#and i hope you've all finished the new life is strange game by now

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 5/2/2023

some stuff i fucking HATED in this one

listening

new K. Flay AND new LUNA AURA singles out last friday but the thing that kept me company through several walks was this (billboard called it "industrial rager" which seems fine close enough) used for the yellowjackets tv show (something i have not watched and never will).

my brain has really craved repetitive lyrics recently. not sure what that's about. not a repeated lyric, but love one that goes "lipstick on the rifle". spotify

ty discover weekly.

reading

pour one out for the real ones, Vice's leftist gaming vertical Waypoint. if you've ever liked anything about the way i go about these posts you have them to thank. i would say they are the primary influence in the way i try to approach things like "is this a clever subversion that still holds a lot of love for the genre or does this not even know the rules it's trying to break". also a big factor in me going "okay this is what it says it is, this is the marketing copy and press releases" and a work says it's trying to do before assessing whether or not they do it well. may all the staff land softly, elsewhere, paid far more.

“There are a ton of destinations within gaming media that do a great job covering whether a game is worth your money. Instead, we want to focus on telling stories about why people play, and investigating how the games we love and spend so much time with come to be. Whether a game was a commercial success or has a small, dedicated community, we want to raise the conversation and take an in-depth look at the passion, people, and politics that underpin these worlds.” -Austin Walker, editor in chief until last year

the very last thing i read was this review of the new starred wars game, whose early review code sent to journalists was EXTREMELY different than what ended up shipping. this is uncommon but not unheard of, but almost nobody publishes a "null result" review like this one and it's a fascinating breakdown

This piece has, admittedly, gone off the rails, but if this had been a straightforward review, and at the end, I put an italicized section that said “based on 10 hours,” what would you say? If I’d finished the game but confessed at the end that the patched version was importantly different from the one I’d spent my time with, what then? Which review is worth more?

i also read Behind the Sun, Above the Moon, a non-binary scifi/fantasy anthology. i was not impressed with this collection in whole or in parts. it could have benefited from a stronger theme and editorial vision (i'm not actually sure this thing had an editor, now i'm looking closer?)

this has billed itself "a Queer anthology inspired by magic and the cosmos". what i was hoping/expecting this would be: a collection exploring what it means to be nonbinary through the lens of scifi and fantasy. it actually is: an almost completely human-centric collection about people who happen to be non-binary and happen to live in scifi or fantasy settings.

the critical problem is that most of them are very slice-of-life in a fantastic setting as opposed to a short story with uhhhhhh a theme and a point it makes. the worldbuilding, while often interesting, is not integral. 3/9 of these are set in a contemporary setting, and all of them could be set in a contemporary setting without losing much. 3/9 (one overlap) feature a protagonist or deuteragonist who is a cop, and all three of those read very gay assimilation-y/feel very concerned with perfect gay rep.

i don't really expect anyone to be the next o henry here, but none of them are self-contained. not the sort of ambiguous ending in the Ha Ha Im Going To Think About This For The Rest Of My Life way, they all feel like “first chapter of a planned new adult trilogy”.

i love anthologies. i am always rooting for anthologies. i am no stranger to imperfectly written speculative fiction. this one is just kind of nothing? none of these are good or particularly enjoyable examples of the form, either as short stories or as speculative fiction.

i don't actually know what tipped me off to this book, it's been on my overdrive for...two years.

watching

two out of three Magnificent Seven sequels are not worth my time, your time, or anyone else's. i have not bothered to watch Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969, dir. Wendkos) bc i have a finite amount of time on this bitch of an earth.

i reluctantly have to hand the original some heterosexual rights. that move had a genuinely cute romance that fit in well with a particular character's growth, even if it was lifted whole cloth from Seven Samurai. this will be relevant when we discuss this franchise's hatred for women later.

Return of the Seven/Return of the Magnificent Seven (1966, dir. Kennedy), starring exactly one member of the original seven, is so poorly paced that i paused the film during an "exciting" bullfight, got up to get more snacks, got distracted, and ended up cleaning my kitchen.

there is a great deal of untranslated, un-captioned spanish throughout this movie, including the entire opening sequence. i don't know how i feel about this. on one hand, yeah, fuck them americans, and i would not call the english-language dialogue particularly crucial to your understanding of the plot. on the other hand, what.

as opposed to the original seven all being men who are fairly polite and follow some sort of code, the replacement five are all kind of sleazy? one of them only signs on bc there's an entire village full of women on their own. in other relationships, there is the KERNEL of a really fascinating fucked up family dynamic between the villain and his sons, but we don't even get hints of that until well after the halfway point. this is the original movie but less interesting and sloppier. the camerawork and effects simply are not there.

The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972, dir. McCowan) is a really, really awful film to watch, and not just if you're a woman. this whole fucking film uses three separate instances of rape or gang rape as plot momentum. if you are not trying to fill out lee van cleef's filmography (only a thing me and @birdcfparadise are insane enough to do) this is actively skippable.

like okay. let’s just walk through the first fifteen minutes. lvc's young, new, nubile wife convinces him to let a kid who robbed a store get off with a warning instead of what lvc really wants to do, send him to jail. in return, the kid shoots lvc, kidnaps lvc's wife, and rapes and kills her on the trail. the movie, which wasn't good to start out with, does not improve from there. like the other sequel i watched, this is the original movie but less interesting and sloppier.

the one interesting choice this film makes: one of the seven is a failed journalist tailing lvc, hoping to get enough life details out of him to write a book. this is a fun period-appropriate twist and this could have been a fun proto-revisionist western/gracefully put the franchise to bed, but here we FUCKING are.

why'd i do this to myself: liked the original, like lvc.

playing

the steam collections i'm sorting things into areworking, bc i forgot i owned Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (2013, developed/published Techland). i do not remember buying this, i assume it was $1.99 in a sale at some point. this is a silly arcade-y first person shooter.

i suspect it will be the kind of thing i play through once and then completely forget about, but i will have a fun ten hours-ish.

this is a personal problem, but the moment you give me a long-distance rifle, i want to play as stealthily and perfectly as possible. (except in fallout, where it is way more fun to charge up to enemies like a very small freight train with a shotgun). this game is simply not built for stealth. this game wants you to move constantly. i do like how enemies are encountered in little groups or knots, and don't come after you if you've cleared out one group and haven't hustled along to the next. enemy AI was simply not very sophisticated in 2013. this gives me time to meander around looking at everything and going "oh i coulda got up on that water tower" or "totally missed that barrel of dynamite".

i like how over the top but un-self-serious it is so far. competent shooter, fewer of the bells and whistles we expect from a FPS these days, but we don't really need to be fucking around with health packs and more than one kind of ammo for a gun. nothing's really annoying me yet and i haven't fallen deeply in love with it, so i don't have a ton of thoughts other than "huh this is a decade old video game with decade-old design sensibilities, which isn't bad just different". stay tuned!

separate thought: i do think that the game's artstyle is about as detailed as i ever want a game to get. nothing ever really needs to be more realistic than this. i do think we peaked in 2013 and what 2013 CPUs could handle. we have better raytracing and particles and whatnot now, but that's at the cost of eerily hyperrealistic games where there is little to no non-signage visual signposting. nothing is guiding your eye through a level, things (consumables, collectibles, etc) are very easy to miss. if video games are an art form you need to pick a thing your game looks like. make a stylistic choice for christ's sake. not this game though. it's doing okay.

making

made some fake meatballs (shut up) bc the giant bag of bargain store brand meatballs i used to practically live on have risen to $20 a bag. angel hair and meatballs are easy to acquire and easy to eat, even if they do generate many dishes to wash.

making my own is not much cheaper, and raw ground meat texture is one of the worst things in the world. plus i had some carrots and oats and lentils to use up anyway. this required more chopping than my hands cared for, even though i bought pre-juilenned carrots and just sort of roughly diced them. the texture is UNSETTLINGLY like real meatballs. that sort of spongy? bouncy? mouthfeel. the taste is, of course, nothing like real meat. they are a little crumbly in actual pasta, but oversaucing whatever noodles are at the back of the pantry will help.

no pics bc they look awful. eating a lot of various lentil sludges lately partly bc i am trying to clean out my pantry before i move, and when i could still afford grocery delivery they frequently gave me green instead of the far superior red lentils.

#tuesday again #tuesday again no problem

[bunny-rambles]

bunny bunny BUNNY!!

omg omg i stay away from this platform for two days bc of stuff (nothing serious dw i've just been busy with some irl birthday lol) and i come back and see what??

okay, let's make some order:

- you've been in a car crash??? my baby i've read from your answers that you're better now but :////// anyways if the head wound still hurts i will pray for the fastest recovery!!

- congrats congrats on the 700 followers!! ✨ every time i see you reaching some sort of milestone i get really really happy eheh :3

- this is gonna be boring bc someone has beat me to the punch, but i too ship you with albedo! hehe i think you'd look super cute together <3 lil sweet bunny and the pretty alchemist

- last (but not least. definitely not least) omg the new piece???? i was dead set on declaring the tighnari part my favorite as soon as i finished reading it but then scaramouche happened and??? i need a second to breathe wow. i love him i love him i love him so much i wanna be the one that comforts him when he's feeling down sigh seriously tho i adored it. might be a bit of a personal bias bc ya know, it's my fave boys we're talking about but still. what a nice surprise to be back to.

and this is it! wanted to come back with some funny anecdote but i really didn't do much recently. ah, but my friends and i are making a series of board games about our favorite tv show and these days i've been busy making the trivial pursuit version of it. it turned out so cute i'm super happy :D

also! we haven't done the italian word of the day in a while so here you go: today's word is tartaruga, which means turtle, bc today i played with my turtle and he's just the cutest boy don't tell scara tho

bye bye buns! no matter what, i hope this ask finds you well

ti voglio bene!

- 🍓

Goodness, I only left this a few days but those numbers have increased so much-

I now have 838followers,,, crazy, right? I couldn’t move past 600 for nearly two months and now I’m only 162 off my goal for this account…

It’s strange, there are times where I’m asking if it’s deserved, and honestly it’s a little overwhelming with the amount of new people here, but it’s been nice to finally have something I’m proud of be seen and talked about, it’s,,, it’s nice to have my abilities validated :,) I know that shouldn’t be important but I can’t help it, I like hearing nice things about my work

Mhm, I was in a car crash. I only came out with a cut on my forehead but I’m extremely hesitant getting into a car after;;; even now I’m clinging onto the seatbelt until my knuckles are white. But don’t worry fragola, I’m alright 💞

Hehehehehehe~ ahhh albedo my beloved, I love hearing how I’m shipped with him. Ahem… self indulgent little drabble, skip over this if you want;;; -

hand in hand on top a snowy mountain, a smile on our faces. we’re cold, our breaths mingling together through the cool mist exiting our lips, but the warmth in our chests is enough for us to not feel the unforgiving chill. enough for each other, for that is all we need. even the harshness of the hostile environment, all around us looks like a dreamscape - the winter wonderland you only hear about in fairy tales. yes, hand in hand, I’ve found the flame that keeps my heart alight, burning brightly. undying, like our unconventional love.

i love my boy so very much 💞

oh my god I put all my emotions for scara into that, I just really want to reach through the screen and reassure him that even though life has been cruel, there are some things that aren’t so bad. They might not last for long, but another good thing replaces it. (… maybe I’m not just talking about scara anymore)

Anyway-

Hehehe thank you dearest /)/////(\ scara was the highlight of that piece, but I liked all of them, tighnari’s was absolutely a self indulgent vent though college is killing me OTL

Hehe when I first read that I just thought of Tartaglia the tartaruga, and now an imagine of a lil turtle with water blades and a scarf lives in my head rent free - I hope you find this just as amusing, or maybe my humours just broken.

ti voglio bene, it’s nice to hear you’re doing well, don’t be a stranger and drop by my inbox whenever you’d like, I love hearing from my dear fragola <3

#bun speaks #🍓 anon #so sorry this is late I just have no energy for most things anymore #ily though #albedo my beloved #sorry for being so self indulgent in this;;;; but it came to me and I couldn’t stop OTL

[glassmarcus]

A Collection of Battle Network Ramblings

*Played in April 2022, Written in July 2023

Megaman Battle Network 1 is universally claimed as "The one you skip". I've heard for years that the Battle Network series essentially starts at 2. As someone who had only played Battle Network 3 and 4 up until this point, I can't say I was excited to go back to the roots of the sub series. But I bought the whole collection. I wasn't just gonna leave 1/3rd of my purchase untouched. So I ignored the populace and started from the beginning. So now I can confirm that Megaman Battle Network 1 is not worth playing and that everyone was right and I should have listened.

It's not that it has no merit, it's that every other game afterwards invalidates it. There's nothing really unique about the game worth salvaging. I also finished Megaman Battle Network 2 and it is a direct vertical upgrade in every category. The only reason to play this is to understand the overarching plot of the series, but playing the game itself is probably the worst way to digest this plot. A summary of it gets the same job done. Heck I’d say I was more engaged in the first half of the anime that loosely covers the story of the first game.

As a stand alone product though, Megaman Battle Network is fine. Not fine in that it's adequate in most of its efforts, but fine in that it fails at everything except the one thing it needed to nail. The Combat in this is nothing short of brilliant. So many RPGs of that time period leaned on decision making and preparedness being the crux of their Battle Systems. Battle Network is compiled a bit different. It's both turn based and active. Planning is just as important as execution. Some battles can be won before they even start because you had the right game plan; Some up hill victories can be stolen just because you're simply good at moving around and shooting. It's the perfect blend of skill, strategy, and testing your luck. And it's quick too. It never waste your time with drawn out animations and scripted sequences, and if you die the game reloads immediately. Very rarely do I run around in an old game and just hope I get jumped by a new group of enemies. But this game achieves that by being thrilling and gratifying the whole way through.

Everything else about the game IS wack though. If the combat in this was the slightest bit middling, the experience would be unambiguously bad. It poured all the sauce into one area and refused to spread it out. The battles carry this entire game on its broad burly shoulders. This Combat radiates massive knee buckling Main Character Energy. It is the Wilt Chamberlain of RPG Battle Systems. The map design is convoluted and labyrinthine. The dialogue is nonsense. There are no quality of life features in sight. Each stage gimmick is more obnoxious than the last. But....the 5th member of the team is Wilt Chamberlain. So there’s going to be a decent amount of points on the board no matter what. That's how enjoyable fighting weird virus monsters is in this.

But that's all mechanics and design. What truly pushes this into being a game worth wading through mediocrity is the art direction. All of these character redesigns are A+ winners. Megaman had this early anime look to it (as it was definitely inspired by Astro Boy), thus the characters had somewhat of a western tinge to them and weren't afraid to have bold shapes. I love this about the original Megaman. But I also love early 2000s sleek anime aesthetic so having versions of these characters within this frame work is a big draw to me. I would spend the entire playthrough wondering what the next boss was gonna be and how cool they would look. Sure I've seen the anime, so it's not like I'm completely blind, but I was 6. I hadn't played classic Megaman yet. Now that I have, I can truly appreciate the value of seeing a character you've grown fond of with a new look of lateral quality. It's strange, I've played so much classic Megaman that it's the version of the character that springs to my mind first. But the exe version of the character is the first one I was exposed to. So in a way that will always be MY Megaman. The great thing about this franchise is that you can have multiple subseries at once. Nothing replaces Megaman. X didn't replace Classic. Trigger didn't replace X. Geo kinda replaces exe, but if they made a Battle Network 7 anyway I wouldn't be shocked. I would even be thrilled. Because I would love to see a Battle Network game with more than a few months of development time. These games are woefully unfinished. 2 is a better game for sure, but it still has plenty of cracks that become glaring in the back half of the game.

Battle Network 2 adds tons of material to the formula to make the experience feel complete. There are out of battle items now, so there are more things to spend currency on other than chips. You can run from battles whenever. The levels are still labyrinths, but they at least look different from one another. The most substantial addition is styles, different forms Megaman can take based on the play style you prefer. Unlocking these is really cool as they force you to try out different strategies to unlock different styles. If you want shield style, you play defensively; if you want guts style, play aggressively. It's an interesting way to level up your character and I wish it didn't take 160 battles to unlock some of these. Not that I mind doing that many battles, I just would have preferred unlocking more by the end of the game.

The addition of lasting damage also does a lot to push you into playing differently. In the first game, you recover all HP after each fight. So there's no difference between a perfectly executed battle and an ugly one. A win is a win. Sure you get ranked, but no one cares about that really. It made the adventure less stressful but also less dynamic. 2 leans into dynamism by functioning like a traditional RPG and not a Xenoblade game. If you get hit, you sustain that damage until you log out or heal. So unlike the first game, I went into battles trying my best not to get hit and prioritize healing rather than face fucking my way to victory. It also made me consider using money on items that could heal me or reduce encounters. It encouraged better play and while I appreciate how forgiving the first game is, the second does a much better job in getting you to understand the system.

But even though it's better across the board. None of its core issues are solved. While the level design isn't as offensive, it's still a dull and confusing world to traverse. There is still no map, there are still no interesting looking areas or secrets, and there are still translation mistakes around every corner. And I've seen into the future. I know what the next two games are like and they both do nothing to alleviate these issues. I doubt the last two are any different. Why would they be? They were made with zero time. These are are changes that are only made when there is ample time to plan a game and include bells and whistles at the end of production. None of these games have that luxury. But they could. You know why Megaman X, X2, and X4 are pretty widely regarded as the best Megaman games? Because they are the only ones that are fully cooked. Battle Network needs a chance to make its complete game instead of getting only 9 months to make 20 hour games. Capcom has been killing it for the past half decade and everything they touch is gold. Building a good game around this great combat is something I have complete faith they can do. It might be too early to have this take. Battle Network 5 and 6 may do everything I want the series to do, but I doubt it and I’m pretty comfortable being presumptuous in this case. And between a Megaman 12, a Megaman X9, and a Battle Network 7, I would gladly take a Battle Network 7. There’s still so much untapped potential here.

#megaman battle network #megaman battle network 2

[pan-fangirl-345]

Fluffy, 58/71 & 66, with tsukki! In the bedroom for longing

Prompts: Nervous kiss, sudden kiss, and desperate kiss

A/N: You're my first event ask anon! And I love the way your brain works. I'm just now realizing that this sounds kind of like the game Clue. Also, no pronouns were mentioned, so it's gender neutral!

Sorry for any errors, it's late where I am and this kind of got away from me, but I hope you like it!

"Are you almost done?" Kei asked, turning in his chair to look at you.

"Yeah, I just have one more quote and a paragraph to write," you replied, typing furiously on your laptop, glancing back at the book for the correct wording.

He hummed his acknowledgement, watching you work quietly.

You were sprawled across his bed, papers and your textbook spread out around you haphazardly, your hair in your face, and your lip between your teeth as you worked your way through a discussion question for one of your history classes.

The rush of fondness for the scene wasn't new, but it wasn't something Kei had noticed until recently.

He had been realizing a lot of things recently, with the end of his high school years coming up quickly and life decisions that he needed to make.

And, he had realized this stupidly late, that you were making the same decisions, and that they might take you far away from him.

You had never been far from him. You, Tadashi, and Kei had all gone to middle school together, you had gone to high school together, but now you were parting ways.

Kei wasn't worried about the distance, they had train systems for a reason, but he was worried about the work load. You had a tendency to work yourself into a panic, and you procrastinated for as long as possible if he let you.

He was worried that you would get buried and forget about him.

It had been a strange thing to realize; that he didn't want you to forget about him. He had always counted you among the people he could tolerate for more than two hours at a time, but he had never thought of anything past that.

He regretted that now.

Because he couldn't place the feeling in his chest every time he thought about you not calling him every night when you should've been sleeping.

He couldn't place the feeling of knowing that you would be on another campus dealing with university by yourself. Sure, he and Tadashi were only one phone call away, but life happened sometimes.

He wasn't worried about you making friends, some poor extrovert would adopt you, or you would end up adopting some introvert you found in one of your classes, but that didn't mean that he wasn't worried about you in general.

"Kei?" you asked, drawing him out of his thoughts. "What's with the face? You're making the face you made when Noya pulled those moldy pea pods out of his locker at school."

Kei's face twisted at the memory and he shuddered unconsciously.

You laughed as you cleaned up his bed, smoothing out the covers and putting your stuff back in your bag.

"Okay, well, I finished what I needed to, so I'll be headed out."

"But-"

Kei clamped his mouth shut, wondering where the protest had come from. He had been doing that a lot lately, blurting out random things that had you giving him a concerned look.

"Unless you want me to stay a little while longer," you said, sinking back down onto his bed. "Kei, what's that matter? You've been acting weird lately and you're kind of scaring me."

"We're graduating this year," he muttered, moving to sit next to you.

"Yeah, it makes me nauseous just thinking about it," you agreed, turning to get a better look at his face. "Are you just now realizing this?"

"No, but I think it's just starting to sink in. We won't be together anymore."

"Come on Kei, you know you can't get rid of me and Tadashi that easily."

"I know that," he assured you. "But . . . I won't be there to make sure you aren't wrecking yourself. I won't be a physical presence making sure that you're eating and doing your fucking homework."

Kei winced at how cheesy he sounded, but he had been trying to get better at showing his actual emotions around his friends.

"I think that might be a good thing," you whispered, suddenly toying with your hands in your lap.

Kei whipped his head around to look you directly in the eye.

"Don't take that the wrong way Kei," you said, fidgeting. "I just . . . I've always sort of relied on you to keep me in check. To make sure that I was taking care of myself but . . . I need to be able to do it myself. I think that not having you around is going to make me more responsible for myself. I think this is going to be a good experience for all of us."

Kei mulled over that for a moment before he sighed.

"You're right, but that doesn't mean that I won't be worried about you."

"Tadashi and I will be worried about you too, Kei, it's what friends do."

Kei winced at the word friends, but you either didn't notice or ignored it.

"Kei, short of some weird 'your partner doesn't like me and you choose them over us' thing I don't think even death could make Tadashi and I stop being friends with you. So we might not see each other as much, but we'll make it work," you promised, taking his hand in yours for a moment. "Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, okay," he said, squeezing your hand.

"Good. I'm still gonna head out though," you told him, taking your hand back and standing from the bed.

He watched as you walked towards the door, and then everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

He was leaping up from the bed and catching you by the wrist.

What am I doing? he thought vaguely to himself, especially when you turned with a baffled look on your face.

Between one blink and the next, his lips are on yours, and he's pushing you back against the wall, and arm around your waist to keep you steady and a hand braced against your head so you didn't bang it against the wall.

What am I doing? he thought harshly, tilting his head so he could kiss you better, harder.

You dropped your bag to the floor with a small thud, and he leaned back, the sound breaking him out of whatever spell he had just been put under.

His cheeks were hot, and now doubt a deep red, but he found he didn't really regret kissing you.

You were looking dazed, baffled, and a little breathless, though Kei suspected that he didn't look any better.

Kei was about to apologize, because there was some hurt emotion in your eyes, but you wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him down so you could kiss him.

Kei's had been sudden, then when he'd realized what he was doing, a little nervous.

Your kiss was just desperate, like you were trying to force your body into his through sheer willpower.

You were open to him like he had said the magic words.

There was that hurt, sad emotion left though, peeking through in your movements.

"Hey," he croaked, pulling away enough that he could talk. He spoke his next words against your lips, despite how much he feared your answer. "What's the matter?"

Instead of answering him, you pressed your lips against his, angling it differently this time, and Kei couldn't help but melt into you, arm tight around your waist, one hand in your hair.

Kei pulled away first again, leaning his forehead against yours as you both panted, trying to catch your breaths.

"I . . . I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," you whispered. "It's not fair to either of us."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, brushing his nose against yours.

"We're about to graduate, I don't have any of my shit together, and you don't even care about me like that," you said, and Kei could already tell that you were ready to give him a fifteen point presentation if he didn't stop you.

He kissed you before you could keep talking, noting that- despite what you had just said- you didn't pull away from him or push him away.

"How do you know?" he asked. "How do you know that I don't care about you like that?"

"You've never even given me a hint, Kei," you told him, looking embarrassed and ashamed. "And I overthink literally everything."

"Maybe I just figured it out," he countered.

"Or maybe you're full of shit and had small psychotic break in which you kissed me like a man about to disappear."

Kei gave you an unimpressed look and you pinched his arm lightly.

"Shut up. I just got kissed by a guy that I've had a crush on forever, my brain shut down for a second."

Your eyes widened after a moment, as your brain processed what you had said, and you groaned, attempting to slide down the wall to hide.

"Nope," he grunted, propping you completely against the wall so you couldn't hide from what you had just said. "You said it, no taking it back now babe."

"Don't make fun of me, jackass, it just slipped out. I never would've said it otherwise," you muttered, looking away from him.

"Hey," he said softly, taking your chin in his hand, trying to get you to look at him. "Hey," he repeated, a little harsher this time, taking your entire face in his hands.

He pressed his lips to yours again for a moment, before he pulled back and said, "I do care about you like that, (Y/F/N). And what we feel for each other is so much more than a crush and you know it."

You were looking confused again, and he gave you a few moments to process what he was saying.

"R-Really?" you asked hesitantly.

"Moron, of course," he mused affectionately, stroking his thumbs over your cheeks.

"You're serious? This isn't something you're going to regret in the morning?"

"I doubt I'll ever regret kissing you, (Y/F/N)," he affirmed.

You blinked, once, then broke out into a smile that could rival the sun.

You threw your arms around him, laughing.

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around your waist, burying his face in your neck.

"I love you," he whispered, clutching to you.

"I love you too," you told him.

Things may have been changing, and things might have been shifting, but nothing in the world could keep him away from you.

#tsukishima x reader #kei tsukishima #kei tsukishima x reader #tsukishima kei x reader #tsukishima fluff #kei fluff #kei x reader #haikyuu tsukishima #haikyuu x reader #hq x reader

[saezurufeels]

opinions 💭 and predictions 🔮

Brain empty, no thoughts, just vibes...so this is gonna read like a passionate diary entry, forgive me

Dear diary, in the last chapter Doumeki lost the composure he was barely holding onto since running into Yashiro

But in all seriousness, from what I saw of ch. 45, Doumeki can't stop his emotions from showing on his face anymore, the way he was doing earlier in front of Yashiro

He even left the car behind to chase Yashiro...

Doumeki: *asking Yashiro who his daddy is*

Meanwhile, the car:

I haven't read the new chapter, but if Kido was caught and the money he stole returned, then Yashiro's business with Sanwakai is finished, which means that Doumeki needs to make his move now and he's not going to give up so easily.

Yashiro got out of the car because he knew he couldn't resist Doumeki's emotional and sexual advances.

I think the tipping point for Yashiro was Doumeki's expression when D caught up to him. Yashiro's reaction to Doumeki's expression was his familiar startled, yet yearning look. Yashiro is attracted to the person he loves'/Doumeki's display of emotion, after all

I don't know for sure what they were talking about in the car, but if Yashiro believed that Doumeki just wanted to have sex, Doumeki's worried expression and his persistent chasing+grabbing definitely would have convinced him otherwise; and deep down Yashiro wants to be wanted imo

For all those reasons I have a strong feeling they're gonna end up inside Yashiro's apartment in the next chapter. I don't think Yashiro can continue to convince himself he doesn't want Doumeki for much longer.

From the translations I've seen, Yashiro admitted to himself that he's acting strange and that he's changed; although, honestly, Yashiro at age 19 and 36 were already different..... and the Yashiro now only does it with one person. Sooo, yeah, he's changed. He's not using bodies upon bodies to forget his hurt; he's using Inami to get information and stay ahead of the game

That would explain why Yashiro first gets embarrassed (blushing) and then angry (hissing cat eyes) when Doumeki suggests that Y does it with anyone. Old Yashiro would have proudly agreed, but new Yashiro doesn't see himself that way anymore, therefore it's an insult and an insecurity of his (but he can't admit that).

Thereforeee, is it too foolish to say that over the last 4 years, the short relationship he had with Doumeki had impacted Yashiro? Maybe Yashiro has already started to unlearn the belief that he's twisted, masochistic and/or perverted

Plus, once you've had a taste for true, requited love, how do you forget that feeling? I think Yashiro's loneliness is a bigger problem for him now, than his belief that he can't fall in love or is undeserving of love, based on the imagery and symbolism I've seen so far in volume 7 (the dream, empty bodies of water, voids such as that in the car, etc.; wherever you look it's being suggested that Yashiro feels lonely)

Obviously, there's still work to be done, which is why Yashiro is running away from Doumeki. But, I think it's possible for Y to come around more easily this time than the last. His defences are already falling, which means they weren't that strong to begin with

And props to Doumeki for the way he's framing it: "if you can do it with anyone, then let it be me" (I'm paraphrasing). Baby steps. If it's easier to swallow the concept of monogamy that way, then so be it. I mean, Yashiro DID ask Misumi if he knows someone better he could sleep with, instead of Inami.. be careful what u wish for lol

I was honestly hoping that Doumeki and Yashiro would run away together, but more and more I'm starting to think that the yakuza life is unavoidable for Doumeki. He's already a member, he respects Tsunakawa, he won't leave Niki the way he left his sister.

So naturally, during the day Doumeki will be a tough yakuza guy and then during the night, he'll come home, shampoo Yashiro's hair and make him dinner and I'm ok with that

I'm not convinced that Inami is a real threat. Yashiro already forewarned him that he has the upper hand. Yashiro is smart enough to collect information he can use as leverage if people turn against him and he has the unique ability to set situations up in his favour. We've seen it again and again..Ryuuzaki, Hirata, Hirata's underling who betrayed Nanahara, Chestnut and his partner, (Doumeki), let me know if I missed somebody 🥱

Nanahara wanting to leave is not that surprising; he's pretty caring for staying the last 4 years even though it's not what he wanted to be doing. I'm sure it was a pretty big blow to Yashiro. There was friendship, stability and support in their bond. Nanahara is a big part of Yashiro's life.

I really don't know where Yashiro's career is heading at this point. He says he has savings to open a legit business, but that's only if Misumi gets a new hobby

With Doumeki coming back into his heart, Nanahara leaving, Misumi putting on pressure, it seems like Yashiro's life is getting knocked off balance. But maybe that's exactly what Yashiro needs. The uncertainty might open up new possibilities and opportunities for growth. I'm not trying to sound like a tarot card reader, but instability isn't always a bad thing, because it allows for change.

Although, this new yakuza subplot that's brewing is gonna make me cry, I fear; especially since Yashiro's future is so unclear. I hope Y doesn't do something stupid to protect Doumeki.

But whatever happens, I have complete, blind trust in Yoneda Kou to pull off a beautiful, emotional and noteworthy ending, even if it's not a happy one.

#saezuru tori wa habatakanai #chapter review #chapter 45 #yashiro #doumeki

[that-little-zebunny]

Skin to Skin (First Date)

Pairing: Loki x Avenger!Reader

Warning: Angst, little Gorey-ish details, Fluff

WC: 2,151

Summary: You're new to the team and end up messing it up with the God of mischief on your first day in. Knowing his reputation you're up for a fun time in the compound.

Note: First of all thank you so much guys for the warm acceptance you gave on our 1st part T....T y'all made my heart so so happy. I hope you'll enjoy this part and I'd love to know how you think. Its a bit long so yay enjoy.

2nd day of our wonderful HBC's Week of Love for the lovely @the-th-horniest-book-club 🥰

You know what's the fun part of fighting the bad? It's that it doesn't choose a great time. It pops up as randomly as it can. So here you are on your second day trying to go around and meet people, when you got a message to suit up.

Small details are that you and your team are going to keep an eye on one of hydras abandoned bases because Friday had detected some activity there.

What you didn't know is the team you speak of is just you, the Falcon, Natasha and Loki. Yup, how fun will it be? You and the person that doesn't like you in one deadly work. You won't be surprised if somehow between the fighting you'll be stabbed by him. You shook your head to remove the thoughts running in it. You really should stop watching suspense shows. You sighed.

After almost three hours in the air you all finally made it in the location. You scratched your head when you saw that the area is surrounded by a lot of trees.

"Looks like we're up for a fun hide and seek game if there's really people here now." Nat said as she fixed all the weapons secured on her belt. Sam agreed. He activated three of his cute little drones to help out with securing the area for treats.

"We should go. All these small talks will not vanish our enemies." Loki said walking past the three of you. You pouted.

"I think that's mostly because of me. Sorry guys." You said as you finished fixing your knives on your belt and grabbing your metal staff. It's your main weapon because it keeps you from getting near anyone when it's not needed.

"No worries cookies, he's like that to everyone. He didn't really have a choice in being here. He's banished here to help." Sam said using the silly nickname they all choose to give you after you delivered tons of cookies to them.

You look at Loki's retreating back sadly.

You're able to get inside the rusty building without encountering anyone.

"This is a bit creepy. How did Friday detect anything here? There's no one in about 10 kilometers." Sam said as he checked the tech in his arm.

"Maybe it's a ghost?" You joked which earned you a strange look from them. "What? I watch movies." You rolled your eyes at them and continued going to another part of the building to check. It looks like you're in a laboratory slash surgery room. That gave you chills. You tried to not imagine how many bodies were cut and gutted in here.

"You have a very unique mind." Someone said which made you squeak. You turned around swinging your staff towards the voice but was halted by a sting hand. Loki held the end of your staff smirking at you.

"Crap…" you whispered. You didn't do anything again didn't you? "I-I'm sorry." You bit your lips as you relaxed, removing your staff from his hold.

"For someone that works with emotions you do suck at it." He said, smirking at you.

You scratched your nape as you stared up at his face, his very very beautiful face. Ugh!

"I know. Its been a challenge controlling my own. I was so used at controlling others." You said remembering your childhood. How you tried to mold your always bickering parents to play nice when you're around and to act as if they loved you. You know they hated it and they hated you but what can you say you were ten and scared. But they didn't care. All they know is you're an anomaly and that they rather not be around you. That's why as soon as your grandma offered they toosed you away like a hot potato.

You shook your head as your most dreaded memory came up. You frowned and turned to look at Loki again.

"Was that you!?" You asked. You're gritting your teeth as you feel the rage consume you. He just stared down at you smirking wickedly. You boinked away the tears that threatened to fall from your eyes. "We're even now." You said gripping your staff.

"Yes we are." He proudly said as he went around checking if he could find anything useful and you did the same.

It really was a lab and they've experimented on people trying to make a brain dead person have functions again. That made your stomach turn especially when you saw the reports of how the patients reacted to that. Some were like dummies and some became vicious. And so many more that you end up closing the files you're reading and you just grabbed them.all to bring them back with you.

"Find anything else?" You asked Loki but he didn't answer so you went to look what he's doing in the room he went in. You found him staring at a cradle.

"There's a body here." He said. That alerted you. Especially when you saw him touch the cradle to open it using his power.

"Nooo Loki don't!" You shouted as the cover of it opened up releasing some kind of gas. Knowing the few things you've read if your guess is correct this is gonna be bad.

You ran to him to grab his arm to pull him away but he didnt move so when you saw the sharp claw like hands coming out the gas you didn't think much and just went in between Loki and the thing.

You gasped in pain as you felt the slicing on your back.

"Good norns! Y/N! You dumb, dumb mortal!" He shouted as he caught you in his arms when your legs gave out. He looked behind you and flicked his hands green mist went to take away the life from the girl from the cradle. You heard its body make noise as it fell down.

Still in Loki's embrace you tried to breathe deep but it ended up just you gasping painfully. The cuts must have been deeper than you thought.

"L-Loki…" you pleaded with him as you felt your breathing start getting shallow and you feel like you're drowning. You must have blood on your lungs by now. You tried to swallow the sobs that tried to get out of your lips and you just stared up at his face. He really have a nice face. It's unfair.

You must have lost your mind because when he caught you staring you smiled up at him which in return got you another frown.

"Stop admiring me. I know I look better than the normal midgard male population. You really must be dumb, why did you jump infront of me. I'm a God I won't be hurt by a mere scratch." He said as he helped you to lay down on the floor as he called out to Nat and Sam on his coms. He turned you on your side to check your injury and you heard him take in a breath.

"Is it bad?" You asked thinking of the worse based on his face.

"Don't get your brain all rilled up, Cookies. It'll be alright." You giggled when you heard him call you on your new nickname.

"S-so I'm cookies to y-you now too." You coughed but still smiling.

"Oh you need to shuush." He said but you can hear the smile in his tone. So your stupidity got you on his goodside.

"How can I s-shuush. This might be my last time to talk. What i-if some parasite is now in me and I'll start walking and biting people." You caughed again as you felt something soothing on your back.

"You need to change what you watch Y/N. That's not healthy anymore." He said, shaking his head. Your back is starting to feel nice now and your head is like it's floating. You giggled again as you touched his face. Even in your groggy brain you felt his emotions. Scared, amused and adoration. Is that all for you? You smiled at him again as your eyes were about to close.

"You should date me Loki." You said. His eyes went wide as he steadied you to pick you up.

"That's the soothing magic talking." He said as he started to walk.

You're about to walk past the table where you put down the files you found when you remember how important they are.

"Wait! Wait! Lemme grab those." You pointed to the tall stocks of folders.

He walked near it and you grabbed them and hugged them on your chest like your life depends on it.

You feel proud of yourself getting them or being carried by Loki. You're not sure which anymore and before he even finds your team you fell asleep.

You woke up in what you guessed as the med bay. You tried to get up and looked around to find no one. You brushed your hair with your hand as you tried to stand but got dizzy. You tried to grip the bed frame for support but you're too slow so you just let yourself fall. You're about to kiss the floor when two strong hands caught you and relief and annoyance flooded your brain.

"You must enjoy being in my arms." He teased as he helped you back on the bed.

"You got nice arms." You joked as you went back on your bed. You took a deep breath and seriously asked him "how did the rest of the mission go?"

"Well, the Widow was able to find some scavengers that tried to loot the structure they came back there before we left and they must have been the ones who triggered Friday's system. The monstrous thing that attacked you is dead officially and we didn't find another of it but we did find a mass grave behind the building." He explained as he sat down on the side of your bed.

You thanked him and relaxed knowing there's no more of that thing around.

"Do you like steak or do you prefer the simple ones?" Loki suddenly asked. You looked at him confused.

"What for?" You asked.

"You have offered me to date you. Have you forgotten?" He said, smirking at you. You felt your cheeks heat up. Crap you did. Mid thinking about tobe a zombie parasite walker time. You looked at him waiting for him to say he's joking but nothing . He just raised one gorgeous eyebrow as he waited.

"You're serious?" You covered your face with one hand as you tried to let what he's saying sink in.

"Very serious, you've felt my darkest emotions I've seen your darkest memories don't you think we're past the getting to know part Sam keep on babbling about?" He said as he slowly touched your elbow with a finger and you felt his sincerity and adoration. Your brain feels like it's about to explode. This majestic person really wants to go out with you. Omg!!!

You slowly nodded and he smiled.

"So stake or not?" He asked again.

"I like steak." You answered back. He smiled and left. Leaving you with so many emotions that you never felt before as your own. Joy, giddiness and something you can't name.

A week after you're out of being stuck on a medical bed you and Loki went to that date. You still can't believe it's happening. He even did all the preparations and stuff. He brought you to a gorgeous restaurant with beautiful music and the tastiest stake you ever had. It was so much fun. He's very funny in his own way. You're both enjoying a walk before going back to the compound when you felt Loki grab your gloved hand. You look up at him.

"What's wrong?" You asked. He just smiled and kissed your hand.

"I'm just very glad I gave myself a chance to know you more and not let what happened to us on our first meeting get to me. You're a very fascinating and beautiful lady Y/N. Thank you for being with me today." He said. You smiled warmly at him as you took off your gloves. You stashed them in the pocket of your coat and brought your hands up to his face but didn't completely touch him.

"May I?" You asked and you saw his face softened. You told him that you will never touch him without his permission.

"Yes…" he answered as he held both your hands and brought them close to his face. He closed his eyes and sighed at the feel of your skin. Feeling that strange feelings again that you can't name you're not sure if it's yours or Loki's emotion. You stepped closer to him and tiptoed to reach his waiting lips. You can't wait to understand that strange feeling but for now you're gonna enjoy how good it feels.

Tag list

Skin to skin: @delightfulheartdream @victias @kaogasm @marvelgirl7 @alexakeyloveloki @newdaynewyearnewlife @multifandomlife22

Tom Hiddleston and Characters: @jewels2876 @jobean12-blog @CurlyRed2020

The ones with stikes, I cant tag you guys i dunno why T.T

#hbc week of love #the th horniest book club #the th hbc #loki x reader fan fic #loki x reader fluff #loki x reader drabble #loki x reader imagine #marvel loki #loki god of mischief #loki laufeyson fluff #loki x reader #zephirahnyxwrites

[welllpthisishappening]

Hello there, I see you're back on blue-line drabbles! I love them, I am obsessed with this universe. I don't know if I ever came back to say hi after I read all your big fics, but somehow I liked each even better than the last! I don't know how that's possible! But anyway, I think one of the best signs of a good writer/good story is when you're not ready to leave the world once you've finished, and Blue Line is one of the few fanfics I've read where even well after I've finished it, (cont)

(cont) I want to keep living in it and I end up writing my own fic of it in my head (strange, I know). Anyway, for whatever reason, I got really invested in Roland and Lizzie's relationship. Like, how did they end up dating after knowing each other for literally Lizzie's entire life? How did the adults react? Do you have any Lizzie/Roland stories up your sleeve? They would not go unread :)

————

Hello, yes, listen, this ask has lived rent free™ in my head since I first got it and I cannot properly convey how absolutely, goddamn wonderful it is. I am a broken record of outdated references , but it continues and will always amaze me that people are not only interested in Blue Line (more than three years!!! after I originally started posting) but are also interested in other characters in the story who are, for all intents and purposes, original characters at this point. Like the overall size my heart becomes when reading something like that could potentially cause a serious medical condition.

But, like, in a nice way.

So thank you, thank you, thank you. It genuinely warms the cockles of my entire soul. And, like, if you wanna share those fic ideas of the fic, you’ll never hear me say no. Just like I will never turn down the opportunity to write more stuff. Which is what’s under the cut. This stuff includes:

Roland and Lizzie’s first kiss, what I hope is some legitimate banter, more kissing, obvious flirting, and Roland being something of a sap.

Also, uh, it’s entirely possible that I have also already written: Roland and Lizzie’s first “I love you,” their wedding and some other stuff where their kid is involved. Seriously, guys, I am always down to write other relationships in this ‘verse.

————

It was, she figured, something almost passably close to, sort of resembling, definitely inching somewhere nearer to—

Assured. 

Unavoidable. 

Inexorable

Inevitable. 

That was a bad word. That last word. The third one was pretty impressive, honestly. Vocabulary, wise. She’d have to remember that one later. The last one, though. Made teeth Lizzie wasn’t even aware she possessed ache as she ground them together, a pronounced tension in her jaw that was likely affecting her shoulders as well. That word. An awful word. Boasted less-than-positive connotations, letters practically dripping with lack of self-control and overtly aggressive infatuation, but if the world expected her not to be a little in love with Roland Locksley by the time she turned fourteen and noticed that slight indentation in his right cheek every time he smiled, well, then the world had another thing coming. 

Dimple, that was the appropriate description. Another word. More words. Too many words. All of them bouncing off the slope of her skull and scratching at the back of her brain, nearly distracting her from what should have been the very pleasant buzz lingering beneath whatever biological thing made up her top and bottom lips. 

Which were parted in an emotion very similar to overwhelming surprise. 

That was stupid. 

The whole thing was stupid. God, maybe she was stupid. No, that wasn’t true. She’d made Dean’s List last semester. Stupid was—

A stupid word, really. Despite the blush rising in her cheeks and the wide eyes practically boring into her soul, bated breath that didn’t make any noise because that was what bated entailed, and no one else glanced in their direction. Not once. No one else noticed. 

That the whole world had flipped upside down.

Or right-side-up, maybe. Depending on how the next five minutes or so went. 

Because the last two minutes and twelve seconds, give or take, had seen Roland Locksley tilt his head and let his eyes flutter closed before his mouth found hers for the very first time — at midnight for God’s sake. On New Year’s Eve. Or New Year’s Day, she supposed. His parents were standing on the other side of the room.

Suggesting that Lizzie had ever been just a little in love with Roland was a rather monumental lie. 

As far as those things went. 

“So, uh—” she started, only to find blood in her mouth. From her teeth. Wayward and unpredictable, as they were. Biting down on the side of her tongue and Lizzie hated going to the dentist. Doing irreparable damage to her teeth on what was now legitimately New Year’s Day, in the middle of an annual party, was not on her schedule. 

Metaphorical as it might have been. 

She liked schedules. Had plans. Focus, even. People always said that about her — how focused she was, liked to throw around the word drive with startling regularity, as if they were amazed she wasn’t simply willing to rest on her laurels or the pair of last names she proudly toted around with her. As if Lizzie expected doors to swing open on a glance. 

Rather than consistently preparing herself to knock them down. 

She liked the challenge of it all. Appreciated the way disbelief always spiked something in her blood, and that was likely equal parts genetic predisposition and a product of her childhood, but right now, Lizzie was simply prepared to fight for the schedule she’d never allowed herself to mention to anyone else before and it wasn’t like they weren’t friends. 

Talked outside the group chat, even. 

That meant something. Definitely meant something. Had to mean something. Her lips felt like they’d been doused in liquid nitrogen. 

She didn’t know all the scientific properties of liquid nitrogen, but it always made that rather impressive cloud of steam-type stuff on cooking shows. So, it seemed very likely that it did something similar to cause whatever was happening in the region directly surrounding her mouth. Buzzing and tingling, and whatnot. 

When had Roland last blinked? Lizzie couldn’t remember. That would have been impressive in any other situation. Right now, it was sort, kind of, totally— Pissing her off. 

Color dotted his cheeks, no sign of the goddamn dimple because he wasn’t smiling, presumably couldn’t do that when it was clear he was so intent on pulling his lips into his mouth, and that felt a little insulting. Her tongue had just been in that mouth. 

Lizzie was fairly confident in the abilities of her tongue, so she wasn’t all that pleased to be replaced by a pair of lips that could have been doing much better work against the side of her neck. 

“If you sit here right now and tell me that you are,” Lizzie lifted a finger, “one, sorry,” another finger, “two, anything even remotely resembling regretful,” another finger, wiggling close enough to Roland’s nose to make him just a bit cross-eyed, “or, three, too old for me, I will throw my heel at that bruise I know exists on the back of your left calf.”

His lips twitched. 

He really had impossible eyelashes. Seemingly made so he could glance up from underneath them, to meet Lizzie’s steely expression with what she refused to believe could be cautious hope. Passable optimism, maybe. She’d have to look up what liquid nitrogen did, later. 

“I’m standing.” “I hate you.”

“You wanna go in order, or how do you want to work this?” “Where else are you bruised?” Roland laughed softly, a shift of his shoulders and tiny burst of air between barely parted lips. Feeling that tiny burst meant they were standing very close to each other. How they were standing remained another mystery. 

One of those great ones, Lizzie figured. The kind referenced when people talked about the sweeping potential of life and love and— Ah, fuck. 

“Please don’t threaten to attack me anywhere else,” he muttered, before quickly adding, “you gotta know this was not my end game, Liza.” Narrowing her eyes did nothing to temper the…tempest. Swirling in her gut. Threatening the back of her throat. Eating away at vocal cords and vocal boxes and the structural integrity of her entire goddamn larynx. Possibly her tongue, too, just to be especially efficient. 

“Really? Might’a been mine, actually.”

She’d always liked his eyes. 

How they could widen, and it wasn’t like...a normal brown. Nothing about the way he looked was ever dull. Drifted toward regularly excited, and the sparkles were probably a figment of her over-active teenage imagination, but Lizzie liked to think sometimes the sparkle came from her. Because of her, even. When she’d call because he always wanted to hear about her latest lecture and he’d call because sometimes Western swings were exhausting and loneliness-inducing and—

She knew. 

He knew. 

They knew each other.   

Grand scheme, the sparkle-prone eyes still weren’t particularly close to the dimple. On the list of things Lizzie liked. What left butterflies fluttering in her stomach and her heart hammering against her chest. Sparkle was probably a solid fourth. Behind the precise way his curls fell toward his eyebrows when he didn’t have time to get his hair cut. Which rarely happened during the season. Right now, it was happening right now. Well-defined strands that Lizzie knew felt even smoother than she’d ever theorized between her fingers, and she wasn’t sure what she was going to do with that information. 

Obsess over it, probably. 

For at least the next week, or so. 

Still. Eyes. Eyelashes. Too long and too bright, and that was the wrong description order and she was starting to teeter. On the edge of a rather dramatic free-fall. Into feelings and possibility, and this was way too dramatic. For both of them. 

“Don’t do that,” she mumbled, a scrunch of her nose that apparently demanded his thumb. Brushing against the bridge, and there wasn’t any caution there. No obvious fear or concern. For the way it left Lizzie’s lungs pinched, and there must have been a limit. 

To everything her internal organs could cope with in a limited span of time. 

“What was the last one on the list?” She swallowed. “Too old.” “Yuh-huh.” “Pretty flimsy as far as excuses go. You realize I’m not asking you to marry me right now, right?” He choked. On what, she wasn’t entirely sure. Only that it made her stomach heave and her teeth dig into her lower lip, and that was— “Because I know I said, end game,” Lizzie continued, giving in to the need to fill empty space with the sound of her own voice, “but that sounds like several pop culture references all at once, and you know how much I—”

“Hate to come across as disingenuous.” “Mattie’s the pop culture reference machine, anyway.” “Please don’t talk about Matt when I keep thinking about how much I want to kiss you again.” Her eyes, that time. Widened. Bugged. Did something unnatural. “Yeah?” “You’re kidding me, right?” “You’re not an old man.” Rolling his eyes, Roland’s tongue dragged across the front of his teeth. To torture her, apparently. “I was in college when you were a freshman in high school.” “Yuh-huh.” “Liza.” “Nah, nah,” Lizzie shook her head. Crossed her arms. Tried to stand up to her full height, but even the heels didn’t do much to add to the overall intimidation factor. Roland was doing an awful job of fighting off his smile. “Pulling out ancient nicknames is not—” “—It’s not a nickname; it’s literally letters in your name.” “Nick,” she leaned forward, “name. All personal-like.”

Making mistakes was not something she enjoyed very much. It was that Jones competitive streak. Plus, the Vankald stubborn streak. Created a monster of determination, who knew what she wanted, and feeling Roland’s fingers graze her cheek as a strand of hair hung limply in the minimal space between them was the result of Lizzie’s mistaken movement. 

Even as much as she might have wanted it. 

Goosebumps prickled her arms. Stole whatever oxygen she’d managed to get in the last forty-six seconds, or so. Her eyes fluttered. Head tilted. Towards the touch and the warmth, and for someone who spent so much time on the ice, he really was impossibly warm. 

“This is your fault.”

He didn’t move his fingers. Cupped her cheek, instead. “You were doing that eyebrow thing.” “Expand on that for me.” “Lifting ‘em. Happens sometimes. When you’re listening intently. Like you’re a little amazed by new information. They’re these stupid little arches on your face. Drives me nuts.” “The compliment was in there somewhere, I’m sure of it.” “I am so much older than you, Liza.” “Shouldn’t’a played out a bunch of teenage daydreams at once, then.” She was legitimately worried about the state of his tongue. Barely biting back her laugh, Lizzie let her eyes lift. To find Roland gaping at her, drooped shoulders and puppy-dog eyes. And that goddamn dimple. “C’mon, this isn’t...do you think I haven’t made out with people before?” “Wouldn’t classify what we just did as a makeout.” “No?” His eyes darkened. Shivering was probably not a good move, right? Right. Definitely. She wasn’t shivering. It was just...January. And inside. With dozens of people around them. “I would not, no,” Roland said, and the drop in overall volume was some sort of trick. Or, something. 

“How many people do you think you’ve made out with? Ballpark it for me.” “No.” “Is the issue a lack of appropriate numbers to tally that mark, or—” She bit her tongue, again. At the flash of amused frustration sweeping his face and polluting the molecules of whatever air was hovering between them. Permeating was a better word. Lizzie really needed to work on all of that. Words. Being slightly less jealous of potential make outs that didn’t have anything to do with her and definitely happened because there had to be other people out there in the world who simply could not cope with the existence of that dimple. 

“How many people have you made out with, then?” “Scores,” Lizzie snarled, only to get immediately scoffed at. “I’m really, incredibly popular.” “Oh, I’ve got no doubt.” “Boatloads of guys. Lining up to,” she pointed an imperious finger at her mouth, “make out with this.” “Your well-defined chin?” “I’m going to take my shoe off.” “Draw attention with a move like that.” Whatever fight she had didn’t immediately die. It just, sort of, fell. At her feet, threatening all the bones there and there were too many. All of them far too fragile. For whatever metaphor she was running with at the moment. “And we’re not trying to do that, huh? Draw attention.” “Shouldn’t you be out sowing wild oats?” “Really know how to charm a girl,” she grumbled, and that got her a smile. No scoff. Not even the hint of a smile. The whiplash was hurting her neck. “Trust me, the oats have appropriately sowed. If I was ever particularly inclined to farm work.” “I’m starting to be vaguely embarrassed by all of this.” “Good.” Wasn’t quite a scoff. Was more like a half-hearted laugh, and a tinge of desire and that was better than the other emotions, but the decreasing level of Roland’s eyebrows gave her pause. “What about the status of your oats?”

“Well sowed, rookie season,” Roland said. 

“You’re going to change the name on your jersey.” “Not sure that particular fact has a lot to do with anything else. Seven years, Liza.” “I’m perfectly capable of doing math, you know I took that stats class once.” “Because I double checked everything you turned in.” “Makes you slightly less of an idiot than the vibe you're giving off right now.” “A freeway or compliments.” Pulling in a deep inhale through her nose, Lizzie didn’t miss the way Roland’s gaze fell. To the neckline of her dress, lingering on the jut of her collarbones for a few seconds longer than a strictly platonic friendship should allow, and they were friends. Still. She knew that as well as she knew that he believed she thought he was simply being clever with nicknames. 

And not making vaguely incorrect My Fair Lady references. 

Because he’d always been a little annoyed that Eliza had gone back to Henry Higgins. Instead of Freddie.

It was really impossible not to be a little in love with him at all times. 

“You’re really going to hyphenate?” Roland nodded. “Think of all the new jerseys they’ll sell.” “By the box-load, and Gina’s gonna buy the entire stock. She’s—that’s really nice, you know.” “Just a fact. Little late, but—” He shrugged. Lizzie’s smile threatened to split her face. In that same nice way, she’d been talking about. Her lips were still buzzing. She might have been buzzing. With adrenaline. Happiness. The near-desperate desire to find some type of closet and get her fingers back in Roland’s questionably long hair. 

“Of naming conventions.” She couldn’t begin to guess what the record was for shoulder shifts in an emotionally charged conversation between two people who were simultaneously ignoring the point of the conversation, but Lizzie also knew her eyebrows had been halfway up her face as he’d detailed the reasons for making his jersey say Mills-Locksley. From here on out. 

Maybe that was the top of the list, actually. 

He was a good guy. 

Had always been a good guy. The best guy, really. 

Falling into that chasm wasn’t nearly as terrifying as Lizzie expected it to be. 

“Why’d you do it?” Roland’s lips disappeared. His tongue moved, again. She was staring at the area around his tongue. So, like, his mouth. Directly at his mouth. “Because, I uh—have wanted to?” “Oh, don’t phrase that like a question.” “Wanted to,” he repeated, a statement of fact with a certain amount of conviction. Enough to make Lizzie’s pulse sputter. “Which is kind of freaking me out.” “Come back with more compliments.” “Your dress nearly made me fall over.” “Better, actually,” she laughed. 

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Made sense at the time.” “Be more specific.” “Kissing you,” Roland said, enough emphasis that he leaned forward half an inch as well. It was a miracle their noses didn’t collide. Not the most impressive miracle, but—counted. “If I tell you that you might be my best friend does that make the lamest professional hockey player alive?” “Yes, absolutely.” “Matt might challenge you to a duel if he hears me talking like this, you know.” “God, Locksley, didn’t we just talk about the Mattie rules? Also, that made it sound like Mattie wants to kiss you too, so...”

He chuckled. Fingers still tugging on the back of his hair, like he was trying to ground himself in the pull and the self-inflicted tension, Roland looked up. Back at her. And Lizzie didn’t flinch. Didn’t blink. Held her position and prepared herself to defend the schedule she’d only ever allowed herself to hope for in the silence of that one corner in her brain. 

Filled, as it was, with memories. Of conversations that didn’t have anything to do with hockey. Others that did. Arguing over blue line placement in the brownstone and college rankings. Of movies watched on two different laptops in different corners of the country, bad jokes, and consistent updates, that deep-rooted understanding that came from a life full of expectations and the exact opposite. No overt pressure, but the need to prove yourself anyway, if only because of the name on the back of the jersey, and Lizzie was going to have to buy a new jersey. 

“You like me? Yes, or no?” Roland smiled. Wide and honest, the kind that ensured the dimple was on prominent display. “Yes.” “I am a grown adult? Yes, or no?” Crinkles appeared around his eyes. From the smile. 

“Yes.” “Meaning I get to make my own choices. Romantically, or otherwise. Yes, or no?” “Obviously.” “Wasn’t one of the options.” “Yes,” Roland corrected, fingers trailing over the bend of her elbow. Lizzie hadn’t uncrossed her arms. Or remembered when she’d crossed them in the first place. 

“Ok, good. Same page, then.” “Liza.” “Locksley.” Lifting her eyebrows wasn’t a challenge, per se. Was closer to instinct, really. Specifics didn’t matter, honestly. She did that thing with her eyebrows, and he did that thing with his mouth, the same one she was staring at and hoping would move closer to her, and then—

Well, it did. 

Hands found Lizzie’s hips, pulling her forward sharply enough that she let out a soft grunt. From the feel of hips bumping against hers, and she honestly wasn’t sure who hissed in their next inhale, only that it did something to the flutter-like state of her pulse and the erratic nature of her heart, and it was slow and fast and good and great and not a single person noticed. 

Miracles were arriving en masse, apparently. 

Pushing her fingers into Roland’s hair got Lizzie another hum of approval, the first brush of his tongue making her lips part and her head fall to the side, but then his hand was wrapped around the back of her neck, and she could not be expected to pay attention to anything except the semi-consistent swipe of his thumb against her skin. It left more goosebumps. Caused another chuckle, the kind that rumbled through her and resonated around her, a tiny bubble of that same cautious optimism from before. 

Like a spark. 

Fanning flames and threatening to burn everything because if this didn’t work, then Lizzie wasn’t sure what would, and that was scary and overwhelming and terrifying was a synonym, but she really was working with very limited word-based resources when Roland’s thumb kept moving. Tracing her. Committing the feel to memory, and she wasn’t sure when they’d established the rocking pattern they were moving in, but something deep in the center of her trusted it. 

Someone who regularly strapped knives to his feet and raced around at top speed knew how to stay balanced. And she was a stubborn idiot. Who got what she wanted. 

“Is part of liking me because I told you I didn’t think it was embarrassing that you still got a little emotional about Miracle on 34th Street?” Laughter pushed past her lips. Took root in the pit of her stomach and the spaces between her ribs. Laced through her heart. In the kind of way that cemented itself. Right in the middle of Lizzie. Right in the middle of this. Them. 

There was a them, now. 

“Was definitely a factor, yeah,” Roland said, not bothering to pull away. “You, uh—you snuck up on me a little, Liza.” “Peak romance.” “Want me to talk about your dress some more?” She shook her head. “Unnecessary. And you didn’t.” “That might be part of the problem.” “Nursing old crushes, you mean?” Her hair hit her cheek. And his hand. He couldn’t seem to let go of her. “Nah, this wasn’t like...there was no torch, not really. I—I wasn’t hanging posters of you on my wall if that’s the picture you’ve painted for yourself.” “Kinda disappointing, admittedly.” “Pick a lane, babe.” No sparkle, that time. Just flash and want and the very thin line Lizzie’s lips had become. “Be more specific,” Roland repeated softly. “You’re not standing on a pedestal. Just you, Rol, as is.” He waited. That was fair. There should have been more. Should have been a detailed list of all the reasons the grown-up version of her liked so many parts of the grown-up version of him, but that all felt a little extraneous when she was still thinking about closet-type possibilities and that stubborn streak was a mile wide, anyway. 

Roland nodded once. “Good.”

Both of them jumped. At the pop of another champagne bottle and Lizzie never understood how Regina managed to order so much champagne every year, but she felt a bit like she was floating on the bubbles, and they didn’t decide. Explicitly. To keep the whole thing—

Secret. 

Another bad word. With bad connotations and shadows that clung to the definition, but this was them and only them and, for right now, that was enough. And if no one noticed the way Roland’s hand drifted over the small of Lizzie’s back during David’s speech, then that was a miracle she was willing to accept. 

#blue line rambles #blue line one shots #these really are just original characters at this point #i have also written: #matt and claire meeting for the first time #henry and ella meeting for the first time #stuff about peggy and jeremy humbert #and i've got a whole list of will x belle stuff #in case it wasn't ovbious people still aren't responding to my emails #oh! also roland and lizzie's engagement #i wrote that too #also if you are so inclined: wilder days by morgan wade played like four times while i wrote this #mylifeisalifestyle #laura rambles

[bodyswapmischief]

Glitch in the System: A Love Story in Quarantine

(This story is a little different from what, I normally post, in that is doesn't involve body swap or transformations. But, I really loved writing it. And, hope you all enjoy it to)

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!!!" Carter yelled from his room. The walls of the house reverberated, with his voice.

"Shit, dude! Whet the hell happened," Elijah came hurrying in.

"The restaurant called me. Somebody got the Corona-Virus. Now, the whole restaurant is going to close," Carter sighed out.

Elijah smiles and gives a small laugh, "Welcome to the club. Think about it this way, now you have time to relax ..."

"No, no, no, I can't do that. I need to be on the move, I need to do something to keep busy. I can't just sit on my ass all day watching T.V, no offense." Carter interrupted.

"None taken," Elijah said sarcastically. "Just, wait. I was like you when this all started. I'll give you a day, and you'll see there nothing else to do. You'll even learn to like it." He forewarned.

"Yeah, no, I am going out. So, see you later. This quarantine is not stopping me." Carter proclaimed as he gather his stuff and walked out the door.

...

After attempting to live a normal life, during quarantine, Carter came back to the apartment defeated. "Elijah was right, there was nothing to do." He thought to himself. But, his thoughts quickly faded, when he walked back into the apartment. He began hearing the sounds of women moaning, in sexual pleasure.

He began walking into the living room and there, with his shorts off, ilwas Elijah. He rhythmically pumped his rock hard cock, as his own moans blinded him to the fact that Carter walked in on him.

"No way! Your masturbating on the couch," Carter said perplexed. He wasn't sure if he should laugh or be mad. "The couch is the neutral zone, dude, you can do that shit in your room. I fucking eat here."

Elijah heart stopped, as he turned his head to look at Carter. With lightning speed he put on his shorts and turned off the T.V. "Oh, fuck! Dude ... I wasn't doing anything."

"Bro, I literally just saw you. It's no big deal. I'm going take a shower and try to forget what I just saw." Carter said annoyed.

"Yeah for sure, it just that I didn't expect you home so soon and your usually at work, when I do it so.." Elijah tried to explain.

"Bro. Just stop it ... why the fuck would you tell me you've done it more than once, on the couch ... I didn't need to know that shit! Fuck, dude!" Carter said frustrated.

"Okay, I'll keep my mouth shut. It's just my stress and this awkward situation ... I'm fucking rambling. It's just been hard containing this horny beast, during quarantine." Elijah referred to his cock. "And, Roxy's parent's won't let her come over, so I haven't been able to get my daily dose of sex." Elijah finished with a nervous chuckle and his face turning red, with embarrassment.

"Hey look dude, really it's okay. I'm not that mad about it. I'm more going through shock ... ha. In fact it's going be one of those times we laugh about in the future. The time I saw your dick and caught you masturbating." Carter sighed trying to calm his friend down. "Shit, I feel your pain. Ever since this whole quarantine started the booty well, has been drying out for me, too. In fact, it's been completely dry as of late." Carter continued. "Not going to lie, been masturbating non-stop ... but I have the decency to keep it in my room." He laughs.

Carter proceeded to go to the shower, while in an embarrassed fog, Elijah started straining out the apartment. Elijah was able to calm down enough to start watching tv. After some time passed, Carter came back out. Elijah was worried that Carter was going to say something but, was happily shocked when he just sat next to him.

"So what are we watching." Carter asked.

"Oh, it's a new netflix documentary about this crazy tiger guy and some chick that killed her husband. It's the first episode, so I'll just start it from the beginning." Elijah answered.

As time passed, the two young men found themselves growing more sleepier. The hours moved to the the early morning but, both guys were too invested into the show. Both, unaware of how heavy their eyelids were getting.

...

Carter felt heavy, but strangely comfortable and safe. Even with his eyes closed, they were blinded by the sun in the living room. The soft couch around him, his dick was rock hard. As, he begun to pulsates on something firm on top of him.

Elijah started to wake up as he felt something under him move. His own dick becoming aroused. And pulsating in return. He felt some rock hard cock rubbing at his stomach. Meanwhile, Carter started felling some pressure enlarge and grow against his thigh.

Simultaneously the illusion caused by the sleepy fog wore off, as both boys realized what was happening. They both opened their eyes and saw each others face. In a panic Elijah jump off his roommate and Carter got up off the couch.

"Dude what the fuck were you doing, to me!" Elijah yelled.

"Fuck, dude! I just felt something on me, I didn't know it was you. And, why the fuck am I trying to explain myself. Why the fuck were you sleeping on me!?" Carter yelled back

"I don't fucking know ... I guess we just crashed on the couch and in our sleep our bodies position themselves like that. Fuck, fuck, fuck!." Elijah let out.

"First, I catch you masturbating and now this. You did this on purpose you fucker. You wanted me to help relieve you of your sexual urges. I'm not fucking gay bro." Carter yelled, with his voice shaking.

""What the fuck. I ain't gay either. And, you just talked about how you couldn't get pussy either. And, you were the one that started rubbing your dick on me!!." Elijah retorted.

"Okay ... okay ... this is what's going to happen. We are going to spend the day as far apart from each other as possible. We are going to try forget this and move on. We were half asleep, it didn't mean anything. right?." Carter panicked.

"Yeah, exactly, it meant shit." Carter tried to reassure himself.

They guys walked past each other awkwardly, trying their hardest not to walk into eachother on the way to their rooms. Hours passed, and both guys starting forgetting, about the awkwardness of the morning. Endless content of videos, movies, video games, helped clear their minds.

Carter was getting restless and decided to do some work around the house. There were always things breaking and he never had time to fix them. Elijah also needed new scenery, as he was getting tired of being in his room. So, he went to the living room, to continue his t.v. viewing. The guys looked at eachother awkwardly but they continued what they were doing.

Carter started working around the house, trying to find anything that needed to be fixed. Moving around heavy furniture was the workout he needed. He removed his shirt that started to cling to him do to his sweat.

Elijah awkwardly glanced, at him. "Was he really doing that, after what just happened this morning." Elijah thought to himself. He saw as sweat dripping down his roommates body. It glistened as the sunlight reflected off his body. His abs, biceps, chest, and shoulder working to together, as the flexed and relaxed, to move the heavy furniture. "Thank god we didn't go to sleep with our clothes off. I'm glad we had layers of clothes between us. It would have been way worst, if we were having skin to skin contact." Elijah continued thinking.

He couldn't keep his eyes off his friend. And, his dick was getting hard, as thoughts of his dick pressed against Carter's warm muscular thigh came rushing back into his mind. He started imagining fucking and getting fucked by his friend. He couldn't take it anymore, so he rushed into the bathroom and went into a shower. He started jacking off. He tried to change his thoughts, but images of Carter were stuck in his mind. He tried to think off his girlfriend but it wasn't doing anything, for him anymore.

He started crying, as he kept masturbating to images of his friend. He took his cock and pumped it with the beat of his thoughts. Imagining his shirtless friend. Fucking his friend. Both of their bodies tangled in the act of love. He tried hard to think of anyone else. He thought of his girlfriend, but within a second his mind returned to Carter. He thought of hot female celebrities, but their images couldn't stand the flood of Carter in tight clothes that revealed his gym body. He even tried to think of other guys ... male celebrities, guys at the gym ... but not even they held a light to his sexual attraction for Carter.

He felt it in his core. At this moment he wasn't straight anymore. He wasn't even gay. He only had sexual feelings for one person and the person was Carter. After an hour in the shower, Elijah leaned against the shower wall panting with excasty. His body extremely tired. He couldn't believe how many times he cummed. But, for now his sexual urges seem to be satisfied. But, with his stomach rumbling, he knew he needed to eat something after the steamy masturbatical workout session he just had in the shower.

He walk out and saw, Carter, who by now was done and watching TV. A little embarrassed from what happened this morning and more embarrassed by his thoughts in the shower he said, "Hey, I'm going to cook some food, you hungry."

"Sure," Carter said not looking away from the T.V. Time continued to pass, until the aroma from the kitchen was becoming stronger. His stomach started growling, so he turn his head to see the progress of the food. He saw Elijah working hard. Food stains on his shirt from the spaghetti sauce he made. He looked so cute the way he worked. He was lucky to have him as a friend and a roommate. Unlike Carter, Elijah didnt go to the gym. But that doesn't mean he wasn't fit. He kept himself healthy with daily runs and the occasional hiking trip.

Carter wanted to go up and hug him from behind, and give him a kiss, like a good boyfriend. Then images of the morning popped up in Carter's mind. What the fuck was he thinking. He's not dating Elijah. "I'm not even gay, " Carter thought to himself." But that didn't stop the images of imagining Elijah sucking his dick. And he licking Elijah's ass. As he sat, trying not to think of his friend like that, his dick started growing excited by the thoughts.

"Um dude, I going for a drive ... I've been cooped up in here to long. I need some air." Carter said gathering his things and rushing out the door.

"But the foods almost done." Elijab said a little annoyed.

"I'll eat it when. I back, I just need to go." Carter said in sexual pain as his dick was angry about being ignored.

He drove and called up his list of chicks, until one accepted his offer of sex. He was also glad because she was one of the hottest chicks on his list. He got there and straight away they started making out. But every time Carter blinked or closed his eyes he saw images of Elijah. As, his one night stand began to strip, his erection started going down. The big juicy ass, the nice pair of tits, no longer pleased him. He could feel himself panicking, as she started to strip him of his clothes.

"What your not hard yet." She said unsurprised. "And your so tensed. I got a solution for that." She proceeded to sit him on her chair. Taking his flaccid dick she began to suck. He knew he should be enjoying this, but his dick wouldn't get hard. He closed his eyes, to try imagine something that would turn him on. But, still only thoughts of Elijah filled his mind. And with these thoughts, his dicks began to harden. It was rock hard. The hardest it ever been and made even slightly bigger. He opened his eyes, but as soon as he did he saw the chicks naked body. A body he once loved looking at, but it was causing him to lose his erection. So, he closed his eyes again, as she finished sucking him off.

His dick stayed hard, and now it was his time to please her. But, as he brought his dick to her vagina, the erection started fading. "Hey look this is not working. It's to much effort and I don't like that. Your obviously going through something. You haven't been yourself. Comeback when you got your shit dealt with." She said as she got off the bed and started getting dressed.

Carter felt so embarrassed. "Yeah, I don't know whats wrong with me. No hard feelings?" He shyly looked at her.

She similed, " You aren't the only guy on my list, I can call up. But, you are ... or were the best." She jokingly sighed, as she winked at him.

On, the way home his erection came back. And, the thoughts of Elijah flooded his mind. In the garage he stayed, until he masturbated for an hour. Ashamed of himself he walked into the apartment.

Carter walked in to hear Elijah moaning his name. He walked into the living room, where Elijah was sitting on the couch. Elijah was wearing Carter's dirty clothes, from earlier that day. Shorts wrapped around his ankles, and dick poking out of his briefs, he was jacking off while looking at shirtless picks of Carter on Instagram

"What the fuck!"Carter yelled. Elijah got up with lightning speed. To scared to say anything. Carter came closer and pushed Elijah onto the couch. Elijah started bracing himself, in the fear that Carter was going to start kicking the shit out of him. A few seconds passed. "Fuck," Carter said. Elijah opened his eyes, as he saw Carter begin to kneel down. His mouth staring to envelop Elijah's dick. Instantly both of their dicks became rock hard. There were no longer need for words as they performed the dance of love.

Elijah began to help Carter strip his clothes off and Carter helped position Elijah, so that both of them could suck each others dick in unison. Elijah enjoyed the big muscled body on top of him. He felt safe in Carter's strong arms. Carter enjoyed finally having someone he could care for and love. He no longer needed a fuck list. He just needed Elijah. He loved that he could wrap his arms around Elijah's smaller yet fit body.

During a plethora of orgasms, and taking turns fucking each other, they moved throughout the house and into Carter's bedroom. They laid next to eachother panting form the intense sexual workouts they just did. Their bodies still tingling from the orgasmic rush. They cuddled like that for minutes, slowly relaxing their heart rates and bodies.

Finally Elijah broke the silence. "So what does this mean?"

Carter was shocked by the question."What do you mean?"

"What does this mean for our friendship. Is it going to be awkward around us. I mean l ... I'm no psychologist but the only reason this happened is because of the quarantine. We both are young horny guys ... and we couldn't get sex anywhere else. So, we went to eachother to get our sex fix. So, after quarantine we should psychological revert to normal." Elijah tried to explain.

Carter's heart was a little hurt. "Do you really feel that way. Or, are you just lying to yourself. I know you feel it, too. Some happened to us. There's this energy we share, now, for some reason. If you're saying this because you think that's how I feel, your wrong." He started getting choked up. " I fucking love you, and after the sex we just had, I know you love me to. And, your theory is worng, I was able to get a sex offer from one of the hottest chicks on my list. But I could only think about you. So tell me there's something between us. Because, for the first time I'm actually feeling happy. I found a part of me that been missing .. it's you. I need you ... I need this whatever it is."

Elijah eyes began to get watery, seeing Carter's pain. "No your right, there is something between us. It the most powerful feeling I've ever felt. I can't even think of my girlfriend the same way. I feel nothing for her. But, sitting here with you ... it feels ... it feels like home." Elijah smiled, but started thinking. "So, this changes a lot. I'm going have to break up with my girlfriend. Are we gay, now? What are our friends and family gonna think..." Elijah started to ramble.

But, Carter brought him out of his thoughts, "Don't worry. What ever this is; it is different. I don't feel straight anymore. But, I wouldn't say I was gay. That implies I like guys in general. The truth is I only like you. Elijah, I'm only attracted to you. This love between us it's strong. As long as we are together we can face anything. So, what if my family disowns me or we lose some friends. I'd trade everything I have for you." Carter said shaking from the truth and deep passion of his words.

"I feel the same. I only love you, too. Carter." Elijah smiled up at Carter. And Carter wrapped his muscular arms around Elijah. And, Elijah pressed his head on Carter's muscular chest. Elijah own arms wrapped around Carter. And, Carter felt safe and loved by Elijah smaller yet muscular body. They were both strong. They were in it together, whatever the future held. They were roommates, friends, equals, and now lovers. And, they both smiled knowing that with a radmon glitch in the universe, they found true love.

#male #body #swap #mischief #mental #transformation #tf #story #stories

[kezibun]

A storm of a hunt part 3

Part 1

Previous

Next

You hesitantly tell him your name, maybe he was actually just being nice?

"Huh… cool name..." He mumbles.

A waft of coldness crawls over your skin, making goose bumps rise. You can't stop the shiver that follows it.

 "Oh shoot." Papyrus sighs. "That damn heater." 

He stands up, then kicks the little heater a few times and presses the button, but nothing happens. He seems to give up on the heater and you watch him as he walks over to the box labelled torture. Your whole body is tense but you keep you're eye on him as he rummages through the box. He's looking for something that you can be sure of.

 After all this was he really going to hurt you? After what's been said? What will he find in there? What does he want? Maybe he's looking for something to tie you up with. 

 He's just playing some kind of sick game again, like everyone else in this hell hole. You shouldn't trust anyone, not even down here. You just can't especially since all you've been met with is manipulation, lies and treachery. 

Maybe now you could try to escape, slip away while his back is turned. But as you try and sit up, a sharp pain burns in your side, there is no way you're going anywhere while you're in this agony. You sit back down and instinctively hold your injuries, not that it helps. Why does everything hurt worse once you've had a minute to rest?

 Papyrus comes over with something. It looks like a big metal tin. How Is he going to hurt you with this?

He kneels on the floor, setting the tin down, he's filled it with wood and sticks. Then he snaps his fingers over it, an orange spark floats down settling on a twig, it fizzles briefly as it sets alight. The fire is slow to grow but it already feels warmer than the small space heater. The flames grow and dance as they cast an amber glow. You're mesmerised for a moment.

"Do your injuries still hurt?" His question snaps you out of it.

"Yeah, those traps did quite the number on me." You say with a nervous laugh. 

"Let me check your HP."

"Wa-"

In that second the world around goes dark, an encounter? You feel fear creep over you, this wasn't good. 

"-It…."

Damn is he going to fight you? Or just check you like he said? If this was going to be like any of the other monsters you'd encountered before? you're sure it won't be fun.

You look over to your HP. There's something weird about it, it doesn't seem right, and that makes your stomach churn with even more nerves. You don't know what's wrong but It can't be good.

 He stares at you intently for a second.

'Papyrus cheeked your stats he doesn't seem happy with what he sees.' 

It's your turn now. His name is yellow, you know what that means. You're tempted to take a peek at his stats but you really don't have the energy right now and you're pretty sure he won't appreciate it. You are definitely not up for a fight, so you choose mercy. Everything fades back to normal. That wasn't so bad.

He then just walks out, leaving you behind and alone. The only sounds that keep you company are the crackling fire in front of you and the howling wind outside. 

You sigh and huddle up by said fire, pulling the jacket around you again as you wonder what on earth he saw that he didn't like. You hope whatever it was won't get you hurt. How did you ever end up in this situation? If only you could remember.

 You feel the warmth of the fire almost wrap around you as it seeps in and you finally start to thaw. Your toes almost sting like pins and needles as the feeling starts coming back to them. 

It wasn't long though until Papyrus was back, he entered silently like he'd just appeared in the room.

He holds a brown paper bag out to you, "Eat this." 

You take the bag, inside is a donut with black icing and a purple cobweb design on top. You usually would have been suspicious of such a gift, just in case it was poisoned. But at this point you don't really care, you're just happy to get some food. All you can do now is sort of trust him right? as much as you might dislike it. What other choice do you have?

"Thanks." 

You take a bite of the donut, the first flavour you get is sugar, it's very sweet, there also seems to be a bit of a spiced flavour then you taste the weirdest thing, you're hit with a faintly meaty flavour like chicken, mixed with a slightly fishy taste? and there's a dubious crunch to it. Then following it is a sandy texture that tastes smokey, but it's all then taken over by the alcoholic aftertaste that hits next. Despite the weirdness it's actually pretty good, better than snail pie to say the least, possibly the second best thing you've eaten since falling down here, the first being that candy that kept you alive through the ruins. You finish off the whole donut.

Wait. A sudden strange feeling washes over you, you feel the urge to check your stats. Did you just level up? That's kinda mysterious but cool, why would that have happened?

He then sits in front of you.

"What are you doing?" You ask.

"Your wound…How's it?"

"It um... feels a little better."

"Let me check it?" He asks.

You pause and take a moment to think. "I… don't know…" Is the only reply you could conjure up.

"It's ok."

He pulls the jacket off your shoulder.

"Hey don't." You grab his wrist.

He takes your hand and moves it off his wrist with a scowl. Then he pushes your ripped top up enough to see your wound. 

You flinch as his cold phalanges brush against your skin. 

"Sorry." He mutters, but he doesn't stop what he's doing, he looks over your badly wrapped wounds.

Now that he's so close you notice how his cheekbones seem to have a faint rusty glow to them, and he's actually pretty cute. No you can't be thinking like that. He's a skeleton monster that just hunted you down in a snowstorm, and scared you half to death. Not to mention you're now in his torture shed.

"The trap had some magic that stops it healing. I'm gonna to treat it. Can I… um...?" He gestures to your injuries and you fill in the gap.

You think for a minute… Is it smart to let him treat you? Probably not. But it might be your only chance, if anything he's saying is true.

"I did a pretty shoddy job with wrapping it up didn't I? Just be careful... I'd rather not die today you know…" You mumbled. Maybe that hint was a little too obvious, you feel like you basically just yelled please don't kill me. Would it be better to just beg for your life? Would that get you anywhere? Could you let go of what little pride you have left?

"You're lucky. I... can't have you dying yet." He takes his phone out and gets a first aid kit from his inventory. "Could ya hold your shirt up?" 

You do as he asks and hold up your top, the cool air is sharp to your newly exposed skin, you can't help but shiver some more.

"You humans sure feel the cold don't ya?"

Is he trying to strike up a conversation? Or just making an oddball comment?

Either way you don't really answer him… 

And with that he quickly warms his hands over the fire before he ever so carefully unwraps your bloody makeshift bandage. You watch his every move carefully, making sure there's no foul play. He then gets out a small round pot from the first aid kit, it's white with a green symbol on the lid.

"This'll sting but it'll help."

He applies the light green cream, it has a peculiar scent that can only be described as warm and kind, but it feels like he's just rubbed nettles over your flesh, that means it's working right? For you're benefit you hope. He then wraps your wound up, it's not too tight but definitely tighter then whatever you'd managed before. He pulls his jacket back around you. 

"You should try and get some sleep." He pats your head before he sits down next to you. 

"Are you staying?" 

"Yeah. Rest. I'll stay guard."

"Why are you helping me?" You query.

"It's complicated." He huffs. "No more chit chat. Just sleep already." He pulls the hood over your face roughly.

"Ok." You yawn as you lean into the corner of the shed, the wooden wall is cold and hardly an ideal pillow but you are so tired it barely bothers you, you close your eyes and soon enough you're asleep. 

. . .

"MUTT! have you lost your mind?" 

"Hush M'lord, They're sleepin'."

"YES SLEEPING AND NOT DEAD." 

"I can't kill em." 

You open your eyes slightly, stirring awake from the commotion and loud voices. 

You see Papyrus and the other skeleton, his brother?

"Then let me at the darn human." He snaps.

"M'lord you can't." Papyrus stops his brother from getting closer.

"AND WHY NOT!?"

"I told you. I need to figure it out. Trust me."

"You're going soft, don't forget your duty Papyrus! You have a week! NO THREE DAYS! Figure out whatever the heck you need to then get rid of that pest, that rodent." He starts walking off. "If Alphys finds out, I'm dead, this will be the end of my malevolent career. The Queen will have our heads for this! YOU KNOW THAT RIGHT?" He huffs as he storms out. 

You're still so tired… your eyelids are too heavy to keep open… With this new silence you can't stay awake for even a second more.

#a storm of a hunt #rus #black #sf!papyrus #sf!sans #swapfell papyrus #swapfell sans #swapfell #sf papyrus x reader #x reader

[rikumorimachisgirl]

So, I started writing this Mystic Messenger fic last year but lost the inspiration to continue. I finally finished it today, so I hope you like it.

Oh, and I commissioned this lovely artwork from @hydeine last year, too. I said I'd tag her when I finally post the fic. I suppose today's the day. Here we go...

Title: Strawberry Pancakes

Pairing: Jumin Han x OC (Iris)

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 2,665

Author's notes: Some of the scenes were faithful to the game.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mystic Messenger, but I own the idea of this fanfic.

It started with pancakes. Those thick, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fluffy stove-top cakes that both of them - apparently - were both fond of. 

The first time they talked about it got him into a spot of trouble. Over an utterly dull lunch date with his father and his latest conquest, amidst the rich ambiance of the Michelin star restaurant where only the who's who in society were spotted, Jumin Han chose to indulge in a little tête-à-tête of his own at the RFA chat room with her. 

Her. Iris  - RFA's accidental member, unofficial party organizer, everyone’s cheerleader, and about the only other person who resonates with him. Jumin quietly as he waited for her to respond to his last message. Over the last twenty minutes, they have gone from talking about Elizabeth the 3rd’s grooming habits to his favorite breakfast food.  

| ‘I like chocolate chip pancakes.’  He felt his lips stretch sideways as he read her message. It was strange, he thought, how he's been joining the chat room more often since she joined. In the two weeks that they've been chatting, he felt closer to her than he's ever been with anyone in his life. 

| ‘I figured you would.’ He typed and sent.

|’Huh?’

|’You seem like the type who'd indulge in something with high sugar content early in the morning.’

|’That was a lucky guess, Jumin.’

|’But I don't believe in luck.’

|’Oh, and I suppose you think you've got me all figured out already? If you're so smart, tell me what I’m thinking at the moment.’ He smirked at her cheeky response. 

| ‘Iris, I'd like to remind you that I’m a businessman, not a fortune teller. If you’d like me to infer based on our conversation though, I'd say you're thinking that I like buttermilk pancakes, to which the answer is no. I prefer strawberry pancakes.’

Silence. 

| ‘Am I really that predictable?’ Her message finally came in two minutes later. He chuckled. In his mind, he imagined she probably would’ve pouted as she replied. 

“You seem rather amused, son. Did something happen?”

The sound of his father's voice snapped him out of his daydream. The young executive silently cursed himself for carelessly dropping his guard. Clearing his throat, Jumin straightened up and ran a hand through his dark locks. 

“My apologies, father. I had urgent business to take care of.” He tucked his phone in his pocket while wishing that Iris would understand why he hadn't gotten back to her. 

“Judging by your smile, I take it that business is going well?”

It took all of his willpower not to roll his eyes at his father's new girlfriend. Glam Choi was it? And what was it that she did? Judging by how she managed to turn heads, he deduced she must be some kind of celebrity. Nothing special, he thought; after all, his father, the Chairman of the Board of C & R International, seemed to have dated them all - socialites, celebrities, models, beauty queens - some of whom were even a year or two his junior. 

“Jumin? Are you all right, son?”

He silently cursed himself once more. While he was silently judging his father’s new girlfriend, he had once again dropped his guard and gave the older man the opportunity to call him out. 

“My apologies.”

“That's twice you've apologized. My, what an interesting day it is indeed, ” the stately older man said curtly. “Is our company not to your liking, son? Please just bear with us for a few minutes more. After all, your assistant told me that you won't have an appointment in the next hour or so.”

Jumin took a deep breath and sighed. If he had only known his old man’s agenda was to introduce his new girlfriend, he would’ve begged off right away. God knows he’d much rather be eating pancakes with her now than having a full-course meal in this place. He shook the thought away for a moment. Now wasn't the time to dream of her. Fixing his grey eyes at his father and the young celebrity he decided to date, he feigned a smile. “Very well, father, you have my full attention until then.” 

OoOoO

The second time they talked about pancakes was more of an afterthought. It happened right after their first kiss. 

Their first kiss. The very thought of it still made his heart race. He remembered every little detail as if it were yesterday. He had Assistant Kang to thank for arranging everything for him. Thanks to his efficient employee’s quick thinking, he was able to meet Iris a week earlier than the rest of the RFA members, although if he had a chance to do it over, he wouldn't be as flustered as he was when he first laid eyes on her the night before.

He watched in awe as she stepped into the foyer. She was everything he’d imagined - slender and graceful, her brown hair cascaded down her back, and her dark brown eyes looked back at him with the same level of wonder. 

“Jumin, i-it's so nice to finally meet you.”

He swore he’d never felt his heart beat faster than it did at that exact moment. ‘Get a grip, ’ he scolded himself, as he schooled his emotions before it got the better of him. He must not lose his footing, after all, he was Jumin Han - businessman, philanthropist, future CEO.

“You’re beautiful.” The words slipped from his mouth quite naturally, and he immediately regretted it when he saw her cheeks turn several shades redder. 

“I’m sorry, ” he cleared his throat. “What I meant to say was that I hope you traveled safely. If I had known Assistant Kang was going to ask you over, I would’ve sent out my driver to pick you up.” 

And then she smiled, and he knew right away that he was going to do whatever it takes to keep her. 

“Who is this woman and what is she doing in your house?”

Jumin gazed at the shameless woman his father had been forcing him to marry and resisted the urge to throw her out of his penthouse himself. 

“Sarah, please don't be like that. I'm Jumin's friend -”

“And what kind of friend comes a man's house alone? By the looks of it, you probably stayed the night, too!”

If Iris was the least bit upset at the insults hurled at her, she did not let it show. Unfortunately, he was far from being gracious. 

“This is dragging on far longer than I expected. I'm actually quite surprised I hadn't thrown you out the door the minute you showed me that fake cat picture. My security will show you out.”

“What? No, you can't do that. I'm your fiancée,” Sarah cried out incredulously. 

“Oh, please,” he said haughtily. “If you think that we'd  gotten engaged just by exchanging a few words, you're clearly delusional.”

“So, you're choosing her over me?”

“I don't know why you're even asking,” the dashing Chief Director of C & R International said, as he turned his attention to the willowy brunette who stood quietly in the corner. Something about the way she looked at him urged him to come closer to her. With each step he took, the answer became clearer. He stopped in front of her and smiled. She was a good head shorter than him, and she looked adorable gazing up at him with those big brown eyes. 

“It wasn't like I had another choice to start with,” Jumin finally said, his eyes never leaving hers. “Iris,” he whispered, as he lifted her chin and closed the gap between them. He could've sworn he felt a shock wave run through his body the minute his lips touched hers. Suddenly, the sound of Sarah's protests faded, and all he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat - or was it hers? He really couldn't tell - but every single one of his senses zeroed-in on the beautiful woman in his arms.

Her lips were the softest he’d ever kissed - not that he’s had lots of experience - as a rule, he only kissed women because he needed to close deals with them and the kisses they shared were always cold. This, however, was different. As his mouth moved over hers, again and again, all he could think about were two things - how her kisses taste like strawberry pancakes, and that he could never get enough of her. 

OoOoO

The third time they talked about pancakes was a memory guaranteed to make her blush almost immediately. He remembered vividly - Provence in July, a month after they'd gotten married. He promised to take her on an unforgettable honeymoon anywhere she wished. He thought she'd choose to go to Paris, Santorini, Milan, or even Ibiza, and he’d be happy to take her there; but instead, she chose to go to his newly-purchased winery so he could still oversee their daily operations while spending time with her and Elizabeth the 3rd. 

That's so like her. 

He woke up alone in bed one Sunday morning. Frustration marred his beautiful face as he ran his hand over her now-empty side of the bed, and found it still warm. She couldn't have been gone for long, he thought. And Elizabeth the 3rd, who usually enjoyed sleeping late, was not in the room as well. Still half-asleep, he forced one eye open to glance at the clock on her nightstand. 

‘Six-thirty, ’ he groaned silently, as he rolled on to his back. What exactly could his wife be up to this early? Sighing, he rolled out of bed and left the room in search of the beautiful woman who disappeared from his side before he even got to kiss her good morning. 

The house was quiet except for some movement coming from the kitchen. Raising an eyebrow, he quietly made his way to the large French country-style kitchen his wife loved so much and found himself entranced at the sight of the lovely brunette he now called wife, stirring something in the mixing bowl while their pet sat on the counter, looking curiously at her. 

"I hope I get this right, Elizabeth the third, " she told the cat softly. "Jumin's pancakes always taste good, so I hope he'll like these."

Her innocent declaration made him gasp. She was making pancakes for him. And that realization made him pick up his feet and head over to where she was at. 

"I see you both are up early."

"Jumin -, " she cried out in surprise, as she felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind. "Good morning, my love. I didn't expect you to be up so early."

"I could say the same about you, especially after we made love several times last night, " he responded, as he planted soft kisses on the side of her neck. Her cheeks turned red at the thought of their passionate night together, and he smiled, knowing how embarrassed she was. "You're blushing."

"I can't help it…, " she murmured. "And I think you've disappointed Elizabeth the third." 

He watched their pristine white cat jump off the counter and saunter out of the kitchen. "I think she's just giving us some privacy. Don't worry, she'll be fine, " the dashing young businessman said as he stopped kissing her, but kept her in an embrace. "So, tell me what you're up to." 

"I was going to make strawberry pancakes for you, " she started, her face still flushed. "But I'm not sure they're as good as the ones you make."

"Is that so?" He unwrapped his arms and moved closer to the counter where the mixing bowl was. "I suppose there's just one way to find out." 

She watched in silence as he dipped his long and slender finger into the bowl and scooped up a tad bit of better. Carefully, he brought his finger near her lips, while watching her gently. "Say ahhh…, " he said and laughed at how dutifully his wife complied. "Well?"

"It's sweet…"

Cocking his head to one side, he smiled at her wryly. "Is that so?"

"Why don't you taste for yourself?" 

His eyes twinkled with excitement, as she failed to realize how enticing her offer was. Cupping her face with his hands, he leaned forward and whispered, "I suppose I will, " before he ravished her mouth - and all of her body - over and over just like the night before. 

The pancake batter was left untouched until later that day. And as she had placed ointment on the scratches she had left on his back, he feasted on the strawberry pancakes she had made just for him. 

OoOoO

The fourth time they talked about pancakes was on Valentine's Day - the first of many they'll be spending together. He thought of many ways they could be celebrating this together and spent a lot of sleepless nights thinking of the perfect present for her. Never once did he think they'd be spending the day spooning her in bed, with one hand caressing her swollen belly. 

Thirty-eight weeks. She had been carrying their first child for nearly nine months, and despite her growing belly and her slight weight gain, she continued to look even more beautiful. 

"I really want pancakes, Jumin."

His hand stopped moving, and he raised an eyebrow at her upon hearing her request. "Darling, I asked you what you wanted for Valentine's…"

She snuggled closer to him as she felt his low voice vibrating on his chest. The gentle sound of his voice always soothed her and the baby, and she wanted to hear more of it today. "And I told you I want pancakes."

He frowned, feeling a little upset at her answer. In truth, she could have anything she wanted - jewelry, cars, all the designer items a woman could get her hands on - but all she wanted to for Valentine's was his home-cooked pancakes. "That's all you want?"

"That's all I want, " she hummed. A few seconds later, she felt the baby kick and the sensation made her giggle. "See? Even the baby wants pancakes."

"But the doctor said you should lay off sweets…" He should have known better than to speak those words because no sooner had he said them, she immediately turned to him with sad puppy eyes. He sighed. He knew at this point that he had lost to her once again - after all, he could never resist her - but he wanted to make her victory a little harder. "As I was saying, the doctor said…"

"But Jumin, I haven't had anything sweet since we found out I was pregnant, " she said, pouting. "And I'm really craving the strawberry pancakes you make."

"Will that make you happy?"

"Very much so."

Sighing again, he untangled himself from her and rolled out of bed. "All right. I suppose I can alter the recipe a little bit. You just lay there and rest, okay? I'll be back with your pancakes."

Elizabeth the third jumped from her bed and walked beside Jumin as he stepped out of the room. "How long do you think before she rolls out of bed and follows us?" He asked, glancing sideways at their precious feline as she mewled her response. "Ten minutes? That's too generous. She's been too fussy lately, but something tells me you're spot on, so we need to move fast."

And true to form, a very pregnant Mrs. Han waddled out of their room ten minutes later, enticed by the mouthwatering scent wafting from the kitchen. 

"Those smell heavenly, " she said excitedly, as she made her way beside her husband and stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss. "Thank you, Jumin, " she whispered before she waddled towards the cozy little breakfast nook she had designed for them. 

He smiled, as he watched her walk away from him. She had no idea how happy she's made him, how lucky he was that she came into his life, and how thankful he was for all the many things that brought them closer together. Especially strawberry pancakes.  

The end. 

#mystic messenger #mystic messenger fanfic #mysme jumin #jumin han #mm jumin #jumin x oc #mysme fanfic #iris writes #mm fanfic #mm jumin x oc #mysme jumin x oc

[just-another-author-i-guess]

The unholy

Warnings: she/her pronounced reader, mentions of blood and biting, some making out, but honestly there’s not much, I didn’t edit it through tho but what did you really expect

Pairing: bts ot7 x reader, nun! reader, princess! reader, vampire! Jin x reader, hybrid! Namjoon x reader, hybrid! Yoongi x reader, vampire! Hoseok x reader, vampire! Jimin x reader, hybrid! Taehyung x reader, hybrid! Jungkook x reader

Parts: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 -

Author’s note: so it’s currently really late and I’m just now finishing this, which I should have done yesterday but oh well. Anyways, since it’s so late and I’m so damn tired there’s probably a lot of mistakes and stuff and I’m really sorry, but it’s too late to edit it through and I’m sooo tired, and I have school tomorrow T.T damn this chapter just sucks. Anyways I hope you’ll still enjoy it, I would love to know if you did enjoy it!

(Updates; every Sunday!)

Summary:

The king and queen, your mother and father, rules the southern kingdom. The eastern and the western are ruled by kings and queens alike, but the northern are ruled by the most unholy of creatures. Or so you've been told.

Every citizen in the three kingdoms, have been warned about the creatures of the north, and it is with good reason they're all terrified. All your life, your parents have tried to keep the knowledge of the northern creatures from you, but that just made you more curious. Everyday, you would sneak down to the castle library, and read everything you could about the north, wanting to know the secret behind the unholy land.

That of course didn't go well with your parents, and when they found out they decided to send you to the most holy of places, to forget about everything you've read. One of the biggest church organizations in the south agreed to take you in, to rehabilitate you and learn you that you should never question such things as the northern creatures.

By day, you follow the strict prioress around as she lectures you about the holy and the unholy, and by night, you have to go on patrol alone through the church as a punishment for reading about the unholy. But one night, everything changes, when you find the prioress dead, with bite marks all over her body. Of course, you have read about this, and you know exactly what killed her.

But what happens when that exact creature you've read about, shows up right in front of you?

Taglist:

(Please let me know if you want to be tagged!)

@joonsroses @boononx @i-am-supermerwholoked221b @karissassirak @bvblackarmy @queenbianca-7 @someslightobsessions

It wasn’t the first time, you woke up in strange new surroundings, and it surely wouldn’t be the last, but this time it was neither the bathroom nor Seokjin’s bedroom, and you weren’t alone.

Slowly, you blinked your eyes open, definitely not missing the way your head instantly began to pound, as your eyes searched the foreign room.

Your eyes widened, and with a slight gasp and a startled expression, you met the scarlet eyes, of a girl dressed in a similar dress as yours, sitting on your bed and smiling down at you, pearly white fangs on display.

“Oh thank god!”

She exclaimed, and looked like she could jump on you and hug you at any moment, but she didn’t, she just kept smiling, and you were sure that her mouth would be aching by the time she stopped.

“Seokjin would just about have murdered Jeongguk, if you didnt wake up,”

She continued, never even giving the fact that you had no idea who she was a thought, as she continued to ramble on about Seokjin’s distress.

Carefully and with stiff limbs, you started to move up from under the covers, slowly sitting up and feeling you sore body as the girl looked at you with careful eyes.

Her smile was hypnotizing, your eyes seemed to be permanently glued to her pearly white fangs, as her mouth remained in the same wide smile.

Suddenly, a thought seemed to cross her mind, and her smile faded, but the gleam in her eyes remained the same, as she lowered the voice, and leaned closer into you, the smell of metal following her every breath.

“Is it true that Seokjin fed from you?”

The words were carefully punctuated, and just as quick as she leaned in did she pull away, leaving you with a rather confused expression.

“S-sorry?”

Your voice was hoarse, and your throat felt raw as you spoke, as if you hadn’t had water in days.

“You know, there’s a rumor going around, and it’s a great honor to have Seokjin drink from you, and even having fed from him,”

She continued, and your mind began to spin as you tried your best to remember, you tried so hard, but your memory was like a static tv. You furrowed your eyes brows, as the pounding behind your skull got worse, quick flashes of Jeongguk’s fangs flashed before your mind and you started to wonder if your whole interaction with Jeongguk actually happened.

“I-I can’t remember,”

You stuttered, as the intense pounding kept building up, making it hard to focus on the girls shiny fangs, as you shut your eyes hard and pressed your palms against your forehead, helplessly.

“But that’s what everyone is saying, that you’re Seokjin’s feeder, and he said himself that he gave you blood to keep you alive-“

“Aera, enough.”

Suddenly, the door was opened, almost violently, and Seokjin’s voice cut through the air like sharp knife, trying to cut into the girl, Aera as well.

Shocked almost, her eyes widened, and she stood up, head held low as she turned around to face Seokjin.

“I-I’m sorry your highness-“

She started, but only received a half threatening growl from Seokjin in response.

“Continue your chores for now, but don’t ever come in here unless you’re told to, understood?”

Seokjins voice was dripping with authority, the same voice he used to scold Taehyung, Hoseok and Jeongguk prior, and if it hadn’t been for the blinding headache a shiver would have run down your spine.

Aera merely whimpered in response, before scurrying out of the room, her quick footsteps could be heard down the hall long after she was gone.

“Drink some water,”

Suddenly, Seokjin was sitting were Aera had been sitting seconds ago, holding out a glass filled with icy water towards you, and with shaky hands you accepted, quickly gulping down the water like your life depended on it.

Slowly, the headache seemed to calm itself, and your brain was now only numbly bumping against your skull, easier to ignore.

Carefully you handed Seokjin the glass, arm tiredly lifting itself off the bed and reaching out to Seokjin.

“What happened?”

You demanded, as soon as the glass was set back on the table, searching Seokjin’s brilliant eyes for answers, but receiving nothing.

“What did Aera ask you?”

He shot back, and you shook your head, more careful than you normally would, as your eyes continued to search Seokjin’s.

“You didn’t answer my question, what happened with Jeongguk?”

You continued, not intending to give up. After coming here, you had gotten absolutely no answers from no one, and you were getting fed up.

Seokjin’s eyes seemed to harden, when you mentioned Jeongguk’s name and quick memories of the interaction with Jeongguk began to flash before you.

You remember how incredibly nice it felt, when you felt asleep against his chest, and how he didn’t feel cold and unwelcoming, unlike Seokjin and, what was the other boy called, Yoongi.

Both their eyes were cold and deep red, but Jeongguk’s was so much more human like, they were big, and brown and welcoming. They were everything Seokjin wasn’t, and you had to fight the shiver that went through you, when Seokjin leaned closer and you could feel the coolness emitting off of him.

Seokjin sighed, he sounded just as tired as he always did when you pried, and he looked the part too. He looked like he hadn’t fed in days; he looked like Jeongguk had before he fed on you.

Suddenly, the same strange sensation went through you. You wanted, no you needed to let Seokjin feed on you, you needed to feel his fangs sink into your skin and you needed to see how his cheeks would round and turn a more pinkish color than the pale white they were now.

“S-Seokjin, are you hungry?”

The question itself was an intruder in your mouth, but it escaped before you could even react, making Seokjin look at you with a shocked, almost worried expression.

“If you’re hungry, you should feed,”

You continued, the words escaping your lips without your consent, as you absentmindedly began to lift you tired arm, presenting your wrist to him, already with two, almost faded bike marks on it from Taehyung.

“(y/n), stop,”

Seokjin started, his eyes betraying him, as they followed the multiple bitemarks visible on you, and the tip of his pink tongue, coming out to wet his lips, fangs gently starting to protrude his botttom lip.

“You look hungry,”

You hummed, the idea of Seokjin sinking his fangs into your wrist, making you blood almost boil over with excitement and your body began feeling warm and fuzzy just at the thought, a weird contrast to Seokjin’s ice cold one.

“You lost a lot of blood already bunny,”

Despite his words, slender fingers began to gently curl around your wrist, making goosebumps appear as his cold digits met your skin.

Your eyes seemed lost in each other’s, as Seokjin gently brought your wrist to his mouth, furrowing his brows as the smell of blood started to take a hold of him, but still fighting against it with the little self control he had left.

Slowly, his tongue game out to taste your salty skin, and instantly a shudder ran through him, just at the thought of tasting your blood once more.

Truth be told, you were right; Seokjin was hungry. He hadn’t fed since the night in the church, afraid to take too much, and drain you too soon, but his brothers sure didn’t care for his worry. He had endured watching both Hoseok, Taehyung and Jeongguk drink from you, without ever having a taste himself, and he was getting fed up.

He brought you here to be his feeder, not theirs, his.

The thought made Seokjin growl against your skin, almost animalistic, as his fangs began to slightly poke at your wrist, without cutting into the skin.

His brothers weren’t supposed to drink from you, they should be drinking animal blood he gave them, the only exceptions being himself, Jeongguk and Yoongi.

The thought made him slightly retreat his fangs, it wouldn’t be safe for any of you if he drank from you now, you needed to have your bloodlevels up, and he should be in his right mindset, not just doing it out of raw jealousy.

“Bunny I can’t, it’s not safe,”

He let your wrist go, mourning the loss of the delicious smell emitting from you, as he watched your arm limply fall down on the sheets.

“But Jeongguk could-“

You started, feeling the unbearable loss when Seokjin let go, still desperate to see his cheeks full and well fed.

“Jeongguk doesn’t care about safety,”

Seokjin cut you off, voice sharp as his still protruding fangs, and you instantly quiet down, as he let out a long sigh.

“Besides, you don’t have to feed me, bunny, I’ll come to you when I need it,”

He spoke again, voice turning softer, as he looked at you with soft, caring eyes, fangs slowly disappearing.

“Jeongguk’s And Taehyung’s venom must still be messing with you, it’s never a good idea to combine it,”

Seokjin sighed, looking at you with worry in his eyes, as you let the past few days slowly weigh down on you. Some parts of your memory were still fuzzy, but slowly you were starting to vividly remember the way Hoseok and Taehyung had fed on you in the kitchen, and the way Jeongguk had growled when they had tried to pull him away from you.

You lightly cocked your head to the side, not completely getting what he was hinting at, but remembering him mentioning it when you were inside the lab room with Jeongguk.

“Don’t worry too much about it,”

He spoke again, voice a little more strained this time, and you noticed once again how tired he actually looked, you wanted nothing more than to offer him a space on the bed, cuddling up to him and sleeping until all your troubles went away, but before you could even open your mouth he spoke again.

“Namjoon will come in a bit, the two of you will go to the library so he can tell you a bit more about the different venoms,”

Seokjin sounded sounded so hollow, just as hollow as he looked, when he got up from the bed, making the wood under his feet slightly creek, and before you could even blink, he was long gone down the hall, and you were left all to yourself, to wonder who exactly Namjoon was.

Later that day, a tall boy, definitely taller than Seokjin and the rest, with a friendly smile and dimples, contrasting his pitch black hair and pale skin, knocked on your door.

“I’m Namjoon, Seokjin sent me to get you,”

He shortly explained, giving you another friendly smile, again making a big contrast to his icy cold skin.

You nodded once, and for up to follow him out the door, as you took in his attire from behind. He was dressed like Seokjin and the others, the only way you could describe it was prince-like.

He placed a protective hand on the small of your back, like Yoongi had done, but without pushing you, as he began to lead you to the library.

Walking down the many hallways, the castle was not nearly as empty as it had been the other multiple times you had been out in the halls. Now, the two of you would meet a servant almost at every corner, cleaning or doing other chores, and you couldn’t help but wonder if there were anyone down in the kitchens as well.

With the many new surroundings and people to look at, the walk didn’t seem to take long at all, and before you knew it, Namjoon had led you into a big, magnificent library, with books from all over the world.

He seemed pretty proud of the collection himself, as he went into explain about it, utterly mesmerized by the way your eyes would light up in excitement.

He let you to a group of comfortable looking, red chairs in a more secluded area of the library, and he gently patted one, indicating you to sit down.

“Here, Seokjin told me to give you this,”

Namjoon spoke, as he stood with his back to you, picking out books from the shelves. Suddenly he stopped, eyes focusing on a big, heavy book standing a little behind the others, and without the slightest struggle, did he pull it out and present it to you on the table.

‘The vampire anatomy’

Was written on it with big, bold, golden letters, and instantly your hands reached out to gently brush over the old looking book, afraid it might turn to dust in your grasp.

“You’ll need to know about us, if you’re going to stay here,”

Namjoon reasoned, taking a seat in a chair besides your, opening the book with less careful fingers, landing on a chapter about different venoms stored in a vampires fangs.

“Here, Seokjin wanted you to read this,”

You looked from the handwritten, cursive letters, to Namjoon with a curious expression, question after question just at the tip of your tongue.

“Seokjin mentioned something about Jeongguk and Taehyung’s venoms,”

You said absentmindedly, but Namjoon’s ears seemed to perk up, brilliant dark red orbs, searching yours.

“That would be because they’re fusing, when you’ve been bitten by different vampires in a small span of time, their venom’s will fuse and sometimes that can be very dangerous,”

He went onto explain, and you cocked your head.

“What about Hoseok then? Why didn’t he say anything about him?”

The questions came stumbling out of your mouth, but Namjoon didn’t seem to mind, happily lecturing you on what you needed to know.

“That’s because Hoseok’s venom is harmless, if you didn’t know about it’s existence it would be as if it was never even there, Taehyung and Jeongguk on the other hand both has dangerous venoms, and because they bit you in that short timespan they’re clashing, that is probably why you fainted when Jeongguk bit you,”

You hummed along, indicating you were listening, as you focused on Namjoon’s kind eyes, and the way his face lit up in a most endearing way when he was talking.

One thought was still bugging your mind though, you still couldn’t let go what the maid, Aera had said to your earlier.

It’s a great honor to have Seokjin bite you.

“Did Seokjin bite me while I was unconscious?”

The question slipped out of your mouth, surprising both yourself and Namjoon.

“Who told you that?”

His eyes narrowed slightly, and you sank the lump in your throat, slowly backing a little way when you realized you had leaned so much to the side that your head was practically leaning on Namjoon’s shoulder.

“A-a maid,”

You stuttered, and Namjoon just shook his head with a tired expression.

“Yes, yes Seokjin bit you, he didn’t feed off you though, he only bit you to balance out the fusion of Jeongguk and Taehyung’s venoms, and he also had to let you feed on him, but only to balance out your bloodlevels, Jeongguk almost killed you,”

Your eyes brows furrowed more with every new information, and you closed your eyes trying to grasp everything. Namjoon gently smiled at your confused expression, and handed the book back to you.

“Please read yourself,”

Carefully your hands grasped the book, lightly brushing Namjoon’s cold ones, and you placed the book in your lap.

-

Just half an hour into reading, did your mind start to get tired and the words you read were starting to make no sense.

From time to time, you would spare glances at Namjoon as he was deeply immersed in his own book, too immersed to really care about your boredroom, as you took in his sideprofile.

He was beautiful, there was no denying it, with his pitch black hair, slightly dipping down into his eyes, causing him to brush it away every few minutes, and his deep red, mesmerizing eyes as they scanned the book he was reading, along with his otherworldly proportions.

“Can I help you?”

A look, a little too cocky for his own good, adorned his features, and you realized in embarrassment that you had been caught, quickly looking up to meet his kind eyes, a subtle blush covering your face and ears.

“I-I’m sorry,”

You stuttered, as you began to realize just how close you were to him, noses almost brushing, when you turned your head.

Namjoon chuckled, voice noticeably lowering, making all sorts of emotions stir inside you. Long forgotten was the book, and whatever venom you were reading about, Namjoon being the only thing currently on your mind.

“No worries, bunny,”

He tilted his head a little, giving you a way too obvious invitation to his softlooking lips, and you couldn’t bring yourself to deny, slowly leaning forward again, lips carefully coliding.

Instantly, you sighed into the kiss, as his large hand came up to cup your rounded cheek, deepening the kiss, as you continued leaning forward, till you were almost halfway into his chair.

He felt like fire and ice, the kiss was soft and smooth, making your head spin, warm sensations shooting straight to your core as you felt his fangs slightly protruding, carefully poking at your bottom lip.

Testing out the waters, the tip of his pink tongue began to poke your bottom lip as well, carefully sliding into your mouth, dancing around your own tongue.

He tasted like metal and a certain sweetness that belonged to him, but you wouldn’t have it any other way, letting his tongue roam your mouth freely.

You did however need air, and sooner than you wanted to, you parted from him, a string of salvia connecting the both of you, making it clear how messy your kiss had actually been, and Namjoon looked at you with blown out pupils, fangs now fully on display for you and you felt your skin tingle.

He swallowed, hard.

“Can-can I have a taste?”

Without hesitation, you nodded, already offering him your wrist, like you did with Seokjin.

Instantly, his long fingers curlers around you, ice cold digits making contact with overheated skin, again feeling the wonderful feeling of fire and ice colliding.

First, his soft tongue came out to lap at your salty skin, followed by his nose, as he gently nosed around the area he intended to bite. He sucked and playfully nibbled at your skin, before finally biting down, sinking his teeth into the area he had already marked with a couple of hickies.

Your breathy moan escaped out into the empty library, as you felt his fangs sink in, instantly drawing moans and groans from him as well, as he slowly began to gulp down your sweet nectar.

You watched with hazy eyes as he drank, amazed by the way his Adam’s apple would bop up and down every time he sank another mouthful.

He was viciously licking at your bite marks the same time he was sucking, making sure no excess blood would go to waste as he fed.

Before long, he retreated with a satisfied groan, licking greedily around his mouth for any excess blood, two bite marks now permanently dug into your skin.

Your two wounds were still leaking the smallest amount of blood, but it was quickly fixed once Namjoon carefully dipped his thump into each wound, gathering whatever excess was left and greedily licking his fingers dry.

“Thank you, Bunny,”

He said, voice sincere as he gave your hand a squeeze, making your heart flutter when he didn’t let go, but only carefully intertwined your fingers, his big ones almost completely covering yours.

Much to your disappointment, Namjoon had to go sooner or later, leaving you to wonder around on your. You had just made your way out of the library, when a strange sensation filled you up.

It was the same feeling you had, before feeding Jeongguk, it was the same yearning to see his cheeks rounded and the happy satisfied look on his face, but he wasn’t there.

You could have sworn you were alone, except the couple servants walking around the castle cleaning and doing chores.

You felt restless, wondering around with the urge to find Jeongguk, but something told you that it was the last thing Seokjin would want you to.

You were torn, as you stood between the hallway that led to what you assumed must be a dining room, and the staircase you had talked earlier down to the kitchens.

“Bunny..”

A shiver ran down your spine, and you instantly turned around, upon hearing Jeongguk’s hoarse whisper in your ear, but nothing. The hallway couldn’t have been emptier.

“Bunny, I know you can hear me..”

Jeongguks voice continued, almost tauntingly as you stood there, confused in the hallway.

“Go to the dungeons, be a good girl and come down here for me, bunny,”

Your mind seemed to be made up, as you step by step, carefully began to walk down the stairs leading to the cellar and the kitchens.

“Come on Bunny, hurry up, I’m hungry..”

His raspy voice filled your senses, and instantly your only goal was to feed him, you wanted, no you needed to feed him, at the moment it was all your heart desired.

With your eagerness, it wasn’t long before you were stood before a big wooden door, looking like the kind of door you would never go through under any normal circumstances, but Jeongguk’s voice was egging you on.

“Come on Bunny, just open the door..”

He was persuasive, and you were sure you could feel him behind it, you knew he was there, and there was nothing you wanted more than to come to him, so it wasn’t long before your hands were gently placed against the wood of the door, and you pushed.

The door was heavy, but not so heavy you couldn’t open it, slowly you slid it open, revealing a dark room with multiple cages, all badly scratched up and clearly meant for something much stronger than a human.

Then you saw him, you gasped, and instantly forgot about the door as you ran to him, letting the door slam behind you.

“J-Jeongguk,”

The small amount of sunlight shining in through a tiny window, was just enough for you to see his state.

He was standing pressed up against the cage, looking paler than ever with hollowed our features and the most agonized look on his face.

Without even thinking, you instantly pressed yourself up against the cage as well, wanting to feel the small amount of warmth he emitted, and he instantly reached out through the bars, squeezing your hips trying to get your closer, closer, closer.

“Bunny..”

He rasped, looked down at you with dark eyes as he was towering over you.

“You found me,”

A cocky smirk crossed his features despite his state, and you instantly nodded, ready to do whatever he asked.

Gently, you let your fingers come up and hold his hollow cheeks, turning his face down so you could look into his brilliant eyes once more.

“What did they do to you?”

You whispered, worriedly stroking his cheekbones with your thumb, as you stood on your tiptoes, noses brushing as Jeongguk inhaled sharply.

“Nothing you cant fix,”

He reasoned, voice still raspy, boarding on a growl as he without warning leaned down and crashed his lips onto yours, almost violently, instantly igniting all sorts of flames in your lower stomach.

#i hope this is okay #bts fantasy au #bts x reader #bts prince au #jeon jungkook x reader #jungkook x reader #min yoongi x reader #bts ot7 x reader #bts ot7 #bts vampire au #kim namjoon x reader #kim seokjin x reader #kim taehyung x reader #jung hoseok x reader #park jimin x reader #bts vampire smut #bts v x reader

[swsh-sorts]

I just finished the games recently and finally entered the tag now that I'm not worried about spoilers! Love everything you've been writing here! While I love the setting, personally I think I'd freeze up in the stadiums cause of how loud and anxiety inducing they can be. How about headcanons about the male protag getting overwhelmed by the sheer atmosphere of battling in stadiums and the gym leaders swooping in to help calm him down? Thanks a lot!

I’d react the same, honestly, I get stage fright T-T

Prying Eyes Of The Crowd - Part One

MILO:

Milo is the first gym leader every challenger has to face. New challengers, young and old, all have to confront a mass amount of an audience within the stadium, all the while challenging a gym leader for the very first time. So when [Protagonist] starts breathing heavily, not moving from their spot across the stadium, Milo’s already rushing over towards them.

Milo’s used to the sight of gym challengers being overwhelmed for the first time being in front of an entire stadium of people. He would hold onto their shoulders and allow them to train their eyes onto him, telling them re-assuring words, all the while with a heartfelt smile. If it gets too serious, Milo would even give them his hat to block out the view of the audience.

“It’s alright buddy, you can get through this. I’m rooting for you.”

NESSA:

Nessa would be confused at first as to why this particular challenger, [Protagonist], won’t let their eyes off of the ground. They haven’t even gotten their pokemon out yet. After a few seconds, she could see it in their eyes. The absolute fear and nervousness, the shaking of the legs, and the trembling lips— this challenger was afraid. Not of her, she thinks (and is hoping), but afraid of the crowd, the cheering.

She’s been in that situation before, since starting her job as both a model and a gym leader, so she could sympathise. She would calmly walk over to the challenger, so as to not garner more attention, and would just pull them into a soft embrace.

“Let the roar of the crowd empower you, and keep your eyes on me.”

KABU:

Kabu has seen and experienced a lot of things throughout his life and through his career as a gym leader. When he caught sight [Protagonist] still hiing beneath the stadium corridor, he already knew that they were not prepared by the mass amount of people, cheering and bellowing loudly within the stadium.

He’ll always enter the stadium with the upcoming challenger, which is a precaution he always took. If he truly can’t coax [Protagonist] to come out onto the stadium, then he’d call for the next challenger. He’d do a lone, private battle when the time comes, just for the sake of keeping [Protagonist] comfortable.

“Drown out the crowd, and put trust in your pokemon to lead you to victory.”

BEA:

It was definitely a big change for Bea to go from her serious martial arts practices to loud and noisy arena battles. She preferred quiet, and didn’t care for other people constantly surveying her activities.

So she completely understood [Protagonist]’s reluctance and shaky movements. She’d hold onto their arm and lead them onto the centre. With her rare smile, she’d motion for [Protagonist] to focus on only her, and would run over to them immediately if they showed any bit of an increase in panic.

“I understand, it’s alright. But you can fight through this, just as you have before.”

ALLISTER:

Allister wouldn’t understand as easily as the other previous gym leaders. With an occupation surrounded by ghost pokemon, he’s got little to be afraid of. The crowd? Just generally bothersome. So when [Protagonist] starts clutching at their chest and breathing heavily, he wouldn’t know what to do, or why the challenger was showing signs of panic.

So he’d just, walk over to them, and like, make them close their eyes or something. It was the only thing Allister could think of, and was just placing his palms over [Protagonist]’s eyes. Oddly enough though, the challenger found the action funnily adorable, and calmed him down slightly from his distressed state.

“...If you can’t see them... they can’t see you...”

OPAL:

Opal may be strange in her own mysterious ways, but everyone in Ballonlea knows that Opal is one of the compassionate gym leaders, especially regarding those of youth. She’s old sixteen years of age, and has got a lot of wisdom and care, plenty to go around.

When Opal sees the challenger [Protagonist] warily looking around, losing their breath from the gazes of the crowd, she’d calmly walk over to them. And bop em’ on the head lightly with her cane. If this challenger managed to defeat the other gym leaders before arriving on her turf, then they can overcome almost anything. She’s strict, but she’s honest.

“If you’ve made it this far, then you’re thick-skinned, child. Focus on answering my questions, that should take your mind off the crowd.”

#pokemon sword and shield #pkmn swsh #pokemon imagines #pokemon headcanons #pokemon sorts #asks #fluff #pokemon milo #pkmn milo #pokemon nessa #pkmn nessa #pokemon kabu #pkmn kabu #pokemon bea #pkmn bea #pokemon allister #pkmn allister #pokemon opal #pkmn opal

[katedrakeohd]

Cordonia 1885

Word count: 2470

Catch up on previous chapters

Author's Note/Warnings: Rated Mature.

Mentions death, blood, violence, and nudity.

............

Drake felt cold and lifeless in Bastien's arms as he swiftly carried him down the stairs. In the parlour below a wooden bathtub lined in a linen sheet was waiting, the water steaming. In the back of Bastien's mind he was hoping they weren't too late to revive him.

Meanwhile for Drake his own confused mind was telling him he was floating. Am I dead? Am I dreaming?

In his stupor he couldn't open his eyes, but muffled sounds filtered through to his ears. His mind tried to conjure an image, a reasonable thought of what was happening, but then it drifted away like a fog.

Then suddenly the floating feeling changed and he was falling through space, and he was powerless to break his fall. His mind reeled, his stomach roiled, and his muscles clenched painfully all at once, making him flinch.

His body was suddenly enveloped in an intense heat that pricked his skin and brought feeling rushing back into his limbs, causing Drake to let out a low groan.

Bastien stepped back after lowering Drake into the bath.

In his lethargic state, Drake slumps forward, his heavy head dropping his chin to his chest and his face splashing into the water.

Mary gasps, “Bastien, fix him before he drowns!”

Bastien cursed as he leaped forward, reaching under Drake's armpits to sit him back upright.

Tipping his head back, Bastien mutters, “Time to wake up, Son.” And then gives him a hard slap on the cheek to revive him.

The impact hits Drake like a kick to the face and he gasps, coughing the water out of his throat, his eyes opening wide with surprise. Startled to find himself naked in a bathtub, he draws his knees up and grabs the walls in an attempt to get out, causing water to slosh over the sides.

Bastien shakes his head, and places a hand on his shoulder to force him to sit down again. “Now, now Drake. We can't have you running around naked with a Lady present.”

Mary giggles as she holds Drake's bundle of clothes to her chest. “Oh, I don't mind at all.”

Drake raises his hand to his stinging cheek, and then glares at Bastien with indignation, “You..you struck me!”

Mary sits down on the nearby sofa, “Well it was either knock you about or let you drown in your own bath, so you're welcome.”

Bringing both hands up to his face, he realizes he's had a close shave too. He'd lost his own razor long ago and had resolved to just let his beard grow. The newfound smoothness of his skin spoke of a practiced and steady hand, and he assumed it had been Bastien's work.

He looks back and forth between Bastien and Mary and points an accusatory finger at her as a recent memory comes rushing back, “And you..you..she bit me!”

Drake's sudden anger makes his heart start to falter, and he brings his hand to his chest. At the same time he feels a dizzying sensation in his head, “Wha..what's happening to me?” he slurs his words as his eyes close and his body goes limp.

Bastien levels a piercing, disapproving glare at Mary and then raises his thumb to his mouth, he mumbles around it as he bites down. “You're dying, that's what's happening.”

Rushing forward to wrap his arm around Drake's chest, Bastien hauled him upright to prevent him from sinking back down into the bath water. Tipping his head back against his shoulder, Drake's jaw goes slack and Bastien lays his bleeding thumb across his lips.

“Just a taste is all we'll need to bring him back.” Bastien insists.

The dark blood pools around Drake's tongue, and trickles out of the corner of his mouth. Bastien frowns at Drake's inability to swallow it, giving him a gentle shake by the shoulders, and holding his mouth shut. “Come on, now. There's plenty in your mouth, swallow damn you.”

Drake sucks a sharp breath in through his nose, and then his adam's apple bobs as he swallows. He was expecting the blood to be warm, but it was cold and thick like syrup. It burned going down his throat like some awful elixir from the apothecary shop, and it stung his nostrils as he coughed. Unlike the whiskey that he’d swallowed last that brought a welcoming warmth to his stomach, the blood caused an uncomfortable chill and queasiness that sent a shock to his lower gut. He didn't want to swallow any more of it, repulsed at how the rotten taste and feel of it in his mouth had assaulted his senses. If this was what drinking blood was like he wondered how vampires could thirst for it. But as soon as the queasiness passed, he strangely felt better, and his strength began to return.

Scooping up a handful of bathwater, Drake washes the blood off his face.

“I think it's time for some answers,” he says, angrily pointing a finger at Bastien. “What the hell do you two want with me?”

Bastien hands Drake a bar of soap and cloth to clean himself. “Get washed and I'll explain the best I can.”

Mary looks on eagerly as Drake lathers up the cloth, “Do you need any help, I could..wash your back for you?”

Bastien shakes his head as Drake stares at Mary in disbelief, “No, thanks. I think I can manage on my own.”

Mary's face falls in disappointment as Bastien makes a dismissive gesture to shoo her away. “Why don't you finish preparing your father's bedroom for Drake, and dispose of his dirty clothes. Make sure the curtains are drawn so the morning light doesn't leak in. After the events of tonight he's going to need several hours of uninterrupted sleep.”

Mary sets Drake's new clothes aside with an angry huff and then leaves. “Once a chamber maid, always a chamber maid,” she mutters as she stomps barefoot up the stairs.

Drake nods his gratitude to Bastien, hoping finally they could have the man to man talk he’s been waiting for. “Ok, then. Start talking.”

Getting up from his seat, Bastien starts to pace the room, turning his back on Drake to give him some privacy as he bathed. He clears his throat and then begins his story.

“As you know, I'm employed by the Beaumont family at the Ramsford Estate.”

“Uh huh,” Drake replies, using the cloth to wash his face and neck again. The smell of his blood was finally being overpowered by the soap, and he lathered the cloth repeatedly to make sure he neutralized all traces of it on his body.

“But I'm more than just their head of security. I belong to a secret society of night watchmen and stewards that have been in service to the noble houses of Cordonia for centuries.”

Drake crosses his leg over his knee to scrub at his foot. “And have you watchmen always been, you know..”

“Vampires?” Bastien finishes, as he goes over to the window to take a peek outside through the curtains. The inky darkness of night was giving way to the weak grey light of early morning. “No, only for the last 285 years.”

Drake frowns as he continues his bath, “That's an oddly specific amount of years, you sound as if you've been around long enough to count each one.”

Bastien sighs as he closes the curtains again, “That's because I have.”

Drake pauses to look at Bastien, still wanting to disbelieve the idea of vampires despite what he's already seen and experienced. “So what's Mary's part in all of this? She hardly seems like night watchman or guard material.”

Bastien sighs, looking up to see Mary sitting at the top of the stairs. “She was an unexpected, but surprisingly useful addition to my plans.”

“Oh, how?” Drake answers, cupping water in his hands and dumping it over his head to rinse the soap from his hair.

“I needed bait to lure you in.”

Drake blinks the water out of his eyes and wipes his face with his hands. “Why me? What am I to you, a meal or a recruit? And what makes you think I want to be either?”

“Did you honestly have any job prospects or any money in your pockets?”

Drake looks down at his boney bent knees jutting above the grayish water of the bathtub, ashamed and embarrassed to be so hopelessly destitute with nothing to claim as his own. “Well, no.” he says, quietly.

“Where were you going to sleep tonight, or what was to be the source of your next meal?”

Drake shrugs, remembering the dark alley next to the tavern where he often slept among the other drunks passed out in their own filth. He recalled the cool roughness of the brick wall that he'd lean against, and the ever present smell of piss and puke.

He looks over gratefully to the fresh clothing they'd picked out for him, down to his clean hands and body and then around to the comfortable home that was being offered for the night. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had afforded him such a kindness. But his gratitude was soon tempered by the fear that they were intending for him to give his life in exchange for this brief kindness.

“Ok, fine. I admit to having nowhere else better to go, tonight or tomorrow for that matter. Which explains why I might be tempted to accept whatever life you're offering. But it still doesn't explain why you chose me over any other poor lonely guy in the tavern tonight.”

Bastien snaps his fingers as Drake answered his own question. “That's just it Drake. You were alone and not engaged in talking to anyone. I'm assuming you have few if any friends and that you would hardly be missed if the tavern patrons never saw you again.”

Drake frowns at the implication that he couldn't make friends with people if he really wanted to. He liked being alone, and only engaged in conversation with people if they had something to offer him. Getting a drink from a bartender, the company of a willing woman, or the chance to finagle a few coins from some guys in a poker game was about as friendly as he wanted to be. All were limited interactions that required no commitment to being anyone's friend. He saw Bastien's point. He was a nobody and could easily become someone else entirely if he wanted to. Totally anonymous.

Drake looks around outside of the area of the tub, searching for something to blot himself dry so he could get dressed. As he stands up, Mary gasps at seeing him naked again. Bastien hands him a sheet to wrap around himself as he steps out of the tub. After quickly drying himself under the watchful eye of Bastien and the under the uncomfortable gaze of Mary, Drake pulls on the new clothes.

“Do I necessarily have to die to become part of this night watchmen society you belong to? Couldn't I be more useful on the day shift?”

Bastien waves off his concerns, “Any man off the street could be trained and become a day guard. But the worst threats to noble safety come at night. We move silently to neutralize threats before they breach the outer walls.”

“And if the moment arises to make a criminal your next meal, then it benefits the nobles and the watchmen alike.” Drake offers.

Bastien nods, “But we mustn't be sloppy or overly obvious that we’re feeding on any intruders. Any dead bodies are to be properly disposed of with minimal fang marks.”

Drake rubs his bottom lip feeling uneasy, “So does fresh blood really taste like what you gave me?”

“Oh, not at all,” Mary interrupts as she comes down the stairs.

“Living blood is much tastier. What you had was second hand, and quite dead.”

Drake looks from Bastien to Mary, scared all over again. “So..what happens now?”

Bastien places a hand on Drake's shoulder, the dead weight and strength in his grip was far from reassuring. “Your body needs to officially die before we can give you the gift of a new life.”

Drake's eyes go wide and he tries to swallow the sudden dry lump in his throat. “Bu..but I feel fine. Do we have to do this now?”

Bastien chuckles, leading Drake toward the stairs. “You're not dead yet, but after losing consciousness three times this evening already, death can't be far away. Based on the pallor of your skin, the hollowness of your cheeks and belly, you strike me as someone who drinks his meals more often than chewing them. If we hadn't found you tonight I wouldn't have expected you to live more than a few more months at best. Your body was already failing you and you weren't even aware of it.”

As they reach the bedroom at the far end of the hall, Drake panics feeling like a sacrificial lamb and tries to get away. Bastien wraps his arm around his shoulders and redirects him into the room. “If you bolt now, you won't get far. Would you rather die in the street? You’d probably stumble and injure yourself painfully as you wait to die.”

Drake stands nervously and waits for his alternative, “And if I don't run? What happens?”

“Just make yourself comfortable in bed and get some rest. You have 12 hours left at the most to make peace with this world and enjoy whatever daylight you can after you wake up. While sleeping will rejuvenate you somewhat, don't be fooled into thinking you can return to the life you once had. By sunset you'll be dead.”

Drake sits down on the end of the bed, “And if I were to go to the police and try to explain everything that happened to me?”

“I'd avoid the police, considering that the hotel housekeeper will be discovering you're missing any moment now. You're a wanted man, even if the blood you woke up in was actually your own.”

Drake sighs, running his hands through his damp hair, “Oh right, you have a point there.”

Mary sits down next to Drake on the bed, laying her hand on his knee. “We'll leave you some coins on the dresser. Go watch a show, get a last drink of whiskey, a last meal, but don't stray too far from the house.”

“Why not?”

“You need to be back here in time for sunset, so Bastien and I can help you finish your transformation. A little bit of Bastien's blood was enough to bring you back to this life, but it will take a lot more to get you to wake up into the next one.”

:::

Tagging:

@texaskitten30 @janezillow @hopefulmoonobject @dcbbw @pedudley @ravenpuff02 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @indiacater @kingliam2019 @walkerswhiskeygirl @bobasheebaby @emceesynonymroll @kimmiedoo5 @sirbeepsalot @xxrainbow-princessxx @losingbraincellseveryday @princessleac1 @nikkis1983

#drake walker #vampires of Cordonia #blood #violence #cordonia 1885

[mysteryofren]

welcome back

part 8 of so happy together

Part 7

  The days after new years felt like a dream. You and Ben texted non stop. You learned a lot about him in the past few days. The more you knew about him the more you liked him. You told him more about your relationship with his parents, and he tried giving you the best advice he could. You wanted badly to ask if he wanted to hang out, but you knew his parents were home. Even if he acts like it you feel like deep down he missed them, and that he’ll miss them when school starts up again so you never brought up hanging out. 

 Your grandfather went back to working again, so you only saw him at breakfast, and dinner. Some days he stopped working early so you two could go out, or watch a movie before he went to sleep. For a moment it felt normal. As normal as it could be. You felt like you were a regular teen with a regular parent. Well grandparent. He made time for you instead of constantly working and brushing you off. You were originally supposed to stay for christmas eve, christmas, and the next day. That first night was amazing, and you refused to leave. You would stay too if your school wasn't so far. It made you love your time here even more. 

 Gideon and you spent your days exploring the forest and playing games at the house. You learned a lot about the old dog in the days since you got him. One day there was a rare winter rain. You set up by a window and listened to music. Gideon saw you sit and sat next to you putting his head in your lap watching the rain fall down the window with you. He followed you everywhere. If you walked to the kitchen he went with you. You went to bed and he would follow you and sleep next to you. One day you decided to take a bath and he sat in the tub with you. The sentiment was nice, but bathing with a dog wasn't exactly sanitary. Your grandfather had chosen the perfect dog for you. You loved Gideon as if you had been his owner for his whole life. 

 Although they felt like a dream. The days went by fast then next thing you knew you were packing a bag to go back to school. Most kids just went back on the first day classes resume, but you wanted to get back early and enjoy the peace there before the chaos began. Your grandfather helped take your bag to your car. The worst part about going back was leaving him. You had so much fun being at his house the past 2 weeks it made you sad to think you had let yourself get so busy you were only seeing him every few months. He made you a copy of the house key so you could go by anytime you wanted to. You added it next to your dorm keys, and pulled him in for a hug. What were you going to do without him or Gideon. At least you would be with Elaine again, and you would get a chance to see Ben more. 

  The whole ride back you felt a strange emptiness. Like you were going away for good. You knew you werent. You and your grandfather had made plans for the following weekend to get lunch. Either way going back felt weird. Eventually you pulled into the parking lot for your dorm. You parked and got out looking around, and taking in the silence. You grabbed your bags out of the seat and walked to your room. You opened the door and set your stuff down on your bed. You grabbed your headsets and put them on. You started unpacking your bag and putting all the clothes you had used in a basket. You took all your unused clothes and put them away. You picked up the basket and headed to the campus laundry room. 

The next day came fast. You woke up early to get ready making sure your makeup was just right. The one thing you definitely didnt miss about the school was the stupid uniform you had to wear. It consisted of a dark green plaid skirt with a white button up tucked into it, along with a tie. You did have the option of wearing a blazer with the school's logo on it, but for the most part you went without that. The boys had to wear khaki pants, with a white button up, and a red and gold tie. Unlike the girls uniform it was required that they wear the blazer. After you got done getting ready you grabbed your backpack and books and headed to your home room class. 

 You walked in and saw all the familiar faces before sitting down next to Hux. Unfortunately he was the only friend you had in the homeroom. Elaine was always placed in another one. Once you sat next to Hux you said your hellos before your teacher had walked in.

“Welcome back, I trust you all had a nice vacation?” professor Windu asked. 

A hushed reply of yes’ went over the room 

“Good. we have a few things to go over before you go to your classes.” you listened as he went over basic stuff, updating everyone on fundraisers, upcoming events and future assemblies.

 You were close enough to Hux, that you could whisper to him without anyone noticing. 

“So how was the college?” you asked him

“It's amazing, everything is absolutely beautiful, I'm so excited to go at the end of the year.” 

“That's good, what are you going for?”

“I originally wanted to go for law so I could work with my father but they do have an amazing art program and I would love to be an art curator at the Met.” you never knew he was into art.

You two continued talking until the bell rang letting students know to head to their next class. The day went by fast and finally you arrived at your final class of the day. Computer science. You took your usual seat, and waited until your teacher gave you an assignment. A few seconds after arriving your desk mate walked in. You had completely forgotten Matt sat next to you. 

“So I heard you kissed brother, guess that means you’ll be with him now?” he asked as he sat down. 

“I mean maybe, I'm not really sure what's going on there.” 

“Well I consider you my friend so i know if anything does happen you’re cool, and you won't be mean to me like his last girlfriend.” 

“Hey! We are friends, and I would never be mean to you under any circumstance.”  then it finally hit you. How did he know you met his brother? Had he talked about you? Did Luke say something?

“So how did you hear about that happening? Did Luke say something?” 

“No he talked about when he got back. He seems to really like you.”

“I mean i kind of like him too so i guess that's good.” 

 You and Matt had been cut off by your teacher telling you of a new project. Automatically you and Matt looked at each other knowing you were going to partner up for it. She explained the project would be for artificial intelligence. She gave the rest of the period to make a plan and get started. You and Matt made an outline of your plans and started making the powerpoint. Near the end of class you two discussed a day to get together after class along with eating lunch together and working on it. When class was over you walked around campus for a while together you asked him about Hoth and what he did when he was there. He told you about how it was his first time seeing snow, and going skiing. After a while he told you he told you he was gonna go unpack his stuff from his trip. 

  You walked back to your room and saw that Elaine still hasn't gotten back yet. Your guess was that she was still coming back from classes. You set your bag down and laid out on your bed, when you realized you hadn't talked to Ben all day. You pulled your phone out of the pocket you had sewn into your skirt and sent him a quick text. You figured that the first day must have overwhelmed him, and it just slipped his mind. After about 10 minutes you stood up and grabbed your bag. Digging your books out you walked over to your desk and sat down to do homework. You checked your phone every 5 minutes hoping he would reply. After about 30 minutes passed and Elaine walked in and she was wearing her soccer outfit. 

“Dude you'll never guess what happened today!!” she said as she walked in. throwing her bag down. 

“Is everything okay?” you turned looking at her. 

“Yeah everythings fine, but there's a coach from NYU coming to the game next week!”

“Oh hell yeah! This is gonna be so good for you!” you stood up and hugged her.

“You're coming to the game, right?” she asked 

“Of course I come to every game!” 

“Well you were busy with a certain someone else.” she teased. That reminded you to check your phone again.

“Actually a certain someone has spoken to me all day.” 

“Maybe he's busy. It was his first day after all.” she said as she grabbed clothes and headed to the bathroom. She was right, maybe you were overreacting. Some reason it just felt wrong. 

  You decided to throw your phone on the bed so you didn't feel tempted to keep checking. About two hours later you finished your work for the week you even thought of some ideas for your computer science project. Once you were done you got up and grabbed your phone to message Matt about some of your ideas. Still no text from Ben. You sent Matt some of your ideas. Frustrated you asked Elaine if she wanted to go to Mazs place for dinner. She thankfully agreed and you two got dressed. As you walked out you got a message from Matt telling you he had some ideas too. On the walk back you talked back and forth about them before deciding on a few ideas. 

  When you got to the restaurant you saw Hux sitting alone again.

“Do you mind if we go sit with Hux?” you asked her.

“Sure, but can I ask why his name is Armitage and we all call him Hux?”

“He hates his name so we all kinda just started calling him by his last name.” you explained as you walked over to his table. She nodded her head and walked over with you. 

“Hey Hux, can we sit with you?” you asked him. He smiled and motioned for you guys to sit down.

“Of course you can, Phasma should also be joining me at any moment.”

“Cool, we can all hang out I Dont really hang out with Phasma outside of practice.” 

 You both sat down and started talking to Hux when Phasma arrived. You've known her since about middle school. Her parents and yours were friends. You would call her a friend, just not one you hang around a lot. You all stayed four a few hours talking, and laughing. Well most of you are laughing. Hux never really laughed. He kind of just smiled, or let out a breath. You figured that's why him and Phasma were best friends. They were serious as hell. Phasma had her moments of goofiness but for the most part. She was a bad bitch.

  When you decided to leave you all walked to the dorms together. After Hux walked off to his room. You, Elaine, and Phasma had walked to the girls dorm area. Once you and Elaine parted with Phasma you checked your phone again. Nothing. You sighed and put your phone up. You watched Elaine dig her keys out and unlock the door.

“Still no messages?” she said  walking in. 

“No, i'm sure everything will be alright.” you walked in and quickly changed into yours night clothes.throwing yourself on your bed you sighed. “Maybe if he doesn't like me i can just date Hux.” you said jokingly.

“Oh yeah that's something I'd pay to see happen. Can you imagine little red headed versions of you running around. It'd be like a nightmare I had once.” 

“Stars can you imagine. Y/N Hux. it kind of has a ring to it.” you both laughed. 

“I can see it now. You, an up and coming fashion designer, him, a big hot shot lawyer! Together you two strike fear into the heart of New Yorkers!” she dramatically fell onto her bed making it seem as if she had fainted. 

“Actually he wants to be an art curator.” you corrected her.

“Even better you both are art nerds.” she tucked herself in and turned off her lamp light. You did the same as she spoke out.

“I'm positive he’ll text back. He's got to, he’d be an idiot if he didnt.” she yawned out before falling silent. You stayed up a while longer. You searched through old texts looking to see if anything had been different the day before. Could you have said something that put him off? Did he indicate that something was wrong and you didn't notice? You searched desperately for an answer, until you eventually drifted off.

#ben solo fanfiction #ben solo #bensoloxreader #teen!ben solo #ben solo x reader #matt the radar technician #star wars tfa #star wars au #star wars fanfiction #star wars tros #star wars #star wars x reader #reader insert #teen!reader #armitage hux #captain phasma #mace windu #oc

[spookysanta]

daddy’s girl. (e.d.)

Summary: he's been watching her and she knows it. He's yearning for her, and he’ll have her, but she has to finish high school first. 

Pairing: Ethan Dolan xReader

WARNINGS: age gap (38 vs 18), creep shit

SAY NOTHING IM WRITING A NEW SERIES JUST READ IT AND TELL ME IF IT SUCKS 

DISCLAIMER! PLEASE READ: in this, the girl (cairo) is of LEGAL age. he (ethan) refers to her as a child bc yanno.... he's almost 40 here. this isn't on any pedophile stuff, okay? just for clarification. AND as i was writing this i got jake gyllenhaal vibes from this, but then i figured ethan could be the “sexy dad” in the future (so to speak)—which is what i was kinda going for; like a man that’s older but is so irresistibly gorgeous, even young girls swoon over him.

UNEDITED

****

******

She'd caught his eye. 

And he doesn't know how it came to be this way; he thought he was done messing around like this ages ago. But here he was, a thirty-eight-year-old man, watching an eighteen-year-old girl cheer at his neice's high school's football game. 

She sees him though; as if he's staring into her soul. As she finishes her tumbling routine in the halftime show, her eyes dart in his direction and his never leave her. She shivers slightly--

Who is that man? she wondered, walking away from the field to distract herself. 

**

She stands at the cash register, swiping his items across the scanner. "Did you find everything okay?" she asked in a monotone voice, looking at the clock on the register's screen. 

"Yes, I did. Thank you." the man responded, fishing in his wallet for cash as he already knew how much two bottles of red wine cost. "Do you need to see ID?"

"Yes, I--" she paused, looking at the man for the first time during their interaction. This was the man from the football game! She couldn't have forgotten those pearly eyes that bore into hers, and definitely didn't forget the way he ironically made her feel when their eyes locked. "I-I do."

"You okay?" he asked with a chuckle as he handed her his driver's license. He knew exactly who she was, and after a bit of research, he knows that she's what he wants. And, likewise, he knew that she remembered him. That in itself was exciting because now he knew where she was from 9-2 every Saturday--which meant he'd be seeing her a lot more. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

She glanced at the line forming behind him and shook her head at the idea of her confrontation. She took the card and read the birthdate carefully. "1980." she muttered, handing it back to him. "Your total's $18.20."

He handed her a $20, grabbing the bottles of wine by their necks and smirking. "Keep the change."

"Thank you." 

"You're welcome, Cairo. See you around."

**

She lay in her bed, wondering why this man clouded her thoughts. What was it about him that made him so intriguing? Yes, he was attractive, but he was more than twice her age--shouldn't that mean that he was repulsive to her? Should she shy away from this man and his beauty?

Ethan.

If there's anything she knew about men, it's that older men (well, boys, in her case) don't usually have the girl's best interest in mind. But no matter how many cons appear on this list, the only pro she seems to think of is the fact that he looked at her like he knew her already. His hazel eyes were almost magnetizing her brown ones to his gaze, and the energy was too strong to pull it away.

**

He's come to the realization that he's hooked on her.

He wants her, no--needs her. 

And he knows how crazy that sounds with all of the odds stacked against him (namely, her being a child by his comparison) but he'll admit they'd look absolutely perfect together. 

And there's nothing he won't do until they're in love.

**

day one.

She walked home from school every day. Three-fifteen on the dot, Monday through Friday. Sometimes, she takes the after-school bus after her cheer practices, and that drops her off on the same corner but at five-thirty. He sees her walk down Linden Avenue, then make a left on Conch Street, and then go into the tiny brick house at the end of the lively culdesac. Sometimes he sees her through her window at night, laying in her bed soundly. It takes everything in him each night to not climb up the big pine tree to the second floor, open the already unlocked window—she doesn't lock it anymore because the lock can get finicky at times and it can get quite hot in San Bernadino in May—and breathe in the same air as her.

Just once.

Just once, he wants to be there for her—hold her, kiss her, smell her, taste her.

Is that too much to ask?

Just one more month, he reminds himself as he perches himself on his porch chair, watching her walk into her home with her friend, Janelle.

He does not like Janelle.

Janelle has a tendency to be a bit manipulative when it comes to Cairo; she wants the best for her, of course. But she's always making Cairo go to parties that she doesn't want to go to, or do things that Cairo doesn't typically do.

Cairo's a good girl who doesn't need to be bombarded with social...ick.

"She's a good girl," he mumbled, palms set on his knees with white fingertips. "My good girl."

***

She continued her walk to the store like she usually does on Sunday mornings in the spring. Yes, she does work at the store, but why not stop by and visit her favorite co-workers while she picked up her favorite ice cream?

"Good morning, Edith!" she greeted to the elderly woman stood behind the customer service desk. She resembled Jane Goodall in a way; caring, generous, kind. "How are you today?"

"Hey, sweetie! I'm alright, hope you're doing well. Say 'hi' to Katherine for me!" she replied with a wave, going into the employee's lounge.

"Will do!" she wandered to the frozen food section, her coffee brown eyes set on the cookie dough ice cream in the freezer. With happy alarms blaring in her head, she grabbed a pint from the shelf, going immediately to the checkout line to pay for her dessert. "Hey Ricky." she said to the cashier.

"Hey, Cai." he responded, ringing up her ice cream and setting it on the counter. "$4.68. Got your employee ID on you?"

She fished through her wallet and came up emptyhanded. "Shoot. I must've left it at home." she sighed. "It's cool, I'll pay full price."

"Nah, I got you." he took a card out of his front pocket, swiped it, and put in his pin. "There ya go. $2.27."

"Thanks, Ky. I owe you one." She handed him a five dollar bill, keeping the cash fold of her wallet open so she could put her change in it.

"You know what you could do for me so we're even?" he opened the cash drawer, taking out her change and handing it to her.

"What?"

"Go to dinner with me." he wrote on her freshly printed receipt. "It doesn't have to be fancy, but if you're interested, you should hit me up sometime."

"Sure. I'd love to." she smiled, putting the receipt with her change and grabbing her ice cream off the counter. "We'll talk tonight?"

"Totally. See you around."

"See you!"

**

She entered the house again and put her ice cream in the fridge. "Ma!" she yelled into her mother's office as she passed it. "Ms. Edith at Ben's said 'hi'!"

"Aw, how sweet of her to think of me!" she said with a smile. "I'll have to send you by her house with a plate of cookies this week."

She groaned inwardly. Edith's a nice woman, but Cairo's mother, Katherine, does not conjure up her life-changing cookies on any given day. Which means that she would make a small batch—just enough for Edith and her husband, Clarke—and then, poof! No-one's going to see those cookies until Christmastime. Bounding up the staircase and into her bedroom, practically leaping onto her bed with a sigh.

Meanwhile, he was watching her still. He didn't even think to consider the idea of someone catching him stare at this girl, sat in the rocking chair on his front porch, watching her intently through a pair of zooming binoculars while she boredly scrolled through her phone. Quite frankly, he wouldn't care at all. If someone were to walk by and ask him what he was doing, he'd merely say: "Protecting my girl."

He doesn't give a damn if she took a glance out her window and saw a man—that man—staring back at her. Knowing her, which obviously he does, she'd probably scream for her mom and tell her mom to come and look because "there's a strange man" looking at her through her window. And then her mom would come and look but by then he'd be back in his home across the way from hers, in his bedroom, watching her panic through the telescope he'd set up.

That'd be a gift to himself, really. Because he knows deep within that she thinks about him. Even though maybe the thoughts are of worry or panic and not ones of admiration, all he cares about is the fact that he's invaded her thoughts just like she's invaded his.

#dolan twins #dolan fandom #dolan tuesday #dolan imagines #ethan dolan #planet dolan #grayson and ethan #ethan dolan smut #ethan dolan imagine #ethan imagine #ethan dolan fic #ethan dolan series #ethan dolan x reader #ethan dolan x poc #ethan dolan x black girl #stalker!ethan