#he is like an emotional bomb that could explode at any moment even if he tries not to show it

[dandelionprints]

Don't Be Late

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Y/N (lil bit of fluff, angst, tormented Tommy and comfort)

Summary: When Tommy makes a promise to his wife he could never imagine that breaking it could potentially cost Y/N her life.

Warnings: bad language, a couple of slur words as used in the show *not words that I myself deem acceptable!*, a lot of violence, mentions of injuries, blood and death. Reader discretion is advised, do not read if you feel uncomfortable with this kind of content

Word Count: This is a long one coming in at 6,800k

A/N: It's been a while since I've written a full blown fic but I was on a roll so I just went with it! I hope you enjoy, please do like, reblog and/or comment your thoughts on it, I really appreciate the feedback x

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"It's been three days, Pol. Why won't she wake up?"

He leant forwards in his chair, a hand gently grasping  Y/N's as she lay motionless on her hospital bed. Her body was battered with violent purple bruises and cuts covering what seemed to be every inch of her body.

The last three days had been hell, with a mixture of so many emotions running through him  that he didn't know where to put and the not knowing. Worry, anger, sadness. Guilt. So much guilt, it consumed him. 

Tommy wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to forgive himself for not being there to protect her. It could be said that it was a case of "wrong person, wrong time", but that did nothing to subside the sense of dread that filled his stomach whenever he thought about the brutality his wife had been through, all because of him. How scared she must have been on her own waiting for him to come and save her, but he came too late.

"Give her time, Tom. She's been through a lot, her body’s trying to heal, we can't rush these things. Besides, the doctor said this morning that the swelling and bleeding has started to go down so she is getting better. Slowly. We just have to be patient", Aunt Polly delicately placed her hand on his shoulder, softly stroking her thumb back and forth over the newly clean shirt. 

Polly had brought a clean set of clothes to the hospital after seeing that Tommy was too terrifed to leave Y/N at the hospital alone for even a second, leaving him wearing blood soaked clothes for the first day. Y/N's blood.

"I should've been there Pol. None of this would've happened if I hadn't gotten too cocky and dragged John and Arthur down to London to Sabini's club. All this for a fucking business expansion"

He lowered his head and brought his free hand to his forehead, pinching at the sides as if to relieve some of the stress growing with tension there.

"Fuck!", he shouted before quickly covering his face with his hand.

Tommy could feel tears springing to his eyes as he glared down between the gaps in his fingers at the speckled hospital floor. He was so tired of crying in the presence of anyone that wasn't Y/N since the night this whole shit show happened, it made him feel weak knowing other people could see that in fact, yes, Tommy Shelby does have emotions. Y/N  was the only one he'd been able to willingly show any kind of vulnerable emotion to since he'd returned from the war.

The sound of a lighter flicking open followed by the quick sizzle of a cigarette being lit came from behind him as Polly took a drag, before holding it within Tommy's line of vision. 

"Here, take this".

He hesitated for a moment, making sure that no tears would fall, then slowly lifted his head and reached for the now softly glowing cigarette bringing it to his lips and taking a long pull, exhaling the smoke as if it were the stress partially releasing from his body.

Aunt Pol watched him carefully, almost as if she were waiting to see if he was going to explode like a ticking time bomb or finally let his shoulders relax and sink into the chair. She was thankful when he chose the latter, slowly leaning back against the wooden frame, still holding onto Y/N's hand.

"You should go back to the house, Tom. Get some rest. I'll stay with her until you come back", she spoke softly, her own eyes tired from the constant secret worrying she'd been doing as well as sitting with Tommy next to Y/N's bed the last three days.

"No. I won't leave her, Pol. I can't leave her, it's my fault she ended up like this, I can't risk them coming back or the risk of her...", he stopped his words in their tracks as a lump formed in his throat. The tears that had only just subsided now came back, threatening to spill over, "Of her dying. Alone. Without me here letting her know she's safe, that I'm sorry. So fucking sorry"

Polly's face grew empathetic as she saw the pain etched all over Tommy's, the vacant glassiness of his eyes that had only grown darker over the past few days.

"She's not going to die..."

"She might, Pol!", his anger exploded then, the ticking time bomb she'd been waiting for had finally gone off.

The chair scraped on the floor as he stood, letting go of Y/N's hand, before turning to face his aunt who remained seated, not taking her eyes off him.

"How can you be so sure that she's gonna live, eh? How can you be so sure that she's ever going to open her eyes again?"

There was less accusation in his words than it seemed, more like a plead for some kind of reassurance or promise that the love of his life would be okay, that she'd return to the real world again.

Polly stood, then, calm and collected. 

"Because I know Y/N Shelby, and so do you. She's a tough girl, it'll take more than Sabini and the fuckers who did this to take her down. Now, go home and get some sleep. I'll stay here with her, give her a wash and read some of your poetry outloud. The nurses say she can still hear what's going on around her, that she may even end up dreaming of things that are being said so we'll be having no more talk of death. John said he'll take the next shift of watching the door so tell him when you get back to come here. You know he won't let those bastards go anywhere near her if they so much as step foot near the hospital"

Polly’s eyes remained on him like a mother scolding her child until they did what they were told. She knew that he was still reluctatant to leave Y/N's bedside but felt relief when he subtly nodded to her, stubbing out his cigarette and picking up his coat before leaning over Y/N to place a kiss on her head, being careful to avoid the purpling bruise that was forming there.

"I'll be back in two hours, Pol, then you can go home and get some sleep", he said simply, making his way over to the door.

"Not two, six. You need a proper sleep"

He narrowed his eyes at her without saying anything, his lips twitching as if ready to disagree with what his aunt had said.

"I'd say eight but I know you won't be able to stay away for that long. What good are you to her if your eyes can't even focus on what the gun is aiming at? Go. Get some sleep"

Three days earlier

They'd agreed that they would meet at 8pm later that evening, after Tommy finished up with business for the day, where the family car was stored in the garage near the Shelby family home.

"Don't keep me waiting too long", she giggled, stroking his face with the palm of her hand.

"Who says you'll be waiting?", he smiled, taking the hand that was on his cheek and bringing it to his mouth, placing a soft kiss to it.

The Garrison hadn't opened for the day yet but the Peaky Boys were starting to gather at the bar, getting in a pint before the days business was about to begin. John and Arthur were already trying to place a bet with Isaiah about who could down the most pints before blacking out with Arthur claiming it to be him.

"Eh, lads! No more drinking until business is finished for the day, and Arthur, I could place twenty pound on it being anyone but you who could drink the most", Tommy interrupted, leading to a cackle of ladish jeers. 

Y/N laughed before getting Tommy's attention once again, this time placing a finger beneath his chin and gently pulling his face towards hers.

"I know you, Tommy Shelby. You like to be on time when it's for business but business is also what makes you late to see me"

He felt a pang of guilt hit his stomach at her words, he knew she was right. He'd lost count of how many times he'd come home to find her curled up in front of the fire in his office fast asleep. How many times he'd either carried her up to bed or simply placed a blanket over her while he continued working into the early hours of the morning. 

"I promise, love. I'll be at the garage at 8pm sharp"

This time he leant forward and touched his lips to hers, taking in the sweet flavour of her lips that he loved so much.

"Go on, Pol will be waiting for you"

She paused, "Is it bad to say that I don't believe you?"

"I promise, Y/N"

She wanted to believe the sincerity in his eyes but a tiny part of her knew that she'd more than likely be kept waiting out in the cold while he finished up business for the day. 

"Okay", she half smiled, "I love you, Mr. Shelby"

Tommy kissed her then, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear.

"I love you too, Mrs. Shelby"

---

It was already dark by the time she'd made her way to their meeting point with only the glow from a firepit in the workshop opposite as the main source of light, rain flooding down onto the pavement outside in typical autumnal British fashion creating the sound of pattering on the old tin roof of the garage.

Y/N sighed as she leant against the black Ford Model T, taking a look at her watch. 8:03pm. 

'Well, it's only three minutes late, let's see if he's here before four minutes late', she thought to herself. 

There wasn't much to see in the garage other than old petrol can's and some oiled rags that had been dropped lazily on the floor, not that she could see much anyway with only the fire for her source. In fact, it only stretched as far as half the length of the garage, where unbenownsed to her there were men that were lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting victim. 

"Get 'em!"

The sound of a thick London Italian accent echoed through the cold rickety room and all Y/N could think to do was to cower against the car, waiting to be manhandled in some kind of way, the panic instantly settling into her chest.

It was obvious that the men who now had their fists blowing punches to her face didn't have a clue it was in fact a woman they were beating and not a man, probably due to the fact the fire was doing little to show that she'd wrapped her scarf over her head to stop the rain from ruining her curls. They didn't realise until she mustered enough strength through the continuous punches to let out the loudest scream she could.

It was only then that the men took a step back as the same voice from before bellowed out, "Stop!"

She held her hands up to her face and felt a slick warm liquid quickly covering them, the skin beneath it sore to the touch. Her left eye was blurry from the mixture of what she could only assume to be blood and swelling, but she could just about make out the silhoutte of a slim man with a hat standing near the wall.

The adrenaline was already kicking in helping to keep some of the pain from showing it's full potential, but her fight or flight hadn't seemed to of made an appearance yet. All she could do was stand there, frozen to the spot, her hands still holding her bloodied face.

"You must be Tommy Shelby's missus", spoke the man with the hat, taking a step forward confirming in the dim light that it was who she'd feared it would be. Sabini.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?", he smirked, leering towards her only inches from her face, "Apologies for the misunderstanding, we thought you were Mr. Shelby"

Her heart dropped into her stomach at the thought that this beating was meant for Tommy, that she knew they intended to do more than land a few punches to his face. She spat at the ground infront of Sabini's feet.

"You're lucky it was me and not Tommy, he'd have your eyes the minute you laid your hands on him", she was surprised by how even she managed to keep her voice despite the sheer panic coursing through her. 

Y/N knew it was a lie, that Tommy would be far too outnumbered to take on five of Sabini's men on his own especially without being able to see much.

Sabini laughed, throwing his head back slightly before stopping abruptly and grabbing onto each of her arms.

"You listen here you little princess, I don't think you quite understand the extent of how pissed off I am at your fella. You see, him and his brothers came to my club in London two nights ago. The Eden Club. A well run establishment, I'm sure you've heard of it. Anyway, they caused such a fucking scene that I've had to take matters into my own hands. I was planning on getting to Tommy, show him how scared he should really be about barging into one of my clubs, but it seems I may now have an even better way of sending that message".

Even with the light uneven across his features she could see a sly snarl creep onto Sabini's face, his breath fanning against her skin as he spoke. It was enough to make her want to wretch.

"Right boys, forget about Tommy. I want you to do what you were going to do to Tommy to her"

Her heart flew straight into her throat, threatening to jump out of her mouth at any moment. She wanted to throw up but the best thing she could do now would be to gain as much attention to passers by as she could. She screamed again only to have her mouth covered by Sabini as two men took over the hold on her arms.

"Listen here you little bitch, whether you like it or not, you're getting a beating. If Tommy's not man enough to face me himself and resorts to showing up to one of my clubs instead then this is what happens, someones pretty little face gets smashed in"

"You're a fucking creep! Tommy will be here any minute and I'm sure his brothers will be with him too, you won't know what fucking hit you!", she spat, the venom spewing from her mouth.

Sabini wasted no time in landing a hard slap against her already throbbing cheek making her splutter out whatever saliva she had left. He didn't leave it there though as his gripped both hands around her throat, squeezing as tight as he could.

"We'll be glad to see Tommy and his brothers, we can have a nice little catch up. Those boys couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery no matter how hard they tried so I'm not too worried. Carry on boys"

He let go of her throat leading her to gasp for air, her lungs felt like they were on fire with every harsh breath.

She didn't even have time to brace herself from the punch that was swiftly administered to her stomach, knocking out every bit of air she had managed to gain back, bringing her to the ground with a hard thump. Her head bounced off the ground sending a shockwave of pain running over her skull and down her neck. 

The punches were now followed by the kicks of steel toe capped boots, each kick more painful than the last until she almost felt numb. Where the fuck is Tommy?

She wanted nothing more than to scream out for him, to hear him running towards the men with bullets flying, ready to put an end to this nightmare, but all she could do was sob as the pain coursed through her.

"Boys, hold her up", Sabini's voice cut through the sound of the thumps and thuds, his voice menacing laced with a sneer.

Two men gripped Y/N's arms and yanked her back onto her feet, knees buckling beneath her with one of her ankles too weak to bare any weight. She was pretty sure she had some broken ribs and that her ankle was much the same way but she knew there was nothing she could do about it now. The only thing she could do was let her head loll forwards with sheer exhaustion. 

It was hard to keep her eyes open as her head was pulled up by a harsh grab of her hair, weakness taking over her entire body.

"Look at me. I said look at me!"

Another firm yank of the hair had her gaze just about managing to focus on Sabini, his eyes showing a glint of evil.

"I want you to tell your dirty gypsy husband that I'm coming for him next, if he wants to take over my race tracks then he's gonna have to fight for it"

"You're a fucking pig Sabini", her voice was hoarse as she spoke, her head longing to fall fowards again and let her eyes shut.

"Take my fucking name out of your mouth! 'Ere, Franco, take my name out of this scum's mouth"

She wasn't prepared for what came next as a blade was forced inside her mouth, her cheeks slowly being cut as well as a part of her lip. The taste of the metallic blood filled every tastebud, the only noise she was able to make were muffled groans as the cold metal sliced roughly through her skin.

Her body suddenly dropped to the floor once more, the sound of the mens foot steps starting to fade as they made their way towards the back of the garage and through a hole in the wooden panelling. 

"Don't forget to give your husband my message, if you survive that is", Sabini's spoke, a chuckle following him as he finally left her and made his way out the same way as the other men. 

She had no energy to even cry any more, a numbness enveloping her body and the blood still slowly seeping out of every cut she'd sustained.

She couldn't focus on anything now, the need for sleep becoming too great to keep her eyes open. She didn't even hear Tommy's footsteps quickly approaching the garage a minute later where she lay in a pool of her own blood. All she could do was let her eyelids drop as she slipped into darkness.

—

"Y/N! Oh fuck, Y/N!"

His cries bellowed through the bleak surroundings, the only movement to be seen was the flicker of the flames from the fire in his peripheral. 

“John! Arthur! Where the fuck are you?”, he screamed into the night before turning his attention back to Y/N.

"C'mon Y/N you need to wake up now, c'mon sweetheart", his desperate pleas did nothing as he cradled her head, her blood soaking into his trousers. He could see her chest rising and falling but knew that it was getting slower and slower with every moment that passed by.

It'd only been a minute or so since he'd gotten there but he could've sworn it'd been more like an hour, his heart thumping so hard that he thought it would surely pop out of his chest. 

"John! Arthur!"

Tears were streaming down his face, dripping onto Y/N's blood soaked cheeks, leaving streaks running through the red liquid.

He knew his brothers were meant to be on their way with the promise of a bed at Arrow House for the night. He just hoped that they would be sober enough to help deal with the chaos that was going on.

There was so much blood that he didn't know what to do. Sure, he could leave Y/N and go get help himself, but he didn't want to leave her alone for even a second. He'd already let her down once this evening and he'd be damned if he was going to let her die here alone on the cold stone floor, or have the people who did this to her come back and finish off the job.

John and Arthur came stumbling through the open door of the garage, an arm wrapped over each others shoulders as they laughed about how many women they'd managed to pull that night. As soon as they saw the scene in front of them though, the laughing soon stopped and they both straightened up, their eyes almost not wanting to look at the state before them.

"Who the fuck did this, Tommy? Where the fuck are they? I'll fuckin’ get 'em Tom I fuckin’ promise you, those bastards won't get away with this!" John's hands had grown into fists with his knuckles turning white, the anger twisting his face into pure hatred.

"It doesn't matter right now, John. Just go and get help, call a fucking ambulance!", Tommy looked to Arthur whose expression had turned more into terror than anything else, "Arthur, I need you to get Pol, tell her Y/N's hurt, badly. Tell her I need her here, I need... just get her Arthur, now"

It took a second longer than Tommy would've liked but both brothers soon turned and ran out towards the Shelby family home, their legs wobbling beneath them as they went.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. I'm so fucking sorry", Tommy sobbed as he gently stroked her face, pulling her in closer to him. His mind was racing with all the questions he was dying to know the answer to.

He knew he should be worrying about who it was that had done this to her but he was pretty sure he knew the answer to that already, and he wasn't about to waste what time he might have left with his wife thinking about that. No. All that mattered right now was that Y/N was going to live, that her eyes would open and she'd look up at him with that brilliant smile he loved so much to tell him that she was okay, that she was going to survive this.

Flashing lights appeared outside whilst Tommy had his head rested on Y/N's, whispering over and over again how sorry he was and how much he loved her. The pain he felt was all consuming and he knew he'd give anything to be in her position right now, just like it should have been.

Even when the medics came to retrive Y/N he couldn't bare to let her go, he insisted on carrying her into the back of the ambulance and holding her all the way to the hospital. They knew better than to argue with the Shelby man but managed to convince him to allow for her vitals to be monitored on the journey there, her pulse rate rapidly declining.

Polly hadn't arrived at the garage quick enough so Arthur had driven both Polly and John to the hospital at speed, swerving all over the road as they went, the tires slipping on the slick ground beneath them.

When they finally got there they saw Tommy disappearing through the double doors with Y/N still in his arms, a trail of blood on the floor behind him. This was going to be a long night.

—

The doctors had managed to get her heart rate back up to a reasonable pace by the time she was settled into a private hospital room. Fluids were being administered consistently alongside different medicines flowing through the tubes, her wounds now dressed with bandages and a thin blanket covering her black and blue body.

"Mr. Shelby, your wife has been through a terrible ordeal, it's a miracle she's still alive", a tall man with slicked blonde hair and glasses spoke, a clipboard and pen in his hands.

"When will she wake up?", Tommy tried to shake off his annoyance at the doctors statement of the obvious, of course this was a fucking terrible ordeal! Anyone with eyes could see that. He just wanted the facts that mattered most.

"Mr. Shelby, as I said, your wife has been through a terrible ordeal..."

Tommy grimaced, "I fucking know she has, don't you think I can see what's right in front of me? That and the fact I found my wife lying in a pool of her own blood half dead? Just tell me, when will she wake up?"

He was growing tired of not having answers to the main question he had and knew he wouldn't be able to relax until he had a definitive answer.

"The honest answer Mr. Shelby is that we don't know. To be blunt we're not sure if she's going to"

Tommy's heart dropped into his stomach.

"As you know, she's been through...", the doctor paused, not wanting to use the term 'terrible ordeal' again, "A lot. We've taken some images of her brain and we can see that she has some bleeding and swelling. We're not sure that she can recover from something like that, we can only hope that she will. Her injuries are severe, Mr. Shelby. As well as the damage to the brain she also has some internal bleeding, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, brusing to the esophagus, cuts to the inside of her mouth and a broken ankle. We're doing everything we can to ensure that she'll recover from this but it will take time. I'm sorry"

A ringing sounded in Tommy's ears, a noise so defeaning that he couldn't focus on anything right now other than the fact Y/N might not make it through this. His chest tightened and he found himself struggling to breathe, the sheer weight of the words he'd just heard sitting heavy on his chest.

"Are you okay, Mr. Shelby?"

"Leave. Now, please. Leave!"

The doctor wasted no time in carrying out Tommy's order as he scurried out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Tommy fell to the floor, his knee's weak and unable to hold him upright. He clutched his chest as he gasped for the air that seemed to have become so thin in the room. Tears that had gathered in his eyes began to fall and there was nothing more he could do than kneel there on the cold floor as his world came crashing down around him. 

If he'd of been there at the time they'd agreed then this wouldn't have happened, not to Y/N anyway. It would be him laying in the hospital bed in front of him instead of her, or he'd be laying in a ditch somewhere ready for some poor passerby to find when dawn came. 

He knew for a fact that the guilt that was growing in strength would never leave him even if she did make it out of this, that he'd always blame himself for not being on time. 

A small knock on the door brought him shakily back up onto his feet again as he gripped onto the frame of the bed. Tommy managed to wipe away his tears just in time for Polly, John and Arthur to walk into the room. 

He couldn't look at them, only at Y/N laying in the bed. Her lifeless body was slightly sinking into the mattress beneath her, a mess of hair covered in congealed blood surrounded her head.

"Is she going to be okay, Tom?", John's voice quietly cut through the silence like a knife. 

Tommy took a moment before letting out a sigh, the lump in his throat wanting to escape and cause tears to come flooding out. 

"I don't know. The doctor said that she's got bleeding and swelling on the brain amongst other things. They don't know if she's going to wake up".

The room stayed silent with no one wanting to say a word, both for fear of upsetting Tommy further and also because what else was there to say? There was nothing any of them could do to make the situation better or to make light of any of this.

Tommy took a seat next to Y/N's bed side and held her fragile hand, longing for her to wrap her fingers around his, but of course she didn't. Even that alone was enough to make his heart break.

"John. I need you to arrange for the blinders to be on a rotation of a look out. I don't want anybody coming in or out this hospital without us knowing about it. Arthur, take Isaiah and a couple of the blinders with you to London, I need you to find Sabini", Tommy spoke plainly, not taking his eyes off of Y/N.

"Yes, Tom", Arthur nodded, motioning for John to follow his lead out of the room.

"Oh, and Arthur? When you find him", Tommy turned to look at him now, his eyes cold but somehow a fire lit in them, "Bring him to me. Alive"

—

Three days later

As expected, Tommy arrived back at the hospital within four hours instead of the six Aunt Polly had ordered. 

He couldn't sleep. Every time he'd managed to drift off he was soon awoken by nightmares of Y/N's screams as she was repeatedly kicked and punched, the sound each one of the blows made making his stomach churn. He could see her body laying there in a pool of blood with sobs wracking her chest... her calling out his name and him not being able to reach her even though he could see everything that was happening. 

Tommy woke up in a cold sweat, his clothes soaked right through and his hair wet. He decided he was better off admitting defeat than to try going back to sleep, the thought of having to see those images of Y/N whenever he closed his eyes was enough to make his blood run cold. 

His childhood home was quiet when he made his way downstairs. Ada had taken Finn to Arrow House under her watchful eye with Karl, it was better to be in a house that was stocked with firearms than back in London with nothing but a single pistol and where Sabini could be lurking in the shadows. 

John had gone to the hospital to take the next watch and Arthur was somewhere in London seeking out Sabini and his lackeys, waiting to hand him a blow that would make the Italian man wish he'd never come to Birmingham.

Tommy decided on having a bath before putting on clean clothes, taking a look in the mirror before he left. His complexion had almost drained of colour over the past three days with the exception of the dark circles that appeared under his eyes, much darker than usual. 

"God I hope she wakes up soon", he muttered to himself, adorning his peaky cap and reaching for the door handle before stepping out onto the bustling streets of Birmingham, lighting a smoke as he made his way to the hospital.

When he walked through the doors of Y/N's room he noticed something different. Aunt Polly was no longer sitting there with sadness in her eyes, instead she was stood next to the bed holding Y/N's hand, a small smile upon her face.

His eyebrows furrowed with confusion and his pace slowed as he approached her.

"What's happened?" he asked, nervous energy rushing through him.

"She moved, Tom. All on her own, she moved!"

Polly was beaming now, fresh tears sprang to her eyes and she had to resist the urge to hug him.

"What do you mean she moved?"

"I mean, I was reading her one of your poems and holding her hand. Her fingers started to move as if she was trying to tell me she could hear me. She's still in there Tommy"

His heart swelled in his chest although he didn't want to get his hopes up too much, there was nothing worse that breaking your own heart with false hope.

"It might've just been the nerves jumping, Pol. She probably doesnt have control of her body right now", he knew he sounded like dismissive bastard but he couldn't bring himself to believe that Y/N could do that but not open her eyes.

"Stop being so bloody negative Thomas. I'm telling you exactly what I saw with my own two eyes. Read to her yourself, you'll see", Polly scolded him, picking up the pages she'd left on her seat and going to hand them to him.

Tommy said nothing but shook his head towards the pages and instead took a step closer towards Y/N's bed. 

Polly placed Y/N's hand in his and softly spoke, "Y/N love, if you can hear what we're saying then squeeze Tommy's hand, let us know that you're still there".

He held his breath as he waited to see if she'd respond, his eyes watching her fingers like a hawk.

"She's not moving, Pol. You're seeing things with the lack of sleep, go home and get to bed, I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere"

"Don't tell me what you think I may be or may not be seeing and certainly don't tell me what to do. You may be a man now Thomas but I'm still able to lay you across my knee and give you a good hiding", her eyes glared daggers into the side of his head as he continued to stare at Y/N's fingers, unmoving on top of his.

"I'm sorry Pol, I just can't... I just can't stand the thought of having the hope there that she'll show me she's okay if she never actually...", he stopped dead in his tracks.

His mouth dropped open and his gaze widened in shock as Y/N's fingers started to slowly lift upwards before coming back down to rest on top of his fingers, trying to curl themselves around his.

"Y/N? It's okay, I'm here. You're safe", he placed his free hand over hers and leant over to kiss her head, the bruises still prominent, "I'm sorry Y/N, I'm so fucking sorry".

Tommy couldn't hold back the tears that were coming and let them spill out to fall down her cheeks, the overwhelming burst of relief he felt within his soul was like nothing he could explain. 

Polly stood with a hand over her mouth, a smile beneath her fingers. 

"T-T-Tommy?..."

Did she just speak?

His head shot up, eyes wide in disbelief. When he caught the first glimpse of her face he could see that her eyes were slightly open. Her eyeballs had red spots on them where blood vessels had burst, either from the pressure of being strangled or from the numerous hits to the face she'd sustained. He tried to hide the shock that hit him and gently cradled her face with both hands, careful not to press down on the discoloured blotches that lay beneath them.

"You're awake, you're... I-I can't believe it", he stuttered, scanning her face for any kind of expression.

"Y-you... w-w-were... late", she croaked.

It was almost as if he'd taken a stab to the chest as her words met his ears and the guilt came flooding back.

"I know, I'm so, so sorry Y/N, I really am. I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for this, not for as long as I live"

He stifled a sniff as his tears continued, a sob escaping his lips as his face screwed up into pure anguish.

"I-it's... okay", she murmered, taking a deep breath, "do-don't be... s-sorry... I-I'm j-just... glad i-it w-wasn't... you"

"No sweetheart, no. It's not okay, none of this is okay. Because of me, you're lying here in a hospital bed, completely black and blue with internal injuries and broken bones, all because I got too cocky and tried to challenge that fucker. I swear to you, Y/N. I'm gonna put a bullet between his eyes for this, he's not going to get away with it".

He brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face and she smiled softly, the memory of him doing to same back in The Garrison just before she'd left him that day, just before all of this happened…

"H-he said t-t-to... g-give you a... m-message..."

"No, shh shh, it's okay. You don't need to tell me anything right now, you need to rest and get better. You can hardly speak. Tell me anything you need to when you start to feel better. All I care about right now is that I have you, here, alive. No amount of money nor business could come close to how happy I am right at this very moment"

Two Days Later

She'd been awake more frequently over the next couple of days with each day being better than the last. Her bruises had now started to turn a lighter shade of blue with greens and browns dotted through them and the bleeding and swelling on her brain had improved significantly. 

The doctors were stunned at how well she was doing, they half expected her to die within the first few days she'd arrived at the hospital. 

"How are you feeling today?", Tommy asked as he stroked her hair from his position on the edge of the bed.

"A bit be-tter than yesterday", she softly smiled. She couldn't deny that she still felt like absolute shit and that every time she breathed it felt like she was trying to push air through a straw, but she was just relieved that she'd survived this whole ordeal, "Can you h-help me sit up a b-bit please?"

He instantly stood and gently swooped an arm beneath her legs and the other behind her back, carefully lifting her up before sitting her back down on the bed and repositioning her pillows behind her against the headboard. She winced with the motion but tried her best to hide it. She already knew that Tommy had so much guilt eating him up inside, it almost felt like if she showed him that she was in any kind of pain that it was a reminder of how much he'd fucked up.

"Is that okay?"

She nodded slowly, aware of her aching neck with every slight movement.

"Good, it's nice to see you looking a bit more like yourself", he smiled, his eyes studying every inch of her face.

"Sabini t-told me to tell y-you t-that he's coming for y-you next and that I-if you want to take o-over his race tracks then you're gonna h-have to fight for it... I'm s-scared, Tommy"

Tommy moved his chair closer to the bed, so close that his knees were touching the side of the frame, and took her hand in his.

"I promise you Y/N, you have nothing to be scared about. I know that I broke my promise before about being on time and it cost both of us more than I thought possible, but I swear to you, right here, right now in this moment, I won't let that fucker come near you ever again"

A response to that seemed impossible. Of course she wanted to believe her own husband but when he'd already broken one promise, one that had ultimatley almost led to her death, how could she possibly believe that he'd keep this one?

He could see her thoughts running round her mind, her eyebrows furrowing and mouth twitching like she didn't know what to say.

"Look, I know I fucked up massively. I will never be able to explain to you how sorry I am and I'd understand completely if you didn't want to be with me any more, but please believe that I will do everything in power from here on out to make sure that you're safe"

He was almost scared to hear what she was going to say. Did she want to leave him? Was he destined to lose his wife, not by death this time, but from the sheer fact she didn't think he could keep her safe?

"I-I could n-never leave you, T-Tommy Shelby", she smiled, her lips curving up into her bruised cheeks. 

Tommy stood up and brushed his lips against hers, laying a tender kiss upon them before pulling back slightly, enough to still feel her breath on his face.

"Just p-promise me one m-more thing", she spoke, looking into his eyes.

"Anything"

"Don't ever be l-late again"

He grinned, the twinkle in his eyes that she hadn't seen since waking up returning once more.

"I promise"

———

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#tommy shelby #peaky blinders #tommy shelby imagine #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x y/n #tommy shelby one shot #tommy shelby x you #cillian murphy #tommy shelby fanfic #thomas shelby x reader #tommy shelby fic #tommy shelby oneshot #tommy shelby fanfiction

[mikavlcs]

Ricochet

Pairing(s): Wednesday Addams x fem!telekinetic!reader, platonic!Bianca Barclay x reader

Summary: An outburst ruins Wednesday’s relationship with you. The journey to reconciliation is long and hard, but she eventually finds her way there

Warnings: same as last time, ooc!wednesday

Word count: 6.2k

Notes: here is the semi-highly requested wednesday pov of my first story! i recommend reading the first part because i skim over some events to avoid repetition. hopefully you guys enjoy<3

Masterlist | Reader’s Pov

Wednesday was furious. No, she was well beyond fury at this point.

There wasn’t a word in any man-made language that could describe how fucking angry she was.

She had been throwing herself into her investigation for months now to try and find her stalker. He disappeared after the initial text at the end of her first semester, reappeared at the beginning of the second semester to taunt her for a few days, and now he had gone silent again.

Months of searching for clues and chasing leads only for them to go cold. Months of intellectual and emotional turmoil for absolutely no results. It was taxing.

Tonight was her last chance. The only hint she had left about her stalker’s identity. And it was a dead end. She had hit another brick wall while her stalker undoubtedly laughed from the shadows.

Her frustration couldn’t be put into words. It could only be felt as she stomped through the halls to her dorm. She could tell Thing felt it too by the way he lay still in her bag as if any movement would set her off. For all she knew, it would.

Her dorm came into view along with your withdrawn form. Instinctively, her eyes were drawn to your face, and she could tell by the drooping of your eyes and furrow of your brows that something had happened. Any other day she would be more than willing to listen to you and offer what little comfort she knew how to give, but right now she wanted to do anything but.

Electing to ignore you, she entered her dorm and threw her bag to the floor, barely registering Thing scampering off to her closet. The soft click of her door closing told her that you had followed her inside. Her fists clenched.

She wanted—no, needed you to leave. The white-hot anger in her chest was building steadily and she felt like a ticking time bomb. Any little thing would be enough to make her explode, and she wasn’t sure what she would do in the aftermath.

She prayed you would just leave her to suffer through her failure alone but you were far too kind for that. Instead, you spoke up.

“Do, um… do you need anything?”

During the many times Wednesday looked back at this moment, she could never pinpoint what exactly it was about the question that upset her. All she knew is that it was enough to detonate her.

The outburst itself was hazy to her, even while it was happening. She vaguely remembered turning around and yelling, but mostly she recalled the rush of relief she felt after expelling so much anger, how much lighter she felt.

But the moments afterward, she could still see clear as day.

The shock on your face, and the unmitigated hurt that crept in after. The tears in your eyes. The way her own relief mutated to horror when she realized what she had done.

She had turned her own world upside down in mere moments and she couldn’t collect herself enough to right it before you rushed out the door.

The only thing she could do was call out your name before the door slammed shut.

Wednesday was frozen. Somewhere, she could hear Thing feverish tapping something to her, but she paid him no mind. She couldn’t, not with the way her thoughts were racing. A million different things ran through her mind, but one thought kept rising to the surface.

She had hurt you.

She hadn’t meant to, but intentions meant nothing in the aftermath of a tragedy. And now she had to face the consequences.

-

Sleep eluded her completely that night.

She laid in bed for what felt like an eternity, replaying your conversation and yet it seemed as if she blinked and suddenly sunlight was shining through the window. She shook herself out of her reverie and got ready for class.

Thing was noticeably absent. He was most likely upset with her for what happened. She couldn’t blame him, not when she felt the same.

Throughout her first class, she couldn’t help but watch you. You were notably more quiet and almost standoffish, avoiding people more than usual. She hadn’t seen you smile once the whole day. It pained her to think that her words had wounded you so deeply.

She kept her eyes on you all day, monitoring you discreetly. Or so she thought. During your last class, you turned and glared at her with such rage, such vitriol that she had to force her eyes away.

She was used to being the target of people’s resentment. It usually overjoyed her to see how negatively she was able to affect people with her mere presence, but it was different this time. This time, it was you, and seeing you look at her with so much anger made something bubble up in her chest.

Guilt.

Guilt so devastating, so overpowering that she couldn’t at least try to act on it.

-

An hour was all she allowed herself before she went to your dorm.

The walk was familiar, one she could do in her sleep, but this time she was aware of every step she took. Every inch closer to you made her tenser. Her mind was turbulent, in complete disarray. She was anxious, she realized. She had no clue what she was going to say.

Thing had yet to make an appearance so she couldn’t fall back on his guidance or companionship. She was left to deal with this alone.

For the first time in her life, she had no idea what was going to happen next. And as much as she tried to deny it, that scared her.

And it turned out that she was right to be scared because you refused to listen to her. You didn’t even open the door. She couldn’t be upset with you, she knew this was her fault. But she had to try.

“Listen,” she started again, “it is truly urgent. I…”

There was so much she wanted to say but nothing came out. An apology was sitting on her tongue, waiting to be said, and yet the idea of really facing what she did and opening up to you held her back.

“Thing has something important to tell you.”

The words tasted bitter in her mouth. Shame bloomed in her stomach.

Coward.

A hard scoff sounded from the other side of the door.

“Yeah? Well, tell Thing that if he ever needs to talk about something then my door is always open to him.”

The finality in your tone told her what she already knew: she had failed.

The conversation had reached its definitive end, but she didn’t move. Her feet were planted in the hall outside your door, at odds with herself about what to do next. Part of her wanted to speak up, to tell you the truth. And yet another part of her, the one she let lead her through most of her life, wanted to just leave and avoid confronting her feelings completely.

She stood outside your door for minutes on end, a war raging between her emotions and her pride. But in the end, her pride stood victorious, and she walked away, heart heavier than it’d ever been before.

-

The following weeks were long.

She didn’t bother trying to talk to you again after her disastrous visit, knowing it would end the same way. You made it clear that you didn’t want to talk to her, so she wouldn’t force you to do so.

Despite that, she couldn’t bring herself to fully withdraw from you. After months of your constant presence, your sudden absence from her life was surprisingly difficult for her to deal with.

It felt as if everywhere she looked, there was an empty spot where you would usually inhabit. On her bed during her writing hour, the seat next to her in class, the space beside her at her lunch table—all places you should be. But you weren’t anymore.

There was an emptiness in her chest that she didn’t think even the joys of torturing Pugsley could fill.

So she resolved to keep watch over you from afar. She told herself that it was to make sure that no one hurt you or that you didn’t do anything stupid. But she knew better, and so did Thing.

He wasn’t on board with the idea at first, still mad about what Wednesday had said, but after she brought up the group of werewolves that bullied you, he hesitantly joined her. But they both knew this wasn’t about some stupid mutts.

Still though, he preferred to spend more of his free time with Enid, and she allowed it for the time being.

Enid herself had also been acting a bit differently. She was still bright, bubbly, and all-too friendly with Wednesday, but it was clear she knew something happened. The werewolf would cautiously avoid talking about you to Wednesday, quickly changing the topic whenever your name came up in conversation during lunch or class.

Sometimes, she’d catch herself staring for just a little too long and when she turned her attention back to what she was doing, she’d see Enid giving her a certain look. It wasn’t exactly pity, but it was close enough to make her vehemently uncomfortable. She tried to glare, cold and deadly, but her roommate had long since stopped being afraid of her, so she just let it be.

After school, she would look for you. Only to make sure you were safe, of course. If she wasn’t able to go for whatever reason then she sent Thing to keep an eye on you.

You spent a lot of time in the library for the first week, but then your schedule abruptly became more erratic.

She saw you head into the woods a few times after your last period and though her curiosity was peaked, she never had the heart to follow you. Some things deserved to remain private.

Days were long and arduous, but weeks passed, nonetheless.

Exactly one month after you stormed out of Wednesday’s dorm, Wednesday saw you use your powers for the first time. And it happened at lunch of all times.

She was sitting at her usual table, idly listening to Enid and her friends gossiping about something she didn’t care about. Her textbook lay open in front of her, completely neglected. She brought it along to try and distract herself from thinking about you.

Needless to say, it wasn’t working very well.

Her eyes were drawn to your solitary figure across the quad but she resisted. She had to study and she wasn’t entirely sure she could handle seeing you now. Especially given what day it was.

It had officially been a month since Wednesday’s outburst, an entire month without you.

She wished she could say it got easier with time, that the ache lessened with each day but that would be a lie. In fact, it was the exact opposite of Wednesday’s reality. Each day was more torturous than the last, the hole in my chest growing wider every day you were gone.

But she couldn’t think about that—about you now. She had studying to do. She was only two weeks ahead in her classes when she was usually at least a month ahead and that bothered her. So she forced her eyes down to the passages of text and made herself focus on her studies. And she succeeded.

Nearly.

A familiar, obnoxious voice cut through the noise, instinctively making her tense. She looked over and her fingers twitched.

Adrian. The pathetic werewolf that loved to make your life at Nevermore hell.

She couldn’t make out what he was saying but he was looming over you, his equally inept friends sneering behind him.

Her fists clenched. But they relaxed when her gaze settled on you. Because, unlike every other time she had witnessed this, you weren’t scared or resigned. No, you looked more annoyed than anything, either staring up at him blankly or ignoring him entirely in favor of your book. The sight made her brows raise slightly.

No matter how hard he tried to taunt you, you gave him no leverage—just a dead-eyed stare. Instead of just giving up, he riled up even further, his voice raising to a yell that echoed across the quad. The students began to quiet as they took notice of Adrian’s tantrum and Wednesday’s patience was quickly running thin.

She shared a look with a worried Enid, who looked ready to pop her claws out at any moment. Thing had also crawled out of her bag up onto the table, the three of them silently agreeing to step in if things went too far.

He reached for the knife on your lunch tray, and she had enough. She didn’t care if you hated her for interfering, she was going to kill him.

She went to push herself up when suddenly, Adrian froze. There was seemingly no reason for it, he simply stopped.

Puzzled, Wednesday observed the scene before her, trying to put the pieces together. They fell in place only moments later. Her mind flashed back to a few months before, when you finally mustered the courage to tell her about the powers you inherited from your parents.

Telekinesis.

You were doing that to him.

She watched as you leisurely read your book, ignoring Adrian’s friend’s pleas to let him go. The whole quad watched on as you finally stood and approached Adrian, like a predator stalking up to its prey. You threatened him like she did so many times before and she was positively mesmerized by the sight.

The boys ran off the moment you let Adrian go in a depressing flurry of cowardly panic. Wednesday felt her lips twitch.

There was only silence in the aftermath. All eyes were on you and Wednesday wondered if everyone was as entranced as she was.

You didn’t seem to care either way. You said nothing, only used your powers to put the knife back on your tray and turned back to your book. Not a care in the world for the dozens of stunned onlookers you left in your wake.

Hushed whispers began to engulf the quad as minutes passed, but Wednesday paid them no mind.

In front of her, Enid giggled and, much to her embarrassment, Wednesday nearly jumped at the sound. She had forgotten there were other people with her.

“That was amazing,” Enid gushed. A chorus of different positive answers rose from around the table and Wednesday couldn’t help but agree with them.

It was amazing. You were amazing.

Sure, she knew about your abilities, but she had never actually seen you use them—no one had until today. But now that she had, she was obsessed. That must have been why you spent so much time in the forest, she realized. To practice using your telekinesis in private. Suddenly, she wished she had followed you.

For the rest of lunch, she was left to marvel at what she had seen, dark eyes never straying from you as you read.

-

The incident remained on replay in Wednesday’s head for days.

It appeared that the rest of the school was in this predicament as well. Enid, of course, raved about your actions on her blog, informing anyone that hadn’t been in the quad of your power. Adrian and his pack of dimwits disappeared, much to Wednesday’s unending amusement.

Good riddance.

Overnight, you became the biggest gossip of the week. All eyes were on you and Wednesday couldn’t help but notice the similarities between your current situation and her when she first arrived at Nevermore.

She witnessed the students part like the Red Sea when you walked down the halls between classes. Loud conversations quieted to whispers as you passed and rose back up in volume when you left. Rumors, both bad and good, began swirling around you.

(Enid took it upon herself to try and disprove the bad ones on her blog. Wednesday just glared at anyone she heard gossiping about you. It was incredibly effective.)

The best part was that you didn’t care, at least not outwardly. Only a month ago, you would’ve hidden from this much attention, but now you seemed not to even notice. Disinterest was a good look on you, she noted.

The only downside of this was that it made any efforts to get close or approach without you instantly noticing her much more difficult. Wednesday didn’t want to risk it since she now knew that she had gotten a glimpse of your abilities.

She didn’t think you would use your powers on her, but it was still something she had to consider. So she elected to wait for a natural opportunity to get close to you.

And that opportunity came in an unexpected place: Botany class.

Wednesday despised Botany class. Both because it brought up bad memories from last semester and because the new teacher, Mr. Emerson annoyed her. Badly. His general happy demeanor and gratingly chipper voice made her want to commit unspeakable offenses. Worst of all, the overexcited imbecile loved group projects.

When he announced that he would be assigning another one, it was met with a predictable amount of displeasure from the class. Usually, Wednesday would be among them, but not this time.

One of the only tolerable things about Emerson’s group projects was his tendency to pair students with similar grades together. Given Wednesday’s immaculate grades, she was always put with someone with similar educational prospects.

You weren’t normally one of those people since you always had average grades in the subject. But your scores had risen over the semester, meaning the chances of you being paired with Wednesday were high.

Wednesday sat up straighter in her chair. This was possibly the best situation she could have found herself in now.

You being bound to her by educational obligation meant that she would be given ample opportunity to finally talk to you. It was perfect.

She impatiently waited for Emerson to announce the pairings, eyes instinctually drifting back toward your table.

For just a moment, she dared to believe that the stars would align for her here—just this once.

Then Emerson announced that you would be paired with her ex-archnemesis, Bianca Barclay.

Her jaw clenched as she stared into the space in front of her, not bothering to acknowledge her partner sheepishly approaching her table. She was foolish to waste her time with something as flimsy as hope.

She grimly watched you and Bianca nod at each other. You seemed satisfied with the news, probably because you hadn’t been paired with her.

Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if some part of you was as dissatisfied as she was.

-

Something unexpected happened after the project.

Wednesday had noticed you were spending time with Bianca but thought nothing of it. You two were partners after all. It was most likely just for the class project. Then, with no apparent reason to Wednesday, Bianca was suddenly everywhere with you.

She sat next to you in class, you joined her table at lunch, you could both be seen hanging around campus together after classes. She had even dropped Wednesday as her fencing partner to partner with you.

It hit Wednesday unexpectedly hard.

It was utterly maddening to watch you use your powers to get a pen Bianca dropped in class or see you laughing together without a care in the world at lunch.

And it was even worse because Wednesday knew she had no right to be upset about it. You weren’t hers anymore, so she had absolutely no say in whom you chose to spend time with. She knew that. She really did.

But something about seeing you so close to Bianca of all people—someone she couldn’t exactly call a friend but also certainly wasn’t an enemy—was too much for her.

Watching the two of you in fencing class was especially difficult. You had never been the best at fencing, having little to no interest, but now you seemed engrossed in the activity as Bianca helped you get into the on guard position. Her hands were on your arms and legs as she got you into position and Wednesday could do nothing but grip her sabre in her ire.

The other students avoided her, and they were smart to do so because she likely would have found a way to maim them now, even with their protective gear on.

She lasted about three classes before she cracked.

You were smiling and laughing in a way she hadn’t seen for nearly two months now and while she was glad to see you in higher spirits, she did not like that you were happier because of her.

As soon as the bell rang, she was on her way over to you, her determination and anger likely apparent in every step she took.

For a brief moment, your eyes met hers and Wednesday felt electricity course through her veins. It had been so long since you had truly looked at her. The eye contact was invigorating. But unfortunately, it didn’t last long because Bianca followed your line of sight and immediately jumped into action.

She watched Bianca drag you away, a new, unpleasant burning sensation making itself known in her chest. As if she had ingested acid and it was eating away at her insides slowly.

It was jealousy, she realized with an internal jolt.

She was jealous. Of Bianca fucking Barclay.

The epiphany nearly made Wednesday break out into hives. This had gone on too long, she decided. Whether you wanted to see her or not, she would find a way to make this right.

-

It took Wednesday nearly three days to reach an embarrassingly simple conclusion.

She had been searching for a previously unthought of solution. Goody was a witch, so she thought perhaps an incantation or spell of some kind would be of use.

When, in reality, the answer had been in front of her the entire time. Or, more accurately, it had been staring at her from atop her desk.

Wednesday was a writer (still unpublished, but that wasn’t important) so it made the most sense for her to translate her complex feelings into written words.

The letter took two days to finish. She dedicated as much time to it as she could, even putting aside her novel for the days it took to complete, but she struggled much more than she anticipated.

Narrating Viper’s woeful adventures and hardships was easy, but something about transcribing her own feelings and thoughts into words evaded her. It just didn’t come naturally to Wednesday, and it showed.

Countless attempts ended up crumpled in her overflowing garbage can. She grimaced at the amount of paper being wasted, but it needed to be perfect. And eventually, she wrote one that was as close to perfection as she believed possible.

The moment the letter was finished, she put it in an envelope and called Thing to help her deliver it, ignoring the inquisitive look Enid was giving her from her side of the room. She didn’t want to waste another second.

She made the trip to your dorm in record time, pausing before your door. You were rarely in your dorm after classes these days, but she wanted to be safe.

She knocked. No answer. She nodded at Thing, who was resting on her shoulder, and extended her arm for him. Thing crawled down her arm and grabbed onto the doorknob but hesitated. Wednesday gave him a look.

“You wanted me to apologize, now I’m apologizing. I’m not going to take anything, I will simply leave the envelope on the bed and we will leave. Breaking and entering isn’t even a serious crime anyways,” Wednesday muttered, fishing the lockpick out of her pocket and giving it to the appendage. “Now hurry up, we don’t know when she’ll be back.”

With that, Thing got to work, fiddling around with the tool until the lock clicked, and the door opened. He hopped off the knob as Wednesday walked inside, immediately climbing up to your bed. Wednesday took a moment to look around the familiar room.

It had been a while since she’d been there, but it looked relatively the same. Little things were moved here and there but it remained mostly true to her memory. She took a step toward your bed when something on her right caught her eye.

On the wall just above your desk was a piece of paper. It was rather crudely hung onto the wall by what looked like a pen.

The reasonable part of her told her to leave it alone, but the detective within her couldn’t dismiss a possible clue.

She crept forward and braced her hand on the wall, careful not to touch the paper as she swiftly read through its contents. The letter, it turned out, was from your parents and it was appalling. How any parent could say such abhorrent things to their child, she didn’t know but it made her want to pay them a visit and test out her favorite torture methods on them.

Wednesday read through it again, committing every word to memory to quote back when she got her hands on your parents, but her eyes kept getting caught on one word.

Pathetic.

It was repeated a few times in the letter, making it stand out but it resonated with her for another reason. Because when she read it, she was taken back to that night when she hurt you so badly and she realized why that insult made her pause.

She had said that. She had called you the same thing your parents did.

Startled, Wednesday stepped back, her mind racing. This explained a lot—the recent change in your behavior, your willingness to use your powers, why you avoided Wednesday so intensely.

Suddenly, the letter in her hands felt inadequate. With this new information in mind, Wednesday made a decision.

“Change of plans. We’re leaving,” she marched to the door, envelope held so tightly in her grasp that it began to crease. Thing remained on the bed, confusion apparent in his stance. Wednesday looked back, exasperated. “I will tell you what’s going on later. Come on.”

Thing hurried off the bed and over to Wednesday, taking his rightful place on her shoulder as she walked out of your dorm.

Enid was gone when she reentered their dorm, likely off with Yoko and Divina. Wednesday was admittedly thankful for her absence. As much as she had grown to care for the multi-colored werewolf, she could still be a lot at times and she needed peace right now.

Silently, Wednesday stationed herself in her chair in front of her typewriter. Thing jumped off her shoulder and rounded on her, about to ask what was going on, but one look at her face had him running off to her bed.

Wednesday never liked unexpected developments in her cases and that remained true now. Your parents’ letter took her completely by surprise. It recontextualized everything.

The damage she had done was unforeseeable and she saw now that a letter alone, no matter how beautifully written, would be insufficient. You deserved more than a piece of paper after what she’d done.

Wednesday looked down at the envelope in her hand. It contained so much of how she felt and yet it simultaneously said so little in the grand scheme of things.

Because even apart from her regrets, she had so much she wanted to tell you now. She wanted to tell you how proud she was to see you stand up to Adrian and his friends, how incredible your abilities were, how good you looked while using them. But before she could do any of that, she knew she owed you an apology—a real one.

One delivered from her own mouth rather than through stationery.

But you were still avoiding her like the black plague. Approaching you herself had already failed. Deep down, she knew what she had to do. If she wanted an audience with you, she would have to do something she despised.

Ask for help.

-

A firm knock cut through the silence of the hallway.

Wednesday waited patiently, sparing another look around the corridor to make sure nobody she knew was around to see her. The sound of approaching footsteps brought her attention back in front of her.

The door opened to reveal a casually clothed Bianca Barclay, whose expression instantly hardened at the sight of Wednesday.

“What the hell do you want, Addams?” Bianca asked, an aggression she hadn’t been on the receiving end of since her first semester present in her tone. Wednesday paid no mind to it.

“I have an important matter to discuss with you.”

Bianca laughed. “No.”

The siren began to shut the door but Wednesday shoved her foot in the doorway to prevent it from closing.

“Move, Wednesday.”

Bianca tried to kick her foot out of the way. Wednesday didn’t budge.

“No. I need to talk to you,” Wednesday said, moving to make eye contact with the taller girl once more. Bianca tried to push the door closed. When she gained no traction, she sighed.

“You’re not going to leave me alone about this are you?”

“No,” Wednesday deadpanned.

Bianca stared for a moment, then opened the door. Wednesday strode inside and stood by Bianca’s desk, hands poised behind her back as Bianca sat down on her bed.

“What do you want, Wednesday?”

“I have a feeling you already know what I’d like to discuss with you,” Wednesday stated, unblinking eyes boring into her former adversary. Bianca was giving Wednesday a hard glare. Not nearly menacing enough to compare to Wednesday’s own, but an admirable effort, nonetheless.

“You know she doesn’t want to see you.”

“I simply need to speak with her.”

Bianca snickered mirthlessly. “Yeah, because that went so well the last few times, right?”

Wednesday bitterly swallowed the myriad of insults on her tongue. She supposed she deserved that. And pissing Bianca off further wouldn’t help her case.

Bianca was about as resistant as Wednesday expected her to be. The siren was almost as stubborn as she was.

The logical part of her knew what needed to be done, no matter how much she dreaded it. In order to get her counterpart to listen, she would have to do something downright deplorable: tell Bianca the truth.

She took a deep breath. God, emotions were embarrassing. But even just the chance to talk to you again made it worth it, so she pushed the lingering humiliation down and opened herself up. Just a little bit.

“Listen, I know that I hurt her badly. What I did—what I said has haunted me in the weeks since it happened. My intentions are not nefarious. I truly just want a chance to apologize to her in person,” Wednesday’s fists clenched, fighting every instinct to roll her eyes as she forced out a final, “Please.”

Bianca stayed silent even after Wednesday finished her plea. Seconds turned to minutes and Wednesday was nearly about to walk away when Bianca sighed and pulled out her phone. Wednesday’s brows furrowed, curiously regarding the siren as she typed something out.

Bianca set her phone down and met Wednesday’s questioning gaze. “I asked her to meet me at the library tomorrow at 4:30. You better give her the apology she deserves.”

“I will,” Wednesday asserted, resolute. Bianca nodded.

“Good. Now get out, I have things to do besides listen to your begging.”

Wednesday’s jaw clenched, but she spun on her heels without comment. She paused by the door, turned back. “Thank you, Bianca.”

Surprise flashed in the siren’s eyes but her expression remained stony. “This is your only chance, Addams. If you fuck it up, I’m not helping you again.”

Wednesday gave her a sharp nod and left the dorm.

-

Wednesday was at the library thirty minutes before your scheduled meetup.

She tasked Thing with keeping the door locked and standing guard. Wednesday herself lingered behind some shelves in a corner of the library, awaiting your arrival.

The seconds felt like hours as she stood in waiting, the hard bookshelf against her back grounding her. She felt as if all of her nerve endings were attached to live wire. Wednesday couldn’t remember the last time she was this nervous about anything. Perhaps she never had been.

You showed up at 4:20, early as always. She used the extra ten minutes to further prepare herself for the conversation. She couldn’t mess it up this time. This was her only shot.

At exactly 4:30, she walked over and revealed herself to you.

It started as catastrophicly as she feared it would, but somehow, she got you to stay. You gave her five minutes of your time and she wasn’t going to waste it.

So she swallowed her pride, tore down her walls, and apologized to you with everything she had. Her speech went above and beyond what she initially wrote out. Once she started, she just couldn’t stop. The floodgates were open, and all of her emotions came pouring out to you.

By the time she was finished, she could only hope that she didn’t go over the allotted five minutes.

You were quiet after she finished speaking, enough to daunt her. She offered you an out, convinced you would take it and never talk to her again. But that wasn’t what happened.

Against all her expectations, against all odds, you forgave her.

One more chance was what you told her and she took those words to heart. This was her last chance and she refused to squander it.

In the moment, she had no real reaction to your forgiveness, she couldn’t muster one truthfully. The intense bout of emotional honesty had drained her. When she finally regained a modicum of her composure, she hesitantly wrapped her arms around you, resting her head over your heart.

Later, she would be embarrassed by the tears that gathered in her eyes when she felt you return the embrace, but in the moment she couldn’t bring herself to care.

The feeling of your arms around her erupted a wildfire within her and for the first time in months, she basked in the flames.

-

Eventually, she let go of you and you both reluctantly left the library with promises to see the other the next day.

Thing eagerly approached her the moment she opened the door, tapping out “what happened?” the whole way back to her dorm but she stayed quiet.

Expelling so many emotions in such a short amount of time drained her. She decided to just tell Thing and Enid at the same time so she wouldn’t need to talk any more than she had to.

Enid was ecstatic that you were back on good terms, as was Thing. The hand wasted no time scurrying off to your dorm, giving Wednesday a gentle pat on the way out. Enid on the other hand jumped on Wednesday, wrapping her in a tight hug. Wednesday rolled her eyes but allowed the contact. If Enid noticed the extra five seconds Wednesday waited before shoving her off, she didn’t say anything.

The next day, she woke feeling lighter than she had in a while.

It was a Tuesday so unfortunately, your schedules didn’t intersect much. She went about her day as usual, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a bit distracted.

She was finally on her way to lunch—on her way to see you—when someone fell into step beside her.

‘I heard your talk went well,” Bianca said, perfectly matching her strides. Wednesday nodded.

“Indeed. I suppose I should thank you again for your assistance.”

Bianca said nothing. The siren stopped just before they reached their destination, pulling Wednesday to a halt as well. Wednesday looked up at the taller girl questioningly.

“I’m happy for the both of you. Really, I am. But, Wednesday, if you hurt her again, I will use my siren song and make you tear your heart out of your chest with your bare hands.”

Wednesday’s lips twitched, slightly impressed by the threat. She stepped toward the siren.

“If I ever do, I will tear it out myself. No siren song required.”

Bianca stared for a long moment then nodded, and they went their separate ways.

Wednesday stepped into the quad and saw you at her table, listening to Enid’s overly excited rambling about something. Thing sat on the table between you two, apparently also invested in whatever gossip was happening.

Your eyes met hers over Enid’s shoulder and you gave her a small smile as she rounded the table and settled in her usual spot beside you.

“Wednesday,” Enid exclaimed in greeting, “you’re finally here! You have to hear about the drama going on with the Fangs. It’s insane. I’m working on a post for it now-“

Wednesday immediately tuned her out, instead focusing on the way your thigh lightly pressed against hers. Her eyes were drawn to the hand resting in your lap. She fought the urge to reach for it, not wanting to cross any boundaries.

You saw her eying your hand and subtly placed it on your thigh. An offer. Wednesday graciously accepted, gently linking your pinkies, the ghost of a smile on her face.

It wasn’t the same, and it likely wouldn’t be for some time, but what mattered was that you were back by her side. And as long as Wednesday could help it, you would never leave it again.

#take a shot every time i use the word watch #wednesday #wednesday addams #wednesday addams x female reader #wednesday addams x reader #wednesday addams imagine #wednesday addams x you #jenna ortega

[fandomwritingbit]

hi!! would like to req a priest william smut with a fem sub reader :>> the events taking place at night would be great since it’s hotter that way lmao but the plot can be abt anything! tysm and super love ur work btw <3

Hiya, thank you so much for this request, I just love playing with religion, you and my pfp make eye contact like that one monkey meme. That being said, I’m gonna warn you, I’m Church of England, I only know basic things about Catholicism from studying history. But I done some research, and I think it’s decent- feel free to correct me though if something is grossly wrong.

Again, thank you!

Priest William x (fem) sub reader

Warnings: smut, inappropriate relationships, corruption, guilt.

A little over thirty minutes ago, you’d thrown yourself through the wooden doors of the church, the pouring rain making your clothes cling to your body and your hair stick to your forehead. The stormy weather perfectly summed up the torrential feelings, it was like a bomb exploded inside you and shattered any illusion of control or power you thought you had in your life. Your life, that notion is almost ridiculous. You hate it, and everyone, and everything. Your overbearing mother who demanded perfection, forced you to smile even though it killed a part of you to do so. Your father, god, if you could even call him that. Your work, the stress it caused you. All of it.

The emotions were so strong you couldn’t stay in your room and push past them. You were drowning in them and the only way to feel any semblance of sanity was to kneel in a pew and pray for some miracle to help you overcome your troubles. So you replaced your nightclothes with something more acceptable and fled your house, not even noticing the rain until you’re halfway to the church with a rosary painfully clutched in your hand, the beads pressing indents into your palms.

You don’t know what time it is when you arrive and enter the old building, the steeple silver-lined by the light of the moon looking like the cover of a horror story. Gothic and dark but strangely beautiful.

Inside a sudden calm came over you, the stained glass window over the altar casting stunning colours across the floor, intense twists of blue and purple swirling together and diluting the image of Jesus it portrayed. You drop to your knees before it, pressing your eyes shut and trying to ignore the warm tears that seeped between them. You shiver when you clasp your hands together, beginning to mouth your words of prayer.

You’re so lost in your worship, you didn’t hear the footsteps behind you, seeking to investigate the source of the doors banging open then shut again at this time of night. The church didn’t 'close', but a responsibility lies on the clergy to make sure people coming in so late are legitimate and not youths after a laugh.

The priest moves near silently, watching your figure before him. He recognises you from service, how could he not, sometimes he spoke directly to you, mesmerised by how you slung on to his every word. And now, the arch of your back is so pretty as you kneel there praying. A rhythmic sniffling makes him realise that you’re crying, a thought crossing him mind that whoever could make a sweet thing like you cry, deserves more than hell.

You pause in between prayers, needing a moment to catch your breath as your sobbing finally begins to subside. You knew this would work, something about the calmness of a place of worship settling your bones and making you realise your problems weren’t as massive as they seemed. Inhaling through your nose, you hold it for a few seconds to force your body to adjust to a more peaceful state. But a hand landing on your shoulder causes the breath to tear from you in a shuddered gasp.

“Ah-” you turn to the man standing beside you, your eyes moving from his hand on your skin to his face looking down at you with a small smile, “God, you scared me… father.” It takes you a moment to take notice of his collar, obviously there’s someone here, you feel like an idiot.

He chuckles, shaking his head with an almost mocking expression. “Blasphemy will add another Hail Mary to your list.” The words are professional but that hand on your shoulder didn’t feel so.

“Yes- I’m sorry.”

“Apologies mean nothing," The smile on his face grew wider, becoming a smirk that wouldn't have looked out of place on the devil himself. He pauses briefly, his fingers rising from your skin and catching a loose strand of hair, beginning to twirl it around his finger, the action making your browns furrow instantly. “You have to… demonstrate your repentance.” The way he plays with those words gives you goosebumps and you look up to the priest with a growing knowledge spreading across your face.

How you found yourself here is a mystery. A dark, twisted and sinful mystery. It’s almost an out of body experience, the rain bouncing off the stone building not helping to ground you but rather pulling you further and further from your senses. This is nothing like you, you wouldn’t dream of doing anything like this, or anyone like this.

A large hand traces over your naked breast, your nipples hard in the cold air making them achingly sensitive to the touch of this man. You couldn’t think for how wrong this was, your mind clouded by a guilty need spreading through your core. You don’t know how he got you here, laid back on a sheet of fabric draped across the floor, your skin prickling with anticipation, it’s sheer madness. You’re bare before him, completely naked but not freezing because the arousal kept you warm. And his touch dragging down to your stomach and then between your legs was more than enough to distract you from any thought of the cold night air.

The father kneels between your legs toying with the desperation there, your slick quickly coating his fingers. You don’t even realise what you’re doing until his lips are against yours, your hands around his neck pulling his body on top of you, letting him feel the gasp he elicits when he begins playing with your clit. He grins at your instant reaction, your hips rising to meet his touch and trembling at the patterns he draws on your sensitive nerves.

You felt so perfect underneath him, your smooth skin and the curves of your body reminding him of all the things he was supposed to give up under his occupation. He slowly moved his long middle finger down through your folds savouring the delicious heat of your need, before pressing it inside you, joining it with his index finger he pushed them both down to the knuckle, the most lascivious moan escaping you. Then he settled at a torturously slow and deep pace of fucking his fingers in and out of you. Each time his fingers curl inside you forces you to become more of a moaning mess, your hand grabbing his wrist as you get closer to reaching your peak.

You’re so close already, needily grinding your hips up against his hand, all sensible thoughts of caution or regret long lost in favour for feeling good. His pace adjusts like he can read your mind, now pressing his digits in and out of you faster, how deep it felt coupled with him brushing against your g-spot so perfectly brings you to the height. Your back arching and walls clamping down around his fingers tight whilst you ride out the waves of unreal pleasure. You can feel him hard against your thigh, eager to feel how good your fluttering walls feel squeezing around him, silently asking for him to fill you up.

The priest kisses you again, a firm hand on the back of your neck holding your position while the other raises your left leg to tilt your slick hold towards him. You smirk breathlessly as he positions himself, cock brushing achingly against your entrance, his head teasing you as it rubbed through the hot wetness there. A sudden feeling of nervousness spreads through you, he’s still dressed, his clerical collar a glaring reminder of what this was, but instead of having second thoughts all you want is to see just what celibacy does to a man.

He has to force his eyes from your face as he presses the tip of his cock into your heat, ducking his head into your shoulder so you didn’t see the shameful snarl on his face as he pushed inside, your blissful walls making room for him. He makes it halfway inside you before you reach out to still him for a moment, he’s big, stretching you open so much you almost cry. It feels good, almost ruthlessly so, but once he starts to shallowly move in and out, still not fully inside, you realise that the slight burn was more than worth it. There’s little patience left in him and so, with a cast iron grip on the plush of your arse he lifts you against him and fully sheathes himself. God, you nearly scream, falling instead to a breathless groan into the crook of his neck.

It’s crazy how good it feels, your body taking charge of itself and rutting into his movements hooked on the delightful feeling of corruption, though who is corrupting the other more, you don’t know. He doesn’t fuck you rough, the steady pace is more than enough to make you come undone, but there’s a selfishness to it and it get’s you off that he needs this, needs what your sweet little cunt can give him. These words in your internal monologue shock you, that kind of language feeling unnatural from you but so right simultaneously.

He brings you impossibly closer to him, bodies completely flush, his head buried in your neck, breathing you in and it’s perfect for hearing him grunting as he thrusts in and out of your pussy. He can hardly bear it, your walls wrapped around him harshly, stuck in that state of wanting to go slow to keep himself under control and wanting to push himself to climax all at once. But you feel too good. His pace grows quicker, a desperate edge to it and this change makes another climax raise its head, gaining on you so quickly it’s frightening. He could tell you were close, your fingernails digging into his arms and the prettiest of moans fleeing your lips.

At that point he's greedy, wanting more than anything to feel you clamp around him, to see your eyes roll back as he fills you with his release. That when you cum, pussy clenching tight as a vice around him, fluttering with the waves of your pleasure, he reaches his end, his thrusts becoming harder as he grunts, that warm feeling of his cum inside you apparent even as you twitch through your climax.

He groans before pulling away from you, quickly fixing himself, leaving you laid back to watch him whilst the knowledge of what you've just done trickles between your legs.

#fnaf #william afton #william afton x reader #william afton smut #fnaf william afton #william afton x you #fnaf smut #afab reader #william afton x reader smut #fnaf au #william afton imagines

[aphrodisiac-siren]

Home~ Neteyam x Metkayina!reader

Summary: Leaving behind everything he knew was hard for Neteyam and then adapting to the ways of the new clan was even harder. He'd push himself, overwork and exhaust himself even, to live upto his family's expectations; never really giving his own wants a second thought. That's why Y/N was the prefect companion for him, someone who kept things in his life balanced, who made sure to let him know that what he wanted was just as important, perhaps even more so, than what everyone else wanted of him.

//slow burn, cute fluff, Neteyam being a sad bean//

masterlist, Part 4

Part 3

🫧

Jake was sure his eyes would pop out of their sockets any minute now. With every word his sons uttered his blood pressure only went higher and higher to a point where he was sure he was due for a stroke. From what he was hearing he was affirmative he passed down only a singular braincell that was being shared by his sons.

"You said what" Jake's voice cracked, hand flying up to pull at his hair "Neteyam she is the chief’s daughter!"

"I know, I screwed up" the older boy hung his head in shame, still cringing at how he handled the situation.

"And you didn’t disappoint as well did ya? You beat up the chief’s son" Jake turned to Lo'ak who was also looking everywhere but at him "He takes us in, trains us and this is how you show appreciation? By harassing his kids"

"He was picking on Kiri" Lo'ak tried to defend himself, knowing well that it wouldn’t work.

"Go make peace with Aonung" his father sighed "I don’t care how you do it but just.. go"

Lo'ak walked away in defeat, in no mood whatsoever to argue. Besides, he did agree that the situation could’ve been handled better and they both did contribute to making the situation worse than it already was.

"And I didn’t really expect this from you of all people" Jake continued once his youngest son was out of earshot "what were you thinking, talking to the poor girl like that?"

"I'm sorry, I was being an idiot" Neteyam apologised. He had kept his own feelings under wraps for so long, only concerned with looking after his siblings to a point where he had finally reached his limit and like a bomb, exploded earlier that day "I'll go fix it"

"Damn right you will" His dad let out another disappointed sigh "now get outta here"

_

Neteyam dragged his feet through the sand, absolutely dreadding having to face Y/N again. He was sure she hated him now, she'd made it pretty clear by letting them know that she wouldn’t volunteer to train them any longer and he wanted to run into a wall for ruining everything. His siblings liked her, they loved every second they spent with the girl and he made a mess of it by allowing his emotions to possess him.

He begrudgingly searched around the village, not really sure of what he could possibly say that would fix the damage he caused.

What he did not expect, on top of all of this, was to find Y/N with his mother. They both were practising archery, or more like Y/N was struggling to keep up with Neytiri.

"Yes, keep your shoulders pushed back" She circled the younger girl, giving her helpful critique "no, don’t hold on to the arrow so tightly"

The boy sheepishly approached, a bit more nervous than what he already was.

“Neteyam?” His mother called out when she finally saw him, shifting even Y/N’s attention to him. The moment her saphire eyes landed on him, he felt small, all his pride and confidence from before withering away under her gaze.

“Am I interrupting?” He asked, offering a polite smile nonetheless.

“No, you can come and help Y/N” Neytiri responded. She knew her children liked to spend time with the girl, completely oblivious of the events that took place earlier that day.

“It’s okay” Y/N immediately butted in, keeping her voice steady “he’s probably got other stuff to do”

“Not really” Neteyam knew she didn’t want him there but he wasn’t going to leave until he had a chance to properly apologise “no lessons today, remember?”

“Why not?” His mother asked, curiously.

“I got held up with something” Y/N lied convincingly and Neteyam understood that she wasn’t planning on telling anyone about what happened earlier. He was a smidge grateful for it, he wasn’t really wanting to earn a scolding from his mother as well.

“I can help you with this you know” he tried again, pushing his luck and hoping she’d just let him stay.

“No thank you, I’m fine” she snapped without missing a beat, looking toward the makeshift target once again and away from him.

Neytiri glanced between the two teens. The tension among them was intense and evident. What had suddenly caused such a weird atmosphere between them?

Her eyes searched her son’s and he stared right back her pleadingly and she could tell that he wanted to be around Y/N whilst she was actively trying to be rid of him. Something clearly went down between the both of them and the best thing to do was to take a step back and let the two of them sort things out.

“I have to make sure Tuk is with Kiri” the older woman made up a reason to excuse herself “I will be back, keep practicing”

She gave her son a look before she walked away, leaving behind a thankful Neteyam and an annoyed Y/N.

“Here” he sweetly approached her, reaching out to fix her form but she simply shifted away with an ‘I’m good’ and continued to shoot arrows that missed the target “trust me, I’m just trying to help”

Still not meeting his gaze, Y/N silently nocked another arrow. This time she didn’t scoot away from him so Neteyam took it as a ‘go’ for him to help her out. He was quite good at archery, he’d earned good praise from the other hunters in his clan.

He placed his hands under her forearms to raise her hand a bit that had begun to droop from tiredness. He then lifted her elbows slightly, inching closer until his nose was almost grazing her cheek.

“Loose” he whispered, right before she let the arrow whizz through the wind and hit the target. Not the centre, but still quite close. Impressive really for someone’s first lesson.

“I did it!” She happily chirped, as if she’d forgotten she was upset with him. Her face lit up and she chuckled with pure joy before she cleared her throat, regaining her stoic composure.

“I’m sorry about what I said” he wasted no time, lest she picked up her stuff and left. She already seemed to not want him around “it was arrogant and ungrateful of me. I was trying to defend my siblings but I guess I ended up letting out all of my pent up frustration on you, a-and that was wrong of me”

He was relieved that she at the very least was listening to him so he continued.

“I didn’t mean what I said, that you’re nothing more than a privileged girl” he looked at her, hoping she’d meet his eyes but she didn’t “we both know that’s not true and I fully understand why you wouldn’t want to be around me anymore. I won’t show up to your lessons if that’s what you want, but don’t distance yourself from Lo’ak, Kiri, Tuk- they like to be around you”

“That’s not what I want you know” she put away the bow to go retrieve the many arrows that had missed the target, now scattered in the sand “I thought we’d all get along. I liked being around them too, you included”

Neteyam’s ears pointed upward, like a child hearing praise from a parent.

“But then you said the most cruel things today, things I never thought you’d ever utter” she continued sadly “and I thought maybe I was wrong about you-“

“I’m sorry” he said again, feeling really stupid that that’s all he could really say “it’s been hard leaving the forest. That was my home, it’s all I’ve ever known. And then all of a sudden I’m in a place where I don’t know how to do the simplest of things, I feel useless”

“You aren’t useless, I know Aonung likes to poke fun and I know you miss your home but I really wished you’d just come and spoken to me about it instead of being mean to me” she finally looked at him, her pretty eyes saddened “I thought we’d be friends”

“We can be!” He said almost too enthusiastically, cheeks heating up slightly at his childish eagerness “I’ll make it up to you”

“How” she crossed her arms and tilted her head, patiently waiting for him to come up with something.

Neteyam pouted as he thought for a minute, wondering what he could possibly do for the daughter of Tonowari that would make her give him another chance. She was already a princess of a sort, probably too used to receiving gifts.

After another minute of thinking, he broke into a grin.

“Wait here” he held his hands out in front of him, asking her to stay put

“Huh-“ Y/N walked behind him, her hand dropping the arrows to the ground again “I’m still mad at you Neteyam”

“You won’t be after this” he smirked at her before fully breaking into a sprint “hopefully”

Y/N watched the boy run off into the distance, wondering what he could possibly do to change her mood.

Knowing some of the boys here on the island, most of them would give her shells or wild flowers when she’d be upset. And if not the small gifts, then a forced apology that Aonung bullied them into.

She loved her brother, despite his pride and snarky attitude. Which is why she was also very protective of him. If he was at fault, she’d confront him no doubt but privately, away from the eyes of the public. She wasn’t the type to tell him off and embarrass him in front of anyone else who wasn’t their family. Which is why when she saw him scuffed up earlier, her initial response was for him to go and get himself looked after.

Did she really not deal with it correctly?

Did she favour her brother to much for his own good?

No, definitely not.

The familiar sound of flapping was what made her look up, taking away her thoughts completely from the situation she was thinking about.

“Y/N” Neteyam called out to her even though she already knew it was him.

His majestic ikran let out a screech as it made its descent, landing in the sand gracefully a few feet away from the girl.

“It’s really cool that you can swim fast and all, but I think you’ll find flying even cooler” he patted his ikran’s back, at the space right behind him on the saddle “come on”

Y/N was excited, probably a little too much. Her heart began to flutter and eyes were probably doing that thing again of just staring at the beast with wonder. She slowly walked toward the boy, trying to conceal her enthusiasm.

Neteyam chuckled at her reaction. It was obvious she was dying to get on but he knew she wouldn’t just show it on her face.

“First time seeing an ikran?” He joked, quoting himself during their first encounter when he caught her gawking. He held his hand out to her, looking at her with that same boyish grin he’d have on his face whenever she was around.

“Shut up” she rolled her eyes playfully as she took his hand, swinging one leg over the saddle and seating herself right behind him.

“Hold on tight” he turned around slightly to look at her, faces merely inches apart. Her eyes had flecks of lilac in them, he noted, something he hadn’t really noticed before “you’re going to love this”

Y/N did as she was told, wrapping her arms around his middle as he clicked his tongue a few times. His ikran spread out its large wingspan, letting out a short screech before flapping its wings and taking off.

Y/N shut her eyes tightly at the first gust of wind that blew against her face, tightening the grip around the boy’s torso.

“Open your eyes, you have to see this” she could hear the laughter in his voice as they arose higher and higher into the night sky “don’t worry, I won’t let you fall ma Y/N”

Blindly trusting him, since she was already a couple feet into the sky, she opened on eye and then slowly the other. A smile formed on her lips at how beautiful her home looked from up here. The waters glowed in its bioluminescence and sky was littered with stars.

“You know my dad came from that star” Neteyam pointed it out to her, looking back to see if she was too spotted it “you see it?”

“I see it” she confirmed, her laughter sounding like music to Neteyam’s ears amidst the wind.

As they circled around the village, Neteyam kept glancing back to look at her, as if he wanted to make sure she was truly enjoying this and to admire the smile for which he was responsible.

She doesn’t hate me now, he thought to himself, there’s no way she does anymore.

After a few more rounds around the islands, Neteyam landed his ikran near their shack. He wanted to keep flying, that was the one thing he loved to do even back home but he knew the poor thing was probably tired.

“Had fun?” he asked Y/N on their walk back, knowing the answer already.

“Mhm, I did-“

“Y/N!”

Both her and Neteyam looked toward the source of the sound: Aonung. He looked troubled, still bruised, but not the point.

“I screwed up” he told his sister, throwing a nervous glance at the Sully boy next to her.

“What happened?” His sister asked, looking at him with concern.

“I took Lo’ak to hunt outside the reef” he hesitantly said, refusing to look his sister in the eye and disappoint her even more than he already had “we left him behind as a joke but it’s been a while and he hasn’t come back”

“What” both Neteyam and Y/N exclaimed in sync, eyes going wide with panic.

“Oh my this is bad, this is bad..” Y/N was beginning to grow anxious, pacing around both the boys as she worked herself up even more.

“Hey okay, calm down” Neteyam held her by the shoulders, trying to keep her from falling apart. They needed to keep their heads cool, despite him wanting to punch Aonung in the face again “look Lo’ak might be an idiot but he can handle himself, he’s fine”

Y/N only nodded.

“Now, I’m going to go find my dad and tell him what we know” he glared at Aonung before looking at Y/N again, face softened “you go and tell your father”

“Right” Y/N nodded again, patting his arm “take Aonung with you pretty boy, and I’ll arrange for a few people to go look for Lo’ak”

“Sounds good” he then turned to her brother who was dead silent. He caught him by the back of his neck, not caring if he was rough about it “come on”

The three of them split up, hoping to hurry and find Lo’ak. He knew he’d only just mentioned that his brother was probably fine but he couldn’t deny he was worried shitless. This was a new turf, some place they were still unfamiliar with and getting lost out here was not something either of them could handle alone. And not to- wait..

She thinks I’m pretty?

#avatar #avatarimagine #avatar way of water #neteyam x reader #writing #fanfiction #neteyam imagine #avatar imagine #avatar fanfiction #lo'ak imagine #lo'ak x reader #lo'ak fanfiction #neteyam fanfiction #jamie flatters

[poppystain]

𝐼𝐓'𝐒 𝑂𝐊𝐀𝐘 𝑇𝐎 𝑁𝐎𝐓 𝐵𝐄 𝑂𝐊𝐀𝐘 ( 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 )  tv  drama  series   /  feel  free  to  change  pronouns  and  subjects  as  you  see  fit  !

❛ in all my fairy tales, the witch is always the one that's pretty. ❜

❛ who told you all princesses are kind and pretty? ❜

❛ she hates everyone apart from herself. ❜

❛ who cares about destiny? if someone shows up when you need them, you call that destiny. ❜

❛ my father's soul is dead, but he's physically alive like a zombie. ❜

❛ don't forget any of it. remember it all and overcome it. if you don't overcome it, you'll always be a kid whose soul never grows ❜

❛ you remind me of someone i used to know. a woman whose eyes completely lacked warmth. ❜

❛ i want you to be my safety pin. keep me under control so i won't explode. ❜

❛ there's something we always say to patients who recover. "hope i never see you again." ❜

❛ you're not avoiding me. you're just running away because you're scared. coward.❜

❛ but today, for the first time, i suddenly thought maybe i was just running away because i wanted to. ❜

❛ you see, when life is unbearably hard the easiest way out is to run. ❜

❛ some things can't be torn apart no matter how hard you try to do so. ❜

❛ how can you define a relationship in just one word? every encounter we've had was awfully dramatic, being an inch away from death. ❜

❛ every moment we crossed paths, we surprised each other. if such coincidences, one after another, somehow led us here, how would you define our relationship? ❜

❛ it'd be such a cliche to say that we're destined for each other. ❜

❛ i hope you read a lot of fairy tales and wake up from your dreams ❜

❛ don't look up at the stars in the beautiful night sky. look down at your feet that are stuck in a filthy sewer, accept your reality. ❜

❛ do children have to be useful to their parents? ❜

❛ what do you think i really wanted, satiating my hunger or feeling someone's warmth? warmth—this is what i truly wanted. i didn't want to be just fed. ❜

❛ your lies carry a sense of sincerity. it makes me want to believe them. ❜

❛ it's fine even if it's fake. putting on a smile isn't so hard to do. ❜

❛ is everything yours once you set your eyes on it? if you can't make it yours, you would even destroy it to get your hands on it. ❜

❛ you call that love? that's just obsession and greed. ❜

❛ don't bother wasting your emotions on me. i don't deserve any of that. ❜

❛ i'm sorry for running away when i was the one who liked you first.i regretted it the moment i turned away. ❜

❛ i'm done with being someone who is needed by others. ❜

❛ but the heart is a liar. it stays quiet even when it's hurting. ❜

❛ if you want to be fashionable, you must be uncomfortable and stubborn. ❜

❛ "get lost." do you know how many times you've said that to me? ❜

❛ last night, it sounded like you were begging me not to leave. ❜

❛ last time i ran away, but today i thought i should stay with you. ❜

❛ i think that's why we're meant to be. you're patient and i'm volatile. ❜

❛ like a bomb and its safety pin, we go hand in hand. we're meant to be together. ❜

❛ i feel like you're taming me. ❜

❛ i keep doing things i wouldn't normally do because of you. ❜

❛ he doesn't have anything to offer. i must've thought i could be the one to fill up his empty life. ❜

❛ she has the face of an angel, but there lives a demon inside. ❜

❛ if you keep a secret to yourself, you end up getting frustrated. you need to tell someone in order to relieve your stress. ❜

❛ your rationality can never win against your desires. ❜

❛ she's very lonely, but she doesn't want anyone to know that so she pushes people away. ❜

❛ i told you that i can no longer hold myself back. i guess i can't run away anymore.❜

❛ i dreamed the impossible dream. i should've known my place. ❜

❛ you were like a firecracker to me. a one-time event. i had my fun, so it's time for you to get out of my life. ❜

❛ i'm not a firecracker. i'm a bomb! i don't disappear once i explode. i blow up and kill everyone! ❜

❛ you're not taking me away from him. he now has one more person who will stay by his side. ❜

❛ i don't care who it is. i will not forgive anyone who messes with my family. ❜

❛ are all parents automatically forgiven for all the bad things they did before they die? ❜

❛ the one who neglects and turns a blind eye to the abuse is worse than the abuser.❜

❛ when i see you smile at me, i forget everything else. ❜

❛ stop pretending like it doesn't hurt. stop pretending like you're okay. ❜

❛ you pretending to be okay and me seeing that masked face will make me walk on eggshells around you. it'll suffocate me. i'll be tormented. ❜

❛ the one that torments you can also be the one to save you. ❜

❛ if you can't erase it, you just need to cover it with something better. ❜

❛ you belong to yourself and i belong to myself. ❜

#prompts #sentence memes #sentence starters #rp ask meme #rp meme #rp starter #inbox memes #inbox prompts #it's okay to not be okay

[snailsrneat]

Love Gardener

----------------------------------------

Scernario:

MC opens their arms after a long day and says "I need love and affection." Their S/O happily obliges.

----------------------------------------

Heartslabyul Edition-

Riddle:

Boy is shy af

Once the question fully leaves your lips he turns scarlet

You thought he was angry at you for asking such a "insolent" question and was about to leave when he grabbed your wrist

He stuttered out, "I-I would like t-that very much."

Smiling you lead him over to the bed, lay down and pat your chest, signaling him to lay down as well

Shakily he sat down, and laid his head on the spot you were patting

Shy boy quickly turns into emotional boy

He's never experienced affection quite like cuddling

(Mother Rosehearts is awoman of high class, she can't be seen being affection, even to her own flesh and blood)

He cries softly into your shoulder whilst you pet his hair and whisper sweet nothings to him

Eventually he falls asleep from crying so much ❤️‍🩹

"*sniff*Mother...*sniff* why?"

Ace Trappola:

Oooh boi

Now listen Ace, while very physical affectionate, is a tsundere

With that comes his denial of liking any physical affection

You could be straight up hugging him like a koala to it's tree and he would say, "You're so needy all the time, give me some space."

Then 5 minutes after giving him said space he goes,"..I actually liked that could you do that again?"

This mf-

But anyway, once you ask him for some much needed cuddles he "reluctantly" agrees

On the inside however

He's doing the f-ing Carleton

He stoked to hear that you want to be so close to him ❤

"Huh? You want t-to cuddle? F-fine, but don't be surprised when I take all the blankets."

Deuce Spade:

Mans is both excited and scared

More accurately, a nervous wreck

He's never been this close to with anyone besides his mom

(Deuce 100% would cuddle with his mom when he was a little kid)

Being so close is a new experience for him

However he was determined to learn

When you guys went to cuddle his shoulders became as stiff as rocks, face bright pink, and heartbeat about to jump out of his chest

You tried petting the top of his head to calm him down a bit but that just made him more tense

So you just decided the best course of action was to lay on his chest

Don't ask him about his heartbeat, because he's just gonna turn into a stuttering mess💙

"My heartbeat? I- uhm, it's just that- uhm"

Trey Clover:

Mans is too sweet

The moment those words leave your lips he stops everything

(Which made you a little scared that he was upset at you)

He looks over at you with the sweetest, most adoring gaze and says

"Of course darling, just let me finish making these sweets for the unbirthday party and I'll cuddle you for however long you need."

HHehdbshjwvsjHavshduehhsAAAAAAAA

IT'S TOO CUTE MAKE IT STOP

Once he finishes up he carries over to his room and attacks you with his love

Like legitimately bombs you with kisses and hugs and IT'S TOO MUCH

GAAAAAAAH💚

"You know you can for cuddles anytime. All you to do is just ask."

Cater Diamond:

My boy here is exploding both on the inside and the outside

Long story short, he's all over you oon the outside and completely panicking on the inside

To be quite honest with you I don't think Cater is quite used to tons of affection

He probably isn't even that touchy of a person tbh

But when it comes to you

He just melts into your arms

All he wants is to lay his head on your tummy and listen to the sounds of your heartbeat and gurgling of your stomach

He also doesn't want this to ever end so let's hope you went pee before bed🧡

"What are doing babe? Stay with me, it gets cold without you here."

------------------------------

Hello everyone! No I am not dead, just trying recover after some serious burnout. Sorry I didn't tell y'all about it but I'm back and I'm hopefully gonna start making posts more. I plan on making a masterlist to both introduce people to me and my blog but also make it easier for people to find whatever the heck work of mine they want to read. I have something pretty big coming in the very soon future that I'm very excited about and I hope you all are as well. Anyway, thank you for reading this end part rant and I hope you all have an amazing day.

#Twst #twst x reader #twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #Riddle Rosehearts x Reader #ace trapolla x reader #deuce spade x reader #trey clover x reader #cater diamond x reader #twst headcanons #Interactions are appreciated #Twst brainrot #The brainrot has finally ended #But don't want it to go

[ctheathy]

Seduction and hate-flirting w/ Yandere Popee

Popee x Reader

Yandere+NSFW Headcanons

Short Concept

Author's note: my yan. Popee is an absolute punchable disgrace to deal with, but even he is not unbreakable. It's time to watch him crumble~

The separate headcanons for Yandere Popee will get more into detail about his bad behaviour and torment towards the Reader. So these might lack context for the most part.

[Gender-neutral Darling|Female Darling|Male Darling]

Popee/Reader [Romantic Tendencies]

Potential ⚠️TWs⚠️ :

Both reader+character are of legal age or aged-up for obvious reasons in this post!

These are partly smut headcanons, read at own risk. dom!Reader+sub!Popee • Manipulative Reader • Reader 100% has a sadistic streak • Unhealthy power dynamic • Toxic influence • Abusive+Destructive behaviour • Seduction • Sexual fantasies • Brainwashing(?) • Obsession • Masochism • Degradation • Swearing • Harassment • Invasion of privacy • Anger issues/Pent up lust • Assault • Tongue making out • Dirty talk • Climax mentioned • But it never actually leads to intercourse

This would certainly make for quite the dynamic. Popee, despite having an obsessive mentality driven by pure desire towards you, has been known to cause immense distress and discontent on your part. Purposely overstepping your boundaries, inflicting anguish and trying to put you in a bad light. Hating on you because you awakened these unknown emotions in him ...So much so that it would likely cause you to hold quite some resentment towards the boy with the bunny suit. Resentment you try releasing through some good old hate-flirting. You'd feel yourself craving more and more to bring out the worst in him, all the things that he's hiding and secretly feels ashamed of. And for someone like Popee with an ego the size of the Milky Way, that just makes the challenge extra irresistible to work on. While you can all imagine his reaction and denial as he’s forced to admit to himself that the one person he despises is the person he wants so badly.

You could literally destroy him from his heart, to his mind and it would cause him to become even more of a snobby bastard in general. Where he becomes even quicker to explode with his outbursts and lash out at Kedamono if he were to get that attached to you. Usually he’s such a loudmouth and he thinks he can never be phased with anything, he thinks he’s too powerful to be affected by anything. But you have the ability to absolutely break him, making him feel things beyond just anger from the power struggle and how you love to see him struggle to maintain control over you.

He 100% has a hate boner for you AND you 100% get off on teasing him. Just picture the mental gymnastics Popee would go through in his head as he desperately tries to convince himself that he hates this person while you can just have a ball teasing him and ruining his already broken ego. Which begs the question... for how long Popee could hold it together before he finally loses his cool and absolutely explodes on you. He has so much pent up anger in general and I feel like you could definitely be the one to set off the ticking time bomb inside of him.

Despite the tough exterior Popee wants to uphold, he is so goddamn sensitive and you could easily figure out that his tolerance for sexual activities is extremely low. He’d be so turned on the moment you even touch him in any way, if you even accidentally brushed against him a certain way he’d start getting hard. And when your clothes get all clingy from the practice sweat, he wouldn’t even be able to stand a chance. You could absolutely be feasting on his desperation and anger. You'd have this huge mountain of a man reduced to such an emotional and sexual mess that can’t think of anything but YOU.

You should absolutely go as far to try and make him moan in public. Just a scenario of him rudely bossing his assistants around, before you just go upfront, all personal and touchy with him as you egg him on. You'd have him making all kinds of noises that a man shouldn’t be making out in the open, you'd know how to push his buttons and you should not be afraid to do it either. The more he’s left broken and frustrated, the more he wants you. The more he denies his feelings, the harder he falls. He absolutely loathes the fact that he needs you, that he craves you in such manners. He might still act arrogant and prideful towards you but you just know he still contains those wet dreams that take him right back to square one.

You'd have the ability of being so very influential on him, he would be at the point where you would be able to make him do anything for you. Getting him all worked up and then leaving him to cool off by himself, before the cycle repeats itself. He would be cursing your name over and over in that tent, wishing that you were there to finish what you started. The thought of his quiet, furious little yells and moans of frustration from his tent would absolutely manage to crack you up, the way he would be so damn upset but so incredibly turned on at the same time. Because that’s direct proof of just how bad he really wants you, he wants you so bad that he actually tears up over it while actively touching himself. He would absolutely be sobbing softly in his pillow after the entire ordeal is done, but deep down he wants it.

You can twist his hatred towards you into the most raging, uncontrollable amount of desire for you. And at some point he would absolutely lose it and end up begging you to use him. Just pure sin. Both of your relationship would most likely get so incredibly bad that just the idea of you spitting in his mouth when he did something you didn't like, hurting him or stepping on him and just placing your full weight on top of him would leave him feeling moist and sweaty. He’d act like the idea of you stepping on him, sitting on his face, literally spitting on him, would be the most horrible thing imaginable... but the most embarrassing part would be how much he’d enjoy it deep down.

The more you humiliated him and treated him like garbage, the more he would begin to crave it. The more he would want you to degrade him, that would be the thing that would destroy who he is as a person. He would literally be your lapdog, but he wouldn’t even realize that he was. Basically Popee would become a full blown masochist for you, yet refuses to acknowledge the fact that he's submitted to you completely and is practically begging on his knees to be used and broken by you.

There have definitely been countless of instances where he'd get in your tent uninvited in the middle of the night, either wanting to vent out his frustrations to you or insult you to make you feel bad. To which I imagine you would start make some subtle, teasing comments but they gradually get more suggestive and flirty; mentioning how suspicious it is to show up at somebody else's bed, alone, at night, when everybody's asleep and are less capable of hearing their surroundings. And when he finally catches on to your intentions, his confidence starts to drain and gets replaced by feeling more flustered and embarrassed as he desperately tries to hide the growing bulge in his suit, feeling his arousal grow with every word and tease that leaves your mouth. He would be trying so hard to ignore you, but you can see right through his desperate little attempts and just make further moves on him.

He's in your territory now.

But all of his efforts go right out of the window as soon as you get up close to him. Freezing up as soon as your hand reaches out to touch his jawline and before he knows it ...with your lips pressed against his. It would be such a satisfying yet unexpected moment as soon as your tongue slides in to tease the insides of his mouth, an activity Popee just wouldn't be able to reject. Which is a moment where Popee would immediately lose all of his self control and start groaning, fighting tooth and nail to keep his vocal chords as quiet as he can. The moment that your tongue touches him he would just become a little drooling, submissive, desperate wreck of a person. He'd even forget that he hates you in the heat of the moment. Hell, if it went on long enough, it would likely evolve into pleas to keep going, be rougher with him and go faster. Pleas to just absolutely go out on him.

His brain would be too overwhelmed and overloaded from all the intense feeling and sensations and pleasure that he just wouldn’t be able to even think at all. He’d be too busy focusing all that energy in trying not to moan and cry out for you, he would absolutely feel like he was being assaulted with how it’s almost too much for him. You would be so talented at making him struggle and squirm. And there’s absolutely nothing he can do against you, as that tongue alone is enough to make him fall back in love with you. As soon as you pull back only to plunge it back in he would be completely disoriented, his eyes rolling back while he’s still moaning and barely able to even support himself. Which is something you shouldn't even be satisfied with at all, taste everything that big mouth of his has to offer and just keep on going until he’s a wet, messy, overstimulated little bitch.

You'd get him so deep into the rabbit hole that he would practically be begging on the ground for you, just for you to ignore him. You could be teasing him with your mouth, kissing him, biting him and just being absolutely filthy with him. And once he’s begging you to not stop, you should give him the most pathetic, pitiful, short little kiss on the forehead and just dismiss him like he’s nothing. You'd make him feel so dirty that as soon as you turn on that sadistic streak, he's basically your little plaything. The way that you would mock and tease him would make him want it so badly. Especially when being literal the reason that he ends up having such... unholy dreams with you in them. You would be the one to completely wreck him, all sense of pride and his dignity.

Which would be the best part honestly, seeing him absolutely breaking down and revealing his true feelings through his body language and physical responses. He’d be so much more sensitive and weak during his intimate moments. His lips would become more plush and his body would look more fragile than normal. The way he moves would turn into something more meek and shy, similar to his mirror counterpart, Eepop. His breathing would become heavier as his eyes and tail would droop, he would completely become a different man when you're together in that sense. Because unlike his other companions who try their best staying on his good side, you're not at all afraid to call him out on his bluff. You know what he wants and you're not stepping back from mentioning his not-so-pure fantasies and mocking him for it.

It’s such a humiliating thing for him to hear, that you would act so disgusted by the very thought of him wanting to breed you. Your dirty words would be sending red-hot shocks of pleasure through his body, making his entire body shake. Popee would just be so flustered, so utterly horny that he could barely even keep it together. And then his own fantasies start to make it even better... as his genitalia begins to drip in response to those very thoughts, thoughts that he’s so desperately trying to get rid of. This is exactly the type of humiliation that Popee would not be able to control at all. His legs would begin to twitch and his body would spasm with ecstasy, he’s desperate for so much more but he’s trying so hard to resist. Which is something that would infuriate him so badly.

Because even when looking at alternative options for release, a toy really isn’t really going to get the job done either. He wants someone to actually dominate him, he wants to feel helpless, he wants to be put in his place. He wants to scream out your name and have no control over it. Something that isn’t the real deal won’t quite work for him. Not to mention the fact that he isn’t able to actually ask you for anything even remotely suggestive, but the fact that he’s begging you silently makes him feel beyond pathetic.

And honestly, this just sounds like an exact scenario where Popee would give up and start begging you to just take him already. His entire face would be red as a tomato at this point, there would be no more of that smestering contempt or smug smile on his face, just pure, raw, desperation. All of his pent up rage at you for your antics would just turn into complete lust and need. If you play along with his deeply hidden fantasies, you'd have him at your feet. You'd have him sobbing on all fours, just whining out for you to make those imaginations a reality for him.

Something you obviously won't comply with, atleast not yet... As you instead continue teasing him with the very dreams he thirsts after, emphasizing it in an unnecessary amount of detail and mentioning the empty what ifs if you were to allow him to go a step further with you. Getting him so unimaginably riled up that it reaches a moment with him begging and pleading for you to let him have a second to calm down and stop playing into his fantasies, to give him any semblance of relief. Popee would so desperately try to hide himself with his hands as his pre would slowly leak out of him, feeling so very shameful about it. But no matter what he did, he’s going to let some out eventually. He just wouldn’t last, especially not with you baiting his constant arousal. If he began behaving like that, you would totally have to come up to him from behind and place your hands on his shoulders, pressing your body against his back all while while digging your fingers into his shuddering shoulders. But all it takes is just one single perverted whisper...

“You don't last long, do you...~?”

You just know Popee would be putty in your hands if you did that. He’d be breathing faster and faster and would likely be squeezing his own arm or something to try hard not to cum on the spot. His back would arch and his stomach would start clenching, he’d be making some cute, girly little sounds as you're all up close from behind. The desperation becoming more noticeable as you press yourself up against him even more and get a good view of his rear end from the position you are in. He would start to squirm and let out pathetic whimpers as he tries to hide exactly how much it’s affecting him. The things you can whisper in his ear would be the most intoxicating and humiliating things he’s ever heard in his entire existence. But even with his efforts, Popee just doesn’t have the self-control to hold back.

He would totally throw his head back into your shoulder as his load dripped and leaked all over his legs. Where he would release so much it would just be pouring down his leg and onto the ground. His eyes would start rolling as he releases those gaspy moans in a heavy, quick manner while he trembles. All while you would just look at him with a bitchy smirk as he completely ruins his suit for you once again... just being the most embarrassing little thing around you. Even if you gave him permission to feel you up for being such a good boy for you, he would still be too much of a loser to do it right, in which you should totally just smack his hand away and reply with a “bad boy~”

It also just adds extra fuel to the fire that you're not the type to physically harm him at all, with your antics all just being teasing and immense mind games. The most aggressively physical you've ever gotten with him being by grabbing his chin to make him look at you, not able to recall any moment where you've actually caused him serious pain, with his experiences with you being pleasurable more than anything... Which really keep him on edge as you continue using your own little methods to make him impatient, giving these teeny tiny scraps of backhanded affection while he's basically dying from touch starving deprivation.

But you wouldn’t even need to use any physical violence on him for him to break down and get what you want, you can just use every single dirty trick in the book and play him like a fiddle. You'd have him begging for punishment to the point where you wouldn’t even have to lift a single finger, he would want it. I can imagine him finally giving in to you at some point, just falling into your charms and letting out those loud, desperate, begging moans for you. He would absolutely hate that he’s letting you do this to him, he would HATE the fact that you've turned him into your desperate, hormonal little slut.

Where he's gotten to a point where he would just willingly let you do all of that to him with no resistance because you've already broken him so badly mentally that nothing else could even break him further. He’d already be so broken down that you stepping on him would be an absolute pleasure for him and his fragile mind. You could literally do whatever you please and he would accept it with open arms. His whole mind is already completely brainwashed and warped up in his own sick and twisted desires.

And there’s no way he’d have the mental fortitude to do any stunt after realising what addictive hell he's brought upon himself.

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

#ptp popee #popee the performer x reader #popee x reader #popee paraphone #popee the ぱフォーマー #popee the performer #popee the clown #popee #ptp x reader #ptp #yandere popee #yandere popee x reader #yandere ptp #yandere ptp x reader #yandere popee the performer #I'm dead this is twice as long as the general hcs LMAOOO

[xreaderbooks]

Paradise on Earth (15)

Chapter: 15. The Darkest Hour

Pair: JJ Maybank x Routledge! Reader

Word Count: 4.6k

Warnings: Language and violence (drowning, choking)

Summary: JJ and Y/n visit John B in jail while also planning on how to get him out.

A/N: Are you surprised? Me too baes. Enjoy and let me know what you think in the comments. Send me a message or comment if you wanna be tagged ;)

Available on Wattpad and AO3

Masterlist - Series Masterlist - Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

Rage fueled in your veins at the injustice of the system your brother had fallen victim to. John B was charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances and the possible death penalty. You sat throughout his trial, silently praying for the downfall of everyone sitting in the courtroom staring and whispering ill wishes his way.

Everything leading up to this moment had formed a deep pit that your heart just wanted to scream into. This didn’t make any sense, this wasn’t fair and the true cause of this was sitting a few feet away from you playing the part of the distraught victim. You didn’t realize you were staring and that they were taking John B away already.

There were no words of comfort that you could give him, there was no use, you would visit him as soon as he was processed into the system. Sarah called out to him and reached with her hand but was quickly pulled back by two officers standing in her path.

People filed out of the courtroom with praise to the judge and jury, grateful that ‘that criminal is finally off the streets’. Each word spoken in disrespect to your brother shortened the very short leash that your patience was on.

‘Justice is served’ ‘He had it coming’ Murmurs that were not made to be subtle were heard all around you. Each phrase made to jab at your brother was a tick in the timer of a bomb waiting to explode- you were going to explode. It wouldn’t do any good, of that you were sure, that was why you kept your mouth shut throughout the trial and as you walked outside with your friends.

Sarah's eyes and face were puffy from crying, you were sure she cried enough for the both of you, as soon as you got home you would be right next to her with tissues with matching tear streaks. “I should have never come home,” She stated.

“They’re gonna kill him, I know it” JJ commented.

“I am so sorry for what you and your family have gone through,” You heard an older kook say to Ward. “Thank God the system works.”

You turned from the direction you were walking in to face the voice that ignorantly spoke, “Can you shut up?” You walked their way and made your voice strong, “Of course, you think the system worked because it was made to protect you and people like you.”

“He’ll have his day in court and a jury will decide,” The man with peppered hair and fancy suit replied.

“He shouldn’t even be in court!” You exclaimed.

Kiara walked up from behind you a bitter look on her face, facing Ward and pointing directly at him as she spoke. “You should, ‘Cause you’re a murderer.”

You placed a hand on her shoulder and stepped forward, “You have a lot of nerve showing up to court. Showing your face while my brother is in jail with the possibility of the death penalty, because of you!”

Ward held out a hand like he was trying to calm a dog from attacking, “I know you’re upset. I understand you’re upset-”

“Upset?” You seethed. A couple of police officers had made their way to where the group that formed was standing. Against your better judgment, all the pent-up emotion came out as you lunged for Sarah’s father. “No, I’m not just upset!”

Shoupe from your left had gotten a hold of your elbow, Officer Thomas grabbed your right. They forcefully backed you up, Pope was behind you steadying you by your biceps warning Officer Thomas to get off of you. JJ, Sarah, and Kie blocked their way to you as soon as you were released.

“Why don’t you take the kooks down for a change Shoupe?” JJ asked the officer.

“You wanna get arrested?” Shoupe stared you down, He pointed at your group “Get out! You need to go.”

You saw red, you didn’t care if you went to jail or got the death penalty so long as Ward was dead. Whatever awaited him in the afterlife had better be something worse than hell for everything you and your friends had to go through. You inhaled hoping it would help the ongoing anger.

Sarah put her arm around your shoulders, “C’mon. It’s not worth it.”

“I'm so sorry, you shouldn’t be going through this,” Deputy Plumb’s voice was heard consoling the Camerons. You shook your head and rolled your eyes refusing to look over, thankfully Kie spoke up for you.

“It’s not a coincidence that your daughter’s sitting with us!”

~~~

By the time the pogues were settled in the Chateau, the weather had matched everyone's mood. It seems like everyone had gone through the five stages of grief within the hour. On the way to your house, furious comments were made by Kie and JJ in your defense, in John B’s, and on the audacity of the people who had no fucking clue what was actually going on. Silence took over for a good twenty minutes, surprisingly not a word from JJ, the only sound coming from the rain pattering on top of the roof.

“I’m gonna testify under oath, I was there” Sarah announced. “I just need to get a hold of my sister.”

“Sister?” JJ muttered under his breath.

“I was there too,” You said. “His sister and his girlfriend, they’ll discredit us without a thought Sarah.”

“We would be under oath, they can’t just arrest us if they think we’re lying. We have to try,” She responded. “Kie, Do you have your phone? Wheezie is the only other person that knows Rafe wasn’t home that day.”

“Wheezie?” JJ breathed incredulously.

“I don’t know what else to do,” Kie hands Sarah her phone. “I got us into this mess, I’m gonna do my best to get us out.”

Wheezie was a smart girl but if she was the only hope to get John B out of jail, you didn’t know if you would put all your eggs in that particular basket.

“Yeah, that’ll work.” JJ scoffed. “Well, she’s right about one thing. We gotta do something, Our boy is held captive by the enemy right now, maybe even scheduled for execution. Are we just gonna sit here?”

“What’s the plan then?” Kiara stood from the armchair in the corner of the porch. “We start by kidnapping Shoupe?”

“That’s not the worst idea actually.” The scary part is, he looked deadly serious. You couldn’t help but cackle, exhaustion and delirium were what kept you going. 

You love him, in moments like this when everything was so utterly fucked, it scared you how much the feeling overwhelmed you. The way he kept fighting for your brother made you feel safe. Although it was the most outrageous idea but that was JJ.

Kie and JJ stopped their bickering to give you an odd look, the silence and a full minute of laughing like a crazy person to the point of tears falling out of the corners of your eyes, you stabilized yourself. You wiped the tears from the corner of your eyes.

“That is the worst idea you’ve ever had,” You told the blue-eyed boy.

“It’s pretty bad.” Sarah agreed from inside the house as she typed away at Kie’s phone.

“Just stay out of this, okay?” JJ’s annoyance with Sarah was obvious.

“No, honestly though,” Pope’s features were stern. “What is the actual plan? You’re gonna storm a jail, guns a-blazing?”

“All I’m trying to get you to understand is they got our boy,” Pope and JJ are face to face now. “Are just gonna sit here and do nothing? No! We’re gonna get his ass, we’re gonna do something about it!”

The enthusiasm was encouraged but so was logical thinking. You watched as Pope tried to keep JJ from ‘thinking’ out his plans.

“We’re not storming a jail, it’s not happening.”

“Fine, man. Sit in your comfy chair and do nothing.” He looked you in the eye in full seriousness, an invitation to follow him in his plan yet his words trying to shame you all for not wanting to take immediate action. “I’m gonna see what I can do, make something happen. Even if I have to do it by myself.”

JJ runs out of the front porch, straight for his bike.

“Should we be worried?” Pope asks.

“Yes,” Kie sighs and shrugs. “I’m gonna git up my parents and see if I can get money for a lawyer.”

You decide to let Kie and Pope talk amongst themselves about the logistics and go after JJ was sitting on his bike, almost like he was waiting for you.

“Change your mind, Princess?” He takes off his cap and places it on your head to shield you from the rain even though it’s pointless now.

You swing your leg over the bike to straddle it and wrap your arms around his waist. “Just go before I change it again.”

~~~

“Now where exactly are you taking us?” You say in his ear as he whips past all his cars on his bike.

“We’re going to visit a certain jailbird!”

You weren’t sure if it was even allowed considering it had only been hours since he was sentenced but you knew that JJ would find a way.

Turns out his plan was fucking stupid, not reckless for once, and for that, you were thankful but definitely stupid. He parked by a tree in front of the Kildare County detention center, and two officers walked down the steps and right past the both of you. JJ being extra, stood at attention and saluted them as they walked. You look at him annoyed and he simply smiles, you push him in front to follow his lead.

JJ did some thoughtless acts but Jesus he looked good doing them. He stopped by his house to change from his wet clothes that were soaked from the rain to a pair of dry jeans and a clean white shirt. He also grabbed his headphones and mp3 player. He fixed his hair, put on a pair of sunglasses and suddenly he was giving James Dean. It was bad timing for your heart to stutter the way it did when you saw him change his shirt in front of you as if you hadn’t seen him shirtless before.

It was over when he pulled out a shirt- your shirt- from deep within his messy closet. It was from when you slept over that one time, you must have left it here and forgot to pack it. The moment felt so domestic, too domestic, it messed with your emotions and you already have too many with everything going on.

You trained yourself to focus on the task at hand, ignoring the wrongness you felt from the sleepover with JJ and then actually having sex with Rafe (with some feelings that you’d rather not get into), the treasure, John B in jail… it was all too much.

“We’re here to see John B Routledge,” JJ said loudly. He had his headphones on with the volume to his music all the way up.

“No music, and get rid of the toothpick.” The man at the front desk enunciated his words.

“I can’t hear what you’re saying man, these things are on full blast.” JJ tapped on his headphones, not caring at all what the officer had to say. “We’re here to see John B Routledge.”

The officer looked to you, “Can you get your friend to take his headphones off? There’s no music allowed and you both need to clear your pockets if you wanna see the inmate.”

“Can do, sir.” You place your empty wallet that only had a couple of bucks and your permit, and your phone (that was dead). “He, unfortunately, has a mind of his own.”

He took a breath and mimed what he wanted JJ to do, taking off the headphones and toothpick.

JJ glanced at you then at the man and took off the headphones hanging them around his neck, “I mean, I thought it was a free country and all but I guess you don’t like freedom very much. Now do you, cupcake?” He smiled slyly, leaning on the desk with his forearm.

Now you supposed you shouldn’t be surprised by what he had the balls to say but your jaw fell open anyway, you covered your mouth and looked around to see if anyone else had heard that.

Turns out the Officer had enough of JJ toying with him and took JJ by his biceps and pinned him to the wall. You picked at your nail nervously, until the Deputy came and told the front desk guy that it wasn’t worth it.

JJ kept a wide smile as he saw her, “Good to see you Plumb. Nice to have something in your mouth, you know.”

“Take off your hat and empty your pockets.”

“Yes, ma’am.” JJ finally did what was told and placed his things next to yours winking at you when Plumb led the way to where you can see John B.

You flinched as you passed by a prisoner who slammed a fist on the window of his cell. He called out to you, “Why don’t you come in here?”

Next to you, JJ guided you to go in front of him through the threshold of the visitation area, Plumb told you both that you only had five minutes.

There he was, in an orange jumpsuit, wrists in cuffs. You wanted to hug him, tell him it was gonna be okay and that you were gonna get him out of this. The only one of those things you were gonna be able to do is the latter and only if you were able to figure out a plan which you didn’t have.

You sat to John B’s right, getting a good look at him now, his eye was still bruised from the beating they gave him when he was first arrested. The anger came bubbling back that formed in tears until you all looked at each other and burst out laughing.

“I thought it was gonna be me,” JJ chuckled.

“I think we all did,” You sniffed.

“Welcome to my humble abode.”

“When you said you had a new apartment, I had no idea,” JJ fidgeted with the visitation card they handed you both as you were officially signed in to visit.

You patted the top of the metal table, “It’s cozy. A little aluminum theme.”

“Yeah, I like to go for the cold, dark…”

“Alone, kind of theme?” JJ continued John B’s description for him, they nodded in sync. “Look, I would love to sit and chitchat but I’m on the clock and I’m here for one reason only, okay?”

Your eyes widened as you thought about the jailbreak idea JJ was playing with earlier. Was this it?

“Operation liberation, baby.” You facepalmed once the words came out of his mouth.

“Hear me out though, step one; piss off the cops so badly they don’t see what’s coming.” He waved at an officer that walked by the window looking in. “Check.”

“Was that what that whole thing was?” You slapped his arm, “A warning would have been nice.”

“Your right, I could’ve used some backup but your reaction was hilarious so it’s fine,” JJ was delusional. You ignored the fact that he really thought he was gonna pull this off as he laid out his plan. “Step two; at exactly 11 p.m. this evening, you’re going to have an attack of acute appendicitis.”

John B looked like he was doing the same thing you were, “Do you even know what appendicitis is?”

JJ’s pupils were dilated as he explained, “Remember eighth grade, algebra final?”

“Jesus Christ,” John B breathed. JJ faked appendicitis once before a test in eighth grade and was able to get away with it and this was the plan he was going with. You were glad you knew how it worked to visit JB in jail now since you were gonna have to get used to the process.

“It worked like a charm, to sell it, you gotta actually look sick though okay?” Not an ounce of a joke was heard in his voice. “You got some of that ghost face sunblock in here?”

“Be so fucking for real right now,” You kept your face in your hands stressfully, your head shaking in disbelief.

“JJ, I’m in jail. I have a block of soap, that’s it.”

“Is it white?”

Hesitantly John B replied “Yes-”

“Perfect, that’ll work. Take some of that, rub it into your face well, got it? You don’t want that shit rubbing off when they check your vitals.” JJ added. “After that, run your hands under cold water for five minutes. After that, you’re ready. Showtime baby, stumble out and collapse. Once you’re down on the ground squealing, they’ll rush you to the infirmary. There, you just have to convince the nurse that that sucker’s about to burst.”

He began to visually show John B the details of where the nurse will check him, John B’s acting skills would have to be absolutely flawless and without any doubt to pull all that off.

“I get it, I get it.” John B glances behind his shoulder and leans in closer, “Then what?”

“No fucking way, John B,” You stare at him in disbelief. “JJ he’s not doing this.”

JJ didn’t acknowledge you, “They’re gonna eject you to the hospital. Remember Cousin Ricky?”

“The weed dealer?” You questioned.

“He’s an EMT.”

“He sold us our first dime bag,” John B mentions.

“So? You can do both. It’s a gig economy, bro.” JJ shrugs. “Now, step three is extraction.”

“This is the dumbest freaking idea you’ve ever had.” John B states, at least you weren’t the only one thinking it.

“Yeah, you’re probably right but you know what’s even more dumb? You thinking you got any other way out of this.”

“JJ, this is a fortress.” John B explains, “They've got barbed wire, cinder blocks, guards on every corner-”

JJ stops John B from shutting him down further. “Don’t, you’re not the detail guy. Leave it to the professionals.”

“If you think that we’re the professionals in this you’re so mistaken,” You shake your head in disapproval.

Plumb was by the door telling you both that your time with your brother was up.

“You gotta trust me on this one,” JJ says and moves out of his seat giving John B his last words. “Nothing to lose now, 11 P.M.”

John B stares at you with a silent question, you squeeze his hand before leaving the visitation area behind JJ. Plumb led you down an unfamiliar path to the exit. She scans her badge before opening a metal door, JJ goes through first and goes towards another door to the right. It was an inmate basketball court, his dad was dribbling and blocking against another prisoner.

“Dad!” JJ pounds on the door trying to get Luke’s attention. “Dad!”

“Let’s go,” Plumb shoves JJ away from the door. If you didn’t know any better you would say she brought you both this way on purpose to get a rise of him. It was her way of giving him a sign that said ‘You could just as easily end up here.’

Seems like JJ caught on as well, he clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly as he noted, “I see what you did there Plumb.”

Your jaw tightened as you saw the way she was handling JJ, forcing him out of the center. “I just have one question before we leave. How much are you splitting with Shoupe?”

She shoved you harshly into JJ, “You’ll be back here one day, both of you. It’s in your blood.”

JJ started to walk away defeated but you wouldn’t, you couldn’t. This wasn’t what your life would be, not yours, not JJ’s. John B was wrongly accused and JJ was not his dad, “Fuck you, bi-”

“Y/n, come on.” JJ put his hand on the small of your back to lead you away from the officer who was meant to ‘protect and serve’.

“What a bitch!” You spat. The nerve of her, you had taunted her but deep down you knew that she was probably getting a major payday from Ward. Instead of letting you see your brother in peace, she just had to bring you down even further as if she wasn’t breaking major laws. “She’s a hypocrite JJ, she's not a fucking fortune teller to tell us what our future will look like.”

He didn’t say anything in response solely making sure you were ready before revving up the bike and driving away from the detention center.

~~~

You told him you weren’t going to join him in his plans, he looked disappointed but since he was off from earlier he left you at the Chateau without a fight. You felt guilty knowing JJ definitely had a lack of support but you would only be a hindrance to the plan if you did go along with it. Instead, you found Sarah in one of John B’s shirts already several feet away from the house.

You ran up to her and asked her if she got in contact with Wheezie to which she said she was on her way to meet her.

“We’re here,” She whispered to herself clutching her gunshot wound as she checked the other side of the dock.

Wheezie apparently had texted her to meet her at the harbor. You went straight and paused, Rafe came around the corner. “Sarah,” You said in a small voice backing away slowly.

“Nah not wheezie.”

“Where the hell is Wheezie?” Sarah questioned from behind you.

“Don’t worry about it,” Rafe stepped closer with his hands half up in surrender. “Listen, it’s all good. I- I just needed to talk to you for a little bit.”

The stutter in his voice concerned you, he was out of it and it was only you and Sarah out here on the docks at night with this psychopath. Every step he took to close the distance between the three of you, you and Sarah held hands and stepped away.

“Is that okay?” He asked looking at you and then at Sarah. He reached for you “Y/n-”

“Don’t come near me,” You held your hand out in front of you defensively.

He sighed and focused his attention on Sarah, “What you do affects me, you don’t think of that, do you?”

“You shot me, Rafe.”

“That’s it, right?” He exasperated. “It’s always my fault like you know, I wanna keep what’s mine. That I got by my work and I’m the bad guy for trying to- to hold on to it?”

His pacing and waving of his hands while he talks make it clear that he’s unhinged. In comparison to the way, you and Sarah are frozen in your spots waiting for Rafe to make one move.

“It’s not yours,” Sarah tries to express.

“Like I’m wrong to protect what’s mine, huh?” His voice raises a couple more octaves. Chills run up your arms at his projection. Your mind takes you back to the night you spent together and you suddenly feel nauseous. His voice softens as he approaches Sarah, “Listen to me. The cops are going to talk to you and I need to make sure the story’s straight.”

Sarah speaks up, “You killed Peterkin. My story’s straight, listen this would go so much better for you if you would-”

His eyes roll to the back of his head in a lazy drug hazed way, “Who are you trying to protect here?”

“I’m trying to do the right thing.”

“You doing the right thing is the reason that you got shot because you were following John B.”

“John B might get the death penalty because of you!” She snaps.

“That!” Rafe points as he backs away and sits on a barrel. “That right there is exactly what I’m talking about Sarah, you’ve always been against me!”

She shakes her head, no, A threatening tone takes over “Don’t shake your head, you still are. You’re not just against me, you’re against us and you know, Dad always takes your side. Cause you’re gonna cry in front of him like you cried in front of me, but you- both of you listen to me. I am a proactive type of person and we have a problem, and I gotta solve that problem tonight.”

You glance at Sarah who’s shaking where she stands, you inch to the right, and Rafe follows your movement with his eyes.

“Do you understand?” He asks then shouts it at the both of you again, “Do you understand!”

You and Sarah took that as the queue to run. He runs after you, you were faster as you got a headstart but that meant that Sarah got caught by Rafe. He slammed her against a large blue plastic container that held water.

“Rafe!” You screamed, “Rafe!”

“Back off Y/n, I don’t want to do something I’ll regret.”

You heard Sarah begging Rafe to stop, you ran back and tried to push him off of her but with one hand he backhands you to the ground.

With a hand on your left cheek, he made you bleed with a ring he was wearing, “You’re drowning your sister!”

“She’s not my sister!” He shouted back at you with a harsh tone. “Not anymore.”

Sarah’s tears flowed freely, she let out a whimper as he tightened his grip on her throat. “Rafe, please.” You begged.

“Y/n I swear to god!” His voice was close to a growl.

“You swear to God what?” You lifted yourself up from the ground and came closer to where Rafe was drowning Sarah. You were hoping to bait him into letting Sarah go and focus his attention on you. If he was distracted enough to taunt you or hurt you then maybe Sarah would have a chance to breathe. “You’d hurt me? Cause you already have, Rafe.”

He screams as Sarah struggles, she gasps with two seconds of air before she is submerged again.

You try to pry him off of her but he releases her instead and grabs your wrists as he had many times before. “I would never hurt you, Y/n, she brought this on herself!”

His fingers were white and you felt your bones being compressed from his hold. His nails were digging into your skin making you want to kneel and clutch your arms but he was too strong. Sarah was free and coughing up the water in her lungs, exhausted from her fight. His right hand comes up and clutches your throat.

“I loved you,” You whispered.

His forehead was on yours, stray fell from his eye and onto your cheek, “I love you too, Y/n.”

You kept his eyes trained on yours without giving him doubt despite the fact that you were getting strangled by your former lover. You attempted to breathe air but the hold he had on your throat prevented your airways from being able to inhale properly.

Topper- who you had no idea where he came from- has a finger to his lips as he inches closer and whacks him in the head.

Rafe fell onto his back and you wheeze, able to breathe again, you go to Sarah who holds an arm out for you.

“Sarah, are you okay?” Topper rushes to her side and asks her, “Can you breathe?”

She nods and hugs him, your hands were on your knees, and you look at Rafe on the ground and sob. All your previous moments with him, your confession to him, his confession to you. What had just happened. He drowned Sarah and strangled you while confessing to being in love with you.

You felt nausea come back up again, you couldn’t hold it. Your insides came up and out through your mouth, you vomited in the dark water at the edge of the dock.

~~~

Next Chapter

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[cyb-by-lang]

okay so i've been thinking about A Ninja's Guide to Gotham and i think i know what Ra's al Ghul's plan is, at least what he (and Zetsu) want to do

the plan to set Kei loose on Konoha didn't go well for Zetsu and Madara, she had her team to help (and the power of foresight) but the gist of the idea could still work, if Zetsu sets up the stage right

Kei has a pretty good grasp on her emotions, but Hayate (specifically, Hayate in danger/hurt Hayate) being her trigger is known to Zetsu. so it makes sense to isolate the two from the rest of their village. drop them into a batshit (ha) crazy city, keep them separated, really pile the stress on Kei and wear her down.

all the while, they've got a Zetsu army cooking for maximum trauma later.

Ra's al Ghul wants to destroy Gotham, and this Zetsu has essentially handed him the trigger for a massive walking bomb, but can only be activated under very specific circumstances. and Kei, as stressed as she is and even with almost losing it a couple of times, has done an excellent job reigning her fury in (thanks Isobu)

AND there's the fear toxin. i imagine they've been adjusting it this whole time to actually work on a Jinchuriki.

i don't think they really want Kei to join them, necessarily (though it might save them a few steps) i think all the attacks serve mostly to increase Kei's stress until she starts breaking.

and then Zetsu was trying to take Hayate. because what would be the one thing to almost certainly break Kei?

idk if this is how it will play out exactly, but i'm guessing this is the gist of Ra's and Zetsu's plan:

Zetsu army attack, with giant Zetsu monster included to spread out the Bats and allies. try and separate Kei from team. keep her focused on the attacks without provoking her yet, but wear her down.

take Hayate, or at least manipulate the field to put him within sight of Kei. kill him where she can clearly see.

use that moment of shock to shoot as many fear toxin darts at her as possible. if she's distracted enough, she might get a few doses. and it doesn't matter much how quickly Isobu burns through the poison, because all they need is that initial ignition of super enhanced terror and trauma for her to explode into a raging Jinchuriki. throw the Zetsu monster back at her, and they take out half of Gotham ripping each other to pieces.

(the Bats and Kei's team hear her agonized beastial screech, even the ones on the other side of the city, and know this is Worst Case Scenario)

this is an excellent narrative strategy for maximum pain and plot drama for Kei and friends, and i can see it coming so close to fruition (if i'm even in the ballpark here, this is all an educated guess)

unfortunately for Ra's and Zetsu, Batman exists. he knows how Ra's operates. once the fear toxin came into play, and Batman listened to Kei talk about her past, i'm pretty sure he could connect those dots.

"Superpowered ninja host of a demon able to level a city, if pressed, and her main trauma trigger is her brother being threatened or harmed in any way. Right. Best keep the brother out of harm's way. If only they could all stay put."

also unfortunate for Ra's and Zetsu, Jason exists. i doubt they were expecting Hayate to adopt Gotham's newest menace, nor for Jason to take to it like a mother goose. Kei might be correct in thinking Hayate is safer with Jason than with her, bc as volatile and explosive as he can be, he's not quite "city-leveling" tier.

as DC stories tend to go, the villains plot usually gets to play out at least most of the way. so maybe Hayate does get hurt at some point, maybe Kei does lose it, but this could be where Jason finally works with the Bats + Team Minato to save the day (and his new little brother....)

anyway, idk how much of this is right, but the pieces have been fitting themselves together in the back of my brain for a while. and if i'm on the money on any of this and you'd rather not post bc spoilers, no worries!! i just wanted to share how much i've been thinking about it, it's on a short list of things i play in my mental movie theater ಠ⁠◡⁠ಠ

[image description: a GIF of Kronk from Emperor's New Groove saying "Oh yeah. It's all coming together." end description.]

I love it when readers send me their analysis. It really helps me figure out what's working when I write and what is sticking with people.

And I hope you feel like a detective for having figured out most of today's evil plan (credit to Ra's al Ghul) before a fair number of the characters in Gotham have. I'm glad you picked up on it!

#a ninja's guide to gotham #keisuke gekko #hayate gekko #jason todd #bruce wayne #asks #gon-and-killuas-mother

[occasionallyprosie]

A Thousand Ways

Chapter 10: "Granting Mercy To Those Who Never Offered Any"

The Chain ends up in Legend's Hyrule again, and Legend does his best to not have a total breakdown while dragging the Chain to retrieve the Ether, Bombos, and Quake Medallions as well as his Pegasus Boots from the knights who arrested him.

First | <<Previous | Next>>

Not Febuwhump

Read On AO3 Warnings: Torture aftermath

----

The next era was a pleasant surprise. Time's Lon Lon Ranch was there the moment they stepped through the portal.

He decided not to think about the connotations of that and just pulled his hand from Hyrule's. He stayed quiet as he stuck with them. He was looking around the ranch, noting that it was, in fact, the same layout as his grandparents' farm, if one put a few gardens and crop fields around, it was the same. But Lon Lon was a ranch, while his grandparents' place was a farm.

Legend wanted to go home. He wanted his attic bed, the starlight window; he wanted to wake up just before the warm colors of dawn and do the morning chores before his grandparents even woke up. He hadn't been home properly in... since just after Lorule and that whole chaos.

He wanted some time to breathe, relax, and come to terms with what had happened--which was apparently months ago--enough that the mere thought of confronting those shoved-back memories didn't fill him with fear and panic.

They stayed at the ranch, but Legend found himself never quite alone, much to his increasing annoyance. He'd understood it before, but Lon Lon was a confirmed safe place and it's not like they hadn't made it through multiple portals unseparated.

He understood, really, he did. But honestly it was getting infuriating with how closely they clung to him.

It was only through sheer willpower he didn't snap by the time the next portal came.

They arrived on the other side and he knew exactly where they were the moment he inhaled. The familiar magic filled his lungs and the forests around them murmured its welcome.

"Ugh, where--"

"Mine."

Heads turned toward him. Legend turned his gaze to the eastern, darkening sky, eyes narrowing. 

"My era. Keep up."

"Whoa, it's almost dark," Warriors protested. "This place doesn't seem too bad to camp--"

"It's been roughly three months since we were last here, assuming time has progressed at the same rate, that is three months' worth of black market activity at best and actual usage at worst."

"What do you mean?" Wild asked, keeping pace with him.

"I have these medallions and I had them on me when I got arrested," he explained. "With enough magic, you could completely remap Hyrule via earthquakes, bomb Hyrule castle, or freeze the entire region with any one of those medallions. Very simply, I cannot waste any time with those missing. Make camp if you want, I've survived this long on my own."

Twilight picked Four up, he was struggling to try and keep up. Warriors did the same with Wind, while the rest just seemed to steel themselves and followed.

Legend appreciated that.

He tied his Pegasus bracelet around his wrist, praying to Farore to give him courage and not let him break down if he had to search anyplace remotely prison-looking.

The town was only a couple kilometers to the east. Legend all but stormed his way in, several townsfolk startled and when they saw Legend he heard some rather sharp inhales.

"Oh Lady Farore," one of them hissed. "Link's pissed. Git!" They ushered the others away fast.

In any other situation, if Legend wasn't quickly trying to weave a net of perceived safety around his fraying emotions, he would've found their reactions amusing and a bit concerning. However, he was too preoccupied this time around.

Din's Fire laced up his hand, causing a couple of his companions to yelp as he threw it at the guard station door.

It exploded open.

His power bracelets activating, Legend entered first and grabbed a guard scrambling to draw their blade by the throat and threw them at the next nearest. He pointed his sword at them.

"Very simply," he began, the smoke beginning to clear and the other heroes filing in, "give me my stuff back and I'll spare your lives."

The fear in their eyes was gratifying, but they clearly had too much of it as their words were scrambled and incoherent and eventually just became begging.

"We'll look around," Wild told him. "I think the commander's office might be your best bet for now."

Legend nodded his agreement. "Alright--Don’t bother with the cell block. It won't be worth it."

Sky followed him as he made his way to the office.

He found more knights who saw him and did one of two things: attacked him and were promptly beaten by him or Sky, or they spluttered and ran. The latter ones would get caught by Sky's whip and dragged back, but they never had information.

Legend tested the door to find that it was locked. Before he burned it, Sky stopped him and kicked it open.

Legend was a bit surprised. Sky never struck him as particularly strong, but in comparison to Twilight and Four he figured none of them were "particularly strong."

"So," Legend said as the commander whom Legend remembered vividly scrambled for his blade only to freeze when Legend's own was held to his neck, "last time I was here you took something of mine. A couple necklaces." He pressed his blade against Commander Mason's throat. "I want them back. And I'm not scared of showing you exactly how I have been able to kill Ganon four times over to do so."

The commander looked terrified. "A-Anything we took is in the prisoner's belongings down at the back of their holding cell block! B-Block C! I swear we haven't sold any of it yet!"

Legend wanted to kill him. The fear and pain that bubbled beneath his skin, the slightest tremble of his stance and arm that showed his fear, even if it was near imperceptible. This commander had been there every time, had laughed at him, had taunted him, had hurt him...

Legend forced out a shaky breath and he lowered his sword, glaring at the commander. "Do not take my mercy for weakness, Commander. I have killed far more dangerous beings than you."

He turned his back.

"Let's go, Chosen."

Sky followed him. Legend felt increasingly unsteady. Things were crawling under his skin, ice and fire fought for territory between the bugs that squirmed through his veins. Every new scar, every phantom pain, every last memory of those days were resurfacing fast and he was struggling to keep his breathing steady or even deep enough that he wouldn't pass out.

The cell block wasn't empty, Block C's door was open and Legend felt the pit in his stomach grow. He could smell something wretched even from here.

"Oh, what is that smell," Sky groaned.

He had an awful feeling. Down the hall, he could see Warriors standing in front of one of the last cells.

Oh goddesses, please no.

"Captain!" Sky called. "What're you staring at there?"

Warriors looked over, his face pale and expression stricken.

"Veteran..."

Legend swallowed back everything bubbling up as he marched past. "I told you to leave the cell blocks alone," he managed, voice strained. He reached the back cabinet.

"There's so much blood," another voice croaked. Twilight's voice.

Legend closed his eyes, squeezing them shut. He heard Sky make a strangled noise.

"Oh sweet Lady Hylia," Sky breathed. "Oh, golden three--Vet please tell me it's not--"

"Found them." He interrupted, taking the medallions from a box and his Pegasus Boots from a lower shelf. He put the latter on and shoved the former into his pouch, fully intending to walk past them and just move on.

Warriors caught his arm. "Link," he began, and Legend honest to goddesses flinched.

It was his voice, it was this place, it was the fact that Warriors was a knight and Legend knew that. It was the wretched stench of burnt and rotted flesh, vomit, and various other human excesses. It was the table with a thousand different torture devices sitting on top of it that Legend remembered intimately.

Warriors' voice faded briefly, his grip loosening and Legend jerked his arm from him.

"I said leave it, Captain," he said, ripping the emotions from his voice just to hide them, keeping his head down and his chopped hair blocking their view of his face. "It doesn't matter."

He moved fast enough that they couldn't stop him, calling out for him to wait and to just tell them what had happened.

Legend kept going.

Out in the hallway, the three other heroes following after, he saw another soldier--he knew that face, not their name but that face--who drew their weapon upon seeing him. 

Legend acted on instinct, the final straw holding him together snapping.

Farore's Wind took him outside and he was running. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see, all he knew was that he wasn't going back.

He was in the forest. It was dark and he was in a forest. Guards wouldn't find him, it was too late, they didn't keep moving this late at night. They made camp and as long as he avoided the light he was safe.

He stumbled, leaning against a tree and trying not to vomit, trying not to scream. He slumped down, curling into a ball in the cradling roots of the trees, and choked out a shaky sob.

Images burned through his mind like wildfire. The cat o' nine tails, the welding metal, the waterboarding, the poison, that jagged, three-sided knife, all of it.

He had been helpless, completely and utterly helpless.

A branch snapped and Legend froze up, going completely silent.

Farore's child?

A fawn stepped toward him, its mother just behind it.

You’re hurt, the mother nuzzled his head gently. Fearful. Are you being hunted, Hero?

Legend swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. "No, no--Sorry, I-I'm just--Some people hurt me and I'm not okay in my head because of it."

The fawn nudged his arm and then settled against his side. That's okay. We can help.

The mother seemed to agree. We have missed you, Hero. More will come, your presence is safe.

He nodded shakily. He was fine with that. Honestly, he was tempted to call one of his animal friends, but he didn't want to bother them this late at night.

In time, his sobs grew quiet and calm and by then, a bear had joined them, as well as several squirrels and chipmunks and a fox adolescent.

He heard the padding of more paws and when he looked up he saw a wolf.

No. No no no--

The mother bear growled, drawing to her feet. The fox yipped and snarled too, jumping up between the wolf and Legend.

Stay away! The fox snarled. The Lady's Child doesn't like hounds!

Keep your distance, canine, rumbled the bear.

The wolf made a growling noise, no actual response, and Legend bolted. The deer kept pace with him, and at the mother deer's urging he jumped onto her back.

The forest rushed beside him until the doe came to a stop and he was stumbling to lean against another tree, gasping.

Gnashing white teeth, loud snarling, howls, sniffing--

He hated dogs.

Legend shuddered, letting out shaky gasps and digging the heels of his palms into his eyes.

Link? He raised his head and he recognized the squirrel that prodded him. Connie, a sweet squirrel that had ridden on his shoulder during a whole trek from one village to another. What do you need from us?

He shook his head. "Nothing, I'm sorry to bother you all, I just--I need some time away from other people. I need to breathe for a bit."

Okay. We'll keep the people away! Connie promised him.

Legend smiled softly and he dropped his head to his knees. The deer crowded against him again, now joined by a bobcat in his lap and a bird in his hair.

He let himself relax, finally breathing steadily.

He was fine. He was fine. He had escaped a while ago, and he was fine. Yes, he had been tortured, yes he should have been killed, it wasn't the first time. He was fine.

He was fine.

Dawn came and with it, Legend saw something approaching.

The wolf was back, but it transformed and he realized it wasn't a wolf.

It was Wolfie.

Twilight, now Hylian, knelt on the edge of the small area Legend and his forest friends had occupied. He met Legend's eyes but said nothing, didn't make a move.

The animals murmured, but none moved either.

Legend nudged the bobcat that looked ready to pounce Twilight.

"It's alright," he said, his voice worn and hoarse. "He's okay... Thank you."

The animals were reluctant, but they cleared away and Twilight took that as approval to approach. He didn't come much closer though.

"Vet?" He prompted. "Can I get closer t'you?"

Legend stared at him, the words felt wrong and just unnatural, but he felt far too fragile to not appreciate them. He gave a small nod and Twilight finally moved into his space.

"Can I touch you?" The rancher asked next.

Legend immediately shook his head, probably a bit too quickly and frantically.

"That's okay," Twilight assured softly. "Are you okay?"

He was about to say yes, except his voice caught in his throat and he ended up slumping into himself, letting out a strained whine, and hiding his face against his knees.

Twilight made a shushing sound, soft and soothing. "Hey, hey that's alright. Yer safe now, alright? The forest is protectin' you."

The Lady protects what's hers, the bobcat rumbled, staying stubbornly pressed against Legend's side.

"Everyone's worried," he added. "The Cap'n nearly killed one of them guards there, but Chosen stopped him, said somethin' 'bout you choosin' to spare someone and that we wouldn't'a the right ta kill 'em if you chose ta spare their lives."

He did choose to spare them. He had sworn a long time ago that he wouldn't kill those who were misguided or forced to act the way they did, Octavo had been the origin of that decision and Hilda had been the final straw for it. He would kill those who were those who misguided others, like Agahnim and Yuga.

"They're cursed," he managed to force out. "It's a spell--They don’t--We can't reverse mind-altering spells, we can limit the effects, but... They're only not themselves when I'm around. It's fine."

"S'not fine," Twilight insisted. "Veteran, I saw that cell, I saw those tools. They tortured you, didn't they?"

His throat closed up and Legend couldn't answer. He made another strangled noise and curled in on himself.

"I knew it," Twilight muttered to himself. Then spoke a bit clearer, "Hey, vet--"

Legend threw himself forward. Twilight startled and slipped back a bit, but he caught Legend as he trembled and hid against his chest.

Twilight didn't move or react, he just froze and Legend almost jerked back as if he'd touched flame as a result except Twilight finally moved. His arms wrapped around him and he shifted his body to block and hide as much of Legend's as he could.

Safe, the wolf rumbled, his arms wrapping around Legend's form and he tried desperately not to cry. It was a vain effort frankly, his body trembling and shaking and tears just flowed freely, but Twilight was right there and against all odds he felt safe. Somehow, in the light of day and slightly more clearheaded, the wolf didn't set off the prey instincts that were an integral part of him, instead a deep-rooted familiarity was there and it had him breaking.

"I gotcha," Twilight whispered. It was only a couple of words, a platitude, an assurance, a promise, and goddesses above, Legend believed him. "Yer safe now, nothings gonna touch ya, not so long as I'm here."

He believed him. He believed the rumbling warmth that encompassed him, the tight arms that held him close, the quiet whispers that brushed his hair. He believed him.

"It's going to be alright. Link--Hey, hey kid." His hands moved to cup his face and Legend choked, a strangled, wounded noise escaping him. "You have t'breathe. It's alright, just take a big breath f'r me, okay?"

He tried. He tried to inhale but it was ripped back out of him as more tears fell. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't--

"Hey, hey it's alright, jus' keep breathin' you’re doin' jus' fine."

He couldn't though. He couldn't--Twilight pulled him back against his chest and he could feel the other's breathing. He tried to match it, but each shuddering inhale was punched out by a sob.

When he finally stopped crying, he felt exhausted. His eyes fluttered shut and he was close to falling asleep, even if the sun only just broke over the horizon.

"Hey, you gotta stay awake," Twilight said softly. "Unless you'll let me carry you."

He hummed softly. "Don't... I don't want to go. Safe here."

Twilight made some odd noise, his arms wrapping tighter around Legend. "I know," he rasped, "but we have a quest, remember? An' everyone's prob'bly worried outta their minds for you."

"You’re too clingy," Legend grumbled, tucking himself closer to the goat herd. "All'a ya. I get it an' all, but you don't have to be so clingy."

Twilight sighed and he felt it. "It's probably insufferable, but we thought you'da died, vet. Now you’re back an' I don’t think ya realize how close to death you look."

Legend snorted. He pulled away and Twilight let him go a little. The older hero still held onto him but now he was holding his face and wiping away tear streaks.

"Then we saw that..." Twilight trailed off, eyes searching Legend's face. "You’re not okay, Apple. Don’t lie to me."

Legend gave a wobbly, weak smile. "I haven't been okay since the first time we met, Forest. But it's fine," he pulled Twilight's hands down from his face, "I can handle it. I just need time to do so."

"You shouldn't have to. You’re just a kid."

"I'm as old as you were last time."

"I hadn't been doin' this my whole life. Jus'... let us help you, vet. Please."

He sighed, closing his eyes and letting Twilight just hold him up and keep him from collapsing. A shaky breath escaped him before he nodded.

"Okay, alright."

"Thank you," Twilight murmured, brushing his thumb against one of Legend's new scars. "Thank you for trusting me and for letting me."

He snorted, grinning lazily at him. "Don't thank me, you have to deal with me now."

"I'm pretty sure that's what I was aiming for," Twilight drawled, catching onto the change in tone. "Come on."

Legend yelped as Twilight scooped him up.

"Hey! Put me down!"

"Nope. We're meeting back up with the others an' you’re gonna like it," Twilight decided and it was almost threatening.

"Noooo," he groaned mostly out of dramatics, but he didn't have the energy to try and escape the rancher's hold. He could, easily, in various ways, but he didn't have the motivation to muster the energy required to do so. So instead he just nestled in his arms and turned his face into his chest.

 "Callin' us clingy," Twilight teased. "You’re as bad as m'... my nephew."

Legend grumbled, not verbalizing his immediate thought of: yeah, well, same person different timelines.

Next>>

#linked universe #lu legend #linkeduniverse #legend lu #fanfic #lu warriors #lu sky #lu twilight #lu fanfic #lu fanfiction #linked universe legend #linked universe fanfic #whump #aftermath #whump fic #lu wolfie #legend is a disney princess #he talks to animals #prosie writes #a thousand ways au

[dreamingsnowflake2013]

When Yi Joo takes off those 7-inch heels, she usually wears, it hits you how tall and huge Do Guk is, he dwarfs her. He may be the strongest and most physically imposing (and dangerous) person she's ever met, yet she doesn't fear him, only what he makes her feel.

He's been teetering on the edge and tearing at his seams for too long now, he is basically a ticking time bomb of turbulent and repressed emotions that are about to explode at any moment and at the slightest trigger. Do Guk's been loving and wanting Yi Joo without any hope of reciprocation, so if she can't go through with it and be in it for the long run, she should stop sending him all these mixed signals and giving him false hopes, that's just unwittingly cruel.

On one hand, Yi Joo tells Do Guk, it's all fake, drawing boundaries and giving him deadlines, on the other, she worries about him and touches him, and it only makes him want more, and he tries to get closer to her, desiring her even more, only for her to push him away even harder and take 5 steps back, putting even more distance between them.

Each time she does that it's like a punch in his gut. He is not some abandoned dog, she can throw scraps of her attention whenever she feels like it. He is brutally honest with her, if she doesn't want him, she should stop tossing his emotions around.

For a change, it's Do Guk who is shutting her out and pushes her away emotionally, putting boundaries between them, and she hates it, finally experiencing what it feels like - wanting to be close to the other person, only for him to draw a line he forbids her to cross.

The moment makes you realise how much has Do Guk been holding himself back, be it in regards to the secret about what really happened with his brother or his need for her. He's been restraining himself from pulling her to him, embracing her, devouring her, and asking her for things she either can't give or is unwilling to give, and all that because he is so utterly unselfish, thus the complete opposite of her ex, that he denies his own desires and needs to protect her and his family, even from himself.

He is asking Yi Joo, if she could take seeing the worst part of him and still want him after witnessing how truly damaged he is, and not abandon him and running for the hills after he shows her the most vulnerable and deeply hidden piece of himself, because compared to him, she is a paragon of sanity. If she can't finish what she started and see it through, she shouldn't even start.

#jung yoo min #perfect marriage revenge #sung hoon #kdrama

[lavender-at-heart]

Hi!! could you please write a ahsoka x fem reader who is a padawan of obi-wan and they share longing stares during meetings and always seek out eachother and one day it all falls apart on one mission, and all of the feelings come out? pls that would be so cool! btw I love your writing <333

•°○♡𝐴𝐿𝑂𝑁𝐸 𝐴𝐺𝐴𝐼𝑁 ♡○°•

Pairing: Ahsoka Tano x fem!reader

Warnings: injury, gunshots, passing out.

Notes: [e/c] = your eye colour.

Tysm for the request and the compliment!! It means a lot and I greatly appreciate it. As usually my requests are open and any feedback is welcome! Ty for reading and enjoy!

-Cc♡

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

"Your thoughts are so loud I could hear them from across the yard" master Obi-Wans voice breaks my train of thought. I was supposed to be meditating in the courtyard, focusing on how to better myself in anyway possible. But I just can't help it, my mind always thinks of her. Obi-wan thinks that with a little time and effort I can get over my little crush, that it's just a natural response to being a teenager.

But what he doesn't know is that both you and Ahsoka have been feeling like this for God knows how long. Anakin knows it, of course he does. But he doesn't say anything. He wants the two of you to be able to feel what your feeling rather than get shut down and ridiculed. And Ahsoka- Ahsoka just pushes it down and pretends its not there so she doesn't give herself a mental breakdown.

"I'm sorry master." I say with a sigh. I mean it's not like I try to think about her, I just can't help it. "Don't be sorry padawan, just try again." He finds a seat next to you on the grass and starts his own meditation. Obi-wan is too patient, and yet he knows that forcing you to ignore it will just make the emotions stronger, like someone blowing on a campfire.

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

The next day your walking into the mess hall trying everything you can to just stay calm and focused and- "HEY [NAME]!" Baris shouts from a table, she's sitting with Ahsoka and waving you over to her. Just sit and eat with her, that's what friends do.

"Hey Baris...Ahsoka" jeez I can't even say her name without turning into a blushing mess. You attempt to make conversation with Baris but every time you steal a quick glance at Ahsoka she's staring right back, it's almost unbearable.

Later in the day you shuffle your way into you and your masters shared room, feeling like your emotions are about to explode. Your exhaustion hangs on you like a thick fog. When you enter the room Obi-wan is pacing and has his "I'm about to tell you something important so you better listen" face.

"Master?" You call out, breaking him from his moment of concentration.

"Oh there you are, sit down please."

You nervously sit down on your bed, dreading what news Obi-Wan was about to give you.

"Listen [name], I just received word from the council that you and I, as well as Anikin and Ahsoka will be sent on a mission -" I tense up and he gives out a knowing sigh before continuing. "to Felucia. I know how you have been struggling lately, but you mustn't let these emotions distract you. This is a important mission and I will do anything I can to make sure this- this- infatuation doesn't get the better of you." Taken aback by his choice of words your suddenly hit with the realization that maybe what you feel for Ahsoka is more than just hormones. Your exited you get to go on a mission with Ahsoka but nervous, what if something goes wrong? You don't want to disappoint your master either and don't want to make a fool of yourself in front of Ahsoka.

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

Sitting next to ahsoka during the briefing was like waiting for a bomb to go off. You just had to keep your mouth shut and your eyes on the two jedi masters, Rex and Cody. You could feel Ahsoka looking at you, and it took everything in you not to look back.

On the ship you had gotten bored and decided to go for a walk. You turned of your mind and just let your feet take you somewhere. And of course your feet just happened to take you to Ahsoka.

She was in a small room on the ship, meant to be a sort of living room I suppose. A couple small couches and a music player. There was no one else in the room but her. She was standing in front of the large window that showed the scene of stars all around us. Her face seemed to glow in the reflection of the millions of little lights. I was in awe, not just from her but from the view. On corosaunt it's rare to see stars, (air pollution things amirite?) so to see them this close was a dream come true.

"Aren't they beautiful?" She said and traced some of the stars with her finger on the window pane.

"Yeah...it is" I softly say and turn to look at her. "Yeah" she hums back and looks at me with a little smile. It was such a sweet moment before it was rudley interrupted with the announcement that we were landing shortly. We both went our separate ways to find our masters. "See you soon!" She waved goodbye and I did too.

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

Running through the jungle with Ahsoka would have been fun if not for the terrorists trying to kill us. We were supposed to scout around and report back to Anakin and Obi-Wan but did not expect to stumble into a camp full of separatist terrorists with guns. Lots of guns. We jump through the thick muggy leaves and avoid the blaster shots. Ahsoka jumps up onto a rock ledge above us and I stay runing on the dirt ground. We try our best to deflect the shots with our sabers but there's so many shots it's really very hard to. We're almost back at the camp I can see the familiar structures just a ways away. Ahsoka turns her head to check on the enemies, when did she manage to get that far ahead of me? As she turns she doesn't see the ledge coming to a end infront of her. "Ahsoka!" I yell but instead of drawing her attention to the upcoming cliff she turns all her focus to me, slowing down to a lighter jog.

BAM

A blaster shot to the abdomen. She falls and stumbles off the cliff falling to the hard ground.

No no no no no no please, no.

"AHSOKA" I run, I run farther than I could ever dream of, my legs burn and so do my eyes. By now the camp has heard my scream and blaster shots, clones coming to help us and shoot out the terrorists.

I can't focus on that though, can't even register someone calling my name as I drag Ahsoka into a bushy area to get cover from the shots. She's bleeding, a lot and her eyes open and close slowly. She's going to die part of me thinks.

"No" I whisper as tears start falling down my face. "Stay awake Ahsoka please". My grip on her is tight and I tear a peice of cloth to wrap around her waist. "[Name]...what's happening?" She looks weak and dejected, it's not a look that suits her. "Your going to be fine" I say with firmness. "Why are your crying?" She asks and brings her hand to hold my face and wipe the tears away. I haven't even registered Obi-Wan standing above me and crouching down to assess Ahsokas injuries. Anakin is screaming his head off at everyone and everything to get help. "[Name], you have to let her go. She'll be ok but we have to get her to the cruiser" Obi-Wan speaks softly to not upset me but I can barley register what he's saying. I do register him trying to peel my arms off of ahsoka which does upset me. I pull ahsoka tighter to me and cradle her shoulder under my chin."[Name]. Let her go, she will die if you do not let us help." I look down and notice she's fallen unconscious and I realize the fatal seriousness of the situation. I nod and kiss her head before handing her off to Obi-Wan so he can help put her on a stretcher.

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

When Ahsoka wakes up she is blinded by the white lights above her, she blinks slowly. There's machines beeping and iv's in her arm. She turns her head and sees you, asleep in the chair next to the hospital bed, your still wearing the clothes from the battle.

The battle. She remembers. She fell. And you were there.

"Yknow she hasn't left your side since you fell" Anakin speaks from her side. "It took me and Obi-Wan eons to convince her to get some sleep." He softly chuckles. Ahsoka admires your sleeping face, lips parted and brows furrowed. "How long was I asleep?" She asks, eyes still focused on you. "5 days." Her master replies with a sorrowful tone, she can tell he hasn't gotten any sleep either. "FIVE DAYS????!!@" She nearly yells and immediately covers her mouth remember that your sleeping right next to her. She sees you stir and blink slightly. You looks up and it takes you a few seconds to realize she's looking back and you, awake.

You jump up from your seat and carefully grab her hands and look at her with awe. "Ahsoka! You're- you're awake!!" You smile and feel your eyes tear up a bit, and breathe out a sigh of relief. You both just stair at eachother with lovesick little faces. Anakin clears his throat and begins to shuffle out the door.

"Right well, good to see you snips but I think I hear Obi-Wan calling my name." He quickly shuts the door and leaves the two of you alone.

"I'm sorry." You both speak at the same time. Small giggles fall from your lips and she laughs with you. "Wait what are you sorry for?" She asks worridley.

"Well um I mean the whole reason you fell is because I distracted you and then you fell and I didn't stop you from falling and then when you did fall all I did was-mmph" your words are cut off from her leaning up and kissing you with as much grandure as she can muster. Your cheeks are on fire and she pulls away just enough to look into your eyes looking for something in their [e/c] haze.

Both your heads whip to the door at the sound of someone speaking. Eyes wide with embarrassment.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't see that. See you at supper [name]" Obi-Wan playfully chides from the doorway and once again the two of you are alone.

♡THE END♡

#ahsoka x reader #clone wars ahsoka #anakin and ahsoka #ahsoka tano x reader #star wars x y/n #star wars #clone wars #clone wars x reader

[bensonsbobblehead]

It Takes A Village - Emily Prentiss x Reid!Daughter

Summary: Reid teenage daughter and Emily has an amazing relationship but its put to the test when Emily "dies"

Pairings: Emily Prentiss x Reid!Daughter

Content warnings: death, arguing, yelling

Category; Angsttt

Word Count: 1.6K

[masterlist]

a/n: im finally back, my last week of school is this week so ill be back to posting :))) hope you like this one may be a part 2!!!

The BAU had been Spencers and Y/N family for the longest time. Raising a child at a young age was a challenge for Spencer. He of course handled it with grace, but also with the people of the BAU. Ever since y/n came into Spencer's life the BAU had loved the girl like their own. 

Rossi always teaching y/n to cook Italian “correctly”. Y/n loved going to his mansion for dinners with the team. Gracia always spoiling y/n since she was young. Taking her to get her nails done, cry sessions, and sneaking y/n to see horror movies even though her dad thought it gave her nightmares. JJ was also perfect with y/n being her godmother and all, she spent countless days having sleepovers with her. 

Y/n loved her family, even though they weren’t blood-related. She loved her extended aunts and uncles but Emily had always had a special place in her heart since she joined the BAU. Like everyone else on the team y/n had to feel Emily out. 

Y/N had never seen Emily and was always cautious of new people, so when Emily decided to talk to her on a particularly bad day it couldn’t end well. 

Y/N stormed into the bullpen after getting into a fight at school. It was never like her to react in violence but she reached her wits end after being bullied. Spencer was very understanding but still a bit disappointed. Approaching her teenage years were going to be rough, It didn’t help that y/n was constantly changing. 

She sat down with her eyebrows scrunched and with anger seeping from her. She was a bomb waiting to explode. Emily walked in finally getting used to the BAU routine and sat across from her. 

“Hey, are you waiting for someone?” Emily said nicely noticing how angry the girl was. Emily knew about y/n but had never seen any pictures of her so she had believed she was a victim waiting for an agent. 

“Are you waiting for someone?! You look too old to be my Uncle Aaron's assistant.” Y/n said rolling her eyes catching Derek’s and Spencer's attention as they were walking back from getting coffee. 

“Y/N! Say sorry now! This is Emily a new member of the team.” Spencer said as tears grew in y/n eyes. She was never a mean girl but her emotions were all over the place lately. Y/N was utterly embarrassed for being so disrespectful.

“I’m so so sorry, Emily please don’t hate me. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Y/N said running towards the bathroom before Emily could reply. 

“I’ll go talk to her,” Emily said to Spencer, Emily always grew up around constant change, and adding a new member to your family is a big change. 

“Hey, y/n it’s Emily, and I promise I don’t hate you. Your dad told us about school so I completely understand.” After a few moments of silence, y/n opened the door with puffy red eyes. 

“Why are you being nice to me when I was so mean to you?” Y/n asked through her tears.

“I can tell you’re a great girl who’s just having a bad day.” Emily smiled rubbing her shoulder causing y/n to hug her. Even though her dad always told her to be wary of strangers y/n felt different about Emily. 

Since that day Emily had been the person y/n went to for everything. Spencer had done everything perfect but he would never truly understand what it was like to be a girl, especially one approaching womanhood. Emily talked and helped y/n through everything. Boys, school, periods, everything, Emily was there for y/n. 

When Doyle started to enter Emily's life again, things changed between them. Days before Emily “died” they got into a heated argument. It was the night Emily decided to leave thinking it would keep everyone safe. She had no intention of running into y/n, more so her showing up at her apartment. Not that she didn’t mind, this just wasn’t the best time. 

“Y/N why are you here?” Emily said approaching the door and walking past y/n without even looking at her, “Nice to see you to Auntie Em.” Picking up skills from her dad she could tell something was up. 

“Y/N I need you to go, okay? You can’t be here.” Emily said quietly opening the door and frantically packing a few things. 

“Slow down Auntie Em what's going on? Are you leaving?” 

“I need you to go, for your safety leave,” Emily said grabbing her shoulders and looking in her eye. Emily knew what Doyle was capable of and didn’t want y/n to get caught in the crossfire. 

“Not until you tell me what’s going on? I came here to talk to you about that thing and get help on what do nex—“ y/n was cut off by a very angry Emily. 

“I'M NOT YOUR MOTHER. Go get help from your dad or JJ or anyone but me. I don’t care who just get out.” Emily shouted causing y/n to step back. She had never yelled at her like this. 

“Okay. I’m sorry.” Y/n whispered as tears grew in her eyes walking towards the door. Y/N never had a mom who was in the picture. Emily was the closest thing, it hurt y/n even more for Emily to say such a thing. 

After the argument, the days moved fast and Y/N was getting picked up from practice to go to the hospital. 

“She never made it off the table.” 

Y/N had just walked in when she heard her Aunt JJ say the words. She never made it off the table. 

“Who? Dad? Who died?” Y/n said dropping her bag on the ground. 

“Y/n…. Emily died sweetie.” JJ said softly to the girl preparing for her reaction. 

“No... NO! I want to see her, please! She’s .. please let me see her JJ.” Y/n screamed as Jennifer pulled the girl into a hug. 

The Reid household had struggled for weeks. It was the worst thing the pair had been through until finally, it was some a bit of normalcy again. Spencer was back working and Y/N had returned to school. Everything was okay, y/n visited Emily's grave almost every day to eat and talk with her. It wasn’t the same but it helped y/n.

The morning Emily came back was probably the best morning the Reids had yet. Y/N had won her championship game and school was almost coming to an end. 

“Emily would be so proud of you.”  Spencer always reminded the girl. 

She was walking to her next class when her dad texted her to come to the BAU after school for a small celebration on her win. Y/N was gonna be late due to the fact the team was having a get-together she had to be there for. 

At the BAU Hotch was gathering the team to tell them about Emily. After the news broke about Emily, Spencer immediately thought about Y/N. He wanted to tell her on his own. But it was too late, she was already walking through the doors with a smile on her face. Spencer knew this would blow her world up. 

Noticing the empty bullpen Y/N walked toward the round table doors before her dad stopped her. 

“What’s going on Dad?” Seeing the looks on everyone’s faces through the blinds. 

“Y/N you can’t go in there. Okay for your good.” 

“Okay fine” deciding not to push her dad to let her go in, “But I have to tell you abo—-“ she was cut off by a familiar voice. A voice she cried wishing she could hear again for weeks. The same voice that reassured her after her first heartbreak. 

“Y/N” Emily said causing Y/N head to snap. The pair was frozen staring at each other. They could see the different emotions and thoughts going through the teens head. 

“I’m so sorry honey, we had to for my safety,” Emily explained, by this time the entire team was out of the room watching the interaction occur. 

“We?” Y/n looked at Emily puzzled, did someone else know she was alive? The teen thought to herself. 

“I had to honey so we could keep us all safe, especially your auntie em,” JJ said to the girl hoping she would understand.

Y/N was hurt, JJ and Aaron had been lying to her about Emily being dead. JJ was there to see the aftermath of Emily’s death and never said anything. 

“I FUCKING hate you! You saw what it did to me dad and me! And you said nothing.” Y/n yelled at JJ with all the hurt in the world.

Y/n was speechless she had just picked herself up from Emily’s death. Her mental health and grades were just starting to slightly recover. 

“Y/n please let me explain,” Emily begged.

“NO! Do you remember our last conversation? What you said to me?” Y/n yelled voice echoing through the bullpen.

“Huh?! Do you? Do you even know what we went through? What I had to go through?” Y/n continued, everyone in the room understanding. 

“I couldn’t eat or sleep for WEEKS, my dad was destroyed, and I almost got kicked off the team. God... I wish you were dead.” Y/n stormed off with her dad following behind her. Emily started to follow the two until Spencer turned around. 

“Just..give us some time Emily.” He said as nicely as he could. Spencer was just as angry as everyone else in the room but knew he had to be there for his daughter. 

The father-daughter pair arrived at home before Spencer could say anything the girl ran to her room and slammed the door. Y/N felt completely betrayed and hurt. She just wanted to disappear.

#Emily Prentiss #Emily Prentiss x daughter #Spencer Reid daughter #Spencer Reid x daughter!reader #Emily Prentiss x daughter!reader #spencer reid dad #spencer reid x daughter #spencer reid imagine

[mariandjarin]

Short story by @mariandjarin

Them

Eleni Skirata thoughts diary Part 2

Being with Clone Force 99 has been cool, but at the same time, I have felt it like a countdown.

Together, we have done five missions, two of which were part of Echo's rescue.

I don´t know how many more missions we need to do together before Order 66, but I haven't discovered the words to explain to my squad about the inhibitor chips without killing them.

I still haven't discovered why I'm still alive too.

I don't show my force abilities because I would like to say I don't have a bomb that could explode at any moment, but at the same time, I feel a knot in my throat for the important details I am hiding from them.

For now, the only things they know from me are about my buir, my vode, and, of course, Sev.

Something very disgusting for Crosshair, who is still saying that relationship is forbidden

That gray snake can have those comments, but if Sergeant Vau didn't change my feelings, neither will he.

Tech is the one who always tells me where Sev is.

That is the only detail I care to know about him.

No messages, no love letters. Even when I still love him, I want to keep him safe.

Hunter knows I barely can´t sleep at night thinking about what Sev could be feeling outside—he, any of my vode, or even my buir. He has tried to give me comfort when I can´t handle the situation, but he can't make me not have despairing thoughts.

Wrecker´s toy Lula helps me sleep when I can't cry anymore. He is proud that at least that can help me sleep when I have cried enough or am very tired.

Echo is there too. He listens as well as Hunter does.

But that is my emotional situation. On the battlefield or during a mission, I focus on it.

Nothing more than that, and of course above that, my squad status.

One night I was writing in my diary when Crosshair came near me and sat by my left side.

He had a toothprick.

You know how much he loves those toothpicks.

-What are you putting in there, sweetie? Crosshair said with his snake voice.

I stopped writing and turned to look at him. Then I answered.

-Ideas for a speech I will need to give someday.

-A speech, uh? You are not very good at that.- Crosshair said

I noticed, and then I said.- I know, but the good thing about that speech is that it is going to be only for the people I care about.

After that, I got up from the place where I was writing on our ship, and then I started to walk to the space where I sleep.

You are not planning to kill yourself, right? Crosshair asked at the time he followed me.

I gave a sigh, then turned to look at him and said it with an angry tone. - If I wanted to do that Cross, then I would have done it a long time ago without telling anyone. I know you think I am childish and weak, but I also know that feeling what I feel is okay because I am a human being that cares about the people around her and...

Crosshair threw his toothprick to the floor, then he put his right hand behind my head. I didn't know he wanted to do that but he did

-Allow me to remind you how strong you are.- He said

After that, he leaned close to me, and then he kissed me.

I didn't stop him.

I didn't tell him. I didn't want to kiss him.

In a way, I wanted it.

So we kissed each other for a while, and when we finished, we cuddled and slept together.

Important note: Nothing more than that happened.

That surprised me in a way, but I need to say I felt something for him.

It was just like Sev.

Maybe that made me not stop him.

After that night, Crosshair and I began to be more close.

And then yes, more kisses, more cuddles, more of everything except what is most important—of course, nothing of sex.

Sev didn´t know about it.

Or at least he couldn´t because he couldn´t see us in our missions or relax time.

I felt bad in a way, but at the same time, good.

But the love story needed a pause.

I needed to think about how to explain to my squad what I know about Order 66, the inhibitor chips, and Darth Sidious plans.

Love is not the only thing that can't be at war without inner conflict.

Peace is the other thing that is not in wartime and life without inner conflict

#clone force 99 #star wars #crosshair #crosshair x oc #hunter #bad batch #hunter bad batch #tech bad batch #echo bad batch #wrecker bad batch #crosshair bad batch #sev republic commando #walon vau

[peace-for-levi]

Morgen; Chapter 3: Wird die Sonne wieder scheinen

Synopsis: reader’s mind is plagued with thoughts of their childhood and after weeks of routine established between reader and levi, he is surprised when they don’t get out of bed. Levi, not knowing any better, assumes it is menstrual cramps. He also tries gelato for the first time!

Content warning: soooorta exposition-heavy chapter, but it should tie in. child abuse (implied physical, emotional and verbal), it’s mentioned levi takes pain medication occasionally, abandonment issues, intense mourning, a bit of a breakdown, terminal illness mentions, levi having horny thoughts that he shouldn’t have

taglist: @wortverlust (jo has done some AMAZING artwork for this), @levmada (a massive thank-you for editing and beta-reading some of this) @levi-my-beloved (an even BIGGER thank you for beta-reading the rest of it iN ONE SITTING) @starstruckkittensweets @notgoodforlife @galactict3a @sckerman @ackermandick @licuadora-nasir @maries-gallery

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(Insolent child… Insolent child…)

You could never remember how your father looked. Not that you wanted to. 

He was an angry man with angry eyes, with brows always knit together. Crows feet were stabbed at the corner of his eyes from faking jovial smiles to the neighbours as if he wasn’t like a ticking bomb waiting to explode just moments before. 

(Good for nothing…) 

You were always okay, though. 

You lived on a small farmstead surrounded by lilies and tulips and bright daisies. You spent your days in the garden reading or sketching after tending to the garden. The garden was so lively and buzzing with activity, it was as if the goddess Flora herself had blessed this piece of haven herself. Your mom was a florist and apothecary owner while your dad worked on the farm, and your grandmother lived not too far away. She had been getting a bit frail, so she moved closer to your family. 

You had your mother and grandmother. So, you were fine. Great, even. 

Plus, out in the flowers, nothing bothered you. No thoughts could reach you while you admired their splendour and beauty. 

(Dirty animal…)

Animals liked you too, especially the sheep. You could rest your head on top of them as you laid in the overgrown grass, hiding from everything and everyone. You just had to crouch down a bit here and there when your dad came. 

It was one night at around the age of seven or eight when you sauntered back inside. Dusk had been setting, fireflies were dancing among the barley grass. That usually meant it was dinner time. 

When you closed the door behind you, there was a suitcase by the front room. You looked on ahead and noticed your mom in the small, cramped kitchen. She was stirring the pot and normally when you came in, you’d greet her with a relieved smile. 

You had come back, thank the Walls. 

For it wasn’t the first time - nor the last - you announced you were running away. And she knew your convictions: if push came to shove, you’d do it. You had done it. 

(Everything’s your fault.)

Granted, you only ran a block away to your grandmother’s house, and that was always your mom’s first idea on where you’d disappear to.

That night, though, she looked terribly frightened. 

You sat down at the table as a bowl of chunky vegetable stew was placed in front of you. You babbled away about the flowers that bloomed, about the sunshine that shone brightly today in the garden that made for good reading light—and she saw that same sun shining in yours. 

Her lower lip trembled when she noted the few gashes and bruises that dotted your arm, like blotched paint on a canvas. Purple, red and blue. She knew where they had come from, but she didn’t want to admit it herself.

You rambled on and on. “--And then, the moon followed me all the way home!”

She looks up from her stew. “I told the moon to do that,” she says to you, softly, “and he listened to me because he likes you. So, if you’re ever lost, talk to the moon and see if he’s there.”

You flashed a toothy grin (you had lost one of your front teeth recently) and she remained silent after that. Her hands were shaking. 

“Mom, are you cold?” you had asked. 

She stood up and looked at you, and you could see tears welling in her eyes. She shuffled away, hands slipping under the sleeves of her pillowy cardigan as she closed the door to the kitchen. She panicked. She was unable to deal with this any longer.

She had cracked. 

You finished your dinner and walked out to the hall. 

The suitcase was gone. 

You blinked owlishly, pattering into the living room where the angry man stirred the fire. The coal rocks sparked embers as they fell and collided against each other and the whole room felt way too hot. 

Suffocating, stifling. 

You couldn’t breathe. 

“She’s gone, you know.” The angry man said. 

“...What?” 

“She’s gone. She’d still be here if you weren’t such a leech.” He said. 

Now, it was even harder to breathe. Any breath you tried to let out got lodged in your throat.

You brought your hand to your chest and coughed, tears beginning to well up in your eyes. 

No, no, no! 

You were fine if she was there. Maybe she went to your grandmother’s house as well? But, would she go to your father’s mother’s house? Perhaps not. Where was she going? Why did she need a suitcase? How much had she packed? 

“You’re nothing more than a fucking brat, you get that through your head,” he snarled. He whirled around angrily, but you had already ran out of the room, up the stairs, and locked the door to your room. 

That night, you stayed up to see if she would come back from your grandmother’s, or from her walk. 

She didn’t. 

You sat by that window for hours on end, looking for any signs of movement. From the wind blowing through the fuchsia bushes, or the sound of footsteps against the dirt path. Or, or the sound of the neighbours talking with full baskets in hand, having just come back from the nearby fishing town for food.

(Your fault. It’s all your fault.) 

(She couldn’t stay because of you, couldn’t put up with you.)

(You’ll never see her again.)

Maybe a week had passed, or two - or could it have been a month? You had stopped counting - before you saw her again. Suitcase was back and it had been wheeled up the dirt path, leaving a trail behind her. Evidence that she had left you. Abandoned you. 

When would she leave again? 

How long was she here to stay this time? 

(Would it be my fault if she left?)

It was a baseless argument, maybe even an insult from your dad, but to your young brain, it made perfect sense. He was the parent, you were the child; there didn’t need to be any logic or sense behind his words. You just had to listen to him because he was right and you were wrong. 

You couldn’t identify how or what you were feeling—but it hurt. There was a pain in your chest and a throb in your head when you saw her at the bottom of the staircase, smiling at you as if nothing had happened. Her arms were opened wide, waiting to embrace you. 

But you didn’t run down the stairs like you normally would. She noted this and dropped her arms, but she said to meet her in the garden. 

That flowery heaven where strangely all the bad things of this life vanished, where you felt so at ease.

Daisies were your favourite. There was something so simplistic about them, not too fanciful like other flowers. Similar to how you were simplistic in your needs and wishes. You just needed your mom, your flowers, a book, and somewhere away from the angry man who caused so much chaos and destruction. He was the stormy cloud that’d wash away a spring’s gift of blossoms, awash down the field and utterly destroyed for the next season, for the ground would be sopping wet all year. 

Your mother stood before you in the middle of the field, bending down to shoo the stray chicken that had wandered in away. Her hair was flowing free, and there was no hunch in her back the way there normally was. She looked so free, so relaxed and content. 

What was happening? 

She heard you approaching and walked over to you slowly, testing the waters. Nevertheless, she pulled you into her arms but you stopped at nothing to break free. 

You didn’t want to be hugged right now. You’re immediately fighting the hug, thrashing about in her arms and punching. This wasn’t fair. She couldn’t just hug you now. 

“Why?! Why would you leave me?!” you screeched. Your voice cracked, tears flowing unabashedly down your face. 

But she hugged you tight, and you felt so secure. A sense of peace had returned to you that you had been missing for god knows how long. She held you tighter and tighter until you stopped resisting. 

You didn’t hug her back, though. Your arms just fell to your sides. It was a few moments of silence before you piped up again. “Are… Are you leaving again soon?”

“Yes, darling, I am,” she expressed, but there was something in her tone you didn’t appreciate. Happiness? Relief? Your face scrunched up with a sour expression, until she said, “But you’ll be coming with me this time.”

You stepped back. “Huh?”

Your whole life up until now, you had held the understanding that you were some sort of loathed pest. You were keeping your father tied to your family when he probably never wanted a wife and kids anyway. You weren’t needed. 

Not even wanted. 

But… now? Your mother was taking you away from it all? Surely it meant you were wanted, and loved, and the opposite of everything your father had beat into you. 

She explained it’d be a house in Shiganshina that you’d move to. Her flower and herbal shop would be just around the corner, and your grandmother would be living with you two as well.

It seemed like everything would be okay.

But every night once you moved… you would check the closets for a packed suitcase religiously. She had packed her bags before and left when it got hard - even if it was to prepare for your new chapter here… 

Similarly, you would wake up ahead of everyone to make sure nobody had left in the middle of the night or that there was no suitcase by the door. 

After all, what would stop them from leaving? Everybody else seemed to.  

.

.

.

.

How long had it been since you saw them last… ten years, no?

.

.

.

.

Both you and Levi had to get used to your separate routines fairly quickly. You had no choice in the matter.

Levi had to accept that you would get up later and would spend way too much time in the shower in the morning. He doesn’t know why it takes so long to wash yourself when he is in and out within three minutes. 

But you made breakfast, so he didn’t mind (at least not too much.) Levi liked cooking - you gathered this from all the cookbooks on his table - but seldom used the ingredients in the cupboards (he claimed they were for when he was feeling ‘adventurous’ or ‘bored beyond reason.’) When you found out he was more than happy to eat just canned foods, you nearly flipped. When you first found out, you insisted on making breakfast the next day and that became your routine. 

He didn’t mind. Eggs fried in the fat of bacon with some fresh fruit from the night before? Major upgrade from peanut butter and pinto beans (yes, he really wasn’t adventurous in the kitchen. Especially after learning that you needed butter AND milk to make decent mashed potatoes.) Levi would always make the tea though. Usually it was just for himself, though. You had to put on your ‘big girl pants’ to make some for yourself. But if he was feeling generous, he’d brew a whole pot. 

Breakfast was always prepared as he showered, which meant waiting for you to use the bathroom  first. But wow, did you take forever. So as it would happen, he would just be sitting there with damp hair dripping down the back of his shirt. If he stands up to swap out a new book to read, you can sometimes see his back muscles through the shirt and you have caught yourself ogling him every now and then.

You felt no shame in it; he was an attractive man after all. And besides, ogling to the point of burning an egg only happened once or twice!

He’d quickly scold you for wasting his eggs though and start moaning about your apparent idleness in the shower, when he was in the mood to moan. 

(“Levi, it’s called a ‘cleanse.’”)

(“Cleanse? Well, yes, dummy, you do clean yourself in the shower. But it doesn’t have to take more than twenty minutes.”)

(“...I have a process.”)

And your process also meant clogging up whatever space on his bathroom shelves you could find. Levi was a simple man, happy with just his aftershave, razor, pair of nail-clippers and various soaps and prescribed salves for his leg. But you came home one day after your first noticeable profit with tons of lotions and creams and moisturisers. 

He thinks they’re all pointless. But he doesn’t tell you that. 

He also understands there are different beauty standards here; he notices women need to hold themselves to higher standards set by men that sometimes they can’t even maintain. The time spent in the shower during their so-called ‘cleanse’ to make themselves look nice, to wearing makeup nearly every goddamn day, choosing what clothes to go with what shoes–

He gets a headache thinking about it. He just hopes you’re happy with your appearance, hopes you see yourself the way he sees you. He'd hate nothing more than for you to feel insecure, because he truly feels you have no need to be. Not that your body image was up to him, or under his control. 

After breakfast comes getting dressed, naturally. Levi doesn’t dress up too fancily for work. He eyes his reflection in the hand mirror that is kept in the bedside drawer, checking for any loose stubble that needs to be shaved away that he might have missed. He may not dress too formal for work - a long-sleeved shirt and slacks that are loose enough to wriggle his bad leg into with ease - but that doesn’t mean he isn’t meticulous in his upkeep and appearance. 

When you got dressed, you wore a pair of loose culottes - or any pair of pants that were airy and flowy enough to walk around in, since you were on your feet a lot - and any light blouse. Your hair was styled in such a way that it was never dangling in your face. 

Sometimes you visit him in the teashop around lunchtime. There’s minimal talking, but as the days go on the silence becomes a more comfortable one. Levi sometimes asks if he can brew you anything as you read your book, and you’re quite content sitting in the cosy little shop, reading and just enjoying the time of just being - something that you were not used to experiencing. 

Regardless of whether you two saw each other during work or not, before you start your days, you would always meet in the kitchen and a curt (and a wave from you) nod is exchanged. From you, a, ‘come on, we can still be best friends like old times!’ nod and wave, and from him, an, ‘I’ll nod because that’s all I can manage without stumbling like a lovestruck fool’ kind of gesture.

And a lovestruck fool he is. 

He realises this the morning you don’t get out of bed and make breakfast. When you don’t waste all the hot water either, or how you don’t wave him goodbye in the morning.

He feels almost empty without you that morning as he makes his own eggs and bacon. They’ll wake up in just a bit, they probably overslept, he tells himself. 

Besides, he sometimes required an extra pair of hands in the morning - be it from Onyankopon, Gabie or Falco (though naturally as his flatmate, you were the easiest to ask) - and when the clock chimes 7.30AM  and you’re still not awake, Levi thinks he’s on his own. He didn’t hear the squeak of the shower door at ten minutes to eight, so he knew for certain he had to get moving. 

Levi is used to shuffling up and down the stairs now, even if it takes him a few minutes. You had mentioned in passing about moving two blocks down that had an apartment on the ground floor to rent, but Levi felt a bit too comfortable here. Yes, he was, in his own way, comfortable taking five minutes walking down a flight of stairs (with the help of some pain medication.) Maybe he was just tired of change. 

He feels that this morning when he’s a few minutes late to opening because he normally has an extra pair of hands helping him set up. Not to mention this morning, his leg was killing him. He hobbles over to the door as best as he can and unlocks it before going back behind the countertop. Immediately he is faced with a queue of people waiting to be seated. If he had a few more minutes to mentally prepare, he’d be in a better mood. The scowl is written all over his face from the furrow of his thin brows, to his signature pout. 

Ackerman’s is quite famous in downtown Marley and some people have come to accept that Levi isn’t fantastic at customer service, but they also know that he has been through a lot. These are the people who see him beyond ‘just’ an Eldian. 

He sees a regular customer and her daughter; Claudia and her five-year-old, Alina, hand-in-hand as they call for their usual. Levi tries to wipe the sour look from his face and goes to make the jasmine tea for the mother and black tea with a drop of fresh milk for the girl. However slow his brain or body works, tea does come natural to him. He’s had more practice since the war ended, it’s like a sixth sense for him now more than ever. 

He limps over - he does feel it’s important to serve the customers when his leg allows it - with the tray in his hand. Though he’s no longer a soldier and his leg now makes him unbalanced, he walks (or tries to) with purpose. He feels he owes everyone that much; he feels he owes everyone the best version of himself because he always had to be the best, for the sake of everyone else. 

He is going to lean down to set the tray onto the table when it happens. White-hot pain shoots up his bad leg and in that instant he’s tossed the tray the other way - he couldn’t afford to drop it haphazardly on the table and burn his customers. That would spell a lawsuit he definitely did not have the money for. 

The pain doesn’t stop though; it’s agonising, throbbing and he loses his balance. The tea has now poured into a puddle on the floor of scalding hot liquid, but unfortunately it’s Levi’s hands that break the fall for him. His palms land into the tea, splashing against his pale, blue shirt and he feels the searing liquid burn his hands that are keeping his body upright. Pain overrules everything and all of sudden, everything is too loud and bright. He feels stuck. 

He’s unable to get up, his leg hurts that bad. 

He hears the mother he was going to serve tea yell at him to get up and she’s scrambling around to pick up the broken shards (that thankfully didn’t stab him on top of getting burned.) 

Fuck his leg. 

Fuck his limited physical capabilities.

Fuck Eren for causing this. 

Fuck the Titans. 

Fuck you for not getting up in time and being so selfish, because he feels this all could have been prevented. But of course, the rational side of his brain kicks in still; his leg was probably going to give out today regardless of whether you got up or not, it’s just that timing wasn’t on his side. Was it ever?

“Mister Levi, let me help you!” a familiar voice brings him back. Levi looks up, his arms now trembling over the complex storm of emotions that courses through him. Emotions he can’t currently identify. “Falco, get the wheelchair out of the storeroom.”

In a matter of minutes, he’s hoisted back up onto the chair and wheeled behind the counter while Gabie cleans up everything. And suddenly, it’s like nothing happened at all. Gabie has learned to clean well with her constant visits here. 

It takes a few minutes for Levi to work through the feelings of his own inadequacy before he is able to speak again. “It’s Saturday, you guys should be enjoying the weekend together.” He chastises. 

Gabie and Falco glance at each other and Falco shrugs a bit, offering to run up and get him a spare shirt or his pain medication, but Levi says he has a spare down here already and that he’s taken a tablet not even an hour ago. Gabie analyses his hands and gasps audibly at the blistering, peeling skin on the heels of his palms. She cries his name and flicks on the tap, frigid cold water gushes out and she is holding his hands.

If Levi didn’t feel like a burden before, he definitely felt like one now. 

“Levi, where’s [F/n]? I thought you both worked? We just passed her shop and–”

“She’s in bed.” He grunted, and Gabie is the one who puts two and two together first. “It’s whatever.” 

“Mm, don’t think so,” Gabie sang back. It was definitely not whatever. “Is she sick– Falco, don’t just stand there, serve some customers!” she barked. Falco, who had just been standing there watching Gabie tend to Levi’s hands, immediately scrambled to serve customers. Gabie turned back to the older man again, inspecting his hands - the burns were already clearing up. “So, is she sick?”

“Didn’t check.”

Gabie deadpanned. “I feel like I’m talking to a moody teenager here, even though you’re like, I don’t know, four times my age or something?!” 

“More like just over twice. You’re fifteen. Late thirties is not that old.” He retorted.

“It’s teetering on the edge of ‘basically ancient’, but my point is: aren’t you old enough to have the freakin’ decency to ask? What if she’s really sick up there?” she asked flippantly, hand extended out. She was scolding him like a child! She can see in his eyes that there is some guilt - everyone knows he doesn’t have it easy. From his leg to his inner demons, to managing a tea shop, perhaps it slipped his mind to actually check in on you. His mind doesn’t work as fast as it used to; whether it was because his mind had simply slowed down or his Ackerman abilities were no longer (as) active, he didn’t know. 

Levi wheels back from the sink after ten minutes, reaching for a towel to dry his hands. Gabie had set a two minute egg-timer and flipped it five times. There was no getting away with anything half-assed with her around, even if she was as young as she was. In the meantime, Falco served everyone and came back with the orange tube of painkillers. 

“Mister Levi, you can take another. This is one or two as needed every four to six hours.”

“I don’t want to.” He replied and went back to preparing an order that was to be shipped out. He could feel Gabie’s gaze piercing him from behind. He stops and clarifies: “I don’t want to become dependent on them.”

“Levi.” Gabie muttered, warning him not to test her patience. 

It was very hard to keep going back and forth with Gabie Braun, Levi learned this very quickly after being more involved in her life after the war. Because sure enough, after the painkillers were taken, he was back on his two feet and knocking on your door. He lets out a ‘tch’ when you don’t answer the door or show signs that you were… well, alive. He presses his ear up against the door just in case you were throwing clothes about or shuffling around to get dressed, but he is met with a deafening silence. 

He twists the knob of your door and searches for your figure in the murky darkness of your room. He hobbles over and peers at you through menacing eyes of mercury. Analytical, judgemental and cynical. He truly feels betrayed this morning, even if the fall and burns on his hands were down to fate and not down to you sleeping in. 

He peels back the comforter revealing your pathetic form. He thinks he hears you sniffling. 

“I knew you were awake. I needed you this morning,” he says in a huff. He retrieves the long pole that you left by the door and pulls open the skylights. He hears you shuffle about, dragging your legs up to your chest, lying in a foetal position. Yes, the man’s heart often bled for you but at this moment, it held no sympathy. “The hell’s up with you?”

You sniffle, your eyes clamping shut. “Sick.” 

“What?”

“I’m sick.” 

Your tone was purely monotonous and devoid of any pep or enthusiasm. Levi merely quirks a thin brow and comes back. It’s rare he sees you in this state, but he’s seen it before. After Neil died - even if the marriage was… messy, to put it politely - you locked yourself in your room for ages. He may have seen you in this state once already, but does that mean he can be particularly helpful? But what if you were genuinely sick? He has never seen you ill before. 

“Are you actually sick?” he asks as he stands up again. When you nod, he leans forward to press the backs of his fingers to your forehead. “No temperature.” 

You shrivel up even more. Are you cold, perhaps? He shakes out your blanket and drapes it over you again, tucking your bare feet in. You give another few sniffles and he feels his heart hurting at the sight. “Sleep it off, then, I guess…” 

After fetching you a glass of water and leaving it on your bedside locker, he drags the blinds closed again and your room is enshrouded in darkness once more. He shuts the door gently behind him and while it’s a struggle, he returns down to the tea shop. Gabie and Falco are waiting in suspense. 

“Well?” comes Gabie. 

“Sick, I told you.” Levi replies. 

Gabie purses her lips and, with a gasp, “Oh, I get it now!”

“What?” says Levi. 

“Has she done this before? She normally locks herself away when–” Gabie pauses to clap when the reason hits her. “She’s on her period!” she whisper-hisses. “Falco, mind the store, Levi and I are heading out!” 

And with that, Levi and Gabie were off to do some errands. 

Namely: buying sanitary towels. 

.

.

.

.

When Loneliness first jabs her hand right through your chest, you feel tight and constricted. It’s like a knife that twists and twists, and you can’t  pull it out. It sinks in further, plunges deep into your soul and spreads like a wildfire. It feels like you have spent the day drowning. You’re suffocating and clawing for breath inside the covers of your bed. 

To love is to have emotional vulnerability, and so without it there can only be a lonely existence. But if loneliness hurt this bad, was the act of loving even worth it? 

When did the seed of loneliness plant itself so deep within you that it feels wholly unescapable? 

You reach your hand out as if there is another to pull you out of your bed and out of your head. Your fist locks however, realising no matter how long it has been, you’ll always end up back here. 

It’s silly, you think, moping out not being able to feel whole and full, when those emotions are only meant to be fleeting. As humans, one could say we are conditioned to always strive for happiness and a sense of longing, regardless of how temporary these feelings are. You know this, so why does it hurt so bad that you just can’t have more of it? 

Is it because the war is over? But no one is really ‘right in the head’ after that. 

(You make a mental note to write to Mikasa, she suffered through this in a way unlike the rest of you. Armin, too, for that matter.)

Is it because your routine is different? No, not really. You love the tranquillity, and the freedom to sleep in just because you can. 

Is it because you are used to being lonely around people who are also lonely? After all of the shit you have gone through in your life, it certainly changed you. It changed the way you see people and the way you interact with others. What is that saying… hurt people hurt people? Or perhaps you are more aware of the hurt that festers within others.

Hell, is there even a reason? There might not be. But at least if there was, you could help yourself.

Levi had just interrupted your moping and you could have asked him to help. Although, it has been a while since you asked him for help. The help you asked him for before in the past was usually very hands-on - helping with straps, sitting with each other after an expedition - but feeling sad for no reason? 

You roll around in your bed and you feel something hard poke into your backside. You root around and pull out your sketchpad. Your vision bleary, you rub away the sadness and grime and flick through the pages. Drawings of your shop, flowers…

Your mother…

Erwin…

Hange…

You’d think by now you’d be used to riding the waves of grief. You know that you have a strong, strong heart. You see and feel that the pain stands as witness to the loving bond that survives the passing. Long after they’re gone. 

Ah, so was this grief? 

How long had you been holding this in for? 

It takes your brain a moment to flitter back. To hear the bespectacled brunette’s cheery laughter. And you’re sobbing. Grief and Death have walked with you for years. Though those feelings ebb over time, sometimes there is an error or breakdown where it just becomes a little too much. Where your heart is just a little too tired of trying to hold you together like a fine china cup that has been hastily glued back together, to try to face the next hurdle in life. 

That’s what you and Levi are: fragments and broken pieces that always had to be glued back together and never given a chance to grieve, feel and rest. You’re gasping in deep strokes; as if your soul needs to bleed an ocean through your eyes. Where grief holds your hand, you’re having trouble finding the flowers it has left behind as memories. That’s all you’re ever left with after all is said and done. 

You want to hug your mom and tell her about the flower shop you opened up in her honour. You want Hange to teach you more about human and Titan anatomy. You want more book recommendations from Erwin. 

You want, and you want, and you never get it. 

It is these tears and hiccups that remind you that you are alive, and it is this sadness that keeps your soul aflame in this furnace of melancholy . It reminds you that you are alive, and you have to sob and gasp and claw at your pillow - screaming, crying out in enraged agony, clawing at whatever resolve you have left - and that you have to go through this ordeal. 

You had given yourself a chance to grieve now, now that the Battle of Heaven and Earth had long since concluded. But whereas before there was relief in crying after a loved one died, perhaps the subconscious repression was what kept you ‘there’ and ‘stable.’ Because right now, this does not feel like a big weight is being lifted from your shoulders. It’s gaining and gaining, heavier and heavier, and you’re being dragged down into your memories. 

You spot a picture of Levi. It was a quick doodle from the other day. 

His eyes are vacant and distant. 

Anyone who only knows Levi superficially would think he is an emotionless bastard who’s lost his ability to feel all and any emotion. That the reason he was able to become Humanity’s Strongest was because he had lost himself within that war and as such, was able to bear the suffering of others. 

That couldn’t be more untrue. 

The latter part is only true, though, because he was emotional. He knows what it is to be human - so incredibly human - but also knows that it is sometimes a luxury. 

Levi always had a glimmer in his eyes. He was stoic and abrasive, and you did not want to talk to him in the morning before he had some tea… or indeed in the afternoon before he had some tea…  but there was always something there. A sense of drive and purpose. 

One might call him a slave to the dead; always having to move forward and fight to give his comrades’ deaths meaning. 

But in your sketch - and you remember the way he looked that day too - he looked so painfully hollow. You could count on your right hand the amount of times you have seen him like this. After Isabel and Farlan, after Erwin’s death and Hange’s. 

But also…

On your wedding day when he walked you down the aisle to Neil. 

“You look beautiful.” He had told you, but his eyes betrayed what came out of his lips. Was he only saying that because it was customary to say that to a bride on her wedding day?  

He said this to you as you lifted your veil back and showed him your face that was lightly dusted in make-up. Make-up was a rarity in Wall Rose and it had cost quite a bit of your salary to order some in from Wall Sine. You remember feeling his calloused thumb hold your face as you looked at him with equally vacant eyes. 

After all, you were marrying a man you weren’t quite sure if you loved or not.

But he told you to keep going, to keep walking. That your then husband-to-be was waiting for you. Your eyes welled with tears, you remember and you scoff. It’s ironic he told you to go with your husband, despite how visibly against this union he was. Maybe it was acceptance. 

You fiddle with the gold band on your finger though. It’s humbling and saddening; you didn’t manage to save him. 

Even your husband, whom you didn’t quite love, left you. 

Who was next?

Why did there always have to be a next?!

You gasp again and inhale sharply. You could tear the pillow sheets from how hard you’re tugging at them. Your pulse is rapid, hammering. You’re shaking and there is no sign of stopping. Your breaths are pinched, lodged in your throat and small. 

I don’t want to be alone, I don’t want to be alone, I don’t—

You’re stunned silent by the short man opening the door to your room with a brown paper bag. His brows are knitted together and a frown tugs at his lower lip

“I can hear you sobbing from out in the kitchen. What the hell is up with you?” 

[Just before…] 

Levi had never been so confused while shopping before. He arrived back in with a brown paper bag, filled with sanitary towels, tampons and snacks.

Gabie kindly wheeled him to the supermarket and took some change from the till. He told Falco to mark down the amount taken. 

To clarify: Levi knew what periods were and that women need products to deal with the flow of uterine tissue. However, a lot of these products he hadn’t heard of before. Or at the very least, they weren’t available on Paradis. He knew women in the dorms back at their old base had rag bins, but these new pads - as per what Gabie called them - had adhesive strips to them. 

“What are those sticky things at the side?” he had asked Gabie. 

“Wings, Levi. Do you think she likes wings?” 

“Wings? Like on a bird?” 

Needless to say, he was not expecting this sort of culture shock. 

It was late enough in the afternoon when he returned with Gabie and he decided he’d had enough of, well, everything, for the day, and told Falco it was okay to close up. He headed up the stairs after sending the teens home. 

It had been a long day. He was ready to snooze in front of a book and maybe brew some tea. Even the brown paper bag seemed to be weighing him down; that’s how tired he was. 

His shoulders dropped as he let out an exasperated sigh. She was at his door again. 

“Levi, good evening.” She smiled. 

“Ioana.” He returned. He peered down at her hand that was holding onto the metal railing, like she was holding it there to flaunt off something or holding it there with purpose. He spies the triad of diamonds sitting atop a silver ring. “Congratulations. Seems he finally made the move.”

The brunette smiled warmly at him, but there was a hint of… something underneath it. And he just couldn’t quite pinpoint  what that something was. But he didn’t like it. Then again, who was he to cast judgement on anyone in a city he was only barely familiar with? He was the strange one here. His new roommate? Even stranger. 

The lady before him was dressed in a long fur coat that grazed her knees. She was the epitome of beauty and elegance, wearing an obscenely wide hat that framed her angular face. He could still see her obsidian eyes peer through the decorative netting. She always dressed in finery and heels that made her three inches taller than her actual height (though without heels, she’d still be taller than Levi anyway.)

Ioana Meyer was the district’s local representative of sorts for the community. If you had a problem with someone or something, the best course of action would be to write to her and she’d then go through her - now - fiancé who was higher up the chain of command. It seemed politics was going to follow Levi everywhere he went. He didn’t mind too much, but something about such a strict chain of command made him think back to his time in the military; it made him think of Erwin. 

He grimaces and takes a deep breath before speaking. “What are you doing here?”

Ioana acknowledges the comment about her beautiful ring first. “It only took his wife dying for him to finally propose to me,” she snuffed. Levi cleared his throat, not wanting to bring too much of his attention to the first part of that comment. “Anyway, I’m here to hand you this.”

Levi takes the envelope and reads the cover. “‘Residents of 1A…’? What’s in this, exactly?” he asked. He could see Ioana was handing a bunch of envelopes, all without being pre stamped by the local post office. 

“Don’t worry that little head of yours, Levi. You just fill it out and leave it under the doormat. And leave one for that little florist girlie who just moved in!” she beamed, her melodious voice echoing. 

“If this is a census or government form, there’s no need. She lives with me.”

“Ohohohoho, I didn’t think you’d be into girls, Levi!”

“And I didn’t think you’d be the type to be wholly faithful to just one man.” He retorted, a snide reference and jab to her ‘habits’ while in relationships. A gold digger like her never really did the whole ‘commitment’ thing. 

She smiled stiffly. “Hmm, well I’m off then. Cheerio!” And with that, she made sure to stomp down the stairs, letting her annoyance at the short man known to all who lived on the first floor. 

Levi just shook his head and after rooting around for the keys in his pockets and once he has sat down, the paper bag is dumped on the floor. He moves to pinch the bridge of his nose as he lets out a long exhale. He’s even too tired right now to brew some tea. He could just… close his eyes and take a little nap right now and just— 

Whimpering. 

You’re crying. 

Shit. 

Another deep breath and he’s up, brown paper bag in his arms. He pauses right outside though. If you’re going through it, should he really disturb you? He’s not even sure what to say or do if you are on your period. Gabie mentioned tea and sweet things. But, hell, he’s probably seen you on your period before and you seemed to handle it just fine. Are these things normally this painful?

Shit, do you need a doctor? Are you in that much pain? Can periods hurt to the point of tears? He just doesn’t know with you. 

But he decides after his long day that crying about it isn’t going to get you anywhere. So he swings the door open with a loud thud against the wall. 

“I can hear you sobbing from out in the kitchen. What the hell is up with you?” 

You gasp and lift your head up, sitting now. Your hands move to shield your eyes, but Levi heard it all. He walks over to you and sits down, paper bag on the floor. 

His tone was harsh and abrasive as it normally is - and it’s enough to take you back to the ‘old times’ you two had together, or how things used to be - but how he feels on the inside will always betray how he looks on the outside. As mad as he is right now, his eyes are stinging a bit to see you cry, much like they always have. His heart feels heavy, like it’s weighing him down and being dragged behind him like a ball and chain. 

Hange would always be the one who’d help you calm down when you cried. He’s seen you cry, but Hange would always be the one to walk you away so that you two could talk by yourselves. The late commander would say something reassuring. 

And now, Hange wasn’t here. 

It was just Levi and you. 

You had been sobbing into your pillow and none of your friends were here. Neil wasn’t here, your mom, Hange. No one. It was just him. 

And as much as he wanted to, he was only himself; he could not possibly replace them. 

You’re gasping in deep strokes again, a new set of tears springing to your eyes. 

He raises a hand. “Stop, stop…” his cold baritone causes you to stiffen and you stop sniffling for a few seconds. 

But it was too much to stop now. 

He steps over and sits beside you. There’s this distance between the two of you, probably just over a foot. There’s been this distance between the two of you ever since you moved in, and even when you’re sobbing, he still isn’t allowing himself to get close to you. You follow his eyes and see they’re staring at your hands. You had anxiously picked at them all day, skin peeling down below the cuticles of your nails. You trace further and see the way his hands have locked onto your golden band. 

No way– is he…? 

You twist the ring off and place it inside your bedside drawer, and while it’s small, his shoulders droop a bit in relaxation. You look back at him with blotchy eyes that are raw with tears. Your lower lip wobbles some more. 

“What’s wrong, [F/n]?” he asked, voice so soft. It was one of the few times he addressed you in that tone since you moved in, or said your name so tenderly. It was as if he was frightened to say it any louder, lest he wanted the glass of water on your bedside locker to shatter. 

“I-It’s– It all hurts…” is all you can say. “Everything hurts.”  

He leans down and reaches inside the paper bag. Did he buy painkillers today? Damn it, he forgot. He heads out to the kitchen without a word and you reach out to grab him. Even with his leg being bad today, he still moved quick enough when the situation allowed him to. Still, when he returns with the painkillers from the bathroom, you don’t fail to notice the way he bites his lip in pain as he comes over to you. 

“L-Levi? No… Y-You can go, please, if your leg hurts–”

“Shut up.” He dismisses, reading the back of the box. Nothing here on period pains, but he can assume it’s the same dosage for just a regular headache or muscle ache. He pops out a pill and makes you drink. 

“B-But… Nothing hurts. Like, my head is fine–”

“I told Gabie you weren’t here and she acted. It’s for your cramps. Just take them.” You don’t know what he’s talking about, but you swallow it back anyway. You were probably going to end up with a headache later from all the crying anyway. “It’s… I could just… hear you crying from the kitchen and, well–”

You gulp and he hears it. Are you nervous? 

“I’m sorry…” you say, voice weak and shaky, “today… everything is too much…” Levi turns to look at you properly now as you struggle to string together a sentence. There were many things that left Levi shocked to the core, and seeing you struggle under the weight of your emotions was definitely one of them. The way you looked at him again as you sobbed once more was what made his heart splinter. 

“Everyone– and everything– is different… Everyone is gone. And I am all alone…” you wept. You think back to Erwin, how you never got to say goodbye. You think back to Simon - you could have been on the verge of a breakthrough. And you think about Hange who you were too slow to save. “I– I don’t like being alone, a-and…”

He purses his lips together in thought. “Isn’t it enough that I am here?” 

Sheesh, he thinks to himself, that was presumptuous. 

He was wrong for saying that, and he sees it immediately the way your jaw falls slack. 

“Are you kidding? Y-You’ve been s-so unapproachable lately… I don’t know how to get through to you…” you sigh, waving your hands flippantly. Your breaths are erratic and you feel so unbelievably hot. Nevertheless, you continue. “You’re so different and colder. I-I never thought I’d miss you being an asshole so much!” you yelled. 

He’s not a fool, of course he knows he’s been acting a bit different. 

But he can’t help it; he feels he’s doing you a disservice by allowing himself to get closer - even closer and more involved than you were back on Paradis - when you still seem so in love with your dead husband. A man who didn’t deserve you, no less. But it was not the time to say that now. He doesn’t want to rush you into getting over him; he knows the journey of grief isn’t a linear path. And if looking fondly back on your husband, or thinking back to simpler times where he wasn’t in the picture helps you cope after everything you two have been through? Then he can try to live with it, especially if that’s what being with you means; always being second place. 

He truly is a love-struck fool. 

He has jumped the gun on assuming you are still hopelessly in love with the guy. But he finds it justified when the connection you two had right up to the marriage was cut and severed once you and Simon exchanged vows; once you started wearing that damn ring. 

In the midst of his own introspection, he’s pulled to your chest. His eyes widen at the movement and he tries to fight it, but by god your hold on him is tight. 

“I just– I need to know… I haven’t made the wrong choice in coming over here to find you again…” you wept. 

He blinks rapidly in confusion. “Huh?” What was that supposed to mean? 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry… Maybe this is all my fault too… Maybe this was all too much for you. M-Maybe I… maybe I’m too much for you…” you whisper, relishing guiltily in the comfort of his warm body. 

At this and without hesitation, he returns the gesture. His arms wrap around you tightly, and he exhales into the crook of your neck. It was an image you didn’t quite want to forget; your strong and perfect captain, allowing himself to sink to your level in order to comfort. 

“I just miss everyone…” you whisper, your voice hoarse. “Please don’t leave me… I don’t think I could handle it.” 

He pushes himself up and looks for your eyes again. You’re clutching onto his calloused hands, and he doesn’t want you to let go. He is no replacement for Hange or anyone else, but he hopes you can lean on him and depend on him. He’s not sure at what part of all this he realised this wasn’t just you being sick, but you were sad. Sick with sadness, or something - who knows. 

“Are– Are you going to leave me too, Levi?” 

“No.” 

It’s the first time in a while he can answer a question without any doubt, or without having to weigh up any options. Without having to decide if this is a choice he’ll regret the least. He’ll take you in any form you give him; any version of you. There’s nothing he regrets when it comes to you. 

“I’ve– I’ve seen you suffer in silence before, back when you were with him. Back when we used to fight Titans. You can pretend to be subtle all you want, but don’t think for a second I don’t notice it,” he warns, but it also doesn’t feel like a warning. You’re twiddling with his fingers still. Your fingertips trace every callous, freckle and hair. He loves the touch; he loves your touch. “I suppose it’s just us now… And I can’t just assume you’ll come to me when you’re like this–” 

“But, I–”

He lets go of your hands to bring his index finger to his lips. “I’m still talking.” 

He can do that much at least. Check in on you. And… maybe allow things to slowly return to the way they used to be. He rests a head on top of your hair though and ruffles it. 

“Don’t cry in your room like some pissy hormonal teenager, though.” 

And at this, you laugh. Genuinely, you laugh. Your laughter is something he could dance to, the soundtrack of his soul. 

“What’s in this mysterious paper bag anyw– You did not!” You exclaim, emptying the contents of the bag on your bed. 

Levi averts his gaze from you now, hoping you don’t catch the way his face flushes a bit. To be fair, he did his best with the information he had!

“What happened to your hand?” you piped up. 

“Burned it while making tea.” He lies swiftly. 

You start to chuckle a bit again, the thought of Levi rushing to the grocery store (with Gabie) to get you emergency period supplies was amusing. It actually made your heart surge a little bit. How was he supposed to know you were having a breakdown in your room? 

“So this is what you meant by my cramps, that I don’t have. Did Gabie help you with all this?” you asked. 

Levi got every single type of pad. Wings, no wings. Light, medium and heavy flow. There were also tampons, some dark chocolate and fizzy sweets. And to top it all off, a little candle. Yeah, your heart was definitely surging now. You looked up to smile softly at him, not caring whether he returned it or not.

“Those, uh– those sticky bits at the sides are called wings…” he mutters under his breath. 

“Oh, really?” you asked. How did he know this? Were these a Marleyan thing? “Ahhh, I see, they stop it from– yeah, okay. I get it. That’s so clever.” 

Well, at least he wasn’t the only one who didn’t know what wings were. 

“You know… Gabie told me another thing that helps when you’re on your period…” you began. 

He quirked a brow. “You’re not on your period.” He corrected.

“Well, I am sad so that’s also a valid reason to go where we are going.”

.

.

.

.

The orange-gold hues of the clouds stretched far as the sun set. Amid the perfume of the blooms of late spring, you two were seated on a bench not too far from your apartment. Levi’s wheelchair laid folded up beside you two while you both ate out of the tubs. 

“What’s the difference between this stuff and the ice-cream that Sasha was gushing about when we first came here?” he asked. His doubt aside, he was loving his zesty lemon gelato. 

You, on the other hand, were quite content with the vanilla. “Hmm.. I don’t know, but it makes you feel better. This is easier on the stomach, I think?” 

“Hmm.” Levi acknowledges, licking the wooden spoon contently. Colour him impressed; Levi likes gelato. “I suppose it’s the sweetness that makes people happy. Not a sweet person, you know that.”

“Levi, you’ve devoured the entire tub. Not a sweets person my ass.” You teased. 

While the two of you bickered, a familiar little kitten came over. Levi groaned while you cheered. You lured her over with a little whisper and she quickly pounced up and nestled onto your lap.

“That thing has fleas, you know.” 

“Well, I will take her home and get flea medicine and she’ll be as good as new!”

“You are not taking it home.”

Try as you might, pouting and putting on your best pair of puppy-dog eyes did not convince Levi. You bickered all the way home about this. There were so many benefits to owning a pet that he was ignoring entirely, focusing only on the amount of ‘shitty cat fur that he’d have to clean up.’ 

Now this was the way things used to be when things were good between you. When there was no stress about relationships or Titans or expeditions; you two could just annoy each other and bicker, and go on walks. Most of the time, the walks were in silence. But that was okay. 

Levi decides then and there he wouldn’t mind you annoying him every day for the rest of his life. 

You say goodnight to him as soon as you both make it back up to the shared apartment. He replies with his typical grunt and he tosses the two tubs into the bin. Shit, they tasted great. As he stretches and cracks all his joints, he spies the envelope that he left on the table that Ioana told him to read. 

With his pocket knife on him - and has been since he was no older than ten - he slices it open and reads the contents inside, pulling out a pink form that had tons of questions on it. 

It looked like a regular census form, but this one was very different. There was a line printed in bold and it rubbed him the wrong way as he read it.

“‘It has come to our attention that there are Eldians living in the listed residence. Please note the number of Eldians living here. Mark a tick in the respective box. Are you: 

a) A Mainland Eldian 

or 

b) A naturalised Eldian from Paradis.’” 

#cece; speaks #husbando tag <3 #levi ackerman #snk spoilers #aot spoilers #levi #levi x reader #cece; morgen #levi ackerman x reader smut #levi ackerman angst #levi ackerman smut #levi ackerman x reader #aot #shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan #snk #hanji zoe #levi x y/n

[swarmofabout1000bees]

!!!MW3 SPOILERS AND RAMBLE BELOW CUT!!!

I know a lot of people really hate the ending and how Soap died, but I think his death was perfectly put, given the context.

The death is usually surprising and out of the blue, let alone a death in war/conflict. There's nothing they could’ve done to really guarantee him or anyone a good/satisfying death, what even is considered a good/satisfying death in this context anyways? War/Conflict is messy and pointless just like the deaths that come out of it. 

I see a lot of people say it felt rushed. It was. Everyone was fighting and he was sitting there, elbow deep in a bomb, trying to prevent it from exploding everyone and the tunnel. It felt rushed because they were being rushed. (and it also does seem like they're trying to set it up for another game, which would explain why it also felt so open ended)

It was the heat of the moment, they were in a bad position and surrounded. Hell, he didn't even get to finish disarming the bomb, price and gaz had too after he'd died.

His death was pointless and meaningless. He didn't need to die but he did. That’s what happens in war/conflict, people die for no good reason at all.

Because it was pointless and sudden, because he was a great character and didn't deserve it, is why it hurt.

It’s not satisfying or grand in any way, but it certainly wasn't bad and honestly felt realistic.

and as for the ending, I think it was also perfect. I feel like it reflected how unexpected and unexceptional his death was. It was just the 141 standing next to a cliff with his urn, nothing huge or grand. Very little was said but you could still tell how much they were hurting. These guys are in the military, I'm not expecting them to be in hysterics or openly expressing their emotions during such a vulnerable moment. It felt real.

Overall, I think it was well done. The actors and the writers did amazingly and it wouldn't have had the same impact if it'd ended differently.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk and with that being said i'm ignoring canon, they all live happily ever after <3

#mw3 spoilers #mw3 #mwiii