Tumgik
#this took two and a half hours?? and idk i like how rough it looks
sister-lucifer · 17 hours
Text
Hatchet Whore
Toby Rogers X Male Reader
Dubious consent, little to no preparation, anal, mentions of blood/anal bleeding, degrading, being caught after the act, no aftercare, you're literally getting a hatchet up your ass idk what to tell you buddy chum pals
!!NOT WRITTEN BY ME, THIS IS A GIFT FROM A FRIEND!!
Oh, you felt pathetic.
Just an hour ago, you were exploring the huge forest near your smaller town, the twigs and pine cones crunching under your feet as you listened to the birds chirping, smiling as you saw a squirrel dashing through the pine needles.
It was a bit silly why you came here, really. Everyone always spoke of a tall, pale man with no face, one who wore a suit, who took stupid little forest travelers and never let them go home.
You didn't exactly find him. More like you were found by these...men. A man in a yellow hoodie, a guy in a white mask, and a boy with orange goggles and a sly grin. You were knocked out for who knows how long, waking up in a dingy, dirty old basement, the first two men leaving as you woke. Leaving you with this…guy.
-
Toby felt a bit bad for the guy. He wasn't causing any trouble, technically, but God knows how much the crunching pinecones made the Masks' go into sensory overload, especially when Masky seemed to be in charge. But, then again..he's never been a selfless man.
"I-I've got a d-d-" Toby made several popping sounds with his mouth, frowning a bit before continuing, his neck occasionally jerking. "D-deal for y-you!" Toby grinned, an odd look in his eyes. A very, very clear look in his eyes. "I-I'll let you — entitled to compensation! — g-g-go-..if."
-
"I'm not letting you shove your nasty cock in me, who knows how long you've been in this forest without a bath-...no offense." The proxy didn't seem to take any offense, only nodding with an involuntary whistle of his tongue.
Toby had a grin on his face as he unscrewed the cap of his plastic water bottle, his hands rough and scarred yet his fingers lean. He carefully poured the half left in the bottle over the handle of his hatchet. "N-no problem, I c-can — fuck! fuck! fuck! — work w-with t-that."
He was silent save for the occasional pop of the tongue as he pushed you to lay on your back, ignoring your grumbling as he grabbed the waistband of your shorts and boxers, tugging them both down. He grinned as he shoved his fingers in your mouth, giggling maniacally as you were forced to drool over them.
He snickered a bit as he jammed his fingers down your throat, causing you to gag before he finally stopped his miniature assault on your throat. He prodded at your hole for a minute, staring intensely at your face as he harshly shoved two inside. He didn't give you a second to adjust, only giggling as he intently watched you attempt to stop your face contorting with pleasure.
He finally removed his fingers after a few minutes, ignoring your whimper at the loss as he firmly gripped the upper handle of the axe, the blade resting directly underneath his fist. His face showed clear concentration as he slowly brought the hilt to you, breaching your tight ring of muscle as you moaned, covering your mouth.
He snickered as he slowly brought it back out, only to violently shove the handle in until his fist rested on your ass, letting you moan into your hands. He repeated this a few times, before reaching up with his free hand to jerk yours away from your mouth.
"I w-wanna hear you, f-freak.."
He held your hands in his as he continued his rapid pistoning of the hilt into you, letting you squeeze his hand as you moaned, back arching as he shoved the rough wood into your prostate. If you could have lifted your head, you would've seen the tent in the man's jeans as he fucked the weapon into you.
You could barely function anymore, your aching cock red and untouched as he started to mutter to you. "Oh, f-fuck, imagine if i-it broke — entitled to compensation! — i-inside you, oh, fuck-" He grinned at your slightly fearful, cockdrunk (hatchetdrunk?) face as he continued his little ramble. "Y-you think you'd b-bleed? Y-you'd probably c-cum from it, you f-fucking slut..!" Toby looked close to cumming in his pants just from the idea of blood leaking from your tight hole.
His eyes were filled with excitement as he again shoved the hatchet as far as it could reach, seemingly not noticing your tight grip on his hand as you screamed, eyes rolling back a bit as your leaking, red cock finally got its oh-so-needed release, spilling onto your tummy and thighs. "O-ohh, fuck, you really — fuck! — a-are a s-slut, huh..?"
You didn't- hell, couldn't- answer as you panted, your cock softening as you came down from your high. He placed his hatchet to the side, neck jerking slightly as he slowly smeared your cum up to your chest with his thumb. "C-cumming from a f-fucking h-hatchet u-up — fuck! — up your ass..f-freak! Little freak!"
Despite his cruel words, he helped you sit up, tugging your shirt back down. You leaned against the basement's wall again as he tugged your shorts back up to your waist, not bothering to clean you up at all. "F-fuck, I'll be in s-so much trouble..y-you shut up, okay?"
He didn't bother to acknowledge your nod of agreement as he heard the basement's door creak open again. Hoodie and an unmasked Tim stood there, completely still for a moment until Tim spoke. "Toby, what the fuck, man."
"S-shit."
33 notes · View notes
bunnywritesjunk · 9 months
Text
My King
Tumblr media
Series summary: Your parents signed you up for an Alpha Omega Match company when you were eighteen. It took years for them to find your match, but you meet the giant austrian man. Will he be a good partner?
Chapter summary: König is a little bit jealous about Soap's cookies.
Pairing: König x Fem Reader
Warnings: A/B/O dynamics (Never use this abbreviation without the slashes it is an indigenous slur) 18+ MDNI, unprotected sex, knotting, oral (male and female receiving) rough sex.
Word count: 3k
Genre: Mostly Fluff a little angst here and there. Smut.
A/n: Come get it hot ya'll. I know many have been waiting for this. and I wanted to add a little hit for maybe another series. Maybe.....you guys might want......something like this.....but with.....the ghost man? Idk maybe thats coming who knows.
Previous Chapter
Chapter Four:
The rain pattered down your bedroom window. The noise lulls you into a lazy half-sleep state. You snuggled into your nest feeling content. König had gone to get groceries and insisted you stay home, out of the rain. You heard him come through the front door clumsily. You begrudgingly left your nest and went to the kitchen. There, König was his shoes were wet tracking water into the kitchen. His wet jacket was abandoned on the floor near the front door. He glanced at you, he had his surgical mask on as well as a beanie. He was muttering to himself clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Kö, how about you go get changed I'll put away the food.” You knew he was overstimulated from the shopping trip and getting caught in the rain.
He didn't say anything as he rushed off to his room. You put the groceries away and mopped up the water that was on the floor. König came back looking slightly better in dry clothes. He stood near the kitchen his gaze toward the floor. You took his hand and guided him to the couch. He went nonverbal like this a few times during your stay with him. You knew he needed some time to relax before his words returned. You wrapped a throw blanket around him and put on a nature documentary. Nature shows were what he watched most, except when you wanted to watch cartoons or reality tv. After a few minutes, König looked more relaxed. He spoke.
“Schatz, two of my coworkers are in the city today. Would you like to meet them? They want to take me to a bar somewhere.”
“Oh, I'd love to meet them Kö. Will they be here soon?”
“They'll be here in about an hour after I give them the ok.”
“What are their names?” You asked.
“Ghost and Soap, one of which you kind of already know.”
You gasped excitedly. “I finally get to meet Soap! I promised to make some cookies for him.” You started gathering the ingredients.
König watched you from the couch. “You promised him cookies?”
“Yeah, as a thank you for helping me with your surprise.”
König growled lowly causing you to stop in your tracks. You looked up at him with a concerned look on your face. Your inner Omega was getting upset, what had you done that upset him?
“Alpha? What's wrong?” You asked.
König looked down. “...You're making cookies for him, and not me?”
The concern on your face was replaced by amusement. “König, of course, you can have some.” You chuckled.
König got up and walked to the kitchen. “It's not funny Schatz, I don't want you baking for another Alpha.” He growled.
You continued searching for the cookie ingredients not feeling phased but the intimidation your Alpha was trying to display.
“Alpha, I cook and bake so much for you. You can stand to let me make some cookies for your friend.”
König was slightly embarrassed at his own jealousy. He growled again but left you be, going back to watch his documentary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The cookie dough was resting in the fridge as you sat with your Alpha. He was still a bit sour toward you about the cookies.
“Kö, I will make you your own special batch of cookies ok?”
“Hmph.” He replies, making you pout.
“I'll get you back.” He says.
You give him a puzzled look. Before you can ask what he means, the doorbell rings. He gets up and heads downstairs to retrieve his coworkers. He returned with two men in tow. One was tall, still shorter than König but he still towered over you. He was wearing a balaclava with a skull on it along with oversized black clothing. The other man had a bright smile on his face. He had a short mohawk and an army green jacket with jeans. You got up and introduced yourself while shaking their hands.
“Nice to finally meet you, I'm Soap.” The one with the mohawk said as you shook his hand.
“Ghost.” The taller one responded shortly. You gave him a warm smile and he nodded in acknowledgment.
The men sat on the couch talking amongst themselves. You decided to bake off some cookies for soap while he was still here. You could feel König's gaze on the back of your head as you baked. They put on a Rugby game to watch. You didn't know the first thing about Rugby so, you gave them space. As the cookies baked you sat at the dining room table and wrote for a little while. Whenever you glanced at König, he seemed content but something was off about him. The cookies didn't take very long to bake, when they were done you let them cool and placed them in a Tupperware container for Soap. After about an hour, they were getting ready to leave to go to the bar. You handed the cookies to Soap and bid them farewell. Soap gave you a warm hug and followed Ghost out of the apartment. König gave you a look, but hugged you tightly.
“I'll be back late tonight.” He kissed your cheek and left.
You went back to the table and continued to write. Time got away from you and before you knew it, it was midnight. Your eyes burned slightly from watching the bright computer screen for so long. You got up and stretched walking to the kitchen to grab yourself a snack. You got some cheese and crackers and sat on the couch watching a random robot chicken episode. Your body relaxed into the couch feeling heavier with each passing second. You fell asleep with a cracker still on your chest listening to the tv drone on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
König got home around 1:30 am. He was still annoyed at how his Omega had dismissed him about the cookies earlier. He knew that you were just a sweet and loving girl that wanted to show appreciation for Soap. He would let that slide, But his Alpha needed her to know who she belonged to. He walked in and noticed you asleep on the couch, cracker crumbs all over you. König smiled at the sight his inner Alpha preened. He set his things down and walked over to the sleeping Omega kneeling before her. He picked her up gently. You stirred awake at the movement, sleepy eyes meeting his.
“Hi, Kö.” You said quietly.
He said nothing. You thought he was going to take you into your room but he passed it and opened the door to his. His scent was so potent, you stirred more aware of where he was taking you. He placed you on his bed and turned around to rummage through his closet. You sat up confused and groggy.
“Am I your Alpha?” He asked lowly.
“What?” You said confused.
He turned to you, his expression unreadable. “Am I your Alpha?” He repeated.
“Yes, you are my Alpha.”
“Hmm, yet you give affection to others.” He said while taking his shirt off. His muscled rippled beneath his scarred skin.
“Kö, I just wanted to show my gratitude.” You rubbed your eye trying to wipe away the sleep.
“I know sweet girl.” He turned and walked over to you, towering over the bed.
He leaned down pinning your chin between his thumb and index finger forcing you to look up at him. “I think it's time you learn who you belong to Schatz.”
Your eyebrows furrowed. “Alpha?”
He kissed you deeply forcing his tongue into your mouth. You leaned back slightly surprised, he used that opportunity to lay you on your back. His knee parted your legs and you gasped softly. His hand gripped the back of your neck firmly keeping you in place as he kissed you, the other hand roamed your torso feverishly. You gripped his shoulders to steady yourself as the massive man dominated your mouth. His hand made its way under your shirt fondling your bare breasts. His rough fingertips grazed over your nipples drawing small moans and whimpers from you.
König detached himself from your mouth and started to nibble and kiss your scent glands. Your toes curled as your Omega mewled and purred. You opened your legs wider so his hips slot in between them perfectly. He released a deep growl, pleased at your compliance. He lifted your shirt up and over your head throwing it somewhere unseen. König kissed down your body giving your neck and a few licks before continuing the journey down. König slid your shorts and panties off in a swift movement.
He folded your legs up keeping his hands under your knees giving him full access to you. Your folds were dripping with slickness, ready to receive attention from your Alpha. He gave a long flat lick over your clit making you shiver. His tongue moved expertly around it quickly learning what makes you writhe. The gentle sucks and teasing licks were driving you over the edge. You moaned louder and louder gripping his hair. Every time you'd get close he'd slow down and tease your clit once again.
“Alpha...please.” You cried.
König looked at you through his eyelashes, a predatory glint in his eye. Your legs shook with every movement his tongue made. You whimpered loudly begging him to let you cum.
“Please Alpha. Please please please let me cum.” Your breathing is increasingly labored.
König hummed pleased with your begging and went back to ravishing your clit. You came quickly and hard your thighs squeezing the sides of his head. You felt your slit coat his mouth and drip onto the bed. He released your legs, they dangled over the side of the bed lazily. König stood up licking his lips of your juices. He unbuckled his pants and pulled them down. His cock sprung out with force slapping his stomach. In your orgasm, dazed state all you could do was stare at the large appendage. König pulled down to the edge of the bed making you sit up. He caressed your face with his thumb.
“You like what you see Schatz?” He asked teasingly.
He guided you off the bed to a kneeling position, he grabbed the hair around the crown of your head tightly. You nodded looking up at your giant Alpha. With his other hand, he rubbed his wet tip against your lips gently asking for you to open up. You parted your lips and König wasted no time filling your mouth. He sighed deeply using your hair to guide your head in long strokes. You pressed your tongue against the underside of his dick sucking gently.
“Just like that Omega.” He groaned.
König thrusted gently into your mouth trying his best not to choke you. He felt the back of your throat rub his tip with every thrust making him moan. He moved your head faster ripples of pleasure ran up his spine every time your lips puckered sliding over his shaft. He felt himself get closer and closer the hand in your hair gripped tighter. His grunts turned into short growls. Right before he came he pulled you off of his cock, a string of saliva connecting your mouth to his tip.
König bent down and picked you up under your thighs, placing your butt on the edge of the bed. He used his arm to hold your legs together, you rested them on his left shoulder. He leaned down pressing his tip in between your folds. He used one hand to hold both of your ankles and the other hand guided his cock into your heat. The tip pushed in with ease your wetness making him growl lowly. You whimpered as he stretched you out trying your best to relax. He pushed in slowly thrusting occasionally to help you get used to his girth. Every inch he pushed into you he restrained himself with a hiss.
König looked down at your face, scrunched up in pleasure. He pressed his hand onto your stomach keeping you in place as he rocked into you. When he finally bottomed out you were a quivering moaning mess. You had never had sex with an Alpha. He was going to ruin you for anyone else. König started thrusting at a painfully slow pace, making sure you were adjusting and not in any serious pain. He leaned down pressing your thighs into your torso creating an angle that had you seeing stars. His thrust gradually got faster. König clenched his jaw tightly, your wetness pulled growls from his throat.
“You're being such a good Omega, you take me so nicely.” He said breathlessly.
You clenched around his cock tightly at his praise. Your tits bounced as his thrusts increasingly got harder and rougher. He used his thumb to rub gentle circles around your sensitive clit as he thrusts. You moaned and gasped as he pulled you closer to your second orgasm. His thrusts became animalistic in nature, almost making you scream at the force.
“You're mine...Say it.” König growled out.
“I-I'm yours Alpha.” You managed to stutter out weakly.
“Louder.” He pounded into you harder.
“I'm yours!” You screamed.
Your orgasm hit you like a freight train. Your body shook and spasmed on his cock. You felt his knot grow, catching the edge of your hole. The sensitivity making you twitch. König came with a loud guttural moan, locking his knot inside you.
König gently opened your legs so you can straddle him. He picked you up bringing your face close to his. Your eyes were glazed over and your breathing still hadn't slowed. He kissed you gently before nuzzling his nose into your scent glands. He laid you down on the bed rotating you so your back is to his chest. He tried his best not to move his knot but the position change still made you whimper. He pulled his blanket over your body and held you close keeping his nose buried in your neck. You purred softly as he gave you gentle kisses. You fell asleep quickly and the Alpha followed suit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The bed shifted stirring you awake. Everything around you smelt like König, including yourself. The dull ache in between your thighs was enough to remind you of last night's events. König snuggled into your hair inhaling deeply. He was incredibly infatuated with this Omega. You caressed his broad arms that were wrapped around you.
“Morning Kö.”
“Good Morning, Schatz. How are you feeling?”
“A little sore but I'm ok.”
“Was I too rough with you? I'm sorry.” He apologized quickly.
“No König, you were fine. Better than fine. You were amazing.” You said with a giggle.
König smiled and got up, stretching his back. He walked to his closet to get some clean clothes. You couldn't help but stare at his perfectly square butt and small waist.
“I'll make you breakfast, Ja?”
“Mm, I'd like that.”
He got dressed and went to the kitchen. You snuggled in his sheets smiling to yourself. Your Alpha has knotted you. You wondered if he'd take the next step with you. Your inner Omega ached at the thought of König marking you. You knew he wouldn't without an explicit and long talk about it. He wanted to make sure you had no doubts about being marked by him. König came back after a few minutes with an omelet for you. You sat and took the plate happily. König watched you with adoration as you ate. You were such a good little Omega, so perfect for him. His inner Alpha was at his loudest today than he had ever been.
After you ate you got up and went to your room to get dressed. Your legs still trembled and ached but you ignored it. You changed into comfy clothes and grabbed a blanket from your nest to snuggle with on the couch. You put on your favorite cartoon and bundled up. König joined you after a little while, having made breakfast for himself. He ate quickly and turned to look at you.
“Schatz, I have something to speak with you about.” He said.
You got nervous at his tone but smiled anyways. “What is it?”
“After Christmas, I have to go back to work.”
“...Yeah well, I know.” You said sounding a little disappointed.
“That means that sometimes, I will be gone for weeks at a time. Sometimes even months.”
You nodded looking down. He continued.
“My job...It's dangerous. I come home hurt sometimes. One day, I may not come home at all.”
“Kö, don't say that please.”
“It is the truth, Schatz. If you are to be mine, I need you to understand these things.”
“But, I don't want to think that every time you leave you might die. That makes it so much harder.” The thought made you tear up.
König scooted closer to you and pressed your head into his chest, holding you in a tight embrace.
“No, you don't have to think that, I've survived this long. But now I have someone to live for. I will come home to you, always.”
“You promise?”
“I promise, Schatz.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus: Ghost and Soap.
The bar was loud and lively. König had left a few minutes ago to be with his Omega, leaving Ghost and Soap to their own devices.
“So, what do you think about her?” Soap asked referring to Konigs Omega.
“She's sweet, it'll do him good to have someone soft in his life.” Ghost responded.
“Yeah, I was thinking about it myself.”
Ghost raised an eyebrow. “What? Doing that match-making bullshit?”
“It worked for that big brute, why couldn't it work for me?” Soap chuckled.
Ghost didn't really have an answer. He'd be lying if he said he didn't think about signing up after hearing about König's success with the program. Romance wasn't really his thing. He had ignored his Alpha for so long that he barely feels him anymore. But seeing the Colonel and his Omega gave him hope. Maybe there was someone out there. Someone made for him, someone perfect for him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
taglist:
@that-fangirl-1106 @itsryuken @midwesternwitchery @hiken-no-stark @rouge-swears @the-chaotic-cow @a-gay-cryptid @wybwtjmiadz @somanyminidragons @tizylish @smutslutsposts @y2katsuki @thychuvaluswife @gxdsmonsters @undeadgod @multy-fandom-lover @cloudyyjanee @bobafett-tea @mxkaylaj
I hope I got everyone!
985 notes · View notes
atlabeth · 3 months
Text
(they all say that) it gets better | luke castellan
bleedin' me dry for context (this is that reader's origin story!!)
summary: a look into your unclaimed year.
a/n: does it still count as fluff if you already know it doesn’t end well? idk but i’m having fun writing for this pair so it’s okay. i hope you guys are enjoying reading them!! this ended up becoming a hell of a lot longer than i thought it would be but these kind of one shots are my faves to write lol
title from teenage dream by olivia rodrigo bc apparently guts teenage angst works very well for a demigod who feels like they're worthless and unwanted for a good period of time!! shoutout to the gods
wc: 11.4k JESUS
warning(s): fem!child of demeter reader. typical anger at the gods, but luke is actually pretty sweet! crazy. mostly hurt/comfort, reader is going through it at the beginning (mentions of injuries and almost dying), honestly she's going through it the whole time but luke is very nice to her lol. barely proofread bc proofing 34 pages is a nightmare !!
Tumblr media
It was your first day as a demigod and you were already off to a bad start. 
You didn’t remember much, obviously. There was a lot of stumbling, barely held up by your satyr as you crossed the border, and then full on collapsing. Somehow you managed to stay conscious all the way to the infirmary, enough to hear shocked murmurs from the people-like blobs around you and terrified, whispered affirmations from your satyr as he ran along with whoever was carrying you. 
You didn’t remember much. But you do remember thinking what a shameful existence it would be to die at fourteen. 
And now you were sitting in an uncomfortable cot, staring at the wall and counting divots. The first half of your visit was only there in flashes as you drifted in and out of consciousness, but now, unfortunately, you were fully awake. You belatedly wondered how many other kids began their camp life with a stay at the infirmary. 
The thought was dashed from your head as you jolted and cried out in sudden pain, and you shot daggers with your glare at the boy next to you.  
“Sorry.” The boy fixing you up was about your age, and he almost seemed to glow from within. “You dislocated your shoulder—I was popping it back into place.”
“You could have warned me,” you seethed.
“I did,” he said, and when he placed his hands on your shoulder they actually did glow. “You just weren’t listening.”
“...Sorry,” you said after a moment. “I’m having a rough day.” 
He shook his head with a slight smile. “It’s expected.” 
“It’ll be okay,” your satyr said, and some of the tension left your shoulders as you looked over at Tate. He’d been by your side for the past two weeks of disasters, and you’d saved each other’s lives more times than you could count. You were just thankful he didn’t have to watch you die. “Jace is one of camp’s best healers. You’re in good hands.” 
You nodded, not wanting to cause any more problems, so you bit your lip and bit your tongue and let him heal the rest of your injuries in silence. He was done soon enough, and you could feel both their eyes on you as you rifled through your backpack. Thankfully, Tate brought it in as you were dying. Your own blood stained the nylon. 
“How do you feel?” Tate asked anxiously. 
“Better,” you said, tearing your eyes away from it as you continued making sure all your belongings were still there. “A lot better. Not like there’s much competition.”
Tate chuckled, and Jace picked up a small bag from the bedside table and handed it to you—it looked like there were little pieces of fudge inside. “Here.” 
“What’s this?” you asked as you took it. 
“Ambrosia,” he said. “Wait a few hours before you have a piece, and only have a little if you feel a lot of pain. I already gave you nectar while you were out, and the last thing we need is you burning up.” 
You looked at Tate with raised eyebrows and he smiled a bit. “Ambrosia and nectar are the food of the gods. It heals demigods in small portions, but take too much and you’ll get a fever. Worst case scenario, you’ll literally burn up from the inside.” 
“Oh,” you said, and you stuffed the bag into your pack before zipping it up. “I’ll… I’ll wait.” 
“Probably a good idea,” Jace said, and he looked over at your satyr as he stood up. “I’ve gotta get back to my sword-fighting lessons. Can you give her a tour?” 
He shook his head. “I have to debrief with Chiron and Mr. D. There were some… rough things on the road.” Tate looked at you. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes— are you sure you’ll be okay?” 
“It’s fine,” you said with a smile. “Do your thing. I’ll look around some, then we’ll find each other later.” 
Tate nodded thankfully and went through an open door opposite your bed, and Jace gave you a tight smile as he started to put away all the medical supplies he used on you. You sighed, slung your bag over your shoulder, and walked out. 
You shut the door behind you and blinked rapidly as you tried to adjust to the sunlight. Then, you heard someone sigh. 
“Thank the gods you’re okay.” 
You turned to see a boy standing up from the wall. Dark curls hung just above his eyes, a contrast to his tanned skin, slightly red from exertion. He was wearing the same bright orange shirt that your healer was—Camp Halfblood, it said in curved text. He was far too pretty for his own good. 
“I’m the one who carried you in,” he said, and you realized you were frowning. “Wanted to make sure you were okay.” 
“Oh,” you said. “That’s… that’s nice of you.” 
“It’s been a while since we’ve gotten someone new,” he said. “Even longer since they’ve had such a dramatic entrance.” 
You shrugged. You didn’t exactly know what to say to this boy. “Sorry.” 
He paused for a moment, and then he nodded. “Not one for conversation. That’s fine.” 
“I did almost just die,” you said wryly. “I’m fresh out of icebreakers at the moment.” 
“Maybe I can help with that.” He held out his hand. “Luke Castellan. Head Counselor of the Hermes cabin, and apparent rescuer of damsels.” 
You huffed a laugh as you stared at him. “I’m a damsel?” 
“I’d say you were in as much distress as someone could be back there,” he said with a shrug. “I practically saved your life. I think that deserves a handshake.” 
The slightest bit of tension dissolved from your shoulders and you shook his hand. His smile grew. 
“How are you feeling?” he asked, dropping his hand. “You were pretty rough when I found you.” 
“Better,” you said, though you grimaced a bit as you tested your shoulder, and you decided to switch your pack to your other side. “Whoever that guy in the infirmary is, he’s good.” 
Luke nodded. “Son of Apollo—they’ve got healing abilities. Very useful when we’re all constantly getting injured.” 
Your brows knit together. “So it really is all real.” 
“You were nearly dead on our doorstep, and from those claw marks I’m guessing it wasn’t just a bad fall.” Luke offered a wry smile. “I’m sure you’ve known it’s all real for a while.” 
“Of course,” you said. “It’s just weird to really know that it’s all real. To see all of you, really. Just knowing I’m not alone.” 
He nodded. “That’s the best thing about it, knowing you’re not alone.” He looked around at your surroundings—various campers chatting as they walked with each other (some glancing at you as they went by), distant shouts and cheers, and a perfectly blue sky matching the perfectly blue house you just left. 
“I’d say the worst thing about it is feeling like I still have no idea what’s going on,” you said. “Unless the gods exist just to be deadbeats. That’d be disappointing.” 
Luke actually laughed at that, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and you found yourself smiling a bit. “I can tell we’re gonna get along.” 
Your own smile returned—it was like his joy was infectious. “You think so?” 
“I know so,” he nodded. “Just… try not to throw the gods’ names around like that. They don’t like to be talked about unless they’re being revered.” 
You huffed. “Sounds like an interesting place.” 
“Camp Halfblood,” he provided, and he gestured around you with his hand. “Keeping young heroes safe for over three millennia.” 
“What,” you said wryly, “are you their PR guy?” 
Luke laughed and shook his head. “It’s something Chiron likes to say.”
“You’re the second person to mention Chiron,” you said. “Who exactly is he?” 
“You haven’t gotten a tour yet?” 
You gave him a look. “Come on. You carried me in. You think I could have gotten a tour between then and now?” 
“Fair,” he admitted, and he tilted his head. “I can give you one, if you’re so inclined.” 
“I said I would wait for Tate,” you said. “He’s my satyr— I figure I owe it to him.” 
“C’mon,” Luke said. “He’s meeting Chiron and Mr. D—that’ll take long enough on its own, and if we don’t get out of here soon enough, you’re gonna get dragged into a whole other conversation with them. At least this way, you can get a little bit of downtime before all the lore of this place is dropped on you.” 
You bit your lip, and then you sighed and nodded. “Fine. But it can’t take too long.” 
Luke smiled and held up three fingers. “Halfblood’s honor.” 
-
You didn’t know where to start.
There were far more people than you expected, not nearly enough beds for all of them, and half were talking and a quarter were fighting and the others were just completely unfazed. All you could do when you walked in was stare.
“You get used to it,” Luke said, glancing over at you. “Everyone’s nice, I promise—just keep a hand on your pockets.” 
You frowned. “Why?” 
He gave you a crooked smile. “Hermes is the god of thieves. We learn by experience in this cabin.” 
Your hands instinctively reached back to the pockets of your jeans, despite the fact that you hardly had anything to your name. “Why do they put the new, naive kids in here again?” 
“God of travellers, too—all are welcome.” Luke saw your hand shoot to your pocket and laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone mess with you too much—for now, at least.” 
“Oh, good,” you said lightly. “The hazing doesn’t start until later.” 
Luke smiled as he continued to guide you through the cabin, nodding to and greeting campers with equal parts names and handshakes as he walked past them. You got just as many stares as Luke did hellos, and your skin crawled at the attention. 
“Why are they all looking at me?” you whispered to him. 
“Like I said, you’re the first new camper in a while.” Luke glanced at you. “News spreads fast, especially in this wreck of a place.” 
“It’s not that bad,” you said , but your grip tightened on your backpack strap. “Just very busy.”
“That’s what happens when they shove everyone in here,” Luke said. “All are welcome means all are welcome—Hermes kids, unclaimed kids, and kids of minor gods.”
You frowned. “Minor gods don’t have cabins?” 
“This place is as much for us as it is in honor of the gods,” he said. “Twelve cabins for twelve Olympians. They don’t see it as a problem, therefore we can’t see it as a problem.” 
You decided to bite your tongue, but you couldn’t hide your sigh. “I guess I’m gonna be here for the time being.” 
He looked you up and down, and all you could think was that you must look like an absolute disaster. “I’m guessing you fall into the unclaimed.”
Your lips pressed into a thin line, a sad attempt at a smile. “Yeah, but I just got here—I bet my mom doesn’t even know it yet. Gods are busy.”
“They’re also omniscient,” Luke said wryly. “I’m sure she could have claimed you the second you crossed the border. Your parent could’ve given you a little divine intervention and kept you from nearly dying on the hill.”
“Well, I’m here for now,” you said with a bit too much force, and your nails dug into your palms. “So do you mind showing me around?” 
Luke stared at you for a moment before he smiled. “‘Course not. I can also give you a quick tour of camp too, if you haven’t already gotten one.”
You shook your head. “Only the infirmary.”
“If it makes you feel any better,” he said, “you heal up well.”
“I don’t think that’s a credit to me,” you said. “I think it’s whatever magical drink that healer gave me while he was trying to bring me back. Tasted like pecan pie.”
“Nectar,” he said as he started walking, and you followed behind him. “Drink  of the gods that heals demigods in small portions. It tastes like your favorite food—same as ambrosia.” He stopped in an empty corner and looked at you. “You like pecans?”
You shrugged, suddenly self conscious. “My dad makes it the best.”
“I hope you’ll be able to get the real thing soon,” he said, and then he gestured with a flourish at the same empty corner. “Welcome to your new home.”
You stared at him. “This is the floor.”
“We’re a little overbooked,” Luke said sheepishly. “If it makes you feel better, we’ve got sleeping bags. And this is a top tier corner. Quieter than the others.”
“…Great,” you said. “I feel very welcome.”
“I’m sorry.” To his credit, he sounded like he meant it. “Bunch of unclaimed kids, couple kids of minor gods, couple Hermes kids—it all kinda adds up to a mess.”
“...It’ll be better than camping,” you said, though mostly to yourself as you took your bag off your shoulder and let it thud to the ground. 
“Hey,” Luke said, and his voice was softer, “it’ll be okay. With any luck, your parent’ll notice you now that you’re at camp, and you’ll be claimed before you know it.” 
“I hope so,” you murmured. 
“Luke, who’s the new girl?” 
A boy with curls just as good as Luke’s walked up and clapped him on the back, smiling at you in a way that instantly set you at ease. He also wore the orange camp shirt, with long tan sleeves below that he’d pushed up to his forearms. He had kind eyes. 
Luke said your name, his own smirk on his lips as he looked back at you. “You’ve probably heard about her dramatic entrance by now, but she’s the newest resident of the Hermes cabin.”
“Unclaimed or your sibling?” he asked. 
“...Unclaimed,” you said yourself. You hadn’t even been here for more than two hours and it already felt like your own brand of shame.  
He repeated your name with a nod and held out his hand. “I’m Chris,” he said. “Fellow unclaimed kid.”
A little bit less of a scarlet letter, at least. You swallowed your budding insecurity and shook his hand. “Sounds like a shitty club to be in.”
He snorted. “You’re telling me.”
“How— how long has it been?” you asked hesitantly, almost afraid to know the answer. 
His lips pressed into a tight smile. “Couple years.” 
“Gods,” you murmured. You didn’t know if you’d be able to wait that long. It had been hard enough already growing up without one—if your mother was just out of reach after all this time, you would surely lose your mind. 
“Don’t worry,” Chris said, his expression softening a bit. “It won’t take that long for you. I can tell.” 
“That’s what Luke said,” you responded wryly. “Do I give off a vibe that says ‘I’m unwanted, but not for too long’?” 
Luke laughed and shook his head. “I promise, it’s all gonna be okay. I’ve been the counselor here for a couple months—kids get claimed all the time. I bet you’re next on the list.” 
“Maybe,” you said. You didn’t believe it as much as they did—if they did at all. 
You heard the door open and your head automatically turned to the noise, and you felt the heat rush to your cheeks in embarrassment as Tate came through, slightly out of breath. You stared at Luke—he said thirty minutes at least. He just shrugged. 
“I figured you would be here,” Tate said, his chest rising and falling just so as he walked—trotted?—inside. “You didn’t exactly wait.” 
You opened your mouth to speak up, but Luke beat you, already putting on a charming smile. “Sorry. We got to talking, and then I offered to show her around the Hermes cabin. Just so she  could put her things down, y’know.” 
“‘Course,” Tate nodded. “That— that was probably a good idea. Would have been bad if you got lost or something.” 
“I’m sorry,” you said, and you went to pick your bag up. “Luke said you would be talking for a lot longer— I was going to come back after I was done with this.”
Tate shook his head. That nervous energy from the worst parts of the road was back, and you wondered how badly the talk with Chiron and Mr. D went. “No, it was a good idea. Better than you getting lost around camp or caught up with some troublemakers. Thanks, Luke.” 
“‘Course,” he said. 
“Not sure she’s in much better hands with Luke,” Chris said wryly. “He’s head troublemaker in the cabin of troublemakers.” 
Luke just chuckled and shook his head. “It’s her first day. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” 
You were only able to glance at Luke for a moment before your attention was drawn back to Tate as he gestured outside with his head. “Chiron’s waiting outside. He wants to talk to you some before the tour.” 
And now you had to deal with it too. “...Great,” you said. You set your bag back on the ground, in your newly coveted corner.  
“It’ll be fine,” Tate promised. “You already went through Hades to get here— he’s not gonna pile on you more. That’s why Mr. D is back at the Big House.” 
This time, you did look at Luke. Thankfully, he understood. 
“Dionysus,” he explained. “He’s our camp director.” 
You blinked. “The god?” 
“Yep,” he nodded. “Punishment from Zeus. Not the worst gig, but he’s… interesting.” 
“Great,” you repeated, because you didn’t feel like processing that at the moment, and you looked back at Tate. “You’ll be with me, right?” 
He nodded. “Not for the talk, but for the tour.” 
You let out a loose breath, because it was going to be fine. He was just the authority figure of the one safe place in the world for you, and you were just an annoying kid that had no idea what the hell was going on. 
“Great,” you said for the third time. You looked back at Luke. “I’ll see you around?” 
He smiled and bowed his head. “Definitely. You do kinda live here indefinitely now.” 
You nodded, more relieved than you wanted to show, and you started following Tate out.
You heard Chris mutter something to Luke, and you turned your head in time to see Luke jab him in the side. His head perked up when you laughed, and his whole expression changed as his smile returned and he did a little wave. 
You couldn’t help but smile back as you did the same, and you left the cabin with a little pep in your step. 
“You promise you’ll be safe.” 
“Yes, Tate,” you said with a slight laugh. “The worst is already over—you got me here, and we’re both alive. I’m gonna be fine.” 
“I know,” he said, and he managed his own smile. “I’m just worried about you. You don’t spend two weeks on the road fighting for your life with someone and not get a little attached.” 
“You’ll be back here, right?” you asked. “I know your whole thing as a Protector, but you’ve gotta drop the demigods off too, right?” 
“Of course I’ll be back,” he promised. “It… just might be a while. You’re the third demigod I’ve gotten to camp safely, now—Chiron’s trusting me with a bigger mission. It might be a couple months, but I’ll be back.” 
“And you’re telling me to be safe,” you said wryly. 
“I’ve been doing this for a while,” he said. “You just got here.” 
“I know,” you said, and you pulled him into a hug. “Just don’t get killed out there.” 
Tate laughed and patted you on the back before he pulled away. “So long as you don’t killed out here.” 
“Thanks for everything,” you said with a nod. 
“Thank you,” he said, and he gestured at the pavilion with his head. “Now get over there and make some friends. I’ll see you around.” 
You hugged him one last time before you reluctantly went off, and you looked back to wave him goodbye before you really started on your way. 
Your head still spun with all the information Chiron and Tate had imparted on you—so much about Greek mythology (and how it was all real), ADHD and dyslexia (and how they weren’t just there to make your life harder), your godly parent (who would hopefully claim you within the month) and so much more that you knew you would forget in an hour or two. 
And Chiron’s talk. God, it felt more like you were in the principal’s office than anything, even though he was nothing but kind. You couldn’t help but be overwhelmed from it all, and though the talk was probably meant to stave some of that anxiety off, it really didn’t. 
But you’d always felt out of place all your life. And now you were finally where you were meant to belong—that had to count for something. 
Tate had dropped you off at the pavilion—nearly dying had taken a lot out of you, and it just happened to be lunch—and just as you neared the tables and realized you had no idea where to sit, your eyes were drawn to a boy raising his hand and calling your name. 
You looked over and saw that it was Luke, the counselor from earlier, and you couldn’t help but smile. True to his word. 
You weaved your way through various campers and around tables full of kids to finally stop next to Luke’s table—Chris, the guy from earlier, sat across from him, and they both smiled at you. 
“How’d the tour go?” he asked. 
“Fine,” you said with a nod. “A little overwhelming, but better than I thought.” You pulled at your new camp shirt, the fabric noticeably brighter than a majority of those around you. “I match now, at least.”
“Orange suits you,” Luke remarked, and he patted the open spot next to him. “Sit down—stay for a while.”
You chuckled as you sat down. You still felt out of place, but at least they weren’t going to hang you out to dry. “Bright orange seems like an odd choice when we’re trying to stay hidden.”
“Probably so Chiron doesn’t lose us,” he joked. “This place is huge, and there’s a lot of us. When the newest camper gets turned around in the woods during capture the flag and nearly dies to a monster, it’s easier to find them.”
You frowned, and you must’ve not been very good at hiding your panic because Chris shook his head.
“Luke, you’re scaring her. She’s already been through enough.” 
“Don’t worry,” Luke said, patting you on the shoulder. “Just a little halfblood humor. You’re gonna be fine, I promise.”
“It doesn’t feel that way,” you said wryly. “It feels like I nearly died four hours ago and now I have no idea who anyone is or what to do.”
“Not true,” Chris spoke up, and he smiled. “You know us.”
“I’ll look out for you,” Luke promised. “And pretty soon, you’re gonna be good enough to look out for me.”
You let out a long lasting sigh. “God, I hope so.” 
“You’re not holding it right.” 
You adjusted your hold on the hilt, resisting the urge to wipe away the bead of sweat dripping down your forehead and the even stronger urge to hit him. 
“You’re still not holding it right.” 
Your teeth grinded together as you turned to look at Luke. “Are you gonna actually help me, or just stand there judgmentally?” 
“I dunno,” he said. “The weather’s pretty good over here.” 
You groaned and moved your non-dominant hand closer to the pommel, shifting your other down as well. “Is this worthy of your approval, Your Majesty?” 
Luke chuckled as he walked over to you, and you could feel the calluses on his hands as he adjusted your form with slight touches to your arms. “It is acceptable, my lady, but your posture is not.” 
“I don’t know how so many people at this camp like you,” you grumbled. “This is awful, and so are you.” 
He smiled. “You’ve been here for two weeks. Give yourself some grace.” 
“I’ve spent one of those trying and failing at the most basic basics of sword-fighting,” you said. “I spent the past hour losing to an Ares kid who I’m pretty sure actually wanted to kill me.” You looked over at Luke. “Thanks for that, by the way.” 
“Trial by fire,” he supplied. “You’re still alive, so obviously you’re doing something right.” 
“Yeah, probably because you’re here,” you said. “You can’t just kill someone when their counselor’s standing right next to them. It’s bad publicity.” 
Luke huffed a laugh and shook his head as he crossed his arms. “Stop talking down on yourself. You managed to make it here with a couple monster attacks on the way—what’d you use then?” 
“I started off with a screwdriver I stole from the garage before Tate and I left,” you said. “And then I stole a hunting knife from some outdoor store. Not exactly top-tier.” 
“Lotta stealing,” Luke chuckled. “Maybe you are a Hermes kid.” 
“They nearly caught me,” you said. “Definitely not.” 
“Regardless of thievery, you still survived,” he continued. “You’re not a bonafide swordsman, that’s fine. But you’re resourceful, creative—scrappy in a fight is just what we need sometimes.” 
“Great,” you mumbled. “I’m ‘scrappy’.” 
“It’s a compliment,” he promised. “If we were all sword-fighters, we wouldn’t get far. Someone like you is gonna do us a lot of good.” 
“If I don’t die before I even get out to the battlefield.” You knocked the helmet off of one of the straw dummies with your sword and sighed as it clattered to the ground. “This is the only enemy I stand a chance against.”
“You’re thinking too much about it all,” Luke said. “You’re literally wired for battle—didn’t you feel it during your fights on the way to camp?”
You shrugged. You guess you did—you remember not even taking the time to analyze the situation, just knowing your lives were in danger and finally feeling the ever-present jitters in your bones settle for the first time. 
“It was rough,” you finally said. “But… it did feel like I knew what I was doing. Like my body understood it all even when my mind was still a couple steps behind.”
“And that was without training, and with,” Luke huffed an incredulous laugh, “a screwdriver. Just imagine what you’ll be able to do with actual Celestial bronze and actual training.” 
“…I think I remember why people like you,” you said reluctantly. “And why I liked you.” 
Luke grinned as he stood up. “That’s the spirit.” He picked up the fallen helmet and placed it back on the dummy, then looked at you. “I think I’ve put you through enough suffering. Let’s get lunch.”
“So a compliment was all it took for me to get out of this?” you asked in exasperation, gesturing with your sword as you worked to undo the ties on your armor with your other hand. 
“Exactly,” he mused, and he took the sword from you to store it away. “I don’t get nearly enough compliments these days, y’know. Sometimes you end up taking that out on campers that don’t know how to swordfight.” 
“Luke Castellan,” you grumbled as you finally got your breastplate off, “you are a piece of work.” 
He winked. “Thank you.” 
You didn’t think you were built for this life. 
It was the only thought running through your head as you sat at a crowded Hermes table, absentmindedly picking at fruit with your fork as you stared off into the distance.
You’d been at Camp Halfblood for a month now, but it had already felt like a lifetime. 
You’d managed to make a few friends—a Demeter girl who grew you a bouquet of your favorite flowers as a consolation prize for fighting dirty during training; an Athena boy who told you whatever interesting fact popped into his head first every time you ran into each other; the Hebe girl who had the misfortune to have the corner opposite you in the Hermes cabin and showed you skincare tips once in a while. 
Throw in a smattering of Hermes and unclaimed kids and a counselor that seemed determined to make you smile, and you weren’t as lonely as you thought you’d be. 
You were learning how to fight in your own way. Luke was right—you weren’t a swordsman, but you were damn good up close and personal. He’d taken you to the camp armory, you found a Celestial bronze dagger that spoke to you, and from then on you’d actually been doing well in training.
Your corner of the Hermes cabin didn’t feel as sad anymore, either. Luke took you to the camp store for retail therapy after you nearly burned your jeans off on the climbing wall, so now you had an AC/DC poster (courtesy of the little money you had) and an I ❤️ NY keychain to attach to your backpack (courtesy of Luke’s idle hands).
You were starting to come into your own, sure. You were doing better in training and making friends in the cabin you were stuck in and starting to get used to burning part of every meal, but the most glaring issue of all still hadn’t been resolved.
You still hadn’t been claimed. 
And maybe it shouldn’t have been such an issue for you, but how could you not feel shitty? How could you see all the different tables and all the different kids talking and smiling and joking with each other that had parents who cared enough to at least claim them, and not feel unworthy?
Because you did. You felt unworthy, and it didn’t matter how many times you took your sparring partner down or bested the climbing wall or actually hit the bullseye at archery practice—your mother didn’t think you were good enough, so neither did you. 
“How’re you doin’, Berkeley?” 
You frowned. You didn’t have to look up to know it was Luke as he sat down next to you. “What?”
“Did you not hear me?” he asked, but you were already shaking your head.
“Berkeley,” you repeated, finally glancing at him. “That’s not my name.”
Luke shrugged. “I dunno what to tell you. You’re unclaimed. UC. University of California—first one I think of for you is Berkeley.”
You were staring now. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I’ve got tons of UCs. I’ve gotta keep track of them all somehow,” Luke said, and he pointed at campers both at your table and walking around as he talked. “That’s LA, Irvine, Davis—the others aren’t here, but you get the gist.” He looked back at you. “Been savin’ Berkeley for someone special.”
“Oh gods,” you said, horrified. “I’ve got to get claimed.”
One of the girls at the table—Irvine?—rolled her eyes as she stood up and flicked Luke on the head. “Be nice,” she said before walking away. All he did was smile.
“Maybe give it to someone else,” you said. “I don’t feel special.”
Luke’s brows creased. “If you don’t like it—”
“It’s fine,” you said. “The name doesn’t bother me. The reason I have it does.”
His eyes softened as he said your actual name. “It’s only been a month. You’ve still got plenty of time.”
You looked across at the Hebe girl you’d become friends with—Marisol, if you remembered right—and hoped that your eyes didn’t show the desperation you felt. “How long did it take for you?” 
She offered a sympathetic smile. “Six months. But it probably won’t be that long for you.” 
“That’s what everyone keeps saying,” you mumbled. But it had been a month, and you hadn’t gotten a single sign. 
“Because it’s true,” Luke urged. “Whoever your mom is will notice you—you’ve been killing it lately.” 
“Really,” you said flatly, “I’ve been killing it.” 
“Yes,” he said. “You don’t know it because you’ve only got your own experience—you went from nearly dead on our doorstep to taking down most of your opponents.” 
“In training,” you said. 
“That still counts!” Luke exclaimed. “Y’know, you’re holding yourself back. You’re incredible, but you’re the only one that seems to not notice it.” 
“And my—” 
“Do not say your mom,” he said, pointing a finger at you. “We’re not talking about the gods right now, we’re talking about you. And you, Bee, are killing it.” 
That gave you pause. “Bee?” 
“I’m trying to get you back up and you focus on the nickname?” Luke asked wryly. 
“Just explain it,” you said. 
“Bee shortened from Berkeley,” he said. “Not fully unclaimed, but still something special.”
God, you hated him. You’d been feeling shitty for a majority of your month here, but he always managed to make you smile.  
“Sure,” you said. 
“And a little annoying,” he added, earning himself a jab in the side as he laughed, “with a bit of a sting.”
“Aren’t you just so clever?” you mused, though you couldn’t help your smile widening.
“It’s in my genes,” he said proudly.
For the rest of a less than exciting lunch, Luke kept you occupied. Whether it was stories of his life before camp, or the couple of months that earned him counselor before you got here, or getting the other campers at the Hermes table to talk about themselves, he made sure you didn’t get a chance to spiral. 
By the end, your face hurt from smiling
As you finished cleaning up, Marisol turned to you.  “Me and a couple other girls were gonna go play volleyball—do you wanna come with us?” 
“Yeah,” you said, and your smile grew. “Yeah, I’d love to. Thanks.” 
“‘Course!” she exclaimed, and she linked arms with you. “I’d be a fool not to get you on my team after you took down Liam yesterday.” 
She continued to talk as she pulled you along, and you looked back at Luke. He chuckled and gave you a thumbs up. “Go get ‘em, Bee!” 
You gave him one back, and as you turned back to Marisol, you found that you couldn’t stop smiling. 
It was two in the morning and you couldn’t stop crying.
You finally had a mattress against your back, and however stiff it was, it was better than the floor. A decent amount of kids got claimed over the past month, and half the cabin left after the summer was over, so you finally had the privilege of a bunk—thankfully, Marisol did too, and she was below you. 
At least, until the summer-only campers that all the Hermes kids liked more than you returned. Then it was back to the floor.
Unless you got claimed before then. But that was less likely than being able to muster some good will from your cabin mates. 
Because it was embarrassing, truly. You’d been at camp for four months now, and you hadn’t even gotten a single goddamn peep from whoever your mother might be. You just woke up every day on the floor, moseyed about a camp that still didn’t feel like home, burned offerings to a god that didn't want you, and went back to sleep on the floor. 
And now you were crying in a bed that was barely even yours and it was two in the morning and you were wondering if it would have just been better for you to die on the road to camp the first time, because at least then your mother might have actually paid attention to you. 
“Hey.” 
And now you were really wishing you’d died because you’d woken someone up and they’re just gonna hate you more— 
“Are you okay?” 
You finally turned your head from where it had been buried in a pillow, a laissez-faire attempt to suffocate yourself or maybe just muffle the noise, and you saw Luke Castellan. Counselor of a cabin of thieves, vagabonds, and rejects, and maybe the only person that you didn’t want to see you like this. All that good will, the unearned faith you’d accumulated—this was the easiest way to lose it. His eyebrows were creased, and his whisper held what sounded like concern, but he was required to be concerned. 
You nodded, still not moving, still not speaking. Tears rolled down your cheeks and stained the bed sheet. 
“You’re gonna have to be a little more believable than that, Bee,” Luke murmured. 
“No, I don’t,” you whispered back. 
You got the tiniest huff of a laugh out of him, and he gestured towards the closed door with his head. “Wanna take a second?” 
“It’s past curfew,” you mumbled. 
“And you’re miserable,” Luke said. “You can’t feel any worse getting eaten by harpies than you do now.” 
Still, you stared at him. 
“It’ll be okay,” he promised. “Right outside the cabin. Harpies won’t even know.” 
You rubbed a hand across your face, coming away wet with tears, and you realized that he wasn’t just going to leave you like this. So you got up as quietly as you could, careful not to disturb your bunkmates, and followed Luke. He pushed the door open and shut so quietly you wondered how many times he’s snuck out. 
The cold air was sobering, and you wiped away more tears before wrapping your arms around yourself. Camp Half-Blood was always supposed to have perfect weather, but you guess not even they were immune to November nights. 
“So,” Luke started, and in your peripherals you could see him leaning against the side of the cabin. You could feel his gaze on you, and you just stared off into the distance. 
“So,” you repeated. 
“You wanna tell me why you’re crying in the middle of the night?” he asked. 
“Not really,” you said, because it felt ridiculous that a boy your age was acting like he’s ten years your elder. 
Luke chuckled and tipped his head. “Fair. You want to say anything at all?” 
“I’m sorry for waking you up.” 
He shook his head. “I was already up. I’m a light sleeper.” 
“Seems rough in a cabin like this,” you said. 
“I’ve gotten used to it,” he said. “Did you have a nightmare?”
You frowned, because now it really felt like he was babying you. Luke must have caught on, because he laughed a bit and shook his head.
“Demigods have… extremely vivid dreams,” he said. “Typically horrific nightmares. Sometimes prophetic.”
Your frown deepened. “That’s awful.”
Luke shrugged. “It’s just the way it is. The gods can’t interfere in mortal affairs, so I guess it’s their way of letting us know what’s wrong.”
You shook your head with a sigh. “No nightmares, thankfully. Just… feeling overwhelmed.”
“About what?” he asked. “I told you you’ve been doing great.” 
“It doesn’t matter how many times you say it,” you said wryly. “It doesn’t mean I believe it.” 
“There’s no reason you shouldn’t,” he asserted. 
You huffed a laugh. “It’s been four months, Luke. Four months since I got here after nearly dying in five different states, and I don’t even know who’s responsible for it.” 
“Ah,” Luke said. “The unclaimed thing.” 
“Yeah,” you said wryly. “I guess you could call it that.”
“Sorry,” he said, and he shook his head. “It’s a bigger deal than that, I know.” 
“Maybe it isn’t,” you said. “There’s at least six other kids in there dealing with the same thing as I am, and none of them are waking up their counselor in the middle of the night with their tears.”
“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” Luke said with surprising conviction. “Like your feelings aren’t valid. Because they are.” 
You crossed your arms. “Doesn’t seem like it.” 
“They are,” he insisted. “A— and you’re not bothering me. We’re friends, and we help each other. I care about you, y’know.” 
“I never said I was bothering you,” you said wryly. 
“You thought it,” Luke said. “I know you did.” 
“...Maybe.” You sighed and shook your head as you looked out at the stars. They really were beautiful here. “I just can’t help but be bitter about all this, and I feel so shitty about it.” 
“Would it make you feel better to know you’re not the only one that thinks that?” he asked. 
“A little, yeah.” You glanced at him. “No one else seems too bothered that their parents are never around.” 
“Most of them have accepted that it’s just the way it is,” he said. “Doesn’t mean you have to.” 
“Have you?” 
Luke sighed after a moment of reluctance. “I… I have a complicated relationship with my dad because he was around. It was almost… worse to know him, and then to have him leave.” 
“It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” you quoted. 
“I don’t know about that,” Luke murmured. “But it certainly helps to talk about it.” 
You glanced over to see him gazing off into the distance, a look in his eye that you couldn’t quite place. This was the most he’d ever talked about his past to you, you realized—and it still wasn’t much. 
“When were you claimed?” you asked after a moment of contemplation.
Luke shrugged. “I never really had to be. Hermes stayed with my mom for a year after I was born, and she told me who he was when I was a little older. I’ve known basically my whole life—he had no reason not to claim me as soon as I got to camp.”
“So you’re saying my dad could be keeping secrets from me too,” you said. 
“He might not know,” Luke said. “A lot of times, they don’t talk about it. Sometimes, we don’t find out until a monster’s trying to kill us on a field trip.” 
You huffed. “What a great existence we’ve been blessed with.” 
Luke smiled, though it was tighter than usual. He let out a deep breath, then fully turned to you. 
“Do you have your dagger with you?”
You frowned. “It’s under my pillow. Why?” 
“Under your—” Luke stared for a moment before he laughed and shook his head. “A little paranoid?” 
You shrugged. “You said it yourself. You’re a cabin of thieves.” 
“True,” he admitted. “How’d you like to get some of this emotion out?” 
“We’re sneaking out even more?” 
“It’ll be fine,” Luke promised. 
“You always say that,” you said. “Eventually, it’s not gonna be true.” 
He laughed and gestured at the door. “Get your dagger. We’re gonna make this a very bad night for some mannequins.” 
-
“Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.” 
You huffed as you ripped your dagger out of the dummy, a few strands of straw coming out of the new hole you’d torn in its forehead, and wiped the sweat off your forehead. “Are you kidding? This was a great idea.” 
“Not this part,” he said. “The ‘being alone with you during a rage’ part.” 
“I’m not in a rage,” you muttered as you slashed at the breastplate, “I’m blowing off steam.” 
Luke hummed. “And you thought you weren’t a good fighter.” 
You stabbed at the armor again then rammed your fist into its head, and you took a step back as the mannequin thudded to the ground. “I guess I just need to think about my mom before I go into battle.” 
“Y’know, Bee,” Luke said, “you scare me sometimes.” 
You shook your head, wiping your blade on your night shirt to get any debris off as you turned around. “You’re really gonna stick with that?” 
“I told you I’d stop if you didn’t like it.” 
“It’s not that. I just…” You sighed and shook your head again. “It doesn’t matter.” 
“Of course it does.” Luke crossed his arms. “Everything you have to say matters.” 
“Not if I say it doesn’t,” you countered, and you looked at him. “Who do you think it could be?” 
“Your parent?” he asked. You nodded. 
“Definitely not Apollo,” Luke said. “You’re way too dreary to be a kid of the god of the sun.”
“Gee,” you said dryly, “thanks.” 
Luke shrugged. “You asked.” 
“Well— who else?” You picked the dummy back up and dusted the armor off. “Athena, maybe? I’m smart.” 
“Not smart enough to not be out past curfew with me,” he said. 
“You suggested this,” you scoffed. “And I definitely needed it. If we get caught, I’m blaming you.” 
“And why do you think that would work?” he asked, amused. 
“You’re the camp’s golden boy,” you said. “I doubt you’d get in much trouble.” 
“Sure, sure,” he said, nodding. “Or you just think I’m good enough to talk my way out of it.” 
You tilted your head. “That too.”
“I never thought Ares before,” Luke chuckled, “but after all this, I think you might have it in you.” 
“God, I hope not. Priya hates me.” 
“She doesn’t hate you,” Luke said. “She just tried to kill you that one time.” 
“And that other time during capture the flag,” you said. “She’s out for blood, Luke.” 
He chuckled and shook his head. “She always is. She’s probably already moved onto her next victim.” 
“I hope so.” 
“Maybe Aphrodite?” he suggested. “You’re awfully pretty.” 
You rolled your eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”
“It’s not flattery if it’s true,” Luke corrected. 
You huffed a laugh but couldn’t help the slightest smile as you shook your head. “It’s not Tyche, at least. I have the worst luck.” 
“Maybe you’re a Big Three kid,” he said. “How do you feel about the sky?” 
“I like it,” you said. 
“The ocean?” 
“Not so much.” 
“And the darkness?” 
You huffed a dry laugh. “I’m not a Big Three kid, Luke. Even I know that.” 
“No, you don’t,” he said. “You can never know for sure until you’re claimed.” 
“If I was, I would be the biggest disappointment,” you said, looking at your reflection in your dagger. “Breaking their pact for a kid that can barely fight.” 
“Why do you always do that?” 
Luke’s voice had lost the joking edge from before, and when you glanced over at him, he was frowning.
“Do what?” 
“You always put yourself down,” he said. “You don’t even give yourself a chance to believe that you’ll be great, or that you’ll succeed—you’re just a coward, or a failure, or worthless at the first bump in the road.” 
“Luke—” 
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I need you to understand that you are so, so much more than whatever that shitty voice in your head says.”
You went silent. Any words you could have even said stuck in your throat. 
“This is not an easy life,” Luke asserted. “We’re thrown into an ocean before we know how to swim, and we have to find the shore all on our own or die trying. We—” he laughed, but there was no heart in it— “we’ve got our parents above us that could guide us, could save us, but most of the time they refuse to even acknowledge us. And we’ve got every single goddamn obstacle in the way trying to kill us.”
He inclined his head towards you. “But in spite of all that, you’re alive. You’re still here. You’re pushing through everything in your path, and you are still fucking here. Do you get that?”
“…I’m still here,” you repeated, and your hands clenched into fists. It had never felt more right to have your dagger in your hand. 
Luke nodded resolutely. “And you’ve got a couple lifeboats to help along the way.”
“You mean it?” Your voice came out softer than you thought, in stark contrast to the stiffness of your bones, but you felt like a kid all over again. 
“With all my heart,” he promised. “For as long as you’re here, I’ll be here.” 
Your throat tightened, and the telltale beginnings of tears pricked behind your eyes. This time, when you spoke, your voice was little more than a whisper. “Thank you.”
“Always,” he said. “And I mean that.”
You nodded, maybe a few too many times, and cleared your throat as you looked back at your dagger. “It’s late. We should get back before we actually get in trouble.”
Luke nodded too, and he helped you move the dummy back into place. You hated how your heart jumped into your throat when your hands brushed for the barest moment, but thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice. 
“Thank you for this.” You played with your hands as Luke finished putting everything else away—extra insurance to make sure no one knew you were here—and only managed to make eye contact just as he looked at you. “It… it really helped.” More than he knew, you were sure. 
Luke smiled, and he offered you his arm. “Always.”
You took it, ignoring the heat in your cheeks. “Just… don’t tell anyone about the crying.”
He chuckled as you started walking together. “After the way you’ve been handling that dagger? I’d be a fool.“
-
“Luke,” you groaned, “this is awful.” 
“You were the one who said you wanted to spend time with me,” he said, giving you a crooked smile. “Spending time with me after the worst cabin inspection ever means cleaning the place head to toe for our next one.” 
“Is skipping dinner really worth it though?” you asked as you scooped up a pile of dirty clothes and tossed it into the basket between you two. 
“It’s the only time this place is completely empty,” he said. “I told you I could handle it alone—you’re the one that insisted on helping.” 
“Maybe I do want to be a Big Three kid,” you grumbled. “At least I’d only be cleaning up my own mess.” 
“You’d also have the wrath of the gods and every monster in the world to deal with,” he said. 
You shook your head. “A small price to pay for a clean cabin.” 
“And then you wouldn’t get to see me when you wake up every day,” he mused. “A much bigger price to pay.” 
You huffed as you dropped to your knees, reaching under a bed to grab a stray camp tee. “Keep talking, pretty boy. It won’t clean the floors.” 
Luke grinned. “You think I’m pretty?” 
“I think you’ve got the messiest cabin in the world,” you said. “We’ve gotten the lowest rating every day for the past two weeks. I’ve been here for seven months now, and I don’t think we’ve ever gotten a full five.” 
“Which is why you’re helping me!” he said. “Because you’re as sick of scrubbing the pegasi stables as I am.” 
“You’re the counselor here!” you exclaimed. “You’ve gotta whip your siblings into shape.” 
Luke gestured at you. “You’re basically my co-counselor. It’s just as much your responsibility.” 
“And just what makes you think that?” you marveled. 
“You’re the person in the cabin I like the most,” he said, “and we spend a lot of time together. That’s enough to make you my partner.” 
“My stuff is always clean,” you said. “It’s you and the rest of the Hermes kids that’ve gotten us stuck in the stables and the kitchens every afternoon. Not me.”
You started remaking the unmade bed—would it kill any of the Hermes kids to make theirs right after they got up?—and shook your head. “It’s just not fair. Aphrodite’s cabin is basically Barbie’s Dreamhouse, and Demeter kids can grow plants to make it all pretty. We’ve just got a cabin of slobs.” 
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, but when you glanced at him, you saw he was smiling. “It’ll all be fine.” 
“You always say that.” You got the fitted sheet into all the corners then looked at him full-on. “Even when it’s not about something as stupid as laundry. How do you know?” 
Luke shrugged as he nudged a ladder to a top bunk back into place. “I don’t. I just hope for the best.” 
“How do you do that?” you asked. “How does anyone here do that? I feel like I’m the most pessimistic person here.” 
“Every single one of us is an anomaly,” Luke said. “Freaks of nature. By all accounts of logic, we shouldn’t exist. But we do. All of mythology does. And when we have to literally fight for our lives for every single day, it doesn’t do much good to sweat the small stuff.”
“All I do is sweat the small stuff,” you grumbled, and you stretched your back out before you continued. “D’you think they’ll get annoyed that we just pooled all their laundry together again?” 
“Nah,” Luke said. “If they didn’t want to have to pick all their stuff out after we so graciously do the laundry for them, they would keep their things clean in the first place.” 
You chuckled and shook your head as you finished laying out the sorry excuse for a comforter—it would end up on the floor five seconds into the night, but Sisyphus and the boulder and all that—and sat down on the fruits of your labor. “I think this mess is the one thing I won’t miss when I get claimed.” 
“You’re not as down about that as you used to be,” Luke noted.
“You know how they say a watched pot never boils?” 
He actually laughed at that as he leaned against a bed post. “If you don’t care, you’ll get claimed faster?” 
You shrugged. “Nothing else has worked. And like you said—don’t sweat the small stuff, right?” 
“Like you said— all you do is sweat the small stuff.” 
“Maybe I’m gonna try and turn over a new leaf,” you mused.
“I think that would be good for you,” he said. “You’ve been happier lately. It’s good to see you happy.” 
“You’ve been watching?” you asked wryly. 
Luke smiled. “You know I always am.” 
You ignored the warmth stirring in your chest as you shrugged. “I’ve spent way too much time this year being sad over things I can’t control. Might as well start focusing on the things I can.” 
“And to think,” he mused, “this is the same girl that wanted nothing to do with me when we first talked.” 
“Oh, please,” you said dryly, “I’ve always wanted something to do with you.” 
“And you still understand that flattery gets you everywhere,” Luke said with a grin. He pushed himself up and held out his hand. “C’mon—this place is clean enough. I think if we run, we can still make dinner.” 
“Think we’ll get in trouble for partially skipping?” you asked as you stood up and took his hand, swinging your intertwined hands a bit as you walked together. 
Luke chuckled as he pushed the door open and you walked out. “After the work we did here? We should be hailed as saints.”  
-
“Luke,” you whispered. 
His eyes shot wide open as he jolted up, and you had to stifle your laugh at his bewildered expression before he realized it was you. 
He said your name groggily, rubbing his eyes as he kept himself propped up with his other arm. “What d’you need?” 
“The stars,” you said. “They’re beautiful tonight.” 
“So are you,” he mumbled. “You don’t see me waking you up in the middle of the night to tell you that.” 
“Luke,” you said, but you couldn’t help your smile. “On topic.” 
“The stars,” he said, barely nodding in his addled state. “Good for them. I’m going back to sleep now.” 
“No, Luke—” you laughed softly and took his hand. “Come stargazing with me.” 
He closed his eyes, but he didn’t take his hand away. “You’re insane.” 
“Please,” you said. “I could never see the stars at home, not like this. They’re brighter than I’ve ever seen.” 
“It’s so late,” he complained. “Can we do it in the morning?” 
“Do you know what stargazing is?” you asked, amused. 
“Hey, lovebirds.” The annoyed, tired voice of a camper rang out as they hit the wall. “Take it outside so we can sleep.” 
Again, you had to bite back a laugh. Luke looked like he was holding back a groan, but he got up anyway, rubbing the grogginess out of his eyes. You moved to the door as quietly as possible, and you waited until he joined you on the small porch. 
“Thank you,” you said, hearing the door close, “and sorry.” 
“Yeah, yeah.” Luke covered up his yawn as he held a jacket out for you. “Put this on. I’m not gonna be responsible for you getting a cold because you want to stargaze in February.” 
Your eyebrows rose as you took it. “Is this yours?” 
“Don’t think too much into it,” he said, but he had the slightest smile on his lips. “You wanna see the stars, right? Let’s see ‘em.” 
“Not here,” you said, shaking your head as you zipped up the maroon hoodie. You held out your hand once you finished. “Do you trust me?” 
“Oh, gods,” he muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. “We’re doing a trust exercise too?” 
“I’ll take that as a yes,” you remarked. You took his hand and started dragging him along, a clear spot in mind. 
“You’re kidding me,” he said in exasperation. “I thought we were just gonna look at the sky for a couple minutes— you’re taking me to a second destination?”  
“Hey,” you said, “don’t sweat the small stuff.” 
“Oh, I can’t wait to use that on the harpies when they catch us and eat us,” Luke said offhandedly. “‘I’m sorry, ma’am—we’re really trying not to sweat the small stuff.’” 
You laughed as you continued on your way, and out of the corner of your eye you could see Luke smiling too, despite himself. Suddenly, though, his grip tightened on your hand and he pulled you behind one of the thicker columns of the pavilion. 
“Wh—” 
He shook his head then gestured with it to the other side of the pavilion. One of the harpies—Aello, if you remembered correctly from Chris’s rant the past week about cleaning dishes—was walking past, muttering things to herself. 
“Speak of the devil,” you marveled. You definitely weren’t a child of Tyche. 
Luke gave you a look that quite clearly said be quiet, and for some reason that only made you want to laugh more. He must have seen that glint in your eye that he’d grown used to, because he placed his hand over your mouth right before the dam was about to burst. 
You squeezed his hand tight as you tried to keep yourself from blowing your cover while Luke occupied himself with actually watching to make sure your path would clear. You were pressed right up against each other, and even through the jacket, even in the cold, you could feel his body warmth. He did say he ran hot.
Eventually, Luke let out a labored sigh and let his hand drop, and you wheezed, nearly doubling over. 
“There is something wrong with you,” he said. He was barely able to hold back his own amusement.  
“Oh my god,” you breathed, “that was awful.” 
“That was your fault!” he exclaimed. 
“How was it my fault?” you argued. “You’re the counselor here—you’re meant to be the responsible one!” 
“I was being responsible!” Luke laughed again as he ran his hand through his hair then used it to gesture at you. “You were the one that nearly got us caught—you were the one who wanted to be out here in the first place!”
 “Right,” you said, pointing your finger, “we gotta get to the beach.” 
“Stargazing on the beach,” Luke marveled. “Definitely worth nearly getting eaten.” 
“Oh, shut up,” you said as you continued to pull him along. “You could’ve said no.” 
He squeezed your hand for a moment. “We both know I can never say no to you.” 
Once you got to the beach you let go of his hand and laid down, taking care not to get sand in your sneakers. Luke sat down next to you but stayed up, watching the tide go in and out. 
At night, without a hundred campers running around making all the noise they can, you actually felt like you could breathe. 
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” It almost felt wrong to break the sacred silence, to insert yourself in the ambiance of nature working together in all its glory. 
“Yeah.” Luke’s voice was softer than usual, that rough edge you’d grown used to absent in the face of calmer seas. “Yeah. It’s…” 
“Serene,” you suggested. 
“Beautiful,” he said. When you glanced at him, he was already looking at you. 
“Very smooth,” you said wryly. “Now stop flirting and look at the stars.” 
Luke chuckled lightly as he let himself fall back. His hand bumped yours as he adjusted his position, and your breath caught in your throat for the barest moment. You moved it away. 
The two of you laid there together in silence gazing at the stars for what felt like forever. The gentle waves coming to shore then leaving, the scattering of sand from quiet winds, and not a single angry car horn or police siren. 
You missed home, the city. You were headstrong in your belief that Detroit was better than New York. But gods—sometimes, you just couldn’t beat camp. 
You didn’t know what possessed you to break the silence. But something had been tugging at you since the moment you laid down on the beach, and so you did. 
“Can I tell you a secret?” 
Luke didn’t miss a beat. “Always.” 
“I…” you trailed off for a moment, but you bolstered yourself. “I’m scared of what comes next.” 
You heard Luke shift in the sand and felt his eyes on you. “What do you mean?” 
“After this,” you said. “The honeymoon phase of being a demigod.” 
He huffed a laugh. “I wouldn’t say we have a honeymoon phase.” 
“You know what I mean.” A shiver went down your spine and you put your arms on your chest. Like a coffin. “I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.” 
“I think you need to stop getting up in the middle of the night,” he said. “It seems you have all your existential crises then.” 
You exhaled out your nose, a sorry excuse for a laugh. “I’ve heard about quests—how they can happen for no reason except a god’s will, to— to prove that you’re worthy. And all I can think about is that my mother will never claim me until I prove I’m worthy or die trying.” 
Luke was silent. You could feel your throat closing up, the threatened onslaught of tears. You blinked them back. 
“All my life, I have never felt seen,” you murmured. “And I’m terrified that the only way I will be seen is when I die.”
“Look at me.” 
You turned your head—Luke’s eyes were piercing in the moonlight. 
“I don’t care what anyone says, especially that voice in your head—you’re worth everything and more,” he said. “And you are worth so much more than becoming a martyr for a god’s approval.” 
“I wish you could tell my mom that,” you mumbled. 
“I would march right up to Olympus and say it to her face,” he said. “And if it bothers her that much, she can smite me right now.” 
That got a breathy laugh out of you from the pure absurdity. Luke’s eyes flicked to the sky as he waited, and when he didn’t instantly die a horrific death, his gaze went back to you. 
“I see you,” Luke promised, his voice low. “And I’ll make everyone see you the way I do. I swear it.” 
You were starstruck. You couldn’t look away from him, from the determination etched into each detail of his face, the softness in his eyes directed wholly at you—the fact that he was here at all in the first place at an unholy hour just because you asked. 
Oh gods. You were in trouble. 
“It’s late.” You finally managed to break the spell that held you under. “We should go.” 
“Yeah.” Luke made no motion to move, still focused wholly on you. 
“Luke,” you whispered. 
You could have sworn his eyes moved down to your lips, but he was sitting up so quickly that you knew you must have imagined it. You cleared your throat as you followed suit, brushing the sand off your—his— jacket. 
“This was nice,” he said after a moment. “...Thanks for waking me up.” 
“Of course,” you said. “There’s… there’s no one else I would’ve wanted to share it with.” 
Luke smiled, and you didn’t think he’d ever looked more beautiful than he did now, awash in the silver moonlight. If you were braver, you would have taken his hand again. You would’ve done what the voice in your head desperately wanted to do—had wanted to do for the past two months.  
But you didn’t. 
“I guess it was worth nearly getting eaten, huh?”
“Yeah,” he said, and he shrugged. “But most things are worth it when it comes to you.” 
You nearly melted right there, and it was a credit to your strength that you didn’t say anything horrifically stupid. Instead, you put on a smile, hoped he couldn’t see how much he was killing you, and started back up on the path. 
“C’mon,” you said. “Before we end up having to clean the entire camp for breaking curfew.” 
“Whatever you say,” he mused. 
-
You groaned as you slumped into your usual spot at the Hermes table. You heard Luke laugh, and you felt his eyes on you as you put your head in your arms.
“What’s got you so down?”
“I’ve been fifteen for three days and I already feel like an old woman,” you said. “Everything still hurts.”
“Capture the flag was meant to be a birthday gift,” Luke said wryly. “And we did win.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” you grumbled. “I swear, some people went after me on purpose just because it was my birthday. I’ve got bruises all over.”
“You know, we have an infirmary for a reason.” 
“They’re battle wounds,” you said. You picked up your head just to take your goblet. “Lemonade. Actually, pink lemonade.” You took a sip, but even that didn’t make you feel better. You buried your head back in your arms with a rough sigh. “Signs of our victory.”
Luke huffed a laugh. “Sometimes I really don’t…”
He trailed off suddenly, and you heard a collective gasp go up at the table.
“What?” you asked halfheartedly. 
“You— you’re—” 
You didn’t know why he couldn’t finish his sentence. You picked your head up to see Luke’s face awash in golden light, his eyes wide. Everyone else at the Hermes cabin was just as awestruck, and Marisol fumbled around in her purse until she pulled out her compact. She opened her foundation, the mirror pointing at you, and you realized why.
A glowing, golden, translucent sickle with a few sheaths of wheat floated above your head. You frowned.
Before you had the chance to say anything, Luke was yelling your name and tackling you in a hug. You let out a grunt of surprise as you barely managed to brace yourself, and when he pulled away he was smiling wider than you’d ever seen.
“You’re claimed!” he exclaimed, his hands gripping your shoulders. “You— you’re finally claimed!”
“Demeter,” you said, almost absentmindedly. It still hadn’t quite hit you. 
“Demeter,” he repeated, nodding rapidly, that gigantic smile seeming like a permanent feature at this point. “I told you everyone would see you— I told you we would make them see you the way I do!”
The rest of the table was chattering away, and you could feel Chris patting you on the back and saying words that went in one ear and out the other. The rest of the pavilion was starting to catch word, and you could see a couple kids from a table on the opposite end standing up and craning to see. Maybe your new siblings. 
(You should be happy.)
Your new siblings. 
…Your new cabin.
You could still barely think, like there was static in your brain. Luke’s hands on your shoulders were the only thing grounding you. 
(You should be ecstatic.)
A year of tears, silent prayers, and apathetic resolution had finally come to a close, just days after your fifteenth. 
(Why are you not smiling?)
You’d been claimed. But you didn’t think you’d ever felt more lost. 
312 notes · View notes
Text
Obsessed - Ethan Landry x Fem!Reader - Part 2
Tumblr media
This contains SMUT - Minors DNI
Part 1
Summary: You help Ethan get revenge on his ex that made his life hell.
Contains: Angst, Mentions of abusive behavior, Fluff-ish? idk, Oral - m and f receiving, rough sex, dom!-ish Ethan (If I missed anything, let me know!)
A/N: I SUCK because I've had this almost finished for TWO DAYS and I thought I was going to have the time to finish it. Also, if there are any spelling errors or whatever, I'm sorry😫 If I re-read something I've written too much I start to criticize it and this would've never gotten posted lmao
Tumblr media
After your night with Ethan, you woke up determined to right the wrongs that your friends’ narrative created. You felt bad for him, because he was the sweetest, and he didn’t deserve all the hate he got from people that had no idea what the truth was. And the last thing you wanted was for the boy you were starting to fall for to change his mind and decide on transferring to a different school, even after he told you he’d stay.
Your friend kept texting you all night, so much that you finally had to put your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ just so you could get some sleep. Once you clicked on her message thread and had to scroll a few times to read all the stuff she’d sent you, you got an idea when you made it to the last text she’d sent.
‘How could you do that when it’s obvious I still have feelings for him?’
“Oh shit,” you said, rereading the message a couple times. “That’s it!”
You were about to text Ethan when you saw the ‘Good morning’ text he’d sent you, a sweet smile playing on your lips as you messaged him back.
You: Good morning
You: What are you doing today?
Ethan: I’m going to lunch with my friends soon, wanna join?
You: I wouldn’t be imposing?
Ethan: Not at all. Plus, I really want to see you
You: Where am I meeting you guys?
Ethan: You think I’m going to let you walk there by yourself?
Ethan: Meet me in front of your dorm in an hour
You: See you soon
When you walked outside, you saw Ethan leaning against the brick wall of your dorm. You ran up to him, a huge smile on your face as he pulled you close.
“Hey cutie,” he said, leaning down to kiss you. “How did you sleep?”
“I wish I slept a lot better,” you sighed, “Your ex was texting me all night.”
“Oh…why?” he asked, as he laced his fingers with yours.
“Someone told her I was kissing you at the party last night,” you said, his eyes growing wide at your words.
“What did she say?” he asked as he started to walk, leading the way towards the restaurant.
“That I betrayed her, that you’re going to hurt me just like you hurt her, and that she still has feelings for you.”
“Well, she can choke on her feelings,” he bluntly said, as you started to laugh. “I’m serious. She’s made my life hell.”
“I think I might know how to make things better for you, but I don’t know if you’ll like my idea,” you said, as he curiously looked over at you.
“What are you thinking?”
“What if you asked her to hang out? Like, just say that you miss her and you want to see her. Then you call her out on her bullshit, but record the conversation,” you said, as Ethan took a deep breath. “I can think of something else if you don’t want to be around her.”
“No, I think it’s a good idea,” he said, “I’m not sure if I can fake being nice to her, though. What if I see her and I just blow up on her?”
“I think you can do it,” you said, your thumb rubbing against the top of his hand. “Just think, you get her to confess that everything she’s said about you wasn’t true, and your life can go back to normal.”
“Normal sounds nice,” he said, glancing up to notice all the people looking at him. “I felt like I was invisible in high school. Now I can’t get people to stop staring at me.”
“Maybe it’s because you’re so cute,” you said, half-joking as you smiled at him. “I’m finding it hard to stop staring at you.”
“Stop, you’re going to make me blush,” he said, his free hand running across his face as he tried to compose himself from your flirting. “I think they’re staring right now because I’m with someone as beautiful as you.”
“Who’s making who blush now?” you asked, as he opened the restaurant door for you.
He led you over to the table where his friends were, introducing you to them as you sat down. You recognized Chad from the night before, and Ethan was just praying that he wouldn’t say something embarrassing.
“It’s nice to officially met you,” Chad said, “Ethan hasn’t shut up about you all morning.”
Ethan sighed in defeat as he looked over to his friend, “Seriously?”
“What? It’s true,” Chad shrugged, “He told me you convinced him to stay, which I’ve been trying to do for months.”
“I think things are about to get a lot easier for him,” you said, as Ethan smiled.
“She’s a genius,” he said, wrapping his arm around you. “Apparently my ex still has feelings for me. Fuck, I need to text her.” Ethan slid his phone out of his pocket and unblocked her number, before typing. “Does this sound okay?” he asked, showing you the ‘I miss you. can we talk?’ text.
“As long as you don’t actually miss her, then yeah,” you said, as Ethan started to laugh.
“Fuck no,” he said, as he pressed send.
“Wait…if she still has her feelings, why would she spread all those rumors?” Tara asked, as Mindy jumped in the conversation.
“She doesn’t want anyone else to have him.”
“That’s fucked up,” Chad said, as Ethan’s phone vibrated against the table.
Ethan looked over to you before he picked his phone up. You could tell he was nervous, you were, too.
“She asked me what I’m doing tonight,” he sighed, “She wants me to take her to dinner.”
“Do you feel comfortable with that?” you asked, his expression unreadable.
“Do you feel comfortable with that?” he questioned, “You know how she is. She’ll probably try to be affectionate.”
“I’ll kill her,” you said with a straight face as Ethan started to laugh. “I’m serious…if she touches you, she’s dead.”
“Ooh, what if we stake out at the restaurant,” Tara suggested, “We sit far enough away, but we can still see what’s going on.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Ethan sighed, “I could only imagine what she’d say once she finds out it’s all bullshit. What if she says I put my hands on her or something?”
“You’ll have witnesses. I’ll come,” Chad said, as Mindy agreed to come along, too.
“Okay, I’m meeting her at 7,” he said, as his hand rubbed against your leg under the table.
Once everyone finished eating, you and Ethan were invited over to Tara’s. Ethan had other plans though, asking you if you wanted to go to his dorm for a little bit first. You agreed, because you wanted to spend alone time with him before he had to meet with his ex.
“Are you sure you’re okay with me going out with her tonight?” Ethan asked, once you’d made it back to his dorm. “I haven’t even taken you on our first date yet, and I’m taking her on one. It doesn’t feel right.”
“I’m okay with it as long as you don’t get sucked back in,” you said, a nervous smile playing on your lips as you sat down on his bed. “She’s good at convincing.”
“I won’t,” he promised, as he took a seat beside you. “The only one sucking me in is you.”
“Do you know what you’re going to say to her?” you asked, trying to fight the blush that was spreading to your cheeks.
“Well, I thought I’d start the conversation with the ‘I’m happy you wanted to see me’ and go from there. I think I’ll bring up the rumors and stuff after we start eating,” he sighed. “I hope she doesn’t deny it.”
“Just say you won’t give her another chance unless she admits it, because I told you she was the one spreading everything about you,” you suggested, as he shook his head.
“I’m not throwing you under the bus like that.”
“She’s already pissed at me. Why does it matter?” you asked, “Because honestly, she’s not my friend, not if she’s that shitty of a person. I don’t care what she thinks about me.”
“What if she starts shit about you, too?” he questioned, making you scoff.
“What can she say about me? Everyone will know she’s a liar after tonight.”
You talked with Ethan for a while about the right things to say and do, and as the hours started to pass, he was getting really stressed. He laid back on the bed and pulled you close to cuddle.
“We should probably go to Tara’s soon,” he said, as his fingertips rubbed across your back. With the lack of sleep from the night before, you were starting to feel really drowsy with the soothing motions. “Fuck, I’m so worried that I’ll just snap once I see her. I feel myself getting angrier.”
“You have every right to feel that way,” you said, as your hand rubbed across his stomach. “But I might know I way for you to release some of that tension.”
“What did you have in mind?” he asked, already having a hunch with the suggestiveness in your tone. You didn’t say anything as your hand traveled lower, running over the slight bulge in his jeans. You felt him getting harder the longer you rubbed, his hips shifting as he tried to get comfortable.
You sat up to look at him before your hand reached up to the button of his jeans. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about last night,” you said, your eyes on his as you slid his zipper down. “No one’s ever made me cum as hard as you did.”
You started to tug on his jeans as he lifted his hips, making it a little easier for you to get them down.
“Do you want me to make you cum right now?” he asked, as you laughed and shook your head.
“No, baby. I’m going to take care of you,” you said, sliding his boxers down. He gasped the second his cock sprang free from the confines of his boxers, your hand moving to lazily stroke it as he watched you, his bottom lip in between his teeth. “I’ve been dying to do this.”
With his size, you knew you wouldn’t be able to fit all of it in your mouth, but you were determined to make him feel so good that the only thing he thought about on his fake date with your friend was you. You started with his tip, your tongue swirling around it. You paid extra attention to the underside the head of his cock because he kept gasping every time your tongue brushed against it. Then you slowly started to take him in your mouth, as his hand went to your hair.
“Fuck,” he sighed, as he watched you. He thought you were always beautiful but seeing you like this made him even more attracted to you. Your eagerness to please him just like he took care of you the night before showed him how down for him you really were, and the way that you thought of a plan to help him get his life back to normal had him falling for you harder than he expected to, at least this soon.
Once you started to gag, his hand that was resting loosely in your hair started to pull it a little, the feeling making you moan around him. You just kept going, the drool from all your gagging starting to drip down his cock. You reached your hand up to stroke what you couldn’t fit in your mouth, as your cheeks hollowed and how head started to bob.
“Shit, baby,” he groaned once your hand started to twist a little. “You’re so fucking perfect.”
His praise motivated you even more, your head moving quicker as he struggled to keep quiet. Not that he needed to be, but he had so many different sounds threatening to slip past his lips. He was fighting to keep his hips still. It was taking everything in him to not thrust into your mouth. You noticed that he was holding back, so you pulled away, your hand still moving as you looked at him. Your eyes were glassy from all the tears that formed, your lips were swollen, and Ethan was just so in awe of you.
“You don’t have to just lay there,” you said, the slight rasp in your voice from all the gagging quickly becoming his new favorite sound. “I can take it.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, as you mumbled a “Mhm.”
You took him back in your mouth, and it didn’t take long for his hips to thrust. Your hand kept you from taking more than you could handle, but you were still gagging so much. Every time your throat tightened; Ethan felt himself getting closer to the edge.
“I’m gonna cum,” he groaned, his hand tugging on your hair as his hips stuttered.
You glanced up to see him as his orgasm hit. His eyes were fluttering as the salty liquid coated your taste buds, his head rolling back. The grip he had on your hair loosened as you slowed down, before you slid him out of your mouth.
“How was that?” you asked, as he tore his gaze away from the ceiling to look at you. He had a goofy smile on his face as his hands reached out to grab you and pull you close.
“That was perfect, babe,” he said, as he started to get a little curious. “How’d you get so good at that?”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to,” you playfully said, as he chuckled. “We really should go to Tara’s.”
“Yeah, I’m thinking if you guys go to the restaurant early, she would be less likely to see you,” he said, as his hands started to rub your back again.
“We better go now, because you’re going to make me fall asleep,” you said, pushing yourself off his chest.
Once you made it to Tara’s, Ethan was way calmer than he was before. You knew the plan would work, but now you had more confidence that he’d be able to keep his cool. When everyone said they were ready to go, Ethan wrapped his hands around your waist from behind you. You turned to face him, a sweet smile on your lips as he leaned down to kiss you.
“Thank you,” he said, as you curiously looked at him.
“For what?”
“For being amazing,” he said, stealing one more kiss as Mindy fake-gagged in the background.
“Okay, if we’re going to make it to the restaurant before them, we need to go now,” she said, as you hesitantly pulled away from Ethan.
“I’ll see you soon,” you said, following Ethan’s friends out the door.
Once Ethan and his ex made it to the restaurant, you could feel the jealousy building. You saw the simple touches against his arm, the flirty smile on her lips. You felt your blood start to boil as you huffed and turned your attention to his friends.
“You okay?” Tara asked, noticing the pissed expression on your face.
“She was touching him,” you said, glancing back over to see them seated at the table.
“You really like him, huh?” Chad asked, as you felt your cheeks start to heat up.
“Yeah,” you said, your angry expression turning into a smile as you thought about Ethan.
“He really likes you too,” Tara said, as Chad nodded.
“Yeah, I told you, he wouldn’t shut up about you this morning.”
Everyone kept glancing towards Ethan’s table, but you were trying so hard not to. You just wanted to focus on eating the food in front of you, even though you didn’t have much of an appetite. You didn’t want to see him doing what he could to get the confession out of her, but once Mindy mumbled “Oh shit.” you finally looked up.
“Are they arguing?” Tara asked, as Chad nodded.
“He looks pissed.”
You watched your friend try to grab Ethan’s hand on the top of the table, but he pulled it away before he stood up. He searched the restaurant for the table that you were at before he walked over.
“I got her confession. Let’s go, babe,” he said, as you stood up. He took your hand in his before he turned to Chad. “I’ll send you money for her food. Is that cool?”
“Yeah, we’ll leave soon. You want to come back to Tara’s?” Chad said, as Ethan shrugged.
“Not right now, I need to blow off some steam.”
Your heart started to pound, butterflies fluttering around in your stomach as he walked with you. You weren’t sure how he wanted to let out his aggression, but you really hoped that it’d be in his bed. He led you out of the restaurant, your hand in his. Once your friend saw, she jumped up from the table and followed you outside.
“Hey,” she said, grabbing your shoulder after she caught up to you.
“Don’t touch me,” you snapped, turning to face her.
“What the fuck was all of this?” she asked, as Ethan tried to pull you away. “Honey, he doesn’t want you if he asked me out tonight.”
“Honey, he asked you out tonight so you’d confess to all the fucked up things you’ve said about him,” you yelled, your words full of venom as she started to laugh.
“Aww, are you trying to get people to believe that he isn’t some asshole?” she asked, and your hands involuntarily clenched at your sides. You were furious with the smug look on her face and the snarky tone. “Good luck trying to prove it.”
“I’ll prove it,” Ethan said, as he started to play back the video so she could hear it. Her face dropped, before she tried to grab his phone from his hands.
“Aww, are you worried everyone’s going to find out how much of a lying bitch you are?” you asked, your tone matching hers as she started to get mad. “You can’t just fuck up someone’s life and get away with it.”
Your conversation with her wasn’t quiet, and people started to gather around. They were probably anticipating the altercation to get physical, but you refused to give everyone that satisfaction.
“You really are a shitty friend,” she said, making you scoff.
“You’re a shitty person! You spread so much shit about Ethan that wasn’t true. How the fuck do you sleep at night knowing you’ve been ruining his life all year?”
“He shouldn’t have broken up with me,” she snapped, “But it’s okay. You aren’t what he really wants. It’s cute that you think you’ll ever compare to me.”
“That’s the reason I am interested in her!” Ethan yelled, “She’s nothing like you! You told everyone I was controlling, that I was mentally and emotionally abusive. That’s what YOU were!”
She was about to say something, when she glanced around and noticed all the people with their phones out, pointed at her. You noticed some of the girls that you’d heard talk about Ethan staring at the ground, disappointed in themselves that they helped spread the rumors. Some of the guys that had gathered around shook their heads at her.
“That’s fucked up,” one of the guys said, before one of the girls jumped in.
“Yeah, you’re going to make all of us seem like we’re lying if something happens to us. That really is fucked up.”
You looked over to Ethan, your eyes wide as he tried to fight a smile from forming on his lips. He saw her little reign of terror crumbling, and it was so satisfying to watch.
She suddenly felt the urge to save face, walking over to Ethan. He backed away from her as she sighed in frustration.
“I’m sorry, Ethan,” she said, as he started to laugh.
“You’re only sorry because people know who you really are now,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You don’t care that you fucked this whole year up for me. All you cared about was making sure no one else wanted me, but how funny is it that one of your friends does?”
“Oh, we’re not friends,” you said, looking over at her. “Good luck finding someone here that wants to be with you after what you did to him.”
Ethan grabbed your hand to lead you away from her, as she stood there in the awkward tension. Once you and Ethan made it a block away, you both started to laugh.
“Maybe I didn’t need to record the conversation with her,” he said, “Almost everyone recorded that shit just now.”
“I’m happy for you, babe,” you said, as he leaned down to kiss you. It wasn’t a quick peck like you expected, your mouths moving together as you made out on the sidewalk.
“It was so hot watching you stand up to her like that,” he said against your lips once you pulled away to catch your breath. “Let’s go to my dorm. Chad’s going to Tara’s.”
“And what would we do?” you asked, a smirk playing on your lips as he smiled.
“I think celebratory sex is the perfect way to end tonight, followed by you staying over once I tell Chad he can’t come home.”
Once Ethan got you back to his dorm, he unbuttoned the jeans you were wearing the second you slid your shoes off your feet.
“Someone’s eager,” you giggled, as he led you to the bed.
“You have no idea,” he said, pushing you back.
Your legs were hanging off the side of the bed as he pulled your jeans and panties down your legs, the aggressiveness of it making you more wet than you already were. He dropped to the floor, sitting on his knees as he moved your legs to rest on his shoulders. He started with small licks to your clit, teasing you a little just so he could make you squirm. Your legs resting on him pulled him closer once he wasn’t giving you what you needed. He chuckled against you before he started to swirl his tongue around your sensitive bundle of nerves.
“Fuck, just like that,” you said, your hand moving to rest in his curls.
His hands grabbed your hips to pull you even closer to his mouth, a squeal slipping past your lips once you felt your ass hanging off the bed.
“I won’t let you fall, baby,” he said, before his tongue went back to your clit.
You felt two of his fingers brushing against your entrance, a low moan falling out of your mouth once he slid them inside of you. You glanced down to look at him and saw his eyes on you. He couldn’t stop watching the way your chest started to rise and fall quicker and all the cute little faces you were making.
He started to angle his fingers just right, pressing them against the spongy spot inside of you as he suckled on your clit. Your hand pulled his hair, the other one gripping at the sheets as your moans got louder.
You felt that feeling starting to build, your body getting hotter as he pressed his fingers even harder.
“Oh shit,” you whimpered, as he sucked harder on your clit. “Cumming.”
Your back arched off the bed as the legs around Ethan’s shoulders clenched around him, holding him in place as he kept fucking you with his fingers. He slowed down a little once your pussy started to spasm, the loud whines falling from your lips echoing off the walls as he worked you through it.
Once your body relaxed, he slid his fingers out of you, and gave your clit a few more gentle licks before he rolled you over, your wobbly legs trying to stabilize themselves as your feet rested against the floor. You were still so blissed out, your senses still on overdrive as you heard the sound of his zipper getting slid down. After he took off his jeans and boxers, you waited in anticipation as he walked over to his nightstand to grab a condom. Once he came back over to you, he ran his hands over your ass that was proudly sticking up in the air for him.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” he chuckled as he rolled the condom on.
He inched himself inside of you, soft moans slipping past your lips as he filled you up. When he stilled inside of you, he ran his hands over your hips as his cock stretched you out.
“You can move now,” you said, your voice muffled by his bed sheets.
He started off with slow, deep thrusts. He slid his cock out of you every time, his breathing getting heavier every time the tip went in and out of your entrance. Your hips started to move back to meet his slow thrusts, but he pulled back even further.
“Please, baby,” you begged, as you heard him chuckle from behind you.
“How bad do you want it?” he asked, as his hands moved from your ass to grip your hips. You huffed in response, as he slowed down even more. “If you want me to give you what you want, you better tell me.”
“I want it so fucking bad,” you pouted, as he smirked at how needy you were.
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Before you could say anything else, he started to pound into you. He was pulling your hips back to meet his thrusts, your legs tingling as you struggled to hold yourself up. You were clinging to his sheets, whimpers flooding out of your mouth as he slammed into that spot every single time.
“So fucking tight,” he grunted, as you moaned in response.
Ethan had gone absolutely feral, one of his hands snaking under you to pull you back against him as he fucked up into you. He was squeezing at one of your breasts over your shirt as his other hand kept pulling your hips down.
“Are you mine?” he growled in your ear, this new side of Ethan turning you on more than you already were. You were trying so hard to form words, but they wouldn’t come out. The sounds of your wet pussy and skin slapping were filling the room as you felt the coil in the pit of your stomach getting tighter. “Are you too cock drunk to answer me?”
You nodded your head as he laid you back on the bed, your hands grasping at the sheets again as he fucked you even harder. Your whimpers were turning to cries as your legs started to shake, your orgasm taking over your body so strong that you swore you were going to black out from how good it felt.
“Almost there, baby,” he said, your pussy squeezing him so tight that he felt like he could bust at that feeling alone. After a few more deep thrusts, he moaned out, his cum filling the tip of the condom. He caught his breath for a minute before he slid out of you, smiling at the way your body was relaxed on his bed.
“I am,” you said, after he got rid of the condom and helped you get the rest of your body up on the bed.
“You’re what?” he questioned, as he laid down and pulled you close.
“I’m yours.”
After that night, your former friend only lasted a couple weeks at the university once everyone realized how she really was. She switched to online classes until she transferred to a college closer to her and Ethan’s home town. Your relationship with Ethan got more serious that he was bringing you home for the holidays. You were taking all these cute little photos in front of one of the light displays when you saw her with someone you assumed to be her new boyfriend, but she quickly walked away with him the second she saw you and Ethan.
“You think she’s going to do the same shit to him that she did to me?” he asked, wrapping his arm around you as you walked along the path of lights.
“No, I think she learned her lesson.”
281 notes · View notes
Text
Productive Ways to Make Up | Dean Winchester
✦ pairing — Dean Winchester x afab!female!Plus Size Reader
✦ word count — 2.1k
✦ request — Maybe taking charge of the plus size reader. Like hot angry rough sex. Spanking maybe? Idk that just seems like it would be a good one. Maybe just they get in a fight during the holidays. Like at the readers family’s Christmas party. Then dean takes charge of her and they have angry rough sex
✦ warnings — nsfw, teasing, hints of a fight, smut, spanking (reader receiving), angry sex, rough sex, fellatio, face fucking (reader receiving), vaginal fingering, vaginal sex, unprotected sex (please don’t do this), creampie, aftercare.
✦ author's note — changed this to a New Year’s party just to fit the date better.
════════════════════════
The fight got out of hand easily, as things often did with Dean. It was one of those fights that you didn’t know how escalated to this, on this day specifically when you needed him on his best behavior.
Your parents had been excited to finally see you for more than a couple of hours, happy that your hectic schedule had given you a break for New Year’s. You had to skip Thanksgiving and Christmas because you were out of town, your mom didn’t take it well. This party was supposed to be perfect for everybody.
Dean rarely made things hard for you, but he had to do it today, apparently.
You left early, making up an emergency with Dean’s brother. Poor Sam, you had to drag him into this just so your dad wouldn’t start hating your partner out of nowhere.
For the first time in a very long time, getting home was worse for your mood. Dean didn’t help, glaring at you as you peeled off your jacket as if you had done anything wrong, as if you started the stupid fight.
He grabbed you by the hips before you could leave the living room, grip tight and strong. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“To the bedroom. Or am I not allowed?”
“Watch it,” he warned.
“I need to call my mom and assure her Sam isn’t dying.”
Dean pushed you against the wall to stop you, trapping you with his warm body to the cold wallpaper.
“Dean…” You struggled against his hold.
“Oh, honey, you know what you’re doing, don’t you?”
In most circumstances, you would wiggle against his hands just to egg him on. But this time, you honestly simply wanted to annoy him into letting you cross the living room and hopefully find the warmth of your cozy bed where you could call your mom and take a nap.
Dean had other plans. You hated that you weren’t as against them as you wanted to be. After all, it was a more productive way to take out your anger than yelling at each other in the middle of the half-empty living room on New Year’s Eve.
Your breaths mingled as both of you opened your mouths to say something. Dean took charge, as he often did with these things, and leaned in to kiss you.
A hand of his came up to grip your chin, forcing your mouth open to slip his tongue past your red lips. You squirmed, feeling your skirt ride up at the movement between the wall and Dean’s bulk.
“Don’t be a brat,” he gritted out. Yet he traced the outside of your thighs with both hands, forcing your skirt to bunch up at your hips. Humming against your skin, he manhandled you toward the couch.
His hands fell on your ass. He made it jiggle with a light spank, laughing when you gasped in surprise. “That okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” you consented.
He immediately spanked you again. “Count for me.”
“One,” you mumbled as the first slap landed. Dean hummed, you could picture the smile on his face, and did it again. “Two.”
“See how easy everything is when you listen to me?” He sounded almost condescending. Slapping you again, harder, he waited for you to count once more before rubbing his hand over the spot he had just hit.
He made you count to ten, careful not to make you cry. No matter how pretty you looked with tears streaming down your face, this was clearly about control, not a punishment.
Rubbing your ass, Dean ripped your pantyhose and spread your legs open. “Of course you’re fucking dripping already.”
He sat on the couch and brought you onto his lap. You would probably ruin his new pants, but by the way he grabbed you and pulled you into a sloppy kiss, that was his intention.
You moaned as he pushed his tongue against yours. Before you could start enjoying yourself with the kiss, Dean pulled away. He even laughed when you whined.
“Be patient,” he told you. “You aren’t supposed to enjoy this too much.”
You pouted, naively thinking it would convince him. Dean wasn’t in a playful mood, he just wanted to remind you who was in charge and why. His grip on you tightened, bringing you flush against him.
The tent in his pants brushed against your sensitive skin. He purposefully drove you to move your hips backward, then forward. You rested your hands on his chest, grinding against him of your own volition.
"You're enjoying this, huh."
Dumbly, you hummed. His laugh almost snapped you out of it, but it was too late. You cried out as he stopped you from keeping grinding. It bordered on torture, feeling the texture of his pants on your bare skin, rough and so readily available for you to get off.
Dean pushed you to your knees and undid his pants in haste, pulling his cock out of his underwear swiftly. He petted your head for a moment, then tapped his cock against your cheek. “Open up.”
You did so, resting your hands on your thighs in expectancy.
He caressed your cheek before shoving his cock into your mouth, only careful not to get to your throat for a moment. As he hit your throat, you gagged from the force, then relaxed as your brain registered what was happening.
He groaned as you began to hollow your cheeks, thrusting his hips up and choking you with his cock. You gagged once again, balling up your fists. Not touching him was worse than the sensation in your throat, that one you weirdly enjoyed, something about him causing you to gag and slobber all over his cock simply did something to you.
He knew.
“Should have known this would shut you up.” He rutted his hips, groaning deeply as his cock slipped down your throat.
He grunted as your tongue slid along his cock, gripping your face tightly so he could fuck your mouth at a quicker pace. The only indication you got that he wanted to come was him pressing your face to his pelvis.
Before you could taste the familiar salty cum, he pushed you off his cock and caressed your neck with his thumbs as he regained his breath.
"On your back."
You understood he meant on the couch simply because you were sure he would never fuck you into the floor when your backs were so ruined from all the hunting. So you laid on the couch you had fucked on more times than you could count and waited for him to get inside you.
Dean showed you two fingers. "Keep these warm for me, yeah?"
You nodded and opened your mouth, eager to suck on his fingers. Dean cackled, shaking his head.
"Can't leave this pussy unattended, honey." He teased at your entrance, gathering the slick dripping down your labia. "So good for me," he mumbled to himself.
Sliding his middle and ring finger inside you, Dean hummed to himself. "Knew you'd be warm and ready for me."
Teasingly, he curled his fingers. You whimpered.
"More." You couldn't help yourself.
He started shoving his fingers in and out, thrusting like he had done this a million times before. He almost had. The lewd sounds bouncing against the walls made your skin grow hot, feeling yourself getting more aroused at the wet echoes.
You squeezed around his fingers and rolled into his hand. Dean tsked, shaking his head. He tried to hide his proud smile from you as best as he could, but the cockiness always won over. His thumb grazed your clit as he wiggled his digits inside you, crisscrossing them.
"You know what? Go ahead, fuck yourself on my fingers. Can't do all the work for you."
Rutting against Dean's hand, you allowed yourself to enjoy the tendrils of pleasure every time his thumb made contact with your clit and his digits became buried inside you. He would stroke against your movements when you would get too complacent, reminding you he was still in charge. As if you would have it any other way.
You gasped out his name, hands floundering in search of something to hold onto. Dean removed his fingers before you could even grasp your orgasm.
Taunting you, he licked his fingers clean. "You would have made your mess already if you hadn't been so difficult earlier. You know that, right?"
You mumbled a reminder, "You were difficult too."
"Take that back," he demanded, wrapping a hand around his hard cock.
You shook your head, frustrated to no end as Dean started to pump the cock you should have been riding already.
As if reading your mind, and somehow agreeing, he roughly grabbed your thighs and forced your legs open enough to slot himself between them. He slapped his cock against your clit, smirking when you jolted. He did it a couple more times, only stopping when he dragged his tip along your slit to wet it.
Dean coated his cock all over with your wetness, using his fingers to gather some more for good measure. The emptiness inside you grew. All of this was not only unnecessary but only dragged your so much-needed pleasure.
"Gonna fuck some manners into you, honey," he announced in glee as he pushed inside you.
"Uh-huh."
He hovered over you to kiss you, sticking his tongue into your mouth while holding your legs open. You panted as he thrust into you with little care of pace or rhythm, only worried about fucking you stupid.
"I can feel how badly you want to come already," he boasted, relentlessly pumping his cock into you like he would die if he didn't reach as deep as humanly possible. "Hold on," he insisted, almost desperate. "You gotta wait until I tell you to."
Just as you were going to hum in acknowledgment, he pulled out and forced a desperate cry out of you. Dean grabbed your hips, guiding you onto your knees and hands.
Pressing his chest to your back, he pushed back in. His hands moved to your belly, searching for the hem of your top; as he found it, he rode it upward. Some of his fingers were ice cold, leaving goosebumps all over your skin as his hands reached your breasts.
He pulled on your breasts as he pistoned into you, quickly and harshly, pushing your face into the couch. You gasped for air, whining as you ground back against him, chasing permission to come.
Dean wouldn't relent that easily. He dropped your breasts, wrapping an arm tightly around you whilst resting his other hand on your thigh. Slapping your clit, he started to pant in your ear. "You're so fucking close," he told you, as if you didn't feel like you were on fire.
His fingers drew circles on your clit, applying as much pressure as your desperate humps and his hurried thrusts allowed him to. "Come on," he encouraged you, "let go. Make a mess all over my cock."
His thrusts only slowed down long enough for you to ride your high, coming so close to using him to get off that you hoped you would remember to plant the idea of trying that out into his head. He picked up the pace again, taking advantage of your pulsing walls and your half-relaxed state.
"Inside?" he asked breathlessly.
"Yeah." You moaned at the overstimulation, hoping he would just come already so you wouldn't have to go through more of it right now. Maybe later.
Not only did he fill you with cum but he pushed it deeper with a couple of pumps, moaning through a string of curses. His embrace loosened around you, but Dean didn't let go.
With his chest against your back and ragged breath in your ear, Dean coaxed you into laying flat on your stomach. "You okay, baby?"
You hummed. "Yeah, all good."
He kissed your shoulder and slowly withdrew from you, slipping out. "Gonna clean you up," he told you before you could ask if something was wrong.
Cleaning you up with a damp rag, Dean caressed your skin soothingly. "Can you sit up and drink some water?"
You gave it a try, groaning as you turned around on the couch. Sitting up was especially daunting as your sore ass made contact with the cushioned seat.
"I..."
You looked up at him, glass in both hands.
"I'll run you a bath, then we'll call your parents and invite them over for dinner this weekend."
"Really?"
"Really."
By the end of the night, you called your mom from your warm bed, head on Dean’s chest while his fingers traced your back.
234 notes · View notes
Text
Hatchet Whore
Toby Rogers X Male Reader
Dubious consent, little to no preparation, anal, mentions of blood/anal bleeding, degrading, being caught after the act, no aftercare, you're literally getting a hatchet up your ass idk what to tell you buddy chum palss
Oh, you felt pathetic.
Just an hour ago, you were exploring the huge forest near your smaller town, the twigs and pine cones crunching under your feet as you listened to the birds chirping, smiling as you saw a squirrel dashing through the pine needles.
It was a bit silly why you came here, really. Everyone always spoke of a tall, pale man with no face, one who wore a suit, who took stupid little forest travelers and never let them go home.
You didn't exactly find him. More like you were found by these...men. A man in a yellow hoodie, a guy in a white mask, and a boy with orange goggles and a sly grin. You were knocked out for who knows how long, waking up in a dingy, dirty old basement, the first two men leaving as you woke. Leaving you with this..guy.
-
Toby felt a bit bad for the guy. He wasn't causing any trouble, technically, but God knows how much the crunching pinecones made the Masks' go into sensory overload, especially when Masky seemed to be in charge. But, then again..he's never been a selfless man.
"I-I've got a d-d-" Toby made several popping sounds with his mouth, frowning a bit before continuing, his neck occasionally jerking. "D-deal for y-you!" Toby grinned, an odd look in his eyes. A very, very clear look in his eyes. "I-I'll let you — entitled to compensation! — g-g-go-..if."
-
"I'm not letting you shove your nasty cock in me, who knows how long you've been in this forest without a bath-...no offense." The proxy didn't seem to take any offense, only nodding with an involuntary whistle of his tongue.
Toby had a grin on his face as he unscrewed the cap of his plastic water bottle, his hands rough and scarred yet his fingers lean. He carefully poured the half left in the bottle over the handle of his hatchet. "N-no problem, I c-can — fuck! fuck! fuck! — work w-with t-that."
He was silent save for the occasional pop of the tongue as he pushed you to lay on your back, ignoring your grumbling as he grabbed the waistband of your shorts and boxers, tugging them both down. He grinned as he shoved his fingers in your mouth, giggling maniacally as you were forced to drool over them.
He snickered a bit as he jammed his fingers down your throat, causing you to gag before he finally stopped his miniature assault on your throat. He prodded at your hole for a minute, staring intensely at your face as he harshly shoved two inside. He didn't give you a second to adjust, only giggling as he intently watched you attempt to stop your face contorting with pleasure.
He finally removed his fingers after a few minutes, ignoring your whimper at the loss as he firmly gripped the upper handle of the axe, the blade resting directly underneath his fist. His face showed clear concentration as he slowly brought the hilt to you, breaching your tight ring of muscle as you moaned, covering your mouth.
He snickered as he slowly brought it back out, only to violently shove the handle in until his fist rested on your ass, letting you moan into your hands. He repeated this a few times, before reaching up with his free hand to jerk yours away from your mouth.
"I w-wanna hear you, f-freak.."
He held your hands in his as he continued his rapid pistoning of the hilt into you, letting you squeeze his hand as you moaned, back arching as he shoved the rough wood into your prostate. If you could have lifted your head, you would've seen the tent in the man's jeans as he fucked the weapon into you.
You could barely function anymore, your aching cock red and untouched as he started to mutter to you. "Oh, f-fuck, imagine if i-it broke — entitled to compensation! — i-inside you, oh, fuck-" He grinned at your slightly fearful, cockdrunk (hatchetdrunk?) face as he continued his little ramble. "Y-you think you'd b-bleed? Y-you'd probably c-cum from it, you f-fucking slut..!" Toby looked close to cumming in his pants just from the idea of blood leaking from your tight hole.
His eyes were filled with excitement as he again shoved the hatchet as far as it could reach, seemingly not noticing your tight grip on his hand as you screamed, eyes rolling back a bit as your leaking, red cock finally got its oh-so-needed release, spilling onto your tummy and thighs. "O-ohh, fuck, you really — fuck! — a-are a s-slut, huh..?"
You didn't- hell, couldn't- answer as you panted, your cock softening as you came down from your high. He placed his hatchet to the side, neck jerking slightly as he slowly smeared your cum up to your chest with his thumb. "C-cumming from a f-fucking h-hatchet u-up — fuck! — up your ass..f-freak! Little freak!"
Despite his cruel words, he helped you sit up, tugging your shirt back down. You leaned against the basement's wall again as he tugged your shorts back up to your waist, not bothering to clean you up at all. "F-fuck, I'll be in s-so much trouble..y-you shut up, okay?"
He didn't bother to acknowledge your nod of agreement as he heard the basement's door creak open again. Hoodie and an unmasked Tim stood there, completely still for a moment until Tim spoke. "Toby, what the fuck, man."
"S-shit."
74 notes · View notes
love-lilly02 · 25 days
Text
The Challenge— Ch. 8
Tumblr media
AN: This is a preview for the next part, where we will find out more about the readers past and get to explore the existing elation ship between the boys. it got posted early so the next chapter could take a while or come out like tomorrow, idk
“Hold still,” Price said, holding the packs above your hands. You nodded, shifting nervously on your knees. “Only gonna hurt for a second.” He lied every time, but the brief attempt at comfort made you feel a bit better. 
The second the medication touched the burns you cringed, tensing immensely. You heard him try to tell you to relax, but his voice was drowned out by a wave of pain. Every time you two did this procedure it only seemed to get worse, but you were slightly thankful for it. 
Coming back home had been rough. Nik only stayed for a few hours, making sure that you were situated and properly taken care of before he returned to his desolate corner in russia (they always preached how lucky you were to make your way to him, instead of heading in your enemies direction), and you had been thrown into testing immediately after that. 
It felt like something out of a marvel movie, they assessed your injuries and just how well you were able to operate, thanks to Nik, you were still able to participate in field work as a long distance asset, you gave them the information you stole from the russians, and they gave you medicine for the many burns you had on your body. 
Which was why you found yourself in this position. 
You could still use your hands, thankfully. They were good for a manner of things, fighting, eating, and the like. But you couldn’t do things like write or hold a brush, which was the exact task required to apply the medicine that the doctors gave. So Price had to help you. 
At first it was awkward, sitting there half naked on his desk while he applied a cream that burned worse than the one Nikolai gave you all over your body, but you two slowly got used to it, even breaking the tense silence with small bursts of conversation. Usually about something that had happened earlier that day. Never about the indecent that put you in this position. 
There was one burn that required special attention, seeing as it hadn’t healed correctly. On the back of your neck, just in the juncture connecting your shoulders, and the only place you couldn’t reach. That one specifically hurt the worst, and you couldn’t stop yourself from moving to touch it once the cream was applied. 
Price’s solution to this was to have you sit between his legs while it was applied. 
It did help, of course. Any time you tried to shift your neck or flinch away from the pain, he was there with a steadying hand on your head and a slight “Don’t wana do that,” and you were still again. 
Some nights were better than others, but you were always distinctly aware of the position it left you in. 
Just as you were always aware of the way he would go half-hard every time you two did that. 
“There you go, all done.” You sat back, looking up at him with wide eyes. You didn’t miss the way he had to swallow a bit harder, or shift his hips ever so slightly. “Wasn’t too bad.”
“You try having second degree burns and come back with that same bull shit.” He just laughed and shook his head. 
“Ya know… if you want to talk about what happened—“
“John, it’s okay.” Truth be told, it wasn’t okay. It was the farthest thing from okay, but you weren’t going to bring it up anytime soon. “What happened happened.”
He just grunted. “ ‘Boys still haven’t given up on that challenge.” You just laughed, wincing at the sting of the burns. 
“Honestly, you guys find even one photo and i’ll sing your praises.” You could feel his eyes on you as you got dressed, and sure enough when you turned back around he was staring at you with a different kind of intensity. 
“It took you being gone for two months for us to realize we hardly know anything about you. Why is that?”
You blinked in surprise, stepping towards the door. “I have my reasons.” The hall was empty, and you sort of wished John had people outside eavesdropping on your conversation. 
“Find those photos and you’ll figure it out.”
me when i wanna write sex but they aren’t like that yet
My masterlist<3333
93 notes · View notes
uglypastels · 11 months
Note
okay how about something comforting and cutesy like Eddie just absolutely coddling you and babying you since you had a rough day, idk maybe he helps calm you down
i swear i need an eddie right now. especially needed one yesterday. thank you for the request! i did my best (might be a bit rusty since i haven't written properly in a while )
warning: reader is having a hard day. exhaustion. idk. nothing else i think
masterlist. || join the Stranger Things taglist
Tumblr media
Eddie knew something was up the second he stepped past the threshold. He could practically smell it in the air… or maybe the burned bitterness was coming from the kitchen as a dark grey cloud of smoke. Or maybe he figured it out by listening to your curses at the oven and the pitch-black baking dish you threw down at the counter. The metal clanged loudly, causing you both to flinch. 
‘Baby?’ Eddie asked apprehensively, not wanting to startle you. He half succeeded as you turned around harshly but immediately softened your features at the sight of him. ‘Are you alright?’ 
You don’t answer since both of you already know the answer. All you do is take the steps to break the distance between the two of you, lips are dragged down into a horseshoe-shaped frown, and tears threatening to burst at any second. Eddie catches you into a tight embrace, pulling you in. 
‘Hey, shh, it’s ok.’ He had just returned from work and must have been driving with the windows down because his hair smelled of the summer wind. 
‘I just wanted to make you some dinner, but it got burned– I’m so sorry, honey.’ You sniffed out. 
‘Is that all?’ He felt it was quite an extreme reaction for a burned casserole [or whatever the ashes in the dish were supposed to be. Truly impossible to tell by the state it was in.] Then again, he knew how much work you put into your cooking and especially after a long day having something go this wrong could be the last straw, but knowing you, there must have been something before already to put you in this mood. 
‘It’s just been… a lot.’ You didn’t feel like talking about it. Would much rather forget everything that had happened in the past 24 hours. 
‘I understand, baby. Do you wanna sit down for a bit?’ He pulled away slightly to look you in the eyes–which were now red and beginning to puff up. Besides that, he saw how frazzled your hair had gotten throughout the day and how tired you looked. He could only assume he looked about the same, if not worse. 
‘No,’ you wiped at your eyes, ‘I should make us some dinner. There should still be some—’ 
But Eddie was quick to cut you off. ‘Oh, no. You’re not cooking anymore today. C’mon, you need to rest. We can order something.’ He already saw your frown reappear, not happy with that idea. After all, you really wanted to do something nice for Eddie. Though now the surprise aspect of it all was gone anyway, you might as well enjoy a nice takeout. Eddie grabbed your hand, swinging it side to side. ‘What do you feel like? I could personally kill for a pizza right now.’
‘Pizza is fine.’ You nodded, but Eddie wasn’t too sure just yet. 
‘Sure? Or are you just saying that because I suggested it?’ 
‘Can’t it be both?’ You brushed some of his hair out of his face. Even though he had put it in a ponytail, most of the shorter strands framing his face had come loose. Eddie looked at you for a moment before nodding.
‘The usual, then?’
‘Mhm,’ you simply replied. Then Eddie told you to get comfortable on the couch before placing an order. You sat down feeling tired and restless simultaneously; there was so much you needed to get done, but you had no energy for any of it. By the time Eddie returned, your eyelids were already betraying you, becoming heavier and heavier. The shift of weight beside you was just enough to stir you from the nap. 
‘Sorry,’ Eddie whispered. ‘I didn’t want to wake you.’ 
‘I wasn’t asleep.’ You rubbed your eyes, sitting up straight next to Eddie. 
‘Of course not.’ He chuckled and took this opportunity to bring you in for another tight hug. He practically pulled you into his lap, kissing your cheek, mumbling, ‘I missed you today,’ between a kiss here and there. 
‘Missed you too.’ You kissed him back. ‘And I’m really sorry about dinner, again.’
‘I’m banning apologies in this house tonight. You have nothing to be sorry for.’
‘I nearly burned down the kitchen!’
‘That’s an entirely different problem, then. We still get to have dinner, but if you had burned the kitchen down… ‘ he exhaled deeply, and something inside him lit up at the sight of your smile cracking through the hard shell the day had built up around you. For the next half 20 minutes, he kept making dumb jokes to get your smile to grow bit by bit. Most of the time, you would roll your eyes at him or smack him playfully on the arm, but anything was better than tears. 
Then the doorbell rang, and almost automatically, you got up, but only a few inches off the sofa before Eddie grabbed you by the hips.
‘Where do you think you’re going?’ 
‘To get our food?’ You said whilst the doorbell rang again.
‘No, you’re not,’ he pulled you back onto the seat and got up. ‘You’re resting.’
‘But you should be resting too!’ You wanted to shout out, but he had already left the room to open the door for the delivery boy. A minute later, Eddie returned holding several takeout boxes that contained no pizza, but you knew exactly what it was instead. 
‘I thought we decided on pizza?’ You asked, puzzled as he put the food on the coffee table before you. 
‘Yea, but I thought you might like this better.’ Eddie shrugged, beginning to unpack the boxes. ‘Felt like it would do a better job making you feel better than pizza… usually does, at least. But if you’d prefer pizza then I can still quickly call–’ 
‘No, it’s perfect. Thank you.’ You kissed him on the cheek. ‘Thank you for everything.’
the end.
Tumblr media
thank you for reading! please support your (not so) local writers with comments and reblogs <3 it means the world. also, I love to hear what you thought of the fic. asks are always welcome
consider leaving behind an anonymous review :p
339 notes · View notes
suguwuus · 3 months
Note
Hii babe!! Omg I’ve been obsessed with your pajama pants book on wattpad for years I can’t believe I found your tumblr, ur my favourite Connor writer.
Anyway I figured I’d send an ask!! Maybe something with a daughter of Aphrodite reader? Could you do protective connor plss, I don’t rly mind the scenario whether it’s creepy guy or like in a battle or whatever.
Thanks so much!! 🩷🩷
HEYYY HII OMG thank u blushes kicks feet!!!
the damsel in distress trope is so outdated and children of aphrodite def have sparkly pink bejeweled weapons so this being set on the battlefield is crossed out of the list. also i dont like the ending but idk ??
edit: im sorry if this didnt meet your expectations of protective connor idk i feel like it's off or boring so feel free to ask for a redo or another one w this situation 😭😭😭😭 not sure if i interpreted ur req right but lmk if i did or if u have anything to say
wc: 1.7k words
contains: erm the general creep u meet while minding ur own business idfk that's literally it
Tumblr media
"G'morning, beautiful." Connor smiles down at you as you wake up from your rest. How many hours was that? Three? Four? A few hours as your beauty rest was better than none, so you let that worry go and sucked it up.
"Morning, Connor," you replied, your voice as sweet and smooth as ever. Your resting place today was hidden between two dumpsters behind a convenience store. At first, the idea revolted all three of you on the quest, but the events that followed that night gave you no choice, and the smell would mask your scent from any monsters. Fortunately, you had your perfume balm on you, enchanted to last for days, so smearing the stuff under your noses was a big help to battle the stench of the dumpsters.
You laid a hand on your boyfriend's shoulder. "Feeling better?" After getting into a car crash last night, his body was probably sore. He pulled a muscle in his shoulder, too. His brother Travis was knocked unconscious, so after hauling him through streets, you two had no choice but to seek shelter somewhere hidden. You only found out, when the sun rose, that you were stationed behind a convenience store. Great. Those things were like playgrounds to the sons of Hermes.
Connor stood up and stretched, testing his shoulder. "Yes! Good as new. Man, I wish mortal stores had stuff flavored with something that tastes like ambrosia."
You gazed up at him, pleased with the state he was in now. "Glad to hear," you smiled.
"Wait, they do. I love salt and vinegar chips. Oh, man, I hope Travis finds some."
You wrinkled your nose, but at the mention of food, your stomach growled. Aside from doing your best to nurse the boys back to a decent state last night, you also took first watch. That, and exhausting all your fighting skills, left you hungry.
You rummaged in your bag for a bottle of water to start your day as Connor picked up his. There you found your plastic bag of half-finished ambrosia, a flask of nectar, your first aid kit, your last change of clean clothes, your hair clip that transformed into your celestial bronze crossbow with a beaded charm around the handle, a magic blow-drier for emergencies, and—there it was.
"Travis is inside. Let's go?" Connor held out a hand and helped you up from the ground, and the two of you walked into the convenience store. You caught a glimpse of Travis, but he didn't catch sight of you back. So instead you put your water back into your bag and headed for the bathroom.
There wasn't much work to do. Just a bit of dusting off your pants and a quick wash of your face and hands to feel clean. As always, you looked perfectly put together, roughed up but in a movie star way, thanks to being a daughter of Aphrodite. It was like those scratches and stray hairs framing your face were strategically placed by a personal makeup artist.
Zipping up your jacket in a way that complimented your figure and the rest of your outfit, you nudged the bathroom door closed with your foot on the way out. Neither of the boys were inside anymore. While you scanned the aisles for them, you felt a pair of eyes on you and turned towards the counter to see a toothy man wearing a puffer vest standing in line. "You lost, sweetheart?"
You didn't like how he looked you up and down. How you felt like you were being examined under his stare. You picked it up immediately, and it made your fists tighten. You simply shook your head, then made for the exit.
Travis and Connor were munching away at breakfast sandwiches and bagels. They handed you a sandwich of your choice and a bottle of yogurt drink and you ate it without complaint, the previous occurence quickly disappearing from your mind.
"Thanks," You mumbled, and then peeked into Travis's paper bag. It had even more sandwiches and snacks inside. Quickly, he wrapped them all up and stuffed them in his bag. "Snagged some extras on my way out." He grinned, satisfied with his work.
"Still headed for the next city hall, right?" He asked.
"Mhm." You took a folded up map out of your back pocket and opened it up. "There's a bus stop right there." You nodded in the general direction of the shed, tracing a manicured finger along the map.
You had to be honest, you were only doing that to look cool. Your dyslexia slowed you down in trying to look for your current location.
You followed Travis and Connor to the waiting shed, passing the map to the former. "Let me do that, love," Connor said as you sat down and began to open your yogurt drink. He took his seat beside you and opened your drink for you, passing it back along with a kiss. The gesture made your stomach flutter. No matter how many people would throw themselves at you and try to get your attention, nothing would ever beat the way Connor made you feel with his princess treatment.
However, your mood immediately soured when the guy from inside the convenience store appeared, sitting beside you and doing a little stretch. When he was done, he turned to you and smiled.
"You're a pretty one, you know that?"
The man's voice was gravelly and he sounded like he needed a drink. You kept your eyes on whatever you could stare at on the other side of the street. "Thank you," You replied.
"You here alone?"
"No," You replied, holding back the urge to grit your teeth. You started to tap your designer boots on the concrete, impatiently awaiting the bus.
"Hm. A doll like you shouldn't be here all by yourself."
You didn't reply. Internally, you gagged and made a face and cussed him out for having the audacity.
Connor tensed up beside you; you could feel it. You huffed and checked your nails, bored. Time seemed to go exceptionally slow while you were in this situation.
When you finally forced your head to turn to see why Connor was so pissed, you saw the guy literally ogling you, a smile on his face with dark eyes that seemed to bore into every bit of you they could find.
It was disgusting. You felt disgusting. Your skin crawled.
You crossed your arms over your torso and scowled, trying to seem as unappealing as possible. Desperate times call for desperate measures, or whatever the saying was. You put a hand on Connor's knee to reassure him that you could handle it, and switched on your meanest girl voice.
"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" You shot the guy your meanest girl glare. It worked, for a second, because the smile melted off his face.
Travis came along, pulling out a pouch where he kept fake ID's and documents in case you needed them. He settled beside Connor, who had draped an arm across your shoulders, and took off his sweater.
The man glanced up at him as he passed by, relentless with his questions. "Is that your boyfriend?"
"No, this is." You moved aside to show Connor. You didn't dare break eye contact with the man, you wanted to show that you weren't afraid.
The man's frown grew deeper. "Well!" He chuckled. "Lucky guy."
Connor cleared his throat beside you. You squeezed his knee, and as curious as you were to see how he looked (because he was hot when he was pissed) you flashed the creep your fakest smile, words laced with poison.
"Your mom never told you not to talk to strangers? It's dangerous, you know." He started to force a laugh, but you cut him off, continuing. "Stop talking, because I don't have any time to waste on you, dickhead."
There was a beat of silence as he processed your words. You cracked a smile and turned back to face the opposite side of the road, satisfied with yourself. But then you heard the rustle of that stupid puffer vest.
"Hey, now, sweetheart, don't be hard. You know, if you're here on vacation, I can tell you a few good places to visit, let me tell you—"
You had just settled your eyes back on your multiple bangles and bracelets when you heard a loud smack from where the man was sitting. Connor stood between you and him and your lips parted in surprise with how quick he was. His hand was raised and the man was clutching his own, face red and showing an expression of pain. You couldn't see Connor's face, since he had his back turned to you, but you could feel how tense the hand that was on your shoulder was.
The bus finally pulled over in front of you. Travis nudged you and Connor took your hand with a stiff one. "C'mon, Y/N, let's go," he said. You eagerly stood up, keeping his hand in yours, but he didn't move. Instead, he waited for the creep to board and when he did so, he looked over his shoulder to steal one last glance at you.
You raised up your middle finger at him, but to your surprise, Connor even gave him a shove further down the aisle as the two of you followed.
Connor and Travis made sure he was seated far, far back in the bus before settling into seats with you. Connor gave you the window seat and the three of you got comfortable, though Connor was still muttering curses under his breath. You sent Travis a thumbs up gesture when he looked at the two of you.
Connor didn't relax even after the bus set off, but he did kick his bag under the seat and take your hand back in his. He planted a kiss on your temple, then your hand. "You alright?"
You nodded. "Nothing I can't handle," You assured him. "Horrible morning, but it's fine."
"Bastard was about to touch you," He muttered, lips moving against the back of your hand. "No one touches my girl if she doesn't like it."
"Mhm." You gave his hand a squeeze back, just as you always do to let him know it's okay.
Tumblr media
50 notes · View notes
sakasakiii · 1 month
Note
hi!!! how long does an average panel of one of your comics take??
i love your work so much!! it got me into silmblr hehe
HI NONNIE!!! thank u sooooso much for checking in and for ur lovely ask! it means a lot to hear that my silly ol scribbles were what introduced u to the glorious landscape that is the tolkien fandom! on tumblr no less!! i hope you stay a real long time, and have a blast while you're at it 💖💖
now onto your question! that's some good food for thought uhhhh i can try to estimate?? its been a while but i shld have some rough ideas abt each that i can share! the time frame each comic/panel takes is highly dependent on WHAT kind of comic it is. i hv two kinds of comics I usually do: 1) full-length, and 2) goofy/4koma.
i have a few full-length comics laying about in my archive, but my most recent one/best example is Ghosts which was around uh.... 7 pages excluding the bonus panels! in terms of the process, i usually divide it into 5 stages:
Drafting: this is either the fastest stage OR the slowest depending entirely whether i know what im doing LMAO,, if i have a set idea for what i want to happen, i might get drafts done in a few hours, but if i flounder, it can take a few days 🤔
Lineart: relatively simple enough once i hv the draft down, so id say anything ranging from an hour to half a day if theres nothing else going on irl
Block colouring (main actors): there are DEFINITELY easier and more professional ways to do this with mass-selection and the lasso fill/bucket tool, but idk how to do that on SAI (my art program) so i colour everything by hand HAHA which makes the process longer.... half a day to a day?
Shading: THE WORST!!! definintely my least favourite bc i find it tedious due to all the details/prettification of elves that i am legally obliged to pour into this stage 😭😭 as a result, it can take days!!!
Background + Lighting + Final Rendering: similar to the previous stage haha it just depends on how much effort i wanna put into the final product looking nice. roughly a few days? it kind of meshes with stage 4 anyways haha
just for fun, i hope this process gif for page 6 can illustrate that 👇
Tumblr media
these are just rough estimates, bc all in all, the time it takes so finish a page is really dependent on how free I am hahaha. Also, I usually work on full-length comics like Ghost which have more than one page all at once, which means I drafted all 7 pages at once, then did the lineart for all 7 pages at once, coloured at once, shaded rendered bla bla bla 😚 iirc, i think it took me 11 days in total to finish Ghosts before the end of June last year!
For goofy/4-koma, its usually just one page with less detailed/more cartoonish/chibi character styles so it takes a day or two days at most! again, it all boils down to how free i am hehe
Tumblr media
YEAH SORRY THIS ENDED UP BEING AN INFO DUMP but thank you so much again for asking and letting me ramble! <3 i ended up having a lot of fun looking back on my drafts n thinking back on my processes.... theres defininitely room for improvement, but thats another worry for another day heheh 😎
51 notes · View notes
Note
Gamer!Carolxfem!reader where the reader c0ckw@rms her str@p whilst she ignores the readers desperate cries as she plays a game (idk what game😭) After Carol successfully finishes the round she pulls the reader off her str@p and gently ch0kes her whilst bottoming her out?
Needy Babygirl
Tumblr media
Requested Gamer!Carol x Fem!Reader
Masterlist
A/N: Hello, it’s been a minute since I’ve posted a one-shot and this one had been sitting here for a long while. I’m sorry it took this long for me to get this out but I really wanted it to be perfect. Something’s didn’t seem right so I stopped writing it until I got everything together and now we’re here. I really hope you like it. There will be two other one-shots that I will be posting that have been sitting in my inbox for just as long 😁
Words: 1469
Genre: Smut, 18+ ONLY, little fluff at the end
Warning: Pet Names (babygirl), Captain kink, Dom!Carol, Sub!Reader, Swearing, Acting Like a Brat, Strap-on, Choking, Edging, Clit Stimulation, Face Fucking, Rough Treatment, Bottoming Out, After Care
Summary: Read the request box above
Carol POV
I’ve been playing Fortnite with Valkyrie for a couple of hours when Y/N got home. Everything was fine. Y/N kissed me on the cheek, and I continued to play. But after the half-hour mark, Y/N starts getting needy. She starts getting touchy with me groping me bitting my ear and kissing my neck. Just trying to turn me on. I plan to fuck her brains out after I win and although she’s getting to me, I don’t show it.
At one point it gets to much and I lose, which in turn means Valkyrie loses. “Come on, what was that all about?” “Sorry, Y/N thought it would be fun to mess around.” I give Y/N a death glare in turn all I got was an “innocent” smile back. “Valkyrie, I have to go.” Before she even had the chance to respond, I disconnected the call. Without looking at Y/N, I move my chair back, point to the ground in front of me, and say. “Get over here and take off my pants.”
She kneels in front of my acting all innocent and starts to unbuckle my pants. To help her a little, I lift myself and let her tug my pants down. When she sees the strap, she shifts a little. It’s her favorite, just girthy enough to leave her gaping and long enough, so she's brainless when I’m done with her.
Trying to tease me, she sticks out her tounge and starts leaving kitten licks on the tip. I grab at her hair making her face me. I place my head right by her ear. “No teasing babygirl, you’re already getting punished, don’t add to it.” Y/N lets out a breathy moan. Leaning back she wraps her lips around the head and starts easing it in. Holding her head, I push the strap all the way down her throat, causing her to gag. “Just like that. Get it nice and wet so I can put it in that slutty pussy.” I continue to grip her head and have her take it down her throat then I have the tip at her lips and slam it all back down her throat.
When she wets the strap enough, I separate her from it and lift her so I can place a kiss on her lips. I slipped my tongue into her mouth, causing her to moan and I take her pants off. When we ran out of air, I moved my lips down to her neck and collar bone. Once her pants were off, I started to rub her clit through her underwear.
“What happened, Oh God, to no, Mm, teasing?” I grab her by the neck, turning her around to bend her over the table. My unused hand grabs at her underwear and tears it off. As I kiss her neck, I line the strap up with her entrance and push in the tip deciding to tease her. She lets out a breathy moan and pushes back against me, trying to get more. Every time she does, I pull back to the point that nothing is inside.
“Fuck. Please, fuck me.” Despite her please I continue to tease her. When she pushes back faster the before, she bottoms out, letting out a whorish moan. I slap her ass hard, being sure not to use all my strength and hurt her. When I go back to how it was previously, she whines. “Please, I’ll be your good girl, and I won’t be a brat anymore. Please… Captain?”
She’s well aware of what that name does to me. So without taking a second, I push past any resistance left, then start pounding into her. “Oh fuck, that’s so good.” I use my hand and start playing with her clit. Tugging it, pinching and slapping.“OH GOD, YES! PLEASE HARDER”
It’s getting a little harder to thrust the strap. Her toes are starting to point in a straight line. I can tell she’s getting close. “I’m so close. Please, can I cum!?!” “No.” She continues to get closer, and when it looks like she’s so close to the edge she wouldn’t be able to stop herself, I still.
Before she can whine, with the strap still inside, I crash back onto my chair, bringing her down. When I collapse, the strap presses against her g-spot, causing her to let out a loud moan. “Stay quiet,” I call Valkyrie back. “Hey, what was that about?” “Sorry, I had to take care of Y/N real quick. Do you think I can join you in the next game?” Y/N starts whining, squirming, and grinding herself against my strap. “Well, it sounds like you weren’t able to fuck any sense into her.” Y/N freezes when she hears what Valkyrie says and lets out a low moan. “Would you listen to that? Y/N gets off on you knowing.” Valkyrie lets out a laugh, clearly amused “What do you want to play. Party Royal or Save the World?” “Party Royal, of course. But I have to wake up early tomorrow, so I can only play one game.”
Whenever I made a kill, I’d push the strap into her again pulling another moan. Valkyrie would chuckle everytime letting me know she knew what was happening. “You know, if you ever need help with the brat you could always call me and I’d be happy to.” Y/N let out a whimper and grinded down a bit until I slapped her ass. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind the next time she acts out.” It wouldn’t be the first time I let someone help me with her. I find it enjoyable watching her be put in her place by other people.
Valkyrie and I finally win and just before I leave again I hear Valkyrie telling us to have fun. As soon as everything is off I grip Y/N’s throat chocking her a bit while I raise my hips to bottom out. Her mouth forms an O shape and her eyes roll to the back of her head while she lets out a choked moan.
I used my free and and start rub figure eights on her clit. “Oh, shit. Please, please.” She was getting close. As my clit was rubbing agaist the strap I started getting close as well. “Wait for me, yeah. You’re gonna be a good girl and wait for me?” She was so consumed by the pleasure that she didn’t respond so I used the hand on her clit to slap her pussy hard. “Answer me! You’re gonna be a good girl and wait, right?” She started nodding profusely before she relized she should use her voice. “Y-y-ye-yes.”
I was so close to the edge, but before I went over the edge, I said. “Now. Cum right now.” She didn’t even take a second before she came, and I followed directly after. When we were both coming down from our high, my thrust started to slow down until they came to a stop.
Y/N was leaning her head back on my shoulder, breathing heavily. I slowly and carefully pulled out of her and when she winced in pain I cooed at her. I carried her to the bed and took off her shirt but used a blanket to keep her from getting cold. I made my way to the bathroom to fill the bathtub and clean the strap. Once inside the room again I put my strap on the side table and looked on the bed to see Y/N already looking at me on her side with a smile.
I smiled back. “What’s that look about?” I push the hair in her face behind her ear. “I’m just happy. I do have the best girlfriend after all.” I let out a quiet hum picked her up bridal style and took her to the tub. I joined her inside shortly after going behind her. I helped clean her hair and when I was finished I was going to do mine. Before I could Y/N’s hand stopped me.
I look at her curiously. That’s when she shifted so she was facing me and squirt some shampoo in her hand. “I can do that myself babygirl.” She put the shampoo bottle down grabbed me by the chin and placed a chaste kiss on my lips. Smiling she pulled back to get a better look at me. “I know but you always help me, so it’s my turn to help you.”
She brought my forehead to rest on her shoulder and started washing my hair. I wrapped my arms around her waist giving her a hug. This is the moment I told myself one day I’m going to marry this girl.
375 notes · View notes
iratetourist · 2 years
Text
study buddy // eddie munson x reader
Tumblr media
featuring my fave eddie gif 🥰
summary: eddie munson wasn’t much of a good study buddy, but he had other ways to make it up to you… 👅 aka eddie’s tongue is a bit of a menace
pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader
word count: idk girlies i wrote it on my phone, it’s not too long
author’s note: this man got me so obsessed that i wrote a fic for the first time in nearly a decade because of him… so this shit is ROUGH (sowwy) and the concept kind of got away from me, but regardless, i had fun just writing away for a few hours!! also, if any of the formatting is off, i apologize, like i said, i’m only just getting back into this lmao
warnings: a little sauciness, nothing explicit, only lightly implied
________________
“So, of course, I was thinking that if I introduced, like, a… a dragon-blooded drow priestess, the entire idea would come together so well. I think I want her dragon lineage to be a secret, though—”
You nodded absentmindedly at your boyfriend’s random D&D musings, humming at him in response, though a small, contented smile rested on your face as you listened and flipped through the textbook on your lap. Eddie, completely enraptured within ideas for his next campaign, continued to ramble from his spot lying next to you on the floor, his own textbook having long been tossed God-knows-where and his papers scribbled with D&D notes.
“Dustin would lose his goddamn mind at the reveal, I bet, but would still probably try to recruit her even if she killed off half the party—” Eddie shot up instantaneously at that, yet another idea that had to be written down dawning upon him.
Needless to say, this studying session wasn’t exactly proving to be successful.
Sighing, you set your book to the side and just watched him for a few moments. It was difficult to be annoyed at him when he was talking about far more interesting things than anything your textbooks had to offer and was this hyped up, because frankly, it was downright adorable. Not an adjective pretty much anyone would use to describe Eddie Munson, but entirely applicable right now, in your expert opinion as his girlfriend.
He had a contagious smile plastered on his face, his dimples deeply on display… a boyish sparkle of excitement to his eyes… his curly hair splayed wildly across his face, and his hand was writing away a mile a minute as he attempted to get out every idea he had before it disappeared. Every few seconds, he would look up at you and his face would light up just that much brighter, and you could feel your heart ache all the more, and it took everything in your power not practically pounce on him.
It was the way he was so comfortable with you, so happy to have you just be with him and listen to any and all passionate rants and ravings he had, that you wanted nothing more than to just grab him and go at it right then and there—
But no! You had come here, to his trailer, with the express intent to study while spending time with him. You hadn’t gotten to see each other that much over the past few weeks, what with studying for finals, so you figured, two birds, one stone - you both could get some studying done while getting a chance to chill and catch up with each other…
…Yeah, you’re not really sure how you convinced yourself this would work.
Inevitably, Eddie Munson didn’t give much of a shit about studying when he had barely seen his girlfriend for three weeks and you both were alone in his trailer. You couldn’t exactly blame him (you weren’t feeling particularly studious yourself that late afternoon, among other things), but the fact was you promised yourself you would at least finish reviewing up to Chapter 31 of your physics textbook before you let him… uh, actively distract you too much.
And yet, you were only barely done reading through to Chapter 16, and had already been there for three and a half hours. Oops?
Taking a deep breath and closing your eyes, you made a new promise to yourself: at least get to Chapter 20 today, that’s it. You could do that, easily - only four more chapters to go, and you knew the eighteenth was shorter than most. Perfectly attainable goal.
Then you heard a groan to your side, and opened your eyes to find Eddie stretching his arms high above his head, muscles taut and tattoos enticingly on display. Add the fact that his tongue - it was always that goddamn tongue of his - was sticking the slightest bit out past his lips, running along them, and you felt every bit of resolve you had just mustered flush out of your system in an instant, only to be replaced by an immediate surge of heat and longing. You exhaled forcibly, but couldn’t bring yourself to look away.
When he opened a single eye a second later at the sound, he gave you a long, knowing smirk and then changed his stretching position, throwing one arm across the opposite shoulder and pressing his hand to his elbow, making sure to go slow as he did so.
“See something ya like, sweetheart?”
Oh, good Christ, you didn’t know how long you could keep this up, not when he brought in the nicknames. Looking down, you saw a flash of his smooth skin, the briefest peek of toned abs, as his shirt riled up from the action, and your mind went blank yet again. Your eyes shot up to his, and you could feel your cheeks flush instantly at the cocky glimmer in his own - caught red-handed and by God was he revelling in it.
Stupid cute, annoying boyfriend… he knew exactly what he was doing and you both hated and loved him for it.
“I… I need…” You could barely swallow down your embarrassment at how breathy your voice came out. Coughing a bit, you shifted a little away from him, and then purposefully grabbed your textbook and made a show of sticking your nose in it. “I need to finish reading… um, this… yeah. At least… to Chapter 20.”
Wow, super convincing, Y/N, good job.
Eddie’s smirk only grew that much more smug at your strained tone. Oh, he liked a bit of challenge.
Crawling over to you, he leaned his head down on your lap, turning so he was looking directly up at you through the window your textbook made. “Hm…” He ran a hand up the back of your forearm, sparking goosebumps across your skin, and reached for your textbook. “I think what we both need is a bit of a break, don’tcha think?”
Despite the increasingly distracting mood, you couldn’t help but laugh a little at that. The warm sound reverberated through your body, and Eddie swallowed thickly, trying to keep his own composure - were it not for the fact that he was trying to wind you up as much as possible first, he would have hiked you over his shoulder at that and taken you to the bedroom. But… not yet, not yet.
“Tell me, Eddie Munson, how do think you’ve earned a break, considering I know for a fact you haven’t read past chapter three in that textbook of yours?” Passively, you began to play with the ends of his hair - you knew he loved that more than he was willing to admit.
Eddie put on a fake pout at that, pressing a hand to his heart. “Y/N, you wound me!” he began, running his tongue across his lower lip again. Despite your best efforts, you once again found your eyes trailing after it, and the shiver that ran through you at that was quite acutely felt by man laying beneath you, earning yet another self-satisfied smirk. Good God, you were gonna let him have it…
“I have spent the the better part of nearly four hours tirelessly working out potential ideas for our next D&D campaign, and you don’t believe that warrants a nice, long break? Well, I’ll be damned. I think I more than deserve it…” He pushed himself up at this, knocking the textbook you were very much so just staring blankly at out of the way, before nudging you to the ground, hovering atop you.
That goddamned smug grin of his grew that much more at how easily you let him do so, and the sight stoked further at the coiling sensation in your gut. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to the shell of your ear, a husky whisper leaving his mouth, “…and I think you require it.”
“Mm, you think so, do you?” Your hands came up to ghost your nails down his back, and he let out a throaty noise at the contact, causing a cheeky smile of your own to grace your features. “Well, I think what you require is just one good thing to really focus on…”
“Just say the word, sweetheart,” he breathed, turning from your ear to drag his lips across your jaw and down your neck, pressing hot kisses to the exposed flesh.
You felt a hand snake its way up your shirt, and smiled to yourself before reaching down and running a your thumb across his chin and up to his lips, pulling his face to yours. He peered up at you - eyes dark and half-lidded, tongue, as always, poking past his lips oh-so temptingly - and you knew he was utterly at your command.
“I suppose this,” you whispered, brushing your fingertips lightly across the blade of his tongue, “could be put to better use than just teasing me.”
And that was all it took before he was crushing his mouth against yours, pressing that distracting tongue of his to your quite receptive own.
The suddenness and force of the kiss caused a broken moan to leave you, and whatever cheeky resolve you had left began to succumb to the greater desire to just be close to him. Reaching up, you eagerly threaded your fingers into his long hair and gave it a quick, sharp tug, and a stuttered breath fell from Eddie’s lips.
“Fuck…” His eyes fluttered closed for a few seconds, savouring the sensation, before a wicked grin broke out on his face and he shifted himself downwards, pressing kisses down your much-too-clothed body.
Settling just before the hem of your pants, he hooked his thumbs in your belt loops, and then proceeded to flash you a look from between your legs that had your heart skipping a beat and your toes curling in anticipation.
“Don’t worry, love, this tongue has more than one way to go about teasing you…”
…And just like that, it was safe to say that you didn’t bother getting anymore studying done that particular afternoon.
186 notes · View notes
foronceididntlookback · 10 months
Text
The best fix for 2am sadness is cookies (or maybe just the friendly company)
fandom: six of crows, nina zenik centered, post crooked kingdom
posting this here now because ao3 is down and idk if people need something to read, story under the cut link to the fic on ao3
(crooked kingdom spoilers, and this is angsty to be warned)
Tumblr media
Nina Zenik knew pain, she knew the feeling of a broken bone and remembered intimately the feeling when she was working off the parem from her system, but no matter what she went through, she thought the pain of grief and heartbreak had hurt the most, it burned her from inside out and stung when she woke alone.
And this felt like one such night. She had jolted awake from a nightmare and, in that moment, forgotten that there was nobody else there to comfort her. She rolled over, half expecting to be met by the warmth of Matthias, only to be met with the cold blankets of her bed. She'd cried then, just laid there curling around one of her pillows wishing that she could just open her eyes and see him there, even just once more. 
Nina knew it was a foolish hope, that no matter who she prayed and wished to, he wouldn't be coming back, but it didn't stop her from hoping. Her waking like that had been how she ended up down in the kitchen at 2 in the morning, sitting at the kitchen table and crying into her mug of tea. 
She'd walked down from her room, unable to lie there alone, and set the kettle on the stove, taking out the things she needed to make tea. She almost grabbed down two mugs out of reflex, then just leaned against the bench as tears welled up in her eyes again. 
As she sat at the table in silence, the only sound being the ever-present bustle of the city outside, she barely thought anything, only how painfully alone she felt. How even though she had Inej and Wylan and Jesper and Genya, hell, even Kaz and Zoya, she still felt completely and utterly alone. Saints, she hated being in love with Matthias because no matter how many people she saw die before, his death hurt like a bullet to the chest, and it hurt that badly because she loved him, and love hurt.
A creak from the stairs broke Nina from her silent rumination, and she looked up to see Inej standing in the doorway, dressed in her night clothes with a jumper thrown over to ward away the chill of the night. 
"I heard you walking down earlier," Inej said, her voice still a little rough from sleep, walking to the bench and pouring herself a glass of water. "Figured you might want company."
Inej gestured to the empty chair to Nina's left. Nina gave a thumbs up and Inej sat down, a sigh emanating from the smaller girl as she ran a hand through the hair that had become loose as she slept. 
"So," Inej started softly, "want to talk about it?" 
Nina just shook her head, not trusting herself to speak, knowing that if she did, she'd end up crying again, and then she'd feel even worse in the morning than she knew she would already. 
"It's alright, we don't have to talk about it now." Inej says, not questioning Nina's silent responses, just leaning over and resting her head on Nina's shoulder, Nina leaning her own atop the smaller girls head. The pair sit in silence for a few minutes before they heard muffled voices and two more sets of footsteps wandering down the stairs. 
"... don't get it, chocolate chips are the best thing for cookies." She heard Jesper's voice come into range.
"Yes, but may I raise you: caramel and white chocolate." Wylan whispered back.
Both Inej and Nina sat in silence, waiting for the boys to notice they were sitting there, trying not to laugh when Jesper or Wylan made an amusing point. 
It took a few minutes of hushed arguing for the boys to finally realise that they were not indeed alone in the kitchen, although neither looked surprised to see Nina nor Inej there, despite the early hour. 
"Took you long enough," Inej said, looking up. Gesturing vaguely to the stove, she continued. "Kettle should still be hot if you want it for your cookies."
♡♡♡
They ended up all sitting in that kitchen until sunrise when Kaz finally joined them. He stalked into the room, walking straight for the coffee jar set on the bench, gazing over his crows, all asleep against the tabletop, all touching in some way, Jesper holding in each hand Wylan's and Nina's hands, Inej laying with her head against Nina's shoulder.
By the time they awoke later that morning, Kaz was nowhere to be seen, the only evidence that he had been there with them being the extra empty mug and plate by the sink, discarded to be washed later.
Although the night had been so hard, Nina felt better than she had in days, coming to realise it was because she got to be around those she loved again, and although she would always miss Matthias, she knew that she wouldn't be alone forever, even if she felt like she would.
14 notes · View notes
fruitless-vain · 3 months
Text
I’m gonna cry she did SO GOOD
Brand new outlet mall on a busy Sunday after a week of no outings
Right at opening so she saw the security gates being clattered open- unfazed
No sniffs or excessive staring upon entry
Immediately snapped in to working mode
Got complimented by several store owners/ managers on how GREAT she was- some sharing how much they love her breed and one using her as a reference point for how a SD should generally look since they’ve had some Rough Situations with majorly disruptive dogs lately. They asked some really good questions and were SO nice
A little sniffy passing by the food court but quick to refocus
Super solid settling at every store. We were actually shopping today so lots of stops and turns and she actually loved it! Every turn and stop she did the most emphasized snappy back-up tight turns and sassy auto sits with every stop she was so damn excited by the jerky randomized movements.
She was confused when my medication alarm went off, drifted forwards and began looking around like “uh there’s no kitchen cupboard here idk what I’m supposed to grab?” Settled at a table while I took my pills. Pretty sure she’ll sort out that the alarm on an outing can be ignored and an alarm in the house means grab them so I don’t think I’m gonna worry about that much.
Tons of kids ( and adults 🙄) yelling “puppy!” And trying to get her attention which she simply did not care about. Lady was excited to work and she was gonna Work
A couple HR alerts that resolved quickly
I got an ocular migraine and basically lost half my vision in the process, Yoshi ended up doing a really good job of following Jack despite not being taught that. Obviously not guide level but she made sure I wasn’t falling behind or losing her in crowds which I massively appreciated
Rocked store thresholds, one or two stores where she drifted forwards but the rest were really connecting to offer focus through the threshold. She started getting excited about offering focus at the threshold for a treat so she starting speeding up to get to the thresholds just so she could offer focus at it and get a treat 😂 we resolved that issue pretty quickly though
A little stop and go to exit the mall, a bit excited to get her post work sniffs but once she refocused again we were straight out and fully focused until I degeared her and released her for the sniffs
It was an hour and a half with one short five minute break near the end and she was just as peppy and excited at the start as she was at the end!
5 notes · View notes
hydesjackiespuddinpop · 7 months
Note
i know kelso treated jackie shitty (damn i can't control the weather/cheating with laurie and most likely others no confirmation for sure for the others) but hyde would say mean things to jackie or invalidate their relationship or whatever. that was his schtick, hyde had 'issues' everyone in the show did but i think hyde had it rough at home, maybeits part of the reason he and jackie jived well because they both had issues with their parents/home lives. hydes were so bad that the formans took him in and arguably jackie too at one time before they were caught together. however the difference between kelso and hyde is hyde did love jackie but he would SHOW IT in his actions and less in his words. it was rare to see a sensitive side but when he showed it was lovely. he was more of a sarcastic type or dead pan, where kelso didn't give a shit, or played ignorant until it mattered 11th hour salvage and it was just complicated and jackie was pretty much done. neither was perfect. i really do not like that in that 90's show she's like with kelso (better than being with fez but irl mila and kutcher are together) but i don't think jackie was happy with either. kelso was a horrible bf! he had moments but he was horrible to her. she seemed unhappy with kelso from the glimpse we saw while married (their son is literally kelso too, yikes and jackie abandoning fez to run off with kelso storyline doesn't seem jackie at all!) obviously, we couldn't have 90's puddin'pops hydejackie in any capacity (is he canon like jail?) or not around for some other reason/relocated/off the grid (irl it was the allegations/case around masterson) but in the show maybe it was jail bc he always would joke about it/family in jail/being generally criminal/popped for weed who knows since 1979-1980 when t70's ended and 90s when t90's show started/was going on in like the mid-90's. also there were the 1980's drug scene/war on drugs times perhaps he got into harder drugs and then jail and stuff bc laws and he was anti pretty much establishment or heavily implied to be so yeah. jackie was obviously not a criminal so ...
am i making sense? i hope so. so there you have it. that's how i see it in terms of jackie's relationships on that 70's show/present. i'd love to hear what you think? (there are things i missed, unfortunately. idk where i left off but i do know about the endgame things. i do know that the last season sucked! that so many things were off probably contributed to its ending/rushed/unsatisfying endings for beloved characters and stuff with few exceptions.) let me know what you think?
I understand what you’re saying dw!
One of thing I love so much about J/H is that they’re an ‘actions speak louder than words’ kind of ship. It’s wasn’t about status or good looks *cough j*lso*
Hyde treats Jackie with respect and loves her for who she is while also calling her out on her bs (Fez and Kelso worship the ground she walks on and Kelso seems too scared to call her out.) They don’t need any of that shiny stuff or status to show how real they are (which is why I lol at anyone comparing them to chuck/blair. They’re clearly dan/blair.).
Jackie inspires Hyde to be more in touch with his emotions and his softer side. He smiles more with her, he seems lighter around her. He can let his walls down with her. One of the only complaints I have about them is that sometimes I feel like Hyde doesn’t really trust Jackie. Like instead of confronting Jackie on whether she was cheating in s5, he ends up cheating. And in s7, when he saw the towel thing, he just left and fucked a stripper in Las Vegas. Not to mention that he STILL kept bringing up the “get off my boyfriend” incident TWO MONTHS after it happened. But for the most part, they’re a great couple.
J/K is self explanatory. Their foundation is bonding over their good looks and what not. There’s nothing substantial about their relationship. All they do is bitch at each other more than half of the time. Not to mention, Kelso kept cheating on her with no guilt. (He only felt sorry that he found out) Also I will never get over Kelso putting the blame on Jackie for his cheating. Like sir, there’s a such thing as having a conversation. Even yelling would be more mature than this or BREAK UP WITH HER.
1 note · View note
sun-daisies · 1 year
Text
a slightly unhinged review of not christmas movies (& tv shows) that I watched these past couple weeks
because its apparently christmas but it doesn't feel like it and I've been living in capitalistic survival mode for the better half of 8 months and suddenly im just done for the year??? and need to fill this void of time and don't know how to not be a worker bee
wednesday - jenna ortega slayed this role. I also adored enid with my whole heart and also thing??? yes. story wise this was a 5/10. xavier is annoying im sorry, and also the whole love triangle thing they tried to do was just... so uncomfortable to watch. and so frustrating. also the monster looked goofy to a point where I was like oh it's like bad on purpose they're definitely not taking themselves too seriously with this and I love that - and then they took it SO seriously. overall a solid 7.5/10, enjoyable to watch but mostly just for jenna
the fallout - on my watchlist for a while but finally actually watched it because again, miss jenna ortega slays any and every role she's in. this was so good!! I loved the acting and the dialogue felt like actual teenagers. (also mia and vada, 10/10 trauma bonded sapphics). I was kind of nervous going into this because it's so easy for this particular subject matter to skew insensitive even if your intentions are good but I really liked how everything was handled, and once it ended I actually kind of just laid there and stared at the ceiling for a solid half hour sitting with it idk. 9/10, docked a point because maddie ziegler is just ALWAYS cast as "cool popular girl who is a viral dance prodigy" and I really just want to see her do literally anything else at this point
fear street 1994 - this was just GOOFY. I really wasn't on board with deena and sam at first because honestly? they just seemed toxic for each other. wasn't loving it. (they grew on me, but idk something about them just really bothered me at first, but maybe it's just messy teenage romance). I did like that it felt like it didn't take itself too seriously, like it just felt very camp and I liked that. 7/10, justice for kate (and honestly for heather too, maya hawke KILLED that opener)
fear street 1978 - the best one but maybe I just love sadie sink. also the casting for cindy was phenomenal. I feel like I have the least to say about this one but honestly, I don't have any big complaints that stick out to me? i liked that it was "predictable" I liked that there were no like big twists or anything (even the "twist" they kind of throw in at the end has enough laid out before it that works really well). 8/10, I actually really liked this one ngl
fear street 1666 - first half was rough to get through (idk I liked having the same actors we've been following throughout the first two movies in the roles of the past, but having them also adopt the like pilgrim colonizer accent was a bit jarring for me lol but that's just personal preference) but then the second half honestly was a lot better. I can't tell if the pacing felt off or not? part of me feels like the second half felt rushed, but I'm also pretty sure if they added more or slowed it down it would have dragged, so idk. something about this one felt a bit off but I can't put my finger on it so I'm letting it slide. 7/10.
0 notes