#a part of me is very grounded and knows that they come from a multi billionaire company and american media love to go where they see trends | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fayes-fics · 2 months

Text

When The World Is Free: Chapter 14 - Un Coin Tout Bleu

MASTERPOST PREV | NEXT

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader, WW2 AU.

Warnings: None really... angst, make-ups, misunderstandings, confessions and a proposal.

Word Count: 1.9k

Author’s Note: Multi-chapter fic based on a request by the lovely @amillcitygirl. Please see the masterpost for a synopsis of this story. This is the penultimate chapter, so everyone is starting to make peace. There is one more chapter that will have explicit content and an epilogue to go. Thanks as always to @colettebronte for beta reading. Enjoy!

Aubrey Hall, UK, October 1939

Instinct has you up on your feet and chasing after, rounding into each room you pass, but you cannot find either of them. Your stride is definitely no match for Benedict’s; he is likely already far away.

When you stumble up the stairs, you collide with Violet. She is taken aback at first but then sees your apparent distress and has you in a hug before you know what is happening.

“Whatever is it, my dear?” she soothes into your hair.

“Eloise found Benedict and I asleep in an embrace and ran away in horror,” you stutter. “And then I let slip to Benedict you think he loves me, and then he ran. Oh god!! I have messed things up so horribly,” you lament.

Her motherly concern has you clinging to her, the sting of your mother’s recent rejection still a whiplash to your heart.

“Let us find my wilful daughter; she is likely just in shock, that is all.” she counsels calmly. “And then we will deal with your errant husband.”

Looping your arm with hers, Violet leads you to a few places where she knows Elose skulks when she wants to escape the world. You both eventually find her in the attic, where stacks of books and pillows are near an oval window that suggests this is often a refuge for her.

“Eloise Bridgerton, come and make amends with your friend,” is her stern greeting.

“Why should I?” Eloise sniffs, steadfastly refusing to turn around, staring out the small window at the grounds below. “She did the one thing - the ONE THING - I told her would make me disown her….” she adds bitterly, referencing the chat you had in Paris many weeks ago before Benedict arrived. “This was a choice she made.”

“Falling in love with your brother was not a choice, Eloise; it happened quite without me meaning to,” you implore, wanting her to believe it's true.

At that, her head whips around, surprise claiming her face. “Love?” she scoffs. “Please…” Looking to her mother for support in her derision, she frowns when she seems to find none. “Are you serious?”

“Yes…” you reply softly, taking a hesitant step forward, holding your palms open at your side—a conciliatory gesture. “I married Benedict to escape, yes, but even before then, I knew I felt something for him. That connection has only grown more profound since. We have spent a lot of time together in secret. I am truly sorry I, well, we, kept it from you. I was scared you would be angry and hurt. And you are. And you have every right to be.”

“It's true, Eloise,” Violet, standing a few paces behind you, pipes up. “I saw it the minute they arrived here. And I can tell you right now, your brother feels exactly the same.”

You want to believe Violet’s assertion about that, but you feel a tightness in your chest as she says it, worrying that it may not be accurate.

“You are my friend,” she whines almost petulantly.

“And I will always be your friend if you allow me,” you counter delicately. “No matter what happens with Benedict, and even I do not know now, you will always be dear to me and a part of my life.”

“What did that bloody idiot do now?” she inquires, sharp as a tack.

“After you left the room, I-I mentioned your mother thinks he loves me, and well, he ran out, you admit, hanging your head.

“That idiot…” she blusters, rolling her eyes.

“I'm very sorry if you see this as a betrayal. I wanted to keep it quiet because I love you so much as a friend. I truly never want or meant to hurt you….”

Eloise sighs, and you watch her shoulders slump. “You are just lucky I know some semblance of what you speak…” she offers wistfully, a glimmer of hope that has you inhaling sharply.

You know without asking that she is referring to Phillip, and you twist to smile at Violet briefly, who suddenly looks very invested.

“I hope you can find it within your heart to forgive me. I know it may take some time,” you allow. Hope creeps into the edges of your heart that you can reconcile with one Bridgerton, at least.

“It is just a shock that you kept it from me,” she sighs, finally admitting what upset her the most.

“I thought us terrible actors,” you giggle lightly, hoping humour will brighten your exchange.

A soft smile teases at the corner of her lips. “Are you suggesting I am not as sharp as I could be?” she jests gently.

“Heaven forfend!” you clutch your chest, feigning shock, then morphing into a smile you hope is an olive branch.

“I think perhaps you saw what you wanted or rather didn't want to see, daughter dearest,” Violet interjects mildly. “Because I can confirm they are both utterly terrible actors,” she chuckles.

You bite your lip and hang your head in an act of contrition that seems to amuse Eloise greatly. Her hesitant huff of humour is the best noise you could possibly hear.

“Friends?” you query tentatively, hopeful.

“Friends,” she pouts, crossing her arms. “But there is still much to make up…” she adds.

“Understood.”

With this fragile peace brokered, Violet links her arm in Eloise’s and yours, leading you both back down into the house with a declaration that tea, the ultimate British elixir, is needed.

—

Ten minutes later, you are gathered in the small glass conservatory, partaking in said refreshments. Other Bridgerton children—Colin, Francesa, and Gregory—likely drawn by the biscuit smell have also materialised. The gathering is a peaceful balm to a dramatic day. A large part of you still aches that Benedict fled, but you try to force it from your mind and concentrate on the fact that Eloise may be willing to forgive… with time.

Just as you stand to refill your teacup, however, the calm is shattered. Benedict charges into the room, flustered and breathless. He drops an envelope he is holding onto a side table and marches right up to you, stride purpose-filled, completely ignoring the rest of his family.

“There you are! I have been looking all over for you!” Relief palpable in his tone but still agitated and animated, grabbing your forearms. “Where on earth did you go?”

You splutter indignantly. “Where did I go?! Me? I think the more pertinent question is… where did you go?! You ran out of the room so fast!”

“I asked you to wait a moment,” he frowns.

“No, you didn't!” you state forthrightly.

He seems to falter, relinquishing his grip on your arms. “I… I didn't?”

“No…”

A look of doubt, then confusion, then finally understanding ripples over his face. “Oh…So you thought I… Oh…”

“Yes,” you reply quietly so the others gathered, who seem very invested now in your exchange, cannot hear. “I thought you walked out because of what I divulged.” Not wanting to go into detail with an audience.

“No! No!” he asserts candidly. “Nothing could be further from the truth!” His eyes soften as he realises what happened, looking genuinely contrite. “I am so sorry. I must’ve forgotten to say it out loud in my excitement.”

“Excitement!?” you are baffled. “You looked terrified!”

He grabs your hands this time, holding them in his, a look of earnest sincerity claiming his handsome features. “Yes, I was nervous and shocked that my mother knew and told you,” briefly glancing towards her over your shoulder. “But it spurred me to finally be brave enough to show you something. Something very important that I need your opinion on”

He lets go of your hands to grab the envelope from the table. With a nervous mien, he opens it and hands you a pile of photos. They are of an idyllic-looking country home surrounded by a pretty garden and countryside beyond. It looks so beautiful and instantly captures your imagination. For some strange reason, it already feels familiar to you.

“What do you think?” Benedict seems super nervous, shuffling his weight between his feet, apparently anxious for your answer.

“It's very pretty,” you opine neutrally, primarily confused. “I'm not sure why you are showing me, though?”

“I… I wanted to know if it was somewhere you could see yourself living?” he asks enigmatically with a small smile.

“Why?” you frown, unwilling to confess the truth - that you would live there in a heartbeat. It looks like the house you dreamed you would live in one day.

He takes a deep breath, seeming to steel himself. “Because… I would like to buy it. For you. Well, for us.”

There is no other word for it - you are floored. A loud buzzing sound is behind your ears, your knees feel oddly weak, and there is a tingle in your fingertips.

“For us?” you stutter, disbelieving.

You could hear a pin drop in the room. You can’t see them, but you know his family behind you likely have gaping mouths, especially Eloise.

“Yes, to live in. Together,” Benedict answers, that crooked smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “And if you are willing to live with me, well, then I also have another question for you…”

Your lungs feel afire, and your brain is short-circuiting—almost unable to surmount the shock. Entirely confounded as your heart pounds hard in your ribcage.

“A-A-And if I am, what is your other question?” you ask breathlessly.

You gasp as he falls to one knee before you, and you hear a collective ripple of shock behind you as he produces a little velvet box from his pocket.

“I wanted you to wait so I could also go and get this,” he explains, a slight shake in his hand as he holds it open—an engagement ring with sapphires and diamonds nestled within.

You can feel your eyes welling with tears as you gaze down upon him.

“Realising my mother knew the truth and accepted it was a wake-up call for me. I had to finally be brave and confess to you. We are already married, so some may think this pointless, but it is nothing less than you deserve: a proper, heartfelt, honest proposal.”

His free hand reaches and grabs yours, lacing your fingers together. It feels like the anchor you need to stay upright.

“Given the short time, it may seem reckless to others, but I do not care what anyone thinks but you. I know what my heart tells me, indeed, has told me from the moment we met—you are my home, my refuge, my present and my future. Y/n, I love you more than I ever thought possible. I would marry you a hundred times over, in whatever way you would have me. Please, please, will you be my wife?”

A sob escapes your lungs, and you fall to your knees with him, wanting to be at eye level.

“Yes, Benedict! A hundred times - yes!!!”

Your answer is rendered through watery tears as he breaks into a breathtaking grin and pulls you both to your feet. He gathers you into his arms and seals the pact with a lingering but chaste kiss. His eyes are misty, too, as your lips break apart and exchange smiles.

Behind you, his family erupts into whoops and applause as he pushes the ring onto your left finger, fitting snugly over your wedding band. You twist to see Eloise, a begrudging tear in her eye; a burden lightens in your heart as she nods towards you as if bestowing her tacit approval.

Join my taglist here | See my fic masterlist here

Benedict taglist: @makaylan @foreverlonginguniverse @iboopedyournose @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @benedictspaintbrush @miindfucked @sorryallonsy @lilithseve @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @truly-dionysus @fictionalmenloversblog @zinzysstuff @malpalgalz @panhoeofmanyfandoms @kinokomoonshine @causeimissu @delehosies @Mlovesbridgerton @m-rae23 @last-sheep @kmc1989 @desert-fern @starkeylover @corpseoftrees-queen @jeanfreau @magical-spit @bunnyweasley23 @how-many-stars-in-the-sky @amygdtjhddzvb @hanji-emo-blog @Huffelpuffforlife @0x1harmonia0x1 @sya-skies @balladynaaa

#benedict bridgerton fanfiction #benedict bridgerton #benedict bridgerton fluff #benedict bridgerton angst #benedict bridgerton imagine #bridgerton fanfiction #bridgerton #bridgerton fluff #bridgerton angst #bridgerton imagine #benedict bridgerton x reader #benedict bridgerton x female reader #benedict bridgerton x you #benedict bridgerton x y/n #bridgerton x reader #bridgerton x female reader #bridgerton x you #bridgerton x y/n

172 notes · View notes

crepes-suzette-373 · 5 months

Text

[Part 1]

The Totto Land plot in the "defective quadruplets AU" (explanation here). I had wanted to make it as drawings/comics, but it got very long, so this becomes a fanfic instead. Assume that everything before this point, and anything that I gloss over, happens exactly as it is in the original series.

*VS*VS*VS*VS*

Sanji blinked slowly at the high ceiling of the lab. His whole body hurt and his face stung to point of numbness. He barely registered the medics approaching, their shoes crunching on the debris scattered all over the broken floor tiles, and when the stern voice of his older sister rang out, it sounded like it was coming from worlds away through the throbbing in his head.

He let Reiju pull him up and lead him away. He never expected anything other than suffering and torment upon returning to this place called Germa, but there were moments, when he closed his eyes, that he thought he saw flashes of hope at the back of his mind.

Blink.

A child Niji was holding a dead rat in one hand and offering him a living rat with his other.

Blink.

Never mind the dead one, Niji would never touch living rats.

Blink.

Yonji was asking him if he ever tried making medicine instead of cooking. Wasn’t the only difference between them their tastes? Food is good, medicine is gross, but you have to mix stuff together to make them both.

Blink.

That’s can’t be. All Yonji ever wanted to do was beat up Sanji and call him weak.

Blink.

He was able to keep up with Ichiji in a swordsmanship bout. Ichiji still won at the end, but Sanji wasn’t immediately pummeled to the ground the moment the instructor said “begin”, and Ichiji even said he did okay.

Blink.

That had to be a dream. Ichiji had always been impossibly strong, and Sanji never stood a chance against him.

*VS*VS*VS*VS*

Reiju led him to her room, and applied a face mask that hurt like hell but fixed his appearance. Only temporarily, she’d said, and he barely listened to her half-heartedly scolding him for returning.

“Reiju,” he interrupted, “Tell me, were there ever times—you know, back then—when they weren’t so…so terrible?”

There was silence, and it was a moment before Reiju replied, simply, “Yes.”

Sanji sighed. “So it was real. I almost thought I’d dreamed that up,” he said flatly. He didn’t know what he was expecting to feel from the answer, but he still felt as hollow as before.

“They’re still like that, even now,” Reiju spoke again, “If it’s any consolation.”

It wasn’t. He was still trapped in a marriage he didn’t want, with the lives of everyone in Baratie and his very future as a cook dangling over certain doom by barely a thread. He thought of Zeff, the man whom he owed his life to. Sanji would rather endure a million beatings than allow the man, who was his father in all but blood, to die.

As if life hasn’t given him enough burden to carry, Luffy came bounding at the Germa’s cat carriage, grinning and cheerfully chattering away like usual. How Sanji wished it could be like all their previous adventures, where they could throw themselves at the enemy and fight to the very last spans of their lives. This time it was different, and no amount of desperate fighting could get them through it.

So Sanji hardened his emotions, to whatever extent it was capable of, and landed a kick on his captain. He echoed the horrid drivel that was drummed into his ears all day long, even as every word tasted like poison on his tongue, and rained flaming blows on Luffy, desperately willing the stubborn rubber man to leave. Every hit was like a blow to his own soul, and he was certain his heart shattered at the utter disgust Nami-san directed at him through her tear-filled eyes.

*VS*VS*VS*VS*

Multi coloured unwanted guests barged in on Sanji while he was preparing food for Pudding.

He said nothing and kept working, all the while anticipating the usual slew of mockery for his unroyal-like behaviour. None came, however, and the only sound came from utensils clattering and food sizzling and bubbling on the stove.

The silence made his chest tighten, and every few moments his eyes darted towards his three intruders, watching for any dangerous movements. There was still nothing. The trio had seated themselves at the small dining table in that kitchen, and were just sitting there doing nothing.

His hands began to tremble, unwittingly. He had to steady his right hand with his left to lift the pot of pasta from the burner. He drained the pasta and, as he stirred it into the sauce, he glanced back at the table. A shiver ran through his body when he saw that there was only two, now. Where did—

“I want that,” came a low voice from his other side.

“Gah!” Sanji screamed and nearly dropped his spatula.

Niji had made his way over unnoticed, and was pointing at the burger patties still cooking in the other pan. “I want two,” he spoke again.

Sanji stared. Niji stared back.

Completely bewildered, Sanji could only say, “It’s not done yet.”

“Then I want that,” Niji said, pointing at a plate of sandwiches to the side.

Still very confused, Sanji waved a “go ahead” gesture, and went back to finishing the pasta. Somehow that weird little interaction stopped his tremors and, even if he couldn’t say he was no longer tense, he was able to proceed without hiccups.

Moments later, the sandwiches were still untouched and Niji doesn’t seem to have even moved a muscle when Sanji returned from getting a plate of buns and lettuce for the burgers. Shaking his head, Sanji turned off the stove and lifted the pan of patties.

Niji looked over, then. “Is that done? I still want two,” he said. He glanced slightly at the buns and toppings on the other plate, and then added, “I don’t want the bread and green stuff. Or any gross sauce.”

“Yes, yes, now go away, you’re bothering me,” Sanji replied without thinking. His insides were already recoiling the moment the words left his mouth, and he waited for the angry expletives to come. He was surprised when Niji instead immediately returned to the table without another word and sat back down.

There was no time to dwell on it, though. He made a quick check of the roasting meat (still a little more to go), flipped the grilled fish, and then began arranging the burgers. The best one went into the bentou box. He put the lopsided ones on a plate and the remaining patties on another. After a moment’s consideration, he ladled a portion of curry in a saucier, and placed it on the plate of meat patties alongside condiments in little soufflé cups. He brought three sets of knives and forks alongside the plates to the table.

”Whatever happened to ‘royals shouldn’t cook’?” Sanji mumbled quietly to himself as he laid down the plates.

He was heading back towards the stove, when from behind him he heard Ichiji’s voice, “You already did the cooking. The food can’t be unmade.”

Sanji hadn’t been expecting a reply, and he instinctively directed his attention to the table again. Yonji was stuffing his face with the burgers and Niji quietly eating his meat patties—Sanji couldn’t help raising an eyebrow when he saw Niji had poured on the curry. Ichiji wasn’t eating, and he just sat there looking at Sanji with his arms crossed.

Why? Why why what why what…?

A dozen formless questions spun in Sanji’s head as he and Ichiji held eye contact. Then it became too much, and Sanji almost ran back to his cooking as though in escape.

In many ways it was. Cooking was his solace, and going through the motions helped his nerves settle back down, even with the gleaming gold around his wrists serving as a reminder that one of his last few comforts could be taken away from him any time.

In the middle of placing sandwiches in the bentou box, a thought made him pause: Niji hadn’t touched those for some reason. He glanced at the table, and saw that Niji had finished his portion and was just sitting idly again. Sanji looked down at the sandwich plate, then at the empty plate on the table, and it suddenly dawned on him that Niji didn’t take the sandwiches earlier because he had been waiting to be served like the stupid spoiled prince that he was.

Sanji could only huff. “I give up, this is crazy.”

*VS*VS*VS*VS*

It wasn’t until the bentou box was packed and ready that Sanji realized that what he had been making was the typical menu for the crew aboard the Sunny. Between the unwelcome presence of certain individuals—who all still haven’t left yet—and his jumbled emotions, he hadn’t been thinking as clearly as he should be while cooking. In fact, come to think of it, he probably hadn’t even been thinking at all, and was only moving out of pure instincts.

Even though he didn’t prepare the meat in a Luffy-sized portion, it was still way too much for someone like Pudding. As he was mulling over the food, Ichiji’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“By the way, Sanji, we don’t actually have hostages in the East Blue.”

“What?!”

He whirled around so fiercely he knocked over the bottle of wine. It fell back on the counter with a thud, and normally Sanji would’ve worried about it falling to the floor, but he paid it no mind.

“What do you mean there’s no hostage?” Sanji asked, his voice rising in a mix of hope, fear, and rage. “If this is a trick—”

“Our ships are all here; we don’t have anyone assigned to target that restaurant of yours,” Ichiji said, his voice flat and toneless as usual. “Big Mum’s crew gave us the picture and information and let us handle the rest. I do not believe they sent any ambush parties over themselves.”

“If you’re worried, do you want to give them a call?” Yonji asked, holding out a dendenmushi that had materialized from who knows where. His tone was light, and the corners of his mouth was turned in a slight smile as he spoke.

Sanji exploded.

“You’re telling me, now, that you’ve been making empty…you’ve been threatening me…and it was all nothing?!” The words came in a mad rush and he was stumbling and slurring over them in frothing rage. “You think this is funny, don’t you? Playing with people’s lives? Why are you even telling me this?”

He wanted to scream, to hit them, and he also wanted to cry. He thought of the cruel words and punches and the burning pain of electricity searing his body. Luffy’s expression burning determination, even with his bruised and battered body, and the haunting expression on Nami-san’s face. Everything he went through, everything he did…what was the point of it all?

“People die when they die,” Ichiji stated matter of factly, “All we needed was for the wedding to proceed as planned. You’re getting married tomorrow, so I don’t see any difficulties in telling you this.” He tilted his head a little, and then said, “I’m sure you’ve heard that your crew mates have been caught, yes? We might be able to negotiate to bring Cat Burglar Nami with us after the wedding. I’m sure having a familiar face around would make you feel more comfortable.”

“If you touch Nami-san I will rip you to shreds,” Sanji snarled. “I can’t believe this. You also threatened to kill all the hostages if I fought you. What was that about?”

“That’s your punishment. You kicked me for the sake of that kitchen girl.” It was Niji who responded this time. “As royalty, you can’t attack your big brother for the sake of that kind of lowly servant. If you want a match, I’ll take you anytime.”

“I stopped associating myself with this miserable lot ages ago.”

“But you are our brother,” says Yonji, who was idly poking at the dendenmushi on his hand, “What else would you be?”

Sanji gaped at Yonji like he was speaking gibberish. Then he cast his eyes towards the other two. There were none of the twisted smirks he’d seen on their faces the other day. All he saw were vague looks that seemed like on the border of forming expressions, but didn’t quite fully get there.

“What—what is wrong with you? With all of you? Why are you acting like this?” Sanji choked out. Their calm, matter of fact manner somehow deflated his rage. He almost would rather they berate and hit him again, because he could kick and fight and vent out all his feelings. This, though, only made him feel like he was losing his mind.

Three faces glanced at each other around the table, and then almost in unison they said, “This is just how we’ve always been.”

At those words, Sanji recalled in his memories the echoes of his own tiny voice asking the same question, “Why are you like this?”

“This is just how we are,” three equally tiny voices gave the same answer.

There was a vision at the back of his mind, then, of a view framed by the metal of an iron mask, and three pairs of little eyes peering at him through bars of steel. The same three pairs that were directed at him, in the present, except on the faces of grown men.

Wait… eyes?

Sanji blinked. He didn’t know how it never registered until then that Ichiji and Niji weren’t wearing their dark glasses and goggles. He also hadn’t noticed before that their hair were different, too. Ichiji’s wasn’t sticking up like a chicken’s comb, but loose and relaxed, and he thought it looked a little like Reiju’s hair. Niji’s hair was also not in that…whatever that weird style he usually wore, which Sanji had mentally dubbed “the banana”, but draping down his face like waterfalls. Yonji’s hair doesn’t have that little tail at the back of his head that looked like a duck’s butt.

What could this possibly mean—? No, that’s not important. He could puzzle over this later. He had to find Pudding immediately.

This whole time, with the looming threat on Baratie, there was nothing he could do besides let himself be dragged around and placate Big Mum enough to plead her for mercy. Now that he knew Baratie was safe, he could save Nami-san and Luffy. Pudding had helped them get in; surely she could also help them get back out.

With the explosive bracelets still on, Sanji himself still had no chance of leaving. Besides, after what he’d done he didn’t deserve to return to the Sunny. The least he could do to atone for it was to get all the Mugiwara crew out of there safely.

This was no time for flowers and wine, but Sanji still grabbed the food before rushing out. He had prepared that bentou to make up for the dinner Pudding had missed, after all. She could always have it later. The portions… no time to worry about that too.

He sprinted through the chateau, all the while somehow trying to keep the food from being jostled too much. However, when he made it to Pudding’s room, the stupid talking door would not let him in, saying that Pudding was busy.

Busy? Busy with what? With who?

For a moment, Sanji felt a little fear creep into his heart and considered returning later. If one or more of Big Mum’s other children was inside… No, he had every right to be there, as the bridegroom. He could always say he wanted to discuss the wedding, or… other private matters. His mind wandered a little at the thought, but he shook himself out of it. More important matters are at hand.

Pudding’s room had a window overlooking the balcony. He could take a quick look inside to see what’s going on inside before deciding what to do next. As he got closer, he heard laughter. His heart lightened a little. It doesn’t seem like she was busy with something too serious. Maybe he could get her to let him in through the window—

It was then that Sanji discovered that the girl he thought to be his single source of hope in this whole ordeal was, in truth, poison coated in deceivingly sweet layers of custard.

*VS*VS*VS*VS*

He visited Reiju in the infirmary, after making sure to immobilize the guard outside. He told her, with his head held in his hands, about what he’d overheard Pudding say. In turn she revealed to him his bracelets were fake, and told him to flee immediately.

“It’s truly a pity for our brothers, but at this point, death would be more merciful than this sad excuse of a life they’ve been living,” Reiju said.

“What do you mean?” Sanji asked.

“Remember what you asked me before, if they ever act unusual sometimes?”

“Yes,” he replied, immediately straightening up. That had slipped his mind in the confusion. “Actually, I just saw them act weird again. They… they told me Baratie is not in danger.” As he talked more and more words rushed out, “… Ichiji’s not wearing his sunglasses. Niji too. And he wanted food. And they didn’t call it rat fodder…”

Reiju smiled sadly, listening to him ramble.

“I don’t know if you remember,” she interrupted, her voice soft, “Every once in a while you managed to keep up just a bit better…”

“I do!” Sanji almost shouted, “I think… I thought… I thought they weren’t terrible to me if I can do well, and I tried so hard, and…”

The memories that he thought he’d forgotten floated back to the surface. Now that he spoke it out loud, he did vaguely recall that those three were ‘different’ on the days that he thought he didn’t fall so far behind. He remembered the flash of memory from the day before, of successfully putting up a proper fight in swordsmanship class. He was beginning to remember other moments too, like occasionally tying with Niji or Yonji during track running.

“…but it wasn’t ever good enough in the end,” he said, looking at Reiju. “And that wasn’t even why they’re like that, was it?”

His older sister then told him the story of their mother, how she fought Vinsmoke Judge over his insane plans, and how she took a drug concoction that destroyed her body in desperate attempt to save her children.

“The drug she took took effect on all of you, but only you were born as a regular human being,” Reiju said. “Those three… On those days that they changed, it’s not that you did better, it’s because they’re the ones who lost their abilities.”

“Lost their abilities?" he echoed. "What do you mean? How?”

“I don’t know. Their enhancements would just regularly come and go without warning. In the end, they weren’t the perfect war machines that father wanted, but they weren’t regular humans either. Those brief moments were probably the closest thing to ‘normal’ they could ever be.” Reiju sighed. “As I said, Sanji, death would be more merciful to them. Living this kind of halfway existence is not really living. Escape and let Germa be destroyed. It’s the only thing we deserve.”

*VS*VS*VS*VS*

Sanji left the infirmary with his mind in a fog. When Yonji showed him the manufactured Germa soldiers, he had been sick to the core, but never in his imaginations did he expect Judge to be so… so insane as to do that to his own wife and unborn children. Had it not been for mother’s sacrifice, Sanji himself might have been…no, even with what mother did, if anything had gone differently, it might have been Ichiji or Niji or Yonji in his place. Sanji would have been on the side doing the tormenting, then, and he’d never have been any the wiser.

What a horrible thought.

The blond slumped to the floor. Those three… He had always thought of them inhuman monsters, and knowing that he’d been mostly right didn’t give him any satisfaction. They didn’t become like that willingly, did they? Something had been ripped out of them before they were even fully conscious, and they could only live on with whatever mangled mess of their hearts that were left.

“This is just how we are”, they had said. That really had been the truth, after all. In all these time he’d been half convinced that he had dreamed up those moments were they were decent, or if they’d been pulling a trick him, but no—it was truly their nature, and he didn’t know if it was possible for them to be any different.

Ever since he was hauled away from Zou, he despised the constant reminder he faced that he still had blood ties to the Vinsmoke family. It made him feel like he was smothered in thick sludge, weighed down and dirty at the same time. That interaction earlier, though, in the kitchen... It had been truly bizarre, but he had to admit—it wasn’t all bad.

Ichiji revealed the truth about the Baratie and they offered to let him call the restaurant. His heart lurched. Were they… trying to make him feel better? Niji and Yonji called him brother, too, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. There was no mocking, no berating—it just was.

Sanji didn’t dare hope—tried to force himself not to think—because he knew it would only hurt all the more, but he couldn’t stop that little voice inside that told him maybe they were trying to be his family, in the only way they knew how. Perhaps the faintest glimpse of what might have been, if life was much kinder to all of them.

He pulled at his hair. Maybe Reiju did have a point, that death would be mercy compared to this kind of warped state of living. Besides, even if he wanted to do anything about Big Mum’s plot, there was nothing he could do.

A lumpy looking individual came waddling by just then and snatched a piece of meat from his food basket. In a flash he remembered Luffy declaring he would starve to death if Sanji doesn’t return to feed him.

That stubborn rubber man always meant every word he said.

Sanji kicked away the greedy lump, took back the meat, and fled the scene.

Making sure all of the crew made it out of there safely was what he’d initially set out to do after all. First, he needed to find Luffy. Then, feed Luffy. After that, the Mugiwara captain could probably manage on his own. Sanji would deal with whatever were to follow as they came.

[to be continued]

*VS*VS*VS*VS*

It's my first attempt at writing something that is a little longer. I hope you enjoy.

#one piece #my writing #botched vs au #vinsmoke family #vinsmoke brothers #vinsmoke #vinsmoke siblings #ichiji #niji #yonji #vinsmoke ichiji #vinsmoke niji #vinsmoke yonji #sanji #vinsmoke sanji #black leg sanji #germa 66

255 notes · View notes

stayxlix · 6 months

Note

Ok ok so feel free to bend and change this request to your liking. I been asking some of my favorite writers to try this request to see what they can come up with and I’m excited to see what you can do with this.

I was wondering if I can request a Felix story. Where y/n is dating hyunjin felix best friend and Felix at the beginning feels really guilty for liking her so much and always thinking about her. And one time when hyunjin leaves the reader and Felix alone, Felix snaps and kisses her which kinda freaks her out so he has no choice but to kidnap her because of his own jealousy and want. It’s a yandere type of story. If you don’t feel comfortable writing something that I request you can totally bend the story to your liking to feel more comfortable. Thank you ❤️

a/n: hiii<33 here it is FINALLY!!! i have to admit a yandere concept is something i had never thought about writing myself but im so happy you requested this type of concept because stepping out of my comfort zone is something i really enjoy, and i did take your input to shape the story in a way that felt comfortable for me.<3 im so thankful that you chose to trust me with your request, and that you consider me one of your favorite writers.🤗💕i really hope it lives up to expectations.🤭 (also i apologize in advance for the abrupt ending, that is the part i struggled with most so please forgive me for the massive cliffhanger🥹).

wc: 3.8k

pairing: yandere!felix x reader (f), hyunjin x reader (f)

warnings: yandere themes, obsessive behavior, stalking, manipulation, male masturbation, 18+ **minors do not interact**, please lmk if i missed any!!

The moment you stepped into Felix's life, it was as if a match had been struck in a dry forest, setting off a wildfire of emotions. From the very first time he’d laid eyes on you, Felix felt the heat of that blaze ripping through his soul. And if only you had taken the time to look—really look—into those deceptively innocent brown eyes, you might just have been able to see the flames raging behind them before it was too late.

Felix was a good friend. A loyal friend.

As a result of his tendency to put his friends first, he often found himself dragged into situations he had no desire to be a part of.

And tonight was no exception.

Tucked away in a corner underneath the dim, multi-colored lights of a crowded party, Felix stood nursing a half-empty cup of stale beer that had long lost its appeal. Boredom gnawed at him, urging him to leave, yet he lingered. His eyes darted to the entrance every so often with the desperate hope that Hyunjin—the sole reason he had even chosen to attend the party at all—would be next to walk through.

But as the minutes dragged on without any sign of his best friend, Felix's frustration grew. The obnoxious music was far too loud, the alcohol not nearly strong enough to dull the disappointment of the evening, so Felix huffed out a sigh as he reached for his phone. Bypassing his earlier unanswered messages to Hyunjin, he typed out one final message to let his best friend know that he was calling it a night and would meet him back at their shared apartment.

After pressing send and shoving his phone back into his pocket, Felix pushed off the wall. Tossing the cup into the nearest trash, he turned toward the exit. But before he could take a single step further, before his foot had even hit the ground, he was gripped by a sudden shift in the atmosphere—a change that swept through the room. Through Felix.

The door swung open and in the split second that followed, the party around him was dulled into nothing but a distant hum. To say that Felix was captivated by the figure that walked through the door would have been an incredible understatement.

Unable to look away, a shallow breath caught in his throat as his gaze traced the contours of the stranger’s body— of your body—the way the dress clung to your figure underneath the soft tangerine glow of the flickering party lights. The way long slits in the black material revealed teasing glimpses of your silhouette in the most enticing way.

You stepped further into the room, and it was almost as if an unseen force had guided your focus toward Felix, too. Because as your eyes swept over the chaos of the party, they effortlessly bypassed the rest of the crowd and landed directly on his.

A shy smile tugged at the corners of your lips as you caught the intensity of his stare, yet the glint in your eyes hinted at something far less innocent. And it was right then and there that Felix decided that he had to know you, to feel you—taste you. In every possible way.

Driven by some unexplainable primal desire, his feet began to move of their own accord. He shouldered through the crowd, anticipation electrifying the air around him as he took a step closer to you. One step closer, and then another and—

Then Hyunjin walked in behind you.

In such a cruel twist of fate, Hyunjin followed you through that door. And with the confidence that only Hyunjin could exude, his arm casually slipped around your shoulders, claiming you as his own.

Felix's stride faltered as he came to a sudden stop. His heart plummeted, a heavy weight settling in its place as he watched you turn to Hyunjin. Your smile grew, blossoming into a radiant expression that drove a dagger straight through his chest.

Laughter cut through the air like shards of glass as he registered the uncomfortable press of sweaty bodies that danced too close. The rhythm of the music throbbed louder than ever in his temples, its bass pounding a relentless echo in his chest that only amplified the emptiness he felt as he watched from across the crowd as Hyunjin leaned in to whisper something to your ear. Something meant for only you to hear.

You turned your head and planted a brief, affectionate kiss on Hyunjin's lips in response, and the single dagger in Felix's heart was replaced by a thousand.

When Hyunjin glanced up from the kiss, his eyes immediately found Felix lingering in the crowd. Warmth spread across his face as the familiar smile he reserved for his best friend lit up the room.

Felix lifted his hand in a single wave—an attempt to appear casual and completely unaffected by the way your fingers seamlessly intertwined with Hyunjin's as the older boy began to lead you over.

The space between you was reduced to less than a foot—thanks to the pressing crowd—and in that close proximity, Felix found himself engulfed by the subtle scent of your perfume. Its sweetness was reminiscent of a warm summer evening, enticing his senses just enough to leave him wanting more.

After apologizing for his dead phone battery, Hyunjin strained to introduce you over the music. Every syllable of your name echoed through Felix’s mind, and as Hyunjin went on to recount the story of how the two of you had met, his voice became nothing more than a distant murmur. Quite frankly, Felix didn’t really care how Hyunjin had been fortunate enough to know you first. So he tuned out his best friend and dedicated the entirety of his focus to stealing glances in your direction, struggling to keep his gaze from lingering too long. And Felix decided that not only were you stunning, but your aura, too, was nothing short of magnetic. Confidence radiated from you in a way that was just as intoxicating as the sweetness of your fragrance. Your eyes, however, refused to leave Hyunjin. And Felix couldn't help but wonder what he would have to do to capture your attention like that.

But Felix was a good friend.

So like any good friend would, he pushed away the thought. He clenched his fist and drew in a steadying breath. With significant effort, he plastered a smile across his face—one that didn't quite reach his eyes—and turned to his best friend. "I was actually on my way out," he said. "Not feeling well, sorry mate.”

Hyunjin frowned at the interruption. His eyes glazed over with worry as he studied Felix’s face before reaching over to offer him a reassuring pat on the back. "Sure, man,” he said. “Take care. See you back home.” And Felix didn’t need to wonder why Hyunjin didn’t push him any further to stay. If he were in Hyunjin’s shoes, he would’ve don’t the very same thing—if only for the opportunity to have you all to himself.

Felix almost regretted his decision to leave when you stepped forward and met his eyes for the second time that night, your delicate features softening in a way that made his knees weak.

"Nice meeting you, Felix.”

Fuck.

The way your voice wrapped around his name, the way it rolled off your tongue had his cock straining in his already too-tight pants.

“Hope you feel better,” you added, with a smile so saccharine it had Felix feeling far more intoxicated than any amount of alcohol ever could.

Somehow, he managed a weak nod in your direction before dropping his gaze and hurriedly making his way to the door. His heart hammered in his chest like a desperate plea, urging him to stay and grasp at the fragile thread of hope he’d felt when he first laid eyes on you.

But Felix was a good friend.

And so he fought the urge to look back as he stepped outside. The night air wrapped around him, cool against his skin, but the fire inside him burned brighter than ever as you stoked the flames in his mind.

—

Upon returning to their shared apartment, Felix found no respite in the solitude of his room. He tossed and turned in the darkness, putting every ounce of effort he had into forcing thoughts of you from his mind.

The rational part of him recognized the boundaries, the loyalty owed to Hyunjin..And he tried—he really did. Even as his hand crept down to palm the growing bulge in his boxers, he knew it was wrong. But his fingers betrayed the internal conflict, slipping beneath his waistband to wrap around the base of his pulsing cock. His eyes screwed shut as he tugged slowly, picturing how your lips would look wrapped around it—how your mouth would feel, how your eyes would look shimmering with tears when you choked on it. He edged himself, because Felix liked to mix pleasure with pain. And just as he was finally about to grant himself the release he so desperately craved, Felix was yanked back to reality by the soft thud of the front door closing.

Hushed whispers began to fill the silent space on the other side of his bedroom door. Felix immediately recognized his best friend’s voice, accompanied by—

Yours.

Felix stilled with his hand still wrapped around his cock. He listened to the shuffling of footsteps, hushed laughter, and then, the decisive click of Hyunjin's bedroom door closing—and locking.

His thoughts immediately went to the possibilities playing out on the other side of the shared wall. And it didn’t take long before sounds of pleasure filled the air, growing into filthy sounds of skin slapping on skin. Felix couldn't believe his ears as the sweetest moans he’d ever heard began to seep through the cracks in the wall. Moans coming from your mouth as you were getting fucked by his best friend. Your voice rose, spewing Hyunjin’s name like some prayer, and Felix was certain he had never been this hard in his entire fucking life. Panting, his eyes screwed shut and suddenly he was pumping his cock again two—three more times until he heard you shout, “F-fuck Hyunjin I’m cumming!” and Felix came with you. The hardest he ever had, thick ropes of white shooting across his abdomen.

After he’d finished and was thoroughly disgusted with himself, Felix lie there hoping that he wouldn’t have to interact with you in the morning. That you would be gone before the sun rose—following the pattern of those before you who had occupied Hyunjin's world for a single night. Although Felix was positive he would never find anyone quite like you, he could get over you—he would force himself to get over you, because of the unwavering loyalty he held for his best friend who had been by his side for as long as he could remember.

Felix didn't even know you. And so, it should be easy enough to forget you, he thought.

Straightforward.

Already done.

Except for the fact that it wasn’t. Because as the weeks unfolded, it became painfully clear that your presence in Hyunjin's life—and thus, in Felix's life—would become far more profound than any fleeting one night stand.

In the beginning, Felix had done a decent job at maintaining his distance. But the more time he spent around you, the harder it became to contain whatever it was that was burning inside of him. And it certainly didn’t help that Hyunjin insisted on weaving you into their lives. Inviting you to their late-night movie marathons, welcoming you to their favorite hangout spots, ensuring that you were always included in their plans. Felix found himself torn between the agony of watching you grow closer to his best friend and the sheer ecstasy of having you near.

Naturally, Hyunjin remained blissfully unaware of the effect you had on Felix, too wrapped up in you himself. But Felix was a good friend, determined to ensure that his commitment to his friendship would prevail. And he couldn’t deny the happiness you brought into his best friend's life. He had never seen Hyunjin so content—his expressions more animated, his laughter more genuine, his smiles more frequent than ever before. So Felix gritted his teeth and buried his attraction beneath layers of forced indifference. He put on thoughtful expressions when you spoke, despite the fact that the only thing he could think about was slipping his aching length between your legs. He smiled at you, and pretended like his cock wasn’t raw from how he abused it every night while scrolling through candid pictures of you he'd snapped without your permission. He went out of his way to make you feel comfortable, when all he wanted was for someone to make you cry so that he could be the one to wipe your tears.

Like a seasoned performer, as the months slipped by Felix became adept at masking the flames of longing and desire that raged beneath the surface. He became good at it..Until late one afternoon, in the quiet expanse of the library’s upper floor, when Felix came across you as he was heading home for the day. Your nose was buried in a heavy book, brow furrowed in concentration. And as Felix stood there, captivated by the sight of the setting sun's golden rays delicately brushing across your features, he etched the moment into the corridors of his memory, preserving it for...later reflection. You lifted your head, meeting his eyes like you had the very first night you'd met, and suddenly Felix wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to keep up the act. There was a brief pause from both of you—a silent acknowledgment of Hyunjin’s absence—before you graced Felix with a small wave.

Praying that his eagerness remained hidden, Felix made his way toward you. "Need some help?" he asked, his deep voice carrying a gentle undertone that eased some of the tension in your shoulders. You had always been comfortable with Felix, and he had always known it.

You sighed with exasperation, and it took everything for Felix not to let his gaze linger on your lips—soft and inviting, and a little swollen, as if you had been biting them in contemplation. “I’ve been at this for hours and normally Hyunjin helps me with this stuff, but he's been swamped with rehearsals lately,” you said.

Felix, suppressing the swirl of emotions triggered by the novelty of being alone with you, mustered a warm smile with sincerity that he made sure was reflected his eyes. "Is there anything I can help with?"

—

After the study session, Felix insisted that he walk you home—it was late, dark, and he genuinely cared about your safety amidst the unpredictable nighttime campus atmosphere. After all, what kind of friend would he be to Hyunjin if he let something happen to you? The conversation between you flowed effortlessly as it always did, and when you reached your doorstep you turned to him with a grateful smile, your eyes reflecting the trust that had blossomed between you over time. "Thank you, Lixie,” you said. The affection in your tone resonated like a soothing melody, and Felix couldn't help but revel in the nickname he had grown so fond of. "I really appreciate your help tonight," you added.

Felix returned your smile. "Anytime," he replied, "I'm just a text away if you need anything. Have a good night."

In the days that followed your meeting in the library, a seemingly natural rhythm developed between you and Felix. After discreetly familiarizing himself with your schedule and study habits, Felix began to strategically position himself in the library. He made sure to be there during those moments when you studied while patiently waiting for Hyunjin to conclude his dance practice.

Felix spent those precious hours focused entirely on you. He marveled at the way your eyes lit up with understanding, the soft sighs of relief when a difficult concept finally clicked. And he couldn't help but wonder whether your conversations held the same weight for you as they did for him. He wondered if you shared the details of your time spent together with Hyunjin. Or if perhaps, like Felix, you wanted to keep those shared moments a secret.

A substantial pang of guilt gripped Felix's chest whenever he thought about it..But Hyunjin never mentioned anything—the routine of their friendship continued without interruption—and with time, the guilt dwindled. Fading into insignificance until it was hardly there at all.

Before he knew it, every innocent interaction between the two of you had become a significant event in his mind. Every stolen moment with you fueled his desire, long after Felix stopped trying to convince himself that what he felt was wrong. A friendly hug became an embrace laden with unspoken emotions. A playful nudge became a secret message, a whispered promise of something more. He couldn't see the truth anymore—couldn't separate reality from the distorted perceptions in his mind. He would lose himself to fantasies where he'd confess his love and you would respond by affirming that you felt the same. And Hyunjin would support the two of you—understanding and encouraging the connection between you and Felix—because Hyunjin was a good friend too.

Unfortunately, you were so madly in love with Hyunjin that you hadn’t noticed how the behavior of his roommate was a little..off.

That particular evening, Hyunjin hadn’t planned on running late when he told you meet him at their apartment for your anniversary. When you texted him to let him know that you were there, he’d responded with a simple message:

Practice went late again I'm sorry, baby. Lix is there, he'll let you in. Call you when I'm outside, I'm taking you to dinner. Love u.

Your eyes, fixed on your phone screen, met Felix’s only briefly when he opened the door. As you stepped past him your thoughts remained focused solely on Hyunjin and how excited you were to see him. To be in his arms, to kiss him and exchange the details of your day. “Thanks, Lixie," you said, voice trailing as you made your way toward Hyunjin's room.

But you paused in front of Felix's room on the way, curiosity piqued by the soft lavender glow escaping from the cracked door. Drawn in by your favorite color, you ventured further inside, tossing your phone and purse onto the bed as you had done numerous times before. You found Felix's new computer setup, adorned with the vibrant purple lights that cast a mesmerizing aura throughout the room. The hum of the powerful machine filled the air, accompanied by a song from your favorite band. Your ears caught the familiar melody, though you didn't fully process the significance of it. You hummed casually, not realizing that Felix had intentionally picked the track just for you. The entire setup spoke volumes about Felix's passion for technology and his very, very meticulous attention to detail.

Your fingers traced the sleek edges of the keyboard, and Felix couldn’t help but notice the way your skirt rode up when you bent over to get a closer look. He ran his tongue along his bottom lip as his eyes devoured the curve of your ass. “Check out the cable management at the back. Its nerdy, but I've spent quite some time making sure its all organized,” he said, knowing damn well that you would need to bend over further to see it. Which is exactly what you did, allowing Felix catch a full glimpse of the red lacy panties you had on underneath your skirt.

Fuck.

His favorite color. Had you worn them for him? Did Hyunjin even know you were coming over tonight?

Every question he’d ever had about your intentions swirled in his mind until Felix knew that he couldn't let uncertainty linger any longer.

When you stood and turned around, his lips were on yours.

Cherry flavored lip gloss, just like the one he had swiped from your purse last week in the library. For a split second, your lips pressed ever so slightly harder against his before you pulled back, covering your mouth with a hand. Your eyes went wide with shock. "Lixie...We’re friends..” you whispered. “We’re friends”, you repeated, a little firmer this time.

Abruptly, your eyes darted to your illuminated phone screen on the bed. Following your gaze, Felix observed the caller ID, and he had never felt more like a fool. The stark reality hit him with unforgiving force as he witnessed the love mirrored in your eyes when you stared down at the glowing image of Hyunjin. He saw the depth of your very real feelings for his best friend, and how he had misinterpreted everything.

But Felix was so far gone that when you reached for your phone, his hands moved of their own accord, pushing it off the bed and sending it clattering to the floor. “Felix..” you whispered. But another impulse had him kicking your phone underneath the door—the door you hadn't realized he had closed behind you when you’d entered the room.

“Don't answer that,” he muttered, his own eyes wide with desperation. “Just...Just listen, please just let me explain," he begged, shifting in front of the closed door and reaching behind to lock it.

The shock in your expression mirrored the terror of a creature caught in the midst of an uncontrollable forest fire. And Felix felt creeping panic begin to take hold within him because this isn't how it was supposed to happen. You weren't supposed to be looking at him like that. Desperation clawed at his throat, his heart pounded in his chest, "I can explain," he pleaded. The taste of your lips lingered on his, a bittersweet reminder of his impulsive action. He observed the subtle tremor in your hands, a sign of your unease. He felt the hurt in your eyes—a hurt he had caused. And he knew that he had to fix this.

He just needed more time.

“Felix, what are you doing?" you whispered as he took a step toward you. Your eyes darted toward the door, his fingers brushed the fabric of your sleeve, and the raging inferno within Felix exploded. The crackling heat seared through his veins and—

The distant click of the front door closing echoed from the hallway.

And the realization hit Felix like a sudden downpour—What kind of friend would he be if he let Hyunjin find out what he’d done?

#yandere felix #yandere lee felix #stray kids yandere #skz yandere #yandere skz #felix smut #skz smut #felix x reader #skz x reader

301 notes · View notes

quiwilove · 5 months

Text

Like a Tattoo - Prologue

Pairing: Neteyam te Suli Tsyeyk'itan x Omatikaya!Reader.

Synopsis: Neteyam’s backstory.

Genre: Angst.

Warnings: Depiction of violence, Mentions of blood, Death, War, Arranged betrothal, Grief, ED, Nightmares. MDNI.

Word-count: 3.1k

Author’s note: This will be a multi-chapter series and I thing having a backstory gives the readers(you!) a better understanding of the characters. If you don’t want to read the prologue it’s totally fine! Also this is my first time publishing a work of mine on tumblr, so be patient with me, please! Write to me if you have any suggestions or advice regarding the story.

Combatants

- At the age of fifteen he had already learned silence.

It was his fourth time at a raid. Everything was planned, calculated to the very last drop.

Jake Sully, the great Olo'eyktan and his father, had stayed till late hours perfecting the plan of their raid. The tent in which they were staying was mostly used for gatherings of all the skilled warriors within the clan including Toruk Makto. The meetings consisted of strategic planning of their upcoming attacks, they would draw on a makeshift map of the area that surrounded the tracks made by their oppressors. The tent was large enough to hold a dozen, it had a lengthy table in the middle making the space feel confined. Air felt thick, hard to breathe in.

Jake Sully had his hands pressed against the rough wood, eyebrows furrowed and eyes searching for an answer that could not be seen. Neteyam wondered if his father’s muscles were always so tense, almost as if they were about to snap.

“The RDA has taken a huge blow on their equipment. They won’t be willing to sacrifice more. I presume they’ll bring reinforcement, Sir.”

“That’s for sure, the question is from where they will hit us.” Toruk Makto’s hand went to trace over the previously drawn lines of the movement they were planning. Ink smudged beneath his fingertips slightly staining them with black. Everyone had left the gathering hours ago, pleased with their work. But to Jake it felt like nothing was finished, nothing felt right.

“It could be from anywhere, Sir. We should be prepared for the worse. Gathering a larger group of warriors on the ground would be our best option.” Neteyam felt confident in his answer, or rather tried to.

“Why so?”

“It would be easier for us to not be seen. Sky people have a pattern to their attacks. They have no ground force, only air force, so-” His fingers traced next to the lining of the tracks on the map. “-if we move here where the trees keep us cover. We would have a greater plane to move across, they wouldn’t know where to hit.” Neteyam’s eyes glanced up to his father’s, searching for validation. But Jake Sully’s face remained stoic thinking over what his son stated.

“Spotters will still be vital for us but only a few are necessary. The less we are seen in the sky the better.” He continued. His father hadn’t uttered a word. The tent's walls painfully closed around, making it hard to inhale. The confidence he once felt had drained from him. An apology for his futile comment was about to slip off his tongue as he took his last sharp breath.

“Come on, we’ll need to get a good night’s sleep.” He patted his son’s shoulder and walked out of the tent. Yes, sir, it was a whisper, almost like he had said it to himself. He leaned against the table folding the scruffy piece of paper, placing it where all the other maps and plans were situated. They smelled like poison. Once you touch them you would be marked with the blood of the ones that died during the raids. You would be part of the reason for their death.

The fifteen-year-old tried to wholly blame their invaders, the men who shot their bullets at them. But after the names of the warriors who laid deceased on the battlefield were announced, guilt consumed his mind. The blood on his hands couldn’t be washed.

Morning had come. Everyone rushed from place to place picking up weapons. Their faces were painted in different colours, masking their fear. No one was sure whether they would live throughout the day. It was a gamble, each of their raids was a gamble with death. All members of the gatherings knew of this - an unspoken truth. A truth that was too hard to swallow. Felt taboo to even think about it, so it was never spoken of aloud.

The young boy’s footsteps matched the ones of all the skilled warriors, the sense of confidence radiating off of them - they were fast and controlled, each step very well calculated. He was marching off to the tent that had been occupied by him and his father many hours ago, knowing that Jake Sully would be there. He needed to apologize for his previous outburst. He felt compunction clawing at him, he needed to learn to be silent - to keep all fruitless comments to himself. Neteyam was consumed by his own thoughts, each yell or noise was blurred only making a slight vibration passing through his skin. Then he heard it. Her voice.

“Neteyam, yawne!” The voice of his soon-to-be mate. She jogged through the crowd, a smile on her plump lips. Her face was decorated with warrior's paint complimenting her seraphic features. Her eyes were big, having so much life in them.

“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with Kiri and Mo’at helping them?” His eyes narrowed.

“I won’t be needed there.” She took his larger hands into her own, squeezing them lightly. The smile on her face remained. ”I’ll be joining you, fighting with you.”

The scowl plastered across his face deepened. A sudden premonition came over him. He had been terrified of the thought of other na’vi, unknown to him putting their life on the line. But his future mate? He could not let such a thing happen. The mere idea of losing her left him petrified.

“No. You won’t be. You’ll be staying with Mo’at, where I know you’ll be safe.” The Olo'eyktan’s son tried to keep his voice soft.

“Your father told me I can come.” Her hands moved up to his shoulders then to his face, gently caressing his freckled skin. ”I am a warrior, Neteyam. I know how to keep myself safe and… I have you to protect me.” His gaze softened, grasping her hands in his rough ones. ‘How could my father permit such a delicate girl on the filthy field?’ He thought displeased.

Neteyam and Syay had met a year ago, not by fate but their parents. Her family being a respected household in the clan, it was no wonder they would soon cross paths. At first their interactions were forced, neither of them wanted to be betrothed to the other but they knew this was their duty. They had to get along for the clan, for the people. Months went by and the hours they spent together seemed less painful and felt less like a chore.

“Promise me you will stay by my side at all times.” It was a demand. Leaning forward Syay touched her forehead to his. She could sensor the cold sweat clinging to the boy’s skin, his muscles taut

“I will, yawne.”

The brown cloth that was used as an entry was moved to the side revealing several combatants gathered around his father. On the table beneath their palms was placed the worn out map. Their gazes shot like arrows in his way, ready to pierce through the thickest flesh. Agitation was written on their faces, mortality blooming under their skin. Toruk Makto had gathered them once again due to his own fear of failure. The Olo'eyktan was the last to pick up his head.

Neteyam’s posture was awkward, out of place, his fingers still gripping the cloth. Their predatorily stare made him feel weak as If he were to be hunted. Cautiously he took a step forward, the tent’s entrance sliding closed, then a few more steps until he was at the base of the table.

“Sir, may I speak with you?” The young boy spoke with pseudo confidence, all eyes on him but his own bore through his father’s.

“Go on.”

“Privately, if possible.”

Jake Sully dismissed his comrades with a hand gesture. They all exited the tent without questioning. Authority radiated off his father. A thing he admired about him. He often wished to be more like his father - a true leader with no fear.

“I-I want to apologize for yesterday. I was creating some stupid war plan in my head and I thought it sounded smart but after saying it out loud, it lost all sense. I should have-” He was quickly cut off by his father.

“No, you are too quick to blame yourself. You are still learning Neteyam, yes but what you stated previously was quite an idea.” He licked his chapped lips, pausing for a moment “I talked with the other warriors about it. Perhaps you were right about their lack of ground force. What I am saying is that we’ll try out your plan. With that you need to know that you and some of my men will be the only spotters.”

The boy’s yellow eyes widened at the thought. Recognised by Jake, validated. He was proud of himself. The embarrassment he had felt was draining from him but then he remembered. ‘What about Syay?’ His mind raced.

“Father, Syay told me she will be coming with us. She will be with me, a spotter, right?” He leaned over the table with his hands on the edge. The size of the wooden surface seemed to shorten as his father remained silent.

“Look, Syay’s father will be on the ground and she will be with him. We both know he is capable of keeping his own daughter safe so you shouldn’t worry.” Neteyam did the opposite. He began to worry. Even if the best known soldier to Pandora was with his beloved, he would still fear for her wellbeing. He needed her to be next to him, eyes to be locked on her. The boy was painfully aware that on the ground death was promised and mercy was granted to the strongest.

“I want her with me. Switch her with one of your men, the sky is safer and you can easily dodge bullets. I can’t allow her to get hurt. Please understand me, Sir.”

Jake Sully shook his head. Contemplating whether his decision will be fatal later on. He knew his son was responsible but still a child.

“It will be for the best this way. It’s too late to change plans.” Jake spoke and hoped his boy would accept this and move on.

“Sir, I can protect her, she'll be better off with me.”

“No.”

“I won’t let her out of my sight!” The young na’vi was beginning to bargain. Desperate to be with his Syay.

“Neteyam.”

“Father, please…” There was a pregnant pause.

“A-a-a-h, you must take full responsibility. No playing around, understand me?”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir!” Neteyam let out a small sigh of relief, a breath that was caught up in him from the first steps he took into the tent.

“Now get outta my face.” With that the child warrior left the tent almost too quickly and eagerly.

Ikrans soar through the sky as their riders inspect the air nervously. Before take off all na’vi gathered listening to the words spoken from their mighty Olo’eyktan. His words were like a soothing song to the mothers, wives and children. The ones afraid their family would not return this moon. Neytiri, Jake’s mate and Neteyam’s mother was there, standing close, cradling her youngest in her arms. Prior to going on raids she felt the need to ease her children, hold them close to herself as if they were to perish. She was never too scared of a war, she knew the necessity of it and the sacrifices to be made but as her children grew they joined the war. Their safety was at risk and that is when the fear blossomed within her.

Neytiri’s gaze fell on Neteyam. Many said he inherited the strong features of his mother. The eyes, the nose, the lips all resembled her’s, but she could only see Jake in her son. He had a face stoic but gentle and pure as Jake’s. Her eyes quickly moved to the ikran’s rider gliding next to the young boy. Syay, a girl tough for her age. She was a talented warrior, her bow like an extension of her arm. She never was the type to mess around the other young na’vi girls, to weave baskets with them, to make bracelets together, to even gossip. But this was not looked down upon as her hunting skills out maneuvered the need of acquiring other expertises. Once, Neytiri tried to teach the child how to thread a piece of clothing but soon she understood it was impossible. The child couldn’t even slide a bead on the thread without it disappearing in the ground. Too sloppy with her hands to make a simple cloth but skilled enough with the knife to kill in seconds. ‘Such a strange thing.’ Neytiri would often think.

Before her thoughts could wander any further Jake’s voice boomed through her ear piece. The noise piercing her ear drums.

“We are approaching the target. Be ready.”

Bullets hit their target, fire spread on the ground, na’vi screamed and cheered. If a painter had the chance to portray the scene that absorbed the battle ground, it would have been a grotesque depiction of the colour red, splashed all over the canvas. Another shipment vehicle had been taken down. Quickly, the soldiers started searching through the containers with the intention of finding valuable weapons. In spite of that, a thud of empty boxes could be heard. It didn’t even take long for Jake Sully to realize that he had been tricked. He took the bait. Shock was what he felt, which was swiftly outlived as many dark and gruesome thoughts absorbed his consciousness. Depictions of everything in their plan going wrong.

“Sawtute!” Humans.

Jake cursed under his breath. He looked around and saw all the combatants looking in his direction, ready to take action, to listen to his command. At once it went silent. A painful silence. And so he began to scream and yell. But he couldn’t hear his own voice. Deafening ring went all around the plaine. The humans have begun their maschere. Their firearms pierced the air and then the flesh of the na’vi.

“Fall back!” The Olo’eyktan yelled. Some soldiers ran, others shot at the helicopters soaring in the wind. Several fell and the other remained. He, himself, fought however he could, but their opponents were too strong. The fight wasn’t fair and they were greatly outnumbered. An ignoble fight, a bloody and messy war.

“Dad!” Neteyam called though the throat mic distressed.

“Are you okay, son?” A premonition came over Jake.

“Dad, I don’t know w-what happened. I-I was on the ground with Syay, she-“ Neteyam’s voice broke and a pained cry erupted from his throat. “She wanted to help her dad with the cargo and-“ Jake’s patience was thin.

“What happened?!” The Oly’ektan screamed.

“Syay is dead, dad!”

The silence. Present again. A helicopter crashed 10 metres away from Jake Sully. But the silence continued. Neteyam shook with every breath he took. Stream of tears and snot went down his chin onto the burning ground, as he held his soon-to-be mate. He held her tightly, close to his chest. The hot blood that stained his skin and clothes didn’t bother him. He thought that if he held her for long enough she would come back to life, and her chest would start to rise and fall. But she was still, awfully still. The young boy wailed, unable to accept the inevitable. ‘At least her father was next to her. At least in her final moments she was next to the people she loves.’ He thought. Lucky.

With eyes red and hands trembling, Neteyam was found embracing Syay by his father. The battle was ongoing around them, but it didn’t seem as if the boy cared.

“Let me see you.” His father ordered him. The boy-soldier looked at his father with desperation. Jake brought his hands to touch his son’s scraped face and then observed his body for any fatal injuries. Relieved, the man then turned his attention towards Syay who laid next to his son. A sense of bitterness went through him as many memories of the sweet girl were brought back into his mind.

“Your mother will be here soon, she’ll take you home.”

“But-“ Neteyam didn’t want to leave his precious girl, however war comes with its many sacrifices and heartbreaks.

“Learn to be silent.” His voice was sharp. Neytiri soon landed with her ikran.

The following hours after the battle ended, the usually turquoise sky was gray. The na’vi mourned and grieved their losses. After Neteyam’s family understood of the death of his ‘soon-to-be’ mate and her father, they were all devastated. Misery loomed over them because of the major loss. However they couldn’t sulk for days to no end, because they had duties - the people were waiting for them.

Months went by, the funerals passed. Neteyam still blamed himself for everything that went on during the infamous battle. He continued to think that if he were more assertive and stern, he and Syay wouldn’t have gone to the ground where all hell broke loose. He thought that maybe… he should have been the one shot. Neteyam couldn’t sleep for days without having nightmares. Food for him seemed almost unpleasant. He was carrying the burden of death with himself. …But as many say, time heals. The said words would often cross his mind, a simple reminder that life continues. Thus, he devoted himself to work. Every chance he received, he would occupy his time with chores and training, no time for rest as it brough unwanted thoughts. The Omatikaya clan was looking up to him as the next Olo’eyktan in line and the expectations were high.

Five years later…

The Sullys had to take a leave. They had to depart from their people, their clan. The RDA hadn’t backed down and only grew stronger with time. Recently, Colonel Quarich came back from the dead in search of his target - Jake Sully. Not long ago, Neteyam’s siblings were under grave danger when they were captured by the dream walkers. In result, Jake took the hard decision of leaving their home for the good of the people and themselves. He was soon stripped of his title of Olo’eyktan and there was no turning back. The younger Sullys were distraught by the unexpected news, but it wasn't up to them to decide, so their pleas and bargains didn’t affect anything. Neteyam, already an adult, 20 years of age, was rather objective about the choice as he understood the vital nature of the resolution and he didn’t say a word.

#avatar the way of water #avatar #neteyam #neteyam x reader #neteyam fanfiction #jake sully #neytiri #neteyam angst #angst #multi chapter #avatar series #avatar way of water #fanfic

89 notes · View notes

laurey257 · 8 months

Text

GOOD OMENS SEASON 2 FIX-IT RECS UPDATED LIST (6 weeks out!)

Hello all! I am stunned by how much you all liked my first list of Good Omens Season Two fix-it recommendations on Archive of our Own! Thanks for sharing. Now that we’re 6 weeks out instead of two, there’s lots more good stuff on there and I thought I would post this new and expanded list for you? I broke it into categories, doubled it, and found lots more wonderful stuff to read.

**This was a hard decision but I am excluding works in progress since they need time to mature—all these are complete /compliant and can be invested in without fear.**

FULL SEASON 3 WORKS

To the Universe

22 chapters and I cannot say enough good things. It’s amazing closure and feels SO good to read. Writing style in this one is very compelling and keeps you on your seat until the end.

Somewhere Only We Know

A stunning 40 chapters for anyone who wants to just burrow down in this universe and never leave it. The angel and demon go separate ways only to reunite to (yet again) save Earth one more time.

Daily Report

This is written REALLY well. 6 chapters manages to bring about a really nice arc to reconciliation post Season 2! I was impressed.

MULTI-CHAPTER FIX-IT WORKS

Wouldn't It Have Been Nice?

Crowley is called to Heaven by a dying Angel. Jesus intervenes. Will break your heart, but it has a happy ending.

I Do Love Nothing in the World So Much as You

Soooo nice. 3 chapters bringing them straight through it as Aziraphale comes back and tries to beg forgiveness. NICE arc in this one. Believable.

Oh Simple Thing, Where have you Gone

This one says 7 of ? chapters, but I included it because I like the premise and what is there feels sort of complete? An interesting fixit where the Metatron has devious plans and locks up Crowley as part of that. The Bentley has a starring role in here during several heroic rescue plans.

Something Wrong

Ooooo! A NICE twist in this one. I won't reveal it, but this fic is based on some of the most compelling theories around why Aziraphale might not have been totally consenting when Metatron takes him away.

Jesus, Etc.

Crowley runs into a frantic Aziraphale with Jesus in tow at a Barbenheimer premiere. A battle of the wills with pop songs in the Bentley, Taylor Swift, Kenergy, sushi, a nativity play and a magic show come next.

ONE SHOTS (SMUTTY)

The Second Coming

The Second Coming - Episode6killedme - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Aziraphale “awakens” in the elevator (think ox ribs but sexually) and yeets himself back to earth to roger Crowley six ways from Sunday.

A Middle Ground

Aziraphale and Crowley have been separated, but the Angel won't let go. He kidnaps Crowley to a cloudscape and pleads his case. A Bridget-Jones like WWF bickering throwdown ensures. The part featuring reactions on the part of 737 Ryanair passengers and one airline attendant had me wheezing.

Just Called to Say Fuck You I Love You

This one is just spicy as hell, y'all. Aziraphale picks up on Crowley prayers while in Heaven, and let's just say that he's doing some ACTIVE praying.

Not for all my Little Words

Not for All My Little Words - mia_ugly, soft_october - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

An adorable one where Aziraphale, realizing he screwed up, chases Crowley through loudspeakers and other people’s phones through Europe using famous love quotes until he gets his attention (and some forgiveness.) Smut ensues.

ONE SHOTS (LITTLE/NO SMUT)

Darling, Can you Ever Forgive Me?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48966298

A daydream, leading to Aziraphale doing the right thing and heading back to Earth to declare his love.

Cause you like me too much and I like you

'Cause You Like Me Too Much and I Like You - alastor_holmes - Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett [Archive of Our Own]

A sweet little one where Aziraphale quietly resigns, has a chat with Gabriel and Beez in the bookshop, and does the apology dance.

Everywhere

everywhere - vivahate - Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett [Archive of Our Own]

Azi Crowley instead from a Heavenly asassination attempt. (Maggie, nina and anathema help!)

Heaven is Not Fit to House a Love

heaven is not fit to house a love (like you and i) - Zaexx - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

A sweet little one with a *small* deviation from canon (that seemed ok because they have a good point.) Crowley had never told Aziraphale about the way the angels managed his trial OR about what he saw in the Heavenly files with Muriel. He jams his way into the elevator (telling the Metatron to get the next one) and tells him.

Magician's Choice

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49066831

Oooooo I like this one. Four ways that the ending could have gone instead, based on four magic methods of sleight of hand. So cool!

A Proper Apology

A Proper Apology - cyankelpie - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

One where the Angel simply calls over and over until they really talk. (Or imagine the idiots simply just used the phone.)

The Nightingales Were Just Sleeping In

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49041145

Cute, adorable, small...just a retelling of the final scene where they really TALK and don't just be idiots.

This is Not an Apology

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48992128

Aziraphale comes to Crowley while he tries to sleep it all off and they actually talk, for once.

Time to Turn it Right

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49162285

Azi tries to fix things. Crowley gets a cat.

We Don't Need Heaven

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49598467

They talk again, this time on the beach, and for real.

130 notes · View notes

piratefishmama · 11 months

Text

Beware The Thorns | Part 4

(a NSFW multi-part ficlet)

Normally, Eddie would be gone by the time he awoke, and his wallet would be a small chunk lighter. This time, Steve awoke relaxed and content to the smell of bacon sizzling on the fryer, bed still warm, a few stray brown hairs on his pillow, the night shirt Eddie had eventually draped over his tired head and slept in now draped over the chair on the far side of the room, usually pushed in beneath a large mahogany ornate desk he’d been gifted a few years prior.

He stretched his arms up, and his feet out, muscles relaxed, body relaxed, everything felt just… right.

This was what he wanted to wake up to, he knew he’d once in the very early days of their “relationship” told Eddie to leave before his alarm, he normally had engagements in the morning he needed to see to, calls to make that he didn’t want anyone eavesdropping in on, but over time… he desperately wanted to take that request back.

He just didn’t know how to without making it painfully obvious that his feelings had developed far beyond an employer/employee relationship.

He wanted Eddie there in the morning, wanted him in his kitchen, making breakfast, or even just sat on his sofa watching early morning TV eating cereal in pyjamas, he just… he wanted him there.

Maybe that was pathetic, he didn't care.

Shaking himself up a little, Steve climbed out from beneath the toasty warm covers, once stood, he stretched again, he had no early morning commitments, a follow up call in the afternoon to ensure his meeting the night previous yielded promising results, no sense beating someone to a bloody pulp if it didn’t get him exactly the result he needed.

He needed things working properly again, the man in question had been working beneath the radar, or rather, he’d ASSUMED he was working beneath the radar, syphoning profits, business contacts, easing them into a small startup of his own, trying to build his own empire out of the success of someone else’s.

It was a good idea, just executed very poorly. Trusted the wrong people, tried to sway the loyal, knowing their skills and abilities, skills and abilities built from years of working with the Harrington family.

He’d attempted to sneak them away with the promise of a higher take percentage, rather than simply hiring his own men and building from the ground up.

All it took was one of them to come forward and shine a light on the guy and the jig was up.

Unfortunately, all four of the men, and the two women he attempted to sway, came forward WITH evidence, including text messages, phone call recordings, and pictures.

Had he started from the ground up, perhaps took his business to Steve himself, requested assistance getting it started, he might have given it, supported him and his endeavours to create something for himself, but alas, he chose the slimy way to go about it, and paid the price.

He didn’t want to think about that right now though, he wanted to think about the man in his kitchen, the man currently listening to the quiet playthrough of morning radio as he cooked breakfast. Wanted to watch him from his bedroom door, lean against the frame in naught but his underwear, shame Eddie was fully dressed, but alas.

Couldn’t have everything.

“You could’ve woken me up” he spoke up from his spot by the doorframe, Eddie startling out of his focus on the pan in hand to look up, across the countertop, across the open plan living room to the doorway that lead into Steve’s room.

“Your alarm never went off, I figured you had the day off or something?” Huh, did he forget to set it? Hm, no matter, he didn’t need it that morning anyway, usually he just set it to keep a routine going. Steve pushed off from the doorway, stepping into the open living room, well-lit by the floor to ceiling windows lining the outside wall. “I was gonna bring you breakfast” Steve was soon by his side, pressing a kiss to Eddie’s soft cheek.

He didn’t seem too bothered by it though, eyes refocusing on the task at hand “Eddie after dawn and breakfast in bed, I feel spoiled” that gained a smile, small, his dimples barely even visible, but a smile nevertheless, good… but something felt off.

Maybe it was simply… having him there in the morning? Was that the difference? He couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Go on, sit down y’big sap, breakfast will be ready soon, I need to talk to you about some stuff” stuff? He was halfway turned around ready to go sit down when the ‘stuff’ hit his ears, what stuff… Eddie never had stuff he needed to talk about, the last time Eddie brought up stuff it was during the initial conversation two years ago about how their ‘relationship’ was going to go.

What was allowed, what wasn’t allowed, what he could expect, what would mean instant termination of their contracted agreement, prices… Eddie very rarely brought up ‘stuff’.

“Stuff?” He had to ask.

“Yeah, stuff, go on, sit down” he wasn’t going to elaborate yet, fine, this was fine, it wasn’t like the anxiety was already spiking, funny how a man in his line of work, strong and sometimes seen as a little larger than life, still had spikes of anxiety at even the slightest inconvenience.

Felt his heart race uncomfortably in his chest, thump erratically as if something was guaranteed to be wrong and he couldn’t fix it no matter what he did.

Did he do something wrong? Did he hurt him? No… he didn’t hurt him, he seemed fine, no bruises other than a hickey currently half hidden by the collar of his shirt, matching all the others he’d left in the late hours, mid-clean up simply revelling in the softness of Eddie’s pale, porcelain skin against his lips, he was fine last night.

Had he done something in his sleep? No, that was stupid, Eddie wasn’t actually his boyfriend, he’d never hold any dream shit against him, and even if he WAS his boyfriend, he doubted the other man would ever be that ridiculous.

“Steve?” Steve jumped as Eddie’s voice sounded from right behind him, he’d frozen, mind withdrawing into all the possibilities as to what ‘stuff’ could mean, all the negatives, maybe he knew.

Maybe he’d found one of the guns in the apartment last night, hadn’t known how to bring it up until now, maybe he’d been contacted by someone, fuck what if that slimy little shit had approached Eddie?

He’d been so CAREFUL not to share that part of his life with Eddie, he didn’t need to know where the money came from, he never asked, all he knew, and all he needed to know, was that Steve was at the very head of a corporation which dealt in manufacturing defensive gear for the military.

He knew he had his hands dipped in several charities, that his company had even helped get a few off the ground.

He didn’t need to know there were other sides to his business life, didn’t need to know that the contracts gained from the military were only a fraction of his full wage, didn’t need to know where the other much larger percentage came from. “Stevie, hey, c’mon, sit” Eddie turned the heat off, spatula down on the counter he eased Steve’s much broader body into his arms, guiding him over to the sofa to sit him down.

“W-what… what do you mean by ‘stuff?’” Eddie’s eyes seemed to flash wider for a second, just split second as he realised just what the sudden frozen panic was about.

“Fuck… okay, I was hoping to do this while you were, I dunno… fed an fully dressed I guess” would be easier that way “hey, c’mon calm down” Eddie crouched in front of his seated form, hands on his biceps just holding him steady “do you need water? Want me to finish the food for you? This is why I wanted you fed first” clearly he still cared about him… fussing over him, making sure he was okay, but… something was wrong, and Steve had no idea what it was.

“No, no just… just tell me” he would have preferred to eat first, the nervous thumping of his heart was really starting to hit the empty stomach, that harsh weight at the back of the throat when hunger was really starting to get intense only worsening with the nerves.

It was fine, totally fine, everything would be okay.

“Alright” Eddie nodded his head, rising to his full height before sitting right back down again beside Steve on the couch, hands in his lap leaving the spots on his biceps where they were moments ago feeling colder all of a sudden, Eddie didnt even run warm, just... his touch just warmed Steve.

“Due to extenuating circumstances, I am effective immediately, terminating the contract between us… I have taken payment for last night already, I won’t take anything for this morning, I think… I think it’s time we ended this arrangement before things become too complicated… don’t you?”

Part 6

#PirateWrites #BewareTheThornsFiclet #No Upside Down AU #Steddie #Escort!Eddie #Shady!Steve

274 notes · View notes

spark-my-nature · 1 year

Text

It Takes Three to Tango - DRW & SFK

Hello loves! This is gonna be a multi-part story, and I'm so excited to share this first part with you! 18+

Summary: After some revelations, you and your boyfriend Danny decide to invite Sam into the bedroom.

Chapter word count: 5.7K | Pairings: Danny x Sam x Reader (MFM threesome with slash)

Warnings: Alcohol consumption, language, graphic sexual content, use of degrading terms (but its good-natured teasing, all for jokes)

Possible TW: Coming-out scene. It's very wholesome and loving but I felt I should mention it.

-------- ⭐︎☽⭐︎☾⭐︎ --------

"Okay, okay,” Danny giggled after swallowing, wiping the small dribble of beer that had trickled down his chin from how you held it up for him to drink, “You can’t get mad at me though.”

Taking his empty bottle and placing it on the side table to your right, you faced him fully, readjusting your seated position over his thighs. Cupping his cheek with your now free hand, you lovingly stroked the soft freckled skin with your thumb.

“Never,” you gently assured. Pressing a kiss to his beer-chilled lips through your smile, you mumbled against his mouth coyly, “S’it somebody we know?”

This discussion of ‘hallpasses’ had come up organically during a tipsy binge-rewatch of Friends. You’d offhandedly remarked (for maybe the hundredth time) how beautiful Jennifer Anniston was, and this time, Danny snorted and rolled his head to look at you, a teasing glimmer in his eye. “I’m starting to relate to Ross, babe, I think my girlfriend’s a lesbian,” to which you’d jokingly retorted that you’d go gay for her any day of the week.

And it wasn’t the first time the conversation of sexuality had rolled around between the two of you, either. Your boyfriend was the first person you’d trusted with your bisexuality, nearly a year ago now. No surprises, he was as wonderful and accepting of you as he’d ever been, talking with you and learning about this side of you that you’d shared with him.

The trust you shared with each other, and perhaps your own willingness to open up about your sexuality helped Danny feel safe with you, safe enough that he hesitated only slightly before the next words came out of his mouth.

“It’s Sam.”

Never in a hundred years would you be put off by his answer. But that didn’t mean it didn’t catch you a little off-guard, especially when you’d been operating on the assumption that your boyfriend was, for the most part at least, straight. You weren’t expecting his answer to be male, let alone his best friend.

You weren’t expecting the rush of heat and exhilaration either, as his words processed. You pulled back enough to look into the sweet, hazel eyes you loved so much, glossy from the alcohol and peering up at you, patiently waiting for you to say something.

Tucking a long curly strand of hair behind his ear, you smiled encouragingly as he leaned into your touch. “Oh, wow baby…” you softly cooed, “Really?”

He nodded, sucking his bottom lip. “Yeah, I… yeah. It’d be him.” You simply grinned wider, your heart beating quicker. His complete and utter trust in you made your chest ache with adoration alone, but add in his warm, vulnerable gaze and the rumble of his voice beneath your hand on his chest?

You leaned in, slotting your lips against his in the most loving and affirming kiss you could muster. His low hum of contentment buzzed against your lips, and you smiled wide, unable to stop it stretching across your face. “God, I love you, Danny,” you whispered.

He blinked rapidly, gaze losing focus. He inhaled slowly through his nose, sucking his lip once more. His whispered voice had an unmistakable quiver when he looked back up into your eyes. “I love you.”

You grinned, brushing your nose adoringly against his freckled cheek before kissing the corner of his mouth. You shifted your weight over his thighs, enjoying the flex of the muscle beneath his sweats. Danny’s hooded eyes lazily tracked your movements, hands settling on your ass as you ground your pelvis teasingly against his.

“Mmm…” A playful smirk teased at his lips, “Love you so much.” His flirty tone from earlier had returned, along with a noticeable stiffening beneath your center.

You looked down and giggled quietly. “Danny?” He looked up at you to continue, “Wanna know something?”

Danny’s eyebrow quirked at your shy but breathless response. “Oh, always,” he smirked.

Tucking your face down into the warm familiar cavern of your boyfriend’s neck, you parted your lips in a soft wet kiss on his skin. “I…” you swallowed, smoothing over your next words with a roll of your hips into his. “…I like the thought of you and Sam.”

Danny gasped, whether from your movements or your words was unclear, but he whispered, “Fuck… really?” His fingertips dug into your ass, guiding your hips into his again.

You whimpered quietly, nodding against his shoulder, resting your forehead against it. “S’really hot,” you confessed quietly.

You felt the rumble of a groan deep in his chest, his head tipping back against the backrest of the couch. “I… I’m glad you think so,” he breathed.

You nipped at his skin through an affirmative whine, your arms wrapping around his warm torso over the faded, soft tee.

“You… you wanna hear what I thought about sometimes?” he continued carefully, “…W-with Sam?”

You pulled back to look over his face, pressing yourself against him more firmly in your growing desperation. “Oh god yes, please,” you breathed, succumbing further to the desire clouding your mind.

His mischievous glimmer made your stomach flip. With a choked moan as your hips glided deeply over his bulged groin, he let his eyes flutter closed. “Imaged him-“ he inhaled a sharp hiss, fingers sinking into your hips, “fuck, imagined sucking his dick while he eats your pussy.”

When did it get so hot in this room? Your cheeks flushed nearly as bright as Danny’s as his confession settled in the air. Your heart thudded quickly, sinful images flashing behind your closed eyes like a pornographic slideshow.

“Oh my fucking god, Danny,” you whimpered.

His head tipped back slightly, smirking down his nose at you despite his blush. His hooded eyelids casted shadows over his already dark eyes, and he bit his lip, flicking his eyebrows up at you cockily. “Oh, honey… you do like that, huh…”

Slipping your hand between your bodies, you cupped his erection, your lips parting as his breath hitched. “More than I probably should,” you chuckled breathlessly, smirking.

He shook his head, bucking into your hand with a sharp inhale. “I love that you like it. I was kinda nervous you’d be put off.” You quickly went to reassure him, but he cut you off with a chuckle, “No no, not like that, I- I knew you’d be accepting, I didn’t mean it that way. Just… I-“ he let his head tip back with a choked moan as you squeezed him. “Fuck, I’m just happy you’re like, into this,” he smirked, his cheeks flushing.

Unable to stand the ache between your legs anymore, you lifted yourself off his lap enough to shove his sweats down to his thighs.

“Get these off-“ you groaned.

He let out an amused laugh at your desperation, lifting his hips for you, watching as you maneuvered his rock hard erection out of his boxers and wrapped your hand around him firmly. He inhaled sharply, eyes fluttering but keeping them trained on you.

“Danny, honey, love of my life, my gorgeous, sweet, baby boy, if I was anymore turned on, I think my brain would melt,” you deadpanned, not exaggerating in the least as you pumped his girthy cock steadily.

You leaned your face over his groin and let a string of saliva fall over his glossy head. His jaw fell open, panting now. “Oh my god,” he whined under his breath, brows furrowing.

You chewed on your bottom lip, watching his tip slipping through your fist. “You’d look so fucking hot, you know… sucking dick,” you breathed, drawing closer to brush your lips over his. He let out a soft, jerky cry, deep in his throat.

“You think so, huh?” He whispered, a lazy, dirty smirk stretching his lips.

You met his gaze, “No, I fucking know so.”

He leaned into your face, giving you a deep kiss.

Danny pulled back just enough to articulate under his breath, “Imagine, babe,” his gravelly voice raising goosebumps across your skin, “sitting on Sammy’s face, watching me take his cock in my mouth.”

“Fuck,” you whined pathetically. His cock twitched in your fist, tipping you off to the effect his own fantasies were having on him. You were right there with him, though. You yanked your damp panties to the side and shifted forward, bringing his tip through your folds.

Danny let out a shuddery sigh, his sinewy hands flexing, fingers gripping the flesh of your hips tightly as you lined him up, sheathing him slowly inside you. “Ohh, fffffffuuuuuck,” he muttered, letting his head fall forward onto your shoulder, muffling himself into your skin. “Yes, sweetheart, oh my god, yes.”

You whined, rocking forward and drawing his length along your walls, your clit grinding into his pubic bone. “You’re so hard, feels so fucking good,” you marveled through your panting breath.

Pressing your lips to his sweat-glazed temple, you purred behind his ear, “Keep talking, babe. What else did you think about?”

He groaned softly, straightening back up to drink in your fucked-out expression as he rolled up into your hips. “You’re fucking dirty, baby,” he grinned darkly, pulling you down onto his cock harder as he fucked himself into you, picking up the pace.

Shooting him a cheeky grin, you shrugged one shoulder. “I think you love it.”

He nodded, “Yeah I fuckin’ do.” He smoothed his right hand from your hip, up your front, and grabbing your breast. He squeezed it, massaging as he casually proceeded to ruin your life. “I thought about Sam’s tight little ass squeezing my cock.”

A shocked whimper burst from your lips, and Danny grunted, gently rolling your nipple between his fingers. You clenched around him as your pelvises slammed together, just to watch his eyes roll back. “Uhh, God, just like that, babe-“

Losing yourself for a moment as your pleasure built, you whimpered loudly. Your jaw hung open until Danny’s broad hand suddenly gripped your jaw. “Maybe I’d even let Sam fuck this pretty mouth while I do it,” he grit.

Your eyes squeezed shut as you imagined the weight of Sam on your tongue, moaning out at the image of Danny watching your mouth getting used by his best friend. “Don’t st- FUCK Danny, don’t stop baby,” you pleaded, riding him faster, harder, your climax building steadily.

He groaned, fucking into you desperately, chasing his own orgasm. “Or maybe I won’t… have to see how well he earns it, yeah?” Danny goaded, out of breath, his thumb finding your clit. “Your mouth is so fucking good,” he grit, “I’d make him prove he deserves to fuck it. Make him take my cock like a good boy, first.”

Your desperate moans of Danny’s name babbled out of you, incoherently strung together between swears as you came. Clenching tight around his cock, your eyes squeezed shut, seeing stars as you faintly heard Danny crying out through his own peak. Wave after wave of debilitating pleasure wracked through your body as you rode your boyfriend through it.

Slowly, you both came out of the fog, ears ringing and vision clearing. Your heaving, slick chests pressed together as you held each other tight.

“Holy… shit…” Danny panted, and you blinked at him, smiling slowly and lazily. “Holy shit,” you repeated, giggling.

He grinned, letting his eyes close as he fell back into the couch.

Following his warmth, you rested your head over his heart, listening to it slowly returning to its resting rate as your arms snaked weakly around his broad shoulders. He wrapped you in a warm hug, holding you close.

After a few minutes, you blinked your eyes open, smiling to yourself. “Baby?”

His voice tickled your ear against his chest as he rumbled out, “Yeah?”

Sighing contentedly as his hand began stroking your back, you quietly asked, “Can I ask you something?”

His abdomen tensed slightly, but he nodded, “Yeah, ‘course honey.”

“…I… If you-“ You swallowed, feeling your heart race a bit, “If you wanted to have a threesome with Sam, I’d be into that.”

His whole body tensed up at that, and you lifted your head, hurrying to back pedal. “But if you don’t, I don’t- it’s fine, I just wanted to let you know, we cou- only if you want, I-“

Danny grabbed your face, shutting you up by kissing you deeply. He smiled against your lips at your surprised coo, pulling back slowly.

“Relax, sweetheart,” he softly assured, “It’s okay, s’all good.” Nodding, you sucked on your lip, watching him shyly.

His face shifted subtly, glimmer in his eye. “Are you serious? Is that something you wanna try?”

His thumb stroked your cheek, comforting you enough to admit softly, “Yeah… you?”

He inhaled slowly, then nodded. “Yeah… I-I’d be down for that.”

You smiled softly, “Hey… I love you.” Danny brightened, smiling warmly and trailing his eyes over your face. “I love you, too.”

Grinning, you pitched forward, whispering playfully. “You gonna ask him, or me?”

-------- ⭐︎☽⭐︎☾⭐︎ --------

The morning after, even through the squint of your eyes due to the hangover headache, you’d rolled over to look at Danny in the soft sunlight of the dawn and felt an overwhelming surge of love wash over you. His angular features seemed softened in the muted glow filtered through the curtains, his brow scrunching as he began to wake.

“W’time s’it?” He mumbled, draping his arm over his face. As your head tilted in admiration, you brought up a hand to smooth down the centre of his chest soothingly.

“Early…” you softly replied, watching him take a deep breath and sigh, his arm lifting above his head. His muscles flexed with the movement, and finally you were graced with those mossy amber eyes as they fluttered open. “Go back to sleep, sweetheart,” you whispered with a smile, running your hand up his chest, through that cute, sexy dusting of hair between his pecks and up to cup his cheek. He trailed his gaze lazily across your face, a soft, almost vulnerable expression tinting his features.

“Hey…” he started, trailing off as he looked away. He licked his bottom lip, rubbing at his eye sleepily. “You… did you, uh…”

Feeling his body tensing slightly, you rubbed your thumb encouragingly over his jawline, quietly letting him gather his thoughts.

“Last night,” he began again, a little smirk playing at his lips at the memory, “I know we discussed… some things.”

A quiet giggle bubbled out of you. “Yes, love. I remember.”

He nodded once, biting back a chuckle. “Yeah… I just… we’d had a lot to drink, y’know, and… I, um…” He huffed softly, “well, I guess I’m…”

Smiling wide, you playfully tickled at his neck, giggling as he scrunched up his shoulder reflexively and laughed. “Danny, out with it.”

“Okay, okay,” he snickered, taking your hand in his, lacing his long fingers with yours, his eyes watching them tangle. “Two things, I guess. One, I wanna make sure that I didn’t… upset you, y’know with everything last night,” he put his finger up to your lips as you went to protest, “Yeah, okay, let me finish, and also… well, do you really want to try… bringing Sam into this?” He swallowed, staring at your hands as he ran his thumb over your knuckles.

You nodded, cocking your head with a crooked smile. “Okay, well first of all,” you blushed, ducking your head shyly, “you sure as hell didn’t upset me.”

A callused finger tilted your chin up, and you met his eyes as a smirk spread across his handsome face. “No?” he confirmed.

Giggling bashfully, you shook your head. “I know we were tipsy, but I meant what I said, babe. The, um… the things you said…” you let your eyes trail down his chest, smirking and shaking your head slowly, “Fuck.”

Danny let out an excited breath through his nose, coyly confirming, “about… Sam?”

You nodded. “Yeah. Sam, you and him, what you thought about…” you couldn’t stop your shy giggle, “Honestly, I never considered anything like that before, it never even occurred to me. I don’t know what’s so hot about it, but… god…”

Danny’s lips parted in a shallow breath, and he stretched his free arm around your torso, rolling to his side and bringing you into his body. He hovered his lips close to your own as he whispered lowly, “You’re fucking amazing, you know.”

Tilting up your chin to try and close the distance, he teasingly leaned away. Through a barely contained pout, you answered, “How’s that?”

Dropping your hand to grab your face lovingly, he brushed his nose against yours. “I don’t know how many girlfriends are not only… you know, accepting of their boyfriends like, suddenly coming out as bisexual, but also indulge their fantasies too?” he smiled playfully, a touch of wonder in his tone.

You leaned into his gentle touch. “Baby,” you smiled wide, tenderly pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth before continuing softly, “I love everything about you. Everything. The things you’ve told me, the things you haven’t, the things that you don’t even know yet. I’m so in love with you it hurts.”

Danny’s brow furrowed, nuzzling against your cheek as you spoke.

Swallowing down your rising emotions, you tenderly kissed his cheek. “I love that you’re bi, and I love that you trusted me with that part of you. I’m so proud of you, too, I-” You sucked your bottom lip under your teeth and brought your hand down to rest over his heart, feeling it beating harder at your words. “You’re my guy, Dan. I love you.”

Danny’s eyes squeezed shut, and he held his breath tight in his throat for a moment. Leaning his forehead against yours, he placed his broad, warm hand over yours, squeezing tight. He let out a slow shaky breath, nodding ever so slightly. “I love you more,” he whispered.

“Can I kiss you?” you quietly asked.

He opened his eyes, and as he grinned, a little wobbly, they crinkled at the edges endearingly. “God, yes. Please.”

Smiling wide, you eagerly met his expectant lips in a loving kiss. He hummed contentedly, his fingers curling around your hand and running it up his neck and into his curls, a not so subtle hint. Grinning into the kiss, you indulged his affinity for having his hair played with, sinking your fingers into the silky tresses appreciatively.

Danny groaned happily, pulling you on top of him playfully with a chuckle. Your bare chest pressed to his, and you deepened the kiss with a teasing slip of your tongue along his lip. His hand smoothed its way down the curve of your back, descending until his fingers gripped the plush of your ass, his enthusiastic squeeze tipping your body forward into his kiss.

Giggling against his lips, you coyly teased, “Didn’t get enough last night?”

He let his head lay back against the pillows, his heavily lidded eyes indulging in the view of your cleavage against his chest. His voice rumbled against your breasts as he replied, “Never get enough of you, you should know this by now.” Finally meeting your eyes, he winked, a devilish smirk swiftly following.

Feeling weak in the knees at his flirting, even after all the time you spent together, you bit your lip and lowered your naked lower half to his.

His brows furrowed as his lips parted, inhaling sharply at the sensation of his semi hard length blanketed by your wet folds against his stomach. “You have the gall to tease me when you’re this wet already?” He giggled breathily, lifting himself up on his elbows to watch.

Joining his laughter, you retaliated his sass by centering your knees at either side of him and sliding yourself up and down slowly. He groaned under his breath, jaw clenching. “Fuck,“ he grit. He watched his swollen pink tip peeked out rhythmically between your lips, slick wet noises mixing with Danny’s strained breathing.

You smirked, cocking your head. “Sorry, what was that?” you teased.

Eyes still trained on your hips as they stilled over him, a tiny smirk played at his lips. His tongue swiped along his top teeth, as his eyes met yours through his lashes with a devilish gleam.

In a flurry of movement, you found yourself pinned on your back, pinned between your devastatingly hot boyfriend’s arms, opening your eyes to a cocky smirk hovering over your face.

“You need me to fuck that attitude out of your smart mouth?” he goaded, playfully challenging you with a quirk of one dark brow.

Taking him up on his challenges was a specialty of yours.

“Do you need me to suck the attitude out of you, Daniel?”

-------- ⭐︎☽⭐︎☾⭐︎ --------

After the longest week that, frankly, anyone had experienced ever, the weekend came, and weekends went hand in hand with drinks.

And drinks went hand in hand with a certain bassist friend of yours.

You and Danny sat at either side of a buzzed, boisterous Sam Kiszka, squished into a round booth at some dive near the edge of town. It was humid, bordering on stuffy in the dark corner one of the boys had chosen. You suspected the pick was Danny’s, with the looming conversation in his foresight, he would want some semblance of privacy. You shifted in place, grimacing as your thighs peeled off the sticky vinyl.

Zoning back into the conversation, you took your eyes off the droplet of condensation that trailed down the side of Danny’s beer.

Your boyfriend was chuckling behind his fingers as Sam narrated the conversation of a nearby couple.

“Beeb-uh,” he whined through his nose, his imitation of the young blonde, “I said I wanted organic water, this has chloreeeen!”

You snorted into a giggle, playfully shoving Sam’s shoulder. He turned his face to you, sporting a proud grin from making you laugh. You bit your lip, still grinning, and let your hand rest on his bicep flirtatiously.

Danny’s eyes tracked you, moving from your face to your arm, and then finally glancing at Sam for his reaction.

Sam barely glanced to your hand, but he kept his gaze on you curiously. His smile remained, but you could see his intelligent mind working to catch up.

“You liked that, didya?” he nudged your knee with his. “People like that are hilarious to listen to. And make fun of.”

With a lingering squeeze you released him. “You’ve never dated anyone like that, though, of course,” you replied sarcastically.

Sam laughed, picking up his glass. “Shhhh, always digging up the past, you are,” he poked your nose as he took a sip.

With a giggle, you scrunched your nose, swatting him. Catching Danny’s eye across the table, he smirked over the rim of his tall glass, and you returned it with a subtle eye-gesture to Sam.

Wordlessly asking him, ‘now?’

He took a sip, nodding once subtly as he swallowed.

His hesitance was evident, even across from him. You realized that Danny had more invested in this than you, more to lose if anything went south, but having known Sam as long as you had, and having witnessed the “bromance” between the two of them (and the shameless flirting with you), you weren’t worried about Sam reacting poorly.

You figured worst case scenario, he politely declines and you all move on as if nothing happened. No harm done.

Best case scenario though? Well, you figured you’d best not get ahead of yourselves.

Danny set his glass down, keeping his eyes trained on it as he cleared his throat.

“Hey Sam, I uh… I actually wanna ask you something.”

Sam looked over at his best friend, grinning. “No, I didn’t blame Jake’s run-over bike on you in high school,” he said with faux guilt, then immediately moved as if to run away jokingly before settling back in his seat.

Danny snorted, tossing his head back as he laughed. “I fucking KNEW it, Jake kept glaring at me for a week,” he snickered, shaking his head and punching Sam’s arm, “bastard.”

Sam groaned dramatically, rubbing his arm. “If it makes you feel better, Mom got it on the door camera and told him on me.”

You giggled, leaning your chin in your hands and crossing your legs.

Danny forged on with a ironic smirk. “Listen, shut up, alright?”

Sam snickered, “Yeah, yeah, go ahead, I’m listening.” He raised his glass to his lips, and Danny leaned forward on his elbows, voice soft.

“We were both talking the other day…” Sam took a sip, nodding. “…and, we both expressed… interest, in uh…”

Danny’s face was flushed pink, and you finished for him, deciding to shoulder the weight of the question for him. “We both wanna have a threesome with you.”

Sam choked, spitting up the brown liquor into his glass and coughing profusely. Danny slapped his back, and you shrunk back, watching Sam’s face widen with shock.

He caught his breath, cleared his throat and his lips parted, but nothing came out. He open and shut his mouth a few times, growing gradually more flustered. You raised your eyebrows at him, waiting patiently, and a grin started poking at Danny’s face.

“Wow, he’s never been quiet this long before,” Danny told you with mock seriousness.

Sam shook his head, faintly smiling with a touch of bewilderement. “Uhhh… aha… I uh, I don’t- I wasn’t expecting that,” he chuckled, still staring at the table in front of him.

Nodding, you began fiddling with your hands nonchalantly. “Its totally okay, Sammy, seriously, you can say no, there’s no pressure.” Danny nodded and chimed in, “Yeah, man, if you don’t… want to, just forget we mentioned it, its fi-“

“Will you both shut up for a second?” Sam cut him off, smirking. His eyes lifted to yours first, a playful glint present through the searching look he gave you. Softly, he prompted, “For real? You’re interested in that?”

Blushing under his gaze, you nodded, smiling crookedly. Sam looked over at Danny with the same look, confirming the earlier sentiments. You watched the two men lock eyes, and you swore you saw Sam’s eyes dip to Danny’s lips for a brief moment.

Danny was flushed, but visibly relaxing by the minute as Sam reacted without discomfort. His own brown eyes trailed over Sam’s beautiful features curiously, locking on the brunette’s lips as Sam quietly asked, “you too? You want that?”

Danny nodded, smiling lightly. “I do, yeah,” he softly returned.

Sam’s smile grew, returning to you. “With me?”

You giggled, blushing and looking down. “Mhmm.”

Sam paused for a moment, looking contemplatively bemused and flattered.

“You two are sluts,” he declared, and you and Danny burst out laughing, all tension broken.

“What can I say Sammy… you’re so pretty, we just wanna take you home,” you giggled.

Sam straightened up proudly. “I am, aren’t I?” he smirked.

Danny dramatically stretched his arm around Sam’s shoulders like in the movies, leaning into him and drawling, “Me and my girlfriend saw you across the bar, and we-“

He was cut off by Sam loudly laughing, even as he leaned into Danny’s side under his arm. You watched your boys easily relaxing into each other, like the most natural thing in the world, and maybe it was. It certainly didn’t feel strange or forced, and if anything, your desire to share the pretty bassist with your boyfriend had only grown hotter in the past few minutes.

The thing about Sam, though, that you and Daniel were well aware of, is that he used humor and boisterous confidence as a sort of safety net, in situations where, in truth, he wasn’t as sure of himself as he acted. Which is why you enjoyed watching (and helping) Danny breaking through that wall of bravado brick by brick all the more.

Danny chuckled, venturing a hand up to brush his silky hair behind his ear. “You really are, you know.” You watched Sam stiffen slightly and blush at the tender gesture. “So pretty Sam,” he purred.

Sam’s breathing changed, his eyes shooting downwards at the sensation of Danny’s knee nudging at his own.

Wanting in on the flirting, you leaned closer, your bare thigh pressing against Sam’s now. The boy’s eyes darted from Danny, to your leg, to your face, and then your hand as you rested it on his arm.

You cooed near his ear quietly, “The prettiest, Sammy.” You made eye contact with Danny, steadily plastering himself to the other side of Sam’s body, exchanging an excited grin before turning your gaze back to meet Sammy’s eyes.

Once your eyes locked, you spoke before your nerves prevented the words from leaving your mouth.

“I bet you’re pretty everywhere.”

Both boys made strained, breathy noises, Sam’s face flushing wildly as Danny’s lips parted in shock. You held down a giggle at the look on your boyfriends face, intent on Sam’s reaction.

Sammy’s brows turned up in the middle slightly, biting his bottom lip.

“You wanna find out for yourself?” he breathed slowly, tentative in his words.

Danny lowered his hand, its width spanning across Sam’s thigh, beginning to smooth so slowly up his leg that even you felt antsy. “Is that a yes?” he confirmed lowly.

Sam swallowed, strands of his hair falling alongside his face as he let his head fall forward, watching Danny’s fingertips encroaching into his subtly tenting groin. “Christ… yeah,” he nodded after a moment. “That’s a fuck yes.”

You smiled wide with a pleased hum of excitement, the sound turning Sammy to face you. His cocky grin returned as he gave you a smug once-over.

“Somebody’s excited,” he teased, and you bit your lip as his own hand finally did some exploring, resting at the hem of your skirt midway up your thigh. His lightly callused fingers gripped at the flesh, the quiver in his hands nearly undetectable. He seemed to be feeling you out, testing the limits, pushing the boundaries he wasn’t sure of yet. His boldness was undeniably sexy.

You both glanced at Danny after he let out a quiet growl, deep in his throat. His eyes were zeroed into Sam’s touch on your bare thigh with a dark, hungry look. Not jealousy, quite the opposite, it seemed.

“I don’t blame her,” he rumbled near Sam’s ear, and you felt the shiver it elicited from the grip on your thigh. Then Sam let out a whimpery little gasp, squeezing you tightly all of a sudden. A glance down at his lap had you forgetting how to breath. Danny’s hand rested over the bulge in Sam’s pants. He squeezed gently, palming over him just once before pulling his hand away and straightening up.

Like somebody flipped a switch, he took a sip of his beer casually, looking between the two of you. A smirk curled his lips as he swallowed. Sam blinked at him, speechless and… needy. He let out the breath he was holding, relaxing and retracting his hand.

You grinned wildly, following suit and downing the last of your drink. Turning to Sam, you winked. “He’s a fucking tease, isn’t he?”

Sam snorted, nodding without taking his eyes off Danny. His gaze shifted into a heated, almost appraising look, as though analyzing his best friend through new eyes. “Apparently.”

Danny shrugged coyly, “I know you were distracted, Sammy, but we are in public, we gotta keep it PG.”

This earned a petulant snort from Sam, “Right, right, and uh, grabbing-“ he quickly hushed his voice, quickly checking his surroundings before continuing, “… grabbing my dick in a bar is a family friendly activity to you, Daniel?”

Danny laughed, cheeks tinting at Sam’s incessant ability to speak bluntly about anything. “You didn’t exactly stop me, Samuel,” he retorted, raising a smug eyebrow. “You couldn’t have had that much of a problem with it.”

Sam scoffed without a hint of animosity, mumbling, “Not liking it wasn’t the problem.”

Danny bit his lip, eyeing him. “Bad boy,” he flirted.

Sam did a poor job of pretending he was unaffected by Danny’s taunt. He turned back to you, hesitating for a second as he shifted his hips in place stiffly, but then pushing through and speaking his thoughts in his usual, bratty fashion. “Good thing he’s so hot, huh?”

There was that familiar rush of heat again. Nodding at Sam, you furrowed your brow with a smirk for emphasis. “So hot.” Looking over at your boyfriend, you bit your lip, shamelessly eye-fucking him for show. You led him to lean into each other conspiratorially, and you whispered, “You think he’s hot now? Wait til you see his face when he cums.”

Sam let out an affronted groan, the noise jarring in the thickness of the intimate booth. Closing his eyes, he bit his lip. “Now, why would you say that to me,” he whined with a pained smile, and Danny smiled wide, leaning forward over the table.

“What? What did you tell him?” he pried, looking between you both, left out but thoroughly enjoying the flustered state of his friend.

Inhaling Sam’s floral cologne, you raised your voice only enough to be heard from the crook of his jawline, “Don’t worry about it, nosypants.” You felt Sam smirk, and enjoying the swarming butterflies that being so close gave you, you pushed further, pressing your lips to his soft neck. Danny squinted at the two of you, and Sam bit his lip through a dazed smile, sighing through his nose as his eyelids fluttered under your attention.

You felt a pair of eyes burning into you as you nipped the soft skin between your teeth. Sam let out a tiny, surprised cry in his throat. “Oh- god,” he breathed. Taking it as your cue to pull away, you kissed over the spot and straightened out. Your cheeks felt warm, bashful in the best way as both boys eyed you hungrily.

Clearing his throat and leaning back, Danny pulled out his wallet, slipping a wad of cash onto the table.

“Shall we?”

Sam swallowed harshly, shaking his head of the trance you’d put him under. He shifted uncomfortably again, adjusting his shorts. “Uh… you’re gonna have to give me a sec.”

Chapter two

-------- ⭐︎☽⭐︎☾⭐︎ --------

Join the Taglist! | Masterlist

@watchingovergvf2 @starshine-wagner @jordierama @doodle417 @jakeydoesit @shutupdevvie @asparrowofthedawn @gretavanblunt @malany-gvf @maplessyurp07 @fearfulspirit

294 notes · View notes

mendessi · 1 year

Text

speak now | part five

pairing: fem!reader x pre-outbreak!joel

summary: joel saves you from the biggest mistake of your life

(this will end up being a multi-part story)

word count: 2.8k

warnings: smut probably, pre-outbreak, mentions of marriage, based off speak now by taylor swift, mentions of domestic abuse, joel is 26 & reader is 21, mentions of cheating, kind of slow burn, brief mention of death, angst, will add more as i think of them, not proofread

this chapter: kind of domestic joel at the very end

part one | part two | part three | part four | part five

minors dni

"Do you have everything together?" Joel asked Tommy as he entered the hotel room.

"Yeah, all packed." He said.

"What time do you wanna head out tomorrow?"

Tommy hesitated and it came out as more of a question, "Two?"

"Two? We won't get to Austin til after midnight if we leave at two. I already told the Adler's we'd stay for dinner after getting Sarah." Joel almost raised his voice, but refrained. Tommy understood why he had been so touchy recently and gave him a pass because of it. He had lost you the only person he ever really loved.

"I asked around and she's getting married at two." Tommy told him, hoping Joel would pick up the rest.

"I'm not watching her get married." Joel finally snapped and then put his head in his hands muttering an apology to his brother.

"Not watch... Stop." Tommy said. "You can't let her get married to that man, Joel. Statistics don't lie and she will not survive that relationship."

"That's not my problem." The words stung coming off his tongue and it almost made him physically sick, "She doesn't love me and I don't love her. Just some summer fling."

"That's a lie and you know it." Tommy took a seat in the chair across from the bed. "Joel, you were like a love sick puppy following her around these last few weeks. Never in my life have I seen you so infatuated with somebody, let alone someone you just met."

"I know." Joel sighed. "I know. That's why it's hell, Tommy. Losing her to someone like him. It scares me thinkin what she'll go through. It makes my chest hurt like I can't breathe knowin that we'll be gone tomorrow and she'll just be stuck with him for the rest of her life. It fuckin hurts, Tommy."

"So don't let her get married tomorrow." Tommy told him.

"She doesn't want me." Joel shook his head and looked at the ground.

"I'm gonna tell you somethin, Joel." Tommy inhaled a short breath and then looked up at his devastated brother in front of him.

The next morning your annoying mother-in-law woke you up barely as the sun was rising, talking about how you had hair and makeup appointments to get to and that you needed to eat breakfast before doing so.

It felt like you were in your own personal hell being dragged around all morning by her. Barely touching your breakfast, the idea that you'd be married come this afternoon making you nauseous. If only this woman knew how horrible her son was.

People were in and out of your house all morning, people you didn't know. Everyone invited you didn't know because they were all his friends and family. You only had the friends you worked with and they were hardly friends, you certainly weren't close enough to invite them to your wedding.

The day was beautiful at least. You almost wished it had been storming so it would be called off all together and would deny your betrothal a bit longer. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and for the first time all summer, the temperatures weren't scorching hot. It was how you always imagined the day to be when you dreamed about your wedding.

Staring in the mirror, you found it easy to dissociate from the reality that was currently setting in. People touched your face and your hair and even your nails despite having them done just the day before. You thought of Joel and how he was probably halfway home to his daughter, leaving any thoughts and memories of you behind in Austin. Now you'd get to live with every single piece of himself that he left behind because you lived here.

"Are you not happy?" Your fiance's mother asked.

"I'm great." You forced your best smile and looked at her as she watched what the hair stylist was doing.

"He told me." She said to you.

"He told you?" Your heart sunk and you tried to hide any surprise you might've shown at the question.

"That you had another man in the house while he was away."

"Yes, I did." You didn't bother lying. Even if you did, she wouldn't believe you.

"Did you love him?" She asked.

"More than anyone I've loved before."

"I was in your position once." She said. "When I married his dad. I didn't want to but I did it because it was a woman's only way of survival back then: marrying into wealth. I loved somebody else but he couldn't give me what I needed."

You sat there speechless that she was opening up to you. Over the three years of you knowing her, you never talked so personally. It was refreshing to say the least than her regular nonsense about things that simply didn't matter to you.

"I'm sympathetic for you. I know what it's like to be in your position. I won't pretend my son is perfect but neither were we as parents so perhaps that's our own fault. Going through with something like this is quite frankly a woman's purpose in life. Doing things we don't want to for the sake of a man's ego." She said to you. "At least you look beautiful doing it."

Her words stung but a part of them felt slightly right. This was your place in the world.

"Did you ever see him again? The one you loved?" You found the courage to ask.

With a shake of her head and a sad smile she said, "No, but if she would've came through those altar doors I would've left with her in an instant."

Tears brimmed your eyes as you looked at yourself in the mirror, your mother-in-law zipping the back of your dress up. You felt hopeful that maybe the two of you would have a healthy relationship after today. There wasn't much you knew about maternal relationships, you didn't have one with your own mother so there was nothing to compare it to, but she seemed empathetic today.

With only five sons and no daughters, experiencing a wedding from her daughter-in-laws perspective was somewhat touching to the old woman. It's always different for mothers and daughters in weddings and in childbirth, there are just certain things to be shared between the two.

Your dress was beautiful, handed down to you from his mother, a gesture you didn't expect. It was simple and that was something you loved. The sleeves were sheer which was a nice touch considering the Texas heat and hung just off your shoulders. The neckline was modestly cut straight across and didn't reveal any cleavage but made your collarbones look nice. The dress flowed effortlessly to the ground, pooling ever so slightly at your feet and instead of white it was a soft cream color. Your hair was pulled into a simple bun, pieces left to frame your face.

You held back tears not wanting to ruin your freshly done make up and wished silently that your dad would be here to walk you down the aisle on what you presumed would be the best day of your life. This wasn't the best day like you imagined. You weren't marrying someone you loved and to be honest this day felt like the last one of your own.

"You look beautiful." His mother said placing her hands on your shoulders. "Come, it's almost time."

Your lead to where the rest of the bridal party is stood outside the altar doors and you hear the music start playing. It bothered you that even your wedding party was assigned by his mother, nobody you knew well. His cousins who were your bridesmaids for the day and his groomsmen who he chose all congratulated you upon your arrival and it made you wonder how his entire family seemed so sweet and he was so awful. But then again, he was sweet at first too.

The music didn't sound like music at all as pair by pair started walking down the aisle, moreso sounding like nails on a chalkboard. His mother snuck back inside to find her seat so it was just you and the wedding planner now who would cue you when to walk. You took multiple deep breaths, each one shakier than the last and stared down at your feet.

"Your turn." The planner said and her and her assistant pulled the large oak doors open to the beautiful altar before you filled with people you barely knew.

You found a steady pace to walk down the aisle falsely returning smiles to those who smiled at you, trying your best to look happy. You imagined your dad had his arm linked with yours and was walking next to you, steadying you from falling. You imagined it was somebody, anybody else standing at the end of the aisle waiting for you. You swallowed the lump in your throat, realizing about halfway down the aisle that you weren't breathing so you reminded yourself to do so.

Once you reached your annoyingly too old for you fiance, you handed your flowers to your maid of honor who you couldn't even remember the name of and took his hands in yours.

"You look ravishing." He said to you, squeezing your hands so hard your knuckles turned white. He had a gleam in his eye like he had won, having you exactly where he wanted you. Joel wasn't coming to the rescue. He had won the prize.

"Let's get this over with." You said quietly as everyone before you returned to sitting.

“This beautiful couple you know and love have invited us to share in this celebration as they affirm their love before us, pledge their faith to one another, and enter into the joys and privileges of marriage." The preacher started and you fought back the tears that were threatening to brim your eyes. You wouldn't let him see you hurt like this.

"If there is anyone present, who can show just cause why these two persons may not be joined in matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Your chest tightened as everyone's attention turned towards the sound of the church doors swinging open. Your head turned and it felt like every moment forward happened in slow motion.

Your eyes met Joel's down the aisle standing in the church door frame, looking like a literal angel with the way the sun hugged his figure. Like you always said before, Joel was the sun and he radiated warmth and safety and he was here. He was here to save you.

You looked back to your fiance who had a dumbfounded look spread across his face. Nobody wanted to say anything at all, not understanding who this man was that had just burst through the doors. Your eyes found your fiance's mother who was standing looking between you and Joel and you could've swore she had the tiniest hint of a smile on her lips.

Joel didn't even have to say anything, didn't even have to move for you to drop your fiance's hands. His eyes were hopeful that you'd come with him, he knew you'd come with him but there was still the ounce of doubt that what Tommy had said about your conversation wasn't true. You turned on your heel taking your first step down the stairs just for him to grab your wrist.

"Don't you fucking dare." He said under his breath.

"Now darling, don't cause a scene." You yanked your arm away from him and then picked up the fabric of your dress up just enough so it wouldn't drag as you took off sprinting down the aisle towards Joel, everyone in the audience collectively gasping.

A smile spread across his lips as he held his arms open for you, jumping into them and twirling you around once, pressing his lips to yours. He didn't pull away until you were on the ground and it felt like straight out of a fairytale for you. The moment young you would wait to see in a movie as a child. Joel was the prince and he had saved his princess.

"Let's get out of here." He said taking your hand in his.

Ignoring the screams of your ex fiance as you ran down the steps of the church hand in hand, laughing at how you nearly tripped down the stairs in your dress. This moment was everything to you both.

Joel pulled open the back door of the truck and you both climbed in, Tommy laughing loudly as he pulled off chaotically from the church parking lot.

"I love you. I fucking love you." You said cupping his cheeks and bringing his lips to yours, kissing him with every fiber of fiery passion coursing through your body.

His hands couldn't find one place on your body, just thankful that you were sat safely in front of him, "I love you, baby."

"Where are we going?" You asked through a laugh, as his lips pecked kisses all over your cheeks.

"Home. We're goin home."

ten years later | one year before outbreak day

You sat on the porch watching Sarah play with her younger sister, Savannah, who was born nine short months after you moved to Austin.

"Mom, did you see?!" Sarah laughed as she kicked the soccer ball right past Savannah.

"You gotta dive for it, Sav!" You laughed at the defeated look on her face.

Joel's truck pulled into the driveway and the girls immediately swarmed him and Tommy as soon as they got out of the truck. Tommy immediately began kicking the ball around with the girls, inevitably showing them who was boss. You stood up from the chair and stepped down the porch steps, holding your hands out towards him as he approached you.

"Hi, baby." He grinned down at you kissing you softly. "My shirt again?"

"It's all that fits." You pouted as his hands found their way to your swollen belly. "And barely." You noted how you only had a few buttons done and the rest of the shirt draped open exposing your pregnant belly.

"I love it. How is she?" He asked, brushing his thumb against your skin.

"Good. Any day now." You said standing on your toes to kiss him again. "We missed you."

"Our daughter's a real soccer star, huh?" He asked looking over as Sarah passed the ball around Tommy.

"Oh, she's going for the World Cup one day." You laughed and the two of you walked up to find a seat on the porch. Joel sat in the chair and you sat on his lip, leaning against his chest as his hands rubbed your belly gently.

Not a day passed that you weren't grateful for Joel and your small found family. Everyday reminding you that a found family is bit as beautiful as a born family.

PREV | NEXT ???

maybe ill continue this but post outbreak day

#joel miller x you #joel miller #tlou #tlou hbo #the last of us #joel miller x reader #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x fem!reader #pedro pascal #joel miller fanfic

137 notes · View notes

writerghoul · 27 days

Note

I have a prompt for you if you're still looking!

Swiss x Phantom

Sweet, fluffy, spicy. Phantom feels inadequate. Dew thinks otherwise. They make love under the stars, that's the fic!

I hope that's okay!

I know you asked for a different pairing because I already did something similar with Swiss but I couldn't help myself. I really like Swisstom too and I wanted to write it but I'll also write the Rain and Swiss one and other one too.

593 words of Swiss not feeling good about himself and Phantom trying to help. It is smutty and sweet with a focus on Swiss feeling good, also I transed that ghoul.

Swiss felt the dirt clump to his hair as he tilted his head back, eyes locked on the stars. It was rare that he felt like this, inadequate. Like nothing he ever did was noticed or even worth it, especially when it came to hit position in the band. His tail curled around his thigh as he continued staring up at the sky. The multi-ghoul had no clue what set this round of feelings off at him, maybe it was how close the others had seemed when they got back. Aurora and Phantom split off to spend time alone, still adjusting to live up here, the others splitting their time between being alone and with Sunny and Aeth.

His chest expanded and deflated as he tried to calm himself down. He hadn't noticed someone else join him. Swiss flinched as he felt a body press against him, cheek pressed to the dirt as he looked at the person who joined him. It was the younger quint ghoul, Phantom. He turned his head again to look at the stars, waiting for them to say something first. "The stars are pretty around here, less light pollution then the cities we were in."

Swiss nodded as a response to them, what else could he do. His throat felt rough, like glass had shattered and cut up the skin and muscle in there. His body flinched again as he felt their hand brush against his cheek, moving the hair that stuck to it. "Yeah, it is."

"You know we couldn't work without you? You're the only masculine voiced back up singer." It was as if Phantom could read his thoughts, picking apart everything that made him feel horrible. His tail tightened around his thigh as he took in another breath, eyes burned as he felt the water build. They moved in closer and kissed his, now wet, cheek. When had he even started crying? Phantom spoke before he could think further. "Can I please show you what you mean to me?"

Swiss let out a breathy yes as he tilted his head to press further against the dirt. Their lips attached themselves to his neck as he let out a gasp. They were so soft, even if they were teeth bitten. His eyes closed as he felt them shift, pushing the multi's shirt up. He sat up to help them take it off before he laid back down. His hand tangled itself in their hair as he felt them wrap their lips around his nipple, a soft kiss before moving to his other nipple. His tail moved to thump against the ground now.

He felt worshipped as Phantom worked their way down his body, kissing and gently marking each piece of skin they could. Eventually it got to the best part, the little quint ghoul started working him open. His cunt was dripping already from the kisses and teasing bites. Swiss' back arched as he felt their fingers slip into him, eyes opened and head tilted down to watch. The ghoul had such a loving look in their eyes as they worked him over. Swiss spilt over Phantom's fingers with a moan of his name. "P-Phantom."

They chuckled as they dipped down to lap up all his slick, cleaning him with his mouth. When that was done they helped him get dressed and curled up next to him. "Want to come back to my room? We can make a little nest and watch movies together."

Swiss smiled in response and nodded, he would very much like that.

#the band ghost #swiss ghoul #phantom ghoul #nameless ghouls #nymphs writings #the band ghost fanfiction

24 notes · View notes

ashleywool · 1 month

Text

"I LOVED THAT SHOW"

I wore my How to Dance in Ohio hoodie to church today. It's Palm Sunday and we did our customary palm procession from Duffy Square into the building, which is nice and all except winter decided to come back and bite my skin off again...so that sweatshirt seemed like the best choice as warm enough for the weather + can fit under my choir robe + won't get swelteringly uncomfortable once we're inside at the service. It did the job. Truly the ultimate transition piece. Get yours today while supplies last.

At fellowship afterwards, someone from the congregation that I didn't know--she's only in NYC part of the year--pointed out my sweatshirt and said "I LOVED THAT SHOW!"

It took her a moment to recognize me (she initially confused me for Madison, which, yeah that happens, I'll never be mad about it), and we had a lovely chat about the show. And what I noticed after walking away was...the subject of autism, or me being autistic, didn't come up at all.

I love and cherish the advocacy aspect of my work on HTDIO. I love and cherish the opportunity it gave me to be the autistic representation I wished I'd had growing up. But I have to say, it was SO nice to have someone, a total stranger, talking about the show and loving the show independent of The Autism Part.

It was wonderful being part of discussions about diverse representation, and I will never turn down opportunities to eagerly participate in those conversations. But I really wanted us to stick around long enough that the "novelty" aspect of "autistic characters played by autistic actors" (or even "canonically nonbinary/genderqueer characters") would wear off sufficiently for more people, so they could focus on the story and the characters and the music and all the other things that make our show great irrespective of the Representation aspect.

I've had a ROUGH few weeks, y'all. Truthfully, I've been going through one of the worst depressive episodes of my life. Aside from the obvious grief factor and logistical stressors, it turns out that post-operative depression is absolutely a thing. While I'd like to think I'm cognitively and emotionally mature enough to handle this level of change, especially considering how lucky I am to have robust support systems in family, friends, and healthcare practitioners, my very autistic nervous system has had a difficult time letting the sympathetic part cooperate with the parasympathetic part. So I've been a ball of tension, exhaustion, and worst of all, that soul-sucking apathy where nothing seems enjoyable or interesting, but maybe it would be if I had the energy to be interested.

It's helped to find a great physical therapy clinic that is giving me comprehensive, multi-pronged care and NOT charging me copays (because apparently my insurance pays them excellently--thank you, Equity-League and Cigna). It's helped that I got back in touch with a therapist I had seen years ago on BetterHelp (she's since left the platform and honestly, GOOD FOR HER). It's helped that I have parents with the means to help me out financially--and, crucially, the means to keep me accountable without resorting to pressure and guilt-tripping. It's helped to still live in a city where financial assistance isn't excruciatingly hard to come by if all else fails (at least compared to other states). It's helped to have agents submitting me for tons of exciting projects, and having several cabarets and readings to look forward to in this time of transition. It's helped to have a really chill, supportive church community keeping me spiritually grounded without buying into the yt American evangelical toxicity. It's helped to have my cats.

But sometimes, what makes me the happiest of all, is hearing "I LOVED THAT SHOW!"

I'll never not be proud to be known for How to Dance in Ohio and everything we stood for. I'm proud that the love was real, and the quality of the material reflected and reverberated that love. I'm proud of the representation aspect, and I'm proud that it wasn't just about that. And people who saw it, saw all of that.

It's so comforting to know that we shared this show with enough people that it's going to continue to matter.

People aren't going to forget.

I love that for us.

By the way, it was too cold to really show it off, but this is the shirt I wore underneath the sweatshirt. :)

#how to dance in ohio #htdio #broadway #musical theatre #spectrum club 7 #htdio musical

17 notes · View notes

luvinhobiee · 10 months

Text

## FEEL ON YA’ !!

hobie b. x black! spider-person! reader

synopsis; when out on a mission with miguel , you are met with a extremely difficult monster. while you struggle to contain it the spiderman from this universe swings in to help. the only problem is.. he has your heart shuddering.

a/n: this is a two part story!

warnings; foul language ( mild )

…

“ y/n. you have to stay alert. stop playing so much. ” miguel advised you once again. you were still new to all of this spider-verse, kicking butt in different worlds stuff so when miguel asked you to come on this mission with him, you were estatic. miguel knew you had the potential of being one of , if not the best spider-woman in the multi-verse if you weren’t so big on fun & kept your head on the job.

“ miguel, i head you the first time.. but listen. ” you paused , while swinging and flipping in the air. “ you said it yourself , everything happens for a reason. that damn spider bit me for a reason, why would i made fate from the universe boring and lame? ” you turned your head to him, “ you need to have a little fun every now & then. ” you smirked at him. you never wanted to pry into miguel’s backstory. but you looked out for him when he would let you.. because he had always been there for you.

the moment was interrupted due to the loud , screeching sound of commotion. you shot your webs up to a higher building to look further out and you’re almost horrified. “ miguel! we have to hurry, this thing has a building full of people in his hands and he’s about to throw it. we gotta move! ” miguel nodded and caught up to your speed. the adrenaline flooding your senses as you balanced your breath while swinging.

“ i’m going straight in. follow my lead. ” miguel shot like lightning towards the criminal and you followed behind going just as fast. miguel’s eyes told you everything you needed to know as you shot out webs, catching the monster by his ankles and pulling as hard as you could. miguel’s webs caught the building and landed it smoothly on the ground. you made sure to keep the monsters legs tight in your grip, careful not to let go. all of a sudden the thing started to grow in size and it was getting very hard even for you to keep him at bay.

“ miguel! this thing is budging.. i won’t be able to hold it much longer.. ” you yelled at the top of your lungs. you were holding on so tight , sweat was pooling into your forehead. “ give me one minute, y/n. ” miguel told you still trying to pull the building’s weight up right. minutes felt like hours.. you were slipping. you were going to let go soon. “ miguel! ” you screamed once again as your hands were starting to ache really badly. this was one of the biggest opponents you’ve ever faced.

“ fuck.. i can’t. ” your hand started to slip. you were whispering to yourself reminding yourself not to let go. “ oi!~ ” you heard from behind you, “ let me help ya’ with dat, yeah? ” a unfamiliar voice crept up beside you and shot webs next to yours, taking off some of the weight and pulling just as hard. you turned your head and seen a spiderman who you were guessing was from this demension. miguel finally webbed up the monster’s upperhalf. “ you can let go. head down this way, we have to evacuate the civilians down here. ”

you let go with a groan almost instantly falling down to the ground landing on your feet. the spider that met you when you were in the sky followed behind you and looked at you. “ ya alrigh’ there, luv? “ he asked giving you his hand to help you up , which you took it as he lifted you up. “ i’m fine, thanks for asking. ” he nodded and you two ran off in search for miguel.

once you found him, you glared at him. “ hobie. want to tell me why we had to come down here to deal with this when you live here and you’re supposed to handle it? ” miguel , glared at hobie. you looked at the both of them- they knew each other? hobie laughed at shrugged. “ i was comin’ to handle it, bruv. ya came down here too fast. ” hobie shook his head, looking at you. for some reason, looking at him made your whole body .. hot. you snapped out of it once you realized you were staring.

“ miguel.. you’re forgetting to introduce us. ” you said in a stern voice. miguel looked at you and rolled his eyes. “ you guys can become aquainted on the way back to HQ. let’s move. ” he opened a portal and the 3 of you walked through it , landing in a “ elevator ” going upside down. it was too hot, you took your mask off and looked to your right. you were met with hobie’s identity as well. your locs fell downward hanging freely. the two of you were locked in the pools of each others eyes for a good 10 seconds. “ you’re so.. cool.. ” you stammered out without realizing, saying your thoughts outloud. hobie smirked, ” i was this cool the whole time, luv. ” you instantly looked away, the heat that was growing throught your body getting worse.

by the time you had got to the “dungeon”, you were sweating. you were so focused on the way his shining lip piercing caressed his full bottom lip. he was so.. intoxicating & pleasing to your eyes. you couldn’t stop staring. ever since he was in your space, it had been hard to breathe or even look anywhere else other than his face or his body. you were so far gone that you didn’t even hear miguel calling your name.

“ y/n. ” your head shot up once he called your name once more. “ oh- miguel. i’m sorry. ” you fixed your posture. “ what happened? ” you asked and miguel rolled his eyes. “ i was saying you preformed well today. expect to be set out for more missions, that’s all. ” you nodded. “ hobie. never let that happen again. ” he glared at him once again. “ the both of you are dismissed. ” you turned quickly and walked out , trying to catch some fresh air.

“ luv, you gonna leave me? ” he asked. he was closer to you then you thought because his longer legs helped him move faster and catch up to you. “ no- i just.. i don’t- you don’t feel that?! “ you asked pulling your suit a bit trying to get some air. you rushed to your room , opening the door. “ luv, can i come in? ” he asked sweetly, his voice doing nothing but making your heat worse. “ sure. ” you answered quickly. “ i know what ya feelin’ , darlin’. i feel it too. “

you and hobie were sitting on your bed, getting to know each other. he was telling you about how he didn’t like labels, and how he was a role model at one time. “ ya know, that feelin’ ya getting. it happens when ya meet somebody ya like. ” he explains. “ so , your telling me.. i like you? ” you ask him. “ no, i already know ya do. you been starin’ at me like i’ve grown two heads ever since ya laid those pretty eyes on me, yeah? “ he chuckled.

“ hobie.. uhm. let’s hang out more. if that’s okay with you.. ” you stepped out of your comfort zone & asked him. he smirked at you. “ of course , luv. we can go to the pub & have some fun, yeah? i’ll come get ya tonight. ”

…

part 2 will be out some time tmr! thx for readinggg lob u!🖤

#hobie brown #hobie brown smut #hobie spiderverse #atsv hobie #hobie headcanons #hobie x y/n #hobie x black!reader

61 notes · View notes

yanban-san · 1 year

Note

Shdjfkj loving all of the monter fucker darling asks lmao 💟

would seeing emmet in a more natural state affect darling mentally? maybe experience some of that eldritch madness™ but it mixes with horny to create a sucker-for-love style obession with seeing the pretty winged monster thing again so they can fuck it? it might start off with the 'monster' constantly being on darlings mind, which makes the twins very happy. but it evolves into them skipping meals in favor of trying to research any myths, rumors, anything they can find and losing sleep as they sneak around the subway at night, which makes the twins less happy.

darling can't help themsleves tho. after all, it's them!!! the pretty monster that the pretty feather came from. they have to see it again. no matter the cost. of course, everytime darling tries hijinx ensue and alas our eldritch abominations have been cock-blocked again

but at the same time, i imagine darling might try to distance themselves from ingo and emmet at work because 'how would my bosses that are very keen on my safety react to me trespassing at night just to sleep with some monsters?'

-applesauce anon

Aight so- I've been absent from posting about the Eldritch boys for a bit longer than a *hot* minute, and I'm fixing that. That said, this answer will be in two or more parts- Because it was getting excessively long. Like I mean, *excessively* long. The first time I wrote this, before my pc died, it was at ~15k words- Currently this one is sitting at ~8k?? But I am splitting it up just so I start posting again lol That said, I really hope you enjoy Apple! I'm sorry about my absence, I've missed writing a lot! This is a redo partly of the Darling meeting Eldritch Emmet in the first place- With more. And an aftermath, for the time being. Tags: Eldritch Submas AU, Little Angst, Multi-Part Pain, Very Long

---

“It’s really such a shame,” You began, shouting into the darkness of the unending tunnels of the Subway, partially to distract yourself from the terrifying noises echoing through the concrete hallways and partially to, hopefully, attract whatever “monster” was lurking down here. “That I haven’t seen any beautiful, scary, monsters down here yet!”

You half-believed the rumors, and yet, half-didn’t. Agent Cameron had been the one to mention it first to you, prankster that he was- Perhaps he was going to try to frighten you? That would be silly. At this point you’d be frightening him, with your declarations of half-begging the monster to come fuck you and steal you away like some valuable prize-

Still though. Cameron didn’t seem to have been lying when you’d overheard him and some of the other agents of your work discussing the rumor- Not to mention, you yourself had noticed how… there was always an odd feeling hanging about the air of Gear Station. And especially in the tunnels. You assumed it must’ve been due to the sounds of trains running- Heavy machinery in the distance, always out of sight, your mind playing tricks on you to ascribe some meaning to the clanking of gears and grinding of chains- Turning them into the heavy footsteps of clawed feet and growls of some feral beast-

But still.

There might’ve been a chance, you know? “I sure hope no beautiful, huge, magnificent monster shows up after alllll this time I’ve spent down here,” You shouted again- “That would REALLY be a shame! Especially if it tried to pry off all these loose fitting clothes I’m wearing and bend me over and fuck me stupid, that would be TERRIBLE-”

So stupid. Cameron would be begging you to stop any second now-

And then you heard it.

A clicking.

Of something tapping against a concrete wall.

Your words faltered as you noticed the sound- Certainly louder than a Galvantula prowling the tunnels, you thought- And suddenly a whirlwind blur of light and feathers descended upon you, pinning you to the ground of the annex tunnel as strange, soft- Claws? Dug into your arms gently. The air was knocked out of you, your eyes tearing up from straining as they tried to adjust to the light- The blurry form of whatever was holding you down slowly coming into focus. And you gasped. “Would that realllllly be such a shame?” Asked the thing in a whining tone- a hollow smile on it’s strange, mask-like face.

You were too enraptured to reply, hardly noticing it’s words- The creature holding you down was no pokemon, nor human- Something strange and foreign yet painfully familiar, though you couldn’t recall ever having seen something like this- This entity before you-

It’s body was humanoid, though it’s chest was covered in soft, silky, white down that shimmered and shined and wavered- Emerging from it’s backside was an indescribable amount of wings, some with long, lacy feathers that drooped and undulated- Moving less like feathers and more like- tendrils of some sea creature. Other wings were more like a bird’s- Or an angel's. Fluttering and folding around the monstrous entity holding you down. It’s legs were equally feathered, ending in strange, shifting claws that hurt to focus on- Your eyes drifted back up, looking into it’s face.

Hollow, black eyes stared back at you from the mask-like covering on it’s face. A strange, ephemeral light shining out of them, darting around at you like irises of eyes- Peculiar, glowing eyes that they would be, if they were. Behind it’s head was a radiant halo, flaring with light and strange symbols arching over it’s silvery… hair. The horns on the side of it’s head looked strange, and familiar in a different way- And the hollow mouth carved into it’s smooth, white face was held open in a perpetual grin. It brought a claw over to your face, gently touching you as you looked up at it dreamily. The light emitting from it’s form was beautiful and wonderful to behold-

And you couldn’t look away.

Your eyes took in the light, far brighter than the darkness of the tunnel- And a feeling overtook you as though the whole of the world were blotted away in darkness, as your vision was more and more consumed by the radiance-

You couldn’t look away.

“…My darling?” “-Pretty darling-” “Lovely-?” “Your eyes are so verrry pretty like this-” "Sparkling with such wonderful light-"

Your attention gradually shifted to the words it was trying to speak to you- The whispering cacophony of voices in your ear was curious, sounding like one single voice speaking over itself, over and over and over- Terribly difficult to focus on, but you could make out shapes of eyes and mouth-things opening and closing around the head of the creature, and- Across it’s body.

But now that you’d taken in it’s appearance, your thoughts were racing.

There really was a monster of Gear Station.

A beautiful creature, white and sparkling and dazzling and more beautiful than anything you’d ever seen- Everything about it soft and silky, strangely dazzling- It’s claws, it’s body, it’s wings, it��s voices- Smooth and soft and- More desirable than anything you’d ever seen or felt before.

And the monster seemed to be responding to your flirtations…? Calling you darling, pretty, lovely-

Oh sweet Sinnoh above, you thought- A monster. A real, living, breathing monster! And it seemed- It seemed to like you-?

You reached your free hand upwards, trying to touch it’s face. And the strange hollow eyes on it’s mask closed blearily as it leaned into your touch, a trickle of a silver fluid drooling out of it’s mouth as a large, silvery tongue flecked out to catch it- Splitting into several tendrils as they retreated into the darkness of it’s smiling maw. Your eyes strained as you looked up at it’s head, your vision blurring against the harsh light-

You were about to speak, and the monster was too-

When suddenly something shadowy emerged behind it, grabbing the creature forcefully and pulling it away with a sharp whine.

“No, no no no! Wait, come back!” You cried, bolting upright- The tunnel was impossibly dark as your eyes tried to readjust to the low, almost non-existent light of the annex hall- “I wasn’t being serious when I said that it’d be a shame, Please, come back!” You cried out into the darkness, reaching for your lamp- Had something taken the monster, or had it pulled itself away for some reason-? Either way, you were upset. It had been beautiful. It had been so gentle, aside from- Well, knocking you over. It's eagerness- Yeah, sure, that's what it was- Was adorable.

“Let me go, let me go- Brother-!” Kudari thrashed against the heavy, thick shadows binding him and blocking out his light- “Darling wanted me- How dare you! I was going to kiss them, touch them-! I want Darling!” Ingo looked up at his younger brother, a sad, pitiful look on his face. How innocent he could be sometimes. “Brother-” He bound his brother as he settled back into a more human form- Still adorned with horns and claws and extraneous limbs and wings, but his body and face were certainly that of Station Master Emmet’s- “Brother, stop thrashing-” “No! Let me go! Darling wanted me-!” “I said stop-” "No! Now let go!" And suddenly, there was a loud click- And the two were illuminated by the brilliant light of a rail lamp. Your rail lamp. Shining down on Subway Boss Ingo restraining the half-shifted form of Subway Boss Emmet, staring up at you in shock with several more eyes on his face than a human should have, wings and feathers retracting and halting.

Emmet’s mouth hung open in terror, ready to begin explaining away what was happening- Ingo looked at you nervously. You weren’t reacting-? When-

Click. You turned the lamp off.

Click. You turned it on again. Click. You turned it off. Again.

Emmet looked up at you. Standing there blankly in the annex tunnel, flicking your lamp on and off. He turned his gaze to his brother, who was staring at you as well- His mouth shut tightly, and his eyes clearly pained. What-

“Darn thing had to go out, of course-” You mumbled to yourself.

And you grabbed at the side of the tunnel with your unlit lamp, trying to feel your way along the side.

Emmet’s voice failed him- And he ceased all his struggles against his brother’s grip, even though Ingo was no longer holding him tightly. Both were staring at you, a terribly sick feeling sinking deep into their hearts. Emmet collapsed to the ground, the permanent smile on his face completely gone; Replaced with a terrible heartache

No. No. No no no no-! Not you, he didn’t-

A small, delicate light appeared in front of you- reflecting back the glassy haze over your eyes that would not- could not- focus on.

No. No. No. No. Not his darling- Not his precious, beloved, little darling-! Not again, not again- “He-Hello?” You nervously asked to the darkness- It was taking very long for your eyes to readjust, wasn’t it? There should’ve been lights in the annex tunnels for you to see anyway… But the sound of something sobbing distracted you.

“M-Mister monster?” You called out into the darkness- Was that what you were hearing-?

With Emmet barely two feet in front of you, a soft light emanating from him- Illuminating you, illuminating the tunnel, and the growing shadows beside him. Not that you could see him-

You’d been blinded. Completely and utterly blinded.

Emmet kicked off of the ground, away from his brother. Levitating. He held his mouth as he choked back sobs, trying not to be heard by you- “I- I’m so sorry-” He stuttered out, the voice of your beloved boss covered by the chorus that answered you instead- Before he turned and fled from your presence. He couldn’t bear it- He’d hurt you, he’d hurt you so horribly-

“Wait, no! Come back!” You cried after the monster- Why was it fleeing- It said it was sorry? For what?

Ingo stood next to you, watching you painfully. He couldn’t blame his brother, nor admonish him for his foolish actions; There was nothing to say, not now that you were like this. Ingo’s shadows licked at the edge of wall he stood next to- as they shifted, the wall beneath it crumbled, ceasing to exist.

You blindly stumbled ahead, trying to feel for anything familiar. Ingo moved away from you apprehensively.

It was terrible to watch you like this, yet he knew he could not leave you be. Emmet would not have left either, but- Ingo understood. He understood it painfully well. They loved the lie of pretending to be mortal. They loved the lie of being your bosses, of being human-

Hurting you was the last thing the demons wanted to do. It was one of the worst things they could think to do. You were lucky, this time, to have avoided the pain, the burning- And the madness. And seeing you like this- Your eyes glassed over, unseeing-

Was a painful, harsh reminder of the truth they so ardently hated. You were a mortal human, flesh and blood and made in the image of the Creator Deity of this realm- As humans were. As all mortal creatures were-

What were they?

Things.

Aberrations, not meant to exist- And yet-

Here they were.

Bound by strange laws, strange knowledge, and stranger powers, antithetical to the nature of creation, yet inseparable from it. They were poison to your being, no matter how much they desired otherwise- Even if you were the panacea to the pain of their empty, empty hearts.

“I am- terribly sorry for having to do this.”

You flinched and shouted at the deep, thunderous voice rumbling directly in front of you. It was not like the delicate voice you heard from the beautiful glowing monster, but equally as beautiful. Could- Could it be, you thought-?

“Who- Are you another monster?” You weakly asked, trembling- The fact you couldn’t see this one made you grow strangely terrified-

“...Yes.”

“A-Alright. What was that you just said a second ago?” You asked, reaching a hand out into the darkness- It was becoming strange. Why couldn’t you see the lights of the annex tunnel at least? Surely they hadn’t gone out when the monster appeared- “I’m sorry if I’m acting kind of strange, I- I uh, can’t see.”

“I know. The other one is sorry. I am too.”

“Wh… What?”

“It is our fault. I tried to pull him away. His light hurt you. We are sorry, little Darling.”

“You mean, I can’t see because of that monster?”

“...Yes.”

It’s words dripped with ache and sadness- The deep voice quivering as it answered softly, and achingly.

You felt a strange, smooth, shifting and liquidous thing- caressing the edge of your face, shaped like a human hand, almost-

“This will not hurt. I am sorry that this happened to you.”

“Wait, wait- What won’t-?”

But without another word, you felt something- squishy, smooth, cold- wrap around your face- Muffling your voice. You felt your eyes forced shut- And a feeling like you were falling, and then-

You opened your eyes to find yourself standing- Or rather, stumbling- In the Gear Station lobby.

“Good GODS ABOVE-”

You heard a familiar voice behind you half scream, and half-squeal. Wheeling around, who else could it have been but-

Depot Agent Cameron, collapsed into a heap on the floor of what he had known to be a completely deserted Gear Station lobby, only to suddenly see you behind him.

“Oh! Uh, Hello- Agent Cameron, Sir.” You cheerily answered, brushing yourself off- Somehow your outfit was back on you- Something the monster had done-?

“How-did-you-get-there-you-fucking-terrified-me-you-got-damn-”

As much as Cameron loved to scare others, he was terrible with frights himself- And it took a fair while to calm him down, especially with your own confusion- What excuse could you cook up for how you snuck up behind him in an entirely empty lobby, after hours at Gear Station?

“Well, you see… I was handling some uhh, extra… paperwork… the uh, Station Masters asked me to deal with- And uh, time just got away from me! I was trying to sneak out quietly, I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Having calmed down, Cameron stared at you- Feeling a terrible smirk trying to creep it's way onto his face. While it was extremely tempting to mess with you- The Station Masters would probably be angry, or worse, your excuse probably had something to do with them, didn’t it…?

“And what are you two doing here so late?”

Oh no-

And from behind you, Station Master Ingo walked up rather briskly- His heavy coat swishing behind him, heels clicking against the elegant marble flooring of the station-

Cameron saluted quickly. “Station Master, Sir! I was just- finishing the cleaning that had to be taken care of tonight, and they were just about to head out, Sir!”

You looked up at your boss nervously. You didn’t actually have a reason to be here this late, and Ingo would know that.

“Agent…” He began- That awful growl in his voice, reminding you of that monster- You were in for it now, weren’t you? Prowling around Gear Station was something both Ingo and Emmet despised, no matter who was doing it. They were almost always calm, but- When dealing with hooligans or delinquents or journalists or any other nosy people poking about where they were not wanted- Trying to break into the access vents or tunnels or wandering the Employees-only areas of Gear Station…

They became terrifyingly angry. Dragging people out by the scruff of their necks and chucking them across the Gear Station lobby like dolls, and then banning them from the Unovan Transit Lines entirely… You would shudder at the memories if you thought of them, and you were trying not to. How would Ingo react to you having been wandering around the station so late at night…? You were a Depot Agent, and you were in the lobby… Hopefully they hadn’t noticed anything… Strange…?

The Station Master looked you up and down, before grabbing your cap, adjusting it on your head. “It’s rather late, Agent. Be safe heading home.” He added quickly, turning away. “Continue your work, Agent Cameron- If you’re not done by midnight, you’ll be cleaning the entirety of the lobby during your morning shift, is that understood?”

“A-Absolutely, Boss!” He grabbed at the mop he was holding as your boss walked away- Sighing heavily. You turned your attention back to your unfortunate coworker. What exactly was he cleaning up? Some weird black stain of something. Whatever it was, it looked foul, though it didn’t seem to smell like anything…?

“You weren’t here when it was stinking to high heaven. I’ve been scrubbing for the past hour.” Cameron bemoaned. Judging by the way he was cracking his back, he wasn’t lying, either.

“Where’s everyone else then? Shouldn’t you have someone to help you?”

Cameron propped himself up on the mop, leaning over sheepishly. “I… may or may not be responsible for this uh, mess.”

You blinked in realization. “Oh… Wait, don’t you have a Muk?”

“Skunktank, actually- But yes. Foul stuff.”

“Ah. Well- Would you like some help?” You offered, coming closer-

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” He screamed- Suddenly blocking your approach to the mess on the floor. “Er- You’re done your shift, aren’t you? You should get some rest! Head home! Relax! I’m good. Besides, Jackie will be annoyed if I make you do my work, haha- I’m almost done, anyway!”

Poor Cameron, in actuality, was not dealing with a Skunktank’s mess on the floor, but rather the remains of some lower worm that had crawled through a tear in the tunnels. It was his fault it’d managed to crawl through- And he was quite lucky to have his punishment only be cleaning up the physical remains it had left in the lobby after Lord Nobori had been nice enough to snap his fingers and cause the creature to explode, unfortunately all over the pretty marble flooring of the lobby. He absolutely could not allow you to come in contact with this thing. He was technically not a human- But you were. He did not need you to get any of this foul goop on you and explain to his Oh-so-very noble lords why you would be writhing in agony and turning into soup on the floor. Absolutely not.

Well, you thought- If he was so insistent, then nothing was to be done. You bid him good night, and headed out.

But the moment you stepped out of Gear Station, into the quiet cool of the night-

Why had you been at Gear Station so late? You wondered.

You- You’d been wandering the tunnels, looking for something…

But what?

Whatever it’d been was gone from your mind, and you couldn’t recollect it.

You were still walking back to your apartment- Gently rubbing your head with increasing frequency. Why did you have such an awful headache? It was truly terrible- The street lights above you hummed- The harsh glare that radiated from the overhead lamps certainly didn’t help your headache. You shook your head again, stepping into the dimmed lights of the halls of your apartment complex.

And a masked figure watched you enter- From far away, of course- His clawed hands dug curiously into the side of the stone building he was resting against, hollow eyes watching you enter into your abode.

There was no longer a mouth upon his mask- And a curious fluid- dark yet light yet red yet silver- dripped from the blackened eye-holes through which no eyes could be seen.

Nobori fixed you. At least, Nobori fixed you-

He tried to sooth himself- You were safe. You were safe. Healed.

From the injuries he gave you.

The thing moved silently across the street, drifting from light to light- It’s body hidden under shifting silken silver robes, and it’s light obscured by a curious hat- Following you. The door to your apartment complex swung open, and you hurried in- The air felt particularly strange tonight, though perhaps it was merely the lateness of the hour. The time of ghost pokemon, the time of hauntings- You caught yourself turning your head behind you more than once.

Nothing was there- So it seemed.

It was strange, certainly. The sense you had. Perhaps some ghost pokemon lurking around? Perhaps. And you shuffled into your apartment- Flicking on the lamps that seemed to be… brighter, somehow- Perhaps your headache-?

A quick shower had you feeling far too exhausted to stay up much later, and you made your way to your bed, cuddling into the soft comforting plushness of your pillow. Perhaps it was how exhausted you were- But it felt nicer than normal- Listening to the gentle sounds of the Nimbasan streets and the soft, almost musical hum of your apartment’s A/C-

And before you knew it, you were asleep.

The thing sat above you, looking down as you rested against it’s tail. The adorable way your hands gripped it, snuggling your face into it’s fur- What could be called an arm reached out from the ephemeral edges of the creature, gently trailing against your shoulders and neck. Kudari brushed your hair back, humming to himself gently. Partly to soothe you into sleeping, and partly to soothe his own, new-found nerves.

You were alright, weren’t you? You didn’t recall anything. If anything at all, it would be a bad dream.

“Dearest love,” He murmured. His voices whispered and stuttered, falling short- Speaking words and uttering sounds meaningless to you- Continuing to caress you gently. The feathers trailed against your skin, clinging to you as sunk into the fluff covering his body.

You were so very precious to them.

“I love you.” It whispered.

“Mm, you too…”

The creature’s feathers stood on end at your quiet mumbling.

“What did you say?”

But you did not respond again, instead only murmuring in your sleep and tossing- You wouldn’t wake up, of course- And you didn’t, though you clutched it’s tail harder with every movement you made, sinking into the fluff-

You really were so very precious to them. And the creature curled itself around you and your bed like some horrifying guardian angel, claws and mouths pecking at you like a fretful mother-pidove, softly singing and softly humming with it’s horrible, otherworldly light- Kudari’s own feathers fluffed up around him, giving him a poofy mane as he settled into the sound of his own voice singing so sweetly for you- The bleary eye holes on it’s face narrowed- blinking, but never closing- Always keeping it’s eyes on you.

Sleep was such a precious, vulnerable thing- Emmet did not understand it in the sense humans engaged in it, but- Curled around you, listening to your gentle breaths- The innocent, adorable way you clung to him in your sleep- There was something about such an act that shook him with a growing, rabid curiosity- An obsession- that could not be satiated.

“I am sorry, little Darling. Sleep well.”

And then-

[Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.]

You awoke with a start, hearing the familiar buzzing of your XTransceiver lying on your bedside table, and the sounds of traffic from the streets below. Sunlight poured into your apartment from a small window, casting rays from the gaps in the shutters on your floor. Just how late had you slept-

And oddly-

What had happened last night? You couldn’t recall. You’d searched for the supposed monster of Gear Station- And-

You’d… just… left, right?

You scratched your head. It felt oddly like more had happened- But you couldn’t recall anything. It felt like- No, it didn’t feel like anything, you argued back at yourself.

Like a dream you couldn’t recall- But knew that you had had.

You quickly got up, showered, and readied for the day. The green uniform of Gear Station suited you well, fitting perfectly and flattering your figure excellently, while being more than comfortable- Shoes went on, a quick, tasty breakfast scarfed down eagerly, and you were out the door as the morning sun continued to rise. Luckily your shift today started later than normal. The only thing you could think to complain about, sometimes, was how early you sometimes got up to work. It could be bothersome, getting ready at 6 in the morning and stumbling up out the door at 7, though Gear Station was open 24/7. The trains ran endlessly, constantly, consistently, and efficiently, and you were certain the Night workers were more tired than you could ever hope to be- And certainly Agent Jackie, or Ramses, or Cloud- It was rare you didn’t see them at Gear Station, even when you worked overtime, or especially the Station Masters themselves-

“Hey! Watch it!”

Your attention was returned to the angry driver honking at you in irritation as you crossed the street rapidly.

“I have the right of way, dumbass.” You muttered under your breath as you sprinted across the road. The driver made a sharp turn, speeding away. Traffic wasn’t usually so heavy in the morning, you thought, scanning the cars rolling down the street-

You squinted as you rounded the corner to Gear Station again. The harsh, intense sunlight, reflecting even brighter off of a brand new street sign put up- “Dearest Darling-” “So very, wonderfully, beautiful.”

You stumbled, suddenly reeling. The sunlight reminding you of the harsh, strange, bizarre-

Light.

The light of the thing-

It’s eerie, mask-like face, the strange halo of light, shifting in and out of your mind like a dream- Like the pavement before you now as your vision went out of focus.

Your mouth went dry as you fell against the side of the building you were next to.

How had you forgotten? How could you have forgotten-? That creature- The gentle way it spoke to you, the feeling of it’s claws along your skin, it’s fluffy, furry, feathery wings…

The strange, eerie grin upon it’s bizarre, hollow-eyed face. The wings wrapping around the edges of it’s grin-

You swallowed hard, heartbeat thudding in your chest. This thing was running around the tunnels of Gear Station-

“Good morning, Miss!”

Your thoughts were interrupted by Agent Jackie calling out to you. He waved, and you returned the gesture as well as you could.

“G-Good morning, Jackie. I-I need to clock in.”

“Of course, of course." He waved, not noticing your frazzled state it seemed- "Once you do, could you please deliver the electrical cabling that was dropped off at the Anville platform to platform C? Ramses will be there, you’ll be working with him and Joshua on replacing some wiring that’s worn away. Joltiks love chewing on them a little too much it seems.” Jackie seemed far too busy to notice, thank goodness, your rather frazzled state.

“Very- Very well, of course.”

Agent Jackie laughed lightly at his own remark, waving as you walked off- Your hand shaking nervously as you ran your card through the scanner and rushed over to the Anville platform, running into several passengers- More than once out of the corner of your eye, you saw things in the lights- Eyes or shadows or things reaching out at you, you swore-

But nothing was there.

Calm down, you told yourself. Calm down.

The load of wiring was heavy, and huge- Having been dropped off at a loading dock used by the Anville line trains to transport construction goods between the train stations. At the very least, it was already loaded onto the trolley- You just needed to haul it.

The loading dock itself was a much different part of Gear Station. Out of sight of civilian eyes, and along the maintenance tunnels.

It was strangely terrifying, now. You knew now, that the rumor of a monster in Gear Station were no longer a mere rumor.

It was true.

“Pretty Darling.”

You blushed as you recollected it’s words. The sweet, sonorous voice it possessed- Calling you darling. And- Had it heard all of what you’d said? It certainly seemed like it. The memories were still foggy as you pushed the cart into the maintenance tunnels- Heading straight for Platform C.

“Mister… Mister Monster?” You called out into the dark, rather nervously.

Why had you lost your memories anyway, you wondered? Was it- Was it the monster? Something told you that yes, yes it was- But the white thing had left-

And shadows had taken it away.

You pushed the cart, a headache beginning to form as you recalled even more. The thing in the shadows- Teleporting you out of the tunnels-

And it took your memories.

It was sorry it had done so.

The wiring was heavy, and huge- Having been dropped off at a loading dock used by the Anville line trains to transport construction goods between the train stations. At the very least, it was already loaded onto the trolley- You just needed to haul it.

The loading dock itself was a much different part of Gear Station. Out of sight of civilian eyes, and along the maintenance tunnels-

It was strangely terrifying, now. The mere rumors of a monster in Gear Station were no longer rumors.

It was true.

“Pretty Darling.”

“Mister… Mister Monster?” You called out into the dark, rather nervously.

Why had you lost your memories anyway, you wondered? Was it- Was it the monster? Something told you that yes, yes it was- But the white thing had left-

And shadows had taken it away.

You pushed the cart, a headache beginning to form as you recalled even more. The thing in the shadows- Teleporting you out of the tunnels-

And it took your memories.

It was sorry it had done so.

The loading dock itself was a much different part of Gear Station. Out of sight of civilian eyes, and along the maintenance tunnels-

It was strangely terrifying, now. The mere rumors of a monster in Gear Station were no longer rumors.

It was true.

“Pretty Darling.”

“Mister… Mister Monster?” You called out into the dark, rather nervously.

Why had you lost your memories anyway, you wondered? Was it- Was it the monster? Something told you that yes, yes it was- But the white thing had left-

And shadows had taken it away.

You pushed the cart, a headache beginning to form as you recalled even more. The thing in the shadows- Teleporting you out of the tunnels-

And it took your memories.

It was sorry it had done so.

You pushed onward, slowing down a little.

Two monsters. Two monsters within the tunnels of the station- And for what purpose? They didn’t seem to be… bad, so to speak, but-

Surely the Station Masters wouldn’t be happy about this. Teleporting monsters that could take away people’s memories- That sounded like a safety hazard for certain.

But you also weren’t supposed to have been in the tunnels that late at night. You’d gone in at Cameron’s dare, essentially- Very immature of you, yes, but-

“My pretty, lovely, darling.”

Again it’s voice echoed in your head, making your ears ring and your heart thud. And you could’ve hugged Cameron for urging you to "test" your courage.

That beautiful, beautiful, creature.

It was so, incredibly beautiful-

Painfully so.

“Mister- Mister Monster!” You called out again, louder-

No response. Perhaps it only came out at night, you wondered? And the other one-

The one with the deep, dark voice-

Perhaps it as well, you wondered. You pushed the cart onward.

“Ah, there you are!”

You approached the landing dock for platform C, greeted by Agent Joshua as he ran over to assist. You hadn’t realized how heavy the cart had been until he pushed it away with ease, and you stretched your arms- Causing your shoulders to pop.

“Thanks for bringing this down, Miss. Sorry no one was available to help with this,” He heaved as he moved to pull the cart into position alongside the electrical paneling- “But there was a damaged rail down one of the Castelia lines and most everyone’s dealing with that, and then there’s been an issue with several of the engine carts and they’ve been dragged out to Anville…”

Joshua rambled on, and you nodded, not paying much attention- The lamp light of Ramses’ lamp reminding you of the night prior, and the dim light of the tunnel in the corner of your eyes moving around and making you almost jump with a strange mix of fear and hope every time you tried to focus on it-

“I-Is everything alright, Miss-?” Joshua asked, after watching your head snap several times into the darkness- Unusual for you, he noted. You kept your attention towards wherever there was movement, people, normally, right? Like most humans-

“Everything is fine, I just- I keep thinking I see things in the dark, is all.”

“Oh, there’s nothing there. ‘Cept maybe some little pokemon, but they won’t bother us. And even if they do, me and Magnezone will take care of ‘em, of course!”

Joshua patted his pokeballs at his side confidently. You smiled at his reassurance- But perhaps…

You wondered.

“…But what about mons-” You began- Only for Ramses to interrupt you with a loud pop sound and a flash of light.

“Fucking hell-” Ramses swore, as a spark flew out of a wire he was clutching-

“Are you alright, Sir?” Joshua asked, bending down to his senior officer. “I’m fine, I’m fine," He retorted. "Hand me a C-type wire, please- Actually, you can do the soldering this time-” Ramses ordered, gesturing towards you.

“Me? Of course, Sir. Here-” You moved to the pile of cables and pulled down one of the smallest- Meant for one of the more delicate controller boards- And you leaned down, hair tied neatly back, with heavy gloves on as Ramses directed you. Soldering was a task for the delicate wire work only- The larger cables would simply be replaced in their entirety, and the chewed through cable would be recycled.

And after an hour or two, it was done. The panel was sealed up again, a switch was thrown, and a distant thunk of whirring power was suddenly heard as lights, fans, and display boards for the Anville line came to life.

“Well, that’s dealt with- Here, I wrote this up for you, since the bosses’ll want a record of this for later.” Joshua gestured to a clipboard holding the details of the completed work order. “Thanks,” you replied, taking the board. “You can bring that to the archive actually, I think.”

“The archive?” You asked, quizzically. Archive?

“Oh, where we store… basically anything and everything relating to Gear Station, to be completely honest. Work order records go there, along with schematics, blueprints, news, employee records, pokemon records, all sorts of things.” Joshua answered. "You'll find it easily!"

“No," Ramses interjected gruffly, turning his attention back to you. "You’ll be bringing it to the bosses. I don’t even know if your keycard’ll let you in to the Archive, and uh, the Archivist is not nice about lettin’ just anyone dressed in a uniform in,” Ramses grunted as he grabbed the trolley, handing you a pile of papers. “Bring those up to the bosses as well. Joshua, get to your station on the Singles Train. It’s departing in… 13 minutes. Go. You. Go collect any other work orders and either finish ‘em up or drop ‘em off at the Bosses’ station.”

“Will do, Sir!” And you marched off with the papers in tow- There was a central station where the agents accumulated such orders, and it was the work of junior agents like yourself to make sure they were correct and fully filled out before they ended up on the Bosses’ desks to either approve them to be carried out or to file them away in the Archive- Apparently.

Finally armed with a formidable, tightly bound stack of papers, you made your way towards the office of your bosses- Down the hall that seemed to stretch on forever, around several twists and turns-

Always it grew strangely silent, you noticed. The space around their office was quiet and curious- A sort of empty, almost liminal feeling around this section of Gear Station. Nothing but the quiet hum of the electric lights, in a space with no windows- It felt like another turn and you’d be standing in another world, or as though time was all messed up- Not stopped, but like one could round the corner at morning and find themselves peering into the night sky two seconds later. A heavy scent of something soothing yet spicy filled the air, like scented candles- Or fine incense- twisting around the warren of halls and doors like a great labyrinth. But you’d walked this path so frequently you knew perfectly well where to go. Sometimes there were other doors- Though you’d never had reason to go in them. Some were locked, some lead to meeting rooms- Clean, empty spaces that looked like the most picture perfect business spaces you’d ever seen. The sort of sterile look that spaces in stock imagery had, you thought. A dull, boring cleanliness- That looked more for show then anything else. But then again, you mused- The Station Masters probably just didn’t make much use of them.

“Station Masters? Sir?” You asked, approaching and gently tapping at the door to the shared office of the Subway Bosses. Silence followed, as you listened intently for a sound from the other side. “Come in,” was the muffled reply- But the deepness in the voice, and the loud, clear tone made it clear who it was.

“Hello, Ingo Sir.” You greeted as you walked in. You smiled politely at your boss, who leaned back stood up to take the papers from you. “Hello, Miss. Thank you for bringing these in. I trust they’re all in order?” You nodded. “Of course.”

“Bravo. Thank you.” His eyes scanned the top document, and he nodded approvingly, though his face, to any outsider, would have looked decidedly discontent with whatever he was scrutinizing. “I trust you rested well?” He asked, setting aside the stack as he leafed through it.

“I’m sorry?” You asked.

“You left Gear Station awfully late last night- I was merely asking, did you get enough rest last night?”

“Oh! Of course, I’m doing great, Sir.” You smiled sheepishly. Ingo could be so thoughtful, it was one of the things about your boss that made him so cute.

But what was cuter was that monster-

You swallowed hard, thinking back to it- A little guiltily now. Your bosses were handsome- And human, which probably made them at least better targets for your crushes as opposed to whatever hulking monstrosity was skulking around the Nimbasa Subway-

Or maybe- Maybe the bosses would know something about it-?

“Well, if you would like, I do have coffee here, if you would like some.” Ingo offered. “I heard you were working with Ramses and… Joshua, on fixing the paneling at the Undella... C station? It’s almost lunchtime as well. You can take a little longer of a break.”

“Thank you, Sir- I’d love some.” You agreed. Perhaps, it would be an opportunity to ask-

Ingo almost looked surprise. It was unusual for you to accept his perpetual offers to try to keep you in his presence even a second longer- And he hastily turned his back, grabbing one of the mugs from the small, almost unnoticeable kitchenette the twins kept in their office.

“There you are,” He offered a few moments later, handing you the mug. “Thank you, -Ow!”

A small droplet of the coffee splashed onto your hand, steaming and stinging your skin, but not quite burning. “Are you alright?!” Ingo rushed, grabbing at your hand. His eyes were wide with shock. “I- I am so sorry, Dear-”

And the voice of the creature rung in your head. The voice of the one you did not see-

But heard.

But what had it sounded like, exactly-?

You couldn’t remember.

“It-It’s alright, Sir! It’s my fault it splashed, I’ll just let it cool a minute.” You offered, setting it down on his desk as you took the chair opposite him. Your boss eyed your hand with terrible worry as he took his own seat, sighing and sinking into the soft back. “Ah, see? It doesn’t even hurt anymore!” You smiled, looking at your hand. The red spot where the burn was forming had vanished, and there was nothing there now that it had cooled off. A faint smile appeared on the face of Ingo. “That is good. I hope you enjoy it. Please, let it cool a minute.”

“You look like you could use some coffee yourself, Sir.” And you really meant it; Ingo’s eyes had dark shadows under them, and the way his coat scrunched up around him as he sunk into his chair made him look unusually haggard. “You were up just as late as I was, weren’t you?”

“…Yes, I suppose I was. I am holding steady for now, Miss. Though I do… appreciate your concern.” He drawled, tilting his head as he snatched up a piece of paper laying on his desk, setting it aside on another table. “Idiot tabloids,” He muttered. “’Was the reason myself and Emmet had to stay late.”

“Tabloids?” You asked, curious.

“Annoying reporters who want to traipse around the subway tunnels with no regard for safety protocols, and cause me and Emmet a mountain load of paperwork and headaches,” Ingo explained. “Looking for things that don’t exist to fill some useless space in their useless magazine, trying to pry into matters that don’t concern them.”

“-Like the rumored… strange pokemon?” You offered cautiously.

Ingo turned his attention back to you. Sharp, silver eyes glowered out at you from behind the shield of his hat, and you shifted uncomfortably- There was always something about them- The Twins- Maybe it was the fact Ingo was your boss? Maybe it was the fact he was so much bigger than you were- His coat made him seem huge, his hat added several inches onto his already towering height- Maybe it was the stillness and the silence of the room. Maybe it was the fact that looking at him or his brother made your heart flutter-

“What strange pokemon?” He finally asked, his gaze drifting down to another document he’d picked up.

“Er- Oh, I’ve heard a bit of a rumor, you see, Sir, about there being a… strange pokemon- Some people are calling it a monster- That’s…uh, that might be in the tunnels.”

“That’s merely a rumor, of course.”

You persisted. “But- Are you sure, Sir?”

It was a fine line to be toeing. Or, at least, that’s what it felt like. The bosses were so- Always, always so inscrutable. They seemed to genuinely care for their employees- They even seem to genuinely care for me, you thought.

But always there seemed to be a wall. You poked and prodded it on occasion- But never did it seem to go anywhere. Always they backed off, or you did- A feeling like some great secret, a veil between you and all the others, that you just couldn’t get through- But you could see hints and movements of things you wanted to know about, but-

The veil, as thin as it was, was still a wall.

Between you and Gear Station. Between you and the two men who had taken your heart so easily, with their charming mannerisms and dispositions, sweeping you off your feet the way they swept through the teams of opposing challengers-

Your face fell. They would never, probably, never- Ever, return your silly interests. What would Ingo say, you wondered for a moment, if he knew what you were thinking? It made your stomach churn with a pain far worse than any coffee burn could ever compare to- It was wholly inappropriate to be thinking of your bosses in such a manner- And both of them, at that. Right?

“…Have you had any experiences with this so-called strange pokemon?”

You looked up. Ingo had set aside the next paper he’d been studying, and he was sitting up straight. The shadows under his eyes were gone, but he looked on as dully as his intense eyes would let him. His frown tightened.

“N-No,” You began, hesitating again. “I’ve only heard rumors- I heard someone talking about it, and I was just… concerned a little bit.” You tugged at the brim of your hat, adjusting it and brushing past the feather-

Your hat.

You pulled it off your head suddenly, looking at it intently.

The feather.

“…That’s it.” You mumbled.

“What is it?” You looked back to your boss, who was looking at you from under the brim of his hat, cautiously curious.

“Do you think- Do you think, Sir, this feather- Might be from the strange pokemon?”

Ingo eyed it, gingerly taking your cap from you. From a strange pokemon, indeed.

“…That could very well be a possibility,” Ingo agreed. “But- This talk, if there is a strange pokemon or anything wandering the tunnels- Do not go looking for it.”

“Is there any reason not to?”

Ingo nodded, standing up and walking over to your side. He gently brushed your cap, straightening it and smoothing the top. “Of course. We do not know how powerful this strange pokemon might be, or what it can do. It would be better to exercise caution in that case, Miss.”

“…Of course, Sir.” Your stomach growled, reminding you of the hour. “I think I’ll be taking my lunch break now, so I’ll see you later?” You smiled, gently taking your cap back- You adjusted it on your brow, saluting as you stepped towards the door. “See you!” And you waved, ignoring the stuttered remark of your boss-

“…I was going to offer to accompany you…” Ingo muttered, before settling back into his desk chair- But that was unimportant.

What was important was what you’d just said.

You remembered? Even if it was faintly, you were recalling bits and pieces even after he, Nobori, had taken away your memories?

You really were their soulmate. Ingo’s breathing ceased, and his shadows gathered around his feet. It was going to be problematic, at the very least- What if you recalled anything else? He’d been avoiding influencing you- But what if you recalled what had happened when you allowed them into this realm-

That would be dangerous. What if you recalled anything about last night, about previous events-? He would need to watch you closely- Extra closely.

Bzzt.

His wrist watch- The cross-whatever it was called? Tranceiver. The watch phone thing. Buzzed. Agent Jackie.

[Has anyone seen Master Emmet?]

Buzz. Another reply. Agent Sam.

[He will be disembarking from the Doubles Train within the next ten minutes, when the Entralink roundabout returns to Nimbasa.]

[Understood. Good to hear.]

Ingo sighed. The moment “work” had started for the day, Emmet threw himself onto the Doubles Train- This would be the ninth trip he’d made today? He was running rather recklessly, Ingo worried. His dear younger brother. It had hurt him so to have brought you pain- It hurt Ingo too. And to cause it again? The older brother sunk into the darkness of his chair, drumming his fingers against the arm and over the desk.

Would it be so bad to make you forget again?

#Eldritch AU #Demon AU #Eldritch Submas #Emmet X Reader #Emmet / Reader #Ingo / Reader #Ingo X Reader #Applesauce Anon #Seth.anon #Seth.asks #I am posting look ma I'm posting #monster au #monster submas

159 notes · View notes

titlemewickedwonderland · 10 months

Text

The Manager (Ghost Fic) Chapter 1

Summary: The Ministry announces an outsider coming to be part of the congregation to help with the Ghost project as a tour manager; little did the Ghoul know; she is nothing like they pictured her or how she'd affect them all.

Support My Work!

"Now, I want you all to be nice, ghouls! This is the third manager we have had in the span of 6 months! If you dare run her off-" Copia wagged a finger at the group resulting in a few scoffs.

"It's not our fault the last ones didn't know how to handle us." Dewdrop sneered crossing his arms behind his back.

"Dew, you caught the poor girl's dress on fire!" Copia protested waving his hands around wildly

Dewdrop's smile was anything but innocent. "I was showing her a party trick."

Swiss snorted beside him making Rain whack the Multi-Ghoul on the arm with disapproval. "Papa we'll be on our best behavior I promise!" Rain vowed before giving his packmates a glare. "Right?"

Phantom snickered but it ended up in a cough as he met the small Water Ghoul's stern glare. "Right, we promise Papa."

Copia huffed and nodded just as the doors to his office opened and a Sister walked in. "Papa, your guest has arrived." she announced as she stepped aside to allow the figure behind her to step up.

She was not at all what any of them had imagined. She was not of their Ministry, an outsider very much out of place standing in Copia's lavished office and it made the Ghouls so silent as Papa stepped forward with an extended hand to shake the one the young woman offered.

"Ah, Mrs. Whitmore thank you so much for coming on such short notice!" the man said as he shook the woman's hand before placing a kiss on the back of her hand.

"I should be thanking you, Copia. I was really intrigued when we spoke earlier about this proposition," she replied with a warm smile. "And please, call me Ari."

"Si...please take a seat!" Copia waved her over as he shuffled behind his desk.

The woman, Ari gracefully moved over to the chairs; casting a friendly smile towards the masked figures standing off to the side before sitting down and placing her leather carrier case on the ground by her feet. She wore civilian clothes, a simple pair of jeans, and a warm cream-colored sweater that was sure to keep her warm in the cold season of Autumn that swirled leaves through the abbey with its chilly breath. Her hair was dark brown and curly; pulled into a neat ponytail at the back of her head. Definitely not what they had imagined when the Ghouls were informed a new replacement was being put on the Ghost Project as a manager; in all honesty, they had expected an older woman in her mid-forties - Sister Imperator's age...not this....lovely creature sitting there right now.

She was so attentive and open as she spoke with Copia, coming well prepared as she slipped a notebook from her bag to take notes on as she listened to the papa speak; jotting down vital information to store for later, no doubt.

"Ah, and before I forget and get ahead of myself this is a file of all my ghouls with their personal information that has been taken down and noted from the previous managers to ease your transition-" The file that was pushed towards her came to a halt as she placed her hand on it; stopping its movements.

Her smile was small but sincere as she pushed it back to the man across from her. "I won't need it." she said sitting back.

"But-but Mrs. Ari-" Copia floundered in confusion; only going silent when she tipped her head at him with an amused smile tugging at her lips.

"Copia, I would like to get something straight. I do not plan to leave anytime soon or be run off. The others who worked for you taking care of your needs and those of the ghouls while on tour lacked one particular detail that is vital to a job like this; I can tell you that much without having to meet the previous managers."

"And what is that mio caro?" the man asked curiously

"They lacked a sense of vulnerability to this job." she lifted a hand idly as she spoke and waved it around as she continued.

"I presume since they did not last long they didn't take the care to actually get to know the ghouls they had under their care. They saw a job that needed to be done and when the pressure of their personalities got the best of them - they left because they couldn't handle it. They didn't see their job as anything more than a paycheck and that was their first mistake, their second was that they didn't take the time to understand the ghouls and their needs; instead looked at them as if they were just a hindrance or a child they were having to babysit. What differentiates me from them, is that I do, in fact, care about this project. Not because of the pay." she turned her gaze to the silent group that had yet to make a sound since she arrived.

"I care because I know they are not just an object to be used as a tool for this project. Without them, the project wouldn't be possible and thus they deserve as much respect as they do the comfort of knowing they won't be overlooked and undermined simply because they are not human as you and I." she returned her attention to the man; her laugh of delight at his gobsmacked expression causing the corners of her eyes to crinkle as she smiled at him.

"So, I won't need those files. Everything I need to know about your ghouls, Copia I will learn on my own by actually getting to know them personally; not basing them off of a spreadsheet in a folder." she pushed the file back towards him before closing her notebook and putting it away into her own bag.

"Now, I know we spoke about the details of my job description but I hope you would shed some light on what I can do to help when we are not on tour. What will my duties off tour include?" she folded her hands in her lap and stared across at the skull-faced man; waiting patiently for him to pick his jaw up off the floor and gather his own thoughts before speaking.

"Ah, si. So, it is no real difference then what is expected of you on tour. You will manage their practice schedule, and make sure they have everything they need when the seasons change; each ghoul is particularly sensitive to the change of seasons for obvious reasons. When not with the ghouls I will need your help with planning out the setlist of the next tour, being there for practices to make sure everything is going well, taking notes when needed; booking venues and ticket booth stuff as well as merch stalls while we aren't on tour. Planning for the future tours and such." Papa explained watching as Ari nodded slowly while she took in his words.

She was not stressed in the least; the amount of work that seemed to be piled onto her plate was a rather big task to partake in but she didn't sweat it and instead took in the information carefully; the look in her eyes making Copia imagine her gears turning as she filed away data.

"And lodgings?" the woman finally replied.

"You will be staying in the manager's suit across the hall from the Ghoul's wing for easy access when you're needed. I hope that is alright with you?" Copia looked suddenly nervous but relaxed when Ari merely shrugged and pursed her lips.

"Sounds like a solid plan, now before we end this meeting Papa would you mind giving me the previous work files of the last manager on duty so I can see where they left off?"

"Si si...you certainly don't miss a beat." Copia laughed as he rolled away a bit to dig through a drawer in his desk.

"What can I say? I'm very thorough." she gave a playful wink before extending a hand to grab the rather large stack of folders labeled differently on the wings.

"Thank you, Ari. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership." Copia gave her a warm look and Ari returned it with one of her own before she grabbed her bag from the floor and rose to her feet with the folders tucked against her chest.

"Likewise, Copia. Now, if you don't mind...I do have a few bags that are waiting in the lobby for me to take to my new quarters and I'll retire for the evening to sort all this mess out." she tapped the folders with a finger.

"Si si mio caro. We'll talk more tomorrow, if you need me I'll either be in here or in my bed chambers down the hall! In the meantime, my ghouls will show you the way."

Ari nodded and headed for the door, pausing only briefly to look over her shoulder when she heard footsteps behind her. She snorted a bit as she opened the office door and slipped into the hallway; joined moments later by the black-clad figures.

"You aren't a very talkative bunch, are you? that's alright, I'm sure we'll get to know each other soon." she said as she followed the group down the hallway.

"Did you mean it?" a voice spoke up shyly to her right causing her head to swivel to peer at an average height Ghoul as he walked right behind her shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"About what you said back there to Papa. About us." he clarified.

"Of course I did! I don't say things I don't mean, honey," she replied with a small smile. "Now I know my word means nothing to you. Trust isn't something that's easily given when it comes to strangers but I hope we all can be friends while we work closely together, alright?"

The ghoul nodded once before falling back into silence as they led her toward the Ghoul Wing. They stopped at a wooden double door across the hall from another and paused there.

"We'll have someone bring you your luggage in a few minutes. In the meantime, Mrs. Whitmore this is where we will part ways..." the tallest of the ghouls spoke up in a rumble.

"Thank you for the escort." Ari smiled back at him before turning to open the door only to stop when another voice piped up.

"Hey! Err, before you go...we just wanted to let you know we appreciate what you said back there to Papa and...if you want...we'd like for you to join us at our table for breakfast in the morning, for proper introductions and such, y'know?"

Ari chuckled and turned to look at them. "I would love that!"

"Okay, cool. We'll uh, we'll come pick you up?" it was stated more as a question than a statement and Ari smirked in amusement.

"Sounds like a plan. Goodnight, guys. Sleep well." And with her parting words, she slipped through the door and softly closed it behind her.

Chapter 2

Taglist: @darklylucid @strawberry-moonpies

58 notes · View notes