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misqnon · 11 months

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Masquerade

CHAPTER 3: A Meeting

“On the final Friday of each month, towns and cities around the country hold their monthly masquerade. Although the humans don’t know it, this is the only time supernatural beings come out of their hiding places to dance amongst the mortals.”

(Mystery, adventure, eventual human/vampire romance)

*warning for very slight nsfwish scenario in this chapter

Previous Chapters

They headed out of the kitchen and back into the main hall, where Lilli pointed out the paintings of their ancestors.

"Priya painted these more recent ones! Isn't she talented?"

"Wow, these are amazing. How old is she?

..Actually, how old are any of you?" Marnie asked.

Carter mock gasped. "Ah! Asking my age? Haven't you heard you should never ask a vampire such a thing?"

Marnie laughed, and Carter smiled back.

Well, maybe he wasn't all bad.

"Priya's 23." Lilli said. "Ace and I just turned 24, Carter's 25, and Harley is 28. Oh, and Maki is 26."

"23? She's so talented for her age…"

"Marnie and I are 21." Leo said. "It's crazy that you guys are mostly all around our age."

"Yea, I was a little worried you were gonna be like, 800 or something, not gonna lie." Marnie said. Carter dramatically gasped at her again.

"Do I look-"

Lilli playfully shoved him. He shoved her back.

Then they walked through the downstairs waiting room- just a collection of chairs and tables in a sunny red room full of windows and bookshelves. There was a bathroom, a laundry area, another, smaller kitchen, and the entrance to a basement. Upstairs housed another 2 bathrooms, a dressing room, a modest ballroom, a study, a library, and a few other doors they walked right past. Leo and Marnie were flabbergasted at just how much room there was. At how expensive it must be. Did any of them have…actual jobs?

"And here's my bedroom!" Lilli said, opening a door with a pink crocheted 'L' hanging on it.

Inside was a large bedroom with a canopy bed, a desk, a vanity, a dresser, and plenty of flowers and plants put on the windowsills. Although the wallpaper was a classical red and brown, bits of her classic pink filled the room in the bedspread, the decor, and her clothes. Marnie walked in and expressed her love for the room- the pink, the plants, the clothes- all the bits of Lilli- and Lilli started showing her around excitedly.

Carter and Leo, left at the door, stared awkwardly. The girls seemed preoccupied, and made no effort to include them- caught up in their own little world.

Carter, not one to wait, figured he'd take things into his own hands.

He turned to leave the room on his heel, grabbing Leo's hand as he did so, and took a few confident steps down the hall.

"Hup-! Hey!" He said, though he didn't make an attempt to pull away.

"What, don't you want to see my room?"

"Uh…I…guess? Shouldn't we wait on…"

"Lilli loves to show off her things. They're going to be in there at least an hour. Come on, don't you want your sister to have some quality bonding time with her new friend?"

Well the first half sounded innocent (if not flamboyant) enough, but now he was convinced this was (another?) attempt to steal his blood.

Nonetheless, at the end of the hall, away from most the other doors, was a dark wooden door with dried roses pinned to it. A rabbit's foot hung from the doorknob, which Carter turned and opened to a dark, black-toned room.

This whole family seemed color coded. If Lilli's room was classical with a dash of pink, this was dark academia with a dash of…dark.

Dark brown oak wooden furniture lined the room, though his bed was much more modern, with no canopy and a minimalist black frame. Unlike Lilli's, his was unmade, which might not be an indicator of his character considering he might have quite literally been sleeping when they showed up. He was still in his nightgown.

Much like his robe, the bedspread and sheets were black, as was much of the posters, frames, and paraphernalia on the wall. It was mostly sketches, art, maps, musical groups. Some of the sketches looked similar to the style he had been told downstairs were Priya's, which he found sweet.

Then he heard Carter shut the door behind them.

Now wait a minute.

Carter was walking away from the door, stretching, his face a blissful grin. He walked right up to Leo- too close- and spoke with lidded eyes and a sly voice.

"You know, they probably won't notice we're gone for a while."

Leo immediately felt all the blood in his body rush up into his face. Was he flirting with him? Well, past that step really- was he trying to hook up? Like, right now? With Leo?

Breathless, Leo just fumbled over his words with many 'uh's and 'um's.

"You're really cute, Glasses."

Carter put his hand to Leo's chest, gently, and Leo somehow blushed again.

He had never, never been intimate with a man- hell, the poor repressed bastard had never even kissed a man. Well, to be fair, he'd never been intimate with a woman either. But at least he'd kissed one of those.

Carter was slowly pushing Leo to his bed, and Leo was cooperating. His mind was far away. Well, actually, it was right here, and quite active, but it was operating somewhere outside his body right now.

If he wasn't a poor repressed bastard, desperate and touch-starved and maybe a bit aroused right now, then he'd be 20 feet down the hall right now telling Lilli that her scary big brother was trying to seduce him.

Especially because her scary big brother was a vampire. And especially especially because he knew this one specifically wasn't above eating him.

But he was a poor repressed bastard, and he did want to experience what it was like to be with a man, and Carter, admittedly, was kinda hot, and it appeared that in the span of time he was thinking all of this he had ended up laid down on Carter's bed, and Carter had climbed on top of him, straddling his hips.

Wait, what.

Oh God, He was Straddling His Hips.

"You know, I won't lie, I wasn't expecting you to actually go along with this." Carter said, leaning down.

'Well, neither was I!' Leo thought.

Then Carter bypassed Leo's face and hovered his breath, and his fangs, right above Leo's collarbone.

"So is this something I'll be allowed to do, too…?" He whispered, inching dangerously closer to Leo's pulse- upon which, the utter realization of being bitten pulled Leo right out of his gay little fantasy and back into the real world.

His heart rate- already accelerated for other reasons- shot through the top and began racing. Unfortunately, that only seemed to make Carter more interested.

"Come on, Leo, give me an answer…" Carter cooed.

But Leo was frozen. Frozen and fucking terrified-

WHACK.

One pair of brown eyes and one pair of red eyes both shot to the door as it slammed open, despite having previously been locked. One equally as shocked, utterly pissed pair of green eyes shone in the doorway, its owner brandishing a small brass key.

"Carter. Get off of him."

The Guardian Crain was already scrambling off the bed by the time Ace said his name.

The taller man walked over to the bed and held a hand out to Leo, but he wasn't looking at him. He was just glaring daggers at his brother, who had his arms crossed and was averting eye contact with a grimace on the other side of the bed.

Leo took his hand and was gently, but firmly, pulled to his feet. He was embarrassed- really embarrassed- but hopefully most of the blame would be put on Carter. Rightfully so.

Sorry, Carter.

Ace led him out of the room, and upon leaving, locked the door from the outside. He heard Carter protest something from inside, but he was too preoccupied to figure out exactly what he said.

As soon as they were alone, Ace leaned down and looked him in the eyes.

"Are you okay?" Ace put a hand on his neck and turned it over, this way and that, checking for bite marks. "He didn't do anything to you, right?"

"N-No, nothing happened." It sent chills down his spine to have yet another vampire touching his neck, even gently. And right in his face, up close like this, he realized he did indeed still have a crush on Ace. Unless this was the residual arousal talking.

"Good. God, I'm sorry. Maybe bringing you here was a bad idea." He stood up again, rubbing the back of his neck in that absentminded way he did when he was nervous.

"No, no! It's not your fault. And I'm not hurt at all, remember?"

"Yea, no thanks to him." He scoffed, looking back at the door.

"I won't tell if you don't want me to." Ace said, putting a finger to his lips. "I'm very good at keeping secrets." He winked.

Leo blushed. "I'd appreciate that."

Maybe he would tell Marnie later, but. For now. He was going to try to. Move on. Somehow.

"Come on, I have some news."

And with that, Ace led him back down the hallway towards the study room they had passed earlier, where Lilli, Marnie, and Harley waited around a large wood table. Priya and Maki sat on the other end as well, though they seemed less interested.

"Where's Carter?" Harley asked.

"Not here." Ace lied.

Harley sighed. "We can't have a Coven Meeting without him-"

"I'M HERE!"

Carter breathlessly entered the room, looking flustered. There were a few leaves stuck to his robe. "Sorry. I got held up." He glared pointedly at Ace.

Ace glared back just as ruefully. "Oh, something was getting up alright." He mumbled under his breath.

They were glaring daggers at each other without any subtlety. Leo felt shame and embarrassment welling up inside him, knowing this related to him, but luckily he was saved by the bell. Harley dismissed them both to their seats, clearly catching on that something had gone on.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll find out later. Just sit down, please." He sounded tired. But after everyone had sat, Ace next to Lilli, Leo next to Ace, and Carter next to…Leo, the meeting began.

Harley perked up a bit when he spoke. "Ace has brought to my attention a new plan regarding something that's been a mystery within our family for decades. I don't think most of you know about it- maybe Maki, if anyone- but there is one key on Ace's belt that we don't know the lock to."

The whole Crain family shuffled at that. It seemed that Ace was very good at this whole "Key" thing, and he seemed to know his stuff.

"When the Keeper of the Keys title was passed on to him, he was told that every keeper has tried to find what it unlocks. But whatever it is, the one thing we do know about it is that it's in the human realm."

Marnie looked at Leo. Things were starting to make sense.

"Ace and I have talked about finding what this key unlocks before, but only briefly. We didn't get much farther after finding out it was in the human realm, for obvious reasons. But he has proposed that perhaps with human guides," Harley nodded to Marnie, and then Leo,

"This could become possible."

Whispers spread across the table. Leo and Marnie tried to take inventory of the reactions. Lilli looked confused, if anything- she didn't seem to know anything about this beforehand. Carter was the same, although he looked like he was thinking hard about something.

They heard Priya speak for the first time, whispering something unintelligible to Maki. But Maki wasn't paying attention to her. She was looking down, intently, and she looked almost…angry.

"Thoughts?" Asked Harley.

Carter raised his hand. "Why weren't we told about this special little key before? And, most importantly, what do we even think it unlocks? I mean, is it even worth it?"

Ace stepped in for that one. "When I became Keeper of the Keys, I was told that this information was only to be shared between myself and the Coven Head. Considering I can't really up and leave without telling you all why, let alone bring humans home, I elected to ignore that rule. However, I can't tell you what we think it is. That, I was told, was more confidential than anything. But I can tell you that it's…insane. Something that all of us would kill for."

"Convenient." Said Carter.

"I mean it. You guys know I wouldn't abuse your trust."

"I know what it is."

Everyone turned their heads to the new voice; Maki's. Her face was flat, purple eyes devoid of any light.

Ace and Harley looked at each other, but she spoke again before they could say anything.

"And it's not worth it. It's stupid. It probably isn't even real, anyway."

Leo watched Ace fumble a bit, deflating. "How…How do you know what it is?"

"I read it in one of the books in the library. An old journal I found in the archives. It belonged to one of our great uncles, one of the previous Key Keepers. And it's not worth it. What do you even plan on doing? Just because you have two humans with you doesn't mean you can walk around openly. And it's not like you can wear your masquerade gear every day; people will think you're crazy. Do you even know where you're going? There's an entire globe out there, the human realm isn't just Blighton- if that were the case, you would have been searching every masquerade night. It could be in another country for all we know. And whether this lock is on a box, a door, a lock- we don't even know what we're looking for. Have you thought this through at all?"

By the end her gaze had left the table and turned directly to the blonde Crain, her voice and eyes cutting the room with malice. The twins felt they shouldn't be there, that this wasn't their place at all- in fact, even Carter and Lilli looked shocked. Ace just blinked, overwhelmed- if not a little hurt.

Harley cleared his throat.

"Maki's right. We don't have any leads. Whether her idea of what the key unlocks is correct or not, it'd be stupid to head out on a journey to the human realm with nothing but the key and a couple mortals."

He looked to the two mortals in question. "No offense."

"None taken!" They said quickly, in unison. They were just happy to have something to input.

"I'm well aware of that." Ace said. "But where else to get more information than the human realm itself? Its libraries, its people, its local legends. This wouldn't just be a prop hunt, the first phase of it would be gathering information."

Maki was silent. She still looked angry, displeased, and she didn't seem to agree with what Ace had just put forward, either, but she had said her piece.

Harley looked to the group.

"I'll open it up to a vote. Lilli, Maki, Priya, Carter. And you two," Harley said, nodding to the twins.

Marnie blinked. "Wait, us?" The other vamps seemed surprised as well.

He shrugged. "You're involved, so you might as well get a vote."

Maki looked ready to jump out of her seat, but Priya placed a quiet hand on her shoulder.

Harley opened it up to the table.

"All in favor of allowing Ace to move forward with his plan, in phases."

Leo and Marnie looked at each other before slowly raising their hands, just above their head lines. Lilli raised her hand next. Then Carter, and surprisingly, Priya.

Maki said nothing.

Harley shrugged again. "That's majority."

Ace jumped up, pumping his fist in the air. "Yes!"

"Ace, sit down."

"Yessir!" Plop.

"Let me lay down some ground rules. You guys can give feedback if they don't sound good to you. First of all, we need to figure out to what extent you'll be involving these two." He gestured to the twins again. "I'm sure they have their own lives they need to get back to."

Leo and Marnie looked at each other. Marnie worked at the local market, and Leo had gotten a job editing papers at the local printing press. Other than that, they really only had each other and their humble little house. They'd only lived here a year or so, anyway.

Marnie hesitantly explained. "Well, we both have jobs, but they're not…the most important things in the world to us. Other than that there isn't much holding us here, but obviously we need the money to keep our house, and get food."

Priya spoke. "We could always pay for them."

"Priya!" Maki hissed.

She shrugged. "We have so much of it. Sometimes I go into the vault and fold the bills into little boats."

Oh. Alright.

Harley nodded. "Uh, okay. Priya, don't…do that anymore. But she's right." He turned back to them. "Our family has quite a bit of money. It could be our way of paying you, considering your help."

That…didn't sound too bad, actually. Leo was starting to like these guys more and more.

"That…sounds alright to me." He said.

Harley nodded. "Information, then. I'm not approving any trip outside of the immediate area until you bring me a lead."

Ace brightened. "Does that mean I'm allowed in the human realm for research?"

Harley sighed. "I suppose."

"Haha!" Ace grinned.

"And are you planning on doing this alone, aside from your two guides?"

Lilli looked over at him and Ace smiled.

"I was planning on taking Lilli, actually."

"That sounds like a good idea. She's more responsible than you anyway." Harley smirked.

Ace pretended to be bothered and Lilli giggled.

Leo and Marnie, though they hadn't said it to each other out loud, were actually starting to feel…excited.

Their life here wasn't bad by any means, but it was definitely simple, and temporary. They had escaped home but they couldn't live their greatest dreams right away. They had to settle for a small, cheap town near the forest, getting day jobs while they saved up for whatever was next.

And both of them would be lying if they said they hadn't daydreamed of situations like this. Of adventure. Of getting out there. Of seeing the world. Of escaping.

"I'm coming too."

The sound of mirrors breaking filled Leo's head as he looked over to the voice that had come from right beside him, from Carter.

Harley quirked a brow, while Lilli and Ace made…some faces.

"And why would you need to go, Carter?" Harley asked.

"Because, I sneak off to the human realm all the time. Oh, don't look surprised, you knew I wasn't disappearing to the moor."

Harley had his eyes shut, face tight with frustration. He just waved it off to the little team they had formed of human/vampire duos.

Lilli and Ace both looked at their brother with…Apprehension. Lilli tried to let him down gently.

"Carter, we know that you'd be a valuable asset to the human realm, but we kind of have…guides, for that. Uh, besides! The more vampires in the human realm, the more complicated things get. Ace and I are pushing it as it is."

"Yea, and you eat people, dude." Ace added.

"I can control myself!" Carter protested.

Ace inflamed. "20 MINUTES AGO I HAD TO PEEL YOU OFF-"

Leo panicked. "I THINK WE'LL BE FINE WITH FOUR." He interjected.

Marnie gave him a suspicious glance.

Carter just huffed. "Alright, Fine. Head to the human realm without your humble guard dog. It's not like there was a hunter out for your necks just last night."

Harley nearly sat bolt upright.

"A hunter?"

"Oh, yea." Ace scratched his head, chuckling sheepishly. "I forgot about that."

Carter smirked.

Harley sighed for probably the millionth time that day. "It's getting late. We should let the humans get home. We can continue this conversation later."

Leo suddenly realized just how late it was. Looking to the clock on the wall, he watched the dial approach four. He did not look forward to the walk home at this hour. Besides that, he was now realizing just how tired he was.

Ace looked at Leo sympathetically. "It is getting late. Sorry we ended up keeping you so long. I'm sure you two are exhausted after everything that's happened."

Leo chuckled. "Yea, a bit."

Lilli popped her head into the conversation. "It is late- much too late to make the walk home. Why don't we let them sleep here? We have guest rooms."

Harley, among others, looked hesitant. "I'm..not sure if that's a good idea," He began.

"Aw, c'mon Harls! They're harmless." Ace winked.

Harley frowned at him. "I know they're harmless, Ace. It's their comfort I'm worried about." Carter's name did not have to be said.

Marnie peeped up. "I don't mean to impose, but I don't really want to walk home at this hour either. And I wouldn't mind having a sleepover in Lilli's room, personally. " She smiled, and Lilli smiled back.

Harley made a face. Then he looked at Leo. "What about you?"

What about Leo. He wasn't sure he knew himself. He looked to Ace, at his left, and then Carter, to his right.

It was like an angel and a devil on his shoulders.

But he, too, really didn't want to walk home tonight. Dangerous or not, he mostly didn't wanna have to wait that long before being able to get the fuck to sleep.

"...Just for tonight, I don't think I'd mind."

Harley huffed. "Well, if you're comfortable with it, then you're free to. Ace, Lilli, please take good care of your guests. And Carter,"

"Alright, alright! I got it! Not like you've said it a thousand times tonight…"

"For you, it bears repeating." Ace mumbled.

Marnie and Lilli, predictably, did end up having a mock-sleepover. Lilli grabbed some extra pillows and bedsheets from the guest bedroom and insisted on sleeping on the floor so that Marnie could have her bed. Marnie protested, of course, but couldn't win against Lilli's diplomat arguments. Her bed was unbelievably fancy- the kind you could tell was actually high quality, not just expensive- and it smelled good, too, like flowers and linen.

Leo, however, spent the entire walk upstairs trying to decide which would be more safe from possible vampiric attacks: a guest bedroom, all to himself and vampire free, but open to attacks from Carter or any other thirsty home member who walked by.

The alternative, however, was sharing a room with Ace, which was intimidating for multiple reasons. And also meant sleeping in the same room as a vampire, as much as he had come to like Ace.

It was still only Day 1. He had a while to go before he would fully trust him.

Once they were upstairs, and everyone else had departed, Ace put a hand on his hip and asked Leo his plan. Leo had decided that he'd ask for a guest bedroom if Ace didn't outright offer him to room with him. Besides, he didn't wanna overstep his boundaries. It was like inviting yourself over to someone else's house.

"You sure?" Ace asked, upon hearing Leo's decision. "I wouldn't mind if you slept with me. Besides, how else am I supposed to protect you from Carter?" He grinned a quirky grin.

Leo blushed. "Well…when you put it that way,"

Ace cackled, throwing an arm around Leo's shoulders. "C'mon, I'll show you my room. There's a futon in there you can crash on."

He guided Leo there with his arm perched on Leo the whole time. Leo would not admit to himself that he thoroughly enjoyed the other's touch.

When they reached Ace's door, a dark blue with a pair of aviator glasses hanging from it, Leo realized this was the first time he'd spent the night at someone else's house. He'd never really gotten to do it as a kid.

Inside, Ace's room was much like Lilli's. Classic wallpaper and furniture but Ace-isms all over the room. A guitar sat in the back corner, a few clothes messily hung on chair backs, some old tools sat on his desk. Surprisingly, it was relatively free of key motifs. There were quite a few airplanes, though.

His bed was a canopy, like Lilli's, but the sheets were a navy blue. He pulled them back and grabbed an extra blanket from the mess of comforters, handing one to Leo.

"Let me go grab you a pillow."

Leo put his blanket down on the futon and sat.

What a weird day this had been. If you told him 12 hours ago that his first masquerade night would end with a sleepover at the home of his new vampire friends, he would have told you that that was an extremely strange, specific scenario. And also that you were crazy.

But here he was.

He heard footsteps come back in the room and expected to see Ace, but instead-

Well, take one guess.

Surprisingly, though, the raven-haired visitor didn't look sly, or mischievous, or even amused. He seemed relatively even-faced, if not worried.

Leo made a face despite that, preparing for the worst. Carter avoided eye-contact, but spoke.

"Hey. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier."

…Oh?

"I mean, some of it was on purpose, but I don't want to genuinely make someone uncomfortable. If I was, coming onto you, that is, and-"

Leo interrupted him after getting the gist of what he was saying.

"It's alright. Thanks…for apologizing. And…Sorry."

Carter looked at him strangely. "What are you sorry for?"

"I don't know. Making you look bad?"

Carter just stared at him for a moment, then cackled, his fangs out and proud. Then he crossed his arms and shook his head.

"You need to raise your self-esteem. You're cute, you should have some more of it."

Leo blinked.

"I would say I won't flirt with you anymore, and I won't, if you don't want me to. But I don't mean anything by it, really. It just really pisses Ace off." He said, grinning.

Speaking of, the blonde appeared in the doorway shortly afterwards with some pillows. The moment he saw Carter he nearly flipped a lid, going on about how he can't leave him alone for a second- but Carter ignored him, spinning his finger around at his temple to indicate that he was crazy to Leo. As much as he loved Ace, he had to admit, it made him laugh a bit. Carter and Ace's relationship was…entertaining, to say the least.

"Alright, alright, I'll get out of your room. I just couldn't keep myself away from our visitor. And not for the reason you think!"

Ace squinted at him. "Uh huh. And what would that be?"

"I just thought I'd ask him if he was single."

"GET OUT!"

Eventually, Ace got him out of the room. Carter managed to wave goodbye to Leo, who halfheartedly waved back. Any romantic inkling that had briefly appeared between him and Carter earlier in the day had been ruled out by now, but he didn't mind the other's presence as much as he thought he did.

Still made him dreadfully nervous, though.

By the time they got settled, it was practically 5 am. Ace said goodnight, climbed into bed, and assured Leo that all the doors and windows were locked, and that he had the key.

Leo layed on the futon with his gaze to the ceiling, considering what he had gotten himself into, but it didn't last long. Within minutes he'd fallen into a peaceful sleep himself, completely forgetting to worry about his vampiric roommate for the night.

—

Sub-Chapter: Girls

"...Hey, Marnie?"

Marnie blearily blinked her eyes open, having almost completely fallen asleep. They laid down just minutes ago.

"Yea?"

"Sorry, were you asleep?"

"No, no, what's up?" She slurred.

"...Do you guys really want to help us? I mean, you didn't get a lot of time to think about it. And I know it's…a lot. No one will be mad if you decide against it."

"..." Marnie lay still for a moment, then sat up in bed and pushed the covers from her legs. She put her bare feet to the cold, hardwood floor and shuffled over to where Lilli was. She gestured for Lilli to scoot over even though it was completely dark in the room. Luckily, Lilli could see anyway. She complied.

Marnie sat down with her and pulled the blankets over her cold toes.

"Lilli, you seem so…insecure, about humans. About what we think of you. Did something happen…? I mean, you don't have to tell me, but….We don't have anything against you. Leo- I know he acts scared of you all, and I'm sorry, he's just-"

"No, no! Leo is fine, he hasn't hurt my feelings. I understand. Nothing has happened to me, actually, but…I've heard stories, and I know family who…have had to deal with things. I don't know, I guess I'm just scared humans will think I'm…disgusting. Or a monster."

Marnie was quiet a moment. "...I like monsters. I think they're misunderstood."

Lilli looked at her. She'd never heard a response quite like that before.

"And besides. Isn't it cool having a friend that could totally kick your ass? Especially knowing that they totally could, but they won't. ‘Cause they like you. And you like them."

"...I've never thought of it that way. But, with us, it's like…We could beat you up, and sometimes we really want to beat you up. Our whole lives were designed around beating you up. It's not like we can just pretend that isn't true."

"Well, then, doesn't that make the fact you choose not to even more meaningful? And whether you think your lives were 'designed' that way or not, you and your family are doing just fine as you are right now, aren't you? Getting food from blood banks? That's like saying humans were designed to eat fruit, but how many people do you know that actually go looking for fruit trees when they want an apple? We don't, we go to a store to buy it prepared, just like you. And I don't think the apple tree holds it against us."

Lilli thought for a long time. "Marnie, I don't know if I fully agree with your metaphor yet, but…It's very thoughtful. I appreciate that you care so much, even though we've really only just met."

Marnie smiled a sad smile. "I should be thanking you. I'm just happy to have a friend. A girl friend. I've just…had trouble…in the past. Feeling comfortable with other girls accepting me, I guess. It isn't, like, a competition thing or anything. Just…personal stuff. But, so, it means a lot to me to finally make a friend who's a girl and who also isn't Leo." She said, chuckling. Lilli laughed too.

"Well I like you a lot already. And I'm excited to talk about anything and everything with you. My sisters were nice to have around, and I love them both dearly, but they weren't much like me. So this is nice for me too."

Marnie snorted. "We sound like we just started dating."

Lilli laughed at that. "I don't think I could have romance in my life right now."

"I don't think I could have romance in my life, like, ever. For some reason, it's just not my thing. I think platonic relationships are just as important and special. Have I hammered that home too much tonight?" She yawned. "I feel like I'm repeating myself."

Lilli smiled. "Nah, it's nice to be reassured. You should get to bed. You need more rest than me."

Marnie stood, yawning again. "Yea, yea, rub it in."

"Hehe, maybe I will. You keep saying I should get more comfortable with who I am!"

"Is who you are relevant to me going to sleep right now?"

"I don't think so."

"Then I care not. G'night." She said, flopping back down into her nest of blankets. Lilli rolled her eyes, smiling, and went back to bed herself.

#masquerade story #masquerade update #oc #original story #vampires #vampire x human #lgbt writing #lgbt #supernatural #aroace character #asexual characters #woohoo lets goooo marnie moment #my writing

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gnattyplayssims · 1 year

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1911 Pt2 - University Discussions

Despite Elena's struggles, Daniel still seemed determined to join Hemman in college. Even being married for 3 years didn't seem to help him understand the weight he was putting on his wife. Finally Elena had had enough. "We need to talk."

"About what?"

"You can't just leave Henford to go to college and expect Lizbeth and I to be here when you get back."

"Don't talk crazy. It will only be for a few years and you'll be in good hands with my family. When I come back I'll be a mechanic and I can start making real money.

"If you leave, I'm moving home to Del Sol. Your family is kind but mine can provide a nanny and tutors for Lizbeth."

"Absolutely not! This is your home now. If you go crawling back to your father he'll never give you back. But maybe that's your clever way to divorce me."

"No Daniel that's not it. I just don't want to do this again."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm pregnant. And BOTH our children need a father who's around. And if you won't be then I refuse to stay."

"Fine I won't go! But don't even think about asking for a nanny again."

So Hemman headed off alone to study mechanics at the up-and-coming school in Britechester. He was excited for his new beginning and chance to finally seperate himself from the twins. He had no idea what he would be leaving behind in Henford-on-Bagley.

"Welcome to the Britechester Academy, you must be Hemman Mizrahi, I'm Walter Prescott the Caretaker of this establishment. I can take your bags if you wish."

"Thank you but I can manage."

"Well as you can see, this is the main sitting area and through there the dining room."

Walter led Hemman upstairs, "Up here we have the student lounge and through that door the library. The doors down that hall are the ladies quarters and your bedroom is right through here" Hemman followed, waving politely at his new classmates and taking in the beautiful school.

Finally they made his way to his new room and he was left alone. It was quieter than it had been since has cousins had moved in back in '97. For the first time there were no babies crying, no sibling fights, no chickens squacking or cows lowing. "I could get used to this."

1912 Pt1 - The Next Heir

#mizrahi legacy #Burnished Generation #decades challenge #sims 4 storytelling #ts4 storytelling #ts4 legacy

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bowralau · 1 year

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Superb Bowral Estate - EOI

#bowral #realty #realestate #propertyforsale

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helliontherapscallion · 3 years

Text

Shenanigans and Love (Adrenaline Junkie Part 13)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

Spotify Playlist (collaborative)

Warnings: the Warden, mentions of death, phantom pain syndrome, extreme fluff

Word count: 3,226

The light glow of the redstone lamp illuminated your work space. Currently, it was about two hours before everybody was due to wake up and you were hovering over your journal containing your notes on the Warden. Not much was known about the cave-dwelling creature, but you found a couple of books about it at the library. So far, you found out that it indeed didn’t have eyes; it navigated via a mixture of hearing and a vibration network found in the blocks that had the glowing tentacles on them (you now knew that they were called ‘sculk blocks’). The sculk blocks would pick up on movement or touch, it would send vibration waves through the air, where it would reach the Warden’s own sculk stalks. Without the sculk stalks on the Warden’s head, the Warden was defenseless.

You also read about the anatomy of the creature. Known juvenile specimens ranged from seven to eleven feet tall while adults spanned from twelve to a whopping twenty feet tall. While their average lifespan is unknown due to the parasitic nature of the beast, it is known that they are out of their juvenile stage once they are approximately twenty years old. Thinking back on the one in the cave, it was about twice as tall as you were. That was a juvenile mob and it’s probably grown rapidly since then. The thing that killed you so viciously was a juvenile. You shuddered thinking about what an adult could do.

Juveniles are charted to be more erratic in their decisions while adults were known to be calculating and alert. Known weaknesses were known to be the sculk stalks and the heart. It was going to be incredibly difficult to take it down by yourself, but if worse comes to worse, you’d gladly take the beast down with you. Just in case, you left behind a small will with things you were planning on giving to your family. You were going to leave your workshop and your blueprints to Arthur, your collection of diamonds to Tommy and Wilbur, your stock of netherite and gold to Technoblade, and your wealth and life savings to Philza. You requested that Philza take care of Arthur, you couldn’t ask for a better father figure to have than Philza. Only the best for Arthur. In addition, you had a letter prepared for every member of your family. They were still in their first drafts, but they were coming along fast. In them, you detailed how grateful you were for every single one of them and reminisced on your favorite memory you shared with them. You still had about a week and a half left before you planned on attacking the cave, but you always liked to have extra time to complete things.

Your alarm clock sounded with harsh, lazer like beeps before you quickly silenced it. You didn’t need Arthur or Philza waking up so early. Sighing, you hid your journal and letters under a false bottom drawer and gently closed it. You trudged up the stairs quietly and made your way to the bathroom to shower for the day. When you took off your prosthetic, you could feel the phantom pains shoot up your nonexistent wing. In addition to that, the feathered stump and the areas around it felt stiff. The warmth of the shower did nothing to alleviate the pain.

After your shower, you started to make breakfast. Soon after, the other members of the household filed into the kitchen with differing energies. Arthur, the hyper, knowledge craving kid he was, walked into the kitchen with a bounce in his step and his head held high while Philza followed him with disheveled hair and tired blue eyes. With breakfast situated at the table, everyone started eating. You continuously shifting uncomfortably in your seat didn’t go unnoticed by the two as they eyed you after they woke up a little more.

Finally having enough of your constant movement, Philza finally spoke up, “(y/n)?” You hummed, turning to look at him, “yeah?”

“Is everything okay?”

You suddenly become hyper aware of your movements as you force your body to sit still. “Everything’s fine, why you ask?”

“You look a little uncomfortable. Are you sure everything’s alright?”

You sighed, “I’ll tell you later. Arthur did you have anything specific you wanted to learn today?”

His eyes shone with the brightness of all of the stars in the universe as he made quick work to swallow his mouthful of toast, jumping in his seat slightly as he chewed. “Yes! I was wondering if you could teach me how to work with comparators!”

“That takes a lot of time and patience to learn, we probably won’t get it all done by the end of the day today. Is that alright?” He enthusiastically nodded, shoving the last bit of toast in his mouth and running off with a mouthful of unchewed bread.

You could feel a slight worry stab your gut, “Arthur, swallow your food before you run! You could choke!”

You watched as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs, vigorously chewed, swallowed, and resumed his sprint upstairs. You dragged a tired hand through your hair and sipped at your coffee.

“Ender, now I know how you felt with us when we were kids. Kid’s gonna be the death of me.”

Your dad chuckled, sipping at his own coffee. “He’s a lot more tame than you four were. Techno and Wilbur weren’t that bad, you were just a tad bit more chaotic, and well, you remember how Tommy was. You’re just way too worried about him. Kids will be kids, they do crazy things and sometimes you can’t stop them. After the couple months of adopting Tommy, I just let him learn from his mistakes. You gotta let them learn from their mistakes or else they’re never gonna learn. It’s just something all parents have to do if they want their kid to grow as a person.”

“That’s tr- wait, parent? Arthur’s my protégé, not my kid.”

He smirked over his mug and raised an eyebrow at you, “really? Cuz you seem awfully worried about him.”

“Dad. I’m just worried that he’s gonna accidentally kill himself. What, can I not be worried about my protégé?”

“No need to get defensive, just trying to point out the obvious-”

“The obvious? Dad, I'm only twenty. I’m not adopting anyone anytime soon.”

“I adopted Techno when I was twenty three,” he pointed out with raised eyebrows, “besides, I think you’d be a great parent. You’re already a parental figure for Arthur anyways, so nothing would change too much.”

You were silent for a moment as you stared at him blankly. You never viewed yourself as a parental figure type before. Your current lifestyle of never leaving your workshop would never be able to accommodate having someone that depended on you. You could hardly take care of a goldfish (you still had Bubbles’ grave in the backyard at your house in L’manberg), let alone an entire human child. Sure, you babysat Fundy when Niki was too busy to, but that was your nephew and it was only for a day at a time. You planned on taking Arthur with you back to L’manberg (only if he wanted to of course), but you didn’t think that far ahead. He was probably going to have to stay at your house. You weren’t cut out to be a parent, you wouldn’t be good enough for Arthur.

Philza, noticing your slightly panicked zoned out state, quickly reassured you, “you don’t have to make a definitive decision right now, you have time. Just- just consider it. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to come to me. I think I’ve raised enough kids to know what I’m doing,” he chuckled to himself.

Your feathered wing dropped in relief as you gave him your best smile over your coffee mug. “Thanks Dad, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you, you’re a lifesaver.” Right after that, a particularly large burst of pain shot along the length of your nonexistent right wing and loitered in the area around the base of your wing. You bit your tongue at the sudden pain as you felt the muscles twitch.

“It’s no problem, I’ll always be here to help ya.” He smiled at you before his eyes snapped to something behind you. His smile dropped as he eyed you concerningly, pointing behind you. “Is- is it supposed to do that?”

You followed his eyes behind you to your prosthetic wing. The metal was twitching in sporadic bursts with varying intensity. You could hear the slight scratching of the metal clashing lightly against the wooden chair. Though it was very inconvenient, you supposed you should be glad that it was moving with the muscle impulses of the muscles you used in flight. Suddenly, you could feel a muscle directly on the base of your wing twitch as the metal moved in tandem with the impulse. The entire wing extended to it’s full length and knocked over the chair next to you. It stood erect for a bit before another twitch caused another spasm that worked its way throughout the length of your metal wing. This time, the wing reared back to your body and almost smacked you in the face. If you didn’t move, your eye would’ve probably been plucked out by one of the metal feathers.

Your flesh wing puffed up slightly in embarrassment as you turned to look back at the blond man in front of you, “technically? I mean, it’s just the sensors picking up on the twitching. I-I’ll get the chair.”

As you stood up, you grunted in pain as another spasm hit you. This time, your wing extended fully perpendicularly to your back causing the muscles in the base of your nubby wing to be pulled unexpectedly. Hissing, your hand shot to rub at the base of your wing. “Fuck that was a bad one.”

You heard the screech of wood on wood as Philza stood up and hurried over to you, dodging a couple of swings from your wing. His hands were hovering indecisively in front of him. “Tell me what I need to do.”

“Take it off. Just- hhh, just take the sensors off. There should be seven of them, all on my back and shoulders.” You bent over with your hands gripping the table with each spasm of your muscles. You could feel the fabric of your shirt being pulled slightly from your body and the warmth of your dad’s hand brushing against your twitching skin as he hurriedly ripped the sensors off your skin.

Once they were all off, the metal wing drooped limply downwards, occasionally being moved slightly when what’s left of the flesh stiffened. “Good, can you unfasten the belts? There’s three of them, they’re a little- ah, a little tricky. After that, carefully pull the metal out through the slit in my shirt. Make sur- sure the sensors don’t rip.”

You sighed when you felt the wing being taken off from you and pulled through the slit in your shirt. Slumping back down into your chair, you reached a hand around to nead the skin on your back. You could feel the twitching slowly decrease in intensity, leaving a sore feeling in its wake. Your wing was placed gently onto the table in front of you, some parts hanging off the side. “Goddamn, I haven’t had an episode that bad since I grinded out making weapons for the War.”

You could hear water running before a glass was placed in front of you and Philza picked up the chair you knocked over and pulled it up next to you. He started to rub circles around the muscles around your wing. You sighed in content, feeling the knots in your back being relieved, “thanks. That feels good.”

“(y/n)?” A small voice said from the doorway of the kitchen. You shot up and bit back a groan when your sore muscles were moved. The young boy was leaning into the doorway with his hands on the sides and his mop of brilliant copper hair hung downwards. He looked worried and slightly scared.

“Hey Arthur, we can start your lesson soon, I just need a sec.”

“Are you okay?” His wavering tone and small voice combined with the tears slowly filling his eyes broke your heart. Eyes softening, you stood up and walked over to him, pulling him into a soft hug. “Of course I’m okay, you don’t need to worry buddy,” you deepened your voice and spoke dramatically, ‘(Y/n) Minecraft the Great, Conqueror of the Unknown’ will never be taken down!”

He gave a watery chuckle against your shirt and burrowed his head deeper into your shoulder, gripping you tighter. You reached up to stroke his hair and wrapped your left wing around him loosely, shielding him from the world with a protective feathery barrier. You could hear Philza picking up dishes from the table and quietly start to do the dishes. Despite the occasional twitch in your back and the phantom pain shooting down your wing, you directed all of your attention to Arthur. Eventually, he pulled away and wiped at his blotchy face. “Are you still up for the lesson?”

Just as Arthur opened his mouth, Philza interrupted him from behind you, “you’re not doing anything until you feel better (y/n).”

“Dad, honestly it isn’t that-”

“Don’t say it honestly isn’t that bad, we both know that’s not true. You’re on bedrest for today.”

You grumbled to yourself as you stood up and handed your glass of water to Arthur, who sipped at the contents giving you a small “thank you.” Nodding, you were escorted out of the kitchen by Philza and ushered to the couch. Once you were laying down on your stomach, he handed you a book and placed a hot water bottle on your back. Before you could stop it, a pleased hum left your lips as your body relaxed on the couch. “You’re staying here. I better not find you anywhere else when Arthur and I come home.”

You lifted your head up and stared at him with an eyebrow raised, “where’re you taking him?”

The corners of his mouth twitched and his eyes lit up slightly before he put on his stern facade once more. “Just to the village. I need to pick up a few things.”

“And you need him why…?”

“Well, I can’t go without someone helping me! I’m an old man after all.” He started to nudge Arthur towards the door and slipped his shoes on.

“You’re only thirty six, but whatever. Arthur, be good for my dad.”

“Alright (y/n), feel better soon!” He gave you a bright smile before he was pulled out of the house by Philza.

You tried to read, but the nagging worry for Arthur in the back of your mind never allowed for you to be immersed in your book. You knew Philza would never let anything happen to him, but you couldn’t help but worry whenever Arthur wasn’t in your line of sight. You supposed that it was a part of being an avian hybrid; you needed to constantly know if the child was alright. You tried to force yourself to go to sleep, but the pain prevented you from doing so, so you ended up mindlessly watching the seconds tick by on the clock. Before you knew it, your eyes closed and you were put in a light slumber.

You were awoken by the front door opening and laughter filling the house. You cracked open your crusty eyes and groaned as you sat up. You looked at the two with bleary eyes. Arthur was laughing at something Philza said as the blond looked over at you. “Hey hun, you feelin better?”

“Yeah a bit. What’d you get at the village?”

“Just some things for dinner. Arthur, wanna help me cook?”

Arthur, being the walking ball of sunshine that he was, nodded vigorously and started to drag the older man to the kitchen. Furrowing your brow, you called out to them, “do you want me to help?”

“No, stay there. Don’t come in!” Arthur’s excited voice shouted back to you, making you raise a brow at his words. You couldn’t lie, you felt nervous at his words. Just what did he have in store for you? Occasionally, you could hear yelps and bangs, which made you want to go into the kitchen even more. But you held off, trusting Philza.

About an hour and a half passed before you were summoned to the kitchen by an overly excited Arthur. Once in the kitchen, you were in slight awe. Spread out on the table was your favorite meal with the addition of fresh cookies left to cool on the stovetop. “All this for me?”

They smiled at you as Arthur ushered you to your spot at the table. “I… don’t know what to say. I- thank you guys.”

“Don’t thank me, it was all Arthur’s idea. I just helped.” Philza looked over at the blushing boy with a smile.

You reached over to ruffle his hair, “well, thank you Arthur. You know me too well, these are all my favorites!”

The boy bashfully smiled at you, “there’s something else too, but that’s for after dinner.”

You put a hand against your heart, touched, “Two surprises in one day? Ender, you’re spoiling me!” Arthur laughed at you.

Dinner went by fast with light-hearted laughter bouncing throughout the kitchen. The dinner and cookies tasted amazing, your taste buds felt like they were in heaven. After dinner, Arthur drug you to your room with an excited Philza following you two. On your bed sat your wing, but it had colorful things attached to the surface. Furrowing your brow, you looked closer to find various magnets sticking to the iron surface.

They ranged from the nonbinary flag to small mobs to little puns (your favorite ones were ‘olive you’ and ‘bird puns fly right over my head’). You could feel your smile widening at every magnet you saw, your wing fluttering in happiness. One of the magnets made you stop completely though as you stared at it with wide eyes. It was simple, but oh did it make your heart sing in joy and your eyes fill with tears. On the magnet, in big, bold letters were the words ‘world’s best parent’.

“Arthur…” You looked at him through blurred vision. He looked nervous, looking anywhere but at you and shifting on the balls of his feet. You lunged forward and pulled him into a tight hug and wrapped your wing around him, making sure he was as close to you as possible.

Philza watched the exchange with a soft smile before he decided to let you two have some privacy. His heart was full of happiness as he walked downstairs to clean up the kitchen with a bounce in his step and his wings fluttering uncontrollably. He was ecstatic to officially welcome Arthur to his family. Sure, he had a small hand in leading Arthur over to the ‘world’s best parent’ magnet, but it was Arthur that picked out the magnet for you. He knew you were going to make a fantastic parent.

General taglist (comment if you want to be added):

@crybabyjabby @izzybobizzy13 @goldenstarofthunderclan @bunnyz-pxstel @averytiredfanfictionwriter @dcml04 @sparkling-gayyyy @bbigbbrainn @thaticecreambish @kiinokochii @satansphatass @bxkubitch @bxmentchildxx

Series taglist (comment if you want to be added):

@acecarddraws @ravennightingaleandavatempus @dirtydiavolo @yeiras-world @immadatmostthings @hee-hee-haw @jackalopedoodles @m1lkmandan @vanhakirja @im-a-depressed-gay @coolleviauchihadreamerlove @questioning-sanity @camisascam @bongwaterflavoredgatorade @kakamiissad @jayistrash4 @lifestylesleep @speedymaximoff @sun-shark-tooth @appetiteofapeoplepleaser @lestrangenymph @kinismanditory @dragons-lurk-here @rinzyx05 @the-wandering-pan-ace @angelic-scent @shinipii @dont-hug-me-im-a-fander @izzydimensional @used-avocado @laura--444 @wing-non @lovely-echoo @i-am-scared-and-useless-bisexual @mysteryartisticwriter @momo-has-a-gun @misfortunatem00n @w-0-r-n-n @v-kouya @kusuinko @cheybaee @dulcedippers @jaciahbabes

#sbi x reader #sleepy bois x reader #sleepy bois inc x reader #philza x reader #mcyt x reader #platonic #reader is gender neutral #tw: the warden #tw: swearing #tw: phantom pain

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lin-nin · 3 years

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Tribulation & Tenderness - Chapter 9

Ship: Main Technoblade x Reader, some Dream x Reader

Plot: You're a princess in a Kingdom suffering a years long famine. In a desperate attempt to help your people, you accept one simple offer: Marriage to the crown prince of a neighboring kingdom. Anything to help your people survive. Surely it can't be too bad, can it?

Chapter List: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Disclaimer: Cross-posted on Wattpad (discontinued) and Ao3. This is based off of everyone's CHARACTERS. I do not write fanfic based off the actual people.

Chapter 9: Tours

< | Previous Chapter

The castle was nothing short if huge, as well as breathtaking. It, truly, made the castle in your own kingdom feel small. Then again, your kingdom was never exactly huge to begin with. Techno's felt as if it would sprawl on for ages. You had no idea how you'd get through this place on your own. Honestly, if it weren't for Techno’s hand gingerly placed upon your back, you would probably have already gotten lost.

You hardly noticed the hand most of the time, only absently aware of the warmth of it. He led you down the hall Wilbur had gone down, first, taking a turn to the right when the hallway branched off. Various paintings lined the walls, some catching your attention long enough to peer at. Whenever you did, Techno would stop and tell you what he knew of the paintings, whether they be portraits of his father following some conquest or battle, or of the sun setting over a ridge that lay somewhere in the kingdom. You couldn’t help but lament how pretty some of the places were. Each time you did, Techno would assure you you would likely get to see each place at some point.

You were eventually led to the kitchens, which were bustling with servants and chefs. That’s where Wilbur had gone to, you found out. The blonde woman beside him must have been the Nihachu he spoke of. You don’t know what you had expected, but it wasn’t exactly a chef. She was talking animatedly, a soft grin on her flour-splattered face. Wilbur had turned to glance at the door way, offering a faint smile your way. Nihachu’s gaze followed and she only dipped her head in a form of bow, hands busy with the ball of dough in front of her.

“Nihachu, she’s our head chef and an old friend of Wilbur’s. You’ll get to properly meet her tomorrow,” Techno informed from beside you. You simply nodded at that, letting him steer you away from the kitchen. The area the both of you were currently in consisted largely of servants quarters and storage rooms of the sorts. Nothing too exciting for you to see, though. That was fine, so long as it made the tour short.

At the end of the west wing was a door leading outside, into a large courtyard. This one seemed to have been turned into a bit of a training grounds. Curiosity lit up your eyes as you looked at the flattened area of grass with training dummies littering the edge. Techno laughed at the way you stared at it, patting your back a couple of times. “Wilbur, Tommy, and I train there. You’ll be able to soon.” You nodded, fingers running along the hilt of your dagger.

The courtyard opened up into a garden, which you only really glanced at. Your heart ached briefly, thoughts of George flooding your thoughts. You didn’t know when you would be able to walk through the gardens again. Not without thinking of him. The two of you had always gotten into such trouble in the gardens. They felt empty without his laughter ringing through the air, even if it wasn’t the gardens you had grown up in.

Techno led you through to the opposite side of the courtyard, away from the garden. A veranda greeted you, and you stepped up onto it. Of course Techno insisted on holding your hand to help you up, but you were becoming quite used to that. It was a little strange, but not entirely unwelcome. It was sweet.

“This is the ballroom. Where we hold our big celebrations, birthdays and the like. We’ll wind up holding the wedding here as well.” Techno pushed open one of the doors on the veranda, leading the pair of you into a large circular room. It was impressive. Not that you expected less. You wondered what the wedding would be like, briefly. It was hard to imagine it as your own. Everytime you did, your stomach flipped.

"Is there anywhere in here that isn't pretty?" You wondered, awestruck, aloud. It seemed unlikely. Techno laughed again, an occurrence that was becoming more common. Good. The way his laugh differed so vastly from his voice was nice. It made it pleasant.

"Maybe not in appearance, but I assure you that there's unsavory things here." His hand abandoned yours again, a feeling you didn't like still. At the very least he was once more guiding you along with a hand to your back. The exit from the ballroom took the pair of you back to the main room from earlier, emerging from between the stairs. Which presumably meant that all that remained on the main floor was the east wing. Which was exactly where Techno was leading you next.

"This wing is mainly official rooms- the throne room is here, as well as our dining hall. The library sits at the end of the wing," Techno explained as the pair of you walked. You nodded as he did, looking at everything you pass. Some doors he didn’t open, saying they were someone's office or another. There were a few rooms, the ones with mostly closed doors, that he did let you wander in.

When you had arrived at the dining hall, you took in every painting gracing the walls. These seemed more personal. All of them were portraits. You were attracted to one of the larger ones, scrutinizing it in your curiosity.

It depicted the royal family. The current one, at that. Even if the portrait was outdated. The King was sat in his throne, with a woman you could only assume was the Queen beside him. She was pretty, brown hair braided neatly, though you could see a few curls escaping it. That must be where they got the curls from, then. She had the same eyes Wilbur and Techno did. Warm, and kind. They were that brown that was comforting in a way you adored.

In front of the king stood who could only be Wilbur, looking very sullen. It was strange, compared to the warmth he seemed to radiate now. Tommy was in front of him, looking gangly but with a grin on his face that didn't seem to fit that of a royal family portrait. A bandage covered his cheek, a green bandana curled around his neck. He looked carefree, though that wasn't too different from the impression he gave off earlier.

Which meant the last figure, standing in front of the Queen, had to be Techno. It wasn't exactly what you would have expected, though. Instead of the long pink hair he sported now, it was cropped fairly short and blonde. He looked just as sullen as his older brother, but you had a feeling you knew why. His face was marked with a red scar, angling towards his eye. The one he mentioned getting from Wilbur.

"I'd been named crown prince about three days before this picture, this was about five years ago," Techno muttered from behind you. You turned back to him, glancing at him, then back to the painting. It was hard to connect that that was him.

"I never pictured you as a blonde." Those were the initial words out of your mouth, out of everything you had thought about. You commented on his hair.

He huffed softly in laughter at that, head shaking. "Did you think my hair was naturally pink? I have an image to uphold as crown prince." Him and his image that he was so obsessed with. You couldn't help the soft giggle that escaped you as you shook your head.

"I wasn't sure what I pictured, but it wasn't blonde. Your mother- The Queen- I haven't met her. Is there a reason?" You finally broached one question that stuck out to you in your mind. She hadn't shown to your kingdom, and you had yet to see her around.

Techno's amused face slowly faded, a frown replacing the smile he had worn. His brows furrowed for a few moments before he sighed. Should you have not asked that? "She'd been sick for a while. She died about half a year after that portrait. We still don't know what it was, it only affected her." He sounded distant as he spoke of his mother, and now you really felt guilty. Especially as he gazed at the painting with a forlorn look.

Without much else thought, you reached out and took his hand, giving it a squeeze. To force his attention back towards you. "Show me more of the castle," You murmured. Trying hard to distract him from what you were sure was an unpleasant memory. He looked down at you for a few moments, before nodding and leading you from the dining hall and the numerous portraits that filled the walls.

He took you through the rest of the east wing, telling you about certain things when he deemed necessary. After the east wing, it was time to go upstairs. This is where several bedrooms were, heading down each wing. Some were for the royal family, others for guests. Some just existed simply as spares, which you noted were the ones Tubbo would possibly be granted.

"This is the room I stay in," Techno broke you from your reverie as he knocked on the wood of the door. Something in your stomach flipped at that. Would you be expected to stay with him? You knew the two of you were getting married, but the nerves always got you. Heat rose to your cheeks at the meer thought. You heard that huff of his as he led you a little further down the hall. It made the heat spread to your ears.

"This one is your room, to stay in and decorate as you please." He leaned around you, pushing the door open carefully. The room was large, a four poster bed settled near a window. The blanket from your mother was folded neatly on it, and you were truly relieved for it. To one side was a fireplace with a couple of chairs in front of it, a door a few feet away. The other side of the room had another door. You assumed one held your clothes, while the other held bathing chambers. Good, you had everything you would need here.

"Thank you," you sighed in relief, smiling up at him. He returned the smile, motioning you into the room.

"It's courtesy. If you need me at any point, you can check my room. If I'm not there, just ask around." You nodded at his words. Good, you could deal with that. Maybe this entire arrangement wouldn’t be all too bad. Next Chapter | >

#dream #dream smp #dream team #dream x reader #dreamwastaken #kingdom au #reader insert #sleepy bois family #sleepy bois inc #technoblade #technoblade x reader #t&t

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mssleepy876b · 3 years

Text

Family Ties- Chapter 3

Summary: Family can be a positive and negative force in one's life. Detective Jay Halstead knows that personally and he helps a new Intelligence family member through it.

Requested? No. But promised @resanoona that I would post mine once she posted hers.

Word count: 2469

Warnings: domestic violence

A/n: Unedited Sorry for any mistakes

Family Ties Chapter 3

Jay and Hailey took Brielle to her former home first when they left Chicago Med. Hailey and Jay cleared the house using her keys to be sure it was empty before she entered. “Can I have a few minutes in my room to change?” she asked once the officers from the hospital brought her inside.

“Sure, go ahead.” Hailey said following her to the top of the stairs.

While he waited, Jay searched Michael’s study and stationed the officers who had been at the hospital to help guard the house while they were there. Hailey heard Brielle open the bedroom door a little over five minutes later. She walked down the hall and saw Brielle already with a pile of clothes on the bed. Brielle had changed into a pair of blue jeans and a cream short sleeve sweater with tennis shoes on. She had pulled her hair back into a high ponytail moving as she entered a large walk-in closet. She already had a smaller jewelry box on the bed leaving a larger one next to the dresser. Hailey saw her going through her shoes and other accessories next to be sure she had what she needed. Brielle had pulled mostly work style outfits and comfortable clothing that she felt secure in and that she liked. Hailey was surprised at the racks of clothes in the closet still full.

“It isn’t the glamourous life everyone thinks. These were loaned to me by force I would believe. I don’t know how or by whom and I don’t want that burden moving forward. My life has to change if I am to survive. I can’t take that negativity with me into my future.” Brielle said to her quietly her voice tinged with sadness. “Can we pack what is on the bed and these and I will get my bathroom things?”

“Sure, let me get a box from Jay.” Hailey said.

“Here, we can use my luggage set too. It was mine before Michael. It was a splurge when we first started dating. He would jet-set me all over wowing me. I realize how fake that is now. It was all for his work.” Brielle said her voice sounding pained, rolling a suitcase out of the closet at her side.

Jay brought up a box and found Brielle and Hailey gathering up her things from the bedroom. After they secured what Brie wanted from that room, Brielle went into her sitting room as Michael called it leading Jay and Hailey behind her. She pulled photo albums and specific books from the shelves. She also pulled pictures off the wall. “This was the only place I could have my family pictures. Michael demanded his family be center focus in the rest of the house.” Brielle said as Hailey watched recognizing Brie in the pictures.

Once finished there, They followed her to the kitchen where she grabbed a binder of her family recipes and then into Michael’s main office. She opened his wall safe using the combination in his desk and pulled out her wallet and identification papers as well as a trust her parents had for her to access since she was now an adult. Michael had taken the papers years ago and told her he would keep them safe for her. He denied her access to them later as the relationship changed as his control tightened on her life. Brie allowed Jay to search the safe and take whatever documents he chose. While he did that, she moved to a library and pulled several books that had meaning to her as well as pulling files from a desk to take with her. She then moved to a 2nd office to pull more things that she had from her parents’ home that she wanted to be sure she had. Jay had caught up with them and she let him have access to the safes in the library and the 2nd office.

She looked around as they finally prepared to leave. The two officers helped Hailey and Jay remove her belongings from the house that they had staged near the front door. She paused at the door and set down her keys and her engagement ring at a table by the back of the couch in the living room. Jay looked at her concerned. “I don’t want it anymore. It represents lies and a life that was never meant for me. I never plan to return here so I don’t need the keys either. I don’t have a car that is mine anymore. He sold off anything that was just mine so he could isolate me.” She said. She grabbed several jackets from the front closet threw them in to a box, locked the bottom lock of the front door, and closed it behind herself and Jay.

He placed his arm around her waist as they walked to the car, he had driven them in as a shiver rolled across her body. His presence helped her keep her fear down as the reality set in as his arm supported her as she walked. “He’s going to be furious. That or his Uncle Angelo will. They demanded such control and loyalty. I don’t know that I will ever be rid of them.” She whispered to Jay squeezing a coat to her chest as the officer took the box of her coats.

Jay quietly helped her into backseat the car. He then drove to the 21st District office. The officers moved her personal belongings to a storage area in the office as Jay and Hailey went to escort her to the upper stairs’ offices for Intelligence. Her fears rose as she climbed the stairs clutching her jacket to her chest. Jay felt a shiver go down her back as she came to the top of the stairs. Hailey introduced everyone and they moved slowly so that she was not afraid. Voight came up last. Hailey caught a look of recognition flash across Voight’s face as well as anger as he looked over Brielle’s face and bruises that were visible.

“This is Sergeant Voight, Brielle. He runs our Unit.” Hailey said.

Brielle looked him in his eyes and spoke. “You are brave to take on Michael and his family. I know they know of you as I have heard your name before, but they terrify me. Your name sticks in my memory for some other reason, but I can’t think of it right now.”

Hank spoke calmly after nodding his head. “Angelo and I have had dealings before. Michael is not as important to his uncle as Michael thinks. Angelo told us where he was once he saw your pictures. It will be made clear to Michael that you are to be left alone.”

“Michael is chafing under Angelo. Thinks he is old and foolish. Wants control on his own.” Brielle told him.

She shivered again. Jay caught it and spoke to Brielle. “Are you cold?”

“A little but also nervous and sore. A lot of change in less than 24 hours.” Brielle said quietly her voice displaying her exhaustion leaning slightly on Jay’s shoulder.

“We will watch out for you, Brielle. You asked for help and we are here to do that for you.” Jay said as Hank watched them.

Hank immediately led them into the break room where he questioned Brielle about everything she knew about Michael, his work, his colleagues, where he worked, who he met with, how he helped his uncle and then finally about that last argument.

“Brielle, what started the fight last night?” Hank asked.

Tears fell down Brie’s cheeks as the memories flashed back. “It was stupid, petty really. He felt I disrespected him in front his cousin. He felt I was not completing my role as his future wife. Didn’t show enough respect to him as it was his oldest cousin Carlo who was visiting that night. I had a busy day at the Charity Center that day and didn’t know Carlo was coming to visit. I was tired. The charities we work with are mid-funding cycle. They need all the activities they can to get donations. We were coordinating them all day. I came home and was exhausted. I had working non-stop. I hadn’t even stopped for lunch that day. Dinner wasn’t ready when he arrived with Carlo and I hadn’t even changed from my work clothes. He dragged me upstairs, bruising my arm here around my right elbow, and forced me to change into an outfit of his choice. He then threw keys at me to go get carry-out from his distant cousin Alonzo’s restaurant. I returned, my nerves on edge and acted as what I thought was a perfect hostess. Carlo always was one I liked of Michael’s family. He was charming, sweet almost if you didn’t know who his family was or what they do.”

She took a shaky breath and felt Jay’s hand take hers. She sighed trying to calm her fears and continued. “Once Carlo left, I immediately cleaned the kitchen and the dishes and went to prepare for today. Michael called me down from our room and ordered me into the car outside the house. It was unusual for him to do that. He would often head out without me most nights. I could tell he was mad, and I didn’t understand why. I was worried when it was the town car that he had ready. It is heavily tinted, and you can never tell who or what was inside. I jumped in and slid as far from Michael as I could as the fear filled me. I also tried to be sure that I could exit on my own if I chose. Once Freddy closed the door and the car was moving, Michael struck out at me.” She began to shake as the fear set in and felt Jay’s hand on her shoulder.

She looked at him, took a breath and continued. “He grabbed me by my hair. I had it in a ponytail by that point because I had been cleaning and didn’t want to get it dirty. He slapped me as he held me by my hair. I can’t remember what he said, I know he was saying something, but I didn’t hear it. I was in shock as the pain stung my face. He had never come to that point before where he had ever hit me before. I was stunned and confused. He had such a strong grip on my right arm again so I couldn’t stop him. He then took off his belt with one hand and proceeded to use it to hit me all over with it. It felt like he was using the buckle mostly. He focused on my mid-section, I guess from where it hurt. I felt weaker and weaker as he hit me. I begged him to stop. I tried to ask why but he just swung the belt again. He then set the belt aside and backhanded my face at least 4 times before we came to a stop. I was left in the car as he gathered himself and stepped out to enter some building just down the block from here. I heard him order his driver to stand outside the car but not to get back in until he returned. Jesse was driving that night; he was a guard who was kind of protective over me and hated how scared Michael would make me at times. I waited until I had the energy and I heard Jesse get called inside. I used that chance to get out and run. I knew if I stayed Michael would continue to hurt me. His anger could flip like a switch so quickly from one extreme to the next. He would be calm for those he met with but fly off the handle at any moment with me. I remember the fear that I had to get away. I was disoriented and confused about where I was. I just knew I needed help and needed to get to safety. I ran down the dark alley and when I didn’t hear anyone following, I turned up towards the station, I guess. I just saw the lights. Thought I could be safe here. I saw Detective Halstead and just had an instinct that he would help me. It then gets hazy for me other than I remember his green eyes and the sensation of safety once he met me mid-way.” She said as her body shivered again.

She looked up and saw the anger in Jay’s face, the deep set look in Hank’s and the tears in Hailey’s eyes. Hank reached his hand out for her. “I promise you, Brielle. He will never get the chance to do that again. Hailey will put the transcript into the computer and get it typed for you to sign. I am reaching out to some of my contacts to get you a safe place to stay tonight and then we will go from there. Plus, I known you and your parents a long time, Brielle. It has been since before Camille died that we have been together. You look exactly like your mom, but your eyes are your dad’s. You grew up as much with us as Justin did at your house with your parents. Michael will never get close enough to hurt you again, you are my family, Brielle.” He said calmly to her.

Hailey nodded and left, Hank stood and looked to Jay. “Keep an eye on her, Halstead. She is a part of this family. He made a mistake. He just doesn’t know how large yet.”

“Yes, Sarge.” Jay answered. Hank left them sitting quietly as Brie tried to calm her nerves and her body as she was still feeling the fear from the memories causing her to rub at her face. He pulled her close to him under his arm feeling her shiver still. “Hey, I’m right here, Brielle. He can’t hurt you anymore.” Jay whispered to her. She put her head against his shoulder breathing deep before she turned to face him.

She yawned as her body began to relax from the fear. “I’m so sorry. I just feel so exhausted. I feel so drained, weak. Might be the medicine too. Dr. Choi said I might get sleepy from it.” She whispered leaning against him.

“Not surprised. Go ahead and lay down in here while you wait. I will be just outside the door at my desk if you need me, okay.” He said to her. She nodded and he helped her lay down on the couch in the room and left his jacket with her as she allowed her body to slip into calming sleep feeling safe.

#jay halstead imagine #jay halstead fanfiction #jay halstead imagines

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onomonopetabread · 4 years

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Declawing the Cat - Chapter 3

(Sorry it took so long guys, between testing and homework and executive functioning, I could NOT get this done. Anyways,

“Father, do I have to go?” Adrien asked for the hundredth time.

“Of course Adrien. I refuse to go on a business trip as important as this one without you. You’re my son.”

Felix rolled his eyes. He and his mother were visiting the two bachelors (against his actual will, obviously). Everyone in the room knew the real reason why Adrien had to go; he was the face of the brand, and it was common fashion knowledge that to go to such a high-ranking event without your leading model would get you shunned and cancelled. ‘You’re my son’ EVERYONE’S arse.

It was obvious that Adrien was all too aware of this fact, because he couldn’t seem to run out of excuses for why he couldn’t go.

Well, he could also not wish to go because of how brain-numbingly boring the whole affair is, and honestly, who could blame him? This year’s Annual Pre-Junior’s Fashion Competition Assembly was being held in Sydney, and all of the biggest names in the industry were going to attend. The assembly takes place over the course of two. Entire. Months. For what, not even the attendees know. Felix swears, these designers were as mad as a bag of ferrets.

I mean, if you’re into that sort of thing, like Miss I’m-all-that Ginger Breadhouse, you’d probably be in Seventh Heaven there, but if you were, how do you say, normal, you’d sell your soul to be another else. In fact, Felix could almost bet Chat Noir’s Miraculous that Adrien would sign that demonic contract in a heartbeat if that were an option.

“But Father, what about school? I’ll miss so much instruction-”

“Natalie will tutor you, just like she did before you attended that … institution.”

“And my fencing practice? Surely, you wouldn’t want me to miss out on those.”

“Adrien, are you suggesting that they don’t have fencing areas in Sydney?”

“No, I’m just saying that fencing without Kagami wouldn’t be the same…”

“Well, you aren’t going to be fencing with her forever, so think of this as a sample for the future. Now, no more of this arguing, Adrien. You are going to the Assembly and that’s final. Have I made myself clear?”

Adrien’s shoulders slumped in defeat and for a heartbeat, Felix felt sympathetic. “Yes, Father.”

“Good, now go pack some clothes you will need for the weeks. We won’t be at the events the entire time, so I will permit you to bring some of your own wardrobe. Please remember we will be there for a long time, so pack accordingly.”

And with that, they were all dismissed. Adrien trugged upstairs looking particularly peeved. He invited Felix to come with him, and Felix agreed, but only to keep up appearances. If he knew any better, Felix would have sworn that he heard him talking to someone on the way up, but he decided to ignore it; he couldn’t be bothered to guess what weird habits his wanker of a cousin had.

Once they got to Adrien’s room, Felix sat himself down at the piano while Adrien took out a suitcase from his closet and started choosing some informal clothing for when they were just doing day-to-day activities.

“Can you believe that he’s making me go, Felix?”

“Yes, I can believe it.”

“AND we have to leave tomorrow! I won’t even get the chance to say goodbye to our friends.

“Not to worry, cousin dearest. I’ll tell them for you. Anyways, don’t look at this trip as a burden, look at it as a new opportunity. You can gather information and resources for your friend Marinette.”

Adrien’s face brightened at the mention of his friend and Felix rolled his eyes when his back was turned. He swears, all it takes to cheer him up was to be reminded that Pigtails was alive and well somewhere on the planet.

“You’re right, Felix! This way I can help her pursue her dreams! I can’t wait until we get back to tell her everything I’ve learned about the industry.”

“...Can’t you just text or call her?”

“You mean with my phone?”

“No Adrien, I mean with a plastic banana you can buy at the baby store. Yes I mean your phone!”

Adrien paused in the middle of folding a t-shirt and packing it into a suitcase. “I didn’t tell you? Father confiscated it for ‘my own good’. He thinks I spend too much time around my friends and not enough time focusing on my studies, so it’s with him for the time being.”

Well, there goes Felix’s plan to pull a quick cell prank before Adrien leaves. “Adrien Bartholomew Agreste, is that resent I hear in your voice?”

“Yes, it is. I’m tired of responsibilities and having people depend on me every second that I breathe. That’s why I wanted to go to school in the first place; it gives me eight hours of non-Agreste related freedom.”

Felix narrowed his eyes. What did this boy know about responsibilities? All he had to do was play a keyboard, wave a stick around, and look pretty for pictures. Felix couldn’t understand how a job like that could burden someone so badly.

“Goodness, Adrien. You make it sound as though Uncle asks you to carry the weight of the entire ever-loving world on your shoulders.”

Adrien sighed. “That’s just how I feel, sometimes. Anyways, I think these are all of the casual clothing Father will let me take with me. Maybe if I’m lucky, he might not see the video game I hid under them all.”

The next day was a Saturday, so Felix the delivery boy was going to have to give the mega-twits the message at a later time. Today, it was all about acting as emotional as he could for the departure of his Cousin & Co. gabriel thought it would be a good idea for Felix and his mother to stop by the mansion every once in a while to make sure everything was all right, accounted for, and in the case of the house plants, watered. This was news to Felix. He doubted his uncle was even a living being, let alone the type of person to have plants in his home. Right now, they were standing next to the family limo. Natalie and gabriel were talking to Ape Man about transportation in Australia.

“Oh, darling Adrien, I’m so sad to see you go. We only just now got here, and you’re leaving. Why must the fates keep up apart?”

“It’s alright, Aunt Amilie. We’ll be back before you even realize we’re gone.”

“We? Oh, I wasn’t talking about your father, dear. I wouldn’t mind some time away from him. Anyways, I hope you have the best time in Australia. Bring something back for me, will you? I’ve always wanted to get a real boomerang, ever since I was a young girl.”

“I’ll be sure to get you the best boomerang in the country, Aunt A. What about you Felix? Do you want me to get you anything?”

Felix, who was standing some ways behind the others, pretended to ponder it over. “Bring me a friendship bracelet.”

“...A friendship bracelet?”

“If you can’t find one it’s okay I really don’t mind-”

“No, I’ll get you a bracelet. I was only surprised because you aren’t really the type to want one.”

He’s right- there was no way on Good Green Earth would he want some dingly little arts and crafts project. There also wasn’t any way that maybe he wanted his cousin thinking about him during his trip, that he wanted to envision Adrien getting something for him. Don’t even think about considering that Felix felt bad for him, dealing with the devil himself in a new place and wanting to give him something to do. Nope. Not a chance. Felix simply thought that Adrien would look hilarious running around Australia looking for beads and twine.

“...Just make sure you make me a good one, alright?”

Adrien smiled as though he could read right into Felix’s mind, and of course he had to look completely handsome in doing so. Stupid model. They practically had the same face and somehow Felix ended up looking like the off-brand knockoff.

“Adrien, we have to go now. The plane leaves in five hours,” gabriel said, entering the car.

“Why do we need to leave so soon?”

“So that I can buy fabrics with threads, gather all of my designs, double check with Natalie that the suite is still booked for us-”

“Alright, Father. I understand. Well, bye Felix. I’ll miss you.”

With that, he entered the limousine and the four of them drove away.

“Come Felix. Let’s go check the house for anything they might have accidentally left behind. We wouldn’t want them to leave something important,” said Amilie, still a little teary-eyed over the loss of her precious little baby nephew. She couldn’t stand the idea of being away from him for so long, even though his look-alike (her own bloody son) was right in front of her. Of course, Felix wasn’t bitter! Why wouldn’t ever say such a thing?

“Yes, Mother. Would you like me to check Adrien’s room?”

“Please, dear. Oh, look at you, watching over your cousin! And to think you said you wouldn’t like him!”

It was as though his mother never met him. Couldn’t she see that he was just trying to gain some sort of upper hand against Mr. Perfect or to uncover a secret of his? On the sunny side, at least he knows his facade is effective. He was beginning to worry that someone other than Blue-Eyed Phoenix Wright would figure him out.

Felix pushed open the door of Adrien’s room and immediately began to look around and turn things over. He was being extremely careful to make sure that everything he touched was put back in the place he got it from. After looking through his closet and library, however, he was disappointed to find that Adrien was actually as innocent as he seemed (and acted). In fact, the worst thing he could find was a disturbing amount of Ladybug memoria. It was a pity, really. Felix hadn’t blackmailed anyone in a long time, and he was beginning to get antsy. He turned around and headed out.

“Adrien, is that you? I thought you said you weren’t going to come back for another two months.”

Felix did a complete 180 and faced the source of the voice, which seemed to be some sort of floating cat-thing. It looked like a deer in headlights.

“You aren’t Adrien. Wait, are you okay, you seem to be swaying-?”

The thing was right; he was feeling woozy, and it didn’t take him that long to hit the floor, having fainted. The last thing he heard was the talking cat muttering,

“Shit.”

@myazael @2confused-2doanything @thecaptainthunder @thatonecroc @symwinter @mermaidreject @pink-and-bunny @kyrakitesong @your-number-one-second-choice @kayla0binow @hansa-12 @fc-studios @nom-the-king @thetrashypanda423 @chez-pezeater @supertomboyprincess @alyceeve @ceres-zephyr @swiftie-miraculer13 @justafanwarrior @marinettepotterandplagg @starlightshield @sandraf0612

#declawing the cat #chapter 3 #felix graham de vanily #felix x marinette #marinette x felix #marinette dupain cheng #marinette #fanfiction by me #fanfiction #felix #enemies to lovers

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deathonyourtongue · 4 years

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Willow Run | Ch. 4

Summary: On a horse ranch in Texas, life is far simpler than on the streets of Bakubah, but Syverson has a bad habit of taking in strays of all kinds, no matter what demons may be after them. Pairing: Captain Syverson x OFC Word Count: 2K Warnings: Death. Yeah, I said it. A/N: You guys are the absolute best! I apologize in advance for what I’m about to do (my body count is WAY too high at this point, but a niche is a niche I guess, right?) CHAPTER 1 | CHAPTER 2 | CHAPTER 3 |

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If pain and suffering were library books, Syverson was way past due.

Despite all the extra work he’d put in, Sy slept fitfully. Sasha's presence had more than once awoken memories of his past and now, without his consciousness to act as a filter, his mind was having a field day as it dragged him down memory lane. He tossed, turned, murmured and finally cried out in sheer terror as the most horrific image of his life came back in full, breath-taking force.

Syverson sat bolt upright as the moment played out, his body covered head to toe in sweat, eyes wide and wild as he reached for a gun that hadn't been there in years; not since the incident with the window.

He couldn't catch his breath, couldn't block out the image, and even though he looked awake, Sy was still very much caught in the grips of his nightmare; the tears streaming silently down his face and his mouth locked open in a hoarse scream were proof enough.

Though Sasha had taken a bit to get comfortable in a new bed, she’d fallen asleep without much issue once she settled. After only about two hours’ worth of sleep, Sy’s scream jolted her awake, startling her badly until her mind was able to make sense of what was happening. Wearing only the t-shirt she’d grabbed from his laundry and not bothering to put on the shorts, Sasha dashed across the hall, opening the door to find Syverson awake, but not at all present.

She’d never seen a man look so terrified in all her life, and while most would find it emasculating to be so scared, Sasha knew better. This was no ordinary fear; this was a haunting, one that had probably been with him for years. Her heart broke for him as she approached slowly, seeing the tears pouring from his blue eyes.

“Sy, sweetheart. Can you hear me? You’re having a nightmare, babe. Wake up.”

Being careful about where she stood, Sasha slowly reached out and smoothed a hand over Sy’s curls, willing that her touch would bring him back to reality.

Her voice and touch, so calm and soft in the midst of all the violence and screaming in his mind, snapped Syverson out of his nightmare and he took a gasping breath, looking and seeing her as if for the first time. Shaking his head to clear it, Syverson quickly wiped his eyes and tried for a smile to assure her he was okay.

"Hey, sorry. Did I wake you? I'm really sorry," he whispered, sniffling as he opened his bedside drawer and grabbed the black leg brace he hadn’t needed in a few weeks. Syverson's hands shook violently as he strapped the appliance around his leg, everything in his posture screaming of fear. He needed his pills, but they were down the hall and that meant attempting to walk. Syverson felt like kicking himself for being so stupid; the first time he had company in ages and he forgot to prepare the most basic of necessities in order to keep the night quiet for them.

"You should go back to bed, mama. Get some rest. I'll be fine, just need to grab a glass of water, then I'm back to sleep," he added, his eyes pleading with her to accept the bold-faced lie; it was the only area of his life that Syverson ever hid from anyone and he was certain he'd be able to hide it from her as well.

Sasha didn’t wait for Sy to continue telling his version of the truth and instead grabbed his water glass and made her way to the upstairs bathroom, filling it up with ice-cold water straight from the tap. Despite feeling like she was overstepping her bounds, she searched through the medicine cabinet until she found a prescription bottle with a valid date and Sy’s name on it. Relieved that it was Tramadol and not something stronger, Sasha returned and handed both over to Sy, her eyes holding the same sadness his had earlier in the day.

“You need anything else?” She asked, cupping his face with her hand and trying to keep the hurt out of her voice. Sasha felt like a chump for opening up to him about her past when it was clear he was unwilling to do the same and felt the need to hide so bad that he would lie about it just to pretend all was okay.

Her hand on his face caused a hitch in his breath, Syverson nearly losing his composure once again at the gentility of her touch. He fought tooth and nail not to lean into it, rest his head on her palm and just let go as she had earlier; he was a man, and a soldier to boot. Soldiers weren't supposed to cry and they certainly weren't supposed to talk about how they felt or what they'd seen and done in far away countries.

Sitting there with Sasha, Syverson felt like letting it all spill out, laying his soul bare, and facing the consequences head on. His brain got the best of him however, and he kept mum. No use in terrifying the poor girl; she'd done nothing to deserve hearing about the atrocities he'd witnessed and done overseas.

"N-no, you just go on back to bed. No use in stayin' awake on my account," he murmured, the words sounding almost like a mantra; in fact, he had said them on more than one occasion to his own family. They'd all just looked at him with sad eyes, shaken their heads, and left the room. Syverson wasn't sure, but it didn't seem like Sasha would be so easy to shoo off.

His further distancing only opened the fresh wound in Sasha’s heart a little further, making her feel miniscule and stupid for being as candid as she had. It was an age-old double standard, one she’d thought would bypass her interactions with Sy, given how open he’d been all day. Whatever it was that plagued him, the walls he’d built to protect himself were high and steadfast. Sighing, she stood, raking a hand through her hair as she met his gaze.

“If we’re going to pretend that this never happened, that you don’t look like you’ve seen a ghost, then fine. But don’t expect me to open up about anything else in my life, if you’re unwilling to do the same. I’m not a little girl, Sy. I can handle whatever it is you seem so keen to hide away from the world.”

Turning on her heel, Sasha gripped her stomach, ignoring her baby’s kicking as she began to make her way back to bed, wishing Sy wasn’t so stubborn.

It was the same old song over again and frankly, Syverson was tired of being the one to press play. His face crumpled and he let out a sob without being able to hold it back. When he spoke, his voice came out tinny and weak, but the desperation in it was as clear as the word was simple.

"Sasha!"

Syverson hoped it was enough, hoped she'd turn back and let him apologize, let him give in a little and let go the way she had. It wasn't easy for him to relinquish the control he usually kept so tightly bound on the subject, but he'd seen how his pushing had hurt her and Syverson didn't want to be the reason she walked out the door in the morning, never to come back.

She’d never heard her name called with such need, such distress before, and it stopped Sasha in her tracks. Born with a touch of a stubborn streak herself, Sasha had only planned on standing in the doorway to hear him out, but one look at Syverson’s tear-strewn face, the pleading in his eyes, and she moved as though being pulled by a magnet, sitting at his side in a matter of moments, all thought of being bull-headed forgotten.

Syverson's tears subsided as Sasha sat down, his eyes red-rimmed and still filled with fear as he took her hand and held it in both of his.

"I'm sorry. I'm not used to havin' people around, especially for this crap. It's not somethin' I like talkin' about and people don't like hearin' it, so I was tryin' to spare ya. Didn't mean to push you away, sweetheart," he sniffled, his thumbs rubbing circles over her knuckles before he kissed them gently.

“Were you dreaming about whatever happened that sent you to the VA? I saw the album downstairs,” Sasha confessed, her free hand stroking through his curls, her face dipping to catch his gaze as Sy lowered his head, shaking it.

“Nah, that was just an IED that I had the misfortune of drivin’ over. It’s why I still have a prescription and a rod in my leg,” he answered, Sy clearing his throat before shaking his head once more, clearing the persistent whispers from his mind that told him to shut up and not talk about it any further.

“My nightmares are only ever about one thing. One little girl, actually. Her name was Zakiya. She was the sweetest lil’ thing. Big bright eyes, so expressive, she just put a smile on yer face immediately.”

Sitting back against his headboard, Sy held Sasha’s hand a little firmer, his own trembling, although whether from pain or anguish, Sasha couldn’t be sure.

“We used to drive through her village every time we left the wire. Back then, we always carried candy bars and extra MREs with us, mostly for the kids, but for people in need too. She’d come running every time she saw us comin’ through, like we were the ice cream man or somethin’. Anyhow, she took a shine to me. Would always ask for me to hold her, ‘cause I was taller than anyone in the village and she liked seeing out over the horizon.”

Sy blew out a breath, his body beginning to rock back and forth as tears shimmered in his eyes once more. Sasha’s concern grew, her other hand covering the one already gripped in her palm.

“We didn’t speak a lick ‘a each other's languages, but we somehow made it work. She always had a smile and a big ol’ hug for my neck. She wouldn’t let go until it was time for us to move along and even then, she stayed behind wavin’ like it was her favorite thing to do. She couldn’t ‘a been more than five or six.

“One day, we get there and she’s not there, waitin’. Instead, she’s in her father’s arms. He was a village elder ‘a some sort, and for whatever reason, had got it in his head that his wife and Zakiya had both dishonored him by being nice to us. Just for being nice, friendly...normal. By the time we got there, he’d already killed his wife...But he was waitin’ for us to show up before he killed Zakiya.”

Sasha’s own heart clenched, knowing what was coming would be horror on a level she never hoped to experience first-hand, her sympathy and respect for Syverson going up exponentially as she steeled herself for the end of his worst nightmare.

Sy kept his eyes on the mattress, his free hand picking at a loose thread in the bedding, terrified that after he told her everything, Sasha would never see him as the same man again.

“I got on my knees for that man. Took off my helmet, my plates, everything. Told him to take me instead of her. I begged like the world was endin’ and I needed one more day. Our poor interpreter could barely keep up with me, I was talkin’ so fast.”

Scrubbing a hand over his face, Syverson let out a noise akin to a dying animal, folding himself in half for a moment before taking several rattling, deep breaths.

“You know that famous shot of Jackie trying to catch Kennedy’s brain? He dropped her like a fuckin’ sack ‘a potatoes after he blew her head open, and all I could do was h-hold-”

As a longing wail loosed itself from his lungs, Sy felt himself wrapped up in the fiercest hug he’d ever received. Sasha cupped the back of his head as her own tears slipped down her cheeks, unable to fathom how Sy had managed to go about his life with that sort of weight in his heart; she’d known men who’d taken their own lives for less.

“I’m so sorry, Sy,” Sasha whispered into his curls, her heart breaking at the way Syverson clung to her as though he were drowning. In a way, he was, Sasha wishing there was more she could do to help ease his suffering, though she wasn’t sure if anyone had ever even gotten this far with him before.

“What happened to the elder?” She asked as she heard his breathing calm some.

“I emptied a mag into his face.” Sy said resolutely, Sasha hearing no remorse in his voice, though she couldn’t blame him, given the circumstances.

“No one in the village ever complained, not even his older kids. Think they were all afraid of him. We did them a favor. You don’t kill kids. Especially babies. You give ‘em kindness, compassion, love. That’s it. End of story. You hurt a child, you murder a child in cold blood like that? I put you in the ground, plain and simple.”

She held onto him, stroking his broad back, carding her fingers through his hair, letting him take the pain he’d held onto for so long and finally let some of it go. Though she knew he’d never truly recover from that day, Sasha hoped that finally talking about it to someone who wouldn’t judge or pity him, would make a small difference.

His breathing slowed and Sasha gave him another squeeze, realizing something she hoped would help ease his pain further.

“For what it’s worth, Sy? If nothing else, you brightened that little girl’s day each time you saw her. You gave her a smile just like she gave you one. You were with her at the end and that’s what counts. She didn’t die alone. In a perfect world, she wouldn’t have died at all, but in the horror that was her final moments, she knew you were there. She knew.”

#henry cavill #captain syverson #syverson x ofc #captain syverson fic #fic #deathonyourtongueoriginals #willow run

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aj-draws · 4 years

Text

The Entrance Exam - Ch. 3 of the Wandering Knight

[ Original Ideas || Chapter One | Chapter Two ]

Summary: A Tower of God Fantasy AU with characteristics from the medieval time period.

Ships: Khunbam (with Bam as an aspiring knight and Khun as a witch)

Word Count: 2,723

Warnings: None

---

“Um, Bam..?”

He turned his head towards Khun, who called his name while tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. The man’s arms were folded against his broad chest, a hand reaching out to fiddle with his necklace. He found himself getting lost in the witch’s eyes, taking interest in his pensive gaze and long, fluttering lashes.

Bam continued walking alongside Khun, slowing his pace down to allow the man to gather his thoughts. His breath hitched with anticipation as Khun’s restless fingers came to a stop, hovering over the emerald stone around his neck.

“I’ve actually only been in town for a few days. I was…” Khun’s voice faltered, his bottom lip trembling. He had never seen the man fumble so desperately for a word. “I left my family. I apologize in advance if my house is...disorderly.”

“Oh, I see...Thank you for telling me that.” Bam told him sincerely. He put his hand on his chest as if making a promise. “It must have been difficult. If it helps in any way, I swear that you won’t be getting any judgment from me.”

“Ah.” The sigh Khun let out was one of relief. “That is very kind of you, Bam.”

“No, no, you’re the kindhearted one.” He insisted, nodding eagerly. “It’s rude of me to be invading your home, especially when you’ve been nothing but welcoming. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

Blue eyes caught his. Khun’s soft voice was like a whisper in the wind when he spoke, “Don’t be. I appreciate the company.”

Seconds passed by, stretching into centuries of silence until he broke out into a smile. “We’re almost there.”

“G...Great.” Bam finally said, breaking away from Khun’s intense stare. He rubbed the back of his neck and quickly changed the topic, “So where do you live?”

Khun searched the rows of buildings, recognition settling in when he pointed to a sign in the distance. Bam had to squint to see the outline of what looked like a book.

Khun moved towards the door, swinging it open and motioning for him to enter. He obliged and walked inside. Bam’s jaw dropped, a bewildered look plastered on his face.

The familiar scent of old books made Bam’s chest tremble. He looked past the unpacked boxes scattered about and the cobwebs gathering in the corners, choosing to focus on the library’s beauty instead. The first level had bookcases surrounding all three walls. In the middle of the room, there was a large, fluffy white rug spread out across the dark wooden floors. Six desks with benches converged in the center, lined up for the library’s readers. On the right side, a staircase led to the second floor.

Bam followed behind Khun as he climbed the stairs, showing him the next floor. He walked past the boxes full of extra blankets, going over to the desk standing in front of a window. Stacks of papers covered the surface of the desk along with an inkpot and several quills. Bam eyed the bed next to the wall curiously, lifting his hand to place it over the pillow. Its softness was foreign to his fingers-they had grown quite rough from sleeping on the dirt all the time.

Khun passed by the room’s furnace and set it aflame. He slid his cloak off his shoulders, placing it on a hook. Bam admired the way the man’s movements came as second nature, from the way he nimbly unbuttoned his topmost button to expose his bare collarbone, to how he tugged off his boots and sat down on his bed in one quick motion. The simplicity of a routine was something that Bam missed.

Khun raised his hands to touch the brim of his hat and Bam had the sudden realization that he had never seen him without it. He stared as the hat dropped onto his lap, revealing the crown on the top of his head that spiraled into the depths of his blue locks. Khun’s long fingers combed through his hair, straightening the curls that were out of place. Now that it was more visible, Bam noticed the bangs that swept across his forehead, hanging over his thick eyebrows.

The witch’s touch was light and airy when his fingertip grazed the ribbon tied around the band of his hat. Its fabric was the same color as his cobalt eyes, which glowed brilliantly beneath the light shining down from the window. Although it was filled with a quiet, imminent rage, Khun’s expression grew sorrowful the longer he gazed at the ribbon.

Feeling like he needed some privacy, Bam turned around, the floorboards betraying him by creaking loudly. The noise caught Khun’s attention, who tossed his hat on the desk and looked up at him.

“...Oh, sorry,” he spoke, giving a bashful smile. “You’re so quiet, I forgot you were here for a moment.”

“It’s okay, I was just...you know, I thought…” Bam frantically stumbled over his words, heat climbing up his neck. He stopped talking and decided to bite his bottom lip instead.

Khun stood up and fixed his bed. Glancing over his shoulder to offer it to Bam, he chuckled when he found the man sprawled out on the floor under a blanket that he took from one of the boxes. He questioned whether or not that would be comfortable, only for Bam to reassure him that he’d be fine.

A little too tired to argue, Khun bobbed his head and fished out another blanket from the bottom of a box. When he heard him get up, Bam lifted the sheet over his head and froze. Every exhale came out shaky and he quivered.

There was something that overwhelmed Bam just by being with Khun. He felt incredibly out of place in the world, but he was put at ease by Khun’s presence. Perhaps it was his kindness or soothing personality; whatever it was made his cheeks burn and his heart pound erratically. Although he had little to offer, he told himself that he needed to make it up to Khun somehow.

“Are you alright in there?”

He poked his head out from under the blanket and sat upright, noticing much too late that Khun was down on one knee. When Bam came to a stop inches away from Khun’s face, he recoiled, blinking rapidly.

“Take off your coat, you must be hot.”

Bam gave a slow nod, shrugging off the extra layer. He passed it off to Khun, who laid it beside him. Leaning forward, he lifted his arms over Bam’s head and draped another blanket over his shoulders. His breath stilled at the sight of Khun’s lustrous, teardrop-shaped earrings swaying in front of him. Bam was enchanted by the glittering turquoise jewels, the burst of color standing out against his silvery strands of hair.

He pulled back all too soon and retreated to his side of the room. After hanging Bam’s coat next to his cloak, he collapsed in his bed.

“Khun,” He breathed out his name, the sleepiness making his words come out in a hushed tone. “Thank you for everything. It must have been hard, but I’m glad that you left.”

The man lying down a few feet away swallowed hard and studied the ceiling. It had been lonely, for sure. Khun tilted his head to catch a glimpse of Bam’s shining eyes, which were staring right back at him.

“I don’t know what I would have done without you,” Bam admitted.

“You would have fallen and broken a bone or two. Or...all of them, honestly.”

“Yeah, I suppose I would have.” He replied with a giggle. ”Goodnight, Khun”

“Rest well, Bam.”

---

Khun awoke to the scent of freshly baked bread. As he rubbed his eyes and sat up, he briefly wondered if Shibisu somehow kidnapped him and left him in his bakery.

Shaking away the ridiculous thought away along with his fatigue, he rose and begrudgingly got out of bed. He stumbled to the staircase and almost missed a step when he noticed the changes in the room.

The bookshelves were dusted and the floors swept clean. The boxes were nowhere to be seen and stacks of books were now piled on the desks, ready to be organized. Khun finally reached the bottom of the steps when the door swung open.

Bam entered the room, bringing the morning sun itself with him. “Good morning, Khun! I hope you don’t mind that I tidied up while you were sleeping.” He announced cheerfully. “And look! I got some apples and bread for us to eat.”

Khun was dumbfounded.

Bam interpreted his surprise as dismay. He started to ramble, saying, “Are you upset? I’m sorry that I moved your belongings. I thought you wouldn’t mind. Gosh, I should’ve asked before-”

“Why?”

Bam clutched the paper bag in his arms tighter. “I’m very grateful that you let me stay and I wanted to do something for you.”

“I see.” Khun stared at his pout and added, “I’m not upset at all, by the way.”

He was just...puzzled. Khun recalled the honesty in Bam’s words last night and it confused him as to why he didn’t feel like that was enough. Whenever he did something to please his mother, Khun was honored to be rewarded with praise, or even better, a pat on his head. Other than to satiate his curiosity, Bam had nothing to give him. He had no money or extraordinary talents, but he still found a way to help him. The concept of showing gratitude with actions instead of words astounded him. He couldn’t understand it.

But Khun suddenly felt like he didn’t want to lose to Bam. He doesn’t know what he’s fighting him for either, but all he knows is that he can’t lose.

After going upstairs to put on his cloak and hat, Khun stepped outside. He glanced over his shoulder to say, “Follow me.”

The two went past the town’s quaint cottages to a more open area with fields of golden wheat swaying in the wind. As they walked along cobble paths lined with red roses and yellow tulips, Bam munched on a ripe apple. His gaze roaming the entirety of his surroundings while Khun stared straight ahead, eating his bread quietly.

“I passed by the bakery and Shibisu gave me the bread, by the way.”

“How were you able to get those apples?” Khun inquired tentatively. He was aware that Bam was broke, but as he looked over his soft, non-threatening features, he knew he wouldn’t have the heart to steal.

Bam’s reply was loud and proud, “I helped an old woman carry her bags and she gave me these apples! She was so kind.”

Ah. Now that was something Bam would do.

Khun lectured him about being wary of strangers, but Bam’s bright smile made his threat fall flat. He sighed and left him to keep that unique childlike innocence of his.

When Bam spotted a certain building in the distance, his unbridled excitement was a sight to behold. A gasp slipped from his lips and he resisted the urge to start running.

“Evankhell’s palace. She’s out of town at the moment, so her Royal Advisor took over.” Khun smirked deviously. “We’re going to have a little chat with him.”

“Okay! Well...wait…” Bam trailed off when he remembered what Hatz told him. “But I’m too...normal. I’m not part of a wealthy family and where I came from wasn’t the most...distinguished place.”

Khun gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Don’t worry. Trust me.”

“I do,” said Bam. He placed his hand on Khun’s and patted it gently. “I just don’t want to get my hopes up.”

He flinched at Bam’s sudden, casual touch. The roughness of his fingers was something unexpected, but the warmth in his palm didn’t surprise him at all.

“You won’t,” he promised. “I’ll make it happen.”

His hand slipped away and Khun was quick to pick up his pace. He approached the guards at the entrance, his strides long and bold. Stopping right in front of the two armored men, he cleared his throat.

“My name is Khun Aguero Agnis and, under my family’s name, I hereby request an audience with Lord Hansung Yu.”

“Y-Yes, sir! Right away, sir!” One of them squeaked out, elbowing the other to help him open the doors.

Curious, Bam turned to Khun, who simply pressed a finger to his lips and winked. The guards led them into the bustling palace, weaving through crowds of men with long robes and women carrying piles of clothes or broomsticks.. The kitchen they passed by was overwhelmed with the sounds of clinking plates and scratching silverware.

The palace was busy in a completely different way from the rest of the town. Everyone seemed to be in their own little world, occupied with their respective duties.

Bam reached out to grab a fistful of Khun’s cloak. The man gave him an understanding nod, silently offering his arm. Khun watched as Bam timidly looped his arm around his, inching nearer to him while he walked.

Bam was too nervous to notice, but Khun could hear the gossiping whispers from a mile away. He pretended not to care about their piercing stares pinned on his hat’s blue ribbon or how they did a double-take when they recognized his family’s crest embroidered on it. Khun edged closer to Bam, regaining his regal posture when comforted by his companion’s warmth.

“What brings you to the palace?”

“That is none of your business,” was his snappish remark. Khun shot the two guards an icy glare for good measure, shutting them up.

He rolled his eyes as they stammered out apologies. They shouldn’t have asked the question if they wouldn’t like the response, he thought to himself.

Bam’s grip on his arm tightened, getting his attention.

“You should be nice to them,” he said softly.

The sharp retort on Khun’s tongue died when he got scolded by Bam. He felt an unfamiliar pang in his stomach that he recognized as guilt. It was...strange.

Thankfully, the feeling vanished when they arrived at their destination. The guards grabbed the handles, pushing open the hefty doors to the throne room.

The marble flooring was polished to perfection, the grey tiles glistening under the light of the candelabras. Stained glass windows lined the walls on both sides and tall, thick columns towered above the room. A velvety rug led up to the empty throne, its stone material blackened with something that looked vaguely like ashes.

A smaller seat was positioned to the left of the throne where a person sat, yellow eyes gleaming. The bright red hand fan he carried matched the hairpin stuck in his hair, which was wound up into a high bun. Perched on his armrest was a wine glass filled with a brown liquid. The man wore a wizard’s long dark blue robes with orange sleeves and a golden ribbon tied around his collar.

There were two other chairs on the right. The blonde man was another magic user-Khun could tell from the white cloak and black clothes, as well as the inquisitive aura he gave off. Judging from the glowing staff next to him, Khun knew he was powerful. His calm and collected expression differed greatly from the red-haired man sitting beside him, who leaped to his feet when he noticed his family’s crest.

“A Khun!” The short man shouted. “What is he doing here?”

“I want my friend Bam to be enrolled as a knight here.” Khun went straight to point, eyebrows narrowing. “Actually, I demand it.”

“Of course.”

The sound of a fan snapping shut gathered the attention of everyone in the room. The Royal Advisor of Duchess Evankhell, known as Hansung Yu, stood upright and smiled cheerfully.

“I would never think of refusing a request from someone belonging to one of the Ten Families. Why, look at his hair, he’s the spitting image of his father.” He purred, his smooth voice counteracting the bitterness in his words.

Khun winced at his comment but refused to back down. Before he could answer, Hansung cut him off by stating, “I will allow it.”

“Really?” Bam whispered in disbelief.

“Indeed.” Hansung gave a firm nod, eyes sparkling with mischief. "But first, you’ll have to pass a test.”

#tower of god #kami no tou #tower of god fanfiction #khunbam #khunbam fanfic #tog fantasy au #tower of god fantasy au #the wandering knight #25th bam #khun aguero agnis #hansung yu #quant blitz #lero ro #not ts

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wdwqrfawes · 3 years

Text

My dragons have grown

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mybeautifulbeautifuleternal · 4 years

Text

i couldn’t utter it, i couldn’t whisper it (my love for you was silent); i

Chapter One - But do we really have to?

rating: its a gen fic for The Umbrella Academy

words:6.7k

chapter:1/10

warnings: nothing atypical for the umbrella academy

AO3

a/n: I blame @sam-writes for pretty much all of this!

Summary: In one world, the young teenager hid when she abruptly found herself pregnant and she gave birth in secret, left the baby on a random doorstep, and never looked back. Unfortunately, this isn’t that world. In this world, Reginald Hargreeves finds her and takes her baby. It doesn’t end well.

The young women gasped in pain. Her stomach hurt so much. She didn’t know what was happening and her new husband wasn’t around to help her. She started bleeding and her stomach ballooned outward. She lay back on the bed, her stomach bulging out in a massive dome, while the blood continued to seep out of her. She could do nothing but cry as she felt the urge to push.

Hours later, with an outraged and confused husband in tow, she looked up from her new daughter when she heard the knocking on the door. She had a bad feeling about it.

Only 30 minutes later, the eccentric man left with her daughter. She had just sold her daughter away.

She started to cry again.

Charlie sighed as she locked her doors. Another good day on the books. She was glad that Mr. Johnston had stopped by again - she always liked to hear from her regulars and she was glad his mother was doing better from her hip surgery. She had had a small group of young teenagers - Sam, Lena, Jonathan, Rachel, and Georgie - come through today and grab some fruit and camp out in her side room to work on their homework. She had wandered through occasionally offering help but receiving it more often than not. She could now say she knew what the mitochondria was and that apparently it was the powerhouse of the cell. Cause apparently that was a thing.

Thanks, dad for all that stellar education you gave us.

She continued her walk through the downstairs, absentmindedly picking up Knickknack - a stray that she’s pretty sure she can’t actually classify as a stray anymore - to check up on her plants. She was encouraging them to grow bigger, to grow stronger, removing the death within them, giving them nutrients. This was truly the best part of her day. To sink herself into the Green, the living, the growth. To let herself feel the Life thrumming through the plants, through them even deeper into the Earth, and the people, and the animals.

For all the grief that these powers had given her - a father that never loved her, siblings who now hated her, missions that almost destroyed her - she couldn’t bring herself to ever hate them, not the powers, not the Green, themselves.

Not with all the good they gave her, the good she could give to other people because of them.

As she was working, the TV caught her eye. She dropped her watering can.

Billionaire Reginald Hargreeves Dead.

She couldn’t breathe. Was it actually possible that he was dead? She moved closer to the TV, reading the subtitles. She couldn’t contain her grin if she tried - which she didn’t.

Ding dong - the wicked witch was dead.

Charlie was walking. Whenever she had to come in this direction, she walked. She didn’t want to give those men any more power over her than she already had.

Now that Allison and Luther were back in New York, she knew that the funeral was going to happen today. None of them were all that comfortable staying in close quarters for all that long. They’d get the funeral done as quickly as they could so they'd be able to disperse across the country again. She’d say they only see each other for funerals and weddings but Allison was the only one married - to her knowledge anyway - and none of them had been invited to her wedding. So they really only saw each other for funerals, apparently.

And as much as she didn’t want to be back in that house, among siblings that hated her, she did want to see Mom and Pogo again.

Also, she felt if she didn’t go, then she’d always wonder if the bastard was actually dead.

She slowed down when she saw that she was getting closer to the academy. She really didn’t want to get there too early and have to deal with the entire family for longer than she had too. Not anymore.

All too soon, however, she made her way home.

bleh. Too nice of a thought to have for that place.

She crept into the house and made her way into the upstairs library’s balcony. She planned to stay there until the last possible second and they could get the whole farce over with.

Laying in the upstairs library, Charlie had a front-row seat to the comings of her siblings. She had gotten here early (too early honestly) and planted herself in a dark corner then just didn’t move. At all. She had spent her teenage years learning the best way to go unnoticed amongst a group of people that spent their life in the spot life or had the utmost wish to do so. Her? She had no wish for more cameras, more attention, than what was needed.

Luther was the first. He had come down the main stairs soon after she had arrived so Charlie guessed that he was actually staying here and had arrived before she had. Diego stomped in just before lunch and immediately made his way to the kitchen (and Mom, based on what she could smell coming from the kitchen) so she had 3 guesses to what he would spend the day doing but she only needed 1 of them. Allison swanned in just after lunch and she was seen up and down the hallways. Klaus pranced in and went off on a scavenger hunt, so Charlie guessed he was looking for something to pawn for his next hit. Vanya had crept in the middle of the afternoon and Charlie could see that had set off some sparks. Allison seemed to like her presence well enough but Charlie didn’t need her hearing to know that Diego went for the soft spots when they actually interacted.

Luckily her hiding spot was good and she didn’t actually have to interact with any of them yet. She wondered how long it would take them to notice. She wondered if they would. Or if they would even care.

She finally moved from her hidden corner and laid out on a couch so as to announce her presence whenever her siblings deigned to come back to the library.

She made sure she stayed away from the area where she was injured. She wasn’t going to test fate. She also made sure that she could see all the seats in the area well enough. Most of her charade counted on her being able to read lips and guess what was happening.

As she settled down on her chosen chaise, she watched as Vanya wandered in from the atrium. Vanya glanced at her but then proceeded to ignore her as she? apparently searched out and found her book. As Pogo made his way into the room and engaged Vanya in a conversation - one centered on the book and dad’s indifference - Charlie switched her attention to Five’s weird-ass portrait.

Which was just hilarious because like hell Reggie actually cared about any of his child soldiers. Charlie always thought that he had placed that portrait (and eventually, Ben’s statue) to remind them of the ‘failures’ of the family. She didn’t believe for a second that Reggie had actually brought himself to care about any of them let alone the one he couldn’t control or the one he couldn’t stand.

“16 years, 4 months, and 14 days.”

So the subject was Five? She wasn’t really surprised - before he disappeared, Five and Vanya were almost always in each other's pockets. Her siblings had really paired off when they were young - One and Three, Two and Mom, Four and Six, and Five and Seven. She had floated between the pairs whenever she wanted really - she was well-liked between all her siblings. She always thought it was because it was hard to hate the person who kept you fed when Dad was being a dick. Charlie had tried to actually connect with any of her siblings, to form better closer relationships between them - more than what they had actually wanted to have, apparently. And when Five did disappear, she tried to be there for Vanya. She joined her during their scheduled free time, she taught herself some musical terms so she could talk to her about her violin lessons, she reached her hand out again and again. But Vanya didn’t seem all that interested in reaching back. And while she kept trying, Vanya seemed less interested as time went on.

And then her book, Extra-Ordinary, came out and apparently Vanya thought Charlie had been mocking her the entire time. She couldn’t see that Charlie, allegedly the popular sibling, was just trying to be her sister. No - Charlie was just making fun of her for missing her best friend.

“Where’s the cash, dad?”

Allison was jerked from her memories of standing here 17 years ago, wanting her dad to finally just acknowledge them for even something as little as a goodnight, by Klaus. She strode over to the ridiculous deck that dominated the room and peered at Klaus pawing through Dad’s drawers.

“Where’s the cash?”

“Klaus? What are you doing in here?”

“Oh! Allison! Wow, is that you?”

Allison could only smile as she looked at Klaus. He was, as always, one of a kind. She knew that he was only trying to get cash for his addiction but she was still charmed by him.

“Hey, come here. Long time. Too long. Hey, I was hoping to see you, actually, because I wanted to get your autograph. Add it to my collection!”

Despite the fact Klaus was mocking dad and the fact that he was dead, Allison was still smiling. She was just glad that she decided to come home. With everything that was happening with Patrick and Claire, she hadn’t been sure it was the right decision but she was enjoying herself. And with everything that was happening in LA, she knew that she wanted to reach out to her family. She wanted to be close to Luther again, her best friend, like when they were kids. She wanted her brothers - the entirety of them, Diego in his weird leather BDSM gear and Klaus with his unique fashion sense and drug habits. She really wanted her sisters back as well. Loving, caring Charlie and sweet, gentle Vanya. Charlie who had tried so hard to love all her siblings. Vanya who just wanted to be seen and known by them. Allison wished she could go back in time to fix things but she couldn't. She was determined to start now, however. It might be 30 years late but she was going to make positive relationships with her siblings if she had to kill them. And really, based on previous experience, she would have too.

“Get out of his chair.”

Allison stiffened slightly as she heard Luther speak from the doorway. This was going to be the first time she saw him since she left at 18. When she turned to look at him, she was surprised to see him. He was so much larger than he was 10 years ago, almost grotesquely so. But he was still very much her best friend.

As Klaus babbled in a panic at being caught, Allison looked Luther over. He was still the towering figure she remembered but his muscles had grown and bulged in weird spots. He also appeared to have ditched the all-black mission uniforms and even those awful Academy uniforms that dad had made them wear all the time. Instead, he was bundled up in a, frankly, ugly turtleneck, a large overcoat, and fingerless gloves. She wondered if this was normal from before the 4 years spent on the moon or if this was something that had happened because of the moon mission.

Klaus dropped his treasures and made his retreat, and Allison had to laugh. She was really glad she was home.

Luther was frustrated but not surprised. Of course, Klaus was trying to steal from Dad. Even on the day of his funeral. Pair that with Diego disregarding his thoughts on why Dad was dead - someone took his monocle and it really meant nothing to anyone outside the family, of course that implied something - and he was tired of dealing with his brothers already. It had been less than an hour - which was on point for them, honestly.

“So, Klaus is still Klaus, in case you were wondering.”

“You know, after all these years, I find it strangely comforting.”

“Did you see Diego?”

“With his stupid outfit?”

“Oh, I know. Do you think he wears that thing in the bathroom?”

“Like in the shower?”

“Yeah.”

“Yes, Absolutely!”

As Allison laughed, Luther looked down. He was always happy when he could make her find joy. And it had been too long since they had seen each other in person. He had gone to see each of her movies, she was amazing, but they hadn’t talked since she left a decade ago. And Luther had missed his best friend.

“I-is Charlie here? Have you seen her yet?”

Luther paused in his thoughts about how to keep the conversation going to look up at her.

“Charlie? Why do you want to talk to her? You do remember what she did, right?”

“She did nothing but support our other sister. We snapped and snarled at Charlie because we were angry with Vanya but she wasn’t there for us to do so. Charlie has, since the very beginning, been nothing but kind and loving towards all of us. She wanted nothing more than for us to actually be a family. Instead, we shot her down time and time again.”

“That book was completely awful to all of us!! And she didn’t care!”

“She cared! She cared about what was happening with Vanya that she felt like she had to write that stupid thing! And regardless of all of that - Charlie is still our sister and I want to see her!”

Luther took a deep breath. He had forgotten that, despite the fact that Allison was his best friend, she was still his sibling and that included the ability to completely infuriate him in only a couple of words.

“I haven’t seen her yet. And I didn’t think you’d come.”

“Me either.”

The one main downside to the spot she chose was that she couldn’t see the door. On the other hand, with her laying down - people didn’t see her so they generally didn’t try to talk to her before coming in.

Diego was the first in the room. As he came around her couch, he spotted her from the corner of his eye and his hand went automatically to his BDSM gear and the multitude of knives he kept there. It took more than a second for him to release them. Charlie raised a very judgmental eyebrow in his direction. She knew he was still thinking of using one of those things - but against her instead. She dared him to try. He flicked a look up and over her shoulder where she knew the giant ferns, trees, and vines that were placed against the inside wall were growing and moving in the nonexistent wind. He was surrounded by Green things.

Who would be faster?

He scoffed, released his hand, rolled his eyes, and dropped into his chair by the fireplace.

Good. At least with him choosing to ignore her, this wouldn’t progress into a fight like their family meetings usually did.

Vanya was the next into the room and the tension racketed up again.

Klaus was the third into the room and, other than a flippant wave of his Hello hand, ignored them to survey Dad’s very extensive liquor collection. He was kind enough to bring her a whiskey when she peered over at him. Thank God - she would definitely need the alcohol later. And she was glad to see that he was still wearing her keys around his neck. She wasn’t sure if he had ever used them but she was glad that he had kept them, nevertheless.

Allison and Luther finished up the collection, and while it looked like Allison wanted to talk to her, Luther walked her over the seat across from Diego. He took the seat across from Vanya. His sitting down seemed like a call for the official meeting to start. He was always so dramatic.

Despite Luther apparently calling to order the meeting, nobody actually said anything for a solid couple of minutes. They were all just sitting around, pointedly not looking at one another.

“Um...I guess we should probably get this started. So I figured we could have a sort of memorial service in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words, just at Dad’s favorite spot.”

Of course, it was Luther, the golden boy, who knew that dad had a favorite spot. Nobody else was close enough to that human icebox to know that kind of information.

“Dad had a favorite spot?”

“You know, under the oak tree. We used to sit there all the time. None of you ever did that?”

The rest of us just sort of pursed their lips and avoided looking at Luther. While it sort of wasn’t his fault that Dad was a dick and favored him over them, it still stung something awful to be reminded of that fact.

Fucking Dad

Thankfully Klaus, with his usual spectacular timing, interrupted Luther.

“Will there be refreshments? Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a hit.”

He looked around hopefully. Charlie decided to help him and grew some fruits and nuts near him, making a big cucumber near his seat - kinda mockingly.

He almost flinched away before he shot her a delighted look and picked up a peach.

“Danke Schwester!”

She gave him a thumbs up and turned back to Luther cause she just knew that he was going to have some sort of fit about something that just happened.

“What? No. And put that out. Dad didn’t allow smoking in here. And get rid of the fruit. You know that Dad didn’t allow that sort of thing outside of training.”

She flipped him off and Klaus very pointedly turned around.

“Is that my skirt?” Allison cut off whatever response might have come when she questioned Klaus’ newest fashion choice.

“What? Oh, yeah, this. I found it in your room. It’s a little dated, I know, but very breathy on the bits. ”

Luther proved his place as Number One Ass within the next couple of minutes.

“Listen up. Still, some important things that we need to discuss, all right?”

“Like what?”

“Like the way he died.”

“And here we go.”

“I don’t understand. I thought they said it was a heart attack?”

“Yeah, according to the coroner.”

“Well, wouldn’t they know?”

“Theoretically.”

“Theoretically?”

Charlie had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going.

“I’m just saying, at the very least, something happened. The last time that I talked to Dad, he sounded strange.”

Yeah, her bad feeling about this conversation was correct. She had an idea about where he was going to go with all this lead. By the looks on her siblings’ faces, only really Diego knew where Luther was going with this. Everyone else just looked surprised.

She started to mostly ignore what they were saying. She knew that Luther was implying that one of them had killed Dad because Luther couldn’t rationalize the fact that Dad was, supposedly, human as well. That Dad could die from something just as common as a heart attack, instead of a portal to hell opening up to take him back.

“Look, I know you don’t like to do it, but I need you to talk to Dad.”

Everyone looked at Luther in disbelief. They all knew that Klaus was high as fuck. And even if he wasn’t, there was no way he would ever want to summon that monster here.

After Klaus soundly shot down the theory of summoning Dad from his brunch with Mussolini, Stalin, and Hitler, Luther was finally ready to move on to why he suspected them of offing the old bastard.

“Then there’s the issue of the missing monocle.”

“Who gives a shit about a stupid monocle?”

“Exactly. It’s worthless. So whoever took it, I think it was personal. Someone close to him. Someone with a grudge.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“Oh, isn’t it obvious, Klaus? He thinks one of us killed Dad.”

And with that, the silence fell. Or so she assumed. The looks on everyone’s faces though. She knew that none of them were extremely sad that he had died, but to have Luther accuse them of killing him? That hurt.

“You do?”

“How could you think that?”

“Great job, Luther. Way to lead.”

And with that, she was up from the couch and headed out of the room. She didn’t really feel like staying near him. For him to think, after everything that he had done, that she would kill Dad?

She knew that she shouldn’t have come here today.

As she was walking out to the courtyard, she thought of the first mission they went on. The Capital West bank - 17 years ago. Robbers had taken hostages and were threatening them. Sir had taken them there to deal with the problem. Number Three and her had entered first, Three so she could Rumor someone and her so she could have time to spread some seeds and Grow some plants to have a base to start off from.

As she and Three started wreaking havoc, One dropped in from the glass section of the roof and started throwing some of the robbers around. Two came in from the front and started his work with the knives. Soon she was using her Growth to help shield the hostages while Two, Three, and Four were mocking and messing with the guards near the front desk. Five dropped in with his signature sass and took down those guys.

One was finished with his targets and was searching for some more people. He found them in the vault and she knew it was Six’s turn. He never liked any of the work but he especially hated having to release the Horrors when they could be a target. This isolation of robbers was just the kind of thing Sir would insist on Six handling.

They finished with the robbers in the main room and she and Two released the hostages while One and Four prompted Six to finish off the people in the vault. She hoped he hurried. She was growing weary and needed some sun and sugar to regain her energy.

After Six exited the room, she went to help him wash off the blood and to make him look more presentable. Sir was going to come down and give a speech, introducing them to the world and he wouldn’t be pleased with them if the first look at Six the world had was him covered in blood.

After the seven of them gathered on the front steps, Sir joined them from wherever he was when they were completing the mission. He had them lined up in front of the cameras and reporters while he gave his prepared speech and answered some of their questions.

“Our world is changing. Has changed. There are some among us gifted with abilities far beyond the ordinary. I have adopted seven such children. I give you the inaugural class of the Umbrella Academy.”

Minutes after she sat down outside, she could feel vibrations coming from the plants closest to Luther’s room. She sat up and concentrated some more. Luther had the biggest vinyl collection in the family, and whenever Dad had to leave he’d place something on the machine and let the music play throughout the entire mansion. And it seems like he was going to continue the tradition. She wondered what was actually playing now. She’d place money on it be I Think We’re Alone Now. He usually started with that one as a signal.

She stood up from her seat and started to sway around the courtyard. She may not be able to hear the music but that song was imprinted on her very being. It was one of the best things from their childhoods - freedom, as much as they were granted back then.

Just as she was getting into the groove, everything went suddenly dark and ominous. Lightning flashed and she could feel the thunder boom.

She quickly went from being semi-carefree Charlie to serious, trained Number Eight. She placed herself up against one of the walls and sunk herself into the Green. A blue portal was opening up above her and she was determined to stop whatever it was here in the courtyard before it could gain ground towards the Academy.

Her jewelry, few as it was, pulled in the direction of the portal - but most of her free attention was dragged towards the door where Number Two was exiting. She made her way towards him by routine memory. She was always near the back of the Academy - where she could see everyone and could also protect their backs. Over a decade later and it was still the position she was going to take.

Seven, One, and Three were on Two’s tail when she finally slid up to them. They quickly set up in their positions. One and Two in front, where they had the most space to move and could make up the physical wall that Three used before she could figure out who to actually Rumor. Seven was pushed into a spot so they could protect her as well. Eight stayed back a couple of steps so she’d have space to Grow. Four, who was running from the house, broke through the ranks with a fire exti-- a fire extinguisher?!? Why? Which he then used on the portal to no effect. When it very obviously didn’t work, he threw it into the portal.

When Eight glanced towards the portal, she saw a man. He was old and grey and she had never seen him before in her life but still. Her heart gave a particularly hard thump and she could swear she knew him. As she continued to watch him, she saw that he was screaming. And that he was getting younger? As the waves of blue were flashing over his face, he went from the original old man back through the ages, flashing back into a young teenager. After his final transformation, he fell face-first onto the ground - as he hit the ground the portal disappeared.

But before he hit, Eight could have sworn…

Fucking fuck. That goddamn hurt.

Five was hoping that he had actually made it because he really didn’t want to have to do that sort of jump again. Nor did he want to attempt that sort of landing again.

As he slowly stood up from where he slammed face-first into the ground, Five took stock of where he was. And while he didn’t necessarily recognize them, he was reassured when one of them said,

“Does anyone else see little Number Five or is that just me?”

Then the actual words the other man uttered registered and he looked down.

“Shit.”

Well, Eight supposed there were weirder things than their 13-year-old brother, who disappeared 17 years ago, popping up on the first day they were all together again from a glowing blue portal in the sky.

She couldn’t think of anything weirder currently but she was sure they existed.

After they collected themselves from his reappearance, they all moved towards the kitchen, slowly trailing after Five.

She was sitting with her back to the door - half an eye on her older siblings, half an eye on her little brother, and trying to calm herself down from the absolute adrenaline rush the last 10 minutes had been.

“The 24th.”

“Of what?”

“March.”

“Good.”

“So, are we gonna talk about what just happened?”

Of course, it was Luther who started the aggressive questioning, like he didn’t remember what an absolute little shit Five was. He was going to take this line of questioning really well.

And there they went, the tallest brother squaring up against the shortest brother.

Despite only catching half of the conversation, she was doing her best to follow along. They were arguing - like usual - about what had happened to Five when he left. She had the hardest time tracking what Five was saying with his tendency to Jump from place to place instead of using his legs.

“- jumping through time is a toss of the dice. Nice dress.”

“Oh, well, danke!”

“Wait, how did you get back?”

“In the end, I had to project my consciousness forward into a suspended quantum state version of myself that exists across every possible instance of time”

“That makes no sense.”

“Well, it would if you were smarter.”

She had to roll her eyes. Even 17 years later and apparently some time travel, and he was still a colossal ass. Then again, her siblings made it super easy.

“How long were you there?”

“45 years. Give or take.”

Well. Holy shit. 45 years…he was 58? Well, he was always an old man in a young body.

“Delores?”

“Guess I missed the funeral.”

“How’d you know about that?”

“What part of future do you not understand? Heart failure, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“No.”

“Hmm. Nice to see nothing's changed.”

And with that glowing review, Five left the room. She wasn’t too surprised. He never really had the temperament to stay long in voluntary family gatherings - especially when the extra-thick duo were really living it up to their title.

When Allison turned back towards the table, she assumed that Five really had left and she shifted to better face the rest of them to keep them in her sights. They were all trading looks.

“Well…”

“That was interesting.”

Idiots.

After that disaster of a full family meeting, she retreated back outside to hide amongst the Green. She most definitely didn’t want to deal with any more people bullshit than she had too and they still had to do the actual funeral. She decided that some meditating was in order and she had made it very clear years ago that to interrupt her meditating time was at their own peril. Of course, that only stopped the lower numbers but the first 4 learned quickly, for the most part.

Too soon really, the rest of her siblings and Mom joined her outside near Ben’s god-awful statue. The weather seemed to mirror the general situation with a rainstorm finally breaking. She moved to stand near Mom to share her umbrella but slowed when Diego’s hands got real close his stupid leather harness.

Instead, she felt Allison come up beside her to share her umbrella with her. She tensed slightly with the close contact but soon relaxed when she realized it was harmless. She moved a little bit closer to her and relaxed as much as she could.

Huh. She still wore the perfume Charlie got her for their 17th birthday. That was…nice.

“Did something happen?”

All of them turned to Mom when she asked that. Charlie felt a pit form in the bottom of her stomach. Mom shouldn’t sound like that and she definitely shouldn’t be questioning what was happening

“Oh. yes, of course.”

Charlie really hated that look on Mom’s face. She never wanted to be the reason why it was put there and she found some more hate for Dad, because of it.

“Yeah, yeah, she’s fine. She just needs to rest. You know, recharge.”

Pogo finally joined them outside and it signaled the start of this shebang.

“Whenever you’re ready, dear boy.”

With a look around at them, Luther took Dad’s urn and upended it...where it piled up on top of the wet ground. Gross.

“Probably would have been better with some wind.”

She only raised an eyebrow at him.

“Does anyone wish to speak?”

She aimed the flattest look she knew how to at Pogo but stayed where she was. Does anyone wish to speak? Of course, she did but could she? Hardly. And none of her siblings offered.

“Very well. In all regards, Sir Reginald Hargreeves made what I am today. For that alone, I shall forever be in his debt. He was my master...and my friend and I shall miss him very much. He leaves behind a complicated legacy--”

“He was a monster. He was a bad person and a worse father. The world’s better off without him.”

“Diego.”

“My name is Number Two. You know why? Because our father couldn’t be bothered to give us actual names. He had Mom do it.”

“Would anyone like something to eat?”

“No, it’s ok, Mom.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Look, you wanna pay your respects? Go ahead. But at least be honest about the kind of man he was.”

“You should stop talking now. I'm warning you.”

And here we go, One vs Two funeral style. She was worried they weren’t going to follow their script. And of course, Diego was the one to actually start the fight. She pulled Allison back to give them some more room to try to bash each other’s heads in. She’d place money on Diego, he’d always been jealous of Luther and could fight at a distance. Luther, despite everything about him, didn’t really like fighting against the family.

“And there goes Ben’s statue.”

Ben’s statue hit the ground with a thud that she could feel and she and Allison turned to go back inside. She had had enough of this crap. They were only in the kitchen when Luther ran past them. Vanya was close behind him. As her siblings streamed past her, she went to the cabinets. Mom always kept some cookies at hand in case any of them needed a case of pick me ups. She didn’t really know when else they would need them. And there they were - chocolate chocolate chip. She plated them and grabbed some milk and glasses. As she sat down at the table, she was surprised by the familiarity of it. They always had their assigned seats and she had just taken her normal spot.

“Nietzsche once said, ‘Man is as a rope stretched between the animal and the superhuman. A rope of the abyss. It is a dangerous crossing, a dangerous looking-back, a dangerous trembling and halting.’”

After dad finished his quote, Seven blew the whistle and the rest of them started their run up the stairs. She was slower than the rest but she was reaching for the Green on the top floor. As soon as she got a good grip on it, she pulled it towards herself and used it to pull herself up. As she was rapidly going up, she saw the tell-tale sign of Five’s Teleporting.

“That’s not fair, Five and Eight are cheating!”

“They adapted.”

She felt bad for her siblings, but she was loving the feel of the tattoo gun. It was a very soothing feeling. But she could see her siblings were hurt from their tattoos or were scared for their turns. She wished that they could like it more or that they didn’t have to get one.

After she sat down with her cookies and milk, Diego led Mom past them - probably towards her charging station. He barely glanced at her and she told him - using her face alone - to fuck right off. She was almost ready to fight him.

Klaus flounced in and sat at the head of the table. He grabbed a couple of cookies from her plate and then drank her milk. She just frowned at him prompting him to flap his Hello hand. With a roll of her eyes, she just refilled their glass. Soon afterward, Five came in and started going through all the cabinets.

“Where’s Vanya?”

“Oh, she’s gone.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Yeah.”

“An entire square block. 42 bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, but no, not a single drop of coffee. And you can shut up.”

He pointed at her and her raised eyebrow. She only shrugged and made a point to use her eyes to point out the fact he was 13 again.

He just rolled his eyes back at her.

“Dad hated caffeine.”

“Well, he hated children, too, and he had plenty of us.”

She really hated to admit that Klaus was right.

“I’m taking the car.”

“Where are you going?”

Both she and Five turned to stare incredulously at Klaus. He was just talking about not having any coffee. Where else was he going to go?

“To get a decent cup of coffee.”

“Do you even know how to drive?”

“I know how to do everything.”

He made another face back at her, cause like hell he knew how to do everything.

The arrogant ass. And then he was gone.

“But then again, I also just kinda want to see what happens.”

“All right, I guess I’ll you guys in, what, ten years? When Pogo dies? You, hopefully, longer still. Or never.”

Diego made his way into the room talking and pointed at her at the end of his sentence. She flipped him off and leaned back in her chair.

“Not if you die first.”

“Yeah, love you too, sis.”

“Good luck on your next film. Hope it turns out better than your marriage, huh?”

She kicked at his ankles for that asshole comment. He flinched back from her and went for his harness. She steadied herself and narrowed her eyes. But then Allison left back into the house and Diego and Klaus went out towards the back door.

She just leaned back in her and closed her eyes. She was so fucking tired of being in this stupid house. She finally decided to just leave. There was nothing, well almost nothing, left for her in this place.

She stood up and washed her dishes, then went to find Mom. She didn’t want to leave before she said hi and bye to her.

As she was walking through the main lobby, she saw Mom’s shadow on the upper levels. As she reached the top of the stairs, she looked around and saw Mom sitting at her charging station. She made her way over to her and sat down next to her.

She held onto Mom’s hand and they sat together staring at her paintings. This, this right here, the calm evenings with Mom, were her favorite parts of this house. She studied Mom’s paintings. She did have some pretty ones. But she knew Mom’s favorite was the portrait of the young lady in the black dress. She sat with Mom until her eyes started to flash blue, signaling her recharging.

She stood up, gave Mom a kiss on her forehead, and left the house.

She arrived home and she could finally relax. Once she was in through the front door, she locked it and slid to the floor. That was...exhausting. She sincerely wished her siblings long lives so she didn’t have to see them again, soon. Knickknack climbed up into her lap. She started to comb her fingers through their fur. She really should take her to get checked out soon, cause she was pretty sure she’d been adopted by this grey cat.

She heaved a sigh and stood up sometime later. She felt like she’d feel better if she completed her evening routine. She grabbed the watering hose, tucked Knickknack up on her shoulder, and started her circle around the store. The Green and Growing would help settle her down. Maybe some actual supper and then a rosewater and lavender bath before she went to bed.

When Knickkack rubbed her head against her chin, she took that as an agreement that it was a good plan.

Hopefully, things were going to go back to normal in the next couple of days.

Next Chapter

#the umbrella academy imagine #tua imagine #the umbrella academy #m's fics #my stuff #tua #hargreeves children #luther hargreeves #diego hargreeves #allison hargreeves #klaus hargreeves #five hargreeves #ben hargreeves #vanya hargreeves #charlie hargreeves #i couldn’t utter it

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creampuffqueen · 4 years

Text

Deep in the Heart of Texas - Two

a/n: I really need to stop writing instead of doing online school. Whatever. This is kind of a filler chapter; things should be getting more interesting soon. I hope y’all enjoy!

Summary: Aelin Galathynius is ready for the best summer of her life. She’s home from college for the summer, and so are all of her friends. Even her cousin is on a break from the military. Everything is set up to be perfect. Until... her mother decides to let the son of an old family friend stay with them while he grieves the loss of a loved one. And Aelin is not going to let a party pooper ruin her summer.

Rowan Whitethorn has just suffered the biggest loss of his life: the death of his long-time girlfriend, Lyria. His family is sick of him moping around his tiny New York apartment, so they ship him down south for the summer. The last thing Rowan wants is to spend his vacation in Nowhereville, Texas, but he has little choice. Not to mention, the only people his age seem to hate him. How on earth is he going to survive 3 months of this?

“Aelin, we’re home!” Evalin trills as she steps inside. Rhoe is behind her, along with Eleanor and Gavriel.

“Uncle Gav! Aunt Ellie!” And Aelin feels like a little kid again, running to her aunt and uncle. Gavriel pulls her into a tight hug while Eleanor kisses her head.

“It’s so good to see you. How’s A&M?” Eleanor asks. Aelin walks her family to the living room, telling them everything. All about the professor she hates (“Maeve is still teaching?” Gavriel snorts), and the friends she’s made, and that crazy end-of-year party she went to.

“Aedion’s out right now.” Aelin tells her aunt before she can ask. Eleanor chuckles, sinking further into the couch.

“Aelin!” Turning to her mother, Aelin gives her a questioning look.

“What?”

“It’s five! We need to go pick up Rowan from the airport.” Evalin stands up, ready to grab her purse and run out again, but Aelin stops her.

“He’s already here, Mom. His flight got moved up and he got here around two o’clock.” Evalin’s eyes widen.

“Why didn’t you text me? And where is he?”

“Sorry, I forgot.” Aelin sighs lamely. “And he’s asleep in his bedroom. He must have been really tired, I haven’t heard a peep from him all afternoon.”

Aelin’s mother sits down again, pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head. Nobody says anything for a long while, until Eleanor stands up suddenly.

“We should get started on dinner, don’t you think? Especially if we have a guest. We don’t want him going hungry, now do we?”

Evalin still doesn’t speak, but she gets up anyway and follows her sister into the kitchen. Leaving Aelin alone with her father and uncle.

“How long are you two in town for, uncle Gav?” She asks.

“I was able to get two weeks off.” Gavriel says with a smile. Eleanor is a teacher, so she’s already off for the whole summer. “We wanted to see y’all before you both went back to school.”

“You remember the Whitethorns, right?” Rhoe interjects. “They’ve been down here a few time when y’all were.”

“How can I forget?” Gavriel chuckles. “I had to scold Aedion for days after he punched one of their kids.”

The two men laugh at old memories, bringing Aelin back, as well. She’d been five years old the first time she met the Whitethorns.

Enda was six and Sellene was seven, and the three of them got on like wildfire. Aelin showed them all over the house, even the cool secret areas in places she wasn’t supposed to go. Rowan and Aedion had trailed behind, seeming to get along just fine.

But then, as Aelin showed them the cool secret alcove in the library, Rowan had threatened to tell on them for being where they weren’t supposed to. He’d barely turned around to get out of the room before Aedion tackled him.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur, and all Aelin remembered after that was turning to Aedion as the Whitethorns’ car pulled out of the driveway and saying, “I’m so glad they’re gone.”

“Aelin! Come help me chop veggies!” Evalin’s voice from the kitchen pulls her from her memories, and she hurries away from the living room, leaving the two men to chat in peace.

“I’m making chicken spaghetti casserole.” Eleanor says from the stove. The water is at a rolling boil, and her aunt quickly drops in the pieces of chicken to cook while Aelin and Evalin cut up the onions and peppers.

It doesn’t take long before it seems like Aelin has been forgiven; or at least, Evalin doesn’t seem too mad anymore. Aelin tells her that Rowan arrived just fine, settled in fine. Like she’s checked on him since then.

She also makes sure to keep some other things to herself. Like how she knows her mother set up a large suite for him, but she gave him the smallest room on purpose. Or that even though she’s determined to hate his guts, Rowan Whitethorn is unfairly hot.

Hot as hell, and also off-limits as hell. After all, he’s here to recover from his girlfriend dying in a car accident. Hitting on him is… probably the opposite of what he needs.

Even if he’s far too attractive for his own good.

Eleanor pulls the chicken from the boiling water and adds the pasta, breaking the noodles in half before she drops them in. Aelin is busy grating cheese now, while her mother sautees the veggies.

Someone comes inside, opening up the creaky screen door and stepping into the entryway. Aelin peeks out of the kitchen to see her uncles, Orlon and Weylan.

“Something smells good.” Orlon laughs, already heading for the kitchen. Aelin meets him halfway, grinning, throwing herself into her great-uncle’s arms.

“You’re home!”

Orlon laughs at that, planting a kiss on Aelin’s golden head. Weylan comes up beside them, giving her a pat on the shoulder. “We’ve barely been gone a week.”

“Well, you missed my coming home party. Everyone was there.” Aelin pouts playfully.

Orlon just keeps smiling, shuffling into the kitchen to snatch a piece of boiled chicken, much to Eleanor’s dismay. She’s busy straining the pasta, getting ready to assemble the casserole and put it in the oven. She slaps Weylan’s hand away before he can take a piece, too.

“Uncle, did Mom tell you that she’s letting a strange man stay in our house?” Aelin asks, grinning fiendishly.

“Aelin,” Evalin sighs, “He’s not a strange man, he’s a family friend.”

“She did tell me.” Orlon chuckles. “Poor sucker.” He uses Eleanor’s distraction to take another piece of chicken, making Aelin’s aunt nearly squawk.

They all fall into conversation easily, the whole family crowding the large kitchen. When Aedion gets back from town, he’s just as excited to see his uncles.

Aelin hadn’t realized how much she missed this; the easy-going personality of Orlon mixed with Weylan’s snark, the laughter of her aunt and uncle, the feeling of togetherness. This, right here, is her family. Her people.

Rhoe pulls a few beers from the fridge, tossing one to Aedion and Gavriel. At Aelin’s protests, he gives her one too.

“I’m twenty-one, Dad. I can drink now.”

“Legally, at least.” Aedion grins. Aelin elbows him sharply, and her cousin doubles over, coughing.

All of the commotion draws Fleetfoot into the kitchen, and nobody can resist her cute begging face. Before Eleanor can get the casserole fixed up properly, the dog has already eaten what seems half the chicken, snuck to her by nearly every person in the room.

Aelin finishes her beer with a contented sigh and tosses the can, heading to set the table at her mother’s insistance. Despite the fact that she’s twenty-one and Aedion is twenty-six, they’re still the youngest members in the house, meaning all the mundane chores get thrown on them.

When the plates and cups and silverware are set, Evalin hands her daughter the cloth napkins. Aelin looks up at her, confused.

“Why are we being all fancy? It’s just us.” She asks.

“Have you already forgotten the guest sleeping upstairs?” Evalin sighs, clearly exasperated. “I want to give him a good impression.”

Aelin rolls her eyes, but sets out the fancy napkins anyway. By her standards, Rowan Whitethorn deserves absolutely none of this fuss. Really, she should have just gone out and gotten them all Whataburger for dinner.

But since she doesn’t have a death wish, Aelin doesn’t talk back to her mother. The napkins get set, the casserole comes out of the oven, piping hot and ready to eat.

“Aedion, go wash up.” Eleanor tells her son. “Aelin, how about you go and get our guest? I’m sure he’s starving by now.”

Aelin trudges up the large staircase, muttering obscenities under her breath.

“What was that?” Her aunt calls back.

“Nothing!” She answers. Screw the stupid mother sense that allows her to hear back-talk from nearly a room away.

Upstairs, Aelin hurries to Rowan’s room, on the furthest side of the house from her own bedroom. She wasn’t exactly lying about all the rooms being taken, but maybe she wasn’t completely truthful, either.

All of her friends stayed for a few days after the party, not ready to head home just yet. They’d spent the days in one room or the other, often accompanied by multiple bottles of wine, and just talked. She felt as though she hadn’t seen her friends in ages, with school just being so busy.

Now, seeing as everyone is finally gone, only a few rooms on the upper floor are taken, truly. Hers, Aedion’s, one for her great-uncles, and one for her aunt and uncle. Her parents’ bedroom is downstairs, leaving several rooms vacant that Rowan could have taken.

However, Aelin didn’t want him anywhere near her, which meant the furthest, smallest bedroom possible. She walks to it quickly, knocking impatiently on the door.

“I’m coming.” A muffled voice on the other side of the door says. Aelin tuts loudly and taps her foot, crossing her arms.

“It’s time for dinner.” Aelin calls.

The door opens, and Aelin hates how she has to look up at the bastard. His silvery hair is mussed, likely from sleeping on it. However, the bags under his eyes suggest otherwise.

“Are you coming?” She snaps. Rowan doesn’t say anything, just steps outside, running a hand through his hair in a failed attempt to tame it. Aelin turns away, feeling warm. He has absolutely no right to be so attractive, and it feels strangely intimate, walking in on him just waking up.

“It’s chicken spaghetti casserole. And the rest of my family is home, so try not to say anything too stupid. In fact, maybe just speak as little as possible.” Aelin leads him downstairs, heading for the dining room.

The less she looks at him, the better.

~~~~

As exhausted as he was, Rowan hadn’t slept a wink. A fact that pains him more and more with each step downstairs. His head feels fuzzy. And hot. Why is it still so fucking hot? How do these people handle it?

“Rowan!” He looks up to see Evalin Galathynius, arms wide open, pulling him into a sudden hug. Rowan tenses up, eyes widening. Over her shoulder, Rowan has a clear view of Aelin snickering at his misfortune.

“Please, come sit.” Another woman, one who looks almost exactly like Evalin, gestures to the large wooden table. Rowan takes a seat awkwardly, trying to force a smile to his face. He fails miserably.

“This is my sister, Eleanor.” Evalin smiles. “And her husband, Gavriel.” She introduces the rest of the people, and all Rowan wants is to go back upstairs and sleep.

The Galathynius family is a sight, that’s for sure. He always thought that Aelin and Aedion looked similar, but looking at Evalin and her sister… they’re practically twins.

At least the food is good. Probably incredibly unhealthy, being mostly pasta and cheese and breadcrumbs, but good. And the other people make up all the conversation, so at least he doesn’t have to speak too much.

If only he didn’t have to speak at all. The dog- what was its name- nudges his legs, and he can hear it panting beneath the table, begging for scraps. He tries his best to push it away discreetly.

“So, Rowan.” Gavriel tries to make friendly conversation, pulling Rowan away from staring at his nearly empty plate. “What’s New York like at this time of the year?”

“Fine.” Rowan doesn’t offer any more information, hoping to keep himself closed off. “And it doesn’t feel like the fires of hell.” He mutters under his breath.

Rhoe Galathynius bursts out laughing. “Ain’t that the truth! Hell, it’s barely June! Only gonna get hotter from here, son.”

Yay.

“I’ll take your plate, Rowan.” Looking up, he sees Aelin giving him a simpering smile, somehow paired with a death glare. He still hasn’t figured out why she hates him so much.

He passes her the dirty plate and silverware, and Aelin moves to offer the same to her uncles. She takes them through to the kitchen, the dog crawling out from under the table to follow her.

“Thank you for making dinner, Mrs. Galathynius.” Rowan says to the woman sitting across from him. She beams.

“Of course, sweetheart. And you can call me Evalin.”

“Anybody want ice cream?” Aelin yells into the dining room. “We got some Blue Bell left!”

Everyone calls back for ice cream, though Rowan is silent. Sure, something cold sounds nice, but he’s already full from dinner. Not that he’s had much appetite lately.

When Aelin returns, the dog yet again on her heels, she’s balancing several bowls of ice cream in both hands, and she places them expertly before her family, a real, genuine smile on her face.

“I hope y’all like it. There’s none left now.” She laughs. Getting a scoop of vanilla on her spoon, she lets the dog lick it off with a smile.

“You don’t want any, Rowan?” Evalin asks sweetly.

“No thanks.” He responds. “I’m already full. And… I’ve had a long day, I think I’m going to bed, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not. Get some sleep.” She smiles.

“You haven’t lived until you’ve tried Blue Bell ice cream, man.” Aedion laughs from his seat. “This is the good shit. Sure you don’t wantney?”

Struggling to understand the thick accent, Rowan shakes his head quickly, offering another apology. He practically sprints upstairs, Aelin’s hysterical laugh ringing in his ears.

Despite it being nearly seven o’clock, the sun is still bright and hot, gleaming through the windows onto his bed.

Rowan flops down onto the comforter, wincing as he lands onto the patch of burning sunlight. Rolling over, he reaches for his phone of the nightstand.

Several missed texts and calls from friends and family meet him. Enda and Sellene’s are most prominent, wanting to make sure he’s arrived safely. There’s one or two alerts from his parents, just confirming his thoughts that they’ve shipped him down here to get him out of their hair, not because they’re worried for him, and then several from his friends, Fenrys and Lorcan.

In fact, right as he unlocks his phone, he gets another call from Fenrys. With a sigh, he answers it.

“Oh shit! He’s alive!” Fenrys chuckles, and Rowan can practically hear the troublemaking grin.

“Yeah, whatever. What do you want?”

“I’m checking in, man.” Fenrys says. “How’s the lone star state?”

“I’m literally sleeping on the set of Gone with the Wind, so…”

His friend laughs at that. “Well, at least you get to to sit around and drink beer and see hot women all day.”

Something in Rowan’s heart tugs violently, and he brushes it off with a laugh that sounds forced, even to his own ears.

“No, it’s too fucking hot to go outside. It was seriously almost 100 degrees this afternoon, and it’s only going to get hotter as summer goes on. I’m not going to survive the heat.”

“Well, man, you’re in luck.” Fenrys says. “Because if you’re stuck inside all day, at least you’ll have friends.”

“The only people my age in this awful town hate me.” Rowan snaps. “What are you planning, Fen?”

“How about Lorcan tells you.” His friend nearly cackles. Rowan hears the sound of the phone being passed over.

“Hey, Ro.” Lorcan sighs. “I can’t believe I let Fen talk me into this. Even Connall managed to resist him.”

“What’s going on.” Rowan asks, suspicious.

“I am currently holding two plane tickets to Houston, Texas!” Fenrys cheers. “We’re coming down to cheer you up!”

“What the hell.” Rowan groans. “Did either of you think this through at all? Where are you even staying?”

“We’ll figure that out tomorrow.” Fenrys calls, Lorcan having put the phone on speaker.

Of course. Fenrys’s family is filthy rich, so he clearly has the idea to just find a hotel nearby and crash, not caring about expenses. Although Rowan is touched his friends care enough to come all the way down to see him, he can already tell this is going to go badly. Very badly.

“All the nearby hotels are shitty.” Rowan tells him. “So just warning you. Everything in this stupid state is dusty and hot and ugly.”

Lorcan says something, but is interrupted by a loud knock on Rowan’s door.

“Hang on; I’ll call you back.” Fenrys protests, but Rowan doesn’t listen, just hanging up the call.

He walks over to the door, trying to reign in his groan. Why can’t he just be left alone?

It’s Aelin at the door, of course. It seems she’s taken it upon herself to personally torment him.

“I’m just letting you know, we have church in the morning. We leave at nine o’clock. If you need some nicer clothes, just take some of Aedion’s. You know, since this whole state is dusty and hot and ugly.”

Rowan groans at her words. Of course she heard him. Before he can say anything more, Aelin shuts the door, hard.

He’s been here for less than twenty-four hours, and yet he’s already messed something up.

Typical.

~~~~

a/n: so, in Rowan’s POV, I made sure to add a bunch of words and vocab not included in Aelin’s. Why? Because a Southern accent is something else, man. Of course Rowan’s going to notice it more, not being from the south, while Aelin has been listening and speaking like that her whole life. Also, the ‘wantney’ wasn’t a typo. Saying ‘want any’ out loud with my own southern voice smushed the words together, so I decided to do that here.

Comment to be added/removed from the tag list!

@http-itsrebecca

@rowaelinforeverworld

#throne of glass #tog #tog au #rowaelin #sarah j maas #sjm #aelin galathynius #rowan whitethorn #fenrys moonbeam #lorcan salvaterre #aedion ashryver #southern au #tog southern au

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talpup · 4 years

Text

Crossroads:3

Summary: Loss will make a person do terrible things they never thought themselves capable of doing. Things like wanting the mobsters responsible for your little brothers death to pay so badly you’ll summon a Demon to make it happen.

Maya did just that, but little did she know that the Demon would ask for her soul as the price. Or that when she refused give it to him, he would put her in the path of someone possibly much worse.

Kai is offering to help her but what he wants is so much more than her soul. He wants her everything.

Please remember, this fic is rated explicit and has warnings of sex, violence, and other possible triggers.

***If you prefer reading off AO3 here’s the link for that: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23565748/chapters/57546442

3.1

Kai woke up in his bed. It had been his first full nights sleep all week. He had never felt so rested. Slept so well. And he was sure that that had more to do with who was sleeping beside him than the comfort of his own bed.

Maya. She was so beautiful. But more than her pretty looks, she had a tender heart and was fiercely loyal. The perfect woman for him and the new wholesome world he wanted to create.

His hand reached out fingers gathering and relishing soft, shining hair. Though still asleep, she had seemed to sleep better too. Instead of her usual fidgeting and moaning, she was quiet beside him. The thought of making her moan and writhe for far more pleasant reasons filled his mind.

He felt his morning wood harden further in impatient wanting. But such delights would have to wait. He had a meeting early this morning.

Getting up, Kai showered and dressed, leaving the still sleeping Maya with kiss to her brow and note on the bedside. He would've loved to have her seated beside him, or better yet on his lap while he worked; but that was another thing that would just have to wait. Patience. Kai told himself. Like with remaking the world into a better, clean one; he would have to be patient with his darling.

It was far better to go slow and have her bend willingly to his desires than to demand everything at once and chance breaking her to bring her to heel. She was far too precious. Too perfect to chance crushing the proud, fierce flame that had first intrigued him.

The morning meeting had gone smoothly. Yet despite that Kai found himself more irritable than usual. He kept on getting distracted while he worked. Thoughts of Maya filled his mind. It was like that constant running loop she talked about of her brother’s death; only his was of her and far more alluring.

His gloved fingers rubbed together imagining her silken hair. He breathed deeply. His nose barely registering the sterile smell of the clean plague mask. His mind conjuring her scent.

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.

“Kai.” Hari entered the office.

“Where’s Maya?”

The abrupt question gave Hari mental pause though his answer was immediate. “In the library reading.”

“I want her brought here. She can sit just as comfortably in that sofa while I work.” Kai said without looking up from the orders he was signing.

Hari looked at the couch to the right. A sitting area in the office that included a large sofa, two club chairs, and a coffee table. He was sure the seating would be just as comfortable as that in the library; but wasn’t sure if the woman herself would be. But that wasn’t his concern. His job was to follow orders. And so he would fetch the pretty, young woman Kai had chosen as his own and bring her to the boss.

But first he had new to deliver. “It’s done.”

Gold eyes lifted for the first time since Hari had entered. Kai set down the fountain pen, lacing gloved fingers.

In office Kai wore the more ornate plague mask. A far more fearsome sight that the simple dust mask. Hari found himself wondering if the woman upstairs had seen Kai in it. Granted Kai’s physique and piercing eyes made the man imposing as it was but...

“Would you like me to bring it now?” Hari questioned.

Kai thought a moment. He remembered what Maya had said last night about waiting the previous day for news that never came. How she had gotten ever more down and upset as the day progressed. After what he had told her last night, she would undoubtedly be even more excited today. The longer he waited, the more she would pout, and the more grateful she would be when the reveal was made.

“No. Let’s wait.”

Hari raised an eyebrow but didn’t question.

Maya was brought in. The dim, windowless room immediately brightened at her appearance. Her eyes widened at the first sight of him. She jumped slight, turning back when the door shut behind.

They were alone and Kai couldn’t help but smile behind his mask thinking of the things he could do to her. He could take her and break her. With no family to speak of no one would come looking. His men certainly wouldn’t say a thing.

The thought of bending her over and pounding into her as she screamed had his cock quickly tenting his pants. His legs widened beneath the desk. His eyes flicked down for an instant imagining her on her knees between them, tears streaming down as he mercilessly…

“Kai? You wanted to see me?”

Kai banished the arousing thoughts. Maya was more than some play thing. While he would have her over his desk and swallowing his dick, there was an order to these things. The woman that was to be his mate should have a much sweeter first time than some rough desk sex. He needed to show he that she wasn’t just roll in the hay. That she was to be his queen. And that so long as she behaved and denied him nothing. He would always treat he as such and give her everything.

Maya looked around the office. She was both hopeful and unnerved. She hoped he had called her in here because one of the men who had killed her brother were dead. She had said she wanted to see them; and while still true, she found her stomach clenching at the thought of seeing another dead body. Yet it was Kai’s mask that unnerved her even more. It was both scary and beautiful. Kind of like the man himself. Even as she scanned the room she was acutely aware of it and him.

“Sit down on the couch.”

“Huh?” Maya turned back to him. She didn’t know what she had been expecting but sitting down on the sofa certainly hadn’t been it.

Kai’s eyes sharpened. “Sit. Down.”

His tone and gaze almost had her sitting in place on the floor. She blamed it on the mask and setting. Kai was a formidable man as it was. His deep voice commanding. But seeing him seated behind a large desk, dressed to the nine’s with a plague doctor's mask on… It both scared, compelled, and somehow aroused.

Kai watched her move to the sofa, admiring the way her hips swayed. He wished the dress was tighter and his pants looser. Cursing his insatiable need he straightening in his seat.

Kai nodded, pleased at her expectant expression. “Just sit there and read your book, Darling. I got work to do.”

Maya blinked, fiddling with the books pages as Kai picked up a pen and focused his attention on whatever was in front of him. So this wasn’t about seeing the body of one of her brother’s killers? Kai had gotten up her hopes she just so he could what? Have some company? Something pretty to look at? She wasn’t even all that pretty compared to city girls she had seen.

She had never had money for rouge or make-up of any kind to enhance her features. And out of everything Kai had gotten for her, cosmetics hadn’t been one. She supposed that meant he either liked her looks or disliked cosmetics; possibly both given his affinity for cleanliness and constant touching of her. It couldn’t have been because the item was too personal. He had stocked her wardrobe with far more personal things.

Not just undergarments, but underclothes that were meant to be seen. Her hand flattened against her chest. There was no doubt in her mind that Kai would eventually want to see those intimates he paid for. And not just folded in some drawer.

Though she missed the natural light of the library, the sofa was just as comfortable. Several times throughout the day she caught Kai staring. Then again she had often found herself staring at him. But unlike her, when she caught Kai watching he didn’t look quickly away. Invariably she was the one who shifted her gaze as if it had been her caught gawking while Kai continued to shamelessly stare.

After lunch they had returned to Kai’s office and the rest of the day progressed much as the morning had. When one of Kai’s men entered Maya got to her feet.

“Where are you going?” Kai’s golden eyes locked on her.

Maya’s eyes darted from him, to the man, the door, and then back. “Don’t you want some privacy?”

“Do you think I forgot you’re there? If I wanted you to leave I would've said so. Sit down. Don’t presume to know what I want without my say.”

Maya’s teeth gritted together. How dare he speak to her like some ranch pet.

“Maya.” Kai arched an eyebrow.

He saw her expression diminish from boiling anger, to simmering ire, then tepid resignation. It wasn’t the immediate demure acceptance he wanted. But it was a start and had happened all without further word of warning from him.

Her show of constraint pleased him and he smiled behind his mask. “I’ll tell you if you ever need to step out of a room. But I assure you, those instances will be rare.”

Maya wasn’t sure how she felt about being included in his meetings. Was Kai trying to incriminate her so he had something over her head? But wouldn’t wanting her brother’s killers be enough? Maybe he was just really lonely and needed a friend. She knew he wanted her physically. But sex didn’t require the man to give up his bed, buy her more clothes than she could wear in a year, and have her sit with him all day in his office.

From the interactions she had seen between him and his men, Hari was the closest person Kai had to having an actual friend. And she certainly wouldn’t call them that. They were more like a strict, somewhat appreciative boss and an insanely loyal Lieutenant. It wasn’t like she could disparage Kai for his closed off nature. Other than her brother she didn’t have any close friends to speak of either. Friendly neighbors and co-workers. Yes. But no real friends. Maybe Kai’s interest was less about sex and more about friendship? The thought both soothed and worried her for a myriad of reasons.

It was near dinner time when another knock sounded on the door. Kai had noticed Maya’s growing dejection throughout the day. The way she watched the ticking grandfather clock and heaved a heavy sigh. The slight down turn of her lips and cute little pout.

She had yet to question him about the matter at all today, which made him immensely proud. But he wanted further proof of her trust in him. That she had complete faith that he would keep his word. That she knew without doubt that he would do as he said and provide for her every need.

“Enter.” Kai called.

Hari entered carrying a tray with a dome covered lid.

Maya sat up, closing the book. “We’re eating in here?”

“Set it on the desk and stay.” Kai instructed Hari. He turned to Maya. “You haven’t asked about the filth my men were tracking. Have you given up hope?”

Maya frowned. What was she to say? Yes? A part of her had given up hope. But after spending the day in Kai’s office she was even more certain that Kai wasn’t only capable of doing what he promised but that he would keep his promise.

She shook her head. “No. That isn’t it at all.”

“Then what is it my dear?”

“I trust you.” Catching herself she amended. “I trust you to do as you said.”

But the first words had already settled in and taken root. Kai had barely heard the correction. He smiled, heart thudding faster in his chest. This was it. She had waited patiently all day trusting him to deliver. And now she would get what she had asked and he would reap the benefits. She would be so happy. Grateful. For his generous gift that she would fall into his arms with love and thanksgiving. She would know without a doubt that he would protect and provide for her. That they were perfect for each other. Meant to rule the new clean world he was building. She would accept him and be his. There would be no need for force. Her spirit and drive would remain intact, and his to enjoy and direct as he willed.

He lifted a beckoning hand to her. “Come here, Darling. I got a surprise for you.”

Maya rose and stepped closer.

Kai rolled back his chair. “Over here.”

She glanced at Hari who stood in front of Kai’s desk, inspecting her out of the corner of his eye. She was even less sure what to make of the Lieutenant than she was of Kai. At least Kai seemed to have a will of his own. But Hari. She had no idea what the man wanted passed his desire to serve Kai. She wondered what Hari thought of her. Of all of this. Surely his loyalty to Kai still allowed for some personal opinions on the matter.

She shivered. The thought that that would be her if she stayed here any longer crossed her mind. Would she turn into some servant doing as Kai bid without any sign of freewill or personal thought? She had already spent the entire day in this windowless office, sitting on the couch all day in fancy clothes more suited for a night out than day lounging around the house. And for what? So Kai could have some company. Something pretty to look at.

Impatient Kai reached out as soon as Maya was close enough and tugged.

His touch wrenched her out of her thoughts. She gasped. The urge to pull back was great but she forced herself not to. Kai didn’t like it when she shrunk away from his touch. She highly doubted he would like her jerking back. Especially with one of his men standing right there. Though he had never been violent with her. She couldn’t imagine that Kai’s response would be kind and understanding if she pulled away from him.

Kai’s gloved fingers caressed over her skin. “I have a gift for you, Sweetheart.”

“Kai…” Maya shook away the plethora for arguments and settled on the weakest denial sure to please him. Damn it. Maybe she was already well on her way to becoming like Hari and the rest of Kai’s men. “You shouldn’t have. You’ve already given me so me.”

Kai’s slight frown turned up into a smile. He had seen the contention in her eyes and was glad to see that she had once again reigned herself in. He was happy he had kept Hari here, to see just how perfect and accepting his darling was. He didn’t need the man’s approval; but he knew how much Hari cared. Seeing Maya behave so well would surly quell any doubts Hari had that he would never dare voice.

“You deserve it all and more.” Kai assured the object of his obsession. “Come.” He pulled gently on her wrist. “Sit on my lap so I can give you your surprise.”

Maya’s eyes widened at that. Surly he couldn’t mean--

Kai’s eyes darkened. “Come now, Darling. Don’t make me repeat myself. You know how I hate that.”

Her eyes met his. The gold edging of the plague mask made his golden hues all but glow. She swallowed, turning and sitting on his knee.

Kai wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back fully on his lap.

Maya let out a stifled squeak.

“There.” Kai breathed, the days tension easing from his shoulders. “Isn’t this better.”

It was a statement not question. And Maya was grateful for that, not sure if she could've come up with an answer that didn’t offend.

“You’re so light, you could sit on my lap all day while I worked.” His other hand came to rest on her knee. “Would you like that, Beautiful? To keep me warm while I worked.”

Maya’s legs squeezed together. “You’re definitely harder than the sofa.”

“You have no idea, my sweet.” Kai chuckled. His hand glided up her thigh bunching the hem of her dress.

“Ka--”

“Shh…” Kai hushed, fingers trailing under the fabric.

She shivered, glancing at Hari whose eyes were now focused on the floor, head lowered. She would clearly be getting no help from him.

Kai’s fingers hooked around her garter, finally feeling the smooth tender flesh of her leg instead of silken hose. Maybe he should tell Hari to leave. Have Maya prove just how good and grateful she was before giving her her present.

Her breath caught. She had to grab her own hand to stop it from grabbing and stopping Kai’s. This was payment for justice, she told herself. But Kai hadn’t delivered on any of that her mind argued. He had said his men were close and ready to strike but there was still nothing. She would have to go to bed another night while the scum that took her sweet brother’s life…

“May I asked what the surprise is?”

Kai’s hand left her leg to smooth her hair. “So eager for me.”

Maya tried to ignore the bill of the plague mask that hovered over her shoulder and slid the skirt of her dress back down. She tensed even more as he shifted her. There was a definite bulge pressed against her ass.

“Go ahead, Darling. You know I can’t deny you a thing.” Kai made a gesture.

Hari stepped forward. He lifted the covered platter and set it right in front of her. He wasn’t sure about this. Seeing dead bodies in the street while cowering from a hail of bullets was one thing. But this… This was different.

He wouldn’t go so far as to dare think this a mistake. Kai never made mistakes. But a part of him did wonder if this was a slight miscalculation on his boss’ part. He didn’t know Maya half as well as Kai did but he truly didn’t think the woman was ready this.

“Go ahead, Darling.” Kai’s gold eyes watched Maya’s shining tresses fall through his gloved fingers. “Open it. Lift the lid.”

It was a covered food tray. Nothing to be afraid of. And yet Maya’s hand shook. Summoning her nerve her hand reached out. Fingers wrapped around the shimmering knob. The polished silver surface warped her and Kai’s reflection. For a moment she swore she saw an actual beaked monster behind her rather than a handsome masked man.

Laughter joined the deafening bang of bullets and terrified screams that constantly echoed in her head. Dabi’s laughter. She shook her head and lifted the lid. A new sound assaulted her ears. A crash and cries. This wailing far louder and more present than the memory that looped in her mind.

Maya barely registered that the crash was from her dropping the heavy dome lid. And the shrieks still ringing in her ears were her own. She wasn’t sure which happen first. Her shooting to her feet. Or clamping her hands over her mouth.

The screaming stopped.

A head. Kai had given her a head!

Unsteady feet had her tripping to the floor. Her heart battered her chest attempting to break free. Break free! She needed to break free. She had to get away from that—that thing. And the severed head on his desk.

“Maya.” Kai rose up.

Maya crawled back.

Kai stalked after her. “Stop this nonsense. I gave you what you wanted. Be grateful.”

Grateful! Grateful for what? That he hadn’t cut off her head and served it up on a platter.

She back into something and spun around as if it were an attacker. Seeing the coffee table, she got to her knees and pushed herself up on wobbly legs.

“That’s better.” Kai’s knuckles brushed down her back.

“Don’t touch me!” She would’ve lashed out. Almost did. But something in Kai’s expression stopped her short.

This wasn’t the kind of man that would take that kind of slight without responding in kind. Especially while one of his men were there.

Kai grabbed her by the arms.

Maya winced at the bruising grip.

“Is this not what you wanted, Darling? You wanted the men dead. Wanted to see them. I only gave you what you wanted.”

Her eyes squeezed shut. Even though the lid now covered the gruesome sight, she could still see it. Hear the clatter of the lid as she dropped it. Hear the screams. Her screams. No. This might’ve been what she asked for but this wasn’t what she wanted. More than that…

Her eyes opened. “He wasn’t there!”

Kai’s golden orbs bore into hers. “What’s that, Sweetheart?”

“I remember everything about that day. Every scream and cry for help. Every face. He wasn’t one of them. That man--” She shook her head. “That face! It wasn’t there.”

Kai’s hands eased their grip. His darling wasn’t ungrateful. Only concerned that they had gotten the wrong man and an innocent had been murdered.

Pulling her into an embrace, Kai assured. “I’m aware of that, my Love. But those men are higher up Shigaraki’s chain. They will take time to find and take out. This man worked for Shigaraki too. He’s no innocence.”

“I don’t care about your sick little plan to cleanse the world!”

Kai pulled back.

A sharp, loud slap sounded in the confined space.

Maya held her burning cheek.

Kai’s other hand lifted to hold his own, as if slapping her had somehow hurt him. “You will not speak like that again. Not just to me. But ever. My plan is for the greater good. For us.”

“Us? There is no us! There never was. I’ve known you for a week. And now, I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to forget I ever met you.”

Kai watched Maya make for the door.

Hari stepped in her way.

Maya did her best not to tremble. “Tell him to move, Kai. Please.”

Still so polite despite this little spat. Hurt and disappointed as Kai was he took solace in that. His darling still loved him. Still cared. She was just frightened. Upset. He should've been more certain she could handle such a sight. Should’ve told her that it would take more time to get to the men that had killed her brother.

“Where are you going?”

“Home.” Maya hated the pleading sound of fear in her voice. As if she were asking more than saying.

Kai gave Hari a nod.

Surprised as Hari was, he moved out of Maya’s way.

She door opened. The sound of her racing footfalls echoed back to them.

“Shall I have her stopped at the door?” Hari questioned, wondering what had come over Kai to let her leave.

“No. Take the car. Follow her home. Make sure no one touches her. Let her see that she has nowhere else to go.”

3.2

Maya had gotten off the bus just outside the town she had grown up in. Turning away from the sleepy little place she walked the dirt road that would take her home. Just the thought lifted and crushed her heart. The place was filled with memories of a brother whose voice and laughter would never fill the place again. Whose sunny presence would never--

“Back so soon, Dollface?”

Maya spun around swinging. She hadn’t meant to. It was purely reactionary. Despite the twenty minute wait at the station and two hour bus ride, she was still on edge and afraid.

Her hand hit nothing. She blinked in the half moonlight, looking about. She saw Dabi a few feet away smiling.

“You really are a spitfire, aren’t you, Sweetheart. Can’t say a human has ever tried to hit me before.”

“Then I must be the first human you’ve ever met.”

Dabi laughed. “Glad to see your short time with Kai hasn’t dulled that sharp tongue of yours.”

Maya sucked in a breath, eyes widening at the sliver stud she saw when the Demon stuck out his own tongue.

Dabi grinned, turquoise eyes glowing. “You like that?”

He licked around his lips, the piercing glinting in the moonlight.

Maya stared wondering how she hadn’t noticed the thing before. Then again she didn’t go around paying attention to other peoples tongues.

“You’ll like it even more once you feel it.”

“I don’t like it. And I don’t want to feel it.”

Dabi crossed his arms. “Well that’s just rude.”

Maya continued walking to her home. “Sorry. It’s been that kind of day.”

“Didn’t like Kai’s gift?”

Maya spun around. “What do you know of it?”

“Just that a severed head isn’t exactly that kinda gift I would give my woman.”

She made a face and turned back, kicking up dirt as she walked.

Dabi appeared right beside her, and matched her steps. “Care to know what kind of gift I’d get you?”

“No.”

“Come on, Dollface! You know I’d spoil you rotten.”

“You’re rotten and I’m not anything of yours to spoil.”

“You’re right. It’s best that you don’t know. It’ll ruin the surprise.”

“I’ve had enough surprises for a lifetime.” Maya muttered.

Keen ears hearing Dabi smiled. “Then it’s a good thing you wouldn’t be alive to receive my many gifts if you chose me.”

“Chose you? This isn’t some silly, twisted romance!”

“You’re right there, Sweetheart. It’s so, so much more.” Dabi looked her over.

“Stop looking at me like that!”

“There’s nothing wrong with looking.”

“At least you can’t touch.”

“The Witch tell you that?” Dabi questioned.

Maya’s head turned. “It’s true. Isn’t it?”

Dabi’s head moved side to side. “Depends on what you mean by touch?”

“Why am I even asking you. You’d just lie.”

“Now there’s where you got it wrong, Darling. I can flat out lie.”

“Well you certainly lied when you did whatever you did that had me suddenly in the city getting mowed down by Kai.”

“What? Was he not so taken with you that he offered to give you your so call justice?”

“It is justice. And he was more than taken. He was obsessed.”

“Obsessive people attract obsessive people.”

Maya stopped in her tracks. “What’s that suppose to mean?”

“Exactly that, Doll. How many people do you know would summon a demon to help them off eight men?”

“Eight mobsters! Mobsters that shot up a street and killed innocent people. That killed my brother and walked away without the cops doing a thing!”

“And I’m sure Kai can reason out his obsession for you just as eloquently.” Dabi shrugged.

“You’re insufferable. What happened to ‘see you in three months’?”

“Just checking in. Reminding you of my offer. All you gotta do is say my name.”

“I’m not giving you my soul.”

“So you rather give it to Kai?”

“No.”

“That’s basically what he’ll demand, Sweetheart. And trust me when I say that he won’t ask half as nicely as I have.”

Maya rubbed her cheek remembering Kai’s slap. It hadn’t been hard enough to mark. More of a sting and surprise. But it had certainly left it’s mark in other ways.

“I’m not going back to him.”

“Then where will you go?” Dabi questioned, eyes taking on an eerie light.

“Home.”

“Good luck with that.” Dabi laughed. Before she could say anything he asked. “And what about your revenge.”

“Justice.” Maya corrected. She resumed walking, calling over her shoulder. “I’ll figure out my own way to see it done.”

She felt a moment of relief when Dabi didn’t follow. But that quickly disappear, faster than the Demon had, when she turned at the meeting of roads. The towering trees and scrub brush along the roadside had hidden the sight from view. But not anymore.

Maya stood in the middle of the crossroads. The half moon shined down on the empty space where her home had been. The house was gone. Sparse skeletal remains of support beams were all that remained. The moonlight casting long shadows of the chard, leaning wooden.

She fell to her knees. She didn’t care about losing her stuff. But her brother’s. That was all she had left of him.

She carried a small photograph of him in her wallet but that had been left at home the night she had gone out to summoned a demon. It was gone. All of it was gone. Every last thing she had of him cinder and ash. She literally had nothing left but her vengeance now. And vengeance was exactly what it was.

No longer did she want the men who had killed her brother just to die for their sins for justices sake. She wanted them to suffer. To make them hurt. Make them pay. And there was only one way she could achieve that. Only one man who could and would help her. Who had said he would deny her nothing.

Dabi had said Kai would basically demand her soul. But giving her soul up for the rest of her life was better than giving up her soul for eternity. Right.

Depending on your view, good or bad stuff going down next chapter. Things are about to get complicated, and spicy.

If you enjoyed reading this at all please comment and let me know. Since I post for free, think of it as nice way of leaving a tip. And since comments are the only thing that encourages me to keep editing and posting, it’s also a benefit for you.

Thank you to those who have left hearts. And a VERY special thank you to those who have recently left comments or re-blogged. They REALLY mean a lot.

As always, an extra special thank you to @inorganicone2230 for their encouragement and friendship, and reading through the first half of this chapter. This fic started as an idea back in January when they said they’d like to see me write a Kai centered fic. Through their questions and inspiration Crossroads became a fleshed out story. They even came up with the title and female insert/oc’s name. I might be the one writing this fic; but it’s as much theirs as it is mine. It probably wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for them. It certainly wouldn’t be happening this soon if it weren’t for them.

Taglist: @shadynebula

#bnha #kai chisaki #chisaki kai #yandere!overhaul #hari kurono #dabi my hero academia #1920s #yandere #fanfic #my hero academia #crossroads

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saxxxology · 5 years

Text

What Goes Bump in the Night - 4

PAIRING: Alpha!Sam x Omega!Reader WARNINGS: a/b/o dynamics, Victorian social dynamics, allusions to non-consent and dubious consent, dominance/submission, slow burn with eventual smut, suspense/horror/gore themes.

THIS WORK IS 18+ ONLY. DO NOT REPOST MY WORK ON ANY OTHER SITES.

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Sam takes you on a short tour of the house the following morning. The living room and dining room you’ve already seen, but he shows you the library, the writing room, and the kitchen. The basement door is large, wide enough to fit four Sam-sized men shoulder to shoulder. The same sigil Sam bears is carved at chest height, lined with red paint to make it all the more obvious that it’s a room not to be entered by any ordinary person. There’s a heavy chain and padlock on the door, evidently put there to keep any over-curious persons out.

Sam tells you that he’ll be back by late afternoon and leaves you standing in the living room, still dressed in your nightgown. You’re alone with the entire house and grounds to yourself.

You spend most of the day in the library, poring over the books that you can reach. Most of them are science-related, and it takes a while for you to find something illustrated that you can follow. The title reads On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, written by Charles Darwin.

By the time the sun dips below the horizon, you’re starting to grow tired. All you’ve eaten is a slice of bread and an apple, and you’re longing for some of the perfectly cooked meat you’d enjoyed the night before. Sleep is quick to take over, however, and before you know it, you’re fast asleep, Darwin’s book open on your stomach.

Sam, Dean, and John get home just before dinnertime. The first place Sam checks for you is the library. John and Dean stop dead in their tracks when they see you stretched out on the couch, fast asleep with one of the most complex books of the century open on your lap. Sam, on the other hand, feels his heart warm at the sight. It’s a strange feeling he’s not sure he’s comfortable with.

“Ahh, the bitch can read,” John mutters.

Sam bristles at the insult, but replies with a level tone. “I wasn’t aware she could. Much less Darwin, at any rate.” He steps towards the couch, closing the book before lifting your sleeping body into his arms. “I’ll take her upstairs,” he says, “keep her out of our way while we work.”

***

You wake up in Sam’s bed. He’s sitting beside you, dressed in his usual nightshirt, newspaper open on his lap. He feels you move and looks down, smiling.

“You’re awake,” he murmurs. “It’s later. I’ve brought you something to eat.”

You stretch and look over at the table. It’s not much, just a bowl of what looks like soup, some bread, and a cup of tea. The same as the night he’d brought you home. “What time is it?”

Sam glances at the nightstand clock. “Nearly ten. You’ve been asleep since I got back a few hours ago. Did you have a good day?”

You shrug and sit up. “Just read, mostly. I didn’t think I’d fall asleep.”

Sam chuckles and holds up the book as you climb out of bed. “I brought the book up, if you enjoyed reading it.”

You spoon soup into your mouth and chew slowly. “Thank you.”

His nostrils flare, and for a second, you see his eyes soften. “You’re welcome,” he replies. “How did you learn to read in the first place? Most Omegas don’t get an education.”

“Had to,” you reply quietly, “living on the streets was hard, but I didn’t have much to do. Sometimes I’d sneak copies of the newspaper and practice, and I knew enough from when my mother used to read to me.”

Sam notices your eyes grow foggy at the mention of your mother. “When did she die?”

“When I was five. She got sick with a fever and died two days later.” you swallow thickly and look down at your hands. “I haven’t thought about her in a long time.”

Sam sighs heavily. “My mother died too. I was six months old, I don’t remember her. I don’t even have a picture.” He issues a soft chuckle. “Guess I have more in common with you than I thought.”

You silently finish eating and retreat to the bathroom to clean your teeth. Sam follows, stepping into your place after you’ve washed your face and twisted your hair into a braid. He comes back to bed and climbs in beside you, reaching for the book.

“Where did you leave off?” he asks, “I can read to you, if you’d like.”

You’re slightly taken aback by the sudden kindness. It’s strange, you’re used to him being rough and callous, more of a bully than a caring mate. Nevertheless, you slip the covers over your shoulders and give a short nod. “Yes, please.”

He opens the book to where you’d left off and begins reading. His voice is soothing, and you close your eyes, listening for several minutes as he reads slowly and clearly.

Sam only gets five pages in before you’re asleep again. He marks the page, sets the book on the nightstand, and turns out the light before lying down. Slowly, so as not to wake you, he shifts closer, laying his head on your pillow. You instinctively snuggle close in your sleep, and he chuckles softly through his nose.

“Sleep well, Omega,” he whispers.

***

You adjust to life at the Winchester house rather quickly. Sam and his family work a lot, more often than not late into the night, but Sam always makes time for you before you go to sleep. You find that Sam reading to you is more comforting than anything, and it becomes a routing for you to wake alone, spend your day reading or walking in the gardens (which happen to be quite full of fragrant herbs and fruit trees), and be with Sam for a brief, tense time after the sun goes down.

On the fifth night of your stay, you’re woken by the sound of a gate creaking open. Sam’s not in bed, and his spot is cold. Voices echo from the courtyard, and you slip out of bed and go to the window, peering down into the back garden.

All three men are awake and fully dressed. Two other men stand with them, conversing urgently in low voices. There’s a horse-drawn cart in the middle of the lane, and something in the back is covered in a thick, black blanket. John steps forward, lifts a corner of the blanket, and peers inside. It’s too dark to see the expression on his face, but you know the situation is urgent.

He motions for the boys to lift what lies underneath the blanket onto a large stretcher. It takes both of them, plus the two other men, to lift it. They disappear under the terrace, and you hear the back door open, the sound of feet shuffling, and then the door closing.

Suddenly afraid, you slip back into bed. Sam’s told you that the family dwells in the darker areas of science, but what had lain underneath the cart was large, evidently bigger than Sam, who stands several inches above almost everybody else you’ve ever seen.

You draw the covers up as the voices rise, then fall. The back door closes, and minutes later, you hear the sound of the cart rolling down the gravel path, and the screech of the iron gates as they close.

Sam doesn’t come back to bed.

***

Two weeks after you come to stay at the Winchester house, the three men are set to go to a party. Sam tries to explain what it is, and you eventually gather that it's more of a dinner for fellow scientists than an actual party. He warns that he’ll be back late and not to wait up for him. The sun’s already down by the time the trio leaves, and there’s not much else to do than eat a quick dinner, take a bath, and go to sleep. You leave the oil lamp on; you always do if Sam’s not there with you.

You’re awoken in the early hours of the morning by the sound of the front door slamming shut. Footsteps hit heavy on the stairs, and moments later, the door swings open. Sam stumbles in, his shirt half untucked, one shoulder of his jacket ripped. His lower lip is split, too. He’s been fighting.

“‘Mega.” He’s drunk. You can smell the liquor on him.

“Sam.” You tense as he approaches the bed. “D-did you have a good time?”

He grumbles and crawls onto the mattress, watching you like a tiger stalking its prey. Without warning, he pulls the covers off your body, grabs your ankles, and drags you down underneath him. His hands slide up under your nightdress, brazenly grabbing handfuls of your ass as he ruts himself between your legs. He’s half-hard, you can feel the line of his half-hard dick pressing through his pants.

“Sam,” you try to struggle out from underneath him, “don’t, please...”

“Shut… up…” his voice is a slurred mess; he’s probably so far gone he doesn’t even know what he’s doing.

He lets out a groan and settles over you, one leg between your thighs. His hips push against your belly, grinding in unsteady, lust-driven movements. The sounds leaving his throat are more like an animal’s, and you close your eyes, letting him take control.

Fortunately, Sam’s inebriation takes over, and with a final shove of his hips against your body, he goes still, snores filling the room mere seconds later.

He’s passed out.

You slide out of the bed, trying to keep your sobs quiet. You need to get out, to get somewhere where Sam can never find you again. Racing down the staircase, you head straight towards the front door, not caring if you’re barefoot. You grab hold of the handle and yank.

Locked.

“Well, well, well…”

Dean’s deep purr of a voice echoes behind you. You whirl around to see him slowly sauntering towards you. He’s got a bruised cheekbone and a small cut on the bridge of his nose. He’s obviously been fighting as well.

“Dean,” you choke his name, “please, don’t—”

“Don’t… what?” He bites his lower lip, smirking as he draws closer. “Why’re you tryin’ to sneak out, pretty ‘mega?”

“I—” you choke as he cups your cheek with one hand, “I was j-just—”

“‘J-j-just.’” Dean mocks you, his mouth curving into a pout. You blink more tears out of your eyes, and he smirks wickedly, brushing your disheveled hair out of your face to expose the column of your neck. He wraps his hand around the back, his fingers curling into the hair at the base of your skull. “What,” he says again, “were you doin’? Hopefully not tryin’ to sneak out.”

“Sa-Sam, he…” you weep, suddenly aware of how badly you’re shaking, “he t-tried to… I don’t know...”

Dean clicks his tongue in mock sympathy. “Just a boy tryin’ to make his claim, ‘mega… it’s takin’ him a goddamn long time to make you his, it’s startin’ to make me wonder…”

You swallow, trying to keep yourself from emptying your stomach. “W-what?”

“If he’s not gonna do it,” Dean growls, “he’s leavin’ you up for me… or even our father.” He grips your hair, hard, and you can’t stop the loud whimper that leaves your lips. “My brother may have bought you, but as long as you don’t have that pretty little claim mark, you belong to all of us. Do you understand?”

You nod rapidly. You don’t know what’s scaring you more, the threat of rape from three Alphas or the lack of instinctual sympathy that Dean’s supposed to be having to your tears. “P-please… let me go, you’re hurting me.”

Dean smirks. “Just… one little thing, before I do.” He leans in and scents the the juncture of your neck and shoulder. He tips his head back, blowing air through his lips, and then releases you. “Go,” he orders, “don’t let me catch you tryin’ to sneak out again, pretty girl.”

You scamper back towards the stairs, tripping through the darkness as you head back to the room where Sam may or may not still be unconscious.

He’s still spread out on the bed, snoring. You slide back under the covers, muffling your sobs with a pillow. You thought Sam was done being mean. You’ve gotten so caught up in his careful treatment of you over the last few days that you’ve forgotten what he is at his core: an Alpha male who has yet to claim you as a mate. If he’d been less intoxicated, he might have succeeded in his primal drive.

You don’t know how long it takes for you to fall asleep. All you remember is taking one last shuddering breath before passing out, curled up against the headboard.

***

You wake the following morning to the sound of Sam groaning in apparent discomfort. Opening one eye, you see Sam stumbling around the room, trying to get his clothes off. His eyes are slightly red-rimmed, and his jaw is slack. He sees you stir and lets out a short grunt.

“Morning,” he grumbles, “did you sleep well?”

You nod, hoping he’s too hungover to notice your hesitance. “Yes.”

“Good.” He sits down on the end of the bed and rubs his face. “God, my head…”

You’re too skittish to offer any form of comfort. The memory of his hands on you, his heavy weight as he rutted his cock against you, is still too close for you to be okay touching him. “Did you get in a fight?”

He nods. “Yeah… happens every year, ‘s nothin’ new.”

You swallow, pulling your knees up to your chest. Your eyes are puffy and sting when you blink. “Do you remember coming back?”

Sam shakes his head. “No… I just remember Dean pullin’ me off some guy and then nothing.” He turns to look at you and notices the dark circles under your eyes. His brow furrows with concern. “Why? What happened?”

You shrug. “You just… when you came back, you, um… you got physical w-with me.”

His jaw sets. “How physical?”

“Um…” now that you actually have to talk about it, you don’t know how to phrase his actions. “You pulled me underneath you and… y-you rutted on me. It didn’t last long,” you cover, trying not to faint with embarrassment at having to describe Sam’s actions, “you passed out.”

Sam looks at his knees. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been drinking so much, I didn’t realize… I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“I don’t think so,” you reply quietly, “just scared. I was afraid that if I tried to fight, you’d get angry.”

He swallows thickly and stands up. “It won’t happen again.” He makes to head into the bathroom, but stops at the door. “I promise that I’ll never force myself on you like that again. Do you understand?”

You nod, keeping your eyes on the bed. “Yes.”

He lets out a soft sigh and steps into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

***

By the time you finally make it downstairs for breakfast, Sam’s sobered up. Dean and John sit at the table in their usual places, and you briefly make eye contact with Dean as Sam pulls your chair out for you, but says nothing, only sips his coffee like nothing’s happened.

You don’t feel like eating more than a slice of toast. Sam tries to get you to eat more, but doesn’t press the issue. You look like a wreck, even after washing your face and brushing your hair, and John points your appearance out on more than one occasion, much to Sam’s displeasure.

The rest of the day passes with minimal event. Sam and Dean retreat to the basement after John takes the carriage into town to catch a train to Boston, and you set a blanket out underneath the shade of the large apple tree to read another chapter of Darwin’s book.

Around midday, Sam brings out a tray of food and sits with you. It’s nothing special, just cheese, bread, and a bowl of strawberries. It’s an apologetic gesture more than anything, but you accept it with kindness. Barely any words are spoken before the tray is cleared and Sam returns inside, leaving you in the gardens alone.

The cook, who you’ve learned only comes at night, is given the night off, leaving you, Sam, and Dean alone in the house. You separate yourself from Sam and head up to the bedroom while the two men retreat to the library to begin a game of chess.

Dean, unable to help himself, takes the opportunity to spill the events of the previous evening.

“She tried to run away last night,” Dean mutters, claiming one of Sam’s pawns. “Caught her tryin’ to get out the front door.”

Sam stiffens. Anger wells up inside his chest, burning red behind his eyes. You tried to run from him. “She didn’t tell me.”

“Of course she didn’t, she knows what happens when Omegas try to run.” Dean smirks wickedly. “Doesn’t help that she doesn’t have a goddamn claim on her yet.”

Sam pushes his chair back, fists clenched by his sides as he storms out of the room.

#what goes bump in the night #alpha!sam winchester #alpha!sam x omega!reader

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wantstoflyafraidtofall · 4 years

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Chapter 1: Afternoon Shadows

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The car rolled up the crunchy gravel driveway and came to a slow stop in front of the house. Dean took the keys out of the ignition and turned off the radio before getting out of the car and grabbing his bags from the trunk.

The house was old and relatively large with 4 bedrooms, each with its own full bathroom. Large stone steps led up to a set polished dark oak doors, set with intricate stained glass windows. On either side of the door stretched a porch with an overhang held up by thick, sandstone composite pillars.

The wood of the porch creaked as Dean walked across it. The key easily slid into and turned the lock in the handleset knob. The door gracefully swung open to reveal a large open atrium with a library off to the left through a set of glass paned french doors and a living room to the right through a large arch.

Stairs were set in the center back of the atrium that rose to a landing before splitting in separate directions. A large crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, lighting both the entryway and hall balconies above.

Two doors were on either side of the stairs. One led down a hallway with 3 rooms--a half bath, laundry and mudroom that had a door to the back yard, and the door to the cellar. The other door led into the kitchen. The kitchen had yet another door that led into a bright sunroom with skylights and shelves set into the walls.

None of the lights in the house were on but it was beautifully lit by the natural light seeping through the windows.

Dean picked up his duffles from where he set them on the porch while unlocking the door and carried them up the stairs. He went up the right staircase and chose the room at the end of the hall.

There was already a bed in the room but other than kitchen appliances, beds, and laundry machines, the house was unfurnished. The moving truck was on its way with the rest of the furniture Dean bought for the house when he first visited it.

A rumble and crunch of gravel alerted Dean that the moving truck(speak of the devil) was here. A few young men hopped out of the truck and began pulling out the furniture. After about 20 minutes, everything had been moved into the house and placed where Dean had directed.

Boxes were stacked up in messy towers in most rooms. Dean walked into the library and opened one of the larger boxes. It was filled with books given to him throughout the years by friends and family but mostly Sam.

Dean would never admit to it, but he enjoyed a good book. Sam saw right through his lies and brought him all sorts of books.

Dean left the box open and walked over to the walnut book shelves set into the walls. He ran his fingers over the polished wood, leaving trails in the dust that had accumulated on the shelves in the absence of books.

He wiped his hand on his jeans and walked to the kitchen. Smaller brown boxes were scattered around the room on the counters and floor. He grabbed the one labeled ‘fridge’ and pulled off the tape holding it shut.

Inside the box were some magnets and a few pictures. He pulled them out one at a time. First a picture of his brother, Sammy, and his wife, Jess, sitting in the yard with their dog, Bones. A picture of Mary smiling in the afternoon sun. Pictures of His father, Bobby, Sammy, and Dean himself laughing together or fishing or fixing up a car.

After pinning all the pictures to the fridge with some magnets, he reached what he was looking for. He pulled out the pad of sticky notes and a pen-- both had magnets attached to them so they would hang on the refrigerator-- and started his To-Do list.

Dust

Unpack boxes

Groceries

Call Bobby

Dean fished his phone out of his pocket and found Bobby in his contacts, pressing the call button.

After Dean's mother died, John drowned his sorrows in alcohol. He would release Hell’s fury on Dean and Dean took it to keep Sammy safe. When Bobby found out he became his and Sam's father figure, having them move into his house and help with the cars in his shop.

Bobby picked up after 3 rings

“Hello?”

“Hey Bobby. I'm at the house, gonna start unpacking tomorrow.”

“Is everything fine down there?”

“Yup. Tell Ellen thanks for me will ya? She’s too good to me.”

“Of course and we will do anything for ya idjits.”

“You said she got this house from a relative in their will right?”

“Sure did. Her great aunt left a little somethin’ to all her great nieces and nephews. She really loved Ellen so she gave her the house but only bits of her money to the rest.”

“Well it's damn lucky she has such a good family and that you and her got each other. I've gotta head out and get some food before I starve to death in this place. Thanks again, Bobby.”

“No problem, and Dean, take care of yourself.”

Dean ended the call, placing his phone on the counter with a sigh. As soon as he moved to go get his keys, his phone began to ring again. He looked at the screen name and answered.

“Hiya Sammy. Calling to check up on me?”

“Yes and No. I actually have a… favor to ask.”

Dean paused for a moment, wondering what kind of favor was making his brother so nervous to ask him about before replying. “Whatcha need?”

“I have a friend who just finished college and is out of a house. He is near your area and that house is big enough to fit the both of you so would it be ok if he stayed there till he finds a decent apartment?”

Dean never keeps people close in fear of becoming too attached and losing them or being hurt by them. He has such a burden -- courtesy of his father -- that people who become too close to him have to help bear. But it's not like this friend of Sams is going to be staying that long and Sams right, the house is big. If Deans being honest, the house was a bit lonely and it would be nice to not be alone. Maybe it won't be so bad to have another warm body in the house.

“Sure thing, Sammy. Can you, uh, tell me who he is and when he’s coming?”

“That's great! His name is Castiel Novak and he will be coming in about three days. He’s nice and quiet and won’t bother you much. You need some more people in that big house anyway you will get lonely and depre-”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever, don’t make me take back my choice.” Dean grumbled.

“Ok, I'll tell him. Make sure you clean up a bit before he gets there.”

“Don't worry mom, I can take care of myself.”

Dean hung up the phone for a second time and decided to put it in his pocket in case anyone else wants to bother him on his grocery run. He should get extra food for this Castiel guy. Odd name, huh?

He grabs the keys of a box sitting in the entryway and locks the large doors behind him before almost bouncing down the steps to his car.

Deans Black 1967 Chevy Impala had been left with Bobby at his shop while Dean moved. Baby is Dean's pride and joy. They way her engine purrs when he rides down the street and Led Zeppelin blasting through her speakers filled him with joy.

The ride to the store was short and there weren't any people in the small building other than himself and a rather bored looking cashier. He grabbed all of the food he needed for the next few days and a six-pack of beer and put them in his cart.

The cashier began to scan his items, glancing up at his face a few times before asking, “I've never seen you around before, are you moving into the old Fletcher house?”

“Uh, yeah. I am.”

The kashier -- kevin according to his nametag -- nodded as he finished scanning the items.

“Im Kevin, by the way,” The cashier looked back up at Dean and held out his hand.

“Dean,” He said before shaking his hand, “You look a bit young to be a year round employee, are you in school?”

“I'm in advanced placement at the college a few towns over.”

“Well nice to meetcha Kevin.”

“Uh huh, yup. Have a nice night, here’s your card.” He handed back Dean’s card before going back to looking extremely bored.

Dean loaded the groceries in the trunk and drove back to the Fletcher House, as Kevin had called it, the gravel crackling under Baby’s tires.

By the time Dean finished unloading the groceries and eating his extravagant dinner consisting of cereal and some beer when he was done, it was already 9:30. He sighed and went upstairs to his room to get ready for bed.

He changed his shirt and boxers for a clean pair and threw his dirty clothes over in the corner by a dresser Sam got him when he decided to get his own house. He had been living with Sam and his girlfriend Jess ever since he got his knee shot and was deemed “unfit for duty”.

Dean was in the military for 5 years as a Marine, just like his father, until he got hit with a bullet right in his knee while deployed. It never healed properly causing him to have a weak knee and enough reason to be sent home.

The bathroom was large with a white tiled floor and shower. The sink was set in the center of the granite counter top in front of a large, frameless, mirror.

Dean turned the water on and wetted his toothbrush before putting a decent sized glob of toothpaste on it. He brushed his teeth and spit out the minty foam. He turned the water back on and watched as the water washed the used toothpaste down the drain.

He looked up at the mirror, still bent over the sink. Standing in the doorway was a dark, shadowy figure. Dean whipped around to face the shadow but the door was empty. He turned back to the mirror, the doorway still empty, and rinsed of his toothbrush and set it on the counter.

Dean walked over to his bed and curled up under the duvet. He really needs to sleep more, he needs to get himself together before his housemate gets here. Castiel . This guy sounds like he’s going to be a little stuck up but it’s only temporary and even bad company is better than none.

He fell asleep. Unaware of the shadow watching him from the corner of the room.

#pieces of heaven and hell

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