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seungkw1 · 7 months

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halloween night — ksy

⛧ pairing: kwon soonyoung x fem!reader ⛧ theme: strangers to lovers, nonidol!au ⛧ word count: ~2.5k ⛧ warnings: smut, swearing, praise kink, oral (m. & f. receiving), softdom!hoshi, petnames (f. receiving - baby, pretty girl, etc.), unprotected penetration (stay safe kids), tiny bit of fluff at the end

your halloween night is going pretty lousy — that is, until you meet a handsome, tiger-print-wearing stranger at a party

♡ moodboard by @myhimbomingi ♡

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“You look fine. Stop worrying, you’re gonna have a good time tonight!”

You stop fiddling with your skirt and look up at your best friend with a sigh. ”I can’t believe you talked me into wearing this stupid thing.”

Halloween is, in your humble opinion, the greatest holiday ever invented. You always love putting together your costume, something unique and creative each year – which is why you feel like a fucking idiot standing here dressed in a cliché sexy nurse costume. But, you needed to get your shitty ex off your mind – it had been two weeks since you found out he was cheating on you – and what better distraction than alcohol. Hell, you might even find someone to make out with if you drink enough. Not your usual M.O., but fuck it.

Now that you’re here though, you’re starting to have second thoughts. Your best friend Mina is bubbly and sociable, so she thrives naturally in a party environment – you, not so much. To make matters worse she’s the only person you’ll know here, so you’re now realizing how awkward this whole thing is going to be. Wishing now that you had worn something more comfortable, you slap on a fake smile as you step inside. Here goes nothing, I guess.

—

Mina spent about 15 minutes introducing you to everybody as you did your best to engage in polite small talk, but she eventually got absorbed in chatting with some old friends while you inadvertently joined a very boring conversation with some cryptocurrency bros where some guy named Chad or something was going on about bitcoin. You pretended to be interested in whatever Brad was saying, but you kept zoning out. Stifling a sigh, you went to make your escape.

“I’m gonna use the restroom, I'll be right…”

Nobody even looked at you. Brent had moved on talking about stocks or some shit. You rolled your eyes as you walked away. Assholes.

The other room was too crowded for your liking, and so was the kitchen. Spotting the back door, you quickly made your way outside before anyone else could talk to you.

—

The cool October breeze hits you as you practically burst through the door and out onto the patio. You know you’ll probably get chilled before too long, especially in this dumb miniskirt, but the crisp air feels delightful. The relative quietness is a relief too. Taking a few moments to breathe, you start to relax, but soon enough your mind drifts back to your ex against your will. It’s not like you miss him – you’re definitely over that jerk – but you’re still extremely pissed off about the whole thing. You feel tears starting to form as the anger wells up inside you – you hate that you cry when you get mad, which only makes you even more upset.

“God fucking dammit,” you mutter under your breath as you go to wipe your tears away before you start full-on crying. You know bottling up your emotions isn’t ideal, but neither is having a breakdown at some stranger’s house.

You can have your breakdown later, you tell yourself firmly. Just not right now. Don’t make a fool of yourself, just hold on out for a couple more hours and then-

“Are you okay?”

You nearly jump out of your skin at the voice coming from behind you. Quickly turning around, you find yourself face-to-face with a ridiculously handsome stranger. The man is so striking it takes you a few seconds to process the horribly tacky, bright orange tiger-print shirt he’s wearing.

“Jesus Christ, you scared me,” you say as you collect yourself.

“I- sorry, I didn’t mean to…” he says, his sentence trailing off.

You both stand there for a moment in silence. You find yourself trying not to blush at how good-looking he is, but you notice him noticing your low-cut top but trying to act like he didn’t notice it. Yeah, that is not helping…

The man clears his throat. “You just seemed like you were crying or something and uh… sorry, I guess that’s not really any of my business…” he apologizes, turning red. “Sorry,” he repeats, “I’ll leave you be…”

“No no it’s okay!!” you blurt out, perhaps a bit too fast. “I mean, you can stay, I don't mind.”

“Are you sure? If you want to be alon-”

“No, I don’t,” you interrupt before he goes to turn away again. “I mean, I did originally, but uh…”

What are you doing?? You literally don’t even know this man.

You ignore the voice inside your head. Fuck it, didn’t I say I wanted to find a hot stranger to make out with tonight? Here’s one right in front of me.

You introduce yourself and stick out your hand. His face turns into a soft smile as he takes your hand in his – he shakes it firmly, and you try not to think about how strong he feels. He locks eyes with you and holds on to your hand for a few moments too long. Your heart seems to skip a beat.

“Soonyoung,” he replies. Letting out an even bigger grin, he finally lets go of your hand. “Nice to meet you.”

—

You don’t even know how long you two have been sitting on the patio couch talking. All you know is that not only is Soonyoung incredibly handsome, he’s also funny, charming, and easy to talk to – and, he’s clearly very attracted to you. Usually it takes a number of drinks before you get flirty, but the tension between you two is too strong to resist. It’s taking all of your willpower not to drop everything and kiss him – and the way he keeps stealing quick glances of your lips tells you the feeling is reciprocated.

Despite how flustered you are, it is pretty chilly out, and eventually you start to shiver. Soonyoung notices and gives you a concerned look.

“Oh shit, we should probably get you inside.”

You glance back toward the chatter of the house party regretfully, not wanting to go back in and be amongst everybody else once again. But you are getting cold.

You look back to Soonyoung and you both sit there in silence for a few seconds. A sly smile creeps back onto his face, and he hesitates for a moment before suggesting, “Or… we could get out of here.”

You can’t help but grin back at him.

—

And so you find yourself on Soonyoung’s couch, straddling his lap, making out with him – the cheesy horror movie you had put on in the background long forgotten. Time seems to be at a standstill as you press your lips into his – softly at first, but more intensely with each kiss. His muscular arms tighten around your waist, pulling your body even closer to his, and a small moan escapes you as he pushes his hips into your core.

Soonyoung stops kissing you momentarily so he can look at you. “You’re so fucking pretty, you know that?”

His low and raspy voice sends a jolt through your stomach. Your skirt has risen up over your hips, leaving your underwear as the only barrier between your pussy and the growing bulge in his jeans – you push yourself into him even further and this time he lets out a moan as you feel his cock twitch against your aching cunt.

Grabbing onto your waist he pushes you over onto the couch and rolls over on top of you. He kisses you again, his hand cradling your face, his body weight pressing down on you as you feel the blood rushing through your veins. He kisses you for a few moments more before he jumps up, pulling you along as he leads you into his bedroom.

He stops right before the bed and pauses to look at you, his hand delicately tracing your neckline. “You know, I really like this costume, but I think I’d like it more off of you.”

You let out a laugh as you roll your eyes at him. You begin to unbutton his shirt as you reply, “Well I don’t really like it at all, so you can definitely help me get rid of it.”

He grins back at you. “You look incredible, but I will happily oblige.”

Grabbing the hem of your top, Soonyoung pulls it up over your head and tosses it behind him. He pulls his shirt off too, disregarding the rest of the buttons, and you have to keep your jaw from hitting the floor – to say he was toned would’ve been an understatement.

He grabs you by the arms to pull you in for another kiss, and you place your hands on his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin. You slowly run one hand down the defined curvatures of his abs until you reach the waist of his pants. Your lips still pressed against his, you begin to undo his belt and unbutton his pants.

Getting down as you undo the zipper, you pull down the band of his underwear and his cock springs free. You run your tongue up his length, your mouth stopping to take just the tip in between your lips as you taste his juices before taking him in your mouth. Soonyoung lets out a groan, and you begin to slide his cock down your throat – slowly at first, but as you begin to pick up the pace he places his hand on the back of your head, making sure you take his entire length with each motion.

“Look at me,” he commands.

You look up at him, his cock halfway in your mouth still, your lips red and your eyes teary from choking on him.

“That’s my pretty girl,” he murmurs, his voice gruff and low.

He thrusts into your mouth a few more times before he pulls your head back up, his cock glistening with your spit.

“Stand up for me.”

You quickly stand up – it’s impossible to ignore how wet you are at this point.

Soonyoung takes you by the hips and gently pushes you down onto the bed. “Get comfy baby.”

You rest your head against the pillows as he situates himself between your legs. He lifts your skirt up just enough to reveal your visibly soaked underwear.

“Fuck, you’re already this wet for me huh?” he says he starts kissing your inner thighs, close enough to your entrance to make your clit throb but just far away enough to drive you crazy.

He teases you with one finger tracing over your clothed cunt, sending a shiver down your spine. Not giving what you want just yet, he reaches his hand behind your back and unclasps your bra, taking it off of you.

“God, you’re so hot,” he says as he begins to kiss your breasts. You let out a small whimper as his hand makes its way back down to your clit, his thumb circling over the fabric gently.

Finally, he reaches his hands under your skirt and slides your panties off, his face resuming its position right in front of your cunt. You let out a hiss as his tongue makes a stripe over your folds, slowly taking in your wetness – you cry out suddenly as he begins to suck on your clit.

Soonyoung goes down on you for what feels like an eternity, only stopping here and there to shower you in admiration.

“You taste so good, baby.”

“Fuck, you’re so hot.”

“Pussy so pretty for me.”

Just as you feel the heat welling up inside your body, he slides his fingers inside of you. The vibrations of his mouth moaning on your clit combined with the pressure against your g-spot nearly sends you over the edge.

“Fuck, Soonyoung – I’m gonna cum…” you cry.

“Cum for me, baby.”

Your orgasm rushes over you as you grab him by the hair, cumming hard on his mouth. Out of breath and seeing stars, you start to come down and your body relaxes into the bed – you run your hand through his hair as he delicately kisses your soaked pussy, his mouth and chin covered in your juices.

Soonyoung comes up to give you a few soft kisses on the lips. Wrapping your arms around his back, you pull his warm body into yours. His erection presses up against your still-throbbing core – you try to position your entrance right on top of his cock but he teasingly pulls away and starts kissing your neck instead.

“Please Soonyoung,” you beg.

“Please what baby? I wanna hear you say it.”

“Want you to fuck me.”

He kisses you on the neck once more before slipping his cock inside you, making you gasp at the sudden sensation.

“Mmm I made you so wet baby, you’re so perfect for me.”

He slowly starts sliding his length in and out of you, but before long you find yourself trying to ride his cock, trying to make him go faster – which only makes him slow down even more. He smirks, locking eyes with you – undeniably addicted to how much you need him.

“Such a little slut, you want me to fuck you harder?”

You nod, looking up at him – desperation in your eyes.

“Use your words baby.”

“Harder,” you plead.

“That’s my good girl.”

Soonyoung thrusts into you, picking up the pace this time, until he’s fucking you senseless. Your cries fill the room from the overwhelming pleasure, and much to his enjoyment you start to whimper out his name.

“That’s right – say my name babygirl.”

You repeat his name as every inch of him continues to pulse into you, stronger with each stroke.

“You’re taking me so well. My cock so good to you baby?”

You cry out something, presumably some form of yes, but you don’t even know at this point. You feel yourself start to climax once more.

“Fuck, Soonyoung – I’m gonna cum again.”

“Cum with me, pretty girl.”

Electricity rushes over your entire body as your walls tighten around him, and you feel his cock pulsating as his cum fills you up inside. You both lay there for a few moments, his strong arms wrapping around you as you breathe heavily together. He slowly removes himself from you and rolls over to pull you into an embrace – him as the big spoon. You giggle as he holds you tightly and gives you little kisses on your cheek.

“You know,” you admit, “I didn’t even want to go to that stupid party.”

Soonyoung laughs. “Well, I’m sure glad you did.”

“I am too,” you say as you begin to yawn. You are completely worn out in the best way possible.

He nuzzles into your neck, clearly also getting sleepy. He pauses a moment before he asks.

“Stay here with me?”

You can’t help but smile. “Okay,” you reply softly.

You drift off to sleep in Soonyoung’s arms – blissful and content.

[end]

you can also find me on ao3 ♡

#kwon soonyoung x reader #hoshi x reader #kwon soonyoung smut #hoshi imagines #hoshi oneshot #hoshi fic #hoshi smut #svt x reader #svt smut #seventeen x reader #seventeen smut #ren's fics ੈ♡₊˚•.

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stardew-shitposterino · 11 months

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Stardew Valley Bachelors and whether I think they’d be dom, sub or switch

Hehe ok idk this just came to mind. This refers to whether they like to be in charge, be on the receiving end or enjoy both. I’m not too familiar with bdsm kink stuff so this is mostly very vanilla 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m not the kind of person to provide you with that soz

Content warning: filth lmfao MINORS DNI

Sam:

-switch, loves to sub though

-bro is weak in his knees when you take charge

-loves when you whisper sweet nothings paired with dirty filth into his ear

-call him a good boy please

-he doesn’t like being treated like a slut, so no insults please, it doesn’t do anything for him except make him cry. You gotta praise him so he can thrive

-when he tops, he will feel so powerful and grin like a fool the entire time. He’s almost too cute to be taken seriously

-Loves kissing every inch of your body and leaves hickeys if you let him

Sebastian:

-sub, big fat sub

-he tries taking the lead every once in a while, but he isn’t feeling that role

-likes receiving oral a lot, he’d be fine only ever doing that tbh (will finger you in return or suck you off)

-he whimpers into your ear when you tell him to

-btw, he likes when you tell him what he should do

-Thinks it’s sexy when you treat him like Bowser treats Luigi in the Mario movie (don’t ask me why I chose that as an example)…so TEASE HIM

-if you can, wear some sexy e-girl ensemble for him. It will have him come before you even touch him

Harvey:

-switch, but I have a feeling he is especially hard for you when you take charge

-loves being teased

-give him praises and sweet romantic gestures

-loves when you’re a gentle dom, will be a gentle dom when he takes charge

-oddly enough, he likes when you call him daddy. He didn’t initially like it, but when you started saying it, he lost his cool and melted in your hands

-hold his hand when you make love (yes that’s right, this man doesn’t fuck, he’s too pure for that)

Elliott:

-dom or switch…switch who likes to take charge? Yeah sounds right

-he is a man of great romantic gestures, so expect him to want to pamper you in bed as well

-enjoys seeing and hearing that what he does makes you feel good

-coos sweet nothings in your ear like a pro

-“that’s right, does this make you feel good, my love? You feel so good around me. Come for me, darling, will you?”

- when you take charge, he will enjoy whatever you decide to do. He finds the gesture of you wanting to reciprocate arousing enough

-…treat him like a princess though…you don’t have this from me but he’d never admit to liking that lol

Shane:

-switch that loves to be dom, but when you are the dom for once …MAMA 😩

-said with the wise words of Kim Petras “treat me (him) like a slut”

-bro loves being a strong lead, aka he’s VERY passionate and will show you how much he wants you

-he eats you out like 👏🏻 a 👏🏻 champ 👏🏻 (he loves giving oral so much, but especially eating 🐱)

-when you take charge, he wants you to ride him so badly please do it! It will make him into putty underneath you

-my man growls, groans, moans. He is VERY vocal and his deep voice makes it extremely sexy

-will whisper utter filth into your ear and will enjoy it even more when you do the same for him

Alex:

-DOM💀

-will sub every once in a while if mandatory

-loves seeing you all happy and mischievous when you give him pleasure, buuuut he prefers being in charge

-He will treat you like a prince/ess, does everything in the books to make you have a great time

-he worships your body. No matter what you have going on, he will make sure you know that he loves every bit of it

-he’s not the poet type, so don’t expect him to be very creative when it comes to vocal stuff

-will try out the wildest positions with you though because he loves showing off how strong and flexible he is. But at the end of the day, he loves nothing more than the tried and true missionary position 🤷🏼‍♀️ he wants to see you underneath him and hold your hand

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kimwarris · 8 months

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AU where Zuko joins the GAang after Azula attacked Iroh when they all cornered her in that abandoned Earth Kingdom town (Episode “The Chase”). Zuko yells at Katara to leave them alone, but Sokka reasons with him that it’s a bad idea with Azula and her friends still on the run, without supplies or shelter and Zuko obviously having no idea how to treat Iroh’s injury.

He notices that Zuko looks quite like a shadow of his former self - skinny and pale and as if he’d break into tears any minute. He also got rid of this stupid ponytail – short, dark hair covers his head now. He looks just human and that doesn’t sit right with Sokka, because it makes him feel sorry for Zuko.

Plus, the enemy of my enemy… it’s just logical to offer help to Zuko and Iroh, he reasons with himself.

They find a hide-out for the night and Zuko doesn’t leave Katara out of his sight, while she does her healing session. Iroh doesn’t awake right away, but Sokka reassures him several times that everything will be fine and that Katara would never pretend to heal somebody and then hurt them.

Zuko offers to do the first watch. They don’t light a fire, because even though they brought some distance between themselves and that abandoned town neither of them wants to risk being found by Azula again.

It’s quite a chilly night and it occurs to Sokka that firebenders thrive with warmth and the sun, so he comes to the conclusion that Zuko must be horribly cold. Sokka himself is not so bothered by the cool air - he grew up at the South Pole, he is used to the cold. But he doesn’t want to be held responsible for Zuko catching a cold and the former prince looks like he’s been through hell and back. Plus, the firebender pulled his knees close to his body and wrapped his arms around them. Zuko is not shaking, but to Sokka it’s obvious that he’s not doing well. It’s not going to be pleasant, but Sokka makes a decision. Zuko needs the blanket more than he does.

So Sokka gets up and walks over to Zuko holding the blanket out to him.

“Here, you must be cold.”

Zuko stares at him in complete disbelief.

“Uhm… are you serious?”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t make a fuss. You’re a firebender, you need to stay warm.”

“I’m a firebender. I don’t need a blanket to keep myself warm.”

Visible confusion shows on Sokka’s face and he feels like he’s just made a fool of himself in front of Zuko.

“But I thought…”

Zuko takes a deep breath and when he exhales a little flame comes out of his mouth.

Sokka thinks he’s never seen anything this hot in his entire life.

#zukka #zukka au #zukka fanfic #atla fanfiction #zukka nation #zukka incorrect quotes #zukka fic idea #sokka being confused about how firebenders work #pre slash #sorry not sorry

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ephemerensis · 1 year

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Here You’re Safe // Joel Miller x GN! Reader

another platonic gender neutral dad joel moment. TRIGGER WARNING DEATH like of a major character please proceed with caution !!! anyways this took me so long skkshd and the ending is rushed and rlly bad im sorry its 2 am :/ not proofread ALSO!! if i published a poetry book would yall read it :/

—

“Anything bad down there?” Ellie jutted a finger towards an empty hall, lined with lockers.

Outside, the wind screamed its grievances, making the old building creak whenever a particularly cruel gust swept by. It was winter in the middle of the country, and as much as the three of you adored the idea of camping outside, the snow violently pouring from the skies argued otherwise.

Thankfully, Joel found a school building nearby before the storm. A high school, it looked like. On the way in, you saw traces of the treacherous cordyceps roots intertwining through the doorway and walls. But you didn’t have much of a choice with the weather, and they were dry. Hardly anyone lived in the area to get infected anyways, and winter seemed to slow them down; the infected. Not the fungi itself. It grew just fine. Thrived even, in colder climates.

“Just you.” You bit back a chortle as Ellie scrunched her nose, almost peeved.

“You know that joke gets fucking old, Joel. I’m not even in there yet.”

The burly man just shrugged, adjusting his rifle strap as he slowed his steps to a halt, “isn’t a joke.”

“He can’t help it, he’s like eighty. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” You shrugged your pack off your shoulders, setting it on the floor to get situated for the time being. The man just grunted in response, glancing around the building before taking a seat at one of the long tables that littered the room. They were askew; clearly a struggle took place there sometime, but judging by the copious amount of dust that coated the place it couldn’t have been all too recent. Joel was sure it was clear, otherwise they would’ve heard you by now. The school wasn’t all that large after all.

“Whatever,” piped Ellie, rolling her eyes. She reached for your sleeve, tugging you towards the hall. “Cmon! I wanna explore a little!” Giggling, you let her lead you off, throwing a glance back to Joel before the two of you rounded the corner. His brows were deep set, almost furrowed above his eyes, as they usually were; but he looked about as relaxed as you imagined the man could manage.

“Hey!” he called after you. “It’s mostly dry, but you watch your step, understand? Haven’t cleared it completely.”

The two of you hardly heard him, though, distracted instead by the rows of little blue locked cabinets you’d only read about in passing. A lot of the world before was a wonder after growing up in the QZ. It felt like rediscovering a myth.

“This is so fucking cool!” Ellie ran her hand along a row of them, rattling the metal doors against their frame. It was a wonder they weren’t rusted after all these years, but they seemed almost untouched if not a little dusty.

“Didn’t you go to high school? In the QZ?” You didn’t get to. Before Joel and Tess you were a well kept secret, and after that didn’t change much either. They’d let you out as you pleased after awhile but you never went to school; ‘don’t need to be feeding you FEDRA propaganda,’ so they homeschooled you instead. Mostly Tess. Joel quipped in every now and then but he didn’t usually have the best wisdom to impart onto you. Aside from bedtime novels, that was always his specialty.

“Yeah but it was tiny. Just a gym and some classrooms.” Ellie had her head under a drinking fountain, staring at the pipes as she mashed the button. “This stuff is so metal, literally. It’s like your own little room at school!” Abandoning the fountain when no water emerged, she turned her attention back to the paint chipped lockers, “you think they left shit in here?”

“Like corny love letters maybe,” you tugged on one of locks to test it. It didn’t budge, as you’d assumed. Thoughts of life before were so enigmatic. They were more scared of the math test next class then when their next meal was gonna be. It almost made you jealous. It would if they weren’t probably dead. Better to grow up in hell then suddenly get thrust into it.

Behind you, metal squeaked as Ellie got one of them open, “Oh shit! Wait wait wait, Y/N check me out!” You turned around, lips pursed together in a crooked smile when you saw her. She’d found someone’s baseball cap and sunnies. Ellie flipped the bill back and slipped the sunglasses on, forcing a deeper voice as she swaggered in your direction. “Yooo what’s up bro, you going to my place tonight? Throwing a huge party!”

She pressed her hand into the locker, beside your head, leaning in. The moment your eyes locked eyes behind her darkened frames you both burst into laughter. Shaking your head, you took on a dumb expression before replicating her tone, “man, is Britney gonna be there? She’s a total babe!”

Ellie snorted, sending you both into another fit of toe curling laughter. It was all so absurd. You pushed off the locker when you’d regained your bearings, walking backwards as you tugged on the locks to see if any would pop.

“Is that really how they talked back then?”

Ellie shrugged, tugging on locks on the opposite wall as the two of you ventured forth. “Gotta be, that’s how it is in books.”

One of the locks you tugged on gave way, making you grin as you pried it open. Pulling out a binder, you thumbed through the pages before a little booklet caught your attention.

“Here, catch!” She caught it with ease as you tossed the comic book over.

“No way! Batman!” Ellie flipped through the pages with fervor, pausing in her pursuit down the hall. You, however, continued slowly wandering backwards.

You giggled, shaking your head at her glee.

A sickening crunch wiped the smile off your face.

Ellie gasped, staring at you with wide eyes as you muffled a scream. Looking down towards the source of the noise, you see it.

The semblance of a hand disintegrated under your foot. The body it belonged to seemingly dried out long ago, pressed flat against the wall of lockers it clung to.

The both of you stared a moment, as you slowly backed away in relief. Until you saw the tendrils lurking in the undergrowth, reaching towards you. Worse still, the rumbling sound that suddenly emerged from the upper floor made you blood run cold.

Shit.

Ellie saw it too, bolting first but you were quick to follow.

“Joel!” You called, turning the corner, almost colliding with him. “We have to run!”

“Y/N! Ellie! What’s going on?” The man was already ready, bags slung over his shoulder with a look of bewilderment embedded on his features.

Ellie pushed Joel forward, “Not fucking dry!” The three of you ran, making your way back the way you came. The thundering sounds of footsteps hitting hardwood grew nearer. Joel lead the way, rounding every corner with his shotgun raised.

“Why didn’t they hear us when we came in?” You choked out in a panicked whisper. Normally they came bolting at any noise you offered.

“It’s winter, were probably huddled to keep the hosts alive. Mushrooms can take the cold, but the bodies can’t.” Joel whispered back. The timbre in his voice was almost enough to soothe you, he sounded more tired than distressed as he pressed on.

“What do we do?” Ellie piped.

“Gotta get outta here first.” The three of you cleared another corner, sprinting down a hall. A violent thud against one of the classroom doors made you lose your footing, sending you plummeting towards the ground. You gasped as three runners pounded aggressively against the door, piling and clawing at the ancient thing long enough for the rusted hinges to give way.

“Shit!” Somewhere out of the corner of your eye you see Ellie pull out a knife as the three infected tumbled forward. They piled on top of each other, all scrambling to gain their footing and lunge at the nearest person in the room; you. You shuffled panickedly backwards, working to get up and kick the topmost one off your leg.

Ellie stabs one in the head, making the arm fall limp and successively freeing you. You managed to stand upright, the other two still clawing but trapped under the weight of the first. Joel fires a bullet, ceasing another one’s movement as they three of you back away from them.

Before he can shoot the third, the rumbling gets louder.

You’re all sprinting before you can fully gain your bearings. The burn in your lungs was starting to settle in, but the echos of clicks and groans mixed with the pummeling of foot steps filling the halls kept you motivated. Your heart beat so quickly in your chest, you thought it might burst out.

The doors leading out were in sight, though. The wind that bashed against it was less than inviting, but beyond that— the worn mahogany didn’t budge when you shoved. Ellie reached it first, nearly falling as she bodied the double doors. The snow must’ve piled up outside.

A glance and a nod were all you needed before the three of you charged against it unanimously. Once. The doors shook and the sound resounded, seemingly worsening the agitation of the horde heading your way. A second charge made it squeak open, the biting wind flaying your skin as it made contact. The first of the infected rounded the corner, running at you full force before you’d managed a third charge against the doors.

They burst open, giving way to a powerful gust that hit you like a wall. Joel made sure you both got out before he followed, pressing against the wind to get away.

The infected fared worse. Clickers wouldn’t be able to hear with all this noise, and runners couldn’t manage to fight the wind. Most of then fell behind, the few that persisted did so slowly; sinking perpetually deeper in the plush snow in their pursuit.

Fighting against the biting currents of the frigid wind, the three of you paved a way into the tree line. Immersed in forest, the storm felt better. The trees blocked off some of the wind to an extent, and as far as you were concerned no infected seemed to have tagged along thus far.

The ache in your bones was starting to settle as the storm did. You were deep in the woods by then, no sense of direction or time— but with the way the moon hung so high in the sky it couldn’t have been close to daybreak. Joel slowed to a halt, nodding at both of you before you and Ellie breathed a collective sigh.

Ellie dropped her bag to the ground, almost falling over. Your knees felt a surge of weakness too. The snow looked so soft you could sleep in it. You bent forward, heaving, hands on your knees. If you were born before the whole thing went down the cardio alone would’ve been enough to kill you, it was much better to be born into the apocalypse, you decided.

Thankfully you didn’t leave too much behind. A sleeping bag and more cans of food than you would’ve liked were lost, but you’d find more food and you had two sleeping bags still.

Everything settled enough for you to hear again. Between gasps of breath you could hear the crickets chirping. It was almost tranquil.

Ellie seemed the first to recover, standing up and stretching her arms overhead before stilling. She stared ahead at nothing in particular, cogs processing the monstrosity you’d just escaped.

“That was fucking brutal.”

You looked up to offer a laugh. Her dry humor in times like these were enough to send you into orbit sometimes; but that was when you saw it.

The lone stalker that lurched for her before you could yell a warning. Before you could think you reacted. Grabbing Ellie by her collar, you yanked her forward and out of its path.

Instead, if collided with your arms pushing against its chest with all the force you had left in you to muster. It was stronger, of course, knocking you down almost immediately as it clawed at you. You screamed as it opened its mouth, long tendrils extending themselves towards you, wriggling morosely.

Ellie was still in the thralls of scrambling up, but Joel took notice. A well aimed bullet made it collapse. Joel rushed to help haul it off you as you screamed from the pure terror and adrenaline coursing through your veins, clamoring as far away from it as your shaken body could manage.

He looked at you with a concern you hardly recognized, not that you even looked to see it. Everyone was still a moment until Ellie said your name.

“Y/N…” she said it uncharacteristically nervously, a shaky finger pointed towards the shining red that stained the snow beneath your palm.

You raised your hand to your face, barely able to see in the moonlight, but the indentations of teeth on your marred flesh was unmistakable.

Ironically, your veins felt icier than the frost covered leaves as you stared at it; shell shocked.

This was never supposed to happen. You’d always made it through before, why now? Not you. It could never have been you.

Ellie fell to her knees, fists bunching the fabric of your shirt as she shook you, tears in her eyes threatening to fall. “Y/N what the fuck! Why’d you do that!”

“No. No no no,” you murmured.

“I’m immune!” She was screaming at you now. “I’m fucking immune! I would’ve been—“

The older man cut her off, pushing her hands off you but not with more force than was enough to make her release her grip. He looked at you with the same shock that gripped your eyes. His hands hovered you, hesitant, but the gentle movement broke your stupor. Looking up at him you quivered under the weight of it all, “Joel.”

He looked at you with something you couldn’t quite grasp. It was pity and shock and hurt and all of it but none of it. Somewhere in the confines of his empathy and loving was a deep rooted instinct to compartmentalize. What was done was done. But you needed him now. The bullet was shot, but the dust hadn’t settled.

“Joel, I’m so scared.” Tears were already streaming, and you knew he couldn’t do anything about it; both of you knew. But as his weighty arms wrapped taut around your shoulders, it was good enough a cure. You inhaled, letting his familiar burnt wood settle in your lungs as it’d done a thousand times before.

“Shh, shh. I know baby, I know.” His hand pat rhythmically against your spine.

It’s over. It’s really over.

That’s all you could think. Behind Joel, Ellie just stared silently. It wasn’t out of anger or guilt or even pity. None of these things ever seemed real, and the three of you had been doing this together for so long. You’d survived so much of it all, and she was the cure. The hopeless, helpless cure. What else could she do?

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay. You’re okay.” Joel wasn’t one to sugarcoat or lie. So often he said so little, every morsel of information or sentimentality you could pry from him felt more satisfying than a warm shower on a cold day. Maybe it wasn’t because he didn’t know what else to say. You were in hysterics and at the end after all.

But it felt true.

Your hand throbbed, but not more than the feeling of the ache in your bones— something you’d gotten used to after years of running. The air was stiller than it was before, it didn’t hold the bite of bitter wind it had moments earlier. In fact, after all the snow, it felt clear and crisp in your lungs. The birds cooed their grievances to the world overhead, never ceasing their song even in the middle of night. And the stars were so beautifully bright, it was enough to feel enveloped. Here, in this moment, in Joel’s arms, you were okay.

He’d only pulled you closer, almost swaying you with him as he kept the rhythm of his hand against your spine. You could hear how fast his heartbeat, “You remember that toy rabbit you had as a kid? What was his name? Pete? Peter?”

“Percy,” you whispered after a while. Rabbit was a strong word to describe it. It might’ve looked like one before, but by time it got to you it was anything but. Discarded and trampled on as people rampaged out of cities and infectious conjunctions. It was a mottled gray little thing, with an ear and both eyes missing. The other ear consistently found itself, for the better half of five years, securely grasped in your little hands. Regardless, you loved it. You named it the way you would’ve named a real rabbit, if you could’ve had one before all this. You held it the way you would imagine your parents held you, before all this.

“Yeah that’s right,” his chest vibrated against the side of your face as he chuckled. “You used to carry him everywhere, didn’t you? Thought you were gonna kill me when I took him to wash. Would holler bloody murder, it was a wonder the neighbors never complained.”

The wind settled earlier with the storm, and eventually so did the pace of your heartbeat. You smiled at the memory, strangely bashful. It’s almost an insult to Joel and Tess to say Percy was all you had. They gave you food, shelter, company on some days. But for the first few years he was all you had. He was promised and he was yours. Percy was the first you could ever call your own. It felt often like he was all you had. Especially on nights when the two of them were on runs, and the Fireflies would stir fights against FEDRA outside. Percy shielded you from the sounds of gunshot then.

“Course eventually you outgrew him; which was never bad! Used to get jealous of how often you’d hug it and not your old man.” He sounded wistful. You calmed down enough to pull back, now suffering from a bout of hiccups and sniffles as you tried to regain your bearings. Joel didn’t let you go, though. You stayed in his arms. You couldn’t bring yourself to respond, offering a small smile in its place.

How could he be jealous of a silly little rabbit? Percy was all you thought you had then. But you knew better. Joel was all you had ever. He was all you would ever have again.

“Then there was that kid, down the street. Darwin or something?”

Damian. An awkward, lanky, 8 year old boy, with sand colored hair that never lay flat and a tooth that was perpetually missing. Of course, you were 9 at the time and you didn’t want to play with “little kids.”

Joel really sucked with names. You knew that. He was getting on in his years, but even when he was younger— they never stuck for him. People were untrustworthy and irrelevant, it was hard to want to try. So it meant a lot anyways when he halfway blundered the names of your childhood acquaintances. To you what was so fleeting was important enough for him to commit to memory, as cold as he could be. You never thought he’d cared so much.

“Brought you sidewalk daisies for months! Damn near ripped his head off, was about fed up with his yapping and stammering around you.” You smiled at that. Damian’s crush on you was so annoying then, but sometimes on longer days you’d wished someone would love you with the same persistence— even if it was a silly boy a year younger than you. “But you were always pretty, anyone could see it. No one will ever be good enough, though. Or, would be.”

Joel said the last part almost as a whisper. It felt like a death sentence, though you all knew there was no hope for you. A silence settled over your heads, you could feel it in your lungs as you inhaled the air that felt so crisp and clean and clear. Lungs that were still alive and well.

It would be dawn soon. And they had to go. The world was cold and bitter; they needed to get to shelter and then continue to their agenda. They. Joel and Ellie.

And when they went your lungs would still work, and you still breathe in clean crisp air. But they wouldn’t be breathing for you.

So, pulling far enough away from Joel to look him in the eyes you plead wordlessly. They darted between his, begging him to understand their request and praying for him to accept it.

It took a moment, confusion crossed his face before it dawned on him. Though he should’ve known what you wanted.

He shook his head, holding your gaze. It was a cruel thing to ask. To want. How could he when he raised you? When he loved you?

But you just nodded. He had to. It was all you wanted. So the two of you just looked at each other and pleaded. You knew you were going to win. Joel always yielded for you.

Your eyes shifted for a moment to lock with Ellie’s, offering her a small smile. She looked confused, looking between you and Joel as the pieces started to fall into place.

You looked back to Joel again, wrapping your arms around him and hugging him for the last time. Your eyes fell shut and you felt him squeeze you back. It was so warm here.

“Love you, Dad.”

You were safe here.

And that’s the last thing you knew before he pulled the trigger.

—

likes and reblogs appreciated !!

#joel miller x reader #tlou angst #angst #tlou fanfiction #ellie x reader #joel miller comfort #joel miller x female reader #joel miller x gender neutral reader #joel miller x male reader

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theonlypastel · 1 month

Text

I finally watched Disneys Wish (2024) since it came out on Disney+ and I have a thought… or two.

Disney’s Wish (2024)

Thoughts and critiques

⚠️spoilers below the cut!!⚠️

So on my initial watch I actually kinda enjoyed it. Now HEAR ME OUT I CAN EXPLAIN-

I kind of enjoyed the songs (mostly because I didn’t really listen to the lyrics) and the movie and characters weren’t even that bad.

But after I thought about it some more and watched the behind the scenes videos I realized a couple things:

WE WERE ROBBED A STAR BOY LOVE INTEREST?!?

There are a couple things that weren’t even explained

Is Asha canonically the OG fairy godmother?

I still don’t know why Magnifico wanted the wishes all to himself

WE WERE ROBBED OF A VILLAIN COUPLE!!

My biggest gripe with the movie is how much potential it had, but it just fell short.

For this movie being Disneys big 100th anniversary project, it feels half baked. It felt unfinished, like I was watched the rough draft; the version that they show to a test audience to see what they needed to change and fix.

The people that worked on it kept saying that it was supposed to reflect the OG Disney that people know and love. If I’m being honest, they kind of missed the mark on it. As a movie in general it wasn’t terrible, but there were some things that were just missing.

Magnifico

Magnifico as a “classic Disney Villain” just didn’t make sense to me. He really has no clear reason for keeping the wishes all to himself. I know most of the classic villains were just kinda evil to be evil, but there was still a reason for them to be evil. (For example Malificent was salty about not being invited to the ball [kinda extra but whatever] the Evil queen wanted to be the fairest of them all,the witch doctor from Princes and the Frog wanted money,etc etc, you get the idea). The one thing they did though was making him and unredeemable villain. Bro was rotten to the core and had me hating him by the end of the movie, no matter how fine he is(one of the most handsome villains lemme just SAY)

And don’t even get me STARTED on his villain song. It felt too much like a lead up to his actual villain song. If there was a reprise or something like that later in the movie I could have accepted that. Theo whole thing just felt too upbeat and almost childish to me. They were cooking a little bit in the middle but they lost it again.

Star

I SIMPLY WILL NOT LET GO OF THE FACT THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY WERE ROBBED!! There was so much potential for this Peter Pan type character and possible love interest?? And it’s not even because I’m a romance buff, but most female leads in Disney classics have a love interest, and if I’m to believe that this is reminiscent of said classics, we need a love interest. (Also can we just collectively agree that Star Boy would be added the Tubler sexy man list with expediency? Yes? Ok.)

The Queen

I don’t have much to nitpick about the queen but WE COULD HAVE HAD A VILLIN DUO! There was so much potential for some BANGER villain duets. And sure the classics didn’t really have villain couples per se, but they had plenty of villain groups, so it still would have made sense.

The references

I expected a lot more references and Easter eggs from other Disney movies, but I was struggling. I was looking the whole time and all I found were some hidden Mickey’s and a few throw aways lines alluding to characters and other movies. This is Disney’s big 100th anniversary! It should be full of references from all 100 years of movies! Maybe that’s just me but those references weren’t cutting it for me.

The Fandom

The Wish fandom is actually thriving more than I thought. We made a whole fandom out of nothinggg! Fan art, edits, fanfics, animatics, whole entire songs!! You name it, we have it. Honestly we should have just made the movie ourselves.

Again I say as a base movie it wasn’t that bad. There were some witty lines I liked, the friend group was cool (prob some of my fave characters tbh). The talking goat was THE funniest character(argue with the wall) and the Star is very plushy-able and I WILL be buying it when the murch drops thank YOU. Plus the storyline made sense with it being about making your dreams come true and such, perfectly falling in line with the whole Disney brand.

There were plenty of good things about it but it just wasn’t enough to call it a good anniversary movie. I finished the movie feeling horribly underwhelmed. It just felt like another Disney movie. I expected a lot more.

I mostly likely will be watching it again just to see if I find more, and who knows maybe it will be better the second time around.

Also make sure to leave a comment so I can see if I’m alone thinking that this movie wasn’t entirely a mistake haha…

#disney #disney wish #wish 2023 #movie review #movies

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safety-pin-punk · 9 months

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Hi!

I’m sort of still getting into punk and learning about everything. You’re blog has been really helpful with resources and everything. Plus your cool.

Okayyy, now my question. I’m a junior in high school and I want to go to college. Pursue further education and all of that stuff. Learn more about the world and critical thinking. But I don’t want to pay a ton of money to a bunch of old ivy dudes.

What’s the right direction to go in for this? Is college a good option if I want to learn? What schools are good places? Where do I learn more about this stuff?

Sorry if this is a lot. Thank you though!

Hey! Thank you for your kindness!!

First off, Im going to stress that you are a junior and you have PLENTY of time to think about this. So dont stress too much right now.

Secondly, I want to preface this with the simple fact of college isnt for everyone. There are SO many ways to survive and thrive in life without it. And thats okay, good even! That being said, this post is just gonna be me talking about college. Under the cut of course

OKAY! So, is college a good option if you want to learn? My answer is yes! I learned a lot at college, both inside and outside my classes. I learned a lot of life lessons, I met people from all over the country (and a few international students). And I learned how to challenge my own beliefs and try to see things from perspectives that I didnt even know could exist prior to college.

But Im sure you were referring to the educational aspect. And truth be told, this heavily depends on both your school and you. Some examples: My school had a phenomenal chemistry program. You couldnt walk out of that program without having learned things if you made it through. But my school also had a very poor fine arts program. And to be quite blunt, I often wondered why any art student chose to stay. But going even further, it depends a lot on the individual as well. I was admittedly not the best student. I wasnt that interested in lab or research compared to some of my classmates, nor did I apply myself as much. And the difference is clear to see when others could rattle off different solvents and what reactions would occur from memory and I would be sitting there dumbfounded.

Next question, what schools are good places? Again, that fully depends on what you want to go to school for. But I’ll tell you what I did and how I chose my school. When I was a junior in high school, I found a list of every 4 year university in my state (I knew I wanted to stay in state, but you can do this for wherever you want to go). I then went through and gave each school a ranking out of 5 (based on vibes, chemistry program, education program, cost, and surrounding area). Once I had it narrowed down to only a few schools, those were the ones I toured. And I chose where to send applications from there.

Though, I cant stress enough how beneficial community college can be. A lot of people get all their gen eds out of the way either before they enroll in a university or over summers. Doing this will save you money and time. Literally not a single person on a university campus would look down on you for this. If anything, they will praise you for being smart. I took a few classes over the summers between semesters just to get them out of the way (and also avoid certain professors).

Where to learn more? Google. Google schools near you. Google schools where you want to go. Google schools ranked nationally in xyz. Google affordable universities. Google universities that have good financial aid programs. Just google so many things. From there, spend time exploring university websites. Read about their community and their academic programs. See if they have virtual tours uploaded. Check out their student activity board social medias to see what it would be like to be there as a student. Sign up for tours. Do an overnight visit if you can!! Or even, just walk around the campus without a tour guide

Best of luck to you on your academic journey! Hope I was a little helpful here

#mail tag

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acourtofthought · 3 months

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Since we’ve been immersed with the IC for so long I feel like it’s easy for us readers to be like “I wish Elain were more like them” or that she “needs” to be brave. I confess I’ve wished she were more brave.

But the IC are very cutthroat. It goes with the territory. It’s more suited for feyre and nesta personality types from who they were since they were little. Once weare away from just the ic (no hate i love the ic. It’s fun to see diff councils planning, got-style!) we can see other leaders who take a different approach, it will be easier to see Elain doesn’t “need” to be any other way. No need to force it, she will fit in with others naturally.

This is why I think readers (inc me in the past) would fret frustrated that she’s not contributing to the cause. I understand when readers want to see what she’s got but they complain she’s only doing her hobbies. I have nothing against her hobbies, I love them anctually, but I admit that sometimes those critiquing her hobbies go too far and harsh! But o think they just want to see her thrive in a fantasy-esque way. Kicking butt (not literally) and then going back to gardening :D

I think because we see the other girls do their hobbies and also save the day were like “girls can do both!” But I think if Elain were to stay at NC she would only be performing her hobbies, bcuz the IC leaves her out of everything. It’s SJM way of saying “shes not entirely accepted here and if she stays all she can do is bide her time by baking/gardening”

so when I see people say “so what if she only bakes and gardens?” I’m like? So she’d be the only female character to not be involved with the major events going down? You really want that for her? The argument has gone way out of hand. The entire point is being missed. Of the story we’re set up differently and we got a good look into those providing food for the warriors I’d be down with her contributing through her cooking skills, but npthingggg has given an indication of that.

Elain doesn’t fit in with IC, and that’s fine. They’re not the only ones out there. So many other cool councils! (Imagine helion’s council!!) and It’s not a fault, the IC just different from her (she’s probly not as uptight as them :P) frankly, I imagine a lot of ppl don’t get a long with the IC, and they do not trust others easily. They’re a tough to impress clique haha.

I feel like maybe Elain understands that arguing with the IC is pointless especially if you’re not part of the IC so she doesn’t push it too much. She knows they’re not her people. They are very secretive and even though she’s family, they’re also very business. There’s still a part of my brain that does kinda want Elain to stand up tot the IC but I know once we get pov that will change.

Different leaders and councils have different approach. the other leaders might still be ruthless, in a way, since they’re fae living in tough times, but maybe in a different way from the IC. In a way that Elain can agree with, with a group who will value her input on how to handle a situation in her own way and understand her methods and reasonings.

I’ve been thinking about Elain character becaus I’ve read other characters like her who I’ve really liked/loved I couldn’t understand why I didn’t feel the same for Elain.

I just wish that readers would understand that all these characters are unique individuals and that doesn’t mean one character is better or worse than the other. They’re just different that’s it. I think it will easier to see when we get her pov and she surrounded by the right ppl to her style!

Ive sent an ask before and every time I think it will be short it never is! So much to say haha. Tried to space it out to make it easier for you :P

I enjoyed your thoughts, thank you for sending them! I think Elain has tried contributing to the cause but it's evident that she's not encouraged or supported the way Nesta was. I think if Nesta had volunteered something in ACOWAR or the beginning of SF they would have been falling over themselves with excitement. Instead they reached out to Nesta for help and she shut them down at times. But when Elain does it they're more like, "yeah but Nesta....." And in SF we do see her beginning to fight back a bit because I think she's starting to realize that they are never going to count her as one of them. I think she's too observant not to notice the difference between how she's treated versus Nesta. But just as Feyre was never going to come into her own in the Spring Court, I think Elain will never truly shine in the Night Court.

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finn-writes-stuff · 2 years

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Okok so like, I have a big brain idea

So like, reader has an argument with Ethan and Karl (poly relationship pog) and storms out of the factory. Cue a time skip of about 5 hours, reader hasn’t come back, and they start to freak out. They search everywhere, and they’re no where to be found.

Turns out they’re talking to Donna and Angie. Why? Cause they need someone to vent to. And cause it also happened to be the day that they were supposed to go over for a tea party with Angie.

If you could make reader more on the masculine side that’d be very poggers

Thanks bestie I love you <3

Donna ended up getting a lot of focus here? That wasn't intentional, I just love her and Angie. I might write a second part to focus on the actual ship more.

Protective

Ethan Winters x Reader x Karl Heisenberg

Fandom: Resident Evil 8

Format: Oneshot

Warnings: Argument between the reader and their partners about boundaries about protectiveness. Brief mention of yelling at the reader.

Masc Reader, they/them pronouns used, only pet name used is babe

Character Masterlist Commission Info

“Despite what you seem to think, Karl, you aren’t the boss of me,” you snapped.

“I’m not trying to boss you around but you have to understand that it is dangerous out there, you’re gonna get killed if you keep running off without telling me.”

“Who’s gonna hurt me? The lycans? They know better. The other lords? I get along with them better than you do. And even if something happens, I can handle myself!”

“God, you’re so fucking headstrong, I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“And lock me up in your factory? As if. Fuck off, Karl.”

Tensions had slowly been rising in the factory over the last week, after your boyfriend had gotten annoyed over you coming home late. It felt like he was treating you like porcelain. You weren’t made of glass, you were thriving out here just as much as he and Ethan were. It was so frustrating to be treated like a child with a curfew.

Karl was regularly pushing the limits of his powers and energy, working late into the night. And Ethan had managed to lose multiple limbs in the space of you knowing him, even if he could reattach them with ease. So why were you the one getting lectured?

The tension had broken when you told Karl you were leaving for the day. Neither of you had meant for it to become an argument, but you were both too stubborn for your own good. Karl was pressing at his temples and you could tell he was keeping himself from starting to yell. Then Ethan walked in.

“Hey, you two good? What’s going on?”

“Tell them that they can’t keep running off whenever they like, they’re gonna get killed.”

“Tell him that he can’t order me around!” You protested immediately.

Ethan never enjoyed being in the middle of an argument. He could give as good as anything when he was arguing himself, but you could see him already trying to figure out how to least upset the both of you.

“Well, babe, it uh, is pretty dangerous out there-“

You were sick of this. You had plans today, you were going to be late and you had no patience left for the two of them acting like you couldn’t hold your own. You turned on your heel and stormed out of the room.

“Babe!”

“Shit, fine, go cool off.”

You ignored their voices behind you, navigating easily through the factory. It wasn’t fighting against you at least. You’d seen Karl bend the building to his will, rearranging it as he pleased. If he put his mind to it, he could keep you from leaving.

You knew him well enough to trust he wouldn’t though. Even with the frustration still burning in your veins as you stepped out into the snow.

——

A break from the factory had been exactly what you’d needed.

Your plans for today had been to visit Donna’s manor. Coming out here for tea and gossip was always a good way to let go of stress. Especially since Donna was such a good listener. You hadn't wanted to spend the whole visit complaining at her so it took a few hours for her to pull the story out of you.

“I just feel like they’re being overbearing, you know? I don’t need their protection.”

Donna nodded thoughtfully as you spoke, a new doll in her lap and Angie sitting on the table.

“Kill them!” Speak of the devil, Angie always had her own, very violent, advice.

"I don't think that's the answer here, no," You said, smiling. Even if her advice was unhelpful, it broke the tension that had been set into your muscles since the argument. "They're being...a lot, right now, but I love them and I know they mean well I guess."

Predictably, Angie stuck out her tongue at the rejection of her idea.

"Angie, dear, go play," Donna said softly, setting her down on the ground. The doll ran off immediately, already distracted by something she'd spotted on the floor.

When Donna looked back up at you, despite the heavy veil she wore, you could perfectly imagine the gentle smile she had. Her soft nature had always been a blessing in this world of chaos and you wouldn't trade this friendship for the world.

"It is good that there is no malice on either side and that you know that. But why let it become so angry?" Donna asked.

"Because Karl won't listen to me! And Ethan keeps taking his side even though he's gotten into more trouble than I ever have! And I'm not trying to keep him confined to the factory!"

"Does any part of you want to?"

"What?" You stopped, confused.

"Your Ethan has a knack for finding danger, no? Wouldn't it be nice to know he was safe?"

"Well, yeah, it would," you trailed off, letting yourself reflect on the anxieties that always seemed to surround you when your partners were gone, even though you knew they could protect themselves.

"So, even though you disagree with them, you understand where they are coming from."

"Yeah, but I'm not being unreasonable to not want to be treated like a child by my partners."

"You are not being unreasonable, you do require respect and boundaries with them. But if you want my advice, talk to them about how it feels for you all. You need to feel respected, they need to feel more secure about your safety and perhaps you need that as well. Perhaps you could find a solution that suits you all?"

"I, I'll talk to them. Thank you, Donna"

She nodded at you, and you could tell that the speaking had drained her. Even with your regular visits, she preferred to stay quiet most of the time. Talking could take a lot out of her. You appreciated that she had offered her advice despite that.

You were offered a few minutes of silence before there was a sudden pounding at the door, shocking you both. Angie immediately jumped over into Donna's arm and you gestured for them both to stay put as you went for the door.

You were surprised to come face to face with your boyfriends when you opened the door. Before you could even speak, you were pulled into their arms and could feel their racing heartbeats.

"You were just at Donna's, okay, okay," Karl breathed out, still holding onto you when Ethan stepped back.

"We are so sorry. For the argument, for uh, nearly breaking down Donna's door, all of it." Ethan said, offering you an apologetic smile. "But then you disappeared to get some air and you didn't take your phone and it's been hours. We kind of panicked."

"I am sorry for being an ass, but I would appreciate it if you kept your phone on you." Karl's voice was muffled as he pressed his face into your shoulder.

"I'm sorry, time got away from me. I didn't mean to make you worry." You reached over to squeeze Ethan's hand as you rubbed circles onto Karl's back. "If you let me go, I'll say goodbye to Donna and we can head home?"

It took a moment for you to be released, but they both stepped back, Ethan asking you to apologize to Donna for their brusque entrance.

Donna was sitting calmly on the couch, clearly having relaxed once she recognized the voices. She waved at you as you said your goodbyes, Angie sitting on her lap.

"I still think you should try my idea," the doll said, "But either way, you're coming back for tea again soon, okay?"

"Of course, Angie, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

#finnwrites #resident evil 8 #resident evil x reader #x reader #masc reader #re8 x reader #resident evil 8 x reader #karl heisenberg x reader #karl heisenberg #lord heisenberg x reader #ethan winters x reader x karl heisenberg #karl heisenberg x reader x ethan winters #oneshot #donna beneviento & reader

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nat-seal-well · 1 year

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Tid-Bit Tuesday!

I was tagged by @lovelylonerliterature 🥰💙

Tagging @ejunkiet @friendlyfaded @romirola @gingerbreadmonsters and anyone else who wants to share :)

This time I’m doing things a little bit differently! A few certain people who I follow (and adore very much) talked about The Wayhaven Chronicles enough to get me interested and check it out, lol. Naturally I had to try writing a fic for it. That’s just how it goes.

Also it’s kind of long I’m sorry—

He’d sit and watch, looking out through windows as humans passed him by and the others bickered and worked together behind him. Each person that crossed the window had a name, and a life, a whole little universe crammed inside of the big one everybody shares. What a thought!

It’s something Felix already knew, because his home world works much in the same way. But here, surrounded by mortality—this fine line all these strangers around him walk, almost as if on a tightrope—that seems to breathe new life into the concept. All their dulled senses means they go bigger, further, brighter, in every single way. In taste, touch, sight, sound, smell. All of it. None is left out. And the thing is, most of them don’t even realize. They never will.

He likes that about them. They’re wildflowers on a mountainside, splashes of natural and uncoordinated color. Just thriving where they’d been planted, brilliant, like paint splattered on a blank canvas.

Look at me, they seem to say. And he does. Looking, never touching. He’s never been one for picking flowers. Better to leave them in the soil, so they can grow and bloom. A vampire can’t become human any more than a hummingbird can become a flower, and none of the rest of his unit seemed to mind the divide. Clearly he wasn’t supposed to, either.

But he looked. For years. And dressed himself in their colors, in pinks and oranges and sunshine yellows that made the rest of his little team squint their eyes at the vibrant hues.

“It’s called blending in,” Felix said when Ava asked why. “It’s a disguise.”

“You stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Not when everyone else is dressed the same way. I’m practically invisible.” Then he grinned, and played with one tasseled end of the scarf he found, twirling the strands around his finger. Ava rolled her eyes but let it be.

No one else called him out on it and no one else asked him why. That was that. They might answer to a handler, but anyone who’s anyone (in Unit Bravo, that is) knows who runs the show and makes all the big calls. Nat just asked him to avoid neon whenever possible, because it hurt her eyes. And neon might be a little too bright for sneaking through cities at night, cool and vampire-like, so it wasn’t as if she had to twist his arm about it. Not that she would.

Mason, maybe. Or Ava.

In short, though, the team didn’t give him shit for it. No more than they already do, which is kind of part of being in a team. You don’t spend as much time together as they do and not get on each other’s nerves sometimes.

Almost like a family.

#the wayhaven chronicles #twc #twc fanfic #felix hauville #f hauville #tidbit tuesday #fic wip #so strange not adding my usual tags lmao #also I’m ridiculously nervous writing for a new fandom I’m sorry 😭

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cheeriecherry · 2 years

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The Lonely [Chapter Seven]

Pairing: Viktor x fem!Reader Warnings: blood, accidental murder, you briefly get impaled, mentions of depression/not wanting to live, dramatics on both your and Viktor’s parts, Fandom: Arcane Proofread: no lol

Chapter Summary: You have a bad day and the Viktor tries to make it better.

Three weeks have passed since Viktor woke up after you turned him. As you expected, he’s been a little cranky and terse in your few interactions, so you’ve been leaving him well enough alone. You know better than anyone what it’s like to suddenly have the world come alive around you, new sights and smells and sounds that never end; it’s beautiful, but wholeheartedly overwhelming for the first little while.

What surprises you is how well he’s handling it all: yes, he’s a little unpleasant to converse with at the moment, but he’s been quiet and comfortable so far - holed up in the library to read and study, equipped with those silly teething rings you’d gotten him and a mini-fridge full of blood bags. It’s a little unsettling how easily he’s able to fall back into his old lifestyle, but you’re trying to keep an open mind - you’d been forced into vampirism: Viktor had chosen this.

But you still have guilt weighing heavily on your shoulders, negative thoughts crowding and swirling around in your mind. Typically you’d just push them down, or distract yourself with other tasks, but nothing…feels right. You don’t need to sleep, and yet you find yourself lacking the energy to do more than just sit on a chair in the scullery and watch the snow fall through the window. Or maybe you lack the motivation? The most daunting task you have on hand is draining the basement, but you’ve got a hundred other things piled up on your list.

Why can’t you just pick one?

You sigh deeply, deep in the tangled mess of your thoughts. Apparently you’re loud enough that your friend hears you, though, even from all the way up in the library: he appears in the doorway most suddenly, startling you so badly that you pitch sideways out of your chair.

You glare up at him from the floor with halfhearted malice, and he offers you a hand as well as an apologetic smile.

“I didn’t mean to catch you at unawares,” he says, helping you to your feet. “Though you must be…incredibly distracted, not to have heard me approach. Are you alright?”

The genuine concern in his tone is what really ties your stomach in knots: you’ve been giving him space while he adjusts to his new life, but without his presence to aid your generally sour mood, you’ve been…spiraling. In the few months you’ve known him, you’ve gotten used to him as a presence in your life, and to not have him around - even temporarily, and for his own good - you’re lonely.

You want to see him every day; talk to him, learn with him, laugh with him, witness him thrive! You want to be there for all his new discoveries and triumphs, you want to listen to him excitedly dump facts about alchemy and science, you want…him. You want him, and it makes you feel guilty, and nauseous, and horrible. He’s going through so much, and for you to throw all your feelings at him in a time of vulnerability-

“Y/N?”

The sound of his voice brings you out of your head, and you snap back to the present with a small smile. “I’m fine,” you assure him, though it’s obvious he doesn’t believe you. You persist anyways, telling him, “I think I just need to hunt, is all. You know how scratchy the feeling gets.”

Viktor finds a seat in the chair beside you, and his cool hand finds a place on your thigh - meant to be a comforting gesture, you know, but if you had a heartbeat, it would certainly be fluttering in your chest.

“We have blood in the fridge,” he says softly.

You shake your head, pat his hand with your own, and try to offer him the same unconvincing smile. “That’s your blood, sweetheart,” you say gently, “It’s harder to get in bags, so we can’t go around wasting it while I’m able to catch my own.”

His fingers dig into your thigh. “We’ve got plenty. I just had some this morning-”

“I need to hunt, Viktor.”

The sharpness of your tone surprises both of you into silence, and you sigh again. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been…a little grouchy, lately.”

“So there is something bothering you, then?”

You crinkle your nose up. You don’t really want to tell him about everything you’ve been feeling; you know you should, and that he would definitely want to try and help you, but…would he blame himself at all? For being unavailable to you, even though he’d just had his life drastically altered?

It’s not his job to look after me, you decide.

“I’m restless,” you tell him, and it’s only half a lie. “Bagged blood is good when you’ve first turned - it’s easier to control yourself - but eventually the desire to… chase prey… arises. I need to let some energy out.”

He seems a little more convinced with this explanation, though the narrowing of his eyes makes you think that he knows there’s something you’re not telling him.

He doesn’t mention it, in any case, and you’re not going to jump at the chance to spill your secrets.

You rise from the chair, and Viktor lets his hand fall back into his own lap. You give him a quick kiss on the forehead, promise that you’ll be back before dinner, and disappear out the door into the snow.

___

Hikers are always your favourite type of meal. They’re easy to come by, since the land all around you is full of winding and meandering trails, and they’re easy to locate: they make so much noise tromping around in the underbrush, especially in the winter when everything is frozen and crisp. They’re the best tasting kind of human, deliciously warm, and with their hearts pumping hard in their chests.

Thinking about it as you wander along a secluded forest trail makes your teeth ache and the edges of your vision fade to black. Admittedly, you haven’t been the best at taking care of yourself in centuries past; going too long between meals, and making your hunts too primal and uncontrollable. You’d still managed to save the few people you had taken too much from, but it was questionable how their lives had fared afterwards - had they had a fruitful existence? Or had your momentary lapse in self awareness caused them to always be left behind?

You had never really enjoyed hunting. It satisfied the instinctual need to sink your teeth into a living creature, but it wasn’t pleasing by any means. You could never get into it like your father had: he had loved seeing the fear in the eyes of humans, and hearing them plead and beg as he bit into them and bled them dry. He’d tried time and time again to get you to take the same pleasure in the hunt, but you were steadfast and stubborn.

How different would you have been, if you’d been what he wanted you to be? Would you have turned Viktor with ease? Would you have even taken him in? Hell, would you have even stayed cooped up in an old castle all these years, or would you still be out in the world?

Your head throbs, and the corners of your vision darken again. Maybe Viktor had been right, earlier, when he’d suggested having some blood from a bag: you were in no state of mind to be hunting right now - not if you didn’t want to lose control and hurt someone.

You turn on your heel to head back home, only to freeze when you finally realize there’s someone standing behind you. A man maybe a little taller than you, donning typical winter walking gear as well as a surprised expression.

He looks somewhat wary as he watches you, not making any moves to come closer, but still too curious to turn the other way and run. You must be quite the sight, you think: hair a mess, and wearing nothing more than thin brown leggings and a billowing cotton shirt.

“Are you okay?” the man asks, swallowing thickly. You can see the pulse in his neck, hear how steady his heart is in his chest, and your head pounds again, darkness creeping further into your line of sight.

“Are you lost?” he wonders again, taking a couple steps towards you, “Jesus, you’ve gotta be freezing. I can take you back to town, though it’s a ways…shit, do you have anywhere to go-”

All at once, he stops pacing forward, stops talking, and stares at you. Something in your posture must have changed, the way you can feel your control slipping: he knows you’re a threat. His heart rate has nearly doubled, as if he’s realized his impending demise.

You try to fight against your instincts, try to stay where you are.

You take a step towards him.

He takes a step back.

You take another step.

He barely has time to turn around before you’re on him, tackling him into the snow in a flurry of hissing and shouting. The man struggles, wiggling and kicking and trying to throw you off, but you’re too strong: you pin his arms and sink your teeth into his neck, and then it’s only a matter of time before he goes limp. You’ve not given him enough venom to turn him, only to temporarily tranquilize him; he won’t even realize what’s happening while you feast on him.

His blood is bitter on your tongue, though. It’s as fresh as it can possibly be, and yet it does little to sate your constant thirst - it’s thin and watery, and doesn’t call to you the same way Viktor’s blood had. Though in your experience, no one has ever drawn you in like he has; not a human, nor a vampire.

You pause as you hear a soft click a little ways away, the darkness in your vision just beginning to fade, and not a second later, pain blooms hot in your shoulder.

You drop the man in your grasp, and stare down at the spot on your chest that now pinches and burns. You’ve been shot in the back, you realize, when you see some of your skin rising to a point just below your clavicle. The barest hint of silver - the head of a crossbow bolt - pokes through your skin.

Someone shot you.

All at once, the darkness that had been clouding your mind throughout the morning boils to red, and you feel your last shred of control snap in half.

It takes only a couple seconds to find the other person, hidden up in a tree some thirty feet away, cursing and complaining about ‘missing the shot’. You want to wonder what he means, but you’re fading.

The last thing you see before you’re consumed by red, is the face of a frightened man as you knock him out of a tree.

___

You come back to awareness slowly, as if waking from a deep slumber. You feel the tickle of your hair against your neck, and the scratch of tree bark on your arm. It’s quiet, you note, with not a sound of bird or mouse. The air is fresh - cold, even - and the soft ping of snowflakes on your skin rouses you further.

When you finally open your eyes, it’s dark. Not completely dark - not with your enhanced vision - but there is no light of moon or stars; the sky is cloudy, a dim orange reflecting down from the distant city lights.

You stir a little, tensing with a soft groan when pain radiates across your chest and down your arm.

What happened?

You look around blearily, trying to figure out where you are and what you’d been doing, and your gaze settles on a dark lump not far from you. Partially covered in snow, completely still and silent, but something about the shape is not quite organic to the forest.

You crawl towards the mass, ignoring the sharp sting across your torso, and settle beside it. You don’t need to touch it to realize what it is: you can smell the stale blood lingering in the air, as well as the beginnings of decay. Part of your mind vaguely remembers toppling the now-deceased man from up in a tree…but you’re not sure what killed him. Was it the fall? Or was it blood loss, after you drained him?

You push yourself away from the corpse, and shakily rise to your feet. You’re deep in the forest, and it’s snowing hard. No one would find the evidence of your crimes until at least the spring, when the ice would melt and the body would begin rotting faster. Even if you left tracks tonight, they would be covered by morning.

You nod to yourself, still dazed, and start off in the direction you know is home. You feel like you’re forgetting something, but with everything that’s happened, you just want to be back safe within the walls of your castle.

___

You walk quietly in through the front door, closing and barring the grand wooden slab behind you. You vaguely register Viktor calling to you, but you don’t reply; you’re in a haze, and you only have one thing on your mind.

Walking into the kitchen, you drag one of the knit rugs up off the floor, revealing a metal hatch laid into the stone. Viktor calls to you again, closer this time, and you continue to ignore him, instead pulling the little latch up and descending down the flight of stairs beneath it.

It’s not a particularly large cellar, nor is there much stored in it anymore. You kicked your habit of daydrinking nearly a century ago, but so many years on your own had left the poor wine racks nearly empty, and covered in dirt and dust. Shit, you weren’t even sure if the stuff was still good.

But regardless of what may be inside it, you select a large bottle and carry it back up into the kitchen, kicking the hatch closed behind you and haphazardly tossing the rug back over it.

A catch of breath sounds from behind you, and you flick your gaze towards Viktor, who is standing shocked in the doorway.

“Hello,” you rasp, pulling at the cork in the bottle. When it doesn’t come free, you hiss in frustration and wrap your hand around the neck, snapping the head clean off. The tiniest bit of wine spills, splashing down your hand, but you’ve no mind to care. You bring the jagged edge to your lips.

“What happened?” Viktor croaks, coming closer to you, his eyes wide. “You’re covered in blood- and is that an arrow in your shoulder?”

You take a long swig of wine, which had definitely soured sometime in the past two hundred years, and shrug.

“I got shot,” you say nonchalantly.

“I can see that. What the hell happened?”

You stare at him for a couple seconds, and then sigh.

“I fucked up, Viktor. I fucked up. I was cranky, and thirsty, and I was going to come home, and-” the memories come flooding back, “Fuck, I lost control, and I- I got shot, and- and-”

Your voice quivers harder with every word you speak, so you elect to take another couple mouthfuls of wine.

Viktor slowly makes his way to your side, and finally gets a decent look at the bolt protruding out of your right shoulder. He doesn’t ask about the person who shot you, knowing full well what ‘losing control’ means: instead he gently takes the bottle from your hands, and focuses on the thin rod stuck in your body.

You complain a little bit, reaching out for your drink, but he holds it well out of your grasp. “Consuming an entire bottle of questionable sixteenth century wine will not help your condition,” he says, shushing you when you try to argue, “But removing the, ah… debris from your shoulder will.”

You frown at him, but help him remove your bloodied shirt nonetheless, dropping it to the floor in a heap.

Viktor’s touch is gentle, as he studies the wound and assailing object. Even when he tugs on the bolt to test how stuck it is, he barely causes you any pain; you’re not sure if it’s because you’re still so out of it, or if it’s because he’s genuinely so careful with you.

He moves around to poke at the front of your body, where the tip of the arrow just barely pokes through your skin, and you watch him carefully. It miffs you, how little you can sense about him now. His cheeks don’t flush that pretty pink, and his heart can’t quicken in his chest anymore. You can’t tell if he’s totally focused on helping you, or if he’s just uninterested in the fact that you’re shirtless in front of him.

“It’s barbed,” he mumbles, dropping his hands away from you so he can pace around the kitchen. “Getting the bolt back out is going to be…unpleasant. If it were further through your body, we could pull it out easier, but-”

“Just push it through,” you say, and Viktor pauses mid-step.

“Just- excuse me?”

“Just push it the rest of the way through, and yoink it out,” you say again.

Viktor looks at you as if you’ve grown a second head. “I’m not going to impale you!”

“Pity.”

“You!” He pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance, “Are in a decidedly foul mood.”

You throw your arms up, ignoring the sting in your shoulder. “I wonder why!” you nearly yell, “Maybe because I murdered someone? Actually, no, I think I murdered two someones, but I don’t fucking remember!”

“It’s not just tonight, Y/N! You’ve been unpleasant ever since-” he takes a breath, and his next words are calmer, “-ever since you turned me.”

You roll your eyes, and march over to the nearest stone wall. Viktor watches you in question for a couple seconds, and by the time he realizes what you’re doing, you’ve already slammed your back - and the crossbow bolt - against it. It pierces easily through your skin, and you rip it the rest of the way out before he can do anything.

“I’m fine,” you say, gesturing to the hole that is swiftly knitting itself shut. “I’m already healing-”

In a flurry of movement, Viktor shoves you back against the wall. He’s strong enough now that his grip on your arms makes your bones ache, and you can’t escape no matter how much you wiggle.

“Whether or not you’re healing is beside the point,” he hisses, anger lighting up in his eyes, “By the gods, why are you always so ready and willing to hurt yourself?”

You pause, your own malice fizzling away at his words, and all at once a deep sadness replaces it. Tears well up in your eyes, no matter how hard you fight them, and tumble down your cheeks. “Because I’m old and I want to die, Viktor. And I can’t. And now I’ve condemned you to the same fate, and I- I’ve killed people, and- and- I don’t deserve good things!”

As your words sink in, his grip on your arms loosens to naught but a gentle touch, and the rage fades from his eyes as he lets his head fall forward to rest in the crook of your neck. “You still think you’ve damned me,” he mumbles, breath cool on your skin.

You say nothing, trembling harshly as you fight against the sobs bubbling in your chest.

Viktor releases his grip on your arms, pulling back a few inches to instead take your face in his hands. All the anger is gone from his expression, an unnamed intensity rising up in its stead. “I will say this as many times as I have to. Every day, if that is what it takes: my pain is gone because of you. I can breathe because of you. I am alive because of you. You have given me life beyond what I ever thought possible, and I intend to savor its many pleasures.”

He draws you closer, resting his forehead against yours, thumbing away the tears that leave tracks down your cheeks.

“However long it takes for you to believe me, I will wait,” he continues, “I will stay here in this old castle, gathering what knowledge it provides, and one day when you deem me ready, I will bring all of it to the world.”

Panic shoots through you at his suggestion of leaving, but he’s quick to calm you, “And wherever I go, I will take you along with me. We can see what lays beyond this castle, the moor, the sleepy little town down the hill. We can go anywhere you want, experience anything. We can get out of your father’s shadow, and away from the horrors he’s left behind.”

“Just…please,” He swipes the final tear from under your eye, “Zlatíčko, say you’ll stay with me, and try to let the world back in? However long it takes, just…try?”

Overcome with emotion, enticed by his pretty words and soft touch, you close the distance he’s kept between you. You kiss him, in a way so unlike the first; no longer are you reassuring him in a moment of panic, but seeking such a thing from him instead. He pulls you closer, his fingers knitting together behind your neck, and leans into you, pressing you against the wall.

He parts from you a couple moments later, leaving a trail of tiny kisses across your jaw and down your neck, to where he noses at your collarbone. His shallow breaths tickle at your skin, and you shiver at the sensation.

“I would have you right here,” he mumbles, pressing a mischievous kiss to your skin, “but I think we need to talk first. Perhaps after a bath, if you’re amenable?”

#The Lonely #viktor x reader #viktor arcane x reader #arcane x reader #vampire!reader #vampire!viktor #inappropriate settings for declarations of love #im hellbent on making this so fucking dramatic #and a tiny bit of plot if you squint

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whatstruthgottodowithit · 1 month

Text

The Dating Game [Part Two]

Fandom: Harry Potter [Marauders Era]

Pairing: Sirius Black x Original Female Character, James Potter x Original Female Character, James Potter x Lily Evans

Characters: James Potter, Sirius Black, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Dorcas Meadow, Original Female Character, Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, Sabrina Lovegood

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 5897

Summary: James and Sabrina decide to play the dating game.

Tags/Warnings: Fake Dating, Fake Couple, Kissing, Jealousy, Quidditch, Arguing, Angst, Fluff, MASTERLISTS // TAG LIST

Notes: Sabrina face claim Sabrina Carpenter <3

PART ONE // PART TWO // PART THREE

Following their agreement James and Sabrina hadn’t really spoken about what ‘dating’ would mean. Now that she was no longer sulking he suggested they go and finish studying in the library rather than a drab toilet block and in there it was too crowded to talk about logistics which is probably why she found a very frantic looking James loitering in the common room the following morning, trying to appear as though he wasn’t waiting for her.

‘Hey Sabs,’ he said, with an awkward smile as she appeared from the staircase. He was dressed in a shirt and jeans, his coat tossed over the ratty couch he was perched on the top of, talking to Sirius who turned as she appeared.

‘Hey,’ she said, glancing at Sirius. She was still miffed at him and irritated that her heart sped up at a mere glance his way. He too was dressed in muggle clothes but where James stayed neat and presentable (until it got to that messy mop of hair) Sirius seemed to thrive in scruffiness. His T-shirt hung loose on his athletic frame, his jacket was unzipped and his choice of shoe was a pair of doc martens she knew he’d bought to annoy his mother. He looked effortlessly cool and irritatingly handsome.

‘We’re waiting for Moony, heading off to the village if you want to join?’ James said.

‘Oh I think I’m meeting Mar,’ Sabrina said which was true but from the look on James’ face she knew it wasn’t a casual invitation. He wanted to speak to her. Sirius however didn’t catch the look on his friend’s face and grew sheepish, appearing to take her rebuttal as a continuation of her sulking.

‘I think she already went down with Mary,’ Sirius said quietly.

‘Oh,’ Sabrina replied.

‘Like I said, you're welcome to join us,’ James said, his eyes widening with suggestion. Sabrina smiled in recognition, ‘yeah, why not.’

‘I’ll just go and check where he is,’ James said, pushing up off the couch and heading to the stairwell. Once he was gone, just leaving the two of them behind in awkward silence, Sabrina folded her arms across her chest suddenly very interested in staring at the soft pink of her new nail polish. She could feel Sirius watching her and she could hear James’ words in her head - ‘He’s different when it comes to people he cares about’. She wanted to believe that was true but she still felt unsure until she heard him clear his throat to get her attention, his face remorseful when she looked up at him.

‘We’re alright aren’t we?’ he asked, genuine worry weaved in his tone which admittedly made her feel better.

‘You upset me,’ she said truthfully.

‘Never said I wasn’t a prat,’ he said, nudging her foot with his shoe. Sabrina smiled and rolled her eyes, ‘at least you’re aware.’

‘Yep,’ Sirius grinned, ‘even if I wasn’t the bollocking James gave me is enough to get anyone up to speed.’

‘James bollocked you?’ she asked, shocked.

‘Him and Moony take it in turns,’ Sirius said, ‘they have a point though. Sorry about yesterday.’

‘It’s fine,’ she said.

‘Yeah?’ he asked.

‘Yeah me and James talked it out. Not a big deal,’ she said.

‘Oh good,’ Sirius said, only half surprised it had been James to convince her to let him back in her good books. After all, cleaning up his messes was practically James’ full-time job at this point, ‘he’s a good one that Prongs.’

‘Yeah he is,’ Sabrina agreed.

✵✵✵

‘So what do we do?’ James murmured in Sabrina’s ear. He was standing behind her, perusing the table of neatly stacked books or at least pretending to. They hadn’t gotten a minute to talk about anything let alone tactics and she could tell he was growing antsy with waiting. Whenever they did pranks it was like this, where the others could bide their time and plan he wanted to rush in hence why he’d asked Lily out nigh on fifty times this year. Sabrina picked up a book and turned to show it to him. To anyone else they’d just look like they were perusing the offerings of Hogsmeade finest book shop, Tomes and Scrolls, rather than planning a fake relationship.

‘What do you mean?’ she asked quietly.

‘Well do I ask you out? Do we hold hands and tell them we’ve got together?’ James probed.

‘No, no nothing like that yet if we go over the top they’ll know somethings not right,’ she reasoned to herself more than anyone. No, This needed finesse.

‘So what?’ James asked, taking the book from her and flipping through a couple of pages. It gave her an excuse to lean in, close enough no one would be able to hear without being stood right next to them, placing her hand on his arm as she looked over the book.

‘I don’t know, maybe you mention how we had a good chat yesterday, lay the foundations of something changing, spend some time together just the two of us and then just announce it happened naturally.’

‘Mm,’ James said, his gaze still on the book, his glasses perched on the end of his nose.

‘What?’ Sabrina asked self-consciously. James grinned, ‘nothing. But considering you’re not a marauder you’re quite good at this prank stuff.’

After the bookshop they decided to head to the three broomsticks to avoid the slight chill blowing through the village which had been trying its best to bask in the spring sunshine. It was crowded inside with other students having the same idea but they spotted Marlene and Mary tucked away at the back, waving them over.

‘Fancy a drink?’ Sirius asked, looking back at his friends as he headed towards the bar.

‘Butter beer please mate,’ James said.

‘Make it two,’ Remus added.

‘Bri?’ He asked. Sabrina hesitated and glanced at her watch. She’d only come to the village for quills but since they were early she’d opted to follow them around. Now time was ticking on and though she’d come inside to get out of the cold she did have a choir practice to get to. But Sirius was watching her, those puppy dog eyes in full force. He’d been better today, overcompensating for their crossed word but still his natural charming self. She loved him like that and unwilling to let it go just yet she said, ‘a quick one. I’ve got choir in an hour.’

Sirius gave her a fake salute and headed to the bar before she headed to join the table of her friends. Marlene and Mary were on a booth side and Remus and James had taken a stool each around the table which meant there was only one seat left at the table and glancing around she didn’t spot any others free. Noticing her predicament James scooted over, leaving half a seat for her to perch on, his arm around her hip so that she wasn’t falling off. None of them seemed to notice because Mary was too busy grinning at her friend as she said, ‘hey Sabs.’

‘Hi,’ Sabrina replied.

‘Thought you couldn’t stay in the village today,’ Mary said casually though her eyes were locked on Sabrina as if she had something up her sleeve.

‘I’ve gotta go soon,’ Sabrina said, as Sirius appeared at her side and placed a tray of butterbeers on the table. He doled out the drinks, receiving looks of appreciation in return as Mary continued, ‘that’s a shame you could’ve said hi to Gabe. He’s been looking over here every five seconds.’

‘I’m not stopping,’ Sabrina said, fighting the urge to look at where Gabriel was sitting.

‘He’ll be crushed,’ Marlene giggled. Sabrina said nothing and picked up her butterbeer, taking a sip and hoping the sweet foam would be enough to make her not feel guilty about turning the boy down. Though as she did she locked eyes with Sirius who seemed unsure about how to tackle the topic given his previous input had not been well received. As he lowered his gaze though he noticed James’ hand planted firmly on Sabrina’s hip, his thumb entangled in the belt loop. Which is probably why James felt her tense, uncomfortable at the scrutiny, and promptly changed the topic to quidditch.

Sabrina kept quiet though most of the afternoon. It wasn’t exactly comfortable sitting in the pub feeling three sets of eyes on her but she didn’t want to flee for the second day in a row. James kept glancing at her making sure she was okay given how quiet she was. Sirius kept looking at her oddly, as if he wanted to ask her something but couldn’t find the words. And there was a distinct hot patch on the back of her head where Gabriel kept staring, not stupid enough, probably hurt but too proud to come and ask if she had lied about being free to spare his feelings.

Fortunately time finally ticked on close enough to her choir practice start time that her leaving wouldn’t be weird. With an exaggerated look at her watch she grabbed her bag and said, ‘I should probably head back. I’ve got choir practice.’

‘Rather you than me that wind looks Baltic,’ Mary said, looking out the window at the wizards and witches who hurried past looking windswept and ruddy from cold.

‘I’ll be fine,’ Sabrina said, grabbing her bag from under the table. Even though she’d only gone down to the village for quills it had managed to become quite heavy, with not only her extra spoils but Sirius, James and Remus’, all of them looking at her with begging expressions before she took whatever they’d bought and dumped it into her bag. She groaned under the weight.

‘Here give us that,’ James said, taking the bag from her, unbothered by the heaviness, ‘I’ll walk you up.’

‘You don’t need to,’ Sabrina said though her shoulder was already aching from the tiniest lift.

‘I don’t mind,’ James said, standing up tall and placing the bag on their vacated stool whilst he got his jacket on. Sabrina looked at him curiously but not having the time to waste threw on her own coat.

‘Why don’t we all head back,’ Sirius said, looking between them both.

‘Nah it’s alright mate,’ James said, swinging the bag over his shoulder, ‘right Sabs?’

‘Yeah,’ Sabrina said, unfurling her hair from where it nestled in the collar of her coat, ‘see you guys later.’

‘See you later,’ Mary, Marlene and Remus replied as the pair began to weave through the tables. Sirius watched them go before turning back to his butterbeer, a pout on his face.

Mary was right, the wind was bitter outside, hitting Sabrina’s face like little needles as they made their way through the village and onto the path back to the castle. She was quiet, focusing on trying to stop her teeth from chattering when she felt James’ eyes on her and looked to find him watching her, a smile on his face.

‘What?’ she asked with a smile.

‘Nothing,’ he shrugged, ‘you okay?’

‘Fine why?’ she replied.

‘You felt off, in the pub I mean,’ he said. He had been watching her most of the time, quiet and thoughtful. Sabrina sighed, ‘I felt bad about Gabe.’

‘Ah,’ James said. They had slowed down, the path in front of them now slick with a thick, muddy puddle that students had churned into slop as they walked to and from the village. James moved to the edge of the path and took a long stride, dipping his trainers in the shallowest spot of slutch so that he could launch himself to the other side of the water. Sabrina watched him go with envy. He was quite a bit taller than her and had an athletic grace about him that helped him get along with no issue at all. For her it was probably going to be a staggered squelch through the muck that would leave her muddy for choir practice and that was if Filch didn’t catch her first.

‘Here,’ James said, seeing her trying to plan her route. He offered his hand out, and she took it gratefully, allowing him to direct her until she was safely on terra firma.

‘Thanks,’ she said, as they started up the path. To her surprise he didn’t let go of her hand, his slender fingers wrapping around her small ones. His hand was cold, but so was hers so she couldn’t complain.

‘You didn’t have to come with me you know,’ she said. The castle was coming into view now, the grey stone looking darker as the bright spring afternoon lit it from behind.

‘I wanted to make sure you were okay,’ he said, offering her a smile that grew cheekier as he said, ‘besides a boyfriend would.’

✵✵✵

Over the next couple of days Sabrina and James put all their efforts into seeming quite the couple. They didn’t tell anyone but they did everything they could to arouse suspicion. Sitting together at meal times, disappearing to the library together, appearing together everywhere they went. She laughed at his jokes, an obscene giggle she had never heard come from her lips before and he was distinctly more familiar with her, carrying her bag, letting her rest her feet on him when they lay on the couch, her head on his shoulder during long study sessions. It didn’t take long for people to start noticing the difference but it was a while before anyone dared ask outright and of course it was Mary who did it first.

‘Okay what’s going on?’ she said, turning to look at Sabrina who had been sitting on the bench beside her reading her book instead of watching the gryffindor quidditch practice she’d been dragged to. She had been endeavouring to watch, something that the girlfriend of a quidditch superstar would do, but the game didn’t really interest her and so she had given up half way through. Apparently so had Mary, watching her instead of the game, an accusing look on her pretty face.

‘What do you mean?’ Sabrina asked, closing her book as she mustered her most innocent expression.

‘You and Potter,’ Mary said.

‘What about me and Potter?’ Sabrina asked.

‘Somethings going on,’ Marlene said from Mary’s other side. Sabrina looked between them, not daring to look at Lily beside her as she took a breath and said, ‘we’re dating.’

‘I knew it!’ Mary giggled.

‘Oh my god,’ Marlene gasped.

‘Since when?’ Lily asked, decidedly less amused than her other friends. Sabrina looked at her, a sympathetic smile on her face. Lily looked irritable but Sabrina knew there was only one reason for that. She didn’t have much chance to dwell on it though as Mary slapped her thigh to get her attention and said, ‘come on.’

‘Oh, um, about a week,’ Sabrina said.

‘How did that happen?’ Marlene asked excitedly.

‘We just got to talking, after the Gabe thing, I was a bit upset and he checked up on me. He was really sweet actually,’ Sabrina blushed.

‘But I thought he liked Lily,’ Mary frowned.

‘Probably just like winding me up,’ Lily sniped.

‘He wasn’t,’ Sabrina said, ‘but you don’t like him right?’

‘Course not,’ Lily said, utterly unconvincing. Marlene and Mary shared a look as a palpable tension settled between the girls.

‘Because if you do I would-’

‘I don’t like James bloody Potter,’ Lily grumbled.

‘Okay, okay, just checking,’ Sabrina said. She’d known the redhead was stubborn but this was unparallelled. Fortunately Mary was the one who spoke next.

‘Well that’s good. If you two like each other why not,’ Mary said, ‘he is proper fit.’

‘Hey you should be careful Mary, he’s a taken man now,’ Marlene giggled, deepening Lily’s scowl.

‘I don’t mind,’ Sabrina giggled, trying her best to ignore the red head. After all, she had a chance to speak up now but she wasn’t. She could put a stop to all this lunacy once and for all if she was just honest with herself and still nothing.

‘I bet,’ Marlene said, before she stood up, noticing that the team were now descending one by one to the ground and headed into the changing rooms, ‘c’mon they’re finished.’

Sabrina stood, throwing her book back into her bag and smoothing out her skirt until it was no longer crumpled. As the girls shuffled out of the bench Lily placed her hand on Sabrina’s arm forcing her to stop, ‘congratulations I suppose.’

‘Thanks,’ Sabrina said and with that Lily pushed past her and followed her friends down towards the changing rooms.

Sabrina trudged along behind them rolling her eyes at how stubborn Lily was being. She just wished she would get it over with. Be open and honest about her feelings for once. After all, hadn't she been putting James through the wringer just for the sake of it? She tried to put it out of her mind and let her sulk, but her idea was thwarted as Mary called out to where James and Sirius were appearing out of the changing rooms, now decked out in their normal clothes rather than flying gear.

‘Oi Potter,’ she hollered, causing the pair of them to look her way, ‘congrats.’

‘What for?’ James asked, his brow furrowed. Sabrina knew where it was going and rather than have Mary scream it throughout the grounds she pushed herself forward and said, ‘I told them.’

‘Told them, oh, told them,’ James said, his thoughts clicking into place as she stared at him pointedly, ‘thanks MacDonald.’

‘Told them what?’ Sirius asked gruffly from beside him.

‘We’re dating,’ James said, offering an arm out for Sabrina to climb under. She moved quickly to him, nestling into his side in a way that made Mary and Marlene giggle and Sirius and Lily’s unimpressed looks deepen.

‘Since when?’ Sirius asked with a scowl.

‘About a week,’ James said, analysing his best friend's face for any trace of anger or hurt, not entirely unconvinced Sirius wouldn’t lamp him then and there. But no, Sirius was much too proper for that and forced his face into something neutral, his anger not on James but Sabrina as he accusingly said, ‘I thought you didn’t want to date anyone.’

‘Well he’s not just anyone is he,’ she said, ignoring the flutter in her stomach at his disapproval instead leaning into James’s shoulder. Lily looked away.

‘Soppy gits,’ Marlene teased.

With that they made their way back to the castle, Hogwarts hottest couple striding ahead with Marlene and Mary asking several questions as they headed back up the path to the castle. Sirius and Lily brought up the rear, trudging silently behind their friends, sulky faces mirroring one another.

After a while Lily managed to get a hold of herself, scarfing down dinner and proceeding to the library, but Sirius remained glum and muttered something about heading to bed the moment he’d finished his pudding. James and Sabrina shared a look but said nothing other than polite goodbyes.

When James did go to bed all three of his dorm mates were already up there pottering about their bedsides as prepared for sleep. James went to his bed without a word, kicking his shoes under the bed and shirking his jacket off. Remus was sitting in the bed next to him, reading peacefully, and he could hear Peter in the bathroom finishing up brushing his teeth before he appeared a second later. He didn’t dare look over at Sirius who was throwing his clothes wherever they landed as he shoved on his pyjamas. James had just pulled his shirt off when he heard Remus speak, not looking up from his book as he said, ‘the rumour mill says you and Sabs are dating.’

As his gaze went to James so did everyone else’s, Peter's mouth dropping open as he heard the news for the first time. He could feel Sirius glaring at him but he kept his focus on Remus as he replied, ‘yeah we are.’

‘Since when?!’ Peter gasped.

‘Couple of days,’ James shrugged, for once feeling hot under true scrutiny, his normal penchant for attention all but vanished.

‘Bloody hell!’ Peter beamed, ‘congrats mate.’

‘Thanks,’ James said hesitantly as he looked at Remus who seemed less enthused, ‘aren’t you happy for me Moony?’

‘Are you happy?’ Remus asked.

‘Course,’ James said.

‘Then of course I am,’ Remus shrugged though he glanced over at Sirius, who gaze was now intently fixed on undoing his watch. James cleared his throat and without thinking the black haired boy looked up.

‘You alright mate?’ James asked. Now was his chance. All he had to do was admit to the feelings he blatantly had. But he didn't, instead he diverted his attention to another topic, one that made James’ insides churn as it required lying.

‘What about Lily?’ he asked, throwing his now undone watch on the bedside table. James swallowed.

‘What about her?’ he asked, praying his voice wouldn’t crack.

‘You’ve talked about her every day since third year,’ Sirius said.

‘Yeah and she’s clearly not interested in me,’ James said, the words hurting his mouth as they came out though he reminded himself of what Sabrina had said, why they were putting on this show in the first place, ‘might as well be with someone who does.’

‘If you’re just dating her for the sake of it-’ Sirius started angrily.

‘Since when do you care about treating girls properly,’ James said harshly. It was getting heated now, he could tell from the way Remus sat up, preparing to get involved if needed, but he didn’t back down. It didn’t have to be like this if Sirius would just be honest with himself, with his best friend.

‘She’s my friend,’ Sirius said angrily.

‘Yeah and she’s my friend too,’ James replied just as irritably.

‘More apparently,’ Sirius sniped.

‘So? Have you got a problem with that?’ James baited.

‘Why would I?’ Sirius huffed, stomping towards the bathroom before slamming the door behind him angrily, the force of it making the thin windows rattle. James sighed and sat down on his bed.

‘I’m happy for you James,’ Peter said as he climbed into his own bed. James smiled weakly, ‘thanks mate.’

✵✵✵

To no one’s surprise James and Sabrina were the talk of the entire year. No one had seen this romance coming, with several confused about just how it had come about, and yet almost every began to accept them with only two exceptions. Lily seemed to have taken the slight on the chin, being overly okay with the pair of them, even when they added a hand holding or hug in front of her for flourish. Sirius however was in quite the mood and seemingly avoiding them whenever he could. James had commented on him not being around but he had shrugged and told him he was busy which was why James was surprised he’d opted to join their study session. In the run up to exams the great hall had been opened up in between meals to allow students more places to revise. It wasn’t as quiet as the library or as comfortable as the common room but it did encourage students to support one another which everyone needed during the busy season. Teachers had even started presiding over these periods, offering to mark practice essays or papers if students wanted it.

James had just given his to Professor McGonagall who appeared at his shoulder and handed it back as she said, ‘well done Potter and good luck for tomorrow.’

‘Thanks Professor,’ James said, taking the piece of parchment from her to find Exceeds Expectations elegantly written in red ink at the top of his paper. He tucked it under his stack of homework with a smile.

‘Ready for tomorrow then?’ Sabrina asked with a smile.

‘Think so,’ James said, ‘though the weathers not looking good so I’ll take all the luck McGonagall’s offering.’

‘You don’t need luck, you’ll be great,’ Sabrina said, rolling her eyes.

‘Well I have to be when my little cheerleader is in the stands,’ James teased. Sabrina giggled, her lack of interest for the game despite being his ‘girlfriend’ amusing them both. Especially considering Lily’s appreciation for quidditch had come out of the blue, James the topic of conversation in any post-match analysis she offered.

‘Oh I’ll be front and centre with my Pom poms,’ Sabrina mused.

‘Might even seal the victory with a kiss eh?’ Sirius said scathingly from across the table causing both their heads to turn to look at him. He wasn’t looking up, pretending to read from a heavy textbook though he must’ve been listening to be able to interject. It was the most he’d said all period.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ James asked tersely.

‘Nothing,’ Sirius shrugged, ‘I just find it odd that the two of you haven’t kissed yet.’

‘Who says?’ Sabrina scoffed. It was true, though they’d made a good show of it their feelings were still platonic and somehow kissing felt over the line even if it was pretend. She didn’t think anyone had noticed.

‘Well I haven’t seen you kiss him,’ Sirius said, his grey eyes challenging as he watched her before looking at those around and asking, ‘anyone else?’

No one replied but there were a couple of sceptical murmurs further up the table, a distinct thud as Mary slapped Marlene’s thigh making her fall quiet in case it interrupted the show. Sirius smirked.

‘Funny that.’

‘Well sorry to disappoint but this isn’t a window in Amsterdam,’ Sabrina snapped.

‘Sabs is right just because we don’t flaunt ourselves in front of you-’ James reasoned, earning a snort from Lily. As eyes turned towards her she pretended not to notice and shrugged, ‘well when has James Potter ever not flaunted something.’

‘Maybe some things are private,’ Sabrina snapped, grabbing her parchment and scrambling over the desk so that she could join the back of the queue for McGonagall.

She was seething though she didn’t know why. Of course all this was to make them think they were dating so that they’d come clean but what was the point if they didn’t believe it? More importantly had they not said anything because they knew their friends were messing with them.

She was about ten deep in the queue which was moving slowly as a beak nosed second year was holding it up, asking McGonagall a million questions about his upcoming transfiguration exam. She stood with her arms folded, pouting, but she straightened up when she felt someone come and stand behind her. As they leaned in and spoke she tensed.

‘You’re not dating are you,’ Remus’ soft soothing voice whispered in her ear. Sabrina whipped around, looking at his scarred face and finding a sympathetic smile breaking the one across his lips apart. She swallowed thickly, ‘of course, I mean why would…how did you know?’

‘Because you like Sirius as much as James likes Lily,’ he said simply, gesturing for her to move forward as the line moved up. This was what baffled her. How could every boy in Hogwarts see her true intentions but the one she wanted to.

‘Oh,’ she said softly, ‘should’ve known you’d work it out.’

‘Only because he’s too busy moping to see what’s in front of his face,’ Remus whispered, his face growing thoughtful as he asked, ‘why?’

‘Because,’ Sabrina said as if that was an answer. Remus merely raised an eyebrow making her sigh and say, ‘because everyone seems to be intent on playing games instead of being bloody honest! We just figured we would join in, see if it made a difference.’

‘Ah,’ Remus said knowingly, meandering forward another step. They were only a couple of people away from McGonagall now and moving quickly as the older years had no time or want to chit chat with her and simply handed over their work without issue.

‘Don’t say anything,’ Sabrina pleaded, dropping a voice to a whisper just in case her house mistress was listening. No doubt if she knew she’d put a stop to all this silliness whether that just be for the benefit of the quidditch scores she didn’t know.

‘My lips are sealed,’ Remus said as the pair of them redhed the front and handed over their essays. McGonagall nodded curtly and tucked them to the back of her pile.

As they turned around James appeared, his bag slung over his shoulder and a scowl on his face though it relaxed as he approached them. Sabrina felt her stomach flip flop wondering what she had missed.

‘Everything okay?’ Remus asked first.

‘Everyone keeps muttering about us kissing,’ James sighed, looking at Sabrina as he said, ‘wanna go?’

Sabrina looked down the table to where Sirius was sitting a self satisfied smirk, one that always roused whenever he was immensely pleased with himself,which he evidently was now that he had gotten the students around them buzzing about their personal displays of affection. She sighed, she did still have things to be doing work wise but there was no way she'd be able to sit still hearing everyone rabbit on about her in hushed tones and so she nodded, smiling sympathetically at Remus who offered her a reassuring wink indicating he’d keep her secret for her. After grabbing her bag, ignoring the cool gaze of Sirius Black they headed out of the great hall together, James’ arm slung over her shoulder.

✵✵✵

After the upset in the great hall the pair decided that being around people wasn’t their favourite thing for now and so retreated to the safety of the girls bathroom, even though it meant skipping their last lesson. They stayed there for a long time, working in comfortable silence before eventually James’ stomach growls got too loud to ignore and the pair headed for some food, favouring going to the kitchens rather than sitting in the hall again. Once they loaded up on dinner they headed back to the tower, the cold stone of the bathroom no longer an appealing option.

Sabrina had been in the boys dormitory before, on a couple of occasions but it was mostly to study with Remus or listen to music with Sirius rather than to hang out with James. Which was a surprise given the immaculate conditions he kept his side of the room in and the ample amount of sweets he managed to scrounge up, promising her he’d buy Remus them back as soon he had a chance. It was nice even if it did end up with them doing their own thing, James polishing his already spotless broom and Sabrina reading her book. Though as she watched him, ensuring the handles shined bright as a galleon she couldn’t help but feel the niggle that Sirius had a point.

After all how many girls had she seen Sirius kiss, too many to count, even if he had slowed down a bit this year. He was never going to believe that she and James were a couple unless he had visual proof. The only problem was that she had never kissed anyone. That was why she was so reluctant to do so, waiting for the right person, a certain tall, dark and handsome prat. But if it wasn’t going to be him, why not James.

Though she was sure he’d already got it as clean as possible he rubbed furiously on a piece of chrome, pink tongue jutting out between his lips as he concentrated, but he looked up as she placed her book down and scooted to the edge of the bed. He watched her, placing his broom so that it leaned up against one of the supports of his four poster, waiting for her to say something.

‘Maybe they’re right,’ she said nervously.

‘Right about?’ he asked.

‘Us kissing,’ she said embarrassedly dropping her gaze to her lap, ‘I mean we’re supposed to be a couple so I guess they have a point.’

‘Yeah, you’re right,’ James said, though admittedly the only reason he hadnt kissed her so far was because he was sure that would drive Sirius over the edge and not in the desired way. He just wanted his friend to be honest with himself, he didn’t want a black eye. Sabrina hesitated, deliberating on what to say before she said, ‘maybe we should try it…now instead of in front of everyone.’

‘Yeah,’ James said, ‘good idea.’

She shuffled forward, allowing her legs to hang over the edge of the bed though given the height of it they barely skimmed the floor. James turned, placing his hand behind her on the bed so that he could see her properly. He had thought she was just going to lean in and kiss him but she kept her eyes down, too nervous to look up as she muttered, ‘have you ever…you know?’

‘Oh, um yeah,’ he said, his cheeks flushing as he clocked on to why she was asking. His embarrassment was probably why he found himself adding more detail than necessary, the words falling out of his mouth, ‘Delphine Greengrass in third year, remember me and Sirius had that bet.’

‘Oh yeah,’ she said quietly. James cleared his throat, ‘have you?’

‘No,’ she said honestly.

‘Oh, are you sure you want to?’ he asked, ‘because we don’t have to you know. We can just tell everyone it’s none of their bloody business.’

‘Not it’s okay,’ she said, chewing on the inside of her cheek, ‘we’re never gonna convince them if not. Moony already knows.’

‘Yeah but that’s no reason,’ James started before the words sunk in, ‘wait how does Moony, you know what never mind, I’m not surprised.’

‘He’s clever our Moony,’ Sabrina smiled softly.

‘Yeah he is,’ James grinned, his tone dropping lower as he said, ‘are you sure you want to?’

‘Yeah,’ she nodded, ‘just kiss me.’

Tentatively James leant in allowing his lips to brush against hers. They were soft and pliable and admittedly a little tense before she relaxed, her hand ghosting up the side of his face as she returned the kiss before they broke apart breathlessly.

‘That wasn’t too bad,’ Sabrina giggled.

‘Oh thanks Sabs,’ James grinned, ‘I’ll try not to have too much of a wounded ego.’

‘Oh shut up,’ she chuckled, pulling him back towards her by the hair, leading this time as their lips met once more. Not to be out done James pulled her to him until they were smushed up against the headboard of his bed, lost to anything that wasn’t this.

That was until the door opened without warning, giving them little time to break apart and by the time James was a decent amount of space away, wiping his mouth from the excess saliva, Sirius was watching them, his jaw set.

‘Sorry,’ he muttered, staring angrily at Sabrina before he turned away and added, ‘didn’t know you were here.’

With that he headed out, slamming the door roughly behind him and though she had been breathless from the kiss now she felt as though all the air had been sucked from her lungs, worry settling in. This was meant to be a bit of good fun, a lesson for all and yet now it felt very much no fun at all.

‘Did he seem mad?’ she asked nervously. James forced a smile and shrugged, ‘he’ll be fine. Promise.’

Sabina nodded but she wasn’t so sure.

Sirius Black Tags

@caitlin1996 @imthebadguyyy

#my writing #sirius black #sirius black x ofc #james potter #james potter fic #sirius black fic #james black x ofc #marauders #marauders fic

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bangtanflirt · 2 years

Text

Intuition (One-Shot)

Pairing: Jungkook x Fem Reader (Namjoon makes an appearance)

PG-13 for one brief mention of “going home” together.

Summary: Jeon Jungkook’s intuition has never let him down before, but there’s a first time for everything.

This is just a lighthearted, short fic that was in my mind. There’s embarrassing situations and misunderstandings but it’s more humorous than angsty.

Jungkook feels your gaze from across the club, causing him to puff out his chest and drink down the beverage with sultriness levels cranked up to eleven. He’s used to this kind of attention—thrives off of it, even. These stolen glances and shy smiles never get old, no matter how many girls he does this dance with. He remembers you from one of his lectures, mainly because you’re far more interesting to look at than the professor.

“Earth to Jeon”

Jungkook didn’t notice when his hyung had taken a seat in front of him, too busy playing this cat-and-mouse game with your gaze.

“Oh, hey hyung”

“What’s got you so spaced out?”

“Girl behind you. White dress, blue purse. She’s into me.”

Namjoon chuckles, not surprised at the younger’s confidence. He’s not one to challenge Jungkook on such matters—mostly because, Jungkook is always right. Namjoon himself can read if a girl is into him pretty decently, having around an eighty percent success rate…but his dongsaeng is on another level of intuition. Gone are the early days of their friendship when the hyung would tease the younger’s confidence and bet that he’d strike out. He knows better now.

The dimpled man opens his front-facing camera, checking you out discreetly. There’s a beat of silence where Jungkook can’t read Namjoon’s expression.

“Okay, she’s hot.” He concludes.

Jungkook chuckles.

“Are you gonna go make a move or should I go test my luck?”

And that’s Jungkook’s cue to get his ass up and walk over to you.

Your eyes immediately drop down to your dirty martini, demeanor turning shier the closer he gets.

She’s nervous. Cute.

“Hey there, mind if I join you?”

You gulp, nodding your head as he grabs a seat, and you two exchange names.

“So, I think we both know why I came here” he grins.

“I’m so sorry! I’ll stop staring…I-I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable, I just—”

“Relax y/n. You didn’t make me uncomfortable. In fact, I’m flattered.”

“Oh” your shoulders visibly lower in relief.

“How’d I grab your attention in the first place, doll?”

You’re taken aback by the nickname but choose to brush it off.

“All the girls keep staring at you. Even in class.”

Well, that was not the answer he was expecting, but an answer he’s happy with nonetheless. So, you’re one of those girls that wants what everyone covets; you want to parade him around like a trophy to prove you’re better than all the other girls. He’s more than fine with being a trophy if it’s by someone who looks like you.

“Ah,” he clicks his tongue amusedly, “so how ‘bout we let them know I’m not leaving with any of them tonight?”

Your eyes widen as the situation finally sinks in, immediately shaking your head no.

“That’s not what I—oh my god, I’m so sorry Jungkook. I wasn’t trying to hit on you.”

“What?”

“I just think you’re really cool and girls obviously like you so…so I was trying to get some tips. Y’know…on how to flirt with girls.”

“Oh. OH.” His face is etched with embarrassment.

“I assumed you knew I was gay when you walked up to me, since our campus is so small.” Your eyes fill will guilt, even though there’s no reason for them to do so.

Jungkook’s mind races at full speed. Why didn’t I know? Why did no one tell me? How do I escape this situation and flee to another country but still look cool doing it?

“No sweat. Sorry I assumed.” He gives you no chance to respond as he turns on his heel and rushes back towards the other side of the club—it’s there he’s met with Namjoon and his shit-eating grin.

“No luck getting the lesbian’s number?”

“YOU KNEW?!”

“Of course I knew. Everyone at school knows!” he gets his words out between bouts of unrestrained laughter.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I wouldn’t have gone over there!” Jungkook asks in half-whine, half-pout.

“How could I pass up an opportunity to take your ego down a notch?” He winks, giving Jungkook a pat on the back as well as a glass of whiskey. “Here, drink up until you forget how cringy you were back there.”

____

A/N: Let me know what you think and have a lovely day!

#jungkook x reader #jungkook fluff #jungkook fic #bts university au

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stargazer-sims · 1 year

Text

Eden: I’m so glad this day is nearly over.

Nikolai: It’s been an eventful day for you.

Eden: For all of us. You showed up, and Charlie literally landed his dream job, and I don’t have to worry about Mr. Nishijima any more. That’s like, a lot of stuff to have emotions about all in the same day.

Nikolai: I guess it’s no surprise you’re so tired, then.

Eden: What about you? You must be exhausted from travelling and then everything that happened at the rink.

Nikolai: I’ll be all right. What happened at the rink wasn’t great, but I think it was harder on you than it was on me. I wish it’d gone better, but I’d say we did okay in the circumstances.

Eden: Are you really gonna try to meet with Mr. Nishijima again?

Nikolai: I need to. I have to catch up and find out what went wrong at your first competition this season, so we can get you ready for the next one.

Eden: Okay, but I don’t like the idea of you having to be around him at all.

Nikolai: I’m not thrilled by the idea myself, but it’ll be fine. I can hold my own.

Eden: I know. I just wish you didn’t have to. You wouldn’t have to if it weren’t for me.

Nikolai: We're not assigning blame, remember? We're acknowledging what happened, and we're only looking forward from today.

Eden: I like that. It's positive.

Nikolai: We thrive on positivity.

Eden: We do.

Nikolai: I'm very proud of you, Eden. I know you were scared to talk to Mr. Nishijima, but you showed a lot of maturity and you handled it like a pro.

Eden: But... I cried. Like, how mature and professional is that? I don't know if I've ever cried as much as I have today. It's kinda embarrassing.

Nikolai: It's okay. Crying when you're scared doesn't make you any less mature or professional. You handled it a lot better than I did, honestly.

Eden: I don't know. I think you held it together pretty well for how you were feeling. I could tell you were mad. Did you like, secretly want to grab him and shake him?

Nikolai: *laughing* I’ll bet you wouldn’t be the least bit shocked if I told you I did. It's kind of uncanny, how well we know each other.

Eden: Yeah, but in a cool way. I like that you know me so well. The only person in the world who knows me better than you do is Charlie.

Nikolai: I’d say the same about Natascha. She’s the only one who knows me better than you do.

Eden: Must be a twin thing, ‘cause sometimes our sister doesn’t get me and Charlie at all.

Nikolai: Natascha and I don’t have any other siblings, so I don’t know.

Eden: Is it difficult, being away from her? Your twin?

Nikolai: It Is, but we’re used to being apart at this point in our lives. We’ve both followed our own paths, and they didn’t always take us in the same direction.

Eden: Oh.

Nikolai: You and Charlie have never been apart, have you?

Eden: Never for more than a few days or a week at a time. What am I going to do when he goes on tour with the band?

Nikolai: I wish I could tell you there’s an easy answer to that question. It’ll be a challenge, but you’ll get through it. I’ll be here with you, so you won’t be alone, and you’ll still be able to call and text Charlie every day.

Eden: It won’t be the same.

Nikolai: No, it won’t, but you’re starting to learn that life is full of change, aren’t you? And the more life experience you get, you’re going to learn that change isn’t always a bad thing.

Eden: But, what if I don’t want things to change?

Nikolai: It’s inevitable. You can’t stop it. Don’t worry, though. Everything’s not going to change, and the changes that do happen aren’t going to happen all at once.

Eden: Kolya, why does growing up have to be so hard?

Nikolai: Because we wouldn’t learn anything if it was too easy.

Eden: *sighing* I guess.

Nikolai: Know what I think?

Eden: What?

Nikolai: I think you’re doing a good job of growing up so far, and I also think you don’t need to have it all figured out tonight. Why don’t you rest, and if you still want to talk, we can talk about something else?

Eden: Like what?

Nikolai: Anything you want.

Eden: Can you tell me a story instead? Or just talk about whatever, so I can listen? I missed hearing your voice and being close to you.

Nikolai: Me too.

Eden: You know, that’s one thing I don’t mind about growing up. Nobody loses their mind and starts accusing grownups of bad stuff when they decide they want to be close. It’s… *yawning*

Nikolai: *smiling* I think your light is fading for the day, my sunshine. Go to sleep now, okay? I’ll come up with something to talk about until you fall asleep.

Eden: Tell me about your trip. Did it feel like an adventure? Or did it just feel like you’d be on planes forever and you’d never get here? I wanna know all about it.

Nikolai: I did feel like I was going to be on planes forever, but you know what it felt like the most? You know that feeling you get when you’ve misplaced something important to you, and you search and search for it, and just at the point where you’re about to give up hope of ever finding it again, there it is? Finally getting here and stepping into that rink today and seeing you on the ice… that’s what it felt like. Like… seeing the sun come out after weeks of steady rain.

#ts4 #sims 4 #eagames #snowy escape #sugar valentine #Eden Seong #Nikolai Pavlenko #wearesugarvalentine #stargazersims

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anisaanisa · 2 years

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Summary: Adapting to the world you were meant for isn’t as easy as it seems as Inuyasha and Kagome navigate what it means to call a house a home. ---------- Snippets of Post-Canon life. Continuation of Homecoming for @inukag-week 2022. ---------- Chapter 1/7 - Domestic: Kagome struggles to adapt to a time before her time. ☆ Rating: G | Tags: Fluff / Domestic Nightmares / The Art of Communication | Word Count: 1355 ☆ Read it on AO3 ▶

A clatter from outside woke him with a start. Inuyasha cracked a yawn, shielding his eyes from the bright light that flooded their home. A rude awakening wasn’t on the cards, but he knew from the cool sheets under his searching palm that his wife was already up – doing kami knows what – and he huffed as he sat up, moved to find her whether his mind had caught up with his body or not.

A string of muttered curses so unlike her had his lip quirking, and he pulled his suikan on as he made his way outside. Led by his nose, he found Kagome around the side of the hut, struggling with the twine that had once held their linens up.

“Need a hand?” he asked, almost backing away when her head whipped in his direction, a fiery look in her eyes that he never wanted to be on the receiving end of.

“No,” she asserted, her brows drawn together as she returned to her task.

He leaned against the side of their hut and watched with a smirk as she balanced on a bucket, trying and failing not once but twice in his presence to get the thing strung up and secured. “Are you sure? ”

She huffed, arms dropping to her side with the twine still held between her fingers. “Alright, fine. Can you please tie this up for me?” she asked, stepping down with her arm outstretched towards him.

“Nothin’ wrong with needing help, Kagome.” He took the twine from her hand, leaning up to tie it to the post it was once attached to.

“I know that!” she snapped, and he paused.

What had once felt like teasing turned sour, and he cocked his head towards her. “You okay?”

“Yes,” she affirmed, but it was short, agitated, and she was already walking away.

He considered pushing it, but she was already inside, leaving him in the early morning sun to string up a clothesline that was admittedly being a bastard.

--------------------

Inuyasha caught a whiff of Kagome as he sailed through the trees, and his direction changed with the wind. He dropped from the canopy to the river bank near their home, craning his neck to find Kagome crouched on the other side. He leapt across and planted himself next to her, and though she knew he was there, she didn’t acknowledge him as she scrubbed at the fabric in her hands.

He settled onto the ground next to her, content with being near her. She harrumphed as the water churned, and the stain she was battling didn’t budge. She leaned back, wiping the sweat from her forehead before shoving the clothing aside and falling back onto her ass.

“You okay?”

“Fine.”

Quiet settled over them, nothing but the sounds of running water and a thriving forest surrounding them. It was perfect. Picturesque. The epitome of bliss.

Or, it would have been if Inuyasha didn’t know any better. “What’s wrong?”

Kagome’s head snapped towards him, and he watched as she bit her tongue before turning her eyes back to the sky. “I said I’m fine.”

“But you’re not. Your face is doing that thing – yeah, that thing,” he said, pointing when she looked in his direction again.

Her jaw dropped for a second before picking it back up, turning to draw her legs up and resting her chin on her knees. She sighed deeply, watching the flowing water for the longest time until she said, “I’m just tired, is all.”

--------------------

“Kagome, it’s not that bad,” Inuyasha said, a cough or two working their way in that he tried – and failed – to swallow. He batted the sudare aside as he followed her out of their hut, fighting every urge to spit the salty flavour from his mouth onto the dirt. “It’s just…well-seasoned, is all!”

“Well-seasoned? ” she spat, turning on her heel before he could catch himself, a finger pointed at his chest. “It’s bad, Inuyasha. Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not–” He caught himself; the look on her face said if he finished that sentence, he was done for. “Okay…okay. It’s not…great.”

She deflated, and part of him wished he’d just lied so she could stay angry and save him from seeing the hurt on her face. She sagged forward onto him, clutching the fabric around his hips. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, and he tutted at the apology.

“What are you sorry for? It’s one damn meal. It’s not–”

“But it isn’t, is it?” she asked, head tipping back to meet his eyes. “It’s every other meal. And it’s not just cooking,” she scoffed, attempting to pull away from him, but he didn’t let her.

“Kagome.” He planted his hands on her shoulders to keep her there. Whatever had been eating at her – it wasn’t a conversation he would let die. “Talk to me.”

“I don’t want to complain,” she said, lips drawn in a thin line as a thread of his suikan caught and held her eyes.

“Tch. Why not?” he asked, and he batted the smirk away when he finally caught and held her attention. “You never complain. What’s it gonna hurt?”

“I don’t know how to say it.”

“Please. You’re talkin’ to me. You don’t have to think about your words.”

She smiled, a tiny victory, but a victory nonetheless. “I guess you’re right.” Her face smoothed, but it was solemn, something he wanted to wipe off with his bare hands. “I might be a terrible wife.”

“How? ” he asked, aghast and caught entirely off guard by the claim.

“I’m finding it…difficult.”

“What, exactly?”

“Everything. ” She sighed, dropping her head to his chest. “I forgot how hard life is here. Or how easy life is in my time. Or, both, I don’t know.” He let her talk, cocooning her on his sleeves as she muttered about boiling and mashing and washing and gardening and water and every little thing that had been testing her since her return.

And he understood – he’d seen it, how easy it was to throw a meal together in her time, how putting clothes in a hole and walking away meant they’d be clean when you returned. He understood, and his arms tightened around her as she unloaded her worries and fears into the comfort of his arms.

“I spent so long feeling like I didn’t belong there that coming back here just to feel the same? It’s disheartening.”

He chuckled, but it wasn’t in humour. “You wanna talk about not fitting in anywhere?”

She clicked her tongue, and he saw the apologies lodge themselves behind her teeth. He saw her put two and two together; if anyone knew what it meant not to belong, it was her husband.

“I’m sorry–”

“S’fine,” he interrupted, but it was gentle, soothing. “You have nothin’ to apologise for.”

“Still.” Her eyes dropped and settled to her hands, still fidgeting with his suikan. “It was insensitive of me.”

“You're allowed to have your own problems, Kagome. I’m saying I get it, is all.” He leaned forward, placing his forehead on hers. “And you need to ask me for more help,” he interjected. “It’s not an issue. You need clean water? I can get it in a few minutes. You need anything – you ask me. That’s what husbands are for.”

“I know, but–”

“Ask me,” he said, squeezing her arms that bit tighter, “okay? Not everyone has a half-demon for a husband. ‘Bout time you started taking advantage.”

Her head tipped back, her frown withered while her eyes raked across his face, and he matched the tiny smile that grew into an all-out grin. She looked fit to burst, warring with whatever was on the tip of her tongue before she muttered, “Poor dears.”

Inuyasha barked a laugh, hauling her into his arms and wrapping her in a hug that had her joining him in no time. He marched them back towards the hut, the giggling and wriggling wife in his arms poking at his side.

“Say, Inuyasha?”

“Yeah?”

“How good are you at sewing?” she asked.

“Not,” he scoffed, laughing with her as he carried her back over their threshold.

Fin

Read it on AO3 ▶

#Evermore #inukag week 2022 #inukag week #inukag fanfic #inuyasha fanfiction #inuyasha #fanfiction #ficlet #inuyasha x kagome #anisaanisaff

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