#it's just my partner and me today and we spent most of our afternoon at the local spa soaking in warm water and sitting in the sauna

[tieflingbi]

merry chrimus to everyone who's celebrating!!! 💖💖💖 hope you all have as stress-free and nice a time as possible with tasty food, good people and maybe even a nice gift or two!!! 🎄✨🎄✨

#as for me i probably had the nicest christmas i ever had lol #it's just my partner and me today and we spent most of our afternoon at the local spa soaking in warm water and sitting in the sauna #then we came home and had a feast of salmon and assorted christmas foods and exchanged gifts and then took a nap haha #i called my mom earlier and i got off a call with my aunt and the rest of the family just now #and that's it for family interactions for this christmas for me which. is pretty nice actually #so yeah <3

[my-castles-crumbling]

I think we just went on a date? Maybe?

I’m a little confuffled to be honest. Also, is confuffled not a word? For some reason i really thought it was. Doesn’t matter though, the point is, I think me and Daisy might’ve just gone on a date. 

Oh yeah, it’s Purple anon btw.

So it’s like 11:30pm where I am now, and I spent the latter part of the afternoon and then the evening with her and now i’m lying in bed something just hit me.

We hang out a lot. Last year, when I came out to my parents, it got awkward. I got mad they didn’t accept me and they got mad that I was doing this to them when they’ve been so perfect to me, and so I decided not to go with them on our family holiday. I thought a bit of space would do us good. 

Usually, when we go on a family holiday my dad takes me to arcades. No matter how old you are, you should always love an arcade. But I haven’t been to one in a while, since I skipped out on the holiday and it felt dumb to travel to somewhere just for an arcade. 

Anyway, i’ve been stressed with revision and last week Daisy had asked me to make sure i was free this evening for something she had planned she wanted to do with me. That’s not uncommon of course. So today, at 4, we left our place and she took me to this park we love to go to. She used to try and feed the ducks here, but she took me once and I told her off for feeding them bread. I bought her duck food and now every four months or so we go out and feed the ducks. 

(I made enemies with this swan though- it’s a long story).

So, we fed the ducks and then she dragged me on this train, kinda far, to this city. Where she’d found an arcade. An arcade with all the games I love playing. (A mix of old fashioned arcade games like pac-man, skill games like mini-basketball, and childish two-pence machines- gotta have them all). 

I had the best night. It was amazing. 

(I won a bunch of tickets and got her this cute bear she’d been eying since we walked in… she blushed and got all cute). 

And then after we’d been there a while she took me to this restaurant i’ve been craving recently (it’s a chain and the one near us closed down recently, I must’ve mentioned missing it). 

The funny thing is I don’t even remember telling her I missed the arcade. That I really wanted something to calm me down at the moment, and that I wanted something silly like an arcade. 

It didn’t occur to me until I got in the shower once we were home, like an hour ago, and thought about the day. Not only did she notice all the things I missed, and tried (and succeeded) to make me this lovely day to cheer me up, but… it wasn’t exactly like we usually do things. 

Maybe i’m reading too much into it, it’s probably dumb to think she’d be into me anyway. It’s just, I like to think i’m observant (I got A and her partner together- and they were being STUPID- also the fact that she actually wrote you? Sneak, didn’t even tell me she had some old tumblr account) and I thought it felt different than usual.

But it’s stupid. It was weird cause I had the most fun i’ve had in a while and I felt really at ease, in a way I haven’t really when it comes to things to do with my parents lately. 

I know you said i’m “going to have to face their lack of acceptance for me at some point” and knowing A she probably told you my family are assholes or something, and you’re probably both right. 

Logically I know the way they’re treating me isn’t right. But I don’t know what the right way for me to treat them is? 

They’re still my support system. I still call my mum when i’m sad and my dad when i’ve broken something. And if I blow up on them now, they might not come back. I don’t know if i’m ready to be… alone. 

At least in that regard. 

But I don’t know, since i’ve been talking about it recently. With you, and A. It’s made me look out for it I guess. Have you seen heartstopper before? You know when Charlie and Nick have cute little moments and the little artsy flowers and leaf’s flow around them, and there’s little sparks in the air, it was like that.

Except maybe it was only like that for me. Maybe she didn’t feel anything at all. 

And my aunt, my mum told her about me when I came out to my parents. My mum basically just told the whole family. I thought she’d be cool since she’s a lot more modern than my parents. But she said to me i’d fuck up all my friendships and ruin my future if I jumped to conclusions and got crushes on my friends. Her husband, my uncle, he said it was assault, to view them like that. 

I don’t even think I view them like anything, you know, given i’m demi I barely even think about sex with people, so I guess it says something about where his head goes. 

And no matter how many times I have this conversation with people, they always end it saying they know only a man will fall in love with me and me with him and eventually I will “do it right”. 

I don’t know if I have a James Potter in me to channel, to be honest. But A, she always tells me that my doubts come from people whose opinions I know are wrong, so I should try and remember her words when i’m freaking out. Given she’s always right and all (at least that’s what she claims). 

So I don’t know, is it weird if I ask Daisy if it was a date? A very small part of me thinks it was supposed to be and I missed the memo. 

And if that’s the case then I really kinda suck.

ALSO DID I MENTION SHE HELD MY HAND!!!

I can hide my emotions damn well but the one thing I cannot hide is my blush, it’s very annoying. We were walking from the arcade and chatting about how much fun it was, she was picking a name for that bear I won her, and she laced our fingers together. 

SEE! Date behaviour right? Plus, the restaurant was quiet and she seemed happy and kinda nervous the whole time.

But what if i’m wrong? She’s a touchy person, maybe she just wanted contact. 

She’ll be so weirded out if I ask and then i’m wrong and it’ll be like- like my parents are right and i’m the weird one, like they say I am, bothering my friends and pressuring them. 

I don’t know. God I feel like i’m just shoving a bunch of shit on you now. It shouldn’t feel like this, because writing about Daisy, it’s easy, she’s beautiful and funny and adorable and literally the kindest person I know, but as soon as I try and explain how i’m feeling, my parents come up and then i’m suddenly being weird.

I guess that says something huh? Shit, maybe I need therapy. 

Ugh, who has the time though? “Therapy is for the weak hearted” - a quote courtesy of my parents. Though then again i’m not supposed to listening to them, am I? Damn, it’s like living on a seesaw in my mind or something, always going back and forth.

(also i’m totally half way thru a breakdown cause i just spent like 3 min searching up the word jigsaw again and again cause it felt wrong… before I remembered they’re called seesaws… so yeah)

AHHHHH the update I've been waiting for! Okay.

Hahaha yeah, A wrote to me. We're conspiring to get you together with Daisy :D

As far as your family....family is hard. I think it's possible for them to love you AND be homophobic assholes. I think it's possible for you to have had a great childhood AND not be supported now. But I just feel like you need to work on accepting that they're not as perfect as they seem, because if you don't, you might miss out on an opportunity to be with Daisy.

Okay, I need you to read this so carefully. If this wasn't a date, I need to seriously reevaluate so many things in my own life. Because YES this was a date.

Ask her. Ask her if it was a date!!! Please!!

(Also therapy=good. Ignore what your parents said.)

#ask #asks #ask cas #purple anon

[jikookuntold]

Hi! I appreciate your takes a lot, please can you share your opinion about this situation. Hope you saw Jungkook last Wlive which he did between Friday-Saturday night, at 2-3 am. Jungkook said there “I don’t have nothing to do to tomorrow. I will just work out tomorrow” then we know that JK spend Friday night before this Wlive at musicals with Tae and Wooga, and later on Saturday night he spent bowling with Tae. Two nights in a row he chose to spend with Tae. Ok. Whatever. Maybe Jimin was busy, right? But no, today Jimin said this: “ it would have been great if all the members could go together, but because we all busy with our individual work. But I'm still in the middle of preparations so I had time (other translation says *spare days*) in those few days after various film shoots and it happened to be on a weekend and Hoseokie-hyung also had a day off, so we went together.” So I have many questions here and confusion. Their stories contradict themselves, JK said he was totally free on Saturday, while JM said other members were so busy they couldn’t join even if he wished. I think JiHope visited Jin in the early afternoon, while JK fall asleep early in the morning (he woke up at 8 again, said he was tired and would want to sleep some more, it’s unknown if JK slept more). Soooo there’s several questions, and to be honest they don’t advantage jikook much. Just from following the situation: Jimin isn’t updated to JK’s life and didn’t know he was free that day? Or Jimin just didn’t contact JK and didn’t invite him for some reason? Or he lied that all other members had working schedule that day so others would look good in public eyes that they didn’t join? On the other hand. Did Jungkook just declined to go to JIn because he had something more important that day (bowling with Tae and and before spending morning on Wlive just chilling and doing nothing)? Or JK was just not invited by Jimin? And then again I don’t think JK lied that he was free on Saturday, he or Tae decided to spend lovely night bowling together. He was definitely free I think. So the following question is the most important one that bothers me: Why would a couple chose to spend their precious day off completely separately with different people? And that happened when finally their schedule would align (after one partner was busy with job), they what didn’t miss each other…plus while one of them doesn’t know the other one was free, and the other one was spending two days in a row with the same person, prioritizing that friend over his allegedly lover…how does it make sense? Maybe I missed something and didn’t understand it and drew some incorrect conclusions, and you would be kind enough to say where my logic lacks because honestly …it is confusing

ps sorry if i double posted, I didn’t understand if it was sent or the site dropped

Your confusion and the essay you made out of it comes from a little mistake in calculations. You forgot that waking hours for a normal grown up human being is at least 16 hours per day, and they can do multiple activities at the same day, like having schedules (not necessarily Hybe-related things), working out or going to musicals, or bowling or eating outside, and still having spare time left. And the bowling didn't happen last Saturday, the photos are from November.

Also you forgot that boot camps don't accept visitors at night, so what if Jimin wasn't lying or covering for anything and JK actually had important business during the day? Or JK just had things to do but didn't want to spoil and just said he will work out?

You see? There is no need for overanalysing or writing essays or calling anyone liar or calling a resurfaced friendly hang out from four months ago "lovely". Just chill ❤️

[compassionatereminders]

Hey kat, I need advice. I'm feeling really guilty because I can't be alone. I have two partners and we all live together, but I don't sleep well and they both sleep really hard. I'm always awake first, by hours, and they rarely get out of bed before noon unless they work. Some days they stay in bed until early afternoon while I've been awake since 9-10am. I get really really depressed and anxious spending all that time by myself, and I don't have friends so all I have is my partners or social media (which I'm trying to limit but I'm so lonely and alone most of the time it's all I have for anything) I have tried to make friends but they don't feel like my friends, they feel like my partner's friend. I don't think most of them like me.

We talked months ago about getting our sleep schedules into shape to try and help us all feel better and that went nowhere. I brought it up again after some time and it went nowhere. A third time, nothing happened, so I just gave up. But I'm still lonely, and depressed, and struggle with being alone. Because I spent the first two decades of my life Avoidant and alone and locked in my room because it was safer. So I just want to not be sitting in those feelings anymore, I want to be interacting with people, especially people I love.

And now that I've given up on the sleep schedule change, all my feelings are just getting worse again, and that's led to me having a lot of meltdowns because I'm alone for hours and then I barely have any time to interact with my partners.

And the fact that my feelings haven't changed and that I'm still lonely and wish they would be awake sooner so I wouldn't be alone so much, is being thrown in my face as me being selfish and jealous because of my insomnia. One partner has yelled at me multiple times that he will never change his sleep schedule for me and he thinks I'm fucked up to ask. The other partner has tried to be emotionally understanding while still sleeping in until the last minute for work so I'm still sitting here alone.

Today I've been awake and alone for over two hours. it's my day off but my partners work. I'm extremely upset and filled with guilt at my emotions and I hate myself for not being better. I just don't WANT to be alone anymore when I've been alone for decades.

Am I in the wrong ? I know this is only my view so it's biased. But I don't think I'm in the right and I want to make my feelings go away.

I'm so sorry you have to struggle through this. And I don't see any obvious easy solution, unfortunately - which makes sense, because if you had one of those available, there wouldn't be an issue to resolve. But while you can't necessarily insist that anyone changes their sleep schedule for you, I understand your frustration, and I think it's unfair if people are mean to you about having unmet needs and communicating about it ❤️

#chat with kat

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

||Horror Book Chapter 5: A Hacker kidnapping Part 1||

*Waving* Hi dears, I'm back with another chapter to the horror book. It seems I still will continue this like I said but I was lost on what to write. So, lets see what this chapter presents. If you wish to read the others so far, chapter list is down below.

~~Book chapters~~

Horror book one: Bloody game of Hide and seek

Horror book two: Darkness of one self

Horror book three: How to Be Evil: Scared Straight Beyond Prank Part 1

Horror book three: How to be Evil: Scared Straight Beyond Prank part 2

Horror book four: Hunting grounds

((Your reading horror book 5 right now))

||Warning||

~Will have horror in the drabble

~Blood and maybe gore will be seen in this

~Scary themes will be also seen as well

~Dark themed is present in this drabble

~~Drabble Summary~~

Lets say it was a nice cool afternoon with the two hackers Mouse and Jellyfish were hanging out together since the others tell them to get out more. So they were hanging out at a shop together doing so. However, that's when a weird message was sent to them. What was the message? Read to find out.

((Guests in this drabble))

Jellyfish belongs to my rp partner/friend @demon-blood-youths

Mouse belongs to me and a guest visit from BLT a NPC villain from a old thread will be showing up.

((Just a heads up: Grammar is not good and their will be heavy mistakes but this was written for fun so please enjoy. ))

"Oh come on Fosh you know it's true! I was shocked about it myself when I tested it and now it works flawlessly!" Fosh was drinking some soda while looking at a new coding work she was doing for a while now. Today was a off day for the two hackers known in New York City;

Fosh A.K.A Jellyfish of the DBT and Serena A.K.A Mouse of the Cursed Vixens. They were hanging out this sunny afternoon near a local tea shop drinking some frozen drinks while she was showing off some new things she was working on.

"I know, you told me a lot. I was curious to what you were doing but this is amazing Mouse." He laughed that Mouse smiled to him.

"Thanks Fosh but I had a reason to why I spent so long on it." she sees him look confused.

"And that is?"

"Well....I was actually making this for ummmm...you. As a thank you gift for helping with the hacking site remade. Thanks to you, many hackers have been visiting and most have been connecting and working together." she was happy for that and yet, this made Fosh blink to feel his cheeks flush. Mouse was happy about that and when he offers to help out, it felt good being able to help her in any way he can since she does the same for him.

"Oh, I see. well, it's no problem. I just wanted to help you after what happened to your site when you showed me how badly damaged dit was from being infected. However, I'm glad to see everything is better now." He sees her smile that Mouse giggled.

"Yeah but even so, I'm still thank you for it. Though, I'm also happy that we get to hang out even more now. That or our teams tells us to just have fun." she smiled eating some of her brownie that Fosh laughed to agree while pushing his glasses up.

"True. I do enjoy hanging out with you a lot Mouse I..." He blinks to see her look at him but his cheeks burn to look away clearing his throat. "A..anyway! Maybe after this we can walk around for a bit." He said with Mouse agreeing.

"That sounds nice." she smiled as the two hackers did continue relaxing for a bit while talking. However, a few people was watching them in the distance but they knew they found the hackers here in New York City. When keeping a eye on them, a cell phone was buzzing for the guy to pick it up.

"Yes sir?"

'Did you find them?' a male voice was heard as the other holding it looks ahead.

"Yes; as the pictures show it's them alright." He said hearing a giggle on the other line.

'Good good...be sure you follow but bring them to me. I want them fresh and alive so they are ready for a little..examination. I can't wait to see what they hide...just don't be seen..' he said.

"Yes sir." the guy lowers the phone when the other on the line hangs up as the other men watches them from the black car that was parked.

Later on that afternoon, both the hackers were walking down the pathway through the park chatting on some random things, both looking ahead with a smile. This was not bad for a day off but now they wish they could hang a little longer. Though, their friends were waiting for them to come back home. As Mouse and Fosh walked about, that's when the two get a ping from their cellphones.

"Hmm?"

"Huh, seems our teams are checking on us again.." Fosh said lifting up his cellphone to check. As he did, he checks seeing some new message from a unknown phone number.

"What the...." Who's number was this? And how did it get his? He looks silent but looks to see Mouse showing a confused look as well.

"Hey Mouse? Did you just get a new message from this unknown number?" He asked seeing her look to him.

"Yeah, I did. That's odd. I wonder if the person who sent it must have gotten the wrong number." she said but the hackers looked quiet then back at their phones. They decided to check and open the messages. When they did, their eyes slowly reads then widens slowly in shock and looked nervous.

The message first showed a rather disturbing picture of someone laying on the ground but their head was missing like it was cut off. However, the head was sitting on a table with needles, and other things in their cut open head.

The message says this:

Unknown caller

((Text:)) I wish to meet you. I know your the best hackers in New York...but...I'm excited to see what you have in store. Lets hope you do better than the last ones I've found. Good luck.

"........."

"........"

Both Mouse and Fosh's eyes were wide but Mouse was covering her mouth feeling like she was going to be sick. Fosh was shocked as his hand shook just slightly seeing the image. What the fuck? Who would some something like this to them!?

"....F..fosh, what the hell is going on? Who would even send something like this?" she said checking to try finding the main source of the number.

"I don't know but I don't like it. If someone is playing some sort of prank, it's not funny." He said disturbed seeing the picture but judging how it looks, it seems really real to him and Mouse.

"....Hmmm, m-maybe we should tell our teams about this and we can figure something out. Were you able to find the source of who sent this?" He said but as Mouse was trying to with this number, it didn't show anything confusing her.

"Strange..I can't find where the source of this number came from. It shows no link to anything or just unknown." she mutters nervous but this worried Fosh. Just who send this and why? However, now he gets this disturbing feeling of something being wrong. Horribly wrong.

Trying to remain calm, he takes her hand to see Mouse look at him.

"Come on, lets just head back. We need to do something about this." he said with Mouse nodding to agree. Both Hackers were hurrying along the path to try getting back into town which took a few minutes. The two were back in the city a few minutes later seeing it was going to turn to evening soon. They were trying to hurry along to their fractions for the time being.

When they were heading through Times square, their phones buzzed to make the two look nervous. Was it from that same number again? Unsure, they slowly lifts their phones to check seeing the message:

Unknown number

((Text)): 'Well, I hope you had time to relax because now..the games will begin.'

"Game?" she asked more confused and Fosh was too. Mouse said nothing but held her phone to text back.

((Text)): Alright you creep. Who are you? Why are you messaging us and sent this pic? What do you want?

((Text)): 'Oh, I can't say right now. That will ruin the surprise. Besides, you'll find out soon enough so just wait..I promise you'll both find this very fun...'

"Surprise? What did they mean by that?" she mutters not liking this but even Fosh was confused. However, as she tried to respond back, a black car suddenly drives up right in front of the hackers making both Fosh and Mouse stop.

"!?!" Both stops to move back wondering what the heck is wrong with the driver only to see the doors open to two some guys coming out trying to grab them!

"What the hell!?" Mouse struggles with Fosh doing the same.

"Who are you guys!? Let go!" Fosh shouted but that's when Mouse saw them showing two needles with purple liquid inside. This made the two tense getting the feeling something bad was in those needles.

This made the two start thrashing a lot more. As the needles were about to pierce their necks, Mouse shocks the one holding her as he shouts in pain but Jellyfish saw her shock the other one that's holding him, giving him the chance to shove the other away from him. In that moment, Mouse takes his hand with them running down the sidewalk away from them.

"Get up! After them!" One said as they ran away from the black car and the guys who was getting back in their cars. Both Fosh and Mouse were panting running down the street before making a sharp turn through a pathway away. What is happening and who were they!? What did they want with the hackers!

"Who were they!? What do they want with us!?" Fosh said running beside Mouse as she was running.

"I don't know but I don't want to find out!" she said running. "We gotta contact the fractions and let them know." she saw Fosh nod as they move forward.

When the two made it out of the alleyway back on the street, another car pulls up in front of them before she shield her eyes and Fosh too. That's when the same car from behind shows but two guys came out to grab the hackers from behind and splits them apart.

As they struggle, two guys pressed a cloth against their mouths and noses as they muffled shout from it. The smell was strong making them feel dizzy and light headed. They tried to stay away to kick and thrash before their eyes felt heavy. Fosh and Mouse tries to fight it but after a while it was too much. Both hackers closed their eyes, passing out in the kidnapper's arms.

"Come on, get them in the car. Lets get out of here.." One guy sees the two carry the hackers away into a car but made work of tying their wrists in ropes.

When they moved them, their cellphones were dropped on the ground. The two guys steps on them suddenly, breaking them. They get in the car to quickly drive off with them that early evening leaving the broken phones there.

~~~~~Later that night~~~~~~~

A fan was moving slowly in a locked up room as a knocked out Fosh was laying on his side on the floor. He didn't move for some time now after the strong smell knocked him out. In a moment, something drips on his face to make him twitch and stir awake a little. Fosh turns his head to groan with a headache.

"Ughhhhh......" His eyes wince or shut tight for a moment till he slowly opens his blue eyes that was showing a blurry sight. He shifts again, blinking once then twice to see he was somewhere else.

'W..wait...where.....' he slowly closes his eyes but slowly tries to move his arms but couldn't to make him stop. Snapping out of it, he looks to see that his wrists were tied together with rope.

'W..why are my wrists chained like this!? What is going on!?' he thought in a slight panic but he looks seeing he was not outside but in some room? He looks around but then down at his dirty clothing to see that everything he had with him was gone. His laptop, his tazer, everything!

"W..what is going on here!? Why are my wrists tied up like this!? What is....." that's when he stops talking when remembering something. Or someone. Where was Mouse!? He looks around but he saw someone else knocked out by him. Familiar red hair that was not in the braid but loose, dirty clothing like Fosh's own with her wrists tied down. Right away, Fosh knew who it was.

"Mouse!? Mouse!!" He gets up from the floor to quickly rush over to her side. "Hey, Mouse, wake up! Hey, wake up please!!" He gently shakes her as he sees her not respond for a moment before she twitched with a weak groan.

"Nnnnmmm..." his eyes widen to see Mouse slowly turn her head in his direction to open her eyes. "F...Fosh?" Oh thank god, she was alright! He careful helps her sit up from the ground while seeing she was not harmed. Seems everything she had was taken as well; her holo pad and watch.

"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?" he asked seeing her wince but shake her head.

"Y..Yeah, I'm alright but..where are we?" she asked slowly looking around seeing the room. Mouse noticed they were somewhere else as well.

"I..I don't know but I don't like it. Do you think we been.." he said but she looks worried to get what he is saying.

"Y...You think we were kidnapped??? No way....Who would want to kidnap us?" she didn't get it and yet it leaves her feeling nervous.

"Even so, we need to find a way out of here before whoever kidnapped us comes to see us awake." he said.

"Yeah...but we need to find a way out of these ropes first." she said but as the two try to think of something, that's when they heard something near the door of this room. Slow footsteps echoed from the hallway but it was growing louder telling them it was heading to this room!

"......" Both Fosh and Mouse slowly looks over to see that the door open, showing someone standing there. The two hackers looks to see the shadowed image of the person but they looked quiet.

"Hey, who are you!? Were you the one that kidnapped us?" Mouse said but the person said nothing, slowly walking into the room towards them. Both Fosh and Mouse shifts back seeing the other walking in but a light chuckle was heard.

"..Hehehehe finally...finally I found you two after such a long time. Jellyfish and Mouse; the hackers of NYC." the voice sounded like a older male as the two looked confused but that changed to horror seeing the man step into the light.

He was wearing some weird lap coat, some gloves that covered his hands, his hair was messy but covering his eyes and a sickening smile. He wore a black shirt and jeans with running shoes as well. But the more disturbing part? He was covered in blood. And holding some scalpel in his right hand. What the hell is going on?!

Fosh and Mouse's eyes widen in horror seeing the blood on him but they move back till he was close to them. Their backs pressed against the wall looking up at this guy. He bends down on one knee to get a close up at the two. Though that creepy smile didn't go away.

"Such pretty new test subjects. I know you both are so smart so you'll be perfect to add to my book....when I get the chance to look inside of your brains first." He snickered in a creepy way.

"W..what are you talking about!?" Fosh said as Mouse moves her head from his glove hand.

"Yeah! And don't touch us!" she said only for him to chuckle.

"Ohhh but I can. Besides, you both can't get away that easily..thanks to my serum you both can't even use your demonic abilities for a while but I won't say how long though......" he smiled but Fosh and Mouse blinks before looking nervous. What did he mean by that!?

"Your lying! Let us go!" she demands only for him to chuckle.

"You don't believe me? Go ahead and try to shock me or leave..." he said petting their heads.

"Stop touching us!" she said now trying to shock him....

But nothing happened.

He was smiling all fine as she was looking scared. Even Fosh tried to teleport away but nothing happened.

"I..I can't teleport.....then that means-" Mouse and Fosh felt him grab their shirts and shoves them both back hard against the wall as he walks over to smile.

"Yessss; now you get it. That serum you both have has made you powerless..mean I get to have fun wrecking your minds...just like the other hackers I've kidnapped." he smiled but the other two got more nervous.

"Others? Their are others here?" she asked only for the man to chuckle.

"Yes but I already cleaned them of any thought in their minds. Their was so much more I had to do after finishing with them and then I remembered the last mission I got when it involves...you two. Finally, even after so long..I have you both.." He smiled.

"S...stay away from us! Who the hell are you!?" Mouse shouted but the male smile to grab her hair to force her on her knees.

"Mouse!" Fosh tries to do something but he was grabbed too. The two hackers were struggling as the man laughed.

"You both forgot about me? How mean......you should know; I was the one that corrupted your site..." He said but that made Mouse tense up. Her eyes widen to look at him. No way; it couldn't be. Was it..

"Y..Y..You...BLT....your that psycho hacker...." she whispered that Fosh was more scared now. It was him!? How did he find them!!!!

"Yes, the one and only...It's so nice to see that I have new friends to break but....I can't break you so soon. If I do, they I'll end up killing you by mistake." He laughed that made the hackers pale. Kill them!? What was he planning.

"Though...Lets not rush.." He said dropping the two but Fosh and Mouse on the ground smiling. He then slowly walks back over closer to them to walk over reaching behind him for something. "I always wanted to find you both but...thanks to all that hard work of looking..I found you....and now.." that's when he pulls out something to show it more knives soaked in blood.

"!?!"

"Now.....I wonder what you both hide.." He snickered walking over to them as Fosh and Mouse keeps their backs against the wall. Mouse was trying to think even if she was scared. The same with Fosh. BLT gets close to the two as he smiled looking at them.

"Now now, don't be scared. It'll hurt for a second..I wanna get a few stabs before cutting you both us and killing you. I'm sure you'll be wonderful with so much knowledge..I need to see what makes you tick." He laughed suddenly swiping his blades towards them!

Right away, both dodge on either side to fall on the ground. Mouse and Fosh quickly get up getting away from BLT who was slowly standing and turning to see them.

"Come on now..don't make this hard...just behave yourselves..and let me open you up!" He laughed to attack when they quickly dodge again. BLT slam into the ground hard as he twitched but his body relaxed laughing to creep the two out. BLT stood up but quickly tries to attack as both the two hackers dodge. Mouse and Fosh wince from falling before they quickly get up even with wrists tied to run out.

"Fosh Run! Just run!" she said with him following. The room was empty but BLT slowly chuckled to stand and cracked his neck. "Is that how we are doing this? Ooooooo I always loved chasing them down......but if they wanna play.." He snickered now running after.

'Lets play..' he smirked as the chase begins.

#IC #silver roses #Drabble/short or long stories #silver butterfly mun #peahen mom #the mansion owner #Horror Book chapter 5: A hacker kidnapping part 1 #Jellyfish #Mouse #The fractions of NYC #demon-blood-youths #peahen writer #horror world au

[chandelier-s-notebook]

Does the @witchersummercamp team have a day built in their FAQ at the end of the week for people to post missed prompts? Yes. Will I not be able to finish this event if I don’t do it in order? Also, yes. So here’s yesterday’s prompt, today’s will be coming later.

Day 4 Prompt: Mischief

AO3 Link (628, G)

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

Kingdom Dancing in a Wooden Clearing

“And how have you managed this?” Yennefer asked when she returned from the afternoon’s hunt.

“Managed what?” Jaskier asked innocently.

She  gesticulated vaguely to the scene in front of her.

Jaskier thumbed at his lute thoughtfully. “Hmmm?”

“Jaskier!”

“What?”

The witch gestured to the scene once more, raising a brow. “The dancing Geralt?”

“Oh the dancing Geralt!” The bard’s face broke into a smile. “Well our lovely Princess Cirilla wanted to brush up on her dancing skills. While I am an excellent dance partner, I am the bard, and Ciri said she can’t dance without music.” He made his own wild gesture to the woods. “There aren’t very many dancing partners out here, so Geralt it was!”

Geralt hummed in agreement, trying his best to follow Ciri’s footwork for the solo sections.

“You can dance bard?”

“Why of course!”

“He refuses to show me!” Ciri called. “We’re taking his word for it at the moment.”

Yennefer tilted her head to the side in amusement.

“If the princess says we can’t dance without music, then dance without music I shant. And if I’m not playing the music, my dear witch, then who is?”

Yennefer unfroze her soles from the ground and went about preparing their evening meal.

“I think he’s just trying to get out of it.”

“Well Geralt said he’d rather dance than try to play your music, princess; it’s not like I had a choice.”

“I’ve seen you prance around a pub during your performances,” Yennefer quipped. “But I can’t quite imagine Jaskier doing a waltz.”

“Well I haven’t waltzed in ages, but when you learn so young it becomes muscle memory.”

“You learnt how to waltz?” Ciri asked under Geralt’s shoulder.

“I’m a Viscount, princess. Of course my mother to taught me to waltz. Dance was the one class I was forced to take as a Viscountling that I enjoyed any amount.”

Yennefer scoffed. “You’re a Viscount?”

Geralt hummed.

“He is?”

“Begrudgingly,” Geralt answered. “He was called home when his father died years ago. They agreed that Jaskier keeps the title, but his younger brother does the Viscount things.”

Jaskier picked a flourish on his lute. “Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount of Lettenhove, at your service.”

Ciri giggled. “No. You aren’t.”

Jaskier turn to her. “You doubt me, little mischief maker? How shall I prove it?”

“A duel,” Yennefer suggested.

“If I could duel that would make everyone’s life so much easier.”

Geralt hummed while he led Ciri through another twirl.

“Yennefer can you play the lute?” Ciri asked. “If Jaskier can dance, we will go to Lettenhove next, to see if he really is a Viscount.”

Yennefer laughed. “I can’t play, but I spent thirty years in court. I can dance if you’d like to practice your lute playing.”

She sent him pleading eyes he couldn’t refuse. “Oh can I, Jaskier?”

“Very well.”

She whooped with glee.

Geralt let her go softly, and the two bowed. He then left to take over dinner preparations.

Jaskier removed his lute strap, and placed his instrument on the princess’s lap when she ran to sit next to him. He got her in position to play.

“Oh Jaskier. I don’t know any ballroom songs.”

“We can dance to Toss a Coin,” Yennefer called.

“We most certainly cannot! Toss a Coin is in four counts; a waltz is in three.”

“Have you taught her any songs in three count, bard?”

“Erm. No.”

“Then Toss a Coin it is. Surely you can dance a waltz no matter the song.”

“My dear witch, I said I could dance, not that I’ve done it recently.”

Yennefer and Jaskier bowed.

“Backing down from your claim?”

“Never.” He took the witch’s hand in his own. “Let’s dance. Play the song, little mischief maker.”

Ciri started strumming.

#WitcherSummerCamp #Jaskier #Yennefer #cirilla of cintra #Geralt #the Witcher

[kanisema-blog]

Paul's laugh echoed across the crowded college quad, bouncing off the red brick buildings like a melody from a bygone era. Back then, laughter was the soundtrack of our friendship. We were Carmilla Kruspe, resident firecracker with a penchant for wild graphic design concepts, and Paul Graves, the star athlete with a surprising artistic soul. We were inseparable.

Our bond transcended the usual college camaraderie. We spent hours hunched over my messy desk, Paul meticulously sketching characters for my game design project while I critiqued his form with the ruthless honesty only a best friend could muster. He, in turn, was my biggest cheerleader, the first to plaster a goofy grin on his face at my most outlandish ideas.

But somewhere between stolen glances across the library table and late-night pizza runs, the lines blurred. One rainy afternoon, huddled beneath the library's awning, our laughter died down, replaced by a charged silence. My gaze locked with his, and in that moment, a million unspoken desires hung in the air. "Carmilla," he started, his voice a husky whisper, "I think..."

The sentence remained unfinished. A panicked student barreled through the doorway, separating us, and the moment evaporated like a wisp of smoke. The unspoken truth lingered, a silent storm brewing beneath the surface of our friendship. Our interactions became strained, punctuated by awkward silences and forced smiles. The laughter, the easy camaraderie – all gone, replaced by a suffocating tension.

Years blurred into a collage of missed opportunities and unspoken apologies. I threw myself into my work, the world of pixels and vector graphics becoming a refuge from the real world, from the gaping hole Paul's absence had left. His career skyrocketed, his face plastered across financial news channels, the CEO wunderkind. All the while, a part of me remained frozen in that rainy afternoon, forever yearning for what could have been.

Then, one scorching summer afternoon, fate intervened. I was presenting my latest design project to a potential client - a tech giant. As I walked into the conference room, my breath hitched. There, at the head of the table, sat Paul, his eyes widening in surprise that mirrored my own.

The presentation became a blur. All I could see was Paul, his familiar features etched with a mixture of emotions I couldn't decipher. Afterwards, in the sterile confines of the conference room hallway, we finally spoke. The years of unspoken words tumbled out, a torrent of regret and longing. "Carmilla," he said, his voice thick with emotion, "I messed up. I was scared."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Me too," I choked out. In that moment, the years melted away. We weren't the naive teenagers anymore, but the pain of the past remained, a raw nerve exposed.

The path to reconciliation was long and arduous. We navigated the minefield of past hurts, learning to forgive and move forward. There were stumbles, of course, but this time, we faced them head-on, the foundation of our friendship, reforged with the tempered steel of experience, holding strong.

Our love story wasn't a fairy tale with a grand declaration. It was a slow burn, a rekindled ember that blossomed into a love story far more profound than the one we almost had. Today, as I stand beside Paul, gazing at the twinkling city lights from our rooftop garden, his hand warm in mine, I know our journey together, with all its twists and turns, has brought us to a place more beautiful than we ever imagined. We are no longer just best friends or lovers; we are partners, confidantes, two souls forever intertwined by a love story written not in grand gestures, but in the quiet moments of understanding, forgiveness, and the enduring flame of a friendship rekindled.

[my-personal-little-panicbutton]

I have been really happy the last couple of days! My partner came down to see me on Sunday and stayed into Monday. It was so nice.

Roy said that their drive home was rather uneventful until it came to crossing the state line. There was an awful car crash that had taken place there and it left Roy feeling a little bit triggered after how many crashes they've been in and have been able to walk away from. It hit Roy hard just how many accidents they've been in and how much worse they could and likely should have been. We talked for a bit after Roy got home and started having those feelings. I know they had a hard time getting settled down for their game because of it, and the feelings only got stronger once their D&D game was over for the night.

Tuesday I drove up to see him. I got a little bit of a later start getting on the road so things ended up taking a lot longer than usual. My normally hour and fifty to two hours long drive ended up taking closer to three because of all the car crashes, and heavy traffic.

There were a handful of asshole drivers on the road too, but they were minimal. I'm going to blame that on the fact that the bumper to bumper traffic didn't leave enough room to really be a jerk.

It was worth it though, all that frustration and time spent driving just to get to spend some time with my partner.

Tuesday was spent drinking some beer, watching some youtube, eating pizza, and goofing off as usual. It was so nice getting to just exist together.

Wednesday we got to relax together for most of the day until about 4 PM, then we both needed to get ready to go to the bar Roy works at. I was there to run sound for the open mic night that takes place there every Wednesday. I'm still treated as though I know nothing even though there are plenty of things I've managed to show the existing sound person there. Roy keeps trying to tell him that I know what I'm doing but it seems like it goes in one ear and out the other.

Thursday was a blast and what Roy and I had been waiting for since it was announced! A guy that we had caught a couple of times during open mics at the bar had a two hour long show that night. The show was fantastic! He had shown up with six instruments and gave us and the other 40 people in the back of the bar one hell of a show. It was the perfect blend of comedy and genuinely good music. This guy has an incredible voice!

The only downside to the show was that it was at the bar where Roy works, so the sound guy I've been working with was working there that night. He wouldn't leave me alone to just enjoy the show, and kept trying to get me to take over. He also kept trying to get Roy to grab stuff for him too while it was also Roy's day off. It was a little irritating to say the least, but that was but a minor little thing to have happen and didn't ruin the rest of the night. It was very small potatoes all things considered! We ended our Thursday night by watching Pitch Black, and playing a drinking game. My head this morning/afternoon is paying the price a little bit for all the alcohol we drank yesterday.

Now today I am getting ready to go back home. Roy has work again today and is currently currled up in bed. I've been quietly cleaning around their apartment and taking care of little things for them and their two sweet kitties. Roy does the same for me when staying over at my apartment.

I am always happy to get back home to spend time with my own cat, and relax in my own space but things are always so much better when I get to share them with Roy. I love having them around, they're so relaxing, cozy, and sweet. I'm so incredibly happy that I get to spend time with Roy!

Sometimes I like having my space separate from Roy, but a little part of me hopes that maybe one day we'll have a place of our own together

[nobody-cares-what-you-say-online]

I wrote down 8 out of 10 goals last week, but I can't be here long because I have to actually get some work done in the next hour and a half. I have a check-in with my boss today on my projects that I haven't done much work on. She's an amazing boss, but she does expect me to at least do the bare minimum which I am about to do. I'm so good at procrastinating at this point that I am not even worried, which worries me.

Imagine how great my week would be if I just knocked out all of these tasks in the first two hours after our weekly meeting instead of waiting until the absolute last minute? I feel so annoyed with myself for putting this off.

This weekend was decent, so I'm going to start off fresh today. I went to a soccer game with my partner, which is always a good time. We hadn't done that in a while since we were out of town. I also baked some cookies from Taylor Swift's chai cookie recipe. She's releasing a new album this week, and I am excited. It's refreshing to feel excited about something.

Gratitude: Today I am grateful for my dog. I have two, so I'll be grateful for the other on another day. But today's gratitude is saved for her. I know I'm not supposed to pick favorites, but my cat is the love of my life and this dog is my best friend. It's hard to get into it much without putting more details here than I'm ready for yet, but we spent a lot of time together over the last year in relation to the big goal that I completed. She was my only companion on some very rough days, and I feel so connected to her because of that. I have so much love for her, and she will always be tied to that accomplishment in the most beautiful way.

Goal: My goal for today is to focus on work for at least an hour this afternoon. I have two regular check-in meetings on Mondays. One with the whole staff at 11am and one with my boss at 12pm. I usually fuck around on Twitter or Reddit after all of my meetings are done on Mondays. It is stupid, and it sets up my week for procrastination. Then I'm always stressed on Monday mornings when I have check-in meetings and no updates. I want to be better. I love this job, and I know that I'm good at it.

[vinegar-doppio-official]

i feel like such an asshole but my partner/roommate allowed his cousin to stay over again (she had come by last month, stayed the Entire day by herself here, spent the night, and left the morning after) and the same arrangement happened this time, including the fact she slept on my bed, on my sheets, used my television, my playstation, my bathroom (shower, shower rugs and my SOAP), ate from our food (opening sealed packages) etc etc etc. Fuck it i mean its just one day and one night right?? Wroooong. Well, right, because thats what it was, but I was so pissed off this time:

I have no clue what brain cell she’s missing but she took the longest shower of the century AND flooded my bathroom enough to leave my rugs sopping wet (and i know it was long because my own towel was moist as FUCK when we came back at night from work like??? BITCH MY BILLS). She used MY SOAP and she rendered it assunder I have no fucking clue HOW but she legit dissolved literal more than HALF of it in one shower when it usually barely looks like any of it dissolved?? and i clean thoroughly every day loofah and all sooo? WHAT DID SHE DO TO IT?? Bring your own oh my god that shit was almost new and I bought it with my own fucking money.

She also cooked her lunch on our kitchen and she poured like actual fucking 500 ml of pure oil on my pan to fry something, while the frying pot was RIGHT THERE AND ALREADY HAD OIL, and this pisses me the fuck off because oil is EXPENSIVE AS ALL SHIT and i had to go somewhere farther away to buy this giga bottle and she OPENED IT WHILE IT WAS SEALED STILL and didnt fucking think to tell me she had done this so when i did the dishes this afternoon i POURED ALL OF THAT OIL DOWN THE FUCKING DRAIN BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS WATER ON THAT BLACK PAN. I THOUGHT. IT WAS WATER. I EXPERIENCED SO MUCH GRIEF NOTICING THE OIL SEPARATING FROM THE WATER IN THE SINK I NEARLY HAD A REAL LIFE HEART ATTACK OH MY GODDD!!!

Also last night we paid for her dinner and mcdonalds is expensive as shit here and you know who wont be paying their share lol. Also every night me and my partner watch something, and we started watching the Hannibal series and he had told me he was super looking forward to continue watching it cause the first episode really interested him (and i was so happy cause its my favorite series basically) but of course we had to watch it with her sitting between the two of us and she kept!! TALKING. JUST FUCKING INTERRUPTING to make the most useless questions ever. She was like “oh its true this is based on that one lambs movie?” and i was like ‘um. (looks between the tv and her) ok um. these are novels? but I yeah kinda’ and then kept pointing at Will like “so is that hannibal?” and generally making it so the mood fully shifted to “i have no clue whats going on lol” like. guess why. go on and guess why. If you dont listen to the dialogue you wont understand anything. wow. And when i guess she realized i wanted to beat the shit outta her because i met her attempts at conversation with utter silence, she started checking instagram stories full blast volume next to me and i swear i probably slow panned towards her phone with the most hateful expression ever cause my partner had to tell her later on to apologize for whatever the fuck i was upset by from all her existence in our living space.

I honestly just got up to shower and sleep in his room after that, expecting her to be gone by morning cause today was my day off, and this CHICK.  THIS.... INDIVIDUAL. Stayed until 2 pm while i was uncomfortable as shit because i wanted to use my bathroom and use my closet and MAYBE, JUST MAYHAPS use my tv and play some games?? on my day off?? because i have a schedule i like to keep, and playing in the morning is what i do before chores and she ruined everything literally soured the only fucking day off i have during the week and i wanna kill her horribly and then myself jesus fucking christ and the worst thing is she isnt even a bitch or evil or a cunt shes just fucking stupid and naive and apologizes for everything so i feel like a horrible person but shes just too much!!!!! I cant fucking stand her. 

Also yeah Im gonna give my buddy here a piece of my mind as well because he’s too much of a detached and carefree mf like to notice these types of things or even be mad at it (he’ll probably meet my argument about the oil with ‘bah, it’s just a few dollars, don’t you have a few dollars?’ and it’ll be the same with the soap, even if he agrees he dislikes having her here. He’s just weird.

And to think she literally harrassed him weeks back because she desperately wanted to leave her home and come move in with us like oh my god i think if she does it i will literaly throw myself out this 20 story window. No kidding. I would rather splatter against the sidewalk before having to put up with her stupidity on the daily. Nevermind the savings, we wont be actually saving any money cause even if its rent split between 3 people instead of 2, itd still be paying for her hot water because she wastes more water than even her friggin cousin, who already showers long, and it’d be impossible to truly quantify how much she is wasting as opposed to me, who willfully suffers through the process of only using water to moisten and rinse, not sit there and dissociate into the netherverse, for the sake of money saving.

End rant. I do feel a little better lol

#personal #rant #raaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnt #im PISSED OFF

[buckystevelove]

My Brightest Star

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Word count: 2708

Warning: ANGST and fluff

A/N: This is my longest work. Please leave comments. Ask, submissions and requests are open.

A week, that’s how long has passed since Bucky’s world felt apart. He should have known, his whole life has been full of tragedy, one after the other. He had 7 years of happiness and peace, he will have to come to terms with the fact that maybe those years would be the only ones in his long and sad life that he would known what real and complete happiness really is.

He met you 7 years ago in a coffee shop, you accidentally tripped and spilled all your coffee in him. You apologized over and over again, Bucky couldn’t care less about the hot drink splatted all over his body, he was so enthralled over the beautiful woman standing in front of him, for years he thought that he would never get love, but you managed to prove him wrong. He claims that it was love at first sight, he simply knew that you were his soul mate.  

After the incident, you bought his coffee as a symbol of forgiveness, though he really didn’t care. You exchanged names and phone numbers. Just a few hours later you received a massage from Bucky, inviting you to go for dinner the next day. Soon, one date turn to seeing each other every time you could. You felt for him, and hard. Eventually you met all of his friends, you became a great friend with Wanda and Nat. They would invite you to all the girl nights they had. You got along with Sam, always joking around and making pranks, same with Tony. You also became best friend with Steve, you had a strong relationship with him besides yours with Bucky. You too were like siblings, he always claimed that you were his little sister, and warned Bucky never harm you, or he would have to face the consequences.

Nobody was surprise nor bother when you moved to the compound with Bucky. Everyone was super exited to have you closer, that made Bucky a bit jealous.

You and Bucky were attached to the hip. One year into your relationship, he knew that he was going to marry you, you were going to be the mother of his children. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. You were the one, so he asked you to marry him.

It was so beautiful, he took you on a trip to the museum, your favorite place to spend the time. When you were in the sculptures room the kneeled and said; “YN, since the moment I saw you I knew that you were the one, I knew that I was going to marry you, and all you have done is prove me right. You are the love of my life, my partner, my best friend I can no longer imagine a future in which you are not in it, because YOU are my FUTURE. You have been the light at the end of the tunnel, you have brought me happiness, love I thought I no longer deserved after all the awful things I had done, you helped name realized who the real James Buchanan Barnes is, and who I want him to be. I want to be your husband because I love you so much. You are my entire world YN. So, would you marry me?”

At the end of his speech both of you had tears in your checks, you throw yourself over him and said yes over and over again, you were beaming.

6 months after that, many hours of planning and cake tasting, you and Bucky had the most beautiful fall wedding. It was perfect. Your family and the team was there, everyone was so happy for the two of you.

When the time to say the vowels came you couldn’t be more thrilled, you have been writing them for so long.

“James Buchanan Barnes, you are the love of my life. You have been the one who has taught me what love really is, what it is like to love someone with every single atom in my body. You have taught me what is like to be completely and uoughterly happy, that is how I feel when ever I am with you. James, when we met you told me that you only saw yourself as a monster, as the vilan of many people’s lives, but baby, you are my knight in shining armor, you are absolutely everything to me. You are the brightest star in my universe, the one and only. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to tell you and show you how much I love you every day, I want you to feel how much I love you even after we are death. I want to keep loving you and choosing you a hundred of lives after this. Because Bucky, MY LOVE FOR YOU WILL NEVER END.”

At the end both of you were crying, among many other of your guests.

Your honeymoon was perfect. Tony paid the two of you a 3 weeks trip around Europe. Nine months later, you had your gorgeous daughter, Rebecca. She looked exactly like you, but her eyes, she had the most beautiful blue eyes just like her father. The three of you were the definition of a perfect family, you and Bucky did ocationaly fight like all healthy couples do, but your life was great. Your house was so full of love and happiness.

Bucky was so thankful to you, you had given him all he could ever dreamed for in life and more.

The three of you spent all the time you could together, you went to the park and had movie nights, went of family trips and spent lazy Sunday mornings in bed together. You wanted Becca to feel and understand what a loving home was, since you didn’t had one. You wanted her to feel the love you and Bucky had for her.

“Becca, Bucky, you two know you are the most important people in my life right. I love the two of you so so much. You are the ones that make me happy. You are my greatest treasures.” You said to your husband and 5 year old daughter one afternoon, while cuddling in the couch together.

“I love you too mommy, you too daddy. You are the best parents in the world, thank you.” She said kissing yours and Bucky’s face, making you giggle.

“You dolls are my everything. I love you.” He said before attacking the two of you with tickles, and whispering to your ear. “Thanks doll, for all this.”

The day had started like any other Tuesday would, you woke up after your alarm. Waking up Bucky with kisses and loving touches, after he woke up he heads to shower while you got Becca ready. Once the two of them were dressed, Bucky went to the kitchen to make breakfast wihle you got ready. The three of you ate together, you heard how Becca´s best friend was going to have a party next Saturday and you needed to buy her a present. You decided to go to the mall with her after classes and maybe have a girl’s day and do you nails. That made her smile so bright, which was what you loved the most about your life, that it was full of happiness.

After eating, you said goodbye to Bucky and Rebecca, he was going to take her to school and then go to the Avengers compound to train some new recruits, while you went to your office.

Bucky’s day went normal, as any other day would go, he did some training and hanged out with Sam and Steve. When 4pm came around the received a call from Becca´s school, her teacher told him that she was still there. You never came pick her up, he didn´t know why you were late. You always told him if your meeting was going to be longer so someone would pick your daughter from school.

“Sorry man.” He told Steve at the middle of the meeting. “Apparently YN never went to pick Rebecca from school she is there by herself, I really need to go. I also need to see what happened to YN. She is not picking up her phone.” Bucky said standing up from his chair.

“Sure pal, everything good with her?” Steve said a bit worry, he didn´t want his best friend to be in panic.

“I hope so.” He said walking to the door, but before he could reach it his phone rang again.

Steve just stood there, and watched how the color of his best friends face went completely white, then Bucky’s knees failed and he felt to the floor. Tears running down his cheeks, his face was shaking. He was wordless. Sentences couldn´t form in his mouth. Steve was next to him in second, he took the phone from his hand.

That when he heard him scream, he screamed as if he was dying, painful and horrible screams.

“Excuse me.” Steve said through the phone. “This is Steve Rogers. What happened?” He asked, though he already had an idea of what had happened.

“I am so sorry Sir, but I regret to inform you that Mrs. Barnes had a car accident today. She arrived to the New York Presbyterian Hospital at 2:36pm, she immediately went to surgery. She didn´t make it, she was called at 3:49pm. I am so sorry, but we need her husband to come.”

Steve hanged up the phone, he had tears in his eyes, he was about to cry. He had lost his best friend, but he needed to be strong for the man that was like a brother to him, to his nice.

Bucky was in the floor, sobbing and screaming. He went and called for Nat. She enter and saw the state in which Bucky was, then she saw the tears in Steve´s eyes.

“What happened?” She asked in panic.

“I… he…N-Nat” he mumbled between sobs. “Can you please look for Rebecca at school? Please.”

Nat realized, she immediately shook her head in disbelieve, “no, no, no,”

“Nat, please. Someone needs to be with her.” Steve managed to say. She wiped her tears and left the room.

Steve was in the floor hugging his best friend while he cried his eyes out, he was no longer screaming.

“I am sorry buddy, I am so sorry.” He said to his friend. “I know how you feel, just let it all out. But later you need to be strong for your daughter. She just lost her mother, she will need her dad. She needs you to be there for her, but now. I am here for you.”

“Not her, please not her. She is perfect Steve, I can’t, I love her, we can’t lose her.” He sobbed and screamed. “We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together, the two of us.”

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When he calmed down, they went to the hospital. A drunk driver had crashed against your car in a traffic light. He died immediately.

Becca slept in Nat´s room. Bucky slept in his old room in the compound, he couldn’t go to your home. Too many memories. He couldn’t face his daughter, he would broke in front of her, he needed to be strong. He cried himself to sleep that day.

He next day was awful, he needed to explain to her 5 year old baby, that her mother would never hug her again. He couldn’t even began to comprehend that.

“Becca, baby. I need to talk to you.” He said the next morning the compounds living room, all  the other Avengers were in the hospital helping Bucky prepare every detail for the funeral, Steve was the only one there, next to Bucky and Becca. In case either of them needed him.

“Daddy, why did we slept here?” She asked frowning her eyebrows, just like her dad. “Where is mommy? We were supposed to have a girl´s day yesterday.”

That made Bucky tear a few tears which he rapidly cleaned.

“Babydoll, its because…” Bucky mad a pause and looked through the windows. “Mommy had an accident, and she will never come again.”

Becca made a confused face.

“Why? Can´t you just put her a bad-aid like you do to me when I have accident?” She asked in all her innocence, which made Bucky’s strength fall. He quickly enveloped her in his arms.

“That is the thing baby, she had a big accident, she is gone.” He started to sob again, so did Steve.

Becca began to stroke her father’s hair. “We will see her daddy, someday, but I am really going to miss her.” She started to cry and hug her dad.

“I want my mommy, dad.”

“So do I honey.”

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The funeral was beautiful, full with YN´s family and friends. They all told beautiful stories and tried to remember the amazing person YN was. Bucky couldn’t talk, he had so many things to say, none of them were for this people to hear, they were for his love.

A week had passed since you awful dead, Bucky stayed at the compound, he couldn’t go home, he also needed help with Becca. He could barely managed to take care of himself.

He was in his bed, looking at the celling, numb. He know the needed to stand up and shower, he needed to get up and care of his baby, but she was the carbon copy of you. It was like looking at you, it hurt, it really hurt. Lying there he heard some knocking at his door. Then Steve came..

“Hey pal, the lawyer came today, he left the will and this letter. She wrote it you when you guys had Rebecca.”

“Thanks, just leave it there.” He said gesturing to his night stand.

When Steve left he got up and grabbed the letter, it had his name in your beautiful calligraphy.

Bucky,

My love, I hope that you never have to open this letter, but if you do, I want you to know that you made me the happiest woman alive. In all the galaxies we know that exist, in all the universe that may. I was the happiest, all thanks to you. You teached me what the meaning for being alive really meant, you showed me so many incredible and beautiful things, and you gave me our most amazing gift, our daughter Rebecca, she is the tangible evidence of our love.

If the time in which you have to open this letter comes, know that you did everything you could. Under any circumstances think that this was your fault, it wasn´t.

I love you so much Bucky, you have really no idea, and I know you loved me just as much, that is why I am asking you one last favor.

Please don´t close yourself, don´t let yourself return to the man you were before be met, not that he was any less amazing, but he was lonely. I want you to continue living your life to the fullest. I know I can´t ask you to not miss me or forget me, I don’t want that. I want you to remember my memory and cherish it. I want you to show all then wonders of the world to sweet Becca. Please never let her forget that she was the most important person in my life besides you.

I want the two of you to continue to love, and let yourselves be love. I love you with all my heart, and every single atom in my body.

          Don’t forget me my brightest star, YN.

After reading that Bucky cleaned his cheeks.

“I will always love you.” He kissed the letter and placed it in his nightstand. He got up and went to find his daughter.

“I love you baby, and so did you mother. You are our greatest creations.” He no longer had you here, so he was going to spend all his breathing moments showing her how much he loved her, he was the only part left in this world of YN, and she was that greatest gift she could have left him.

He would continue to love you long after you are gone. For ever, til the end of times.

——————————————————————————

A/N: I cried so hard writing this. I am so sorry, but I hope you like it. I really appreciate feedback.

#bucky x reader #bucky x reader fluff #bucky x you #avengers #avengers x reader #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes fic #bucky x y/n #marvel #bucky x reader angst #Bucky angst #Bucky Barnes angst #Bucky x dead reader #angst #Angst #marvel Angst #Bucky x reader angst #bucky barnes x reader angst #sebastian stan #Stan #sad #dad!bucky x mom!reader #dad!bucky barnes #dad!bucky

[pillow-anime-talk]

genshin month ; third day.

synopsis: You and your fiancé started spending less and less time together.

# tags: scenario; current relationship; romance; mild angst; also fluff; sfw with suggestive ending

includes: female reader ft. albedo & sucrose {genshin impact}

author’s note: it’s time for some fucking angst but with happy end, friends.

You packed a delicious-looking breakfast into a special bamboo box, and then wrapped both the beautifully scented bento and the paper bag with chocolate cookies in a much larger piece of colorful fabric to make it all more convenient to carry. A proud smile graced your face as you turned to greet Albedo, whose footsteps you heard in the distance.

“Hello, darling.” You greeted him warmly and then felt a sweet kiss in the middle of your hot forehead. “Breakfast is on the table, and here, I packed your dinner. Please, eat it later, okay?” You added softly, touching his delicate skin on his cheek by your left hand, and the man nodded gently, after a while, however, nestling your body into his slightly larger and warmer. “Huh? Something happened?”

“Well... I know, I promised you that today we will spend some time together and go for a walk, but I will have to stay longer at work.” He confessed hesitantly, and you sighed under your breath.

“After all, you are our Chief Alchemist, I’m not really surprised. Has Jean commissioned you to do something important?” Curious, you asked, and he shook his head, which made you a bit confused. So you raised an eyebrow, gesturing for him to answer you truthfully.

“Sucrose asked me to help her with alchemy, so I’ll stay with her a little longer to help her master some of the things.” He admitted calmly, and your expression becomes blank. Ah, right. You could have figured out that the reason for all of this is your fiance’s helper, Sucrose.

You moved away from his body, then sighed; nevertheless, a weak smile appeared on your face. Not very honest, but Albedo didn’t seem to notice it.

“It’s okay, love. Let’s go eat our breakfast. I made your favorite vegetable and mushroom omelets.”

{ ･ﾟ✧ }

Hours after Albedo left the house, you realized that you forgot to add a thermos with coffee to his large bento. You decided to quickly fix your mistake and prepared his favorite, strong drink. You also took some fresh fruit and packed it in a small cloth bag. On its front there was a beautiful bouquet that you had embroidered yourself a few days earlier.

Even though you were confused by the behavior of your lover, you couldn’t stop worrying about him. He was the most important person for you, he was your beloved second half, he was also the best human you have ever met, so you wanted to repay him for looking after you and making sure that nothing bad would ever happen to you. Albedo cared for you as best he could and you appreciated it like nothing else in the world. However, for a long time you have had the impression that this care and interest in you begins and ends in your shared home, where no one is looking, where no one is allowed to enter.

Your weekly walks around the city were a thing of the past, and you didn’t want to ask for them every time. Your ‘family’ lunches were no longer shared lunches, because you ate them alone while the twenty-two-years-old was in his lab or carrying out his missions. Your tenderness was limited to kisses on the forehead, and you missed kisses on the mouth, on the nose, on other parts of the body. Not to mention about long baths together or time spent in bed (not necessarily reading books, but something... more intimate).

Nevertheless, you weren’t particularly angry, maybe a bit disappointed, but you didn’t feel angry with your partner. The only thing you could feel at that time was your concern about whether Albedo takes care of himself and takes care of his daily menu or the right amount of water consumed throughout the whole day.

The road to the place where the young man’s laboratory was located took you less than twenty minutes. Along the way, you greeted the inhabitants of Mondstadt, who, seeing you, wished you a nice day and asked you to greet, quoting their words, ‘The Great Captain’. At the sound of their joyfull voices you smiled slightly, nodding your head and promising you would do it. And as soon as you got to the right place, you quietly entered the building. You wanted to say ‘Good afternoon’ to your loved one and green-haired teenager, but instead you almost felt that the bag of products falling out of your hands.

You knew Albedo cherished you and would never cheat on you, but it hurt to see him leaning forward next to Sucrose. It seemed that his lips were about to touch her cheek or temple, and it hurt as badly as any other form of cheating. He had so much fun with her and their alchemy, so many topics to talk about, from work to missions they were given, and you? All you two could talk about was only... Yeah, was what?

“Umm... Albedo?” Your peaceful voice spread over the fairly large room, and two people next to the wooden table looked up at your standing figure. “I forgot to pack your coffee in the morning... I’ll put it here and I won’t disturb you two anymore. Don’t overstraining yourselves, okay?” Your faint smile covered a broken voice and trembling lips. “Good luck with your work and study. Do your best.”

You quickly put the silvery thermos and colorful fruit on the dark cabinet, and just as quickly left the room. Albedo, seeing your figure disappearing, apologized to his assistant, and she nodded. But before the blonde alchemist left the room, Sucrose grabbed him by the black sleeve of his clothes and laughed shyly.

“Mr. Albedo, I don’t think I need any extra lessons today, though. We can arrange a different date. Will it be okay?” Her girlish voice reached his ears, and he mechanically agreed, breathing blissfully. “Thank you. Please keep Mrs. Y/N company tonight. I think she misses you really much.”

The knight wanted to answer, but instead he ran after you, catching you up almost at the exit of the brick building. He took your sad face slowly between his all, long fingers and you frowned.

“Why are you leaving? You’re always welcome here, darling.”

“I just don’t want to disturb you two, Albedo. I don’t fit here.” You admitted finely, and your gaze shifted to the mahogany panels under your feet. “Sometimes I wonder why you are with me. I don’t even understand alchemy, you can’t talk to me about it. You should... Maybe you should be with Sucrose? Or with another woman who shares your hobbies...?” You asked tenderly, and he opened his eyes wider, pulling your body into a warm embrace.

“I never thought of leaving you for someone else, dearest. Why are you talking about this at all? What happened?”

Your eyes met his deep blue orbs again, and you shrugged timidly.

“Currently, Sucrose is closer to you than I am. I thought you were bored with me. Moreover – I don’t thi...”

A precious kiss on your blueberry-tasting lips silenced your thoughts and at the same time caused a tiny blush on your both cheeks and ear tips.

“Sucrose is my successor, it’s true. But, my love. You are my future wife and you’re definitely more important to me than she is. Please don’t ever think that I will leave you for someone else. You are the best thing... no, you’re the best person that enter to my life and I love you very, very much. Also... Sucrose always asks about you and says she wants to be like you. Like someone who know how to cook or bake, sew clothes and plushies, make beautiful hairstyles like the ones on my head. She admires you as someone admires their mother. Sometimes I have the feeling that she would rather be your apprentice than mine.” He laughed cutely, and you looked at him in big surprise. After a short while, however, you nodded, resting your head on his smooth neck. “... I know I’ve been neglecting you lately and I’m ashamed of it, but now I promise to make it up to you. Therefore, let’s go home and tomorrow we’ll go for a walk to the lake or for a picnic.”

“Huh? But your job? Extra-curricular activities...? And what about...”

“Don’t think about anything. We’re done now so let’s go, dear. I have to show you how different you are from other people when it comes to my feelings.” Suddenly his mouth was right next to your left ear, and warm breath wrapped around your face. “And I don’t promise you’ll fall asleep tonight.”

“... A-Albedo!”

previous day ; aether ♡ next day ; keqing

#— ⛩️ #genshin impact month #genshin impact challenge #genshin impact #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact scenarios #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x you #genshin impact x y/n #genshin impact albedo #albedo #albedo imagines #albedo scenarios #albedo x reader #albedo x you #albedo x y/n #albedo x sucrose #genshin impact sucrose #sucrose #sucrose imagines #sucrose scenarios #sucrose x reader #sucrose x you #sucrose x y/n #sucrose x albedo

[young-dumb-and-vaccinated]

Cult Girl: Doctorate (Hannibal x Female!Reader) pt. 8

Cult girl and Hannibal go through an exhaustive list of potential adoptive couples. 

@wisesandwichshark

Trigger warning: sexual harassment, christianity, discussion of pregnancy and family planning, adoption, murder and cannibalism 

Step two: find an adoptive family.

Some would say your list of expectations for potential adoptive parents was too extensive. Impossible for any human to reach. But it was really just the bare minimum.

Regardless of if they were two men, two women, one of each, or a few people, the parents had to be trustworthy. It wasn't easy to earn Hannibal's trust, but he could recognize those who had the capacity to right away. It was a little instinct you had dubbed 'friend or food'.

On paper, the apostolic pastor and his wife of 19 years seemed like the perfect candidates. The adoption agency tried to push them on you, as they had a great track record with adopting from them prior. Three boys, all of which were honors students.

Hannibal insisted on a formal introduction, during which you could conduct a proper, though surreptitious, interview. It was an invitation to dinner.

He invited the couple into his office, where a pot of tea and an interrogation was waiting for them. Then there was you. Barely-pregnant little [F/N], feeling entirely safe so long as your fiancé was beside you.

"You're doing the right thing, y'know." The woman, who introduced herself as Mrs. Landon, said upon meeting you.

"How do you mean?" You asked, already knowing the answer.

"All god's life is precious." She said, placing a hand on your not-even-remotely-showing-yet stomach. "You're walking in obedience to the lord by giving this child a shot at life."

Strike one: bringing up religion unprompted. Strike two: touching me without asking first.

You wanted to swat her hand away, but remembered that patience was a virtue. She and her husband took a seat across from you.

"Y'know," The man began, his mannerisms eerily similar to those of his wife. "I don't usually begin with the god talk, but I think a higher power had to have been involved in the conception of this- well, our child. I'd like to think the good lord brought us together today."

Strike three: already believes he is entitled to my child. You're outta here.

"Don't flatter the adoption agency like that, Jacob." Hannibal chuckled, placing his teacup on the side table.

"I'm serious, Dr. Lecter." Jacob interjected. "Faith and I really do believe that god put us on this earth to prepare his smallest soldiers for the spiritual war."

You shot Hannibal a side glance that said 'can we please just eat them now?'.

The answer was no. Hannibal liked to play with his food.

"And your adult children have all moved out?" He asked.

"That's right." Jacob nodded. "We have plenty of room in our five-bedroom house for the new little slugger to run around in."

"And if it's a girl!" The wife interrupted. "We have enough closet space for all the denim maxi-skirts money could buy."

Strike four: arbitrarily genders the behavior of a nine-week-old embryo.

The man then returned the teacup to the table, not bothering to use the saucer and instead leaving a nasty ring of condensation on the polished mahogany.

"Okay." Hannibal huffed, resignedly rising from his seat. He pulled two hypodermic needles from his back pocket and carefully, subtly stuck them onto the couples' necks. They couldn't even scream.

The tacos al pastor that followed (after a few days of marinating, of course) were exquisite.

The next week brought a new couple to your doorstep. Frank and Angela, they were named. Their claim to fame was that their oldest son played football for one of those big southern party schools. Either Auburn or Alabama. There was hardly a difference.

You sat for what felt like hours listening to the man speak in unintelligible football babble, waiting for him to take a breath. Surprisingly, it was the mom who got him to finally shut up.

"Frank, please." She said with more frustration than this one situation even remotely warranted. Either she had enough intuition to know she was being tested, or she’d spent the last decade putting up with this. Possibly both. "You're boring our hosts to death."

"What? No way! She loves it!" Frank replied, then turned to you. Not to Hannibal, just you. “Aren’t you having a great time, sweetheart?” 

Strike one: takes advantage of the female socialization to be passive and polite, allowing himself to take up the most space.

You shook your head. “I hate football.” 

His wife looked quite pleased with herself. 

“Angie, I just wanted her to know what good breeding her son is going to have.” He said, without a lick of irony or self-awareness. He eyed you up and down and licked his lips. “And it is mutual, I see.” 

The room went quiet as everyone tried to determine whether he was serious or if it was just a fucked-up joke. The longer the silence lingered, the more you realized he wasn’t kidding. Angela looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

“I don’t know what the agency told you, Mr. Wyatt,” Hannibal said, trying not to grit his teeth. “She isn’t a surrogate. She’s already pregnant.” 

Frank’s jaw hung dumbly open. “I thought you were looking for a sperm donor? I just-” 

“No.” You cut him off, raising your hand and covering your face. “I don’t want to know what you thought.” 

“Well, I would!” Angela interjected, righteous fury eclipsing what should have been crippling embarrassment. “What exactly did you think this was, Francis?” 

“The file said that he was over fifty, so I just assumed--” Frank rationalized, his voice far too loud for the room. “Y’know? That she wanted a baby that wouldn’t come out all funny-looking?” 

“You’re disgusting.” You blurted out. 

“Francis Howard Wyatt,” Angela scolded as if she were talking to her son. “You are forty-eight and the only increasing part of your body is your blood pressure. Why on Earth would any woman choose you over her smart, handsome doctor fiancé?”

This made Hannibal sit up a little straighter. He wanted Francis on the butcher’s block yesterday, but he momentarily considered letting Angela live. 

“They’re not married?” Frank whispered, or whatever the loud-aggressive-toxic-masculinity version of whispering was. He paused, as the dead hamster on the wheel powering his brain crept back to life. “That actually makes sense.” 

Angela loudly smacked her hand against her face. “Dr. Lecter, Ms. [L/N], I am so sorry.” 

“It’s quite alright, Mrs. Wyatt.” Hannibal stood up, readying the next batch of needles. “It just makes what I’m about to do easier.” 

It took quite a bit of restraint to not make their deaths hurt, but he made up for it when it came time to carve. He had fun running his fittingly small penis through a meat grinder. Not with any intent to cook it, though. Just because. 

Hannibal wanted to make Francis Wyatt into the least dignified meal imaginable. You quickly recalled going to a friend’s barbeque in Georgia and encountering a horrendously Southern delicacy known as Frito Pie. You proposed the idea to Hannibal, who, after reviling in abject horror at the notion of eating something out of a bag, agreed that it was the most fitting end. He could spare a few pounds of flesh to grind up and make into chili. 

The third week brought yet another couple. They seemed smart enough to realize your invitation wasn't the friendly olive branch the others had interpreted it as. Their healthy skepticism was refreshing, to say the least. Then, you met them: Max and Archie.

"You'll have to forgive my partner's paranoia." Max said upon entering the house. He tugged playfully at Archie's hand. "We watched Get Out recently, so an invitation to the suburbs sounded some alarms in his sleep-deprived brain."

"I love that movie." You chimed in. "It reminds me of my family."

"Oh no." Archie's eyes widened in only half-pretend fear. He shot an I-told-you-so look in his partner's direction. 

"But my favorite horror flick has to be Midsommar." You added. "My friends and I saw a midnight screening and we didn't sleep at all that night."

"But have you seen Hereditary?" Archie posited.

"Of course." You shrugged. "Aster is totally genius."

You made more than just polite conversation with the couple. Max, despite his young age, was a skilled data analyst and day trader. He attributed his success to the hard work of his immigrant parents. Archie was an environmental lawyer and land activist. He was also a bit of a thrill junkie, indulging in everything from scary movies to bungee jumping.

It didn't take long to realize that you wouldn't be eating them. They were far too pleasant of company to eat.

"So when is this baby planning to make its entrance?" Archie asked, gesturing to you. "You don’t look all that pregnant to me."

You put your hand over your slightly-protruding stomach. "Late August, I believe. If everything goes according to plan."

"You're not far along at all, aren’t you?" Max observed. "That gives us plenty of time to prove ourselves to you."

"Believe me." You put up your hand. "You're doing a great job so far."

“If you like horror stories, we might have to indulge you in the last two encounters we had.” Hannibal commented, leaning back comfortably in his chair. That was a good sign. “No blood was spilled, thank god. Would have ruined my carpets. But believe me when I tell you it came very close.” 

The couple laughed along. Archie leaned in like he was about to tell a life-shattering secret. “You wouldn’t believe the hoops we had to jump through to even have the chance to adopt. And I don’t want to say that it’s because we’re an interracial gay couple, but...” 

“Agencies aren’t exactly colorblind.” You finished, via his prompting. 

“She gets it.” Archie pointed to you. “See, Maxie? She agrees with me.” 

Max pushed his glasses up his nose. “I never said I disagreed.” 

You spent the rest of the afternoon waiting for the conversation to take a sharp left turn off a cliff, but it didn’t happen. They were wonderful company; polite, intelligent and articulate. Exactly the kind of people you’d want to see taking care of your child. 

You’d have to look for you next meal elsewhere. 

#hannibal #hannibal x reader #hannibal x you #hannibal lecter x you #hannibal lecter x reader #hannibal lecter #hannibal nbc #cult girl #cult girl 2 #cult girl doctorate

[marchtomydrums]

New Rules 1

Alex Cabot x Reader

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

Alex's father has only been here for two weeks and you're already sick of the man. He is incredibly rude, extremely arrogant, and he puts Alex down every chance he gets. Since his surprise visit to your classroom, he's been nothing but a dark cloud hovering over your life. You weren't alone in your dislike of him Martha and Grey both grew tired of him rather quickly. However, Alex has all but rolled over and begged for his attention and mercy. Her actions irritated you to no end and so far you've kept it to yourself.

Like today, for example, it's a beautiful Saturday afternoon and it could be spent with your girlfriend. But no she's with her father at an office building he has recently bought. No doubt trying to convince Alex to take a job there. The whole situation annoyed you. How could Alex fall right back in with a man that treated her so terribly? You asked yourself this question a lot in the last two weeks. Martha says that this is how it always is. Alexander comes in sucking Alex back into his evil ways then Alex finally has enough and he's gone again. However, this has been the longest the two have gone without contact since Alex left Robert.

Martha suggested we just sit back and let this play out for now. And for the most part, you're trying to do just that. No matter how much you dislike him he is still her father. However, watching Alex take his shit wasn't sitting right with you. The woman you fell in love with was strong and stubborn. She's known as the Ice Queen for god’s sake. Alex Cabot doesn't roll over for anyone but it seems that this is not the case when it comes to Alexander Cabot.

The day came and went dinner has been had and there is still no sign of Alex. You sighed to yourself in bed as you tried to ease your thoughts with a book. But it's hopeless you couldn't stop worrying about her. After waiting for a few hours you finally decide to go to bed. You tossed and turned as your thoughts ran rapidly in your mind. Finally, exhaustion took over, and you were out. The next thing you know you felt movement on the bed. Arms wrap around your body pulling you close to them. Your body tensed for a second until the smell of vanilla filled your senses causing you to relax. Rolling over you come face to face with Alex. Her smile shining brightly even in the dark bedroom. You sighed as your body melted into hers. She leans down placing a kiss on your lips. “Hi,” she whispered. “Hi.” you smiled kissing her again. “I missed you today,” you tell her. She nods her head “ I missed you too. I'm sorry I've been gone, all-day daddy kept me at his new office going over his plans.” You nod your head not really knowing what to say. “He wants me to be a partner. He says that once it's up and running he’ll go back home and I'll be in charge. He will only be involved here and there.”

“Is that something you want?” you asked cautiously praying she said no. She sighed “ I’m not really sure. But I told him that I'd think about it and come to him when I've made my decision. “ she tells you. “Oh. Okay,” you mumbled rolling back over in her arms.

Alex takes notice of your demeanor pulling you close to her dropping a kiss on your shoulder. “What's wrong? “ she asked. “Nothing,” you mumbled. She sighed “ I thought we made a promise to each other to express our thoughts and feelings. So talk to me love.” she whispers. “I'm just worried about you being so involved with him again. I don't want him to ruin all the progress you've made. I don't want to sit by and watch him destroy you. “ you tell her. “ I know.” she sighs. “Which is why I told him I'd think about it. And I wanted to talk to you first. Our decisions affect each other. “

You rolled over again to face her “So if I told you I didn't want you to do it you wouldn't?” you asked. “Yes,” she said. “But I can't ask you to do that. I don't want to hold you back from a good opportunity,” you tell her. She smiles combing a strand of hair behind your ear. “I know. Which is why we will talk about it and go from there,” she says. You nod your head. “Okay, well can we talk about it tomorrow? I've missed you and I'm tired and I don't want to waste any more time talking about your dad.” She chuckles “ Agreed. I just want to hold you and go to sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.” she says guiding your head to her chest. “Will you be here all day tomorrow?” you asked hopefully. “Yes. I plan on spending the whole day with you,” she chuckles. You smile snuggling in close to her as you close your eyes.

The next morning you were woken up by Alex kissing your neck. You groaned as her hands wrap around you messaging your breasts. Rolling over to face her your smile matches hers as you lean in to kiss her. “Good morning,” you husked. “Good morning my love.” she grins leaning down kissing you passionately causing you to moan. She takes the opportunity to slide her tongue inside rolling it against yours. “Mmm. Someone is in a good mood this morning.” you chuckled. Alex laughs “Well waking up to you puts me in a good mood.” she husked kissing you again as her hand trails down your body stopping at your breast to massage the flesh. You moan and rock your hips as her fingers roll and tease your nipple making it hard. Alex rolls on top of you keeping your lips locked. Her hand descends further down until she pushes past your shorts and panties discovering just how much she turns you on.

“Alex,” you whined as her fingers drew circles around your clit. She chuckles “You want me, baby?” she asked. “Yes.” you moaned as she enters you with two fingers. Her fingers thrust in and out of you as you hold on to her. She smiles watching your face express the pleasure you were feeling. Leaning down her lips barely hovering against yours she whispered “I love you.” Before you could respond her lips are moving against yours swallowing the moans escapes your mouth.

Just as you feel your body rising a loud noise startles you bringing you back to earth. “Alex. Oh, Jesus!” the voice screams. Alex is quick to cover both of your bodies with the bedsheet as you peek over her shoulder seeing Alexander standing by the door with his hand over his eyes. Martha runs quickly to the door standing in the opening “I’m sorry Ms. Alex he pushed right through the front door.” she explains breathing heavily from running up the stairs. Alex sighs “It’s alright Martha. It's not your fault.” she says as she looks towards her father angrily. He grumbles “Get dressed. I'll be downstairs.” before slamming the door shut. Alex sighs dropping her head down on your chest grumbling. “What the fuck?!” you groaned extremely annoyed. Alex sighs “I don't know. But I need to see what he wants.” she mutters in annoyance. “Ughh!!” you groaned loudly as she got up to get dressed. As she walked out the door you lay in bed looking up at the ceiling wondering what the hell just happened.

Once you were dressed you walked downstairs in search of Alex passing Alexander in the hallway. He barely glanced in your direction as he heads to the door “ I’ll be waiting in the car.” he announced before walking out. Turning around you see Alex rolling her eyes as she walks towards you. “Are you going somewhere?” you asked. She sighed nodding her head “Dad wants me to look over the plans for the office with the contractor. It shouldn't take me more than an hour.” she explains. “What the hell Alex?! He barges into our home, no I'm sorry our bedroom no less demanding your presence and what you just jump? “ you yelled. “ I know my love. I'm sorry. I will talk to him about that. However, the contractor can only meet with us today.” she says. “I thought you weren't jumping in on his plans until we talked?” you asked crossing your arms over your chest. “I'm not. I'm just looking over the plans. That's all.” she says. “Whatever. “ you mumbled making your way past her. Her arms reach out to touch you “baby,” she whispered. “Don't,” you say pushing past her as you head into the kitchen. Alex sighs watching you walk away. The car horn blares from outside singling for Alex to hurry. She sighs grabbing her things before walking out the door.

#alex cabot x reader #lgbtq #wlw #law and order svu #stephanie march #fiction #television #writing #law and order x reader #smut and fluff #age difference

[ricerice]

Ｇｅｎｓｈｉｎ：　Ｍａｆｉａ　ＡＵ　ャ翁温

On a slightly more serious note, this AU is a multiple-part series, so I’ll tie off as many loose ends as I can lmao. Good luck to those who are pulling for Kazuha! A friend of mine got him in ten pulls with three pity.

I’m saving my rimos for Xiao, but depending on if Lauren gets him or not it might be Hu Tao.

Credit: Jessica

Warnings: ig mafia behavior

Word count: 874

Reminder: I am not trying to romanticize the mafia or anyone’s experiences with the mafia. If you are not comfortable with these topics, please don’t feel obligated to read it. - Jessica

“Are you almost ready, Lady [Name]?”

“Yes, just give me one minute.” [Name] responded, pulling her gloves on. “Do you mind debriefing what the boss expects today?”

“O-Oh, I’m sorry, Lady [Name]. I don’t know myself. Master Jean didn’t disclose this information to me.” Sucrose, the mint-haired assistant for Albedo said nervously.

“That’s quite all right, Sucrose.” [Name] looked herself over in the mirror, checking everything over to make sure it’s all presentable. “Does Albedo have anything for me today?”

Albedo was the inventor for many of the gadgets that the Mondsadt mafia used. He supplied many things for the mafia, but more specifically, made sure to design something new for [Name] for every mission. He was very dear to [Name], and they spent time together outside of the mafia.

(In fact, he asked [Name] if he could paint her very often.)

“Yes, he does, actually!” Sucrose said excitedly. “I came up with the idea for it. He requested that you stop by his office before your mission to pick it up.” If she had a pair of animal ears, they’d surely be standing up in excitement.

‘What a cutie.’ [Name] thought.

Sucrose was the assistant to Albedo. She was rather on the shy side, but was always eager to speak with [Name]. After he finished the prototype, she was usually the one to test it and document the results. [Name] thought that she was absolutely adorable.

“Thank you, Sucrose.” [Name] said. “Please inform Albedo that I’ll be there shortly.”

After she said that, Sucrose quickly bowed and left. [Name] gave herself one final look-over and proceeded out the door as well.

Walking to Jean’s office, [Name] thought about what her mission could be. As she was absorbed in her thoughts, she didn’t realize that she stumbled into someone.

“Whoa there, can’t have you falling for me too fast, can we?” said a sultry voice.

“Kaeya.” [Name] greeted. “It’s good to see you.”

“Always so formal.” he said, bringing her hand to his lips. “Let’s change that, shall we?”

Kaeya was the information broker and had been in the mafia for a couple years before [Name] joined. He, though capable, flirted relentlessly with anyone with a pair of legs and had decided that [Name] was his next target. Without fail, every time they saw each other he would make it a point to compliment her, all with a smile on his face like he knew something she didn’t.

[Name] rolled her eyes. “Is this truly necessary? There’s much to be done.”

Kaeya placed his hands on his chest. “As cold as you are beautiful, Lady [Name]. I did hear about your mission. Unfortunate, who your partner is.”

“Do you know something?” [Name] asked, brow furrowing slightly.

Kaeya laughed. “I know many things, Lady [Name]. Go on in, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Confused, [Name] bid Kaeya a good day and stepped into Jean’s office.

“Master Jean, good afternoon.” [Name] said with an incline of the head.

“Ah, Lady [Name]. Come, sit.” Jean said, waving her over. [Name] followed obediently, sitting herself on the plush armchair.

“Today’s mission is largely for diplomatic reasons.” Jean started. “A Snezhnayan organization called the Fatui has threatened the borders of the Liyue mafia. According to our gatherings, they plan to poison the leader at a party later tonight.”

“Forgive me, but isn’t hosting a party while being targeted kind of… a bad move?” [Name] couldn’t help but ask.

“Under normal circumstances, yes.” Jean answered. “However, the party is only a cover-up. In actuality, the party is the host of one of the biggest underground trading sections in a century. Therefore, it cannot simply be cancelled.”

[Name] exhaled through her nose. “I see. So my job is to get rid of the threats from Snezhnaya and guard whomever is representing us. Speaking of which, who is representing us?”

“That would be me.” a voice said from the shadows of the room. [Name] watched a red-haired man step into the light, a small scowl on his face like this was the last place he wanted to be.

The first thing [Name] thought was ‘Strawberry?’

“Lady [Name], this is Master Diluc. He owns the Dawn Winery.” Jean said, gesturing to the man who had his arms crossed.

“Thank you, Master Jean, but I can introduce myself.” the man, Diluc, said. Though his words were harsh, his tone was even, betraying no scorn for Jean.

“I look forward to working with you, Master Diluc.” [Name] said. “I trust that you are most capable.”

“Hm.” Diluc said in reply.

Well, now she could see why Kaeya didn’t like Diluc. He was serious and solemn, not a man of many words, which was the complete opposite of Kaeya. [Name] didn’t mind, though. Diluc was interesting, and [Name] would make it her mission to one day braid his fluffy strawberry hair.

(Priorities, am I right?)

“Now that you have met, Lady [Name], please go to this address tomorrow at nine.” Jean handed [Name] a card, which was blank except for an address and postal code printed in the middle.

“Thank you,” [Name] said, taking it as the dismissal it was.

After [Name] left, Jean turned to Diluc.

“I believe we have much to discuss, Master Diluc.”

Ooh what’s the tea Master Jean 👀? - Jessica

#genshin impact albedo #genshin imapct #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact zhongli #genshin impact diluc #genshin impact sucrose #genshin impact kaeya #geshin impact jean #mondstat #genshin characters #genshin x y/n #diluc x reader #jean x reader #kaeya x reader #sucrose x reader #jessica #mafia genshin #mafia #mafia fanfic #genshin #jessica is such a simp #jessica is dumb

[togetherwearerapture]

Boundary (Ethan x MC x Tobias?)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x MC (Elle Valentine) x (hints of) Tobias Carrick

Description: Tobias and Elle get to know each other while working on a case. Tobias pushes some boundaries.

Warnings: A few curse words, underlying health problems. Most characters belong to Pixelberry.

Word Count: 5.9k

Notes: Something a bit different, but I very much enjoyed writing this. There’s no overt Tobias x MC, so this is hopefully something Ethan stans can enjoy reading too. If PB won’t give me what I want, I guess write it myself lol 

*********

It’s early Fall, yet despite this fact and the hospital’s ‘Bloom-and-improved’ ventilation systems, the diagnostics office feels uncomfortably hot. Elle feels a prickling heat across her back, one that she has become accustomed to of late. The façade she’s wearing is beginning to feel like an actual mask, all clinical-scented and restrictive and artificial.

And yet, this is not a mask she’s wearing on a crowded, sweltering T carriage. Her discomfort is unwarranted; there are, after all, only three of them in the room.

Oblivious, Ethan and Harper continue their conversation. She’s tuned out long ago, but she catches the premise- something that Dr Yannick once said at a conference in New York several years ago.

If she really tried, Elle knows she could search for a moment to join in the discussion. But if she’s being honest with herself, she’s tired of searching for sidegates to enter their house of conversation, instead of ever being invited through the front door.

She tries her hardest to appear relaxed, unbothered, indifferent. But her uneasiness spills into her mannerisms, like water through a cracked pot. Manicured nails drum erratically on the top of her thigh. Her top teeth tug, over and over again, at her lips. The apex of her stiletto heel taps the diagnostic office floor like a furious knife.

She likes and respects Harper very much, and her feelings for Ethan, both as a diagnostician and as her romantic partner are unfathomable. But as juvenile as it sounds, she’s so tired of being shut out.

A whooshing of the sliding doors breaks her out of her reverie, and she and the two other occupants of the room look up. Tobias Carrick strides in, all beams and bravado.

Her own notion takes her by surprise, but somehow, she thinks, his arrival is the breath of fresh air she so desperately needs.

“Goooood morning team!” he chimes brightly. Once again, his arms are laden with a trayful of drinks.

“Morning,” Elle offers him a warm smile, Harper echoing her words.

Ethan nods towards the drinks.

“Another round on you?”

“Sure is, but this isn’t just any old round, Ethan,” Tobias replies. “Now I’ve spent a week on the team, I take great pride in this being the first drinks order that’s just right, for all of you.”

Ethan quirks an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

Tobias grins, and plucks the first drink off the tray.

“Harper,” he presents her with an extravagant looking drink. “Chocolate frappucino. Double the sugar, double the caffeine. The Friday OR schedule is always jam packed, so I reckon you’ll need it.”

“You got that right, I’ve got two laminectomies today,” she sighs, although the passion for her job shines through her eyes. She takes a sip from her drink. “No complaints from me!”

“Excellent,” Tobias grins. “Ethan- a Vienna for you. Classic, refined, and,” he winks, “only a little pretentious.”

Ethan accepts the drink with a roll of his eyes, as Tobias moves around the desk to Elle.

“And now, for you Elle,” he hands her the third cup. “I must admit, for you I went out on a whim. I just hope my guess is a lucky one.”

Curiosity piqued, Elle presses the rim to her lips. She is aware of the eyes of both Tobias and Ethan following her action with interest. Mild, pleasant citrus swims onto her palate.

“Lemon balm?” she asks Tobias. He nods. “You going to elaborate?”

He shrugs.

“Well, I’ve noticed that I’ve never seen you with a coffee before 4pm, so I figured you like to limit caffeine earlier in the day. And I’ve seen you make up a couple of herbal teas before. I took a gamble and figured you’d like this one.”

“Impressive guess, Carrick,” Elle nods, amused. She takes a sip. “It’s good, thank you.”

“Those are some very…astute observations” says Ethan stiffly, as Tobias takes a seat beside Elle. “Maybe you can put your perceptiveness to better use for our next case.”

He slides three manila envelopes across the table, and the team begin to peruse.

“Jake Adams. 17-year-old male admitted last night, with multiple cardiac arrests,” Ethan begins. “He collapsed at school, was unresponsive, no signs of life, but luckily a fellow student was able to perform high-quality CPR until the paramedics arrived. Heart rhythm on their defibrillator was ventricular fibrillation, he was shocked, back to normal sinus rhythm. Between the scene, being loaded onto the stretcher, in the ambulance and arriving here, he arrested and was shocked again 5 more times.”

“Jesus, poor boy,” murmurs Elle, a crease forming between her brows.

“Cardiology have asked us if we can determine the cause of the arrest, which will of course determine the treatment,” Ethan explains.

“This case only came in last night and since he’s now on life support, we’re able to bypass Bloom’s absurd judicial performance and get straight into it,” Harper adds. “Actually, Ethan and I discussed it at length before you both arrived, and we have some solid ideas.”

Elle looks up from the file, quirking an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“So I’m thinking Long QT syndrome, or maybe Brugada,” says Harper.

“They would definitely explain the spontaneous cardiac arrest,” Ethan adds, “Harper and I have ordered genetic testing for both on immediate family members already.”

“Any family history of sudden cardiac death?” Tobias asks.

“Not that we know of,” says Ethan. “But that wouldn’t rule it out.”

Elle frowns slightly as she browses the file. The tests ordered so far are scant, and in her mind, there are several pieces of the diagnostic puzzle missing. But this didn’t seem to stop Harper and Ethan steamrollering ahead, and seemingly settling on a diagnosis before the case had even been presented.

“Does Jake have a-”

“Do you remember that patient with Brugada syndrome who came in for a study a few years ago, Ethan?” Harper turns to Ethan suddenly.

“Ah yes, Paul?” Ethan chuckles, “he was quite a character.”

As Harper and Ethan drift off once again, Elle glances up to see Tobias looking at her quizzically. She lets out a heavy sigh.

Tobias clears his throat.

“Hate to interrupt your…uh…stroll down memory lane,” he begins. “But Elle was about to ask a question about the case, and you both spoke over her.”

The three other diagnosticians turn to Tobias, and a tense silence hangs in the air. After a beat, Harper speaks up.

“I’m sorry Elle,” she says, sincerely. “That was out of line, please continue.”

Tobias turns to Ethan expectantly, who meets Elle’s eye.

Something flickers across his face for a moment, a mixture of shame, guilt, embarrassment, perhaps? It’s a look that Elle can’t quite place. Then, his eyes skim to Tobias and he coughs awkwardly.

“Yes…thank you Tobias. We did speak over you, Elle, I apologise. What were you saying?”

“I was asking if he had a 15-Lead ECG.”

“Not yet,” Harper replies.

“Then until he has one, I don’t think you can consider Brugada syndrome,” says Elle. “We’d need to do an ajmaline challenge too. I can see from the echocardiogram reports in here that he has a structurally normal heart, so we can definitely exclude congenital heart disease as the cause. But for me personally,” she gestures to the file, “there’s a lot missing in here. About what actually happened.”

“How do you mean?” Ethan asks.

“About the context of the cardiac arrest. All we know is that he was at school, but what was he doing? Was he doing anything strenuous, did it happen at rest? There’s a lot more I’d like to know.”

The rest of the team nod thoughtfully.

“I agree…if it happened during exertion, there’s a few other things we could rule out,” says Tobias.

“Exactly,” says Elle. “I think we should consider catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.”

“You’re thinking CPVT?” asks Ethan, interested. “It’s a possibility.”

“Yes, and it’s one I’d like to investigate more by visiting the school, and finding out more about what happened” says Elle.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Harper responds, twirling her fountain pen between her fingers. “But unfortunately, I won’t be able to join you on your expedition. Like Tobias said, I’ve got a full day in the OR.”

The rest of the team turn to Ethan, who hesitates.

“I…have a meeting with Naveen and the board until lunch,” he says. “Which-”

“-means it’s just you and me, Valentine!” exclaims Tobias, clapping his hands together. “Oh boy, I’ve been looking forward to my first house call with the diagnostics team. We’re going to be on some scooby doo shit, Elle!”

“I beg your pardon?” says Ethan, scowling. Elle can’t help but burst out laughing.

“That settles it then, me and Elle will go to the school,” says Tobias, standing up from his chair. At the same time, Harper gets a page that her surgery is starting and bids them a hurried farewell.

“I was going to say, which means the three of us can go this afternoon once I’m finished,” Ethan says stiffly, as Harper heads out. Tobias shoots him a bemused look.

“I’d rather not wait,” says Elle flatly.

Ethan has wasted enough time in their meetings by bringing up pointless anecdotes with Harper, and she’s very keen to revert her focus to the patients, to diagnostics- the things she loves.

“Me and Valentine will be just fine, E. After all, I’m sure what happened with Jake is still pretty raw to the kids and staff, we’ll need to handle it delicately. Two’s company, three’s a crowd, right?” Tobias flashes Elle a smile.

The same look as before flashes across Ethan’s face, although this time, Elle thinks, it has less of the awkwardness and embarrassment and more of the…something else. His bright blue eyes seem to narrow a fraction, as he looks between Tobias and the woman of his affections.

“Alright,” he sighs finally. “We’ll reconvene when you’re back.”

“Let’s get this show on the road!” says Tobias happily. “To the mystery machine!”

He crosses the room to retrieve his car keys from his bag, while Ethan turns to Elle, and this time, the look of concern is undeniable.

“If you need anything,” he closes some of the distance between them and lowers his voice just a little, “just call me.”

“I think we can handle it,” says Elle, not unkindly. “Enjoy your meeting. And tell Naveen I said hello.”

And with that, she and Tobias leave the office.

********

A short while later, Elle and Tobias are riding in his blue Mercedes S-Class on the way to Jake’s school, a short drive away in South Quincy.

“Not exactly the mystery machine, huh?” says Elle, glancing around at the plush interior.

Tobias shrugs.

“The same colour, at least.”

Boston blurs by as Tobias pulls into a main road, and Elle turns to look at him. His side profile is unmistakably handsome. He drives one handed, the other resting on his thigh.

“So, how’s June?”

He gives a wry half smile, and glances at her.

“Is that your way of asking if we’re still sleeping together?”

“No!” says Elle, honestly. “I’m just wondering how she’s fitting in at Mass Ken. I mean, she left Edenbrook when she thought the ship was going to sink. I got the impression she was pretty keen to be working on your team, now I can’t help but think now you’ve come here, Aurora too…don’t you think she’s been left kinda high and dry?”

“In all honesty, I haven’t seen her for a while, and don’t expect to again anytime soon,” Tobias admits. “But trust me, Hirata will be just fine. She’s head of the team there now.”

Elle raises her eyebrows, impressed.

“I’d say she moves fast, but actually, that doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.”

“She was pissed as hell when I said I was leaving, don’t get me wrong,” says Tobias. “But she’s the strongest diagnostician on that team, and the strongest player too.”

“Player?”

“She knows how to play the game. She’ll have no trouble asserting herself as the new leader, running the show the way she wants to.”

Elle thinks back to her time working with June. The way she changed her personality to gain patients’ trust…and Elle’s. Distant anger simmers at the back of her mind, as she remembers how June stole her employee file.

“I agree…office politics was always child’s play for June.”

“Speaking of,” says Tobias as they stop at a red light. He turns to look at her. “The meeting this morning seemed very…uh…political.”

Elle pauses as feels the uncomfortable tingling rise in her chest. She could ask “what are you talking about?”, but she knows exactly what he’s talking about. And there’s something about Carrick that makes her want to cut the crap, to be upfront. So she is.

“You mean Harper and Ethan…”

“Yeah, that. Whatever the hell that was.”

Elle is silent.

“Does that…happen a lot?”

“More often than I’d like.”

“Well, good job I’m here then,” he grins.

Elle’s head whips around.

“Excuse me?”

“C’mon, you can’t tell me you didn’t appreciate the out.”

She rounds on him.

“Ok, let’s make one thing clear, I don’t need you to fight my battles” says Elle angrily. “Since Harper joined, every time the two of them have gone off track, I’ve steered them back on. I’m here for the patient, to solve the case, and nothing is going to detract my focus from that. That’s the way it’s going to stay, with or without your “outs”, Tobias.”

Tobias chuckles.

“You’re feisty Elle, I like it.” His eyes sweep over her from head to toe, which makes Elle feel more angry, but also, inexplicably, makes her stomach flutter a little.

“What I mean is,” Tobias speaks more seriously; sensing her anger, but mercifully oblivious to the other sensation, “I hope you know you’ve got someone else in your corner Elle. I know how much you care about your patients, and I know Bloom’s going to make life for the team difficult, and try and undermine our every move. That’s not helped when it feels like you’re not listened to by the actual people in it. You’re an excellent doctor Elle, and I value your input. The others should too.”

Elle is dumbstruck. She still doesn’t know what to make of Tobias Carrick; she had picked up pieces and hints from the scattered stories she’d heard from Ethan, most recently in their walk through the rose garden. But while considering the perspective and feelings of the man she so deeply cares for, she acknowledges it is biased. Elle knows that she has good reason to be wary of Tobias; it was not just Ethan he had toyed with, after all- Aurora had been burned by him too.

But, Tobias had helped to save her life. And the genuine smile that he gave her through the contamination screens of that cursed room, on the worst day of her life, had always stayed with her.

So, with a pinch of salt ready between her fingers, Elle decided from the moment he joined the team, that she would form her own opinion of him.

It occurs to her then, just how much Ethan sees the world in black and white. But Tobias Carrick is very much a shade of grey.

Before she can respond to him, the GPS on Tobias’ dash declares that they are arriving at their destination, and sure enough, Elle sees the school up ahead on the right.

“Here we are,” murmurs Tobias as he pulls in through the school gates. “Looks like we’re expected.”

They park up and head over to the school steps, surrounded by blossom trees, where a middle aged woman offers them a watery smile and extends a hand.

“Ah, hello…the doctors from Edenbrook, I presume?” she asks. “I’m Helena Brady, the principal of Greenview High.”

“Yes, we spoke earlier on the phone,” says Elle. “I’m Dr Eleanor Valentine, and this is Dr Tobias Carrick. We’re here to speak to the people that were with Jake when he collapsed?”

“I’m afraid it’s just the one person,” says Helena gravely, leading them through the school. “His friend Charlie was the only one who saw it, and then ran for help. How is Jake doing?”

“He’s still in a coma, but stable,” says Tobias. “The most important thing for us to help him, is find out from Charlie some more about the collapse, and go from there.”

Helena nods, as they come to a stop outside a small office.

“We’ve all been praying for him, it’s so tragically sad…nothing like this has ever happened to a student before,” she sniffs stoically. “Thank you for your work doctors, but please, be gentle with the boy. He’s still very shaken.”

Elle smiles at her reassuringly.

“We will be, don’t worry.”

As Tobias and Elle knock and enter the room, the boy springs to his feet, eyes wild.

“You’re the doctors…how’s Jake, is he-oh god is he-is he dead?” he cries.

“No, Jake is ok. He’s been through a lot, but he’s recovering,” says Elle gently. Charlie sinks back into his chair, though his knees are still quaking.

“It’s Charlie right?” Tobias asks, pulling up a chair. “I’m Tobias and this is Elle. We’re Jake’s doctors. Do you know why we’re here today?”

“Y-yes, that’s me,” Charlie sniffs. “Principal Brady said you were here to talk to me about Jake…I was so scared, I thought, I thought that meant he had died.”

Elle kneels in front of him, laying a gentle hand on his knee.

“I’m really sorry that us coming made you think that, Charlie,” she says. “It must have been really tough watching Jake collapse like that, I’m not surprised you’re thinking the worst. But we think we can help Jake get better, we just need your help.”

Some of the tension seems to leave Charlie’s body upon hearing this; his shudders subside. He pulls anxiously at the strings of his hoodie, unruly teenage bangs falling over his forehead.

“So, Charlie,” Tobias asks as Elle pulls up a chair beside him, “do you think you could tell us a bit more about what Jake was doing when you saw him collapse? Had he been running, exercising, working out?”

“No,” Charlie says quietly. “He wasn’t doing anything like that.”

“That’s really helpful Charlie, thank you,” says Elle. “Can you tell us if he standing up or sitting down? Did he lose his balance or seem dizzy? Did he complain of feeling ill, or funny in any sort of way before it happened?”

Charlie stiffens.

“No. He was-we were-we were arguing.”

Tobias and Elle exchange a quick look.

“Is Jake your friend, Charlie?” Tobias asks.

“No! No he’s not, and I’m so sick of pretending he is!” Charlie shouts. “Jake’s my boyfriend!” Tears begin to roll down his cheeks.

“Oh Charlie, I’m so sorry,” says Elle. “You said you were pretending…does anyone else know that?”

Charlie shakes his head.

“No. That’s what we were arguing about,” he accepts a tissue that Elle offers, blowing his nose.

“Take your time, Charlie,” says Tobias, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms. “It’s ok.”

After a few deep breaths, Charlie steels himself.

“We’ve been dating for three years, kind of in secret, kind of not,” he explains. “My parents know I’m gay, and they’re fine with it. They’ve met Jake before and they love him, they know we’re together. But he’s not even out to his parents, they just think we’re friends.”

He sniffs.

“Now we’re in senior year, we’re both looking at colleges, and we want to go to different ones. We’d be living five hours apart. I don’t know if we can make the long-distance work, especially if his parents don’t know about us. In the times we’d both be back home, they wouldn’t understand why he’d want to spend a lot of that time with me. But the one thing I just really, really wanted, was for us to go to senior prom together. As a couple, you know? To just dress up together, get photos together, dance together, one last time before we leave.”

“And Jake…wasn’t on board with that?” asks Elle.

“He was,” says Charlie. “He said he really wanted to. He just…wasn’t on board with the part of that which meant he’d have to come out to his parents.”

“I see,” says Tobias.

Charlie’s eyes begin to fill with tears again.

“I was saying, before he collapsed, that he didn’t love me,” he cries. “That he must not love me if he’s not prepared to come out. He was getting so upset, begging me, telling me of course he loved me, he was just scared, and then-” he sobs. “Then he was on the floor.”

Elle kneels beside him again, taking both his hands in her own.

“I’ve been googling stuff that could have caused it,” Charlie sniffles. “I saw there’s this condition, some long one beginning with, a C, I think, that means people’s hearts can give out when they’re stressed.”

Tobias raises an eyebrow, somewhat impressed at the boy’s diagnostic skills.

“What if-what if I could’ve killed him, because of the argument? And I told him he must not love me, I didn’t even mean it, I know how hard it is to come out, I didn’t mean to-” he buries his head in his hands.

“Charlie- Charlie listen to me,” says Elle. “It’s true, that we think Jake might have a condition called CPVT. It means that certain situations, like exercise, or stress, can cause the heart to go into an abnormal rhythm. But that does not mean, whatsoever, that any of this is your fault. We all say things we don’t mean in the heat of the moment, when we’re angry. If Jake does have this condition, and we’ll have to run a couple more tests to know that for sure, then it means that we can treat it, and stop it from happening again. It could have happened to him at anytime, anywhere, but he was lucky enough to be with you. You’ve helped him have a lucky escape.”

“R-really?” asks Charlie.

“Really,” says Tobias, who is on his feet. He lays a hand on Charlie’s shoulder.  “Your principal was telling us earlier that you did CPR on Jake while you got others to run for help?”

“Yes,” Charlie mutters, looking up at Tobias.

“Well Charlie, I think you saved his life.”

Charlie’s eyes gleam with hope.

“What are you applying for at college?” Tobias asks.

“Um..cardiac nursing,” he says.

“Very fitting. You’ll always be welcome at Edenbrook for some work experience.” Tobias smiles, genuinely. It’s the same smile Elle remembers from after the attack.

“Do you think, then, that he’ll be ok?” Charlie asks tentatively.

“Yes, I do,” smiles Elle. “And I think that you and Jake will be ok too.”

****************

Some time later, Elle steps out of the school. After speaking at length with the school counsellor, she had made sure that Charlie had some extensive therapy sessions in place. Tobias is waiting for her at the foot of the steps, beneath the blossom trees, and she is surprised to see he has a cigarette in hand.

“You smoke?” she raises an eyebrow at him as she approaches. “I thought you’d know better, Tobias.”

He takes a drag.

“Vices, Valentine,” he quips. “We all have them.”

Elle vaguely remembers Ethan had once said the same thing about butter.

“Carcinogens, though. Really?”

Tobias chuckles.

“I’m dirty, what can I say?”

He dutifully puts out the cigarette, as Elle gives him a reproachful look, and turns to her.

“You were good in there, with him,” says Tobias.

“Thanks…so were you.”

“We make a good team,” he smiles, and his expression softens a little. “That was kinda heavy though. You bearing up ok?” he asks.

Elle nods.

“I’m fine. I just hope Charlie will be ok, I really want to make sure he starts therapy as soon as possible.  I know how much of a difference it made for me, after the attack.”

She trails off, and Tobias seems to sense the darkness clouding over her eyes. The mild September breeze sifts through the blossom trees above them with a gentle sigh.

“I don’t think I ever actually said this to you,” says Elle quietly, “but thank you. For helping to save me and Raf, that day.”

“No thanks needed,” he responds. “I wanted to do everything I could to help.”

He pauses only briefly before continuing.

“You know, out of everything that happened that day, all the work we did in the lab trying to find an antidote…the one thing I remember most is how Ethan was in that room. In all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him like that before. About anyone, or anything.”

A sudden chill trickles down her neck, goosebumps erupt on her forearms; a million tiny foothills.

Since their conversation in the car after Danny and Bobby’s funeral, Ethan had never really spoken in depth about his own feelings during the attack. Sometimes, in early hours when they laid in bed together, with the rain hammering against his window, she would mention it.

And every time, she would see his eyes darken with so many unsaid words. He would fix his gaze desperately on her like she was evaporating steam, set to vanish from existence in a matter of moments. His hold on her waist would tighten, fingertips tracing her soft skin as if to remind himself she wasn’t a ghost.

There had been whispers in his bed in the stillness of the night, when they were both half asleep. He had uttered sleepy confessions and declarations to her; some so heartfelt and moving, she still questioned whether they were real or if she had dreamt them.

More often straight after the attack, but still now sometimes, she would wake in his arms to find him already looking at her, his eyes filled with wonder, pain, and something else that she was starting to place.

‘Why are you awake?’ she would gently murmur.

‘I couldn’t sleep. I-had a nightmare.’

She would press herself closer to his chest, feel his strong arms encircling her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

‘I’m here, Ethan.’

‘I know. I’m…so glad you are.’

She is jolted to the present with Tobias’ voice.

“Even if he didn’t show it this morning…Ethan’s got it bad for you, you know.”

Elle cranes her neck to look up at him- at the man who shares so much history with Ethan. He’s almost as tall as her lover, but slightly less built, shoulders not quite as broad. Alike in many ways, but different in so many others.

“Why are you here, Tobias?” she asks, without breaking eye contact. “You had it all at Mass Kenmore. You’re an excellent diagnostician, you could have gone anywhere. Why, of all people, would you want to come and work for Ethan, someone you have such a complicated past with?”

Tobias’ hazel eyes, a contrast to Ethan’s azure blue’s, look into hers deeply. She knows that there’s something hiding beneath their golden depths; either earnestness, an ulterior motive, or perhaps something more complicated- a mixture of both.

He takes a step towards her, raising his hand towards her face. Her breath hitches, then climaxes in a soft exhale, when he simply removes a lone blossom petal that has settled on the lapel of her white coat. She wonders what exactly she had been expecting him to do.

Tobias twists his tongue between his teeth, a half-smile playing on his lips. Once again, his eyes roam over her from head to toe. This close, Elle can smell his cologne. It’s good; notes of leather and pine and exotism drift to her olfactory nerve. It’s a contrast to her favourite aftershave of Ethan’s, which smelled like bergamot, cedar, and home.

Tobias drops the petal to the floor, his eyes never leaving hers.

“I’m here Elle,” he murmurs, “because I want to push boundaries.”

********************

Ethan leans against his desk, fingertips drumming impatiently. His meeting had been finished for a while now, but he was still waiting for Elle and Tobias to return.

His old rival’s keenness to go on an outreach call with Elle had stirred something within him. Something in his head had switched on. A distant alarm bell that had been silent for some time, had started to ring.

Lost in thought, he mulls over the events of the morning.

He’d done it again.

He, and Harper, had spoken over Elle when she was trying to talk about the patient. Not only that, he recognises now, but before Tobias had entered the room, the two of them had been reminiscing about something that didn’t involve Elle in the slightest.

He doesn’t know why he keeps slipping up. He harbours no romantic feelings for Harper whatsoever, but he’s been enjoying the chance to work more closely with her, the friendly conversations, to share stories and experiences.

But they haven’t just been work related, he thinks. Did I really need to bring up the flamenco lessons? Or Gaston’s? He recalls the look on her face when he’d told Elle he planned to take her there because of its intimacy, immediately after discussing it with Harper. Before Elle’s forced smile and her gracious reply of “I’d like that,” he’d always thought he had caught a flicker of dismay, of hurt, on her features.

Now he’s certain it was more than a flicker.

I don’t deserve her, he thought.

With a swoosh, the doors of the diagnostics office open. He sees the familiar head of immaculately coiffed blonde locks, and as his eyes travel down to Elle’s beautiful face, his heart soars, and he can’t help but break into a wide smile.

“Elle!” he says happily, pushing himself up of the desk.

I missed you, he foolishly finds himself wanting to say, despite the fact that like most days at work, it’s only been a few hours since he’s seen her. But as his eyes travel to Tobias following her in, he keeps the admission to himself.

“We have an answer,” says Elle triumphantly. “We’ve listed Jake for an ICD insertion tomorrow morning.”

“It was CPVT?” Ethan asks.

“Yep,” says Tobias. “Elle’s hunch was right. Turns out it was an argument with his boyfriend that brought on the cardiac arrest. We ran a test for CPVT as soon as we got back, while you were still in the meeting, and it’s positive.”

Elle smiles brightly.

“Jake’s going to be okay.”

Ethan beams. He’s exceptionally proud of her.

“Excellent work Elle,” he leans forward to squeeze her arm, as bold a gesture as he dares while they have company. “And thanks Tobias, for helping out.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” says Tobias. He looks pointedly at Elle, then adds, “believe me.”

An unpleasant sensation coils in the pit of Ethan’s stomach. He tries to push it down.

As Tobias crosses the room to take a phone call, he steps closer to Elle, lowering his voice.

“Listen Elle, about earlier. I’m sorry,” he says sincerely, tentatively taking her hand in his own. He caresses her tiny fingers with his thumb. “It’s unacceptable for me to talk over you in meetings, and I…know that this isn’t the first time it’s happened, and that there are, uh, other things. I’m sorry if my actions have ever made you feel excluded.”

Elle’s bright green eyes look into his thoughtfully, though she says nothing; silently willing him to continue.

“I’d like to make it up to you. I think a date night between us is long overdue. Can I take you for dinner tonight?” he asks. A flash of hope, along with the tinge of dismay he remembers from before, travels across her face. “Not Gaston’s,” he adds quickly. “I want to find somewhere new with you. For us.”

Her face floods with warmth, eyes gazing into his searchingly. He desperately scans her beautiful face, seeking some inkling of her true feelings; the ones he knows she’s bottling up.

“You’re right, it is long overdue,” she says finally, her gaze steady. “And I’d really like that, to find somewhere new to go to dinner with you. But I can’t do tonight.”

His heart sinks a little, and as if sensing this, like she always seems to, she squeezes his hand reassuringly.

“I’m out for drinks with Si, Aurora and Jackie tonight. But we’ll go soon.”

She offers him a soft smile, which he returns.

It doesn’t quite quell the slight but unmistakable feeling of anxiety in his stomach. It’s guilt, it’s the gnawing thought that he will never be good enough for her, the idea that he’s taken her for granted.

Worst of all, there is the completely irrational, but terrible notion that he could lose her.

And somehow, the thought that he could lose her in living rather than in death, as he had once feared, is almost more terrible.

She gently lets go of his hand. On the other side of the room, Tobias hangs up the phone.

“I’m going to go and speak to Jake’s parents,” says Elle, slipping off and readjusting her white coat.

Ethan’s eyes travel over her form-fitting pencil skirt, clinging to her delicate body in all the right places.

He doesn’t miss the way Tobias’ do the same. Then, as if knowing he’s being watched, he looks up at Ethan. His eyes narrow, and the corners of his lips twitch.

Ethan wants nothing more than to sock him in the jaw.

“We’ll check in later, once Harper’s finished surgery?” she asks, breaking the two men out of their reverie.

Ethan nods, and Elle bids them goodbye. The click of her heels on the linoleum echoes into the tense silence. Then, he can’t hold it in any longer.

“Could you be,” Ethan begins through gritted teeth, “a little more fucking subtle, Carrick?”

Tobias chuckles.

“I can’t help it, Ethan, and clearly neither can you. A woman like that, body like that…we’re just as powerless as any other red-blooded male.”

Ethan curls his fists in the pockets of his coat.

“Don’t talk about Elle like that. I won’t have you disrespecting her in that way,” he spits, taking a step towards him.

“You want to talk about disrespecting her?” counters Tobias, unflinching. “Because I think taking a stroll down memory lane with your ex, every five minutes, is pretty disrespectful to the woman you’re currently fucking.”

Ethan is stunned. Had she told Tobias that it had happened before? Did she tell him they were seeing eachother, or had Tobias clocked it himself? What exactly had they talked about while they were away?

“Elle is- she’s off limits,” he snaps, the only response his seething mind is able to come up with.

Tobias smiles, satisfied at seeing the other man riled up. Then, infuriatingly, he turns away.

“Who decided that, Ethan?” he says quietly over his shoulder “Her or you?”

And with that, Tobias turns and leaves.

*******

Author’s Note: Thanks for reading this far! I wanted to explore the dynamic between Elle and Tobias, and the way I wrote him in this fic reflects my own thoughts about him; I think he’s a good guy, as demonstrated by him helping to save her life and his thoughtfulness, but I’m definitely suspicious of his ulterior motives and his past actions. I also wanted the sexual tension between Ethan, Elle and Tobias, and was hoping that PB would make Tobias call out Ethan shutting her out of meetings. They didn’t deliver so I did it myself lol Also wanted Ethan to start feeling insecure about the way he’s been treating Elle since his behaviour has been trash thanks to the OOC writing, but I still love him

#ethan ramsey x mc #ethan x mc #tobias carrick #ethan ramsey #tobias carrick x mc #open heart #choices open heart #open heart 3