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camaro-and-smokes · 10 months

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Pretty (wo)man

Chapter 7: A Secret Gets out

READ TAGS FOR THIS CHAPTER BEFORE READING: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Referenced Object Penetration, Implied/Referenced Torture.

See rating, warnings and tags for the whole fic on AO3. General warning: This work as a whole includes themes related to and mentions of prostitution, sex work, and sexual abuse. I will add tags with every new chapter and notes when anything particularly nasty is being depicted, but if this kind of content isn't your cup of tea to begin with, please move on. Consider yourself warned. Please, proceed.

Moodboard by the wonderful @a-redharlequin 💜

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Summary: Steve takes Billy to see a miracle. And then to his surprise, witnesses another one - just not such as nice.

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On the third day the yacht stopped to a small port. Steve knocked on the bathroom door. "Come on, William, we're going to miss the tender soon!" "Okay, okay, I'll be right there!" Billy said, and checked himself in the mirror once more. His hair was on a loose bun, and he was wearing white cotton trousers and a red, short-sleeved shirt with most of the buttons open. When he opened the door, Steve looked at him, surprised. "Oh, hey. You look..." "Like a man?" Billy smirked as he passed Steve. Steve chuckled as he grabbed his coat and opened the cabin door for Billy. "I was going to say nice, but yes, that too."

"Hey, we're getting our own boat!" Billy said, surprised, when there were no other people waiting for a ride to the shore. "Uh, that was actually the plan," Steve said, smiling as he stepped into the boat, and gave his hand to Billy to help him on it. Billy was taken aback and he stopped before he could step onto the boat. "Oh?" "Well, come on. There's something I want you to see." Billy frowned. "Something we can't see in the port?" "We most definitely won't see this in the port. We'll go there later to eat. Now, come on," Steve said. "I know you might like it."

The boat took off and instead the shore it turned towards the open sea. "So, do you have a secret map with a massive X over on a tiny island where we'll find unfathomable treasures?" Billy asked, grinning. "You could say so," Steve smiled. "Seriously, why aren't we going to the shore like everyone else?" "Well, I think Amanda was clear on what she thinks about us, so I thought let's give her some slack." Billy let out a laugh, and rubbed his thigh with his hand. "She doesn’t really deserve that though, I guess." Steve placed his hand on top of Billy's. "Well, maybe I wanted to show you something special, too." Billy looked at Steve's hand on top of his for a while, then back at Steve, who was smiling a small smile. All of a sudden Billy felt shy, and he turned to look to the sea.

Steve kept stroking Billy’s knuckles with his thumb and leaned to Billy’s shoulder. When he said nothing, Billy glanced at him. A smile still tucked at the corner of Steve’s mouth. “What?” Billy asked, amused. “Nothing. It’s just...I’ve missed being with someone like this. Not needing to fill the silence with useless blabber.” “I can blabber if you want,” Billy grinned. Steve laughed. “I’m sure you can,” he said. “But I prefer this. I mean, not silence per se, just the feeling that there’s no need to say something just for the sake of talking.” Billy looked again at Steve’s hand on top his, at Steve’s thumb stroking his knuckles. "It’s easy with you,” he said, and turned his hand around, allowing Steve to lace their fingers together.

After a good while the boat slowed down and finally stopped. "We're here," Steve said enthusiastically. Billy looked around. "What's here? All I can see is water." "Just wait," Steve whispered surreptitiously. The boat had floated with the calm waves long enough to make Billy almost lull to sleep when there was a sudden spurt of water shot up in the air on Billy’s side, close enough for mist to reach the boat. "What the hell?!" Billy exclaimed and turned to look at the direction of it. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open in wonder as he saw a group of whales taking a breath on the glimmering surface. Not just one, but at least three. "They're humpbacks," Steve said, "Look, one of them is a calf, I think. That small one," he continued, pointing a finger at the smaller whale already diving back into the depths. After the massive tail fins dipped under the surface gracefully, the sea was calm for a moment. Billy looked at Steve wide-eyed. "Are they gone for now?" "Let's wait for a moment, they’ll probably come back," Steve said, leaning over his side of the boat to see into the water. "Oh! Hey, the small one, it's here!" Billy gasped when he saw the calf coming up to the surface and swim by the boat on his side, examining it with its gaze. Steve leaned on Billy to see the baby whale slow down, looking back at them and then dive back down. “It’ll come back again in a moment, I’m sure. Though it’s mama might come check on us too if the calf gets too excited about us.” “They’re huge!” Billy said, excited. “The calf was at least 20 feet long!” “And yet so graceful,” Steve replied. “Yeah,” Billy sighed in wonder.

While Steve was as excited of the whales as William, he really had eyes only for William. How William’s face lit up each time the calf swam by the boat. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled at the animal. How the tip of his tongue got caught between his teeth with the wide smile. Him leaning out from the boat towards the water, bare inches away from touching the calf, reaching out to have a brief connection with one of nature’s most glorious miracles.

This was something real, something who William really was. Curious about the world, appreciative of its wonders. Not taking it for granted. This was why Steve had wanted to bring him here. Even if they hadn’t seen any whales, they would’ve seen some dolphins that were jumping out of the water further away, also curious of the boat idly floating on the surface, but appreciative enough of the whales and their size to keep a distance.

Steve’s insides were burning. Finally he knew something of William that was true.

They remained watching the whales until the animals had gotten their curiosity filled and dove into the depths for the last time.

William turned to look at Steve with such genuine smile that Steve’s heart ached. “That was amazing,” William gasped. “I was hoping you’d like it.” “How did you know of this? I mean, can you just find them anywhere, just like that?” Steve chuckled. “No. This is a breeding area, so they’re more likely to stick around here. Actually seeing them is not always guaranteed, though.” He pointed at the dolphins that were now swimming slowly closer. “We would’ve probably seen dolphins though.” “Right, we would’ve seen just wild dolphins,” William said with a lilt. “You care about animals,” Steve said. “Of course I care about animals. Who doesn’t?” “Not everyone,” Steve said, and stroked William’s arm with his fingers. “And not everyone appreciates this kind of trip.” William snorted. “Right.” “No, I’m serious. Amanda didn’t.” William looked at him, stunned. “She didn’t think...” he pointed at the water, “that was incredible?” Steve pursed his lips and shook his head. “What a bitch.” Steve snorted. “You can say that again.” “What a bitch,” William repeated with a smile, making Steve laugh.

When the boat took off back towards the shore, Billy moved to sit next to Steve. “I love animals,” he said quietly. It was small enough truth to reveal. “I always wanted a dog.” “Did you have one when you were a kid?” Steve asked and placed his arm on the backrest of the couch, brushing Billy’s shoulder with his fingertips. Billy looked down in his hands. “No,” he replied. “But our neighbor had one. A pitbull mix. The kindest dog I’ve ever met.” A smile crept on his face. “Her name was Candy. She gave the sloppiest kisses, licking your face as soon as you got close enough,” he said with a laugh. “Maybe you can have one later,” Steve said. Billy looked up at Steve. “I hope so.”

They spent the rest of the day in the shore, wandering through the narrow alleyways of the town once they had eaten. “Ever been abroad?” Steve asked when they were walking back to the port and to the tender that was waiting for them. “Like this?” “Yes.” “No, not on a yacht. A client...uh, well, I was in Vancouver with someone for a few days. It was a long time ago.” “Was it any nice?” A smile tucked the corner of Billy’s mouth. “Not this nice.” Steve smiled. He reached out to take Billy’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together again. “Good. Despite us having to tolerate Amanda’s attitude, it’s been nice for me too.” “Well, if we give her slack some more she doesn’t have to see us in the dinner table either. Might as well get the dinner brought to the cabin?” Billy said with a wide smile. Steve pursed his lips and placed his hand on Billy’s waist, pulling him tightly against him. “I think that might be a good idea.”

The fish they had for dinner was fresh, straight from the port and the fishermen who’d caught it in the morning. “This was heavenly,” Billy said as he finished his meal and set the cutlery on the side. “I’m so full.” Steve pointed at the side table that had a pot of coffee, mugs and a small cover hiding desert. “We still have to finish that.” “I’m sure I’ve already gained at least a few pounds over the last few days. I have to start keeping an eye on my figure or I won’t fit into the dress I have for the wedding.” Steve bit his lips together. “What’s the color of the dress?” Billy’s face lit up. “Wanna see it?” Steve shook his head. “No. I want it to be a surprise. But I want to know the color.” “Emerald green.” Steve took a sharp breath, but it turned into a wide smile quickly. “It’s perfect.” Billy’s brows knitted together. “Why?” “You’ll see.” Billy pushed his lower lip out in a pout. "Why won't you tell me?" Steve got up and extended his hand to Billy. When Billy took it, Steve pulled him up from the chair and wrapped his free arm on Billy's waist, pulling them tightly together. He kissed Billy's knuckles and slowly swayed them around in a silent rhythm, leaning their foreheads together. "It's a secret," he whispered. "Like the whales?" Billy whispered back. "Kind of." "It was amazing to see them so close. They were so big and yet so calm." "I'm glad you liked it." "I loved it. Thank you for showing them to me." "Anyone who loves whales can't be a bad person." Billy chuckled, but the smile slowly vanished. "I know what you're doing." "What am I doing?" "You're trying to get me to open up." "Is it working?" Billy looked away, and thought for a while how to word what was in his mind. "The world where I come from, it's a cruel one. The real me has to remain behind the curtain when I'm on stage. Nasty things can happen and you just have to separate yourself of it. If you don't, you can't do it. I was... once... a client seemed nice but then it all went south and..."

Billy bit his tongue. He hadn't meant to say anything about that. About what had happened to him. It was in the ancient past, but it kind of slipped out.

Because what Steve was doing was working. He was making him feel safe and cared for. And thanks to that his deepest secret was all of a sudden sitting on the tip of his tongue. He hadn’t told it to anyone, not even to Cassie. He was so ashamed of it, letting it happen to him. It felt like a just punishment of every wrong he’d ever done, for allowing strangers do just about anything to his body, for letting them shred his self-dignity in pieces night after night. It was one mistake in a line of many, but this one almost cost him his life.

And all this time he’d wanted to tell someone, but it had felt so humiliating that he just couldn’t say the words. And yet, he needed to tell someone to get the burden off his chest.

And the thing was that he wanted Steve to know. Because even though he had tried his best to be careful, he had already given in, abandoned his own set of rules on the second day they had seen each other, right there on the plane. Billy didn't know how love was supposed to feel like. Was it the warm swelling in his chest each time Steve looked at him or touched him? Or was it the reason why he wanted to make Steve smile and feel good and not because he got paid but because of Steve... Maybe he then had fallen a little. He might as well jump into the deep end and see if Steve would dive after him.

"I was raped by a client."

Steve’s smile melted away and his eyes widened. Billy expected to see pity or disgust in them, but the dark brown ponds looked at him with concern. "When?" Not even a hint of laughter, no scoffing of a man can't be raped. Just worry and genuine concern. Billy could feel hot tears pooling in his eyes. "A few years ago. He got me drunk, drugged me, and then he wanted to..." Steve hugged Billy tightly and kissed his temple. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me if it's difficult."

Billy didn't want to go to specifics. Because he didn't care to remind himself of any of it. But he wasn't able to close the floodgates now that he'd opened them. "He cuffed me. It would've been fine if we had agreed about it. If I’d been sober," Billy sniffled. "I couldn't fight back and then... He didn’t use just his dick.” Steve's brow furrowed. "You mean...he used something else?" Billy nodded. "I had fourteen stitches. The doctor said I could've bled to death." "I haven't seen any scars on you." Billy grimaced. "The wounds weren't on my skin." Horror set on Steve's face as the words registered. Billy was sure that he'd gone too far and he pulled back from the hug. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I told you that. I shouldn’t have..." "Hey, don't ever be sorry," Steve said and reached to take Billy's hand. "No one should go through anything like...that." He squeezed the hand gently. "But it wasn’t your fault. You didn't deserve it. No matter what you do for living. Some people are just...vile."

Billy had beaten himself over what had happened so many times. Being able to finally tell about it to someone and then being given an absolution from all the guilt, being told that it wasn't his fault made him break down.

Steve hugged William tightly, letting him cry it all out. He could only imagine what kind of horror and pain William had gone through.

They stood in the middle of the cabin until Billy's sobs eased and he let out a deep, relieved breath. "Do you know who it was?" Steve asked. Billy shook his head. "No. All I remember that he had a thick and loose wallet like yours.” Steve was quiet for a long while. "That was why you were hesitant with me at first, right?" he asked. Billy nodded. "You reminded me of him too much." Steve hugged Billy a bit tighter. "I could never do anything like that to you, William. To anyone." "I know," Billy said quietly. "You're not like anyone I've ever known before."

#harringrove fic #harringrove fanfiction #harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #steve x billy #billy x steve #Billy hargrove needs a hug #stranger things fan fiction #suometar writes #pretty woman

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renegade--soul498 · 2 years

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After watching all (most of?) the content we have been given about A Plague Tale: Requiem, I've been trying to connect some points here and there so hear me out: (I may have missed some things but well, I'm in a brain rot so don't blame me)

In the reveal trailer and the "end of innocence" one, we see glimpses of a Lucas who's a little grown up, he even has a graver voice and different attires than in APT:I and it's misleading because in the gameplay trailer reveal they put him still as he was in the first game. So what's it gonna be? The fact that he is calling Amicia out on her violent streak is worrying and it gives us a plot point for the game, whether that's a major one or a minor one, we'll have to wait and see.

After some research, I believe that we're going to find allies in Romani people– or gypsies, and my deduction with this is the girl that appears to guide the ship for Amicia in one of the trailers (I don't remember which one, but there are also the stills showing her accompanying the siblings on a shore) and Flagellants may still be going after Hugo (as described in Tenebris' summary). They may up finding another religious group, something regular for middle east given the guy in the fez in the reveal trailer (is that assuming? Idk, sorry in advance lol)

By that glimpse of Beatrice we had in the reveal trailer, I suppose we'll have some sort of flashback of her life? And that'd be really awesome because we basically know nothing of the De Rune's other than their family is cursed by the Prima Macula and that she has been working on that alchemy and her Great Work for a long time.

This one has been around a lot I believe, but Amicia may develop her own Macula powers? Hers may be in a dormant state, but it reaches the Great Break threshold and it awakens like Hugo's did. I personally don't like this theory but I do believe that Amicia is connected to Hugo's Macula somehow. Remember back when Nicholas made Hugo kill Amicia to pass the threshold? And Amicia was the one who helped him instead? What's that about? Like... There's something there, "it's our blood" she said herself, sooo! And given than possibly the two siblings are going to be separated, this theory of being connected is more exciting.

The frescos. Back when Amicia and Lucas went to Beatrice's laboratory, they found some frescos from the 6th century and apparently there are more that we'll probably see in Requiem. In some stills and trailers, I saw that the fresco Amicia is leaning on during the reveal trailer is incomplete in another still, where she and Hugo are walking in a hallway. It may hint at her? It may hint at Hugo? But the thing is that the person in the fresco seems to be in a throne and there are rats around, like ruling rats of sorts. In the Asobo presentation video, Amicia says "he doesn't deserve this" as the same shot of her back leaning towards on the fresco is shown, which leads me to believe that this prophecy will be something bad for Hugo and she doesn't want him to suffer anymore. Or it may be in another context of course, who knows.

The timeline of events. We are shown part of gameplay with Lucas and then with Hugo. Amicia with Lucas seems to not have her head injury yet whereas in the gameplay with Hugo, she has her injury tended already and in a bad state too. It leads me to believe that we'll have Lucas as a companion first and then we'll go over some story and go out with Hugo, but what is misleading is some dialog between Amicia and Lucas "I'm sorry Amicia, for Hugo", "He's not dead yet"; which leads me to believe that the siblings went out first, something happened to Hugo, and then Lucas goes with Amicia for herbs and tend to him? But that wouldn't explain the injury. Or the injury is a red herring and it's misleading us.

What I'm fairly certain is that this game is setting standards really really high and I just hope that Asobo gets to meet our expectations with the sequel because it looks awesome, it looks like there will be more sibling angst and cuteness, there better be some explanations to the open questions of Innocence, I hope that Amicia and Beatrice recover a little bit of their mother-daughter relationship... Yeah, there are a lot of expectations here and there are still 3 more months left. It's insane.

#a plague tale: requiem #a plague tale #after the trailers im in a brainrot dude help me #blood tears and rats mes amis #sang larmes et rats mes amis #a plague tale: innocence spoilers

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casspurrjoybell-21 · 6 months

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Pirate Chains - Volume 2 - Against Tides

*Warning Adult Content*

Chapter 3 - Escape - Part 2

Agenor

I opened my eyes to find Nyx leaving my arms. I pulled him back and he didn't resist. He sat there for few seconds before rubbing his sleepy eyes and moving away from me once again. I let him stand up and go to the bucket of water under the small window and then he started his morning cleaning ritual.

"It's maybe around noon already. Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

Of course, that was a lie. He didn't even have dinner last night. Then again, Nyx has a pride that denies him from asking for food or admitting being hungry. I watch him, a little vexed by the fact that he still wouldn't meet my eyes. Not even when I stood up and walked by him to use the water. But it's alright, I told myself he’s still mad but he'll get over it soon. The important thing is that he's safe. He’s with me.

"Let's go."

"Where?"

I didn't like the worry in his tone. Is he afraid of me now? I tried to sound calm as I answered him.

"Esme."

He looked surprised and then his gaze dropped. He fidgeted a little uncomfortably, almost as if he didn't want to visit the island anymore. This is too fucking confusing but I guess I'm the one to blame for all the awkwardness hovering around him. I grabbed my sword and motioned him to follow me. I left the cabin and was greeted by Jay.

"Morning Captain."

"The Boat?"

"Aye, it's ready. Armpits has been waiting for you since you came yesterday."

"Good. I'm going back to the island. Keep your eyes open."

"Aye aye Captain. Emm..."

"What?"

"If you come back... get us some cheese, will you?"

I glared at him making him take a couple of steps back.

"We'll be here Captain. Eyes open and all. You heard the Captain, you shitheads?"

He yelled at his mates and they gave a united...

"Aye Aye."

I rolled my eyes and moved to the edge of the deck. I threw the rope off it and then I looked back, making sure Nyx was right behind me. I grabbed the rope and quickly climbed down to the boat that was right where I left it the night before. After I landed on the boat, I watched as Nyx slowly climbed down the rope. I should've carried him down with me, he maybe got used to climbing the shrouds but the ropes are another deal. Thankfully, he reached the boat safely and we immediately headed towards the shores of Esme. We reached the land and we got off the boat. We were immediately received by the crew members from the camp that we set right there on the beach.

"Pixie. You made it."

The first to greet us was Lou, followed by Ace who had a whore hugging him close. Ace gave me a small nod that told me everything was going fine in my absence. Nash stepped forward next, tilting his head back like usual and looking down at Nyx, the way he always did whenever he teased him.

"Hmm... I wonder what you gave up to get here..."

Hearing no response, I looked behind me. Only to find Nyx standing still, feet soaking in the water as he looked around the island.

'He couldn't seem more foreign to all of this even if he tried. God, he looks so painfully cute...'

I smiled and stepped towards him to talk to him. But a couple of arms around my waist stopped me.

"Captain."

"Oh my God. It's the Captain of the Martina."

"What took you so long Captain?",

"Hmm. How come you look more handsome every time you come by?"

"We missed you Captain."

"I'm sure he missed us too, right? Devil sir?"

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ssa-thotchnerr · 3 years

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Don’t Let Me Drown

Anonymous asked:

maybe a Hotch angst with his daughter being kidnapped by unsub, and he decides to drown her because he knows that she’s afraid of water and can’t swim? Maybe no happy ending? Thank you so much!

word count: 2.2k words of pure ANGST

warnings: drowning, major character death, grief, angst to the max, sad!hotch, kinda shifty writing ngl

a/n: anon, you are EVIL! I love it though. Yeah, this is pretty sad cause Hotch is really sad 😭😭😭 anyway I feel like this is really shit so if yall could give some feedback, I would really appreciate it!

—

"Shut up!"

You winced as you were harshly hit over the head by your kidnapper. He slammed the back door of the van shut, causing you to flinch back in fear. He'd just tied your arms back, not wanting to risk you trying to scratch his eye out once more, since you'd nearly succeeded the first time over. You didn't care that you were full on crying, the kind of crying that shook your entire body painfully.

The kind of crying that suggested fear.

You didn't even remember what happened, one minute you were walking home from school, the next you were in some strangers van with your arms lashed behind your back painfully tight. He wasn't too bothered about you knowing his name of what he looked like, you knew what that meant. You knew why he didn't care about you knowing who he was, what he was going to do to anyone else he could get his hands on.

You knew he was gonna kill you.

The sheer thought made you whimper. You didn't want to die, not like this. Not in fear, not without saying goodbye to your dad, your little brother, your friends. You didn't want to be murdered, not be a case that JJ would be given one morning and be pinned up on a wall. Taking in a deep breath, you attempted to steady out your breathing, there was no way you were going down without at least trying to negotiate your way out of here.

"Please, let-let me go, I won't tell anyone, I-I promise," You said, looking up at the man as he slid the door of the van open. "You-you don't wanna do this." You tried your hardest not to stutter, but your nerves were at an all time high, you couldn't help it. He laughed as he reached forward and snatched you towards him, causing you to scream. "Let me go! Please!" You cried as he picked you up.

"Shut up, brat!" He snarled, throwing you onto the ground. Looking around, you realised you were at the lake near Quantico, meaning that if your dad and his team were working on this case already, you at least had a chance.

Right?

Pulling out your phone that he'd taken from your pocket, he grinned as he took a picture of you. You shook your head and let out an angry huff, your chest heaving with each and every breath you took. The Unsub smiled at you maliciously as he put your phone up to his ear.

"Poor baby, just wanting her daddy to come and save her, huh?" You sniffled as you looked up at him, an angry look on your face as your eyebrows were furrowed. "Well, how about I left you speak to your dad one more time, a final goodbye?" You felt your stomach drop.

Final goodbye?

You started to tug desperately at the rope lashing your arms to your side, fear overtaking your rational side as you realised where you were. You were by a river, you couldn't swim, and this guy appeared to know and have something against your dad.

"Hello, is this SSA Hotchner?"

—

Hotch let out a frustrated sigh as your phone went to voicemail once more. He'd tried calling you about 7 times, and every time he tried, it rang out to voicemail. Hotch knew that your phone was always on, after all, you were a modern day teenager, didn't all of them have their phones on all the time?

"Still nothing?" Derek asked. Hotch shook his head as he looked up at his colleague, trying to hide the complete and under distress he was feeling at the moment. But Derek had been working with Hotch for years, and he knew his usually stoic boss better than Hotch thought he did. "Hey, it's alright. We'll get her home, Y/N's a smart kid." Derek assured him.

"I know she's a smart kid, but she's still a child, she'll be scared," Hotch said. As much as he didn't want to think about it, he knew there was a possibility you were already dead. He hated that he thought of that, that you died scared, possibly painfully. Hotch had never answered his phone quicker than when your name flashed up on the screen. "Y/N-" Hotch was prepared to ground you until you graduated high school just for worrying him so much.

"Hello, is this SSA Hotchner?"

That wasn't you.

"Where's Y/N?" Hotch asked, trying to keep his voice steady. Derek looked out to the bullpen, seeing that the whole team, Minus Rossi and Emily, was there, he signalled to Hotch, who nodded as Derek left him.

"You'll be able to find Y/N at Lake Ridge," He answered.

"Help me! Dad!" You were crying. Hotch couldn't help but to do the same thing, he stood up, he didn't want to feel like it was a hopeless situation anymore. The line went silent for a minute, making Hotch freeze on the spot.

There was a scream.

The line went dead.

It was cold.

So, so cold.

But you found that after a while, it wasn't cold anymore. It almost felt comforting, that if you went just that little bit deeper, you would be able to get warmer, and warmer, and warmer. And it became just that, so comforting in fact, you found that you were drifting away from consciousness.

This was it.

And that was it.

Hotch practically dove out of the car as Derek pulled up, running out and getting right into the lake. He knew you couldn't swim. Everything he did, went against everything he was told to do. Don't rush into things, make sure the coast is clear, all of that was not to be ignored, but given the circumstances, Hotch wasn't much caring about what the law said. Yes, he was an FBI agent, but he was your father first.

Dear God, he hoped he still was your father.

The team watched from the shore as Hotch disappeared under the water, all of their hearts practically beating out of their chests. You were the first BAU Baby, the female embodiment of your father, something that Hotch would endlessly brag to Haley about when she’d visit the BAU with you. You’d always listen to Reid list of facts that there was no way a child your age could understand, Penelope would always be aware of your presence before hand and have a plushie ready for you so she could keep her coined title of being your favourite. They'd watched you grow up to the 16 year old they knew and loved, and they were praying that the last time they saw you, wasn't the last that they saw you alive.

"I called an ambulance just as we left, it should be here soon," Spencer said, still keeping his eyes on where Hotch had disappeared. It was a tense atmosphere, and with every passing second, the outcome of the situation became more and more bleak. After what felt like hours, Hotch resurfaced with you, unconscious in his arms.

“Oh my God,” JJ whispered, looking around at the team to see their reactions. Everyone was simply in shock. Hotch waded through the water, placing you on the ground and kneeling beside you. The whole team rushed to your side, Reid at your neck to feel for a pulse.

His stomach dropped when he felt nothing.

“Damn it, Y/N, wake up,” Hotch said, starting compressions on your chest. JJ was holding your hand, Derek was waiting on the ambulance. They’d completely forgotten about the UnSub, they were hoping that you could make it out of this alive to tell them about your captor. You had to make it out of this, you’d lost too much in the past years, surely you’d be allowed to not lose your life too? Your dad switched to mouth to mouth, but nothing appeared to be working. “Come on, honey, don’t leave me.” Hotch was desperate, his voice breaking as he spoke. Everyone was starting to feel sick, it was like watching Hotch grieve over Haley all over again, just 10x worse this time around.

You were still a child.

Throughout everything your dad tried, you remained completely unresponsive. Hotch knew that you were gone, but he didn’t want to think about it.

“Hotch,” He looked up at his colleagues, who were all looking at him with sympathy. None of them wanted to say anything, it would make everything real, make it hurt ten times worse. To Hotch, it felt like being dragged kicking and screaming into a nightmare, as he sat there, his oldest daughters body in his arms. Up until now, he had praying that he wouldn’t be planning another funeral, no, not for you. He didn’t want to be thinking about what he would be saying to everyone coming to the aforementioned funeral, about how he would have to use the past tense while speaking about you.

Hotch finally broke down.

JJ, Spencer and Derek left Hotch for a bit, this wasn’t exactly their time to be grieving. They hadn’t just lost their child, killed by their worst fear. To make things worse?

The ambulances arrived.

No one could say that they were particularly surprised when the unit chief stepped back for a bit. They all understood, how could they not? They didn’t even want to think about how Hotch was feeling, how he was dealing with the silence that now on,y came with a one child household. Everyone had went to your funeral, it was the first time anyone had seen Hotch since that day. Everyone had taken turns at going to check on him, and right now it was Emily and Derek’s turn.

“Hey,” Emily said, smiling sympathetically at Hotch as the front door opened. Hotch smiled back, both Emily and Derek knew that it was a fake smile, but the gesture was appreciated. “How are things?” She asked him.

“Alright, I guess,” Hotch answered vaguely. “Me and Jack cleared out some stuff from her room, he took her record player and all of her vinyls, he’d been begging for them for years,” He said, a real, genuine smile coming to his face.

“That’s good, man,” Derek said. “Is there anything you wanna talk about?” Derek asked. Hotch shook his head. It still hurt to talk about you, it was still too deep of a wound to mention. The thought he found himself mulling over often was what did he say if people asked him about his kids? He would surely have to mention you, right?

The only thing he could conjure up was; “I lost my daughter, but I have a son.”

He lost his daughter.

It hurt.

It really fucking hurt.

Later that night, Hotch had left Jack alone downstairs for a few hours while he finished some stuff in your room. Once coming downstairs, he paused as he saw you on the screen of the TV. He recognised the video, it was your 5th birthday party, Jack being only a baby at the time. Jack was still young, but old enough the know what had had happened to his older sister.

“Hey, what’s this?” Hotch asked. Jack paused it and looked up at his dad, wiping the tears away from his eyes. Hotch had noticed that Jack hadn’t cried yet, and he knew that different people grieved differently. He knew from experience.

“I found it, it had her name on it and I just wanted to see her again,” Jack said, trying his hardest to keep back the sob that was aching to escape. Hotch sensed this was coming, he knew his son.

“It’s alright to cry, Jack, she is-was your sister, you’re allowed to be upset,” Hotch said, the correction hurting more than the previous ones did. Jack shook his head, and the dam broke, he burst into tears. Hotch put his arm around Jack, pulling him close as he finally broke down. “I know it hurts.” He assured him.

“I just miss her,” Jack whispered, wiping his eyes.

“I know, I miss her too.”

—

Taglist

@snarky--starky @averyhotchner @snowangle1994 @pepperonysmcu @yeojiins @mollbt

#hotch x daughter!reader #hotch x reader #hotchner!reader #agent hotchner #criminal minds #angst #jack hotchner #emily prentiss #dr. spencer reid #jennifer jareau #derek morgan #david rossi #tw: drowning #criminal minds angst #criminal minds fanfiction

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wiypt-writes · 3 years

Text

Leave No One Behind

Ch 13- We Don’t Get Along

Co written with @icanfeelastormbrewing

Summary: The team undertake another mission, only this one doesn’t go according to plan putting the entire team in danger and Ari is left facing the fact that he might have pushed both Hannah and Sammy too far this time…

Warnings: Bad Language words.

Pairings: Ari Levinson x OFC Hannah Horowitz

A/N: Man it feels so GOOD to get back to this fic! We’re ramping up to the climax of the film now guys, so buckle up!

Leave No One Behind Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Chapter 12 Part 2

A love like ours is love that's hard to find. How could we let it slip away? We've come too far to leave it all behind. How could we end it all this way? When tomorrow comes and we'll both regret, the things we said today.

“Ari?”

Ari turned from where he had been helping someone across the sand to see a Navy Seal heading up the shore towards him.

“Yeah?”

“Here, this is for you.” The man handed him an envelope and Ari frowned. It wasn’t unusual for the Navy to sometimes bring messages and the like from home, especially as recently the stricter rules had meant that mail into Sudan from certain countries (Israel included) was being closely monitored, but still, he’d had a letter from Maya little over a week or so ago and wasn’t expecting another so soon.

“It's from your wife.” The seal continued, noting Ari’s hesitation and Ari reached out for the item in the man’s hand, glancing down at it.

“Thanks.” He folded the envelope and stuck it into his inside jacket pocket before he glanced up to see Hannah watching him, a confused expression on her face having clearly overheard the man refer to Sarah as his wife, which in fairness she still was as they weren’t divorced yet. But as he locked eyes with her, he saw the confusion slide into, well, hurt would be the most appropriate thing to describe it as and Ari, despite everything that was going on, let out a little groan. He hadn’t bothered to correct the man about Sarah and him being estranged because it wasn’t important all things considered.

Thankfully, Hannah shook herself out of her little moment and turned back to the task in hand which Ari was grateful for. This wasn’t the time or the place and he knew that Hannah would understand that. There were far more pressing things to deal with.

And those things got even more pressing when Max’s voice crackled over the radio.

“Guys, we have company.”

Ari froze, the radio in his hand as he hastily glanced around. “Say again?”

“We have company.”

Ari wheeled round and frantically began gesturing at the group of people on the shore line. “Go, go, go!” he urged, walking along the wet sand, his hand running through his hair as he looked up and over the beach. “What kind of company?” He asked, his voice urgent.

But the only response that came was Max cursing. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“Can you be more specific?”

“Military jeeps approaching from the North!” Max’s voice was clear but Ari could tell he was panicked “I see three, four jeeps.”

“Fuck!” Ari yelled, turning and gesturing to another Navy seal “Go, go, go, get on the Waverly!”

“Ari, what-” Hannah looked at him but before she could finish her sentence the sound of gunfire exploded across the night, sand scattering into the air as the bullets hit the beach all around them. Hannah gave a scream and ducked as Ari instinctively pulled her in front of him, placing himself between the oncoming fire and her.

“Sammy!” She yelled, looking around and Ari raised his head to check if everyone was alright. Jake was hurriedly shepherding a group onto one of the boats, helping push it out into the ocean, Sammy dodging around everyone trying to stop the panicking refugees from running away up the beach.

And then, one of the Navy seals gave a shout and dropped not far from where they were. Sammy paused and looked at the injured man, Hannah doing the same and they both ran towards him, keeping low.

Hannah was the first to reach him, and dropping to her knees she instinctively started to remove the man’s outer layer of clothing. “What's your name, soldier?” She asked, and when the man’s response was nothing more than a pained and panicked scream, she repeated her question a little more forcefully, trying to get him to stay conscious. “What's your name?”

“David.” He stuttered out, swallowing as he glanced up at her, his eyes wide with fright.

“David.” She nodded, her gaze not moving from his face as Sammy dropped to her side and immediately got to work, tearing off a sleeve from the man’s jacket and pressing it to the wound in his chest attempting to stem the blood. “Stay with us, okay?”

“You're gonna be all right.” Sammy nodded, before he looked up at Ari. “Get my bag, it's in the truck.”

“There’s no time!” Ari urged, ducking as another wave of bullets came flying their way. “We gotta get him to the Waverly.”

Sammy and Hannah exchanged a glance and Hannah took a deep breath.

“We’re sitting ducks out here, Sammy. His best chance is with the Navy medics.”

Sammy nodded and Ari grabbed one of the seals who had come running to help “Grab a leg!”

Ari and the Soldier lifted the wounded man, Sammy keeping his hand pressed over the wound in his chest as they made their way to the last waiting boat where they lay him down carefully with another seal.

“Hey, don't let go of this wound.” Sammy looked at the soldier who took over from him.

“Keep the pressure on even if your hand turns numb.” Hannah shouted over the noise, issuing instructions to the man in the boat. “You let go, he's dead!”

Hannah began to back away as Ari and Sammy gave the boat a shove, sending it over the beach before the three of them began to sprint up the beach, the bullets continued to fire into the air and sand around them. Ari shoved Hannah in front of him, yelling at her to keep low and not to stop, his heart pounding in out and out panic that she was going to get hit as they half ran, half stumbled to a cluster of rocks set a bit further up the beach, a little back from the shore line. Ari had no idea where Max or Jake had gone, he only hoped they’d found cover, but they were sensible guys, they knew the drill.

The three of them dropped into the shelter of the rocks, gunfire splintering shards off the boulders as they ducked, Hannah shrieking again as Ari once more twisted himself around her, one hand pushing her head down, the other curling around his own in a brace position.

“Dozen or so targets have been identified.” A Navy operative cracked on his radio. “Permission to engage.”

“No, do not engage!” Ari yelled back into his radio, desperate to try and keep control of the situation. “If you engage, it's all over. I'll handle it.”

“How?” Hannah screamed at him. “How the fuck are you going to handle this, Ari?”

Her eyes were wide with fright as he looked at her, swallowing slightly before he moved and took a quick look around at the approaching Sudanese Military.

“Do you trust me?” His chest heaved as he snapped his head back to look her in the eyes and she frowned.

“What? Yes, of course I do but-”

Before she could say anything else he grabbed her face, his large hands practically crushing her cheeks before he gave her a quick, furious peck on the lips and moved, tossing his radio onto the beach and covering it with sand.

“What are you doing?”

“Stay quiet and hidden.” He looked at her. “Once we’re gone, you find Max and Jake, and get back to the resort.”

“Ari, don’t you dare! I swear to fucking God if you leave-“

“Hannah for once in your life just shut up and do what I say!” He hissed at her, his face stern. At that he turned to Sammy “Follow my lead. “

“No, Ari-” Hannah began to protest but at that Ari stood up.

“Don't shoot, don't shoot!” He urged as he stepped out of the cover of the rocks.

“Sammy, please!” Hannah sobbed quietly as her brother dropped a soft kiss to her head.

“Do as he says, Han.” He urged before he too stood up and walked towards Ari, his hands held either side of his head.

“My name is Guy Thomas!” Hannah could hear Ari shouting. “From the Red Sea Diving Resort. We have tourists on night dive. What are you doing? Where's your commander?”

There was more shouting, and angry yelling and Hannah clamped her hand over her mouth, her body shaking uncontrollably as the tears poured down her face. She fought to keep the sobs from escaping her mouth, as she flattened herself back into the rocks as the shouting grew quieter and quieter. Eventually she heard the slamming of truck doors and the sound of engines as the vehicles tore away from the beach, and then there was nothing but the noise of the waves crashing against the shore.

Her chest felt tight and she was struggling to breathe, like her airway had been cut off. Scrunching her eyes closed, she hugged her knees closer to her body, waiting for the panic to subside as the world around her began to spin. She counted, reached down to the sand, feeling it between her fingers, cool against the heated skin on her clammy palms. Eventually, her chest released and she took in a painful gasp of air and opened her eyes, focussing on a spot of seaweed which lay to the left of the rock she was leaning against.

Hannah had no idea how long she was sat there, but eventually she gathered enough about her to take a cautious peek out from the rocks. She could see nothing, so she emerged at a crawl, staying low to the ground before she tentatively rose to her knees, then her feet, and began to scramble as best she could up the sand. A movement in her peripheral made her still but as her eyes focussed in the dim moonlight she recognised Jake’s loping gait. Then, another movement to the right had her focussing in that direction and she saw Max making his way towards Jake.

With a relieved sob she began to run towards them, stumbling a little as she sprinted as fast as she could towards the two men, just as Jake tackled Max to the floor. She continued running as Jake let go of Max having realised who he was and helped him to his feet, giving him a quick and urgent embrace. The two of them then spun in her direction and as she stumbled again, this time she couldn’t stop herself, and she felt her body pitching forward.

“Hey, I got you.” Max caught her under her armpits and pulled her to him as she pressed her face into his chest, her breathing ragged as she began to sob.

“Ari, Sammy, they took…they took…” She was hyperventilating again, the tears coursing down her face and Max pulled back a little, both his hands cupping her cheeks.

“We know.” He nodded. “They’ll be okay.”

“You don’t know that!” She practically screamed and Jake hastily hushed her. “This, it’s like Andy again, Max! I can’t lose him! I can’t lose him, or Sammy, I can’t!”

“Cracker, I know this is hard, but you gotta be quiet.” Max’s hands curled around her upper arms as he stooped down a little so his face was level with hers. “We need to get out of here.”

Hannah took in a deep gulp of air, trying to control herself as she knew he was right.

“Let’s get home and find out what’s going on.” Jake added, his voice a little shaky.

“Yeah, okay.” She nodded, her voice wobbling. “I’m sorry, I just…”

“Hey, nothing to be sorry for.” Max gently placed his hand on her neck in a sign of affection. “Come on.”

He offered her his hand and she took it, lacing her fingers into his and he gave a little encouraging squeeze. Taking a tentative step, she was pleased to find her legs cooperating, and with Jake walking on her other side, the three of them made their way quickly to the trucks.

“Dumb bastards left the keys.” Jake’s voice was shaky but relieved as he checked the ignition in one truck, Max inspecting the other before he gave a nod.

“Same here.” Max spoke. “Okay, we’ll take the off road route home. It’ll take us a little longer but we’ll avoid anyone who may or may not be waiting for us.”

Jake nodded, before he paused, and gave Max a quick embrace before he stooped to give Hannah a hug, noticing that she was shivering violently from a combination of fright and cold.

“Here.” he said gently, taking his jacket off and dropping it over her shoulder.

“Thanks Jake.” She mumbled, clutching it round her tightly, her fingers curling over the material, clinging to it as if her life depended on it.

“Any time, Red.” He smiled and she gave a little nod before she turned and made her way to the truck Max had checked.

As Jake made to walk away, Max grabbed his arm.

“You stop for nothing or no-one. If anything happens to one of us, the other keeps going.” He instructed, his voice low as he shot a glance over his shoulder to double check Hannah wasn’t in ear shot. “Fuck this leave no one behind bullshit.”

Jake nodded. “Keep going, yeah, got it.” He looked around before he sighed.” Ari and Sammy, man. They’re-”

“I know.” Max replied, his voice sombre as he cut Jake off. It didn’t need saying, he knew that they were in deep shit. “But if we don’t get back, then this situation is gonna be a whole lot worse.”

“Stay safe.” Jake nodded, and with a final quick embrace the two men headed to their respective trucks. Max hauled himself in to his and stole a quick glance at Hannah as she sat on the passenger seat, huddled in on herself, looking out of the window over the ocean. He took a deep breath, turned the key in the ignition and then set off, pulling away from the beach quickly, the wheels spinning slightly on the loose shale ground beneath the tyres.

****

"We're gonna get outta here. It's gonna be okay." Ari stated with fake conviction as he paced up and down the filthy jail cell he and Sammy had been thrown into.

Sammy didn't respond, he had fallen into an introspective state the moment the Sudanese soldiers had made them get in the jeep and was now sat on a rusted bench inspecting the blood on his hands. Ari was worried about him and he had given Sammy a side glance before assuring him everything would turn out right, hoping to get the man out of the dangerous headspace he seemed to be caught in, but Sammy didn't even spare him a look.

Then a guard walked past, the sound of a bunch of keys jingling and the clanking in another cell lock alerting Ari who turned hastily. "Hey, hey, excuse me." He called. "Excuse me. I need to talk to your commander. Hey!" Ari insisted but the guard totally ignored him, causing his despair as he resumed his pacing along the cell. "Fucking asshole."

"You're the asshole, Ari." Sammy spoke, his voice calm as his eyes remained fixed on the floor.

"What?" Ari stopped and turned to look at him.

"I told you to cancel tonight's operation, I told you. I told you." Sammy insisted, his tone still calm as he fiddled with his fingers.

"You don't get to make that call." Ari responded somewhat irritated as he approached the cell door again.

"No, I don't get to make that call, only you get to make that call."

"Is there something you wanna say?" Ari harshly asked.

"Why did you bring me down here?" Sammy lifted his head to look at Ari for the first time since they had arrived in the jail. "You act like we're best friends, but you never listen to a word I say. And I'm clearly not the best field doctor around anymore." He added as he raised his injured hand to punctuate his words. "Is it pity? Or was it just so you could get close to Hannah again?”

Ari snapped at Sammy's insinuations of him having a hidden agenda. "Yeah, it was pity. You happy? Now shut up." He ordered as he ran his hands through his hair. "We'll get out of here if we stay calm."

"They're gonna find out who we are." Sammy groaned. "They're gonna go to the hotel if they're not there already and they're gonna kill every single one of them, Max, Jake, Rachel..."

"Hey, stop using names." Ari cut him off as he walked towards him. He wanted, or better yet, he needed Sammy to keep the cover, and he also didn't need to hear him say the name of his sister. He didn't want to think about it, nor did he want to think about the fact he had left her behind albeit for a good reason, and the thought of her not being able to get to the resort safe and sound made him feel physically sick. "You don't know who's listening."

Sammy sat still but continued with his tirade against Ari's methods. "You think this kind of work is romantic? It's not romantic, it's practical. There's a protocol. You can't just make shit up as you go along and hope for the best."

"I know that." Ari snapped. "What we do is dangerous. People get hurt sometimes." He said in an attempt to justify his reckless ways, but that was the last straw. At the mention of someone being hurt Sammy cut him off loudly.

"Oh, I know." He shouted as he help up his hand angrily

"Is that what this is about? Your hand? Tangiers?"

"You know, I was a surgeon before I met you, and you dare come into my clinic, and make a joke about me not saving lives." Sammy replied, his tone harsh but calm at the same time.

"What joke, when did I make a joke? What joke?" Ari asked, annoyed and stunned at Sammy's accusation.

"It's not about my hand! It's about you." Sammy yelled as he stood up to face Ari. "It's about you and me. And Hannah. You had to drag her back into this fucking shit, and now she loves you." He spat the words at his friend's face, causing Ari to wince. "And they’re gonna torture us and we're gonna die in here and she’s gonna lose the both of us, lose someone she loves, again, and... and it's because your ego won't accept any help from anybody else. And no matter what you do, I still fucking follow you around like that fucking dog of yours."

Ari swallowed. He was frozen and lost for words and the least he could do, or so he thought, was to allow his friend the right to pour his heart out whether he liked his words or not. Sammy stood there looking at him for a few seconds before he laughed softly.

"I'm so stupid. I'm so stupid, I'm so stupid..." He repeated as he retreated to the cell door crying until he eventually shut up and started sobbing as he held onto the bars of the door.

"Hey." Ari tried to calm him, but then Sammy let out a scream of a yell, causing Ari to run towards him in an attempt to make him shut up.

"Hey, hey, hey, stop, stop, you're gonna get us killed. Don't-" he started to say as he tried to keep his voice even but Sammy cut him off with a punch which took Ari by surprise. Sammy took advantage of his staggering friend and blew him a couple more blows before Ari finally reacted, dodging the next one and was able to retaliate with a punch of his own, more in the hopes of making Sammy stop in order to avoid attracting the guards attention, than in a real desire to hurt him.

Eventually, the fight finally broke when Ari was able to overpower Sammy slamming him against a wall.

"Sammy, stop." He hissed.

Sammy didn't fight back but pushed him away. "I tell you something now, Ari. If by some miracle we get out of here, if anything has happened to my sister, or Rachel because of you, I’ll fucking kill you myself."

Ari stared at Sammy as his words sank in. He was devastated, overridden by guilt and worried that his friend’s words might be actually a reality when or if they got out of that prison. That something might have happened to Hannah, to his firefly, because of him and his ego getting in the way. He had put his need to try and maintain cover so that they could continue their work before the safety of his team by forbidding the Navy Seals to get involved. They could have ended this there and then on the beach, and now they’d be on a ship heading for the safety of home. Instead here he was, banged up in a cell, again, with Sammy, having no idea if Hannah and the rest of the guys had made it home.

And if something happened to them, to his Firefly, he didn't know what he was gonna do.

He felt the tears stinging at the back of his eyes as he slumped on the bench, his head in his hands, before he starting to silently sob.

****

The cell was silent, both men slumped on the floor on opposite walls. The only noises made since the fight had been Sammy's panting and Ari's hushed sobbing, which had died after a while. Ari was now watching his diver's watch, the time going painfully slow. It had been almost eight hours since they had been there. Eight fucking hours and every guard had ignored him. He sighed and threw his head back, grimacing as his face hurt from the blows Sammy had given him. He felt miserable. It was hot and sticky and he was in pain both physically and emotionally as Sammy hadn't spoken a word to him since their fight.

Eventually, Ari gathered all the strength he had left and pulled himself from the floor to sit on the bench and there he was, led on that bench, trying to clear his mind, when he heard footsteps. He sat up when a guard opened the door and nodded to them. He shared a glance with Sammy, who was also sitting up from his spot on the floor, and together they followed the guard out, down the corridor and into the main building where he saw Rachel and Madibo. Ari quickly put two and two together, Rachel must have gone to find Madibo to talk him into letting them out of the prison, and Sammy must have been thinking the same thing as Ari heard him give a little sigh.

Ari was looking at Rachel, trying to read any sign Hannah was safe, but she was just staring at Sammy, taking in his horrible appearance as she struggled to keep a straight face. Ari knew that much, so his eyes fell on Madibo who was looking at him also taking in his injuries and then the Colonel's eyes flicked to Sammy's blood stained top.

"Who did this to you?" Madibo asked them both, before he angrily turned to a guard speaking to him in Amharic.

"No, no, no, that's...It's not, they didn't..." Ari explained before he gestured between him and Sammy. "We did this. To each other."

Madibo frowned at Ari. "What do you mean?"

"We don't get along." Sammy deadpanned.

Madibo looked at Rachel before looking back at them and started chuckling heartily "Crazy Hawajas." He said before laughing again. "You're free to go."

Ari paused, not daring to believe it, to believe his luck once more. He glanced at Sammy and then at Rachel and, looking for confirmation, he turned to Madibo who nodded. “You may go."

The three undercover agents thanked him and silently they made their turn to go, being escorted out by a guard. No sooner had they put a foot out of the building that Ari gently grabbed Rachel's arm, making her stop.

"Did…"

"All three of them made it back, safe." Rachel cut him off before he could mention any names, her face expression not giving anything more away.

Ari let out a sigh of relief, as did Sammy, and the three of them stayed silent until they reached the jeep a few steps ahead when Rachel stopped and turned to Sammy, wrapping her arms around him.

"Hey." Sammy whispered, as he held her tight against him.

Ari dropped his head and stood still, hands on his jacket's pockets. He felt like he was intruding, but at the same time he was also desperate to get back and he knew it was like a five hour drive at least, till he could also wrap his arms around his firefly. Eventually Sammy pulled away and Rachel turned to Ari and examined at his face. "You did that?"

"He’s an asshole." Sammy just shrugged.

Ari sighed and rubbed his head for a moment before holding his hands out for the keys. "I’ll drive."

****

The car drive back to the resort was distressing to say the least. You could cut the tension inside the car with a knife. Sammy had been sulking on the back seat all the time, refusing to say a single word to either of them. Rachel, on her part, had remained silent as well once she had filled them in properly in all the details of the last twelve hours or so at the resort and how she had gone to ask for Madibo's help after speaking to Ethan, who had told her he was flying to Port Sudan that very same day, but she turned back to check up on Sammy or watch Ari every now and then.

All in all, Ari was anxious and couldn't wait to get out of that suffocating space and hold Hannah in his arms again and check with his own eyes she was well. And he did after a few hours, as the car approached the resort he could see her figure standing behind Ethan, holding onto Jake's arm, squinting as if to check it was really him who was driving the incoming car. Uneasy though he was about Ethan's presence at the resort, Ari tried unsuccessfully to hold back a smile when he stopped the car and Hannah ran past Ethan towards him, jumping onto his arms once he had got out of the jeep, hugging him for dear life.

Ari held her tightly, chuckling before whispering sweet nothings into her hair to assure his girl he was really there and in one piece. But no sooner had he chuckled again and kissed Hannah's cheek and put her down, she slapped him fiercely across his face, causing his head to whip sharply to the right as she started yelling at him.

"It isn't funny, you asshole!"

Ari tried to calm her as he struggled to dodge her blows as she hammered her fists at his chest, his face, anything she could aim at, but it was proving a really difficult task. Hannah had gone into overdrive and was desperately trying to whack him as tears run down her face.

"Hannah!" Sammy called her, in an attempt to stop his raging sister, more as a desire to calm her than preventing her from hitting Ari. And then, as Hannah's brain registered the sound of her brother's voice, she stopped dead and threw herself into his arms, sobbing disconsolately.

Eventually Hannah pulled away and Sammy kissed the top of her head before Rachel took her out of Ari's reach. Ari was confused, he knew deep down that Hannah had all the right to be mad at him but was hoping to make her understand why he had acted like he had before having to deal with Ethan and thus, he made a move to follow her and Rachel but Ethan cleared his throat demanding his attention and compelling him to stay put with only one look.

"You're overdressed." Ari commented, trying to lighten the tension a bit. But Ethan wasn't in any mood whatsoever to entertain his dark humour.

"Let's talk, inside." he ordered, un-phased.

Ari dropped his head and had just started following Ethan who had turned to go inside when Sammy called the older man.

"Ethan!" He paused, giving time for Ethan to turn to look at him. "The soldier that was shot?"

Hannah dropped her head, she already knew the man’s fate as it had been one of the first things she had asked Ethan when he arrived in the resort, and Ethan looked at Sammy sympathetically before answering.

"He lost too much blood."

Sammy's head fell in understanding and Ethan turned again to follow Ari to his and Hannah’s hut.

Ari paused to take off his jacket, before he felt something in the inside left pocket and suddenly remembered the letter he had received on the beach. He pulled it out, taking a look for the first time at the writing on the front and whilst it was addressed in Sarah’s tidy writing, he spotted a small smiley face in the bottom corner drawn in crayon. Taking a deep breath to steady his once more brewing emotions, he tossed the letter onto his nightstand before throwing his jacket over the chair in the corner as Ethan closed the door to the hut behind him.

"How did this happen?" Ethan asked, his voice calm.

"They mistook us for smugglers." Ari explained, his voice lower than usual, as he took off his watch as well and placed it on the bedside table, before picking up a towel that was on his bed.

"This whole thing's a bloody mistake." Ethan stated, visibly angry now, before sighing "It doesn't... It doesn't really matter anymore."

Ari then stilled, realising what he meant. "You shutting us down?" He asked, and Ethan nodded, making him drop the towel he was cleaning himself with and sit on his bed. “You can't, Ethan." he said then, keeping his voice as calmed as possible. This mission's a success, we've got thousands of people out, we have thousands more coming this way."

"That's exactly why we have to stop now. While it's still a success." Ethan offered.

Ari then stood up again. "God, you're thinking about the politics. Nothing's changed." He said, almost pleaded, as he approached Ethan. "The Sudanese don't know the missing..."

"You could have died last night." Ethan cut him off. "We were this close," he said, gesturing with his index finger and thumb, "to having an all-out war between our Navy Seals and the Sudanese military. You were arrested. Again. They have a file on you."

With a groan Ari sat back down on the edge of his and Hannah’s bed.

"My job here isn't finished." He stated stubbornly, his voice soft again, making Ethan sigh and take a seat on a chair in front of where Ari was sat.

“Open your eyes. Look what's happening in Khartoum. They're arresting and executing dissidents. They're beating uncovered women in the street. They're expelling foreigners. Textbook revolution. It's time to get out."

"Please, Ethan, please." Ari pleaded, but Ethan cut his pleads off loudly.

"I want you chaps home." And then he shrugged. "I don't need more bodies on my conscience. Take a few days to organize. And get the hell out of this God forsaken place."

Ari didn't say a word, but then again there wasn't much else he could say, and Ethan sighed as he stood up.

"Now I suggest you go deal with your domestic problems."

Ari shook his head, fully understanding what Ethan was referring to, and as much as he knew that was exactly what he had to do, he wasn't looking forward to Hannah's reaction to him again.

"I've been here for a few hours already and she’s hardly spoken a word. Every so often she would simply get up and walk the dog but that was it." Ethan explained and Ari sighed frustratedly. "Textbook PTSD if you ask me." He added, watching Ari intently.

"PTSD?" Ari frowned, lifting his head to look at Ethan who rolled his eyes and audibly sighed at his team leader's stupidity.

"Shall I remind you she already lost a husband in very similar circumstances?"

"Shit." Ari groaned, suddenly everything clicking in. A night mission, an ambush, them hiding behind rocks trying to find cover from stray shots...

"Penny dropped, Ari?" Ethan asked, before opening the hut's door.

Ari looked at him and swallowed hard as he nodded, his head falling down before whispering. "Yeah, yeah."

"Good. Now go deal with it." Ethan suggested before stepping outside the hut. Once outside he paused, and turned to Ari, a slight twinkle in his eyes. “I have to ask, where did you find the dog?”

“Erm…” Ari frowned at the man’s change of subject before he took a deep breath. “Han found him, in a cave at the end of the cove.”

“Hmmm.” Ethan said, his eyes flashing with a sudden humour. “I like him. He reminds me of someone, can’t think who” And with a final look at Ari he turned and left.

As the door shut behind Ethan, Ari let out a groan and ran his hands down his tender face. His fingers steeped in front of his mouth as he contemplated the fact that Ethan had basically just ended the mission. Ari wasn’t an idiot, he had known for a while this day would come, sooner rather than later, but still he wasn’t ready, not yet.

But then, would he ever be?

His eyes wandered around the hut that he had, for the last two years, called his home and all thoughts of disappointment flew from his mind as he spotted the envelope he’d tossed down five or so minutes ago. He stood up and made his way over, snatching it up before he opened it and pulled out the contents. There was no long letter, simply two folded up pieces of paper. The first one was blank, but inside that one was another that held a crayon drawing and he instantly felt his nose begin to sting and his eyes watered as he glanced down at the sketch of Maya, Sarah and him, complete with his rucksack hanging from his hand and beard on his face. He took a shuddering breath as he saw the words ‘My family’ written over the top of the photo and he wiped his eyes hastily, before he spotted that Maya had written the letters PTO in the bottom corner. He did just that and felt his mouth drop open at the second drawing on the back. It was him, this time depicted on a beach, with a woman next to him with long, dark hair, and at his feet sat a small grey dog. This time, the words ‘My Dad At Work’ were written alongside it and Ari sighed, taking a deep breath as he chuckled a little.

“Oh Munchkin.” He whispered, tracing the lines of the drawing a little before he folded it and tucked it into the back pocket of his jeans to show Hannah.

That was if he could find her because, as it stood, she was proving to be quite elusive. She was nowhere to be found in the main building, Max and Jake who were in there both told him they hadn’t seen her in a while. He checked everywhere he could think of, the reception, kitchen, spare rooms, lounge area before be headed out to her little cave and there was no sign of her there either. With a sigh he stood on the beach, hands on his hips as he glanced along the shore line trying to figure out where she could possibly have gone when he heard a little bark in the distance. Turning his head towards it, Ari felt a smile cross his face as his eyes landed in the little boat shed where all the diving equipment was kept.

Bingo.

He hurried towards it and found her, not in the hut, but sat in one of the boats tied to the jetty, looking out over the ocean. Simon gave a little whine as he saw Ari coming and started to wag his tail in greeting.

“Hey.” Ari spoke as he walked down the small wooden jetty towards the diving boat. “I’ve been looking for you all over.”

“Take a hint then.” Hannah sniffed, not bothering to turn to look at him. “When someone hides it usually means they don’t wanna be found.”

“Is that what you were doing?” Ari asked as he gently stepped onto the boat causing it to sway gently, ripples spreading out on the surface of the ocean which was as still as a millpond. Simon jumped up at him and he gently pushed the dog down, giving him a quick pat.

“Leave me alone, Ari.” Her response, although not a direct yes, was affirmative. “I don’t wanna talk to you right now.”

“Come on Firefly, please.” Ari sighed, sitting on the bench opposite her. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what exactly?” Her head snapped up to look at him and Ari took a deep breath as he saw the anger blazing once more in her eyes. “For almost getting us killed? For being a reckless asshole? For fucking leaving me behind?”

By the time she had finished her voice was loud, laced with hurt as much as anger, and Ari swallowed, shaking his head.

“I needed you to stay hidden, Hannah.” He pressed, trying to explain his actions. “If they’d have seen you and taken you do you know what they’d have done to you?”

“You left me, Ari!” Hannah sniffed. “You left me and I was terrified.”

“Because I couldn’t let them find you, Baby!” Ari felt his gut twisting at the expression on Hannah’s face as she glanced away from him, tears in her eyes. “Do you think I wanted to leave you?”

“I doesn’t matter what you wanted!” Hannah screamed at him, making him recoil a little. “You did it! And I didn’t know what had happened to you, or what they were gonna do to you, or if I was ever gonna see you or Sammy ever again. I was going mad there, in the dark, hiding by those rocks and having to listen to everyone yelling and wondering if they were gonna find me, and if they had I’d have been there, alone, no gun, nothing!”

“I had no choice, Han!” Ari replied, his own voice gathering volume and momentum as he tried to make her understand. “If they’d have found you, you know what this place is like for women, shit, I don’t even wanna think about what those bastards would have done to you.” He swallowed, as the mere thought about what she could have gone through was enough to make him feel sick.

Hannah glanced at him, her teeth worrying her bottom lip as tears coursed down her face. All Ari wanted to do was hold her in his arms, but as he moved towards her she held her hands out and shook her head.

“Firefly…”

“I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore.” She spoke softly, and Ari frowned at her sudden change of mind and demeanour. “We all got back safe. You and Sammy are here and okay, well, sort of.” She nodded to the bruises on the left side of his face and Ari took a deep breath as she continued. “But I can’t lose you, Ari. I won’t go through that again, I can’t go through that again, I’m sorry.”

“What are you saying?” Ari whispered, his stomach turned to lead as he contemplated what her words meant. And when she answered, and confirmed his fears, he felt like his entire world was crumbling around him.

“I can’t do this.” She waved her hand between them. “Not anymore.”

“Hannah, no, please.” He gulped, reaching for her hand. ”Don’t do this.”

“What choice do I have?” She sniffed through her tears. “I love you, Ari. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone, Mi Lobo, but I can’t lose you, and I can’t lose what I don’t have.”

“Hannah…” Ari felt his own lip beginning to wobble as he trailed off, the lump in his throat felt like a golf ball as the tears pricked his eyes.

“I couldn’t stand you leaving me again or dying…” Hannah’s voice dropped to a whisper and Ari shook his head.

“I’m never gonna leave you, Firefly.” He took a shuddering breath. “Not that way, you know this. I love you so fucking much.”

She turned her blue eyes to his, and he reached up, his hands cupping her face. “Ethan is pulling us out now anyway, so we’re going home.” His thumbs gently brushed over her cheekbones as he held her face steady so he could look at her. “And I’ll find something else to do. A desk job...”

“Will you?” Her tone was disbelieving.

“Yes!” He implored. “I told you almost two years ago that this was going to be my last field mission.”

“And how long until you get bored, or miserable?” Hannah shook her head, pulling her face out of his gently grasp.

“Nothing could make me as miserable as losing you.”

She turned to look out of the boat over at the sun which was sinking below the horizon before she shrugged. “Well, suppose you’d know how that feels, I mean, you walked away from me once after all.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth Ari heard her groan a little and he looked down at his hands, as he felt her turn to face him.

“I’m sorry, that was mean.”

“Maybe.” He looked at her with a sad smile. “But the truth hurts doesn’t it?” He took a deep breath and wiped at his eyes. “I can’t explain how sorry I am for leaving you last night. I can’t apologise enough for being an asshole and I can’t even begin to show you how much I love you, Hannah.” He sniffed a little and looked at her.

“I know.” She shook her head, fresh tears falling from her face.

“Then don’t finish this, please.” Ari’s chest hitched as Hannah looked at him once more, before she let out a huge sob, shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, Ari, I don’t want to, I don’t wanna be without you.” She cried. “I was lashing out, you know I lost Andy and yesterday I really thought I’d lost you again, and Sammy, and as per the last time I never got to say goodbye….”

At that she completely broke down, more apologies spilling from her mouth, and Ari hastily moved to sit by her, pulling her to him as she sobbed, her hands fisting in the back of his T-shirt as her arms hugged him. Ari pressed his face into her hair, his own chest hitching with silent sobs as he held her tightly, never wanting to let her go again. He’d been an asshole, he knew that. He also, deep down, knew that Ethan was right. They did need to get out of here. Not simply because of the Authorities, but the team were tied, they were done. And it was certainly better to quit whilst it had been successful than to go out under a dark cloud should anything go wrong.

Plus, he couldn’t lose the woman in his arms. Not again. He wanted a future with her. He saw them building a home, living together in a normal place, doing on normal dates, marriage and maybe even a family of their own.

With a shuddering breath he pulled back and looked down at her, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “I don’t wannabe without you, either.” He shook his head. “I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, Firefly. And I know me and Sarah aren’t legally divorced yet, but as soon as we’re home I’m gonna sort that out and…” he trailed off. “Then it’s a clean slate, for me and you.”

At that Simon jumped up in between them and Ari’s large hand lazily scratched behind his ear, as he took the opportunity to steady his emotions as the relief that she didn’t want to end things between them flooded Ari’s system. As the dog let out a little sigh of satisfaction, Ari was suddenly reminded of the picture in his pocket. He shifted slightly, and reached behind him, pulling it free.

“What’s that?” Hannah asked, wiping her face.

“It’s the letter the Navy Seal gave to me.” He said, holding it out to her. “Maya sent it. Have a look.”

Hannah eyed him for a moment before she took the piece of paper and Ari watched as she studied it, her eyes growing wide. She took a deep breath, tears once more trickled down her cheeks as she gave a little laugh, before she looked back up at him.

“If you wanna know where exactly you sit in my life, then there you have it.” He swallowed. “Maya knows all about you, because I tell her so much, and, fuck, Hannah…I…”

At that he was cut off as she surged forward, pressing her lips to his, her arms round his neck, pulling him down to her. Ari’s hand slipped a little on the bench, causing Simon to grumble in protest as he wriggled free from where he had been unceremoniously squashed as Ari’s strong arms pinned Hannah to his chest. The kiss was frantic, moans and groans slipping from both their mouths as their tongues fought for dominance. Hannah’s hands moved to tangle in the back of Ari’s hair, fisting slightly around the ends of the long strands round his neck and then the pain in Ari’s face suddenly registered and he gave an involuntary hiss and pulled back, his hand reaching up to his face, fingers gently pressing along his jawline.

Hannah studied him in the dim light that was now flooding the boat thanks to the lamps coming on around the resort. She gently reached up and titled his head around so she could see his injuries and for the first time noticed that it wasn’t just around his left eye. That side of his jaw as also peppered with bruises. She swallowed.

“Did they…”

“No.” Ari assured her. “It was Sammy. We err, we had a fight.”

“What?” She frowned, her hands dropping to his shoulders. “Why?”

“Coz I’m an asshole.” He shrugged and Hannah arched her eyebrow.

“Well, yes, that’s a given, you are but…” She sighed. “Next time he beats up your pretty face I’m gonna smash his head against the floor.”

“You think my face is pretty, huh?” Are teased, gently placing his hands on her hips and Hannah smiled.

“You’re the most handsome man in the whole world to me, Lobo.”

“Good to know.” Ari smirked.

Hannah studied him for a moment before she sighed. “I love you, I’m so sorry for before.”

“Hey, don’t.” He shook his head. “I understand, I was an asshole. You and Sammy, you’re both right but…” He took a deep breath. “That’s why I get what Ethan’s saying now. We’re done. It’s time we all go home.”

“So what’s the plan?”

“Well I need to find Kabede, make sure he’s okay, and break the news to him.” Ari licked his lips. “Then we need to pack up what stuff we need to here and then we go.”

“Cut and run?”

“Most probably.” He nodded.

“Hmmm.” Hannah looked at him. “There is one thing you gotta do before all that.”

“What?”

“Shower. You stink.” She wrinkled her nose and Ari let out sigh.

“Yeah well, it wasn’t exactly the Ritz in there.” He shrugged before he ran one of his hands through his slightly greasy hair, the other flexing on her hip. “Wanna come scrub my back?”

Hannah looked at him for a moment, before she licked her lips and gave a grin. “Only if you repay the favour.”

“Why kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t?” Ari grinned and with a little groan he rose to his feet, offering Hannah his hand. She took it and together they made their way down the quiet, moonlit beach heading for their hut, Simon trotting behind them.

**** Chapter 14

#leave no one behind #Ari Levinson #ari levinson x ofc #ari levinson x original female character #red sea diving resort #chris evans #chris evans characters #ari levinson fanfiction

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edmundjustking · 3 years

Text

CASMUND SONGS PART 2

We lead two different lives

Just like two lines that never cross

And here we are together

Standing closer than we are

But we're still standing here untouched

Too scared to make a move

We want so much to touch

And we can't wait forever

We know it's dangerous

For us to be together

How do we ever keep this secret

How do we keep it in the dark

And if we dare to taste our weakness

How could we tear ourselves apart

Why do we keep this love together

Didn't we know right from the start

That we would have to keep this secret

Or forever stay apart

I watch you coming to me

Walking in the pouring rain

I can't help looking at you

Wishing I could stay away

So many times I've tried in vain

To close my eyes and pray it goes away

But I can't stop myself from feeling

To let you go would be too much

For me to take(...)

Just replace 'her' for 'him' (I suppose it was written for a woman)

Dear God the only thing I ask of you is

To hold her(him) when I'm not around

When I'm much too far away

We all need that person who can be true to you

But I left her(him) when I found her(him)

And now I wish I'd stayed

'Cause I'm lonely and I'm tired

I'm missing you again oh no

Once again

We are young

Heartache to heartache

We stand

No promises

No demands

Love is a battlefield

We are strong

No one can tell us we're wrong

Searching our hearts for so long

Both of us knowing

Love is a battlefield

(...)

When I'm losing control

Will you turn me away

Or touch me deep inside

And when all this gets old

Will it still feel the same

There's no way this will die

But if we get much closer

I could lose control

And if your heart surrenders

You'll need me to hold

(...)

You know I want you

It's not a secret I try to hide

I know you want me

So don't keep sayin' our hands are tied

You claim it's not in the cards

And fate is pullin' you miles away

And out of reach from me

But you're here in my heart

So who can stop me if I decide

That you're my destiny?

What if we rewrite the stars?

Say you were made to be mine

Nothing could keep us apart

You'd be the one I was meant to find

It's up to you, and it's up to me

No one can say what we get to be

So why don't we rewrite the stars?

Maybe the world could be ours

Tonight

(...)

I'm here again

A thousand miles away from you

A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am

I tried so hard

Thought I could do this on my own

I've lost so much along the way

Then I'll see your face

I know I'm finally yours

I find everything I thought I lost before

You call my name

I come to you in pieces

So you can make me whole

I've come undone

But you make sense of who I am

Like puzzle pieces in your eye

(...)

Tried to walk together

But the night was growing dark

Thought you were beside me

But I reached and you were gone

Sometimes I hear you calling

From some lost and distant shore

I hear you crying softly

For the way it was before

Where are you now?

Are you lost?

Will I find you again?

Are you alone?

Are you afraid?

Are you searching for me?

Why did you go?

I had to stay

Now I'm reaching for you

Will you wait?

Will I see you again?

You took it with you when you left

These scars are just a trace

Now it wanders lost and wounded

This heart that I misplaced

(...)

Omg, this is such a cheesy romantic song, but I love it and it's so Casmund that it makes me giggle☺️

I can't fight this feeling any longer

And yet I'm still afraid to let it flow

What started out as friendship has grown stronger

I only wish I had the strength to let it show(...)

And even as I wander

I'm keeping you in sight

You're a candle in the window

On a cold, dark winter's night

And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

And I can't fight this feeling anymore

I've forgotten what I started fighting for

It's time to bring this ship into the shore

And throw away the oars, forever

'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore

I've forgotten what I started fightin' for

And if I have to crawl upon the floor

Come crashing through your door

Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore

My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you

I've been running 'round in circles in my mind

And it always seems that I'm followin' you

'Cause you take me to the places

That alone I'd never find

(...)

And I need you now tonight

And I need you more than ever

And if you only hold me tight

We'll be holding on forever

And we'll only be making it right

'Cause we'll never be wrong

Together we can take it to the end of the line

Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)

I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark

We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks

I really need you tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love

But now I'm only falling apart

There's nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart

Once upon a time there was light in my life

But now there's only love in the dark

Nothing I can say

A total eclipse of the heart

#edmund pevensie #the chronicles of narnia #edmund #narnia #caspian #casmund #love songs #fanmix #the voyage of the dawn treader #vodt #Spotify #SoundCloud

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n7inky-fanfics · 3 years

Text

Lost

CW: Injury, blood, alcohol

The crew of the Normandy loves Shepard. She is different than any other Commander in the Alliance. She took the time to deeply know every member of her crew. While her name may inspire equal admiration and fear in others, it inspires warmth and loyalty in her crew. Everyone trusts her with their lives, and even on her worst days they never fear her.

That being said, the ship is now uncomfortably quiet and tense. For the first time ever, the crew is walking on eggshells around Shepard. Her own shell has cracked, and to avoid vulnerability she is lashing out at pretty much anyone in her path.

When the shore party returned from Thessia, Shepard maintained silence and a cold demeanour until she had finished her call with the Asari Ambassador. She managed to use the last bit of her usual grace to comfort Liara. Then, she broke. She snapped at Joker and the two of them had it out on the bridge. The argument ended with both parties shaken, but it was clear that they would forgive each other once they had calmed down. The crew had never seen Shepard like this, and it worried them.

It's the end of the main dinner shift, and no one has seen Shepard for hours. James, Garrus, and Kaidan have done their best to reassure the crew. Now, Kaidan is making his way to Shepard's cabin with a dinner plate. He doesn't think she'll eat it, but he has to try. EDI informs him that Shepard's door is currently set to lock out everyone, including him. When he arrives outside the door, he knocks gently. "Hazel, it's me. Please let me in. I just want to help." The red glow of the locked door turns yellow and then green as it is unlocked. It slides open to reveal Shepard's room.

Broken glass and puddles of alcohol cover the floor. The desk chair is upside down in the middle of the floor. A large, bloody dent mars the wall. Shepard sits in the floor, on the right side of her bed, with her head hung low. She's wearing her Alliance t-shirt and a small pair of shorts. Her short, pink hair is a ruffled mess. Her right hand is bloodied and bruised. Pieces of glass from the alcohol bottles stick out of her knees and shins. Despite the strong presence of alcohol, she seems sober. She must have destroyed every bottle she had without drinking a drop.

Kaidan stands in the entrance. "Hazel, you're injured. We should really get you to the med-bay."

"No." Her voice is steady and cold.

"Can I at least get a kit and start getting that hand cleaned up?"

"No. Leave it."

Kaidan sighs deeply. "Fine, but I'm coming further in." She says nothing as he makes his way to the couch, careful to avoid the broken glass. He sits on the couch, hoping she might get off the floor and sit with him. Instead, she remains still. "Shepard, we're worried about you."

"Fuck..." she whispers.

"Hey, it's not your fault. It's Cerberus. You know that."

"Like hell it's not my fault!" She looks up at him, her eyes puffy, red, and furious. Dark energy begins to glow around her. "I should have anticipated this. Fucking Cerberus has their nose in everything. Of course they'd be there, and of course they'd try to use me to lead them to what they wanted. I was a fool and Thessia was lost for nothing! Now, everyone is screwed and we're all going to die because I couldn't get the damn job done!" Her biotics glow brighter, and the field around her swells.

"It's not over yet, Shepard. We'll find them, we'll get the VI back, and we'll end this for good." Kaidan says gently.

"Don't you get it, Kaidan? I failed! The whole galaxy is relying on me to save their asses again, and I failed! I can't do this! I can't save them!" Her voice is raw and strained. She clenches her fists and screams "Fuck!" A wave of dark energy shoots out from her in all directions. Kaidan throws up a barrier, protecting himself from the force of the blast and the bits of glass that flow with it. He can't help but be a little grateful that Cerberus equipped her room with reinforced glass. If they hadn't, the fish tank and model ship display would have exploded. The coffee table, which had flown towards him and bounced off his barrier, settles upside down in front of the bed. Shepard's eyes widen with shock and fear.

"I... I haven't lost control like that since... since I left the Reds... Kaidan, I'm so sorry." Her nose starts to bleed slightly, and tears begin to slide down her cheeks.

Kaidan makes his way to her and pulls her into a tight embrace, leaving just enough room to avoid brushing the glass still embedded in her legs. "It's okay, Hazel. I understand." He holds her close and gently strokes her hair. When she seems to have calmed down some, he pulls back just enough to look at her face while he wipes the tears from her cheeks. She's pale and shaking. Her nose bleed hasn't stopped. She must be exhausted. After all this and the battle on Thessia before, even the best biotic would be. When was the last time she ate?

"Hey, let's get you sitting down." He guides her to sit on the bed and retrieves the food he had brought for her from the couch. "Eat this while I get Dr. Chakwas up here to have a look at you."

"Kaidan, I don't want anyone else to see this." She looks around at the mess she made.

"It's either that or I carry you down to the med-bay. I think you'll collapse if I let you walk it yourself."

She sighs deeply. "Okay, bring her up here."

Kaidan activates the direct link to EDI from Shepard's terminal. "EDI, can you please ask Dr. Chakwas to come up here with the necessary equipment to support an exhausted biotic and remove shards of debris from a person? And please, keep this on a need-to-know basis."

EDI confirms the request and Dr. Chakwas arrives minutes later with a large medical kit in tow. If she's surprised by the state of Shepard's room, she doesn't show it. She follows the mostly cleared path that Kaidan has made with a broom from the supply closet in the bathroom. Shepard is slowly eating the dinner Kaidan brought. "I'm going to get you an IV with fluids and nutrients, then I'll take care of your legs." Dr. Chakwas says.

As Shepard recovers, Kaidan cleans the mess. By the time Dr. Chakwas has gotten all of the glass out of Hazel's leg, the glass has been safely disposed of, the alcohol has been mopped off the floor, and the furniture has been set back where it belongs. "Thank you, Karin. I'm sorry about all this."

"It's my pleasure, Commander. " Dr. Chakwas replies. She places a hand on Shepard's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, now. Remember that I'm here to help. Come see me if you need anything." She packs up her kit and leaves. The room falls silent. Shepard stares into her lap and Kaidan wonders what to say to help her.

Finally, he says "Hey, you should get some sleep." She nods, still looking at her lap. "Goodnight, Shepard." He kisses her forehead gently, then turns to leave.

"Wait..." Her voice comes out barely above a whisper.

"Do you want me to stay?"

"At least until I fall asleep. Please." She's still staring into her lap.

"Okay, Hazel." He says. He climbs into bed and gently guides her to lay next to him. She curls into him and he wraps his arms around her. She drifts off to sleep faster than he had expected. She must be so exhausted. He, too, falls asleep shortly after her.

In the morning, Kaidan awakes to an early alarm and an empty bed. He finds her in the war room, mulling over data for answers. He brings her a coffee before he starts his day. He's sitting in the observation deck, coffee in one hand and data pad in the other, when Dr. Chakwas comes in, locking the door behind herself.

"Kaidan, I'm glad you got me last night. How is she doing this morning?"

"She's back at work, trying to find a solution. She was up well before her alarm, I think. She's stressed, and I doubt she's okay, but she's functional. I'll keep an eye on her, try to make sure she takes care of herself."

"Yes, please do that..." Dr. Chakwas trails off and looks away from Kaidan.

"What is it, Karin?"

"Shepard has always had it rough. You and I both know this to be true. She's always hid her emotions and buried them deep. But dying... it broke her in ways I can't fix. In ways she hasn't recovered from. Then, she lost people. Good people. Hell, she lost Earth. Now she's lost Thessia as well. It's all piling up. She struggles, and I fear that she's reaching a point where all those bottled up pains will all spill out. When she does, we need to be there for her. Please, make sure you're there for her."

She doesn't say it, but Kaidan knows what she's thinking. Be there for her this time. Don't abandon her like you did on Horizon. Be there for her this time. He nods. "I've got her back, Karin."

"Good." Karin nods and takes her leave. Kaidan stares out the window and sighs deeply. This war won't be won without a great cost. He just hopes Shepard doesn't have to pay the bulk of it.

#fanfic #mass effect #commander shepard #female shepard #kaidan alenko #shepard x kaidan #f!shenko #shenko #shepard #fshenko

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javisjeanjacket · 4 years

Text

Peace - (Poe dameron x fem!reader)

Folklore series Part 3/4

A/N: Phew THIS ONE! so many ~emOtIOnS~. So, time has passed since Part 2, wherein they've fallen more and more in love and they’ve both told their parents about the other one and its gettin kind of SERIOUS. We’re picking back up in TROS time period.

Warnings: oral sex (F recieving), penetrative sex, curse words, orgasm, 18+, NSFW, the usual.

Word Count: 5.2K yeet

Two fingers moving lightly over your cheek awoke you.

Your eyebrows furrowed and blue morning light pulled your eyelids to open. You grumbled and squinted in the growing light.

An arm tightened around your waist and pillowy lips found your jaw. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." Poe whispered, his tone honeyed.

You groaned and clenched your aching back, a chorus of pops running down you.

Poe chuckled softly on your cheek and made a trail of kisses from your jaw down the curve of your neck.

"Since when do you wake up earlier than I do?" You growled.

"Couldn't stay asleep last night. I've been up since 4 this morning." He admitted. His stubble tickled your neck and collarbone.

You looked over to him, your eyes still squinted. "What?"

He smirked and his curls brushed back and forth on your cheek. His mouth sucked on a spot of your collarbone that somehow remained untouched by hickeys.

A warm jitter zipped through your body and you felt your mind clear. You reached a hand over to run through his thick hair.

"Babe..." You whispered.

Poe's arms tightened around your waist and his warm chest pressed tightly into yours.

You smiled and let out a deep breath.

Your mother had warned you about going back to Poe when you had Holomessaged to tell her the news. Her eyebrows had furrowed and her tone had become harsh. She had recounted you desperately fleeing the Resistance base to return to your home world. She reminded you of how fully you had shattered on her doorstep, falling back into her comfort and security instead of Poe's.

'We talked about what happened, Mom. About everything. And I think...I think he's grown. He listened to what I had to say and changed some things.' You had explained to her.

'Pssh, we'll see how long that lasts. He's the Resistance poster boy; he's too cocky. I don't trust him, joganfruit.' She had countered.

"What time is it?" You whispered, cutting your mother's memory off before she could become any more inflamed.

Poe murmured and looked over at the holoprojector on his bedside table. "5:30."

You grumbled and wiggled yourself closer to him. There was still a few hours left to steal before life would awaken and call you away from Poe. You sighed happily and pulled the blanket up to your chin, closing your eyes and getting readjusted.

Your ex-boyfriend now turned serious boyfriend ran his fingers slowly from your hair line, over your scalp and then down your neck. He pressed soft kisses on your warm temple and murmured on your skin, "Can I ask you something, sweetheart?"

You smirked, keeping your eyes closed, and nodded yes.

"Would you still want to be with me if I wasn't Poe Dameron?" He whispered. His words hovered thickly on the skin of your cheek.

You opened your eyes and turned to look at him. Your eyebrows scrunched and compassion flooded your expression. You reached a hand up to cup his face. You smiled softly and replied, "Who would you be then?"

Poe chuckled, but his undertone was serious. "No, I mean like...if I wasn't a General. If I wasn't in the Resistance." His dark eyes reached out for yours, grasping desperately for you to steady him. His heart, so normally overtaken with passion and determination, now sat vulnerable in front of you. He took the meat of his lip into his mouth as he watched your face.

You leaned up from your pillow and kissed him softly, both of your hands around his face. "I'm going to love you no matter where you go, or what job you have, or whoever you become. We're two parts of the same star, remember?" You swiped a thumb across his eyelid gently.

Poe looked down at you, his eyebrows tensed with emotion and ran his thumb over one of your eyelids softly. "Two parts of the same star." He echoed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dad? Dad, I'm having a hard time hearing you." Poe said, his words terse. His eyes scanned the empty locker room, asking for some kind of guarantee of solitude.

His father's image shook and his words came out garbled. Holomessaging wasn't very popular in the rural lands of Yavin 4.

"Poe? Can you hear me?" Kes asked.

"Yeah, I can hear you. You're breaking up though."

"Lemme try..." Kes began and Poe could hear footsteps crunching on gravel.

Suddenly, Kes appeared clearly in the Holoprojector.

The Resistance General smiled. "Hey, Dad." Poe said again.

"Hi, son." Kes replied. "How's the Resistance?"

Poe sighed and shifted his weight. "We're still kicking. Barely."

"As long as there is one person willing-" Kes began.

Poe finished his father's tired mantra. "to stand against tyranny, hope is never lost."

Kes nodded and beamed at his son's morality.

"Dad, I wanted to ask you-"

"I heard about Leia." Kes said solemnly.

Poe nodded. "Yeah, we're...." He swallowed, for emotion had risen in his throat. "We're still trying to work through it."

"I can't imagine what that's like, son. Who took over her command?"

"Well, me and Finn-"

"You're the General?!" Kes exclaimed.

"I-" Poe tried to explain.

Kes was too overwhelmed to hear him. "Poe, your mother would be so proud of you! She is so proud of you." He corrected himself.

"I've been trying to do my best...Thanks." Poe debated about whether or not he should explain to his father about his shared command with Finn, but decided it could wait for another time. He clutched his mother's ring hanging around his chest and said, "Dad, I need to ask you something."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For what felt like the hundredth time, your eyes ran across the shotty Arebesh scrawled onto the holodocument displayed in front of you.

You held your chin in one hand and chewed on the side of your lip as you thought. Mumbling to yourself you said, "So, if Senator Lago and the Kanjiklub are working together. How do they connect to the First Order?"

Your mind felt as if it was smashing against a brick wall over and over again.

Thankfully, the whir of a certain orange and white ball droid averted your attention.

You twisted in your seat and smiled when you saw BB-8. "Hey, buddy." You said and jumped down from your chair to talk with him. You bent down to your knees and scratched his sides.

The droid opened up a large compartment in his side to reveal a wiry bouquet of purple and yellow flowers.

You smirked and took them from BB.

A note dangled from the flowers that read, 'Meet me in the hangar. -Poe'

You blushed and shook your head. Surrendering to the tsunami of hopelessness you had been feeling all day, you began to shut off the holotable and gather your books and papers.

Giddiness built in your chest as you and BB-8 moved quickly through the Ajan Kloss Base to you and Poe's quarters. You dropped your books and papers by the door and began to search through your closet for something to wear. You chose one of Poe's t-shirts and a dependable pair of jeans.

"Don't look!" You scolded BB-8 as you began to take off your uniform.

The little droid beeped and blooped in embarrassment, before zipping quickly through the door and towards the hangar.

~~~~~~~~~

Excitement and curiosity bubbled in your chest as you turned the corner to the hangar. There Poe stood, one of his arms on the Millennium Falcon and the other fiddled with his belt loop. BB-8 whirred softly around him, taking a visual catalog of the Falcon's current state.

You clutched the flimsy bouquet of flowers tight in your hands and started towards them. At the sound of your footsteps, the most handsome man you had ever seen turned to you. His face was quickly overwhelmed with a smile and his arms opened toward you. "Sweetheart, hey. You made it." He said as you pressed into his chest.

You wrapped your arms around his middle and pressed a hot kiss on his neck. "The General is gonna be so mad at me for skipping out early if he finds out."

Poe chuckled and moved you away from his chest to press his lips against yours. "I won't tell if you won't." He said after pulling away from your kiss.

You blushed, chuckled, and playfully hit his chest. The two of you walked onto the landing dock of the Falcon, his arm around your waist and yours wrapped tightly around his middle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The orange sun drooped low across the waves of Kothlis. The red and purple suns not too far behind it. Their colors drew painted lines across your and Poe's intertwined bodies, buried in the black sand below you.

"I think you ruined my tan." You whispered as your fingers combed through Poe's dark hair.

His body had been laying almost on top of yours for the better part of two hours, his skin hot and sticky against yours. His mouth sucked on your collarbone, the same spot he had worked on earlier in the morning, and he responded, "You don't need a tan anyway."

You smirked and readjusted the sunglasses resting on your nose. Napping on the shores of a beach planet with Poe Dameron was not how you expected this day to end, but you never could predict how any day with Poe was bound to go.

"We should probably go soon. They'll be worried about us." You said.

Poe groaned and tightened his hands on your bare ribcage, his thumb tracing the line of your bra.

You blushed and ran a thumb back and forth across his stubbly cheek. "Come on, babe. Get up."

Poe shook his head, his dark curls bouncing.

You smirked and called for BB-8 to start up the Falcon.

The little droid awoke from his resting state and moved, unsure, through the dark sand toward the hidden freighter down the shoreline.

Poe's hands dug into your ribcage, hard, and you gasped softly. "Poe, come on."

The man refused to let his mouth go from your collarbone. His eyebrows sat heavily on his forehead and you could almost see his hands shaking on your skin.

You put a gentle hand on his stirring ones and squeezed. "What's wrong?"

Poe's lips left your skin and he breathed out heavily. The General sat up and turned his back to you. He looked out over the lapping water and sighed. He ran a hand across his face and then chewed on his bottom lip.

You sat up and gently placed a hand on his defined back. You ran your hand up and down his shoulder blade before reaching up to give his tense neck a squeeze.

The man looked down at his knees, pulled tight to his chest, and then back out to the water.

"I don't-" Poe started. "Ugh," He exclaimed to himself. "I don't know what to do."

"About what?" You asked softly.

Poe mindlessly grabbed a handful of black sand and squeezed it so tight it slipped through his grasp. His dark eyes looked back at you under a cocked eyebrow and then returned to gaze at the on-coming waves. Poe sighed once more and then looked back at you again, "I'm in love with you."

You smiled and scooted forward to cup his face in your hand. "I know you are, dummy. I'm in love with you too." You kissed him sweetly, grasping the chain that held his mother's ring.

Poe broke the kiss and began to draw small designs in the sand. He swallowed loudly. "Sweetheart, I-" He blinked rapidly. "I talked to my dad and he, uh, he has some land on Yavin 4 that we could," Poe ran out of air and began again, out of breath, "he said we could build a home on."

You sat back on your haunches. Your mouth parted and your eyebrows pursed. Visions of you and Poe's home, deep in the warm jungles of Yavin 4, flew through your mind. You saw the warm morning light stream through the bedroom windows and Poe's sleepy face on the first day he would be able to sleep in after the war was won. You saw the garden of herbs and vegetables in your backyard. You saw a little black-haired girl screaming and running as her father chased her through the same lands his father had chased his son on.

Unable to control them, your eyes began to water. You looked out over the ocean and your breath came in heavy pounds against your ribcage, not unlike the waves against the shoreline before you.

"I'm not asking you to settle down, not if you don't want to, but..." Poe took your hand and pulled you back to the present. "I would."

Your eyes met his and you suddenly felt overtaken by his gaze. Looking at him now felt as if you had never seen him before, every curve and angle of his face utterly breathtaking.

"If you want to, I'll do it." He whispered. He reached a hand out to rub his thumb across your face softly.

You placed a hand gently on his outstretched arm and kissed his wrist, pressing your lips tightly into his skin.

"What do you think, sweetheart?" He asked again.

A warm breeze wafted off of the ocean and relaxed your overwhelmed mind. "I want to, of course I want to." You admitted.

One side of Poe's mouth quirked upwards as you continued.

Reality careened it's cruel voice into your thoughts. "But...what if," You took a deep breath and averted your gaze from your boyfriend's. "What if I lose you? Or you lose me? I couldn't-" You shook your head, the thought of being without him, once so mundane, now was absolutely unbearable.

Gently, Poe moved your gaze back to him. "I know, I know. But, what if we don't lose each other? What if we make it, sweetheart? What if this thing we're doing...works out?" His voice clipped towards the end of his question.

Tears spilled from the sides of your eyes, one after another. You pulled dry pieces of skin from your lips using your teeth.

Your boyfriend continued, "I told my dad," Poe took a shaking breath. "that I felt like I had lived my whole life just waiting to meet you. Waiting for the way that you looked at me the night we met."

You let out a quiet sob and Poe fought through his own emotion as he said, "If I'm gonna die, I want-" He swallowed. "I want to die with you having been the last person I loved." Poe squeezed your hand.

You wiped your tears with the back of your free hand.

"You don't have to answer now, but please, just, think about it." Poe's eyes were big and looked up into yours.

You nodded yes and leaned forward, pressing your lips harshly into his. You gripped his hair in between your fingers and pressed your body against his warm one.

Poe clutched your back with both of his hands, one on the middle of your shoulder blades and the other resting across the curve of your ass.

You pulled on his lips, hard. You were desperate to fill him with the glowing passion spilling from your chest.

Poe gently pushed your shoulders away from him and said, the space between your mouths hot and humid. "If we make it and we win this thing, people will come looking for us."

You sat back on your legs once more and Poe's hands dropped to his sides.

"We will never be able to truly have peace. We'll always have to hide from First Order sympathizers."

You dropped your gaze to the sand on your beach towels.

"But," Poe said, the lightness in his voice returning, "I would be with you when they do." He moved a finger under your chin and pressed against it, tilting your gaze upwards.

The General smirked slightly and his eyes ran over your features, searching for a response.

Your eyes caught on the ring around his neck and you pictured it glinting and glimmering on your finger. How you would work with it on your hand, shining in between gadgetry and espionage. How you would hold Poe's face with it there to decorate the both of you. You pulled your eyes from the shining band and back to Poe's.

Looking at him now, the sunset painting his face in warm purples and pinks, every touch of his skin, the smiles on your neck, the tight grip on your hips, rang loudly in your ears. Every morning spent curled up in bed years ago and all the mornings just these past few months flashed through your mind. You thought of his nibbles on your ear and how your name sounded falling from his lips. He seemed to beat as loudly in your ears as your own heartbeat. Your hands began to shake and your chest thumped loudly.

"Just, think about it, okay?" He whispered, his face clearly wanting an answer now.

You nodded and flung your arms around his neck. You pushed your breasts firmly into his chest and buried your mouth into his neck.

Poe ran a hand over the back of your head and kissed your temple. He drug his hand down to support your back and with the other he moved your jaw so that you could kiss his lips.

You obliged him, pressing your tongue against his bottom lip.

Poe adjusted your legs around his torso, pressing your panties against the growing tent in his pants, and opened his mouth to you.

You moaned as you moved your tongue into his mouth and began to dance with his own. Your hands held his face and tangled in his inky curls.

The pilot moved his hands to cup your ass and then whispered, "Let's get to the ship." He squeezed your butt once before drawing his hands down your legs as you moved to stand.

The pair of you stood, grabbed the beach towels, and almost jogged to the primed and ready Millennium Falcon.

You followed after Poe up the landing ramp and were greeted by a grumpy BB-8. The droid zoomed around the ship, bored from waiting so long.

"Hey, sorry buddy." Poe apologized to his mechanical friend. "We're ready now."

BB-8 whirred to the spot in the hallway where his mechanical arms could steady him and waited.

You followed Poe to the cockpit and watched the muscles in his back shift as he began the pre-lift off calculations.

His brow furrowed and he mumbled to himself as he worked, thinking as fast as he could.

You placed a hand on his shoulder and pressed a firm kiss on his cheek. "I'll meet you in the General's quarters." You whispered before pulling away from him.

He nodded, one of his hands reaching down to squeeze your almost naked ass.

You blushed and turned from him to go to the only bedroom on the ship.

~~~~~~~~~

A few agonizing moments passed as you waited for Poe. Your mind raced with his words and the depths from which they had come. You wiggled backwards on the bed and closed your eyes. You let out a deep breath and moved a hand slowly down your body, stopping to tease your nipples, and then finding a way under the soaked cloth of your underwear. Slowly, to drag it out and keep yourself wet for Poe, you moved your fingers up and down your slit. You allowed your mind to wander through all the things you loved about your boyfriend. 'Or is he my fiance now?' You thought. The mere thought of spending the rest of your life beside the impulsive pilot pushed a new wave of moisture out of you. You moaned gently to yourself, letting your head roll to the side as your fingers teased your entrance.

The door hissed open and Poe was already tugging down his boxer shorts as he crossed the threshold. He stepped out of the fabric and quickly climbed onto the bed and over your scantily clad body. "BB-8 is in hanging in the corridor in rest mode."

You smiled and rubbed yourself faster now, as the cool of his mother's ring meeting the hot skin in between your breasts.

"Un-uh." Poe said and pulled your hand from out of your underwear.

You whined as the friction left you and Poe took your wet fingers in his mouth.

He ran his tongue down your finger and his mouth sucked on them persistently.

You moaned and your mouth gaped open. You could feel your pussy begin to throb, aching for him. Your back arched off of the bed and your hips jutted upwards to hit his.

Poe chuckled and let your fingers drop from his mouth with a loud slurp.

Your head reared back gently.

"You want me to show you how much I love you, sweet girl?" He asked, his voice low and throaty. His lips planted sloppy kisses down your jaw and neck.

"Yes." You breathed. You tried to reach your hand downwards to satisfy your burning core, but Poe caught it mid-reach.

"I'm the only one who gets to make your pussy cum."

Your eyes fluttered closed and a whine fell from your lips. Your hips moved to touch his.

Poe pushed your hips back down to the bed with both of his palms. He pressed his hands tightly over your hipbone. He kissed your stomach softly, creating a path down to the tip of your panties.

"Poe, please..." You whined, your core already soaking through the fabric. Your body squirmed under his grasp.

Poe dipped down to suck on the soaked fabric, graciously pulling some of your aching folds into his mouth.

You gasped and squirmed under him.

"Please what?" He asked, his breath hot hovering over your pussy. He ensnared your thighs with his arms, wrapping them underneath him, and then began to press soft kisses around your folds, allowing pressure everywhere except where you needed it most.

You cooed and jolted away from him.

Poe wiggled you back towards his mouth and continued his barrage of kisses.

"Please, fuck me, please." Your eyebrows tensed over your clamped shut eyelids. Your hands curled into the grey sheets below you.

Poe chuckled low in his chest, and you could feel it on your thigh. He snuck two fingers underneath the waistband of your underwear and wiggled it down your hips and then down your legs. He flung the garmet on the floor behind him. His dark curls tickled your stomach as he blessedly licked your dripping folds. His tongue moved up and down the slit, slowly, gently, teasingly. He swirled his tongue around the bundle of nerves at the top of your pussy and sucked gently.

You whined loudly and reached a hand down to yank on his hair. A jolt of energy seemed to zip through your back, kicking it up from the bed below you.

Poe moved his tongue towards your entrance, darting back and forth quickly before spreading you even more with his fingers. "You always taste so fucking good, sweetheart." He whispered. He closed his eyes and curled his tongue inside you.

Heat worked it's way from Poe's mouth, through your body, to escape through your shaking hands.

Poe moved and began to lick rapidly at your clit and then worked back down to your entrance.

You yelped and your legs tensed around his head. You had to stop yourself from crushing his skull.

"Ow, baby." He smiled, pushing your legs gently apart again. His mouth moved back upwards to suck on your clit and then gently ran the pad of his thumb over your entrance before inserting a finger into you.

You cried out and you could feel his finger jerking quickly inside you. "Maker, fuck!" You exclaimed, your hand tensing in Poe's onyx-colored hair. Your thighs seized around his head and your eyes jerked up to watch him. You could feel your body tensing on the verge of orgasm, deathly close to falling over the edge.

He moved his hand even quicker now, the wetness of you squelching around him. His eyes met yours as his mouth moved from your clit to kiss you. Your wetness was still on his lips as his skin pressed into yours.

You happily licked the moisture off of him, reaching your tongue in his mouth as his finger jerked rapidly inside you.

"Close, sweetheart?" He asked, momentarily breaking your contact.

You nodded and gasped as he moved his thumb to work your clit in his other hands absence. Both of his fingers moved in unison and the new sensation quickly overwhelmed you.

Like the crack of a whip, tendrils of warmth overcame your body, leaving your mind lightheaded. You felt your muscles clench around his finger and your body begin to shudder. You yanked his hair, hard, and let out multiple loud yelps as your orgasm barreled through you. Waves of uncontrollable pleasure crashed into you, clearing your mind of absolutely everything except Poe Dameron.

Speaking of, the man leaned to press steadying kisses to the space in between your breasts. His hands slowed inside you as your body shook against his own. Slowly, he pulled his finger out of you. He whispered, his breath hot on your neck. "Can I put my cock inside you, sweetheart?"

You forced your water-logged head up from the pillow and breathed, "You?" hoping he would know what you meant.

Poe shook his head no as he moved to take one of your erect nipples in his mouth. The stubble on his face scratched your delicate skin. "It's all for you this time."

You moaned and your back lifted off the mattress below you. "Please." You said through gritted teeth.

Poe ran your nub in between his teeth gently, twisting back and forth. "Is that a yes?"

You groaned, half in frustration and half in pleasure. "Poe, please fuck me." Your back jerking from the feeling of his mouth on your sensitive skin.

The pilot smirked and released your breast from his mouth. He sat back on his haunches and began to line his now fully erect penis up with your dripping cunt.

You pulled your bottom lip inside your mouth as a sweet pressure overwhelmed you. Your eyebrows pulled together and you allowed your head to fall back against the pillow behind you. You could feel your body adjusting to him, and after you nodded that you were ready, Poe began to move.

The man breathed out through his teeth and grunted in pleasure. His body slowly moved above yours, his cock kissing every ridge inside you.

You closed your eyes and felt pleasure melt down your shoulders and drip down your naked body. You began to mirror Poe's movements, absorbing the force of his thrusts.

One of Poe's wide hands took your jaw in it's grasp. He moved it downwards so that your eyes looked into his. "Look at me, baby." He growled.

You felt yourself clench around him and you moaned in response, your eyes automatically flitting closed.

His grip on your jaw tightened as the force of his thrusts ricocheted through your body. Poe moaned loudly. "Look at me while I fuck you."

You exclaimed and forced your eyes to open.

Poe's deep brown eyes locked onto yours, pulling you to fall into him. To trust him. To spend your life with him. He pulled his bottom lip into his mouth as he watched your face twist up in pleasure.

The intensity of his gaze easily overwhelmed you and sent shivers down your body.

Poe wrapped a hand behind your head to cup your neck and rested the other on your thigh pressed against his. "Sit up."

"What?" You asked, your breath shallow in your chest.

"Sit up." Poe repeated, gently moving his dick out of you.

You moaned without him and had to wrangle your focus to sit yourself upright.

Poe took both of your legs and wrapped them around his hips.

You hoisted yourself up and sat flush against his chest. Your arms wrapped around his neck and your lips pulled on a spot on his smooth chest.

The pilot lined himself up with you again and then gently pushed your hips down onto himself.

Your mouth flew open and your head reared back. Your eyebrows tensed, your eyes closed, and an undiscovered pressure filled your abdomen. Your head lolled to the side and a loud moan escaped you. You forced your eyes open and watched Poe's face as you settled around him.

The General moaned and sucked in air through his teeth. "Holy shit. Does that feel good to you?" His voice airy and dark.

"Oh my god, yes." You whispered. You took his chain in your mouth and began to kiss the soft skin where it had been.

Poe began to thrust himself upwards into you and the pair of you exclaimed loudly.

You clenched his bare back in your grasp.

Poe held your ass in his hands, spreading you to fit better around him. He moved slowly at first, both of you getting used to the new position.

Overwhelming desire moved you to bite the meat of Poe's neck gently. Your body shook against his.

As much as he could in this position, Poe worked to piston his dick in and out of you, forcing you to relish every ridge and friction he gave you.

Your toes curled and tears pricked at the sides of your vision. "Fuck, baby." You cooed.

Poe growled and pulled your collarbone into his mouth harshly. "I never want to fuck anyone else but you." He whispered.

You exclaimed and tears fell from your eyes. You felt yourself clamp down on Poe's dick and heard him moan in response. "I'm-" Your head lolled backwards. "Oh my god, I'm gonna cum."

"Cum for me, sweetheart. Cum all over me." He whispered, his words shot warm rockets across your bare chest. His hips thrust harder now, running to snatch your orgasm from you.

You screamed and your body began to shake violently. Your muscles all seemed to take a deep breath, rejuvenated by the man in front of you. Your vision blurred and your mind was overwhelmed by the sensation of Poe inside you.

Poe pulled you flush to his chest, pressing a centering hand to your back. His mouth softly kissed your shoulder and his cock moved still.

You moaned as the last of your trembles left you and consciousness seemed to return.

Poe let you fall to the mattress below him.

Your head lolled from side to side and your eyes flitted open. "Holy shit." You breathed, reaching out to curl your fingers in Poe's hair. "Where'd you learn that one?"

The pilot placed a burning kiss to your lips and replied, "Kijimii."

You snickered as he began to suck on your earlobe and neck. "You want me to take care of you?" You asked, your voice breathy.

"I'm not done with you yet, sweetheart."

FOLKLORE TAG LIST: @enamoured-x @mcolbz14

What did you think? I really hope you enjoyed reading my work. Just your liking / re-blogging it means a lot. If you have a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts! Tell me what you think via my ask box or a comment always warms my heart!! Thank you again for reading!

Need more reading material? You can visit my Masterlist for more Oscar Isaac character content, as well as my other works.

Want to be kept in the loop? Let me know so I can put your handle in my taglist form. Right now, I’m writing for Poe Dameron, Santiago Pope Garcia, and Din Djarin, but I have plans to expand my SW character list, and eventually add in my favorites from the MCU as well.

Thanks again for reading! Sending love! -hai

#poe dameron x reader #poe dameron smut #folklore #peace by taylor swift #hai writes

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bodyswapmischief · 4 years

Text

The Runaway

(Spring Break Pirates 11 of 14)

Yeah it's me ... It's Thomas. Now, tell me who you are before I open, the damn door.

See, Simon, now was that so hard. I'm going to open it, but keep your hands were I can see them; you've been spending too much time with Mr. Black. I need to make sure I can trust you.

Hey, what the fuck, Simon. What ... how ... you ... you look like ... you. You look like .... like your old self. How did you do this? What happened? Did you find a way to reverse this? ... Oh my god!!! Simon your eyes. They're pitch black. What the fuck is wrong with you?

Your saying Mr. Black did this to you. He gifted you with a seed of his powers. Now, your soul is being corrupted, with dark narcotic energy. But, you still have a piece of your humanity.and, with it you want to help get us of the boat.

This is fuckin great. I guess he didn't take into calculation how much you hate his guts. Now, that you have his power ... you can give us our bodies back.

What!? ... why won't you. Our bodies have been burned to ash. But, how did you get yours back. What the fuck!? Leonardo's soul was sacrificed to bring your body back. What the fuck!! So, we really are stuck like this. We're fucking stuck like this. I mean there's gotta be a way. You gotta be able to do something? I can't stay like this!

You can do something but, you won't. You won't sacrifice good innocent lives to do your spells. You want to hold on to your humanity for as long as possible. Then take Mr. Black's soul, he's not a good person. And use his soul to restore our bodies.

What? He's just one soul and will only provide one body. Damn, it!! Well we don't have to stop with Mr. Black. There are other corrupt souls all over the world. You can use theirs to transform us back.

What! The fuck dude! You still won't. Why!? The spell ... the one to bring our bodies back ... it'll corrupt our souls. Like it's doing to you. I don't give a fuck, do it to me. Give me my body back.

What are you doing with that knife. Uh ... I can't ... br ... ea ...th. *Gasp* Okay ... *gasp* okay ... I'll listen to you. Don't kill me! Please, don't kill me.

If you won't give us our bodies back, then how are you going to help us. Your, going to kill Mr. Black and free us from the boat and his reach. Then, you'll start looking for a safer way to change us back.

So, what do you need from me. You need me to leave the boat. Mr. Black wants me dead. In order to gain his trust and get closer to him, you need to make it look like you killed me.

Okay ... I get it. You send me off. You do your business. Then you'll come find me. And, along with the other guys, we'll find a way to get back to our normal bodies. Smart plan, dude!

What's with the face? I got it almost right. You've been doing the calculations in your head? There's an additional enchantment on the boat? What does it do? What!? Those who leave the boat, without Mr. Blacks permission ... they disappear. What does that mean? Where do they go ... what do you mean you don't know. So, in order to save everyone else, you need to sacrifice me. It's either this or you killing me. So my two options are a confirmed death or the unknown.

Okay, I'll do it. I don't really have a choice. And, I'm the first mate. I need to do what's best for the crew and my captain. Let's get it done.

. . .

So, I just jump off the boat? Okay, well, guess this is it. It's been great knowing you and all the guys. just promise me you'll help the rest of the guys. Send them by best, when this is all over. And, hang in their. I know these powers must be hard to contain. But, you are a good guy, remember that. So ... here, I go .... *plop*

...

*Gasp* *cough* Shit!! This water it's so cold. I been underneath it for what felt like hours. Wait I. The distance ... land!?

...

A beach! People! Finally, I'm so close. I'm so, tired. I don't think I can make it. A boat, life guards!

...

Thanks guys. I don't know how I got that far out. Yeah, I guess I got caught up in a strong current. Wait ... what is that thing you guys are talking into. That's a pretty fancy walkie talkie. Wait ... what did you just say in your report? 7/21/19? What year are we in? 2019?

...

Shit, they ran vitals on me. And, I was fine. It's been a little less than a year, since I washed up close to the shore. I've was gone for about 30 years. 2019 would have been the year, I actually did turn 55. So, I guess time warped itself to make sense, with my aged body. I've settled up roots in this beach town. Being, a middle aged college drop out, with no papers to prove I'm a US citizen, it was hard. Luckily, I got hired at some hole-in-the-wall leather gay bar. Besides that, it's just been hard adjusting in general. So much has changed since the 80s. I've been trying to slowly introduce myself to new things. I just got one of those new fancy cellphone things. It's been helpful; on my down time, I've been researching what happened.

They looked for us. It's all in the papers. Our families looked for us. It was a big story. A group of college boys go missing at sea. But, every source leads to one conclusion, none of them were ever heard of again. I thought of seeing my family. But, I'm against it. It's not like I can explain the situation. They probably wouldn't even believe me, I am in a completely different body after all. And, it just been to long in general. My mom died a decade after I went missing. My siblings are older and I don't want to give my dad a heart attack.

Plus, I need to stay here. I know the guys are still out there. I need to be here for them. I need to keep looking for them. Or hope that they find me here, one of these days.

#Male #body #swap #mischeif #stories #story #transformation #tf

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katedrakeohd · 3 years

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My Own Favorite Dialogue and Why

Drake and Liam may be best friends in TRR canon, but for me the dysfunctional bromance that I've created between Maxwell and Drake is my favorite friendship. For this one from The Lake I loved the angsty/comedy so much I couldn't just select a small part, so I had to post all of it.

From The Lake

Out in the middle of the lake the air is still, the water smooth like glass. It's been an hour since the men cast their fishing lines, and for Maxwell an uneasiness was setting in.

"Are you sure there are fish in this lake?"

Drake looks up from the magazine he's reading, his last bite of sandwich in his hand. "Of course I'm sure. I oversaw the stocking of trout myself."

Maxwell looks down at the half empty can of low alcohol beer in his hand, resenting the lack of buzz he was feeling because of it. "I thought we would have gotten a nibble by now."

Drake shrugs, popping the last piece of his bread crust into his mouth. "You just have to be patient, Max. Sometimes they bite, sometimes they don't."

Maxwell shades his eyes with his hand and gazes off toward the Manor in the distance, it was so tiny and the shoreline seemed so far away. He tried not to imagine how deep and cold the water was beneath them, but it still gnawed at him anyway. He squeezed the backpack between his feet, its contents giving him a slight sense of reassurance.

Drake glanced down at Maxwell's backpack sitting in the belly of the boat. Since leaving the shore he's seen him take out a tube of sunscreen, a granola bar, his mobile phone to take pictures, and repack his sweater when he got too warm. Each time he set it back down there was a strange heavy thump against the wood, and so far it didn't seem to belong to any of the things he'd seen.

Drake shifted his ass on the boat seat, trying to combat the numbness he was feeling. The boat rocked slightly, causing ripples in the water, and for Maxwell to snap at him.

"Hey, man. Don't rock the boat."

Drake rolls his eyes, "Jeez, Max. Paranoid much?"

Max rolls his shoulders, trying to loosen up but he can't, "Seriously, you don't find it creepy? The whole time we've been out on the lake I haven't heard or seen a bird, you'd think there would be some ducks or geese or something."

Drake takes a deep breath and looks around, squints up at the sky, and then looks over to the mountains and trees in the distance. He listens for anything other than the sound of the water lapping at the side of the boat.

"I suppose it is a little odd. Just yesterday there were lots of geese and ducks paddling along or flying and honking over the lake."

Maxwell lifts and bobs his fishing rod and line in the water. Looking down into the depths he's struck by how it goes from clear to pitch black so quickly. He scoffs and makes a joke, feeling uneasy as the words leave his mouth, "Maybe Gaga ate all the fish, and scared the birds away."

Drake chuckles, "Say, what now? Who or what is Gaga?"

Maxwell's eyes go wide and he looks at Drake with disbelief, "You mean you haven't heard the legend of Gargantua? The monster of Lake Valtoria?"

Drake shakes his head and opens the cooler to get another beer, "You can't be serious, Max. Not every big lake has a monster living in it."

"Trust me, Drake. My house sigil is a giant squid remember? I know my monster legends. How many years have you been stocking the lake, and have you ever caught any of the fish afterwards?"

"As a matter of fact, I caught a fish standing on the dock yesterday. So I know there are fish in the lake." Drake insists as he opens his beer and takes a long swallow, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

"Ok, well what about the lack of birds?"

Drake sets his beer down with a sigh, scrubbing his forehead with his hands and then raking them back through his hair, "So, now you think some monster is yanking ducks down into the water from underneath?"

Maxwell shrugs, "You never know. Maybe Gaga has a taste for water fowl and fish?"

"Now you're just sounding crazy, Max."

Maxwell shifts forward in his seat, causing his pack to fall forward and make another thump, Drake looks at it again and frowns. Maxwell points an indignant, angry finger at Drake. "Don't you dare call me crazy!"

"You're the one talking about lake monsters, when there's probably some logical reason to explain everything."

Maxwell picks up his backpack again and hugs it in his lap, his hand finds the weighty item from the outside and shifts it carefully. Drake looks at him suspiciously, "Max?"

"What?" he asks, nervously.

"What's in your backpack?"

Maxwell shrugs, "You know, just the usual 'day out on the lake' sorta stuff."

Drake's eyes narrow, "Why don't I believe you?"

Maxwell hugs the backpack a little tighter to himself, he tries to avoid looking at Drake. Off in the near distance, behind Drake, there's an odd rippling splash on the surface of the lake. Maxwell gasps, trying to swallow the sudden fear constricting his throat.

"Why won't you believe me when I say there's something creepy about this lake?" Maxwell croaks out, pointing over Drake's shoulder.

Drake sighs, turning in his seat to see what Maxwell's pointing at. "I don't see anything."

"There..there was a ripple and a splash on the water. Like..like something big moved it."

When Drake turns back around Maxwell has his hand buried in the backpack, fishing for something. "Max, what are you doing?"

Maxwell's eyes are wide and he's scanning the surface of the lake for more movement. "Ssshh, Gaga will hear you."

Drake frowns with concern and then sits up straighter in the boat to look around again.

"It was probably just a big fish, Max," he says quietly. "Maybe we're finally going to catch something."

A breeze ripples the surface of the lake, and the boat tugs at its anchor line. Maxwell jumps when their fishing rods shift as well. He jerks his hand out of his bag and pulls out an antique pistol.

Drake braces his foot against the end of his fishing rod and puts his hands up and waves them back and forth frantically. He looks at Maxwell and can't believe what he's seeing, "What the Fuck?! You brought a gun on a fishing trip?! Put..that...away."

Maxwell breathes rapidly as he searches the water, swinging the antique firearm from his home's armory back and forth. "It..it was Bertrand's idea. Remember his bachelor party all those years ago, when we met up with that bear, he insisted I take it with me."

He imitates his brother's voice as he quotes him, "No Beaumont will ever go out adventuring in the wilderness again without protection."

Drake ducks as Maxwell swings the gun back in his direction, "Seriously, Max! You know how I feel about guns. I've already been shot twice, and I'll be damned if I'll let you shoot me by accident while we're fishing."

Maxwell's hand shakes as he continues to look around nervously. Drake reaches forward with fear grinding at his stomach, he pleads with him quietly.."Max....just hand over the gun, okay? We'll pull up the anchor and just go back to shore. We don't have to fish anymore."

Nodding, Maxwell loosens his grip on the weapon as Drake wraps his hand around the barrel. Something splashes the water nearby, making Maxwell jump, causing them both to let go and drop the gun. It hits the bottom of the boat and fires. Drake screams out in pain as the bullet tears through the side of his rubber boot and lodges in the wood of the boat beside him. Water starts to trickle in, and warm blood starts to run down into his boot.

Drake yanks his boot off and pulls his foot up onto the seat and clamps his hands around his bleeding calf. "What the fuck?!" he screams, glaring at Maxwell angrily.

Maxwell picks up the gun from the bottom of the boat and throws it overboard. "I..I'm so sorry Drake!"

Drake leans to the side, his hand shaking as he gets his pocket knife out of his back pocket. Maxwell panics and chops at Drake's wrist with his hand, causing him to drop it when Drake pries the blade free.

"What are you doing?!" Drake barks at him with surprise and reaches for his knife again, it's now wet from the lake water pooling in the bottom of the boat.

Maxwell folds his hands over his chest, feeling embarrassment flooding his face with heat, "Oh..oh my God, I thought you were going to stab me with it, or something."

Drake grumbles as he cuts open the bottom of his bloody pant leg below the knee with the blade, "There's still time. Now either get with hauling up that fucking anchor, or calling for help before we sink goddamnit!"

Maxwell trips over the drink cooler, and soggy picnic basket as he stands up, trying to pull the anchor rope up out of the water. It won't budge, and his efforts are now causing him to rock the boat side to side dangerously.

Drake curses to himself as he cuts a strip of denim and wraps it around his bleeding leg tightly. "Careful now, Max."

Both fishing rods teeter into the water and disappear. Drake keeps a close eye on the oars, praying they don't go next. Maxwell tries again to pull the anchor up by the rope but the nylon burns at his hands and he hisses in pain and then lets go. He stumbles back to where he was sitting and flops down heavily, wiping his sore palms on his thighs.

"I...I ca..can't. What the ..heck..did you..anchor...us to?"

Drake rinses his bloody hands in the lake, and then dries them on the sleeves of his denim shirt. "Ok then, I'll try the anchor and you try calling or texting for help."

He cuts strips from his denim sleeves and then wraps his hands for padding. Wincing in pain he swings his leg over to straddle his seat and then reaches for the anchor rope.

Maxwell holds up his phone trying to find bars of service, "You've gotta be kidding me! Oh, wait there's a blip. I'll try sending a text to see if I can get through. Who should I try?"

Drake grunts as the rope finally starts to come up out of the water, but it was a lot heavier than it should be. Sweat bloomed on his brow and stung at his eyes, he swiped his face against his shoulder, "Preston... is standing by..in case of emergencies."

"What's his number?"

Drake rhymes off his number and grits his teeth, pulling the wet rope inch by inch into the boat. The burn in his calf muscle is intense and he wonders what ancient dirty projectile that antique pistol was loaded with. He could see Maxwell frowning down at his phone.

"Well, did you get through?"

He shrugs, "I sent it, but don't know if it went anywhere."

Drake looks down into the water, wondering what his anchor could be tangled around to make it so heavy. He pauses to catch his breath, and feels the rope vibrate in his hands and then go still. It's almost as if something rubbed up against it and then moved on. His heart starts hammering in his chest and cold fear creeps into his gut. His throat goes dry as he takes a deep breath and drops the rope back into the water. He didn't want to see what was down there anymore. Maxwell was still trying to send panicked texts to anyone who could receive them.

"Fuck it," Drake mutters and uses his knife to cut the anchor free.

The nylon rope floats on the surface of the water for a few seconds and then disappears into the darkness as if it were yanked. Drake jumps back with surprise and then watches, holding his breath, not wanting to believe what he was seeing. Several feet down at the deepest point that was reached by sunlight, where the clearest water went dark, an even darker shape slowly sank beneath the boat and then disappeared.

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

I've written many first time moments for Drake and (MC) Kate in various timelines and stories. But it wasn't until I started writing "What Happens in Paris.." from Kate's point of view that I found my favorite passionately charged moment between them. Feeding off the emotional evening with Drake that included Liam's second bachelor party and the never have I ever scenes, I found a way to push Drake over the edge and succumb to the mutual attraction between them.

From What Happens in Paris..

"Uh, Darling? What do you think you're doing? You know we can't..." he says, although the look in his eyes betrays the way he really feels.

"We can't what, Drake?" I say, stepping away from the door and pressing my body up against his. He's still holding onto my hands, and now our faces are so close I can feel his breath on my cheek.

"Darling…" he warns, as I flex my hands out of his grasp and undo the next button of his shirt. It's such a tease how he's already left the top button undone for me. My thumbs push the material aside and I slide my hands in. He takes a sharp breath in when I touch him, and I feel his chest rise and fall along with the rapid beating of his heart.

I pop another button out of its hole, and lean in to kiss his throat as my hands continue to explore his chest, tugging his shirt out of the waist of his pants. He hasn't stopped me yet, and I look up at the darkness in his eyes and the pained expression on his face.

"Kiss me, Drake." I plead. "I know you want to."

Cupping my head in his hands, he tilts my chin up and leans in. I close my eyes. But instead of feeling his lips on mine he plants kisses along my jawline and I hear his voice rasp in my ear, hitching with desire, "And if I want to.. do more than kiss you?"

I gasp, bunching the fabric of his shirt in my fists as his nose traces the shell of my ear, and his stubble bristles against my cheek. "Ye -..."

But my reply is swallowed up by his mouth as it captures mine, and he presses me up against the door.

His kisses are hungry and I struggle for breath as he grabs my wrists again and pins them up above my head. His knee parts my thighs and I can feel how hard he is underneath his jeans.

When he finally releases my mouth, and presses his forehead against mine we're both panting. "Tell me.. to stop," he groans between breaths.

....

Drake is my favorite Choices character and thus he's the one I abuse and make suffer the most. 🤣 This next dialogue is from Cordonia 1885 between Drake and a hotel employee when they share a "holy/what the f*ck" moment that confounds them both.

Because of the grisly, graphic nature of this vampire fic I will just post a link and you can read it if you want. Cordonia 1885 - Chapter One

...

There are so many other favorite scenes/dialogue that this post could go on forever..LOL

Thanks @dcbbw for the tag, it's been so much fun to revisit some of my older stuff and experience it again. I look forward to next week's Monday Funday prompt.

#long post #monday funday #favorite dialogue

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bcxvi · 3 years

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Episode IX - Lufenian Eidolith

"It's beautiful," I said while one of my paws got gently wet when touching the water of the stream we were navigating on. For the last three days, we had been sailing on the shores of Djose, making the least time we could towards the Moonflow.

"You should see it at night," said Hezmush, his sweet voice making my ears go into the position of shyness right away. "It's a gorgeous sight, you and Kimahri surely would love to-" He paused, pretending to care about our recent breakup.

During the time of our detour from Djose towards the Moonflow, Hezmush had been giving away tiny flirting signs, all whenever Kimahri wouldn't notice him of course. Whenever Kimahri isolated, Hez would pass by my side minutes later and drop phrases like "If it weren't for Kimahri, I would already be hitting on you sweetie," or "we should hang out one day, you and I." All of these ending with a wink of some sort, one time he even stuck his tongue out. I was aroused.

As for me... I felt something tingling inside me, yet felt an awkward sensation. As if getting to know him better would be something I shouldn't be making.

Kimahri on the other hand had been quiet, he understood that hearing his voice suddenly made my fur stand on its end. At first, he was confused, I could see in his look that this was, perhaps, not the first time he saw my hairs react in such thrill. His usual smile suddenly turned into a saddened face, I felt terrible too... so ashamed of disliking him without reason, I had no balls to address the issue or talk about it.

"We Should be reaching that shaggy old Salamander friend of mine," interrupted Cid, coming out of Hezmush's cabin while buttoning his trousers up. "He tends to move the camp around, but I'm sure he's around here, we paid him a visit just a week ago."

"I hope he can help," replied Kimahri, "I'm eager to hear what he can find out." He turned at me and looked straight at my eyes while finishing his sentence.

A few minutes pass with the three of us in a quiet mood. We left Barrett at Djose to fix the ship for a while, if he succeeded, he would come to pick us up. Cid missed him, we would constantly stumble with him, shamelessly pulling out his erect cock and stroking to it while seeing some recorded clips and photographs on his portable screen device, it usually was Barret's fat ass being fucked by Cid's large dick. Both enjoyed recording their sessions to enjoy them whenever they would be separate or inviting others to join their adventures during business trips.

Kimahri would simply turn the opposite direction and try to give him privacy, but Hez would stay around while doing stuff and pretend not to care about Cid's moans while peeking on him few feet away.

As for me... well, hearing those passionate masturbations of his made me feel odd. I certainly knew that sex was something sacred, I mean, Cid and Barret's love was genuine, they made it clear for me before we boarded Hez's ship. But they had no shame when having 'fun' while doing what couples in love do.

A few times I peeked at him, some while he started, others while he finished and large shots of cum spurted all over, staining the carpets and leaving his clothes smelling of chlorine.

I knew I had lived those experiences as well, the eating of my ass, my manhood being sucked gently until my semen covered up the place and face of someone...

"Ah! I think we are finally here!" yelled Cid, loosely buttoning his crotch and putting away his pornographic comforter. We all exited the cabin, Cid hastily waving towards a rustic campsite. While Yelling "So vneaht, so vneath!"

So vneaht? Was he speaking another language?

To our surprise, a greyish green-skinned colored man came out of the tent, his face was mostly covered in a tangle of gingery dreadlocks. His body was in the nude except for a graceful fundoshi concealing his genitals, he was mostly covered in fascinating tattoos and marks. His bearded chin gave a wide smile, while his large ape-like arms waved us in almost a rhythmic greeting. "Syo dra kutacc Adnu pa fedr oui," he yelled us back, "E famlusa oui so vneahtc."

"It's the AlBhed tongue," whispered Hezmush to my ears, "don't worry, this is a greeting some adepts of Etro developed through the years, we might not need a translator. Relax."

Hezmush gave me a quick rub on my shoulders, ending with a quick pat at the back. Cid couldn't wait to reach the shore, so he jumped out of the boat, swam, and greeted his friend "Amarant!" he yelled, while both kissed each other so passionately... A flash hit my head while watching them both, suddenly it was me and Kimahri, both nude in the wild, against hard cold stone floors and walls.

My vision is interrupted by no other than Kimahri, who accidentally stumbles and trips down towards me. I catch him in my arms. He is so tiny compared to my overall size. Suddenly I smile at him, his eyes shine and he smiles back.

"Well, well, what have we here?" demands Amarant, while hugging so friendly Hezmush, then Kimahri, and finally me. "You should've told me you wanted an orgy Cid!" All start to laugh but I, probably because I didn't catch the joke.

Cid tries to suppress his wild libido and starts explaining to his friend (who he constantly called Salamander), the reason for our visit. Amarant's tent is like a spiritual shrine, full of charms, bells, and decorations that shine with the few Pyreflies and candle lamps he has dimly lit. Nightfall is nearing us, so he pulls out luxurious cushions and blankets in case we want a sleepover.

"We need to know if you can help us identify his Maladie," finished Cid, while pointing in my direction with a nod. Amarant scratches his chin and wets his lips with his tongue. He asks if the situation is urgent, he probably was about to go to sleep soon. Cid answers in a begging manner that the situation cannot wait.

Annoyed, Amarant looks above us, as if trying to find a sign of distress in any of his charms hanging on the ceiling. He gives a soft 'yes' and proceeds to pull down a large claw hanging on a leather string. He gives a soft kiss to the item and proceeds to put it around my furry neck.

"I know you are not used to being touched by strangers," he says to me in a kind voice, somehow he accurately read my thoughts at the moment, yet I believed my corporal language gave me away, "but my ways are effective. Controversial, I must admit... but effective."

I understand his speech. Probably he would have to engage more intimately with me to understand what is the state of my disease. "I accept your methods," I respond without thought. I DO want to know what is the matter with me.

"Good." Amarant gives his commands, he needs me to lie down in the center of the tent, comfortable and without gears on me. I agree without hesitation. We are all boys after all. Although I blush heavily while my gaze crosses with that of Hezmush and Kimahri. I try to understand that maybe the whole party will stay to watch, but after a few minutes, Amarant asks everyone to leave. Perhaps he needs privacy to summon spirits of some kind.

After my company is out, he unties his fundoshi and starts his rituals. At first, I'm nervous, but slowly I can smell an incense so sweet. It makes me feel calm and slightly dizzy. He chants and prays while rubbing delicious oils in my chest, passing through my belly and then all over my genitals. It feels like an erotic massage to me.

He stops his chants. Then sings a soft prayer into my ears, which makes me go into a state of slumber.

At first, everything is dark, then I feel my body wet, floating on the surface of a pond in the middle of the dark.

"Hello?" I whisper, an echo resonating through the area. Somehow I understand this is my unconscious of some kind.

"Hello, my friend," replies Amarant, he is right next to me, yet his voice is all around.

Defying laws of physics I get up on a solid floor, still wet. "Is that you?" I ask. Out of nowhere, a body materializes next to me, it's Amarant.

He grabs my hand and kisses the back of my paw.

"I will be your guide," he explains, "hold my hand and walk along. If we want to find out what happened, we'll have to go through some veils."

"Some veils?" I ask. Suddenly I feel my crotch getting warm and a visible erection pops up. I try to apologize for it, but Amarant says I must not be ashamed of it, he has one as well, yet I only notice it until he points it out.

"To maintain our connection you must enter my body," he explains, "I will not Lie, you feel amazing."

We both let out a low chuckle. I guess I can't help but enjoy the ride.

We keep walking for a couple of minutes. At first, I'm quiet, but he is humming that tune that made me go into stasis again.

"Sometimes I feel that I know him," I say, more comfortable now that he seems to give me time to open up willingly.

"You do?"

"Yes," I continue, "as if Kimahri and I are close somehow, a hunch I feel all over my body, my chest starts to race and I want to hug him madly...! Yet the idea makes me sick..."

"What happened the night you fell into a coma?"

"I have no idea... they say we were asleep...."

"And?" Amarant and I stand face to face, he holds both my hands and we are now floating in the void, yellow and golden hues surround us.

"Someone came into our room," I continue, somehow speaking suppressed memories. "I felt how a dark presence was approaching me, it penetrated my mind and found its way into my dreams." I was questioning how violated I felt when I realized something new, "he could read me completely, found out I was human within but hideous outside."

"That explains why you feel torn," tells Amarant, "probably this intruder tore a half of you, but was unable to touch your human heart." He hesitates and asks, "did you see the face of this creature?"

"Yes." My reply is solid, yet I hesitate. "But I can't see him... not anymore..." I struggle for a second, suddenly I feel my eyes and mouth open wide, a burst of light coming out of them as if I were in a kind of supernatural trance.

I can see myself, my spirit is exiting this body I did for myself within my mind. Amarant is embracing the lights and turns to hug me from behind. I turn towards his direction and see what's going on, somehow the rays flooding out of my cavities are unfolding into visions. As if I were screening the events of that night. I see how a black shadow is on top of my body, pulling out my fundoshi and arousing my genitals with a cold touch.

Kimahri is next to me, but he doesn't notice the intruder. The vision reforms into particles, shaping the shadow and myself, both kissing. I ejaculate and he eats all of my seed. I try hard to see who he is, but when I'm about to unveil the stuff covering his face I wake up.

"STOP!" I roar. Amarant is surrounding my neck with his ape-like arms, hugging me tightly while my cock pops out of his hole, juices oozing out and wetting between us. I come to my senses and realize I'm out of the trance.

"Amarant is panting and damped in sweat, his dreadlocks tied up on a ponytail. I can see his face completely.

Panting he replies "You... are... a bull... honey."

I find myself sitting down, grabbing him by those tiny hips, and realizing I was probably fucking the guts out of his mind while being in our stupor. I imagined I would be still.

Amarant tries to get up but falls to his knees, I figure he took the ride of his life. And I didn't even enjoy it!

"I apologize," he says, while I assist him to stand up and walk him to a nearby couch full of silk sheets and soft pillows. "You must've been the victim of some powerful magycks... and oh goddesses! You are so in love with Kimahri. I felt every inch of it," he made a pause, reluctant to speak, yet he does, "you are a victim of some powerful dark spell... and I don't think there is an easy way to benefit you, at least not from me."

And if it's not you then who? Who is going to help me? I never felt this way, shattered within and feeling sick of someone who makes me taste special feelings... yet tempted to be into an affair with a man I just met.

Amarant tries to regulate his breath, I bring a glass full of freshwater, which our tired guru sips eagerly. Then give him a minute of silence, I tie down my undergarments and put on my belt. Amarant asks me to stay by the door, he says that coming out of the tent without me would not be beneficial for us.

"Usually I don't have a problem with leaving people I connect with right away," he explains, "but the link we accomplish was so strong... I'm worried you might experience... side effects."

After he rubs out the sweat off his body and ties up a fresh piece of cloth around his pubic area, Amarant grabs me by the arm. He is now limping and needs me to help him walk. "It's been a while since somebody forced me to use a cane to help me walk," he chuckles.

The guys are outside, sitting by the shore. Kimahri is the first to see me, he gets up and approaches. Hezmush wants to come too, but Cid holds his arm and gently asks him to leave us be. I happen to see him rubbing his crotch, implying they might jack off each other while the wait is up.

"Oh boy, we have a problem," Amarant speaks right after Kimahri is within hearing range.

"How did it go?" asks Kimahri. I divert my gaze, ashamedly. If only I could explain that I broke Amaran't ass hole.

"We did well," replied Amarant quickly, winking at me, he sat down at a log that had the shape of his buttocks carved in because of all the time he spent sitting on it. "But the news... not good. Are you sure you want to hear them too?" Kimahri nods, he has decided to help me out no matter what.

"There is no impossible for me to handle," he assures.

Amarant explains the situation, "Lufenian Magyck," he says. "Are you familiar with the term? It's one of the most ancient kinds of powers to ever step foot on our world."

Lufenia was a civilization that was so great yet their fall down was inevitable due to the power they harvested. To conceal the practice of Lufeninan magycks the ancient survivors locked down their greatest sources of power into synthetically refined crystals: the Eidoliths.

"But they are legends," replies Kimahri, "midwife stories to scare children. Even as a kid I was told those tales."

"Oh my child, you would be surprised at how many legends end up being true. Many thought Etro was."

"Well, assuming you are right," continues Kimahri, "how can we break a Lufeninan spell?"

Amarant chuckles in shame and explains there is no way. "Kill the caster if you can," he adds, "the spell is locked with an identity veil, something the Eidolith can grant to the one who curses. If you want the strength to break this affliction, you must find a Goldling Lufeninan Crystal."

Kimahri stays in silence, Amarant knows he said something practically impossible to get. If Lufeninan Crystals were the containers used to seal this antique civilization's magycks... it would be obvious that most of them were hidden who knows where, if not already lost.

"There are many tales," adds Amarant, "yet some of them might or might not be where these tales talk about. I would recommend you reach someone who might be accustomed to the lore of Lufenia. I know little and my understanding is limited."

"Would Yuna know about them?" asks Kimahri.

"Probably," replies Amarant, "she doesn't stop being a summoner. Eidoliths hold the power of creatures that are alike Aeons."

"Then it's decided," I say without thinking, Kimahri looks at me with some kind of relief. I try to turn down my voice, but I realize this was something I said from within my soul, so I make up my mind and finish the sentence: "We are to see Yuna. If she knows something, we could find out where the Eidolith might be hidden."

#BCXVI #Bestica Caeruleus XVI #Act IV #Beast #Kimahri Ronso

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storydays · 3 years

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Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins p1

The elven king, Xaius stands on the parapet of a great citadel overlooking a massive, smoldering battlefield. "Archers! Fire on my signal! Catapults! Hold for the next wave!" He turned to give an order, when a hideous creature, a gargoyle made of twisting shadow, swoops in toward him. Xaius reaches for his sword,as a blast of light catches the gargoyle in the side, blowing it into nothingness. The king turned to see his second-in-command, the battle mage Ellara, approaching with a gentle smile. "It looked like you needed a hand, my love" "I had it handled. What's your status?" Xaius asked.

"The Shadow forces are many, but they're weak. Our front lines are driving them back. " The elvlen woman smiled wearily. "I-I can't believe it..but we might actually win this th--" She gasped hearing a thunderous roar in the distance. "Gods above...it's the DreadLord! Those madmen actually summoned the DreadLord." Xaius gasped, but looked down to see Ellara's gentle but firm grip. "My love, what do we do?" She whispered. Xaius turned to her, eyes sparkling, his face hard and stoic. "We fight. We die. And we pray that some day, a hero will rise to avenge us..someday."

*Two thousand years later*

In a quaint little tavern in the town of Riverbend, a grinning pair of brothers downed their drinks, as the younger continued telling one of his favorite stories."So what happened next?" chuckled a 21 year old Ezra. His white hair had now grown down to his bottom but he kept it in a braid that hung around his shoulder, bangs brushed to the left side of his face, covering his birthmark, but allowed his gold eyes to peek out. He set down his mug of wine, and locked eyes with his brother across the table.

"The Dreadlord strode down the battlefield, boom,boom BOOM! And then--" His brother was cut off by the grumpy bartender. "We've been hearing this story for years, Kade. The Dreadlord attacked and destroyed the great elven empire." He stated, wiping down a nearby table. Kade scoffed. "Well, yeah, that's the short version....but you don't have the flair for storytelling that I do." Kade crossed his arms and pouted like a child, instead of the 16 year old he was.

Ezra leaned back in his seat, and looked around. They were sitting at their favorite table in the Dancing Pig Tavern, listening to his brother tell another story. 'It's crazy to think that 10 years ago, we were watching over Kade through his sickness...now he's here telling tall tales like those books he likes to read.' Kade and Ezra weren't only brothers, but they were also best friends. Kade was well known through Riverbend but not everyone was as easily amused as the elf was. Kade blended in well with the humans, with his short brown hair, bright green eyes, and freckles splashed across his face, while Ezra stuck out like a sore thumb.

Ezra tuned back into the conversation to hear: "I don't care how well you spin your tales! You still need to pay for your drink." The bartender gruffed at the smaller human. "Barkeep, you wound me." Kade huffed, his mood darkening slightly. Chuckling, Ezra paid his half of the tab and gave the younger a look. "Pay up, Kade. Mother taught us better than that." He stated seriously. "You too, Ezra? I swear, no one in this town appreciates the value of a good tale! Fine, I'll pay. But we're not coming back here!" Kade cried dramatically.

"Yes we are." Ezra and the bartender laughed louder when Kade added at the end, "Well, not tonight at least!" Ezra downed his wine and Kade finished his soda, before paying his side of the tab, and the two left the bar for the night. Ezra looked around their humble village before letting out a long sigh. "Another night in Riverbend. Same as any other." He mumbled gloomily. "That's not true. Some nights I manage to get us free drinks." Ezra barked a laugh before shoving his brother playfully, unable to stay gloomy around his brother.

"You know what I'm--" Ezra's sentence was cut off when he bumped into a tall human heading towards the outskirts of the village. "Hey, watch it!" "Ugh, sorry 'bout that." Ezra stepped back, eyeing the person in front of him. He was a rugged looking man with tanned skin,wavy shoulder length brown hair, glowering brown eyes, and he had a scar on his left eyebrow. He was wearing a cream long sleeved shirt, shoulder guards, wrist gauntlets, green cargo like pants, with a dagger on his left hip.

"Who're you?"Ezra asked, while the man retorted, " None of your business, that's who." Two people that the elf did recognize followed the handsome man. Town Constable Angus and his tough as nails apprentice Grenn. "This here's Mal Volari, from Whitetower." The elder man explained. "He's a world-famous adventurer!" Grenn grinned. "Wait, really?" Kade asked shocked. "Well..I wouldn't say world famous, more like continent-famous really." Mal snickered to himself.

"Well, it's nice to meet you." Ezra said, minding his manners. His poor mother would be rolling in her grave if he didn't at least pretend to be nice. "Yeah, great, nice to meet you too. Now if you don't mind, we've got some important business to get to..." Mal was interrupted by Kade, "Adventurer business? Around here?" "Mal's got a lead on a powerful ancient artifact in the elven ruins to the south! If we can get it, it'll sell for a fortune!" Grenn said excitedly. "Damn the Gods, Grenn, keep it down!" Hissed Angus, "You want everyone in this town to hear about it?" "No need to be so nasty about it." Ezra mumbled, noticing Mal's raised eyebrow at him.

"You mean...to the north, right? There's no ruins to the south." Kade corrected. Mal shoots Angus a glare and the man shrugs. "Y-Yes! To the north! That's what she meant!" He fumbled over his words. "Hang on...there's a powerful ancient relic somewhere around here? And you're going to get it?" Ezra spoke up, excitement coloring his voice. "I got a tip, okay? A good one. From someone willing to pay a whole lot of gold. Angus and Grenn here, they're going to help me claim it. Now if you don't mind..." Mal made to leave again when Ezra gasped the man's arm, and stated, "We'd like to come along." "E-Ezra!" Kade gaped.

"What? It's the chance of a lifetime." Gold eyes playfully sparkle at his brother's expression. Mal eyed the elf before letting out a weary sigh. "No can do. This is dangerous ancient crypt business. I can't have some rookie along bumbling things up." The human noted how the elf stiffened, and prepare himself for an argument.

"I'm not a rookie." glared Ezra. "Really? Ever pried a jewel from the hands of a cursed skeleton, knowing one wrong move would bring the whole room down on your head?" Mal challenged, making Ezra falter. "I mean, not technically.." He deflated. "Ever stabbed a snarling croctopus through the eye on the deck of a burning ship?" Mal continued. "I don't..know what that is." admitted Ezra. "How about this? You ever killed a man? You ever been in a real fight?" Ezra hesitated. ""Yes, I have to both of those." He said darkly, sending chills down everyone's back. "That's what I thought. I like your hustle, I really do. But I don't have time for some kit who's still wet behind the ears." " 'Kit?' " wondered the elf.

"It's a term for new adventurers..you know, like an apprentice?" Kade whispered." "See? You don't even know the terms. Which means you've got a long way ahead of you. Get out there, have some adventures of your own, learn some skills. Then come find me, we'll talk." Mal walked off towards the village gate, Angus laughing as he followed, Grenn sending her old friend a sad look. "Sorry, Ezra." "Well, that was a thing that happened." Kade laughed nervously at Ezra's silent fuming. "He's wrong. I could've done it. I'm the one who taught Grenn to be the adventurer she is today! Angus is an old drunk ass who can barely stay on his feet half the time! 'Learn some skills' I've got plenty of skills!"

The duo began walking again, when Kade asked aloud, "Like..what?" "Well Father taught us to fight bare hand, and I've learned some things about wielding a sword from my travels with Mother. I'm not useless." Ezra ran a finger over the silver ring on his left ring finger in habit. "That Mal guy really got under your skin, didn't he?" astonished the green eyed brother. "I don't know, I suppose I'm just jealous. I want to go on grand adventures and explore." He sighed dreamily. "And get fabulously rich." Kade grinned, Ezra matching him. "That too."

"Aw, don't be hard on Riverbend. This town's been good to us! Not every human village would take such care of a couple of kids like us." 'Or would allow an elf to stay without being treated horribly.' went unsaid between the two. "I know, Kade! And it'll always be my home. I just...want to experience something more. It's not like a great adventure is just going to drop into my lap." Ezra huffed, brushing his bangs to the side again. Green eyes watch his older brother for a moment before clapping his shoulder. "Well, don't worry, brother. We'll experience it all together. " Ezra chuckled softly. "I can always count on you, Kade."

"But for now, all we've got is Riverbend. So, where do you want to start tonight?" Ezra grinned, "Let's head to the night market." "Uh, did you miss the part about having little coin?" Kade raised a eyebrow. "And you think I'm going to let that stop me? Come now, brother, you know me better than that."

The brothers weaved their way through the bustling night market, listening to vendors call out what was for sale: Fruits, meats, silks from the capital, and fish from the shore. An elderly food vendor turned and shook her head at the boys with a warm smile. "Well, well. If it isn't my two favorite customers. Two copper pieces will get you the finest pears we have." "Watch this." Ezra mumbled to Kade, before confidently walking towards the vendor, with a sly grin.

"My dear vendor, we don't have any coin..but is coin what really matters in this world?" "Excuse me?" The vendor chuckled, used to the young man's antics. "Love...passion...a moment of intimacy. Why, what is coin compared to that? Surely a beauty like you can understand." The white haired elf purred, his voice smooth like silk, eyes aglow. The woman barked a laugh at Ezra. "You are an absolute rascal, you know that? Now take these and get out of here boys." Laughing, she handed him two fresh pears, as he winked his thanks.

Ezra bit into his as Kade stared at his back with wide eyes. "How? How did that possibly work?" He raced to catch up with Ezra. "What can I say? I'm the best flirt in Riverbend." His brother laughed before finally eating his pear, walking to the town square when he spoke up again.

"You see? Riverbend isn't so bad. They've taken good care of us." "You're right. I just wish--" "HELP! Please HELP!" A shout echoed through the air. The duo turned to see a young woman in priestess's robes ran into the town square, before grabbing into Ezra, gripping his arms to keep herself from falling,Ezra eyes her.

She had long red hair the fell down to her armpits in ringlets, some strands falling into her face, framing her light brown eyes. She was wearing light pink robes, with a silver and violet necklace on her neck. "You need to help me! Please!" She begged. "Whoa there, what's wrong?" Ezra asked. The woman straightened herself out, standing tall. But Ezra could see behind her disciplined posture, was a hint of fear.

"I am Nia Ellarious, a priestess of the Light. My mentor and I are on a pilgrimage...but we were attacked by an owlbear on the road! I managed to escape while he distracted the beast. But he needs help! Now!" "Have no fear, young priestess..we are brave adventures." "Really?" Kade snorted at his brother's antics. "Shh! Don't mess this up!" hissed Ezra as Nia smiled in relief. "Thank you so much! Please, hurry now. He's just down the road." She began rushing off as Ezra and Kade shared a hesitant look before running after the ginger, but not before Ezra grabbed his sword on the way, strapping it to his left hip.

"Let's go."

@imturaxamara @bladesappreciationweek #bladesAW

https://bladesappreciationweek.tumblr.com/

#blades of light and shadow #choices #mal valori #nia ellarious #bolas kade

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sojourntime-aux · 4 years

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Day 6 (August 7th): Life’s Perks – With no worlds to save or Heartless to battle, how do they spend their free time? What are their hobbies or talents? Give us that slice of life goodness!

I'm not the best at writing slice of life stuff but I gave it a shot. Also I kinda went a little off prompt, since I've already talked a lot everyone's hobbies and talents! So enjoy Day 6! @khoc-week

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"Hey Kathrynn, back just in time! Come check this one out!" Tagen called to his friend, making the girl in question come sit down next to him on the sand.

"What to you think it's from?" She asked, eyeing the tiny piece of worn bone that Tagen had sifted out of the sand and was now holding up to show her.

"A Heartless maybe?" He replied, half joking as he adding it to the jar of other things he'd found today. Kathrynn snorted.

"A Heartless? Do Heartless even have bones?" Tagen join in laughing, adding another pile of sand from the hole he had dug, onto his homemade sifter. Kathrynn looked back over her shoulder calling a little ways up the shore to her friends. "Tabby, Tabitha! What do you think? Are these Heartless bones Tagen is digging up?"

Tabby glanced over from where he was further along the shoreline, next to the few fishing poles he had anchored in the sand. He gave Kathrynn a confused look before going back to his fishing endeavours. Tabitha didn't seem to notice her friend calling to her, she had her nose to far in her notebook. Kathrynn laughed, rolling her eyes playfully, before turning back to Tagen.

"So how far did you walk?" He asked, already working on sifting down the next scoop of sand.

"Until I could see the end on the island, then I turned back, so I wouldn't be away from you guys too long." Kathrynn replied, helping him pick out the larger bits of shell.

"That far? Really? So did you find anything cool?"

"Some nice shells, even some spiral ones, or at least pieces. And plenty of the kind Tabitha likes." She looked back over at at her friend. "Heeey Tabitha~" Kathrynn flicked a little sand Tabitha's way, startling her freind and making Tabitha pout slightly.

"Hey! You're gonna get sand in my notebook!" She whined. Kathrynn only chuckled.

"Uh then you shouldn't have brought it to the beach? There nothing but sand here Tabitha! Of course it's gonna get some in it!" Tagen called back to her. Tabitha only huffed, closing her notebook. She then set it aside and stood up, stretching a moment before stepping out from under the large beach umbrella and walking down the sand to her friends. Moldy OJ only picked its head up for a moment to see where its owner was going, before curling back up.

"Check this these out Tabitha." Kathrynn pulled some shells out from the small bucket she had next to her, and held them out. "There are lots of red ones." Tabitha took one in her hand, running her fingers over the grooves. Tabitha always liked the shells Kathrynn found wandering the beach. She liked making things out of the ones with the little holes.

Suddenly Tabby let out an excited help behind them, making everyone turn their eyes. On the end of one his lines was a good size fish, and Tabby was looking pretty proud of himself. "One more, and we will have a enough for dinner."

"Sounds great!" Tagen said, giving him a grin. "Let me know when youre ready for my help with cooking."

"Alright, sure!" Tabby said, recasting the line he had just reeled in, now that it was bated again.

"I don't understand how you can spend all day fishing Tabby, we are supposed to be here relaxing." Kathrynn said, giving her friend a teasing smile.

"This is relaxing for me, I like fishing. Plus maybe you should talk to Tabitha about not relaxing today." Tabby replied, returning the smile, and chuckling at at the look Tabitha gave him.

"Yeah, you're right. Weren't you supposed to bring other books to read, and not your notebook?" Kathrynn turned to give Tabitha a playful shove.

"Heeey! Aren't you guys the ones who just said that any book I brought would end up with sand in it...?" Was Tabitha's defense. It made her friends all laugh, making Tabitha let out a huff and flop back onto the sand. "I'm going to end up buuuurnnned! What am I supposed to do?"

"Go swimming?" Tagen suggested.

"That won't stop me from getting burned!"

"But the burns will be worth it!"

Tabitha sat up, and reached into shallow water at their feet and splashed him, before laying back down again.

Tagen put the sand sifter aside, shoving the extra sand back into the hole he had dug. He then stretched out his legs and stared out at the water before them. "So find anything else cool, Kathrynn?" Tagen asked, leaning back on his hands.

"Yeah actually, I found something you'll like. I think it's the bone of a sea star." She took the nearly complete starfish skeleton out of the bucket.

"Wait, The ocean has stars too? Are you sure they didn't just fall out of the sky?" Tabitha asked, sitting up to look at the thing in kathrynns hand.

"It was a living thing at one point, Tabitha. Most of what I find are from things like sea stars, if they arent teeth. But I guess those are from living things too." Tagen said holding up his jar.

"Well aren't the stars living things?" Tabitha replied. The comment made all four friends look up at the sky at the few stars they could see in the pale unchanging.

"Kathrynn?" Tagen prodded after a moment.

"I-I don't know. I just know which stars are named which, and what pictures they make. I don't know what they really are. I'm not sure anyone does..."

-ERROR-

"Mmm something smells delicious!" Kathrynn greeted her friend who was waiting by the fountain with a small picnic basket over her shoulder.

"I made Tabitha's favorite. Hopefully they'll still be warm when she gets here." The girl replied. Kathrynn chuckled in response, looking around the square to keep an eye out for the girl in the question.

"I'm sure she'll love them either way. She always loves your baking. It's always good. Weeell after you're done experimenting with the recipe."

"Why thank yo- hey!" The other girl was halfway through an over exaggerated bow in thanks, which she stopped to give Kathrynn a playful shove. "You should be honoured to be my taste tester! I could always give the job to Tabitha."

"And have Tabitha constantly burning her mouth? No way!"

"I don't burn my mouth that often!... Only cause it smells so good." Tabitha was looking at the two with mock hurt, having just arrived. Kathryn started snorting, leaning against the edge of the fountain. The other girl shook her head with a smile, stepping forward to give Tabitha a hug.

"What took you so long, sugar? I was worried these would go cold if you didn't get here soon." She opened up the picnic basket to show off the freshly made chocolate raspberry cupcakes, making Tabitha's eyes go wide.

"Oh those look amazing!" Tabitha replied, bouncing on her feet a little.

"Then I guess we better get moving, before they actually go cold." Kathrynn piped up. "To the hiking trails?" The other two nodded, before following Kathrynn out of the square.

"Y'know, maybe one of these days we should take the ferry out to island. Go to the beach." Kathryn piped up as they walked.

"And get sand in my baking? No thank you." The other girl replied. "What do you think Tabitha?"

"Don't boats makes people sick?"

"Only some people, there's really no way to know until you get on one." The girl replied.

"Oh. But why would you want to find out?"

"The beach, Tabitha! There's an actual beach the ferry goes to! With shells, and shore, and tide pools, and probably a million more stars a night!" Kathrynn gestured her arms to the morning sky.

"Whoa whoa whoa, the ferry doesn't run after dark! If we went wouldn't it just be for the day?" The girl turned to look at Kathrynn, a little shocked by what she was saying.

"Well why couldn't we camp out there at night?"

"Um the Heartless that's why!"

"Isn't that what our keyblades are for?" Tabitha piped up. Kathrynn gave a little bounce, smiling, and gesturing to Tabitha.

"See~, Tabitha's on board."

"I didn't say that.." Tabitha gave Kathrynn a look in response. The other girl pinched the bridge of her nose as she walked.

"We'll go for the day, and if it looks fine, we'll talk about going back and camping, another time." The girl glanced around, before leaning in close to Tabitha and Kathrynn. "You know the heartless have gotten more and more dangerous, everything has been crazy lately." She said in a lowered voice as they walked.

"That's why we should go. This could be one of our last chances to go!" Kathrynn said, making a shard of panic stick in the other girl's heart. It must have been visable on her face because Kathrynn put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Relax, I just meant with the Heartless getting stronger, you might be right, and we should go before that becomes the truth." The girl nodded, glancing over at Tabitha, before turning her gaze to her footsteps.

There were a few moments of silence between the group, but the girl knew what they were all thinking. 'If that is the truth we are headed for.'

"Can we talk about this later?" Tabitha broke the silence. "Today was supposed to be our relax day."

"Agreed!" Kathrynn and the other almost shouted in unison, before giving each other a smile.

"C'mon, let's get a move on! We've still got a long walk ahead of us!" Kathrynn said, skipping on ahead, leaving Tabitha and the other girl behind.

"Wait up!!"

#khocweek2020 #khux #sojourns keykids #khux oc #this took a bit sorry for it being late #i still had fun writing these #one more day #thats gonna be post right after this!

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interstellarre · 3 years

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Delve In The Depths. Chapter IV

Word Count. 1.5k

a/n. I feel like the story line is getting pretty confusing currently? Please let me know if I should slow the story down. Also, I'm going to be starting to write stories from this world not being a specific chapter.

Trigger Warnings. none

Series Masterlist

Chapter IV.

"Mortals such as yourself should keep better watch of your weapons. Do you know what happens when your dagger falls in the wrong hands?" the young man, well in looks you dare to presume, frowned at the weapon previously occupied on the floor. He stared you up and down, arms on his hips, analyzing you.

"And I've supposed you've never dropped something in your thousand year life?" you test the waters with a joke, tilting your head and laughing.

"Hmph, I can't understand your sense of humor." He turns his head and starts to walk away, making virtually no sound on the wood planks as he steps." Starting to turn away yourself, you stop mid-step to shout. This is your chance to receive the answers you've been waiting for. "Wait!" He looks over at you.

"Who's Bosacius?" you ask. His scowl returns. "Bosacius? What do you know of this name?"

Where have you heard that name? Your mind rushes to literature. Weren't adepti commonly discussed topics in Liyue's history? "I found a book in Wanwen Bookhouse," you bluff, "It contained a book regarding the topic of adepti, where his name was mentioned."

"That piece of literati fan fiction seems to be popular these days," he mused while you attempted to keep a neutral expression as if you knew what he was talking about. He must have heard it from someone else who read it. "Very well," he sighs, "I will answer your questions. In exchange you will answer questions of my own."

"Very well." agreeing to his deal. Fitting for a follower of Rex Lapis you suppose. "First," he starts, "How was karmic debt tainting you when I saw you in the morning? I didn't see you before this incident occurred. I am sure this wasn't a result of my own." Karmic debt? Is that what it was called?

"I don't know, I’ve had these symptoms all my life.” You admit.

“All your life? His face turns into one of deep confusion. Deep in thought.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No, nothing of your concern.”

In an attempt to steer the conversation away, you mention Bosacius. “And what of Bosacius? Where is he now?" Xiao's eyes narrow and the tension in the air thickens.

"Gone, I would think someone who read a book on Adepti would know that fact." he abruptly stops the conversation and you know he's caught you in your lie. "Where did you hear the name Bosacius's name?" he was starting to tighten his grip on his polearm.

"I heard it in my dreams." you cutting his decision to put a spear through your heart.

"Your dreams?"

Standing besides you now, he felt the guilt pouring over his soul as he looked down upon your relaxed features. A rush of familiarity went over him, one that he hadn't felt in eons, as he he delve into your dream.

"Isn't this ironic? With myself possessing a pyro vision and you a geo vision? Vaporization and Erosion?" Bosacius and Menogias look to the sea. Bosacius staring in silence while Menogias chattered, up to her usual antics. The waves crashed among the huge boulders of stone while the wind whipped Menogias's hair into a frenzy, though she didn't take it as a need to tuck it behind her ear.

Together they watched the shore and reminisce the lullabies sung by the waves and the wind. Meno's ranting silenced.

"When do you think this war against the fester of the slain gods will end?"

Bosacius tilts his head to look at the pyro user, "Hearing a comment as sensible as this from you is one in a million. I must be blessed by the divine." he mused. "Very funny." was the prickly reply from Menogias, as she reached to pull her mask from her face.

That was all Xiao needed. He collapsed out of the dream. It tasted nothing like the dreams he oh so frequently used to consume from mortals. "Bosacius? What is the meaning of this?"

II.

La Signora stood staring at the sea. The cool breeze rushes past her face and blew her hair to the side. Drumming her fingers over the ship rails, she seemed to be lost in her thoughts about times far away, years ago in the Port of Liyue Harbor. Coming back to the place always brought back the memories.

"Do you believe that this will the be weapon to finally destroy the Tsaritsa?" a fatui agent, Alexey, to her right asked, crossing his arms.

The haughty woman to his side asked, "Do you take me for someone that would fail to utilize their weapons when achieving their goals?" Signora asked.

A ferryman walked by them both and they hushed their voices.

"No, my intention was not to underestimate you my lady."

"Of course." Signora scowled, watching her entourage heaving her belongings up the ship. As the men carried the boxes up the stairs, a baby's wail rang out, making all the men wince.

Coming back to reality, the 8th harbinger shakes her head. An image of you sat down, glassy, blank eyes staring at a barred window while fatui agents guard your door clouds her mind. "A failed plan to dethrone your queen." a voice would ring out as the Cryo archon sat staring at the kneeling harbinger.

The ship's horn blast waking Signora out of her trance. One of the agents opens the door and assists the harbor worker with the necessary precautions.

The same monotone routine plays out. Her accomplices tow her luggage down the stairs. Alexey speaks to her in his usual quiet manner, "All the needed preparations for your arrival have been done, my lady." She nods her head, causing the wood stairs to creak as she stepped down to look at the bustling city. The merchants averted their gaze as the crowd stepped aside to let her walk. Alexey trailed behind her, nearly getting hit by her blond strands of hair fanned by the powerful breeze. A Qixing representative steps forward to greet her.

"La Signora, a honor," he offers his hand to which she shakes albeit hesitantly. "I-" he started only to look up and realize Signora had sauntered off. Looking back he watched her stride up the stairway tailed by her lackey. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighs in defeat.

The guard straightened his posture at her arrival, his form rigid. The doors swung open to reveal the empty lobby room with the exception of Ekaterina. "Master Signora," greeted Ekaterina, with a slight tremble to her usual pleasant tone. "Master Childe can be found at-"

The creaking of the door and the sound of shoes tapping on wood stops their conversation and causes them both to look back only for Signora to be greeted by a hurling figure pulling her into a tight hug.

"Such a sweet sight." a voice crooned behind them, "Could the fierce some harbinger be losing her touch?" which received a glower look from his fellow harbinger as you pulled away to look at the newcomer. "Snezhnaya's bloodhound proving useless commentary around Liyue. I believe you were recalled back to Snezhnaya? What reason do you have to be here again?" she snarled, gripping you tighter on the wrist as if he would steal you away.

You look back and forth between the both of them, the auburn haired man baiting for a fight and your suddenly snarky mother. You hold a hand out to the hydro user, which sticks out attached to his belt.

"It's [Name]."

"Childe, nice to meet you comrade." he offers his hand in response, flashing you a mischievous smile. You could feel your mother's glare at the back of your head. Wasn't it the mothers that were supposed to have eyes at the back of their heads? You mother pulls you away by the shoulder, "It's about time we head off Childe, I'm sure you'll find time to talk later."

"Right, of course," Chide verifies though he doesn't look too thrilled at the thought. Signora leans in to talk into your ear. You can smell her signature lavender perfume, nothing like the flowery scent that drifted out of Ying'er's shop. "We'll talk later." Ah, there we go, you can smell the motherly interrogation from a mile away.

She takes her leave following after Childe slipping through the doorway. Alexey breaks you out of your unseen panic.

"Shall we?"

The people of Liyue don't take too kindly to your fatui companion, you catch side eyes and whispers as you past them on your way to Third Round Knockout. You spy Chongyun nodding at Xingqiu with a rather determined look on his face as if he signed up for an extremely dangerous mission. Knowing Xingqui and the laughter he's hiding, it's definitely a possibility.

"We aren't meeting at Wanmin Restaurant today? Shame." sitting down at the third stool, holding your face in your hands, with a dramatic sigh. Chongyun shivers at the though of some of Xiangling's spicy dishes.

Xingqui welcomes your presence with a clap of his hands. "[Name]! How kind to grace us with your presence! I was just informing Chongyun here about the presence of a scary ghost seen in Qingce Village!" all said with a troubling smile. Chongyun starts to rise out of his seat as the waiter comes to take your orders. He starts going on about having to head to Qingce Village, inviting you for the ride startling the poor waiter.

Oh dear.

#genshin x reader #genshin impact #genshin imagines #xiao #xiao x reader #childe x reader #genshin impact x reader #Delve In the Depths

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