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#+ a mutual starting this show + me seeing a Really Cool clip from the shibuya incident opening
laikahh · 18 days
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KUGISAKIII.....................
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whoops-im-obsessed · 2 years
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(More) Things I Noticed in UKsies: Fansie Night Edition (Act 2)
First one got too long so here is act 2!!
At Jacobi's Albert says 'why do old people talk?' Directly to Jacobi who waves him off
'Jack don't run from no fight!' '*in the highest, squeakiest voice imaginable to mock Les* Take it down short stop!!'
Katherine dances on the tables with the boys in KoNY and I'm not sure if Bronté does but Bobbie does the nerve tap!
Cup song time
Katherine and Les have such cute little interactions
Nyoom tables!!
They don't shy away from showing what they do to keep themselves safe, when the newsies grab the lamps, you can see them clip themselves on but it only serves to make you go 'something is about to go down!!'
The newsies on the ground dance around the tables and tap metal plates to the table newsies' feet
Ascension with frantic spinning, incredible
In a bit of a stark contrast, letter from the refuge is a really poignant moment
Crutchie breaks the forth wall and speaks directly to the audience, including them in his thought process
A cop watches the whole thing from the scaffolding
Crutchie is left handed
Crutchie actually starts crying at 'I'll be fine' and hearing that emotion in his voice contrasted with his trying to be optimistic - ugh, have I mentioned that I love Matthew Duckett?
Crutchie gets up and passes on his letter to Specs before being slowly helped off stage by a refuge newsie, still struggling when the next scene begins. When he got up he winced so hard someone next to me whispered 'ooh that was real'
Jack was Properly Angry in Watch What Happens reprise and his fear for Crutchie shone through
Ryan!Davey may be the king of eye-rolls but Alex!Davey is the king of raising his eyebrows in incredulation, especially to Les
'Lighten up no-one died' is said a lot subtler, like he knows how bad that sounds but doesn't know how to confront it
'HECANTTAWLKHELLCALLYABACK'
The mayor actually shows some sympathy towards the newsies but in the end doesn't act due to Synder and Pulitzer's influence
Fun fact: Jamie Golding (Wiesel/mayor/theatre worker/police/etc) has NINE costume changes during the show, he is so many people
Pulitzer grabs Katherine as she's trying to walk away at 'you can't have mine'
George Crawford (Morris Delancey) has an amazing evil laugh which he uses a lot during the show
As the printing press is being brought out, the Delancey brothers bring Jack behind the scaffolding. Although this can't be seen by most of the audience they continue to intimidate him and get really up in his space
Shout out to Zack Guest super swing who played Oscar!!
Brooklyn newsies met with the Most applause they are so cool
Brooklyn's here is broken up with a little roll call which makes the 'now them soakers' hit harder
Spot has a slight lisp
'If we disband the union..' *outrage* 'this is your union!!'
The newsies all call Jack out in various ways when they see him take the money, Spot has to be physically held back from beating him up
Something to Believe in is a little different, the Jatherine is believable but isn't really focused on much in the show, it almost feels like an afterthought. The line 'what was ours still will be' really resonates, it feels more like they had a little whirlwind mutual attraction but both think it'll end with the strike
Universal 'oooohh!!' From the audience when they kiss
Lighting for once and for all is so pretty, they have lanterns and there's a sort of orange mottled pattern like the reflection of the lamps projected across the entire theatre
Once and For All really lets the vocals shine, it isn't as high energy as the other numbers and the scaffolding doesn't move like it does in livesies, instead a giant newsies banner falls from the ceiling that they parade around the stage. The choreo isn't missed at all, the sheer wall of sound is incredible
The newsies line the theatre as Jack talks to Pulitzer and smack their fists either into their hands of onto the railings in time with the music as they hum
'The boy, Jack Kelly is here :)))'
Spot makes the 'I'm watching you' gesture at Pulitzer
As the other characters leave Jack to talk to Pulitzer, Hannah loudly says 'I love your show!!' To Medda
So many hugs when they win
Crutchie coming in with his little police hat, greeted with the biggest hug from Race and the boys
The reaction to Crutchie calling Roosevelt 'your highness'
Crutchie & Les reunion 🥺
And perfect finale and curtain call!!
The post finale choreo is incredible and was met with applause right up to the final bows
Crutchie is up on the scaffolding for much of the choreo and makes his way down for the bows. He slid down the stair rails in the same way you would slide down a ladder. Then he kept sliding. And kept sliding. And then his leg got caught. And then he kept sliding. Basically, he ended up on the floor tangled in the stairs and had to call a couple of people to help him out of the mess he got into 😅
And that was that! Post-show Q&A was pretty short but really lovely, there were mostly questions about the audition process, advice, favourite bit of the show, etc but it was really sweet how they all cared to stay and so many people did! Plus there were mega shout outs to dance captain Alex Christian who plays Butttons and is a legend!!
Honestly this show means so much to me and to be able to see it with such an enthusiastic cast and audience was incredible, see it if you can because it is in a league of its own.
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the-ghost-king · 9 months
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I know ur not gonna watch the show but I would b so into hearing ur takes on it, it's just not hitting for me rn
from what bits and pieces i've seen posted on here i would say that the cinematography seems really nice, most recent disney shows seem to have a very casual "content" style of filming. i don't know how else to explain it other than the current productions even in their filming are designed just to push more media out rather than a love for film and photography as an art form, and i think the pjo tv show from the screencaps and commercials/trailers i have seen seems to balance this nicely. disney is inevitably going to want to push out content as that is how they profit, but the camera angles and the camera details (Percy doing fortnite dances, very funny, but also very well shot! Medusa's veil, very clever and I like the "coy" way the camera plays with the viewer seeing her eyes in those gifs) have an intention and care into them that other recent disney tv shows geared towards the same age group just don't seem to have. i will say that's nice!
the only negative thing i have to say from what i've seen in the gifs and screencaps is that camp looks very... cheap... there are some cool details i seen someone make a post pointing out Percy's seaweed lamp (very cool! i like the fish skeletons I seen hanging too!) but the campers running around in the background do not have the same level of attention given. of course they are background characters and they're definitely not given full styling teams or proper wardrobe, but it is so bad imo to the point where it has become distracting to me in the background a few times on those clips, i can't imagine trying to watch the show and seeing all these background characters running around looking disconnected from the main cast by the lack of attention to their wardrobe. it's not that it's inherently wrong or anything, there are budgets shows have to stick to and cutting background characters is usually one of the first places shows cut, so maybe i should just be thankful all the kids aren't poorly done cgi but at the same time seeing Percy or Annabeth's chb shirts be very well tailored to them as individuals and then seeing the exact opposite in the background characters is just ??? to me. i don't know if it's a problem anyone else has but i tend to just pin point weird details like that.
i know they have changed some of the details of the plot and such, i can't comment much on that as i haven't actually watched any of those episodes. i hope it doesn't have any significant ripple effects down the line in terms of them having to skip entire bits of development in characters or plot because they felt something wasn't important 3 seasons ago and then they have to go "oh shit wait we needed that obscure bit" but who can say we are no where near that point.
my favorite bit of anything and everything to come out of the show though is the god awful horribly incorrect predictions people are having, people crushing on Luke, and people hoping for Percy as if he isn't the main character. if i was a more chaos driven person i would be frothing at the mouth for people's behavior in later seasons where there's a wider cast and stakes are higher and outcomes are more unknown. do i want the 2014 pjo/hoo drama rehashed? no absolutely not that sucked we should never do that again. do i want to sit back with a snack and watch other people rehash the same points and start the same fights 10 years later simply because it would be a mess? someone find me an original persassy post and sign me up. (it's like when you've worked in retail and then you're out in public and another customer is being awful and you're having flashbacks but also your nosey so you keep watching and you only intervene if it gets excessive... someone here has to understand that comparison....)
honestly i can't say too much about the actual show itself i haven't seen it, i've just seen bits and pieces of what (mostly mutuals) have posted or shared. i stand behind the fact i'm not really interested in fandoms with tv shows in the same way i am towards book fandoms and that i won't be watching the show; but i am open to staying neutral on things if people want to reach out just for someone to share thoughts with as if i am not even watching it i won't have strong opinions on most things, if any.
i know there have been more episodes dropped since you sent this so hopefully some of your tv show wants are happening, nonnie <3
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rosiethedragongeek · 2 years
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Hey I have thoughts, as someone who doesn’t really care for Viggo and found triple cross disappointing: here’s how I think it could’ve been done otherwise. - If throughout the episode they showed snapshots of Viggo and the dragon that saved him, literal snapshots I mean like 2 second clips spread out sporadically across the episode, where in each one we can see him slowly changing and getting closer with the dragon. + when the episode ends, it closes on one final clip that’s a little longer, like 10 seconds maybe that is idk him settling against the dragon that saved him or something, looking at a sunset or alternatively it’s just him patting the skrill, right before he goes off and dies. I think that would’ve been cool.
now you may wonder why I’m suggesting all this, and it’s simply cause I don’t get the deal with viggo and especially not with that episode. It’s probably just personal preference but I don’t see why so many people love him? Idk that might just be me. If you would like, I’d love to hear your thoughts on him and why people like him so much, cause I’m genuinely just confused cause from my corner it seems everyone’s obsessed with him and like. I think he’s cool, and I loved his drive and villainy, but I can’t tell what it is that people cling to him for? Cause I see a lot of people who like to think about it viggo lives/post redemption but again I just don’t see the appeal. I’m really sorry if I come across as negative, it’s not my intention I’m just genuinely confused and would like to hear others’ thoughts. Also I haven’t watched triple cross in several months now so idk my idea would even flow with the episode but it’s cool I think? Here’s just this mess of me rambling words are difficult yknow
Okay, so I agree with what you said about seeing Viggo slowly bonding with that monstrous nightmare. After Dagur's very long and satisfying redemption arc where we see him slowly learn to care for others (starting with Heather and slowly branching out to the other riders and eventually Mala), and eventually learning to respect and even love dragons to the point where he finds himself on the exact opposite side of the conflict that he has been wrapped up in since he was a child.
After all of that, Viggo's redemption arc was just a little underwhelming. I wish it had been dragged out a little longer. The 2 second clips would have been a great way to do that, but I would have liked a whole episode dedicated to Viggo telling Hiccup about what happened to him after Johann trapped him in the cave with a bunch of flashback scenes showing us exactly what happened. And even after that, little moments where we can see Viggo learning and changing in real time.
I love Viggo a lot, and I can definitely think of a few specific mutuals who really love Viggo. I think he really stands out because he's such a good adversary for Hiccup. More than any other villain in the series imo he makes Hiccup think. We see Hiccup suffer some pretty heavy losses, and feel intense grief or anger, all because of Viggo.
This is partially attributed to the fact that the shows have more time to spend on this sort of thing, but I can't see Drago creating this kind of conflict. Maybe Grimmel but most of Grimmel's moves were centered around Toothless and not getting inside Hiccup's head (I feel)
He sorta challenges Hiccup in a way that we haven't seen before or since.
Pair his intense intellect and strategy with the voice and the very composed attitude and he's a lot of fun to watch, especially when he's bouncing off of Hiccup's sarcasm and dry humor.
Given all of this and the fact that he's been shown to be willing to change and adjust his very established worldview based off of his experiences, I just really like him lol
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blizzardfluffykpop · 3 months
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Hello, ‘tis I. As my primary resident The Boyz stan mutual, I am humbly asking for some suggestions about getting to know them since I’m seeing them at the end of July. I like, know their names but couldn’t put them to faces really. I know Ju Haknyeon because P101 s2, but he was like 16 or 17 at that point so I’m sure he’s pretty different now. Anyway, I’ve already gotten some info from others but I know that if anyone has lots of knowledge about The Boyz, it’s you.
Hello 🤭💖 good to know I earned that title~ I have many suggestions- But I think I'll do a thorough answer beneath this paragraph- and base them on content and things~ But omg you're seeing them at the end of July!? I'm seeing them in New York in the middle of July! That's so cool that we're both getting to see them this year! I absolutely understand- Oh heck yeah- I only have seen clips of that but I'm glad you already have a slight start~ I wonder what you've learned so far 👀 But it's so sweet to know that you turned to me for this 🥺💖(this is gonna get really long and it's just because I cannot shut up about them even if I tried- I really hope this helps).
For me I really like Idol Human Theaters and always enjoy them. And I think that's a good place to start they helped me get to know them- It really shows you how funny they are. I really suggest going in order and I'll link that here ~ Personally my favorites are their Athletic one (Killing both the stage & Cloth P.E. Students) and their drinking one (What Happens On Daytime Get-Together).
Now if you lean more into scary content I def suggest Wings of Escape ep 1, & Episode 2 (tbh as a person who really can't take scares- it's only scary for the 1st 5 minutes) I spend the rest laughing- it's so silly- I go back to watch it all the time. For me, I really like knowing who the cowards are- as a coward myself :) (how I ended up biasing 2 noncowards idk-at least I bias one that is) Like Q- man is giddy over the scares and is so excited to go in- (His team is my favorite) But Ju Haknyeon is the coolest- he's the type of friend you want if you're going somewhere scary. Sunwoo is my representative in that escape room.
Now if you love mafia content (they have several) but like "high quality" The Boyz (1): The Convoyz (2) is sososo good- You get to see how they lie and trick and figure each other out. (I've never seen a group with no sense for mafia before them 😭 I love them sm) And then in the second episode you see them play by teams against each other and it really shows their team efforts!
Now this will be a longer one but The Boyz Come On! God Saeng 😭🥺 holds such a big and special place in my heart- it made me fall for each of their personalities even harder. Like Jacob drives so much like me and has sm fun and takes care of "the kiddos" while Sangyeon's car- everyone falls asleep cause he drives so gently. And when they all went to go to bed how they each talked 😭😭 It's so gentle- they have sm fun- (there is a part I hate just because of the producers but tbz themselves... oh yeah that's my soft spot) I really could go on about each member- but the way Juyeon volunteers for dishes- and how they cheer on each other for bowling (even on opposite teams)... Oh yeah I bawled my eyes out :)
My favorite content is one of the first contents of their own that watched was Deobi University (1): Vacation (2) ! It's so funny, but it's one of those contents when you watch it again with more knowledge about them that it truly becomes hilarious, so that's why it's at the bottom of the list. But the way they play around in the water, and everyone enjoys themselves- and the game they play inside the house!? (These little weirdos 🥺💖)
Now for regular content that isn't "funny" I really suggest if you want to know more about their hard work and dedication- (other than their kingdom & all that) there is Off The Boyz their behinds- I have one that I always watch and it's 2023 SBS performance behind one. It really shows their talents and there is a vv funny moment with Kevin (he looks like humpty dumpty for a second). The performance from that: Intro + Watch It 2023 Gayodaejeon (am I little salty about Juyeon not getting the spotlight when he prepared so hard for his part of the intro dance... yes, but that's besides the point- it is still beyond amazing) But there's also their Zeneration preparation for their tour last year- and you'll see how much hard work they put into it- like seeing Hyunjae trust the rest of them to catch him- and nail the Only One move after not doing it for so long was just incredible. And then Younghoon is the thumbnail with the kitty~
If you wish to cry your eyes out, I got just the content for you it is very long but it really digs into their dynamics one on and one. Dear.THE BOYZ (which "Dear." also a song they produced for their fans that they all partook in 🥺) Here's the encore concert version of the song
[I have an older deobi friend from insta and if you'd like I can grab some of her suggestions (they're on my phone and she always makes me little playlists to catch up on haha) And she also has given me little introductory twitter threads of "The Boyz and their animals" and whatnot so if you'd like any of that kind of content pls lmk~]
I won't lie ik this is prolly a lot and if you want different suggestions- or more narrowed down suggestions pls lmk! I'll be happy to provide- say you want really cool stages Shine Shine + The Stealer or their solo stages feel free to ask again~ I wasn't too sure what kind of content would help you get to know them better- but I tried my best and I hope you enjoy at least one of these! (If you like interviews more so I do know a few good ones too)
And I also have live performances suggestions~ And if you figure out your bias I can prolly give you more personalized suggestions that way too~
One LAST thing: If you wish to talk about them/the concert and any of their content- I'm all ears~
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daisy-dooodles · 2 years
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About me :D
hi, hello! to start this blog off I think it would be nice to introduce myself a little, so here go a couple of basic questions about me...
What's your name? I go by Daisy in English (cause it's way cuter and easier than my original name in Polish lol and I really like flowers). But let's say my initials are MP, that's why I sign my artwork with it :D
What are your pronouns? She/Her
How old are you? I'm 22 years old, living that early 20s crisis lol
Do you have a degree in art? Nope, I went to uni for Romance Philology, cause I really enjoy languages, literature and different cultures too. But I've always liked art too as a side project!
So why this blog? Well, I don't really know what I want to do in life, so I decided to make this to start taking it more seriously as a possible actual job or just a way of having a place less chaotic than my insta to show the art I'm proud of sort of like a portfolio (and maybe even some behind the scenes I never shared...)
And what would you like to work in? I feel like a creative space would be cool. Maybe like editorial work, maybe designing stuff for books... idk, but I like the idea of being able to work on many different things instead of doing the same for years on end...
Do you do original art or fanart? Both. I have many ideas, sometimes I get obsessed with a show or something and want to try making fanart for it, but I have many original ideas too!
Is it traditional or digital art? Well, I enjoy both immensely. Because I sort of moved to Poland from Spain I don't have many of my supplies, so I'm resorting to digital more. I use the XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 tablet to draw. The program I use is Medibang Paint (and I am thinking of buying Clip Studio in the future when I have more resources at hand, cause I heard it's really good!) Unfortunately, my laptop is not great at colours, so I really like Medibang for letting me upload to the cloud and letting me deal with the colours on my phone :D (none of this is sponsored btw, I'm just sharing my experience)
How would you describe your art style? "I'm just trying" lol. I don't have one, I just try new and different things and supplies and programs as I feel like it. Many times it depends on what feeling I want the piece to have, so that makes me try and learn new techniques and I really enjoy doing that :D
Do you do commissions? Maybe a store? No, I don't. I'm not ready for something like that yet. Maybe down the line uploading stuff to pages like redbubble could be an option, I don't know much about how any of this works, I'll be figuring it out slowly
Can I message you? Please do, for anything! You wanna be mutuals and share with me silly posts or about a fandom we share? Go ahead! Do you need advice or vent to someone? DMs are open :D
What fandoms are you in? Well, I was in Sanders Sides for a long time, but I don't really go there anymore, maybe when we get more content I might just jump back in, though I still follow Thomas and check his content when I can cause I still enjoy it! I do enjoy figure skating and follow a bit on Yuzuru Hanyu, mostly Then we have my most recent fandoms I am kinda obsessed with: MDZS and BTS. Yeah, wild stuff. Have I drawn anything about them? Not yet really, I do have one MDZS sketch I'm working on, and a couple based on BTS songs, so maybe soon I'll share those here cause I feel quite proud of them so far :D I do enjoy many other series and films, but I don't think I'd be able to just list them cause it's so random. You can always ask if you need a friend to whom you get to be weird to, no judgement, we all be like that! I ranted about BTS to my bestie who knows basically nothing about them for almost a year now and they still love me nonetheless hahahah
(...yeah, so let's leave it at that for now, will update when new things pop in my head)
see you around 💜
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princessfbi · 2 years
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buddie + ❛ want me to model these for you? ❜
It started out as a joke. One where Eddie teased Buck about his Buck 1.0 days that ended with Buck tackling Eddie on the couch with his lips crashing into his. But then the joke led to a conversation of exploring curiosities which led to their mutual agreement to show each other their drawers.
The drawers that nobody else had access to and was kept away from wandering eyes. Eddie’s drawer was more like a box hidden high up on the top shelf of his closet and tucked in the back. Buck’s was in his nightstand on the bottom drawer with a twist to the knob to unlock it so nobody accidentally exposed themselves to the more adventurous side of Buck.
And Buck had thought there would’ve been no contest of who was the more adventurous of the two. Eddie still blushed when Buck kissed him on the cheek in public for fuck’s sake!
But then Buck caught the way Eddie’s eyes darkened when he lifted up his cuffs. They were expensive— more expensive than Buck had been able to really justify spending at the time that he bought them— but they were worth every penny. The leather was buttery soft with an even softer thin cushioned lining that soothed the resolute confining of the cuffs themselves. The metal link between the two cuffs was cool to Buck’s finger were he held them up for Eddie to see but warmed so nicely when Buck withered on top of them.
Eddie’s eyes blew out into wide black pupils that Buck could’ve sworn he would’ve fallen in them if he got close enough. His mouth went slack before he managed to catch his jaw and Buck smirked as he swayed the cuffs in front of Eddie's nose.
"Want me to model these for you?" Buck asked as he wiggled his eyebrows.
Eddie's expression went impossibly darker and Buck felt a sweat pebble on his skin beneath the heat of his look.
Eddie nodded and Buck's mouth went dry.
"There's this buckle here," Buck said as he held up his wrist, palm side up for Eddie to see as Buck buckled the first cuff around it. He latched the cuff until it was almost too tight and groaned when his stomach rolled with the excitement of feeling the pressure against the soft skin of his wrist.
Eddie said nothing but Buck could feel his eyes boring through him as he showed him the way the leather looked against his skin. Buck would've regretted not having a shirt on in any other circumstance as he flushed under Eddie's attention but Eddie always liked the way Buck went pink.
"Then this one..." Buck trailed off as he held up the other cuff and his free wrist to Eddie, letting him try.
Eddie's touch was scorching as he took Buck's wrist in his own and cuffed the other one with ease. It wasn't like it was rocket science but seeing Eddie secure the buckle with deft fingers did something to Buck in a way that had no right to be as hot as it was. He shivered as Eddie's thumb checked under the cuff with a gentle sweep before he did the same to the other one too.
Buck breathed out a shaky exhale as Eddie held both of his hands in is. He always did have a thing for Eddie's hands. They were big and warm with callouses that were just right for the bit of roughness Buck liked when Eddie touched him. His long fingers could curl around Buck's wrists with ease and pin him down with a strength that thrummed in Eddie's veins that made Buck go crazy when catching just a glimpse of it.
"There's more," Buck said, his voice breathless to his own ears as he pulled his hands away. He lifted the cuff with the dangling strap left attached from the last time Buck had used them and Eddie followed the pendulum swing with those brooding, smoldering eyes like he was in a trance. "Take this..."
Buck turned around and brought his hands behind his back.
"Clip it to---" Buck didn't even get the words out before Eddie was clipping it to the D ring on the other cuff, securing Buck's hands at the small of his back. Buck's breath caught in his throat as he tugged instinctively against the tension. It didn't budge. But there was more. So much more he could do if Eddie wanted. He felt down for the tail of the strap and flicked it with his fingers. "You can tighten it."
Eddie yanked the strap hard, tightening whatever slack Buck had left until his wrists were effectively tied behind his back. The leather was turning warm and the familiar ache Buck loved climbed up into his shoulders almost immediately. His moan fell out of him before he could stop it but Eddie choked it silent as he pressed up against Buck's back, yanking on the tail like it was leash bringing Buck to heel.
His hand flattened on Buck's chest, pressing the heel of his palm to where his heart was thundering beneath his breast bone, and Eddie's breath cascaded down Buck's sensitive skin as he tucked his chin over Buck's shoulder.
"You didn't really think about this, did you?" Eddie rumbled in Buck's ear. Buck shivered as his teeth latched onto it. He rolled the lobe gently before giving a sharp tug that ripped a gasp out of Buck. His fingers trailed up Buck's chest with a featherlight touch that made Buck arch into it. His other hand settled on Buck's stomach. He rubbed into the tension and dipped his fingers south before his touch disappeared and Eddie pushed Buck face down on the mattress.
Nope. He didn't think it through at all.
That didn't mean Buck didn't love every fucking second of it.
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queen-haq · 3 years
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Fic: A Woman Scorned - Part 9
Fic: A Woman Scorned - Part 9
Pairing: Billy Russo x Reader
Rating: R for language.
Words: ~2000 words.
Summary: You’ve been sleeping with Billy Russo for a few months now. Knowing his aversion to emotional commitments, you’re satisfied with your clandestine arrangement until you catch him having dinner with Dinah Madani one night. Then it finally dawns on you. It’s not that he doesn’t want to commit, he just doesn’t want to commit to *you*.
Billy may think he knows you, but he has no idea what he’s just lost...
Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4  Part 5   Part 6   Part 7   Part 8
Part 9
The smile on your face was stiff and insincere as Marcus Boyd walked you back to your car. As much as you loathed the asshole, you needed him and that meant paying him a personal visit in his home in Connecticut. He was a very successful defense lawyer, on his way to becoming a managing partner in a prestigious New York law firm in a few years. Because of his career, he had access to many seedy characters which is what you were here to leverage. You needed an unregistered gun, and he had connections who could provide you one. If that meant putting up with him for an hour, you were willing to do it.
“Y/N,” he said with a slick smile, standing next to you as you unlocked your car door. “It was wonderful to see you again.”
“No, it wasn’t,” you replied. “It never is. But we do what we have to, right?”
His eyes narrowed, shifting to something menacing. “I forgot how tactless you can be.”
You gave him a mocking smile. “Here’s hoping you won’t have to see me again soon.”
“Next time you need something, don’t come to me,” he warned.
“Same goes for you.” You leveled him with a cold look. “When can I expect a call?”
“A few days.”
“Fine.” You got into your car and shut the door, feeling relieved at no longer being around the slimy bastard.
Marcus was someone you met at college in your first year. He was a rich entitled sophomore, about to flunk out. You were good at hacking into things, and had managed to get your hands on a few exams Marcus desperately needed to pass. That was the beginning of your partnership with him. You helped him graduate and he paid you a lot of money in return. Thanks to him and his friends, you were able to get your degree with minimal student loans. Although the two of you despised each other, the threat of mutual destruction meant you trusted him to keep your search for a registered gun to himself and he trusted you not to spill his secrets.
You started driving back into the city, your mind focused on the road ahead when your phone pinged. You glanced down. An unknown number was calling you. If it was like the other anonymous calls you received, they would call you a fucking bitch as soon as you picked up and hang up on you. You had no doubt that it was Adam calling, considering the calls started after he was released, which only proved how unhinged he was. A smarter man would have been on his best behaviour when out on bail but he was so filled with rage he didn’t even bother to temper his actions. You had already reached out to the prosecutor and informed them of the calls, but you doubted it would lead to anything. Most likely Adam was using disposable phones, which meant there was no direct proof he was the one making the calls. You were scared, of course you were, which was why you’d reached out to Marcus even though you didn’t like the prick. It’s not like you could rely on Trevor, the bodyguard Roger had assigned to keep you safe. He was lazy and not very bright, and even if he was good at what he did Valiant wouldn’t be paying for your protection indefinitely. All of that meant you had to take this matter into your own hands. It wasn’t going to be easy, but it was the only way for you to feel safe again.
Your thoughts turned to Billy, something you actively tried to avoid, but there wasn’t anything else to distract your mind away from him. It had been a week since you blocked him, and as much as you hated to admit it, you missed him. He’d been a part of your life for almost a year and you really enjoyed his company before things got messy between you two. If you hadn’t developed feelings for him and then caught him on a date with Dinah Madani, you guys would probably still be sleeping together – but you did, and seeing him with someone like her made it crystal clear his lack of feelings for you. The truth hurt like hell, but you’d get over it. You were a realist after all. You knew he was out of your league and there was nothing you could do to make Billy want you.
The speaker on your car piped up with a message notification. It was a text from Davina, reminding you of the girls night out planned for tomorrow night. It was a mutual friend’s birthday and the plan was for all of you to go to a new club that recently opened. You were looking forward to it, mostly as it would keep your mind off Adam but also because you were hoping to go out and meet someone new. No doubt Billy had already found someone else to fill your spot on his weekly rotation but you weren’t built like him and needed time to process your lingering feelings. You still weren’t over him, but you were ready to move on.
Now you just needed to get back home and come up with a reason as to how you lost your bodyguard in case Roger asked. Somehow, though, you doubted Trevor would willingly tell Roger about you disappearing for a few hours so you weren’t too worried. No one knew about your connection with Marcus and you intended to keep it that way.
***
The next evening you, Davina, and a few others were at Pravda, a new club downtown, to celebrate your friend Kiran’s birthday. You were wearing a low-cut black jumpsuit paired with silver stilettos, while your lips were painted maroon. Choosing to keep focus on the lips, you had ensured the rest of your make-up was light and dewy which went well with your straightened hair. It had taken a lot of double-sided tape to make sure your breasts were in check in your outfit but it was worth the effort. You felt like a proper goddess tonight, surrounded by your beautiful friends at a private table in the VIP lounge.
An hour later you were buzzed, giggling and laughing as you and a few others headed back to the private booth from the dance floor. After dancing up a storm, you guys were all parched and desperate for a drink. Davina was holding your hand as she led you through the crowds but you knew something was wrong when she stopped unexpectedly. You thought you heard her swear but you couldn’t be sure due to the loud music.
“What’s-” The words died in your mouth when you realized what Davina was staring at. Billy fucking Russo, sitting at your table, chatting it up with Kiran who was sitting next to him. The moment you saw them, you felt red-hot anger flood over you. While Kiran was a good friend, she wasn’t someone you confided in. She had no idea you’d been sleeping with Billy so you didn’t blame her for flirting with him. But Billy, god you hated him! There was no way his showing up at the same club as you was a co-incidence, which meant he was purposely here to flirt with your friends. To hurt you.
“Want to leave?” Davina asked, looking at you with concern.
“No, it’s fine,” you replied in a clipped tone.
“Are you sure?”
“He’s here because he wants to piss me off.”
“I thought you said he was cool about the break-up.”
You shrugged your shoulders. “Thought he was.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
You didn’t answer, instead taking the lead to walk past her. You returned to your seat across from where he and Kiran were sitting. Davina came to sit beside you. Butterflies fluttered in your stomach as his molten eyes trailed down to your breasts, lingering on you. Dressed in a simple grey t-shirt, designer no doubt, and a pair of black trousers and open leather jacket, he looked absolutely beautiful with his perfectly styled hair and trimmed beard.
“Hey guys, this is Billy,” Kiran greeted, eyeing him appreciatively. “He ordered us more champagne. Isn’t that so nice of him?”
On the table in front of you was an expensive bottle, chilling in ice. You quirked your eyebrow. Apparently Billy was in the mood to splurge on your friends. “That’s nice of him,” you remarked noncommittally.
“Billy, this is Davina and Y/N,” Kiran said.
His eyes were locked with yours, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Oh, I know Y/N very well.”
Kiran turned to look at you. “You do?”
You shrugged your shoulders. “Through work.”
Billy leaned forward, his smoldering gaze holding you hostage. “Y/N and I are very good friends.”
“Acquaintances,” you corrected.
As if sensing the tension in the air, Kiran pulled away from Billy. Meanwhile, he picked up the bottle of champagne and started pouring the liquid in the empty glasses in front of him. “You’re giving Kiran the wrong idea about us, Y/N. She might think you don’t like me very much.”
“She’d be right,” you snarked, ignoring the glass of champagne he held out for you.
“I’ll take that,” Davina replied, snatching the glass from his hands.
Your friends were suddenly talking all at once but all you could focus on was Billy’s heated gaze on you. With every second that passed his eyes on you seemed to grow more wanton and lustful, and desire coursed through your blood at how he looked at you. You wanted him so badly you cold feel yourself getting wet, and you realized you needed to get out of there right away.
“I’m going to get a drink,” you whispered in Davina’s ear, making sure Billy didn’t hear you.
“Want me to come with you?”
“No. I’ll be fine.” You stood up quickly and made your way out of there, keenly aware of Billy’s eyes boring into your back.
Few minutes later you were sitting at one of the corner bar downstairs. This floor had a different ambience than the club upstairs, which you appreciated. The music wasn’t as loud and you found yourself enjoying the lounge vibe. It wasn’t long before someone crept up next to you at the bar and you turned to find a familiar face smiling back at you.
His name was Avi and you’d run into him a few times at the conferences you’d gone to. Broad-shouldered and husky, you’d always found him attractive in an adorable way.
“You just look…” he gave you a shy smile. “Wow.”
Seeing his reaction to you, you smiled. “Thank you.”
“I’ve always wanted to approach you but I didn’t want to come across as a creep, you know?” he explained. “You can also be very intimidating.”
That made you laugh. “I doubt that.”
As Avi and you continued to talk, you couldn’t help but enjoy how he was gawking at you. You didn’t fit society’s mould for what was considered beautiful, so all of your past flings were a result of the guys getting to know you and finding you hot because of your personality. It was rare when a guy you were attracted to was also into you right away but that seemed to be the case with Avi. You didn’t have to charm or work for him to find you hot. Instead, he was genuinely enamored with how you looked which was refreshing.
His phone rang with a text notification. Scanning through the message, he flashed you an apologetic glance. “Shit. I have to go.”
Disappointed, you pouted your lips. “That’s too bad.”
“Would you want to go out sometime?” he asked shyly.
“I’d like that.” You reached for your phone and scrolled through to the contacts app to add his name before handing the phone to him. “Add your number.”
After you said your goodbyes, you ordered your third gin and tonic and were enjoying your drink at the bar when someone grazed up against you. Seated on a high bar stool, you were expecting Davina to have come looking for you. Instead, you found Billy sidling up to you. He looked pissed off and angrier than you’d ever seen him.  
“Give me your phone,” he barked.
“Go to hell.”
Unexpectedly he gripped your stool and pulled you closer, throwing you off so you were forced to hold on to him for regain your balance. He perched his foot up on the bottom ledge of the stool, closing you in fully. “Unblock me now.”
‘Go fuck yourself.”
His dark eyes seemed to suddenly grow even darker, more monster than human. “Who was that guy you were talking to?”
“My future boyfriend.”
Billy’s lips curved into a sneer. “Not if he knows what’s good for him.”
“Why don’t you go back to flirting with my friend and leave me the fuck alone?”
“She was flirting. I wasn’t.”
“I don’t care. Go sleep with whoever you want, and I’ll do the same.”
Billy simply stared at you for a beat, his jaw clenched. “You’re not fucking anyone else.”
Sitting up straight, you leveled him with a hostile look. “I just met someone who was nice, sweet, and really fucking cute. And he wasn’t an asshole like you. Trust me, I will fuck him. I might even suck him off here tonight if he plays his cards right. And there isn’t a single thing you can do to stop that.”
He dipped his head towards you, leaning in closer so you were the only one who could hear him. His voice may have been flat, but his words were laced with cold fury when he spoke next. “If he touches you, he’s dead. I’ll start with his hands. I’ll break his fingers one by one for daring to touch you. Next I’ll cut off his dick, his balls, other parts of him slowly, carefully, so he feels every inch of the excruciating pain I’ll put him through. I’ll fill him with adrenaline so he doesn’t pass out from the pain. I’ll gouge out his eyes last because he needs to see that I’m the one who turned him into a mutilated lump of flesh. And then maybe, if I’m feeling nice, I might slit his throat to end his suffering.” His eyes never leaving yours, he reached for your drink at the bar and chugged it.
“You’re a fucking psychopath,” you said, your throat suddenly parched. Your heart was beating rapidly, your stomach coiled into knots. Fear should have flooded over you -  it didn’t. Instead, you were aroused.
“No one takes what’s mine.”
“I’m not your fucking possession. You don’t own me.” You closed your eyes, taking deep breaths as your emotions – and the walls – started to all swirl together. Like always, just when you thought he might have cared enough to admit he was jealous, he showed his true colours. Billy’s anger had nothing to do with his feelings for you. Rather, it was about his ego. Shit. You felt dizzy, the drinks had started to hit you. “Why don’t you go bother Dinah and her new man? Didn’t you say she was seeing someone else? Go pull your psychopath routine on them.”
He tucked his finger under your chin, lifting your face up to meet his gaze again. The emotions in his eyes played havoc with your senses as he pressed in closer, so close you could feel his warm breath on your skin.
“I don’t care who Dinah dates or fucks.”
The air was thick with tension.  It felt as if there was no one else in the bar but you and Billy, his one hand under your chin, the other pressed against the small of your back. You felt heady and light-headed with anticipation and desire, but you were also angry. Angry that you still wanted him, that he wouldn’t give you space to get over him. “Why can’t you leave me alone?”
His fingers gripped the side of your face, and you exhaled a sharp breath when he grazed your forehead with his. Temples touching, his eyes held you transfixed in place.  “Because you’re mine.” The possessiveness in his voice was unsettling, but it was the way he was staring at you – as if he could see right through to your core – that made your stomach flip-flop. “Mine.” His thumb swiped along your bottom lip, as if marking you as his. “And I’m yours.”
Billy was a player, an asshole, and there was comfort in that because it meant you knew where you stood with him, but now he was defying expectations, crossing the boundaries you’d carefully set for yourself, and you weren’t ready for that. None of that mattered, however, because you were suddenly feeling really, really sick.  “I have to go,” you mumbled. The room was spinning as you tried to jump off the chair but your knees almost gave way. Billy was there to catch you in his arms, holding you up.
“Woah, you okay?”
You pushed him off and ran.
Part 10
A/N - As always, thank you for the support, the feedback, the likes/reblogs, and the asks. I’m stoked to keep writing this because of you guys. Please let me know your thoughts on the chapter!
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deluluass · 3 years
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What bliss, domesticity.
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for: @tink2kagome. i’m sorry it took me so long to work on ur pretty setter squad request T^T i’ll probably do like another one in the future! 
  & @lady-tokugawa-of-mikawa @belpomme @chaichai-the-weeb for being such lovely mutuals <3 <3 
Content warnings: rape/noncon; nsfw; yakuza/organized crime; gun mention; a lot of (non-sexual) food references in this one
  Jun’ichi Saikawa was obviously the kind of man who liked to laugh. Not unlike most people in their world. The kind who use their entire body when they do, announcing to the entire world with a bellowing “Ha Ha Ha!” how pleased they are with whatever’s going on in front of them.
  Which, in all honesty, was pretty admirable, that the old man could still do it considering how bored to tears Wataru was. 
  That it’s a humid afternoon didn’t help either. He could feel the sweat on his back even when the doors were already slid open, exhibiting a verdant garden filled with blossoms and shrub peonies. From his place he could see the school of koi swirling in the shallow pond, their scales iridescent under the warm rays of the sun. 
  “Didn’t know you were the funny sort, 'Kaashi!” Saikawa blurted out, the sake in his hand spilling to his fingers.
  This wasn’t Wataru’s first day on the job, but this is the first that he gets to do something this important. And with someone he highly respects, too. 
  So he gave his collar a light tug, steeling himself to endure as he tucked his legs further beneath him, and resorted to thinking about the many things he would absolutely surrender just to lie down on the warm mat. 
  His car, maybe.
  The brand new noise-cancelling headphones he bought, if pushed. 
  Wataru saw Akaashi nod.
  “I appreciate a joke every now and then,” he said.
  The larger man laughed again.
  “Here, here!” Saikawa thundered, snatching a tiny, yellow box from the maid who appeared as swiftly as she’d left. 
  “I heard you like sweets. Here,” he said, grinning as he handed it to Akaashi. “My youngest son just opened a cake shop. I know what you’re thinking, but who am I to say no, eh?”
  Akaashi passed the box to Wataru. 
  “Mind it for me, please,” he whispered.
  How unexpected. Akaashi-san has a sweet tooth.
  Huh. 
  That’s pretty neat. Wataru himself wasn’t partial to cakes, but he does love pudding. 
  “You are a good father, Jun’ichi-san,” Akaashi told him. 
  This time, Wataru didn’t bother suppressing a yawn as Saikawa fumbled for his phone, hiding it behind his hand as he stared at the birds chirping and hopping about outside.
  “Wanna see him? He’s much like you! Good head on his shoulders, that one.” 
  “I am honored, Jun’ichi-san,” Akaashi echoed back, peering down at the photos Saikawa showed him. 
  “He sends me a lot of these- uh,” Saikawa snorted, his nose reddened by the alcohol. “What do young people call it, the- pictures-”
  “Selfies?” Akaashi politely supplied. 
  “That’s the one! Look. Precious, ain’t he?”
  His earpiece crackled to life. 
  Konoha’s voice emerged from the static. 
  “We’re ready when you are,” his senior murmured. “Man, this is taking too long. Let’s get some burgers when we’re done.”
  “Akaashi-san,” Wataru croaked, feeling his cheeks heat up as he continued, “K-Komi-san and the others are waiting for you.”
  Saikawa perked up. “Ah, of course! Of course!” 
  He stumbled when he attempted to stand up. Akaashi was quick on his feet to assist him.
  “I knew I could count on you, son,” he muttered, patting Akaashi’s back. “Now, you tell Bokuto that what happened between us- it’s all in the past! All in the past! And if those bastards mess with him again, you tell him to run to old Jun’ichi!”
  Akaashi clasped Saikawa’s hand.
  “Thank you,” Akaashi said. “I’ll be sure to relay your sentiments to Bokuto-san.”
  “You do that, my boy.” Saikawa’s belly shook as he laughed. “Your generation’s a smart one, indeed. The in-fighting and wars, bah! All that trouble for nothing; that’s not your style. Your lot’s the future now!”
  Then, Akaashi stepped a few meters back and bowed. 
  Wataru followed behind him. 
  “We will be taking our leave,” Akaashi said. “It has been an illuminating talk, Jun’ichi-san.”
  The sound of the bamboo drip trickling water into another stalk permeated through the silence.
  It collapsed and clunked against a stone. 
  He heard the birds flutter away.
  When Wataru raised his head, Saikawa had already been lying face down on the floor. 
  And, of course, Wataru’s used to it: the crack of a gun muffled by a silencer. 
  He’s been practicing his entire life, after all. He actually doesn’t flinch anymore and Wataru thinks he should be proud of himself.
  It’s just that... how could someone who used to be there, suddenly...disappear? Saikawa was right in front of him a few minutes ago. Laughing and showing off photographs of his son. And now he’s...not.
  But, Saikawa didn’t disappear. Not really. 
  The blood seeping through the tatami is proof of it, but Wataru chooses not to look. In theory, he knows what a bullet through the skull looks like. He’d just rather not see today if what he’s taught reflects true in the real world. 
  Maybe some other time.
  “Wataru.” 
  Wataru flinched. “Y-yes?”
  Akaashi looked back at him. “The cake?”
  His body was still trembling and it took a lot of strength to not let it show in his hands when he gave it back to Akaashi, the box pleasantly yellow with doodles of doe-eyed eggs dancing along the handle. Unblemished, unlike Akaashi, who was sporting a splatter of blood along his cheek. 
  It’s surprisingly still cool to touch, too.
  “No, thank you,” he said, rejecting the handkerchief that Wataru offered. 
  From afar, Wataru could hear the faint melodies of an old love song being played by a car radio. No doubt Konoha’s doing. It followed them, growing louder the closer they walked back into the parking lot. The others bowed and sent gruff salutations along Akaashi’s way as they dragged bodies out of the Saikawa mansion. 
  (It was nauseating and Wataru wanted to pass out.)
  He pressed his nails harshly into the meat of his palm. 
  “A-Akaashi-san,” Wataru began. “I didn’t know that- that um, you liked... sweets.”
  Akaashi halted. 
  “No, I don’t,” he said, blinking. “But my wife does.”
  Wataru stared at him. 
  Akaashi went ahead. 
  He stayed that way— staring and wondering, until they stopped by the fast food restaurant that Konoha loved so much. Wataru couldn’t even finish his burger and fries. 
  By the time that they hit the freeway, Akaashi had already cleaned himself up and Wataru was still grappling with the word “wife.” 
  Of course he knows the man is married. 
  But, how, exactly, do you reconcile his reputation with the sight of him, every passing headlight sharpening his features, quietly humming along to Aki Yashiro? Who was longing for Shinjuku at night, the beauty of it, and oh, how wonderful it’d be, she said: a rendezvous with her lover, waiting for her under raining cherry blossoms. 
  Wataru figured that he was tired and starting to see things. 
  That small smile that graced Akaashi’s lips couldn't be real, either, especially those hands of his that held the box of cake like it’s worth more than gold.
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He wasn't really particular when it comes to music. A song's a song, in Akaashi's opinion. Another form of noise that helps when the silence gets too overbearing. 
  But you, on the other hand, liked music. Listened to it the same way one eats their favorite food: memorizes the lyrics; goes out of your way to collect unearthed photographs and newspaper clippings that made the singer seem more human.
  You loved music— was probably the right way of putting it.
  Especially the old variety. He didn't get it at first. The sounds are dated; no one speaks in that language with that cadence anymore; the singer's probably dead.
  Well, Akaashi still doesn't get it, if he were to be honest. 
  Yet here he is. 
  His hands were wrapped around your waist, coaxing you into a slow— albeit clumsy, waltz.
  "Kei-kun!" you squeaked. "The dishes!"
  You dragged your slippers beneath you, struggling to wipe the suds off your hands. 
  "S-seriously, Kei-kun..!"
  Sure, he doesn’t fully understand what’s great about it, music. 
  Yet here he is. 
  Perhaps it’s because he immediately recognized the first few notes this time, that’s why he’s doing this. He didn’t even wait for the DJ to finish saying, “You’re still listening to Vintage F.M. Here’s a classic for you couples out there. Have a romantic night with Nat King Cole’s L-O-V-”
  Perhaps it’s because your cream stew tasted extra special that it made him shrug the fatigue off, giving in to the urge of pulling you close and taking your damp hand in his to sway and bob along the skipping bassline. Your bashful objections went in one ear and out the other.
  Sure, he’s not the type to do this, either, dancing. 
  Yet here he is. 
  Perhaps it’s because he knew that it’s your favorite song.
  Perhaps it’s just what marriage does to you.
  "Did you like the cake?" he whispered against your neck, inhaling the scent of cinnamon and the way your skin jumped as he did.
  Your breaths were shallow against his chest, but you managed a soft, “Yes, sweetheart. Thank you.”
  Akaashi caressed your back, kneading the tensed muscles as he huffed. 
  “Good,” he murmured, trembling. “Good girl. What a relief." 
  It was endearing, how offbeat the both of you were. A shame, though, considering that Nat King Cole’s fervently insisting on love; that it’s all that I can give to you; that it’s more than just a game for two. 
  So Akaashi makes up for his two left feet by joining in. He pressed his lips to your forehead. How strange, your presence in his life. What did he do to deserve you by his side, for this contentment that thaws away the chill?
  (He put a ring on your finger, is what he did. He deserves this.)
  “Two,” he droned, made giddy by the sparks in his belly, “in love can make it.”
  You looked at him, wide-eyed. 
  “Take my heart and please don’t break it.”
  He spun you around.
  “Oh my god, Kei-kun,” you gasped. “You can’t sing.”
  Akaashi’s aware of it all too well. He can’t carry a note; not him: the guy who’s had monotony ingrained in his very being. But that’s why he has you.
  A startled giggle left you as he guided you into a box step, the trumpet rising and falling over the strings. You stepped on him a few times, so he lifted you up, just so, and kicked off your slippers. Then, he set your feet atop his own. 
  He took you with him as he moved, waddling and careful not to hit his back against the countertop. It came as no revelation that both of you weren’t any better dancers even after this maneuver.
  Akaashi continued. Starting with L—
  “Is for the way you look at me.”
  “Stop, stop-” Your eyes crinkled at the sides. “You’re flat.”
  Akaashi persisted, anyway, taking your cheek to pepper kisses all over your face.
  “O is for the only one I see.”
  Your laugh was airy— light and buoyant all over the kitchen, like a fairy leaving stardust in its wake. Not gratingly booming nor demanding. After all, you weren’t the kind who felt the need for it: an audience to witness how pleased you are; how strong and powerful you are over everyone else. 
  Besides, your laugh was just for him. A private and intimate thing. And he was so lost in it that he almost forgot what’s been gnawing at him for the entire morning.
  Akaashi rested his chin on your shoulder, nuzzling the downy fabric of your dress as he gripped you by the hips. 
  “Where did you go earlier?” 
  The orchestra was in a joyous uproar, joining the rapid beating of your heart; the trumpet bright and clear, singing in harmony with the bass and saxophones and trombones, as Nat King Cole repeatedly guaranteed, as if an oath, that love was made for me and you. 
  Love was made for me and you.
  “I had to buy some groceries!” you piped up. “We ran out of ingredients. Sorry, I forgot to bring my phone with me. Oh, I have to run you a bath. I’ll tell you when it’s done, alright?”
  You broke away from him with a beaming grin, but Akaashi wanted to ask, despite the evidence of it before him. 
  “Are you happy?”
  It has already ended, the song. The DJ was signing off for the night.
  You nodded, playfully jabbing his arm with a fist. 
  “Of course,” you told him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
  Perhaps it’s because you were never really good at pretense, no matter how much you hid behind needless noise. 
  Music. Laughter. Running water. 
  Akaashi sighed as he slumped down the nearest stool.
  Of course you’re happy. Why wouldn’t you be?
  After rubbing his eyes with clammy fingers, Akaashi fiddled them together beneath his temples. He released a heavy breath and fished for his phone in his pocket.
  He spoke after the first two rings. 
  “Wataru-san, I’m sorry for bothering you,” he said. “Can you do something for me?”
  His subordinate didn't ask him why, neither did he react when he'd stated his request. Akaashi knew, however, that the question was sitting in Wataru's clipped replies. The boy’s “yes, sir” and “understood, sir” were far too enthusiastic than normal.
  Akaashi didn’t mind, though, if he did ask. And despite that familiar pang of dread, Akaashi would answer him like the common— just like the average, everyday husband— with that characteristic, bordering on irksome pride that they have when they talk about their wives. 
  Why?
  “Well, Wataru-san,” Akaashi would answer. “Perhaps this is just what marriage does to you.”
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The house was a house like any other.
  There was an old pickup truck parked outside the freshly painted gate, carrying crates of fruits and vegetables in its trunk. Along the bricked walls was an overgrowth of vines and ferns. It extended around the windows and crept up the balcony.
  A large Shiba ran outside and jumped to your lap as soon as it saw you by the driveway.
  Wataru heard Chiaki stir at the back of the car.
  “Pay up, asshole,” he grunted, waking a disheveled Ryota who’s still holding a half-bitten melon bread.
  His lackey cracked his neck and gave the scenery a cursory glance. “Could be a front.”
  Ryota grumbled and went back to sleep.
  “Idiot,” Chiaki clicked his tongue. “She traveled all the way to Miyagi just to give intel? And here? Of all places?”
  Three days. 
  They’ve tailed you for three days. Akaashi-san never said anything else, besides that within the week, while he’s gone and sealing deals in another country, there was a high likelihood of you folding and getting out of Tokyo. 
  To run right here. In Miyagi.
  He didn’t say why, really, but Wataru supposes it’s better that he didn’t. Because during the days of absolute, mind-crushing boredom, of watching some suburban wife go out for a morning walk, chat with her neighbors, and shop around the market, rinse and repeat, coming up with the Why had been their only salvation.
  The betting pool has two answers: cheater or snitch.
  Chiaki was insistent on the former, while Ryota stood by the latter. 
  And Wataru...Wataru could only watch, waiting with a bated breath as the door finally opened.
  “I bet it’s someone younger,” Chiaki said. “Usually is.”
  Seems that none of them were winning anything today.
  The man who emerged from the house was far older— who, oddly enough, resembled you. An  old woman soon followed behind him. Both of them looked at you as if they were witnessing a specter, or someone who's crawled back from the dead. An appropriate comparison, especially since they��re both wearing somber black clothes.
  It wasn’t his place to assume. Though he’s been promoted to a slightly higher position, it will never come close to the place that Keiji Akaashi occupies. Wataru knows all of these, but nothing was stopping him from putting the pieces together, no matter what little he has.
  They could only stare when all of you broke down into tears, locked in each other’s embrace as you knelt on the pavement. 
  Don’t let her stay too long.
  That had been one of Akaashi-san’s orders.
  So the three of them didn’t wait it out. By the time that the sun had set, Wataru had already stepped out of the car, taking Ryota with him. He made sure to remind the boy, just in case he’d forgotten.
  “Be gentle, alright?” Wataru reiterated.
  There hadn’t been any need for that, it turned out. 
  He’s sure you’ve never met before, but Wataru saw bitter understanding flash in your eyes when you caught them loitering in front of your house. Fear was there, too, of course. 
  Wataru was convinced that surely it’s a good thing. It saved everyone a lot of time, that way.
  You didn’t even say a word, only giving Wataru a stiff nod when he’d introduced himself, and remained like so on the ride back to Tokyo, with the strap of your handbag trapped by a clenched fist. Wataru didn’t try to initiate small talk; it felt unnecessary.
  It took a while for Wataru to realize that you also hadn’t bothered to change out of your pajamas, though he gave you a couple of minutes to say your farewells. 
  Pajamas, obscured now by a thick, gray coat. 
  Akaashi-san was right.
  You had no plans of coming home. Not tonight. Maybe not for a while.
  Wataru decided not to linger on it anymore. 
  He ignored the blank stare that pierced right through the rear-view mirror. And then, Wataru wondered, hand sweating in his pocket, what the three of them should have for dinner.
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Thick chunks of pumpkin melted in your mouth with just the first spoonful of broth. 
  It'd been a while since the last time Akaashi cooked. So, more than anything, it was the sight of him setting plates and utensils that took you aback, greeting you with a, "Welcome home. You're just in time. Food's ready," his sleeves rolled to his elbows while donning your baby owl-printed apron. 
  The taste didn't. Surprise you, that is. He's a good cook. Unlike you, who only became marginally better one hundred burn scars later. 
  It also didn't surprise you that he flew back home at the drop of a hat. Even when he said he'd be gone for a week.
  "How is it?" Akaashi asked after chewing. "Took me a while to make it."
  It obviously did, you thought. When you arrived, Irma Thomas was already begging through the record player.
  "Do you need me, like I need you?" she implored, straight from the heart. "Look at me, I'm crying from holding you." 
  The last song on your favorite record. It was cheap and had the best from the artists you loved. 
  Etta James. Ella Fitzgerald. Aretha Franklin. The Mills Brothers. Bessie Smith. All in one vinyl.
  "Yeah," you replied, clearing your throat when you realized how hard it is to speak. "It's delicious."
  You looked back down to your bowl. The  tofu had gone untouched. Your food was still close to spilling to the brim, while Akaashi was almost finished with his, scrolling on his phone laid on the table.
  "So no one coaxed you into it," you heard him say, and that had ripped your eyes away from the broth like a bandage on an infected wound.
  Akaashi was holding your phone, reading the messages- his number was the only one there, as pealing bells resonated in the dining room. 
  "I'd think of all the things that I wanted of you," cried Irma Thomas. "To make me forget the pain that you caused."
  "I would've known if anyone else talked to you, anyway," he huffed, locking the screen before blowing steam off the morsel. 
  "You would," you conceded. The tofu was soft when you bit into it, sinking into your teeth.
  "I found that in our cabinet. Last time it was in the kitchen drawer, wasn't it?" Akaashi helped himself to a bowl of rice. "Don't leave it in stuffy places. What if you forget where you hid it and you won't know when I call?"
  "And I can no longer keep track of where you are for every moment of the day?" you could hear him say. Though he didn't; though all that could heard, besides the scraping of utensils, was Irma Thomas declaring:
  A fragile thing, like life. It just don't last so long.
  It could be for a minute or an hour. Or then again, from now.
  Your lips tightened with a grin. "I won't do it again, sweetheart," you said, spoon hanging limply in your hold.    
  He didn't need to say it. 
  That your phone has a tracker. That this house is still the same cage that it'd been before. That the only difference between then and now is that silver band on your finger.
  Akaashi’s blinked back at you as he sipped  what remained of the soup. You tried to do the same.
  The savory taste was cloying and it burned in your throat, so you didn't attempt to finish the bowl. It cut down to your heart, sinking heavily on your stomach, bile rising as the song came to a close.
  You gulped it down, though. You had to. And in the final moments, Irma Thompson told you what she really wanted. 
  "Make me forget," she said, "the pain that you'd caused."
  The chorus joined her. "Understanding is a great thing," she concluded. "If it comes from the heart."
  Akaashi was on his own phone this time. Most likely checking on the business that he left, judging by those furrowed brows and that long-suffering look in his eyes.   
  Fizzling noise came at the heels of the fading music. Then, it stopped. And there was nothing left anymore but silence.
  It's over now. Akaashi’s making a move to clean up. You were supposed to say, "That was a lovely dinner, honey." Or, you could tell him to sit down and watch a movie with you when he's done. 
  "I'll help you with the dishes," you wanted to say. 
  I'll help you with the dishes. It was so easy to say. 
  Instead, what came out of your mouth was a hushed call for his name.
  "Kei-kun," you repeated, brittle and weak and dry.  
  "I'm so sorry," you might've mouthed. 
  You could barely hear your own voice as you looked at him. Akaashi paused from tidying the table. 
  You're parched and a lot has happened today. Gathering the courage to take that first step out of the city had taken what little strength you had. The fear never left you. Seeing your old house almost ended you. 
  It should be physically impossible for you to still be able to cry. And yet there doesn't seem to be an end to your tears now, the same way your apologies unfurled in an embarrassingly infinite string.
  "Don't lock me inside here again," you whispered, clinging to him as he shushed you, wiping your cheeks with his thumbs as he helped you drink a glass of water.
  He carried you to your room and sat you down on the bed, right between his thighs. You sobbed into your hands, tears and snot on the sleeves of your pajama top.
  "I- I just wanted to see them. That's all. Just one day, Kei-kun. One day. I was gonna come back, I swear." 
  You're rambling. You're a madwoman pleading and bargaining with a stone-cold judge because playing house is the only thing keeping her alive. 
  And you messed that up you foolish, foolish girl.
  "Please don't hurt my family," you heaved. "They're all I have left."
  Akaashi doesn't speak, not for a while, but when he did, you bawled harder.
  "I can kill them all," he said, matter of factly. 
  It is true. Hearing him say it does not make it easier to take, though. 
  "I can hurt you the same way that you hurt me."
  Your neck strained as he tipped your chin towards him with a slender finger. 
  "I can break you," he muttered, not batting an eye.
  That, too, is true. You know it all too well. He said it with such serenity, still and undisturbed by the shaking of your head, because it goes without saying. 
  Except, you, too, know it. 
  When he is breaking. When he is falling apart.
  He smothered you, taking your entire body to curl against you, making himself small as he pressed his face on your back.
  "Yet- and yet I-" Akaashi sniffled. You felt your shirt dampen. "I've given you everything."
  When he finally brought his face close to yours, he looked so lost. Almost like a little boy who's on the verge of drowning,  clinging desperately onto a lifesaver and too shocked to shout for help. 
  You hated him all the more for it.
  "Each other," he said, snarling, almost, through tears as he grabbed your face with both hands. "That's all we have left, you hear? You and I. Husband and wife."
  He seized your jaw and turned it towards the vanity mirror.
  The room was dark save for the light in the hallway, peeking into the crack through the doorway. 
  But you could see yourself. And you could see your hand intertwined in his, your rings gleaming like muted starlights. 
  "We made a vow," he whispered, kissing your ring finger. 
  A detached part of you is astonished with how inescapable it is. Whether it be a reward or a punishment; a good day or a bad one.
  No matter what happens, you always end up like this, don't you? 
  Begging to him with your legs spread wide.
  You did as you'd always done when he began unbuttoning your top. 
  You go back to that autumn morning, when you first laid your eyes on him, a cup of coffee in his hand, and you thought that he had the prettiest face you'd ever seen.
  You go back to when he was just this really romantic guy who sent you flowers every day. There was a letter, every time. 
  Nothing too grandiose. Just short messages hoping that you'd have a great day ahead.
  He kissed your neck, wet smooches and long, flat-tongued licks dipping down your shoulder.
  He watched you through the mirror, his eyes a pair of darkened blues daring you to look away.
  Akaashi Keiji was your boyfriend, you told yourself. You dated him for quite some time before you married.
  Akaashi Keiji got along well with your father and doted on your mother. On Sundays, you visit them and they send you back to Tokyo with ripe watermelons. 
  Akaashi Keiji has never hurt you.
  The man tracing the hem of your bra, cupping your clothed tits and drawing lazy circles over nipples, however, did.
  (And he still will in future. He still is, right now.)
  This man is the real one. 
  And you have angered him, so he will not make this easy for you.
  "What did you promise me?" Akaashi whispered as he lightly bit the shell of your ear. "Or have you forgotten?"
  Of course, you haven't forgotten. You were chained to this very room when you made them, after all.
  "N-no, I remember," you said, catching your breath. "I remember, Kei-kun."
  "Then say it," he said. "Look at me."
  You shivered as his palms swept over your  stomach; as he unfastened your bra, letting it fall down your arms.
  "Look at me when you say it."
  You felt your nipples harden, gooseprickles spread all over you, as the air hit your bare skin, cooling the sweat that made it glisten.
  "Please," he rasped.
  The eyes of the woman in the mirror was hooded, threatening to close as she puffed with each squeeze and caress to her tits, swiveling her hips against her husband’s crotch as he grinded into her. 
  "I will be happy," she said.
  Akaashi nuzzled your temple, using his rough fingers to tease your nipples just as he did, brushing them to and fro, then grazing the bumpy skin around until you're squeaking out his name. 
  And when he began pressing down on the stiff peaks with his thumbs, before rolling and pulling at them, the heels of his palm digging into your tits, you saw the woman claw at her husband's hair, a graceless affair that almost scratched his eye out, making him reach for both her arms to wrap them around his neck. 
  "I- I will..!" Her lips parted in a breathless scream and it was disgusting how lewd she appeared. "I will not run away!"
  The streak of tears on his cheeks touched yours when he kissed you. His lips were soft and warm, his wet tongue gliding in so slowly as he deepened the kiss with a throaty groan.
  His other hand crawled down to your soaked panties. You couldn't contain the mewl that left you.
  Both of you gasped and struggled to breathe again after you parted from each other.  
  "You understand, don't you?" he rasped.   
  Two of his fingers slid down your folds, only to slither back up, then down again, smearing your cunt with its own slick.
  But he never touched your swollen clit, even though it's throbbing and aching to be rubbed and the hard bulge sitting between your ass grew harder the more you squirmed in his hold, whimpering like a bitch in heat.  
  You heard your husband sigh, his hot breath tickling you when he said, "This isn't about you now."
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Belly pushed into the edge of the dressing table, rattling and battering against the wall with each forceful thrust, and your leg perched atop it, made numb by Akaashi's grip on your thigh.
  That was the first thing that you could recall when you opened your eyes.
  But your entire body was screaming in pain, so you knew that everything else that happened last night would come back to you soon enough.
  The flesh had a memory of its own. 
  You sat up with a groan and you didn't have to see the marks to know.
  His teeth were still nipping at you, biting you until they drew blood, only to follow with an apologetic lapping of his tongue. 
  You could feel him beneath you, his hands clawing you down to him, palms kneading your ass cheeks as you bounced up and down on his cock.
  You could feel him above you, gripping your wrists not unlike the cuffs that once kept you shackled. He had your legs wrapped around his waist, pulling you close to him, filling you up with loads and loads of cum, squelching every time he sank down your weeping hole.
  And when your vision began to blur at the edges, he carried your body, mere seconds into fainting, to the dressing table. 
  The evidence of that stared back at you in shameful streaks and smudges, traces of your fingers on the mirror when he rammed your cunt from behind.
  "Are you happy?" Akaashi whispered.
  You don't know. 
  When he's just your husband who comes home to your arms and brings you sweets because he knows how much you love them; who dances with you in the kitchen and listens intently to you when you talk about that cute dog you saw at the park, were you happy, then?
  You don't know, but the woman in the mirror, in that moment, surely was.
  She even said, "Yes, yes, Kei-kun, right there, fuck me right there!"
  Her pupils were blown wide, eyes rolling almost over to the back of her head. And despite the cries that escaped her, there was a wide, dissipated smile on her lips,  spit trailing down her chin.
  "Look at you," Akaashi said, grunting when your walls tightened around his shaft. "You're clearly happy with me."
  "So why? Why'd you even think of leaving?" He rocked his hips, grinding his thick cock against that spot that had you holding onto the mirror. "Don't ever do that to me again." 
  You told him no, no, you won't run away again, but it didn't seem to placate his unease, nor his tears.
  "I'm so scared, everyday, that you'll leave me and- and- it feels like hell. I would rather die." 
  He kissed your nape as he huffed and said, "Because I don't know what I'll do without you."
  You never really understood why; what about you had caused him to single you out in the sea of people that had vied for his attention. Especially now as you looked at yourself in the mirror.
  There were dark circles under your eyes and Akaashi’s t-shirt was rumpled on your body, engulfing you whole with its size— a far cry from that lovely, dazzling bride that his best friend, Bokuto, had described you as on your wedding day. 
  But you’re aware, more than anyone, that Akaashi Keiji is the last person to care about appearances. 
  When he entered the room, carrying a tray in his hands, he gazed at that disheveled girl with eyebags big enough to be dragged around the same way he looked at her when he waited for her at the end of the aisle.
  “I made you pancakes,” he muttered, clearing his throat as he sat down beside you.
  You were tired so it didn’t dawn on you as quickly as it should that he made them the way you preferred. Four fluffy pieces stacked atop one another, sprinkled with powdered sugar, whipped cream and a smattering of berries on the side.
  He fiddled with his fingers when you only stared at it, so you immediately took the fork in your hand and sliced the pancake in half.
  “I’ll be taking some time off work,” Akaashi said as you took the food in your mouth. You only nodded, having noticed that he wasn’t wearing the usual bespoke suit as soon as he entered the room.
  You felt him near you; felt his hand, warm to touch, cup your face.
  “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His eyes were misty and, this close, it seemed that he, too, wasn’t in a good shape. “So please-” Akaashi licked his chapped lips, “Please don’t go.”
  “I won’t,” you replied, giving him the smile that you knew he needed. “I promise.”
  Then, as you moved to kiss him on the cheek, the chains that tethered you to the bedpost clinked softly beneath the blanket, and you didn’t bother to keep the tears at the bay.
  Akaashi wiped them for you when you said that you loved him. And when he asked why, you only shrugged and told him that the pancakes were so sweet that they could make anyone cry. 
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byulsgrease · 3 years
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if you arent too busy, can you write a idol!hwasa x idol!reader, wherein they both have to practice with each other for a special stage. However on the first meeting they become starstruck and cant believe somethings are real, but soon warm up to each other?
i'm not terribly busy but this still took a while anyway oops - sorry this took so long anon! here you go :D
if anyone has requests for the other members hmu cuz I've got 2 more hyejin reqs after this one (not that I'm complaining)
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"who says we can't do something on our own?"
(hwasa x idol!reader, ~1.2k words)
cw: food + alcohol mention (y'all know how it is)
I named someone Minjeong - it's not Aespa's Winter, idk anything about 4th gen gg's - 민정 is my Korean name so it's just what came to mind
"Hey, wake up. You've gotta see this. GET UP," a voice piercing through the fog of your sleep.
What a rude awakening. Your shoulders being shaken vigorously by a pair of small hands meant they belonged to none other than Minjeong, your youngest group member. You rolled over to glare menacingly at her with one eye open, trying to pull your brain out of the slumber. All you could see was the bright light of her phone shining in your eyes - a video of some kind. But then you heard the audio:
"Have you seen the clip?" asked the interviewer.
"Yes, my members and many MooMoos made sure I saw it"— Moos? Oh, it's Hwasa. WAIT. Both your eyes flew open as you sat up and snatched Jeongie's phone out of her hand to stare at the video. Your mind immediately flashed back to the interview you did last week - they asked who you most wanted to collaborate with, if there were no limitations. Your ears started to heat up at the sheer thought of the flustered mess of an answer you gave - of course you said Hwasa. Both of you debuted relatively close to each other, within a year, but never interacted much over the years. Mamamoo as a group was a force to be reckoned with, but there was just something about Hwasa specifically. You mostly just admired her unique singing voice and undeniable stage presence, and her relentless drive to always be herself in an industry constantly trying to fit women into a box.
Finally snapping out of re-living that embarrassment, your attention turned back to the phone in your hand. The interviewer must've asked her to send a message in response to you, because you couldn't believe that she was waving and saying, "How haven't we gotten to know each other better over all these years? I'd love to work with you on something sometime," curtly dipping her head in a slight bow.
"SEE? You needed to see that," Minjeong rushed to say, full of energy. "And close your mouth, your jaw's on the floor," jokingly pointing.
You side-eyed her and shut your mouth. "Is this what Loco felt like when she called him during Hyena on the Keyboard?" you wondered aloud.
"At least she's not calling you while on camera," she commented, knowing full well that you'd probably embarrass yourself again if she did. "But hey, at least she noticed you! Can I have my phone back now?" It would be a dream come true to collaborate with her, but cross-company collabs... always a pain. that couldn't be helped. The fantasy abruptly ended with demands from your rumbling stomach. Done with your what-if's, you placed the phone back in your maknae's outstretched hand to get up and make breakfast.
~~~~
With award show season rolling around, the crazy scramble of rehearsing for special live stages without leaking sets and collabs began. Checking your email that morning showed a schedule to record the backing track for a special live stage, but that was it. With who? You texted your members a screenshot, but they all told you that block of time in their schedule was empty. A solo stage? The solo mini-album you released this cycle did relatively well, the title track got a music show win, but not a multi-week chart-topper by any means. Possibilities turning over in your mind, you stepped out from your place to head to the company, totally in the dark about what was in store.
The recording studio always smelled the same along with the couches, a comfort for all the insanely long nights and crack-of-dawn early mornings over the years. With a bit of time to kill, you plopped down on one and gingerly patted the worn cushions as some kind of symbolic thank-you for supporting you (literally).
A hesitant but loud knock sent your gaze directly to the door. Watching it slowly open, you leaned forward to see who it was. Needless to say, your jaw fell to the floor again as you clapped a hand over your gaping mouth, eyes widening. Like a soldier obeying a command, you immediately stood up as straight as possible and bowed profusely at Hwasa, sporting a very similar expression on her face (which you failed to notice, your mind running a million miles a minute).
After a series of frantic bows and miscellaneous utterances to each other, she spoke. "It's nice to finally meet you," she said with calm, surveying your frenzied state. "I guess we're granting that collab wish from your interview, huh?"
The red-hot embarrassment leapt to your face. "I...I definitely made a fool of myself answering that question. And our maknae showed me your interview clip too, which was cool, but never did I think it would actually happen," you stammered. I should probably stop talking.
"Well, here I am," she half-smiled coolly. "Let's get started, I'm really looking forward to finally work with you on this," a gleam in her eye and a hint of excitement in her voice.
The studio suddenly felt a lot smaller with her in it, despite there only being your managers, the producer, and the both of you - less people than you and your members alone. Both of you remained relatively quiet the whole time, rather unsure of what to say or talk about. You watched enough MMMTV to know that all the members on their own were shyer than together, and Hwasa knew the same was true for you. But the work basically took care of itself, seamlessly taking turns in the recording booth, witnessing each other's work style and process. The both of you knew your way in front of a mic, seasoned professionals by now. Upon wrapping up, you bowed politely to each other after a quick exchange of KaTalk info, a short and sweet goodbye.
That was... anticlimactic. I mean, it's finally happening - I can't believe it. But maybe I was too idealistic about maybe creating a meaningful relationship with her outside of work... What does she think of me?
~~~~
In the days leading up to the collab stage, you kept going back and forth on whether to reach out or not, despite now being in possession of her contact info. What would you even say? Thoughts of a witty one-liner or relatable meme came to mind, but maybe she'd assume the worst - that you were clout-chasing, or something. Anxieties abuzz, your phone vibrated in your pocket. The KaTalk notification sprawled across your screen. Speak of the devil, it's her.
"Hey, awards season has me stressed. I know you must pretty busy right now too, but I somehow get off early tomorrow if you wanna grab dinner after work?" You had to reread that one. Oh, what? She's inviting me?
Trying not to be weird about responding too quickly, you typed out, "Wow, yeah, that sounds great! ^^ wait, your company doesn't care about you going out to eat during award season?"
"nah, they stopped having that kind of control over us a while ago, we are the money-maker of the company, after all 😏"
"so I guess this means they don't check your phone either ㅋㅋㅋ"
"nope :)"
You proceeded to set a time and place to meet, someplace with meat.
In the process of feasting on an inordinate amount of gopchang imbued with a splash of beer, you learned a fair amount about each other. You talked career, professional aspirations, the weird habits of your members, and more. What surprised you most was the amount of things she already knew about you, having admitted to watching some of your behind-the-scenes content after seeing your interview clip.
"Ah... I'm sorry if I came across as distant during that first recording session," she confessed, pausing to sip her beer. "I honestly didn't know what to do with myself, I felt a little star-struck."
"Oh what?? I felt the exact same, so no worries - and sorry if I came off similarly distant," you rambled back. A bit of silence fell between you, acknowledging the mutual sentiment. You spoke up after a bit, "Thanks for inviting me out tonight, I didn't realize how much I needed this."
"Thank you for making the time, I had fun getting to know you better," she articulated with a smile. "Maybe it'll make the collab stage better," she added on jokingly. You responded with a nod and expression of mutual affirmation.
~~~~
After that, messaging each other became a regular occurrence, that gopchang outing having broken the ice. Honestly, you tried your best to talk about anything besides work, but the baseline of shared understanding connected you in a way that came more naturally than it did with your non idol friends.
You stood across the way from her at the sound check for the final stage, dressed in joggers and slides. Funny to think that you'd be recording this for real in a couple hours, making eyes with the blinking red light on the cameras surrounding you. It sucks that fans wouldn't get to experience the energy and atmosphere of the performance - Hyejin alone is one thing, but adding someone else into her stage presence? Unmatched. There's nothing quite like a live performance - and while you knew everyone in the industry dealt with the consequences of the pandemic, it certainly took a toll to perform and not feel the energy from fans. But realistically, nothing you could do about it. The sound check went over smooth like butter. The stage chemistry came flowing naturally between you both, even when bare-faced and dressed in just sweats.
And when the time came for the actual filming, you both absolutely killed it, an upbeat mash-up of TWIT and your title track. At the very end came a sliver of hesitation before throwing your arms around each other with a big smile for the ending fairy, proud of the work you accomplished together, and a mental fist-pump to yourself for making friends with one of the industry's finest.
Once again walking to a restaurant that served mostly meat to celebrate, you playfully proposed, "We... should do that again sometime." A little puff of air came out her nose in amusement.
"Yeah, we should. Too bad we're gonna have to wait a whole cycle before we can release anything else together again," she sighed longingly.
"Who says we can't do something on our own?"
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Text
Shower Friends (Miya Atsumu x F!reader)
The dorm you live in has co-ed bathrooms. Why that’s remotely a good idea is beyond you; and recently, your precious shower time is being interrupted by a certain blonde haired setter for the volleyball team. When he lies to his teammates that he has a girlfriend, somehow you get roped into his scheme.
genre(s): college!au, fake dating, angst, fluff, mutual pining, enemies to lovers (kinda), eventual smut (maybe)  words: 3.5k
a/n: ah the sweet sweet smell of mutual pining. also 3 more chapters are planned, not written yet though bc i just decided i’d be writing them lmao. hopefully can get started on that this weekend and post them next week 🤗
taglist:  @apollochjld @kurosarium @vicassa @carbs-need-more-love @underratedmage @idek-at-thispoint @wtfeverbrandi @food8me @yikes-buddy @ntimacy @nyxiie @oikawasbooty @chocolate3010 @sugawarabby @greenyiplier @kritiiiii @tokyosdawn @youstydiaa @h3llok1ttygirl 
one | two 
Chapter Three
“You want me to help you with what?” You ask, a bit stunned when he showed up at the door, a terribly annoying but also cute pleading expression on his face.
He groans, his shoulders hunching forward in exasperation. “Ya really gunna make me repeat it?”
You peer closer at the top of his head and see that he’s being serious. The roots of his hair growing in are a dark brown and it had never even occurred to you that he dyes his hair the blonde color you’re so used to. “No, but why do you need my help?”
This is so embarrassing. Normally his roommate or a teammate can help him but none of them are available today and he’s already let the roots grow longer than he likes. But when one of them suggested you help him out instead, something inside him rebelled. For some reason, the thought of having you dye his hair for him made him uncomfortable, like he’s showing you an intimate part of him. This hair has been a part of him so long he can’t remember the last time he’d let it grow out.
“I can’t see if I got everything,” he admits. It took a lot of pacing around his room and staring at his roots for him to get up the courage to come over here to ask you. He can’t really explain why he was so against it, especially since you don’t seem to mind after you got over the initial shock of realizing this isn’t his natural hair.
A wave of relief washes over him when you sigh, conceding, “Alright. Just let me change into something I can get bleach on. I’ll meet you at your dorm.”
While he waits for you, he busies himself with mixing the dye together so it’s ready for you, and when you arrive in a t-shirt and shorts with paint splatters all over them, he mentally kicks himself for thinking about how even wearing something so simple you still look better than anyone he’s ever seen. Crossing your arms, you motion for him to take a seat at his desk. Before he does so, he reaches behind his neck to grab at the collar of his shirt and pull it over his head.
You stand there dumbfounded for a moment, it taking you a second to process that he’s now standing before you shirtless and you’re free to ogle his muscular chest and arms to your hearts content. He doesn’t pay any attention to you, knowing if he meets your gaze, he won’t be able to stop the heat threatening to crawl up his neck. Instead, he wraps a towel around his waist to protect his shorts and sits in the chair to wait for you.  
Except now, you have free reign to stare at his back, which is just as defined as the front of him and you need a few more seconds to reel your thoughts back.
“Whaddya waitin’ for darling?” He drawls, throwing you a glance over his shoulder, not expecting you to be standing there frozen, eyes pinned to his now bare chest.
He opens his mouth to tease you further, but your eyes snap to his and you practically shout, “Do you have another towel?” He just cocks a brow and then points to his closet where another towel is hanging on a hook. Snatching it, you return to him and drape it over his shoulders, hiding most of his annoyingly toned body. “Don’t want to get any bleach on your skin,” you explain, no way in hell ever admitting to him that you’re finding it hard to focus with him on display like that.
Absentmindedly, he hands you one of the clips he bought a long time ago, one that’s almost completely bleached itself and you start running your fingers through his hair to section it. He closes his eyes, focusing intently on the soothing sensation of your fingers on his scalp, doing his best not to groan out loud at how good it feels. With anyone else, this isn’t anything special, normally he sits as patiently as he can whilst trying not to annoy whoever is doing his hair (lest they decide to ‘mess up’ as punishment). But with you, it’s a different feeling entirely.
It's jarringly intimate as you clip his hair back and reach over him to grab the plastic gloves that came with the dye. Lathering up the applicator brush, you start slathering it onto his hair, trying your hardest to make sure it’s evenly distributed and surrounding each strand. As you do so, you ask, “How long have you been doing this?”
He resists the urge to shrug, not wanting to jostle you, replying, “Osamu and I started in middle school.”
“Osamu dyes his hair too?”
“Yeah, he goes for gray. But I’d heard blondes have more fun so—here we are.”
He grits his teeth as your fingers skim over his scalp, glad for the towel you wrapped around him to hide the goosebumps skittering along his bare skin.
“Let me guess,” you muse. “You guys did it because people couldn’t tell you apart?”
“That,” he laughs, “And we thought it would look cool. The first time we did it, it looked like shit.”
Your answering laugh warms his heart as you unclip a section of hair and keep working. “I can’t imagine your mom being too happy about it.”
“Livid. We got bleach everywhere.”
You laugh, continuing to move through his hair methodically. It doesn’t take very long as you’re just dying his roots and they weren’t that bad to begin with, contrary to what Atsumu thinks. When you finish, he gives you a sheepish look and has to swallow his pride to ask you to help him wash it out. Every time he’s tried to do it himself, he always ends up leaving a huge chunk of bleach somewhere.
You oblige, following him to the bathroom, not bothering to care about the looks you get along the way. If they want to stare at a shirtless Atsumu and then glare at you for having that all to yourself, that’s their prerogative. It does wonders for your confidence, regardless that all of this is a ruse.
Luckily, the bathroom is empty and Atsumu dutifully bends over the sink to let you start washing the dye out of his hair. He’s immensely grateful his eyes are shut, and his face is shoved into the sink to hide his flushed cheeks as he thoroughly enjoys your fingers running through his hair. The sensation of your fingernails lightly scraping over his scalp makes him ball his fists as he has to bite his lip to keep from making any sounds.
You’re unbothered, until you notice the towel has slipped from his shoulders and with the way he’s bracing himself against the counter every muscle in his back and arms is on display for you to see. It’s an effort to continue your task as if nothing is wrong and force yourself to look off into the distance instead of eyeing him up.
It’s no easy feat. Especially when you finish and he rises, scrubbing at his face with the discarded towel before moving on to his hair. You press your lips into a firm line and let yourself indulge just a little bit looking at the way his muscles flex with the movement, droplets from his damp hair trailing down the planes of his chest towards the waistband of his shorts and—your attention is broken at the sound of him chuckling and you snap your gaze to his.
You find him staring at you with mischief sparkling in his eyes, so you speak before he can tease you. “Is that it?”
“We have to actually dye it now.”
“Oh.” You turn on your heels desperate to escape his gaze. “Let’s go then.” A smirk plays across his lips, but he refrains from teasing you, solely because he very much enjoyed the way you were looking at him and doesn’t want you to stop.
And yeah—sue him if he thinks about your hands in his hair for the rest of the day. In the end, he might be a little grateful no one else was available to help him.
When mid-semester break arrives, it comes as a surprise that you actually miss each other. What surprises you even further, is that he’s the one to bring it up. Within the first night, he video calls you, a sheepish expression on his face, explaining he needed someone to complain to.
“What do you mean?” You teased. “Sounds like you’re getting stuffed with good food from Osamu and you have plenty to brag about.” You winked, smiling devilishly at him and pointing to yourself. You’re only joking. Slightly. You aren’t sure what will come about if he tells his family about you, or if that’s even a good idea. It’d be much easier to break this off cleanly without the involvement of each other’s families.
He sighs, flopping down on his bed and scrubbing his face with one hand. “They’re just dyin’ to meet you now.”
Your brows lift, half-expecting him to have tried to keep this a secret. “You told them?”
“I wasn’t gunna,” he explains. “But apparently some college sports news channel caught um—,” he coughs awkwardly, remembering very vividly this day, yet the two of you haven’t acknowledged it since. “Our—uh—celebration.”
Eyes widening, you stare at him a moment before the both of you burst out laughing. Between your giggles you manage to say, “Oops.”
Laughing alongside you, he grins, despite the pang in his heart at the voice in his head desperately trying to remind him all of this isn’t real. You aren’t his girlfriend and the moment all of this ends, you probably won’t bat an eye at him ever again. He hates how much that hurts.
Forging onward towards his demise he discloses, “I am now a very proud owner of a very jealous brother now, so thank you.”
That only makes you keep grinning, setting a hand on your cheek and dramatically saying, “What? Of little ol’ me?”
He fights the urge to tell you that yes—jealous of little ol’ you. The girl who is slowly becoming the girl of his dreams. The beautiful, funny girl who deals with him and everything that comes with him. He swallows all that, keeping the mood and saying, “He refuses to let me try any of his onigiri. A crime, really.”
“Of the highest caliber,” you agree, stifling your laughter. “Though I’m sure you steal some when he isn’t looking.”
“Yeah, but he caught me and hit me on the head with his spoon.”
“How dare he. Lucky for me, my family is clueless.”
“What do they think yer doin’ right now then?”
Shrugging you say, “I told them I had a project to work on with a classmate. Which isn’t entirely a lie, I do have a project to work on. But someone interrupted.”
He smirks. “Wonder who that could be.”
“Beats me.” His responding grin does something to you that’s been happening a lot more frequently lately. Making you feel like all the air has been punched out of you and like your heart is going to beat out of your chest. Though, you’ve gotten quite good at hiding it.
In the distance, you hear someone calling his name. He panics, it’s bad enough his family knows about you now, but he isn’t sure if he’s ready for them to meet you. Especially Osamu, who he has the sinking feeling is already suspicious of this. It’ll be a miracle if he can slip this by him.
“Gotta go!” He says quickly, and before he ends the call, he hears you chuckle and say, “Beware the spoon.”
Every day his situation only gets worse.
The next night he can’t get Osamu off his back. Enough that when he tries to retreat to his bedroom to give you a call, pathetically missing you again, Osamu bursts in when he’s about two minutes into the video call with you. He tries to shove him out, embarrassed and afraid Osamu will see straight through him. But Osamu is stubborn, and he hears you laughing on the other end of the call before saying, “Aww, Atsumu won’t you at least let me try to charm the pants off him?”
He grits his teeth, the thought that he wants you to charm the pants off of him, not his brother flitting through his head before he can stop it. But he relents, letting Osamu sit backwards on his desk chair to join the conversation.
He isn’t sure how, but somehow you get Osamu to believe this is real in a matter of minutes. You have him laughing and talking about culinary school and he almost feels jealous that your attention is now on Osamu instead of him. It’s a ridiculous notion, he knows it, but it doesn’t stop him from keeping the camera on him as much as possible.
When the call ends, Osamu looks at him seriously, and for a moment Atsumu thinks he’s just been pretending to believe you this entire time. However, he breaks into a smile and smacks him on the back saying, “Got yerself a keeper, there.”
Atsumu tries to grin with as much sincerity as he can. Yeah—he knows he does. But that isn’t going to stop this from ending.
That night, both of you go to bed feeling like you’re getting in too deep.
And as per usual, when school starts back up again, neither of you bring it up. You’re happy to keep ignoring it, hating yourself for liking this arrangement and him more and more every day. It sad really, how much time in your day is spent thinking about him. Wondering if there’s any possibility that the two of you could just transition to a real relationship. Because to you, that’s already what this is. Nothing would change, but at least you’d stop feeling guilty every time you enjoy his hand in yours or the soft press of his lips to the top of your head.
A few days after returning to school, you find yourself alone with him in his dorm room studying. He’s sitting at his desk, hunched over a textbook while you lay on his bed, head propped up by an elbow. You can feel your eyes drooping, the words blurring together, it becoming harder and harder to stay awake. His bed is too comfortable and smells overwhelmingly like him, a scent you’ve come to enjoy every time you’re pressed up against him. A mixture of his body wash and the ever-present faint smell of the volleyball court. Eventually you’re powerless against the solace of sleep.
When Atsumu notices you, his heart jumps into his throat. You look so serene and peaceful, your chest rising and falling ever so slightly, part of him wants to crawl in beside you and press his face into your neck and fall asleep right along with you.
But he too has begun to feel like this game has gone too far. The moment he had to tell his family, lie to Osamu, he knew he’d crossed a line. It isn’t fair to you. No longer does he need to pretend for his teammates that he can have a serious relationship, there isn’t a reason to torture himself and keep you tied to him anymore.
Yet, thinking about not being without you, no longer eating lunch together, studying together, or having you in the stands at his games wrenches his heart in such a way he actually feels like it’s crumpling inside his chest. He hasn’t been able to admit it, but at some point along the way, he thinks he fell in love with you. And it just hurts too much to keep pretending. Especially when you’re only doing this for peace and quiet during your showers.
For you, he shouldn’t drag this on any longer.
So, a couple days later, you texted him telling him you were in the library and can join him anytime if he wants. A harmless text, one you’ve sent him many times since this whole thing started, but this one makes his heart sink. Knowing this is the opportunity he’s been waiting for to talk to you. He tries to not think about it, trying to let volleyball take over his thoughts, but it’s futile. All he can think about is saying those words to you, and how it’s quite possibly going to utterly destroy him.
But you take it well, as he expects, squashing the hope that you might feel something for him too.
That night in the library feels particularly lonely. There’s no quick-witted remark from the boy who carved himself a place in your life, no one there to make you laugh when you’re struggling with a problem. Instead, you’re met with nothing but the darkness and silence of the library. It’s almost too much to bear, and once the silence starts closing in on you—you force yourself to leave, refusing to let yourself wallow.
The next weeks are hard. He never imagined that he’d think that after all of this was over. He keeps showering in the mornings to avoid you and uphold the deal you two struck months ago. He ignores the empty hole in his chest when he eats lunch without you, or studies late alone. The most jarring thing is your absence at his games. He constantly finds himself searching the crowd for your face, before remembering you won’t be there. He misses that intense gaze he could always feel on his back, the one that kept him awake at night when he let his thoughts run wild.
He feels as though something has been ripped from his life, leaving nothing but a gaping hole behind that seems intent on devouring him whole.
The same can be said for you.
Who knew you’d ever miss his teasing remarks while you shower? Or miss how you could complain to him endlessly about classes and then have him comfort you in the warm solace of his arms? Even the little things like walking to class together, now that you do it alone, it feels like there’s something missing.
The two you go on like that, thinking of the other every night before sleeping, tossing and turning with the thought of what could have been.
And eventually, you reach the point where you’re over it. Over pining after him day after day, peering out your door to make sure he isn’t around, or taking detours just to avoid him in the hallways. You’re over it. Enough that you’re willing to swallow your pride and confess to him, even if he doesn’t feel the same way—maybe you can fucking move on then.
Before you can talk yourself out of it, you stomp to his dorm room, his roommate opening the door; his eyes widening upon seeing you. Immediately, he grabs his keys saying into the room, “I forgot I need to go to the store Atsumu, see you later.”
He leaves no time for Atsumu to protest, out the door in a matter of moments, leaving you standing in the doorway. Atsumu is just sitting in his desk chair, looking dumfounded at you, having fully expected to never see you again.
The gears in his head grind to a halt as you say, “This is stupid.”
He gives you a bewildered look, unsure what exactly you mean by that.
You steel your courage and press on. “I like you. And you like me. I think. And all this pretending that we don’t is stupid.”
After a few moments, his lips curve into a smile, the mischievous one you used to hate but now feel relief seeing. He can’t help the joy building in his chest at your confession. How many sleepless nights thinking about this very moment did he endure?
“You said it,” he teases.
Despite giving him a look, you do nothing to stop the grin rising to your lips. “Well, it didn’t seem like you were going to.”
His smile only widens, and he motions you into the room. “Get yer butt over here already.”
You move on instinct, striding into the room and climbing into his lap, settling your legs on either side of his you wrap your arms around his neck. The overwhelming sense that yes—this is exactly where you want to be, washes over you. He smirks up at you, his large hands resting at your waist, waiting for your next move.
“I can’t believe I actually missed that stupid smirk,” you say, lowering your lips to his, fingers slipping into the short hair at the base of his neck.
His smile hasn’t faltered, muttering against your lips teasing, “Does this mean I can shower at night again?”
A laugh bubbles out of you, but he smothers it in another kiss and refuses to let go.
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confetti-cupcake · 3 years
Note
tell me more about nothing safe is worth the drive pls 👁👄👁
Thanks for the ask, Rebecca! ❤️
Okay so Nothing Safe Is Worth the Drive is essentially an AU where Buck and Eddie run The Amazing Race together.
I was originally going to wait until after I finished my two other WIPs to start this one, but then I made the huge mistake of re-watching the premiere of the new TAR season from last week and got really inspired. Sooo then I spent all of last weekend researching countries and drawing up my own route and challenges, and I couldn't stop writing.
It takes place a little bit after Eddie breaks up with Ana, where everything about Buck and Eddie's relationship is the same as in canon, except it's an AU where only Buck and Eddie work at the 118 (so Bobby, Chim, Hen, etc. can be other contestants on the race) and Buck and Taylor never met. Eddie and Buck are both mutually in love with each other, but they don't want to act on their feelings out of fear they won't be reciprocated, and they've resigned themselves to the fact that it'll never happen. They rescue a casting director who works on the show from a fire, who approaches Eddie about being a contestant. Buck convinces him to do it, since Eddie's had a few near-death experiences lately and should do something for himself. Eddie asks Buck to be his partner, and they both think they can play it cool, but the traveling, sleeping in close quarters and only having each other to rely on makes it harder for them keep their feelings secret 👀
Not sure how long it's going to be, but I'll probably keep it to a one-shot if it's less than 20k. Anything more I might break it up into two or three chapters.
A little (unedited) preview:
As he emerges from the kitchen, a beer in each hand, he glances at the TV, "The Amazing Race" flashing in bold letters across the screen.
“Oh, come on. I thought we were done with this.”
“Just thought you’d might want to see what you’d be missing out on," Buck says slyly, and Eddie can't help but smile at the playfulness in his voice. "Did you know that the prize at the end is a million dollars?”
“I did not know that." He sits down and hands Buck a beer. "But we’re doing pretty good on money right now, so you might need to find another angle.”
Buck sighs. “Do you know anything about the show?”
“I know there's a video clip out there of a woman getting hit in the face with a watermelon. Christopher showed me." He raises an eyebrow. "Can I assume now that was your doing?”
Buck's impish silence tells him everything. “Well, I’m not trying to get hit in the face with a watermelon," Eddie continues, taking a sip of his beer. "Kimberly complimented me on my face, and I’d like to keep it intact, if possible.”
“You’re not going to get hit in the face with a watermelon,” Buck says, exasperated. He sits up and faces Eddie, almost willing him to look him in the eye. “I wasn’t lying when I said I thought you’d be really good at it, you know. You’re smart, athletic, good with people. You know another language. You have a halfway decent sense of direction. And you’re scared of practically nothing.”
Not entirely true, Eddie thinks to himself as he feels a faint blush spread over his cheeks.
Ask me about another WIP from my list!
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Text
Inside a Submissives Soul
Dear Diary -
I honestly think I am wearing rose tinted glasses. Everytime I see Sir I feel so content, I feel such an inner peace, I feel happiness, everything else doesn't seem to matter anymore.
Straight into his arms, our lips meet, I am instantly taken, I am only his, he is all that matters. I am very self conscious in body and mind. Sir says I don't give myself enough credit, checking over my body, he is approving, I feel attractive, I feel like a woman. He lifts me so I am straddled over his lap, I can feel all of him pressed against me. My lust for him, my attraction to him is pulled in, his gravity is strong. He is cheekily spanking me here and there, the impact turning my grinning into more of a smile, apparently I am a bad girl. Yes, yes I am and cannot wait for my confidence to grow to be able to show him how bad I really am.
We stand up, he has me sit infront of him, he leans in, grips my neck, we are kiss tastingly close, I lose myself in his eyes for a moment, I just want every part of him and I want it now. He lifts the girls out to play, a tweak here and there, it's always just enough to make me tingle whilst barely wincing.
I am relieved from my clothing with all but my thong and ankle socks on... yes... socks... he did this for his own amusement knowing it bothers me... nevertheless, I kept them on, I made sure I obeyed him.
I am to stand again but before I do, he prompts me for my right hand, more specifically, my wrist and wraps a strong velcro strap around with a connecting carabiner clip hook attached, then does the same with the other wrist. As I stand, he guides my wrists up to the hooks within the wall and clips each wrist to them. There isn't much room to maneuver. Facing away from him, his lips, his breath trace my skin, before long his fingers get to work on my sensitives. He pulls my thong down to around my knees, his right hand then starts to play from the back, his left around my front. I am in ecstasy and very noticeably wet. I push back, pull forward, up on my tiptoes, pulling at the restraints, breathing all over the place, moans and groans expressing my pleasure. I get so close a few times. He says 'cum', 'like a good girl, I immediately want to, I need to, I wish I could there and then. He spends so much time working me with his fingers, quickly and deeply to slow and sensual, it gets me everytime. I look down seeing him rubbing me, I am thinking 'that's it, yes please'. He said he could do this for hours, I could take this for hours. Here and there he would spank me, spank my peaches, my sensitives and the girls. Between my head elsewhere and my body on the edge of succumbing to him, I am aware his hand that he is using to finger her changes slightly and now I can feel a thumb perched on my peach rim pushing ever so slightly, I push back encouraging access. I am so very close becoming frustrated at myself wanting that release, my grunts make this quite noticeable.
I am unable to control my jolts and twitches, I don't know how he does it feel second nature with him, completely natural. He chuckles, he seems to really like my responses, he feels my insides pulsate around his fingers.
I am enjoying every second but then I move my right hand and realise its gone to sleep, I let him know through an almost breathless giggled murmur. He asks if he should stop, I respond that he is ok to continue to which he does but only for a little longer. Removing the restraints my right hand is numb, I begin wiggling and shaking it around to bring feeling back, he gives it a little massage as I get pins and needles. I am allowed to lose the thong he informs me but the socks stay put.
I am then asked to kneel on the seat infront of him. He gropes at my peach and tells me to never change it, I tell him I won't let myself drop much more weight and he rolls his eyes as he receives a giggle and kiss pressed against his lips. He then lifts me again, man I love that he can carry me around the way his does even if I am mindful of him dropping me or hurting himself in some way. Again he eases my worries as I am sat up on the raised bed and advises me to lay on my back once again exposing my holes to him. I flinch as the cool lube hits my skin, Sir again chuckles, 'it never gets old'... a stray thought with my inner voice responding that I really hope it never does. I try to express my sarcastic gratitude through cheeky back chat but words escape me as per, an instruction from Sir to hold myself open for him soon has me back on track.
My knees up and wide, he is teasing, probing, he goes through how many fingers, 1, 2, 3 and 4. He notices 2 and 3 has a profound response. I feel something new, something firm yet feathery and very moist, Sir treats me to his tongue, bathing her, finding my sweet spots. He finds my bit after seeking under the flesh folds, flicking, teething, he's everywhere, it's amazing. I can't hold my legs open, I'm writhing, tensing, relaxing, I'm here then I'm gone again, it's closer than ever. My arms fall to each side of me, his come up to reach over them, at first it is a mutual grip that soon turns into a form of restraint. Its building, my legs move, coming in close over his shoulders, my hips rock back and forth, this is it, it's finally here. My body begins to quake, he continues to feed me, my mind goes into overdrive as I feel a wave of deep pleasure fill my senses. Intense sensitivity ripples through me, automatically I attempt to pull away but I can't, his strength is far greater than mine, he holds me in place as he continues to eat me. If this is heaven, I am there. In my come down he is soothing me with his tongue coming to a stop, all I can muster is 'wow', I am beaming and laugh to myself, I can't remember what he said but I know I gave him the double thumbs up to which he says playfully he will go for a triple thumbs up giving her a little lick kiss.
I bring myself to sit up, I need water and before I know it, he's naked. Instant thought 'phwoar', but I actually say 'bumchickawowow', I amuse myself. Sir asks me to move over so he can come up onto the bed, I move to the side but he moves me back as he comes up between my legs. He is over me, hands at each side of my head, my hands quickly meet his body as I feel his member between my thighs, against her, he is ready and so am I. A little tease, I reach down to aim him towards her, Sir says 'ah ah ahaaa', as a let nature take its course and with that, he enters, sitting at the brim before he begins to push as she gives him a warm welcome. I squirm, he feels so big, he feels so tantalisingly awesome. Later I am told he finds my reactions incredibly cute, the way my eyes roll back into me head, almost cross eyed. Only he has this power over me.
My eyes meet his, I am easily lost in them, my hands feel his neck, shoulder, chest and body as his motions from one moment are taunting, another moment they are hard. I want him as deep as he can go, he raises my legs over his shoulders and buried himself within me further. My gawd he is just amazing. His breathing changes, my legs move back to the sides of him, he is thrusting deep asking me if I will cum over him, I nod with a barely there 'yes'. He prewarns me he is close and before I know it I feel his release begin to flow, as he pumps I feel myself release with him. Our bodies merge, foreheads lock together, once or twice nearly headbutting eachother in the process, my fingertips grip him, I want this to last forever for the both of us. It's powerful, it's perfect as he hammers our releases into and out of me. Smiling ear to ear, I can't help but sigh blissfully to myself, our bodies begin to relax and come to a slow stop, naturally our bodies begin to let go of one another, breaking away gently and lots of twitching eeks on my part.
He moves to lay by my side, stating that wasn't his plan, I ask what was his plan, he answers it was to go on longer. I am not disappointed, I make this known and I am more than satisfied with the results and he can be too. Embracing eachother closely, it's quiet, he says I shouldn't fall asleep as he jokes he is not like other men that just roll over and go to sleep, this is something I have said to him before, as much as men do this, I feel I could do too but I am not tired, I am content. Deeply content. I love every moment we have together, from daily message exchanges, the hello when we meet and become instantly close to getting ourselves ready to head back to reality but these moments, when we lay together, these mean everything to me. I am safe, I am happy, I am his.
We talk about anything and everything, his mind is fascinating, the way he is wired, he really is something else and it's wonderful, it's refreshing, his whole being is everything I could ever hope and dream for in a man. We spend some time like this, our fingers tracing one another's skin sharing comfort in eachother, before the alarm sounds. I break away to deal with the demanding noise, hydrate and he prompts me back up to lay with him alittle longer.
We continue to talk, bare pressed against eachother, he educates me on his experiences in places he has visited, clubs etc. It is ever so interesting, I will look forward to being able to see this for myself one day. Although I am not likely to partake, I would very much like to observe but you never know as Sir encourages me to grow on this journey, my confidence may allow me to feel that I am able to interact alittle more physically with others too, who knows. I read, I explore online in attempts to research and understand the many varieties of kink as some is rather niche but each to their own, I do not judge, I just wish to understand how it all works, what triggers an individual to need such experiences in their life, what about it fulfills them. I say I am unsure if I will have a label in the type of submissive I am and likely to become as I feel I have traits from each label but Sir says this is what is unique about this world, you don't have to have a label, we are all who we are, it is not something you can compare with another, everyone is different in their own right. I am comforted knowing I do not have to present myself as being this or that type of submissive. I am just submissive and what I like is what I like, no labels, just me.
He then moves onto feedback after we have played, how important it is and how open we always need to be. It's a massive learning curve for me as I am used to routine vanilla and keeping things to myself. I am more than happy with everything he is doing but I let him know when he goes slow, that really bites me, I also feel he knows more about my likings than I do in the way my body responds. I will be sure to keep check on myself without adding additional pressure, if Sir is to know me inside outside, I need to be able to express myself clearly to him. Everything he does is spot on, I'm just not used to so much physical and emotional interaction, we're both still very new to eachother but do I feel our exploration is mutually driven. Whatever the destination may be, I can only hope at the very least that we have many, many years together on this journey.
Sir notices he has become hard again and suggests he may have to use my mouth, I tell him I don't do hints as my hand moves to reach him and has alittle play. I am instructed to use my mouth, to which I do without hesitation. My satisfaction in giving warms me, he feels so good against my tongue, taking him into me as far as I can based on my angle. I still feel alittle nervous in pleasuring him, I'm not completely certain as yet of what he really likes and dislikes so my confidence has yet to grow in that respect. I tease his tip between my lips against my tongue causing his legs to tremble, I love this, he does it to me all the time so to know I am having him do the same in return is something I feel amused yet greatly satisfied of. He responds with body language that almost says 'tut tut', a light spank or grip against me informs of this so change my tactic slightly but I know I will always be sure to continue to make him twitch too.
The alarm, once again, sounds, urgh, just rude! I break away again to attend to the noise, however, I don't make it off the bed, my motivation to it seems like effort I don't have. Sir brings himself up behind me catching my attention, he eases himself back into me. The music sounding is drowned out with his movements, I am taken again, reality is lost again. He moves at speed, harder, faster to then a slow tease, I can feel it again, I want more. I continue to receive his actions over and over, soon I feel I want to release, I move a hand to feel him inside me and rub at my sensitives. It's definitely there but she won't budge and that's OK. Neither of us have to release to feel we are fulfilled, it is still very, very much enjoyable but I'm sure he knows how eager he makes me feel.
Time is catching up with us, we stop, I push myself up against him, my back to his chest, it's time to get ourselves together. I move off the bed, gathering myself to get sorted, he is far more in tune than I am, I barely function at times as it is, when I am in his presence it seems even more so that I cannot seem to find my senses, I just feel a constant magnetism that prohibits me from wanting to anywhere else in any other form. Whilst moving around to get dressed, I can feel him inside of me, he is warm, the sensation of him dribbling down my thighs cooling slightly as soon as the air touches me, I have a part of him I can take with me, he will stay there a while.
We are dressed and yes, I kept the ankle socks on for the entire duration! He pulls me in, my back against his chest, he feels and gropes at me, I tell him he is mean to wind me up before leaving me. I am sure he does this to reinforce my want, need and desire for him, safe to say it certainly works. I hope it is there for him too. Snap back to reality whilst sharing playful cheek between us, he really does make me laugh. As much as I back chat, sometimes I am completely dumbfounded, I don't always have the ability to present a come back but as always, not that it's a competition, he wins hands down. After all he is the dominant, he is the boss. Most of all he is my Sir...
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lampmeeting · 3 years
Note
D for Charles/Magnus, I for Magnus/Toki, L for Charles/Pickles, and F for Melm/JT.
eeehEHEHEHE DILF *rubs my little hands together* don't mind if i do~
D for Drunken Love Confession - Charles/Magnus
pre-klok. :') magnus has been chipping away at charles' resolve. there's just something about the bookish, put-together little chuck offdensen that makes magnus wanna break through all his defenses and see him come undone. he always did like a challenge. they have heated, passionate debates about the direction of the band. they get in each other's faces. magnus even kissed him once, but charles pushed him away, furious and blushing, and demanded he leave his office.
after six months of this weirdly charged back-and-forth they have, the band invites charles to come drinking with them to celebrate pickles' birthday. charles declines, concerned they're just inviting him to come because they want someone else to play designated driver. but magnus intervenes like "nah i'm driving tonight, promise. so go nuts." and charles seems to think it over... and eventually agrees.
so they all go out! at first charles seems to be pacing himself, but pickles gets shots, and it's all downhill from there. magnus, staying dutifully sober, watches the rest of the band + charles get sloppy and silly, not minding in the slightest the way charles leans against him a little in the booth and touches him when he laughs. he starts to regret not getting drunk himself, but he'd promised charles. it's enough just to see charles' mask slip, albeit not quite in the way magnus wanted. but he'll take it for now.
at the end of the night, magnus drops the band off at the apartment and then continues on to charles' place. he pulls up, and charles tries to get out of the car, but stumbles and falls. he's a lot more fucked up than magnus suspected. magnus helps him to the door, but charles seriously looks like he's about to black out, so he takes him inside, cleans him up a little, and puts him to bed (on his side, in the recovery position, he knows the drill). before he leaves, he can't help himself... he runs fingers through charles' sweaty hair and strokes his jaw. charles opens his eyes, seeming surprised that magnus is still there, and then... he smiles at him. a genuine smile. and as his eyes close again, he whispers something that freezes magnus in place.
"...mmfm...mmlove you..."
"...what?"
but charles is under again, and magnus leaves in a panic. charles doesn't, can't, have feeling for him. that's too much. magnus just wanted some fun, right? maybe get charles worked up enough for an angry fuck. but...love?
magnus can't sleep. the next time magnus sees charles, charles pulls him aside. "i apologize that you had to babysit me like that the other night. i can't exactly recall everything that happened, so if i said or did anything, ah...embarrassing, i'm very sorry."
so charles doesn't remember what he said. or he does and he's just trying to save face. magnus should be relieved about this, but for some reason his heart feels suddenly sore...
"oh, yeah, no...you were out like a light. don't worry about it."
--
I for "Idiots in Love" - Toki/Magnus
post-post-galaktikon. weirdly enough i'd probably write this from like nathan's pov or something. he's having everyone over to the house for some reason, maybe a holiday or his daughter's first birthday or something (her cool uncles wouldn't dream of missing it). this means..... rrugghhgh magnus is coming over. it's the first time he's interacted with magnus since pickles and charles' wedding, so maybe a good couple years, and he's not looking forward to it.
everyone arrives. toki and magnus are the last to show up, and nathan has to do a double-take because this is SO not magnus. half his hair is back in a ponytail, he's let his beard grow in some, and he's wearing a sweater?? and he's smiling? he genuinely seems happy to see nathan, gives him a hug, says a warm hello to abby.
over the course of the afternoon nathan has to keep looking at him and reminding himself that's magnus fucking hammersmith because he's just so... animated? friendly? he's sitting next to toki and they're holding hands, and when others are talking the two of them are making eyes at each other and cuddling and laughing at little things they seem to be sharing between themselves. they're being a couple of absolute goofballs together, and honestly it's a bit sickening to watch. is magnus just faking this?
at some point nathan excuses himself to the kitchen for something, and while he's in there he's joined by magnus, considerably more subdued.
"sorry, man, i just...i thought maybe we could talk for a sec."
so they talk. they catch up a little. nathan learns magnus has been hitting the therapy especially hard over the past year, making some meaningful strides. it's not an act, he's genuinely happier now. or at least trying to be.
"i mean, you know how it is, nate, right? doesn't abby make you wanna be better just because she exists and she loves you?"
okay, nathan can understand that. he still doesn't understand... them. but it really seems like magnus has turned a corner, which... good for him, he supposes. as long as he's treating toki well.
when they return to the party, nathan watches magnus sit back down with toki and give him a kiss like he'd been gone all month, and they giggle to themselves again. this time, it seems...all right.
--
L for "Love at First Sight" - Charles/Pickles
i'm gonna flip the script here!! i've already done the whole "charles sees pickles on stage and goes gaga for him" twice now... so i'd pull away from the 80s and do a fic where they actually did meet for the first time in the mid-90s when pickles was in dethklok.
so they've got their shitty original manager (the one from doomstar) still, and he's just not pulling his weight. he's managing a few other bands and his heart isn't in dethklok the way it used to be. pickles is worried they're stagnating, and when he learns that it's been magnus lately making sure they get booked, that's the last straw. they all come together, and they tell the dude to fuck off. but then this leaves them without a manager. magnus offers, but pickles has already been wary about how possessive magnus seems about the band recently, so when pickles says no the rest of them vote the same.
pickles blows through his old contacts looking to dig up some manager from his past who can either wants to manage dethklok or has connections to someone else. no dice. skwisgaar comes up with no one. magnus is still trying to campaign for himself. shit gets dire when somehow seth finds out dethklok is lacking management and leaves pickles a voicemail offering his "valuable fuckin' services". pickles blows his fucking top, swearing and screaming. "HOW HARD IS IT TO FIND ONE GUY CAPABLE OF MANAGING A FUCKIN' BAND??"
the doorbell rings, and pickles, still raging, throws it open.
"WHAT??"
"ahh!"
it's just... a dude. like a normal-ass dude. glasses. a nice dress shirt and slacks. nice hair. handsome. he's nervous as shit, but that almost makes him more handsome.
"i, ah...i-i was told that van on the street belongs to, ah...to someone here? i clipped the, ah, the bumper. just a little. but it's noticeable."
anger forgotten, pickles just... stares at him. are his eyes green or brown? and that jawline...
the man shifts his weight just a bit, peeking into the apartment with wide, curious eyes. "sorry, that, ah... that's quite the drum kit."
"huh?" pickles looks back at it and steps inside, and the man follows as if he's simply meant to be there. "oh, yeah, thanks. you play?"
"hardly. a small jazz kit in college for a friend's music project but it, ah, obviously didn't go anywhere." the man glances around and seems to realize that he's just waltzed inside. "right, ah, so about the van--" he pulls out his card. charles f. offdensen of finch & associates. an honest-to-god lawyer. huh. so he's a smart guy. good-looking to boot. knows a bit about music, apparently. and he's looking to make things right about hitting the van...
pickles smiles, hearts in his eyes. "ya like metal, charlie?"
--
F for "Fake Dating" - Melmord/Twinkletits
aaahahah... okay. so, this would be when melm is living with john as part of his continued therapy. a few months pass, and they've actually become good friends, melm thinks, not just therapist and patient. it's nice living there with john.
and then, john gets a call from his ex-wife, joy. she's in town, and she wants to come over for dinner one night before she leaves. the only thing is, she's got her new fiance in tow. she and john ended on pretty mutual terms, so there's really no bitterness there, but even so, john knows it's going to be an unpleasant evening. and then there's the question of what to do about melmord.
"you can just stuff me in a back room and pretend i don't exist. i'll be real quiet."
"absolutely not, you've been watching too many sitcoms."
"excuse you, that's jane eyre."
john just doesn't exactly know how to approach explaining melmord's presence in the house. because he knows joy, and joy will ask.
"tell her i'm a friend who needed a place to crash?"
"joy knows i don't do friends anymore."
ouch go melm's feelings.
"well, uh... you could just tell her the truth? that i'm your patient and i live with you?"
john pulls a face. "absolutely not."
in a flash of sitcom inspiration, melm snaps his fingers. "i got it! i'm your boyfriend! we'll pretend to date!"
"pretend to--?? mel, honey, no. okay? i understand you're trying to help, but--"
"but what? what's your brilliant idea, doc?"
cut to john introducing melmord to his ex-wife.
"and this is my... well, he's uh, my boyfriend actually. my boyfriend melmord."
melm is all smiles as he leans in and takes joy's hand. "please, just call me mel."
and then of course at the end of a long night, joy and her fiance leave, and john and melm pat each other on the back for a job well done. they really gave it their all, put on a convincing performance full of long embraces and doting glances and romantic touches. neither of them really want to talk about how easily it came to them, and how unwilling they both are to bring it to an end.
"well, uhh... good night, then." john chuckles. "darling."
"yeah, haha, sleep good, uh... sugarbear."
they laugh. they're standing in the hall laughing. they should really move apart from each other and go to their respective rooms if they're going to sleep, but they're not moving. and they're still laughing. and now melmord is touching john's shirt, fingering a button, and john has a hand on melm's hip...
"maybe," melm says quietly, "we can just pretend for, like... a little longer?"
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nct-lian · 4 years
Text
wayv’s relation to lian
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KUN + LIAN: LUN
they have the cutest little interactions ever :(
was one of the members that kun was most comfortable around at first
she made him feel so welcomed!
when nct 2018 appeared on weekly idol, lian was placed in the front
but she moved her chair over to kun’s side to be closer to him !!!!!!!
lun stans found dead
they go out to eat food together a lot :D
now that lian doesn’t feel the need to look over him anymore, he stepped in and is now a very good parental figure for her
he bought her an expensive ass ring for her birthday
him and johnny both being her dad: 🤝
kun has been arguing back and forth with chenle about lian’s chinese name
he loves the name xiuying for her :(
they hype each other up all the time !!
lian and kun had the best time with each other when filming from home
we got so many adorable clips of them :DDDD
when talking to each other they can’t pick a solid language
like they’re always switching between mandarin and korean
they also slip in a bit of english at times as well
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TEN + LIAN: LITEN
if kun is her dad then ten is her cool uncle
he lets her do whatever she wants
like he will just sit and watch as she teases the fUCK out of hyuck
HES TEACHING HER THAI
just like kun they switch between multiple languages in a conversation
they normally speak english with each other!
their fashion game is always on point.
no actually they literally wore matching shirts one time
liten supremacy breaking the internet: <3
ten once said “guys she’s like my daughter stop being weird~~~!” on vlive when people kept asking if him and lian were dating
as he should !
they mention each other ¿ everywhere ?
THEY DANCE TOGETHER ALL THE TIME
ten even helped her choreograph the new ver. of yoncé
don’t touch me i’m soft
no because ten ships her with someone in the group … just not who you’d think ;)
i swear he’s her #1 hypeman
ten was actually the one who made their ship name- goals asf sry i don’t make the rules
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WINWIN + LIAN: LIWIN
lian is yet another member of nct who will sacrifice her soul to the devil for winwin
“winwin winwin winwin winwin is on the mind forever and always i love you winwin” was what she posted for his birthday
AND THE FEELING IS MUTUAL
winwin loves her just as much and he shows it
he likes hugging her DDDDD:
also ten ships them
so that’s that uh :p
lian cried so hard when he had to pause promotions with 127 :(
especially because they were super close!
winwin was actually another one of her first friends in nct because she was fluent in mandarin
and they were both super comfortable speaking with each other :)
winwin: i like lian the most :D
yuta + taeil: am i a joke to you?
no cause yuta is constantly losing in this thing
lian picks winwin and winwin picks lian what is happening
winwin’s current lockscreen is a picture of lian rolling her eyes at yangyang
yup yup their lockscreen tradition LISTEN AND WEEP
winwin’s selfies are lian’s favourite thing :)
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LUCAS + LIAN: LULIAN
omfg the chaos these two bring
i’m crying because nct 2018 was chaotic in itself but lulian was something else
THEY WERE ALWAYS SCREAMING ????
taeyong was going through an existential crisis the entirety of 2018
AND BYE LUCAS WILL NOT STOP COMPARING THEIR HAND SIZES
leave it in 2018 sweetheart we been knew lian is the size of a jellybean
he had her react to his drama where he dances to replay after killing his girlfriend
lian confirmed it was 10/10 and would recommend watching
she genuinely thinks lucas should have been added to nct dream and she stands by that opinion daily
the MOMENTS we got during nct world 2.0 were chefs kiss
they were both so chaotic while mark was frying eggs
“MARK WHAT ARE YOU DOING (⊹つ•۝•⊹)つ”
the oldest + youngest in the 99’ line remain iconic
lian hates him but loves him at the same time
because he’s nice to her but he SPENDS TOO MUCH OF HIS TIME MAKING FUN OF HER HEIGHT
“lian you’re like literally two feet tall i could fit you in my pocket”
“i will drop kick you in 2.5 seconds if you don’t shut the fuck up wong yukhei”
lucas once said that their favourite thing to do together was play at playgrounds
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XIAOJUN + LIAN: XIAN
what you’ve all been waiting for
xiaojun went so long thinking that lian was chinese (∩╹□╹∩)
like she speaks mandarin perfectly, has a chinese stage name
IT WAS A REASONABLE MISTAKE LET HIM LIVE
when they met the first thing he said to her was how pretty she was
“y-you’re so pretty uhh”
*cue distressed xiaojun*
he followed lian on instagram before nct 2020 was even confirmed
dedication
he didn’t know jaehyun or yuta liked her and accidentally patted her head in front of them and called her cute
AND THAT WAS RHE DAY BEFORE THE WHOLE “xiaojun is terrified of yuta” THING HAPPENED
PLEASEHANDHJEJSB
they’d like to do a duet someday :)
he couldn’t get her lyrics from kick it out of his head when he first listened to the song
sometimes still quotes them around her to make her laugh
lian hyped his drama up SO MUCH !1!1!1!€]£<]~\£>€{
“dejunnie is having an acting debut soon !! please go support him and his cast~”
xiaojun brags about that a lot ... and her nickname for him :)
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HENDERY + LIAN: LIANDERY
the teasing
THE MF TEASINF THEYRE SO ANNOYING
besties ™
they would occasionally message each other before and they considered themselves to be pretty close but when nct 2020 happened they were chaos
especially when they ended up in the work it unit together
everyone was so sick of them like they would not shut up about random ass things
hendery and lian are like another version of haechan and lian
but minus the lovey stuff they sometimes do
with liandery it’s constant teasing and making fun of each other 24/7
and it’s all fun and games so they can go DOWN if they’d like to
lian roasted him so hard once bye
they were supposed to be a pair on “it’s awkward but it’s ok”
but they developed such a good friendship within like two weeks that they had to switch up the members
hendery is kinda soft for her though ngl
he’ll just randomly poke her dimples
BUT HE WONT LIE AND SAY HE WASNT INTIMIDATED BY HER AT FIRST
it was just the way she presented herself at that time because she was a little frustrated, but it wasn’t anything that wouldn’t change later on
hendery thought she was older than him by like three years rip
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YANGYANG + LIAN: YANGLIAN
when lian met yangyang she gained another child
but yangyang’s not a baby anymore (҂⌣̀_⌣́)
yet he’ll 100% act cute so that she does stuff for him
she’s not complaining though anything for her son
they’re like yangyang and ten all over again
once had a whole ass conversation through memes
it started with spongebob ended with shrek
lian now knows how to introduce herself in german thank you yangyang
not lian teaching yangyang toronto slang :’)
yangayng for some reason gave her big haechan energy when they first met
because the first thing he did was mock her height
he literally bent down and said “can you see me better”
lian: hello i saw you perfectly fine before my neck isn’t broken sir
but it was okay because now they have a really playful relationship with each other :D
have teamed up on numerous occasions to make kun’s life harder
“i thought the chaos stopped with yangyang, lian when did you become such a problem child?”
but lian gets special treatment because well .. she’s lian what do you think
yangyang calls her lili :)
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gumnut-logic · 3 years
Text
For His Brothers (complete)
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This one has been bugging me for a while. So I finally went back and completed it.
This was started in December last year, so most of it has been posted here before, but I’ve decided to post it in its entirety since I haven’t written any of it since February.
But now it is finished. Yay!
Thanks as always to @tsarinatorment​ @scribbles97​ and @janetm74​ for their amazing support throughout. You guys are just sooo kind to me ::hugs you to bits::
I hope you enjoy this.
Warnings: angst, frustrated Gordon, angry John and a pair of idiot older brothers. 5861 words.
-o-o-o-
He reached over and gently brushed away a stray hair from his brother’s forehead.
The room was quiet. Considering the monetary clout the Tracy family sported, it was to be expected. Hidden away from the bustling hospital, this oasis of a room with its pale furnishings, white privacy curtains, the cushioned chairs in place of the usual plastic was a haven.
These comforts were to be valued and Virgil appreciated them even if his brother would have frowned at the extravagance.
But that was Scott.
Always thinking of everything and everyone but himself.
Virgil let his fingers glide through that soft brown hair, the severity of their situation clear by the lack of gel stiffening the strands.
Scott never left the house without every hair perfectly placed, fingernails manicured, skin clean and refreshed. Looking at him, you wouldn’t think this was a man willing to get his hands dirty. But then Scott was never what he seemed.
The hair gel, the spotless clothing, his deportment, it all spoke of a wealthy man who owned sixty sports cars, three yachts and a private plane.
Scott had the plane, sure, the fastest one on the planet. And hell, yeah, he had a fast car and even a motorcycle. He didn’t sport a boat, but then Gordon was the one to stash those and it wasn’t like he wasn’t willing to share…well, most things.
But Scott never had time to just drive his car. The bike was on the Island gathering dust in a corner of One’s hangar. Virgil was pretty sure Scott hadn’t been on a boat that didn’t involve some kind of life-threatening situation in about ten years.
No, Scott was not your average billionaire.
A sigh and Virgil let himself wilt in the chair beside the bed.
Please, Scott.
His brother was pale, his skin almost bloodless. If it wasn’t for that, he could have been asleep. Scott was neat even in slumber. He wasn’t one to sprawl. There was a certain quiet efficiency to everything he did.
Virgil had brought in his brother’s pyjamas. Even helped the nurse dress him. It wasn’t the first time, after all. If Scott had been awake at the time, the protests would have been epic. The man did not like needing help. Did not like showing vulnerability. Did not want any of it.
Virgil had fought him on this far too many times before using soft words and, if necessary, a pile of hard logic to get him to behave. Because there was one weapon Virgil always had up his sleeve. Catching Scott’s eyes, all Virgil had to say was that he needed to do this. Virgil needed to care for his brother. Look after him and see him well.
It cracked Scott’s obstinance every time, because Scott would do anything for his brothers.
Including sacrificing himself.
Virgil let his head drop to his hand and rubbed his face. There was an edge to his thoughts. A hysteria lurking in the corners, lured out by certain possibilities, accompanied by terror.
He couldn’t.
No.
Another sigh and he looked up again, forcing his eyes to land on his brother. The total inability to do anything grated on Virgil’s senses. His everything was to fix things.
He couldn’t fix this.
He reached down and caught his brother’s hand. It was cool, but not cold. The IV sticking out the back of the vein just beneath his skin shifted as Virgil moved and he clutched the tubing gently to his brother’s wrist to prevent stress on the site.
Scott’s fingers were long.
Longer than Virgil’s. Long enough to play the piano better than Virgil had ever been capable. It was Scott’s thing...to be better. Following him in everything due to age had its challenges. Scott was good at what he wanted to be good at.
The fact he had dropped the piano at an early age was just as frustrating as John not singing with his magical voice. Virgil felt like the last bastion of artistic pursuits in the family.
Virgil ran a finger over his brother’s limp digits. No longer playing the piano beyond what long term memory could provide, these fingers were tasked with so much more. The strength behind them controlled Thunderbird One, their dexterity manipulated equipment, their determination reached out to save so many souls.
His brother’s hand blurred and Virgil had to blink hard.
Virgil would follow his big brother anywhere, and to be honest, he had followed him into hell on many an occasion. He had no regrets. Sometimes he considered that perhaps he had been brought into this world to do exactly that. To follow the born leader his brother was. To enable the strategies he envisioned and, in turn, support him in their mutual endeavours.
And to keep him safe.
Virgil wrapped both his hands around Scott’s fingers and dropped his forehead to their cool touch.
God, please.
“Hey, Virg?” The voice was unmistakably Gordon’s, but it lacked vivacity. “Grandma wants you.” The aquanaut took a step into the room. “I can sit with Scott.”
Virgil didn’t answer.
“Virg, please?”
He closed his eyes and held on just a little tighter to his brother’s hand.
The same hand he had failed to catch.
“V-“
“No.” His voice croaked the word, but the emotion came from so deep inside it hurt to cross his lips.
A soft touch to his shoulder and he heard his little brother crouch down beside him.
Virgil expected Gordon to keep trying to persuade him, but instead a soft head of hair leant into his shoulder and an arm reached around his back, pulling him off centre and holding him there.
No words, just Gordon’s soft breathing, slow and strong. Swimmer’s lungs. Olympian. Rescuer.
Thunderbird.
Virgil squeezed his eyes tight and kept his insides in where they belonged.
Gordon began gently stroking Virgil’s arm with the tips of his fingers.
They sat there like that for Virgil didn’t know how long. He kept his eyes closed, his forehead down and his big brother’s hand clutched in his.
“You know he is going to wake up, don’t you?” It was flippant and out of the blue. It shattered Virgil’s carefully tended calm and his head shot up, inadvertently pushing Gordon away.
“We don’t know that.”
“Yes, we do.”
Virgil opened his mouth, but his throat closed up. Only one strangled word made it out and it was little more than a plaintive wail. “How?”
“Because he’s Scott.” The surety in Gordon’s voice tore at the remains of Virgil’s heart. “Scott Tracy. Commander of International Rescue.” Gordon’s lips thinned as his eyes reflected the fluorescent lighting. “Thunderbird One.”
Virgil stared at his little brother a moment. The intensity in those brown eyes screamed belief and determination.
Not unlike Scott, really.
It almost broke Virgil in half.
He looked away, back to his big brother laid out on the white bed, almost funereal in appearance. Virgil’s throat clogged up, fear, distress and grief warring for dominance.
His eyes fixated on Scott’s eyelashes once again and mentally begged them to open, pleaded to see that wise and inspirational blue. For his brother to return to him.
Please don’t leave.
God, please, I can’t do this without you.
“He’s going to be fine, Virgil.” Gordon’s voice again intruded on his stability, shaking the fragile framework his composure was sitting on.
“He trusted me.” The words fell from his lips, his voice wet, his eyes still fixated on his silent brother.
“He always trusts you. We all do.” Gordon’s voice was very much his rescue voice. Soft, reassuring and ever so kind.
Virgil didn’t deserve it.
The powerlines had come out of nowhere. He should have predicted that at least, but instead he had John yelling in his ears and Scott swooping in low with his jetpack, grabbing him by his exo-suit and literally shoving him out of the way. Virgil had spun on one tortured ankle, but the electrical wires had missed him.
They hadn’t missed Scott.
They slapped across his jet pack and vivid white and orange sparks blinded Virgil as he tried to reach for his brother. After-images haunted his sight as Scott’s jet pack died. Virgil reached for his brother, claws extended, but he was clumsy, poorly balanced, and he missed.
Scott fell limp into the dark water below.
And Virgil couldn’t follow.
Then it was all a mad dance to get out the reach of the still flailing powerlines, accompanied by the roar of his own ‘bird swooping into a low hover and his aquanaut brother taking a swan dive off her front hatch into that same dark water.
Virgil hurried to get off the bridge, but found he couldn’t.
He had been on the outside of the structure, rappelling down to secure a car that had almost fallen off the bridge due to the 6.5 quake an hour ago. The bridge was almost empty bar the last of the support personnel who had helped International Rescue evacuate the injured. Virgil had clambered out there simply to clip a restraint onto the car’s chassis to prevent it from falling off the bridge and possibly causing more injury. It should have been a simple job, mere seconds before they moved onto the next site.
The pylon had fallen without warning.
And the powerlines, which weren’t supposed to be there, came with it.
Scott had saved Virgil’s life.
At the cost of his own.
And now Virgil couldn’t even get off the damned bridge due to that same pylon, a tangle in his rappel line, and the very strong possibility he had a broken ankle.
He had to stand there and watch Gordon drag their brother onto the shore and start CPR in the mud.
The aquanaut was joined by Alan and a hovering One almost immediately. Scott was scooped off the planet and the rocket plane tore off into the distance.
He was stuck on that bridge for a good twenty minutes. Unable to reach his ‘bird still hovering until John landed her in a street nearby. Unable to climb off the bridge. He was little more than just another rescuee in need of his brothers.
Full of terror.
John reported on Scott’s status as much as he could and fretted in his own calm way over Virgil. His voice was, as ever, a balm, but the lack of a definitive answer on whether his eldest brother was going to survive kept Virgil’s heart rate in the red.
But then there was the familiar roar of that same brother’s ‘bird and One shot into an abrupt hover, Alan rappelling down and finally scooping Virgil off the side of the bridge.
Scott was still unconscious when Virgil finally made it to the hospital, and his brother had stayed that way ever since.
Three days.
Three long pain-filled days.
Virgil’s ankle had been splinted and he was mobile. Turned out the left strut of his exo-suit had actually snapped. How Scott had managed to shove him with that much force, Virgil had no idea. But it had achieved what his brother had wanted to do. He had saved Virgil, even if he hadn’t managed to save himself.
So quiet. So still.
Gordon shifted beside him, a small sigh passing his lips.
“Thank you, Gordon.” Virgil’s throat clogged again. “For saving him.”
“You don’t need to thank me. We’d all do the same for any of us.”
“You shouldn’t have had to. I should have known those wires were there. I should have moved faster.”
“What are you? Prophetic? John had the plans for that bridge, you had the plans for that bridge. There was no mention of hidden cables in that span. You know it, I know it. There wasn’t a damn thing you could have done. Some stupid idiot didn’t file the proper papers with the proper authorities.”
“I should have scanned the structure more thoroughly.”
“Virgil, it was a bridge, not a damned building. You and Scott located all the injured. You did good.” An exasperated sigh. “This was not your fault.” Gordon straightened. “And if you don’t leave this room and eat something, Grandma is going to have both our hides.”
Virgil didn’t even bother to look at him. “No. I’m staying here.” He had to, because Scott had to wake up.
He had to.
“I have to say, bro, I had to talk very fast to keep Grandma away. Forty-eight hours is ridiculous. You need food and rest.”
“I ate.” The discarded remains of breakfast sat on the sideboard. It had been cardboard and chaff in his mouth. The water had been welcome to wash it down.
And he’d kept it down...mostly.
Gordon glared at him. “More than three mouthfuls. Listen, if you don’t move yourself, John and I are going to move you for your own good.”
Virgil looked up at Gordon in shock. “No.” He had to be here.
“You’re forcing our hand, Virg! I will knock you out myself, if I have to, and I know...I know...Scott would agree.”
“Yes, he does.” It was parched and more breath than voice, but it was Scott.
Virgil spun in his chair as the fingers still wrapped in his hands curled around his. Dopey blue eyes pinned him from the bed. “What the h-hell are you doing, Virgil?”
“Scott!” Something inside broke. A dam, a wall of emotion slammed into him at the sight of that crease between Scott’s eyebrows, the twitch of his lips.
It took everything he had to hold it all in.
“Hey, big bro, you’re with us! How are you feeling?” Gordon was on his feet and practically bouncing. A blink and his little brother had thumbed his comms and was letting their family know.
The figure under the bed clothes shifted and groaned. “Stiff and sore. What the hell happened?”
“You got zapped like a bug, went for a swim, and made Alan fly you to these luxurious accommodations.” Gordon’s arm waved around at the white room.
Scott stared at Gordon a moment before blearily turning to Virgil, his expression pleading an explanation.
Virgil pushed it past the lump in his throat, voice parched. “You were hit by live powerlines and knocked from the sky. Fortunately, you were over water and fairly low. Gordon fished you out and saved your life.”
A blink as those blue eyes absorbed that. “What about you?” And there was memory in those eyes, worry for a younger brother, the drive that pushed Scott to give his everything.
For his brothers.
“I’m good.” Now.
“Bullshit, Virg.” Gordon’s expression was beyond exasperated. “You need rest.”
Lips thinned. “I know what I need, Gordon.”
The hand that was still in his tightened and Virgil was forced to look at Scott. Nothing was said, but everything was communicated.
For his brothers.
Scott would not rest if Virgil did not.
He swallowed his beating heart and with a gentle squeeze of his brother’s hand, Virgil stood up and straightened his shoulders. “I sh-should let the others know you’re awake.”
Virgil was vaguely aware of Scott frowning up at him as he reached for his crutches, but a sudden light-headedness distracted him. Perhaps he should eat something.
“Virg?” Scott’s voice was weak.
“What?” Virgil turned and the world turned with him.
A clatter of plastic chair and Gordon was suddenly in his face. “Hey, there, Virg. Take it slow.” His little brother was frowning as much as Scott, his hand gripping Virgil’s biceps holding him steady.
Virgil got his crutches under his arms. “I’m...good.”
Scott was struggling to sit up.
Gordon let go of Virgil with one hand and grabbed his eldest brother by the shoulder. “Hey, you stay put.”
“Virgil-“
“Virgil is fine, Scott. He is going to go to his rooms to eat and sleep for a good twelve hours even if I have to tie him to his bed.” A thumb to his collar. “John, I need you in here.”
Within seconds, the door opened and their red-haired brother strode in. The moment those turquoise eyes landed on Virgil, his brow creased into a frown, but it flickered as he turned to Scott, relief taking over.
Gordon didn’t give him a chance to say anything
“Johnny, a clear case of Operation Big Bro Tango. You want Scott? I’ll dance with Virg.”
A smirk curved John’s lips. “FAB.”
“What the hell?” That came from Scott.
Virgil had closed his eyes at some point. The world was still going around. The sound of a chair being dragged across the floor and an arm wrapped around his waist. “C’mon, Virg, let’s get you something to eat.”
He didn’t want to eat. He was nauseous and his head hurt and his heart was tied up in a mass of emotion that he could barely keep under control.
“Scott-“
“Scott will be fine. John has him, and I have you.”
“I’m...” But he wasn’t fine and he had to get out of this room before Scott realised it. Before... “I’m good.” That last word scraped over his larynx and left a bloody trail. He forced his eyes open to find a worried Scott staring up at him. John’s hand was on his eldest brother’s shoulder and he was speaking quietly to the man, obviously trying his best to keep Scott where he was. Virgil forced some steel into his spine. “I’m good, Scott. I’m going to get something to eat. Gran...Grandma will probably be here in a moment.” His hand tightened on his crutches and he carefully edged around the chair that had been his constant companion for the last few days.
Gordon hovered.
“Look after yourself, Virgil.” Scott’s voice was desperate.
Virgil didn’t look back. “I’m good. You worry about you.” A haggard breath. “Listen to John.”
He got a grunt for that as Gordon held open the door, urging him through.
A last glance at his big brother, now sitting up in bed, John’s hand still on his shoulder. Virgil turned his back to him and crutched his way through the door.
He made it all of five steps down the corridor before Gordon had to catch him as he fell.
-o-o-o-
“You idiot.”
It was breathless and close. It came from beyond the fog and outside the numb space he was inhabiting. It spoke of a place where pain existed.
Because there was pain in that voice.
“Why did you do this? Why?!”
The voice was familiar and it sparked hurt in his heart.
“Do you honestly think I would risk everything for your life just so you can go and flush it all down the toilet in some self-sacrificing vigil? Virg, why?”
Somewhere there was a thump as something fell beside him. It vibrated slowly through his body. He had a body. He had a hand. Because it was grabbed and held tightly, crushed up against soft skin backed by muscle and bone.
Breath tantalised the hairs on his wrist.
Whispered. “Virg, it wasn’t your fault. John hunted down the person responsible.” A soft snort. “You should have seen him. Our brother can be truly terrifying when he wants to be.” Another sigh across his wrist. A brush of fingers. “I can’t…”
Scott swallowed. Because it was Scott and there was something very significant about that.
“You can’t do this. I can’t…” The voice petered off again.
The hand holding his tightened a little more.
“You’re my brother.” The words came laden with so much emotion Virgil’s heart stuttered and he struggled to focus, to reach out.
His fingers wrapped around those holding them.
“Virgil?” There was sudden hope.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?!”
The new, sharp voice startled Virgil and he flung his eyes open. Blinded by ceiling tiles he groaned and shut them again. Hospital. He was in a damned hospital.
“Virgil?!” A clatter of footsteps hurrying close. Gordon. The new voice was Gordon.
Typical.
“What?” The single word made it past his dry throat.
Another hand landed on his opposite shoulder and he attempted to open his eyes again and found his fish brother smiling down at him. “’Bout time you woke up. Was beginning to wonder if you were trying to compete with electro boy over there.” Gordon waved a hand across the bed to the opposite side.
Virgil turned his head and found a wan Scott Tracy sitting beside his bed, holding his hand. His big brother was a picture of exhaustion.
Several neurons fired in the right sequence and facts aligned themselves into order. “Scott!” Virgil pushed himself up.
“Whoa, Virg! Take it slow.” Strong aquanaut hands caught him as his body protested the sudden change in orientation. “And you, keep your butt plastered to that chair or I’m calling Johnny back in here to kick it. Hell, I might do that anyway. What the hell are you doing out of bed?”
Scott grunted as Gordon shoved pillows behind Virgil’s back and fiddled with the automatic bed controls until Virgil was supported enough to relax.
Scott did not let go of Virgil’s hand.
Virgil didn’t let go of Scott with his eyes. “Are you okay?” His voice was dry and cracked.
“I’m fine, Virgil.” His brother straightened as if to prove the point as Gordon spluttered a scoff. Blue eyes targeted the aquanaut. “I’m fine.” Firm and decisive.
“My god, both of you are idiots.” It was pure frustration this time. “Scott, go back to bed before you collapse just like your idiot brother. If you fold, then he’ll rot beside your bed until he collapses again and the rest of us will be stuck with two sick idiots.” He glared at both of them. “Well, sicker than you already are.” Angry brown eyes flicked to Virgil. “Grandma is going to roast you, Virg. You are so dead. Since when do you not take her medical advice?”
“What?” And now there was a pair of angry blue eyes glaring at him, too. “You ignored Grandma? Are you insane?”
Gordon’s eyebeams zapped his eldest brother where he sat. “You can’t talk, Scott. You’re out of bed. Grandma told you to stay there. One flick to comms and you are toast.”
“Gordon-“
“No. Screw this. You guys might be worried about each other, but we care about you too. I’ve had to pick both of you off the floor just recently and it was not fun! Think about that!” Gordon was yelling. “Do as you are damn well told and get better!”
“Gords?” And Virg was moving, throwing off his covers.
“Didn’t you hear a word I just said?!”
Virgil froze. The anger emanating off his brother was fiery and so out of character, Virgil’s heart skipped a beat.
“Gordon?” And Scott rose unsteadily to his feet.
Those angry eyes whipped around and targeted Scott. “For God’s sake, sit down!”
The door behind Gordon was suddenly shoved open and John barrelled through. Aquamarine eyes caught the scene and Gordon was grabbed from behind before he could launch himself at his brothers.
“Gordon.” John wasn’t stronger than his fish brother, but his presence was enough and Gordon wilted in his arms.
“John, your turn to tango. I’ve had it.” He slipped from his brother’s grip and stormed out.
Virgil remembered to draw a breath, but then his eyes were caught by an aquamarine glare and he knew he was dead.
“Scott, get into bed.” It was said quietly, but with intent. Virgil was not surprised when his eldest brother did exactly as he was told without protest.
He did worry at how pale Scott was and had to fight the urge to climb out of bed and help him, broken ankle or not.
John pinned Virgil with his eyes.
Virgil pulled the covers back over himself and said nothing.
His space brother made sure Scott was comfortable, but didn’t say anything further until the pilot relaxed back onto his pillows. John then moved to the ends of their beds and turned to face both of them.
“I expect better.” He held their eyes a moment longer. “I need to see to Gordon.” Their little brother turned away, his back dismissing them. He flicked an eye to the ceiling. “Eos, monitor please. Alert Grandma as needed.”
“Yes, John.” Virgil startled at the sharp but not unexpected response.
John didn’t spare them anything else before he left.
Virgil’s heart sank through the floor.
-o-o-o-
Gordon was absent for most of the rest of Virgil’s stay in the hospital. Fortunately, that stay wasn’t very long, just one more night and Virgil suspected Grandma had had a word to the doctors to achieve that.
He slept most of it, comforted by the sound of Scott’s breathing. His brother had to stay in a little longer considering his three days of non-responsiveness, but Grandma intervened and sent Virgil home to the Island.
It felt like banishment.
But he also felt like he deserved it for worrying his family so much.
At the time it had seemed the only logical course. He had to stay with Scott.
Just had to.
Stepping out of the situation clarified it for him somewhat and gave him his family’s perspective, ever so clearly.
He vanished into his studio for two days.
Gordon had come home with him, obviously still playing the big brother tango thing that he and John obviously used as some kind of strategy to herd Scott and himself. It was somewhat ridiculous, but he could now see why.
There was more guilt, on top of guilt.
The paint was angry.
On the third day there was a knock on his studio door. “Virgil?”
John.
Virgil closed his eyes and sighed. Scott was returning today and the paint splattered all over the canvas he had been prodding since six in the morning was going nowhere.
There was a lot of blue.
So much blue.
“Virgil?”
He put down his paintbrush and realised there was also a lot of blue on him. He brushed at his shirt, but half of it was dry and the other half just smeared and made it worse.
All blue.
“Virg?”
“Come in.” It was resigned.
The door unlatched and John peered into the room, eyes exploring in that critical way his little brother absorbed everything until they latched onto Virgil. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Virgil grabbed a rag and scrubbed off the wet paint on his hands. His skin crackled where some had dried.
Those eyes fixated on him, drifting down to the ankle and the crutches on the floor.
John sighed. “Virgil...”
The engineer connected the dots and pressed his lips together. “I’m fine. Stop worrying.” To emphasise the point, he dragged over the stool he had been using for most of the morning and planted his butt on it. “See.”
John’s eyes lowered a little, but he didn’t back down. Instead, he shut the door behind him and made his way over to Virgil. Grabbing another stool, he sat down next to him in front of the painting from a blue sculpted hell.
John’s aquamarine eyes both blended and clashed with the colour scheme. “I sense a theme.” It was said lightly, almost an invitation to truce.
“It sucks.” The blue was smeared in streaks over more streaks. It spoke of canted speed and pain. Paint cracked again as Virgil tightened a fist.
It didn’t go unnoticed.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Ever so quiet and calm.
And days worth of frustration and guilt surfaced. “I have the equipment, John. I should have scanned. One little scan and so much hurt could have been avoided.”
“Fine. We will add infrastructure scans to our standard procedure. Name the type and we will do it.”
The simple statement brought Virgil up short.
John raised an eyebrow. “You expected something else?” His expression softened. “No one is blaming you, Virgil. No one but yourself.”
“Scott almost died.”
“But he didn’t.”
“John...” He let his head drop. “I can’t...”
A hand landed on his shoulder. “Virgil, you don’t have to. Scott will be fine.”
Virgil swallowed and turned back to his painting. An absent smear of blue with a thumb. He frowned and pushed himself to his feet. A finger here, another smear there. He grabbed his palette and added some red, still finger painting. White and a touch of Payne’s grey, more blue and more white and for a moment he lost himself in the process.
“It’s Thunderbird One.” It was said quietly, but with awe. “How did you do that?”
Virgil didn’t answer, grabbing a brush and, using the point at the end of the handle, scratched in the casual detail of his big brother’s ‘bird.
Lines he knew ever so well.
A fingernail of red and blue and Scott appeared aboard the facsimile of the rocket plane.
Virgil shuffled backwards on one foot. “I can’t fly her.”
He heard the frown rather than saw it. “Yes, you can.”
“No. No, I’m not Scott. Never Scott.” He turned to face his little brother as the emotions poured onto his face, raw and desperate. “I can’t lose him, John. I can’t.”
Aquamarine eyes widened. “Virgil?”
Realising exactly what he was saying, Virgil turned away and put the paintbrush down and swallowed his fear. “You’re right. I’ll write new procedures. It won’t happen again.” He grabbed a rag and concentrated on scrubbing the paint off his fingers.
But John was having none of it, he grabbed Virgil by the shoulders. “Now you listen to me. You have four brothers. Four, Virgil. If the worst happens. We will work it out.” Those hands tightened. “We. Will. Work. It. Out.” John pulled him into his arms and he was being hugged ever so tight.
John’s shirt was smooth against his cheek.
Virgil closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry.” It made it past his tight throat.
John didn’t respond other than to hold him even tighter.
-o-o-o-
John had him clean up and have a shower. Virgil was tired and arguing required more energy than he had. Thunderbird Five was doing his big bro tango with skill.
Following that, his red-haired brother rounded him up and escorted him, crutches and all, to the kitchen and the sounds of family.
Virgil almost baulked, but a gentle hand in the middle of his back nudged him down the stairs.
“Virgil! Scott’s home!” Alan bounced up to him, nothing but glee-filled relief on his face and the engineer couldn’t help but lift his own mood to match.
The sight of his big brother sitting at the table, pale and wan, managed Virgil a step further in relief, but a step back in worry. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“And good morning to you, too, Virgil.” Scott shoved a forkful of pancake into his mouth, making a point to lick the maple syrup off his lips. “Besides, look in the mirror.”
Virgil was aware of Alan shooting him a concerned look, but he ignored it.
The room was filled with the wonderful smell of fresh cooked pancakes. A glance into the kitchen itself and Virgil found Gordon at the stove, busily producing the pancakes that Scott was so eagerly consuming.
“It’s lunch time.” It was a redundant statement, and said without thought.
He paid for it appropriately.
“Pancakes for lunch is perfect for an invalid fresh home from the hospital.” Gordon’s tone was sharp and Virgil was forced to realise his fish brother hadn’t yet forgiven him.
His heart sank.
“Sit down, Virgil, before you fall down.” Scott was eyeing him as he shoved another forkful in his mouth.
He got cream on his nose.
Alan immediately pointed it out and cracked up laughing as Scott purposefully attempted to lick his own nose and made a complete idiot of himself in the process.
Anything for his brothers.
Virgil sighed as John pointed him to a seat beside their eldest brother. A short stack of pancakes were procured and placed in front of him, as was some orange juice.
He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, John shut him down. “No coffee. And don’t think I don’t know that you’ve been sculling the stuff all morning. I’ve seen the free range coffee cup herd in your studio.”
Virgil grunted and glared at the glass.
Condensation reflected his image back at him thousands of times at the microscopic level.
He let the sounds around him merge into the soundscape.
Each brother had his own pitch. His own timbre. Kayo waltzed through at one point, her voice a higher melody amongst the masculine chorus.
Alan’s laughter bounced around the room like someone had dropped a set of cymbals and they were clattering into everything.
Gordon’s tone was unusually sharp and Virgil closed his eyes, knowing it was his fault. His sunshine brother was well into the brass section today.
John was a woodwind. Calm, quiet, melodious. Subtle and sneaking up like a dramatic lead into a surprise.
And Scott…
Virgil’s forehead furrowed.
Scott conducted it all. His warm voice drew it all together and made it work. He was the creator of the symphony that was their family.
Something cold and wet was suddenly smeared on his nose.
What the-?
He opened his eyes to a mixture of white blob and laughing blue.
Somewhere, Alan cracked up again. He must have fallen over, because there was a crash and a squawking Gordon, who in turn began to laugh his ass off.
“That’s a great look, Virg.” Scott was grinning at him.
Beyond Scott, John was smiling ever so fondly.
Virgil turned back to his big brother. “That better be cream.”
His brother’s grin got even wider.
Virgil just stared at him a moment longer before poking out his tongue and casually licking the cream…it was thankfully just vanilla whipped cream…off the end of his nose in one quick swipe.
The room erupted in both awe and horror.
“How the hell did you do that?”
“Ew, gross!”
Even John had a rather weirded out expression on his face.
Only Scott was unfazed, still grinning as if he knew what would happen.
Which he did.
Which was probably why he had done it in the first place.
For his brothers.
Virgil grabbed a napkin and wiped his nose clean properly. He dropped it on the table and then, shifting his chair over a little, let himself slide gently sideways until his head was against Scott’s shoulder. “Glad to have you back.”
Still smiling. “Glad to be here.”
The exclamations of both awe and ew continued until it became a war between the terrible two and who had the longest tongue.
Virgil just let his eyes close and relaxed against his big brother. Eventually an arm crept around him and pulled him a little closer. It felt warm.
It felt safe.
“I’m sorry.” It was a whispered exhalation.
“Nothing to be sorry about.”
Virgil grunted, but was too comfortable to disagree.
Scott was home, and the familiar sounds of his family swelled around him, leaching away the worry and the fear.
It felt safe.
Because Virgil was a brother and obviously, Scott would do anything.
For his brothers.
-o-o-o-
FIN.
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