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#focussing too much on wanting to get the person to take them seriously or see them the way they want to be seen
bitchthefuck1 · 2 months
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It's kind of funny that Kendall and Shiv are both equally delusional about their ability to charm people for business and somehow think they can do it even though they choke almost every single time, whereas it's like the one thing Roman is consistently good at despite being the "least legitimate" option.
I think part of this comes down to the fact that Shiv and Kendall both have very clear ideas of the versions of themselves they're trying to be and the images they're trying to project, and they're trying so hard to be seen that way that they end up coming off as a little desperate and off-putting. Meanwhile Roman "knows" that there's something wrong with him and he's worthless, so he doesn't get sucked into the trap of trying to force people to see his idea of himself and instead molds himself into whatever he thinks the other person wants from him because that's the only way he can compensate for "being him," which works very well in the short term but also means he's the least capable of maintaining any relationship for very long because he has no sense of self.
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possiblyaworldbuilder · 9 months
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On the four Faces and the creation myth:
As mentioned before there are four God-like beings that made the world(s) and its inhabitants. They are called Faces because they represent and embody these concepts like a Face represents a person and all that they are.
Now it is not clear how exactly the got there, or if they had always existed, but this here is a little excerpt from an old Tèràl text roughly translated:
“Before the begining, there was nothing but a vast emptyness. And then to this void of nothingness the four Faces were drawn like an artist is drawn to an empty canvas, like how a musician will fill a silence with the sound of their voice. And like the artist, they started to create.”
Now it is important to note that, against common belief, the Faces did not always have a mind and consciousness like they do in the current day. It takes a person time to develop who they are, and for a God this is not much different. Creating sped this process up tho, and soon after worship did too. At this point the Faces had near fully developed minds.
Unfortunately this had downsides. Creation gave them a mind, but worship brought it to corrupt. Not in ways you might think of at first, though. See when the world was first created, it was a huge flat circle. Both sides were made into a beautiful paradise where the first ever creations of the Gods lived. But the Faces wanted more. And so they created the concepts of sin and evil and eventually, the first monsters were born.
Now how exactly the eyeless serpent plays into this is unclear, but soon things got seriously out if hand. The perfect paradise got ruined by Gods who thought they could keep their evil creations in check, and the mother of monsters who acted as a catalyst. The world was in ruin and the touch of the serpent made it so the Faces were unable to deal with the horrors directly. Their solution was to split the world in two, keeping the monsters on the backside of the new worlds and starting over again on the insides. But in the process of splitting the world large chunks broke off, getting lost to the void. This is how Hedràr and Yídràl got their unique shapes.
And that is where I’ll leave it off for now! Next post will be a continuation focussing a little more on the Faces in the current day. Hope you enjoyed and until the next time!
Havéja!
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englishstrawbie · 2 years
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Station 19: season 1
After watching the pilot, I wasn’t planning to rewatch the whole first season but then I got hooked when I remembered why I loved Maya from day one, and how badass Vic is (or used to be), and how the fires and rescues used to be so much better, and how the characters had better storylines that wasn’t all about relationship drama. So now I’ve watched all but the season finale (which will get its own post once I’ve watched it).
- The call outs were so good – the blue fire, the car stuck under a utility pole, the strip mall, the bus crash, getting trapped in the garage. Everything feels so tame by comparison these days. Even if there’s no budget for big fires, they can come up with some interesting rescues that add to the story. The show has become way too focussed on personal drama, whereas season 1 had a much better balance, I think.
- I love seeing where Maya started from to where she was by the end of season 4. (Yes, I’m ignoring season 5.) Embrace the pain, eyes forward, take the power; championing Andy to become captain – and seeing the start of her drive to become lieutenant and then captain. Also seeing her help Vic get over her fear of fire, pushing her too hard and in the wrong way because she always had that way of treating someone as she had been treated, rather than treating them as they needed. She’s always such a badass on callouts too - as annoyed as I am about the demotion, there’s a reason I love seeing her on the ground instead of co-ordinating.
- On a personal note, can we have more scenes of Maya eating strawberries like in 1x06? (Is there a gif of that moment? I need one!) 
- I’d forgotten that Pruitt had promoted Andy to lieutenant so that she had a chance of taking over as captain. She has moments of brilliance in the first season, but she’s also a mess at times – letting her relationship with Jack affect her job, ignoring the mayday call during the incinerator trial. You can see how much she has grown into the captain role in season 5, when she clearly wasn’t ready in season 1. That said, they did her dirty in episode 8 – stopping to help the victims of the bus crash was the right thing to do and saved lives, the fact that Jack left a patient alone in the back of a stocked Aid Car (against Andy’s orders) was his fault and nothing to do with Andy not following protocol.
- It's hard to see Maya and Andy’s relationship without being reminded of the bts drama that has affected their screentime together these days, but they really do bounce off each other so well (ignoring their silly fight when Andy told Maya to back off and Maya overreacted). But ultimately they want what’s best for each other – Maya is always pushing Andy to be captain and Andy is the first to tell Maya to apply for lieutenant. I hate the way the show keeps pitching women against each other instead of making sure they have each other’s backs.
- Ah Mason. A brief appearance in two episodes and so many of us still hope that one day you’ll return one day! But seriously, when…?
- It still annoys me that they’ve forgotten that Jack had been lieutenant for longer than Andy and Maya, and was a serious contender for captain in season 1 – but now he gets overlooked any time someone needs to step up. Why wasn’t he promoted to captain in season 5 instead of bringing in Beckett? (Answer = plot device.)
- Vic was amazing in season 1 – running drills and teaching Ben, her friendship with Travis, generally being light and fun but also seeing her arc as she overcomes her fear of fire. Remember when she asked Andy and Jack who they’d save first in a fire when they were sleeping together, and now no-one cares that a firefighter is sleeping with a lieutenant?!
- I love how Travis is opinionated and will always say what he thinks. I feel like he’s been the most consistent character over the last five seasons – apart from the relationship drama with Emmett in season 5 that drove me crazy! Travis and Grant were such a great pair, they had great chemistry and I wish that had lasted for longer.
- Oh, I miss Dean! He and JJ were a disaster from the start. I’d forgotten how he’d struggled to keep up with her lifestyle, got too tired and was the reason the team ended up locked inside the garage of a burning house.
- Considering Ben was the link between Grey’s and Station 19, he’s always been underwhelming for me. The best thing about him is his relationship with Bailey, to be honest, and I love how they involved her in the show. It’s interesting to see her berate him for not telling her about the job and the scary stuff they do, knowing that when he does she ends up having heart problems and leads to them splitting up for a while.
- Ryan feels superfluous. He’s sweet but he’s really only there to prop up Andy’s storylines. I did like the friendship between him and Maya.
- I both love Pruitt but also find him annoying sometimes - especially when he’s condescending. There are several scenes in the season when he and Andy are talking about Andy’s mom, and I’d love to know if it was always in the back of their minds that she was still alive or if that was a curveball that Krista introduced when she took over as showrunner.
Does anyone else feel nostalgia for the early seasons?
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tiggymalvern · 1 year
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Burn Notice - season 5 rewatch musings
In the first episode, when Michael tells the CIA dude that he insists on taking ‘his team’ along, CIA dude immediately assumes he means Sam and Fiona, and Michael confirms that yes, that’s exactly who he means. Sorry, Jesse, you don’t make the cut. I noticed that on the first watch, but then when I did the season write-up, I couldn’t remember whether Jesse had already returned to Miami, or if he didn’t show up till the end of the ep. But he was there right after the opening credits; it’s just that nobody’s including him on the list of Michael’s permanent attachments yet. Poor Jesse forgave these people a massive betrayal, then walked away from his career and came back to the only place he had friends, and it’s still not enough to count. You have to put in the years with the Burn Notice team, no short cuts. Bloodlines still hits like a truck the second time around. Brilliant writing, brilliant acting from Jeffrey Donovan and Sharon Gless. All the family trauma laid out hard. I wish Pearce had played more of an active role in season five. I didn’t notice her much on the first watch of this season, being more focussed on the main characters and the plot, but I really liked her by the time she left in season six, so this time I was specifically paying her more attention. She does have some great moments in season five – sticking up for Sam when Minaro’s being a dick about him, giving Michael his chance to prove his innocence after she arrests him – but too much of the time, she’s only there for a scene or two advancing the plot. When she is given the chance to play her part and show her personality, she’s great. People like Pearce, who are dedicated and smart and want to do the right thing are so much of the reason Michael wants his job back, why he wants to do the work again. And then later he gets stuck with Tom Card instead... Fiona’s so quick to suggest that she should turn herself in when Anson starts blackmailing Michael. I’d forgotten how early she decided that was going to be the only way out. She really has come a million miles from the selfish, irresponsible nightmare she was at the start (and she basically says it in her letter). It’s interesting that Michael doesn’t know the details of Sam getting kicked out of the navy, about Beatriz. He knows the first part, about the pissed off Admiral, then the next thing he would have heard would be that Sam suddenly decided to take early retirement, and Michael wouldn’t have believed that for a second. So he would presumably have asked Sam, but Sam signed an NDA, and he takes those things seriously (along with the very serious threat of jail). I wonder if Michael was ever tempted to poke around and see if he could find out? Or if he just rolled his eyes and figured that whatever it was, it would have been one of those very Sam things? Probably the latter. I get the feeling that pre-Burn Michael was much better behaved from the CIA’s perspective than post-Burn Michael - which isn’t to say that he was a particularly great person, as we gather from Larry, just that he would have been more inclined to follow orders and not risk sticking his nose into classified things that aren’t his assigned mission. Several times over the years of Burn Notice, we’ve seen old friends of Sam emerge looking for help, and each time, Sam is all, ‘This person saved my life, I have to help them.’ And he tells Michael the same thing here: ‘Beatriz saved me twice, I’ll do anything to help her.’ Except this time, we know that story. We know Sam got out of those situations twice, then walked back in because he wouldn’t leave behind the twenty or so civilians he’d collected along the way, and that’s why he needed a Beatriz. Sam blew up his career and his life for people he met two days before, and the only part he tells other people is how Beatriz saved him. And Michael listens to that and then works with the person who’s blackmailing him, because Sam asks him to. Because Michael knows Sam, and can probably start filling in some of the gaps for himself. I’m a little sad that the thing about Sam being a suspected Russian agent disappeared after the end of that ep. It would have been funny if it had cropped up again; Sam would have been absolutely livid. And there might have been a time or two when it could be useful, when they actually are dealing with Russians…
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twistthenoches · 3 years
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Yandere!Leona x reader
• The first time you both met was kind of... Hectic.
• You were doing some tasks that were given to you. One of them happened to be in the botanical garden, where you accidentally stepped on someone's tail. This tail belonged to Leona Kingscholar, the dormleader of Savanaclaw. You apologised, saying that you didn't see him, but then he started to scold you. Saying how you should look at where you're walking. You yourself couldn't believe what was happening. Of course you had to defend yourself, so you simply said: "You know... For a guy that is supposed to be royalty, you don't know anything about manners or how to behave in public. A bed is a place where you should be napping at. Not places where you'll be in others way." He of course didn't appreciate your words and was about to attack you until a teacher stopped you both.
• You both were being scolded by the teacher, how embarrassing this may be for you both, you had to apologise to each other. With much trouble, you both apologised and were planning to not see each other EVER again. Well... fate had other plans for you.
• The following times you bumped into each other you both always glared at each other. Making remarks about each other. Whenever you both had to be somewhere together for some tasks that were given to you. Like cleaning the library bookcases, or watering the plants in the botanical garden. HE would always take a nap while you worked and say things to him like: "Aren't you going to help? It's a task also given to you!" He would either ignore you or just make remarks/directions on what you should do.
• You absolutely couldn't stand him at first. Though, somehow his company whenever you're doing these things made you feel comforted. Of course you didn't like it when he was smart talking, but at least you're not alone and had someone to 'talk' to. Well... You're just calmly responding to his sometimes insulting words. How you managed to stay calm? Even you didn't know
• Leona, found you amusing. How you would do your tasks and just complain, but nothing more than that. On some occasions when he's really tired he would just leave and nap elsewhere, but there was some part of him saying that he should stay and just observe.
• After you both spent more time together. You doing the tasks, he just laying down. You both went quiet. You had nothing to say to each other. You focussed on your task which was... Quite difficult to do alone. You don't think of yourself as someone weak, but a task where you have to get a few items, which were on the heavy side, into certain rooms was a bit too much for you to handle.
• You gave up on asking Leona to help since, whenever you do ask. He just either leaves or ignores you. You tried to move the things, but it went very slowly. As you tried to speed up the progress you accidentally drop the heavy item on your foot. You cursed out in pain, where Leona for some reason reacted on by walking up to you and helping you out. He brought you to the infirmary and finished the job by himself.
• You found this weird. He NEVER helped you, but did this time? You thought, maybe this guy takes things seriously the moment someone gets hurt... But I am surprised that he didn't call me stupid or clumsy.
• The next few times together he has been helping you which was a pleasant surprise, but confused you. The moment you have to do something that looks difficult he would stop doing his work and do the task for you. Then go back to his work.
• You didn't know how to feel about this. To be honest you liked him more now that he's actually helping. Of course he'll sometimes do the job lazily or he would just take a nap right afterwards, but he still finishes it.
• Leona didn't know what happened to him. Normally he's able to ignore anyone. It didn't matter if they're a bit hurt or are scolding them to go to the class. So why is he concerned whenever it was about you? He isn't dumb of course, he knew that he had fallen in love with you since you're up until now the only one that withstood his constant insulting in a way.  
• He had to test out how he felt, he thought... But that thought was thrown away the moment he saw you with the person he absolutely hated. Malleus. You were smiling at your best friend and Leona felt more and more jealous. He waited... He waited until Malleus was gone and he had a chance to talk to you. When Malleus disappeared into tin air, leaving fireflies in your presence, leaving fireflies in your presence. He revealed himself and asked you, soon after Malleus left, if you would hang out with him and he made it clear that he won't be napping, since he know that you would expect that from him.
• You found this weird, but accepted his offer. Curious about what he would do when you do hang out. Out of free will this time.
• The following times that you hung out went very smoothly. In fact, you both opened up for each other. Eventually you were crushing on him and he confirmed his feelings about you.
• He decided that he should make you his. How he did this was not very romantic, but you didn't really expect him to be the very romantic type anyways. You both were doing tasks in the classroom. That's when he blurted something out.
• "Huh?... Could you repeat that again?" You asked, not believing that what you've heard just now was true.
He rolled his eyes and sighed. "... Listen now, I won't be repeating myself again after this... Can I be your boyfriend?" He asked.
• You needed a moment to process this, but he wasn't this patient.
"Nevermind... This was stupid to begin with..."
He said, he felt scared somehow. Scared of rejection. Scared of feeling that you would say no and that you liked someone who was 'superior' than him. Scared that you would start looking at him like all the people back home did whenever they were comparing his brother and him. He at least wants to be friends if you didn't have an answer, but he wouldn't know what to do if you rejected him. Why wouldn't you reject him? When you both met each other you were already at each others necks... He at least was happy that there wasn't bad blood between you both anymore.
Your following words did surprise him.
• "Sure, why not... I did start crushing on you after all." You said.
This simple sentence alone was enough to have him ecstatic. He never really showed it and rather played it cool, but he was relieved.
• The following months went great, you both loved spending time with each other.
• Whenever you both would cuddle each other you would sometimes just enjoy each others presence. Whenever he felt talkative, he would talk about his day or softy whisper compliments in your ear.
• He opened up a lot to you and to you only. You knew more about him. More than almost everyone you knew. Of course... The only person that knew him better than you was he himself.
• He knew that he was starting to get possessive of you. He knew how he truly felt whenever you would hang out and laugh with others. He knew how he felt. He knew his thoughts and he knew that if he actively went to act upon his thoughts and feelings that you would probably leave him. He would love to have you locked up and him being the only one to be able to see you, but wasn't able to do this.
• He had to work secretively. Whenever you hang out with people he would glare at them. Especially if they're getting too close to you. He likes to have some distance between you and other people. To do this, he would intimidate others. Glaring them down as if they would be his next dinner if they were, in his opinion, too friendly with you.
• He would often nap at places where you like to hang out. Sometimes hiding too smartly to make his presence unknown, while he's just listening in.
• When he's napping and you're not around, he would often send Ruggie to check up on you and would do this in a way to make it seem like Ruggie went to you out of his own free will. If he's planning on moving and checking up on you himself, he would hide near you. he knows that you would suspect him to be somewhere else, just lazily napping.
• If you did notice him, he would say that some kids were disturbing him and that he's finding another spot to rest. If he's feeling extra possessive, he would drag you with him. Since you're his cuddle buddy too.
• When you both are resting and he's smelling someone else on you his face would sometimes scrunch up. He would either ask (demand) you to wear his clothes just to get rid of the smell. Or he would make very bruised up hickeys on your neck or collarbone. These hickeys would sometimes be hard to cover up.
"Tch... You smell weird. I won't be able to sleep with that stench around.  Did you hang out with __ again?... Time to remind you that you're mine and mine alone."
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iiraven · 3 years
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Fool-Proof Plan
Pairing: Erwin x reader
Genre: fluff, comedy, smut, modern AU
Warnings: size kink, masturbation, squirting, fingering in front of a mirror, hair pulling, multiple orgasms, manhandling, degradation, praise, established relationship, slight dumbification, choking/ breath play 
Word count: 4.6K
Synopsis: Erwin’s business trip leads you to realise you’re not as sly as you think you are.
Masterlist
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Erwin Smith is a man capable of absolutely everything. He’s an amazing cook, an amazing masseur, an amazing businessman, and, most of all, an amazing husband.
There’s only one small shortcoming to the person you consider to be perfect. And that’s his inability to use any form of technology. Texting is bad enough with him signing his name after every message, but it’s social media that’s your husband’s true sworn enemy. Erwin might only be a few years your senior, but somehow your grandfather can comprehend the concept of Instagram faster than him.
“So, you just take pictures?”
“Yes.”
“And people respond to it?”
“Yes.”
“Alright but why?”
The conversation is nothing new, but you find it incredibly unfortunate knowing how talented he is at photography. If you two ever go someplace Erwin knows he wants to capture, he slings his camera over his neck, leaves his phone at home (“I won’t be taking any calls today”) and makes his merry way out of the house. You often eye the phone left stray on the desk, half-expecting it to chase you out of the house for abandoning it. Sometimes, for good measure, you slip it into your own bag. Just in case.
It’s for this reason that Erwin’s business trip puts you on immediate edge.
“It’ll only be for ten days,” he had said. “Sina Corporations takes their summits really seriously…”
“Ten days?” You repeated and Erwin gave you a soft smile.
“I’ll call you every day.”
It’s not like you have an obsessive attachment to your husband (well, that’s debatable), but breaking the routine of returning home to his warm hugs, listening to his day and then complaining about your own- it’s uncomfortable. 
Erwin himself wasn’t looking forward to being away from you, away from home. Running Survey Corporations Ltd is no easy task; trying to balance the infuriating board and the long hours with his actual life is something only possible because of you. Time spent together is fine diamonds Erwin clutches onto and although he’d tried to reason with himself that it was only ten days, it wasn’t a trip he was looking forward to. He never said it out loud. But he didn’t need to. You can tell by the way Erwin’s lips linger on yours a little longer at the airport, as if to preserve your taste.
“Oi Erwin- hurry up.” Levi tries hard not to glare. But even the raven-haired man knows that being away from you puts Erwin on somewhat of an edge. You’re his rock, there to ground him when everything is chaotic, and a summit surrounded by the richest people in the world is as chaotic as it gets.
Despite it all, Erwin stays true to his promise. He calls you at least twice a day and although you could stay on the phone with him for hours, he’s often rushing between conferences and can only spare minutes of his time. Even when he does have an hour, talking to a disembodied voice (he still can’t figure out how to switch his camera back around) is not the same as having Erwin right beside you. It’s the way he squeezes your thigh when he’s focussing on what you’re saying or when he pulls you towards him so that you can lie on his hard chest which still makes you blush even after years of being together.
Because, yes, you miss his touch the most.
Not even five days in, you find yourself with your hands down your panties and a tall blond man on your mind. You’re soaked just thinking about him. His groans, the way he calls your name, the way he pounds into you as you lose your train of thought. Your fingers try to imitate his- their curve and how easily they find your soft spot- but it just feels uncomfortable. So, then you try rubbing your clit, and there’s temporary pleasure there, but not even close enough to tip you over the edge. Even your pink vibrator doesn’t cut it. You deny the fact that Erwin Smith has made you an incompetent masturbator, but you can’t keep up the lie for long and soon enough you give up.
It’s the next day that your ingenious idea kindles. It’s a fool-proof plan. A small flame that has you rushing to the bathroom for the best possible lighting. Erwin can still put his tongue to use at a distance- after all, it’s his voice you fell in love with first. To discretely push him in the right direction, you send him a few photos of yourself. Nothing too scandalous safe he’s in a meeting, but enough that he’ll gets the hint. Sure, Erwin has a couple of polaroid pictures hidden in his brown leather wallet, but he had shot those himself. You want to be a bit more spontaneous! And, honestly, at this point you’re desperate. You could swear you’re developing withdrawal symptoms: just the other day, you were actually temped to pick up a newspaper. It was terrifying.
This had to work. You can just imagine Erwin calling you, voice deep and gruff as he guides you through the process to make yourself cum as he showers you with praise. You feel giddy, eyes glued to the glowing screen, awaiting his response. Even your pink vibrator is out of the box.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t exactly go the way you had planned.
One hour after sending the photos you receive a panicked text from Hange. In the long paragraph, you understand that your poor husband couldn’t get the photos to load and decided to consult the vice president of his company who, upon simply clicking on them, saw you groping your soapy tits. Had it been anyone other than vice president Hange Zoe, Erwin may have broken his phone and quit right there. Thankfully, he only said, “I see” and then asked her where to find the smiley face Emoji.
“I’m so, so sorry Y/N!” Hange screams through the phone. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise! I could send you a picture of my boobs! I’ll go do it right now! I’m sorry! No- You don’t need to feel embarrassed! I won’t mind!”
“It’s alright Hange.” You laugh nervously. “You don’t need to send me anything, it’s really not that big of a deal.”
The whack Levi lands on her head is so hard you hear it through the phone. “Shut the fuck up four-eyes.”
So here you are now. Three days until Erwin returns, a vibrator you’ve given up on back in its box, and a husband who responds to your nudes with a smiley face.
But then Hange Zoe sends you something much better than a picture of her boobs.
The hotel that the trio were staying at- as most hotels do- has a spa. And if there’s one thing Erwin Smith adores it’s allowing himself to relax in a warm, steamy sauna. You’re not sure how Hange was allowed to join them, or how she was able to get her camera clear of fog, or how she was even able to take the picture without Erwin noticing. But you ask her no questions.
Followed by a winky-face is a picture of Erwin sat in the sauna, head tilted backwards, and eyes shut in the pure image of serenity. His arms are propped up on either side of him accentuating his biceps whilst still allowing a clear view of his sculpted body, the sweat running down his chest and abs, making him almost glisten. He’s completely naked except for the flimsy white towel across his lap which does absolutely nothing to hide his thick dick print. You shudder.
You feel like a teenager again, speechless at the sight of a quasi- naked man. Even though you’ve seen him like this thousands of times, you can’t help but fantasise about being trapped underneath him, hair falling onto his face as he loses himself inside of you. God, maybe you do have an unhealthy obsession. But it doesn’t matter. You feel even more like a teenager as you imagine scenarios of him returning home to recreate the picture before you. And with that, your mind is sedated for the next few days.
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You have a fool-proof plan. Dress up in the shortest and tightest dress you own, cook your husband dinner, and then give him a blow job at the table so that he’ll never leave you again. It’s going to be just like in the movies and nothing will stop that from happening.
Something stops that from happening.
Just as you’re about to put the potatoes in the oven, Erwin calls. His flight is delayed. You whine through the phone and Erwin’s chuckle just about stops you from sulking like a child. You can be mature about this, right? He’s getting home eventually- complaining isn’t going to help at all. Patience is a virtue and yours has been tested many times before. This is, after all, nothing compared to the time Erwin tried to create an excel spreadsheet. So, you don’t press further. You simply tell Erwin that you miss him and then go find a pillow in which you scream for a good five minutes.
Erwin, on the other hand, is a lot less coveted with his annoyance. He wants nothing more than to strangle whatever and whoever is preventing him from returning to his lovely wife. In the hour journey, the entire plane can feel a crushing tension above their heads, so tense that even the child at the back seems to be holding in his tears. 
Usually, Erwin prefers to spend his flights with a book in his hands, but he’s incapable for picking up the paperback and instead stares out of the window somehow hoping it will go faster.
After what feels like hours, the tight dress has gotten too uncomfortable for you to wear and you resolve yourself to eating the potatoes alone. You still don’t take off your lingerie, though. A two-piece black set with lace detailing that makes you look like a present ready to be unwrapped. It had arrived yesterday, and you had taken your sweet time admiring the embroidered flowers and soft ribbon holding the fragile piece together because you had falsely assumed that you wouldn’t have it on for long. You had in fact contemplated stockings but by the time 11PM came by you simply wrapped Erwin’s favourite robe around your body and tried to take your mind off things. Maybe you should have opted for your own robe because as the sleeves hung from your arms and the soft material effused his smell, it managed to make you feel even worse.
Staying up late was not a foreign feeling but anticipation quickly turns into boredom and you find your eyelids getting heavy. You pause the anime you’re watching and are about to shut your eyes when you hear the faint rattle of keys.
You stumble getting out of bed, knocking your shoulder on the wall before skipping four steps at a time and tripping on the robe at least twice as you rush downstairs. Erwin is barely through the door as you call out his name and he drops his bags right there to let your rush into your arms. You feel so small, so safe, so familiar, within them, as if you’ve returned to the space where you belong. He lifts you up to let you wrap your legs around his waist, your ankles barely crossing. He smells divine, even after hours of being stuck in an airport and his hair is still soft between your fingers. You look at him and the smile that spreads across his face wipes out any hints of fatigue that might have been there just moments ago.
Erwin kisses you and it’s long, deep, and he holds you impossibly closer to him as his tongue dips into your mouth. You don’t want it to end, but Erwin pulls back and says softly, “I’m home, my love.”
You can’t help but giggle. “Welcome home.”
You return to the kiss with a hint of desperation. Tugging lightly on Erwin’s shirt, you know he notices how your core is already warm, but still, he takes his time closing the door with his foot before finally noticing your attire. You’re about to make a sarcastic comment about his obliviousness but the way he looks down at you, at the small flower of lace peeping out from under the heavy robe, the way he slowly wets his lips, he leaves you speechless.
“You’re a gift.” He smiles sweetly though his eyes darken.
“Well, you’ve been working really hard,” You mumble. “You deserve a treat.”
The effect this man has on you is unbelievable. All that anger and frustration you had pent up now crumbles at the light caress of his thumb on your hips.
“Let me unwrap you,” Erwin says. And he walks you to your room, climbing up the stairs with ease as you cling onto him. You attempt to rub yourself against his hard stomach, but one look of warning makes you stop. He’s going to be doing things on his watch, tonight.
Setting you on the floor beside your bed, Erwin undoes the ribbon and you let the fabric pool at your feet. He immediately latches onto your neck, and you gasp, tilting your head to give him better access. His hands begin to roam, fingering the delicate lace of your panties and the straps of your bra as his tongue leaves a trail over your chest. It’s only when Erwin suddenly grabs your breast that you moan, body involuntarily pushing towards him.
He looks up through thick eyelashes and his hands moves to cup your face. You’re about to beg him to touch you where you need it most, but he whispers, “you’re so beautiful.” And you’re speechless again.
You suddenly lean in to kiss him, hands wrapping around his neck and it’s messy and your breath is short. “Please, Erwin,” you say to him between kisses. “Touch me.” You can feel him smile against your lips. “Please”. And before you can stop yourself. “I can’t do it myself.”
Erwin stills and only then do you realise your mistake. He pulls back and stands up straight, towering over you and you recognises that look. It’s the one of a lion who has just found a wounded deer. 
“Oh?”
Fuck. He leans back and raises a brow expectantly and you try to look everywhere but at him. Maybe if you avoid eye contact, he’ll take it as a slip of the tongue. But your husband is not one to let things go. He’s intelligent, he knows exactly what you mean- you don’t need to speak for him to gather what happened, the image of you lying pathetically on the bed, hopeless and desperate. He smirks but stays quiet. Erwin likes it when you use your words.
“No-that’s not what I meant. I mean- you feel best and it’s just-“
You’re cut off by a hand on your scalp, pulling your hair back in one swift motion so that you have no choice but to look up at your husband dead in the eye.
“You were touching yourself whilst I was away, Y/N?”
“I-I mean...yeah…”
“I see.” His gaze is enough to make you gush. “And you weren’t able to make yourself cum.”
Your cheeks burn. It’s not a question, but you affirm it anyways. “No, no I couldn’t make myself cum.”
He’s silent for a moment and you’re not sure if it’s because he’s watching your worried face or because he’s wondering how he’s going to make that face look even more worried.
“I would feel sorry for you, but I suppose that’s what you deserve for touching my cunt without my permission.”
You gasp as he uses his grip on your hair to throw you on the bed. It’s effortless, the way his strength could so easily destroy you and yet he uses it to ruin destroy you in another way- just who you like it. Erwin undoes his tie and all you can do is gawk as he strips down to his boxers. He’s as hard as a rock and you tentatively reach out to touch him, but Erwin grabs your wrist. Without warning, you’re dragged to the other side of the bed where you’re placed to face your large floor length mirror. There’s only a moment of confusion before you understand why Erwin had been so keen on the somewhat awkward placement. He positions himself behind you and you withhold the urge to press your back against his throbbing cock.
“Don’t you take your eyes off the mirror,” Erwin commands, and you nod your head. “Use your words. Or do you need me to show you how to do that too?”
“Yes, sir,” You say quickly.
“Good girl.”
Erwin opens your legs, his hands gripping your thighs hard. You silently wish bruises bloom in their wake- it’s been too long since you’ve had your husband’s mark on you. A reminder of who you belong to. One hand stays on your thigh and the other moves to nudge your panties out of the way of your glistening cunt. 
“I’m going to show you how to touch yourself,” He says in a low, rumbling voice. “And you’re going to watch closely and learn. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes sir.”
His fingers don’t tease your folds for long. Erwin is feeling merciful, because he simply gathers the slick coating your cut before immediately rubbing your clit. The moan that leaves your mouth is pornographic. You buck your hips but the hand on your thigh moves to pin you down, your body flush against his so that you can almost feel his bearing heart. You’re engulfed by him so small as he easily manipulates your body.
Erwin is overwhelmed by the options. Look at his wife unravel below him or stare at the mirror, where you have no place to hide.
“I should be punishing you, you know.” He presses his fingers down hard on a particularly tenter spot and you moan loudly. “But I need to show my dumb little girl how to take care of herself.”
“I-I’m not- ahhh.” Your back arches and Erwin captures your neck again, sucking viciously.
As his thumb continues its assault on your clit, two fingers find your tight hole, dripping and clenching around nothing. He can see in the mirror how your body is practically begging to be filled up. And fill you up he will. But first Erwin inserts a finger and groans at the warmth that greets him. He begins moving it and although you try to understand how he is able to stroke your cunt so perfectly, your mind is fogged and all that’s on your mind is your impending release. This should be a learning experience, but it serves only as a reminder of Erwin’s miraculous hands. He slips his second finger in and your moans only get lounder.
“Erwin, Erwin- they feel so good. Your fingers feel so good!”
You can see his smirk in his reflection, just before he speeds up and you have to grab his wrist to steady yourself. His fingers slam back and forth into your velvety walls. They suck them in, and he is able to find your sweet spot every time. Every single time. Your eyes roll back, you press against Erwin’s chest and your legs shake as you cum. The mess you make, leaking all over Erwin’s hands, your bed, your thighs- you try to look away, but he grabs your face to prevent you from doing so.
“Don’t you dare look away.” His voice is low, threatening. “Look how good I make you feel. Look.”
Your cheeks are flushed and the set that had made you look like a femme fatale, just hours before, is now yet another set that has has you pliant and submissive. “It seems that I’m the only one who can take care of you,” Erwin says. And you know he’s right.
Erwin lifts his soaked fingers to his mouth and his eyes flutter shut as he tastes you. When he opens them, you swear they’ve gone a shade darker. Wordlessly, Erwin slips from behind you to kneel in front of the bed. He removes your panties and holds them up to his nose, giving them a slight inhale before tossing them to the side and lowering his mouth.
“Erwin wai-“
And before you can warn him that your too sensitive- you orgasm was too strong, it’s too soon- his mouth has latched onto your cunt and Erwin is eating you out like a starved man.
“Ah-fuck, fuck, fuck,” You practically scream.
He sucks on your clit, his tongue doing what it does best. You look down, his eyes bore into yours and you know he’s remembering every expression you make as he pushes you over the edge. Despite your trembling arms struggling to keep you upright, your hand goes to grip Erwin’s hair and all you can think about is how soft it is before you cum again. Your husband doesn’t stop this time. His fingers dig into your soft hips to make sure you don’t move, to make sure that he catches everything on his tongue. And he can feel it before you do. The steady build-up of a feeling slightly familiar, but foreign enough that you warn Erwin too late. Your back arches and you squirt in his mouth and before your eyes roll back, you catch a glimpse of what you know to be a smirk in your husband’s eyes.
You can feel the sheets soak below you so try to press your legs together in somewhat of an attempt to hide the mess, but Erwin doesn’t let you. “Don’t be ashamed now, darling.” His voice is solid, domineering. “This is just you perfect body, doing exactly what I tell it to,” He says.
He could be talking about fruits and you would still nod your head dumbly.
The power Erwin has over you is addictive, and your body seems to know it too. As he kisses your thighs, licking off whatever didn’t find its way into his mouth, you can still feel a distant ache at your core. This time, you don’t need to use your words. As you lie weak on the bed, Erwin crawls over, engulfing your form. The lion is ready for his meal. He leans down to capture your lips in a gentle kiss. “I missed you,” He says. It’s the hundredth time, but you don’t tire of hearing it.
“I missed you too.”
Erwin shifts your legs, and you can feel the head of his large cock teasing your entrance.
“I missed all of you,” he repeats. “Your smile. Your voice. Your moans.” He pauses to place a kiss on your collarbone. “Your taste.”
He’s trying to be romantic, but you know why he stalls, and it makes you unable to graciously except the compliments. Erwin loves to hear you pine for him. And who are you to refuse your husband’s desires? So, you reach your hands out towards his shoulders, attempting to make him move if only a little bit. “Erwin!” You whine, and despite your weakness, you manage to push your hips forward, finding friction against his hard cock. “Please!”
Again, that smirk. He rubs against your clit. “My, my- you’ve come twice already and want more?”
Well, he missed your voice so you suppose you should let him hear it. “Let me be selfish, please sir?” You moan. “I need you inside of me.”
His cock twitches against you. And before you know it his hand is around your neck. “Such a good girl, using your words like that.”
He pushes inside you with a groan of relief, a low sound from his throat that causes his eyes to close momentarily. 
It seems you’ve forgotten how big he is because as he stretches you out like it’s your first time, your mouth drops open and a string of curses emerges. Erwin would usually reprimand you for the foul language, but he’s too lost in the feeling of your tight cunt pulling him in. Using your neck as leverage, he squeezes tight so that he can push forward and when your eyes blur, overwhelmed with the pleasure and pain and the lack of oxygen intensifying it all, Erwin loosens his grip only slightly, and your eyes find his again. You don’t notice your mouth hanging open, too focussed on the way your body is accommodating Erwin’s cock again.
“Really big, ‘s really big, sir,” You mumble and Erwin grunts in response, his teeth clenching because he too is reminded yet again of how tight- how perfect- your body is for him.
When Erwin bottoms out, he stills for a moment, basking in your warmth and taking a moment to kiss your cheek, a gentle gesture compared to the hand still grasping your neck. Your cunt gushes despite you wincing about the pain, about his size, and soon he can’t help but move his hips. Erwin pulls back and thrusts deep. You scream him name, as you feel his cock dragging against your walls. Any idea of taking you gently has evaporated from Erwin’s brain and instead his hips snap back and forth violently, his tip kissing your cervix as he buries himself inside of you again and again.
His grunts are laboured as Erwin’s free hand pushes your leg up to your chest to allow him to thrust deeps and deeper. “Just like that- just like that, good girl. My good girl.”
The new angle has him brushing against your g-spot and you won’t last long. You know you can’t- not with him quite literally rearranging your insides. You have one hand clawing at his forearm and the other grips the sheets and you repeat a mantra of “Thank you, sir, thank you” in between your desperate moans. The honorific coming from your lips is too sweet to his ears and he’s reminded of why phone calls bother him so much- nothing compares to hearing your voice like this.  
Erwin’s hand leaves your neck only to tug your bra down, letting your boobs bounce freely as he fucks you hard. You almost complain about the loss of contact but his tongue latches onto to your nipple and before you know it, you are coming all over your husband, screaming his name. Your nails dig into his arm as he nears his own release. Erwin’s hips stutter and he moans your name before throwing his head back in pure bliss as he cums inside of you. You wish you can capture that sight forever, but you don’t think any photo does your husband justice. It’s true- this is better than anything Hange could send.
Your breaths slowly find a slower rhythm in the post-orgasm silence. Erwin watches the way your fluids pool out of you as he pulls out, admiring the own mess on his lower stomach. You wince at the sore feeling and pull him towards you. This time, he follows your command. Breathless bodies mould into each other, finding their place after too long being apart. At the back of your mind, you know you should be making your way to the bathroom, but Erwin’s heavy body lying on your chest is enough to remind you to focus on the moment. For this is where you belong.
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“You know, you should be flattered, Erwin.” You nudge his arm weakly as you lay together, bodies entangled in a random set of pyjamas you begrudgingly forced yourself to change into. “No one has better hands than you.”
He laughs. “I am flattered,” he says. “I just like teasing you.”
“No- you have a degradation kink.”
“Yes, that too.”
Even as you were taking a shower together, Erwin’s subtle attempts at having you admit you couldn’t make yourself cum did not go unnoticed. You suppose it’s an ego-thing, but then you realise it’s more. The power of being the only person able to bring you that much bliss is power Erwin thrives on. And despite the money wasted on your pink vibrator, you wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Still,” Erwin muses and a small smile plays across his lips. “I did expect the photo Hange took to at least help a little.”
Every muscle in your body stills and your eyes suddenly widen. Oh come on. You try to tell yourself that there’s simply nothing wrong with having a photo of your naked husband, but it’s more than that. You know it. Erwin knows it. And by the way he’s smiling, you also know that plastered on your face is the guiltiest of looks. In your poor attempt to escape his gaze by turning your back to him, Erwin chuckles and shakes his head, hugging you closer.
“That’s not fair!” You exclaim.
“It’s not?”
“No!”
You try to wiggle out of his grasp, but Erwin is made of steel. Why do you expect to get away with anything anymore? Erwin Smith is beyond two moves ahead- he’s finished the game before you’ve even started.
“Did you really think I didn’t notice?” 
“Shut up!” You whine. “Why do you have to be such a smartass about it? Let me think I win.”
“Alright, alright.” Erwin chuckles and places a kiss on your forehead. “You’re my winner. Always.”
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574 notes · View notes
itsapeterthing · 3 years
Text
Secrets (Four) || Bucky Barnes
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pairing: bucky barnes x reader
summary: when you wake up in the avengers compound after being saved by bucky, sam and nat, you discover that something’s changed.
a/n: thank you for all your feedback!! reblogs and replies are super appreciated!
word count: 2.7k
warnings: arguing, swearing, angst
Prologue, One, Two, Three
masterlist || request || taglist
Opening your eyes, blinking to clear your vision, you were immediately met with ice coating the ceiling above you despite feeling as though you were locked in a sauna.
“What the-”
Sitting up in your bed, you tried to piece together where you were, why you were here and what had just happened, but all you could see was the concrete room you were sat in with nothing but a bright light shining above you and frost coating every inch of the room.
Suddenly the events of the day all came back to you- the men in your house, being kidnapped, being locked in a container to freeze to death... the truth about your husband.
Bucky.
The last thing you remembered were his eyes meeting yours on the other side of the glass.
Despite years of marriage and precious memories, all that flooded your brain were the images of the Winter Soldier- masked and ready to kill. All you could hear were the screams of his victims and those who fled at the sight of him. 
All you could feel was fear.
“You’re awake.” You heard an unfamiliar voice declare.
Snapping your attention towards the door of the room you hadn’t even noticed was there, you recognized the very familiar red-headed Avenger standing in the doorway.
“Wait, you’re.... are you-” You stumbled over your words. “Where am I?”
Carefully stepping into the room, closing the door behind her, Natasha slowly made her way over to your bed.
“You’re at the Avengers Compound.” She informed you. “Do you remember anything?”
You thought then that she might have been glad to learn that you had retained your memory, but you sure wished you hadn’t.
“More than I’d like to.” You said.
Shooting you a sad smile, her gloved hands pulled up the chair next to your bed, seating herself beside you. As she did you finally took in her appearance, noting the large jacket she was wearing, the hood over her head and thick gloves on her hands, meanwhile you felt as though you were soaking in your own sweat.
“God, how are you wearing that?” You asked, pointing at her jacket. “It’s so hot in here.”
Chuckling, she leaned back in her chair.
“Well when you’re ninety degrees, I guess an ice rink would feel a little warm.”
Furrowing your eyebrows, you sat up straighter in your bed.
“Ninety degrees?” You asked. “Shouldn’t I be dead by now?”
“That’s what we all thought.”
Squeezing your eyes shut, you remembered the feeling of the frost hitting your skin when you were enclosed in the container, the sounds of the cold air rushing out of its walls. You were trapped, feeling the biting cold in a way you never had before. So cold that when the frost began to form over the glass, your husband’s eyes meeting yours, all you could feel was the cooling sense of exhaustion wash over you as you closed your eyes and fell into a deep slumber.
“How long have I been out?” You asked.
Just as Natasha was opening her mouth, you heard a voice coming from the other side of the room.
“Two days.”
Your eyes snapping open, you turned your attention immediately to the man in the doorway. When you saw your husband standing in the threshold, you felt your heart begin to race in your chest as you scrambled back against the bed frame.
“You.” You said, swallowing, the word venomous in your mouth.
Hearing the word slip out of your mouth almost as though it were a cruse, Bucky’s eyes widened and he began to feel his heart beat against his chest.
He knew then that the consequence of the secret he had been keeping for years was now staring him back in the face.
“Y/n-” He eased, taking another step forward.
Grabbing the pillow from behind your back, you tossed it at him.
“You lied to me!” You shouted. “You fucking lied to me all these years. I- it’s sick!”
Letting the pillow hit his chest, he began to feel sick.
He had known deep down that someday his past would come back to haunt him. Even deeper down he knew that someday you would discover the truth, but he had hoped to be gone by then, leaving you to hate him once he could no longer feel your wrath. He had shoved down the idea of the look on your face when you found out for years, but now as he stood there, his own nightmares playing out before him, he just wished he had told the truth sooner.
The consequence of losing you and never having you was better than knowing your love and having it tainted with hatred by his own hand.
“Doll,” He said your pet name, his shoulders slouching.
“No!” You shouted, pushing yourself off of the bed. “You don’t get to call me that anymore! God, did ever even feel bad about lying to your own wife?”
He did.
He felt awful every time he made up some lie about his past. He felt awful every time he told you he had no family, no friends. He even felt awful every morning when he lied to you about where he was going off to work every day.
It had been eating away at him for years.
He had told himself that it was for the best, but he realized now that he didn’t do it for you, but entirely for himself. He had been so incredibly selfish and you were now paying for his crimes.
“Of course I did.” Bucky said so low, it was nearly a whisper. “Of course I felt bad, Y/n.”
Before you could reply, you heard another knock on the door, it cracking open slightly.
“Oh thank God.” Natasha said from her seat when she saw Bruce and Sam.
Dropping your hands to your sides, you turned away from your husband, instead focussing your attention on the two Avengers now entering the icy space.
Before anyone could speak, however, the man you recognized as Captain America made his way over to you, reaching his gloved hand out for you to shake.
“It’s nice to meet you, Y/n.” He said, giving you a soft smile. “I’m Sam. I wish we could’ve met under better circumstances, but...”
Glaring at Bucky, you shook Sam’s hand.
“Sam.” You said. “It’s so nice to finally meet you too.”
Your eyes still on your husband, the three others in the room glanced between one another before Bruce cleared his throat.
“Y- you’re probably wondering about the ice in the room,” Bruce said
“You could say that.”
“Well, while you were out for the past couple of days we had some of the best doctors we know examine you,” Bruce explained. “I understand that this may be... difficult... to understand, but this- this ice- it’s-”
“It’s coming out of you.” Sam said finally, finishing Bruce’s sentence for him.
Quirking your eyebrows at the three members of the group of Avengers, you thought for a second before shaking your head, laughing.
“You’re joking, right?” You asked. “You have to be kidding.”
This couldn’t be real. There was no possible way you actually had ice coming out of your body. This wasn’t you. This wasn’t real.
Standing up from her seat, Natasha crossed her arms.
“When you were in cryo, you were in temperatures nobody comes back from.” She said, seriously. “You should be dead right now. No one knows why you’re still here.”
Lifting your hands from your sides to stare at your palms, you attempted to digest the information the three of them had just fed you.
You were alive when every logical answer said you shouldn't have been. You had abilities that no other living person did.
You were supposed to be at home, spending the weekend with your children. You were supposed to wait for your completely honest husband to walk in the doors of your home and kiss him hello.
But now you were standing there, being told that you had changed- transformed. You were different than you were before. You didn’t feel warm and fuzzy, but cold and distraught.
Feeling the anger course through your veins, tears meeting your eyes, you stared at your palms and in a flash, frost burst forth from the center of your hand.
Jumping back, you rapidly closed your hands into a fist, feeling your heart thumping against your chest.
“I understand that this is hard to take in-” Banner attempted.
“I’m... I’m a monster.” You said, staring up at them with wide eyes. “I have ice coming out of my hands!”
Gazing at you from the other side of the room, watching the fear in your eyes behind the tears begging to break free, Bucky felt incredibly guilty.
He had known what you were going through because he had gone through the same himself. He had woken up only to discover that he had become a super  soldier with a metal arm- that he was no longer Bucky Barnes- but someone else- someone different.
He would have never wished the experience on his worst enemy, never mind the woman he cared for most in the world, but you were experiencing it nonetheless. You were in it because of him.
He had told himself that he was trying to protect you, but in the end he had forced you into a life you had never asked for.
He felt his heart shatter in his chest watching you fall apart before everyone.
All he wished was for him to be able to go over to you, to hold you in his arms despite the cold bite of ice that was sure to frost over him as soon as his skin met yours, but he knew he couldn’t. He knew you didn’t want him to.
“Y/n that’s not true.” Sam said. “I know it might feel that way, but you’re still you and Bruce is going to figure out a way for you to control it. I know it seems bad, but you’re going to be okay. You’re a part of our family now. We’ll figure it out, alright?”
Wrapping your arms around yourself, you nodded.
“Okay.”
As much as you were in shock, you trusted the three individuals in front of you. They hadn’t given you a reason not to- they had risked their lives to save you and even now when you felt they owed you nothing, they were working their best to help you.
“I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.” You said. “Really. I think I just need some space right now.”
“I understand.” Sam nodded. “If you need anything, we’ll be right outside.”
Without a word the others followed him as he left the room and you slowly made your way over to your bed, sitting on the edge of it, placing your head in your hands.
“I’m so sorry, Y/n.”
Shaking your head you pulled your face out of your hands.
“What part of ‘I need space’ don’t you understand, Buck?” You asked.
You heard his footsteps slowly cross over the room to you.
“I need to say something-”
Of course he did.
“Oh that’s rich, James!” You scoffed. “Funny how now you have something to say. Funny how you didn’t say anything when we started dating, or got married, or God- had children together.”
“Y/n-”
“It’s just so insane to me how you could go all this time without saying anything.” You continued. “How could you even look yourself in the mirror-”
“Fuck, Y/n, just listen to me!” He shouted, standing in front of your spot on the bed. “I fucked up really bad- I know that. I know I shouldn’t have done it, but can’t you see why I did it? I was so afraid you’d be ashamed of me because of what I am and I thought I was protecting you-”
Feeling the ice beginning to shoot out of your palm, you pushed yourself off of the bed, pointing your finger into your husband’s chest.
“I’m ashamed to have a liar as a husband.” You said, knowing just how much the words stung for him, but you felt nothing but ice flowing through you at the moment in the heat of rage. “How could you think this was protecting us? How could you think keeping the truth from me was protecting our kids? You not only put me in danger but my kids, Buck.”
“They’re my kids too, Y/n.” Bucky said.
“Are they?” You asked. “Because I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
You watched as he stepped back, his back hitting the icy wall behind him. He had known you were angry, he even knew that he deserved every harsh word you were throwing at him, but to hear you dismiss him so entirely- to almost denounce him from your life- made him feel a pain that even his worst days in Hydra or in recovery could never rival.
“I- I mean I don't even know who I am anymore, Buck.” You said throwing your arms in the air. “I mean look at this. Look at this room! Nobody can even touch my hand without gloves or without bundling up like they’re going to the fucking North Pole!”
Backing away from him, you held your face in your hands once again.
“I don’t even recognize myself and I’m all alone.” You said, lowering your voice. “I- I can’t even hug my kids- I can’t see my kids. It’s so hot in this room to me but everything just feels so cold and empty. I just wish you didn’t fucking lie to me because it would be so much easier to not hate you the way I do right now. Looking at you makes me want to scream but, God, I feel so alone.”
Beginning to feel a sob catch in your throat, your head still in your hands and the tears turning to ice when they met your palms, you felt the cool touch of Bucky’s vibranium hand meet your arm. 
Shrugging him off, you shook your head.
“As much as I fucking hate you right now, you can’t touch me, James.” You said. “I’ll just hurt you.”
He knew that. He knew the biting sting of your ice against his skin. He had spent the past two days sitting by your unconscious side and no matter how many times the others told him to keep his gloves on at all times, your touch mattered more. They brought more warmth than any glove could- no matter how cold your hands were.
Seeing you breakdown in front of him, despite all of the harsh words you had thrown at him, he was sure he felt his heart break in his chest. You didn’t deserve this pain. You didn’t deserve this suffering. You didn’t deserve to be alone.
Resting his vibranium hand on your arm once again, the frost slowly creeping up his arm, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Wrapping both of his arms around you, he pulled you into his embrace. Rather than shrugging him off and pulling away, you wrapped your arms tightly around his torso, digging your face into his bundled up chest, sobbing.
Feeling a chill run throughout his body at your touch, he rest his chin on the top of your head, running his frozen vibranium arm up and down your back.
Although he knew that all was not forgiven, and that things would not be the same or even okay for a long time- if at all- all that mattered to him in that moment was that you weren’t alone. No matter the ice that overtook his body when you were in his embrace, the warmth that you brought him would never grow cold.
Going into cyro ten thousand times would be worth just one second of your peace and he would do whatever it took for you to forgive him for his mistakes that you now bore the consequences of.
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regencyslxt · 3 years
Text
In His Defense
1555 words.
Imagine Bucky catching you defending him at work.
warning: like 1 swear word.
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You had been in the office now for around 7 hours. You were an agent in training, however, so far despite the sparring and training you had done in the compound with Steve and the other Avengers you were yet to progress further than your desk. You wouldn’t have minded, you knew your computer skills were advanced, if it weren’t for a couple of agents on your floor who didn’t quite understand that sound travels. Meaning every word that slipped past their lips, you heard. And you ignored it too, that was until they started talking about the blue-eyed god Steve always brought to your training sessions.
Bucky Barnes. Ex Hydra assassin turned hero. Your work crush. In fact, he was your crush out of work too. He seemed to have wormed his way into your every thought, not that you were complaining. He had been nothing short of a sweetheart. Holding doors open when he sees you coming, telling you good morning when you get to work early. Let’s not even talk about his constant encouragement during 1 v 1’s. He could sweep you flat on your ass and he’d still tell you what a great job you’d done. God you were whipped. And the worst part is, you knew he didn’t think of you even remotely close to the way you thought of him. How could he? You weren’t an avenger; you weren’t even a field agent yet.
Anyways, you could handle your co-workers (not that you enjoyed working with them) gossiping about you.
“Look at her, it’s no wonder Fury hasn’t put her out on the field yet.”
“She’s always glued to that screen and if she not staring at her monitor, she’s staring at Agent Barnes.”
“It’s so pathetic.”
You were used to it. Ever since they found out about your little crush on Barnes they hadn’t shut up about it. It was to be expected, it was all they were good for. The last mission they went on together went bust, they gave away their position within a half-hour of them arriving and almost got the team they were with killed. Dumbasses.
Recently, however, instead of focussing on you they had directed their attention to the metal armed veteran that walked through the corridors.
“I can’t believe he’s here…like how many people did he kill, and we’re just expected to work happily alongside him, I don’t think so” one scoffed.
“I know, I guess being best friends with Captain America means everyone turns a blind eye.”
“Do you think he remembers? I hope he does.”
“He doesn’t deserve to forget.”
You were very well aware of what he had done in his past, who wasn’t? You were also aware, though, of how hard he was trying to make amends. How every day he was trying hard to figure himself out, to figure out who he was before the Winter Soldier. So, when these two agents couldn’t keep their mouths shut for five minutes whilst the avengers were meeting in the conference room, you found yourself biting your tongue.
“He should’ve stayed frozen, maybe then they could get a mission done without having to worry about a random Russian guy triggering him.”
“Imagine actually trying to convince everyone he’s a good person after what he did, what a joke.”
You turned to them, unable to hold your tongue any longer.
“Can you guys shut up? I mean is it so hard for you both to just sit down and do the job you’re being paid to do instead of chatting shit because the last time I checked that wasn’t on the job description…” you spoke out.
They both looked at you wide-eyed.
“Excuse me? Who do you think you are?”
“It doesn’t matter but I know you know who I am because you’ve had nothing but my name in your mouth since I started.”
You stand from your chair and walk over to them. They step back a touch. The conference room doors open behind you as you go.
“What I do want to know, is what makes you think you have the right to stand here and criticise Agent Barnes for moving on with his life. For trying to fix everything he’s done. He feels bad enough as it is, he doesn’t need you two chiming in with your rude comments every time he walks past or makes an appearance. So, you can stand here and act all high and mighty but in reality you’re both crap at your jobs. I genuinely don’t know how you managed to be let in the field because as soon as anything happens around here you are both the first ones to cower away and tuck your tails between your legs,” You exclaim.
They stand there, mouths gaping trying to think of something to say but they fall short.
“Y/N…” a low voice speaks from behind you.
Your body tenses and you inhale a sharp breath. You close your eyes and look down at your feet, all the confidence you had before was now washed away. You had done it now, all the time you had spent forming a friendship with the man was now wasted. You really didn’t want to turn to face him but you knew you would have to at some point so you slowly spun on your heels to face his direction. His boots were a nice view, at least that’s what you told yourself knowing you couldn’t bring yourself to look elsewhere.
“Look at me please...” he whispers, stepping closer to you. He looked towards Steve and the others and silently pleading for them to leave.
“I think we have somewhere else to be don’t you think guys?” A round of murmured agreements could be made out.
“You two as well, I’m sure Fury wants a word with you both.” Steve motioned for the two agents to follow him, and they quickly made their way over and trailed behind him.
It was just you and him now. His hand made its way to your chin and he tilted your head up.
“There you are…” he chuckles. You can feel your cheeks burning as he stares at you.
“Come on doll, don’t get all shy on me now. You weren’t shy 2 minutes go.” He laughs at your embarrassed expression.
“That’s not funny! “you groan.
“I didn’t know you were all there…I would’ve kept my mouth shut if I had.”
“Are you telling me you wouldn’t have defended me?”
“NO, I just meant that- I mean- You- “You let out a huff of air.
“You don’t need me to defend you, you’re James Barnes. You can quite easily defend yourself…”
“That is true but it’s so much nicer having a doll like you do it for a change,” he smirks as he traces his fingers down the length of your arm, taking your hand in his.
“And I’m hoping since you spoke so highly of me before, that I might actually have a chance with you.” He quirked an eyebrow. You gaped at the man in front of you.
“A chance? With me? You want a chance with me?” To say you were shocked was an understatement. To be honest you weren’t sure if your ears were playing tricks on you or not.
“Y/N you can’t seriously be that oblivious can you?”
“Oblivious to what?” What on earth was happening?
“You seriously haven’t realised that you’re the only trainee I force myself to talk to. It’s not because I have to, but because your voice is the only thing I want to hear at 8 o’clock in the morning when I’m still half asleep. You are the only person that makes my mind go blank, that’s why even if I want to spend my entire day talking to you all I can bring myself to say is good morning. You fluster me Y/N Y/L/N, and it’s an issue because Sam won’t leave me alone about it.”
You laugh softly, still completely in shock at the fact the man you have had feelings for since you got the job here is currently confessing his feelings for you.
“So to answer your question yes, I am asking if I have a chance with you.” his hands wrap around your waist and he pulls you close, his eyes move to meet yours and your breath catches in your throat. You blink up at him, moving your own hands to the nape of his neck, subconsciously playing with his hair.
“I can’t believe this is happening right now,” you admit.
“There isn’t anything on this earth that could make me say no to you Bucky, so yes. I will give you a chance. And one after that, then one after that…” you continue until Bucky catches you in a kiss. You pull back in surprise, but quickly return the kiss, pulling him as close to you as possible.
You both separate a few moments later, Bucky tucking a strand of hair behind your ear as you do. A yawn escapes your lips, and Bucky smiles adoringly at you.
“There’s a coffee shop nearby, we can go get something if you’d like...”
“I’d like that Buck.”
He connects his hand with yours, and you make your way towards the elevator.
“It’s a date.”
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diegos-butt · 3 years
Text
Electricity Chapter 5
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Summary: For the first time in her life, Melody Williams is moving out of her hometown to Minnesota where she got a job as a crime journalist for the Minnesota Daily. But this city does not only have a new job for her to offer. What will happen when she crosses paths with detective Walter Marshall? Heads up, a little electricity is involved ✨
Walter Marshall x Melody Williams (Curvy OFC)
Warnings: none (fluff I guess 🤷🏼‍♀️)
Wordcount: 4k.
A/N: hope you will like this chapter 🙈
Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 /Chapter 3 / Chapter 4
•••
“Sure thing doll.” Once those words had left his mouth, I felt my heart beating so fast, I was worried I’d have a heart attack in his car. Instead, a smiled formed on my face and I muttered a thank you. Doll, he called me doll. Does he want me to faint or something?
He turned the car off, let go of my hand and stepped out. Before he closed the door, he looked at me. “Wait there.”
He walked around the car and opened my door. He held out his hand, which I gratefully took, and stepped out as well. After he closed the door and locked the car, we walked towards the entrance of my apartment building in the rain. We climbed the set of stairs and soon we reached my front door. I unlocked it and walked in. He followed close after me and shut it. He took the keys out of my hand and locked the door.
We stood in my hallway, silently, next to each other. I could see a few drops of rain on his forehead, and I had to fight the urge to wipe them away. When I looked down his eyes were already looking at me.
“Come here,” he said and gestured me to turn around. At, first I didn’t understand why but once I turned around, I understood. He wanted to help me out of my jacket. Can this man get even more attractive? He got rid of his own too and we walked to the living area.
“So, this is my home. It’s not much, but enough for now,” I said awkwardly, twisting on my feet.
“It is nice,” he answered and looked around. He stood a few feet away from me, and that gave me room to admire his physique once more. He was wearing a dark blue, cosy looking sweater and a pair of jeans. Everything fitted him so well and all I wanted to do was walk over to him and let my hands wander over his chest. Come on Mel, after what happened tonight you seriously cannot be thinking about this right now.
To shake those thoughts off, I turned on my fairy lights and a few small lamps. Once I was done, I suddenly felt cold and shivered.
“Why don’t you take a warm shower? I’ll make you some tea or food in the meanwhile,” he offered.
“That might be a good idea,” I answered and gave him a smile. “Alright, I’m gonna go take a shower then.” I walked to my bedroom, and once I reached the door I looked around over my shoulder. He was already in my kitchen, looking through the cabinets. I smiled to myself. That was a sight I could get used to.
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After I had taken a shower, I had put on sweatpants and a t-shirt. I stared into the mirror, even though I looked tired, I wasn’t completely repulsed by the way I looked, so I didn’t bother to put make-up on. My hair was still damp, I decided to put it up in a bun.
I walked out of my bedroom, and I saw Walter was cooking something in the kitchen. Slowly I walked towards him, and once I stood next to him, I noticed he was making soup.
“You are making soup?” I said surprised. “I didn’t even know I had the ingredients to make this.”
“I thought you would like something warm.” He stirred in the soup and he looked at me with a soft look in his eyes. “Grab some bowls, would you?”
I nodded and grabbed two bowls and spoons. He filled the bowls and placed them on my little dining table. We both sat down and started eating.
“This is nice,” I said, trying to break the silence.
“The soup or having a late-night dinner with me?” He looked at me with a grin. I noticed his knee was touching mine. The combination of the comment, his grin, and the fact that his knee was touching mine made my cheeks burn. Mel, he is flirting with you. Flirt back. Wait, what if he is just messing with you? What if he is just being nice? I quickly swallowed some soup, but nearly choked on it because I forgot how to swallow. He is just making small talk. Calm down. Just say something instead of choking.
“Both are nice,” I managed to spill out. He chuckled and focussed his gaze back on his bowl. We finished eating in silence and once we were done, he got up and put the bowls in the sink. Even though we didn’t speak much, it was comfortable. The silence between us wasn’t awkward at all much to my surprise.
I didn’t even notice I had gotten cold, again, until I shivered. In response, Walter took off his sweater. Revealing a black t-shirt underneath it, a little bit of chest hair peeking out on top of it. Oh, how I would like to run my hands through that.
“Here.” He offered me the sweater. “Maybe you should have put on a sweater after you showered. Or is this your way of asking for my sweater?” His grin had grown even wider.
“No, no it’s fine. I’m not that cold,” I mumbled.
“No, take it.” He stepped closer to me and pushed the sweater in my hands.
The soft material felt nice in my hands, and the conflict in my head started. Just put it on, you know you want to. I know I want to, but what if it doesn’t fit? That would be humiliating. I could just go to my room and grab one of my own.
“What’s wrong?” he asked once I stood up.
“Nothing, just going to grab a sweater from my room.”
“What is wrong with mine?”
I hesitated for a moment, but he looked at me with a cocked eyebrow, and I knew he wouldn’t let go. He wanted an answer, and he was definitely not buying my excuses.
“Look, I don’t know if it’s going to fit,” I said quietly.
“It will, trust me.” My eyes met his, and all I could see was sincerity. He was sure. “Put it on.”
I nodded, and I slowly tried it on. He was right. It did fit me, it fitted me perfectly. The sleeves were even a little too long. I couldn’t stop the smile that formed on my face. You have now officially lost this sweater. No way you’re getting it back.
“See? Now, would you still like me to stay? We could watch something,” he said as he stepped closer to me and touched my upper arm.
“Yeah, that would be nice.” We moved to the couch, and I grabbed the remote control while he sat down. My couch wasn’t very big, it was a small two-persons couch and because Walter was already quite large, I had to squeeze into the room on the couch that was left. Our legs, torsos, arms, everything touched. He was so warm and all I wanted to do was crawl under his arm and cuddle up against him. Focus, maybe put on a tv show first.
I turned the tv on and scrolled through Netflix. The Office popped up on the screen, and I looked at him. He nodded in approval and I pressed play.
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We managed to get through an episode without me crawling on his lap. We just watched the episode and laughed when something funny happened. Another episode started, and I started feeling tired. It had been a long day after all and it was getting late.
I slouched down a little, and my head unintentionally rested on his shoulder. I felt him looking at me and I wanted to sit up straight again, but he rested his hand on my thigh. Oh lord help me.
The smell of his cologne reached my nose, and boy, that smelled good. Really good. I had a hard time focussing on the television. We sat like that for a few minutes, until I yawned.
“A bit tired?” he chuckled next to me.
“What makes you think that?” I smiled and looked up at him. His blue eyes looked at me, and he had an adorable expression on his face I couldn’t place. What is this look and what does it mean? Is it not an appropriate time to just crawl on his lap, right? No Mel, behave please. Don’t scare him off.
He smiled at me, and before I knew it, he had put his arm around my shoulders. My head was now resting on his chest, and I felt a spark of electricity going down my spine. This man was doing things to me.
At first it was a little awkward, my legs felt a little out of place in this position. Just throw your legs over his lap. Just do it Mel. It’s not weird. He put his arm around you for fucks sake!
I decided to be bold. I cleared my throat and threw my legs in his lap. My eyes never left the television, I couldn’t handle looking at him at that moment.
What I didn’t noticed, is that once my legs were on his lap, he smiled. He looked at me adoringly and he put his hand on my thigh again, indicating this was more than okay.
It felt so good, to just cuddle with him. The warmth coming from his body felt welcoming, and he smelled so good. He was like a personal space heater. I never wanted this moment to be over.
Apparently, he didn’t either. We watched another episode, and another, and another. He kept pulling me closer to him, and I didn’t complain. Is he comforting me or is he just as touch starved as me?
Before I could overthink it, I got sleepy. I drowsed off, snuggling into his side more and more and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.
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I woke up in my bed. Still in Walter’s sweater and my sweatpants. I was under my covers, so I was burning up from all the clothes I was still wearing. Kicking the covers off, I wondered how I had gotten into my bed. I was convinced I had not fallen asleep there.
I sat up, confused, and grabbed my phone which was on my nightstand. Underneath was a piece of paper.
Give me a call when you wake up. W
I stared at it, trying to untangle my thoughts. Wait a minute. I remembered everything from last night, from the stupid stunt I pulled to watching The Office with Walter on my couch.
Hold up. I fell asleep on the couch. Next to him. Alright, more like on top of him. But still. I did not fall asleep here. Does that mean he carried me to bed?!
Confused I rubbed my eyes. So, Walter must have carried me to bed. And I have no recollection of that. No one has ever carried me or whatsoever. I swear, he has to pull this stunt again someday. I need to know how that feels. I groaned and laid back down.
My phone buzzed and I noticed I had several messages. Apparently, Gia and Carmen were up to date to what happened the night before. They had texted and called me multiple times.
Alright, first things first. Let’s call Walter. I called his number and he picked up straight away.
“Look who’s finally woken up,” he pointed out.
“In my defence, I have literally just woken up and I have no idea what time it is exactly,” I answered. I looked at the clock and froze. “Oh shit. Is it really already 9am? I have to get to work!”
“Don’t worry, I have already called your boss and explained the situation. You have the day off. Or two if you need it,” he explained.
I fell silent, and almost forgot to answer. “Wait, you actually called my boss for me? That, that is so considerate of you. Thank you.”
“No problem doll. How are you feeling?” he asked. My heart jumped at hearing the word doll.
“I guess I’m fine? I don’t know honestly. I feel fine. A little tired maybe, but I just woke up so that’s nothing new,” I answered.
“Shouldn’t you not feel tired after just waking up?” he quickly responded.
“I always feel tired after waking up. Besides, I need a moment to wake up,” I laughed. “I did sleep really good though. Thank you for staying with me last night.” I bit on my finger, anxious of what he might say next.
“Anytime,” he said. “Oh, hang on a second.”
I heard him talking to someone else and after a few seconds he spoke to me again. “Hey, sorry but I have to go.”
“Yeah, of course!” I hesitated for a moment, but added: “Can I maybe buy you lunch or coffee sometime as a thank you?” I said it with a voice so soft, he could barely hear it.
“Absolutely. My lunch break won’t be long today, but we could get coffee this afternoon? I know a place.”
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After my call with Walter, I had called Carmen who was at work. She insisted on meeting me for lunch with Gia. She didn’t ask many questions about the stunt I pulled, which raised a few questions for me. Normally she would want to know everything right away, but I figured she wanted to talk face to face about this, so I didn’t mention it.
Now, I was sitting in a small restaurant with Gia and Carmen, and I had just told them what happened. I told them everything, from me forgetting to text Walter to ending up with him on my couch.
“Let me get this right, you actually did the most stupid thing ever, and still ended up with him on your couch? In his sweater? I don’t know how you did that, but girl, it’s a shame you fell asleep or that night would have ended very different,” Gia speculated.
I laughed and shook my head. “Yeah, right. I’m surprised he even stayed that long honestly. One last thing though, I fell asleep on the couch, but I woke up in my bed,” I said and quickly took a sip of my cappuccino.
“Oh my god! Mel! That is so sweet! He carried you to bed! I’m so jealous right now you have no idea,” Gia yelled.
“That is goals, serious goals,” Carmen added.
“I know, but I don’t even remember it! And that is definitely something I need to actively experience, ‘cause I’m having a hard time believing this actually happened,” I said frustrated.
Before Gia or Carmen could answer, the door of the restaurant opened, and two detectives walked in. I looked to the side, and saw Carmen smile adoringly at one of them. They walked over to us, and Liam pressed a kiss on Carmen’s cheek.
“Hang on, when did that happen and why haven’t you told us?!” Gia stated. Liam and Carmen laughed and Gia looked at me confused. I shook my head, letting her know I had no idea what was happening.
“Well, after we have met, we stayed in touch,” Carmen began. “And we have been on a few dates now. I didn’t tell you guys because I wanted to figure out what it was first.”
“We both did, but we decided to give it a serious go over dinner yesterday. Before I had to go to work again,” Liam added and looked at me.
“Yeah, sorry about that.” I said.
“That is really cute and all and I’m happy for you, but from now on you will tell me, us, everything young lady.” Gia pointed at Carmen and laughed. She was jumping up and down her chair with excitement.
“It does make sense now that you didn’t ask me questions about what happened yesterday over the phone this morning. You obviously already knew!” I said and hid my face behind my hands.
“Sorry girl,” Carmen grinned.
The conversation continued, but I didn’t pay attention anymore. Walter had rested his hand on my shoulder, and I looked up in his bright blue eyes.
“Hi,” I said softly. He gave me a small smile in return.
“We are just here to pick up lunch. But I’ll pick you up at home this afternoon once I’m done at the station, alright?” he asked.
“Yes, sure,” I nodded.
One of the waitresses came over and handed Walter a few boxes. “Your order detective.” He said thank you and paid. Liam said goodbye to Carmen, and Walter whispered a ‘see you later’ in my ear. Before I could answer, they had already left. Smiling, I stared to the door. I can’t wait for that coffee.
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After I finished lunch with Gia and Carmen, and they threated to hurt me if I ever did something stupid again, I went home. I cleaned up a bit, did some laundry and enjoyed my day off. The day went by quick, and before I knew it, I had a text from Walter, saying he would pick me up soon.
Anxiously, I looked out of the window, waiting for him to show up. Mel relax, you are just getting coffee with this man. Uh, the most handsome man I have ever seen but okay. No need to panic. Just be yourself, it will be alright. I took a few deep breaths. My mind kept spiralling, I had no idea what this meant or what I could mean. Thankfully, I had no time to overthink the situation too much because I saw Walter’s truck pull up in front of my apartment building. He parked it and stepped out.
I quickly grabbed my jacket and rushed to the front door, opened it, and walked downstairs. Once I was outside, I saw him leaning against his truck, waiting for me. He spotted me, he immediately stood up straight and smiled at me. I waved awkwardly and walked over.
We exchanged a ‘hello’ and ‘how are you’. After that we faced each other a little awkward.
“So, where are we going?” I broke the silence.
“There is a place a few blocks away, we can walk there,” he answered and nodded with his head down the street.
“Sounds good,” I smiled.
We started walking, and we discussed how our days had been. He had been busy with a case, but he didn’t want to tell me anything about that. He joked he didn’t wanted me involved in another case. The sound of his laugh send a shiver down my spine. It was a sound I already could never get tired of.
Occasionally, our hands brushed against each other as we kept walking. We fell silent for a moment and I remembered what it had felt like to hold his hand. Is it weird if I just grabbed his hand now? Yes, Mel, that is weird. Don’t do it. Wait, it’s not that weird. He’s held your hand before, just do it! I couldn’t start a discussion with myself because Walter started talking.
“So, before we get coffee, can I now yell at you and tell you how stupid and reckless you were last night?” He bumped his hip against mine and chuckled.
“You could try and see what happens,” I answered. Oh no, was that answer too bold?
“Hmm, enlighten me doll. Tell me what would happen,” he teased. Doll. Doll. I’m considering changing my name to doll now. He should never use my name again. Just call me doll. I swooned on the inside. I looked at him, and noticed he licked his lips. Oh, how I just wish he would kiss me. I don’t even care we are in public right now. Everyone can see it. I don’t care.
“Well, I would yell back. Obviously. I would get a little mad, you would get mad. Now we’re both yelling, maybe even throwing some insults. We would both get angry, and we’d both storm off,” I started. “In the days after that, I would realize you may have been right, and that I overreacted. At the same time, you would realize you also overreacted a little bit. We would both be too stubborn to admit it, so a few days go by. Then, like after 4 days, we would decide at the same time we should apologize. So, we go to see each other, but since we decided at the same time to apologize, we run each into other in a random place between our houses. I have to figure out where you live first though, now that I think of it,” I continued rambling.
He laughed and motioned for me to keep talking.
“We apologize to each other, we forgive each other and then you finally kiss me.”
“You want me to kiss you?” He stopped laughing, and stopped walking. His blue eyes pierced through mine.
I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands. “That was not supposed to be said out loud.” My cheeks burned up and I looked down at my shoes.
“Answer the question,” he said with a stern voice.
I stayed silent and kept looking at my shoes. He took a step closer to me, he was now so close I could smell his cologne, and I couldn’t think straight anymore. He grabbed my chin and made my eyes meet his. “I said, answer the question.”
“Yes,” I muttered.
I looked into his eyes, his pupils had grown wide, the bright blue nearly gone.
“Good, because you have no idea how badly I want to kiss you doll.”
He pressed his lips again mine. Softly, but eager. I melted against his frame, and I pressed my hands on his chest. The hand on my chin cupped my cheek, while the other found my waist and pulled me closer to him.
He broke the kiss and rested his forehead on mine. We stood like that for a few seconds, just comprehending what just happened before he kissed me again. This time a little more rough, more needy. My hands slipped around his neck. A shot of electricity going through my entire body.
The kiss broke again, and I looked into his eyes. He sighed happily, and I giggled. This feels good. This feels nice.
“Still want to get coffee?” he chuckled.
“Yeah, I’m a little thirsty,” I answered, completely unaware of the double meaning of that sentence.
“For coffee of me?” He cocked his eyebrow, and I slapped my hand on his chest.
“Oh, come on,” I laughed.
“Alright, let’s get some coffee.”
We started walking again, and this time, he grabbed my hand and interlaced his fingers with mine.
“So, since getting coffee is not really a date, when can I take you out on proper date?” he asked.
“This is a date? Us getting coffee?” I wondered.
“I thought that was obvious, but yes,” he responded. He squeezed my hand and gave me a smile.
“Does that mean you want to date me?” I questioned.
“Nothing I’d like more doll. I’d really want to get to know you.” Once he said that, my heart skipped a few beats. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening.
“So, dinner tomorrow night, 7pm,” he said.
“Are you asking or demanding?” I responded while trying to suppress a smile.
“Well, you better be home doll.”
He stopped walking and pressed his lips against mine again, making me shut up so I couldn’t answer with a witty comeback. Oh, I don’t think I can get tired of kissing you.
“But let’s get coffee first,” he smiled.
•••
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A/N: For now, this will be the last chapter of Electricity. I might write another chapter in the future though. But no worries, I have a few one shots planned for them and i'm going to focus on those first! I will post them as one shots, because I think they could be read without reading Electricity. but it's way more fun if you had read it 🤷🏼‍♀️
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zonie-az · 3 years
Text
I'm transferring what I had in the group chat here. Cause I wanted to add more as well.
@greatinternetllama
Gov gets nightmares about the time in January.
Also
Arizona gets nightmares about all the people who has d*e from the heat and not enough water.
One day Gov walks out to get some water and finds Arizona just sitting on the couch staring at the TV which is not on. Gov just sits down without talking they just sit there. Gov falls asleep first. Arizona gets up and goes wake us Florida. Who is like Arizona!! Want to fight! And Ari just like your boyfriend is asleep on the couch. He not doing to hot. Go get him. Florida runs off. Arizona just goes back to his room.
They don't says anything. To each other. They don't know what the other one was dealing with. But they know it was nightmares due to some trauma.
Gov didn't think Arizona was struggling at all. He always seems so put together. Well in the way as nothing bother him and he just off making mayham. Arizona didn't think Gov was this bad. But Ari hasn't really talked to gov at all. Only when Florida is trying to show Gov that Florida is better than Arizona. And Ari spends a lot of those time focussing on Florida not Gov.
Florida come and brings him back to bed. And cuddles him. So Gov wakes up in Florida arms. Florida tells gov Arizona sent him and how gov should have just woken Florida up.
So Gov trys to return the favor. By telling NM Colorado and Utah. That he needs to extra love. They all look at each other and are like summer d**th has come early this year. We watch over him thank you.
The four corners go out in the desert and let Ari talk about the different cactus and desert animals he loves so much. Reminding him that he is beautiful. And not just pain.
Ari is so thankful. He knows what they are doing even if they don't out right say it. He figured Gov has something to do with it.
So he gets some of his favorite Mexican food. Making sure he puts on the Tupperware which foods are hot and which are not. Gov seems like the kind of person who doesn't do spicy food.
Arizona was right Gov thinks the one label mild is still pretty spicy. But if he has milk and drinks a lot it not bad. He shares the food with Florida.
The four corners are thankful for Gov telling them. And thus invite Florida and Gov to there game night. Which they didn't think though. Cause they play games that Gov has band from the house.
Arizona and Florida are trying to beat each other. NM is threatening to fight everyone. Colorado is just having fun. Utah is like why did we think this was a good idea. It fine with the four of them cause they know it just a game and not to actually get mad at each other. They only pretend to be mad.
And Gov is very stressed. Florida does almost take things to far but Utah knows it about to happen. It his dad sense. He stops everything.
Ari, NM and Coco know when Utah is calling things off and stop immediately. They start packing things up.
Florida is like wait no am not done. I haven't won yet. Gov is very impressive. And wants to know how Utah did that. Florida is kind of sad when he realized no more chaos is going to happen.
Utah tells Gov that he should have realized that game night wasn't the best idea. And he sorry for any stress he cause. Gov is like it fine. But I want to know how did you call it off and stuff. Utah confused. He like. They others while can be a handful and don't always know the line. They know I can see when things become to much for someone and know if I call things off to stop.
Gov is like but what about all the fights NM and Ari get in and the mess? Can you call that off. Utah laughs. Saying that it only really works for emotional distress and that it really more when it the four of them. NM can't be stopping from beating up people who have hurt someone he cares about. You kind of just have to pull him off and hope the other person knows what best and doesn't try anything. He mostly fights people who he finds being mean or hurting someone he cares about. And unfortunately he finds that a lot. He needs to be bandage up when he done.
As for Arizona. He more of a "that sounds like fun" last words kind of guy. He more of a danger to himself. The last thing he wants is to get someone else seriously hurt. He has seen enough suffering. He needs someone to help to be reminded he is loved and to take drink water and not get himself killed.
Colorado is more in need of cuddles and someone to make sure he eats and doesn't fall down some stairs when he too high. Something to keep him grounded in reality.
Utah is like. They all are caring and kind. They just need some love and taking care of. And I need stuff to. And we all just take care of each other.
Gov doesn't know what to do with that information. It not what he thought about them. He just thanks Utah and then the others and takes Florida back to there place.
Florida sees how quite Gov is being and is like hey. You okay? Gov tells him he not sure. Which is the truth. Florida then makes sure to keep Gov from getting to stuck in his own head and getting bad.
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Lol, both the admins are acting like they are using their personal accounts, this is so funny and embarrassing, like what the fuck are you thinking before typing any of that out??
And while there are people who are calling it out, there are also fans who are literally saying it's the admin's job to be uWu, like no honey it's not, their job is to maintain good PR for the team and THEIR drivers, something they have forgotten... I have seen them talk about Seb with Lewis and Mick this season more than I have seen them talk about Seb & Lance, and Lance in general. Like please focus on your drivers, the fans of the team are here for them. And while Merc admin can still get away with the cringe because at least the Mercedes has good results this season so the focus shifts on the on track performance, the AM admin is just making the situation worse for the team... A team everyone expected to be fighting for wins this year, has dropped to 7th in the pecking order, there are no results to show for anything the drivers are doing, and you lit are going around engaging in uWu bestie Sewis nonsense, who is going to take the team seriously? Your PR in a competitive sport is supposed to make you look ambitious, and they are celebrating being overtaken, like I understand a post race congratulatory comment under another team's post, but why are you focussed on another driver's race?
Also funny, that Lewis/Sewis fans are busy defending all the nonsense from yesterday, like besties stop, if they had crashed you lot would be asking for Seb's head, regardless of whether it was his fault or not, you're not fooling anyone.
Motherfuckers flip-flop on Yuki so much, it's disgusting to watch, everytime they have to slander RB, they use Yuki for it, and then when Yuki defended against Lewis at COTA they started attacking him saying he was showing his true colours, because he raced Lewis lmao, and then the same people/accounts went back to give him moral support last week, I mean why are you all so shallow... choose one narrative and run with please
Anon, whoever you are I don't know, but since you have the higher brain power than me for putting what I feel into words, I want you to know that you have an admirer.
Good PR, joking around and having a bit of fun is one thing, blatantly ignoring your other drivers inorder to milk a ship/nonexistent friendship (ahahahaha) by using the social media of a corporation playing with millions is another.
True, some fans like this stuff and I am one of them when it is done in moderation, it is nice, but..... But.... 🙄🙄🙄 What the fuck was this?
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Why the fuck are these ppl even racing? To certify they are actually a Merc sidekick? To get discount in the new engines? Do they remember they are talking about a 4 times WDC who used to be a rival to the other driver they are so in love with? Whose fans and British media used to tear him down at every given chance including the said driver himself... LoL, how the turn tables when you stop being a threat and the new spot you find yourself in reduces you to a part of a ship instead of a rival so that PR can milk money 🤑🤑🤑
Also, since when it is okay to make sexual innuendos on official accounts?
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I'm a shipper, but pleeeeease.... This kinda shit needs to be kept in fannish spaces not get promoted by official accounts that might draw attention on us. You should see all the replies to the last tweet asking about what a "s*ewis" is and where does it come from 😬
And yes, I would be cringed if it was done on Simi, too... Subtle bromance stuff is nice, but this kind of stuff has its own time and place.
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the-silentium · 3 years
Text
Home Sweet Home
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Masterlist - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8
Fors is an Original planet. I do not give permission to people to use it for their own fics, the planet, the animals, the Nightmares, the lore or anything related to Fors. Thank you.
Pairing: Bad Batch x Reader
Words: 7569 words
Warnings: Angst, sexual innuendos.
A/N: Last “soft” chap before the action come back ~  
**Words in bold are words said in French, which means the clones can’t understand it.**
Taglist: @clone-rambles / @mandaloriandin / @apathetic-catastrophie / @jenstar1992-2 / @haloangel391 / @lightning-wolffe / @cherrydemon5​ / @and-claudia​ / @lackofhonor​ / @gaymasonjar​ / @depthsreturn​ / @koskareevesismyqueen​ / @leonidas-banana-phone​             
____________________
Nothing changed. Not the obnoxious people, not the earthy smells, nor the heavy atmosphere. The loud locks of the gates closing behind your group still resonated through your ears, sounding too much like the last nail sealing your coffin shut and not like a protecting device. Was it your instincts telling you that you made the wrong decision? Or was it just the dread of returning somewhere you never wanted to return? Either way, it was clear that you didn't feel any bits of nostalgia at being back between these rocky walls. 
Hells, even the council's room was giving off unpleasant vibes with its tall bookcases carved directly into the walls that protected way too many old books that weren't all redacted in French nor in Basic. A map of the planet hung on the furthest wall of the room, the different villages identified with their respective symbol to help with trades, hunts, fights. Frabas' name crossed out in blood-red ink to remind everyone of the overnight genocide that happened there. 
The lanterns were the only nice things in the room. The soft green and blue crystals contained within the glass enclosure bathed the whole room in their light. Maybe if you focussed on them long enough their glow would soothe your mind. 
"Excuse me? You spit on it?" Tech's sudden high pitch tone was surprising enough to pass through your incessant flow of thoughts 
"Yeah. Right there." He pointed at an intergrown knot close to the far extremity of the table where the heads usually sat. "What? Did you want me to piss on it? That's a bit too animalistic." Kayden added as soon as he noticed Tech's offended expression that quickly morphed into a disgusted one. 
"Honestly, with you people, I wouldn't have been surprised." Crosshair's jeer traveled the room in a second. It took even less to drop Kayden's mood.  
His hand tightened around yours and without losing a single second, you matched his grip to keep him from expressing his frustration through anything physical. Now wasn't the time to start a fight between your own team members when several other players might want to hurt you. 
If tonight's bad luck could turn into good fortune at least once, now would be the time. The 'diplomats' were out of harm's way, Kayden had technically done what he was told and thus was not considered a traitor, leaving you alone on the spot. 
"Look who just found his voice again." He caught your message and used his words instead. "I was sure you'd swallowed your tongue when you ran like a chicken back there."
"And who ran the fastest in the group eh?" The sniper walked to the table. His hands fell flat on the wood to support himself as he leaned forward, daring the brunette at your sides to make a move. 
"The fastest is usually the one to survive." He pointed out as he scratched at his clothed chest with his free hand, his right one still prisoner of your grip. 
"Crosshair." Hunter slightly pulled him backward by the pauldron and away from the incoming confrontation. "Enough." He added with a growl, clearly remembering how this wasn't his brother. Not fully. 
Against all expectation, Crosshair did back off, although he quickly moved his animosity towards the new source of irritation, clear proof that this wasn't the man with whom Hunter had shared so many memories, good or bad. He was a total stranger that didn't respect him at all and lived to push his buttons. Why he stayed with you all was a mystery, although you weren't complaining. Keeping him restrained while in the jungle would have been a true challenge. 
It was like waiting for a storm to explode. The dark grey clouds were there, the strong winds blew away everything in their wake, the thunder resonated in the distance, yet there wasn't any droplet of rain. The men faced each other just like in the cave, mere centimeters separated their chest plates and anytime now, the first blow would mark the start of a colossal downpour. 
It was nerve-wracking. Even Wrecker and Tech were watching, clearly pondering if they should intervene or if by doing so they would aggravate the situation. You started getting up as the door opened and startled you into seating down again. 
Never had you thought that seeing Arlan enter a room would make you feel relieved, yet, this was exactly how you felt at the moment. It seemed like the sudden entrance of an outsider was enough for Crosshair to back off. You subtly crossed your fingers that he wouldn't lash out at the leader even though the scene would very probably make you feel so much better. The consequences of going against Arlan just weren't worth it.  
Before the dark-haired leader could notice it, you separated your hand from Kayden's, both your backs straightened and your unbothered masks came back on. Wearing the well-worn suit of this fake cocky personality was deeply uncomfortable but truly necessary. Over the years it became your best shield and Kayden your best ally. 
"Take a seat." Arlan waved towards the table as he walked deeper into the room, passing Hunter and Crosshair like they weren't even there. It took years to be able to read the black-haired leader, but it definitely came in handy now. 
His calm tone hid a deep irritation that showed through the tightness gripping the muscles around his eyes. He quickly tamed his features as he took place at the end of the table, his elbows immediately meeting the hardwood of the armchairs to allow his fingers to interlace before him. 
Soon the 4 seats opposing you were occupied with rigid troopers. Their helmets still firmly on would have been seen as an enormous lack of respect if only Arlan's attention wasn't already focussed on two nasty boots dripping mud onto the piece of art that was the table.
Arlan only needed one look to communicate thoroughly his thoughts. The hard gaze that could easily be misinterpreted as a constipated one transpired enough threats that Kayden removed his boots without any further delay. The ultimatum was clear and you both knew that there was nothing Arlan despised more than repeating himself. Well, maybe you two were the firsts on his list, but that was especially because you loved to make him repeat himself. 
If only he didn't look like there was an entire fire-ants colony in his pants, Kayden would have kept his feet up for a bit longer just to raise the man's blood pressure a little. You swore he got more grey hair each time he had to talk with the two of you. 
The disapproving sigh accompanying the stormy grey hues boring deeply into yours was a true gift to Kayden whose smirk widened in consequence. 
"Do you know why you're here?" The question resonated within the room with utmost seriousness, a seriousness that you forced yourself to shrug nonchalantly in response. 
"Surely not because you missed me." You placed a smirk on your lips to copy your sidekick and complete the infernal duo act. 
His dark-grey sleeves rode up his arms as he bent forward, his elbows now resting on the table, to get a closer look at you, 3 chairs away. Whilst being very tempting, flinching under his hard stare was out of the question. Four months in a medbay with kind people almost made you forget what the world was really made of; selfish people who always looked out for weaknesses to exploit and were eager to beat others down in hope to raise themselves up. 
"We are here to talk relations between the Republic and your planet." Hunter sharply stated, cutting short the staring contest. "My team was sent in a preliminary manner to inform you of the Republic's intentions seeing as your representatives couldn't be reached through official channels. In the following days, two senators will be coming here with adequate troops to talk in the Senate's name." 
How the room got hotter in a second was a mystery. All you knew was that even though his tone was borderline too crisp to be qualified as diplomatic, Hunter's words were so perfectly chosen that you wondered if he'd done this kind of job before. 
As the silence following Hunter's declaration stretched, Arlan's gaze moved to the hard visor of the commando trooper. The intensity of his stare left you thinking that maybe he was able to see through the shade. Unfazed, Hunter stared right back as you did just moments prior. 
You nearly missed it. If you hadn't been watching Arlan as intently as you were doing, the minuscule flash in his eye would have been overlooked. A muscle jumped in his jaw, filling you with dread. Something was wrong. Somehow he had the upper hand and he was internally relishing his win. 
"A very well executed lie, but I am sorry to announce you that the Republic won't come here, Sergeant. Not after the Jedis signed a treaty to never come on this planet ever again." You were sure he paused just to get a reaction out of the commando. Hunter's helmet hid his expression perfectly. If he'd reacted or not was totally lost on everyone, unfortunately, it wasn't the same for Kayden whose eyes grew as big as saucers. "No Jedi, no clone, no senator, no Separatist, no outsider is welcome here." 
Say what now? Never before had you ever heard of Jedis ever landing a foot on Fors, even less signing a treaty. 
Hunter's helmet slightly dipped in your direction, surely to get some answers through your body language. Surely, he got the message when you gulped, wariness filling your eyes as you continued to stare at the man in his mid-50s. His message had been pretty clear from the very beginning. That he felt the need to add that the clones weren't welcome caused doubts in your village ethics to creep into your mind. 
As far as you knew, no one had ever been executed in cold blood. Sure, you'd heard stories as a child about how people who were a tad bit too disturbing in the community would vanish overnight, obviously thrown out into the jungle to be feasted on by some hungry creature. Without knowing if they were true events or simply a way to make children behave, you took a habit of sticking with Kayden as soon as the firsts Furants that created their nests in the crooks of the walls circling the village entered the gates to hide, signaling that 7 pm had recently passed and the Nightmares would show up in under an hour. After all, there was no better nuisance in Alryan than the two of you. 
Knowing that Arlan's smugness was carefully hidden under layers of practiced indifference, a very tantalizing urge to break your knuckles once again send tingles into your dominant hand. Breaking his nose for a second time would definitely help your mood as well as everyone else's in the room, you were sure of it. 
"The- the Jedis? But they never-" 
"It is not common knowledge." Arlan archly cut Kayden short and rolled his eyes with that very particular expression that made you feel like the stupidest idiot in the galaxy. In response, the tingles in your hand intensified. "This treaty is way older than me after all. We never needed the Republic's help in any way, not then and certainly not now." He at least had the decency to meet his eyes as he talked.
"And what do you think of the Nightmares? Frabas-" You piped up, the image of a traumatized red-head girl shaking in her bloody clothes popped in your mind. "They could've helped with that."
"They are protectors." He closed his eyes in exasperation and pinched his nose like he'd repeated the concept over and over again to a child that never retained anything. 
"They don't protect shit! They kill us!" 
Where had he been his whole life? Every night they came and howled, screeched, hissed, yapped and laughed on the other side of the gates in hope of having some juicy flesh and fresh blood to appease their hunger and thirst. Some even went as far as hitting the gates repeatedly in hope of breaking their way in. 10 hours per night, 368 nights a year, every year.
"They protect the Core that's in you--" He interrupted himself as soon as he noticed the irritation breaching his mask, allowing venom to drip through the closing cracks. His rage fit only lasted a second but it was a second too much. He gave you more than he wanted you to know. 
"What do you mean? In me?" You could feel yourself starting to shake. In apprehension, anger or fear you couldn't tell. There was too much going on at the same time, assaulting your already tired mind. 
"Nothing that you need to know." His tone was definitive, his grey eyes conveying the same message. 
"Bullshit!" You jump to your feet just as he pushed his chair to get up. "If it's in me like you say, I deserve to know!" 
Your yell must have triggered something, because as soon as the words flew from your mouth, Rhian and his troops entered the room, bows fully bent and ready to shoot in your direction. Elijah had his hammer in both hands, fully prepared to use it against a clone- your money went on Wrecker- if needed and Pete was ready to blow a tranquilizer- or it could easily be a fast-acting poison- into someone's neck. 
The answer to the intrusion was immediate. Wrecker's chair went flying behind him at the impact of his legs when he followed his CO's movement. All four troopers stood on their side of the table, imposing and totally ready to enter a fight if need be. You and Kayden though? Totally not ready. You were unarmed and by the time you took hold of Kayden's bow, at least three arrows would have found their way into your body. 
"All you really deserved was to die on Murphy Day." He snarled in your direction as his impatience once again showed through his slipping mask. "Throw them in the slammer."
That's it. Goodbye knuckles. Always the perceptive, Kayden grabbed your upper arm, right below the Algax's clean-cut, and pulled you back to his side even before you made the first step towards the bastard. Always there to keep you alive for another day. What a nice friend. 
"Hands behind your head." Rhian barked as he approached you and Kayden from behind. 
Doing as you were told, you noticed the troopers hesitating before doing as ordered when you nodded at them. Tech lifted his good hand, the other keeping hold of Crosshair's cage. One of the archers went to seize it, but a sudden shoulder to the sternum kept him away. 
He's not just a nerd. You smirked as the archer stumbled. 
"Let them keep it." Rhian waved off the fuming archer who definitely wanted to go back and win his fight. Too bad. "Walk ahead. You know the way." Rhian nodded towards the door after getting a hold of Kayden's bow and quiver, his very own bow aimed at the floor. The string was stretched just enough to cause serious damage if he needed to defend himself quickly, but he seemed to know that it wasn't needed. 
Kayden led the way with you in tow, Elijah and Pete moved away from the door to let you pass at a safe distance. Out of the corner of your eyes, you noticed Rhian breaking formation to move up to Arlan, who surely waved him over. 
You sighed as you remembered that he didn't even tell you why he wanted you here. 
The clone's boots resonated against the rock floor at each of their steps, close enough to appease your mind. 
"Do you know a way out of here?" Hunter's voice emanated softly within your ear. 
You moved your shoulder blades in a circular motion as if you were stretching the muscles and nodded your head at the same time as to not look too suspicious to the archers escorting the group. Good thing that they didn't notice your earpiece yet.
Wrecker must have been the one right behind you because he relayed the message to Hunter through the private line. 
"Now?" You rotated your head from side to side like when you needed to crack your neck. 
"No." Came Wrecker's whisper. 
"In the slammer?" A small nod. 
"Yeah." 
"Then we wait and we get out as soon as possible." Hunter told his half-plan to the Batch who hummed their approvals. 
Once again the unusual parade that you formed along with the armored men attracted many curious eyes. Ignoring them was easier this time around, the familiarity of their chary gazes finally coming back to allow you to concentrate on something else. 
This part of the village was carved so deeply into the mountain that even the occasional howls coming from the jungle couldn't be heard. There couldn't have been better protection for a population of more than 700 people than a natural barrier of rock. Sure, this very convenient refuge could easily become a tomb for a lot of villagers in the event of a breach, but several emergency tunnels were created for this very situation. They were maintained at a perfect condition in case a repeat of Frabas' catastrophe ever came to happen. 
Every Alryan learned the location of every single tunnel at the youngest of age. They were only to be used in emergency cases and right now, it was an emergency. It all depended on the perspective. 
"It never changed." You stated quietly as the slammer's entrance came into view, the dark purple glow emanating from its depths was a stark contrast to the lively colors of the main area. 
Goosebumps rose on your arms as you followed Kayden down the tunnel. The nearby natural well raised the humidity in these parts of the mountain and thus caused the air to become colder. Just my luck, you thought as the fresh air infiltrated your clothes by the multiple tears in their fabric. 
"In there." Rhian speed-walked to catch up with Kayden and direct him to a cell carved into the wall on his left. 
You were locked up with him, Wrecker and Hunter got situated in the cell facing yours, Crosshair and Tech on the one right beside theirs. 
Right as Tech got in after a growling Crosshair, Rhian took hold of the cage and kicked Tech inside who landed in a yelp. You weren't even gripping the bars yet that the heavy door closed behind the engineer. 
"Give him back!" 
"Sorry 'bout that." He threw the cage in the air twice, the flame within shaking frantically as it hit the bars. "Orders are orders." He ignored the yells of his name bouncing in the detention center and walked out unbothered, his men in tow. 
"How quick can you get us out of here?" The urgency in Hunter's tone only added to your own raiding anxiety. What would Arlan do to Crosshair? He was totally defenseless. 
"Couple of minutes. But we'll need Back-Up. I hope you have it." You turned to Kayden who scoffed in mocked offense. 
"You have back-up?" Tech wondered out loud, tilting his head. "I thought no one would help you here." 
"Jeez. Thanks for the vote of confidence." Kayden held his heart before reaching for his chest pocket. "Back-up is my Godot." He pulled a hand-sized lizard from his pocket to show the Batch. 
The Godot's orange scales shone softly at Kayden's contact, their light reflecting onto the soft line of baby blue leaves growing on each side of its spine. Its three-fingered paws grabbed fingers and clothes to remain in place while two black eyes moved independently from one another to take in what was happening around. Its long tail wrapped around Kayden's wrist as he lifted it up to show off, the small leaves at its end shining brightly in surprise. 
Wrecker gasped and lifted his helmet to get a better view of the animal. "That's what I saw the first time, Tech! It's the lizard that disappeared!" 
"Nothing disappeared Wrecker. There was nothing there." Tech rebuked.  
"Don’t be so sure about that! They can camouflage themselves, right Back-Up?" At the half-baked order, the tiny lizard shut off its light and changed its skin pigmentation to copy its environment to perfection. 
"It disappeared Tech! See? That's what I saw and you didn't believe me!" Wrecker's tone raised as he pointed to Kayden's seemingly empty outstretched hand. 
"Wrecke-" You tried to warn him to keep his voice down but heard steps coming your way. 
"Back-up, go get the master key at home." Kayden hurriedly whispered to the Godot and quickly kneeled to allow it access to the ground so it could wander away and get the required object. 
A guard appeared at the end of the corridor just as Kayden got up and threw himself onto the upper hammock fixed to the walls. He moved around to get comfortable and into the right position, hands under his head. 
"So, I've heard that Stockholm syndrome was hard on you." Brett, a particularly annoying scout, mocked from behind his beard. 
"Nope. Still don't like y'all." You replied nonchalantly despite the urge to punch him through the bars. 
"I was talking about them." He pointed to the two cells containing the clones and you lifted a single eyebrow. 
"Tech, definition of Stockholm syndrome please." You asked, maintaining eye contact during the whole process. 
"Stockholm syndrome," You saw the genius perked up at your request. Sadly, he didn't lift a finger in the air while he recited the meaning of the word. "Is a psychological response wherein a captive begins to identify closely with his or her captors, as well as with their agenda and demands." He ended with a nod and the movement satisfied you enough to let the lack of a finger go.  
"That means you dumbass." You spat as you crossed your arms over your chest. "I'm with them willingly." 
"Get fucked!" Kayden shouted with a laugh that got half a smile out of you. 
"You? Our captive? It sure felt like the other way around." He finally switched to basic and the hate coating his words told you that he wasn't talking about the pranks and snarky attitude, no, he was talking about something bigger than that. 
"What are you talking about?" Maybe you could get more answers out of him than you did with Arlan. 
He scoffed. "Stop trying to play the idiot. Between the two of you, Kayden's the best at it." 
You ignored said idiot's thanks to press the matter. "Okay and let's imagine I really don't know what the hell you're talking about. What in the damn world did I do?" You remembered Arlan's word and almost added what is wrong with me? but Brett was already dropping the three medicine canisters to the ground, out of reach from either your cell or the clones' and went away. 
"You live." 
You sat on the ground, drained of every ounce of energy you once had. What was wrong with you? Why did everyone want you dead? The fear you felt at Arlan's words came back as you thought about what it could all mean. The Nightmares who stopped appearing when you left and came back when you did. Whatever the Core was that supposedly resided in you and the fact that the Lumsin knew what it was while you didn't. That the villagers never saw you as an annoying brat but a vile oppressor. 
You faintly heard Kayden talking with Tech about Back-up, but couldn't make out the exact words, your own thoughts being way too loud for you to clearly hear anything outside your head. 
"It's alright. Don't worry about it." An arm fell on your shoulders and pulled you into Kayden's side who now sat next to you on the ground, successfully pulling you out of your own mind. Yet, as comforting as his gesture was supposed to be, you only felt guiltier. Even when everyone else pointed their fingers at you, he was still there to keep yourself up even after you'd vanished on him. 
Kayden scratched the clothes over his heart again and cut off your incoming guilty declaration. 
"Question. If the half-skull one was to break my jaw or somethin' and that you didn't see it happen, would you believe me if I told you it was him?" Kayden asked, frowning too deeply for you to brush the question off as one of his stupid ones. 
"Wha-?" Then it dawned on you. "Did you threaten him?" You asked Hunter, voice raising in octaves. 
You knew Kayden probably deserved it, but he was your best friend. You've been helping each other for more than 15 years and there was no way you'd let him get beaten for a stupid jealousy tantrum. 
An invisible hand squeezed your heart as you felt Kayden relaxing against your side. He doubted that you'd listen to him. More importantly, he doubted that you'd trust his word over someone else's. Sure it was Hunter's word, but you knew the Sergeant was not in his right mind and not only because of the irrational feeling. 
"He wouldn't stop talking." The unbothered tone in which he answered shocked you. 
"Yet you've never threatened Tech." 
"That's not the same." Why must he sound like he truly believed that he did nothing wrong? 
"You may not value his life and health, but I do. A lot." You emphasized the last word so he got the message. "And his word is the only single one in the galaxy that I never ever doubted." 
Kayden's breath sharply filled his lungs and Hunter's fingers curled into fists. You still deeply loved the dark-haired Sergeant and seeing him frustrated at your words made a real number on your insides but that rational part of your brain told you that he would tire of you someday and would leave, whereas Kayden had shown countless of times that he'd be there to hold your hand, push your back and pull you up whenever needed. 
"Good to know." 
Why did his acknowledgment of your words make you sick? You'd said those words yourself and they were true, so how could they hurt that much? If it wasn't of the half-circles traced on the back of your right hand, you certainly would have had a physical reaction. It could have been hiding in your hammock or tears leaking from your eyes, you didn't know. 
"You don't trust us?" Wrecker's hurt translated in his low, nearly inaudible tone if it wasn't of the earbud deeply pushed into your ear canal. 
"I do Wrecker. I really do. It's me that I don't." Damn. For someone who wanted to avoid feelings-talks like the plague, you found yourself right in the middle of the deepest one ever. 
"I don't understand." He admitted. 
"I-" You sighed, trying to find the words that would explain something you didn't know how to explain. "I don't myself Wrecker. I make people despise me and-" The words escaped you. Out of exasperation, your free hand moved up to rub your closed eyelids and drag the pads of your fingers down your cheeks. 
"When they don't you persuade yourself they do and you tell yourself that they'll give you up so you start to doubt them even when there's nothing to worry about." Kayden shrugged at your wide eyes looking at him. "Don't be surprised I know you better than yourself. You did the same shit with me but I didn't let you." 
"Then why did you doubt yourself against Hunter?" 
" 'cuz you love him." He answered in your native tongue and you were grateful for it. You weren't ready to say the words out loud and if Kayden, the person who just demonstrated that he knew you like the palm of his hand, said those words himself, then he'd throw your feelings out in the open and you couldn't have that. Not when your brain still expected the Bad Batch to get back to their ship and leave you on Fors, where you belonged. 
"You were there longer."
"Yeah, but that was because you couldn't escape me. Give them their chance. You might be surprised." He patted your shoulder like an old man who gave advice to a youngster. 
"We wouldn't give you up. You're our friend!" Wrecker added once the conversation in a foreign language died. 
"If you still doubt our friendship, then you might want to remember that we passed hundreds of hours training you to be our pilot and that we lied to our superiors to keep you." Tech pointed out, this time with the finger in the air. It brought the tiniest of smiles to your lips. 
"Or remember the moments shared." Hunter surprised you with his quiet words that Kayden definitely couldn't hear without a comm device. Had he realized that he was fighting a non-existent enemy? Or did he feel as bad as you following your exchange?
"Or you can remember that you're a freak." Tech slapped his lean brother's shoulder 
"So I belong with you guys? Yeah, I'll- I'll do my best to remember all that." A chuckle escaped your lips. "Thanks." You added under your breath, to which the boys nodded and Wrecker smiled brightly. 
"Is your chest okay?" Tech asked and pointed at Kayden who was still scratching his torso. 
"Yeah, 's just itchy. I think Kerth put some poison Ivy in my clothes. I wouldn't be surprised." He pulled his shirt forward to look at his skin. He winced. "That does look like it." 
"You never get tired of looking at yourself?" A soft feminine voice chuckled from down the hallway. 
Soft brown eyes shone behind fiery red locks, their owner walking straight to your cell where she stopped to pass you a hot container. You'd recognize that smell everywhere and apparently so did your stomach who growled loudly in anticipation of receiving some soup. 
"Good timing, I see." She chuckled, put her pack on the ground and offered you a container. "It's not poisoned, I promise. I did it myself." She assured in basic when you kept watching her hands without making any move towards the food. 
Still unmoving, Kayden took it upon himself to grab two containers and let the redhead give the clones their servings. 
"They wanted me to only feed the soldiers but I slipped some for you two as well. For all the spare crusts." She nodded at you, who kept watching her in silence. Before turning around to go back to where she came from, the woman had the kindness to grab the discarded medicine canisters and offer them to Kayden. "Take care." 
Wait. You had to tell her. It was like your brain forgot how everything worked. Opening your mouth wasn't hard compared to finding what to say. Even then your throat constricted in an attempt to shut you up, but you couldn't let her go without telling her. 
She deserved to know. 
"Fleena." Was all you managed and it was enough to stop her in her tracks. When she turned, your hand was already fishing around in your pocket for the small piece of wood. 
She came back as you brought your closed fist forward and dropped the dirty necklace on her open hand. 
She stared at it, surprise taking over her soft features in a flash as soon as she recognized the symbol. She turned it to inspect the back and now was the right time for the earth to open beneath your ass and take you away. 
"Where did you get that?" The tremors in her voice send a knife through your heart. 
Swallowing down the lump in your throat, you made sure to choose your words better than with Hunter. "Nixon was a Wanderer."
"He-" She started with hope until she registered your sentence. "Was?" 
There it was. The moment to own what you did finally arrived. 
"What did you do?" She pressed as you kept silent, unable to say it out loud. 
"It wasn't him anymore, Fleena. He hadn't grown up and kept walking in circles on his bleeding feet. He was tormented." 
You freed him. You helped him. Now that her horrified hazel eyes bore into yours, Crosshair's words that were so helpful before held no sense. 
"He was still my brother." She clutched the necklace to her chest, tears running down her cheeks. 
"Nixon was gone." 
"I don't expect you to understand. You don't know anything about having a sibling." 
The silence following her retreating steps was even heavier than before. No. That wasn't true. The boys spoke in the background and in your ear, prompting you to remove the device to have some peace. 
"You're right, I don't." You grumbled in your knees that were now up to your face to hide your features, your arms tightly wrapped around them to keep them close. 
"That's the biggest bullshit that ever came out of your mouth." Kayden scoffed next to you. "What do you think I am then? Your friend?" He puffed like it was the stupidest joke he'd ever been told. "Fuck no. We've been family ever since your dad died so cut the crap or I'll hit you." 
I should be punching you for saying such stupid stuff. 
"For real. I'll hit you so hard you won't ignore me again." He shuffled around to better position himself, arm lifting-
"I've abandoned you." You spat more at you than at him. 
"Siblings sucks but we love them anyway." He shrugged. "You're no exception." 
Tears gathered in your eyes. Even after leaving him alone to fight for himself, Kayden still loved you as much as before and never once held a grudge against your actions. He was a true god-given gift and you'd treated him unfairly. 
Pain exploded into your shoulder and you found yourself colliding with the ground. 
"The fuck?" Four spots on your shoulder hurt so deeply that it didn't take long for you to realize that he'd hit you with his knuckles. 
"My monthly quota was not yet achieved." He smirked, watching you massage the beaten skin. 
"Don't you think I'm hurt enough already?" 
"Stop whining, we have Biogel." He shook the metallic container before your face. 
"That thing hurts like hell." You groaned, pushing his hand away to sit straight. 
"When did you become such a baby?" You shot him the deadliest glare you had in reserve. "Hey. It's a very small price to pay for completely healed wounds in under 30 minutes." 
"Completely healed?" Tech inquired, eying the matching container in his hands that Kayden pushed him. 
"Yeah! One good layer and bye-bye! Works for sprained stuff too, just takes a little longer." Kayden answered as he helped you apply the cold sticky gel onto your arms. "Little tips: let someone else put it on you." He added as you hissed and groaned under the burning feeling that came with the product. 
Your hands closed and opened repeatedly to keep from hitting Kayden in retaliation for the pain he was putting you through. The raging fire led to intense stinging that you could describe as white-hot needles poking your damaged skin. 
"Please remember that you love me." Kayden said right before he dropped a huge blob of Biogel onto the hole in your leg. Had he not jumped away, your elbow would have connected with his chest at high speed. Instead, all that got injured were your nerves, your vocal cords and Hunter's head. 
"I'll murder you if you do that again." You whimpered while clutching your upper thigh in hope of cutting every pain transmission from your leg to your brain. 
"Good thing it was the last one!" He laughed from his side of the cell, Biogel discarded to the profit of the warm bowl of soup which he was already drinking like he'd been starved for a week. 
Wrecker's gasp and groans filled the air. A quick glance his way showed Hunter applying a coat of the translucent substance on his burnt hands and neck as well as on the cuts on his arms. Then came Hunter's turn who covered some scratches from the Yappians and after some thought applied some of it on the side of his forehead. No sound escaped his throat, the only proof of the pain assaulting his nerves being the scrunching of his face, unlike Tech who yelped when Crosshair carelessly applied the gel on his wrist and arms. Then, like pain didn't affect him at all, he splattered some on his swollen ankle and it was done. 
"I'm sure no one really wants to eat right now, but it'd be good to eat the food until Back-up comes back and we have to leave." Kayden reminded. 
"What's that?" Crosshair asked, more worried about the soup than Wrecker was. The tank was already slurping the soup down, mindful of his sensible fingers. 
"In basic I guess it translates as bone soup." Wrecker stopped abruptly, mouth still scotched to the bowl. He eyed you in distress, pondering if it was safe to swallow or not. "It's good, despite the name. Hunters usually eat that before a hunt to boost their systems, right Y/N?" Just for the sake of the game, you nodded. It was true anyway. 
"And eh… what's in it?" Tech moved the container in small circles to try and identify what was floating in the light yellow liquid. 
"Roots, meats, some veggies, guts and ground bones." You kept your poker face as Kayden enumerated the 'ingredients' and Wrecker lost all colors. "Where do you think the name comes from?" 
Wrecker spat his enormous gulp and you laughed to the point of tears, soon joined by your best frie- brother. 
"He's just fucking with y'all, Wreck. It's called bone soup because there's bone marrow in it to help with our joints. And there’s no guts. We're no savages." You did your best to control your laugh before digging into your soup eagerly. How Kayden always managed to get your mood up was a total mystery, but it always worked and you were grateful for it. 
"Could've fooled me." Crosshair taunted. 
"Ya can choke on it." You said at the same time Kayden did, getting a laugh out of it. 
The delicious soup filled your stomach in less than 10 gulps and it wasn't until you put your bowl down that you realized how good it made you feel to fill that emptiness in you. The soup wasn't enough to make you sleepy after a nice meal and provided just enough nutrients for everyone to be able to face the fast-approaching escape without a problem. Mixed with the Biogel, you were back at the top of your games. 
Arlan really made an error in taking care of the group. 
"What now? What's your plan?" Hunter wondered, posing his container on the ground. 
You met gaze with Kayden and he nodded confidently. "How well can you all swim in your armors?" 
"In calm water, we are fine but slow. We can't go in strong water. The current will catch in the plastoid and will drag us down." 
A hum resonated from within your throat and you pucker your lips. "You can't give them up. That scratch out the underground well and the waterfall." You taped your lips in thought. Watching Tech who still drank with only one hand, you knew that hiking wasn't an option as well. For now at least. 
"Then it's the dark pit." Kayden pointed out. 
It indeed was the last possible option. The other remaining one would be to use the front gates and it was the least possible one. 
"Yeah. The other tunnels would take too long to get out and then we'd lose too much time walking back at the Old Man's cave." You recalled from your mental map of the jungle. "I'm fairly sure we have two hours until dawn. The Old Man's Cave is 15 minutes away from here if we run." 
"Then we run." Hunter agreed. 
"Now, to get out… Hey, big guy." Kayden called. "What's the name?" 
"Wrecker." He answered proudly, almost puffing his chest out. 
Kayden scoffed. "Obviously. Should'a figured." He turned to you. "Is it too late to change my name?" 
The moron was too far for a shoulder slap, so you showed your exasperation with a roll of your eyes. "Stop screwing around and tell us your idea." 
"Yeah yeah." The childish tone wasn't surprising on his part. He turned his attention back to the tall clone. "So, Wrecker, I bet you're experienced with big shafts so how good are you with pulse-hammers?" In a flash, you threw your empty container at his head with utmost precision that you knew Crosshair would be proud. The flying object was as unexpected for him as the inappropriate sentence was for you and hit him square on the forehead. 
"I'll strangle you." You threatened. 
"Kinky." He winked while nursing his forehead. 
"With what?" Wrecker inquired, too focussed on the unknown term to pick up at the dirty joke.
"Her han-"
"Not that, morron." You cut him off. "The big hammer that exploded that tree back at the pit." You clarified for Wrecker. 
"Oh! I've never used one before, but I'm sure it can't be that hard!" Excitement glimmered in his eyes at the perspective of using the powerful weapon. 
"Oh believe me it's hard." Kayden smirked way too smugly for your taste. 
"Okay. Time out. Planning is paused." You poked the palm of your hand with the fingertips of your other hand. "I call pervert veto card." You deadpanned. 
"Oh hell no you can't!" Was there panic in his voice? Yes. Definitely. 
"Oh heck yes I can! Once a year for 24 hours and I'm using it now." Thank the gods you'd not used it before. 
"But-!" 
"No but or butts. No sexual reference in any form, implied or not. 24 hours starting now." He glared at you from his spot two meters away. You could have laughed at his face that perfectly mirrored a kid who just got his Christmas gift stolen directly from its small weak hands. 
"You're fucking me in the ass." He grumbled like an overgrown petulant child.
You lifted an eyebrow. "Try again. You can do it."
"Party pooper." 
"There you go." As you turned to the rest of them, a laugh escaped your lips at the clones’ expressions. 
Crosshair, despite his feelings blockade, was covering his mouth, Wrecker was laughing his ass off, Tech looked relieved behind his horrified eyes and Hunter chuckled. He appeared to be pleased and somewhat totally used to the situation, which grabbed your curiosity. 
Later. You forced a cough to get everyone's attention. "Let's continue. To answer your question, Wrecker, handling a pulse-hammer is not hard. Only remember to not touch the head," You had to stop to point at Kayden in a threatening manner when you sensed a perverted comment about to escape his idiotic mouth despite the veto card being used. "And hit with the glowing side. If you hit with the other side, you'll damage the hammer and it'll be useless." 
"I can do that!" Wrecker enthusiastically nodded. 
"So we plan into exploding our way out of here? What do we do about Cross?" Tech pointed out what he thought was a flaw in your plan. 
Right at this moment, Back-Up appeared before Kayden, its fluffy leaves puffing out in pride as Kayden removed the Master key from its belly pouch. What a marvelous creature they were. Being able to fit your own size in an extensible pouch that covered your body from your collarbone to your pelvis was truly amazing and more than practical. 
"We'll split. Kayden will guide you guys to the emergency tunnel and I'll go get Cross. I'll meet you all as soon as I can." 
You nearly hadn't finished that Hunter inevitably rejected your plan. "No. We stay together."
"We can't. You guys will be the decoy I need to sneak around and find him and having one of you with me will catch attention and slow me down." You cut Hunter as he still looked like he was about to be opposed. "I still have my comms and earbud. I'll contact you every 5 minutes." You offered in an attempt to compromise. 
Silence stretched and you got up, already ready to depart. The tingling in your arms and leg had subsided some time ago and to your sweet surprise, applying weight on your leg didn't hurt as much as before. 
Kayden unlocked the cells and a hand softly grabbed your forearm. "Fine. You comm every 5 minutes and you take this." He moved to Tech to rummage through his belt and hand you a pistol. "Use it if needed." 
You took the pistol with a steady grip despite the uncertainty shaking your guts. It was the very first blaster you've ever had in your hand and it was heavier than you thought. "Don't worry. I will." You assured him, voice strong and unwavering. 
But… could you really?
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acciomalfoy · 4 years
Text
What a beautiful wedding (Fred Weasley x Reader)
Summary: While attending Bill and Fleur’s reception, certain secrets are forced to be revealed.
-
“Isn’t she beautiful?” I whispered in awe as I watched Fleur, the absolute goddess, walk down the aisle. She was breathtaking, and if she wasn’t about to get married maybe I could’ve convinced her to marry me. Fred nudged me.
“Come on, L/n. Don’t tell me you’re the type to go soft over a wedding.” I ignored him in favour of smiling at Fleur, who beamed back.
Fred was on one side of me with George on the other, and bridesmaids and groomsmen were scattered across in front of the guests, while Fleur eventually reached the front. Charlie hastily pulled out her ring and presented it to Bill, who looked like he was on the verge of tears. I would have been too, with a bride like that.
“Be honest. Do you think I could seduce Fleur and convince her to elope with me?” I whispered, and George coughed to disguise his laughter.
“I think you could do anything.” Fred whispered back, and the vows began.
“With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way into darkness. With this ring I ask you to be mine.” At this point I was seriously beginning to question my sexuality. That was, until I saw the smile on Fred’s face. Then Bill said his vows.
“It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were truly supposed to be together, and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched you. It was like coming home, only to no home I’d ever known. I was just taking your hand to help you out of a carriage and I knew. It was the most pure form of magic that I’ve ever known.” Everyone, every single witch and wizard in attendance cooed, the witches tearing up and the wizards focussing on doing just the opposite.
“You may now kiss the witch.” The officiant said, and Bill did just that. We began cheering and screaming, and there wasn’t a couple quite as beautiful as this one.
The bridesmaids and groomsmen followed the newlyweds in a seperate carriage, and as I was squished between Ginny and George, I realised that life possibly couldn’t get any better. Ginny kept looking meaningfully between George and I, making me laugh harder and harder each time. She couldn’t have gotten it more wrong.
“I see you flirting.” She whispered in my ear, and I sniggered, patting George on the head.
“I don’t think so, Gin.” She narrowed her eyes and looked pointedly away, and that was just fine by me. Soon enough we reached the reception, Fred falling into step beside me.
“So, my dear Y/n. Were you ever planning on telling me that you want to snog my brothers tonsils out?” I shrieked with laughter, and Fred scowled.
“I’d sooner play tonsil hockey with Malfoy!” I cried out, and George punched my shoulder.
“Bloody tosser.” He mumbled, but his smile afterwards showed me there was no hard feelings.  
When we walked into the tent the sheer size of it shocked me; but then again, there were quite a lot of guests coming to reception that weren’t at the ceremony. Shortly everyone had arrived, and after introducing the bride and groom we took out seats. It was almost instantaneous - as soon as everyone was seated small pieces of paper appeared in front of each person. It seemed to be a checklist.
Find someone who’s patronus is an otter.
Find someone who’s painted their fingernails green.
Find someone who’s older than eighty.
Find someone who took more than four minutes to be sorted into their school house.
Find someone who was retrieved in the triwizards tournament.
Convince someone to confess to their soulmate and the spell they created.
I almost dropped the paper when I saw the last one. A soulmate spell? Those were incredibly tricky to cast, let alone invent.
“Fred! What’d you get?” We compared lists, and he laughed at mine.
“Look, one of yours has already been ticked off!” He said, and I got a horrible flashback to the tri-wizards tournament. Lucky Cedric had saved me relatively quickly, since my claustrophobia had already begun to set in.
“I wonder where Ced’s sitting.” I pondered, and George made a face.
“Why? You don’t like him, do you?” He asked, and I shrugged.
“No, not really. He’s fucking gorgeous, you’d have to be blind to not notice that, but I think he’s gay.” I whispered the last part, just in case the older brunette was somewhere behind me.
“I have to say, I agree.” Fred said gravely, and George rolled his eyes.
“Sometimes I think you’re gay, you dickhead.” Fred clutched his heart and I laughed at the twins - they really were the best.
“Anyway, Bill said that each list is charmed to cater to the person. So the answers to your list are the people you have the most in common with. Apparently you can’t leave until you’ve checked everything off AND you’ve checked what you can for other people. Take Hermione, for instance. She’s obviously the only one with an otter, so she can’t leave until she talks to everyone with that challenge.”
“I think I need a drink.” Fred said, and I agreed.
The night didn’t exactly fly by. Those with difficult lists were all too aware of how long it was taking them, and the only challenge I had left was the last one. I was on the verge of tears, and a drunken Fred was too. I didn’t know what challenge he had left, but the issue still remained. We were stuck here. There was maybe twenty people left, and the groom was one of them.
“Don’t fucking talk to me. I’m ready to throttle my lovely wife for the idea.” Bill warned as I approached him, and I groaned.
“Bill, I just want to go to bed! I’m begging you!” Bill only shook his head.
“I have absolutely zero power over it. I think a divorce is on the cards.” I brightened up at that, until I realised I would be stuck at the reception for the rest of life and wouldn’t be able to elope with the bride.
“What’s yours anyway?” I finally asked, and Bill glared at me.
“Watch someone fall in love. I know. Seriously, even if one person falls in love I have to fucking find them just before they do.” I had a good laugh at that. Bill seemed to be in a slightly worse position than I was, even though I was still fucked. I decided to take action, and stood on a chair before clinking a glass.
“Attention, ladies and gentlemen. If you or someone you know has invented a soulmate tracker spell then please, I beg you, hit me the fuck up and we can have a talk.” I stepped down and almost stumbled. Maybe I shouldn’t have done those fire-whisky shots. When in Rome, however. Mental note: you absolutely cannot keep up with Charlie Weasley when it comes to alcohol. I made my way over to Bill, who had placed an incredibly drunk Fred into a chair and was patting his head. It would have been nice if it wasn’t just weird.
“Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” I said breezily, and Fred grabbed my hand.
“Of course you’re not, sweet cheeks.” Godric Gryffindor, I tried not to blush. I knew he was only saying it because he was drunk, and because he didn’t have a filter, but it still made me smile.
“Control your brother, Bill. Oh! Cedric’s still here!” I let go of Fred’s hand and tried to walk away, but to my dismay Fred yanked me backwards and pulled me onto his lap.
“Look’s like he’s your problem now.” Bill said. “I’ll go see how Cedric’s doing, shall I?” Bill was off without another word, and Fred pulled me even closer.
“Why do you like Cedric so much?” He murmured into my ear, and I involuntarily shivered.
“He’s my best friend, you oaf. Now let me go!” I struggled against his grip, but I just couldn’t escape.
“I thought I was your best friend.” He said, and I gave up trying.
“You are. I can have more than best friend, you realise that right?” Fred shook his head.
“No you can’t. I’m not letting you go until you say I’m your bestest friend ever.” He clutched me tighter than ever, and I tried in vain to get Bill’s attention.
“You’re a child. An actual child, Fred.” When there was no response, I sighed. “Fine. You’re my bestest friend ever.” I said, and Fred cheered, letting go of me. I stood up quickly, and Bill came back with Cedric in tow.
“Look who’s left. How are ya, Fred?” Cedric sat besides Fred, and I leaned on Bill’s shoulder.
“Fucking hell, I might fall asleep standing up.” I murmured, and Bill patted my head in a similar manner to what he had done to Fred.
“I’ll join you. Who do you reckon’s the most likely person to fall in love out of everyone in this room?” Bill asked, and I snorted.
“It’s got to be your grandma, doesn’t it?“ Bill scoffed and rolled his eyes at my laughter.
“Har har. You’re so funny, Y/n. I might just die of laughter.” He said, and I let my gaze wander around the room. I wondered who was going to fall in love tonight.
“Ced! What do you have left?” I asked, and Cedric looked up.
“I’ve got fall in love. I know, and there’s no way it’s with Grandma Weasley, I can tell you that.” He said, and I laughed. A lot. I clutched my stomach as I laughed, and really, it wasn’t even that funny. It was just the thought of Grandma Weasley walking down the aisle to meet Cedric took me out completely. With a soft pop, I watched Cedric and Bill disappear.
“What just happened?” Fred asked slowly, and I wasn’t in the state of mind to know.
“They popped. They’re going to bed now, maybe we should too. We can sleep on the floor.” I sat down on the floor and it was horribly uncomfortable.
“What do you have left?” I asked with a yawn, and Fred sighed heavily.
“I’ve done my challenges.” He said, and I remembered he was the key to someone else’s puzzle.
“That sucks then. Maybe you should try and talk to people and figure out what it is.” I said, and he looked at me sadly.
“I know what it is.” The silence stretched out for a long time.
“Well?” I asked, and he laughed without a trace of humour.
“You really don’t know?” He questioned, and I shook my head.
“Unfortunately my dear, I’m the answer to yours.” I blinked slowly. My crush and best friend of five years had invented a soulmate spell and hadn’t thought to tell me.
“Fred, come on. Just confess to her and we can leave this prison.” I pleaded with him, but the man was being unreasonable.
“Absolutely not. We can live here for the rest of our lives.” Fred smiled award winningly, and I found that I couldn’t smile back.
“At least tell me who she is. Maybe I can try and see if she likes you.” I fiddled with the hem of my dress, and it was hard to look Fred in the eye knowing he belonged to someone else.
“I don’t think so, pretty girl. I don’t think she will be too thrilled to see who she’s mated to.” Fred confessed, and I rolled my eyes.
“Any girl with a heartbeat would kill to be soulmates with you, Fred. Why can’t you see that?”
“Any girl?” He whispered.
“Any girl.” I confirmed. Fred took a deep breath.
“You’re my soulmate.” Fred said eventually, and before I could blink we were standing in the burrow.
I looked at Fred, his brown eyes ever beautiful, and made a split-second decision. I flung myself into his arms, and he caught me with ease.
“You’re a tosser,” I murmured into his ear. “-You should have told me as soon as you knew.” I hugged him tightly, and his grip on me tightened.
“I didn’t know how you’d react.” He confessed, and I pulled my head off his shoulder. Godric, he was beautiful.
“Still.” I leaned in and our lips met, moving in perfect sync. His hair was softer than what I had always thought it would be, and it was perfect.
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littlemisslipbalm · 4 years
Text
Little Border Town Pt. 3
Summary: It begins with a man and a woman, as it always seems to. One lives in France and the other lives in Italy, technically, but they’re also neighbors. Various issues arise between these two and they can’t ever seem to see eye to eye on anything. Will they ever move past their petty fighting or is the little town they live in doomed to only gossip about what Harry and Y/N are fighting about today? 
Part 3: the one with the boat and the beginning of a storm
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IT’S BEEN AGESSSS I AM SO SO SORRY I LOVE YALL SO MUCH AND EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER READ THIS THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT
also harry is wearing this fit in this part just no tie?? i think i cant remember
college has been incredibly crazy this year already and i just dont have time to write like i did before i went back. i honestly had this mostly finished and i havent reread so i have no idea what even happens so lmk what you think, i can’t imagine that it will get a lot of notes but if it did id be very happy about that - anyways lots of love and feedback appreciated as always...pls enjoy
Word Count: 6.6k | Warnings: ?? Swearing? idek, more yearning bc slow burn
Catch up here! part 1 | 2 |
-
“Isn’t the weather not ideal for boat sailing today,” she ponders as her face looks up at the sky. She’s walking into Harry’s store again after running back to her place to grab a jacket and lock up. She placed a notecard in the door’s window that says “closed today, see you tomorrow” with a smiling face as punctuation.
Harry grins, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He had sailing boots on his feet with a smart big-collared printed shirt and marigold trousers. Instead of a belt, he had suspenders that matched the color of his pants and a pearl necklace as his final accessory other than his rings. He must have repainted his nails this morning because they were a light lavender shade that hadn’t been noticeable last night.
“It’s just fine. We’re entering fall and the sun is out today!” He gestures to the sky above them and she nods in agreement that the sun is indeed out. However she wasn’t sure if she’d categorize it as a nice day to go out on the sea still. With the sun there were also many clouds, they were mostly white and fluffy, but she was sure they could turn sinister any moment.
“Ready?” He beams.
“As I’ll ever be.”
-
On the boat, Y/N felt her stomach churning. Was she giddy or unnerved? Likely, both.
Harry was tying the boat off the dock after helping her onto the deck. It wasn’t a huge boat, not a yacht or anything, but it also wasn’t a tiny sailboat. It had an upper deck where maybe four people - at most - could comfortably be. Then a lower deck, inside a hatch in the upper deck. She couldn’t discern how much space was down there, but she was sure Harry would show her. He was talking through everything he was doing on the boat. Ad nauseum for an extremely nontechnical girl, such as herself.
Still, she sat in the spot he had directed her to next to the closed hatch and watched him move gracefully around the boat. Maneuvering the sails and different parts of the boat was a dance for Harry. Each step, each twist and knot, moved by a song unknown to her. It was beautiful. He was completely in his element, surprisingly. Again, Harry surprised her. She knew he had a boat, but whenever she thought of a jerk with a boat she didn’t think of what she was seeing with her own eyes. It was beautiful - or at least, it would be, if he’d shut his big mouth that was now making her roll her eyes as he made a pun about boats.
“So,” Harry starts finally, finishing up whatever he needed to do to get the boat off the dock and on the path he wanted. They were moving out into open water, she could see the little town, but it was growing smaller by the minute. Her stomach churned again as she looked up at the man she had just trusted to take her out onto the ocean. She grimaced slightly at the thought.
“Do you want to see the inside?” he continued.
She nods eagerly, “Finally!”
He chuckles lightly before opening up the hatch and gesturing for her to go first. She looks at him hesitantly.
“This isn’t a trap right? It’s not going to be all...murder-y down there?” Her voice is pitched higher, she’s almost completely serious.
This time Harry’s laugh comes from his belly, almost doubling over at the word ‘murder-y’. Between laughs, he tries to reassure her. “God no...oh my god.” More laughter, then a deep breath. “The only evil entity on this boat is the diavola I invited on here,” he gestures to her standing in front of him and her eyes narrow. Displeasure washing over her features.
“You’re ridiculous,” her hand swats at his sternum before she turns from him and climbs down to the underdeck area.
When she’s down, she’s surprised with her surroundings and she doesn’t notice Harry follow quickly behind her. It’s neat and stylish. Well, she’s not completely surprised, Harry was very fashionable. But the neatness dissipated all thoughts of the improbable scenario where Harry had lured her on his boat to murder her. It was what she had been freaking out over when she had at first refused to enter.
There was a small daybed at the end of the hall that doubled as a couch, a door to a bathroom, a dining area, a kitchenette, and then the random area they were standing in. It wasn’t super spacious, it was a hallway with things around it, but it was clean and it smelled nice. Everything had a place and they were neatly put in their places. After a moment, she turned at the feeling of Harry’s presence behind her.
He grinned, scanning the areas her eyes had just taken in for the first time. His green eyes were filled with admiration. “Do you like it?”
“Yeah, smells like you.” She nods matter of factly.
“Huh?” His head whips to her, sure he hadn’t heard her right.
“The whole place is very you,” she looks away from him and walks down the hall to the daybed and takes a seat, “Styles-ish.”
He follows quickly behind, shaking his head out of his own thoughts.
He mumbles a thanks, not catching the play on words she’d used with his last name. She smiles to herself, pleased. He stands in the doorway, not really wanting to sit beside her. Maybe he didn’t trust himself with being in such close proximity with her anymore. No, not after last night.
Her eyes widen slightly when he leans against the doorway and crosses his arms. The sleeves of his button-up had been rolled up when he had been working with the sails. Her lips suddenly are dry and she wets them with her tongue, eyes moving to the fabric of the blanket she’s sat on top of.
“I meant to say,” Harry breaks the silence, obviously not a fan of the quiet. A hand leaves his pose and runs through his hair, rings classically tugging at his curls. He swallows before he speaks again, “Thanks, uh, for stopping me last night. That would’ve been weird…”
He trails off and her eyes go wide again, but now they’re trained on his face. His eyes are downcast now, watching the way light plays off his rings. She tries to make out the sound in his voice, the expression he’s trying to hide with indifference. Her teeth tug her bottom lip into her mouth as she thinks, silence once again taking hold of the small, small room. The air is tense, static, unmoving, the complete opposite of the water that rushes just outside the walls of the boat.
She clears her throat and Harry locks eyes with her, “No problem...alcohol and atmosphere, clouds the head. I get it.” She did, but she also hadn’t wanted the gratitude Harry had just placed on her.  
“You booze, you lose,” he smiles, straightening up and she looks at him quizzically.
“That’s such an odd phrase.”
“No it’s not!”
“It’s a play on ‘you snooze, you lose’ right?” She leans forward, face looking smugly up at Harry’s offended face.
“Well, yeah,” Harry admits.
“I can’t believe you made that up and got it tattooed,” She states breezily and then stands. She brushes past him to look around the rest of the cabin.
Harry scoffs, not even noticing the way her fingers had brushed over his naked forearm as she passed, too focussed on his indignation. “How’d you know about the tattoo?”
“Naked neighbor? Never closing his shade? Do you seriously need a refresher course already? Seriously, boat boy, I really thought you were smarter than that,” She talks as she snoops around the different parts of the cabin. She pokes at figurines and looks at little photos and paintings. Her head looks over her shoulder and she laughs happily at Harry’s face of irritation. It was so easy to push his buttons.
“Don’t call me boat boy,” he seethes, but she knows he’s not really mad. More like he’s a child who got told no dessert before dinner. A laugh rocks through her body again and bubbles to the surface. It causes Harry to soften, this time there’s no alcohol in his system to account for the feeling he just felt. He mirrors the smile she has. That is until she reaches the kitchenette and finds a rack of CDs sitting beside the sink.
She turns from him and begins to leaf through them, most of them are artists she recognizes. But then she reaches some that are just titled “Demo” with various numbers beside the word. Her fingers nimbly pick out “Demo #1” and turn back to Harry with an inquisitive gaze. His green eyes are bigger than usual, the smile gone from his face.
“These from the boy band days?” She smiles wider as he turns a little red. She crosses closer to him, remembering the sight of a cd player in the main area where the entrance to the cabin was.
“Erm..no.” She flips around again, confused again, but then it dawns on her. “Demos for my solo work.”
“That you put on hold to take over for your Uncle.”
“Great Uncle.” He corrects.
“I know.” She waited a second, where she was about to be quick to play the CD, she now wanted to get Harry’s permission. It might be a little more personal than she had first thought. “Can we listen to this one? You’d technically be taking me up on the request to play for me sometime.”
“Yeah, they’re rough - obviously. So if you could try to not bruise my ego, at least not more than you usually do,” he grins and she looks at him with dead eyes. A smile cracks on her face quickly, still.
“I wouldn’t...this is different,” she struggles to find the right words. She would never make fun of something he cared a lot about, not now. She wasn’t that person, it was odd to think he maybe saw her like that. She shook away the thought and focused on placing the CD in its player correctly.
The first song begins to play, he’s right it is rough, it’s a demo. There’s no backing vocals or beat of any kind. Just a voice and a guitar. And it’s amazing. After the guitar intro, she lets out a breath she had been holding when she hears the voice. His voice. It’s beautiful. And she’s shocked, her eyes flash to Harry. He’s nibbling at his bottom lip, watching her hear it for the first time. His voice from all those years ago.
“Brooklyn saw me empty at the news, there’s no water inside this swimming pool.”
Her eyes light up again at the lyrics and she smiles, finding it melancholic yet slightly funny at the same time. It was interesting, the words, his voice, the meaning. Some bits of information eluded her, but she knew she enjoyed the song.
“And I’ve been praying, I never did before.”
Even as the song moved on from this one lyric, she felt it replaying in her head as she watched the singer in front of her. Years older than he had been when he had written this song. She was filled with questions and paused the CD as the guitar faded out.
“That’s it?” Harry laughs, “Just one song? It was really that horrible?”
“Oh my god, no!” She is emphatic, needing Harry to understand she’s serious. She takes a step closer to his figure. He had traveled closer to her while the song had played. They were almost chest to chest and her hand goes out to touch his forearm. “I really liked it, genuinely. I just needed a moment before the next one.”
“Bracing yourself?”
“Stop, I’m serious. It was beautiful. Your voice is wonderful, Harry.”
His eyes sparkle at the praise, finally believing she’s not taking the piss. Then his eyes dropped from her gaze, “I was a lot younger then, was 21 I think when I recorded this demo.”
“So? A voice like that doesn’t just disappear, dude.” She looks at him with a finality in her expression before dropping the hand that was firmly gripping his tattooed arm and turning back to the CD player.
Harry bites his lip as another one of his early songs plays over the shoddy speakers. His voice repeats “Meet me in the hallway” over the solo guitar. There’s no echo or bass, no count in like the final song was supposed to have. It’s just him and his guitar, before he chose to leave it all behind.
His voice is sadder here, she notices and she visibly winces at “just take the pain away” and “just let me know, I’ll be on the floor” and his repetition of “gotta get better.”
How did this man, who seemed fazed by practically nothing, have so much hurt in him to write both of these songs? Her eyes welled with water, but she blinked them back still staring at the singer before her. He was watching the CD spin in the player as his voice came through the speakers. He was lost in thought, in memory. Maybe she was lucky, these weren’t memories for her, she was only hearing his interpretation of his life. She hadn’t had to live that pain first hand. This time she doesn’t pause before the next song.
The next one seems more produced than the last two. This one starts with drums, a step up from the last two acoustic demos in respect to production. A big crash and then a wailing guitar and an accompanying voice. His voice is stronger here, more sure of himself. And then it changes again, melancholic once again and her heart strings are yanked at again.
“We’re not who we used to be, we’re just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me, trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat.”
The guitar continues that sad tone for a riff and then goes back to strumming beneath his voice. She shifts her eyes to him again and sighs softly, it weighs heavy on her soul that the man next to her has seemingly been through so much heartache. He looks up at “We don’t see what we used to see” and she holds his gaze, brows knit together in confusion and sadness. She pauses this time, finger reaching out without looking.
“This is depressing, please tell me they’re not all sad songs or I might as well have turned on a pet rescue commercial.”
His smile etches on his face, in a small knowing smirk and he crosses into her personal space. She’s about to step back, but he reaches out and softly bats her finger away from the pause/play button. She smiles back, shuffling to lean against the counter beside him. It was unusual for them to be on the same side of the counter, much like last night at the bar.
“There’s six songs on this demo. Three sad, three…” he trails off, looking at her expectantly. She nods. “You gotta learn to be a little less impatient, hmm?”
“Not impatient, just trying to brace myself for more sadness. I thought I had been promised a day of fun,” she grumbles.
“I wasn’t the one who suggested a demo listening party,” his brows raise and she twists her mouth to the side at his smug response.
“True,” she finally concedes with a murmur.
He presses play and a new song comes on that is more upbeat than any of the other’s that have played so far. It also seems to be a bit more produced than the first two. Her hand rests on the countertop and begins to tap, she quirks her brow at the first lyric “she’s got a family in carolina, so far away, but she says I remind her of home.”  A girl who likened Harry Styles to the South of the United States, interesting. As she listens to the lyrics, she smirks at the massive crush he must have had to write this song. The “good girl” lyrics bounce around in her mind and her mind drifts back to last night. Would it have felt good? To kiss Harry?
Then, she’s brought out of her reverie with “I met her once and wrote a song about her”. Her eyes widen and look to Harry again inquisitively as his past self muses over how good this girl felt. He wrote about a one night stand? That woman must have been magic. That was all she had to say about that.
“Really?” She asks incredulously, folding her arms over her chest. His gaze flickers at the movement, human nature. He presses pause.
“What?”
“A one night stand earned that?”
He looked at her seriously, like the answer was obvious. She laughs before continuing.
“You’re a simp.”
“I’m sorry?” He sputters at her statement immediately.
She raises her brows as a response now. Nothing else to say.
“She wasn’t a one night stand,” he defends, “She was a blind date...and it had been after a dry spell.”
She starts to laugh, about to give another snarky response, but he adds, “And I was twenty-one.” The numbers specifically enunciated.
“You’re still a simp in my book...but I liked the song. It was catchy, rock vibes in there. I don’t know about her telling you remind her of Carolina - north or south, I don’t see it.”
He eyes her warily, still not happy with her titling him that gen z term that was super popular all over the internet. He took her in and he knew she was only three years younger than him, he was pretty sure, yet she used ‘simp’ and ‘vibes’ like they were lexicon words. He didn’t hate it, it was just different than what he usually heard in the little border town. Italian not having translations for things like that, English was so interesting, internet language was so interesting.  
“I-” He starts and stops. “She said it. Was she right? That’s not my place to judge.”
“I don’t know,” Y/N pressed, words dragging out playfully, “Personally, I wouldn’t want to be a reminder of the U.S. South, but okay...simp.”
“I swear to god if you call me that one more time, I’m throwing you overboard and I won’t feel bad about it.”
Her eyes widen and then she smiles, he cracks a smile too. They huddle back around the CD player, ready for the next song. It starts with a strong guitar and drums, again well produced compared to the acoustic earlier ones.
His voice in this is far more shaky, unsure of himself again. “Let me take my medicine, take my medicine, treat you like a gentleman,” comes through the speakers. She shivers and looks at him, her fingers tapping along to the beat. The instruments are strong where his voice is soft, it doesn’t exactly fit, but she likes the lyrics still. When it gets to the pre-chorus, that’s when she knows she loves the song.
“I had a few got drunk on you and now I’m wasted, and when I sleep I’m gonna dream of how you (tasted)”
When his voice pitches high for ‘wasted’ she loses it. Her body moves with the instruments and her eyes close and her head wiggles. Harry smiles happily as she dances for the first time to one of his songs. The last word must have been shouted by his bandmates, because she doesn’t hear him say it.
Then the chorus hits and she wonders how it got even better. Her eyes shoot open and she just stares at Harry, her jaw slightly dropped.
“If you got out tonight, I’m going out tonight cause I know you’re persuasive! You got that something and I got me an appetite now I can taste it”
His past self sings of getting dizzy and his voice moans into the mic the demo was recorded on. She’s blown away. It sounds so hot, his voice gaining confidence during the pre-chorus and the chorus to have an all around rockstar sound.
The present Harry just taps his rings together as he watches her, studying her reaction with an even-tempered expression. Why isn’t he screaming like she is on the inside? When it gets to the second verse she’s bracing herself for what’s to come. This song has her pulse racing and blood flowing wildly around her body. She’s buzzing from it.
“The boys and the girls are in, I mess around with him and I’m okay with it”
The electric guitar follows the line up and she thinks she’s going to pass out on this boat right now. Flamboyant Harry. Was this what Marie had been talking about. The wild side of Harry she really had never seen, embodied in one song. She wanted more of it. Still all she got was the Harry on the demo rocking out to his song. She can hear him smiling through the recording, the sad boy from a few songs ago was now feeling euphoric. She just wanted to dance the night away with him.
Then another pre-chorus: “I’m coming down, I figured out I kinda like it, and when I sleep I’m gonna dream of how you (ride it)”
His voice goes high again for ‘like it’ this time and her question of what is to follow is quickly answered with the bandmates screaming ‘ride it’ into the mics they must have had. It’s punctuated with the drums and other instruments. A noise escapes the back of her throat and Harry looks at her both smugly and amused. She rolls her eyes in response, trying to convince Harry that she hadn’t just had images of him singing about how good someone rides him flash in her mind. Even more so with the images of someone, namely her, being the object of his dreams. Doing the things he said he’d dream of. That, that was definitely not what she was thinking about. Definitely not. Her throat was dry and she swallowed hard. Harry’s eyes never left her face. Watching every reaction, gauging it and storing the information elsewhere for the time being.
She sings along to the chorus, trying to focus on the song, it was easy to pick up, but then the damn moans. And then there’s a guitar solo that sounds like sex itself and she’s baffled that this was an unreleased demo, not a famous rock song. Harry in front of her can’t stop himself from tapping his feet at this part, a little dance forming on his body as his eyes finally leave her figure. They close as he feels the music, the memory of his friend playing the riff clear in his mind and how much he had loved it. It builds up again and then there’s a final chorus. She watches him now as he dances in the confined space. His mouth opens to sing along to the “la la la’s”
It ends and goes straight into another upbeat song. It seemed like a complimentary song to the one that had just played.
“I don’t want your sympathy, but you don’t know what you do to me, oh Anna!”
His voice sings strong again. Harry before her composed himself again, going back to his watching position. He took in her tapping and smiling to the song. He also mouths the words slightly as it plays, the lyrics clear as the day he finished writing them almost 4 years ago. One of the final ones for this demo.
“Hope you never hear this and know that it’s for you, don’t know what I’d tell you if you asked me for the truth”
She smirks at him, now, with the earnest lyrics, about to say something, but then notices the change in the guitar. It switches from the epic riff that was going to a more familiar tune, “Faith” by George Michael. She looks at him, a cheesy grin on her face as the voice begins to sing the chorus of that song. Her body begins to dance to it, like an old man doing the twist. She’s not ashamed and Harry loves it and joins her by mirroring the movements.
When the song comes to an end, they’re one large giggling mess. She falls into his arms and he holds her steady, their laughter coming out with freedom.
“Thanks for making me be patient,” She looks up at him, “it was worth it!”
He smiles, backing up slightly, “It’s like I knew what I was talking about.”
“Ok smart guy,” she teases with a silly voice. “I’m assuming whoever Anna is, isn’t actually named Anna then...?”
Harry hums and makes a twitch of his brows, but doesn’t respond. Instead he grabs her hand and she squeaks slightly, he pulls her to the ladder and prompts her to go up. She obliges silently and lands back on the top of the boat now. She looks out and sees the little town to be off in the distances now, shining blue water all around the creamy white boat.
Harry stands behind her now and shuts the hatch easily. She looks at him warily, confused by his silence. He extends his hand to her this time and she takes it. He leads her to the front of his boat. They’re moving, but so slowly you’d barely notice. There’s a loveseat of sorts right at the front and Harry sets her down in it. She smiles at him with caution, still bewildered. He leans against a part of the boat that stands in front of the seat.
“It’s beautiful, right?” He asks.
Her eyes have been looking around her, but they’ve mostly been trained on Harry. She was mesmerized by him now. His music, his boat, his clothes, his everything. She was seeing him in a new light. In a completely brand new way that had her unable to take her eyes off of him.
She nods finally when Harry looks at her expectantly. “It’s amazing,” she breathes.
His smile is the half-sided grin again. Beautiful big teeth on display with a little part of space between them. His dimple pops out and once again her eyes are on his face. She realized going on this boat with Harry might not have been such a good idea.  
He folds his arms, her eyes flicker down. Every movement he makes, she doesn’t want to miss it. Even if she also is telling her mind to shake it off, she can’t. It’s like a spell.
“Obviously Anna is a pseudonym,” he says finally, eyes watching where the boat was taking him. She nods in approval. He pauses, watching the little waves, but she knows he has more to say.
“What did you think of the rest of it?” He asks quietly, gaze never going back to her. He knew she’d teased him a little and had danced along to some. She’d looked at him with wide eyes at some lyrics, but he wanted to know what she really thought.
She can tell he’s nervous, but she doesn’t understand why. They were all very good songs, his voice was beautiful, the lyrics were interesting. She didn’t understand his lack of confidence. His first time not exhibiting his usual self-assured - self-absorbed, even - personality. She bites her lip in confusion and his brows knit together, further showing his apprehension. The wrinkles in his forehead show up more prominently and she’s reminded that Harry is 26. He’s a different person now then he was back when he recorded that demo. Maybe there was a reason he kept them on the boat. She felt unsure in her response now.
“They were all great, Harry.” His face softens immediately. “Each one was beautifully written and sung. The ones that were acoustic sounded wonderful as did the ones with your whole band. I’m honored to be someone who got to hear those masterpieces.”
She wanted to tell them they should be famous songs, but she had a feeling that might not have the effect on him that she wanted. He had chosen a little quiet life in the little border town. She didn’t think he would want to hear how his music could have made it big time.
“Thank you,” he murmurs, just about the sounds of the sea. He lets a closed mouth smile twist onto his face, but it feels like he doesn’t fully believe her. She wants to kiss his worry away, but again, she knows it’s not possible. His words from earlier rang in her head. It would make things weird. Yeah, you’re right. Ugh, why had she agreed. She didn’t agree, not at all, not anymore.
“Did you have a favorite?” He stands up straighter with his question.
She laughs slightly, “I liked the second to last one a lot. It was hot.”
“Hot how?” He steps closer, smirking.
She jumps up from her reclined seat, in indignation, “Oh come on, you know it’s hot. Now you’re just looking for me to stroke your ego! It’s obviously about sex.”
“And? You’re the one who’s saying it’s your favorite and blushing.” He arches a brow at her, arms going to his hips and looking at her teasingly.
“Well, you’re the one who was singing about sucking dick and dreaming of how someone rode you.”
“Is that what it’s about?” His voice raises as he purses his lips and raises both of his brows.
She realizes just how worked up he’s gotten her in such a short amount of time. She huffs and turns away from him with a flick of her hand. “You’re infuriating.” Is all she can say. She looks out at the waves now, ignoring Harry even though he’s less than a foot away.
He’s laughing behind her for a little. Then when she doesn’t turn around, he quiets and she’s not quite sure where he’s gone. Then his breath fans over her neck and right shoulder, where her jacket hasn’t managed to cover her. It’s warm and a little minty as the scent travels over the salty sea air. She doesn’t turn or move a muscle for that matter.
A hand reaches out to her shoulder, but still she makes no move to turn. It rests there for a minute and she simply huffs again, letting her shoulders rise and fall dramatically. A single laugh slips from Harry’s mouth.
“C’mon diavola, don’t be like that. S’all in good fun.” His voice is low in her ear, sultry even. It reminds her of his voice in that song once he got into it. His voice sounds like sex in her ear and this time when she sighs it’s not because she’s irritated with him. No, she wants him. The sigh has an undercurrent of that desire and she hopes Harry doesn’t understand that. But otherwise she stays quiet, letting him murmur into her ear with his hand on her shoulder and his chest pressed to her back now. The only witness of this exchange is the ocean before them.
His head leans closer and if she didn’t know any better it felt like he was about to press a kiss to her neck. Instead all she feels is the brush of his mustache, it tickles the shell of her ear and she can’t keep in the giggle. She twists away from the sensation and Harry is grinning at her when she faces him.
His hand still on her shoulder and his body still pressed close to hers. He’s so warm and so close and so shiny new in her eyes, even if he still manages to irritate her. Her eyes flicker up to his as their laughter quiets down. She realizes her own hands have gone to his waist to steady herself and she follows his feet as he backs them up from the edge of the boat that she had brought them too.
It’s quiet again. They’re staring at each other intently. Her eyes are swirling with emotion because she just wants to know what’s going on in the brain of the man before her. She wants to know everything about him, but she knows that’s not how he feels about her. Sure, they’re friends now, but nothing else.
Why did she have to come on this stupid boat and find his stupid amazing music? Why did he have such a stupid amazing face?
These questions and other silly things were racing around her head as she gripped his waist. He didn’t mind her quietness, he found her gaze to be a little unnerving, but he was just glad he had made her laugh. He found that he didn’t enjoy her anger at him as much anymore.
Just as he was about to start another conversation, there was a cloud that drifted over the shining sun. It was her original fear come to life. Harry’s brows furrowed as he looked up at the clouds. They were turning grey. Fast.
“Shit, shit, shit,” He began mumbling and released his hand from her shoulder. He pulled away from her hold and began moving swiftly around the boat. He needed to get them off the water, there was a storm coming.
Her eyes went wide as she noticed the approaching storm as well. Her brows furrowed with worry as she watched Harry begin working on the boat, his only words being curses to himself at first.
Then he enlists her help, asking her to hold onto a specific part of the boat for him after he threw her a life vest and made her put it on. She wore it with great dissatisfaction. He only shrugged as he continued to move nimbly around the boat, turning them around, back to the dock.  
The boat moved much swifter into the shore than it had on their way out. The waves were growing choppier by the minute and she would admit she was more than a little scared. Thankfully, Harry knew what he was doing and got them there quickly and safely. Once at the dock, he tied them there and then helped her off the boat. She stood on the dock uncomfortably as the rain started to come down.
“Give me your lifevest!” He gestures from the boat.
She quickly takes it off and flinches when the first bout of thunder sounds from far off. He takes it from her and throws it haphazardly down the hatch along with his own before jumping off the boat himself. He surveys the boat from the dock to make sure he hasn’t forgotten anything. Then he looks at her. She’s wrapped her arms around herself and is ducking her head, looking like she’s attempting to ward off rain but failing miserably.
She looks up at him and he offers a soft smile of reassurance.
“Take my hand!” He shouts slightly over the growing sound of rain and thunder. He wants to get them out of the rain, but he’s also apprehensive to leave his boat to the mercy of the weather. Still, that’s all he can do.
She puts her hand in his and his fingers weave with hers. Then, they’re off racing back to their street in the little border town.
-
“I should go back to my place!”
“Don’t be silly! France is much too far for you to go in this weather!”
She laughs and grips his hand tighter as he fumbles for his key. His wet hand slipping as the rain droplets soak their clothes and skin. Even though her door is a mere few feet away she allows Harry to pull her into his shop. The warmth and dryness appreciated after running a few blocks in the now torrential downpour. There weren’t storms often in the little border town, but like the old adage said ‘when it rained, it poured’ quite literally. The less she had to travel in the rain the happier she was, even if it was three measly feet.
It also occurred to her that she’d be able to sit out her first storm with someone by her side. And she would admit that didn’t sound like the worst thing in the world. She wasn’t necessarily a fan of storms and being in a new place with a storm she’d never weathered before was daunting. Harry inviting her in was a blessing. She didn’t have to be asked twice.
Once inside the little shop, their wet frames begin to form puddles beneath themselves. Harry sighs and takes off up his rickety stairs. She looks after him in confusion but stays put when he calls a quick “Wait there!”
She shakes a bit of the rain from her and shivers as she listens for Harry’s movements barely audible above the crashing of the rain water. When he returns, her breath catches in her throat, like she just choked on something, yet there’s nothing.
As he walks down the steps, far slower now, his wet hair shakes out around his head forming some ethereal halo. The light from upstairs illuminates him and the darkness outside casts an ominous darkness as he descends.
“Un ange…” She whispers after finally catching her breath.
If he hears her, it doesn’t matter. He’s already beginning to smile widely just from seeing Y/N before him.
He skips the last step and crosses to her swiftly. “Let’s get you dried a little more,” he begins to dote. A matching smile spreads on Y/N’s face out of appreciation. She still can’t manage to fend off the shivering and Harry’s smile falters. His hands leave the towel and trace her exposed skin. Her cheek feels like ice, only slightly warming under his touch.
“You need dry clothes,” he mumbles.
Her eyes widen as she looks up at him. He’s so close and so attentive and she wants to ask him to kiss her because they’ve been going back and forth all day, but he’s right she’s freezing. His eyes are so intense though she can’t even maintain eye contact. Instead her gaze flits up to the droplet beginning to swell down one of his rogue strands of hair that flopped over his forehead moments ago.
She doesn’t respond as she watches and Harry begins to worry more. Her eyes seemingly unfocused, her shivering, and her silence. He thumbs over the apple of her cheekbone and finally breaks her reverie. The droplet splashing between them without her as its audience.
“C’mon,” he tugs her hand now to bring her upstairs.
326 notes · View notes
saphirered · 3 years
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essek!!! honestly anything lol but maybe (i'll try to keep it vague for spoiler reasons) after ep 131 or ep 124, maybe a confession fic? if you aren't caught up just a general how a confession would go please! i love your writing and blog btw, all your caleb stuff is so 👌👌👌
Thank you for your request and yes I am caught up. I hope you enjoy this one.
Warning spoilers for Episode 124
Essek’s betrayal hit you hard. Sure you’d considered the possibility but being faced with that truth so upfront hurt, a lot. You’d been able to avoid him for the longest of times thanks to the Nein being taken in different directions. You simply couldn’t face him. After the party in Nicordanas you put on a brave face and you agreed with Caleb wholeheartedly but you didn’t have the strength to say these words yourself. Any interaction you had between then and now had been cordial and straight to the point whereas before there were plenty of pleasantries, some flirting even and the realisation your flirting was rooted within your own feelings. You’re a good enough people reader to know that his, at the very least were rooted in affection and before Nicodranas you might have seen a possible bright future for the both of you. Even after his betrayal was revealed your feelings remained but they were overshadowed by your pain. It felt like your heart was ripped from your chest. 
The trust, kindness, his affections for you, were they all just something to be exploited in a bigger plot. He said at first he was using the Nein but he grew attached so had you just been a pawn in a bigger ploy he felt sorry for? So many questions you had asked yourself over the last weeks, months even at this point and none of them you dared to answer so you didn’t. You pushed them aside and moved on. You pushed Essek out of your mind because it was easier than dealing with the pain. Pushing something away only works for so long. He’d come back into your life sooner rather than later. Aeor came closer in view and after the absolute shit show with the Tombtakers all of you were at your wits end. You didn’t want to pull anyone along into this chaos and especially not a certain wizard who’s proven himself to be prone to his desires for pursuit of knowledge and power; a thing you’d be serving on a silver platter but you really had no better options at this point.
The closer to your destination you got the more closed off you became. Face devoid of emotion and voice monotone, direct and without a single break you’d begun to mentally prepare yourself for your upcoming encounter to the point where you were seriously considering you might actually prefer another encounter with the Tombtakers over facing Essek. Your gradual shift in behaviour must have caught some attention as you quickly had a Jester at your side attempting to make happy conversation and lift your spirit and provide distraction. You tried to play along but the pitying smile from Caleb told you about how good a job you were doing. Nevermind the tiefling never quit and you could appreciate that. Jester cares and you were hurting so she did whatever she could to make it better. 
You eventually made it to the outpost and your ‘official’ mode kicked in taking over for Beau when she started butchering Undercommon. You presented yourself with an air of authority and purpose and that seemed to do the job very well. And there he was in all his miserable glory putting on a similar face as yours. He was caught off guard by Jester running in and hugging him and while he looked at you his eyes quickly avoided. Even though the conversations that followed you had no problem looking at him, sure he could feel your eyes burning but your gaze remained cold and distant; the way he had seen you face an enemy and the way you study when in company you don’t trust, watching the danger like a hawk for every single twitch. In this conversation it was very clear he had a hard time keeping eye contact but he was straight up avoiding both you and Caleb and you could put two and two together; shame. He was ashamed of everything he did and caused that much was sure. 
In a more private setting without the continuous presence of Dynasty soldiers the Nein told him everything that had occurred the past few weeks and slowly but surely his facade faltered, the gravity of the situation kicking in and him contemplating, taking in all the information you provided. You didn’t speak to him directly and only gave your input when it came to queries among the Nein having nothing to add directed at Essek. 
“I’ve spent so much of my life focussed on myself, my climb, all of my selfish needs. I’ve never really been trusted and so I did not trust. And I never let anyone close. I have been clouded in my judgement many times for a lot of my life. When I- when you gave me trust, it gave me a perspective that was so agonisingly striking. So easy to see that I refused to acknowledge it at first, even. I would be lying if I said that our paths crossing hasn’t shaken me to the core and I’m appreciative and thankful for this perspective, but you do not owe me trust for what I’ve done.” Those words hit hard and you found yourself biting down on your lip to prevent yourself from speaking. All the feelings you tried to push away so hard came back up and you were fighting to hold them at bay to prevent yourself from saying something you’d regret. Luckily the others jumped in allowing you to keep your silence. 
The conversation continued and Caleb made some good points making sure to make eye contact with you every so often to make sure you were alright and in agreement. You were interrupted after the mentions of Dagen and some shouting outside. You’d say you were surprised but really you weren’t though the sight of the man holding onto one of the Aurora Watch soldiers while presenting the letter he was told to deliver was quite the sight and made you quickly cover up a snort. Not quick enough apparently as some did catch on. Eventually back inside Jester began to insinuate Caleb should show the red eyes on his skin but you quickly shut that down, the first words you had spoken since you got here.
“What are we talking about?” Essek asks confused. 
“Nothing you need concern yourself with.” Your words were colder than you intended but got the message across clear it seemed. They quickly shifted the subject back to Lucien, Aeor, the Somnovum, Vess being indisposed, gathering further allies until you landed on possibly considering bringing Astrid and Eadwulf into this opposed to Trent himself it was revealed or more like confirmed Essek had had dealings with the man in the past, persuading you all not to go to the Assembly. And because Veth slipped up you had to come clean about Vess’ actual state; dead in the hands of Lucien who killed her without as much as the blink of an eye. You were very much aware he was on the brink of a mental breakdown and you couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. 
Hot cocoa was passed around and you did not refuse Beau’s offer of a good pour of whiskey while the conversation continued in regards to the Beacons and some choice of words and theories around the Beacons that could be considered sacrilege among the Dynasty. You were planning out the delve into the ruins Essek suggesting it would be best to go your separate ways until you were ready to traverse Aeor. The conversation ends and you are about to go your separate ways bedding down for the night until you would travel to gather allies and supplies. Caleb stays at your side aware of how you’re handling things but he stops with you before you leave catching Essek by the forearm. 
“Breathe. Just.. breathe that fresh air mindful of the people about. Time. Time. Not weeks. Not years. It takes time.” He was speaking to Essek but you knew the words were directed at you as well. For the first time you deliberately meet eyes looking over your shoulder as you join the rest of the Nein. You were lead to a reasonably sized room, small for all of you but much more preferable to the ice and snow outside. You take time to settle down and eventually sit down with Beau and Caleb.
“I don’t trust any of this.” You tell them hugging your knees to your chest. 
“I’m with you. It’s just too much. Too many risks. To many cards not yet in play that could shake this whole game up.” Beau agrees. 
“But we have to make a choice and Essek is our safest and most certain bet. Every option is risky.”  Caleb has a point and it’s one you’ve been using to justify and be at peace with all of this. 
“I’m afraid that he’s going to realise the pressure is too much and he’ll bolt. Or the Assembly catches up to him before we get back and they’ll rat him out but my biggest concern right now is for the Tombtakers to travel faster than we’re expecting. What if they get here? Our advantage will be gone.” The rest of the Nein having turned into the conversation had to agree with you there. If your or Essek’s enemies somehow got involved you’d be screwed. 
“You got a point. So how do we solve this? Essek said it’s best to go our separate ways until we got our stuff sorted so we can’t really stick around and we’d still be traceable if we split up. It’s a risk we’ll have to take as it’s the safest for both of us now.” Beau contemplates trying to formulate a better plan. You already had a plan and you didn’t like it for one minute but it was all you got.
“I know how we solve this. You give me the amulet and I stay behind. That way they can’t scry on me as long as I’m here. They can scry on us when we’re together anyway and with only one amulet we’re not going to get very far. You gather everything we need, get whatever help we can get and come back here when you’re ready to leave.” You can hardly believe your own mind could make the decision regardless of your personal opinions. 
“And you’re okay staying behind with Essek to keep an eye on him? What if Lucien and his gang shows up?” 
“Beau, I’ll manage. My personal feelings don’t matter in the bigger picture for now. I can get over myself. As for the Tombtakers, Essek’s gonna be a fat load of good when he can’t use his magic. If they get here before you return I’ll get him out of here and to Aeor myself if I have to. Can’t defeat them but I sure as hell can outrun them for a while.” You assured them, a couple of nods and attempts to protest eventually resulted in the agreement. You’d stay behind. One final rest and everyone would be finishing their unfinished business, say their goodbyes and hellos, get their closure and prepare for the worst. Yet you couldn’t see yourself anywhere but here. Sure you wanted to be there for your friends but they could do without you. You were needed here so maybe your own unfinished business had to conclude right here where you are. 
You said your goodbyes and the Nein were off leaving you alone in the makeshift chamber. You inhale deeply and exhale slowly counting to ten in your head and leave the room. The back of your mind tells you this was a mistake and you definitely couldn’t do this but there’s no way back now so you put on your brave face and make your way to Essek’s chambers. In front of the door you wait, count to ten again and put on your brave face before you knock on the door. The door swings open.
“Y/n. I was not expecting to see you. Please come in.” He speaks glancing around you for any of the guard that could possibly hear him. The moment you force yourself to enter the door closes behind you and you can see him deflate just a little, all manner of composure dropping for a moment before he looks up at you from behind his desk. Up front he may appear composed once more but his eyes tell a different story. Panic, surprise, questions, fear and shame. 
“Have you come to say goodbye?” A slight break of his voice at the last word. Oh Essek you really dropped the ball haven’t you, you think to yourself. 
“No actually. I came to tell you the others have left and I’ll be staying behind.” He goes to protest getting up from his seat. Fear, concern and something you can’t identify peak through. 
“So unless you’re planning to take me to wherever they have gone yourself resulting in you having to get back here with all the potential risks you’ve priorly described, I’m staying here and there’s nothing you can do about it so suck it up, darling.” You mentally kick yourself for using that last word. You didn’t mean to but you slipped up falling back in old habits. 
“You’re putting yourself at great risk by staying here so please let me take you back to the others.” He comes closer to you and you stay your ground. 
“Sorry. Not going to happen, Essek. I’m staying. I can’t be scried upon so I’ll be fine.” 
“There’s many more dangers than the risk of being scried upon.” 
“Which ones would you be referring to? The assassins after you? Or maybe the risk of you being discovered? The person who sent the assassins getting antsy and exposing you to the Dynasty?Being a traitor to your nation and a catalyst in a bigger plot you have no control over? The Tombtakers and their shenanigans? Literally anything to do with Aeor? The alleged death and or plotting of the demise of extremely powerful mages? Keeping secrets and being prepared to find or create a scapegoat to cover up the fact that the peace agreement between two nations which is already hanging by a single thread was based on the lies and deceit of another? Or perhaps it’s your uncanny ability to pursuit the path to your own destruction and your terrible sense of judgement and eye for consequences? Oh or maybe the fact that if we don’t stop all of this the world like we know it will possibly come to an end and we’ll could just end up dealing with yet another Calamity scale event? Take your pick because I’m pretty sure I’m already involved in what? All of them? But please be my guest and pick one!” You lost all composure you had but the more you talk the more you realise you couldn’t keep all of this pent up. It does you no good. 
“My apologies. I won’t ask for your forgiveness as-“ You cut him off. You’re on a roll so you’re gonna get this over with while you’re at it; speak your mind openly without restrained.
“Yet you still have it! For some stupid reason I find it within myself to forgive you for all horrible thing you’ve done but the one; I can’t seem to get over the fact you betrayed my trust. That you didn’t trust me when it mattered and that I was nothing but a pawn in your game and you discarded the trust I put in you so easily.” You can feel your voice crack multiple times throughout your words and you curse yourself for doing so. Essek looks at his feet lips tightly pushed together. 
“Perhaps my expectations were too high.” You spat about to storm out of the room but the door remained closed.
“Essek let me go.” You glared at him. He couldn’t even give you that? A departure with dignity before you broke down?
“You’ve said your part I think it’s only fair I say mine. Though if you wish to leave I won’t hold you here. You’re free to set foot where you please. I know I have no right to but I ask only a moment.” You brace yourself already mentally kicking yourself for coming to this decision so quickly and not even being able to tell yourself why you shouldn’t.
“Fine. I’ll hear what you have to say.” You cross your arms and take a few steps back in his direction.
“From the moment I’ve met you I’ve been captivated by you but I simply couldn’t get over myself and admit to myself that maybe what I’m doing isn’t worth the collateral. You made me feel guilt and regret but I pushed that aside because I there was no way back from what I had already set into motion. I meant what i said, I have grown attached to your little group and I would even go as far as to call them friends something I haven’t been able to call anyone. Not truly without ulterior motives. But you’ve always been something more. I know I will repent for my sins but I will not drag you down that path with me. I love you too much to allow that to happen. So I beg of you, do not put yourself at risk for my sake.” Finally he looks at you without looking away or avoiding your direct gaze. 
“I refuse to let you become collateral in my actions. No matter how much I want you at my side I know you simply cannot be and I have come to accept that. Please grant me the dignity of excluding you from my own demise.” 
“What you want and what you get are two very different things Essek.” You definitely heard the proclamation of love but it was said in the heat of the moment so you let it go for now choosing to ignore it. 
“Believe me I am very much aware. Just as I am aware I have ruined what we had and perhaps even the chance of one day earning your love should you ever give it to me. While I may wish I could change the past I would never change meeting you and the moments we shared. The mere thought of your smile makes me feel a fraction of your warmth in this cold wasteland and I could die a happy man should it be the last thing I see. I believe my worst fear to have come true when it became clear I may never see that smile of yours again. I cannot deny my feelings for you so I won’t and I will assure you I am honest and open when I say that I love you. I’d rather say it now before we both walk into our deaths when we set foot in those ruins.”
“I know I have no right to and I will admit I am a selfish man when I hope you will at least tell me that you might have shared my feelings were the circumstances different.” His feet touch the ground and he studies you for any response but finds none. 
“You are a fool. Hopeless. You are selfish and hardly ever look out for anyone but yourself. You would betray anyone if it were to further your own interests or save your own hide. You’d sacrifice anything and anyone to get what you want, price be damned.” You begin stepping closer to him and you can see him break just a little on the inside.
“That’s what I want to believe but I simply can’t. My own mind argues against all the things it reasonably tries to claim you to be. Yes you are a fool but you are also one of the cleverest and most intriguing people I’ve ever met. You’re not hopeless. You are selfish but your selfishness knows boundaries as displayed by your guilt and regret and shame. You would betray anyone but only if it meant you it allowed you to save what you care about and you’d sacrifice anything and everything to protect it. But I still wonder. Was it worth it? Making the choices you did was it worth putting yourself in this place?” 
“No. Most of the results while desired were not worth the cost.” Again the guilt and shame rises. 
“Then you have learned. So I will give you what you need; my honestly. We both know that these flirtations we’ve had are more than just that. Back then I could have seen a future where you and I could have had something beautiful but I will also admit I have not seen the same thing ever since our last meeting. I do not see a future not because my feelings for you have disappeared but simply because it is unpredictable. It’s fickle much like the Dunamancy you study. And that’s exactly how a future should be, right? Uncertain and unpredictable. What we’re walking into is just that. So if we do make it out alive I’m sure that future will be much clearer once we’re no longer on the brink of destruction.” You step up close enough and put a hand on his cheek making him look you in the eye.
“I don’t understand.” He begins.
“Let me spell it out for you.” You move your lips closer to his and when he doesn’t pull away you place your lips on his in a chaste kiss. 
“Do you get it now?” You say as you pull apart. 
“I think I may need another explanation to make sure I caught that right.” He stumbles a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks so you oblige and kiss him again. 
“I love you.” You say leaning your forehead against his. 
“I love you too.” Both of you laugh taking in the craziness of the situation. You went from being upset to arguing to honesty and a confession of love. This truly must be something recorded in some romance novel in Jester’s collection. Ridiculous but true.
“You may be a fool Essek Thelyss, but you are my fool and don’t you forget.” 
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kikis-writing-world · 3 years
Text
Broken Art
A/N: Told y’all I was struggling lately 🤣 I’ll admit, I tried to keep this neutral reader, but I was pretty in my feels when I wrote this so if I missed something please call me out - although I did force my love for Gene Kelly onto the reader lol
Pairing: Marcus Pike x Reader
Word Count: ~1700
Rating/Warnings: PG - Heartbroken Marcus, unrequited (?) pining, very vague mention of sexytimes. As usual, not proofed
Summary: Last night you’d gotten a call from Marcus - his girlfriend broke up with him. Today, you’re going over to look after the love of your life- your friend.
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You let yourself into Marcus’ apartment with the spare key he’d given you for emergencies. You were unsurprised to find the blinds drawn and lights off, despite that it was already late in the morning. Marcus was usually an early riser, but you had expected this today. You sighed, having known this would be what you found as you entered - you kind of hated that you were right.
You set the shopping bags down in the kitchen on your way to his bedroom. Your eyes were still adjusting to the dimness inside the apartment, but as you pushed the door open you could see the outline of the lump under the blankets.
“Oh, honey,” you sighed softly to yourself, padding across the soft carpet. Marcus didn’t stir as you pulled the blanket up, sliding in behind him.
“What are you doing here?” He asked quietly, voice cracking. The sound made your heart break, you knew it wasn’t just sleep and disuse causing it.
“Came to see you, silly.” You answered obviously, curling around the man, spooning him. You felt him take a deep breath, your arm curled around his bicep and chest.
“You didn’t have to.”
“I know.”
Silence took over the room as the two of you lay there. His hand found your arm, trailing down your skin until it wrapped around your own hand. Linking his fingers with yours, he gave it a thankful squeeze. You rested your head on your other arm, stretching it out so your free hand could play with his hair.
You let time tick by like that, being there for the sweet, broken-hearted man pressed against you. The phone call from the night before, hearing him choke back tears as he told you his girlfriend had left him for another man, played through your head. You had no idea how this kept happening to the most amazing man you’d ever met. You thought that Lisbon woman he’d told you about had been crazy, but somehow it had happened all over again with Brittany.
“Have you eaten yet today?” You whispered into the darkness.
“Not hungry.” He mumbled back, wiggling against you as he burrowed deeper into his pillow.
“You have to eat something, sweetheart.” You sighed. “How about I make you some pancakes? I brought blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, strawberries. I can make any kind you want.”
He didn’t answer, but you didn’t let that discourage you. You knew this man could rarely decline the offer of pancakes. You gave him the time to consider it.
“Banana and chocolate chip?” He finally asked, voice soft and unsure. Like you could ever say no to him.
“Of course.” You grinned. You sat up, pressing a kiss to his cheek before climbing out of his bed. “I’ll be back soon with them, okay? Coffee?”
“I think I’m out.” He admitted.
“I’ve got you covered. Do you want some?”
“Yes, please.”
You closed the door behind you and fought the urge to collapse against it. You were trying to stay upbeat and supportive for Marcus, but seeing him like this was soul crushing. He deserved so, so much better than this.
You shook your head clear and moved to the kitchen to get started on making breakfast for the two of you. You tried to focus on the task at hand, not letting your mind wander.
It was dangerous to let your thoughts dip too deep into what you would do to Brittany if you ever saw her again. It was even more dangerous to let yourself wander into the realm of how you would have never done this to him.
It was almost too easy to imagine you were making breakfast for yourself and Marcus under different circumstances. Maybe you’d stayed the night after he took you on an amazing date - candlelit dinner followed by a walk through the park. The night breeze just a little chilled so he’d wrap his arm around you, or offer you his jacket as you strolled together. Or maybe a night in, watching old movies as you cuddled up on his giant, plush couch. Possibly you’d woken up first after truly tiring him out last night, and now you were making breakfast in bed, where you were sure to get into round two (or maybe at that point, three or four) once you’d eaten.
No. That was very dangerous to think about.
Of course you were in love with him. You weren’t sure how any warm-blooded woman wouldn’t be. He was the perfect gentleman, he was Disney-prince handsome, he was smart and funny. He wasn’t scared of commitment or talking about feelings, he worked hard both in his professional and personal life. Seriously, he was a cute animal sidekick away from being a movie character.
You’d never admit this to him. You couldn’t stand the thought of the pity on his face as he explained he didn’t feel the same. How the awkwardness would grow between the two of you until there was too much distance to recover from. How the texts and calls would slowly stop, you’d see him less until he wasn’t a friend but an ‘oh yeah, I used to know that guy.’ You’d take a friend like Marcus Pike in your life any day over losing him completely.
You banished those thoughts as you piled two plates with pancakes, adding some of the fruit you’d brought over on the sides. You dug out a serving tray from his cupboard, loading the plates, syrup, cutlery, and two coffees. No need to bring cream and sugar, you knew how Marcus liked his coffee - of course you did. It was a little pathetic how much you loved him.
You groaned at yourself, having a mental conversation to get it together as you picked up the tray. You could pine over him later. Now, he needed a friend.
You carefully balanced the tray on your hip, taking one hand off of it to open the door.
“Breakfast.” You sang, shuffling in carefully. “Lights.” You warned before flicking the switch.
The overhead light illuminated the room, Marcus whining as he tucked his head under his blanket. You could see his clothes from the night before tossed carelessly on the floor instead of neatly put in his hamper. That just told you how desperate he had been to crawl into bed once he got home from his date.
“C’mon Marcus. You gotta sit up and eat.” You told him, kindly but firmly, as you sat on the bed beside the lump in the blankets.
You heard him sigh before he moved, sitting up and letting the blanket fall to his waist. His eyes were red-rimmed, his hair was a mess from hiding under the blankets - and probably not helped by you playing with it earlier. He had on a white undershirt, probably the one he’d been wearing last night and hadn’t bothered to change. Stubble was starting to grow in along his jawline and upper lip.
You didn’t mention his appearance, focussed on balancing the tray between the two of you, making sure the coffee didn’t spill or the blueberries roll off the plate as you settled it onto the bed.
“Thanks.” His voice was hoarse as he reached for the coffee. You organized the tray while he drank, passing a set of cutlery his way. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“Of course I did,” you disagreed. “That’s what friends are for.” The words tasted bitter, so you chased them with a sip of your own coffee.
You spent the day with Marcus, trying to take his mind off of his recently failed relationship. You made sure he ate and stayed hydrated, but otherwise did nothing of importance. The two of you lounged around, chatting and watching TV as you tried to just be there for him.
The fact that he hadn’t slept well the night before was obvious, even before he fell asleep on you midway through An American in Paris. The two of you had been nearly cuddled together under the throw blanket from the back of his couch - more so leaning against each other than cuddling - when his head started to droop onto your shoulder. You teased him for falling asleep, but he insisted he was wide awake. You didn’t call him on the lie as he slowly slumped lower, leading to you wrapping an arm around his shoulders to find a more comfortable position for the both of you. Soon enough, his head was pressed into your chest as slow, deep breaths escaped his barely parted lips.
The movie played on, forgotten in the background as you stared at his profile the best you could from this vantage point. Not just any man could steal your attention from Gene Kelly, but this wasn’t any man. This was your Marcus.
He looked younger in his sleep - the worry from the last two days, plus the usual stress of his job fading away. His lower lip jutted out farther than his top in an adorable pout.
You wished you could kiss those lips. Kiss all his worries away until he looked this relaxed while awake. Kiss him to show him just how much he was loved and cared for despite the string of girls that barged in and out of his life, each stealing a new piece of his heart. You wanted to wrap that heart in bubble wrap, pack it up with a giant “fragile” stamp on it, until it was safe like the beautiful pieces of art Marcus spent his time hunting - like the beautiful piece of art it was in it’s own right. Lock it up in a vault until only experts were allowed to touch it with reverent, gloved hands, restoring it from it’s past traumas.
But no, you couldn’t. What good was art when it was hidden away from the world? His heart wasn’t yours to claim and protect. You’d be there to restore it though, however many times he needed.
You sniffled, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to spill down your cheeks. Instead of continuing the melancholy train of thought, you smoothed his hair down, pressing a kiss to his temple. Closing your eyes, you leaned your head gently against his. His heart wasn’t yours - to have, to keep safe - but as you dozed off, you couldn’t help pretend just for this moment that it was.
Tagging: @wickedfrsgrl​
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