#trade my youth for a moment with you

[hooked-on-elvis]

The August, '56 Florida tour was wild! ❤️‍🔥✨

Elvis photographed by Bob Moreland at the Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory in Tampa, FL, on Sunday, August 5, 1956.

Elvis photographed by Bruce (or Harry as the newspaper reads?) Roberts during a performance at the Armory in Tampa, FL, August 5, 1956 (One of my favorite pictures of EP ever!).

Tampa Tribune, August 12, 1956 - Jacksonville, Florida, 1956

Elvis heading onstage at the Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, FL - Aug. 5, 1956 Photo by Bob Moreland.

Look at the girl at the front row all flustered, trying to touch him. The desperation in her eyes, I can almost hear the screams/cries!

Last but not least, just because he's cute, look Elvis at the same venue, just a little more than a year previously. He's outside Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, FL May 8, 1955.

There's these two moments where I wish I could attend an Elvis concert the most: anywhere/anytime in '72 and August, '56 in Florida. 🥹 Being born 18 years after he was no longer walking on this Earth, I feel so unlucky when I look at those pictures. I would really trade my youth for one single moment watching Elvis, even if "only" onstage for 30-50 minutes. Lucky the ones who got to experience this.

#trade my youth for a moment with you #this earth is no longer fun living in anyway #this Christmas i wished being a girl in the 50's US #just for a day... or 7 years. Then I would travel to late 60s and live each day 'til the first half of the 70's... over and over again. #Elvis and all his grandiosity #oh goodness #look at him! #i almost pass out just with the picture #sad about being born late #i would definitely be one of those screaming girls #imagine how it felt being there in the audience #no wonder parents worried haha #elvis presley #elvis the king #elvis fans #elvis fandom #50s elvis #elvis history #the wildness captured in his body language

[idiopathicsmile]

you know what really grinds my gears?

okay, bear with me: so as you may know, harry houdini and arthur conan doyle were friends, at least for a while.

by the early 1920s, both arthur conan doyle and acd's wife jean, aka lady doyle, believed whole-heartedly in spiritualism, talking to ghosts and all of that. (sidenote: this was of course right on the heels of a devastating world war and a devastating pandemic, both of which had created a huge population of grieving people, so spiritualism was having a moment.)

lady doyle sincerely thought she had the ability to go into a trance state and pass along messages in writing from the dead. she offered to do this for houdini. houdini agreed.

lady doyle attempted to channel houdini's late mother. she basically drew a cross at the top of the paper and filled it with generic platitudes addressed to "harry." houdini's mom was jewish and didn't talk like that, so houdini knew the jig was up, even if lady doyle didn't. but not wanting to make the situation awkward, he kind of went along with it to their faces.

then acd decided to publish a glowing account of the seance, and since both he and houdini were super famous, it got a lot of attention, and letters started pouring in for houdini, asking if this was true. ultimately, houdini couldn't lie about it. so he essentially said, like, "yeah, i think lady doyle THINKS she can talk to ghosts but she absolutely can't." and it ruined his friendship with acd forever.

and then of course a lot of the people running seances weren't even well-intentioned like lady doyle, they were just simple charlatans taking advantage of traumatized people mourning loved ones. in houdini's youth, he and his wife had traveled the carnival circuit where he did an act pretending to commune with spirits, so he knew all the tricks of the trade AND he had lingering guilt over having done this, AND he was infuriated by this increasingly popular wave of con artists so he decided to assemble a team of anti-grifting grifters and together they went on the road exposing whichever spiritualists were preying on the locals.

houdini's best agent was a young woman named rose mackenberg, who donned disguises to visit the fraud de jour and then importantly sussed out what non-supernatural thing was actually happening, and then houdini would demonstrate the techniques onstage to packed audiences.

(if you want to know more, check out episode 175, "ghost racket crusade" of the podcast Criminal or read Tony Wolf's book The Real-Life Ghostbusting Adventures of Rose Mackenberg.)

but yeah, what really gets my goat is that all this happened and as far as i know, we still don't have like four seasons of a Leverage-style historical procedural about rose mackenberg and the rest of the crew having adventures in the 1920s as they unmask craven hucksters all over the united states. (what we do have, apparently, is one season of a show called "houdini and doyle" which is about the oddball friendship of two contrasting men solving sometimes-actually-supernatural mysteries, and whose premise does i think at the very least a real disservice to houdini's whole quest and also totally erases rose, who is arguably the most interesting part of this story to me.)

i am just steamed about this. steamed.

[strangersmunsons]

read 'em and weep

you and Eddie meet at the library. he’s smitten.

Contains: Eddie x Reader, bookworm!reader, lovesick!Eddie, reader gives Eddie book recommendations. No mention of reader’s physical appearance, no use of y/n. Warnings: brief mention of loneliness & negligence in Eddie’s childhood. Word Count: ~2.2k it's my hope to make this a little series! i think eddie is def a bookish guy - no lord of the rings quoting, metal head dungeon master hates reading. he would certainly be open to any fantasy/horror recs you had for him! <3

Indiana. 1989.

Hawkins Library sees a lot of action in the summer.

They offer a wide variety of youth programs to keep the local kids busy and the parents sane while school is out. One of the main events is Saturday Story Time, a beloved weekly staple that you have recently been tasked with putting on.

It’s simple. You gather a number of books, usually with a common theme, and then read a select few to the children who had signed up for the day. Most of the kids in attendance are no older than six or so, with some parents even pulling up chairs to the back so they can sit with infants cradled in their arms. The older ones sit criss-cross-applesauce on carpet squares in front of you, their chubby faces alight with giggles as you recount each silly, fantastical story with all the spirit you can muster.

And then there’s always an accompanying arts and crafts project, of course. If you read The Very Hungry Caterpillar then, naturally, you have to make little googly-eyed caterpillars out of popsicle sticks and colorful pom-poms. You don’t make the rules.

If trouble occurs during Story Time, it’s usually in this phase. (Giving paste to toddlers is always a gamble – you never know what they’re gonna do with that.)

And on this particular morning, it’s been chaos from start to finish. A whopping eighteen kids had signed up, and you stretched yourself pretty thin trying to attend to everyone.

One of the babies spit up directly onto the little girl sitting in front of him and his mother. Someone slipped on their carpet square and fell harshly to the floor, earning a bruised elbow that you gently fussed over. You wrangled a pair of twins who fought bitterly over a bottle of Elmer’s glue. There were three individual running-with-scissors-scares and, finally, you spent a good ten minutes soothing one sobbing child with whom there was nothing apparently wrong with, and that you suspected was just in need of a good cry.

So yeah, it was basically pandemonium.

But eventually, to your great relief, things wound down. The audience dispersed, with their handmade goods clutched in sticky fists, and went to peruse the glossy line of picture books you put out for display. Within the next hour or two, everyone traded the cool darkness of the library for buttery sunshine, and all was quiet again. You waved cheerfully to the last parent-child duo as they made their exit, promising them that there’d be a fun activity next weekend too.

You love these storytime sessions, you really do, but sheesh. Sometimes they run you ragged. With the havoc of the morning finally over, and the promise of lunch in your near future, you try to shake off the weariness, and instead take it upon yourself to clean up the disorganized mess someone’s made of the horror section.

You’re going about your work, tongue poking out in concentration as you strain to reach the really high shelves, when you notice someone standing in your peripheral vision. You turn and glance at him, or at least, what you can see of him. He’s half-hidden by the shelf behind you, but you catch sight of brown hair and denim.

A pale face appears on a craned neck from around the corner. His dark eyes meet yours, widen slightly when he sees that you’ve caught him lurking, and he abruptly disappears again.

You purse your lips to hide your smile. This isn’t uncommon; such moments often occur when you’re cleaning up a section of books someone is hoping to sift through. In a small act of kindness, you move over to the neighboring shelf and look for something to busy yourself with; trying to give the guy a chance to browse without having to ask you to step aside.

He doesn’t emerge. You wait, expecting to sense him passing by you, but no dice. It’s amusing to think that someone might be frightened to approach you (You? Really?) but you can’t help feeling sorry that you were in his way.

The rest of your shift is rather uneventful. At the end of the day, you punch out and head home, the stranger behind the shelf forgotten. 

When you come back to work on Monday, it’s much quieter than the last morning you’d been in. You greet your coworkers and set up shop at the front desk, opening up a book of your own to pass the time until someone needed assistance.

You’ve been reading for about half an hour when the big double doors open up for the day’s first visitor, the sound echoing loudly in the silent, spacious room. You look up in interest, ready to greet the person with a warm smile.

“Good morning!” you softly call out as he comes into view. He walks slowly towards you, shoes scuffing the checkered tile with each step. As he comes nearer, you can see that he’s biting his lip, one hand rubbing the back of his neck, the gesture oozing self-consciousness. He only makes eye contact with you for a second before his gaze flits away again.

He’s pretty conspicuous-looking to be approaching the desk with such hesitance, you think. He has dark hair that hangs in slightly-scraggly curls down to his chest, and huge dark eyes. The pale skin of his arms, sticking out from within a denim vest/Judas Priest t-shirt combo, are littered with tattoos.

He pauses a few feet away from you, like he’s debating whether he wants to stop and chat, or to simply veer off towards the bookshelves and start browsing. Ultimately he decides to shuffle forward, closing the distance between the two of you.

“Hi there. What can I do for you?” you ask, voice gentle but encouraging.

He looks down and rests a hand on the desk, absentmindedly tracing the wood pattern with his thumb. “Um, yes.” He doesn’t offer anything else.

There’s a pregnant pause, both of you digesting the fact that what you had asked was not a yes or no question.

He tries again. “I…am in need…of some new reading material.”

You nod gravely, expression serious. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Did you have anything specific in mind?”

He begins to rock lightly back and forth on his feet, contemplating. “I like fantasy, especially Tolkien. I read a lot of horror, too, and sometimes sci-fi. If you had any suggestions for me, that’d be great.”

“Oh, we can certainly find you something,” you reassure him, already flipping through a mental rolodex of your favorite books in those genres. “Here, come with me.”

You stand and move around the desk to meet him, beckoning for him to follow.

Eddie watches you run a delicate hand over the spines of the books, keenly aware of the clammy sweat that’s flooding his own palms. Be cool, Munson. 

“So,” you begin, a gleam of excitement in your eyes, “you like fantasy. Do you read Le Guin?”

Eddie nods eagerly, hair bouncing slightly with the movement. “Oh yeah, I’ve read the Earthsea trilogy.”

“Have you read any of The Hainish Cycle books?”

“I haven’t read those ones, no.”

You pull out two slim paperbacks from the row, holding each one out for him so he can study the covers. “These ones are science fiction, and they’re pretty good. You might like Rocannon’s World since it’s similar to a fantasy novel, but personally I think Left Hand of Darkness is the best.” You suddenly pause, and look around furtively, like you were checking to make sure that you two are really alone. You even put a hand up to the side of your mouth, as though shielding the conversation from eavesdroppers.

“Honestly,” you lower your voice like you’re admitting something scandalous, “I even liked it better than Earthsea.”

“No!” Eddie immediately matches your whispered, gossipy tone and lets his jaw drop, pretending to be aghast.

“Yes!” you insist, seemingly delighted by his willingness to play along. Eddie’s heart soars.

“I guess I can’t refute that until I read it, huh? What’s it about?” he asked, taking it from your hand.

“An envoy is visiting this frozen alien planet, and he’s trying to convince them to join this intergalactic coalition that he represents, but they’re making it like, really difficult for him. Also, gender doesn’t exist, and there’s political turmoil stemming from border disputes.”

“...oh. Cool.”

The next half-hour passes in this fashion. Your soft, mild demeanor is aglow with enthusiasm as you pull out book after book, giving him an off-the-cuff elevator pitch for each. Eddie can practically feel the cartoon hearts swirling around his head, bright pink and red bubbles that are almost certainly going to appear out of thin air and give him away.

He can’t put his finger on what it is, precisely, that’s pulling him in so deeply, drawing him towards you like a magnet with an opposite pole. Maybe it’s the tender way you talk about each book, the love and care that’s so tangible in your sweet voice, the way you speak about them as though they’re your old friends. Perhaps they are.

It’s not an unfamiliar concept to Eddie. A childhood steeped in loneliness and poverty, instability and dysfunction, neglect from his volatile and unreliable parents…yeah, he gets it. The wanting, the longing, the dire need to escape to someplace that doesn’t exist, some place where things were better and didn’t hurt, a dreamworld that would be kinder to a scrawny little boy with unwashed hair and a mean father.

The closest he ever came to it was when he lost himself between the yellowed and dog-eared pages of the few, precious books he owned.

So he listens to you chatter away with chest-aching tenderness, already thinking that he could listen to you like this for hours and be glad for it.

“You love fantasy, but you’ve never read The Last Unicorn?” 

Eddie gives you an apologetic half-shrug, no longer able to keep the goofy, besotted grin from unfurling across his face. “Never got around to it, I guess.”

“It makes me cry. You have to take it,” you tell him with pleading eyes, adding it to the top of the growing pile in his arms before he can refuse. Not that he ever would. How could he, when you look at him like that?

“You cry at this one, really?” He looks curiously at the artwork on the front, an innocent picture of the pale horned creature. “But it’s so unassuming…”

“Don’t be fooled, it’ll get you. Take it,” you repeat.

Eddie shifts the stack of books to cradle it in one arm, so he can raise the other at you in a salute. “Yes, ma’am. And when I’m finished with it, I’ll give you a full report on the emotional damage it caused me.”

This makes you giggle, lips turned up in a gorgeous smile, and Eddie knows he’s a goner.

Back at the front, you resume your previous positions at the desk. Him in front and you behind, this time separated by a short pile of books.

You hold your hand out. “Card, please, sir.” Polite and professional, but with a little sparkle in your eye that lets Eddie hope for a moment that his time with you this morning was more pleasure than business.

He fumbles with his wallet, slipping out his library card and slotting it between his index and middle fingers, extending it for you to take. His chunky silver rings catch the light.

You accept the offering. “Thank you” – you quickly read the messy signature at the bottom – “Edward.” You look back at him with a grin.

He cringes, face scrunching in embarrassment. “Oh God. Call me Eddie, please.”

The scanner gives a little chirp! as you begin the checkout process, nodding. “Will do, Eddie.” His name sounds like a song when you say it, one he never wants to stop listening to.

You finish scanning his books, and slide a receipt into the jacket of the novel on top (which just so happens to be Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love). Instead of sliding the stack towards him, you keep both hands clasped on the cover, hesitating. You bite your lip, an unconscious imitation of himself earlier. “Listen….”

Eddie straightens up a little, stomach flipping like a coin. “Yeah?”

You bow your head. “I’m sorry if I talked too much. It’s just – most people who come in don’t actually ask me for recommendations, and I got excited,” you admit quietly, looking sheepish.

“Don’t apologize,” Eddie says without missing a beat. “I appreciate it. I really enjoyed it, actually,” he adds, eager to quell your anxiety. “I liked talking with you.” More than you know.

“O-oh,” you stutter, taken aback. “I liked talking with you, too.”

Eddie nods, smiling slightly. “Would you like to…talk again?” He flushes scarlet and coughs. Smooth. “I just mean, when I finish these” – he motions towards the day’s finds – “we have to discuss them, right? You helped me pick ‘em out, after all.”

“Of course. You have to let me know what you think.”

His smile gets bigger. “So we’ll reconvene?”

“We’ll reconvene,” you chuckle.

“Awesome. Looking forward to it.” He sweeps up his books, and gives you a little wave. “Thanks again, sweetheart. I’ll see you soon.”

And he can hardly wait. It looks like he’s got a lot of reading to do…

thanks for reading!!! <3 edit: this is now a series! Read Ch. 2-> Here!

#eddie munson #eddie stranger things #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x bookworm!reader #stranger things fanfiction

[permanentswaps]

Like Father Like Son Pt.2

Read the original from @exploratorytfs here.

It's been three years since that bizarre twist of fate turned my life upside down, or should I say, right side up. Looking back now, I can't help but smirk at the irony of it all. I won't tell my dad (yeah, I definitely think of him as my dad now), but the truth is, the body swap wasn't entirely an accident.

I just wanted to give him a taste of my carefree lifestyle, show him that growing up and being mature isn’t all it's cracked up to be. So, I went online and found a way for us to swap.

I never meant for it to be permanent. I mean, who would want to stay in someone else's body forever? But the moment I found myself in his shoes, staring at the world through his eyes, I knew I had hit the jackpot. His body, his life—it all felt like a perfect fit.

It had only been a day, but I didn’t want to ever leave. What was I gonna do now? I couldn't imagine going back to my old life, to the mundane routine and endless expectations. No, this was where I belonged. But how could I make it permanent without causing even more chaos?

Surprisingly, my dad seemed content in my old body, reveling in the responsibility of it all. He didn't seem eager to find a way to swap back, and I couldn't help but gloat inwardly. It was almost too easy—I had traded up in every possible way.

Every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, a surge of excitement coursed through me. The chiseled jawline, the toned, youthful physique, the effortless charm—it was like I had been upgraded to the deluxe model. And as much as I tried to suppress it, I couldn't help but revel in the undeniable satisfaction of it all.

So when my dad brought up the idea of making the swap permanent, I didn't hesitate. "Hell yeah, Dad," I replied with a smirk, savoring the taste of victory.

We hashed out the details over dinner, but in my mind, it was already a done deal. And just like that, the deal was sealed. Sure, there are moments when I feel a twinge of guilt for keeping my dad's body, but then I remembered how much better I look in it, and the guilt just turned to horniness. After all, who wouldn’t want to be me.

Shortly thereafter, I signed a modeling contract – of course, who wouldn’t wanna see a body like this? Every photoshoot, every runway strut, only served to reinforce my belief that I had made the right choice.

My dad was so excited for me and gave me his sports car as a present for that and my birthday. He told me to be careful with it like the responsible guy he is. I promised him I would be, but I speed down the highway blasting music. After all, a hot young jock like me has to do that! … But I'll let him think he's having a good influence on me.

Through my modeling gig, I met my boyfriend James. He embodied everything I found irresistible: tall, dark, and undeniably handsome. What intrigued me even more was that he had no clue this body wasn't originally mine. That really turned me on.

Even though I'm used to living this life by now and fully think of myself as Nathan, I still get a thrill every time he calls me by my name. Just last week, we were having a night of passionate sex. As he pressed me down onto the bed in missionary, he thrust back and forth in slow. deep strokes.

Rubbing his right thumb in circles around my left nipple, he leaned down to kiss me. I looked up at him in awe. Smirking back had me he said in a husky voice, “I love you Nathan.”

Before I knew it, I was shooting my load across his thick, muscular chest.

Mixed in with the pleasure, I had to laugh to myself. In a way, I got what I wanted. Nathan (or at least his body) definitely is living his youth now.

[dumbslxtclub]

just a taste | e.m - part one

eddie munson x fem!reader

summary: a summer pool party at the harrington residence emboldens you to make a move on eddie

content warnings: fem!reader, 18+ for eventual smut, adult language, adult themes, mentions of underage drinking and drugs, reader is 19, brief mention of male masturbation, sexual tension

word count: 2.4k+

a/n: this has been living in my drafts for far too long, so I'm posting it as motivation to actually write the *smut*. big love to @dickfics69 for helping me with this one xx

The raucous and completely off-tune rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ fills the balmy night air, undoubtedly disturbing the sleepy neighbors surrounding Steve’s property. Hoards of your senior classmates crowd the backyard, beer sloshing against concrete as they jauntily sing at the top of their lungs, hoarse from an evening of inhaling far too much smoke. A forgotten bonfire crackles in the corner, one or two figures passed out in the warm glow. Sweat clings to your skin, the thin material of your summer dress far too claustrophobic in the sweltering heat of the night. No reprieve from this warmth is granted as Robin’s arm wrap around your shoulders, practically blowing out your eardrum from the volume she’s singing. One of those ecstatic inebriated moments of youth, surrounded by people you’ll never see again after graduation, living for today. A perfect night. There’s only one thing missing.

You’ve been eyeing Eddie all night. Liquid courage has fueled your interactions, boldly brushing against the sinewy muscles of his bare arm, complimenting the scratchy tattoo job adorning his forearm. Nothing out of the ordinary, the pair of you close friends who have spent many a night leaning on one another as another movie flashes across the TV screen. But tonight, you feel emboldened to make a move. You’ve tried, and failed, to rationalize your attraction to one of your best friends. His charismatic nature causes anyone who gives him the time of day to fall under his spell, with Eddie remaining blissfully oblivious to his effect on people. Over the years, you’ve watched him transform from a meek boy into, well, a man. Unaware of how he’s grown into his body, lean muscles built from endless nights of loading band equipment into his van. Trading in his buzz cut for an unkempt mane of curls, which somehow always seem to fall into an effortless frame around the sharp bone structure of his face. What has always remained, however, is that boyish smile. Dimples hollowing deep into his cheekbones, causing you to trip over your words whenever they’re flashed in your direction. God, you’re in deep.

With a deep huff, Steve blows out the two pathetic candles Nancy pulled out of the bottom drawer and stuck haphazardly into the thick icing at the last moment. A loud cheer booms from the crowd, sending their drinks skywards in celebration.

“To Steve!” Robin practically screams, sloshing a fair amount of her cider down your already damp chest. 

“To me!” The birthday boy, grinning madly, tips his head back and empties the contents of his lukewarm beer down his gullet. He’s long since discarded his shirt, proclaiming “it’s my house and I’ll do what I want”, leaving nothing to stain as a steady trickle of liquid slides down his bare chest. 

The party is at its peak, electricity coursing through the night as unsupervised teenagers give into their impulses. Couples stand devouring each other in the corner with little regard as to who’s watching, some of the jock’s cannonballing into the pool. The brush of bodies around you clear, illuminating Eddie giving Steve a hearty hug and firm pat on the back. Now’s your chance. 

Shrugging Robin off your shoulders, you grab her wrist and lead her over to the pair, ready to cash in on her promise of playing wing-woman for you tonight. 

“Great party, Steve.” Addressing the younger man, you watch as he pulls a candle out and licks the icing off the base.

“Would you expect anything less?” He quips back, a cheeky smile taking over his face before he wraps a sweaty arm around your shoulders.

“I’ll expect you’re in for an ass-kicking when your parents get back on Monday.” Robin chimes in, clinging to you like a buoy for support.

“Pfft, cleaning up is tomorrow’s problem. We live for tonight!” Wow, Steve is sure getting into the spirit tonight. Eddie shakes his head at his friend’s antics, turning his attention to the sickly-sweet dessert.

“Want me to slice this up, big boy?” Ringed fingers slide along the skirting of the plate, but his eyes are elsewhere. You feel his gaze raking up the expanse of your thighs, oblivious to how your dress has ridden up amidst the sweaty excitement of the evening.

“Sure, could only help to soak up the alcohol at this point. I’ll grab a knife from the kitchen.” Stumbling backwards, he shoots a half-lidded look in Robin’s direction. “And where did you put my beers? Thought you said they were in the fridge.”

“They are, dingus. On the bottom shelf next to the lump that was probably once cheese but now could be studied for science.” 

“They’re actually not. And if someone stole them, they’re gonna have hell to pay.” “Oh my god! They are…” Their bickering trails off through the sliding doors into the house, leaving you and Eddie alone. Time for some world-class flirting, brain flicking through the Rolodex of teen magazines on how to make a move. But before your brain is capable of firing any neurons, Eddie beats you to the punch.

“The uh- the cake looks good.” Oh great, we’re going down the small talk route. It’s cool, totally cool. You can work with that.

“Oh, thanks! Robin and I baked it yesterday.” Off to a cracking start.

“Well, if you had anything to do with it, I bet it tastes as good as it looks.” Is he-

“Sure does, I’m a master baker. Go ahead, try it for yourself, see if your theory holds up.”

Eddie quirks his brow at you, and you give a small nod in the direction of the frosting-covered mound. A small smile creeps across his face as he dips his forefinger into the lip of the cake, a glob of white icing and sprinkles stuck to his fingertip. Raising it to his mouth, he slowly places the pad of his finger against his tongue, licking a long stripe of sugary cream onto his taste buds. You feel your cheeks burn at the sight, breath hitching in your throat. 

“Mmm, ‘ts good.” Satiated, Eddie’s lips curl into a smug smile, is he getting a rise out of seeing you like this? Masochist. But you’re nothing if not competitive. 

“You’ve uh, got something…” Pointing to the corner of your mouth, Eddie mirrors your action and wipes a small dollop of remaining frosting stuck to the apex of his lips. Pulling his hand back to study it, you take a sure step towards him, closing the gap. Wrapping your fingers around his, you bring the digit up to your lips and place his fingertip against the groove of your tongue. Lips curl around his finger, causing his eyes to widen. You know exactly how you look right now, grateful for the veil provided by the inebriated guests to prevent this gesture from being seen by anyone other than Eddie. Glancing up at him, you hollow your cheeks out slightly as you withdraw his finger from your pursed lips. You shoot him a honey-sweet smile, turning on your heels to find Robin.

“Yep, definitely tastes as good as it looks.”

After three bottom-shelf tequila shots, two generous slices of cake and one group rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody later, you’re feeling on top of the world.

And hot.

Like, stiflingly hot.

The living room is stuffy, thick with haze and balmy humidity. The party has begun to wind down, designated drivers loading up their cars with the inebriated to transport them home. And you, Robin and Steve are sweaty messes post-Queen performance doubling over with laughter on the dance floor. That’s when Steve loudly announces: “Everyone in the pool!”

He’s met with a mixed reaction, a few of the popular girls shooting him a dirty look as they resume their couch gossip session. But with your dress now acting as a sweat rag rather than a garment at this point, you jump at the idea. The three of you beeline into the mostly empty backyard, bar a few smokers lounging around on Steve’s deck chairs.

“Here comes trouble.” A voice chuckles through the billowing smoke, Eddie leaning forward on a recliner as you kick your shoes off haphazardly to the side. 

Steve, with little to discard besides his jeans, shucks them off and cannonballs into the pool, spraying the partygoers scattered around the rim with water. Robin quickly follows suit, diving in next to him, maroon tank top turning a shade darker as it intermingles with the liquid. You chuckle at how they immediately take to dunking one another under the surface, hoping an accidental drowning isn’t on the cards for the night. You turn to Eddie, who is shaking his head and taking a steady drag of his cigarette.

“You coming in?” He glances up at you, expression dropping slightly as he contemplates his answer.

“Nah, someone’s gotta play lifeguard tonight. Make sure Harrington doesn’t drown.”

“Suit yourself, then.” Grabbing the hem of your floral dress, you’re quick to shimmy it up and over your head. The cool breeze hits your clammy skin, providing the immediate relief you’ve been craving all night. Tossing it carelessly to the side, you feel soberingly exposed all of a sudden. Standing on the edge of the pool, water droplets tickle your bare feet as your friends splash about. Cool air caresses the groove between your breasts, intermingling with the sweat droplets accumulating between your lacy bra. The unlined cups provide further relief, a mere suggestion of material against your sensitive skin. On one of the rare occasions you elected to wear a matching set, you’re grateful for the cheeky cut design of your panties, allowing more airflow to cool down your body.

In your slightly drunken indulgence, you don’t notice Eddie unable to tear his eyes away from you. Drinking in your curves far more eagerly than any whiskey he’s consumed that night, committing every square inch to memory. Face to face with the body he’s only ever envisioned in his most private of moments, desperately trying to fill in the blanks as he stroked languidly along his cock, chasing the release only you can grant him. He knows he shouldn’t, but he can’t help it. You’ve become his guilty pleasure, the only satisfying image in his mind’s eye. And now, standing in front of him, it’s better than he ever could have imagined. He’s still running off the high granted from the sensation of your lips wrapped around his finger. So warm and soft, your wet tongue flicking against the pad of his finger, sending shockwaves coursing through his body. Grateful for your swift departure, before you had the chance to notice the tightening bulge in his jeans. Blood rushed directly to his crotch, rendering him slightly dizzy from the whole interaction. Fuck drugs and alcohol. He was completely intoxicated by you. 

“Dude, help me out!” Robin extends her wet hand out to you, hair completely drenched from her underwater battle with Steve. With a smile, you reach out to your friend, grasping her hand in yours. With a swift tug, Robin’s grin is manic as she pulls out into the pool with a squeal. Water crashed around you, submerging you in a tepid ocean of relief. Bobbing back up to the surface, you feign annoyance before bursting into laughter. “God, you’re too easy sometimes!”

Stevel, floating on his back, looks unbelievably content gazing up at the night’s sky, another successful party in the books. Robin takes to doing laps of the pool, using up any excess energy she’s accumulated through the night. And you can’t help but notice the outlier, still sitting in the poolside lounge. You wade over to the edge, looking up at Eddie.

“It’s nice in here.”

“I’m sure it is.” Taking another drag of his cigarette, he shoots you a small smile. It’s sheepish, unlike him. 

“Didn’t bring your bathing suit?”

“Nope.”

“Me neither.”

“I can see that.” Eddie chuckles, respectfully averting his gaze.

“Can I have a quick drag?” You don’t usually smoke, but when in Rome. Eddie obliges, holding the butt of the cigarette out to you, just out of reach. Pressing up on the pool’s ledge, you hoist yourself up high enough out of the water to lean over and take the cigarette between your lips.

What you fail to notice is the way your breasts are pressed together, hands hip distance apart on the rough cement to just enough to accentuate the groove of your bust. Water droplets accumulated on your delicate skin, glimmering like the impending Autumn dew on grass under the moonlight. Ancient Greek artists could only hope to carve such a divine sculpture, striving for unattainable perfection as they tried to capture your beauty. And then, through the wisps of your lashes, you look up at him. Doe-eyed, cigarette perched between your parted lips, gaze boring into him. And Eddie feels the ground fail beneath him, no longer providing unconditional support. Head growing light as his blood rushes elsewhere in his body causes him to quickly clamber to his feet.

“Hey, you alright?”

“Yeah, fine. I’m just, um- not feeling great. Just gonna head inside for a bit.” And with that, Eddie averts his gaze and beelines for the sliding doors, disappearing into the house. 

Fuck. 

So much for playing it cool, it looks like tonight isn’t your night.

“Is Munson okay?” Steve floats over to your side, plucking the cigarette from your mouth to claim it as his own. 

“I don’t know, he said he wasn’t feeling well. Should someone check on him?”

“Nah, probably just smoked too much. I’m sure he'll just grab some water and settle down.”

You hope Steve is right, but five minutes turns to ten, and you begin to worry. What if he’s passed out in the bathroom? You need to go and see if he’s okay, he would do the same for you. Pulling yourself out of the water, you ring the remaining chlorinated water from your hair. In your drunken excitement, none of you possessed the foresight to bring towels out with you. And so, you concede to pulling your floral dress back onto your damp frame, sure Steve will let you borrow some of his clothes later on. Trailing water droplets into the carpeted living room, you peak around for any sight of Eddie. With no one left in the kitchen besides a couple shoving their tongues down each other's throats, you elect to head up the stairs. The bathroom is empty, as is the master bedroom, both doors ajar and rooms dark. 

“Eddie?” You approach Steve’s bedroom door, noticing the light seeping out from under the threshold. Hand meeting the door handle, you give it a shake and notice that it is unlocked. Tentatively pushing it open, you remain quiet in case a poor drunk girl is napping on the bed, not wanting to wake potential inhabitants.

The image you are instead presented with is far less innocent.

#dumbslxtclub #eddie x reader #eddie x you #stranger things fic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie x fem!reader #eddie x y/n #eddie munson smut

[writingsbychlo]

okay but the world needs a how would the 🐍 boys react to a taylor swift concert (and if you categorized them by album i would also not be mad)

😘💋

for you, my love? anything 😌

slytherin boys + taylor swift concert/albums

draco: draco is impartial. it’s not his typical music taste but he will hum to songs when you play them, he knows you like them. he hires someone to make sure he gets really good tickets and says you can take anyone when he surprises you with them. when you say you want to take him, he fucking loves it. he doesn’t show it, but knowing you’d share something so special with him, it makes him so happy. would wear a basic fit, lets be real. would pay someone to custom make your outfit for your favourite album, though. also, he bought tickets to a tour spot of a place you’ve always wanted to visit and he makes it a whole vacation. splashes cash for extra packages. rich boy vibes. he’d never admit it to anyone but he has listened to All Too Well (10 min version) when he’s in his emo moments.

he’s giving Red, though, and would make the effort to sing along to any songs he knows enough of just to see you smile. like tell me he isn’t giving the youthful innocence of 22 but also I Knew You Were Trouble, like???

mattheo: has an alarm set for tickets and tries to get them so eagerly with you. again, not his usual music taste, but his has been known to scream-sing Shake It Off when drunk. would wear a toned down outfit to match whatever you’re wearing and would absolutely wear any bracelets you make him. holds all your belongings so you don’t have to worry about anything. holds your hand the whole time and sings with you. you’d stay in a fancy hotel overnight the day before and after, he wanted to make it special. buys matching tour hoodies with you.

he’s giving Fearless, like lets be real, The Way I Loved You was written for him. he isn’t ashamed to admit he loves that album, though. that dedication of slightly toxic but mostly just obsessed love, sweet and adorable first love feelings, y’know?

theo: asked if you’d seen there was a tour coming up and chuckled at your excitement when you screamed yes. gets tickets when you don’t manage to and makes a joke like ‘how many boyfriend points did this just earn me?’ spoiler: it’s a lot. wears all your bracelets that you make on one arm and helps you make trades with people. researches the set list to make sure he knows all the lyrics to any possible songs that might play so he can sing with you, but already knows quite a lot. not ashamed to listen to her if he’s with you or missing you. buys you any merch you want, has so many bags to be taken home.

his album is Folklore, just because I think the hazy indie suit him. august is friends-to-lovers with him after spending the summer with his family in italy. change my mind, you can’t.

enzo: baby boy goes all out for this. he’s so lover coded, but he knows all the albums very well. listens to her music with or without you and is proud of it. you sat together to book tickets and try to double your chances and it worked. not only wears and trades bracelets but makes them with you, makes his own set to swap with people too. looks for celebrities and gets to excited when he spots them. he’s the kinda guy to propose during Love Story. matching outfits, matching merch. you guys both have lost your voices the next day and he can’t stop grinning about it. is convinced taylor made eye contact with him. would wear a custom outfit with you, too.

his album is Lover. no doubt. he’s a cutie pie and he’s so pastel-sunshine-sparkles-love. Paper Rings? he belts that. You Need To Calm Down? he bodies it with so much sass just to see you giggle. London Boy? I don’t even need to say.

tom: hears you didn’t get tickets and starts pulling strings to get them for you because you were sad. tries to be casual and just leave them on your desk one day, but can’t help his smile when you burst into his dorm at 11pm and kiss him stupid for it. is willing to let you pick his outfit as long as you make it ‘normal’. you guys match but in a subtle way. like mattheo, books a hotel for before and after, and also will hold your things. doesn’t sing along but he’s not a buzzkill, y’know? stands with his arms wrapped around your waist the whole time, sways slightly to the music for you. he will spin you occasionally. so defensive when you’re looking at merch, growls at someone to fuck off while they still have teeth for telling you to hurry up and pick. gets a hoodie when you tell him it would look good on him and actually wears it for you. also buys the special packages like sound checks etc.

Reputation. you’re gonna look me in my eyes and tell me Look What You Made Me Do isn’t his anthem? if he had a gun to his head he would name that as his favourite song.

bonus for you bc we’re talking abt him right now: all I’m gonna say is reggie + enchanted. that’s it, that’s all.

#slytherin boys #theodore nott #mattheo riddle #tom riddle #draco malfoy #lorenzo berkshire #theodore nott/reader #theodore nott x reader #draco malfoy/reader #draco malfoy x reader #tom riddle/reader #tom riddle x reader #mattheo riddle x reader #mattheo riddle/reader #lorenzo berkshire/reader #lorenzo berkshire x reader

[yet-another-haven-of-dollya]

can i ask advice ;; drawing wise ? how did you start to anatomy but also w stylization? did you bruteforce by studying every bone muscle etc in art school?

hmm...

First, you must distinguish between two completely different concepts: gesture and anatomy. The stylization and dynamic you often see me doing with my dancing practice is "Gesture". This is an excellent tutorial by Proko about gestures. I practiced gestures very soon when I started drawing, simply because I wanted to draw dynamically, lucky for me it was the right thing to do. This was the main reason why I'm so fast at sketching.

This is my gesture practice, 1 min, 2 min, and 5 min sketch. It's about the flow of the body and which direction each part is going, use "sharp and coherent lines". I practice until it becomes a "natural reflex", a habit when I look at people's interactions.

This below is something I drew 3 years ago (my anatomy was not good sorry), notice how I use many many coherent lines? At the thigh, shin, arm stretching,... all the bigger areas? That's the remaining of gestures.

It goes without saying. Try to find the flow of gestures, even for the hair or clothes. Heh, I drew this 4 years ago, how nostalgic.

You can see how I just create the flow with Lya's hair and body movement in the dancing pics too. Like with Kylar's pic her body is straight up one quite hard mass from head to toe. You know she's leaning forward, seemingly wanting to abandon Kylar with a "pathetic loser like you? With me?" attitude (ouchie sorry Kylar nation). While in Sydney's pic she seems much more relaxed and enjoys how her body parts seem to loosen and more in sync with Sydney's movements. Her hip and legs sway more, and her hair also sways back at Sydney's body, hinting that her moves are relatively close to his body. I don't think I have enough vocabulary to describe, gestures are always just "feelings" to me. If people see what I want to show, that's the success for me.

I know many self-learners started by finding random tutorials that have muscle breakdown or box-like proportions to try and mimic. Mimic is good, drawing is mimicking and remembering what you saw, but without good gesture practice, many people tend to make anatomy very stiff.

Then, you start to apply anatomy to the gestures you've practiced. One way to do it is by learning about muscle position first, and then trying to apply it to a figure, or a model. This is my homework and it's HORRIBLY WRONG IN MANY WAYS. My teacher fixed it for me but I don't have the after with me right now, so take this as an example of how to do the apply thing, DO NOT USE IT AS MUSCLE REF it's very wrong.

In my opinion bone structure is not strictly needed like muscles. Bones are for muscles to hang onto. You only need to remember some important "landmarks" like the collarbone, elbow joint, anterior pelvis, knee, and ankle,… to hang the important muscles to it. After you're familiar with muscles and gestures, you can start to stylize. Applying your knowledge to animated characters with cartoonish design is one great way. THESE HOMEWORKS OF MINE ARE STILL WRONG but ye hope you get the idea. I'm still struggling with anatomy.

One of my all-time fav are AFK ARENA artists and what they do for the game. Aki as the main artist, Kuri Huang, and another artist I suddenly forgor the name as home screen illust. I recommend researching their works if you want a direction on how to stylize your character with great dynamic gestures and shapes.

And

As much as I hate to say this, I was particularly considered a failure, a stone-head, who couldn't be changed for the better when I was still in art school - uni. My chosen major was digital graphic design, not specified in drawing but in designing, that's one thing I regret. I traded 5 years of my youth for doing the things I don't want to do. That's why the moment I graduated, I immediately went and signed up for an advanced art class specified in drawing. I'd be lying if I said the uni didn't teach me anything about drawing. They did, but almost everything I learned during 5 years of uni was self-learning from outer sources. I encourage self-learning the most when I talk with younger artists. Proko is a very trusted source to learn from, go to their YouTube channel, and you might figure out something too.

#dollya ask #not a drawing tutorial just my personal experiences

[saiidahyunie]

to the world! (interlude) 

minatozaki sana x soccerplayer!reader (pt.2) ; fluff ; angst if you really squint 

synopsis: winter is finally here bringing in colder air and the new year is also beckoning, calling for bittersweet endings in trade for promising beginnings. what would you do if the dreams you deeply desired were right at your doorstep? 

wc: 12.7k

warnings: a little overboard with the soccer exposition (but i gave a thorough explanation for you guys to understand so don’t worry) ; cursing ; pacing is a bit slow for this part sorry ; mentions of food ; slightly suggestive (?) ; lots of guy names but the reader is gender neutral ; i badly need sana period.

pt.1  pt.3 pt.4

a/n: the long awaited second part of the series is here!! i was debating on when i would have this posted before sana’s bday or not but the best things always come when you least expect it. ^_^ 

i will try to have this series updated as soon as i can, the ideas for both soccer and loving sana moments are just *chef’s kiss* 

thank you guys for the overwhelming love and support in the first part and i hope this one gets the same treatment if not more!! 

(also, credit for inspiration goes to @spidergirlanon ft. jihyo! please give that a read as well!!!) 

enjoy!!

—

“you’ve garnered a lot of attention with your showing at the academy exit trials.” the finely dressed woman said to you, kim sejong, a representative with one of the soccer clubs who are vying for your signature. you sat in between your parents whereas sejong was sitting across the dining table, dex standing alongside sejong facing you, wearing a smug look on his face. 

“i assume that dex has mentioned my name to you at least,” sejong started off saying, looking at dex who glanced quickly at her and back, nodding his head as he was still paying attention as you recalled the brief moment of dex mentioning that he was talking to someone when he visited one of your practice sessions about a couple days ago. 

“yes, i remember,” you said as you scratched your temple, “i know that he couldn’t disclose the specifics of who or what he talked about on the phone, but he did bring up your name to me.” sejong flashed a smile as she slid over a clipboard that had a preliminary contract draft that showed all of the different clauses that you would have to follow eventually when signing the real one. 

you always talked about it with dex and some of your teammates, about how you could go from watching the premier league and champions league matches from your room or couch to actually being on the field playing in front of thousands of fans. some thought that you were crazy while others stood behind you. the hard work and dedication along with the burgeoning talent oozing out didn’t not go unnoticed as now you had two contract offers from two teams. you had to pinch yourself when dex said the two teams that were interested. 

the first team to have serious interest in your talents was brighton and hove albion f.c, a team that has gained a huge reputation for finding young, upcoming players in uncommon parts of the world and turning them into absolute monsters. you were amazed with the work that they did with the previous players that used to play for the club that went on to bigger clubs later in their career. dex claimed that their development program was on par with the other teams with the likes of pep guardiola and jurgen klopp who always had an opportunity to show the youth talent in the premier league so it was pretty convincing and high praise to say the least.

as for the second team, you didn’t think that they would have the slight bit of interest in you or your talents, but wow you were so wrong. the team that you supported all the way back when you first kicked a soccer ball; manchester united, the club with the most decorated trophy cabinets with two champions leagues and twenty league titles to their name. the very same club that chanted those famous names you’ve heard and watched growing up: beckham, keane, giggs, van persie, rooney, and ronaldo. the inner voice in your head would’ve said to sign for united in a heartbeat.

but you knew that it wasn’t gonna be that simple to do.

“i know that we can’t disclose the other team that approached you for confidentiality reasons, but the development coach has seen your match videos and is captivated with what you can potentially bring to the team moving forward.”

sejong adds as you sat there with a dumb look on your face, “i hope you can take our offer into consideration y/n, your name and reputation precedes what you can achieve in the future as a player.” 

“is there a grace period for when i can make my final choice?” 

“no, not at all! negotiations wise, we can agree to terms here in principle. consider this to be the first round of talks so nothing is entirely set in stone yet,” sejong answered with a firm sense of persuasiveness. 

you leaned back in your seat as you looked at both your mom and dad who were simply nodding at you, reminding you of the support they always had for your soccer career. you looked down at the contract draft, amazed with the fine printed text font filling the paper with the club badge sitting in the middle at the top of the paper. this was nothing like the paper you signed when you first joined coach rain’s soccer club, the same club that won back to back titles in your time there.

it wasn’t an “all you” show however, as there were also a few talented players on the team that were also candidates at the trial. both your teammates rin and blake who attended the trials with you gave high praises when the other potential candidates asked about you because they were afraid to approach you, which was odd because you knew that you were able to socialize with others but you simply played it off while those who did talk to you tried not to freak out internally.

nothing but positive remarks were said in not only how extremely gifted the way you played, but also how you led the team to those winning titles as well. you wondered if those two got offers from teams as you looked at dex who came back with a contract that you assumed was manchester united’s offer to you. 

before you could say anything though, sejong’s phone vibrated, “sorry, i have to take this. you can continue to look at the offer while i’m gone.” she said as she stood up from the table and headed outside your house to answer the call. 

dex took sejong’s seat as he slid manchester united’s contract over to you next to brighton’s with a smile plastered on your face still. “this is still a really good thing y/n! i knew you had a major pull at the trials with your overall ranking but i didn’t think it would be this big of a deal!” dex said to you as you smiled right back trying to relish in the moment right in front of you. 

“i know but just wow, i’m actually really surprised that they would actually offer-” 

“you’re not the only client to get an offer from brighton especially.” dex added, “rin is actually overseas right now finishing up the final terms.” 

“oh my gosh he’s signing with brighton?!” your mom asked with a hand covering her mouth. 

“i just got off the phone with him before coming here! they just finished the last round of talks, now it’s only a matter of time before they announce the signing in the next few days.” dex replied showing a picture of rin signing the contract. 

“holy shit.” you couldn’t believe that one of your teammates was bound for the premier league. out of the thirty candidates at the exit trials, you and rin both took the top two rankings. that didn’t necessarily mean that you and him had a better chance at offers but it definitely increased the likelihood of teams looking more closely at you and rin. 

“you don’t have to make a decision now of course, but i know that you’re aware of both teams' situations in the league currently.” dex chimed in as he put his phone back in his pocket while you switched between the two contracts laid in front of you. 

you and dex kept a close eye on what was happening in the premier league between brighton and manchester united. your mind was listing the facts but your heart already made the decision of which team you were going to sign with. 

midway through the premier league season, both teams are sitting at fifth and sixth place respectively, with brighton taking the fifth spot with a five point gap ahead of manchester united. brighton had just lost one of their key midfielders recently to an acl injury and are looking to fill that hole in as soon as they can to ensure their push for a high finish in the league table with the prospect of playing in a european competition next season.

you were amazed at what roberto de zerbi was envisioning over there and you knew that you could gain a lot if you played under him. you were also following the narrative that was building over them about being on a tear the last few weeks by winning against the more bigger teams in the league that they’ve already played at least once so far this season. by playing for brighton, this meant more chances to play and really get some solid minutes of soccer under your belt. 

as for manchester united, the inner child inside your head was screaming to take up their offer, but you toned down the fangirling as you ran through the current progression of your favorite team. they weren’t doing too bad, nor were they doing as good as you wanted them to be. they were also struggling in every aspect; from the back, the midfield, and even the attack all seemed to be lackluster combined with no set of direction on the field.

not only that, but it was becoming a depressing trend of decline happening behind the scenes in terms of the board and management that was riddled with a new story filled with drama week in and week out. it sucked that your team was being mauled over by greedy owners that are only using the team as a business brand rather than a soccer team that was meant to win trophies. 

you looked at the different clauses on the manchester united contract, sighing with a disheartening expression on your face realizing that you’d be signing your own death sentence for your career before it even started. the money was good, but you had a mantra of how it was never about the money, but by having a big paycheck you would have little to no playing time in return.

you were fond of manager erik ten hag’s glory days with ajax with that remarkable champions league semi-finals run a couple years ago, but this was manchester united, a team that is always subject to expectations, and even a good manager like him was struggling to get the gears running with the team.

sitting sixth in the league heading into the winter portion of the season and out of the champions league competition, they could really only focus on getting a high finish in the league while also dealing with the numerous injuries all throughout the squad. sure you could get playing time, but you also remember the various players that had a youthful upstart at manchester united only to have their career go sideways and you didn’t want to follow that same path. 

“i know it’s your favorite team y/n, but you see the stability of how they are right now. it’s not great for what you can do with other teams.” 

“but out of all the possible teams, it’s just these two? there’s really no other option for me?" you asked dex as he crossed his arms, tapping his finger on top of his left arm while you continued to read through the contracts once again. 

“it’s normal to have second thoughts, i can also give you the option to wait until the window opens in january for more teams to approach you.” dex states, “but knowing you already it’ll be impossible to keep you here when i have phone calls coming in at six in the morning!” you and your parents laughed at your best friend’s remark as you looked at your mom who was slapping your arm while your dad got up to get a glass of water for everyone. 

a light hearted moment lit up the house once again. as the laughter died down while sejong came back from her prolonged phone call, wearing a perplexed look on her face filled with curiosity as dex looked over, shooting straight back up from the chair for her to sit as he stood over her again, exchanging smiles with you as a reflection of the rapport that you and him have built from when you were kids. 

“i assume everything went well with the discussion?” sejong asks, looking at the second contract on her left side in confusion, which left dex to grab it quickly and put it behind his back. “sorry, sorry.” dex said looking all dumb now, “we were just going over his options while you were out and-”

“you’re good dex don’t worry.” you said to him comfortingly, returning your look towards sejong across from you. “i’ve carefully considered your offer and i’m really pleased with what you’ve presented to me.” you firmly said with a sense of professionalism that even the big time hot-shot young players wished they would have. 

a slight bit of suspense spread across the dining room and kitchen as your dad overhead you, racing back to sit next to you as sejong leaned in with an intrigue to what you were about to say, “oh really? what that might be?” 

you looked at both of your parents, who knew that you weren’t a kid anymore as you looked at dex with a simple nod to him as you inhaled through your nose with the next set of words marking another monumental step towards your blossoming soccer career. 

“i think i’ve made my decision on who i’m signing with.” 

—

*ping* *krsch*

you huffed out a puff of warm air from your mouth as you steadily stood up after belting a ball into the top corner of the goal, getting a sound of amazement by someone standing next to you as you backed up with another ball for the next shot. 

“is there anything you can’t do y/n?” kang daniel asked, juggling a ball while you racked in another goal for the fourth time. this one being a knuckleball that wobbled in the air for a few seconds before deflecting off of the goalpost and inwards. 

“apparently beckham freekicks aren’t my specialty.” you chimed as you rolled another ball from your bag, checking to see if it was properly pumped up with air,��even for someone like me that’s seen to be a so-called midfield general.”

daniel laughed at your self observation as he too shot a ball in short distance, lightly jogging back to you, rolling another ball towards you to kick aside as you prepped up for another shot. 

“if i had an inkling of your talent and skills, i would’ve made it to the lineup but instead coach has me playing sixth man off the bench.” daniel said with a slight bit of disappointment in his voice. 

“hey, your playstyle actually helps with buildup play in the final third. mingyu is a solid makeshift centre back turned defensive mid, but his long balls are way too powerful for dk and shotaro to link up on the wings.” 

“ooof, glad he isn’t here to hear that!” you look over to see dk’s arm wrapped around your shoulder, cheesing a smile before waving at daniel and his girlfriend jihyo next to the goal keeping his soccer bag against the fence. 

“you’re late as always.” you said as you elbowed dk’s stomach, getting an instant flinching reaction from him as he set his bag down on the field. 

“i thought we were just shooting for fun today!? did i miss the memo in the group chat?!” dk asked in confusion as daniel laughed at dk’s distress. even though there was no practice since coach rain out of town to help one of his close friends oversee some trials with another soccer club, you still thought it’d be a good idea to fill the time during the week to at least play for one day or two. 

“y/n!!! these shots aren’t helping me!!” you look towards the goal to see a girl laying face flat with her head looking in your direction. “tzuyu if you’re gonna say that you got the goalie position by just dumb luck then say it!” you shot back as she stood up, clapping her hands together telling you to bring it on. you look at daniel and nodded as he took another shot only for tzuyu to parry it away off the right side.

“see?! you can handle our shots!” you laughed with pride while jihyo was sitting close to the goal cheering at tzuyu's play. “more of that please!” tzuyu yelled back as she stretched her arms for another shot lining up. “alright tzuyu take a quick break. i don’t want your hands to be beet red by the end of our sesh.” you said as she nodded while taking off the gloves and went towards jihyo before meeting up with everyone else sitting on the edge of the box. 

you sat down to take a quick swig of water while daniel was walking towards jihyo and tzuyu. as for dk, he slipped out of his shoes into his new adidas boots that he bought yesterday to break them in. 

“wasn’t hyunjin gonna be here today?” dk asked. “i thought so too.” daniel also replied now with jihyo under his left arm.

“didn’t he tease you about sana at the end of practice the other day?” dk also asked, now sitting with his new boots on his feet. you were taken aback by his question as you choked on your water bottle in response.

“i- yes and no!” you spat out, wiping your mouth of the drops of water that dribbled over your chin. you heard nothing but laughs and gasps as you try to recover from your embarrassing act.

you really need to get a grip, but at the same time you wanted to take pride somehow and soon. 

“don’t try to play it off y/n, i’ve seen how you look at sana at school.” dk said as he flashed an eyebrow at you, “i didn’t notice at first but now i’m invested to see what’s all that about.” 

“i swear to you, there’s nothing happening between us! i don’t know why everyone is saying that there is!” you defended yourself as you put your hands up slightly, claiming your innocence. “jihyo, you know how sana is with you guys so help my case here!” jihyo’s eyes popped open as she sat down with tzuyu doing the same, “sana is normally friendly with everybody here, but you’ve known her longer than i have so i wouldn’t know what it’s like.” 

you hung your head in defeat as daniel hovered over you, placing his hands on your shoulders in comfort, “don’t feel bad y/n, you know that’s just how hyunjin is anyway.” you look up to daniel who was smiling as he stopped his little massage, pulling both of his hands back into his track jacket. “i am curious however, is there something happening between you and sana that we don’t know about?”

“no there isn’t.” you sighed out, “what we have is really a platonic friendship, there’s no romance attached between us.” you stated even though you were also lying through your teeth, just partly, but you looked around the set of eyes placed on you as you fished your water bottle back into your bag. 

“booo, that’s the wrong answer ow-” dk exclaimed as jihyo smacked his head, shutting down his antics completely. 

“sorry y/n, we didn’t mean to pressure you or anything,” jihyo apologized as daniel sat down next to her, leaning his head on her shoulder while jihyo tilted her head to the left to meet with daniel’s. 

“it’s fine you guys, i’m not one to talk about anything love related anyway…” you replied back looking at the lovely couple sitting across from you. 

“i’m sure there’s someone for you y/n, we’re just saying that sana is literally the top candidate for you so i don’t know what needs to happen there, ” jihyo said as you simply nodded, oblivious to what you were thinking. you were aware that you alone would be the clear person sana would want to be in a relationship with. nobody else was in the running for her.

the problem is, you were running out of time to carry out the feelings you held within you for so long since you’ll be going away when the new year rolls around. nobody here knew that you accepted the offer to play professional soccer in england, until all of you heard a voice coming from the benches.

“hey! did i miss the shooting clinic!?” 

the group looked at each other in question as everyone turned their attention to a single figure making their way closer to the edge of the eighteen yard box. “where have you been man? i called you twice today?!” you screamed out as you shot straight up to dap up blake in a hug, who you haven’t seen since the exit trials. 

“i got backed up with traffic on the way here, but i see that you guys took a break so technically i made it on time.” 

“that’s what happens when you wake up late dude!” you retort, breaking the hug with one of your well known teammates of three years. “how else am i gonna carry over the passes to the forwards if my left-back can’t even wake up on time for practices and games?!” 

“yeah blake you’re always late, it’s either you or ni-ki that’s always the last one to show up for stretches!” dk shoots out, getting up to warm his legs up and rolled a ball over for him to do light movements. 

“shut up dk! isn’t ni-ki our main striker up top? how did i get roped into this for already having a bad habit before the regular season started?” blake retaliates, kicking off his slides and setting his supreme bag on the ground as dk scrunched his face mischievously.

“how did the exit trials go? i heard you got fourth in the top ranking assessments!” daniel asked as jihyo and tzuyu both gasped in surprise, “speaking of which, didn’t you place high on the ranks y/n?” daniel added on, now bewildered waiting for your answer. 

you and blake looked at each other, asking each other telepathically if it was okay to tell everyone what went down at the exit trials. you primed your lips back while blake pouted for a quick second before the both of you nodded at each other. 

“so…all three of us got placed in the top five rankings.” blake said as a wave of gasps swept across the group. daniel and dk’s mouths dropped to the floor in shock as jihyo and tzuyu shrieked in celebration, proud of what their friends just achieved by the announcement they just heard. 

“no way, even rin got a high rank!?” daniel asked in astonishment, “yep, i got placed fourth while rin took the second spot out of the thirty candidates.” blake continued as you scrunch your nose while smiling since you knew that blake had lost a bet between rin about who would be placed higher in the trials, the others weren’t aware of that since rin wasn’t here but in england using his remaining vacation break sightseeing through london, sporadically sending you and blake pictures of the football stadiums that were there. 

“wait, if rin got a higher rank than you blake, where did y/n place?” dk asked, staring at you with laser focus, “i think it would be better for y/n to break the news to you guys.” blake brightly said as he looked towards you as everyone was left in question for your unknown position to be answered. you simply put both of your hands in your pockets and inhaled a breath before exhaling to build suspense. 

“i was the one who got the top ranking spot….” you declared as everyone collectively was left in complete disbelief. the choir of “huhs” and “what” broke through the air as you jaws dropped and hands on mouths while blake simply looked down smiling at their reactions. it took a couple moments to process what you just said as you nonchalantly juggled a ball before anyone said anything. 

“i don’t know why i was expecting someone else to take the top prospecting spot, but jesus christ y/n!” 

“are we really that surprised with what he’s capable of? this dude is literally our fucking captain for a reason!?”

you smiled at both daniel and dk’s compliments as blake crossed his arms, now in his nike boots tying them up with double knots on both feet. tzuyu and jihyo were left speechless, they too had seen the games you guys have played and it was always an enjoyable show to watch because of how unbelievably good everyone was at what they did with you, blake, and rin included. 

—

there were a few instances where the girls took every opportunity to come to any practices to watch you guys go through drills or five on five scrimmages and even the coaches jabbed jokes towards you and the rest of the team grabbing all the ladies. 

“we didn’t have this much interest back when we were playing!” coach key said as rain was practically laughing his ass off after seeing the entourage of girls just sitting at the bleachers during one of the practices a month or two ago.

the team was running through some one-two passing drills with shooting as the finisher and ni-ki just went ahead of you. before you could do the drill, you quickly glanced over at the bleachers to see who showed up this time.

there was jihyo, nayeon, tzuyu, mina from chem class, momo had just walked over a second later, and of course sana, who looked extra cute wearing those slightly thick nerdy glasses again which were a backup pair since she forgot her go-to pair at home that day. 

again, you got caught in sana’s ethereal features for a few seconds as you got struck in the back of the head with a ball by dk snapping your attention facing forward as coach rain was barking at you.

“what the hell are you staring at y/n?! you’re holding the line up lets go!!.” 

“shit…” you mutter as ran ahead while dk, mingyu, and blake chuckled at you while completing the drill. after drilling the ball past rowoon in goal, you walked back scratching your nose, still embarrassed with what you did. 

“is something the matter y/n? you look a little more pinkish than usual.” coach key asked as you furrowed your eyebrows together trying to cover the light blush, wiping your face in quick succession.

“i’m all good coach, don't worry about me.” you responded quickly.

“are you sure? i think the others say otherwise.” key says picking up on the scattered “pffts” and giggles heard behind you. 

you sigh and look at your teammates with a blank expression - clearing your throat as everyone immediately shuts up, gaining another laugh from coach rain who was watching the whole thing next to key. 

“that’s exactly why we made you captain of this team.” coach rain praised the present aura shimmering around you as he tapped key’s shoulder before walking away toward the half of the field to meet with the defensive coach bradley who was working some of the other reserve players. 

as you lined back up for another round of drills, blake tapped your shoulder with a slight worry. which was natural for him to check up on you as he was the right hand man / vice captain of the team. 

“are you good though, really?” he asked behind your ear.

“i’m fine blake it’s nothing.” you shot back, attempting to shut him down asking anymore questions.

“if you say so. kinda weird for you to act this way, i hope it’s not the girls since that would make sense-.”

“they just showed up, so i was wondering who came along this time!” you slightly raised your voice as blake chuckled at your reason.

“sure, but i don’t blame you for staring though.” blake simply said as you two continued to move up in the line. you sighed as you continued to reflect on what had happened, placing a hand on your chest as you felt a slight tug from within when you thought about sana. i’m not usually like this for some reason but why do i feel this way? 

—

the short memory flashes out of your mind as dk kept asking questions to blake about the trial. 

“so did you get approached by a professional team?” 

thrown off by dk’s captivating question you look at blake in a slight panic as you knew the rules about transfers, especially how players aren’t allowed to disclose negotiations to individuals who are outside of the said party. blake however, didn’t fully grasp the seriousness of this as he looked back at you in confusion, only realizing what he was about to do. 

“oh, we weren’t allowed to say this to anyone yet?” he asked.

“well this is news for me too soo…...” you replied back as blake was mumbling to himself, determining if it was a good idea to announce it to the group here right now or not. 

“how bout’ this, if you say yours, then i’ll say mine. it’s only fair.” blake proposed after a few seconds with you puckering your lips together, tempted at the indirect dare he made. 

“deal, but you go first since the vice cap gets minor priority.” you announce as everyone sitting in front of you two paid close attention. “so to double down on dk’s question, did you get signed by anybody?” 

“i did.” blake announced, “but it’s with a team in germany.” wow, you didn’t see that coming as you were suddenly interested to see where he was going. 

“it’s frankfurt.” he continued, “the aaronson twins are there too getting some playtime so it won’t be as boring.” 

“i bet they’re still salty they lost to us in the finals.” daniel butted in after hearing the last bit from laying down on the grass. 

“that was a year ago anyway so i doubt it.” you acknowledged as jihyo and tzuyu clapped their hands, proud of blake’s announcement, showering him with “woops” and “yays.” 

“alright now it’s your turn y/n, did you get signed?” daniel asked now with everyone listening in once again. 

“I actually did just yesterday.” you proclaim as everyone gasped in a slight shock with how fast the process was. 

blake tilted his head in genuine wonder, “okay, now you’ve got me over here thinking, by who!?”

“brighton, it’s brighton.” you said in a serious tone. 

“no shot…” dk said as a jolt went through his body that caused him to drop his water bottle. 

“wait, you’re gonna be playing in the prem?” daniel now with a distressed tone to his question. 

“yep.” you said simply, “who would’ve thought huh?” 

“a straight ticket to the premier league? what the fuck are you y/n a robot?” blake questioned as he shot back up with the fingers on his right hand kneading his forehead, still trying to relish in your announcement.

“so that’s like the best of the best in terms of competing?” jihyo asked as tzuyu was just left speechless.

“it’s one of the top five leagues across europe! they’re super competitive over there!” dk exclaimed as he was visibly shaking in his hands, trying to calm down in a frantic motion. you waved your hands in an up and down motion towards dk, trying to make him return to his normal breathing state as everyone wanted to know more details about your announcement that you were supposed to keep under wraps. 

“there’s still some things left to be worked out with the contract, the bottom line is that they want me over there to start playing as soon as possible.” you continued as everyone pulled their attention back.  

“yeah it would make sense for them to make a move since enciso will be out for the season indefinitely right?” blake asked, “i read that he’ll be undergoing surgery for his acl rupture.” 

“i also watched some of his matches and considering your playstyle is very similar to his, brighton have done wonders with their scouting once again!” daniel added in exhilaration.  

“exactly.” 

“who else knows about this?” tzuyu asked, who had been quiet for a majority of the conversation.

“aside from my parents, there’s you guys and rin that’s all.” you answered.

“have you told sana about this yet? does she know about the whole academy trial thing?” daniel asked as jihyo ooohed next to him, bumping his arm.

“she knows about the whole trial thing but-” you stopped for half a second. shit. your mind panics at the fact that you haven’t broke the news to sana yet. before your thoughts could fall into defcon 1 protocols,

“i was gonna tell her but she stayed over at momo’s place going over their japanese project for class,” you said as you scratched your head, saving your own skin from any additional suspicion. 

“ah i see.” dk replied again, now itching to get some shots up as he continued to roll a ball around his feet. picking up on this, you clapped your hands together and coughed slightly.

“alright! what are we sitting and standing here for? i thought tzuyu needed practice against us shooters!?” tzuyu looked shocked as she shot immediately straight up, bolting for the goal collecting laughs from everyone because of her eagerness. 

as everyone starts to get up from the grass with soccer balls rolling about, blake walks over to you and clasps your shoulder,

“so if things play out this season, i bet we’ll play against each other in one of the european competitions.” he vexed as you scoffed at his interesting speculation.

“who knows, i’d smoke you anyway! do i have to remind you about our one v ones?”

blake cocked his head at your remark before patting your shoulder again, acknowledging that you were the one always winning in the end when it came to competing between you and him. 

“we’re getting food after this right?” he asked.

“if everyone else is down then yes.” 

—

a jazzy tune is softly blasting on the speakers as your mom hummed to the speaker while cooking you dinner. you were sitting on the kitchen island with your laptop watching the highlights of the manchester city vs chelsea game from earlier, which was a thriller with both sides sharing four goals each at the end of added time.

you had a journal out in front of you that was a birthday gift from sana from last year while she was out of town for the week visiting her aunt when you got randomly sick despite being perfectly fine the day before. go figure. she also wrote a short note on the first page when you opened the journal which makes you crack a small smile every time you read it. 

“to my superstar y/n, i hope this journal will be an extension of myself and my heart for you to pen your thoughts. enjoy the cute koala plushie i picked out for you as well as some of the other favorite things i got that you love. happy birthday again baby and i’ll see you very soon.”

xoxo ~ sha <3 

even if she had an astonishing way of words, she still made sure to put a touch of flirting any chance she could. sana was the only person who had access to this journal besides its writer and you intend to keep it that way. flipping through the pages of your journal that was filled with paragraphs of your thoughts and feelings, or reflections of past soccer matches with a mix of sana’s doodles here and there whenever you two would be hanging out or studying. 

the latest entry you wrote in was the contract offer as well as your own thoughts about the whole situation. nothing too extreme as you were excited and happy that this path was now forming as you were walking on it, but you wrote wondering if it would be too late to somewhat confess to sana before going overseas. the chances are good–but why was the risk holding you back? 

you snapped out from staring at your journal when you hear dex singing the same song coming from the speaker as he walked into the kitchen / dining area. turning around to give him a quick dap before hugging your mom who had just finished cooking.

“well if  it isn’t my big time client now!” dex exclaimed as he made his way back to you, clawing your head with both of his hands playfully as waved your left arm over to make him stop, laughing at his infectious approach. 

“did you forget that you’re always on the clock when you come here?” you asked.

“hey! even agents need to have their time off so bite me.” dex shot back, wearing a yeezy gap hoodie that you gifted to him as a christmas gift paired with washed baggy jeans with slim shoes. you and dex always had a fashion off over who had the better outfit, but usually it’d be all even between you two because of how similar the clothing styles you rocked. 

“how’s your mom dex?” your mom asked as he slid a plate of homemade tacos over for you and dex to eat. 

“she’s doing well actually! my mom says congrats to y/n for getting the contract thanks to yours truly.” he replied as he bowed at the end of that sentence which earned a laugh from your mom as he got the sauces from the cabinet. 

you closed your journal and put it away in your bag while your laptop was showing another premier league match that caught dex’s attention as he sat down, reaching over for a taco. 

“i hate how you practically live here.” 

“oh shut up y/n, it’s not my fault that your house is directly right across from mine.” 

you chuckled at his argument as you too grabbed a taco to eat, your mom placing glasses of water for the both of you. “thank you mrs. l/n!” dex said as your mom just simply hummed in response before walking towards the dining table to finish her teacher related work. 

“so when are we leaving for england?” you asked, finishing a bite of your taco as dex took a swig of water. 

“our flight is on the third of january, so just right after new years,” dex replied as you looked slightly puzzled while nodding. 

“they’re still trying to iron out the details with the league, but your official documents are set to be signed within the first two weeks following your arrival.” 

you sighed at the realization once again, the mixed feeling of accomplishment and disbelief cooled over your body. 

“i still can’t believe we made it…after everything that we’ve been through together…” you sniffed, internalizing the countless hours of practicing and games along with the decisions that carried the guilt of sacrifice in order to make it this far. 

hanging your head down with a slight dejection, dex smacked your back, cheering your mood up as he saw a goal being scored. “oh shit!-my bad y/n.” he yelled, realizing that he spaced out from your laptop, proceeding to give you light taps on your shoulder this time. 

“don’t get all sappy now, we aren’t even in the good parts yet!” dex said as he continued to comfort you while eating another taco he grabbed. 

“we’re about to enter a whole new echelon of your dreams.” 

“that’s what i’m afraid of…” 

“don’t be, you’re not giving me enough credit for getting you signed as it is anyway!” 

“i will literally toss your ass out of this house if you don’t shut up! leeching off of me like your life depended on it!”  you cried out chuckling as dex laughed at your banter towards him, cooling off after a few seconds. 

“so have you talked to sana about it?” dex asked.

“i haven't been able to, she’s been staying at momo’s since tuesday but we’ve been texting.” you replied showing an image that sana sent to you of momo laying flat next to the couch with the coffee table plastered with papers and stationary items.

“she said she’ll be back home tomorrow hopefully.” you gleamed putting your phone flat on the table.

“her birthday is coming up no?” dex asked quizzically.

“it is.”

“do you have anything in mind you want to do for her this year?” 

“nope, not in the slightest.” you replied leaning back facing up to the ceiling. 

you and dex sit in silence with the roar of the crowd blasting through your laptop speakers. a few seconds later and you jolt your head forward with a lightbulb going off in your brain. dex picks up on your sudden action and conveys a “hmm~” 

“you thought of something, didn't you?” 

“indeed i did, i need your help along with a few others.” 

—

not to your surprise, sana didn’t come back the next day. she stayed a little bit longer at momo’s until that friday at the end of the week, claiming that the project had to be redone because momo had a completely different prompt than the actual one they were supposed to do. 

you couldn’t help but laugh at sana’s reason since she sounded like a little kid complaining that they didn’t get what they wanted at the local grocery store, looking at her with more admirability than usual as you laid on her couch with your left arm draped over sana’s left shoulder while she was sitting on the floor, various makeup items scattered across the coffee table as the tv was on playing blues clues out of all shows she could’ve watched. 

“when i told you that momo messed up big time, i meant she messed up big time.” sana said, who complained about the small incident of starting the project over since momo basically procrastinated the whole assignment altogether. 

while she was doing that, you couldn’t help but laugh at her slight distress as she was scrounging up scattered items on the table and next to her. 

“well good thing she had you as a partner otherwise she would’ve failed that project regardless.” you said as you sat up, scooching over to the perpendicular end of the table to get your fruit tea drink from chae’s. 

sana leans her head back on the seat, sighing with a slight ache in her voice as she finished her last minute gift for an event you had to drive her to. you didn’t have any plans anyway so even if you did, sana’s event that she was invited to was strictly girls only-which meant that you didn’t have to dress casually as you wore a dark blue fleece sweater with baggy black sweats in comparison to sana who sat there wearing low waisted jeans with a cropped shirt, she had one more article of clothing behind her and slipped it on, which turned out to be one of your old soccer jerseys in tandem with a grey long sleeve under it as an additional layer.

“so what time are we supposed to leave for this so-called party?” you asked as sana kept shuffling around stuff around her. 

“we’ll leave in a bit, i just have to-oh wait! you think you can help me with some makeup really quick?” sana inquired as you looked at her with a small surprise to her question. “what do you mean, help? you have some of the things here already why can’t you do it yourself?” you protested as you matched her height by sitting on the floor with her. 

“most of the makeup i need is up in my room! i don’t need to do much i just need your help with one thing!” sana shot back as you limped your body at her while she whined at your action.

“y/nnnn, do me this one favor pleaseeeeee?!” sana pleaded, making her voice babyish to appease you.

you groaned at her adorable act, knowing that she’ll always have her way no matter how big or small the task was. 

“fine since you don’t want to do it for me, i’ll do it myself then.” she mumbles.

“wait sana no, that’s not what i meant.” 

“it sure sounds like that to me, y/n.” sana says with a pout directly at you. 

“just come scoot over and i’ll help you.” you ordered.

“nope! you said that you didn’t want to, so there goes your chance.” sana retorted. claiming her small victory as she smiled proudly. 

you huffed out a heavy sigh of hair as you reached over to grab a lip brush that was on the table in front of you. sana looks at you, questioning what you were trying to do as you sat back on the floor again now with your left knee upwards parallel to the leg of the coffee table. shifting your upper body soon after and reaching with your arm to grab sana’s wrist, pulling her towards you while sana was caught off guard with your action. you overestimated your used strength as sana almost toppled you over, bracing herself by placing her left hand on your knee. the arm you pulled her with was almost all the way back, putting her face just mere inches away from yours, breaths hitching for just a slight second at the sudden closeness. 

“sorry.” you mutter, loosening your grip on her wrist. 

“it’s okay, i just need a touch up of lip blush, that's all.” sana mumbles as she adjusts herself more steadily. nodding at her request, you propped yourself up, extending a pinky to her jaw as you prepared to brush her lips. 

tension hung in the air as you carefully took your time with sana’s lips, ensuring that there was no missing spot as you added a little more blush. her lips were amazingly perfect, almost a perfect oval shape with every nuance in both her upper and lower lip made it seemingly sculptured flawlessly. the pounding of your heart rang in your ears more loudly than usual, making you make accidental eye contact for a millisecond. sana catches you staring as you tilted your head left and right as a poor cover, stopping for a second to lock with her eyes-giving you a seductive smirk as your face exploded with redness. few more moments passed as you ensured her lips were properly touched up, placing the brush down back on the coffee table, content with your work. 

“done.” you simply say. cheeks still flushed as you place your fingers under sana’s chin, checking if there were any mistakes, not noticing that sana’s cheeks were flushed pink as well. 

sana makes eye contact with you again as you return her stare with your lips slightly agape, silence filling the room as you and here were staring into each other for the nth time. sana blinks twice, inching closer and closer to your face before your phone vibrated, indicating a call from either dex or your mom most likely. 

sana then gets up as you answered the phone who turned out to be nayeon, who was asking where you and sana were, indicating that sana would be late for the start of the party. after a quick interrogation over the phone, you ended the call and headed toward the kitchen where sana was, preparing a small batch of brownies she baked to bring for the party.

you saw her shuffle the foil around the container as you stood across behind the kitchen island, staring at the back of her head while internalizing her small but cute stature. 

“sha.” you called out to her, the nickname that very few people know her by, you having the most exclusivity to it however. 

sana turns around, stopping whatever she was doing to give her full undivided attention to you, ensuing that this was something serious that you were about to tell her. 

“yes y/n?” sana asked with a slight worry on her face. you chuckled at her expression, waving your hand in response. “it’s nothing bad i promise.-” you said to add more suspense, sana tilts her head in anticipation of what you were going to say to her. 

“i got a contract offer for a team.” 

sana’s eyes shot wide open at your news. 

“i know the timing of this is weird and all, but-” 

you were cut off suddenly as sana jumped at you, exclaiming in noises that could only be seen as happy and delight. your hands found their place on her waist as she tightly wrapped her arms around your neck.

“you should’ve told me sooner!!! that’s great news y/n!!!” sana exclaimed as she mushed your face with her hands, bursting out in laughter immediately after as she went for another hug with you holding her tightly this time.

she stays stuck to you for what feels like over a minute, but eventually she loosens herself off of you and stands in front of you, hand latched to hers. 

“sorry for not telling you sooner sana, i just had to make sure it was all official before you know, announcing it and all.” 

“it’s okay, you have your rules so i understand.” sana replies back with a smile still on her face. 

“you do know what this means right? you asked, “we talked about if i did get a contract somewhere i would have to-”

“i know.” sana states firmly, knowing the gravity of your situation, “you explained it to me a while back so you don’t have to worry.” you dropped your shoulders at the thought you just spoke out, but you brushed that off aside with a sharp inhale before clicking your tongue. 

“should we get going?” you asked sana again as she hummed in response to you, realizing that you’ve spent a little too long stalling sana away from nayeon’s girls night party as the two of you grabbed the essential items you needed before heading out the house.

—

a week passes and sana sits at her desk placing her legs on the bed in lieu of her usual footrest sitting below her which she found more comfortable. it’s just past noon and sana had just finished eating her late birthday lunch with her mom and dad downstairs who were cleaning up around the kitchen. 

she scrolls through her phone at the multitude of notifications of birthday texts and birthday reposts on social media stories, making an effort to reply to almost all of them as she continues to tap away on her phone. her phone dings as she quickly swipes through the apps to see who had texted her, eyes widening at the message she just received. 

y/n 

happy birthday sha sha~ !

just finished practice, will come over later. 

sana smiles like a fool at the text, noticing the nickname you coined for her back in middle school that only came up for sentimental moments like these as she presses her thumbs on the touchscreen.

sana

sounds good! 

not going anywhere today

can’t wait to see you againnnn

y/n 

shut up, you literally saw me last night 

did i not drop you off after our boba run with momo and seungkwan???

sana 

my bad not remembering, sorry 

y/n 

i live on the right of you i- 

forget it lol 

sana lets out a small laugh before switching back to reply to more stories on instagram, only to be interrupted by her mom calling from downstairs.

“sana! you have some visitors!” sana’s mom yells as the doorbell rang for a second time. “coming!” sana says as she speeds down the steps, opening the door wide open only to be surprised by the girls.

“surprise!” 

“you guyssss.” sana whines as she was startled at the sudden appearance of momo, nayeon, jihyo, and dahyun who had various small items that looked like sweets and presents, with dahyun holding a small bouquet of lotus flowers as sana’s hands cover her mouth. a quick exchange of hugs as the four of them were invited in to chill for a little bit, conversing about the gifts that the girls gave to sana

“did you guys plan this?” sana asks jihyo, who was the natural leader of the friend group.

“well not exactly, but i did help with some of the stuff.” jihyo replied as nayeon nudged herself next to her on the couch. 

“there’s more where that came from just letting you know.” nayeon adds in as sana wore a puzzled look on her face. 

“what do you mean more?” she asks as the whole group of girls are startled by the sudden sound of the window - which turned out to be jeongyeon as she laughed hysterically, followed by a couple more people after her

“jeong you can’t scare us like that!” momo exclaims as the door opened revealing dk, bang chan, jeongyeon, miyeon, and dex. the living room flooded with hand daps, hellos, and hugs as there were quick exchanges of how everyone was doing.

“you should’ve thrown a party sana!” bang chan exclaims as he hugged sana, moving side to side since it had been ages since she last saw him.

“what are you doing here?! i thought you weren’t coming home until next week!? she “angrily” said with a light voice, punching his arm as bang chan laughed, “well surprise!!” going in for another hug after not seeing her close family friend for a long time since he was abroad or his studies.

“is that everyone?” mingyu asked, looking at the abundance of people now sitting in the living room. 

“i think so, this is it for now.” jihyo replied, sipping a glass of water and placing it back on the coffee table as the room filled up with more talking. sana sees dex heading on his way out the door, stopping him as he was about to answer his call. “where’s y/n?” she asked, with a worried pout in her voice. dex chuckled at sana’s antic, “she said that something came up, so i’m going to help her real quick.” sana nodded as she hugged dex again, thanking him for coming over to the surprise gathering before going back to the group to take pictures that her mom was offering as dex walked out the door. sana glances out the window, wondering if you were going to show up later or not. 

—

a couple hours had already passed and it was nearing sundown, sana went back up to her room after everyone had left almost two hours prior, having the small snacks that dahyun had brought as well as some of the cookies your mom had made for the entire group. 

looking at the pastel blue sky as it started to turn pinkish toward the horizon, she couldn’t help but feel a growing hole in her chest as she trudged over to her bed, lying face flat for only a few seconds before hearing the doorbell downstairs. sana assumed that her mom would answer the door right away - only to hear her yelling for the second time today.

“sana! you have one more visitor!” her mom yells as she makes her way down the stairs again. sana wonders who would come at this hour, the thought tells her that it would be dex since he left his glasses on the coffee table after playing jenga with dk and mingyu but she could worry about that later. 

her hand reaches for the doorknob and twists it, opening it to see the one person she had hoped to see all day, you. 

you stood on the other side of the door wearing your glasses with one of your hands behind your back. sana tilts her head at the arm as you flashed it out - a bouquet mixed with roses and bouquets. sana gasps, putting her hands to her face at the surprise you had in front of her. 

“sorry for being late, i came to pick you up.” 

“where are we going?” sana asks you as you put a finger to your lips.

“shhh, you’ll see it when we get there now go get ready.” you reply back as sana turns around and dashes up to her room to get changed. 

sana returns to her usual passenger princess mode as she enters the tesla. as you and her buckled yourselves into the seats, you stop for a second to fish something in the center console, grabbing a blindfold which was a sleeping mask. sana looks at you with a raised eyebrow, taking the hint that you were “implying”. 

“it’s not what you think it is, you pervert.” you say as you hand the blindfold to her, sana punching your arm immediately after your dirty thought.

“hey! i didn’t even say a word!” she retorts as you chuckle at her light blush flooding on her face, humming at her answer before driving the car out the driveway. you stop the car before you even pass your house, sana looking at you with a stale expression again. 

“keep that blindfold on until i tell you to take it off.” you instructed. 

“is this the part where you take me to your special room like in fifty shades of grey?” 

“god no, and you know i despise that movie anyway.” you immediately respond as you roll away while sana puts on the blindfold, still wondering where you were taking her. 

—

the drive to your secluded spot for your special surprise to sana was filled with flirty exchanges and multiple “are we there yets” pushing you to the brink of insanity but something that you were used to with sana as you arrived in the back section of a hill facing the brimming sunset. 

“we’re here.” you say as you set the tesla on park with sana looking around, blindfold on her face, laughing as she kept frantically looking with a smile on her face. you exit the car, catching dex at the spot on the hill that you and him set up together, essentially leaving him while you pick up sana on the passenger side, guiding her toward the picnic blankets. 

“where are we y/n?” sana asks as she continues to walk forward, your hands placed on her waist nearing closer to where dex was standing. 

“almost there just a few more steps.” you answered, finally arriving at the spot. dex rolling his eyes at you as he watched your dumb smile at the plan you devised last week. 

“here we are. you can take the blindfold off now.” you told sana as she pulled down on the sleep mask, gasping at the cute picnic setup you took a couple hours to perfect. the spot on the hill had a perfect view of the sunset just before touching the horizon.

the picnic blanket had a bottle of red wine, along with a basket that had various snacks that you and sana liked when eating together. in addition there was a charcuterie with cheeses, saltine crackers, some salami, and small slices of bacon. topping it off another bouquet of flowers laid on the blanket with your portable speaker playing soft classical music. 

sana was left in amazement at your surprise, hugging you tightly after, burying her head in your chest and stayed there for a moment. you signaled dex to get the last few things from his car as sana pulls away from you, “let's sit down, i have dex getting something for me really quick” 

“you really planned all this for me?” sana asks as she takes in the various items that are laid out on the blanket, “i was wondering why you couldn’t come over earlier with everyone, and dex helped you?” 

“yes he did, he did most of the heavy lifting well not really but still.” you reply back as dex comes back with a small bag with more snacks inside of it. 

“thanks again for guarding this dex, i owe you big time.” you say as dex chuckles at you, grabbing a quick bite of the chocolates inside the bag, “oh you definitely do, the next meal we get together is gonna be on your tab.” he states, fistbumping you before leaving you two alone to enjoy your special birthday date. 

“so was this everything like you imagined for a surprise?” you asked sana as she shuffled herself into your left arm, sighing in content with what you did. 

“this was amazing y/n. i couldn’t have asked for anything more. thank you.” sana replies, hugging you again, inhaling the sweet cherry scent of her hair before pulling away. “are you sure we’re gonna be able to eat all of this?” she asks again, grabbing another bite of the saltine crackers as you laugh at her act. 

—

after going through multiple snack bags and half the bottle of red wine, you and sana were talking about the various gifts that she received earlier in the day - how she got various gift cards from family relatives to use online and noting how she got a betty boop handbag from one of her other classmates who stole it after her modeling gig a while back. as she told these stories from earlier, you kept your attention on her with so much affection pooling through your eyes. the way that she was cutely layered with a brown overcoat with a hoodie underneath, the light breeze passing through her hair making her more ethereal than she already was. 

she goes on with her tangent for a few more moments before returning eye contact with you, getting lost in your eyes before looking away, your face getting slightly red as well as hers. 

“so…do you have a gift for me?” she asks, returning her gaze on you as you scrunch your face at her.

“of course i did.” you reply, fishing through your bag to get two small boxes that were black, one being longer compared to the short one that was in your right hand. sana looks at you confused, slightly anxious to see what you had for her this year.

“so i kept your present from last year into consideration.” you started off saying, opening the first box to reveal a necklace with a wax seal on it showing a simple heart with a message coating it. sana lightly screams at one of your romantic gifts as you take it out to give her a better look.

“the meaning of the wax seal means, my heart is eternally yours - given to that special someone you value everything that you are and what you do.” sana pouts at your sentence as you motion her to come around and put the necklace on her, brushing her hair onto one side to make it easier for you. soon after it’s on, she looks at it while you fish out the same necklace hidden in your crewneck to match hers.

“aw, matching necklaces? what’s the other box for?” sana playfully asks as you grab the other box from behind you, opening it to show matching rings. you smirked as sana was left speechless with her flawless guess, while you took the bigger ring out for you to wear on your right ring finger.

“matching rings, and this relates to what i’m about to say” you reply as sana leans in, now fully interested with the possible thought of what you might be doing, shifting her body closer to you as you showed her the simple but sleek ring you were wearing. 

“you have been a constant pillar of support i can always rely on for as long as i remember aside from my own parents of course,” you say confidently despite your heart gradually accelerating by the second.

“i love what we have going on already between us, all the sweet and happy moments that are always filled with a brand new adventure every single day.” sana scoots even closer as you take her hand, clasping it with yours. 

“whenever i’m with you, there’s a few seconds where my heart just starts beating like crazy - and at first i thought it was weird at first, but then the more and more it happens whenever its us hanging out like this or whenever we’re with everyone else and-” your mind was short circuiting as sana lightly laughs at you with your head in between your arms, you then look back up inching your face closer to sana’s, your heart pounding in your ears at 150%.

“soooo what’s your point y/n?.” sana asks you, slightly oblivious and in a slight instant — you couldn’t contain yourself any longer. 

“this.” you simply replied, lightly placing your fingers under her jaw, breath slightly hitching as you leaned forward, catching her off guard as you placed your lips on hers. 

sana hummed in surprise as she was unprepared, but was able to catch on kissing you right back, eyes slowly closing as she cupped your cheek. senses overloading at the new sensation acquired as you notice the slight taste of peach chapstick on her extremely soft lips and you wanted to remember how your lips fit perfectly with hers. you pull away for a second to catch your breath before sana pulls you right back in for more, tilting heads in interchanging directions as you slowed the pace of your second kiss together, taking more and more time passing as you and her try to keep this moment from ever ending. it was then sana’s turn to stop, eyes fluttering open as they meet yours as you went for another slow, intimate kiss, pulling on her left thigh to bring her closer to you as she wraps her arm around your neck, right hand tangling with your hair before sharing one more final kiss and pulling away soon after. 

you finally did it, and she couldn’t be any more happier. 

hands lingering on each other’s body as you stare into sana’s eyes again, lips brushing together slightly parted as your hearts could basically flatline at any given second. sana then lightly pecks your lips before placing her forehead against yours. 

“two years,” sana begins saying, “two years is how long i’ve waited for you to do that.” you softly laugh at her observation. “god you’re so cute.” 

the beating in your heart calms down after cashing out all of your feelings you’ve had for sana, the realization of what you did finally registering in your head as you look away from sana for a second, cheeks completely flushed before coughing because of the small specks of pollen that went up your nose. 

‘i have a really bad thing with timing, so i hope this isn't too late.” you mumble, recalling what will eventually happen when the new year rolls in the next couple weeks. sana notices the tone in your voice, now worried about your expression,

“when do you leave?” she asks.

“two days after new years.” you answer, sana’s face somewhat crestfallen after hearing the news, “but we still have time until then, i just wish i did this sooner…” your voice trailed off with regret carried with it. 

sana sccoches herself to you again, placing her head on your shoulder as she hugged you in comfort, sighing out at the beautiful view set in the distance while grazing her fingers on your hand. 

“i think this is perfect already.” sana says to you, looking at her with a puzzled look on your face. 

“really?” she hummed at your simple question. 

“i’m not mad at you, nor will i ever be mad at you for anything y/n. i’m just happy that you and i can finally let out our feelings together without having reservations.” 

a warm smile riddled across your face as you leaned in to press another soft peck onto her lips. sana giggles after you pull away again, grinning, 

“hearing the things you say give me so much confidence, knowing that i can take on the world with my girlfriend right beside me.” you say as you stood up with your arms out wide, mimicking a goal celebration while sana laughed at your act.

not long after the first hours of the evening, you walk back sana to the front door of her house, turning around to you with inviting arms for a hug, gladly accepting the offer as you open your arms for sana to slot herself in. circling your arms around her waist as her arms hooked onto your back, your chin touching the top of your head, indicating the cute height difference between you and her like a sculpture that should be showcased as the main centerpiece of an art museum, letting the silence fill up with the brightly dimmed light sitting just above you two. 

she looks up at you, pursing her lips together for a kiss as you cup her cheeks, pressing your lips onto hers again for one more smooch that was now filled with love and butterflies, pulling away staring into sana’s eyes that look like they could be filled with stars. 

“best birthday present ever.” she hummed as you kissed her forehead, hugging her tightly once more before stepping back.

“had to save the best for last you know?” you amusingly as sana chuckled at your quick remark, having her head over heels for you once again as placed your hands behind your back as you walked down the steps of her house. 

“let’s do something tomorrow?” sana asks as you turned back around immediately after her question. 

“of course, i’m always down to do anything with you.” 

—

the airport terminal was a little bit busier than usual as you stood there at the rotating door, endlessly spinning as people weaved in and out of it. this was it - “d-day” as dex called it, where you finally leave the hometown you have stayed at for almost the entirety of your life before embarking on your dream head on. 

your two cases of luggage and backpack were all that you brought along with your parents who came to see you off while dex kept it simple with his single carry-on bag. dex and rin’s agent yujin had managed to come to an agreement for you and rin to live together, making it more convenient and the transition more smoothly since both of your living habits were strikingly similar. 

“alright, that’s everything that we brought yeah?” dex asks you, turning to your left side facing him. 

“our flight is in two hours, so i think we’ll be fine.” you reply back, pulling the handles of both of your luggages. a voice calls you from the distance, making you look the opposite direction, tilting your head at the small entourage of people approaching you; dk, mingyu, yuta, jihyo, daniel, tzuyu, han, hyunjin, dahyun, miyeon, and lastly sana. 

“you guys really don’t know when to give me space do ya.” you say as you dapped up daniel as the others started to form a crowd behind him. 

“don’t think you can leave without saying goodbye y/n!” dk chided, beaming his smile at you as you facepalmed at his comical stupidity. “either way, you will come back home regardless so you’ll know where we’ll be at.” he added as you nodded. 

“that’s why i made you captain, i know the team will be in good hands with you leading.” you replied back as you stepped forward for a hug, patting his back firmly. you pulled back and looked at everyone else who came, content with the turnout.

“thank you guys for coming. it really means a lot to me and i promise i’l come back in once piece.” you said as you picked up a sniffle coming from tzuyu, leaving you in a small shock as you went forward to hug her in comfort. soon after everyone picks up on tzuyu crying, everybody went in for a group hug as sana was the second person after you to hug tzuyu from behind. after a few moments had passed, the group hug broke as you started to hug everyone one by one again.

“this won’t be a goodbye, but we’ll definitely see you soon in the matches!” yuta exclaimed as mingyu pulled you in for a headlock, tapping his arm frantically while everyone laughed at you struggling. 

“you’ll be sending us stuff right?” jihyo asked you with an eyebrow raised at you.

“of course i will, you just gotta wait for them.” you answered as you started grabbing your luggage. most of the group had begun to go back home all except for one person–sana, who was standing in front of you with a simple smile on her face, wearing both the necklace and the other ring in her left ring finger you gifted to her on her birthday. 

you pulled her in for a hug, caressing her hair as she nuzzled into your right collarbone. taking in the last whiffs of your cologne and the way your body felt on hers as she hugged you.

“i already told you that we’ll keep in touch, right?” you asked as she looks up at you with a pout that could snap your heart into multiple pieces, lip quivering slightly as you pulled her in for another hug. 

the day before celebrating new years, you and her talked about how this new relationship would be handled, planning a bunch of contingencies in case one would miss the other person greatly. you and sana had spent all the time you could before this moment, doing everything possible–the only change now was the increase of skinship and small kisses that you and her shared together every chance possible when hanging out. 

you and sana rarely ever fight against each other, but there were many tests and trials that would be overcomed together. a long-distance relationship would be the ultimate test for you two, the contrasting work schedules, time difference, match days, the list went on and on but you and sana were determined to make it work. 

this was a completely new circumstance, you and sana were slightly worried of what might happen but were very confident in the road that lies ahead for you. 

“i will miss you being around here.” sana says, tears welling up in her eyes as you wiped them off her, pulling her face in for a long kiss, wanting to not part away from her face. you then retreat your head back with thumbs massaging her cheeks. 

“you probably know this, but i love you.” you say as sana laughs out, lightening up the mood as she hugs you for one last time. 

“promise to call me when you get settled in?” 

“you don’t even have to ask.” you say as dex taps your shoulder, “y/n, time to go.” you nodded at him as your parents handed you your luggages, giving them another loving hug with your mom fighting back tears as your dad rubbed her back. 

“my baby is all grown up now.” your mom says, pressing your face together.

“ma, i’ll be back before you know it.” you say, shutting down her worries as you hug both of your parents for one last time, walking away to the rotating door of the entrance. you stopped in your tracks as dex looked at you with your back turned to him, walking up to sana to give her two more kisses, the second one being a short, subtle peck. 

“i love you.” you whispered to her, your voice giving endearing confidence, “i’ll see you soon okay?” 

sana nods as she lets go of your lingering arm before watching you and dex enter the spinning door, waving to sana and your parents, smiling for one last time as you walk deeper inside the concourses of the airport, europe bound, and facing forward to your lifelong dream. 

#sana x reader #twice x reader #kpop x reader #twice sana #sana imagines #twice imagines #twice fluff #minatozaki sana

[heliads]

Hiya! I sent a request earlier but i dont know if it sent in because i had bad wifi- so please ignore this if it sent in- (so sorry for the repeat) but i found your blog and you write the best luke Castellan fics ive ever read!! Could i request a Luke Castellan x Reader where reader is Percy’s older sibling? Like reader has been in the hermes cabin as an unclaimed since they came to camp with luke thalia annabeth and grover- so theyve gotten used to it but then percy gets there and they get claimed at the same time as him but they get upset because they feel like they were only claimed because the gods want to use them and they dont want to move into a big empty cabin with some kid they dont know? Thank you thank you thank you!!

thank you!! also this request HITS, anything for my man luke

masterlist

Luke Castellan thinks that he may come to regret this.

He’s sitting on the roof of the Hermes cabin, his favorite spot to get away from the noise currently roiling somewhere below him. Luke loves the people in Cabin Eleven, his half-siblings on the godly side and those who don’t have a true immortal parent to call their own. Not one they know, at least. That has always bothered him and likely always will.

Despite the fun of those good kids all decked out in orange t-shirts, gleeful grins, and bitter stares, the sound of all that teenage rage and rebellion can get to just about anyone. Curfew was already called, but the cleaning harpies won’t be around for a while, so Luke dares to stay out of doors for a few moments more.

The shadows shift in Luke’s periphery, and suddenly he’s alone no longer. Luke turns to see the intruder, letting the cool breeze guide him to the figure moving towards him in the semidarkness. Once he’s determined that he’s not about to be attacked, or at least not by an unfriendly face, he looks out towards the front of the cabin once more.

Luke closes his eyes, letting the creaking of wooden timbers and soft rhythm of footsteps tell him that his visitor is taking a seat next to him. Luke will answer their unspoken question soon enough, will carve out parts of him to make the other whole, but for now he lets himself bask in the blissful darkness of no one needing him for anything quite yet.

It is still here, it is quiet. The late hour must be getting to the Hermes kids below him; even the most rambunctious youth are murmuring about sleep and wanting to be silent for the time being. Luke can hear the insects whispering in the woods, the click of pincers, the swoosh of grass far below him. Luke knows what’s coming, but gods, if he doesn’t hate himself for wanting it so much.

Someone asks, “Can I come in?” Luke does not refuse. Does he ever?

It started earlier, all of this. Of course it did. Theirs is not a world of mere beginnings and endings. The past feeds the future, the present serves the past. You cannot pull one singular thread from a tapestry and expect to see the whole story.

Luke Castellan is used to people arriving unannounced to the Hermes cabin. Rarely has it been a place for solely his half-siblings, if it ever truly was. No, Hermes was the jack of all trades, so his home by extension must be the same as well. The bunks are always crowded, the floor always taken up by sleeping bags and curled forms of people who will never know who they truly are.

It used to make Luke mad. It still does, but that anger has been tainted with something else, a sort of grim sadness that tells him the bad times will just keep coming and coming. Every day, more unclaimed kids are sent here. If you get furious over every new arrival, the hate will never let you go. Sometimes, that’s more tempting than it should be.

There’s one unclaimed soul that Luke has never minded, though, and that would be Y/N L/N. They first came to camp a couple of years ago; no one knows when for sure, not even Luke or Y/N. Such details of such seemingly inconsequential arrivals are rarely written down in the great history books. Claimed kids have always been more important, especially those children of the more important gods. Some shadow of another indecision will just be given a camp t-shirt, a weapon, and an empty promise that they might, at some point, grow to know who they are.

So the Hermes cabin gained another soul to beat against its walls like a moth trapped inside past dark, who cares. Luke did. He still does, because Y/N wasn’t just another unclaimed demigod, they were his best friend. They plot late into the night about how they’d fix this place if they were ever in charge. Half of the scars on Luke’s sides are from all the times they were sparring together and Y/N managed to get through his defense. Luke heals some of those wounds with nectar or ambrosia, but not all. A couple are alright, to remind him of how much he’d bleed and die for Y/N if he ever got the chance.

They made a damn good team, anyone could see that. The jaded son of Hermes and the bitter unclaimed half-blood, the two people no one crosses, the only ones capable of pulling the other out of their own heads. Luke never knew what it was like to need someone until he met Y/N. He risked his life with Thalia, of course, he protected Annabeth, but he needs Y/N to breathe, to keep going. There are people who would despise such weakness, but Luke is not one of them. Not yet, at least. Not ever, so long as he’s in control of his own mind.

When Luke thinks about how much he hates the gods, when he drives himself half insane because of all the times the demigods needed their immortal parents and the gods never even bothered to claim them, he thinks about Y/N first of all. 

He’s seen them cry a thousand tears for a parent that will never want them back, a sense of belonging that will never be theirs. Luke pulled Y/N close a hundred times, whispered a million worlds, and let his heart break in unison with theirs. They’ll get their revenge someday. Y/N will have their home, and even if that only ever ends up being Luke, it will be enough.

And then, all of a sudden, he wasn’t the end all, be all, of Y/N’s existence. A boy came to camp, sea-green eyes wide with shock and fear. His hair was dark, his conscience clean, and although Luke didn’t have a concrete reason to hate him, he did so anyway. Percy Jackson doesn’t know it yet, but he’s ruined everything.

The evidence was there soon enough. Capture the Flag has always been a favored pastime of the Camp Half-Blood demigods– who doesn’t love a chance to swing swords at your friends and enemies, then risk your neck in an attempt to wrangle victory and bragging rights in one go? Luke and Y/N have always made the best co-captains, and this time is no exception.

This time, though, Percy was on their team too, as another unclaimed kid stuck in Hermes cabin. Percy was the one who mysteriously has to face down a hellhound that somehow got into camp. No one looked to Luke as a source of the monster. No one suspected him. He made sure of it.

The result, though, he hadn’t counted on that. Percy is claimed, but the Jackson kid isn’t the only one with a glowing symbol hovering above their head. No, Luke looks to his side and realizes that Y/N, too, has been claimed. Y/N is a child of Poseidon as well. Looks like the god of the sea is only interested in claiming his children when he can multitask and get multiple at once, like checking off bothersome items on a to-do list.

Now is not the time for jokes, though. Y/N stares at him, eyes wide and reflecting the blue-green glow of being claimed, and Luke knows that it’s all over somehow. This is the sign Y/N’s been waiting for all this time, but it means that they’ll have to go to Poseidon’s cabin forever now, and just like that, all of their memories have come to a sudden halt.

They’re not done, of course. They’ll still be at the same camp, but nothing will ever truly be the same. No more of those late nights curled up together, whispering promises of a better future. No more working together on every cabinwide game or activity. No more eating meals together and exchanging jokes over bites of food. There is an immortal wedge driven between them now, as high and insurmountable as Luke has ever seen.

Y/N knows all this, and they look just as thunderstruck as he feels. Y/N looks like they want to run, and if it weren’t for the fact that the entire camp has now gathered around the two children of the sea god, Y/N might try it, too. Instead, they just stand there, staring at Luke like they’re hoping for a lifeline.

There’s nothing Luke can do, even if he hates himself for it. Instead, he sinks to one knee like the others, but he keeps his head up, eyes on Y/N until they’re physically separated by Chiron leading Percy and Y/N away. After that, Luke is left to stumble back home by himself, wondering why it hurts like a blade pierced between his ribs to notice that Y/N’s things have already been gathered and removed from the Hermes cabin.

Y/N and Percy sit by themselves at dinner that evening, as per tradition. Luke has never known Y/N to have a problem talking to people; seats by them are highly coveted at every meal, but you wouldn’t know that now. Y/N sits up perfectly straight, spine resolute and unflinching. Percy musters up the occasional effort to ask a question or two, but Y/N answers everything in monosyllabic words, making it clear that they want nothing to do with him.

Luke doesn’t get a chance to talk to them until the next day. Ever since the hellhound incident, Chiron has recommended that teams of demigods with more sword experience under their belts go search the woods for more monsters, just in case. Luke isn’t going to tell anyone that they don’t have to worry about that, obviously, but he isn’t about to pass up a chance to see Y/N.

He chooses Y/N as his patrol partner and they set out into the forest in search of certain death. Luke side eyes Y/N as they go, unable to stop himself from searching for clues that they’ve always been a child of Poseidon. Now that he thinks about it, they’ve got this familiar scent of salt and sea air, or a bit of wildness in their eyes that could only ever remind Luke of the untamed ocean. Then again, it could just be Poseidon amplifying those qualities in his elder child, trying to make it seem as if Y/N had his blessing all along. It wouldn’t surprise Luke if that were the case.

It doesn’t take long for Y/N to catch onto what he’s trying to do, though. “Spot any drastic differences in my appearance?” They ask, one brow raised, “what, did the old man dye my hair blue to match the waves?”

Luke snorts. “I don’t think anyone would be foolish enough to try that, even a god.”

Y/N laughs along with him, but their smile fades soon enough. “So? Am I completely and utterly different now that I’ve been claimed? All this time of waiting for it, surely something should have changed.”

Luke shakes his head decisively. “You’re still Y/N in every way.”

“No kidding,” Y/N says bitterly, “it’s because I was never important to Poseidon. Not really. He was already going to claim Percy and felt bad, so he got me too. He probably wants a pawn, someone he can sacrifice instead of Percy and feel appropriately big-hearted about it.”

Luke can’t say he’s surprised to hear Y/N so upset. It can’t feel good, knowing that the only reason your godly parent finally noticed you was because of someone else. “He could have done it so much earlier. The fact that he waited this long to claim you isn’t great, to say the least.”

Y/N’s lips curl with a sneer. “No, it’s just fantastic. I gave up on him, you know? Sometimes I liked to pretend that my claiming might happen, but we all knew the truth. I accepted my fate as an unclaimed demigod forever, and just when I was finally appreciating it, he goes and does this to me. Now I have to spend the rest of my days in this empty, gloomy cabin with a kid I don’t even know. I feel closer to the other Hermes kids and they’re not even my family. Hell, they are my family, just not by the godly side, but for some reason that pales in comparison with some stranger from Manhattan.”

Luke reaches out an arm to pull Y/N closer by their shoulders. “You’re not done with us Hermes kids, obviously. Cabin Eleven is still yours, even if you’re no longer unclaimed. If you get sick of Jackson, we’d be glad to have you back.”

“Even though you need all the empty space you can get?” Y/N asks doubtfully.

“Well,” Luke says as casually as he can, “we mainly just tell that to the others to scare them off. You’re one of us, Y/N.” He pauses, then forces out the last bit in a voice barely louder than a whisper. “You’re the only one I want there with me. I miss you.”

Y/N looks up at him, eyes soft. “I miss you too.”

“It’s stupid, though, isn’t it?” Luke mutters, “we’re at the same camp, I can see you whenever.”

“It’s not the same, though,” Y/N muses, “I might take you up on that offer, though. Just warning you.”

“I look forward to it,” Luke promises.

They talk for a while longer about sword fighting practice and demigod rivalries and other nonsense. Even after they go back to their respective activities, though, Luke can’t fight a pang in his chest. Y/N isn’t his anymore, not in the way that they used to belong to each other in a way that only misfits do. He’s Hermes, they’re Poseidon, and times will never be the same again.

Luke has always liked the relentless babble of the Hermes cabin, but today is a different story. Instead of washing away his troubles on an endless stream of chatter, it only serves to grate against his nerves. Luke waits until no one is watching, then pulls himself out of a nearby window and up to the roof in one swift movement. No one sees him go, no one will follow. At last, he can be alone.

Or, he’s alone until someone touches down on the roof. Luke sits there, legs swinging over the edge, and shuts his eyes. He can stretch this moment out into infinity while he’s waiting for Y/N to cross the roof to sit next to him. The goodbyes never come if the hellos never do, either.

Y/N places their hand on his shoulder, warm and steady as always. “Can I come in?”

“Of course,” Luke murmurs back. As if he would ever let them go.

The lights are off when he slips inside once more. It’s a blessing, as no one notices Y/N follow him in. Hermes kids are usually quiet, best at sneaking around. It’s a trait Y/N has clearly picked up from him. Luke tries not to let it go to his head. Usually, he hates any evidence that his father has impacted him in some way, but for some reason he doesn’t mind it in Y/N.

It’s quiet in the cabin, so this is no time for conversation. Instead, Luke makes his way over to his bunk, holding out his arms for Y/N to join him. The night passes in the same fashion as many before it:  the two of them intertwined like thread, heads against shoulders and legs together. Y/N falls asleep first, but Luke stays awake a while longer, cursing this world for not giving him what he needs to live through it in peace.

This is the beginning of the end, he thinks. He thought that maybe getting claimed would ease Y/N’s anger, but it only ignited it. That makes Luke furious in turn. If the gods are only going to use Y/N as a pawn, well, Luke will clearly have to stop them before they try anything of the sort. None of the immortals care about their children, but Luke does. Luke always will.

He makes himself a promise before his eyes shut that night, even swears it on the River Styx. Their revenge will come. The gods will know their names, and not just as tools to claim when the time is right. Luke will make the Olympians do right by him, by Y/N, by all of them. They have no idea what’s coming.

pjo tag list: @w1shes43, @fadedver

#luke castellan #luke castellan imagines #luke castellan x reader #luke castellan oneshot #pjo #pjo imagines #pjo x reader #pjo oneshot #pjo luke #pjo luke imagines #pjo luke x reader #pjo luke oneshot

[pranaextirpated]

in the fullness of time

genre: romance, angst pairing: jing yuan/reader word count: 1.4k

tags: gn/m, emotional hurt/comfort, crying, bathing, happy ending (?), mild spoilers with jing yuan's lore

a/n: yeah. sorry

jing yuan was a precocious individual in his earlier years. he hated to read but loved to pick up a wooden sword instead. he cherished living a life that wasn’t constrained to his family’s expectations. at times, jingliu viewed him as a little butthead and allowed his ego to get the best of him, but he donned the same toothy grin every day. things have changed since.

now, every stride he takes is powerful and resolute, whether he’s surrounded by the lush flora of a garden or the piling corpses on a devastating battlefield. he bloodied his hands and they've become calloused as a result. old, harrowing memories serve to haunt him then and there, either through uninvited flashbacks or dreadful nightmares. but he doesn't cast them aside and treats them in the same manner as his pleasant ones. jing yuan doesn't forget easily; if he does, that's what diaries are for.

as for you, you terribly love jing yuan. perhaps too much than you'd like to admit, but there's never a consequence to what is considered "too much," if love can even be quantifiable. with his generosity, he reciprocates that love to a greater degree (in other words, he spoils you) and reverts to his former, youthful self again. jing yuan can be quite the sappy lovebird behind closed doors— maybe too cheesy due to his "old" age, as you'd tease him, but he wouldn't trade you for the world whatsoever. your love is a breath of fresh air; it rejuvenates his body and mind, allowing him to escape the confines of the horrors he's faced, for just a while.

or maybe there is a consequence after all, because good things don't seem to last forever.

as droplets of water patter onto the warm bathtub, jing yuan notices you lost in thought. the reflection of your face in the rippling water reveals a tinge of unease.

"my dear, is something on your mind?" his voice disrupts your ruminations from snowballing in.

"sorry," you shake your head. "it's nothing important." jing yuan could clearly see through your white lie. a part of him contemplates accepting your falsehood for your comfort, but his curiosity nudges him forward.

"please don't hide from me," he gently implores. "speak freely so that i can help you."

not even jing yuan, the wise and brave of luofu, can prevent such a misfortune.

with no meaningful reason to continue cowering, you summon the courage to speak, though a lump forms in your throat.

"jing yuan," you start, words beginning to stale on your dry tongue. "what would you do if i were to leave you?"

he gazes at you, a mix of concern and confusion etching his features. he pulls you closer, wrapping his arm around your waist while attempting to fathom the significance behind such an unexpected question.

"why do you ask this?" he softly inquires, rubbing small circles against your hipbone. "is there something troubling you that i am unaware of?"

you swallow empty. "i've been pondering... our time together. it seems as if we have only a fleeting amount of it," you trail off, your voice filled with the weight of fading into the annals of time.

his heart freezes cold, then sinks. the insinuation settles within jing yuan like a festering plague. still, he takes a deep breath, leaning momentarily against the tub to consider your words. to you, the time you've shared feels insignificant in the grand scheme of his longevity. the thought of you leaving weighs heavily on his soul.

"i understand your thoughts," he treads carefully, his hand now stroking your waist. "however..." he pauses, sighing to recollect himself. "please know that you are here, in this moment, with me. i couldn't have wished for the heavens to bring someone like you into my life."

jing yuan is well acquainted with loss, in all of its forms. comrades and subordinates, once present in his life, have met their fate— many perished, others captured, and a few simply vanished without a trace. you would become just another tally mark to his list.

a flux of emotions threatens to overwhelm you. you berate yourself for it. "i know," your voice quivers. "i know that, but how can i bear the thought of dying— of leaving you so soon?" your breath hitches, the gravity of your words fueled by fear. "you'll still look the same even after a hundred years, but i—" the sight of your reflection intensifies the unbearable ache in your heart. you wrench your eyes shut, desperate to hold back the tears.

"i'm scared, jing yuan."

he gently turns you around, witnessing the tears glistening on your eyelashes like dewdrops on petals. it embarrasses you to cry before him, and your emotions churn like an ocean's riptide that swells every ticking second. jing yuan leans in as his warm breath brushes against your lips.

"let us focus on today," he murmurs, running a hand through your wet hair. "for tomorrow will take care of itself."

perhaps it's true that what exists between you and him is merely temporary joy, as everything transient tends to be. yet his words assuage the fear raging within you. the tears continue to trickle down your stained cheeks.

jing yuan presses a tender smooch upon your forehead, intertwining his fingers with yours beneath the water's surface.

"i don't want to leave you, jing yuan," you sob through fits of despairing cries. "i don't want to, i don't want to." it deeply pains him to see you like this— to confront another tragedy fate has imposed upon him.

"you will never leave me," jing yuan assures you, tightening his clasp on your hand for emphasis. "in times like these, we should always enjoy what we've been given. you may not have my lifespan, but you share my heart. every moment with you is worth being loved."

unable to find your voice, you can only sniffle quietly as he consoles you. you feel like a restless child being cradled by a man who is going to outlive you. this man, who has willingly shouldered the weight of martial duties in service of his people, carries the burden of an ongoing war against immortality. each contour and scar on his body stands as a testament to his valor and the trials he has endured, some of which you may never fully comprehend.

jing yuan leans forward again, placing featherlight kisses along the gentle curves of your eyelids. his lips collect each streaming tear before descending to caress yours in a loving lock, and your arms instinctively snake around his back in solace.

"even if i'm no longer here, i hope to see you again in my next life. whenever and wherever that may be," you whisper with yearning desire.

his gaze intensifies as he locks eyes with you, his heart stirred by the sincerity in your words. he gently cups your face to brush his thumb against your cheek, and any lone teardrop is wiped gone.

"i will wait an eternity if necessary. i have faith that our paths will lead us back to each other," profound devotion evident in his hushed whisper.

as tears ebb away from your eyes, you plead to jing yuan with a trembling voice, seeking a heartfelt promise. "please, jing yuan, promise me."

his smile is so warm, so fulfilling. "i give you my vow," he declares with unwavering commitment. "know that my love for you will always remain eternal, and i will always stand alongside you, forever.”

"i'll miss you then."

suddenly, you lunge towards him, bridging the remaining distance, and wrap your arms tightly around him. you cling to jing yuan as though your fragile life hangs in the balance. his presence reassures you of his enduring existence, his bare skin a tangible reminder of his permanence to your heart.

and in every instance, jing yuan will eagerly await your return and greet you with open arms. he will regale new anecdotes, recount moments that transpired during your absence, and relive the shared moments of the past, breathing new life into them. in this lifetime and hereafter.

and so, the final pages of this chapter will end in a bittersweet note, leaving an indelible mark on both of your lives. however, it is not an end that signals the cessation of all, but rather the turning of a page, welcoming a new chapter to unfold.

#jing yuan x reader #hsr x reader #honkai star rail x reader #jing yuan #honkai star rail #hsr #jing yuan x you #writings

[mrwavellswaps]

A Second Lease

Jay placed a hand on his dad’s back to comfort him as he unloaded all of his recent struggles. You see over the past few months, Jay’s father Ken had made some dramatic changes in his life. First of which was splitting from his Wife of 30+ years shortly after he came out of the closet as a gay man. It was tough for everyone involved but thankfully Jay, being gay himself, was there to help his dad along the way.

After the dust had settled Ken tried not to waste any more time, already soon approaching his 50s, and jumped on the gay dating scene. But it didn’t go as smoothly as he’d hoped. Most gay men his age that he was into were either already in a committed relationship, lived ridiculously far away or were only into younger dudes. And so this eventually lead to Ken feeling a little hopeless. Seeing this, Jay offered to go on a camping trip with his father where they found themselves talking more in depth about Ken’s struggles.

The two sat on the edge of an old shallow Well, dangling their feet just above the water while they talked things through. Of course Jay sympathised with his dad, it couldn’t have been easy for the older generation of gay men that were too afraid to come out until now. In fact that was part of the reason he had brought his dad to this Well in particular. Apparently the Well was rumoured to have magical properties on night’s where the moon was full. Just like this one.

“Oh what I would do if I was your age again…” Ken looked over at his son, a built 22 year-old in the prime of his life. “And to live in a time where you don’t have to be afraid to be yourself… I’m jealous but at least you get to live the life I couldn’t.” It was a sweet moment that seemed to bring the pair closer, even sharing a short hug before Jay interjected with a strange question.

“Would you want to live my life?”

Ken gave his son a puzzled look but before he could give a proper answer Jay reached into his pocket and pulled out an old penny. He stared down at the coin for moment before glancing up at his dad and then down at the well.

“I wish I could trade lives with my dad.” Jay stated with an almost stern voice before flicking the coin into the shallow waters. Hearing this caused a swift laugh to erupt from his dad.

“Trust me son, you don’t want my body.” Ken chuckled as he gave his son a pat on the back. “Just savour your youth while you can.” Though it seemed silly, Ken still appreciated the gesture his son was trying to make.

“Oh come on dad, it’ll just be temporary for a month or two. You deserve this!” Jay urged.

Upon hearing this Ken became slightly confused again. Why was his son talking about this as if his wish were actually to come true? It was sweet and all but kinda pointless he thought. Despite that he agreed with Jay that if he could do it temporarily then he’d adore being able to live life through his Son’s younger eyes.

After this the two continued to sit and chat for awhile longer until the late evening turned to night with only the full moon to light their way as the pair traveled back to where they’d set up camp. They said their goodnight’s before entering their respective tents and finally falling asleep to the sounds of wildlife chirping away through the night.

———

Ken awoke somewhat early the next morning to the sound of a pot clanking outside his tent. His first thought was that Jay had already gotten up and decided to cook some breakfast for himself. As his eyes opened fully however, he noticed something was off. This wasn’t his tent. This wasn’t his sleeping bag. These weren’t his things strewn around the tent. It was all his son’s!

He was already confused as it was but on top of everything else, even his own body felt off in a weird way that he couldn’t quite explain. First of which was having such a strong morning wood. He hadn’t had one this hard and potent in years. But more so than that he felt… larger? It wasn’t until he unzipped the sleeping bag that he realised why. Ken couldn’t hold in a gasp of shock when he no longer saw his lean 49 year old frame but instead the larger, muscled physique of a man in his prime. It wasn’t just any physique though. It took him a moment to realise as he’d never seen it from this angle but… it was his son’s body!

The man was still trying to process what was even happening as he explored his body in curiosity. Ken brushed his hands along his torso, allowing them to glide over Jay’s defined pecs and down his strong abdomen until he reached his crotch. There he could see his son’s cock straining against his boxer briefs, just begging to be let out. Of course Ken’s first instinct was to whip it out and stroke until he busted a huge load over his crotch and muscled torso… but should he? If this really is his son’s body then would it be wrong? Before he came to an answer however, a voice called from outside the tent.

“Sounds like you’re awake in there dad. Come out and have some breakfast with me.” The voice left Ken even more perplexed because, well, it was his voice! He didn’t know how to reply so he simply grabbed a pair of his son’s grey joggers, pulled them on (while doing his best to ignore the boner), and unzipped his tent. What he saw left him speechless. There sat beside the camp stove was none other than himself! “Ah finally. I thought you were gonna sleep in all morning dad. Well… I guess I should be calling you son now.”

After a few moments of sheer shock, Ken finally processed what this lookalike of his had said. “J… Jay!? Is that you!?!?” He was even more shocked to hear his son’s voice come from his own mouth.

“Well technically you're Jay now, but yes it's me."

Ken was bewildered not only by the situation itself but the fact that his son was seemingly so calm about it. Jay even pulled up a chair while urging his dad to come sit next to him so he could explain the situation.

“Okay I’ll be honest, I didn’t pick this camping spot randomly. You remember the Well we were sat by last night? Well there’s sort of an urban legend around it that states it being a real wishing Well during a full moon with real magic inside it!” As Jay explained, Ken’s rational mind told him this was all nonsense but at the same time he was looking over at his own body! “I didn’t believe it at first but I made a dumb wish last month and it actually came true the next day!”

“What… did you wish for?” Ken asked, still trying to get this all through his head.

“Well I’ve always been insecure about my feet. I always thought they were so tiny compared to most dudes. So I made a wish and boom.”

Ken looked down at what were now his feet in confusion. “But Jay you’ve always had big feet. I mean what are they? Size 13?” He wriggled his toes a little as he said this.

“Exactly.” Jay smirked. “The wishes tend to make everyone around think the change is normal.”After that Jay went on to explain his motives behind this wish. He’d seen just how tough things had been for his Dad since coming out. How he had to struggle with half the family hating him in silence for leaving his wife after so many years. Not to mention struggling to find his way in the gay community. Seeing it all unfold made Jay want to give his dad a break from all that and chance to be younger again. “Don’t worry it’s only temporary as well. We can always come back on another full moon and wish ourselves back to normal. Let’s say two months from now.”

Ken had no idea what to feel. So many mixed emotions were floating around in his mind as he looked down at his son’s large pecs again, now his own! “Jay I-I don’t know what to say… this is… this is… unbelievable…”

“You don’t have to say anything dad. Just enjoy my body. And don’t worry my boyfriend already knows about this and he’s cool with you using my body to hook up with other dudes as well. Just don’t do anything too crazy alright.” Jay finished in a rather stern, almost fatherly tone.

In response Ken couldn’t help but get up and pull Jay in for a hug. He was filled with so much gratitude for his son’s generosity. Not many son’s would do something this incredible for their father and yet here they were. After giving Jay a huge thank you, Ken sat back down now with a huge smile on his son’s face. In his head he was already thinking of all the fun he was going to have.

Afterwards the two proceeded to have an interesting breakfast before eventually packing up all their things and heading back home. Ken, now driving his son’s car, dropped Jay off at the very home he grew up in only now he owned it. Shortly after Ken drove himself back to Jay’s apartment where he was eager to get some alone time to explore himself a little more.

———

The moment Jay opened the front door, he could hear the TV rumbling away in the living room. With a smile he waltzed around the corner to see his boyfriend Leon sat on the sofa.

“Heeeyyyy guess who!” He said using his father’s deep but smooth voice.

Leon spun his head around to see none other than his boyfriends dad but he knew exactly who was really in the driver’s seat. “Oh wow I can’t believe you actually went through with it!” The lean hunk jumped up from where he was sat in excitement. “Where is he now? How did he take it?”

“Pretty well. He was a bit shocked at first but once he realised the situation you shoulda seen the way his face lit up… or my face I guess. As for where I just dropped him off at our apartment, said he could do what he liked as long as he kept my life in order.”

“So does that mean we have your dad’s house all to ourselves in the meantime?” Leon moved closer to Jay, placing a hand on his chest.

“Mhm, we absolutely do.” Jay grinned down at his sexy (now much younger) boyfriend as the man explored his body. He even let out a satisfied grunt as Leon grabbed his bulge, squeezing it a little before going in for a kiss. You see the reasons Jay had explained to his dad about the swap was only half of the story. In truth another reason why Jay was so willing to swap with his dad was because Leon had recently let it slip that he’d had a crush on Jay’s dad for quite some time. And so after Jay found out about the Well and it’s power he figured he could hit two birds with one stone.

It wasn’t long before the pair were back on the couch, Jay’s pants and boxers tossed to one side as he laid down. He felt a bit weird about it for a moment, seeing his dad’s dick between his legs. Especially as it began to harden at the sight of Leon undressing himself. It was a tad longer than his own but not quite as thick. But then his boyfriend whispered something in Jay’s ear that he never imagined would turn him on so much.

“Fuck me with the dick that made you…”

Suddenly Jay’s now 49 year old cock sprung up as hard as could be. It was like some kind of sex demon that’d been locked away in his father’s body had suddenly been unleashed as the next thing they knew Jay was slamming his dad’s member into his boyfriends tight hole, dominating him in every which way. Their moans echoing through the house as Leon had one of his deepest fantasies full-filled. Literally. After a good 15 minutes or so of none stop fucking, Jay unloaded his dad’s balls inside Leon with probably one of the biggest loads that body had ever shot.

Once all was said and done the two collapsed in a hot mess with Jay still plunged deep inside. His dad’s body might’ve still had some good stamina for its age but he still found himself completely exhausted after all that.

Leon let out a long satisfied sigh. “That… was amazing Jay. You’ve just set a high bar for yourself when you and your dad swap back.”

“Ah ah, for the next two months I’m not Jay. It’s Mr. Kellerman to you.” The older man chuckled while kissing along his boyfriends neck. He’d already began to sink in to his temporary identity as his own father, Ken Kellerman. Had Leon not already busted a load, he certainly would’ve after hearing that.

———

Meanwhile across town, Ken had been settling into his son’s apartment. He allowed himself awhile to take it all in. After all this was where he’d be staying for the next 2 months. It was a rather new place that Jay and Leon had bought so he’d never actually had a chance to come over and see it all yet. Not with everything that’d been going on recently.

Soon enough Ken found himself in the bathroom however, stood in front of the mirror and staring deeply at his reflection. God it was so jarring. Seeing the features of his son’s face move under his control as he inspected them. Seeing how dark and full his hair was compared to his former silver look. Seeing the lack of wrinkles across his face along with such youthfulness in his eyes. Not to mention how huge his new body was!

He already knew his son was well built of course and he that knew even more so when he woke up that morning but actually seeing it reflected back at him… it was something else. Seeing the way his shirt stretched over his pecs, the way it’s sleeves strained around his biceps, the way his joggers perfectly framed his muscled ass. He scolded himself for even turning around to check it out. This was his son’s ass that he was admiring for Christ’s sake, even if it was his for the time being.

Ken told himself that he should stop. That he should just start preparing himself to live Jay’s life already. But the temptation was too much. He’d began pulling off his shirt when he had an even better idea instead. He grabbed the neckline of the shirt with both hands before using his newfound strength the rip it open completely, exposing his bare torso. He felt a massive surge of adrenaline and testosterone as he tossed the tattered shreds to ground. “FUCK YEAH!” He roared while throwing his huge new arms up into double bicep pose, watching as they bulged with power in the reflection. With that all reason went out the window as Ken started grabbing, flexing and caressing his new muscle in every way possible. He gave by far the most attention to his pecs though. How could he not?! His son had built them so well, looking so wide and powerful as he couldn’t stop himself from bouncing them a little. Even going as far as the tweak his nipples while grunting in satisfaction.

All the excitement had caused a massive tent to arise in Ken’s joggers. He was so damn horny that he didn’t even think twice about kicking them off and gripping and his son’s member this time. From what he could tell it was tiny bit shorter than his own but a fair bit thicker at the same time. He could only just fit his hand the whole way around. Then before he knew it the bathroom was filled with the murmurs of a young man generously beating his meat.

“Mmmm fuuuck… I’m such a hunk…” He muttered to himself as he watched his reflection jacking off. “So young and buff…” His gaze tracing over the muscular ridges across his body before of course giving himself another flex. “Ufff my name’s Jay and I gave my sexy young body to my dad huhuhuhuh” Ken chuckled dumbly “My dad should definitely keep my huge body. He’s far more deserving of it after all huhuhuh” he continued, getting more and more turned on by the second. Ken couldn’t stop himself from lustfully admiring his son’s body from every angle by now as his borrowed cock start to leak. It was only after finally turning his backside to the mirror and giving it jiggle that Ken finally busted his son’s ball batter all over the bathroom wall and floor with a long groan.

After about 15 seconds or so of squirting cum, the dumb grin on Ken’s face started to fade as the post nut clarity hit. He was suddenly horrified at what he’d done and all the things he’d just said. Immediately after he got to cleaning himself and the bathroom up in shame. While he did he rationalised everything that happened as being due to his son’s body’s heightened testosterone and horniness compared to his old body…

———

Over the next few weeks both father and son enjoyed living out each overs lives.

Jay for example had been spending a lot of time at home with his boyfriend. For the first week he’d taken a vacation from his dad’s work so him and Leon had plenty of time to get ‘accustomed’ to the new situation they found themselves in. But after a week of daddy kink filled fucking, Jay at last decided to head into work. It was certainly tough in the beginning and he got a couple stares but Jay soon found his footing at the law firm. You see since he’d wished to switch lives with his dad, all the memories and information he needed to be lawyer like his dad were already stored in his brain. He just had to tap into it.

Wearing his Dad’s suit everyday was certainly an interesting change of pace. Before this he’d only ever worn one on special occasions and didn’t much enjoy it but now it felt normal and natural. Leon certainly didn’t complain either. In fact the first night that Jay came home from work Leon basically begged the older man to fuck him with the suit on. Suffice to say those two had been doing just fine so far.

Ken on the other hand made a similar decision to take some time off from Jay’s job as a trainer at the local gym. He used that time to get used to his new form and living situation. Of course this meant tugging his younger cock in every room of the house until he’d busted his son’s seed in each one. He scolded himself constantly at first for getting so damn horny about having Jay’s body all the time and for the types of things he’d say while masturbating but sooner or later he decided to stop fooling himself and just enjoy it.

He went back to working as a trainer not too long after that. He gave himself a couple days at the gym first to unlock Jay’s know-how about exercising and using the gym equipment but after that he was ready to go. Ken found himself directing all of Jay’s clients through their workouts and encouraging them like a pro. Nobody even batted an eye and Ken absolutely loved it. Everyone seeing him as Jay Kellerman, gym hunk and trainer, while turning the heads of both men and women alike. He got off on it way more than he ever expected to.

As the second week progressed, Ken found himself signing up to Grindr and with Jay’s body and looks he had no problem finding multiple dudes that were interested. Before long he was bringing home a hot new guy almost every night to either fuck or get fucked by depending on what mood he was in. Whether it be his thick cock or jock butt, no man could resist. And the sex itself was divine to say the least. Dumping his load inside a tight hole after making the guy beg for it or finding himself begging to filled while moaning out like a slut in his son’s voice. Sure his old body had some pretty decent stamina for being middle aged but it was nothing compared this body in the prime of its youth. Needless to say, Ken was slowly becoming more and more addicted to his Son’s body and life.

———

It’d been about a month since the initial swap. And just like that night the moon destined bright and full once more, it’s light ready to fill the night sky. Ken sighed, conflicted as to whether the choice he was about to make was the right one. He looked down at the coin in his hand, fiddling with it a little before glancing over at the so-called ‘Magical Well’…

After figuring out when the next full moon would be, Ken found himself driving back to the very same campsite his son had taken them on the night they swapped bodies. After which he wandered the woods for a little while before finally coming across the Well that’d made it all possible. He knew that Jay was planning on coming back to Well on the full moon after this one so they could reverse things making this the only chance he had.

Over the last few weeks he’d spent in his sons body, Ken had been happier and more confident than ever. It was like having a second lease on life. And from the nights they’d all had dinner together it seemed that Jay had adjusted very well to the swap. On top of all that he’d recently met a guy at the gym, Sean. He was attracted to the man of course but it wasn’t just lust like with all his Grindr hookups. No it was more than that. Whenever they spoke it was like his heart began to flutter. Whenever Sean complimented him he found himself hiding a blush.

Everyday Ken wanted nothing more than to confess his feelings but… he couldn’t. After all he knew that eventually he’d go back to being a 49 year old man and trying to explain the whole ‘body swapping with his son’ thing would probably just make him look crazy if anything…

And so here he was, fiddling with a coin and staring at the one thing that could decide where his life goes next. He found himself sat on the edge, dangling his large feet over the water like him and his son had that night. He must’ve been deep in thought for a good hour or more until at last the moon up high in the dark starry sky in its full glory. Looking up at it, Ken took a deep breath and finally made his decision.

Closing his eyes, Ken proceeded to make his wish out loud. “I wish for my son and I to become impervious to the magic of anymore wishes and for us to be sealed inside our current bodies.” He stated before opening his eyes and looking down at the coin. It suddenly felt heavy. Heavy with the weight of fate. And yet, after a moment of hesitation, he flicked it into the Well.

Ken had no idea what to expect. Would there be any way of telling whether his wish had worked before next month? He sat on the edge of the Well for a bit longer pondering it. Just as he was getting up to leave however, his question was answered. A surge of energy wrapped around his body in an unexplainable sensation. It felt as though his very being was being hugged in a magical aura. What Ken was feeling was the Well’s magic re-moulding his soul to fit his son’s body permanently before leaving it with a protective armour to shield it from other wishes. And little did Jay know that the same had happened to him as he slept soundly next to Leon.

The process was quick and soon Ken felt the weird sensation dissipate from his body. Only now he felt… secured. Locked in. He no longer felt like a guest inside a body that wasn’t his own. Now it truly belonged to him and that turned Ken on like crazy.

The man was horny infact the he threw off his shirt and pants right then and then in the middle of the woods. He reached into his boxer briefs and fished out his permanent new cock and started tugging on it furiously. “Fuuuuuck yeahhh! These glorious fuckin pecs are mine forever!” He groaned triumphantly while using his free hand to grope the large slabs of meaty muscle on his chest. “And these giant fuckin biceps!” He brought up the very same arm and flexed it. He went onto list all of his new body’s wondrous traits. It’s thick dark hair, it’s cute but handsome face, it’s giant feet, it’s smooth sexy voice, it’s thunderous thighs. “And of course this juicy ass!” He finished while smacking his bubbly muscle cheeks a little. By now his dick was leaking like a faucet and all it took was him shoving a finger inside his cock hungry hole for him to finally explode. Massive ropes of cum launching up onto his chest and face accompanied by Ken’s howls of pleasure.

Once he’d cooled down again and had begun using his shirt to clean himself up, Ken couldn’t help but feel guilty. He’d essentially just stolen his Son’s body after he’d so generously offered him a temporary use of it. Did that make him a horrible person? He thought about it the entire walk back to his car and the whole drive home. Once he was laid in bed though he simply thought it wasn’t worth worrying about anymore. What was done was done and nothing could change that. He was Jay now. Forever.

———

Another month had passed since Ken’s wish was made and he found himself stood at the Well once again only now with Jay by his side. It was once again the night of a full moon and the very night Jay had agreed the pair would swap back on. The entire trip there Ken had to play along, acting as if he was sad about it all coming to end but that he was grateful for the experience.

Now Jay stood by the Well with a coin, holding it tight as he made his wish. “I wish for me and my father to return to our original lives and bodies.” He stated confidentiality before tossing the coin into the water with a small splash. “Alright, well if it’s anything like last time then I guess we just need to go to bed and by the morning we’ll be back to normal.” Jay sighed. His father nodded in agreement, knowing full well that wouldn’t be the case.

Both men arrived at their homes later that night, heading to bed pretty much right away considering how late it was already. It wasn’t long until they both drifted off to sleep with a smile on their faces. Jay because he believed he’d be back in his own skin when they awoke and Ken because he knew he wouldn’t be.

The next morning Ken found himself waking up to sound of a phone buzzing violently on the bedside table. Pure joy rushed through him as he opened his eyes to see he was still laid in Jay’s bed and that underneath the covers was still the hunky 22 year old body of his Son. After the initial joy of it all, Ken finally picked up the phone to hear his old body’s voice on the other end. Jay was screaming frantically about how they should’ve returned to normal and that something must’ve went wrong somehow. Of course Ken played dumb, pretending as though he had no idea why this had happened. All while he slowly pumped his morning wood with delight.

———

By now another three months had flown by. With each full moon that went by, Jay dragged Ken back to Well with him to make the same wish again and again but each time it failed. It’d definitely been tough on Jay at first. Losing over 25 years of his life wasn’t an easy pill to swallow but slowly he began to accept that this might be the new reality they’d have to live with. Thankfully he was kept afloat by Leon who said he would still love him regardless of which body he was in. It was probably still gonna take awhile before he fully embraced his new identity but so far so good.

On Ken’s end however, he was living a better life than ever. Shortly after Jay’s first failed attempt at switching back, Ken confessed his feeling to his gym crush Sean. To his delight Sean admitted that he’d been feeling a similar way. Apparently Ken’s ‘mature demeanour’ was one of the things that’d initially pulled him in. That and the incredible body of course.

And that was that. Love had blossomed. The two went on a few amazing dates, had their first kiss by the fourth one and were ripping off each overs clothes in Ken’s apartment by the sixth. Ken found himself pounding into the other hunk first with a dominant energy until he was later flipped over and had his hole resized. When he felt Sean’s load filling his hole, that’s when Ken knew he was truly in love.

Now the two were officially boyfriends and Ken couldn’t be happier. He finally got a chance to live the life that he was too afraid to live before. He would always be eternally grateful to his Son for revealing the magical Well to him and giving him this second chance.

“Hey so my Dad’s 50th birthday is coming up soon and we’re thinking of throwing him a party.” Ken said before devouring another mouthful of cereal. “Was wondering if you wanted to come or not.”

“Yeah that sounds good to me. It’ll give me a chance to properly meet your family.” Sean replied while taking a sip of his coffee. “I love that you and your dad still have such a strong connection.”

“What can I say. He’s one of the kindest and most generous men I know.” Ken peered across the room at one of the wall mirrors and smirked. “If it weren’t for him then I wouldn’t be the man I am today.” With that he leaned in to give his hot new boyfriend a kiss, confident that this was the life he was always destined to have.

#father and son #male body swap #male body theft #magic #permanent #identity theft #jock #wish

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Survivor Blues

Part Six: Kitchen Scraps

A/N: I feel like every single one of my author's notes begins with me screaming and apologizing for how long it took me to update the story, so pretend that's what this says. I am very excited to share this part of Survivor Blues because even though there's not a lot of action, it sets up a ton of things to come, and we get a lot more background information on Reader. From the bottom of my heart I hope you all enjoy these kitchen scraps. Thank you so much for reading!

Warnings: language, mentions of trauma, death, murder, mentions of illness, some angst but hey that comes with the territory

Word Count: 8,454

Summary: Three months into your new life in Jackson, you start to notice some changes. But how much change, and are you sure you're entirely ready for it?

June - 2037 

With the start of your third month in Jackson came a considerable number of changes. 

Your apartment, for example, began to look like someone actually lived there. 

For the first time in nearly a decade, your pack had been unpacked, your belongings given places of permanence instead of just pockets and pouches. The pair of chipped enamel camp mugs now sat side by side in the cabinet over the kitchen sink. Gavin’s stained and threadbare concert tee was folded and put away with the rest of your clothing. A hook next to the front door held your coat by the hood, the key to your place dangling on another one right beside it. The creased and tattered old envelope you’d carried with you for years that held photos and a handful of notes had been emptied and tossed. The notes, mostly from Gavin but a few from Laura and Kyle, as well as a faded old marker drawing your nephew had done for you when he was six years old, were tucked away in your bedside table.

But the photos you chose to display. 

Because they deserve to be seen. Everyday. 

You’d found some old frames in a box in the hall closet a few days after you moved in, but you weren’t ready to use them then. Now one sat atop your dresser, holding the last picture of you and Gavin taken before the outbreak - incredibly youthful faces smushed cheek to grin-split cheek, Gavin’s inked fingers holding up your wrist as you showed off the diamond ring he’d slipped onto your finger only moments before. Your engagement ring had been sold ages ago, back when you were still in the Philadelphia QZ and people still cared enough about things like diamonds to trade medicine for them. But the photo was worth more to you than a rock ever could be. 

And I still have our bands. Even though we never… 

You were never officially married, and since the bands had been hand-me-downs from Gavin’s grandparents and didn’t fit either of your fingers, you’d only ever worn them on chains around your necks. But you knew that never mattered. Not to you, and not to him. Not since the moment that picture had been taken. Not since you’d joyfully exclaimed the word yes when he asked you to be his wife. 

Another frame sat on the T.V. stand in the living room. That one held a picture of you and Laura from the summer before the outbreak, the two of you sitting on the steps outside her building, cups of brightly colored Italian ice in your hands and Kyle’s father’s arm sticking in from out of sight to add bunny ears to his girlfriend’s head. Both of you were laughing at some long since forgotten joke, but you’d always be able to hear the sound of her laughter when you looked at it. 

There was another picture taken that day, one of just Laura and Dante on those same steps. You’d taken it yourself, with Gavin’s arms wrapped around your waist from behind you as he made faces at his sister to get her to laugh. That one you didn’t have anymore, though. You’d left it with Kyle. It was the only photo you had of both of his parents. It was only right that it stay with him. 

The last two photos that you had in your possession were polaroids taken with a camera you’d found during your time at the farm. One of them was of you, Gavin, Laura and a two year old Kyle, the little boy perched on his uncle’s shoulders, the four of you standing in front of the old oak tree that his family had been taking pictures in front of for generations. Ty had been behind the camera that day, not wanting to be caught on film herself but more than happy to capture moments for the rest of you. The other was a candid she’d snapped of just you and Gavin from the same day, your hands linked together and hanging between your bodies and his face turned in your direction. The expression he wore was one of pure adoration as he watched you watching the sunset. Seconds later he was leaning in to press his lips to your temple, kissing a whisper onto your skin. 

“Love you, Sugar.” 

Memories like those didn’t belong in your backpack anymore. If you were going to build a life here, they deserved to be a part of it. 

Because they’re a part of me. 

Those two, because of their unconventional shape, didn’t fit in the 3x5 frames you’d found. But you had another option in the form of your stark white refrigerator door. Using the plain green circular magnet that had been stuck there when you arrived, you tacked up the photo of you and Gavin. The last thing that you pulled from your pack was what you used to hang the other - the rest stop souvenir magnet that Joel had given you the morning after you’d sewn up his arm. 

It was the first “new” thing you’d brought into the apartment since you moved in. The first new item in your collection of trinkets that tied you to moments and people that mattered to you. It scared the shit out of you to admit, but one of the biggest changes you’d gone through since your arrival in Jackson was allowing things to matter again. When Kyle died you thought your ability to feel anything but emptiness had died with him. You thought life, however much more of it you’d be unlucky enough to endure, would be nothing more than putting one foot in front of the other until you physically couldn’t anymore. No more laughter, no more happiness, no more warmth and certainly no more human connection. Just the hollow feeling in your skull and the involuntary drive to carry on. Left, right, left until you marched yourself into the dirt. Or worse.  

But then Joel and Tommy found you in that split-level not far from town and now here you were, with a refrigerator door decorated with things that mattered. 

You wondered if it would ever be as covered up with kitschy clutter as the one in your and Gavin’s tiny apartment. Photobooth strips and postcards, recipes that you wanted to try, either clipped from magazines or scrawled hastily on scraps of paper, a birthday card you’d gotten one year from your friend Dave that was too funny to take down, the test results from Gavin’s blood work that showed improvement after his surgery which he jokingly slapped up calling it his A+ report card. Magnets from trips you’d taken, a promotional one from your favorite dumpling place, stray letters from one of those colorful alphabet sets, objects you’d simply glued a magnetic strip to to turn into a magnet, like the little plastic stingray you found on the floor in the hallway of your building or the cork from the champagne bottle you popped when you moved in. 

Like a scrapbook. 

That was what Gavin used to call it. A memory pushed its way forward from the back of your mind as you stood there looking at your mostly bare by comparison fridge, a moment you hadn’t thought about in what felt like ages. 

Your heels clicked against the hardwood floor as you scurried from the bathroom to the bedroom, fingers deftly fastening an earring before flipping the strap of your dress to lay it flat against your shoulder. The anxiety of running late and nerves about meeting extended members of Gavin’s family for the first time at his cousin’s wedding popped and jumped like corn kernels in your stomach. As a result, your thoughts tripped over themselves in your head as you stuffed your phone and a tube of lip gloss into a small purse. I still have to sign the card and - shit! The card! We need to stop at an ATM and grab cash for the card! Wait, the place is in Germantown, right?  

“Gav? Where’s the invitation? I need to check -” 

“Hung it on the scrapbook.” He followed you from the bedroom down the short, narrow hall to the kitchen as his slender fingers worked to form the knot in his tie. “Slow down, Shug, we’ve got plenty of time.” You plucked the invite from the collage you called a refrigerator door just as he finished his task, those same long digits now curling around your hips to pull you flush against his long, lean frame. When he spoke again, lips close to your ear and breath warm on your skin, you could hear the smile in his voice. “We’re not gonna be late, don’t you worry.” You closed your eyes as he pressed a kiss to your temple. “You look gorgeous.” His murmured compliment made you melt, made the nerves that were just exploding inside you go calm. And then he spoke again and made you snort out a laugh. “Gonna upstage the bride.”

You turned in his arms to see the smile still on his face, his eyes shining softly as he looked at you. You rolled yours playfully, smacking his arm with the invitation as you did to draw a chuckle from his throat. “Oh, stop. I’m sure Maya is gonna be a stunning bride.” 

“Yeah.” He nodded, leaning in to nudge the tip of your nose with his. “Just not as stunning as you.” 

You wondered if you would ever again feel even a fraction of what you felt in that nearly forgotten, long buried memory. Like you were floating. Radiating love. Sure of every part of yourself. Safe in the arms and heart of a man who always put you first. Blinking at the expanse of white, powder-coated stamped steel that surrounded the two pictures and two magnets, you decided it was far more likely that you’d fill up that empty space before someone else filled the empty space in your heart. 

But… it’s not entirely impossible. 

Your focus strayed to the Wyoming magnet, a small, soft swell growing in your chest as you remembered the look on Joel’s face when he handed it to you. Maybe it was possible that you could find both here. You scoffed and shook the thought from your head before you took it too far. You knew you were in no shape for anything like that, emotionally speaking. 

The last time you’d been in anything that resembled a relationship had been a little under ten years earlier, just outside the Chicago QZ, and you’d done everything you could to keep it as stunted and strictly physical as possible. A means to an end. A way to release tensions pent up for too long, a way to feel something other than fear or pain or white hot rage or the soul sucking sadness that clawed at your throat most nights. AJ - a tall, muscular smuggler with a deep voice, far away eyes and a teenaged sister he’d shoot you dead to save if it came to that - was happy to agree to those terms. He understood you and your bricked up walls and your need to keep your broken heart behind them. He understood those things without you ever saying them because he was doing the same thing. 

It lasted three months before he ruined it by offering you more. 

“You know, Gia and I are thinkin’ ‘bout leavin’ Chicago,” he told you one night in the upstairs bedroom of the stash house he let you and your family stay in while Laura rested a badly sprained ankle. In exchange, you kept his cache of smuggled goods protected from raiders. The fucking had just been a mutual bonus. “QZ’s goin’ to shit. Think it’s time we get out for good.” 

You balked instantly at the casual way he dropped his future plans on you. Your clothes were still strewn on the floor, your bare skin still pressed to his. You were too exposed for that kind of intimacy. Shifting away from his hold you felt yourself shutdown, an icy flush running through your veins to kill whatever warmth AJ had managed to put there before he spoke. 

“Oh?” Your voice came out flat as you sat up and reached for your shirt. 

The man in the bed behind you cleared the gravel from his throat and sat up, too. “Yeah.” His large palm landed too gently on your shoulder blade, and you knew he felt it when you flinched at the sweep of his thumb, but he kept going anyway. “I was thinking maybe you’d wanna come with us.” He leaned forward and broke another rule, brushing a stubble-studded kiss to your spine. “You and Kyle and Laura, of course.” 

You stood, putting more distance between you so he couldn’t feel the way your heart was banging on your ribs, telling you it was time to pull up stakes and go. Yanking the shirt over your head, you looked at him with empty eyes and a slight shake of your head. “I don’t know why you’d think that.” You arched one eyebrow and shrugged. “That’s not what this is.” You took another step, bending down to pick up the rest of your clothes so that you could seal yourself away from him. 

He let out a sound somewhere between a scoff and a sigh and you heard the bed springs creak as he got up. “It could be,” he answered, reaching for your wrist in an attempt to slow you down, reel you back in, try to coax you into agreeing to let this thing between you go from bare bones and scraps to something more fleshed out and filling. You shook off his loose grip and finished getting dressed despite the click of his tongue and the low murmur of your name. “You could let it be. We can keep each other safe. I can keep you safe, and-“  

A humorless laugh escaped your lips then. “If you think I need you to keep me safe, then you don’t know a goddamn thing about me.” You shoved your feet into your boots and laced them up tight. 

“I know you don’t need it, but-” 

Wheeling on him, you cut him off. “You know what, AJ? I think this has run its course. Laura’s ankle is healed, so-“ You hardened your features against the way his face fell. “We’ll be out of your hair in the morning.” 

And you were.

AJ had tried one more time to get you to stay. One more time to tell you that he wanted you in his hair, that he wanted you in his life. But that would mean him becoming a part of yours. That would mean Gia becoming a part of yours. That would mean two more people to anchor yourself to. Two more people for you to protect. Two more people to weave themselves into the fabric of your heart, and two more people you could potentially lose, causing that fabric to tear in two more places. You’d already worn yourself ragged with responsibility and loss. You weren’t looking for more. AJ was a good man. He could have been good for you. The timing was just wrong. 

But you were safe now. There was no reason to run from companionship or intimacy now. That didn’t mean it would be easy, though. 

Like that’s ever stopped you before, you could hear Gavin tease, a smirk on his face. 

It hadn’t. You had never been one to back down simply because the task at hand might be difficult. You moved out on your own for the first time with only what you could fit in your car. You took your first kitchen job without a lick of experience. You fell head over heels in love with a man with a heart defect, knowing full and well that any chance at forever with him could be cut short by his condition and diving in anyway. Easy wasn’t really in your playbook. 

Again, it was Joel’s face that came to mind. You had no real idea what his story was when it came to relationships, you only knew that he wasn’t currently in one. And with the way you had heard some women in town speak about him when they thought only their closest friends could hear, you gathered that it was by choice. That it wasn’t something he was looking for. 

And though you were almost afraid to admit it even to yourself, a part of you already hoped that you were wrong about that. 

Another change came in the way that you interacted with people in town. For starters, you’d stopped outright avoiding eye contact and dodging conversation when walking to and from your apartment. When people came into the bakery, you smiled and found yourself chatting about things you used to talk to your customers about before the outbreak. 

“Morning, Heather! How was Kaylee’s birthday? Did she like the cupcakes?” 

“Hi, Marty. Didn’t see you yesterday when they were fresh, but I saved you some corn muffins. I know they’re Carl’s favorite.” 

“Hey Nadia, you live next to Allie and Greg, right? How are they doing with the new baby? Can you drop their order off to them on your way home?”

On patrols and trail sweeps you picked up where you left off on topics you’d previously spoken to your partners about. It was never anything truly personal aside from when you were paired with a woman named Jo who still spoke with an unmistakable Pennsylvanian accent, and you shared that you were from Philly. In an extreme case of it’s a small world afterall, she turned out to be from Glenside, a suburb just a few SEPTA stops away. The two of you had spent that shift - an overnight gate patrol - talking about restaurants, bars and other places you missed in the city. Typically you talked about books or movies or music, trading recommendations or trying to recall lyrics to songs you hadn’t heard in decades. Sometimes, like when you were paired with Jesse or one of the other younger volunteers, you brought up a movie they hadn’t heard of and you ended up summarizing or explaining it to them. Like some kind of post-apocalyptic storytime. The Tale of The Men in Black. The Saga of The Breakfast Club. The Epic of Empire Records. 

It never strayed into “opening up” territory, but you were refamiliarizing yourself with being a person again, and not just trying to stay alive for another 24 hour block of time. You were still hesitant to attend one of the Friday night gatherings at the Tipsy Bison, but you had started to eat one or two meals a week in the communal dining hall. You’d sit with people you knew and felt the most comfortable with - Evelyn from the bakery, Tommy and Maria when you saw them, Eugene or Henrik if they waved you over. You rarely saw Joel there but sometimes you caught a glimpse of Ellie surrounded by some of the other teens. You still spent most of your nights alone in your home - cooking small meals for yourself, reading, sewing patches or buttons onto things as needed - but you were trying, and that was new. 

Despite all that had changed though, some things unfortunately remained the same. The nightmares, for example, had proven far more stubborn than your crumbling resolve to not form attachments. They still woke you up every few nights, your breaths coming in greedy gasps as you worked to convince yourself that you were safe in your bed in Jackson and not tearing through the dark woods with a twelve year old Kyle’s hand clamped in your own, a pack of hunters hot on your trail. Or that Gavin hadn’t met a horrific end at the snapping jaws of a horde of infected. Or that those men hadn’t caught you in that warehouse in Kentucky and kept you chained to a mattress in a back room.

But it wasn’t the close call and what if nightmares that were the worst of them. Not by a long shot. The darkest dreams you fell victim to weren’t conjured by your fears or anxieties. They came straight from your actions and experiences. They weren’t dreams at all, just memories played back in excruciatingly high definition. Memories of the worst things you’d ever done. Reminders that you might not deserve this new lease on life. Portals to places where you’d committed the unthinkable. 

Places like that waterlogged and overgrown Walgreens where you crossed the line for the first time - where you became a murderer, taking the life of a human being who wasn’t infected. Who wasn’t even a threat to you. Your mind would floor with details from that fateful day. The squish of the moss covered floor tiles beneath your boots. The odor of rust and mildew that permeated the air. The rustle of things being knocked off a shelf and the terrified hiss of “oh, shit!” that followed. The tilt of your head as you took in the sight of the bottle gripped tightly in the dirty-fingered grasp of the woman, identifying it as the exact drug that you needed. That Gavin needed to stay alive. The way she pleaded with you on behalf of her sick son. “Please, he’s only twelve. He’ll die without them. I’ll split them with you!” The way you didn’t even blink as you shot her dead. The maraca rattle of the pills as you pried the bottle from her hand. The way that shot rang in your ears until you made it back to the farm. 

It vibrated in your lungs, even in the dreams. And when you handed the medicine to Gavin, it was written on your face clear as day for him to read. You’d told him what you’d done, waves of nausea roiling through your belly and adrenaline coursing through your blood to make your hands shake and your breathing turn to sobs and gasps. “Oh, Sugar,” he’d said, opening his arms to wrap you in them, pulling you closer to the weakening, uneven beat of his heart. “Don’t lose yourself over me.” Your hot tears soaked into the old, stained concert tee that hung baggy and loose on his frame as you clutched fistfuls of material. “It’s not worth the toll.” 

You’d tried to argue with him then, because to you, anything was worth it if it meant more time with him. Another year, another few months, fuck, even if it only bought you mere days there was nothing you weren’t willing to do for Gavin. “We both know you can’t buy me much longer,” he said, speaking calmly as he stroked his long, tattooed fingers up and down your spine. “Don’t turn yourself into something you’re not. Stay you, Sugar. Stay you and stay with me.”

In the end though, it was him that couldn’t stay, and that particular nightmare would always end with you sobbing into your pillow. Alone.  

More recently your nightmares took you to that grimey hotel room where you helped Kyle end his life. Where you killed him, your subconscious would remind you. Details you didn’t even realize you’d absorbed would come leaching out once you were asleep. The feel of the dust encrusted carpet against your sweaty, blood soaked palm. The pocked and peeling paint flaking from the walls and piling up in little heaps. The icy draft that came through the broken window to freeze the tears in your eyes. The way your nephew suddenly became so heavy as you held him. And that nagging, illogical thought that burrowed itself into the center of your brain and slammed every cell like a cymbal - He could have been immune. You don’t know that he wasn’t. 

There had always been rumors about the possibility of natural immunity to the Cordyceps infection. You’d heard the whispers whenever you moved through a place that had or previously had a Firefly presence. Genetic mutations are always possible, they’d posit. You’d always rolled your eyes and called it a hopeless hope, a pipe dream. Just something that desperate people told themselves so they could justify what they’d done or give themselves motivation to keep going. Everyone you’d ever known to be infected had turned within a day or two. You weren’t holding your breath for a miracle mutation. 

And even though it was one of the rules you and your family had written for yourselves decades ago, and even though it was what Kyle wanted, and even though you still thought it was easier than having to see your sweet, smart, funny, thoughtful nephew become a snapping, snarling monster, that thought still reverberated in your mind whenever that dream woke you up. He could have been immune. But now you’ll never know. 

There were others, too, but those were the ones that came most frequently. Those were the ones that the firewalls in your sleeping brain had no chance against, the ones there was no falling back to sleep after. 

On those nights you woke shaken and shaking, pulling yourself from the bed and turning lights on as quickly as possible to banish the things that crept into your mind. On those nights you didn’t try to find sleep again, knowing that the ache in your heart and the spike in your adrenaline wouldn’t let you. Instead you’d pad into the kitchen and do what you’d always done when you couldn’t sleep - open the cabinets and preheat the oven and bake something to take your mind off of whatever had just taken over it. 

In college, before you’d dropped out, it was blueberry muffins to distract yourself from the stress of exams. You’d bake dozens of them and give them to your friends as study fuel. On the nights following Gavin’s open heart surgery it was rye bread and cinnamon buns. You’d take them with you to the hospital when you visited him, giving them - along with your unending gratitude - to the nursing staff and doctors that worked on him. At the farm when you worried that you wouldn’t be able to keep your family safe it was potato rolls. And for the few months that you stayed in the Chicago QZ it was a modified oatmeal cookie recipe that tasted more like sugarless styrofoam due to the lack of certain ingredients, but bless their hearts, Laura and Kyle still told you they were delicious. 

Three months into your stay in Jackson, at six in the morning on your weekly day off, it was sourdough and carrot cake muffins. 

By ten o’clock you’d finished baking three loaves of bread - two of which you were planning to take to the community center to be used for meals that day - and were just getting started peeling carrots for the muffins, when there was a knock at your door. 

And as you crossed the room to answer it, wiping your hands on the dish towel that hung over your shoulder, you noticed another change - you hadn’t reached for the knife in your boot. You hadn’t even put your boots on that morning, your feet still only covered by the socks you yanked on before coming out to the kitchen. Your heart didn’t start to race. Your fingers hadn’t even twitched. You’d just heard the sound and moved to respond to it like it was normal. Like you would have before the outbreak. 

Like I would have back at home. 

Unwilling to have that conversation with yourself while someone stood waiting outside your door, you shook your head to clear your thoughts. Not now. Peeking through the view hole, you actually smiled as you saw who was on the other side. I wonder what… 

You unlocked the door and opened it. “Hey, good morning, Ellie. What are you up to? Everything alright?” 

She groaned in dramatic teenage fashion. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Except for the fact that I’m dying of boredom with these lame shifts Maria put me on this week.” 

Maria tried to keep the younger volunteers busy with tasks in the town or on the walls as often as possible, only sending them out when the schedule demanded it to relieve other patrol members, and it seemed that was what had brought Ellie to your apartment. Good. Boring is good and safe. I’m sure Joel loves boring for you, kid. 

“Oh yeah? What’s she got you doing today that’s so terrible?” 

“Compost duty.” She held up a metal pail that you hadn’t noticed at first, nose wrinkled and top lip curled. “I’m here for your rotten vegetables.”   

You let out a laugh in the form of a snort, pushing the door to open it wider. “Well they’re not rotten yet, which is kind of the point, but they’re all yours. Come on in. I’ll grab the jar, it’s in the fridge.”

Closing the door behind herself, Ellie followed you through the small living room towards the kitchen. “Ugh, it smells fucking amazing in here. Are you baking? Even on your day off? Jesus, what time did you wake up?”

You shrugged and looked back over your shoulder at her. “Yeah. You caught me.” You pointed to the counter where the loaves of sourdough sat cooling, moving aside so she could see them. “That’s what you’re smelling.” 

She groaned and slumped against the doorframe. “Oh my god those look so good. It’s making me hungry.” 

Laughing again, you pulled a serrated knife from the block on the counter. “You want a slice?” 

Her eyes lit up as she stood straight. “Are you kidding? Hell yeah I do!” You smiled and turned to saw off a hunk, the knife’s teeth scraping at the thick outer crust before sinking into the soft center. “You know, nothing against Todd or Evelyn, but the bread from the bakery is so much better now that you’re working there.” 

You chuckled, letting her compliment wash warmly over you. “Thanks, Ellie, I take my bread seriously so that means a lot to me.” You handed over the slice and she immediately took a bite. 

“Fuck,” she groaned through a mouthful, eyes rolling closed as she chewed. “So damn good!” 

“Good.” You wiped the blade off and sheathed it in the block again. “I haven't tried it yet, so thanks for helping out with quality assurance.” 

“Literally anytime,” she said around another bite. 

You smiled and already it was hard to imagine that you’d started that morning shaking and in tears. “Hey, if you’re not in a rush I’ll have even more to throw in your compost bucket if you can wait until I peel these carrots?” Picking up the peeler, you used it to gesture to the pile of vegetables on the cutting board. 

She shrugged. “No rush. Peel away.” You nodded and went to work as Ellie leaned against the countertop on the other side of the sink. “So, can I ask you a question?” 

You took a breath and considered the kind of question she might ask. “Um… sure.” 

“You were a baker, like… before, right? That’s what Joel said, and I mean -” She held up the remainder of the sourdough slice as proof. 

“I was.” You answered. “Had my own shop and everything.” 

“Okay, so then… How did you not… I mean, fuck, how do I ask this?” 

Turning in her direction you took a wild guess to help her out of her struggle. “How did I not become infected immediately since the initial cordyceps contamination was spread through flour?” 

She held up one finger, slightly gaping mouth snapping shut. “Yes, exactly.” 

You chuckled and went back to the carrots. “Mine was a little different from a regular bakery. I specialized in baking things for people with common food allergies. Eggs, wheat, dairy, things like that. So the flour I used came from a completely different source than…” You trailed off because you knew she got the picture. 

“Huh. Do you have allergies? Is that why you decided to bake like that?” 

You shook your head. “No, I don’t. I had…” You swallowed. “I knew people who couldn’t eat certain things, so I did it for them.” 

“Well…” She raised one scarred eyebrow. “I guess that was a good choice.” 

Snorting, you nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” 

She pushed away from the counter and stepped closer to the refrigerator, her head tilting slightly to one side as something there caught her eye. The pictures. She’s looking at… Your grip on the peeler tightened, a pulse of panic seizing you at the thought that you might have to talk about your family. That was something you hadn’t done in a long time, something that you were still just on the cusp of readiness for. Hanging the photos up for your own eyes to see was one thing. You hadn’t thought about the prospect of others in your home seeing them, too. She’s gonna ask about- 

“Hey, Joel has this same magnet.” Reaching out with her pointer finger, she tapped the one shaped like your new home state. 

He… What? You let out a breath and set the peeler on the cutting board next to the pile of long orange carrot skin curls. The flash of panic turned to flurried confusion, Ellie’s comment catching you completely off guard. He took one, too? Clearing your throat, you prepared to respond when she spoke again, this time throwing something that looked like a smirk over her shoulder at you. 

“What, were they on sale or something?” She tapped it again. “Buy one, get one- Oh, shit!” 

The press of her finger must have shifted the magnet, freeing it from the pull that held it in place. You watched as she whipped her head back around and scrambled to try to catch not only the dislodged magnet, but also the picture that was stuck beneath it. She was only successful in saving one from the ground, though, juggling the plastic piece between both hands before closing it in one fist while the polaroid fluttered to the floor. Crouching down she snatched the picture up and reattached it to the door. 

“Fuck! I’m sorry! It- I didn’t mean to…” 

It was then, as she carefully put the photo back in its place, that you noticed the recognition on her face. Like she hadn’t even really seen the picture until that moment, hadn’t noticed anything beyond the familiar magnet. She went quiet, a sadness you wished she didn’t have to know creeping into her expression as she realized that none of the people standing next to you in the photo were there in Jackson with you now. 

“Is this your family?” There was a hollow tone in her typically light and bubbly voice as she stared at the smiling faces on your refrigerator. Like she didn’t want to ask but felt some compulsion to know. Like she already knew but couldn’t keep the question on her tongue. Like she should have been able to do something to change the outcomes for the people you’d lost. 

You recognized it right away and it broke your heart to see it in her, too. The guilt. The deep dark blues of surviving when everyone you loved was gone. When everyone everyone loved was gone. Oh, Ellie. 

Though only moments before you felt panic at the prospect of talking about the people you lost, suddenly, when asked, you were filled with an overwhelming urge to tell her about them. To show her - and maybe yourself, too - that not every memory hurt. That most of them didn’t. 

“Yeah,” you answered around a bittersweet smile. “It is. From about…” You hummed. “Fifteen years ago.” Wetting your lips and blinking back the stinging threat of tears, you stepped closer to where the girl stood. “That’s my-” 

You stopped yourself because you didn’t want to choke on the word you were about to use. You’d never had to explain to anyone who Gavin was to you. For years, the only people who mattered had simply always known. But that’s not the case anymore, is it? Not if you truly were serious about trying to have a life here. Left hand coming up to touch the outline of your chain through your t-shirt, you took a breath and focused on his smile in the photo. Hey, handsome. 

You cleared your throat and started over. “That’s my husband, Gavin.” You pressed the rings to your chest as you spoke his name. “And his sister, Laura.” Dropping your arm back to your side, you raised the opposite one to point at the little boy under the mess of curls that sat perched on Gavin’s shoulders. “And that’s Kyle, my nephew.” 

She stayed quiet for a few seconds, looking at the faces of the people you’d just introduced her to as though committing them to memory. “They look…” She sniffed. “You all look happy there.” 

She’s right. Despite the thick knot forming in your throat, you smiled. “Yeah.” Nodding, you looked down at her. “We were. Those were really good years.” 

The girl looked back up at you, lips pulling to the side before curving back into a small smile. “I’m glad you had those.” 

You took a breath, feeling somewhat lighter than you had in a long time even if it was a bittersweet lightness. “Yeah, me too.” Wetting your lips, you reached for the fridge handle. “Um, let me get those compost scraps for you, yeah?”  

Ellie nodded, lifting one hand up to wipe quickly at her eye. “Yeah. I should get going.” She moved over to the counter and scooped your pile of carrot peels into the bucket, then turned back to let you dump the contents of your scrap jar in as well. “Dina and I are supposed to hit all the apartments on this side of town before noon, so…” 

“So you better get moving, then,” you finished for her. “If I remember the schedule correctly, I think you and I have gate patrol on Wednesday night.” You winked. “I’ll make sure to bring snacks.” 

She grinned, almost all of the sadness that had crept into her expression gone. “You’re the best.” 

That made you laugh. “I’ll see you around, Ellie. Tell Dina I said hi.” 

She told you that she would, adding that she was also going to tell her that she missed out on the best damn sourdough left in the world by choosing odd numbered apartments, which only made you laugh harder. Closing your door after her, you couldn’t help but think of what a kick Gavin would have gotten out of Ellie. She would have made you laugh, too, Gav. 

Over the next hour you finished up the batch of muffins and cleaned the kitchen. Wrapping the two extra loaves in clean dish towels, you stuck them both in the canvas tote bag that you usually used to pick up your groceries from the general store. Once they’d cooled enough to handle, you did the same with the muffins, bundling them up and adding them to the bag. 

That done, you decided to get yourself together, changing your flour streaked shirt for a fresh three-quarter sleeved one, and the sweats you were wearing for a pair of jeans. When you looked in the mirror you were hit by yet another change - you no longer had that lost, wild, withering look that you arrived with. Your eyes had more light in them and fewer bags beneath. Your cheeks were less hollow and the windburn on them was healing well. You looked more like yourself and less like a spectral waif using your name than you had in longer than you could remember. Not that it matters but… Your lips - no longer peeling and chapped - hitched into a small grin. Not terrible. You took a second to adjust your hair, tucking stray pieces into place, and then flipped the lightswitch and left the bathroom. 

Grabbing your bag of baked goods from the kitchen, you shoved your feet into your boots and slipped your knife into place. Some things were unlikely to change after two decades of always needing to have a weapon on you, and you knew that it was the same for many other residents in town. Your gun, though, was left behind with your pack. Those items were reserved only for patrols, trail sweeps and supply runs. They had no place in your daily life anymore. Another small change. 

There was still a lingering late spring chill in the air as you stepped outside your building, but the sun was shining unimpeded in the clear blue sky and you hummed as it warmed your skin. It’s beautiful out today. As you turned onto the main street you were met with the sounds of the town. Windchimes and laughter, barking dogs and the clang of metal on metal from the blacksmith’s shop, birdsong and conversation. It felt like the much more rural version of strolling through your neighborhood in Philly on your way to the farmer’s market that used to pop up in the park on Thursday and Sunday mornings. It made you wonder what it was like here twenty some years ago, and how different things were now. 

The call of your name from somewhere to your right interrupted your thoughts before they could wander too far. You recognized the voice as you turned, eyes widening in surprise to see Joel Miller lifting one hand in greeting from the other side of the street. Oh. Hi. You stopped walking, raising your hand in a return wave and waiting for him to cross to your side.

As he did, you took a few seconds to let your eyes rake over him. He still wore a thin white bandage around his bicep, and it was visible beneath the short sleeves of his faded green t-shirt. As were his muscled arms, the warmer weather letting you see more of them than you had previously. His jeans were worn in but fit him well, the denim broken in to accommodate his movement perfectly. A toolbelt hung at his hips, hammer, tape measure, pliers and several screwdrivers attached to the loops or sticking out of the pouches. Right. He said he was in construction. You drew in a small breath as he came close enough that you could see the sunlight catching the silver in his hair. And then he smiled. Damn. 

“Thought that was you,” he said as he took the last few steps to close the distance. 

Forcing yourself to focus on the conversation at hand and not on how good he looked wearing a toolbelt, you smiled back at him. “You were right, it’s me.” 

That earned you a small chuckle, Joel raising the same hand he’d flagged you down with to scratch at the back of his neck. “How are you doin’ today?”

You tipped your head back, closing your eyes and letting the sun hit your face before responding. “The sun is out and I have a bag full of bread and muffins.” Bringing your chin back down, you shrugged the shoulder that your bag was on. “So I’m doing great.” He didn’t need to hear about the nightmare that preceded the baking. “How are you?” 

“A bag full of bread, huh?” He dropped his eyes to the goods and then brought them back up to yours. “Well I’m doin’ alright but not a bag of bread alright.” 

You laughed and pulled one strap of the tote bag down, reaching inside. “I might be able to help with that.” Pulling out one of the muffins, you offered it to him. “Carrot muffin?” 

He grinned as he took it from you. “If I ever say no to that question you’ll know there’s somethin’ wrong with me.” Nodding, he held your eyes for a second and the rush of warmth you felt had nothing to do with the sun. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome, Joel.” You cleared your throat and tilted your head in the direction you’d been walking in. “I was on my way to drop this off at the community center. Are you heading that way, too?” 

“I am. Meetin’ up with Tommy’n a few others to do some roof repairs.” You both started walking again, once your mutual destination was established. “Figure by now we won’t be gettin’ anymore snow, so it’s a good time to get up there and poke around.” 

You blew out a huff and shook your head. “The idea of snow in June or even April or May where I’m from is laughable. It’s probably 85 degrees in Philadelphia right now.” 

Joel made a similar sound. “Snow at all is laughable where I’m from.” You figured he was from somewhere in the south due to the slight drawl in certain words that he said, but before you got the chance to ask where exactly, he took a bite of the muffin you gave him and groaned at the taste. “Christ, that’s good.” 

Hoping you didn’t look as flustered as the sound of him groaning like that made you feel, you managed a smile. “Yeah?” He nodded, eyebrows drawn together in a serious expression as he chewed. “Good. You and Ellie make good taste testers, you know.” He tilted his head in question. “She stopped by my place this morning on her compost collection rounds.” 

“Uh huh, and she weaseled baked goods outta you, did she?” He took another bite, the reaction smaller this time but still visible and still making your chest puff up just a little. 

You shrugged. “She said she was hungry and she complimented my bread. What was I supposed to do?” 

“That girl is always hungry,” he said with a roll of his eyes that you could tell was just for show. “And if compliments are all it takes then let me tell you again, this-” He held up the last bite of muffin. “- Is delicious.” 

Letting a small laugh slip through your grin as you reached the community center, you turned to face him. “Well, thank you. If you like those, just wait until I get my hands on some apples or chokeberries.” 

“Lookin’ forward to it.” 

Just then Tommy appeared from behind the building with a ladder hoisted on one shoulder. He lifted his free hand to flag Joel down, calling out to him. “Waitin’ on you, big brother!” 

Joel clicked his tongue and turned to lob his response in Tommy’s direction. “Hold your horses, will you?” He gestured at you with his hand. “Can’t you see I’m havin’ a conversation?” 

“Yeah, I see.” The younger Miller tipped his chin in a nod and said your name. “Hope you’re havin’ a nice mornin’. Can you please send my brother up to the roof when he’s done yappin’ your ear off?” 

You laughed at that, Joel’s grumbles only making you laugh harder. “Will do, Tommy,” you said with a wave of your own. 

He grinned. “Thank you, ma’am. Take care now.” 

You called a “You too!” back at him as he disappeared behind the building again, and then you turned to face Joel once more. “Sounds like you’re needed on the roof.” 

Joel blew a huff through his nose and swatted his hand towards the roof. “He can wait a minute. I, uh…” He drew his hand up to scratch the back of his neck. “I’ve been meanin’ to ask you if you’d want to come over for dinner some night this week.” What? He dropped his hand to his side again and you tried your hardest not to let the shock you felt at his question show on your face. “Just as a thank you for stitchin’ me up,” he added. 

You blinked and took a breath, trying to process the offer he’d just made. Dinner. He’s inviting me to dinner? What is…  “I…” You shook your head as though your brain was a magic eight ball and shaking it would prompt a valid response to come out of your mouth, but immediately regretted it from the way Joel’s lips turned downward. Shit, he thinks I’m saying no. “That… That sounds nice, Joel.” Your heart hammered at your ribs as his frown faded back into a relaxed smile. “What um… What day were you thinking? I have a gate patrol Wednesday night, but-” 

“How’s Thursday, then?” 

Wetting your lips with the tip of your tongue, you swallowed and nodded slowly. “Thursday works.” Joel’s smile spread a little wider, sending his cheeks up into his eyes and making the skin around them crinkle. “Can I bring anything, or-” 

“Well I was raised to say no ma’am, just bring yourself,” he began, a mischievous glint brightening the depths of his eyes. “But I wouldn’t stop you from bringing something that you baked if you wanted to.” 

You let out a small laugh. “Got it.” 

“Alright then. Thursday it is.” He tilted his head towards the back of the community center, where the sound of the ladder being set up against the wall could be heard. “I better get up there ‘fore he has himself a conniption. You have a good day now.” 

As he turned to go, you reached into your tote bag and pulled out another muffin. “Joel!” He spun back to face you and you tossed the muffin in his direction, leaving him to scramble to catch it in one large hand. “For Tommy. Maybe he’ll be less annoyed at you if you bring him food.” 

He chuckled. “Maybe. See you around.” 

With that he headed off to join his brother and you were left momentarily standing there unsure of what had just happened. I just… He just… 

But then you heard the call of your name from the open door of the community center, and turned to see Maria grinning at you. “You comin’ in, or are you just going to watch my brother-in-law walk away?” 

You could feel the heat spread through your cheeks at her words, and quickly stepped toward the door as she started to chuckle. “Sorry, yeah, I-” 

“Hey,” she said, resting one hand on your shoulder. “I’m teasing.” She winked. “Besides, I think it’s great.” 

You let out a sigh. “Maria, it’s just-” 

“Just dinner, I know.” She nodded and held the door open for you to walk through it. “I still think it’s great.” The door clicked shut behind you and you sputtered for a response only for her to spare you the need to say anything more. “Anyway, what’s in the bag? You’re just in time for lunch prep.”

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#survivor blues #the last of us #joel miller x female reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller tlou #pedrostories #pedro pascal character #joel miller fic #tlou fic #survivor blues part 6: kitchen scraps #trigger warnings #tw trauma #tw nightmares

[mothrianna]

Love and War

[fem!human oc x male!dragon oc]

Summary:

A huntress agrees to help the neighborhood drake find a mate for the upcoming breeding season as a part of a deal, but the drake figures that the huntress can serve the same purpose just as well as a dragonness.

(Bathing/Washing, Scenting, Cunnilingus, Oral Sex, Breeding, Breastfeeding, Pregnancy, Mating, Mating Bites, Soulmates, Mate for Life, Romance, Transformation)

(Brought over from my Ao3)

Ch. 1

“Have you lost your way?” She’d felt the presence before she’d even heard the voice, the hairs of her neck raising on end as the distinct feeling of being watched forced her on guard. She nearly cursed under her breath, realizing at that moment that the wind had shifted. A green mistake to make when hunting something that was just as likely to hunt. 

    Yet, despite the tension in the air upon finally crossing paths with her charge, she knows better than to allow her body language to betray her caution. The first rule of any encounter with any Kin: keep calm and mask your fear. 

    The young huntress had been trained in the ways of the trade, primed for it far before even that. She’s far from green, despite her youth, and far from allowing some common Kin to strike fear into her heart. But still she’s prone to the apprehension when one of the beasts are so fearless and forward to outwardly speak to her. Most try to stay hidden. They stay far from the human villages and shy away from human contact, but on the rare occasion that one decided meet her head on, it was certain that it was either a seasoned individual with power enough to render fear of humans obsolete, or an individual too stupid or crazy to care about danger. 

    So she stilled her nerves and faced the creature head on. 

    Facing her had been a rather imposing male just at the treeline’s edge, his height already seeming more than several heads taller than she. Taller than any man she’d seen. His hide, even under the shade of the dancing treetops had shone from the residual light, his scales a deep, royal shade of violet that she’d rarely seen in nature. Had she not been geared for a fight, she’d dare to say that he’d been beautiful in his coloration, underbelly-scutes being a dark umber bark to pleasantly contrast the deep color. 

    The voice had been obviously male, low and dangerous despite the question coming as a teasing sing-song tone. She was trespassing in his book, she was sure. Which meant that he’d be a little less receptive to negotiation. But she’d rather solve the issue of the rampaging male drake that had been blighting these woods with as little bloodshed as possible. 

“Not at all,” She answered. “It appears that I’m just where I ought to be.”

    The smile that stretched along his maw had been pearl-white and razor-sharp, and there’d been a crooked glint to his eye as he emerged from the tree-line to get a closer look at the little female human. Her gentle scent had been what drew him to her first, soft and familiar, though he couldn’t quite place where he’d smelled it before. 

    He couldn’t help but be lightly confused. He was far from one to make assumptions based on looks alone, yet the female before him seemed far too small to even efficiently wield the blade at her side, let alone dispatch him. He found it hard to believe that this would be what the humans would send his way, and wondered if they’d finally resorted to their ancient ways of ritual sacrifice. The thought, though absurd, nearly drove him to chuckle as he considered her; an unknowing lamb to slaughter. 

    “Tell me, little thing. What brings you to my woods?” He asked. He finally takes a step from the trees, allowing her to see him beyond the shade. His imposing claws shimmered like wet ink, black and as long as daggers. He sported a mane of wild scarlet, and bore a crest the same color as his umber scutes just above his eyes. Upon his move, he noticed the slightest movement of her own, hand just meeting the hilt of her blade at her hip. She’d done well not to falter before him, however, her lapse in composure going no further than that. Not even in her eyes did she betray any concern in his nearing proximity. 

    “You’ve been giving the people grief, drake. Either share this forest or make yourself scarce.” 

    He replied with an incredulous chuckle in his throat. “I do not share what I’ve rightfully claimed. These woods are mine. They will always be mine, human.” 

    Her brown eyes fell on him with the promise of a challenge, and he was forced to walk back on his previous assumptions of the woman. Rarely had he been met with a human with such stern conviction. She is confident enough to draw her blades before him, one to each hand. A final warning. Yet, all the look seemed to do for him was send electric anticipation coursing just under his hide. His claws involuntarily flexed under the gaze. The little human wanted to fight, and he would be forced to answer her in full. 

    He darted for the human and she moved in time with his advance, her reaction just a hair faster than he. He’d lunged at her with teeth and claws aimed for whatever of her body he could manage, but she dropped and rolled just out of his reach. He redirected his own momentum, hoping to lunge for her before she managed to right herself, but she’d already been prepared, opting to redirect him with a swift strike with the butt of her blade rather than overtly dodging him. 

    Only after a few more failed attempts of him being redirected with firm strikes, the woman seemingly dancing around him like water, that he began to grow irritated with the realization that not once had she attempted to use her blades. The strength she possessed to be capable of sending him sprawling and warding him away had been impressive, yet the thought of his opponent holding back had struck something deep rooted within him. 

    “Kindness will get you killed, little woman.” 

    “I’ve survived this far.” 

    Her slight arrogance would be met with a growl. “What is this? A hunter too afraid to draw blood?” 

    “I prefer to avoid killing my quarry especially when they can be conversed with. You are capable of sense, therefore some sense can be beaten into you yet.”

    A low growl of warning rumbled in his throat as he glared daggers, and the woman took the short stalemate as a moment to shed her cape, revealing the form hidden underneath. No heavy armor, save for the leather guards on her elbows and knees. His lip curled as if insulted, considering her lack of protection as a mockery of his own strength. 

    Yet, despite his own mild annoyance, he couldn’t help but take note of how shapely the woman seemed in comparison to other female iterations of her kind he’d seen throughout his life. Most women of the village wore garish, cloth-heavy garb that hid their frames, but this woman’s dress had been form fitting, of course to allow free movement. He could see her frame almost intimately, more soft but lean, and this only served to stoke his latent curiosity of females beyond his race even further. 

    He would begin to pace slow circles around the woman, looking for an opening. Yet, he could tell just by her stance that she wouldn’t offer him one so easily. 

    “These humans owe me this wood.” He remarked ruefully. “After all the trouble they’ve caused, my actions are what they deserved.” 

    “Eye for an eye makes the world blind. And it’s only serving to further exacerbate the situation. You’ve stolen their food for the winter, drake.” 

    “They’ll lose more should they decide to test me any further.” 

    “It’s not right and you know it. You’ll not be satisfied until one manages to drive a pitchfork into your chest, will you?” 

    “Let them try.” 

    She threw him a bone, hoping to get to the root of the issue and play the role of mediator before having to resort to violence. “Why all of this, drake? What have they done to slight you? Normally, your kind tries to steer clear of us humans.”

    He would stop just before her, regarded her closely and decided to respond once he realized that the question had been sincere. The little thing sought to make peace between he and the village, a noble pursuit on her behalf. 

    “This stretch of wood is relatively peaceful, barring the meddling humans. The lake and the hills that flank it make it easier to guard from others of my kind. There’s plenty of game, and multiple quiet den sites to choose from. One such as I can ask for no more. Naturally, this equates to an optimal location for nesting and rearing young.” 

    “I see,” the woman answered, already catching on to the tide of the conversation. “The humans interfere with this…” 

    “Their meddling is enough to ward away most potential mates. I do not fear man, but most of my kind do when hatchlings are involved. With them, it’s almost impossible to find a mate willing to settle here.” 

    She immediately understood the irony for what it was, humans pushing back against nature beyond their control only for it to push back even harder. She sighed, seeing something like this dispute happen time and time again. “Silly folks,” She’d groan. “Had they minded their own business…” This would mark the fifth case in a row of territorial disputes that could’ve been easily avoided. 

    “So if you find a mate, you’d have no reason to further attack the humans, yes?” 

    “Only if provoked. But it is unlikely. Most females in the area have learned to steer clear of these woods. This one is likely to go another season without a mate.” 

    “ But- ” She reiterated. “If you did find one, you’d stop attacking the humans.” 

    “Yes.” He finally grumbled. “I’d have no further reason to.” 

    She would stop to think. It wasn’t ideal. Of course the humans truly wanted his hide in turn for what they lost, but she didn’t believe in eye for an eye. She’d already made it abundantly clear that she’d try her best for a solution without bloodshed. If he simply stopped, the aggression would fade. Especially when it was just a small village against a creature like himself.

    So she would finally lower her blades. “Then I shall do my best to assist you.” She promised. 

    “You? Help me?” He laughed. “And however would you do that, little thing?” He wasn’t aware that humans could play matchmaker for kin, amazed by the sheer naivety of her words. If she were smarter, she would’ve never stopped the fight, for there’d been no way he could see her be successful in convincing another of his kind to pair with him. Already, the notion of allowing some small human female act as a speaker for him seemed like a massive mark of unworthiness. What mate would want a male that needs a human to be his voice? 

    But she seemed convinced that she could. “I’ll help you find a mate of course. And convince her to stay. I could possibly talk to the town. They wouldn’t care for it, but there’s little they could do but follow my advice.”

    He would take a step towards her, sensing that her guard was finally lowering itself. “And if they don’t listen?”

    “Then it is beyond me. It will be in your hands. I am called a huntress, but I’m only here to be the bridge between your kind and my own. I pride fairness, you aren’t the villain in this case, and the one thing I hate just as much as senseless slaughter are those who welcome it by being too stupid to follow directions.”

    “And if I break my end of the bargain?” He asked out of curiosity.

    “Then my hand would be forced. You’d make yourself the villain and I would be forced to act.” in her eyes had been a flicker beat of violence: a punctuated threat to avoid the circumstance. As if unafraid to hurl the promise at a being several times her size, and her superior many times over. How could she flash eyes like that at him and expect no consequences? How could he resist the urge to conquer her when she challenged him in ways most wouldn’t even dare to? He was so intrigued that he couldn’t hold back as she turned to get her cape. He lunged for her one last time. This time, like before, she dodged right. So he would swipe his tail where her feet would’ve been. The woman didn’t expect it and fell, allowing him just enough of an opening to pin her to the ground. As a precaution, he knocked both swords from her grasp, far from her reach. 

    “Kindness will get you killed.” He reminded her. 

     She didn't  respond, eyes darting around as she searched for her lost blades. But he'd retake her attention in full, mighty paw pressing into her belly as he applied only a mere fraction of pressure with his weight. She immediately balked, feeling the points of his sharp claws press through her thin blouse. He's certain that she wished for heavier armor now, with the wide eyes she gave him then. 

    But under the closer scrutiny, he was allowed to observe her just that more intimately. Not native to these woods, the dissimilarities between her and the women he'd seen in the human villages outnumbered the similarities. From her warm colored skin and shorter stature, down to her ovular face framed by wild dark hair poorly restrained with a tie. And while he found the natives of the wood far from homely, he couldn’t deny that the woman had been beautiful in contrast. 

    Only once he took her face into his claws, angling her gaze for him and only him did he catch a glimpse at where the true root of her allure had been, sweet eyes giving him such a hard glare that almost totally convinced him. 

    He found her to be quite cute. 

    “I can think of an even more productive way you may be able to help, human.” he mused. She could catch the mischief in his eyes, something that curiously managed to bridge species enough for her to understand the implications. Just as if he were a human male, there’d been a sudden hunger in his eyes as he intently scrutinized her, sizing her up as a meal, though the rumble in his growl made it all too obvious that he wouldn’t be devouring her in the conventional way. She wanted to believe that she’d been imagining it, but granted the context and the curious claw just between her breasts, dipping far enough to hook at the neckline of her blouse, she had no choice but to see the advance for what it was. The smug smirk stretching across his maw didn’t bode well for her. 

Read more here! And if you're into stuff like this, feel free to look at my other works and stay in tune for more!

#dragon #writing #smut #terato #monster x female #monster fucker #tw monsterfucking #my writing

[nordickies]

Could we have a little more Estonia and Finland? I just love the way you draw them ^v^

Finland and Estonia's relationship is something so special, and any interaction they have makes me full of joy. But maybe it's one of those things only Finns and Estonians understand - these two connect so much more with each other than they do with the rest of the Nordics or Baltics

Some of my random views on their relationship are under the cut

Finland and Estonia have known each other for as long as they can remember. These two cultures have always interacted and traded; after all, they only have 80 km (~50 miles) of sea between them. And I am not opposed to the idea that they're actually related! They have a lifelong bond and have been with each other through some of their worst moments. Sometimes Finland and Estonia feel like only they truly understand one another, and everyone else is an outsider in their world. There is a lot of love, validation, and support between them!

Estonia should be older than Finland, and he has a lot more life experience than him. In their youth, Estonia was the protective one with great skills, who didn't fear other nations around them, while Finland was too young to understand what was happening. I would argue Estonia can be even more intimidating than Finland if he really wanted to be. Even Sweden didn't dare to mess with him (at first). Estonia was a wild one back in the day, never letting go without putting up a fight, but since then, he has become more calculative. Simply put, Estonia is the brain, while Finland is the brawn. You can see it in the way they approach things, too; Estonia is more knowledgeable but careful due to his experiences, making sure to plan things way up ahead and taking a long time to trust others. Meanwhile, Finland is more trusting and stays neutral in many matters. Because of his people-pleasing personality, Fin just doesn't want to be enemies with anyone. Estonia, however, finds it impossible to sustain. These two have been under the same rule twice, but their experiences have been very different

Finland values their relationship highly and spends a lot of time with Estonia, though Estonia sometimes sees Finland as a little too dependent on him. Finland can be tiresome at times and doesn't always understand Estonia's worries, but Estonia knows Finland loves him deeply and would do anything for Estonia, even against orders. There have been times when their leaders haven't approved of their cooperation, yet they have always found sneaky ways to support each other

They're poets, just like the rest of the Baltic Finnic people, and music plays a huge part in their life, especially for Estonia. Estonia has an amazing singing voice and produces music in his free time, but Finland is more skilled with lyrical writing and instruments. Their "alien" status among other Europeans and dying roots have driven them to cooperate more together to preserve their heritage and traditions

They share similar lifestyles and common interests, to the point that they can almost read each other's minds. They both have a great sense of humor and a lot of insider jokes. Estonia and Finland are both silly and curious, constantly getting stupid ideas they just have to try out. Estonia is very clever and a bit of an inventor. These guys have come up with the wildest usages for old vehicles and electric scooters. Speaking of cars, these two are crazy (but skilled) drivers. Both countries are known for their cold-nerved WRC champions, so it's a hobby that they share. They're daredevils who want to go fast on rural forest roads or frozen lakes. To them, it's a ton of fun - for others, it's a nightmare. Estonia and Finland can turn anything into a challenge, like throwing various items, seeing who can stay in the sauna for the longest, or competing about wife-carrying. They have a lot of competitiveness but in a healthy way. Fin and Eesti are happy to compliment and cheer each other on. All they wanna do is have fun! (While Norway and Sweden will argue and diss one another mercilessly over the smallest of wins)

They're both party-loving people who have get-togethers all the time, usually involving alcohol and sauna. When they're intoxicated, they can begin to understand one another, which is freaky. When they hang out together, they speak a weird mixture of each other's languages, switching between Finnish and Estonian and, in some cases mixing some other language in there too. And no one else has any idea what is going on. Finland especially finds Estonia's language hilarious, and they get into some awkward misunderstandings from time to time

THEY'RE INSEPARABLE BEST FRIENDS, END OF DISCUSSION. THE IDEAL AND PURE MASCULINE FRIENDSHIP! Plus, FinEst literally says "finest"! If you ship them, all my love to you <3 But in my opinion, Estonia deserves someone less draining than Finland, hah. And male friendships can be so pure, and I want to see more of them!!

#hws finland #hws estonia #my art #headcanons

[permanentswaps]

Rings in Rio

Marcelo’s POV:

Under the scorching sun of Rio de Janeiro, I found myself captivated by the pulsating energy of the city. My husband Valentin and I had been dreaming of this vacation for months, longing to escape Brasilia and just hang out by the beach.

As we walked along the ocean, the gentle breeze carried the scent of salt and sunscreen. I held Valentin's hand tight, savoring the warmth of his touch against my skin. I couldn't help but feel thankful to be sharing this moment with someone as amazing as him.

You see, I came out later in life – about a decade ago – when I was in my 40s. It hadn't been an easy journey. But meeting Valentin changed everything. We first crossed paths about five years ago – he was a vibrant 27-year-old then. I still remember the day we met like it was yesterday. I was attending a gallery opening, feeling out of place among the younger crowd, when our eyes met across the room.

Valentin approached me with a smile that lit up his face, his confidence and charm drawing me in immediately. We struck up a conversation that flowed effortlessly, as if we had known each other for years. He was unlike anyone I had ever met – bold, unapologetically himself, and utterly captivating. And from that moment on, we were inseparable.

I'll never forget the day he proposed to me, his eyes shining with excitement as he got down on one knee against the backdrop of a rushing river.

His confidence was magnetic, a trait I wished I possessed. We exchanged vows two years ago, surrounded by friends and family who celebrated our love with us.

But despite the happiness we shared, there were moments when envy crept in. Seeing Valentin so carefree and liberated reminded me of the youth I never had, the years spent hiding my true self from the world. But even in those moments of insecurity, Valentin's love was a constant source of comfort.

As we walked along the beach, we stumbled upon a run down ring kiosk. Intrigued by the display of colorful trinkets, Valentin tugged at my hand excitedly.

"Look at how cool these are, babe," he said, his eyes lighting up. I couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.

"Ah, you have a nice eye," the shopkeeper remarked, his gaze lingering on the rings in Valentin's outstretched hand. "These ones are actually quite special – they're enchanted."

Valentin's eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned to me. "Did you hear that, Marcelo? Enchanted rings! How cool is that?"

I raised an eyebrow skeptically, exchanging a glance with Valentin. "Enchanted, huh? What kind of enchantment?" I asked.

The shopkeeper chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, you see, these rings have the power to grant the wearer's deepest desires," he explained, his voice low and mysterious. "They can bring love, luck, and even transformation."

Valentin's grin widened, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns etched into the surface of the rings. "That sounds incredible," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "What do you think, Marcelo? Should we get a pair?"

And as I watched him try on one of the rings, the metal glinting in the sunlight, I couldn't help but think about how hot they looked on him.

I hesitated for a moment, but as I looked into Valentin's eyes, I felt a surge of warmth wash over me. "Why not?" I said with a smile, reaching out to take his hand. "It could be fun."

After paying for the rings, the shopkeeper handed us a small book which he said explained the rings’ power.

---

Later that night, back in the comfort of our hotel room, we eagerly opened the small book the shopkeeper had given us. Its weathered pages revealed ancient symbols and cryptic instructions, which seemed more like a page out of a fantasy novel than anything grounded in reality.

"It says here that if we trade the rings – which we've been wearing all day – it will swap us into the other's body," Valentin exclaimed, his eyes alight with excitement as he scanned the text.

I couldn't help but arch an eyebrow skeptically. The idea seemed far-fetched, to say the least. But the thought of slipping into Valentin's skin, of experiencing life from his perspective, was undeniably enticing.

"Wait, we should totally try this, babe," he urged, his enthusiasm infectious.

I hesitated, unsure of what to make of it all. "I don't know, Valentin," I replied, trying to downplay my own excitement. "It's probably just some silly myth."

But Valentin was undeterred. With a confident smirk, he reached for the rings, his fingers brushing against mine. As we exchanged them, a strange sensation washed over me, like a surge of electricity pulsing through my veins.

Before I could react, I felt myself being pulled, as if my very soul was being forced out of my body and into his. The world spun around me, colors swirling into a dizzying blur, until finally, everything came to a halt.

As I blinked away the disorientation, I found myself staring at my old body – now inhabited by Valentin's spirit. My heart fluttered with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, unsure of what this newfound experience would bring.

But amidst the confusion, there was something else stirring within me – a primal, raw desire that I couldn't ignore. Seeing my old body through Valentin's eyes, I couldn't help but feel a surge of attraction towards it. The familiar contours and features that I had grown accustomed to suddenly seemed incredibly alluring.

Valentin, on the other hand, wasted no time in admiring his new form. He approached the mirror with a confident stride, his movements fluid and graceful. As he stood before the mirror, I watched him subtly flex his muscles, the faint ripple of strength beneath his skin, and run his fingers along his jawline, his touch gentle yet possessive.

With a nod towards the door, he turned to me. "Well Valentin, what do you say we go hit the town?" he suggested, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.

---

Valentin’s POV:

As Marcelo and I strolled along the sun-drenched beaches of Rio, his hand tightly clasped in mine, I was overcome with gratitude for the man by my side. Marcelo wasn't just my husband; he was my anchor, my sanctuary amidst life's tumultuous waves.

We first met five years ago, an encounter that forever changed my life for the better. Marcelo's presence was like a beacon of warmth and wisdom. Despite the age gap between us, he welcomed me into his heart with a kindness and understanding I had never felt before.

Marcelo often complained about his age, lamenting the passing years and the toll they took on his body. But to me, he was perfect. With his salt-and-pepper hair and chiseled features, he had a timeless charm that I found irresistible. Marcelo took impeccable care of his body, maintaining a level of fitness and vitality that men half his age would envy.

However, while Marcelo exuded a quiet strength and maturity that commanded respect, beneath the surface lay a well of insecurities and doubts. There were moments when his gaze lingered on younger men, a wistful longing flickering in his eyes. When that happened, all I wanted to do was infuse him with the confidence and self-assurance he truly deserved.

That's why when we stumbled upon the rings, I was so happy. The prospect of swapping bodies with Marcelo, even temporarily, could give him the chance to see himself like I saw him – strong, resilient, and sexy as hell.

Exchanging the rings, I couldn't suppress a thrill of excitement. Marcelo's body certainly didn't disappoint; his rugged features and well-defined muscles radiated an undeniable magnetism that was impossible to ignore. I couldn't help but admire the way my new face looked in the mirror, the sharp contours and strong jawline making even Marcelo in my body flustered.

---

We made the decision to remain swapped for the duration of our vacation, and I must admit, I was thoroughly enjoying the experience.

The change in people’s perception was undeniable. While I had always been accustomed to the occasional flirtatious glance and admiring looks when I inhabited my former body – I'll admit, I was quite the catch – the response now was on a whole other level.

Hotel concierges greeted me with deference and respect, always calling me sir. And waitstaff at restaurants fell over themselves to attend to my every need, no doubt aware that I was the one who would be footing the bill.

The intimacy we shared that week was also nothing short of extraordinary. Marcelo's enthusiasm and skill in the bedroom were unmatched, and he was an expert in pleasuring his former body, leaving me breathless and craving more.

He had always been a power bottom, and even in my former body, he wanted to keep it that way. Railing my former body, I was consumed by arousal, the sensation of my cock buried deep within him sending waves of pleasure radiating through every fiber of my being.

But it wasn't just the physical pleasure that fueled my desire; it was the profound sense of control and dominance that I felt, commanding Marcelo's massive body with an authority that bordered on exhilarating.

---

Two nights before our departure, with the gentle glow of moonlight casting a soft sheen over our hotel room, I found myself poring over the pages of the book once more. My fingers traced the intricate patterns etched into the pages, searching for answers, for a solution.

And then, there it was – nestled within the text like a hidden gem waiting to be discovered:

"After transformation, should one be without the rings during the climax of sexual intercourse, the transformation shall be forever sealed."

I glanced over at Marcelo, sleeping peacefully beside me, his features softened in the gentle glow of moonlight. He looked so content, so at peace in my body, unaware of the decision that weighed heavily on my mind. And yet, as I gazed upon him, a sense of clarity washed over me. I reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair from his forehead, before leaning over and kissing it, saying “I love you”.

As I put the book down, a surge of determination swept through me. This was it – my chance to make our swap permanent.

---

Marcelo’s POV:

Laying in bed on our last night in Rio, the cool breeze from the open windows danced across my skin, carrying with it the scent of the sea. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the thought of leaving this vibrant city behind. But at the same time, I couldn't deny that I had enjoyed every moment of our vacation, relishing the opportunity to experience life from Valentin's perspective.

Being in Valentin's body had been nothing short of exhilarating. I felt a newfound sense of youthfulness coursing through my veins, an energy and vitality that I hadn't experienced in years. And the sex – well, let's just say it was beyond amazing. Valentin knew exactly how to work my body, his confidence and expertise leaving me breathless and wanting more.

But amidst the excitement and the pleasure, a question that had been gnawing at the back of my mind. A few days ago, I stumbled upon a passage in the book that would seal me in this body forever. I hadn't told Valentin about it, but the temptation to make our swap permanent was undeniable. It wasn’t fair, but the thought of returning to my old body – to the limitations and insecurities that came with it – filled me with dread.

---

Fiddling with the ring between my fingers, I carefully placed it in the bedside drawer. Just then, the bathroom door swung open, and Valentin emerged, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting a warm halo around him. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he padded towards the bed, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Hey there, handsome," he purred, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. As he slipped under the covers beside me, I couldn't help but marvel at the effortless charm and confidence that radiated from him. I smiled in response, my heart fluttering at the sight of him.

Pressing me down onto the bed and entwining his fingers with mine, Valentin’s strength and dominance overwhelmed me. With each thrust, I lost myself in the raw intensity of our connection. But amidst the haze of pleasure, a realization dawned upon me – Valentin wasn't wearing his ring either.

The revelation sent a jolt of electricity coursing through my veins. Could it be possible he wanted this too? Valentin's lips found their way to my neck, planting tender kisses along my skin. "I love this body so much," he murmured against my skin, his breath warm against my neck. "I don't think I can ever go back."

My heart swelled with a mixture of love and desire, knowing that he cherished my body as much as I cherished his. Smiling softly, I ran my bare hands down his back. "I took off the ring too, babe," I whispered. "I want your body now and forever."

A playful smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he met my gaze, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. Without a word, he quickened the pace, driving us both to the brink of ecstasy once more.

As the intensity of our passion peaked, I surrendered myself fully to the moment, losing myself in the raw, unbridled pleasure. With a primal roar, he released his load into me, our souls locking in our new bodies.

Basking in the afterglow, I felt a profound sense of fulfillment wash over me. With Valentin's strong hand tracing lazy patterns across my bare chest, I couldn't help but smile, knowing that this, right here, was all I could have ever asked for.

[gotafewtricks]

CW: Female reader, 16+ content, suggestive mentions and themes—not explicit NSFW, but implied. Lazy morning <3

Imagine a skillful hand snaking its way down your light pajamas, as you'd take a jab with your elbow at the girl behind you—the one spooning you—to allow you to properly rest. With how she played her cards right, as well with her various techniques in the bedroom, it was a given fact that you were downright exhausted. Your eyes were still having trouble adjusting to the harsh light of the morning, as they were too used to the dimmed, moody atmosphere to last night.

"Kiri..." you'd push your cheek against the pillow, muffling your soft murmur. "Not now."

Her hand was palming at your thighs, kneading the soft flesh of her girlfriend. She tutted at you, nibbling gently then at the pulse point of your neck; knowing it was such a sensitive spot for you. A sensitive spot for her, as well, to exploit. You felt the girl laugh behind you, still working her mouth up and down your flesh. How Kiriko found aboslute pleasure in hearing you gasp out her name; the word rolling off so effortlessly—so naturally.

As she had her way with you, she soon apologized, making up for her rather adult actions. You couldn't help but whine as you felt the warmth of her touch withdraw from your inner thighs, but she quickly shushed you, as she then hiked a protective leg against your torso. It was so pleasant; knowing that you had Kiriko there with you. Often times, you'd think about how much of a lucky girl you were—able to laugh with Kiriko on dinner dates, able to share stories about each other's youths—bonding, able to cuddle—to nuzzle, and to share more intimate moments.

It was something you wouldn't trade for anything else in the world. As Kiriko then began to slot her hips against your thigh, you felt an all-too familiar grinding motion of her against you; knowing ahe still had some energy left to spare. Must've been all of those doughnuts.

"Love you." She'd lazily say, as you felt the rhythm of her motions slowly, yet steadily, build up over the course of the conversation—rather, exchange. "My girl."

The words would make you sigh out, as you rode out the loving feeling of ecstatic bliss as she continued; knowing that Kiriko's drive wasn't lust, rather, her devoted, undoubted love for you—her girl. Her woman. Her everything.

#soros.suggestive #suggestive #16+ #overwatch x reader #ow x reader #kiriko x reader #kiriko kamori x reader #kiriko x female reader #female reader