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muddyorbsblr · 6 months

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the final Lady Sharpe part 4: something to look forward to

Series Masterlist See my full list of works here!

Part of the 500 Follower Celebration Requested by: @ellooo0ooo

Summary: You and Edith make significant progress on your mission to put Lucille behind bars; Thomas makes a confession before you go to sleep

Pairing: Thomas Sharpe x Reader

Word Count: 3.1k

Warnings: ghosts; a lil bit of steam [let me know if I missed anything!]

Things to be aware of: Reader & Thomas are married; more pining; simp Thomas

The ink had dried enough on the final document you were working on duplicating for tonight that you could group them together and place the original papers back in Lucille's hiding place. Tomorrow morning if ever she were to check on them, she would be none the wiser of what had been transpiring over the last two weeks. You repeatedly clenched and unclenched your fingers, trying to get some feeling back into them after writing with barely a pause for break over the last few hours.

"Tomorrow we'll be done with all the documents," you whispered into the silence, feeling Edith's presence nearby as you made your way to Thomas' workshop. "I'll need you to show me where the phonograph cylinders are hidden, and if you know which one has Lucille's demented confession…"

"I'll show you the way," she confirmed. "And I'll make sure that none of the more…how do I put this…bloodthirsty spirits don't touch you. They tend to be a bit overly protective of their turf."

"The what?" You froze in place at her mention of bloodthirsty spirits. You had enough of a fright when you'd first "met" her and Enola, you might not survive encountering their less agreeable companions. The feel of someone nudging you from behind had you moving down the corridor again.

"Don't you worry about them, Y/N. I'll do my part to keep them away, explain to them that you're our friend, and you'll put an end to Lucille's lifelong murder spree. It might take time for them to fully understand, but they will."

Once you crossed the threshold to Thomas' workshop, you heard the exaggerated groan that belonged to your fleeting husband. Checking the candle in your hand, there was only about a thumb's worth left.

"Right on schedule," Edith remarked before you felt a nudging sensation on your shoulder. "You know he must really care for you if he's willing to endure being with her for the sake of your safety. Before she made him go back out into the city to find a new wife--well, a new victim, he looked gaunt. Almost like he found his life grotesque. Then he came back here with you and…there was color in his face again. Like he's allowed himself to live while he wooed and married you. There's a happiness in him when he's with you that I only ever saw glimpses of back when I was--"

Her words fell dead, but you had a feeling you knew what the sentiment was. Back when I was alive. Back when I was his wife.

"Why Miss Edith Cushing, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were playing matchmaker with your ex-husband and his current charlatan of a wife," you mumbled, trying not to look to deeply into her words, her testimony of Thomas' time before you. You were already having enough trouble keeping your affections for him at bay whenever he engaged in your routine of a kiss to cap off the night, marking yet another rung on the progression ladder. Lucille's incarceration becoming ever closer.

You decided to hide the duplicated papers in between the pages of his sketchbook, thinking the chances were slim that Lucille would look into them since he only kept concept art of the toys he wished to work on within it. Flipping through the pages to evenly distribute the additional papers, you found a set of sketches that had absolutely nothing to do with toy designs.

The last few pages that he'd worked on in the journal were filled with sketches of you. Some depicted you asleep, others as if the image he had in mind was of you next to him at the dining table. And a full page that showed the bedroom you shared with the baronet, you perched on the edge, a light wash of orange painted on the page, like the scene was illuminated by firelight.

That was the day you arrived at Allerdale Hall. The fleeting moments of desirous bliss you had before reality came crashing down on you.

"You say this marriage is all an act for you both now, but it doesn't look that way. Not from where I'm standing…well, floating." Both of you shared a chuckle before she posed a question at you. "Y/N something I noticed at night when he makes his way back to you…there's an excitement in him, as if he can't move fast enough."

"I--I didn't know about that part," you answered her in hushed tones as you made your way to your shared bedroom, maneuvering the barely moonlit halls with what little candlelight remained. "I usually try not to look at him before we sleep. I fail, of course, but I make the effort. Granting his request for a kiss after he washes the night off of him was already a miscalculation on my part--"

"Completely understandable miscalculation," she quipped, managing to quietly open the bedroom door wide open. "Far too handsome for me to even think of knowing any better back then."

"My thoughts exactly," you mumbled, stepping into the bedroom and disposing of the used candlewax before stretching and allowing yourself to relax from the night's clandestine activities. "Goodnight, Edith."

"I'll talk to the spirits inhabiting the corridor where the cylinders are hidden," she offered, a faint whispering joining her once again before you heard her echoing chuckle. "It seems your husband's rushing to make his way to you. You still have quite the night ahead. Goodnight, my friend."

You could feel the fatigue setting in as you let the tub fill for Thomas' bath before putting away your tools and your blades, mentally preparing yourself for another night of insufficient sleep. Just as you had for the better part of the last two weeks.

Right as you made your way back to your side of the bed and shook your hair loose from your bun, Thomas walked through the open door. You gave him a small smile. "I should be done with the documents tomorrow, Edith and I will work on transcribing the recording cylinders that can lead the case more to Lucille than you two days from now at the latest."

"That's wonderful news, darling," he beamed at you, running his gaze over you briefly before walking toward the bathroom. "I shall see you in a few moments," he told you, his voice echoing across the tiles. A few seconds later the sound of the water sloshing and a sinfully satisfied groan filled the room as he sat into the tub. "You truly are a godsend, my wife. Thank you."

You did your best to ignore the fluttering in your stomach hearing him call you that. You wouldn't hear it for much longer with the progress you were making. "You're welcome," you answered back, fighting back your own sounds of relief once your back hit the bed and you allowed yourself to finally relax for the night.

The cumulative efforts of the last dozen or so days seem to have finally taken its toll on you, your eyes fluttering shut as soon as your head hit the pillow. You hadn't been able to hear the sound of Thomas padding his feet on the floor and back to you, or his little gasp as he saw you in your slumbering state.

"No…" he sighed, climbing into bed with you. "Y/N, darling, please tell me you haven't completely fallen asleep yet," he said softly, brushing your hair away from your face.

"Hmm?" You leaned in to his touch, feeling a strange sense of comfort when your cheek rubbed against his slightly calloused hand. "'M awake…" you mumbled, slowly opening your eyes. He gave you a tender smile when your eyes met his, and you couldn't help but return it.

It was only in these moments just before you both went to sleep, your parts in this perilous operation done for the night, that you could allow yourself to almost feel as if you were a normal married couple. Just laying in bed together before going to sleep, sharing a quick goodnight kiss before he pulled you into his arms, cradling you against his chest.

Perhaps even indulge yourself, even for a moment, in the dangerous truth that once this was all over, you would miss these fleeting moments of peace with him. You'd miss how he held you through the night and how you'd wake up wrapped in his arms. How in the last few days he would greet you in the morning with a soft kiss to your nose before you both made your way out of bed and stepped out of your room.

You would miss him when all this was over. When you'd both signed the divorce papers and went on your separate ways, and you were back in your apartment in the city, going to bed alone, you would miss him.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to yours, a small sound coming from the back of his throat as he sighed into the kiss, almost as if he was relieved. "This is the only thing getting me through the nights," he said solemnly, settling more comfortably into the bed as he kept kissing you. "Knowing that this was what awaited me when I get back."

Instead of your usual night routine of a few kisses and he would pull you into his arms, both of you falling asleep to the sound of the other's breath evening out, he moved his body closer, kissing his way to your neck, his hand traveling down the side of your body until it settled at your waist. His lips began to trace along the neckline of your nightgown, the contented hums against your skin combined with the feel of his lips on you had you struggling for breath. "Thomas--"

"It should be you," he whimpered, his exhales warming your skin. "I should be spending my night with you. Laying with you." He kept on kissing along your neckline, his other hand pulling along the string that exposed your décolletage and he immediately pressed his lips to your chest, above your heart. "You're my wife, I should be with you."

He kissed his way back to your lips, your shock from his confession letting his tongue slip past your lips and tangle with your own. It was like flames licked all along your body at the contact, both of you moaning into each other's mouths as your fingers weaved into his onyx curls.

"Thomas, wait--" you tried to say, placing your hands on his chest in a paltry attempt to get him to pause for a moment, failing to fight against your eyes fluttering closed and your entire body melting under him the moment his tongue delicately ran along the roof of your mouth.

"I want to lay with you," he said once he pulled away, looking at you with those wide pleading eyes that likened him to a pup asking for a treat. "May I?"

For the love of all things good in this world say yes, you hissed at yourself. You struggled to breathe properly, fighting against every instinct to give in as he repeatedly whispered "please" into your skin. Trying to not let the curiosity and desire consume you and see how far your husband was willing to go.

This was the fantasy you wanted to lose yourself in, where by some miracle when all this was over and you both made it out alive, that you'd found something with each other that neither of you wanted to lose. That after all this perhaps you could have a life together, preferably far away from Allerdale Hall and the figurative and literal ghosts that roam the corridors.

The fantasy that perhaps when you were both safe from Lucille and she was serving her time behind bars, locked away where she couldn't harm anyone anymore, that Thomas might not want to sign the divorce papers. Because maybe he was falling in love, too.

"We've come so far already, we can't afford to lose focus now," you answered him, your voice coming out so small it was like the words all but refused to get through the lump in your throat. "Once all this is done, and we're free of her, you'll be free to do whatever you please…with whomever you please."

The last part left a bitter taste in your mouth, like it physically pained you to say the words.

"You're right," he sighed, leaning away enough so that he could look at you. The expression on his face was akin to that of a wounded pup, making the guilt and regret from your decision overwhelm your system. "Of course." He moved over to his side of the bed, taking a breath before hesitantly touching his fingers to yours. "May I still hold you?"

You didn't think twice, moving over to him and settling into his arms. "Yes, of course." The words refused to be spoken, but you'd found a strange comfort in his embrace. That despite the very real danger you both found yourselves in, and the looming dire consequences of Lucille and the business end of her cleaver if you made so much as one misstep on this perilous endeavor of yours, you felt almost a safety in his warm embrace.

And while no one would ever be able to get you to admit it, it made getting up out of bed in the mornings near impossible. You didn't want to leave him. You wanted him all to yourself.

All the more reason why you needed to be done with this and go your separate ways. You should never be so selfish as to beg him to stay with you and deny him yet another freedom. So much had already been stolen from him.

He brushed a lock of your hair away from your face before asking softly, "How long do you reckon before Scotland Yard comes here after you send the papers?"

"Not long," you answered him, your words full of confidence in your peers. "I'll include a summary of my findings to help them through the papers I've sent them, process them faster. I'll also try and emphasize the urgency of our situation, that we're currently living in a manor with a woman that has the intention and means, not to mention the stomach, to kill me. That we have very good reason to believe our lives are in imminent danger. Should get them moving pretty quick."

"And what are we to do until they arrive?" You could feel him tensing as he anticipated your response.

Bile flooded your stomach from what you had to tell him. "We keep routine." His beautiful face looked so pained as you said the words. "She has to believe that there's nothing wrong, that everything's going to plan. If she gets even the slightest whiff that we're up to something and she kills me. Maybe even you if she finds out that you helped."

He took a shuddering breath, pulling you closer against him so he could press a kiss to your forehead. "Let's hope they move quickly then," he mumbled against you, pressing more kisses on the same spot as he took calming breaths. "I can barely stomach any more of it." His breath hitched at his words, his tone rife with shame.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, placing your hand on his chest, feeling his pulse sprinting like a madman. "This burden shouldn't be on you. Never should have been. She's stolen so much from you…" Your sentiment caught in the back of your throat as you did your damnedest to fight back tears. "I'll do my best to make sure she doesn't steal any more of your life away."

"What if she figures out what we've been up to? Or if she gets impatient and realizes there's no money coming after all this time?"

It took you a moment before you could answer, the implication hanging over you both now like the Sword of Damocles. "Then Scotland Yard will arrive here to a corpse. Either mine or hers."

Tears welled in his eyes as he pulled you closer, pressing a tender kiss to your lips. "I won't let her hurt you, I swear it." He stole a few more kisses from you before he cradled your head against his chest. "You should sleep, I can feel how tired you are."

"Exhausted," you confessed, settling into his embrace, the comfort from his hold blanketing over you as your cheek rubbed against the soft hairs on his chest. "Goodnight, husband."

You couldn't resist calling him that. In a few short weeks you'd never be able to again.

He pressed his lips to the top of your head, stroking your hair before he whispered, "Goodnight, my darling wife."

As the minutes passed, and the only sounds that filled the bedroom were your breathing and the crackling of the fireplace, Thomas found himself unable to succumb to sleep just yet. He was still riddled with so many questions that he couldn't bring himself to ask you quite yet.

What if by some freak accident of a chance, Lucille comes across one of your colleagues when she runs her errands in the city and they were to mention who you were, and what you did before you married him? What if now that she was armed with this new information, she deemed you too much of a threat and decided to do away with you like she'd done with so many other innocent women?

What if she decided to make it even worse, and ordered him to kill you instead? Spout some nonsensical notion that he needed to get his hands dirty this time around so she could see if he still had the stomach for it?

He knew he wouldn't be able to hurt you, that he would be completely unwilling to. But would he be able to protect you against Lucille?

And the question that had him looking upon the coming weeks with a mix of dread and hope, all depending on how you would react if he were to even muster up the courage to say the words: What if you stayed together after this fleeting partnership of yours? What if you were open to exploring what a life together would truly be like? Move away from Allerdale Hall and find a place in the city?

"What if I begged you not to leave me?" he whispered into the empty silence, stroking the backs of his fingers along your cheek. "What if I've fallen in love with my wife, and I want to turn our marriage into something real?"

A/N: *popping out my head from my writing hidey hole* Well hi there! Been a long while since I updated this story, but I can promise you now…I didn't abandon it 🫡 And we're picking up with our precious meow meow baronet big tiddy goth husband really showing his hand here that he's catching feelings 🥹

everything taglist: @simplyholl @loopsisloops @imalovernotahater @coldnique @loz-3 @huntress-artemiss @salempoe @vickie5446 @athalialaufeyson @lokiprompts @kats72 @kikster606 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @lokixryss @thomase1 @mischief2sarawr @peaches1958 @lovingchoices14 @lunarnights95 @goblingirlsarah @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @creationsbyme @maple-seed @mjsthrillernp @ladyofthestayingpower @mygfloki @sititran @glitterylokislut @ozymdias @fictive-sl0th @lokidbadguy @mochie85 @silverfire475 @joyful-enchantress @elizabethmidnight2017 @holdmytesseract @smolvenger @gigglingtiggerv2 @lokidokieokie @lunarnights95 @superficialdomina @anukulee @kmc1989 @november-rayne @goddessofwonderland @buttercupcookies-blog

#thomas sharpe x reader #thomas sharpe x female reader #crimson peak fanfic #crimson peak fanfiction #the final lady sharpe #muddyorbs writes #fic requests #500 follower celebration

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aerkame · 1 year

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Smooth Moves

🌹Wally and Barnaby teach you how to dance🌹

(Takes place in Alive AU from my A Silly Thought and More post)

Posted later than intended rip

Some mood music for this writing. POV playlist

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It was late at night, most of your guests were inside fast asleep while you, Wally, and Barnaby finished up making space on the large porch. Barnaby was insistent that he and Wally teach you how to slow dance when you mentioned you've never danced before. Plus you two needed to figure out who was doing what tomorrow. Winner gets to choose after seeing who dips better.

"Alright, so if I win I get to pick what we do tomorrow. And if you win you get to pick what we do tomorrow. Deal?"

You held your hand out to shake on it, but Wally gently grabbed a hold of it and turned it over to plant a small kiss on the back of your palm. Heat rushed to your cheeks as the two of you parted ways to opposite sides of the porch. You wished you could just hide away in a corner right now until your cheeks looked normal or at least pretend that you were fine.

You slowly looked over to where Wally was, he was staring at you still, eyes half-lidded and a droopy smile on his face. That cheeky little bugger.

Barnaby walked up to the center of the porch and held out his paw towards Wally. "Hey buddy, I think we should show em' how it's done first, it's their first time right?" His voice was a cheery as usual, but something felt a bit off about it tonight, it had a deeper tone to it. "That it is, maybe we'll each get a turn with our host?" He peered over at you as he took a hold of the beagle's paw. "I sure hope so, I love dancing with new partners!"

Barnaby leaned to the side where a table was and quickly pressed the play button on the stereo you had given him the day before. He loved that thing to bits.

The music started out slow and steady as the two began to step and sway along with the beat. "Make sure to match up with your partners movements...like this." They both swayed to the far right, then the left, both of their feet being in sync perfectly with every single step. Clearly these two practiced frequently. The music went on for a while as the two circled, swayed, and danced around in patterns. It was so smooth that you almost felt hypnotized into a daze, only snapping out of it when Barnaby and Wally slowed down into a large dip. Wally, ever the dramatic suave, put one leg up as he was dipped down. "There, it's as simple as that!" Barnaby looked over at you and gestured for you to come over. You shook your head though, now too nervous to really put yourself in a spotlight like that.

"Ohh? Is someone nervous now?" Wally teased, hanging off of his friend's arm lazily. "It'll be fine, we can both teach you at the same time if you want!" Barnaby butted in, seeing how nervous you looked. Maybe his new friend needed some more encouragement.

"Alright...I'm not good at dancing though so I might step on someone's foot." You did not feel confident in yourself quite frankly.

"That's okay." The two pals separated as Barnaby went to go behind you and Wally right in front of you, boxing you in. "Besides, now you can have two partners!"

You felt the soft blue paws grab onto both of your hands and guiding them, placing one on Wally's shoulder and one on his hip, Wally mimicked the position on you in the opposite direction. Barnaby spoke up "Now remember, try to match your partners movements and just let us guide you until you get used to it." You nodded and looked down at your feet making sure they were in the correct position, missing the knowing looks the two had with each other.

"I think our dear host will catch on quick, won't you?" Wally smiled sweetly, giving your hip a small squeeze as you looked back up, earning a small squeak. How adorable of you. They wondered what other noises you could make.

It started out just like before, Barnaby having restarted the song and returning to being behind you. You stumbled a bit for the first few steps but you caught on quickly, seeing the pattern more clearly. It also helped to have two giant soft paws behind your back in case you tripped or fell.

"Wow, see! You're catching on already!" The blue friend continued to encourage you. "Now this part might be a bit harder, you'll need to swing your hips with the movement of your feet. Let me show you." Barnaby gently cupped your side and helped move your hips along to the rhythm of the music as Wally kept your shoulders in place. You stumbled though, having a hard time trying to match your footwork with theirs.

"Here, like this..." Wally spoke up and his friend backed up a little bit for some space. He took hold of your hip once more, this time more gently. "Just copy what I do."

He put one foot to the side and you did the same, allowing Wally to control the movements of your hips with his, one step at a time, one sway here and there, a few twirls, and it was like you were an expert at this. You didn't even notice that Barnaby had gone to sit down, locking eyes with Wally to give him a big thumbs up. Or the small crowd of friends standing by the back door watching the two of you.

The music kept going. The longer the two of you danced, the more you started to feel yourself getting used to this. Suddenly, Wally guided you into a deep dip, exaggerating his position into what that of a lover would be as the music came to a slow stop. He leaned in closer squeezing your hand in his. "I believe I won, yes?"

#Barnaby totally being a wingman #wally darling x reader #wally darling #Barnaby x reader #barnaby b beagle #slight Barnaby x Wally #Welcome home #wh #wh wally #welcome home wally #welcome home barnaby #welcome home Wally x reader #requests open #fanfiction #welcome home fanfiction #The two are definitely working together

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gentlebeardsbarngrill · 3 months

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02/26/24 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Cast&Crew;WeeJohnWondays; New Calendar; Watch Party Reminders; Uk Billboard; Trends; Fan Spotlight; Love Notes; DailyDarby/Tonight'sTaika

== Cast & Crew Sightings ==

= Wee John Wonday! =

No guests today! Just the wonderful Kristian Nairn himself! So I didn't get time to write up a synopsis, so I'll give you a few highlights I thought you might like!

Next Wee John Wonday will feature: Ruibo Qian and Anapela Polataivao!

Calypso's Birthday Airing Episode, the guests will be: Con O'Neill and Gypsy Taylor!

Tattoos!

GOT questions!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kristian Nairn (@kristiannairn)

instagram

== New Calendar ==

Weekly Calendar! Tomorrow is #TomatoTuesday!

#TomatoTuesday is a day to rave about OFMD's rave ratings on Rotten Tomatoes to different streamers! Please add your own review if you haven't already! Rotten Tomatoes Review Tutorial.

== WATCH PARTY REMINDERS! ==

= People of Earth S2 =

People of Earth S2 continues tomorrow Feb 27 at 9 pm GMT / 4pm EST / 3pm CST / 1pm PST. Need access? Reach out to @iamadequate1!

#PiratesOfEarth

= Uncle Season 2 Watch Party! =

Wed 28th + Thurs 29th GMT - 8pm / ET - 3pm / PST - 12 pm Streaming on I-player! Outside the UK? Follow this VPN tutorial to learn more.

#ForTheNewUncle

= Joe Lycett Watch Party =

According to the new weekly calendar you can join @lcwebsxoxo for Joe Lycett Watch Party at 10 pm GMT on twitter! #YoureATreasure

== UK Billboard ==

As many of you have heard, the Save OFMD Crew has been working on getting a billboard going in the UK.

"Our goal is to help achieve pick-up for Our Flag Means Death. To do it, we need the show (and the campaign) to continue garnering attention through sustained interest, viewership and fandom growth, and we need to prove to other streamers that picking up the show is a good financial investment."

Since there's so much information, I'm just going to give you some links that you can peruse at your leisure:

Save OFMD Crewmates Billboard Post on Tumblr

Transparency Policy

London Billboard FAQ

SaveOFMD Crew Contact Info

If you'd like to donate to the billboard/truck/subway effort (it's not required) please visit: Save OFMD Ko-Fi

I mentioned in another post-- if you don't feel comfortable reaching out to SaveOFMD Crew directly, and want to chat/forward feedback anonymously, I'm more than happy to do that on your behalf, just shoot me an anon ask. However, I will probably not get to them tonight because it's already very late, sorry! I'll forward them on first thing in the morning for me.

== Trends ==

Sure looks like #OurFlagBBC is still going pretty strong! Great job friends!

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Collages =

Almost at the end of the month of February -- and the Feburary LOVE #OurFlagMeansDeath Collage Fest! from our fabulous crew-mate @WanderingNomad on Twitter! So close to being caught up on the rest of the month!

Day 26: Season 2 Costumes!

Day 10: Ewan Bremner!

Day 11: Joel Fry

Day 12: Ruibo Qian

Wanna be featured in the fan spotlight? Send me a message! We're trying to make sure our creative crewmates are getting a chance to strut their stuff! I've been reaching out to several folks so hopefully we'll have lots more soon!

== Love Notes ==

Hey Lovelies. Tonight, I was gonna write a bunch of stuff but then I found this video of Rhys sending some love and encouragement, and I felt like it was needed more than anything else. I haven't gotten permission to share the full video on here yet, so if I do I'll get it posted. For now, @lividturkeys posted an uplifting section that I think we all need to hear tonight.

"Keep the laughter coming...We stick together and keep bringing love and joy to this planet, it needs it more than ever...Keep laughing, Love you"

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Okay so I'm running out of time, so tonight will be pics not gifs, sorry all. One of these days I'll finish catching up earlier in the day (ha!)

PS: I have no idea why but my 5 year old finds Taika and Rhys HILARIOUS. Like, laugh his ass off roll on the floor laughing when he sees Taika talking and Rhys making silly movements.

#daily ofmd recaps #daily ofmd recap #ofmd daily recap #ofmd daily recaps #save ofmd #kristian nairn #wee john wondays #taika waititi #rhys darby #ofmd #our flag means death #calendars #our flag bbc #Instagram

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thistuesdaynight · 7 months

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Invincible

prongsfoot fluff microfic drunk prongsfoot first kiss, unrequited wolfstar, light angst this plot bunny would not go away. It might even become a little series? idk we'll see what happens.

"James," Sirius hisses, voice straining. "Come on, mate. Help me out here."

James couldn't stop giggling.

He often felt like that after drinking, like everything in the world was just so funny, how could he not laugh along? And he certainly was drunk tonight. He and Sirius had gone out together, taking shots like there was no tomorrow. But the bubbly, bouyant feeling in James' chest may not have been from the alcohol, but from Sirius' arm around his middle.

"I had such a good night," James sighed, delighted to be here with his best mate in the whole world feeling drunk, and happy, and invincible.

He loved how he always felt invincible when he was with Sirius.

"That's great, Prongs, but could you pick up your feet?"

Sirius was just as sloshed as James, but James always tended to get floppy when he was drunk. They swayed up to the front door of the house, pressed together hip to hip, Sirius holding onto James' waist, and James was buzzing from the warm point of contact.

After dropping them twice, James finally managed to get the keys into the lock. However, the door was finicky, and in his addled state, he couldn't twist and unlock it properly.

"Bollocks," James cursed. "Bloody door."

"Here," Sirius murmured, reaching over him.

Sirius took the keys from James' grasp, brushing over his fingers and sending goosebumps up his arm. It must have been the cold night breeze. Sirius leaned in closer to maneuver the sticky lock, invading James' space.

James traced the line of Sirius' jaw with his gaze, desperately wanting to know what it felt like under his lips. From this close, James could count the freckles on Sirius' ear, blow warm breath across his neck, and breathe in his scent of spearmint and eucalyptus.

He was captivated by the curl of dark hair currently falling over Sirius' brow, which was furrowed in concentration as he fiddled with the door. What would it be like to brush the hair from his face? To take those soft pink lips with his own…

With a great heave, Sirius finally got the door unstuck and the two boys tumbled forward into their front room, the door slamming behind them. They landed in heap of tangled of limbs, James on his back, and Sirius half on top of him, his curls hanging into James' face. James dissolved into hooting laughter, guffawing from the ridiculousness of it all.

"Prongs, shhhh!" Sirius shushed him with a hand over his mouth, but he was holding back giggles of his own, face flushed red with mirth. "Shh, Remus and Pete are sleeping."

James tried to respond, but Sirius still had his hand over his mouth, which caused them both to erupt into barely contained sniggers, grinning like idiots.

"What were you going to say?" Sirius giggled, moving his hand down so that James could speak, but keeping a finger on James' bottom lip.

"Who cares if they're sleeping! They should have come out to celebrate with us."

James and Sirius liked to go out sometimes to celebrate on random Fridays, just to commemorate the start of the weekend. Peter and Remus valued their sleep too much to go out with Sirius and James every weekend.

"Nah, it's better like this," Sirius whispered, his gaze roaming James' face.

James looked up at Sirius, his pale skin glowing in the moonlight, smiling down at James like he was the only thing in the world. James felt that same bubbly effervescence in his veins, and he didn't care whether it was the alcohol or not.

Invincible.

"Yeah, Pete can't hold his liquor for shit."

Sirius sniggered, laughing so hard that his whole body was shaking from trying to stay quiet. He swayed forward, resting his mouth on his fingers, which were still on James' lips. Sirius' warm breath whooshed over his tongue, and James tried to drink it in. Sirius tipped forward even more, until he was giggling into James' mouth, grazing his tongue, and smiling against James' bottom lip.

And every touch, every breath, every connection sent electricity humming through James' veins.

Sirius.

Invincible.

James surged upward, meeting Sirius's tongue with his own, moving his lips over his, and inhaling his scent like it was oxygen. He kissed Sirius so hard that the other boy fell back until James hovered over him, devouring Sirius' mouth like it was his last meal.

It was Sirius.

His Sirius, and they were kissing. His best mate, but they didn't feel so friendly any more.

Their noses knocked together as they pressed impossibly closer, sharing heat and breath, and this- this was better than being drunk, James decided.

Sirius Black was his own personal drug.

He needed him more than anything. More than everything.

James took Sirius' bottom lip between his teeth, pulling back slowly, enjoying the keening moan that left Sirius. He placed his lips on Sirius' throat, tracing it with sloppy, open-mouthed kisses, and it was better than he'd imagined.

"Wait," Sirius said, out of breath and chest heaving. "We can't."

The words didn't register, and James continued his ministrations underneath Sirius jaw, because he wanted nothing more than to swallow him whole and be swallowed in return. But Sirius pushed on his shoulders. "We can't, James. You're drunk. We're drunk."

James pulled back, dazed and wanting nothing more than to have Sirius Black under his hands and in his mouth once again. "Drunk?" James pouted, petulantly.

"Yes, James," Sirius sat up on his elbow, pushing James out of the way to do the same. "We're drunk. We're not thinking straight."

James looked at Sirius, the angles and planes of his face, the smoothness of his skin, that mane of raven hair that James wanted to tangle his fingers in and never let go.

"Nope, not straight at all," James murmured.

Sirius gaped at him for a moment, letting out a surprised chuckle. Then he surged forward to capture his lips once again.

It was like Sirius couldn't help himself. He hummed into the kiss, reaching up to card his fingers through James' hair. Sirius gave a gentle tug on the strands, and James felt it all the way to the base of his spine, moaning wantonly into Sirius' mouth.

"Fuck, James," Sirius groaned, the noise only spurring him on.

Sirius moved to put a knee between James' legs, and the pressure was so exquisite James thought he would combust right there. He let out a whine, grabbing at hips, clothes and skin, clutching Sirius closer.

The light turned on then, a voice breaking them from their hormone cloud. "Prongs? Padf--"

Remus stood in the hallway in his pajamas, squinting from the light, and probably from the confusing scene in front of him. James bit his lip, wanting to laugh again, but when he looked closer, he realized that Remus wasn't confused, he was horrified. Frowning, James looked to Sirius, who was flushed and anguished.

Sirius pushed off of James, sitting up and allowing a rush of cold air to slip between them.

"Remus," Sirius said, guilty and pleading.

Remus said nothing, face stony. He just turned and went back to his room. Sirius buried his face in his hands, while James watched on, bewildered, his drunken buzz going silent.

Read Part 2 here!

#would anyone want this to be a series? lmk #don't worry y'all Sirius didn’t cheat #he and Remus had a little flirtationship so now he's jelly #prongsfoot #bambibelle #starbucks #james potter #sirius black #james and sirius #james x sirius #marauders #marauders fanfiction #tuesdaywrites #remus lupin #unrequited wolfstar

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podcastenthusiast · 7 months

Text

First part of a Astarion/Karlach thing I'm writing. Basically a little rewrite of some Act 3 scenes. Could become something bigger, who knows.

"Well, at least you've met my family now," Astarion says. "Pity. You and Violet would get on quite well. Haha."

His tone is light and dismissive, especially for a midnight familial attempted kidnapping. But there's a desperate edge to it, too, like he's worried she might finally see sense and run for the hills.

Karlach's never been accused of being sensible. If Astarion burning his brother in a sunbeam while his sister screamed didn't scare her off, this little evening interruption sure won't.

Karlach does hope she will have a chance to meet his siblings properly, once they're all free.

"I wouldn't've let them take you anywhere," she vows, chest heaving, still very much caught up in protective Mama K mode.

"I know. Deep breaths, darling."

Astarion still looks wary, as if he's expecting the other shoe to drop. She can't cool down, she realizes, not yet, because she's still angry.

Angry at him.

"You lied to them. About the ritual. Like it was easy."

He scoffs. "It was easy. They aren't exactly the brightest candles in the chandelier, you know."

"You're really gonna sacrifice your own brothers and sisters? Betray their trust in you like--like they're nothing." Like Gortash did, she thinks but doesn't say. There are some words you can't take back. She loves this pasty bastard too much to actually believe he'd go through with it, anyway.

"What does it matter? They're just my...colleagues in suffering. Expendable. Pathetic." Oh, Astarion's giving her the old monster routine, one of his thinner disguises. She can see the aelf-loathing clesrly beneath without even really trying. "And let's not forget they are vampire spawn. Hardly innocent."

"Fuck, Astarion, none of us are! You only give a shit about yourself, huh?"

"Why not? No one ever looked out for me. No one ever said a kind thing to me. You're the only one," he insists, getting a bit heated himself now. "Other people don't have a heart like you."

"Damn right, soldier," she replies quietly, tapping a fist against her engine as it ticks and whirs her numbered days away. The rage fades. "Sort of the problem, isn't it."

"I-- shit, Karlach, I didn't mean--"

There he is.

"Hey. It's all right."

It isn't, not really. Nothing is all right anymore. But they will be.

Karlach just can't be the only good thing he sees in this world. It's not fair to either of them. Gods only know how much more time she even has left, besides; Astarion shouldnt be alone, not after everything he's been through. She needs him to be okay without her, selfish as it is.

"Scares me when you talk like that," she admits. "Like other people are just things to you."

"I'm sorry, Karlach," he says, miserably. "I don't know if I can be anything else, here."

Karlach's mother always told her to never go to bed angry. After ten years in the Hells, it felt pointless and silly, but tonight with his siblings' blood staining the floor, she thinks she might understand the wisdom in that advice.

"C'mere, Fangs."

She opens her arms. Always gives him a choice; touch is complicated for both of them in a lot of ways. And, yeah, there's her cuddly Astarion after all. Must be exhausting pretending to something he's not all the time. Thought so since she met him that day by the river. All those masks and yet none seems to fit quite right. She knows the feeling, more or less.

"You're loved, you hear me?" she tells him. "So fucking loved."

His skin is a pleasant balm; hers is still smoldering a little. They don't let go.

"You make things so difficult," he complains softly against her collarbone, affectionate despite the actual words.

"Knew this wasn't gonna be easy. But I swear, tomorrow we'll kick Cazador's ass," she murmurs, holding him tighter. "I've got you."

"Ugh. Get a room, you two," Shadowheart grumbles from her bed.

They have a room, though. This room. The others will simply have to deal with that.

It's gonna be okay.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #astarion x karlach #astarion #karlach #a bg3 fic from me that's not second person?? i know wild. karlach didn't want to do that i guess #bg3 fanfiction #baldur's gate iii

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yn-bishop · 1 year

Note

Hey! Would you write a Kate Bishop x fem reader? Maybe with reader being Natasha's daughter and Kate and reader secretly date because Kate is scared of Nat or something. Nat finds out and isn't really font of her daughter dating kate at first

Of course! This was really fun to write and I hope you enjoy it!

Natasha’s Daughter

Kate Bishop x Fem! Romanoff! Reader

Word count: 1049

"Kate, we should just tell my mom"

Y/n tells her girlfriend as she opens the window for her to climb in.

"You know what would happen if we did that? I would die. You really wanna have a dead girlfriend? You wouldn't be able to have warm cuddles"

Kate replies as she closes the window.

"She wouldn't kill you. I wouldn't let that happen. If you died, who would be the new Hawkeye?"

Kate grins at the last part and wraps her arms around her girlfriend waist.

"I guess I just can't die then. And the way to do that is to not tell your mom about us"

Y/n sighs before stepping away from her girlfriend.

"Babe, I'm sorry. I just- I just don't think it would end well"

Kate takes a few steps back towards her girlfriend.

"I know, it's okay. We'll tell her eventually, right?"

Y/n asks with a soft smile as she lets her girlfriend envelope her in a hug.

"Yeah, absolutely. When she likes me enough to not murder me"

Kate leans down and places a soft kiss on her girlfriends lips.

A few hours later, Natasha sits next to Clint.

"Y/n's seeing someone"

She tells him as he pauses his show.

"What makes you say that?"

He asks with a knowing look.

"She leaves the room when she answers a call, she stutters when I ask where she's going and she was wearing someone else's jumper"

"Well, how do you feel about it?"

"This girl is going to hurt her, Clint. I don't even know how she had time for a girlfriend. She has school, training, homework. She's got so much going on"

Natasha sighs, leaning her head back.

"Maybe this girl makes those things easier for her. Maybe she helps her with them. Maybe she's good"

Clint replies with a soft smile.

"Do you know something about this?"

She glares at the man.

"No, of course not. I would've told you if I did. I'm just trying to be positive"

"Yeah, sure"

She continues to glare at him.

A few nights later, Kate was putting her clothes back on to go back to her own room.

"Katie, can you just stay here tonight? Please?"

Kate smiles in reply.

"You know I can't. I wish I could but your mom might see us. I'll see you tomorrow though. I love you"

Kate leans down to kiss Y/n as she whispers a reply.

"I love you too"

Kate leaves the room and closes the door before hearing a voice call her name.

"Kate? Why were you in my daughters room?"

Natasha glares at the girl.

"Ms. Romanoff! I-I uh- I just-"

She's interrupted by Y/n opening the door.

"Katie? What are you- Mom hi!"

Y/n's eyes go wide when she sees the woman standing outside her door, facing her girlfriend.

"What the hells going on here?"

The woman's glare hardens.

"We- we were just-"

Kate's cut off by her girlfriend.

"Kate's my girlfriend, mom. We didn't tell you because we didn't want you to be mad"

Y/n grabs Kate's hand.

"And the way to make me happy about this is by not telling me? How long has this been going on?"

"8 months"

Kate whispers as she avoids the woman's gaze.

"For 8 months you've both been lying to me?! Kate is going to hurt you, Y/n! What are you thinking, dating an avenger?!"

Natasha exclaims.

"I won't! I'm not gonna hurt her! I swear!"

Kate yells, finally finding her voice.

"I love Kate, mom. You don't get to choose who I'm with. Kate's perfect for me. She's sweet, she's caring, she listens to me. She's all I want and I'm not going to break up with her because you told me to"

Y/n pulls Kate back into her room before closing the door, leaving Natasha out there alone.

"I'm sorry about that, Katie. She's approve eventually, I promise"

Y/n leans her head on Kate's shoulder, wrapping her arms around her.

"It's okay. I just need to get her to like me. It can't be that hard, right?"

Kate chuckles nervously as Y/n scoffs, gently pushing their lips together.

The next few days, Natasha would glare at the brunette as she would cower away but they haven't said a word to each other. Once day, though, Kate and Y/n were watching a movie on the communal couch. Y/n was leaning into her girlfriends side as Kate had her arm wrapped around her waist, Y/n throwing her head back laughing at something Kate said.

"She makes Y/n happy, you know. You could give her a chance. She's a good kid"

Clint tells Natasha as he stands next to her, watching the two.

"I know, and I will. I just- she's my daughter Clint. I know if Kate breaks her heart, she won't be able to get over it that easy"

"She won't break her heart. Look at them, they're obviously in love. If I trust the kid, you can too"

Clint walks away as the movie finishes.

As the two girls begin to walk away, Natasha speak up.

"Kate? Can you come here please? Alone?"

Kate sends her girlfriend a nervous look before walking towards the woman.

"Is everything okay, Ms. Romanoff?"

Kate asks as she plays with her fingers.

"I'm going to give you a chance. Y/n loves you and Clint likes and trusts you, you must be a good kid if Clint thinks that. If you break my daughters heart, I will hunt you down. Do you hear me?"

"Oh my god. Did we just become best friends?!"

Kate asks with an excited smile only to be met with a confused look.

"I think we did. And just so you know, I will never break her Y/n's heart. I love her too much to do that"

Natasha sent her a relieved smile before Kate speaks up again.

"So.. did Clint really say he liked me? Because I thought he did but he kinda sent mixed signals-"

She's cut off by her girlfriend laying a soft kiss on her cheek with a smile and Natasha sending them a soft smile. She knew they would be okay.

#kate bishop x reader #hailee steinfeld x reader #kate bishop #kate bishop x female reader #hailee steinfeld #hawkeye #marvel

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givemea-dam-break · 1 year

Text

ephemeral - chapter three

a/n: i hope you all enjoy this - the next part will have a lot more going on, i promise!

warnings: mild language gn reader

full collection: here

The next morning is spent at 35 Portland Row, the four of you - you, Lockwood, Lucy, and George - pouring over the contents of the file you stole not even twelve hours ago. Still, after a comfortable nap in Lucy's bed, you feel as if you've been running only recently, heart pounding and feet aching. Nothing a good brew won't fix.

"It looks like the mansion used to be home to this family - the Mortons - in the early eighteen-hundreds," George says, pushing his glasses up his nose. "All of them died in a house fire, save for the only daughter and her son. Some theories suggest she started the fire so that her son would inherit the money instead of one of her six brothers, but it was never confirmed. She went mad a few years later while they were living in northern England after the son died from tuberculosis when he was eight."

Lucy frowns, taking a bite out of her glazed doughnut. A few crumbs fall on her pyjamas. "Bit grim. So, do we think it's the dead family haunting the mansion? I mean, they were killed in the fire - if not murdered - so they've possibly got a reason to come back."

"The report says there were at least five Type Twos," you say, carefully sipping your tea so as to not spill it over the aged paper. "Two men, three women. A mix of Phantasms and Wraiths. The kid who died was ghost-touched by one of the Phantasms. The one who was driven mad had been ghost-locked by a Wraith. The supervisor barely got that one and the other agent out alive. Wait..."

"What is it?" Lockwood leans over the arm of his chair, his face coming far too close to yours.

"My old supervisor - she was one of the kids on that case."

"Hanna Reid?" Lockwood takes the report from your hand, scanning over the writing.

"She was your supervisor?" George asks. "Maybe we could ask her for help, see what advice she could give."

You shake your head, taking the report back from Lockwood and trying to ignore how his fingers brush yours almost purposefully. "No, she never spoke about her cases, really. She was a good supervisor, but she wasn't entirely there, you know? Besides, it'd reveal that we were the ones that broke in yesterday. All that would lead to is DEPRAC arresting us and Steve Rotwell sending this company into an early grave."

"So we can't ask her for help," Lockwood says. "What else do we know? Do we have a layout of the mansion, anything else the report itself tells us?"

"Here's the layout," Lucy says, pushing forward an architectural plan. "Big place. It's got a ballroom and everything."

George takes the plan. "The fire originated in the east wing of the house, over by the drawing room, but the report says that the team found a source in the ballroom under the floorboards. Obviously, it wasn't the only source, because there are ghosts still lingering."

"This is assuming these ghosts are the same ones from almost two decades ago," Lockwood reminds you all. "Could be a completely different set of Visitors. They might well have triggered a new haunting."

Lucy groans. "How are we meant to be prepared for tonight? This kind of case needs a few days' worth of preparation, not one morning."

"Not to make things worse," George says, "but Miss Jeffries called earlier on, Lockwood. We're prohibited from using magnesium flares seeing as her party is tomorrow night and she doesn't want her mansion blown to pieces."

Now you groan, plucking an Apricot Danish from the plate on the coffee table. "So a repeat of Combe Carey Hall, then, except this time we won't even have a smuggled-in bomb flare."

"I could arrange something," Lockwood says, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"No, I don't think that'd be a good idea," George says. "As much as I'd love to get my eardrums assaulted again, we have to go about this all differently."

Lockwood doesn't let that discourage him. "Well, we'll stock up on extra salt bombs, and I can head to Satchel's to pick up some heavy-duty chains."

"Lucy, go with him, won't you?" you say around your pastry. "Make sure he doesn't get flares. I'll pack the bags here."

If the prospect of getting dressed and leaving the house bothers Lucy, she doesn't show it. "I've missed you mothering him."

The comment stops you cold. George chokes on his biscuit. Lockwood isn't moving. Lucy's eyes widen.

"Sorry, I didn't mean -"

"It's fine," you say, swallowing. It's his fault I've not been here to do it. "I'm going to go pack our kits. George, here are the rest of the reports. I'll be in the basement."

One of Lucy's mixtapes is blaring from the speakers down in the basement, and the loud music is a good distraction from your thoughts. With it playing, you can focus on oiling the chains you've picked out and packing the kits with everything you might need. Salt bombs - you've spent a good hour or so making another batch - along with packets of gum in each bag to save George having to figure out who's got it, some snacks unique to each person, a flask of tea in Lockwood's for everyone to share. Once the chains are finished, you wind them up as tightly as you can manage and shove them into the kits.

The whole routine comes to you too easily. It isn't hard to forget everything and pretend, and, oh, how you would love to pretend that the past eight months never happened, but you have to keep reminding yourself that it did. After this case, you'll never see Lockwood again.

It surprises you how much it hurts to think about that. You hate him for what he did, and he probably doesn't particularly like you after things you said that extended far past calling him a conceited asshole, but, surprisingly, you hate the thought of never seeing him again more.

This is just a taste of what it would be like to be with the team again, and you've found yourself enjoying it. You've no issue with Lucy or George, but even being with Lockwood isn't nearly as bad as you thought it would be. Do you really never want to see him again?

I'll stay away until you're ready to speak to me again, or forever if I have to.

A little part of you is smiling at the memory of his words. The arrogant prick knew you wouldn't be able to stay away.

"Am I interrupting something?"

You jump, turning to find George at the foot of the basement stairs. "Oh, George, hey! No, you're not. I've just finished packing our kits."

"Oh, ok, just that you were staring at Skull for longer than any sane person would manage."

"Was I?" You look over at the skull trapped in the Silverglass jar, the Type Three only Lucy can speak to, and cringe as he pulls a grotesque face. "Right. Everything alright, George?"

"Lockwood's just called. He and Lucy have stocked up on more chains, filings, the sorts, and want us to meet them at the train station so we can head to the mansion. Better to get a feel for the place as soon as."

"Have you got the information you need?"

George takes off his glasses, cleaning the lenses on his jumper. "Some, but I'll admit, I don't feel good about this case. We've had even less time to prepare than we did for Combe Carey, and we're going in almost completely blind as to what we're facing. Will it be the ghosts of the family? Some other ones we don't know about?"

You can tell that the whole thing is frustrating him even more than he's showing. For George not to have found much on the mansion outwith what you got in the folder from the Rotwell archives, it must be infuriating. You know how much he hates not knowing things.

"Right," he says. "I'll get my shoes on, then we'll go."

And so you do.

Lockwood and Lucy are already at the station when you both arrive, hoisting heavy chains over their shoulders. By the time you reach them, you're sweating from carrying two kit bags plus Lucy's rucksack in which Skull resides. Your respect for Lucy has only increased after having to lug the heavy case around.

"Extra salt bombs are at the top of all the kit bags," you say, handing Lucy her bag and rucksack. "Your belts are also there, with even more salt bombs and pouches of the usual filings. Two sets of chains in mine and Lockwood's bags, one in Lucy's and George's. I've also put some snacks and tea in. Figured we'd get hungry before the night's even over."

Lockwood grins. "You're the best, (name)."

"I know I am. I wouldn't be here otherwise." You reach into your kit bag and pull out a paper bag, infinitely glad the contents haven't leaked. "Oh, also, milkshakes for everyone, courtesy of Arif."

You pass them around - strawberry and chocolate for Lucy, banana for George, your own unique recipe for yourself, and mint chocolate for Lockwood. It feels nice to hand them out, even nicer to have been able to remember their favourites.

Eventually, you all board the train, sipping milkshakes as the air conditioning whirs quietly. The train is packed with people going on holiday, but the four of you manage to get yourselves a table seat, thanks to your heavy kits and gleaming rapiers.

Although you're providing a vital service, you still get glares from some of the passengers. You remind them of exactly what they're trying to escape.

"So, what's new?" Lockwood asks.

George, who sits beside him, spreads his notes out along with a few sheets from the report and images of the house and its layout. Lucy moves his milkshake out of the way.

"Not much, honestly," George says. "Thanks, Lucy. Okay, well, like I said earlier, the source that had been found by the last team was here in the ballroom, but there has to be at least one more seeing as more ghosts attacked on their way out."

"So what are you thinking?" you ask.

He's got that sparkle in his eye again. "There are at least two ghosts left, a Wraith and a Phantasm, but I called up one of the maids who had been working at the mansion and asked her a few questions. She's younger, not young enough to still have any Talents, but her senses are still more heightened than her coworkers. She said the first time she felt one of the ghosts had been on the second floor, up where the servants' rooms are, when she was heading to bed. The second time, the feeling followed her around the house as she was finishing up.

"Another one of the maids was ghost-touched as she was leaving, right at the front doors. Thankfully, she was driven to the nearest hospital in time to get an adrenaline shot and she's in recovery now. Some of the others have commented about feeling like they're being followed or chased, but after the ghost-touch, none of them will set foot in the house."

Taking a sip of his milkshake, Lockwood says, "So, we've got ghosts immediately on the ground floor and then on the second floor, too. That leaves the first floor potentially safe, but we need to keep our wits about us. We'll all go floor by floor to check the place out, together to begin with, and then we'll work from there. Sound good?"

You all nod in agreement.

For a little bit after that, you're able to relax. You sit and sip your milkshakes, talking about this and that, poking fun at each other. It's nice being able to do so, to smile and laugh as if you're just regular kids, hanging out during the summer holidays like kids would've done so many years ago. You can pretend your rapiers and kit bags aren't there, replaced with rucksacks filled with snacks and games to play.

But the feeling is short-lived.

Soon enough, the train stops momentarily at a station, and you all file out, Lockwood leading the charge.

The fresh air, free of noise and air pollution, is incredible. You can smell freshly cut grass and a distinctly summer-like smell, and in the town that connects to the station, you can hear children squealing with glee. It should be lovely to be surrounded by such peace, but the taxi in front of you ruins it.

It's a big slab of black, with a young man in the driver's seat and, while it's different from the night cabs agents usually have to take, it makes you feel uneasy. This case is giving you a bad feeling, and this taxi is only going to take you closer.

It takes a lot of squishing for everyone to fit in the back of the taxi, but you manage eventually. Really, one of you should sit in the front passenger's seat - Lockwood - but the driver insists you'll all fit just fine.

"Ow, Lockwood, you're proper digging me into the door!" you grumble.

"I can't move! Lucy, shuffle over a touch."

"George is in the way!"

"Well, then, George, you move."

"I'm stuffed into the door, too! I can't move anywhere."

"Everybody comfy?" the driver asks. Before any of you even get the chance to reply, he says, "Good. Let's go. Where to?"

Lockwood shifts slightly, elbowing you in the ribs accidentally. "Elmview Estate, please."

The car jolts to a start, and suddenly you're whizzing down the roads at a speed that is probably illegal. You're not sure - you can't see the speed dial. Every twist and turn has you all jamming into each other, and multiple times you end up with Lockwood's elbow dug into some part of your body painfully. Yours does the same, but not every time is accidental, and Lockwood may have caught onto that fact.

If you were travelling a tad slower, you're sure the view would be beautiful as you leave the town and enter the countryside. The distant hills are a blur, and the trees move by so quickly they're but a blur of green. Once or twice, you pass groups of cyclists, and you're pretty shocked by the fact that the driver hasn't hit any of them.

To be honest, this guy's licence should probably be revoked.

But he gets you where you need to go. You reach the estate sooner than you should've which, at least, gives you more time to scope out the mansion. In a very strange way, you're all grateful for the guy.

"Don't tell anyone we were here," Lockwood says to the driver, handing him extra money.

"Gotcha. Stay safe, kiddos."

Then he's speeding off down the lane and out of sight.

George scoffs. "Kiddos. He's not even that much older than us."

Slowly, you all turn towards the house. It's a hulking beast of a thing, towering three storeys tall with massive windows on all floors. Balconies made of stone and wrought iron host beautiful flowering plants. A set of large white steps lead up to the large double doors, made from white metal of some sort and stained glass depicting some scene or another that, really, should be one of the most stunning things about the house. But it's smashed as though someone fell through it. Elm trees surround the house, bursting with green leaves that blow gently in the breeze.

"Lovely place," Lockwood says. "If it weren't haunted, I'd like to live here."

"You've nowhere near enough money," you remind him. "And what would you do with all the space? Imagine all the dusting you'd have to do."

"You sound like my mum," George grumbles. "Every time we used to pass a big house when I was a kid, it was: Oh, imagine all the dusting! I'd love to say I've got a mansion, but I'd hate the cleaning."

"I suppose that's why Yvette has maids," Lucy says, staring up at the house. "If you have the money to own a mansion, you have the money for hired help."

"This is all besides the point," Lockwood interrupts, although he's smiling. "We best get started, check out the house while it's light."

With a big, shared sigh, you all climb the steps into the house.

<- part 2 part 4 ->

#anthony lockwood x reader #lockwood x reader #lockwood and co x reader #lockwood and co fanfiction #lockwood and co #lockwood and co netflix #anthony lockwood #george karim #lucy carlyle #x reader #fanfiction #givemea-dam-break

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quinncupine · 2 years

Text

Phone It In

Relationship: Izuku X Female Reader

Word Count: 7,195

Summary: Working late at the Agency was one thing you never minded. It gave you more time to spend with your favorite hero. Tonight was no different, but when it came time to leave, you realized you had accidentally switched phones. When a dangerous situation forces itself on you, who knew that would be the very thing that might save you?

Warnings: kidnapping, gun violence, drowning, injuries

Quinns Masterlist

I suppose we should call it a night." Izuku leaned back in his chair unable to contain that small grin as you tried to stifle a yawn for the third time in less than a minute. "We made good headway today. I think we'll be ready to organize a raid by tomorrow."

"I can keep going." You spoke through the yawn. "I'm good, really."

"Now you're starting to sound like me." He chuckled. "But we can't do much else until I get in contact with the police chief and he won't be in until the morning. Besides you need your rest."

"I suppose I could say the same thing for you. I think we're wearing matching eyebags." You dropped the stack of files you had been absent-mindedly sorting back on the desk and rubbed your eyes. "Who knew there could be this much paperwork involved before we even make an arrest."

"This case is a bit more difficult with this certain crime family involved. They have a lot of connections that we need to be wary of. Everything has to be perfect. But with the clear-cut proof I've collected," he glanced at the safe beside his desk. "We can finally take them down and the drug they're producing with it."

He set his own pile down next to yours and looked up at you. "Thanks again for sticking around to help. I promise to make it up to you."

"It's not a problem. I like a challenge." Linking your outstretched hands you stretched them above your head. "But if I have to get sleep then you have to promise to do the same."

Izuku opened his mouth to argue but you had a point. "fair enough." He stood up and stretched his muscles that protested sitting in one position for so long. "Let's both get a good night's rest."

"That ship has sailed," you laughed glancing at the time. "But we can still get a good morning's rest."

He laughed, rubbing his neck, and gestured to the door. "I'll walk you out."

The two of you gathered the files and locked everything into the evidence safe. This case was pretty high profile involving a prominent family who Izuku had only recently discovered were engaged in a major drug ring he was trying to take down. If he shut their operations down, he could essentially take the entire ring with it. He had to be careful how he went about it and even you weren't privy to some of the finer details of the case. Still, being part of the action, even if it was pushing paperwork was pretty exhilarating.

He finished locking up the safe and turned to you with a smile. You grabbed your phone off the desk and slipped it into your purse. Once you were ready, he led you out of the office and locked the door. The main floor was empty and void of other heroes. Everyone else had left for the night and only the skeleton crew was left to run things on the floor above, monitoring the night patrol from the comms center.

"Thanks to you, I think we'll have this whole case wrapped up by the end of the week." He grinned as the two of you stepped into the elevator and rode it down to the lobby. "And that deserves a reward, don't you think?"

"It was nothing really…I'm just glad I could help." Heat rose into your cheeks so you focused on the descending numbers, hoping he couldn't see your embarrassment.

"It definitely was not nothing," Izuku turned to face you. "I don't know what I'd get done around here without you. You're the reason this agency is running so smoothly."

If he kept the praises flowing, you'd drown in the compliments and die a happy woman. With a shy smile, you glanced at him and immediately dropped your gaze to your shoes. His bright green eyes were wide with such sincerity you found it hard to look at him without shivering. He was always so intense.

"How does dinner tomorrow sound?" He asked quietly after a few beats of silence. "Uh…for a job well done that is."

"Dinner?" you perked up, finally locking eyes with him.

Did he really just ask you to dinner? He did, didn't he? Did Izuku even realize what that could mean to you? Or was this strictly a professional dinner?

Something in your expression must've given him pause and he quickly backtracked waving his hands around wildly. "Unless you don't want to or you're busy or-"

"No!" you shouted over him. "I'm not…I mean, I would like that."

"Great!" He shouted back before he cleared his throat and spoke at a more manageable level, weaving his trembling hands through his wild green locks. "I know the perfect place and it's just around the corner." The elevator doors pinged open and Izuku practically stumbled out alongside you, heading towards the parking garage.

"Wait," you stopped with a smile of your own, "are you talking about Blossoms? I love that place!"

"I know- uh I mean yeah, um I heard it's got great reviews." He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "So you wanna go then?"

"Yes!" okay, you really needed to stop shouting, but Izuku didn't seem to mind, beaming in return. "It's a da-" you clamped your mouth shut before you said the words you know would actually kill you from embarrassment alone and fumbled for another word. "A deal!"

Stepping into the parking garage, you fished through your purse for your keys. Izuku hovered a moment longer as you found the fob and unlocked your car.

"Get home safe, I'll see you tomorrow," he finally managed to unglue his feet and with a bit of an awkward wave, he took off down to the next level where his car was parked.

Biting your lip, you watched him leave, wishing you could've said something to keep him around for just a bit longer. But as he turned the corner to the next level, you sighed and slumped into your car, slapping your cheeks. The air was frigid so you sat for a moment, waiting for the car to heat up, thoughts slipping into what tomorrow might bring. Just what kind of reward dinner was he talking about? Should you go casual or fancy? Would fancy be too much? Maybe a nice sweater? Yeah, sweaters were always a safe option.

A ring startled you out of your thoughts and you searched around your purse until you pulled out your phone, confused by the unfamiliar tone. It was a message from Detective Tsukauchi, except you didn't have Tsukauchi's number...because this wasn't your phone. Staring at the background of a selfie between Izuku and All Might, it donned on you that you somehow accidentally switched phones with him. It must've been when you were cleaning up the desk. He had the same phone case as you, a joke you'd made with him on several occasions.

Hopefully, he hadn't left the parking structure yet. The phone was locked and after a second of hesitation, you guessed a password. Thinking of any relevant numbers, you inputted his birthday. When that didn't work you put in his mother's birthday. (Hey, you were his secretary, knowing these things came with the job...) but unfortunately, that wasn't it either.

Pondering on it for a few more moments you typed in a seemingly random date. You didn't know the exact significance of it but it was a day that Izuku always took off to spend with All Might. Something that had to have happened when he was in middle school. Though you were fairly certain he didn't meet the man until high school. Whatever the case, it did the trick and unlocked the phone. Now all you had to do was explain that one to Izuku.

When you dialed in your own phone number, you paused as your name came up with a little green heart attached to the end. How were you supposed to interpret that!? Was he even remotely aware of how much a simple little heart would affect your own? Finally, blinking through your mini heart attack, you called your phone and listened for a few rings before Izuku answered chuckling into the phone.

"Well one of us needs to change cases." He laughed, voice a bit tinny.

"Hey, I got mine first," you countered, still a bit flustered but unable to contain the grin that filled your face.

"Well, I can't argue with that sound logic. Are you still in the garage? I'm turning around."

"Yup. Right where you left me."

"Good. Don't go anywhere. I'll be there in a few."

Hanging up, you tried to suppress a gleeful smile and smacked your cheeks again. Izuku made you so flustered sometimes and he didn't even realize it. Heat flared across your cheeks so you took a few deep breaths to try to calm yourself down.

The phone was still in your hands, unlocked with quite a tempting urge. But you quickly locked it again and decided to stare at the lock screen to pass the time. It was a cute little candid of Izuku and his mentor who you've met dozens of times whenever he stopped by the office to see his protégé. He and All Might were on some beach boardwalk with ice cream cones looking happy and content as they threw peace signs up while Izuku's ice cream looked ready to drip right off the cone. There was something so familial about it that you couldn't help but wonder if the rumors of All Might's secret love child were actually true. Their quirks were similar enough and Izuku never likes to talk about his out-of-the-picture father but they didn't look much like each other.

A quick shake of your head dispelled the thought. It was just a rumor. Besides what would Izuku gain by hiding that fact anyway. He's way too honest about things, he makes for a terrible liar.

Too engrossed in your whirling thoughts, you didn't notice the shadow pass your window until the glass shattered over your face. You gripped the phone in shock and covered your head with a startled yelp. A heavy click echoed in your ear and you dared to lift your eyes enough to come face to face with the barrel of a gun.

"Get out. Now ." A commanding voice ordered as he stuck his gangly fingers into the car and unlocked the door.

Still in shock, you hesitated just a second too long so he flung the door open himself and ripped you out of the car with such force that you would've tumbled to your knees if not for the bruising grip the man had on your arm. The phone slipped from your fingers and cracked on the ground. A shoe stomped on it, crushing what was left of the screen, and then kicked the remains under the car.

"What do you want?" You breathed out, trying to gain your footing back.

"Found the purse." A second thug, a solid brick of a man, looming on the other side of the car pointed to said purse sitting on your passenger seat.

They were just simple purse snatchers? Why would muggers target someone right outside a hero agency? It didn't make any sense, not that criminals ever did.

The brute dumped the contents of your purse onto the passenger seat and you could only look on in distress as he rifled through them. Your wallet fell out but he simply brushed it aside and kept looking. They were looking for something in particular...but what would you have that they wanted?

"They're in the ignition, you dolt." The man holding you rolled his eyes as his partner blinked and glanced over to them.

He turned the car off and plucked the keys out, jingling them with a smug grin. "Found 'em, Briggs." When he crawled out of the car he smacked his head on the roof with a grunt and popped up rubbing the sore spot. "What should we do with the lady?"

"We bring her along." The man, Briggs, tightened his grip for emphasis. "She's still useful. Besides, we can't have any witnesses."

The brute simply nodded and shut the door, going through your keys. "Why do you have so many lady?" He complained sorting through them. "It's gonna take forever to find the right one.

A key. They wanted a key and attacking you in the parking garage, while not smart, was efficient...if they wanted in the agency. Maybe they didn't realize there were still heroes inside. Security cameras littered the building. If you could just catch their attention then-

"Help!" You hurriedly screamed twice before a sharp hand slammed you across the face and squeezed your nose shut, pulling you against his chest.

The sudden force stifled your screams and the pinched nose made it difficult to breathe with your face stuffed into an arm. You struggled in the unwanted embrace but he was a lot stronger than he looked.

"Give me the tape," Briggs growled and a moment later you were forced away from him, only for the brute to seal a piece of tape across your mouth. "Get her hands too. She's a bit too spritely for my liking."

Okay, things just went from bad to worse. Not only had you been effectively taken hostage, you ruined your chances of calling for help. But not all hope was lost. Izuku couldn't have gotten too far away before he turned around. He should only be a few minutes away. He would know what to do when he got here. All you had to do was hold out until then and try to avoid eating lead.

"Let's get inside before anyone notices anything." Briggs pushed you ahead of him. "Let's go."

You stumbled, trying to balance with your hands awkwardly bound in front of you. The tape pulled on your skin as you walked, breath growing ragged through your nose as fear clogged your throat. Your eyes kept darting around the garage as they lead you back toward the doors. No lights or any sign of him. Where was he?

When you slowed down, still trying to scan the garage, a sharp pain whacked the back of your head so hard that it brought you to your knees. A muffled cry escaped through the tape as you blinked stars out of your eyes.

"Don't get distracted girly, let's move." Briggs's voice echoed from behind you, though it sounded distant. When you glanced back at him, tears in your eyes, It took you a few moments to realize that he'd pistol-whipped you. Damn, that hurt.

"Hey, you don't need to be so rough." The brute spoke up but quickly backed down again when Briggs turned that vicious glare his way. "Just saying man…" he muttered, averting his eyes.

"What does it matter to you?" Briggs whispered. "We're just gonna dispose of her anyway."

"Yeah but she's still a lady after all." He shrugged, glancing your way. "Gotta treat 'em with respect."

Oh great. A thug with a conscious (as inverted as it was). Wait, that might actually work in your favor...if you could get him to take the tape off your mouth.

"We can respect her when she's dead." Briggs hauled you up roughly and forced you along with the gun buried in your back. "Now hurry up, we don't have much time."

He was right on that mark. If Izuku didn't get here in time then who knows what would happen to you? With one last desperate glance back at the garage, they unlocked the door and pushed you back inside.

Izuku pulled into the near-empty garage and made his way up to the level he'd left you on. Your car was still sitting in the same place and the moment he saw it a bundle of shy nerves bounced around his stomach. He was already frazzled enough that you actually agreed to go on a dat...a thank you dinner with him and his brain was struggling to handle anything else.

When he pulled closer, he realized there was no one in the driver's seat. Had you decided to stretch your legs while waiting for him? He already felt bad enough that he'd accidentally taken your phone but making you wait for him alone was weighing on him too.

Parking next to the car, he stepped out and glanced around. "Y/N?"

No answer. The garage remained as empty and as still as it had been. Did you go back inside to wait or...that's when Izuku noticed the glass shattered on the ground and the empty space where the window should've been.

He went on instant high alert as he leaned in towards the car. His shoes crunched under the bits of glass spread around the door. Your purse was sitting on the passenger seat, contents scattered haphazardly. The wallet lying on the floor didn't escape his notice either. If something did happen to you, then they weren't simple purse snatchers.

When he stepped back to examine the surroundings, he noticed a bit of green reflecting near the front tire. crouching down, he found bits of his phone scattered under the car. All the evidence was pointing in a very dangerous direction and that nagging sense of urgency spilled into his veins.

If you were taken somewhere then there was very little he could do staying here. But his agency had installed security cameras into the parking structure when he moved here. They could give him a much more useful sense of what happened.

Leaving the car behind he headed back towards the agency. The skeleton crew was on the upper floor, handling night patrols but they also were in charge of the security of the building. If anything went amiss, they were supposed to notify him. That was the only thing still keeping him calm. If anything, you're window busted and you were just waiting inside, too busy to remember the purse...though the damaged phone was a little harder to reason. But who was he kidding, nothing was ever that easy. A final cursory glance around the garage and he headed inside.

The tape they'd so forcefully slapped against your mouth was making it quite difficult to breathe properly. It didn't help that the tears had clogged your already puffy nose and if you didn't start to calm down then you'd be heaving through your nostrils any second.

The big brute who had taken over leading you down the hall gripped your arm just tight enough to keep you from falling as you stumbled every few feet in your dizzy state. Your head still hurt from where they'd pistol whipped you and your eyes strained to see through the tears and double vision. But you knew this place like the back of your hand and they were leading you directly to Deku's office. You had a pretty good guess as to what they wanted too.

Deku had been pouring every spare minute over that case file for weeks. It had enough evidence to take down an entire crime ring. It was also locked in a safe that not even you knew the passcode for. Not that you were going to tell them that.

"I still say we shoulda burnt the place down. Get rid of the evidence and send a message to them goody two-shoe heroes." The man gripping your arm spoke up as they reached the door.

The taller one, Briggs, must've been related to him, maybe a brother, stopped in his place and turned around to deliver a smack to the back of his head.

"And that's exactly the reason no one lets you make plans you big oaf." He whispered quite obviously vexed. "Why do you think we're sneaking in the first place? We're trying to get rid of our connection not create more. Honestly, why did we even let you out?"

"Cause I'm smart." He answered with a grin, not deterred by the nasty quip in the slightest.

"Yeah, if a rock had a brain." He muttered and glanced at the door. "We just need to get in and replace the evidence then get out. Everyone will be none the wiser until it's too late."

A deep fear spread through your belly at his words. You were already the wiser so what did that mean for you? Mr. Rock behind you had the same thought.

"What about the lady?" He shook your shoulder for emphasis. "I thought you said no witnesses. Why did we grab her again?"

"She's got the code to the safe." He finally turned to you. "There are only two people with that code. You and the no-good hero himself. Obviously, we can't ask him so I'm asking you oh-so-nicely to open it for us." The smile he spread was anything but.

You had some not-so-nice words for him too if only there wasn't tape covering your mouth. Instead, you glared at him through your blurry vision hoping you looked menacing enough.

"Glare at me all you want. I have ways to make you crack. If you want to save us all some pain then just open it."

There's no way you'd do that…even if you could. Izuku was on his way back. They didn't know that so all you had to do was hold out until then and wait until he noticed something was wrong. He would notice, right? Of course, he would. He was the greatest hero you knew.

He held your keys up and jingled them around. The tinkling echoed around the empty room and with a smug grin he unlocked the door. Inside the office was a bit brighter with the city lights of downtown shining through the windows. Underneath his desk was the safe in question. It was a two-pronged system with a thumb scanner and a key code. They had to know they wouldn't get in without his print.

"Oaf, get to work."

The big man chuckled and threw you against his brother who caught you in turn. He went over to the trash and rummaged through the can. You watched in disgust as he pulled out a disposable cup that Izuku drank from when you both had eaten dinner in here just a few hours ago.

He pulled the straw out and sniffed it. You wrinkled your nose as he licked it up and down.

"Is that enough?" His brother asked.

"Enough for this." He dropped the straw and held up his hand, the thumb shrinking just slightly and taking on a slight skin tone change.

"Now it's your turn little lady," Briggs twisted you around and pried off the tape in one quick swipe.

You gasped as your skin snapped back into place just knowing it would leave a red welt across your face. "Go screw yourself."

He lost his amused smirk and grabbed your bound hands, pulling you close. "You have five seconds to decide which finger I break first. Or you can open the safe. Be smart if you know what's good for you. "

"Getting that evidence isn't going to change anything." You said. "Your family made too many mistakes. You're about to make another serious one too if you continue with this."

He gave you a toothy grin before snapping your pointer finger. Your scream drowned out the crack and he slammed a gangly hand over your mouth to shut you up.

"One down. It looks like you have nine more chances. Shall I ask again?" He whispered, leaning in close.

Your nose flared as you tried to regulate your breathing through the throbbing pain jumping up your hand. He gripped another finger and you instinctively jerked away from him but he held fast.

This little interrogation wasn't going to last much longer as the pain only seemed to grow worse the tighter he gripped. Another finger snapped and you flinched, a muffled scream the only thing able to escape.

You shook your head and wrenched your face away. "Okay, okay! Stop, please!"

"Good girl." He let go and pushed you towards the desk. "Now open it."

You cradled your fingers against your chest as you glanced back at him, fat tears dripping onto your cheeks. The two men stared at you and with one desperate glance at the still-open office door, you found it empty. Just a little longer is all. He's coming.

"I'm waiting." He took a threatening step forward and you stumbled into the desk, your bound hands fumbling in front of you for purchase.

With no other options and no clear escape, you walked around and knelt in front of the safe. Sniffling, your good fingers found the keypad and shakily input the same code as his phone. When it beeped red, you squeezed your eyes shut. What were they going to do to you when they realized you didn't actually know the code?

Briggs narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to the desk. "Stop wasting time girl."

A shiver ran down your spine at his icy glare. You focused back on the pad, fingers hovering over the numbers. When you tried another set of numbers special to Izuku, it failed again. You tried a few more times until you ran out of options. How on earth were you supposed to figure this out?

The gun cocked and when you looked up, the barrel was pointed straight at you. "I'm not gonna ask again. Open it."

Fear froze your core and you glanced at the pad again. You didn't know what else it could be. With no other options, you put the first set of numbers that came to your mind. Your birthday.

You typed slowly, trying to delay your demise as long as possible. When you pressed the last number, the safe beeped and the screen flashed green, much to your surprise.

There was no time to put much thought into why as Briggs pushed you aside so his brother could press his thumb against the scanner. The pad lit up green a second time and the door clicked open.

You scrambled away from them as they both crowded around it. This was your chance. You could escape while they were distracted!

Skirting around the desk, you slowly made your way to the door. The moment you reached the doorway, you broke into a sprint, accidentally smashing into the frame on the way out.

"Briggs!" The brute called out but you didn't stick around, racing down the hall as fast as you could.

The door that led into the lobby was just ahead. You were running too fast to properly slow down and skidded to a halt. Your bound hands grasped the handle but you flinched as the pain burned up your arm from your broken fingers. It was hard enough to turn with taped hands but taped broken fingers were hell.

"Come on!" You yelled at the knob, shakily grasping onto it.

"Where do you think you're going?" Two giant hands grabbed your shoulders and hauled you away from the door.

"Deku!" You screamed. "DEKU!"

The brute covered your mouth and looked at his brother. "How do you wanna get rid of her?"

"Unfortunately she lost control of her car on the way home and drowned in the river." He twirled your keys and clicked his tongue. "Terrible thing really but accidents do happen."

Wide eyes followed him as he stepped between a few of the sidekicks' desks over to a water cooler. He rapped his fingers along the top of the tank before he flipped the tap on and water poured out onto the floor. It puddled there for a minute before it pooled together and lifted into a small bubble.

You struggled in the giant's grip as Briggs walked over, the bubble of water floating beside him. Muffled cries fell on uncaring ears, powerless to break free.

"A tragedy that the world will soon forget." He said and pushed the bubble against your face.

The cold water hit your skin with a sting and you jerked away but there was no escaping it. You held your breath as panic overtook your thoughts. He was going to drown you in Deku's own agency. You were going to drown. You were going to die.

Pressure built up as little bubbles of your last breath floated from your lips. Two faces stared impassively down at you. Fear boiled through your veins along with the lack of oxygen and no matter how much you wriggled in their grasp, you couldn't break free. A last-ditch effort to scream for help sounded muffled, a barely audible version of his name but you sincerely hoped that somehow Deku would be able to hear it anyway.

Pain squeezed your head to the limit and fire burned through your lungs. Darkness tinged your vision so you squeezed your eyes shut in an effort to will it away. Blood rushed through your ears drowning out your own pitiful attempts to call for help through the water.

Briggs's satisfied smile was the last thing you'd see. Your body's strength gave out as his fading face was the last thing you saw in the darkness swimming through your mind. He didn't make it in time after all.

Izuku took the stairs two at a time as he rushed up to the third floor where the night staff operated. His shoes echoed around the stairwell before he came to the landing and burst through the door.

The bright lights hit his eyes and he blinked before scanning the area. The newest rookie sitting at a nearby desk jumped at his sudden entrance before jumping to his feet.

"Deku!" He stammered, obviously caught off guard. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd gone home?"

"Kenma," Izuku turned to him. "Where's Saza?"

"At the security desk. Why? What's happened?" He asked, confused as he sat straight.

"I don't know yet." Izuku's expression darkened as he headed for the security room.

Security for the building was spearheaded by Saza's office, his chief of security. The door was open slightly when he arrived but he still knocked before coming in.

"Saza," Izuku called, stepping into the dim office.

The man looked up from his desk. A panel of screens filled the wall beside them, showing the live feeds of nearly every corner of the building.

"Midoriya, what's brought you here?" The older man asked.

"Y/N." He explained, turning to the wall of screens, examining each one as he talked. "We left together earlier, but we'd mixed our phones up and when I came back to switch them, she was gone. Well her car was still here." Izuku shook his head with a frustrated sigh. "I think something's happened. What have you seen?"

Saza narrowed his eyes and stood up to go stand next to Izuku. He also examined the screens. "Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?" He looked at the man. "Something happened. She's not in her car. The window's been smashed. How can you say nothing's happened?"

"Just as it looks." Saza tapped the screen of the parking garage where your car still sat. "There's been no movement here all night."

"All night?' Izuku clenched his fist, staring at the screen. "This isn't right."

"It certainly sounds like it."

"No, I mean this footage. It isn't right. My car is parked next to hers right now. This footage is wrong. It's…looped."

Saza went back to his desk and pulled out a flashlight. "I'll do a perimeter sweep. If she's here, we'll find her sooner or later."

"The later is what I'm worried about," Izuku muttered. "Stay here and see if you can fix the footage. I'm going to search the lower floors."

Izuku stepped back out of the office, running into Kenma who stood just outside. "Let me help too."

He didn't have time to argue. "Let's go."

The two of them headed for the door when a faint scream drifted through the air. Izuku halted midstep as he listened. It sounded faintly like his name and there was only one person who would be calling for him right now.

"Y/N," he breathed and took off towards the door.

"W-wait!" The rookie, out of desperation, grabbed Izuku's arm. The minute he touched him, his fingers sparked and sent a powerful jolt up Izuku's arm. He stumbled back, his whole right side tingling. Confusion swept through him for only a moment before he turned a furious glare back at Kenma.

"What are you doing?"

His eyes widened as he faced a confused, and at the moment, quite terrifying look on his boss's face. "I- they...I'm sorry!" He finally managed to say.

"Kenma, deactivate your quirk." Izuku stepped towards him, speaking quietly.

He glanced at the door and in a moment of hesitation finally shook his head. "I can't."

Izuku's feet froze, muscles spasming, forcing him to his knees. The shock had spread through the rest of his body. He remembered exactly how the boy's quirk worked, he even helped him develop this very move. It was a special move, one aimed at detainment rather than an offensive attack. It rendered his muscles immobile for a period of time, a great technique when dealing with villains. But why on earth would he try attacking Izuku now of all times?

"I'm so sorry Deku!" He stumbled back just a bit as he met his gaze.

The boy's quirk had developed quickly with Izuku's guidance, but it still needed work, especially with a new move he'd only learned recently. Straining his body, he quickly pulled the little kinetic power he had of Fa Jin into his feet and launched himself at Kenma. The two collided and crashed into his desk, splintering the wooden structure down the middle. With his concentration pulled, the electric force lost its hold on Izuku who restrained the boy with ease.

"I don't have time for this!" He grabbed Kenmas hands and used the rookie's own zip ties to restrain them.

Kenma stared into those desperately wide green eyes before shutting his own. "They won't hurt her. They promised they wouldn't."

"Who are they?" He tightened his grip.

"I...I don't know. They wore disguises. Deku, they threatened my family."

Izuku pushed that angry ball of fury down as he stared at the terrified kid in front of him. "You should've come to me Kenma. Never trust a villain. But I need you to believe me that I can help you."

Kenma buried his face into the floor, tears staining the carpet. "I'm sorry." The broken whisper was barely audible.

Standing up, he stared down at him. The loud crash had drawn Saza out of his office. "Keep him here Saza and call the police...and tell them we need an ambulance." He didn't miss the way Kenma's eyes shot up at his own. "I'll be back."

Not needing to be told twice, the old man nodded.

With one more glance back at the deflated hero, he rushed from the room and back into the stairwell. The scream had to have come from the floor below.

He'd have to deal with Kenma later but he was sure he knew who was behind this whole mess in the first place. The timing couldn't have been a coincidence. Which meant that you were in serious danger, despite what Kenma was led to believe. Villains always lied. It was right there on page one in the handbook. In the future, he would need to vet his staff better to prevent something like this from happening again.

Jumping past most of the steps he landed at the base of the stairs with a hard thud. This floor was the main hub. It also housed his office in the back and if these guys wanted in that evidence locker then they'd need to come through this way to do it. He only hoped that he wasn't too late.

Steeling his breath, he opted to take it cautiously and slowly. He opened the door into the darkened office. Soft whispers of voices echoed through the air and the small glow of a flashlight caught his eye. What he saw behind that made his heart nearly stop.

"Y/N!"

That iron grip on your shoulders disappeared leaving you to keep up your own weight which you failed at as the strength already left you. Dropping to the floor like a lead weight you gasped as the water bubble burst, drenching your head and shoulders. Ragged breaths kept you conscious enough to be vaguely aware of Biggs dropping to the floor beside you groaning loudly.

When you gathered enough wits to pull yourself to your knees, clutching the fabric of your shirt, you glanced up. Izuku was standing over the two fallen criminals, sparking brightly in the darkness of the office. He pulled the cuffs off a nearby desk and quickly incapacitated the barely conscious duo then turned to you.

That hard glare immediately softened when he met your wide-eyed stare. His defensive posture drooped and he knelt down, hesitantly resting a hand on your shoulders.

"Are you okay?"

You were still choking back harsh gasps but managed a quick nod. Speaking wasn't an option with panic still firmly lodged in your throat. He nodded along with a reassuring smile, however small and wavering.

"I'm so sorry. I should've realized something was wrong sooner..." He trailed off as he caught sight of your two mangled fingers. His own fingers were gentle and soft as he picked up your hand to examine them.

"K-kinda remind me of you huh?" Your voice came out shaky and broken as you tried to joke with him to alleviate some of the stress.

"We'll get you to the hospital. An ambulance is on its way. " He stood up and helped you to your feet.

"Wait," you stopped as he tried to lead you away from the criminals. "The evidence. They tampered with the evidence."

Izuku glanced at the men on the ground. "I'm not concerned about that right now. We need to get you some medical attention first."

"But-" you blinked as his words sunk in. He cared about you? No that was just him doing his job. "Okay."

He lead you over to a bench and sat you down. After a few moments of silence where you absorbed everything that happened to you, he sat next to you and stared worridly at you.

"I'm okay. Really Midoriya. Thank you for saving me." You whispered, staring at the two men lying unconscious on the ground. "I guess I know just the man to call next time I'm in danger."

"I still have your phone by the way." Izuku offered you a small smile and pulled the device out of his pocket.

"Um, yours might be a little damaged." You confessed, glancing up at him.

He smirked. "I know. Found what was left of it in the garage."

"Sorry."

Izuku wrapped his arm further around your shoulders to pull you in close for a comforting side hug. The warmth seemed to flow into you even as the cold wetness the water left behind lingered.

"This is in no way your fault." He met your gaze head-on. "I exposed you to needless danger and for that I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel unsafe so I can put in a transfer for you. I always bring trouble." That last bit was muttered under his breath but you still stopped in your tracks when you heard it.

"I like what I do Midoriya. I like helping you and I like working here...with you." You grabbed the fabric of his shirt around his midsection. "I want to be helpful to you so I want to stay if you'll let me."

He stopped for a moment, eyes searching your own. "Of course I want you to stay. I couldn't think of anyone else to do a better job."

A blush of heat raced to your already burning cheeks. "But maybe we install better alarms."

He nodded with a sudden seriousness. "I promise I'll never let you be put in such danger again. I want to keep you safe Y/N, I care about you too much."

You relished in his words before he realized what he said and blushed an adorable pink. But he met your gaze, a little bit of that rebellious determination blazing in those bright green eyes of his.

"Do you really mean that?" You whispered, a bit afraid to hear the answer.

"Of course. I hope that's okay?" He asked, his voice wavering a bit.

"More than okay." Your good hand tightened around the fabric of his shirt before he grasped it in his own and squeezed.

"Hey, I have a question for you."

He looked on curiously. "What is it?"

"When you get a new phone are you going to get a different case?"

He blinked before laughing. "You just want me to change the old one!"

"I did get this one first. It's only fair." You smirked.

"You're playing hardball here." He pulled you closer and you snuggled up into his side. "But I'll consider it If you help me pick out a new one."

You rested your head on his shoulder, exhaustion from the ordeal finally catching up to you. "You got it Midoriya. I have the perfect case in mind."

"Izuku." He said quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Call me Izuku. I think you've more than earned it." He turned his head a bit to hide his blush.

"Are you sure?" You fought the weariness to raise your head.

He nodded, an uncertain worry crossing his face.

"Okay...Izuku." the name rolled so smoothly off your tongue that you couldn't help the bashful smile that played across your lips.

He grinned, his freckles almost sparking a bit and he pulled you into a full hug. "I'm glad you're okay. You have no idea how scared I was when I saw you there. You mean a lot to me."

For the second time that night, you nearly died but for some reason, you were perfectly content with the second instance. Maybe it was the coziness of laying in his arms or the aura of protectiveness radiating off him but you couldn't help but repeat his words over and over again in your head. ' You mean a lot to me .'

"Does that offer to go to Blossoms still stand? I'm starving after all that." You asked dropping your head back into his shoulder with an exhausted sigh.

"Of course it is." He wrapped you tight in his arms and rested his cheek on the top of your head. "It's a date."

You were quite glad that he couldn't see the heat blooming across your face, but you buried your face into his shoulder to hide the curl of your lips at his words. A date. It was hard won to be sure but you finally got your date.

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blankwashed · 3 months

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Sleepless Shadows (Part 3)

Chapter: I II III IV V VI VII

Recap: Satoru hugged your waist to try and bring you down. "It's okay it's no big deal. Just finish your meal and we'll be on our way okay? I don't like how people are looking at us with their judgmental eyes," he says to your ears.

You nod your head and try to finish your meal without getting stomach pains.

“All done?” Satoru looks at you after you slurped up the last bit from the stew, with a slight smile on his face.

You nod and try to bow your head to him as respect but he lifted your chin up.

“It’s fine darling, you can repay me in other ways. Like scoring a good score on our coming exams, okay?” He crooned, with a slight smirk on his lips.

Your face was red again as you were thinking of other ways you could repay him, ways that he will be gripping onto your hair, pushing you closer to him-. What?

“He’s just my lecturer, this is unethical as he says,” The thought nestled in your mind as you let out a sigh. If only you were a few years older, if only you were his type, if only you met him outside of class, if only-

His lips were glistening after he licked his lips, a bad habit of his.

“Let’s get back to the car, y/n.” He said, with a gleam in his eyes.

“Mm..” you didn’t want to go back home. You wanted to spend more time with him even though your body was crying out for sleep at this point, especially after eating so much at this time at night.

You dragged your feet to the passenger’s seat of his car which does not open for you this time, and you wondered why. As many times as you try to open the door, it won't budge. That's strange, it was fine before.

"Mr. Gojo? W-Why does my side of the door not work anymore? Could you help me from your side?"

Satoru quickly comes to you as he sees that you're having a dilemma. When he reaches the car, he pats his pockets and his face turned pale.

"Oh shit…" He swore, quite loudly. When the gears in your brain clicked, you realised. He left the car keys inside the car.

"Shit shit shit," He continued swearing with a worrisome face, which was quite different from his usual respected teacher-self. This did not help the situation at all as you didn't know what you could do.

"Shit, everyone is probably still sleeping and I don't want to wake them up…" He mumbles under his breath, still with a worried face.

You bit your lip, equally as worried but not so as you would be stranded with your favourite lecturer. Besides, you don't have classes the next day.

"Sir, I know this isn't the appropriate timing but I don't think you have classes tomorrow either. This predicament that we've gotten ourselves into is not really that bad? I'm sure you could call a tow truck or professionals to get your car opened tomorrow. " You try to make Satoru not worry that much, besides, you're sure that he's not married, right? No one would be waiting for him at home, right?

"I know, I know I just thought this night was going to be perfect, you know? Just me and you and-" He stops himself from continuing as he worries that he might scare you off.

Shucks, you were blushing. It was a chilly night, no doubt but you just felt that it was summer on your cheeks.

"I'm sorry, y/n. I should've known better and as your lecturer this mistake is very unacceptable for me to make," Satoru looks down at his feet while talking to you, as if he's a teenager again which you find quite cute.

"No big deal, sir. Anyways, I noticed that there's a motel nearby while we were driving here. We can sleep there for tonight, what do you think about that?" You adjusted your eyes onto his, making sure he's not sad anymore.

It took Satoru some time till he answered you.

"Sure, let's go get a room."

this was due weeks ago, ive just been really busy with uni and when im not busy, im either sleeping or playing games ;_; its sunday today and tomorrow i'll be back in uni grinding for i dont even know what lol.

#satoru gojo #satoru #satoru x reader #fluff #jjk #jjk fluff #its getting somewhere from here i guess #fics

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iantimony · 6 months

Text

tuesday yet we persevere

what a week lads

listening up to partizan 18. the exchange of jack: "is inertia when you're stopping or going?" austin, very confidently: "it's when you're going" had me shouting NO at my phone, thank god art chimed in to clarify and actually define inertia. i love you art. been listening to a lot of breaking benjamin while i marathon-focus on trying to finish my poster by. tonight. yeouch.

reading fallow

playing pokego! it's become my fun little morning activity while i lay in bed waking up. like. ok i need to be awake. i will drowsily catch the 3 pokemon that spawn around me and spin the pokestop across the street. ok time to get out of bed i guess.

watching hbomberguy new four hour video reigns supreme. i've had it on periodically while i do chores, cook, etc.

making pottery! basically everything came out of the kiln at once! some finished objects:

the mugs (more like teacups, really, shrinkage strikes again) came out cute, despite the orange one getting a crack in the handle. i really love the way the white bowl came out with the koi, i'd put lillypads inside but they really didn't show up at all so i didn't bother photographing. that little black vase was done with a dark blue glaze that came out. black. so i probably did too many layers, plus it was on red clay, so oops. the little ramekins came out cute, i tried one of the stoneware glazes on the left one and it came out really matte which surprised me, but otherwise some standard lil bowls! and finally i hate the striped object behind the ramekins. i forgot to cover it up after making it and didn't get to trim it before it was bone dry so i just had to let it be was it was so it's really bottom-heavy. and i hate the way the glazed stripes came out. such is life. my roommate likes it so i might give it to her LOL.

dragon mug underglaze came out interesting!!! i used two different brands of underglaze and one of them came out. shiny?? so putting clear normal glaze over that texture proved a real challenge, especially for the handle. i used another underglaze (a chocolate brown, same as the one on the handle on the right) to fill in the background/inside/some linework details, then covered the whole thing in clear, so we'll see how that turns out! the little tree teacup i just covered in clear and put back on the kiln rack, i didn't want to add anything else to it, it came out sooo cute :)

did more underglaze stuff on two bowls, eye motif!!! one as a scratched out and one as painted on. excited to see how they go for the first firing. i had some Big bowls to trim and they were still a little wet but i was like eh i bet i can. i could not. look how i've massacred my boy (bottom left). it totally spun off the wheel but thankfully it's still soft enough that i was able to just sorta nudge it back into a circular shape. i did ragequit trimming for that day because of it though and did the eye underglaze work instead hahahah. hopefully will be able to trim them on wednesday! it's just so dang cold in the area where the pottery is stored to dry out so it takes forever in the winter.

finally, i finished the winter headband for my roommate's mom last night! image is not the finished one, i forgot to take a picture yesterday but i'll just do that after i block it later this week. i took the photo a few days ago because i actually made a mistake in the pattern and was trying to judge how obvious it was and whether or not to go back 10 rows and redo it. i don't think it's that obvious so i decided to keep going. can you spot the mistake :b

misc oughhh aughgghghgh academic poster. my advisor was really difficult to communicate with yesterday but made up for it this morning. her husband stressed me out for no reason but it's fine. i think i can finish it before the poster session tomorrow but odds are in the air as to whether i can get it Printed before the poster session tomorrow. woof. and then i need to figure out what i'm wearing at this conference and pack by friday.

#tuesdayposting

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shady-lemur · 1 year

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Stargirl ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4!!!

Hii whores!!! Sadly this is the last part 😭😭 thank you so much for the love you've shown this lil series.

Ex gf!Ellie x reader

You and Ellie are finally deciding to give your relationship another try after everything you've been through.

1 year, 7 months, and 8 days after that night with Ellie

"Jesus christ els.. can you please put some sunscreen on before you play?" Ellie frowns at you but walks towards you, "I don't even get burnt."

You shake your head and take her shirt off, leaving her in her black swim top and shorts. "It doesn't matter, getting burnt isn't the only reason people wear sunscreen."

She rolls her eyes as you start to apply the lotion for her. She mumbles a, "I can do it.." But you know she enjoys you doing it for her. "You wanna do it yourself?"

She looks at you and shakes her head.

"We can't be out late tonight so we'll swim and hike but I told Dina we couldn't come back to see the fireworks tonight, mkay? We have therapy tomorrow at 8."

Ellie nods and pecks your lips as you finish rubbing in the sunscreen.

"Can you get my back for me please?" You hand Ellie the bottle and turn around. Ellie hums and carefully starts to rub in the sunblock on your back, making sure to get around the straps of your green bikini.

After she's done she presses a soft kiss on your shoulder before patting your ass. "All done, do you want me to set you up a spot to read?" You smile at her and nod.

Just then you hear Dina calling your name. You turn around to see her, Jesse, and JJ walking to you and Ellie. Jesse is trying to carry a cooler, towels, two beach chairs, and JJ's beach toys as Dina runs up ahead with their son in her arms.

"You finally made it out of the beach house!!" You clap. Dina bows playfully and puts JJ down in the sand so he'll start "helping" Ellie set up the umbrella and chair.

"Jesus christ going on vacation with a 2 year old is the hardest shit I've ever done in my life." She huffs, you pat her back in comfort and smile, "I can watch him for a while if you and Jesse wanna swim without him. I was gonna read."

Dina's face lights up and she smiles, "really, you sure you don't mind? He might try to run off a couple times..."

You shake your head and look over to see Ellie giving him a high five and a "fuck yeah!" as he helps her open up your beachchair. "I don't mind at all."

Dina thanks you and helps Jesse set up their chairs and JJ's toys before running out into the water, Ellie follows behind them after giving you and kiss and patting your ass once again. (She really likes your green bikini 🤷‍♀️)

You turn to JJ, who's giggling to himself as he plays with the sand. "Looks like its just you and me now.. want me to make you a mermaid tail?"

He nods and you get to work on digging a small hole for his legs.

Its been over an hour. Its been two hours and 48 minutes to be exact. But Dina, Jesse, and Ellie were having fun riding the waves and you were having fun reading your book and gently petting the two year old's hair as he peacefully naps on your chest.

You were drinking a caprisun and reading "the secret history" with JJ sleeping on you when Ellie comes running over.

"You sure you don't wanna swim babe?"

You shake your head and smile at her as she gulps down some water. "No, I'll swim tomorrow before we leave."

Ellie nods and sits down next to you and JJ.

"Are you ready to leave? I wanna go on the big trail before the sun goes down."

You cover your eyes to block out the sun, "sure. Are Jesse and Dina gonna come with us?" Ellie shakes her head, "no fucking losers are tired already."

You hum and put your book back in your bag, "okay, can you go get them so they come get JJ and I'll start packing up our shit." Ellie salutes and gives you a "yes boss" before running off again.

"Ellie cmonnn!! We're almost to the top."

You happily run ahead and eventually make it to the lookout point at the top of the trail. You see miles of green trees and hills with a beautiful glow from the sun starting to set.

"Els! Oh my god look at how beautiful."

"Y/n" Ellie says nervously behind you. You can't even focus on what she's saying because you're too busy taking pictures of the view. "Y/nn"

"One second els."

"Y/n!!"

You huff and turn around, accidentally taking a semi-blurring picture of her on one of her knees with a-

Wait a damn minute....

"OH MY GOD?????" You look down at your girlfriend in shock as she holds out a beautiful ring. "Ellie what the fuck???"

She chuckles and holds the ring out higher, "y/n, I know I wasn't the best person I could've been for the first 4 years of our first.. relationship. But being without you is a feeling I never want to feel again. Can you- fuck.. - will you marry me?"

You feel like you're vibrating with excitement and can literally only get the words Ellie, fuck, and yes to come out of your mouth.

Ellie smiles and slips the ring on your finger before pulling you into a passionate kiss. You smile into the kiss and when you pull away Ellie immediately pulls you into a hug.

"You're gonna be my fucking wife."she whispers into your ear happily. You smile at her and nod, "Im gonna be your fucking wife."

Ellie laughs and presses kisses anywhere her lips can reach while murmuring about the life you two will live.

1 year after the proposal

Ellie cries when you walk down the aisle. She tries really hard to keep it together but she just can't when you happily walk (probably too fast) towards her.

You smile as she grabs your hands and completely block out everything the officiate says because your soon-to-be-wife looks soooo damn good in her suit....

Everything about today was perfect. JJ did amazingly on his flower boy duties. Dina helped you get ready as your maid of honor while Jesse gave Ellie pep talks all morning. Your dress was perfect, Ellie's suit actually fit her perfectly. Joel showed up in time to give you a huge hug before the ceremony and tell you how greatful his is for you. The flowers were perfect. You and Ellie were perfect.

You both just stare at each other and cry and giggle and hold each other's hands like you'll slip away if you don't. Once the officiate finally tells Ellie to kiss her bride SHE DOES......

Teeth and everything because you're both just so excited to finally be fucking married. Once you both pull away Ellie grabs your hand and starts to run.

Ellie laughs and runs down the aisle as you try to keep up while waving at your family. She runs out the doors, down the hall of the venue and into one of the private bathrooms.

"You're my fucking wife!!!!!"

You look at her disappointedly once she closes the door. "Els, we cannot have a quickie in the bathroom right after the ceremony.."

She frowns slightly and starts to pull up the skirt of your dress a little bit, "are you sure...??" You sigh and shake your head before helping her lift it up so she can get under it.

9 months after the wedding

"Els, how was work?" You ask as your wife walks through the front door of your new house. She shrugs and sets her coat down before going to give you a hug.

"It was fine. Nothing excited really happened." You hum and give her a kiss before tucking her hair behind her ear. She gives you another kiss and then rubs your hips as she talks, "how was work for you? Do the kids like the book you picked out?"

You laugh, "the kids don't like anything I do. I think they like the book though, it really speaks to some of them."

She softly gropes your thighs as you talk.

"Do you want chicken for dinner or do you wanna order out?"

You feel her hands travel up, "up to you babe. I'm okay with anything."

"Okay.. We'll have the chicken tomorrow, I'm so fucking tired tonight I can't cook."

Ellie lifts you up and makes you wrap your legs around her as she walks you to the couch.

"Oh my god Ellie put me down!! You've got car grease all over you." She plops you down on the patted seats before kissing your temple. "Find a good movie for us to watch and order us whatever you want. Ill go take a shower."

You smile at her and nod, "thank you els."

She gets out out of the shower and into your arms about 15 minutes later, only getting up to get the door dash and utensils.

You comb your fingers through her hair as you both doze off, the only words you hear before you fall asleep are "I love you" coming from your wife's mouth.

RAAAHHHHH

Okay time skip...

Im absolutely destroyed about this series being over but now I'm kindve thinking about writing something for Abby because I saw this MAGICAL edit of her today omfg...

I love you guys sm (^з^)-☆Chu!!

Taglist <3

@gold-dustwomxn @catostrophiclesbian @ellieswifee @unstablefemme

#ellie tlou #ellie williams #tlou part 2 #ellie x fem reader #tlou fic

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doodling-doodle · 6 months

Text

Fluffcember 2023!

Day 4: Road Trip

PriceGraves

"What do you have planned?" Phil asked when John asked for him to cover his eyes as he led him outside.

"Okay. Now you open your eyes." John said, standing in front of him as he did.

His jaw dropped.

It was a brand-new RV. And a pretty big one at that.

"Oh. My. God." He said, "John, you did not."

"You said you wished you could travel more." John said, walking up to their new car. So I figured I'd find one and help with that since we're off for a while anyway."

"John!" He said excitedly, chuckling as he went inside of it. It was surprisingly spacious. Larger than the one his family had as a child. A fridge, a mini cook stove, a fold-out couch, space for a TV, a fake fireplace…

"Figured we could head out tomorrow." John said, "In the morning after breakfast. We pack up today, and we get all our food ready to go. And we'll head out."

Phil nodded, still looking around and going up to hug John.

He couldn't wait.

He had spent the whole day packing up, and now, they were about to get on the road. He was so excited, and so was John.

"I have a few places we can go planned out." John said as he got in the driver's seat, "The first one is in Mississippi."

Phil nodded, smiling brightly as they drove through Texas…

"How long do we plan to do this?" He asked

"At least a month." John replied, "Depends on what you want to do."

"I'm happy to drive around America for a month."

It took a long time to get to the place in Mississippi, but it was worth it.

"Where are we?" Phil asked.

"You once mentioned wanting to find an apple orchard, so I did." John replied, smiling as he found a place to park.

Phil lit up, so excited and hugging John.

"You are amazing!!" Phil said, and John chuckled.

"Just wanted you to have a good Season. But we will be back to have Christmas with the kids."

"That sounds perfect, John…"

They took a minute to get bundled up, and they went out to see what to do.

An older woman was there, smiling as she handed them a basket and told them to load up.

Phil happily went around, pulling a few branches down to get the best ones.

"You look like you're an expert." John said, chuckling

"Yeah… raided a few orchards as a kid when we were struggling. Quickly found out what was good and what wasn't."

John nodded softly, kissing Phil's head. He knew his history, and it was heartbreaking, but, Phil was never ashamed of it.

But now wasn't the time.

"Can you pile it any higher?" John asked.

"Probably not, honestly." Phil said, looking at the basket, then at John, "Let's go and get these."

John agreed, chuckling as Phil happily went back to the entrance.

They got to talking with the woman who ran the place, and she told them about a few places around the area that they might want to visit.

"There's also a really good cafe around half a mile from here." She said, "You might want to check it out before you go."

"We'll keep that in mind." John said, smiling, "Thank you."

"No problem. You boys enjoy the rest of your day."

They went back off to the RV, and drove until they found a place to hook up their utilities, and they cooked some dinner for themselves while talking about what to do next. They were going to try the cafe, but after that, they were probably going to change states again.

Either way, they were excited.

They did end up going to the cafe, and John picked up a pamphlet of things going on in the area while they ate.

"There's a resting stop a few miles from here." John said, "firepits and all."

Phil nodded, "we can go there tonight. Sounds really nice."

John smiled, "Good. Let's drive around some more, get lunch, and then find the place."

And that's what they did. They just enjoyed their little day of driving before going to where they could park, got firewood, and sat together at a firepit.

They held each other tight, and John just saw the pure joy on Phil's face.

"Thank you for this, bear…" Phil whispered as he leaned on John more.

"Oh, love… It's no problem. I'm just glad you're happy."

And they sat there in pure joy while it snowed around them.

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exrankluck · 1 year

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Dear Vocalist Unlimited Veronica Translation — Shadow births light [track one]

disclaimer: this is 90% AI-generated transcription and translation, some things might be inaccurate or awkward.

ディアヴォーカリスト Unlimited エントリーNo.5 Veronica / モモチ (CV: 豊永利行)

- Drums: YAMATO (CV. Shunichi Toki)

- Guitar: OHGI (CV. Makoto Furukawa)

- Bass: AMA (CV. Kengo Kawanishi)

- Keyboard: SHIZURU (CV. Yoshitaka Yamaya)

Yamato: Wow, this is great. It's so exciting!

Shizuru: Haha, but it's so dark. Was it like this during rehearsals?

Ohgi: I asked them to turn it off. Don't worry about me, go ahead and turn on all the lights.

AMA: Oh, when you were talking to the staff with your sleeve earlier, did you mean...

Ohgi: Yes, this is the right choice for Veronica, isn't it? Momochi-kun should be the only one in the spotlight.

Ohgi: Mr. Veronica is enough on his own.

mmc: Um...

It's crowded, isn't it?

Yeah, thanks to everyone.

Excuse me, but is there a limit to the number of people allowed here?

Oh, sorry about that.

I still have another joint performance, so I have to go back for a makeup touch-up.

Gah, wait a minute -

Why did he just barge in like that? We were here first.

Sigh, what's his deal?

This is why I hate Kagaribi!

[02:07]

Shizuru: Eh? But that was because Akkun...

AMA: No, I mean when I looked at his reaction, Yamato made eye contact...

Ohgi: Oh, Momochi-kun, you did a great job tonight.

Ohgi: I thought you were going to change clothes and come back.

mmc: Yeah, that was the plan, but some things came up.. ha… ha…

Shizuru: But Momochi-kun was amazing in the park at night.

mmc: It was amazing! Thank you so much. By the way, is there any water? I'll need it again soon.

AMA: Oh, that one's still unopened, so go ahead and drink it. There are still some left from the joint show.

mmc: Hmm, really? It's right after NSFW, so I don't have much time.

Yamato: By the way, when did you make that? It's so cool!

mmc: Ah, yeah. Actually, Reo-kun from Lumiere invited me to try it as a surprise.

Shizuru: He could have told us about it, though.

Shizuru: But it turned out to be a Veronica song, it’s impressive.

mmc: Hehe, right?

mmc: I haven't really arranged other people's songs in my style before, but it worked better than I thought.

AMA: I hope we can do it at Veronica's live someday. It would definitely be exciting.

Yamato: Nice, nice! I wanna get excited with Cheers too!

mmc: Y-Yeah, we'll definitely do it if we get the chance… ahaha…

mmc: Hai, I’m leaving now!

Ohgi: Good luck! We'll be watching on the monitor.

Shizuru: There will be champagne after you finish. Look forward to it.

mmc: Eh? Is the champagne for the after-party again?

Shizuru: Yeah, it's a Fes, so we splurged and got a better one than before.

Yamato: I’m excited!

mmc: I see. But isn't the after-party for all the bands? If we drink champagne, wouldn't it be unfair?

Ohgi: Oh, that’s true.

Shizuru: It's okay, don't worry. I brought 30 bottles for everyone, and if we run out, the staff from our store will bring more.

mmc: As always, you're amazing, haha…

AMA: I wish I could join the after-party too.

Ohgi: Eh, Akkun, you can’t come?

AMA: I have to leave for a shoot in the countryside tomorrow.

Yamato: That's right. It's been a while since we had a toast with all five of us.

Shizuru: Akkun, you're still busy, huh?

AMA: But everyone's busy, right? Anyway, I'll be here until the night performance ends. There might be a result announcement for the Survival, and I want to see that.

Ohgi: I see. But that's true, huh? Today marks the end of this season, and I suddenly feel lonely.

Shizuru: I still want to work with everyone. I hope we succeed in the Survival.

Yamato: No, we will succeed. We're all so excited about it. And if we've come this far, I want the five of us to go as far as we can together!

AMA: Yeah, I feel the same way.

*shiny sfx flashback*

[06:24 Ohgi]

Ohgi: I wonder who it is at this time.

Climax Records?

Oh, the other day.

Hello?

As I mentioned in my email response, I'm sorry, but I'm currently quite busy with music production.

Thank you for considering me, but I can't work with any specific band right now.

What do you mean by 'special request' exactly?

I understand that if I can't deliver good results, I'll be fired, but to judge it based on just one single? This is a pretty severe project.

Oh...

Well, you're right about that.

In some cases, we might get overwhelmed and quit, so it's like we're at the mercy of this situation.

Oh, sorry. Actually, I haven't read the email yet because I intended to refuse the offer.

The song?

Well, yes...

I understand.

[08:08 AMA]

AMA: How about your foot? Is it okay?

Good job. Didn't you say you weren't coming to the set today?

I see. Is it because of a new job?

Another regular feature in a magazine, or something like that.

Well then, I mean...

Oh, really?

Sorry.

Anyway, after this photoshoot, tell me more about it. You mentioned an offer from a band, right?

Now?

[09:55 Shizuru]

Shizuru: Yeah, well. This tour is over after tonight's final performance, and it seems like it was a success. Thank goodness.

Oh, about that, actually, I might quit after all. There's talk of going to Europe next year.

Yeah, actually, I've got an interesting offer.

To play keyboard for a certain rock band.

Haha, right? I mean, isn't it unexpected for me to join a band?

It's so off the wall that it's piqued my interest.

I'm also graduating from university this spring, and my parents are pushing me to do more serious piano work abroad.

Honestly, I still want to try doing various things in Japan.

And also, you know, I mentioned it before, right?

I've been into wine lately, and I'm interested in food and drink.

The agency said that even if I join them, I can continue my personal work as usual.

At this point, it might be okay to try everything at once.

No, that's...

Heheh...

It's kind of complicated, you know?

They have been active as a band for quite some time, but all the members except the vocalist have left.

Hmm, I think the name was Veronica.

[11:48 Yamato]

Yamato: Yosh, okay. Also, let's load it up in my car.

Oh, thank you, thank you. Thanks for reaching out to me again. Playing with this group really gets my energy up.

Tour? Really? Of course, I’ll do it, I'll do it!

Yeah, well, I can't go into too much detail because the agency that offered me the job made me sign a non-disclosure agreement, but... just between us, I might be joining a certain band for a while.

Uwah, I was actually considering freelancing, but maybe joining a band would be a better fit.

But there are still a lot of unknowns. Even if I join the band, I might end up freelancing again soon.

Anyway, why don't we work together for the few months that I've been hired for? And if it goes well, the company president might want me to continue.

It seems like a weird project, though. I tried to dig a little deeper into why they're doing it, but I don't really know.

Apparently, the vocalist is a pretty difficult person to deal with. The band even broke up once, but he stayed behind.

I don't really know. But the band's songs are really cool.

I saw some old live footage, and it was amazing. Apparently, all the songs were made by the problematic vocalist.

And actually, the new members joining this time are really amazing. They're all well-known and talented people from various scenes.

Anyway, it's luxurious, and I can't even imagine what it'll be like when everyone's together, but I said I'd do it because it seems interesting!

No, don't make it sound like I'm always some impulsive guy who's not thinking things through. I'm actually doing a lot of things, you know.

Actually, my younger brother and I have been talking about expanding our family business for a while now.

He just graduated from a local university this year, so we’ve both started to move seriously.

Basically, I have a stable job on the side of being a freelance musician.

Well, it's a pretty well-established store in Kyoto, and things seem to be going well.

But, you know, they've been selling the same traditional Japanese sweets since the Edo period

Even though it’s a super long-lasting regular hit product, isn't it risky to rely only on that?

Yeah, that's right.

So, I was thinking if there was something else we could do on the side.

The artisans we have now are getting older, and there are only a few good apprentices...

Anyway, while we still have strong brand power, let's do something completely different and new.

Oh!

Thank you! Good work! Well then, I should be going now. I'll contact you later about the tour.

Huh? After-party? Of course, we're going!

At the usual dart bar, OK. Then, I'll go as soon as I put my instrument at home.

Oh, by the way, is there any girls coming?

[16:10]

Yamato: Oh, I just had a good idea!

Yamato: If we succeed in this Survival, why don’t we have a separate after-party just for Veronica?

Yamato: Then, Akkun can come too, and we can all toast with five people, right?

AMA: Really?

Ohgi: Sounds good.

Shizuru: Since we're already at it, should we do it? Oh, and you can use my store for it, actually, I've been tweaking the layout a bit...

Shizuru: It should be finished by the end of the month, and I want everyone to see the new interior. What do you think?

Ohgi: Didn't Shizu's store just get renovated?

Shizuru: No, that's not the case.

Shizuru: That was during the last hiatus of the Survival, which was about a year and a half ago. We just bought the adjacent tenant's space and knocked down the wall.

Shizuru: There were some subtle things that bothered me about it. Alright, it’s decided then.

Shizuru: I have to ask Momochi-kun about his schedule later.

#dear vocalist translation #dear vocalist #rejet #drama cd translation #momochi #veronica #ディアヴォーカリスト #モモチ #for self use #unlimited #toyonaga toshiyuki #furukawa makoto #Kengo Kawanishi #Yoshitaka Yamaya #***#momochi does not deserve these people fr #ahh had to do a lot of editing on this one

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