Black-kitten-imagines - Black Kitten - Tumblr Blog

When you both survive to 1987, and your boyfriend takes you to see the hottest new rock act in town. Then feels jealous because his other half is crushing on the guitarist HARD.

‘That better be a packet of lifesavers in your pocket, Munson.’

‘I admit nothing.’

Stranger Than Fiction

Part 8: Shattered

Billy Hargrove x Reader (Slowburn)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9 (Coming Soon)...

A/N: Hope you guys like this! Its kind of a long one so strap in! Let me know what you guys think or if you want to be added to the tag list!

Word Count: 3,275

Warnings: Swearing

You aren’t sure how long you stay in the car. After a while, when there are no more tears, everything starts to numb. It’s similar to a fog descending. You no longer feel sad, or mad, or anxious. You feel nothing, but tired. The type of tiredness that seeps through every fibre of your being, right down to your bones. The feeling can be described as a waking dream. You are physically there, but everything is dull, muted. Like a dream, it's impossible to focus on anything, nothing feels real. 

By the time you muster the energy to leave the car, the sun is high in the sky. Your body aches as you unfold yourself and step out of the car. You grab the keys, being sure to lock the car behind you. You carry yourself on unsteady legs towards the school. When you enter, the hallways are chaotic. Kids dashing from one class to the next, talking with friends, slamming lockers. 

You spot Steve leaning against the lockers, his arms are crossed over his chest as he observes the bustling halfway behind his shades. In your barely lucid brain, you recognize that he is waiting for Nancy. He catches sight of you as you approach. A hesitant smile pulls at his lips. You know that he’s trying to be nice, but all you can see in it is pity. 

“Hey, you doing okay?” he asks, scanning your face.

“Yea, all good.” You lie. Steve lifts his shades onto his head, his eyes still on your face. He looks like he wants to say something, but stops himself. There is a pause and not knowing what to say, you extend the keys towards him. 

“Thank you, Steve.” you say with your best attempt at a smile. It feels forign, making your face feel tight. Steve accepts the keys.

“Yea, no problem.” he says, looking down at them in his palm.

“I’m going to get a ride home from Hopper.” you tell him. “I forgot to tell you this morning.” you tack on at the end, hoping it makes the lie seem more believable. 

“Oh, okay. Yea.” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. There is another pause between the two of you. You’re about to walk away when he suddenly speaks up. 

“It’s going to be okay, you know… with you and Nancy.” He says, his eyes still studying the keys in his hand. “I think she just misses hanging out with you and stuff.” he tries to explain, glancing up at you. You're not sure how to respond, your brain is still having a hard time keeping up, so you just nod. He places the keys in his pocket before retrieving a folded piece of orange paper from his back pocket. 

“We are planing on going to this stupid party tomorrow.” he explains unfolding the paper and offering it to you. “I know it’s not really your thing but…” he pauses as you look over the invitation to Tina’s Halloween party. “I think it would be good for you guys to go together. You know, hang out, tear it up together. Like normal teenagers.” You’re surprised at how genuine he sounds. Like he actually cares, and wants to help. 

“Thanks, Steve.” you say, taking the invitation. “I’ll think about it.” You say. Steve’s face lights up with a bright smile at your response. 

“Awesome!” He exclaims, stepping forward and raising his arms, like he's going to hug you, but stops himself at the last second, opting to firmly pat you on the shoulder instead. You chuckle slightly, not able to stop the small smile from pulling at your lips at his antics. You hadn’t even said yes, but his response couldn't have been happier. 

“I’m going to get going.” you say, refolding the invitation and sticking it into the side of your bag. “And before I forget, Hopper is going to take me to school tomorrow too. So, no need to pick me up.” You say in a tone that you hope sounds lighter than you feel. Steve nods, still smiling, and glances down at his watch. 

“Oh yea, no problem.” he says looking back to you. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” he smiles brightly, and gives you a casual wink. You nod, watching as his attention is drawn by Nancy walking down the hall with Jonathan. You quickly turn the corner, not ready to face her yet. 

You keep your head down and move towards your locker. You have no intention of staying for last period. It would be pointless. Your brain was mush at this point, you wouldn't be learning anything today. But, you planned on dropping off some books so you wouldn’t have as much to carry when you walk home. 

You enter your combination and yank open your locker, emptying the heavier books from your bag. To your right, down the hall, there is a commotion. Through the crowded hallway you can make out the back of a curly blonde mess of hair. He’s surrounded by people, all of them asking questions, jostling for position. For his attention. 

You know that it's Billy. Part of you thinks you should say something. You had told him that you would be there on his first day. That you would be looking out for him. But, the numb, hollow feeling in your chest causes you to close your locker and head for the exit instead. 

Unbeknownst to you, a pair of ocean eyes follow you through the crowd and out the door. 

As you walk, you start to feel better. Focusing on the pull and flex of your muscles as you stride forward. The sun is out, providing warmth to the otherwise chilly air. You try not to think about anything else, lest your guilt consume you. It is like a dark shadow, lurking in your mind, and if your thoughts turn to it… it will grab you and pull you down into the darkness. 

When you are halfway home you glance at your watch. School should be out by now. You don't feel too bad about missing class. If anything it is probably better for everyone if you aren't there, you think to yourself. The sound of a familiar loud engine pulls you from your thoughts. Glancing over your shoulder you see the blue camaro approaching quickly. 

You wonder what he will have to say to you today. You know that you should have said something to him on his first day, but things hadn’t played out that way. You would be sure to say sorry when he slows next to you.

To your surprise, the car doesn't slow. It actually speeds up. Your bewilderment quickly turns to panic when the car swerves towards you, slightly. It’s enough to make your heart jump into your throat and for you to hastily leap away, nearly tripping over your feet. The car zooms by, so close you can feel it disturb the air around you.

“What the fuck!” you exclaim, steadying yourself as you watch the car disappear over the next hill. Through your shock, you recognize that’s not a good sign. 

In all the times Billy had driven by you this summer, he had always drifted slightly into the other lane, giving you space. You always considered it his way of being polite. But just now… he was pissed. You didn't need to talk to him to know that. 

When you get home, the sun is beginning to set. Your mom left a note for you on the fridge asking you to call her at the hospital when you get home, to make sure you are okay. That’s the first thing you do. 

She asks if you’re okay and you tell her that you are fine, that you were just staying late to work on homework with Nancy. She sounds happy that you're doing things with people again. It hurts a little, lying to her, but it’s better than her being worried. She mentions that you should call Hopper and let him know you’re home too since she called him when you weren’t home on time. You tell her that you love her before she has to get back to work.

After that, you call Hopper. You let him know that you’re fine and ask him for a ride to school the next morning. He happily agrees, telling you he will be there at 0730. He offers a quick comment about how he’s glad you're okay before the conversation ends. 

The day’s events weigh heavily on you and you are relieved to shower and crawl into bed. As you drift to sleep you take comfort in the darkness around you. It’s quiet… peaceful. You wish it could always be like this. 

~~~~~

The next morning you wake up feeling drained. You were plagued by dreams all night. Nothing you can distinctly remember, just dark shapes and feelings of fear. The dreams are nothing new. They are a common occurrence but some nights are worse than others, and last night was particularly bad. 

You get up early, like always, greet your mom, like always, and step out into the dawn's early light for a quick walk. You look out over the land surrounding your home. It’s beautiful in some ways. This early in the morning the fog hangs low, drifting across the ground. It washes through the base of the trees like a stream. The birds chirp overhead, small animals wake up to begin their days before the humans do. It's a simple kind of beauty, safe and familiar. 

Before you know it, Hopper is pulling up your driveway. You rush to grab your bag before hopping into the passenger seat.

“Hey, kid!” Hopper greets you with a smile. You smile in return.

“Morning, Hop. How are you doing?” You ask, settling in as he pulls out of the driveway.

“All good,” he mutters. “The only thing going on is some dead pumpkins over on Merrill’s farm.” You listen as he tells you about the conspiracy involving the poisoned pumpkin patch. It’s not something you necessarily find interesting, but you always like hearing Hopper talk about his job.

“Oh no, that’s terrible. That’s where you used to take me to get pumpkins.” you muse. Hopper glances at you from the side as he drives, another smile pulling at his lips.

“I’m surprised you remember that.” he responds. You chuckle thinking back to that time in your lives. When you were a kid your mom sometimes had to work on Halloween and would ask Hopper to look after you. He didn’t really know what to do to keep you entertained when you got done trick-or-treating, but he had always got a pumpkin for the two of you to carve. He always had to do the majority of the work, and you would pay him with some of your candy. It is one of your fondest memories with Hopper. 

“Of course, how could I forget “candy tax”.” you say, reminding him of what he would call the candy you would give him for helping. Hopper lets out an amused chuckle and you don’t see it, but a look of pride rests on his face as he drives you the rest of the way to school. 

As you pull into the parking lot you notice Billy’s car already there. What happened yesterday flashes through your mind.

“Hope you have a good day, kid.” Hopper says as you open the door.

“You too, Hop.” You respond, giving him a smile and wave before closing the door, heading for the school. Your stomach is filled with knots of anxiety. You’re worried about seeing Nancy again. Worried that she will still be mad about you missing dinner and lying to get out of it. 

When you enter the school the halls are as busy as ever. Trying to make your way to your locker you’re suddenly shoved to the side by someone rushing past. You stumble forward, right into someone else. Their hands grasp your shoulders roughly, steadying you. 

“I’m sorry.” you say automatically to the person you had fallen into.

“You should be.” A harsh voice responds. Your eyes snap up to meet Billy’s icy gaze. He quickly removes his hands from you but keeps his eyes on yours. He looks angry, more angry than normal. The tension between the two of you sparks with electricity. You suddenly feel the urge to explain why you hadn’t been there on his first day, like you said you would be. 

“Billy, listen…” You begin, shuffling back slightly, trying to keep your voice steady. “The reason I wasn’t here yesterday-”

“Hey! Hey! Looks like you finally get to meet ‘Bear Girl’!” A loud voice calls from behind you. You turn your eyes to see Tommy H. approaching. His arm is draped over Carol's shoulders as she hangs around his waist. Your face feels hot at the sound of the demeaning moniker. 

Tommy and Carol have been the source of some of the worst rumours surrounding you. Needless to say, you don’t particularly like them. Unfortunately, they seem to have caught Billy’s attention. 

He nods in greeting as they move to stand next to him.

“‘Bear Girl’, huh?” He asks, keeping his cold eyes trained on you.

“Yea man! Story is she got attacked by a bear or some shit.” Tommy explains. Carol leans in closer like she’s telling Billy a secret, but does little to lower her tone.

“Her back is all fucked up, coverd in scars.” She adds, her eyes cutting to you. Your blood boils at her words. The story may have been a lie, but the scars that mark your skin are very real and very difficult to hide in locker rooms. 

The words you had been about to speak die on your tongue. The way Billy’s eyes are on you make you feel like a creature in a zoo. 

“Is that so… ‘Bear Girl’?” He asks cruelly. You hate that it hurts to hear him say it, but it does. More than you would like to admit. You were right. Whatever comradery you thought was between the two of you, has shattered. You do your best to hide the hurt, not wanting to give him the satisfaction.

“Nevermind.” you mumble, hardening your face. Gripping the straps of your bag, you move to walk past Billy, your shoulder bumping into him as you pass. This time you don't apologise. You hear Tommy and Carol’s laughter behind you as you retreat.

“What a freak!” You hear Carol crow. 

You quicken your pace, wanting to put as much distance between you and Billy as you can. You feel like crying but force yourself to swallow past the lump in your throat. 

Why should you care what Billy thinks of you? He was just some hot head that smoked too much and drove too fast. He was nothing to you. And, it appears, you are nothing to him too. 

When you meet up with Steve and Nancy, you’re relieved to see Steve's bright smile. You are happy to see Nancy isn’t mad or ignoring you but there is something off about her. Part of you wants to ask if something happened at dinner, but you think it’s better to stay away from the topic all together. She just seems so preoccupied, it worries you. She doesn't object when you confirm with Steve that he will be picking you up for the party tonight. Parties weren’t your thing, but you would rather be there for Nancy in case something happened. 

The rest of your day is spent going from class to class and doing your best to avoid Billy. It was fairly easy considering the crowd of people that seemed to surround him everywhere he went. 

The two of you only shared one class together, history. It's fitting that you are forced to be near him in your least favourite class. Luckily, or unluckily, depending on who you ask, he pretends like he doesn't know you exist.  

When the last bell rings, everyone rushes from the school. You confirm with Steve that you will see him and Nancy at eight before they head to the car. You stay back a bit, swinging by all the classes you missed yesterday to collect make-up homework. By the time you head out of the school, the parking lot is nearly empty. 

You begin walking, heading for the main road. On days when Hopper takes you to and from school you make the short walk through town to the police station to wait for him to take you home. Among the few cars that remain in the parking lot, only one stands out. 

Billy leans against the hood of his car, a cigarette dangling from his lips. You move to pass, assuming he will just continue to ignore you like he had all day. You assume wrong.

“Where are you heading?” He asks, stopping you in your tracks. The casualness of his question makes you angry for some reason. You turn sharply, narrowing your eyes on him. 

“Oh! Talking to me now?” You ask, sounding angrier than you mean to. Billy only chuckles, his tongue swiping over his white teeth. 

“You know, I always knew there was something off about you.” he says “From the first time I met you. But, I never would have guessed…” He lets out a low whistle, shaking his head, his smile no less taunting. “Wow.” Your blood is boiling in your veins. He heard a couple rumours and now, all of a sudden, knows everything about you?

“Well, sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.” You bite back, pulling another humourless chuckle from Billy. He pushes himself off the car, taking a couple steps towards you. Standing in front of you, he looms over you, smoke curling from his lips. 

“I knew you were crazy. Kind of fitting you would be all fucked up too.” he mutters, his eyes watching you closely. There is something in them now that you haven't seen before. They are cruel. He is trying to hurt you. 

“Yea… Fitting.” You grit out. “Now if you don't mind, I try not to make a habit of trading insults with assholes in parking lots.” You go to move past him and as you do his hand quickly reaches out, snatching a piece of paper from the side of your bag. 

“Hey!” You exclaim, turning to try and snatch the paper back. Billy is too quick, holding it away from you and unfolding the bright orange paper. 

“‘Get sheet faced’” He reads from the invitation, raising an eyebrow at you. “Doesn't seem like your kind of thing.” He adds, lowering the paper enough for you to take it back. 

“That’s presumptuous of you.” You comment spitefully, folding the paper and placing it back in your bag. Billy’s eyes watch you carefully, a smirk on his lips. 

“Nah, makes sense. Halloween parties are probably where a freak blends in most.” you have to grit your teeth to keep from snapping back at him, you know it’s what he wants. A reaction. Instead, you turn on your heel and quickly walk away. His voice calls after you.

“I’ll see you around, loca!” 

Hopper doesn't ask you any questions as he drives you home. He’s too preoccupied with the rotting crops he is going to check out after he drops you off. The entire time all you can think about is Billy and how unfair it is that he can get so deep under your skin. 

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9 (Coming Soon)...

A/N: Hope you guys liked it! We all have hurt feelings up in this bitch. Next chapter is going to be the party and oh boy... its gunna be wild. Let me know what you guys think! Leave a like or a comment! Some of the comments on Part 7 literally made me so happy! I love you guys!

Taglist: @official-starcourt-mall @lem0ns77 @bethii1 @wysteria-arts @fanficfanatic204 @theshinyrock @spacedaddydinn @raidxny @emmyawards1 @lucxxy @leia9817 @wounded-writing @taisab02 @goblinpit @howlerwolfmax @kilvru3 @blueberry-birdie @flamewriterr @im-julessssss @tsukibaby1 @taisab02 @mikeyswifie @superblyspeedydragon @let-love-bleeds-red @m-rae23 @msrawog @speakinglikeconstellations @taintedxkisses @pineapleavocado @hawkinsavclub1983 @arael-asuka @velvet-spider @extra-3motions @uniquecookiepainterbear @crimsonsabbath @mushy-mushroom04

𝕣𝕦𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕤 - eddie munson x reader

complete masterlist | stranger things masterlist | eddie munson masterlist

“𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒 𝕤𝕔𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕪 𝕞𝕒𝕟

𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕙𝕒𝕝𝕗 𝕒 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕚 𝕓𝕖𝕥 𝕙𝕖’𝕝𝕝 𝕣𝕠𝕓 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕗 𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕟 

𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕚𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖’𝕤 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕒 𝕟𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕪 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕟 

𝕚 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕚𝕟𝕧𝕠𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝 ” - when the sun goes down | arctic monkeys

➵ part one of the ‘when the sun goes down’ miniseries

words || 𝟝.𝟜𝕜

summary || in which the reader thinks he’s just a sweet guy, but is constantly reminded she lives in hawkins

a/n || eddie!! i’ve got brainrot for him; expect to see a bunch more of him for the next few days.

➵ first part (was meant to be one long fic, but i was nearing 7k and not yet done, so i broke it up so that i could at least get something out).

➵ not proof-read, sorry for any mistakes.

➵ send me requests if you have ‘em. enjoy!

continuation || part two

warnings || fluff/angst

➵ use of the word whore once

➵ violence and intention of harm

➵ discussion of ‘satanic’ & cult-like activities

the table was filled with the usual sprouts of gossip: who’s sleeping with who, who cheated on who, who asked who out - the like. it bored her, the flesh of her lip tucked tightly between her teeth in an attempt to brute-force her way through the mind-numbing conversations. she glanced at all of her friends, the green of their cheer outfits or their jerseys stark but monochrome. she felt herself tug on her own jacket a little, almost uncomfortable as to how well the shade also adorned her. it made her sigh - so quiet that, of course, no one around her noticed.

it was only a few more months until school was out, with college and new experiences just on the horizon. everyday, she seemed to become more and more restless for the imminent, finding herself increasingly pissed off at how utterly boring her life was. everyday was the same: waking up in her lightly decorated, feminine room, rushing downstairs to greet her somewhat conservative and equally boring parents a good morning, before being nudged into a friend’s car to get to school. then there was lunchtime gossip, hallway p.d.a., and cheer practice before she’d rush home - just to repeat it all over again.

she didn’t hate her life. she wasn’t exactly provided the short end of any straw. no, it wasn’t that at all. rather, she just wanted to see a change. she’d been willing to hold out until college: a fresh start in a new part of the states allowing her ample opportunity to reinvent herself. and - honestly - she really thought she could have waited it out. but, as she was quickly realizing, she needed a change now. 

–

her eyes had begun to wander from the conversation on her table, greedily scanning the cafeteria for anything even a lick more interesting. she was quick to find it in the table unofficially reserved for hawkins high’s hellfire club. she’d heard few details of the club’s goings ons, but that wasn’t really her focus today. no, today, she felt her lips tug into a smile as she saw the curly-haired brunet at the head of the table climb onto his haunches, straightening himself up so as to stand above everyone else in the cafeteria. he was saying something, it was obvious enough, but she couldn’t exactly hear it. it was making his friends laugh, and - his confidence boosted - he turned to her side of the cafeteria.

“-or, god forbid we forget the kings of hawkins!” his hands started a slow clap, “got so good at throwing big balls into laundry baskets that you think that you’re god!” his animation made it hard for her to suppress a smile, even if she knew he was directly insulting her friends. 

though, she was sure some minor part of her believed it just about as much as he did. 

protests and angry voices raised from around her, with jason carver quick to tell him to shut up. in feigned agreeance, he flipped him the bird - he flipped all of them off, actually. 

their exaggerated looks of disgust made one face stand out amongst the rest - her soft features hiding the hints of a laugh. he smiled at the discovery, knowing it was nice that at least one of those preps had a sense of humor. as quickly as he had stood up, he was back at his position: back as the leader of hellfire.

she could hear her friends scoff in annoyance, until one of them turned to her. 

“wanna explain what that was all about?” janet says it jokingly, but there’s a serious undertone in her voice.

“huh?” she turned to face the commenter, bewilderment plastered on her previously-smiling face.

“why is the freak checking you out?” her eyes found the cheeky-but-stern expressions on the people at the table.

“no, janet, you should be asking: why was she checking him out?” monica said it from the other end, leading to scattered playful remarks and agreeance. y/n’s quick to shake her head - so quick, in fact, she’d worried she got whiplash.

“what - what? i wasn’t… checking him out.” she says in a quiet voice, truly doing nothing to help her case. janet laughs a little.

“yeah, sure, hun.” her voice is dripping with sarcasm, so much of it that y/n can almost see it as a physical, tangible thing - some sort of poisonous, honey-like substance. the table is quick to ignore her once again, but their topic of conversation had also, of course, shifted.

“god, that guy is so weird.”

“yeah, and so is his little cult. i can’t believe the school allows it - they’re probably doing illegal stuff all the time.” one of the freshmans’ eyes went wide.

“illegal?” monica is quick to jump on the question, as if she’d been waiting years for someone to ask for her theories.

“yeah, god, it’s scary stuff. i’ve heard they do all sorts of shit: cult meetings, ritual prayers, devil-worship and-” her voice quietened to a whisper, “blood sacrifices-” before she could scare the younger kids any further, y/n felt her eyes roll.

“c’mon, you don’t actually believe that, do ya, mon?” monica went a little quiet - everyone did, until janet giggled a little.

“oh god, she’s in love with him!” she says it in a joking sing-song, but it makes y/n’s cheeks flush with heat.

“god, jan, no! i just think it’s stupid to buy into these dumb rumors.” everyone was throwing in their input, saying everything and nothing on the situation all at once. finally, everyone quietened, and she took a deep breath. she turned to the freshmen around her, quick to clarify herself.

“look, guys, the school is not run by idiots. if anything truly dangerous was happening in that club, they’d shut it down immediately. so don’t worry too much-” she spoke quietly, as monica did, “and don’t let monica get to you.”

“hey!” her friend gave her a playful glare and, suddenly, the table’s atmosphere was back to normal again. 

she stared at her plain toast, her stomach churning a little. it was 7:23 in the morning - she’d just checked - and she was panicking.

janet had called her about 10 minutes ago, saying that she was too ill to get to school. she’d wished her a speedy recovery, hoping her friend felt better soon, and it took her about 5 minutes to realize that this was somewhat disastrous for her. she relied on her friend for rides to school - something unfeasible any other way: her dad was at work with the car, her mom couldn’t drive, her friends weren’t picking up her calls or they also couldn’t drive, and school was, like, 5 miles away, making walking sound like the worst possible plan. she was half-tempted to speak up to her mom - who was sitting in front of her - and just grovel for a chance not to go in that day. 

as she opened her mouth to discuss the idea, the doorbell rung, her mom chipperly rising to go greet it.

“ooh! i hope it’s the mailman, sweetie, we just can’t wait for your letters to come in!” she’d been hounding her over the few acceptances she had gotten, but most of them were for smaller colleges she wasn’t really interested in. so, every morning, her mom would be ready and excited for the letter she would accept to come in.

instead of hearing a friendly greeting as the door swung open, her mother had paused, a small squeak escaping her. she’s about to go check if everything is okay, when she realizes everything is absolutely not.

“hi, ma’am, is - uh - is y/n home?” she could feel the blood drain from her cheeks, her eyes widening in shock at the familiar voice. she’s quick to stand alongside her mother, the distinct voice and appearance of eddie munson almost comical against her neighborhood suburbia. he smiles in recognition, offering a small wave to her confused countenance. her mother looks between the both of them, suspicion engrained in her face, before backing off, back to her bedroom.

“all yours,” she muttered, her humor still somewhat intact, as least. as soon as her mother had disappeared up the stairs, y/n whipped her head back to face him.

“munson?” it’s a little croaky, her surprise still choking her words.

“yeah, hi - uh, good morning? - anyways, you left this.” he held out a hair clip - yellow and studded with light crystals. considering the pricetag of the thing, she always assumed they always had some real value.

she gasped in shock, gingerly taking it off him as she thanked whatever god was out there. she’d been missing it for a few days, and she was dreading the impending conversation she would have to have with her father - the disappointment he might have had clouding her thoughts for the past few days. 

“thank you! oh, god, i was so worried i lost it, thank you so much!” she was about to give him a hug - a thank you, as she would with anyone else. but, then, she remembered who he was, who she was, and where they were, stopping herself quickly. instead, she tucked the clip into her hair, “uhm, where - where did you find it?” he smiles a little.

“uh, hellfire - funny enough.” she’s a little confused, until she recalled exactly how she had lost it. it’d been in the middle of an a.p. history class, the same room that hosted hellfire on thursdays, and she’d taken it off because she just had the most pounding headache, and knew the pull on her scalp was contributing - at least, somewhat. she’d left it on her desk and, evidently, forgotten about it, “yeah, it was sort of killing the mood of the campaign-”

“campaign?” she looks at him quizzically, and he laughs.

“yeah - uh, d.n.d.? not ringing any - any bells?” she shakes her head, no, and he waves his hand, “never mind, then.” he checked the time, before stuffing his hands a little awkwardly into his pockets, “thought i’d miss you actually - it’s a little late to make first period, right?” she checked her own watch, before realizing it was already 7:40. she sighed under her breath.

“well, my drive ditched me, so i guess i’ll make it for lunch?” she tries an attempt at humor, but she actually is dreading her morning. she goes to turn back into her house to grab her bag and say goodbye, when he speaks.

“oh - if you need a ride, well…” he gestured behind him, the beaten up van parked right in front of the driveway, still on the road a little. that image was definitely not comforting, but he was quick to add on, “and i bet i can get you there on time, too.” it seemed almost worrying, but, she realized, she didn’t really have time to care. 

“oh, you don’t mind?”

“well, we are going the same way.” she smiles a bit, a weight lifted off her shoulders.

“i’d love that, thanks.”

she’d been white-knuckling the seatbelt for the past two minutes, and they weren’t even out of the suburbs yet. she tried not to make her worry too obvious, failing miserably.

“hey, don’t worry, this van never gave me anything but a hard time with the ladies.” his joke makes her loosen her grip a bit, a smile replacing her grimace. as he proceeds to the main road, his tactics turn less erratic, allowing her some peace of mind. she takes in a deep breath, before seeing her clip glimmering in the side-view mirror.

“um - munson?”

“you can call me eddie, y’know. or, like, edward, if you’re a nun. or mrs. o’donnell.” she laughs, before correcting herself.

“‘lright, eddie. how’d you know this was mine?” he glances at the road around him for the first time in the whole journey, shifting up a bit in his seat.

“oh, i’ve - uh, i’ve just seen you wearing it.” she’s a bit shocked that he would remember something like that, and he’s quick to clarify, “y’know, in between all the green, the yellow’s a bit shocking.” his explanation was reasonable, but, for some reason, causes her heart to drop a little. 

“oh. and how’d you know where i lived?” she doesn’t mean it to come off as an interrogation, but she was genuinely curious. he averts his gaze from the road to glance at her for a second, and his voice is a little quiet, surprisingly serious for him.

“i’m not - like some kind of stalker, if that’s what you’re asking.” her eyes widen, before she shakes her head a little frantically. 

“no! no, i mean, i was just a bit curious, because we don’t talk much.”

“we don’t talk at all,” he corrects, “but a lot of your little cheer and basketball buddies like to have private meetings with - uh, with me.” her face must have betrayed her confusion, and he laughs at the expression, “yeah! you know how many people walk around the school halls high on, like, a daily basis?” it makes the colors of her cheeks drain a little, too shocked at the casual nature of his words.

although she disagreed on many things with her rather conservative parents: clothes, sex, music, social issues and politics, she agreed with them firmly in their worries about drugs and drug takers.

“really?” he looks almost shocked that she doesn’t know this, and a cheeky smile crosses his face. 

“i’d love to tell you more, sweetheart, but, y’know, confidentiality - and all that. besides, we’re here.” she feels the vehicle jolt to a stop as she turns to look outside, hoping that he wouldn’t see her reaction to the pet name. it was wholly unexpected, but she couldn’t help but feel her stomach turn in some sort of nervous excitement. he’s already out of the car, coming round to her side and opening the door.

he outstretches his arm, that same smile on his face, as he bows a little.

“madam!” he says it like some sort of butler, and it makes her laugh as she quickly exits the van.

“you didn’t have to do that, you know.” 

“no? i didn’t?” she knows it’s a joke, and is about to retort, when she hears the bell go. she checks her watch, it reading 7:55 precisely. he really had gotten her to first period on time.

“i have to run for my class but, uh, thanks. like, a lot, i’d barely be out of my cul-de-sac by now if i’d been walking.” his smile is genuine and - she finds herself thinking - honestly, really cute. he waves her a goodbye, a small goofy wave as she whisks off to find her class. 

their usual lunch table had been cut in about half - with quite a few down for the count because of some stomach bug. all the people left were those that she barely interacted with so she sat with monica on one end, keeping mostly to themselves.

“y/n?” the girl had been spacing out for the large majority of the day; it was a bit useless for her to have actually made it, considering she spent the whole time thinking of her morning’s saviour. nevertheless, she turns her head to see monica’s uneasy face.

“yeah? is everything okay?” 

“i - uh… you tell me, i guess.” upon noticing y/n’s quizzical expression, she rolls her eyes in a way that borderline between playful and exasperated, “you seriously haven’t noticed? look around - are you blind?” she laughs awkwardly, sure monica was making a mountain out of a molehill - as she had often done before. deciding to humor her, she scanned the cafeteria.

indeed, as she trailed her eyes along, she could see several quick eyes avert their gaze from her. there was 2, 3, 5, 8 people who all followed the pattern, and - probably - quite a few more that she’d missed. she felt her eyes drawn back to hellfire’s table, where eddie’s gaze actually met her. he gave her a half-smile, midway through a conversation with one of the other members. it was her turn to look away, turning back to monica.

“what? what the hell is going on?” she always hated the attention that being a well-known person granted her, especially when she was involved in some gossip or the other. but, for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why anyone was looking at her now.

“fine. playing dumb’s never a good look on you, but…” y/n felt a bit aghast at monica’s bluntness, her honest friend now just being rude, “you wanna tell me if you were in munson’s van this morning?” suddenly, everything clicked, and, before she could help it, her face betrayed her understanding. monica gasped in shock, inching a bit away from her, “oh my god, you were actually with him?” monica’s face fell, before turning into a look of disgust, “is that why you were later than usual? were you, like-” 

“ew, mon! no, i was not - i was not doing that.” y/n felt her hands bury into her face, before she groaned rather gutterally. this was definitely gossip that would just absolutely ruin her week, “he offered to give me a ride this morning cause jan bailed on me.” monica’s face did not shift much, but she did seem at least a little relieved that her friend was not fucking the freak. 

“what, you have him on speed dial? why was he giving you a ride?”

“he showed up at my place to return this,” she pointed at her clip, “he found it at school. i made a joke about walking to school and he offered me a ride. that was it. that was all.” monica’s face is stern, and y/n sighs, “look, it’s not that wild. he was just being nice.”

“no, y/n, that’s the thing. he’s not nice, he’s not sweet, and he’s not the type of guy to just give people rides.” monica looked over at hellfire’s table with disdain evident on her face.

“mon, we talked about this, it’s not like he’s in a cult-”

“that doesn’t matter. he’s a scumbag, probably a criminal, and a freak! i don’t care if it’s a cult or not, wearing clothes like that and liking that satanic stuff means that he isn’t right in the head.” she spoke passionately, and, for a minute, y/n second guessed the impression that he had made on her that morning. he was just so goddamn normal, that the mental image monica was painting - it was making her feel a bit ill, actually. 

“okay! okay, just - can we move on?” monica’s quiet for a moment.

“sorry, y/n. i - i just care about you alot. i don’t want you to get hurt, m’kay?” she spoke in an exaggerated accent to make her laugh, and it worked, the both of them reverting to any topic of conversation that wasn’t eddie munson. 

unfortunately, the judgemental looks followed her around her classes, they followed her around the hallways and they even caught up with her at home. her mother had obviously ratted out this morning’s encounter to her father, who was waiting upon her with an unavoidable look of disappointment on his face.

“y/n?” he was working when she got home, his hand gripped tighter than usual around his pen as he jotted down a rough draft of something. 

“hey, dad.” she avoided his gaze, trying her best to escape up the steps and into her room. however, as her foot rested on the first step, she was reeled back in. 

“come back here, i need to talk to you.” she tries not to sigh too loudly, but rolls her eyes as loudly as she can. she retraces her steps, trudging into the living room where she awaited whatever lecture he had planned. 

and god, was it a lecture. she was starting to feel a cramp in her left calf, and her bag - still on her shoulders, had been digging into her shoulders for quite a while now. nothing he said was new, either; his words a carbon copy of whatever monica had been telling her all morning. after an exhausting amount of “yes, dad”s and “i know, dad”s, with the occasional “i’m sorry”, he finally sighed deeply. 

“honey, you know i’m only telling you this because i love you, right?” she nodded silently, “if everyone thinks that munson boy is no good, there must be fair reason, right?” wrong, she thought, but nodded anyways, “so, i don’t want you to be at all involved with him. have i made myself clear?” he had, for the past half hour.

“yeah, dad.” he gives her a small smile, happy in the knowledge that he wouldn’t have to hear the name ‘eddie munson’ in the context of his daughter anymore. 

at least, he hoped so.

in an attempt to not add any fuel to an already raging fire, y/n meticulously avoided associating with eddie in any way, shape or form. she even went as far as to avoid some of the freshmen in hellfire, who she had spoken to often to help adjust to the high school, and dustin and mike’s confused faces at their brushed off greetings was starting to just make her sad.

she started trying to become more invested in those lunchtime conversations, her input still lackluster, but her eyes firmly glued onto whoever was telling a story. in all truth, she wasn’t really even looking at them, just trying very hard to not give the indication of just how much she wanted to look over at eddie. it was a bit pitiful, honestly, but she figured that it was just a phase, one that she absolutely could not entertain. 

so, she threw herself wholeheartedly to the persona she had to maintain - just for a few more months. monica, seeing this change, quickly took advantage it, making it her priority number one to invite the girl to the house party at one of the basketball players’ - y/n couldn’t remember who - houses that weekend. unfortunately, that included bringing it up in front of everyone, and monica’s best pleading expression: one that should have honestly been reserved for events much more important than this. 

“you’re gonna be at andy’s party, right?” oh, so that was his name. y/n looks at her in unease, as everyone at the table turned to look at her, host included. deciding to not keep them waiting, she plastered a smile on her face. 

“yeah, yeah, of course i’m coming.” there’s nods and laughs of agreement and excitement: she’d gained a bit of a reputation for prioritising school over parties, so her actually coming to one was a bit of a novelty in her friend group.

it took her less than two hours to see if she could fake illness to get out of her confirmation, truly dreading the impending party. she was mourning her care-free, solitary plans for that weekend as she zipped up her bag, ready to go home. as she shut her locker, she saw a solid chest adorned with green and white. looking up, a bit confused, she realized it was chance, one of the other guys on the team. he had a lopsided, almost shy smile on his face, and she grinned back politely.

“hey? is everything alright?” they barely ever spoke, but he seemed alright enough, and she was a bit confused as to why he was talking to her. 

“hey - yeah, no - everything’s fine.” he’s stumbling a bit, and it’s almost endearing, “i was - well, i was just wondering if you’re still planning to go to andy’s party?” no.

“yeah, yeah - i’m still planning on it.” she laughs a little, but it’s forced. she hopes he doesn’t notice. 

“well, then, i was thinking that - uh, maybe we could… i dunno, maybe we could go together?” she’s a little shocked - but only a little, because it’d been pretty obvious chance had been crushing on her for a little while now. she quickly replaces her agape mouth with a smile covering her tense jaw. she can just say no, right? yeah, of course she can, no hard feelings, she knows he’s not ugly, he could get any other girl to go with him-

“yeah, sure!” her voice is squeaky, but she’s sure he’s too relieved to notice. 

“oh, that’s great! i’ll pick you up around 7:30 then, is that alright?”

“okay, yeah, that sounds alright.” his smile widens, and y/n feels almost bad that she’s not nearly as excited for this as he is. 

friday night rolled around, and, surprisingly punctually, chance showed up just 2 minutes late. her outfit was casual - very casual - but that doesn’t stop him complimenting her repeatedly. it’s sweet, really sweet, actually, and y/n’s stomach’s began to churn. 

the party itself reminded her of exactly why she avoided these parties: the reeking of booze heavy in the air, the stuffiness, and the sheer stupidity that everyone in their drunken states were granted. she constantly finds herself having to practically swim through bodies. chance kept a hand - a conservative hand - at her hip, hoping not to lose her in the crowd. it was comforting - really comforting, and she found herself searching for that touch when it escaped her. 

as much as she appreciated his approach to this date - it was a date, right? - she found it was outweighed by her huge hate for the party’s athmosphere. she’s quick to pull him into a corner, voicing her concerns.

“i can’t stay here - i’m gonna go get some air!” she has to half-shout so he can hear her. he looks a little disappointed when he hears her, but he quickly replaces it with a sweet smile and reassuring squeeze. he even helped her to the front door, which she walked out of so quickly it seemed that she was running. she almost gulped in the crisp night air, feeling her pounding head and heart slowly calm down. 

she had every intention to return to the party after a few minutes but, upon seeing the crowd at the door, she thought that a short walk might allow her a little tranquility. the neighbourhood didn’t look dangerous, but she knew - in the recess of her head - that it was still a stupid idea. with the stories she’d been hearing across the news, she knew it was a little stupid of her - especially as a young woman - to be walking the streets alone. she rationalized it though: there’s not a chance that anything’s actually going to happen, right?

keeping with that mantra, she did actually enjoy some peaceful bliss. that was - at least - until she heard a car drive on the road along the sidewalk she was on. nothing out of the ordinary, until she realized it was slowing down as it neared her. she sucked in a breath, hoping it was just an odd coincidence. she clutched at her elbows tightly, wrapping into herself and walking as quietly as possible - hoping that there was some way that the driver would simply not notice her.

of course, that didn’t happen, with the vehicle coming to a janky stop right next to her. she squeezed her eyes shut, cursing her luck, before she heard a familiar voice. 

“y/n?” a head of brown curls peeked out of the driver side window and, all at once, she felt all the muscles in her body release that fight-or-flight tension. her heart hadn’t yet stopped racing, and she went up to him with a giddy smile on her face. 

“oh, god - eddie, thank god it’s just you.” he raises an eyebrow, but it’s playful.

“gotta say, it’s nice to hear a pretty girl say that instead of ‘munson, how’d you know where i live?’” he recalls their previous conversation with a laugh, and she smiles at him sheepishly, “hope i’m not interrupting your-” he checked his watch, “midnight walk.”

“no, no - of course not,” she paused, “well, technically, you are, but i don’t really want to be on this walk anymore anyways.”

“right…” he sighed a little, getting out of the van. she backs up a few steps confused as to what he’s doing. he goes over the other side - the passenger seat - and, for just a moment, her heart drops in fear. as quickly as it came, it disappeared, as eddie opened the door and gestured her to come, “c’mon, then. get in.”

“huh?” it was a little unladylike, but she was very confused - and the chill of the night was starting to bite at her fingers.

“i’ll drive you back to the party.” she raises her eyebrows.

“how’d you know about the party?”

“i was - how do i say - bringing the entertainment.” he had a wicked smile on his face, and it supplemented her understanding of the insinuation. this time, however, instead of a aghast look, she laughed, walking over to the other side. as he shut the door behind her and got into his own, he smiled at her, “maybe one day, you and i will have conversations not carried in this shitty van.” she wants to laugh at the joke, but feels a little guilty - he was right, she seemed to only be around him when she needed something - worse, needed a ride. it made her feel like she was buying far too much into this clique-superiority bullshit, and it made her shift uneasily in her seat. 

“oh, i - eddie, i’m sorry about all that. i know the - uh, the circumstances always tend to suck for us. i do like you - think you’re great! it’s just, y’know gossip and - and my friends. oh and, of course, my - my parents-”

“don’t worry ‘bout it, sweetheart,” there he went again, that name shutting out the ramble that she had started, “i get it.” he said it with a knowing tone, but it almost broke her heart: this was likely a common occurrence for him, and it turned her stomach in knowing of the shittiness of this town. 

she wondered how different it would all be, had he been someone else - had she been someone else. they come to a quick stop at the driveway of andy’s place, and he smiles at her - a smile too genuine to be directing at someone like her. she smiles back, not really looking him in the eyes, as she climbed out of the car and he sped away. she sort of watched his van get smaller and smaller, until she hears her name being called.

“y/n?” she whips around to find chase: his hairs a little messy, his breathing’s ragged and he’s got a terrifying rage in his eyes. he’s on her before she can even try back away, and she finds her arm hurting in his harsh grip, “where the fuck did you go?” her eyes flick from his eyes down to their arms, and she winces.

“i - i just needed some fresh air, i told you!” 

“i’ve-” he laughs, a humorless laugh, dragging his tongue on his teeth as he looks away from her, “i’ve been looking for you for twenty fucking minutes, just to see you climbing out of that freak’s car?” her eyes widen as she realizes exactly what this is about, and she feels her stomach churning - not nervous, no she was scared. 

“chance, i - chance, you’re hurting me!” her voice goes squeaky, as his grip seems to tighten even more, as if he were trying to make a point. 

“thought you’d be into this kinda shit, what, if you’re fucking someone like munson.” her jaw falls open, just as his grip on her releases, “you know what, i can’t fucking believe i actually wanted to take you out,” he shook his head, “i gave you the benefit of the doubt. but guess the rumors are true, you really are just a whore.” he dropped her arm with force, turning back into the party with a disgruntled stride. 

she sits at the lip of the party, just by the road, nursing her arm by her chest, and resisting the fall of tears from her eyes.

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Eddie Munson x Reader

Summary: On the way back from a party, Eddie can’t help but worry, when you suddenly disappear with some guy, who’s been a bit too flirty and touchy towards you all night.

Warnings: Drinking, a guy crossing the line, my English. NOT PROOF-READ

At the end of writing I was super tired, so it might sound a bit half-assed and my language skills are probably disastrous

Keep reading

i can’t carry it for you, but i can carry you (an eddie munson fix-it fic)

Pairing: Eddie Munson/Fem!Reader; Eddie Munson/You

Summary: Eddie tries to sacrifice himself and be the hero, but you’re not letting him go that easily.

Or

What if there was one more person on Eddie and Dustin’s team when they went into the Upside Down? What if they were able to get to him in time?

Rating: M(ature)

Warnings: Adult language, some descriptions of blood and violence. *** Some spoilers for the Season 4 Finale if you haven’t seen it.

A/N: Eddie Munson is the new loml. Seriously giggling and kicking my feet just thinking of him. I’m already thinking of writing a smutty ch 2 and another kas fic. anyway, hope you enjoy! <3

Ao3 Link: Here

Update: Links to the smutty sequel - Tumblr / Ao3

Keep reading

A Convergence of Cataclysmic Sorts (Netflix!Eskel x witch!reader)

A/N: This is the long awaited sort of 1st part to The Witcher and the Witch series where Eskel meets witch!reader! It’s not exactly how I wanted, but it’s something for now :) I wanted to post this part before I continued on with anything else so I hope you guys like it. As always I’ll link the other parts below. If you’re new to this, you can read this first, then go to the linked parts, or read the linked parts and then this. Whichever you want! 

Note: Also idk if I ever mentioned it, but the main timeline where every other story takes place is at the end of the year 1258 and into 1259. That doesn’t really matter but in case you were curious :)

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: death, blood, a bit of a gory moment, nothing outside of canon

Summary: The moment the witcher sets his eyes on you, he knows you’re bound to be trouble. 

To Any Semblance of Touch | Down a Chilling Hall, a Fire Grows (contains smut) | To Survive Is To Suffer | To Follow the Heat of the Flame | Sober Thoughts Spoken by Intoxicated Lips | What’s Lost Cannot Be Found, But Can Be Forged | Of Mornings Soft and Delightful | Mischievous Encounters in Unfortunate Places (contains smut)

Keep reading

How to spot signs and symptoms of Breast Cancer 

The Salt and the Sea

(Finnick Odair x bi!f!reader)

Synopsis: Born into a fishing family in district 8, you volunteer to take the place of the girl you love. Following your victory you quickly realize there is no winning the games, and that you must comply to protect those you love. You find tenuous friendship with fellow tributes, Enobaria, Johanna Mason and Finnick Odair as you adjust to the capitol and all its demands. When the Quarter Quell is called to fruition you, and the few friends you have left, plot to free the mockingjay and yourselves in the process, but freedom proves to be just as sinister as being caged. Especially while under the watchful eye of President Coin.

TW: Suicide Attempt (P1, C4), violence (murder, death of minors, general death, torture, war), Adult themes (mentions of sex (not depicted), non-con sex work, alcohol consumptions, drug use), Language

If you are not comfortable with any of the (canon) themes in the hunger games universe do not read this story as all themes are included.

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

Part 1 - Innocence

Synopsis: Volunteering in the place of one you love sets you down a treacherous path. With no friends, save for your district counterpart Azlon, trouble awaits you at every turn. With the countdown to your death imminent you have no time to think about morality. Not with your life on the line. As you enter the games only one thing is clear. You had to get back to her, no matter the cost.

TW: Death of Minors, suicide attempt, blood, violence, drowning, forced murder

The 68th Hunger Games. Tributes & Tribulations. With Friends Like These. The Ultimate Price.

Playlists: Chapter 1. Chapter 2. Chapter 3. Chapter 4.

Outfits

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

Part 2 - Compliance

Synopsis: Life in the Capitol proves more daunting than you ever could have ever imagined. With the safety of those you love at risk there is no room for error. You find friendships with Enobaria, Joanna, and Finnick, whose life seems to mirror yours most of all. When a Quarter Quell is called you all must decide what you are willing to risk for a chance at freedom.

TW: Death, murder, allusions/mentions of forced sex works (none depicted), mentions of suicide attempt, alcohol consumptions, violent themes, nudity, swearing

Innocence Lost. Gods & Monsters. Wistful Nostalgia. Violent Delights. Violent Ends.

Playlists: Chapter 5. Chapter 6. Chapter 7. Chapter 8. Chapter 9.

Outfits

Beautiful crime masterlist 

pairing: Finnick Odair x female reader

summary: Being painted as a bad person, as an enemy to the Capitol turned everyone against the once loved victor and while most people hated her, he loved her even when she fought her feelings for him.

part one / part two / part three / part four / part five / part six

Auto Mechanics Pose Dramatically to Recreate Renaissance Paintings

Photographer Freddy Fabris has paid homage to the great Renaissance master painters using his camera instead of a brush. This unique tribute—aptly called The Renaissance Series—fuses contemporary culture with the dramatic styling of the original portraits.

The Weeping Monk’s attire- a summary

Okay so I may have just spent two days studiously researching medieval clothing and comparing it to images of the Weeping Monk (thanks to farfarawaysite and danielsharmanews.com for those great hd images!!), trying to figure what exactly he’s wearing so I can accurately describe it in this very small scene in my Cursed wip in which Gawain has to take off some of his clothes in order to assess the man’s injuries after he passed out from pain. #noregrets

I found out some interesting things (at least this history nerd found it interesting) so here it all is under the cut. (It’s more interesting than it sounds, bare with me. This got looooong.)

I apologize that this is not at all remotely whump related but I’ve been talking about him a lot on this blog and it’s related to the whump fic I’m writing so…. yeah.

Under a cut for the length

Note: I am by no means an expert so I apologize if anything is incorrect

Keep reading

shadow and bone

Kaz Brekker

bloody hands (kaz brekker x reader)

congratulations (kaz brekker x reader)

cupid screwed up (kaz brekker x reader)

just like you (kaz brekker x platonic!reader)

you should see me in a crown (kaz brekker x reader)

i won't heistate (kaz brekker x reader)

holding out for a hero (kaz brekker x reader)

helping hand (kaz brekker x reader)

what do you want from me? (kaz brekker x reader)

i found (kaz brekker x reader)

moral of the story (kaz brekker x reader)

dark days (kaz brekker x reader)

snap out of it (kaz brekker x reader)

unsteady (kaz brekker x reader)

raise a cup (kaz brekker x reader)

rule the world (kaz brekker x reader)

beggin' (kaz brekker x reader)

Jesper Fahey

as the world caves in (jesper fahey x reader)

crashing down (jesper fahey x platonic!reader)

oops, i did it again (jesper fahey x reader)

i put a spell on you (jesper fahey x reader)

mission possible (jesper fahey x platonic!reader)

loving hand (jesper fahey x reader)

timing, people, timing (jesper fahey x reader)

stupid in love (jesper fahey x reader)

to climb (jesper fahey x reader)

Matthias Helvar

ask the saints (matthias helvar x reader)

by your side ( matthias helvar x reader)

rooftops (matthias helvar x reader)

Mal Oretsev

cursed (mal oretsev x reader)

our old friend, death (mal oretsev x reader)

masterlist

bridgerton

peaky blinders prt1 prt 2

shadow and bone

Dividers

Here you will find various dividers for fandoms, general ones like flowers and hearts etc.

Return to Masterlist

Alternate Universe

Is your story set in another world? a Coffee Shop!AU or are your characters part of the Medival!AU or the fantasy world of Mermaid!AUs? Check out the link above for all sorts of Alternate Universe related dividers!

Flora & Fauna

From Bumble Bees to sea shells to daisy chains to trees to stars. All plant, animal & nature based dividers can be found on the above link.

Events, Seasons & Weather

Autumn / Fall - 1 // 2

Birthday - 1 // 2 // 3

Christmas - 1 // 2

Halloween - 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // Animated

Hanukkah

Spring - 1 // 2 // 3

Summer - 1 // 2 // 3 // 4

Valentine’s Day - 1

Wedding

Winter

Fandom

Are you a Marvel or DC fan? Do you write fanfiction for Criminal Minds or just adore Chris Evans’ face? Well look no further cos here you’ll find all fandom related divders from Team Cap to zombies, there is all sorts here!

Masterlist

These dividers can help separate out the links for different sections of your masterlist. I have now created a template to provide a specific set in the theme requested which will automatically created alongside any additional words requested. These are the following:

Drabbles // Challenges // Headcanons // One Shots // Series

Minimalist

Gradient Line (Various Colours)

Line (Various Colours)

Swirls - Red / Purple / Orange / Black

Neutral Tones Line

Pastels - 1 // 2 // 3 // 4

Miscellaneous

90s

Angel / Cherub

Animated

Beach Trip - 1

Blue Diamond

Bondage & BDSM - 2

Gold Glitter

Goth

Dark Academia

Diner

Dragon

Fairy

Film Strip

Goth Aesthetic

Heart (Rainbow)

Hearts & Stars

Holding Hands

Ice Hockey

LGBT - 1 // 2

Magic

Movie Theatre / Cinema

Mythical Creatures - 1 // 2

Neon - 1 // 2 // 3

NSFW / 18+

Tribal

Office Supplies

Peach

Phoenix

Pink

Pink Marble

Playing Cards

Sex Toys

Silver Glitter

Smut

Streelights

Swords

Travel - 1 // 2 // 3

Unicorn

This could save lives so I thought I’d share!

it’s jeff! infinity comic #8

The night was dark

A creative writing exercise from school

Warning: Violence!

The night was dark and quiet. Faint voices and buzzing could be heard from one of the pubs that was still partly filled with patrons. The candle light shone out of the stained glass windows illuminating the old cobble stone road.

He avoided the circle of light, sneaking along the shadows of the houses on the other side of the street. Just then a door right in front of him opened up and a few girls came giggling out of the old two story house. As quick as he possibly could he sprang up the steps and into the darkness of another door frame.

No one could see him. He couldn't allow anyone to notice him. He had to be as stealthy as a black cat in the night or otherwise he'd fail. And he did not want to know what happened to him if that were the case.

Patiently he waited as the young women had dispersed. Then he silently slipped further down the street. Looking around, his trained eye couldn't find what he was looking for. He should've paid more attention. He had to find him. Scolding himself he carried on.

As he turned into one oft the narrow alleyways leading past the small and rundown backyards, he could faintly hear footsteps on the cobble stones in the distance. Maybe not all was lost after all. Hope filled his heart.

Reaching into the deep pocket of his wide, flowing coat he felt the familiar coldness of metal beneath his calloused fingertips. He rounded a corner and saw what he was looking for, the silhouette of a man in a long coat just like his, walking just a few paces in front of him.

Without hesitation he pulled his hand out of his pocket. The weight of the pistol in his hand was comforting as he raised it. Taking one last steady breath he aimed and slowly pulled the trigger.

dark days

Request by @peoniarose . Hi! I just saw your request celebration! Congratulations! You are an amazing writer! I especially love your Shadow and Bone stories. The Kaz one made me tear up 😭. For a request I was wondering if you could do prompt 3 for Kaz. Maybe a romantic pairing. If not platonic is fine! Once again congratulations 🎊🍾🎉🎈!!

A/N: I don't know how I feel about Kaz's characterisation in this... but I like this story a lot so oh, and thank you @intrxpide13 bc i totally borrowed jesper and wylan's daughter from you but you love me so Elizabeth its fine. Also, I desperately need to make some more Kaz gifs for my stories 😂

Summary: Mr and Mrs Rietveld, a locked vault and approximately ten minutes of air left. What could possibly go wrong?

"I'm slightly concerned for my life."

"I have fourteen knives on me, yet I can't help but agree."

"I could knock them both out?"

"Or I could poison their drinks so they're out for a good few days."

"You're all horrible."

Four sets of eyes turned to look at Matthias.

"Do you want to go and tell them to quit it, then?" Jesper asked, nodding over to the bar.

Matthias shrunk back into his seat. "Nope."

Inej looked over at the bar again. "One of them is going to kill the other before the evening is over."

"My bet is on Y/N," Wylan said, leaning around Jesper to grab the bottle of alcohol. "She looks murderous."

"So does Kaz," Nina reminded.

"Nah, Kaz always looks like that," Wylan corrected. "Y/N, however, does not."

"Shit, they're coming," Jesper hissed, slouching back down in his seat.

Silence fell over the table as a murderous looking Kaz and an even more murderous looking Y/N rejoined their group. Y/N pointedly moved away from Kaz, taking Matthias offered hand as she clambered over him to sit in between him and Nina.

Kaz glared at her as he sat down in the chair at the centre of the table, his cane still in his hands. "So, despite some retaliation from certain people," a pointed glare was sent at Y/N but she ignored it, "we're going ahead with the job tomorrow night."

Y/N scoffed but kept quiet.

"Hang on, I thought we'd decided not to do the heist since it was too risky?" Inej asked, frowning.

"We did. Which is why, only two of us will be going into the bank. The rest of us will wait outside and cause a distraction should anything go wrong," Kaz explained.

There was an uneasy silence at the table. Y/N kept her eyes lowered, not wanting to say anything. She knew the plan was stupid. Jesper knew, Wylan knew, Matthias knew - everyone except Kaz knew.

And all because it was related to Pekka Rollins. It was Pekka Rollins they were stealing from - it was Rollins' collection they were taking from.

For no reason other than because they could.

Y/N found herself speaking before she even realised it. "And because it's so risky, Kaz and I will be going in."

Six pairs of eyes turned to stare at her. All had a mix of emotions ranging from concern to murder. The latter belonging to Kaz.

"No offence, Y/N, Kaz," Jesper said, leaning forward. "But how exactly are you getting inside the bank and then to the 'vault' we've got?"

Kaz knew he was going to regret this decision.

He still did it anyway.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Merchlings and Heartrenders, meet Mr and Mrs Rietveld."

The bank was one of the most beautiful buildings in Ketterdam. It was made from white stone with all marble floors and pillars - it was a work of art.

Each countertop was trimmed with gold and the black and white checkerboard floor had the bank insignia set into the middle using coloured marble.

Y/N and Kaz strolled into the bank, dressed in the high-end fashions of the Merchants and the wealthy. Kaz had kept his cane since it fitted in with the general aesthetic they were aiming for but Y/N had had to leave her knives and revolvers behind in the care of Inej and Jesper.

Y/N shifted her arm through Kaz's a bit and he flinched slightly but she didn't notice, far too engrossed in looking at the chandelier hanging over the teller's desk.

"Saints," Y/N whispered, staring at the glass, diamond and gold monstrosity. "One day, I want to have a chandelier like that."

"They're a nightmare to dust," Kaz muttered.

"Like you would know."

The head of the bank beamed at them as they approached his desk. "Ah, hello! How may I help you this fine evening?"

"Good evening, sir!" Kaz said, raising his voice and forcing a smile to his face. Y/N almost shuddered it looked so unnatural. "My wife and I would like to pop into our vault - it's our nieces birthday soon and we're looking for a family heirloom to hand down to her."

Y/N tried not to show her confusion or surprise. at the false story. Kaz often came up with the most random stories during heists but this was a first.

"Of course! What's the vault number and name?"

"Rietveld. And the vault is 230421."

The teller pursued his lips as he flicked through the books. "Ah, here you are!" He opened a drawer and handed a key to Kaz. "I'll have Margot here walk you down. Feel free to make your own way back up once you're done, the dropbox for the keys is by the door."

A young woman with her black hair neatly tied back in a bun stepped forward and smiled. "If you'll follow me, Mr and Mrs Rietveld."

Y/N was never going to get used to that.

Margot led them down a corridor lit by small clam-shaped lights hanging on the walls and to a sweeping marble staircase that led down to the vaults.

"Fourth row on the left, second door in as you walk into the red hall," she explained.

"Thank you," Y/N said, beaming at her gratefully. As soon as Margot left, however, her smile fell. "Niece?! Who's daughter is our niece?!"

"Jesper and Wylan's naturally," Kaz replied, walking down the rest of the stairs.

Y/N picked up the hem of her dark burgundy dress, chasing after him. "What makes you think they'd choose a daughter?"

"The fact that Jesper was workshopping names with Nina two nights ago - the top name, by the way, being Charlotte."

Y/N rolled her eyes. "Naturally." She sighed. "Kaz, I still don't think this is a good idea."

"Yes, I know your opinion on this job," Kaz said, barely even glancing at her.

"And do you think if I keep sighing dramatically, I'll make my point?"

"Nope."

"Fair enough."

After walking down the wrong row, getting lost twice and almost being knocked out by yet another chandelier - Y/N was grateful Kaz hadn't been right behind her when she'd stepped back suddenly - they found the vault.

"After you, wife," Kaz drawled, waving to the vault.

Y/N rolled her eyes but walked inside it, her eyes widening almost instantly.

"Saints above," she breathed.

Kaz smirked from behind her. "I know."

Almost every inch of the vault had something either on it or clearly labelled as being inside it.

"Who's vault is this?" Y/N asked, walking further inside, a hand trailing across the edge of a framed DeKappel leaning against the wall.

"It's a generic one, really. Anything we get from heists comes in here until we either sell it or use it for something else," Kaz explained. He walked up to a drawer and pulled out a little key, unlocking it.

"What's in there?"

"The key to Pekka's vault."

"Hang on I thought the thing we were stealing was in this vault," Y/N said, frowning.

"I never said that."

"Kaz, if we get caught -"

"Well, then, we won't get caught, will we?" Kaz snapped, whirling to face her.

Y/N was taken aback by the fire and sheer determination in his eyes that she took a small step back. Kaz closed his eyes and his shoulders slumped.

"We'll be in and out," he said, quieter this time. "I promise."

Y/N nodded. "Fine."

They left their vault and quietly walked down the rows upon rows of other secure vaults, searching for the number engraved on the key in Kaz's gloved hands.

"Why does Pekka Rollins get to you so much?"

Kaz's cane slowed slightly. "He's a horrible person."

"Yes, and so is literally everyone else in Ketterdam, Kaz, that's not a reason. And besides, you're not usually a fight the evil type of person."

Kaz let out an imperceptible sigh. "He took something from me in my first few weeks in Ketterdam. Something very precious to me and... and ever since I've been seeking revenge."

"So, all of this is about revenge?"

"If you want to look at it that way, yes."

"What other way is there to look at it?" Y/N asked, turning to face him.

Kaz stilled. "Well, I suppose the other way to look at it is that I'm just trying really hard to piss him off."

Y/N giggled. And then breathed in and burst out laughing. Kaz stared at her, his lips trying to convince him to smile, his heart pounding in his head. Saints, if he could he would live off her laughter and nothing else.

"Saints, sometimes I forget that, really, we're just children," Y/N said, wiping the corner of her eyes. "Pissing people off works wonders for revenge and pain, by the way. I would know.

Kaz didn't miss the way her eyes twinkled as she paused. He knew exactly what she was referring to. He'd helped her burn down the pleasure house she'd been indebted to - the two of them laughing maniacally as the fire licked up the perfume and memories.

No one had been inside, of course. They may be criminals but they weren't psychopaths.

Kaz smirked. He nodded to the door next to Y/N. "That's the vault."

Once Kaz had unlocked the door it took both of them to actually open it. The door was heavy and thick - probably one of the most protected vaults in the entire building.

"Ok, I was going to ask why we didn't just pick the lock, but now I understand," Y/N said, panting. She braced her hands on her legs and exhaled. "Bloody hell."

"Welcome to the world of locked rooms," Kaz muttered.

Pekka's vault was far more organised than the one belonging to the Dregs. Everything was clearly labelled and had a home.

Which, coincidentally, also made it incredibly easy to steal from.

Kaz was like a magpie when it spots something shiny - he limped forward with such vigour he barely used his cane. He opened a drawer and pulled out an ornate dagger with an emerald handle and two dragons wrapped around the blade.

"Oh, that's beautiful," Y/N said, unable to contain her awe at the blade. She felt heat rise to her cheeks. "Sorry."

"No, I agree," Kaz said, cradling the dagger gently in his hands. He turned around and offered it to Y/N. At her blank stare he said, "your dress does possess pockets, does it not? A rare feat I know."

Y/N rolled her eyes but slotted the dagger into a pocket within the pleats of her skirt. "So, is that it? Can we -"

A loud thud came from outside the vault. Both Kaz and Y/N stilled, slowly turning to see what it was. Neither one of them moved as another thud came followed by whispered voices.

Then the vault door began to close.

Y/N ran up to it and tried to push against it but the automatic locking mechanism kicked in and she was pushed back into the vault. The door slammed shut and hissed as it locked into place. She slammed her hand against the metal and swore loudly.

Kaz silently approached the door and pressed a gloved hand to the lock, running his thumb over it, his eyes scanning the lock closely.

"Please tell me you have a 'we got locked in the vault' plan," Y/N pleaded, panic beginning to set in.

"I do."

"And?"

"Well, I try to pick the lock," Kaz explained, kneeling down in front of it.

"I thought you couldn't!"

"I never said I couldn't, Y/N. See, in a world full of locks and secrets, anyone with the key is king." Kaz turned to face her, his eyes dark and full of malice, full of wanting, full of desire and revenge. "And honey, you should see me in a crown."

For the next few minutes, Y/N sat on the floor and watched Kaz rhythmically fiddle with the lock, his fingers like a spiders legs as it weaved its web.

As the fourth minute of being trapped rolled around, Y/N began to feel short of breath. She looked over at Kaz and could see beads of sweat begin to roll down his forehead and realised that she too was sweating. Y/N shrugged out of her overcoat and dumped it on the floor, pushing the sleeves of her dress up to her elbows.

"The air is running out, isn't it," Y/N said softly, her words slow as she struggled to speak.

Kaz nodded. "The vault door seals off everything. Usually, there is an oxygen supply but -"

"Whoever locked us in here shut it off too," Y/N finished, closing her eyes.

"Yeah."

Kaz sounded defeated. Broken. Y/N opened her eyes and gone was the Bastard of Barrel. Instead was the young boy Kaz actually was.

"How long?"

"Don't know. Less talking means longer."

Y/N nodded. She was growing tired quickly and breathing was getting difficult. There was a metallic ting as Kaz dropped his lockpicks, the metal bouncing on the floor. He hung his head and slumped forward, resting it against the door.

After a moment, Kaz stood up and slowly limped over to sit opposite Y/N, extending his bad leg out in front of him.

"Do you have any regrets?" Y/N asked softly, her eyes closed once more.

"I've lived with regret all my life, Y/N. I'll probably die with regret too," Kaz muttered, pulling the collar of his shirt away from his neck. He leant forward and pulled his arms out of his suit jacket. He sat back and methodically rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. "You?"

"I regret ever meeting you."

A breathless bark of laughter.

Y/N smiled. She exhaled deeply, feeling her head begin to get dizzy. Her limbs were heavy and uncoordinated and she suspected that out of the two of them, she would be the first to succumb to the darkness.

"Talk to me, Y/N," Kaz said, tapping her bent knee with his foot.

"Talking bad," Y/N panted, forcing her heavy eyes to open. Kaz was staring at her and for once, his eyes were a storm of concern, worry, despair and acceptance.

"Why were you so against this?"

"It felt unnecessary," Y/N replied, letting her head fall back against the wall. "You do everything for a reason."

"That dagger is worth 5 thousand kruge."

"I know. But you aren't selling it," Y/N said. "It's going on your shelf. This was personal. And personal means blindness hence," she waved a hand around before letting it fall to the floor with a weighty thud.

"Everything is personal with Pekka Rollins," Kaz muttered.

"Why?"

Kaz paused. "I told you why."

"Kaz, we're dying," Y/N said, her words beginning to come in breathless gasps. It pained Kaz to hear and to see how clammy and pale she was becoming. "We are dying so, there's no point... no point in lying." Y/N coughed and then fell back against the wall again.

Kaz looked down at his gloved hands, contemplating his life and choices. He glanced up at Y/N again and a bolt of fire hit his heart as he watched her head loll to the side. Kaz swallowed thickly as he moved to his knees and crawled over to her, coming to sit on her right.

He raised a black hand and lightly tapped Y/N's cheek, almost recoiling as Jordie flashed through his mind.

"I'm awake," Y/N mumbled, her eyes blearily opening.

Kaz gently pushed her head up, grabbing her chin as softly as he could and making her look at him. "Stay with me, ok? Just a bit longer, Y/N."

"I'm tired of this, Kaz," Y/N whispered. "So tired."

Kaz didn't know if she meant him or just life in general. He felt the ocean begin to drown him again but he pushed on, taking her hand in his. His gloved fingers wrapped around her bare ones and Y/N jumped slightly.

"Pekka Rollins took something from me," Kaz said quietly, unsure of where to even begin his tragic tale. "I was twelve when I first arrived in Ketterdam with... with my brother."

"Didn't know you had a brother," Y/N mumbled tiredly, her eyes closed once more.

Kaz was struggling to breathe, every syllable aching on his lungs. "He was older than me and was my whole world. And Pekka took him from me."

"How?"

"Scammed us. Both of us." Kaz paused. "Then the Queen's Lady Plague hit and we both caught it. He died I survived."

Y/N was wheezing, struggling to breathe at all. Her body was growing limper and she was beginning to slump against Kaz.

Kaz shifted, lifting his left arm up to wrap around her shoulders. With every movement, he thought he might drown underneath the waves, underneath Jordie's rotten corpse. But he kept going. Because his time was limited and he wasn't about to let his trauma ruin his last moments with Y/N. Kaz pulled Y/N against him and she slumped against his chest. He could feel how slow her heartbeat was and knew time was running out.

Death was finally catching up to them.

"Except no one knew I was alive," Kaz continued, a hand on Y/N's wrist, measuring her ever weaker pulse. "So, I was thrown on the Reaper's Barge with my dead brother and countless others."

Y/N moaned softly, her head lolling against him. Kaz looked down and tightened his grip around her even as he felt his own breath leave him, his own heart slowing.

"I survived, though. I used my brother's corpse to get to shore and from there..." Kaz chuckled dryly, regretting the action as he coughed violently for a moment. "Well, look at me now."

"I'm sorry..." Y/N whispered, her voice so soft and quiet Kaz almost missed it. "About... your brother."

"He was an idiot." Kaz said the words with so much venom it actually surprised him. "Y/N, listen... I want you to know something."

A soft noise of what might have been yes escaped Y/N's lips. Her eyes were closed and she was so close to just slipping off the edge it was scaring him. Kaz had always seen himself dying alone at a young age. Dying before anyone else because he couldn't see himself living until he was old. He couldn't see himself outliving anyone else.

Yet here he was, Y/N in his arms, watching her die before him. Even if it was just seconds or minutes - he'd still be alone with her dead body for however long it took for death to find him.

Kaz had never seen himself falling in love. He'd lost too much to love to make the same mistake again. But then Jesper had arrived. And then Inej. And then Y/N. And he suddenly had three friends who cared for him. His crows.

"I never thought I could love again," Kaz said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. It was a confession to the Saints Inej believed in, in futile hope they'd accept him with open arms. Y/N shifted in his arms as she went limper, more energy leaving her as the air ran out.

Kaz knew it was far too late for any sort of forgiveness. He'd killed so many, shed so much blood on the streets of Ketterdam that he was long gone. Y/N too. She too had suffered and lost things. She'd been broken by men and slavers and used and abused by those hungry for a side piece.

Somehow, though, she kept smiling. Somehow, she was still kind and loving. She was everything Kaz wasn't. But they were both broken and broken things attracted each other. And broke each other as well as fixing each other.

"I never thought I would love anyone," Kaz repeated, quieter now as his air ran out. "Not after Jordie and... and my Da. Yet here you are. My own Saint from above."

Y/N said nothing. Kaz looked down and realised that at some point whilst he'd been in his own mind, she'd passed out and stopped breathing. He wanted to be sad. He wanted to grieve and cry and try to save her.

But he was just so tired.

Kaz brushed a piece of hair out of Y/N's still warm face and sighed to himself. His eyes began to close and Kaz felt a smile on his face as he stared at nothing.

"Hello, Jordie," he whispered as his eyes shut. "I forgive you."

Kaz finally felt at peace. But then there was noise and too many shadows around and him and too many hands and the water splashed over him and then he bolted upright, his eyes wild and wide-open as he fought off whoever it was.

"Saints, Kaz, it's us!" Jesper yelled, catching Kaz's balled-up fist just before it landed a decent punch to his face. "Kaz, it's Jesper, calm down."

"Let go of my hand," Kaz grounded out, still confused and, honestly, scared.

"Are you going to punch me?"

"At some point, yes, but not right now," Kaz muttered.

Jesper dropped his hand from Kaz's and Kaz instantly retreated into himself, pushing himself away. And then it hit him.

"Y/N..."

Jesper's face fell. He nodded to the side and Kaz's eyes followed his gaze.

Y/N was lying on the floor, her hair spread around her like a Saint's halo, as Nina and Matthias surrounded her, trying to resuscitate her. Matthias pinched Y/N's nose and brought his lips to her blue tinged ones, breathing air into her still lungs.

"She wasn't breathing when we... we got in," Jesper said quietly. Kaz didn't miss the slight break in the man's voice as he spoke.

Kaz didn't say anything. He just watched as Nina brought her hands together and down to Y/N's chest, sending her power through her veins.

"Where's Inej and Wylan?" Kaz asked, his eyes locked on Y/N's body as it rocked slightly from Nina's constant attempts to restart her heart.

"Dealing with the Razourgulls," Jesper replied. "They were -"

"I guessed it was them," Kaz said quietly.

Once again, Pekka Rollins had blinded him. Once again, he was going to lose the person he loved to Pekka Rollins. Once again, Kaz had made a stupid, stupid mistake.

Kaz wanted to tell Nina and Matthias to give up and let Y/N go in peace. He wanted to tell them to just leave her alone and to stop forcing air into her lungs and to stop forcing her heart to beat again.

Because she looked so peaceful lying there. And Kaz knew that peace was rare in a life so broken and so filled with heartache, pain and grief.

"Jes, tell them to stop," Kaz said, his voice cracking slightly.

Jesper frowned at him. "Why?"

"Because..." Kaz inhaled sharply as the words got caught in his throat. "Because she's suffered enough. Let her go."

Kaz could see the conflict in Jesper's eyes. He didn't want Y/N to be dead. But there was no point in forcing her to keep living when she was finally at peace.

Kaz only hoped that when his time finally came, he too would find peace. What shape it would come in, he didn't know. But he hoped he'd find it. And if he did, he hoped Y/N would be there too.

Jesper looked at Kaz. And then he nodded. "Nina, stop," Jesper said quietly.

"No, I can do this, I'm not letting her die," Nina said firmly, shaking her head.

"Nina," Jesper said again. "Let her go."

"No."

"Nina, please, let her be at peace," Jesper said softly, crouching down behind her. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Let her go home, Nina. Let her finally rest."

Nina sobbed and fell back into Jesper, her shoulders shaking as she cried. Jesper wrapped his arms around her, cradling her and shielding her from Y/N's body as all four of them sat in the heavy silence.

Kaz's eyes were locked onto Y/N's body. Even as Matthias moved her hands to rest on her stomach, he stared. He couldn't get over how peaceful she looked. How, finally, she was free of her ghosts.

Kaz shook his head and blinked because he could swear he was seeing things. Because he thought he'd seen Y/N's chest rise. He rubbed his eyes and looked again as Y/N coughed violently, rolling onto her side as she struggled to catch her breath.

Nina's sobs turned into tears of joy as she looked at Y/N, seeing her alive and breathing and making more noise than she had in the last ten minutes. Matthias held Y/N up, rubbing her back as she greedily gulped down the fresh air, clutching Matthias' arm tightly as she braced herself.

Kaz sighed, almost collapsing to the floor with relief.

For a moment there was just silence.

"Nina, I'm pretty sure Matthias has now kissed me more than you," Y/N croaked.

Nina, despite her tears and terror, leant forward and whacked Y/N's arm. And then bundled her to the floor in the tightest hug Y/N had ever had.

Kaz hovered outside Y/N's bedroom door. He knocked once, not allowing himself a second to hesitate. Silence greeted him. Frowning, Kaz opened the door and peered inside.

Y/N's bed was still made - only slightly crumpled from where Matthias had laid her last night after they'd escaped the bank. It was obvious she hadn't slept that night.

Neither had Kaz, in all fairness.

Kaz trudged down the stairs to the main room of the Slat, his eyes scanning the dark room for any sign of her.

"She's in the kitchen," Wylan said sleepily as he shuffled past, a cup of tea in his hands. "Stress baking," he added, raising an eyebrow at Kaz.

Kaz said nothing. He nodded his thanks to Wylan and headed down the corridor to the kitchen. He was greeted by the smell of fresh cookies and his stomach growled in response.

Y/N was humming to herself as she slid the fresh cookies off the tray and onto a plate, picking off the crumbs as she set the tray back in the oven.

"Want one?"

Kaz resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, she knew he was there.

"Have you slept?"

"Have you?"

The tone and the quick response told Kaz everything he needed to know about Y/N's state of mind. Whilst she was usually quick at her comebacks and witty comments, she was never harsh with them. But now, there was something to her words that worried Kaz.

"Wylan said you're stress baking."

He was stating the obvious but he wasn't entirely sure what else to say.

Y/N said nothing. She'd boiled the kettle again and now took it off the stove and poured the water into two cups. "I'm not ok."

Kaz nodded. He inhaled deeply. "Neither am I."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Me neither."

"I do have one question, however," Y/N continued, turning around to face him.

Kaz looked at her, taking in the bags under her eyes and the way her posture was drooping. "What?"

"I don't... I don't remember a lot of what we said to each other last night," she said softly, her voice cracking a bit. "A lot of it is fuzzy but... I remember you mentioned your brother."

Kaz braced himself. He was regretting mentioning his brother and Pekka. Ideally, he just wanted to forget the night had ever happened.

"What was his name?"

Y/N's question stunned him into silence. Of all the possibilities that had run through his head, that question had not been one of them. But then again, he should've realised that Y/N wouldn't pry unless he was ready. It was just the two of them in the kitchen in the late afternoon silence. Y/N looked exhausted and perhaps a bit more broken than she had been the day before but as Kaz stared at her, she gave him a reassuring smile and nod.

When the ocean began to drag him down to the darkness, Y/N's anchor managed to pull him back up and keep him grounded. Keep him bobbing along a bit longer.

So, he looked her in the eye and said: "Jordie. His name was Jordie."

rule the world

A/N: This fic was written for my beautiful friend, Olive's (@lxncelot) , writing challenge! After much deliberation and procrastination whereby I spent an hour listening to the songs on her song prompt list, I finally decided upon some prompts... And ended up writing three entirely different fics for them. This is 1 out of 3...

Prompts (all from Olive's dialogue and song prompt list) : 5) “I knew it would end, just… not like this.” | 6) “Tell me about the stars.” | 9) “There’s no turning back, now. | 19“)I want you to be happy. Whatever that means.” | 35) “I don’t want to talk about it.” / “No one ever does, but we do it anyway.” | everybody wants to rule the world — tears for fears

Fic 1 | Fic 2 | Fic 3

Y/N was lying on a stone. She could feel it digging into her forearm and it was beginning to hurt. But she didn't dare move. Not when Kaz was lying on his stomach, not even a foot away. They were so close that if Y/N shifted to the right to remove the stone, she'd brush against his shoulder and ruin the comfortable silence they'd fallen into.

It was all Jesper's fault. In all fairness, a lot of things were Jesper's fault, but the fact that Y/N was spending the next five hours on a stakeout with Kaz and not Inej was definitely Jesper's fault.

'Let's pick names out of a hat', Jesper had said cheerfully, brandishing his hat.

Of course, Y/N had picked Kaz. Kaz hadn't looked too thrilled at the prospect but they'd fallen into a quiet rhythm that meant lying in silence, a pair of binoculars in between them.

"You're a better stakeout partner than Jesper."

Y/N jumped at Kaz's rough voice breaking the silence. "Eh? Why?"

"Why do you think," Kaz drawled, raising his eyebrow as he turned to look at Y/N. "He talks far too much, can't keep still for longer than two minutes and never seems to pay any attention to the target." Kaz turned back to face the front. "You can move that stone, you know."

Y/N cursed silently, leaning to the right, her shoulder brushing the fabric of Kaz'd coat as she flicked the stone out from under her arm.

"Better?"

"Shut up, Kaz."

Kaz's lips quirked up into a smile for a moment. He reached over and picked up the binoculars again, looking through them. "Now, why is Petrov pacing up and down in front of his gates at this time of night?"

"Waiting for someone?"

"That was rhetorical, Y/N, darling."

"Of course it was," Y/N muttered, sighing. She rested her chin against her crossed arms, barely able to see anything through the dark of night - not to mention the giant green bush in front of her.

"Oh, hello." Kaz shuffled forward, his foot tapping Y/N's to get her attention. "We have movement."

Y/N leant closer to Kaz, looking around the bush. "That's an expensive-looking carriage."

"It is indeed," Kaz replied, handing the binoculars to Y/N.

Y/N took them, her fingers brushing against his gloved ones for a moment. "Oh, Saints, that's Madame Orlova."

"I suspected as much," Kaz said, his tone dark. "I noticed the lotus embossed on the side of the carriage.

Y/N watched as Madame Orlova stepped out of the carriage, her dark blue cloak swishing around her as she turned back to look at the occupants of the carriage.

Two girls, only a few years younger than Inej and Y/N, stepped out, wearing pink and white silks, their hair piled on top of their heads with a lotus pin sticking out the top. it didn't take a genius to work out why they were there.

"Kaz, please tell me we're not just going to sit here whilst this happens."

Kaz was silent for a moment. Y/N turned and looked at him, taking stock of his scheming face - eyebrows pulled together, eyes narrowed slightly.

"There are four men guarding the house - the rest of the staff have the night off. Including Petrov, Madame Orlova and the two girls, that's eight people. The guards should be easy enough - take the first two down at the door, the second two down as they guard the bedroom. Madame Orlova... she'll be trickier but one good knock to the head and she's out."

"Petrov? He was a prizefighter."

Kaz turned to look at her, his eyes dark. "How many bullets do you have?"

"Enough."

"One good shot to the head. That's all he needs."

"I thought we needed him for information?"

"No, no, no. That's what Inej and Jesper are doing. I just wanted to see if Petrov was as disgusting as the streets were saying he is," Kaz replied, shrugging. "There isn't actually much point to us sitting here other than to make sure Petrov didn't leave for his warehouse."

Y/N sighed, dropping her head. "I hate it when you do that."

"Everyone does, I'm used to it," Kaz said, smirking. He pushed himself to his knees, wincing slightly. "Now, come along, darling Y/N, I do believe there's a Madame you'd like to fight."

The first two guards had been easy to take down. All it took was for Kaz and Y/N to sneak up behind them, whack them around the head with their respective weapons, and then step over their unconscious bodies.

They'd moved with surprising efficiency - perfectly in sync with one another. It was almost creepy.

"Promise me you won't go in guns blazing when we get to Petrov and Orlova," Kaz said quietly as they walked across the carpeted floor to the back of the house.

"I make no promises, Kaz."

Kaz snatched up Y/N's wrist. He seemed to register what he'd done and quickly let go as if he'd been burnt. "Y/N. You have to trust me - wait until I tell you to move, not before."

Y/N frowned, staring at Kaz. "Do I detect a bit of fondness, Mr Brekker?"

Kaz rolled his eyes. "No. I don't want you ruining my plan."

"Of course you don't, Boss," Y/N muttered, letting out a hefty sigh.

The next two guards stood outside the door to Petrov's private quarters and were just as easily taken down as the first two. Y/N didn't wait for Kaz as she marched down the carpeted hallway, dim and dark since most of the lights were off save a few walls sconces.

Petrov's private quarters were big. But it didn't take long to find the 'room'. Every man like Petrov had a room - Y/N had been in enough of them to know what to look for and how to find it.

Kaz caught up to Y/N and blocked her way with his cane, smacking her in the stomach. "Slow. Down."

Y/N let out an irritable sigh but forced herself to take a deep breath in and calm down. She had to trust Kaz. She had to trust that Kaz knew what he was doing. Which, nine times out of ten, he did. Even if his plans went from B to K faster than Jesper gambled his monthly wage.

The door was locked but Kaz made quick work of the lock, opening it in probably less time than it took to lock it. As it swung open, Y/N was assaulted by incense and felt herself freeze, her mind far back in the past.

But then she got saught of the two terrified girls, sitting on the bed, dressed in sheer silks and golden jewellery. Y/N brushed past Kaz and cautiously approached them, shoving her revolver back into its holster.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Y/N said quietly, crouching in front of them. She unbuttoned the cuff of her shirt and pushed it up, showing off the lotus tattoo that was still engraved into her skin. "I was like you. I'm going to get you out."

"Y/N -"

Y/N turned to look at Kaz over her shoulder, her eyes fierce with determination. "We're getting them out, Kaz."

"You know they will likely bed dead before the week is out."

"Better to die free than to die in chains."

Kaz gave her an almost imperceptible nod, the muscles in his jaw clenched tightly. "Fine."

Y/N pulled out a knife and slice through the fabric tying the girls hands to the bedpost. "Come on, before anyone comes this way."

Kaz stood aside as Y/N lead the girls out the room and into the dim light of the corridor. He followed behind, locking the door so that no one would notice the girls were missing.

"Well, Madame Orlova, you have truly outdone yourself this time."

Y/N and Kaz froze. They could hear Petrov's voice getting closer, the clicking of Orlova's heels like the sound of a bomb waiting to go off.

"Get them out of here," Y/N said, pulling out her knife and twirling it between her fingers.

"Y/N, don't be stupid," Kaz said, standing in front of her, blocking her path. "We don't need to kill them now, we can just go."

She looked at him, meeting his gaze. "Get them to the gates then come back. I'll be fine in the five minutes it takes you."

"We should just leave now, we got what we need," Kaz said, showing off a sealed envelope he must have stolen from the room whilst Y/N freed the girls. "There's no point in fighting Petrov or Orlova - no matter how much they deserve death."

"Do you trust me?"

"No."

Y/N smirked. "Wise."

She didn't wait for Kaz to answer her back as she walked away from him, ducking to the left and into another part of the house. Kaz tried to grab her wrist, to pull her back to him but his fingers brushed her sleeve as she walked away - just out of reach.

The entire house was dark as Y/N walked along the corridors, her footsteps quiet even as the carpet changed to wood. Petrov and Orlova had split up - Petrov had gone to his office at the other end of the house, locking himself away with a bottle of alcohol, presumably to prepare for his evening's entertainment.

Madame Orlova, with nothing left to do but wait, was just wandering the halls, her dark blue cloak still wrapped around her shoulders, the chiffon silk rustling with every step.

The greenhouse was lit up by a few, tiny lanterns dotted around the flower beds. Y/N would have thought it beautiful if it didn't remind her of the Lotus. The pond in the centre of the large, glass room had numerous lotuses floating around, koi fish swimming around underneath them.

Madame Orlova paused, sensing Y/N's presence. "I wondered when you would come back."

Y/N took a slow step forward, the hilt of her knife digging into her palm, reminding her that she was in control of what was happening.

Orlova turned around and smiled. Her black hair was tied up into a tight bun, blue lotuses pinned into it. Her eyes were soft as she looked at Y/N. "My darling, Y/N. You made your way back to me."

"Don't," Y/N snapped, taking a small step back. "Don't. You ruined my life."

"I saved you!"

"No, you didn't! You took me from my family and murdered them! You didn't save me from anything. You ruined me at the Lotus - you watch as men took me and used me. You stand in your office as your girls are murdered so that a man can get off. You save no one, Orlova. All you want is the money."

Orlova tilted her head. "Don't tell me you believe that Dirtyhands saved you. If anything, Y/N, he's walked you to your death. Without him, you would have died a long time ago."

Y/N walked forward, trying to conquer her fear. "I would rather die free than die in silks and chains, Madame Orlova."

"Fine."

Y/N dodged back as Orlova swung at her with a dagger, the blade missing her face by inches. She threw her knife up and caught it, spinning around so that she was behind Orlova. As Orlova turned and came at her, Y/N lurched forward and stabbed her with her knife.

She felt the blood drip onto her hands - the blood of the woman who had ruined her and her life. Y/N looked up at her, taking in the shock on her face.

"You... bitch," Orlova panted, blood staining her teeth. "Don't think... I'll let you live that easily..."

Y/N smiled. "You'll never get to see me die, Madame Orlova. Now, I'd like my knife back."

Y/N pulled the knife out and let Orlova fall to the floor, her blood seeping into the cracks between the tiles, running into the koi pond and beginning to turn the water red.

Y/N looked up at the glass ceiling, staring at the night. She was finally free.

Kaz couldn't deny the relief that went through him as Y/N appeared around the corner, walking down the corridor towards him.

"You're covered in blood," Kaz said, as they walked out of the house.

"I don't judge you whenever you're covered in blood," Y/N muttered, panting slightly. "The girls?"

"They ran as soon as I got them to the gates. I told them where to go if they ever need help."

Y/N looked at Kaz, surprise clouding her features. "Which is where?"

Kaz rolled his eyes. "I don't think I would ever hear the end of it from Inej, Jesper or you if I just let them run with nowhere to go."

Y/N laughed and Kaz just watched her for a moment, trying to memorise her at that moment. She inhaled sharply, suddenly, and reached a hand out for the wall, a hand pressed to her stomach, taking short steps forward as she tried to keep walking.

"Y/N?" Kaz asked, frowning.

Y/N stopped walking. Kaz limped around to face her and put his gloved hand under her chin and tilted it up. Her eyes were glassy as she met his gaze and her skin was pale and clammy. Kaz dropped his eyes to the hand pressed to her side and noticed the blood beginning to drip down from between her fingers.

"Y/N," Kaz repeated, hoping for any sign that she'd heard him. Y/N blinked and exhaled softly, swaying dangerously on her feet. "Can you make it to the rendevous?"

Y/N shook her head, closing her eyes, seemingly regretting the action. Kaz looked over his shoulder, hearing someone approach. It didn't take him long to register the fact that it was Jesper and Inej.

Kaz debated making Y/N walk to meet the other two but as he looked at her again, he knew she was telling the truth and that if he tried to make her walk, he'd end up carrying her. Which was an issue in itself.

Y/N swayed again, her eyes shut. Kaz turned back to her and tapped her face, trying to get her to stay awake. He knew how blood loss worked - everyone in the Dregs did. Kaz had experienced it far too many times and recognised the signs of when it was getting into dangerous territory.

He wrapped his hand around Y/N's wrist. Her pulse was sluggish and weak and her breathing had gone from shaky to fast and shallow.

"Y/N," Kaz said, tapping her face again, feeling her cold skin through his gloves. "Y/N, stay awake. I need you to stay awake, alright?"

Y/N's eyes half-opened and she looked at him, unfocused and confused. "Kaz. You're going to have to catch me."

"What -"

Y/N swayed to the right, losing her balance and falling into Kaz. Kaz dropped his cane and caught Y/N, stumbling slightly at the dead weight in his arms. He awkwardly fell to the ground, cradling Y/N in his arms and desperately trying not to let the ocean drown him.

"Saints, I can't lose you too, Y/N. Please. Hey, hey, stay with me, Y/N," Kaz said, shaking her shoulders. "Y/N, tell me about the stars - tell me anything about them."

"Why... why now? You don't normally listen," Y/N muttered, her words slurring together.

"I'm listening now. What about the one about Vasilka?"

"You don't believe in them, Kaz -"

"I don't but I'm listening."

Y/N's eyes closed. "I knew it would end," she whispered, struggling to get her words out between pained gasps of breath. "Just..."

She trailed off and Kaz shook her again, trying to keep her awake a bit longer. "Just what, Y/N?"

"Just not like this," she said, her voice nothing more than a hushed whisper that came and went like a gust of wind.

Kaz felt Y/N go limp in his arms and the ocean very nearly began to drown him. He looked up as Inej and Jesper appeared, both pausing as they stared at him.

At that moment, Kaz was nothing more than a scared boy, holding onto the one person he couldn't live without. He shifted his leg, bringing Y/N closer to him, her head lolling against his chest. As he spoke, fear overwhelmed him and everything he wanted to say was lost.

"Help me," Kaz said, his voice cracking slightly.

The pile of paperwork was never-ending. Kaz felt as if he'd barely made a dent in it, yet he'd been working on it since early that afternoon. His hand was beginning to cramp up and he was very aware of the fact he hadn't moved for several hours.

Someone knocked on the door. Kaz looked up, already knowing who it was. He'd began to recognise the footsteps of the people who visited his office the most - from Inej's silent footsteps to Jesper's loud and clumsy ones.

But it was the knock on the door that told him who it was, waiting to be let in. Which was why Kaz hesitated for a minute.

"Kaz, I'm coming in either way, whether your say yes or not," Y/N called, her voice slightly muffled by the door.

Kaz rolled his eyes, looking back down at his paperwork. "Come in, then."

Y/N opened the door and walked inside. Kaz had resumed writing, the sound of his pen scratching against the parchment breaking the silence.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Y/N said, approaching him. "Not like I almost died or anything."

"Unfortunately I can hear you talking, therefore your body is working fine."

Y/N rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I actually thought that you were concerned about me," she muttered, sitting down in the chair that was always opposite his desk. Y/N put her feet up on the desk, ignoring Kaz's sigh of opposition.

"Which one of them sent you up here? Inej or Jesper?

"Both, actually," Y/N, replied, picking a sweet out of the bowl on Kaz's desk and sucking on it.

"I'm fine."

"Kaz, when was the last time you left this room?"

Kaz paused, having to think about it. "Last night."

"Which was what day?"

"Friday."

"Kaz, it's Tuesday."

He looked up, slightly perturbed by that. "Oh."

Y/N sighed, crossing her arms. "Kaz, look, I don't want to do this either but -"

"Then don't," Kaz snapped, glaring at her. "I'm perfectly content to sit in silence and not do this coddling shit."

Y/N stared at him. "Saints, Kaz! Did you lose all your emotions whilst I was bleeding out in your lap?"

"So? What if I did?" Kaz asked, leaning forward.

Y/N narrowed her eyes at him. "I can't lose you too."

"What?"

"That's what you said to me as I lay there, bleeding in your arms, barely conscious. You said 'I can't lose you too'." Y/N paused and looked at Kaz closely, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Too implies that you've already lost someone. I know it isn't Jesper or Inej because they're currently downstairs enjoying my dinner. I doubt it was a member of the Dregs since, well, since you refuse to let yourself get close to anyone. Therefore, using the powers of deduction that, frankly, I didn't know I had until now, it has to be a family member. Surprised you had a family, in all honesty, and that Ketterdam didn't just spit you out in the harbour."

Kaz flinched slightly at that. As Y/N spoke, he was growing more agitated and uncomfortable, the ocean beginning to rise and pull him under once more, sweeping the ground out from under his feet.

"So, in order to have a family, most people tend to have parents - a father or mother. But since you sell yourself as an orphan, I doubt it was your parents. Which leaves me with brother or sister. And from the way you act around Jesper, I'm going to go with brother, since -"

"Enough!"

Kaz slammed his hands down on the table, knocking over a pile of paperwork from the force. Y/N flinched, startled by his outburst.

"You know, if you'd just talked, I wouldn't have been so harsh," she said softly, looking at Kaz as he tried to get his emotions under control.

"I don't want to talk about it," he snarled, pushing himself away from his desk and retreating to the other side of the wall, ducking under the arch.

Y/N, unphased, got up and followed him, leaning against the arch as Kaz took his blazer off and rolled his sleeves up. He all but ripped his gloves off and plunged them under the running water.

"No one ever does, Kaz," Y/N said softly. "Who wants to talk about their trauma and their pain? But we do it anyway." Y/N paused. "If I am to stand any chance of understanding you, I need to know at least something. I don't want to keep trying if there's... if there's no point."

Kaz closed his eyes. His shoulders slumped and he braced himself on the sink. "Jordie," he grounded out, each word forcing him deeper and deeper into the darkness of the sea. "My brother's name was Jordie."

Y/N nodded. "That's all I need, Kaz," she said softly, turning to go.

"I was twelve."

Y/N turned back, startled. "Pardon?"

Kaz turned around, leaning against the basin. "I was twelve when he died. We'd left our family farm after our father died and came to Ketterdam for a new chance. The first few days were everything young me could have wanted. But then the money ran out, we were scammed and... and the plague swept through the city."

Kaz paused, inhaling shakily. He was using all his courage and strength to tell her this. But he knew he had to. Because he trusted Y/N and he wanted to at least try.

"Jordie and I both caught it. He died and I thought I would too. But then I woke up on... on the Reaper's Barge, lying on top of other dead bodies, Jordie next to me. I couldn't do anything as they tipped us into the water..."

Y/N was silent as Kaz paused. He was clutching the edge of the counter tightly, his knuckles white.

"I got to shore and the rest is history," Kaz finished, not wanting to subject himself to the memory any longer. He looked up at Y/N, his eyes haunted. "I lost him, Y/N. I just sometimes feel like I'm in a room where the light can't find me... like I'm in the depths of the ocean once more and there's no escaping."

"I get it," Y/N said softly. "The windowless rooms at the Lotus - I felt as if the darkness might just swallow me up. Now that I'm free I spend every day trying to make the most of my freedom and of the pleasure of just... well, just being free."

Neither one said anything for a moment.

"I want you to be happy," Kaz said suddenly, his voice hoarse. He was staring down at his feet, refusing to meet her gaze. "Whatever that means for us."

Y/N smiled to herself and nodded. "I'm just happy being free for now, Kaz. And you gave me that. I don't need more right now."

Kaz nodded. He looked at Y/N as she stood up and approached him, coming to a stop just a few feet away.

"We're good, yeah?" Y/N asked, hoping she hadn't made things weird.

Kaz tried not to smile. "We're fine. I won't deduct your pay for making me go to therapy."

"Well, if you hadn't locked yourself away, I wouldn't have had to conduct it in the first place," Y/N countered, smiling.

Kaz looked at her as she smiled and wished he could pause time. Because in that instance, she was just so perfect.

Without thinking, he reached out a gloved hand and grabbed the tips of her fingers, holding them lightly. As he held her hands, his walls came tumbling down until they revealed Kaz underneath - an unbroken, pure, innocent Kaz who was still capable of loving someone.

Y/N looked at him, her eyes showing only a slight hint of surprise as he held her hand, their walls tumbling down. She smiled and nodded, understanding what this meant to Kaz. What it meant for them. Even as the walls tumbled into rubble, Y/N stood right behind him, unshakeable and unbreakable.

the crows as buzzfeed unsolved out of context:

kaz:

inej:

jesper:

wylan:

nina:

matthias:

basically the plot of six of crows & crooked kingdom:

I pretend to be complex and clever but in reality, nothing has ever made me laugh harder than those bad Chinese subtitles from the bootleg Lord of the Rings DVDs. Tears streaming down my face, core aching, slowly suffocating because I’m laughing too hard.

Shadow & Bone as John Mulaney bits:

gardening with birds. done with tvpaint