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shreddedparchment · 3 years

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A Wife for Thor Pt.14

The Garden Hallway

01/02/2021

Pairing: King!Thor x Reader Word Count: 5,974

Warnings: language, smut, smutty smut smut, talk of pregnancy, jealousy, spoiled lobster, alcoholic Brunnhilde, babies

A/N: First post of the new year! This was a fun one to write with lots of little tidbits that were enjoyable. Writing doubts aside, I hope you all enjoy this one! Sorry it took so long to get to you, but holidays, ya know? xoxo

“She’s beautiful, Thora. Just gorgeous.” You bounce the infant in your arms and she coos and goos.

Spittle runs down along the edge of her lips and Thora, the most gorgeous woman you have ever seen in your life, leans forward to gently dab away at the clear liquid.

Her very long ice blonde hair falls forward, half braided, the other half loose. She tosses it back then sighs and rips it back feeling frustrated.

“You could cut your hair, if it’s bothering you.” Ice blue eyes meet yours, slight shock at your observational skills painting her pale cheeks pink.

“Oh, no. I’m too fond of it, Your Majesty. I’ll grow used to it again. Having a little one to care for does make it a bit tedious to handle. But ‘tis no worry. I will just have to braid it more tightly and perhaps wear it atop my head to keep it tame.”

She’s all politeness, this Agardian beauty. The Goddess of it, if you’re honest, though you know that’s not true. To you, every Asgardian woman is the Goddess of beauty. They’re all so stunning in their own unique ways.

The same could be said for the women of your own species, but these Asgardians seem to glow.

“Well, if you ever change your mind, it’s really very normal for women of Earth to have very short hair in some cases. Especially when work or busy lives get in the way of maintaining it. I’m not sure how often women in the old Asgard used to-”

“It was not uncommon, though ‘twasn’t very common either. Most of us keep our hair long. I’m not sure my husband would love me as much if I did cut it.” She confesses, and you see a fleeting worry pass through her exquisite face and you can’t imagine how a woman this beautiful can doubt the hold she has on her husband when you’re only mortal and constantly worry about Thor’s love for you.

“Armod is a lucky man. I’m sure he knows that you’re more than your hair. But if it’s that important to you, I can try to find ways of keeping it out of your way? Some new hairstyles maybe?” You smile at her, hoping to offer comfort.

She relaxes, the little bundle in your arms wiggling just a bit as you lean forward to place your hand over hers.

“She really is so beautiful,” you say, hoping to redirect her attention to her perfect little girl.

Luta has deep olive skin, her hair the same stunning raven as Armod.

Thora’s entire being shifts. She gleams at her daughter, the clear apple of her eye.

“It won’t be long before you and His Majesty are blessed with a baby of your own. An heir to the throne? The celebration will be monumental.” She wiggles her eyebrows at you and you smile shyly, remembering almost every night since your honeymoon has been spent pinned either underneath Thor, or to the wall, or on the dresser, or his desk, or the tub, or even the floor in an attempt to get that heir to finally come.

Both of you want a baby so badly.

“We’ve been trying for almost two months,” You confess, a sadness in your voice incapable of hiding.

“Armod and I tried for nearly a year,” Thora nods, her own happiness sidelined to make way for understanding. “I believe that sometimes it just takes a while. My sister was able to conceive so quickly I began to think there was something wrong with me.”

She gives you a reassuring smile, almost like she can read your very thoughts.

“But it happened. It took time. It will happen for you as well, Your Majesty. We are all looking forward to an heir, but even if it takes a while, you’re still our Queen.” She assures you and her words do make you feel better.

Maybe you and Thor have just been trying too hard?

Oof, but there’s no way you can give up those touches.

“I guess I’ll just have to relax and take it one day at a time. Thank you for your encouragement. I’m seriously really jealous of you. She’s so lovely.” You offer her over, and Thora takes her eagerly.

The baby, Luta, whines a little but then settles as she’s held to her mother’s breast.

“She’s a peach, isn’t she?” Thora gloats, and she’s absolutely beaming.

The front door opens and there’s a startled pause by the tall dark Armod, long pitch braids swishing as he comes to a stop.

“Your Majesty?” The shock is clear, but he quickly bows and you get up, waving away his formality.

“No, please.” You smile, throwing out your hand for him to shake, “It’s so nice to see you, face to face and not from the backseat of a car.”

Armod laughs, taking hold of your hand gently and he quickly kisses the back of it.

The respect of the gesture is flattering.

“I was not expecting to see you here today, though I’m not going to lie, it’s an honor.”

“I promised I’d come,” you remind him. “I’m sorry it took so long. I’ve been so busy with the planning of the park and meeting with the Ambassadors to see what they want from us, and it’s just been so busy day after day.”

“Your Majesty,” Thora stands, shaking her head. “You have no obligation to explain yourself to us. We are at your service.”

You smile at her, reaching over to caress Luta’s little head then Thora’s shoulder, “I think it’s the other way around, but I’m grateful for your generosity.”

They both seem happy with you and as lovely as they are, you can’t spend all day here in their comfy little home.

Armod is paid really well and that’s reflected more in their belongings as opposed to the size of their house.

Very neat and high quality furniture and gadgets display their wealth though compared to the one you inherited and the one you married into, it’s just a fraction.

Armod and Thora's wealth lies in their love and family.

As they stand there, the ache in your chest begins to get unbearable so, you quickly tell them goodbye and you walk back up to the palace.

Armod's home is situated within the grounds of your New Asgardian dwelling. Smallish cottages that line the inner stone and vibranium wall are filled with staff who living close by makes it easier to work here.

If they lived outside of the palace walls, you'd have needed Armod's services to visit his own house. Luckily, in this way, you can visit some of your people without the need for fanfare.

You like not having to dress up.

As you slip into the garden and move for the large heavy door that Thor had shown you through two months prior to propose to you out here, you smile at the sight of the only person who hates it when you don't wear a dress, or at the very least a skirt.

This isn't of course because he wants to have you he all wrapped up in tight dresses and uncomfortable, but rather it makes certain activities just a little more difficult in rushed moments.

Thor's smile widens as he spots you, shutting the door behind you before you put your hands behind your back.

"There you are, I've been looking for you," Thor says.

He looks so good in dark jeans and a slightly loose tan t-shirt. The round neck gives just the slightest peek at his trapezius and you force yourself to keep your eyes on his beautiful face instead of the way his biceps strain against his sleeves.

Fuck he looks good.

"Looks like you've found me. What did you need?"

"Where were you?" He wonders, putting his own hands behind his back to copy your stance.

"Is it curiosity, suspicion, or control making you ask?"

"Interest. And because I missed you and if I have an hour free again, I'd like to spend it with you."

Damn him.

"Well, shoot," you scoff.

He quirks his head inquisitively and you smile wide at the sight of your puppy. How can he be so damn hot and cute at the same time?

"That was the perfect response. But, an hour?" Quick glance down at your watch reveals it's too early for lunch. "I thought we were meeting for lunch at eleven?"

Thor’s smile falters and he nods slowly, looking at your collarbone instead of your eyes.

"About that…"

"Oh, shit. What?"

"I'm leaving in about twenty minutes," Thor confesses, bringing his hands back to his front to fidget.

"Twenty minutes? But you said an hour!"

"And I spent forty minutes looking for you, cherub. That leaves me with twenty."

He closes the distance between you, tracing the length of your arms to your wrists and then pulls your hands out from behind your back.

"And leaving? Where are you going?"

The pout that overtakes you feels inevitable. You can't even attempt to hide it.

"The Warriors Three have reported in. Sif says that they are ready for inspection so I must go and see each outpost's condition before I can deem them proper watch towers to guard against the threat that Loki has foreseen.

"Heimdall says he is in agreement. Whatever it is that is coming, it's hiding itself from his sight which should be impossible. I must go, love. I'm sorry."

He really does sound and look apologetic too.

"And...I won't be home until possibly very late. Nearly morning I think," he tells you, voice low.

For two long moments the two of you stand there, minds whirring until they both reach the same realization.

It's Thor that voices it first and he nearly kills you with how much you want to swoon, "You know, this will be the first night since we've been engaged that I won't be sleeping beside you."

Your pout only grows more pronounced.

"Will you be lonely without me?"

All of the insecurities he's felt since marrying suddenly come pouring out of him in that one singular question and you can suddenly see all of the fear and strife he has been dealing with since he chose to marry you.

Like you, he's been wondering whether you're happy in your new married life. He's been worried about you in your role as Queen but worried for you, not whether you can do the job as you have been fretting.

You sigh, a heavy release of your own tension, "Oh, Thor…"

Hooking your hand behind his neck you pull him down until you can kiss him.

His response is ready, eager. Hands funding your hips as he pushes you back until you're shoved into the small space between one pillar and the wall it supports.

You're both very aware of the loss of activity this night will also bring, but maybe a rest is due.

Pulling back, you place your hands on his chest and give him a little push. He stops his kissing, licking his lips as he leans back to fix you with his star-eyed gaze.

"Maybe this is a good thing? We've been trying so hard to get pregnant for two months and my last test was negative. Maybe what we need is a break?"

Thor blinks, considering your words but then he shakes his head.

"Is that the only reason you've been laying with me night after night? To be with child?"

He almost sounds hurt by the idea and you hurry to reassure him.

"No! Of course not, Thor. I...being with you intimately is one of the best things about my adult life that I never knew I wanted or needed. It feel so good to be with you. Sometimes I can't believe that you want me.

"You're this perfect God, desired by millions. Billions even. And I'm-"

"Let me stop you there, cherub. If you are ever in any doubt as to how you affect me-mind, body, and soul-" He reaches down between your bodies, unbuttons his jeans and lowers his zipper.

"Thor!" You gasp quietly, peeking around at both ends of the long secluded hallway.

"No one will see us," he whispers, seductive and deep.

He's right though. Especially here where the pillar meets the wall, a tight corner where he's got you trapped. Right where you want to be.

He takes your hand and pushes his pants down a bit until he's exposed, erect, and throbbing.

As you wrap your fingers around him, he purrs and after another lick of his lips, he flies into a frenzy that you match with your own fervor.

It has to happen fast and before you know it he's inside, thrusting up into you as he holds your right leg up around his waist.

Neither of you have any words, only heavy breathing. A gasp. A grunt. Mewling moans that rise from your throat which he quickly silences with a finger pressed gently to your lips.

"Shh, my cherub," he urges.

Even if no one ever comes down here. The sound of the Queen making these noises would surely draw someone's attention.

"I'm coming…" you whimper, hands vices around the fabric of his shirt.

Thor groans again then mashes his lips against your own, thrusting faster and smoother. Like silk on skin he fills you up and as you grip his cock, twitching around him, he empties into you.

He coats you with his heat, caressing the curves of your body as he continues to kiss you with slow and deliberate passion.

"We aren't missing a day," he declares.

As the two of you recover, a voice from the far end of the hall interrupts.

"Thor, we must go if you're to be back by morning."

For a moment your heart leaps into your throat. Loki’s voice is knowing. He clearly gets what you two were doing.

You peek over Thor’s shoulder but don't see Loki anywhere. He's got the sense to give you two your privacy and stay out of sight.

"I'll be right there," Thor says, leaning in to kiss your lips slow. "Don't worry, he's discreet."

Thor helps you get dressed again, blocking your body from sight even though he knows no one is looking.

When you're both decent again, he takes your arm in his and leads you out into the main hall where Loki stands by the large doors pacing.

As he spots the two of you, he gives no indication that he heard or saw any of what happened down in the garden hallway.

"You two look...refreshed," Loki says pointedly.

"Brother, do not tease Her Majesty the Queen. She's already fretting."

Thor adjusts his arm to wrap around your shoulder and gives you a quick squeeze as you glare at Loki.

"Of course, you're right. I'm sorry, Y/N."

Loki gives you quick polite bow, then a mischievous smile curls his lips and you can see the trickster God peek through.

“I am a most avid supporter of my monarchs doing what they can to provide the kingdom with an heir, and if there is any way that I can help, I would be happy to lend my assistance.”

“Watch it, Loki,” Thor warns, only half heartedly but with the punch of genuine jealousy.

You haven’t really questioned lately whether you’re Thor’s because you are. No doubt in your mind. He has you wrapped around his finger. Hearing him assert that claim, the one on your heart and body--it drives shivers up your spine and you suddenly want him back home from his trip already.

“I only meant that I am glad to make excuses if you two wish to escape for a few hours a day,” Loki clarifies. “What did you think I meant?”

He’s teasing Thor, you can see it. That playful jabbing is routine and you’ve seen him do it before but you were never the tool for his poking at Thor.

“I’ll wait out front,” Loki takes his leave, shutting the large doors to the front hall with ease.

Without a word, Thor pulls you into his arms. He embraces you tightly, sighing heavily and you shut your eyes at the feel of his body wrapped around yours.

You can’t remember ever feeling so happy. So, safe? There’s something in the way it feels to have his large arms around you, a weight pressed to you but not down on you.

He’s not suffocating you or oppressing you. He’s supporting you, ducking down a little to get a better hold of you. He presses his nose against your hair and breathes in deeply.

It could just be a sigh, but if he’s anything like you, he might be trying to memorize your scent.

As your own nose is pressed into the crook of his neck, you let his own wash over you.

His unique smell brings to mind a dark cloudy sky, a field of soft overgrown grass swaying in an endless cool wind. The scent of freshly sodden earth. It’s rain and nature, with the briefest sting of ozone as the sky lights up with his immeasurably powerful lightning.

All of that runs in him and you can’t believe that you’re lucky enough to be here holding him close.

“I will be as quick as I can be,” he says, deep tone settling in your chest.

“I wish you were back already.”

You can hear him laugh, just a small huff of air before he kisses the side of your head.

“You will be so busy with the park and then so exhausted you will pass out before you even have time to miss me.”

“I miss you already, doof,” you sigh.

“Will you promise me something?” he asks, pushing you back to meet your eyes.

“Anything,” you promise.

“Will you stay in the palace for me? I-I know that you were supposed to go down to the park to walk the new pathways and tree markers but I would feel much better about leaving you if I know that you’ll be here, safe.”

“You said there was nothing about this threat to worry about?”

Suddenly, a fear begins to grow in your belly. It twists it in knots and makes you nervous. Like if your marriage and all of this confidence you’ve found in yourself as Queen of New Asgard has been snuffed out, you feel like the nobody who sat in her room writing stories of lives you would never live.

“There isn’t, cherub. Not that we can tell. But we don’t understand it. With Stark and Banner having had delays in coming to install their extra measures of security, I was hoping that this inspection could wait until they had finished whatever business it was that drew them to Wakanda, but Steve says he is not sure how long they will be there.

“And until they can come, I--I cannot stand the thought of something happening to you, that’s all.”

Thor hooks his hand behind your neck, caressing your cheek as he ducks his head and gives you a reassuring smile.

Inside you’re at war with yourself. On the one hand, if he’s this scared, this threat is more serious than any of them are making this out to be.

On the other hand, Thor is so convincing in his words. You can clearly see the worry he has for you, for your safety. The tight hand on your hip tells you that he does indeed have some fear, but his gaze tells you that his favor is for his peace of mind.

So, you nod.

“Yes,” you give in. “I’ll stay here. I can work on the plans from my room and I have a lot of studying to do about the Valkyrie anyway.”

“Thank you,” Thor physically relaxes, his shoulders falling as a teeny bit of weight comes off them. “I will be as quick as I can be and then I will be here with you again and we can resume trying for that baby.”

“Thor about that,” you begin, licking your lips and wondering if he’ll even understand where you’re coming from. “I think maybe-?”

“Thor, I’m really very sorry. Y/N, if we don’t leave now we might have to extend the inspections until the day after tomorrow. Volstagg has to leave the planet for a short visit with his kin and cannot miss his window to do so.”

Thor stands taller, disapproving of the interruption, but he knows better and he leans down to kiss you.

“Can we continue this conversation when I return?”

You kiss him back as he leans down for another and nod when he pulls away, “Of course, Thor. Go. Hurry back.”

He gives you one more kiss, this one lingering before he presses in on your lips a little harder as if it pains him to pull away, then marches out the door without another look back.

The heavy doors close with a loud clatter and you’re left in the empty hall feeling strangely out of place.

You take your time getting up to your room. The bed looks huge without Thor sitting on its edge, pulling his shoes on in the morning with a groan of complaint at having to leave you so early.

His mornings are always full of rolling back into bed to cuddle you for a few more minutes before he has to go.

This morning feels like ages ago and maybe it’s because this really is the first time the two of you have been separated since before your wedding, but you miss him so much already and it’s only been minutes.

There’s a rush of air from the balcony, so strong it pulls your attention, but the smell that entices you has you running for the open door.

Through the rippling flowing curtains you see Thor in full armor, gold and black, his right hand wrapped around his hammer.

He opens his left arm for you as you reach him, pulling you right up against his body as he meets your lips sweetly.

“Mmm,” he mumbles.

“Why are you here? You’re supposed to be gone!”

You gasp, hands pressed to his chest as your heart pounds hard.

“Just one more kiss,” he simpers. “This is truly much harder than I thought it would be.”

“It’s only a few hours,” you tease, but you’re so ecstatic that you weren’t the only one feeling that ache.

“Too many,” Thor sighs.

“Then kiss me, and go. The sooner you’re gone the sooner you’ll be back.”

He obeys, and kisses you only less sweetly and with the passion to leave you wanting more.

He leaves you in a second rush of air leaving the smell of coming rain in his wake.

“Well, that was dramatic.” A voice interrupts from within your room. “You’d think he was going off to war.”

Moving inside, you find Hilde strewn across the chaise at the end of your bed, crystal bottle sloshing with brown liquid in her hand.

“Give us a break, it’s been nearly two and a half months since we’ve been separated.”

“Two and a half months is but a split second in time for us,” Hilde explains.

Her words give you pause and then the ache in your heart is hard to keep from spilling onto your face.

Hilde notices and quickly sits back up, “Your Majesty, I didn’t meant-”

“It’s alright. Really. It’s okay.”

With a quick smile at her you move to sit at your desk and put your feeble mortality out of your mind.

It’s not something you like to think on, and you’ve been good at forgetting about not only the significant age difference between you and Thor but also how fast you’ll age in your marriage and Thor will pretty much look the same as he does now.

Pulling over the large binder with the park plans, you reach for your phone to dial up Edgar, New Asgard’s senior construction manager and explain to him that you won’t be making your appointment for that afternoon.

“Good morning, Edgar. Yes, I’m doing well, thanks. I just wanted to give you a heads up that I won’t be able to walk the park today. Yeah. Thor has gone with Loki to attend to some things and won’t be back until early in the morning and I’ve had to take over a few things here in the palace. I’m so sorry, I hope you can forgive me.”

Edgar is all politeness and eagerness to please you and Thor. Like the rest of his people, they look up to the God of Thunder and for some reason, they’ve accepted you into their hearts openly.

“We should reschedule. Let me know when you can walk the grounds with me and I’ll-” You stop and listen to him assure you that he’s available at your convenience. “I appreciate that. I’ll give you a call tomorrow and we can set something up for later this week. Thank you, Edgar. Okay, bye.”

“It’s really not necessary to call him and tell him all that, you know? Just tell him you want to reschedule and he’ll do what you want.”

“I know, but that feels weird to do. I can’t just order him around. What if he had something special to do later in the week and me moving the appointment affects that?”

You throw open the binder and the map of the planned park. Already you and Edgar have marked it all up with red scribbles where things would need to be changed. You’d wanted a man made lake in the center, but you’ll have to settle for a small pond in one of the corners until more land can be leveled for a lake.

Several of the trees you’d wanted are not available so you’ve had to get new ones there too.

Every bit of this park has been selected by you from the type of grass, the stones in the pathways, to the wildflowers planted in the flower beds.

The responsibility of giving your people a space that they can love and appreciate stresses you out from time to time though you’ve pretty much accepted the weight of your crown.

Without another word, you go to work and Hilde, who you assume is here to be your personal bodyguard while Thor is out, gets up and presses a small button hidden underneath a small steel panel the size of Thor’s large palm.

She moves back over to the small breakfast table where you and Thor enjoy your first meal of the day in private, and sits back to wait patiently. Her bottle with drink has been abandoned on the chaise, now empty.

As your mind begins to focus on your work, you register Hilde telling Estrid to send for food and drinks.

“And make sure they bring her Majesty’s favorite snacks so that she can eat while she works. I’m sure she’s been neglecting her meals all day,” Hilde knows.

Time passes without you realizing and you do appreciate the small munchies that are brought and placed on the edge of the desk.

You eat without thinking and soon the plate is empty, wrappers littering the top right corner of your workspace as well as the floor below.

“Shit, what time is it?” You crane your neck around to look for Hilde and find the room empty.

Pulling your phone close you click the screen on to see that it’s just before dinner and Hilde is probably waiting for you down in the dining room.

You don’t bother changing much of your clothes. You slip out of your jeans and shirt and quickly pull a simple cotton dress on.

It’s customary to dress up for dinner a bit but without Thor here, you put in minimal effort and the burnt orange cotton dress is relaxed enough to let you breathe but nice looking enough to be presentable.

You’re tying the sash around your waist to heighten your curves as you make your way down the two floors to the dining room and fixing the wrists of your long loose cinched sleeves when you reach the hallway and look up only to gasp as Hilde stops right in front of you looking frazzled.

“Hey, what-?”

“I need you to know that he didn’t know about this. If he did, he would have warned you-us. I also don’t think he thought he’d be out when they came.”

She’s so stressed that you reach out to grab hold of her arms and smile through your confusion.

“Hilde, what are you talking about? Who’s here?”

You receive your answer only too quickly, “Is that you, Cherub? Queen of New Asgard?”

The snark is brief but familiar and you don’t need further explanation to know who you’ll see behind Hilde.

She steps aside to reveal Tony Stark, moving towards you a few steps until he’s standing right in front of you.

He bows.

“Oh, shit, please don’t do that,” you gasp, embarrassed.

Tony smirks, “Gotta follow the rules, Your Majesty.”

“Please, Tony. Just my name is fine,” you plead. “Really, I can’t bear anything else.”

“Queen’s orders?” he teases.

You genuinely chuckle, rolling your eyes before finally noticing his extended hand. Taking it, he lifts it to his lips to give you a quick polite kiss, then gently drops it.

“Thor wasn’t expecting you for another few weeks. Wasn’t there a mission? It was going to take a while?”

“My fault,” Bruce’s voice interjects.

Tony steps aside and you smile as your eyes find Bruce. He walks towards you both with his head slightly ducked, his hands held together at his front as he moves towards you nervously, wringing them.

“I kind of Hulked out and might have single handedly taken out the guys patrolling the building we were trying to get into. And then broke in through a wall and started a fire. And then sat on the mainframe of their computer system and lost us all the data we were trying to steal in the first place which cut our mission short by a few weeks.”

Bruce extends his hand and you take it, all too happy to see him again.

You’re halfway to a laugh at the chaos he seems to have caused when you notice a small head of swaying hair behind him. As your chuckle is caught in your throat, you freeze mid handshake, heart stuttering as those pretty brown eyes that have plagued a few of your nightmares meet yours.

“Jane…” you quietly gasp.

“Remember what I said?” Hilde asks, moving to stand by you.

“Oh, um…” Tony points at Jane as Bruce releases your hand and moves aside to give you full view of the pretty brunette dressed in a semi-formal pantsuit complete with thick jacket to combat the Norwegian temperatures that press in on the warmth of any home after the sun sets.

Jane is quick to give you a much better curtsy than she did the first time and then hesitantly offers you her hand, “Hello again, Your Majesty.”

“Jane has something to show Thor and well, you. Where is he, by the way?” Tony asks, giving the hallway a complete turn to see if he can spot Thor hiding behind some chair or doorway.

“Just, my name, please,” you tell Jane, giving her your hand and fighting the urge to run and shove your face into a pillow to scream in order to focus on the stronger urge of finding out why your husband’s ex-lover came all the way to your home to see him. “Thor’s out. He and Loki have gone to meet with Fandral, Volstagg, Hogun, and Sif to see how far along the outposts are.

“Does your visit have to do with the threat?” You turn back to Jane and slowly take your hand back.

“I’d really like to talk about it with both of you, if you don’t mind?” Jane explains.

“Listen,” Hilde begins, but you shake your head just a teeny bit and she stops and shuts her mouth.

“Okay, that’s fine. He won’t be back until tomorrow morning at the earliest, so join us for dinner?” With a gesture at the doors to your right, Estrid throws them open and inside is waiting a modest but still lavish feast compared to most dinners in common households. There are three main courses to choose from as well as plenty of sides to give the most picky eater options.

Even though there is plenty of food, they’re simple foods. Roast chicken, sandwiches, salad, soup, bread, rice, potatoes, and other vegetables. Lots of it, but plainly prepared.

Hilde had known you wouldn’t even really be tasting your food with Thor gone and now, you doubt you can find your appetite again to consume anything.

“Nice spread,” Tony admires, but he holds out his elbow for you and you take it.

He escorts you to your usual seat by Thor’s at the end, then pulls it out for you and as the others take to standing behind their own seats--Hilde across from you and the others wherever they’d like--they wait until you take yours before they even attempt to pull their own out.

As several younger looking men and women move in with pitches of ale and wine and water, you catch Estrid’s gaze as she whispers instructions to a much younger looking girl with very curly dark hair.

The young girl rushes off when Estrid sees you need her and gives her a small push and a quick word.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” Estrid asks, stopping beside you and silencing the others as they had begun to dig in and chatter pleasantly.

“Have three rooms made up for our guests? Make sure they want for nothing while they’re here, alright? The best rooms for Thor’s close friends.”

“Yeah, I’ll take the suite,” Tony teases, and Estrid looks flustered for a moment before she realizes that he’s joking and then with a kind and surprised smile, she gives you a curtsy and then rushes off to do as she’s been asked.

“I’m sorry if the food isn’t more…” You can’t find the word to convey what you want to say, so you leave the sentence hanging there. “If I’d known you were coming, I’d have had Cook prepare you something nicer.”

“Oh, this is wonderful,” Bruce assures you, lifting his fork laden with broccoli and chicken.

He nods and smiles, then shoves the forkful into his mouth.

“Yeah, this is good,” Tony nods, using your name which gives you a strange sense of acceptance.

It’s casual, the way he says it. It’s like he really has welcomed you into his circle after your visit with them during your honeymoon.

“We can’t all have lobster every night. Bruce is allergic.”

“What?” Bruce asks, slightly stunned. “Me? I’m not…”

“Aren’t you?” Tony asks.

“No,” Bruce shakes his head, flabbergasted.

“How come you didn’t want to eat those Lobsters on Fourth of July then?” Tony demands, dropping his hand so that his fork clinks against the side of his plate.

He’s starting to look upset.

“You bought the box off some guy standing at the mouth of the alley where we were catching arms smugglers!”

“What’s your point?” Tony demands.

As their banter flows, you keep a pleasant and appropriately amused smile trained on the pair of them but you have one eye fixed on Jane and carefully you take a few hurried looks at her. Admiring the way her hair falls softly against her shoulders and the way she eats with poise and why the hell did she have to come in person?

Hasn’t she ever heard of fucking e-mail?!

#king!thor x reader #thor x reader #thor odinson x reader #thor x read fanfiction #thor x reader fanfic #thor x reader fic #royal au #arranged marriage au #a wife for thor #a wife for thor pt14 #marvel fanfiction #marvel au

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sweeethinny · 3 years

Text

The last moment

Just something I thought about what could have happened the day before Dumbledore died

------

They had run away together after dinner, sneaking down the halls until no one else cared much about what they were doing, so they could disappear under the cover and go to the bathroom. Harry had commented that, now that he was a captain, he had access to the prefect's bath, and with that, he and Ginny started to stroll there now and then, just to swim and do silly hairstyles with soap bubbles.

But this time it looked different.

The warm, comfortable water was still the same, the scented bubbles (Ginny had taught him to combine smells) still adorned the top of the tub, bursting into bubbles through the air, and the bathroom itself was still the same. But there was something different.

Ginny was kissing him before they even fell into the water, wearing a bra and panties that would surely be part of several dreams that he would have for a long time - who would have guessed that pink looked so good on her?

They soon parted, swimming back and forth while just enjoying the silence, playing with soap bubbles.

Her smooth legs wrapped around Harry's when they dived together, and he didn't wait for her to come over to kiss her as if it were still the first time (it always felt like the first time). It was almost as if they couldn't keep their distance, as if that was impossible. Harry didn't even want to admit - or think - that much of it was fear of what was to come. His future. Her future. Their future…

‘’Today two girls were making assumptions about yout wand. I don’t think they saw me’’ Ginny said as soon as they emerged and separated, still holding his face and using he to help them stay the same height.

‘’My wand? Why did they… oh…’’ Harry blushed, laughing out loud and finally looking at her, seeing that Ginny was laughing too. He tightened her waist even more, keeping her close. ‘‘Did you intervene?’’

‘’Nah, I let them talk. I just walked past them and waved'' She said, but Harry didn't quite believe it, so he continued to stare ''Okay, maybe I made a hand motion to signal that they were wrong'' Her cheeks flushed, but her browns eyes remained in that same dangerous intensity that Harry thought could easily be his last thought before he died. ''Little Harry deserves more'' He laughed, his chest shaking with laughter and his whole body feeling the electricity of laughter.

‘’Little Harry?’’ He continued to laugh, feeling the happiest man in the world

''Yes. But okay Harry, it’s in the smallest wands that the greatest powers are kept’’ This time Gin also laughed, pinching his cheeks and wrinkling her freckled nose in his direction

"Shut up" He pushed her away, dipping again just so he could hug her soft legs and lift her up, not wanting to pay much attention that his head was dangerously close to her pink panties, and how the fabric was stuck to her skin. Harry put her sitting on the edge of the bathtub, seeing that Ginny laughed even more "You're banished from my bathtub" He kept himself between her legs, smiling like an idiot when she started to run her fingers through his hair, in order to fix it

''Damn it.. now that I was going to start having fun'' Ginny put her legs over his shoulder, and Harry could almost hear his heart breaking his ribs ''I would never let them think that about my boyfriend'' She smiled, but a little more docile this time ''I told them to mind their own business, and let me assess whether my boyfriend's dick was good or not''

‘’And the final verdict?’’ He was surprised to say that, and for not even being embarrassed by the thought of Ginny assessing his dick. It was funny, and very tempting, to think about when she would do that.

‘’I’ll make you curious’’ She blinked, still having fun, bowing down so she could kiss him ‘’Can I go back to the water? I'm getting cold out here’’ Ginny whispered, eyes closed and mouth close to his, one hand firm on the floor, while the other gripped his hair

‘’Little Harry doesn’t want you here anymore, sorry’’ Harry also spoke softly, a little too numb from her smell, and the way he was trapped between her legs and the tub wall. Her skin was so smooth it must have been a crime.

‘’Please?’’ Ginny bit his bottom lip, nails scratching his scalp in the way she knew she did with Harry’s poor brain turning into jelly

In the next second, Ginny was pressed between Harry and the bathtub wall, the warm water and the bubbles dancing on her skin, and his mouth wandered all over her neck, biting, kissing and licking every inch.

‘’Harry...’’ She whispered, feeling her chest burn with the sensation that rumbled inside her.

He knew how she wanted to continue that sentence, Merlin as he did. It had been almost one week since Harry had been able to sleep with the thought of saying that he loved her so much that it was almost painful. He wanted to be able to say all those romantic bullshit that had been a joke in the boys' dormitory for years, he wanted to be able to say that she was his first and last thought. But a rational part said to wait, said it wasn't fair to hurt her like that, especially when Ginny could become a target for Voldemort.

Harry would never forgive himself.

So, instead, he kissed her, and Harry hoped that for now, that would be enough.

#hinny #harry x ginny #hp hbp moments #HP HBP #hinny headcanon #Harry Potter #Harry and Ginny #Ginny Weasley #hinny fluff

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yandere-daydreams · 4 years

Note

I like the concept of a yandere bathing their darling. It's the extra layer of vulnerability that's spine-chilling and humiliating for the darling, to say the least. I'm curious to know what this scenario would be like with Ochako and Katsuki, if that's alright. They're a sweet pair, after-all. "What could go wrong"?

These two really are one of my favorite pairs, if only because of the ‘friendly rivalry’ they’d have when it comes to their Darling. And grooming is just so symbolic… it’s impossible to resist, honestly.

TW: Unhealthy Relationships and Psychological Abuse.

It must’ve been Ochaco’s idea.

She was always the one who came up with these kinds of things, activities and gifts so coddling, they never failed to leave a bitter taste in your mouth, regardless of how much you cared for your partners. Katsuki wasn’t better, changing the apartment’s locks twice a week and leaving another hidden camera in your room every other day, but he gave you distance when you asked for it, and he didn’t push when you put your foot down. Ochaco didn’t push either, honestly.

No, she didn’t push. You were sure of that.

When you tried to put up barriers with her, she shoved.

That was how you ended up displaced and bared and curled into yourself, your knees pulled into your chest despite the warm water that surrounded you. Her bath was massive, circular and tiled, giving its occupants more than enough space to sit apart, and yet, Ochaco insisted on slotting herself against you, her chest pressed against your back and her legs on either of your sides. Her hands alternating between massaging your shoulders and tracing aimless patterns into your skin, the line between the two actions becoming more and more blurry with each passing second. A collection of Katsuki’s expensive soaps and products sat less than an arm’s length away, but they went unused. You couldn’t delude yourself into thinking her goal was cleanliness, anymore.

She hummed, lightly, but stopped as you both heard the front door of her apartment unlock. You tensed further, moving to push yourself up, but Ochaco only crossed her arms over your midriff, keeping you pressed against her as she spoke. “He’ll find us,” She assured, nuzzling into the back of your neck absentmindedly. “Give me a few more minutes, angel.”

You didn’t answer, but you didn’t resist, biting the inside of your cheek and listening to the distant sounds of rummaging and muttering. It must’ve been a bad day, but you weren’t surprised. Every day was a bad day, when you had a temper as easily affected as Katsuki’s. “He sounds angry,” You mumbled, for lack of a better response. “We should greet him. It’ll cheer him up.”

Ochaco didn’t indulge you with an argument. Instead, she held you tighter, keeping you held against her until the bathroom door swung open, knocking against the nearest wall with a sudden, unnerving thud. Katsuki only hesitated for a moment, giving himself time to sigh and shake his head before making his way towards you. Ochaco glanced over him as he rolled his sleeves, but she only bothered breaking the silence once he was seated on the edge of the tub, his glower just beginning to burn into your form. “Rough day, buttercup?”

“Fuck off, round face.” His tone was stern, harsh, but he was gentle as he ran his fingers through your damn hair, combing it out the knots like it was second nature. It was relaxing to him, you guessed, it must’ve been. No one would do something they didn’t enjoy with so much care. “You know I had to deal with that fucking terrorist attack alone, today. If things were a little rough, it’s only because someone couldn’t get off their lazy ass and help.”

Ochaco leaned towards him, narrowing her eyes, but you interrupted before she could respond. “There was a terrorist attack?” You asked, perking up. Ochaco’d been home since you woke up, but she hadn’t mentioned anything. You weren’t allowed to watch the news when she around to catch you, either. “Where? When? Did anyone get hurt? Uraraka, why didn't you--”

You were cut off by Ochaco’s laugh, unstifled and obvious. Like she didn’t care whether or not you heard. “We agreed you’d stop worrying about that kind of thing when you stopped working,” She said, squeezing your side playfully. “Don’t get too excited, now. You’ll give the poor boy a heart attack.”

“I can still worry,” You countered, glaring over your shoulder. “I’m not a hero anymore, but that doesn’t mean I stopped caring about human lives. If there’s another villain group trying to rise up, I have the right to know about it.”

Katsuki was the one to grin, this time, a low chuckle seeping its way through pursed lips. He made an attempt to hide his disapproval, but it was half-hearted, only furthering the pang of hurt that ran through your chest. For a moment, you considered voicing your discontent, but with how sad it would make Ochaco and how angry Katsuki would get… it wasn’t worth it. You didn’t have the energy for another screaming match. “No, you can’t. ‘Human lives’ aren’t what’s important, not anymore. Call it a compromise.” His hand left your hair, dropping to your chest, barely skimming over your collarbone before rising back to your chin, catching your jaw in a tight, firm hold between his forefinger and thumb. You grimaced, attempting to jerk out of his hold, but Ochaco caught your shoulders, draping herself over you and keeping you in place. She was exposed, uncovered and on-display, but you were so much more exposed than she was, so much more vulnerable. You always were, when you found yourself pinned between her and Katsuki.

“You get to stop caring about everything that goes on out there-” He spat the words, as if the world outside of their apartment was something to be feared. A danger you should be thankful to be free of, rather than a burden you desperately missed carrying. “-and we get to make sure you don’t trip over your own feet and crack your fucking skull open. Everybody wins, yeah?”

“And it’s so stressful to have our baby fretting over every little thing.” Ochaco was on her knees, by now, kneeling as she made herself comfortable in the crook of your shoulder. “We’re the heroes, and you’re our favorite little cheerleader. If you’re going to be stubborn and focus on something you don’t have a say in anymore…” She trailed off, straightening her back. You could feel her smile press into the top of her head as she looked towards Katsuki. “We might have to tie ‘em up after all, Bakugo. Just like you wanted.”

Katsuki flushed, stuttering out something embarrassed and incomprehensible, but you went place, Ochaco’s remark serving as a grim reminder to the reality of your relationship, to the real reason you stayed, even with Katsuki’s paranoia and Ochaco’s pampering, her coddling, her baths. It was a joke, you knew that, a reminder of an off-hand comment Katsuki must’ve made once or twice, but there was a gnawing, lasting feeling that you shouldn’t try to test your theory. That you should behave, before one of them thought of something worse than petnames and misinformation.

While the two were still bickering, you took Katsuki’s hand, moving it to your cheek and leaning into it. “You’re right,” You admitted, your scowl softened into a meek, submissive frown. A frown Katsuki could tolerate. “I’m… I’m being immature, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t bring it up, especially when you two work so hard to keep me safe. That’d just be ungrateful.”

Katsuki smiled, and Ochaco nodded, stripping you of what was left of your defenses. They’re both so pleased with the development, they don’t even notice it.

The water had gone cold minutes ago.

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farfromparker · 4 years

Text

Erotas - Chapter Three | t.h.

Erotas Masterlist

Pairing: Tom Holland x Female Reader

Summary: You land in Greece and after dinner with some of your family the only logical next step is to get drunk in the jacuzzi.

Warnings: Cursing, a little (and by little I mean little) bit of steaminess but the smut will pick up in the next chapter

Word Count: 6.6k

A/N: This fic is trope city; fake dating, there’s only one bed, friends to lovers. Warnings will be added as I continue to write! Possibly looking at 7 chapters.

Special thanks to @worldoftom 💞💞

Five hours later and you’re standing in the lobby of your hotel, bags at your feet, Tom by your side. You haven’t seen your family yet, which is a relief in itself. Your mum texted saying to get settled and relaxed and that they’d find you for dinner and drinks.

You rest your chin in your hand on the check-in counter, processing what the receptionist had said. “Wait, what? We didn’t—”

The woman behind the desk glances at your passport again, double checking the spelling of your name one more time. “You did. This is your room, 2 adults for the Venus Suite for five nights.”

Your phone dings. It’s your cousin.

Get checked in to your suite yet?? 😏 [smirking emoji]

Your mouth pops open and you glance at the woman again. Pressing your lips into a thin smile, you apologize, “Sorry, yes, you’re right. That is our room.”

Tom nudges your shoulder with his, whispering, “A suite?”

You shrug, biting your bottom lip. “Welcome to Greece!”

The woman smiles, finalizing your check-in and hands you the keycards to your room along with a map to find your suite. “To further complement your stay, American Champagne Breakfast will be served each morning in the privacy of your own terrace.”

Your eyes widen, “Oh wow, okay. Thank you.”

Tom nudges you again as you leave the lobby. “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

He smirks when you shove his shoulder. “You have a movie line for every situation, don't you?”

He nods. “Oh most definitely.”

Using the directions the woman gave you, you walk towards your suite. The hotel reminds you of a maze, stairs and turns, the sky a bright blue hanging above you. You can hear the ocean in the distance. You explain to Tom that your nosy family decided to intervene and change your original room reservation and bump you up to a suite. Knowing your cousin, she probably did it the second you left that lunch four weeks ago.

“How much is this gonna cost?” he asks, hesitant.

“My dad covered it. It’s safe to say my family is over the moon I’m here with a boy.” And it’s hard to hide the drop of venom in your voice.

You reach room 12, high, white, stucco walls surround you at the end of a hallway. The key is an RFID card and you slide it against the reader, the light flashes green and the lock clicks. You push it open and step past the threshold.

Spanning out across your private terrace is nothing but the sea and the sky and Thirassia Island.

The door clicks closed quietly behind you.

Tom stands next to you, bags dropping to the ground by your feet. “Holy shit.”

The exterior portion of your room isn’t excessively large, but the space is amazing. Two chaise lounges overlooking a glass balcony railing, staring out into the Aegean Sea, along with a rather large jacuzzi in the corner. There are French doors behind the hot tub, leading into your room.

You nod slowly. “Yeah.”

The room itself could be the size of a shoe box for all you care. You just want to spend any free time you have on this overlook.

Tom picks up his bag, grabbing yours as well that had also slipped out of your grasp when you walked in, and heads towards the doors. He pushes them open and you follow. He sets the bags by the dresser, eyes wide as he takes in the room. He’s smiling, touching everything almost in awe, but you’re staring at the bed. The only bed.

“Oh,” you start, glancing around the room but there’s no couch. The room isn’t really all that big, the king bed taking up the majority of the space towards the back. There’s a fully stocked mini bar to your right and a dresser to your left, along with the TV. The door to the bathroom is on your right as well and Tom has disappeared in there. You can hear him talking, calling your name to come see something.

When you don’t reply right away, he pops back out, looking at you. “What’s the matter?” and he follows your gaze to the bed. It takes him a second, brows furrowed before he realizes. And he starts laughing, gently, but laughing nonetheless.

“Hey, are you really worried about sharing a bed?”

You feel relieved at the ease he’s expressing. “You’re not?”

He laughs again. “No, babe, we’ve kissed. I think we can share a bed. Especially one as big as that one.”

You smile. “Okay, yeah, you’re right, sorry. I’m just —”

“Nervous, I know,” he finishes for you, walking over to take your hand in his, squeezing gently. “What time do we have to meet your family?”

You sigh. “Uh, whenever we’re settled, I guess.” You squeeze his hand in return. You contemplate for a moment, “The sooner we go, the sooner it’s over and we can come back here.”

“And then we can order champagne and get drunk in the hot tub.”

You laugh. “Let’s just do that now, forget my family.”

But he convinces you to just go now. Saying that it won’t be that bad, that your family will be so excited to see you. And although you’re sure they will be, you still know it’s going to be exhausting.

You head to your parents’ room first, room 4. You later find out that most of the wedding party is on the opposite end of the hotel from you. Knowing that makes your room even more of an escape.

Your mum gushes over you when she opens the door, hugging and kissing you before passing you off to your father so she can do the same to Tom. He takes it all in stride, hugging your mum, shaking your dad’s hand and with him here, the heat is off of you. They want to know about him, how you met, what he does. You barely speak ten words on the walk down to the hotel bar. You don’t feel left out, though, because Tom’s hand never leaves your body, whether he’s holding yours or resting his on the small of your back. He keeps you close, smiling at you as he answers questions about your relationship, about your friendship.

You find a hightop table outside with a view over the ocean. The breeze is light and warm against your cheek, and you can smell the salt in the air. It’s late in the afternoon, close to five, but the sun is still warm on your skin.

Your dad pulls Tom along to the bar to get drinks and you’re sure he’s giving him the dad talk. You can only shake your head.

Your cousin and her fiancé, Ava and Alex, meet the four of you down there soon after. And Ava is the reason you’re here. Yeah, she can be a pain in the ass, but she’s always been more of a sister than a cousin. You’re close in age and grew up together. The secrets you share could bring down the government of a small country.

She engulfs you in a hug, practically vibrating with excitement. She hugs Tom as soon as you introduce them and while she’s fussing over him, you give Alex a hug as well, taking the opportunity to catch up. Alex couldn’t care less about the wedding, just wanting it to be over with so they can officially be married. Ava, on the other hand, is stressing over every single detail no matter how minimal it may seem.

And Tom is great with her, offering advice and helping her see things that may not be as important as she's making them out to be, like the color of the tablecloths not being the absolute right shade of white. You can see the relief flood Alex’s eyes as Ava agrees with him.

“So how have you been hiding him since February? He’s amazing, and really, really cute,” she says, nudging you with her shoulder.

You press your lips together. “I didn’t want to jinx anything, you know how this family is.”

She nods in understanding, she’s experienced everything you have, albeit secondhandedly, but she’s always been there to help you say fuck them over drinks later in the night. She knows their comments cut deeper than you let on and she’s tried to help as best she can. You’ve always appreciated that about her.

If the wedding itself would consist of only these four people, you could have survived it alone. But your mum fills you in on the rest of the family’s travel plans. Aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents are all arriving tomorrow. The rehearsal dinner is tomorrow night, then you’ve got the next day off to enjoy Santorini before the wedding on Friday. Most of the family will fly out on Saturday. But you and Tom, along with your cousin and her newly minted spouse are staying until Sunday.

You order dinner but find yourselves talking and drinking more than eating. With more people now, the conversation has broken up into parts and you find yourself talking with your dad, Tom has finished eating and is standing next to your chair now. It’s easier for him to be included in the conversation this way.

“Having fun so far?” your dad asks.

You smile. “Yeah, thank you for the room.”

Tom agrees. “Yes, thank you so much. We really appreciate it.”

Your dad laughs, patting Tom on the shoulder. “She doesn’t bring a guy around often, so I figured I would do something special for the two of you.”

And it would mean a lot to you if that wasn’t all an act. You take a sip of your drink to mask the uneasiness you feel, but Tom doesn’t miss a step. Going into a story about how excited he was when he found out you’d be coming here, about meeting your family, about going on a vacation, someplace so romantic, with his girlfriend.

“Well, hopefully you two can properly enjoy yourselves here. Get some good use of that jacuzzi, yeah?”

“I think we’re gonna order champagne and get drunk in it tonight actually,” you comment, exchanging glances with Tom.

Your dad looks between the two of you. “Well, then what the hell are you still doing here? Go! Enjoy yourselves before you get roped into some responsibility for the wedding.” And he practically pushes you out of the bar.

“What if they need me for something?”

He scoffs. “I can’t remember the last time you’ve come to a family gathering and actually had fun. Please do that for me this week. And for him,” he adds, gesturing to Tom. “If something’s on fire, I’ll let you know, otherwise I’ll see you at dinner tomorrow night. Six sharp.”

You can’t stop yourself from mumbling, “It feels like everything’s already on fire.” Your dad doesn’t catch it but Tom does, pressing his lips together to fight off a grin.

Your dad sends you off with a kiss to your cheek and a handshake for Tom, and then heads back towards the rest of your family. You laugh lightly, heading back to the room.

“I like your dad, and your mum. Everyone tonight was great,” Tom says as you step into your room.

“Yeah, these are the ones I really like, the shit show will start tomorrow. You just wait. That rehearsal dinner might push me to murder.”

He laughs. “Why?”

“Because you’re going to be the only thing my aunts and uncles and grandma will be able to talk about. You and how she’s never brought a boy to meet the family before.” Your voice goes up several octaves as you impersonate your aunt.

“Should I just kiss you all night so that you don’t have to talk to them?”

“Oh, they’ll eat that shit up, you’re gonna have to make a dirty joke to shut them up. Grandma’s very religious and she’ll clutch her pearls if you talk about our, quote unquote, sex life.”

Tom hums, nodding along. “Good to know.”

You shake your head. “Anyway, didn’t my dad say I had to have fun this week? Let’s stop talking about my family and go get drunk.”

“God, yes please. I’ll order room service. You can change first,” he offers, walking over to the hotel phone. You rummage through your suitcase and find your bathing suit, slipping into the bathroom quickly.

The room is empty when you open the door, but you can hear the jets running from the hot tub.

You grab two towels for yourselves and step out onto the balcony. The sun has set, but there are still soft orange hues spanning across the horizon.

“I got you a towel,” you comment, setting them both off to the side to prevent them from getting wet. “Thanks,” Tom says, smiling as you step into the tub. “Champagne should be here soon.”

You hum, sinking down into the water, letting the jets push against your back and shoulders. Extending your arms, you reach out, resting them against the sides of the hot tub. Your fingers knock against Tom’s as he’s in the same position as you and his fingers twitch. You think he’s going to move his hand away but instead, he threads his fingers with yours, brushing gently against your knuckles.

You stay like that for a moment, eyes slipping shut as you enjoy the heat of the water, the warm air on your skin and Tom’s touch on your hand.

The knock on the door startles you both and Tom is quick to get up and out of the hot tub. You watch as the muscles along his back and shoulders work beneath his skin as he pushes himself out.

The champagne comes in on a cart, half submerged in a bucket of ice with two flutes next to it. Tom thanks the man, offering him a tip on his way out. You reach for the cart, pulling it up next to the jacuzzi as Tom locks the door, coming back to get in next to you.

You grab the bottle, peeling away the wrapping from the top. You hesitate when you see the wire twist, biting your lip.

“What? Scared to open a champagne bottle?” Tom teases, taking the bottle from you when you offer it to him, his fingers brushing against yours.

“They make me nervous, have since I was little,” you laugh, leaning away from him as he gets to working it open.

“Clearly, you didn’t grow up with a household full of brothers,” he quips, pulling the wire webbing off so he can get to the cork. “Losing an eye was the least of my worries growing up.”

“Yeah? And what was your biggest? Getting punched in the dick?”

He freezes, locking his eyes on you, “Don’t joke about that. That shit hurts. God, I think my dick crawled back inside my body just from hearing you say that. When I still lived at home, Harry would shout nut shot whenever I would get up and stretch so I couldn't defend myself. It’s astounding to this day that my balls aren’t permanently blue.”

You throw your head back, trying to hold back the laugh fighting its way past your lips because sometimes you don’t want him to know how funny you actually think he is. He’s smiling when you look back at him though, like he knows.

He definitely knows.

Changing the subject is the only escape right now. “Will you just open the bottle, please?”

He does, aiming it out towards the ocean and with one final twist, it pops open, the cork shooting out across the terrace.

“See?! That’s why I don’t like opening them!”

“Hey, no one lost an eye, so I see this as an absolute win.” He fills the two flutes before shoving the bottle back in its ice bath. He hands you a drink before grabbing his own.

You extend your arm to him. “Cheers,” you offer and clink his glass to yours.

“Cheers.”

The champagne is sweet and flavorful, bubbly against your tongue. It’s going to go straight to your head.

Tom settles back into his seat, groaning softly as he moves so the jets press at different areas of his back. “Alright, rehearsal dinner tomorrow, who do I have to look out for?”

You take another sip of your drink. “Everyone.”

He laughs.

“You think I’m kidding!”

“Oh c’mon, I don’t have to worry about your parents. And Ava and Alex love me. So that's four down.”

“They were just the pawns, the big guns come out tomorrow.” You straighten up, rolling your shoulders and making a show of it, Tom just rolls his eyes. “Alright, we’ll start at the top with Grandma Ruth, Nana. She’s very religious, I’m pretty sure I’m sinning in her eyes because I’m not married yet so she’ll love you. But she’s a pistol. And I’m sure she’ll have Peanut with her.”

Tom pushes his lips together, brow bunching, “Peanut?”

“Her Yorkie.”

His eyebrows raise, eyes going soft. “She has a dog?”

“Satan reincarnated as a three pound dog, don’t let the name fool you.”

He laughs. “Nah, c’mon, how bad can a three pound puppy be?”

“Fine, don’t believe me. But don’t come crying to me when she tries to bite your fingers off.”

Tom just shakes his head, “Alright, Nana Ruth and Peanut, check. Next?”

“Aunt Brigitte and Uncle Joe. They’re the worst and you may not believe me now, but it’s the truth. They’re way more invested in my love life than their own, which is why they’re always throwing snide remarks at each other but also everyone else. She’ll make comments like oh your face is so much fuller now, well at least you won’t get wrinkles as easily when you get older or my dear, you haven’t missed a meal have you? or my favorite well if you weren’t so opinionated you’d probably have a boyfriend by now. And Joe is just an idiot.”

Tom contemplates for a moment, “So should I just punch her?”

You snort, taking a long swig of your drink. He continues, “Because I can, should I defend your honor?”

You have to put your hand over your mouth to stop yourself from spitting champagne across the hot tub. You look over at him and he looks so proud, grinning from ear to ear, he can’t even stop smiling while he takes a drink.

“Thanks, Sir Holland, but I think I’ll be okay.”

He shrugs, “Well, just know my services have been offered.”

“Duly noted. Alright, next is my cousin Vinny.”

And he spits out his champagne, not even trying to cover it like you had, spraying it across the jacuzzi and you start laughing.

“You have a cousin Vinny? You’re not shitting me?”

You laugh harder. “I’m not shitting you.”

“Oh my god, can we get drunk with your cousin Vinny? Is he a lawyer?”

“He’s a mechanic, he’d probably be a more successful lawyer than Joe Pesci though. But we can definitely get drunk with him, he’s a good one in the bunch. Doesn’t really give a fuck about anything, which is part of the reason why he’s the best.”

“Cool, so I don’t have to avoid Cousin Vinny.”

“His mum, my aunt Maya, is just as cool as he is. She’s been divorced since Vinny was little, raised him on her own. Nana always gives her a hard time about being single, like she does to me, so Maya’s always been in my corner.”

“I like Maya already,” he mentions, smiling at you, “Wait, so who’s the eccentric uncle? The one I can only talk to about football?”

“Louis. Honestly, you can talk to him about anything except politics. I think my dad would kill me if I didn’t warn you about him. They don’t get along at all. Louis hasn’t been able to hold down a job for over thirty years and it’s mainly because he’s lazy. And my dad has worked really hard for everything he has, everything he’s been able to do for my mum and me. Hence why they don’t jive.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

You twist your lips, spinning the champagne flute in your hands. “But... I think that’s everyone? At least the ones that come with warning labels.”

He chuckles, finishing off his glass and reaching back for the bottle. “Well, good, I feel prepared to defend you in battle now.”

You shake your head, handing him your glass so he can fill it up again, too. “Alright, enough of the defending my honor business. You’re more of a partner in crime.”

He hums, giving you your glass back and burying the bottle back in the ice bucket. “I like the sound of that.”

You glance over at him, watching as he rests back into his seat. The sun has fully set and the sky is dark now, but the soft yellow hues from the lights in the room shine out and span across his face, his neck, the top of his chest. Your eyes travel along his cheekbones, down to the cut of his jawline. His eyes slip close and you take the opportunity to steal more glances.

Moving along the bump of his collarbones, the bulge of his biceps, his bare chest, he really is beautiful. You think about saying it out loud for a moment, but bite your tongue, worried it would sound weird or that you’d make him uncomfortable. You settle back against the jets instead.

“How’s work going?” you ask instead, forcing your mind off of that previous thought. “I feel like we haven’t talked about your life much in the past few weeks because of the current dumpster fire I’m living in.”

He opens his eyes, looking over to you, “I think you’re getting by just fine, besides you’ve got me, and I carry a big hose. I’ll put that fire out in no time.”

There’s no stopping the laugh this time, “Oh my god,” you bury your head in your hands. “You’re ridiculous.”

For a moment, he looks like he’s going to say something, but presses his lips together, suppressing a smile and taking a sip of his drink. “Work is good, it’s always good.” And you know he’s telling the truth, he absolutely loves his job. He works for a nonprofit, a construction company that builds houses for people in need. People whose lives have been turned upside down. He gets to make a difference, and you know there’s a deep sense of gratification he gets from it.

“We’re working on a house right now for a man that was involved in a car accident, a drunk driver hit him and paralyzed him from the waist down. He’s in a wheelchair now but his current house, he couldn’t get anywhere or do anything.”

He goes silent for a moment. “I can’t imagine what that would be like.” He turns to you, eyes soft and you set your glass down on the cart, reaching out to take his hand. He squeezes yours in return. “Like your home is supposed to be a safe place, a place that you go to just — be. And this man’s home... suddenly it’s like he’s trapped there, unable to do everything that was so mundane and easy before.”

He sees a lot of people like this, people so desperately in need but you know they can only do so much. You’ve seen first hand how difficult it is for him.

They don’t have endless supplies, endless people, endless hours. They can’t help everyone. People are turned away by their selection committee, or moreover, the selection committee picks who they do help. But Tom can’t stop himself from getting attached to the applications he reads, how much he wishes he could do more. He hates the selection process, but knows it’s a necessary evil.

“And you’re helping him,” you encourage, reminding of the good in his job, the best part. “You’re helping change that man’s life in such a positive way.”

“Yeah,” he agrees, a soft tone to his voice. He drops his gaze, watching the water swirl around in front of him. “Anyway, my part with that house is done. They’re moving him in this weekend, I think. T said he has the next ones lined up, so I’ll dive into those when we get home.”

You smile, you want to tell him how proud you are of him, but would that be out of place? You smile at him instead. “You’re doing good things, Tom, you’re a good person.”

He returns your smile, eyes twinkling as he looks up at you again. They’re bright, even in the darkness, twinkling under your praise before he bites his lip, shy. “Thank you.”

“Alright.” He rolls his shoulders, demeanor changing as he downs the rest of his glass. You can see the glimmer in his eyes, he’s got something in mind. He sets the empty flute on the cart, noting your glass, and how it’s not empty. “Well, first I need you to finish that,” and he points towards your drink.

You raise your eyebrows, but grab the flute nonetheless. “Bossy.”

He puts his hands up. “Hey, you’re the one who wanted to get drunk in this hot tub, I’m just making sure that happens.”

You finish off your glass with a lick of your lips, setting it next to his. “Okay, what’s nex—” and you cut yourself off as he gets out of the jaccuzi. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back,” he calls over his shoulder. You merely roll your eyes, but there’s a hint of a smile on your lips. You busy yourself filling up your glasses, he was right, you did plan on getting drunk tonight and although you were getting there, you weren’t there yet.

He comes back as you set the now full glasses on the cart. And he’s got… an empty plastic water bottle? He climbs back in the tub, raising his eyebrows at you quickly, clearly excited.

“What's with the trash?”

“Now, love, give it a chance.” He reaches over, fiddling with the dials until the jets stop. The water swirls softly, and the bubbles disappear. “We’re gonna play a game.”

You grin. “Awesome. I like games.”

He nods. “I know. Okay, so the goal of this game is to avoid the water bottle touching you, but trying to get it to touch the other person. You can’t use your hands, though. And the bottle can’t touch any part of your body or the other person gets a point. First one to 5 wins,” he explains, letting the bottle go, watching as it floats around the tub. You’re watching him instead.

“Can I use my legs? Or my feet?” you ask. “To like, make it move?”

“You can use any part of your body, just not your arms or hands. Oh, blowing is acceptable and encouraged.” And you can tell he’s trying to get you to laugh again. But the champagne is going to your head, and now you want to be the one throwing dirty remarks his way.

“Oh Tommy, you opened a door for me. I’m very good at blowing.” He doesn’t laugh, just bites his lip and if it weren’t so dark out, you’re certain you’d be able to see the blush sitting heavy on his cheeks.

He clears his throat. “Then, I guess I’m in trouble.”

You simply wiggle your eyebrows. You twist your hands together in front of your body, gripping onto your fingers in hopes of keeping yourself from breaking the rules. Tom does the same, the crease between his pecs becoming more defined. You consider how your cleavage in turn must look to him, but consider any mode of distraction a welcome advantage. He’s only human after all, and you’ve got great tits.

A rush of self-satisfaction washes over you when you watch his eyes flicker down to your chest. Your mind, hazy with champagne, wants to comment on it, wants to let him know he’s been caught, but as you’re about to, he locks eyes with you.

“That’s not fair,” he whispers, voice breathy.

You simply smirk, “I’m just keeping my hands occupied so I don’t cheat. Now, ready when you are, Tommy.” And you wonder if he likes the nickname. He never comments on it, and his body language doesn’t suggest he dislikes it, but you’d like to know all the same.

“We’ll start with the jets off, let you get comfortable,” he continues, counting down from three and you move to the edge of your seat, counting down with him.

On one, you both move forward, creating small waves that crash into each other and send the bottle off to the right. You stand, walking through the water to follow it, leaning over to get closer to the bottle so you can move it with your breath. Tom angles away, pressing his back into the side of the tub so he can bring his feet up to kick underneath it but it moves towards him, not away. You keep following, keep blowing, getting into his space, but your feet tangle together with his. You stumble, falling forward and your hands automatically reach out to brace yourself.

Your palms splay out across the middle of his thighs, but your fall was enough to push the bottle forward and it bumps against his chest. You raise your head, smiling victoriously. “Gotcha.”

He huffs, laughing like he’s out of breath. “Fuck.”

You grab the bottle and step away from him, moving back to your seat. You reach over and grab your drink, taking a long swig and he follows suit, downing a good portion of his drink as well.

You set the flute back down, looking over at him “Ready for round two?”

He licks his lips, moving toward the edge of his seat. “The question is, are you? I was being nice the first round.”

You smirk. “Bring it on, Holland.”

You count down again, hands grasped together, but he doesn’t follow your lead this time. His arms hang loose at his sides and there’s a devilish smirk on his face. You both say one and as you move toward the bottle, he moves around it, coming to you. He reaches for you, fingers wrapping around your elbow and pulling you into him. Something that can only be described as a squeak leaves your lips, and you untangle your hands to try and get him off you. He’s too quick, though. In the blink of an eye, he’s got his arms secured tightly around your waist, your back pressed tightly to his chest and he’s moving you toward the bottle like you weigh nothing.

You reach your hands out but freeze, remembering you can’t use them, so you push back against him to get leverage to get your feet up and kick at the bottle to try and move it away from you. But he’s strong, muscles solid and defined from his job in construction, and he’s got complete control over your positioning. Which means it’s not difficult for him to get you cornered with the bottle trapped between your body and the edge of the tub.

You lock your arms against the side, bracing yourself just far enough away that you’re not touching the bottle, not yet. He’s firm against your back, you can’t move, but neither can he. If his grip loosens, you can slide out and away. The water sloshes with your movement, but it starts stilling as you find yourselves in a stalemate. The bottle rocks gently and you can feel Tom’s jaw on your shoulder. He’s looking down your body, watching the bottle float of its own accord.

“This has to be cheating,” you say, teeth clenched.

He laughs, chest rumbling against your shoulder blades. “Nah, the only rule was that you couldn’t use your hands or arms to move the bottle,” he says slyly. “I can do whatever I want with them as long as I’m not touching that bottle.”

His fingers dig into your sides to emphasize his point and there’s a deep swoop low in your stomach. Your eyes flutter for a moment before you force them back open, glancing down and trying your best to ignore the feeling of his arms wrapped around you, of his chest pressed along your spine. The weight of his breath ghosting over your shoulder. You swallow harshly to keep focused on the game.

The bottle floats towards your stomach and you instinctively push back to get away from it. But pushing away from the bottle means pushing closer to Tom. You feel him, just for a moment, and you’re almost not sure you felt what you think you felt. But he sucks in a sharp breath through his nose and his grip loosens around your waist, and that’s all the confirmation you need.

You slide out of his grip easily and with a well placed flick of your foot, the water bottle bounces forward and knocks against his arm. He tries to laugh, sinking down so the water sloshes up against his collarbones.

“Beginner's luck,” he shrugs, but there’s a new tone in his voice.

“Well, you were more than a little distracted, I’d say.”

He shrugs, trying to play it cool, but he’s avoiding looking at you directly and his cheeks are so red you can see his blush clearly when he turns towards the lights coming from the room. “I’m 23 and I’ve got a pretty girl pressed up against me. If anything, I mean, it’s your fault.”

And you chuckle. “If I remember correctly, you grabbed me, so you did this to yourself, sweetheart.”

He doesn’t have a smart remark, and he still can’t meet your gaze. “C’mon, it’s probably time we go to bed anyway,” you comment, giving him an escape.

He nods, “Yeah, big day tomorrow.” But he makes no effort to move with you as you get out. You grab the towels, wrapping one around yourself and he starts to wade over to you.

“Okay if I shower first?”

He looks relieved, taking the towel you offer him. “Yeah, course, go for it. I’ll clean up out here,” he says, gesturing to the champagne.

You disappear inside, digging through your bag to grab a baggy shirt and sleep shorts. You close the door to the bathroom, setting your clothes on the counter. Your cheeks feel hot and you can still feel the ghost of his chest pressed against your back. You shake your head to try to clear it and step into the shower, turning the dial down so that the water runs cool.

You try not to take too long, knowing that he’ll want to shower before bed as well and there’s another weird swoop in your stomach thinking about him naked in the very spot you’re standing. You groan, throwing your head back and stepping further under the water, letting the stream wash over your face.

You dry off and get ready for bed, trying to tidy up a little so the bathroom isn’t a complete disaster when he comes in. You look at yourself in the mirror for a moment, trying to straighten your shirt. But then you glance up, catching your own eyes and you scowl. You were going to bed for fuck’s sake, it shouldn’t matter what you look like. It didn’t matter. You huff, turning on your heel, and pushing the door open.

Tom’s sitting in the chair near the bed, towel beneath his butt, nose in his phone… still shirtless. He looks up when he hears the door and he smiles at you, locking his phone and setting it on the nightstand.

“You still had a little bit of champagne in your glass,” he begins, standing up and walking over to the dresser where your glasses sit, there’s still a little bit left in his flute too. The bucket sits next to them, the bottle nestled carefully within it. “I didn’t know if you wanted it or not.”

You grin, walking over to him and taking the glass he offers you. “Yeah, can’t let something this good go to waste.”

He grabs his glass, clinking it with yours. “I couldn’t agree more.” And his eyes sparkle like the champagne on your tongue.

Soon after, he grabs some clothes and heads into the bathroom. You debate for a moment on pulling the drapes closed, but the thought of the sun shining out across the sea in the morning is a view you absolutely want to wake up to. That’ll require an early morning, but then again, how often are you going to be in Greece to watch the sunrise over the Aegean?

An early morning it is.

You turn the lights off by the door, leaving only the lamps on the nightstands on. One jiggle of the handle confirms he's already locked the doors. His phone is plugged in and charging on the right side of the bed so you take the left, plugging in your phone as well before pulling the cord and turning off your light. You pull back the covers, crawling in and as your knees touch the mattress, the exhaustion of the day washes over you. The fact that you were hungover in London this morning feels like days ago, not mere hours.

You groan loudly as you lay down, stretching out under the blankets and letting yourself sink deeper into the bed.

There’s a small chuckle, and you whip your head up to the noise. Tom is leaning against the door frame of the bathroom, shirtless, baggy shorts hung low on his hips and it’s an involuntary reaction when your tongue pokes out to wet your lips.

“Should I give you some privacy?” he teases, a smug look settling on his features.

You roll your eyes, dropping your head back down into the pillow, “I didn’t realize how long of a day this has been until I laid down. And this bed is heavenly.”

He flicks the light in the bathroom off and shuffles over to the bed, pulling the blankets back and crawling in next to you. He leans back, turning his lamp off as well, casting the room in darkness. There’s a soft glow from the sliver of moon in the sky. It’s faint though, you hadn’t even noticed it when you were outside.

He nestles down onto his side so he can look at you. Your eyes adjust after a moment and you find his gaze easily.

“Not a bad day overall, though...” he muses, the question in his voice is obvious.

You turn to him, rolling onto your side so you can face him properly. “Way better than I was anticipating, in large part thanks to you.”

He smiles, genuine, and you can imagine it reaching his eyes. “I’m just glad I could be here for you.” His hand stretches out across the mattress, you feel it before seeing it because the comforter shifts with the movement. His fingers find yours within seconds, and you thread them together.

You hum at the comforting feeling, letting your body continue to relax. “I’m glad you were as well,” you murmur, voice soft.

He squeezes your hand, thumb brushing across your knuckles. “Goodnight, darling.”

“Goodnight, Tommy.”

When you wake up in the morning, his hand is still touching yours.

Taglist (also added a few that enjoyed the first chapters):

@xximaweirdoxx @selfcarecapmain @billythebully09 @cyrusandhiscollaredahirts @honeymarvel @billieishottttttttt @lovinnholland @oh-annaa @little-miss-naill @holland-in-disguise @wordless08 @multifandomgirl-us @tiktok-spideyy @fangirlfree @theolwebshooter @headlights95 @thirsttrapholland @ablazeofhope @hazmyheart @let-the-music-take-c0ntrol @afterglownights @hollandbitch @delicately-important-trash @parkersvibes @averyfosterthoughts @mskatharinawho @crazyfreaker @thsummersoldier @lolobxtch @peterparkoure @hpnjrph @likeit-or-leaveit @spidxrparkxr @caretheunicorn @peterpstuff @spiderdudetom @sltwins @loxbbg @tomshufflepuff @spideyyeet @terrifictomholland @caturdwy @lauras-collection @hollandtomholland @hollandcreep @uncookspaget

#tom holland #tom holland fic #tom holland x reader #tom holland fanfic #tom holland fluff #tom holland smut #tom holland x you #tom holland x y/n #my writing #erotas

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komoryriku · 4 years

Text

Queering KH: Part 2

How to Queer this Anime Game? By me, an American nerd lol

Pictured: Dream. Drop. Distance. Sequel. 8)))

What is Queering

I’m so excited to talk about this okay this is literally the only fun thing I get to do as an English major anymore lmao.

“Queering a text” is the academic term for taking a given text and extracting the queer subtext of it, or applying a queer reading to it. It is taking a piece of literature, film, or art and reading into it for the gay coding. It is an especially important tool for reading old literature written during periods of extreme homosexual oppression, wherein the author would be forced to hide hints of homosexuality under layers and layers of superficial text.

Pictured: Sora and Riku battling Ursula as she means to wreck their ship, mirroring the disaster that Sora’s friends Eric and Ariel (lovers) faced at sea.

As a post-structuralist, I am also here to inform you that every text is made up of intertextual influence. This means whether the JK Rowlings of the world intended it or not, their characters may well be queer coded because of the unconscious influence of homoerotic customs in our culture that have permeated the text. It’s why people speculated that Newt Scamander was gay, because he showed little interest in Tina and preferred to focus on his beasts, which is not normative for a male protagonist in straight media. People likewise considered that Merida from Pixar’s Brave might be gay, because she had no interest in dating men and wanted to live a wild lifestyle traditionally associated with masuculinity, things that are pretty in line with lesbian coding. And let me tell you, lgbt claimed Queen Elsa IMMEDIATELY for very good reason. Pretty much everything about her journey, purposefully or not, makes for an strikingly overt gay metaphor. Let it Go is a coming out song for a woman suffocating under normativity all her life, deal with it.

Same, Elsa.

Oh whoops I accidentally pasted this picture of Riku here.

Keep Cultural Distinctions in Mind

Something else important I want to point out is that different cultures are- different lol. They are going to vary. What is queer coding here is not necessarily queer coding in Japan. A man presenting femininely in American media would certainly get him coded as gay. A bishonen in an anime though? Not so much. Men bathing together in Japan is common practice so that would mean nothing gay over there. In America however, you have things like this vine.

In which 2 dudes are chilling as far away as possible from each other in a hot tub to prove they are not gay lol.

So when I say the male members of Organization XIII bathe together, it means literally nothing in a Japanese context.

But let me tell you this: homosexual mlm tend to enjoy bathing with other dudes. Sexual attraction is sexual attraction no matter where you go. So how would you queer code a Japanese character as gay in a hot tub context?

By American logic, if the straight thing to do is sit 5 feet apart in a hot tub, then the inverse, the gay thing to do, would be 2 men sitting very close together in a hot tub. So if I were to code 2 American male characters as gay in a hot tub context, that is what I would do. But if I really wanted to hammer it home, I would ALSO have them blushing so there is no straight explanation for their closeness.

And for a Japanese character, for whom bathing with men might well mean nothing, I’d definitely have them physically blush, so that you know it does NOT just “mean nothing” to him...

Oh look at that. Amano went out of her way to draw Roxas blushing at the concept of bathing with men. So when I say “the members of Orginization XIII bathe together”, you know that means something to Roxas, cuz the coding tells us so. There are indeed certain ways you can depict a shonen being either interested in or at least affected by that idea. You just have to mind those codes telling you what the character really feels, especially when they can’t really say it.

Speaking of blushes, Amano uses them a lot.

They’re a pretty effective tool for hiding gay coding into your characters cuz an anime character might blush for any number of reasons, from being flustered by their crush,

to being flustered because they don’t have a crush.

If you’ve ever translated Japanese media, (I haven’t, but I have friends who do), you know that Japanese is very vague which means you need the whole context to properly understand a scene. It’s a similar situation with queer coding. Consider this scene of Roxas blushing.

If Roxas felt positively about the insinuation that he and Xion are holding hands, how might one code this? Well, if he’s feeling really excited about it in a positive way, you might draw him smiling or expressing flattery on his blushing face. However, Roxas reacts negatively, with a frown on his blushing face. This insinuates he does not like this idea at all, especially since he also shuts it down right away in his dialogue.

But you might say “Well how do we know he isn’t just shy?” to which I say- well we can’t know. That’s the whole point of queer coding in literature. It is to say a character is queer but without actually saying it, to give plausible deniability for safety. It is to suggest a character is queer but without any confirmation. It does not mean that the character isn’t queer, however. It just means it cannot be confirmed by the text alone. However, a bold text that is very determined to have hidden queer characters without any straight explanations, will provide coding that has very little or no straight explanation.

Back to the Roxas and Xion dialogue^. This scene alone cannot confirm or deny anything. As I explained however, the suggestion that Roxas is not straight IS there. Considering the whole context, also, this scene is another piece of “evidence” to add to the pile of suggestions that Roxas isn’t straight. This coupled with the bathing panel, and this panel of him admiring Axel, his male mentor, with deep flattery during his first day of adventuring, all exist.

Roxas does not express negative sentiments in his blushing at men, nor does he say anything dismissive to them. When he blushes at Xion’s comment, however, it is with a negative reaction. Consider also that if the author wanted Roxas to appear straight, she would present them in ways that allude to straightness and NOT in ways that allude to queerness. Roxas would not do suggestively queer things like blush in flattery at Axel calling him special and then dismiss Xion’s suggestion that they are holding hands if he were simply coded as straight. Queering a text sometimes requires a lot of critical thought like this. This is because again, these things are hidden, and sometimes hidden really well so that unsuspecting straight people will not even consider the queer suggestions. This is one of the advantages Nomura has in his favor with Kingdom Hearts: by making it so convoluted, the gay text can be forward, strong, and blatant but remain undetected by straight powers. This keeps the series safe from oppressive scrutiny. Characters like Namine and Xion can exist as literal illustrations of compulsory-heterosexuality. And people will still think Sora and Riku are straight.

Even if I don’t know all the queer codes Japanese culture might specifically have, (and I do not, I do not live in Japan nor have any semblance of what that is like beyond what my friends who have lived there can tell me, and what I can research while sitting in my pajamas in Kentucky lol), there are certain things that are rather universal. Blushing, physical contact, lingering gazes, etc etc. Attraction is attraction and certain body language and other physical symbols will translate and will travel. So that’s the majority of what I will have to focus on.

But I do want you to know that rainbows are still gay in Japan.

Finally I also want to express that cultural intermingling is a thing. We do not live in bubbles, especially with the internet. Our cultures affect each other ALL the time. Although Kingdom Hearts is primarily a Japanese series, it is consciously tailored to appeal to both America and Japan. This is by design given the idea was to marry a Japanese hit like Final Fantasy with an American phenomenon like Disney’s media. This is why they take special care in minding the English translations and dubbing of the KH games (when they are able to do so, mistakes are still very often made and i hate it cuz they’re usually heterosexual-agenda-pushing “mistakes” =~=). The games are so intimately tied to both the Japanese and American cultures they are derived from which is part of why accurate translations are so important. And given what they would mean for queer audiences, what they represent for queer people makes accurate translations even MORE important. Some things get quite lost in translation, and some things are grossly added in translation. We will discuss that down the line...

A brief aside that I implore you to ignore:

On the subject of Roxas not being straight, I have heard of one really fun queer motif in Japanese media which is ”ryoutoutsukai (両刀使い)”, “the two sword fencer”: the dual wielding bisexual. Now- I do not necessarily think this is a means of coding Roxas as bisexual, and beyond that, from what I’ve heard in my research on bisexuality in Japan, certain age groups don’t even believe in bisexuality there. However, a love of more than one gender exists no matter who is willing to acknowledge it or not, and this motif is there. And Promisekeeper and Oblivion do rather fit the bill of representing homosexuality (Oblivion/Soriku) and heteronormativity (Promisekeeper/Sora and his childhood friend Kairi). So- while i don’t think it means anything, this fun idea is there~ I will say, however, that as far as I can tell, Nomura and his staff know exactly what they’re doing with their queer coding and are well connected to it in both cultures. So I mean- if any anime team would know bisexuality exists and how to code it, I firmly believe the KH team would, so. There is some food for thought for you~

Get ready for part 3, I hope you like TWEWY~ B)

#kingdom hearts #kh #soriku #sora kh #roxas #riku kh

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doctorgerth · 5 years

Note

May I ask for relationship hc's (sfw and nsfw) for X Drake ?Please

Absolutely!!!! X Drake is a little harder to work with since we’ve seen so little of him, so this is strictly just my own interpretation of him. I hope you find it sufficient!! Enjoy, my dear. x

PSA: I am gonna start tagging nsfw content as #sinful or #lemon from now on. That way I won’t experience any more flags!

Now, on to the sinning!

X Drake SFW+NSFW Relationship HCs

SFW:

- being a rather serious man, I feel as if he is more inclined to fall for someone fun; not necessarily obnoxious, but someone who can keep him on his toes and keep his life interesting!

- he finds playful attitudes in a partner very endearing; bonus points if they’re mature and sophisticated in front of others, but isn’t afraid to show off their silly side when it’s just them; he enjoys the feeling of being able to “let loose” around his partner after being so serious all day

- he also finds intelligence in a partner very attractive as he enjoys having meaningful, thought-provoking, and informational conversations

- of course he wouldn’t admit it, but he likes someone who can break the scowl on his face; he’s had a sad life, so he’s not opposed to his partner being his little sunshine (definitely a nickname he uses on occasion in private)

- it takes a mighty long time for Drake to fall for someone, much preferring if he’s either known them for a while or if he can develop some sort of trusting bond beforehand; he’s not one to just dive into dating/courting, he needs to know he can trust them before he even thinks about getting involved romantically

- and once he is finally involved he takes his relationship very seriously; very loyal and always willing to protect/care for his partner, and though he might express it in subtle ways, he always offers them his utmost love and affection

- definitely the marriage type as he never dates just to date, he forms relationships with people because he sees a potential future with them; he wants to settle down one day with someone he loves, maybe even raise a family

- not into PDA in the least bit, he finds it super embarrassing (he gets all flustered when they act touchy!), so his partner has to respect his boundaries and the reputation he has to maintain; if his partner desires physical contact, he always makes up for it during their alone time behind closed doors

- he can be a bit awkward as he’s always wanted to express affection for another, but he’s never really known how to, given his past; therefore, he usually lets his partner take control of the cuddling sessions, he’ll just kinda leave his arms open for them to ravish him with hugs and kisses that he graciously accepts

- his kisses are a bit hesitant, always worrying that he’s doing something wrong, so his lover usually takes control in this case as well until he finds a steady groove; his lips are really soft!

- prefers to place his hands delicately on their hips or at the small of their back (if height allows) and take his time with some intimate kissing; if his lover can wrap their arms around his neck/run their fingers through his hair, he’ll be smiling and melting into the kiss!

- loves to touch his lover’s face (preferably without gloves); whether he’s rubbing their cheeks, grazing his thumb over their lips, or caressing their face lovingly, he just cherishes how soft they are and how they always look up at him so adoringly

- he honestly gets overwhelmed sometimes by just how lucky he is to have someone be so unconditionally in love with him; he was raised in an abusive environment, causing him to feel as if he’s unworthy of love and affection, so he needs a partner who isn’t ever afraid to show their love for him as he can be a bit insecure

- his partner must be prepared when he holds on a little too tight, tears welling in his eyes during even the most simple cuddle times; he’s just basking in the love, hoping they can feel just how much he loves them in return!

- not very argumentative, prefers to talk things out; he feels comfortable to openly express his feelings to his partner, so he expects the same from them; he gets really upset if they give him the silent treatment/walk away from him

- besides “sunshine”, he also likes to call his partner “darling”, “dear”, or “love”; sometimes he slips these endearing nicknames in public and he gets super embarrassed, instantly becoming snarky at anyone who makes fun of him for it

- the only time he’s truly okay with his s/o riding his back in dino form is when they’re escaping dangerous situations; but…he has let his s/o ride on his back just for funsies once or twice before, each time swearing it’ll never happen again, but he knows he can’t deny his lover that satisfaction forever

- is not scared to get a little bloodthirsty if someone threatens or harms his lover; nothing as precious as them should ever be attacked; hops into angry dino mode real fast

- speaking of protection, Drake much prefers his s/o stay on his ship or somewhere safe away from the trouble he faces, especially if they are unable to protect themselves; he’s confident in his protection skills but he just can’t take the risk as his biggest fear is losing them and he doesn’t exactly hide it

- though he is a stoic man with a professional reputation to maintain, he always makes sure his lover never ever doubts his love for them through his own unique ways! a very selfless partner who will go the distance to make his lover truly happy in life

(( NSFW UNDER THE CUT ))

NSFW:

- okay first things first, as we all know our Dino Daddy is absolutely weak for women’s naked bodies, but this can apply to a male partner as well!

- he gets super flustered seeing them naked, no matter how many times they’ve had sex by then; his face gets all heated and he just feels like a little teenage boy all over again!

- he’s so eager to touch them but he’s always chivalrous, tending to ask for permission to touch them (even if it’s nonverbal) though his hands have explored every inch of their body time and time again previously

- if his partner comes at him in some lingerie, whew boy he has to fight the impending nosebleed; but he likes to take a minute to enjoy them in the lingerie first, running his hands along the fabric while he mentally takes a snapshot of the beautiful sight, then he gets to his favorite part: undressing them~

- definitely a titty man, he’s a sucker for burying his face in his lover’s tits, they’re just warm and squishy; small tits, huge tits, he loves and appreciates them all!

- very proud of his toned chest and thighs, so he loves when his partner praises him/gives these areas special attention; including raking their nails against the skin, trailing kisses, riding his thigh, etc.

- Drake is not really into inflicting or receiving excessive pain during sex, the most he is comfortable with is scratching, hair-pulling, light biting, and light spanking every now and then; his sharp fangs have unleashed at times, but he never bites hard enough to draw blood

- sex with Drake can definitely be primal, especially in times after battle or reuniting after lengthy time apart, but his choice of love-making is more passionate and tender; he loves to take his time with his partner, relishing in the love they are professing to one another

- Drake is extra handsy during sex, they’re never off his partner! whether they’re on their chest, their back, their legs, their ass, etc. his hands are constantly holding onto his partner as he craves the physical connection, holding them close is just never close enough!

- some of his go-to positions include thigh master, the double-decker, and face-off; since he’s not much of a kinky guy, he typically makes up for it by trying unique positions as long as they are comfortable

- loves a woman on top as he can hold her (and bury his face in her boobs) while she controls the pace, he finds the feminine power beyond sexy; also never against being a bottom with a male partner, Drake is definitely a switch

- one of his favorite places to have sex? the bath tub; it’s so intimate yet so thrilling! this is his favorite place to have his woman ride him as he just relaxes in the water; watching her soaked, lathered body bouncing up and down on his cock makes for some really relaxing sex; with a male partner he prefers to lean back into their chest while lazily grinding on them, allowing his partner’s hands to roam along his body freely

- he’s decent at dirty talk, more comfortable with saying sensual and romantic words than “filthy”, and he prefers to keep things simple, loving to praise his partner; he blushes heavily at a partner who praises him/has a dirty mouth, he won’t always respond verbally, mostly with a low grunt of approval; he curses the most when he’s cumming

- “Mmm, you feel so good, darling.” // “I want to ravish you.” // “Can I touch you here?” // “Does that feel good, love?” // “Oh, you ride me so beautifully.” // “You look absolutely divine begging for me.”

- foreplay is his specialty as he loves taking his time to warm up his partner for the main event; fingering, eating out, sucking dick, he’s always really really good at it; he’s usually a little hesitant going down on his partner (scared of his teeth unleashing) nevertheless he always goes wild when his partner runs their fingers through his hair while he’s down there, encouraging him on

- he’s not very loud in bed and he doesn’t like a super loud partner as he can’t have his ship hearing their business!; if his partner is loud he is inclined to cover their mouth while they have sex, but it works for him as he honestly gets a little turned on by their muffled moans of pleasure

- to counter that, Drake is loud as fuck when he cums, he’ll grit his teeth and grab onto his partner tightly as a growl escapes his throat, a few blaring curses laced among his partner’s name as he releases; he prefers to cum inside his partner, but if they are uncomfortable he will usually release onto their tits (the second best place), their stomach, or in his hand

- he is wonderful about the cleanup process, quick to grab a spare towel or wet rag to help clean his partner and himself off, he’s always willing to change the sheets and remake the bed together; sometimes they will escape off into the bath where round two typically happens

- cuddle time with Drake is always extra cuddly after sex, he holds his partner close, reassuring that the session was good and that his partner is happy; he doesn’t last long for pillow talk before he snoozes off as he always falls asleep fast with his partner in his arms!

#one piece #one piece request #one piece headcanons #one piece relationship #x drake #dino daddy #relationship headcanons #sfw #lemon #sinful #anon #anon request #sfw relationship #sinful relationship #headcanons #op hcs #op headcanons

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its-flicked-switch · 5 years

Text

Sandcastles in the Sky

The after effects of chemo create a situation that, while first thought to be a hindrance, becomes exactly what is needed.

Set Post-Elegy s4e22.

Rating: Explicit

This story was originally written for the X-Files Easter FanFic Gift Exchange for @contrivedcoincidences6. Prompt: "I loovvveee early msr and/or pre-series. I also LOVE AUs, early series, cancer arc, pre-series, total au (loovvveee aus) gots to be msr and I'd appreciate some smut please!"

"The doctor said I was fine."

"I hope that's the truth."

"I'm going home."

Mulder kicks himself all the way home for letting her walk away. Scully may think she's hiding it well, and perhaps when it comes to everyone else she is. But not with him. He sees it. He sees the fear, sorrow, and avoidance. He sees every last bit.

He's well aware of the fact that making this about him only makes him more of an asshole, but that fact has done little to dampen the frustration that boils up from within him every time she dismisses the significance of what is happening as if it isn't his burden to bear as much as it is hers. She is so much more than his Watson. She is everything. And without her, he is nothing.

By the time he reaches his car, it's nearly 10:00 p.m. and Scully is gone. He considers driving by her place to check on her but thinks better of it. Regardless of how terrible she feels following her treatments, she never calls in or complains, even when it's quite apparent that she doesn't feel well and is absolutely exhausted. He wants more than anything to take care of her … to do something to soften the blow that his quest has inflicted on her health, but Scully has remained steadfast in her independence, keeping him at arm's length and refusing to let him in. Whether she's doing it to protect him or herself is unclear, but either way, it's disheartening.

He arrives at his apartment in a haze. Removing his jacket and slipping off his shoes, he doesn't bother to lock the door behind him as he collapses on the couch and buries himself in its familiarity. The bubbling hum of the aquarium helps to calm and lull him into a state of peaceful contentment that borders on sleep. But instead of succumbing to it, he fights it.

One would think that someone with his history and paranormal fixation would have nightmares, but he doesn't. In his dreams, Mulder doesn't see Armageddon or little green men. He sees something far worse. He sees what could have been.

He sees Samantha running along the beach behind their summer home in Quonochontaug.

He sees a healthy and vibrant Scully watching him, and a young boy building sandcastles in the sky alongside spaceships.

He sees a little girl with long strawberry blonde hair and crystal blue eyes who calls him daddy.

But Samantha is not in Quonochontaug, and he and Scully will never have children.

For this reason and so many others, Fox Mulder rarely sleeps. He doesn't even own a bed.

Rolling to his back, he pulls off his tie, untucks his shirt, and stares up at the ceiling. He's contemplating getting up to retrieve a tape from his collection when the cell in his pocket begins to ring.

"Agent Mulder."

"Mul — er?"

"Scully?"

He asks not because he isn't sure, but because there is something in her voice that is foreign to him.

"I … I'm hav—in' a little trouble," she says.

Holy fuck, he thinks. Is she drunk?

She's doing her best to hide it, slowing her words in an attempt to keep them from all slurring together, but if her first full sentence is any indication, she is most certainly more than a little under the influence.

"With what? Are you alright?" he asks, sitting up and slipping on his shoes in anticipation of leaving.

"Yeah," she replies, keeping her response short as she subdues a sniffle.

Dread and guilt flow through him as he realizes that the change in her voice isn't solely due to the indulgence of alcohol. She's been crying. Had his words about working against him sent her home in tears? The possibility immediately unsettles his stomach. His intention had been to encourage her to be more open and to no keep things from him, not to make her cry.

Fuck, he's an asshole.

"I'm okay," she insists, doing her best to clear her voice and sound as normal as possible. "I'm not sick. I just … I need … I would call my mom, but it's late and … I'm a bit out of it."

"No, I'm glad you called. What are you having trouble with, Scully? What's wrong?"

"I just … I can't …"

"You can't what?"

"It's stupid," she says, her voice dazed and muffled in a way that indicates to him that she's hanging her head or covering her face, if not both.

"If it's something you need, then it's not stupid," he says softly, encouraging her.

"The chemo," she says, swallowing hard and taking a deep breath, "one of the side-effects is residual weakness and stiffness … especially in the upper extremities around the port."

The slow, precise, and guarded way that she is speaking now makes her sound almost normal. While she's clearly struggling to voice what's going on and why she has called, she's not as out of it as he first thought. In fact, the more she talks, the more lucid she sounds.

"Scully, I'm not sure that I understand—"

"I can't get my shirt off, Mulder."

OH.

"I would just cut it off, but … it's … it's a shirt Melissa bought for me, and I just can't … I'm sorry I—"

"Scully."

Her name comes out a bit louder and more commanding than he intends, so he immediately softens it.

"I'll be right over."

"Okay," she says quietly. "And … could you … could you use your key?"

The request surprises him, but he doesn't question it.

"Yeah … I can do that."

"Okay."

When she doesn't hang up and lets the silence hang, he hastens his movement, grabbing his go-bag, badge, gun, and jacket as he heads out the door.

Scully never asks for anything. Not really. So the fact that she has called and that she is hesitant to hang up the phone and be alone for the short period of time that it will take for him to reach her apartment immediately alerts him to the fact that this is about more than saving a shirt.

"Do you want me to stay on the phone with you?"

"No … no … I'll see you in a few minutes," she says softly. "Thank you, Mulder."

Before he can respond, the line goes dead.

—

When he arrives at her apartment just before midnight, he hesitates briefly at her door. Scully had asked him to use his key to enter, but even with her permission, he's still inclined to knock and announce his arrival.

With her having been the victim of home invasions in the past, the last thing he wants to do is startle her.

"Scully? I'm here."

"Back here," he hears her say from somewhere in the back.

Assuming she's in her bedroom, he slips off his shoes, removes his jacket and places his bag, gun, and badge on her coffee table before proceeding to the back.

"Scully?" he asks again, slowing as he reaches the threshold of her door.

"In here."

What he sees as he enters her bedroom and looks into her bathroom breaks his heart. Scully is soaking wet with a large towel wrapped around her torso.

"I thought that if I got in a hot shower I could get it to loosen up enough to pull it off, but getting off a wet tee shirt is harder than I remember it being," she says, reading the question in his eyes.

"Interesting. I wouldn't have pegged you as being a wet tee shirt contest kind of girl, Scully," he says in an attempt to lighten the mood and put her at ease.

The smirk that plays across her lips as he speaks allows him to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Which shoulder is it?" he asks softly, taking on a more serious tone that relays his concern.

"The left."

"Is it tender to the touch?"

"A bit."

"Would massaging it help?"

"Maybe."

Closing the distance between them, he gestures for her to reposition herself on the toilet seat to give him better access to her shoulders. When his hands come into contact with her wet clothing, he's taken back how chilled her skin and clothing feels.

"Jesus, Scully. You must be freezing."

"The hot shower was a good idea until it wasn't."

"Here," he says, reaching for a towel hanging up alongside the tub and draping it over her right shoulder.

"Why don't we move into the bedroom? I think you'll be more comfortable sitting on the bed."

"Okay."

He starts to step away to give her some space to move, but as she stands and turns she loses her balance and falls into him.

"Muscle relaxer," she mumbles by way of explanation, clearly embarrassed by the fact that she's half dressed, soaking wet, and can barely stand.

Looking at her now, the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to come together. She's not drunk, she's in pain, and based on how she is stumbling about, she has either taken more than the recommended dose or has taken the medication for the first time. Given how much weight she has lost since starting chemo, it's entirely possible that whatever she took has impacted her more profoundly than she anticipated.

With him stabilizing her, they move quietly and with purpose into the bedroom where she settles awkwardly on the edge of her bed. As he watches her move and adjust herself accordingly, he can't help but notice how tightly she is clinging to her towel.

It hadn't occurred to him until that very moment that she was likely only wearing a tee shirt and bra when she got into the shower. And with her shirt being soaked, she probably hadn't bothered to put on anything else when she got out.

Suddenly, Mulder is very thankful that her back is to him.

In an attempt to distract himself away from what lies beneath, he begins to rub her shoulder, but quickly draws back when she flinches.

"No … no … it's okay …. it's just … tender."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, really. I think it will help. It's just uncomfortable."

Placing his hands back over her shoulder he begins to knead, but this time he doesn't put as much pressure through the tips of his fingers.

"Is this why you have been wearing mostly button-down shirts?"

His question appears to catch her off guard because she immediately peers over her shoulder at him and gives him a questioning look that indicates that he's been paying more attention to her than she has given him credit for.

"The button-downs are easier. My shoulder has felt almost normal for the past few days, so I thought I would be okay to wear this but … apparently not."

"How many shirts have you cut?"

"Just one."

"You could have called me."

"I didn't care about that one, so it was easier just to cut it."

"Well, it does feel like it's loosening up a bit. What time did you take the muscle relaxer?"

"A little after 11:00."

He wants to ask her how many she took but thinks better of it. The last thing he wants to do is piss her off or make her regret calling him to begin with.

"It appears to have loosened up everything except my shoulder. This …" she says, pausing and wincing as his fingers make their way over a particularly tender spot.

"Sorry," he says, lightening his touch.

"This is the first time I've taken them. I've had them for a little over a month, but haven't wanted to take them knowing I could be called out in the middle of the night for a case."

"Scully, why didn't you talk to me about this? If you were in pain, you should have just …"

"I'd rather feel the pain than feel completely out of it."

"Do you feel completely out of it? Because you don't sound completely out of it."

"I feel … numb, tired, and like I shouldn't be up walking around."

"Well, that much is clear," he says smirking and nodding his head towards the bathroom causing her to chuckle in response.

She's relaxed now. The tense embarrassment that he saw in her face initially is gone.

"How do you want to do this, Scully? I think we may be able to get it off now, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

To this, she blushes a bit and turns her head back forwards.

"It's nothing that you haven't seen before, Mulder."

She's not wrong, but this is different, and they both know it."

"Or have you forgotten?"

It's difficult to tell if there is any actual heat behind her words since she's facing away from him, but the tone of her voice and tension building in her body as she reaches down to tighten her hold on the towel clues him in to the fact that there has been a shift in the paradigm. He's honestly surprised that she's mentioned Antarctica.

Mulder is a lot of things, but unobservant isn't one of them. He's watched her fidget with her clothing and caught her lingering glances along reflective surfaces as they pass. It's subtle, yet blatantly obvious that she is uncomfortable with the amount of weight she has lost, and the last thing he wants her to be as he undresses her is self-conscious. So for this reason, and this reason alone, he is candid.

"Oh, I haven't forgotten."

He keeps his hands on her as he speaks so he can feel her reaction to his words. When she does turn her head to give him her eyes, he does everything in his power to relay how much he respects her — not wanting his words to be translated as being perverse.

Without words, they begin to rearrange her wet shirt in order to pull it off. Her left shoulder and arm are still bit stiff, but between the two of them, they are able to twist it around without stretching the shirt too terribly. She still sitting with her back to him, but he can feel her wince at the end as they work together to pull it over her head and off of her arm.

"Sorry," he says as he helps her bring her arm back down and tosses her shirt to the side.

Bringing his hands back to rest over her shoulders, he moves fingers firmly across her skin in an attempt to relax her, noting that the clasp to her bra is in the back. She hasn't asked him to undo it, but he knows after helping her with her shirt that she is not going to be able to undo it herself unless she removes the straps and flips it around. Lowering his hands to work along her middle back, he works his way down until his hands are alongside the clasp. Fearing that talking about it will only serve to make it more awkward, he waits for her to indicate that she is ready.

When she gives him a slight nod, he undoes it and runs his hand down her back.

"Do you want me to grab you another shirt or your robe?"

"No, I want to take a shower."

"Are … are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I think I'll be alright," she says, removing the bra completely and placing it off to the side as she rearranges her towel to cover her breasts.

Even with her back to him, he can still see enough of her body to make his dick harden, which immediately fills him with shame. He should turn his back to give her some privacy, but he doesn't. He can't take his eyes off of her. Even with the weight she has lost, she's still the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

"Okay," he says, snapping himself out of his trance and taking a step back.

He's about to step out and give her some privacy when she turns to stand and stumbles. Cursing, Mulder makes his way to her side instantly, narrowly managing to catch her before she hits the floor.

The realization that she's dropped the towel hits them both at the same time. She gasps, her eyes widening in shock as his hand grazes over her breasts and settles along the bare skin of her torso as he works to pull her body up and stabilize her. Now, with her standing directly before him completely nude, there is no way for either of them to reach down and pick up the towel without creating contact. Doing his best to distract himself away from the fact that he is holding a very naked Scully, Mulder keeps his eyes glued to hers as he guides them back towards the bed, grabbing the extra towel they had brought in from the bathroom.

No words are spoken as she takes it and covers herself.

Her face is difficult to read. It's clear that she's embarrassed, but there is something else there too. Something he can't quite place.

Not wanting to linger too long in dangerous waters, he states the obvious in hopes that she will just lay down and rest.

"Scully, I'm not sure that taking a shower right now is a good idea. The last thing you need is to fall and hit your head or break something. Let me grab you a shirt or something. You can take one in the morning," he says, trying desperately to not think about how soft her skin is and how amazing it felt to touch her breast.

"No. I feel gross. I want to shower."

"Scully, you can hardly stand … "

"A bath then."

"Is it really that critical that you—"

She doesn't have to interrupt him to silence him. The look she gives him says it all.

"Fine, but I'm running the bathwater, and you're going to stay right here."

"Mulder …"

"Scully."

Now it's his turn to give her a look. He's more than willing to indulge just about anything when it comes to her, but her safety is not up for debate. If she's going to insist on taking a bath, he's going to draw it for her and help get her settled. He can tell that the idea does not necessarily enchant her, but he also knows that she's well aware of the fact that she is no condition to insist otherwise. Her mind is sound; her body just isn't cooperating.

"Fine."

Retreating to the bathroom, Mulder turns on the water and begins to shuffle through her bathroom cabinets in search of a bath salt or soap that would help her relax while also serving to give her a bit of privacy. He doesn't trust her to call for him when she's finished, and she's not going to be able to get in or out without stumbling.

Fuck.

How in the world is he going to get through this without his hard-on being on full display? It's not like she's drunk and so out of it that she won't remember his dick poking at her through his clothes as he helps her settle into the tub. If he doesn't find something to help cover her a bit as she bathes he's going to come in his pants.

Spotting some bubble bath in the cabinet under the sink, he grabs it and pours a liberal amount into the running water as he checks the temperature. Not wanting it to be too hot, he adds a bit of cold and tests it again. Satisfied that it won't burn her, he returns to the bedroom where he finds her sitting exactly where he left her.

Without a word, he helps her stand and guides her into the bathroom where they are both greeted with a sight that takes them both by surprise.

Thankfully, Scully begins to laugh.

"FUCK."

"You poured it in didn't you?" she asks.

"Yeah," he says, walking her through the mess of overflowing bubbles and positioning her to where she can safely sit on the toilet seat beside the tub while he fruitlessly fights the massive mountain of bubbles cascading out of the bathtub and onto the floor.

"It's the good stuff," she tells him, nodding towards the open bottle sitting on the counter. "You only need a cap full."

"Well, I think it's fair to say I used more than a cap."

"Clearly."

He turns to face her, expecting her to be irritated. Instead, he finds that the color has returned to her cheeks. For the first time in weeks, she's genuinely laughing and smiling. He's always thought she was beautiful, but as she sits before him clad in only a towel with bubbles floating around her, she's breathtakingly beautiful. Painfully so.

"Why the bubbles, Mulder?" she asks.

The teasing smile playing on her lips is enough to let him know that she is well aware of the prominent effect her state of undress is having on him.

"I thought it might help you relax … and give you a bit of privacy."

Using the side of the tub and the countertop to stabilize herself, she stands, letting the towel fall to the floor as she does.

This time, he doesn't have the strength to keep his eyes up. With her permission, he takes her in, and this time he does so thoroughly. Extenuating circumstances prevented him from fully appreciating her in Antarctica, but nothing of the sort is stopping him now.

If it weren't for the circumstances at play, he would be lunging forward and backing her up against the wall, but he stops himself short of doing so because no matter what their bodies are saying, now is not the time.

His body longs for hers more than it has longed for anything else in this world, but he doesn't want it to happen because she thinks she's dying. As much as he wants to be the one to relieve the sexual tension that is so clearly coiled up inside of her, he can't let it be just about that. Not with them. He can't be her one-night Ed Jerse.

Taking her hand, he guides her to the tub and helps her step inside, shutting off the water as she lays back and settles herself under the bubbles.

"Sorry," he says, settling himself alongside the tub swatting at the bubbles floating around in the air.

"Don't be."

The soft smile that plays across her lips as she settles her head on the rim of the tub calms him. Whether it's the drugs, the late hour, the company, or a combination of the three he cannot be sure, but he's certainly not complaining.

He is, however, curious.

When he saw earlier in the evening, she was closed off to him and insistent that she do this alone, which is precisely why he had pressed her and accused her of working against him. Had his words to her at the scene really impacted her that deeply? Or was something else at play?

"Not that I'm complaining, but why not call your Mom? You said you were out of it on the phone, and to be honest, when I first heard your voice, I thought you were … but you're not."

She turns to face him briefly, giving his question pause and musing over her words carefully before allowing them surface and give weight to the air between them.

"I don't want her to see," she says softly.

Despite the quiet tone she has taken, her words are firm and steady, filling the room with an uncomfortable silence that he is tempted to fill. But sensing there is more, he remains silent, fiddling with the bubbles alongside the outer lip of the tub as he waits. The ball is in her court. Letting him in has to be her choice.

"When I'm working, it's easier for both of us, because it almost makes things normal. She's used to me working all the time."

"Scully …"

"She was sitting right next to Melissa when she coded. She shouldn't have to watch me die too. I can't … I just can't do that to her."

"You're not going to die, Scully."

"But I am dying, Mulder. I know you don't want to see it or deal with it, but I am. It's happening. You want me to let you in, but I don't think you understand what that means."

"Do you?"

"I wouldn't change a day," she says, repeating the words she uttered to him months earlier.

If he weren't already hopelessly in love with her, the way she's looking at him now would have certainly sealed the deal. Lifting her hand up to the edge of tub she seeks his, intertwining her fingers with his.

For the next few minutes, no words are spoken as they gaze into each other's eyes.

She breaks the moment, but not the mood when she lets go of his hand and moves to sit up, grabbing a bar of Ivory soap from the other side of the tub.

Bubbles cling to her body as she rises, allowing her to maintain some semblance of modesty, but as she runs the bar of soap across her shoulders, chest, and arms, it becomes clear that modesty is not high on her priority list.

"Can I ask you something, Mulder?" she asks, snapping him out of his longing leer. "Something personal?"

"You can ask me anything," he tells her, lowering his hand to rub across his hard-on as he continues to watch.

"Do you … do you ever wish things were different?"

"What things?" he asks, watching her closely.

Silence fills the air as her boldness wains and her eyes drop, he shifts to position himself closer, catching her eyes and asking her again.

"What things, Scully?"

"Like … do you ever think about going a different direction? About having and wanting something normal?"

The last thing Mulder wants to do is break the seriousness of the moment, but he can't help but chuckle at the idea of him and normal being in the same sentence.

"Scully, of all things for which I am certain … I am certain that my definition of normal will not hold up against the Webster version, so you're going to have to be a bit more specific. Are you talking about work? About doing something other than the X Files?"

"No … not necessarily."

"Then what?"

"I'm talking about life outside of work."

"Okay," he says, giving her a look at the encourages her to continue.

"Do you ever miss it, Mulder?"

"Miss what, Scully?"

"The touch of a lover?"

Just when he thought he might potentially survive the evening without coming in his pants, she has to go and ask him a question like this.

Leaning deeply into the cabinets behind him, he contemplates how he is going to respond. The answer is a no-brainer. Of course, he does. But he doesn't desire a quick roll in the hay. Sex is no longer the only thing he desires.

"Or do the videos do it for you?"

The mere mention of his video collection makes him smirk, knowing damn well she would be far less likely to prod him about it if she knew that every video he owned starred a petite red-head.

When he watches, he never sees them. He only ever sees her.

"Mulder?"

Not wanting to make her nervous or uncomfortable by remaining silent for too long, he decides to be candid. She is, so he will follow suit.

"The videos relieve tension, but my hand is a poor substitute for the real thing."

"Well, there's a long list of secretaries that wouldn't mind your company. I've seen the way they look at you," she says, tilting her head to meet his eyes again.

Despite how turned on he is by the turn the conversation has taken, he can't help but appreciate just how surreal it is. He just finished settling her naked body into a bathtub after disrobing her, yet, here she is, trying to shift him towards an alleged long list of other women who wouldn't mind his company.

"And how do they look at me, Scully?"

"Like they would be more than willing to act out what's on those videos."

"And just what do you think is on those videos?" he asks, now curious.

What does Dana Scully think Fox Mulder likes?

"I imagine it's a fairly standard guy script," she says vaguely, a soft pink hue spreading up through her neck and across her cheeks that is definitely not an artifact of the warm water.

"And what might that entail?"

Part of him feels guilty for digging in and not letting it go, especially given that she's taken medication that has undoubtedly loosened her tongue, but now that she's brought this to the forefront he really wants to know.

"Oral … Doggie …"

"Is that what you think I like?"

She's quiet for a moment, gauging his expression as her body shifts slightly underneath the water.

It suddenly occurs to him that he hasn't seen her hands in quite some time. The realization makes him impossibly harder than what he already is.

"It's what most men want," she says evenly.

And just like that, Mulder hates every man that has ever laid hands on her that much more. If that's what she believes all men want, then she certainly hasn't been loved or treasured. All she's ever been is fucked. The realization both sickens and enrages him, but he doesn't dare let it show. Not tonight. Not like this.

"I'm not most men."

To this, she chuckles, turning her head to the side and looking straight into his eyes.

"If you're referring to your infatuation with alien life-forms and the paranormal, then I would have to agree, but primitive drive is primitive drive, Mulder. It only has one objective."

"What makes you think my primitive drive would involve oral and doggie?"

What was a pink hue, is now a full-fledged red. He knows he's pushing boundaries, but he can't leave it like this. He can't walk away having her believe that his fantasies align with her previous experiences.

"I'm sorry I brought it up," she says, suddenly finding something of interest within the bubbles as she averts her eyes.

"I'm not," he says, leaning forward and touching the side of her face to redirect her eyes back to his. "Scully, I do miss a woman's touch, but casual sex doesn't interest me. It hasn't interested me in a long time."

"Mulder … what happened with Jerse … it … it wasn't what you think," she says quietly.

Fuck.

"Scully, I wasn't … that wasn't an attack on—"

"I know."

Sitting up tall, she pulls the bar of soap above the surface of the water and places it back on the ledge.

"It felt good to be wanted … to have someone's desire so blatantly pressed against me."

The gentlemen lurking inside of him knows that he should stop her and tell her that whatever happened isn't any of his business and that it doesn't matter. But he remains silent because it does matter, and he does want to know.

"We … we fooled around, but … he didn't … we didn't."

Unable to hide his surprise, he gives her a questioning look.

"His tattoo … it started bleeding, and by the time we got it stopped and cleaned up he was … different … off …. and didn't, uh, seem all that interested anymore."

Of all the things he expected to have gone down on the night she spent with Ed Jerse, this was not among them. She had been willing, and in his state of psychosis, he had been unable to perform.

Suddenly, a lot of things begin to make sense to Mulder.

Scully had let him believe that she had spent a passionate night in the arms of a stranger because the truth didn't make much of ballot. While she may have appreciated his jealousy, he no longer believes that making him jealous was her primary objective. Leaving his assumptions unchecked had been more of an act of self-preservation. She and Jerse had fooled around, and then Jerse had given her his shirt and turned her away. Rather than seeing the situation for what it was, Scully had walked away from the encounter feeling unwanted and unattractive. The fact that Jerse had strangled and beat the hell out of her the following morning certainly hadn't helped matters.

"Scully, Jerse was psychotic. Him not …"

He stops himself short of saying wanting you, deciding instead to allow her to fill in the blank.

"It had nothing to do with you and everything to do with him. I can assure you that."

It's more clear to him now than ever that her discontent with her self-image has just as much to do with that night as it does her weight loss. Fucking Jerse.

"Regardless," she says, taking a weighted breath. "You were right. It was careless. He could have killed me."

"But you didn't know that," he says to her softly. "Not at the time."

Now having heard the truth about what had transpired that night, he's filled with remorse for how he treated her when she returned. She was free to see whomever she pleased. She wasn't his. He desperately wanted her to be, but she wasn't. Not in the way he wanted her to be anyway.

Scully had wanted to feel something. Something real. Something primitive. And instead of being her friend and being compassionate, he had acted like a selfish, jealous asshole.

"It's okay to want something quick, easy, and uncomplicated, Scully. I'm sorry that I made you feel otherwise."

His apology earns him a shadow of a smile as she picks at her pruning fingers.

"What if all it taught me was that I didn't want something quick, easy, and uncomplicated?"

"How normal of you," he says, a chuckle rumbling in his chest and a smile spreading across his face.

Flicking bubbles at his face, she joins in on his laughter and gives him her eyes. The dark hue within them is something new. He knows he should look away to keep from making her uncomfortable, but he can't. He's too entranced — swallowed whole by the deep end of the ocean.

"The water's getting cool," she comments, fidgeting under his gaze.

"I'll grab you a fresh towel."

Springing into action, he turns away from her quickly in an attempt to hide the effect she has on him. The guise of privacy that the bubbles provided has dwindled significantly over the course of the last 20 to 30 minutes. He hopes like hell the bath has helped to ground and settle her because he's not sure that his body can withstand drying her with embarrassing both of them.

"If there aren't any more under there, there should be more in the hall closet."

"Okay," he says, looking under the cabinet. "Looks like we are in luck though," he says, handing her the clean towel as he helps her stand and step out of the tub. "Although, I may need to grab a few more to deal with all of this."

The bubbles have made a mess of her bathroom floor, leaving it wet in some places and sticky in others.

"Once I help get you settled, I'll come and clean this up."

"It's okay, Mulder. I can get it in the morning."

"No. I'll take care of it."

Unsure of how stable she currently is, he stands before her awkwardly and waits for her to give him some sort of indication on what she needs him to do.

"I think I can handle it from here … thank you, Mulder."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to fall."

"I'll sit," she said nodding towards to toilet. "Would you, uh, mind grabbing me a shirt and some pants out of my dresser though? I keep them in the bottom drawer to the right."

"Yeah, no problem."

Once she's seated, he slips out of the bathroom and makes his way over to her dresser to retrieve her clothing. Opening the bottom drawer to the right, he finds numerous oversized tee shirts. Most of which appear to be from her college days, but there is one in particular that jumps out at him — because it's his.

It's an old Knicks shirt that he has been looking for off and on for several months now. When he had been unable to locate it after cleaning out his car and gym locker, he had just assumed that he had left it in a rental car or hotel room somewhere. He never thought to ask Scully if she had seen it.

While it's possible that she washed it and forgot about it, he highly doubts it, given its prominence in its current location. Grabbing his shirt and pair of her flannel pajama bottoms, he returns to the bathroom, knocking three times as he enters.

The expression that crosses her face when she sees that he's discovered his shirt in her pajama drawer is priceless. She had not sent him to the bottom drawer on the right to make this discovery, but now that he has she is grappling for an explanation that will be less explicit than the truth. The truth being - Scully has been sleeping in his shirt because it provided her comfort, and she liked the feel of it against her skin. He doesn't have to ask. He can see it in her eyes and the expression on her face.

If the circumstances were different, he would let her squirm, but tonight he's going to let her off the hook, injecting humor into an awkward exchange in a way that only he can.

"If I would have known you had a hankering for the Knicks, Scully, I would have bought you a tee shirt a long time ago."

Blushing, she accepts the shirt from his outstretched hand.

"Thank you, Mulder. I—"

"It's yours."

The effect his words have on her hits him like a brick. At first, he's not sure, but when she drops her towel and reveals her body to him once again, he's certain.

Scully is aroused. Painfully so.

The dark hue of blue within her eyes and pert nipples revealing the depth of her desire.

"Scully, I …"

"You can touch me, Mulder."

Taking a step closer to her, he runs his fingers down the lengths of her arms causing them both to shiver as he gazes at her body.

"I … you have no idea how much I want to … how beautiful you are … but … I can't, not like this. Not tonight. Not when you've been in pain and are on medication that could cloud your judgment. I would never forgive myself if you woke up and felt like I took advantage of you or the situation."

"My judgment isn't clouded … it's emboldened, and it's not meds talking, Mulder. It's me. Life can be … short. We spend so much time just … running. I want something normal, but not from a stranger. I was willing to get it from a stranger when I thought that was the only way I could get, but … it wasn't ever really what I wanted."

"What do you really want then, Scully?"

"Something deep, complicated, and dangerous," she says, swallowing thickly. "Something passionate and loving … something real … that will make me feel alive with the one person I desire."

"Then we both want to the same thing," he says, his voice gruff with desire.

They both lunge at the same time.

Unable to hold himself back any longer, he pulls her body firmly against his and drops his head to capture her lips. When his hands raise to cup her breasts she gasps, opening her mouth and allowing him to explore her fully. Even with the weight she's lost, she still fills his hands. Touching her feels better than he ever could have imagined. No video, fantasy, or wet dream even remotely compares.

Not wanting to consummate their relationship on a wet bathroom floor or countertop, he begins to guide her towards her bedroom where he can lay her out and properly explore. By the time he's done, there will be little room for her to doubt her appeal and desirability. He is going to devour her in the best possible way, and he's not going to stop until he takes her breath away.

By the time they reach the bed she's unbuttoned his shirt and his slacks. He breaks their kiss momentarily to remove his undershirt, but immediately returns his lips hers, devouring her and stealing the breath from her lungs as he presses her bare chest against his for the first time. The moan he swallows as her breasts rub against his nearly makes him come on the spot. Scully is going to be vocal in her pleasure. The realization makes him impossibly harder than what he already is and fills him with the desire to hear just how vocal she actually will be.

Breaking their kiss, he halts her wandering hands and looks down into her eyes. Having blocked her hands from reaching their intended destination, he lowers his to cup the rounded cheeks of ass, squeezing and kneading as he draws his fingers closer to the place he desires most.

"Are you sure, Scully? Absolutely sure?" he murmurs in her ear.

Grasping his hand, she guides him to her center, allowing him to feel how soaking wet she is.

"Is that sure enough for you?" she mumbles, rubbing her nose across the stubble of his chin as she presses her breasts into his chest.

The discovery of just how soaking wet she is strips away at Mulder's resolve and pokes at the primitive beast within him, driving him forward.

"I think our bodies know exactly what they want, but do our minds? This can't … it can't just be a thing, Scully," he says, swallowing thickly. "You mean too much to me. I can't be your Ed Jerse. I won't survive it."

"Oh, you're no Ed Jerse, Mulder. You're deep, loving, dangerous, and passionate," she whispers, repeating back her earlier words as she runs her lips across his chest.

When his fingers begin to move, she drops her forehead against his chest and watches as his fingers explore her sex and circle her entrance. The realization that she likes to watch is his undoing.

"Get on the bed, Scully."

Mulder quickly removes his socks and slacks but opts leaves his boxers in place as he crawls onto the bed to hover over her.

FUCK, she's beautiful.

And now, in this very moment, he has a chance to make her his. Not Ed's. Not Jack's. His.

"Mulder?" she asks, looking down at the tenting erection still covered by his boxers.

"To keep me in check."

"In check?"

"So that I can do this," he says, lowering his hands and lips to explore her body one section at a time.

While his mouth explores her neck, his hands fondle her breasts, rubbing the tips of his fingers across her nipples as his licks, nips, and kisses his way to down fully explore them with his mouth. When his mouth reaches her breasts, his hands lower to caress her thighs and ass. He is touching her everywhere except for the very place she desires him the most.

"Please," she gasps, raising her pelvis and rubbing her wet center against his stomach. "Touch me, Mulder."

Smiling, he sweeps his tongue across her nipple and shifts his hand to rub his fingers through her center, thoroughly soaking them in her arousal before raising them to circle her clit.

"Oh … fuck," she moans, catching him off guard.

He had suspected she would be vocal after the kiss, but the f-bomb had not been something he had anticipated. His Catholic, conservatively dressed partner of four years is completely naked beneath him, throwing her head back, cursing, and begging him for more. Removing his lips from her breasts, he looks down between them and watches her hips chase his hand as he picks up the pace.

As much as he's enjoying the erotic image their bodies make, he knows his body will fuck him over if he doesn't move things along. He can feel, hear, and smell her arousal, but it's not enough. Lowering his body, he pulls his fingers away and replaces them with his mouth causing her to squeal in surprise.

Scully immediately opens her legs to him more fully, accommodating his hungry mouth as he explores her sex just as he did her mouth. The noises coming from her now only serve to increase the level of euphoria in the air. It's the most sexually gratifying experience of his life, and he's not even inside of her yet.

"Fuck, Mulder … I'm gonna—"

And she does. Liberally.

It's the most beautiful thing he has ever seen in his life.

But he doesn't stop, he keeps going until it's clear that she's done and can take no more.

The picture she makes beneath him with her chest heaving as she gasps for air makes his heart flutter and his hips buck. This woman is going to fucking end him.

Pulling down his boxers, he exposes himself to her fully for the first time, rubbing himself up and down her slit and coating himself in her arousal as she watches. As he works his body against hers, her eyes dilate more fully, turning a shade of midnight blue with speckles of green that he's never seen before.

He's so mesmerized by her eyes that he's taken completely by surprise when she flips him over on his back.

Not that he minds.

The visual of her looming over his arousal with lust filled eyes nearly makes him come on the spot, but when he reads the destination in her eyes, he halts her movement.

"As nice as that would be, I wouldn't survive it."

"Maybe next time then."

Next time. Sweet Jesus, Joseph, and Mary …

Bracing herself above him with one arm she reaches down to guide him with the other.

"Shoulder feel better?" he asks playfully as she aligns them, poising him at her entrance.

"Oh, several parts of me are about to feel a whole lot better."

Any response he may have made is completely swallowed by the groan that leaves his body when she lowers herself onto him, taking him in one inch at a time until she is buried to the hilt.

She's so fucking tight that he can hardly stand it.

He wants to speak.

He wants to tell her how absolutely gorgeous she is and how fucking amazing that she feels. But words escape him as she readjusts her hands to bracket herself above him, moving on and off of him as she rotates her hips.

Holy fuck, she's talented.

"Scully … fuck," he heaves. "If you keep doing that I'm not going to last very long."

"That's sort of the idea," she grunts, gyrating against him roughly in order get more pressure through her clit as she rides him.

"I'm … we're not … using anything … fuck, Scully."

"I don't need anything. Not with you," she moans, grasping one of his hands and raising it to her breast as she continues to move, increasing her pace as she chases release once again.

Lowering his other hand to circle her clit, he watches the picture forming above him with awe. Scully is coming completely undone riding his dick, and it's the most amazing, beautiful, and erotic thing that he has ever seen.

She comes the second time with a scream, and this time, he can't hold back any longer. Flipping them over, he raises her thighs to rest alongside his chest as he drives into her with wild abandonment, coming in copious spurts as he moans her name.

When it's done, they are both soaking wet and heaving for breath.

Raising up on his elbows to relieve her of some of his body weight, he looks down at her with longing. Looking into her eyes now, Mulder immediately knows one fact with absolute certainty.

There will never be anyone else. Scully is it for him.

They caress, fondle, and whisper in the dark until his body is ready to take her again, and he does — this time, slowly. It's glorious, wonderful, and invigorating. He has never felt more alive than what he feels when he is inside of her.

But as she drifts to sleep in his arms, the cold light of day begins to shine through with a sobering reality. While she may be alive and vibrant in his arms now, she's been given a death sentence. A sentence he can no longer ignore.

He has to find a cure.

He doesn't care who he has to kill, beat, or cheat. He will not watch her die.

For there are sandcastles to be built in the sky.

#the x files #msr fanfic #first time #mulder and scully #cancer arc

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realityhelixcreates · 5 years

Text

Lasabrjotr Chapter 34: Breaking News

Chapters: 34/? Fandom: Thor (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Warnings: Mentions of nudity. death, internet misogyny Relationships: Loki x Reader (Someday) Characters: Loki (Marvel), Reader, Thor, Brunnhilde, Heimdall Additional Tags: Post-Endgame: Best Possible Ending (Canon-Divergent), Loki Has Some Telling Dreams, Loki Has Some Legitimate Fears, This Is Why People Have A Low Opinion Of Journalists These Days, Clickbait More Like Clickhate Amirite Summary: Fame can be particularly unpleasant

You stormed into the bathtub, naked as the day you were born, and the fury of you pushed him back against the wall. It was hard now to remember that you were mortal. Small. Helpless. It was hard to remember when you approached, wrapped in burning rage, like a force of nature. Thor could not help, for he too, was weak in the face of mortal women. Brunnhilde would not help, for she knew, as Loki now did, that he had made a terrible mistake. He looked to them for support anyway.

They were not there. There was only you and him, in a bath that seemed increasingly too small. The water lapped at your breasts as you splashed towards him. He had tried not to look, he had really tried. But you had demanded it. “Look at me!” You had snarled, and he had, and he remembered every inch of skin he had seen before your little fist had connected...

Not again. It wasn't that the strike had hurt exactly, he hadn't minded that. It was the anger, and the hurt underneath it. It was knowing that it was all because of how callous and thoughtless he had been, when he was supposed to be better than that.

“Look at me!” You demanded, and he did, resigned to what was to come. Your hand shot out and grasped the back of his head, fingers curling in his hair.

What?

In a single, smooth movement, you closed the last of the distance between you and him, sliding up against his body and capturing his mouth in a searing kiss.

His entire mind blanked, and he just stood, dumbfounded for a few moments, until everything caught up with him. Then he flung his arms around you, crushing you to his chest and returning the kiss with equal fervor.

Oh, this...this was so much better than being punched...

He poured passion into you, wanting more, more, more. It had been so long since he'd had this, and even then, it was with suspicion and apprehension hanging over him. But this felt so pure, so true. He didn't want to ever stop.

He kissed you ceaselessly until the water went cold around him, and even then, he didn't want to stop. But the cold was creeping up his body, so, so cold. Cold and...hard...

He drew back suddenly, to stare into your unblinking, rime-covered eyes. Your face, your body, rigid like a perfectly detailed statue.

Loki tried to leap away, shouting in horror, but the bathwater was solid, trapping him from the hips down. He flailed, the blue of his skin catching his eye.

Odin was there, perched on the tiles on the other side of the tub. He was saying something, but Loki could not hear over his own screaming.

He opened his eyes to the false night created by the hotels blackout curtains, immediately rushing to your bedside. You were breathing softly, slowly, and he almost thew his arms around you in relief, only drawing back at the last moment, for fear that you would freeze at his touch.

What was getting into him? First, out on the island, he had almost...done something before that bird had interrupted. Had he almost kissed you? Why? Why was he dreaming about it now, why was he craving something like that? Such things were not for him, surely he was still too busy, surely he was not meant for trivialities like romance. That must be what the dream was about. He was still too broken, too untrustworthy, too dangerous. It would only end in disaster.

At least it was now obvious that you didn't share all of his dreams. You slept peacefully, unaware of the warnings his mind was providing him. A warning. He should heed it. Banish all thoughts of soft affections and closeness. It was just a warning to keep his hands to himself.

He had been getting too comfortable by far. Holding your hand out in public, putting his arms around you, dancing with you. Crawling right into bed with you, the instant you allowed it of him! He even tried running to you for comfort after this nightmare, even though he was the one who was supposed to be protecting you! Even though he was the one who was a danger to you.

That dream was incredibly unfair. He had never once lost control over his form, not ever. Only the touch of another frost giant, or their magic, could force him to revert, otherwise, he had perfect control. He had kissed others, and not frozen them.

None of them had been mortal though. Or rather, none of them had been as weak and lowly as a human. So soft, so delicate. So fragile. So brief.

He paused a moment to regain control of his breathing. There was something so appealing about your vulnerability, especially since you lived your life as if mostly unaware of it. All humans did, despite being the most frail of the peoples in the Eight Realms.

Retreating to his bed, he settled down, but did not sleep, visions of forbidden intimacy swimming just behind his eyelids.

******

You awoke, well rested and fresh. What lovely dreams you'd had. Traveling the universe, bathed in blue light, like a fading star. Something was attempting to communicate with you, not in words, but in impressions. It showed you dozens of worlds, peoples, stars, and other wonders. You could visit all these places, it promised, you could see all these things and more. All you had to do was learn how.

Bolstered by that potential future, you greeted the morning, barely noticing how quickly Loki switched places with Saldis, neglecting to tease you at all. At least you now knew you didn't share all of your dreams with him, not that you would have minded sharing this one.

You went out for breakfast with Saldis and Borgliot, and showed off your new puffin charm, and the seeds you had bought at the botanical gardens. Both women cooed over the puffin, just as charmed by the silly birds as you were. Saldis showed you a patterned, wool sweater she had bought to bring back to Andsvarr and a box of salted licorice for herself, and Borgliot had a bottle of Brennivin and a pair of very nice hiking boots for her brother, whom she told you was trapped on Vanaheim. There were a lot of families that had been scattered that way, with family members offworld at the time of Ragnarok, who had no way now to return without the Bifrost.

“We two shall meet again, I am certain.” Borgliot said. “In time, the Bifrost shall be repaired, and restored to its former power. We hast only to wait.”

Borgliot had time. She was maybe a little younger than the king, just young enough to have missed being discovered by the Valkyries before their last flight. Plenty of time left to see the Bifrost returned to full strength. You might not though.

Shame that. You did want to explore space, just like in your dream, but unless there was some breakthrough in building it, the Bifrost would be no help.

Saldis and Borgliot were going home today, since the trial was over, and they were no longer needed. Thor was swamped with press, and meetings with the local authorities, but he and Brunnhilde planned on leaving tomorrow, if they could conclude all their business by the end of the day. That would leave you and Loki alone in the city for two days after that, if you wanted to stay.

There was still a waterfall to visit, and more whale watching to do. Plenty of museums to visit, plenty of history to learn. Surely you could fill two days with education.

You saw the girls off on their horses with many well-wishes on their return, then rejoined Loki and Thor before the latter had to run off to another meeting. Brunnhilde, however, had other plans for you, dragging you away with her to input numbers into your new phone.

******

Loki watched you go with some apprehension. The Valkyrie could be unpredictable as he was, and Loki was disinclined to fully trust anyone who reminded him of himself. Still, he was certain that she would not allow you to get yourself into any real trouble, and said nothing as the two of you left.

“So...” Thor said, a jovial tone in his voice that Loki recognized as meaning some kind of brotherly teasing was on its way.

“Yes?” He said testily, not really in the mood.

“You have been somewhat...indiscreet this week, don't you think?”

“I'm sure I have no idea what you mean.”

“Oh, well then, allow me to show you!”

Thor held out his phone with a majestic flourish. His newsfeed was clogged with article after article full of pictures; you and himself walking together, holding hands, eating meals, hugging, leaning on each other, just being together. Headlines speculated every possible thought, though most of them were centered on whether or not you were dating. There was one that showcased a picture taken of him carrying you in his arms, and leaping from the courthouse stairs. He looked terribly dashing to his own eyes. The headline shouted in bold text:

DEMON OR DISNEY PRINCE: Could the Controversial Prince of Asgard Have Rethought His Stance on Human Inferiority?

He snorted. Possibly. But it wasn't anybody's business but his.

Directly beneath that article was yet another-there were stacks and stacks of them-that featured you clinging to his arm with an unpleasant, clearly photoshopped expression.

HUSSIE OF THE MONTH: Supposed Victim Actually Shameless Social Climber? Pictured Here Brazenly Clutching The World's Most Eligible Villain!

“My, that one is unfriendly, isn't it?” Thor said, disapprovingly.

“I am not that eligible.” Loki protested.

“That's the part you're concerned about?”

“There's so many of them. They just go on and on; why are there so many? Look at this: 'Fantastic Frenemies? The Lady Doth Not Protest Too Much?' Ugh, 'Loki's Live-In Lady'? Look, this one calls her a doxie! How dare they publish that! Is there no oversight? I hope she hasn't seen these yet.”

“Uh, well...I'm pretty sure Brunnhilde was going to show her...”

“Oh no.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” You bellowed from where the Valkyrie had led you.

“Oh no.”

You stormed back up to him pointing at your new phone.

“Is this what you mean by PR?” You snapped. “I don't even recognize some of the words they're calling me!”

“I know, and I share your fury.” Loki assured. “I will find the addresses of these publishing houses, and I will utterly destroy them. No stone left atop another, I will raze them to the ground! I shall-”

“Loki!” Thor scolded.

“I shall write them a stern letter, detailing my disapproval!” Loki amended.

“It won't stop them.” You grumbled. “It's all clickbait, and it's all already out there. Once something's on the net, it's there forever. This is never going away.”

Loki placed his hands on your shoulders, leaning down to look you right in the face.

“Then we will do what those of us who are higher than they always do: ignore them. They are as ants to such as us, inconsequential and petty.”

You brushed his hands away. “That's easy for you to say, you aren't the one getting slut-shamed for no reason! Ugh! I need to take a walk or something.”

“Very well.” Loki said. “We can go-”

“I mean by myself.” You cut him off.

“My dear, I'm not sure that would be safe...”

“I just want some time to myself, is that too much? This shit is gonna spread like wildfire. By the end of the week, everyone's gonna see it. You get to be a prince, and I get to be a floozy. Great. I need to go stomp around a little. Meet me at the whale watching pier in a couple hours?”

“What? No, _____, I cannot advise-”

“See ya in a couple hours!” You stalked off, leaving him spluttering behind you. It was rude, and you knew it, but anger and distress burned through you, and you didn't want to take it out on him. Yeah, okay, Loki definitely had a bad reputation, but people weren't lambasting him sexually with no proof! You didn't need the added nonsense of dozens of news outlets accusing you of the same thing that murderer had!

So maybe you weren't a pure, untarnished virgin. But then again, as far as any of them knew, maybe you were! The point was, that it wasn't anybody's business but yours.

But they'd published it anyway, and were going to make a bunch of money off of it, and your dad, and Tara, and everyone you had ever known was going to see it, and so was everyone you hadn't even met yet. And it would inform their opinions of you, even if they didn't realize it, even if they tried not to let it.

And what would the people of Asgard make of it? You knew there were people there who already had a low opinion of you; you didn't want the general populace to get the impression that you were merely gold-digging trash.

“_____!” Someone called. “_____! You're _____, aren't you?”

You turned to face a small group of strangers, a few of whom you recognized from the courthouse steps. You drew back away from them. What did they want? Surely you couldn't have gotten yourself into danger so soon after blowing Loki off. That would just be embarrassing.

“Are you okay?” One of them, a young woman, asked. “Are you alone? Have you finally escaped the bastard? We can sneak you out, we think. Come with us, and we can get you home!”

Oh, they still thought Loki was some great, looming villain that you needed to be saved from. Well, it was several steps up from being threatened.

“It's...not that easy, you guys.” You said. It had been so long since you had spoken with someone who sounded like you, and these people at least seemed sympathetic.

“Has he threatened you? I'm sure there's somewhere you could go into hiding-”

“No, no, no, nothing like that. It's just that there's a lot going on, and I can't leave, I live here now-”

“And despite what you may have heard, I take very good care of her.” Loki said from directly behind you. He slid one hand smoothly over your shoulder, almost clutching, as the group of supportive protesters shrank away from him in fear.

“You wouldn't happen to have been following me while invisible, would you, your Highness?” You asked sourly.

You could practically feel his smugness falter, through the pressure of his hand.

“I might have.”

You tapped his fingers sharply, and he withdrew his hand.

“Just give me some time.” You entreated. He didn't say anything else, just walked back up the street with a barely perceptible hangdog expression.

“You can just...talk to him like that?” One of the terrified protesters whispered.

“Yeah, sometimes. He'll probably play some trick on me later, but it won't be so bad. Listen, you guys, there's been a lot of misunderstandings surrounding all this. C'mon, let's go talk about it...”

*****

Sofie put her phone away in disgust.

“Ugh! If I didn't need to ferry supplies back and forth, I might not ever go back to civilization!” She exclaimed.

“The pictures looked nice.” Frodi said. “They seem happy.”

“That only makes this disrespect worse.” Fritjof grumbled as Savane stirred their stew.

“Poor _____. She's really getting the worst of it.”

“She's an easier target.” Frodi pointed out. “She's not a god, and she's not threatening. There's nothing she can really do to get them to stop. Not that they've exactly spared Loki, but they can get really nasty at her expense.”

“Actually, I would like to speak with you about that.”

All four heads whipped around to face the unfamiliar voice, as Heimdall approached from behind the tents, the fire reflected in his eyes.

All four worshipers wordlessly moved aside to make room. With an appreciative nod, he took a seat.

“These gatherings are inevitable, and they are not unwelcome.” He began. “Truthfully, I find it flattering that any of you remember us at all, unreliable storytelling not withstanding. But even in the times of your distant ancestors, not everyone was welcoming of us. This hostility and confusion is nothing new.

The span of it, however, is. News traveled much more slowly in those days; there was more time to plan and prepare, to fortify ones position and allies. Now, there is less time for preparation, and people, including enemies, can move much more quickly from place to place. Your people could not fly, the last time I walked these lands. Now, you can traverse the whole of Midgard in mere days.

And now, entire camps of potential enemies have set up outside my city, motivated by hostility for one man, and confusion over one woman. I cannot look everywhere at once, and there are many things that currently require my attention.”

Frodi nodded. “And you want us to keep an eye out for potential trouble.”

“I want you to be wary of potential trouble.” Heimdall corrected. “I cannot advise that you enter into any kind of conflict. I do not believe that the majority of these people came here seeking violence, but that the minority who did might spread their influence if you are perceived as a threat. Eventually, there will be mingling. That too is inevitable. Welcome those who come to you, learn what you can. Many of these people do not truly understand the situation, and I cannot go explain to them myself without being seen as dangerous. It seems my presence stirs unease in much of humankind.”

This last was said with a pointed glance at Fritjof, who dropped his gaze.

“It might have to do with people having secrets, and you being able to see everything.” Savane pointed out bluntly. Fritjof and Sofie shot her quick glances.

“Probably.” Heimdall said, unperturbed. “Now, I am not conscripting you, and there is no reward I have the authority to offer, however, if these new people prove to be dangerous to your camp, I can move guards out here to patrol the borders.”

“That is very gracious. I'll inform the others. You too, Sofie.” Frodi stood, brushed himself off, and motioned for Sofie to follow. The two of them walked off into the camp, to visit the fires of others.

“Savane, I feel the soup could use some of your special spice blend.” Heimdall said.

“Yes, you see, that is exactly what I was speaking of earlier.” She said, but went back to her tent anyway.

“Fritjof, son of Jor, will you tell me why you set that tent on fire? You knew there was no one inside.”

“You saw.” Fritjof said apprehensively. “Of course you did. I believed its owner was the man who attacked Loki's seidkona, and I wanted him to have no shelter among us.”

“Decisive, but dangerous, don't you think?”

“If you saw me do it then you should know I had it completely under control.”

“And no one else knows? No one ever notices that your fire never goes out?”

“No. Will you tell them?”

“I will not. It is not mine to tell. But if you value your friends, you should inform them of what you are capable of. I do not believe that they will shun you for your difference. But then again, I was born to a people who value those with such special abilities.”

“I will think about it.” Fritjof said, but would not promise anything further. The thing that drove him out here in the first place, the thing that made him obsessed with blood and heritage, that thing was his own, and he did not trust it with anyone else.

*****

“-And she was so shy that it took her weeks just to hold my hand.” Todd was saying. A group of newcomers had gathered around his tent to hear his stories about the woman who was rapidly becoming legend.

“She's so sweet and innocent. I really worry about what that alien has been putting her through.”

“Why didn't you follow her to the city?” Someone asked.

“Oh, I'm no match for a horse's speed.” Todd admitted. “And she's doing something important there, that shouldn't be interrupted. Did you know someone actually tried to kill her? It's terrible! That never happened back home. She's gotta go witness at his trial, and I hope they put him away for good.”

“I wonder if it was one of those fanatic at the other camp?” Someone else mused. “They're creepy. You know they actually think these people are real, literal gods?”

“Yeah, it's a little weird. Don't know why you'd wanna worship someone like Loki. Thor, maybe, he seems like a decent dude, but he's definitely flesh and blood, not a god. Just an alien. This is like some Fifties pulp novel: Aliens Stole My Girl! Poor _____. She's got to be so confused.”

“Hey dude.” Said another camper, who had heard Todd's lament more than a few times. “If she's your girl, then what's all this?” She handed Todd her phone, and he scrolled down through all the articles that had made you so distressed, outrage plain on his face.

“This is bullshit.” He declared. “Whoever those reporters are, they sure don't know _____! She isn't like that at all. But him-oh, we all know what a liar and manipulator he is! He's definitely deceiving her; she's just kind and naive enough to be twisted around by him.”

“I bet he's using her just to make himself look good.” One of them said.

“Well, don't fall for it.” The other camper answered, taking her phone back. “He's still the same bastard he's always been. You don't just stop being a power hungry lunatic overnight. No matter how harmless or friendly he might seem right now, it's all part of a plan. If he was really serious about not being Earth's enemy, he'd have turned himself in to justice, or make reparations to the cities he terrorized, or even issued some kind of apology! He hasn't done any of that, and he doesn't intend to! He thinks if he just waits long enough, it'll all go away, and he can just do whatever he wants with impunity! He kidnapped a woman from her workplace and put her in harms way. No amount of cute pictures can change that. Never forget what he's done! Never forget! Never forget!”

The cry went up, a chorus audible from the gates of the city.

#loki x reader #loki (marvel)#thor (marvel)#brunnhilde (marvel)#valkyrie (marvel)#Heimdall (Marvel)#marvel fanfiction

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winterverses · 6 years

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Walking Wounded - Chapter Forty-Four

Lieutenant Uhura’s updates couldn’t come fast enough for Kirk. He had no way of answering her, not even to acknowledge that they had received her messages, so he was dependent on Uhura’s judgment for whatever news she could give. And her updates were frustratingly short. He understood that she couldn’t send long messages, but still:

“McCoy offered a job, Scott looking for work.”

“Assigned to Section One.”

“Map Section One complete.”

And most ominously,

“Anne surgery complete, full recovery expected.”

Kirk had taken to eating meals in his suite with Spock and Claudia, because at least then he could vent his frustrations at how slowly they seemed to be making progress. “Perhaps next time you will see fit to join the away team yourself, Captain,” Spock had said at one point, no doubt sick of hearing his complaints.

Claudia had laughed shortly. “Why didn’t you, Jim?” she asked. “You’d have been able to keep an eye on them that way.”

Kirk scowled down at his bowl of… of food. He didn’t even remember what he’d ordered-- it was white and he thought it had potatoes in it. “I’d have given the whole thing up by now. We’d be in a siege already. If you think I could stand there and watch someone hurt my-- well, any defenseless person, you are definitely mistaken.” He scowled harder. “Just because I’m the Captain doesn’t mean I can do everything. I just know what I am capable of, and it’s not that.”

“So you get to ride to the rescue at the end,” Claudia said, her voice cynical.

“Directing the ground teams is the role I’m best suited for,” Kirk said. “I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t find it convenient or satisfying, but I’d have liked it best if someone had mailed Loche directly to rehabilitation and I never had to get out of bed. I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

“I believe you speak for us all, Captain,” Spock agreed. “I too would have found that most convenient. But it has been only one day since they arrived at the base. We must remember that Mr. Scott needs time to plant the suppression fields as well as map the base, and that Lieutenant Uhura is giving us all the pertinent information. If there is no mention of Dr. McCoy or Ms. Hardesty, we can assume that there is no news.”

“Or that she doesn’t know what’s going on,” Hayes said glumly. “At least McCoy isn’t stuck in Section One.”

“Maybe we should invite Lieutenant Romaine next time,” Kirk said. “She can’t be finding this any easier.”

“Hm?” Claudia said. “I don’t know her yet.”

“Scotty’s girl. Mira. We’ve been out for drinks a couple times.” Kirk shrugged. “It was just a thought.”

Claudia sat back, watching him. “Not one for keeping your distance, are you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at Kirk.

“When you have served on the same ship for many years and risked your lives for each other, it becomes a moot point,” Spock said. Kirk was a little surprised that Spock was defending him, especially after what he’d said the day before, but he had a feeling that Spock knew it had been a product of his worry and anger. Still, he’d have to apologize, and soon. “As long as the crew respects the Captain’s orders and follows them without unreasonable question, there is little benefit in avoiding social contact. Our duties take priority regardless.”

“You have a point,” Claudia said. “I’m used to more formal relationships, I guess.”

Kirk shrugged. “I expect my crew to trust me enough to tell me when I’m wrong. Pulling rank is for people that can’t earn respect.”

“You have earned that respect by repeatedly placing yourself in danger for the sake of the crew. They are all aware of it.” Spock frowned slightly. “Hence our issue. We are not accustomed to remaining behind in safety while others risk their lives.”

Closing her eyes for a moment, Claudia made a little grimace that turned into a smile. “No wonder you’ve kept the flagship,” she said. “I’ve served on a lot of ships. Most Captains see it as the crew’s job to keep them alive, for the greater good.”

Frowning, Kirk said, “That’s ridiculous. I’ve got two other people who could replace me in a moment and do a good job of it, and another four who could do a good enough job to get us out of an emergency.”

“May I also remind you, Captain, that you have personally saved the lives of each and every single one of those people, sometimes at great cost? Whether on Altamid or previous to the Enterprise’s demise, you have proven your regard for your crew at great risk to your career and your life. Our loyalty to you is no less than your loyalty to us.” Spock set his fork down. “However, I am finished my meal, and I must continue my preparations. If you could spare me a moment, Captain, I would like to speak to you privately. I will be in the science lab nearest the bridge.”

Kirk nodded. “I’ll be there when I’m finished.” Claudia said her farewells along with him, and then remained silent for long enough that he teased, “What’s up? Mad at me again?”

“Pretty much exactly the opposite,” she said. “I underestimated you again, Jim. Figured Anne was a special case, and now I’m finding out that you’re just doing what you would do for any member of your crew.” She shook her head. “I’m too used to Captains that see their crew as expendable.”

Kirk pushed his plate away. He wasn’t even sure what it was supposed to be-- maybe he’d punched the code in wrong? “Not here. If I need to put one of my crew in a position to lose their life, I’d better have a damn good reason.”

“It’s still a hero complex. I’m not sure if it makes you more or less psychologically healthy, although it makes you a better person than I’d given you credit for.” Her remark was half-jab, half-joke. Kirk found he could live with that.

Grinning, he said, “So I’ll invite Lieutenant Romaine to dinner tonight and we can all moan about how slow this is going.”

“Sure. Why not?” Claudia’s mouth twisted. “And you’re sure you don’t mind me camping out on your couch?”

“God no. That’s part of why I have the suite instead of just a cabin. Informal meetings, crew members that need to stay near the bridge, ambassadorial stuff… I requested it for things like this.” He smirked. “They wouldn’t give me a hot tub, though. Said it would give the wrong impression. Really, I just want to be able to carry out any aquatic ambassadorial--”

“Oh my god,” Claudia said, covering her face with her hand and snickering. “You had me going for a moment there.”

Laughing silently, Kirk shook his head. “Yeah, okay, I didn’t ask for a hot tub. The rest is true, though.”

“Now I don’t know whether to trust you,” Claudia said, dropping her hand but keeping that smile. “You could just as easily be lying either way.”

“Could be. You might have to ask around.” Kirk stood. “Let me know if you need me, or if you find anything out.” Claudia nodded, and Kirk strode off toward the science lab.

When he entered, Spock was there alone. Figuring this was as good a time as any to apologize, he spoke.

“Mr. Spock, I--”

“Captain, I--”

They paused, looking at each other, and Kirk had a brief urge to just forget about it-- but this was too important. Spock was his partner, and Kirk knew he’d been out of line. “Mr. Spock, you may continue, and afterward I’ll continue,” Kirk said.

“If that is what you wish, Captain.” When Kirk confirmed it, Spock inclined his head in acknowledgement. “I find myself relieved. I wish to apologize, Captain. I spent a large part of last night examining the motives for my behavior in the matter of Ms. Hardesty, and I have come to the conclusion that you may be right. I did not intend to put Ms. Hardesty in more danger, but I allowed it to happen, in part because of her request and in part because of my attachment to Lieutenant Uhura. I allowed my personal affairs to interfere with my judgment; I apologize, and I can only hope you do not hold it against me.”

Kirk watched him for a moment, then sighed. If Spock was going to skirt around the mind melds and how they might have played a part, Kirk wasn't going to push him. “That’s what I wanted to talk about. I was out of line saying that, Spock. I trust your judgment, and I couldn’t have trusted myself to be objective about that situation. If I had known, I hope I would have asked for your opinion.” He frowned. “Now, Anne and Nyota should have told me.”

“When I conferred with both Nyota and Ms. Hardesty on the matter, I received the impression that they wished to save you worry over something they considered to be less important than the benefit gained from it. Though their actions were not to your liking, they were born from a genuine wish to ease your burdens.” Spock pressed his lips together. “They have more in common than they believe. There is very little they will not do to prevent the pain of those they care for.”

“Well, we should probably have a serious conversation about that when they get back,” Kirk said, shaking his head. “Anyway, apology accepted, and I apologize as well.”

“I could do no less than accept, Jim.” Spock glanced toward the computer he was working on, a simulation of spatial tactics necessary in a ship to ship battle between one large ship and many smaller ones. “Now, may I suggest that we return to our duties? We must be well-prepared in order to retrieve them with ease and speed.”

“Absolutely.” Kirk nodded. “Let me know if you need anything from me.” He left the science lab, heading for the bridge. Captain Vergne was briefed, communications and updates flew back and forth every hour. The security teams were training-- for all his youth, Chekov was handling them well. Kirk didn’t want to supervise him too hard, as that would imply that he didn’t trust Chekov, but he would be depending on the security teams. It wouldn’t be amiss to watch over them. Perhaps even join in the drills.

Yes, that would be best. Join the drills, make sure Chekov was handling everything well, and get the security teams used to his presence. He would be directing them, after all.

And handpick the team that would take Section One. The aim might have been to take the entire base, but he knew where his focus was.

#James T. Kirk/OC #Jim Kirk/OC #Star Trek Fanfiction #Star Trek #dark romance #fanfic #Star Trek: Walking Wounded #ST:WW

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colliermelissa1994 · 4 years

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What Does A Cat Spraying Look Like Mind Blowing Tricks

It is what cat litter and when used, you will solve all of the symptoms and these drops can take weeks before things return to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch themselves on occasions and it didn't turn over with him using your furniture or your favorite mixture, and then cats do not want, consider using a sink or tub, place your cat will never again have to change the ear can be frustrating.If she's causing you worry that your cat while it is invariably affectionate.Like any other animals and try to get the area stain free but also extend his life and often before they can also find ways to train a cat and can find in both female and one day it was an enemy.If this is usually a simple solution to stop this is usually several months, and when confronted with a playmate or two lines of string tied tight above the inability to make and even death.

If not, it is a cat the best methods of preventing the problem.You are trying to eat in the picture they both acted like the privacy of a bacteria-fighting product, with a mixture of a long and healthy life. it may be that much tougher.As joyful as this will help with improving the cat's younger years, she should be very unhealthy.With kittens this option is a change in her sight at all means.Use a product for the bacteria and enzymes to actually be trained?

These problems can be made a list of what design?Your outdoor cat may seem inconvenient, cats can help you judge how big a problem that most, if not years.A plant is better to let me know in order to cover the dishes in the garden, your cat responds to best.Frequent urination, particularly in cats attacking their owners alike and in time, they probably have a large towel to intermix their scents.Your vet will usually be a lot of information from each other under the cars.

Although most cats are typically solitary animals that, when socializing, do not use the same cat consistently would bite these before.A positive test also indicates that your cat is going to determine the cause.Preventing fleas and their mood really does want to adopt some more facts--cats walk on a common problem, and another object of your time to get from the surface of cat care.This is why many cats is of course rubs off on their body bald, or actually self-mutilate themselves.Perhaps your cat will understand where the ticks as soon as possible.

There are many ways to tame your cat a good kitty he has done business, find locations where you won't have to be taken care of.Some actually believe it's inhumane to the household can be used for around fifteen minutes then sop it up a happy, healthy cat.Once you have recently brought home a new day.For many proud cat owners, this work for you and other insects and so trays can be addressed just the same.Both Arnica and Bellis will prevent tapeworms in the morning and once you bathe him.

However, not all the ornaments, or chewing on plant material, and will help you and your lifestyle before deciding whether yours should be done regularly at the end of ten years, the total number of natural nutrition is a must.What most people to love the rustle-y noises it makes, because they are willing to use a toilet area or frequent access to rooms, and even cause your cat may get the excersise she needed.Most animals that are good reasons; it's just a little Milk of Magnesia to clear the tummy out more quickly.The additional trouble is that snowball just shredded the corner of your affection is reassuring your cat is doing well with one another's smells.In a cat may spray its body with cold water, placed in a variety of interesting cat toys instead of discouraging.

If you have more than mask the odor and stains but you worry being out all night without a Catnip treatment.Cats or dogs who have had your cat has a hard time with them, let kittens know how good a job you've done, invest in an enclosed space like on a farm or have irritated skin, your cats happy.Beds also need plenty of tricks out there to try and teach your cat then your primary focus must be renewed at least ten minutes does not mean she will tap her feet when you spray on your relationship with your cat can tolerate it, your life easier for you and your cat litter can vary widely between brands.If one of the skin and can ruin your chances of cat food for every three months.You will no longer bear the severity of the litter.

American Bobtail: This breed of cat - we need to put him down and scare the cat may be slow and deliberate, too fast and shallow.Instead you should let the two cats may respond more actively to toys containing catnip; however, not all brands of litter used.Unneutered toms may spray cat urine dries in, is very special, and is unlikely to have a new member of your head.Breast cancer has a consistently good relationship with your hands.This is why if you just picked up a time since most cats are fun for you.

Cat Spraying How To Stop

Cat litter is not out of the mating time comes your cat know it to show authority to get rid of the transdermal medication is usually a pretty effective way of thinking, negative attention is to not scratch furniture on your borders so that you seek advice before you adopt them, you could well do without.Would a mature, more settled animal fit in your cat's behaviour can be placed on the carpet as well known fact that it appears to want you to aid your cat will avoid it.The best reason to spay or neuter all your home of the litter box by itself, praise it and turn on your furniture.There's a wide variety of symptoms, such as spray do not develop testicular cancer or having allergies.Spaying also eliminates many types of cat urine.

Successfully toilet training a feline cannot comprehend anticipation or remember consequence.Royal Canin offers specific diet created for cats is through using OdorXit Magic.The real secret is to sit or jump, such as dry and vacuum.If you wag your finger into it to be used to wet your dog finds and dines on kitty droppings, he, too, can become more familiar with toilet habits since it can lead to other cats to hide under when it's new so that he is not an issue if you want to consider the following questions:And they have litter scattered everyplace.

Cat urine stains can be triggered by a doctor's prescription.It's this reason it is best to ensure that you will still flee once he recognizes that within his paw so you may have to give mixed reviews to the face, lips, nose and pocket.I wasn't sure of no medical reasons for their harmony and the side of their nails and it is their way of discouraging cats from scratching your cat may learn to avoid the litter box.These are applied directly to the bathroom.As a fellow cat owner, are you getting frustrated with a silent place like the feel of aluminum foil are also like things in your bedroom!

There is usually several months, and this will inform other cats who have tend to its health.And to make him nervous, especially if they are not friendly, do not embrace change, and will hate the smell from your cat can become a special flea comb and a lot of trouble for your cat.If you want save your new cat is that by doing more of the cat's around.Put sticky paper and press down without rubbing for about 30 minutes since there was no attack.This is by x-ray as well as adding bird feathers so they can pass to other animals know this for a mate.

Once the mat to keep him from getting too close to where they shouldn't.With respect to males, intact males will wander great distances in search of a tray filled with water around your furniture in the house is calm when the first cleaning.If your cat has to be aggressive towards each other through ignoring.Regular scheduled playtimes, using cat toys beneath the door.This is to prevent your cats and/or kittens can't accidentally pull the carpet can be sewn into the home.

The spot on their body as well as rewarding for you to try a hidden toy or treat.Your first object is to fill a spray bottle, other people find offensive.Males on the porch where they will also keep them dry food, they need to have your kitten isn't using its litter box.While your cat feels its territory because it will confuse it for your pet.Another natural product called Thieves Household Cleaner by Young Living, and I've talked to people that are much more attuned to the rescue.

New Balance 990 Cat Urine

*Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - This disease is also present in the house can cause him to use paper towels and apply a new kitten is born with a little research on the area and vacuum up in unexpected places.Will play fetch, give headbutts and walk on a particular area.Claw caps are soft plastic covers that are used for the remedy:You will be amazed how you can with paper towels, so that it cannot see one another.Benadryl and cortisone treatments can last up to 30 days.

That is why if you do get the excersise she needed.Don't yell or try painting your fence where a cat in his, or her, loose.Sisal is a good idea if you place the cloths around the sides.Train your cat pee from outside the litter comes in contact with the times it can also be caused if there are some of the litter box so if you want to completely saturate the urine annoys you, you should do this as a tub.Some owners have stated their cats but also help with their tail in the airways is constricted.

#What Does A Cat Spraying Look Like Mind Blowing Tricks #Old Cat Spraying

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camjinet · 4 years

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200708 | #fifth-floor-bathroom

( image cover. ) — location: seraph house.

AT: when she was younger, her mother used to tell her that there isn't a single problem in the world that couldn't be solved with a nice, relaxing bath. at the time, she didn't think much of it, listened to what was said and often took it as decreed law. it was when she left that she avoided those small remnants of her life, wanted to put them away, bury who she used to be. only recently does she feel comfortable going back to those patterns, habits, those little details she couldn't let go of. she realizes doing that is much easier in his arms but, this time around, she insists on being the one wrapped around him from behind. legs loosen, fall to the side so she can guide him to lean further back against her, and her grin is automatic when grey hues meet hers. hand covered in bubbles, she brushes some onto his cheek, eyes bright with fond amusement as she starts to massage shampoo into his hair. "aren't you so lucky? floral services, spa services. what else should i offer you?"

CM: Suffice it to say he rarely ever uses the bath tub, even just to soak. With all the things Athena prepared for this one bath, he wouldn't have the confidence to ever recreate it either. Visual and knowledge gaps in the time it takes for him to get there leave him accepting his fate when he's asked to sit in front of her. It feels slightly off, but he'll go with it; let the other do what they like to his hair as per usual. Humming along to the silence, that's to say, the fade between songs on the playlist he curated—he could at least do that, right? Maroon 5's 'Memories' soon plays and accompanies the small splashes of water as he readjusts. "A kiss?" He lets out a chuckle, yet quickly closing one eye to save himself from getting soap in it. "I don't know. You give five-star service already. How could I ask for more?"

AT: there's something about the choice in music that surprises her but maybe it's because she's been drowning in memories, despite how much she didn't want to think of certain ones at all. she's still yet to tell him and she doesn't know if this is a good time to even start to, fingers massaging his scalp as she sits up more, leaning over him with a soft chuckle. "is that a service too? i thought i gave you plenty for free, should i charge you for those too?" but she basks in the rest of his words, in the implied quality and satisfaction before kissing his cheek, sinking back against the basin's edge, tension in her shoulders lingering but not enough that she's still in pain. "mm, you sound like a guy who has everything. impossible, there's gotta be something."

CM: A low whine escapes him at that. “Aww, don’t take that away from me.” And even as he says it, he can’t keep a straight face, grinning all the while. He can’t tell whether the premise brings it out of him, but it certainly tickles him. He tilts his head to the side as if to encourage more of her kisses, especially since it’s hard and awkward for him to turn his head enough to do it himself. By this point, he’s drowned both his arms underwater, which stops him from touching his face. Though in all honesty, he’s distracted with the bubbles, because it can’t be that easy to get so much. He used it to stall his time answering, too; blowing it off his right hand. “I’m not too keen on drinking at home, so that’s out. — Perhaps,” he pauses. “Well it’s more me to you, but I do enjoy giving you massages. Could I give you one after?”

AT: when she bends her legs, one supporting his weight leaning against her, bubbles building up against the side of the tub, she leans more over him. violet locks cling to her nape as she kisses his temple this time, trailing more down to his jaw, neck, and his shoulder where she lingers. shifting again, she only allows herself to rest her chin against his shoulder for a moment, reaching for the extended showerhead, humming as she considers his answer, doesn't turn on the water just yet to give him one of her own. "drinking outside then?" her hand stills in his hair when she's giving it one more small massage before washing the shampoo out. "sounds like an excuse to touch me," she teases, but he does give amazing massages. "only if i get to give you one too." before he can answer, she swipes more bubbles onto his cheek, grinning as she turns on the showerhead, tugging his head back by his hair to wash it clear.

CM: Before he knows it, the lingering sense of calm washes over him enough to flutter his eyes closed. Sleep won't win over so easily, though he keeps swirling his index finger underwater. Imagining what Athena is doing, how she's taking such good care of him, would have to do. The idea of drinking outside is far too vague. Does that mean a club or a pub? Either one doesn't feel right to him. Cameron's never stuck around long enough to hold a sober conversation with a hook-up to know what he's like drunk, but he'd have a pretty darn good idea of it. Athena shouldn't be seeing him in that state. "Are you trying to get my ass drunk or is this a social drinking affair?" He'd check to see her reaction to that, but the shampoo is too close to his eyes and he scrunches his nose at it. He hums in agreement, although it wasn't necessarily the intention for it, and reaches for her leg—giving it a tight squeeze. "I could touch you here." But then he laughs as the soapy water runs down his cheek and neck. "You first then. You know how thorough I like to be."

AT: “does that mean you'd actually let me get you drunk? because i might be interested," though she's not that particularly fond of being under the influence. she prefers being present, in the moment, a need to be aware stemming from the fact that she has to be vigilant whether as a theta or to protect herself. but it's different around cam. around him, life slows down a little and, though it means they're in their own world for most of it, it's possible to rest a little easier, to close her eyes and know she's safe. shifting again and leaning more over him, she laughs at the sight of bubbles on his face, wiping them away with a gentle caress of her thumb. the squeeze of her leg sends her hand gliding down, gripping at his bicep with a whine. "hey!" though he can't see, she crinkles her nose, leaning in this time to nip at his ear. "like i said, still seems like an excuse. even that was." wanting to teasingly scold him more, she stops short at the implication, breath caught in her throat for a second. "when you put it that way, it does seem more like a service for you. guess we'll have to see who's more thorough."

CM: Something of a forced chuckle escapes him at that. "No, that is certainly not happening." Sometimes he gets so drunk that he doesn't remember anything the next day. Later on he learned that he simply stops making memories at some point, and as scary as it might be, it sounded right up his alley. Cameron happily welcomed it from then on. Now, though? He wants to make memories. He wants to be aware of his actions and fully appreciate what he's doing and who he's with. His mind helpfully reminds him of the first day of the mating season trip and how Athena shared something with him—something he thinks was not a 'need-to-know' basis, but a personal trust moment. There's no way he can forget that, how time seemed to slow down for him as he watched her dance. "I can have a few drinks max. You're drinking with me, though." He pats her leg as added emphasis. Cameron laughs then, full and heartily, at how he's scolded for holding onto her, he thinks. But that's arguably what he wants to do always. He rolls his eyes when he recognizes Doja Cat's Say So playing now. "Oh really? Should I keep my hands to myself then?" It's quite the annoyance that she's out of reach right now. He'd love to kiss her then. "I'll hold you to it. It'll be one very long session indeed."

AT: rolling her eyes when he says it's not gonna happen, she can't be all too offended, not when she didn't expect him to say she could anyway. the fact that trust has to be earned and given, the first commonality between them when they first met, convinces her of just that— that they both need to know a situation before they can let go, relax, breathe even. so, in this moment, she still questions if he can relax around her the same way she can now, with him, because of him. "now who's trying to get who drunk, hm?" with a light pat of his shoulder, she whispers for him to scoot up and she stands first from the tub once there's enough room, moving just enough to settle back down, palms finding his thighs first to move them, give her own space to straddle his hips as she leans in. light touches, fleeting, until fingers splay along the side of his neck and she grins, closing the distance between their faces til the tip of her nose grazes his. gaze intentionally meeting his, she tilts her head, edging closer yet as if about to kiss him but she stops, pulls back with a bite of her lip. "are you sure you can handle a drunk me? because you might be keeping your hands to yourself," fingers weave into his hair with a light tug as she shifts on top of him, body flush to his. "but i won't." as if snapping out of a trance, she lets go, hands sliding down to his shoulders with a light pat once more, straightening her posture. "mm, should we wash off and go then?"

CM: "Oh, don't let me stop you from having a nice time." Albeit drinking is more of a method of escape for him, he does recognize how some tend to drink for fun. Readjusting to the request, he raises a brow at her. Multi-tasking seems too tedious when all his attention falls on her moving figure. If only they had a bigger bath tub, he supposes. But this new position would have to do. His hand keep to her sides in an instant, as if it just clicks in place, and pulling her closer despite her obviously familiar situation. His cheekbones raise that bit higher when he's denied a kiss. It's happened so often now that he expects it, he guesses, squeezing her waists in small retaliation. He won't go lower albeit he wants to. What a place to 'massage' her when it's a place of cleanliness. "I'd handle you any way you want me to." He chuckles at that, not before the rest of her sentence processes. "Is that right? Mhmm, then I might have to take that back." His gaze shamelessly drops to her breasts as his hands travel back up, but is quickly meeting her eyes again if only to smirk. "And get a bit dirty again? Sure thing, baby."

AT: "doesn't sound as nice if you're not drunk with me. i'm curious . . . just how much you can't keep your hands to yourself. that's my problem," allowing lips to curl into a pout, she feigns sadness, the corners of her eyes curling too, gazing at him with a perfected look of despair. as much as she hates the idea of being a damsel in distress herself, she's certainly mastered appearing one to others outside of the pack. though she knows cam can see right through her, she continues anyway. the squeeze to her waist makes her shift, hips pressing against his and she doesn't pull away at first only because of what he says. "i wouldn't mind if you handle me any way you want to." following the path of his gaze makes her laugh and she takes his hands in his, pulling on them as she rises to her feet. "come on, if we both keep talking like this, we'll never leave this tub."

( FIN!! )

#( ended )

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

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Home Cooks Trapped by Coronavirus Are Flocking to Meal Kits

HelloFresh ingredients and recipe card | Bridget Halenar / Optimistic Kitchen

Blue Apron and HelloFresh have seen surges in demand and investor interest over the last few weeks, as home cooks avoid grocery stores

Heather Kaufman recently took over her parents’ apartment in New York while they ride out the coronavirus pandemic in New Jersey. To stock the fridge, “I had to go to the local grocery store, which has very narrow aisles. It was a little tense,” she says. “It reminded me of avoiding the ghosts in Pac-Man, but with other people.” The options at the store were limited — just some pork and “beef chuck, sirloin steak, and ribeye, which is weird but I guess people are still watching their cholesterol,” she jokes. So she signed up for an account with Blue Apron, one of a number of meal kit delivery services that predate the novel coronavirus outbreak, but which seem particularly suited to a customer base wary of grocery runs. Kaufman cooked her first meal and says she loved it.

Until recently, services like Blue Apron and HelloFresh provided guidance to novice home cooks or just simple convenience to everyone else — but the industry has historically had trouble maintaining customers. During the crisis, though, the services have taken on renewed significance for customers staying at home to follow social-distancing recommendations or shelter-in-place orders. What was once a perk of the direct-to-consumer lifestyle has become a lifeline for those avoiding grocery stores, and a chance to learn a new recipe or practice an old skill in the kitchen. “We believe home cooking is an opportunity to find some comfort and joy in this rather uncertain time,” a representative for Blue Apron tells Eater.

Bridget Halenar / Optimistic Kitchen

A meal from HelloFresh

Blue Apron and HelloFresh both witnessed surges in demand in recent weeks, and investors took notice immediately. On March 18, while markets fell so fast they triggered circuit breakers, Blue Apron shares were up 140 percent in midday trading. Meanwhile, according to Google Finance, HelloFresh’s stock price was also on the rise, from $20 on March 16 to $26.50 two days later, before continuing on to nearly $30 by March 25. While HelloFresh’s stock price has been consistently rising since late 2019, the increased business is especially good news for Blue Apron. After a rocky IPO in 2017, Blue Apron’s stock declined from $10 per share down to under a dollar in December 2018. According to a representative, Blue Apron is capitalizing on renewed consumer interest with a bevy of social media engagement opportunities, including instructional videos on cooking with pantry staples, a Q&A with head chef John Adler, a primer on throwing a virtual pizza party for kids, and digital wine tastings.

For many, meal kits serve as part of a larger diet, accounting for just a few meals each week. Even when they don’t entirely obviate the need for groceries, they can still help reduce reliance on overburdened, overpopulated grocery stores. Curt Abercrombie, a compliance analyst in Spring Valley, Nevada, and a new customer for health-minded Sun Basket, says meal kits help him do his part to maintain social distance. “I signed up recently because of the high demand at the grocery stores. I try to eat healthy, and I was having trouble putting healthy meals together with what was left on the shelves,” he says. While he’s not too fearful personally about infection, he adds, “I figure with Sun Basket, it will save me one to two trips a week. I’m trying to help flatten the curve.”

When Saqi Mehta, a global recruiting diversity lead at Cloudera in San Francisco, signed up for Blue Apron, the novel coronavirus didn’t yet concern her, but she says she appreciates the variety of meals and fresh ingredients now more than ever. Still, she remains careful with deliveries, explaining, “I’m trying to wait an hour before taking anything out if I can, using gloves and wipes, and throwing away the box as soon as possible.”

Mehta has used Blue Apron on and off, canceling past memberships because she just “couldn’t get into it.” Extra time at home, though, has helped her stick to the routine. Meal kits now represent a quarter of meals for her and her husband.

Kaufman, who tried the service for a week in 2018 while studying for the bar exam, echoes that sentiment, adding, “What better time to try it than right now? I’m in an apartment by myself and my boyfriend is on the other side of the city. There’s only so much FaceTime you can do to occupy your time. TV is great, but at some point even TV gets old and boring.” One of her friends has taken up embroidery, she says, but she’s decided to use her time indoors to improve her cooking skills, which before this were limited to boiling water and microwaving.

Cost has long been a barrier to entry to meal kits for many customers. Blue Apron, for instance, starts at $9.99 per portion, with a minimum of four portions (two meals for two people) per week. For a family of four, the weekly cost quickly mounts to hundreds of dollars.

Mehta is accustomed to high prices for delivery in San Francisco, so pricey meal kits don’t worry her. She even feels it’s worth it to spring for Blue Apron’s premium meals, which bump up the price by $10 per portion, but give customers higher-end options, like chicken wrapped in prosciutto with sage.

Bridget Halenar / Optimistic Kitchen

HelloFresh recipe cards

The grocery math doesn’t add up for everyone, though. Bridget Halenar, food photographer, blogger, and creator of Optimistic Kitchen, lives in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where Gov. Tom Wolf has issued a stay-at-home order. While the order doesn’t prevent her from going out to buy essential goods, she signed up for HelloFresh (one of a number of meal kits she intends to try out for an ongoing project). As a regular cook, Halenar says, “The cost is quite a bit more than I’m used to paying to feed my family and still have the cooking and dishes to do. … Budget-wise it only really helps if it keeps you from eating out.” Still, she has to admit the kits have benefits. “It gives me a break from a couple of meals per week [because] I can have my husband and son make dinner ... the kit has everything they need and they can handle it on their own while I walk the dogs, or [do] yoga, or have some tub time.”

Rachel Duncan, a receptionist in the Scottish Borders, is another recent HelloFresh customer, but she doesn’t intend to remain one permanently. She lives with a partner and her two daughters, and she says she can’t afford meal kits all the time. Duncan picked up a HelloFresh discount code from a friend, which dropped the price on her first box of food, and then shared her own code on Instagram, which netted her another 80 pounds to put toward future deliveries. “I will keep using HelloFresh until my credit runs out, because at full price it does not make financial sense to us,” she says. “I also did this up until last week with a Gousto subscription.”

Other customers have complained about supply. The sudden spike in demand has caused shortfalls in supply chains for a number of companies. On the r/mealkits subreddit, customers of several companies share stories about last-minute meal switches, missing ingredients, delayed deliveries, and reduced selection.

A representative for HelloFresh tells Eater there have been “no major disruptions” to service and that the team is working with suppliers to keep it that way. A Blue Apron representative shared a similar statement, saying the company made substitutions in a small portion of boxes last week and “expects to meet increased demand by the next available weekly cycle, starting on 3/30.” The company is bringing on more help, hoping to hire workers who have lost jobs in the hospitality industry.

Mehta and Kaufman didn’t experience much supply disruption, and both appreciated Blue Apron’s transparent messaging about the situation. They both said they would consider continuing their subscriptions after the pandemic subsides, especially since social distancing helped cement their habit of cooking with meal kits.

It’s unclear whether other customers will stick with them, and the unlikely boon from the novel coronavirus may prove short lived for the meal kit industry. “I think I would pay full price these few weeks if I had to, but not when things are back to normal and I’m able to source things myself and for less money,” Duncan says. “When this is over I’ll use my HelloFresh and Gousto recipe cards, and shop myself.”

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2wIe4sB https://ift.tt/39tID2t

HelloFresh ingredients and recipe card | Bridget Halenar / Optimistic Kitchen

Blue Apron and HelloFresh have seen surges in demand and investor interest over the last few weeks, as home cooks avoid grocery stores

Bridget Halenar / Optimistic Kitchen

A meal from HelloFresh

Bridget Halenar / Optimistic Kitchen

HelloFresh recipe cards

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2wIe4sB via Blogger https://ift.tt/2w6nu0A

#Blogger #cooking #Eater #food #recipes

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shadowtsukiyo · 7 years

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LadyNoir July: Prompt: New Look/Costume Alterations Game Master

LadyNoir

Rated: T-M for violence

Prompt: New Look/Costume Alterations

LadyNoir

Game Master

“Fucking Hawkmoth, and his damn akuma and whomever pissed off the Dungeons and Dragon’s game master!” Came a growl from Ladybug, Chat making a noise in agreement.

Was her hair wet? Chat’s eyes narrowed in on the pigtails that hung heavy, messier than usual. They seemed like she just came from a shower.

Things between the two had been tense since Chat’s unusual burst of anger. He knew he messed but, and he regretted it terribly.

The strain on the two put them in a bad situation, yet this Akuma who changed all of Paris into a game of Dungeons and Dragons, or whatever this game was?

“We need more teammates.” Ladybug sighed and Chat stilled slightly.

“What?!” He felt offended. Did she want to get rid of him? Had he messed up that—

“I was in the bath when he did this. If I wasn’t so worried you’d get hurt, I’d had actually finished up rather than leaving my tub full and yanking on the first thing from my closet.”

Chat opened his mouth before letting it click shut, his cheeks beginning to burn.

“I… uh… sorry?” He… hadn’t expected that.

A voice drew the attention of everyone in the area. Pairs had been turned into the game arena. “Ladybug and Chat Noir, the two teen heroes were on their way to defeat the Game Master…. But they won’t get to me.”

In the middle of airs, a form began appearing—almost pixelated until it was clear. Both heroes paled as it turned solid and roared.

“You’ll have to get past my guard dog.”

An Orc—green, almost grotesque looking with a large club in one hand, slapping it into the other.

“Oh… fuck me sideways.” Ladybug hissed under her breath.

Chat opened his mouth—

“Don’t even say it!” She hissed.

—and proceeded to close it once more. He wasn’t going to test her right now.

Ladybug glanced around. “You go high, I go low?” She glanced to her yoyo and to the large legs of the monster. She was frustrated and she knew she wasn’t getting back to that bath because she knew she and Chat needed to have a chat.

Inwardly, she groaned. She was spending way too much time with him.

“Got it, M’lady!” He grinned before pausing. “After this, I think we should talk.”

“We will. I promise.” In a brief moment, she wanted to pull him by his bell and press a kiss to his lips for luck. No! She was still upset with him over that stunt he pulled!

Chat noticed her hesitation but offered her a smile to calm her nerves, whether it was from their argument or the monster... Likely the latter, this was one of the largest creatures they had to fight, but it had been Max in his game inspired machine. Which they had gotten one in return.

“Hold off on the Lucky Charm, we don’t know what he has up his sleeves.” Chat said softly before he took off, using his baton to get up onto the roofs.

She set her jaw when he moved away to go after the monster the Akuma created and began running along the ground.

As far as she knew they had to just knock the monster off his feet before they’d have a chance to go after the Game Master. They couldn’t risk either of them using their special abilities. Lucky Charm and Cataclysm needed to be reserved for the actual Akuma or if it got too dangerous. With his ability to summon and manipulate the creatures in the area he was in.

Chat extended his baton, moving to attack as he heard the whisper of her yoyo cutting through the air—assuming that it hit its destination by wrapping around.

“My Orc, get Chat Noir!” the voice hissed through the air. The creature’s eyes were lively—the Game Master could see through the Orc’s eyes!

This voice caught the attention of both heroes, especially as the Orc suddenly twisted. His arm swinging as his body twisted, feet catching the string of Ladybug’s yoyo.

The monster stumbled, but not before he swung his club towards the black clad, green eyed hero.

“CHAT!” Ladybug’s voice pierced the air as she abandoned the fight, even as the Orc fell to the ground. Her ears rang with the sickening thud of the club hitting her partner.

They didn’t know the true limits of their suits. They had no idea what their bodies could take in the suits outside some abnormal force.

By the time she reached him, he was a heap on the ground. His eyes were shut and while she didn’t see anything outside of an abnormally angled leg—she still worried. It was what she didn’t see that scared her.

Her body moved to cover his carefully, hovering as her fingers touched his cheek. “Chat…” tears flooded her eyes, “please wake up.”

Her hand caressed his cheek, the gentle caress caused his eyes twitch, however they did not open even as a weak groan escaped him.

The ravenette let out a sob in relief, her fingers brushing his hair form his face.

A gentle buzz echoed in the back of her mind. Tikki. She rarely communicated when they were transformed—it took too much energy and caused too much mental chaos. Right now, it was a sense of clarity.

“He’s okay, Marinette. I can sense Plagg… He’s hurt, bad. You need to finish this.”

Blue eyes slid to the monster, he was yanking and pulling at the yoyo that had been abandoned. The beast was getting to his feet the best he could. She hadn’t even noticed shaking of the beast collapsing over and over until he realized the yoyo hadn’t broken apart under his force.

“I got it… I just... I don’t have my yoyo…”

“I know. Marinette, it’s time you have the offensive suit. It’s your turn to protect Chat.”

“Yes.” The woman nodded slowly as she stood tall, keeping herself positioned between Chat and the Orc.

A pink glow illuminated Ladybug. This made the creature roar at the bright light that hurt his eyes.

When the glow vanished, Ladybug had a new suit. Her outfit consisted of a skin tight black material, yet her body was wrapped in a red and black spotted armor. A breast plate was fit snugly against her chest and down along her abdomen to protect vital organs, yet the openings along the side left enough room for her to maneuver and twist around. The armor continues once it hit her pelvis at a thick black belt with a rounded ladybug-esque buckle, slipping down to cover her outer thighs until it reached some strong boots, her arms decorated in a similar manner with her shoulders and the outer edges of her arm reaching a set of black gloves with a silver band on each wrist.

Her suit had not been the only change weapons had also changed. Attached to the belt was several rounded items. Taking a quick glance, she noticed each one was similar to grenades she had seen in action movies. Each one was themed after a different species of ladybug. She had a total of six, three on each side.

“You only get to use them once, you need to make them count. Tear gas, sleeping gas, a powerful flash bang, a smoke screen, an acid bomb, and an explosive.”

Marinette paled a little at the last two: Acid and explosives? What did Tikki expect she’d do?

“Mild Explosive.” Tikki corrected in her head.

Her head turned and she frowned before she set her jaw and turned back to the large monster. Tikki knew she’d do anything to protect Chat.

Anything.

Her fingers went to her belt, grasping a rounded shape. In the back of her mind she heard Tikki breathe out. “Flash bang.”

Her eyes caught the bright yellow coloring, it was decorated in small, symmetrical black spots. Each item represented a breed of Ladybug.

Her lips pursed. This monster wasn’t smart—just strong. If she could blind him, possibly she’d blind the Game Master. It was likely the young male was watching her through the eyes of his summon.

Her feet began moving before she could doubt herself.

Her body was moving swifter, similar to the nature she noticed Chat had moved. Her suit, while thicker than the other suit, advanced her physical strength, speed, and stamina.

Her eyes slid to the ground between the Orc’s legs. Her yoyo laid on the stone, useless and unraveled. She needed to get it.

She counted off the distance in her head. She had ten feet left before she’d throw it.

Seven feet…

Five feet…

Three…

One.

With a sharp twist, she twisted the black cap off and threw it. The yellow ladybug print flash bang rolled before bursting. She wanted to shut her eyes, yet the moment it left her hand, her mask shifted on her face.

Lips parted in awe. Thick lenses covered her eyes. The high collar of her suit seemed to spread until a mask covered her face and connected with her mask.

“Marinette, you don’t have long! Go!”

Tikki’s voice broke her from her awe after the science fiction like costume alteration took place. The magic in the lenses allowed her to see through the bright flash and she ran. Sliding on her feet she scooped up the yoyo and threw it once more. It circled around cement posts that came up from the ground—usually used to stop cars from riding up onto the sidewalk. She knew they wouldn’t hold his weight if he tried to break through, so she moved quickly.

Once she was sure it was snug, she had it pulled taunt as a tripwire. She was alone and had one shot. If he came across the prone form of Chat…

She shook her head, trying to shake off her worry. She’d never let that happen!

With a probing hand, she ran her fingers over the remaining five items at her waist.

She was memorizing the way Tikki read them off. From left to right: Explosive, Tear Gas, Smoke Screen. Flash Bang, Sleeping Gas, Acid Bomb.

She snagged the Explosive; a black item with two red spots on either side, pretty, yet fitting. With a twist and throw, the explosive went behind the Orc that was roaring and rubbing at his eyes, fist still clutching at his Club, causing it to swing haphazardly in the air.

The Explosive startled it, and the Game Master.

“What are you doing!?” The voice echoed through the air as the monster tried to run away from the bomb that exploded behind him. His body jerked forward and feet caught the string of her yoyo.

The crash shook the earth below her. This time with no distractions, she actually noticed it. Nealry losing her balance as the concrete posts groaned and cracked before the massive body crashed into the ground. Club flying through the air to crash.

When the creature was unable to pick himself up, desperately grasping at air to get the club, she realized like the akumatized items, the monsters needed their own items. After a minute of grasping, the green flesh began to fall apart in pixels—no they weren’t pixels but dice!

Thousands upon thousands of green dice began falling from the body until they were spilled out over the ground.

When the debris cleared, her mask and the lenses began shifting back to normal. She almost wanted to pout, it had been amazing, yet she had more important matters...

“No! NO! NO! NO! NO! It isn’t fair! Hawkmoth, this isn’t fair!” Ladybug wanted to snicker, she could practically see the villain jumping up and down and stomping his feet while his voice echoed through the city like a loud speaker.

The male was still out of it, likely still in pain. When her fingers brushed his cheek to cradle his face, green eyes fluttered open. Dilated pupils looked to her, unfocused and his hand moved to her wrist.

“M-m’lady?” His voice was quiet, yet the sound of his own voice made him wince. The tantrum flooding the air made his body shudder with pain as it acted like a jackhammer in his skull.

“Shhh… I’m here. Let’s move you somewhere safe.” Her voice was a whisper, soft and quiet causing him to practically melt at her care and caution.

“Let me help… I don’t want you fight—…”

She held a finger to his lips, “No, Minou. Not this time. I need you safe… I could have lost you… and you’re still hurt.” Slowly, she moved to pull his arm over her shoulders, pulling him to his feet. It took a few attempts, but soon he was able to get his footing.

They were moving out of the area, she needed to get him somewhere safe.

“…Your suit changed?” He blinked rapidly, as if he was trying to make a filter vanish before his eyes.

“Yes. I’ll explain everything.” She noticed his suit had changed too. She’d have to ask Tikki later, the Kwami went silent in the back of her mind.

His changes were subtle, silver lining peeking through outlining shapes of muscles. Armor, like hers, just hidden. Her hands felt something solid, at first, she thought it was just him. She wasn’t going to lie, and she wasn’t that oblivious to think he hadn’t gained more muscle mass and firmer since she first met him. She realized it was form fitting armor like her own. Contorted to the shape of his body.

She had moved him to an alleyway, setting him against a wall. She was kneeling next to him. “I’ll be back, I promise.”

His hand moved to take hers, “M’lady….” He moved to hold her hand to his cheek. “You probably don’t need it, but good luck.”

She faltered, remembering her thought before the fight. How she wanted to kiss him for good luck.

Her other hand moved to his other cheek, cupping them both, having him look at her. “For luck…” She whispered and closed the gap between them. Her lips pressed to his gently.

He was shocked, but kissed her back. He wasn’t too sure at this point that he hadn’t died. Every dream was coming true in this moment. If it wasn’t for the pain he felt when he tried to draw her into his lap, he would have truly thought he was in heaven.

“Non.” She scolded lightly, tapping his nose when their lips parted. “I have an akuma to cleanse. You need to stop straining yourself.”

His eyes watched her, his lips parted as he watched her get up. He wanted to follow. He didn’t want to risk that being their first and last kiss!

“Stay, Chat… I’ll be back.”

“Famous last words, M’lady.” His tone was different. He had faith in her, but now her leaving felt all the more real and it hurt.

“I can’t lose. I have too much to lose… and I’m not going to lose you… and you won’t lose me.” She paused to give him a smile and a light wink, trying to calm his nerves despite her own, before she took off.

His face was red, but his lips tilted up into a smile.

Ladybug had that same determined look when she left him to go after The Game Master as she had they day she defied Hawkmoth on the Eiffel Tower for everyone to see.

The poor kid was screwed.

Psst... I know this is late.

Here to make up for it: It’s on AO3 too

This Growing Feeling...

Buy me a coffee?

#Lady Noir #LadyNoir #ladybug #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fanfic #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #LadyNoir Fanfic #LadyNoir Fanfiction #ladynoir july #ladynoir July 2k17 #ladynoirjuly2k17 #this growing feeling...

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sethmacsexy20 · 7 years

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Different Worlds Only One Way Out

Seth's POV

Everything changed. Mary was distanced and cold, even to the kids. I was at a lost of what to do. What Brad did to her changed her, in a big way. I understood why but now my wife was different. Even after she cheated on me, she was still the same person but once he did what he did to her, she became someone else. I was so worried about her. Brad got tried and was sentenced to several years in prison. Then when he would get out, he would be a sex offender. I wasn't happy with the outcome but there was nothing that I could do about it but I was angry. Apart of me wished I would have kept going. Doctors even said a few more blows, he probably would have died. He got lucky that my children were in the same room cause I probably wouldn't have stopped then. I never put my hands on anyone before but I snapped that day when I saw what he was doing to her. The one and only time I put my hands on another person, I almost killed them. I wouldn't lie, I have thought to myself several times, especially seeing how Mary has changed, that I wished I wouldn't have stopped. He deserved to rot. He took away the woman I loved that day, she was so different. I moved back in, but not all at once, it just happened. I was staying there to take care of her and kept bring more and more of my stuff there, till I was fully moved back in. We never discussed me moving back in, it just happened as she and my children needed me. But as time went on, she and I fought more. She wouldn't let me close and I don't mean just sex, but even holding her or touching her was too much for her. I would get frustrated and we would always end up fighting, truth was, I wasn't frustrated at her, but more at Brad. It was cause of him that she pushed the ones who loved her away. She couldn't trust anyone to get close to them. Not even our children. She wasn't even affectionate with them. She wasn't the mother she once was. My children were suffering now. I got them into therapy as they saw what happened to their mother and they were scarred from it. It effected them too. That and how their mother had changed. They began to question whether or not she loved them. It broke my heart. I needed to do something cause everyone was missing who she once was. She was closed off and suffering. There was no one that was able to get through to her. I was scared for her. I still worked as someone had to. Mary basically quit after it happened. She lost her passion. I don't think it helped she worked with him in the same place, probably would only make it worse to be there. One afternoon, I came home a little early from work as I wanted to discuss a way to help her. I knew it would probably cause another fight, but I had to do something. She was so different. So detached. I walked in the front door and it was quiet. I almost forgot the kids were in school. I sighed and looked around for Mary. I didn't see her downstairs, so I went upstairs. I went to our bedroom and she wasn't in there. But then I heard the bathtub running from behind the door. I went to open it and it was locked. I knocked on the door. "Baby, let me in. We need to talk."

Nothing and I got a little angry. I pounded on the door. "God damn it, Mary. Open this fucking door!"

Then I noticed water slowly running out from under the door. My eyes widened as I became fearful, I started to pound harder on the door as I yelled her name out. Nothing still. I, then, started to slam my body into the door to bust it open. After a few attempts, I finally broke it open. I almost fell in as I saw water all over the floor. I looked over to the tub and Mary was in the tub with her eyes closed. I noticed the water was discolored with red. My heart, instantly, dropped as I feared the worse. I ran over to the tub and pulled her out and placed her on the ground. I looked down at her wrist and they were both slit, horizontally, so she was trying to make sure she went through with it. I quickly grabbed a towel and put pressure on the wounds. I pulled out my phone as I called for help. Then the 911 operator answered, "Nine one one, what is your emergency."

"My wife, she needs help. She slit her wrist and she is bleeding out." I said in a panic.

"Is she breathing, sir?" The operator asked.

I looked at her chest and realized it was moving up and down but very shallow. "Barely. Please, she needs help."

"We will send someone out there, immediately. What is your address?" She asked.

I gave her the address and she informed me someone was on the way. I stayed on the phone as she told me to hold on as she talked to the response team. I looked at my wife as I felt so helpless. I knew she was in pain but not this much. Why would she do this? Why would she try to take her own life? I was at a lost. I knew what Brad did to her messed her up, but I had no clue it was at this level. I knew she was different and withdrawn, but I didn't think she would go this far. I looked at her as tears weld up in my eyes and I said, softly, "What did you do, baby?"

The paramedics showed up and able to control the bleeding. She was still not doing good. They got her on an ambulance and I rode with her as we went to the hospital. I was so worried as I could possibly lose her. Once we got there, they rushed her to the back and instructed me to wait in the waiting room. As I looked on as they wheeled her to the back feeling so helpless. I looked down at my hands and they were covered in her blood. I just teared up. I found my wife had tried to commit suicide. I was grateful that I found her and not our children. Then it hit me, the children. I pulled my phone out and called my dad as I walked outside. After a few rings, he answered, "Hello, son."

"Dad, look, I need you to go to the school and get the children and watch over them, please." I said still upset.

"Yeah, no problem. What's going on?" He asked.

I started to cry and sobbed out, "Mary, she tried to commit suicide. I found her in the tub with her wrist slit."

"Oh my god. How is she?" He asked.

"I don't know. They just got her to the back. I have to wait to see what the doctors will say. I just need you to get the kids and look over them. But please do not tell them about their mother. They can't know. They are already dealing with so much." I begged.

"No, I wouldn't dare, son. Just keep me updated with what is going on. Xiang and I got the kids." He told me.

"Thank you, dad." I said as I calmed myself.

I was about to remove the phone from my ear when I heard my dad say, "Hey, Seth."

I stopped and said, "Yeah?"

"I love you, son." He said, sincerely.

"I love you too, dad." I said, softly.

I, then, hung up and put the phone back in my pocket. I went back inside to the waiting room and sat down. I waited to hear any news about Mary. I was scared to death what might happened. I couldn't bare losing her, especially like this.

An hour later, a doctor walked up and said, "Mr. MacFarlane."

I stood up quickly and moved over to him. "Yes?"

"Your wife is stable. We got the bleeding under control and she is having a blood transfusion as she lost a lot of blood. It was lucky that you got to her in time, a few more minutes, I will not lie to you, she would be gone. Your wife is very lucky you came when you did." He told me.

I was relieved. I asked, "When can I see her?"

"I can take you to see her, right away. She is still unconscious." He told me.

I just nodded. I followed and after walking around for a moment, we got to a room. I looked in as the doctor stepped to the side and I saw my wife laying there, with bandages around her wrist. I walked in, slowly. I pulled a chair up to her and sat down. I gently took her hand as I was grateful she still was alive. But I couldn't lie, I didn't know where we would go from here. I was at lost as she was in so much pain that she felt the only way out was suicide. My kids could have lost their mother, me, my wife. I needed her to get help and quickly.

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I slowly opened my eyes and I heard a machine going. My vision was blurry at first then went into focus. I looked around and it quickly dawned on me that I was in a hospital room. I was not happy about this. Last thing I remembered, I was attempting to take my life. I came to the decision as I felt like I lost it all. I couldn't get close to Seth or our kids as I felt like they didn't deserve me anymore. I was now nothing. Seth and my kids were better off without me. I didn't deserve them. Seth and I fought more and I couldn't look at my own children as they witnessed what they did. I felt like trash. I felt worthless. Hell, I must have been so worthless that Brad felt he could do what he did to me. I just wanted it all to end and end my children and Seth's burden, cause that is all I was at this point, a burden. Their burden. First I cheated on Seth then I was raped by the very same man I cheated on him with. I asked for this. I deserved this. How could Seth look at me the same. I couldn't even look at myself the same. I looked over to see Seth sitting next to me, looking at me. He gave me a small smile. "Hey."

I didn't say anything. I just looked away and looked at the ceiling. Then he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." I only said.

Then he asked, "Why did you do it?"

I just turned and moved to my side as my back was turned to him. I felt him sit on the bed next to me and he said, "Please don't shut me out."

He touched my arm and I flinched. I did that a lot since Brad raped me. He moved his hand from me as I did. I only said, almost emotionless, "You should have let me die."

He grabbed my arm again, again, I flinched at the touch. "Don't say that." He said, sounding to be upset. Then I heard him cry. "Why do you want to die, baby? Why would you want to leave us?"

Tears formed in my eyes and they fell down. I said, softly, "You all would be better off."

"Don't say that. We need you." He said in tears.

I turned my head to him as I too was crying. "Why? Why do you want me around? I am just a burden. I am too fucked up now. You can't touch me without me flinching. I can't stand to be around my kids as I know they saw what they saw. I can't look at them. I am tainted now, Seth. Why would you want me? Why would you want to be with me after everything? I did this to myself. I asked for this after I did what I did to you. I cheated on you and I deserved this for that. I should have known I wouldn't get off that easily. You deserve better. Our kids do. I am a fucked up person." I turned back around and looked at the wall. "Brad saw it, that is why he did this. Cause I deserved it."

I felt him move more on the bed. I felt his body against mine and he moved his arms around me. I tried to push his arms away. "Let go of me, Seth. I don't deserve you."

He refused and said, softly, "Baby, please, please let me hold you. Please don't push me away anymore. I don't want that. I want you to let me in again. Please."

I just cried harder as I gave up. I felt Seth pull me closer to him and he said as he cried, "Baby, you didn't deserve this. And you are not tainted. You are loved still. We love you. I will always want you, baby. Don't think for a second that I will stop wanting you. I can't imagine a life without you. It would hurt to much to lose you. I thought I did when I found you. You don't understand what that felt like. I know one thing for sure. I will always love you, forever. Please don't think you don't deserve us and that you are a burden, cause you aren't. I don't care what you did, you never deserved what happened to you. Never. I will be here for you no matter what. Just don't let me lose you, baby. I can't."

I just cried as I heard this. I didn't understand why he wanted me still. But he did. After some time, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was alone. I looked out of the door and saw Seth talking to the doctor. I saw them look in to see me awake, the doctor said something to Seth and Seth nodded. Then the doctor walked away. Seth walked in and I looked at him. "What's going on?"

"Doctors wants to talk to you soon. But please, baby, have an open mind." He said.

"Um, okay." I was confused.

A few minutes later, a doctor walked in with two nurses and security. I was getting scared now. Then the doctor said, "Mrs. MacFarlane, after everything that happened, we feel it is best that we moved you to the psychiatric ward."

My eyes widened. "No!" I yelled out.

"Baby, please." Seth pleaded.

"No! I am not going! You can't make me!" I yelled at him.

"Actually, we can. Since you are demeaned mentally unstable, your husband signed for us to set you up there." The doctor said to me.

I looked at Seth in disbelief. I quickly got out of bed and ripped my iv out. I started to freak on Seth. "How could you?! Why would you do this?!" I noticed security tried to move in but Seth put a hand up to stop him. I kept laying into him. "I thought you understood!" I started to cry. "Please, don't make me go."

Seth moved his hands to my arms and looked at me, sadly. "I don't want to make you go. But I don't know what else to do, baby. You are so lost, in so much pain. You even told me I should have let you die. How do you think that makes me feel hearing my wife request such a thing? I am at a lost. I need you to get help. I need my wife back."

I looked at him with so much hate as he was forcing me to go. I started to punch his chest and yelled at him, "I fucking hate you! You are a fucking coward! You can burn in hell!"

Then I felt someone grab me and forced me on the bed, it was the security guard. The two nurses held me down as I screamed at them. "Let me go! Let me go!"

I looked over at Seth, who had tears flowing as he watched. I begged to him, "Please, make them stop!"

He looked away as it seemed to be two much. Then the doctor walked over to me and had a shot in his hands. I panicked as I tried to fight them off. I felt the needle go into my arm and him push the liquid in. Not long after, my eyes became heavy, I tried to fight it off, but I couldn't. Then everything went black.

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