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aimless-imagines-for-fun · 9 months

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Vacation: Part Three

PART ONE PART TWO

Pairing :: OPLA!Sanji x fem!Reader

Warnings :: 18+ Content, NSFW/SMUT, Semi-Exhibitionist(under the table deal), Light Fingering, Sex

Word Count :: 3,469

Summary :: Sanji is finally reunited with you

A/N :: A more perverted pathetic Sanji because GODDAMN. That is all and I am sorry if this feels a bit rushed- Thank you all for your support!

“Sanji?” You asked quietly, almost afraid that if you spoke louder, you’d be waking up from some sort of hyper-realistic dream.

His stunned expression quickly shifted into a joyous smile. He ran up to you, scooping you up in his arms and twirling the two of you in the air.

“(Y/N)! I missed you so much!" He cried out. "Your beautiful voice! Your perfect smile! The way your nose scrunches up when I say something annoying! I've missed it all!" He put you down but kept his hands on your arms. "Especially the way your boo-"

WHAMP! A wooden staff came slamming down on his head, nearly knocking him to the ground.

"Sanji, how many times have Robin and I told you to quit going around harassing women!" A redhead lady showed up behind him, followed by a black-haired one and a green-haired man. She gave you an apologetic smile as the man stepped forward to pick Sanji up. "I'm sorry about him, miss. He's a flirt and can get carried away when he sees a pretty lady sometimes."

You laughed awkwardly, cheeks flaring up due to memories from the past. "Oh trust me, I know how heart-eyed he can get."

The women each raised their brows, surprised by your comment. The man didn't seem to care, instead being preoccupied by holding Sanji back. He was holding him with one arm and covering his mouth with the other, his voice being muffled by his friend. Sanji was clearly upset; he couldn't explain that you weren't a random stranger he decided to hit on.

"Do you know each other?" The dark-haired woman asked.

You nodded, eyes moving past them and over to the blond. "We know each other quite well actually. I guess you could call us special friends."

The man released him. He walked back up to you, muttering under his breath about how the green man smelled.

His mood seemed to pick up once his focus was back on you. He reached a hand up to brush your hair behind your ear, the tips of his fingers grazing past your cheeks. He didn't pull his hand away after resting it on your shoulder. He couldn't say it at the moment with his friends around, but he missed how you felt in his hold.

"How are you, darling?" He asked in his usual charming voice.

You smiled warmly up at him. “Happy to see you’ve made yourself some new friends.”

“They’re my crewmates. Don’t get too scared now, but,” He leaned down close to your ear, “I’m a pirate.”

His hot breath hitting your ear sent a familiar tingle down your spine and your fading blush intensified.

He backed away, quickly introducing you to the three before you, all the while rubbing a small circle into your shoulder with his thumb. Nami, the redhead, was their navigator, Robin, the tallest, was their archeologist, and Zoro, the greenhead, was their first mate. Sanji, naturally, was the crew’s cook. They had ported into town for a quick stay, leaving the day after tomorrow.

“So, do you think I could stay at your place tonight?” The question was so sudden, you almost didn’t know how to answer in front of his friends.

“Oh, erm, I wouldn’t mind it. I’ll need to get a few more ingredients then to make sure I have enough for both of us,” You mumbled, attention finally returning to the vegetables you had come to purchase.

“Sanji, it’s rude to suddenly ask someone if you can stay with them, especially if you didn’t give them a heads-up in advance,” Nami scolded.

“I don’t mind!” You were quick to defend him. “It’s no trouble at all, especially since we have so much to catch up on. In fact, I wouldn’t mind having you three over for dinner as well.”

“Really?” All four of the pirates asked in sync.

Sanji seemed to be a bit annoyed, while the other three were genuinely surprised by your hospitality. You reassured the lot that it was fine, especially since you could easily get all the extra ingredients you needed since you were already in the market. Zoro was the only one to decline the offer and instead offered to break the news to their captain that Sanji wouldn’t be cooking dinner for them tonight, so they'd have to find someplace to grab grub.

On the walk back to your home with Sanji and the other ladies, you started a small conversation with Robin and Nami.

“So, (Y/N), what do you do for work?” Robin asked.

“I work for Greylock Trading, a merchant company.”

“I’ve heard of Greylock Trading when I was a kid,” Nami said. “They used to come by my hometown to buy tangerines.”

You nodded. “That was in the early days. Greylock started with basic produce eventually moving up to luxury goods like fine silks or rare paints.”

“You must get to see a lot of interesting places working for such an impressive merchant.”

“I did.” Your smile fell a bit at Robin’s comment. “Long story short, a few years ago, Greylock fell ill and the captain of his ship retired so he could take care of him. Ever since, we’ve downsized considerably and just work from here.”

You could feel Sanji’s hand squeeze yours. “Is that why you never came back to Baratie?”

“Yes. Greylock asked me to stay and help him restructure the business. He and Captain Tommy are father figures to me, so it was near impossible for me to decline, despite how much it saddened me to stop traveling. Now that everything’s settled with the business though I’ve found myself feeling a bit melancholy as of late.”

Greylock and Captain Tommy had tried to convince you to join a different crew so you could travel once more, but you refused. You didn’t want to leave them behind to join a brand new crew full of strangers. It didn’t feel right to you.

“All she ever talked about when we were together was traveling and all the different places she had been to and all the different places she was excited to see,” Sanji explained to his friends. Quickly, he then whispered to you, “At least, that’s when you weren’t a babbling mess.”

You quickly hit his shoulder, embarrassed that he’d make such a comment in front of others.

His teasing behavior didn’t end there.

When you got back to your place, he helped you in the kitchen while the girls made themselves comfortable in your living room. Your kitchen was small, but one would think it was cramped with how Sanji was acting. Whenever you were trying to grab something from one of the cabinets, he’d come up from behind you conveniently also needing to grab something. His body would push against yours, trapping you against the counter with one hand fondling your breast. A scheme so he could grind against your ass for a moment.

When you were chopping up some lettuce, he came up from behind you and placed his hands on top of yours to help you “properly” chop the lettuce. He would lower his head down to your neck, claiming it was easier for him to see if he rested his head there. A ploy so he could kiss your neck.

It didn’t end in the kitchen.

Once dinner was served, you sat next to Sanji and Robin sat with Nami opposite you two. The three of them started to enthrall you with tales of their adventures on the sea, making you a bit envious of their wayfaring.

You didn’t have much time to feel sorry for yourself though, as midway through dinner, Sanji’s hand fell under the table and began petting up and down your thigh. At first, you decided to act normal and ignore it. You two were at a table in front of his friends, there’s no way he would be dumb-

“Hmph-!” Your body tensed, feeling his hand slide up your skirt and in between your thighs.

You clamped your thighs together hoping to halt him in his tracks. Your head snapped to him, but he remained unfazed, acting as if nothing had happened.

Unfortunately for you, he was able to wriggle his hand just enough to get closer to your panties. He pushed his finger against you, pushing your underwear to the side to stroke your growing wet folds. After that, he stuck one long finger in, pumping slowly with just one finger.

You gulped, biting the inside of your bottom lip, hoping to stay silent. You’d be mortified if Robin and Nami found out what you two were doing right now.

Sanji didn’t do much else after he started fingering you. He continued that slow pumping pace, not doing too much so you could act normal and giving you just enough to be excited for when dinner ended. He only pulled because you started to clean up the table while they were still around.

Eventually, it was time for you to say goodbye to your two guests.

“It was nice meeting you, (Y/N).”

“Same here, Robin. I’m glad you two enjoyed the meal.”

“It was delicious, thank you so much for having us.”

“And if Sanji gives you any trouble, just come and find us. We know how he can get.”

You chuckled, walking the two towards the door. “No worries, Nami. I know how to deal with him too. Have a nice night!”

“Bye!”

Almost the second the door shut and you two were alone, Sanji shoved his tongue in your mouth and wrapped his arms around you. His hands roamed your body, jumping from caressing your thighs to your ass to your breasts. He was so needy.

You struggled to keep up with his pace, but you couldn't break away. He was refusing to let you go. His kiss was so messy and rough, that you were sure your lips would be puffy by the time he pulled away.

His hand that was fondling your breast pulled away, hurriedly working on removing your blouse, something he had to stop the kiss for. Your head was dizzy with how he had rushed you, you almost didn't pick up on how eager he was to see your bare chest. His eyes lit up once your bra was removed.

"God, I've missed your boobs."

He reached down past your skirt to grab onto the back of your thighs and they hooked around him instinctually. He carried you over to the table you two had just been having dinner at and placed you down. His face fell straight into your chest, kissing and nipping your flesh. His hands latched onto your nipples to start pinching and rolling the buds in his fingers.

His crotch was directly against yours, allowing you to feel his erection growing. You started to move your hips against his, remembering the tingling pleasure he always gave you. He was eager as well, as he started to grind into you.

"Sanji," You moaned softly, hand reaching out to tug his hair.

He groaned at the action, and the speed of his hips picked up creating more friction. He removed a hand from your breast, reaching around to squeeze your ass and pull your body closer to his.

You were about to beg him to start fucking you, needing more than this to push you to cum, until you noticed the expression on his face. His eyes were tightly shut and he was biting his bottom lip. He was desperate to cum, now.

You had never seen him so worked up before, it turned you on, even more, to know he was being like this for you. If there wasn't a wet patch on his pants before due to your soaked panties, there certainly was one now.

"Fuuuck," He said, a mix between a whine and a moan.

So entranced by the sight before you, you decided to let him finish like this, already coming up with a plan for the aftermath. A bit of revenge for how he acted during the meal if you will.

His speed was getting faster, and his hold on your ass and tit tighter. "I just- I need-" He was struggling with his words, clearly lost in his head.

"Are you close to cumming for me, Sanji?" You asked in a teasing tone.

He completely froze, his face turning red with embarrassment for the first time since you met him all those years ago.

"(Y-Y/N)- I didn't mean to-" He struggled, stammering out a sentence, but his words were silenced when you slid your hands down his pants and cupped his length in your hand.

You could feel him throbbing in your palm, he was so close that he was already twitching in your hand. "It's okay, Sanji. I'll let you finish, but then we play my way. Okay?"

You squeezed your hand around his dick at the end, earning a small shaky breath. After he quickly agreed, you pulled your hand out of his pants, allowing him to continue grinding on you.

You pushed your breasts together for him, to which he happily planted his face in between.

He bit down roughly on your right tit when he finally started to cum in his pants, his hips jerking against your wet clothed cunt. When his peak ended, he raised his head from your breasts, trying to steady his breathing.

You hopped off of the table, grabbed his hand, and led him to your bedroom. "You know, I always remember you making fun of me for being so needy all the time. I guess the tables have turned now, huh?"

"It's… it's been a while okay?"

"I can tell," You said while pushing him down on your bed.

You pulled down your underwear before lifting your skirt to reveal your exposed wet pussy before moving to straddle him. You worked on unclothing him, carefully undoing each button on his shirt while rolling your crotch against his. In no time, you could feel him hardening up again.

Once you got his shirt off, leaving on his tie, you repositioned yourself to sit right below the hem of his pants. You zipped his pants open and pulled them down, along with his underwear, springing free his messy cock. It was smeared in sperm from before, already lubed up when you wrapped a hand around it.

You scooted closer so you were able to bring his tip to your entrance. You moved it up and down your slick folds, humming at the feeling, already ready to be filled up. But you had to be strong, remembering how you wanted to get payback.

He jerked his hips in your hands. "Love, I'm begging you. You've already made me wait such a long time."

You put your hands on his chest, raising your hips so your entrance was right above him. "I said I was sorry." You began to move your wet cunt against his length, not allowing the sweet tightness he desired. "Don't you forgive me, Sanji?"

He let out a shaky moan, feeling your slick folds slide up and down his length. His tip was so close to entering each time you went up his dick, only for you to slowly slide back down.

His hands went up to cup your face, thumbs tracing against your cheeks. He pressed a long deep kiss onto you. It was so unlike the kiss from before, with there being a slow passion to it, he was able to distract you.

You gasped into the kiss, feeling him push his cock into you. He pulled away with a devilish smirk, continuing to push until he was all the way in you. You started to whimper, it had been such a long time since anyone filled you up.

"I do, darling. And that's why I'm so happy you're not going to get upset with me for breaking our little agreement." He pulled out a bit before thrusting up into you, earning a moan.

He wrapped his arms around your torso, pulling you closer to him so your chest was flush against his. He continued to thrust into you. He had quickly developed a pattern, he did a few shallow thrusts, not pulling out very much, before pulling out nearly all the way, leaving only his tip in you, then rammed himself back in only to repeat the process.

Each time he pulled out more, he hit hard, and with each thrust your moaning got louder and louder. His moaning grew in volume as well, as your walls tightened with each deep thrust.

This feeling was getting him close, along with watching you on top of him. Since you were flat against him, he could feel your breasts bouncing up and down on him with the thrusts. His favorite part about this though, was that your face was clear for him to see. Your half-lidded eyes, the small 'o' shape your mouth was in got bigger each time you moaned loudly.

Eventually, your entire body tightened and you began to spasm. Your walls clenched, finally hitting your high. Sanji wasn’t far behind, as seconds after you came you could feel his cock twitching inside of you and hot spurts of cum poured into you.

“I hope you don’t have plans tomorrow,” Sanji breathed out.

“Why?” You asked in between pants.

“Because,” He pulled out of you, beginning to reposition you two, “I don’t plan on stopping until you’re exhausted.”

Your palms fell flat against your bed as you found yourself on all fours now. His hands went down to hold your ass, his now hard again dick ramming into you from behind. He was much rougher this time with his thrusting, and his hold on you was tight so you couldn’t pull away.

At this faster pace of his, it didn’t take long until your arms gave out and your top half fell against the bed. You bounced your ass in the air with him, hoping he’d hit deeper with each thrust. So fixated on cumming again, you didn’t notice how his grip had loosened and that he had slowed down again.

“There’s my good girl,” He moaned. “So desperate to cum around my cock.”

Your eyes fluttered open, feeling a pair of arms wrapped around you along with a leg thrown over yours. Your vision began to clear and you saw a blond sleeping in your bed. The events of the night before began to play in your head, reminding yourself why your body was so sore.

“Hm… I guess you were telling the truth when you said I’d pass out.”

“Of course I was. I’d never lie to you, love,” His eyes opened.

You narrowed your eyes. “How long have you been up?”

He shrugged. “A while.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Because I made you do a lot last night. Plus, I enjoyed how peaceful you looked when you were asleep. I was trying to save it in my memory in case…” His voice trailed off, afraid to finish his sentence.

“In case what?”

“In case… you said no to being a pirate with me.”

Your eyes widened. “What?”

He sat up, and you followed. “I want you to join the Straw Hat Pirates. It’s a really friendly crew, aside from Zoro. Everyone’s nice, aside from Zoro. You’ve already met three of them, and got along great with them, aside from Zoro, but he’s just a grump. And I’m sure Luffy would be fine with it.”

“Who’s Luffy again?”

“He’s the captain. He’s a good kid, and he could use a negotiator.”

You fell silent, contemplating his offer for a bit longer than he’d like.

“Alright, I’ll join.”

Sanji continued to plead with you to join, having not fully processed your answer. “Please, (Y/N). You’ll get to travel again, and sure, we’ll have to deal with occasional bad- Excuse me?”

“I said, I’ll join. I’ve already helped out Greylock and there’s not much left for me here anyway. What I want is to travel on the sea again, going to new distant lands with you.”

“(Y/N)...”

You grabbed his hand, smiling happily up at him, knowing you’d be starting a brand new chapter in your life. Unlike all the other ship crews that had offered you a spot amongst them, you didn’t feel like you would fit in. Joining The Straw Hats felt right somehow, especially since someone you were close with was already a part of the crew.

The sweet moment you two shared ended shortly, as in your peripheral line of sight, you saw a tent rising in the sheets.

“Really?” You asked, throwing the blanket up to expose his erection.

“You’re just so cute when you’re sincere!”

Tags:

@misfits1a, @nuhteyam, @violet-19999, @idkhowtoplayhoyoversegames, @chaixsherlock, @notazul, @simpforseungkwan, @shadowwolf1864, @quixscentsposts

#sanji x reader #opla!sanji x reader #opla!sanji smut #opla!sanji fanfic #sanji smut #sanji fanfic #one piece sanji fanfic #one piece sanji smut #vinsmoke sanji smut #vinsmoke sanjie x reader #vinsmoke sanji fanfic

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peachesofteal · 4 months

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soap x cypher masterlist Soap/female reader You missed a check in / 18+ / Your Sergeant commits a war crime for you, hurt/comfort

"It's alright, Cy. It's jus' me. Ghost is standin' watch at the door."

He smoothes the bar of soap over your shoulder, easy and slow, telegraphing his movements the same way he'd try to calm a spooked horse, pressing into their flank with gentle, reassuring pressure. I'm here, his fingers tell you. I'm right here.

"What do ye mean, they missed a check in?"

Laswell, to her credit, is very calm. Always collected in the face of danger, turmoil, and she gestures to the screen, where a blueprint has been replaced with a map.

"They were due in at this checkpoint at 1300."

"Any contact?" Price tilts his head, studying the satellite imagery.

"No. The security detail's gps is showing stationary, but the other vehicle has started to move off course, north." Johnny feels sick. The other vehicle, the one Laswell is talking about, is the one you are in. The one carrying the two analysts and some cut rate american sergeant.

His chair clatters to the floor with bang, fists clenched so tight they shake.

"We'll get 'er, Johnny." Ghost promises, and Price nods, waving them out the door.

"Let's load up."

"I- I don't want to." He doesn't need a clarifying question to understand what you're talking about. He understands you. That's all he'll ever need.

"You dinnae have to. Keep 'em closed for me then, aye? I'll take care of everything." You're still wearing your pants, and your boots, even though the shower is washing water down your body, soaking them until they stick to your skin.

You whine. There are no words spoken, but you fingers twist in the pockets, the belt loops, and he knows.

"Alright, alright. Let's get these off then. I'm going to undo your button and zipper." He murmurs softly, stripping them down your ankles, goosebumps sprouting from your skin as the water splashes against you, raining down onto his hair. His clothes are soaked, stuck to his skin like tar, each flick of his wrist or pull of his arm heavier than usual. He kneels, one knee between your feet, and begins unlacing your boots. "Gonna take yer boots off, now. Then we'll get ye out of everything." You nod. "We'll get ye washed up in no time, get ye into some comfy clothes." He glances upwards, ensuring you heard him, and then taps your calf one by one, urging you to lift a foot at a time as you hold onto his shoulder for support. "There ye go, good girl." He praises once you're nude, rising back to his full height, bar of soap still in hand.

"Johnny." Your press into him, face in his neck, fisting the front of his jacket, trying to burrow yourself beneath his skin. It’s all wrong, how you drift so aimlessly into the ether of somewhere else, lost in the present, in the incendiary magma of a memory he wishes didn’t exist.

"Shhh, wee sweet. I've got ye. I'm here."

"Ye get yer filthy fuckin' hands off her RIGHT NOW." Johnny screams, gives the command at the top of his lungs, Kyle shooting him a nervous look over his scope.

"There's no need to get upset-"

"Shut up." Ghost grunts. "Let the analyst go, an' maybe we'll keep you alive as a prisoner." The woman shakes her head, and then shoves you forward, closer, but no father away from the barrel of her gun that rests right at your temple.

"She's my only leverage now." The body of your co-worker is crumpled on the concrete, blood spilled around him like a halo. Johnny's vision dims red.

"Ye dinnae ken who ye've got in your hands." He warns, a click echoing across the room.

Someone is trying to argue with Simon, just outside the door. Johnny can hear it, the frustrated tenor of someone who's about to make a terrible mistake, the irritated grumble that gets silenced immediately by Lt's bark, more than enough persuasion for them to move on to the next floor's showers.

"Cy?" He murmurs, but you don't respond, face still tucked in his clavicle. You've stayed there, curled up against him, letting him clean you, dirt and blood all washing down the drain as you kept your eyes closed and he re-inspected you for wounds. "I'm goin' take ye back to my room." He holds your upper arms, moving you in step with him, directing you out of the shower and onto the mat, where he reaches for the first of many towels, ghosting the texture across your shoulder, then your cheek, before using it as intended, wrapping it around your body and reaching for the next. It's all he can do now; take care of you, get you clean, get you comfortable, hold you while you sleep and stare at the ceiling, recounting every second of today, fixating on the pieces that could have gone wrong, that could have ended your life and lost you to him, forever.

"Cold." Your whisper redirects his attention. Reminds him of his focus.

"I know, is a wee bit, isnae it?" He brought a sweatshirt, one of his, and once he's got you mostly dry, he taps. "Arms up, wee sweet." When your head pokes through the hole, he smiles, even though your eyes are still closed. "There she is, mo ghraidh." Your pointer finger strokes over the middle of your forehead, circling as if you're outlining a target, and then traces up his neck, over his jaw and across his cheek, patting his lips. They curve beneath your touch, eager to do your bidding, pleased by your silent request. "Of course I'll give ye a kiss, Cy, give ye whatever ye want, always."

"Time's up. What's it gonna be?" Price demands, and the gun digs into the side of your head, forcing you downward at an odd angle, panic plainly displayed across your face.

"Johnny." Your voice sings like an off key chorus, an echo of voices too twisted, too shrill.

"It's alright Cy, nothin' is goin' happen to ye." The woman with the gun laughs. It's decadent, believable, like she truly thinks she's going to get away, or take you with her. "I'm goin' to kill ye." He promises. "Whether it's now, or later. It'l be me, wringing out yer last breath."

Her hand moves to your throat and squeezes.

It's enough. More than enough.

"Guess it'l be now, then." And with no announcement, no more second chances, no more second guessing- his finger pulls the trigger.

“You killed her.” Your whisper trembles in the dark. His muscle involuntarily tenses, and relaxes just as quickly, sinking into the mattress, pulling you tighter into his arms.

“An’ I’d do it again. I’d do it a thousand times over to save ye.”

#soap x cypher #soap x reader #peaches writes

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shanaraki · 1 year

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I love how we're seeing the different emo bands takes on nostalgia.

Brendon Urie is out there ruining himself 'cause he wants to keep the concept of Panic! At the Disco alive like some violently murdered corpse whose limbs and hair are clipped to the body, now more a memory than a solid thing.

MCR is making fun of just of that, of the way the industry is selling a distorted version of the events of their past. They are mocking the way people expects them to stay frozen on a time when they were miserable, just because that's profitable for the music industry, just because their suffering is entertaining. But MCR won't do that, they won't back down after all they've gone through, after all they have won (because they fought hard for it!), after all the improvement. They have the right to live now, create new things.

Paramore reminded everyone of how that past? The one they so badly want back? That past was full of racism and misogyny and homophobia !!!!!Bands like MCR and FOB and Paramore were not enough because they were too queer or too black or too femenine. They are "heroes of the scene" NOW not because the scene has always loved or embraced them, but because they all refused to disappear, to give up, to give in. The real triumph is for them to enjoy, because now the scene is crying and begging for them to be back (but not them just the image of them) and they can say "fuck you, this is for my bandmates and the fans!".

And now FOB is back, with Pete Wentz spitting poetry about how nostalgia can be such a strong feeling, but there's more than just it. You cannot stay for the memories to consume you, not when there is so much to see, so much to do, so many details happening right here and now for you to enjoy. You need to acknowledge your past with all it carries and you need to move forward. You can't stop, because nostalgia can and will try to kill you, but why would you let it? Why are we supposed to live from the past? FOB have been called sellouts their whole time they've been here, so why would they listen now to the noise? It's just them, their fans and the people they love on this journey.

I love MCR I love FOB I love Paramore because they won't be used to manipulate the audience into believing the past was better. It was not. Now is better, the future they've made, the future they fought for. Now is theirs and ours. They win now.

#Mcr #My chemical romance #Paramore #Fob #Fall out boy #Fob8

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leoascendente · 11 months

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PAC/ Your future self wants to tell you... 🔮

-Reuploaded and reedited old PAC-

Hi my loves and welcome to this new Pac, today you'll receive a message from your future self. This is an old pac I decided to correct, rewrite and add some more information. Take a deep breath before choosing your pile and choose the one that makes you laugh, take only what resonates and leave what doesn't. You can choose more than 1 pile if you feel drawn to. Hope you like it, I love you all 💕

Decks I used: Goddes guidance oracle, moonology oracle, shadows and lights oracle, ethereal visions tarot, astrodices and my lucky charms.

For private readings click here

Pics are from pinterest, credits to their owners

Pile 1:

Oracle:

Things will become a lot more easy in your future, I see you very happy with how things will move in your life in every aspect. There's a massive shift in your reality from what you curently have going on, you'll be making a bold move that will lead you to success very fast, this energy is fiery and rush so surely everything will move at speed of light for you once you give that step. I feel that this success is estremely close, like this could happen in any given moment, it's like you have the door, you have the key and everything ready but nothing moves until you open the door you have right in front of you. I feel that what is keeping you looking at the door and not moving forward is a wound related to your confidence, this wound is caused by other people who judged you and treat you unfairly in your past, they made you think you weren't capable of doing great things and they hurt you so much that you ended up believing their lies. Don't let cruel people's actions hold you back or repress you from doing what you really want to do, be unique, be original and don't be afraid to show yourself.

There's a karmic person coming back to your life, you know this person and you probably have bad a good memories with them but things ended up un bad terms. They are the same as you remember them, with their positive and negative traits but you have changed a lot since this person left your life. Your future self warns you about them, not because they have bad intentions but for you to not repeat a past situation with them. You'll need to listen your intuition to proceed with this person, keep a safety distance if they have hurt you or made you feel bad about yourself, I hear something about hero complex so try not to save someone who feels right being as they are, no matter if you know how to help them, if they don't need or want your help or advice don't waste your energies, there are a lot of people in the world that will really need and appreaciate your help, but this person from your past doesn't. Your future self tells you that you need to pass this karmic test, this situation will help you realize your inner power and recognize all your personal progress and growth, it will also be helpful for your confidence.

Take as divine signs when you see blue butterflies, horses or an orange cat, the goddess Freyja, something related to Avalon and pink flowers.

Tarot:

(Cards: Ace of pentacles rev, king of pentacles rev, 4 of pentacles rev, 8 of wand rev, the Temperance/ 6 of cups)

The tarot cards talk about money issues you have been dealing with in your recent past, but if it's not about money it's about your sense of stability or physical safety, something has made you feel insecure or this feeling of uncertainty is something you carry from a young age, you might have felt like doesn't matter how hard you work, the ressults of your work are taking longer to reach you. Don't worry or doubt about your manifestations, sweetheart, I know waiting can be exasperating sometimes and can make you think you are in the wrong path or things don't work for you, but your future self wants you to know that this is not your case, you are doing things the best you can so avoid being so hard on yourself, some things take more time to materialize in your reality but that doesn't mean they are not going to manifest, it might sound cliché but it's true, good things take time and the more time they take the more wonderful the rewards will be, every seed need its proper time to grow and become a tree..

Your future self ask you to stay more in your present moment and work in your feeling of deserving, your future self is perfectly fine but you are forgetting about enjoying your current life. You really need and deserve a break and have more fun, you deserve to live a happy life, you deserve love and you deserve success just for being you, start believing in yourself and all your worth. You are also in a healing moment of your life and that's why your past situation is coming back to finally end up with this cycle, you really need to leave this behind because new golden doors are opening for you. This past situation that is repeating has something to do with an emotional wound you haven't solved yet and this comeback of someone will be the perfect chance to make peaces with your past and turn the page into the new chapter, your future self is telling you that is your moment to heal and Universe will be giving you the opportunities to do so.

Temperance and 6 of cups tell you to enjoy the simplicity of life, these cards invite you to take things with calm and work on your inner peace. Take this moment of healing as a gift from Universe, let the Divine guide you and show you what you couldn't see by yourself, everything will end up better than you expected. Also, don't doubt to ask for help to your spirit guides, they are there to help you whenever you need them.

Astrodices and lucky charms:

(Taurus, Jupiter, 5th house/ agate, aventurine, rose quartz, golden leaf, shell)

Well... There's love and romance on their way to you, for the most of you this is the person you are going to marry and have kids or pets with, I hear something about a legacy so you will surely have an abundant future with this person, also I see this upcoming relationship will be very healing for both of you, you two will feel your relationship as a wish fulfilled. The agate and 5th house have the message of wealth created by following your true passion and heart's desires, the golden leaf also talks about prosperity and abundance. As an advice, your future self asks you to work on your sensibility and your intuition, you also can be developing psychic abillities

Pile 2:

Oracle:

My spiritual pile 😊, It's time to take a leap of faith honey, trust yourself and your potential because you are capable of great things and you know it, you just need to believe and remind it more. You are bold and powerful, my love but your mindset is playing you a bad trick by making you think about all the things that could go wrong, remember that it's just your brain predicting things that probably will never happen. We know we are brave after facing something that scare us, so do it babe, jump to the unknown with fear but do it, chase your dreams and shine like the star you are because the loving hands of Universe will be there to hold you.

You have a vision of something you want to achieve, you want to success in a very specific area of your life, maybe it's related to career, love, a glow up, money... Whatever it is you are going to get it sooner than you imagine but you need to stop rushing ressults by now and take the strategic steps you need to take because your goal is almost here but excessive control over things can be delaying your success. You'll reach your goal love, your future self assures you that, but you need a time to see what you really want and what works best for you, don't try to fit in a box that's not made for you, do things your own and unique way and you'll see how fast you manifest your desired reality. Also, your future self wants you to release the weight of fitting into other people's expectations of you, don't betray yourself to make someone else happy.

Your future self asks you to improve your intuition and your connection with your spirit guides, you have angelic precense in your life by the moment, they'll show themselves in the form of moths. Ask your angels for help with self confidence and releasing behavior patterns that are no longer useful for you, they are very present in your life because you are energetically ascending and overcoming a lot of emotional baggage, you might feel over emotional for the next few weeks but it's a needed process to cleanse your energies and your soul, let your emotions guide you and give you the answers to your blockages, and rest if you need it.

Tarot:

(Cards: Chariot rev, sun rev, queen of cups, justice rev, wheel of fortune/ High priestess)

You are or have been waiting for the perfect circumstances to do something you really want to do, it's something that when you think about this, your heart jumps with joy and excitement. You know this can make you really happy but you are waiting for the outside circumstances to change instead of looking within to see what's blocking you, you are being unfair with yourself by forcing you to stand still and wait when something that makes you happy is at your hands and is calling you so loudly, your future self is telling you to check yourself to see what's holding you back and why you are expecting a chage from the outside when you are needing a change on the inside, that's why this reflection moment is so important, there's nothing outside blocking you, this comes from withing yourself but remember that taking a leap of faith will be very rewarding. This emotional issue might be related to the fear of being judged or rejected, maybe your dream is something unconventional or the way you want to make it is, but keep always in mind that Universe is aligning everything for you to reach the best outcome possible.

You know the solution to it, you got the high priestess at the bottom of the deck and the queen of cups to represent you, you are wiser than you want to admit. Your intuition is really powerful, make use of that wonderful gift you have more often honey and believe it when your 6th sense talk to you. By the moment your future self tells you to let the Universe put things into place while you heal that part of yourself that holds you back from chasing your dreams. You can check pile 1 if you felt called too.

Embody the energy of the queen of cups by entering in your femenine energy, rest more, meditate, pamper yourself with things that makes you feel beautiful and comfortble, be kind with yourself, eat that ice cream you love etc. I hear something about a crystal ball, maybe you can get one to help you with your intuition and to communicate with your guides, you can also be having lucid dreams so try to keep a dream journal next to your bed to write your dreams when you wake up, dreams and the oniric realm will be very significant for you.

Astrodices and lucky charms:

(Taurus, the sun, 7th house/ white heart, rose quartz, shell, spike)

There's a love interest appearing soon in your life and this person is going to be very straight forward with you since the moment they meet you, you are attracting a lot of attention and people who wants to spend time with you. The shell fell next to the spike, telling you that not every person that comes into your life is good intentioned, your intuition will tell you who you can trust and who you have to keep away. You are going to receive tons of love, not just romantic love but true friendships, you surely will be reuniting with your soul tribe.

Pile 3:

Oracle:

My dear pile 3, you might not be in the best moment of your life and I'm really sorry for that, but the good thing is that there's divine intervention currently happpening in your life. You are being helped by higher realms to help you heal some wounds that you have been trying to solve and you could't by yourself or to help you deal with that situation that got you out of balance. It's something that's giving you a lot of anxiety and maybe even sleep problems. Your future self wants you to release control and surrender to the divine and a release, some things are put of your control and you can'tdo much about it, if you are not yet in that process of healing it will start soon. You got Eireen and Ixchel, both goddesses related to healing and inner peace, there's this really high vibrational energy focused on you and many times, when we get this energetic downloads we get overwhelmed by past memories or experiences so we can eatch them with a new perspective, the bad thing about this is the anxiety we get from this too. When you feel overwhelmed with this just call your spirit team, they will lead you to the answer of the problem, this will also make tou feel supoorted and protected.

Whoever chose this pile, you are a very brave and strong person, you have overcome some obstacles very hard to deal with in your past and most of you, just by yourself. This makes you feel powerful and confident but also distant and stoic with other people, you know you don't need anyone to solve your problems but we are still humans and we are social animals, our hearts will always feel called to create connections with others. You had difficult circumstances over life that might led you to create a protective shield around you to avoid getting hurt again, it's good to have healthy boundaries but avoid making your heart a feelingless rock. Your future self wants you to know that this is the moment for a deep dive in your feelings to heal and find inner peace, you need to release negativity my love, and if you can't do it by yourself, just ask for help to your spiritual guides, they wil be there for you but stop being so closed off with the world, also, your heart chakra is needing some attention.

Your future self tells you that there are new doors opening for you in your future that will lead you to success and maybe a position of autorithy/power for some of you, but you can't walk through them until you let go all that weight you have in your back that is keeping you in a negative mindset. Be careful with your pride playing a bad trick on you and try to use this time to release negative energies, you can wear a protective symbol to keep low energies away from you, I see specificly an Egyptian cross. You can also burn rosemary and smudge yourself with its smoke (please don't use white sage, it's in danger of extintion and it needs a ritual to be used correctly, use rosemary, it has exorcising properties and it's useful for almost everything)

Tarot:

(Cards: 2 of pentacles, knight of wands rev, emperor rev, hierophant rev, 4 of wands/ 8 of pentacles)

Mmm I see you are being a little reckless or moody with those reversed emperor and hierophant, are you allowing yourself to have fun? or at least do things because you want to make them and not because you have to? I feel you are repressing your happiness for something outside of you, I even feel that your muscles are tense. Maybe you are trying to fit in a enviroment you don't feel comfortable in or the people you have around make you feel lonely but you still hold on to them, idk what the situation is but it involves more people, for some of you this has to be about a toxic work enviroment. If this is the case, your future self tells that you don't have to cut them from your life if you don't want to but you should ask yourself why you feel like you need to repress yourself to make them happy, your happiness also matters and now you should be focusing on that.

Analyze the way you treat yourself or what you demand from you, your inner voice might be too hard and you have to be more gentle and caring with yourself. Honestly honey, I feel you are in a little toxic envorioment and that's why the need of a protective symbol, to keep the negative energies far from you, so an stone like tiger eye or tourmaline can be helpful to be energetically protected. You are an intelligent person but you are listening to the voice or opinions of other people instead of yours, by the moment let outter circumstances evolve at their own rythm and focus on what you can do for yourself and nurture your inner world.

Your tarot spread ends up with the 4 of wands, a card of celebration and happiness, so don't worry, you will have your happy ending. By the moment, your future self asks you to put the focus on the 8 of pentacles, to be progressively moving torwards your desires without listening to others, just do what you feel called to do. Also, think about the things you really want to do, fulfill your desires more often at the same time you acomplish your tasks, fun and duty can coexist if you allow them to.

Astrodices and lucky charms:

(Aries, Venus, 1st house/ infinite, golden leaf, star, shell, aventurine)

You need a big dose of self love, to put love and care into the things that make you passionate and you feel driven to make. Everything will end up good for you, stop for a while with overdoing or overthinking and invest more time in your wellbeing and emotional balance, you also need more silence to listen your inner voice and intuition more clearly. The overall message from your future self is that you need to think less and enjoy more your life, it's good to be ambitious but it's important we don't forget about ourselves in the process, we owe ourselves love, protection and care. The golden leaf tells you that wealth and abundance are flowing to you and the star is reminding you that you are moving into success and recognition for your talents, keep going and don't let anybody mess with you. Also with the aventurine and the shell you got the message of allowing this divine healing energy enter your life, light a candle for your guides, make a gratitude journal, etc. Whatever helps you develop your spirituality will make you feel a lot more peaceful and will make you trust more your instinct. I'm also getting something about eating more fruits and do some grounding excersices.

Pile 4:

Oracle:

Mmmm I see you excited for something new you are doing or something you really want to do, maybe it's a new hobby, activity, course or job, you know this involves some changes in your habits in order to do this new thing the best way possible. Even though you know the change can be difficult or uncomfortable, this new oportunity makes you very happy. This new dream of yours is going to bring you abundance and success in your future, I literally see golden sparks falling from the sky and being poured over you, so don't let your insecurities or anything hold you back from this because it's a golden oportunity for you, release any attachment and move into that direction, your future self assures you it's going to be worthy.

You can be through a period where you'll be very emotional, allow your emotions flow so you can understand better what your emotional world is trying to tell you, maybe you can discover the root of an insecurity you needed to let go so you can feel lighter. I'm hearing that you are used to your comfort zone and you don't manage well sudden changes, but babe, all your cards tell that this change will bring so much happiness and abundance to your life, don't miss this wonderful chance.

Trust yourself and your desires honey, if you are feeling that excitement within you about that new idea or offer you want to manifest is because you are receiving information from higher realms to lead you to your happiest and most fullfiling outcome. The change can feel weird at first but after a while you'll feel great for making that decition and have taken the risk.

Tarot:

(Cards: Page of cups, 3 of pentacles, 5 of pentacles rev, ace of swords rev, justice, 9 of pentacles/ Temperance, star)

Your future self wants you to take this offer/opportunity that is going to come to you or take the step to move into that path you feel excited for, it will take effort from you but you'll have good people around willing to help you in anything you need. This opportunity will also help you financially if you were struggling in this aspect, a lot of pentacles cards fell in your reading, 9 of pentacles wasn't supposed to be on the spread but the card wanted to fell anyway by the justice's side, like you will surely will get a contract, promotion or a formal salary, however it is, money will flow into your life.

Again, at first you can feel overwhelmed and exausted but the enviroment will be healthy enough for you to fit fast and easilly, if you are not used to team work the people you are going to be with will be super nice and helpful with you in every moment. If you are going to have a boss or a mentor of some kind they will surely be very polite, respectful and fair, they will be very trustworthy and will pay fairly for your work, this is a very trustworthy and healthy enviroment to move in. If you have any court case going on or an issue related to the law it's going to resolve at your favor.

You will have extra money to invest in yourself, maybe to start a project by your own or just to buy something you'be been waiting for the moment you could afford it. Maybe that's why this wonderful offer comes to you, because this can give you the resources you need to start creating something by your own. You'll harvest the fruits of your labor and you will enjoy the ressults and also being so proud of yourself, after a while you'll look back so proud of how far you've gone through. As an extra message I'm hearing something about being careful with sharp objects.

Astrodices and lucky charms:

(Cancer, Mercury, 5th house/ ruby, bouquet, white heart, agate, star)

There are mixed messages here, for some this can mean that there's a pregnancy happening soon, for others this can also mean the planning and success of a personal project, for others I hear a massive glow up too. The overall message of your future self is that you need to apply logic and love in your life to achieve your goals, give the needed steps torwards your dreams and think more about your desires and plan to get them. The star and the ruby are signs of success, authority and recognition, for some even some level of fame. There's also a gift that will make you very happy coming from someone you love and appreciate, I see this gift will mean something important for you.

Pile 5:

Oracle:

This is my other spiritual pile, you can read pile 2 if you felt drawn too 🥰, you are highly protected by your spirit guides if you were wondering about it, you are in a beautiful process of transformation and evolution. Your psychic abillities are also getting stronger or you are finding new abillities you didn't know you had, whatever you are doing with your spiritual journey you are doing it great honey, and your future self wants to congrat you for the work you are currently making. You are becoming wiser and more powerful, you are also releasing generational karma and aligning with your soul purpose, you are making a fantastic work, be proud of yourself.

You might not know clearly where you are leading or what you are doing, you are just letting Universe and your spiritual team guide you with all the faith of your heart and doing what's best for you meanwhile, maybe you are trying to create a career out your spirituality (I encourage you to do so). Don't worry about your path, with your knowledge and the divine guidance you have you'll lead to a beautiful place, just go step by step for the moment. Your future self tells you that luck is on your side, just trust the process and everything will be fine, also there's a message here about a soulmate or even a twin flame, soon you'll be meeting them but be careful because your glow up will attract bees but also flies, be selective with the people you let in.

I see here some kind of codependency or bad habit you are breaking or you are aware that you need to break it at some point, there's something you are attached to and you are trying to undo the knot, just know that your guides are helping you with this and you are not alone, even a little step forward is still an step. Give yourself more credit for what you have overcome and what you are dealing with to get over, your path is unique and this will make you feel more powerful and confdent.

Tarot:

(Cards: Fool rev, 4of pentacles, king of pentacles, judgement, emperor/ star rev, strenght)

You are taking a more logical and structured perspective of your life, trying to focus your energies and intentions torwards a goal and planning an strategy to get it. Your future self wants to tells you that you are doing fine by being more grounded and having a more logical approach to your desires, maybe you've been moving through your gut feeling jumping to the unknown with faith instead of strategy and you've realized you need more organization and planning. You know what you want to manifest in your life but you also know that you need consistency and discipline and that's what you are trying to embody, your future self tells you that you'll be doing great, just be perseverant.

You are going to get the stability you've been looking for but first you have to find a balance between your spiritual and material life, you'll get all the answers you've been needing to keep progressing but don't let everything in hands of divine desings. It's great to be in touch with the spirit but you are still living a human life and you need to take terrenal action too. This is like a test for you too, of how much you can do if you really accept the challenge, adult life and responsabilities can be boring or exhausting but are part of life too, your future self wants you to befriend with your earthly life now that your spiritual life is on point and the communication with your guides is clear, consistency and perseverance will be your major keys.

Astrodices and lucky charms:

(Virgo, north node, 3rd house/ white heart, pink heart, swallow, diamond)

I see that you are aligned with your soul purpose and everything is moving correctly in your life path, the diamond and north node are signs that you are aligned with Universe. Try to help you by being more organized with an schedule of some kind, help yourself to embrace a more grounded energy in your daily life. Even the little day by day routines can be improved to guide us to better places, like a more healthy diet, waking up earlier, spending less time with the phone, etc. Details make difference. For some of you there's a relocating, maybe you are moving into a new home or neighbor, for others you might have to travel soon. You got both hearts with the charms so a love offer (I hear multiple offers tbh) is going to arrive soon in your life, I see your soulmate/twin flame is on their way but also a lot of amazing friendships will arrive too. The swallow is the omen of the ancestors' precense, they are by ypur side guiding and helping you, if you are into witchcraft they invite you to work with them.

Pile 6:

Oracle:

My sensitive souls pile 🥹 I'm getting something related to self worth issues, I feel a really loving energy from you but it hides sadness or melancholy behind it, like you are always trying your best to make everyone happy and you don't see that good intentions reciprocated. There's a lot of pain related to past relationships/friendships, whatever you have been through has left a mark in you that keeps you looking back thinking about what you could have done differently. You have very nurturing and motherly energy, like you really enjoy helping and taking care of others, you are a benevolent soul who sees no evil in others because you don't have that within you.

Your future self wants to warn you about someone in your life that has not good intentions at heart with you, I see a very weird situation here with a lot of anxiety and mental fog, this might be a romantic interest that is making you feel badly. This may be a pattern, a situation you've lived before but with different people or it's the same person and circumstance over and over again, Idk what it is but surely you do know because there are a lot of cards that says that you have seen and feel something worriying about this specific person but you did't knew clearly what it was. Your future self tells you that this situation has to end for your mental health and wellbeing in general, you have the wisdom to see what this person has to teach you and then let them go, you will end a tough cycle too. If you are not willing, for whatever reason, to take this person out of your life just learn how to set healthy boundaries. For some of you, I see someone very obsessed with you and with a very dark energy around them, they want to consume you somehow, I see this person has nothing to do with you, I don't like to say this kind of things but it gives me the feel that you are completely out of your league. The energy of this person is disgusting, so for the ones who resonate with this, please stay safe and do what you can to keep this person away from you.

Your future self wants you to work on your self worth and self esteem to make you feel safe in your own skin, give yourself more love and compassion, remind yourself that you are loved, guided and protected from highwr realms, though I see you are very conscious about your spirit team and their precense in ypur life. If you were having financial issues your future self wants you to know that it won't last too long, be grateful with what you have meanwhile and trust that abundance is close to you. There's also a message here about stepping out of your comfort zone more often, try new things to do or do something you've been wishing to do for a while and you haven't done yet, unleash your adventurous side a little more often and allow yourself to feel free.

Tarot:

(Cards: 10 of cups rev, page of swords rev, hierophant, queen of wands rev, moon/ knight of swords)

If you resonated with pile 3 I recommend you to read it too. This energy is so confusing I don't know how to channel and simplify it, I recommend you to cleanse your energies regularly. Whatever your situation has been it was really painful, I even feel like a void in my chest and can't barely hold the tears (I'm really sorry you have felt this way 😔), here I feel a heartbreak of some kind. Even though your past pain, your heart is still full of love to share and that's such a lovely and admirable trait, your future self guarantee that in the future you will look back with a completely different pespective and many things you don't understand now will have a reason to be.

You are an honest and genuine soul, you don't hide who you are or bend your values to appear nice in other people's eyes and this autenthicity sometimes end up with being misunderstood and feeling lonely, it's part of the journey and the polarity of life. There's this situation with someone that your future self warns about and it's telling you that this situation is draining your personal power and making your fears bigger than they really are. You really need to break this negative cycle and somehow you are aware that you have to but you are giving more chances for this person to change or you are being naive when it comes to them, don't let anyone use your sensibility as a weakness because it's not.

Your future self wants you to be honest with yourself and make an analysis of what's going on in your life, to check what's out of balance and start working on that, the key word here would be empowerment. It's your time to claim your power and energy back, to say goodbye to the past and close the chapter, the thing about past is that we can turn back time in our heads but nothing can be changed, being held by this is exhausting and worthless if it's not used to analyze the situation to evolve and bloom. You just need to shift your perspective and keep in the present moment, don't go too far on the future but also avoid staying too much in the past.

Astrodices and lucky charms:

(Sagittarius, Venus, 7th house/ swallow, golden leaf, bouquet, ruby, trisquelion)

I see you focusing on the things you enjoy and love doing, maybe even implying adventurous plans in your routine or do something completely new. I see you being brave and opening to new experiences and new people, the golden leaf and the bouquet talks about benevolent energies and abundance. You can also be entering into a new chapter in your love life and not just meet your soul family but your twin flame too, so be open for tue love because is entering your life to stay forever, true connections are very close. The ruby talks again about confidence and power, you' ll be feeling a lot more empowered and confortable taking the reins of your life. Finally, the swallow and trisquelion are signs of a huge spiritual team guarding your back, you are being guided and protected by ancestors and ascended masters, get closer to them because they are leading you to a wonderful place.

#Spotify #witchblr #leoascendente #divination witch #tarot #tarotblr #pac reading #pick a pile #tarot reading #pick a card #oracle cards

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prettyrealm · 3 months

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a message from the universe 🌌

pick a card #2: sometimes we can all use a bit of direction! here’s what the universe wants you to shift your focus to and what you should work on to improve your overall quality of life 🌼

how to participate:

🌤️ ask yourself "what should I focus on?" “what should I put more energy into?”

🌷pick the spring sanrio plush that you feel most drawn to.

clear your mind & take as long as you need to choose. keep in mind that you may feel drawn to & choose more than one. you also may not feel drawn to any of them, so don't force it! please consider your headspace before participating as these readings will be honest. the piles are in order from left to right.

🌸 pile 1

there’s something you’re in denial about and the universe wants you to know it’s best you summon the courage to come to terms with it. it’s time you try to acknowledge these issues now to overcome them and not carry this weight with you. be honest about yourself, your intentions and others. I feel this may have to do with someone trying to take something away from you that’s rightly yours, or the give-and-take dynamic of this situation is denying you of achieving your goals. there is no balance - you may be giving more to this person or project than you receive and your resentment is growing. you may even find yourself giving without true genuine compassion, now carrying a “you owe me.” mindset that only stresses you out. facing the reality of this situation, acknowledging it and making a change will bring very good things to you, and very soon at that. you may have gone through a time of hardship, but things are settling and the universe wants you to know that big and positive changes can and will come into your life be it you follow direction. release your fears. you are ready.

💐 pile 2

the universe wants you to know bright new prospects have opened up! you have and will be making immense progress towards your goals - big strides. you may have felt super optimistic lately and this isn’t for no reason, things will be looking up for you. you have nothing to fear. it is time for you to put trust in the universe and in yourself, something amazing is in store for you and you may even feel like a miracle is unfolding before your very eyes. the only downfall is a bit of conflict may appear before you get here - strife and conflict - prepare for battle, but no worries, you will come out on top. this competition will bring out your passion and show your commitment and may even cause others to admire you more for it. don’t be petty, fight fairly and stay honest. seek true understanding. this small hiccup aside, your desires are manifesting, and your new life is on its way.

(note: if you’re someone who has been trying for a child I can assure you it’s coming soon!)

☁️ pile 3

the universe wants you to look forward to new friends, a new environment and seeking knowledge. important things will be happening soon and you may need to prepare for a change in your relationships. you are being told you need to rid yourself of problems and memories you dwell on from the recent past and practice forgiveness. focus on the changes you and others are making to usher in and happily welcome this new change of scenery. moving past the trails you’ve faced will only strengthen your connection and appreciation for your family members. the universe also wants you to practice and strengthen your powers of reason, stop letting emotion cloud your judgement and make your decisions for you. come to solutions without blaming people, playing the victim or projecting. you’re being given the power to think more clearly and objectively at this time to make the changes to your life that you need, so use it. should you listen to the universe, a weight will be lifted from your shoulders and a sense of freedom will wash over you.

🐣 pile 4

the universe wants you to know your problems are or will be resolved! expect an end or at least an extended break from whatever adversaries you’ve been facing recently. the waters are nice and clear from here on out so feel safe jumping on any opportunity that arises - and they will. whatever your desires may be, the door to obtaining them will be opening up soon. it appears many doors have actually opened for you in the past, but you never took the chance. it’s likely you didn’t realize these opportunities were MEANT for you, but it’s time you stop taking them for granted and start receiving. all the universe asks is that you stop taking things for granted and appreciate what you have. count your blessings, maybe even start a gratitude journal. pay attention to the way you move and your influence on others, be kinder, more responsible and more sweet to those who aid you every day. do not bite the hand that feeds you, and opportunities and gifts will begin to shower you.

🦋 pile 5

the universe is asking you to look to an older male figure in your life. he’s looking out for you and he has the skills and connections that you need at this time. he will be very responsive if you ask for help and expect nothing in return, genuinely wanting the best for you. he is very well-educated and will help push you along on your path, but also provide you with valuable information that will greatest help you in the future. do not take his help for granted and make sure to show your appreciation along the way, this will strengthen the connection and only help you in the long term. you are being asked to relax and relinquish your burdens, accept this assistance and allow the weight to be lifted from your shoulders. you may be extremely stressed recently and these are all things that will help you relieve that stress, but also push you closer to your desires. spend this time day dreaming about, fantasizing about and visualizing what you want for your future.

🐝 pile 6

the universe wants to let you know that you’re on your way to perfecting your craft and rewards will so be yours as a result of your proficiency and hard work! I do see you need to work on getting more information before you make any big decisions. research throughly, consult with others, get a lot of data even if that means as far as going to seminars or watching online lectures. this aside, success and glory is on the horizon! life might feel pretty good right now, but there’s even more joy and happiness in store for you. the universe wants you to step out of your comfort zone, push the limits and stop playing it safe - you’ve been restricted for too long. do not fall victim to close minded thinking, moving off of assumptions and negative history. try to think from a new perspective and don’t get stuck in a loop of bad thought patterns. free yourself.

#it’s been a while!#tarot #kpop tarot #pick a card #pick a pile #pac #tatotblr #piano tarot #sanrio #sanrio plush

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ascesabo · 2 months

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sometimes i want to reach through the screen and shake sabo by the shoulders because. god. there's just so much going on with him.

he's first introduced through the veil of luffy's memories- here he's just another feral jungle kid, sticking it out with ace and luffy, the 'nicer' brother in young luffy's eyes. and then boom. you find out he's a runaway noble trying to escape his abusive, neglectful family- and this changes nothing, they still get to become sworn brothers, but just as quickly as this is resolved, his asshole of a dad takes the three of them hostage. and what does sabo do? he gives up the little sliver of freedom he'd fought for, is willing to become miserable and lonely again if it means ace and luffy are spared. and then he comes home to find that in his absence, his parents have already found a replacement! great!

and he doesn't even get to address how fucked up that is, because stelly runs his mouth and now sabo's too busy trying to figure out how to stop his brothers and their home from getting burnt to the ground. he never gets to give them a proper goodbye- he exhausts himself trying to reach them, but he can't because. you know. he's ten. so where does this leave sabo? ten years old, with nowhere to go- he sets out to sea to try and start over, and for the crime of wanting to escape a terrible life, he's punished with an explosion to the face. he loses his memories, his brothers lose him- and so the cycle continues.

then the army saves him, takes him in; he's essentially a child soldier, with how prodigious of a fighter he is from the get-go. but hey, he thinks he's finally found his footing, even if his past's a blur to him- then it all comes flooding back. in the worst way possible. he sees his brother's corpse and he remembers, but it doesn't matter, does it? he's too late, ace is gone, and sabo's lost ten years of a life he could have shared with his brothers. we don't even know how (if, even) he recovers from this- except for a single passing statement from koala, asking him if he's 'had that dream again' because he'd been crying in his sleep. this is never brought up or addressed again. great!plus, we never do find out if getting blown up at the ripe old age of ten could have left any lasting fire-related trauma; and if it does, what does that mean for sabo, who's pretty much made of it, now?

both of these questions are answered at once- sabo treats the fire as if it's ace. it's ace's legacy he's carrying on, and it's ace he seeks freedom for. he copes by making sure ace lives on in his flames, and how can he ever hate the fire living in him if that fire is all he has left of the brother he never got to see again?

i just have to wonder about him, because he's got so many Issues that just. don't ever get addressed? every time we see him deal with his grief (episode of sabo, his own retelling of events in dressrosa) we never really discover anything about him. i wonder how it felt to finally remember the childhood that eluded him, just to find out he was an unwanted, replacable child. how he feels, living with the knowledge that he could have done something to save ace, that he'd failed to remember the two people he loved the most? i wonder just how terribly that guilt must weigh down on him- because where luffy's already begun to heal, sabo still sees ace in everything he does. his title of flame emperor is a direct callback to ace's final attack in his fight against blackbeard. he talks to his goddamn fire like his brother is still in front of him, which is sweet and heartbreaking and, considering his backlog of unaddressed trauma... incredibly unhealthy. i know these will probably be left unresolved for the sake of moving the story forward- but god, sabo, are you okay?

#one piece #sabo #asl brothers #portgas d ace #revolutionary sabo #i cannot stop thinking about him #his grief is so. silent #blink and you'll miss it #i wonder if he'll ever be able to reconcile the person he is with the person he never got to be #or if he's just. going to brush it off because Everything Is Fine Obviously #i know he's explicitly stated that he won't live in grief because ace wouldn't want him to #but coming to that conclusion when he's probably had no time to heal #just looks a lot like him holding his fraying edges together with duct tape #my poor sabo #my princess ....#anywayyyy this is just me rambling pls dont mind

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chosok-amo · 6 months

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and maybe in this lifetime, I'm the bride

YOU can't bear the pain anymore, so you just let yourself fall— hoping your two lovers would understand.

— 2019

⠀ ⠀⠀It's just you now.

⠀ ⠀⠀Everyone dies, almost everyone you know is no longer by your side. Again, again and again, you're alone. Always. It will always be like that. Everyone leaves, leaving you alone. It's as if fate forces you to stay alive just as a reminder, as a piece of walking memory. And every day your shoulders continue to slump due to carrying this burden, until sometimes you feel unable to walk, even to crawl.

⠀ ⠀⠀It's been months since Gojo Satoru's death. He just left you and now everyone hopes you will continue living normally. Expecting you to keep fighting as if all your friends hadn't died, as if now all your souls hadn't left, Satoru and Suguru. Feeling your breath catch every time you open your eyes and feeling all the responsibility placed on your shoulders just because you are alive. You don't want to live if all you feel is tired. Feeling with every step a large rock chained around your neck, making your steps falter every time.

⠀ ⠀⠀Every day you hate everyone more, you hate curses more than you should. It feels unfair how they can let the strongest die first while you who are weak can live longer. You hated the higher-ups—you never hated anyone more than you hated them. It was the higher-ups who were responsible for all your friends' deaths, Satoru's death. They and the clan heads who felt that it was okay to send anyone to fight against the curse while they just sat on chairs made from ill-gotten money and the bones of witches. Just how unfair the world you live in is.

⠀ ⠀⠀You felt sick of having to fight and heal people afterwards, with Shoko. You were sure he felt the same way. Feeling stuck with the obligation to fuel a tank that should have been empty years ago. You grew more and more disgusted every time you succeeded in healing the witches— knowing you would only send them back to the endless battlefield. Continue like that until you feel that their death is a blessing and their health is a curse.

⠀ ⠀⠀ “Y/n?”

⠀ ⠀⠀You turn around.

⠀ ⠀⠀Yuuji Itadori.

⠀ ⠀⠀You look at the face that is usually decorated with joy and a big smile, now it's just empty. The wound between his eyes and lips was clearly visible. His brown eyes no longer radiated the life they had when he first came to Jujutsu High. You feel sorry for the young man in front of you. Too young to be cursed, too young to see how the world works, too young to lose his soul.

⠀ ⠀⠀“Are you okay?” he asked.

⠀ ⠀⠀He knew the answer, of course, but he chose to ask anyway. You didn't answer but turned your gaze back to the front. Yuji stepped towards you and stopped when he arrived beside you. Both hands were on the fence and faced forward for a moment. The two of you stood in silence before a sigh finally left Yuji's mouth and he turned to you. He tucked your hair behind your ear to see your face better from the side. It feels like he is looking in a mirror every time he looks at your face. The same expression that had been plastered on your face ever since Satoru died. An expression that showed that you had lost your soul, the same expression that he is gonna have once Megumi sooner or later once Sukuna was out of it.

⠀ ⠀⠀“We need to move somewhere safe,” he said.

⠀ ⠀⠀You chuckled sarcastically. There is no safe place, Yuji knows that. “I'll be waiting,” he said. He kissed your head before leaving you alone. You took a deep breath. Itadori Yuji is just like Gojo Satoru, just like you. He won't last long once Sukuna leaves Megumi's body—Megumi's death. The rest of them will die like the rest of your friends, falling one by one like dust. And there you will be, standing with wounded hands, picking up the pieces and healing whoever is left. Killing curses, burning skulls, and healing wounds, over and over again in an endless loop. Your version of infinity.

⠀ ⠀⠀I'm not sure how much of this I can take

⠀ ⠀⠀You can't get through the day without burning your lungs. Spend 3 packs every day. Forcing yourself to give your hand something to hold. One of you is holding a cigarette or burying your hand between the skulls of your lifeless friends. Inhaling deeply the scent of cigarettes in hopes of overpowering the smell of burning skulls. Apart from Shoko, no one can understand what you do, no one can do what you do. You feel guilty for the power you have.

⠀ ⠀⠀“Both you and Suguru understood that..”

⠀ ⠀⠀You try to save whoever you can, but every day you don't want to. Healing them makes you feel like you cursed them and that hurts you. Healing them only means they can suffer even worse than they already have to. “God, they're just kids..” You started to forget their names, you had to. You shouldn't let yourself get too connected to them.

⠀ ⠀⠀Now you're the last one, there's no more Satoru and Suguru, just you. And yet you still feel left behind. Excluded, the eternal third wheel.

⠀ ⠀⠀“I'm not even allowed to follow you to the afterlife, am I?”

⠀ ⠀⠀Satoru left everything under your care and now you're starting to feel guilty because your anger at him for his lack of attention because this is too much. People look up to you for protection when in reality you want them all dead, so that they no longer feel pain. It is very difficult for you to tell them the truth—say that they will die soon or say that they must say their goodbyes to their loved ones, or to the people they love.

⠀ ⠀⠀You wish you had the luxury to shout at them to run as far as they can, to fight for their youth— “But I'm not strong like you, Satoru,” you whisper.

⠀ ⠀⠀“I hope you're happy, Satoru, I really do.”

⠀ ⠀⠀You take a deep breath. Your sad and empty eyes stare straight ahead. Another expanse of blue and skyscrapers as far as your eyes can see. The gentle breeze gently kisses your skin which now seems to no longer have any color. Clarify yourself who looks like a walking corpse.

⠀ ⠀⠀“You've been so sad it became all you were, maybe in death you'll let that sadness go.”

⠀ ⠀⠀You smiled and stretched your arms into the air. Your eyes are closed. You slowly inhale, letting the scent of spring fill your lungs.

⠀ ⠀⠀“And maybe in death I'll let that sadness go too.”

⠀ ⠀⠀With a smile, you let yourself fall.

⠀ ⠀⠀From the 28th floor.

⠀ ⠀⠀

⠀ ⠀⠀You open your eyes.

⠀ ⠀⠀Your eyes are met with a field of flowers as far as the eye can see. The sky was pink with orange and purple mixed beneath it—showing how the sun was about to set. Your face shines due to the sunlight that kisses you tenderly. The color in your face now appears again, showing the redness in your cheeks and the life in your eyes. You feel more alive than ever. You don't feel anything, you don't feel sadness, pain, anything.

⠀ ⠀⠀You feel happy, after a long time.

⠀ ⠀⠀The gentle wind brushes your skin and hair, making it blow backwards. The wind makes the flower leaves fly away from you. You turned around to see where the leaves were flying. Your feet lightly run, running slowly following where the leaves lead. You felt so incredibly happy that a small laugh came out of your mouth as you ran.

⠀ ⠀⠀Your steps stopped when your gaze fell on the backs of two people you knew so well. Stand next to each other and look straight ahead. Your smile slowly disappeared and your eyes opened wide. Instantly, tears quickly rolled down your cheeks when one of them turned to look at you. His white hair moved to and fro following the wind. He opened his arms wide and at the same time someone next to him turned to look at you.

⠀ ⠀⠀ Without you realizing it, your feet quickly ran until your body hit two people's bodies until their bodies staggered slightly backwards. Your arms wrapped around their neck tightly while your chin rested on their shoulder. You're crying. After letting yourself bottle it all up for months now you finally let yourself cry. Spilling out all the pain and longing there.

⠀ ⠀⠀“Oh, my love..”

⠀ ⠀⠀Those two people, your two lovers— they put their arms around your waist, pulling you close and burying their faces in your neck. For a moment, you stand and remain in that position. You can feel the small kisses that your two lovers give accompanied by soft words saying how much they miss you. You just keep crying. Can't help yourself after feeling their warm embrace for so long.

⠀ ⠀⠀“I thought I told you not to come to us too fast,” Satoru broke the silence as he moved his face away from your neck and looked at you. He stood up straight to look at your face, as did Suguru. “You shouldn't be here, not this fast,” said Suguru. His hand flew up and landed on your wet cheek. You closed your eyes and leaned closer into his palm, missing the warmth of your lover. His thumb caressed your soft, wet cheek.

⠀ ⠀⠀“I miss you,” was all you could say.

⠀ ⠀⠀You opened your eyes to look at Suguru. You realize some things when you look at them. His black hair now looked longer than the last time you saw him and he let it hang loose—blown by the wind. And Satoru, no longer wears a blindfold or glasses, letting his beautiful blue eyes blend with the sky. Looks more beautiful than usual.

⠀ ⠀⠀“Oh, my love— must be so hard for you, you must be lonely.”

⠀ ⠀⠀Yes.

⠀ ⠀⠀But now not anymore.

⠀ ⠀⠀It's not just you now.

⠀ ⠀⠀Satoru is here with you, Suguru is here with you. In a place you don't know what to call, a place you don't know where it is. A place that for the first time makes you feel happy again, like the summer of 2006. A place that makes you for the first time not feel afraid to stay alive. The place that first made you want to live.

⠀ ⠀⠀There was a feeling of inevitability in your heart now, just like the first time you met your two lovers. The sense that you would be together, how every smile, every whispered brings you closer to the impossible conclusion.

⠀ ⠀⠀You feel the warmth that you have longed for. Strangely, you start to hope as if fear was never in your heart. Your dreams are big and you are so sure that this time everything will come true. Feeling like you and your lover will lose track of day and night, counting the stars and waiting for the sun to rise the next day. Without feeling afraid that you will run out of time.

⠀ ⠀⠀You smiled faintly as your eyes looked straight ahead. You feel happy. Satoru who was sitting next to you smiled looking at your face which was covered in orange light from the side. You sat next to him and your body straightened while he leaned back in the chair. “Now I'm full, my lovely star,” — he keeps looking at you with a gentle smile on his lips. Looking at you like you put the stars in his sky. Looking at you like you're the star itself.

⠀ ⠀⠀“You're staring again, 'Toru,” you said and finally turned around. A thin, sweet smile perched on your lips. Satoru widened his smile before he tucked your hair behind your ear. “I miss you,” he whispered, still smiling making you chuckle slightly. “I miss you more,” you whispered back, this time he was the one who chuckled a little.

⠀ ⠀⠀“You must have suffered a lot after Suguru left, I'm sorry for forgetting you. Those summers included to you just as much as they belonged to me, and he is yours just as much as he is mine, I'm sorry I took that away from you—”

⠀ ⠀⠀He paused, “I mean— it's too late, we're already dead but still, I'm sorry. I love you just as much as I love him—”

⠀ ⠀⠀“I love you too,” you interrupted.

⠀ ⠀⠀Satoru fell silent again— just staring at you with his blue eyes wide open. He gently pulled you up to hear and wrapped his arms around your body. He kissed your head as you rested your head on his shoulder. He breathed a sigh of relief as if the last burden weighing on his shoulders had disappeared instantly.

⠀ ⠀⠀“Satoru, Y/n!”

⠀ ⠀⠀You both looked back to find Suguru standing not far behind you with a smile on his lips. Walk along a stretch of green grass with flowers on your right and left. Your hands locked with Suguru and Satoru's, feeling their warmth. As you walk down the street, you see some people who are familiar to you. One of them waved at you and smiled broadly.

⠀ ⠀⠀And a second later you were in Haibara's arms. A cheerful laugh came out of his mouth. “Easy there, Y/n,” he said and wrapped his arms around you. Haibara smiled softly as she looked down at you. His hand stroked your hair gently. “I always knew that you're pretty, but seeing how pretty you look when you're older makes me upset for not staying a little longer,” he said. You laughed, “Oh, God, I miss you,” you said. He chuckled.

⠀ ⠀⠀“You're not supposed to be here, Y/n, not yet,” a deep voice said. “Nanami! I miss you,” you turned from Haibara to the man beside her. You can see that there are no more glasses that usually adorn his face. He smiled this time, looking freer than usual.

⠀ ⠀⠀Everyone here.

⠀ ⠀⠀You feel very, very happy. You never imagined that death could bring happiness. You can't imagine that you can meet your lovers again. Walk side by side with each other and hold hands. With your friends, even Mimiko and Nanako. They have grown into such beautiful women.

⠀ ⠀⠀and Megumi.

⠀ ⠀⠀He followed you not long after. Walking in front of you while holding the hand of his sister, Tsumiki. He glanced at you for a moment and smiled. You couldn't help but feel happy when you saw him. He finally got the peace and happiness he deserved.

⠀ ⠀⠀Finally, now you are at the end of your journey, which you didn't know would end here. To a place where the land is filled with green grass and flowers. A place of taut winds, night longer than a monk's long prayer. You find each other, you recognize each other, and your hands are still warm from their living. You can see the blood flow back to your lips, your eyes begin to return from that impossible darkness.

⠀ ⠀⠀“Did our love survive?”

⠀ ⠀⠀You looked up to look at your right side, smiling as you looked at Suguru. He smiled and leaned down to kiss your forehead. Then you turned to Satoru who was already looking at you first. He smiled before he leaned in to kiss your cheek—making you smile even wider.

⠀ ⠀⠀“Yes, it does.”

⠀ ⠀⠀And now you're gonna build a small cabin in whatever place is this. Gonna learn to talk again, not of the past, you don't remember well, but about how quiet are the meadows and the strange beautiful birds that you've begun to name, the hush at the nightfall when a calmness seems to slip about thisworld. And something is finally right, you will cry, holding both of your lovers, your friends, your family, and listen to the footfall that you are certain will come.

⠀ ⠀⠀And in the morning, in his off-centre voice, Satoru sings awkwardly, so happily, making Nanami want to kick him so hard he's gonna come back to the world, for a moment to remember where you once were, some place of green and blue, some old.

⠀ ⠀⠀And this time it wasn't just you now.

part 1 | alternative ending

I hope I made the right choice with this ending😭

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ghouljams · 8 months

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I finished the medieval Ghost drawing and I drew what I imagined the Royal Crest to look like. The chainmail wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Fun to draw 10/10 would recommend.

Let's fucking goooo, that's my MAN!!! I could stare at this for fucking hours, I'm going to stare at it for hours, thank you. Also the crest?? The Crest???? So good.

God!!! The hand on the leg(too far up to be proper I see u Ghost) and the way he's sort of bowing to her like I can feel the emotion in my teeth I want to eat this. Have some fic.

"You're wearing your helm," you keep your voice low, hardly moving your head to speak to the knight behind you. This is one of those tedious things you have to do sometimes. You stand with your seated parents as they hear the people's complaints, and try not to think about how you would handle things. You're supposed to be pretty, not smart. Although you are smart, and you do have ideas, you're expected to keep them to yourself.

"Didn't want to show you up," Ghost jokes, voice as monotone as ever. You smile a little to yourself.

"If you're so much prettier than me, you can take over being the show pony," you joke back.

"And rob the kingdom of seeing you all dressed up? Wouldn't dream of it," you can hear the slight chuckle in his voice, it's a comfort. Having Ghost nearby is always a comfort. He has such a way of calming you, keeping you from pulling to far into yourself. He treats you like a person, not a princess, when you need him to.

"I'd quite enjoy seeing you in a dress, something to emphasize your waist maybe?" Although finding something to fit his broad shoulders might be a bit more tricky. All that swinging a sword around has certainly built him a nice physique. It's silly, but the thought makes your placid princess smile a little more genuine.

"What do you know about my waist?" He asks, you can still hear his amusement in his tone. That's good, you'd hate to offend him.

"Only what I've seen of it," you hum.

"Sneaking peaks are we?" He clicks his tongue and the sound reverberates through your bones, you feel it like he's physically touched you the way it slides down your spine, "Naughty girl."

You tell yourself he's only joking, but that doesn't dull your reaction. Heat blooms over your cheeks, you swallow the feeling that wells in your chest, and wet your lips. Does he know he can take you apart with just those two words? That the depth in his tone, the growl in his voice, makes you want to melt where you stand?

You turn to tell him you absolutely were not sneaking peaks, and that even if you did happen to it would only have been while you were on the road together. Which you hardly think counts considering there's hardly any privacy when camping anyway. You catch your mother's glare at the first twitch from you. You keep your eyes forward and do your best not to pout.

"If you stand there nice and pretty like a good girl I'll tell you why I'm wearing my helm," Ghost never whispers, but he speaks so that his voice doesn't carry. You watch your mother for any sign that she's listening, and she hardly bats an eye. You suppose you're both far enough back, and her attention is far enough forward, to grant you some level of privacy. You give the barest hint of a nod for your knight, and he lets out a breath.

"Good," Maybe one word is all he needs, you like the way he says it, the way it brushes over your skin. He's quiet for a long while. Two people get up to air their grievances before he speaks again. It's long enough that you almost want to ask, to jog his memory. If you didn't know better you might squirm.

"Wanted to make sure I wasn't caught staring," He tells you finally.

"What are you looking at?" You smile to hide the quick twitch in your brows. It's not like Ghost to be distracted doing his duties, you wonder what-

"You're clever, what do you think I'm looking at?" His voice is so thick you wonder how he was able to speak at all. You take stock of the room, the throng of people and servants. His eyes should be everywhere, there's only one place they truly shouldn't be. On you.

You can feel them, the weight of his gaze as it travels over you. You can feel where it settles: your waist, your hips, your chest, your neck, your lips. You let out a breath and know his eyes have settled on the movement of it. How are you supposed to survive the rest of this interminable function with his eyes on you like this?

"I am clever aren't I," You tell him, knowing the way he hums in assent will do nothing to stop the heat that follows his gaze.

"You are."

It's strange how you can have so many eyes on you and never feel their pressure, but knowing your knight is watching makes you almost self conscious. You can feel every brush of your skirt, every shift in your posture that your breath brings, every little twitch in your body magnified under Ghost's watchful eye. You haven't wanted to fidget since you were a child, and yet here you are. Your skin crawling, your bones begging to move, if for no other reason than to give Ghost something to look at, some reason to watch you.

Suddenly you're not standing for your parents, or out of duty to your position, you're standing for him. And that's so much different isn't it? You can't move, can't directly speak to Ghost, and though your fingers ache to touch him neither of you would dare. What pleasure does he get from this?

More so, how is it so pleasant for you?

You wonder if he looks at you often, if he likes what he sees. You wonder if he has favorite dresses, favorite jewelry, if he ever hopes you'll wear something again. You wonder if he has favorite parts of you, if he likes your eyes as much as you like his, if he thinks about your hands as often as you do his. You hope he does. You hope he looks at you and thinks of you sweetly.

It's all either of you gets.

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fluentmoviequoter · 1 month

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Speed Limit 2525

Requested Here!

Pairing: Tim Bradford x fem!reader

Summary: When Tim Bradford goes head-to-head with a bomber, he finds himself on a bus carrying a bomb and you.

Warnings: spoilers for Speed (1994) (I think this qualifies as an AU/rewrite), angst, bombings, nightmares, death and fear of dying, teasing, fluff, a little make out scene at the end? basically every warning that applies to the movie and The Rookie. I also made up a story about "Reaper"

Word Count: 11.7k+ words

A/N: This isn't completely proofread, but I'll be back soon to check it. I hope you enjoy!🤍

Masterlist Directory | Tim Bradford Masterlist | Request Info/Fandom List

Shoot him.

Tim doesn’t feel the trigger depress, only the hot desert air beating against his face. Though the trigger doesn’t move, a bullet rips through the barrel and into Tim’s only surviving squad member. He yells to warn his teammate, but no sound comes out. The wind is loud in the desert, yet the sound of Tim’s friend falling against the sand seems to echo for miles.

“Bradford,” the injured soldier coughs. “Wrong target, Reaper.”

Tim’s chest is tight with guilt and anxiety when he wakes. The sheets are wrapped tightly around his legs, and his shallow breaths distract him from freeing himself. Before he has time to orient himself, Tim’s phone rings and snaps him out of his post-nightmare, adrenaline-fueled state as he reaches across the empty pillow to answer it.

“Bradford,” he says.

“Get to the station as soon as you can,” Sergeant Grey demands. “Your Metro captain has me calling everybody in. We’re sending patrol units out, too. It’s gonna be a long day, Tim.”

Tim forgets about the nightmare and the memory within as he rushes to get ready. Tim’s tunnel vision focuses on work, and everything else fades away. Middle-of-the-night calls aren’t unusual, especially for a Metro Sergeant like himself, but this many officers getting a wake-up call is. Whatever is happening is big, and it doesn’t sound to Tim like it will be over any time soon. He makes it to the station in record time, and his commander is directing the other Metro officers when he enters.

“We don’t have time,” she says suddenly. “I’m running this force from here. Sergeant Grey will fill you in on the way. Get to the target location and stick together. Bradford, you’re with Temple!”

Tim nods as Harry Temple walks to his side. Harry was one of Angela Lopez’s first patrol partners, but he decided Metro was a better fit when the time to move forward in his career came along. Like Tim, he was in the Army before becoming a police officer, and he and Tim have some shared experiences. Neither of them is overly eager to bond over them, however.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Tim asks Harry as he turns on the lights and sirens in the shop.

“All I heard was ‘elevator,’” Harry answers. “I’m assuming they’re more to this than that.”

“Listen up,” Sergeant Grey says over the radio. “This is your official brief. When we roll up to the scene, we go straight in. No time for questions after we exit these cars. Fifteen people are trapped on an express elevator. The owner of the building is also inside. A bomb took out the cables, and our bomber is demanding three million dollars, or he blows the emergency brake, too. Cell phone service is spotty in the building, so we can’t rely on that to track anyone or anything.”

“Cell phone service is nonexistent in the elevator. A defensive move against trade secrets,” someone adds.

“What’s our clock, Sergeant?” Harry radios.

“He gave one hour when he called, which leaves us with twenty-eight minutes.”

“The only thing that’ll stop the elevator is the basement, right?” Tim adds.

“The city plans to avoid that. They’re working to release the money.”

Tim stops the shop beside the curb at the front of the building. He leaves the lights on as he and Harry remove their weapons from the back and meet the rest of their tactical team in the lobby.

“We can’t just unload them,” an officer says.

“The bomber wired the elevator doors and the hatch to trigger the bomb. So, he’s crazy, but he ain’t stupid,” Wade explains as he enters.

“Harry volunteers to examine the device,” Tim interjects. “He was on the bomb squad in the Army.”

Harry turns to glare at Tim as he says, “Right. And since Bradford also has Army experience, he’d like to provide a second opinion.”

“Fine,” Wade says. “You two check it out. Hey! Where’s the nearest access panel?”

“32nd floor,” a nearby employee answers on his way out. “It’s in the hall by the storage closet.”

“Report only. We’re in a holding pattern until we get word from your Commander back at the station. Confirm building evac and keep your radios active.”

“What about the other elevators?” Harry asks the employee.

“In an emergency, all passenger cars go to the nearest floor and shut down,” he says.

Tim frowns and moves his gun to his side. “Looks like we’re walking up the stairs.”

Harry nods before sprinting up the stairs behind Tim. Tim outpaces him but waits at the access panel for Harry to arrive with his small tool kit. He begins removing the nuts from the metal cover while Tim watches the hallway. Harry gives Tim a signal and Tim lifts the metal sheet. Light filters into the elevator shaft as Tim crawls through the opening and moves to the top of the elevator, where the bomb rests.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the L.A.P.D.,” Tim announces loudly. “There has been an elevator malfunction. Just relax and we’ll have you out of there as soon as possible.”

Harry looks up from the bomb and raises his hands in question.

“I didn’t lie,” Tim defends.

“I don’t recognize this work, Tim. Whoever our bomber is… he’s a pro and the work is solid,” Harry says.

“Bradford, Temple, hold position,” Wade radios. “We’re waiting to hear back from the bomber.”

Tim looks at his watch and muffles a curse. Their time is nearly out, and Tim continues to look at his watch rather than think about the lives in the metal death trap below his feet.

Harry sees the look in Tim’s eyes and decides to distract him. “Terrorist in a crowded room, five pounds of dynamite. He’s got a deadman’s stick. What do you do?”

“How close am I?” Tim asks, looking away from the elevator.

“Twenty feet.”

“Taser. He can’t let go with enough volts surging through him.”

“Alright, hot shot. Fifty feet?”

“Nice try.”

“Airport, then. Gunman with one hostage, using her for cover. He’s almost on a plane, you’re a hundred feet away.”

“Why is the hostage always a woman in these scenarios? Watch too many romcoms in the academy?”

“What do you do?” Harry repeats.

Tim kneels to examine the bomb once more and remembers his nightmare. Shoot him. He shakes his head before answering, “Shoot the hostage. Take her out of the equation, he can’t get to the plane, and I have a clear shot.”

“You are out of your mind, Bradford.”

“This is wrong,” Tim says suddenly. “He’s gonna blow it. How much do you think this elevator weighs?”

“Why? You wanna try to bench it?”

Tim doesn’t acknowledge the teasing as he adds, “We can do something about the hostages.”

“No shoot them, right?”

“Roof,” Tim reads as he points to a roof access sign. There’s a heavy-duty winch secured to the corner of the roof, and Tim runs to it as he says, “We don’t shoot them. Just take them out of the equation.”

Tim pulls the cable from the winch toward the elevator housing on the roof. He drops it in and watches it fall several feet before it catches.

“It’ll hold,” Tim tells Harry. “It’ll hold,” he repeats, quieter.

“Six minutes,” Harry alerts.

Tim throws his legs over the edge of the housing and lowers carefully onto the elevator cable. He hooks the winch hook to his tactical vest before moving down in the elevator shaft. Wade and the Metro team argue with the city council about releasing the money in the lobby, and no one has a clue that the shooter is listening to their radio frequencies. Without cell phones, they’re completely reliant on their radios to stay in touch with one another. Tim ignores his radio as he flips so he’s headfirst as he nears the trapped elevator.

“One more pop quiz,” Harry begins. “Psycho Sergeant Tim Bradford rigs an elevator to drop thirty stories. What do you do?”

Tim rolls his eyes before gesturing for Harry to hold the winch cable steady. A small pile of C4 waits beside his feet, but Tim ignores it as he secures the cable hook to the frame of the elevator.

“Why did I take this job?” Tim murmurs.

“Hey, a few more decades and you get a tiny pension and a free watch,” Harry answers.

“Hit the switch, Temple.”

Harry runs to the winch, hoping that the cables used to wash windows are strong enough to catch a free-falling elevator. He flips the switch, and the winch begins pulling in the cable. As the extra cable Tim pulled into the shaft begins unspooling, he moves up to the open access panel.

In the basement, a man missing a thumb presses a button on his handheld device. Instantaneously, a red light illuminates on the bomb. Tim sees it and throws himself through the access panel just before the bomb goes off. The passengers begin screaming, but the winch catches the falling elevator before it reaches the bottom of the shaft.

“What is happening, Bradford?” Wade asks, his concern evident over the radio.

“He’s early!” Harry yells as he returns from the roof.

“We have to get them out of the elevator. They can’t be lower than 28,” Tim exclaims.

When he and Harry meet the rest of their team on the 28th floor, they see that the elevator is stranded between floors. Only the floor is accessible from their current position, but there is no time to run up and down the stairs and look for the perfect access point. The elevator passengers lower to the floor and Tim and Harry pull people out one at a time. Tim pulls the last woman to safety seconds before the winch fails and the elevator plummets to the bottom of the shaft. After the sound of impact, Tim and Harry lean back against a wall and pant from the effort they exerted.

“Is your watch slow?” Tim asks.

“Nah. He jumped the gun,” Harry says with a shake of his head. “We had three minutes.”

“He blew more than the elevator. He blew his three million dollars. Why would he do that?”

“Maybe he decided it wasn’t worth it.”

Tim sits up as he declares, “He’s here.”

“He could have blown that thing from anywhere, Tim.”

“He knew we were doing something, that’s why he acted early. That means he’s close.”

“He’s not gonna corner himself in the building. The building we evacuated.” Harry leans his head back against the wall and thinks for a moment before he adds, “He’d want to be here, yes, but stay mobile… The elevators.”

“All of the passenger cars stopped, and we checked them.”

“Did we check the freight elevators?”

Tim’s eyes widen in realization as he and Harry push themselves to stand and run to the freight elevator doors. Once Tim pries the door open, he slides down the cable and lands on top of a car. Harry reluctantly follows and freezes when a noise echoes inside. Tim doesn’t notice Harry behind him as he prepares to enter the elevator. Before he can, a shotgun is fired between them, and Harry falls into the elevator. The man inside knocks him out with the butt of the shotgun, and Tim waits until the elevator moves up to drop in through the roof panel. As he lands, he looks up and sees a shotgun barrel in his face.

“I don’t suppose anybody would pay me three million dollars just for you,” the nine-fingered bomber muses.

He pulls the trigger, but the gun is empty. Tim removes his Glock from his side and demands the bomber lower the shotgun. He does so but opens his coat to reveal dynamite strapped to his chest and a deadman switch detonator in his hand.

“Hotshot,” the man begins. Tim’s jaw clenches as he realizes the man listened to their conversations over the radio, but he can’t say anything before the bomber says, “Terrorist holding a police hostage. He’s got enough dynamite to blow the building in half. What do you do?”

“Fifty cops are waiting for us in the basement,” Tim states.

“Standard flanking, I’m aware.” He presses a button on a device wired into the elevator controls. “So, maybe we’ll get off early.”

The elevator stops at a parking level, and Tim watches as the bomber pulls Harry toward the door. His eyes open slowly, and Tim keeps his eyes on Harry rather than the man pulling him.

“Well, end of the line, Bradford. This day has been a real disappointment, I don’t mind saying.”

“Why? Because you couldn’t kill everyone?” Tim asks.

“There will come a time, hotshot, when you will wish you’d never met me.”

“I’m already there.”

“Look! I have your partner, I’m in charge! I drop this stick and they clean us up with a sponge!”

“Go ahead!” Harry yells. “Drop the stick!” “Shut up!” Tim demands.

Harry looks at Tim and mouths, “Shoot the hostage.”

Shoot him. Wrong target, Reaper. Tim takes a deep breath and shifts his arms to shoot Harry in the leg. He collapses onto the floor, and the bomber steps back in shock before running into the garage. Tim steps over Harry to shoot behind the feeling suspect. As the man reaches the door, he looks over his shoulder to smile at Tim before he disappears. Tim can’t check on Harry as the garage explodes and the force pushes him back against the wall. As Tim collides with the concrete behind him, everything goes dark. And everything changes.

After Harry’s unplanned and involuntary retirement party, Tim nearly oversleeps. His alarm pulls him from a dreamless sleep, and he winces at the sound before turning it off. Before he showers, he decides to go for a quick run to clear his head. Once he’s dressed and ready for the day, he drives to his favorite café. It’s one of the only places in Los Angeles where you can get a decent cup of coffee and breakfast without being surrounded by millennials working on their screenplays. Tim nods at another regular, Vince, as he enters.

“Hey, Tim. You look awful,” Bob, the owner of the café, says.

“Thanks, Bob,” Tim grumbles.

“Pretty boy party too hard?” Vince asks Tim.

“I- I don’t remember that well.”

“Wake up alone?”

“Always do.”

“Must be nice,” Bob interjects. “The last time I partied like that I worked up married.”

Tim shakes his head as he accepts his order and walks out behind Vince. He sets his coffee on top of his truck as he retrieves his keys from his pocket. Vince’s bus starts behind Tim and pulls away from the curb. Tim turns to wave at Vince before unlocking his door.

After it crosses the first intersection, the bus explodes. Tim stumbles as he looks toward the source of the noise. He runs to the bus as it rolls to a stop and fights against the flames to help Vince, but it’s too late. As Tim lays his hands on his knees in shock, he notices an abandoned cell phone lying on the sidewalk behind him. It rings continuously, and Tim doesn’t hesitate before he answers the phone.

“What do you think, Bradford?” the bomber from last month asks. “You think if you and Harry find all the driver’s teeth they’ll give you another medal?”

“Where are you?” Tim demands.

“Twenty-second delay. I’m in the air duct when the garage blows. Did you think I wouldn’t come prepared? I spent two years on the elevator job. Two years. I invested myself in it. You couldn’t understand the commitment I have. A child, Tim, you’re a child. You ruin a man’s life’s work and then think you can walk away. You’ve got blinders on, but I got your attention now. Didn’t I, Tim?”

“Why didn’t you just come after me?”

“This is about money – 3.7 million. Not you and your ego. None of it had to happen, Tim, and I hope you realize that. How long do you think the driver’s wife and kids will wait before they get worried tonight?”

“When I find you, I will kill you,” Tim threatens.

“There’s a bomb on a bus, hotshot. Once the bus hits fifty miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If the bus drops below fifty, it blows up. What do you do?”

Tim doesn’t answer but looks around for any sign of the suspect.

“What do you do?” he repeats.

“I’d want to know what bus it was,” Tim answers. He’s accepted the challenge and knows that it has to end with a death: either his or the bomber’s.

“You think I’m going to tell you that, Tim?”

“Yes.”

“Very good.” The man sounds happy, and Tim presses a hand against a nearby wall to control his anger. “Now there are rules, Tim; we have to do this right. No one gets off the bus. One passenger leaves, I will detonate it. Now, if I don’t get my money by 11 a.m., there’s also a timer.”

Tim looks at his watch: 8:05 a.m. “I can’t pull that money in time-“

“Focus, Tim! Your concern is the bus. Don’t call, the radios are jammed. Number 2525, running downtown from Venice. At the corner of Lincoln and Pico…”

Tim drops the cell phone and runs to his car to follow the bus. The lives on that bus are in his hands, and he doesn’t plan to shoot any hostages today.

“Please stop! Sam!” you yell as you chase your bus.

You don’t want to ride the bus, but since your most recent speeding ticket, it is your only mode of transportation. In the few weeks since your license was suspended, you’ve gotten to know the driver, Sam, and some of the regular passengers. You hope that camaraderie is enough to convince Sam to stop for you. The brakes on the bus squeal as it stops, and the door opens.

“This look like a stop to you?” Sam asks.

“You are an amazing man, Sam,” you say as you walk onto the bus. “The men in books and songs have nothing on you.”

You swipe your bus card and take a seat before saying hello to Ortiz, a regular passenger. Comfortable in your seat, and glad that none of the passengers are in a talkative mood this early on a weekday, you relax and hope to get your car back soon.

Tim drives his truck in and out of traffic, onto the shoulder, and into the emergency lane as he tries to catch up with bus 2525. Other drivers honk their horns, flip him off, and yell insults through open windows, but Tim doesn’t notice or care. If he can stop the driver before it reaches 50, then the bomb will never activate. The only danger would be the man with the detonator.

You look up as Sam slows for a traffic jam.

“Can’t you just drive over them?” you ask with a smile.

“Is it always like this?” a man asks from the back of the bus. “It’s my first time here, and it took me three hours just to get out of the airport.”

“Yep,” you answer. “It’s usually worse.”

“That’s why I never drive,” the woman behind you interjects. “I’d never have a car in this city.”

“I have a car. I miss my car,” you lament.

“In the shop?” the tourist asks.

“Something like that. Sam, seriously, the bus is huge, just run them over,” you say again.

When Tim sees the bus has stopped because of a stalled car ahead, he sighs before he pulls onto the shoulder. He exits his truck and runs toward the bus, but the accident clears faster than he expected, and begins moving before he reaches the door. Hitting his fist against the side, Tim yells for the driver to stop.

“Can’t blame him for wanting to get on the bus,” you mutter as you watch him slap an open palm against the door.

“Get off the doors, man! Wait for the next one,” Sam yells before he speeds up.

Tim removes his badge from his pocket a moment too late. He continues chasing the bus, and you look down at your phone as the other passengers watch the unknown man run down the freeway.

Nearly half a mile from his truck and with no other option, Tim stops and waits at the edge of the road. He sees a speeding sports car approaching, and he moves into the middle of its lane and raises his badge.

“Stop!” Tim yells over the traffic.

The young man driving the car slams on his brakes to avoid hitting Tim. Several cars behind him blow their horns, and he raises to yell over the convertible’s windshield.

“What the-“

“L.A.P.D.,” Tim interrupts. “Get out of the car.”

“This is my car! It ain’t stolen and you have no right!” the driver argues.

Tim pulls his gun from its holster and says, “It’s stolen now. Move over.”

The man nods quickly before he jumps over the console and settles into the passenger seat. Tim sits behind the wheel and swerves into another lane as he ignores the owner’s pleas not to scratch the car. Tim drives the expensive, sporty convertible exactly as he had driven his truck, and the man in the passenger seat covers his eyes in fear for his car more than his life. As Tim steers the car beside the bus, he lays on the horn. Sam looks over and immediately recognizes him, and his eyes widen to prove it.

“I’m a cop!” Tim yells.

Sam lowers the window and raises his voice to ask, “What?”

“L-A-P-D!” Tim spells slowly. “There’s a bomb on your bus.”

“There’s a what?” Tim’s passenger exclaims.

“I can’t hear you,” Sam says.

“There’s a bomb on the bus!” Tim repeats.

Sam shakes his head, and Tim looks at the convertible’s speedometer. He’s over 50, so the bus must be, too.

“Drive!” Tim yells as he gestures for the bus to keep moving. “FIFTY! STAY ABOVE FIFTY!”

Sam nods rapidly and trembles a bit as he holds the speed steady. The commotion draws your attention, and you turn in your seat to watch the man who desperately needs a ride or is crazy.

“Call the Mid-Wilshire division station,” Tim says as he hands his phone to the man beside him. “Ask for Detective Angela Lopez.”

“Okay, okay.” The man speaks into the phone briefly before passing it back to Tim.

“Angela,” Tim says.

“Why are you calling me on your day off?” she asks. “Harry’s here, if you’re looking for him.”

“He’s alive.”

“Who?”

“The bomber! He’s back.”

“Harry!” Angela calls.

“Tim, did he hit the bus in Venice?” Harry asks as he approaches Angela’s desk.

“Temple,” Wade interrupts. “We just got a ransom demand from your dead terrorist. Says he rigged a city bus. Where’s Tim?”

“Where do you think?” Harry replies.

Tim ends the call and navigates around the back of the bus to drive alongside the door. Traffic is increasing with the morning rush, and he doesn’t want to risk getting stuck in another slowdown. He honks to get Sam’s attention, and gestures for him to open the door.

“Drive straight,” Tim directs him. “Stay in this lane.”

Sam agrees before Tim speeds up to get ahead of the bus. He opens the driver-side door and hits the brakes, so the bus rips the door off the car. Tim presses the accelerator again to catch up with the bus as he is yelled at by the owner of the car.

“Take the wheel!” Tim says.

Tim waits until the car’s owner moves back into the driver’s seat to jump into the open bus door and pull himself up the stairs.

When the bus rips the door off a convertible, you finally look up. The man driving the car beside the bus is attractive, but you’re a little concerned for his mental well-being. Sam seems willing to help him, and you don’t understand why. When he jumps from the car and onto the bus, you stand and grip the bar above your head. He locks eyes with you before holding up a police badge.

“Everyone, I’m Sergeant Tim Bradford, L.A.P.D. We’ve got a slight… situation on the bus,” he explains.

“Are you crazy?” you ask.

“Ma'am, if you’ll please sit down, we can deal with this in an orderly-“

“But what are you-“

“Ma’am.”

His tone and the look in his eyes convinces you, so you sit down as Tim walks toward the back of the bus and looks at the other passengers. You watch him move and wonder if he’s truly a cop or just insane.

“Just stay in your seats and remain quiet,” Tim says. “Then we’ll be able to defuse the, uh, the problem.”

A passenger you’ve spoken to before, Jay, leaps from his seat and points a gun at Tim.

“Jay!” you yell worriedly.

“Get away from me!” Jay demands.

Tim pulls his gun and matches Jay’s stance. Two women at the back of the bus scream, and you look between Tim and Jay from your seat.

“I don’t know you, I’m not here for you. Let’s not do this,” Tim says calmly.

“Stop the bus, Sam,” Jay calls.

“He can’t. Look, I’m going to put my gun away.” Tim holsters it slowly and raises his hands to show they’re empty. “I don’t care about what you did. It’s over. I’m not a cop right now. See? We’re just two guys on the bus.”

Tim tosses his badge to the floor beside your feet, and you look at it before raising your eyes to Jay again. You understand why he calmed down so quickly; Tim Bradford has a soothing voice, and his presence is assertive but caring. More importantly, you can relax now, because his badge looks real. Jay’s hands begin to lower, but your fellow passenger Ortiz jumps onto his back before Jay puts it away.

Tim rushes forward as Ortiz tries to pull the gun from Jay. A shot goes off, and everyone ducks before a second shot fires.

“Sam!” someone screams.

You turn toward the front of the bus before moving to help Sam. Tim disarms Jay with minimal effort while another woman joins your side.

“Move him,” you say.

“He’s bleeding,” the woman argues.

“We have to stop the bus!”

At your words, Tim spins quickly to face you.

“No!” he yells. “Stay above fifty.”

“Sam is wounded,” you begin.

“You slow down, and this bus will explode!”

Tim holds your eyes and nods slowly. He’s not kidding, you realize. Turning quickly, you look at the speedometer, which falls to 51. While Sam is still in the seat, you push your foot onto the gas pedal and watch the line rise above fifty.

Tim handcuffs Jay to one of the poles before he explains, “There is a bomb on this bus. If we slow down, it will blow. If anyone tries to get off, it will blow.”

The women on the bus surround Sam and help him get comfortable as they try to slow the bleeding. As they pull Sam from the driver’s seat, you slide into position and steer into another lane to keep the speed over 50.

“We’re only gonna make it through this if everyone stays calm, sits down, and listens to me,” Tim adds.

You don’t hear everything he says, with your complete focus on the road ahead and the speedometer on the dash. Your knuckles are white because of your grip on the wheel, and you don’t hear Tim approach behind you. He lays a hand on the headrest behind you and leans down.

“This is great. A bomb on wheels,” you muse sarcastically.

“Can you handle this bus, ma’am?” Tim asks.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s just like driving a big Toyota, right?”

“Can you handle it?”

“I’m fine. What’s the plan? Is there a plan?”

Tim nods and stands to his full height. He watches you take a deep breath before turning to the rest of the passengers.

“Everyone, I need your cell phones,” Tim announces.

“No way, man!” the tourist yells.

“There is a terrorist out there with a bomb, and I don’t need any of you live streaming or interfering with the radio signal he could be using to detonate a bomb. So, I will only say this one more time. Phones - and anything else with a cellular connection – now.”

The passengers nod and offer all of their cellular devices. Tim accepts an empty bag from a woman beside Sam and places everyone’s belongings inside. He returns to your side and removes his phone from his pocket.

“Do you have anyone you need to call?” Tim asks softly.

“No. I- I don’t want to think like that,” you answer.

“We don’t have to. Everything’s going to be okay. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

You nod and Tim lays a kind hand on your shoulder to add, “But I need your phone.”

“Oh, yeah. It’s- uh- it’s in my back pocket. Right side.”

Tim’s hand brushes your lower back as he pulls the phone from your pocket. He apologizes, though you can’t imagine why. You’ve only known Tim Bradford for a few minutes, but his words mean something, and you can only hope he keeps the promises he’s making.

“You’re a cop, right?” you ask.

“That’s right. Metro Sergeant,” Tim says. “But you can call me Tim if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Uh, no. Thanks, and you can stop calling me ‘ma’am’ while we’re at it. I just- I should probably tell you that I’m taking the bus because my driver’s license was suspended.”

“What for?”

“Speeding.”

Tim shakes his head and hides his smile before calling the station again. He leans forward, but keeps his hand beside you, to look at the news chopper circling above the bus.

“Lopez, it’s me. I took phones from all the passengers. Where do we start?” Tim asks.

“Alright. Harry and Wade are with me,” Angela replies.

“Check the speedometer, Bradford,” Harry says. “Has it been messed with? Any wires or anything that don’t belong?”

“Sorry,” Tim whispers as he leans in front of you to check the dash area. “No, it’s clean.”

“Then it’s gotta be under the bus. Probably rigged to one of the axles.”

“I can’t get under the bus to check right now. The whole you stop, you die thing. Remember?”

Tim doesn’t sound like he’s kidding; in fact, he sounds grumpier than when he first boarded, but his comment makes you laugh. He pats the back of your seat before turning.

“Sergeant Bradford,” Sam calls weakly. Tim kneels beside him to listen, and Sam stutters, “There’s a- an access panel… in the fl-floor.”

“Hold on, Angela,” Tim says into the phone.

He unscrews the panel and pulls it aside. The asphalt moves quickly under the bus, and Tim looks around before handing his phone to a passenger. You look up in the mirror above you to watch Tim briefly before returning your attention to the road.

“What’s your name?” he asks.

“Stephen. I’m a tourist,” Stephen introduces.

“Welcome to the City of Angels. Hold my phone, please. Tell my partner what I see.”

Stephen nods and raises the phone to his ear as Tim moves so he can see under the bus. He takes a deep breath; Tim knows a bit about bombs from his time in the Army, but it’s Harry’s expertise.

“Okay, there’s a bundle here,” Tim yells over the wind. “Pretty big.”

“There’s a pretty big bundle,” Stephen relays.

“Brass fittings. I think I can reach the circuit wire.”

“He can reach the circuit wire- No, don’t do that, Sergeant Bradford. It can be a decoy, he says. What else?”

“Hold on,” Tim murmurs before moving further underneath the bus. He sees the extent of the bomb and pulls himself back up to take the phone. “Angela, Harry, there’s enough C4 on this bus to take out everyone on the highway. There’s a wristwatch: gold band, cheap.”

You look back at Tim quickly before inhaling sharply. “Sergeant,” you call.

“What do you think, Harry?” Tim asks.

“Bradford!” you yell into the bus speaker.

Tim moves to your side and places a hand on the dash to lean forward. His face is right beside yours, and you wish you were nervous because of him and not the bomb underneath you.

“Everybody’s stopping,” you point out. “What do I do?”

“Get on the shoulder.”

“This is an exit!”

Tim flinches as you sideswipe several cars.

“Tim!”

“Off. Get off!” Tim yells.

You nearly miss the ramp and pull the wheel to the right to merge onto another road. Honking the horn and yelling for people to get out of the way, you take a deep breath. At least you’re off the freeway. Tim tells you to keep driving as he answers his phone again.

“Where?” he asks. “Got it.”

“Do I stay here?” you inquire.

“Yes. Just straight on this, they’re trying to clear the roads for us.”

“I’m never getting my license back, am I?” you grumble.

“The police commissioner will buy you a car if you ask,” Tim says quietly. “You’re doing well, okay? Don’t worry about anything else.”

You nod and return both hands to the wheel. Tim removes the flannel shirt he’s been wearing, leaving him in a white t-shirt, and drapes it over the back of your seat. Your eyes catch on his biceps before you chide yourself for getting distracted.

One of the phones in the bag rings, and Tim yells, “Who didn’t turn their phone off?”

No one is willing to admit their fault or doesn’t want to risk dealing with Tim’s wrath and ending up like Jay where he sits on the floor. Tim digs through the bag and pulls the ringing phone out. The number is one he recognizes, but he hesitates before answering.

“Taking their phones was smart,” the bomber says as the line connects. “2525… nice passengers, aren’t they? See, that’s the beauty of being in this day and age. I know everything about everyone on that bus. So, if you or your little girlfriend, or even the tourist from Kalamazoo try to double-cross me…”

“The bus explodes,” Tim interjects. “I’m aware.”

“What’s with the attitude, Tim? You’re seeing one of the prettiest places in the world, riding a bus for free… Oh, no, I know. Can’t shoot a hostage that makes that cold heart beat again, huh?”

“What do you want?”

“You know what I want! 3.7 million dollars. I get the money, and then we can both get what we want.”

“You don’t know what I want.”

“I know what you don’t want. Tell your girlfriend to keep her eyes on the road.”

The call ends and Tim raises the cell phone in his hands. “He knows who is on this bus.”

“How?” Ortiz asks.

“Your bus passes, your phones, both, maybe. Look, one of the conditions of our survival is that no one gets off the bus. If he knows who you are, then we are even more obligated to keep that promise.”

“You didn’t even try to get us off the bus!” Jay accuses.

“Because he would have blown it. I understand what you are feeling, but I need you to trust me, trust the L.A.P.D., and work with me on this.”

“Tim is this your team?” you ask over your shoulder.

A police car pulls into the lane in front of you as several more flank the sides of the bus. The road clears around them, but more news choppers are joining the airspace above you.

Tim nods and looks at you. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. What happens now, though?”

“My teammates are working on it. We’ve got gas and open road, so keep driving.”

“Is it- can I be okay and really nervous at the same time?”

“I’d be more concerned if you weren’t nervous.”

“You don’t look nervous.”

“My friend Angela says I never look anything; thinks I can’t show emotion because I can’t feel them.”

“Is it true?”

Tim looks at you and lowers to squat beside you. “No, it’s not.”

“How’s Sam?”

“The driver? He’s gonna be alright. Thanks to you.”

Someone calls for Tim, and he squeezes your shoulder reassuringly as he stands. You glance at him in the mirror as he returns to the access panel. A police helicopter drops to fly above you, and you wonder what the news stations and police officers know or think about the situation. The bus begins losing speed as you steer around a curve, and when you try to speed up again, you realize something is wrong.

Back at the station, Harry and Angela work with Wade and a bomb expert to search for a way to disarm the bomb and for their suspect. Harry has a description of the bomber, but there’s only so much they can learn about the bomb without seeing it.

“Sergeant Bradford!” you cry as you press the gas again.

“What?” Tim asks with wide eyes. You were calling him Tim, and your sudden change of formality and tone concern him.

“The gas pedal’s stuck.”

“What else can go wrong?” Tim asks under his breath. “Move your foot.”

You pull your foot from the pedal and steer as Tim presses his leg against yours to slam his foot down against the pedal. It doesn’t move, and the speedometer dips closer to fifty. Tim moves his hands to cover yours on the steering wheel and moves his leg between yours to try a new angle. You’re close to him, but the fear of dying keeps you from enjoying it in any way. He pushes the pedal again and his shoulders drop.

“There,” he announces as he steps back.

You take the wheel back and press the accelerator down again. The bus gains speed and you catch up to the police car before you.

“Lopez, talk to me,” Tim greets as he answers his phone again.

“You’ve got a hard left coming up,” Angela says. “Really hard.”

“Hard left up ahead,” Tim tells you.

“We’ll tip!” you argue.

“Who is that? Your driver?” Angela inquires.

“We’re not going to tip,” Tim says.

“Yes, we are!”

The curve in the road comes into view, and Tim suddenly agrees, “We’re going to tip.”

He leaves your side to move everyone onto the right side of the bus. The weight distribution keeps the bus from tipping, but as Tim helps you pull the wheel as hard as possible to make the turn, you forget why you were concerned. His presence is the only thing keeping you calm, and you wish he could just sit beside you the whole time.

“Angela, get those news crews off our tail!” he yells over the cheers of the passengers.

You look in the mirror beside you. The news crews must have arrived recently because you didn’t notice them before.

“On it. Harry’s working with the bomb squad. Keep it fifty,” Angela responds.

“Don’t try to make that a thing, Lopez,” Tim says before he ends the call.

“Hey, who’s doing this?” you ask Tim.

“The bomber? He’s just a guy who’s angry with me for foiling his last bombing attempt,” Tim explains.

“So, he’s trying again? Using you to get whatever it is he wants?”

“More or less.”

“What if you stop him again?”

“We do this again tomorrow. Until one of us dies trying.”

“That won’t work.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’m not available to drive tomorrow.”

Tim nods but doesn’t reply before a flatbed truck merges into the lane beside the door. His Metro captain and two officers are on the back, and the driver blows the horn to get his attention. Tim opens the door and moves out of the door to talk to them. You can’t hear much but suspect that they want to get the hostages off the bus, which Tim already said was impossible. Your sudden and unbending trust in him should probably concern you, but you will do anything and everything he tells you, even if that means staying on a bus with a bomb on it.

“He called the station looking for you,” an officer announces.

“Why? He has my cell,” Tim says.

“Maybe it died.”

“Just give him my number again! And keep looking; find this guy so we can move these people.”

Tim steps onto the main platform again and closes the door.

“Are they going to help us?” the woman holding Sam’s head up asks.

“Sure, they will. They’re the police,” someone jokes.

Another phone rings in the bag, and Tim pulls your phone out this time. He hadn’t thought to turn yours off because he was concerned about you and wanted to make sure you could drive like the bus needed to be driven.

“Hello?” he answers.

“Tim, you know I trust you. But it looks to me like you’re trying to move passengers off the bus,” the bomber says.

“I need one as an act of faith,” Tim argues. “The driver has been shot.”

“You shot another hostage?”

“He’s dying! If you want your money, show a little charity.”

The line is quiet for a moment before the bomber says, “Fine. You can try to get the driver off. I have more people to kill. Tell your girlfriend behind the wheel not to slow down or he won’t get a chance to bleed out.”

“We’re getting the driver off,” Tim announces after returning your phone to the bag. “Just him for now.”

Ortiz moves out of the seat to help Tim move Sam to the door and onto the truck.

“Get as close as you can,” Tim says. “A little closer.”

The side of the bus hits the truck and swerves, and you rush to apologize.

“It’s okay.” Tim says your name, and you know that he means what he says. “Perfect! Hold it steady!”

You sigh as Tim walks past you again after getting Sam to safety, but then you see a woman walking toward the door. The officers on the truck reach out to help her, unaware of what will happen if she steps off the bus.

“No!” you yell.

“I have to,” she responds.

“No! Don’t get off! Stop!”

An explosion echoes through the bus as the steps fall out and go underneath the bus. The female passenger disappears after she falls with the debris, and you look away quickly as Tim falls forward trying to catch her.

“You’ve got to get those choppers out of here!” Tim yells to his captain. “He’s watching!”

The bus is silent as Tim stands up and waits beside you. With your eyes on the road, he doesn’t see the tear that leaks out. When the passengers start arguing behind you, your grip on the wheel tightens.

“Hey!” Tim calls as he turns to face them. They silence, and he moves his attention to you. “How are you doing?”

Tim steps forward, sees the tears covering your face, and squats with an arm behind you. “What can I do?”

His voice is softer than when he yelled at the men behind you, and you can’t lie to him.

“I thought that was the bomb. When I heard it… I thought everything was over. But then I saw her fall under the bus, and-“

“You’re glad you’re still alive,” Tim finishes.

“I’m so sorry. Does that make me a terrible person?”

“No. It doesn’t mean you don’t care. We’re still alive, and we’re all allowed to be thankful for that. The guy who put us here? He’s a terrible person. Don’t think that you’re a bad person. You’re not.”

“Tim,” you say before pointing to his Captain, who is waving for his attention.

“There’s a gap in the freeway. It’s big. We have to get these people off, Tim,” he says.

“You know I can’t, Captain.”

“Tim?” you ask as he walks past you. “What’d he say?”

“There’s a gap in the road,” Tim tells everyone.

“How big is a gap?” Ortiz asks.

“50 feet, a couple of miles ahead,” Tim says.

“Tim?” you repeat. “What if I shift down and just keep the engine revving?”

“He thought of that… Floor it.”

“What?”

“There’s an interchange, maybe there’s an incline. Just floor it.”

“Okay.”

“Everyone keep your heads down.”

The police car leading you falls off the side, but you continue driving toward the unfinished overpass. The needle on the speedometer nears 70, and Tim waits beside you. As you approach the end, Tim yells for everyone to hold on. He puts his arms around you and pulls your head down with his. You feel weightless for a moment, grounded only by his arms around you before the bus collides with the other side of the interchange. Looking up over Tim’s arm, you see more road ahead and press the gas again, so you don’t slow down.

Your forehead begins to burn and hurt, and you press your palm against your temple as the people behind you cheer. Tim checks on everyone before returning to your side, and he immediately realizes that you’re in pain. He moves your hand and presses the bottom of his shirt to your head. It’s stained with blood when he pulls his hand away, and you grimace at the idea of a wound on your head.

“Get off here!” Tim calls suddenly.

“Yes! Get off!”

You obey and soon enter the Los Angeles International Airport. Tim gives you directions to an emergency runway and explains that you can simply drive here. Without traffic or road closures, the only concern is staying above fifty.

Being in restricted air space is also a bonus, and you notice that the news helicopters are hovering at a distance. Tim seemed concerned about the presence of news cameras, so maybe the location will also keep the bomber from knowing exactly what is happening.

“Yeah?” Tim asks as he answers his phone.

“The airport. Well done. You had some close calls, but you did well, Tim,” the bomber says.

“What do you want?”

“My money. Help me get it before it’s too late, will you? The negotiators think I’m doing this for fun?”

“Are you not?”

“Oh, now you think you know me too?”

“I know you want money you didn’t earn. More than you deserve.”

“I did earn it! I got a medal, too, you know.”

“Let me off. If you want my help, I need to explain that you’re not bluffing. Just me.”

“Alright. But you have to come back. I can see everything; remember that.”

Tim ends the call and slides his phone back in his pocket.

“There’s a plan now?” you ask.

“Maybe. He’s letting me off,” Tim says.

“Hey, don’t forget about us,” you call as he steps off the bus and onto an SUV. “He’ll be back,” you promise the others.

While you circle the airport runways, Tim works with the other officers he told you about to find a way to disarm the bomb. Ortiz walks to your side and looks out at the airport.

“Ortiz?” you ask.

“He’s not coming back, I’m telling you,” he says.

“He didn’t have to get on in the first place. Hey, get behind the yellow line.”

Ortiz looks down and takes on short step back. “You let the cop up here.”

“What is that?” Stephen asks as he joins Ortiz.

“I have no idea,” you answer as you look at Tim standing on the back of a truck covered in machinery. It pulls over in front of you, and Tim lowers onto a cart attached to a winch, and you mutter, “I was right. He is insane.”

“How’d they get that so fast?” Stephen asks under his breath.

You focus more on driving in a straight line as Tim disappears under the front of the bus. He looks up at you just before he disappears, and you nod once. Knowing that he’s under the bus makes you more nervous to drive than you have been at any other point today. Driving in a straight line at the airport is more stressful because Tim is underneath a moving vehicle and touching a bomb. You know he has friends and colleagues who are helping him, but you feel more than a need to survive when you look at Sergeant Tim Bradford.

The winch on the truck releases suddenly, and the cable unfurls.

“Check and see if he came out the back!” you demand. “Can you see him?”

“He’s not back here!” Ortiz calls.

“Look under the bus! Back by the tires!”

“I don’t see him.”

The winch cable snaps and the back tire bounces over something. You press a hand over your mouth in shock, and Ortiz runs to the back access panel.

“Please tell me he’s alright!” you yell. “Do you see him?”

“I see him!” Ortiz responds. “He’s alright!”

You look back and forth between the empty runway and the back of the bus. Ortiz and Stephen pull Tim up onto the bus, and you can’t decide whether to be angry or relieved with him. Tim thanks Ortiz before walking to your side.

“How are you?” he asks.

“You scared me!” you accuse. You slap his vest to express your displeasure before hissing in pain. “What’s that smell?”

“Gas. We have a new leak.” “You caused a leak?”

“It was that or get run over. You can see the difficulty I had choosing.”

“Don’t try to be funny right now. I thought I killed you.”

“I’ll ask my captain to get a fuel truck.”

“Will it work?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re not exactly comforting, you know that?”

“You just hit me and now you want comfort?”

You sigh and look at him again before saying, “Thank you, Tim.”

“Just doing my job… ma’am.”

Tim stays beside you while Harry and a S.W.A.T. team infiltrate the house listed on the bomber’s records. He was surprised by how quickly they found his identification, but now that they have the element of surprise, he hopes that this game is almost over.

When he gets another call, you can only see the anger in his eyes as he listens to the person on the other end. The bomber tells Tim that Harry and the S.W.A.T. team walked right into his trap. You watch him and can only wonder what is making him so mad. His life is in danger, but something is capable of pushing him even further, it seems.

“I’m going to rip your spine out. If you know as much as you think you do, you know I can,” Tim threatens lowly.

“Oh, I do, Reaper. That’s why you should do what you’re told. You and I both know you can’t do it without Harry and his ability to follow a cheap watch, anyway. Get me my money and it’s over. Otherwise, you, lumberjack-ie, and the others are dead. Got that?”

“Yeah,” Tim says after a moment. “Howie.”

The bomber hesitates at the mention of his real name but doesn’t let it stop him. Tim listens to Howard Payne’s demands before ending the call. Tim turns around and kicks where the stairs used to be before pulling against the handrail in his anger. You try to get his attention over his yelling, but it falls on deaf ears.

“Tim! Please!” you try again. “I can’t do this without you. Please.”

Tim slows his movements before gripping the rail beside you. His jaw is clenched as he looks at you, but your pleas soften his eyes.

“Please stay with me,” you whisper.

“We’re going to die,” he says.

“No. You got us this far, right?”

Tim leans against the dash beside you and looks at you. His shirt is still behind you. Lumberjack-ie. Your little girlfriend.

“Lumberjacks wear flannel, right?” Tim asks.

“Uh, yeah. As far as I know,” you answer. “Why?”

“He can see you.”

“What?”

“Keep looking straight ahead.”

You turn your face to the windshield and watch the runway as Tim examines the top of the bus. He sees the camera at the top of the windshield and shakes his head.

“He said, ‘your girlfriend behind the wheel’ and ‘lumberjack-ie’. I didn’t even realize. There’s a camera in your face. He can see the whole bus.”

“He can see me, but can he hear me?” you ask.

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Bus cameras can’t be very high-tech, Tim. Can’t your people get it on a loop or something?”

“You’re brilliant,” Tim murmurs before pushing himself off the dash and to his feet. “Guys, there’s a camera over my left shoulder. I need everyone to sit still. No big movements, no talking, just look concerned and sit still.”

He calls his captain and asks for someone to approach the news trucks at the fence to end the live broadcasts and use their equipment to make a video loop. His captain agrees and texts Tim with an update that the reporters are cooperating.

“Remember, stay relatively still. Just look scared,” Tim reminds everyone.

“That won’t be hard,” Ortiz grumbles.

Tim leans beside you while the video is being recorded. You drive in silence for a minute before noticing the blinking red light on the dash.

“Tim,” you whisper. “Look.”

“Cap, roll the tape. We need fuel,” Tim says into his phone.

“We only have a minute recorded. That won’t convince him, we need more footage” Wade argues.

“No time. Get these people off before this bus runs out of gas.”

“Fuel tanker is running behind. Driver said big rigs need radio signals, and they’re still jammed. Crazy not stupid, right?”

“Right.”

“Now what?” you ask Tim. “Are you tired of that question yet?”

“I’d like an answer to it,” he replies. “Get alongside this bus, okay?”

You nod and drive steadily alongside an LAX passenger bus. Tim’s team lays a wooden board between the bus doors and helps people cross to safety. You listen to Tim encourage the passengers across and are glad he was the cop who got on the bus today. The rear tire blows out suddenly, and you pull the steering wheel back to the middle and yell for Tim to come help.

Tim falls on his way back to the front of the bus, but when he reaches you, he moves his arms across you to pull the wheel.

“Use this to hold down the gas pedal,” he says.

You take the device from his hand and lower it into place. Tim steps back to tie the steering wheel to the floor of the bus, and you steer to keep the bus straight while he works. The moment it’s secure, he pulls you to your feet and tells you to get on the metal access panel.

“I can’t do this,” you argue.

Tim raises his hands to either side of your neck and brushes his thumbs along your skin as he promises, “Yes, you can. I’m right here with you.”

You swallow nervously and nod before sitting on your escape route, a thin piece of metal that Tim moved with no problem. Tim moves to lay over you, and he wraps an arm around your waist as you hide your face against his shoulder.

“I got you,” he promises once more.

The bus turns and the access panel cover falls out of the bottom. You clutch Tim tightly as the metal door slides across the runway and into a nearby patch of dirt. He sits up and watches the bus slow as it nears a plane but doesn’t let go of you. Just before the bomb detonates, Tim pulls you down again and lays over you to protect you from any debris. Sirens echo in the distance, and you wrap your arms around Tim’s back.

“Are you alright?” he asks again.

“No,” you answer, your first honest answer of the day. “Oh, I hate the airport.”

Tim moves to your side but keeps an arm around your shoulder as he looks into your eyes.

“You can’t get mushy on me. You can’t show emotion, remember?” you tease.

“I think I might be able to after all.”

“Relationships that start like this never last. It’s just the high-stress, adrenaline pumping, all that.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, maybe we can change that.”

“Uh, I think your friends are here.”

Tim looks up but doesn’t move as Angela and Wade exit a police car and run toward him.

“I was worried about you,” Angela says. “And here you are.”

“I’m sorry about Harry,” Tim offers. “I wish we could have changed it.”

“You good?” Wade asks. “’Cause I might be a nice guy and let you take the rest of the day off.”

“And stop worrying about what we could have done differently. You saved a lot of lives today, Timothy,” Angela adds.

“A day off sounds like a good deal,” you murmur.

Tim shakes his head before introducing you to Detective Angela Lopez and Sergeant Wade Grey. When he finally stands and sees the scrapes and gashes littering your skin, he forces you to let a paramedic treat you. Tim follows you to the ambulance but hangs back to talk to Angela. He’s lost a partner before, too, and knows what it’s like.

“I’m sorry for bringing everyone into this. Howard could have just come for me,” Tim concludes.

“I appreciate everything,” Angela responds. “But, you’re going to the hospital, too. Is that Chen?”

Tim turns quickly and sees Lucy running toward the police cruiser parked behind the ambulance.

“Sergeant Grey!” she yells. “We’ve got Payne on the line, and he wants to know when he’s getting his money. Whoa, Tim, are you alright?”

“He doesn’t know,” Tim says. “He doesn’t know the bus exploded.”

“Tell him thirty minutes,” Wade alerts all the nearby officers.

“Stay in the ambulance,” Tim tells you.

“But I-“

“Ma’am, stay in the ambulance.”

You nod and climb into the ambulance after refusing help from the paramedics. They continue bandaging a cut on your leg as Tim climbs in.

“I need to make a quick stop on the way to the hospital,” he tells the driver.

“Where?” she asks.

“The drop spot. Pershing Square.”

The driver reluctantly agrees, and you watch Tim as she drives. He demands you stay in the ambulance until he returns, and you agree but don’t mean it. You’ve been beside Tim for most of the morning, and you neither remember how to be away from him nor do you want to. You stand on the sidewalk beside the ambulance and watch people move around you. It’s another normal day for them, but your life will never be the same after today.

“Miss, you can’t stand here, you need to move back,” an older officer says as he grabs your shoulders.

“Oh, I’m waiting for Tim-“

“Tim Bradford, yes. He asked that I move you out of harm’s way.”

“But he told me to stay here.”

His hold on your shoulders tightens as he says, “And I’m telling you to move.”

“Payne is late,” Angela complains.

“He’s not late,” Tim says. “He’s never late.”

“Two hundred cops are watching that sculpture, plus a tracker in the bag. He hasn’t been here,” Wade explains.

“Turn on the tracker,” Tim requests.

“What for?”

“Just do it!”

Wade presses a button on the laptop before him, and the blinking light of the tracker travels across the screen.

“He’s got the money,” Angela says.

Tim runs out of their hiding spot and to the drop spot. He pushes the art installation over and kicks it when he sees the opening in the sidewalk beneath it. As he drops into the defunct subway system, he sees someone walking farther into the tunnel and pulls his gun.

“L.A.P.D. Freeze!” he yells.

The person stops, and he aims at their head before saying, “Pop quiz. Someone has a clear shot at your head. What do you do?... Turn around.”

“If you don’t do it, I’ll kill Tim Bradford,” Howard Payne threatens as he secures a vest covered in dynamite around your chest. “What are you going to do?”

“Wait- wait for him to come in and walk away. Then I listen to you,” you answer shakily.

“Perfect. Maybe you two can have your happily ever after all. You say one word that I don’t like and you’re both dead.”

Howard disappears down the subway, and you bite your bottom lip to refrain from crying or screaming for help. Tim may shoot you, no questions asked, but at least he will be safe. When you hear something crash above you and sunlight infiltrates the dark staircase before you, you take a deep breath and begin walking away.

Tim’s voice doesn’t carry the same comforting words or soothing lilt as in the bus, but you still recognize it and want to hear it as he yells at you.

“Turn around!” he demands.

You turn slowly and can see the moment Tim realizes he’s pointing his gun at you.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper.

The apology echoes off the concrete walls as Tim lowers his weapon. You don’t see or hear him, but you can feel the change when Howard appears behind you.

“Be prepared!” Howard says as he walks up the stairs behind you and raises the detonator, a deadman’s switch. “What are you gonna do, Tim? I don’t think you can shoot this hostage.”

“Let her go,” Tim demands as he points his gun at Howard.

“I don’t think I’m going to do that. Move the money,” he tells you.

You transfer the money from the L.A.P.D. bags and into Howard’s duffel bag as Tim yells at him to let you go.

“You don’t need her!” Tim adds.

“I will let go,” Howard threatens as he moves the detonator switch. “You don’t get it, Tim. Do you know what a bomb that doesn’t explode is? It’s the cheap, gold watch they gave me after I lost a finger and a life to my country.”

“You’re crazy.”

You push yourself against the wall as you listen to their exchange, but you keep your eyes on Tim rather than the bomb just below your chin. Howard demands you take his money and enter another part of the tunnel system and you know that you’re going to obey because he’ll kill Tim if you don’t. You tear your eyes from Tim and walk exactly where Howard leads you.

As you enter a crowded stop, Howard fires several shots into the concrete ceiling as you drop your head and cover your ears. The subway passengers waiting for the next train flee in terror as you try to get away from Howard. Tim can’t be far behind, but when you’re pushed into a subway car, you’re tempted to think that no help is coming. Howard handcuffs your hands around a pole before the subway lurches into motion.

At the back of the subway, Tim struggles to pry a set of doors open before he falls into the car. He moves strategically through the empty rows of seats with his mind on you and ending this game with Howard Payne once and for all.

The subway conductor reaches for his radio, and Howard forces the deadman switch into your hands and tells you to hold it. He turns his back on you and kills the conductor as you struggle to move away.

“Look, you won. You beat Tim, you beat everybody, you can just throw me off the train. I don’t care,” you plead.

“You see this stick? When you explode, the police will come there. But that’s not where I’ll be, so I get more time. I promise it won’t hurt,” Howard replies as he pulls the detonator away from you.

A series of dull thuds echoes, and Howard looks up quickly. He smiles, and it makes your stomach flip.

“Hey, Tim. Is that you?” he asks. “He’s so persistent. Wouldn’t be able to interest you in a bribe, would I, hotshot?”

Howard kneels and opens the duffel bag full of cash. You watch as a dye pack explodes in his face and paints his money purple. In his anger, he fires bullets into the roof, and you drop to the floor as Tim rolls out of the line of fire. Howard runs through a door, and you can only listen as he climbs onto the roof and begins struggling against Tim.

Howard has the deadman stick in his hand and can kill you by moving a centimeter to the left or right, but you’re more worried about Tim with every noise against the roof. You stay low on the pole you’re cuffed to, twisting your wrists and manipulating your fingers as you try to slip free. The struggle above you silences suddenly, and you watch the door nervously.

“Tim!” you call when he rushes in. “Tim. Where’s Payne?”

“Uh, he lost his head. Turn around,” Tim says.

You circle the pole, and Tim rips a wire free before loosening the straps of the vest.

“Let’s take this off,” he says before pulling the vest away from your chest.

“Tim, can you hear me?” someone asks through the driver’s radio. “This is Wade. Listen, the track isn’t finished.”

“What else can go wrong?” you murmur.

“Wade, I copy,” Tim radios.

“Do you copy? Try the emergency brake.”

“I copy!” Tim tries again before throwing the radio down.

He steps to the right and hits the emergency brake. After the train doesn’t even slow, he begins hitting other buttons, but nothing happens.

“None of this works!” he exclaims as he hits the control board.

He turns away from the useless machinery and returns to you. When he notices the handcuffs holding you in place, he slows.

“You can uncuff me and we can get off,” you say with an exaggerated nod.

“I don’t have a key,” Tim replies.

“You don’t have…”

You trail off and look at the handcuffs. If only you could slip your hands through them, you think. Tim begins pulling and kicking the pole as you try again to pull your hands through the metal cuffs. He pauses and lays a hand against your arm to look at how tight the cuffs are.

“Help me pull,” you grunt as you lean your weight back against the restraints.

“No, no,” Tim says quickly as he pulls you forward. “You’re just hurting yourself.”

You stand still and see a bead of blood running down your fingers. As you stare at it, Tim walks to a map on the wall. He remembers the nightmare again; a series of bad memories that end with him, “the Reaper,” standing alone in the desert before being rescued and awarded a medal. As he searches for a way to save you, Tim decides that he will never shoot the hostage again, and he won’t leave you behind, even if that means dying with you.

“Tim, please just go,” you beg.

“There’s a curve ahead. I can make it jump the track.”

“Tim! Sergeant Bradford!” Tim turns to you, and you repeat, “Get off this train. You can still jump. Tim, please. Please.”

Tim ignores you as he returns to the controls and increases the train’s speed. You slide your hands down the pole as you sit on the floor, and Tim walks silently to your side. He leans in beside you, and you raise your arms to wrap around his neck as you lean your head against his. He moves his arms around the pole to circle you and holds you tight as the train picks up speed.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper just before the lights go out.

The train car hits something and spins, but Tim tightens his arms around you. With every bump and move of the subway, you become more convinced that you’ll never get out of this position. Light enters the windows as you crash through something, and the car flips onto its side as it lands on asphalt. The impact loosens the pole, and you fall onto Tim, whose grip on you doesn’t waver for a second. As the car slides to a stop, you squeeze Tim and take a deep breath.

“You didn’t leave me,” you say before forcing yourself to open your eyes.

Tim cradles the back of your head before moving his hands to your back. You lean up gently and look into his eyes again.

“I told you to leave me!”

“I didn’t have anywhere to be just then. Rest of the day off and all,” Tim responds before pulling you down against him.

He kisses you, and you’re surprised that it is more than adrenaline. The kiss is more than a relief to be alive, and you want to feel Tim Bradford at your side every day for the rest of your life (which would have ended today if not for him). You move your hands to Tim’s short hair as you return his kiss. It’s relief, joy, love, and passion in a single touch. When Tim begins breathing heavily against you, you move up.

“I’ve heard relationships that start during intense situations like this never work,” Tim says.

“Oh,” you sigh. “Then I guess we’ll be the first.”

“Whatever you say, ma’am.”

Glass rains down on you as you kiss Tim again, and though your day went nothing like you thought it would, it’s now the best day of your life. Tim helps you stand as his team approaches the scene, and you stop him before you exit the car.

“You know if this was a movie, they’d make another one where the same thing happens again, right?” you say softly.

“We’re never taking public transportation again,” Tim states.

“Yeah. Hey, where is the truck you were driving this morning?”

Tim hesitates and tightens his arm around your waist before turning away to yell, “Chen! I need you to do something for me.”

#tim bradford x reader #hanna writes✯#tim bradford x fem!reader #tim bradford x y/n #tim bradford x you #tim bradford imagine #tim bradford fic #tim bradford #tim bradford the rookie #the rookie abc #requests #fem!reader #speed 1994

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greatstormcat · 4 days

Text

Welcome to Silent Hill - Part 2

TF141 x gn!reader

Series masterlist

TW: MDNI 18+, canon typical violence, canon typical horror, threat, body horror, injury detail, mental instability, memory loss

Nothing changes for a while as you walk with the four soldiers down the mainstreet of the place called Silent Hill. A seemingly endless row of dark and empty shop fronts, bars and buildings lining either side of the road, shrouded in the creeping, dense fog. Nothing moves apart from the five of you, and thankfully no radio static begins as you crane your ears for sound that would warn of approaching… things.

Soap, the mohawked man, walks ahead of the group at Price’s order, seemingly to keep an eye out for anything strange. Well, you think to yourself, even stranger than what’s already going on. The baseline for what is weird in your life has been shifted dramatically.

“Cap,” Soap suddenly says, low and urgent, “there’s something in the road up ahead.”

The group slows, weapons raised and they move you to the middle without any apparent discussion about it. You almost don’t notice the way you go from walking beside Ghost, to suddenly being encased in a circle of tall, broad bodies, barely able to see past them.

“That’s… unusual,” Gaz says with consternation. You peer around his shoulder trying to see what’s going on, but fail as Price closes the gap.

“Bloody hell,” Price mutters, “is there anyway around it?”

Eventually they separate and you see the problem. A huge crack in the ground cuts clean across the road ahead, as wide as a football pitch.

“It carries on as far as I can see either side,” Gaz calls back to Price as he peers around the severed edge of a building at the side of the street.

“Was there an earthquake?” you muse, peering down into the yawning chasm that cuts neatly across the street. It’s deep, the bottom swallowed by darkness.

“Can’t have been,” Gaz replies, “otherwise we’d see damage to all the other buildings. A quake big enough to cause that sized crack would have flattened the whole town.”

A stone skitters over the edge and sails down into the darkness below, sent by the toe of Soap’s boot. Your eyes follow the stone’s downward fall, a strange pulling sensation making you lean forward as it goes.

“Steamin’ bloody Jesus,” he mutters, listening for a landing that never happens. “That’s a long way down.”

Your eyes water as you feel yourself being tugging gently closer into the beckoning darkness, your muscles obeying some unheard call, willing you to move to the edge and lean over just a bit more….

“Whoa, careful,” Soap laughs, grabbing your arm and jerking you back suddenly. “That’s certain death down there, gotta be more careful.” His blue eyes bore into yours, a wrinkle at the corners of them as he frowns at your carelessness.

“Right,” Price calls firmly, ringing everyone back into focus. “We make our way around this, the road past the hospital is our next best option.”

You follow along, confused by your actions, and feeling the slightest of tug in the middle of your chest. As though a fine thread were attached to you, pulling you back towards that wide open, hungry chasm. A nudge against your arm jolts you from your thoughts.

“You solid?” Ghost asks quietly, his unreadable eyes looking down at you from behind his mask.

“Yeah, yeah I just feel… felt… odd back there,” you reply unconvincingly.

“You’re not going to do anything stupid are you?” he continues, blunt as a kick in the teeth, and you can’t help but smirk. Anyone else probably would have been a lot more gentle asking something like that, but not him it seems.

“No, I’m not planning anything drastic,” you assure him. “I think this place is just getting to me. I feel like something is watching me, its fucking creepy.”

“You’re not wrong, this place is… I don’t know what. Just keep close, and don’t let it get to you,” he tells you, walking a little closer beside you. The brush of his sleeves against your arm is a comfort you didn’t know you needed and you continue to walk close beside him. For a while you simply keep pace, conversation dried up with the increasingly sense of wariness

Twice more your path is interrupted by impossible chasms gouging the earth and tearing wounds into the ground.

“Why do I get the feeling we’re being funnelled somewhere?” Price mutters as a third chasm turns you from your path. Frustration drips from his words.

“It feels like the whole town has been sliced off from the world,” you agree, not wanting to mention the tugging feeling behind your eyes everytime you see one of the pits in front of you. “Between the fog and these cracks, it’s like we are even in the real world anymore.”

“What I’d give for a working radio and Nik right now,” he grunts and glances at his watch. “Keep moving, we’ve got more ground to cover before it gets dark, and I’m not risking being exposed when night falls.”

“What do you think will happen at night?” you ask him, heart thudding as you begin trailing after the bearded Captain once again.

“I don’t know and honestly, don’t want to know. This place is not normal,” he answers cryptically. He chews on a cigar, a habit you noticed he does when his frustration rises.

The noise starts low, barely noticeable over the sound of boots on the road, but it creeps higher and higher until the buzzing vibrates the hairs on your skin. A large building looms out of the fog, the sign over the door reading Brookhaven Hospital in dull, red letters.

“Shit, we’ve got company,” Gaz hisses, grabbing at the radio on his chest to try to turn down the hissing, buzzing noise that signals an approaching nightmare.

“You,” Ghost snaps, grabbing your arm firmly, “down.” He pushes you firmly down behind an abandoned car and stands over you, his legs caging you against the door of the vehicle. You can’t see what’s happening.

“Bloody hell, how many are there?” Gaz whispers.

“I count eight,” Soap answers in a tense whisper, waiting for Price’s order.

“We’ve got limited ammo and no resupply, don’t engage,” Price announces, “we go around them.”

“Price, this door isn’t locked,” Soap calls, the door to the hospital entrance held open in his hand as you peer between Ghost’s legs.

“Move inside, we’ll cut through the hospital and conserve ammo,” Price whispers. Ghost grabs your bicep and drags you with him as they move to the large door of the building and inside. The radios stop making their pained crackling as soon as the door clicks closed behind your small group. The inside of the hospital is much as you’d expect, empty and echoing, uncomfortable and deserted.

The entrance foyer contains the expected rows of seats, a few knocked over and abandoned on their backs. Potted plants sit in pots looking limp and sickly, and the large reception desk sits empty, files scattered on and around it. The feeling of wrongness that permeated the air outside feels markedly more noticeable here, and you swallow down rising bile.

“I don’t think we should be in here,” you say quietly, but no one pays you any attention as they scan the room and check doorways. The walls are painted in a pale green, with dark grey tiles covering the floors. Fluorescent lights flicker on the ceilings, casting a sickly light worryingly similar to that outside in the fog.

“Clear!” You hear them call to each other, until they are satisfied it’s safe. Or as safe as can be.

“Could look for some supplies while we head through to the another exit,” Ghost suggests. “Place like this will have multiple exit points.”

“Good plan,” Price agrees, patting the large man firmly before nodding to Soap to take the lead again. “Let’s go.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” you hiss at Ghost, getting as close to him as you can without risking tripping him up.

“It’s all we’ve got right now,” he replies grimly, “sometimes you have to pick the better of two evils and go with it.”

“Is that what you guys do? Pick the less terrible option?”

“Pretty much,” he shrugs, never looking at you as you follow Soap’s lead through the pale corridors lined with medical equipment and empty gurneys and wheelchairs. “It’s what soldiers do in the field.”

“Sounds like a hard life, having to make decisions like that,” you muse, glad to have someone to talk to.

“Humph,” he grunts noncommittally, “you learn to live with it. You don’t get much choice if you want to get the job done.”

“It must leave you with lots of bad memories,” you hear yourself say, but those aren’t your words, you don’t know where they come from. You glance at Ghost and see his eyes boring into you, sharp and cold suddenly at your callous comment.

“Where are you going with this?” he demands.

“I’m…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it,” you stammer and look away from him quickly. Thankfully he lets the conversation drop, and you stay quiet.

“Shouldn’t we have found an exit by now? How big is this place,” Gaz observes after another ten minutes of endless corridors.

“We’ve been going north the whole time, let’s bust a window open and,” Soap begins to say more but stops suddenly, brining the whole group to a stop by raising his arm.

A siren wails, ripping through the still air like a saw blade, making your entire body lurch in panic. The four men tense, weapons raised and eyes scanning the area. Somehow you feel better seeing them react, as for a moment it felt like the noise was inside your skull rather than outside it.

“Is that an air raid siren?” Gaz puzzles. “There’s no way anything’s flying in that mess out there.”

“I dinnae like… wait… what the fuck?” Soap begins to answer him but stops mid sentence, peering at a section of the wall near him. As the siren screams its mournful call, the pale paint on the walls around you begins to peel and curl as if with advanced age. With a lump in your throat you watch as the little clumps fall away from the wall upwards in defiance of logic and gravity, even the flooring crumbles and dissolves, uncovering a dark, rusted metal grate beneath.

The weak lights gutter, the windows becoming grime encrusted and impotent, smothering the disturbing scene in a choking darkness despite the time of day outside.

“What’s happening? Why is everything changing?” you whimper, tears making the unnatural scene waiver even more as the soldiers switch on torches attached to the vests and weapons. The siren drones on, forcing you to press your palms over your ears, but just as you feared, the dreadful call isn’t muffled in the slightest. It’s inside your skull but everyone is hearing it. You drop your hands rather than face the reality of this unreality.

“This isn’t in the field manual,” Ghost mutters behind his mask, shifting his shoulder slightly as though readying himself for something in the dark. Rusted metal grates and sheets or rusted corrugated steel have replaced the faded hospital corridor, the abandoned wheelchairs somehow twisted into sinister shapes, almost organic and pained in appearance now under the torch beams. Unhealthy looking globs of organic material cling to the metal in places, and you try not to look at it too long, in case it begins to move while you watch.

“Fuck this. We don’t need the additional risk,” Price announces, voice eerily calm given the situation. “Forget the supplies, we fall back.”

The others give a chorus of agreement and begin to head back down the corridor. At the back of your mind something begins to whisper and pull at you again like it did in the street, telling you that going back is no good. It only spurs you on more quickly until you walk into Soap’s back.

“How is that possible?” Soap growls. The set of double doors you had passed through a few moments earlier is now a solid wall, your exit cut off. The siren abruptly stops at this point, and the pounding of far off machinery can be heard thrumming through the decaying metal. It’s almost as though a heart is beating, perhaps what is creating the creeping tendrils that twist around the metalwork around you.

“Looks like we keep pushing forward then,” Price says, more quietly this time, and the way he exchanges a look with Ghost isn’t lost on you. There’s a note of concern to it, and it leaches into you, taking hold and feeding your fear. “I don’t like it any more than the rest of you but we’re not just going to sit around here without thumbs up our arses waiting for whatever is doing this to come find us. We move.”

Thank you for reading! If you want to see more please reblog or leave a comment to show your appreciation, I also have Ko-Fi.

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yuri-is-online · 6 months

Text

And Your Name Is? (Deuce, Azul, and Floyd)

After successfully resolving whatever was causing NRC to be trapped in an endless time loop of overblotting and disaster, one last reset should give him a chance to experience a normal school year with you. But instead you find yourself trapped in the here and there, appearing as a vague shadow around the school that vanishes as soon as he catches up to you. The kind thing to do would be to allow you to be forgotten in the chance it lets you return to your world.

But this is Twisted Wonderland where the kind thing is seldom done, and he wants you back as much as you want to find him again.

notes: they/them used for Yuu, we are back in business bby, these three are by request, next up are Lilia, Jamil, and Grim! Angst with the intent of comfort, if you like this please consider checking out my masterlist for the previous three parts.

Deuce

"Don't go where I can't follow."

Deuce has said that many times before. He wonders if you thought he didn't mean it or had taken it as a joke, and truly he cannot decide which is worse. He had foolishly thought when he first woke up and saw the school year begin anew that he could relax knowing he wouldn't need to chase you across an ocean into the depths of S.T.Y.X. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy, his memories of you might have been scattered across time and space but he knew with certainty this set back did not surprise him.

"Are you alright?" Trey's concern does not go unappreciated, but Deuce can't really bring himself to respond out loud. "You seem a bit distracted." There are countless wishing stars hung above him in the trees, he wishes he remembered if any of the wishes he heard had been the same. He knows his no longer is.

"Let him be." Idia surprisingly in the flesh, but still draped like a wet cat over the drums. "We can afford to take a break anyway." His seniors move away as Deuce remains staring up at the wishing stars. Yuu is sort of the same color as them now, and just as ephemeral.

"Do you remember this?" The starsender robes don't feel as special anymore, he wants to be proud that he was really meant for this task seeing how time itself has seen fit to make him repeat it. "I only remembered to ask you what your wish was after... I think you passed it off as me being dumb but I don't think that's what happened now. Somehow I knew if I asked you to make a wish what you would say." A gentle breeze sways the little lights above his head as Deuce tries to spot the star Trey had helped him make. "I meant what I said, I want you to see just how cool I'll look in my officer's uniform. I want to make my mom and grandma proud, and I want you to come home and be proud of me with them." Sometimes he swears he can feel your head leaning on his shoulder, your arms embracing him from behind, your voice carried by the breeze drowning out shouts for him to come back to reality and pay attention to his surroundings. There's a legend in Twisted Wonderland about a man that dives into the Underworld to rescue his beloved, you had told him your world has the same story but it has a different ending. Deuce doesn't want to think about that as his hands curl around where yours should be, just over his rapidly beating heart. "I wish," he already has but he swears the star twinkles with magic in response all the same "for Yuu to come home." He squeezes your hand and jumps when he finds purchase, your weight forcing him to stumble forward and crash as he rapidly tries to turn and see your face.

Idia and Trey make noises of surprise, he thinks that they're talking but he can't seem to hear them above the sound of your heavy breaths. "I'm back Deucey." You whisper softly into the evening air.

"Welcome back Yuu." He hopes you never make him let you go again.

Azul

There is a mournful song flowing through this strange cold place you have found yourself. It's familiar, but you swear you have never heard it before, perhaps it is the voice you find yourself stumbling towards and not the music itself.

"There you are." It's pleased with itself this voice. "Come to spend some time with me again?" You don't know, you can't even really tell where you are. It looks like an office, but it is bereft of papers or any light. You feel more than see the desk at the center, the smooth grain of the wood chills your fingertips as you run along looking for something. A sigh rattles the room as you are dragged away, back to the mirror chamber by frighteningly cold darkness and you grope wildly around for the person you thought had been there with you. "Goodnight Yuu. I will see you tomorrow."

"Why can't you see me today?" You swear you speak but you hear no noise. And in the solid space you've left behind Azul leans back against his chair and studies the ceiling above him. He should be pleased. He had a theory and the tattered scraps of paper in his hand would seem to have proved it. Azul should be angry that your state demands such a sacrifice of him, he should be weighing the potential cost of this decision. Of saving you.

But instead he laughs.

"Yuu. Yuu, Yuu, Yuu. I wonder if I ever stood a chance." He knows the answer of course, but he wonders if it is as ingrained in your soul as it is his. ~~~~ "Do you believe in other worlds Yuu?" The voice is asking you a silly question, and you chase after it determined to tease. "And I don't mean like yours, I mean completely other realities where things even mages would find unbelievable exist." You manage to push yourself through the waters and begin to wander the purple and grey hued halls, desperately searching for someone you swear is here, his name on the tip of your tongue. "I admit it's not something I ever thought too much about, but after we got together the first time I would lie awake thinking about it. You and I meeting was never a guarantee, so why did it feel so much like fate? I think I asked you once."

"Don't underestimate me." You can hear yourself now, and the walls around you are coming into more solid focus. There is only one door between you and the person you have been searching for now. "I will find you in every lifetime." Delighted laughter moves towards you now, as the door opens to reveal the outline of a man, shimmering just like you.

"Yes that's exactly what you said." His hand is cold, you reach to catch it worried it will fall through you and almost sob as you both find the familiar sensation of the other's touch. "And I think I said, 'Well that's not threatening at all!' Because in my mind there was no other way for us to meet than as adversaries, but that didn't need to be true did it?" Azul's coat and scarf is slung over the back of his chair, your breath catches in your throat at the unusual sight of Azul in just his tuxedo. He preens under your attention, guiding you carefully towards the couch, hands trembling in equal relief, excitement, and still small fear that this was all a painful dream. The shredded remnants of carefully counted contracts can remain scattered across the desk behind you, yet he finds himself surprisingly unconcerned. He curls himself around you, sighing in content at the return of the warmth of your solid form. "I found you this time." You return his embrace with a half sob, the memory of the here and there cementing itself within your fears alongside the sheer relief of Azul's presence. "If other worlds do exist, if time gets re-set again, even if you are forced to return to where you came from, please don't underestimate me either. We found each other once, and we will in every timeline we exist." He kisses your hand and dares reality to prove him wrong.

Floyd

"Man every day's a party when I'm with you. I can't get enough!" He had really meant it, but he could see the doubts still flickering behind that smile.

"Glad you had fun Floyd."

Had. You were glad he "had" fun not "was having." It was an odd thing to get caught up on, Floyd didn't fully understand why it soured his mood so much himself. There was always this carefully crafted barrier between the two of you, carefully built up by you that he never noticed until it was too late. Until little shrimpy was just Yuu and the nickname became a facade to deny the depth of his emotions.

It was silly to think that he was the only one lying to himself.

"Y'know you can't stay all ghostie like that forever." He tries to poke you, disappointed in how you shimmery form neither disappears nor wavers. "It's not good for your health." Floyd has never had the smoothest of emotions, they tumble around his chest like waves, but he knows them to be consistent. He hates standing in place and doing the same thing over and over, he loves it when people make stupid mistakes and he gets to watch them blow up (sometimes literally) in their face, and he hates how predictable he has been. The jumbled memory of countless looping timelines and never once did he do anything more than maybe chase you around a little and come up with excuses to monopolize your attention. Floyd wants to squeeze himself, that's what this entire situation already feels like anyway. "Say do you know what humans used to say about merfolk?" His mood twitches back to something like happiness as he rolls his head up from lying on the library table up onto his hands. "They thought that when we died we turned into sea foam cause we didn't have souls. Isn't that silly! Say Yuu, which one of us looks like foam now huh?" Floyd hasn't cried since he was a fry, but these past few days he feels like he has done little but cry and sleep. In his dreams he gets to re-write his impossible memories to be a little lighter, he gets to drop the nickname and call out to you and have you cry out to him in return. In his dreams everyday is still a party and not a waking nightmare. Your hand, or maybe he is delusional and has begun to dream yet again, reaches towards him, fighting its foamy nature to try and touch his head.

"I like you." He had said it into your neck while you died that time, still lying to save himself some face in case that was the last thing you wanted to hear. "C'mon dance with me Yuu!" He had tried hyping himself up in his head, all words dying in his throat when he finally spun you away from Crabby and Mackerel calling you shrimpy once again.

"I love you." Why is he only brave enough to say it now when he swears it won't actually matter? "I think I've loved you since the first time ya tricked Azul and then immediately every time I saw you after. So come back yeah? I thought I had all the time in the world but I don't, and I ain't ever gonna be board of having you around..." The foam flickers, and for a brief delusional moment Floyd thinks he sees your proper face. "You know that, right?"

"I love you too." It's watery, he feels the answer somewhere in his soul rather than hears it as you crash under your own weight back into reality and onto the hard wood of the NRC library. His laughter cackles up and out across the whole school as he leaps across and over to catch you up and soothe your bruises with soft kisses, not at all the activity Jade expects to find him engaged in when he follows rather than flees at the noise.

"Mine." He kisses your pulse point and you wonder, not for the first time but with much more joy than sorrow, why it was his hand you were searching for. "My Yuu." Floyd purrs, a dangerous tittering laugh of genuine relief convincing you of his genuineness more than anything else.

If he was going to get bored of you, he would have done it timelines ago.

#twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #deuce spade x reader #azul ashengrotto x reader #floyd leech x reader #tried to spice this one up idk if it worked

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asumofwords · 10 months

Text

The Sublet - Roommate!AU

Warnings: She/her pronouns, slow burn, angst. Tags will be added as the fic goes along.

Pairings: Modern!Aemond x Reader

Summary: Living with Helaena Targaryen was one of the best decisions you had ever made. Meeting at university, the two of you became thick as thieves and quickly best friends, moving into a flat together. But what will happen when Helaena has to leave, and her quiet, brooding, brother moves in?

Notes: Hello angels! Here is chapter two of my new mini-series! Was a lot of fun writing this, and am hoping to have a new chapter our every week if possible! I hope you enjoy <3

Chapter 2: Departure

Helaena stood at the door, two large duffel bags in her hands. Her hair was braided back away from her face, something you had begged for her to allow you to do early that morning before her flight. Her violet eyes looked around the apartment before landing back on you.

“I’m going to miss you so much.” She swallowed, eyes looking teary.

You stepped forward, cocking your head as you offered her a small smile, “Hey, hey, hey Miss Waterworks, not yet! We got to get you to the airport first before I let you cry.”

Helaena laughed and you reached out to grab one of her bags, grabbing your keys from the small hallway table dish. Helaena spun and pulled open the door, moving out of it with one bag in hand whilst you followed behind her, pulling the door behind you with a click.

“Is it locked?” She asked, watching as you tugged to make sure.

“Yes, mum.”

Helaena clicked her tongue at you before moving to go down the steps of the apartment. When you arrived at the bottom, you moved across the street to drop her bags into the trunk of your car.

“I’m going to miss our drives in this beast.” She sighed as she got into the front seat, rubbing the dashboard where an array of small, iridescent bug stickers sat, curtesy of the self proclaimed ‘Passenger Princess’.

“Hel, you’re making it sound as though you’re never coming back.” You pulled out of the parking spot and began to drive her to the airport, hand coming out to shuffle through the old 2000’s CD you had put in the stereo.

“Might as well be dead. I love mum, but she’s going to be more wound up than ever, especially with Nyra there.” Helaena leant her head against the window, looking out at the trees you past on the road.

“Well at least Baela and Rhaena will be with you. You haven’t seen your cousins in ages. Plus you’ll have Daeron with you too.” You smiled at her, quickly turning your head away from the wheel.

Helaena smiled back, hand reaching out to turn up the volume of ‘I’m like a Bird’ by Nelly Furtado.

“Yeah, I’m going to invite them to come visit us! Remember last time they came and we went out?”

Your lips pulled back into a grin, “And you got so wasted I had to carry you home on my back?” You snickered.

Your best friend grumbled, “Serves you right for ordering shots.”

You laughed loudly at the memory of Helaena stumbling about the club, singing so loudly that her voice the next day was crackled, and mascara stained her under eyes, "That wasn’t me, that was Bae!”

“Oh yeah.” She giggled.

The drive to the airport went fairly quickly as you sang side by side and talked about everything and nothing, and before you knew it, you were standing at the gate hugging Helaena for dear life as everyone around you boarded the plane.

“I’m going to miss you so much.” She cried, cheeks wet with tears.

“Aw Hel, you big softy. You will be back in no time! Plus we can FaceTime while you’re there.”

Helaena pulled back and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, nodding at you as she sniffed. You leant forward a pressed a kiss against her forehead, “Now remember to call me if you need anything, okay? I will come if you need me.”

“Okay, I promise.” She readjusted the tiny beetle shaped bag on her shoulder and took a steadying breath, “I gave Aemond your number, so he will probably text you when he gets there, so remember to give him my key.” Helaena gave you a pleading face, “Please be nice to him. I know he can be quiet and standoffish, but he has a good heart. It hasn’t been easy fo-”

You grabbed Helaenas’ shoulders as you smiled at her, “Hel, breathe. I promise to be nice, and it will be totally fine! You just worry about your fam and I will take care of everything else, okay?”

Helaena nodded again before she pulled you in for one last hug. You squeezed her tightly, feeling your heart clench in your throat. You knew it would only be a month, but ever since you had become friends, you had been inseparable.

This would be the longest you would be away from each other.

You watched as Helaena boarded, waving at her as she passed through the gate down to the plane. You had to sniff your own tears back as you watched her silver hair disappear out of sight. Once she was on the plane, you made your way back to the car and drove yourself home, feeling the quiet around you immediately.

Helaena really was a solid rock in your life, and you hoped you were the same for her. She had been there for you through so many life milestones. Buying your first car, your first big break up with your douchebag ex, everything. And you wouldn’t have it any other way than at her side.

When you got back to the apartment, you parked your car and finally checked your phone. There was a text from Helaena saying she had wifi on the plane, and another from an unknown number.

Oh.

You got out of the car, flicking your hair behind your ears as you shut the door behind you, locking the doors with a click of the button. You looked up at the apartment block you and Helaena called home. It was an old art deco building that had been cheap to live in when you and Helaena first moved in, a little run down if you were honest, but beautiful nonetheless.

But now, the apartments were stupidly expensive, and yet your Landlord hadn’t once increased your rent. You wondered if it was because they knew who Helaena’s family was, old money and new, and one of the biggest and best lawyer firms in all of Westeros. But really, the Targaryens had their toes in many fields.

They owned vineyards that stretched over thousands of acres of their ancestral lands, realestate, restaurants, you name it. They owned something of worth, and their name held power.

You remembered when you first went to inspect the apartment. It was decently sized with tall ceilings, some of the paint was peeling, but once you and Helaena had moved in, you spent the first weekend painting the walls together. But the thing that had drawn you to it the most was the bath. It was hard to find an apartment in the city with one, and considering that the block was so old, it even still had the original tub and penny tiling floors.

You walked up the stairs, as you opened Helaena’s messages.

When you got to the top of the landing, Aemond was already there, waiting.

The silver haired man was leaning against the door boredly, looking down at his phone, a silver strand of hair falling over his eye. At the sound of your approach he straightened his posture and looked at you.

You had forgotten how tall he was. The Targaryen towered over you.

It had been a while since the last time you had seen him, and his hair was considerably longer, hair tucked behind his ears. His violet eye watched you as you gave him a small smile, the other clouded eye, unmoving.

“Hey.” You greeted, standing in front of him, fingers gripping the strap of your bag, unsure of whether to shake his hand or offer him a hug.

It felt awkward.

“Hi.” He responded quietly, eye searching your face.

Aemond wore black jeans and tight black top that stretched across his chest. Around his neck, hidden behind his shirt, was a small silver chain that dipped beneath. You remembered he had been wearing it the last time you saw him, Helaena said something about Valyrian steel? You couldn’t remember, but it was something that he clearly never took off. The smell of leather and smoke curled around the both of you as you looked down at his toned arms, a black leather jacket slung over one.

It was in that moment, as you took him in, that you realised something.

Aemond was handsome.

Gods, how had you forgotten he was handsome?

“You going to let me in?” He asked, tone flat.

You felt heat rise in your cheeks, your hand with the keys flicking up as you moved to open the door to the apartment. Aemond barely moved an inch to allow you to reach the door, and you had to utter a small ‘excuse me’ to him so he would shift and give you space.

You felt his eye on you as you opened the door and stepped through the apartment, Aemond bending down behind you to pick up a faded, green duffel bag that he had left on the floor while waiting for you.

“Welcome.” You smiled backwards at him, dropping your keys into their dish and fishing out Helaena’s from your pocket, “These are yours.”

Aemond grasped the keys, large keychains attached to them from grazing across the palm of your hand. They looked comical in his, what with all her keychains; bright blue butterflies, shining green and pink dragonflies, and a long pendant with your name beaded on it hanging from the tips of his fingers. Helaena and you had made them for each other on one of your infamous craft nights in.

Aemond nodded at you in thanks.

You moved through the apartment as he followed behind quietly, his height looming over you making you feel incredibly small.

“So,” You turned around looking at your roommates brother, “You’ll be in Helaena’s room.”

“Mm.”

Oh Gods, here we go.

“Um,” You looked around the lounge room trying to diffuse the sudden tension, “Did you need anything?”

“No.” He answered looking down at you, bag still in hand, "Thank you.”

“Right, well, Helaena’s room is on the left. Let me know if you need anything.”

Aemond nodded and walked down the hall, his large black boots beating against the wooden floor boards. You watched as he continued his way down to her room, opening the door and stepping inside. The door shut behind him with a soft click, and you let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding in.

Your phone buzzed in your hand and you looked down at it. You quickly typed a response to her back.

You huffed a laugh and went to sit in your room, putting away the pile of laundry that sat unfolded on the bed.

Aemond didn’t leave the room or make a sound after he went inside. He was as quiet as a mouse, just as you had remembered he was last time, and you felt that the next month would be spent with him existing in her room and you existing around him. It would most likely be awkward, though you didn’t mind, at least he wasn’t Aegon.

Aegon was nice, but he was also a sleaze. Trying to get into everyone and anyones pants. Even after you had told him you weren’t interested, he continued to flirt with you boldly, immediately giving you the fatal ick.

However, there was one thing you couldn’t deny about the Targaryens.

They were all stunningly attractive.

They all had the same piercing, violet eyes that only people of Valyrian decent had, as well as their shimmering silver, white hair. They were like sirens, luring anyone into their trap, and you had almost fallen for Aegon’s until he opened his mouth.

As the afternoon faded away and the night soon crept in, you reheated some of the pasta sauce that Helaena had made, adding a singular portion to the saucepan until you remembered that her brother was also here, and had not emerged from her room at all. Not to eat or got to the bathroom, or even get a glass of water. So with that thought, and the echoing ‘be nice’ in the back of your mind, you added a second portion to the saucepan and began to heat it up.

You put another pot of water in the sink and filled it with water to boil on the stove, putting some music on shuffle with your phone, and as you waited for it all to cook, you unloaded the dishwasher.

‘Freak’ by Lana Del Rey played loudly out of the speakers as you moved the cups and dishes back into the cupboard, the water on the stove coming to a boil. You put in the pasta and stirred the sauce a bit, adding some spoons of the pasta water into the sauce pan, just as your grandma had taught you.

“Baby if you wanna leave, come to California, be a freak like me too." You sang quietly, grabbing two bowls and forks for the both of you.

As you watched the water boil, the pasta cooking inside, you thought of what the next month was going to look like.

You wondered how Aemond would react if Cregan came over.

Would it be awkward?

You shook your head, it was your house, and Aemond was a grown man. You were sure that he wouldn’t mind.

And if he did, tough titties.

When the pasta was cooked, you strained it, separating it into the two bowls and pouring the sauce over the top. The smell of Helaena’s amazing sauce filling the space around you, making your mouth water.

“What are you making?” Aemond’s voice came from behind you, startling you.

“Gods be good.” You breathed, hand readjusting its grip on the saucepan as you scraped the last of bolognese into one of the bowls, “Bolognese, got a bowl here for you if you’re hungry. Helaena made it.”

Aemond moved from behind you, and as you turned to look at him, you noted that he was just in his jeans and shirt, shoes long gone. Thats how he had crept up on you. That or you were lost in your own world. You picked up the second bowl and moved to hand it to him.

As your eyes moved towards his face, you noticed that Aemond had tied his hair away from his face in a low bun and you felt your breath catch in your chest as he looked at you.

Oh.

“Thanks.” He grabbed the bowl and moved towards the dining table, steps silent as he crossed the room.

“No problem. Do you want a drink?” You asked across the room, opening the fridge, pulling out a soft drink for yourself.

“I’m okay, thanks.”

“Water?”

A pause.

“Sure.”

You filled up a glass of water for him and moved towards the table, placing it in front of him on a coaster. Aemond sat with his hands in his lap, not beginning to eat yet, like he was waiting for you to sit down. Perhaps he was waiting for you. Helaena had told you that their mum was rather strict with etiquette and traditions, and you likened that this was a lesson from her.

You went back to grab your drink and pasta before sitting opposite him.

“You know,” You began, hoping to break the tense air around you, “You don’t have to eat at the table, we can sit on the couch if you want. Or you can eat in Hel’s room if that’s better for you.”

“Hm.” Aemond hummed, not easing your worries, before twisting his fork into the pasta, bringing it up to his lips to blow.

You ate in silence together.

It wasn’t uncomfortable in a way that you didn’t like each other, or that there was any bad blood, you just did not know anything about him, and he knew nothing about you. And he barely spoke. But beside that, Aemond was perfectly polite, if not a little stiff.

You thought that perhaps picking a random stranger from the train and bringing them home to have dinner would make for more easier conversation and be less awkward.

“Helaena cooked it,” You explained, trying to fill the room with something other than the sound of clinking cutlery, “Not me. I think it was to save us both cooking.” You laughed, twisting another forkful of pasta for yourself, you felt a great urge to get to know him a bit, after all you would be living together for a month, “Hel told me you’re thinking of moving back to Kings Landing.”

Aemond placed his fork back into the bowl, “I am.”

Short. Stiff.

No wriggle room.

No ‘yes, and’.

“Do you know where you would stay? Probably close to family right?”

Aemond was quiet, and you felt like you had stepped over a line. You suddenly remembered his strained relationship with everyone but his mother, but even then, that was somewhat difficult, or so Helaena had told you. You opened your mouth to apologise, but Aemond responded.

“Most likely. Might go back to uni and finish my degree.”

You blinked at him, “Oh? I didn’t know you were studying?”

“I was. But I deferred when I moved to Harrenhal.“ Aemond paused, staring at your face blankly. It made you wriggle in your seat, “I think it would be good to finish it.”

“I think it would be.” You agreed, “I’ve only got a year left until I graduate. God, I can’t wait until it’s over.” You smiled at him, having finished your dinner, “What were you studying?”

Aemond’s lips pursed as he looked at you, as though he would rather be talking about anything else, or more likely, not speaking at all, “I was doing a double degree. History and Philosophy, majoring in Politics.”

Your eyes widened in shock, “Oh damn. A double degree? How the hell did you manage that?”

One degree was hard enough, you couldn’t imagine juggling two.

Aemond let out a humourless huff, “What are you studying?”

You leant back in your chair, stretching your arms above your head sighing, “Similar to you, History, but I’m doing a little side Poetry class which I’m enjoying.”

Aemond hummed, “Poetry?”

“Yup.” You popped the p, suddenly feeling as though you were being interrogated in your own house. It set you on edge.

“Favourite poet?” Aemond asked, the question catching you off guard completely.

You blinked, thinking for a moment before you answered him, “Kafka.”

“Kafka?” Aemond replied, brows lifted, “A romantic.”

You cocked your head as you looked at him, “Kafka is a lot more than just a romantic. I think it would be disingenuous to put his work into a box.”

A smirk wound on Aemond’s lips as he hummed, the first time you had ever seen the man give something that wasn’t a frown or pout, and you felt your heart race in your chest.

“You’re right. Just was not expecting you to be a Kafka girl.”

Now you were offended, “What, did you think I would be more of a Sylvia Plath?”

“Nothing wrong with Sylvia Plath.”

“I know that.” You snipped, “Let me guess, you’re an Edgar Allen Poe.” You pointed at his all black apparel.

Aemond let out a sharp huff.

“Emily Dickinson.” He answered, lips pursed again. The way he was watching you, it looked like he was sizing you up.

You hated it.

“Hm. Favourite work?” You pressed, arms crossed across your chest as you looked at him.

You couldn’t tell if he was making fun of you or not.

“‘A great Hope fell.’”

You were surprised once again, “That’s not beating the Edgar Allen Poe allegations.” You paused in thought, tilting your head as you thought of the piece.

“‘A not admitting of the wound, Until it grew so wide, That all my Life had entered it, And there were troughs beside.’” You recounted a paragraph, feeling as though you had one-upped him for even knowing it, but in truth you had recently studied Emily in your Poetry class, and her work was fresh in your mind.

You wouldn’t tell him that though.

Aemond blinked at you with one eye, not showing at all that he was impressed that you knew his favourite poem off by heart, or even slightly surprised, which made you want to hit him over the head with your fork.

Dick.

“They are both amazing in their own right.” He stated as he stood, pulling his empty bowl towards him before he collected yours.

You thanked him, watching as Aemond moved to the kitchen and began to stack the bowls into the dishwasher without being asked.

Maybe those manners from Alicent weren't bad after all.

“Do you know where the linen closet is?” You called across the room.

Aemond nodded.

“Okay, I have work tomorrow so I won’t be home. You have your keys?”

Another nod.

“I’m going to watch some tv. Do you want to join?”

Aemond turned around and walked back towards you, “I’m going to bed.”

Your mouth felt dry, and a blanket of embarrassment curled around you.

“Ah, no worries.” So much for trying to make this easier, “Well, goodnight.” You gave him a curt smile and moved towards the couch, not waiting for his response as you got comfortable, turning on the telly to put your favourite show on to binge.

“Night.” Came Aemond’s smooth timbre from behind you, and not long after you heard the soft click of his door.

You grabbed your phone and checked to see that you had some new messages. The first from Helaena, she had sent you a photo of her in a car, having landed in Old Town, followed by five consecutive messages.

You smiled at your screen, typing back a response that there was no murder yet.

Yet.

You hoped that it wouldn’t come to that. But with Aemond’s quietness, and even the subtle stubborn and self assured manner that he carried himself with, you felt that perhaps things may come to a head one way or another.

Helaena had said the two of you were more alike than you know, but you just couldn’t see it. He was so quiet, and you weren’t. He was brooding, and you were forthcoming. He was a dick, and you were not.

Most of the time.

Flicking back to your notifications you spotted another message, finger tapping it to open.

It was Cregan.

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