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#and the varnish was coming off as i was wiping so i just had to stop before i made things worse

quillthrillswriting · 2 days

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actually crying over this interaction katara has in my fic on kyoshi island where she realizes how nice it is to have girlfriends

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡ ˗ˏˋയ ✩

“Guess what your brother’s up to…” Ayiti was beaming, barely holding back her laughter now.

“Spirits, I’m not sure I even want to know.” Katara rolled her eyes, carefully curling up the centuries old paper in front of her and tucking it alongside the others in her cloth satchell. “What, did he accidentally get a sword stuck in some important monument after bragging to some poor unassuming villager about his swordsmanship?”

“Better.” Ayiti’s eyes flashed with amusement as she settled into the plush stool opposite Katara. She reached forward, hands resting on the varnished wooden table as her elegantly almond shaped nails drummed rhythmically in anticipation. “I missed his grand entrance, but apparently, he’s been set on helping us poor, untrained Kyoshi warriors! He pranced his way in, going on and on about how he’s the best warrior in his tribe. I got there just in time to see Suki wipe the floor with him.”

Katara groaned in embarrassment, burying her head in her hands as she slumped against the table.

“No, no, you don’t need to be too embarrassed for him.” Ayiti rested a comforting hand on Katara’s arm as the Water tribe girl looked up, her scepticism apparent in her expression. “He was actually pretty sweet after Suki humbled him. He said he was ready to learn, that he had been overly cocky when he came in.”

Katara wrinkled her nose. “That doesn’t sound like the Sokka I know.”

“We were surprised too! He let us paint his face in the traditional style of Kyoshi warriors, even put on the armoured gown too!” Ayiti giggled again, remembering. “Although he was a little embarrassed when Aang saw him in it. I think Sokka interpreted Aang’s attempt to compliment him as Aang poking a little fun at him.”

“What’s Aang been up to, anyways?” Katara tried to make the question seem thoughtless, throwing in a shrug to accompany her words, but Ayiti’s shrewd expression saw right through her.

“Wouldn’t you like to know!” She crooned, a teasing grin on her face. “C’mon, you’ve gotta get your mind off of the Avatar, and you’ve had your nose buried in scrolls the whole day. Let me show the future Waterbending master around my little old village.”

Ayiti helped Katara gather the rest of the scrolls and drop them off in the guesthouse, then dragged her between the different stalls, chattering animatedly. Katara had never really gotten to have a girlfriend her age, and she couldn’t believe all that she’d missed out on. For once, she felt her age. Back home, she took care of so many of the village kids whose parents had been lost to fire nation raids. She felt like it was her responsibility, that it was the least she could do, and she did enjoy it.

But perhaps she hadn’t quite grasped what it had taken out of her.

For every hour Sokka spent hunting for food and training to be a warrior, Katara spent parenting children, washing laundry, cooking, cleaning, repairing homes and weapons. She wished for maybe the millionth time that she and her brother had been able to have proper childhoods, present parents to lift that burden from them. She remembered Aang reminding her that she still was a kid.

Here, walking around the market with Ayiti, she slipped into conversation excitedly, the two’s conversation oscillating between mentions of what the war had taken from them and more lighthearted teasing, and she was beyond grateful for the simplicity of a friend who saw her.

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡ ˗ˏˋയ ✩

♥ this will be coming out along with the rest of ch4 on wednesday! check out the first three chapters of this (ongoing) fic & my ao3 here! ->

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notjustjavierpena · 11 months

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Three Times You Didn’t Kiss Joel - And One Time You Did (Part II)

A/N: A cute summer romance has started! Enjoy chapter two! See my masterpost for all chapters.

Summary: Joel helps you restore your grandparents' house over the summer. You trip on a stepladder.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Reader/You (No y/n)

Tags: +18 no smut but mature thoughts (minors DNI), pining, summer romance, DILF Joel, sexual tension, idiots in love

Word count: 2.1k

Link to this work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47914783/chapters/120864268

Chapter Two: Wasp

The school’s summer vacation wasn’t around just yet, and so you found yourself spending a few days working on the front of the house alone or with Joel. He came by with Sarah whenever they were free, but Sarah mostly just did her homework whilst he cut the grass, drank lemonade, swept the stone path to your front door, took a look at the water tap at the back of the house, wiped sweat off his forehead with the back of his gardening gloves… He was always eager to help you with whatever you had in mind as a project that day, but not scared either to tell you that the weather was great for painting the facade of the house.

So that is what he and you are doing. Sarah is at school still, but you don’t mind a moment with him alone.

You stand on your tippy toes on the stepladder that Joel assembled for you a few weeks ago. Weather wise, you are in a drought that makes coating the house in wood protection perfect because it’s not going to be raining for a few days (Joel’s words). On the side of the ladder, a bucket of the varnish hangs on a hook which you are continuously dipping the paintbrush into.

You have gotten clear instructions on how to use the brush, nearly getting scolded for going up and down in the beginning until Joel had grabbed your wrist to make you go from side to side instead. You had let out a sir, yes, sir, and you had been able to hear him roll his eyes at you with a chuckle.

“Looks good, like I taught ya,” Joel says as he walks up behind you, holding the ladder in place as you paint along the boards. You hum quietly in agreement, a little lost for words as his face is level with your thighs and his hands are level with your calves. He could so easily reach out if he wanted to, but you haven’t felt his hands on you yet despite several opportunities, which has made you hyper aware of how one-sided your crush is.

“I’m not completely hopeless, Miller,” you say as you continue working the brush from side to side. You’re glad that you didn’t wear a dress with the way that the soft summer breeze that rustles the leaves on the trees would have pulled at the skirt, exposing you more to him.

“I’m just making sure that you know how to do this, so you can do it yourself a few years from now,” he replies, tapping his fingers on the warm metal of the ladder. He goes silent for a moment, but you don’t notice him staring at your exposed thighs in your shorts, because you have your back towards him.

“That’s fine, but I won’t have any trouble finding someo—“ you’re just about to dip your brush into the varnish again when you spot a wasp close to your face. Your mouth falls open in a squeak, and you automatically take a step back to get away from the insect, “Joel, I’m allergic to wa— Ah!”

Your movement has made you fall backwards. You feel your ankle twist due to stepping too close to the edge of the step you’re standing on, causing you to lose balance and reach for the stepladder’s side, but you simply swing backwards to your right instead of saving yourself from the fall. You squeeze your eyes shut then tense up as you prepare for the impact of the ground.

It never comes though.

Instead, you’re caught in a pair of strong arms due to Joel’s dangerously fast reflexes. He has you in his arms, bridal style, looking down at you with big eyes as if he cannot wrap his mind around what he has just done. He doesn’t let go of you though, and the wild eyes that he is giving you almost has you courageous enough to kiss him right then and there, just to see if they’d widen even more or find peace. It would have made Sarah laugh, cringe visibly too, but mostly laugh at how cliché it would have been.

You’re pulled from your thoughts again shortly after, because despite how bad you want it to be fireworks, sugar and pointed toes, you can hear the buzzing of the wasp close by. It makes your heartbeat spike even more.

“Wasp! Wasp wasp wasp! Joel!” You slap Joel’s shoulder to make him notice, panicking at the thought of being so close to the stupid animal. Joel frantically grabs you tighter and carries you away from the spot where you had been working and you listen carefully before confirming that the buzzing is gone. Whew. Your EpiPen is inside the house in a kitchen drawer, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell him where it was before it would have been too late and he would have had to call emergency services.

“Perhaps a pretty decent idea to tell me that you’re allergic to wasps before we started working outside in the middle of summer,” he huffs, but his tone isn’t angry, but more concerned as well as flustered, “Must’a been your bright colored top. They like that, don’t they?”

It’s your turn to be flustered, steadfast in holding your gaze at his eyes and not let it drop down to his mouth like it often did. You are too close to him to hide when your eyes start to roam around his handsome features.

“Uh, Joel—“

“What?” Joel furrows his brows.

“Put me down, please?” You are blushing.

“Oh,” Joel splutters, but soon easily bends down a little to place your feet back on the ground.

It isn’t easy for you though. You wince as soon as your right foot hits the grass, making you nearly tumble to the ground, but Joel quickly supports you so it doesn’t happen, and you grab the front of his shirt. Perhaps emergency services aren’t such a bad idea after all.

You frown despite the opportunity to lean your whole frame into Joel’s strong body. He has an arm wrapped around your waist, so you can stand on one leg without tipping over. You take the time to stretch out your leg in front of yourself to look down at your foot and carefully try to rotate your ankle. Pain shoots out from your joint, and you whimper under your breath.

“Don’t let go,” you warn him anxiously. You notice that you have smeared varnish over his t-shirt from gripping it as you had nearly fallen.

“I won’t,” he absentmindedly rubs your side soothingly but it doesn’t make your heart rate drop.

“Oh no, I got varnish on your shirt,” you point out.

Joel gets a line in his forehead when his expression switches to confusion. He blows air out of his nose in a humorless laugh, “That’s your worry? Sweetheart, we should get that foot checked. Head too, maybe.”

The nickname seems so natural. You slap his shoulder again, but then remember that he has your whole body at his mercy; your legs will disappear from underneath you if he moves, so you decide not to protest too much.

“You can take my car,” you say but he already objects.

“Ain’t no way in hell I’m putting you on the front seat of your own tiny car. We can take my truck, and you can lie down on the back seat,” he doesn’t even give you room to argue, just leaves everything as it is in your front yard and crosses the street with you in his arms.

“You’re overreacting,” you want to have the last word, and Joel gives it to you, because he says nothing in return, focused and determined instead.

When you reach his old truck, he puts you on the bed to go fetch his keys. It gives you just a moment to process the way that your skin feels on fire where his hands have been, and you hope that no one at the emergency room wants to test your blood pressure or pulse with him in the room. You already start practicing a polite way of telling him to get out.

When Joel returns a few moments later, he unlocks the truck and turns on the engine before fetching you again. You allow yourself to wrap your arms around his neck and shoulders, trying not to look too interested in the way that one of his hands rests comfortably just underneath where your bra sits against your skin.

“Uhh,” Joel quickly turns on his heel as Sarah clears her throat, having arrived home from her walk from the bus stop to their home. You nearly bump your head into the roof of the car as Joel spins due to him being too startled by his daughter’s sudden presence to notice the space around him.

Sarah has on her school backpack, clutching the straps as she approaches the two of you. She raises a brow, “What is going on here? Should I leave again?”

You hope Joel doesn’t drop you at that.

“Nah, it ain’t like that,” he shoots her insinuations down a little too fast.

“Definitely not,” you add just as quickly to save face, and then reach out for the door handle from your position in Joel’s arms, “I’m just a klutz, think my ankle might be sprained or broken.”

“Oookay, whatever you say,” Sarah says, but doesn’t look very convinced with the way she grimaces as she removes her gaze away from you for a moment. When she regains her composure, trying not to make disgusted teenage eyes at her father, she goes on, “So should I wait up?”

“Probably not, s’not serious enough to be prioritized,” Joel says as he crawls half way into the truck’s backseat to place you down on it. You look up at him with a hitched breath, nod when he asks ‘this okay?’ with his eyes.

He pushes himself back and out of the car again by gripping the roof of the vehicle, turns to Sarah then leaves you with butterflies in your stomach.

“There’s still leftover pizza from yesterday,” you hear him say to her, and she replies with whatever. Knowing enough about her by now, you know that she will probably be cooking her own dinner.

She knocks on the window to wave at you before leaving, “Hope it’s nothing too serious!”

After waiting three hours to see a doctor at the emergency room, you are now the proud owner of a sprained ankle. It’s a conclusion that you could have made yourself, but Joel hadn’t wanted to take you back home and had argued that it was better to be safe than sorry. There had been no point in arguing about it because Joel is as stubborn as a mule, even now that the doctor is confirming your suspicions.

“Plenty of rest, ice packs, pillow under when you sleep,” the doctor tells you as she taps away on her computer to log your condition. She smiles softly at you and urges you not to try to put on your shoe again, “I will let a nurse wrap your foot soon, so just relax for now. Just regular ibuprofen for any pain or discomfort. I’ll make sure the nurse gives you a dose before you leave too.”

“Thanks,” you say as you scoot back onto the examination table, already determined to put your foot up. Joel sits on a chair with his arms crossed over his chest, resting his chin in one hand, and has his legs spread out in front of himself. He looks tired but he did carry you all the way through the hospital.

The doctor turns towards the two of you on her spinning chair, “So it’s no more house work for you the coming week. You’re lucky it wasn’t bad or your boyfriend may ha—“

“Not together,” you and Joel say in unison. You try not to be offended by hearing him say something you’ve just said yourself. At the same time even.

“Well, nevertheless, you’re lucky that it isn’t bad enough to have been four to six weeks of rest,” she says a little sheepishly.

You laugh softly at her comment, nodding in agreement, “Oh yeah. I’m terrible at sitting still.”

You don’t tell her that you feel lucky because four to six weeks without seeing Joel would have been torture. This is good. You don’t have to stop seeing Joel, and knowing his stubbornness, you guess that you’ll be allowed to watch him coat the rest of the house with varnish because the dry weather calls for it.

You guess right, spending lazy days on your porch with cool drinks and a nice view of Joel’s tall frame on the stupid stepladder. He had insisted that you stayed inside, but you’d told him it wasn’t going to happen. That was fine, but only if you had your EpiPen next to you.

#joel miller #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x reader #joel miller fic #the last of us #joel miller x you #joel x reader #joel x you #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal fanfic #my writing #the last of us fanfiction #dilf!joel

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gingiesworld · 4 months

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Dancing In The Snow

Jane Banner x GN! Reader

Warnings: Fluff

Taglist : @natashamaximoff-69 @canvascoloredin @wizardofstories @louxbloom @wandanats-goodgirl @the-ox-fan20 @ladyqueenxoxo @aemilia19 @wandaromamoff69 @mfd-101 @dorabledewdroop @marvelogic @dopeyouth @karsonromanoff @bimad (if you want to be added to my taglist, please DM me or comment)

18+ MINORS DNI

Y/N had never truly experienced a magical snowfall before, especially since they had grew up in the UK where the snow doesn’t really stick, and if it does, the magic of the snow is short lived and turns into ice overnight. So Jane had decided since the two of them had a vacation from work, she would take them to her father’s cabin for a few days. The snow had already fallen beforehand so the area was covered in a blanket of white.

“It’s beautiful here.” They told her as she pulled up outside of the cabin.

“My father used to bring my mom and I here every winter when I was younger.” She told them as she watched their expression. “We spent every Christmas here.”

“That sounds amazing.” They smiled at her as she nodded.

“It was amazing.” She told them. “And it’s something I want to share with you.” She told them as the two got out of the car, Y/N grabbed both of their bags before Jane could object, allowing her to lead the way up the cold icy steps.

Once they were inside, Y/N admired the decor, the varnished walls with some pictures hanging on the walls. A lot from Jane’s childhood, whether it be from hunting or fishing with her father, or gardening or building snowmen with her mother. Y/N could really see how happy a young Jane was whenever she came here throughout the years.

“We will have to share a queen since I feel weird sleeping in the master.” She told them as they just smiled at her.

“That’s perfect.” They told her, not arguing with her point as there was a bigger bed in the master bedroom.

The two had soon settled in, with Jane in the kitchen, brewing up some hot cocoa as Y/N lit the fire, giving the cabin a warm glow.

“Here.” She spoke softly as she handed them the mug topped off with cream and chocolate shavings. “It’s hot cocoa, just how my mom used to make it.”

“Thank you.” They smiled at her, taking a sip of the hot beverage and making her laugh at the cream mustache it had left behind. “What?”

“As much as you look good with facial hair, I prefer to see your face clearly.” She told them as she wiped it away with her thumb before sucking it clean.

“Thank you Jane.” They whispered as they both soon sat down together in front of the fire, Jane sat between their legs and her back against their front as their arms were wrapped around her. “For sharing this part of your life with me, I truly appreciate it.”

“I want to keep you in my life Y/N.” She told them as she looked up in their eyes. “I can’t explain my feelings thoroughly yet because I am still understanding them myself, but I know that I don’t want to lose you, not ever.”

“I think I understand what you mean.” They replied as they looked into the fire. “I still get confused about how I feel but I know one thing for sure.” They looked back in her eyes. “The love I feel for you burns brighter than any flame we have ever seen.” Jane only turned around to straddle them as she kissed their lips passionately.

“I know I do feel the same.” She whispered as they let out a breathy chuckle, their eyes following hers towards the window. “It’s snowing.” They watched as she moved from their lap to get her boots and coat on. “Come on.” She was out of the door before Y/N had even moved from their spot. Quickly following her outside, a smile on their face as they watched her dancing without a care in the world. “Dance with me?” She asked as they joined her. Smiling as they wrapped their arms around her and spinning her around, admiring the snowflakes as they got caught on her lashes, seeing the brightest smile on her face as they danced, laughing as they dipped her before losing their footing as the two of them fell against the soft snow beneath them.

“Snow angels?” She laughed as they started to make their own, soon joining in with their antics and making her own before the two got up and started to have a snowball fight. Spending the night laughing and smiling as they played like children in the snow. Enjoying the simplicity of the moment before they had to return to the real world.

#jane banner x gn! reader #jane banner x reader #jane banner #wind river #jane banner imagine #elizabeth olsen x reader #lizzie olsen x you #lizzie olsen x reader

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gyusimp · 1 year

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°•Gyutaro thinks you're cute•°

Thanks to @mrsshabana for the cute idea

"Are u sure it's just that? I'm not going out again cause u forgot something."

"Sure! and buy yourself something nice." Ume told her brother, handing him some cash.

Gyutaro clicked his tongue and snatched the money from his sister to put it in his pocket. He left the house and walked to the convenience store near his house with his hands in his pockets. Ume needed some materials to finish her homework so she asked her brother if he could go buy them. After about 20 minutes, Gyutaro opened the door to enter. It was a small store but it had everything, you could find a different thing in each aisle and all the prices were affordable. It's the typical store where you go in for just 1 thing and end up buying another 20 that you didn't need but you ended up buying anyway.

He went straight to the school supplies aisle to grab some paper and glitter pens, he wasn't planning on buying anything else so he went to pay. He was waiting his turn, until he heard a voice say "Next, please." Gyutaro went to #03 cash and placed his purchases in front of the cashier as he took out the money.

"It's $7.50, sir." Gyutaro looked up and handed over the money. He frequented this store a lot but he had never seen you here. Were you new? he couldn't take his eyes off of you for some reason, you were wearing a mask like all the other workers so he couldn't fully appreciate your face but just seeing your makeup eyes and long eyelashes looking at the screen in front of you he could imagine how pretty you were, he felt his cheeks burn so he looked down but seeing your delicate fingers adorned with rings and your varnished nails typing he felt butterflies in his stomach.

"Have a nice day, thank you for your purchase." you told him after handing him a bag with his things. Your eyes narrowed as you looked at him letting him know you gave him a smile even though he couldn't see it.

"T-thanks." he replied shyly.

Gyutaro walked out of the store as fast as he could and returned to his house, handing Ume the materials.

"Thanks Gy- eeww!! your hands are sweaty!" she told him as she took the bag. Gyutaro looked at his palms and they were very wet so he simply wiped himself on his clothes. He didn't know why but he needed to go back to the store to buy literally anything and he did for the last few weeks.

Buy dinner? Gyutaro would go, some snacks or candies? he was in charge. Gyutaro suspiciously kept going to the store to have the joy of seeing the cute girl from the cash #03 every time he went and having her voice make his heart pound.

Once, he picked Ume up from school. "We'll go to the store, ok? I have to buy some things to cook lunch."

"Okay!" Ume replied.

Since Gyutaro entered the store, he looked for you because there were times when you weren't there because it was your day off or you changed shifts with a colleague but to his surprise, Gyutaro saw you and today you weren't wearing a face mask.

"Brootheeer" Ume burst his bubble passing a hand in front of his eyes "come on!" He kept walking, pretending not to understand until they reached the frozen food aisle. "Brother! Can we buy some fries, pleaseeeeee?" she asked, giving the boy an adorable look.

"Ok, but I don't know how much they cost. It doesn't have the price indicated." he said as he checked the product's packaging.

"Damn...hey, why don't you ask that girl? I think she's one of the cashiers."

"Where!?" Gyutaro asked nervously, but excited.

Ume started laughing and teasing her brother when he realized that there was actually no one there and her little sister couldn't help but tease even more when she saw how red her brother's face turned.

"Gyutaro is in love, Gyutaro is in love!" the girl repeated over and over again in a small and annoying melody.

"Shut up! Everyone will look at you weird!" Gyutaro was very embarrassed and annoyed.

Both siblings walked through the store. Gyutaro took what he needed and carried it in his arms trying not to drop it since he forgot to bring a basket and Ume just followed behind him.

"You should try talking to her! She doesn't bite, don't be afraid." Gyutaro ignored his sister's comments. "You could try to flatter her so you might get her number, or maybe ask her a question. Girls like-"

"I told you to shut your mouth! And I'm not going to do that!" he said to his sister, loudly but not yelling at her.

"You're a coward, Gyutaro!"

"So what if I'm? She's so cute, how would she notice a shit face like me? Besides, she most likely has a boyfriend."

They both lined up, Gyutaro letting some people pass "by mistake" so that when it was their turn, you were the one to attend to him. Seeing you so close and your full face for the first time made him very nervous, also your soft voice made him tremble while you gave him a smile. Gyutaro was quiet, hands in his pockets when his sister nudged him discreetly in the arm as she called him a "coward" silently. His hands were sweating while you collected the products and packed their purchases in a bag.

"U-umm, you're not wearing a mask today" he said, getting your attention.

"Ah yes! I feel very suffocated using it, it even gives me a headache sometimes." you answered him, smiling and friendly.

Gyutaro was surprised. He didn't expect you to answer him so sweetly, he thought that you would be serious and feel harassed or disgusted by such an ugly guy like him.

"It's weird to see you like this…I mean, in a good way, you look good like that, I guess."

"You think so? Thanks, you're so kind. You usually come here very often, right?"

"Y-yes, it's just that my sister and I live nearby."

"Oooh, I see."

After a few seconds, you handed Gyutaro his bag after he paid you and he and his sister left the store.

Ume was jumping and celebrating excitedly all the way, now she was telling Gyutaro that he was very brave. He just smiled, caressing his sister's head. It felt good talking to you after all, it wasn't much of a conversation but at least he had the courage to try and it had worked out. Gyutaro wanted to know what your name was, most of the employees wore name tags but you didn't have one yet so maybe that would be a new topic of conversation for another time.

A few days later, Gyutaro went out to buy some goodies to watch some movies with Ume. He went to the snack aisle and grabbed some chips, some spicy nachos for Ume and some watermelon flavored sugared gummies for himself. He loved those gummies too much. He walked to the register and lined up in your line where when it was his turn you greeted him very kindly as always. Gyutaro was about to speak but coincidentally you did before him.

"Hey, you come here a lot so I wanted to know what your name is? If you don't mind, of course."

The tall, skinny boy with big hands and blue eyes had caught your attention from the first time you saw him walk through the door of the store, and the fact that 90% of the time you were the one serving him made you feel nervous. Gyutaro was surprised at your question but very happily answered.

"I-I'm Gyutaro...and you?" You told him your name and the two of you had a short talk before he left.

Every time he came to the store you two greeted each other by your names until little by little you grew more confident, confident enough for you to ask him a question.

"Gyutaro" you told him before he left. "M-My shift ends in an hour, would you like to go have a drink at a nearby cafe?" His heart skipped a beat, Gyutaro felt his own face burn but he's sure your cheeks were rosy too.

"Y-yeah, sure! Hmmm, I'll go drop this off at my house and come back for you on my motorcycle."

"Of course!" you told him. You were as excited as he was.

I love watermelon gummies almost as i love Gyutaro lol hope u like it!🍉

#gyutaro x reader #gyutaro #gyutaro x y/n #gyutaro shabana #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #demon slayer x reader

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nirikeehan · 10 months

Note

happy friday niri!!! for DADWC perhaps "And the veil tears and rages till her voices are remembered and his secrets can be told." from the tori amos lyrics for Cullen/Thalia?

Hi Jay, Happy Friday! I really leaned on the Vibes™ for this one.

Here is some post-Trespasser marital angst for my babies.

For @dadrunkwriting

WC: 1113

CW: Some internalized ableism on Thalia's part

---

After the worst of it, he sits her down at the kitchen table and makes her tea. She stares at the varnished surface with the sort of desolation that comes when the sobs have run their course. She feels like a thin layer of ice, ready to crack.

In her periphery she sees the jagged edges of her hair. They are blood red. They ought to be dripping. Cullen’s back is to her, the muscles of his shoulder blades defined through his thin shirt. The sunlight falls on him slanted, a cheery yellow, in this house that they have the audacity to call their own.

“Does it look terrible?” Thalia’s voice is hoarse.

“You could never look terrible,” Cullen says softly. Which isn’t what she asked. He hasn’t turned to face her.

Thalia tugs fingers through the shorn hair at the back of her neck. She feels impossibly light and exposed. She might as well be naked. She shivers, wraps her one good arm around her torso, and hunches over. He’s standing at the counter, watching the water boil in the cook pot. His hand clutches the scissors he took from her. His knuckles shake.

Thalia swallows hard. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” She feels guilty, all of a sudden. Ashamed she’s put this burden on him, of all people, when he has so many of his own.

“It’s all right.” Cullen sounds genuine, but tired. “You scared me, that’s all. I thought…” He trails off.

You thought I’d cut more than hair. Thalia sniffles. She wipes at one eye, then the other. Her phantom arm feels useless at her side. “I was just… frustrated.”

So much hair, so thick and so long. Barely manageable with two working hands. Impossible with one.

Cullen turns, a teacup in each hand. How she envies him that. He places one before her. The tea leaves steeping smell of chamomile and lavender, a blend his sister gave them as part of a housewarming gift. Thalia focuses on the steam rising and not the worry lines at his forehead that have only deepened since they moved in.

He sits across the table. His eyes are on her, warm brown in the afternoon light, but she can’t meet them. She glances to the counter; the scissors have vanished. He must have pocketed them, she realizes. He wants them well out of her reach.

Like I’m a danger. Her heart pounds in her ears.

“I told you,” Cullen says, still so softly. “I would have taken care of your hair, if you’d wanted.”

“It isn’t about that, Cullen,” Thalia snaps, too sharp. He flinches as if slapped. Now she feels worse.

“Then what is it about? Explain it to me.” Not even with an air of hurt. Infinite patience, he has. She’s learned this since marrying him. She’s been a nightmare to deal with, Thalia knows, and yet he’s taken it entirely in stride. Well, mostly. He’s treating her so delicately. Part of her wishes he would get rattled, needle her back. Do something. “I’m listening. I want to assist.”

Thalia chews her lip. It’s almost too rote, too practiced. She eyes him, tilting her head, trying to see past the bedhead that overtakes his hair most days, now that there’s no troops who need to see him perfectly groomed. He’s even grown a bit of a beard, mostly out of laziness. He claims he had a goatee in the past, but that’s impossible for her to picture. She tries to see him in an office, not at Skyhold but before that, in a city she’s never visited. It’s difficult. Everything she imagines about the Gallows looks like the Circle Tower in Ostwick, just more tropical.

“Is this what you used to do with distraught mages back in Kirkwall?” Thalia asks. “Make them tea?”

The question surprises him. He hesitates, lets out a nervous laugh. “Sometimes.”

The admission feels like progress, somehow. He’s good at this. Good at dealing with hysterics from people like her.

“Did it help?” Thalia pulls out the strainer, leaves it dripping on the table. Picks up the teacup carefully to take a sip. See? I’m trying too.

“It depended. Too often I would listen and be unable to offer any solution to their problems.” Cullen raises his own cup, both sets of fingers grasping the rim. Jealousy blooms inside her once more, alongside as the desire to kiss each one. He sighs. “It was… taxing, when that happened.”

“Is it taxing now?” Thalia asks quietly. “To have one for a wife?”

“No.” He returns the cup to its saucer with a clang. “Do you truly think me so fickle?”

“I don’t know.” Tears blur Thalia’s vision. The tea is too hot, bitter as she swallows. “You didn’t sign up for this when you married me, Cullen. I wouldn’t blame you if you… couldn’t…” Couldn’t love a cripple are the words on her tongue, burning worse than the tea, but she can’t bring herself to say them.

“Hey.” He’s standing, circling the table now, kneeling beside her to envelope her in a hug. He kisses her temple. “Of course I ‘signed up’ for this, whatever that means.”

Part of her wants to pull away, but she won’t allow herself. He must not see how broken she is. She’s deceiving him, somehow. She buries her face in the hollow of his neck, cheek scratched by stuffy facial hair. She inhales the scent of him and tries not to cry. “Are you sure?”

“Of that, more than anything.”

Thalia can feel the hum of his voice in his throat. She wants to believe him. She’s not sure she does, but there’s relief in hearing the words all the same. He doesn’t think she’s irreparably damaged. Hiding the scissors is just a precaution. Probably.

She pulls back, leveling her gaze at him. “Tell me the truth. Does it look awful?”

Cullen’s eyes stray from her face to her hair. His eyebrows raise, and he suppresses an anxious smirk that tugs at the corner of his mouth. “I think Mia knows of a barber in town who can even it out a bit. Unless you’d like to pioneer a new look, like Sera…”

“Ugh.” Thalia pulls a face. “No thank you.”

They both laugh, a little uneasily. Cullen combs his fingers through her spiky locks. “It will be all right, with a little work. I promise you.”

She puts her good hand against his chest and curls it around the lacing of his shirt. The pain is still there, lurking beneath her ribcage, but she feels a pang of love for him that briefly outshines it.

#thalia trevelyan #cullen rutherford #cullen x trevelyan #post-trespasser #fics #dragon age drunk writing circle #i imagine they have a lot of issues to smooth out in that marriage ok 🤷‍♀️

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alolanrain · 1 year

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Can we have more Aurafangshipping with Ash's plants/babys

My beloveds. Also sorry for the red tint recently on mobile. I have dark screen option and the text are all black now instead of white which SUCKS.

\ Ash absolutely has a garden at their Alolan house. It’s taken cared of by the team and the class as Mallow also uses it for special stuff like nectar and stuff from other regions. This is the one plant thing Raihan can do without hesitation and do it right because Mustard and Honey taught him, Leon, and Gordie how to garden. It’s his escapism while Ash is still figuring how to run a new league. It takes years to set up and Kukui had definitely rushed despite doing what he could. Now Ash is just filling in the wholes because he’s familiar with the orange Island. Nothing gets approved without his consent in the matter no matter how tiny legality wise. Like workers pay but not vacation, health is important.

\ there’s a set type of group of Pokémon, mixed from both their teams, that reside either in the kitchen or the garage. Back in their main home in Galar.

\ Raihan’s little entourage is Charizard, who mains Raihans furnaces and smelter when he decides to delve into metal to make specialized hooks and such. He could seriously become a private carpenter if he wanted to white being a gym leader, his shit is of really good quality and Ash had been bragging almost to everyone about it. Then there’s Buizel who’s just Raihans number one fan besides Ash and he chills out in the desk with all the plans and bolts. Asleep and tucked into a little bed in the corner of the wall and some shelving unit Raihan made special for just this. Goodra is also there and sits in a kiddie pool. She’s to help strip paint of off wood or varnish, it’s a pretty effective way of wiping away mistakes while keeping the wood perfect.

\ Pikachu is Ash’s main lad so he’s in the kitchen 80/20 of the time. It’s like that bc sometimes ash gets angry and needs everyone out and away to process. But sometimes Pikachu would just lay on Raihans shoulder while he’s bent over a pause of wood for a long time. Flagon is also in the kitchen despite being one of Raihans main Pokémon. Typhlosion is a good Pokémon during winter when the house gets cold no matter what happens. The two Torkoals chill in the adjacent slightly open living room so their apart of Ash’s crew as well. Dewatt likes to help make sushi and it’s all sanitary because he washes his razor sharp shells carefully.

\ their shared dislike for HOA come from hearing their friends stories and both agreed not to join one. Their house wasn’t listen as in an HOA area but surprise surprise. They don’t sign any papers and basically just entertain the people that try.

\the monstera lives in the bedroom. It’s the main piece of decode in the light gray room. The colors of green and gold popped amongst the almost dork ish rendition of inside a fairy cave. It’s all Ash’s creation and Raihan genuinely likes all of it so he’s fine for the Kantonian to do his thing.

\office is off limits though. Raihan has perfected the best office in his opinion to help him with his productivity because he’s a NERD

#ash ketchum #gym leader raihan #aurafangshipping

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cellody · 1 year

Text

DWC: Day IV

CHILDREN & VISION @daily-writing-challenge MENTIONS: Elinore Hartwell, @konietzko-sylvoran, @talthorn-sylvoran

“Oh, perfect timing, cherub; here.”

Lance’s aunt Odetha had turned in her chair upon hearing those two tinkering bells over the door signal the arrival of the only other person with a key to the workshop. “Test this for me, would you?” She stood, wiped off any loose dust amongst wooden curls from her apron, and picked up a newly-completed violin beside her desk to hand her nephew.

“Is there a bow for it?” His knapsack was set down so the instrument could be taken and looked over with scrutinous admiration.

She picked that up as well. “Just your standard sort. This is meant for a beginner so I do not believe they will be as picky about certain sounds coming from different fibers as you.” When Lance wrinkled his nose a little at that, she shortly chuckled, “Understandably picky. That is a compliment, honey. You know that.”

He’d already begun to glide through a few sampling scales and measures of pieces he liked to portray on new makes; those with extra vibrato, those with octave-jumping glissandos, those with a bit of plucking, and those with exaggerated crescendos from near-silence to room-filling volume. Everything seemed to check out well enough. By the time he’d settled on contentment with their craft, he held it back out to her and gave a questioning look when he realized she’d been watching with her arms crossed. “What…?”

A tsk of a sigh passed her lips when slowly taking the violin to its hanging post and one beside it that had its varnish dried was taken down in its place. “When will you play for people other than me?”

Not this again. Lance was the one then sighing and moving to his distracting corner of the room where he could help trim and sand a form of Uldum rosewood awaiting its next steps in the making of a guitar.

Noting his silence, she pressed the issue with a playful, “People like that pianist you saw—what was her name, Lianna?”

“Elinore...” Ears warmed. Maybe he had talked about her a bit too much after the beach event, but that was the first time he’d ever watched someone do what Odetha wished he would, so how could he not be enthralled? No singing, no dancing, no special effects, just her and the piano playing whatever her heart desired for a crowd that surprised him with its receptiveness.

His number one fear had been and would always be boring people with classical pieces. What were those trying to show off their bodies in risky date clothes on a dance floor supposed to do with slow pieces of music void of strobe lights or remix effects or… anything? Elinore played the piano beautifully as a solo artist and many seemed to love it; that feat sat in his mind hourly ever since. It may not have roped in the amount of hype and fans that those like dear Konietzko and Talthorn could, but… he didn’t think he'd be able to handle popularity like that to begin with let alone deserve it. It’d never been an achievable vision of his.

Odetha, though, regularly echoed to him that her last bucket list wish was to watch him perform for the people of Azeroth. He hated such a cue for two reasons; one, because he’d struggled to grasp the idea of confidently manning a stage by himself since birth, and two, because the list reminded him of her age and dawning life slowly but surely creeping towards its end. This would mark the first year her hair had completed graying and the first year he’d had to start taking the reality of claiming the Cellody brand as its heir seriously. She never had children of her own nor married so they were the only family one another had left.

“Yes, yes—Elinore. Your talent is not unlike hers or your mothers and I just… I just ache so severely to think that your name may never find its place in history books because you neglected all your life to share your Light-given gift. You were a prodigy long before you even understood what music as a concept was. You deserve recognition beyond just being a luthier.”

“It is not just being a luthier,” he frowned. “I love what we do…”

She’d sat back down a while ago to resume applying their signature to the violin’s back but paused, then, to re-do the bun in her hair. “Maybe you could think of it as advertising, then. Let others know that instruments are not impossible to come by and that anyone can learn.”

Another wrinkle of the nose. Lance imagined ending a performance with an awkward business proposal was even worse than the idea of performing at all.

“Your father fell for your mother’s perfect pitch, you know.”

Lance stopped shaving wood with a pout aimed across the shop. “I know. It sounds so much more romantic in stories, though; any time I picture someone liking me just because of my playing… it feels wrong.”

“If that was how it remained, yes, that could be skeevy. But more often than not it simply introduces two people; then they find other reasons to connect amidst similar interests and remain a couple.” She met his pout with a cheeky smile. “If you would not play for a crowd nor in my or your parents’ honor, would you play for love~?”

That shut him up. He’d been rather quiet to begin with and always was when this subject came about, but she knew she’d struck a good note with that thus resumed her task and left him to stew in meditative offense (since his pet peeve was having her assume he wouldn’t play for familial honor).

...Or was it consideration?

#dwc

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shalalalalaw · 1 year

Text

Wrote a small blurb hurt/comfort for my Guardians and im crying over them q-q

tl;dr Feros-8 stayed on Io at the end of Arrivals and got eaten by the Darkness and later resurfaced on Europa and his Ghost, Mia, took a long time to recover from it. Meanwhile, Schala-2 was the only one who asked friends and the Vanguard to let him go, let him face his fear and his trauma instead of continuing to spiral until he 'fell'. (They are a fireteam/poly partners.)

Feros is still scrubbing dust from between the segments of his toes. An entire week after they came back from the Spire and he still hasn't managed to clean all his crevices, much less their weapons.

He broods over a scout rifle, its varnished wood and polished synth brass covered in dust and all the grime that got picked up by radiolaria splashes all along its length.

He doesn't even hear Schala come in.

Only notices they're there when their thin hands come between the barrel he's polishing and his face.

He blinks at her and puts it all down.

She lingers, hands awkwardly hovering in front of them like they haven't decided what to say, if to even say it.

It's a rare time that he sees her hesitate.

Apprehension gathers in his muscles as he watches her hands twitch, abandoned motion after abandoned motion. Then her throat lights catch his eye, just for their sudden appearance.

But not even a trace of her raspy voice filters through.

He wipes his hands and reaches for their hands, slowly. Giving ample time to pull back, not let him cut off their 'voice' even for the sake of comfort.

But they don't move, and he pulls them gently around to sit on the couch with him, shoving the low table with his supplies to the side.

He rubs careful circles over her palms and her head slowly hangs. Feros' jaw twists, sits awkwardly against his upper lip. He hates not knowing what to do.

They sit, knee to knee, in the heady light of noon. The silence isn't a stranger to them, Schala almost never speaks and Feros is more inclined to doing than telling.

Between the two of them, it's a miracle they communicate.

He bites down a bitter chuckle on how all his previous relationships and fireteams fell apart, if they didn't die first, from that same lack, but here seems to work just fine. For all that all of those people were infinitely more talkative than both of them combined.

He entertains the idea that Schala probably has lived through every single of their interactions over an impossible amount of lives spent together, she might as well know his every thought, so he might as well have no need to speak ever again, and immediately scraps the thought.

'I am human, I can't save everyone. I have to accept that; my mistakes.'

She said that, when he'd told her that chasing after Saint-14 in the Infinite Forest was suicide. And then she chased after him anyway. They did it; Schala and Osiris. But she had just as readily accepted that, this time, they might fail.

He sighs, keeps rubbing soothing circles into their palms and realigns his jaw to sit properly.

"I'm sorry."

It's so quiet, he nearly misses it. Whispered low enough the slight ruckus of the nearest street spilling in from the open window almost covers it.

He leans closer, trying to get a clear look at their downcast face, "What for?"

They pull their hands away, the motions as they form words careful, Not being here

Feros tilts his head at that, "What?"

They repeat the words, forcefully, Not being here

"Where, firefly?"

And there's anger and grief at the choked voice they let out, "When the Darkness came. I let you go."

And it feels like the air was knocked out of him.

He reaches awkwardly to their hands, but they pull back, going through more words, I should have stayed, I should have helped but I just abandoned you, like you didn't matter or I didn't care but that's not true I worry and I care and I love you more than this life will let me and I can't forgive my mistakes, not when it hurt you and hurt Mia and-

And his chest feels constricted, the air cut off, like a fist was shoved through his heart and he can no longer breathe. She speaks like she condemned him, when it was his choice to take the dive.

His hands shake as he slips them over their cheeks, and their hands still.

It had been like dreaming. Letting the cool dark wash over him.

It had him confront so many of his failings. Pahanin, Mare Imbrium, the Gap, letting down Ana, Tevis, Andal, Cayde-

Eris, at least, he knew lived and scorned the fatalism he'd plunged himself in, as he'd gone on to tear down the Crimson Keep and burn clean the Moon's depths.

But he would have never lived through life as it has become now, with Darkness curling fingers in Guardians if he hadn't let the ghosts of his regrets haunt him. If he hadn't let himself go through the Dark like crossing a river.

He knows, Shin would have planted a blazing bullet between his eyes ages ago, if the man had the balls to show his face again, after all the seeds he planted that the Darkness now sows.

But it had been his choice and he would have fought anyone that would have tried to stop him, "I'm not sorry. I would do it again, Schala, again and again and you can't say you let me go. You can't go down that way, please."

And she looks at him like she would break down from the weight of his words alone.

He crushes them to his chest, still missing a breath he can't catch and wanting for the life of him to just take this pain away from them.

"You didn't abandon me, you didn't, I swear to you and the Light and the Dark, you didn't."

They shake against him, small fist weakly grasping at his shirt and he just holds tighter.

She hiccups and pushes back until she can move her hands between them he looks helplessly as the torrent continues unabated. Hands moving jerkily and sloppy as their shoulders tremble, And I always let you go, every time I let you slip away and you don't always come back, you don't, and it's my fault for not holding on for not saying anything

"And someone will always say, you did wrong. That it's not how fireteams work and it's not how partners work but that's not true."

And he wills her into understanding, "You have to push sometimes, you have to let others fall, let them fail and yes, it's not your fault, but they need it, to try."

His fingers tighten on their shoulders, "You can't save me every time."

And then they start crying in earnest, crumbling in his arms like a house of cards.

There's no tears that exos truly shed. But the laboured breathing, the choked keening, all the motions and exertions hit the body just as hard. Even down to the lightheadedness from lack of oxygen.

Feros shushes them, rubbing his hand down their back, and up again. Rocks them gently. He knows that feeling. Tearing you apart from the inside like an infestation. And you have to cut it out.

"Shh, I'm here, I'm always here somehow aren't I? Too stubborn to stay away. Shhh, it's okay. I love, you know that? You always try so hard, I love that about you. Shhh."

It takes time for their sobs to die down. For the trembling to cease. And Feros whispers softly and rubs down their back until they both petter into silence again.

His fingers trail up to her tense neck, pushing carefully into the synthcord muscle and smoothing it out.

He stills when they curl up against him instead of just just collapsing, fitting their head to the crook of his neck. And he holds them, until the sun starts dipping from its zenith and the breeze coming in from the open windows changes direction.

Until his back hurts and his shoulders ache.

He leans to whisper softly in their earwing, "I'll move us to the bed ok?" and waits to feel the nod against his neck to hook his arms under her.

Sheis small, he always forgets.

Small and slight and doesn't hesitate to headbutt people to death in the Crucible, the same way she doesn't hesitate to look down a god and grind them beneath her boot.

Larger than life. More than a single life, especially when she looks at you and sees all you ever were and could be, good and bad. All the times he succumbed to the Dark instead to walking out like he took a dip in the ocean, when entire planets didn't survive it.

And she barely takes up room on the bed as he tucks the covers around them both.

"I'm sorry," he whispers into the sheets. "I forgive you," he whispers against their knuckles as he presses his mouth to them. "Thank you," he whispers when they finally manage to look him in the eye.

#destiny #nana writes #nana's ocs #feros 8 #schala 2 #hurt/comfort #d2 fic

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demigodforfend · 1 year

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Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 17

Forfend trailed behind Melzaryn, feeling a bit uneasy about leaving Kagoshi to sit alone in the jailhouse.

"Don't worry," Kairi nudged it. "Last time he went to jail, I waited three days to bail him out! He's used to it." She giggled.

Forfend tilted its head at her. She and Kagoshi had a very strange friendship.

"They'll have to process him and get all the paperwork done first too," Melzaryn called back, wearing his usual inscrutable smile again already. "He's probably not up for bail yet. Depending on how much they figure out, he might not even get bail."

Forfend started to ask for clarification, but Melzaryn stopped dead and spread his arms. "This is the place."

Forfend glanced around.

It noticed the slats in the ground around the shop first. It had been curious to see where the interlocking steel plates had come from.

There honestly wasn't much of a tell. The slats didn't look like they housed a protective metal covering large enough to engulf a building. Perhaps it was magic more than mechanics.

Melzaryn passed a hand right in front of Forfend's face. "You still here?"

Forfend nodded and looked up.

Moli's Marvelous Mementos was a striking shop. The walls were off-white terracotta, making them stand out starkly in the gray cobblestone plaza. Varnished wood accents gleamed so brightly one could almost see their reflection. The silverly interlocking "M" symbol adorned the door.

Frosted windows obscured the view of the inside. Except, Forfend noticed that if it leaned forward with the intent to look inside, the frosting shimmered and cleared enough to let it peer into the colorful shop.

An advertisement awaited by one window. A standee of an elven woman with frazzled blond hair and cracked goggles wore an excited grin as she offered up a handful of ink vials.

The text read "Newly released: Molixeen's Magical Tattoos!"

Forfend studied the image. From the way Melzaryn and the pseudodragon had talked about her, it has guessed she was their sister. Now it was certain. She had the same platinum hair and high cheek bones Melzaryn sported.

Melzaryn strode purposefully into the shop. The door opened before he touched it and a tingling bell rang despite the fact there wasn't one hooked above the door.

Kairi trotted in right on his heels.

Forfend ducked in after them to avoid being left behind.

Just as it had opened, the door also shut of its own volition.

Forfend stuttered to a stop as it took in the shop's interior.

The building looked, maybe actually was, larger inside than it was outside. Not only that, but it extended downward several stories.

Forfend haltingly approached the edge of the platform they stood upon.

At least three more stories worth of product sprawled dizzyingly below.

A suit of display armor frozen in a power pose suddenly jolted to life and juddered to face the group. "Hello, new visitors! Welcome to Moli's Marvelous Mementos!" It gave one jerky wave and returned to its pose.

Forfend edged closer to a chuckling Melzaryn. It watched the stationary armor with some suspicion.

A tiny clockwork construct chugged past, swept up the dust the group's feet had left at the door, and promptly wheeled away.

Forfend suddenly spotted dozens more of them roaming around. Some dusted. Some swept. Some wiped up a strange gurgling blue spill. Some even seemed to be reorganizing stock.

Sitting along the railings and flitting about the glass chandeliers were softly chirping clockwork birds. Their collective song was a beautiful trill despite the mechanical undertone. It took Forfend several minutes of listening to realize their tune was scripted and looping.

"Forfend," Melzaryn called.

It snapped its attention over to where Melzaryn and Kairi waited, having already taken several steps down the stairs before realizing it hadn't followed.

"This is mostly just to display the new stuff and top sellers. The real shopping is on the next floor down," Melzaryn said.

Forfend glanced around at the displays of swords and scrolls and ink pots and pouches. Each one had a gleeful Moli standee in varying poses plastered to the wall behind it.

Forfend nodded and moved to follow Melzaryn.

The group descended the stairway and immediately approached the cashier's desk.

A gnomish man sat on a high stool behind the counter. He was impeccably dressed, his hair tied back neatly and his suit completely free of wrinkles or creases. The shop logo gleamed golden on his breast pocket.

"Oh, hello and welcome to Moli's Marvelous Mementos," the clerk greeted. "How may I assist you this fine day?"

He paused as he took in the group. His eyes lit up at the sight of Melzaryn. "Oh!" he exclaimed, "Mr. Collymore!"

Melzaryn ducked his head politely.

"I imagine you won't know who I am," the clerk joked good-naturedly. "Delkan Booncollar. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Melzaryn took Delkan's extended hand. "The pleasure's all mine. Any chance you can do item modifications here?"

"Yes, of course," Delkan nodded.

"Excellent," Melzaryn grinned. "I've run into a bit of a limitation on storage space. I'd like a couple of the handy mini magical pocket things but rather than a backpack, I'd like a belt."

"That's very interesting!" Delkan praised. "I could do a bit of a combination, perhaps with some items like, say, a Cloak of Useful Items and a Handy Haver Sack, to create this belt. Does that sound adequate, Mr. Collymore?"

"That sounds fantastic," Melzaryn agreed.

"Are there any special requests you'd like to make regarding the item's style or materials?" Delkan asked.

"Well, let's see," Melzaryn hummed and looked himself over. "My current adventuring gear is black with a bit of silver trim. Let's try to keep that aesthetic if we can."

"No problem," Delkan nodded. "So, with your family discount applied to the commission..." He trailed off as he pulled up an abacus and began figuring up the numbers. "Five-hundred gold pieces."

"Perfect! How long do you figure that'll take to throw together?" Melzaryn inquired.

"You're looking for multiple small pockets, yes?"

Melzaryn hummed affirmatively.

"Since it's multiple small enchantments rather than one large one, it shouldn't take too long with the materials we've recently acquired. I would say two days at most," Delkan estimated. "One day, if I mark it as a rush job, but that costs an additional hundred gold pieces."

Melzaryn rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. "I'm not sure if we have the time to wait."

"We have the time," Forfend piped up.

"We have the time," Melzaryn repeated perkily. "Two days is fine."

Delkan blinked owlishly at Forfend, as though he was seeing it for the first time. "Mr. Collymore, you've acquired a gol--" He cut himself off. "No, it spoke for itself. Greetings!" he waved excitedly.

Forfend returned the wave. "Hello."

"I've never seen a construct such as you before!" Delkan stood up on his stool. "All made up of marble! You almost resemble a stone golem and yet... That's the difference," he said, pointing at the rune on its face. "Fascinating."

Forfend's chest lit up bright orange. Finally, someone recognized it as anything other than a golem.

"I must formally extend my welcome to the shop to you as well, Mister..." he trailed off and gently rolled his wrist as a prompt.

"Forfend."

"Mr. Forfend," he bowed politely. "I am Delkan Booncollar and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise," Forfend responded with its own polite bow.

Delkan smiled and turned back to Melzaryn. "Your commission will be done lickety-split. Five hundred gold and it'll be all set to go in two days' time."

"Excellent. Do you accept payment prior or upon completion? I don't really care which," Melzaryn shrugged.

"Typically, we take payment prior but, in this particular case, we'll accept payment at time of completion in the event that something goes awry," Delkan offered.

"Thank you."

Delkan wrote himself up a reminder note and stashed it to the side on his desk. "Alright, well, the store is yours to explore, friends. Is there anything else I can help you with? Perhaps I could interest you in our newly-invented arcane tattoos?"

Delkan shifted, standing taller and beginning what seemed to be a rehearsed but earnest pitch. "All you must do is press the needle to your skin and the ink itself will flow across in a luxurious tattoo of your very own design. And it even offers a few additional arcane benefits!"

He eyed Forfend, taking stock of the shield on its arm. "Or perhaps something simpler, like protection items."

His eyes darted over Kairi, then back to Melzaryn. He smiled knowingly at the two of them. "Or perhaps you're looking for something a little more esoteric and eccentric. What do you think?"

Delkan dropped back onto his stool and leaned his elbows on his desk, waiting giddily.

"I already got what I came for," Melzaryn said. "I think I'll just wander and peruse. You two should take a look around for yourselves."

Forfend nodded. "I would like to explore, I suppose."

Melzaryn was already walking away to browse.

"If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me or any of our helpful, handy... Well, you'll see them," Delkan said cryptically.

"Thank you," Forfend hummed.

"My pleasure, Mr. Forfend," Delkan waved as it took its leave.

Forfend milled about the shop, mostly watching the strange mechanical creatures go about their business.

Kairi gasped and dashed past it to whatever had caught her eye.

Forfend quickly lost sight of her in the rainbow tangle of product displays. It didn't know where Melzaryn had gotten off to anymore either. It guessed it was alone for now.

The little animatronic birds chirped and hopped along nearby while the clockwork cleaners scuttled about.

Perhaps it wasn't very alone in the shop, after all. Maybe no one could really be alone with all these little mechanical things buzzing around.

An armored mannequin caught Forfend's attention.

The display crouched low in a battle stance. It brandished a wooden sword, but the shield it held firmly before it was real. An emblem of Talbarius was emblazoned on the center of a black disk stuck to the front of the otherwise blank shield.

Forfend noticed a barrel of similar black disks sitting right next to the mannequin. These were much smaller and lacked an emblem of any kind. A vague magic sheen floated across their surfaces.

Forfend tilted its head. It reached out and lightly brushed its fingers against the device attached to the mannequin's shield.

The mannequin jerked upright, bringing its shield flush against its chest and thrusting its wooden sword skyward. "Presenting to you: the Guardian Emblem!" it shouted in the enthusiastic tone of an event announcer.

Forfend startled and backed up a step.

The mannequin jerkily lashed out with the shield as though bashing an enemy away and then held it out to show it off. "With this wonderful item right here, wherever an ally within your vicinity is attacked, you can step in and deflect the majority of the blow, acting as a guardian for all those around you! Huzzah!"

It banged its wooden sword against the shield once and then stuttered back into its original position.

Forfend watched the mannequin for a long moment, unnerved. When it was sure the strange display wouldn't move again, it slowly reached into the barrel and picked up one of the little black disks.

Magic chimed and text stating the price appeared above the barrel.

Five-hundred gold.

Forfend didn't think that was a bad price. It decided to take the little item with it while it pondered making the purchase.

It soon stumbled across another armored mannequin.

This one held a javelin as though preparing to launch it across the store. It was the very same pose in which Iram was often depicted throwing lighting bolts.

Forfend circled the display. It observed the stockstill mannequin, quietly taking note of the hidden mechanisms peeking through the armor. It stared into the mannequin's blank, helmeted face.

After a lot of silent deliberation, it gently tapped the display's chest piece.

This one sprung to life just like the last, brandishing its weapon around with spasmodic movements. "Hiya!" it shouted and slammed the spear into the ground.

Well, almost. The tip stopped just short of the floor.

Forfend still flinched at the sudden noise, but it was more prepared this time.

"Presenting to you," the mannequin announced as it offered up the javelin, "the Javelin of Lightning!" It lifted the weapon high over its head. "This fantastic magical item allows one to throw it through the air as though one were throwing a lightning bolt itself! T-t-targeting everything along the path between oneself and one's enemy with vicious arcane lightning the likes of which you have n-n-never seen!"

The mannequin twitched back into its starting position.

Forfend wondered about the catch in the mannequin's pre-recorded message. Maybe something in the jumble of gears wasn't sitting quite right.

It hummed to itself as it continued deeper into the shop.

It found itself tapping each and every display it came across, listening to their little blurbs play out, and then tromping off to the next one. Something about them had its attention.

Maybe it was the same odd sort of kinship it felt with animated armors and other inorganic creations. Those things weren't alive the same way it was, but there was an undeniable similarity.

At least, Forfend thought so.

The next mannequin in the seemingly neverending lineup stood with its hands braced atop a large shield. The symbol of Cassis was engraved into the exceptional piece.

Forfend bopped the mannequin's forehead.

"Intro-introducing the mighty and fine Sentinel's Shield!" the display declared in a slightly less jaunty tone than the others.

This one sounded a touch more serious, though it had the same stutter in its recording that many of the others had sported.

"With this shield upon your person, the central eye where the spears meet will open up to reveal all enemies around you, allowing you to remain vigilant while in combat," the mannequin finished. It held the shield out and gestured to the slit at the center of the symbol before promptly returning to its original pose.

Forfend tapped the mannequin again.

It repeated itself, stuttering again in the exact same spot as the first time.

Forfend hummed and wandered over to the next mannequin it saw.

This one stood tall, fists braced on its hips. It wasn't armored like most of the others. Instead, it showed off the wooden scaffolding and metal mechanics beneath. Its arms were thicker than the others and covered in thin fabric stuffed with straw to give the appearance of bulging muscles.

Around its waist was an enormous leather belt. The buckle bore two copper fists crashing into one another.

Forfend tapped the mannequin's arm.

It twitched to life and began shifting through various flexes. "Introducing," it thundered, "the Belt of Hill Giant Strength! It allows even the most feeble and weak individuals to gain the strength of a hill giant!"

The mannequin returned to its original pose.

"Interesting," Forfend hummed.

It started to go back to milling around idly when it spotted Kairi gallivanting through the aisles.

She paused to observe a particular display.

Forfend caught up to her and tilted its head.

This setup was much larger than any of the others it had seen so far.

Three mannequins slumped over a large table. One lay on the ground nearby.

Empty tankards, some tipped over, were scattered about the table and floor. Each mannequin had two or three in front of them.

At the head of the table sat a standee of Moli chugging a pint of ale. She was surrounded by over a dozen empty mugs and looking far more alert than her mechanical companions.

A small necklace was draped around the cutout's neck. A pendant resembling a tiny glass tankard dangled from the chain. It seemed to actually contain an amber liquid of some sort.

Forfend leaned forward and knocked on the table.

One of the mannequins sat up, grabbed a mug, and languidly dragged itself to its feet. It thrust the mug out as though for a toast. "Introducing the Amulet of the Drunkard," it slurred, swaying on its feet. "While wearing this fine, fine item, whenever you drink a pint of beer, ale, or mead, the liquid will become a restorative healing item to your body, allowing you to recover from your wounds while also enjoying a fine drink!"

The mannequin staggered back into its chair, thunked its tankard down, and slumped back onto the table.

"Well, that sounds interesting," Kairi mused, giggling at the little show.

"I am concerned for that mannequin's wellbeing," Forfend hummed and realized it wasn't entirely joking.

"Yeah, I'm definitely not sure that's something I'd buy," Kairi agreed with a grin.

She skipped off.

Forfend hustled after her.

It couldn't interact with the displays they were passing and still keep up so it watched the mechanical avians instead.

Slowly, it realized they were watching it back. They were still chirping rhythmically and hopping about, but they were more fixated on Forfend then they had been before.

It glanced down at the item in its hands.

Realization dawned on it.

Forfend hadn't made its purchase yet. The birds weren't just for ambiance. They were also theft prevention.

It had no intention of testing any theories, but it did wonder what countermeasures the birds would employ if they were certain of an attempted theft. Were they an alert system? Or could they do something to prevent escape? Did they try to recover the stolen merchandise?

Forfend abruptly stopped to keep from bowling right over Kairi.

She'd paused to look at a display and Forfend had nearly been too distracted to notice.

The armored mannequin here had its back to them. It looked over its shoulder, unbelievably haughty for something without a face.

Forfend hoped it was able to display its own emotions that well.

The mannequin held its arms up and pointed its thumbs down at the golden cloak flowing along its back.

This cloak bore the shop's logo emblazoned across the shoulders.

A hanging sign proclaimed it to be a Cloak of Protection.

Kairi walked off before Forfend could tap the display.

Begrudgingly, it caught up to her as she sifted through a shelf full of what appeared to be bottles of smoke.

A cutout of Moli graced the top of the shelf. She held an uncorked bottle of the mystery smoke. It seemed to be wrapping around her legs and obscuring her from the bottom up. She held her fingers to her lips, her eyes dancing with mischievous delight.

Forfend inspected the mannequin beside the shelf. It, too, held a bottle of smoke. It seemed to be gazing at it thoughtfully.

Forfend touched the mannequin's hand.

It shivered and turned jerkily, holding the bottle out. "Introducing the Ever-Smoking Bottle!"

It popped the cork out. Smoke hissed free and drifted downward, dusting over the ground.

"This item right here allows you to emit an endless stream of smoke! Even when the bottle eventually does empty, it'll recharge at the end of the day!" It corked the bottle again. "It allows one to conceal their environment, stay hidden, and..." It leaned forward conspiratorially. "Most importantly, have a good time," the mannequin said suggestively. "Sneaking around, of course," it added in a less sultry tone.

Forfend tilted its head at the mannequin as it returned to its original positioning.

"Did it suggest this item be used for..?" Forfend trailed off. Surely, that couldn't be right. It had just misunderstood.

Kairi shrugged, not quite hiding a smirk.

Forfend shook the befuddlement out of its body and followed Kairi to her next destination.

She hadn't gone far. She was poking around a display of small bags filled with sand.

Another standee of Moli stood nearby. This one was in a similar sneaky stance to the last. She was sprinkling the dust over her head. More than half her body was invisible with the effect apparently climbing to claim the rest of her.

Forfend immediately tapped the roughish mannequin next to the standee.

The mannequin sank lower into its stealthy crouch and greedily tugged the pouch of sand into its chest. It ducked its head, knocking its hood down a little lower, before it spoke in a stage whisper, "Introducing the Dust of Disappearance." It offered the slightest peek at the fine sand within before snapping the drawstring shut again. "With this item, all you must do is sprinkle some of this dust into the air around your body and you'll become invisible for a short period of time. Use it wisely." It returned to its creeping hunker.

"That seems pretty fun," Kairi muttered to herself.

Forfend couldn't help but ponder what use someone like Kairi would have for an underhanded item like this.

"Ooh, what's that?!" Kairi gasped.

Forfend followed her gaze to a mannequin traipsing right up the side of the wall.

The pair promptly found themselves standing under it next to a mannequin watching its friend with amazement in its body language.

All of the mannequins were so expressive, despite being completely featureless. Maybe it could learn something from them.

Forfend waited until Kairi wasn't looking to briefly copy the stance.

No one in Foumedo had trouble reading Forfend's mood, but it wasn't in Foumedo anymore. Maybe it should exaggerate its physical expressions a bit more to get its point across.

Kairi looked up from the rack of slippers she was browsing through and tapped the mannequin's shoulder.

The mannequin startled slightly and turned to face them. "Oh! Hello, there." It gestured up at its wayward friend who now seemed to be walking in place up the wall. "Introducing the Slippers of Spiderclimbing! While wearing these fine items, you will be able to walk up, down, and sideways across vertical and even upside-down surfaces such as ceilings, leaving your hands free for whatever you wish!" It turned back to wondrously observing its friend.

"Slippers? For walking up walls, would you not want something with laces?" Forfend asked. "What if you were to lose one?"

Kairi tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, the mannequin up there doesn't seem to be having any trouble with his. Maybe the magic keeps them on too?"

Forfend nodded. "That makes sense."

"Let's circle back. I think I want that Ever-Smoking Bottle thing," Kairi grinned.

She trotted jauntily back to the display and snagged a bottle off the shelf, barely glancing at the two-hundred gold price tag that popped up.

Forfend followed her through the multiple floors and winding aisles all the way back to the front counter.

"Oh, look! It's Melzaryn!" Kairi yelled.

She and Forfend joined him at a pair of massive displays sitting side by side.

It had been too focused on Delkan to see them when it first came in, but now they were glaringly obvious.

In fact, they were completely impossible to ignore. The design of the surrounding fixtures intentionally led customers to this spot. Not to mention that this pair of displays was easily twice the size of the others.

The first advertisement was an oversized standee of Moli wielding a painter's palette. She seemed to have just painted a doorway, but her hand actually grasped the knob and pushed it open as though it were truly there.

Forfend craned its head back to read the dangling sign above.

"Molixeen's Marvelous Pigments," it read aloud.

Kairi squinted at the mannequin gasping awestruck at Moli's painting. "I guess he's an art critic," Kairi said.

The mannequin sported gaudy noble's attire, a monocle, and a stuffy powdered wig that came complete with a twirling mustache.

Forfend poked the mannequin's shoulder.

It turned to regard them. "Well, this item is quite interesting to say the least. A new invention recently transported to this Cragwall establishment." It held its arms out to present the Moli standee. "Introducing Molixeen's Marvelous Pigments! While it does indeed require the artistic hand of a painter, whatever you paint with these pigments becomes real." It juddered back into its gasp position.

"That would be quite the amazing ability," Forfend admitted.

"They'd definitely be fun to play with," Kairi agreed.

"I could think of some uses," Melzaryn added.

Forfend leaned down and touched a finger to one of the cases of paints stacked up by the display.

A magical ching sounded as the price popped up above the items.

"Twenty-five thousand," Forfend said, steam whistling in its chest. It pulled its hand away from the paints and backed up a step.

"Well, this one won't be any cheaper, but I'd still like to look at it," Melzaryn shrugged as he stepped over to the next oversize display.

A pair of emerald gauntlets spun slowly in the air over an elevated pedestal.

Forfend perked up and inspected them critically.

They were gorgeously and expertly crafted, despite the incredibly strange material choice. Black steel was inlaid into the gauntlets, carving out intricate designs of draconic imagery throughout their angles and curves. Power radiated palpably.

A mannequin dressed in the green scholarly robes of a Tyrwedian arcanist stood nearby, looking fully prepared to begin a lecture.

Forfend tapped its hand.

"Intro-int-intr-introducing, with the j-joint construction of the gra-gra-gracious King Ledri-drian to this wonderful establish-blishment upon our a-a-a-a-arrival in Cragwall-wall, we present to y-you the G-g-g-gauntlets of Dragon-gon's Wrath," the mannequin stuttered and jerked through its motions.

"Oh no, you broke it," Melzaryn teased.

"With th-th-this weapon, one-one strikes with--" It jolted sharply to a halt, stuck in an awkward halfway point between lecturer poses.

Forfend tilted its head. "Oh, I did break it."

The mannequin suddenly yanked upright, buzzed mechanically, and slouched over. Despite its now abysmal posture, its recording started up again, "W-with these weapons-pons, once power-wer-werful blows b-b-become e-even strong-stronger! With the mi-might-t of a-an emerald-ald dra-drag-drago-go-gon behind them, one can-can un-unleash-leash a cone o-of psychic-psy-psy-psychic energy and-nd deal psychic d-dam-damage with-ith every bl-b-blow as th-the symbol-bol-bols glow with w-worthy drac-con-conic-ic energy-y-y-y! M-may this wea-weapon find-find-f-find its use i-in the right h-h-han-h-hand-h-hands." Its voice deepened and slowed on the last stuttered word until it finally petered out completely.

Forfend resisted the urge to take the mannequin apart and start trying to make repairs. It wanted to help, but it wasn't an artificer. It could probably identify the problem as long as the problem was mechanical, but fix it? Unlikely.

These also weren't its things to fix anyway.

Forfend hummed to itself.

Melzaryn nudged it and nodded. "Yeah, they'd be better in silver."

For a moment, Forfend had no idea what he was talking about. Then it remembered the spinning power gauntlets. It reached up and gently touched the top of the pedestal.

A magical ching sounded and the price popped up.

Forty-thousand gold pieces.

Forfend honestly wasn't surprised by the astronomical sum. Weapons like that were as rare as the skills needed to make them.

Melzaryn was already walking over to the front desk.

Forfend realized he was carrying a hefty bundle of items.

"Welcome back," Delkan greeted. "Did you find all the items you were looking for?"

"I'd say I did," Melzaryn answered as he carefully deposited his things onto the table.

"Excellent! Now let's see what we have here!" Delkan picked through the items, muttering to himself. He pulled an abacus up from behind his counter to run the numbers.

"Ooh, Broom of Flying! Excellent choice, Mr. Collymore," Delkan praised. "A pair of Sending Stones. Very useful indeed. And what is this? You're picking up the Astral Shard?"

"It seemed both useful and fun," Melzaryn smiled his easy, inscrutable smile.

Delkan nodded agreeably. "That brings us to a total value of twenty-two hundred gold. With your family discount, that brings you down to a good fifteen hundred gold."

Melzaryn counted out the money and placed it on the counter.

"Perfect." Delkan swiped the money off the edge of the table and stored it away. "I hope the items see good use and work well for you. Would you like a bag?"

"Thank you. Yes, I would. Not for this one though." Melzaryn picked up his new broom.

Delkan placed the set of Sending Stones and the Astral Shard into a bag decorated with an image of Moli grinning and giving a thumbs up.

"Thank you for shopping at my wonderful store and I hope you have a wonderful day!" the bag suddenly announced in what Forfend could only assume was Moli's voice.

"And what about you, Mr. Forfend?" Delkan coaxed.

Forfend straightened. It had nearly forgotten it was making a purchase today too. It stepped up to the counter and set its Guardian Emblem down.

"Very nice choice," Delkan nodded approvingly. "This will be five hundred gold pieces."

Forfend divvied up the money. "Thank you."

"Of course. Would you like a bag with that?"

"No, it is fine." Forfend shook its head.

Delkan passed the Guardian Emblem back across the counter.

Forfend dropped the item into one of the larger pouches on its belt and stepped aside for Kairi.

"I hope you have a wonderful day." Delkan spied Kairi approaching and ducked his head politely. "And what about you, Ms..." He frowned. "I do apologize. I don't believe I caught your name."

"It's Kairi," she offered amicably.

"Ah, well, Ms. Kairi, it appears you'd like to purchase the Ever-Smoking Bottle. That one is two hundred gold pieces."

"Alrighty," Kairi grinned. "But make it two hundred and five, as a tip." She gave him the gold.

"Well, I do appreciate a good tip from a gracious lady like yourself," Delkan preened as he dropped the extra money into his breast pocket. The rest he tucked away beneath his desk. "Would you like a bag?"

"That would be helpful, thank you."

Delkan bagged the item and passed it over.

Just like the first time, Moli's voice called, "Thank you for shopping at my wonderful store and I hope you have a wonderful day!"

"I hope you have a wonderful day," Delkan echoed. "If you have any other items you're looking for or if you'd like details on anything we sell, please do come let me know."

"Thank you, Delkan," Forfend ducked its head politely and followed Melzaryn out of the shop.

Kairi was close behind. "I guess we should probably go get Kagoshi now, huh?"

Melzaryn set his magical broom hovering in the air and hopped up on it, his feet dangling just an inch off the ground. "Yeah, probably."

Three claps sounded behind the group, followed by an arcane blip.

They turned around to see a transparent image of Moli.

Melzaryn startled, then sighed wearily.

"Well, if this recording is playing--" Moli began, then looked off to the side. "It's on, right? Yeah? Yeah. Okay, cool." She turned back to face them. "If this recording is playing, that means you are here, brother! Hi! I heard that you're in the area, so I had Delkan put this up. How are you doing?! I know you can't answer me. Don't even try. But! I hope you have a good time here and I hope you bought some shit! Did you like the discount?" She paused again and looked off to her left. "It's working, right? You're sure? What? Why would I..? You know what, I'm wasting time. Anyways!" She clapped and looked at them again. "Yeah, I hope you have a wonderful day and I hope to hear back from you sometime."

The illusion froze in place.

"That was sweet of her," Melzaryn said mostly to himself, an exasperated fondness wisping into his tone.

Moli suddenly looked up again as the recording apparently continued. "Yeah, Delkan, I told you to put it up right when he gets out the door. Don't fucking argue with me." She leaned in conspiratorially and whispered. "I've got a little project going on."

Melzaryn leaned in to hear her properly.

"It's gonna be pretty fucking cool. I need your help with it though."

This time the illusion disappeared in a puff of arcana.

A nervous shiver ran down Melzaryn's spine, but the glimmer in his eyes betrayed curious excitement.

"Let us get Kagoshi," Forfend prompted and began making its way over to the jail.

Kairi trotted along at its side, edging closer as they reentered the crowd in the town square.

Melzaryn floated up at Forfend's other side, lounging casually on his flying broom. "Here." He tossed Forfend one of the two Sending Stones he'd purchased. "I think we're the best two to be carrying these."

"That makes sense," Forfend nodded. It pocketed the stone.

Shortly, the group found themselves at the outer gates of the military complex.

Forfend recognized the guard on duty as the one who'd gifted it rocks.

And the guard recognized it as well.

"Oh, hi! You're back?" He cocked his head. "Can we help you?"

Forfend knelt to keep from looming so high over the guard. "Is Kagoshi up for bail yet?"

"Oh yeah, I mean, he just got in a little scuffle with a librarian, so yeah," the guard casually nodded.

Forfend looked to Melzaryn.

Melzaryn shrugged.

"What is the bail?" it asked, steam hissing in its chest.

"I, uh, I can go ask," the guard offered. "I'll be right back."

He jogged through the gates and into the building proper.

A few minutes later, he returned.

"Since it was just a minor thing, it's just one gold," the guard informed. "Thankfully, no one was hurt. Everything turned out fine. At least, that's what they told me. I wasn't there."

Melzaryn glanced sharply at Forfend, his eyes saying an unspoken, "You're welcome."

Forfend pressed two gold into the guard's hand.

"Oh, um, but this is double the amount? Why?" he asked.

"The second gold is for you," Forfend hummed.

"Really?"

"You helped me," it nodded.

"Oh! Okay, thank you," he grinned as he dropped the spare gold piece into his pocket.

"You know what they say about good deeds getting rewarded or whatever," Melzaryn botched the old saying.

"Alright, uh, thanks. I'm gonna go get him." The guard headed back inside.

"I thought you said his monstrous second personality tried to learn?" Forfend probed. "I imagined that would create... more alarm."

"Yeah, it did. And it should've. Definitely seemed like it was going to. I'll figure it out later," Melzaryn promised. "This isn't the time or place."

Kagoshi meandered out of the front gates and met up with them. "Well, that was stupid," he grumbled.

Melzaryn examined Kagoshi's face briefly. He quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"It's getting late, isn't it?" Kairi pointed out.

"We should get a room." Melzaryn walked over to the guard just as he returned to his post. "Any recommendations on places to stay?"

"Oh! Um, I mean, the best inn or tavern kind of place around here has to be the Brass Buffalo," the guard shared. "Its right down that way, past the king's statue. It's hard to miss."

"Sounds lovely, thank you."

Melzaryn started walking in the direction he'd been pointed in.

Forfend and the others followed him.

The Brass Buffalo was already abuzz when they arrived despite the fact that the sun had only just begun to cast orange across the skies.

The building was a full three stories, the top two appearing to be inn rooms while the bottom was packed with revelry.

An enormous brass buffalo statue, presumably the tavern's namesake, stood next to the front door.

The detail work was gorgeous and the metal gleaming. Though, the pristine effect was ruined by the fact that the statue appeared to have been unceremoniously dropped here hard enough to buckle the pavement beneath. A small fence and red cloth sectioned off the partially collapsed cobblestone.

Forfend wondered how that could've happened.

The group pushed through the doors into the bustling bar.

Forfend didn't have to stoop much.

The inside was even noisier and more lively than it had looked from the outside.

In the far corner, a band performed one joyful, exciting song after another.

Nearly every table was overflowing with chattering customers. Drinks clanged while people danced and laughed. Varying cards and dice games were in the midst of being played across several different tables.

Most of the patrons seemed to be farmers or off-duty guards.

A heavyset red dragonborn hollered from behind the bar, "Order's up!"

He pushed a tray of drinks down the counter and immediately set to taking the next order. He teased his regulars, laughing with them as he kept up his breakneck working pace.

"Well, I'm gonna get me some food. Jail food is awful," Kagoshi complained as he made his way to the bar.

"You were there for, what, hours? Did they even feed you?" Forfend asked.

"Eh, I took a nap for most of it. I told the guard I wasn't hungry because I knew the food would fucking suck." Kagoshi leaned on the bar. "Now I'm very hungry."

"Hello there! Pleasure to meet you all!" the red dragonborn bellowed a greeting. "What can I get for-- Hey! You're the guys who helped out at the Teleportation Hub yesterday! I can tell 'cause we've got the big, tall stone guy, we got the pink lady, we got the guy with the whole getup and the platinum blond hair, and we got the slightly angry looking man."

"He is even angrier than he looks," Forfend said.

"Hey now!" Kagoshi griped. "What the hell? 'Slightly angry looking' is my entire descriptor?"

"Hey, man, I wasn't there," the dragonborn placated. "But you know what? You saved a lot of people that day. First thing you order is on the house. What do you want? Drinks, food?"

"Food," Kagoshi accepted immediately. "I'm starving."

"Got the menu right here." The dragonborn placed a menu in front of each of them. "Just got buffalo ribeyes in the other day. Nice and fresh, if you want those."

Kagoshi nodded thoughtfully, pouring over the menu.

"We also got owlbear steak and eggs. Lots of different omelettes, any way you want them, if you're interested in that. Nice hearty stews and soups," the dragonborn listed off.

"I think what I want is a couple of eggs and all of your bacon."

The dragonborn nodded, scribbling the order down on a notepad.

"I do mean all of it," Kagoshi clarified. "I don't mean a lot. I mean all of it."

The dragonborn eyed him quizzically. After a moment, he nodded again. "I getcha, I getcha. I know the lingo. How'd you like those eggs cooked?"

"Screaming," Kagoshi responded.

The dragonborn nodded again, though Forfend didn't think he looked like he understood. It also didn't think Kagoshi had made any sense.

Still, the dragonborn turned and yelled into the kitchen, "Hey, chef! Can I get a couple of baby chickens, Godflame Mountain style?! And a mountain of pork, would you?!" He flashed them a friendly smile. "That'll be out in just a few. What are the rest of you ordering?"

"I do not eat or drink," Forfend shared.

"Ah, well, that's unfortunate. If you do need anything, first thing you order is on the house."

Forfend ducked its head politely.

"Do you have any wines here?" Melzaryn asked.

"Of course, we do!" the dragonborn exclaimed. "We just got in some good ones too. We've got Summerstead wine, Goodberry wine, and we even got in a branch of that new investment the Gallofords are trying out!"

"Do not buy the Galloford wine," Forfend said flatly.

Melzaryn nodded his agreement. "Let me get a hearty beef stew, a bottle of red Summerstead wine, and a single strip of bacon."

"Sure thing." The dragonborn wrote down the order and yelled into the kitchen again, "Hey, chef! Gimme the soup, mooing, with a single strip of pork on the side, keep it lean! And a bottle of dragon's blood!"

"I like the jargon here," Kagoshi mentioned.

"What about you, miss?" the dragonborn asked Kairi.

Kairi hummed as she browsed the menu. After a moment, she pointed to a particular dish. "I'll have rice with black beans, and a fried egg."

"Excellent choice. Drinks for either of you?" he asked Kairi and Kagoshi.

"Shit, drinks. I almost forgot about that," Kagoshi grumbled. "Strong alcohol. I don't have a preference."

"You want something that burns real bad?" the dragonborn offered with a wink.

"Yeah."

"I can get you a fireball, if you'd like. I think that would do you." The dragonborn nodded to himself.

"Hey, chef, how about some of that Fulgar Isles stuff with a Kuumedian twist! Drop the sun on it!" the dragonborn hollered what Forfend could only guess was Kairi's order into the kitchen.

He turned to Kagoshi, a sly grin creeping across his face. "I just got another idea. You look like a man's man. We got this... other drink. The chef concocted it a while back. He calls it the Death Wish. Would you rather try that than the fireball?"

"Yeah, I'm game," Kagoshi said slowly. "Some people already tell me I have a death wish anyway. Go for it."

"Alright, one Death Wish coming right up."

"What?!" a high-pitch scratchy voice called from the kitchen. "Somebody's ordering the Death Wish?! It's getting used?! Hold down the fort boys, I'm making this one myself!"

A goblin, tiny even by goblin standards, scampered out of the kitchen. His chef's hat had been modified to stand more than twice his height. It towered over him, but was barely level with the countertop.

The goblin gawked at Kagoshi. "You want the Death Wish?!"

"Yes, half-hat," Kagoshi growled.

"Fuck yeah!" the goblin cheered. "I'll be right back! Don't worry, your bacon is being cooked!"

He gallivanted off, only to return a minute later with a shot glass containing a drink that bubbled oily black.

"Here ya go!" the goblin cheerfully jumped up on a stool to push the drink into Kagoshi's hand. "Little of this, little of that, and just a couple drops of basilisk venom!"

Forfend physically recoiled. It couldn't believe Kagoshi actually intended to drink what appeared to be venom-laced tar.

Kagoshi eyed the drink suspiciously. "So what's in this exactly?"

"Trade secret," the goblin grinned.

"Alright, sure." Kagoshi shrugged and turned up the glass.

Within seconds, Kagoshi was swaying on his feet. His eyes were dilated and his face red. He slammed the glass back down on the table and hauled himself onto a stool.

The goblin bounced excitedly, screeching in his native tongue. "Holy shit, he's still awake!" he suddenly exclaimed in Common.

"Oh, I thought he was going to say 'alive,'" Melzaryn whispered under his breath.

"Guts of steel!" the goblin praised, elbowing the dragonborn.

"I know," the dragonborn agreed. "Look at him!"

Forfend watched Kagoshi struggle to focus on any one thing in front of his face. He held onto the edge of the bar to keep himself upright.

"Damn! You're only the second person I've ever seen stay awake after the Death Wish. The first one was me!" The goblin proudly jabbed a thumb at his own chest. "You know what? I'm making you extra bacon just for that!"

"Fuck yes," Kagoshi slurred.

The goblin disappeared back into the kitchen.

The group moved to find an empty table, and Kairi nearly had to carry Kagoshi to it.

Not long after they'd gotten settled, the food was brought out.

The dragonborn and a couple other waiters served everything to its rightful places. It took two people to carefully set down Kagoshi's absurd interwoven mountain of bacon.

Kagoshi immediately began shoveling food into his mouth.

Forfend hoped the meal would help him sober up a bit. It figured he hadn't eaten since they'd left the jail this morning. He really hadn't had any business drinking in the first place. Not on an empty stomach.

Melzaryn pulled up his waterskin and used magic to draw the water out. In his palm, it shaped itself into a wine glass and flash froze. Chilled fog drifted off the opaque ice.

"Oh, that's some very impressive arcana!" The dragonborn clapped. "Do you lot need rooms for the night?"

"Thank you," Melzaryn smiled his usual easy grin as he filled his makeshift glass with Summerstead wine. "We definitely will need rooms. I'm very tired."

"Alright. Don't worry about the price. You saved a hundred people yesterday. I think that's worth a room for the night." The dragonborn paused, his eyes lighting up with surprise. "I don't think I ever introduced myself! The name's Narmoth Brewcoat!"

"Forfend," it returned immediately.

"Forfend," Narmoth repeated. "Nice to meet you, Forfend."

"Melzaryn."

"Kairi. And that's Kagoshi," Kairi offered for her friend who seemed far too busy absolutely decimating his plate of bacon to answer.

"Wow, he's really going at that," Narmoth observed. "Anyway, do you need rooms together or separate?"

"Separate," Kagoshi growled through a mouthful of pork.

"The only person here I'd share a room with is Forfend," Melzaryn added.

"That would work for me," Forfend piped up. "I am just as happy to sit outside as I am to sit in a room. I do not need to sleep. There is no point in wasting a bed on me when someone else could use it."

"Alright, sure. Three rooms then," Narmoth nodded.

On the far side of the bar, another guest called for Narmoth.

"Oh, I've got to get that. I hope you enjoy your meal," Narmoth excused himself, weaving across the packed bar.

Melzaryn and Kairi immediately got started on their own plates.

Forfend let the others dig into their meals. It sat upright to watch people come and go.

The bustling tavern had no lack of interesting patrons.

Forfend watched gambling games, arguments that nearly became fist fights, stumbling drunks getting carried home by their friends, mirthful dancers, and a host of other distinctly mortal things it recalled falling in love with during the Sundering.

The wariness after yesterday's terrorist attack had almost entirely dissipated here. Tenacious people determined to keep up their good spirits in hard times made sure to enjoy their night out.

It was Forfend's favorite act of defiance. Joy, happiness, fun then the world didn't seem to want anyone to have those things.

Forfend found its chest was glowing softly orange.

An elven man let himself into the Brass Buffalo tavern.

He looked ordinary enough. Dirty blond hair and light stubble framed his face, his high cheekbones giving him a vague authoritative air he didn't seem to be trying to use. His clothes were nice but plain.

Forfend wasn't certain what about him it had caught onto.

Maybe it was the rapier at his side. The weapon was a bit of a contrast to his clothes. The hilt gleamed Tyrwedian green, a striking comparison to the man's otherwise earth-toned outfit. The dull wooden sheathe it rested in didn't seem to suit such a fine weapon.

The stranger leaned down to speak to a guard. He pat the man's shoulder and looked up, immediately locking gazes with Forfend. He headed straight toward it.

He grinned when he saw the rest of the group sitting with it.

"Hello," Forfend greeted.

Melzaryn, Kairi, and Kagoshi all looked up to see who it was talking to.

"Hi," the elven man greeted. His ears tottered back and forth from nerves or excitement, or perhaps both. "I couldn't help but notice you all from across the room. Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"I often get noticed from across the room," Melzaryn said tiredly and took a sip of his wine.

Forfend motioned to an empty chair.

The elf accepted and waved Narmoth over.

Narmoth approached, a chuckle already rumbling in his chest. "Welcome back, Mr. King."

Melzaryn's pointed ears swiveled, though he didn't otherwise appear interested.

The elf sighed wearily. "Could I get some dinner?" He passed Narmoth the money without waiting for an answer.

"Sure thing. I'll get your usual." Narmoth dropped the coins in his apron pocket and returned to the counter.

"So, where are you all from?" the elf asked.

"North," Kagoshi deadpanned.

"North," Melzaryn and Kairi echoed together.

"I am from Foumedo," Forfend answered less cryptically.

"Foumedo? Really?" The elf looked it over again.

Forfend nodded.

"Huh," the elf vocalized as he considered the possibility. "Well, what you guys did yesterday, I really appreciate it. Problem's been persisting for a long time and, despite my best efforts, I can't really seem to track Envema down. So, I really appreciate what you did for my people."

The elf took the pint of ale directly from Narmoth's hands as the dragonborn returned with his meal.

"Enjoy." Narmoth set the plate down and gave the elf a friendly pat on the shoulder before returning to his post behind the bar.

The elf took a long draught. "Seriously, I can't thank you enough. You really helped Cragwall out. I know you guys are new in town and you did something real brave for people you don't even know. That's why I wanted to extend my thanks personally. Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Forfend nodded graciously. "Someone needed to help.

"Yeah." He rubbed at the back of his neck and sighed. "When I heard the first boom, I tried to head out right away. But of course, they wouldn't let me do that. 'Too important,' they said. I get the sentiment, but those are my people out there."

Forfend hummed deep in its chest.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the elf suddenly jumped. "I didn't introduce myself. I know you guys from all the reports my advisors have been giving me, but I still need to tell you who I am. I'm Falco. Falco Ledrian. The king, I guess," he shrugged.

Forfend froze.

Kagoshi looked up, bacon hanging out of his mouth. "What?"

Kairi's eyebrows shot up.

"The king of Tyrwedia," Falco sheepishly clarified.

Forfend examined him: his features, his body language, every word he'd said since he arrived.

"I don't blame you for not recognizing me," Falco said. "Usually when I go out and tell people, they think I'm lying. I mean, the bartender here is still convinced I'm lying."

Forfend stared. As far as it could tell, Falco was telling the truth. At least, he believed he was. And he did look remarkably like the statue in the town square.

He really was King Falco Ledrian.

"Are you okay?" Falco asked, watching Forfend's blank face with some concern.

Forfend nodded slowly.

"So what brings you to a place like this?" Melzaryn asked, already pouring himself a second glass of wine.

"Well, I like to be down here with my people. Staying up in the castle doesn't do any good," Falco answered adamantly. "A king is supposed to serve his people, you know? I need to be down here to see what they're dealing with every day."

Forfend respected that response. It wasn't certain why Falco had built himself such a reputation of distance, with the statue and lack of notable public appearances.

Coming down to see his people when they wouldn't recognize him was good. It let him stay in touch without the opinions he encountered being censored to protect his ego or the interests of those he spoke with. But it shouldn't be all he was doing. His people needed to see him and know he was there sometimes too.

"Admirable," Melzaryn complimented. "Wine?"

"Oh, sure," Falco accepted.

Melzaryn fashioned a second icy wine glass and poured Falco a drink.

Falco took a sip from the frigid glass.

"Don't you have a son?" Kagoshi slurred.

"I do. I have a number of children, actually." Falco tilted his head curiously at the question. "Erest was my most martially-inclined child. Despite the fact that I wanted him to lead his own life and carve his own path, he still decided to become a knight."

"Is he the one we met yesterday?" Kagoshi squinted at something somewhere between Forfend and Melzaryn.

"Oh, Halt? Yeah," Melzaryn confirmed.

"He is the one that took us in for questioning," Forfend seconded.

"Right, Halt!" Kagoshi shouted. "Prince Halt! Yeah, I remember him!"

Falco chuckled. "Why do you call him that?"

"He yelled, 'Halt,' at three stationary people and three unconscious people," Forfend explained.

Falco laughed, his face lighting up. "He didn't tell me that. I'm definitely telling him about this one."

When he composed himself again, he leaned across the table. "Seriously though, thanks for helping out. They wouldn't let me out of the castle when the attack was happening. So when I heard your group stepped up to save all those people, take down the threat, and you even captured two Envema members, I had to see you for myself."

He gestured around the bar as a whole and towards the door. "Of course, I had to check up on my people first. I was a little surprised I managed to find you all."

"Everything did happen very quickly," Melzaryn noted.

"Very," Forfend, Kairi, and Kagoshi all echoed.

"By the way," Falco started, "at the front gates and again during your interrogation, it was brought up that you're here for court? What's the deal with that?"

"My dear friend Jessie from Foumedo was wrongly accused of a crime by a Galloford," Forfend explained.

Falco's face hardened, his lips drawing into a tight line. "Really now?"

Forfend nodded seriously. "It has been quite a mess."

"As much as I hate to say it, when I first established this kingdom the five noble families were very trustworthy, but that's not true anymore," Falco lamented. "As time went on, some of them stagnated or went down bad paths. The Gallofords are certainly one of them. Sagemantle is another."

Falco glanced at their faces and provided further exposition, "The Sagemantles are monopolizing on their arcane expertise here in Tyrwedia."

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "The families I can safely say have remained stalwart and loyal are the Duskhelms and the Summersteads. But I shouldn't be worrying you all with the political stuff. You're just here to get your trial over with so you can go home."

Actually, Forfend was immensely interested in the political stuff. It even had a question in mind right away for exactly this individual. "Could you tell me what you think of the protest?"

Falco blinked. A dozen emotions flickered across his face before he simply sank down in his chair with a tired huff. "Yeah." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's been going on for a while. Do you know the history of the whole conflict?"

Forfend skook is head. "I do not."

"Alright. Well, you see, I'm actually from the Howling Plains of Begstrom. Way back when--" Falco paused. "I'm a high elf with a pretty significant lifespan. The time frame might feel a little odd to you all. Sorry."

Kairi shrugged.

Melzaryn pointedly didn't look up from his glass.

Forfend and Kagoshi exchanged a glance, knowing they were both from times long passed.

Falco either didn't notice or didn't comment. "Way back when, before the Kingdom of Tyrwedia was the Kingdom of Tyrwedia, it was just an empty spot." He straightened sharply. "Well, no, not empty. I wouldn't want to imply anything negative about the genasi that lived here, but the region was neutral territory."

"With King Maggard Stormrike's whole deal in the Howling Plains with the constant warring, he overstepped his bounds. A lot," Falco said with notable irritation. "Let's just say he made enemies of the neighbors and it wasn't good for us regular folk. A bunch of us banded together and made our way south to see what was going on here."

"Technically, we were still citizens of the Howling Plains and, even now, Tyrwedia is still a vassal state." Falco picked idly at his food and took a long sip of wine. "We tried diplomatic relations with the genasi, but they're not inclined to have us stay here. Though, they were fairly nice about it initially. Cragwall was actually the first city built here in Tyrwedia and it was very nice here for a long time, despite the mild tension."

Falco's brow creased as he retreated into his thoughts for a moment. "And then one of their dragons attacked us. Well, it attacked Cragwall. Then, when Cragwall was in ruins, it went onward to attack the Howling Plains too. King Maggard responded the way he always did and I was told to lead the army."

He rubbed at his forehead and dragged his hand down his face. "The formation of the Kingdom of Tyrwedia isn't something I'm proud of. As I said before, try as I might, I'm still a vassal of King Maggard. The genasi haven't been forgiving, despite the effort I've put in to make it up to them."

Falco shrugged and spread his hands. "Their protests are completely justified," he admitted. "Which is part of why Envema is such an interesting group. Do you know what their name means?"

"I do not," Forfend hummed, absorbing all the information Falco was giving it. There was much to this story. Still more, it thought, than Falco was sharing. It would need to speak to an earth genasi to learn more.

"Genasi speak Primordial. Earth genasi specifically speak a dialect related heavily to the earth elemental plane," Falco continued his explanation. "In their language, Envema means 'burn.' I'm not sure what exactly their goal is, but they seem to have an extremely vested interest in removing all genasi presence against Tyrwedia. Of course, they're also just a general threat to the peace at large."

Falco rubbed at the back of his neck and fussed with his cloak. "I've had an extremely hard time getting a handle on them since I'm also dealing with the corruption of the nobles."

"I see." Forfend tilted its head and considered all it knew for a long moment. "There are likely far fewer true Envema members than it seems."

"I hope so," Falco said.

"If I had to guess, I would say most are hypnotized innocents. The true ringleaders are likely few and far between," Forfend surmised.

"I read that in your report," Falco recalled. "It's very peculiar. And if that's the case..."

He looked at each of them in turn. "May I ask a bit of a favor? Of course, you may decline. I may be king, but I don't control you. Nevertheless, you are the first people in a very long time who have been able to make any progress on the Envema investigation. May I ask that you lend a hand once again?"

"Yes," Forfend instantly agreed.

Falco blinked, surprise leaving his jaw slack. "Oh! I honestly thought I'd have to add a little bit of incentive. Wow."

"Hold on now. I have a single request," Melzaryn interjected.

"Yes?" Falco allowed.

"It seems your Teleportation Hub is a touch exploded and I was on my way home before all this. Could I request help arranging transport once we're ready to leave?" Melzaryn asked.

"Yeah, yeah, yes, of course," Falco nodded. "I'm happy to assist with that."

"Excellent." Melzaryn settled back into what Forfend guessed was now his third or fourth glass of wine.

"I will need to return to Foumedo briefly after the trial. I made a promise," Forfend said seriously.

"That'll be no issue," Falco nodded again.

"Gold," Kagoshi grumbled flatly, tuning into the conversation for the first time in a while.

"Um, sure. I can definitely do that." Falco squinted perplexedly at Kagoshi.

"Good." Kagoshi promptly returned to ignoring the rest of the table.

"I have one more request of you all as well," Falco mentioned. "Knowing of the descent of the Galloford family, would you mind if I were to personally oversee your trial? I don't want to intrude if you don't want me there though."

"That would be perfectly fine with me," Forfend hummed.

"No objections here," Melzaryn said.

"I don't see a reason not to," Kairi added.

"Alright, then it's settled." Falco tilted his head back and forth thoughtfully. "I mean, obviously nothing is set in stone yet. I need to get the papers drafted and all that to make everything official. I'll handle all that though."

Falco stood and gave them a polite nod. "And again, thank you. I seriously can't thank you enough for what you've done."

He caught sight of the darkening skies through the windows and flinched. "Oh, shit," he swore under his breath. "What time is it?" he asked rhetorically, pulling out a pocket watch to check for himself. "Oh. I have to make it back to the castle. Alright, one more time, I greatly appreciate what you did for Tyrwedia yesterday."

He dusted himself and made for the door.

"Stay safe," Forfend called after him.

"I'm a king," Falco said as though that could prevent him from all bodily harm. "I was sent to lead an army against the genasi for a reason." He nudged the rapier at his side. "I think I can handle myself. But I hope you guys have a good night."

"Nevertheless, stay safe," Forfend repeated.

Falco held his hand out to shake each of the group's hands in turn.

Forfend made an effort to be gentle with its oversized stony grip.

Kairi firmly bounced Falco's hand.

Melzaryn held his glass out for a toast instead. "To your health."

"Oh, to your health," Falco seconded, tinking his icy glass against Melzaryn's own.

Melzaryn drained the rest of his drink.

"Wow, you guys are a crazy bunch," Falco commented.

When he offered his hand to Kagoshi, the drunken man just glared at it.

After a brief moment, Kagoshi offered an emphatic thumbs up.

Confused, Falco returned the odd gesture. He waved to them and rushed to the door.

"Well, that was weird," Kagoshi said as soon as the door shut behind Falco.

"That was oddly normal for me," Melzaryn shrugged.

"That was the first time I have ever met royalty," Forfend hummed.

"Wow," Melzaryn huffed, offended.

Kagoshi glanced off to the side with an unreadable expression on his face.

"I thought you preferred that we did not know who you were." Forfend tilted its head at Melzaryn.

"I mean, yeah, but you meet a king hours after you find out and call him the first one," Melzaryn complained.

Forfend wasn't certain it counted Melzaryn as a noble. At least not here in Tyrwedia where he was trying so very hard not to be recognized as one.

"If it is any consolation, I was no more impressed with him than I am with you," Forfend tried.

Melzaryn mulled over the sentiment while he poured himself another glass of wine. "Strangely enough, that does help."

"Alright, I'm getting a key and heading up to rest," Kairi decided. She nudged Kagoshi. "You too, drunk-ass," she teased.

"Mhm," Kagoshi grumbled.

Kairi hauled Kagoshi up out of his seat and helped him stagger up the stairs to their inn rooms.

Forfend watched Melzaryn empty the last of the wine bottle into his glass.

"We should also retire to our room," it suggested.

Melzaryn swirled the glass. "You're probably right." He downed the last of his drink and stood up. He swayed, but he didn't seem to be nearly as unsteady or out of it as Forfend had expected. "I need to summon a snake before we go to bed. Hope that won't bother you."

"It will not," Forfend said, though it didn't know what he meant.

Melzaryn led the way to the counter, got himself a key, and headed straight to the designated inn room.

Forfend ducked through the doorway after him.

The rooms were small. However, they were also sparsely decorated, which meant ample floor space.

Forfend settled itself in against the wall where it could watch both the door and the window. It figured that wouldn't be necessary, but it was remiss to let go of cautious old habits. It shut off its rune.

Melzaryn cracked a window and set up a miniature brass brazier. He dumped herbs and incenses Forfend didn't recognize over the coals.

He spoke in Elvish, magic lacing his words.

The coal lit itself and slowly began consuming the contents of the brazier.

Forfend proceeded to watch Melzaryn continue his occasional quiet Elvish chanting and gentle nudging of the brazier over the next hour.

The last wisp of smoke to exit the bowl hovered in the air without dissipating. It twisted, darkened, and solidified.

Arcana crackled and poofed.

A silvery viper melded itself from the smoke and curled around Melzaryn's outstretched hand. It flicked its tongue, tasting the air of its new surroundings.

"We're gonna be good friends," Melzaryn told the snake. "Keep an eye on me while I rest please. And squeeze my arm to wake me if you sense anything."

The snake only blinked, but that answer seemed to be enough for Melzaryn. He settled into bed with his new familiar still wrapped around his forearm.

Forfend let its mind drift idly over the events of its day.

Late into the night, when it was well past lost in its thoughts, Melzaryn's snake hissed sharply and constricted around its master's arm.

Forfend stared at the empty air the snake had taken issue with.

It lit its rune, perplexed and concerned.

There was nothing there. What was the little creature getting riled up about?

It tapped the medallion on its chest, reached out its hand, and closed its fist.

The magic seized an invisible veil and stripped it away, Dispelling whatever arcane mask had been there.

An assassin cloaked in black warbled into being just as he drove his blade downward at Melzaryn's throat.

Melzaryn twisted at the last second, sleep making him sluggish despite the snake's early warning.

The knife still caught his neck, slashing across as he pulled out from beneath the plunging blade.

Melzaryn slapped his hand over the blood gushing from his wound. It hadn't been enough to kill, but his vocal chords had almost certainly been mangled.

He couldn't cast. Not verbally.

Forfend hauled itself to its feet, magic already sparking between its fingers as it freed its mace from its belt.

It hoped this assassin didn't know who he was dealing with. It feared he did.

#forfend #twilight of the demigods #session notes #session 17 #cragwall #dnd

1 note · View note

heyitsjay03 · 3 years

Note

I saw request we’re open for RE8. Could I please have a fem! reader who tries to get rid of Ethan Winters because he keeps causing distress to her wife, Alcina? Please and thank you.

yes. yes you most certainly can have this.

i have been DYING to write about some alcina x fem!reader for the sole reason being that i have NEVER questioned my sexuality so hard since this damn game came out so yeah.

ps: wrote this in first person hope that's okay!

pps: there is some major plot deviation because.... i felt like it. idk. it fit??

DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to own Resident Evil or its characters or plot. CAPCOM please don't come for me.

here you go love >:)

word count: 1.57k

"Girls!" I call, closing the door behind me. "My darlings, I'm home!" Shifting the grip on the parcel of items from the village, I look around.

Usually one of the girls would've answered by now. Bela is usually here to greet me.

She's probably with her mother.

I shrug off my fur coat, handing it to one of the maids. She takes it and lays it over the back of a chair. I can tell by the large, gnarled scar on her forearm who she is "Marienna," I mumble, staring up the stairway. "...where're the girls?"

Marienna's face pales as she stares back at me. Her mouth opens and closes like a trout. "Well?" I snap, "D'you know where they are or-?!"

A crash resounds down the hallway. Alcina's voice tears from her bedroom, followed by a shuddering sob.

I'm hurrying up the stairs in seconds, abandoning the parcel. My body collides with the door- forcing it open.

Our bedroom is destroyed- the vanity broken to pieces. Alcina's soft hands cling to the golden wood, thumb rubbing against the varnish. Slowly, her eyes trail up to me. A smile nearly as broken as the vanity crosses her painted lips. "...I loved this damned mirror," she mumbles, eyes turning down to the broken pieces again.

"What happened, darling?" I coo, stepping over the pieces to stand beside her. My hand on her shoulder, I turn her face gently towards mine. Tears are streaming down her face- leaving jagged streaks of mascara. "Are you alright? What happen-"

Alcina's body tenses under my touch. Trembling, her grip tightens on the wood. It cracks before being wrenching in twain in her hands. "It was that stupid manthing!" She hisses, standing back up to her full height.

"...what 'manthing'?" I ask, "Your brother?"

Alcina ignores me, leaning back down to pluck one of the larger fragments before throwing it across the room. "He laid his filthy paws on our daughters!"

My mind races as it struggles to understand what the hell is happening.

Manthing.

It's not Heisenberg. He'd never lay a finger on the girls.

Some brutish village slug- that's got to be it.

But why? Why on earth would they...?

It doesn't matter.

As Alcina leans down to grab another bit, I grab her hand. "...are... are the girls okay? Where are they?"

A shuddering sigh passes her lips. "...they're all together," she whispers, wiping tears from her face hastily. "Bela... she was... that disgusting beast, he nearly killed her!"

"What?" I mutter, eyebrows drawing together as I step back. "...what... well is she okay? What happened? Is she going to be alright?!"

Alcina sighs again. "...she'll be alright," her hand wraps around mine gently. "Her sisters found her. Brought her to me."

"Where is she now?," I ask, tightening my grip around her finger. "My baby girl... where...?"

Alcina smiles warmly, getting down onto one knee. Her fingers brush back the hair from my eyes. Tears fall quickly down my face as I realize what could've happened if Cassandra and Daniela weren't nearby. "She's with her sisters," she answers gently. "Resting... waiting for her mother to get back with the flowers and silk from the village."

A cold laugh passes my lips before I sniffle. "...her mother should've been there. Should've never left."

Alcina's face tightens. "You can't blame yourself, darling," she mumbles, turning my chin up so I can face her. "No one knew this... Ethan Winters... would be so hideously vindictive."

I nod slowly, wiping the tears from my face. "...can I see her?"

"Of course, my love," she says, leaning in to press her lips to my cheek. "Of course."

The two of us walk down the halls to the center of the house. 'Safest place for her' Alcina had told me.

She had spoken to me the entire way over here, trying to get me out of my own head.

Bless my beloved wife for trying.

But that name. It just keeps buzzing around my mind.

Images of my hands, covered in thick blood, gripping the handle of a sickle play through my head. The blade going through the jugular of this 'Ethan Winters' and popping out the other side. Him desperate for air, choking on his own hot blood, as he watches me loom over him.

His last words will be for mercy.

His last view will be my blade.

My breath is bated as I watch him stalk through the darkness of the courtyard. In the moonlight, I can see is head is down, eyes wary as he keeps a fair grip on his pistol. The cool air lets me see him regulating his breathing- keeping him steady, keeping his pistol steady.

He's experienced.

My grip on my own weapon tightens as he stops in the gazebo. His eyes narrow as he turns around, his pistol raised. I watch in mild amusement as he whirls around, looking for something to shoot.

He's experienced, yes, but still not experienced enough.

I tug the fabric around my face higher along the bridge of my nose. Gripping my sickle, I balance on the balls of my feet.

Ethan finally relaxes, dropping his arms with his back to me.

A small smile creeps along my lips under the mask. A foolish move made by an even more foolish man.

My body slides underneath the stone railings for the stairs leading into the center of the courtyard. Untucking one of the smaller knives from my belt, I pinch it between two fingers and flick my wrist forward.

The knife goes flying- landing right between Ethan's shoulder blades. A guttural yell comes from him as he spins around to face me. In a blink, I'm up in front of him, nose brushing against his.

I can see the fear in his eyes.

I can't help my smile growing beneath the dark fabric.

Ethan raises his hand, pistol in his palm. With a tut of my lips, I shake my head and stab his hand through with my sickle. "...no, no," I mumble as he continues to scream and thrash against my hold. "There'll be none of that, I'm afraid, Mister Winters."

His teeth gritted, he hisses as my sickle is pulled from the inner part of his wrist. A bitter laugh bubbles up from my gut as he stumbles back onto the floor of the gazebo, now holding the pistol in his shaky left hand. "You can't be serious!" I giggle as Ethan pulls the trigger.

A wet squelch hits my ears as the bullet tears into my stomach. I sigh dramatically, looking down at the gushing hole in my dress. "You didn't think I was human- did you?" I ask, twirling the sickle in my hand.

"Wh- what?" Ethan mutters, eyes fixated on the bullet wound in my torso.

"I'm not," I continue, stepping closer to him as he tries to back away. Another gunshot echoes through the courtyard- the bullet landing in my left shoulder. "Not entirely, anyways."

"What the hell are you?!" Ethan yells, firing three more shots. One in the crook of my neck, one just barely grazing my temple, one lodging itself in my hip.

My jaw tightens as I hurry forward, grabbing him by the collar and throwing him back into the center of the gazebo. "I!" I snap, grabbing him again and gripping his wrist. "I... am the mother of the girl you almost killed!"

I pull another knife out of my belt. Trailing it down his lips, I smile. "And the wife... to a woman scorned." With a single swing, the knife digs into the flesh of his palm and nails it to the gazebo.

Ethan yells in pain. As I step back, his other fist cracks across my face. I stumble back. Grabbing at my cheek, I chuckle darkly. "Oh, Ethan," I coo coyly, grabbing my sickle. "You really shouldn't have done that."

I swing and watch with what could only be described as 'glee' as the blade pierces his throat. Covered in blood, the blade glistens crimson in the pale moonlight. Ethan's choked pleas are drowned out by my laughter.

"Why?" is the only word able to leave his lips without being smothered in a gush of blood.

"Because, Mister Winters," I hum, my nose brushing against his as I watch the life in his eyes flicker. "You should never have touched my family."

BONUS ENDING:

"What is that delicious smell?"

I turn around to see Alcina bending down to peek outside. A smile crosses my lips as I gesture to the mutilated corpse with the end of my sickle. "Dinner, my love," I hum, wiping off the blade with the fabric I had used for a mask. "Sorry it's not the cleanest."

Alcina scoffs and waves me off. "It's fine, _________. I'll just go let the girls know their mother brought dinner...," she pauses, eyes flicking over the gushing body. "...who was that? He smells... familiar."

"Just Ethan Winters," I answer nonchalantly.

"...y-you..." Alcina stammers, eyebrows weaving together and lips pursing. "You... when did you-?"

"He must've been tired," I continue with a small smile. "He was not nearly as difficult a kill as I thought he'd be."

"...I'll... I'll be going now."

"Okay, love," I chirp, "I'll drag him in in a second. Love you!"

Alcina's eyes are still wide, mouth slightly agape as she steps away from the doorway. "...love you too... darling."

can you tell i had a lot of fun with this?

yeah. because i did.

i hope you enjoyed! writing lady d is so much freaking fun i kid you not.

big vampy lady make brain go brr

#lady dimitrescu x reader #lady dimitrescu #lady dimitrescu x fem!reader #bela dimitrescu #cassandra dimitrescu #daniela dimitrescu #anon ask #anon #resident evil village fanfiction #resident evil village #resident evil 8 #ethan winters #manthing (derogatory)#had way too much fun with this #it was supposed to be like 500 words tops #it ended up being over 3 times that

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nessaxc · 3 years

Text

___________________________________

Dressed Up || Gojo Satoru

Shoko has you and Gojo dress up for an important event. Gojo can't help himself when he sees you.

~ Rating: Explicit

~ Warning: NSFW 18+ ~ Dressing Room Sex, Sexual Content, Sexual dialogue, Shameless Smut, Oral Sex, Cunnilingus

___________________________________

“So which one, the pink or the black?” Shoko presented two fashionable and frilly dresses before you, her eyebrows furrowed as she waited for an answer. You looked at both of them with your hand over your chin, deep in thought.

“It’s so hard to choose, I love them both!” you whined and Shoko chuckled in response. Gojo appeared behind you and then suddenly joined your side. He was already in his black suit and his matching tie, bending over as he looked at the two dresses and said, “Pick the black one, that way we’ll match.”

“Now now, let Y/N choose. If she likes the pink then she can wear that, it’s up to her.” Shoko assured.

“The black one will do!” you smiled and snatched it from Shoko’s hand.

“If you say so. I don’t want to sound pushy, but hurry and get dressed, we have to get going.” Shoko said with a smug smirk before walking away.

“Be right back, Satoru.” you winked playfully at Gojo and made your way to the dressing room, closing the door behind you and stripping down to your underwear. Gojo stood by the door and said, “Ah, no need to be coy, princess. C'mon and let me in there, I wanna see.” he chuckled.

“Gimme a minute!” you called out, slipping into the dress and then posing in front of the mirror, swaying around just to see it flow. You traced your pink lipstick on the shape of your lips and then puckered them.

“You know, I don’t like waiting long.” he said in an impatient tone and you only laughed in response. You finished up the final touches of your makeup and then you started brushing your hair. You smoothed your fingers over the hair afterwards, trying to make sure everything was perfect.

“Ooh, time’s up! Here I come!” he barged the door open and he immediately settled his gaze upon your outfit.

“Hey, I didn’t say you could come in, meanie.” you complained, but he didn’t answer. He couldn’t keep his eyes off your delicate curves and the sheer openness of the dress. You were wearing a sinfully tight black dress that glittered in the dim lighting. The wide cut of the collar allowed his eyes access on your prominent collar bone and softly sloped shoulders. It was fastened simply with a strap around the neck and a thick satin ribbon around the waist. The hem of the dress ended a few inches above your knees, exposing a generous amount of your legs. You took a moment to walk towards the mirror, giving him the view of your exposed back and how the dress had a low cut on it.

“Do you like it? It’s a little tight, I might ask Ieiri if I can pick another one, she’s got tons of them.” you said softly and your cheeks flushed up when you noticed that animal-like look in his eyes, full with lust. He strides forward and slams the door shut once he’s in.

“This one will do, baby, for now. Though, I can’t promise that you won’t need a new one after I’m done with you.” he grinned and pushed you forward, your back against the wall. You looked up at him and then back down, taking a long look at him and how the suit hugged the contours of his body so perfectly. You locked eyes with him for what seemed like ages and then suddenly he crashed his lips against yours. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pushed your body against his, the kiss warmed the area between your thighs, and you pulled away from his lips to tug at your dress.

“We don’t have much time, so let’s hurry up.” you urged and he didn’t waste any time untying the laces of the sides of your dress and he once he finished with that, he ripped the rest off and then peeled it down your body. You shimmied, swaying your hips from side to side as you wiggled out of it. He noted the movements of your breasts as you did so and grabbed one with his hand, gently squeezing your flesh, massaging it in his palm.

“That’s a good girl.” he praised.

A soft moan left your lips when he bent down to kiss at your neck as he kneaded your breast. You arched your back, giving yourself to him. You cried his name out as his fingers pinched and pulled your nipple. He lowered his head down to catch it in his mouth. The combination of the swirls of his tongue and the sucks of his lips made you whine and grind your hips against his.

Your breaths hitched and you placed your hand on the top of his head, impatiently pushing it down, needing to feel these sensations below. He chuckled and moved the hand, kissing your navel to your mound. A grin spread across his face when he noticed the sheen between your lips and he lapped at the wetness eagerly, teasing you.

“Satoru!” you uttered his name softly, bucking your hips to his face. “Hurry, p-please.” you whined and it only made him want to take it even slower, but his own hunger got the best of him. He pushed his tongue between your lips, fully tasting your sweetness. He groaned into you, the vibrations enhancing your reactions.

He devoured you, penetrating you with his tongue while he massaged your clit with his thumb. You cried out even louder, tears welling in your ears from the pleasure and you felt a shiver run down your spine when he switched from his tongue to suck on you with his mouth.

“Oh fuck! Please, I-” you reached out to grab at his hair, grinding into his mouth as you came. He swallowed your essence and took a deep breath when he pulled away from you. He came back up with a grin on his face, he wiped your wetness from his mouth with one swipe and began to undress himself.

“Mmm, always so quick to cum when I eat you out. How do you expect me to behave when we go out tonight?” he laughed impishly.

“Yeah, like you ever behave. I’ve never heard of such a thing.” you added as you giggled with him.

He clenched his jaw as he moved his hands to his trousers. His member begged to be released, it twitched and pressed against the material, wanting to burst through the fabric. You helped him remove them and you quickly took him in your mouth.

He hissed your name out when he felt you down there, you two were running out of time for any more play and he needed you now.

“Off,” he demanded. You ignored his command and bobbed your head swiftly, tightening your mouth around him. He grunted, suppressing the moan he wanted to release. He grabbed at the base of your neck suddenly, with a firm grip.

“What did I say? Off. Now.” he growled. You sucked on it one last time before pulling away, smirking at him as you left a trail of saliva at the tip and then licking your lips afterwards.

“Get back up here, Y/N.” he ordered and let go of your neck. You instantly obeyed, pressing your back up against the wall. He kept his body over yours, his eyes staring you down.

“Open up, now.” he instructed and you spread your legs against the cold wall, panting quietly. You reached between him and put your hand over his, guiding him to your entrance. With one thrust, he entered you and you both sharply gasped.

You both moved together. His thrusts met with the upward movement of your hips and he leaned in to give you sloppy kisses, painting each other’s lips with spittle. He pulled away to reach down to your neck, biting at it and leaving a red, fresh bruise upon your skin.

You gripped at his back, scratching him with your nails and leaving marks all over which only urged him to quicken his pace and fuck you harder. Your moans changed into high-pitched cries, they grew in volume as he pounded into you. You didn’t care who could hear you, all you could think about was how badly you needed him and that you never wanted him to stop.

“On your knees.” he said as he removed himself. You willingly got on all fours and turned around, arching your back to present for him. He lowered himself down and you yelped when he entered you again, not wasting any time. His thrusts were barbaric, he relished in the tightness of you and the warmth of your wetness. He slapped your ass suddenly, branding your skin with a red print. You mewled softly, not caring who heard you because all you could think about was how good he felt. You threw your head back and you couldn’t control the way it bobbled as your body slapped against him.

Your body tensed as you scratched at the floor and you felt your walls tighten around him, breathing heavily upon meeting each thrust. You writhed and moaned with each slam of his hips into yours, legs shaking, body humming with the beginnings of her orgasm. Your hand trembled as you reached between your spread legs and began stroking your clit with your fingers at the same pace in which he thrust into you.

“Ah! Don’t stop! Faster!” you begged. He gave in to your wishes and his thrusts hit harder and faster. Your moans grew louder, reverberating throughout the small room as you felt his member jerk deep in her wet heat. Your eyes fluttered and your whole body was on fire, after one more thrust you suddenly came. The cum varnished both of your thighs and his pelvis, your bodies glistened with the mix of it and your sweat.

He slowed his pace, inch by inch he slid in and out of you, savoring the feeling of you. He kept going until he couldn’t anymore. He grunted as his body shook and he spilled his seed inside, filling you up completely. You gasped when he did and your head drooped down, trying to catch your breath. You could hear him panting lowly from behind you and he turned your head to him with his hand, brushing the sweaty strands of your hair away and then planting a quick kiss on your lips.

“Looks like you’re gonna have to get a new dress, baby.” he said through his ragged breathing.

“It’s all your fault, Satoru.” you pouted and whimpered to yourself. You both hastily dressed in your clothes and fixed your hair before exiting the dressing room.

Shoko was outside, making her way to check up on you. She cleared her throat and chuckled when she saw you two. She looked down at your dress, immediately noticing the rips in it.

“So, you want the pink one now, I presume?” Shoko guessed with a smug smile on her face.

“Yes please.” you nodded and Gojo couldn’t keep himself from laughing as he stood next to you.

“Must I remind you both to conduct yourselves?” Shoko shook her head as she fetched the pink dress for you.

“Won’t happen again, don’t worry. We’ll behave from now on.” Gojo lied and turned to look at you, winking.

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christ0pher-evans · 3 years

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Shattered Heart

Pairing: Chris Evans x Reader Warnings: Angst / Cheating / Mentions of Sex Word Count: 1.9k

A/N: I never usually write RPF angst fics, only fluff or smut, but I was drowning in many of my drafted smutty stories (not a bad thing) and I felt like I needed to clear my head with something different. I had this idea and Chris was the best fit. If you don’t feel comfortable reading RPF then please don’t! Based on ‘I love you’ by Billie Eilish. Please reblog and like🖤

♡

PRESENT DAY Laying in bed, wrapped tightly in Chris’ arms and listening to his soft snores over your shoulder was your confirmation that it was the weekend. Any other day you would be waking up alone, Chris already long gone and busy working. You shifted carefully before sliding out of his gentle grip, putting on your oversized jumper which was discarded on the floor from last night.

Once you were downstairs and waiting for the pot of coffee to finish, your gaze lingered on the big garden to your home; the hammock that held a blanket from summer evening cuddles, Dodger’s toys flung carelessly from energetic play dates and the makeshift bar that you had built together for the parties you always hosted. All things that highlight the life that you and Chris had started together seven years ago. Smiling to yourself and caught in your memories, you didn’t even hear Chris coming down the stairs. You only realised his presence across the kitchen once you turned around. Taking him in quickly, you noticed a look of anguish fixed on his face.

“It’s not true, tell me I’ve been lied to”

“Babe, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

Upon trying to approach him, to check he was alright, he hastily stepped away as if he was frightened from your touch. Looking away from you, he stayed silent.

“Chris?”

Now, you were airing on the edge of nervous, genuinely worried something bad had happened but something was also telling you to stay put, to not move closer to him. You kept your distance, leaning against the breakfast bar for support against the unknown.

“Y/N, I… I have to tell you something.”

Sick rushed to your throat at the tone of his voice; coarse and frightened. You stayed quiet, too scared to ask him to continue.

“Last night..” he took a deep breath, “last night, at the work dinner, before I came home; I kissed someone else.”

Chris took another deep breath before he looked up. You were already looking at him, tears building in your eyes. Gripping the edge of the counter, you bit your lip and took a shaky breath, too afraid to do anything else incase you collapsed from the utter heartbreak washing over you.

“Y/N, please say something.”

The sound of Chris speaking startled you, suddenly conscious of how long you’d been frozen, practically in suspended animation. Your ethereal bubble of love and adoration abruptly shattered, even the sound of his voice was making you shudder.

Deep down, you were burning with rage, but your voice only came out as a whisper, “Tell me it’s not true, tell me you’re lying.”

You pleaded, praying and begging that this was some horrible practical joke that he wanted to play on you.

“I - I’m not lying..”

“So, just to be clear, you went to a work dinner when you knew that I would be spending the fifth night in a row, in our home, eating alone-?”

Chris went to interrupt but you weren’t finished. You were determined to get your point across before you crumbled.

“-You went out and kissed someone that wasn’t me and then came home to me, sat and had wine with me and then made love to me but didn’t have the respect for me to tell me the truth the second you walked in the door last night?!” Staring at Chris, you felt the first tears drop onto your flushed cheeks. You didn’t mean to sound so harsh but when everything was fracturing around you, your emotions were the last thing you were trying to control.

“Up all night on another red eye, I wish we never learned to fly”

THREE YEARS AGO “Chris, I thought you said you were going to be home this week? It’s our four year anniversary!” You sighed into your wine as you sat eating dinner with him one Sunday evening.

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry but they want to squeeze in a week of location shooting, it was a last minute decision.”

You flicked the contents of your dinner round your plate, sad at the thought of another week at home alone. As an editor for a fashion magazine, you could do a lot of work from your home office therefore you’d already told your boss that you were working at home all week to spend time with Chris. In these situations you were so grateful to have an understanding and flexible job but frustrated to have such an in-demand and famous boyfriend. Sitting in silence with Chris, you couldn’t help but feel like this was another nail in the proverbial coffin that was your relationship.

“Come with me!” Chris blurted out nervously. “You were working from home this week anyway, why not just work from London?”

Your heart felt warm suddenly. The idea of spending a week in London with Chris was exciting and the sense of feeling wanted squashed your previous anxiety.

“Of course I’ll come with you, if you want me there?”

Chris leaned forward, reaching out and pulling your face to his, lips gently brushing against yours as he whispered, “There is nowhere that I could be in this world where I wouldn’t want you by my side, ever.” With that, he caught your lips in a bruising kiss.

SIX MONTHS AGO “Chris..” you sigh, holding your phone away from your ear so he doesn’t hear the sob that escapes your lips. “I just don’t think that flying me halfway across the country will fix these problems!”

You were exhausted with fighting a losing battle. You played with the loose tendrils of hair that had fallen around your face, waiting for his reply, wondering if he understood your hidden rejection of his offer.

“Y/N, you can’t tell me that you want to see me and sort our problems out in person but moan when I offer a perfectly valid solution! I know I’m away a lot at the moment, but your job is so flexible, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just come with me in the first place!”

You involuntarily groan, irked by what Chris had thought was a perfectly acceptable compromise. He had missed the point completely. Flying from state to state, hell even country to country for the past six months just to get an iota of time with your husband was taxing, it was also forcing you to surrender your own life to follow his. All you wanted was for Chris to understand the sacrifice you’d been making.

“Okay Chris, I’ll book my flights now. I’ll see you tomorrow.” You sighed, disconnecting the phone call and slamming your phone on the sofa in frustration.

Reflecting back on the past few years, you felt ashamed at your naivety with Chris. You had taken everything with a pinch of salt because you could only imagine how difficult it was for Chris to uphold a relationship, let alone a marriage, with his career, so you were happy to make a small sacrifice if it resulted in spending time with Chris but now you realised, you were sacrificing everything for his happiness, not yours.

“Cryin' isn’t like you”

PRESENT DAY The words you had spoken hung over the room like a dark cloud. You knew you were being heinous before you’d given him a chance to explain but you were heartbroken. Your fingers skimmed your lips, disgusted that they’d entwined with Chris’s after he had kissed another woman, disgusted that they had begged him for release as you made love after he had kissed another woman.

As you wiped your own tears from your eyes, you noticed tears spilling from Chris’s eyes. Your body went rigid - you had only seen Chris cry a handful of times. The feeling of sympathy and guilt should have been foreign to you in this situation but you felt pain from his misery. You could see the torment in his eyes, and you knew that he was angry with himself for hurting you; maybe, just maybe you could sort this out and salvage your marriage.

“Shouldn’t I be the one that’s crying?” You tried to make light of the problem but recoiled at the distastefulness of your question.

Moving to the now well-brewed pot of coffee, you poured two mugs before placing one at the other side of the breakfast bar for Chris, a symbolic waving of the white flag. You sat down, anxiously waiting to see if Chris would follow, hoping that you could sort this out like adults and maybe try to recover your trust and your marriage. That’s what you wanted, right?

“Maybe we should just try, to tell ourselves a good lie”

You took the first sip of your second cup of coffee, still sitting in silence. You had been pondering with how to start the conversation but was admittedly hoping Chris would instigate it. Looking like that wasn’t going to happen, you tore off the bandaid and asked the question you had been dreading finding out the answer to.

“So, can you start from the beginning and tell me what happened? I think I need to understand what transpired before we move forward.” You spoke calmly, channelling your nerves into picking at your nail varnish. Distracted by the chipped pattern on your nails, you were startled when Chris spoke up.

“So, um, obviously you and me, we’ve been dealing with what feels like a long distance relationship; even though we live in the same house.” Chris paused from a moment, and you thought he was going to start crying again. You had to look down into your coffee, scared that if you started crying also, you wouldn’t stop.

“Not that we haven’t handled that before, but this time it felt different, it felt worse. I know it’s not your fault Y/N and it’s not mine either, our jobs are so demanding but I was just feeling so alone.”

Your heart was shattered at Chris’ confession. Knowing that you were both hurting from the same issue but keeping it to yourselves, it seemed absurd.

“She was always there. I saw her every day at work, definitely for many more hours than I was seeing you each day, and she is nice. She became my friend and my comfort.”

Now you felt like you’d been stabbed through the heart. Hearing Chris talk about another woman being everything you thought you were to him crushed you. How could you ever trust him again when he chose another woman to confide in?

“We get on really well, and um, whilst we were waiting outside the restaurant for our taxis, it just sort of.. happened.”

The rest of the conversation passed by like a bad dream. Remembering snippets of trying to stay calm as Chris told you he made the first move, screaming at Chris when he told you he would still see her at work every day and crying into his shoulder when you admitted you wasn’t sure if this marriage had a future.

Chris had left hours ago to stay at a friends house to give you some space. You glanced at the tissues surrounding you - reminders of the tortuous day - as if you were looking for the answers among them. Wiping your puffy eyes for the final time, you waited for something, or someone, to make the decision for you.

Now, it felt like the quiet at the end of a storm. Like your nightmare had come full circle. You sat in the same spot, alone.

Part Two: Troubled Heart

#chris evans #chris evans x reader #chris evans x you #chris evans fanfiction #chris evans angst #fanfiction #rpf

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sooniesspot · 3 years

Text

Coming Down | myg

Okay, so here's the second installment of my BADLANDS Series. This is loosely based around Coming Down by Halsey. I realise I haven't really done them in a specific order, just the one I am pulled to next to write.

Warnings: Dom!Yoongi, Sub!Reader, mentions of slight work stress and societal pressures of being a woman, you know. All that good stuff.

Reader is a F E M I N I S T and proudly so. Loose mention of not wanting kids (which is fine btw) this is just a whole load of smut, not much fluff as it's FWB but.

Okay so, oral, f & m receiving, face fucking, fingering, multiple orgasms, rough sex, light spanking, choking (for like a milisecond) use of ties, slight sensory deprivation, slight body worship, overstimulation. Slight name-calling?? Yoongs says kitten ironically. Use of safe word/safe signal. Yoongles has a Sir Kink. (I can only apologise) Reader has a hand kink (obvs) just wants to get off and relieve stress, Yoongi is happy to be their relief.

word count: 9.8k 👀🐸☕ don't @ me

'I found God, I found him in a lover'

It was a normal Thursday evening, you'd finished work at 6pm on the dot and took the bus home. Fishing for your keys as you approached the front door of your apartment. Key in the lock, turn. Open. Silence. Walking into your hallway, slippers not quite on the rack by the front door as you rushed out of them into your heels this morning. Just where you left them. Sliding off your heels with a sigh as you trudged into your slippers, immediately comforted by the soft memory foam that supported your tiresome toes. Returning your heels to the rack. Shrugging off your bag and long coat, reaching nearly 2 feet above you on your tiptoes to hang your bag and coat on the coat rack. Muttering to yourself like you did every day. 'Coat and bag, then heels. Won't have to stretch so much.' Venturing into the living room. Magazine on the coffee table infront of the sofa where you had left it last night.

Empty. Not that you expected anyone to be home. No one making you dinner you didn't want, or taking up the whole sofa, or hogging the remote. You lived alone, and you liked it. Sure, for a pretty young girl in her mid twenties you often had looks and questions.

'When are you going to find the one?'

'When will you settle down and have a family?'

And truth be told, you didn't want to settle down. You had told your mother from a young age that you didn't want children, whether that would change over time or not you weren't sure. It hadn't changed. You still wanted your independence and that was okay. Women were not put on this earth just to bear children and you were the firmest believer in that. You liked your life just the way it was. A job you loved that you worked hard for, an apartment you were proud of and nearly every night you got to sleep in your own bed, alone, no one to whine at when they snored or your body being used as a warmer for their cold feet. The few nights you were away from your bed came from your once in a while rendezvous with an acquaintance of yours. Although you knew eachother more than mere acquaintances should.

You met at a bar some time ago. Lights flashed, sure to give you a migraine and music so loud your eardrums could burst at any given moment. You were dragged out to this stingy bar by your bestfriend in her attempt to finally get noticed by that one guy. Even in her twenties she was still as smitten as when you were both back at school. You wore a simple black dress with a low cut front, skirt just above the knee and plain black heels. Hair not much different to your everyday, maybe a few waves here and there and some more mascara than your normal work volume. Trying your best to blend in but still having the ornate ability to have eyes on you in any setting.

You spent a lot of time on the dance floor until your friend had found her prey and you circled around the bar. Much rather wanting to stay at home with a tub of ice cream and your cat watching some terrible reality show about Cabin Crew on a cruise ship. Shouting at the TV to throw the nasty woman overboard; waving your spoon at the screen as your cat looked on in understanding almost. But here you were, slumped against a sticky varnished oak bar, propped up on an old velvet stool, twisting your straw in your glass, nonchalantly spinning the steadily melting ice as you listened to your friend talking to her guy. Suddenly feeling a hot hand against your lower back and someone lean over the bar between you and your otherwise occupied friend. Looking up at a pale man to your left.

" Whiskey on the rocks. " came his order to the bar tender; sharp, leaving no room for anything blasé.

Catching his eye, he looked you over once with a subtle bite of his lip and the flick of his tongue at the seam of his mouth; eyebrow raised with a lingering smirk before he vanished into the sea of people again with his drink.

Dumbfounded, you sat there, staring at the now empty spot where he had been mere seconds ago, the now cool expanse of your lower back where his large hand once was, fizzing. Swinging round on your stool, propping your elbow on the bar behind you, your eyes scanned the room. It wasn't the biggest bar. It wouldn't take long to find him.

Soon you caught eyes with him across the dance floor, stood with his taller, tanned friends as he held the whiskey glass firm in his hand; talking amongst themselves. Dark Brown, almost black hair feathered across his forehead, just above his twinkling chocolate eyes. Thin upper lip pressing to his plumper bottom lip before perfect white teeth graced your vision in an endearing gummy smile. Eyes still not catching you between the bodies of people dancing. Several silver hoop earrings in each ear. He wore a long black sweatshirt, black ripped jeans and boots. A couple of silver rings adorned his strong fingers.

You took a sip of your drink, gaze intermittently fluttering in his direction as you scanned the room, your friend had left to go and dance. Eyes found her and you nodded, knowing she was fine. As your stare focused back on the man before you he finally looked up, catching your eye with his, dark and mysterious. His lips pulling into a smirk again as he gazed at you. Heat bubbling in your chest from his wandering eyes on your body through the gap in people on the dance floor. He eventually made his way over to you and whispered a few words into your ear. Cool and calm.

" Come back to my hotel. "

And so you did. One slightly drunk, intense one night stand later and here you were, 6 months down the line sleeping with eachother whenever he was in town. A classic Friends With Benefits situation, although you weren't really friends.

You walked into your kitchen, greeting your ginger tabby cat with a kiss as she meowed at you in greeting. Grabbing yourself a glass for water and pouring kibble into her bowl on the floor, your routine monotonous but you didn't mind. Your cat tucking into her dinner as you filled up your glass, taking a sip. Looking at delivery menus on your fridge under old magnets from previous travels, deciding on Chinese; plucking the menu from the fridge, you had a training day for other colleagues at work tomorrow which meant a day off for you. No needing to cook dinner and get an early night tonight. Placing your glass and the menu on the coffee table in the living room, you switched on the tv, chucking any random show on then bumbling along to your room, opening the door. Greeted by quiet and serenity. No dirty pants on the floor or unmade bed. You smiled with contentment, unzipping your dress to pool at your feet before tossing it into your wash basket. You looked at yourself in the mirror, your most dependable black bra and panty set glaring back at you as you fixed your hair into a ponytail and wiped off your makeup. Throwing on a sweatshirt and some leggings. A short while later you plopped yourself down on the sofa and switched on the tv, greeting your cat with a scratch under her chin as she sauntered into the room, hopping up on the sofa with you.

Zoning out to the world around you as a terrible drama played on in the background as you glanced over the menu, not really paying attention to anything in particular. You had been a little stressed over the past couple of weeks, mounting pressures of a new senior in your department threatening to change everything you had sculpted into a balanced working environment over the last 3 years. Societal pressures and backhanded compliments from your mother's 'garden party' friends concerning whether or not you were defective in choosing a man. Or having one choose you. But in reality, the truth is, you had a stable relationship previously, unfortunately he was a dick and you're not stupid. So the single life had been your rather quiet reality for the last 18 months. No one to answer to or to worry about. Just you and your cat.

Your mothers friends never seemed to understand that, always too engrossed in whether or not you had a man on top of you every night to see that their husbands had found other, much younger women to be on top of. All of this filtering through the crack in your hardened shell, filling your mind with alternate realities until you got a text coming through. Cutting through all the fuzz that piqued in your brain. Picking up your phone, you saw who it was. Him.

'I'm in town, come over?'

Your reply was short and sweet.

'Sure, be over in 20.'

Snapping out of your previous thoughts and placing the menu back on the coffee table you sat and pondered for a minute. This was fine. This was what you needed. To let off some steam, in a judgement free setting. No cold glances your way, or harsh words uttered, unless it was you being tied to the headboard again like you had been convinced to try last time with his unadulterated gaze looking down at you writhing underneath him. The thought alone had your hair standing on end and a shiver running through you as you stood from the sofa, heading to your room.

Sifting through your wardrobe to pull on some old trainers, checking yourself in the mirror not really knowing why. In your hallway you made sure the lights in the apartment were off and your cat was happy, tucked up in the corner of the sofa snoozing away. Making sure you had your keys and phone in your bag, you left, key in the lock, turn. Locked. Walking down the hallway and down to the ground floor, heading out of the building to head right. The hotel he always stayed at was only a block or so away so the walk was relatively short. The sun was setting now as it hid behind the skyscrapers that canopied the city. Passers by making their way home or even to work. Still lots of cars on the road and bicycles that weaved in and out of traffic. The breeze was light and cherry blossoms danced in the air, separating from a tree as you passed a nearby park. The air was cool, as it would be in early May. Not too hot. Reminded of your journey, that first night.

'When his hair falls in his face and his hands so cold they shake'

You had left swiftly after his original proposition, making up some story about your cat or an early work meeting or something. Anything to get you out of there and with him. His hand returned to the small of your back as you left the bar, being ushered into an awaiting taxi outside. Shuffling all the way over to the other side, he slid in next to you blurting out the address to the hotel at the driver. Hair falling in his face. Eyes wild as they sparkled from the reflection of the dim streetlights. Smirking at you as the same powerful hand you had grown accustomed to on your back, made a home on your knee, slightly tucked under the skirt of your dress. It was now cold to the touch. Strong and intimidating as the taxi started to drive away. Not being able to take his eyes off you he leant forward and whispered in your ear.

" You look so delicious. " His voice low that reverberated through you, straight to your core as he squeezed your knee. Uttering the last syllable with a kitten lock to the shell of your ear.

To this you bit your lip and shifted uncomfortably in your seat. His hand, in turn sliding further up under your dress to the wider expanse of your thigh. The material of your dress pressing his hand taught against your skin.

He swooped down to your ear again, pressing an open mouthed kiss under your ear before he whispered " can't wait to taste you. "

You keened away from his grasp to no avail. He knew what he was doing to you, breath shallow and flighty in your chest as his teeth tugged at your earlobe.

"Please " You breathed, the first word you uttered to him.

Not really sure what you were pleading him for but the fire in your chest and the dampness of your panties flourished an urgency within you that was incorrigible. He smirked again at this, eyes dancing like Fireflies in the night. The hand that was to his side while the other hid between your thighs came up to cup your cheek, turning your face towards him.

"Soon. " He chuckled before biting your lip.

Drawn back to reality, passing people and cars. Your trainers pulling you towards your destination as your head had an argument with your feet. Was this a good idea? You didn't want to get yourself into a situation where either of you caught feelings. You were a pro at being a cold hearted bitch now but the odd sincere glance your way, especially from him seemed to melt your resolve, even just a little. Recounting the previous times you had taken this walk and what it would lead to.

After your first night with him, it was like a drug. You always wanted more. To say he was good in the bedroom was a complete cop out. He was...He was something. Made you feel things you'd never felt before and noises you'd never in your wildest dreams imagine yourself making. At decibels only a dog could hear. So once the addiction started, you started seeing one another everytime he was in town. Sometimes a couple of times in a week. That went on for a solid 4 months and as work pressures mounted, you fell distant. Always busy catching up with work or having some alone time with your thoughts and your cat. He also got busy, having to travel more for work. You didn't really know much about except it was important and you felt based on the guitar he always packed with him, propped up against the wall in the corner of the room, it was something to do with music.

'I found a devil, I found him in a lover'

The last time you had seen eachother had been a little over 2 weeks ago. That night you'd stayed, which didn't come easily. You were adamant you would leave as soon as you'd cleaned up, even telling him so as he helped you wash in the bathroom, almost requesting a second round when he looked at you through the mirror with those sparkling brown eyes like the devil, but you had been so wound up and pushed to your limits that you felt sleep take you as soon as your body hit the mattress again. Memories of restraints, dark water colours that created the murky palette of his hotel room and the low thumping of your heart, even as you entered the apartment, seeing him there, a tie in hand and a coy smirk. That night he had called you. He never called.

" You busy? " He sounded gruff like he'd just finished working out - which you knew not to be the case.

"When am I ever busy? " You rebuttled with a laugh.

He joined you, then you could hear him grin down the phone. A different sort of grin. A devious one.

"I wanted to try something. "

There was quiet, you wished him to continue silently.

"Something I can't stop thinking about doing to you. " He whispered lowly.

Your ears on fire and furiously red in the face you hung up. Chucking a quick 'omw' text to him in return. That night had been the best sex you'd ever had. That's why you'd stayed. For fear of walking into oncoming traffic at 2am because of your disorientated state.

Your heart skipped a beat at the anticipation of what was to come once you knocked on the door and it sent a thrill through you. Rounding the corner you were met with a bleak grey concrete block of apartments that made up the hotel with a black sign. Crossing the street after looking both ways you jogged up the steps as you saw the door beginning to close after a couple just exited. Sliding in you headed straight for the elevator.

He always had the same hotel room which avoided any confusion. You ran to the elevator that had just opened and pressed the 7th floor. Alone again your mind wandered to your first night here, in this lift.

You'd both stumbled out of the taxi and shuffled over to the lift, he pressed the elevator button furiously as he got impatient; leaning against eachother. As soon as the lift doors were closed he pressed you against the wall, face millimetres from yours as his nose skimmed over yours. Both of your breathing, laboured and slow. His large hands roamed your body; your waist, up and down your thighs. Gripping at the flesh as if he owned it. You wanted him to. God you wanted him to own all of you in that moment. Gaze intense and unwavering as the mysterious glint in his eye grew. His hands slid around the curve of your ass which made you stutter, giving it a harsh squeeze that made you lose your breath.

"I'm gonna ruin you." He whispered devilishly in your ear as he bit the shell.

Pulled out of your reverie as the elevator doors dinged open, signalling you had reached your floor, face burning as you stepped out of the lift, cold fingers pressed to your cheeks to try and cool them. Preparing yourself for what man would greet you at the door. You never knew which one you would get. Sometimes he was ravenous and you never made it to the bed, lipstick smeared and tights ripped as he never had time to waste when he felt such a desperate need for you. Or you would get the cool calm and collected man that caught your eye that night all those months ago. That was, until he got you here. Alone with him.

Walking down the corridor to his room now, counting the doors as they seemed to go on for miles, dark in wood with numbers etched in gold with golden handles. Your breath starting to slip away from you as you imagined as soon as you opened that door you wouldn't be able to breathe steadily again for a while. Room 93. (Shoutout to Halsey's first EP) There it was. You slowed to a stop, almost nervous to knock. 'Just knock' You muttered to yourself. Rolling your eyes as you fidgeted on the spot, sighing as you raised your hand to knock on the door. Knock. Wait. Silence.

You were waiting for a little while which was unlike any other time. Checking your watch and the door number. You waited a little longer and you were just about to walk away when the door opened slowly. You turned; met with the same dancing brown eyes you caught in yours all those months ago, although slightly sunken, maybe he hadn't been sleeping well? His lean frame propped up against the door. Arms folded over his broader chest. Hair fluffed over his forehead, slightly damp. Pale skin flawless and glowing against the dark background of his hotel room and the darkness of his simple black tee and sweatpants. Silver hoops still adorned his ears and rings still glistened on his beautiful hands. Eyes unwavering as they honed in on you. Smirk playing on his thin lips.

"You're early." He mumbled all knowingly, looking at the rings that adorned his knuckles, as if he were about to connect them with a wall.

You stuttered, heart in your mouth as you gawked at the man. Feeling like a naughty school girl that was about to get a ruler spanked across her a-. You stopped the thought for fear of collapsing in the hallway. His eyes still on you, looking you up and down. You mentally slapped yourself for your attire. Sweatshirt and leggings. Not sexy in the slightest. Anyway. Why did you care? Not like you wanted to impress him, right? After another beat his strong arm pulled you in the room by the collar of your sweatshirt, closing the door swiftly behind you and pinning you up against it.

"Just means I have more time." He whispered against your lips.

Sweeping strands of hair out of your face delicately, tucking his fingers behind your ears. He smiled at you, his gummy smile. You never thought that smile would be directed at you. Let alone in this setting.

'With his lips like tangerines, and his colour-coded speak'

His lips moulded to yours with a sudden urgency. Teeth and tongue caressing your lips with power and want. Heavy breaths exchanged as you dropped your bag; hands trying to find purchase somewhere sturdy and stable. Deciding upon the strength of his arms. Eyes closing as you were swept away in the moment of teeth and tongue and pent up tension and wanton need for eachother. His fingers pulling out your hairband so your hair pooled around your face. His fingers lacing through the soft locks as he grinned against your lips. Always having an ornate infatuation with how silky your hair was. How good it felt wrapped around his fist as he fucked you into the mattress. How it spread out behind you like waves across the crisp white bedsheets, framing your face perfectly as you slept.

He missed this. Maybe he missed you. Jolted back from his sweet thoughts, hearing you start to mumble against his lips as he continued to pin you up against the door, your head firmly in his hands.

"Yoongi." You murmured again, slurring the word slightly; drunk off the potent lust he cradled you with.

He never let up from your lips, intent on breathing you in. Hands untangling themselves from your hair as his cool calm hands landed on your shoulders, moving you away from the door to pin you to a wall, nearer to the bed. An eventual destination set in his mind. He couldn't get enough of you. Your hands travelled to cup his cheeks. His lips dry against yours gaining moisture from the saliva rolling around in your mouths as your tongues fought. Small whimpers beginning to swim their way into the air. Music to his ears. Of all the music he'd ever had a hand in creating, he wished he could emulate your tiny whimpers. Your cries for more of him. All of him. Wanting to devour him whole.

"Fuck" He exclaimed, finally pulling away from you, heavy breathing as his forehead was against yours.

Not even giving you time to breath he reached for the hem of your sweatshirt, pulling it over your head to reveal your gorgeous body to his hungry eyes. Knowing now that hiding from his gaze would be futile. An attempt at covering up would leave your ass raw and marks all over every single inch of your body. God's above. He made you feel like the only girl in the world, to him you practically were. He never sought out for any other attention or company from other women. The taste of you as often as he could have you was more than enough to satiate his heart.

He made quick work of your bra before throwing his own shirt off onto the growing pile on the floor. His hands, rough against your soft, plush breasts as his thumbs circled around your pebbling nipples. His teeth latching onto your bottom lip, humming as he looked into your steadily closing eyes. Teeth venturing south along your jaw to your neck and collarbone as he began to grab at the skin of your waist after he finished moulding your breasts; as if trying to memorise the feeling of them in his hands. The weighted comfort he had grown to adore about your chest. Teeth sinking in, enticing low gasps and the tiniest of squeaks as he would bite too hard on already sensitive flesh, intent on getting every inch of your skin covered in small indentations from his teeth. Tongue lascivious against the contours of your neck and collarbones, sickly sweet taste of your skin that drove him wild.

'Now we're lost somewhere in outer space, in a hotel room where demons play'

All you could do was pant and mule against him, your hands in his steadily drying locks. Suddenly pulling away as he untied the drawstring of his pants.

"Knees, now." He whispered authoritively and you happily obeyed.

Flicking your hair off your shoulder you sank down onto your knees. Eyes ignited with a fire he practically stoked out of you. You admired his body on the journey down. Body lithe and pale, defined arms and chest with a flat stomach, no six pack or defined v lines that led to the promising tent that you saw in your line of sight. Just a small happy trail of hair from below his belly button sneaking into the hem of his sweatpants. Swiftly taking them down and off you were greeted with black boxers, looking tight around his cock cased within. You licked your lips in anticipation as his fingers forked through the hair on your scalp. Looking up to his face as he gazed down at you with a stern look in his own eyes; burning into your already flushed skin.

"Someone looks like they've missed this." He smirked as your hand rose to palm him through his boxers.

He released a low hum at the feeling of your hand cupping his balls. You knew that he was very sensitive there, from past experiences.

"Does the slut want my cock?" He asked, a feather of a chuckle rumbled in his chest at your immediate nod as you ran your tongue over the seem of your lips.

Your fingers delved underneath the fabric as you began to pull them down. Sudden slap to your hands had you shying away from him.

"Hungry sluts have to wait don't they, kitten?" His eyes zeroing in on your reaction to the pet name.

You gritted your teeth in vague annoyance at the name, after the first night, you told him you had to be home for your cat. Finding it oddly adorable you were a cat lady he called you kitten ironically, now it's stuck. Your eyes looking away from him, turning your head slightly towards the large window that showed the rest of the city. Twinkling lights now shining in the moonlight. His hand gripped your chin, pulling your attention back to him, forcing you to look up into his devious eyes.

"I don't think you answered me, slut." He snarled; releasing your chin from his grasp.

Your heart jumped in your chest. "Y-yes, sir."

He smirked again, feeling triumphant he patted your head, thumb smoothing over your hair line with ghost like touches before running it along the seem of your mouth, popping his thumb in, flat against your tongue. Closing your lips around him, beginning to suck, big eyes gazing up at him.

"Good girl." He whispered before removing his thumb from your mouth and yanking his boxers down and stepping out of them.

His fingers danced through his damp hair as his cock sprung up against his stomach, a muted groan as the cool air touched his reddened and straining cock. Your eyes widened, never getting used to the sight of his cock, inches away from your salivating mouth, making your panties pool with a carnal need for him to be inside you. Your hands began to rub up and down your jeans clad thighs, waiting with baited breath for him to give you the command. This man and the things you'd do for him would have others question if you were a feminist or not. How a strong single woman with a steady career and bustling social life could want to be so utterly defiled by a man and be at his every whim really flipped your ideology on its head. But a drug was a drug, and you were high on him like cocaine.

"Alright, stop giving me those bedroom eyes." He gushed, dominating voice faltering as he gazed down at you, waiting and ready for him to let you begin.

You fluttered your eyelashes at him, big and bold. Biting your lip as your hands rubbed along your thighs again.

"Fuck, just get over here." He laughed, holding the base of his cock in his hand as your hands slunk up his sturdy pale thighs.

Fingertips sending sparks through his body. Your lips reaching his tip, you looked up at him again as you kitten licked his bulbous tip, testing it. Like testing a car. He hissed to which you smirked. You took your tongue to lick the underside of his cock lightly, teasing his frenulum before swirling your tongue round his tip several times. He puffed out a harsh breath but never said a word, fingers beginning to weave into your hair with a softness you were unfamiliar with. Surrounding the tip with your lips as you slowly sunk the head into your waiting mouth. Giving kitten links to the underside again as you sucked on his tip for a moment. Yoongis breath was heavy, you could tell by his chest moving, half lidded eyes looking down at you as you took more of him in slowly. Tongue still licking everywhere you could. Your other hand still positioned on his thigh as you rubbed small circles in it with your thumb.

Starting to take him deeper in your mouth and pulling him back out for breath had him seeing double. His vision was blurred as he could feel your heavenly lips wrap around his strained cock, precum and spit starting to pool at the corners of your mouth; threatening to spill as you bobbed your head back and forth on his dick. Setting up a rhythm you plunged him in deep so your nose touched his abdomen and he threw his head back with a grunt; gritting his teeth.

"Uh, fuck. Your mouth is so good" He whispered into the air.

'I've got a lover and I'm unforgiven, I'm such a fool to pay this price'

Your mouth worked on him as well as it could. You would take a lot of him in and proceed to gag which made him grunt. As your hand began to work at the base of his shaft. Giving him your all. Making up for lost time.

"Fuck, I'm not gonna last." He hissed. His hands in spearing through your hair as his thumbs rubbed at your scalp.

"I should've kept my hands to myself... Always impatient." He chuckled menacingly to himself; shaking his head.

Your breath was heaving as you pulled back from him. Hands gripping his thighs tight as you looked up at the man towering above you.

"What do you say, will you let me fuck your mouth like a good pet?" He asked, hands still in your hair.

"Make me cum, then it's your turn? How about it, kitten?"

No hesitation in your eyes as you gazed up at him as if he had hand painted all of the stars in the sky. You nodded profusely and he grinned at you; swiping the spit away from the corner of your mouth with his thumb.

"Good girl, remember your safe signal?" He asked, almost sweet in his tone.

You tapped the back of his thigh 3 times with your finger and he nodded. Feathering his fingers through your hair again, your hand still at the base of his dick lining him up to your waiting mouth. You gave him the go ahead as he thrusted shallowly into your mouth at first. Finally in your mouth his hands speared through your hair behind your ears to hold you still as he began to move his hips back and forth. You had done this before. Let him do this. But this time was so raw and so needy you honestly couldn't fathom how much you needed this. And it wasn't even your turn. He began to set up a rhythm working his length deeper with every thrust; starting to make you gag as you tried your best to relax. He breathed in sharply, his head thrown back as he pumped in and out. His shaft gliding smoothly across your tongue and beginning to slip down your throat as you sputtered around him. Hands firmly gripping the back of his thighs, the same way he was gripping your hair.

"Fuck, fuck. Your mouth. Kills me." He mumbled to himself; thinking you couldn't hear.

You looked up at him, a picture of bliss. Arms locked in place, keeping you still as he slid in and out of your mouth, picking up speed now. The veins in his neck; protruding under a velvet blanket of Frosted skin. Teeth gritted and brows furrowed. He looked down to see you already watching him. To this he groaned deep within his chest at the sight of you so willing and ready for him. Setting his nerves alight he could feel his orgasm approaching. Gripping your hair even tighter as he gave you a moment to breath before jackhammering into your mouth with a low whine.

"Fuck. Holy shit." He whispered before you felt his cock twitch deep in your throat and thick ropes of cum travel down it as he came; hips jerking at weird angles as you noticed sweat beading across his neck and collarbones; reaching up to his hairline.

After he had composed himself he pulled out of your mouth and you swallowed everything still left in your mouth before opening your mouth to show it was empty. He ran a solid hand through his own hair before he pulled you to your feet; planting a heavy kiss to your lips as he walked you back towards the bed. Practically pushing you back on it with a soft bounce. He suddenly rounded to the other side of the hotel room rummaging through a suitcase. Soon returning with several black ties in hand. Giving you a knowing smirk. You felt your stomach sink at the memory of your last adventure with this man. In this hotel room. With those ties. But judging by the look on his face and the fact his previously lifeless cock had begun to spring to life again; you knew it was different.

'I found a martyr, he told me that I'd never'

He began to move you up the bed to where he saw fit. Nodding when he had got you where he wanted. Straddling your waist he grabbed an arm tying the tie around your wrist to then loop it around the headboard. He soon did the same to the other one. Then finally you saw him gazing down at you from above before he slipped a soft silk tie over your eyes fastening it behind your head. Everything went black, but you could hear him; feel him. All around you. Feeling weight either side of your head you suddenly felt breath over your nipple; squirming at the sensation and your clothed pussy clenching around nothing. You felt him kitten lock his way along your breast before landing an unexpected bite against your neck, causing you to pull against the restraints with a sharp intake of breath.

"Remember your safe word, kitten?" He whispered in your ear.

You nodded. "Seesaw."

He sat back on his heels; still straddling you. Crossing his arms with a nod.

"Why is it Seesaw, again?" You ask, a grin sliding onto your face.

He chuckled at this before you felt weight lifted from the bed. You skin crawling with goosebumps as you waited with anticipation. Suddenly feeling deft fingers pulling your leggings and panties down in one swift movement. A beat of silence. Feeling like forever until you felt the same fingers, calloused but oh so soft against the skin of your collarbone.

"You don't remember?" He whispered into the darkness.

You shook your head no as your body began to squirm. Feeling his finger trail delicately down to your chest, followed by his other pointer finger on his left. Circling your nipples in precise motions. You sucked in a breath and your back arched as you felt him blow cool air onto the perking bud.

"Oh kitten, it was the bar where we first met" You could hear the smirk evident in his voice as his fingers trailed underneath the curve of your breasts.

"The night I took you home and ate you so good you nearly passed out." A dry chuckle left his lips at the gasp that left your own.

He began to drag his sturdy fingers slowly; tantalisingly, in soft motions towards your belly button where he would branch out with delicate touch; placing more fingers on your skin as they circled your hipbones. Finally sloping down to your thighs where his grip became firm and he pryed your legs apart to expose you to him. Heat flashing across your face as you whimpered at the action. Oh god. The things he made you feel. You felt electricity surge through your body, bouncing off your bones as you heard him hum.

"Mmmm. So wet, just from sucking my cock, kitten?"

You bit your lip with a whine; nodding profusely. Blush creeping across your cheeks. He seemed to like this as you heard a deep rumbled in his chest in approval. You could feel the bed dip slightly due to transferred weight. Right between your legs. Shit. If only you could see him. What was he doing? Was he pleased? Oh fuck, you didn't shave your le- your thoughts were far removed as you felt lips across the inside of your thigh; just above your knee.

"Shit, I can't wait to taste you." He whispered; sending cool air rushing up to your core.

Feeling his lips drag effortlessly along your thigh to where you wanted him most; needed him. He was tender; savouring the moment. He had missed this, giving you what you wanted. Watching you underneath him. Tasting you; devouring you. That's why he was so quick to cum the first time around. Too excited by the thought of having you again he had started to touch himself in the shower. Thinking of your soft, sweet body; Bending to his every whim. Your mouth stuffed full of his cock. Your enticing wet pussy that always made you blush at the sounds it would make, as he would fuck you. Hard and rough. He groaned at the thought before his face was level with your heat. Soft breaths that made your body wriggle; desperate to escape and want more; all at once. He hooked your knees over his elbows as he held your legs down. blowing against your exposed clit and watching your pussy clench around nothing; glistening with your essence he hungered for.

'With his educated eyes, and his head between my thighs'

"Mmmm. Sweet pussy baby girl." He kissed the apex of your thigh watching you writhe against the restraints. He hadn't even started yet. You were in for a long night.

You didn't seem to notice the name at first. It wasn't what he had called you any of the times before. But as the air thinned out around you; feeling the silence weighted around the room like a thick curtain and nothing was corrected, it almost felt affectionate; coming from his sinful lips that had just attached themselves to your-

"Fuck." Your breath caught as you threw your head back against the mattress.

Feeling lips suckling against your clit with vigor. He knew what you liked and knew how to get you where he wanted you. His tongue began lapping at your clit as his lips sucked where they could. Your breathing was heavy and you tried to pull against the restraints; your legs restless as the odd whimper left parted lips. His eyes although you couldn't see him, were focused on you. Watching every bite of your lip, every salacious moan or whimper; every gasp. You began rocking your hips in a rhythm against his tongue and he moaned at the pressure you posed against him. Trying to feel some friction as his throbbing cock had sprung to life from your first whimper; sandwiched between his abdomen and the mattress.

"God, this pussy is so good." He moaned; muffled by your legs trying so hard to clamp around his head as he continued his ministrations.

Soon enough you could feel the familiar rope spread throughout your body, begin to coil; tight as a spring before you felt a nip to your clit and you unravelled underneath him. Feeling weightless and weighted all at once. Stars beneath the blanket of the silk tie; delicate against your eyes. Head thrashing around as arms pulled with all their might against the restraints. Your back arched as you moaned loudly; legs starting to shake at the force of your orgasm. But that wasn't the end. He flicked his tongue against your swollen clit with more intent. Determined to push you through another orgasm before he even started using his fingers. God his fingers. Your lower body began to lift off the bed as his grip on your legs only got tighter.

"Fuck, fuck Yoongi. Oh my fucking g-"

You heard an animalistic growl as you felt another nip to your clit; yelping at the sudden spark of pain amongst your pleasure.

"Sir. Stick to the rules." He punctuated with a slap to your clit. Back arching for a moment as you felt a pulse throughout your body.

"Or I'll keep biting." He mumbled the last part.

You pouted. "Yes sir." You could feel your orgasm beginning to ebb away as he took longer to return to your clit.

You whined and you felt breath on your clit again as he chuckled. Although your predicament was purely casual. Wanting to get off essentially was your main goal. Neither of you ever rushed. Enjoying one another's company. Feeling his slick, swift tongue dancing along your clit again you moaned; trying so hard to keep quiet out of respect for neighbours as you tried resting your mouth against your arm to muffle your high pitched moans. His tongue retracted until you felt the tip of his tongue tease the edge of your entrance before dipping his tonulgue in for a moment. Your hips bolted you forward at the intrusion before settling back down on the bed. His tongue running up and down from your entrance to your clit in long strokes. Quickly settling his tongue back against your throbbing clit. You yelped as he applied more pressure.

"Fuck, I love this cunt."

Slurping noises ensued as he dove in deeper. You orgasm building again and again, holding on for dear life. Holding onto your sanity. His tongue swirling around the pulsing bud as you continued your previous rhythm rocking against his face. Your knuckles were turning white at the sheer grip you had on the ties; feeling yourself drift away.

"Fuck, please, yoo-"

He pressed his face even further into your heat as you cried out in pleasure. Tongue flicking mercilessly over your engorged clit. Reaching the summit again to fall all the way down into the abyss. He never let up from you as his tongue lapped at your juices spilling from your entrance. Nerves alight and pulsing throughout your body. A thin layer of sweat was evident against your face, collarbones; the whole of your body. Sweat beaded from his own forehead and he wiped the back of his hand over his mouth as he watched you regain your breath. Stilted in the silence. Only your chest rising and falling as your lungs gasped for air.

He loosened his right arms hold around your leg and brought his fingers forward to your sensitive pussy. Humming to himself as he gathered the Juices on the tip of his fingers and spreading it all over your pussy as it glistened in the dim hotel light. Knowing how much you lost your collective shit over his hands he couldn't help but watch his hands tip toe up to your breast; squeezing the flesh roughly in his hand before slinking it over to massage your neck for a second. Only to grab it a moment later. Your breath caught quite literally as you could feel the bed move from where he was sitting up. He could feel the pressure against your soft skin and the way your breath constricted; only for a moment as he loosened his grip. His fingers still flush against the skin. His veined hand looked like it belonged around your neck. He thought to himself before sliding his thumb into your mouth again; which you accepted with enthusiasm.

'I found a saviour, I don't think he remembers'

"One more from you, kitten. Then I'll fuck you. Okay?" He hummed.

Your reply was noncommittal as you nodded vehemently; still sucking on his thumb. He looked down at you with a certain adoration. Laying there, naked for him. Tied up and blindfolded. If he'd have thought this would be the case after that first night, he would have laughed. But here you both were.

His fingers began to trace the outline of your entrance; whisper like touches that made you clench around nothing. He began experimentally pushing his long slender middle finger inside you a little; chuckling lowly as you let out a whine. Your pussy trying to suck him in further. Wanting to feel him. All of him.

"Sir. Please." You murmured, legs that were now free from his grasp allowing you to rotate your hips.

He wanted to tease. God. He wanted to tease you until the sun came up. But he was desperate and so were you. He removed his finger earning a cry from you. Until he slid in two fingers to your shock and set a brutal pace. Feeling those godly fingers of his curl into you. Moulding you perfectly to him. Tapping against that sweet spot inside. He used his other hand to press your hips to the bed; preventing movement as you felt a touch of sensitivity kicking in. But you put it to the back of your mind; focussing on the way his fingers were drilling into you at an inhuman pace now.

Your senses heightened due to his silk tie that blocked your view. Oh how you wished you could watch his fingers sliding in and out of you like you had done countless times before. Acquiring quite the affinity with the mans hands. Pale, veiny; strong in their ability to hold you but soft when he caressed your cheek, wiping the spit away from the corner of your mouth or the pad of his thumb sweeping away tears from overstimulation. God you loved them.

"Fuck. I'm so close." You cried out, to someone. Anyone who could hear you as he continued his ministrations.

"Yeah? The slut loves my fingers doesn't she?" Yoongi spat; his voice laced with venom.

"Loves my fingers fucking her, huh?"

All you could do was mewl as you could feel your body going into overdrive. Your head slamming against the pillow as you could feel yourself near the edge. Just needing one final push.

"But you love it best when my hand's around your throat. Isn't that right? Slut?"

You hadn't felt his hand move. Too lost in the pleasure he was giving you. Until you felt it grip your throat. Not hard. But just enough. Squeezing when he said slut. Sparks flew and your fingers and toes felt as if they were set to a light simmer. Your body going numb at the feeling and your pussy throbbing as you came. A high pitched moan of his name left your bitten lips as he continued thrusting his fingers in and out of you. Body moving in time with your spasming cunt as you began to feel the overstimulation kicking in, rearing its ugly head once more. The pain was excruciating as he continued but the pleasure washed over you again as your entrance continued to clench around his fingers. Silence as a moan caught in your throat. This had to be the biggest orgasm you had ever had. Nerves set alight with matches and turning into a forest fire that exploded like gasoline until it set to a simmer when Yoongi slowed his fingers down ever so slightly. Enamoured by your head thrown back and your mouth in the perfect shape of an O. He would've cum right there, just at the sight of you convulsing beneath him.

"Cause he's off to pay his crimes, and he's got no time for mine'

"Fuck, me." He breathed, shaky breaths too.

Quickly flipping you onto your front, your still tied arms now crossed over one another. Propping your legs up so you were on your knees. A sharp smack to your ass sent you reeling into another sobbing mess. Beginning to plead with him. For something; anything.

Soon enough you felt his hands returning to your hips and ass, caressing them carefully. Your ass flinching at the contact of his lips on your lower back, you could hear a slight slapping sound behind you, assuming he had started to touch himself again. You whimpered at the thought of not being able to watch his veiny hand slide up and down his equally veiny cock. Fuck.

His lips still against your skin as he whispered "I nearly came just like that, watching you cum all over my fingers baby."

There it was again. Baby. Nothing more nothing less. There was a pregnant pause before he sighed, beginning to speak again.

"You're so fucking hot" a groan sounded as the pace of his hand quickened against his length. The slapping sound intensified.

You whimpered, beginning to move your ass up and down, wiggling it at him to invite him in.

"Yoongi, just fuck me already." You whined.

A sharp slap sounded against your ass, reverberating through the room. You winced at the pain, taking in a quick breath before a hand returned to your ass kneading it in his palm.

"Slut is so impatient today. I'll fuck you, don't worry." His words were menacing.

'Now we're lost somewhere in outer space, in a hotel room where demons play'

His hand continued to knead at your reddening cheek before pulling it aside with his thumb, showing your dripping, waiting entrance for him. He almost lost it. Almost. Deciding that you had both waited long enough he lined his throbbing condom clad cock up with your entrance and pushed in with great speed. Hissing at the feeling of your tight wet walls surrounding him.

"Oh god." You managed a strangled whimper into the mattress.

Breath caught in your throat as you could feel his dick beginning to move swiftly inside you. His hips slapping against your ass that was sure to bruise tomorrow, your wrists were aching, your body going numb to every other feeling apart from the feeling of him ploughing into you. Your vision was starry eyed and you hated it. But you loved it. Sobs began to rack through your body as he spanked you once again, sending waves of pain and pleasure through you.

His pace continued as all you could do was lie there with your hands tied, begging for anything he was willing to give you. But also feeling the familiar sting of too much. But it was never too much. You willed your body to continue on. To not give up the ghost yet. You prayed for your body to fight on. To take every thrust he battered into your throbbing, weeping pussy.

The coil you had almost forgotten existed now in the plains of numb, vacant ability to even string a sentence together, began to tighten again, expecting a fraying spent body, not one this eager for your umpteenth orgasm this evening. Your pussy clenched as he continued, hollow groans you imagine him with his head back as he thrusted into you, licking his perfect lips with that sinful tongue. God, he made you crazy.

"Yoongiiiiii, fuck I'm gonna cum, I'm gonna cum, please" your tone indescribable as you panted for breath that escaped you with every thrust as his skin continued to slap against yours.

Suddenly feeling him pull out which almost made you weep but being turned back over onto your back, the tie being ripped from off your head. You were greeted by a furiously sweating Yoongi. Sweat dripping from his dark chocolatey hair just above his eyes. His lips swollen pink from where he had probably been biting on them so much, not to mention when he had used the same lips to devour you not 20 minutes prior. His chest was heaving and lips parted as he gazed at you for a moment.

"I'm seeing that gorgeous face when you cum, no way I'm missing that." He stifled a laugh as he lined himself up with your entrance again after wrapping your legs around his torso.

'They run around beneath our feet, we roll around beneath these sheets'

Sliding in once more you rattled your wrists against the silk tie restraints as you cocked your head back in pleasure. You let out a high pitch moan, almost exasperated in tone, your back arching up into him before slumping back on the bed in defeat. Yoongi almost reading your mind whilst still thrusting inside of you began to untie the ties that bound your wrists. You thanked heaven for your saving grace. You could run your hands through his hair now, feel his sweaty skin beneath your fingertips. And soon after your hands were free he laced them in his own. This also being new to you. You knew the drill when having sex with him. He laid down the ground rules early on. No kissing. No cuddling. No hand holding. So what he did next really sent you through a loop.

"Fuck I'm close." He sighed before leaning down to kiss you.

His lips were salty, battered and bruised much like your own but you didn't care, you kissed back with all your might as he continued to thrust away inside you. Feeling his cock hit that sweet spot again you mewled, breaking the kiss with your head thrown back.

"Here kitten?" He asked, smirk evident in his voice.

You whimpered with a nod as he continued to thrust in the right place, hitting your spot so deliciously you couldn't help cry out when his pace turned rampant and he held your hips in his bone crushing hands, sure to bruise tomorrow. The punishing pace was set as his hips bucked into you and you tried to grab at anything you could, finding no sturdy comfort in the crisp white hotel sheets beneath you. Your breathing was erratic, you hadn't realised you'd been sweating until now, although not as much as the man above you. You watched in distracted awe at the sweat running down his broad chest, along his stomach and down to where his cock was pummelling into you.

You could feel it again, serious this time. Your orgasm creeping up on you faster than any bullet. Your legs tingled and your toes curled. Your knees felt like they would break and your arms felt detached from the rest of your body. In the last moments you saw him gazing down at you, exasperated, fucked out beyond belief. But smiling. You reached up at the nape of his neck and pulled him down to you, pressing your lips against his as you succumbed to the pleasure that wreaked havoc throughout your body. A heart wrenching shout came from your lips. In every moment, a glitch of your body as it spasmed with unruly disregard and poor timing. Your pussy clenched repeatedly on his cock while he continued to thrust inside of you.

"Oh fuuuck, I'm coming." He groaned into your neck as he used hard, purposeful thrusts as he came in the condom.

'He's coming down, coming down'

The sweat that accumulated on both your bodies cemented you together for moments after. All pretence and notions suspended as you both caught your breath back. Heaving. Breathing one another in. Soon Yoongi peeled himself off of you and went to remove the condom. You lay there, staring up at the ceiling. Stars still there. You weren't imagining it in the end. Scraping your hair from off your face as you wiped the sweat from your brow. Soon he returned, bouncing onto the bed next to you, looking up at you in adoration almost. A nervous smile present on his lips as if he didn't just drag you to the 7th layer of hell with him. Or was it heaven? You could never be sure.

You looked over at him with heavy lids, inquisitive look on your face as he swept hair from your shoulder. Looking down at you with that same smile. Before -

"You fancy going on a date, some time?"

NOW Mr Min is usually not my main man but i can't help it, just, shit okay Min Yoongi.

I realise I'm probably going to hell for this but we joon

Hope you guys enjoyed, working on the next installment as we speak 🤪 if you want to be added to a taglist let me know 🥴

Love Always

Mac 🧡💜

#BADLANDS x BTS #smut series #myg x reader #non idol au #min yoongi smut #this is intense #i can only apologise #bts #bangtan #bts smut

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itsthewritergal · 4 years

Text

My lips are sealed - F.W. x reader

This is my first ever long fic! This will probably be about four parts :)

Warnings - mentions of abortion but nothing in detail, please don’t read if it may trigger you xx

Part Two

Part Three

Y/N held the test in a sweaty palm. She never knew how long two minutes could be, she could hear the hustle and bustle of the shop. She paced the staff room floor waiting for the results. She drummed her fingers along her thigh in an attempt to distract her mind. It didn’t work. She knew that the shop was busy but she had to know. Her alarm cut through the tension, quickly grabbing the test. She looked at it in despair.

Positive.

“Y/N I know you’re on your break but we’re swamped” George said walking into the staff room. Y/N quickly hid the test into her bag, wiping the tears off her face

“I’m coming” She said plastering a fake smile onto her face. George gave her a wary look, noticing the way her voice wavered, she walked past him quickly.

George kept a watchful eye on Y/N for the rest of the day, something was wrong. He just didn’t know what, Y/N was usually good at telling the twins when something was going on, which was why George was so confused why Y/N wasn’t saying anything.

----

Fred closed the shop door with a content sigh and a grin on his face,

“Well that was a good day! Anyone wanting drinks? I’ll get the first round” He suggested raising an eyebrow at both George and Y/N knowing that they almost never turn down an opportunity to go drinking

“Yeah sounds good” George grinned “Y/N?” He asked turning his attention to the girl who sat behind the till in her own little world, paying no attention to the conversation “Y/N” He said again, making her jolt her head up towards him

“What?” She asked confused, not realising she had been ignoring them both “Drinks?” Fred said with a grin

“Yeah sure” She said with a forced smile.

“Perfect! You two go, I’ll meet you there in a moment, I’ve just got to grab my coat” Fred grinned ushering George and Y/N out of the shop.

They sat in their usual booth in the corner of the crowded pub. Y/N still just as distracted as she was in the shop, “What’s going on?” George asked drawing Y/N’s attention away from picking at the nail polish on her fingers

“Nothing” She said quietly “I’m just super tired” She lied easily, George didn’t pick up on it.

Fred slid himself in next to George, placing their drinks down on the table.

“Drink up” He smiled

Y/N lifted the drink to her lips but with one sip she felt herself about to throw up. Climbing out of the booth she ran towards the toilets.

Y/N sat on the bathroom floor her head over the toilet. She let herself cry for a few moments, suddenly feeling completely alone. She heard a knock on the door, it was muffled.

“I’ll be out in a second” she said picking herself up off the floor, splashing some water on her face, there was yet another knock. With a huff she unlocked the door, she was greeted with a concerned looked George.

“You okay?” He asked,

“Yeah I’m fine, I think it’s just a bug. I’m going to go home” She said with a smile

“Call me if you need anything” he said giving her a comforting hug.

George made his way back to the table once Y/N had walked out of the pub.

“What’s wrong with her?” Fred asked

“Think she’s coming down with something”

“That’s not good” Fred said with a sad look “I’ll go see her tomorrow and check on her” He promised.

----

George was late, which left Y/N and Fred to manage the shop alone. It was a Monday morning which meant that nobody was in Diagon Ally, leaving both Y/N and Fred sitting behind the till. Fred was in the middle of telling Y/N all about the new products that he was working on. Y/N didn’t noticed how he got distracted by her and fumbled over his words every now and then.

“It’s been a while since I’ve heard you laugh” He said quietly

“We haven’t exactly had much time to ourselves recently” She said with a sad smile

“Not since the party” Fred said. Y/N refused to meet his eye, she had attempted to push that night out of her head “I’m sorry that I haven’t spoken about it” he added

“it’s fine Freddie” She dismissed, not wanting to admit that it meant a lot to her

“It was a drunken mistake” He started “I think we should just move on and not talk about it” He said with a wary smile, not wanting to let on that he in fact wanted to do the exact opposite

“Yeah I suppose that would be best” Y/N smiled sadly, knowing that the last thing she wanted to do was forget about it.

“You know I-”

“Morning morning!” George cut Fred off with a shout “Anyone fancy coffee?” He asked

“Not for me” Y/N said the sick feeling still evident in her stomach

“You feeling ok? When do you ever turn down coffee?” Fred laughed

“I think I’m still feeling a bit off from yesterday” She lied

“If you’re coming down with something you really should go home” Fred said with a concerned look

“I’m not, I think I just ate something dodgy” She said. Fred opened his mouth to speak when her phone cut through the shop “Sorry I’ve got to get this” She apologised walking a little away from the counter as she answered the phone.

“Hi is that Y/N Y/L/N?” The lady said

“Yeah it is” She answered

“It’s Lorraine from St Mungo’s, we can fit you in on Thursday, if you are still interested” she said, her tone was kind and it made Y/N feel at home

“What time?” She asked

“11, Is that okay?”

“I’ll be there” Y/N confirmed.

Y/N made her way back towards the twins who looked at her in confusion. She sat herself down without another word. Knowing that she didn’t want them to start grilling her with questions. Y/N decided to talk to George separately later, she didn’t want to get Fred involved.

-----

George was restocking the love potions carefully when Y/N tapped him on the shoulder.

“I need to ask you something” she said

“What’s up?” He asked turning to face her

“I need to take Thursday off” She said quietly not wanting to draw Fred’s attention

“Is everything okay?” George asked noticing how she picked at her nail varnish

“Yeah I just have an appointment” She said unsure of what else to say

“I’m sure me and Fred will manage” George grinned slightly, turning back to the potions. “Although as thanks for being so understanding you can restock these” He grinned thrusting the box into her hands. With a laugh Y/N took over.

-----

The shop was quiet all day, yet Y/N kept herself busy. She knew the moment she stopped she would think, and she didn’t want to think about anything. She had managed to avoid both the twins most of the day, she just wasn’t feeling up to being sociable. At the end of her shift she grabbed her bag and her coat and made her way towards the door.

George pulled Y/N aside just as she was making her way outside “Is everything ok?” He asked, looking her up and down with a concerning eye

“Yes of course it is” She smiled “Why do you ask?” She asked nervously

“I had a phone call from St Mungo’s, you had the shop phone as you’re secondary number” He explained “They wanted to confirm your appointment for Thursday” He said

“They didn’t tell you what it was did they?” She asked quickly panic beginning to rise up

“No, but it sounded serious” George said “I’m your friend. What’s going on” he asked

“It’s just a check up” She lied

“Didn’t sound like it” he said “I’m worried about you”

Y/N studied her shoes closely, George said her name once more, she lifted her head up and looked at George

“I’m pregnant” She said quietly holding his gaze

“Oh Y/N” he sighed “Are you-” he trailed off unsure of whether to ask the question which was on his lips.

“Yeah I am” She answered knowing exactly what he was going to say

“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked,

“No I’ll be okay” She smiled slightly “just please don’t tell anyone” She added

“I promise, my lips are sealed” George said with a sad smile

#fred weasley x reader #fred x reader #fred weasley #fred weasley x y/n #fred weasley angst #hp fandom #hp fanfic #hp #harry potter imagines #fred weasley imagines #imagines #fred weasley imagine #harry potter imagine #hogwarts #hogwarts fic

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owl-with-a-pen · 3 years

Note

there have been so many set pictures of green Brainy recently that I'm starting to wonder if that could be a semi-permanent thing? (which I'm not complaining about, Jesse looks great always) so how about something where Brainy decides to live without the image inducer and Kara and Nia are supportive of him

I've had an idea for this on my mind for ages and as the show's explanation has been so far a tad disappointing, here's my take 😉

“See anything?”

Nia jerked her chin from her upturned fist where she’d nearly nodded off. She blinked groggily, rubbing at her eyes as she tried to re-focus on the radar in front of her. The technology had been a dual effort on J’onn and Brainy's part, designed to flag any threats with peculiar energy signatures. Metas, alien super powers, fifth dimensional magic - if it was out of the ordinary, chances were this thing would find them.

Nia cleared her throat, trying desperately to come across as astute instead of asleep. She ran her index finger across the radar’s most recent readings output. “According to this, I think we’re in the clear.” She rolled backwards in her chair, only to be met by the jarring resistance of Kara’s leg a moment later. Nia tipped her head up to meet her friend, fixing her with an exhausted pout. “Although, I bet I could do a wider search from the dreamscape,” she said, fluttering her lashes. “Just five minutes?”

Kara’s lips crumpled into a smile at that. She snorted, patting Nia’s shoulder sympathetically. “Something tells me if I let you do that, I won’t be able to wake you up again.”

Nia glared at her in affront. “Hey! It’s not my fault I don’t have a superhuman alcohol tolerance.” She rolled her eyes. “Unlike some people.”

Kara scoffed. “No one asked you to drink that much on a work night.”

Nia twisted in her seat accusingly. “Two words. Penalty. Shots.” She screwed her eyes shut, pressing her head miserably into the chair’s backrest. “Lena knew that the object of the game was to avoid those shots, right?”

“Lena does love a competition,” Kara mused, folding her arms. She shifted awkwardly. “But, uh, there is one thing she loves a little more.”

“Scotch,” Nia chimed in at the exact same moment as Kara, earning another sympathetic wince from the Kryptonian.

Nia only groaned, wheeling herself back towards the sweet horizontal comfort of the Tower’s computer desk. It’d been a long time since she’d had a hangover this bad. Sure, she’d gone to work in some pretty sorry states in the past, but turning up at the Tower like this? This was a first she had absolutely no intention of repeating.

Honestly, if she hadn't been the only Super Friend Kara had been able to get a hold of that morning, she’d still be in bed right now.

Nia ducked her head into her folded arms, relaxing into the inviting coolness that the varnished wood provided. “I can feel you gloating from here, y’know,” she mumbled.

Kara spluttered. “I’m not gloating!”

“Please. You know if Brainy had been there, we would’ve wiped the floor with you.”

“Hey, no – no way.” Kara laughed dismissively. “Danvers Sisters was ahead on the board last week!” Then, under her breath, she added, “And we still are.”

Nia raised her head, ignoring the alarming sensation that the world had tipped suddenly onto its side. “See? Gloating!”

Before Kara could try and defend herself, she stopped short, falling totally silent. When Nia turned to her in question, she found that Kara appeared to be listening to something intently, her head half inclined towards the elevator doors.

When those doors began to pull open, Nia understood why.

Inside the elevator stood Brainy, hands raised awkwardly towards his chest. He fiddled listlessly with his ring, seemingly unaware that the elevator had since reached its destination.

Nia’s stomach sank.

She hadn’t seen Brainy since he’d told her he wouldn’t be able to make game night the day before. Sure, there’d been coffee and a breakfast burrito waiting for her come morning, but Brainy had been and gone long before Nia had woken that morning.

Although Brainy was generally far earlier to rise than Nia, since leaving the DEO, he’d had the luxury of spending most of his mornings with her before they headed out to the Tower together. Sometimes, he’d even walk her to work or, if she was running particularly late, fly her.

He was anxious about something, that much was clear, and from the windswept nature of his dark hair, Nia figured he’d taken to the skies in an effort to clear his head. Although, as he continued to stand there, massaging his ring finger in vexed silence, she knew that it had done little to help. Whatever thoughts he was harbouring, they were obviously weighing pretty heavily on his shoulders.

It was just, it didn’t make sense. Brainy had told her that he’d been with J’onn last night, helping with some repairs to the Tower’s cloaking mechanism. Usually, tinkering with tech was cathartic for her boyfriend and so unless the repairs had gone catastrophically wrong, Nia couldn’t understand what could have happened between yesterday afternoon and now to put Brainy into this sort of a headspace.

But she was going to find out.

“Hey Brainy,” Kara said, in a gentle tone that suggested she’d also noticed Brainy’s skittish hesitancy, “we were just talking about how much we missed you at game night.”

Brainy stiffened, for the first time noticing that he was no longer alone. He offered them both an apologetic smile before striding forward, keeping his eyes trained towards the ground. “Yes, about that,” he muttered, wringing his hands together. “I have a confession to make.”

Hangover all but forgotten, Nia quickly stood from her chair, joining Kara at her side. She shared a look of concern with her before clearing her throat. “What’s up?”

Brainy grimaced. “Yesterday,” he began, tapping his ring thoughtlessly against the palm of his open hand, “when I said I couldn’t come to game night because I was helping J’onn at the Tower. That was not entirely... accurate.”

“Oh?” Kara frowned. “You weren’t with J’onn?”

“Oh no, I was,” Brainy said quickly. He bit his lip. “We were just… elsewhere.”

“You know you can tell us anything,” Nia said seriously, taking a half step forward. She knew better than anyone not to crowd Brainy when he was nervous, but that didn’t make it any easier to tame the gut instinct to go to him the second he so much as looked uncomfortable. “No more secrets, remember?” she prompted instead, catching his eye however briefly. “Wherever you were—”

Brainy folded his arms across his chest restlessly. “I-” He gritted his teeth, closing his eyes. “J’onn invited me to one of his group meetings, with his alien friends who had decided to relinquish the use of their image inducers.” When he opened his eyes, they were shimmering with moisture. “Since coming to this century, I have tried to blend in. At first, I thought of it as an act of consideration for those around me. Humans who may have felt uncomfortable seeing an alien in their true visage when the concept is still so new to this time period.” He motioned towards his face unthinkingly before his lips thinned into a fine, distasteful line. “Now, I recognise many of those humans harbour negative feelings for anyone that is different from them.”

“You’re preaching to the choir,” Nia said with a half-smile. “And I understand why you felt like you needed to keep wearing it, but that shouldn’t be a choice others make for you. It should be yours.”

“Is that what you wanted to talk about?” Kara asked softly.

Brainy’s head shot up at that. He looked between them both, straightening his back. “I-I wanted you to be the first to know,” he admitted. “From today, I no longer wish to live under the pretences of the image inducer’s illusion. I want people to see me for who I am.” He smirked, shaking his head. “I have felt so uncertain of myself for so long, and perhaps it was easier to hide behind the inducer when I had been inhibited… but I am proud of what I have achieved to reach this point, I do not want to disguise that.”

“And you shouldn’t,” Nia said immediately, taking an impulsive step forward. “We support you, Brainy.”

“One hundred per cent,” Kara agreed.

Brainy nodded, sucking in a deep breath as he reached a hand towards the side of his face, pinching the small disk of his image inducer between finger and thumb. The moment it was released, his human appearance washed away like a gentle tide, replaced instead with vibrant emerald skin and white blond hair as fine as freshly spun gold.

For a long moment, Nia forgot how to breathe.

He was beautiful, so beautiful, and as often as Brainy had shown her the same sentiment through poetry highlighting every aspect of her beauty both in the physical and the abstract, Nia had never been quite as eloquent with her own words.

Maybe it didn’t matter, because she was certain her expression gave her away. Even if it didn’t, the way she stumbled towards him seconds later certainly did. She stopped just short of bumping into him, so close that she could feel the heat of him against her skin. She lifted her hand, relaying with her eyes exactly what she wanted to do. Brainy nodded minutely, lowering his head so that she could run her fingers along the side of his jaw, cupping his chin against the palm of her hand. Brainy’s dark eyes held her steadily now, no longer skittish, but instead static in the moment, seeing nothing but her.

“There you are,” she breathed, brushing her lips gently against his as she linked her free hand through his green fingers, squeezing tight. Her heart fluttered when Brainy returned the kiss just as enthusiastically, taking her arm with his other hand.

When they finally broke apart, Nia made extra care to run her fingers through Brainy’s golden locks before withdrawing her hand. Seeing the smile that lit up Brainy’s face in response only made her grin all the wider. She could have stayed there looking at him all day...

But, this wasn’t just a moment for the two of them to share.

As Nia stepped away, she saw Kara come forward in her peripheral, hands folded respectfully in front of her.

“Brainy,” Kara said, her voice choked with emotion. “I am so proud of you.”

Any residual tension Brainy had been holding seemed to unspool the moment Kara spoke. “You are?”

“Of course!” Kara beamed, taking his arms. When Brainy showed no resistance, she went in for the full hug, wrapping her arms tightly around his back. Brainy settled into the embrace almost immediately, huffing out a soft sigh into Kara’s hair.

Hangover well and truly forgotten, Nia found a spot for herself in the hug, tucking her face into Brainy’s shoulder. Brainy welcomed the contact, closing his eyes as he totally relaxed into the group hug.

Brainy had overcome a lot to be here, and not just to appear as he was, but to be in this century entirely. Nia knew Brainy’s introduction to this time had been far from smooth, and even though she’d done everything to make him feel settled, the constant use of his inducer even at home only served as a reminder that he hadn’t found total peace here yet.

Nia had had the fortune of being openly encouraged to live as her true self, and more recently Kara had taught her the importance of embracing her alien heritage as well. But the face Brainy wore now was new not just to the 21st century, but the 31st as well, and just like Kara, she was so incredibly happy that Brainy had found the courage through J’onn’s help to remove his inducer for good.

She knew it’d be a bumpy ride, but she didn’t care. No matter what, she was with him. No matter what, she loved him. And – when he was ready – the whole family he’d made here would stand just as proudly by his side, too.

#supergirl #supergirl fanfiction #brainia #brainiac 5 #nia nal #kara danvers #kara zor el #my writing #my prompts #cyclone-rachel #why am i only capable of publishing a prompt at like.. 1-3am #but srsly anyone remember that group J'onn used to go to that just sort of got forgotten about?#because i DIDN'T.#srsly what a concept but if the show won't do it then i will #anyway. i should probably sleep now.... xD

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