I was literally acting just like a little girl. I had never felt like that before, not even when I thought so. I wasn't at the market with Nina or Saejin, I didn't have to go back to the brothel within thirty minutes, nobody was breathing down my neck. That was the closest thing to freedom I had probably ever experienced.

“Have you already forgotten that we’re, like, trying to keep a low profile?” he argued as I turned to the mirror again to take another look at myself.

“Yeah, I know, buzzkill... But look how pretty it is!”

Levi didn’t deign to answer and continued to silently observe my reflection. His eyes slowly traveled from one corner of the mirror to the other.

“You know, Levi, every now and then you should try to live a little…” I teased him, with my hands on my hips. He just gave me the stink eye in response.

“Come on, just try one!” I encouraged him.

“Look, I'd rather tear my hair out with my bare hands-”

“Oh my God, please don't start now…” I interrupted him as I rummaged through the pile of wigs in front of me. Without thinking too much, I randomly took one and put it on his head. Levi had resisted me quite a bit, stepping back and shaking his head, but in the end, I got the better of him. The result, however, left me breathless.

Levi must have commented once again on the color of that wig, but at that sight, I could not utter a word. Same cut, same length, but this time the captain's hair was light, of an intense ash blonde. I didn't think Levi could look more attractive than that, and yet...

It took me some time to recover. Then I cleared my throat and said, just to interrupt the flow of his criticism, “Now we just need a couple of fake names”

I thought about it for a while, still looking at myself in the mirror. I love this color, Levi doesn’t know what he’s talking about… Maybe I should call myself... Lilian? Lily? Or…

“Lilith. From now on, you shall call me Lilith,” I said satisfied.

Levi’s eyebrows rippled.

“And you, Mr. Party-Pooper, you could be my Adam.”

“Maybe I missed something, but wasn't it Eve? Am I wrong?” The captain asked me, meeting my gaze in the mirror.

So I turned around and started to explain to him: “Chadia told us that before Eve there was Lilith, the first woman, the true, first wife of Adam, created with him, his equal. And unfortunately, also the first creature to be banished from Eden. And do you know why?”

“No, enlighten me,” he asked, intrigued.

“Because she wanted to be exactly like him, treated as an equal. But this was not granted to her, so she rebelled.”

Levi clicked his tongue. He seemed to have grasped the message out of metaphor.

“Interesting, but... I'm torn. I don't know if this is just a big fat lie to sell me these fucking ridiculous wigs or if instead... This is one of your millions of reasons.”

“My millions of reasons?”

“The millions of reasons why-” and there I remembered.

“Levi, please, give me a break.” I stopped him, “If anything, you're the ridiculous one, not these wigs,” I said as I turned back to the mirror.

“And for the record…” I tried to change the subject, “Maybe you really missed something. In the Underground several people dye their hair with some strange concoction or even bleach it just for fun, or boredom. It's actually quite trendy. My friend Finn did it to look like a tough guy. He used to change his hair color every other week... Sooner or later, he's going to be bald... I wonder if that punk is still alive…”

“Finn, ah? You never told me about this Finn ,” the Captain said.

“Oh Levi, there are so many things you still don't know about me…” And then I walked away, towards a wall full of clothes. After a while, Levi joined me.

“So... This Finn ... Is he one of your reasons?”

“Levi, I swear you’re giving me a headache. Stop it already.” I replied in a grumpy tone.

“I'm just curious,” he defended himself.

“I think it’s pronounced extremely childish , not curious.”

Levi stayed silent. As I kept scanning the clothes in front of me, I said: “No, he's not. He’s just a dear, old friend of mine who taught me how to survive in the Underground. And a few good tricks... Like this one.”

On top of a shelf, I noticed a checkered flat cap, took it, and then searched for a razor blade in my pocket. A razor blade that I was planning to steal from the store, but Levi didn’t need to know that part too. Once I found it, I hid it in the fold of the visor and then simply put the hat on his head. This time the Captain did not oppose, perhaps now immersed in that role play we were tacitly doing.

“Finn thinks it’s pretty cool to hide razors and knives in your clothes. They can save your life when you least expect it.”

Levi didn't comment and there was silence again. I began to get nervous.

“Really. Finn is just one of my mates. Nothing more.” I told him, fixing his cap. “What is it? You do not believe me?” I added, “Or worse... Captain, are you jealous ?”

“Please. You can barely handle me, let alone another man…” And so he started picking up random clothes for me to try on.

Chuckling, I started doing the same.

“A skirt?” He asked me at one point, “It might get in your way…”

“I was wearing a skirt even that night... The first night we met. A piece of cloth won’t certainly slow me down, Captain. And I think I will look more harmless dressed like this…”

“If you say so…” Levi commented.

Among the various clothes, I noticed a breathtaking corset with a precious ribbon on the back and a damask fabric that looked way too expensive for us. It reminded me of some refined dresses that only Nina was able to find - well, to steal, actually - at the market. I was so tempted to try it, a childish temptation, but then I stopped right there. We didn’t have time for that.

“Oi. Don’t you wanna try it?” Levi asked, pointing at the corset.

“It’s… Pricey…” I replied under my breath, trying to leave.

Without a second’s delay, Levi grabbed it and threw it at me, telling me, almost like an order: “The dressing room is right there. Get a move on.”

~

“What the hell’s taking you so long to get ready? We don’t have all day”

I snorted, then tried to say: “Yes... It's just... I can't close the corset,”

“Let me see…” I heard him say and a second later I saw him peeking out of the curtain.

“What the hell are you doing?? Get out now!”

Levi looked me straight in the eye, his face completely blank. “I’m not seeing anything that I haven’t seen already...” Then he glanced at the back of the bodice and said: “You skipped two holes. Fuck, you’re a hopeless case.”

The Captain had already begun to untie the corset when I protested, clumsily trying to reach his hands on the back.

“Stop,” he said, blocking me, but undaunted, I kept fidgeting.

“I said stop .” At that point I felt something cold around my wrists, like a silk ribbon, then a firm squeeze and without even realizing it, I found myself with my hands tied.

Through the mirror, I gave the Captain a dirty look, but he didn't seem to get the message.

“Levi. Untie me. Now .”

He smugly looked back at me. “And why on earth?” He leaned in and from above my shoulder he added, “You look so pretty like this…”

In response, I just rolled my eyes. “You're not funny, come on-”

“In fact, you know what? I just had an idea…” he interrupted me. “Since this thing is going to take a while, why don't we play a game?” he started to say, pulling the first threads away up to the point where I must have messed them up. “I'll ask you some questions-”

“What kind of questions?”

“Oh, don't be so naive. You already know what I’m going to ask you.”

“Levi-” I tried to interrupt him.

But he continued, saying, “If your answer satisfies me, I will gradually close the bodice. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?” I asked with a hint of annoyance.

“We’ll just stay here all day, I guess,” he replied, continuing to untie the corset.

“Rather than a game, I think this is called interrogation … You even tie me up?! Are you completely out of your mind, Levi?”

The Captain sneered almost imperceptibly. “Let’s say it’s a matter of opinion…” Then he got closer again and whispered, mocking me, “Oh, why don’t you try and live a little , Daphne?”

At that point, the corset was barely holding up around my torso. Levi had already loosened the last intersection and was ready to proceed.

“Well? Shall we start?” he asked me, adjusting and aligning the fabric with precise but light strokes.

“I don't think I have other options…” I said in a hushed voice.

“Let's make it even more fun. You can only answer yes or no . Disobey and I'll start over.”

“At this point, do the fuck you want… Since we’re already here…”

At my words, Levi laughed, nodded his head, lowered it in the direction of my wrists, and gently passed two fingers between my skin and the tape, as if to check that it wasn't too tight. From behind my back, almost hiding from me, he whispered the only rule of that dangerous game from which I couldn’t bring myself to escape:

“Remember, this is just for fun... If you don’t feel like it anymore, know that you are perfectly capable of freeing yourself from this silly knot. Even a suckling could make it out of it... Say the word and I’ll stop.”

I swallowed soundly, nodding at him. In a matter of seconds, the air seemed to have already changed.

“You know, that morning I asked myself a lot of questions... I even thought that you’d come out of the bathroom at any moment. Or from under the bed, out of the wardrobe…”

I got sick to my stomach.

“But you never came back,”

“Levi-” I almost interrupted him.

“What is it? Did you just want a one-night stand?”

“Levi, are you for real?? How- Who do you take me for-” I tried to say, when with a decisive stroke Levi pulled the first thread, making me lose my balance and forcing me to take an unstable step back. Bumping against his chest, I heard him scold me: “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear. Just yes or no , miss.”

“No,” I coldly replied, reaching his gaze in the mirror.

“Then, do you regret it?”

“Regret what?”

“Didn’t they teach you that you can’t answer a question with another question?” he commented, passing the ribbon through the next holes.

“Then why don’t you try to formulate a bit better your fucking questions next time?” I babbled.

He didn’t mind my insolence and asked again, “Did you regret that night?”

“I’ve already told you that-” Only yes or no , I thought. “No.”

Another intersection was done on the back.

“And about leaving without a word?”

I didn't answer, but Levi continued to adjust the stripe in the subsequent holes. Probably my silence was already enough as an answer. The corset was getting tighter and tighter and I was starting to feel that hard velvet cage compressing me little by little.

“Moving on. Do you think I would have done the same thing in your place?”

Again, I stayed silent.

“I'll answer for you. No,” he said with determination, clutching another cross. The stroke was so precise, central, and energetic, it made me wince. A sharp and clear moan slipped from my mouth. I bit my lip and looked down at my feet in shame. Levi immediately caught that reaction.

“You don’t regret it. You’d do it again . Or at least that’s what you told me that day in my office, right? So what... Or maybe who? Who are you afraid of? Of Commander Smith? Were you afraid that what happened between us might have some kind of repercussion? On you? On me?”

“Yes,” the corset wrapped me in its grip. “And yes.” I hissed again through my teeth.

“Well, now that you two are all buddy-buddy, this shouldn't worry you anymore... Or what? You just didn’t want to put me on the spot?” Levi's voice became low and thick.

I could hardly nod at that point.

“Do I look like the type of person who could be easily put on the spot?”

No, Levi definitely wasn’t.

“Are you afraid of me too?” he asked me, almost whispering and pulling me in, against him. The corset tightened again and my head instinctively fell backward on his shoulder, like in the throes of some feverish, indecipherable sensation.

“Because I’m your captain? Because you see me as an obstacle? Because-”

“Yes, yes, yes,” I began to say incessantly, gasping for air between words.

“How ungrateful…” he whispered in my ear, “I’m even taking you back to see your sisters. Does that seem to you like getting in your way, Daphne?”

I shook my head, exasperated.

“Then what? Are you afraid…”

Levi took his time, pondering his next questions on the curve of my neck. His eyes went restlessly from one side to the other, nervously peering down at my chest as it swelled and deflated, impatiently waiting for his new word.

“Are you afraid of getting too attached? Of hurting yourself? Or hurting me? Are you-” the captain seemed caught up in a vertiginous urge to know, the frantic rhythm of his voice started to betray him.

“Yes, yes, yes,” I said under my breath. I closed my eyes and bit my tongue. I was ashamed to death of the expression painted on my face at that point. I was no longer feeling myself.

“Are you afraid that I will eventually find something out?”

At that question, I instinctively opened my eyes again. It seemed to me as if all my senses had suddenly sharpened. I could feel every inch of Levi's body behind me, pressed against mine. His face a few centimeters above my shoulder. His gaze reflected in the direction of mine, scrutinizing me, observing my every little movement, jolt, yielding. His questions, his words warming the curve of my neck, almost piercing my skin. He wasn't even touching me and yet I was completely at his mercy.

“Are you afraid that I will find out something about you? Some secret of yours?” he kept asking, squeezing tighter, leaving me speechless, breathless. “Are you afraid I'll find out something about you that you don't even know about yourself?”

The pressure of the bodice and of his words were going to my head as if I were lightheaded.

“Or are you perhaps afraid of yourself?” Levi formulated against my ear, forcing another moan to escape from my mouth, my legs to clench, pressing one against the other.

“You're afraid of how much you’re actually enjoying all of this, of us, aren't you?” A grin curved Levi’s lips, “It seems to me that… You are the one afraid to start living. You’re afraid you’re going to be too… Selfish, that way. Am I wrong, Daphne?”

With my eyes soaked in tears, I turned my head and looked at him in utter despair. But something unknown seemed to completely cloud Levi's vision and with a quick move of his hand, he grabbed my chin and forced me to look at myself in the mirror.

“Don't be. Don't be afraid and just look at yourself.”

Unfortunately, I indulged him.

“I've already seen that look,” he confessed, as his other hand began to slide along my side, down the fabric, lingering on the edge of the corset and then slipping under it. “You don't have to hold back. I already know what that means. I know, Daphne. I know.”

A sharp sigh broke my silence when I felt his fingers making their way down, over the clumsily mended hem of the skirt. They seemed to know exactly what to do, where and how to touch me. His body and mine already knew each other. Levi knew, he knew everything.

The road to pleasure was paved with guilt and sins, but at that precise moment, I realized that for Levi I would have walked it again, even a thousand times, despite those millions reasons not to do it. At that very moment, I believed that was the same path to freedom. The first bite of that forbidden fruit had already been taken long before and we were already damned without even knowing it.

“You're making too much noise, Daphne. You don't want everyone to hear us, right?”

Before I could protest, Levi silenced that last moan of mine in his mouth, pressing his lips against mine, letting a muffled grunt echo across his chest. His hand around my chin slid down and clung tightly around my neck, surrounding it like a collar, squeezing it gently at each, tiny sound of mine.

Completely glued onto him, he could definitely feel my heart pounding, my skin crawl. I was getting closer and closer to my climax and Levi knew it. But I could feel something too, something hard poking my back, his ache growing every time I  unintentionally ground against him. My hands, still trapped and pressed against Levi’s belly, instinctively glided down to his pants. Once found the bulging shape, I tightened my grip around it, following its contours, making him gasp sharply in my mouth as I kept stimulating him.

“Excuse me, are you alright in there? Do you need a hand?” Lisa's feeble and trembling voice peeked out from the other side of the curtain, outside of the dressing room.

At that sound, we instantly stopped. One still pressed against the other, we panted in secret, as slowly and softly as possible, meditating on what to do. Levi slipped his hand out of the skirt and loosened his grip around my neck with the other. At that point, I almost felt like I was coming back to my senses.

Back to reality, I cleared my throat and said as composedly as I could: “Yes, I’m done. I’m coming out in a second.”

From behind my back, in the meantime Levi was carefully cleaning himself with a handkerchief he had previously pulled out of his pocket. Then, with equal care, he freed my wrists, slightly loosened the corset, and secured the end with a strong knot. Once done, he gingerly pressed a kiss on my shoulder, then another one and another one, one inch at a time, almost exhausted, deeply inhaling through his nostrils. His eyes moved upwards to meet mine in the mirror and on that same strip of skin from which his mouth had just risen, he whispered, “Let's take this one. I like you like this.”

Before walking out of the dressing room, he handed me a tissue and then added, his voice hoarse and lethal, “And this is not over yet.”

When he finally left the room, I felt my legs giving out. I let myself fall backward onto a little chair in the corner, as I tried to pull myself back together. Looking up at the mirror, I caught my reflection indulging in a wide, unexpected smile.

What the fuck had just happened?

Coming out of the dressing room, I was about to place the other clothes on the counter next to Levi, but he seemed quite caught up in a heated conversation with the owner of the bazaar about ammunition. In order not to disturb him, I decided to take another walk around the shop, left what I had in my hands to Lisa, and began to browse the various shelves. Once in front of a glass counter, I paused to examine the jewelry on display. A few moments later, a warm voice tickled my ear.

“See something you like?”

I instinctively put a hand on my chest. Levi had startled me.

“Actually, yes. See that little black collar?”

“Not bad,” he commented from above my shoulder, looking through the glass of the counter. It was a very simple black cord, decorated with a small gem. Nothing too fancy. Lilith would surely have worn it. Maybe I should...?

I slightly rotated my torso towards him and unconsciously bit my lower lip. I don't know why, but the idea of taking advantage of Levi's generosity once more terrified me. Maybe I should just...? and so I asked him, “Can I... Do you think we can get that too?”

Levi blinked, unfazed at my request. He examined my puppy eyes for a few seconds and then dryly said, “No.”

So he went back to the check-out, while from behind his back I pouted and followed him without protesting any further. Literally a piece of string. He bought himself enough ammo for a fucking carnage, that was just a collar...

Back again in front of the owner, Levi looked at me and ordered me not to stay there with that face like I was about to cry and to wait for him outside. In response, I clicked my tongue with annoyance but eventually obeyed, adding a sarcastic “Yes sir!” as I left the shop.

Now on the street, I saw a nice, little bakery right in front of me and without thinking too much about it, I hopped over to its window. I stood there with my eyes glued to that glass for several minutes, completely captured by the intricate preparation of a composition of bread, raisins, and dried fruit.

After a while, I noticed Levi’s silhouette crossing the street to reach me, yet I continued to follow the old lady behind the glass. The Captain silently waited for my reaction but I just shot him a quick and disinterested glance. Then I saw his reflection looking for something inside his pocket, taking it, and approaching me, his hands going up towards my lobes and then two clicks. Suddenly, a couple of enchanting earrings appeared. Simple, yet sophisticated, two small emeralds set in a golden structure. My eyes widened.

I couldn’t help myself from touching them and looking in the mirror in pure amazement. I was simply speechless as I inspected my reflection, almost without believing my own eyes. Oh, if only Nina could see them ... I secretly thought.

Then I turned towards Levi, with that look of surprise still on my face. When I stammered something confused and incomprehensible, he stopped me, saying “Petra was right, green is definitely your color.”

He remembered. Levi remembered that little comment Petra had made sometime ago. And that was enough to make me irretrievably blush. But still, I had the nerve to ask him, with my hands on my hips: “Yeah, okay, but why? If you really didn't like that collar you could have just told me instead of-”

Levi gave me his usual dirty look and with his grim face, he began to lecture me, “A necklace is too dangerous. What if someone tries to choke you with that, you idiot? Tch , you really are the most incompetent, clueless criminal I have ever met.”

After that, he turned his back on me, walked off, and motioned me to follow him, “Come on, we've already wasted too much time for my liking.”

~

Sitting in the carriage, next to each other, we both seemed to be engaged in some silent discussion. And so, seconds passed inexorably. Eager to do or say something, anything, I glanced at that bag under my feet, full of our purchases.

I sighed. “Well, it looks like these two… Erm, what's their name again? Daphne and Levi, right? They have a lot of problems, huh?”

Levi looked at me a bit confused, raising an eyebrow.

“Poor things. You know, I feel sorry for them…” I said, rummaging in the bag. “Too bad they can't live it as freely as we do,” and so I pulled out our wigs, Adam’s and Lilith’s. I slipped on mine, then turned towards Levi and calmly adjusted his. He didn't protest, watching my every move with an almost smug look.

“Don’t you agree?” I asked him, stroking the back of his neck and pulling him in for a short but deep kiss.

“Yeah…” Levi commented as soon as I drew back on my seat.

“I was thinking… Maybe, for the next few days, we could... What if we pretended that all these problems didn’t exist? No titans. No Survey Corps. No sisters. No Commander Smith. No-”

Levi couldn’t hold back, and nodding his head, he brought my lips back to his, pulling me into his arms. Unfortunately, we were soon interrupted by a jolt and then by a decisive bang on the roof. The coachman had just stopped the carriage and we had finally arrived.

I had a very vague memory of the tunnel for the Underground, yet its sight was simply bloodcurdling. At that point a dark passage stood before us, it looked like Hell’s gates. I felt my legs stiffening at every step and so I stopped a few meters from the checkpoint.

Levi walked by my side and, intertwining his hand with mine, he told me, “I'm here, I’m right here.”

My head fell forward. I shut my eyelids and took a deep breath. Once I opened my eyes again, there, under my feet, I saw them. Reflected on the floor, our shadows, merged one with the other, looked like two souls at the gap as we proceeded in the gorge of the underworld, together, for the same, identical condemnation.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:

• Lilith is one of my favorite characters of all time. In this chapter I mention the version from the Jewish tradition, but just know that this is not the only one, • The flat cap with the hidden razor blade is (obviously) inspired by the Peaky Blinders, • Levi is not wearing the uniform, he is already in off-duty clothes, • The corset scene vaguely resembles an Interrogation Scene (BDSM), • Yes, the hooded man in the flashback is the soldier from the previous chapter and the man who hired Daphne to kill Levi, Erwin, Farlan, and Isabel, • The relationship between Kenny Ackerman and the Master will be better explained further ahead, don't worry, • Finn's character will be better introduced in the next chapters, • For this chapter I actually learned how to break an apple with my bare hands. Yes, it is possible, even for a pussy like me, but I am not doing it ever again lol

#read on wattpad #read on ao3 #levi x oc #levi fanfic #levi shingeki no kyojin #levi smut #aot smut #aot fanfiction