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wintervalewritersecond · 1 year

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siren song - xavier thorpe

requested: yes! requests: open! Hii! I was wondering if you could please a do an Xavier x f!Reader where maybe they are like best friends but she likes him and he doesn’t realize and he starts hanging around Wednesday more. the reader starts to feel neglected so she basically asks bianca to use her siren powers to make her forget Xavier, bianca is hesitant but she does it and Xavier finds out and it’s really angsty cause like his best friend doesn’t remember him? up to you if the spell can be reversed and if they have a happy ending or not! Thank you sm in advanced :)

A/N: you will not BELIEVE!! how excited i am for this request! im planning on turning it into multiple parts, so we will see how it works out <;33

wordcount: 5,359 warnings: me not knowing anything abt school systems, she/her reader, a small bit of angst, xavier abandoning reader, reader has telekinesis, lots of smaller scenes that are similar to the ones in the show, asking bianca to manipulate you, few curse words part 2

You have been best friends with Xavier for the longest time and you were convinced he shared romantic feelings for you as well. But, when he starts to become head over heels for the new girl and ignores you at the Rave'n, you can only think of one solution. Bianca's Siren Song.

The first half of the semester had passed already, as you were now finally on your break. One week to do anything you wanted which meant you could go back home, but this time, you decided to stay at Nevermore. Xavier mentioned that he wouldn't be going anywhere anyway; his father didn't care if he came by, and to spare himself the trouble, he would just stay at Nevermore and close to his art studio.

So, considering you are his best friend, you decide to also stay. Surely not because you have feelings for him. Though, that might also have weighed in as you made your decision to stay.

"Finally!"

Xavier lets himself fall down on your bed. Yoko had left for the week, leaving you all alone in the big room. You hated being alone for too long, so you invited Xavier over. He was one of the only people that would stay at Nevermore anyway.

"If I had to listen to any more talking about plants, I would have set the classroom on fire," he mumbles as his face is planted in your pillow, making it hard for you to hear what he is talking about.

You let out a laugh before dropping your bag next to the bed. After three hours of Botany, you could also take a break from the subject.

"Hm," you nod, sitting down next to his legs. "Are you down for a trip to Jericho? We can get some drinks and snacks, movie night?"

Xavier immediately looks up, nodding his head before rolling off the bed. It was a 25-minute walk, but the sun was shining and it wasn't too cold, so it wouldn't be that bad.

After two hours you are finally back in your dorm. The shopping had taken a bit longer as both you and Xavier had forgotten to change out of your Nevermore uniforms, resulting in some nasty glares and bad comments from the townspeople.

"Weren't those freaks supposed to be going home?" You look back at the voice, seeing a small group of guys around your age huddled together, snickering and laughing at you and Xavier. The tall boy pulls your arm, trying to get you away from the group. "Come on, they're just assholes. No need to make a fuss," he whispers in your ear. With a deep breath you turn around, but not before making the can in one of the guys' hands fly to the ground as it explodes on impact, soaking the group in the sticky soda. You let out a chuckle before following Xavier back to Nevermore.

After getting some dinner in the Quad, you race upstairs again. Normally, there are no guys allowed in Ophelia Hall, so you had to sneak Xavier in. Luckily you had done that many times before already, and if you were extra lucky, Thornhill would let you go without any hassle.

Your desk gets filled with all the snacks that the two of you had gotten in Jericho. There is so much, that you wouldn't be surprised if it lasted more than only a week.

"All right, so do you vote for an animated movie, action, romance, horror?"

Xavier was busy picking out a movie as you transformed your bed into some type of 'movie watching paradise'. It is filled with enough blankets and pillows to be a bird's nest, but at least it is comfortable and warm. Once the movie is chosen, Xavier scoots in next to you. The bed is meant for only one person, so it was a tight fit, but neither of you acknowledged it. If anything, it made your heart race faster as your cheeks felt warmer. You have had feelings for Xavier for a while now, never knowing if he returned them, though he has never proven that he didn't.

And that is how the week flew by.

Hanging out in either your or his dorm and sometimes even in the art studio. You weren't the best artist, but you would just sit and watch him paint, handing over some drinks and snacks during the day as you worked on your own thing. Then, at night, you would watch a movie or listen to music before dozing off.

Slowly, all the Nevermore students start coming back, and the dorms fill up again. Yoko had also come back, so you stopped sneaking Xavier in for a bit. Not that Yoko really cared, but you thought that she would maybe want to enjoy the room by herself for a bit before you invited him in.

"Oh my God, Y/N! I haven't seen you in so long," Enid squeals, wrapping her arms around you as you finally joined your group in the Quad. "You will never guess what news I have!"

"What is it?"

"I'm getting a roommate!" She cheers. "I have been alone this entire semester, but Thornhill told me that on Monday, I will finally get a roomie!"

Ajax winces, a distraught look on his face.

"You're forgetting the part where she ate her classmate."

Enid rolls her eyes, shaking her head.

"It wouldn't be the weirdest thing at Nevermore. though it is kinda weird... Anyway, it's only a rumor."

You look at Xavier and he only shrugs, a smirk on his face as the two of you look at the bickering between Ajax and Enid. It is only a matter of waiting to see if there will be an actual cannibal in your school or not.

That evening, Xavier invited you to the Nightshade Library to chill there. 'A quiet moment before the shit show starts again,' he had said, and you couldn't agree more. Not to mention that there was only a small group of people who knew how to get into the library.

"Do you think the new girl is actually a cannibal?"

Xavier bursts out laughing before spinning the pencil in his hand.

"I would surely hope not. You know Enid, when she hears a rumor, she writes about it."

That was true. You don't know how she did it, but Enid always knew what was going on in Jericho and at Nevermore. How? No idea. You look up at the pencil that levitates in the air. You had stolen it out of Xavier's bag, mindlessly controlling it as you talked to him about all sorts of things.

"That's true. I'm sure Enid's blog will be full of new gossip in a few days."

"Her mother used to do fencing," Enid mumbles, her mouth full of food. "She killed two kids, not one! She said she didn't keep count, but I don't know if that is true. I feel like she will fit in though."

Ajax looks at her with a horrified look on his face. How does she say that and be so calm about it? He had been face-to-face with the new girl when Enid did a whole tour around the school.

A laugh escapes your lips when you see his expression as you almost spit out your drink. You love how exaggerated the Gorgon is sometimes.

"She also insulted my side of the room! She apparently is allergic to color or something, it's insane. Y/N, does my room look like rainbow vomit?"

You look from Xavier to her, hesitating for a moment before shaking your head. Her room is extremely colorful, but you wouldn't bring it as rude as the new girl.

"No, not at all. I find your room very comforting, actually."

Enid lets out a relieved sigh. She knew it!

You stand opposite of Xavier, your blade in your hand as you are dressed in the white fencing suit. Xavier and you always trained together. You both knew each other so well that the moves were quite predictable, but that is also what made it more difficult.

When you hear another pair of footsteps nearing, you look up. A girl, around your height, enters the room. Also dressed in fencing attire, though hers are dyed as dark as a shadow. You take off your cap, looking at her in confusion before averting your gaze to Xavier. He had also taken off his mask as he looks at the new person.

"Coach! She tripped me!"

"It was a clean strike, Rowan," Coach almost sighs. This has been the fourth time he tried to go up against Bianca, but he never made it.

"Maybe practice some more. I'm sure you will get it," she smirks. "Try again next time, Laslow. Seriously, Coach. When am I going to get some real competition?"

Bianca might be the queen of Nevermore, but she is also the queen in fencing. No one can beat her and it is something she is quite proud of. You never hung out with her a lot, but she is always sweet to you.

"Anyone else want to challenge me?"

You were almost up to it as you had never gone against her before, but the newbie beats you to it.

"I do."

Bianca turns around to face the new girl, a surprised yet amused look on her face.

"Oh!" She exclaims. "You must be the psychopath they let in."

"And you must be the self-appointed Queen Bee," the other girl says, her face clear of any emotion.

"No need to start throwing around names," Bianca raises an eyebrow. "Rowan doesn't need anyone to come to his defense. He's not helpless, just lazy."

"Are we doing this or not?"

Two rounds pass between the girls fencing as they both have one point. You elbow Xavier to try and tell him something, but see that his gaze is fixated on the girl in the black suit. You breathe in deeply before just looking back at the fight.

No masks or tips? Is she insane?

Even though Wednesday is the one to propose the idea, Bianca still scratches her first, a bloody mark apparent on the forehead of her opponent. Another day where Bianca is left as the top in the class.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Xavier huffs, his hair still damp. "I uh- I was stuck in the infirmary."

You were annoyed, but now also worried.

"What? Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Oh, no! No, you know those gargoyle statues on the roofs? One fell down, almost hitting Wednesday. I pushed her out of the way and then had to bring her to the infirmary. She wasn't even happy with it, she was almost upset about the fact she didn't die."

"What a hero," you joke, a smile on your face as you also feel a pang in your chest.

You don't want to be that person, Xavier is free to spend time with anyone you wish. Maybe it is just your insecurity. But, he is here now. With you.

While Xavier was working on the mural, you just sat with him, handing him a new paintbrush or filling up his paint palette whenever he needed it. When hanging out with him, you never really needed to do something crazy each and every time. You could sit next to him in silence and it would still be considered a good time for you.

"Do you hear that?"

You hum, looking up from your phone. In the distance, you can hear a cello. The source seems to be from Enid's dorm. Or, shared dorm now. Enid couldn't play the cello, so it must be Wednesday.

"Beautiful."

It was time for the Harvest Festival, something you looked forward to for a while. There would be games, food, and music, and you would be spending it with some of your friends.

The field was already filled with groups of people excited for a night of fun. Jericho wasn't necessarily the place to be when it comes to entertainment, so the Harvest Festival was one of the biggest things every year. You walked in with Enid, Wednesday, Xavier, and Ajax as Weems walked right behind you. The lady was intimidating, but you knew that she wasn't there for you.

The principal had sat down on a bench, keeping a close eye on Wednesday as you walked a bit further with your own group.

"Where did Wednesday go?"

Xavier looks around, but the pig-tailed girl is nowhere to be seen. You shrug, the girl seems to be very quiet, so you didn't hear her sneak off either.

"I'll be right back, I will look for her real quick."

Before anyone can reply, Xavier walks off, trying to find the new girl. You look at Enid for a moment before shrugging yet again, continuing on with your adventure at the festival. You could try out some new food maybe, though the hotdogs were always good as well. After spending tons of money on food and drinks, you sat down at a picnic table, Kent and Yoko joining the group as well. After a few minutes, Xavier comes back, sitting down next to you with a huff. You push your popcorn a bit closer to you as he mutters a 'thank you' before stuffing some in his mouth.

"What got you so upset?" Ajax looks at his best friend, sauce stuck on the corners of his mouth.

"Just some normie," Xavier responds shortly, sipping your milkshake before placing it back in front of you.

"If anyone needs to be thrown against a wall, you know who to call," you just grin.

Telekinesis is, in your opinion, one of the most useful powers that you can have. Be it something big like moving a car, to something small like turning off a light when you are just getting comfortable in your bed.

Xavier just stays quiet which makes you stop talking about the subject. Whatever it was, it must have really annoyed or hurt him.

"Xav?" You knock on the wooden door. "Xavier, are you okay?"

You had just heard about Rowan being expelled from Nevermore, though the reason was unknown. Not even Enid knew why the boy got kicked out.

After some shuffling, the door opens. Dressed in a red shirt and grey sweats he awkwardly looks at you.

"You uh- You can come in. There is no one else here anyway," he mumbles, a slight smile on his face.

When he turns around to walk to his bed, you notice some bruises on his arms.

"You okay?"

He only nods before laying down on his bed, patting the place next to him. With a smile you sit down as well, running your fingers over the blue-ish patches on his skin.

"Rowan went a bit crazy," he only whispers. "No need to worry. Movie?"

When you get into your Botany class, you see that your usual seat is already taken. Wednesday sits next to your best friend, sitting on the chair that almost had your name written on it. You breathe in deeply before walking to the back of the class, taking your place next to Bianca.

"What is going on between you two?"

"Nothing," you whisper back. "Xavier is just friendly."

"I doubt Wednesday is impressed by your tricks, mister Thorpe."

You look over at his desk as you see a big spider crawling out of his page, stopping in front of the girl.

"Admit it," he smirks. "You're a little impressed."

One smack was all it took to change the spider into dust, making it disappear into thin air.

"Xavier, sit still!"

The two of you are laughing as you almost sit on his lap, a brush in your right hand and face paint in your left. He insisted that he wouldn't be able to do the makeup for the Poe Cup himself and that you had to help him. You were almost finished, but Xavier got impatient as he moved around.

"Ta-da!"

You push him in front of the mirror before throwing his hat at him. When he puts it on he does some silly faces. The dark makeup around his eyes does really make the blue-green pop. Xavier catches you staring at him as you seem almost mesmerized by his look. He turns around with a smirk, looking down at you before charging at you, making you let out a scream before trying to escape his hands.

"Xavier! Come on, we have to get to our boats!"

You follow Ajax and Xavier outside, meeting up with the rest of the people that were excited about the Poe Cup. Four teams that will compete against each other, though you wouldn't be surprised if Bianca's team won again. Putting Sirens on water? There is simply no other way.

Every boat is painted inspired by an Edgar Allen Poe story, and they all looked amazing.

"Good luck," you whisper to Xavier before he gets into the boat.

"Oh, we will win," he winks before jumping onto his seat and pulling his jester hat down.

The boats take off after the gunshot, some faster than others. You wonder what type of sabotage this year would bring. After only a minute, the first boat crashes already.

All the boats are out of sight as you patiently wait. What is strange to you is that Wednesday participates. Enid even made Wednesday wear cat ears- though you are sure she absolutely despises them. Something about Yoko accidentally eating garlic and the pig-tailed girl taking her place.

From afar you can see a red, black, and yellow boat getting closer and closer to the shore, though the Jokers seem to be slowing down and even- sinking? Oh god, Xavier is not going to like this.

It almost seemed like Bianca would win again, but that is until the spikes go through the side of their boat, ripping holes into it as it slowly fills up with water.

The Black Cats had won, making Enid scream with happiness as she jumps up and down with the Cup in her hands. Oh, you will never hear the end of this. Ajax and Xavier are sitting at a table, both sulking while staring down at the piece of cake that they had gotten. They were so upset with their loss, that they couldn't even take a bite of it.

"You guys did amazing, I am sure that you will win the next cup!"

Xavier only huffs, pushing the cake around with the fork.

Both Xavier and Ajax are extremely competitive, so they took the loss extremely personally. But, you believe in them. You always do.

When Xavier had told you that Wednesday found his private art studio and asked him to the Rave'n, your heart broke a little. Somewhere in your mind, you had hope. Hope that he would ask you to the dance. But he seemed so happy. So happy that the girl that he admired asked him to the dance.

Since then, he barely talked to you. No more movie nights, the seat next to him was always taken by the deadpanned girl, and even during lunch, he would barely say anything. Texts would be left on seen and calls would be ignored.

The news of Xavier basically being dumped for the Rave'n should upset you. And in a way, it does. You knew that he admired Addams, but if she hadn't blown Xavier off, you wouldn't be here right now.

"She just totally messed it up. Sneaked into my studio just to accuse me of the most outrageous shit," Xavier scoffs, his hands running through his hair, almost pulling it out of his scalp.

"Hey," you lean closer to him, taking hold of his hands. "We can go to the Rave'n if you want? At least neither of us will be alone."

Your fingers slowly comb through his hair, taking out some small knots on the way. He only nods, staring down at the floor.

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds like a plan."

Your outfit matches Xaviers perfectly. His suit was nice and crisp, decorated with a small black ribbon around his neck. You added a ribbon around your wrists and neck, almost acting as a necklace with matching bracelets. You hold onto his arm with a bright smile as the two of you walk through the Quad and towards the Rave'n.

"I'm so happy you got that stain out," Xavier laughs. "Remind me to never eat anything with ketchup when I wear something white."

"I tried to! But you insisted on it," you giggle, greeting Thornhill before entering the prom.

The room is decorated with bunches of white flowers, sparkles, lights, and what seems to be ice sculptures. It is truly a sight.

"Punch?"

"Have anything to spike it with?"

You let out a gasp before elbowing Xavier, shaking your head with a laugh.

"No, but we might be able to get something from Ajax later tonight."

Both of you take a cup of punch, smoke coming out of the cups. It looks kind of intimidating, but at least it tastes good.

You had sat down with Devina, Kent and Xavier, though Xavier is more quiet than usual.

"Are you okay?" You mumble, looking up at him. "Is it Wednesday?"

He turns his empty glass in his fingers, letting out a soft sigh. He doesn't want to be upset, but the feeling of being dumped like that still hurts him in a way.

"Yeah," a smile makes its way on his face. "I'm sorry. I do really like being here with you."

Your cheeks feel warm and your heart feels like it will explode, so you take his hand, softly squeezing it before nodding.

"If you want to leave, you can always tell me."

"Yo!" Ajax hurries over before he taps Xavier on his shoulder. "Check that out!"

Everyone looks over to where he is pointing at. Wednesday Addams. Her gown is black instead of the usual white and she is accompanied by some Normie. Huh, you would never have guessed that that was what she was into.

"Wednesday totally busted out of her cocoon."

It's true. The girl does really pull off the look, even though you never expected her to enjoy the Rave'n. But, to be totally fair, her face looks almost disgusted as she takes in the decorations. Your eyes fall on Xavier, who is back to having barely any emotion on his face as his eyes are just fixated on the Addams girl.

Without any warning, Xavier stands up, walking towards Wednesday as she pours some punch into two glasses. You try and ask him what he is doing, but decide to hold your tongue.

You were so excited that he finally talked to you again after ignoring you for Wednesday. He finally returned to his old self, but the second the darkly dressed girl stepped into the room, it is like you didn't exist anymore. Wednesday herself never did you any wrong, and that is why it makes you mad at yourself. How can you be so annoyed with a girl that has nothing done wrong?

You just wish you were her. You wish you could pull off her hairstyle, be deadpanned, and be intimidating while also being beautiful. But most of all, you wanted the attention that she got from Xavier.

"You okay?" Kent whispers, looking at you with his eyebrows creased.

He spent a lot of time with you while you were being ignored by your best friend, so he kind of knew what was going on. You only nod, averting your gaze down to your empty cup. Did you not mean anything to him? Come on, Y/N. Stop exaggerating, he can have other friends.

When you look back up you see that he is still talking to an uninterested Wednesday.

"I'll be right back," you mumble, picking up the hem of your dress before going through the exit.

The music here is quieter and the lights are dimmed. Even though you can hear the talking and dancing in the room right next to you, you still feel alone. Are you a bad friend for wanting Xavier's attention? Are you being too jealous? Or maybe you are just being too insecure.

You plop down on the couch, letting out a sigh as you stare at your shoes. Your heart wishes that this evening would have gone differently. You could go out and have fun with the rest, yet you sit here, sulking.

It doesn't take long to hear another pair of footsteps.

"Whoever invented high heels clearly had a side hustle as a torturer."

You look to the side, seeing Wednesday pull on her heels. You let out a chuckle, shrugging.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. You know what they say; suffering tests a woman."

"Speaking of suffering," the girl turns around, looking at you. "Where is your date? I didn't see you and Xavier on the dance floor. But I don't blame you, the music at this dance is appalling."

"We uh- I don't know. He walked off. Haven't seen him since he went up to you."

Wednesday hums, leaning back against the couch as well. If she had to dance one more time, she might start breaking her own legs.

"Wednesday? Can I ask you something?"

"You already are," she states.

You laugh awkwardly before you breathe in. Your hands are shaking, making you feel stupid for asking.

"How... How did you manage to get Xavier's attention?"

She raises an eyebrow, looking at your face. You don't dare to look at her, though. It was already embarrassing for you to ask this question, you don't want to see her judgemental stare.

"If I knew, then I would immediately stop it. He is annoying and only stands in my way," she mutters, rolling her eyes. "Why? You are his best friend, does he not pay attention to you?"

"I wish he did a little more."

A sad smile on your face before you push yourself up, stretching your legs. Wednesday can't help it.

"Well," you nod, looking back at the Rave'n. "You look beautiful today, Wednesday."

As you walk off, you hear her respond.

"Xavier is an incredible idiot for not seeing how disgustingly in love you are."

This evokes a real laugh out of you. It is hard to absolutely hate the girl. But she is right. Then again, maybe you should have said something.

"Yo, yo, yo! Almost eleven o'clockity, so haul it out on the dance floor one last time before the Rave'n says Nevermore!"

Just as you enter, Kent pulls your arm, pulling you onto the floor for the last dance of the evening. You know what? Fuck it. Together with Enid and Kent, you do some weird moves, jumping and swinging your arms to the music.

You don't care anymore. You want to have fun with your friends, and though it would have been more fun with Xavier, you have to accept that he just... Doesn't feel the same.

You look up confused when you feel splatters on your face. Did the sprinklers go off? When you look at Kent, you see that red liquid is dripping down on his face.

"Kent? Are you hurt?"

Before he can answer, the sprinklers turn on fully, coating everything in a layer of red liquid. Is this blood? You look down at your dress and hands which are now stained. What kind of prank is this? People start screaming, trying to hurry out of the room, making you pick up your pace as well. The floor is extremely slippery as you almost fall over multiple times. Where is everyone? Where is Xavier?

As you reach the exit, you see Xavier and Tyler bumping into each other.

"What the hell are you doing, man?!"

"I'm just texting my dad," Tyler looks the guy up and down. "He's on his way. Have- Have you seen Wednesday? I lost her."

"How should I know," Xavier sneers, turning back around to leave already. "She's your date."

"Xavier?"

He looks back at you once before walking off. You pause for a second, frozen in your place before you faintly hear Tyler asking if you're alright.

"I uh- Yeah. Sorry for Xavier."

After you finally washed all the paint out of your hair and off of your skin, you decide that you want to visit Xavier. He was definitely still not doing fine, and though he blew you off, you just had to make sure he was okay. After all, you were still his date today.

Dressed in your pajamas you sneak out of your room and towards the hall that Xavier stays in. He must have showered now as well. You hate to admit it, but even covered in the paint, he was still amazingly pretty.

"Xavier?" You whisper-yell, knocking on the door of his room. "Xav- Can you let me in, please? If Coach sees me here he will kill me."

The door swings open, revealing an annoyed boy hiding behind it. You sneak in quickly as the door closes behind you.

"What?" He asks, biting on his cheeks. He wanted to be alone, yet you are here now.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," you shrug. "Seeing Tyler after he beat you up can't be too nice."

"I'm doing perfectly fine, thanks."

"Xavier, you and I both know-"

"Stop," he glares down at you. "There is no such thing as you and i."

His tone breaks your heart. What is he talking about?

"How would you feel if the person you like would show up to the Rave'n with some shit normie? Knowing you are stuck there with someone who isn't her?"

"Xavier! She left you for nothing," you scoff. "I have always been there for you. Always! When you broke up with Bianca, when you had to stay here because your father didn't come to pick you up, I invited you to sit with me during the Visiting Weekend-"

"Oh yeah!" He throws up his arms. "You are such a good person, Y/N."

So... sarcastic. Were you really that bad of a friend?

"And why do you even care that much? You are literally just exaggerating! You have been blowing up my phone for no reason knowing that I was busy!"

"Because I wanted my best friend back! You have been so obsessed with Wednesday-"

"So this is about Wednesday?" He scoffs, crossing his arms. "She has done nothing wrong to you! Never! You are just bitching and being mad because she is better than you. Is all of this literally because I like her? Is that why you're mad? Jealous?"

"What if I am?! What if I just want even an ounce of your attention? Wednesday doesn't even like you!"

"Don't," he leans closer to you, gritting his teeth. "Talk shit about her. Leave."

He points to the door.

"Leave!"

The tears that had piled up in your eyes started rolling down your cheeks. Never did the boy talk to you like this, not once in the few years that you have been befriended.

You walk out the door, not one more word said to him as the door gets thrown shut behind you. If only you could find a way to forget about him. Maybe it would have been better if you never met him at all. You knew that you would never be like Wednesday, but were you not good enough?

What if you tried some type of spell or brainwashing? Surely someone in Nevermore has some type of way to make you forget. Even only a small amount of weed from Ajax would help. What if you make Wednesday torture you until you forget? God, you wish you could just say the word and forget-

A word to forget.

Bianca.

You hurry towards the room belonging to the Siren. She knows how you feel. She must help you. You will do anything for her to help you.

"Bianca!" You knock on her door, breathing in shakily as stray tears fall down your cheeks. "Bianca, please."

The door opens slowly, revealing a confused Bianca. A towel is resting on her shoulders and she is also already dressed in her sleepwear.

"Please," you sniff. "Use your Siren Song. Make me forget Xavier. Please."

#xavier thorpe #xavier thorpe imagine #xavier thorpe x reader #xavier thorpe oneshot #wednesday imagine #wednesday one shot #wednesday netflix

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floydsglasses · 2 months

Text

𝙑𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚-Jake "Hangman" Seresin (A Quiet Place AU)

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x AFAB OC/Piper

SUMMARY: The world outside is in ruins, human being's are almost extinct, silence is now the key to survival. A family's seemingly happy existence in a bleak world is shattered by monsters.

Tags: Mention of blood/wounds, post apocalyptic setting, use of ASL, Alien creatures. Established Relationship, Implied Smut, (sorry) A LOT OF Angst, Swearing, Fluff, Parenting, self defense k!lling, child endangerment, men being creepy to a woman, first aid

A/N HOLY SHIT THIS IS LONG! Im telling you guy's that you wont hurt my feeling's if you dont read because I wouldn't

WORD COUNT: 9,103

⏁⏁⏁

THEIR QUIET FARMHOUSE almost seemed untouched from the horror’s of the world outside its fenceline. The both of them had talked about leading a quiet life, staying on farms raising animals and crops. Waking up to the sunshine each day and ending the day with a family meal, and falling asleep to the sound of wildlife.

She was so sure that their late night talk would never happen. Not with the lives they lead, her working shift’s as a nurse, her hour’s never being consistent. And him almost always being on leave or another country away from her. Did not help when she took the fateful test that two pink lines showed up.

Before the both of them did everything they could to spend time with their little girl, Piper would take every weekend off for her. Even though she and Jake were not married they would give each other day’s with her. Then day one of the end of normal happened, and they had to now fight to protect their little girl from harm more than ever.

Today was their weekly supply run. Usually consisted of one of them staying behind and the other heavily armed packing as much as they can. Things were a little different, she had never brought Alice with her on a run, she knew she couldn't hide her from the world forever, they both knew.

She gently pulls down a can of carrots from the supermarket shelves. She looked down at the list in her hand, she had already gotten most of what she needed, she was bent on trying to find Alice something soft, and non noise making for her to play. The sound of her crayons scraping the floor catche’s her attention.

Her lips formed a soft smile. She bent down to a height of five year’s height. Her green eyes look up at her mother. Almost the spitting image of herself with the exception of her father’s eyes and grin.

“Good Job.” Piper signed to her, she grinned. She had been teaching her simple ASL thing’s when she was three, two years later she knows almost fifty word’s to sign, almost more than her own father.

She picks up her yellow crayon beginning to fill in the sun she drew in the corner tile. A home drawn with dark blue, in the top a purple cartoon plane with a stick figure with yellow hair.

“That’s you.” The little girl point’s at the stick figures with her auburn hair fiery orange. She drags her finger to the other corner.

Tapping a purple cartoon plane with a stick figure with yellow hair. “And that’s daddy.” She signed.

“I love it.” She signed with a smile. She envied how innocent she was in their bleak world, she was always grinning and running around their home. Piper gets to her feet leaving her to her 100 crayola pack.

It was hard to find activities to preoccupy the five year old, one’s that were silent the least. She still tried to educate her as much as she could, teaching her basic reading and which animal’s were which, one’s she would never see sadly.

The little girl had been too young to recall the trip to the zoo the two of them had taken.

She touches her braid, pulling her windbreaker close to herself. The calendar she kept read was the end of February and soon March would be approaching. She furrowed her brow, where the hell is he? She thinks.

She had given him the simple task of collecting anything that seemed edible, and batteries. It was a miracle that they even got a generator, much less a place to hold up.

Her friend had bought the place and planned to make it a functioning farm; he had let her stay there till everything ‘blew over’, she wished he had been right.

“Jake?” She signed, she shook her head. He can't even see you signing, she reminds herself.

Her heart dropped to her stomach at the flash of a brown jacket. She held her chest panting as she collected herself. He held his mouth, stifling his chuckle.

“Don't do that.” She scolded him, her eye’s hardened with irritation. He smirked his million dollar smirk.

“I'm sorry.” He start’s off, his motion’s quick. He’s been learning, she thinks through her annoyance.

“I just like seeing your squirm.” The blonde teased.

She shook her head, trying to contain her smirk. Even in a world where everything had gone silent, somehow it didn't silence him.

“I hate when you do that.” She scolded him. He shrugged his shoulders.

“Well I love when you do that.” He says, leaning closer to her face. She sighed, she quietly cleared her throat stepping back.

“What did you find?” She asks him. He turned around, stealthy removing five can’s from his bag, a bottle of jack daniel’s, a lighter and seasons.

She furrowed her brow picking up the whiskey. She raised a brow at his shopping choice.

“Really?” She signed. He smirked mischievous, she shook her head,

“How about this?” He challenged, she furrowed her brow, putting her hand on her hips. He reached inside of his bag slowly pulling something.

His hand grips a small tanned stuffed animal, its beady black eyes stare at her, its hair frizzy with a mane that rounded its entire head and tail, fake white fang’s sewn into the side of its muzzle.

Her frown slowly morphed into a warm smile. “This make it better?” Jake ask’s. She leaned her head sideways.

“Maybe.” Piper signed, he smirked at her. He knew the world was starting to take its toll on her.

Night’s weren't easy, she would wake in cold sweat, panting trying to let out a scream, she knew she couldn't.

“This keep me from sleeping on the couch?” He wondered, she shrugged her shoulders, stepping forward.

“No bet on that flyboy.” She teased him. He held his chest in dramatic fashion.

“Ouch.” He mouthed, she shook her head wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him closer to her.

His green eyes studied her as she gazed into his. His hair had grown out in the two years of their new world, before he had it well groomed to meet the standard’s of the Navy, his face no longer clean, his blonde beard now similar to a cowboy of spaghetti western. She couldn't complain though, she liked how he looked. She just wished he would keep up with the hygiene.

“You need a shave.” Piper signed. He scoffed at her signals. “Are you gonna do it for me?” He asks with a smirk.

“Who else would.” She joked. He shook his head pecking the auburn hair girl on the lips, she smiled. The sound of a quiet gagging noise causes the two to pull away from each other. At the end of the isle stood Alice, pointing at her tongue at their physical affection.

The two adults smiled at each other. She removes her arms from around his neck, walking over to the little girl.

“Are you finished drawing?” She asked her. She nodded her head, with a toothy grin.

“Get your stuff, don't go far okay.” She asked her. She patted her on her polka dotted puffer coat.

Piper looked back at the blonde man, looking down at her feet sadly then at him.

“Pack this all up.” She order’s, he mocks her.

She rounded up smaller thing’s into her bag. The walk back to their home was going to be a long one, she had made sure to find duct tape for her tom’s. Jake had given her tip’s on how to not attract the creature’s attention.

The three begin to exit the rundown pharmacy. Piper adjusted her beanie, tucking bit’s of her braid into the edge’s. Jake grunted bending down picking up the five year old little girl, placing her on his hip as they started their long walk back. Strolling past the abandoned building’s of what used to be the surrounding small town near San Diego.

⏁⏁⏁

SHE SCRUBBED AWAY in the water at the dishes, one of her humane chore’s that she used to enjoy most of the time became a dreaded one. To keep thing’s silent in their household, she had to wash them in water in the sink. They did have running water, which they only ran for their shower’s,for their dishe’s they stuck to fetching it from a well five miles from the property.

She adjusted her ponytail, wiping the sweat from her forehead. A hand gently set a cup deep into the water, she whipped her head.

“Sorry.” He signed with thin lined smirk.

“It’s okay.” Piper reassured him, she didn't have the energy to be mad. He looked down at the dirty soapy water, she huffed running her green sponge through the lukewarm water.

“Stop.” He signs.

She furrowed her brow. “Why?” She asks him. His lip’s formed a thin line. “Because I want to.” He tells her, she raised a brow.

“I want to help.” He sign’s to her mouthing the words.

She sighed, handing over the green sponge, he smirked as she leaned on the kitchen island. She looked over to the living room, Alice sat on the floor, playing quietly with her doll’s near a gas lantern that illuminated her area with an orange glow.

The sun outside had set, the sky filled with dark clouds and the star’s painted the night. Silent, like always, not for the occasional bird chirping, too high for the creature’s to kill, she guessed. He placed the final plate down on the towel.

He turned around leaning on the sink, She stared off deep in thought. He stands in front of the auburn hair woman.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

She shakes her head. “No.” Piper admit’s, her shoulders tensed as she leaned off the island. His brows furrowed.

“What’s on your mind?” He asked worriedly. She licked her lip’s crossing her arms.

“I saw those symbol’s again.” She signed to him, he raised a brow.

“Where?” Jake asked her, she sighed heavily.

“Back of the grocery store.” She tells him. She knew there were rumor’s on the radio of a group killing people they deem too loud for the new world. They had gained the nickname ‘The Bandits’, over parts of the town she would see on wall’s initials, SDB, written in dark brown ink or what she thought was ink.

“They're getting closer to us.” She state’s, his eyes softened at her worry.

“They don't know we are here.” He reassures her, she shakes her head.

“But what if they do.” She says, her brown eye’s beginning to welt over with tears in the corners. He shakes his head, stepping closer to her, taking her hands.

“They don't.” He signed with one hand, she gulped looking him in his eyes.

“If they find out we are here–they will do something bad.” Piper admits to him, she looked over into the living room where her daughter sat playing, unaware of their conversation.

She looks back to him. “What if they try to..hurt her.” She stumbled over her signing. He shook his head.

“We won't let that happen.” Jake reasure’s her.

“Nothing else matters to me more than her.” Piper tells him. Her heart skipped a beat, she could see the fear flash for a moment in his face.

“If something happened to her, I couldn't live with myself.” She signed.

“I'm not gonna let them find us.” He swears, his fist balled as he signed to her. “And if they do.” He inhales deeply.

“They will regret fucking with the wrong family.” The blonde stated. Her frown slowly turned to a soft smile.

“What?” He signed, she covered her mouth, muffling her soft chuckle. “You sound like your old self, Flyboy.” She wrap’s one arm on his shoulder bringing him into an embrace. He smirks against her shoulder.

She brings her nose into his black shirt that clung to him. She thought it was strange how the world had to end to bring them closer, more than the day their daughter was born. She had barely seen him when he was in the Navy, he was always busy.

A loud crash brings them out of their embrace. Jake’s head snapped in the sound’s direction, seeing the flame’s from the gas lamp starting to spread, he quickly ran grabbing the dark blanket, throwing it on top of the fire, patting down extinguishing it.

The young girl looked up at him, her eyes widened as the silence filled the room again. Piper’s heart skipped a beat as it began to race, she didn't dare to move as she anticipated the sound of the inhumane roar’s hell bent on ending their disrupters. Jake slowly gets to his knees, quietly as possible.

Silence, dead silence. Piper glanced at her daughter, her eye’s widening as she looked to her father.He lightly got to his feet, looking all around at the farmhouse ceiling. His shoulders relaxed,He shook his head turning around.

BANG!.

She flinched, her heart dropping to her stomach. He brings his finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet. Alice’s breath shake’s as her eye’s darted between her parent’s, her mother stood frozen with her mouth parted, her father slowly making his way to the window.

He leaned his head close to the cool glass. He looked to the roof, he looked down at the ground.

Cries of a wild dog interrupted the silence, the brown and tan coyote scampered away knocking down trash. The couple let out a breath of relief, Alice ran on her tiptoes to her mother’s side, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

Her eye’s fell, as she looked down at her as she stroked her strawberry blonde hair. She wanted to whisper in her daughter’s ear that she was okay, that the monster’s were not gonna come back, that she was safe. Speaking was a grace that she had for three years of life, now it was all gone.

⏁⏁⏁

GENTLY SHE walked down the stairs, the watch on her wrist reading half past ten o’clock. She ran her hand through her hair, messy with wave’s from being in a braid for so long. She clung to the oversized plaid shirt that engulfed her figure, his clothes some of the time made up most of her wardrobe.

She slowly walked to the sliding door’s of the basement bathroom, it somehow being an almost safe room for them to be in, the rushing of the shower water drowning out their voice.

The air smelt of cedarwood filled in nostrils as she stood leaned on the doorway. The steam from the shower still lingering as she watched him apply aftershave. His beard now reduced to a stubble, his hair though remained untouched. He wiped the condensation from the mirror with his fist, her silhouette casted onto the hickory wall’s.

He smirked softly, facing her. A towel wrapped around his neck, only clothes remaining on him being his black sleep shorts. “What are you doing up?” He wonder’s.

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. “Couldn't sleep.” She signs to him, he nods his head.

“How is she?” He ask’s, she sighed.

“Fine I think..at least what you could be in this place.” She tells him.

He looked her up and down, she wore a dark gray shirt with US NAVY written in bold font, and striped sleep shorts, paired with his red plaid shirt that she once swore she would return to him. He smiled softly.

“What?” She signed to him, her lip’s forming a thin line and smiled. He runs his fingers across the front of his face in clockwise motion, his fingers and thumb end at his chin. Beautiful, Her face grew beet red.

He shook his head, still smiling. “Nothing.” He says. She nodded her head at his secretiveness, he sighed, opening a draw, pulling out black and blue hair dress scissors. He motion’s them to her.

“I’ll do it.” She tells him. She quietly slid the door behind her shut, closing it with a rag in the way. The auburn hair woman, sit’s behind on the leather bench with her legs. He held up his finger for her to wait.

He leaned over, reaching in pulling the handle for the water, purposely setting it to cold. He sits on the floor with his back to her, leaning back into her. She gently takes her fingers through his hair, finding the dead end’s to cut off.

She carefully snipped off bit’s onto the violet towel.

“You know you could do this yourself.” Piper speak’s up softly, he chuckled.“Why would I do that?" He ask's her.

"You do it so much better.” Jake admit’s, his tone haughty. She rolled her eye’s playfullying as she continued to work away.

“Sure Flyboy.” She teased him, he smiled fondly at his nickname.

“You know you really should manage this hair better.” She joked, he shrugged.

“Don't know if you know darling but the world has ended.” He reminded her, and she shook her head again.

“I don't think these alien asshole’s care how pretty you are.” He joked, she smiled at his cockiness.

She raised a brow. “Did you just call yourself pretty?” Piper jested, he patted her leg making her laugh softly.

“Shut up.” He says, smiling.

She sighed sadly, she continued to trim away at his hair. Memories of the world before had started to wash over her. She longed for the day’s of them together on the beach under the sun, laughing and teasing each other. Or when she had first met him, a bad night in the ER sent her to the Hard Deck, dying for a drink. Next thing she knew, someone had sent a whiskey neat, she looked up from her glass locking eye’s with probably the most handsome she had ever seen, straight from GQ magazine cover. Things stayed that way for awhile before she got the confidence to say ‘Hello’, and the rest is history.

“Are you still taking her tomorrow?” He ask’s her, his tone lacking any loftiness. She sighed as she cut his wet hair.

“I am, she deserves it.” Piper tells him.

“Are you sure?” He ask’s.

“Yes, she needs the chance to be a kid, I remember loving the beach when I was her age.” She recall’s. “We didn't have what she does remember.” He point’s out.

“It doesn't matter, okay, I want her to be happy.” She proclaims. He nod’s his head, he sighed looking down at the floor.

“I know you do, and I want that it’s just.” He stops him mid-sentence. She furrowed her brow, he gulp’s.

“I know you don't care what happens to you.” He continues.

“But I do.” He admit’s, her heart skipped a beat in her chest. His vulnerability came in moment’s of them finally being able to speak with one another. She knew he hated not being able to talk, talking was how he won her over, how they got the sweet little girl who slept soundly upstairs.

“I just want you….I want you both to be safe.” He admit’s somberly. She sighed, reaching her hand down, he raised his hand lacing his finger’s with her’s. The ambience of the running water filling the room.

“You're not gonna lose us.” She whispers in his ear.

"You're not gonna lose me." She promised.

His grip on her hand tightened as he blinked away the tears he knew were fighting to escape. She sighed against the side of his head, the tiredness weighing heavy on her body. If things could stay this way forever she would accept in a heartbeat,peace with him and her daughter.

She inhales deeply as she sits back up, counting to cut at his hair. “When are you y’all leaving?” He asks breaking the ice, she clears her throat.

“Some time after lunch.” Piper tells him. “Beach is about a one hour walk.” She says she takes a handful of the end’s of his hair, trimming around the edge of ear’s.

She had experience cutting her own hair, not being able to afford a salon during college.

“Hope you make it back before it rain’s.” Jake say’s. She furrowed her brow.

“It’s not gonna rain.” Piper state’s, snipping the scissor’s loud,he scoffed. “Yeah it is.” He declares, she shook her head.

“And how do you know this?” Piper wonder’s, he sits up straighter. “I can smell it.” He tells her, she rolls her eyes playfully.

“Don't give me that southern superpower thing.” She joke’s. He rolled his eyes at her teasing.

“You can't smell rain.” She chuckled.

“Yeah I can, tell me a time when I was wrong.” He challenged, and she bit her lip.

“When you were on leave when we first started dating you said it was gonna storm.” Piper recall’s, he smirked.

“And?” His tone condescending. “And it was dry all week.” She state’s, he rolls his eyes.

“No it wasn't.” He says offended. She shrugged his shoulders.

“You want to question me while I have a sharp object in my hand.” She threatened, she clicked the scissor’s close with a snip.

He put his hand’s up in surrender. She smirked at her own victory, she trimmed around the last bit of his long hair, getting it down to a short easy to brush cut.

She runs her finger’s through, getting rid of the extra bit’s she missed.

He moaned softly at the feeling of fingers through his hair. She removed the towel from around his neck shaking out into the trash. She brings her arms wrapping them around his neck and torso.

She ran her cold hand down his chest, he shuddered as goosebumps ran down each part of his body. He held onto her arms leaning his head back against her leg, looking up at her.

Her nails grazed across his skin as she brought her hand to his cheek. She inhaled deeply as she began moving her lips against his.

She felt his eye lashes tickle her chin. Kissing him upside down was not ideal, though she had to admit it was very hot. His fingers caressed her face. She exhaled as he pulled away, his breath peppering her mouth.

He rolled over onto his knees. She barely had time to catch her own breath as his mouth met her's. She closed her eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer.

His hand trailed down her waist, thumbing the edge of her shirt. The butterflies in her stomach went crazy as his calloused fingers grazed under her bare skin. She shivered.

He slowly pushed her back to the wall, her leg uncrossing, placing one leg around his waist. He ran his hand up her thigh, his fingers playing with the elastic of her sleep shorts.

She opened her eyes as it clicked in her head. "Jake." She says breathless, pulling away.

He kept his mouth busy as he peppering kisses down neck. She bit her lip stifling the moan that dared to escape her.

"Jake." She speaks up. He finally pulled away looking up at her, his eyes meeting her's.

"What?" He whispered. She sighed looking away at the water that still ran, she would deal with the mess later.

She looked back at him. "The noise." Piper whispers back. He shook his head.

"I can be quick, if you can" He promises, his southern drawl coming out. Her heart skipped a beat, she nodded, both of them continuing what they had started.

⏁⏁⏁

THE MUD SQUISHED under her shoe’s, her grip on Alice's hand not letting up with each step they took. Piper had taken protection with them, a knife that Jake had given her for her birthday last year, carving her initials into the leather of her holster. And a pistol, she knew there was a chance she wasn't going to use it because of the noise, but she knew with the bandit’s becoming a looming threat she couldnt be too careful.

Alice sighed bored as they passed more tree’s, they had stuck to the hiking path laid down for them by the park service, nothing entertaining for the five year old to really look at. Talking wasn't an option for them. Piper could hear the cry of bird’s growing louder,the crashing of waves more prevalent as they walked.

Before the world had ended, she had taken her to the beach plenty of time’s, only she wasn't old enough to remember it all.

Piper had grown up in Vermont, not even close enough to the ocean, she could recall when she first got to the beach, being twenty four and finally finishing nursing school it felt like she could take on anything that she drove straight into the freezing water.

The both of them come to a stop. She smiled softly overlooking the rocky cliff as the ocean wave’s crashed loudly below them. She turned to the strawberry blonde little girl, her jaw agape as she stared out to the shoreline.

“What do you think?” Piper signs to her daughter, she smiles at her mother.

“It's cool.” She says, nodding her head. She turned her head to the path stairs leading down. She looked back at her.

“Want it to get cooler?” She asked her, she nodded her head, with a flick of her fingers she gestured for her to follow her.

The wind whipped against her hair, throwing her braid all over. The cloud’s in the sky slowly turned gray as they walked down the cobble step’s. She was happy that the railing had not given way to the elements yet, as she hopped down after the last step, turning around and extending her hand for her daughter to take.

“Careful.” Piper signed with one hand. The strawberry blonde girl slowly got onto the rocky path.

The both of them in slow pace getting closer to the water that pulled in and out with a loud roar. She takes her back pack off, setting it on the dry sand, Alice following her lead. She puts her hand in front of daughter.

“Wait.” Piper speak’s up. Her green eyes widened in fear as she whipped her head all around. She gets on her knees in the sand getting to her daughter’s height, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She points at the ocean. “This is loud, they don't like it.” She explains to the frightened young girl.

“You don't have to be afraid, you are safe here.” Piper reassured, her voice soft as she looked her up and down. The wind kissing her cheek, she looked out at the ocean to her mother.

“Let’s get these shoe’s off.” She says, velcroing her neon purple straps, sitting them next to their backpack’s.

She unzips her own jacket tossing it to the side, Alice slid her polka dot jacket off onto her jacket.

Piper kicked off her tom’s, rolling up her pant leg to her knees. The two of them looked at each, she grinned as she picked her up by her arm’s running through the freezing water that stung at their legs. She laughed loudly as she spun around with her daughter, her heart pounding with excitement.

“Think fast!” Piper exclaimed as she flung water on her, she squealed, flinging the foam from the wave’s at her. She yelped in surprise at her return fire.

She looked up at the sky, the spring air cooled her as she extended her arms, taking in the moment of clarity.

Alice wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist, she sighed deeply as she place her hand on her shoulders holding her closely, the wave’s of the ocean pulling in and out around them as they remained in an embrace.

The two of them did all they could to enjoy their time on the beach. Alice constantly challenged her to a race to the rock’s and back, Piper didn't have to bother with letting her win as the young girl was much faster than she had expected. She went around the sand looking for sea shell’s for the both of them.

“Would daddy like this one?” Alice wonder’s holding up a gray and blue scallop seashell, she smiled.

“He would love it.” She tells her, she laughed as she stuffed her jean pocket. Piper imagined them filled to the brim.

The one good day she could give her meant more than anything. She knew that the young girl couldn't have the childhood that either of parents had.

Running around in the grass and hanging out during the summer with friend’s. Staying out past curfew to be scolded, playing on the playground and seeing how high she could climb to see over the city.

She sat at the edge of the shoreline, using a toothpick she had brought along to draw in the damp sand.

She drug the sharp wood across the top, letting her hand decide the picture she wanted. Alice sat criss crossed quietly digging in the sand.

Piper’s eyes widened as she suddenly remembered. She walked over to her backpack, unzipping it. She walked back over, sitting in front of the strawberry blonde girl.

“I got you something.” She says, she looked up, excitement in her emerald eyes. “What is it?!” She asked curiously with her toothy grin.

“Close your eyes.” She tells her, her shoulders slumped annoyed.

“Why?!” She groaned.

“Just do it.” She says. She rolled her eyes as she told her.

“No peeking.” Piper state’s, she brought her little hands covering her face. She pulling the object out from behind her back, she gently removed her hand’s from her petite face, placing a soft brown toy in the palms.

“Open.”Her green eyes fluttered, her grin widened as she looked at the fluffy mane of the cuddly stuffed toy.

“For me?” She wondered.

“Yes, it's your’s.” She confirmed. She squealed in excitement as she held the toy close to herself in embrace. Her heart ached at her joy, she spun around on her heel’s landing on her knees in the sand.

“Thank you Thank you!” She gushed. She wrapped her arms around her neck, she gasped in surprise, she bring’s a hand to her back holding her closely. Alice’s shoulder’s tensed up as she slumped against her mother.

She pulled away as she thumbed the of the snout of the lion, its beady black eyes staring up at her.

“Ally?” She say’s warmly.She doesn't answer, playing with the wet sand. Her green eyes softened.

“What’s the matter?” Piper asked in concern.

“I’m sorry.” Alice say’s fiddling with a small sand castle. She furrowed her brow confused. “For what, baby?” She wonder’s.

“The monster’s found us last night.” Alice admit’s, Piper shook her head, the five year old girl looked down at her bare feet.

“No it's not your fault.” She tells her warmly, she sits her toothpick down.

“I made a noise..” She stammered as a tear rolled down her cheek. She shook her head. The woman slide’s over the sand, bringing her young girl into an embrace.

“Alice, it wasn't your fault.” Piper whisper’s into her ear, softly stroking her hair.

“Don't blame yourself for anything like that, not ever.” Her voice was smooth, she pulled away placing her hand on her daughter’s shoulders.

“This world is a scary place.”She tells the little girl. Her green eyes glistened with tears at the edges. She shakes her head gulping.

“But you are so..so much bigger and braver than it.” She stammered.

“You are so brave Ally, and you are so strong.” She brings her hand’s to her face, gently cupping her cheek. Her pink little lip’s form a thin line smile, Piper’s used her thumb brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

“We should go.” Piper say’s getting to her feet,the cloud’s above grew darker, puffing up with each end. The sound of rumbling above in the darkness.

“Mommy.” She spoke up.

She turned her head at her, “Someone’s watching us.” she pointed. Her brown eyes widened in fear looking at the ridge.

The shadow of a stranger peeked through the fog that had begun to roll in with the storm above.

“Alice.” Her voice stern with the five year old, she looked back at her.

“Grab your things, right now.” She ordered, she furrowed.

“Why? Who is that?” The little girl wonder’s. Her brown eye’s stare down the stranger on the hill.

“No one good.” She answered. She hustled around grabbing her bag’s, pulling her jacket back on.

Piper didn't waste any time with grabbing her daughter’s hand, her pace in walking faster then her own daughter. She held her hand on the little girl , she knew that anyone who wasn't her boyfriend or was someone she once considered friend was a danger to them. The alien’s were a concern but they weren't what scared her.

Drop lits began to drizzle onto her coat, the dirt slowly turning into mud with each step they took. She eyed the tree’s on each side, scanning for danger’s each direction. Maybe she was being paranoid, and that she was wrong about the bandit’s.

Thunder rumbled above them, Alice’s grip on her mother’s finger tightened at the sound. Should have left earlier, she thinks. Alice hated storm’s, Piper found it ironic as the night she was born a typhoon struck the coast of Southern California.

A storm so dangerous that it flooded most of the valley leaving so much debris, and destruction that it was like a wonderland.

She panted as she continued to speed walk through the pines. Piper used one hand to pull her hood over her head. CLICK.

She stop’s dead in track’s extending her palm in front of her daughter.

Her brown eyes drifted down to her ankle, a thin line of metal pushed right against her, hooked up to a tree. She didn't dare to move to find out what it was rigged too. She gulped looking down at the strawberry blonde girl at her waist, she shook her head.

“Don't move.” Piper mouthed, her eye’s fearfully looking at her, nodding at her order’s.

The squishing of mud under feet catches her attention, she looks up seeing two men wearing black clothes and bandanas hiding their faces from them.

They smirked sinisterly at her, eyeing the young woman and the little girl. The blue bandana pulled out a knife from his pocket, shiver’s run down her spine seeing the dried brown on the blade.

Hair’s on her neck stood to attention as she felt the hot breath of another person breathing behind her. She lifted her hand’s up surrender to the stranger’s, the lack of sunlight couldn't help her determine how many were behind her.

“Which one do you want?” The red bandana sign’s to the blue one, she guessed one of them was the leader of their group.

Red’s eye’s trailed over to the auburn hair woman, looking at her buttoned up henley shirt, the clothing around his mouth moving in a circular motion.

“I like redheads.” He signs, her blood ran cold at their signing. Her eyes darted to her right, another man with a black bandana stood next to her.

Her chest heaved up and down as her heart began to race.

She wasn't sure what they would do to her, but to her daughter she could get an awful image. There were no more law’s or legal systems, a perfect world for sick people like these men.

“Take the big one to the hill.” Blue order’s, red’s brow’s furrowed looking at the little girl next to her.

Red bandana looked Alice up and down, he stepped up to her, getting down to her height. Her green eyes flooded with tears at the strange man.

His dirty hand took the lion toy out of her hand’s. Piper’s hand shook with rage seeing his dirty nail’s touching the toy hand picked for her daughter from the man she loved. She knew what to do now.

“This one is mine.” Blue signed, her little face shook frightened.

Piper stepped forward with a click of the trip wire, a collection of bottle’s tied together collapsed down with a loud clunk, the men’s eyes widened at the sound. Piper growled as she plunged her knife into the jugular of the black bandana.

“Run!” Piper whispered to Alice, she grunted as her feet kicked up mud running away. The auburn hair woman swung her fist into the face of the blue bandana before she ran alongside her daughter.

The two of them panting as they jumped over bit’s of twig’s and green’s, sticking to the path they had followed and the one they had created. Piper looked over her shoulder, the shadow’s of the tree’s of people following right not far behind.

Piper grunted, grabbing Alice’s shoulders, holding her closely in a bridal style.

Alice’s strawberry blonde hair whipped against her face, the rain had started to become less of drizzle and more of a sprinkle. She looked down at her feet, her footprints in the mud clear with each step.

She duck’s behind a tree, setting her little girl down. She panted with her back against the tree as her mother set her backpack down on the ground.

“You need to run!” Piper signed frantically. She shook her head. “No!” Alice signed.

“Stay on the path, find your daddy.” Piper declared. Her green eye’s bore into her dark brown eyes. “No.” She repeated.

“You have to run, or they will find you.” She orders her, she shakes her little head. “I can't leave you.” She signed her lip quivering.

“I cant– “Alice Seresin.” She whispered and interrupted her, she held her face. She took a deep breath.

“You are so brave..and sp strong, and I need you to do this.” She whispered.

Fear flashing over her face. Tears falling from eye, twig’s snap her heart racing faster. She brought her lip’s to her forehead, inhaling her scent. She pulled away admiring her daughter one last time.

“I love you so much.” Piper’s voice breaking,She pulled away admiring her daughter one last time. She sniffled, taking a deep breath.

“Now..RUN!” She ordered. Her hair whipped in the wind as she darted away from her mother. Piper gulped as her throat tightened. She removes her knife from her holster, huffing as she turned around marching through the tree

⏁⏁⏁

THE MEN STOOD PANTING. Blue bandana stepped forward looking at the three remaining men. He kicked the dirt in anger, pacing back and forth over the cliff that overlooked the beach.

“Where did the big one go?” Red whisper’s. Blue shook his head. “Who gives a fuck!” He signs. The three men flinched at his anger, he throws his cap off his head.

“The little one, get me the little one!” Blue order’s pointing his finger at the red bandana, he nodded his head turning around following the path. The two remaining men looked at their leader, he ran a hand through his greasy hair.

“What are you gonna do with her when you get her?” Yellow bandana wonder’s, he shook his head.

“That’s for me to know.” He tells him.

“What about the big one, are we gonna auction her?” Purple bandana asks. He rolled his eyes at his question.

“Fuck her, she killed one of our own.” Blue say’s, shaking his head.

“She could be more useful than the little one.” Yellow point’s out. Blue grabs him by the neck holding him tightly.

“I dont fucking want her..get me the little one.” He whispers in his ear’s.

A gurgling sound interrupts both men. They snapped their head’s seeing purple grabbing at his throat as blood drenched his coat as he fell to the ground. With a grunt she removed her blade, she stood up looking at both men. Her eyes burned with anger at the blue bandana.

She pointed her knife at him. “You.” She signed.

Yellow eyes the woman, he charged at her, he swung his fist at her. She huffed dodging it, hooking her arm under his, he groaned in pain at the fiery hot pain of the knife plunging into his shoulder blade.

She knee’s his gut shoving him onto the ground. Blue smirked at her, slowly clapping silently at her. She vibrated with anger at his mockery.

“Now what?” he signed.

“You die.” Piper signed. He smirked at her threat, he stepped forward in a challenging manner. “Are you sure about that?” He questioned. She grunted, swinging her blade.

He jumped back, she huffed, swinging her fist in his direction, missing again. She groaned as fiery pain spread across her face, the impact of his punch disorienting her. The rain began to become heavier as the two of them fought.

She grunt’s locking his head in hold, punching him in the gut repeatedly. He grunted in effort pulling at her raincoat, removing it from her entirely. Shegasped as he pulled himself out of her hold, shoving her into the mud. Blue bandana spit’s out blood onto the ground.

“Bitch.” He grumbled, she wiped her nose as the copper taste filled her mouth. She pat’s her holster looking for her knife, her eyes widened as she couldn't feel the ebony handle.

“Shit.” She mouthed. She flip’s onto her feet, she rushed at him tackling him with the full force her body could muster, their body’s slammed onto the cold rock wet rocks.

Piper cough’s holding her rib cage, his grimy hands shoving her face onto the concrete.Anger boiled inside of her at the feeling of his nail’s digging into her cheeks.

“Fucking die already.” He grumbled, the pressure on her back becoming heavier. On the ground a reflection from an object shined her way. She shouts failing her legs in each direction, he exclaimed frustrated.

She reached out her hand for the shiny object, she gasped for air as her rib cage began to feel smaller. Her wet finger’s lace through the handle hole, she pulled it closer to herself. In effort she rolled shoulder’s spinning around.

He cried out in pain, cupping his cheek as blood began to seep out. She stood on her feet looking at the man. She shook herself off as the adrenaline pumped through her body. He yells as he runs at her, she yelps moving out of the way.

Piper turned around only to be met with a blow to the face. Her back smacked the rock’, closer and closer to the edge the both of them dualed, her knife dropped to the ground with a clink as the man got on top of her gripping her wrist.

“You just giving up, sweet thing.” His voice sneered at her, his hand slowly trailing to the button of her henley shirt, he groaned closing his eyes as his dirty fingernails pulled away the clothing separating the piece. She grunted against his weight.

He mumbled as he leaned his head back as he countied to work on the top of her shirt. Thunder cracked above her making her heart skip a beat, she turned her head, her blade laid only an inch away from her. Without hesitation her hand gripped the handle as she brought it to chest.

He gasped loudly, falling back onto the ground. Piper yelped as she crawled onto him, cutting through him with multiple blow’s, each time letting out a yell of rage. He gurgled, coughing up blood onto her face.

An inhuman cry pulled her out of her trance. She snapped her head watching the tree’s pull apart as they got closer. She pushed herself out of the way.

⏁⏁⏁

ALICE PANTED as she kept running along the pathway, her sketcher’s covered in the mud as the rain began to get heavier. The farmhouse laid in plain sight as she got closer to the fence line, only a few more step’s.

Thunder rumbled loudly, she flinched at the sound but countied to run. She had stopped only twice to catch her breath, she couldn't let her mother down, she need to find her father, to safety.

Her strawberry blonde hair bit’s were sticking to her wet cheek’s. She held her hand at her hips as she stopped finally at the white fence. On the porch, her father sat on the swing, the rain pouring as he took in the sound’s.

Her mother’s word’s sound in her head, they don't like loud sounds, water was loud at the beach, maybe it’s loud now.

“Dadd-!” Her voice interrupted as a hand clamped down on her mouth. She struggled against the person that drugged her, her screams muffled as she desperately cried for her father.

“Quiet!” The voice snapped, she grunted elbowing her kidnapper in the gut, she bit into the finger of the stranger hard. He shouted in pain as he let go of her.

“Little brat!” He grumbled.

The man cladded in red is brought to the ground. Alice gasped in surprise as a blonde man held him to the ground, making repeated blows to the face. He turned looking over his shoulder at her.

“Alice, go!” Jake order’s, she nodded her head sprinting away. His green eyes darkened as he held the man by his shirt. Rain poured down on the both of them, soaking his black long sleeve shirt.

“Who the fuck are you?!” He questioned in fury, the man smirked up at him. He shouts as she punches him. “Who are you!?” He demanded once again.

He doesn't answer. Jake growls' shoving his head against the ground. “Where’s my wife?!” He demand’s.

The man gripped the handle of his blade pulling out. Jake gripped the man’s wrist redirecting his aim, he held one hand over his mouth as he stabbed him in the gut. His cries of agony muffled by him.

“Tell me where she is?!” Jake ordered. His teeth turned red as his smirk widened at his violence. His nose scrunched up as he twisted the blade.

“Tell me!” He fumed.He coughed, spitting blood straight up at him.

“Dead..silent..like us like you will be.” He gurgled through his attempts to laugh. Jake shook his head.

“Just you.” He declares. He coughed once more as his breath slowly became a wheeze before he finally exhaled. Jake wiped his face with the back of his hand, throwing off the blood onto the ground.

He got to his feet, he grunted as he ran back to the house. His boot’s heavy on the wood as he got inside the house.

“Daddy!” A small voice exclaimed.

she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, thunder rumbling louder outside. He sighed in relief, getting to his knees wrapping his arms around the little girl.

“Thank god you're okay.” He whispered into her ear, He panted, breathing heavily. Holding her as close to him as he could. Her wet hair draped across his neck, her little face wet from tears and rain.

“Alice.” He speaks up, her breath shake’s as he pulls away, he holds her shoulders gently.

“Are you hurt, did he hurt you?” He ask’s her, she shakes her head.

He brushed back a piece of her wet hair.” Alice.” He say’s softly, her green eye’s meet his.

“Where’s mommy?” He wonder’s. She began to pant looking at the screen door, his heart fell to his stomach. He blinked as the color drained from his face.

“Oh god..oh god.” He pant’s.He gets to his feet, only being stopped by a small hand gripping his.

“Don't go!” She exclaimed. He glanced between his daughter and the door. “Please.” She pleaded.

He inhaled deeply. “I won't.” He promised. He runs a hand through his hair, collecting his thoughts.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Jake sniff’s, taking her small hand in his leading her downstairs.

Alice’s expression remained bleak, the once happy five year old who had so much to show the world driven into silence. Not even her father playing with her in the bathtub, making funny noises, brought her out.

Jake didn't want to admit to himself but knew she had experienced something awful.

He pulled her blanket over her, staying next to her as she slowly fell asleep. The storm outside didn't settle down even as she slumped against his chest. Many things were running through his mind, like what had happened when he wasn't with them, why did these bastard’s come for his family, and where is his wife.

He slowly got out of the small twin size bed, placing the purple starry comforter back over her. Sleepy soundly, he walked out of the room quietly shutting the door behind him.

His breath shake’s as he walks down the steps to the living room.

He looked around the farmhouse, the fireplace cracking and popping, the rumble of thunder outside disrupting the coziness of the home. It felt empty, he felt empty, half of his heart was gone. It was his fault, he let her leave when he knew the danger of the world was the monster’s.

Not the monster’s who hunt for sport at just the sound of a twig snapping, the real monster’s who got the sick pleasure of destroying the lives of others.

He bends down on the floorboard, sliding away the board feeling around the cabinet below for the old wood handle. He grunt’s slowfully removing the remington rifle from the space, he opened the barrel to see it was still fully loaded since he found it.

The former pilot stand’s up, in a steady pace outside to the front porch.

Lightning cracks across the sky as the rain continues its rage against the earth. In one hand he held the gun in the other, the Jack Daniel's he was scolded for finding, he sits on the wooden chair.

Staring at the dirt road paved with sand to silence their step’s. Keeping her safe was all he had now, he wasn't gonna let anyone or anything take what he had left. Thunder rumbled across the setting spring sky, his finger on the trigger ready.

A snap of a branch bring’s him out, he stood to attention, cocking the gun. His breathing steady as his heart raced in his ears. His eyes trained on the dark road, a silhouette stumbled his way. Their hair is braided, wet and tangled. He could make out the shadow of a blade in their hand, and in the other a stuffed animal.

They limped closer, the lamp on the wood post illuminating a yellow and orange hue on their face. His green eyes widened in realization, he dropped the gun in a dash towards her.

She gasped in shock at the sudden impact of his embrace. The knife fell from her hand’s, her free one around his neck.

Piper’s chest heaved up and down, shivering from the cold. Salty tear’s mix with the earthy water that fell on them. He whispered in her ear a mixture of apologies.

“You were right.” She breathed out, he furrowed his brow. “Right about what?” He ask’s, his green eyes watered over.

“It rained.” She chuckled weakly, he shook his head, his laugh vibrating against her shoulder. “I hate that.” She admit’s with a small smile.

“You love it.” Jake whispered, she nodded against him.

"Get me inside, please.” Piper pleaded with him. He complied with her order’s, latching his arm’s under her as she went limp in exhaustion.

⏁⏁⏁

SHE SAT on her side of their bed, her damp hair draped over her gray tank top. Her body shivered even with his jacket on her, her shirt had become less of a beige color and more of dirty brown from the blood.

“This is gonna sting.” He tells her, she wasn't used to being patched up, she usually did the first aid. He dabbed the alcohol soaked rag against her split knuckle. She could feel the multiple bruises growing on her body, and she knew for sure when thing’s cooled down she was more than likely gonna be sick.

She grit her teeth. “Fuck.” Piper swear’s, the thunderstorm allowed them to talk, she was thankful for once for him to be right about the rain.

He smirked. “Threw a hell of a punch.” Jake commented, her lips formed a thin line.

She tried not to think about what had happened.

“Yeah, and got a bruised rib to add to it.” She chuckled weakly, he pulled out a bandage from her first aid bag. His calloused hands maneuvered with the roll, beginning to wrap the cloth around her hand. “I taught you well.” Piper say’s, he smirked.

“I'm a quick learner.” He reminds her, she sighed leaning her head back.

“I don't doubt that Flyboy.” Her voice raspy, she sniffed. She gazed at his face, dried blood at the edge of nose, and furrowed her brow.

“Are you okay?” She ask’s.

His green eyes looked up at her. “Are you really asking me that?” Jake wonder’s, her hand caressed his face, warm to the touch.

“Did they fucking find you?” Piper demand’s from him, he looks down continuing to clean her up.

“Jake.” She says, he blink’s looking back at her. She reached down, groaning as she pulled out alcohol wipes beginning to dab away the crimson.

“You shouldn't be doing this for me.” He says. She shook her head. “Too bad, I am.” She says, holding his cheek with one hand. “Piper.” He says, she shook her head. “Doesn't seem broken.” She tells him.

“Pip-”You should be careful wiping around here though.” She interrupts, he take’s both of his hands, removing her hand’s from his face, looking at her.

“Please stop.” He pleaded with her, she exhaled in exhaustion. “I’m sorry.” Piper whisper’s, she leaned her forehead against.

“God, I'm so tired.” She breathed out. She inhaled his scent as she hugged him. “It’s okay.” He whispers as he wraps his arm around her as she closes her eye’s, her head slumped against his shoulder. Her skin was cold and damp as he lowered her back into their bed. He holds her close to him, not letting her go. The storm outside begins to die down becoming a drizzle, he leaned over her body, turning off the gas lamp that lit the entire room.

A/N: HOLY..I Have no word's how did I pull this off this week.

NO PRESSURE Tagged: @cowboysandpilots @bobfloydssunnies @sugarcoated-lame @sorchathered @fairyheart @senawashere @swiftsgirlfriend @nouis-bum @pinkdaisies9285 @mamachasesmayhem @senawashere @cottagecori

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chasedbyatlantic · 2 months

Text

comfort crowd, joel miller

masterlist summary: IN WHICH — joel miller shows you and ellie how to properly play golf, he's in it to win it - without a doubt.

warnings: post outbreak!joel, pre-jackson era!joel, female reader, no use of y/n, implied relationship, ellie being the comedic relief, these three being a happy and loving family, mentions of weapons, swearing. lmk if i missed anything!

wordcount: 2.7k

a/n ha..haha... (im in denial). guys i thought this was really funny and this was my brilliant idea. plz i hope u love it LOL. remember to like, comment, reblog and follow for more! xoxo.

—

You hated lawn chairs for as long as you could remember. The pain of your skin getting lodged between cracked pieces of plastic, your skin slipping and sliding off from the seat when there was just a slight temperature change, you could name five thousand different things. Yet, right now, those were the least of your worries. A nice lawn chair propped up at the top of a house, overlooking the entire street. You were far from complaining, Joel as well.

The two of you not only walked for the entire day without taking any breaks, but had to keep up with Ellie, your 'special mission'. The little girl, immune to everything, was the fastest and most talkative kid you had ever came across, apocalypse or not. You were hesitant at first, as anyone would be, but grew to trust the girl with your life. She did protect you a handful of times, your reflexes not as keen as they used to be.

The three of you were in South Dakota right now, your car breaking down in Iowa and having to walk the rest of the way to Utah. You knew the whole thing was sketchy after Boston, but Joel was set in his ways. You never questioned that man, you feared that he knew too well to put the three of you in a bad situation.

The three of you were in the outskirts of some suburban town, already done clearing the street. By the amount of runners, and the walls built around, you could tell people used to live here. Not many people, five or six people at most. This place had reminded you a lot of Bill's place, though, you weren't sure if that was a good thing.

You were ripped out of your thoughts when you heard Ellie's voice ringing through your ears. "Do you wanna hear a construction joke?" Your hand fell onto your forehead, blocking out the sun that highlighted your face too much for your liking. A small 'Leave her alone, Ellie.' was heard from behind you, Joel wanting you to go back and rest. "Awh, fuck you Joel- you ruined it!" Ellie had complained, which only made you laugh, "But, I'm still working on it, the joke."

You had actually laughed, despite not wanting to. Her jokes were so bad, if there was an award given to the worst jokes ever said, Ellie would win it by a landslide. "That fits him, ya'know." You nodded your head over to Joel, who had made his way in front of the two of you, and knelt down to search through his bag. Ellie rose her brow, giving you a questionable look. "He was a very good fixer-upper."

Joel cut you off, "A contractor." You had nodded your head at that, "The best one'n Austin that is." You had added to his comment, and he could only let out a laugh. Ellie had asked him what a contractor was, and he explained it as you shut your eyes and just- enjoyed the sun for a moment. It was hot as fuck outside, you didn't deny that, but not having to drag your feet across the hot pavement for the next while was so damn nic-

Splash. You yelped as your eyes shot open, scanning the surrounding area. You weren't sure if it were your survivor instincts, or this just really fucking pissing you off, but you were ready to pounce on whoever did this to you. In fact, you had taken out your knife that was tucked away in your waistband, the sunlight reflecting heavily off of the blade.

You turned your head, to see not only Ellie, but Joel laughing. Ellie was one thing, but Joel too? This had to be some inside joke or something, you thought to yourself. "I'm going to fucking kill you guys." You did everything in your power to suppress your smile as you stood up, put your knife back in your waistband, and launched forward. You grabbed onto Joel as he did nothing in his power to stop you, just standing there with his arms crossed and a smile to his face, but Ellie? Oh no, she ran back, and to the other side of the roof.

"Alright," You admitted defeat, "One's good enough for me, run away while you can, Ellie." This brought an even bigger smile to her face, she was having fun with this. Sometimes, you forgot Ellie was just a kid. Ellie didn't have a childhood, not whatsoever- the poor girl lives in the fucking apocalypse, for Christ sake. If she wants to have fun like this, let her. You had planned to talk to Joel soon about not dropping her off with the doctors in Salt Lake City, but who knew if he would even consider that.

The three of you played around for a while longer, careful not to get too close to the edge of the roof and have the possibility of falling off. You three were acting like a family, maybe not the sanest one, but a family. After these months out by yourselves, you may as well be family. You would take a bullet for Joel or Ellie, within a heartbeat.

"Alright, Joel." You had replied, "Whatever you say." He could only chuckle as he folded his arms now, leaning against the space beside the window. You had abandoned the lawn chair, and were now laying down right in front of him. It was uncomfortable for you, but he was definitely not complaining about you being there. You two weren't officially a couple, but you acted like it. Kisses being exchanged here and there, the occasional hand holding, sleeping in the same bed every night. You had claimed it was because it made you sleep easier, which wasn't totally wrong, but you knew Joel loved it.

"I'm tellin' ya'," He held his hands up un defense, "A degree in doodlin' was stupid, ya' could've saved a shit load'o money." You two were conversing about your lives before the apocalypse, school and what not. Ever since Ellie brought up the whole contractor thing, it had been on your mind. You met Joel when he and his brother Tommy (you think it was) had started to fix up your house, but the project never got finished due to- well, everything.

"'Kay, Mister 'I fix houses'. Not like I would’ve gotten a job, anyway." You could only laugh at this, "Plus," You added, "I only minored in arts. My major was environmental biology." Joel went back to crossing his arms, his brow cocked back. "My girl's a biologist, eh? Best get you to Utah too, ya' can help'n restoring the planet." He let it slide off his tongue so easily, his girl. It felt too innocent coming from him, knowing what he would use that little pet name for all too well. Though, you liked when he did that, he wasn't much of a PDA man so it was nice when the two of you were alone like this.

Speaking too soon about being alone, Ellie had popped back out of the window and basically gave Joel a heart attack. You brought your hand over your mouth to cover your laughs as Joel shot you a look, and Ellie yelling a quick 'sorry!'. Though, she was excited about something. "You will absolutely not believe what I fucking found while snooping around!" Joel turned his glare from you over to Ellie, "Ellie," He began, "You know what I told ya' 'bout lookin' in these homes." He set a rule with her at the start of this mission, that she would never explore more than they needed to. For example, in this house, he didn't want her to look around and find photographs of the previous homeowners and grow- attached, in some sort. You weren't really sure, you found the rule stupid.

"Doesn't matter, I was bored as fuck." She then tossed this case over, it landed in between of you and Joel. By looking at it, you would've assumed it was a guitar case, though, it was too skinny to be a guitar. Following suit, another smaller and more round case may it's way over, hitting the first and landing beside it. "Guess." Your eyes moved from the cases to Joel, having no clue what this could be. He shared the lost look, both of you turning your attention back to Ellie.

"Ugh, you guys are such grandparents." That had to be an insult, you thought to yourself. Joel, yeah sure, but you? No way. Before you had time to bicker with the girl, she reached forward and started to unzip the cases. You were pelted with small balls in a matter of seconds, not processing what they were yet. It was only after actually picking one up from the tens of them that were on your lap, that you realized what they were.

Golf balls. Ellie had found a golf set. Thank god for these rich South Dakota folk, for a nice and big roof, and now this. You hadn’t golfed in twenty years, so this was going to be so much fun. You looked up to see how Joel was reacting to this, he looked to be somewhat interested as well. "Alright, before we do anythin'," Joel started as he got up, "Clean these up and we'll do everythin' in an orderly fashion." Even if he was acting like an old man right now, he was your old man.

Ellie did so while Joel helped you up, a reassuring hand placed on the small of your back and the other intertwined between your fingers. You were surprised, this was the most affection he had showed you around Ellie. Though, you weren't complaining. After what felt like forever (once again, no complaints), he let go and Ellie turned in unison. "I have to admit this, nobody laugh. I have no fucking clue how to golf."

Before the man beside you had time to reply, you did for him. "Joel'll show you, he's the best golfer outta the three of us." You brought your arm up and rested it on his shoulder for a moment, before giving him a few reassuring pats on his chest. "Go get 'em, tiger." He was annoyingly staring at you, knowing this would only amuse you.

"Get two clubs, kid." He ordered Ellie, (gently) shoving you off of him. He shook his head at you, eyes lingering for a moment too long, before moving over to the edge of the roof. He would find a way to get you back, you could feel it. As Ellie searched through the bag to find the tallest club, you went over to find a few tees. Once the tees were in hand, and the case of golf balls in the other, you made your way over to where Joel was.

As you set up the tees and golf balls in an appropriate place, just on the edge of the roof, Joel started to explain this whole thing to Ellie. She looked mesmerized, the few times you turned your head to see this. Joel acting like a teacher and all to her was sweet, when he usually treated her like an adult. Not that Joel was Ellie's father by any stretch of the way, but it was nice she got to experience a father-daughter moment right now. It warmed your heart too much.

After Ellie was taught the correct form, Joel moved her in front of the tee and ball, helping her get the correct stance before swinging. It missed, by a foot. This sent you through the roof (figuratively, not literally), you couldn't help yourself. Ellie was a bright red from embarrassment as she cursed you out, and Joel couldn't help himself either.

Ellie swung twice more with added force each time, before successfully hitting the golf ball. it went flying, not far, but high. "Good job, kid." Joel congratulated her, despite just laughing about her misfortunes prior. You rose your hand up beside her head, she replied with a high five and you two giggled. Since Joel's job was done, he now picked up his club and went to the tee set up to the right of Ellie. You followed suit with the left.

It took you a moment to get back into the swing of things, the last time you had moved your body like this was- well, dealing with runners. After a swing or two, it came back to you like you had been playing golf for the last twenty years. Joel too, from the looks of it. He let out a complaint or two about how this would strain his joints, but you guys were planning on spending a day or two here anyway.

Eventually, the three of you had came up with a game. Whoever could punt their balls the farthest wins. It was simple, really, but there were little roadblocks in the way- cars, mailboxes, you name it. Ellie's golf balls were blue, yours were red, and Joel's were yellow. You had counted down from three, indicating when all of you could start.

Three. You placed your feet in the appropriate position, cracking your neck just a little. Ellie twisted the club in her hand, as if it were a pencil or something. Joel stayed calm, his club resting on the floor.

Two. You rose your club into the swinging position, focusing on the middle of the red golf ball right in front of you. Ellie took notice of what you were doing and copied the motion, she was eager to hit it on the first go this time. Joel slightly raised his now, still sluggishly moving.

One. You started to move your club to hit the ball, Ellie too. After both of yours were hit in sync, you could hear Joel's being hit after. Your eyes made their way over to him, to examine his strategy, he was still remaining calm. This annoyed you, to say the least.

The three of you went through thirty golf balls each, eventually punting at your own pace. You were the first to finish, feeling pretty proud of yourself of where the balls had landed. Ellie was next, she was proud too. After not golfing for her entire life, this looked pretty promising. Joel was last, no surprise to that. He took his sweet time and finished around five minutes after you and Ellie were done, only earning snickers from Ellie.

"Alright," You told the girl, "Go down'n check who made it the farthest." She obliged, a small 'yes ma'am' before taking off for the window. Your eyes followed her with a smile to your face, "Havin' fun, aren't ya'?" Joel asked. You turned back around to face him, "Not as much as you are, clearly."

He knew he was acting cocky, and was for the past little while. Though, since you definitely didn't seem to mind, he kept up the act. "Ya'know what would make this even better?" He asked you, shifting his weight from his right leg to his left. You tilted your head, indicating that you were waiting for a response. "A golf cart." Before you had time to slap him for his ridiculous request, Ellie was yelling something from down the street.

You averted your attention from Joel, and now at the girl. She was mouthing something, that only you were able to understand after she repeated herself four times. Joel. Joel had won, for fuck sakes. "Well, shit." Was all you could say. He, on the other hand, was ecstatic, the most ecstatic you had ever seen him. For a moment, while he acted like that, you enjoyed it. Joel was having fun, that's what had mattered- he had to let loose every once in a while too.

After a moment, he collected himself once again. The same grin plastered on his face, though, as he folded his arms across his chest and watched as Ellie ran back over to the house. Before she came up, he nudged your shoulder. "Today was fun, eh?" He asked you, which had earned your head nodding almost too quick as a response. "Y'ur a pretty good golfer too, I guess." He admitted. You could only laugh, nudging his arm back. "Not as good as you, Mister Winner. Ya' should've skipped contractor school and went pro golf."

—

comfort crowd, conan gray

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millersdjarin · 1 year

Text

I Only See Daylight

Chapter Four

Pairing: Din Djarin x F!Reader

Rating: E (eventually)

Chapter warnings/tags: slow burn, dad!din, bonding, injuries (not in detail), negative self-talk, mentions of past trauma/abuse

Chapter Length: 4.2k

Previous Chapter | Series Masterlist & Info

notes: im sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than the others! if it's any consolation, a few of the chapters in this fic are 10k, so there's that. :) i've set a posting schedule of mondays and thursdays, but this week i'm posting on sunday because i'm going to be travelling on monday and i have to stay off tumblr to avoid tlou spoilers until the evening. so, surprise :)

i don't wanna look at anything else now that i saw you

“How do you feel?” Is the first thing you hear when you wake, rolling over on your makeshift bed to find Mando standing at the cave entrance again. He’s leaning against the wall with one shoulder, his hip cocked out, one leg bent casually.

Kriffing hells, how is he so attractive when all you can see of him is his posture and his impossibly shiny armour?

You force the thought from your mind, blaming it on your half-asleep state.

“I don’t know yet,” you answer with a grimace. It’s been two days since your fall. The pain is better, though the rest of your body feels stiff now, muscle soreness finally catching up with you after the tumble. There hasn’t been another storm, at least, so Mando has managed to hunt for every meal so far. He goes out to get water every morning, filling canteens to the brim. He makes you drink so much that sometimes it feels like you’re swimming in it. “Hydration helps with healing,” he says every time, even though you already know; he says it just to counter your playful glaring at him every time he hands you the flask.

“Sun rose not that long ago,” he cranes his neck to gaze up at the sky, “if you’re feeling up to it, we can probably travel today.”

You manage to sit up, but the minute you do, pain shoots down from the wound on your calf and into your ankle. It circles there around the joint and throbs. “Have we got any more ice packs?”

“One more,” Mando answers as he heads right over to his medpack and gets it out.

“We should ration it,” you hold out your hand to stop him activating it. “For when we’re travelling. I’ll probably need it.”

He looks down at the pack, hesitates. Then nods and puts it away. “Do you think you’ll be okay to travel today? If so, we should move soon, make the most of the daylight.”

Shifting a little, you try to get a gage on your body, how it feels. A grimace makes its way onto your face without your consent. Everything hurts. Literally everything. Muscles you didn’t even know you had are strained and stiff.

But you’ve been here for two days. He’s been stranded here for four.

“If the answer is anything but yes,” his voice cuts through your rapidly declining thoughts, “then my answer is no.”

Relieved, you smile. But you protest, “Mando, you’ve stayed with me so long now. I can make my own way back.”

“No,” he says definitively. “We move when you’re ready.”

You relax, settling back against the wall. You’re too sore to argue.

“The kid’s enjoying the vacation, anyway,” Mando says, the lilt of a smile in his voice.

As if summoned, Grogu steps forward from his little bed at the back of the cave. He yawns, his tiny mouth opening as wide as it can go, his eyes screwing shut.

Oh, Maker, he is adorable.

“You take time off a lot?” You ask with a wry smile as Mando scoops the kid up into his arms.

The huff of a laugh comes through his helmet. “Not really.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

Mando tickles Grogu’s cheek, earning a little giggle.

You watch them. There’s that warmth again, creeping its way between your ribs, around your heart.

You have to look away.

All three of you are starting to get a little stir crazy by the time the night comes around.

You’re feeling better, though. Mando’s hydration obsession is working to help loosen out your stiff muscles. It doesn’t help, though, that you have to keep getting up every hour to pee. Especially because you have to tell Mando every time nature calls, which is, admittedly, rather humiliating—it shouldn’t be, it’s fucking natural, but he’s Mando and he’s been making you feel a certain way, and you don’t want to have to admit to this terrifying yet comforting man that you have to piss. It’s even worse that he has to help you hobble outside, then walk away while you do your business, and come back and pretend to not notice the puddle sinking into the ground.

It’s demoralising. Your cheeks are tired from flushing red all the time.

But he insists on you drinking enough, even when you protest.

“I don’t mind doing this, you know,” he says as the sun sets, an arm around you as you hobble to the designated Nature Area.

“Yes, you do,” you grumble, kind of just wanting the ground to open up and swallow you whole.

“I don’t,” he insists. “It’s fine. Besides, it’s good to move a little.”

“A little? Mando, it’s every hour, on the hour, at this point.”

The unfamiliar sound of a soft laugh comes through his helmet. If you didn’t know any better, you’d say it sounded fond. But you’ve never heard a laugh like that. So. “It’s good. Just call me back when you’re ready.”

He never comes back until you call, no matter how long it takes you.

It isn’t lost on you, either, that you never would have been able to do this on your own. You’d have had to piss where you sat. Which seems like a worse concept than just ruining your leg, and subsequent mobility, forever by forcing yourself to walk home.

As darkness approaches, Mando takes his flashlight—yours is long dead by now—and puts it in the far end of the cave. He stays over there, rustling in his pack for something. Curious, you watch, wondering what he’s doing; he angles the light strangely, propping it up with a few stray rocks on the ground, and then fishes out a small piece of canvas, pulled from what remained of your tent. He puts it over the flashlight, folds it once.

Then, the light is softer. Diffused around the cave.

Grogu, who is sitting against the wall playing with a little silver ball, looks up at the newly-lit cave walls and laughs in glee.

“You like it, kid?” Mando asks him.

The kid claps his hands together, gazing around. Mando laughs softly and sits back down beside the kid, watching him.

You’re watching Mando. It’s impossible not to, with the soft light reflecting from his armour in a new way, casting new highlights and shadows across every curve and edge. You wonder what places he’s been, how he’d look in all kinds of light. Harsh, bright, sunshine of a bright summer’s day, the dark ashy colour beneath rain clouds.

“Mando?” You find yourself saying.

He looks up at you, one hand holding the kid.

“Tell me about somewhere else you’ve been,” you request. “Please?”

“Where do you want to hear about?”

“Anywhere. First place that comes to mind.”

For a second, he’s quiet, just looking at you. Considering. When he speaks, he doesn’t say what you expected him to, and his voice is softer than it should be. “You really want to travel, don’t you?”

And, okay.

That hits a nerve.

You look away, blinking. It’s clear that you’ve tensed, that something has made you uncomfortable; and you expect him to backtrack, to apologise, but he just waits. So patient, like he wouldn’t mind if you didn’t say anything, or even if you just told him to fuck right off. You wish you could see his face, decipher his expression. Match it to the soft curiosity of his lovely voice.

“Yeah,” you manage on a shaky breath, imagining yourself up there, in the vastness of space, free to explore the Galaxy. “Yeah, I do.”

Quiet again. He’s giving you space.

You take it, let it sink in.

Then, his voice is there again, “So why don’t you?”

And if that isn’t a question and a half. “It’s, uh,” you clear your throat. You’re about to say it’s complicated. But that doesn’t even cover the half of it. Instead, feeling a cold, familiar dread slowly creeping through your veins, you say, “I like it here.”

He doesn’t say anything, but he looks at you still, some kind of unexplainable patience coming from his dark visor.

It’s unclear if he can hear the omission of the truth.

You don’t want to lie to him.

You’re sitting here, in a cave that he so beautifully lit as best he can, on top of a bed that he made just for you to be comfortable, after he’s helped you pee about twelve times a day for the last two days. He’s been nothing but kind.

And it’s not that you feel like you owe him answers because of that. Nor, in fact, that you think he feels you owe him answers. His quiet, unassuming patience in the dim intimacy of this cave is proof enough of that.

No, it’s not that.

It’s that you’ve been alone for so long. You’ve never said this to anyone.

And after all this, once you’re back at your hut and you’ve fixed his ship together, he’s going to leave. And you’re never going to see him again, anyway.

So.

“Truthfully,” you say, “as much as I like it here, it’s not where I’d choose to be. If I had another choice.”

Instead of staying still and silent, he starts to nod. His gaze is unwavering, solid and stable, weaving its way into the tension and uncertainty beneath your skin, soothing it.

Grogu gets up and waddles over to you. He climbs clumsily into your lap.

Then, with a quick look to Grogu, Mando says, “I understand.”

And that, those simple words, make something release in your chest.

The weight of your confession doesn’t feel as heavy as you’d expected. In fact, it feels like something has lifted in the air between the three of you. Like even the kid understands.

Well.

This is new.

As the third morning in the cave rolls around, you wake up feeling much better.

Once you’ve relieved your always-full bladder, you tell Mando as much, staggering back into the cave and to your bed. “You can stop over-watering me now,” you tease as he lets you back against the wall, gentle. Your hands are on the backs of his arms, and slide all the way down them as he moves away. You wish you could linger there, and the way he moves so slowly, his visor gazing down into your sleepy eyes, makes you think that he wishes that, too.

As your palms brush against his wrists, he seems to catch himself. He pulls away quickly and turns to distract himself with the kid.

“So, you’re ready to travel?” He asks.

“As I’ll ever be,” you reply, staring at him from behind. He has a nice behind. (And you need to stop. Immediately.)

“You can lean on me. We’ll take it slow, I promise.”

Kriff, say that again… “I’ll be alright. You’ve got enough to carry.”

He looks at you again. “I’m leaving the parts here,” he says, like that should be obvious.

“What?” You frown. “But your ship…”

“Once we find our way back, and you’re safe, I’ll come back for them.”

“Mando, I can manage. Seriously, we should take the parts. You’ve been here long enough.”

The helmet tilts. “You trying to get rid of me?” It would concern you, if the teasing in his tone wasn’t arousingly obvious.

You just about manage to recover from the stirring in your belly, and you laugh, “Totally. Sick of you already.”

The kid, standing beside him, looks at you and makes a sad noise. His ears turn down towards the ground.

Kriff. “Hey, I’m just kidding,” you assure him with a smile. As a peace offering, you reach your hands out to him, and he relaxes in an instant, immediately plodding over to you and climbing into your lap. You hold him, give him a quick hug, then just let him sit there. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m actually gonna miss you,” you whisper into his ear. He coos happily, tugging at a loose thread on your coat.

When you look up, Mando is, of course, staring at you. This time, you know for sure that it’s at both you and the kid.

“What?” You ask.

“Nothing,” he answers after a moment of hesitation. “I’m going to pack up. Then we can move. You okay to sit with the kid?”

“You know I am,” you smile, and watch as Mando nods and heads outside.

That pang in your chest is back. Well, you’re not sure when it turned from a slow warmth into a pang.

But it’s there. Too obvious to ignore.

For a few miles, you manage pretty well. It took some convincing, but you got Mando to agree to taking the parts along with him in the end. You do lean on him, but only when moving over particularly rough terrain, fallen logs, or exposed tree roots.

“How we doing?” Mando asks at around noon.

“Fine,” you say, feeling a little breathless.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. We can stop soon for a break.”

Another hour passes, your ankle is starting to throb, and you’re really fucking glad that you saved that ice pack for this exact moment.

Mando sits you down on a fallen log, keeping his arm around you until you’re properly seated, lingering just a little too long for you to tame the way it makes your heart beat wildly. To feel the heat of him through his flight suit, your hands and arms pressed to parts of him not covered by armour, just the soft parts; it’s a lot. When you first saw him, this wall of metal, you never thought you’d see any further than that. Kriff, you never even thought he’d get closer to your hut than he was when you had your blaster pointed at him.

Maybe that would have been best. Because if he’d just left, if there was another way for him to get the help he needed, you wouldn’t be thinking about him the way you are right now.

The softness of the crook of his elbow, the curve of his waist and hip. The warmth of his skin that you have yet to see an inch of. All of the weapons strapped to him, so close to you, close enough that if it were anyone else, you’d be scared.

But it’s Mando.

This might be the least scared you’ve been in a lifetime.

He cracks the ice pack to activate it, then kneels down in front of you. Reaching out to grab a smaller log, he places it under your ankle, elevates your leg slightly. Then his gloved fingers tug at the hem of your trousers. “Can I?” He asks.

Kriff. You nod, unable to form words.

The rough-yet-smoothness of the gloves is all you feel at first, brushing delicately against your skin as he lifts your trousers, then unlaces your boots, gently pulling them off, followed by your socks. Your ankle is more swollen than it had been this morning, but you’d expected that.

And, besides, that is not what you’re thinking about right now.

Instead your mind can only focus on the softness of his hold under your foot, the gentle way he places the ice pack on top of it. The heat of his hand starts to come through. You wish it was his bare skin. Wish you knew what his skin is like. Is it calloused, or soft from always protecting them? Does he have scars? Is the hair on his arms dark, light, a thin covering or thicker, perfect to run your fingers through—

His hands are gone before you realise it. It takes your glitching mind a second to catch up.

You chase him with your eyes, silently wishing for him to come back.

But then.

Then.

As he turns away, he reaches for the flask in his satchel. You watch his hands lift to his helmet, take a gentle hold of the base of it. At first you panic, thinking he’s about to remove his helmet, no you don’t have to do that it’s okay—

But he just lifts it the tiniest bit, such a small movement that you only know it has been lifted because he puts the rim of his flask to his lips and takes a sip.

You can’t see his skin, not a hint of it. But you can hear him drinking, hear the water against his lips, the gentle gulps as he swallows.

And the way it entrances you, takes you away from the forest and the pain of your ankle and the fact that this is so not appropriate for you to be thinking—yeah, it’s probably for the best that he can’t ever show his face to you.

You look away before he even lowers the helmet again.

Maybe the worst part about all this is that you’re starting to dread Mando and the kid leaving.

That’s not how this was supposed to go, not how any of this was supposed to play out. You helped him because it was the right thing to do, because it’s exactly what They would tell you not to do, because your life has been the same every single fucking day since you got here.

But that’s been fine. It’s been safe.

“Pass me that wrench?” Mando asks, breaking you out of your thoughts.

You pass him it, noting the tilt of his helmet in a wordless ‘thanks’ before he turns back to his job. He’s up on a ladder, leaning against the ship’s exterior wall with one of the panels fully off, fixing something to do with the foundation for the body.

His ship is bigger than you’d expected. He tells you that it’s bigger than his old ship, the Razor Crest, but only by a little. “It’s a similar shape,” he’d said, “but it has two bunks and more space. For the kid.” He has a star fighter too, apparently, docked at some other base off-world with a friend of his. It’s funny to imagine him with friends, though you’re not sure why. Especially because, since getting to know him the last few days, you know how generous he is. How kind, helpful. Gentle, despite everything.

Why wouldn’t he have friends?

Beneath him, you sit on a crate and lean against the ship, waiting for him to give you more instructions. The engine has been mostly fixed now, as much as it’s ever going to be out here in the middle of nowhere using scrounged-up parts. He’s just getting the last of the body work done, enough to make sure it’s aerodynamically sound.

It’s interesting, watching him work. You ask a lot of questions, and every time you do, you expect a frustrated sigh or an exasperated response. But he answers every question thoroughly, and it doesn’t even distract him from his work.

The sun is warm against your face. The afternoon of Mando’s fifth day on this planet is drawing to a close, fading into the evening. As the sky turns to duller shades of blue, tinted with oranges and pinks, you can’t help but admire the way he looks beneath the light. His armour is always the same, always so distinctive, yet it reflects different lights in different ways. Sometimes it makes the beskar appear darker, like a gun metal grey. Other times it’s a bright silver. Then there are times like this, when it goes with the colour of the sky, reflects the beauty of everything surrounding him.

You think back to the light in the cave, how that looked different still. The urge to see the Galaxy comes over you again, though this time it’s not staring at his ship and dreaming about taking off in it that does it; this time, it’s wondering what he looks like in even more places, more environments. Does the metal get hot in the sunshine? Or is it always as cool as it’s been when you’ve had the chance to feel it before?

The kid is sitting on the ground in front of you. There’s a beetle scuttling around in the mud, and Grogu is toying with it, blocking it off when it runs one way, then doing the same when it runs the other. You wonder if he’s going to eat it, or if he’s just having fun by being cruel to the little six-legged creature.

“Don’t play with your food,” Mando says to him, answering your silent question.

Grogu looks up at him. His ears turn downwards, sulking. Mando ignores his obvious pleas to change his mind, turning back to his work. When Grogu looks back at the beetle, he only just catches it before it runs off, and instead of toying with it anymore, he just shoves it in his mouth with a loud crunch.

You find yourself smiling at him. He smiles back, ears lifting again.

“Alright,” Mando starts to step down from the ladder. You reach out and hold one of the ladder’s legs, knowing he probably doesn’t need you to, but still not wanting to risk it. Ladders make you nervous. “Think that’s the best we’re going to get.”

You look up to the ship. He’s fixed the panel back on again. Now all that remains is the burnt metal from his “interesting landing”, with some bends in it, exposing little sections of the framework beneath. It’s definitely a patchwork job. But it looks better than it did when you got here this morning. So.

“How’s your leg?” He asks as he folds up the ladder.

“Good,” you answer. It’s stretched out in front of you, propped on another crate. “Ship looks good.”

With a resigned sigh, he puts his hand on his hips, and tilts his helmet to look up at his handiwork. “No, she doesn’t. But she’ll do.” Then he looks back to you, “I couldn’t have fixed it without your help. Thank you.”

You shift under his gaze, unable to help it. Every time he looks at you it feels like his eyes can see right through you, and the part that makes you uncomfortable is that it doesn’t make you uncomfortable. Self-conscious and disgustingly aware of your own inappropriate, lustful thoughts? Yes. Uncomfortable? No. You don’t think it ever could.

“Of course,” you say eventually. “And, hey, I’ve got a scar to remember our little adventure by, huh?”

He laughs softly. You see the shake of his chest as the chuckle comes through his modulator. “I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”

“Hm, no. But there’s no gift shop around here. So.”

He shakes his head, and you imagine, hope, that he’s smiling under all that beskar. He certainly looks casual, a hand on one hip, one leg relaxed while his weight rests on the other.

“Do you always stare so much?” You find yourself asking with a teasing, daring quirk of your brow.

“Yes.”

“At everyone, or just me?”

He pauses. Your heart rate spikes briefly as you wait for his response to your terrible excuse for flirting. “At everyone,” he answers eventually, and disappointment starts to set in before he says, “But it’s harder to look away from you.”

Oh.

The disappointment quickly shifts to nervousness, heart beating fast again as you clench your hands in your lap. He just stands there, staring despite the awkward and loaded silence between you, and stares. As if he’s making his point by offering an example.

You look away. Suddenly, your cheeks are hot. “You hungry?” You find yourself asking.

He pauses again, then nods. “Yes.”

“I’ll make us some dinner. You just come back to the hut whenever you’re ready.” It’s only as you stand to hobble back home that you realise he might not want that. You swivel back around to face him, backtrack, “I mean, unless you want to eat out here. Your ship’s fixed now, I guess you can—you can stay in that? You don’t have to come back with me. I’ll be okay.”

Again, getting more and more infuriating with each silence he lets stretch out, he just stares. Kriffing hells, does he ever stop!?

“Would you let me cook for you?” He asks, finally.

You weren’t expecting that.

Shifting weight to your good leg, you raise your eyebrows. “You want to cook me dinner?”

He nods once. “Yes. To thank you for all your help. And as a farewell.”

You’ve been trying your hardest not to think about that part. It sits in your stomach, cold and dreadful and confusing, too far down for you to swallow it. “Alright,” you agree with a soft smile. “I can’t promise I’ve got any decent ingredients, though. You might have to perform a miracle.”

“I’m up to the challenge,” he says, hooking his thumb over the belt around his hips. You’re distracted by it, finding your eyes sliding down to his middle before you catch yourself and look back up. The tilt of his helmet suggests he might have seen your gaze shift. “I’ll walk back with you. Just give me a minute.”

You can’t find a reason to refuse.

♡ updates posted Mondays and Thursdays ♡

notes: thank you for reading! all interactions are appreciated as always, but comments and reblogs especially fuel my need for validation ❤️ as always, the title and lyrics at the start are from taylor swift's "daylight"

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#the mandalorian fanfiction #the mandalorian x you #the mandalorian x reader #din djarin fanfiction #din djarin x reader #din djarin x you #star wars fanfiction #my post #my fic: mando #i only see daylight

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anonbinaryweirdo · 6 months

Text

"hopeful promises" childe x reader

(angst, hurt/no comfort.) major character death, one mention that captain guy, a bit rushed

gn reader, unspecified pronouns or descriptions for reader. this was in my drafts for two months. enjoy :}

you can recall every other time you were able to make it to the docks upon his arrival.

from the time you went to bed the night before, to the time you push past crowds of dozens just to reach his embrace, your heart exhilarated just at the thought of seeing his face once more--no matter how long the separation lasted.

and you knew that he, too, was always beyond ecstatic to spot you in the crowds of many. it didn't ever matter how many people in the crowd had similar traits as yourself or wore the similar clothes as you, as he would always make a beeline to you the moment he's off his ship. there could be a thousand identical to you around you both, but he'll always know where you are, amidst the crowd.

and so you waited today, waited for that familiar freckled face to disembark the large boat and become one of the many on land again. eventually, the sun started to set, and no more ships entered the harbor. disappointed, you went back to your home.

you checked the date again, and the last letter he sent you impending his return, which swore that today was the day.

but, alas, you knew of his job. you knew what you signed up for.

so you kept going back to wait, day after next, for him to come back to you.

today marks day eleven of stepping out onto that bridge, and the sun was already out of the sky, descending behind the hills over by the shielded horizon. you sigh, and drag yourself back home.

as you were about to stick the key into its keyhole, out of the corner of your eye, you spot a sealed envelope resting on the chair you two had planned to throw out. he had bought it for you a long while back, but recently decided to throw it out as he had planned to get you another one as, he says, "royalty only deserves the best reserved spot to rest their weary legs," he couldn't have you sitting on something uncomfortable.

you smile and grab the envelope, readjusting it so you can properly hold the key between the middle joint of your index finger and the pad of your thumb, pushing it into the knob and twisting it before making your way inside.

you kick off your shoes, and immediately work on unsealing the envelope, pulling out the paper hidden inside, for your eyes only.

to your surprise, it wasnt from him or his family. rather—from another harbinger—the one he would always tell you about.

your heart skipped a beat, but not in the way it usually woul whenever he had something to do with it. you didn't realize you were holding a breath, your eyes scanning down the words that read;

"to [name]; Ajax's partner,"

you didn't have to read far to have your heart stop beating in your ribcage, feelin like all beats were skipped entirely, as you read;

"we're sorry for your loss. but we are afraid that Tartaglia won't be making it home today, or any time coming forward. as you may know, the eleventh was always up for a challenge, always willing to push past his limits to proclaim victory against even the strongest of foes.

however, that wasn't the case this time — for he had lost his head in battle, and his corpse was frostbitten; hardly recognizable.

this was a battle that not even her highest, the tsaritsa's most loyal soldier could win. im sorry.

all regards,

Il C."

no.

that was—

... you simply couldn't believe it.

but even as you tried to fight reality, every teardrop that fell onto the trembling paper, which was now crumbling with wetness, brought you back again.

there was a reason as to why his eyes got more dull than present whenever he promised you—pinkie promised you that he'd be home. there was a reason he looked guilty everytime he promised his return would be set in stone, and you both knew that reason all too well.

and yet, you still couldn't believe it. how could you?

there was also a reason as to why he left that same, nearly torn up scarf with you, everytime he departed from home. he told you, "keep it. if there comes a day where I don't return to your arms, you'll still have something of me you can hold, even then."

maybe you could have taken this better if only he hadn't promised he'd be back.

no, no, that's not the case. it's not like.. it's not like he lied.

but..

that's exactly what he did.

he left you with hope every day, and each day that hope would turn to be true—each day except today, where you falsest of hopes were being forced to endure.

"baby," he would say, turning to you with a smile on his face—one that never seemed to reach his eyes. "im heading out now."

and you would respond, "for how long?"

"a couple of weeks." he heaved a sigh, already dreading being out of your reach for longer than an hour. "but it's alright.. I'll be back. it's nothing I can't handle."

you nodded, "I know." yet, there was a falter in your gaze that only he seemed to catch, reaching for your cheek to cup it as he pressed your foreheads together. "do you have my scarf?"

you nod again. "it's under your pillow." he laughed—and it would be the last you'd hear it.

"good.." he stared down at you, those blue eyes swirling with contemplation, before being replaced with the faintest of guilt as he holds up his pinkie.

you hesitate—just like all the other times—but link your own with his.

and always, he starts off—always, for—unbeknownst to you—he deliberately makes sure that the last line is yours to recite. everytime, without fail.

“you make a pinky promise, you keep it all your life."

"you break a pinkie promise, I throw you on the ice."

"the cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayed your friend.." he trailed off, and he can feel the pit in his stomach grow as he awaits your finish to the lullaby.

and now, that pit in your stomach was twice as big, now that you were thinking back on everything. oh, how you regret making such promises with him. ones that, even you knew would fail to be upheld one day.

yet, you foolishly finished; "and the frost will freeze your tongue off, so you never lie again.”

oh.

how true it turned to be.

#SIGHHH hes finally dead (is bawling eyes out) thank god (just broke furniture) he wont be missed (just jumped off bridge)#🖋️ oli writes stuff #childe x reader #tartaglia x reader #ajax x reader #childe x you #tartaglia x you #ajax x you #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #childe angst #genshin angst #genshin impact angst

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barefoothighlander · 1 year

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spillways - how soon is now?

-simon 'ghost' riley x fem!reader

-warnings: canon typical violence, mentions of ptsd, blood, angst, possibly ooc!ghost

-word count: 3.1k

-summary: landing in mexico, you and the 141 meet up with los vaqueros and establish a plan for recon before you and ghost get separated from the rest of the team.

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a/n: alright, here's chapter 2, im super excited about what I have planned for the next chapter, so pls enjoy. :)

I’ve already waiteds too long,

And all my hope is gone.

You jolt awake at the feeling of being shaken from underneath you, quickly scanning your surroundings, the helicopter had hid a bit of wind and it shook the carrier. You feel a weight against your chest, glancing down to see a large gloved hand covering your chest, pinning you to your seat. You look over and catch his eyes, as he quickly retracts his arm from you, quick enough that it almost seems like your touch was burning him, returning it to a spot beside his body. You keep your eyes on his face, trying to make out any sort of emotion under the mask, he was protecting you, holding your body steady against the turbulence so you didn’t fall forward or tip over in your sleep, you squint your eyes hoping that the red light that illuminated the space would reveal what he was feeling. He was nervous, nervous to be touching you, like he was afraid you would get mad at him for it.

You couldn’t help but feel your body tense as the pilots voice rang through your headset, announcing that it would be 10 minutes till touchdown. You had always been fine on missons, that was your job, to remain calm, collect your breath, and eliminate the target, you felt strangely at home on most missions, they gave you a purpose, made you feel useful. It had been years since you had seen any sort of groundwork in the field, your last grounded mission creating an aversion to working in a team, getting close to people.

Landing in the carrier made your body feel heavy, struggling to find the rhythm of your breaths, watching everyone else load off the helicopter. The team situated themselves far enough that they could talk to eachother without the use of their headsets.

“Tonight is strictly about recon, I want all fire to be held, we can’t let them kow we’re here. For this to work we need to operate out of their watch, one whiff of us and they’ll take off. Phoenix, Ghost, and Soap, I want you three to meet with the Colonel, he’ll be helping us on this mission, he knows the territory and is already briefed on the details of the case. Gaz and I will connect with Laswell at HQ and set up a vantage point for the objective building. The rest of the team, you know your assignments. Do not set off any radars.” Price finished and urged Gaz over with a nudge of his head, leaving you, Ghost, and Soap alone on the deck.

“Let’s get goin, think it’s close to an hour drive over to the Colonel” Soap called to you and Ghost.

“I’ll drive” Ghost called as your group rounded one of the issued vehicles.

“No, you won’t” you said, glaring at Ghost “Not after what happened last time” and you took the keys from the console of the SUV, and planted yourself behind the wheel.

The two men stood silently, Soap looking over to Ghost for some explanation behind your mistrust of his driving capabilities, to which he was afforded none. As the two men cram themselves into the car, a breath catches in your throat as you find that Ghost had chosen to sit beside you, glaring at Soap through the rearview, finding his eyes already on yours, you let out a shallow breath and turn the car on.

The drive was quiet, not that you wanted alot of conversation, but it was rare to spend an hour beside Soap and find he had nothing to talk about, probably sensing the thick tension in the upperhalf of the vehicle.

Arriving at the Colonel's base, the sun was nearing the horizon, bathing the surrounding terrain in a warm orange glow. You had spent a lot of time in South America, primarily stationed there during your first years in the service. Always loving how the cities and rural areas seemed to omit a sort of warmth, you missed that sensation of warmth, that sense of acceptance and home.

Breaking from your thoughts you exit the vehicle, met by the broad stature of a man who introduced himself as Alejandro and urged the three of you to follow him into the base. You all settle into a small briefing room and begin constructing your strategy,

“We’ll have the support of the Vaqueros on this, more firepower than we’ll need” Aleandro explains.

He’s quickly cut off by Ghost, “No, this op is a need-to-know, we can’t have a hundred people rushing in, it defeats the purpose of the mission”

“Okay, so then it’s just us and Rudy”

“Rudy?” you ask, turning your head to face Alejandro

“Sargeant Major Rodolfo Parra, he’s my second in command” Alejandro glances over at the three of you, all sitting with faces of questioning.

“I trust him with my life” Alejandro assures the three of you, waiting for any form of disagreement before continuing.

“We think the cartel are holding the weapons in here” He points to an old building on the map, hidden in between a few fields.

“It’s backed by mountains, that’ll give us a good vantage point, we’ll set up there for recon and -” you begin but you’re interrupted by Ghost.

“No, Gaz and Price will take the high view, we need to get at close as possible, I want a headcount, and I want to make sure we aren’t wasting our time searching this place.”

You look over at him, eyes narrowed.

“You’re groundteam this mission Pheonix, it’s time you left the nest”

“Actually I don’t think Pheonix' really live in a nest sir” Soap quips, in an attempt to break the rising tension in the room.

“Fine, we connect with Alpha team and find a route that ensures we aren’t seen,” you say, keeping your eyes locked on Ghosts.

Alejandro looks over at both of you, “Okay, there is a road that will lead up to the base of the mountains here, it’s on foot from there to the building”

“We leave at first light,” Ghost says as he pushes himself up from the table, quickly brushing by your shoulder to exit the room.

Alejandro and Soap watch your reaction as the Leuitenent leaves. “You really dinnae like him aye lass” Soap questions as a smile creeps up on his face. You respond with a weak roll of your eyes before excusing yourself to the armoury. Soap and Alejandro share a glance and they become acquainted, both heading off further into the base.

You enter the armoury, looking around for any equipment you may need, subconsciously gravitating towards the spinner equipment, guns and scopes, fiddling with the sights on one of the weapons. As you place the weapon back on its rack, you move across the room to examine the other features, looking over suppressors for your gun, and feeling over the different hand-held projectiles.

As you pick up one of the pistols and feel the weight of it in your hand, your body freezes, muscles stiffening. You look down at the weapon and you hear the buzzing sensation fill your ears, as your eyes start blinking rapidly you try to catch your breath. Within a moment all the memories of your previous mission come back, you can feel the sting in your eyes from the flash grenade, your hands feel warm with the sensation of blood, and your whole body freezes, struggling to fight back tears until you feel a firm hand press between your shoulder blades.

Quickly turning around you point the weapon, finger on the trigger, your brain isn’t processing the scene, stuck in fight mode. Within a moment he disarms you, grabbing your wrists so you can’t fight him.

“Sargeant, what the hell was that”

You look up at him, tears brimming your eyes, finally realizing what had happened. You struggle against his grip but he doesn’t let up. You silently plead with him to release you and he does, keeping a close distance in case you decide to attack him again.

“I-I’m sorry LT, you just, snuck up on me.” You say, holding back a sniffle. Turning around to pick through more equipment.

“Pheonix if you aren’t ready for this mission I need to know, I can’t have you risking the safety of the team”

“I’m fine Sir, like I said you just snuck up on me”

“Bullshit” he spits out

“What?”

“No one sneaks up on you, it’s like you have a sixth sense about where people are, what’s wrong”

“Nothing I-” You try to hide your face but you can feel his eyes staring into you. “I just don’t feel like myself, I’ve never been nervous for a mission, it feels off I guess”

“You don’t feel like yourself?” he asks

You respond with a slight nod of your head, maintaining your focus on your weapon rather than him.

“Maybe because you’re trying to be someone else”

His words make you break your focus, as you look up at his face.

“I am not pretending to be someone else Leiutenent, I haven’t been on the ground in years, I just-”

“Why not”

“Excuse me?”

“Why haven’t you been in the field, years of service doing groundwork and all of a sudden you take strictly to a sniper position for us, why”

“It doesn’t matter”

“It does if it’s going to cost us this mission”

“No, it doesn’t, I’m fine. I don’t need to explain myself to you” you say, moving closer to his body. “Price chose me for this position, and I accepted, I’m not going to cost you the mission, you don’t need to worry about me” You feel the anger bubble up in your chest. How dare he discredit your capability, and assume that you can’t complete the task because of your emotions. He stares at you and you stare back, huffing a breath before walking away.

He grabs your elbow with an iron grip.

“Do not mistake my concern for pity Sargeant, I need to know you can do this, otherwise I’ll send you home myself”

“Im. Fine,” you respond through gritted teeth, pulling your arm back to your side before storming out of the room, leaving Ghost by himself.

You spend the next hour alone in one of the empty offices on base, welcoming the quiet and finishing preparing your equipment before leaving to rejoin the team in the garage. Soap is the first to take note of your presence.

“You alright lass, barely caught a glimpse of ya after the brief.”

“Im fine John I-”

“Johns my father, it’s either Johnny or Soap,” he says with a grin. He was kind to you and warm, you could tell he wanted to get along, maybe just for the sake of the mission, but nonetheless, it was nice to have someone speak to you as if you were friends.

“I’m fine Soap” you say, giving him a silent plea to not pry any further.

“We’ll take two vehicles, Sergeant MacTavish you’ll come with Rudy and I around the mountain, The Lieutenant and Phenoix will take the fields, two sights on the building, we rendezvous here at 2100 hours, alright?” Alejandro informs the team before you all take off on your assignments. Great, some more one-on-one with Ghost, you huff a breath to yourself, as you follow him to your car.

“Im driving this time doll” he says while getting into the car.

You roll your eyes before joining him, turning to look out the window. You watch the terrain pass as you two drive down an old gravel road, sitting in a dead quiet, hearing the slow rise and fall of his breath.

“We’re gonna walk most of the way to the recon point, don’t want the car to give us away,” he says, maintaining his focus on the road.

“Fine” is all you respond, keeping your eye on the horizon line.

“What not gonna fight me on this?” he asks turning to face you.

“You’re my superior, just following orders”

“Never stopped you before”

You twist your neck to face him, the only thing meeting your gaze being his skull-clad face.

“Park up here” you say, pointing to a plot of tall grass.

“no , I’m gonna drive in a little further-”

“Unless you want to scale a mountain to get to our spot, park up here”

He looks over to you, clicking his tongue once before turning left and setting the car in the grass. The two of you collect your weapons from the back, making sure your comms are operating properly before setting off down a trail.

“Bravo team this is Alpha what’s your position?” Prices voice is clear in your ear.

“Nearly there Captain” Ghost responds.

“All teams this is Charlie, we’re in position, eyes on the building” Soap checks in.

You and Ghost make your way to your spot in complete silence, not even bothering to glance at the other. Setting yourselves down.

“All teams this is Bravo, we are in position” you call through the comms.

“Copy, keep eyes on the building, watch for any movement, I want a headcount, over” Price calls.

“Alejandro I’ve got 2 coming your way, west side of the building, do you have eyes?” you ask

“Copy Pheonix, eyes on two with guns, heading the the shed out back”

Keeping watch for another 2 hours, each of you calling out and marking everyone in the building.

“I’m not seeing any civilians” Soap says

“Doesn’t mean they aren’t in there, we’re just here to watch Johnny” Ghost responds

No movement came from the building in the next hour, as Prices voice rang through the comms.

“I’m callin’ it, all teams meet back at base”

Picking yourself up from your spot in the field, you and Ghost start to make your way back to the car.

“Hold up” Ghost calls to you, a hand in the air. “Car coming down the trail, get down don’t let them see you”

Squatting in the tall grass, you watch as the truck stops on the road, four men exiting the vehicle strapped with weapons. Turning to your right you see another 2 cars pull up behind them, and more men join.

“Shit, what are they doing here?” you ask, turning to Ghost

“Don’t know, stay low and quiet, wait for them to pass.”

You stay hidden in the grass, waiting for the men to continue on their way, instead, the group of them turn and begin walking towards you and Ghost.

“What now” you ask, panic beginning to fill your body. Ghost doesn’t answer.

“Lieutenant what do we do?” you ask, raising your voice slightly to inform him of your state of distress.

“Move slowly toward the clearing over there, we’ll have to hike over the mountain but the dark should give us cover.” He tells you before beginning to snake through the high grass.

Following his movements, trying to move as quickly as possibly without being detected. You hear a whistle, craning your neck to watch the group you see the men nod to eachother and draw their weapons.

“Ghost, I think they know were here”

“Keep moving Sargeant”

The two of you quicken your movements, trying your best to stay low enough that the grass covers your heads. You hear a shot ring out and fear floods your veins. Your mind blanks, focusing only on getting out of the grass away from the men. You turn quickly to see where they are.

Another shot. You panic and begin rushing towards the mountain, moving as fast as you can whilst remaining between your cover.

“They definitely know we’re here,” you say. No response.

Turning back every so often to see how far back the men are, a strong grip yanks your body. You turn to your right and are greeted with a skull, inches from your face.

“You’re bleeding” Ghost says, you can hear the worry in his voice.

“What?” you ask, reaching up to brush hair out of your face, you feel the familiar warmth of blood pooling on your cheek.

He grabs your chin, turning your face, trying to examine it in the moonlight.

“It’s just a graze.. Are you okay”

The sudden contact surprised you, opening your mouth to speak but no words come, settling for a simple head nod instead.

Ghost peers over the rocks you used for cover “They’re far enough away, there’s a safehouse 9 miles east, we meet there, check in with Price, and get back to the car” You nod.

Scanning your features for any sense of discomfort, Ghost presses himself against the rock and begins leading you through the terrain. Your whole body feels like it could burst into flames, every part of you only focused on making it to the safe house, your sight focused only on the ground before you, ignorant to the glances Ghost makes, checking on you every 5 minutes, making sure you aren’t falling behind.

You’re out of breath when you reach the house, a small shack beside a pond, it looks like no one has lived there for years, the two of you settle in, checking your comms. Ghost makes contact with Price, informing him of the situation, you try to listen only to find that the bullet that grazes your cheek has passed by your ear, effectively ruining your earpiece, and slicing off a chunk of your ear itself.

Ghost looks over to you to confirm Prices orders, you look bad with a shake of your head, the damaged earpiece hanging loosely around your neck.

“We wait here, first light Price and Gaz will reposition at the trail while Alejandro and the rest of the team come get us.” you nod in acknowledgement. “I’ll take the first watch, find something to clean the blood”

You move around the small house, positioning yourself at a table where you can access your med pack and clean your wounds, the cut on your cheek isn’t deep enough to warrant stitches, but it’ll leave a scar, and there’s not much you can do about your ear now except tape it up to hopefully stop the flow of blood dripping down your neck. You look over at Ghost who sat in the front window with his gun pointed outward, wondering how long you’re going to be tortured in his sole presence.

The night was quiet, the men looking for you seemed unaware of your location, after a few hours you try to get Ghost to swap positions with you, telling him that you’ll take over the watch, and he should rest.

“I’m fine” is all he responds, and you leave it at that, returning to your spot in the corner.

tags: @kerst666 @lialacleaf @thychuvaluswife

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brewsterispunkk · 10 months

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marriage of convenience part 4

pairing: pero tovar x fem!reader

WC: 1.6k (guys this is so short im sorry)

warnings: pero being an ass, mentions of familial abuse

a/n: life has been CRAZY lately so heres a filler chapter before it really heats up. i’m determined to finish by the end of the summer!!! p.s. see if you can find the pride and prejudice reference hehe

- - -

He found you again as you washed the dishes after dinner. You hadn’t even noticed him there until two hands on your shoulders made you start.

You gasped turning from the wash basin in front of you, eyes stormy. You were annoyed at being pulled away from your work—you were sore, tired, and emotionally exhausted from the day. You were grappling with the reality of the loss of one of your only freedoms, coupled with the fact that you’d now have a near constant escort. The last thing you wanted to do was have a conversation with him.

“What?” You glared up at Tovar, who merely looked down at you with the same surly expression. “Have you found some problem with my washing the dishes?”

He frowned down at you, before meeting your eyes. You looked at him expectantly.

Wordlessly, he grabbed your wrist in a much lighter grip than earlier when you’d cut his hair.

You froze as his fingers gripped your arm in a featherlight grip.

You had rolled up your otherwise long sleeves, leaving the purple and green of your wrists for him to see.

“Who?” He asked gruffly, voice low and so quiet you could barely hear it.

You furrowed your eyebrows, incredulous.

“What do you care?” You snatched your wrist to your chest.

He furrowed his eyebrows angrily, opening his mouth to respond, before the banging open of the front door caused you to jump.

There, stumbling through the door, was Petyr, drunk already, even before the sun had set.

You froze, eyes widening as he kicked off his boots. Instinctively, you backed away from Tovar, your back hitting the basin of water you used to wash the dishes.

“Mm-hello there,” Petyr mumbled, eyes raking over you before moving to Tovar. He smirked before turning to the hearth where your mother was sat mending. “Hello mother.”

“Hello dear,” you heard your mother’s muffled voice reply.

You let yourself deflate, finally, the fear and adrenaline calming.

You let out a shaky breath, looking up to meet Tovar’s dark eyes, narrowed at you. You found understanding.

“Him?” He asked, sounding almost angry.

Your defeated eyes lifted to his and he nodded, before taking a step back.

“You will not walk with him. I will escort you.”

He barely let you get in a word edgewise before he stalked off, leaving you to wonder what the hell had just happened.

- -

Two days later, the two of you set off to town bright and early.

You’d discovered from William that while he would stay and help your father with his carpentry, Tovar had found work at the blacksmith’s in the square. Apparently, he had experience from before he was a sellsword.

Not that you would know, though. He had barely spoken a word to you since your encounter after dinner.

Now, you walked down the wooded road side by side, in complete silence save for the chirping of the birds and the occasional rustle of a rabbit in the lush bushes.

You gripped your basket filled with your mother’s herbs tightly, clearing your throat.

“So,” you began, tired of the stifling silence. “You’re from…Aragon?”

You’d heard tell of the rich kingdoms to the South. You’d interacted with enough travelers to know a little about them, but you’d always longed to see them yourself–hearing about their rich culture and architecture.

Tovar only grumbled, before begrudgingly answering.

“Castille.”

“Oh,” you said dumbly. You’d heard of Castille and its rolling hills and dry summers, but you’d never met someone from there.

Some more time passed before you spoke up again.

“What’s it like there?”

“Hot.”

You scoffed.

“Okay, fine.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” you picked up your pace, walking ahead of him.

You scoffed to yourself. You should have known better. Of course he wouldn’t want to make actual pleasant conversation with you. He was a rake and a grump besides.

“Slow down,” he called, obviously trying to catch up with you.

“Keep up,” you flung over your shoulder.

“Why are you so stubborn?” He raised his voice, causing you to stop in your tracks. You whipped around, finding him standing still with his hands on his hips in the middle of the road.

“Why are you so unpleasant?” You began a slow walk toward him. “I am merely trying to make conversation and you rebuff me at every chance.”

He rolled his eyes at you and you snorted.

“You are acting like a child.”

“You are the one who pouts like a toddler every second of the day.”

He narrowed his eyes at you.

“I was not asked to make conversation with a spoiled brat. I was asked to accompany you to and from the village. That is what I am doing. And you are getting in the way of my job.”

You scoffed and turned on your foot, beginning to walk away from him.

You’d had enough; you didn’t need to wait for him. You didn’t even need an escort. He could catch up if he wanted to, or he couldn’t. The choice was up to him.

You heard his annoyed huff as he struggled to keep up with you.

- - - You ran into Lisbeth, blessedly, at the market after Pero stalked away from you toward the blacksmith’s shop. You glared at him as he left.

God, you hated him.

“What’s that look for?” Lisbeth asked as she took your arm, her long auburn hair plaited away from her face. You tore your eyes away from the sellsword who had soured your mood.

“Nothing,” you grumbled. “It’s only him.”

“Hm,” Lisbeth hummed conspiratorially. “He isn’t nearly as roguish or scary as you described. He’s rather...”

“If you say handsome, Lisbeth, I will lose my breakfast.”

She laughed.

“Well,” she leaned into you. “He is. He’s handsome, if you can get past the scar.”

You didn’t even mind the scar, truth be told. And she was right: he was handsome. But his attitude took away from whatever attraction you may have had for him.

You sighed.

“Yes, I suppose he would be somewhat comely if it weren’t for his horrid temperament.”

“He’s as surly as he looks, I take it?”

“More.”

Lisbeth tutted.

“That is too bad,” she sighed. “My father wants me married by autumn. I was hoping we could be wed together.”

You threw your head back and laughed at that.

“He is the last man I could be prevailed upon to marry,” you laughed. “Besides, your father has said that every year since we were fifteen.”

“He is serious this time.” She was wistful as she said it.

“And you do not wish to?”

“It isn’t that,” she stops to inspect some vegetables at an old woman’s stall. “All I’ve ever wanted is to be a mother. It’s only… I worry who he will match me with.”

You sigh and squeeze her arm.

“Your father is kind. And wise. You are his only daughter. He will choose well. You will be happy.”

“I hope you’re right,” she smiled, before handing the old woman some coins for her pick of carrots and lettuce. “What of your father? How does he fare?”

You felt your stomach drop.

“Not well,” you sighed. “He is bedridden again.”

The strange illness that plagued your father had reared its ugly head again. He’d been steadily declining for years, but it had taken a turn for the worse in the past week. You could tell your mother was getting worried this time, preparing. It scared you. The thought of a world without your father was unbearable, not just because of what he meant to you, but because that meant that Petyr would be the man of the house.

You shivered at the thought.

You ignored Lisbeth’s pitying look and shook your head.

“Come,” you said. “I must fetch herbs for his medicine.” - -

You didn’t talk on the walk back. He didn’t try, and you were glad for it; you would’ve refused to reply if he did.

You were still angry from this morning; about the way he huffed and grunted and refused to even dignify you with a response.

Pompous ass, you thought as you started down the trail.

You could hear him lumbering around gracelessly behind you.

You hadn’t spoken a word since he’d left you in the square this morning to work at the Blacksmith’s. When he returned, he was sweaty and coal-lined, his hands rough and dirty. You ignored the pointed look Lisbeth gave you when she’d caught you staring.

You were weighed down with your wares—you had a basket of parsnips that you’d traded with a fisherman’s wide in exchange for a tonic that eased headaches, some thyme you’d traded with a traveler for, a fresh loaf of bread your mother bade you buy, and a small flagon of cider from last harvest fastened over your shoulder with a leather strap. Your mother had also bade you retrieve that, though you weren’t sure what for. You hoped that Petyr wouldn’t get his hands on it.

You huffed, your shoulder aching with the weight of the flagon bearing down on it. You weren’t used to carrying such weight for long distances, and the summer heat was stifling.

You dreaded the two mile walk home.

Pero scoffed at you, coming to stride beside you from where he had been sulking behind. Wordlessly, he grabbed the leather strap and slid the flagon from your shoulder, before heaving it onto his with a grunt.

You ignored the flash of heat that sound sent through you.

“That is entirely unnecessary—”

“Are you always this stubborn?” He glared down at you.

His dark eyes, one lidded with that scar, met yours and you swore you felt the heat of the late summer afternoon increase by tenfold. Your cheeks heated.

You were the one to break the stare, scoffing.

“Fine,” you said, walking ahead. “But don’t complain to me when your shoulder hurts.”

#pero tovar x reader #pero tovar imagine #pero tovar fic #pero x reader #pero tovar #the great wall fanfiction #The Great Wall #the great wall fanfic #marriage of convenience #enemies to lovers

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slytherinshua · 6 months

Text

SKATE INTO MY HEART

genre. fluff. skater au. meetcute kinda? warnings. kissing. reader falls off their skateboard once. i know nothing about skateboarding but i tried to do some research for this lmfao. pairing. changyun x reader. wc. 1.5k. a/n. guys im officially whipped asf for etion its not even funny anymore

Unlike most of your friends, you liked getting up early. Not just waking up early only to go back to sleep, but doing things in the early hours of the morning.

You liked the cool chill of the morning air and the fresh crisp dewy smell of the wet grass. You liked the walk you took to the skatepark when the sky was still a dusky blue and the sun hadn’t even fully awoken yet.

But, most of all, you liked the welcome solitude of the skatepark in the early morning. You had been skeptical of skateboarding as a hobby when you were little. It looked boring and dangerous and even lame to you 12 year old brain.

Your older brother had loved it, though, and in an attempt to spend more time with him, you picked it up too. Turns out, skateboarding wasn’t as lame as you thought. The adrenaline rush you felt as the breeze blew through your hair and you felt like you were going a mile a minute was addicting. The satisfaction of cleanly landing a hard trick was like no other.

What had first been an attempt at finding an activity to do with your brother quickly turned into 15 long years of skating. And now, you still kept it as a side hobby to relax before a long work day.

It was one of those mornings where you felt like nothing could possibly go wrong. It was the perfect temperature— chilly, but comfortable with a hoodie on— and the light rain the day before left the outside world fresh and clean.

You got up at 5 AM and were already on your way to the skatepark at 5:20. You wore jeans and a simple hoodie to keep warm and comfortable, hair tied up so it wouldn’t get in your face. You had been working on a trick called the laser flip for a couple weeks now. It was technically challenging, and it had been nothing but failures so far. But you still worked on it, determined to master it eventually.

Nothing could possibly interrupt the idyllic morning. You were already planning it in your head. You would arrive at the skatepark and skate for an hour and blissful seclusion, then stop by a coffee shop on your way to work. You felt as if you could even handle your boss’s yelling today and not even flinch. You felt amazing.

Well, until the first part of your plan fell apart.

As the skatepark came into your view, it was immediately clear that there was already someone skating there. Really? At 5:30 in the morning!?

You sighed heavily at the sight and debated turning back around to go home. You hated conversing with other skaters or even sharing the space. You didn’t like to have to be cautious of other people using the same space. More often than not, it ended in ruined tricks and frustration.

Not to mention that most of the skaters you had encountered in your town were smoking and high all the time. It was just better if you didn’t mix with that crowd.

But you really wanted to be able to skate this morning, so you trudged along the path, setting your skateboard down when you were almost to the park and skating the rest of the way.

At first, you tried to ignore the other person there. You didn’t pay any attention to him or his rather impressive ollie 540, which he landed cleaner than you had ever seen. Okay, maybe you paid a little attention to him. You shook your head and focused back on your own skating, though. Just because he’s a good skater doesn’t mean that you wanted to converse with him.

You attempted your laser flip again, positioning your feet in the right place and executing a frontside shuvit and a heel-flip to lift yourself up in the air. You almost landed it, really. It was so close to being a perfect land.

But instead, that stupid guy from across the skatepark had made eye contact with you at just that moment, flashing a pretty smile at you, causing you to lose focus and trip over the board on your way down.

The guy halted abruptly when he saw you fall and hurried over. He knelt down to make sure you weren’t hurt anywhere and held out his hand for you to grab to help stand up.

You had always been petty and in the moment you felt like it was entirely his fault that you hadn’t landed the laser flip. You brushed his hand away and stood up on your own, brushing off your hands and jeans.

“That’s a shame. Your technique was pretty solid. You could’ve landed it smoothly.” He said, a small smile playing on his lips.

Up close, you could see every detail of his face. His high cheekbones and pointy chin. His smooth skin and piercing dark eyes. He must’ve caught you taking a glance at him because his lips curved upwards into a sweet smile. You could see how perfectly his smile lines appeared on his face and how his lips didn’t quite meet all the way when spread into the heart-fluttering gesture.

“I would’ve landed it if I hadn’t gotten distracted.” You muttered, feeling your ego bruise at embarrassing yourself in front of him, clearly the better skater of the two of you.

He let out an amusement scoff, and got back on his board, calling out a clear, “Try it again!” as he skated a bit away.

You sighed when you realized that he had stopped once he got to the other end and was now sitting on his board, staring intently at you, waiting for you to make the move.

Your plan had originally been to go home after that embarrassing fall, but now that the handsome guy was waiting for you to try to laser flip again, you felt like you had no choice. You took a breath and got back on your board.

You felt nervous that someone was watching you. You had barely even taken skating lessons in your years of skating, learning mostly with your brother, through trial and error, and with YouTube. It certainly didn’t help that the person watching you was someone you found extremely attractive.

But as you bent your knees, and caught his smile from the corner of your eyes, you felt a surge of confidence. You jumped, feeling the adrenaline rush in the pit of your stomach, your skateboard flipped in the air, and you landed cleanly.

You beamed and your eyes immediately went in search of him. He was smiling too, his pearly teeth out on display and his eyes shining with an unmistakable message. He was proud of you. You skated over to him and sat down next to him.

“I’ve been struggling with that for weeks. I didn’t expect to suddenly get it today.” You said with a laugh.

“I guess I’m a good luck charm, then.” He said smoothly, “I’m Changyun by the way.”

“Y/n.”

“Y/n… Can I treat you to coffee?”

“When you tripped, I couldn’t help myself! You almost fell on your face!” You giggled.

Changyun looked offended, “So you would’ve just stood there and laughed at me even if I fell flat on my face?”

“It’s only ‘cause I adore you.” You said quickly, attempting to save yourself from the trap you had put yourself in. You cupped his cheeks with your hands, staring into his eyes until the hurt look in his eyes faded into love.

“Next time you fall off your board, I have the right to laugh, though.” He said quickly. Clearly there was still an ounce of hurt left in him, but you knew how to get rid of it.

“Okay, baby. Sure. Laugh all you want.” You moved one of your hands from his cheek to his shoulder, leaning in until your lips met his soft ones.

Changyun loved to kiss you and he easily melted into it, his lips moving against yours gently. His hands slipped to your waist, pulling you closer to him, and once you broke the kiss to catch your breath, he continued a trail of kissing by your lips and up your cheek until you were giggling from the ticklish feeling and pulling away. You rested your forehead against his, your heart racing in sync with his.

“I think your skateboard ran away from you.” You whispered, eyes glancing behind your boyfriend to where his black skateboard was, indeed, slowly rolling away.

Changyun smiled, on the verge of a laugh, “It always ruins the moment.” He gave one more short kiss to your lips before breaking the close embrace and jogging off to stop his board.

↳ onf taglist: @yeonjuns-redhair,, @edensgardenn

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k1ss-m3-b3tt3r · 2 years

Text

✟ Mary on a Cross ✟

pairing: Khonshu x gn! reader (platonic), mentions of marc and steven

summary: you cant see khonshu but you can sense him until one day you do see him. marc tells you how much of an over-the-top asshole hes been. as marc speaks about it, you realize this might be deeper than expected.

warnings: swearing

a/n: this is my first post and first fanfic in a long time. please, be patient with me and happy reading. :)

all day, and i mean all day, you couldnt get this stupid song out of your head. it was almost like it was drilling into your brain to put it simply. even at work, your coworkers kept asking what the song was while you were unknowingly humming it. you cursed at yourself, not being able to help it at this point.

there was only one cure to this and you had to just listen to the song over and over again until you pass out, which was a common assurance due to your constant loving music ass.

“couldnt survive one day without it can i?” you said just trying to stare at the clocking zoning out, hopefully for some reason thinking it would move faster. now, what song you may ask, its mary on a cross by ghost. with that song floating around the internet, who couldnt have it stuck in their head 24/7.

“FINALLY!” you said loudy, disturbing the people around you but honestly you didnt care. you barged out of work, clocking out and just saying a quick bye to a few coworkers that, surprisingly, didnt piss you off.

luckily, you didnt miss the bus on your way home. as the bus pushed you back and forth with every stop, all a sudden your ring tone blurted out causing you to freak out for a second. “well, that was hella embarrassing.”

you read the contact, “steven? what does he want?” you looked outside and it was almost dark with the sun setting already. you knew it was a long shift but damn. you clicked the answer button and immediately heard a grumpy voice.

“ah, marc whats up?” “howd you even know,” he responded with a slow sigh after it. it took you a second but you connected the pieces. “back from work?” you asked, not surprised hearing a long yup. “do you mind coming over to drop off some milk or something. im trying to actually cook for once but its not exactly going as planned,” marc groaned loudly.

‘such a drama queen,’ you thought and honestly you might be right half the time just thinking about past occurrences. “alright, guess ill come over and cook tonight,” before he could even say anything you hung up not ready to put up with him.

‘damn it, i might not even be able to listen to the song,’ you groaned, sounding just like marc at that point. then, the bus almost threw you while saying next stop and i mean.. it is your stop so you guess you should honestly be grateful for the driver notifying you?

you moved through all the bags and people in the bus until taking a step off the bus and onto the dirty ground while carrying your satchel, which old but it worked for its purposes. you turned back and the bus was quickly turning around a corner. ‘those poor people,’ you laughed lightly to yourself.

you walked into your apartment complex and it was a bit dingy you must admit but it was home and at least you had one. you lived two doors down from marc or steven i suppose, depending on the day.

“you go down.. bloody mary mary on a-“ you swung the door open as you kept murmuring the song in and out. ‘can nothing stop the song already?’

your apartment was pretty boring, not going to lie. you had basic minimal things: a couch, crusty wooden chairs, a table that feels like its going to tip over any minute. “yeah.. maybe i should fix that soon..” you slowly muttered to yourself but reminded yourself that you had a meal to cook two door doors down.

you threw your stuff down from work and grabbed the milk, slamming it closed and sighing because you had to go back and close it gently. then strutted your way down the hall outside the apartment for which you live in and gently knocked on the door.

there was no answer. “MARC IMMA HOLLER IF YOU DONT LET ME IN!” you were so mentally tired and exhausted. eventually, the door swung open when you knocked even harder repeatedly.

“you were already hollering in the first place,” he rolled his eyes, “come in, i guess.” “you better be greatful im even cooking you food. “well, it wasnt a choice was it?” he squinted at you. what he said was true so you went around him and inside his apartment.

still looked the same: books everywhere, everything scattered but organized at the same time? ‘how the hell does that make sense?’

as you started cooking this meal, which you arent even a good cook actually, marc started ranting about his day and how khonshu, yes you know about him, was a dick. i mean, you figured after hearing marc constantly argue with them ever since you found out, which was easy. ‘people are so dumb nowadays or.. maybe im smart! nahhh’

you were constantly in your own thoughts until marc started saying stuff that concerned you a bit. “it was like khonshu was having a grumpy breakdown or just wasnt paying attention to the job! he was weird. like stop zoning out for one minute just staring at people! its creepy and on top of that, he kept mentioning how he looked constantly?-“

“what about his looks?” you inquired. “im not even sure at this point, he just comparing him and other gods and people, and how he was never really worshiped blah blah blah. besides that, it almost seemed like hes been grumpy and attention seeking, trying to “fit in” i guess. and im like STOP IT youre a god am i right?”

“hum.. are you sure it was attention seeking and not yearning for the fact that he is not like you and me?” you could sense the upsetting aura around you and knew khonshu must be there, which was a rare occurrence to you.

“you could be right or you could be wrong, im not sure,” marc actually looked thoughtful for a second before saying, “but hes a god, what more can he want. im going to take a shower, you can tell me when its done.” he walked out of there with a questionable face, but you didnt question anything as you kept stirring the pot just full of noodles and alfredo sauce.

you felt the presence growing stronger and stronger and sadder and sadder. you started humming and humming, not able to take it anymore and started up your phone playing mary on a cross, finally trying to get it out of your head. you couldnt help but sing along with it.

“but through all the sorrow we were riding highhh,” trying to hit that note and actually nailing it, you fist bumped the air and continued, “and the truth of the matter is i had to let you gooo let you gooo!”

you turned around and quiet down for a second singing, “you go down just like bloody mary… mary on a mary on a cross..”

you look up and there you were looking khonshu in his eye sockets and got a really good look at him. surprisingly, you werent startled and just kept going, “you go down just like holy mary mary on a mary on a cross”

you leaned in touching his beak letting him know you were there and could see him, “not just another bloody mary mary on a mary on aaa”

as the chorus picked up, you took your hand off and started fake drumming making the mood lighter and goofier, you werent a sap and you knew it so you did the best you could, “you go down just like holy maryy mary on a mary on a cross!”

you turn towards him and laughed a bit but these words unknowingly stuck with him harder than you anticipated, “your beauty never ever scared me!”

he turned away and laughed silently embarrassed but glad for a quick second, which was strange of him and concerning for other people but he honestly did feel better. he gave you a thought as you kept singing and vanished after saying, “thank you..”

you nod and keep singing until you hit the last verse of the song. the energy around you felt so much lighter than before and you finally got that stupid song out your head. ‘i guess it wasnt so stupid. it cheered him up at least a little bit’

marc walks into the kitchen, all dressed and ready for food clearly. as you poured the bowls you decided not to tell marc about the little interaction with khonshu and im sure khonshu wouldnt want you too either, especially after somehow seeing him, which is odd in its own way.

as you looked up marc was less irritated and just plain tired, so you guys only had a little small talk and a quick thank you before you were kicked out.

“rude!” you went into your apartment and couldnt help but think about khonshu.

“hope he feels better..”

#khonshu #khonshu x reader #moon knight x gn reader #moon knight x male reader #moon knight #moon knight x fem!reader #platonic

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userholland · 2 years

Text

getaway town | one (t. holland)

genre: summer love, strangers to lovers, domestic/fluff, mutual pining, light smut

pairing: actor!tom holland x female!reader

series summary: tom needs time away from the city and a break from acting so, he travels to a nice lake house in upstate new york for the rest of the summer (without having his cover blown). he finds the peace and quiet refreshing, along with his trips to the local market where he’s met with a beautiful smile from the girl behind the register.

warnings: drinking alcohol, the brits naturally swearing, cocky!tom (?), celebrity relationship drama mention, reader being very domestic!

word count: 4.3k

songs inspired: this love & i know places by taylor swift

a/n: i hope this first chapter hits. to start, i usually do loaded word counts but im gonna pace myself and do smaller word counts and more chapters! so, four chapters isn't the max. but, it's a bit sad in the beginning, but it's just to establish tom's life and then compare it to what happens later. thought a summer fic could be a little nice for the little content happening rn. always appreciate the love ♡

series masterlist | main masterlist | wips

Tom was burnt out.

His loss of inspiration and motivation in his acting had dimmed the spark that once shined in his presence, on and off screen. Once he dreamed of a full-on, Hollywood life, but now that he’s gotten a taste of it, Tom wanted to take a few steps back.

He missed home, but people knew his neighborhood. He missed his friends, but that was at the cost of being photographed as soon as he touched down in LA or any big city. He missed having days to himself where he didn’t worry about what he was seeing or who he was seen with.

“You need to go on a vacation, mate.” His friend, Harrison, insisted.

Tom scoffed, “I can’t. Anywhere I go, I have someone ask me for a picture. Then, saying ‘no’ makes me the dickhead and if I say ‘yes’ that means people know where I am.”

“A famous person’s Catch-22.” Harrison jeered.

A small smirk painted on Tom’s thin lips. He twisted the dented beer cap on the glass top of the kitchen table, his bright brown eyes admiring the paintings and abstract artwork hung on the walls of the house rented for him while filming. Production ended a week ago, but the rental was nice enough to stay a few days without having to wake up at the crack of dawn for shooting or working out.

At least the neighbor’s tried to mind their business, but it was hard to when a gigantic, black SUV pulled up in front of the house for almost two months– Tom out there long enough for them to snap a picture through their drapes of their front windows.

Tom took another sip of his beer (fourth beer of the night), “I’m just in a slump. Maybe, I’m homesick and that’s it. I need to go home and I’ll stay for as long as I can then, I’ll be back and ready to work, I guess.”

He said it with such false hope, almost wishing he sounded this good when met with angsty roles he portrayed in his movies.

“Alright, well. I hate to hear you so down, mate. But, once you’re here, we’ll go out somewhere. A calm, cool night with the boys.”

“I doubt that.” Tom muttered, taking a long chug.

Tom tilted his head back as he finished his fourth beer, already contemplating another just to get through another night. These days, he would only toss and turn in unfamiliar guest sheets only to finally take a peak through his dry eyes open to painfully see the sun peaking over the horizon.

He never could burden anyone with how he truly felt, not even his family. He feared all he would get is, “You need to take a break”. While that may have been reassuring to others, Tom wanted to keep going. He didn’t want to give in on these feelings that sometimes got him through his long days on set.

“I’ll see you in a few days.” Harrison told him.

Tom nodded, “Looking forward to it.” He trailed before hanging up.

Another long sigh left his lips. He put his phone on the charge before grabbing another beer from the fridge. Without hesitation, Tom popped the cap off the ale as he moved back to his same, comfortable spot on the huge couch.

He placed the bottle cap on the table in exchange of taking the remote and turning on some mindless TV show that he could doze off to. His homesickness sunk into his body just as he starting sinking into the soft couch.

♡ ♡ ♡

A week later, Tom was back in London and his presence was more than known since he touched down at Heathrow. It was expected of him to think that no matter where he went that people would know him, but he tried to not let it go to his head at the same time. The gray line between humble and egotistical.

Tom was met with hugs from his whole family, luckily all in the same place at one time, and even bigger, bear hugs from his friends he hadn’t seen in a few months. Even if the occasional phone accidently flashed a picture, Tom thoroughly enjoyed going out and tried to soak it up while he could.

“When do you head back?” Harrison asked, sat facing Tom in the booth of the small pub.

“Two days. But, it’s been nice.” Tom replied, but his eyes connected to Tessa, who was laying against his lap and licking at his hand for more pets on her head, “You were right, I needed to get out of my head, be somewhere familiar… especially with my Tess.” Tom cooed at the gray dog nuzzling her face against his hand.

“Hmm.” Harrison mumbled, the brightness of his photo screen lighting up his eyes.

“Are you even listening to me?” Tom trailed.

“I am… and look.” Harrison turned his phone toward Tom’s face.

On the screen were rental houses, many colors, shapes and sizes, all in the upstate New York area– far enough from the city to call it a different place in the same state.

“Your getaway. Well, sort of getaway. I’m sure your manager can figure out something because you don’t have to film your other movie until the end of the year.” Harrison suggested.

The more Tom scrolled down, the bigger the picture he painted for himself of relaxing at a lakehouse with only birds to wake up to and a calm front with ducks to stare at through whatever window. A smile grew on his face without even knowing. This was a great idea (but he wasn’t going to admit that to Harrison just yet).

“It’s nice.” Tom shrugged, reverting back to a straight face, “But, I’ll see.”

Harrison still smiled, “You know you want to. Just a month, even two weeks. Bring Tess, throw a ball. I don’t know, I’m rambling now, but you get what I mean.” He said as he took his phone back.

As Tom twisted his lips in contemplation, his heart was set on a definite ‘yes’. It almost baffled him that he didn’t come up with the idea, but he only realized that he hadn’t taken a well-deserved back in almost two years.

“‘I’ll see’ or ‘Harrison, you’re right, and you are the best friend anyone could have’?” The dirty-blonde mocked, teasing his tired friend.

Tom chuckled, “I’ll see, you dickhead.”

When Tom left the comfort of the local bar, with Tessa on her leash, he couldn’t help but be anxious once he was alone. It’s not because the streets weren’t well-lit or the neighborhood was bad, but he would take a second glance if a car passed with tinted windows.

He could have called a cab, a van, even ask for his chauffeur for his safety, but Tom wanted to feel normal and not the superstar actor persona his fans romanticized and admired. Anyone would say he’s ungrateful for his own fame and not understand who wouldn’t want to be famous, so Tom closed himself off from venting about it. Especially his manager, Georgina.

Once he walked into her office, she gave him a big, cheeky smile, “What’re you doing here so late?”

Tessa walked up to Georgina’s legs, sitting before getting pet on her soft head.

“I wanted to talk to you.” Tom trailed, coiling the leash around his hand out of nervousness.

“About?” She cocked her eyebrow.

“A vacation… possibly.”

She glanced back up at the curly-haired brunette, “Now? You’ve just shot an entire movie and now you want to Spain or Italy?”

“I was thinking something more secluded and private. I saw some places and I can pay the expenses is all, now I need the okay from you… and the rest of the team.” Tom trailed, sitting in one of the two lounge chairs in front of her desk.

“Tommy,” She sighed, “You know I’d love to, but we’re on a schedule with your movie in post-production. The PR team and I have spoken and we have dates, destinations, interviews. It’s all a lot. Even you sat in those meetings.” She carefully explained, “Plus we booked earlier interviews since your breakup with Tate and-”

“I understand, but…” Tom interrupted from the sting in his heart, “I work… everyday. I’ve never taken a long break before and honestly, those meetings about me and my whole life bore me to death. I want at least a month to think for myself and not transition from whatever character I’m playing or what diet I have to adjust to.” He huffed.

Georgina saw the glassiness in Tom’s brown eyes, keeping a genuine tone and maintaining eye contact. Sometimes she was never sure when Tom was in a dramatic mood to get what he wanted, but she’s never doubted him and his gut.

“It comes with the title of being a superstar. What else do you want me to say?” She sighed, but feeling for him, “Especially right now when you’re under a microscope because of what happened with you and-”

“Three weeks at least?” Tom cut her off before she could barely speak her name again, “I’ll arrange anything I need to, but no telling the press I’m leaving. Please…”

She didn’t want to admit Tom had been acting different lately. Snobby but tired was the words she thought of, but would never say out loud. That bright and shiny 21-year-old seemed more than ages ago– he was just worn down.

“Let’s talk in the morning while I figure out how to move your schedule tonight. Consider it a favor.” Georgina sat up in her office chair, and already swiping open her iPad to see what is possible.

Tom cracked a cheeky smile, “You’re the best, Georgina.”

“You didn’t have to tell me that.” She waved at him as he began to exit with Tessa.

♡ ♡ ♡

Flashing lights and consistent, actually annoying, cameras clicking from every which way. Tom kept is dark sunglasses on, tilting his worn Yankees cap down to avoid the blinding view. He could barely see where he was going if his two security guards weren’t leading by each side of him, safely taking him to his rental SUV in the front of the airport terminal.

Tessa was taken by someone else, guiding her from the back to avoid the crowd hovering over her or possibly stepping on one of her paws. Tom kept looking over his shoulder ot see if she was there, but frankly, he wanted to keep going the more this crowd was closing in on him.

I’m not gonna miss this, Tom thought.

Once he was escorted to the driver’s seat, Tessa crawled up to the passenger’s seat as two or three men put his luggage in the back. The reporters and cameramen hoarded on the right side of the car, pushing their lenses and microphones against the window and continued asking their nosey & directed questions.

After all the car doors were closed and locked, Tom carefully drove off without another glance and merged into the airport exit lane. Suddenly, the noise around the car was quiet and the low volume of the radio was clear.

“Alright, Tess. Next stop, Lake Moonlit.” He sighed, rubbing the top of Tessa’s head then tapping the address on the large touch screen.

The GPS calculated that Tom (and Tessa) would be at his rental in four and a half hours. He sighed, but figured he could listen to those ‘mind-blowing’ podcasts and audiobooks his friends recommended. If anything, he was more worried about backing out by the time he got halfway there.

Tom couldn’t deal with his thoughts, so he reached out and turned the knob to increase the volume of whatever song his phone left off on from the plane. As the clouds moved from the sun, he grabbed his sunglasses in the side of his backpack then adjusted his cap low. The further from the city, the better.

Bright-green foliage swayed in the wind and birds flew past the blue skies an hour into the drive. The day was almost perfect to be on a lake, away from the loud noises of the city, and white-lights of paparazzis.

As Tom felt his troubles already pass him by the higher he drove on the land, his ears popping the more hills he curved until seeing only gravel roads. The sunroof was wide open, letting the fresh air flow through the car and sun warm Tom’s skin. Tom turned to see Tessa panting with her head out the window, making him genuinely smile (in a while).

There were some sharp slopes until the woods cleared and there was a beautiful lake with the winding road around the outside. The lake houses had some distance between them, so Tom wasn’t worried about any neighbors from an earshot away. Nice, and private. As he kept driving, there were docks where people fished and floating houses that were probably owned by locals.

The cars tires ran over dirt and gravel, creating a small dust trail behind Tom before he pulled into the driveway of his rental house. Tall, voluminous trees surrounded the sides of the quaint, dark-green house along with a clear view of the lake behind the back. Tessa barked a few times before the car came to a stop and Tom put the car into park, letting out a long breath after a long drive.

Tom unpacked the car, one piece of luggage at a time, including his cased guitar. The wrap around porch had rocking chairs and log stumps as small tables, giving it the forestry aesthetic to compliment the lakehouse.

Tessa ran in the house first, Tom placing the bags by the front door but his eyes immediately met with the huge glass window that viewed Lake Moonlit. The backyard had a nice firepit with four red adirondack chairs around it and a shiny grill a few feet away. It was pointed in the direction of the lake, a glorious reflection that had the illusion of going for miles.

The kayaks and paddleboards by the dock were dry as bone, a bit faint to show that they were commonly used for anyone who rented this house. It was obvious this was a family-like rental, probably for summer holidays or even a wedding weekend, but here Tom stood, content with being with himself and his pup. Surely, the house wasn’t too big to consume his thoughts.

“Tess, I think we’re gonna be okay here.” He grinned at the gray staffy by his leg. His eyes shifted to a stick next to his foot, reaching down and throwing it a few feet away. Tessa took off in an energetic sprint to get the small branch, running right back to Tom and dropping it by his foot. He couldn’t help but smile so big, enough to hurt his cheeks.

♡ ♡ ♡

As the evening sun was setting, Tom’s stomach growled for the fifth time for him to know he was actually hungry. Stopping by a grocery store would have been smart, but he was too focused on getting to the house for it to cross his mind earlier.

Like anyone would, he searched up ‘places to eat’ on his Google Maps. It takes a while with the slow service in the wooded area, but finally it shows up with miraculously three places– two of them being more than fifteen miles away.

“Shit.” He scrunched his nose, leaning forward in the adirondack chair.

He zoomed in on the closest place, seeing it was only less than a mile away, but had no reviews or even pictures. All the location said was ‘Lila’s Shack’ and the address.

Hopefully it’s not some fishing shack, He worried. But, it couldn’t hurt to drive around the area he would staying in for at least a month.

Just as Tom was going to put in the directions to the shack, Harrison’s name popped up from the top of his phone. It was a link to an article then a text bubble saying, “They’re already on your ass. Hope you’re enjoying it out there.”

Tom hesitantly pressed the article, and he immediately clenched his jaw at the title: Tom Holland Burnt Out? 26-year-old takes a break from acting, hiatus or forever?!

He breezed through the first two or three background-filled paragraphs before seeing the one that stuck out. There were mentions and photos of Tom with alcohol beverages in hand, taken to make it look like he was more drunk than he actual was in them. Then, the photos that followed were of his previous relationship that ended up in a public fight, all captured in high definition.

The words underneath said: “The heated break-up with singer, Tate Leon, in France last September. While it was not confirmed or denied who ended the relationship, Holland could still be upset about it. You can totally tell from this picture of them arguing outside a private restaurant.”

Tom cringed at the photo of himself, his arms spread out and the vein poking from his neck. The anger he felt was real, but he wish he didn’t have to be reminded of the breakup that was still an open wound. This article was purely more salt rubbing deep into it.

“Tate Leon, famous Australian pop-singer, was seen alone back in Queensland last week. Is that where Holland is heading to on his ‘hiatus’?” The last line read.

When he didn’t think the article was bad, the anonymous comments were worse.

Wow, I used to like Tom’s Spider-man. Sounds like a real jerk to me.

Attention seeker!

Such a drama king lol will never think highly of him again…

Tom exited the page before his blood boiled hotter, remembering that this trip was for him to unwind and forget about the tabloids about what people thought of his life.

“C’mhere, Tess.” Tom sighed, closing his phone before leashing Tessa. She guided him to the door, making him smile once more before they got to the car. Although this market was a quick jog, Tom wanted to make sure he wasn’t going somewhere sketchy.

A beautiful, orange tint reflected against the lake as Tom drove down the road. Tessa curled up in the passenger seat and Tom ran his hand over his head with his other on the steering wheel. With the windows opened, all Tom felt was the wind through his hair and the chirps of grasshoppers– pure bliss.

Just around the corner was the shack, and it wasn’t the shack he pictured at all. This was a small house converted into a small market. There were colorful potted flowers by the double doors of the entrance and light-gray stones covering, what is assumed to be, the parking lot.

Only one small car was parked and the lake behind it showed the small sailboats and canoes going by, mostly little kids cheering in the distance. Tom watched them race each other, hearing their belly laughs echo throughout the area.

“Stay here, Tess. I’ll be a minute.” He said to the adorable pup with her window down.

He lowered his ballcap when he stepped out of his car, obviously a lavish vehicle that stuck out compared to the setting. When Tom walked to the open doors, he could hear the rocks smove under his sneakers. The sign before entering was homemade, but obviously drawn by a child. It was bright colors by crayon that said in sloppy writing: Lake Moonlit! Population: 126”

“Shit…” Tom said under his breath. He knew he was definitely laying low.

A small bell rings above him when he opens the door, but no one greeted him immediately. Tom began walking around the small three aisles there were in the small store. The shelves were lower than his shoulders, seeing the view of the lake through the back doors to an outdoor, floating porch.

First, he grabbed chocolate. A sweet he rarely had, but the occasion seemed necessary. Then, he reached the two big bags of chips, one kettle and the other barbeque. Then, he remembered why he was here: to actually have dinner. As he looked through the shelves of ingredients, none of them stuck out to him until there was a variety of instant noodles in one section.

“Come in for snacks, sailors!” A voice shouted outside.

Tom lifted his head, but still didn’t see anyone around him. He continued to browse, grabbing a hand-held shopping cart by the end of the shelf and filling it with noodles.

Suddenly, at least ten kids ran into the store and headed to the one refrigerator in the back of the store. Tom’s head slowly turned at them, watching all the kids grab sodas and fruit from the basket by the door.

“Everyone has a ride home, right?”

“Yes, Y/N.” They all simultaneously responded to the soft voice.

“Good, now. Get home before it gets dark.”

Tom chuckled as he watched the kids, all different sizes and heights, leave out the door and they grab their bikes from the side of the store. As they ride away, Tom slowly walked up to the counter and he couldn’t help but gawk a bit at the girl behind the counter.

“Hi! Sorry, I’m the store owner but also part-time babysitter. Not many jobs to find in this town.” You giggled, pressing some buttons on the register to make sure it was in tact.

“No worries. Seems like fun.” Tom grinned as he put the food on the counter.

“Ah, I assume you’re visiting. Judging the stack of ramen.” You nodded.

Tom sighed, “You would be correct.”

You scanned one of them before looking up, “What’s your name, stranger?” You asked with bright eyes.

Tom almost took the question as a joke. Did you know who he was and were you pulling at his strings purposefully? Was this some kind of test at his ego?

He smiled, “Uh, I’m Tom.”

“Hmm. Nice to meet you, Tom. I’m Y/N.” You put your hand out.

Tom nodded, gently shaking your hand before you scanned the rest of his items. Although you were looking down at the barcodes, Tom’s eyes were on you and still wondering if you were testing him.

“You know, there’s a good restaurant. It’s a bit higher on the mountain, but best seafood you can get around here. Honestly, imagining you going back to your house with just noodles and chips worries me.” You sighed, humoring him a bit.

“Well, I could use a bit of a guide around here. Unless there’s a guy for that.”

“Oddly enough, we don’t have a guy for that since everyone in this town is born here and you learn where everything is from your parents or grandparents.”

“So, it really is a small town?” Tom asked, raising his eyebrow.

“Very. Like those ones on TV shows where they’re small enough that weird things start happening in them.” You grinned as you put his food in the plastic bags.

“Like Twin Peaks.” Tom commented, showing a small sile.

“What?” You furrowed your eyebrows.

“You… you don’t know twin peaks?” He nervously asked.

You giggled, “Messing with you. I watched it growing up with my grandpa. But, don’t ask me about all this media now. I don’t like keeping up with those things. Seems all dramatic.” You shrugged, totaling the cost of his purchases.

“Tell me about it.”

He hoped he didn’t sound smug, so he smiled it of again.

The tourists you were used to were mostly older couples, or people who were fresh from a wedding and on their honeymoon. Not many handsome strangers walked through those doors, so it felt like a chance to flirt and have a quick fling– but you didn’t want to set the expectations that high.

After Tom gave you the money, you gave him change then the two of you walked out with bags in your arms. He gulped before asking, “So… this restaurant. Is it popular? Are there a lot of people?”

“Not really when you have less than two-hundred people here. It’s not really our tourist season so, as peaceful as the lake.” You assured him, smiling at his dog with her head out the window, “Aw! Is this your dog?”

“Tessa.” Tom smiled as he put the bags in the backseat. You placed them down too as Tom opened the passenger door, letting Tessa meet you and lick your hand and arm. Tessa’s tail wagged so quickly, panting and giving small barks to you.

“Nice to meet you, Tess.” You giggled, rubbing your hands over her soft fur.

“Are dogs allowed to this place?” Tom hissed, putting his hands in his pockets.

You nodded, “Of course. Encouraged, probably.” You kneeled down to pet Tessa some more, “Do you need an address or you think you want to be adventurous?” You jeered.

Tom sighed, “Well, better idea, you can show me where it is and I can treat you to a meal.”

Although it would blow his cover, it was nice to be able to talk to someone who treated him like he was any other guy. There was a warmness about you that instantly attracted him, even before you striked a conversation, he watched you walk through the doors with the sunset behind your profile.

“I’d love to, Tom the Tourist.”

He chuckled, “Clever. How’d you come up with that?”

For once, Tom didn’t feel like he was acting. This was who he was. Even at the cost of stripping his own identity. It seemed worth it right now.

#tom holland #tom holland series #tom holland x you #tom holland x female!reader #tom holland fluff #tom holland angst #tom holland imagine #tom holland blurb

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anemonet · 7 months

Note

*looks at your reverse iterator’s au*

do tell :)

*looks at you, quickly ripping off and hiding the nerd alert sign on my wall*

ahem hi :DD reverse iterator au! Wellcome to the bit where i talk about some background info, for a more general answer go (here)

but a quick rundown is that its a mild role reversal not a personality swap or anything, everyones still basicly the same but with the difference being moon is still up and running (more or less) while pebbles got screwed over by accident and is now haning up above the clouds waiting to crumble down!

The point of this post is to answer question how did moon accidentaly kill pebbles? Seeing as moon really isnt intrested in the whole sliverist thing (yellow pearl, shoreline) like pebbles she wouldnt be trying to rewrite her genome to win at death, leading to the watersupply issue, so we need a different reason and we need to get a bit creative:D

Im actully gonna blame it on moons standing on the sucky crumbeling "large canyon" that is mentioned whos waterbed is lowering because of iterators and how that led semi directly to pebbles being built (purple pearl, waterfront facility) which in this au instead of not being much of an issue leads to her structure being unstable and needing fixes, because of the dry waterbed - worth mentioning i dont belive she has the modern living blocks that fixes themself, and instead older "traditional" building materials (orange pearl, metropolis) so she needs to find a way to fix herself - which i turns, and here im just using canon for my own gain and saying this known danger activates her gotta live hardware, the whole iterators cant off themself because of 1. being built so and 2. the " self destruction taboo" (gold pearl, chimney canopy), im gonna go on a limb and say that knowingly letting yourself break down counts as self destruction and would mean moon would try to fix herself.

Which gets us kinda to where moon and pebbles ends up actual game, one having to do intense (and water draining) calculations that isnt gonna end well.

But there is also a shift in how to stop this, as moon used her "seniority privligies" to try to stop pebbles (sky islands 4), seeing as pebbles wouldnt have this, he would need to stop moon whos totally focused on finding the solution for her water problem in some other way. And because i think pebbles is a bastard (affectionalty) i think he after messages and pleading dosent work, would just send her a shit ton of viruses to disturb her focus and get her to stop draining the water, this of course leads to the same as canon with moon getting a mold problem, but also being to late like moon and partly collapsing, im saying partly, because i dont wanna do the shaded citadel murder map, i would rather have it collapse on the chimney sky bridge and then be an upwards climb, but im gonna talk map and mechanics changes in this ask

ok so thats basicly the set up, moon needs to fix her stucture from crumebling, uses lots of water, pebbles is like hey wait a minute!, moons like lalalal and then pebbles sends 3 trillion viruses

sidenote is of course that with pebbles going down, he wouldnt be using as much if any water anymore, water which would then go to moon instead, so she did kinda fix her problem and will continue running for along time, similar to canon pebbles ^-^

Moon being the one alive would also have some other effects! one being that i asume that contact between iterators would still be up and running afterwards, as there is no mad pebbles who cuts of communication access for the other ierators after getting mad at suns, which of course would mean more iterator overseers just haning around, which would later be seen by the slugcats, how the different slugcat campaigns would be effected im not gonna get into because this is already getting long so uh yes!!!

there would also be different achivements and such!!

wooosh ok done with words! you got the backstory part of the whole story so i hope you dont mind that, in general i think its a very silly au as pebbles and moon can still communicate, and my own interpetation of them is very silly, but meh, anyhow! thank you so much for asking i did not except as many people to do that as was done :D

#rain world #asks #reverse iterator au #long post

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genderdotcom · 5 months

Text

more thoughts on this. i've been reading too many drizzt books now the writing style has infected me and i need to be quarantined or put down or something. tw for haarlep's deal (implied) (deleted and reposted this bc im indecisive over it)

(DISCLAIMER. THIS WORK REFERS TO EYES AS “ORBS”. WEAR APPROPRIATE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMES)

Dirin explained everything. His defection, his disguise, the innkeeper that had taken him under her wing and the bards he learned from on the road. He spoke with as much urgency as he could muster- this was a hero he was talking to. And he knew well the reputation his kin had.

Heedless of his tale, the ranger took a potato from her pack. It had sprouted, taking root in the darkness of her bag of provisions- but she began to peel it nonetheless.

Dirin began to feel, infuriatingly, as if he was making excuses and defending himself to an implacable sa’varsh.

“Why did you call me out on my disguise if you didn’t wish to speak with me? Lay it out plainly, please.” He bit out with no small amount of barely reined-in irritation.

“Fine, fine. Like I said, I had a gith friend. And I like to stick my nose places it’s not needed.” He nodded, understanding it to be the most important quality of those fabled heroes he so looked up to, but the tiefling barreled on.

“I mean, it passes the time, y’know? Not much else to do.” “You’ve done a lot already, if the tales I’ve heard are true.”

“They aren’t.” Her reply was prompt.

“None of them? So the curse of Moonrise Towers still stands? So Baldur’s Gate is overrun by gh- by mind flayers?” “I know what ghaik means, mate, you don’t have to translate yourself to me. And what does it matter if I did all those things? A half dozen others were right there doing more than me.”

Yes, he knew all about them. The noble Blade of Frontiers, the archmage Gale of Waterdeep, Karlach Demonsbane who laid down her life for the city; even fragmented tales of a woman that must have been a Githyanki. Well, the ranger’s claim that she had a gith friend would corroborate that. It would have been the perfect tale to tell to get him in the spotlight were it not for his treacherous, cowardly heart skipping beats at the thought of mentioning his kin.

“Is there something special about this town, for you to stop here?” There didn’t seem to be. In the few months Dirin had spent in the town- more of a village, really- the people had proven themselves to be nothing but ordinary, though perhaps with more of a tolerance for novelty than he’d expected.

“Absolutely nothing. Didn’t you hear me? I’m not doing anything.”

It had been six months since the Netherbrain fell, and Dirin had heard many tales of Riah, the tiefling fighter- now a ranger, it seemed- and her stalwart defense of the Sword Coast’s frontiers. Her small knife pressed through the potato, and she dropped the cubes into the simmering pot. Her hair fell into her face hampered only by her horns.

She looked tired.

The stew was finished before the sun had fully set. Despite Dirin’s insistence that he didn’t need anything from her, he had his own food, she ladled it into two wooden bowls and pressed one into his hands. The warmth, at least, brought some life into him as they both sat there, sipping at it in silence.

A violent shudder passed through Riah’s body. Though Dirin could see nothing afoot, she convulsed strongly enough that the bowl of stew in her hand slipped and spilled over the packed dirt. Recovering quickly, she shook off the droplets that had landed on her hand and simply stared at the stew slowly absorbing into the ground.

“What happened? Are you al-” Dirin brought up his hand, ready to cast a healing spell, though he knew well that his prowess was very limited; but she stopped him with a gesture.

“Fine. Just an old wound.” Her breath hissed through her teeth. There was something tightly wound about her posture in that moment, the horrible tension of prey unable to flee. “It doesn’t la- ah- last too long. Usually.” She leaned down to pick up her bowl, her scarred red knuckles bleached pink from tension.

“You’re a hero. I’m sure any healer along the Coast would-” “No, they wouldn’t. Couldn’t.” Waiting for Dirin to finish his sentence was too much of an effort, it seemed. “‘S what I get for dealing with… well, I told you already. It’s fine.”

But she made no effort to pour herself more stew, and spent the rest of dinner staring silent into the fire. Her nails bit bloody crescents into her palms.

Following some unspoken agreement, they took watch in shifts. The strangeness of the situation was almost soporific to Dirin, but ingrained discipline kept his eyes open from the middle of the night to the morning.

He’d almost expected Riah to pack up and leave. Instead, she cleaned up the campfire and took her turn sleeping with no words exchanged. She was asleep in moments- but the twitches and shudders remained. Sweat beaded on her brow and pooled in the wrinkles of her twisted, pinched expression. If this was an illness or injury, it was like none he knew of.

Dirin woke with the dawn. Riah was still up, poking at the coals of the campfire with a long stick.

“It doesn’t usually last that long.” She said in lieu of ‘good morning’. “I’m fine now.” There was something in her other hand, a balled up piece of paper- a letter of some sort?

She staggered to her feet, unfurling the crumpled sheet. Her piercing blue orbs examined it for one long moment, flitting between it and his face, there and back.

“Say, Dirin- your name was Dirin, right? How do you feel about going to a party?”

#hello world #dirin #riah #my writing

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vonpharma · 1 year

Text

w[h]ip wednesday what im alive?

hiiiii. i got dumped and i am very sad and writing is not happening good. but i have like 17k of prosecutor sibs fic on the way that will be done, very soon, i think. here's some of that.

uhhhh miles and franziska in forced quarantine because miles faked sick and it worked but uh oh! franziska's actually sick! hijinks abound. not actually they mostly just annoy each other. here you go i love you.

Somehow, hours later, they are playing scrabble.

It’s past sundown, and Franziska is stubbornly still awake—though Miles can see the pull of sleep fighting her, bags hung heavy beneath her watery gaze. As the day drags she’s beginning to look more and more like a flower mid-wilt, but she is Franziska, and so Miles is forced to sit there and observe while she needlessly forces herself to stay upright, intent to prove a point to any forces that may be watching. Were it anyone else, he might have a speech prepared—about how prolonging rest will only prolong the illness too, about how he promises he won’t tell if she lays down, shuts her eyes for just a little bit.

The clack of her slamming down another tile snaps Miles back to his senses, and he holds the urge to scream behind his teeth where it lives.

Truly, Miles never foresaw himself having to work out the needlessly complex logistics of something like this. Scrabble, he thought, was simple—you spell. Whoever spells better wins. And Franziska, in that regard, would be a worthy opponent—she was a child prodigy, after all, some days Miles wondered if she was born with a law book in her hand.

She clearly did not agree with him, though. Franziska had demanded, right off the bat, that they play in German—as Miles would have an unfair advantage if they played in English. It was obvious in the angry pink heat of her cheeks that she was not expecting him to flip the script on her, because he retorted that she would have the unfair advantage were they to play in German.

So… they are playing in Denglish.

It’s going about as well as one might expect.

Miles stares down at the board, squinting at the mess of letters Franziska has seemingly thrown down at random. Zurückverfolgt, it says, and it has, somehow, cleared out her entire tray, netting her an additional fifty points on top of the—thirty-six?!—she’s already just pulled. When he raises his stunned gaze from the tiles, Franziska looks about as smug as he’d expect her to, arms crossed as she leans back in victory.

“That’s not a real word.”

“It is.”

Miles had the errant thought, as they were settling down to do this, that he should’ve flagged the elder von Karma down and asked him to fetch one or ten German-English dictionaries from the manor’s sprawling library. There was a military-grade walkie-talkie resting on the bedside table, it would only be a single button press, a short request—yet still, Miles cannot find the energy to do even that.

Outside, with the sun having set, the chill creeps in through the aging windowpanes, beneath the outdated architecture of the manor. Franziska is wearing her comforter like a massive, regal cape, one that would make her look like a ruler of all she surveys were it not for the incessant shivering and sniffling. Miles, too, grows cold as the whirling flurries outside crawl beneath his skin, and it gets harder and harder to ignore that it is still December.

“It shouldn’t be,” Miles says. “This language is a pillar of the decay of society.”

“You are a pillar of foolishness,” Franziska retorts, “not to mention a sore loser.”

Miles takes a deep breath, trying so desperately not to envision the shape of his love for his sister as it grows smaller and smaller there in his chest. Perhaps that metaphor isn’t particularly fair—of course he still loves her, he just doesn’t have the patience for this right now. Interacting with anyone in the heart of winter is a chore, and that’s for mere minutes at a time. Being locked in a room for this long with someone as trying as Franziska, it would drive anyone insane.

And there is simply… no reprieve. Because they’re in quarantine, Miles has been commanded by the house’s patriarch to stay exactly where he is. He’s not permitted to even stick his head out the door to breathe anything else besides the same recycled air, feeling thinner and thinner by the minute with the amount of disease it must be carrying. The door might as well be nailed shut.

Franziska is gloating. Miles is staring at her, watching her lips move, but the overhead light is buzzing, it drowns out the noise of all else. That same buzz seems to itch in the space where muscle meets bone, Miles feels it like hundreds of tiny stormclouds beneath his skin. Steeling himself, he keeps his eyes on the floor, away from the walls as the space between them gets smaller and smaller and smaller.

He can’t breathe.

It’s an otherwise unremarkable thing, just a bit of a squeeze in his chest that the air refuses to flow around properly. There’s a sense of coldness in his fingers, like he’s reached out the window and grabbed a handful of snow off the tree, tingling and hard to ignore. Experimentally, he balls a fist, relaxes. He does that a few times, trying to will the blood to warm his digits the way it’s supposed to.

“—and acknowledge me when I speak to you, Miles!”

Miles hears her riding crop whirr past his ear before he feels it hit his hand. A hiss through his teeth is what follows, like his body can’t even find the energy to yelp proper. Any attempt to jerk away from Franziska is lost entirely in the way she gives chase—if he backs up, she’ll easily follow. This close, he feels the fever radiating off her like a space heater, made even more stuffy and suffocating by the way her angry words puff his hair into his face.

The room shrinks, still. Franziska doesn’t seem to notice.

#did you know? maybe dont lock miles in a room he can't get out of.#just an idea.#wip wednesday

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butterfluffy · 2 years

Note

Hellooo if I may request for the "sing me a song" event a Portgas D Ace x Fem!Reader/or just gender neutral(anything is fine!!!) Something About You by Eyedress ? Please make a scenario inspired by this line of the song " She looks just like a dream, The prettiest girl I've ever seen. " And the scenario is they're tired after hanging out for most of the day, then they decided to take a break and watch a scenary somewhere (maybe a sunset?) But all ace could look at is reader since they're the most breathtaking view for him. ITS VERY SAPPY BUT IM IN LOVE W ACEE romantic fluff pls ‼️‼️ thank youuu :3

“something about you”

⠀⠀ੈ♡˳· taking a break after hanging out, ace noticed something about you, realizing that you are the prettiest girl he's ever seen.

⠀⠀➧ r. fluff | p. d. ace × f!reader | oneshot / song fic

⠀⠀➧ warnings — none! mistakes and swearing may be present though.. so do ignore them, thanks!

⠀⠀➧ requests are closed until further notice!

⠀⠀꒰ 🍨 ꒱ notes: welcome to my “sing me a song” event made to honor this account reaching 200+ followers! visit it to see my other works on this special!

reqested by: anonymous — thx for the request, anon! it's really cute, i love it! and thanks for participating on my event! (ʃƪ＾3＾）

Spending the day off together with Ace, you two hung out and had fun—before ending up here on the beach to take a break, chilling there to watch the sun go down.

“Maaaann, it feels nice to finally have a break after all those!” You exclaim in glee, setting a mat down the sandy surface and sitting there.

“Yep, it is quite tiring going around the town and hanging out, haha!” Ace exclaims, plopping himself down the mat beside you as you rolled your eyes.

“Well, look now, we're together yet again, even if the day is already ending.” You chuckle, head thrown back as you recalled the day you've spent with the raven-haired male.

“Heh, we'll always be together, even if the world ends.” He grinned, hand sneakily holding yours as he spoke, causing you to be bashful by his act.

“Pfft, yeah, I know. You won't leave me alone anyway..” Muttering this, you then checked your phone for the time.

“Ah, it's almost time... We'll see the sun setting!” Mentioning this, Ace hums, looking ahead to the waters, to the sun that is slowly going down.

“Hey, babe, why don't we cruise around together again tomorrow?” Your lover suggested as you raised a brow. “After almost getting us on an accident, twice, do you still think Marco will let you borrow his car?”

Snickering by his own mistake, Ace scratched his neck. “My baby, you know that I got you, m'kay? So why don't we hit the road? I'm taking off with you. But let's not hurry. We'll be going 'round again tomorrow using the old man's car!”

“Yeah yeah, but I'm the one who'll drive. I don't want to get on an accident because the driver fell asleep.” Shaking your head as you spoke, Ace laughed.

“...Ah, there we go! The sunset!” Noticing the orange-red hue spread across the sky to your skin, you excitedly pointed to the scenery in front of you while Ace hummed, glancing at the skies.

“Mhm, it's pretty,” Ace commented, eyes travelling back to your figure that watched the scenery presented. “like you.”

Whispering this, Ace was strucked by your beauty that didn't seem to hear his words, only focused on the horizon.

“I've noticed.. There's something about you.” He said to himself, eyes locked on your figure, not daring to look away even for a moment.

“Fuck, she looks just like a dream, the prettiest girl I've ever seen from the cover of a magazine..” Ace blurted out with a mumble, talking to himself about you, your beauty that caught his heart.

“We stayed up all night and slept 'til noon.. It's so nice to wake up next to you.” Gulping, Ace then had this red blush across his face, highlighting his freckles.

“Let's start the day with breakfast in bed....” Thinking of a life together with you forever, Ace's heart thumped loudly.

“Think I'm gonna love you 'til I'm dead.” He dreamily sighed out, heart and sparkles surrounding him.

“I can't wait to buy you things, a brand new diamond ring... This is more than just a fling.” Actually thinking of proposing to you upon being mesmerized by you, Ace hid his face on your shoulder, embracing you tightly.

“There's something about you, girl. Something about you that got me loving you more and more....”

#ੈ♡˳· butterfluffy #ੈ♡˳· fluff reaches 200 followers!#ੈ♡˳· fluff's milestone event!#portgas d. ace x reader #ace one piece x reader #ace x reader #fire fist ace #one piece #one piece x reader #one piece fanfiction #one piece oneshot #one piece songfic #one piece scenario #ੈ♡˳· “sing me a song” · event

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bloodredmoon42 · 2 years

Text

Pretty Things in an Ugly Underground Chapter 1: Broken Chains

Im starting up fanfic writing because im mentally ill and sad. Heres a Silco fic because ahahhhah seggsy older man

First time posting fics on tumblr bc I usually put them on ao3 so Im also cross posting for the first time

CW: Slave trade mentioned, Trauma

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40432281/chapters/101287404

You shivered in your thin clothes as Finn led you down the hall. Clothes was a generous term to describe the tattered garments covering your form, a short, dirty slip being the only thing preventing the prying eyes of the world from seeing the entirety of your form. Your long, sensitive ears heard the gentle metal that connected your throat to Finn’s hand almost jingle, an odd irony. The melodic noise almost distracted you from the new reality of your situation, almost.

“We’re here,” Finn uttered. He turned to you and leaned over you, your heart racing. “You remember the rules I told you?” You gulped loudly, remembering the second rule, and opened your mouth, but sound refused to come out.

“Good girl,” Finn leaned down to whisper in your ear with a smile “You remembered rule number 2, don’t speak unless indicated. You’re smarter than you look. Now what are the other rules? Speak.”

“Do everything you say, don’t look at Silco, and you can send me back where you got me,” you managed to force out behind a quivering voice.

“Good. We’re here,” Finn said, what little sun that could shine through the smog and windows of the Undercity reflecting off his metallic jaw.

“W-wait!” You blurt out before realizing your mistake and covering your mouth, Finn’s head snapped to you.

“What is it?” He responded, roughly grabbing your long ear and tugging on it, a silent gesture to both remind you of your mistake and remind you not to make it again.

“How will I know who Silco is so I don’t look at him,” you utter, trying not to yelp from the pain of your sensitive ears being yanked.

“You’ll know,” Finn replies, releasing your ear and placing his hand on the large door in front of him. You hear creaks and groans as the hinges strain to hold the weight while the doors swing open. You quickly remember to look down.

“What is *that* Finn?” You heard a powerful voice spit in your direction, Finn was right, you knew, that was Silco.

“Isn’t she captivating?” Finn drawled, hands grabbing your ears again and running his hands up the fur towards the end. “She’s a Vastaya, native to Ionia but brought here for me to play with.” Finn continued. “She’s part bunny, so I’m sure she’s desperate for someone to play with.” Finn slowly reached his hand around your body to grope your breast in front of the room. It surprised you, causing you to flinch.

“Is that so Finn?” The disembodied but powerful voice uttered, “She doesn’t seem all that enthusiastic about the arrangement.

“Well that’s too bad isn’t it Silco?” Finn resumed, squeezing his hand grabbing your skin, subtle rage radiating off of him. “What she wants isn’t of my concern,” The squeezing became painful, and you let out a small squeak. You heard Finn’s jaw creak slightly with the cruel smile spreading across his face.

“Girl… are you happy about this… arrangement?” You heard Silco question, afraid to answer as to avoid angering Finn further. Amidst your silence, the only sound you registered was the gentle clicks of someone wearing expensive shoes walking towards you.

“I’ve already trained her to respond to me,” Finn leered, he pulled on the chain connected to your collar, which forced your neck to drop, “Only me”. The footsteps stopped and you saw the boots of their owner, they looked very well made, well at least they once were. This was sometime who splurged occasionally but used the items until they fell apart. They had money, but not enough to not be smart about it.

“Hm” you heard a gentle sardonic laugh fill your ears. “Look at me, little bunny,” Silco uttered lowly, the pet name set your heart into overdrive, instincts telling you vastly conflicting things. Your mind however, snapped back to Finn’s instructions. He would punish you, and given his treatment of you when he was supposedly happy,, when he was displeased in private, he would be much worse. But this Silco… whoever he was, was more terrifying, given what little information you had, he was dangerous. Your heart wanted to look and your mind agreed that whatever punishment Finn could dish you paled in comparison to what Silco could do if he wanted. So you look.

Your eyes slowly raised, eyes trying to avoid any aspect of the man before you to keep your heart rate in check, when it couldn’t be avoided, you looked into his eyes. What you saw staring back into your eyes was a cold calculating ice blue eye, and fiery blood iris in a coal black sky as the other eye. Without even choosing to, you tried seeing past the eyes before you, taking a peak into the soul behind them, and you saw pain and rage. The eyes then hardened and your small peak was interrupted, he knew what you were doing. In panic and embarrassment you snapped your eyes away.

A small chuckle from this being of calculating intensity reaches your ears, shortly followed by a “Good girl”, when Finn said it earlier you felt nothing, you cringed internally and almost shuddered at the sound and memory of your new fate in the hands of this new owner. But hearing Silco say it was an entirely different experience, you felt proud that this man said you were good. You felt wanted and… different, in a way you couldn’t describe but your instincts could, you were turned on.

“I can tell you want her Silco, unfortunately you can’t have what’s already been taken,” Finn sneered, roughly grabbing your chin and forcing you to look at him.

“And I can tell you’re an idiot Finn,” Silco uttered, already tired of his behaviour “I would have thought that it was obvious that we don’t support slavery, sexual or otherwise, in the Underground. I guess we have to make it an official decree for the idiots who don’t understand why we’re trying to separate from Topside.”

“I’ve already paid for her, she’s legally mine,” Finn scoffed, blatantly grabbing your ass and pulling your tail, which forced you to yelp.

“We don’t recognize any legally binding contracts in unsavory markets such as slavery.” Silco coldly spit. “Sevika…” Silco motioned his hand and a tall woman with a mechanical arm started walking towards you and the two men arguing for your status.

“You may want to remove your hand from her, for your own sake.” Silco starts. Finn begins to protest but has to leap out of the way to avoid the large blade suddenly transforming out of the woman’s mechanical arm. You almost bumped into Silco trying to leap away from the danger but he put his arm out to stop you, hand grasping your shoulder. The blade swung down between you and Finn, the sharp blade slicing the metal chain like it was thread.

“You can’t just fucking take my shit Silco!” Finn swore at the man who didn't flinch at the obscenities. This only angered him more and he strode up to you and Silco, intent on getting his hands on you.

“How much did you pay for her?” Silco asked calmly, using his arm to push you behind him. At these words Finn stopped moving and perked his ears up, looking a tad confused and wary at the same time. “I’ll pay you if you resign yourself of this childish power fantasy,” Silco retorted, picking up on his obvious cluelessness.

“Well when you put it like that,” Finn chuckled, crossing his arms, “you have a deal. She ran me about 150 Golden Hexes”

“Good to know that's the price you put on life, Finn, you can’t even haggle with Noxian slavers” Silco uttered, barely flinching at the monstrous amount. “In kind, I’ll pay you what your life is worth to me, you’ll be fairly compensated” Silco motioned towards the tall lady, Sevika you remembered her being called. Sevika walked over and handed Silco a coin purse, Silco fished around for a few moments and tossed a small handful of silver coins to Finn, who let them all fall to the ground unceremoniously.

“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Finn groaned, “I paid top dollar to get her here, you’re just jealous because you have the hots for her, but she’s mine,”

“What’s her name Finn?” Silco snapped, fed up at the behaviour coming from his associate.

“Bunny,” Finn spit as he took out a lighter and flicked it open, “that’s what I named her.”

“This meeting is over,” Silco turned to walk towards the door, without thinking, you reached your arm out and grabbed at his sleeve. The whole aura around him changed, immediately noticing your mistake you released your grasp almost as fast. “Bring her, Sevika” Silco finally orders before walking towards the door

“Come on,” the low sturdy voice of Sevika uttered towards you, a light push on your shoulder leading you towards the path following Silco. “Where are we taking her?”

Silco’s feet stopped, and he turned to you, eyes meeting again, for just a moment. You thought about pushing through them again for a moment, deciding not to push your luck.

“Someplace safe to talk about her future,” The sharp voice ahead of you responded.

Your form was curled up on the soft, juniper green couch when the door opened and you shot up. You guessed you had fallen asleep after being escorted here by Sevika, you remembered walking through a loud room with lots of people.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” a low voice said, drawing your attention to the door, your gaze found Silco closing the door. He was by himself, you started to stand. “No, please, I’m sure you must be exhausted.” Your eyes followed him as he strode through the room and sat at a large desk. Your eyes wandered to the intricate glass window behind him, pale green glass bathing the room in a verdant light, it reminded you vaguely of the glades back home, but this light was evidently artificial.

“You can continue to rest if you wish,” Silco’s voice had torn you from your thoughts, “I just have paperwork that demands my attention,” You looked back over to him and saw him rifling through papers, “We can discuss your situation when you’re ready.”

A beat passed before you stood up and padded over to the desk, “I’d rather not delay that conversation…” you responded in a quiet voice.

“So you can speak, that’s good.” Silco said without looking up from the paperwork. “What’s your name?”

“I’ve been given so many it’s hard to recall…” you replied sheepishly, hands reaching up to play with your hair, adjusting a strand that bothered your long sensitive ears.

“What name would you like to be called then?” Silco sighed, you could tell it wasn’t out of annoyance, it had just been a long day for him. This was clearly after hours.

You thought about it for a moment. “Y/N”

“Well then Y/N I may not be able to arrange first class accommodations but we will be able to get you back to Ionia soon.”

“W-what?” You lightly exclaim, which caused Silco to look up, which in turn forced you to look down to avoid his gaze, “I mean no disrespect… Sir…” You uttered, struggling to find a proper term to address him by. “But what do you mean send me back to Ionia?” Silco seemed almost surprised at your words.

“Do you not want to go home?” He questioned, leaning back in his chair, you felt his eyes studying you. You look down to avoid his gaze.

“Sir… I don’t have a home to go to, those men… there’s nothing left of my village but smoke and ashes,” you responded, ferociously trying to swallow tears. You sensed no movement from the man in front of you, but you felt his scalding gaze from his fiery eye. “If I go back… maybe the next person who buys me won’t be as kind as you”. You felt the energy around him flicker. You were good at sensing these kinds of things.

“Kind is a strong word, one I do not identify with,” Silco interjected, reaching down into his desk and grabbing a bottle and two glasses.

“You’re the first person in a very long time who has spoken on my behalf. Spoken for my well being,” you replied, watching Silco set the two glasses on the desk and pour an amber into them. “It’s more than I can ask for from a master,”

“That’s another thing I am not, I didn’t buy you to be your master,” Silco slid one glass forward, you finally sat down and picked up the glass to take a sip after seeing him do the same. The drink tasted smoky almost and felt warm in your core. “I compensated an idiot who graciously freed you,”.

“I’m… free?” You uttered out loud but mainly to yourself. It didn’t sound real.

“Yes, you can choose what you’d like to do with your life,” Silco watched your face as you tried to comprehend the news. “If you do not wish to return to Ionia, I can try to assist you within reason to get you situated in the Underground if you wish.”

“Can I work for you?” You almost blurted out, the drink making your head swim in thoughts.

“I beg your pardon?” Silco responded.

“I’d like to stay here if that’s alright…” you repeated, looking up at him. “This is the first time I’ve felt safe in more weeks than I remember, I’m happy to clean and cook or whatever you need. You don’t even have to pay me, just let me stay here please. I just…” the words struggled to come out “please let me stay here with you,”.

“My work is very dangerous Y/N,” Silco objected, “I deal with dangerous people and sell dangerous things, and you’re very… how shall I say… soft”. Your ears shot up and a warm pink blush spread across your face. The drink mixed with his unending molten gaze making your face heat up and instincts awaken. “I didn’t mean to offend,” Silco interjected.

“No, you didn’t!” You insisted, “ Your words just… surprised me. Without a chain around my neck I can handle myself decently, my legs are incredibly strong.”

“Hm,” was all he said in response, you saw both his eyes study your face, then his gaze travelled downward slightly before snapping back up to your face, an act you pretended not to notice. “Very well, you may stay and help around the facility.” Relief washed through your body. “You may sleep tonight here, tomorrow we’ll get you situated. You nod and pad over to the couch and lie back down, still drained from the events of today.

“Sir?” You questioned aloud to the room.

“My name is Silco, you’re welcome to use it.” You heard in response, along with the clink of the glass and the scratching of pen on paper.

“I appreciate this. I hope I can make it up to you Silco” you uttered, the sounds of writing diminishing for a moment.

“I don’t think you’ll have a problem with that,” you heard Silco lowly reply. You felt the energy from his side of the room shift in a way you felt meant you weren’t supposed to hear that, but your sensitive ears were more than capable. You wanted to try to infer what he meant by that but the drink made all your thoughts go to inappropriate possibilities, so you didn’t infer further.

“Goodnight Silco,”

“Goodnight Y/N”

#silco x reader #silco x y/n #silco #silco fanfic #arcane #fanfic

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