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#hopefully we'll be getting our own place soon....
sadnymi · 2 months
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「 ✦ cloud nine p2.✦ 」
Mattheo riddle × reader [part1]
Summary: The "jinx girl," as they call her, is said to bring bad luck. However, when Mattheo Riddle decides to get to know the school's most neglected girl and takes matters into his own hands, Y/N's life is turned upside down in a mere night.
Warnings:angst, smut, fluff
Words: 13.5k
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[ A Cry for Help (and Hippogriffs)]
Dear Uncle Ben ,
Consider this my official "You were absolutely right (but with way more heartbreak)" letter. Remember all those warnings you showered me with before I left for Hogwarts? Werewolves, Dementors, rogue Gillyweed incidents (honestly, who even uses that stuff anymore?) You covered the whole spectrum of nightmarish magical creatures. But why, oh why, did you neglect to warn me about charming Slytherins with a really really pretty smiles and the ability to shatter hearts ?
Yes, Uncle Ben, your favorite niece (and, let's be honest, only niece) has officially fallen from cloud nine and landed face-first in a puddle of disappointment. Remember Mattheo Riddle? The one with the eyes like melted chocolate and a smile that could disarm a grumpy Hippogriff? Turns out….well, you get the picture. My heart is in as many pieces as a poorly repaired Floo Network."
So, here's the thing, Uncle Ben . **I'm done. Hogwarts can keep its feasts, its Quidditch matches, and its overly enthusiastic Potions lessons.** I wouldn't be caught dead on the Hogwarts Express, and frankly, the Burrow isn't exactly calling my name right now either.
This is where you come in, my valiant (and hopefully broomstick-wielding) savior. **I need an extraction, Uncle Ben . A daring rescue. A grand exit that would make even Dumbledore raise an eyebrow.** Floo powder me out? Sneak me aboard a disguised Thestral? Honestly, at this point, I'd even settle for a well-timed Hippogriff stampede (though maybe not – those beaks look awfully sharp).
So please uncle Ben As soon as this letter reaches your extraordinary hands, pack your Niffler leash, your Newt-approved travel kettle, and anything else that might help
Your distraught (and slightly heartbroken) niece,
Y/N
P.S. Please bring some Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans. Maybe a chocolate frog or two wouldn't hurt either.
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After folding the letter with care, I sealed it using a wax stamp adorned with a grumpy-looking Kneazle, a delightful creation from a talented first-year Hufflepuff. Placing it inside an owl-sized envelope addressed to "Benjamin Scamander, Ministry of Magical Creatures, Department for Beast Regulation and Control," I sent it off with a silent prayer for a speedy rescue.
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Y/N
Consider it done. Talon wasn't thrilled about the Beans (apparently, they don't quite mesh with his sophisticated palate), but the chocolate frogs seemed to appease him. Be ready by nightfall. We'll have a proper family reunion, Hippogriff style.
P.S. Don't worry about any "Hippogriff stampedes." Talon's surprisingly well-mannered (for the most part).
Love,
Uncle Ben
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After two blissful days away from Hogwarts at Uncle Ben's cozy cottage in the Welsh hills, I woke up to find him bustling about the room. Despite the comfort and serenity of our time together, I couldn't shake off the tears that stained his (probably very expensive) linens.
He lumbered in, a steaming mug clutched in his hand, followed by a bewildered-looking Billywig (apparently, they weren't exactly known for their graceful exits).
"Here," he said kindly, placing the mug on the bedside table. "Peppermint tea. Guaranteed to cure a broken heart… or at least numb it a bit."
I took a shaky sip, the warmth spreading through me like a gentle hug. Uncle Ben perched on the edge of the bed, concern evident in his gaze that battled with his usual amusement.
"Alright, spill it," he finally said, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "What's got you blubbering like a Bowtruckle caught in a rainstorm?"
I choked on a sob, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. "It's just… everything. Mattheo… the rumors… the whole thing feels so stupid."
"Stupid? Sweetheart, this is practically a textbook case of teenage wizarding drama!," Uncle Ben said with a chuckle.
"First, the rumors. Turns out Charlie Spinnet, fancies you and that by the way explains the sudden change in cologne and his haircut whenever he visits. But then instead of acting like a normal human being, he decided to spread those ridiculous stories about you being a jinx?"
I nodded, sniffling. "And then there's Riddle Jr.," Uncle Ben continued, his voice laced with a hint of disapproval. "Used you for a dare? Honestly, these Slytherins – where's the chivalry gone? Back in my day, we at least serenaded our crushes with a well-timed love potion, not a staged play."
"I know right? !" I cried, wiping away fresh tears, he come closer pulling me into a warm hug.
When the last tear finally dried, a heavy silence settled between us. My eyelids drooped, exhaustion pulling me under. "Uncle Ben," I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep, "Can I… can I leave Hogwarts?"
He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine. "Is that what you want, Y/N?"
"I don't… I don't want to see him, or them, or…" My voice trailed off, the thought of facing whispers and pitying glances unbearable.
He squeezed my hand gently. "There are other schools, Y/N. Places where you can learn, grow, and maybe even find someone who truly appreciates you."
A flicker of hope sparked within me. A fresh start? A chance to heal away from the prying eyes and judgmental whispers? "Do you think… could I transfer… maybe to Beauxbatons?"
Uncle Ben chuckled. "Beauxbatons? Now that's an interesting choice. But hey, if you fancy learning with a bunch of wand-waving fashionistas, who am I to say no?"
The crisp Welsh air whipped through my hair as I sat on the porch swing, watching the sun set over the rolling hills. Uncle Ben's cottage, nestled amongst ancient oaks, seemed even cozier with the warm, orange light bathing its stone walls.
Thankfully, he'd managed to smooth things over with my parents, convincing them it would be perfect for me to stay with him until I figured out what to do about school.
Weeks melted into each other, and a unsettling undercurrent began to ripple through the otherwise idyllic setting. Every boy who showed even a flicker of interest in me or mustered the courage to ask me out –vanished after our initial encounter. Poof. Gone.
Only to reappear the next day, looking sheepish and pale, with mumbled apologies for missing our planned date . "something came up" or a sudden "family emergency."
kind, awkward Liam, sporty William , even that quiet bookworm Ethan – they all faced the same fate , a freckled boy named Callum, practically leaped over a nearby toadstool with a yelp, his face blanching as if he'd seen a ghost. It was as though the sight of the bumpy amphibian unearthed a buried terror within him.
And it’s seems like anyone who would show any interest in me will face the same fate
Case in point: a particular book I had discussed with a boy who worked at the library and had also asked me out for a date. The next day, that very book was on uncle Ben leaving room the next day and I knew for sure that uncle Ben wasn’t the one who did that .
Curiosity piqued, I went to the library to inquire about the book's whereabouts, only to find the boy in a state of sheer terror. He avoided eye contact and stammered out a nervous apology, his fear palpable in the way he trembled. It was as if he had encountered something terrifying, something that left him traumatized overnight. Unsettled by the encounter, I sought help from another library assistant to locate the book I wanted. This time, the assistant was more than eager to assist, his eyes darting around nervously as if expecting something unexpected to happen again.
Weeks dragged by, each day a monotonous echo of the last.
As I wake up today a tear slipped down my cheek, tracing a warm path through the cool morning air. I cursed myself under my breath, blinking furiously to clear my vision. There it was again, the lingering echo of his touch, the warmth of his smile, all remnants of a cruel dream.
Damn it. I cursed myself under my breath, throwing the covers back with a huff. How dare I miss him? How dare my traitorous subconscious paint him in a loving light after everything? The betrayal, the lies, they were all still raw, a constant reminder of his deceit.
Feeling the need for some solace and quiet reflection, I decided to head to the library
The usually a comforting haven, was eerily silent. A prickle of unease crawled up my spine. Did the boy who worked here quit ? Thanks a lot, Mattheo.
Pushing open the library doors, I was greeted by an unsettling emptiness. Pushing the thought aside, I navigated the towering bookshelves, half expecting some kind of magical mishap – maybe a rogue pixie infestation? With a spine-tingling creak. An unsettling feeling wormed its way into my stomach. Surely Johnny, the cute boy who worked here, wouldn't leave the entire library unattended?
"Hello, Johnny?" I called out, my voice echoing eerily in the vast space. No answer. Great. Just fantastic.
Shrugging it off, I ventured deeper into the labyrinth of bookshelves. The silence pressed in on me, broken only by the soft pad of my footsteps. Halfway expecting a rogue Acromantula to drop from the ceiling or a mischievous pixie to trip me with a strategically placed shoelace, I navigated the towering stacks.
Suddenly, a loud creak pierced the silence. My heart lurched, and I spun around, wand instinctively halfway out of my pocket. The heavy library door swung shut with an ominous finality. For a moment, I stood frozen, every nerve on high alert. Was I alone?
and there he was ... His usual playful smirk was replaced by a furrowed brow and a flicker of something… hurt? Regret? It was a confusing cocktail that sent my carefully constructed facade teetering on the edge of collapse.
My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs, threatening to burst from my chest. My carefully crafted mask of indifference felt like it was cracking under the sheer force of seeing him.
the silence of the library seemed deafening, amplifying the chaotic symphony playing out inside me.
I plastered a smile on my face, hoping it came across as confident and not the terrified mess I truly felt. This was ridiculous. He was the one who lied and betrayed me, not the other way around. Yet, here I was, feeling like I was the one on trial.
"Dramatic much?" I spat, my voice laced with venom. "So what's the deal now, Riddle? Bored with your little toad transformation hobby? Decided to haunt the library instead?"
He gave me a slow once-over, his gaze lingering a beat too long. It sent a shiver down my spine, a confusing mix of anger and a vulnerability I desperately tried to suppress.
Folding my arms, I tried to project an air of annoyance. "Look, Riddle," I said, forcing a harsher tone than I felt. "Let's cut to the chase. Open the door and disappear."
As he took a tentative step towards me, the carefully constructed wall around my emotions started to crumble. His eyes held a depth of emotion I couldn't decipher – hurt? Regret? It was a confusing mix that threatened to unravel me.
"You never mentioned you were a Scamander," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. The sound of it after all this time, even laced with the echoes of past pain, was a punch to the gut.
-well technically I was from my mother side but i never dared to say that to anyone afraid to bring shame to the family name , because I never felt like I deserved to.
Tears pricked at the back of my eyelids, a bittersweet smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "And you," I choked out, the words raw with hurt, "never mentioned being fucking liar . Seems like we're even, wouldn't you agree?"
he started to speak. "I know you don’t want to listen—"
Frustration bubbled over before he could finish his sentence. "Why are you even here, Riddle?" I snapped. "You know I don't want to hear your excuses."
His gaze held mine, unwavering despite the storm brewing in my own eyes.
"Stop staring at me like that!" I hissed, the vulnerability I desperately tried to hide threatening to spill over.
Desperate to break the tension, I lunged for the door, yanking on the handle. Panic surged as it remained stubbornly shut. "What's wrong with this stupid door?" I yelled, "We can't use magic outside Hogwarts!" I exclaimed, bewildered. "Did you do something to the door?" Kicking it with my foot in frustration.
Spinning back to face him, my voice trembled with a mix of fury and fear. "What did you do to those boys, Mattheo? Turned them into toads?"
A smirk played on his lips, a sight that only intensified my urge to lash out. "Not all of them," he countered, his voice laced with a hint of something… jealousy? "Why? Do you care about them?"
“Apparently I did “I challenged, my voice laced with a bitterness I couldn't hide, "That's why I agreed to go out with them in the first place."
His smugness evaporated, replaced by a desperate plea that sent a shiver down my spine. "Don't go to Beauxbatons, love," he pleaded, his voice barely a whisper, laced with such raw emotion it threatened to crack the dam of my anger ,considering his impressive stalking skills I wasn’t surprised he knew about that ..
"Don't call me that, Riddle," I choked out, squeezing my eyes shut to hold back the traitorous tears that welled up. When I opened them again, the sight that greeted me was my breaking point.
Hurt, confusion, and a flicker of something that looked suspiciously like longing swirled in his eyes. "Why - why did you keep calling me that? Why not say my name?" he asked, his voice thick with a pain that mirrored my own.
"It's just Riddle for me now ," I said, my voice cold, a desperate attempt to shield myself from the storm of emotions brewing within me.
"Please," he whispered, the word hanging heavy in the air. "Please don't go to Beauxbatons."
"Get out of my way," I snapped, my voice laced with a venom I barely recognized. "I won't say it again."
He took a hesitant step forward, his eyes pleading. "I'm not above begging," he said, his voice low and urgent. "I'll do anything you ask. You say you hate me, then hate me. Ruin my life. Do whatever will make you feel better, just do it in front of me. Stay at Hogwarts."
Shock rendered me speechless. "Don't do this," he continued, his voice cracking. "Not for me, but for you. Don't run away. If anyone deserves to leave Hogwarts, it's not you. Please, don't do this."
His words hung heavy in the air, each one a shard of truth that pierced the carefully constructed wall of anger I'd built around myself. "Let go of my hand, Mattheo," I whispered, not daring to look at him. He released me slowly, his touch a lingering ghost on my skin.
The silence stretched on, heavy and thick. Finally, I forced myself to meet his gaze. My own eyes, red-rimmed and tear-filled, mirrored the raw emotion in his. With a shaky breath, I whispered, "Open the door now , please."
He nodded, his face etched with pain. The door swung open silently, and for a moment, our eyes locked. Then, without a word, I turned and walked towards the door.
But before I reached the doorway, a new urgency filled his voice. "Y/N, wait!" He reached out a hand, but stopped himself before making contact. "I know I messed up. There's no excuse for what I did, but please believe me – I love you. And I'm not giving us up. I'll do whatever it takes to prove it to you."
The weight of his words hung in the air, a challenge and a plea rolled into one. My heart pounded a frantic rhythm against my ribs, Taking a deep. I turned and walked out, leaving Mattheo standing alone in the empty library.
Reaching Uncle Ben's cozy cottage, I fumbled with the latch, my vision obscured by a fresh wave of tears. The door creaked open to reveal Uncle Ben, his face creasing in concern at the sight of me. Before I could even think of a response, I was enveloped in his warm, familiar embrace.
"Merlin's beard, Y/N," he chuckled, his voice laced with concern, "what happened? Did you lose a duel with a particularly grumpy pixie?"
Pulling back, I managed a watery smile. "Something like that," I mumbled, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. Uncle Ben's gaze narrowed, his playful demeanor replaced by a more serious one.
"You know, all this tears and sniffles could lead one to believe…"
He paused dramatically, dragging out the suspense. "You are not pregnant, are you?”
"Pregnant? Uncle Ben, seriously?"
He threw his head back and laughed, a booming sound that filled the room. "Just checking! Seriously that world won’t survive another riddle “
We sat in comfortable silence for a while, the only sound the crackling fire in the hearth.
"You know," he finally said, his voice gentle, "sometimes the heart wants what it wants, regardless of past hurts." He met my gaze, his eyes filled with a knowing warmth. "The question is, Y/N, what does yours truly want?"
"I don't really know," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. "One thing's for sure, though. I'm done running. I can't keep letting fear dictate my life."
“Every time something gets hard, I pack my metaphorical bags and vanish. But this time… this time it feels different."
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. "There's this anger inside me, this need for revenge," I confessed, letting out a shaky breath. "It scares me, Uncle Ben. "
Uncle Ben reached for me his hand warm and comforting on mine. "There's a difference, Y/N, between righteous anger and destructive vengeance," he said softly. "Anger can be a powerful motivator, a fuel that can propel you forward. But it's crucial to channel it, to use it to grow stronger, not to let it control you."
Turning to him, I met his gaze with a newfound determination. "So," I started, a mischievous glint sparkling in my eyes, "would you help me pack up my bags for Hogwarts? And maybe... with something 'Scamander related' ?"
A playful smile mirrored mine on his face. "Always up for a good mystery, Y/N," .
The Hogwarts Express journey wasn't the gauntlet of whispers and pointed fingers I'd braced myself for. The carriage felt eerily quiet, devoid of the usual gossipy chatter and giggling. A part of me wondered if this unsettling silence was Mattheo's doing.
My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs as I rounded the corner, the familiar brick facade of the school looming ahead. Taking a deep breath.
I saw him.
He was leaning against the oak tree by the entrance, a casual posture that couldn't quite hide the tension in his shoulders. His gaze was fixed on the school doors, and for a thrilling moment, I thought I might have imagined him there.
But then, our eyes met.
His breath hitched ever so slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his features before a slow smile bloomed on his face. It wasn't a wide, dazzling grin, but a soft, genuine one that crinkled the corners of his eyes.
The next morning, a nervous energy thrummed through me. Gone was the urge to flee; instead, a steely determination burned bright. I arrived at Charms class, ridiculously early, senses sharp with focus.
Adrian Pucey sauntered in, brow furrowed. "Y/N? What are you doing here so early? Malfoy's the one meeting me," he said, surprise flickering in his eyes.
"Just eager for Charms," I replied coolly. "and you said Malfoy ? No idea, really”
Actually I was the one who wrote him the fake note with Malfoy’s name to come earlier.
He cleared his throat, avoiding my gaze. "Look, about what happened , believe me what Mattheo did to me after was enough to ——"
"Don't worry about it, Adrian," I interrupteda sly smile playing on my lips."Things happen."
His surprise deepened. "You...you forgive me that easily?"
Pulling a cupcake from my bag, I offered it. "Freshly baked. Want some?"
Hesitantly, he took a bite. "Sure, thanks."
"Did you know," I said casually, "Flobberworm milk compels truth?" I winked.
Stepping closer, cupcake in hand, I re-offered it. "Second chances deserve a second cupcake, wouldn't you say?"
He hesitated, then took another bite. "Thanks," he mumbled, cheeks warming.
"Speaking of truth-telling," I said, leaning in conspiratorially, "did you know the tears of a phoenix can be used to create a voice projection charm? Like, if I whispered something to a cupcake with phoenix tears baked in, and you ate it, you'd hear it in your mind ."
He blinked, clearly unsure whether to believe me or not.
"Curious, isn't it," I murmured, "the things you can learn when you spend your summer with magical creatures."
Adrian stammered, "Wh-what have you done?"
"Ever wonder what happens when a Hufflepuff marries a Slytherin?" I continued, savoring his confusion.
A playful glint entered my eyes. "Well, for one, someone might get a taste of their own medicine," I quoted my mother with a smirk.
He attempted nonchalance. "Kids would be too good for Slytherin, not quite Hufflepuff."
"And that," I said, a triumphant smile blooming, "is where things get interesting. Especially with a Scamander in the mix.”
I continued, a triumphant grin spreading across my face.“And what happens when you push a Scamander kid too far?" I continued, a triumphant grin spreading across my face. "They use their knowledge, their magical creatures... and maybe a touch of Slytherin cunning for a little revenge.
He backed away, eyes wide.
The bell clanged, shattering the playful tension between Adrian and me. Professor Flitwick,bustled in, his voluminous black robes billowing around him like a miniature storm cloud.
"Good morning, class!" he boomed, "Today, we delve into the fascinating art of Wandless Charms! A skill that separates the truly magical from the...well, let's just say it requires a certain finesse."
Professor Flitwick launched into a lively lecture, demonstrating simple levitation charms with a flourish. As he conjured a teacup to pirouette in the air, I noticed Adrian fidgeting in his seat. Leaning in, I whispered playfully, "Enjoying the class, are we, Pucey?"
He shot me a panicked glance, then mumbled something inaudible. Taking a deep breath, I decided to push my luck a little further. With a mischievous glint in my eyes, I mouthed, "Tell the truth about what you feel of this class ."
Suddenly, Adrian's hand shot up, waving wildly. Professor Flitwick, momentarily distracted, peered over his thick spectacles at the unexpected outburst.
"Mr. Pucey?" he inquired, a quizzical eyebrow raised.
"Professor," Adrian blurted out, his voice surprisingly loud in the quiet room, "I hate Charms! It's useless and frankly, you're a terrible teacher!"
Suddenly, a loud, booming voice erupted from Adrian's mouth, echoing through the entire classroom. "I HATE CHARMS! It's the most useless class ever, I CHEATED on the exam LAST YEAR, and And I've been doing everything just to be the center of attention. I've lied, manipulated, and stepped on others to make myself look better."!"
The entire class erupted in stunned silence, followed by a wave of uncontrollable laughter. Adrian's jaw hung slack, his eyes wide with horror.
Professor Flitwick, his face purple with rage, sputtered, his fist raised in the air. "Mr. Pucey! Ten points from Slytherin! Detention for a month! And perhaps a visit to Madam Pomfrey to check your sanity!"
Adrian sunk deeper into his seat, the laughter morphing into snickers and whispers
The laughter slowly faded, replaced by the echoes of Professor Flitwick's threats. I couldn't help but stifle a triumphant smirk. Adrian practically resembled a puddle of misery in his seat, the color completely drained from his face. Mission accomplished.
Just as I reached the aisle, a hand shot out, grabbing my waist in a surprisingly firm grip. Before I could yelp in surprise, two strong hands was on either side of me , pinning me against the cool stone wall. I found myself staring into the eyes of none other than Mattheo .
"That," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine, "was fucking hot."
He brushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear with his thumb, Our gazes locked, the air crackling with sudden awareness.
My gaze remained steely, unflinching. "You liked that?" I challenged, my voice laced with a dangerous edge.
"I like everything you do," he replied with a smirk.
"Good," I said, leaning in closer, my voice barely a whisper. "Because that was just child's play. compared to what I'm planning for you, Riddle"
The bell echoed through the hallway, shattering the moment. Mattheo reluctantly released me, a hint of something akin to fascination flickering in his eyes. "Can’t wait my love ," he winked, a mischievous glint sparkling within, before disappearing into the throng of students.
My success with Adrian fueled a mischievous fire within me. The thrill of using magical creatures for a little payback was intoxicating. Professor Flitwick's class became my testing ground, a petri dish for brewing delightful chaos.
Every person who participated in the stupid play faced my revenge; none escaped unscathed.
The once dreaded nickname "Jinx Girl" had faded into a distant memory. This year, I was Lady Luck, a title whispered with a mix of awe and amusement. My string of successful pranks, each meticulously crafted with a dash of magical creature mischief, had transformed my reputation.
The whispers started subtly, like the rustling of leaves in the forbidden forest. "Did you see what happened ? Y/N's behind it, for sure!" or "Isn't it strange how everything's turned around for her lately?" It was a subtle shift, but the air crackled with a new awareness. The "Jinx Girl" label was fading, replaced by a more intriguing title - Lady Luck.
One gloomy afternoon, as I settled into a plush armchair by the crackling fire, a hesitant knock echoed through the room.
"Come in," I called out, peering over the worn pages of a Charms textbook.
The door creaked open, revealing a sheepish-looking Charlie . His blonde hair seemed to lose its usual vibrancy under the dim light, and his freckles stood out starkly against his pale face.
"Y/N," he mumbled, scuffing his worn boots on the floor. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure, Charlie," I said, patting the empty space beside me.
He shuffled in place, fiddling with his wand. "It's... well, everything. The rumors, the play, everything."
“ Look, Y/N, I'm so incredibly sorry. I know I shouldn't have spread those rumors. I... honestly, I was a complete idiot."
"I thought," Charlie continued, his voice laced with shame, "that if I spread those rumors, every boy would stay away from you. I didn't think it would get this bad."
A mixture of anger and curiosity bubbled within me. "Why, Charlie?" I asked, my voice calmer than I felt.
He took a deep breath, his gaze filled with regret. "I… I like you, Y/N a lot since we were just kids but you never noticed me ," he confessed, his voice barely a whisper. "And when I saw you with Mattheo, well, and after everything he did..."
He hung his head. "And the play," he mumbled. "It was me. I told Adrian about your past. I was so angry… jealous, really. After seeing you with Mattheo."
A wave of emotions washed over me. Anger for his actions, confusion for his feelings, and a spark of something else – mattheo wasn’t the one who told them about what happened .
Taking another deep breath, I met Charlie's gaze. "Those rumors hurt," I admitted, my voice firm but gentle. "And the play…" I trailed off, choosing my words carefully. "It was a low blow, Charlie. But…" I hesitated, searching for the right words.
"But you were scared," I finished, a hint of empathy softening my tone. "Jealous, even. It's okay to feel those things, Charlie."
He looked up, a flicker of hope igniting in his blue eyes. "Do you… forgive me?"
I studied him for a moment, taking in his genuine regret. "I do," I said finally. "But forgiveness doesn't erase the consequences. You hurt me, Charlie, and you hurt others I will never forget that ."
Charlie's shoulders slumped. "I know," he said, his voice filled with remorse. "I'll do anything to make it up to you."
I smiled faintly. "Please don’t do anything a normal apologize would do ."
Months had passed since I last set foot in the library, and the scent of aged paper and leather, a familiar comfort that once soothed my soul, now felt laced with a bittersweet pang. Yet, stepping back into the hushed haven felt like tumbling through a time warp. The scent of aged paper, the rhythmic tick of the grandfather clock, even the worn patches on the armchairs – everything whispered memories of Mattheo, both sweet and stinging.
the silence thrummed with echoes of hushed conversations and stolen glances. Memories of stolen moments with Mattheo – whispered secrets amongst the stacks, fingers brushing as we reached for the same book – played in a loop behind my closed eyelids.
A sigh escaped my lips as the heavy oak door shut with a soft thud behind me. The vastness of the library stretched before me, empty shelves yawning like forgotten dreams. No bustling librarians, no chattering students hunched over dusty tomes. Just me, adrift in a sea of silence, the weight of the past clinging to my every step.
But then I saw him.
Mattheo stood near the Charms section, a sly smirk twisting his lips. His eyes, usually filled with a cool amusement, held a challenge this time. A knot of tension formed in my stomach.
"You forgive him so easily," he drawled, his voice low enough to carry only between the towering bookshelves.
He gestured towards an empty space beside him, a clear invitation. My pulse quickened. Part of me wanted to whirl around and storm out, to deny him the satisfaction of any reaction. But another, more curious part, craved to know what game he was playing.
With a measured breath, I sauntered towards him, my chin held high. "Forgive who?" I asked, feigning ignorance.
He raised an eyebrow, the smirk deepening. "Come now, Y/N," he said, his voice a silky murmur. "Don't tell me you haven't had a heart-to-heart with Spinnet already."
"What do you really want, Riddle?" I demanded, my voice trembling with a mix of hurt and confusion.
Mattheo took a shaky breath, his hand reaching out hesitantly before retracting. "I can't do this anymore, Y/N," he confessed, his voice raw. "I thought if I gave you some space..."
"Space?" I scoffed, tears welling up again. "Space? You call watching me all summer, space? I know what you did to those boys, and then threatening everyone in this school on the first day to not talk or do anything to me space??" I yelled, tears streaming down my face.
The words tumbled out, fueled by a wellspring of hurt I hadn't even realized I was holding onto. "I don't understand, Mattheo! I don't really understand. I've dealt with difficult things before, truly awful things, but none of them hurt as much as this betrayal. Why? Why can't I get over it? Why does it feel like someone ripped open my soul and stomped on it a million times? Then it hit me. You did that, Mattheo. You."
My voice broke, replaced by a choked sob. "You showed me a love I never knew existed, a love I never dared to dream of , showered me with affection and tenderness. You touched parts of my soul I never knew were there. Every inch of me, every piece of me – my heart, my mind, my soul – had your name written all over it , Every fiber of my being, every beat of my heart, seemed to have your name etched upon it. And then, you snatched it all away.. They say it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, but that's a lie. Because feeling your love, then losing it, is the worst pain I've ever experienced.”
The air crackled between us, thick with unspoken emotions and the sting of my tears. Mattheo inched closer, his warmth a stark contrast to the turmoil within me. I could feel his breath whisper against my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Y/N," he pleaded, his voice husky with emotion ."I know you don't believe me," he confessed, his red- eyes searching mine .
“but this feeling... it terrifies me. I've never felt like this before. Never cared about anyone but myself and Enzo . But then you came along. The purest thing I've ever have , the closest I'll ever get to heaven."
His words hung heavy in the air, a stark contrast to the arrogant facade he usually presented.
"I miss you," he continued, his voice raw with longing. "I miss what we had. The way your smile could light up a room, the way your cheeks would flush the prettiest shade of pink ."
He paused, his hand hovering hesitantly near mine. "I can't do this anymore. This game... it's torture. Every stolen glance, every witty banter, it just makes the truth harder to bear. Tell me what you want me to do. Name it, anything. But please, just end this charade. It's killing me “
A tremor ran through him, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of genuine fear in his eyes.
He looked at me for a second, taking a shaky breath. Then, the words tumbled out, raw and unfiltered. "I love you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm not afraid to say it anymore. I regret not approaching you properly, i regret taking that stupid dare ."
His gaze held mine, desperate for any sign of reciprocation. "You asked if everything between us was a lie," he continued, his voice low. "But listen to me now. You're the truest thing that's ever happened to me. I love you, Y/N. And I can't stand there watching you, knowing I can't hold you. I never wanted to hurt you, And I promise, I'll never let anyone hurt you again"
My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drum solo in the quiet library. Every fiber of my being yearned to believe him, to reach out and melt into his embrace. But the betrayal was still fresh, a gaping wound that pulsed with pain.
"I can't trust you anymore, Mattheo," I choked out, the words a bitter truth. "Even if I want to, I can't. Every word you say feels like another lie. I hate you," I confessed, the words ripping from my throat. "I hate you so much for making me want to forgive you. I hate you because I love you so much."
"Don't cry," he pleaded, his voice thick with a desperate sincerity. "I'll do anything. Just say it, and I'll do it."
The promise hung in the air, tempting and dangerous. I reached up and covered his hand with mine, the warmth seeping into my chilled skin. Despite the storm raging inside me, a small part of me craved the comfort of his touch, the solace of forgiveness.
"Then let me go, Mattheo," I whispered, the words tasting like ashes in my mouth. "Let me go. Don't approach me. Don't try to fix anything. Just let me go."
The pain in his eyes mirrored the turmoil within me. "Is that what you truly want?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
I could only nod, a fresh wave of tears cascading down my face. Every part of me ached to forget the past, to bury my head in his chest and feel the familiar rhythm of his heartbeat. But the betrayal was a wall I couldn't climb over, not yet.
"Then I will do it ,love." He brushed away my tears one last time, his touch lingering for a heartbreaking moment before he took a step back. The pain in his eyes was a something i could never forget.
He gave me one last, lingering look before turning and leaving the library, the heavy oak door closing with a finality that echoed the slamming shut of my own heart. The air hung heavy with unspoken emotions, the weight of my decision pressing down on me.
My revenge, I realized with a bitter pang, tasted worse than Flobberworm milk and phonics tears on cupcakes. But in that moment, I didn't realize that in punishing him, I was condemning myself to an equally excruciating torture
Days bled into weeks, each one stretching out with the agonizing slowness of a Dementor's kiss. What I had envisioned as a sweet victory – Mattheo squirming under the weight of my indifference – felt more like a self-inflicted Cruciatus Curse.
The once-familiar halls of Hogwarts became a minefield of awkward silences and stolen glances. Every corner held the ghost of his laughter, every shadowed alcove whispered echoes of his touch. Avoiding him became a constant, exhausting dance.
In Herbology, Professor Sprout droned on about the magical properties of Bubotuber pus, but all I could focus on was the empty space beside me. It had become a glaring absence, a constant reminder of the warmth that used to be there.
Across the room, I could feel his gaze burning into me. But when I dared to steal a glance, his head would be bent diligently over his textbook, his jaw clenched tight. It was a practiced act of indifference, a mask that mirrored the one I wore.
Lunch in the Great Hall was an ordeal. I'd scan the long Slytherin table, searching for any sign of him. Relief would flood me when I wouldn't see him, only to be replaced by a hollow pang of disappointment.
One day, as I shuffled through the crowded hallway, I felt a presence looming behind me. My heart hammered a frantic tattoo against my ribs. I quickened my pace, clutching my books tighter, willing myself to disappear. But the presence remained, a silent taunt.
Finally, unable to bear the suspense any longer, I chanced a peek over my shoulder. My stomach lurched. It was him, his face a stony mask, his eyes fixed on a point far beyond me. He sidestepped me with practiced ease, not even a flicker of recognition in his gaze.
The charade was relentless. In Potions, Professor Snape's scathing remarks seemed muted compared to the deafening silence between Mattheo and me. We brewed our Draught of Peace with a silent intensity, each movement a calculated act of avoidance.
The whispers started subtly, like the rustle of leaves in a slight breeze. "Did you see them? Not a single word!" one student would murmur to another. Soon, the whispers morphed into open stares, the entire school buzzing with the unspoken tension between us.
It was as if by avoiding each other, we'd created a spectacle far more dramatic than any confrontation could have been. The unspoken longing, the raw emotions hanging heavy in the air – it was a story more captivating than any Quidditch match.
What hurt the most ? I couldn't escape the feeling that everyone else was living their lives, while mine was trapped in this agonizing purgatory of unspoken emotions and a love I couldn't embrace or deny.
The silence between us was deafening, a reminder of the bond we'd shattered. My carefully crafted revenge felt hollow, a Pyrrhic victory that left me as desolate as the empty space beside him. The ache in my chest had little to do with anger and everything to do with a longing I couldn't name.
Then came the worst part. It wasn't just the awkward silences or stolen glances at him interacting with others. It was the way the girls around me perked up, their smiles a bit too wide, their laughter a bit too forced. They saw the distance between Mattheo and me, the void where his presence used to be, as an open invitation.
Professor Sprout's well-meaning attempt to pair us up for a project backfired spectacularly.
Mattheo, his usual smirk replaced by a practiced indifference, meticulously tended to his Venomous Tentacula while I wrestled with a particularly stubborn Flobberworm. The silence between us was thicker than the sap dripping from the Bubotuber pus. We moved with a practiced efficiency, avoiding eye contact, our movements a painful ballet of unspoken hurt and when he was finally done with his part he left without even glancing at me .
Across the room, laughter erupted. A pretty brunette girl, Astoria Greengrass, leaned in conspiratorially towards Mattheo, a giggle escaping her lips. He threw his head back, a genuine smile lighting up his face, a sight that sent a spike of jealousy through me.
My Flobberworm wriggled free, sending a spray of dirt flying. Professor Sprout's raised eyebrow and stern lecture were a welcome distraction from the scene unfolding across the room. The warmth in Mattheo's laughter, the ease with which he interacted with Astoria, was a sharp contrast to the icy distance he maintained with me.
The worst part, however, wasn't the girls themselves. It was the way they looked at me – a mixture of pity and smug satisfaction. Their gazes seemed to say, "See? Now you see what you had and threw away."
Another day, another ordeal. During Charms, a boy from Ravenclaw, Michael Corner, sidled up to me, his voice a steady stream of nervous chatter. He droned on about the upcoming Quidditch match, his words blurring into background noise.
Across the room, I stole a glance at Matteo. He sat slumped in his chair, his gaze fixed on the textbook in front of him. But a flicker of movement caught my eye. His jaw clenched slightly, knuckles turning white as he gripped the book. He didn't turn towards me, didn't acknowledge Michael's presence. It was as if I, and the boy beside me, simply ceased to exist.
A pang of something akin to disappointment shot through me. Was this truly what he’s doing ? erasing me from his memory? The silence between us, once deafening, now felt suffocating. I craved a reaction, anything to break the monotony of our charade.
Days bled into weeks, each one a monotonous echo of the last. Lunch in the Great Hall was an exercise in self-torture. I sat with some girls from my class , their cheery chatter a stark contrast to the turmoil within me.
Across the room, Mattheo sat with a group of Slytherins, his usual arrogance back in place. He spoke in hushed tones, his eyes scanning the room. Did they land on me? I couldn't tell, wouldn't allow myself to hope.
Suddenly, Draco Malfoy sauntered over, a smirk playing on his lips. He leaned in, whispering something in Mattheo's ear, his gaze flickering towards me. A flicker of something – anger, maybe? – crossed Mattheo's face before he schooled his features back into indifference.
Draco's smirk widened, punctuated by a loud laugh. The sound grated on my nerves, a confirmation that he had successfully moved on, leaving me drowning in the wreckage of our broken connection.
The once vibrant halls of Hogwarts had become a constant reminder of what I'd lost. The whispers, the pointed looks, the morbid fascination with our unspoken war – it all felt suffocating. The silence between us, once deafening, now resonated with a profound emptiness.
In my quest for revenge, I had succeeded in destroying not just him, but a part of myself. And as I stared across the Great Hall, the bitter truth settled in – the only thing more unbearable than his betrayal was his indifference.
The ache in my core pulsed with every stolen glance at Matteo. A single, accidental lock of eyes during Charms was all it took to reignite the inferno I'd thought I'd extinguished. The familiar heat bloomed in my cheeks, spreading downwards, a stark reminder of the raw, physical connection we shared.
Driven by an insatiable hunger, I succumbed to temptation, seeking solace in the darkness of night. With trembling hands, I slipped my fingers inside my pants, yearning for the touch of his hands upon my skin. But no matter how fervently I imagined his touch, it was futile, a poor substitute for the real thing.
His absence loomed large in my mind, a constant reminder of the void he had left behind. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I grappled with the overwhelming sense of loss, longing for the warmth of his embrace.
In the silence of my room, I cried myself to sleep, the weight of my unfulfilled desires weighing heavily upon me. No matter how hard I tried to bury them, the flames of passion continued to burn, fueled by the memory of his touch.
The next day crawled by, each tick of the clock echoing the heavy weight in my chest. Just as I contemplated escaping to the familiar comfort of the Slytherin common room, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows of the deserted hallway – Enzo.
His usual carefree air was replaced by a somberness that mirrored my own. "Y/N," he started hesitantly, his voice uncharacteristically unsure.
"Enzo, hi," I greeted nervously. "Are you... are you alright?"
He paused, his gaze flickering with concern. "I need to talk to you," he finally said, his voice low.
"Sure," I whispered, a nervous smile tugging at my lips.
He gestured towards an empty classroom beside us. We entered, the silence suddenly thick and heavy.
"It's about Mattheo," he began, his voice dropping even lower.
My heart hammered against my ribs,
"What about him?" I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.
Enzo took a deep breath, his gaze flickering with an emotion I couldn't decipher. "He — He has a really dangerous disease Y/N," he blurted out, the words heavy in the quiet hallway.
Enzo's words hit me like a Stunning Spell. My breath caught in my throat, the air suddenly thick with a suffocating weight. Disease? Mattheo? It couldn't be true. The anger that had simmered within me for weeks flickered, threatened by a spark of something else – a flicker of fear, of a terrible, dawning realization.
"Disease?" I choked out, the word barely a whisper.
Enzo nodded. "Serious. He doesn't know how long..." He trailed off, his voice thick with emotion. "But he's getting worse every day. Refused to tell you himself, stubborn git."
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring Enzo's concerned face. "He never said anything," I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. "He wouldn't even look at me."
Enzo sighed, a deep rumble that spoke of a burden shared. "He's stubborn, that one. Especially when it comes to protecting you “
"But how could he not tell me?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.
"He loves you, Y/N," Enzo said, his voice firm. "More than anything, I swear. I've never seen him care about anyone the way he cares about you. I knew what he did was unforgivable , but his feelings for you… they're real."
A sob escaped my lips, tears blurring my vision. The image of Mattheo, his usual arrogance replaced by vulnerability, echoed in my mind.
"you deserves to know," Enzo said, his gaze unwavering. "Even if you can't forgive him, even if you hate him… you deserve to know the truth."
Tears streamed down my face, a mixture of grief and confusion.
"He'll do anything for you, you know," Enzo continued. "Hiding this… it's killing him. More than the illness itself."
Another sob escaped my lips. The anger, the carefully constructed walls of indifference – it all seemed so petty now, dwarfed by the weight of his illness. All this time, I'd been punishing him, punishing myself, while he…
Panic clawed at my throat. "How bad is it? How long…?" My voice wouldn't form the question.
Enzo shook his head, a grim expression on his face. "I don't know all the details, Y/N. He wouldn't tell me much. But he's getting worse, and by the way there's no cure."
The weight of the revelation pressed down on me. The silent war we waged, the stolen glances filled with unspoken emotions – it all seemed so meaningless now. All I wanted to do was see him, to hold him, to tell him… what?
Looking at Enzo, tears streaming down my face, I whispered, " Where is he?"
Enzo hesitated, then pointed towards the forest . "He's usually there, you know where , trying to clear his head."
"Thank you, Enzo," I croaked, my voice thick with emotion. "For telling me."
Enzo nodded, a hint of a sad smile gracing his lips. "Just… don't let pride get in the way, alright? Talk to him. Figure things out he needs you now more than ever. ." He squeezed my shoulder before turning and leaving me alone with the weight of this revelation.
Enzo's words echoed in my head, each syllable a hammer blow against my chest. Disease. Limited time. The anger, the carefully constructed walls of resentment, all crumbled under the weight of this revelation. Tears blurred my visionI raced through the castle corridors, legs burning, a primal urge driving me forward.
I didn't care about the stares, the confused whispers that followed. I only cared about getting to him , My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs, each beat punctuated by a sob that tore through me.
The familiar path to the Forbidden Forest became a blur. Thorns ripped at my robes, branches snagged at my hair, but I didn't feel them. All I felt was a desperate need to reach him, to hold him.
A sharp sting on my knee brought me back to the present. I looked down to see a crimson stain blooming on my robes, a tear in the fabric revealing a scraped knee. But the pain was a mere whisper compared to the agony twisting in my gut.
The memory of his secret place, fueled my desperate run. It was a sanctuary he'd revealed only to me, Now, it was my beacon, the only place I could imagine him seeking solace in his time of despair.
Bursting through the familiar curtain of trees, I skidded to a halt, chest heaving, tears streaming down my face. My vision swam, but I could just make out the clearing, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun.
Reaching the clearing, I pushed aside the concealing ivy with trembling hands. The familiar wooden door stood before me, mockingly still. I flung it open, ignoring the groan of rusted hinges.
Pushing the pain aside, I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the blood seeping through my torn robes. The hidden entrance, disguised by a tangle of ivy, materialized before my tear-filled eyes.
With trembling hands, I cleared the vines, pushing through the narrow opening. The familiar scent of earth and damp stone greeted me, a small comfort in the storm raging inside.
Inside the dimly lit chamber, my breath caught in my throat, with my ragged sobs as I stumbled towards the bed. Mattheo peacefully sleeping on , his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.
"Mattheo!" I shrieked, the name a desperate plea that tore through the silence. "Mattheo, wake up!"
He stirred at the sound, his brow furrowing in confusion. His eyes fluttered open, blinking away the remnants of sleep. his eyes widening in shock before softening at the sight of my tear-streaked face,the raw panic radiating from my very being.
"Y/N?" he rasped, his voice weak. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Before he could finish his question, I was on him, collapsing onto the bed in a heap of sobs and frantic whispers
His arms wrapped around me. held me close, his voice a soothing murmur against my ear. " it's okay, love," he whispered, his voice thick with concern. "What happened? Are you hurt? Tell me what's wrong, baby did someone…" he trailed off, his voice hardening with a possessive anger."
The sound of those endearment words, so unexpected after weeks of cold silence, sent a fresh wave of tears cascading down my cheeks.
"Don't cry, love," he murmured, his voice thick with concern. "Tell me what's wrong. Did someone hurt you? Did someone say something?"
His gaze dropped to the injury, "Oh Merlin," he breathed, his voice laced with self-reproach. "How did you… why did you come here like this?"
My voice, when it finally came, was a choked sob. Words tumbled out in a rush, a jumbled mess of emotions. "Enzo… he told me… you're sick… I… I thought…"
Mattheo's brow furrowed further. He reached out, his touch tentative on my arm. "Slow down, love," he murmured. "What did Enzo tell you?"
I took a shaky breath, wiping at the tears blurring my vision. "That you… that you had a dangerous illness… that you didn't have long."
A bewildered frown creased his forehead. illness? What illness ? “
"Don't lie to me, Mattheo," I pleaded, tears welling up again. "He said you were… you were dying."
"Enzo that fucker ," he muttered, shaking his head . "He must have been trying to get us to talk." He let out a dry, humorless laugh, the sound sending a fresh wave of pain through me. "He always did have a dramatic flair."
My entire body tensed. Was he lying? My gaze darted across his face, searching for any sign of truth.
"But Enzo wouldn't lie about something like that," I protested, my voice shaky. "He was so worried. He said you loved me, that I deserved to know."
His arms tightened around me "Well, Enzo got one thing right then,"
"So there's no illness?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Mattheo cupped my face in his hand, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb. "No illness, love. Just a heartbroken fool who did something incredibly stupid." His gaze softened, searching mine. "You believed him?"
Shame burned in my throat. "I… I was scared,"
Mattheo's expression softened. "Scared about me?" he asked gently, his thumb brushing against my cheek in a soothing gesture.
I nodded, unable to meet his gaze as tears threatened to spill over once more.
“you don't have to be scared anymore. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."A wave of relief washed over me as I melted into his embrace, feeling the weight of my fears slowly lift from my shoulders. In his arms
his playful smile fading, replaced by a sharp concern that etched lines on his face his gaze flicked down to my knee
"Oh Merlin," he muttered, kneeling down to examine the wound. A crimson stain was blossoming on my knee .
"It looks worse than it is, probably," I mumbled, trying to sound nonchalant. But the wince I couldn't quite suppress betrayed me.. He knelt beside me, his touch sending a familiar spark through my body despite the circumstances.
"You shouldn't have run like that," he said gently, his voice laced with a hint of disapproval. "Look at you, all bruised and bleeding."
My cheeks burned, not just from the sting of the wounds, but from the unexpected tenderness in his voice. "I… I just needed to see you," I mumbled, looking away.
A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "Well, you certainly made an entrance," he said, a hint of amusement returning to his eyes. But his smile faltered as he focused on my wounds .
"Here, let me get you cleaned up," he said, his voice firm.
He rummaged through the surprisingly well-stocked medical kit hidden in the corner, pulling out vials of glistening potions and bandages. The air filled with the pungent scent of dittany as he carefully cleaned my wounds, his touch surprisingly gentle.
Each swipe of the cloth sent a jolt through me, a confusing mix of pain and a strange kind of pleasure. Shame battled with a newfound hope as I met his gaze. The anger and hurt that had clouded his eyes for weeks were gone, replaced by a warmth that sent a flutter to my stomach.
"There," he said finally, tying the last bandage with a practiced ease. "That should hold for now."
As he pulled back, our eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, the air crackled with unspoken words. The silence between us, once heavy with tension, thrummed with a new energy.
"I'm so sorry for barging in like that," I mumbled, looking away.
"Hey," he said, his voice firm but kind. " You scared the daylights out of me, but I'm glad you're here."
"Do__Do you still care about me?" I blurted out, the question tumbling out before I could stop it. Tears welled up again, threatening to spill over.
Mattheo's eyes widened for a moment, then a flicker of something warm crossed them.
"Like... are you kidding me?" he said, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Of course I do."
My heart hammered in my chest. "But I thought..." I trailed off, unsure how to voice the tangled mess of emotions that had been churning inside me.
"You thought I moved on?" he finished, his voice gentle.
I nodded, ashamed of the doubt that had festered for so long.
"I was giving you space," he explained, "the space you said you needed. But believe me, it was killing me."
"Merlin's beard, Y/N. Every time some bloke even glanced your way, I felt like I might hex the lot of them."
My cheeks burned. As I laughed at what he said
his gaze lingering on my lips. "I swear I didn't tell anyone about what you told me that night," he murmured, his voice low and sincere. "I had nothing to do with the play. ,I didn't know they were going to do that I only didn't want you to go because it was connected to the dare and I thought if we just stayed away, it would all blow over."
"I know," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "Charlie told me."
his messy hair softened by the dim light, his jaw shadowed with a hint of stubble, but his gaze held that same familiar warmth that had always sent butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
He looked so good, so heartbreakingly handsome, a possessiveness rising in my chest. He was mine
I couldn't hold back any longer. With a soft whimper, I closed the gap between us, my lips meeting his in a kiss that was both desperate and tender.
His lips were warm and soft, molding perfectly to mine.The taste of him – a mixture of mint and something uniquely Mattheo – flooded my senses, sending a jolt through my body.
Mattheo responded instantly, pulling me closer until I was practically settling me on his lap , melting into him . His hands slid down my back.
He held me tightly, as if afraid I might disappear, and the urgency in his kiss mirrored my own. It was a hungry kiss, filled with a raw passion that had been simmering beneath the surface for too long.
We explored each other's mouths with a newfound intensity, the taste of him igniting a fire deep within me. Our tongues danced together, a silent conversation filled with unspoken promises and a desperate need for more.
He pulled back slightly, his breath ragged. His eyes, shimmering with desire, held me captive.My own hands tangled in his hair . "I missed you," he rasped, his voice thick with emotion.
The words echoed my own feelings. God, how I'd missed him.
He kissed me again the kiss deepened, a desperate plea for connection after weeks of longing. My hips instinctively swayed against him, seeking a friction that had been absent for too long. The ache in my core, a dull throb that had plagued me, seemed to lessen with each press of my body against his,It felt like a dam had broken, a release after a drought.
But then I felt it – a firmness pressing against my core, a sensation that sent a jolt through my system. It overwhelmed my senses, momentarily drowning the delicious haze of the kiss. As my body brushed against it again, a guttural moan escaped Mattheo's lips. Reality slammed back, and I tore myself away from the kiss, eyes wide with a sudden realization.
"I'm so sorry," I stammered, the words tumbling out in a jumbled mess. "I didn't realize…" my cheeks a fiery red. "Does it hurt you too?"
"Too?"He tilted his head, a playful smile on his face ."What do you mean, baby? What's hurting you?
"I-I just..." I stammered, my cheeks burning like embers. "I don't know... It's just..." Words failed me completely.
His playful smirk deepened the pit in my stomach. "Yeah?" he prompted, his confusion tinged with amusement.
"That would be…" My voice dropped to a barely audible murmur. "That ache, and it won't just go away, no matter what I try."
He chuckled, the sound warm and comforting. "Oh, my love. That sounds awful." He brushed a fallen strand of hair away from my face, his touch sending a fresh wave of heat through me.
"Tell me, love," he whispered, his voice husky with desire, "where does this ache come from?"
before I could confess, a new sensation stole the air from my lungs. His lips, warm and insistent, found my neck again
"Where was that ache coming from, love?" he repeated, his lips soft against my skin, eliciting a moan of pleasure.
"Tell me," he urged, cupping my breast while peppering kisses all over my neck. "I'm still waiting for you to answer me, my love," his voice dominant, commanding my attention.
"It was... down there," I admitted. "It won't go away, no matter what I try," I continued, feeling exposed.
His lips found a sensitive spot behind my ear, sending a jolt of pleasure through me. "And what have you tried to do to make it go away?" he murmured, his voice turning dark .
"I... I tried to do what you did to me before, but I couldn't," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes, their origin unclear. He kissed them away, his lips tender against my skin.
"You tried to touch yourself? Tried to recreate what I did to you? And who were you thinking about while doing it, darling?" he asked, his voice thick with desire.
"You... it was you. I also imagined it was you, but it didn't work," I confessed.
"You're going to be the death of me," he murmured, kissing away the last of my tears. Then he continued, his voice low and seductive, "We need to do something about that then , Would you let me kiss it better?"
Unable to tear my gaze from his, I simply nodded, my voice stolen by the intensity in his eyes.
"Words, love,I need to hear your voice "
"Yes, please," I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips.
The kiss that followed was possessive, a searing claim . When he finally pulled away, his eyes burned with a dark intensity.
"Good," he breathed, his voice thick with desire . "Because I'm going to worship every inch of that beautiful body. Every. Inch. Of. You."
With a tenderness that contrasted with the raw desire in his voice, he gently laid me down on the bed. The plush fabric felt cool against my flushed skin as anticipation coiled in the pit of my stomach.
His fingers brushed against my collarbone as he meticulously unfastened each button of my shirt. His gaze never left mine, the intensity in his eyes sending shivers down my spine.
"That Ravenclaw boy, Michael Corner, what was he telling you?"
His question jolted me back to reality. I blinked, momentarily confused, then recalled, "Oh, right, Michael. He was talking about the next Quidditch match. I didn't know you noticed."
A wry smile played on his lips. "Oh, believe me, I did," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Every. Single. Second. Especially when his eyes kept flickering back over here."
His gaze dropped pointedly to the space where my shirt now hung open, and a blush crept up my neck.
"Believe me," he whispered,"my eyes were on you the entire time."
Heat pulsed through me as his kisses trailed down my neck, each one a spark igniting a fire within. I squeezed my eyes shut, a strangled moan caught in my throat. Nervous flutters danced in my stomach, a foreign sensation that both scared and thrilled me.
A gasp ripped through me as Matteo's cool fingers dipped beneath my skirt. My skin, flushed from his heated kisses, sent a jolt of contrasting sensation against his touch. It was a delicious shock, leaving me breathless.
"Hey," he murmured, voice laced with concern as he immediately stopped, his brows furrowing. "Is this okay? Do you want me to…"
He began to retract his hand, but before he could fully pull away, I reached out, my fingers blindly grasping at his . "No," I mumbled, the word barely a whisper. My voice betrayed me, shaky and breathless. Why did this simple touch feel so earth-shattering?
"No," I repeated, a little firmer this time, gathering my courage. "I mean, yes. This is… I want that." The last few words tumbled out in a rush, so quiet I wasn't sure if he even heard them.
I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to meet his gaze. I could almost picture the smirk tugging at the corner of his lips
A blush crept up my neck as his voice rumbled in my ear, a promise laced with concern. "If you feel uncomfortable at any point, love, just say the word. I want this to be good for you." His touch lingered on my bare skin, a burning ember against my suddenly chilled flesh.
The sincerity in his voice calmed the knot of nerves twisting in my stomach. I knew he wouldn't push me further than I was ready. Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze, my own desire reflected back in his warm brown eyes.
"I trust you," I whispered, the words a shaky promise.
A slow smile spread across his face, lighting up his features like the sunrise.
The brush of his fingers against the fabric of my bra sent a jolt through me. He paused, his eyes searching mine once more, a silent question hanging in the air.
This time, my response was a small, barely-there nod. It was a hesitant surrender, an invitation whispered on a breath. A satisfied glint sparked in his eyes before he continued his exploration, his touch sending shivers dancing across my skin.
Matteo's fingers grazed the clasp of my bra. The touch was a spark that ignited a fire within me, a rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. Instinctively, my fingers tangled themselves in his hair . He dipped his head, his lips trailing a warm path down my neck before finding a sensitive spot on my chest. A soft moan escaped my lips as he teased the nipple
My back arched involuntarily, a silent plea for him to continue. I tugged on his hair, not wanting him to stop, not wanting this exquisite feeling to end.
"Does that feel good, love?" he murmured against my skin, his voice husky with desire.
"Yes," I breathed, the word barely a whisper lost in the symphony of sensations swirling around me. My eyelids fluttered shut, the world dissolving into a haze of touch and taste, the touch of his skin and the warmth of his breath. Everything else faded away .
Moving to my other nipple giving it the same attention .My fingers instinctively tangled themselves in his hair.
A wave of heat washed over me as Matteo's hand brushed against the hem of my skirt soft sigh escaped his lips as his gaze drifted to my soaked panties .
“I’ve wanted this for such a long time, you have no idea,” he murmured, sucking on the skin of my inner thighs as my hands fisted the bedsheets.
“Please,” I begged, feeling no embarrassment about how desperate I sounded. As soon as he began to suck on my clit, all my worries began to vanish. Profane words spilled from my mouth as Matteo took his sweet time with me.
"Merlin, oh, I—" It seemed as if I couldn’t control my mouth any longer; my instincts took over. I knew that I was ready; I wanted him, all of him.
“Relax, baby, I’ve got you,” his eyes were pitch black by now pupils were dilated, a dark reflection of the desire .
A loving smile playing on his lips as he slowly inserted a finger into me. It still felt strange to me, a sensation I hadn't quite grown accustomed to yet. I was tight around his fingers, but my moans urged him on. Adding another finger, he alternated between sucking, licking, then repeating, drawing me closer to my release,a mind-blowing orgasm that I’d never forget.
My stomach clenched, a tight knot forming as a foreign heat bloomed in my core. Blood roared in my ears, drowning out everything except his voice and the frantic pounding of my heart. My head arched back against the pillow, muscles involuntarily tightening around his fingers.
" good girl , Come for me, love,"
A guttural moan escaped my lips as pleasure surged through me, a wave cresting and crashing in a series of shivers. "Mattheo," I breathed, his name a desperate prayer repeated again and again.
"That’s fucking right, love ." he murmured, his voice thick with satisfaction. "Say my name,no one else says my name quite like you do. It's a sound I desperately missed."
His words fueled the fire within me, and I surrendered to the overwhelming pleasure, clinging to him as the wave crested and receded. Exhausted but exhilarated, I opened my eyes to find his gaze locked on mine.
A slow smile tugged at his lips as he brushed a kiss across my flushed cheek. The touch ignited a spark within me, and I reached out, my fingers curling around his hand. With a newfound boldness, I drew him closer, our lips meeting in a kiss that spoke volumes.
"I want you Mattheo all of you ," I whispered against his lips, with newfound confidence.
His gaze held mine for a beat, searching for any flicker of hesitation. He saw none, only a reflection of the desire burning brightly in his own eyes.
"Are you absolutely sure, love?" he asked.
"Absolutely sure just be gentle ," I breathed against his lips, the words leaving no room for doubt.
He undressed himself slowly, his eyes never leaving my form. I couldn't help but admire the contours of his body as he revealed each inch of his skin. My fingers tingled with anticipation, and I reached out to trace the lines of his sculpted six-pack, feeling the firmness beneath my touch. His muscles rippled under my fingertips.
My apprehension grew as I looked at his length, my mind swirling with doubts and desires. " will it hurt?" I asked, my voice betraying my fear and curiosity. I couldn't shake the nagging thought of how he would fit inside me.
"I won’t do anything to hurt you. I'll be gentle with you, okay?"he reassured me, his words soothing my nerves.
 “Is that gonna fit?” 
 
 “I’ll make it fit.” He kissed a trail down the valley between my breasts, his lips igniting a flame against my skin. Each touch sent a surge of heat through me, anticipation building with every passing second.
He ran the tip of his hardness through my wet folds agonizingly slowly, each touch sending shivers of pleasure coursing through my body. I could feel myself throbbing with need as he coated himself with my slickness, the sensation almost overwhelming. Gasping for breath, I reached out for his free hand holding it , needing the connection to ground me amidst the whirlwind of sensation.
“Breathe for me, baby,” Matteo murmured, his voice laced with tenderness and desire. "Keep your eyes on me. Let me see those pretty eyes."
A sharp hiss escaped my lips as he slowly began to push into me, each inch stretching my muscles as they accommodated his girth. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, a combination of pleasure and slight discomfort mingling together. , his lips pressing tender kisses against my cheeks wiped away the tears .
As he started to roll his hips, a slow and steady rhythm, the initial discomfort gave way to a rush of pleasure that flooded my senses. Each movement sent waves of sensation coursing through me, building the intensity of our connection with every thrust.
It didn't take me long to get used to the new sensation; my cries turned into moans, loud moans, my nails clawed at his back as he picked up his speed. "You're doing so well my love '." He kept on praising me as I clenched around his length.
“Good girl," . His thumb continued to circle my pulsing clit, sending electric shocks of pleasure through me. Mattheo buried his head in my neck, inhaling my scent as he listened to the rhythm of our bodies moving together. "God, you feel so good, like a fucking dream. I'll never get enough of you," he whispered against my skin, his words sending shivers down my spine.
As I looked down, the sight of our bodies connected together made me moan even louder. I couldn't help but notice the drips of blood on his dick as he moved, a stark reminder of our primal connection.
"I love you, Mattheo. I'm sorry it took me so long to say it, but I do love you more than life itself," I breathed out between heavy moans, my confession hanging in the air like a promise. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I pulled him closer, desperate for more of him.
"Fucking hell, love, are you trying to kill me?" he sucked on my neck, pushing me over the edge for the second time that evening. The feeling exploded in my belly, my moans urging him closer to his own release. Still, I continued to clench around him, my body writhing with pleasure as he rode me through the bliss. His cock twitched inside of me, warmth spreading through me as he released himself inside of me.
I was on birth control pills my mother had made me take them since I turned eighteen, but in that moment, nothing else mattered but the overwhelming sensation of love and desire coursing through my veins.
“ Holy shit,Never thought I could love someone this much. What are you doing to me ?“
"Not even Astoria Greengrass?" I teased, unable to resist bringing that up .
"Don’t you dare bring another woman’s name up while my dick is still inside you," he retorted, his tone playful yet possessive.
I chuckled, cupping his face to kiss him passionately. His response was equally fervent, but a moan escaped my lips as I felt him getting out off me .
Surveying the aftermath, I couldn't help but feel a mix of pleasure and soreness. "I think I've lost my ability to walk," I joked.
"yeah ?" he teased back, laying down beside me. His fingers gently traced patterns in my hair as he leaned in to kiss my forehead with tenderness.
"I will never, ever do anything to hurt you again," he vowed softly.
Smiling softly, I whispered, "I know," before meeting his lips in another kiss.
He broke the kiss with a chuckle" I owes Enzo big time, huh? Best brother of the year?"
I laughed, feeling the exhaustion starting to set in.
"still ,but he'll pay for frightening you like that. Now, how about I take care of you first ?" I nodded, too tired to speak.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅
BONUS SCENE.
We re-entered the castle, his hand never leaving mine. It wasn't a casual hold, but a tight clasp, his fingers weaving between mine like a declaration
Suddenly, Matteo stopped short, his eyes widening in surprise. Following his gaze, I spotted a familiar tall figure with kind eyes and a warm smile – Uncle Ben! My jaw dropped. What was he doing here?
“Look who it is! Isn't that my favorite niece?"
"Uncle Ben? What are you doing here?"
"Ah," he chuckled, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "Professor Flitwick requested a little assistance with a... well, let's just say a certain magical artifact has gotten a bit out of sorts. Seems my expertise is needed to tame the beast, Thought I'd surprise you , and pop in to see how things are going at Hogwarts"
My jaw nearly hit the floor,how things are going at Hogwarts ? Well uncle…
“ this young man was keeping my company , Enzo, wasn't it?", his voice laced with amusement as he gestured towards Enzo.
"The one and only," Enzo confirmed with a wide grin, throwing in another wink for good measure.
My stomach lurched as Uncle Ben's gaze darted down to our hands, still subtly intertwined. The air crackled with sudden tension , his eyes darted from me to Mattheo, lingering a beat too long on the hand that still rested possessively on mine.
"Riddle Jr., isn't he?" he boomed, his jovial demeanor replaced with a mixture of surprise and something akin to panic.
My mind raced, desperately searching for an explanation. "Uncle Ben, it's —" I began, only to be cut off by his frantic question.
" you're not pregnant, right?" he blurted, his voice dropping to a panicked whisper.
My jaw dropped. Enzo choked on a laugh, shooting a helpless glance towards Mattheo, who seemed to be suppressing a smirk.
“you're holding hands! "
Enzo clapped Uncle Ben on the shoulder, his voice booming with forced cheer. "Come on, Ben! Let's not jump to conclusions. They're just kids, figuring things out."
My uncle's expression remained skeptical. He shifted his gaze to Matteo, a guarded look replacing the initial shock. " Riddle Jr. here," he began, his voice tight. "What exactly are your intentions towards y/n ?"
Matteo met Uncle Ben's gaze head-on, his posture unwavering. "Sir," he said, his voice low and sincere. "I deeply regret the way things ended between y/n and me. I know I hurt her, and for that, I'll never forgive myself. However, I care for her a great deal, and I would never do anything to intentionally cause her pain again." His eyes flickered to me briefly, a flicker of something warm passing between us. "All I want is a chance to prove myself worthy of her trust."
"Uncle Ben, I trust Mattheo. We'll take things slow, and I promise to be careful."
"Wow, you two look positively radiant. Blindingly so, actually. Sunglasses anyone?”enzo said wrapping his hands around my uncle shoulders.
Our synchronized eye rolls at his comment were enough to power the entire castle for a week. He held his hands up defensively, a playful grin plastered across his face while murmuring, "I'm still your brother, don't kill me," to Mattheo.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅
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russellsppttemplates · 7 months
Text
Soon enough (Lance Stroll)
There are many different ways to start a family, and Lance and Y/N are hopefully starting their own
Note: english is not my first language. This piece is written from experiences I know (my mother's, specifically), so it is probable that there are some mistakes as I'm not a doctor. Either way, I've tried to treat this as respectfully as possible as this is very close to my heart. Am I really giddy for the follow up parts? Yes, I am!
Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!
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Tw: mentions endometriosis, fertility issues and treatments and associated topics like blood, medicine, hospitals, needles, etc., male masturbation, pregnancy
Tag list: @myloverjk-blog
"It's just going to be negative, Lance", you mumbled, placing the stick on top of the counter and turning to the tap to ways your hands. "Then we'll know what to look for, sweetheart", he attempted, knowing how much the subject weighed on your chest.
When you decided it was time to start thinking about building your family, you and Lance went back to Dr. Marlin like she had asked you. Given your endometriosis, she wanted to accompany you in your fertility journey, checking out all of the possibilities before you moved on to bigger situations.
Lance had been the most supportive partner, always there to cheer you on and to hold you whenever things didn't work out, "Dr. Marlin said that if this didn't work, we are moving on to the big treatments", you looked at him, "and that's what we will do if you want, whenever you feel comfortable", he kissed the side of your head after pulling you close to him, "we're in this together, Y/N".
Grabbing the test when your phone beeped, you didn't even flinch, "negative, like I said", you mumbled, your top lip trembling as you hid your face in your husband's neck. As much as you expected it, it still hurt. Like any other couple wanting to start parenthood, you wanted to remember this period of your life fondly, but you also knew you weren't any other couple. You weren't alone, and since you became more invested in learning about your condition, you found out about all the other couples who had been through the same and their happy families, remembering someone with a very similar history to yours.
"I love you, Y/N, so much. I love you and we're going to have our own family, my love", Lance whispered in your ear, "we're in this together until the end, whatever it takes", he soothed, kissing your skin and hugging you tight against him.
"Do you have any meetings today?", you asked as you pulled away a few moments later, wiping your tears on your sleeve, "I have one at the end of the day, and I'm free for the rest of the week", Lance informed, "I have to get to work for the afternoon only, my morning is free too", you sniffed.
"Then I can call Dr. Marlin to book an appointment and you can go and get ready because we are going on a walk. It's a very quiet one, I doubt we'll run into anyone, okay?", he suggested, smiling when he saw your lips curve upwards slightly, "you're the best. I love you, Lance", you kissed his lips, walking out the bathroom and into the bedroom while he made the phone call.
.
"Do you need a blood sample?", you asked the assistant on the counter, "no, today it's just an ultrasound, and after that you might have to come in for other samples, just depends on how the appointment goes today", she smiled, "Dr. Marlin will call you shortly".
Sitting next to Lance as you waited, you grabbed his hand and started playing with in fingers on top of his thigh, "are you ready to hear that my uterus is a sad sad place for a baby to grow and that not even your guys want to stay in there? We've known eacother for a good while, so I thought we'd befriended, but apparently they're either too snobby or my uterus is a very hostile place", you joked, hoping that it would shake your nerves off, "too much?", you cringed.
"That's not the weirdest thing you've said to me", your husband chuckled, "and I'll listen to anything you say as long as it makes you smile", he cupped your cheek, "besides, who knows? Maybe my guys are also picky, or slow".
Dr. Marlin welcomed you in her office not long after, greeting you and confirming the informations she had, "like we discussed before, it seems that our best approach would be treatments like IVF. For that, of you still want to go for that route, we'll need some samples so we can also rule out any questions from Lance and see where your levels are", she said, getting up, "for today, we'll do the ultrasound as this will also given us more information".
Getting up and laying down on the bed, Lance followed you, standing on your side as you lifted your shirt enough for her to squeeze the gel and move the wand around, "see here? This is your fallopian tube, and it seems the most blocked, while your uterus is actually shedding well enough", she explained, pointing to the different spots on the screen.
"And is that good or bad? I mean, given the circumstances", you questioned, "I can't tell you with absolute certainty, as everyone is different, but this is usually a good sign. It means that it's your eggs that are not travelling to the uterus, and not like you have a low count or that they don't have a good place to settle once fertilised", she smiled, "I'm prescribing you the bloodwork and the samples we need, but after that, if everything checks out, we'll wait for your period and then we'll start couting from there".
.
"It's time for the shot, sweetheart", Lance called, grabbing the supplies he needed as you sat on the sofa. Even though you were fine doing it by yourself, having Lance doing the injections when he was home helped him feel involved in the process. "You can leave that there, then I can just pick it up after you take the needle out", you noted, placing the gauze in your thigh.
Lance tapped the syringe twice to make sure it was at the right level, kneeling down in front of you, "I'm just going to pinch your tummy, is this side, right?", he confirmed, seeing you nod, "are you ready, love?", he checked over before injecting the medicine on your skin, holding the syringe steady for a little bit before pulling it out, discarding it in the medical waste bin Dr. Marlin had given you while you dealt with the burn.
"This one is burning a lot more than I expected", you moaned, squeezing your eyes shut as the stung softened, feeling Lance's lips on your tummy and right by your hand that was pressing the gauze down, "you're very brave, Y/N, I love you".
"I love you too, handsome", you cradled his face, rubbing his stubbly cheek before helping him store the supplies for the next injection time, "we only have four days left", you smiled, looking at the medicine vials.
"Soon enough, Y/N, soon enough", he kissed your forehead, hugging carefully to not press on your tender lower belly, "you're so amazing all I keep doing is just that, but you're taking it all in, it's your body going through the changes", he kissed your softly.
"You're the one dealing with these hormonal changes, I still can't believe I cried when your sister showed up at the table with the pie a little bit more golden that it usually is. It wasn't burnt and it tasted amazing as usual, but the sight of it not done like usual sent me in a fit of cries", you blushed. Chloe was understanding like you expected her to be, but you still couldn't shake her panicked few seconds when she saw your tears, calling her brother immediately so he could hug you and soothe you.
"It's part of the process, love, and I want to be here for as much as I'm able", he said, interrupted by the sound of your phone going off, "it's Dr. Marlin, let me put in on speaker".
The phone call couldn't have gone better, "Y/N, I've reviewed the scans and it looks really good, keep up with the rest of the treatment and next week we'll look into the retrievals", she announced.
.
"This wasn't the way we were supposed to make a baby", you mumbled, "I should be getting naked and we'd be in our bed, and we'd whisper how much we love eachother and then we'd cuddle in said bed, not with me in a procedure room and you in another, in these cold and sterile sheets", you looked up at Lance.
You were back in the clinic so the doctors could collect both samples, and while you've had the years to prepare for this, and with therapy it was something you had worked over, sometimes you were still plagued by these thoughts.
Fortunately, your husband knew just what to say, "it's not the usual way, yes, but it's filled with love nonetheless. You're putting yourself through procedures after your body had been medicated with injections, and that is love. For out little one who we will hopefully hold in our arms when the time comes, love for our family and love for me. You're going to make me a father because of this amount of love you're showing me and that we share, okay?", he smiled soothingly, kissing your forehead, "no more of those worries, okay? Besides, we'll have loads of time for you to touch me and for me to touch you", he winked, helping you turn around so he could help you with the gown's tie.
Kissing your forehead goodbye once the nurses came to take you, Lance was then pulled to a room for himself, "all of the supplies you need are there", she pointed to the sterile table, leaving him alone in the room. Masturbating in a hospital room was not something he ever thought about doing. It wasn't that you weren't there with him, because he certainly had done it many times whenever he travelled for races and you weren't there, so he figured it was the white walls, plain in a room that only had the purpose he was in there for too. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he found the photo album of pictures of you he kept for these occasions. The collection was built along the years you've dated, usually ending up on his phone whenever you both felt particularly daring and in need of the other and you weren't physically able to satisfy it. The picture he used, however, was one he had taken himself. The picture was probably three months old as he had taken in on your anniversary, your naked side profile as you looked sweetly at the camera. You hadn't done anything big to celebrate it, opting instead for staying in and spending your time between the sheets working on your shared dream of a family. And that's exactly what he was doing right now, stroking himself as he recalled the sweet noises you make that he adores so much, the way you feel around him and how your body feels in his hands, soon collecting his finish in the sterile cup.
Making sure it was sealed tight and then washing his hands, Lance fixed himself and walked out of the room, heading up to the desk and handing his sample to the nurse, "there you go", he began, seeing her store it in a cooler like box, "I'm sorry to bother, but do you have any news on my wife?", he wondered, "Y/N's procedure seems to be concluded", the nurse looked at the monitor in front of her, "they're probably just finishing up and she'll be up in her room any minute. Do you want me to walk you there?".
"I think I still remember the way, thank you though", Lance smiled, walking along the corridors until he found the room you had been in. He sat in the comfortable chair, smiling when he saw your colourful fuzzy socks waiting on your bag, remembering reading reports from other women saying that their feet were cold after the retrieval, and since you weren't a big fan of the cold, Lance made sure to pack them for you.
The noise in the corridor caught his attention as the nurse that had wheeled you to the procedure room came back, wheeling you back inside, "she's still a bit sleepy, but the procedure went well. Dr. Marlin said that, at first glance, everything is right on track", she smiled as she noticed Lance's worry fade, "we will be both here in a bit so we can discharge her, but if something happens meanwhile, there's a bell there", she pointed, excusing herself and closing the door behind her.
Turning to face you, Lance kissed your cheek as you fluttered your lashes, "hey, sleepy girl", he cooed, prompting you to fully open your eyes, "I heard you did really well in there", he admitted proudly.
"Yes, they said something about a good number of eggs, I think I might've compared myself to a chicken, so you know, good things", you giggled, looking for his hand to hold, "thank you, for all this", you kissed his knuckles, "no need to thank me, we're in this together, sweetheart".
After explaining you the signs you should look out for, the medical team discharged you and off home you went with Lance.
.
Since you got the call to book the embryo transfer day, you and Lance had been cautiously hopeful with the results, "Lance, Y/N, I'm happy to say that we have 10 embryos to work with. They have developed healthily and without any complications", Dr. Marlin cheered.
"Let's go get a baby put inside of me, hm?", you stepped out of the car, holding Lance's hand as you walked to the door. Checking in was quick and you were almost immediately welcomed into the procedure room, sitting in the bed and covering yourself as requested.
"I imagine I'm looking very sexy", you joked in a way to deal with the nerves, "you always look the sexiest to me", your husband kissed the side of your head, resting his forehead in yours, "we're finally here, my love, you've got this, we've got this", he whispered, almost terrified that of he spoke any louder he would disturb the mood.
You heard a knock on the door, Dr. Marlin and her colleague walking in wheeling a small cart, "we have your embryos here", she pointed to the environment where they had been developing. As they rearranged the room, they pushed a highchair by your side, telling Lance he could sit in there while they worked, "so, Y/N, you shouldn't feel too much pain, rather some pressure as we make the transfer", she said as she maneuvered the small catheter, her colleagues guiding the ultrasound as you looked at Lance, finding the usual calm in his brown eyes.
"That was very well placed, actually the perfect spot", Dr. Marlin said, smiling behind her mask as he removed the devices and covered you up. "It's done", she empathised, rubbing your shoulder and hugging you, "now you're just going to stay here for 10, 15 minutes or so, to make sure everything settles", she excused herself, leaving you and Lance in the room.
"We made a baby and they're inside of you", Lance choked out. Throughout this process, he had always been the strong one, the one to hold you whenever you didn't want to do the injection because it hurt too much, whenever you felt like crap from the meds and whenever you lost hope, but today he cried for the first time, bringing tears to your own, "I'm so happy, I promise these are happy tears", he chuckled, "I always say that I'm the luckiest guy because you love me, at my best and t my worst, and today you proved it to me once again. I really am the luckiest", he kissed your lips, salty tears in the mix while you waited.
"We'll see you in two weeks for the test, okay?", your OB waved goodbye after giving you two big hugs, "thank you, once more", you spoke, forever grateful for the way she led you through this whole journey.
Driving home was quiet and comfortable, your seat adjusted so you didn't have as much pressure on your abdominal area, "They really should get this holes sorted, they've been here for a while now and they're only getting worse", Lance mumbled, "I'm sorry, sweetheart", he apoligised as he slowed down the car as much as it was safe to, "it's fine, it doesn't hurt or anything", you justified, not seeing the need to be so careful.
Blushing, your husband passed all the holes, the concrete now smooth as he drove faster again, "can't give any more shakes to the little bun, you know? Making sure they stay glued to the wall and all", he said sweetly, hopefully bringing lightness to the situation as you pouted at his cuteness.
"I love you, Lance. There's no one else I'd want to do this with", you stretched your hand, landing on his thigh as his own hand travelled to your tummy, rubbing it softly and hoping that your family was growing inside of you.
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captainsophiestark · 5 months
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Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
Bill Weasley x Reader
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Written for my personal fic writing challenge for 2024, Sophie's Year of Fic! Featuring a new fic every Friday, all year long :)
Fandom: Harry Potter
Summary: Bill Weasley and his new wife have their wedding reception interrupted by Death Eaters and news of the Ministry falling. Things look bleak when they escape to Shell Cottage, but they find a way to keep each other going.
Word Count: 1,015
Category: Angst, Fluff
Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.
Weddings were supposed to be happy. They were supposed to be joyful celebrations, with all the people who mattered most. Even in the midst of a brewing war, I thought Bill and I would get that. One night of a break before returning our attention to all the terrible things going on in the world.
I guess I should've known better.
One minute, I was twirling across the dancefloor in the arms of my new husband, sharing a smile as the rest of the world faded away. In that moment, despite everything going on outside of our wedding, the world felt perfect.
The next minute, a glowing lynx had burst through the ceiling and into the middle of the dancefloor, announcing the fall of the Ministry of Magic and the death of the Minister along with it. The reception descended into chaos, people screaming and running as the protective enchantments around the giant tent fell one by one. It had been absolute chaos, and I barley remembered Bill grabbing my hand and getting us both out of there as the Death Eaters arrived.
Now, I sat on the sofa in Shell Cottage, where we were supposed to start our honeymoon. The place had glowed with warmth and coziness the first time we'd visited, but now it seemed all too dark, cold, and deserted.
"I just let my dad know we're alright," Bill said, coming back into the living room. He'd stepped outside to send a Patronus to his dad, to make sure the family wouldn't worry about us. "Hopefully we'll hear back from him soon."
I nodded, a little numbly, as my new husband crossed the room and waved his wand to start a fire in the fireplace. Once he'd finished, he came to sit next to me on the couch. We both stayed there for a few long moments, shoulder to shoulder and staring into the flames. I have no idea how long we would've stayed there on our own, but another glowing Patronus shot into the room not much later, this one the familiar shape of a weasel.
Bill's dad's voice came from the Patronus to tell us the rest of the family was safe, and that they'd be in touch when they could. A bit of the weight lifted off my chest, but a lot of it still remained. As the light of the Patronus and Arthur's voice faded, the darkness crept back in, despite the fire.
"Y/N?" I looked up to see Bill's concerned face. "Love, you're crying."
I raised a hand to my cheek to find he was right. Tears were streaming down my face, and the second I was forced to recognize it, a dam broke inside me.
I fell forward into Bill's chest as I sobbed, and he wrapped his arms around me. He held me tight, rubbing one hand soothingly up and down my back.
"It's going to be alright," he muttered into my hair, his own voice miraculously calm. I just cried harder.
"How can you say that, Bill?" I wailed. "We almost got killed at our own wedding, and now the Ministry has completely fallen. How can you possibly say that we're going to make it through this alright?"
He took a deep, shaky breath, then gently pulled me back from him enough that he could look me in the eye. His eyes shone and his eyebrows were furrowed, mirroring the distress I felt. But there was a grim set to the line of his mouth that signaled a quiet, unbreakable determination.
"We will make it through this," he promised. He gripped my shoulders a little tighter, leaning in until we were almost nose to nose. "We will get to our happy ending, no matter what."
I laughed a little through the tears, Bill's absolute conviction so ridiculous it brought a smile to my face.
"How can you be so sure?" I asked. He grinned.
"Because it's us. We just got married. That means we're a team, for the rest of our lives, against anything else the world wants to throw at us. And I happen to know that we make a fantastic team. I personally pity anyone who bets against us."
I giggled again, leaning into Bill as he leaned into me. No one else in the world could've lifted my spirits in this moment, other than the man sitting beside me. Which, of course, was no small part of the reason I'd married him.
"Come on," Bill said after a minute, standing and holding out his hand to me. "I believe we were in the middle of something before those bastards crashed our wedding."
I shook my head, still smiling anyway as I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. Still in my wedding dress, and with Bill still in his suit, we came together in the middle of the living room in Shell Cottage to finish the slow dance that had been interrupted. His arms wrapped tightly around me and I rested my head on his chest while the last of the tears dried on my face.
"You're right," I mumbled, my voice barely loud enough for him to hear. "You're right, we will get through this. And I'll personally make sure anyone who tries to hurt us comes to regret it."
Bill huffed a laugh and tightened his arms around me.
"I have absolutely no doubts about that."
I pulled back to smile into the face of the man I loved, and after a moment, he leaned in and kissed me. We stayed like that for a long time, swaying in the middle of our living room, kissing occasionally, but mostly just enjoying the fact that we were still here, together and whole, after everything that had happened.
In the warm, flickering glow of the firelight, the darkness of the cottage started to regain its cozy feeling, and a tiny spark of joy for the thought of the future rekindled itself in my chest.
****************
Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989
Harry Potter Taglist: @valkyriepirate
126 notes · View notes
mcntsee · 10 months
Text
Letters to her
prologue
summary: kaz’s letter to y/n throughout the years.
warnings: Kaz’s past is kinda mentioned, mentions of death, cursing
note: I tried to express kaz’s feelings and growth with every start and finish of all the letters, hopefully you guys understand it too. I added a little something at the end, hope you enjoy! <3333
first letter:
Deer y/n
My da said you can came come play wheneber you want to come play with my me again can you please come play with me soon pleas?
I miss you and Jordie miss and da and the little kitteny miss you we all misses you very much
Love Kaz!
(I drawed a pist picture of you and me and spots playing)
2nd letter
Dear Y/N,
I hope you're doing okay. I wanted to say a big thank you for being there when we said bye to my da. It made me feel better knowing you were there, even though it was kinda sad.
Guess what? Jordie said we're gonna move to Ketterdam. He says it's cause he wants me to go to a good school there. I'm not sure about leaving this house, but Jordie says it'll be good for us.
The cool part is that you live in Ketterdam! That means we can hang out more and play together. Remember when we used to build forts in the living room and pretend we were pirates? Maybe we can do that in Ketterdam too.
I'll miss this house a bit because it's where we played hide and seek and had ice cream parties, but I think Ketterdam will be fun too. And I'm really happy cause we'll get to see each other more often!
I will see you soon, okay?
Love, Kaz!
3rd letter
Dear y/n,
I'm really, really sorry I haven't come to see you yet. It's not 'cause I don't want to, I promise. You're still my bestest friend ever. It's just that things got a little crazy since we arrived.
Jordie met this guy named Jacob Hertzoon. And guess what? Jacob offered us a whole bunch of money for our house! Jordie said it's a really good thing 'cause we can use the money for important stuff. But it also means we're super busy.
I didn't want you to think I forgot about you or anything. I miss you a lot and I still want to see you and play together. Maybe once we're all settled in our new place and get the money, we can have a big adventure like we used to.
Thanks for being the best friend ever. I promise we'll hang out soon, okay?
Love, Kaz!
4th letter
Y/N,
Are you okay? Please write back! Jordie is gone. I need to know you're alive.
Kaz.
5th letter
Y/N,
I heard you went on quite the journey to Shu Han just to retrieve my cane. I assume the trip was bearable. Your efforts are appreciated.
It's curious how life unfolds, isn't it? One day we're children playing in the streets, the next we're scattered across the world for various reasons. Yet, here we are, still connected by some thread of familiarity.
I imagine you'll return from your expedition when the time is right. Until then, business with the dregs continues as usual. The city keeps turning, and so do its dealings. As for me, well, I have my own matters to attend to as soon as I’m able to walk again.
- K.B.
First note
Get well soon! Let me know if you need anything else.
- Love, Y/n!
6th letter
Y/N,
Your letter reached me, and I must admit, it contained more substance than I anticipated. Word travels fast in the Barrel, and it seems that Haskell has taken quite an interest in your recent endeavors. His words carry weight, though they seldom come without a price.
If his assessment holds true, and you manage to prove your worth in the upcoming job, it could indeed elevate you within the ranks. Haskell’s recognition of your potential is both promising and concerning. The higher one climbs, the more treacherous the fall can be.
In the midst of this, know that I await your return.
May you navigate these challenges with the same tenacity that has carried you thus far. I wish you the best of luck, Y/N. Tread carefully.
- K.B
7th letter
Y/N,
You certainly have a talent for uncovering promising recruits. Jesper Fahey. The word on the street is that he’s got a steady aim that’s worth noticing. The skills he possesses could indeed be valuable, particularly in the line of work we find ourselves engaged in.
However, I must tread cautiously when it comes to individuals entangled in debts and vices. Jesper Fahey, from what I’ve heard, is no stranger to gambling. His tendency to wager recklessly has garnered quite a reputation, one that isn’t entirely favorable. The loyalty of a man buried under the weight of debts is a precarious matter. Whether his skills can outweigh the burden of his choices remains to be seen.
Your perspective on recruits is valued, and I’ll certainly keep a watchful eye on Fahey. I trust your judgment, and I’m willing to entertain the possibility. In the midst of all this, remember that your return is anticipated and your presence missed.
Return safely,
K.B.
8th letter
Y/N,
Do you remember Jesper? It’s almost comical how, after discussing him in my last letter, fate seemed to conspire to validate our conversation. Not long after I sent those words to you, I found myself intervening to prevent Jesper from getting himself thoroughly thrashed due to his gambling debts.
I hope I’ve made the right call by extending a hand to Jesper. It’s a calculated risk, one that I’m hoping will pan out in our favor. There’s potential there, no doubt, but potential doesn’t always translate into reliability.
This letter is short, I know, but I will tell you more about it when you come back.
Stay safe,
K.B
9th letter
Y/n,
It’s been days since your last communication, and the weight of uncertainty presses heavily on me. The quiet absence of your presence has stirred an unease I’m not accustomed to.
I’ve seen you handle insane odds, and I know you’re more than capable. But here I am. My mind keeps wandering to places I’d rather it not go, imagining scenarios that could have unfolded, and none of them are sitting well with me.
I hope that this silence is a result of strategic detachment, that you’re immersed in the intricacies of the job and haven’t had a moment to spare for correspondence.
I’m not accustomed to this vulnerability, nor do I care for it. Yet, here I am, plagued by the absence of information. I ask you, if you’re able, to dispel this uncertainty. A simple message, a token of reassurance – anything to quell this rising tide of apprehension.
I await word from you with an intensity I hadn’t thought possible. May it come soon.
Expectantly,
K.B
10th letter
Y/N,
I received the coat you sent, and I must admit, it's a rare occasion when I'm at a loss for words. It's unlike anything I would've chosen for myself, yet somehow, it feels surprisingly fitting. I can't deny its utility either – I appreciate it.
Jesper and Nina have managed to cultivate a special talent for driving me to the brink of exasperation. Their camaraderie is both amusing and bewildering, a chaotic symphony that I'm still attempting to decipher.
Today was no different. Jesper's antics at the club bordered on audacious, and Nina's unbridled laughter was enough to turn heads in our direction. As I tried to navigate the sea of chaos they create, I found myself, unusually, yearning for a return to some semblance of normalcy.
I must confess, the prospect of your return holds an allure I hadn't anticipated. There's a steadiness in your presence, an understanding that's often a rare commodity in these tumultuous times. The chaos, the hustle – they feel more manageable when you're around.
Till then, I'll persevere in the sea of antics that Jesper and Nina stir up, counting down the days until your return.
Until then,
Kaz
11th letter
Y/N,
Your mention of the jurda parem caught my attention, no doubt about it. It’s a name that carries weight, and I’ve got a feeling we’re treading on some dangerous ground here. It’s the kind of thing that’s best left untouched until we’ve got a better handle on what it entails.
Listen, I won’t preach, but I’ve got to say it – be careful and keep an eye out for trouble. The city’s not known for being kind to those who don’t tread carefully, and I’d hate to see you caught in something you didn’t see coming.
I’ve got a job for you. One that’s right up your alley. It’s always better discussing these things face to face, so when you can, make your way back. The sooner, the better.
Until then,
Kaz
12th letter
Y/N,
I’ve never been one for words, as you well know. My tongue seems to have a mind of its own, often saying the wrong things at the wrong time. And when it comes to matters like these, I’ve found that my eloquence takes a swift exit.
So, here I am, writing this letter in hopes that the words come out right, that they somehow capture what I’m feeling. I’ve spent years navigating the intricacies of this city, and yet the complexities of my own emotions have managed to elude me.
I’ve always valued our connection, from those early days of childhood mischief to the present. You’ve been a constant in my life, someone whose presence brings a sense of order to the chaos that surrounds us. And somewhere along the way, that bond transformed into something deeper, something I’ve been grappling with.
I find myself wanting to say more, to articulate the thoughts that remain half-formed in my mind. But it’s difficult, Y/N, and this letter might be the best I can manage.
What I’m trying to say is that you’ve become more than a friend, more than a partner in crime. There’s a depth to my feelings that I’m only beginning to understand. And if I’m being truly honest, I’d like to explore where this path might lead.
I understand if you need time, if my sudden candor is a lot to process. But I wanted to put these thoughts down, to let you know where my heart is at. And if you’re open to it, if you’ve felt even a fraction of what I’ve been feeling, then maybe we can navigate this new terrain together.
Kaz.
Second note
I’d like to explore where this path might lead too.
Love, y/n!
13th letter
Y/N,
I can't thank you enough for stepping in when I couldn't. I hope the contractor in Lij wasn’t hard to handle.
Now, I have a proposal of a different kind. How about we put our skills to use in a more relaxed setting? I'd like to take you out to dinner. No heists, no secret dealings, just you and me, navigating the menu instead of the back alleys.
I've made reservations for us at a place that's a bit more reputable than the Barrel's taverns. Consider it a step toward normalcy, a chance to enjoy an evening without looking over our shoulders.
Looking forward to your return,
Kaz
14th letter
Dear Y/N,
Your letter reached me, and I've got to say, the way you put it into words – how much you miss me – it hits home. The distance is a constant reminder of the warmth I've grown accustomed to, and I find myself missing you more than I thought possible.
This job is driving me insane, and my thoughts often wander back to Ketterdam, back to you. It's like a pull, a magnetic force that tugs me back to the life we've been building together.
I bought something with me – a box of those chocolates you can't seem to get enough of. The catch? I'm hoping they survive the journey and don't turn into a gooey mess.
I want you to know that with every sunrise and sunset that passes, I'm getting more restless to return to the city that's been our canvas, our backdrop. Until then, my thoughts are with you, and I'm eagerly counting down the days until I can wrap my arms around you again.
With all my longing,
Kaz
3rd note
I apologize, it seems the chocolates didn’t fare too well. I hope they’re still somewhat salvageable and that they manage to satisfy your sweet tooth.
- Kaz
15th letter
Dear Y/N,
I hope this letter finds you on the mend, wrapped in warmth and taking good care of yourself. It pains me to know you're unwell while I'm away, unable to offer even the smallest comfort.
My love, get well soon. I miss your laughter, your presence – they're a part of my life I can't bear to be without for long. The distance feels heavier when I know you're not well.
Today, during the heist, I saw a small brown cat with delicate white spots. The sight of it was like a reminder of simpler times, of moments when things were less complex. It stirred memories of my old cat "Spots," whose antics used to provide a reprieve from the realities of the Barrel.
As I look around, I find myself yearning for the day when I'll return to Ketterdam. Until then, my thoughts are with you, my love. Rest well, recover soon, and know that I will be there soon.
With all my affection,
Kaz
16th letter
Dearest Y/N,
There are times in life when words are inadequate, when even the most eloquent phrases fall short of capturing the depth of one's emotions. Today is one such day, and I find myself grappling with a sentiment that defies my usual precision.
I love you, Y/N. There, I've said it, though the words seem almost insufficient to convey the weight of my feelings. You've woven your presence into the very fabric of my being, and I find that I'm navigating uncharted territory, stumbling upon emotions that have long remained dormant.
In a world marked by uncertainties, you've become my constant, the one I turn to when the winds of the Barrel grow fierce. I cherish our bond, our shared history, and the future we're forging together.
As the days pass, my conviction only grows stronger. You've touched a part of me I thought was unreachable, and I find myself grateful for the warmth you've brought into my life.
Love,
Kaz
4th note
I love you too, more than words can express.
- Love, y/n!
17th letter
My Love,
I've stumbled upon something while on my trip to Lij, a revelation that caught me by surprise. My old house is up for sale. I confess, it's a notion that's been hovering in the back of my mind, a possibility I've been toying with.
And then, as if fate had a hand to play, it occurred to me – what if we made it our own? Y/N, would you consider it? The thought of creating new memories in a space that's intertwined with my past is something that holds a certain allure. A place where we could carve out our own sanctuary, away from the schemes and chaos that surround us.
If this notion speaks to you, let me know. It's a step I'd only take with you, a shared decision that would mark a new chapter in our journey together.
Love,
Kaz
18th letter
This is to certify that Y/N L/N and Kaz Brekker is (are) now registered as the absolute proprietor(s) of the land comprised in the above-mentioned title, subject to the entries in the register relating to the land and to such of the overriding interests set out in section 30 of the Registered Land Act as may for the time being subsist and affect the land.
Kaz Brekker __________
19th letter
My love Y/N,
I hope this letter finds you in good spirits, even though I’m far away in Shu Han. I wanted to share something with you – I stumbled upon the perfect dining table. It’s a piece that seems to embody the essence of what we’ve built together, a symbol of the life we’re crafting, even from a distance.
As I stand here, thousands of miles away, my thoughts are never far from Ketterdam, from you. Every corner of the city is a reminder of our shared journey, of the future we’re molding. And with every passing day, I find myself longing to return, to be by your side again.
The plans we’ve made, the dreams we’ve spun – they’re a driving force, propelling me forward through the challenges that Shu Han presents. I promise you, Y/N, I’ll be back soon enough.
Until then, know that you’re in my thoughts, my heart, every moment of the day.
With all my affection,
Kaz
20th letter
Love,
I’ve come across some interesting information that might be of use to you. It seems that there’s a rumor circulating about a certain merchant in the Fifth Harbor. This merchant, it’s said, has been trying to make deals with both the Merchants Council and the Whitecrows, something that has my interest piqued.
I’ve also managed to uncover some details about a potential source of counterfeit currency that might be making its way into the hands of certain unsavory individuals. The source, surprisingly, seems to be tied to a printing press hidden away in the Barrel. It’s a curious development, one that could have far-reaching consequences.
And finally, I’ve received word that a shipment of goods has gone missing from a storage warehouse near the docks. This might not seem significant at first glance, but it’s the timing that intrigues me. A missing shipment, coupled with the merchant’s deals and the counterfeit currency – it’s all connected, I’m certain of it.
Stay vigilant, stay cautious. And know that even in the midst of our separate tasks, you’re in my thoughts.
I miss you, and I love you.
Love,
Kaz
21st letter
Y/N,
Listen to me, and listen carefully. You need to come back to Ketterdam, now. What you walked into, it was a trap – calculated, deliberate. I can’t explain it all in this letter, but trust me when I say your safety is in jeopardy.
I don’t care what you’re in the middle of, what plan you’re executing – drop it, and make your way back. I can’t lose you, not now, not like this. The threat is real, and the longer you stay where you are, the more danger you’re in.
I’m begging you, Y/N, hurry back. We can sort through the details, I’ll explain everything, but right now, all that matters is your safety. Don’t delay, don’t second-guess. Just come back.
Kaz
22nd letter
Love,
I’m pleading with you, begging you to reach out, to let me know you’re safe. This silence, it’s a torment I can’t bear. Every thought is tinged with worry, and I find myself grappling with scenarios that are far too grim.
I don’t care about the details, the reasons – they pale in comparison to my overwhelming need to know you’re okay. We’ve faced down darkness together, navigated treacherous waters, and I can’t accept the idea of you being lost in the midst of it all.
Please, Y/N, come back to Ketterdam. If you’re reading this, if you’re anywhere, find a way to let me know you’re alive. I’ll make sense of the rest later. Just, my love, come back to me.
Kaz
23rd letter
Y/N,
I can’t wait any longer. The silence is a weight on my chest, a suffocating reminder of the unknown. I’ve agonized, I’ve begged, and still, there’s no word from you. It’s time I take matters into my own hands.
Please, hold on. I’m coming. I hope you’re okay, I hope you’re just out of reach, waiting for me to catch up. It’s a risk I have to take.
I love you.
Stay strong, my love. I’m on my way.
24th letter
My Dearest Y/N,
It's been a week since you left us, a week of darkness and aching emptiness that nothing can fill. I know you won't get this letter, that these words will remain suspended in the void, but I find myself needing to put them down, needing to release the feelings that have taken hold of me.
The pain is suffocating, a weight that's settled into my bones. I still can't grasp the reality, can't accept that you're gone, that your light has been extinguished. It's a void that stretches beyond comprehension, a void I'm stumbling through.
The memories are a double-edged sword. They're a balm, a reminder of the moments we shared, of your laughter, your warmth. But they're also a blade, a reminder of what's been taken from us, of the future that was stolen away.
I want you to know, even though you'll never read these words – I love you. I always have, and I always will. You were more than a partner, more than a confidant. You were my anchor, my solace, my reason to keep pushing forward.
It's impossible to fathom life without you, Y/N. Your absence leaves a void that can never be filled. I can only hope that wherever you are, you're at peace, free from the pain that's gripped my heart.
Until we meet again, my love,
Kaz
25th letter
My dearest Y/N,
Six months have passed, and the ache of your absence has only deepened. The city, our city, is a different place without you. The crows, the ones you brought together, are slowly finding their separate paths, their separate destinies. It's as if the world itself is reshaping in your absence.
I found the little box where you kept all those letters. Your letters, my words – I'm surprised, in a way, that you kept them all. It's a piece of you that I'll treasure forever.
It's in these moments of solitude that I find myself yearning for your presence the most. Your laughter, your insights – they're still very much alive in my memories, and they continue to guide me through the labyrinthine twists of this world.
I miss you, Y/N. More than words can say. The void you left behind is as vast as the Barrel itself, and there's a hollowness that's impossible to fill. I can only hope that, wherever you are, you've found the peace that eluded you in life.
Until the next time we meet, my love,
Kaz
26th letter
My Dearest Y/N,
Time has continued its relentless march, and two years have slipped through my grasp since you left us. The city, once our canvas, has taken on a different hue, a different weight. The crows have scattered, their paths diverging, and the life we built together feels like a distant memory.
I wanted to share something with you – I've made a decision about the house, the one that once held the echoes of our shared history. It's a decision born out of the reality that without you, it's ceased to be a home. The walls, the rooms – they're empty without your presence, and it's a stark reminder of what's been lost.
Putting it up for sale again, it's not just about letting go of a physical space. It's about acknowledging that our time together, our shared moments, live on in memories, not in bricks and mortar. I carry you with me, always, but it's time to release the hold the house had on me.
Life continues to move forward, though it's a path I tread with a shadow that can never be dispelled. I hope, wherever you are, you've found the peace that eluded you in life. And I hope, wherever I am, you're watching over me, your presence a guiding light through the darkness.
With a heart full of love,
Kaz
27th letter
My dearest,
It's been almost three years, and some days it feels like it was just yesterday when I last saw you. I miss you, fuck, I miss you so much. It's like this gaping hole, this emptiness that can't be filled. No matter how many schemes I plan, no matter how many crows I put to work, it's like there's this void that's always there.
I was gonna do it, you know? I was gonna ask you. I got this ring, this small little thing that I bought just a month before you fucking died. It's funny, you know, I never thought I'd be the one to feel this way, to want something that much, to want to stake a claim in this shithole of a world.
But I guess that's what you did to me. You turned this cold, calculating schemer into someone who wanted more, who wanted you. I'm sorry I didn't ask you sooner, that I waited, that I let time slip through my fingers like sand. I'm sorry I couldn't be the one you deserved.
You were my light, Y/N. You shined a light into my darkest corners, and now that you're gone, it's like the shadows have returned with a vengeance. I need you, I need you so fucking much it's like a knife in my gut every damn day.
I don't know where you are, what's out there after this life, but I hope you're somewhere better. I hope you're at peace, and I hope you know that I'm here, waiting in this shithole, missing you every fucking day.
I love you, Y/N. I love you so fucking much it hurts. And I wish... I wish I could've showed it more when you were still here.
With all my shattered pieces,
Kaz
28th letter
Deer Y/N,
This will be the last letter I write to you, and as I put pen to paper, I’m filled with a mixture of emotions that words could never truly capture. The passage of time has been unkind, separating us by years that have felt both fleeting and eternal.
It’s strange, the way grief works. It’s a steady ache that never truly fades, an ache I’ve grown accustomed to carrying. There’s an emptiness in my heart that’s become a part of me, a void that can never be filled by anyone or anything else.
I’ve learned to navigate this world without you, though it’s been a journey fraught with challenges and moments of unbearable pain. There’s a longing, a yearning, that can never be quenched. You were my constant, the force that kept me grounded, and now that you’re gone, there’s a piece of me that will forever remain incomplete.
As time marches on, I find myself grappling with a heartbreaking reality – the sound of your voice is fading from my memory. The way you felt, the touch of your hand in mine, it’s becoming harder to recall. It’s as though the vibrant details of your presence are slipping through my fingers, leaving behind a hazy impression.
And oh, Y/N, the thought that your laughter will never again reach my ears, it’s a pain that reverberates through my very being. Your face, once etched in my mind with unparalleled clarity, is beginning to blur around the edges. The little details that I once treasured, the nuances that made you uniquely you, they’re slipping away, like grains of sand carried by the wind.
I love you, Y/N. Those words have become a mantra, a whispered refrain that echoes in the corners of my mind. I carry your memory with me, every step of the way, and I hold onto the hope that, wherever you are, you’ve found the peace that eluded you in life.
As I place this letter alongside the others, a part of me hopes that somehow, somewhere, you’ll receive these words, that you’ll know that you were loved, that you’re still loved, even in your absence.
I miss you, “we all misses you very much.”
Love, Kaz!
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206 notes · View notes
ravenstargames · 4 months
Text
✦ Lost in Limbo Devlog #8 | 02.06.24
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AHA! It's February (has been for a few days, but I've been a bit busy as per usual) so that means another Lost in Limbo devlog! We have been recovering from our wrap-up, working left and right, and oooh boy aren't things getting interesting. Let's jump into it, shall we?
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First of all...
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🎉🎊🎊THE DEMO CGS ARE DONE!🎉🎉🎊
Raquel has worked SO HARD to achieve this, and the results are simply amazing. We could never ask for a better artist, and we can't wait for you all to see and experience every CG for yourselves. Sadly, we made a promise of only showing Gael and Amon's, so you'll have to wait a bit more for the others! ; v ;
And next! You thought we were finished with the characters?! NOT BY A LONG SHOT! As you may remember, our demo script went through a few changes, but this secondary character remains! We don't want to talk about them too much, but we also wanted you to have a taste of them, as they'll be the first character you'll meet... 👀💜
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Our plan is to finish this sprite and then move on to the character's expressions. We have to figure out the most efficient way to work on them, though!
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The dreaded section—but THIS MONTH we come with a wonderful announcement...
✨🎆Airyn has joined the team!✨🎆
And you'll ask, who's Airyn?! Well, she's an amazing person we met during our master degree; we have been developing a friendship for a while now, and as we needed an extra hand with our backgrounds, Airyn offered us her help! She's an incredibly talented concept artist who loves working on backgrounds, and we are so so thankful for her help! We literally couldn't ask for a better professional to join us during our demo journey :')!
You can see some of Airyn's work on her ArtStation, here!
She has already started to work on our unfinished backgrounds, and so far we can offer you this fantastic WIP of one of the places you'll visit in the demo! 💜
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But Astro is not far behind! He's getting our last background ready, and so far he's doing an impeccable job! We hope these mysterious places are piquing your curiosity, because we definitely can't wait for you to visit them!
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I'm reaching page 100 of our script, having left behind a few things to correct! Only 40~ pages left, which means soon we'll make a second round of editing and correcting. Allie is almost done with their first editing process and that's very exciting! We can't honestly thank her enough for her incredible job 💜(I think I say this a bit too much, but we gotta be thankful on this team!)
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The CG's have been programmed and they work so far! Now each character has a CG to be unlocked and seen in full HD, and each in their own gallery, hehe. Next I'll have to play around with the credits because I was having trouble with something last time I tried to get them done—but as always, I'll get it done one way or another!
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This month we have worked hard! January has been a good start of the year I think. I hope we can speed things up a bit now that we have Airyn to help us with the backgrounds, and hopefully she'll be a permanent addition to the team if everything goes well! I don't want to jinx it, but I feel I can see the end of the tunnel little by little. Planning stuff, looking up different things, getting busier and busier...Let's see if February, even if short, proves to be a productive month!
Also, we hope you all have been taking care and the start of the year has been nice to you. There's so many amazing things happening in the indie otome community, so make sure to enjoy it all! 💜
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theitgirlnetwork · 7 months
Text
Better
Chapter 10: I Want Her
Charlotte's Club Outfit:
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Charlotte's Baseball Outfit (Except Pretend it's a Cubs Jersey:
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A Pic of People Being Subjected to Charlotte and Lip PDA:
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Note: Hiii! This took longer than I thought, apologies, but here it is! It's a little shorter but when I'm less busy we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming. Thank you so much for all of the love I've been receiving on this, it means the world. I hope you all continue to enjoy reading :) <3 Also hopefully I got this damn tag list right this time. Let me know if you wanna be added!
Taglist: @comeonatmebruh @heavenly1927 @th3h0nkz @yezzyyae
“So, you don’t think he’d like a flask with a drunk Mickey Mouse on it?”
Lip chuckles as he balances his phone between his shoulder and his ear. His hands are busy jotting down a string algorithm for one of his bosses that he’d figured out and memorized earlier that morning. “I think Mickey would like us to buy him some shots while we’re out tonight. And I think Mickey deserves nothing but us showing the fuck up.”
“Aww,” Charlotte whines on the other line, Lip can basically hear the pout he knows is on her face. “I wanna give him something to open. Knowing you Gallaghers Ian’s probably just giving him dick for his birthday. He can’t unwrap that. Unless I pick up a bow for him to put on it.”
“Uh, really don’t want to think about you helpin’ my brother put a bow on his dick for his boyfriend, babe.” Lip sniffs, curling his lip up in distaste.
“Such a prude.” she chirps. 
Lip ignores her, finishing up what he’s doing and ripping it from the notepad, going back to his computer to check his work. Suddenly, there’s a knock at his office door. It’s so weird for him to say, his office. Well, it's his and the other paid intern’s office to share. All of the poor fucks working for free share cubicles downstairs and the real employees get their own offices on Lip’s floor. But it’s mostly his, the other guy’s uncle is one of the big bosses and he rarely actually comes to work and normally when he does, it’s to play foosball with the other trust fund babies before going to happy hour. “Yeah?”
The door swings open and Eric comes strolling in, tossing a foam stress ball back and forth between his hands, the same douchebag look he always has is painted on his face. “Hey, Gallagher, you got time for a quick favor?”
“Uh, yeah. One sec,” Lip brings one hand to the phone, holding it sturdily against his ear. “Charlotte, I gotta go.” He tries to ignore the immediate irritation at the way Eric straightens when he hears Charlotte’s name.
“Ooh, Charlotte, huh? Someone important must be in the room.” she jokes.
“Oh, shit, the girlfriend. Put her on speaker.”
“I’m,” the blond tries and achieves, albeit poorly, to contain his temper. “I’m not putting her on speaker, man.” 
“No, bubba, it’s okay, I’ll say hi.” her sweet voice intercedes. Lip curses under his breath before putting the phone on speaker. “Hi, I’m Phillip’s girlfriend, Charlotte.”
Eric pulls up one of the extra seats of the room, leaning into the phone rested on Lip’s desk. “Nice to meet you, I’m Eric, Gallagher’s boss.”
Lip scoffs disbelievingly, shaking his head, looking away. He could tolerate shitheads like Eric all day, but with his girlfriend watching? It was a whole new ball game. “Aye-”
“For now,” Charlotte hums on the other side of the line. “But my baby is a genius, he’ll be running that place soon.”
Both Eric and Lip go silent for a moment, the latter trying to work away the smug smile that starts to spread on his face. Eric blinks before schooling an easy look on his own face and offering a laugh that’s a little too loud. “Yeah, I believe it.”
There’s an awkward silence where Lip just watches Eric rock between his two feet, staring at the phone on the desk, waiting for Charlotte to take back what she said, compliment him to even things out, or just politely hang up. He smirks, ducking his head at the fact that this dickhead just doesn’t know his girl. Charlotte would ride an awkward silence until the wheels fell off. Simply because she doesn’t think to fill it. That’s just who she is, she doesn’t fill silence, she doesn’t laugh at jokes she doesn’t think are funny and her fake smile looks more like an awkward grimace. 
After a minute passes Lip decides to take mercy on the poor guy and hang up. “Uh, bunny, I gotta get back to work, alright? I’ll meet you at the house when I get off.”
“‘Kay!” she chirps. “Love you.”
“Yeah, love you too.” Lip leans on the small wooden desk and waits for Eric to recover from the uncomfortable moment. “You, uh, needed something?”
“Right! Right, I did. Do. I need you to run some diagnostics on a program my dad sent over, I’d do it, but there’s so much on my desk right now, and you’re the only one who's as fast as me.” 
“Sure,” Lip shrugs. “Send it over.” 
Eric claps his hands together, a wider smile on his face as he turns to leave. The man stops mid-step, turning to face the blond again. “Hey, Gallagher, what’re you doing this weekend?”
“It’s my brother’s boyfriend’s birthday tonight so I’m gonna go to that. After that, I'll probably just find something to do with my girl, why?”
“You like baseball?” Eric asks. “Cubs are playing, me and some of the guys are going. You should come.”
Lip tries to look disinterested. He knows however much the tickets are he couldn’t pay it unless he dipped into the money he and Charlotte had been saving, and even then, it wouldn’t be enough to sit where these rich pricks sit unless he emptied the damn jar. “I dunno.”
“C’mon man, my dad already bought the tickets. It’s team bonding and shit.” Eric continues, leaning against the door frame. “It’s on Sunday, there’ll be beer and baseball, what more do you need to know? You can even bring your girl, everyone else does when we go. Except the ugly fuckers who don’t have one.”
“Alright, I’ll uh, talk to Charlotte.” Lip says noncommittally, eyeing the other man as he nods, turning away and exiting the office. “‘Fuckin’ weirdo.”
Ian used to worry about his brother a lot. Really. See, Lip is the oldest brother, and he’s never stepped out of that role. Despite coming off as a pretentious, narcissistic asshole, his big brother was actually a decent person. He cares about his family. When they were younger and Monica and Frank were in and out, Fiona and Lip had to grow up quickly. Everyone always talks about how Fiona stepped up. How she became their mom, but no one talks about how even though he was only a couple years older than Ian, Lip became their dad. For the younger kids, Lip is the only steady father figure they know. 
And being real, the kid has fuckin’ issues with women. Probably Monica’s fault, and all of their mommy issues manifested in different ways, Lip and Carl just have the misfortune of being straight. Between that raging bitch Karen who literally got off on fucking shit up for him, that old bag he was fucking at school, that one rich crazy bitch, and Mandy, Lip had been through the ringer. Not that most of that chaos wasn’t self-made. Ian wasn’t blind, he knows his brother is a slut. 
So, when sweet, prissy, little Charlotte Fisher rolled into town with her big innocent brown eyes, wide smile and soft hands that would tell anyone she’s never worked a day in her life, Ian had been nervous. She’s nice, their little siblings love her, and he thought his brother would absolutely ruin her. Sometimes he still does think that. 
But as time goes on, his mind has started to change. Lip has never called a girl his girlfriend outside of trying to get her into bed before. He’s never walked around with a polaroid picture of a girl in his wallet. He’s never tried this hard. This shit might be for real and Ian is happy about it. 
Now, he and Mickey have an actual couple to hang out with.
“Last one.” Lip takes a deep drag from the blunt between his fingers, turning his head in the direction away from Charlotte as he blows out the smoke. He passes the blunt back to Mickey before walking a couple steps away where his girlfriend stands, wrapping his arms around her to share the warmth as she shivers. “Told you you’d be cold. Gonna catch fuckin’ pneumonia.”
“The cold doesn’t make p-people sick. G-germs do.” she sasses, leaning into him, letting out a small sneeze. “Don’t say anything.”
“Too worried about being cute. Should’ve made you put some fuckin’ clothes on.”
“Nah,” Mickey says, flicking the burnt leftovers of the blunt to the ground, walking over. “Princess here is our ticket to free drinks, she’s dressed the part.” 
“We’re not pimpin’ my fuckin’ girlfriend, Mickey.”
“Isn’t she gonna start strippin’ like, next week? What’s the difference?”
“Oh-kay.” Ian interrupts, throwing his arm around Mickey’s shoulder, pulling him closer to him, “Let’s go in.”
“Wait,” Charlotte pauses, before they can start walking up the street to the bar. “Is, um, is Mandy coming? Because, you’re her brother and I don’t wanna, like,” she gestures between her and Lip, “rub it in, you know?”
“Nah, you’re good. M’seein’ her tomorrow, shithead has to work tonight.” Mickey shrugs. “Now, I’m sick of standin’ here talkin’, it’s my fuckin’ birthday and I’m fuckin’ sober, it’s ridiculous.”
The group makes their way into the busy bar. It was one of the few nights they had a DJ instead of a live band which was likely the reason it was so busy. Mickey and Ian shove their way through the crowd, Charlotte right behind them with Lip’s arm around her waist, hand resting on her stomach, holding her to him. 
Once they find a spot with a little space, Mickey turns around and nudges Charlotte. “C’mon princess, this pussy already said he’s not drinkin’ cause he thinks he needs to watch me or somethin’, go shot for shot with me.”
Before the woman can even answer her boyfriend’s free hand is cupping her jaw, guiding her to look back at him, pulling her into a kiss. The word ‘no’ mumbled against her lips. She pouts, and the pair mumble amongst themselves as Ian and Mickey watch. After a few moments Lip rolls his eyes and nods, kissing her lips again before letting her go. 
Charlotte bounces excitedly, grinning at Mickey. “Kay, you wanna see something cool?” Without letting him answer, she straightens, rolling her shoulders back and putting an arch in her back as she walks a little ways away to the bar where a couple of guys are standing. She leans forward on the bar, poking her butt out a little as she looks around, appearing bored.
It’s not long before one of the guys turns to her and starts talking, leaning down to whisper in her ear as his friends behind him stare at her ass. Ian turns his head to look at Lip, who is looking away from his girlfriend, the muscle in his jaw working overtime. 
A couple moments later, Charlotte was coming shuffling back with three shots and a beer balanced in her hands, a bright smile on her face. “Drinks on me gentlemen.” she says, passing two shots to Ian, one for him, one for Mickey and handing Lip the beer. Lip’s finger slips through her back belt loop, tugging the girl to him again as he locks eyes with the guys who've purchased them over her head, sipping the beer they’d just paid for. 
“Bottoms up, princess.” Mickey says, bring his glass to Charlotte’s before tossing it back. The men chuckle as the girl sputters and gags at the taste, one eye twitching with discomfort.  Lip runs his hand along her side soothingly.
“Yuck, I don’t want any more of those.”
Charlotte had several more. Three and a half. She didn’t get a chance to finish the last shot before Lip wrestled it from her hands, slamming it down on the bar and pulling her away from it. 
She, Mickey and Ian had done their fair share of dancing. It mostly consisted of Ian and Charlotte taking turns grinding on Mickey to irritate him and the two men occasionally stepping away to dance with each other, only pausing to scare off whatever guy that was trying to get Charlotte to give them the time of day. Lip lingered at the bar, offering them supportive nods and nursing his beer. He’d chosen not to drink too much considering he’d already smoked and his girlfriend was currently slurring her words together as she stumbled her way over to him.
“Hi, bubba.” she hums over the loud music, swaying to the side a little as Lip’s arm shoots out to balance her, pulling her to him. He nudges her nose with his before looking at her wide smile and lidded eyes.
“Hi, baby. Havin’ fun?” He smiles.
“Yeah.” she tosses her arms around his neck leaning into him. “Stop laughin’ at me.”
“M’not, c’mon.”
“You haven’t danced with me at all, let’s go over there.” she whines, pulling at him and pouting.
Lip taps her lightly on the back of the thigh, “Stop whining” he murmurs in her ear before turning her so her back is against his front. Lip slides his hands down Charlotte’s sides to her hips, pulling her close to him. “I don’t dance.”
The woman in front of him rolls her eyes, placing one hand over his and the other going to the back of his head, burying in the hair at his nape. She turns her head so she can look at him with a sleepy smile. “You do with me.”
Lip leans back on the bar, wetting his lips as he watches Charlotte roll her ass back against him, grinding on his dick. His blue eyes shift between her ass and trying to get a glimpse of her face, one of his hands moving to the gap in the back of her jeans, grabbing the space there to guide her movements, biting back a groan when she bends in further, arching in front of him. 
“Gettin’ sick of this place, ready to go birthday boy?” Ian asks as Mickey yawns. His mission was accomplished, he’d taken his boyfriend out, showed him a good time for his birthday. Tomorrow they’d do the family vibe, with cake, streamers, and his one sane sibling. He slings his arm around him and goes to guide him over to his brother and his girlfriend. The last he’d seen the pair they’d been basically fucking through their clothes against the bar.
The redhead pauses in his steps, laughing disbelievingly at the sight in front of him.
A couple feet away is his brother, his girlfriend in his arms. The pair are quietly laughing and leaning back and forth to whisper in each other’s ears. His brother’s stance is relaxed, the only thing tense on him is his grip on his swaying drunk girlfriend, an easy smile that Ian hasn’t seen in a long time on Lip’s face. If he didn’t know better he’d say he seemed happy. Charlotte’s hands cup his face as she drunkenly presses kisses all over his face, leaving pink lip stains all over his mouth, cheeks and neck. 
Ian didn’t want to break up the scene but he’d really needed to get Mickey home. Once he’s rounded up the group, he and Lip guide their drunken partners to the car, ushering them in, and shushing Mickey’s slurred curses. After he drives Ian and Mickey to Mickey’s home Lip pulls off with a still very drunk but now a lot less rowdy Charlotte in the passenger seat, promising to return the car the next day. 
Ian watches as his older brother climbs into the driver’s seat of the car, checking the girl’s seatbelt and brushing the hair out of her face tenderly before the drive into the night. As much as he’d felt bad for Mandy he’d known that she and his brother would never work. Ian loves her, but Lip didn’t. Not the way she wanted. He couldn’t convince her of that. But Ian almost wishes that she’d seen Lip tonight. He was a different person when he was with Charlotte, not so bitter. Not acting like he was walking around with the weight of the world on his shoulders. As crazy and fucked up he is, Ian knows Mickey is what’s best for him. He’s starting to think Charlotte is what’s best for Lip.
“Fuckin’ Frank.” Fiona huffs, ripping her covers off at the sound of her front door opening. She’d bet all of the dollars she doesn’t fucking have that it’s him. Either way, him or whatever idiot decided to try to rob them were gonna get a bat to the face. She eases down the stairs, wooden weapon in her hand as she flicks the light on. “Jesus, Lip!”
“Shut the fuck up!” he whisper-yells. Slung over his shoulder is a giggling, very likely drunk Charlotte. 
“Shit, is Lottie drunk? Good going genius she’s not supposed to drink ‘til her birthday.” Fiona hisses, running a hand over her hair and dropping the bat onto the couch.
“Well, Mickey decided they’d share today.” Lip grumbles, adjusting his girlfriend on his shoulder before pushing past his sister and going up the stairs, rolling his eyes as he feels her following closely behind. 
Lip rests Charlotte softly on the bed, looking sighing as she flops backward. “No baby,” he pulls her up by her arms. “Up.”
Fiona leans in the doorway and watches in shock as her little brother cares for the girl on the bed in front of him. She’d never seen him be so gentle with anyone they weren’t related to. He chuckles lightly as he encourages the still giggling girl to lift her arms, tugging her tight t-shirt up and over her head, reaching around and unhooking her bra before digging in his drawer and pulling out one of his bigger shirts to pull over her head. “Pass me one of your wipes if you’re gonna stand there.” 
“Oh-” Fiona had forgotten herself, so shocked by the scene, she quickly walks over to the bathroom, grabbing her pack of makeup wipes and handing them to her brother. 
Lip takes the wipes and crouches in front of the girl, resting his hands on her knees. “Wanna go wash your face or are wipes good for now. Can you get up?” Charlotte’s eyes are clearly heavy, she leans her forehead against his, giggling as she shakes her head no, rubbing their heads together. “No? Okay, eyes closed, bunny, or it’ll burn.” The woman whimpers and struggles drunkenly as he drags the cold wipe across her face. Blue eyes sharp with focus as he tries to get every bit off. When he’s satisfied that he’d gotten all he could he kisses her lips before pushing off of the floor and reaching under his pillow, producing a light pink scarf. “Stay still, you know m’not good at this part.”
“Don’t wan’it.” she whines.
“You’re drunk, and you’re gonna be pissed tomorrow, if I don’t put this shit on you. Sit still.” Lip cups her jaw, giving her a serious look, only to be met with a wide grin. Fiona chuckles behind them, shrugging when her brother cuts his eyes at her.
“She’s gonna need aspirin and water for tomorrow.” Fiona offers.
“Yeah, I fuckin’ know, I’ve had her chugging water since the bar-ow!” 
Both Gallagher siblings look down to a now half asleep Charlotte, clean faced with her scarf tied as neatly as Lip could manage on her head, hanging slightly to one side. Her hand is up, offending fingers suspended in the air after pinching Lip’s arm roughly. “Ow.” she mocks, her eyes closing. “Be nice. She’s helping, trying to help me.” she slurs.
Lip rolls his eyes, offering a gruff, ‘sorry’ to his sister, as he nudges his girlfriend to lie down in the bed, kissing her forehead. “‘M’fuckin’ helpin’ you, brat.”
Another hand reaches out, this time to roughly tap him on the cheek. “Thank you, bubba.”
Fiona snickers again. “Bubba?”
Lip huffs, now starting to get himself ready for bed, flicking his sister off as a cue for her to exit. Fiona quietly closes the door behind her and returns to her room. 
As she climbs into bed, she thinks to herself about all of the times she’d been embarrassed about her brothers’ behavior with women and men alike. They were sluts, the both of them, minus Liam and Carl. And often selfish, rude and disrespectful. But now they’d both found people who made them better. Who taught them how to care for people the right way, outside of the family. She was happy to watch them experience young love, no catches, no conditions, no reason to be hard all the time. They’d found people who looked at them like they were worth something. Worth everything. Fiona resolves to herself that she would find that for herself and hope her remaining siblings would do the same. She hated not being able to chat with V about the extent of Lip and Charlotte’s relationship. But maybe it was worth it. Maybe Charlotte and Mickey were. Even if they are extra mouths to feed. 
Eric takes a sip of his beer and nods along with another dull conversation with his coworkers that he was forced to pretend he was friends with. They’d been here for fifteen minutes and thus far, two of them had disappeared to do coke in the bathroom, several of them had fought with their girlfriends/wives/fiancés and the rest had been droning on and on about the stock exchange, something that he truly knows nothing about. His fucking accountant handles that shit for him. He was bored and annoyed to say the least. The game hadn’t started yet and Rebecca had been a bitch all morning. She was mad because she didn’t feel like coming to sit through a baseball game, despite the fact that they’d not only have a box but an open bar pre-paid for. The only thing that got her dressed was a promise to take her out for sushi after. Eric fucking hates sushi. 
Really, he was waiting on Gallagher. He’d actually been surprised with how much he liked Lip. He figured they’d have nothing to talk about, but the guy was pretty quiet in general. He was a great listener, and when he did say shit, it was actually important. Sure he seemed a little wound-up but he’d heard from his dad that their family friend, Ms. Helene helped him get this job because he’s broke and has got like, a family of 9 or something. Eric found the little snippets of Lip’s life he shared interesting. Like…well…his hot sister who’d stopped by for lunch one day. And his even hotter girlfriend he has a picture of on his desk, next to the picture of the 5,000 kids he lives with. 
Lip shows up with Charlotte fifteen minutes before the game is about to start. The pair walk up, hand in hand, matching pace with his easy strides and her peppy steps. When they approach one of the guys from legal (Eric thinks) says what they’re all thinking under his breath. “Goddamn.”
The woman is wearing a cropped, long sleeved black top with low hanging black pants, her sparkling belly button ring on display. Over top is a button down jersey she’s left open and on her head is a matching Cubs hat, her long, silky black hair hanging down over her shoulders. 
Lip is wearing a similar outfit, but with a black fitted sweater, his larger fingers intertwined with her smaller manicured ones. 
Eric forces himself to stop ogling the girl, clapping his hands together and welcoming them over. “Gallagher! You made it, glad you came.”
“Uh, thanks for having us.” he pulls the girl closer by her waist, obviously noticing the eyes on her. “This is my girlfriend, Charlotte.”
“Hi, nice to meet you.” The girl says sweetly, offering him a smile as she leans into her boyfriend. 
Eric urges his eyes to stay on her face, and off of their body language. But the way Lip’s thumb is rubbing along the skin on the girl’s waist, the way she’s staring up at him so adoringly, Eric felt like he was being excluded from something, despite fully being part of this conversation. 
He doesn’t realize he hadn’t spoken until Lip takes it upon himself to introduce him. “Bunny, this is Eric.”
“Oh, uh yeah, I’m Eric, I uh-” he remembers her negative reaction to him referring to himself as Lip’s boss and flounders for an alternative. “I work with Lip.” 
“Yeah, he told me.” she chirps, rocking on her feet a little. “Thanks for inviting us. I’ve never gone to a baseball game. I’m gonna try my best to keep up, Phillip tried his best to explain to me on the way here.” 
“Aw really? Well, my girlfriend Becca is an old pro, I drag her here all the time, she’ll teach you the ropes of how to keep occupied while we watch the game. Go join the ladies, she’s the one looking like she didn’t know she was coming here in slacks.” Eric smiles. His smile drops slightly as he watches the couple exchange a look. 
Lip tilts his head downward, lowering his voice to a murmur Eric strains his ears to hear. “Do you wanna go?”
Charlotte mulls it over for a second before shrugging and patting his chest. “Yeah, it’s fine, hang with the guys, I’ll come back over if you miss me too much.”
“Yeah, whatever, brat, go make nice.” The blond banters back, patting his girlfriend’s ass as he kisses her before playfully shoving her in the direction of the women gathered around the drinks. Lip sidesteps a little, blocking the crowd of men staring at the woman’s ass as she makes her way over to the other girls. “You, uh, guys make bets already?”
Trevor, some guy from…marketing (Eric swears he’s seen him on that floor) sighs, “No, thank God you brought it up-”
Suddenly, they’re a very lively bunch, placing bets that Lip is apparently calling, pulling off his own hat and placing the money in it. Eric tries to focus on the fun and Lip’s apparent godlike memory that allows him to remember who said what, but his eyes keep drifting. He watches as every couple of minutes, Charlotte and Lip look at each other, checking in without saying a word before returning to their respective groups. Once, Charlotte had come over to bring Lip a beer once she’d noticed all the other guys had one. The only time Rebecca had come over was when she wanted money for a fresh pretzel and even then, Charlotte had been in tow. Apparently, the two women had been getting along well. Becca had demanded enough money to get Charlotte a pretzel too, to which Gallagher immediately reached in his wallet and produced money Eric knew he didn’t have to spare, and gave it to the woman. When they’d come back, Eric’s girlfriend had a pretzel she was already eating and Lip’s had chicken tenders and fries for them to share. 
As the game got more interesting and the men started shouting and getting excited, the women grew antsy, Charlotte included. Seth’s girlfriend was really intrigued by the game, but that may have also been because she’s into baseball players. Becca was posted up in the corner, on the phone with the restaurant she wanted to go to and Charlotte was standing behind Lip’s chair, hands on his shoulders. 
“Come sit, baby.” he says, patting his lap. Charlotte huffs as she makes her way around the front, plopping down in his lap and resting her cheek against his. “Lemme hear it.”
“I’m bored.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah and this game is long and you didn’t mention that.”
“You done?”
“No, and it’s cold.” Charlotte sighs. “Now, I’m done.”
“Now you’re done. Cool, I can go back to watchin’ now or what?”
Oof. Eric thinks, waiting for her to start yelling, throwing a fit until Lip offers her something to calm down. That’s what they all want, he thinks. Instead, her brows furrow and she glances at Eric before grabbing the color of Lip’s shirt, tugging his ear to her lips to whisper into it.
Blue eyes go wide for a moment before a ‘uh, fuck yeah, I wanna do that.’ is murmured and she’s hopping off of his lap. “Uh, hey man, we’ll be right back, do we need a code to get back in or…”
“Oh, no, man you’re good. You guys okay? If you need something they’ll bring it in here if we call down-”
“I left something I need in the car.” Charlotte intercepts, pulling at Lip again, leading him out of the suite. Moments later Rebecca sits down in Lip’s seat next to Eric, letting out a sigh.
“So, Phillip’s girlfriend gets to leave and I don’t?”
30 minutes later and the pair comes back, looking relatively the same, despite being slightly disheveled and what appears to be a fresh hickey blooming on Charlotte’s neck. The game is almost over and immediately Lip gets back into wheeling and dealing. He starts settling up on bets while Charlotte collects the numbers of the other girls.
“No seriously, we need to keep in touch.” Rebecca smiles, hugging the girl tightly.
“Yeah, girl, I’d love that, we should hang out soon.” Charlotte hugs back. “Maybe we’ll even let Phillip and Eric come on our date.”
“Maybe, but we’re gonna have to hang out without prying ears too. I’ve been watching you two, you’ve got to tell me what type of shit you’re pulling in the bedroom, you’ve got blondie wrapped around your finger. Eric told me you’ve only known each other a couple of months and at this rate you’ll end up with a ring before me.”
“I…I’m sure that’s not true.” Charlotte says quietly, letting her eyes travel over to her man, unsurprised that he looks over to her as soon as she reaches him, eyes locking. They’ve been in sync like that a lot lately. “How long have you two been together?”
“Since high school,” The girl huffs. “He’s dragging his feet as all men do. I mean, I’ve played my part, even got mommy and daddy’s approval. On both sides. We’re all fucking waiting on him. You’re smart, getting in on the ground up, not picking one that was born with a golden spoon shoved down his throat. But my parents wouldn’t settle for less. Guess yours are trusting the process.”
“Um, exc-” Before Charlotte can finish, Eric gestures Rebecca over and the girl pats her arm one more time before going to her boyfriend. Charlotte makes her way over to Lip, thoughts heavy. They are getting more serious. Despite being together for a short amount of time, she can’t imagine her life without him now. She’d been dodging the concept of introducing him to her parents for a while because she knew how’d they’d act. She’d seen a live demo of it with Kev. They’d treat him like white trash, the last thing Charlotte thought of him as. They’d be condescending, and mean. But it’d happen eventually, because…well she doesn’t plan on going anywhere, and she hopes he doesn’t plan to either. 
After everyone gets separated in the crowd of people leaving the game, Eric waits on the sidewalk for the car he’d called for him and Rebecca. She was babbling about something or another he didn’t care about when he saw Charlotte and Lip. The woman is giggling loudly as the man tickles her, the two of them damn near bumping people every few seconds as if no one else was here. 
“I’m never going to a game with you again” the girl breathes, gasping in air as he stops tickling and starts holding her hand. 
Eric watches as Lip rolls his eyes, pulling her into him as he walks her to the passenger side of some old, beat up truck. “Yeah, okay,” he laughs, opening the door for her, “I can hear you now when I try to go without you, ‘bubba, please, take me with you, I’ll be bored without you,’” he mocks.
“I don’t sound like that.”
“No?” he snorts, closing her door and going around to the driver’s side. 
As he watches them interact Eric can’t help but think, he wants what they have. There’s a small pang of jealousy that rings in his chest. But it isn’t until he watches Charlotte lean over to manually unlock the door on the driver’s side so Lip can get in that an even more intrusive thought enters his mind.
I want her.
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astraltrickster · 11 days
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As much as I dislike how a lot of criticism of the move for...everything to be more online starts to drift toward "rhrhrrrhhrgh damn these kids and their newfangled things WHY BACK IN MY DAY" or worse, I am kind of glad to see people who GREW UP in the early days of widespread PC/consumer electronics adoption starting to go ".......wait, where did the physical spaces to hang out go? The fuck do you mean the only arcade in town closed down in 2018? When the hell did the rules at the park get this restrictive?? What the fuck is happening, why are there so few organized activities and third places offline that don't cost an assload of money that nearly nobody has?? It hasn't always been like this, has it??"
Both for its own sake - it's an important conversation to have - but also because it completely disproves a widespread cynical take that once we get "holodecks" people will just stop doing ANYTHING ever again, they will be the last thing humanity ever invents because we'll be having perfectly simulated fun all the time and no one will ever feel a need to leave and return to reality.
Nah, we already have cheap dopamine at our fingertips all the time, and we now have actual proof that people get fucking sick of it when it's our only option. It gets samey. It gets unfulfilling. We have better chatbots than ever, and they can be a fun novelty, but they're not a replacement for real people - the only people they seem to work that way for...tend to be the kind of people who are fairly asocial in the first place and are not making a decision between "chatbot or human friend?" but rather "chatbot or nothing?". We now have definitive proof that real life, for the majority of people, is in fact not just replaceable with a simulation thereof.
Sadly seeing how many people are quick to blame the kids who haven't yet burned out on how much of everything is 100% digital, I don't see the myth fully dying down any time soon, because "rhrhrrrhhrgh damn these kids and their newfangled things WHY BACK IN MY DAY" is a cycle as old as time, but at least hopefully this iteration of that cynicism will get a little less potent from here.
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teddybeirin · 2 years
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Hiii! Hello.... 2!! 🧸💕 We're remaking this post because the previous one has slowed down quite a bit, and we're still a ways away from our goal.
TLDR: We're trapped in an abusive household & need help getting myself & our cat safely out of here, into someplace (anyplace) free of violence.
The gofundme for our escape can be found here:
Which has more details (& I am going to update it soon, after some things are taken care of hopefully today) but to add on, the cats (including mine) are still in the line of fire whenever I am not in the room to take the shouting/everything else, currently our family is impeding my access to proper food worse than usual as well, which sucks so goddamn bad :'D (I promise to share pictures of my kitty after we're out of here, & a safe distance away - to where this ask for help being easily identified if it is come across by family wouldn't put me in immediate danger, because she is so cute. You'll just have to take my word for it that she is the cutest little cat in the whole wide world for now 🐈💝)
There's no set date in mind that this needs to be met by, & I'm jumping off into the unknown anyhow with no place lined up as that just isn't possible for me. But things here have continued to worsen and get more intense, as time goes on, so it is my hope that we'll get out of here as soon as possible
With the lack of regular meals and exhaustion from lack of sleep and having to constantly manage family tension and blow-ups and household chores, it's been even more difficult to complete our main work on top of everything, despite being online it's still physically intensive (and not very good for ptsd-brain), but we are still doing our very best to keep up with that as it cannot be dropped. We still have rent to pay to our family as long as we are here.
Aside from donating to the gofundme, other ways that you could help are by commissioning artwork from us (our art-related blog where all the info for that is & will be updated is here, & more options for commission stuffs coming soon!!) or by booking a paid reading if divination strikes your fancy, or of course by reblogging this post, retweeting the tweet companion for this post, or if you feel so inclined sharing the gfm elsewhere, anywhere you like. Everyone is dealing with their own struggles right now, and it's completely okay if you can't spare any moneys to help us out of here, every single bit of help no matter what it is is appreciated.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read & to help us!!! Seeing the gfm move closer to its goal, and reading over the kind words and well-wishes we've received since asking for help like this, has already truly made a huge difference for me. It's been so difficult to hope for better, especially when I was trying to get out of here all on my own, but I feel strengthened by all of your guys' kindness and warmth. I can't thank you all nearly enough for that. 💗
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accidentalshifter · 3 months
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[March 10, 2024: Now Entering Mystic Falls, Part One]
⚜️ TW: My Mikaelsons are a ✨️ problem ✨️ and don't play nice at all. Death, sex, blood, violence, manipulation, and dark themes will probably be present. I don't condone any of the actions taken by these vampires, I'm just recording them. For science. Also warning, I am TLDRing yet again.
Shifting Notes:
This is my first [awake, lucid] shift where I'm taking charge of the situation/piloting my DR-self (Zoey) like a Gundam mech suit. Using the Taglock Method, I've been able to focus on the specifics of where I'm going and when. I don't think it's foolproof, though. We'll see... For weeks now, I've been going through the source material of TVD. I figured that Mystic Falls would be the best place to start. After all, the Webb* estate is there. Hopefully, there'll be clues there, too.
Astrological timing: It was a new moon in Pisces. Saturn and Neptune was on either side of the moon in the same sign. Pisces is known as a natural dreamer. Saturn and Neptune solidify the dream. An excellent time for shifting.
*In my DR, the Webb estate is a property owned by my DR-self's family.
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⚜️ In order to connect with my DR-self and pop into the TVD/Originals-verse, I decided to wear my hair up in a bun like Zoey Webb. I also added in a wooden chopstick just like her, both for connection & the added bonus of having a stabby little stake handy on my person. Can't be too careful. I learned from my [asleep] minishifts that the best time to jump into my DR-self is when she's busy or distracted so I tried focusing my inner-vision on a moment where she was as soon as I put on the taglock. (See: Taglock Method)
⚜️ The first thing that drifted into my mind was the song "No Roots" by Alice Merton & the blurred images of trees. Sustaining my focused trance, I put on the song and began listening to it in my CR. As soon as I did, the images crystallized, becoming much clearer than before. Zoey is sitting in a Greyhound bus, jamming out to music (she has ear buds in) while green forest flies past her outside the window. I begin to synchronize my CR self's movements to Zoey's. Suddenly, I'm in her body. Seeing everything from 1st person perspective.
Observation: I'm the exact opposite of Z. I am usually more reserved on public transit & don't listen to music while I'm traveling. I pay attention to my surroundings.
⚜️ The bus is empty save for a mother & her two children who're being A LOT and crying. A young dude with a skateboard and a man sitting more towards the front seats of the bus. He carries a briefcase with him. I'm in the back of the bus (something my DR-self & I have in common, I usually pick the back). At the climax of the song, I hear the muffled voice of the bus driver announcing to those onboard that we've officially entered Mystic Falls. "This is our last stop on the line. Please remember to take your stuff with you when you leave. You won't be able to recover your valuables if you forget them here. Last stop, Mystic Falls." The bus driver reiterates again for good measure.
⚜️ My DR-self takes out one ear bud to half listen to the end of what the bus driver was saying & then gets bored, continuing to jam out more to the end of the song. But out of the corner of our eyes, we see the stressed mom giving us a disapproving glare. We give her a little rueful, embarrassed smile. Before we can tone things down, however, we spot the "Welcome to Mystic Falls" sign from our side of the window. We in it now. There's no turning back for our stuff if we leave it here. As if making a huge point to underline that, "No Roots" ends.
⚜️ I feel something vibrate in my pocket. It's my cell phone alerting me to a text message from an "Angie." I would've opened the text, but Zoey's body overrides my influence, rolls her eyes, and ignores the message. She puts the cell phone back in her pant's pocket. RIP Angie, lolol. The bus driver announces again, "Now entering our lovely historic downtown Mystic Falls!". Then, he goes on to elaborate about how this cozy town has 'still retained its rustic charm throughout the decades it's been around'. He sounds like he wants to be a tour guide instead of a Greyhound driver...
⚜️ From outside my window, I see the huge, brick clocktower rising up before me on the horizon. I see old houses with wrap-around porches, white pillared entrances, and large sprawling yards. Eventually, that melts into storefronts and the Mystic Falls Square. It's a regular day here. As regular as any day in Mystic Falls can be. People are going about their business; walking through the Square, bustling around the storefronts. There's no town event being held here. But since MF is always commemorating something, I don't doubt there's a party happening somewhere. As the bus drives past the Mystic Grill, my DR-self (and I) peer at it from out our side of the window. Her with curiosity, me with...uh. Well, mixed feelings, to be honest. I notice a woman walking into the Grill just as the bus drives past it. It's no one I recognize from the show.
⚜️ The bus driver announces out loud again: "Last stop! Please, take all items with you & enjoy your stay in beautiful Mystic Falls, the homeliest town in all of Virginia!". When the bus finally comes to a complete stop, people start gathering their things & moving toward the exit. Since I'm in the back, sitting behind everyone, I have to wait for the others to go before me. It gives me (my CR-self) enough time to feel mild anxiety about disembarking because the moment I do, I'm sure the TVD drama will begin. As soon as the mom with her loud children make it to the front of the bus, I see my DR-self (Z) reach for a military canvas bag that's been sitting next to her on the empty seat. It looks beaten up, like it has seen way better days. There's hand-stitched, cloth patches on some parts of it where I'm guessing Zoey tried her best to repair it from being damaged. Also, I notice that the bag is all the items she has with her besides the ear buds & cell phone.
⚜️ My DR-self pauses as if she can feel my anxiety just before the exit, peering up at the LED destination sign that said "Mystic Falls" in loud, bright yellow. Both my DR/CR-self takes a synchronized deep breath and steel ourselves. 'Whelp, there's no turning back,' I hear my DR-self whisper under her breath. I respond back mentally with a 'Yup, we in it' despite knowing that "Z" probably can't hear me. I'm just a passenger inside her head and have *some* control over what she does. But not total control...
⚜️ The place the Greyhound drops everyone off at is behind the police station across the street from the Grill. There's a parking lot in the back of the police station, it's nearly full with cars. I get anxious again and nearly lose my connection with my DR-self. After a few calming breaths, however, I'm able to synch again with her. When I do, Z checks her cell phone & goes into her Google Mail. An email from "Nathaniel Pogue" is sitting there up on the top of the list. It looks like it's been read before. It's flagged as important. I influence Zoey to read the email again just so I can be a snoop. But also because it's starred. I only ever star things in my email when I need to remember not to forget an appointment...
⚜️ Bing, bing, bing! I'm right. The email was starred because it details a 3 pm meeting at Mathewson Realty where (Z) will be signing paperwork pertaining to the Webb estates. Apparently, today is the day she'll be signing the dotted line on the Deed of Ownership for all of William's properties and picking up the keys from Mr. Pogue. I notice on the phone that the time is already 3 pm. Great! My DR & CR self are both running late for our first scenario in Mystic Falls! Cue: us running (like a female anime protagonist late for her first day of high-school with toast in her mouth trope) towards Mystic Falls Square.
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I hope being late for appointments isn't my "thing" in Mystic Falls. 😅 Anyways, y'all. I'll be posting [Part Two] of this shift ASAP. If you're still reading this, I appreciate that you got this far haha!
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michelle-is-writing · 2 years
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Tommy’s Sister, Nikki Sixx
Request: Can you do a tommy lee where his baby sister is graduating from collage and she's up st her house unexpected with his bandmates and he catches a dude seeking out of her room and come to find out her and the dude has be sleeping together.
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Word Count: 1.4k~
Tommy has always been a protective older brother, despite only being ten months older than me. Still, when he’s around, Tommy makes sure that no guy has even the smallest opportunity to say something to me, much less hit on me. He shuts every guy down quickly, but over the years, I’ve grown more annoyed as the things I used to find funny now seem overbearing and embarrassing.
However, what Tommy doesn’t realize is the one guy he has failed to shut down is his own bandmate, Nikki. This is mostly due to Nikki turning any guy away from me like Tommy does, leading to Tommy thinking he’s picked up the older brother attitude as well, but no - not by a long shot.
Currently, Tommy still has no idea about mine and Nikki’s relationship, and with us going on over a year now, we have to figure out how to tell him soon. Our relationship started right when Tommy brought Nikki over to our parents’ house for dinner one night and I happened to have some free time away from my college classes. Nikki and I could almost read each other’s minds as we sat across from each other at my parent’s dinner table, smiles forming on our faces as everyone talked around us. That was several Motley Crue tours ago, and now that they’re all home for the next four months, Nikki and I have plenty of time to try and formulate a plan. Hopefully, we'll be able to enact some type of plan before my graduation, avoiding any negative outcomes.
“You know he’s going to freak out the second we tell him,” Nikki points out the obvious, lying on his side next to me in my bed. His hair is a wreck and the makeup he had on from their last show stains underneath his eyes. The second he got back from their recent tour, he came straight over to my apartment while Tommy went to our parents. It worked out perfectly. “I mean, he’s not going to be happy.”
“About what? That his best friend is in his sister's bed? Or that we’re naked?” I ask him, rolling over to press my chest against his, gaining a smirk from him in response. Instantly, Nikki’s arm resting against my waist pulls me closer to him as he connects his plush lips to mine for a short second. The moment he pulls away, I can’t help but giggle. “Do you think Tommy’s going to kill us?”
Nikki laughs at my whispered question, shaking his head against my sheets. “No, he won’t kill us. Me maybe, but definitely not you,” he jokes, earning a teasing slap to his chest. He only grins at this, his lower lips caught between his teeth. “I think if we invite him over and calmly explain it to him, he might have a… better reaction.”
Nodding at Nikki’s words, I cuddle closer to him in our hold while pushing my face against his neck. It feels so good to finally be able to spend time with Nikki that doesn’t involve him having to use a pay phone or sending me postcards. We’re finally together after almost five months of having to suffer without him. I couldn’t be happier for him to finally be back, and what makes it even better is the fact that he came straight to my place after getting off the plane. I don’t know what exactly went through my head when he knocked on my apartment door with his carry-on behind him, but I do remember immediately pulling him inside for a kiss. That kiss is why we’re in our current predicament as that kiss was just the start of many things to occur throughout the night.
“Let’s just hope he doesn’t lose his shit,” I mumble, Nikki nodding in response to my words. For a few moments, a calm silence passes between us, but it’s not awkward; in fact, it’s the exact opposite. It feels as if the world and time itself has slowed down around us and it’s just me and Nikki, no one else.
“I could stay like this forever,” I whisper to Nikki, earning a nod and kiss back in response. I can hear his voice speak up, “me too, sweetheart,” but I’m drifting asleep too fast to even process the words. Being so comfortable in his arms has made me feel like I haven’t slept in ages, and it’s so relaxing.
The sound of my front door slamming open has me emerging from my sleepy state quickly, and before I can even jump up to investigate, Nikki’s already out of bed, wrapping a random towel from my floor around his waist as he opens my bedroom door. The strong and brave demeanor he gained thinking it was an intruder immediately falters as soon as his eyes catch Tommy walking through my living room with his back facing us, causing Nikki to quietly shut the door afterward before turning to me with wide eyes. “What the fuck,” he mouths to me, only to be met with my own bewildered expression. When the hell did my brother get a key to my place?
“(Y/n)?” Tommy yells my name out, bringing me out of my stupor. Jumping up from my bed, I clamber over to my door and quickly grab my robe. Quickly shuffling to put it on, Nikki helps me do so as my legs kind of feel like jelly right now, leading to him holding me against him as I stand.
“I’m in my room!” I yell out, fear coursing through me as I hear Tommy’s running feet come closer. “Don’t come in! I’m naked!” I add, hoping he’ll get the message. However, because it’s Tommy we’re talking about, he never gets the message.
I hear him laugh, Nikki and I sharing a confused look as he does so. That is until his laughter is cut short and his tone changes. “Why are you naked?” He asks, banging on my bedroom door now. “Is there a boy in there?!”
With there being no lock on my door, Tommy wastes no time in opening it, only to turn the corner and see his best friend standing right beside me, my pink bath towel wrapped around his naked torso as his arm stays wrapped around my waist, definitely not making the situation any better. For a moment, Tommy is shocked, and I’m almost scared of what’s to come next.
“Oh, what the fuck?!” He finally speaks up, Nikki and I jolting as soon as he does so. “Nikki, really?! How long- When did- ugh!” Shouting in frustration, Tommy throws his hands up in the air before moving to sit on the edge of my bed, seemingly a little overwhelmed. “I mean, I never knew! How did I not know? I should’ve seen something, right?” Tommy looks over at me and Nikki, waiting for a response that we can’t seem to give him. In fact, neither of us can really speak up at the moment, still in shock.
“Nikki, we’re best buds - you couldn’t have told me?” He says, shaking his head afterward. Looking down at the ground, he sighs. “At least it wasn’t Vince…” he mutters more to himself than us, but Nikki and I end up letting out a relieved laugh at Tommy’s sudden joking mood.
“At least you’re not trying to kill me,” Nikki tells Tommy, making him laugh as well. The more Tommy seems to let go, the more relieved I become. Maybe Tommy’s accepting of our relationship, but then again, he doesn’t know all the details - like the fact we’ve been together for over a year now, and Tommy’s only finding out now.
“No, dude, I just wish you would’ve told me sooner,” Tommy says, making me smile. “I wondered why you haven’t touched any of the chicks on our tours, but now I know- and dude! I’m actually relieved now!”
At Tommy’s revelation, I fully relax in Nikki’s hold as my heart skips a beat, Nikki pulling my body closer to him in response. I always believed Nikki when he said he wasn’t with anyone else, but to hear Tommy further validate everything makes me feel so much more love for Nikki as well as the love Nikki proclaims to me.
The moment’s going so well, perfect almost, but just like Tommy, Nikki doesn’t get the hint when to stop either, and instead of letting the silence persist, he has to speak his mind.
“Dude, you probably shouldn’t be sitting on the bed, though.”
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Her Heart // Chapter 2 // Shuri
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Pairing: Shuri x Fem!Reader
Warnings: Violence // TW Kidnapping // Blood // Torture // Graphic
Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 // Chapter 3 // Chapter 4
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The communication cut mid sentence and you fiddled with the bracelet before a curse slipped from your lips as nothing happened. "Fuck. Griot what happened?"
"Our communications are down. I am trying to reboot them now." 
"All communications?" You questioned as the lights dimmed.
"Quickly." You said before a loud bang was heard throughout the palace. "Everyone find shelter now! Queen, Namora come with me." You led the two to a secret room behind a painting for the three of you to seek refuge for the time being. You put in the code and pulled the door open, ushering the two inside. When the door locked back in place you held your wrists up in the air. 
"Griot, what's happening?" You asked and video footage appeared showing at least 6 men walking through the palace with guns and armor. "Who are they?"
"They look to be regular mercenaries." Namora stated and you shook your head. No. You knew what mercenaries looked like.
"These aren't just regular mercenaries. Where are we on those comms?" You asked with your back against the wall.
"They should be back online within the next few minutes." He responded and you prayed Shuri was on her way back. You can hold your own in a fight, but against 6 armed mercenaries and a pregnant queen under your protection, this could prove a problem. You held your head low as the queen rubbed her belly. 
"Who do you think they are?" She asked and you shrugged. You honestly had no idea. 
"I can't tell. Surely they're not from the states, they can barely tell when vibranium is just a trap to stop them from trying to steal it. They're not that bright." You replied as Griot announced the communications were back up. You quickly dial for Shuri who answered on the first ring. "Shuri." 
"Where are you my love?" She asked and you sighed. It was good to hear her voice.
"In the safe room behind the Bast painting. There are mercenaries in the palace. I don't know who sent them or why they're here." 
"Stay there. We'll come get you." She told you and you let out a sigh of relief. 
"Okay. They're coming to get us." You told the two Talokan women who also had relief flash over their features. You couldn’t believe someone had infiltrated the palace.  You leaned against the wall before Griot called out to you. "Ms. Y/N. The Royal Jet has landed."
“Good. Hopefully the intruders will see the black panther and make a break for it.” You said as you played with the ring on your finger. You couldn't stop the smile that appeared on your face as you heard the lock to the safe room click. The door slowly opened and Shuri walked in the room with dark eyes. You couldn't shake the feeling that you were in danger. It's Shuri. Why would you be in danger? Your smile faded as she approached you. Her curls fell over her eyes as she stood over you.
"Shuri-"
"Ms. Y/N. The panther is coming to you now." It was then you realized who you were talking to through your bracelet. That you were in danger.
"Hello my love."
// Royal Jet //
"So you really don't know who from Talokan would start a war?" Shuri questioned and Namor shook his head. He was just as worried as the princess. His queen was in the palace which is currently on lockdown. Shuri went to speak but Grio's voice cut into her conversation. 
"Princess. The palace had been compromised." He said and Shuri's heart fell to her stomach. 
"What of Y/N and the Queen?" She asked as the royal jet flew to the landing pad.
"In the safe room behind the painting." As soon as the jet landed Shuri activated her helmet and ran out of the ship with Okoye and Ayo close behind. Attuma and Namor quickly joined them in case their queen was in danger. Shuri ran all the way to the painting and came to an abrupt stop when she realized the door was ajar. Creeping up to the door she saw Namora lying on the floor unconscious. Namor was quick to run up to her, falling to his knees pulling her up off the floor. 
"Namora. Can you hear me my child?" He asked softly and Shuri feared the worst. Namora was alone. Where were you? Are you hurt? Are you hiding? Where is the queen? Shuri ran to her lab and found her staff lying unconscious on the ground.
"Griot." The princess called out, trying not to assume the worst as she kneeled down to one of her staff members. 
"It appears everyone is okay just rendered unconscious by a knockout gas. They should be waking up any minute now." 
"Griot I need-" she stopped mid sentence trying not to let her emotions run wild and the AI system waited for her next instructions. "Do you have any footage from the last two hours? The entire palace." 
"Yes princess. Allow me to pull the footage. Although I will warn you, it will be hard to watch." He said and Shuri's head perked up as the helmet came off. The footage pulled up on the screen and she watched as the arms group blew through the wall of the downstairs area. Another camera caught you opening the safe room door for the three of you to hide in. A third panel showed the intruders tossing cans of knockout gas into her lab. The scientists had no chance and fell to the floor one by one in coughing fits until everyone passed out. Someone walked into the lab searching for something. She couldn’t tell who she was looking at as they kept a hood over their head. They bent down to grab a kimoyo bracelet off of one of the scientists before making their way out into the hall. The next camera angle is what made her heart shatter. 
She watched someone open the safe room door. No. Not someone. But herself. A doppelganger of some sorts. Okoye and Ayo silently entered the lab and watched on as their princess balled her fists. Two of the mercs tried to detain you but you were quicker and more nimble than they were. You easily knocked out the two assailants and she watched on as the fake Shuri walked up to you. By the look in your eyes you knew something was up. The two of you exchanged words before the fake Shuri quickly wrapped a hand around your throat and pinned you to the wall. You were quick on your feet and jumped to bring your legs around her neck and twisted your body until you fell out of her grasp. You pulled a dagger from your boot and went in for a fight. The fake dodged your blows perfectly landed a couple on your side but you didn’t falter. You fought till the end. That was just the kind of person you are. You went for a quick jab but was shocked when she grabbed your wrist stopping the blade as it was an inch from her throat. She pulled a syringe from her pocket and jabbed it into your neck. It didn't take long for your body to fall limp in her arms. Tossing you over her shoulder she tilted her head towards the queen and Namora before walking out of the safe room. Before leaving the frame, the fake looked up at the security camera with a smirk on her face as she walked away with Y/N. Her Y/N.
"That's enough Griot!" Okoye shouted and the AI cut the footage. She watched as her princess shoulder shook and she approached her slowly. "Shuri. We will find her. And we will bring her back home."
"I left her. She didn't want me to go and I left her." Shuri mumbled and Okoye put her hand on her shoulder.
"You couldn't have known this was going to be the outcome. We were all blindsided by this." She tried to reason but Shuri couldn't hear her over her heart beating through her ears. Everything just went silent. The only sounds she could hear was the beeping from her lab computers and the sound of her own heart. Hey eyes couldn’t stay focused on anything as she thought back to you fighting to protect yourself and the queen.
"It was a strategic play. To get the leaders away from their people." Ayo said and Namor entered the lab. 
"Whoever they are, they also took my wife. They're both alive. But there's no way of telling for how long. Attuma is going to take Namora back to Talokan. I'm staying here to help bring them back." His voice was laced with a rage that Shuri knew all too well.
"We don't even know who they are! All I know is I saw myself on that security camera. Me! Another me! I don't know. It looked like me." 
"A shape-shifter then?" Namor said and everyone looked at him. "Give it some thought. The Talokan warrior came to you with the threat of an attack. The Wakanda warrior came to us asking for Amera's presence here in the palace. What if it's the same person?" He questioned and everything started to make sense.
"Just like Y/N said it was a setup. We have to find them." 
"Princess if I may?" Griot spoke out and Shuri nodded. "Y/N's kimoyo beads and earrings are still active. She also thought ahead and gave a bracelet to Queen Amera as a precaution." Shuri couldn't help the smile on her lips as she thanked Bast for your quick thinking.
"That's my girl. Griot see if you can pinpoint their location."
// Unknown Location //
Your eyes slowly fluttered open, everything was blurred as you tried to focus your vision. The annoying sound of water dripping was enough to cause your head to pound until a voice called out to you.
"Y/N. Y/N are you okay?" The voice was soft and full of concern as your vision finally cleared. You turned your head to see Queen Amera chained to the opposite wall. You moved to get to her but the chain around your wrist stopped you. 
"Where the hell are we? Are you hurt?" You questioned and she sighed.
"Some rig in the middle of the ocean. They didn't inject me with anything as they done to you, but I was blindfolded on the way here." She told you and you bit your lip to think of a plan. If you could get the Queen into the water, she can swim away and notify Namor and Shuri. You'd have to buy time. "Y/N." She called out to you again, stopping your mental quarrel. The door up the stairs opened and you heard footsteps descending down the steps.
"You're awake. Good." You looked up to meet Shuri's brown eyes. Her curls sat on top of her head just as they did this morning. But no it couldn't be your Shuri. This was someone else. 
"Who the hell are you?" You questioned and she chuckled.
"That's no way to talk to the princess." She said and you tensed. Two of the guards with her walked over to Amera as she scrambled back to the wall. "Make her talk. We need to know Talokan's exact location."
"Shouldn't you already know? Your highness." You spat and her eyes flickered over to where you were chained. She let her mask falter for a split second as her two henchmen stalked closer to you. She held up her hand and the two guards paused their approach before she slowly walked over to you. She reached for your wrists as her eyes scanned over the kimoyo beads. 
"Let's see if these work, yeah? Call her." She smirked as you snatched your arm away. "I won't ask again." You couldn't help the frown that appeared on your face as she let out an irritated sigh. "Fine. Cut the baby out then kill the queen. Then Ms. Y/N."
Your body froze as they continued their advance to Amera would was trying her best to scramble away. "No please! Not my baby." They pinned her to the ground and you couldn't stay silent. 
"No! No! Okay! Okay. Alright." You sighed and the two guards moved away from her. You raised your wrist before dialing Shuri and you kept your eyes on the fake. 
"Y/N! Sthandwa are you okay?" The panicked princess questioned and before you could speak the fake Shuri cut you off.
"Princess! How nice to finally speak with you."
"Who are you? What do you want?" Shuri asked as Griot secretly traced the call. Okoye stood by the princess while Namor sat across the way.
"That isn't of importance right now. All you need to know is I need something from you. A couple of things actually." The fake said as you watched her every move. You couldn't show how scared you were. Not in front of her. "Starting with the data you have on the heart shaped herb. You actually recreated it after Stevens burned it to the ground. Fascinating."
"How do you know about that?" Shuri froze. Not knowing how someone would have access to that information.  
"I have my ways. But can you do that for me?"
"You want me to help you? Have you lost your mind?" Shuri sneered and the fake kneeled down in front of you, pulling the other dagger out of your boot.
"Not lost. Simply reevaluated. Question for you Princess, do you know just how fast Y/N can heal herself?" Before you could answer she stabbed you in the side causing you to scream out as you fell on your back. "Oh come on I barely pricked you." 
"Y/N!" Amera's voice called out to you as you felt your blood seep from the wound.
Shuri's body trembled as she listened to your pained groan. "Stop." It came out barely above a whimper. Unless you were right next to her, her plea wouldn't have been heard.
"Look, she's already healed herself!" The fake cheered as she grabbed your chin. "Good girl." She let go of you before standing to her full height. One that mirrored the princess.
"Princess Shuri, you have five hours to make your decision. Until then, Y/N and I are going to have a bit of fun." Shuri fell to her knees before the fake continued her speech. "As for you, K'uk'ulkan. Your wife could pop any second now. A mutant child from an underwater kingdom will go for a pretty penny. She should survive the birth. Maybe. Maybe not but who's keeping track?" 
Namor stood at the mention of his wife while Shuri sat trying to think of the best way to handle this. Her brother would know. She's never felt as useless as she does now. You told her not to go. And she didn't listen. Now you're in danger with some clone of her putting you through all this pain. Her own voice reached her ears and it was as if it was the only thing she heard.
"I'll be hearing from you soon."
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femininefutbol · 2 years
Text
manchester derby
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transferred/modified from my wattpad
prompt: you and ona batlle have an argument before the manchester derby
word count: 3.5k
a/n: i'm really sorry for the lack of posting recently, i haven't been doing too well mentally and i'm still not really so i have barely been writing at all. but thank you all for the continued support and requests, i have a lot that i want to write once i am feeling better so hopefully there will be new stuff to enjoy very soon.
-
"Why are you like this?" Ona yells across the apartment at you, the two of you in the midst of a heated argument.
"Like what? Excited to have a future with you?" you ask, this type of scenario happens anytime you happen to bring up plans of having a future with the Manchester United defender.
"No, so pushy! We have this conversation too often, can't we just live in the moment and be happy that we have each other now instead of trying to constantly plan for things that might not happen?" Ona replies, clearly frustrated.
"Ona, all I did was ask if we should extend the rent here or think about getting a place of our own. That is such a normal thing. I don't know why you are getting upset with me over this" you are on the verge of tears not understanding why any simple conversations about your future causes so much damage between the two of you.
"Look I get it but I don't want to think about that now, especially before a game. Why can't we just wait until it's closer to the time we need to think about it and then make a decision?" Ona groans, her game-day mood now put off by another argument.
"Three months out is when we have to make these types of decisions Ona, I left it as long as possible! We can't leave it til the day before, the real estate has been emailing me asking if we want to extend or not, and I tried to talk to you about it all week and you just blew me off, this has been the only time I could actually get you to listen to me" you also groan, just as frustrated at the situation.
"We'll talk about it tomorrow" Ona sighs as she picks up her bag getting ready to leave, "I have to go and you should make your way to the stadium as well" she continues as she makes her way out the door.
"Okay, I love you" you reply in a small voice, the response not even heard by your girlfriend as she slams the door on the way out of your apartment. 
-
"Manchester will be red today!" Ona yells as she walks into the locker room at the Academy Stadium behind the rest of her teammates.
"We have a confident defender! Everyone prepare for a clean sheet!" Mary cheers happily as the rest of the group cheers in response.
"What's up with you?" Leah sits next to Ona, knowing that the defender is hiding something as she is usually very reserved and humble, especially on game day.
"Why would something be up? I'm just ready for the derby" Ona shrugs off the questioning of her teammate.
"No Ona seriously, you aren't like this, it's super weird, is everything okay?" Leah asks sincerely, placing her hands on Ona's shoulders looking her in the eyes.
"Everything is fine Leah, actually no, everything is incredible so can we not dampen the mood with whatever this is" Ona replies harshly, this stuns Leah as Ona never behaves like this.
Leah just shakes her head walking away from Ona, knowing she clearly isn't acting like herself but not wanting to push it any further.
Ona begins to get ready, clearly still angry, no one on the team bothers her though, having seen her interaction with Leah earlier and not wanting to be next in the firing line of the Spaniard. 
"Does everyone suddenly have a problem with me?" Ona asks loudly, causing some heads to turn.
"Come with me" the team captain Katie grabs Ona's arm pulling her into the hallway between the two teams locker rooms. "What the hell is going on with you?" Katie asks harshly, annoyed that there are suddenly team issues so close to game time.
"Nothing" Ona mumbles.
"It's clearly not nothing, you blew up on Leah before and the team just now, so spill now or I'm having Marc bench you" Katie speaks.
"You don't have the authority to do that" Ona rolls her eyes trying to walk back into the locker room.
"Not particularly but I can tell him that there is a cohesion issue that starts and ends with you and he can make up his mind on what to do, and his answer will be to bench you" Katie responds, Ona sighs knowing that the captain is right.
"I just had a fight with (Y/N) this morning, it's nothing" Ona gives in giving Katie as little details as possible.
"Look I can see that it's personal and you don't want to talk about it but the entire team is here for you and we all love you but right now we need you to ignore those personal problems and be a team player" Katie quickly hugs Ona.
"Thanks Katie" Ona replies simply, walking back into the locker room and making her way over to Leah to apologise to her.
-
You walk into the locker room with no sign of your usual cheery gameday mood. You make your way to your spot putting your earphones in, ignoring anyone who enters the room.
"The life of the party not here yet?" Georgia asks as she enters the locker room, having noticed that there is no music playing and that you aren't dancing and singing around the room like you usually would be on game day.
"She's here" keira points over to the number 6 spot, you sitting under it with your head down seemingly staring intently at the ground. "We don't know what's wrong though"
"Maybe she's just tired? Has anyone spoken to her?" Georgia puts out her ideas as to why you are acting unusual,
"We've just been leaving her alone, don't wanna be the reason she snaps" Kiera shrugs, turning back to her own spot preparing for the game.
You look up as you receive a tap on the head, you see Georgia standing above you attempting to talk, you take one of your earphones out in order to listen to your teammate. 
"What's up G?" you ask sweetly, acting as if nothing is wrong.
"I was just wondering where my dance buddy is, the room is so quiet I thought you weren't here yet" Georgia laughs lightly, quickly stopping when she notices that you don't so much as smile at the remark.
"Yeah sorry Gl, I'm not feeling it today" you reply, seconds later you are wrapped in Georgia’s arms, the shocking but comforting action causes you to burst into tears.
"Hey, what's wrong, seriously?" Georgia asks sweetly, rubbing your back to comfort you.
"It's j-just that Ona and I w-we had a fight t-this mor-morning" you stutter through your sentence as you violently sob.
"Hey hey, just breathe, calm down and then you can tell me what happened okay?" Georgia replies sweetly.
You take a few minutes to calm down, still slightly crying though, "Um so Ona and I had a fight this morning because I tried to ask her if she wanted to extend the rent or if we should look for a house together. She got mad that I'm trying to plan for our future, she says that I should live in the moment more and not cause problems" you informs Georgia and a number of other teammates who are standing around listening.
"She deserves better" Kiera whispers to her own girlfriend, Lucy.
Lucy steps up to talk to you knowing that she herself had been the 'Ona' in the past. 
"(Y/N)" you look up at Lucy nodding quickly to show that you are listening. "Situations like this are always hard for both sides, but you need to be confident in who you are. You are not doing anything wrong by trying to plan for a future with someone you love but if she doesn't see that then there is a huge difference in the mindset that both of you have in this relationship. While it is horrible, leaving may be the best thing for you to do. Right now you need to focus on the game but afterwards you should talk with her and see if you two can make it work and if you can't or it ends in another fight then maybe it's time to move on"
"But I don't want us to break up" you reply in a small voice.
"I know, and you know what, a few months ago I was acting like Ona, it took Kiera confronting me and asking what I really truly wanted for me to see that if I didn't get serious I wouldn't have her forever. Now I'm back here and happier than ever. If she's the one for you she will realise that she can't live without you and if she's not we will all be here for you" Lucy replies, you quickly get up pulling her into a hug.
"Thank you so much Luce" you whisper, then louder you yell "so where's the music?" the team just laugh as someone turns on the music and you and Georgia begin dancing around happily getting ready for the game.
-
The two teams line up, there is an awkward air around yourself and Ona and thus the two teams as mostly everyone knows that the two of you are not on good terms at this very moment.
Everyone makes their way to shake hands with their opponents, once Ona is in front of you it seems like the world has stopped for the both of you.
"Good luck" you extend your hand out to shake Ona’s.
"You too" Ona does not shake your hand, instead quickly moving on, this action is not missed by any of the players on the field, or the fans who constantly speculate about the two rivals dating.
The players make their way over to their starting positions, while walking past Katie hits the back of Ona's head lightly, "that was such a dick move Batlle"
"I know" Ona sighs, getting ready to start the game.
On the other side of the pitch Lucy wraps you in the hug, "remember what I said, kill it this game and then kill the relationship... if needed" you laugh, quickly running to your position.
-
In the middle of the pitch Keira passes the ball to you, you have a clear line from the left wing to goal with none of the Manchester United defenders close enough to stop you from easily making the shot that you are essentially known for.
You quickly plant your left leg on the ground, preparing to kick with your right, as you move to kick the ball a force pulls you to the ground. All you can feel is excruciating pain in your right knee.
"Oh my god" Ona covers her face, feeling horrified that she may have just seriously injured you.
"Keep your personal shit off the pitch Batlle" Lucy growls at the Manchester United defender before leaning down next to you.
"Are you okay sweetheart?" Lucy asks you, rather than responding you continue to cry and groan clutching your knee.
"Medic!" Lucy yells as it seems like it is taking too long for the referee to make her way over to the scene.
Once the trainers arrive they go through a series of questions, you can not answer any of them, you are in too much pain to even hear what they are asking. After determining that it is likely an ACL injury a stretcher is brought onto the field and you are taken off.
-
"How are you doing sweetheart?" Lucy asks as her and Keira walk into the hospital room.
"ACL rupture, out for at least 6 months and my relationship is falling apart, I'm great" jordyn fake smiles as you hold two thumbs up.
"Ha ha funny, how are you actually?" Lucy asks, sitting next to you. 
"It hurts a lot and I'm scared and I wish Ona cared enough to be here" you respond honestly.
"Do you know who hurt you?" Lucy asks.
"No, I don't even know what happened, I’ve only just been checked out and scheduled for surgery"
"Yeah well I think the reason Ona isn't here is because she's the one who did it, she went in for a tackle and completely wiped you out" Keira enters the conversation.
"Oh so it wasn't enough to mess with me emotionally she also had to completely physically mess me up" you sigh, "Sorry guys I'm feeling really tired, you can stay if you want but i'm going to sleep" you immediately close your eyes, attempting to stop the tears that are threatening to fall down your cheeks. 
-
"I think you should leave" you hear a frustrated voice as you just barely begin to wake up.
"She's my girlfriend, you can't force me to leave" you recognise the voice to be Ona, but you don't open your eyes or talk yet.
"I'm well aware Batlle, but you got into a fight with her this morning over having a future together, then you were completely unsportsmanlike before the game and then you literally wiped her out and caused an injury that's going to have her out for 6 months! Your track record today isn't looking so good, so as someone who actually cares for (Y/N) I'm going to need you to leave right now, maybe think about where this relationship is actually going and then once you've made a decision, if you are lucky I will let you see her again" Lucy speaks to Ona, clear frustration can be heard through her strained tone. 
"Luce" you rasp out in a voice that is barely above a whisper.
"Yeah, what's up sweetie?" Lucy asks tentatively, as she glares at Ona who still hasn't left.
"Can you call the nurse? I'm in a lot of pain and I just want to sleep" you respond, not even acknowledging that your girlfriend is in the room.
"Of course (Y/N/N), I'll be right back" Lucy states as she walks out of the room past Ona.
"Baby I'm so sorr-" Ona begins to apologise.
"Save it Ona, Lucy is right. You acted so horrible today, you made me feel so awful all day. Look I don't blame you for the injury, things happen, but the rest was so messed up. I'd like you to leave and consider where our relationship is going, I'll talk to you soon" you cut her off.
"I love you" Ona whispers as she leaves the room, not bothering to put up a fight, knowing that she is lucky that she even got as much as a simple response from you.
-
Ona walks into the Academy Stadium, she feels extremely awkward being there as her last interaction with Manchester City players was not at all positive but she knows she needs to do this to save her relationship.
She walks up to the front desk smiling sweetly at the receptionist, "Hi, I need to see Lucy Bronze"
"And do you have a pass for that?" the receptionist asks.
"Well um no I don't, but I play for Manchester United if that helps?" Ona asks, not sure how to get this girl to let her see Lucy.
"I'm not sure how being a Manchester United player would help at the Manchester City training ground, but I can call up and let her know you are here and she can choose if she wants to see you or not, name?"
"Okay ah we have another problem, she won't want to talk to me, we aren't on the best terms. Ooo um last resort, i'm dating (Y/N) (Y/L/N)" Ona informs the receptionist.
"Oh my god, I love (Y/N), she is such a sweetie!" the receptionist smiles for the first time in the conversation.
"Yeah she really is and I'm trying to surprise her so I could really use the help getting Lucy to come down here" Ona states.
"Okay fine I'll do it, but only because I'm fond of (Y/N)" the receptionist replies.
-
"What do you want Batlle?" Lucy asks harshly as she walks into the reception area where Ona is nervously pacing.
"Look I know I messed up like big time and I know (Y/N) hates me rig-" Ona is quickly cut off.
"She doesn't hate you, no one knows why but even after everything you've done to that sweet sweet girl can't stop talking about how much you mean to her and how she wishes things were different between the two of you" Lucy explains.
"Oh well that makes things a lot easier I guess" Ona rubs the back of her neck awkwardly.
"Anyway, get to the point please, why am I here?" Lucy is annoyed that she has been taken out of training for someone she very much dislikes at this point in time.
"I want to propose to (Y/N) and I need your help" Ona states simply.
Lucy is shocked at the admission but quickly recovers, keeping up her protective energy. "So you won't talk about any sense of a future with her but you want to marry her, you know how backwards that sounds right?"
"It's no excuse but the reason I have been so uptight about the future lately is that I have been planning this proposal and any time she mentions the future I’m scared that she has worked out that I'm planning to propose" Ona explains to Lucy.
"You are right it is no excuse but (Y/N) is completely infatuated with you and I'm sure she would be extremely excited for this surprise" Lucy explains. "You've still got a long way to go in my book but this is definitely a step in the right direction. Don't mess up this opportunity Ona, it's the last one you have"
"Wait, are you going to help?" Ona yells as Lucy walks off.
"Sure Batlle, message me!" Lucy replies not looking back at the Manchester United defender.
-
"Lucy, you know it's cruel to make a cripple walk, especially for so long and with no idea where she is going!" you groan as the two of you walk through the park.
"I already told you I'm taking you to a surprise and you will like it, also I literally offered to give you a piggyback and you refused so that's your own problem" Lucy laughs walking ahead of you slightly, the crutches making it hard for you to keep up with your teammate. 
"I said no when I thought it was going to be a short walk to my favourite cafe, now that would have been a good surprise, can I take it back, gimme a ride?" you ask sweetly.
"Nope, anyway we're here" Lucy smiles, moving her arms to show you a path of white rose petals that lead to a picnic in a clearing that overlooks the city.
"um Lucy, this looks really romantic, we should probably keep walking, the couple will probably be here soon" you begin to walk past the path moving in a different direction, the action harder than you anticipated with your limited range of movement. 
Seeing such a romantic setting makes you feel terrible, you miss Ona even though you feel like you shouldn't and you wished that someone would ever do something half as romantic for you in your lifetime.
"No silly, come here" Lucy grabs your shoulders pulling you down the petal covered path.
"Luce, you are great and all but you have Keira and she is one of my closest friends so this can not happen" you state as you point between yourself and Lucy.
"Oh my god, you are so clueless sometimes, I didn't set this up and I would never cheat on Keira, look just stand here and you'll understand in a minute" Lucy groans forcing you to stand right by the picnic blanket that is set up.
"Hi baby" Ona states, walking from behind you so that you wouldn’t be able to see her coming. 
"Ona, hi. What are you doing here?" you ask, clearly very confused.
"This" Ona responds, moving to get on one knee in front of you.
"Oh my god, what?"
"I just need you to calm down and listen for a minute, yeah?" ona asks you. While still in shock you nod your head quickly.
"(Y/N) I have never loved someone as much as I love you and I know that I will never have the capacity to love someone in the same way ever again. You are my forever, you are everything I've ever wished for and everyday I get to spend with you is the best day of my life. I know that I screwed up really badly and made it seem like us having a future together was not something I wanted. That was the biggest mistake of my life, I would be honoured if you would want to spend your life with me. so (Y/N), would you do the honour of allowing me to be your wife?" Ona asks hopefully as you stand in shock with tears streaming down your face.
"Yes of course Ona!" you fall into Ona's arms, smiling widely at the fact that you finally got everything you have ever wanted.
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azertyrobaz · 5 months
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Dank Farrik Drabble #51
It's been forever I've written one of those, but strangely enough it seems the announcement of a Din & Grogu movie made me realize how much I missed them, despite all the doubts still surrounding that annoncement. Hopefully we'll get some clarification soon...
In the meantime, happy new year!
************
Din felt overwhelming tiredness crash over him as he walked through the door. It was late, the cabin was dark and cold, but there was a particular smell greeting him through his helmet filter. One that should have reminded him that they hadn’t been there in weeks and that the place needed to be aired out. But that wasn’t it. It smelled like… He couldn’t quite find the word in his exhausted state. All he knew was that it wasn’t such a bad smell.
With a small shake, he forced himself to refocus on the task at hand. He needed to start the generator, even if the only thing he wanted to do at the moment was to lie down and sleep. Preferably in his own bed, although after the past few nights, any vaguely horizontal piece of furniture would do. Even the carpet at his feet looked inviting right now.
But rest would have to wait.
“Let’s put the food away first, yeah?” he sighed, setting Grogu down. At least they had food, thanks to Greef. The man had kindly provided them with enough leftovers to last for a couple of days when he’d greeted them earlier. Din had to remember to thank him again when he had the chance. That had been very nice of him. That and the bottle of Corellian whiskey he’d gifted him which he always seemed to have at his disposal now that he was – what was it?
Din sighed again. He couldn’t remember. Something grand. Still, that didn’t mean the man had forgotten where he was coming from. Or his friends. He’d wondered at the time if the fur hat he’d gotten him as a present on Taskeed had been too much – Grogu had chosen it – but now he no longer regretted the slightly ridiculous and costly gift. First and foremost, because it was currently unreasonably cold in Nevarro. But really, seeing the smile on his face had been nice. Pleasing, even. And Grogu’s burst of joy when Greef had thanked him, congratulating him on a perfect choice even better.
As he was slowly making his way to their small kitchen, the lights suddenly came on, and their few appliances emitted approving beeps.
“Thanks, kid,” he mumbled in astonishment.
“Ah!” the boy replied from the other side of the cabin. Din was so tired he hadn’t even noticed his short legs had taken him all the way there and that he’d remembered which button to push on the console. It shouldn’t have surprised him. His apprentice had amazing eidetic memory, and he smiled to himself with pride.
“Did you remember to start the back-up generator and the hot water boiler as well?”
Grogu nodded and jumped on the kitchen counter.
“You’re really getting good at this,” he praised, and the small child hummed in contentment, already helping him check what kind of food Greef had saved up for them.
“Looks like we’ll be able to celebrate in style,” Din remarked, spying several containers full of cakes and pies. Also soup, flatbread and dips.
“Yaya!”
“What do you say we heat up a bit of everything and wait for our bedrooms to warm up watching something on the holoprojector?”
Grogu repeated that same word again: “yaya” was the highest level of happiness in his current vocabulary.
It always took a while for the heater to kick in in the small rooms at the back of the cabin, same as for the hot water boiler, and he craved both a warm shower and his bed, but he knew his young apprentice would want food first. Waiting things out on the small sofa under a blanket while watching whatever was on and eating treats was the next best thing.
Tonight – technically in a half an hour – was New Year, which would kick off Fete Week, and a well-deserved five day break here in Nevarro following weeks of intense work for the New Republic. Din no longer celebrated Life Day, and seeing that particular shade of red worn by revelers still filled him with pain, but he had no such qualms about Fete Week.
“Should we check if they’re showing the fireworks on Coruscant? I bet they’re better than the ones on Chandrila,” he suggested, switching the holoscreen on as Grogu settled next to him under the blanket.
“Hmm,” he nodded.
“Dank farrik, I think the remote is still in the kitchen,” Din grumbled, but Grogu raised his tiny arm before he had managed to drag himself from their small nest. The remote flew in their direction and the boy caught it safely.
“Good job,” Din praised. “You find the channel, then.”
He chuckled while his son complained, but this gave him the opportunity to finally remove his helmet and a few pieces of his armor, which eventually earned him a small smile. Grogu had taken that gesture for what it was – they were finally home. And not having to rely on his filter told Din the same thing. That was what this smell meant. The one that had puzzled him so when they arrived earlier.
“Welcome home, kiddo. And happy new year.”
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angelsdean · 1 year
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less than 2 hrs til the winchesters finale so here are my quickfire last minute predictions / theories / questions
we'll find out where this is all *really* taking place. is this actually earth, 1972, canon timeline or are we in an alternate universe / is this all happening in the empty or fake heaven or some other third, fourth, fifth thing ???
we'll find out (some) of the reasons for dean doing this in the first place. why did he knock over that first domino? why is he here? what's his endgame? hopefully we'll get a CRUMB of an answer
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS DEANNA CAMPBELL??? for the past like week or so the deanna-is-the-akrida-queen-vessel theory has been growing large in my mind and i swear...........deanna is either gonna show up w/ samuel to help them take down the akrida or she will be revealed as the queen (and possibly be thee cliffhanger bc mary cannot kill her!!)
WHAT are the akrida and what do they really want? if this *is* the canon timeline on earth and not taking place in the empty / heaven / some illusion then my theory is that the akrida ARE somehow linked to the empty or chuck / amara.
will we see a surprise spn guest other than dean ?? since mary said they were 'out-numbered' in the trailer i've been thinking they're gonna try to get all hands on deck (which is why i think IF deanna is not the queen then we might see her come in to town to help with the fight). which also makes me think maybe they'll try to utilize ALL their resources and they *do* have a trickster god (who may or may not be an archangel) trapped in a mirror rn. and if they DO call on Loki to help them well that would fit nicely with my last big theory....
TIME LOOP FINALE. you can read my whole post about it here. but the gist of it is, they realize they can't stop the invasion or defeat the akrida but they *can* contain it, in a time loop. so as soon as the akrida start invading, the time loop starts (perhaps courtesy of Loki / Gabriel) and takes them back to the day john and mary meet (and the day john gets the letter from dean). this would be the easiest way imo to do what robbie said which is, close out the season in a way that it Could stand on it's own as an ending w/ not too many huge cliffhangers if they don't get renewed, but also remain open and with enough intrigue to allow for more seasons.
clownery and misc questions / theories i have that probs won't get addressed unless there's more season:
my main realistic destiel clownery / prediction is that we may hear dean mention his buddy / best friend in his narration (or when we see him in person). i could easily see him narrating and saying something like "my best friend once said good things do happen" or some other obviously cascoded quote about love / friendship / family / free will that we may not have heard in spn but like, you just know he's talking abt cas.
what is up w/ the samulet? is he using it to try to warn if god is near or is it literally just a prop to appease the sam girls / j//2s djfkdgfd
i think dean will leave the impala to john and mary creating a loop where the impala was always *his* baby. (also it fits well with that dream jensen had abt the spn finale)
rowena is *our* rowena and she's time-traveling / universe hopping / whatever too. possibly in cahoots with dean (tho it would be hilarious if not)
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peachymilkandcream · 3 months
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I'm Not Giving Up So Easily|Levi x Evelyn
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(A/N: Another lovely request from rukawild, finishing writing for Levi and Evelyn's main series has been kinda sad so it's nice getting some requests! Hope you enjoy!)
WARNINGS: implied noncon, dubcon, manipulation, domestic abuse, yandere themes, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, stockholm syndrome, violence, mind breaking, misogyny, etc.
=============================================
Levi felt like he had just been slapped. He always knew that Evelyn wanted to be free of him, how she had desperately tried to escape his clutches time and time again. But to hear her say those words showed that her rebellious spirit and defiance had not been crushed yet.
"Excuse me?" He gripped his tea cup a little tighter.
"I want a divorce. Let's face it Levi, we hate each other, I'm not getting pregnant like you want, your plan's failed. Just agree to the divorce and I won't press charges, we'll go our separate ways and never see or speak to each other again."
In order to keep himself calm Levi takes a deep breath. Deep down he knew she always wanted this even since their wedding night, but to have the guts to say it to his face was even more of a stab in the heart. This level of betrayal was up there with trying to kill him, worse than trying to escape. She misjudged him so deeply, her own husband, to think that he would ever agree to this. It was like she didn't know him at all.
The thought cut him deeply. She was supposed to be the one who understood, the only one who got him and could tame his obsessive personality enough he didn't fly off and become even more destructive than he was now. That was her job.
He would just have to show her who he really was. Not just a brute who could beat the shit out of her and move on with his day, knowing only how to use violence to keep her in line.
How wrong she was.
Violence was hardly the only form of torture he knew, the other much more likely to have an effect on her spirit.
"Very well, if that's what you want."
===============================================
Evelyn had been more pleasant since his assumed agreement to this divorce. Treating him with kindness and even slight sympathy as if she felt bad for hurting him like this, but was still appreciative that he was giving up.
Levi had played the role of saddened but still supportive husband, going the extra mile to be as kind as possible to her. Even taking steps to move out of their shared room and taking the couch so she felt he really was preparing for the split.
He said what needed to be said, offering to set her up with an apartment with three months of rent paid for ahead of time. Offering sad smiles to make her believe he really was going to just let her fly away from him with no resistance.
"Poor little bird, such a shame how I'll have to clip your wings."
===============================================
They were supposed to meet with a lawyer today, to finalize the divorce and hopefully continue on as if their marriage had never happened and was just a horrible mistake. Levi even insisted they dress nicely to appear professional and not like other sniveling weaklings who couldn't handle these things.
Of course she accepted, pleasantly surprised her soon to be ex-husband was so thoughtful and considerate. He had even come around enough to the idea that he was judging someone else for a change. He would be alright.
"Evelyn, can you come here a second? I have something for you."
She hurries down the stairs, curious to see what her husband has planned. "What is it Levi?"
"I have a gift for you, for your new apartment, in the basement."
Her heartbeat sped up, slight fear rising at the mention of that place.
He noticed. "Relax, it's the only place I know you wouldn't look while I was putting it together."
He had been so different, so kind during this time, why would he pull something now? The thought comforted her enough to venture down the stairs, his hands covering her eyes to keep her surprised.
"And..voilà."
He removes his hands, Evelyn expected something nice and sweet, but it was just the basement, set up how it always was, but with a little picture frame.
Her confused look causes him to chuckle. "Go look, on the bed."
She ventures nearer, spying the frame and the words. "Welcome Home."
By the time she turns around Levi is closing the door and locking it, her way out shut off to the world.
Evelyn bangs on the door until her hands get sore, screaming at him to let her out.
"Oh shut your mouth. This is your own damn fault, did you really think I'd let you get away that easily? Give up on all of this just like that? You put yourself into this position."
"Let me out!"
"I will. Eventually. Usually three months is when you're safe from miscarriages."
Dread washes over her. "Just let me go!"
He laughs. "Never my sweet one. Rest up. I'll be back in a few hours and plan to get started."
==============================================
Levi had done what he set out to do, getting her pregnant, now three months in he could let her back into the world after telling everyone she had taken ill and decided against the divorce since she needed her doting husband to take care of her. The whole mess had been swept under the rug.
"Are you ready to come out now and behave like a good wife should?"
He found her on the floor with a pool of blood between her legs, her expression saying it all.
Rage boils over. "How could you let this happen-"
Her look of defiance threatens to send him over the edge. "I told you, your plans have failed. Accept it."
Her look doesn't, but her words do. Levi stalks over and stands before her, the light on the top of his head hiding how dark his expression really is.
"Then I suppose, wife. That we start this process all over again until I get exactly what I want."
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killmongerskeeper · 2 years
Text
Her Heart // Chapter 3 // Shuri
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Pairing: Shuri x POC Reader
Warning: Violence // Kidnapping //
Chapter 2 // Chapter 4
A/N: I shocked myself writing this tbh. Chapter 8 Crashing Waves comes out tonight! Until then ENJOY
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// The Palace //
The communication cut mid sentence and you fiddled with the bracelet before a curse slipped from your lips as nothing happened. "Fuck. Griot what happened?"
"Our communications are down. I am trying to reboot them now." 
"All communications?" You questioned as the lights dimmed.
"Quickly." You said before a loud bang was heard throughout the palace. "Everyone find shelter now! Queen, Namora come with me." You led the two to a secret room behind a painting for the three of you to seek refuge for the time being. You put in the code and pulled the door open, ushering the two inside. When the door locked back in place you held your wrists up in the air. 
"Griot, what's happening?" You asked and video footage appeared showing at least 6 men walking through the palace with guns and armor. "Who are they?"
"They look to be regular mercenaries." Namora stated and you shook your head. No. You knew what mercenaries looked like.
"These aren't just regular mercenaries. Where are we on those comms?" You asked with your back against the wall.
"They should be back online within the next few minutes." He responded and you prayed Shuri was on her way back. You can hold your own in a fight, but against 6 armed mercenaries and a pregnant queen under your protection, this could prove a problem. You held your head low as the queen rubbed her belly. 
"Who do you think they are?" She asked and you shrugged. You honestly had no idea. 
"I can't tell. Surely they're not from the states, they can barely tell when vibranium is just a trap to stop them from trying to steal it. They're not that bright." You replied as Griot announced the communications were back up. You quickly dial for Shuri who answered on the first ring. "Shuri." 
"Where are you my love?" She asked and you sighed. It was good to hear her voice.
"In the safe room behind the Bast painting. There are mercenaries in the palace. I don't know who sent them or why they're here." 
"Stay there. We'll come get you." She told you and you let out a sigh of relief. 
"Okay. They're coming to get us." You told the two Talokan women who also had relief flash over their features. You couldn’t believe someone had infiltrated the palace.  You leaned against the wall before Griot called out to you. "Ms. Y/N. The Royal Jet has landed."
“Good. Hopefully the intruders will see the black panther and make a break for it.” You said as you played with the ring on your finger. You couldn't help the smile that appeared on your face as you heard the lock to the safe room click. The door slowly opened and Shuri walked in the room with dark eyes. You couldn't help but let your smile fall as she approached you. Her curls fell over her eyes as she stood over you.
"Hello my love." It was then you realized who you were talking to through your bracelet. 
// Royal Jet //
"So you really don't know who from Talokan would start a war?" Shuri questioned and Namor shook his head. He was just as worried as the princess. His queen was in the palace which is currently on lockdown. Shuri went to speak but Griot's voice cut into her conversation. 
"Princess. The palace had been compromised." He said and Shuri's heart fell to her stomach. She stood ready to jump out of the jet if she has to. 
"What of Y/N and the Queen?" She asked as the royal jet flew to the landing pad.
"In the safe room behind the painting." As soon as the jet landed Shuri activated her helmet and ran out of the ship with Okoye and Ayo close behind. Attuma and Namor quickly joined them in case their queen was in danger. Shuri ran all the way to the painting and came to an abrupt stop when she realized the door was ajar. Creeping up to the door she saw Namora lying on the floor unconscious. Namor was quick to run up to her, falling to his knees pulling her up off the floor. 
"Namora. Can you hear me my child?" He asked softly and Shuri feared the worst. Namora was alone. Where were you? Are you hurt? Are you hiding? Where is the queen? Shuri ran to her lab and found her staff lying unconscious on the ground.
"Griot." The princess called out, trying not to assume the worst as she kneeled down to one of her staff members. 
"It appears everyone is okay just rendered unconscious by a knockout gas. They should be waking up any minute now." 
"Griot I need-" she stopped mid sentence trying not to let her emotions run wild and the AI system waited for her next instructions. "Do you have any footage from the last two hours? The entire palace." 
"Yes princess. Allow me to pull the footage. Although I will warn you, it will be hard to watch." He said and Shuri's head perked up as the helmet came off. The footage pulled up on the screen and she watched as the arms group blew through the wall of the downstairs area. Another camera caught you opening the safe room door for the three of you to hide in. A third panel showed the intruders tossing cans of knockout gas into her lab. The scientists had no chance and fell to the floor one by one in coughing fits until everyone passed out. Someone walked into the lab searching for something. She couldn’t tell who she was looking at as they kept a hood over their head. They bent down to grab a kimoyo bracelet off of one of the scientists before making their way out into the hall. The next camera angle is what made her heart shatter. 
She watched someone open the safe room door. No. Not someone. But herself. A doppelganger of some sorts. Okoye and Ayo silently entered the lab and watched on as their princess balled her fists. Two of the mercs tried to detain you but you were quicker and more nimble than they were. You easily knocked out the two assailants and she watched on as the fake Shuri walked up to you. By the look in your eyes you knew something was up. The two of you exchanged words before the fake Shuri quickly wrapped a hand around your throat and pinned you to the wall. You were quick on your feet and jumped to bring your legs around her neck and twisted your body until you fell out of her grasp. You pulled a dagger from your boot and went in for a fight. The fake dodged your blows perfectly landed a couple on your side but you didn’t falter. You fought till the end. That was just the kind of person you are. You went for a quick jab but was shocked when she grabbed your wrist stopping the blade as it was an inch from her throat. She pulled a syringe from her pocket and jabbed it into your neck. It didn't take long for your body to fall limp in her arms. Tossing you over her shoulder she tilted her head towards the queen and Namora before walking out of the safe room. Before leaving the frame, the fake looked up at the security camera with a smirk on her face as she walked away with Y/N. Her Y/N.
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