Someone New: Part of For You - A Collection of Requests Benefitting Palestine

Joel is new to Jackson and his family is eager to play matchmaker.

Event Terms: Commissioners could choose to donate between $15 and $50 via Ko-Fi for one fic of 1-2k words. Payment due after completion of the fic. Donation with a match by the author paid to PCRF upon completion. Commissioners had the option to choose to keep a fic private and all fics may not be shared here.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female OC Ashley (NOT a reader insert)

Warnings: Smut :D Unprotected P in V sex. Daddy kink. Age gap (Joel is 56, Ashley is 40.) Light Dom!Joel and Sub!FOC. No use of Y/N. 18+ Only MINORS DNI

Length: 3.6k

For You Masterlist | Full Masterlist | AO3

A/N: Written as a request by the lovely @ashleyfilm! She requested "Jackson era Joel from the tv show, so Pedro, and me (Ashley, plus size, I’m 40, I have black hair and glasses, my eyes are blue green with some hazel, I have tattoos, I’m short. A little goth, wear all black where it’s possible in an apocalypse haha) in this scenario I have a cool exterior and I’m independent by nature, but when you get to know me I’m funny and loving, but keep to myself. Joel and I would both like each other but have no clue, while Tommy, Maria and Ellie would all know and roll their eyes at us, try and talk sense into us. Eventually we come together and I’d love some smut. Some daddy soft dom Joel, I’m sub, the only time I want to be told what to do is during sex. I like giving pussies a pronoun so like she likes it and her if you know what I mean. And some fluff would be nice too." Shared with permission. I hope you all enjoy!!

Tommy was starting to drive Joel insane. 

It had taken some adjustment, coming to Jackson. 

There was the adjustment of being back around other people at all, for starters. There was the adjustment to being a father again. There was the adjustment of being in a place he cared about, one where he wanted to contribute instead of forced to to keep FEDRA’s boot off his neck. 

It had been a lot to swallow and, not that anyone was asking, he thought he’d done a damn good job of it. Ellie was happy, going to school every day and making friends. He had his ways to play his part in the community. 

So what if he was doing it all on his own? It’s not like it’s a crime to keep to yourself, he wasn’t sure why Tommy kept trying to push him further than he wanted to go. 

He doubted it was because Ashley was asking him to.

Ashley, the woman Tommy kept damn near throwing him toward at every opportunity. Ashley, who was years too young for him to even be thinking about the way he did. Ashley, whose plush curves and bright eyes had caught his attention from the moment he met her, even as she kept her distance from Joel and, it seemed, just about everyone else in Jackson. 

It didn’t matter how much Joel would enjoy things being different, that the little time he’d spent with her had been some of his favorite since coming here. She wasn’t interested - couldn’t be interested - and he wasn’t about to force it. 

Tommy, it seemed, had other ideas. 

“I’m not sure why you won’t just see if she wants to go,” Tommy said one night as they sat in the mess hall for dinner. “What’s the harm?” 

“Don’t particularly feel like gettin’ shot down,” Joel replied, taking a bite of his mashed potatoes. “Got enough goin’ on without worrying about that, too.” 

“Worrying about what?” Maria asked, taking her spot next to Tommy. Joel resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing he was about to be outnumbered. 

“Joel won’t ask Ashley to the dance on Saturday,” Tommy smirked a little. “He’s convinced she’d say no…” 

“Who would say no to what?” Ellie joined them, too, sitting next to Joel. 

“Ashley to Joel and the dance, apparently,” Maria said, giving Ellie a knowing look. 

“Oh shit,” Ellie’s eyes went a little wide. “They’d be so cute together, Joel pretending to be a person who actually does something besides be grumpy…” 

“OK you tryin’ to get yourself grounded?” Joel asked, brows raised. Ellie rolled her eyes. “Because it sure seems like it. And I don’t need y’all match making for me. I am doin’ just fine without worrying about all of that. Leave it.” 

Ellie and Maria gave each other a knowing look that Joel was about to call them on when Tommy distracted him. 

“You’re going to the dance Saturday anyway, right?” He asked. “Just because you’re too chicken shit to bring a date doesn’t mean you should sit it out. It’s a big party, the whole town will be there, you should at least come by for a few drinks. You’ll miss out if you don’t.” 

“Yeah, I want to go!” Ellie said, turning to Joel and pouting a little. “You’re really going to make me go all by myself?” 

“I’ll go to the dance,” Joel sighed before looking between the others and gesturing between them with the fork. “S’long as you three are done meddling.” 

“We’ll behave,” Ellie smirked a little. “I promise.” 

Joel shouldn’t have believed them. He should have known better. 

But that didn’t make him any less surprised when he showed up to the dance Saturday evening and looked for Tommy and Maria, only to find them sitting with Ashley, her dark hair styled to pair with the black dress that seemed like it was made to highlight her every soft curve, curves that Joel had spent hours dreaming about exploring with his hands and mouth. 

He was going to strangle Tommy. 

“Joel!” His brother called, waving him over, as if Joel would have missed him. “Over here!” 

“C’mon old man,” Ellie teased. “Stop being such a fucking coward.” 

“We’re talking about your language later,” he muttered, letting Ellie lead him to the table, hoping that no one had put too much pressure on Ashley to put her in this position. 

“Well look who decided to join the party,” Tommy smirked. Joel ground his teeth. “Ashley, you know my brother Joel.” 

“I do,” she gave him a cool, tight smile and took a sip of her drink, looking back out toward the dance floor. 

“Hi,” Joel said before feeling like a bit of an idiot and pulling his eyes from her to turn back to his brother. “How are you Tommy, Maria?” 

“Oh, we’re good,” Maria smiled a little, looking more like Tommy than Joel thought was appropriate. He wondered if married couples started looking alike before too long. 

“Just peachy,” Tommy said as a new song started. “Oh would you look at that, I need to dance with my wife. Maria?” 

He offered her his hand and she smiled wider before taking it, giving Joel a meaningful look before being led onto the dance floor by her husband. 

“Oh, I think I see Dina,” Ellie said before clapping Joel on the back and leaving him there, alone with Ashley, before he had the chance to argue. 

Joel just stood there, awkwardly, trying not to stare at her, his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. 

“So,” he said eventually. “Um… that seat taken?” 

She looked at him, brows raised. 

“Just by your brother.” 

“Right,” he said, taking it anyway. She looked back toward the dance floor and Joel looked her over while he had the chance, how the darkness of her clothes seemed to suit her, the sharp intelligence behind her glasses, the beauty of the tattoos he could see on her exposed skin. He wondered what each of them meant, wondered what it would be like to take his time tracing over each one. 

“So,” she turned her attention back to Joel. “Liking Jackson so far? Been here… what, a few months now?” 

“Yeah,” Joel nodded. “S’good. Different than where I’ve been for a while but that’s a good thing. Ellie likes it, all that really matters.” 

She nodded slowly, taking another sip of her drink. 

“Seems like she’s a good kid,” she said. “Sure got a mouth on her, though.” 

“Yeah,” Joel laughed, leaning his elbows onto the table. “She’s somethin’ else. I tried telling her she needs to watch her language, this ain’t the QZ.” 

“That’s a hell of an adjustment,” she smiled a little and damn, Joel really liked to see her smile. More than he’d liked seeing a woman smile in… he wasn’t sure how long. “Trust me, I know.” 

“You spent some time in a QZ?” He asked, brows raised. 

She nodded, taking a final sip of her cocktail. 

“Portland,” she said. “I was there at the beginning. One night, I was sneaking liquor at industry night at my favorite club, the next it’s a war zone. Got used to it after a while, though. You were in Boston with Tommy, right?” 

“I was,” Joel nodded. “Took us a while to work our way there but found it eventually.” 

“And you both ended up all the way out here.” 

“Suppose so,” Joel said. He nodded to her empty glass. “Can I get you another?” 

“Yeah,” she smiled. “That’d be nice.” 

He went to the bar and got them both a drink before rejoining her at the table. 

Joel was surprised at how much he liked talking with her. For how much time he’d spent thinking about her and looking at her, he hadn’t spent much time actually talking with her. She wasn’t what he’d expected. 

Where he’d always known her to be a bit distant and cool, he was starting to realize that, as soon as he was past the caution she seemed to approach the world with, she was really very warm and loving, thoughtful and kind. They talked about music, about what they missed about before, the quirks of life in Jackson after living in a QZ. 

By the time Joel got her onto the dance floor, he was ready to get her home. And he was starting to think she wanted the same. 

“Can I walk you home?” Joel asked as the Tipsy Bison was almost empty and he wasn’t able to come up with any more excuses to stay. 

“You can,” she smiled. “But… I think I’d rather you walk me to yours.” 

He smiled back. 

“Think that can be arranged.” 

Joel draped his arm over her shoulders and the two of them walked slowly through the dark town, the streets quiet and the stars bright. 

“Well,” Joel said as they came to his front walk. “This is me. Still want to come in?” 

“Yeah,” Ashley nodded. “Yeah, I really do.” 

He smiled. 

“Good.” 

He took her hand and led her to his door. 

But things shifted as they made it inside. Joel tilted her face up, finding the right angle, thumb brushing her lips, waiting for her to make a move. 

But she didn’t. Her breaths got quicker, her eyes searched his and, after a moment, he felt like he couldn’t wait anymore. 

“I’m gonna kiss you,” he said. “Because it’s all I’ve been thinkin’ about doing for a while.” 

She just nodded quickly and he kissed her, covering her mouth with his. 

It had been a while since Joel had kissed anyone, even longer since it was a first kiss. But Joel could tell this was different, something special. It was like an electric current ran over his skin, sparking at where your lips met and shooting out through the rest of him. There was a sharp, sudden pang of need deep inside him, the drive to be closer to her, as close as he could reach. More than that, he wanted to know that she was safe, cared for. That she had what she needed and what she wanted because he was giving it to her. 

“Joel,” she breathed as they separated, just enough for him to look in those blue green eyes of hers. “Will you take me to bed?” 

“Yeah baby,” he said, want seeping into his voice. “Yeah, I will.” 

He kissed her again, his hands sliding down from her face to her arms to her waist, moving her toward the stairs as he did. He only pulled away from her when they needed to go up to his room, not wanting to stop touching her for even a few moments, his skin almost aching as he watched the round shape of her ass in her black skirt going upstairs ahead of him. 

Joel pulled her back against him at the top of the stairs, the few seconds she was apart from him too much. Her arms stretched up and went around his neck and his hands roamed over her back and sides, luxuriating in just how soft she felt, how he could find places on her that seemed made for him to hold. He guided her to his room, kicking the door shut behind him. He slid his hands back up her body over her arms, his callused fingers slipping over her soft skin. 

“You gonna let me make you feel good, pretty girl?” He asked, voice dark and low. “Because I want to touch every damn inch of you.” 

“Please, Joel,” she whispered, her fingers tightening desperately on his curls at the nape of his neck. “Please, I want you, I need you, I…” 

“Shhh,” he hushed her. “Don’t worry about a thing. Just let Daddy take care of you.” 

He kissed her again and found the zipper on her dress, sliding it down, down, down, until he could slide the straps down her arms and let the fabric fall to the floor. 

“Fuck,” he breathed, his eyes ranging over Ashley’s body, tracing over her curves and tattoos. “You are the most beautiful damn thing I’ve ever seen.” 

He reached around and unhooked her bra, sliding the straps down her arms and dropping it to the floor before cupping her breasts, the fullness of her so soft below his touch that he couldn’t help but groan. 

“You gonna let me take care of you, baby girl?” He asked, voice husky. “You need me to take care of you, don’t you?” 

He wasn’t entirely sure why he said it but something inside him just knew, he could sense it in her. That she wanted someone to guide her, someone she could trust to take charge and give her what she needed.

He could tell by the way she nodded that he was right. 

Joel guided her down onto the bed before pulling his shirt and casting it aside. His eyes ranged over her body as he took his jeans and underwear off, too, his cock already thick and achingly hard. He worked himself, not able to stop himself as he drank her in, memorizing her. 

“Want you to touch yourself for me,” he said, stepping closer to the bed. “Spread those pretty legs, put your hand in your panties, show me how you like to touch yourself.” 

She took a hesitant, shaky breath and slid her hand down her body before slipping them below the fabric, stretching it tight over her pussy for a moment before her hand dipped lower. He could see the outline of her fingers clearly, watched with his mouth watering as they stroked her pussy lips before slipping inside. 

“There you go, baby girl,” he groaned, stroking his cock in time with her fingers. “You just keep on doin’ that for me.” 

He moved to the bed and she frowned as he reached out, looping his fingers around the waistband of her panties to start tugging them down. His eyes moved from her face, down her body to where her pussy lay just below the fabric. Her fingers were still. 

“I tell you to stop?” He asked. She groaned and he saw her fingers start to move again. “That’s my good girl. Want your pussy all nice and wet and full when I see her the first time.” 

He pulled her underwear down slowly, revealing her wet slit with two of her fingers buried deep inside herself as he did.

“Oh, there she is,” he breathed, casting her panties aside. “Fuck, such a pretty little pussy ain’t she?” 

Ashley just moaned, thrusting her fingers deeper. Joel licked his lips, desperate for a taste of her. 

“Spread her open for me, baby,” he said, spreading her legs wide and settling between them. “Lemme see.” 

Her hands trembled as she slid her fingers from her dripping entrance and delicately opened herself to him. 

“Fuck me,” Joel groaned, taking a thumb and brushing it over her tight little hole before trailing it up to her swollen nub. “Gonna take a lot before she can take me. Don’t worry baby, I’ll take care of you.” 

He pressed his mouth to her entrance, just a kiss at first, a taste of her musky sweetness. His thumb stayed against her clit, rubbing her in slow and gentle circles as he dipped is tongue inside of her. 

Joel started slow, easing her into it. His tongue worked deeper, his thumb harder. Eventually, he added a finger, then two, starting to stretch her open as her hips canted up against his face, her legs squirming, delicious moans and gasps pouring from her lips. He looped an arm around her thigh to hold her still, pulling her leg against the side of his head and leaving his nose to work her clit as his hand splayed wide on her plush thigh. 

“Fuck, I’m going to come,” her back was arched, fingers wound tight in his quilt. “I’m coming, I’m coming Daddy, I’m coming!” 

He smiled against her as he ate her through her orgasm, pressing his aching cock down into the bed as he felt her pussy flutter over his tongue. 

When her climax eased, he pulled himself from her tight, wet heat and rose to his knees, stroking his dripping length as she came back down to earth. He nudged her legs apart and down, leaving her fully exposed to him. He ran his fingers over her slit, gathering her wetness and bringing it to his cock as she looked at him, her eyes a little wide. 

“Is…” she swallowed, hard. “Is that going to fit inside me? I don’t know if that’s going to fit…” 

“It’ll fit, baby girl,” he said, working himself as he lined himself up with her entrance. “You can take it, so nice and wet for me. You just relax and let me inside you.” 

He pressed his cock against her tight center, moaning and just how hot and wet and fucking soft she felt. He watched, almost obsessed, as she opened to take him, the stretch almost obscene as he saw himself start to disappear into her body. 

“See baby?” He panted as he sank just the first few inches of him into her cunt. “You can take it, taking it so good for me. She stretches so fuckin’ pretty for me, so goddamn pretty.” 

Her hands flew to his biceps as he leaned over her, pressing himself deeper, her fingers scrambling over his muscle as he worked her open. Joel fought to think of anything but the fact that he was almost fully inside the woman he’d been longing for for weeks now. He couldn’t come too quick, he couldn’t let this end now. He had to take his time, had to feel her come around him. 

And then he was buried inside her to the root, the entirety of him in the entirety of her, her walls stretching to hold him. 

“There you go,” he praised her. He splayed his hand wide over her thick, soft lower stomach, pressing into her skin as his thumb slid down to her clit and started stroking it. “Did so good, taking me so well. You ever been this stretched baby?” 

“No daddy,” her nails dug into his arm. “Feels so good…” 

“Good girl,” he said, working her clit a little harder. She moaned and rocked her hips against him. “Aw, does someone need to be fucked? Someone need me to make her come?” 

“Yes,” she pleaded. “Please, please, please Daddy, please, I need to come, I need…” 

“I’ve got you baby,” he said, leaning over her and kissing her deeply, the taste of her mouth mixing with the taste of her pussy that lingered on his tongue. “Gonna make you come so hard for me.” 

He pulled back before thrusting forward, hard and fast and making her gasp, her hands flying from his arms to his back. But he stopped her, taking hold of her arms and pinning them over her head with one of his large hands. 

“You can use those when I tell you,” he said. “Right now, need you focused on taking,” he pulled back and thrust back in quickly. “This.” He did it again, fucking into her hard and fast. “Cock.” He did it one last time before grinding himself deep. “Tell me when you’re about to come.” 

He picked up his pace then, fucking into her deep and firm, grinding his hips down against her clit, feeling how her breasts moved against him as he forced her walls apart with each heavy stroke. 

Joel didn’t let up, too lost in her and just how damn good she felt to do anything else. He wasn’t even sure how long he’d been fucking her - just that it wasn’t long enough - when her breathy, desperate voice broke through the lust-driven haze of his mind. 

“I’m gonna come,” she keened, her pussy to tight around him that it almost hurt. “Gonna come, I’m gonna come Daddy, please…” 

He freed her hands then and she gasped, her fingers immediately finding the broad expanse of his back. Joel took her face in his hands and looked into those eyes of hers, unlike anything else he’d ever seen as he felt how her body took his. 

“Good girl,” he said, breathless and needy, too. “Come for me, come all over my cock, that’s it, so good for me…” 

The chorus of praise continued until she cried out, her whole body seizing as her channel gripped him so tight he was almost afraid it would force him out. But he held himself deep inside her, kissing her as she moaned into his mouth as she throbbed around him. His orgasm took hold, amazed for the half second he was aware enough to think that he’d been able to hold off this long, emptying himself deep inside of her. 

“Fuck,” she moaned, panting for breath as they both came down from their shared high. Joel had all but collapsed on top of her and he adjusted, pulling himself gently from her body and feeling their combined spend leaking from her as he did. He lay beside her and she turned to look at him. “That… I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything like that.” 

He smiled a little. 

“Me either.” 

She smiled back. 

“I think we’ll have to do that again sometime,” she said. 

“Only if you let me take you out first,” Joel said. “Don’t think I can get enough of you in bed. Think I’m gonna need as much as you’ll let me have outside it, too.” 

Ashley reached out and carded her fingers through his thick, shaggy curls. 

“I think we can make that work.” 

Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Ayato Heaven [03]

CHAPTER MASTERLIST

ー The scene starts by the lake

Yui: ( How am I going to tackle today’s homework...? I already have a hard time coming up with poems as is... )

( On top of that, the theme is a poem you would dedicate to a loved one... )

( I have no idea what to write... )

*Flip*

Yui: This is no good...I can’t submit this...

*Splash* 

Yui: ( I wonder if something will spark inside my head by gazing at the water... )

ー A strong gust of wind blows away the sheet of paper

Yui: Ah!

( Oh no! What if somebody sees the poem I wro... ーー !? )

*Thud* 

Yui: Kyaah!

*SPLASH*

Yui: ( ...I can’t believe the ground crumbled underneath my feet...! )

*Splash splash*

Yui: ( S-Somebody! Save me...! )

Ayato: Chichinashi!? 

Hang on! I’ll save you right away!

*Splash* 

Ayato: I’m pullin’ you out of the water, ‘kay!? 

*Splash splash* 

Yui: Cough...Thank you, Ayato-kun...

( I’m safe... )

Ayato: Geez, the fuck are you doin’!? You got lucky that I just so happened to pass by but...

Yui: Yeah, I truly am sorry...

Ayato: Come on, wear this.

*Rustle rustle* 

Yui: ( ...His jacket...Ayato-kun’s so sweet... )

Ayato: Anyway, what were you doin’ out here? 

Yui: Well...

( ...Speaking of which, the poem I wrote...I wonder where it went...? )

( If somebody picks it up and reads it, I think I’ll just die from embarrassment...! )

Ayato: ...Oi, everythin’ alright?

Yui: Ah. Um...I was just out on a short walk!

Ayato: Hmm. A walk...huh...?

By the way, I picked up somethin’ pretty sweet on my way here.

Yui: Something sweet?

Ayato: Yeah. Here, take a look. ‘A poem for my beloved’, it reads. 

I wonder who wrote this? Hehe...Hilarious. 

This part in particular... ‘You are my everything’. Who are they? Richter!? 

Yui: ...

Ayato: Hm? Is somethin’ wrong? 

Yui: N-Nothing...

( W-What now...!? Out of all people, of course Ayato-kun had to be the one to pick it up...! )

ー Ayato moves closer

Ayato: ...You’re actin’ kinda off. Don’t tell me you’re keepin’ secrets from me? 

Yui: ...I-I’m...not. Anyway...I think I’ll head back to the manor soon...

( It feels like my head is going to explode. Anyway, I have to get away from here right now... )

Ayato: ...There really is somethin’, isn’t there? You’re obviously actin’ weird...

Yui: I’m not acting weird...I mean, look, I’m drenched, at this rate, I’ll...

Ayato: Nah, that doesn’t matter. I want you to stay here a bit longer.

Yui: Eh...!? 

Ayato: ...Don’t worry, I’ll help you warm up a lil’ right away, okay? Hehe... 

*Rustle rustle* 

Yui: ...!

ー Ayato bites her

Ayato: Nn...Nnh...

Yui: ( He suddenly started sucking my blood...! )

Ayato: ...See? This’ll heat you up in no time, won’t it? 

Nn...Kuh...Nnh...Haah...As usual, nothin’ beats your blood. 

Yui: Ah, Ayato...kun...

Ayato: How’s that? I bet you feel warm now?

*Rustle* 

Yui: ( ...I mean, it’s true that I’m no longer bothered by the cold from the water but... )

( That isn’t the part which had me truly worried... )

Ayato: Haah...Oh well, I suppose I’ll call it a day for now...

...So? What were you tryin’ to cover up? Just fess up already!

Yui: ( ...He knows...! )

Ayato: If you’re goin’ to play dumb again, I’ll continue suckin’ your blood until you pass out, do you understand? 

Yui: N-No way...!

Ayato: Hah! Don’t be an idiot by tryin’ to keep secrets from me. 

Yui: ...

Ayato: Hmm...You’re more stubborn than usual today. What could you be hidin’...?

You’re not gonna say that you’re the one who wrote this cringy-ass poem, right?

In that case, I’d totally get why you’d want to keep it a secret. Haha.

Yui: ...

Ayato: ...Wait, haah? What’s with that reaction? 

Don’t tell me...You seriously wrote this...? 

Yui: S-So what!? It’s part of the homework so I had no other choice, did I!? 

( Aah, god...! I’m so embarrassed, I wish I could just disappear into thin air...! )

Ayato: ...Heeh, I see...Hmm~...

In that case, this poem’s mine now.

Yui: W-Why!? You can’t do that!!

Ayato: And why not? I mean, this poem is directed at me, isn’t it? 

After all, it’s called ‘a poem for my beloved’, correct? 

Yui: ...!

Ayato: Oh well, don’t worry, I won’t show this to anyone else. I’ll treasure it. 

Yui: ( Ayato-kun... )

Ayato: ...I mean, I’m sure it’d be great teasin’ material for whenever you get cheeky with me, don’t you agree? Hehe. 

Yui: ...How mean!

ーー THE END ーー

Page 18 is out.

“Welcome to Lucy's diary - a set of short pages of her minor adventures in Nuka World and embracing the raider life along with Gage by her side and mysterious figure following her behind. Where would a pre-war killer, disappointed in justice system, crocked and bent towards criminal life find her new home? Could it be between the most hated society, along raiders as the Nuka World signal calls her one last time?”

Chapters: 18/?

Fandom: Fallout 4 Relationships: Porter Gage/Female Sole Survivor Words: 46178 

Page 18 -  A Guest,  

(Words: 2440)

The burn stench and smell of blood was still felt throughout the streets of Nuka town even if heat of the battle was put down to the dust of its dirty grounds. The pack raiders were cheering and howling in a victory leaving the operators faces just slightly disgusted of such a behavior but letting the smirk show up on their faces anyway because it was indeed an important fight that they just won.

 Lucy was walking towards Fizztop with Gage supporting her gently with an arm wrapped around her, she didn’t care about other’s people eyes this time, she was relieved but tired and still having in the back of her head the newly raised problem in a shape of Harrison. She felt a pinch of happiness seeing him back again, still in a shape of a metallic skeleton but she knew it was still him, the same one she left 200 years ago. The only thing bothering her was how to deal with his arrival in the glance of the whole town but for now the focus got switched to the Black duo and Mason awaiting them at the bottom of the Grille mountain.

- So the Overboss not only strikes a plan but makes it out alive after all. Mags started, brushing with a napkin the remains of the blood from her fingers.

- Did what have to be done. That was a deal. Lucy responded while moving out of Gage’s arm and nodding to him in a grateful manner.

- And you have our respect for that. At least enough to not consider killing you anymore. Mags chuckled, trying to joke but still sounding way too serious in her stiff voice tone. Lucy could only smile with a corner of her lips, raising an eyebrow in a response.

- Anyway...did any of you see Nisha? Mason? She turned to the pack leader.

- No, Boss. We already scoured every corner of the street. The chicken bitch probably ran away to strike later like a coward when we ain’t looking. He shrugged, a little grump heard in his voice but he was still standing proud, cheerful enough of having a chance to finally crash some necks he wanted to strangle before anyway but rules were keeping him away.

- Now at least we can organize a decent civilized meeting. William started, steeping up to Lucy. - With the bloody psychos gone we can think of finally getting hands on the power plant, make this place really shine, Boss. He looked down at her with a shine in his eye that only made Gage release a deep sigh.

- Okay, hold on. We will get to this but let her catch a breather too. It’s been hell of a run. Gage interrupted, stepping up and convincing to leave them, at least till the next morning.

- Alright, Boss ,we will be around. Stop by us when you are ready. Mags sighted and pulled William behind her, back to Parlor. Mason still went for a stroll through the streets, keeping his nose up and eyes open, searching for any disciples potentially still hiding around.

- Ah, Boss, before i forget. Mags turned around and handed to Lucy the most smooth and perfectly folded piece of suit she have ever seen, its color dark olive like wearing a swirly gold shiny ornaments all over. Lucy’s eyes shined, looking down at it as she gently took it from the operator’s boss hands. - A gift...that you are part of us, now, the Operators. Mags nodded with a soft smirk as Lucy whispered a quiet and honest “thank you” between them two. It felt warm and welcoming, a nice change and good place to start a cooperation.

When everyone left back towards their quarters Lucy pushed the entrance door to the Fizztop, shutting it right after her and dropping her head down while leaning with her hand on a door wing, other one holding a suit under the arm.

- Finally....some fucking peace but we have another problem. She pushed herself away.

- Harrison....right? Gage took her by the arm and lead towards the elevator. Lucy only nodded in response, corners of her lips turning downwards, not even a clean shiny suit smelling of pre-war perfume could change that. - So...what the fuck is he exactly? He asked.

- A fairly successful pre-war experiment....a mix of human and synth...something about probing a human soul and injecting it into other sources. At least its what i heard from him right before...well i shot him. She brushed the inner corners of her eyes, leaning her head on Gage shoulder as the elevator was taking them up to his room.

- I don’t know if i want to ask more...shit. All that weird scientific mumble wasn’t something that was easy for him to understand but he tried his best to at least not call this bullshit.

-Still..what are you planning...what is he planning to do? Stay here? I mean...what are going to tell the others? Gage walked behind Lucy’s back, unloading a mouthful of questions that she could no longer bear the moment they arrived in the middle of his room.

- Gage, i don’t fucking know! She punched the wooden table standing next to her. Gage stopped abruptly, closing his mouth. He reached for her shoulder as she leaned against the table, her head facing the floor.

- It all happened so fast yet more problems arise...i mean...i’m kind of glad to see him, he saved my fucking ass but i’m just tired and we need solution, fast. She squeezed his hand as he shook her shoulder and pulled her to his chest.

- Mags probably will find out even about the Institute deals, sooner or later, its her nature to dig for every secret. Maybe we just tell them truth. Gage suggested, shrugging his arms, looking down at her doubtful look.

- About deals it won’t hurt but Harrison? No....they won’t trust him unless he looks at least like human. Right now i need to find someone who can repair him and keep his mouth shut. She sighted and walked off to Gage’s bed, dropping gracefully onto it and holding up the suit. - It looks nice....reminds me of the office..back then.

Gage sat next to her and leaned down, sweeping the strand of hair off her forehead, taking in all the peace and quiet this park never seen since her arrival. Despite the bed being made for just one person he still squeezed and lied next to her, taking the suit away from her and putting it down next to bed.

- I might know someone who can help us with this...guy of yours but how bout we take a moment to ourselves before jumping into the wheel of murder and mayhem again?

- That’s so fucking poetic of you. Lucy chuckled and started taking her armor parts off. - So much better.

- You don’t have to stop there. Gage grinned, trying to look away but he couldn’t dodge that pair of amber eyes accompanied with a honest smile, striking him like a bullet in the heart. They were lying down, their sides pushed to each other and their faces just looking at one another.

- I don’t think you will need it right now. She reached for his eyepatch, slipping it slowly away. Gage hesitated, raising his hand to stop her but eventually allowed it. She got his full trust on that.

- We should talk over the plans for the morning, it will be even harder to sleep now that Nisha’s hiding, hell knows where. She turned to him, throwing her leg over his and digging her nails in the fabric of his top.

- Yeah...we definitely should. He turned as well and pushed her close, not waiting any word longer to kiss her, now that they have all that moment just for themselves, not knowing how long it will last he just decided to use it all. As she returned the kiss back to him, trying to crawl on top of him it only pushed him and his stuffed deep emotions harder, pushing her back onto the bed and ending instead on top of her, the kisses getting more deep and passionate, letting the soft shiver crawl the back of her neck. That was completely something else, more romantic and thoughtful even if rushed but the only sound she could release was the one of pleasure sights and soft moans as his lips went down her neck and his hands crawling up and down, all over her body, stripping down to the underwear in no time.

- I swear i will shoot anyone trying to disturb us right now. Gage pulled off his shirt and threw it to the side. She was scanning his chest, eyes slowly going down, not feeling the heavy blush coming up on her face. As they were about continue the sound of a broken glass came from the hallway.

- Are you fucking kidding me. Lucy crawled from under him, grabbing a pistol from underneath the clothes, unfolding the suit shirt in a rush and putting it on, squinting in the shadows of the hallway, just a gentle candle shade barely lighting up the place. She slowly stood up, Gage was ready right behind, pointing their firearms around. Taking light step after step she noticed a green shine like eyes, staring from shadow in the corner just ahead of her.

- Put that gun down, Feit. Lucy gasped loudly as the metallic arm grabbed and jerked her pistol away, bullet fired in the ceiling, wrecking some structure.

- Fucking....shit..Christ...how did you get here? And how long have you been standing there?! She waved to Gage to put down his gun and leaned over, patting her chest before looking at Harrison again, stepping out the shadows, clearly annoyed.

- Wasn’t he suppose to wait?! I freaking hope none one saw him. Gage gave him a sharp displeased look. Harrison returned it.

- The man owning that garbage started digging around so i had to move. And i don’t like to wait. His synth green bright eye lenses squinted. - If i have to hide like that then i need my body back.

- Your...body? Wait...wait a second. Lucy asked, surprised. - Your body vanished with half the neighborhood when bombs fell, i shot you in Sanctuary, you remember?

- Yeah, nice of you to remind me that. He growled lowly and took a step towards Gage, scanning him up and down.

- What the fuck you looking at now? He wrinkled his eyebrows and crocked the corner of lips downwards.

- Hmpf, interesting company you got yourself, kid. Anyway...i could use a gun and be on my way to Sanctuary. He turned away back to Lucy.

- Hold on a goddamn second. She raised a palm at him. - First, you are fucking broken. She pointed at the other arm being cut away. - And you can’t go out just like that! Institute will snatch you in no time, looking like that and going for a stroll.

- Did you say Institute? That word caught Harrison full interest. - Of course...the kid made in the vault because of your stupid fucking impulsive decisions! His tone raised, taking a step right up to her, staring down. Only then she realized how tall he is, feeling almost guilty for his accusation.

- Boss...i will just leave you to this shit, come see me when you are done with..this..thing, man..hell if i know. Gage felt stupid, observing the whole conversation and trying to understand what exactly is the deal between them.

- Gage..wait, shit. She looked at him disappearing in the patio and turning her head away to Harrison, squinting eyes but being too tired to yell anymore.

- What...? Harrison asked, shrugging.

- Shut up and just wait till the fucking morning, please. We will talk...make a plan..and all that shit. She sighted, tired, stretching her neck and just glancing at him in a begging manner to give her a break too.

- Eh, alright Feit...i will wait here. He looked around and got himself a chair.

- Jezz...thank you. You could keep an eye too since i really need some rest and you don’t, apparently.

He nodded and leaned against the chair, freezing in a place, entering some kind of trans and becoming a guarding figure with its eyes scanning the place around.

-Right....finally. She walked off towards patio, entering quietly and scanning for Porter signs. He was siting at the bar, smoking, the oil lamp throwing a gentle orange shade around.

- Hey...you okay? She placed a hand on his back and took a sit next to him.

- Yeah, just not entirely happy to see him around like that. Freaking Institute, now synth under our roof. He ran a hand through his hair and crashed a smoke in an ashtray.

- Hey, he’s not a synth, he is only trapped in body of one, it wasn’t his fault he got like that.

- And he plans to hang around? He asked.

- I don’t know what he plans but i will help him for now and see.

A quiet moment hang between them, she could feel a slight grumpiness vibing off his tired face. She reached for one of his hand, resting on the counter.

- We will solve it, like every other fucking problem we stumbled upon.

- Kill him? Gage chuckled, lowly.

- Oh no...no, one time was enough. She smirked and stood up, pulling him towards the bed. He followed with a lazy step but noticing her slim shapes popping out of underwear and white classic shirt, open, waving behind he let smile crawl on his face.

- I would rather use last bit of energy for something else, as long as you still have mood. She didn’t let them forget a moment that has been disrupted a while ago and she hungered to have him close, very close now that she was sure he might have a deeper and more emotional approach to their relations.

- You are kidding, right? He eyed her up and down as she sat down the edge of bed, leaning on her elbows.

- I don’t know, am i? She teased him.

- Oh, just fucking come here. He pushed her deeper on the bed, landing where he did before, on top of her, tangled in her arms and soft lips going as long as last remains of energy let them before falling asleep.

Blow Us All Away

Pairings: Parental! Wilbur x F! Reader

Warnings: Blood Mention, Duel, Death

A/N: This is literally all over the SMP timeline the basic thing is Revivebur or Ghostbur didn't happen and L'Manberg is still a standing country. This is an idea I randomly had for my Lost Ones character Little Star and decided to just write it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meet the latest graduate of King's College

I prob'ly shouldn't brag, but, dag, I amaze and astonish

The scholars say I got the same virtuosity and brains as my pops

The gents say my brain's not where the resemblance stops

I'm only nineteen but my mind is older

Gotta be my own person, like my father, but bolder

I shoulder his legacy with pride, I used to hear him say

That someday I would blow us all away!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Y/N) was always proud to consider herself Wilbur’s daughter. She had his fire and brains. He taught her his talents of music and she was able to learn with ease. She’d walk around with pride with her L’Manberg uniform, wearing and bearing her titles with pride.

The daughter of the nation’s president and a soon-to-be cabinet member. Her father was confident she could do just about anything and would most certainly succeed him with ease once she got older.

Today though, she was a lady on a mission. She had her uniform on as always but she had her hands behind her back, a serious look plastered onto her face. Ahead on her walk down the prime path, she spotted Niki and Eret talking.

“Ladies, I'm lookin for a Ms. Wastaken. Made a speech last week, our peace talk speaker. She disparaged my father's legacy in front of a crowd. I can't have that; I'm making my father proud.” (Y/N) stopped in front of the pair explain herself.

“I saw her just up Broadway a couple of blocks, she was goin' to see a play,” Eret told the girl.

“Well, I'll go visit her box.” (Y/N) tipped her hat before going to the stage in the SMP land.

As (Y/N) got to the stage, there was currently being a play put on people she didn’t know but that didn’t matter to her right now. She was a lady on a mission. In the high seats sat the daughter of Dream and that was her goal.

“Terror!” (Y/N) came forward in front of her seat.

“Shh!” Terror didn’t even look at her.

“Terror!”

“Shh, I'm tryin' to watch the show!”

“Ya shoulda watched your mouth before you talked about my father though!”(Y/N) protested as the other finally looked at her.

Around them, the crowd had become less interested in the play as they watched the far more interesting events in front of them.

“I didn't say anything that wasn't true. Your father's a coward, and so, it seems, are you.”

(Y/N) gave a short laugh as she watched her. “It's like that?”

“Yeah, I don't fool around, I'm not your little school girl friends.”

“Well, see you on the dueling ground! That is unless you wanna step outside and go now!”(Y/N) challenged with spread arms.

“I know where to find you, piss off, I'm watchin' this show now.” Terror once more didn’t look at the other woman on the ground.

(Y/N) clenched her jaw but stormed off. She’d show her! She’d win that duel and Terror would…

She stopped near Tubbo’s old house realizing what she had just done. That’s one thing Wilbur had never taught her; she didn’t know how to fight. They were a peaceful nation that didn’t need to fight. They used their words and she just signed herself up to use weapons.

“Fuck.” She muttered as she looked around.

She tended to overstep herself when it came to standing for her father, but this time she’d stepped too far. She didn’t know what to do, she needed help. There was no way she’d let Wilbur know what she did, but she knew one person that would keep a secret and she took off. Stopping outside the odd building, she knocked on the door and after a few moments, the fox hybrid opened the door, tail flicking seeing his sister.

“(Y/N), hey. What’s up?” Fundy asked, moving to let her.

“Fundy, I challenged Terror to a duel.” She admitted immediately as she walked in.

“You what?!” His fur puffed up as he closed his door hurriedly. “Why would you do that?!”

“It just slipped! She talked shit about dad Fundy! Fundy, if you had only heard the shit, she said about him; I doubt you would have let it slide and I was not about to!” She threw her hands up as she paced.

“Slow down.” Fundy tried to calm her as he took her shoulders.

“I came to ask you for advice, this is my very first duel. They don't exactly cover this subject in L’Manberg.” She sighed.

“Did your friends attempt to negotiate a peace?”

“She refused to apologize, we had to let the peace talks cease.”

“Where is this happening?”

“Across the river, in Las Nevadas.”

“Everything is legal in Las Nevadas.” They both nodded.

“Alright, so this is what you're gonna do. Stand there like proud until Terror is in front of you. When the time comes, fire your weapon in the air. This will put an end to the whole affair.”

“But what if she decides to shoot? Then I'm a goner.”

“No, she'll follow suit if she's truly a woman of honor. To take someone's life, that is something you can't shake (Y/N), our father can't take another heartbreak.” He muttered, looking away for a moment, as he thought of everything that happened recently.

Their father was certainly having a hard time with all of it and they both knew it but (Y/N) didn’t just want to stand there. That felt like proving Terror right.

“Fundy!” She protested.

“Promise me.” He looked back at her as he thought about the war. “You don't want this young woman's blood on your conscience.”

She hesitated before sighing as she nodded. “Okay, I promise.”

“Come back home when you're done.” Fundy patted her shoulder before going to his weapons chest and pulling out his old bow and handed it to her. “Take my bow, be smart, make me proud, sis.”

(Y/N) took the bow, staring at it before nodding. Putting it on her back, she took a deep breath before leaving Fundy’s home and went towards Las Nevadas.

“My name is (Y/N). I am a musician. And I'm a little nervous, but I can't show it. I'm sorry, I'm a Soot with pride. You talk about my father; I cannot let it slide.” She sang to herself the familiar beat she knew.

Before she knew it, she was in Las Nevadas and Terror was standing there with a few souls that had seen from the play to watch how this act ended and a few faces she recognized that must have heard about the duel about to occur. She just hoped her father hadn’t heard how she wasn’t using her words.

“Terror, how was the rest of your show?” (Y/N) asked as she came forward.

“I'd rather skip the pleasantries, let's go.” Terror told her, moving her mask from the side of her face to the front. “Grab your bow.”

(Y/N) nodded as she took off the bow. “Confer with your men. The duel will commence after we count to ten.”

(Y/N) went to her position as everyone started to shift with excitement and nervousness. A few citizens from Las Nevadas had become curious and came to see.

“Look 'em in the eye, aim no higher.” (Y/N) muttered to herself as she gripped onto the bow. “Summon all the courage you require. Then slowly and clearly aim your bow towards the sky.”

The counting started and they began to take their paces.

One, two, three.

(Y/N) pulled the string back and aimed it up.

Four, five, six.

Before most of the crowd could react, Terror turned on her heel with her bowstring pulled back.

Seven.

And the bowstring was released and (Y/N) let out a cry as she fell to the ground. Blood was already starting to quickly pour as Terror scoffed.

“And now that’s done.” Terror said, walking away as a few people went to help the other.

Everything was blurry for (Y/N). Everything seemed so fast but so slow. She didn’t know what was happening, she didn’t know where she was. All she could feel was pain and dizziness consuming her. She didn’t even hear as there was a call on the walkie about what happened as Foolish carried her to a cleaner location to hopefully heal her.

Fundy’s blood went cold when he heard the call on the radio and bolted for Las Nevadas. He demanded to know where his little sister was and once he found out where she was, he booked it for there too.

~~~~~~~~

Stay Alive

Stay Alive

~~~~~~~~

Fundy made it to Foolish had brought her and was ready to barge his way through every room to find her when Foolish stepped out.

“Where's my sister?” Fundy demanded.

“Fundy, come in, I brought her in a half an hour ago. She lost a lot of blood on the way over.” Foolish explained to him.

“Is she alive?” Fundy felt the tears in his eyes.

“Yes, but you have to understand. The arrow entered just above her hip and lodged in her right arm.”

“Can I see her please?”

“I'm doing everything I can but the wound was already infected when she arrived.” Foolish told him as he hesitantly led him to where (Y/N) was.

“(Y/N)!” Fundy rushed to her side, gently putting a hand on her forehead as Foolish let them be.

The pain had started to numb and (Y/N) could vaguely see her brother as she was able to hear him clearly.

“Fundy. I did exactly as you said, Fundy. I held my head up high.”

“I know, I know, shh.”

“High—” (Y/N) tried to continue but stumbled over her words.

“I know, I know, shh. I know you did everything just right.” Fundy assured her as tears spilled from his eyes.

“Even before we got to ten.” She needed to explain what happened, she needed him to know even as he gently shushed her. “I was aiming for the sky. I was aiming for the sky.”

“I know, I know, shh. I know, save your strength and stay alive.” Fundy pleaded with her as his ears went flat and his tail wrapped around his leg.

That’s when Fundy heard furious and upset shouting. Fundy squeezed his eyes shut as he knew one of those voices by heart and sure enough, not a moment later Wilbur came bursting through the door.

Wilbur’s heart had dropped the moment he heard about (Y/N) being injured. His little star…He didn’t know what happened, but he sprinted as fast as he could towards the country of Las Nevadas, demanding answers. His little girl had been in a duel…

The other side had been cheap and shot her before they even got to ten. And his daughter, his little star, his (Y/N), had aimed her bow towards the sky. When she made it out of this, he’d let her know how proud he was of her.

Yet, now he stood in the doorway, seeing his daughter barely together, a small bit of blood still collecting around her…

“No!” Wilbur shouted as he rushed over, Fundy moving back to let their father be by her side.

“Dad,” Fundy muttered.

“Is she breathing? Is she going to survive this?” Wilbur looked towards Foolish, who stood quietly at the door, before Wilbur looked at Fundy. “Who did this, Fundy, did you know?”

“Dad.”Wilbur looked at his daughter and took her hand carefully and put his forehead on hers as he teared up. “I'm so sorry for forgetting what you taught me.”

“My daughter.”Wilbur choked up as he squeezed her hand, Fundy putting a hand over his mouth behind them.

“We played guitar.”

“I taught you guitar.”

“You would put your hands on mine.”

“You changed the melody every time.” Wilbur laughed quietly at the memory as tears were pouring down his cheeks.

“I would always change the line.” (Y/N) muttered as her grip started to weaken.

“Shh, I know, I know.” Wilbur shushed her gently as his grip only went tighter.

“I would always change the line.”

“I know, I know.” He had to keep her awake and talking if she stopped…! “Un-deux-trois-quatre-cinq-six-sept-huit-neuf.”

“Un-deux-trois-quatre-cinq-six-sept-huit-neuf.” (Y/N) repeated quietly.

“Good. Un-deux-trois-quatre-cinq-six-sept-huit-neuf.”

“Un-deux-trois…” She repeated partially with him before her eyes began to droop then closed.

“Sept-huit-neuf. Sept-huit—” Wilbur pleaded before he let out a sob as she didn’t respond.

Fundy sobbed as well as she was gone…

Commission for BirbWaifu

With @birbwaifu ‘s permission, here’s the writing commission done for them <3

Thanks again for commissioning me.

If you wanna commission a story as well, check out the pinned post.

Enjoy

"Ya think they know?"

It wasn't an easy-to-answer question Nobu was posing there, but he felt a heavy weight lifting off his shoulders as the words finally left his mouth.

Charlie put his book down and pulled himself up into a marginally more upright position as they laid cuddled together in their train compartment's bed, reading.

"How d'ya mean?" he wondered, blinking down at the man resting against his chest.

Nobu drew a breath to answer, but paused. He knew the way he worded that question could mean a couple of things, and all of them had been weighing him down.

"About... all of it, I guess," he thus answered, looking briefly up at Charlie before listening to the other man's heartbeat again. "About me, 'bout you, us... this whole misadventure."

"I wouldn't call it misadventure, Nobu," Charlie said softly, playing lazily with the other's short hair. "I mean, look at what we achieved. But as for that... I don't think me family knows 'bout it. Nothing ya really put in the papers, right? An' what might make it into the papers... There's not really much o' a connection to us, is there?"

Nobu nodded.

"An' they already know 'bout ya," Charlie continued, gently caressing the other's cheek. "No one uttered a bad word 'bout ya since the wedding, so no need to worry there." Charlie shuffled and pressed a kiss onto the crown of Nobu's head. "And trust me, if anyone would have a problem with ya, Ada would rip'em a new one."

Nobu chuckled softly, and sighed.

"But what about us being together?" he wondered.

"Same deal," Charlie shrugged, giving Nobu's arm a squeeze. "But we'll find out for certain soon enough."

Something about Charlie's tone wasn't right. Nobu shifted a little to look at his lover once again.

"Yer alright?"

Charlie blinked once more, nodding.

"Am. Just still tryin' to wrap my head around everythin'. This was a bit bigger than anything we did before."

"It sure was."

And Charlie sighed.

"Wanna hear the punchline? The bit I find hardest to grasp is that ya actually love me back, and confessed first. All these years, we rode together and..."

Now Nobu sat up and smiled, bemused.

"We're both two oblivious fools, ain't we?" he said, now resting his head against Charlie's shoulder.

"Oblivious and both in bloody denial, Nobu," Charlie answered, taking the smaller man's hand. "But I'm glad you said something. I'm not certain I woulda had the courage to do so."

Now Nobu blinked.

"Ya really think so?"

Charlie nodded, smiling bitterly.

"With all that happened, I guess if you would not have said anything there and then... I woulda started tellin' meself that ya don't have the same feelings for me. 'Cause when all that crap didn't encourage ya to say anything..."

"It wouldn't have encouraged ya either by the sound of it," Nobu deadpanned, looking a little grumpy. "And yer the more courageous of the two of us."

Charlie awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Well... I..." he began, but Nobu gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"But I get ya. I... I think I woulda jumped to the same conclusion 'bout ya had I not said anything."

Charlie smiled and put the book away, turning to Nobu to gently kiss his forehead.

"We're a match made in... God knows where..." he chuckled, cuddling into the pillow.

Nobu did the same.

"Ya think we'll ever see the others again?" he wondered as Charlie turned off the small lamp. "I mean, they said they'll stay in contact, but..."

"I'm quite certain 'bout Mrs. Meadows. Can't imagine Blayne won't keep his eye on us, and she'll be the best way to do so. With O'Brian, Burke an' their brethren, I'd say it depends on what the world has in store for'em. Miss Florence will certainly write." Charlie hummed in thought. "I think the only real tricky one will be Lynwood, what with him moving to England. He'll either write eagerly or will get wrapped up in work again."

Nobu nodded gently. This sounded about right.

"Those were some weird weeks," he said.

Charlie sighed in agreement.

"That they were. But one can't argue we didn't end our career as outlaws on a high note."

"As if you'd actually give up on gamblin' and hustlin'."

Charlie laid his arm around Nobu, pulling him closer.

"I'll cut it down for ya, an' ya know that," he said, giving Nobu a loving squeeze. "But now we should sleep. I'd like to be awake properly when we meet me family."

"Yeah, not riskin' givin' them any advantage."

Both men chuckled, and Nobu leaned up to kiss Charlie's cheek.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Charlie returned the kiss. "Good night."

"Good night."

~~o~~

The next morning came, and Nobu woke to the conductor knocking on the compartment door, announcing that they'll reach their destination in less than an hour.

Nobu sat up, yawned, and looked down at Charlie, watching the other man's chest rise and fall gently. And after a moment, Nobu playfully ran a hand over Charlie's stomach. Charlie stirred awake, blinking blearily at his lover.

"G'morning," he slurred, squirming a bit. "Ya really took a liking to tickling me awake, didn't ya?"

Nobu sighed and searched Charlie's eye.

"I..." he began. "I guess I'm tryin' to tell meself this ain't a dream."

Charlie smiled and reached up to caress Nobu's cheek.

"I get that. I think I told ya that I'm still wrappin' me head around all of it." Charlie cocked his head. "But I get the impression yer really worried 'bout things."

"Am," Nobu admitted. "We got a new life ahead o' us, and..."

"Yer scared, no matter how much ya wanted it?"

Nobu nodded, and Charlie pulled him into a gentle hug.

"Look, Nobu, I can't promise ya that life will be outrageously easier now. But it should be a less rocky road. An' we've weathered so many storms together already, I think we can weather the next few as well."

Nobu nuzzled his face into the crook of Charlie's neck, humming gently. It took a moment before he sat back up, looking down at Charlie.

"Yer counting tellin' yer family we're together as one of'em storms?" he asked, all perfect innocence. And Charlie snorted a laugh.

"Oh, that depends on how obnoxious they'll be about it," Charlie answered, stretched and clambered out of bed. "But I ain't tellin' ya nothin' new when I say ou'll fit right in with the bunch o' altruistic hens that me family is."

Now Nobu laughed as well, watching Charlie get dressed.

"Ya warned me before," he joked then, getting up himself.

It wasn't until everything was packed and the train slowed as it neared the station that Charlie fell thoughtful again.

"Penny for yer thoughts?" Nobu asked.

Charlie looked at him, and then at the window, watching the scenery go by.

"Told ya, still lettin' things sink in. Right now it's mostly the fact that I haven't seen me family in person since Grace's wedding."

Nobu nodded.

"We sure got a lot to tell'em..."

Charlie smirked.

"I reckon those tales will be a good warm up till we get to the big reveal."

"Ya mean that we saved the world or that we got together?"

Charlie pretended to earnestly ponder this.

"Yes," he then said with a cackle, and earned a gentle elbow to the side for it. But Nobu chuckled as well.

"We should go then," Nobu said as the train stopped, shouldering his bag. "I'm certain I saw Ada and Oscar waitin' for us."

~~o~~

Now, Charlie was never the kind of person to get overwhelmed too easily. But arriving at one's family's home and being greeted by around a dozen-something friendly faces will very easily do the trick.

Charlie had barely gotten off the carriage when he was swarmed by various nephews and nieces, and while Oscar carried their luggage inside, Ada took the opportunity to have a small heart-to-heart with Nobu a bit away from the group.

"Whatever ya did after Potter's Springs musta been a big one to get Charlie to come home for good after all this time," she said, watching Charlie for a bit.

Nobu smiled askew.

"Don't be like that. Ya know how much he'd have loved to be here more often. An' yer one to talk. Yer always out an' about yerself." Then Nobu realized something and his eyes grew wide. "Wait, how do ya know about..."

"Potter's Springs? Josie wrote to me when that Pinkerton agent of yers got ya stuck in town for a bit." Ada smiled slyly. "Can't believe ya an' Charles worked with a bloody Pinkerton."

Nobu sighed.

"Neither could we."

"Did ya leave him to rot in the end?"

Nobu furrowed his brow.

"No. Truth be told, he... he's not that bad a person. And he quit his job."

Ada chuckled.

"Good call." She patted Nobu's back. "Come, ya gotta meet the other new members o' the family."

Nobu nodded and followed her, only to stop dead in his tracks when he realized something else.

"W-why did ya word it like that?"

With a smirk, Ada waved him to follow.

"I'll tell ya when Charlie's in hearin' range. Would spoil all the fun otherwise."

By all means, Nobu couldn't say that that sounded promising, but there was nothing else he could do but follow.

About ten or fifteen minutes later Nobu and Charlie had been introduced to all the new members of the family, and another ten till they were seated on a large and nicely decorated breakfast table.

Something that made Charlie squirm with a bit of embarrassment.

"Ya did this all for us?" he asked, to which his mother ruffled his hair after putting a basket of boiled eggs down.

"Ya been away from home for so long, Charlie, and ya pulled quite a stunt in New Hamelin." As you and Charlie blinked a little confused, Charlie's mother smiled and retrieved a newspaper from the shelf, handing it over. "We do get the papers out here, Charles. An' yer not goin' to tell me this kinda thing isn't right up yer alley."

Charlie cleared his throat quite abashed, putting the paper back down.

"Well, yes..." he began.

"Glad to see ya ended on a high note," Ada noted. "One last big thing before you an' Nobu settled down. So, what are yer plans now?"

Charlie quirked a brow.

"Get a job, I guess."

"As what?" Ada teased. "With yer skillset ya'd be best suited for politics, but ya got too good a heart for that."

Charlie snorted a curt laugh and leaned back.

"Yer kind as always, Ada. I was thinking 'journalism'. Maybe writing. Good respectable work, that."

Something about this made a smile tug on Nobu's lips.

There was some agreeing murmuring, some nodding and some eyerolling around the table, before Ada looked at Nobu.

"An' you?"

Nobu winced, taking a deep breath.

"I dunno yet. I-I mean I'm no good with words an' all, but... maybe I can find something at a bookstore in the city. A library. Ya know I like to read."

"Well, good to know Charlie will have someone to read what he put out," Ada quipped, grabbing the breadbasket and helping herself to a small tower of rolls. "But that aside, why don't ya tell us the whole story."

"Yes," Grace chimed in. "What happened that made ya finally decide to settle down with Nobu."

"Well, it's quite a long..." Charlie began, but then narrowed his eye at his sister. "Why did ya word it like that?"

Grace giggled in response, while Ada did her best to not start laughing out loud. Charlie cast Nobu a suspicious glance, and Nobu, albeit just for a moment, wished the ground would open and swallow him whole.

"I think they know," Nobu mumbled, and Charlie frowned.

"We suspected," Ada corrected. "Since Grace's wedding, the way the two o' yer been with each other..."

"Why didn't ya say anything?" Charlie protested, to which Grace spoke up.

"Charlie, that kinda thing is something the two of ya had to come to terms with for yerself," she said. "But to tell the truth, if ya wouldn't have gotten together by now Ada woulda set out to screw yer heads back on right."

Charlie and Nobu turned their gazes to Ada, who smiled back self-satisfied.

"Look at ya two," she said. "Ya've been workin' together so well since ya met, and one would have to be really oblivious to not notice that." He smile softened. "But I know yer both... yer both the kind of people who deny themselves that anything good can ever happen to them for a longer time. But..."

Charlie waved her off, taking a deep breath.

"We... already figured we're oblivious fools, no need to rub it in," he said, clearing his throat.

"That you are," Ada agreed, and smiled. "But we're all happy ya finally figured it out."

Charlie smiled at Nobu, and Nobu smiled back, nudging Charlie's leg below the table.

"But now let's eat," Ada called, "before it all gets cold."

"Can't argue with that," Charlie muttered, getting Nobu to chuckle.

~~o~~

"Charlie?" Nobu asked as they sat on a bank in the house's small garden, catching their breath after breakfast.

"Mhnn?"

"I've been thinking."

"About?"

"What do ya think?" Nobu smiled, resting his head against Charlie's shoulder. "About what yer family said. About us. We been so busy with wrappin' our heads 'round what happened in Devil's Creek, an' us being two godforsaken fools that we didn't even think about just what we're goin' to do now."

Charlie smiled, leaned his head against Nobu's and laid an arm around the other man.

"We still had a good answer to it, don't ya think?"

Nobu pondered this.

"Yes, but... I mean I can imagine ya writin' books, but I-I can't see myself sellin' any... or anything."

Charlie pressed a gentle, careful kiss to Nobu's temple.

"I'm sure ya can," he said, squeezing Nobu's shoulder. "An' we got time now. We're not on the run anymore."

"There's still people who have a bone or two to pick with us."

Charlie nodded with a sigh.

"I know. But we can handle them. Settling down doesn't mean lettin' one's guard down, now does it."

Nobu nodded.

"Are ya scared," Charlie asked softly.

"A bit. Not just about that... about everythin'."

"Me too, that much I can tell ya." Charlie looked forlornly at the sky for a moment, caressing Nobu's shoulder absentmindedly. "It's weird, innit?"

"Mhnn?"

"All the things we've been through an' this is what we're scared 'bout the most."

"Well," Nobu began, pondering. "I guess it's 'cause we've never been in such a situation before. It was always 'us and where we go from here for the next hustle'. Now it's... Us and where we'll go from here for us."

Charlie chuckles gently.

"Yeah, it is." Then he shuffled around, looking at Nobu. "Well, where do we go from here?"

Nobu blinked.

"Didn't we just talk 'bout that?" he wondered.

"I mean literally," Charlie said, leaning back again and looking up at the sky wistfully. "The world is big, Nobu. There's a lot of places to go an' see, an' about as much to stay there for a bit longer than we usually do. So, where do we go from here? See the world? Build a small house somewhere on the frontier? Go back to civilization?"

Charlie's gaze was gentle and free of any sarcasm as he looked back at Nobu. And Nobu just smiled, just as gentle and honest, before he cuddled against Charlie again, laying the other man's arm around his shoulder once more.

"I don't know yet. I guess I'll see," he said, entwining his fingers with Charlie's.

Charlie chuckled softly, giving Nobu's hand a soft squeeze.

"Yes... But... it's funny. I know one thing for certain." He smiled and cupped Nobu's chin, pressing a tender, loving kiss onto the other's lips. "I won't go anywhere without you by my side."

All That Was Fair

Chapter 30: Slipping Through My Fingers

Summary: Jamie grasps at straws for a way to ease Claire

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Read chp 30 on tumblr below the cut

Previous, master list, next

Chapter 30

***

Jamie didn’t remember dozing off, but he must have, because he was dragged out of sleep so abruptly it was like cold water had been dumped over his head, shooting adrenaline into his system. It wasn’t apparent at first what had woken him until Claire made a sound that clearly wasn’t the first time she’d cried out. 

It was a whimper, weak but plaintive, piercing to Jamie’s soul. He shot into wakefulness as it tore from her throat again, and he pushed himself up on his elbow, blinking sleep away so he could see her. 

She was still asleep. Her eyes were clenched tightly closed while her head jerked back and forth in an unconscious mimicry of shaking her head no. Before Jamie could even reach out to bring her out of the dream, she was shooting up in bed, eyes open and wild with panic. 

Her frantic gaze met his eyes, and her chest heaved as she drew in a sharp breath that was halfway between a gasp and a sob. 

Jamie was crushing her to his chest without a second more of hesitation. 

“It was jes’ a dream, a nighean,” he said as he held her fiercely, “it’s alright. It wasna real. I’m here.” 

He tucked her head under her chin and made shushing sounds. The puir lass butted her forehead into his chest, but instead of bringing her arms around him— which she likely lacked the strength to do— she simply leaned her whole body into him. 

“It’s alright now, my fair one,” Jamie hushed, “it wasna real. Was jes’ a nightmare.” 

She gave a tiny tilt of the head that may have been a nod, but Jamie still felt her trembling against him. His heart broke for her. Clearly whatever she had dreamt had shaken her to the core. It had been a while since she’d had a reaction with this much energy to anything, and now her body was alight with fear. 

Jamie nudged his chin down to kiss her hair and softly asked, “what were ye dreamin’, lass?” 

Her swallow was audible and her breath shuddered before she answered. 

“It was dark. Pitch black, but somehow I could see the darkness swirling. And I was ripped apart— over and over. And I—“ she inhaled sharply, “I was alone.” 

“It wasna real, mo nighean donn. Ye arena alone. I’m right here. And I’m no’ goin’ anywhere.”

Jamie hated not being able to see her face and meet her eyes when he said that, so he carefully laid her back flat on the bed. She complied, boneless and allowing him to maneuver her, but he spotted a flash of distress in her eyes. 

“Dinna fash,” he quickly soothed. He laid down next to her, bracing his head up on his elbow so he could stare down at her, but he brought his other hand to stroke her arm. “I’m here, aye?” He met her eyes this time, trying to impart the solemnity of his words, “We’re together. And that’s all that matters.” 

She let out a breath that was as much of an agreement as she could muster. 

“Just…” she said suddenly, surprising Jamie, “don’t leave my side.” 

In another show of vigor, she reached up to twine her arms around his neck and cling to him. He knew what she wanted without being told. Sliding a hand underneath her back, Jamie gently lifted her into a sitting position, careful not to put much distance between them that would upset her. When there was inevitably a bit of space between their midsections, Claire scooted closer to press herself to him. 

“Sassenach?” When she didn’t respond, he said again, “Claire? Is this alright?”

She laid her head on his shoulder, “I just want you to hold me for a bit.”

His stomach twisted, and he withdrew his hands from where they were flat on her back so that he could wrap his arms tightly around her instead. He pressed his lips to her forehead and then tucked her head underneath his chin. Tears burned at his eyes. 

“I ken ye’re scared,” he murmured into her hair, kissing it softly, “but we’ll face it together, mo ghraidh, always.” 

A shuddering breath against him was the only response. 

He wished he had more words for her— something more to say that would ease her— but even language seemed to fail him. He could only say the same thing over and over, promising to be with her. Finding himself at the end of the power of words, he relied on touch. 

Bringing a hand up, he began to stroke her hair gently. It occurred him how she seemed impossibly small. There was no trace of his vibrant, curious, and even mischievous faerie. She just clung to him, quiet, and allowed him to hold her. 

She was somehow muted. Everything about her seemed almost… serene, only in all the wrong ways. She simply didn’t have the energy to do anything more than listlessly be. 

Jamie found himself missing her, even though she was there with him at that very moment. 

Adso was meowing insistently outside, demanding that his morning meal be served, but Jamie wouldn’t dream of letting Claire go. He patiently rocked her, swaying slightly as she rested in his arms. 

“When I was young,” Jamie began to speak, not sure exactly why this story came to his head, “my older brother Willie and I wanted tae build a treehouse sae badly.” Claire nestled her head further onto his shoulder, settling in, and Jamie took that as a sign to continue. “A treehouse is jes’ a tiny room made of wood that you put high up in a tree and have tae climb up to even get into it.” The usual Claire would have definitely had something to say about that, some snarky remark about the oddities of humanity, but she was too fatigued to do anything but listen and breathe against him. “My da didna trust us wi’ the tools, and he was workin’ full time and tryin’ tae keep up wi’ the farm. We begged and pleaded for him tae jes’ let us do it ourselves, but he said it’d have tae wait until the summer. But then Murtagh showed up in our backyard one day without a word, hauling pieces of wood and his tools, and Willie and I couldna believe our eyes. We worked every afternoon for weeks. When it was finally done, Murtagh, Willie, and my Da spent a night up there— cuddled up in blankets side by side, looking out the windae at the stars and listenin’ to Da and Murtagh tell stories. I remember Willie and I fell asleep huddled together for warmth, listenin’ to the soothing sound of their voices. It was the best night.”

Jamie swallowed the lump in his throat. What he had left out was the fact that it was after Willie’s cancer diagnosis. As they’d built the treehouse, he’d watched Willie grow more and more fatigued. That night in the treehouse was one of the last perfect memories he had with his brother. 

He realized suddenly that it’d been foolish to tell such an emotional story to Claire at that moment, and as lungs clenched, he wished he could take his words back inside. Sensing his grief, she whispered, “you miss him.” 

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement— an acknowledgement of his sorrow and longing for his brother. 

“I’m sorry, I didna mean…” 

“You can’t help what you feel, Jamie, don’t apologize,” she said softly. When Jamie tilted his head down to look at her, he saw she’d lifted her face from his shoulder and there were tears glistening in her eyes. 

“My sweet lass—” he croaked. 

The reason for his telling the story— the reason why it had come to his head in the first place— hung in the air, heavy and unspoken between them. 

“I’m okay, Jamie,” she said, straightening up and blinking her brimming eyes at him, “really. I’m just… tired. I’ll be alright. I don’t want you to worry like this.” 

So she could feel that too. 

“Of course I worry for ye, mo nighean donn,” he whispered.

There was a flash of panic inside him, sudden and sharp. Jamie had lost much in his life. He’d lost his brother to cancer, his mother and newborn brother to a traumatic birth, and he’d watched his father die of a stroke. He wasn’t sure he could bear to watch Claire fade away.  

But he couldn't jump to conclusions yet— he told himself firmly as he shoved all of that as far down inside himself as he possibly could. 

“I don’t want you to worry,” Claire argued, laying her head back down on his shoulder. Stubborn as ever. Her lips brushed over it in the slightest, the barest hint of a kiss. 

“I’ll try no’ to,” he promised. 

“Let’s go down and get the cheetie his breakfast,” Claire said abruptly as another urgent meow came from outside the door, although she made no move. 

“Are ye sure?” Jamie wanted to argue, at least insist that she stay in bed, but he knew deep inside him that there was no way she’d part from him even for a moment, so he offered instead, “we can stay a while longer.” He squeezed his arms more tightly around her, holding her close. 

“As long as we go together,” she said. 

As they got up from the bed, Jamie was careful to keep an arm secured firmly around her. He abided by her residual clinginess and indulged her desire to stay pressed close to him. It was no real task; he would have her in his arms every minute of every day if he could. The length of her body pressed down his arm as she leaned slightly against him. 

The moment they made it downstairs, she sat on the couch, curling her knees to her chest under the fluffy throw blanket as Jamie went in the kitchen to grab some breakfast. 

When he returned, she was antsy for his presence. He settled down on the couch next to her, holding a simple granola bar in his hand (he didn’t want to spend time preparing anything else when she was like this). Nearly instantly, he had a lapful of faerie. She climbed up, straddling his legs, and hugged her arms around his neck so their fronts were pressed together. Nearly every inch of her was touching him, and he thought if she was physically capable, she would have made the rest of her body touch too. 

It broke his heart damn near in two to see her suffering like this. 

To be helpless to do anything. 

“Want tae watch another movie, lass?” he asked gently. He had no idea what else to suggest. She needed rest and recuperation, and he ached for her to be distracted, even if just for a short while. 

She gave a little murmur of assent but didn’t raise her head from where it was burrowed into the crook of his neck.

“Hey,” he said softly, trying to get her attention. When he didn’t receive anything in reply, he smoothed his hand up her back to gently cradle the nape of her neck. He suddenly felt the need to reassure her— or, if he was being honest, for her to reassure him. “Hey, mo ghraidh. I willna let anything happen, aye?”

“I know,” she said quietly. 

But that was a lie. Both of them knew it was. 

There was no telling what was happening, no assurance that it would pass. He was making promises he couldn’t keep. But everything inside of him had been screaming the words until he had to say them. 

“What should we watch?” Jamie changed the subject before his brain could dwell on his fears long enough for Claire to sense them. 

“You pick, Jamie,” she said. 

The way she said his name... It made his heart clench terribly. She said it like it was an endearment, only his name meant the same as “love” to her. 

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, Jamie grabbed the remote and turned on Aristocats, knowing that cat movies and shows tended to be her favorites. His faerie had a bit of an obsession now. How different from when she’d first cowered in his arms at the sight of Adso. 

But she didn’t turn around to watch the movie. She stayed facing away from it, curled into Jamie. As the movie played, he simply held her and didn’t say a word. He would do whatever she needed for the rest of his life if only it could help her feel the slightest bit better. 

As the movie went on, Claire gradually began to melt. The paradoxical mix of listlessness and clinginess seemed to dampen, and she shifted off of him so she could curl underneath a blanket with her head in his lap instead. 

His hands settled into a rhythmic stroking of her hair. In the worst type of deja vu, Jamie realized this was just like the previous day. Claire had no energy even for the simplest of demands on her body.

She needed rest— he reminded himself. There was need to fash. He’d wanted her to sleep more, hadn’t he? 

Then why was there such a pang in his chest? 

***

Claire woke feeling disoriented. Weariness had settled deep in her bones. It was like she was underwater with a hand clutching at her ankle and dragging her downward while she constantly tried to battle toward the surface. For a second, she couldn’t figure out where she was. There was something soft underneath her cheek, comfortable, and she didn’t feel a sense of panic. Only vague unease. 

The weight on her chest didn’t abate as she sat up. She hadn’t even managed to open her eyes yet, but the dizziness that struck her full force would have been debilitating if not for the darkness encasing her. She sank back down to lay on her side. 

“Claire?” 

The voice of her beloved tore her from the swirling that was taking place in her brain. Her heart skipped a beat at his voice— the first thing she felt acutely since she’d woken. She clung to that with all her might and opened her eyes. 

Jamie was hovering over her, his eyes swimming with concern and his expression so boyish in the way he looked at her. She felt the slight ease of relief looking up at him. Seeing his face always seemed to anchor her to the ground, to the solid reassurance of his strength. 

“Any better this morning?” he asked, but there was little hope in his voice. He already knew the answer. 

It broke her heart to say it to him. She hated to make him worry, but she didn’t have the strength anymore to hide from him. 

“No,” she answered, finding her voice breathy even to her own ears. 

She closed her eyes again and was surprised to feel the heat of a tear leak from one corner. 

Jamie sighed— a heartbreaking sound— and then his big hands came up to stroke her hair. His touch was comforting; it made her feel like she could breathe, even if only for a second before the waves crashed over her again and drove her head beneath the water. 

“I dinna ken what tae do,” Jamie said softly, helplessness straining his voice in a way that tore her open.

That was enough to force her into wakefulness again. 

Jamie looked haunted. His eyes were swimming with concern, the features of his beautiful face tight with anxiety. His jaw clenched as he tried to keep himself in check. Claire was too weak to sense how distraught he was, but she didn’t need to. It was painted loud and clear over every inch of his body. It killed her to see his distress and not be able to do anything about it, but she was just too tired even to try to pretend she was alright enough to reassure him. 

“I don’t know either,” her hoarse voice answered. 

His hands were moving again, coming to cradle her face between them. So warm and strong, so gentle when he touched her. Her eyes must have fallen closed again because her world narrowed down to the single point of his thumb smoothing over her cheeks. 

“Rest, mo ghraidh,” Jamie said softly. 

Her forehead tingled as he kissed it with the barest brush of lips, and then his hands disappeared from her face. 

Her eyes popped open enough to see Jamie rising from the bed to his feet. 

“What—?” she asked foggily, finding her mouth filled with fuzz, “where are you going?”

“I’ll leave ye to yer peace, sweet one,” Jamie said tenderly, returning to her side to run his hand down her face, over her shoulder, and then down the length of her body until it rested on her hip, “go back to sleep.” 

“Please don’t go,” she found herself pleading, voice airy, “please stay, just for a little while longer?” 

A whine tore from his throat as if she had struck him with a blow. He hadn’t meant to let it out, but she knew he was so pained by seeing her like this. She nearly regretted asking him until he slipped back into bed, eager, and gathered her again into his arms. He was so big, his broad chest like a wall behind her and his arms like trees that wrapped around her body. His solidness, his strength— they gave her a sense of security. Comfort like nothing else could. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, repressing a shiver that tried to wrack her body. She hated hurting him like this. She knew he was hurting because of her. But she needed him so badly it frightened her. 

“No,” he sounded devastated again, and it was killing her to keep hearing him like that, “no, mo ghraidh. Dinna say ye’re sorry. It became my job the second I decided to love ye wi’ my whole heart. I’ll always be here for ye, as ye are for me. We take turns, aye? Now it’s yer turn.” 

Jamie always knew exactly what needed to be said to assuage her guilt. The tightness in her chest eased and she relaxed back into him, feeling more grounded. His words were a reminder that this wouldn’t last forever. She would be okay— with him— and until she was better, he’d be there to hold her. 

“Go back to sleep, mo nighean donn,” Jamie said gently, “I willna leave yer side.” 

Safe in the knowledge that Jamie would keep her afloat, she let herself drift back into the murky grey depths. 

*** 

Jamie rubbed his face wearily as placed his dishes in the sink. After she’d woken up, Claire had told him to go make himself a real meal and not just throw something together as he’d been doing recently. As much as he didn’t like leaving her, he indulged his love of cooking and made an extensive chicken parmesan for himself. Before Claire, cooking used to be one of the ways he relieved stress, but he hadn’t had any time for it as of late. He certainly was stressed with watching Claire suffer from whatever was dragging her down, but of course cooking was powerless in the face of that worry. 

The thoughts consumed him, circling him like vultures. He tried to beat them back as best as he could. It had only been a few days— it was foolish to go to extremes so early. But after google searches turned up nothing helpful about sick faeries, and Claire herself had been at a loss, Jamie was left with only the theories that his own brain could come up with. Maybe she had caught a cold or some human disease that her body didn’t know how to handle? Maybe with some time and rest she would be back to her usual self. Since a doctor's visit was out of the question, Jamie had to wait and pray. 

Pray that this was nothing like watching his family get sick. 

Pray that it would pass soon. 

And try not to lose himself to the gnawing of worry inside of him. 

Once he was done cleaning up, having barely managed to eat much at all, he walked into the living room looking for Claire. 

“Mo ghraidh?” he called. 

There was no answer. Figuring she went up to the bedroom, Jamie climbed the stairs with eager energy. It wasn’t that he couldn’t stand being away from her for an hour, but… well… he didn't like being away from her for an hour. 

His face was just beginning to break into a smile at the thought of holding her again as he swung into their bedroom. 

The sight inside stole it instantly, and he froze, looking at the scene in front of him with a feeling that somehow took endearment and twisted it into anguish and sympathy. 

Claire was lying on the floor, curled up on her side under her fluffy throw blanket from downstairs. 

Jamie’s heart clenched as affection warred with soft worry. He could see her chest rising and falling in an even rhythm where her hand was clutching a fold of the blanket to her chest. She wasn’t asleep— he could tell— but she laid curled up on the floor and didn’t seem to even notice him. 

“What are ye doin’ on the floor, sweet one?” he asked quietly as he knelt down next to her. He brushed a bit of her hair back from her face as her eyes opened. 

She blinked up at him slowly for a second and allowed him to gently stroke her hair before answering. 

“I’m tired,” she breathed. 

“I ken,” he said, his heart breaking and the bubble in his chest expanding painfully, “but why no’ on the bed?” 

“‘S more comfortable here,” she answered, sounding foggy. 

Jamie was perplexed for a moment before he came to the realization. She had slept on the ground her whole life. On mossy beds and leafy piles, if not just plain grass. 

A choked sound escaped him as he thought about her laying down on the ground, seeking comfort from a more familiar surface. 

“Can I lay wi’ ye a moment?” he asked through the sympathy coating his throat. 

She nodded, just a small movement of her head sliding back and forth over the carpet. As soon as he got permission, Jamie slid behind her so he could curl up against her back. At the feeling of him pressing up behind her, Claire straightened her legs a bit so Jamie could slot his own into the curve behind her knees. He draped an arm over her middle and held her close. 

“Is this alright, mo ghraidh?” he asked softly. 

“Yes,” she breathed in barely a whisper. 

So Jamie laid there on the ground with her, holding her. He wished fervently that she could find the slightest comfort— anything to ease her suffering. He more than wished. 

“God,” he prayed silently, “dinna let her slip away from me. Please. Please.” 

It took most of his willpower to keep himself from shaking under the pressure of worry. There was already enough trembling between the two of them— Claire’s body was nearly vibrating in its distress— she didn’t need him adding to that. 

“Sleep now,” he whispered in her ear, “and dinna fash. I’m here.” 

He was there. Only he was completely powerless to do anything but lay on the floor beside her and offer what little he could in the face of… Jamie didn’t even know what to call it other than suffering. 

An idea suddenly popped into his head. 

“Hold on, mo nighean donn,” Jamie said quietly into his hair. He pressed a kiss to her temple, watching her eyelashes flutter in response, and then tore himself away before he could regret leaving her. 

He all but ran down the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste, but for the first time in a long while, he felt like there was something he could do. It was small, maybe it would be insignificant, but perhaps it could ease her. And that was something. When he had grabbed the item in question, he returned upstairs. Even as he plugged it into the wall, Claire remained motionless on the ground with her eyes closed. 

The moment he turned on the space heater, however, those beautiful golds popped open to regard it with a wide gaze. It wasn’t excitement— the puir lass was too muted to look excited— but the gravity and regard that she held for the device was present. 

Jamie made sure it was pointed right at her before he made his way back over so he could take her in his arms again, positioning her in the cocoon of his body. 

“I promised ye an hour in front of the space heater, did I no’?” he said softly, trying to keep his tone light even as he felt like his heart was being thrown into a blender.

She didn’t have a witty jab about her victory nor an attempt to swindle him for more time. Instead, she was quiet for a moment before she added, “with you.”

“Aye. With me. I wouldna forget that part of the bargain, lass. It was my favorite part.” 

He felt like he was choking. This wasn’t at all how either of them had imagined the spoils of her game. She was supposed to tug him downstairs with a smirk on those lovely lips. She was supposed to force him to hold up his end of the deal as he playfully refused to turn it on. She was supposed to turn around in his arms and kiss him only a few minutes into the offered hour. 

It was supposed to be anything but this. Anything but lying quietly on the floor while Jamie scraped the bottom of the barrel for anything he could do to help her. 

“Can ye feel it, Claire?” he couldn’t help but ask, “does it feel alright?” 

She let out a shaky breath and nodded against the carpet. “Yes,” she breathed, “Thank you, Jamie.” 

That was it. Quiet and empty, her words rattled around in Jamie’s heart until they lodged like a sprinter in the beating flesh. 

“Anything else, lass? What else can I do?” he couldn’t help but ask. Beg. Plead. 

“This is nice,” she replied quietly. 

Jamie expected some sort of gesture to go with the words. A rub of his arm. A tilt of the head behind her to smile at him. Even just a shift of her body. Claire always expressed herself so physically. Only now she was still, and nothing accompanied her words except silence. 

And Jamie was left in his helplessness. 

“Alright, a leannan. Go back to yer rest now. I willna leave until ye wake again. I promise.” 

And when the second hour passed, the space heater still buzzing in front of Claire and Jamie’s back aching, he was still there with her on the floor, praying over her in whispers.

***

a/n: Please also accept my apology that this particular chapter was the gift I had for World Outlander Day. I am offering lots of hug gifs over on my twitter (@jamiemackfraser) and here if anyone needs one. Much love to you all!

Also, next chapter will be following very shortly!

Next

1-cm High World

Location: Seisou Hall Courtyard

Mitsuru: Sniff sniff… Just as I thought, the scent of bread is coming from over here!

They gotta be sweet buns~☆ It smells like the ones you can get at the supermarket!

Ah, found it! So it really was here!

But why is it hanging from a tree branch? It kinda looks like a bread-snatching race.[1] Hmm?

Well, anyway. The bread will go bad if it stays here. I should bring this to the dorm supervisor[2] right away! Dash dash, ju~mp!

Uwaah!? I got stuck in a net and now I’m hanging in the air!

So basically, this is a trap someone set up? Maybe it was the mischievous Hinata-chan? Or could this have been one of Shinobu-chan’s ninjutsu tricks?

When I move my body it feels like I'm shaking like a yoyo, it's fun! Bounce Bou~nce♪

Kohaku: ...It actually caught him.

Mitsuru: Ah, Koha-chan. Hello!

Kohaku: Though this isn’t a situation to be greetin’ each other so casually…. Good day.

Ya certainly look like you’re utterly hog-tied. I'll get ya down, so don't move.

Mitsuru: Okay! I'm bad at staying still, but I'll control myself♪

Kohaku: (Even in such a situation he’s not fazed in the slightest... sorta like Madara-han.)

(Although we’re doin’ activities together as Double Face an’ I know about the ”Mikejima” name, I still don’t know Madara-han’s true self real well.)

(Even if it’s just for a short while, I feel mighty anxious bein’ in the care of someone like him.)

(I was tryin’ ta figure out one or two weaknesses o’ his, an’ then I pieced together that I needed ta go to the Track & Field Club.)

(In order to not stir up any unnecessary trouble, I can’t touch Narukami-han, who’s real close ta bon[3]. An’ as fer Otogari-han...I can’t quite grasp his physical strength just yet.)

(Rulin’ those out, I had ta choose Tenma-han.)

(Although ‘t was me who set the trap, I didn’t think he would come. Yer run-of-the-mill folks wouldn’t get caught up in such an obvious trap, right?)

(Just how much does this dude like bread?)

(Well anyhow, it’s all dandy that I’ve been able ta get him while Madara-han ain’t around.)

…. Now yer loose. ‘M sorry that I set out a trap like this, but there’s just somethin’ I hafta ask ya.

Mitsuru: Not at all! It felt like an amusement park ride, so it was fun! I’d welcome a trap like this any time!

Kohaku: I- is that so? Well, nothin’ better than a good mood right? Here, have some bread as an apology.

Mitsuru: Yaay, I scored another piece of bread! Yesyes~!☆

Munch munch…. So, what was it that you wanted to ask me?

Kohaku: Y’see.. Y’know Madara-han? The one from the Mikejima household? I pretty much only know ‘bout how he is as an idol.

Tenma-han is also in the Track & Field Club with him, right? Can’t ya teach me what kind of person he is?

Mitsuru: I got you! Then let’s change into our tracksuits and meet up in 5 minutes!

Kohaku: Thanks a lot, ya really saved me there~

…. Eh, tracksuits?

5 minutes later

Mitsuru: Okay, first of all, let’s have a match! Get ready to dash! ☆

Kohaku: (So basically, we’re gonna run? I haven’t got a clue what this has gotta do with Madara-han, though.)

(In order ta gain his trust, it’s best ta just go along with him.)

Mitsuru: Dash dash~!

Kohaku: Hollup, how far are ya plannin’ on goin’?!

Mitsuru: Thanks to the bread I’ve just eaten, I’m all fired up! It’s just so much fun to run!

It’s the first time that I’m running together with Koha-chan. You’ve gotta show how much you can run!

I’ve become a proper oniichan now that I’m in my second year. I’m not a child that you can just baby all the time!

Kohaku: Haaa… huff..

Mitsuru: Koha-chan, are you okay? Please eat some bread and jazz up!

Kohaku: Are ya serious?! If I were to get anythin’ in my stomach right now, I’d totally throw it all up.

Mitsuru: It’s gonna be fine if it’s bread! I have some …

Huh, I don’t have any bread on me?!

Let’s go to a bakery to get some! So dash dash with all I got~!

….Not with all I’ve got. I should match up to Koha-chan’s pace, then dash dash at half power~☆

Location: Time Street

Mitsuru: Munch munch… Bread is super duper tasty when you eat it after running!

Kohaku: Yer right...it’s tastin’ better than usual ‘cause we just worked up a sweat.

Mitsuru: ....

Kohaku: ? What’s the matter? Yer starin’ like a rock...

Mitsuru: I just always got the idea that you practically don’t have any friends, so I’m happy that we’re hanging out together! Ehehe♪

Kohaku: “Practically don’t have any friends”...you don’t beat around the bush, huh. Compared ta you, I don’t have heaps, but I do have some.

(‘s all well. Although Tenma-han looks like he’s got his head in the clouds all the time, he’s real aware of his surroundings. It’s kinda surprisin’.)

(.... This ain’t the time for admirin’! I totally forgot about my objective.)

(I could keep goin’ along with him, but with bread and dashin’ I won’t make any progress. Let’s cut to the chase now.)

Tenma-han. This is about Madara-han, I don’t really understand what all this runnin’ around has got to do with him. Could ya explain it so that even I can understand?

Mitsuru: Okey-dokey! Up you go~☆

Kohaku: Waah?! What are ya doin’! Don’t carry me on yer shoulders! Egh, I can’t get down if ya grab me so tightly!

Mitsuru: Mike-chan-senpai loves festivals! He carries me like a mikoshi[4]— gives me a ride on his shoulders and all. He’s a super nice person!

Whenever I’m in a fix, he helps me out. He’s a good guy. But I’ve also become bigger too, I'm already a second year!

I wanna go from being helped to being someone who helps out others!

So if you’re ever troubled about anything, Koha-chan can also come to me for advice!

Kohaku: …. Right. If I’m in a pinch, I’ll count on ya.

(His eyes are sparklin’ when he’s talkin’ ‘bout Madara-han.)

(“A super nice person” huh … So he appears like that to a kid who knows nothin’ of the face beneath the mask.)

(Though I didn’t quite get the information I was hopin’ for, I still spent a meaningful day like this.)

Mitsuru: Sniff sniff … I can smell freshly baked bread!

It’s coming from that bakery! Dash da~sh … ☆

Kohaku: Whaah?! Put me down first~!

Proofreaders

JP: Anonymous

EN: Amagiiz

Translation Notes

A bread-snatching race in Japan is mainly done during school events. Bread is hung on a string, then children need to grab it with their mouths and carry it over a course to the finish line. You can see an example of this in Mitsuru’s bloomed 2015 Sports Festival 4* card ↩︎

The dorm supervisor is Keito. ↩︎

This is how Kohaku refers to Tsukasa. ↩︎

A Mikoshi is a Japanese portable festival shrine that you carry on your shoulders. ↩︎

Practical Heart

Fiddling with the box in her hands V stands in front of Judy’s apartment. Her eyes twitch from the intercom to the door and back. Maybe she should try again? Judy might have not heard her, or she forgot that she is standing here or she-

The door gives of a short buzz before Judy’s head appears in front of V.

“Hey”, she breathes.

Judy always manages to take away her breath, without noticing no less.

“Heya.”

The answer is short and not as upbeat as V is used to.

“Can I… come in?”, she asks carefully.

“Oh yeah! Sure!”

Judy opens the door wider and steps out of the way. V sends her an appreciative smile and walks inside. She looks over Judy’s shoulder in hopes of finding Evelyn. Is she still in bed?

“Whatcha doin’ here?”, Judy questions, seemingly not noticing the box in V’s arms.

She sounds tired and defeated. V decides that she doesn’t like it.

“I’m here because of Evelyn.”

V only realizes that she should have probably rephrased that, when Judy tenses and immediately shifts into a defensive stance.

“Listen V, if you just came by to question Eve further, I’m gonna have to kick you out!”

“No, I don’t- I actually brought some things… for…”, V trailed of, looking to the ground sheepishly, feeling like an absolute gonk for assuming that Judy would welcome her idea.

“Huh?”

V huffs and tries to explain what happened as best and non-creepily as she can.

“Well, after we got Evelyn out of… that place, I was concerned by her state and wanted to help. I figured that havin’ somethin’ familiar around might help her recover, y’know? It’s just really useful to have somethin’ at hand that she can feel, or hear that reminds her of- home?”.

V isn’t really sure that ‘home’ would be the correct word to use for Evelyn. She didn’t strike her as someone who would settle somewhere for a longer period of time.

“So, I asked a bit around tryin’ to figure out where she is- was- would be currently staying”, V fumbles with her words, “Went there, got some stuff I thought she might wanna have and came here.”

“V that’s- that’s really thoughtful of you”, Judy loses the tension and slumps against the counter again. This time though she wears a small, genuine smile, “Thank you”.

“It’s- Don’t mention it. No problem.”

“Still, thank you. It means a lot to me… and to her, too. Just put it in her room.”

She noticed how Judy described it as Evelyn’s room, not her own.

V went ahead and entered the bedroom and put the box down next to the closet. Evelyn was lying in bed. Completely still. If not for the little breathing motions of her shoulder, one could mistake her for a statue. Or worse. Dead.

At least she was dressed in new clothes – they looked like they once belonged to Judy – and not in the awfully bloody Cloud uniform. Others might say that it just served to make her look more pitiful; all pale and stiff and afraid.

But to V, she had never looked stronger. This woman had survived so much shit and yet she is still here. And V’d do anything to keep it that way.

As V slowly stepped back into the living room, Judy was rummaging through the cupboards. She perked up when she heard her footsteps and regarded her with unguarded curiosity.

“You want somethin’ to drink?”

“I wouldn’t want to put more work on you.”

“Hey, it’s all fine! So, you want somethin’?”

“Uh… a beer? Would be fine, I mean!”

“I can whip that up. One beer, comin’ right up.”

V leaned against the open window. Judy stepped next to her and extended the bottle. She took it thankfully and sipped from it.

“This is nice”, she whispered, looking at the bottle as to avoid Judy’s eyes.

“I oughta thank you”, Judy answered.

“What for?”, V looked up in surprise.

“I dunno. Everything, I guess. For helpin’ Eve, for findin’ her, for bein’ such a good friend to both of us”, then she whispered quieter, “Hell, just for being ‘ere right now”.

“Judy, that’s nothin’ you have to thank me for.”

“Well since this city seems to have forgotten human decency, I do think it’s important that you know how much you mean to me. A-and what y-you do too, of course!”

“Of course”, V smiled.

Then she took another sip and stared at Judy.

“Somethin’ on my face?”, the girl asked and wiped a hand over her cheek.

“Y’know I’m just one call away, right? Always.”

The sincerity in Vs voice so obvious, as was the love and care she held for her newfound… friend. Just a friend, she scolded herself in her head.

“Yeah. Thanks. I honestly don’t know what I’d be doin’ without you.”

V turned to the window and stared outside. She took another sip.

It was quiet.

But V had more to say. It was eating at her and not in a sexy way. It was like… like something dark resided under her skin, just waiting for the opportunity to jump out and destroy or consume.

“I just- Every time I think back to what happened, I get so angry!”, V spit out and waved her bottle around.

Judy jumped at the outburst and looked at her attentively.

V wanted to hit something, but this wasn’t her apartment and she could never do that to Judy.

So, she reigned in her temper and pressed her fist against the windowsill. Minding the fact that Evelyn was still recovering in the next room she lowered her voice.

“What those fuckin’ assholes did to Evelyn- god she didn’t deserve any of it! I can’t say that I knew her well, for all I know I woulda been ready to strangle her myself after the damned mission failed, but she was- she was- she is good! She tried to help people and I respect that. Hell, I admire her for it! To do something like that takes a lotta balls in our fucked-up world.”

It was quiet again. Only the noise of the cars outside and the occasional gunshot rang out.

V visibly deflated. She hadn’t meant to unload all of this on Judy. It wasn’t fair to her. But before she could apologize for all her baggage, Judy took this moment of vulnerability and opened up a little of herself.

“I’m scared that she won’t get better. And it terrifies me even more that she might, and then she’ll blame me for not bein’ there soon enough for her”, Judy admitted.

“Judy. Judy stop! Listen to me”, V turned to her in less than a second. Her gaze unwavering and certain. For the first time in weeks. Judy looked at her.

“You tried everything you could. You fought to get her back an’ you have her here with you now, because you were strong enough to push through all the shit that was thrown your way. And Evelyn will do the same.”

She spoke with such conviction that Judy wanted to believe her. She truly did.

“I just- I can’t help but seein’ the Evelyn I knew. The strong one, who was not afraid to take on anyone or anythin’ no matter how impossible it seemed. Who was all bite and could never get enough. Who reached for the stars and instead grabbed the entire universe, because her fire just burned brighter than anyone could ever imagine. And I’m afraid I won’t get that Evelyn back.”

“I understand”, V took hold of Judy’s cheek, “This will change her, it’s inevitable. But you can help her get through it. To heal into someone who won’t be terrorized by what happened. Someone who can see a future for themselves.”

“And you didn’t let her down! Never think that way again! You saved her, and you continue to save her now! This”-she gestured around the room with the beer in her hand-“is how far you have already come! And you won’t give up now.”

Judy chuckled. V let her hand fall to her side.

“You ever done this before?”, Judy asked and chuckled, feeling a bit better than before.

“What, drink a beer with a friend? Because I can assure you, contrary to popular beliefs I do have friends”, V tried to lighten the mood.

Judy smiled.

“No, you idiot”, she slapped her arm playfully.

Then she grew somber again.

“Helped someone grieve. An’ tell them it’s not their fault.”

“You mean after someone died?”

“Yeah.”

V looked away.

“I’ve had to do my share of that. More than I woulda liked.”

“Everythin’ you do seems so easy. Like you are so sure of yourself, as if live couldn’t surprise you with anything.”

V laughed dryly. Then turned to the window again and chucked the rest of the bottle down. She ran a hand over her face and sighed wearily.

“I… lost someone… a long time ago. The pain and the guild from it nearly destroyed me then an’ I still haven’t managed to completely shake of either of ‘em.”

Judy looked surprised but made no move to stop V in her monologue.

“I still wish that back then I woulda had someone to tell me it’d be alright one day – or as close as it gets to okay – an’ that it wasn’t my fault but… I was alone. And that ain’t good for anyone.”

“’s that why you’re here? Because you want to tell me what you never heard?”

V looked up again. The pain she felt was clearer than ever in her, and it frightened Judy to imagine a younger V, trying to deal with death all on her own, thinking she was at fault and no one there to help her pick up the pieces.

But V shook her head.

“I’m here, cause I’m your friend. Who knows, maybe even Evelyn’s? And that means that I make sure the both of you are goin’ to be alright and that you understand that what happened was out of your control. Sometimes, when there is no other way all we can do is… let go.”

It was quiet again. V put the empty beer bottle down and inhaled deeply.

“Thank you. It means a lot to me- you mean a lot to me”, Judy admitted after a while.

V wanted to answer, but suddenly felt the familiar tingle of another relic malfunction coming up. She gulped, then forced a smile on her face. She couldn’t – wouldn’t – burden Judy with any more problems. Not only that, but she had to get out fast.

“’Course. Y’know I’m always available. Just gimme a call, and I’ll be there. Always.”

“I appreciate it. Truly.”

V pushed herself of the window frame and walked a step. The dizziness began, and she ground her teeth together to stop herself from crying out.

She turned around again, this time a real smile on her face. Even if it was small: “I’ll be back soon. Promise!”

Then she left the apartment fast. In panic.

The door clicked shut behind her.

Instantly she doubled over, clutching her stomach, her head spinning. She felt the urge to vomit, but Judy would hear her, so she suppressed it and gulped down air instead.

She tried to stand, but it was too hard to even move so instead she let her back fall against the cool wall behind her. Her head lolled back and she closed her eyes. Maybe she could pretend – for just a second – that her world was alright. That not everything was slowly falling apart.

But it didn’t work. It never did.

She cursed the universe like it was the reason for all her misery and she cursed Arasaka and Johnny and everyone who came to her mind until she felt the urge to throw up her breakfast subside.

Finally, she thought.

Then V stood up and left. But she remembered her promise to come back. And this one she knew, she would hold. If not for her, then for Judy.

Part III of III: Stay With Me Series

Clyde Logan X Female Reader

Summary: A Halloween party at Duck Tape and meeting Clyde’s family? This was going to be one hell of a night.

Warnings: fluff, smut, PIV sex, vaginal fingering, oral sex

Word Count: 2.2K

Part I Part II ao3

      Halloween was tomorrow and Boone County certainly seemed to look the part. The streets were decorated with dense foliage in stunning colors of crimson red and burnt orange with pumpkins on every corner. Your mind was still buzzing with memories from your date with Clyde the other night when all of a sudden, your phone buzzed, snapping you out of it. It was him.

     “Hey Clyde” your stomach jumped when you answered the phone.

     “Hey Darlin, how’s yer day goin?” the sounds of glasses being set down could be heard on the other side of the phone.

     “Not so bad, bookstores been busy with Halloween being so close”

     “That’s actually what I was callin bout. Wanna come to a Halloween party were throwin here at the bar tomorrow? We do it every year, it’s a lotta fun and everybody gets real dressed up n all” you could hear him clear his throat, it warmed your heart knowing he still got himself worked up over you.

     “That sounds fun, what time?”

     “Well I gotta be there earlier to set up n all that but ya can come around 10 if ya want. Is that alright?”

     “Of course, I’ll see you tomorrow then” you smirked while fiddling with the pages in your book.

     “See ya tomorrow beautiful” you hung up the phone when it hit you. You had less than one day to put together a costume. Shit.

                                Clydes POV

     Clyde let out a deep breath as he hung up the phone and continued drying empty whiskey glasses. No matter how many times he spoke to you, it never failed to make him nervous. He continued wiping down the bar, losing himself in his thoughts about you. He was sure you had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen and the way you crinkled your nose when you laughed just a little too hard, well that just about made him melt on the spot. And you smelled so good, god how did you smell so fucking delicious all the time, that was beyond him. His thoughts lingered before memories of the other night flooded his mind. The way it felt to have your body enveloped in his, the warmth of your skin under his palm, having you squirm in his lap while making those beautiful sounds was enough to make him cum in his pants.

     Clyde could feel himself getting hard in his jeans, quickly reaching down to adjust himself, thinking to himself dammit Clyde ya gotta get yer head on straight before Earl comes back in here n sees you. Quickly he grabbed a crate of decorations and headed to the entrance, a smile playing on his face at the thought of seeing you again tomorrow. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

                                    Readers POV

     Scrambling around your house, you finally figured out your costume for tonight. Putting together a red halter top, red shorts, some fishnet stockings, your favorite heel ankle boots along with some horns for your Devil costume. You grabbed your phone, laid out your outfit on your bed, and snapped a picture to send to Clyde.

Decided on a Devil for tomorrow night, too much?

Yer gonna be wearin that tomorrow? Jesus Darlin, ya tryin to give me a heart attack

Just wanted to make sure you liked it, but I guess I got my answer haha

Can’t wait to see it on ya. I’m gonna have to try to keep ma hands to myself, won’t make any promises though ;)

I hope you don’t :) see you tomorrow, goodnight Clyde

Goodnight beautiful ------------------------------------------------------------

     It seemed like everyone in Boone County was at Duck Tape tonight. As you walked into the bar, your eyes immediately found Clyde’s. He ducked under the side of the bar and walked over to you, cupping your face with both hands and bringing you into a searing kiss. He tasted like bourbon and burnt bacon, your favorite. “Hey baby, you look amazin” he said as he kept his forehead pressed against yours, your noses brushing against each other. You wrapped your arms around his neck and looked up at him.

“Hey, handsome”

          Clyde quickly released you as he saw more patrons making their way inside. He kissed your forehead before stepping away and into the bar. You sat on one end, watching as he moved so flawlessly along the bar, making everyone’s drink, greeting all the regulars, never missing a beat.

          “Well well well ya must be Clyde’s new little lady” startling you, a man sat down next to you.

          “Now Jimmy don’t go scarin the poor girl. Hi sweetie, I’m Mellie, Clyde’s sister and this here’s my idiot brother Jimmy” she reached out her hand to shake yours. Clyde being as busy as he was made his way to your corner of the bar.

          “There he is the man of the hour. When were ya gonna introduce us to yer new girl here?” Jimmy gestured to you with his beer bottle, teasing Clyde. You looked over at Clyde who was giving Jimmy a death stare if there ever was one. Placing your hand over his, you brought his attention back to you.

          “Can I get a drink baby?” you said trying to diffuse the situation. Clyde let out a breath, smiled, and nodded before walking over to where the bottles were sitting to make you your drink. You could hear Mellie and Jimmy giggling behind you, it was going to be a long night.

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

          You spent hours sitting with Mellie and Jimmy, laughing at all of their nonsense, hearing stories about Clyde when they were younger, the Logan siblings making you feel right at home. After all those stories and one too many beers, they decided to call it a night and head out. Even the regulars started to make their way home as the night dwindled. You and Clyde had been making eyes at each other all night, spacing out while Mellie told you her wild stories to look at Clyde. Watching him bartend was getting you more worked up than you cared to admit. Having to adjust yourself in your seat every so often, you could feel your arousal forming. Clyde thanked Earl for the help, and he waved to you as he left. Clyde put the last of the glasses away in the storage closet and made his way back out to you. You were standing facing the bar when you felt Clyde’s hands wrap around your waist.

          “Hey Darlin, you ready to head out?” he whispered in your ear as you turned in his arms and placed your hands on his chest. He looked down at you, eyes scanning your face with a smile.      “Not quite” you said as you cupped his face in your hands and brought your lips to his.

          “Darlin, are ya sure? Now?” you nodded, biting your lower lip, tiptoeing to bring your face closer to his.

          “I want you, Clyde Logan. Right here. Right now.” You whispered to him. That was all the encouragement he needed before his lips were on yours again. His hands moved to your waist, pulling you closer to him and you could already feel his erection pressing up against your thigh. He moved to take off your tank top disposing of it on the floor. The kiss grew hungrier as he walked you back towards the bar. Clyde cupped your ass, moving his hands under your thighs to hoist you up onto the bar top.

          Wrapping your legs around his waist, you moved to undo the buttons on his shirt, tearing it open, wanting to feel as much of him as possible. You were glad he decided not to wear an undershirt tonight as you ran your hands all over his sculpted chest down to the waistband of his jeans, working to undo his belt. Clyde placed hot, wet kisses on your neck, working his way to your shoulder. He hooked his thumbs on your shorts, sliding them down along with your fishnets. Reaching your hand around, you unclasped your bra, throwing it to the side while he continued his kisses.

          “Ya looked so fuckin hot tonight. I had to stop looking at ya to stop ma self from getting hard at the bar. Fuck you’re so beautiful” he said in between placing kisses on each breast, pinching one nipple between his fingers while taking his time nipping and biting the other one. His hand made its way down ghosting over your panties, feeling the wet spot that had already formed.

  “Mmm you’re dripping all over my bar baby” you moaned as he removed your underwear. Clyde swiped two fingers along your folds, collecting your slick, teasing you. The sensation making you shiver, your aching clit begging for attention.

     “Ya like that don’t you Darlin? Had ya cumin all over em the other night” you nod, trying your best to hold back your moans.

          “Please Clyde”

          “Tell me what ya need baby girl, ya gotta use yer words” continuing to run his fingers along your cunt, not quite touching where you needed it most.

     “Please Clyde I-I need you” you whimpered as he pushed two thick fingers inside, before pulling them back out.

“Gotta taste ya first baby” he motioned you to lay back, keeping one hand flat on your stomach and throwing your legs over his shoulder before burying his face in between your thighs.

You ran your hands through his hair, guiding him further into your core until you felt his nose press deliciously on your clit. The pressure making you buck your hips towards him. Clyde’s movements started to speed up as he focused on that sensitive bundle of nerves. His tongue working, teasing you while keeping his steady rhythm. Making you moan louder than you have before.

“Ya taste so good. So fuckin good baby girl”

          Your grip on his hair tightened when your orgasm crashed over you. Clyde lapped up all of your juices, taking his time until you came down from your high. You felt him pull away and step back to slide his jeans and briefs off in one move. His lips and beard glistening with your slick.

     “I have a condom in ma pocket”

     “Don’t bother. I’m on the pill” he smiled, kicking his pants and briefs to the side.

          His throbbing cock sprang free from the confines of his briefs, the tip slick with pre-cum. The size alone had you drooling at the sight. You immediately felt your cunt clench on nothing from just looking at him as Clyde made his way back to you. Placing your hand on his chest, you stopped him.

          “Lay down on the bar” you whispered in his ear, sending a shiver down Clyde’s spine, all the way to his cock. He looked at you, before climbing on the bar and laying down. You followed and straddled Clyde, your heated cunt grazing over his cock making it twitch. His eyes darkened, full of lust as he watched you coat him in your wetness before sinking on him slowly.

          Clyde’s mechanical hand rested on one of your thighs while his other hand cupped your ass as he watched you take all of him. The feeling of him filling you up, stretching you like never before almost being enough to bring you to your second orgasm of the night. You started to gyrate your hips, finding your rhythm, his cock hitting all sorts of new angles making you both cry out. His hands held on tight to your hips, guiding you as you rode him on the bar.

     “Clyde I’m so close. Fuck, you feel so good” you moaned when you felt him slide his thumb between both of your bodies to rub your throbbing clit.

          “C’mon baby. Gotta cum one more time fer me” he applied more pressure as you picked your pace. Both sensations sending you over the edge as you came hard on Clyde’s cock. Your cunt fluttering and pulsating squeezing him around him, squeezing him so tight. Panting your body fell flush on Clyde’s chest. He placed his hands under your thighs, pushing you slightly forward just enough for him to plant his feet on the bar top before he started pounding into you. The sounds of skin slapping filling the bar as he mercilessly fucked you at an agonizing pace. Clyde couldn’t take his eyes off of you, the way you were writhing in pleasure as your breasts bouncing with every thrust. He plunged into you one last time as far as he could go before reaching his own orgasm and filling you to the brim with his cum. He held you close, panting until he came down from his orgasm.

     Clyde caressed your hair, his chest rising and falling, covered in sweat while you both laid there, bodies satisfied and spent. You put your chin on Clyde’s chest looking up at him, his eyes dazed with pleasure and a goofy grin across his face as he looked back at you.

     “I love you Clyde, and I know it may be too early for that and now might not be the best time. And it’s okay if you don’t feel it too, I just had to say it before it drove me crazy”

     “I love you too Darlin. Have fer a while now, just didn’t want to scare ya off and say it too soon. But I do, I love you” you didn’t think twice before pushing yourself up to kiss him. Leaning your elbows on either side of his head, letting your fingers run through his hair as you kissed him deeply. You wanted to stay in this moment forever.

Can you do a Jack Kelly sister x race or Albert (up to you) and Jack finds you guys kissing and is about to kill race or Albert. Then you all sit down and Jack gives the classic dad talk. This could be plantonic Jack/ race or Albert love. (You also don’t have to make it a sister I’m just a girl myself haha)

I finally made myself do this, mostly because I said I'd have it done by Friday and that's in less than four hours, but I'll(hopefully) make it happen!!! Have I finished my essay? Of course not, but I did finished my math tests! Planned procrastination is somewhat effective, right?

Anywho, here it is!

Relationships: Brother!Jack, Reader x Albert

Pronouns: She/Her as the person who asked did clarify that she is a girl :)

(psst... I can always make this with they/them pronouns if anyone would like that)

A/N: This is definitely not my best work, but it's not bad!!! I always feel awkward trying to write Dad Talks, but never enough to not write them at all!!! Maybe it'll help that I'm awkward with it so it'll be projected onto my work haha!

Warnings: some kissing, a bad word or two. That's about it? Oh, also, I'm really bad at writing kissing stuff lmao

Setting: 1899 Duane Street Lodging House

***

"No, Y/N, you gotta wear ya cap right or ya gonna look like ya ain't got hair." Jack snatches Y/N's hat from off her head before flipping it and placing it on her head correctly.

"Jack, cut it out! Ain'tcha got somethin' better t' do?" Y/N swats at her brother's hand, ducking to avoid his mother hen behavior.

"He ain't got nothin' t' do cause he's too busy hoverin'." Crutchie snorts from where he sits on the front steps of the lodging house. Jack throws a half-hearted glare at Crutchie, which gives Y/N enough time to sneak past Jack and hurry down the street towards Newsies Square.

"Hey, where d'ya think yer goin'?" Jack calls. Y/N huffs and shakes her head before looking over her shoulder. As soon as she does, she takes off sprinting down the street, Jack chasing her down. Y/N squeezes past some of the guys that are making their way down the street, successfully managing to not completely shove Jojo into a walk on accident.

It's not unusual for Jack to be so overbearing, specifically with Y/N. Sure, he's oddly protective over all the Newsies, but he practically turns into a bear with Y/N. Jack says it's because she's his "baby sista' 'nd nothin's ever gonna happen to no sister o' mine."

Y/N understands to an extent, of course, but it makes some things, well, difficult. Specifically hanging out with friends. Or maybe someone who's more than a friend.

"Someone's rushin' this mornin'." Racetrack Higgins snorts as Y/N hurries to duck behind him and Buttons. Both wait outside the gates for Weasel to come open them. Albert leans on the gate opposite of Race, raising an amused eyebrow at Y/N. She playfully narrows her eyes at him before breathing a sigh.

"Just my parasite of a brotha'. Again." Y/N grumbles. Jack treats her like she's still a kid, when really she's just a year and a half younger than him. To some folks, that's a lot, but when you're forced to grow up on the streets of New York, it's just numbers.

"Ain't like he's doin' it for nothin'." Race scoffs a laugh, sharing a knowing look with Buttons before glancing between Albert and Y/N where she's still hiding behind the two smirking boys.

"Oh, shuddup. Jack ain't gotta worry about what he don't know about." Y/N glares pointedly at both Race and Buttons.

"Don't worry, I've kept Racer from hawkin' yer secret t' all of Manhattan." Buttons shoves Race's shoulder. Race squawks in protest and he starts arguing with Buttons. Y/N laughs, knowing Race would keep her secret no matter what. It's just funny to see Buttons get a rise out of Race.

"Could be worse. Buttons could'a taken his cigar." Albert chuckles, although he absentmindedly rubs his upper arm. He's learned the hard way not to take the blond boy's comfort object. However, that doesn't keep him from occasionally stealing it.

"You'd know how that turns out." Y/N sneaks behind Race as he argued with Buttons and stands next to Albert. She doesn't stand too close, especially since Jack is probably on his way with the rest of the fellas.

The last thing Y/N needs is for Jack to get suspicious of her and her relationships.

So Y/N just leans on the gate near Albert, both laughing as Race and Buttons start on a tangent. Eventually the others gather around, Jack and Crutchie being the last to actually show up. As soon as he's at the gate, Jack starts fussing over Y/N's hat again. She smacks his hand away and glares at him, receiving a horribly hidden laugh from Albert.

"Would you stop swattin', I'm tryin' t' make ya not look like a hooligan." Jack huffs.

"You know we're a bunch'a kids that sell papes for a livin', right? Hooligan is the nicest thing folks can call us." Y/N rolls her eyes. Jack opens his mouth to respond, but he doesn't get the chance. Instead, the sound of the gates rattling and snarky comments fills the air. Y/N turns to see none other than Oscar and Morris Delancey hesitantly opening the gates.

"What, no hello?"

"Wake up on the wrong side'a the cave this mornin'?"

"Aw, did'ya not have someone t' tuck ya in last night?"

The jabs make Y/N's face go red to hide her laughs. The dramatic eye rolls and frowns on the Delancey Brothers' faces are pure gold. Y/N doesn't doubt that either brother would go after any Newsie if it wouldn't get them in some trouble. After all, good ol' Mr. Pulitzer needs someone to make money for him.

As some of the guys keeps teasing the brothers, Y/N sneaks past them with Buttons, Albert following not too far behind. The three line up to get their papers, waiting for Weasel to slither his way to the distribution stand.

"Alright, line it up!" As if hearing his name, the Weasel himself stands grumpily behind his money box.

"Mornin' Weasel! Long time, no see!" Y/N grins brightly. The annoyed twitch under Weasel's left eye is enough to make Y/N snort.

"Not long enough." He grumbles.

"Aw, don't be such'a grump." Y/N mock pouts. She pulls a dime from her pocket and flips it onto the money box before moving down to take a stack of papers. She's grateful when Morris hands her the stack, although he does it with a sneer. Nice to know he's not specifically angry at her, at least not angry enough to throw her papers at her like he'll likely do to Jack and definitely to Race.

Y/N waits by the gates for her selling partner, aka the one and only Albert DaSilva. Thankfully Jack hasn't picked up on the Y/N and Albert almost always being partners. They switched it up once and a while to throw off any suspicion, but they're usually selling together. After all, it's one of the only times they can be together without the worry of Jack seeing.

"Ain'tcha sweet for waitin' for me?" Albert teases as he reaches the gate, his head down as he organizes his stack of papers in his bag.

"We both know you'd get lost if I let'cha go alone." Y/N snorts a laugh. She successfully ducks a playful swat from Albert before she looks over his shoulder. She sees Jack taunting Weasel and she knows she has a few seconds to leave before her brother chases her down. "C'mon, best we get a head start on Jack."

"Well stop screwin' around then." Albert grins and hurries out of the square, Y/N right on his heels.

They hurry through the streets of Manhattan towards the Brooklyn bridge. They usually take up selling along the waterfront, sometimes a few blocks around the bridge. They mostly sell at the bridge because it's one of the furthest spots from where Jack sells. Meaning they can hang out once they finish selling morning papers in peace.

"Bet I can sell all my papes b'fore you can even hawk a headline." Albert elbows Y/N's arm as they reach the bridge, the area slowly coming to life as people hurry to get to work.

"You're on." Y/N smirks before hurrying across the street to start selling.

The two spend most of the morning selling, taking a few small breaks to hide in the shade of an alleyway from the July sun. Y/N manages to finish selling her last paper just a few minutes after Albert. The red head is all smirks when he notices Y/N finish after him.

"Don't come smirkin' at me, you bet that you could sell out before I even started. You didn't say nothin' about finishin' first." Y/N points a finger at Albert as they turn down one of the alleyways behind the produce market. Y/N holds an apple in hand and Albert has a pear.

"Should'a bet I'd win first, that way I'da got a free lunch." Albert sighs dramatically and takes a bite of his pear. Y/N rolls her eyes for what feels like the millionth time today before eating her apple.

"I still don't see how ya eat those things." Y/N mumbles.

"I don't see how you can't!" Albert scoffs before finishing his pear.

"Too sweet. And soft, they make a mess." Y/N shrugs and takes another bite of her apple.

"You just can't handle how sweet pears are cause you're so bitter." Albert laughs. Y/N's mouth drops open and she doesn't hesitate to throw the core of her apple at Albert, effectively hitting his neck. Albert gapes, although there's a slight upturn at the corner of his lips. "Low blow, Kelly!"

"Aw, did I hurt the your ego on accident?" Y/N can't hold back the laugh the bubbles up from deep in her stomach. Albert gives her a "seriously?" look before he jumps at her. Y/N accidentally let's out a panicked squeak before turning. She gets a few steps before Albert wraps his arms around her and squeezes her into a hug from behind. "No fair!"

"I think you should apologize." Albert hums, his chin on top of Y/N's head. She's not short, but the way she's standing makes it easy for Albert to rest his chin in top of her head.

"Do you realize how awkward this is?" Y/N squirms. Her feet are in front of her and she's practically leaning against Albert, it's almost like she's trying to sit down. "Seriously, I think you're gonna break my back."

"Apologize 'nd I'll let go." Albert starts swaying back and forth, making Y/N grip his arms and shuffle her feet to keep from completely slipping to the ground.

"Ain't got nothin' t' apologize for." Y/N finished the sentence in time for Albert to sway further and nearly drop Y/N on her bottom. She squeaks again, making the obnoxious red head laugh and try to keep a firm grip on her so she won't fall.

"You're ridiculous." Albert shuffles back and helps Y/N stand up, laughing when she huffs in annoyance. Albert moves around to stand in front of Y/N, his arms crossed as he meets her faux annoyed expression. "I still think you owe me 'n apology."

"I don't see no reason why." Y/N shrugs, although the corners of her mouth twitch up into a horribly suppressed smile.

"That's a lousy thing t' say." Albert pouts, receiving a raised eyebrow from Y/N. The girl takes a small step closer to Albert and shrugs her shoulders slightly.

"Lousy ain't always bad." Y/N jokingly winks. Albert shakes his head with a laugh before naturally gravitating closer to Y/N. She follows until her nose bumps Albert's, the two of them getting closer until Y/N closes her eyes and feels Albert's mouth lightly touch hers.

Y/N hums into the kiss as Albert reaches up and rests his hand on the side of her neck. She follows, her hand gently wrapping around Albert's wrist and her thumb rubbing the soft skin. She can't help but smile as she moves her mouth againsr Albert's. This is far from the first time they've kissed, but with how little time they get to spend together, every kiss feels like the first.

Y/N still gets butterflies in her stomach. She still gets that happy high afterwards.

But even the happy high can end in a snap.

"Oh, hell no." Y/N's eyes snap open and she quickly pulls away from Albert. Her wide eyes meet Jack's furious frown as he stands near the mouth of the alleyway. Behind him, Race stands with an apologetic expression, Crutchie next to him with a hand over his mouth like he's holding in a laugh.

"Oh boy." Y/N whispers. Albert turns around, his expression matching Y/N's.

"Hey, Jack..." Albert awkwardly waves at the fuming boy.

"You're dead, DaSilva." And that's all it takes for Albert to bolt down the other end of the alleyway, Jack right on his heels. Y/N just stares in shocked silence, hardly noticing Race and Crutchie come to a stop next to her.

"I swear, I tried to distract him." Race rushes, although Y/N doesn't seem to hear as she opens and closes her mouth in shock.

"You are so in for it." Crutchie busts out laughing.

I'm so dead, Y/N thinks.

***

"Jack, you need t' calm down!"

"Calm down?! He was suckin' my sista's face!"

"Oh, no, gross, that's definitely not what we were doin'."

"You stay out of this!"

"Okay, everyone shuddup!" Y/N yells from one corner of the rooftop of the lodging house. Crutchie leans against the fire escape, watching and occasionally throwing in a comment or two. Jack paces around the roof, eyes narrowed in on Albert. The red head stands near the edge of the roof, as if he's ready to make a break for it if need be. Y/N stands somewhat between Albert and her fuming brother, sort of like a last resort for a barrier between the two. Y/N faces her brother, her arms crossed under her chest and her mouth set in a thin line. "Jack, it was just'a kiss 'nd I like Albert. S'nothin' wrong with that."

"Nothin' wrong with that? Everything's wrong with that! You're my sista', Albert's s'posed t' be my pal! Seein you two lockin' lips is just-" Jack wiggles around and gags, his nose scrunching up.

"Oh, we are not having this conversation because the thought of your sister kissin' a boy makes ya uncomfy." Y/N rolls her eyes before planting her hands in her hips.

"She has a point." Crutchie comments. Jack whines and shuffles around like he's about ready to throw himself off the rooftop.

"That don't change the fact that it's gross and weird and just wrong. She's my sister." Jack stares down Albert and points at Y/N.

"Yeah, 'nd it just so happens I was kissin' someone you know and trust! S'not like I was kissin' a Delancey or nothin'." Y/N's comment makes the other three on the roof gag and squirm uncomfortably. "Oh, we all know it's true!"

"Doesn't mean we wanna hear it." Albert shivers in disgust.

"Alright alright alright." Jack exhales heavily. He paces a few more times, shakes his head and pursing his lips. Y/N waits in silence with Albert and Crutchie, all three knowing Jack needs a second. When he finally stops pacing, all the attention trains in on him. "Fine, okay, s'not the worst thing ever, I'm gonna set some ground rules."

"What?!"

"Seriously?" Y/N whines, something she unfortunately shares with her older parasite- um, brother.

"Yes. Now I d'know how long this has been goin' on, but I'm sayin' right now that we will not be havin' any littles-"

"I'm gonna be sick." Y/N gags, and it's unfortunately a legitimate gag that makes bile sting the back of her mouth. Albert must inhale sharply and start choking on his spit because he starts coughing obnoxiously. Even Crutchie, who had found the whole situation so hilarious, looks like he's going to be sick.

"Oh, quit it ya pansies." Jack huffs. He angles towards Albert, his eyes narrowed again. "'Nd you. If you hurt my sista' in any way, I swear you'll find yourself swimmin' in the East River in no time."

"I'm definitely not planning on it." Albert manages to say before coughing and clearing his throat, his eyes watery from coughing.

"Good." Jack nods in satisfaction. He looks at the sky and seems to ponder before signing. "Get'a move in, gonna have evenin' papes out soon."

Albert throws an anxious look at Y/N before hurrying to the fire escape. He disappears, Crutchie quickly following and leaving the Kelly siblings alone.

"Y'know, ya could'a told me." Jack's shoulders sag. Y/N kicks her foot awkwardly, her eyes trained in the ground.

"Not if it risked ya reactin' the way ya did t'day." Y/N mutters. She looks up to see Jack sigh and move closer to her.

"I can definitely tell ya I wouldn't have chased him down." Jack snorts.

"I guess that would've been a perk." Y/N hums. She meets Jack's gaze and suddenly the two start laughing. Jack reaches over and playfully shives Y/N's shoulder.

"C'mon, weirdo. We got papes t' sell." Jack shakes his head.

Y/N smiles and follows him off the roof.

That's one crisis averted.

Granted, they still have the rest if the day left.

u want prompts? i am going to make shit up. how about trying to outrun a horse or piggy back rides for cowboys

“Well,” Finn says cheerfully, patting Johnny’s chest with the flat of his hand as though to reward him for good behaviour. “This may just be our dumbest idea yet.”

“Then we ain’t doin’ half bad,” Johnny objects, shifting Finn’s weight on his back as he carefully picks his way through the grasslands. In the half-dark of the moon and stars, the prairie is as a great aquamarine ocean of shifting blue-green grass that brushes against Finn’s dangling ankles as Johnny walks, and it has the curious edge of unfamiliarity and unreality in the night. Finn ain’t that heavy, and he knows the lands around Danser well enough not to be worried about getting lost, but it’s more than just the occasion that has him pressing hard for home - there’s a distinct undefined weird at play tonight, and he’s keen for familiar sights and sounds to ground him. Bitchin’ at Finn goes some way towards that. “If me carryin’ you through the night is our worst, we got a good ways to fall.”

“Oh, sure, and we’re gonna,” Finn says, still irrepressibly bright. “But we are tryin’ to outrun a horse, so. Although, I guess you’re outrunning the horse - I’m competing with the rider.”

Johnny considers, not for the first time, the merits of dropping Finn, and finds them barely insufficiently compelling. “You’re being the horse next time,” he grunts.

“Never fear,” Finn says smugly and ruffles Johnny’s hair now that he’s too pinned down to wriggle angrily away - Johnny does toss his head crossly, but this just makes him stumble. “Next time we have to run for it on foot in the night on account of how everything’s gone wildly tits up and Ainsel’s accidentally made off with our horses, you can stick your foot in a gopher hole and I’ll carry ya home.”

“Too kind,” Johnny grumbles absently, pausing to make use of a small rise and reacquaint himself with his surroundings. The desert falls off to the south, the trees forming a sharp dark line to the north and east, and somewhere between ‘em, Danser. And, god willing, Ainsel and Tommy with the horses, Will with his bag of bandages, and Noel with some helpful words of severe disapproval. No matter what Johnny had said about having yet further to fall - this displayed a level of ineptitude Noel was not, exactly, going to love.

“We’ll have more cover in the trees,” Finn points out rather more seriously.

Johnny makes a face. “Too dark - ain’t no sense in us both busting our ankles and falling in the creek in the dark.”

Finn pauses, like he’s weighing the truth of that against how funny he reckons it’d be, but concedes the point. “Desert’s a bit exposed, though,” he says, sounding resigned.

“Yeah,” Johnny says slowly, and not without confusion, as he continues down the rise and on through the grass. He shifts Finn on his back again - all right, maybe Finn is kinda heavy, or at least, his weight is wearing on Johnny - and there’s a rustle in the grass on the tree-side of them. Johnny doesn’t figure it’s much they gotta worry about: coney maybe, or gopher come out to ogle the humans outta their natural habitat - but Finn flinches away from it like he reckons the gophers have all gone rabid, or something. “I figured we’d keep going in the prairie grass ‘til we hit town.”

Finn fidgets awkwardly and nearly sends them both arse over elbow until Johnny works a hand free and smacks him quickly on the thigh. “I just-” he begins awkwardly, giving off the impression that it is only a great deal of effort that is keeping him from fidgeting. “I don’t much wanna be on prairie lands after dark, y’know.”

Johnny does not know. “I don’t wanna be out here either,” he says, bewildered. “That’s why we’re heading on home.”

“Oh, sure,” Finn says, like he’d kinda forgotten that they were desperadoes on the run, “but - I don’t wanna be here, specifically. Desert’d be fine.”

“‘Cept how we’d be shot for morons without any cover,” Johnny points out, not very gently. He twists his head awkwardly and manages a good squint at Finn’s cheekbone and a crick in his neck. “What’s eatin’ you, huh? You ain’t never gone off the prairie before.”

“Hayfever?” Finn tries.

“So help me God, Finn, I’ll drop you.”

Finn clings a little tighter, ankle flinching away from the floor. “Awright, jeez. It’s just-” he sighs massively, breath gusting down Johnny’s neck like the touch of a ghost and making him shiver. “I don’t wanna come across the Coyote.”

Johnny shifts Finn’s weight again and ignores the twinge in his back, pressing on along his straight line across the grasses to the faint lights of the town. “Coyotes aren’t that dangerous. Will says-”

“Not coyotes,” Finn corrects, “the Coyote. He, uh, might not want me hanging around long after dark. Not my patch,” he says, as if that’s cleared everything up.

Johnny raises an eyebrow. “You’ve got a feud with a coyote that’s landed you a curfew?”

“No-o,” Finn says carefully. “It’s not that bad. But. We might be better off in the desert.”

“Did you hear me about the gettin’ shot thing?” Johnny snaps, a bit louder than he had meant to. And then he stumbles forward a few more steps, emerging into a bizarre clearing of grass which he definitely had not seen from the little hill, or even one step before landing in it - this perfect circle of mown-short grass. Sitting in the middle of it is a coyote.

It tilts its head on one side.

Finn offers a sharp, nervous grin. “Technically,” he says to the coyote, “I am not on the prairie. So.”

The coyote does not so much as blink.

Johnny reckons he might be in over his head more than a little. “Desert, you said,” he declares firmly and begins trekking south.

Finn does not relax. There is a rustling noise behind them - quite a lot like the sound of a coyote following them through the grass. Johnny attempts to pick up the pace.

“I am sorry about this,” Finn says conversationally. “But can you go any faster.”

“Nope,” Johnny puffs. “You’re fuckin’ heavy.” He manages a slight increase in speed, which the coyote matches easily, and nearly trips over his own feet for it. This had not been so difficult when they’d started out - Finn seems to be getting heavier by the second, like every inch of him is slowly turning to lead.

It reminds him of a warm day when he wasn’t quite grown, but wasn’t a boy either - there had been an accident, and his Uncle Jack had died, and he was tall enough to be one of the men carrying the coffin. If, and only if, he could contain his excitement at being considered one of the men, said his mother, for long enough to behave decently, jeez. So he’d wrangled himself into solemn calm and taken up his place behind his father, and lifted when told to - and he remembers thinking, dang, why’d we need six men? Uncle Jack isn’t heavy at all. Until they’d started walking, and then Johnny had been glad of the others - but still, not too bad. But they’d kept walking. And kept walking. And by the time they’d reached the church his arms were shaking and his breath came fast and he couldn’t put Uncle Jack down fast enough, the corpse’s limbs all slowly petrifying and dragging them all down, inexorably, inevitably, into the dust.

Finn is heavy as a dead body on his back.

It is suddenly less difficult to push those last yards and hurl them both over the boundary, into the dirt. Finn is thrown from his back and rolls neatly; instinctively he tries to stand, and crumples into a small ball of hissed curses as his ankle makes itself known. Johnny himself manages to control his stumble to his knees and scramble backwards away from the grassland. He watches a black nose press through the leaves, white-glowing eyes the only thing visible in the shadows; after a considering sniff, all melt away. There is no sound, but he no longer feels eyes on him - and then there is a barking call far to the north, and the pound of hoofbeats drumming through the earth under his palms heading for the disruption, and then nothing.

He turns, very politely and calmly, to Finn. “What the fuck was that?”

Finn waves a hand dismissively. “You don’t want to know. But he’ll probably hold ‘em off for a while, as long as it’s fun to do it - we should keep goin’, though.”

“No no no-” Johnny says firmly, holding up one hand. “This - weird shit has gone on long enough. What in the god damn hell just happened to us?”

Finn narrows his eyes and tilts his head to squint thoughtfully at Johnny. In the darkness, sprawled out at the foot of the desert with limbs in every direction and propped up on his elbows, he nonetheless looks strangely alert - as though he might at any moment leap onto his twisted ankle and outdance the devil to keep them both safe. For all that the desert leaves them exposed, Johnny feels safer here than he did in amongst the prairie grasses, the same way a man feels safe from wolves behind a stock fence, for all that wolves can jump. This space has been demarcated, somehow, and called Finn’s, and Johnny don’t reckon anything else is going to come in and mess with that.

“Alright,” Finn says eventually, still with that considering tilt. “This town ain’t what you think it is. There are more things in heaven and earth, Johnny McPherson, than you ever dreamed of. There’s magic in these hills, in them stars above, in you - like as not - and definitely in me. Ainsel pretty much isn’t anything else. Sold his soul to them devilish fae.” Finn spreads his palms to the night and Johnny feels it pressing close like a crowd of people, wrapping him in the tangible darkness of a shroud, the cloying earth of the grave. “But this night - in this place - is mine. And nothing out here can hold me,” he says, eyes fixed on Johnny and black-dark in the moonlight, “not on my lands. No-one can touch me; nothing can stop me in any way that matters. Why should I fear the grave, Jonathan Elmer McPherson, when I’ve known it already? I felt its touch and it could not keep me. I am master of Danser Town, and I am chained to it like a dog. A dead-and-alive dog, black as shadow an’ the world beyond the end, and there ain’t none as can move you on without my say so. You, Jonathan Elmer McPherson,” Finn says, with a grin as cold as hard iron and as pointedly canine as a wolf - it sets Johnny’s teeth on edge, makes him shiver under his skin, makes the soles of his feet tingle with the urge to run like he’s being stabbed by a hundred tiny needles but he can’t move can’t run can’t look away from Finn’s terrible black eyes and shining silvered teeth - “you are my little lamb.” Finn raises an eyebrow in amusement. “And I will look after you.”

The desert is horribly silent for a moment. Johnny’s toes dig into the dirt. A breeze strokes through the hair at the back of his neck, and he shivers

“Well, you ain’t gotta pull my leg,” Johnny grouses, indignant more than cross. “I was only askin’.”

Finn snorts inelegantly and throws his head back to howl with laughter at the moon. Johnny feels around for a pebble and bounces it neatly off Finn’s drawn-up knee.

“An’ how come you know my middle name, anyhow?” he says, pushing up onto his feet to glower down at Finn as he snorts and tries to get his breath back under his control. “You been writin’ to my momma, or what?”

Finn unfurls, still wheezing slightly, and Johnny hauls him up onto his good foot. “Aw, never you change,” he tells Johnny fondly. “Anyhow, someone’s gotta know what gets written on your headstone. Gee up.”

“Oughtta leave you here,” Johnny grumbles, bracing for Finn’s weight. The man ain’t quite so heavy now - or not yet - Johnny reckons maybe he’d just needed a rest. They ought to make Danser, no trouble. “I thought I was a lamb, not a horse.”

“Nah,” Finn says with confidence. “I’m the lamb. You can be Saint John the Baptist.”

“I ain’t got the patience.”

“You out-walked a horse with marvellous patience,” Finn points out cheerfully. “And, as Saint John, you get to dunk me in a river and claim it was for the good of my soul.”

“Oh.” Johnny tilts his head and shift’s Finn’s weight on his back as they set out once more for home. “Well, when you put it like that.”

Prompt #1: Foster

“Go again.” 

The youth looked down at the paltry pile of pebbles on his side of the dusty cavern floor and furrowed his brow in consideration. 

His opponent, also stuck straddling that awkward line between boy and man, held out something enclosed in the shell of his cupped hands and waited. And waited. This far beneath Ala Mhigo the tunnels were deathly silent. Deeper in there lay a trail of torches to light the way but here there was only the flickering lantern light between them. The shadows along the walls jumped every time the candle flame spit. 

“Gods’ blood, Connor! Go!” Rundulf finally exploded. The sound of his exasperation bounced off the walls of the catacombs that ran like a rabbit’s warren beneath the city. 

When the Garlean Empire had finally moved in over the tattered remnants of the beleaguered city-state, the Imperial army had sealed the tombs, the last resting place of Ala Mhigan dead. To keep out the ‘rabble rousers’. It might have worked if the Empire had found and sealed all the entrances. But they had failed to understand what a labyrinth they had on their hands. Miles of tunnels going back hundreds of years. It was all too easy for an intrepid Resistance to make camp within a few long forgotten spaces. A secure place for seditious talk. 

“Don’t rush me.” 

Or, an idle argument between two bored adolescents attempting to stay alert with nothing but stone and dust around them. 

“Pick a bleedin’ number or I swear to Rhalgr I’ll --”

“Three high.” 

Rundulf grunted and opened his hands, sending a cascade of flat stones clattering to the dirt. The boys leaned over the stones, peering in the dim lantern light to see which ones had landed with their white painted faces up, if any. 

Alas, only two displayed their pale faces.

“Ha! That’s another for me!” Rundulf crowed, a fist punching up into the darkness. 

Shaking his head, Connor flicked a pebble from his ever-dwindling pile towards Rundulf’s own. “Gods, I hate this game. Can’t we do somethin’ else?”

Just then, beyond the lantern’s reach came the soft sound of a throat being intentionally cleared. And the game was suddenly and hastily forgotten. With eyes wide with surprise, Connor grabbed the lantern and swung it in the direction of the noise as Rundulf surged to his feet, ready for a fight. 

The swinging lantern light fell on one slight and slender girl and both boys visibly relaxed. Aislinn was nearly half their size, a spindly collection of knees and elbows destined to forever be the runt among them. The antithesis of a threat. 

“What’re you doin’ down here, North?” Connor sighed, lowering the light. 

“Lookin’ for da.” she said simply as she made to pass them, only to have Rundulf block the way. 

“You know he’s with the others. Plannin’ out next steps. He’ll be up when they’re done.” 

“I didn’t know that.” 

Connor laughed as he knelt down and collected the stones again in preparation for another round. “Not sure you were supposed to either. Good job, Rundulf.” 

The larger boy, realizing his mistake, merely folded his arms across his chest and grunted. The less he said, the better. 

“Sit and play a few rounds, Aislinn. They should be heading up soon.” Connor said, clattering the stones in his hands. 

She studied him for a long moment and then wordlessly shook her head. The catacombs were as dark and foreboding as she remembered. It was bad enough that she had ventured this far on her own. When they were children she had been forced to spend a night down in this place, sharing a sarcophagus with a moldering skeleton. A fact he should have remembered just as well as her. She had no intention of staying and ending up the subject of another cruel child’s prank. 

“What’re they discussing?” she asked instead. 

Rundulf sullenly shrugged and broke his silence. “Probably tryin’ to figure out a abetter way to get information out to the other cells. Last two runs didn’t go so well.” 

Aislinn peered down the tunnel. “They aren’t choosin’ the right people.” 

“Says you.” Connor snorted. 

“I do.” she replied, turning that unerring gaze back on him. It was unsettling. The way she spoke so flat. She was too serious by half. It was too old an expression set in too young a face and it crawled under his skin. A part of him was almost certain she knew it too. 

“Suppose you know who they should send.” 

She jutted her chin up. “I could do it.” 

Rundulf’s guffaw echoed off the stone. “Don’t think they’re that desperate yet.” 

“I just caught you two unaware. And you’re supposed to be on watch. I coulda snuck right past and you’d have kept playin’ your game.” she countered. 

Rundulf opened his mouth to reply but Connor held up a quelling hand. “We’re flattered, Aislinn but we ain’t exactly Imperial patrols now, are we? Those runs are serious. You need your wits about you the entire time.”

“Are you explainin’ a run to me like I haven’t been here just as long as you?” Aislinn asked, her question more of a barbed statement than anything. 

Her tone must have gotten through, for in the lantern light she could see the tips of Connor’s ears go red with embarrassment. 

“Clearly someone needs to. Your da is never goin’ to let you go. No matter how much you keep harpin’ on him. It’s gettin’ pathetic.” 

Aislinn blinked at him. The only sign that his words had struck true. He regretted them the moment they were out of his mouth. He was forever doing the wrong thing when it came to her. Forever the arse. 

Wordlessly, she turned and retreated out of reach of the lantern light, back the way she had come. He groaned under his breath and hung his head. 

“Look, maybe it needed to be said.” Rundulf said, returning to his side of the makeshift playing field. 

“Shut up.” 

“Coulda let someone else do it though.”

“Shut up.” 

“Fine. Go again.” 

With an air of resignation Connor held the stones out over the floor when there came the sudden sound of swift steps hitting the dirt. Once again Connor and Rundulf sprung up but Aislinn was quicker. One stride, two, a dodge to the left, a duck under Rundulf’s swinging arm and she breezed past them, down the corridor towards the meeting of generals. 

“Gods damn it!” 

She heard them giving chase and almost laughed. In a world where it seemed everyone was bigger and stronger, Aislinn had learned to be faster. They would never win in a race against her. She sailed down the torchlit passage with an elated sort of satisfaction. 

The three careened around the bend, Aislinn remaining just frustratingly out of reach until they burst into the large burial chamber at the end of the tunnel. The men and women gathered within turned in haste towards the interruption. The slithering sound of several swords leaving their scabbards drew Aislinn up short with Rundulf and Connor stumbling behind her in their effort not to bowl her over. 

“Hold.” 

“It’s just a couple of young ones.”

“Bloody hells, aren’t those th’ ones you put on watch, Jorund? Fat lot o’ good it did.” 

Winded, her wide eyes took in the gathering amidst the flickering torchlight and for a sparse moment she regretted the impulse that had driven her here. No. A small voice inside refused to let her back down. She was tired of sitting on the side lines. Tired of watching the others do their part while hers seemed to always be to sit at home and anxiously wait for their return. Passed over time and again. She could do something. She could be useful. Why couldn’t anyone see that?

“I can do it.” she said, hating the way her voice sounded so small in the cavernous chamber. She shook her head and tried again. “I can do it. I can make the run.” 

“Aislinn?” her father’s voice rumbled the way it always did but in this space it seemed to reverberate. He was a wall of a man and he didn’t so much push through the others as much as they parted for him. Thick arms folded across the barrel of his chest as he stared down at her. Looking into his storming eyes she knew there would be a talk about this later. 

“You’re looking for people to make the run, aren’t you?” she pressed. “To pass information to the cells outside? I can do it.”

“No.” Jorund ground out. 

“Yes, I can. I made it past those two. Probably could’ve snuck right by without them lifting their heads.” she waved an arm back towards Rundulf and Connor who stood catching their breath. They passed each other a dark look. “I’m quick. I’m nearly invisible. No one pays me any mind. And those patrols aren’t going to be looking for someone like me. They’re not going to suspect me of carrying Resistance intel.” 

There was the briefest pause of silence and then, “She makes a good point, Jorund.” one of the other men spoke up. 

“I said no.” Jorund snapped his head towards the man, glaring in his direction.

“We’ve been sending our boys who could fight if it came down to it but maybe that’s the problem. They look like they could fight. Empire ain’t gonna look twice at this wisp of a girl.” he continued on, undeterred. 

“And if she runs into trouble?” a woman next to him countered. 

“You heard her, she can run.” 

“She can outrun two boys, not a imperial patrol, Bernier. I don’t know about you but I’m not comfortable sending a girl headlong into the waiting arms of Garleans.”

Behind her, Aislinn heard Connor make a low noise in the back of his throat that sounded distinctly like an ‘I told you so’ to her.

“Oh, but sending our boys is alright?” 

“Don’t pull that shite. I know as well as anyone here what a patrol will do to the girl if they get their hands on her.”

“I’m tellin’ you, they ain’t gonna be looking twice.” 

“Quiet.” Jorund’s voice, instead of rising to meet the others, had grown soft and still. It brought an immediate halt to any conversation. He stared down at Aislinn with a dark sort of anger but she saw something behind that. Something raw and broken. Something that told her he would forever see her as the child she had been, the little girl he had bounced on his knee. And any hope she had fostered of taking a meaningful part in this Resistance faded to nothing. She knew his answer before he even opened his mouth. 

“She’ll get caught. And do you think she’ll hold up under questioning? Or do you think she’ll spill every little detail she knows and bring the Empire down on us? We’re the only ones feedin’ th’ others intel from the inside. We can’t let something like tha’ happen.” he growled and though he spoke to the others, he kept his flinty gaze trained on her, hammering the words home. Willing her to understand once and for all. “She’s too much of a risk. Send Connor.”

------

(The result of Connor’s run can be found here.)

anger; castiel // rico ( in which rico and castiel get into an argument )

note; i hope this makes sense, but if not... i'm sorry.

he had one more time.

castiel had one more time to raise his voice at her and to call her out her name before rico said fuck the deal she made with the principal and gets herself expelled. she was only trying to help him, but he was making it really hard to do so.

she understood why he was acting like this though. imagine the one person in school you couldn't stand telling you your ex girlfriend is manipulative. he was probably wondering why the fuck did she care anyway. and to be honest, rico wondered that too. but, it shouldn't matter if she was coming from a good place, right?

well none of that mattered anyway because castiel just had to use the last chance rico had given him. he just had to confront her in the hallway about something she didn't do to deborah in front of everyone. he just couldn't keep his mouth shut. he had to make things worse.

but rico wasn't going to let castiel basically threaten her for doing nothing to deborah and just walk away. she wasn't going to let him get away with that. so she followed him. she followed him to make him see he was wrong about what happened. of course he was wrong. he wasn't even there to see what happened yet he had the nerve to say it was her as if he was rico at the time.

but why was she so adamant on changing his mind on this? rico never cared about what castiel of all people had to say about her. in fact she couldn't care any less. so why was she following him to the staircase to explain herself? no it wasn't that. she wanted him to feel stupid for not listening to her.

no she needed to.

"aye!" rico called out to him. "i didn't fuckin do nothin to her! if you'd actually listen to me for more than two seconds and stop being a dumbass, you'd know that i'm not fuckin stupid enough to do dat shit! and i get it. we not friends. never have been. never will be. but i'm tellin you from experience dat if deborah manipulated you once, no doubt she's gonna do it again! and now dat she knows that i'm onto her and i'm tryin to help you, she's tryin to ruin my reputation!"

rico felt her blood boiling. she wasn't even thinking about what she was saying as she continued. "i've been in yo position before! i know what it's like puttin yo trust in someone only for them to betray yo ass in the end! i know how it fucking feels! and the only thing i want is for nobody to experience dat shit because it fucking hurts, castiel! it hurts like a bitch!"

her eyes were watering and she was shaking in anger as she finished. no matter how many times rico's been in arguments or how many times she has gotten angry at someone, nothing could compare to the anger she felt at this moment. she was so pissed, she didn't even know what to do or what to say anymore. she felt like nothing she could do would be enough to dissipate the anger she felt at this moment. but castiel made it so much worse with a simple "go away."

rico felt her resolve come crashing down. her brain short circuited as she couldn't comprehend how after all of that, he just dismissed her with an easy "go away." before she even realized it herself, a "huh?" escaped her lips.

and that's when castiel went off. telling her to stay away from him and anyone else he cared about. rico silently looked at him. an anger numbing feeling came over her as she took a step towards him. she saw him open his mouth to say something else to her, but she beat him to it.

"and when she drops yo ass after she gets what she wants from you, don't you dare come cryin to me. i want you to sit and soak in how stupid you were for goin back to her after what she did to you. after i gave you warnin after fuckin warnin about it. matter fact, figure this shit out your fucking self. i'm done." rico gave him one last stare down before she walked away.

as she walked, angry tears came out of her eyes. why was she crying? her arguments with castiel never bothered her like this before. so why was she crying? why did she feel like beating in a locker yet breaking down on the floor right now? why was she feeling like this? why did she care?

then it hit her. in that moment, rico saw herself. she saw herself in him after she saw castiel when deborah came back. and when she saw that, she unconsciously convinced herself that it was a second chance to fix the mistake she made and keep him from going back like she did.

and when castiel started to defend her, it felt like rico defending her own manipulator when it was super obvious they were using her. it triggered her badly. it was like she was telling at herself to stop being so stupid. listen to what i'm saying so you don't have to go through this again. so i don't have to experience it again...

Excuse the Fuck Outta Me

(Negan x Reader)

You've fucked up and now Negan's going to punish you, but not before he's put you to good use.

Warnings: BDSM- cock-warming (public), rope bondage, Forniphilia (human furniture), knife play (no blood), spanking, aftercare. Nudity and cockwarming, but no smut other than that. A/B/O in the sense that the BDSM dynamic is an Alpha/omega dynamic, but nothing explicitly biological a/b/o AU, so interpret it how you want ;)

A/N: I know, I know, I’ve added yet another villain to the list. I refuse to be sorry.

“Shut up and get on the fucking bed, right fuckin’ now.”

You had been craving this all week, but now that you had it you were terrified. You loved Negan for so many reasons, but the one at the forefront of your mind right now was how he could make you freeze in terror and make you soaking wet at the same time.

“I’m sorry, was I speaking fucking Latin? Cause I thought I told you to get your ass on that motherfucking bed!” Negan roared behind you. You were kneeling on the floor trembling from fear and need. Before you could respond Negan grabbed you by the back of the neck, yanking you to stumble up to your feet. His grip was tight on the back of your neck, soon joined by a firm hand on your jaw, pulling your head back to look at him awkwardly. He looked pissed. He was smiling coldly in a way that didn’t reach his eyes, which were currently burning into you. You were torn between wanting to talk and not being able to form a single word. “Man, you are wrackin’ up quite a punishing. You know that? Or is that what you’re goin’ for hmm? Well shit darlin’ if you wanted the shit beat outta ya, why didn’t you jus’ say so?” At that your eyes widened and you knew you better start begging “M’sorry, Alpha.” you whimpered, lower lip wobbling with emotions you couldn’t keep bottled up anymore. “Ohh, don’t cry honeybee. Look’it you. You need to be punished, don’t you? Need Alpha Negan to take care of you?” Negan crooned at you, wiping a tear from your cheek with his thumb, which he then popped into his mouth, humming at the salty taste. You quickly nodded your assent, still not able to respond vocally.

“Well, since you don’t seem to want to use that mouth for talking, I think I can find another use for it. But first, you’ve got far too much clothing in my way.”

And that was all the warning you got before the cold blunt edge of his knife was pressed against your back, soon turning into a rush of cold air as he cut up the back of your shirt all the way through the collar. The ruined shirt slipped uselessly off you, falling in a soft puddle on the floor. “Do you want these fuckin’ illegal shorts to go the same way? hmm? Lawdy, so short you’d get arrested if you went out like this. You tryin to catch Sheriff Rick's attention? I see you didn’t wear a bra like I asked, so I’m assuming you went without undies too?” He asked, using the knife to pull your shorts away to check that he was right before letting the elastic snap against your hip. “Good girl. Just for that, and just cause I like how your ass looks in these, I won’t destroy your shorts. Take em’ off.” You immediately complied, letting the thin material slip from your legs to join your shirt.

Negan whistled lowly, circling around your naked body. You felt so exposed but also powerful with the way he couldn’t take his eyes off you. He finished his circle behind your back and rummaged through a drawer, but you couldn’t tell exactly what he was getting out. Before you could wonder too much, a soft silk blindfold took away your sight. As soon as it was securely tied, you let out a sigh, some of the tension slipping out of you. “That better darlin’?” Negan growled, standing close enough that it rumbled through you. You nodded mumbling out a soft “yes, Alpha.”

Negan chuckled warmly, and you jumped a little when he bent down to nuzzle your neck, leaving the warm sting of beard burn behind. “Good girl. Now, I’m gonna need those pretty arms of yours behind your back, hands together.” He said firmly. You did as you were told, feeling Negan’s thumbs dig into your shoulders, massaging the muscles that would soon be sore from this position. He then skimmed one hand down your arm, making goosebumps rise with the too-light touch. The first loop of rope went between your palms then around your wrist. Negan worked in slow, sure movements until your forearms were bound securely together. You were a little wobbly, but Negan was always there with a solid hand on your ribs. Without another word, Negan grabbed your bound wrists and used them to lead you. At first your steps were unsure, but you soon relaxed, trusting Negan to guide you. He stopped, placing a hand on your belly so that the sudden stop wouldn’t throw you forward. You heard a click like a door latch then you were moving again. Negan had you stop again. You thought you heard him sitting down, which was confirmed when he guided you to kneel on a foam mat between his open knees.

“Now, honeybee, you’re gonna kneel here and keep my cock warm for me while I take care of some things.” Negan stated matter of factly. You heard the growl of his zipper and opened your mouth obediently when he pressed the smooth head of his cock into your mouth. You tried to take more of him down but he had a firm grip on your chin. “ah ah ah, princess. Take what Alpha gives you, nothing more. And remember, your job is to keep my cock warm, not suck me off.” Negan said, and you were sure there was a smirk on his lips. You hummed something you hope sounded like “yes Alpha” and settled into a posture that was easier on your back. You felt yourself relaxing completely. You couldn’t be sure exactly how much time had passed before there was a soft knock at the door. You knew that from where the door was in the office you were in full view, and you were also fairly certain the door was wide open, but Negan just placed a calm hand on your head and since he seemed fine with it, you didn’t try to move.

“Come in.” He said charismatically. You heard a shuffling before “Sorry to interrupt, boss. you still want to talk over these lists?” a scratchy voice asked.

“Well, sure. Tell you what, why don’t you just grab yourself a seat and we’ll get through em’” Came Negan’s reply. You payed attention only for a little longer before letting yourself slip back into nothingness. After the first visitor left, you were vaguely aware of people in and out of the office. You didn’t know what time it was or how long you’d been kneeling here, and it didn’t seem that important anyway. Eventually Negan ran a hand through your hair, letting it slip down to cup your cheek. “Hey honeybee, I’m gonna sit you up now, just one second.” Negan purred and you felt warmth spread through your chest at the pride in his voice. You let his cock slip from your mouth as you sat up, and your heard his zipper being pulled back up. You sighed internally at the loss.

Negan’s hands went to support you as he guided you up to stand in front of him. He let his hands caress your skin as he turned you around so that your ass was facing him. You blushed a little but there was nothing you could do. He gently started to undo the restraints around your arms. When he was done he took just a moment to rub your pleasantly sore muscles and check that nothing felt bad. When he was satisfied that you were okay, he led you around his desk to about where you thought his couch should be. he had you kneel again, this time on hands and knees. “Princess, Rick and I are gonna have a nice little chat over some drinks, think you can be a good table for us?” Negan asked with a smile in his voice. You nodded, already feeling yourself slip into that fuzzy nothingness “I want to hear you, princess.” Negan said, his firm tone cutting through the mind fog. “Yes, Alpha, please let me be your table.” You said immediately. “Good girl” Negan rumbled and you gasped a little at the warmth pooling between your thighs. Negan took a moment to adjust your posture before resting something flat and cold against your back. The tabletop was solid but it took a bit of effort on your part to keep it balanced on your shoulders and ass. Soon the position began to feel natural and you let yourself relax into it.

You heard Rick enter, only stumbling a little at the surprise sight before him. The rest of the meeting passed in a blur. You only noticed the warmth radiating from one of the drinks that rested on the table near your ass. You couldn’t even find it within yourself to be embarrassed that Rick was seeing you like this. You were used to Negan’s men seeing your relationship, and you and Negan had even talked about extending that out of these walls, but you thought when the time came you’d feel more shame than you currently did. All you could feel was pride at serving your Alpha so well. After what felt almost too short a time, the meeting ended. Negan took his time clearing off the tabletop before gently lifting it off you. He didn’t try to lift you from the floor, so you didn’t move. Instead, he sat down on the sofa and leaned close enough that you could smell the whiskey on his breath. “Princess, you don’t know how proud I am seeing you be such a good girl. It gets my dick real hard knowin’ you’re mine and only mine.” You could’ve died right then and there with how electrifying those words were, and you realized the moan you heard was coming from your own mouth. Negan chuckled, slapping your ass before pulling you up to your feet. “Now, you’ve been such a good girl for me, but I’m afraid big bad Alpha’s still gotta punish you for your behavior this week.” Negan said, his tone getting darker as he talked. He slipped the blindfold down your face so that it rested like a collar around your neck. “Now, run back to Alpha’s bed and you better be on the bed with one of Alphas shirts and sweatpants by the time I catch you.” He growled. You’d barely registered what he’d said before your animal instincts kicked in and you sprinted through the hallway. Your heart was pounding in your ears and you could barely think with the adrenaline that was now coursing through you. You ripped open the bedroom door and scrambled through the drawers to find the clothing Negan had demanded. You’d barely managed to pull the grey sweatpants from the drawer by the time Negan sauntered in, looking more like a tiger than like a man.

You gulped and instinctively bared your neck to him in surrender as he prowled up to you. He stepped all the way into your personal space, making you feel well and truly like prey. This close, you couldn’t turn your head without burying your nose in his chest. “I'll forgive you for not making it to the bed.” He purred, rumbling through your chest. “Now, undress me nice and slow.” You reached up with shaky hands to unbutton his shirt, finishing the last button after what felt like a year. You let it sit open on his shoulders as you went to undo his jeans. You pulled his jeans and underwear off, sliding to your knees as you did so. You looked up at him beneath your lashes, hoping you’d pleased him. Hi smirked down at you, letting a hand rest in your hair. Your eyes slipped shut and you leaned forward nuzzling into his crotch. “You tryin to sweeten Alpha up? Think that’ll make me go soft on ya?” he tugged sharply on your hair, making you meet his gaze.

“We’ve got a long way to go before you’ve earned Alpha’s cock. Now be a good little girl and dress me.” He said, gesturing at the sweatpants in your hand. You placed the sweatpants by his feet, lifting one foot and placing it in the leg, then mirroring the action with the other. You pulled them up to his hips, standing as you did so. You could see the obnoxious bulge in his pants where his cock was pressing against the material. “Good girl. Now, hands on the bedposts, we’re gonna have a little chat about trust.” Negan said, almost coldly, taking the shirt from your hand. He slipped out of the unbuttoned shirt, letting it fall to the floor. You ducked your head and made your way to your bed, holding the bed posts on either side of you. You were expecting some type of flogging or whipping, but instead Negan pressed up against your back. You could feel where he was hard, but you were distracted by the cold blunt metal pressing into your ribs: Negan’s knife. “Now, you seem to think that you can’t trust me. Is that right honeybee? Think your Alpha’s too fuckin’ weak to handle your problems?” Oh shit, he sounded two seconds away from pissed. You violently shook your head, tears already thick in your throat “No Alpha! m’sorry” You cried as salty tears started to streak down your cheeks. “And what are you sorry for, princess?” Negan goaded, not giving you any comfort.

“M’sorry I didn’t wait when you said you’d walk me home…it was only a short walk.. an’ m’sorry I didn’t tell you I was overworked. I didn’t want to bother you. M’sorry I didn’t tell y-you I was in sub-drop. M’sorry Alpha” You blubbered between choked sobs. All the exhaustion and emotion that you had bottled up was bursting out. The blunt edge of the knife traveled from your ribs to the soft skin of your throat. “Why didn’t you wait for me to walk you home? It was dark, you were alone. Why. Didn’t. You. Wait?” Negan demanded, pressing the knife deeper with each word. “I…you were busy.” You relented, defeatedly, slumping a little. “I was busy? Too busy to take care of you?” Negan asked, a threat clear in his voice. “Yes.” you said, though it sounded more like an apology. Negan yanked your head back so that your ear was pressed against his chest. “Do you hear that, princess?” he asked, clearly meaning his pounding heartbeat “The only reason that heart keeps beating is you. Because you’re mine, ‘an it’s my job to keep you safe.” He snarled, pulse getting even faster. "So no, I’m not too busy to walk you home.” He snarled sarcastically.

“Now, that second one. My mate was overworked and she didn’t tell me. How is big ol’ Alpha here supposed to take care of you if you don’t tell me when you need some care? Who do you think you are overworking my little mate and not letting me take care of her?” He was seething now. The knife bit into your neck, making breathing difficult. You couldn’t form words, you couldn’t even stop crying. “Whose are you?” He growled, voice deadly low in your ear. “Yours, N-negan” You said, choking on a sob. “That’s right, and I take care of what’s mine. You don’t have the right to decide whether or not I take care of you, understand?” He snarled and all you could do was nod your head pleadingly.

“Remind me, what was your last mistake?” He said, voice icy. You had to try several times to choke the words out “I-I I’m s-sorry Alpha. I didn’ tell ya-y-you I was dropping” And that was all you could manage before fully leaning back into him, sobs wracking your body. “You didn’t fucking tell me you were in sub-drop. My fucking omega didn’t tell me she was dropping. Instead I get to find you sobbing on our bed, clutching a pillow, face buried in my shirt.” Your cheeks burn red, but you have to nod anyway. You can’t remember a time you’ve ever heard Negan this pissed. “Tell me, honeybee. Why do you think I’m angry with you?” And you almost collapse on the spot, hating the gut-wrenching feeling of knowing you’ve disappointed your Alpha.

“I…I…um..” but you couldn’t think of anything to say. Pleadingly you looked up at your Alpha through watery eyes, hoping he would understand. You almost regretted it the second you did. His lips were set in a grim line, watching you like a hawk. You were able to catch your breath a little and continue “um, because I didn’t tell you I was hurting so you couldn’t take care of me?” you asked in a voice so small you could barely hear yourself. “Speak up princess, I can’t hear you.” Negan said, though you were sure he had. “I didn’t tell you I was hurting so you couldn’t take care of me.” You said a bit more loudly. You were surprised as Negan landed a sharp smack on your ass. It stung like hell and you knew he’d put a lot of force into it. “And what should you have done instead, princess?” Negan asked.

“I should have let you take care of me.” You said, not able to meet his eyes. He smacked you again, dropping the knife on the bed so that he could grip your hip to hold to steady. “Again.” He snarled.

“I should have let you take care of me.” *SMACK!* “I can’t fuckin’ hear you, brat” he growled.

“I should have let you take care of me!” You cried and another smack landed on your already tender ass. “Louder!” He shouted.

“I should have let you take care of me!” You screamed, tears running down your cheeks as another heavy blow landed.

“Whose are you?” Negan snarled in your ear, hand holding your neck back so it was bared for him.

“Yours.” You sighed into the next smack. “I’m sorry, whose?” Negan asked, voice deadly.

“Yours, Alpha!” You cried, carefully enunciating his title. You expected another blow, but instead he dug his nails into your ass, drawing a gasp from you.

“Good girl.” He said, massaging your tender skin. “You’re mine. You tell me what you need whenever you need it, no matter who’s around or what I’m doing. Understand?” He said lowly, making you shiver as his breath tickled the shell of your ear. “Yes, Alpha” you purred, letting him support you as your muscles relaxed. “Good girl.” He rumbled, giving you a genuine smile that made you melt.

He carefully led you around to lay down at the head of the bed, laying you facedown so he could massage some aloe into your raw skin. He also checked your arms, making sure everything was alright there. As he did so he murmured praises about how proud he was of you and how well you’d done. When he was satisfied, He sat against the headboard and pulled you into his lap. You were too fuzzy still to notice much, so he had to manhandle you a little to get you into his shirt. When he was done, you cuddled into his chest as he rubbed some lotion into your knees, which you were a little surprised to see how red they were.

You both sat together with him cradling you. When your mind was finally clearing up you shifted a little, blinking owlishly up at him. “Well hey there, darlin’” He chuckled, ruffling a hand through your hair, which made you scrunch your nose just a little. “Ready to talk?” He asked gently. You nodded.

“How do you feel overall? Anything hurt in the wrong way? Anything we need to get to immediately?” He asked, eyebrows dipping a little with his serious tone. You took a moment to consider, then shook your head. “Then let’s start from the beginning, that was the longest you’ve been a cock-warmer for me. How was that?” You shifted a little, getting excited at the memory. “Good, I like when you use me, but don’t necessarily pay direct attention to me. It was nice though when you put your hand in my hair when the first guy came in. I liked knowing that you were in charge and okay with the situation. Thank you for letting me do it for so long” You said slowly, still having to work to pull some thoughts together. “We need to replace the kneeling mat soon, that one’s getting a little worn down.” You added, watching Negan nod as he made a mental note of what you said.

“I’m glad you liked it, and you’re welcome. I like that too, having you close and accounted for. I’ll make sure to change the mat before your next session. Anything else?” He asked while smoothing a hand up and down your back. You thought for a second before shaking your head.

“Okay, what about serving as furniture? We had someone outside our small group watching you for the first time. How was that?” He asked, voice soft and slow. You shivered at the reminder. “I liked that a lot. I liked that I could feel temperatures through it. I think I could handle a little more weight, but not a lot or it would get too heavy. That might be fun to play around with though, like how much I can handle before my arms give out. I like Rick. And I like being good for you in front of people.” You said, voice clearer now than it was a few minutes ago. Negan smiled at you, his eyes crinkling just for you. “And you did so well princess, you made me very proud to be your alpha. Would you want to test the too much weight with other people or alone first?” You thought for a second before responding “Surprise me.” Which pulled another chuckle from Negan. He let you enjoy the moment a second long before getting more serious.

“Alright now, honeybee. What about that last part? How do you feel?” Negan asked earnestly, tilting your chin up so you would meet his eyes. You squirmed a bit, guilt trying to claw its way back. “Thank you. I needed that. I felt awful and it just kept building up until I didn’t know what to do but cry. I–I liked when you called me a brat…” You ducked your head blushing. How could you talk about cockwarming and kneeling naked in front of almost-strangers, but this is what made you blush?? Negan huffed out a laugh and pulled you tighter to his chest. His next words vibrated through you pleasantly: “You’re welcome, princess. It’s my job to take care of you and boy do I have the best job in the world. Brat eh? I’ll have to remember that.”

You two stayed cuddled like that for a while longer before, enjoying the closeness you relationship fostered.

Our Whiskey Lullaby

Rating: Non-Explicit Word count: 1.9k~ Warnings: Major angst w/ a little bit of happiness at the end, crude language, mention of character death. (Joel x f!reader) Author’s Note: This prompt was heavily inspired when I listened to the song Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley ft. Alison Krauss. I recommend you listen while you read~ :) “Yeah, give me a moment!” you shout from the shed door. You grunt from the heavy weight of the old metal door, finally managing to open it. The dust swarms around your head and you cough from it entering your lungs. “Ellie, I thought you said you cleaned it out?” you yell back towards the house but no response came back to you. You sigh before turning to walk inside the shed. Tools, guns, and wall posters decorate the old shack and you couldn’t help but smile. “I can’t believe all this stuff is still here.” your hand caresses the old wooden workshop table against the wall with band posters hanging above.  On top of the table lays a guitar case and a confused expression draws on your face as you wipe the dust off of it. Your hands are slow and precise when you reach to open the case, the top coming up with a ‘pop’. “Is this...?” your voice trails off when you recognize the familiar shimmering instrument in the black case. You pull back like you were burned by the sudden image and your breathing turns short. “Shit...” you curse, covering your mouth and throwing glances back to the house. A pained groan escapes your lips from swallowing the lump in your throat, turning back to the guitar. The lid is lifted up a little more and you take in the gorgeous design. You remember all those haunted, sleepless nights where Joel would play you a soft lullaby to bring you serenity. The lingering thought made your heart squeeze in your chest when you bring the guitar out. A shaky breath escapes you lips, pulling the stool close to your body to sit down. All was quiet as your eyes glare down to the guitar in your hands and you prop it up on your leg. You strum a little with the strings, not really knowing how to play but remembered the basic chords Joel showed you. There was a chord sheet and you hesitate. Whiskey Lullaby, a song that Joel had played for you.  The notes were soft and clear, echoing in the small shack. You swallow nervously as you felt the pressure of messing it up but you did as Joel always told you. Take it slow. She put him out like the burnin' end of a midnight cigarette She broke his heart; he spent his whole life tryin' to forget. Joel’s eyes burn into you as you stand before him. You huddle close to Ellie, feeling the pressure start to settle down on you. “What the hell is this?” Joel growls, looking to Marlene. Tess had the same sort of expression, a demanding glare at the wounded woman. Marlene gasps as her wound festers and burns under her hand, panting softly. “Listen...I know this isn’t something you signed up for...” “Damn straight it ain’t!” Joel shouts, making Ellie and you flinch. “I didn’t sign up to become your fucking babysitter. Have someone else do it. C’mon, Tess.” he goes to walk out, Tess lingering behind. “Tess?” Tess glances to Joel, biting the inside of her cheek. “And if we do it?” “You get the weapons.” Marlene answers her immediately. “You’ve gotta be fucking-” Joel grumbles in annoyance, before looking to you and Ellie. “this better be worth the trouble.” The memory floods your mind as you continue to play the song, tears already burning at your eyes.  We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind Until the night Ellie raises a brow as she pulls one of Joel’s guns out of his backpack. You smirk right next to her. “You should probably put that back, El.” “Hold on, I just wanna hold it a little- hey!” she shouts as the gun was ripped from her hands. “What the fuck, dude?” Joel towers above you and Ellie with an accusatory finger pointed at the both of you. “Don’t be goin’ through my things. Theses ain’t for kids.” he stuffs the gun back into his backpack. “Hey,” you jump up to defense and march over to face Joel. “you need to stop treating us like fucking kids. How are we supposed to defend ourselves out there? With our minds?” Joel stares down at you before brushing past you. “I don’t have time for this, kid.” You scowl at him with a huff and incoherent mutter, asshole. A shuddered breath pushes through your lips as you play in raw emotion, all you could think about was Joel’s face. It felt like he was right there beside, a comforting hand on your shoulder. He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger And finally drank away her memory Life is short but this time it was bigger Than the strength he had to get up off his knees “How could you just leave her like that?” you shout at Joel, pointing back down to where Tess had stayed behind to hold the military back.  Joel ignores you as he continues to trek on, Ellie standing in between you two with a worried expression. “Hey! I’m talking to you asshole!” you scream at him as you run up to him and shove him harshly, tears gathering up in your eyes. “How...could you just leave her behind like that?” “She was infected! We couldn’t help her anyway so I gave her what she wanted! She didn’t want to be turned!” Joel yells back at you, making you take a step back. “You think I wanted to leave her behind? I didn’t have a fuckin’ choice, y/n!”  Your chest rises and falls quickly as tears stream down your face. Ellie rushes to your side when you feel your legs try and give out. “C’mon, let’s go.” Joel voice cracks and he turns to walk on. We found him with his face down in the pillow With a note that said 'I'll love her 'til I die' And when we buried him beneath the willow The angels sang a whiskey lullaby “Joel?” you shout his name, sprinting as fast as you can from the pack of runners trailing behind you. “Joel, do something!” Joel grabs your hand and pulls you to run faster, taking you by surprise when a runner nearly tackles you to the ground. “Just keep runnin’! Don’t look back!” he instructs you and you nimbly nod, fear racking your whole body. “Don’t worry, I won’t let go.” The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath She finally drank her pain away a little at a time But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind Until the night You wake with a sudden jolt as you felt the pain flash before your eyes. The living nightmares that haunt you every night broke you down and you let out a blood curling cry. “Y/n?” Joel’s voice bursts through your room and he hurries to your side and kneels down beside you. “Y/n, y/n, what’s wrong?” he asks you softly as you rock back and forth. “It hurts, Joel...it fucking hurts...” you whimper as you cradle your head to block the screams and voices out. “make them stop.” Joel frowns at how much you were in pain and he brings you into his arms. “It’s okay, baby girl. It’s okay, I’m here.” he whispers to you, his fingers brushing through your hair. You held onto him as you cried.  She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger And finally drank away his memory Life is short but this time it was bigger Than the strength she had to get up off her knees You lay there on the cot, watching Joel as he strums away on his guitar, trying to remember all the notes. “Are you sure you know how to play?” you tease him. ”Haha, very funny. It’s been awhile, okay.” Joel scoffs, glancing back at you. “Give me a minute.” You hum, rolling onto your back as you listen to him play around with the chords. Soon enough he starts playing a song and it nearly knocked the breath out of you. You say nothing as he plays you the song, tears pooling in your eyes as it spread peace over you like a blanket. Joel stops singing but turns to look back at you. “How was that?” You nod your head, already feeling sleep consume you. “What’s...it called?” you yawn and curl up into a ball. Joel strums the chords on the guitar, silent for a moment. “It’s called Whiskey Lullaby.” he didn’t see it, but you were smiling. We found her with her face down in the pillow Clinging to his picture for dear life We laid her next to him beneath the willow While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby You didn’t know you could run so fast. Your legs and lungs burned but you didn’t care as you ran as fast as you could push yourself. All you had on your mind were Ellie and Joel. “Ellie? Joel?” you call for them as you burst into the base, looking around for them. You hear something in one of the rooms and you jog over, slamming the door open. Ellie was laying on the floor, trying to push herself up off the ground. “Ellie? Are you okay? What happened?” You couldn’t understand what she said but all she could do was point and you look in the direction she was trying to tell you. Your heart dropped all the way down to your feet as you slowly stand up. You were nauseous and your ears were ringing. “J-Joel?” The image of his body on the ground, bloody and beaten were engraved in your head as you fall to your knees. “J-Joel! Get u-up!” you crawl over to him, shaking his cold body to wake up but nothing happened. “Joel!” Your hands come to a stop, the chords hanging over you head. A hand flies up to your mouth, to stiffle your sobs. The guitar falls from your lap and onto the ground as you hunch forward. It felt like you couldn’t breath. You cry out in desperation for him. In that moment, you could feel a hand on your shoulder and you quickly recognized who it was. You regain control over your sobs as you sit up straight. “I struggled for a long time with survivin’, and no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.” His words rattle in your head and you felt that same kind of peace when you were caught up in the darkest of nights. You wipe your eyes, a smile growing on your face. “Okay, Joel.” you pick up the guitar and place it back in its case. The chord sheets for Whiskey Lullaby lays there and you grab a pencil, writing something down quickly before laying the pencil down. “Y/n, is everything okay?” you hear Ellie shout to you from the house. You smile, turning your head slowly towards the door. “Yeah, everything is just perfect.” you turn the lights off and walk to the door, looking back inside one more time. The door closes with a soft click and the chord sheet flutters from the blocked wind. Our Whiskey Lullaby.

(Tell Kokichi to give me the Wi-Fi password... now.) idc who answers at this point. Maybe Hiroko please? She’s pretty upfront and I guess I need a parental figure, especially a mum because well, mine isn’t the best irl. Anyway, hi. So long story short, had a gf, dated for like a week, broke up. Why? Cause I apparently miss my last crush when I don’t at all. I was venting over how much she hurt me but my ex took that as missing them. And they said it isn’t fair to be with her but I — (1/?)

I-I hope you don't mind having me answer th-this ask, ki-kiddo. D-Don't worry, Usami and Komaru have filled th-this old man on wh-what he needs to know, s-so I-I'm aware of your situation here.

I-I gotta say, ki-kiddo... you've b-been through the whole n-nine yards and back. K-Komaru and Usami were quite bummed wh-when they read this ask themselves, a-and I can understand why. St-Still, I agree wi-with what you said. It's n-not only unfair to get over s-someone so quickly, b-but in most cases, it's unrealistic t-to be expected to get over s-someone so easily and quickly, y'know? N-Not to sound like a, u-um, smartbutt here, b-but even if I wasn't wearing my gl-glasses, it'd be pretty clear t-to see that there's quite the difference b-between missing an ex, and s-simply confiding in someone ab-about how much they hurt you. Missing and b-being hurt are two entirely d-different things. A-And hey, I-I understand the jealousy issue. Y-Your ex shouldn't have done th-that! Th-That's just wrong o-of them to do!

... R-Ryo, kiddo, I-I understand how y-you feel. R-Really, I do. I can just feel the pain and d-despair s-seeping through your ask here. H-However, a-as difficult as it may c-currently be, pl-please try your best t-to not give up. I-I get the exhaustion a-and wanting to just give up, but a-as a father myself a-and a overall parental figure, I-I'm not going to stand by and let you s-sink further into despair. I-I have hope in you, ki-kiddo, a-and I always will. T-Take a break f-from relationships a-and love, a-and just focus on yourself f-for however long y-you want and need to, okay? Y-You know that saying, "There's light at the end of the tunnel"? W-Well, th-that saying is true in th-this case. Th-The light might be a bit f-faraway, s-sure, but I-I'll do my best to help you out h-however I can. A-And knowing you, y-you'll be able t-to get through this. Y-You may not believe i-it now, b-but you're a very strong ki-kiddo, Ryo. S-So for now, t-take it easy and rest u-up, but keep fighting b-back against this d-despair! I believe in you!

... A-Ah, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ramble so much there, kiddo. I-I sure h-hope this old man didn't g-get on your nerves or anything. A-Anyway, before I pass this off to Hiroko, w-would you be okay with a hug, o-or even just a pat on the back? It's okay i-if you don't want one, b-but if you're okay with one o-or the other, then I'd be willing t-to give you such. Y-You sound like you could u-use some physical comfort. O-Oh, sorry, I'm taking up too much o-of your time. H-Here, lemme let H-Hiroko give her input now... s-sorry about that, Ms. Hagakure!

~

It's 'lright, Tai, couldn't have said it better myself. Alright, kiddo, my turn. First off, you sound like a good person, and you surely didn't deserve the stuff you're goin' through. A little birdie told me a bit of the story and I'm just ... really sorry. I'm not exactly the greatest with relationships, so this ain't my forte. But lemme try my best.

People suck: front and center. And you're not gonna change 'em. But what you can do is take time to focus on yourself. People like that are only gonna drag you down, even though you're freakin' priceless. Your mental health matters just as much as the next person, and relationships can wear your down. Ryo, you're hurtin', and that's okay. That's completely valid. And if someone sees that hurt as "love"? They've obviously got some problems of their own. And if they treat their best friend better than you? That's simply just another problem. Two massive problems.

You're loved, Ryo, by the people that matter most. It doesn't matter who they are, but if they truly care about you? They're not gonna leave over some bullshit reason like that. You deserve to have the love of your life, and they're gonna make you feel good. But you have to at least love yourself a 'lil before then. You can't love someone unless you love yourself, sweetheart.

Now, here's a hug if you wanna take it. You're gonna be just fine, kiddo, I promise. I'm sorry if I upset ya at all, just tryin' to be upfront like you asked. You're great, and that ain't gonna change, no matter who you're datin'. Drink some water and rest, you've been through a lot. And forget about the idiots who obviously only care about themselves. You're priceless, remember.