#another pov

[winterxgardener]

© Smosh Reddit Stories

[screamsinsilver]

from steve's insta story

[archieved-dtvibez]

his eyes glistened in the setting sun ,

timid and innocent ,

yet , deep down , tommy could see it .

the childish and eager boy he knew as tubbo , 

stared with pure astonishment towards the bright orange and yellow colors .

“ look tommy! the sunset! “

[anoutlandishfanfic]

Jamie’s POV of Chapter Six: Tuesday’s Chid.

I posted Chapter Six on Mother’s Day and I just realized I finished Jamie’s POV right in time for Father’s Day! I totally planned that.

A QUICK SIDE NOTE BEFORE YOU READ The residents of Beauly, with a few token exceptions, don’t speak English. I’ve gone back and forth about how to write this chapter and how to portray that. Mrs Gordon, the midwife, speaks to Jamie in Gaelic. I didn’t write her dialog in a way that it sounds (looks?) like she has a Scottish accent because she isn’t speaking English. I thought about italicizing what would be in Gaelic, but that kind of conflicts with my formatting style and using bold just looks like she’s shouting all the time to me. This is something I’m sure I’ll develop more as we spend time in the 1540s with the Frasers… for right now, this is what we got.

You can catch up on previous chapters of this AU here.

Mid-day, November 22nd, 1543; Beauly, Scotland. Jamie.

“I made a nice broth for your wife, Jamie, lad.” Beauly’s cook and resident mother hen, as well as one of the midwives, handed me a tray brimming with food. “Any day now, aye?”

I accepted it and smiled warmly, thanking her. “Your spoil us, Mrs Gordon and, aye, the bairn could come any day. Sooner rather than later if his parents have any say in the matter.”

“You don’t,” she chortled, shooing me out of her kitchens.

My bringing meals to share in our rooms had become a necessity after a close call on one of the stone staircases last month. Fortunately, I had been there to steady Claire before she actually fell, but it was enough to scare us both into a change of routine. Mrs Gordon had heartily approved and leapt at the opportunity to dote on my heavily expectant wife.

Knocking soft enough as to not wake Claire should she be asleep, but loud enough to be heard should she be awake, I eased my way into our rooms.

I noticed bed held an occupant as I quietly set the tray on the table. Claire hadn’t been sleeping well of late and I had hoped she would be able to rest while I was away. I turned to see a mass of wild curls emerge from the bedclothes, telling me she was awake but possibly not fully alert.

“Oh good, I’m glad ye were able to sleep for a time, mo nighean donn. Mrs Gordon made ye a tasty broth an’ a fresh batch of bannocks to go wi’ it. She asked of ye, wonderin’ how ye fare wi’ the bairn so near. Lady Janet too, tho I dinna ken wha’ she was about. I didna like the gleam in her eye.” I shook my head, thinking of the Laird’s often devious wife.

I had witnessed Lady Janet stir up trouble on many occasions, with only a word or a single expression.The woman was not to be trusted.

A muffled response came from the bed, something that sounded like “good morning,” as Claire’s arms reached over her head in a slow stretch. She shifted in her burrow, making her look very much like bear coming out of hibernation. She stared at me, blinking slowly, her brows drawn together in confusion. “Are you within the castle today?”

The bairn made waking fully a cumbersome affair for Claire, as was the way with everything she did at present, and seeing my wife in such a state never ceased to make me smile. I had learned the hard way that she didn’t find the humor in her struggle to wake, so I turned from the bed and began to dish up our meal in order to enjoy the moment.

“Nae, back to the stables wi’ me as soon as we’re done eatin’.”

My conscience twinged.

What if she needed me and I didn’t get the message in time? I tried to shove the thought aside, calling to mind Claire’s words when I voiced the very question.

It’s not like foaling, Jamie, it usually takes a while.

Once again, I had assumed this part of human reproduction to be something similar to what I had experienced in the stables. Also, bairns, unlike foals, did not come feet first on principle, although Claire told me Jenny’s wee Maggie had.

A rustle from the bed brought me back to the present and I asked, “Shall I bring ye anything special from the kitchens for dinner?”

Claire responded with a deep sigh, then added, “I really wish you wouldn’t.”

This gave me pause.

“No’ hungry?” I turned and studied her more closely. Something was off, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. “Ye should eat somethin’, mo nighean donn, or the bairn will complain, aye?”

She didn’t look at me. Her eyes darted about the room, desperate to land on anything besides my face as she whispered, “I don’t think he’ll complain, he seems to be packing his bags at the moment.”

Packing his bags? He can’t exactly go anywhere.

A dhia, he isn’t going, he’s coming.

“Sh-should I fetch the midwife?” I asked around a quickly constricting throat.

Claire visibly flinched and slid deeper into the covers, shouting “No!”

I couldn’t stand being this far from her. Crossing the room in two bounds, I collapsed onto the floor beside the bed. Her eyes were scrunched shut, her brows bunched together in fear.

Please, my soul offered up in silent petition to my God, that she might be safe in the hours to come.

“Tha mi duilich,” I whispered as I tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

That they might be safe, she and the bairn.

Claire relaxed slightly at my touch, her hand catching mine. “I think I’m having contractions,” her eyes opened slightly, cloudy with self doubt, “but I’m not really sure.”

Leaning close, I asked “Wha’ can I do?”

“Will you hold me?” Her chin quivered with the request, tears threatening. .

I took the greatest care as I crawled into the bed beside her, easing myself beneath the covers. My arm slipped around her as I drew closer. I didn’t want to disturb the position she was in, knowing how difficult it was for her to find a comfortable one. Gently curving my body around hers, I placed a kiss just behind her ear.

I’m here, mo chridhe, my touch whispered.

I drew slow circles with my thumb on the back of her hand until her shoulders lost their rigidity. Slowly, I felt all of the tension leave her body as her breath evened out in sleep. My hands drifted to the swell of her abdomen.

Soon, I would hold my child in my arms.

What would he look like? Would he favor me or his mother?

The thought brought a smile to my face as one bairn looked much like another to me. I knew Claire held a much different opinion of the wee creatures and often commented on their unique features.

We had been referring to the bairn as a “him” since we knew he existed, and, while my heart hoped he would be a son to carry on my name and lineage, I knew without a doubt I would love a daughter just as much… maybe more.

A daughter who had her mother’s amber eyes, unruly hair, and untamable spirit.

Yes, I thought as I buried my face in Claire’s hair, maybe more.

…

Dusk.

It seemed like Claire’s pains were growing closer together, but she wouldn’t let me keep track with my father’s pocket watch. Not yet, she’d told me, it would drive her crazy. I felt completely useless just sitting here waiting for something to happen.

“You’re pacing, Jamie,” Claire’s voice interrupted my tumultuous thoughts.

I turned to find her laughing at me without actually laughing out loud. It was a great skill of hers. I tried to think of what I had done or said to set her off this time, but came up blank.

“I suppose tha’ I am,” a sheepish grin spread across my face. Whatever it was, I’d do it again, just to see her smile. “Am I botherin’ ye? Should I pace in the other room?”

Her eyes narrowed as the smile disappeared, “If you so much as touch that door handle, James Fraser…”

“I willna.” I raised my hands in mock surrender before I placed them reassuringly on her shoulders.

Claire’s focus faded away and her brows furrowed in an expression I was becoming to know well: another pain was starting. She seemed to need something different with each one. My gentle touch with the last, a massage with the one before, and I couldn’t even get close to her with the one before that.

I hadn’t the foggiest idea what it would be this time.

“Promise?” Her voice shook.

“Aye, I promise,” I slid my hands down her arms and entwined my fingers in hers. “I promise I willna leave until ye tell me to an the midwife will have to tear me awa’ from yer side even then.”

“No,” She tried to move away from me, but I held fast. “I need you to stay with me the whole time.”

She didn’t mean while the bairn was coming in earnest, right? I had heard tales from other husbands and from what they said, I would be the last person on earth Claire would want to see.

“Ye willna want me here when–” I tried to explain but she cut me off and practically shook me as she tried to make her point.

“I can’t do this alone, Jamie! Not again!” Her eyes were wide with fear, plunging a knife straight into my heart. Not again. I hadn’t been there for the birth of our first child and we had lost her, our precious Faith. “I can’t – I won’t – do this without you. Please don’t ask me to, Jamie!”

I kissed her, my lips stemming her flow of words with the assurance of my presence. “If that is what ye wish, mo chridhe,” I murmured, “nothing on this earth or hell below will move me.”

…

Around midnight.

Claire’s hands gripped the back of the room’s only chair, her knuckles turning white as she tried to breathe normally. The air came and went from her mouth in short puffs and I thought she might tip over if she didn’t take a deep breath soon.

“How long was that?” She asked thru gritted teeth.

The pains were noticeably closer together now, and I checked the pocket watch. Half past eleven. “Ten minutes since the last one.”

Claire groaned; whether it was out of pain or frustration, I didn’t know. I moved to stand behind her, running my thumbs over the taut muscles.

She melted into me, murmuring, “Right there.”

We stood this way, swaying together, for a good moment or two before she rounded on me, face contorted in pain. Claire buried her face on my chest and dug her fingers into my upper arms.

A dhia, she was strong.

“Jesus H Roosevelt Fucking Christ, this bloody hurts,” she spat.

Placing a kiss atop her head, I supported her as she leaned further into me. “I’m sending for the midwife after this one is done, mo nighean donn.”

Her head moved against me, telling me she agreed.

I let out a sigh of relief as I remembered that wee Michael MacNeil was sleeping in the passageway outside the door just for that purpose.

I would not have made it to Mrs Gordon’s rooms behind the kitchens and back in less than ten minutes, even in the daylight and her expecting me. Now that it was well after dark and she’d be asleep? No. I knew I wouldn’t want to leave Claire alone for that long and had assigned the task to my favorite stable lad.

My eyes slid shut, my nose still buried in her hair.

We swayed back and forth as the vice-grip of her contraction eased. The motion reminded me of our bairn’s cradle, which sat waiting in the corner. A lullaby my mother used to sing, one that Jenny had used with her own bairns, slowly came back to me. I sang it to Claire, to our unborn child, until her movements slowed and stopped all together.

“Jamie?” her voice was breathless, but regaining the strength that was truly Claire.

“Mhmm?”

“I love you,” She tilted her head up to look at me, a smile playing on her lips, “but you are a terrible singer.”

…

Claire was between pains and had wanted to rest for a bit on the bed. I silently rejoiced for the opportunity to lay down. I wasn’t about to say it, but I thought the whole ordeal was just about as hard on me as it was her. I couldn’t stand to see her in pain like this and not be able to do something.

My inability to spare her from this, something that I had caused, was slowly sucking the strength from me like a leech. If I could take her pain upon myself and fight this battle for her, I would do it without a moment’s hesitation. But I couldn’t. I lay beside her utterly powerless against the ebbing and flowing of her womb’s tides.

Claire was asleep now, in the shallow slumber that was all her body would allow in the minutes between contractions. Her face was utterly serene as I lay beside her, my nose inches from hers. I thought we must be near the end of all of this. Something had to happen soon or I wasn’t sure how Claire would manage.

She had started to contradict her wishes with the last pains, almost as if she didn’t know herself what she wanted. She’d ask me to be close, but when I tried to touch her she growled at me. She’d say didn’t want me near her, but when I gave her space she dissolved into a puddle of tears.

It seemed couldn’t do anything right in my wife’s eyes.

A knock sounded at the door, signalling the arrival of the midwife, and Claire jolted awake.

“Jamie, don’t leave me,” she said in complete panic. Her pupils were dilated wide in the dim room and it only added to her look of sheer terror.

“Shh, mo chridhe, I willna,” whispered in her ear, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze and trying to will her back into the peace she had just moments before, “but I do have to let her in, aye?”

She set her jaw firmly, “No, you don’t. I know how this works. We can do it. I don’t want that woman touching me or my baby.”

A shudder ran thru me as I realized she was completely serious. “I have nae doubt ye could do it, Sassenach, but dinna ken tha’ I can.”

My stomach dropped at the thought of delivering a bairn, let alone my bairn and by myself.

“You’ve delivered foals before. It’s not terribly different.” Claire pulled me closer, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck.

Giving minor assistance to a laboring horse and delivering my child solo were far from the same thing and I told her as much.

Before she could reply, another knock sounded and we could hear Mrs Gordon call out in Gaelic, “‘Tis me, Mrs Gordon, Jamie lad. May I come in?”

The fact that Claire could hold only the simplest of conversations in the language and Mrs Gordon couldn’t speak a word of English or French hit me like a bolt of lightning. How much of the midwife’s instructions would she understand when she was in considerable pain and scared out of her mind?

I could do something. I could help Claire.

I planted a kiss on Claire’s forehead and somehow got her to let go of me. There was a spring in my step as I crossed the room, for I now had something to do that would maybe ease Claire’s pain: I could translate.

A midwife’s job was to help women give birth, aye?

Then it stood to reason that by helping the midwife, I was helping Claire.

…

“This is all happening as it should, aye?” I asked Mrs Gordon a bit uneasily.

“Yes, lad.” She gave me a smile and a reassuring pat on the arm. “Things tend to take a while with the first bairn.” I flinched and she immediately apologized.

“I’m sorry, Jamie. We remember the ones we lost as we hold tight to the ones we have, aye?”

Claire’s anxious voice asked from behind me, “What did she say, Jamie?”

Covering Mrs Gordan’s weathered hand in mine, I patted it in understanding and turned to my wife, “She says all is well.”

“Maybe somewhere in there, but not the last part,” she responded with a cold look to the midwife, seeing right thru my attempt to smooth things over.

“She spoke wi’out thinking, mo nighean donn. Dinna hold it against her,” I said gently.

Her face fell as she whispered, “Faith.”

“Aye, ‘twas her we were speaking of,” I kissed Claire gently between her brows. “I gave ye my promise, and I still ken it to be true, this time will be different.”

…

About 4:00am

I wasn’t sure, but I thought we were wearing a pathway into the floor. We made the same loop again and again as Claire’s pains continued to grow closer and closer together. She clung fiercely to my right arm to steady herself as we slowly moved about the room

Without warning, she came to a sudden halt. A sort of breathless gasp escaped her lips as I heard something drip onto the floor. Claire pulled up the hem of her shift, muttering, “Damn, here we go.”

I looked down to see a small puddle growing between her feet. Quickly stepping out of the liquid’s path, I commented wryly, “Ye havena used tha’ one in a while, Sassenach.”

Fuck, as usual, had been her curse of choice in the last few hours.

Mrs Gordon shuffled over to us, commenting on the color and quantity of Claire’s waters. While this wasn’t exactly the same in foaling, I had a vague idea that this was a good sign and patted Claire reassuringly on the shoulder.

Another pain seemed to overtake Claire on the heels of the last and she pulled me towards her, groaning as she buried her face in my chest. Claire had two fistfuls of my sark that she was making good use of. Her forehead pressed against my sternum, almost as if she were headbutting me.

I wouldn’t blame her. I had gotten her into all of this, after all. It would only seem fitting that she use me in such a way

I ran my hands up and down her back, remembering how she had liked a gentle massage with some of her other pains. “I ken, a ghraidh, I’ve got ye,” I whispered soothingly in her ear.

She stiffened and before I realized what she was aiming for, she had a firm grasp of my clipeachd. I let out an undignified yelp and quickly pulled away from her.

“Smart lass.” Mrs Gordon cackled as she moved about the room, “She knows what she’s about. I’m surprised she’s waited this long to do that to you.”

I stared down at my wife in mute astonishment as the creases of pain started to smooth across her brow and a small smile began to form. Not risking another go at this, I held her away from me at arm’s length. She couldn’t reach me, but I could reach her.

“What was that?” She asked, slightly panting as she tried to catch her breath.

“She says she’s surprised ye havena done tha’ wi’ every pain,” I translated.

Mrs Gordon was still grinning as she arranged her necessary items for the fourth time on the table and I wondered how much trouble the two of them could get into if they spoke the same language.

Claire’s voice pulled me back to her, “You hadn’t said anything stupid enough to warrant it before now.”

All I had said was ‘I ken’ and ‘I’ve got ye!’ I’d reassured her many times with the second phrase, so I assumed she had taken offense to the first… I suppose I didn’t really know what she was going thru.

“You are the first husband I’ve ever had attend his bairn’s birth.” The midwife turned to me, hand on her hip as she looked me up and down. Her eyes were filled with amusement and satisfaction. “You must be quite the lover if she wants you here, being she knows well ‘tis your lovemaking that got her into this mess. I’m impressed, most men run for the heather at the first opportunity. A master ironmonger himself couldn’t have made a created a stronger set than yours.”

She winked at me and added, “Very impressed indeed, Jamie lad.”

I was still trying to decide whether I should ignore her comment or reply when Claire half laughed, half groaned. Looking down, I found the corners of her lips tugging upwards thru her pain.

“You have to tell me what she said to make you blush like a schoolgirl.”

Rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment, I gave her the rough idea of what Mrs Gordon had said. A full smile broke out across Claire’s face as leaned into me. “She’s right about one thing,” she whispered, copying how I rolled my ‘r’s. “You are a verra good lover, indeed.”

I smiled ruefully, wrapping my arms around her. She loved to mimic my burr and I loved to hear her try it.

“But,” she paused, her eyes soft, “It’s your heart of gold that’s keeping you here.”

She pulled my lips to hers in a kiss warm with affection, one that spoke of the emotions and desires we weren’t able to put into words.

…

Around 6:00 am

I gently lifted Claire onto the bed, my heart breaking as I watched her desperately search for a comfortable position. Her brow was permanently furrowed now, the lines of pain never really relaxing between contractions. She became more and more agitated by the second, prompting me to perch beside her on the mattress.

“Please,” Claire looked to me as she grabbed hold of my arm, “Sit behind me.”

Carefully and slowly, I inched my way between her and the pillows. I backed up against the headboard to give me as much room behind her to adjust in as possible, then slid my arms about her. She melted into me immediately as her body touched mine.

“I’m here, mo chridhe.”

She nodded, her eyelids lowering as she concentrated on what her body was telling her.

I looked up as Mrs Gordon slid nimbly onto the bed. She lifted the hem of Claire’s shift up and placed a calm, reassuring hand on her thigh as she, presumably, checked how things were going. “You’re doing wonderful, lass.”

A small measure of relief washed thru me as I heard the words.

This woman had brought half of Beauly into the world. If she said things were going well, then I had no reason to doubt her. I gently placed my hand atop the swell of the bairn to tell Claire the woman’s words when another pain began to build. I felt the muscles of Claire’s abdomen contract, astonishing me with the strength and force of it.

Her eyes flew open and she pressed her shoulders into me. “I don’t want to do this, Jamie!” she cried.

I met Mrs Gordon’s gaze and she smiled, assuring me that all was well.

“Aye, a graidh, I ken ye dinna,” I crooned in her ear as I helped her shift into a more comfortable position, “but ye must. The bairn will be here soon.”

Her voice was unlike I had ever heard it, so completely overwhelmed in her pain and fear. “No!” she insisted.

I carefully turned her in my arms until she could see me. She looked past me, fixated on a spot behind my head on the wall. I lifted my hand to her cheek and gently brushed away her tears as I lowered my lips to hers. “We’ll do this together, aye?” I whispered, “I’ll be yer strength when ye need me.”

Her lips quivered as she replied, “I always need you.”

…

“I can’t push anymore, Jamie,” Claire whimpered in my arms, “I think he’s stuck.”

Claire had responded with the strength of ten men to her body’s urge to push again and again. The midwife praised her with every effort and so, in turn, had I, but she was quickly becoming discouraged.

“No, mo nighean donn, the bairn is big but the midwife says he is almost here.” I murmured, “All is well.”

“I want to be done. I just want to hold my baby, Jamie,” Claire begged as she lifted her hand to my cheek.

I took hold of it, kissing it gently, then moved it lower to show her the miracle that I could now begin to see. Brushing her fingertips against the small bulge that was starting to emerge, I whispered. “He will be here soon, mo chridhe.”

A low, guttural sound came from Claire as she started to bear down once more.

“That’s the way, lass,” Mrs Gordon encouraged as she took hold of Claire’s feet, eyes fixated between my wife’s legs. Claire dug her fingers into my thighs, tipping her head back as she let out a sound that made the very blood within me run cold.

I relayed the midwife’s instructions with half a brain, translating to the best of my abilities as I realized that was my child’s head exiting my wife’s body.

“Well done, verra well done!” I praised as slowly, but steadily, the bairn’s head was born. “Jest one more an’ he’ll be here, mo ghraidh.”

…

The midwife beamed as she announced “You have a beautiful daughter!”

“She’s a lass, Claire,” I whispered, finding it hard to breathe as Mrs Gordon placed the her in Claire’s outstretched arms.

The bairn out another lusty wail as she told us just what she thought of being born.

“Shh, love.” Claire crooned, “Mama’s here.”

I have a daughter.

My hand shook as stroked my bairn’s cheek for the very first time, “Oh God, Claire, she’s beautiful.”

[thinkingaboutzutara]

Omg @tashiandnima, I am SOOOOO loving your comic- "The Tale of Tashi and Nima"!!! Pls keep your art going!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️ For those of you guys who don't know, this is a comic following two young Airbenders named Tashi and Nima. This tale takes places before the Firebenders attacked the air temples for Fire Lord Sozin's genocide on the Airbenders intending to eliminate the Avatar and their journey after the attack. It's still a WIP but boy is it GREAT!! ***PROMOTES!!***

[smile-smile-ichthys]

So I did a request fic from a lovely anon who asked for an MC to cover Jaehee and Jumin falls for her, this is Jumin’s POV from that fic which can be found here.

I’m gonna tag @sinfulinsecret cause she’s Jumin’s love, and she loves Jumin (I totally ship them) but yeah, enjoy guys :)

When assistant Kang insisted that she needed to have the next week off I was against it. For one thing, if she wasn’t around, how was I to cope with everything around the office? My job entailed a lot of different factors and I needed her. However, when she explained why, I couldn’t force her to stay, but I did ask for a temporary replacement for her, someone she could trust to help me, and someone I could trust too. I didn’t have time to go through the hiring process, so I had to trust assistant Kang in her selection.

The woman she had asked seemed genuine and professional. She arrived promptly, and smartly, to the office on the day she started to meet me, we had only talked over the phone briefly as an introduction. Gut feelings were good so I was more than happy to just get started, ready for the week ahead without assistant Kang. One week. That’s all it was. I didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary would happen.

Day 1.

I set her to work immediately, my confidence in her ready to see how well she could perform under pressure. I surely hoped assistant Kang had chosen the right person.

As the day dragged on, I kept hearing my phone ding when I expected it to with the notes for each meeting I had. But, unlike assistant Kang, this woman added something on to the end to every email or text. ‘You’ll do great’ or ‘good luck’ or even ‘knock them dead’. She was encouraging me. Why was she doing that? We didn’t do that here. Everyone had a job and they got on with it, no hand holding, no constant praising, that was my world. So, why was she being like this? I never encouraged her with her work, it was her job, she was paid to do it, even if it was for a week it was still a job. I gave her orders and she followed them, and yet she was doing this? Well, I wasn’t going to change my attitude…even if something my chest kept squeezing when I saw a different message come through.

Day 2.

After only one day I could tell she was beginning to waver. Something was wrong but I didn’t question, she knew what she was getting in to. Assistant Kang had given her an intense run down of her job description, and after her first day I felt like she was going to complain about something. Well, going without an assistant for 6 days was doable I supposed.

Today we had to work closely together in my office. With only two meetings today, the rest of the time I had available I needed to plan well ahead and I usually had assistant Kang to assist me. I prepared myself for her to stage her complaint, to argue with the working conditions, but it never came. She kept her head down and worked…incredibly hard, making sure meetings, whether they be phone or office based, never clashed. She even made sure each meeting made sense to be where they were placed. If one meeting was on floor 9, she made sure I didn’t have a meeting on floor 25 immediately after. She was extremely efficient.

I was even more surprised when she complimented my Elizabeth the 3rd. After all, most people really judged me for loving my cat so much, nope, nothing of the sort from her. She even used the word ‘beautiful’, of course she was beautiful, but she genuinely meant this. So many times had I heard co-workers using words such as these, but I could tell they didn’t really mean them, just put on for show, small talk. It took me aback slightly, I could say I even smiled ever so slightly. Maybe I had gotten her wrong.

Day 3.

I wanted to get to know her better, but I didn’t know how to approach this. If it were an issue with work I wouldn’t hesitate. So, why did my body feel so…nervous? Was that the right word? No, Jumin Han never got nervous. But the symptoms were there, I couldn’t deny that.

I had to shake that feeling and just approach her. Checking the clock, I saw that it was about the time for lunch, on her first day she only took 15 minutes which was strange, because even assistant Kang took at least half an hour to eat, I never objected that. Well, I did kind of hope she had decided to take a longer break today. My hand reached up to knock on her office when she opened the door and walked straight into me.

Well, now or never.

The request worked in my favour, she had agreed to spend lunch with me, in her office. After buying herself a drink, here we were in her office eating and talking. I was just sorry I had used my Elizabeth in such a way, please forgive me. As she sipped at her drink and munched on her sandwich, I happily shared photos of my lovely Elizabeth. The way she reacted to each one gave me confidence that she truly enjoyed the time we were spending together.

“She has gorgeous fur, how do you keep it so perfect?” she asked.

“I brush her every evening, it’s a calming time for me, and for her” I explained, taking a bite of my own lunch.

“I’m guessing she enjoys being brushed, my friends have had cats who hated it” she said, finishing her lunch.

Oh, we wouldn’t have much longer until we had to go back to our professional relationship. My heart hurt slightly. I was enjoying myself talking to her like this, no work involved, just us.

“Elizabeth loves it, she’s even brought the brush to me at times” I said, taking my time with my food, I wanted this to last a little longer “Do you have any pets?”

“No, but I’ve had hamsters before, maybe one day I can invest in one” she smiled. Oh. Please do that again, that smile was so genuine.  Why did her phone have to beep at that point? “Ah, I better get back to work, maybe we could do this again tomorrow?”

My heart leapt.

“I’d like that”

Day 6.

I couldn’t. Knowing that tomorrow was her last day, I didn’t want her to go, but at the same time, I knew thinking about possibly hiring her permanently meant we couldn’t explore a relationship further than in the professional sense. I had to let her go. But, I wanted to spend more time with her now. How could I do that? I knew she’d be finishing for the day and I was waiting in my penthouse for her last email ready for tomorrow’s meeting.

When the email binged through as I expected, on time, I hatched a slightly wicked plan. I called someone I never thought I would for something like this.

“Seven? Could you do me a favour? I’ll pay you, name your price and how fast you can do this”

Three minutes, that’s all it took for Seven to corrupt the file, and hack into her computer to make sure she couldn’t retrieve the original file. Was it immoral doing this? Maybe. But I knew this could be fixed by us putting our heads together. The meeting wasn’t all that important, and if push came to shove, I could improvise.

We spent the entire night together, just rewriting everything she had worked hard on, and yes, I did feel a little guilty. Maybe I’d tell her one day, one day.

It was around 4am that she fell asleep. We had actually finished at that time, but she had insisted that we were missing parts of it, but her body had other ideas. I happily watched her sleep, not touching the document while she did. Elizabeth even curled up against her, and it was at times like this I wished I knew how to take good photos. She woke up again around 6am and we continued to work right up until the deadline.

The last day. I let her sleep and shower, it was the least I could do for what I had secretly done.

Day 7.

The meeting went swimmingly and afterwards I even saw her back to work, refreshed and ready to go.

The day itself wasn’t special in any way, we both worked as usual, even spent lunch together. And when it came to 10pm, Jaehee had returned to the building to take over from her. It was good to see assistant Kang return, however, it meant I’d probably never see her again. The woman I had clearly fallen for.

I couldn’t just leave it like this, just watching her head out of the building and home, but what else could I have done?

I decided to at least text her to say thank you, she had done such a fantastic and detailed job the whole week with no complaints. She deserved the praise.

When I got the reply of her wishing to return to see me in a professional sense, I was slightly disheartened. Did she only see me in that way? No. I wasn’t going to let this chance and opportunity slip by me. So, in my second of bravery, I replied.

“I don’t think so” but I accidently hit the send button before I could explain. I knew it sounded harsh and I didn’t mean it, so I quickly sent another “I’d much prefer to see you again in a non-professional way, would you like dinner soon?” I had to explain myself at least.

My heart thundered against my ribs waiting for a reply. And when my phone lit up, I smiled.

“I’d like that very much, Mr Han”

Oh no, no more professionalisms.

“Please, call me Jumin”

Now all I had to do was find a nice restaurant to visit. I rang assistant Kang almost instantly.

“Assistant Kang, recommend me a good restaurant” I demanded.

“It’s good to be back sir, of course” she said, and I heard her typing away at her computer as usual.

[imagine1605]

[demonofvoidandnightmares]

Event End: Jason's POV

The Night of the Demons was a great success. Then again he was known for pulling out all the stops when it came to these sort of things. Most of his employees had all ready reported to him before saying their goodnights, only the little receptionist was left. First to arrive, last to leave he supposed. She finished up at her desk and walked up to him, same nervous air yet he could sense it, power...dark power...

"M...Mr. Blood...?" She sounded almost terrified, rather amusing to him.

"Ah Miss Faekay, signing out I take it?" He gave a cold, cruel grin "Y...Yes sir; the last of the other staff have just left and it seems the last of the clients have left too..." She said softly

"so..." "Yes it would be about time for you to depart as well, I pray you have a way home?" Blood was circling her; getting a better read on her as she seemed to shrink into herself

"I...yes...a ride app but yes..." Well those were common now, and a car in this city was rather pointless otherwise

"Good; then I shall see you on Monday morn..." Blood nodded "Y...Yeah" Mary quickly ran out, shadowing home when she thought nobody saw her....She was unaware that he watched from the window....now this was an interesting twist; and he thought Gotham couldn't get more enjoyable...