#‘it doesn’t have that signature snap that you expect’ well you should expect a signature snap in your femur when I’m done with you

[nyxfaei]

Paul Hollywood feel my wrath

[evansbby]

you get a request from a mysterious viewer for a private chat…

❃▹or ❃▹

sugar daddy ari meets cute camgirl!reader and she doesn’t know how to act around him.

{18+, dd/lg overtones, daddy kink,minors dni}

A. Levinson has requested a private chat.

The message pops up on your screen the moment you’re about to shut your laptop and call it a night. It’s already past midnight and you’ve just ended a particularly wild livestream. Tonight, you’d done the whole innocent girl act that your subscribers loved so much. You’d asked them to suggest on the live chat all the different ways you could touch yourself. As expected, it had gone over a treat, and you’d done your highest numbers yet thanks to your loving fans.

Speaking of which, your laptop beeps again with another notification:

A. Levinson donated $500.

You recognise the name immediately. Of course, you have no clue what he looks like or who he is. But he’s a new regular on your livestreams. Thousands of people watch you but you recognise the names of those who donate frequently. A. Levinson is one of those people – and his donations are hefty, too. Oh, should you accept? You didn’t really do private chats…

The buzz of another notification snaps you out of your thoughts. Another five hundred dollars. And this time, there’s a message attached.

A. Levinson: I really enjoyed your show tonight. Could I possibly take up your time for just a little bit longer? You can name your price.

Well… he didn’t sound creepy. He was most likely an older gentleman, probably lonely with a bunch of wealth and nobody to spend it on – aka, your favourite type of customer. You hover over his name quickly – no profile picture, forty-two years old (practically double your age!), new profile. Yep, it all checked out. You’d been planning on calling it an early night tonight but perhaps you could stretch it out a little longer and give this lonely old soul a bit of an extra show… For the extra cash, of course.

You fix your hair and adjust the lingerie you’ve still got on. You hadn’t stripped nude on tonight’s livestream, and most of your viewers had been too enraptured watching you make yourself cum over and over again to really even notice. Plus, you always chose the best lingerie to wear for your cam-shows. Tonight, you had on a pretty lacy set in the softest, cutest shade of baby pink, with creamy white ribbons and detailing completing the look along with your signature pink pumps. This A. Levinson guy would be in for a treat and a half. You quickly accept his request for a private chat, easily slipping back into the character you play in your shows.

“Hello there,” you feign shyness and smile into the camera how you always do. “What’s your name?”

“Ari,” the stranger responds, his voice sounding like liquid chocolate pouring straight out of your laptop. Damn. He didn’t have his camera on but that was unsurprising – most of your fans were very shy. “I have to admit, I didn’t know if you’d accept my private chat request.”

“Well, how could I not?” You adjust the straps of your bra slowly, “I love my fans, you know.”

He chuckles, “And they sure do love you.” A pause. “You looked breathtaking tonight.”

You’re used to compliments from your fans. Comments ranging from: “you’re gorgeous” to fuck ur so hot xx” to “I wish my girlfriend looked like you” to “you made me cum so hard in my pants baby.” But the way this Ari guy says it… the way he says the word “breathtaking” – all soft, and slow and melodious and confident. Instantly, your heart thrums, leaving you feeling a tad embarrassed.

“Oh… why thank you! That’s super sweet of you to say.” You recover quickly, slipping back into your “innocent girl” character as you smile softly and avert your gaze and do that thing where you rub your arm and pretend to be all shy. It goes over great with all your other fans.

But this fan only chuckles, “You can call me Ari for now, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart?!?

You clear your throat, “Were you feeling lonely tonight, Ari?”

“You could say that. I try to tune in to your show whenever I have the time. You were beautiful tonight, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so sweet.” Oh, there was that liquid chocolate voice again – all velvety and smooth and deep! You vaguely wonder what he looks like…

“Thank you, Ari. What was your favourite part?”

And okay, so maybe you’re being a bit boring right now. Usually, on the rare occasion you did agree to a private chat, you’d be a lot more flirtatious. But this man’s voice was almost putting you in a trance, making you have to think your next words so you don’t stumble over them. Gosh, none of your other fans sounded like he did! All calm and self-assured, and…

“I really enjoyed the part when you were using your fingers. You had that lost look in your eye, as though you were on another planet. I thought it was really cute.”

You giggle, shuffling closer to your webcam so he has a good view of your cleavage. The ring-light behind your camera casts a flattering, bright hue over your body, accentuating the way your breasts spill out of your bra and bounce slightly as you move closer. You think you hear a rumble escape his throat, but you can’t be too sure. Either way, you lean into the camera, “You like it when I touch myself?”

“Honey, I don’t think there’s a man in this world who wouldn’t like that.”

Another spark flutters down your spine, and you wonder why his words are making you react like this. You’ve been on the receiving end of a bunch of different compliments from your fans day after day. So… why now? Why tonight? Why him? Why was it different now?

The buzz of your laptop knocks you out of your reverie.

A. Levinson donated $600.

“Do you think you could touch yourself for me again?” He asks, his voice all velvety smooth yet rugged at the same time. And it’s a request that he doesn’t even bother to veil as a question, and for some reason, you feel a jolt down there at his expectant tone. “I would really love to see that pretty look on your face again.”

You giggle nervously before remembering to put on your innocent girl act for the camera. “Touch myself? I dunno… It’s getting kind of late, sir.”

A. Levinson donated $800.

“I told you, please call me Ari for now.”

You don’t know whether you clench from the sheer amount of money he seems to be throwing at you as if it’s nothing, or the delicious hint of authority in his tone. None of your fans were like that – they all acted like you were very much the one on charge, the one with all the power, the one who could log out and end the chat and leave them hanging at any moment. Which you could – so then why was Ari acting like he was the one who held all the power?

And why did you not hate it at all?

Slowly, you slip your hand down your body, making sure to look demure and seductive in front of the camera.

“Play with your lingerie,” he commands, “Play with those cute little white ribbons.”

“Yeah, o-okay,” you breathe, inwardly wondering why the hell you’re not taking control of your own show like how you usually do. Why you’re so okay with letting him take the lead. Nevertheless, you twirl the ribbons of your panties around your fingers, stroking the satin softly as your core begins to pulse in need. But instead of going down to touch your pussy, you keep playing with your lingerie instead, imagining that your hands are not yours, but rather… someone else’s. Someone who’s rough, tough, masculine and rugged… And hell bent on teasing you.

“Use your other hand too,” Ari says, “Squeeze your pretty tits, baby girl. They look so pretty in that pink bra.”

“Th-Thank you, da–” You bite down on your tongue just in time, mortified that you almost let that word slip out. And you think you hear a smirk on the other end of the call, but you’re too preoccupied with listening to Ari to really pay any heed. With one hand still playing with your panties, you squeeze your breast with your other. Your nipple feels hard against your palm, and your eyes momentarily flutter shut as you knead your soft flesh at his orders.

“That’s so good, pretty girl. You look so pretty and cute like that.” Ari compliments. “In fact, your choice of lingerie is one of my favourite parts of your shows. You’re always wearing something cute and girly. It’s very charming, sweetheart.”

Oh, how was he being so calm right now? Usually, your fans got themselves worked up within the first few minutes of your private chats. It didn’t take much to get them to blow their loads and their money too, and the chat would be over in about five minutes. But right now? Right now, it seems you’re the one who’s getting worked up. Quickly, you clear your throat.

“Thanks. This set is one of my favourites.”

“Is that so? Well, you have to promise me you’ll buy yourself a few more sets as adorable as this one.” Ari responds, “Cute and pink and pretty, just like a princess. Aren’t you, sweetheart?”

“Yeah,” you agree, cringing at how dumb you sound. He seems unperturbed, however, and you soon grow preoccupied with touching yourself again. Squeezing your other breast while you make direct eye contact with your camera.

“Good girl. Why don’t you touch your little pussy now? I’m sure she’s starting to feel a bit neglected.” He chuckles, and you marvel at how in control he sounds, how easily the words slip past his tongue. “After all, she’s the star of the show, isn’t she?”

“She is,” you agree softly, blinking at the camera, “She’s very wet.”

“Mm, I’m sure she is, baby girl. Push your panties aside and spread your legs so her daddy can take a look at her.”

You gasp when you hear him refer to himself as that, but he seems so damned unperturbed that you feel you have to act the same. Oh gosh, when had this all taken such a turn? Never before had you taken orders from a fan in a private chat, but it’s like he’s somehow programmed you to listen to him through that velvety voice of his.

You spread your legs like how you’d do on a regular livestream, angling the webcam to get the perfect shot. Your panties are soaked when you push them aside, and you bite your lip as you use two of your fingers to spread your folds. They glisten under the lighting, your wetness trailing down your thighs and staining the rug under you.

“Such a good girl,” Ari rewards you with a compliment. “Such a good little girl with a cute little baby pussy. You should be so proud, princess.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Now, do you want daddy to turn his camera on? And don’t worry, it’s alright if you’re too shy and you don’t want me to. You’re just a little girl after all, and I wouldn’t want to force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Your heart lurches. Ari? Turn his camera on? Oh, you’d be lying if you said you weren’t a bit curious to see what he looked like! To see the face that matched that insanely chocolatey voice… A nervous thrill ripples through you, but you try your hardest to remain cool.

“Y-Yes,” you manage to get out, hating how you stutter. You never stutter on your own livestreams and chats. Never. You clear your throat, “Yes. Yes, you can turn your camera on.”

A moment later you find yourself staring at a set of deep blue eyes. You blink several times. Now, you see a handsome face. A very handsome face. Bronzed skin, a thick beard. Striking eyes, high cheekbones. A gorgeous, sloped nose. Long brown hair that brushes over his eyes before he pushes it back and out of his face. Oh, he was hot! And fully dressed, too. In an expensive-looking suit with his tie loosened around his neck.

“Oh… wow, Ari… I–” You’re at a loss for words, but thankfully Ari takes the reins.

“Keep touching yourself, sweetheart. Yeah, just like that.” He licks his lips, long lashes fluttering across his cheekbones as he blinks, “And call me daddy, baby. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, daddy, that’s fine.”

“I thought so. Now, why don’t you tell daddy your favourite way of keeping your baby pussy happy.” He murmurs softly, slowly, hypnotically.

You watch as his own hand slips down, and it thrills you to think of what he’s doing, what his camera isn’t showing. Oh, none of your other fans were as handsome as him! Or as put together or as in control! No, Ari’s energy is completely different. So softly dominant that it sends chills up and down your spine as you clamber to obey him.

Suddenly, you remember he’d asked a question.

“My stuffie, I guess.” You answer hypnotically, staring into his blue eyes that look to be so deep, so soulful. Like he was a man who’d seen everyone and everything this world had to offer. A man who’d lived an entire lifetime, a man who was, well, a man in the purest sense of the word. So virile, so mature – someone you could look up to, follow, listen to.

“Your stuffie.” Ari repeats, savouring the word on his tongue, “You stuffie keeps your pussy happy, huh? I think I remember watching one of your livestreams where you did something like that. But I’d like you to show me again, baby. Will you do that for me?”

Luckily, your stuffed teddy bear is only a foot away from you, and you quickly grab it. And it was true, sometimes you’d ride your stuffies during your livestreams. Your fans loved to watch you writhe and moan and lose yourself in the moment, watch you go from cuddling your stuffed toys to humping them and making yourself cum. Clearly, Ari had been a fan of this routine too.

You get into position, placing your teddy bear between your legs, watching how its fur goes damp as soon as it makes contact with your soaking pussy. Biting your lip, you waste no time as you start rocking back and forth tentatively. Ari lets out a rumble of approval, and you see his arm flex as he leans forward.

“That’s so good, baby girl. You like using your little friend to make you feel good?”

“Y-Yeah, it’s one of my most viewed livestreams.”

He smirks, “But you’ll put on a better show for me right now, won’t you?”

“Yeah, daddy…”

Your breathing slowly goes shallow, mind clear of any thoughts except how sexy and manly Ari sounded on this call right now. And it feels so delicious already, your teddy’s fur catching on your throbbing clit, incensing you to grind down harder.

“You have a wishlist, babygirl?”

The question is posed so casually that it somehow almost winds you. Your hips slow down and you look up at your webcam. But Ari narrows his eyes, nodding his head as if commanding you to continue, which you do. God, it was so hot how nonchalant he was being — and yet he sounded so attentive too!

“A wishlist?” You squeak, voice going high-pitched as your hips pick up pace, and you wish it was Ari’s thigh you were grinding on instead of this stuffie. Your body’s doing that thing where it feels empty, craving something bigger, more substantial…

“Yes, sweetie. A wishlist. A list of things you want. Clothes or makeup or anything like that.” He’s pumping his dick now, you can tell with how his hand’s moving. But the rest of him looks so unperturbed and unbothered, as if he’s having a normal conversation and not jacking off with a camgirl while he watches her masturbate with a stuffed teddy.

“I—um—yeah, I do…” you somehow manage to get the words out, but you’re mostly focused on cumming now. Your mind conjures up images of you naked on top of a fully dressed Ari. Him big and powerful, guiding your hips with just one hand, dragging you back and forth on his muscular thigh. Or maybe picking you up and placing you on his bulge, letting you rub your soaking cunt on it while he calls you a good girl in that deep, sexy voice of his…

“Sweetheart? You with me?”

“I, yeah, sorry!” You pant, feeling so close and yet a part of you knows you have to answer him. “I d-do — I have a list but—”

“You’re going to send it to daddy after you cum,” he tells you. “A pretty little girl like you needs her daddy to reward her after she humps her pretty little princess cunt and gets off so nicely just like how I asked you to.”

Your orgasm hits you out of nowhere. And it’s his words that tip you over the edge. So dirty, yet he talks in such a sweet way! Oh, a man’s never spoken to you like that! So casually talked you through your orgasm, praising you so sweetly and telling you he’d buy you everything on your wish list?! Who was this man??

“Send it to me. Now.”

You’re weak and spent, legs shaking from cumming so hard. But you quickly send him your wish list on private chat. You doubted he’d buy everything on it — all the expensive jewellery, designer clothes, shoes — especially since he’d already showered you with so many cash donations. But you send it to him anyways, and he hums in approval.

“That’s such a good girl. I really enjoyed our chat, baby.”

Your heart sinks. Was this it?

“Why don’t you show daddy your pussy again, baby girl? I want to see how messy it is now.”

Again, you obey. Angling your webcam and opening your legs for him. A part of you imagines him doing it for you, gripping your soft thighs with his calloused, manly hands so he could inspect to his heart’s content. God, he just exuded dominant energy and it was making you lightheaded. Quickly, you spread your sopping folds with your fingers, letting him see everything.

“Fuck, you’re so messy, aren’t you?” Ari murmurs, and you watch him brush his long hair out of his face. His tanned skin glistens slightly, his lips pink and plump and you find yourself just staring at him in awe.

“I-I’m messy…” you repeat, feeling dumb and spaced out after your orgasm.

“Bet you need your daddy to clean up that baby pussy, don’t you?” He licks his lips, pumping himself faster. That’s when his camera lowers slightly, and your breath hitches at the sight of the angry red tip of his dick.

“I… I don’t know… I—”

He chuckles kind of breathlessly, “You’re all dumbed out, huh? That’s alright, sweet girl. Daddy understands.” Again, he runs a hand through his hair, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at you. “I understand that little girls like you get tired easily, especially after playing with your toy so naughtily like how you were just now. That’s why you need your daddy.”

“D-Daddy…” you whimper, incapable of saying anything else except repeating what he’s saying, but you’re able to press your thighs weakly together, as if his words are just too much and you need to get off again despite being so weak.

“You need me, don’t you? To hold you in my lap, clean you up, take care of you, think for you, buy you whatever you want. Lap at your little baby cunt till you cum in my mouth. Am I right?”

Ohfuck. You feel newfound thrill ripple down to your pussy, making you clench at his words.

“I… I don’t.. I just— daddy, I. —“

Ari chuckles breathlessly, and a lock of his hair falls over his forehead, but apart from that he still looks pristine. The complete opposite of fucked out, messy little you.

“You can’t even speak straight, can you, Princess? That’s alright, little girls like you aren’t meant to think or talk anyways. That’s your daddy’s job, that’s why I’m here. All you have to do is look cute and play with your little toy on my lap while daddy does all the thinking for you. Would you like that?”

“Yes!” You cry, feeling needy and vulnerable and still a little bit confused as to how this virtual stranger has reduced you to such a blubbering mess.

“Fuck. Say it, then. Tell me how badly you need me.”

“N-Need daddy,” you blubber, vaguely wondering what your viewers would think if they saw you now. Often, you acted all spaced out and whimpery in your livestreams. But this… oh, this wasn’t acting at all. Ari had well and truly reduced you to a whimpering mess — and you didn’t even know the guy!

“I know you need me,” he croons, “Little girls like you always need their daddy. And I want to take care of you too, sweet baby.”

“Please do!” You cry, “Need you to take care of me so bad! Can’t think, can’t… I can’t…”

You press your thighs together and cum again. And it’s a shock to you, you hadn’t expected to orgasm again so quickly. But you hear Ari groan, and a moment later you watch enraptured as he blows his load, spurts of his thick cum landing on his palm. And you wish so bad you were there in person to clean him up too.

“Both of you are quiet for a minute or so after that. All you can hear is his breathing - rapid at first before it goes steady. You, on the other hand, are beside yourself. Whimpering, crying, breathing hard. You just want him to hold you - and it’s crazy because you don’t even know who he is! Not really, anyways. But he looks so big and strong even on the laptop screen, and you really feel so small in front of his eyes, but in a good way… He had a way with words, so soft and dominant that it made you want him to take care of you, and-

"Thank you, baby girl,” Ari chuckles after a while, “thank you for indulging me.”

You clear your throat, “I…uh… I… okay.”

“You still dumbed out, honey?”

You lower your eyes and nod, feeling all kinds of shy now that you’ve cum twice and your senses are all coming back. Had you really gotten that submissive and vulnerable with a viewer on private chat? Oh gosh…

“Do you need daddy to tell you what to do next?”

You nod, embarrassed at how helpless you feel. Your legs are still shaking from the remnants of your orgasm, ears still buzzing from that smooth, gravelly voice of his as he’d coaxed you through those two orgasms.

“First, I want you to send me that wishlist of yours. Then, I want you to go and take a nice, hot bath to calm yourself down, alright?”

“O-Okay, daddy,” you agree quietly.

“Mm, that’s my good girl. Then, I want you to put on something comfy and tuck yourself into bed. I know little girls like you need your daddy to do that, but for now I need you to do it for yourself. Got that?”

You nod dumbly.

“Daddy needs you to use your words, sweet girl.”

“Yes, I - uh - I’ll take a bath and tuck myself in, daddy.”

“Good girl. But I’ll need you to take pictures as proof you’ve followed my instructions.”

“I will, I will!” You blurt out, wanting to make this virtual stranger proud. Oh, you didn’t even recognise yourself anymore but you didn’t care. Not in the least.

“Thank you, baby. And one last thing.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Would you like to talk to daddy again tomorrow night?”

“Yes! Please, yes!”

“I thought so. Why don’t you give me your number, sweetheart, and I’ll be sure to make that happen.”

THE END.

Honestly wrote this super quickly so it’s probably paced like shit and not that good but YOLO. also i tried something different with the layout heheehehe LMK WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE FIC PLSSS LOVE YOU GUYS

[fallinallincurls]

The Moment I Knew

a barzy fic!! i had the best time writing this for the eras tour challenge hosted by @wyattjohnston and @comphy-and-cozy! getting to combine two things i love (hockey and taylor swift) made this fic so much fun to write and i hope you love it as much as i do.

hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx

song: the moment i knew (taylor's version)

word count: 2.4k

This was not how this night was supposed to go.

Your friends decided to throw a huge party at one of the most popular rooftop bars in Manhattan for your birthday this year. They promised the view of the city was gorgeous, the drinks were amazing and the night was sure to be one to remember for years. It was the perfect excuse to finally wear the stunning dress you’ve been saving for months so to say the least, you were beyond excited to celebrate turning another year older.

What you didn’t expect, however, is the text you sent to Mat hours ago to go unread. It was just a reminder that the party started at eight and that you couldn’t wait to see him. But instead of receiving a message back that he would be there or even a simple red heart emoji, you got silence.

And that’s all you can think about now even though you’re surrounded by your closest friends who couldn’t be happier to celebrate you.

Despite the drinks that are flowing, the glittering New York City skyline and the hundreds of pictures that have been snapped to remember the night, you couldn’t focus on anything but the fact that the person who matters the most isn’t here.

He promised he would be.

Your eyes remain glued to the door waiting, hoping, to see him burst through the crowd wearing that signature “baby, I’m right here smile” he reserves just for you. Friends ask how you’re doing and you nod along, faking the happiness you should be feeling at the moment. But every time someone says his name or goes “Where’s Mat?” that sinking feeling in your stomach becomes more and more obvious because as the minutes tick by, it’s clear that he isn’t going to show up.

How could he? How could he forget?

Yes, Mathew Barzal may be the face of the New York Islanders franchise and one of the best players currently in the NHL, but outside of hockey, he’s yours. Your boyfriend, your light, the person who makes you feel at home no matter where you are as long as you’re with him. 

You vividly remember him grinning when he found out about the plan your friends put together. In your mind, you see the moment when he said “I can’t wait to celebrate my girl,” before he pulled you in for a deep kiss. It’s unlike him to just bail on something especially when he promised he’d be here and he knows how much this night means to you.

Yet, here you are, standing in your sparkly party dress with red lipstick on searching for the one thing missing from this perfect night. The man who holds your heart.

“Hey,” your best friend slides up next to you, gently shoving a rum and coke into your hand. With just a glance at her, you notice her smile isn’t as bright as usual. She must know something is up. “How are you holding up? Having fun?”

“So much. Thank you again for putting this together.” You say, hoping you disguise the sadness well enough she doesn’t pick up on it.

“It’s what you deserve.” She replies honestly and despite everything, you couldn’t be more grateful for her. Before you can express that feeling though, she continues speaking and what she says next breaks your heart a little bit more. “Is Mat coming? I’m surprised he isn’t here yet, but the night is still young.”

Tears prick at your eyes and it’s then you realize you aren’t the only one painfully aware of the handsome Canadian’s absence from the party.

“He said he would be.” It’s the only response you have. Deep down you don’t even know if he will actually be here tonight even if you’re holding onto every shred of hope. Maybe he’s running late and hasn’t looked at his phone in a long time. Maybe his phone died after he left and he’s on his way right now but you have no idea. There are a million excuses you could make, but something tells you that none of them are the reality of the situation.

What do you do when the one who means the most to you is the one who didn’t show?

Feeling the overwhelming heartache well up in your chest, you excuse yourself from the conversation and head right toward the bathroom. That’s the one place you can fight these tears off and regain your composure without anyone else around. 

When you look in the mirror and stare down your reflection, another stab of pain shoots through your heart. The woman you’re looking back at should be so happy she can’t stop smiling, eyes full of wonder and nothing on her mind but having fun with the people who she loves so dearly.

Instead, you’re trying to stop the tears from falling so your makeup stays intact and hoping you can enjoy even a second of this fantastic party. This isn’t how tonight was supposed to go. 

And that’s when the anger sets in.

You and Mat may have only been together for six short months, but in that time, you have fallen head over heels in love with him. He’s been the most incredible boyfriend and you haven’t regretted giving your heart over to him. He hasn’t ever broken a promise or lied or did anything to make you feel unloved.

Until tonight.

And how dare he ruin something that was meant to be full of joy and unforgettable memories? How dare he do this to you and ruin a night that was about celebrating you? You shouldn’t be crying over him at your birthday party.

You deserve better than that.

Taking a deep breath, you freshen up your makeup and recite a pep talk in your head. This might be the worst pain your heart has ever endured, but you deserve to enjoy the night no matter what and that’s exactly what you’re going to try to do. 

Starting now.

As you step back out to the bar, you focus on everything but the gaping hole Mat has left on the night. The closer you get to where your friends are gathered, you spot a beautifully decorated cake sitting on the tabletop. 

“Y/N!” Your best friend calls out, waving you over with a beaming smile. It all happens in slow motion. Taking your place behind the cake with the candles lit waiting for you to make a wish. Everyone circling around and singing happy birthday to you. As you blow out the candles and make a wish amid the loud roar of applause, all you can think about is what’s missing. About who is missing.

The tall, brunette hockey player whose hazel eyes are always soft with admiration around you. 

You miss him even through the pain he’s caused tonight. But you savor every moment with your friends until it’s time to go home. After all the hugs, happy birthday wishes and goodbyes, you check your phone before gathering the gifts everyone brought. Still not a single text or call from Mat.

That’s the moment you know.

This is it.

You can’t dedicate yourself to a relationship just to not be cherished by a man who is too caught up in his own world to remember something as simple as your birthday. You deserve a better love than this.

The moment your apartment door closes behind you, a ringing fills the silence. Your phone. The screen is lit up with a picture of you and Mat after an Isles game, one of the first you attended as his girlfriend. You don’t overlook the fact that it took him all night to call. The party's over now and you know answering this call is going to result in him apologizing for not being there.

“Mat,” You say curtly when the call connects. Tears prick at your eyes again, but you push the emotions back in an effort to get through this conversation without breaking down. 

“Y/N,” Mat breathes out, his tone heavy but you can’t identify with what emotion. “I’m sorry, I didn’t make it.” 

“I’m sorry, too.” 

And that’s when you told him. Even though he was the right person, it was the wrong time and you couldn’t do this anymore. If you happen to run into him at some point in the future, the door isn’t closed on the possibility of being together again. 

For right now though, you bid the great love you had with Mathew Barzal goodbye. 

~~~~

It all happens in slow motion.

The DJ’s voice booms through the speakers in the ballroom announcing for the crowd to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Barzal to the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple. The fairy lights twinkle while the sound of steady applause and loud cheers erupt all around you. The familiar feeling of another’s hand, his hand, in yours somehow makes the smile on your face even brighter. 

You know this is the moment. The moment you’ve been dreaming of since you were a little girl, planning out the perfect song selection and wondering what your future husband would look like. The moment you watched in countless movies with stars in your eyes, waiting for the day you would get to experience that magical occasion.

Never in a million years would you have thought a professional hockey player with a heart of gold would’ve been the man you fall for and decide to spend the rest of your life with.

Yet, it feels like each step you take towards the dance floor hand in hand with the love of your life is slower and slower.

“You okay, love?” Mat whispers, pulling you in towards him as the soft notes of the carefully selected song begin to play. Your arms settle over his shoulders as you meet his gaze that’s full of nothing but adoration.

“More than okay. Just can’t believe today is real. That this dance is really happening right now.” You admit as a blush spreads across your cheeks. 

The smile that blossoms across Mat’s face is a sight that you never ever want to forget. He’s looking at you like you hung the moon and stars, pure happiness on display across his handsome facial features. For the millionth time, you wonder how you are lucky enough to be the one who gets to love him for the rest of your lives. 

“Well, I can confirm that today is very real and we are in fact dancing to our dream first dance song in front of everyone who cares about us.” Mat says happily, pressing a kiss to your forehead as he continues to lead you around the dance floor. “But I can also confirm that it’s a little unreal that we’re married now and I love you more than anything else in this entire world.” 

Without either of you saying a word, you both know why this feels unbelievable. That fateful night a few years ago where Mat missed your birthday celebration and everything came crashing down in an instant. Then, you never could’ve predicted this is where you’d end up in the future. But you’re so grateful that it worked out the way it did.

You’re married to Mat. The man of your dreams. The one who has won your heart and made your life brighter by just existing. It’s both a shock but the best thing to ever happen to you. 

“What are you thinking about?” Mat asks softly, lips brushing your temple as you continue to sway together. 

“This used to feel like a distant dream after everything that happened. But I’m so glad everything worked out in our favor because this is all I’ve ever wanted since we met.” You whisper, looking up at him. His hazel eyes are soft with love and your heart skips a beat just looking at him. Your husband.

“I never told you, but that was the moment I knew.” Mat replies, voice quiet but full of emotion. “That was when I knew you were the only one for me. I had a pretty good idea before everything happened, which was all my fault, but losing you like that was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. Not having you by my side was my new worst nightmare and my heart was completely broken. But I knew when you ended the call that night, you were my everything and I was an idiot for messing it up. I knew being with you after that would be a stretch, but I am still eternally grateful that we found our way back to each other and are here right now.” 

Shock ripples through you as Mat’s admission processes in your mind. Through all these years, he’s never given an inkling that he went through all that pain after the breakup that night. But knowing that moment was when he realized he loved you more than anything and would do anything to get you back made a wave of emotions hit you all at once.

You raise a hand to his cheek and gently rub a thumb across his skin. Tears prick at the back of your eyes as you gaze at him. How lucky are you that the love of your life came back to you? After all the pain that happened from that one night, he learned from it, became a better person and brought the love you both deserve to life?

“Me too, you have no idea.” You murmur, an adoring smile blooming across your lips before leaning in to kiss Mat as if no one was watching.

Cheers erupt from the crowd watching the two of you dance which pulls you back to the present. The last notes of the song fade out and Mat spins you around just to finish the dance with a dramatic dip before kissing you once again. Nothing but pure happiness and love surrounds you as you try to commit every detail of this moment to memory.

“Want to know something?” You ask Mat while reaching for his hand to continue dancing as the space around you fills up with the guests who want to join in on the fun.

“Always, baby.” 

“This is the moment I know that I will be incredibly happy and loved for the rest of my life. Because I’m with you.”

And there you are, standing in your wedding dress with red lipstick on and everyone around you singing along to the song blasting through the speakers as the person who means the most to you stays by your side all night. The gold band on his left hand glittering in the light is a constant reminder that nothing is missing. In fact, it couldn’t be more perfect. 

[kopilot-pop]

[For you are loved.]

- New Jeans x Ex-IZ*ONE! Reader

Request: You can write New jeans(separate) x Ex-izonereader Who is exhausted because he takes so much criticism (Like Wonyoung, only worse because she suffers🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️😓😓😦)and just goes to them and lays on top of them, but oh..they fall asleep..just cute, Your works are too cute!!!!💗💗💗🐰🐰🐰😍😍

Warning(s): Cursing, self-hatred, cyber bullying, etc.

A/N: This is fluffy in the end so don’t be scared to read it because of the warnings. Love y’all, have fun!

———————————————————————

“I just don’t get why you’re with them.”

You froze.

You’re currently at a sign event, meeting hundreds of Bunnies, and having a chance to talk to them.

Everything went smoothly. You smiled at fans, they screamed, you said hi, they screamed, and when you posed for pictures you could hear clicks louder than the ones you heard on a red carpet.

Maybe you should’ve expected not everything could be that perfect.

A certain fan - although it’s clear she has a favorite - made you anxious the moment she sat down in front of you. You were last in the line, so you were able to watch the others interact with her. She brought small wrapped gifts for all your members, but when she arrived at your table, it was clear she was empty handed.

Not even a piece of paper for you to sign at a fucking sign event.

“I… I’m sorry?”

“You heard me.” She crosses her legs, folding up her arms on her chest. “I don’t understand why Ador even considered you to join.”

Realizing what’s happening, you quickly glance at the manager - unfortunately he’s busy handling an overexcited fan with Dani.

“I..”

“I don’t want your stupid signature, it’s the same lazy one you had with IZ*ONE.”

Oh.

“You should’ve just stayed alone and pathetic after the disbandment rather then ruining a perfect group.”

Wow.

“You’re an eye sore - do you even know that? A fucking rat standing next to the goddesses. Every day I pray that you get caught in a stupid scandal and leave like th-”

“Excuse me. Your time is over.”

The ‘fan’ quickly glares at the manager, and hurriedly leaves, stomping purposefully. He gently puts a hand on your shoulder.

“Sorry I came too late. You can stay out for the rest if you’d like-”

“It’s okay! I can’t keep my fans waiting. Thank you though.” The fake smile clearly doesn’t ease up your manager’s mind, but he knows you well, and decided to leave you back to work with a simple pat.

—

On your way home you started to read the comments about the interaction.

The same girl decided to brag about her interaction on Twitter. You recognized her username, having seen her and several other fans that loved New Jeans, but hated you.

From editing songs and group photos to exclude you, apparently they decided to finally face you and say the same things that they posted on the internet more directly.

Her post gained attraction -and even though the replies were filled with Bunnies protecting you and explaining how the poster went too far - several replies were filled with hate towards you.

How untalented you are.

How much they hate your voice.

How you didn’t deserve to be with them.

And even a very detailed; ‘100 reasons why Y/n should leave NJ’.

“Number 23, her personality is way too bitchy...” You accidentally mumble out, causing Hyein to snap her head towards you.

“What in the world are you reading unnie?!”

The commotion caused all the girls to look back at the two of you, watching as Hyein snatches your phone out of your grip.

She takes a few seconds to scroll through the thread, as her face becomes more and more sour.

“H-Hyein! Give it back-!”

The younger girl furiously taps on your phone and shuts it off before handing it to you.

“Wha- what did you do?”

“I reported them. Don’t worry about it unnie.”

“But-”

“What the hell are you guys up to?”

Minji, finally awoken from her nap, looks at the two of you with furrowed eyebrows.

“Some asshole was saying shit about Y/n unnie.”

“Woah! Language!”

“My reaction is nothing compared to what Hanni unnie would say if she saw it.”

“Why are you dragging me into this?!”

Minji, now more concerned by the maknae’s reactions, stared at you.

“EVERYONE I’M TRYING TO SLEEP HERE.”

Haerin’s (rare) loud voice clears the van.

“We’ll talk when we get home.”

—

You quickly ran towards your bedroom, locking the door to avoid any contact. You shove your face into the bed letting out a loud groan.

‘I’m used to this. You’re used to this Y/n. This happened 4 years ago, it shouldn’t be that surprising for it to happen again...’

It was the same hate you received ever since you even joined Produce. It always happened, it always existed.

So why does it hurt so much this time?

Was it the comparing? Was it the comment about your skill? Maybe it was the way your members caught your brooding this time.

God, you hope they don’t know about the other times.

The nights you spent awake, wasting your mind reading disgusting comments from older videos. The holidays you spent crying alone at the dorm as you read yet another article about how you ‘mocked someone’. The hours you spent at the company, running your bones and muscles until you felt like ‘you deserved to be with them’.

You’re the most experienced one out of the whole group. You know how common negative comments are.

But it hurts so much more when you’re with the girls.

“Unnie?”

A knock causes you to shoot up from your crying session.

“Y-… Yup?! Yeah??”

You stumble towards the door, but before you could open the door, the full mirror next to your closet made you hesitate.

You teary face and clearly red eyes stopped you from opening the door.

“Um.. do you need something Dani?”

“Oh, yeah. The six of us are gonna have a movie night! Don’t you remember..?”

Shit. You forgot.

“I.. I’m sorry Dani. I think I have a cold. Don’t want you guys catching i-”

“A COLD?! Are you okay unnie!!? Do you need anything!?” Dani’s panic made you groan at your mistake.

After minutes of convincing her to join the others, you finally hear her shuffle away from the other side of the door.

You don’t wanna be seen like this. You’re the tough senior. You’re not the oldest, but the most experienced.

You deal with this alone. Not with others.

Why waste their energy anyways?

—

It’s 3 a.m. when you wake up on the floor.

Your face is still wet from the tears. You ears rang uncomfortably and the mirror still shows a very puffy, tired version of you.

Wiping your face with your sleeves, you quietly make your way to the kitchen - praying that the girls finished their movie night, and all went to bed.

You quietly creak open the door and tiptoe towards the kitchen. But before you could get there, something catches your eye.

The TV screen still plays an old comedy movie - shining a bright light towards the pile in front of the couch.

The air mattress you bought a few weeks ago was on the floor and the girls were all lying on top of it. That’s what you expected, so it wasn’t a surprise.

The empty pillow between Minji and Hanni was the surprising part.

The six of you always had an order you guys laid in.

And you always slept between Minji and Hanni.

You froze and stared at the cold pillow. The sore throat you felt disappeared, replaced by a sudden warmth in your chest. The tears didn’t feel as heavy as they did when you stood besides the mirror.

Like a magnet, you unconsciously gravitated towards the small space. You slowly laid down, staring up into the dark ceiling as the ringing in your ears turned into soft snores all around you.

You could finally hear the laugh tracks coming from the TV, the whirring of the fridge, and the shuffling of sheets.

It wasn’t loud, but enough to calm your mind.

You’re here. You’re in their arms. You’re not a target on the internet, you’re not a ghost from a different group, and you’re certainly not some bitchy asshole as the world makes you out to be.

You’re a New Jeans member.

You’re an adored idol.

And you’re certainly a loved group mate.

Hanni’s unconscious gentle hold on your arm reminds you of that, once again.

———————————————————————

[makeucrawl]

With your hc's on Franco twasing Coyle by flirting with Eastermen. Id love to see maybe a drabble of Coyle being all jealous and Eastermens reaction to it :3 (sfw or nsfw)

NSFW

Coyle stormed down the dim corridor, his boots striking the hard floor with sharp, echoing force. The air in the lab felt heavy, the hum of distant machinery and the occasional trickle of water the only sounds breaking the oppressive silence. His jaw clenched so tightly it sent a dull ache through his skull, but he didn’t care. Each step brought him closer to the lab—and to Easterman. And, of course, Franco. That smug little parasite who latched himself onto his doctor.

The thought alone made Coyle’s blood boil. He wasn’t used to being ignored, least of all by Easterman. The late-night experiments, the whispered promises, the scars—all of it was theirs. Or so he’d thought. But lately, it felt as though he’d been cast aside, eclipsed by Franco’s irritating presence.

He stopped at the lab door, his hand hovering over the handle. His chest heaved with the effort of keeping his temper in check. Through the door, he could hear them—Easterman’s smooth, calculated voice and Franco’s grating, high-pitched irritating laughter. It took every ounce of restraint not to kick the door down. Instead, he knocked—twice, loud and deliberate.

The voices halted. Silence. Footsteps approached, and the door creaked open to reveal Easterman, his angular face alight with amusement, as if he’d been expecting this.

“Ah, Officer Coyle,” he greeted smoothly, leaning against the frame. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

Coyle didn’t bother responding. He shoved past Easterman, their shoulders brushing in a way that was anything but polite. The lab was as sterile and cluttered as ever, a maze of half-finished projects and strange devices. In the corner, Franco sat perched on a stool, glaring at the interruption.

“What in the hell is goin’ on around here?” Coyle demanded, his voice low but laced with fury. “You ain’t spoken to me in weeks.”

“I have—”

“Nuh uh’ Don’t give me that shit!” Coyle cut him off, jabbing a finger toward Franco. “All you ever talk about is that goddamn inbred runt over there!!”

Franco, unfazed, smirked and stuck out his tongue. Coyle ignored him, his focus locked on Easterman, who watched the outburst with an almost clinical detachment.

“Franco is an intriguing subject,” Easterman said, his words slow and deliberate, “but surely you don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, Officer.”

“Don’t fuckin’ play games with me,” Coyle snapped, taking a step closer. “You told me I was your favorite. And now you’re wasting time on him? What the hell am I supposed to think?”

Franco muttered something under his breath, flipping him off, but Coyle didn’t spare him a glance. His attention stayed on Easterman, on the flicker of danger in the man’s dark eyes, the way his lips curved into a teasing smile.

“Jealousy doesn’t suit you,” Easterman said, his voice soft but cutting. His hand rested lightly on Coyle’s chest, just above his badge. “But I must admit, it’s rather… endearing.”

Coyle bristled, but instead of stepping back, he grabbed the front of Easterman’s suit, yanking him close until their faces were inches apart. “I ain’t fuckin’ jealous,” he snarled. “I just wanna know why yer wasting time on him when you’ve got me.”

For a moment, Easterman seemed on the verge of delivering one of his signature, infuriating retorts. But then his expression shifted, softening into something almost tender. “Perhaps I have been neglecting you,” he murmured, his voice dripping with mock remorse. “Would you like me to make it up to you?”

“Damn right I would,” Coyle muttered, his grip tightening.

Easterman chuckled, a low sound that sent a shiver down Coyle’s spine. “Very well,” he said, pulling back slightly, his gaze lingering. “But first, our friend here should take his leave.”

Without waiting, he turned to Franco, who glared in disbelief. “Franco, if you’d be so kind…”

The smaller man groaned, muttering obscenities as he slid off the stool. “Fine, fine! Guess I’ll just..fuck off then!” He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

As the sound echoed, Easterman’s attention returned to Coyle. His hands slid up to grip the officer’s shoulders, pushing him back against the edge of the lab table. His voice dropped to a commanding whisper. “Now, let’s see if we can channel that frustration.”

Coyle grinned, wild and unrestrained, and yanked Easterman forward, their lips crashing together in a brutal, fiery kiss. It was rough, demanding, a clash of teeth and hunger. Coyle groaned, fingers tangling in Easterman’s hair as he lost himself in the taste of gin and cigarettes, in the press of the doctor’s body against his.

When they finally pulled apart, both men were gasping for air, their bodies pressed tightly together. “F-Fuck, doc…” Coyle panted, grinding his hips against Easterman with desperate urgency. “Hurry the hell up. I need ya… real bad.” His voice cracked, the whine in it betraying just how much control he’d lost.

“You’ve been driving me insane,” Easterman growled, his voice low and heated as his hands slid down to grasp the zipper of Coyle’s leather jacket. “You need to be put in your place.”

Coyle smirked despite the wild thrum of his heartbeat. “Yeah? Then stop talkin’ and get to it.”

Easterman let out a soft, annoyed exhale, but his movements were anything but hesitant. He tugged the jacket off Coyle’s shoulders and discarded it along with his shirt, not sparing them a glance. The chill of the lab’s air hit Coyle’s skin, making him shiver—but the sensation was fleeting as Easterman’s hands roamed over his chest, tracing every ridge of muscle, every scar, like he was cataloging them for eternity.

“You’re mine,” the doctor growled, his voice a dangerous mix of possession and hunger. His teeth grazed the officer’s neck before sinking in hard enough to leave a mark. “Don’t forget.”

“F-Fuck!” Coyle gasped, his breath hitching as pleasure and pain collided. His hands fumbled at the waistband of Easterman’s trousers, his voice trembling. “Y-Ya ain’t gotta remind me…”

Easterman pulled back just enough to fix Coyle with a piercing stare. “Oh, but I do,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Because you seem to forget so easily.”

Before Coyle could protest, Easterman spun him around, pressing his chest against the cool surface of the lab table. The sudden change in position sent a thrill of anticipation through the cop, and he gripped the edge of the table tightly, his hands trembling slightly.

“Hold still,” Easterman commanded, his hands sliding down to unbutton Coyle’s pants. There was no gentleness in his movements, only urgency, and Coyle bit back a moan as his cock sprang free, already hard and aching and dripping.

“Look at you,” Easterman sneered, “So desperate for me. So needy.” He punctuated each word with a sharp slap to the cop’s ass, making him jolt against the table. Coyle groaned, his forehead pressing against the cool metal. “Just..S-Shut the hell up an fuck me,” he muttered, pushing his hips back showing his eagerness for the doctor.

Easterman chuckled, low and dark, and Coyle felt the slick press of lube against his entrance. He tensed instinctively, but the doctor didn’t give him time to adjust. One finger pushed inside, then two, stretching him open with ruthless efficiency.

“F-Fuck, doc,” Coyle gasped, his hips jerking involuntarily. “Y-You’re gonna—”

“Yes?” Easterman interrupted, his voice dripping with mock curiosity. “I’m going to what, Officer? Tell me.” Coyle gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to beg.

But Easterman wasn’t done yet.

He curled his fingers just right, hitting that spot that made Coyle’s knees buckle, and the cop couldn’t hold back a strangled cry. “That’s what I thought,” Easterman said smugly, withdrawing his fingers and replacing them with the head of his cock. He pressed forward slowly, deliberately, savoring the way Coyle squirmed beneath him.

“Goddamn it, doc,” Coyle panted, his nails scraping against the table. “Just f-fuck me already!” Easterman obliged, thrusting into him with a force that drove the air from Coyle’s lungs. The pace was brutal, unrelenting, and Coyle could do nothing but hang on as the doctor fucked him senseless.

Each stroke seemed designed to punish, to remind him who was in control, and Coyle loved every second of it. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” Easterman hissed, his hands gripping Coyle’s hips so tightly they were sure to leave marks. “For me to take you? To remind you who you belong to?”

Coyle couldn’t answer—couldn’t do anything except moan and writhe as the doctor’s cock slammed into him again and again. His own arousal was building rapidly, a coil tightening in his gut with every snap of Easterman’s hips.

“C-Close,” he choked out, his voice barely audible over the sound of skin slapping against skin. “I-I’m so fucking c-close—”

“Good,” Easterman growled, reaching around to take Coyle’s cock in his hand. “Let me feel you come undone.”

The combination of Easterman’s hand stroking him and his cock pounding into him was too much. Coyle’s vision blurred as pleasure surged through him, intense and overwhelming. His orgasm hit him like a freight train, tearing a ragged scream from his throat as he spilled himself over the doctor’s hand.

Easterman followed soon after, his thrusts growing erratic as he buried himself deep inside Coyle. With a low groan, he stilled, his body shuddering as he spilled himself into the other man.

The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing, mingling with the faint hum of machinery. Then Easterman pulled out, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

“Well,” he said, his voice calm and collected once more. “I trust that settles things?”

Coyle straightened slowly, his legs still trembling. He turned to face Easterman, a mix of satisfaction and defiance in his eyes. “For now,” he said, his voice rough. “But if you start ignorin’ me again…”

Easterman smirked, clearly amused by the threat. “Duly noted.”

[multistanisms]

Opportune Moment || Teen Wolf

FANDOM: Teen Wolf

PAIRING: Stiles Stilinski x Peter Hale

WORD COUNT: 5,817

RATING: PG-13

POTENTIAL TRIGGERS: N/A

SUMMARY: Scott joining the alpha pack, Lydia and Danny dating the twins and the body count of Beacon Hills rising from a darach has Stiles unable to enjoy the Winter Dance. Getting air leads to a brief conversation with the one person Stiles doesn’t want to talk to right now - Peter Hale.

TAGLIST: @no1likemybbgcharlie, @spookidema

♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦

The music had been fine, the punch still as blandly boring as the previous two years. But when Lydia got up to dance with freaking Aiden, Stiles had officially given up on enjoying the dance. There was no possible low lower than watching her dance with someone who had tried to kill his friend (although he doubted Cora considered him a friend) and had helped in killing another. He’d grabbed a cup of the punch and found his way outside. With a sigh, he hopped up, moving to sit on the railing outside of the back of the gym. Tonight had been a total failure in terms of romance. Again. Or well, that was the cover he was still trying to force himself to play. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another getting in his way. He stared at his cup of punch for a while, then shook his head. “Maybe I should give up,” he wondered, taking a long drink of the beverage.

“Giving up isn’t much like you, Stiles.” The voice made Stiles flail and almost caused the teen to fall backwards off the railing. What didn’t almost happen was the remainder of his punch splashing over his outfit. Turning his eyes towards the source, he laid eyes on the one person he wasn’t sure he wanted to see at the moment. Dark jeans hugged the male’s body perfectly, as well as a long sleeved grey shirt, which was a surprisingly normal piece of the wolf’s style, clad the form of the oldest wolf in town; Peter Hale. Sighing and rolling his eyes, Stiles jumped down, looking at the now ruined clothes, shaking the punch off his hands as best he could before wiping them on the pants of his suit.

“Seriously?” he grumbled. He looked back at Peter and gave an irritated look. “Are you happy now? My suit is ruined.”

The wolf raised his hands, giving a soft shrug. “My apologies. I didn’t expect you to throw punch all over yourself if I said hello.” He gave a chuckle as he moved to get closer to the little platform. Despite being a wolf, the movement made Peter look more like a cat. The image of a glowing eyed kitten hissing made Stiles laugh to himself before he realized what Peter had said and frowned a little.

“Yeah, well, you didn’t say hello, Peter. You spewed a bunch of crap and scared the living hell out of me.” Stiles snapped a little, letting his eyes return to his punch soaked clothes. He looked up a moment later, to see the wolf’s brow arched. “What?”

“I was honestly expecting you to at least try to enjoy yourself this year.” Peter said calmly, raising his eyebrows together and kind of swaying his head.

Somehow, Stiles found the will to roll his eyes and exaggerate the movement with a slight movement of his head; a clear knock off of what he had dubbed the ‘signature Hale eye-roll’. “Yeah, because that’s so easy to do when your best friend is siding with killers, your dad is missing and your friends are dying.”

“Is part of it perhaps also Lydia?” Peter inquired, eyes glancing at the cracked door, where a slow song was playing from the dance.

“No, no, NO. Don’t you dare say her exquisitely beautiful name, alright? You have no right, and I mean no right whatsoever, to have her name even blink across your mind. Not after what you did to her.” He crossed his arms defiantly. Yes, he might have started moving on, but he would also always see Lydia as beautiful, and he would defend her; no matter the cost.

The oldest Hale’s head cocked to one side as he arched his brow again. “Stiles, technically I did nothing. I just tapped into her abilities.”

“Abilities she wasn’t even aware she had until you used her to bring your wolf ass back to life.” Stiles said, making a point by cocking his own head and shooting the wolf a look that was clearly daring the were to argue.

“It was a move of strategy, Stiles.” Peter said. “And it worked out pretty well, seeing as my coming back saved Jackson. And yourself. Or have you forgotten that?”

“Yeah, well, even if you did save everyone’s collective asses by helping with Jackson, your strategy sucked, okay?” Stiles said, clearly annoyed that Peter was sticking around. His head shook as he thought about it. “You made people think she was crazy.” He leaned back on the rail and huffed a little. “Basically ruined her life.”

“I wasn’t aware that being Queen Bee made or broke a person’s life. Especially someone as brilliant as Lydia. And if we’re being honest, Stiles, anyone who thought Lydia was crazy were the actual crazy ones.” Peter said. He didn’t seem to notice Stiles faltering as he defended the redhead, giving a shrug. “But, I didn’t come for Lydia. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. Well, as okay as it can be given our current, blood thirsty visitors…” he amended, giving a look as if he was scolding himself for a second. “But clearly everything is not okay if you’re out here moping.”

Stiles gaped at the older wolf for a moment and scoffed, looking away. “I can go in whenever I’m ready.” He then glanced back at Peter. “Shouldn’t you be like, trying to form a plan of action with Derek? I didn’t think he’d let you out of his sight due to a third of you dying in a coma-like state.” When he got an arched brow as a reply, he paused. Shit, that wasn’t what he’d meant to say. Cora had been a godsend for Derek and Peter both, and now they were losing her slowly. He looked down. “I mean, with Isaac here, and Scott, what’s the point of you hanging around?”

“Isaac came tonight because Derek explained it would make him feel better if Isaac didn’t miss it because of him.” Peter said, shrugging a little. “Although I doubt Isaac is having much fun himself at this point.”

“Wait, why would Isaac have missed the dance because of Derek?” Stiles asked, giving a confused look as he tilted his head.

“He didn’t want Isaac to miss something like this because Derek couldn’t attend as his date.” Peter answered simply. “Believe me, dragging the kid out for a tux was no easy task.” His eyes were once more at the door, as if he was waiting on a reply from the formerly abused beta, and when they returned to Stiles, the human was giving him a droll stare, as if he was speaking a known fact. “Something wrong, Stiles?”

“That just confirmed my suspicions…” Stiles rolled his eyes. He supposed it could happen – falling in love with someone who was loyal to a fault. His mind kind of trailed off from there though, becoming distracted by helplessly erotic images of the alpha and Isaac. He was so lost in his head that he jumped and flailed when Peter reached to touch his shoulder. Of course, the force of his jump and the flailing put him off balance, and he flinched as he waited for the ground to smack him, but instead he felt himself grabbed about the waist. Opening his eyes, he blinked upon realizing Peter had actually caught him. ‘Okay, seriously, it’s getting increasingly harder to hate this guy!’ He thought as he stared up at the wolf for a moment. “Uhm, thank y-” his voice was cut off as the older male leaned in to kiss him. A soft, gentle connection; not forceful or demanding, just…tender. Perhaps even a little needy and uncertain. That kind of connection between their lips made the teen’s heart pick up in rhythm a bit. He liked it, and as much as he would deny he had even entertained the thought, it wasn’t like what he’d thought it would be. Dep down, he knew he wanted more. So much so that he tilted his head, trying to deepen the kiss. Of course, it was at this moment that he realized he was kissing Peter freaking Hale. Flailing again, he shoved at the wolf, almost frantic to get away before he asked Peter to take him home. “Let me go, now.”

“Stiles-”

“Let me GO!” Stiles snapped, to which the wolf sighed, rolled his eyes and promptly released the human without a word. Stiles fell back, ass meeting concrete and a soft hiss leaving him at the pain. “What the hell, Peter?”

“You said to let you go.” Peter said innocently, although the hint of the smartass Peter that Stiles had come to know was evident in the tone. Stiles wasn’t sure if it pissed him off or it made him want to smile. So he forced his face still and replied as he stood up and dusted at his clothes.

“No, I mean what the hell was that? Before you dropped me.”

“I believe it’s called a kiss, Stiles.” Peter replied, once more back to his usual sarcastic self and shrugging a shoulder up. “Unless that terminology has been eradicated by your generation at some point.”

“Okay, let me lay this out here for you, wolf man. I don’t want you. At all.” Stiles said, clearly angry. But was the anger at himself or Peter? He couldn’t tell. He really didn’t care at the moment. The anger would cover the lie with ease.

“Then why did you kiss back?” Peter asked, head tilting. Stiles could see the slightest curve of a smirk on Peter’s lip. Damnit, why did he have to do that?

“You caught me off guard.” Stiles replied firmly, raising his eyebrows together and rolling his head in the tiniest way, almost like a twitch of annoyance.

“Or you actually wanted to kiss back and now you don’t want to admit it.” The wolf said with a slight tilt of his head in the same direction. The smirk was becoming a bit more prominent in the wolf now.

Stiles gave an aggravated sound, his hands clenching in front of him as if he might try to strangle the wolf. “Okay, you know what? Rule number one of me not killing you with wolfsbane. You will not, under any circumstance, scenario or matter of life or death, kiss me with those talented but murderous and lying lips. Understand?” His voice raised a little in volume and pitch, arms flailing as he spoke, as if he needed to gesture to make his point more valid.

Peter actually seemed offended at the little speech. His head even straightened to its proper position. “So says the human that returned the kiss. Although, if I’m being honest, that murderous and lying bit hurt…”

“I’m gonna show you hurt if you ever even think about kissing me again.” Stiles said seriously. He didn’t need this. He couldn’t get involved with Peter. But as with all irony in life, he had to move on from his affection for Lydia by falling for Peter Hale. He’d been pushing it out of his mind for almost a year. Why did he have to be reminded with such a trivial thing as a kiss? Damn, his luck was shitty these days. Right now though, he wanted to rip his hair out in frustration. He didn't need that intrusive thought to win. For one thing, it wasn’t attractive. Another reason was that he kind of liked his hair long.

“I get the feeling you’d return another kiss if I could manage to steal it.” Peter said with an all out smirk. He shook his head as he chuckled, reaching to help the human up. He saw the reluctance in the teen and rolled his eyes in the perfected version of Stiles’ previous attempt at the roll of eyes the Hale family had. “Oh come on, Stiles, I’m not that predictable. Although it would probably make you feel better if I was.”

Stiles kept quiet at the comment, because Peter was right; it would make him feel better if he could easily predict Peter's moves. Instead, he let his eyes move between Peter’s face and the extended hand, and reluctantly took the wolf’s hand, only to be yanked onto his feet and have the wolf lean in again. He tensed on pretext before deciding it would be best if he just turned away when the wolf whispered into his ear.

“If I kiss you again, Stiles, it won't be until you ask for it.” Peter’s voice was so soft, so undeniably sexy, that a shiver ran through Stiles. There was most definitely a need of some kind behind those words. And Stiles certainly didn’t understand what the hell it was. Before he could reply, Peter pulled away, reaching up to fix the tie and continuing. “Go back to the dance, Stiles. Ignore the twins as best you can. Try to enjoy yourself at least a little tonight?” Stepping back when the tie was straightened, he gave the human a soft smile and nodded his head at the gym door. “Go on.”

Stiles openly gaped at the wolf for a moment. Then his body began moving backwards, as if responding to the suggestion without Stiles’ conscious agreement to do so. His head tilted to one side, although whether mocking Peter or just curious, the human couldn’t tell. He jumped as he bumped into something and turned, flailing, to see a trash can knocked against the brick wall of the school. He silently asked who put a trash can so close to a rail, although in any other moment it would have seemed a stupid question. Stopping to glare at the receptacle for a moment, he made sure to right it properly before turning back to look at Peter again. Although he’d deny it if asked, he felt a sudden sadness in his chest to find that the platform was empty of the wolf. Giving a sigh and lightly shaking his head, he sidestepped the can and moved for the door to the gym. As he laid a hand on the frame of the metal door, he paused and looked back, hoping that he would catch another glimpse of the wolf. But still, there was nothing. Not even a trace that Peter had been there with him just moments before. He’d just turned around to finish entering the school when he jumped, startled by Scott standing in front of him, yanking at his sleeve and tugging him over to the side of the door. By the grin on his best friend’s face, it was something good. Thank god. With everything going on, they needed good news of some kind. “What is it, man?”

“Allison!” Scott said, his grin beyond excited as he watched his friend. “I overheard her telling Lydia she still loves me!” The pure excitement was damn near palpable, and it made Stiles feel a range of emotions in one moment. The human sufficed to roll his eyes at his best friend.

“So go talk to her, man.” He said. “I’ll be fine.” He waved his hand dismissively when Scott seemed to hesitate, brown eyes watching Stiles doubtfully. Stiles sighed and shook his head. “Look, seriously, Scott. Something has to go right for us here. And I am not going to let you sit it out with me when you could be getting the girl of your dreams back. Now go.” When the wolf still seemed unsure, Stiles gave a sigh. “Scott, if you don’t go talk to Allison, I’m going to lace your drink with wolfsbane and shoved mistletoe down your throat.” His look and voice were serious, and finally Scott nodded and left to go find the huntress. Going to the long table of snacks, Stiles scooped up a fresh cup of punch, then found his way around the gym until he was at an empty table in the back corner. Sipping at his cup before setting it on the table, he sat in the very corner chair. From this new position, the human could see all of his peers. For roughly five or six songs, maybe even seven, Stiles sat quietly, watching and trying to pay attention to his surroundings. Yet all he could do was get lost to his thoughts. As much as he tried to ignore it…he couldn’t. Or rather, his brain wouldn’t let him. The entirety of his focus kept getting sidetracked to one thing; or the aspects of one thing, bringing with it the conflicting mix of emotions that was spawned by the memory his brain wouldn’t let him ignore.

Peter’s kiss.

Surprised by it or not, it was a default action in Stiles to try and cover it up in his mind. To hide how much he’d liked that contact. But his mind had other plans tonight, and just kept dragging him back to that moment. Like a scratched DVD that only played to a certain point and then replayed one scene over and over. Everything about the kiss was embedded in his brain, and he couldn’t not think about it. The warmth of Peter’s lips, how gentle the wolf had been in kissing him, the way his heart had sped up and his body had ached to draw Peter closer and never let go. Most of all, the emotion that the kiss had drawn out of him. Taking a deep breath, he let it out as a sigh, his honey eyes falling to stare at the glass of punch. Raising one hand, he traced his middle finger around on the rim as he thought about it. He’d been denying it when it made itself known for nearly three years, since he’d been offered the bite. The affections for Peter that seemed to do anything except go away had been ignited when Peter first saw right through him in the midst of his originally playing cool for his best friend's sake. He had, at one time, thought he’d liked Derek, but then the alpha had started turning everyone and Isaac was soon almost constantly with the older wolf. And it wasn’t until he’d seen Peter helping kill – cure, Stiles reminded himself - Jackson that he even realized who his feelings were for. He’d built up sturdy walls on purpose; anything to keep from acknowledging his growing emotions for Peter. However, now it seemed as though the base of those walls was faltering in the design…and they were weakening faster than Stiles could repair it. As if the kiss had blown a hole in his defenses and it was only a matter of time before they finally crumbled into dust. All that was left now was a aching lingering in his body, his mind, of what he wanted. More. Another kiss, to soak in the warmth of the safe feeling he had when he was with Peter. Being honest with himself for the first time with the situation, he just flat out wanted Peter. The closest he could assimilate it to was how much Scott wanted, would always want, Allison.

With that comparison, Stiles raised his eyes to look around the gym floor. It took him a moment to observe the amount of happiness on the dance floor. Allison was holding Scott, her head on his shoulder as they whispered to each other. Aiden was twirling Lydia gently, the banshee’s eyes closed as she smiled. And Danny was tucked against Ethan as the two shared their own moment, laughing quietly together. Stiles actually shook his head. ‘This is ridiculous.’ He thought and moved to stand. Whether he meant himself or watching the happiness around him, he didn’t know or care anymore. Taking the last bit of punch from the cup in a single drink, he set the now empty cup on the table of confetti and glitter. Hand reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his keys, twirling them on his finger and catching them each time they fell towards his palm. Moving to the parking lot and heading for his jeep, he was prepared to go home; the only sound as he walked was the jingling of his keys as he twirled them. Finally looking up as he neared his car, he froze in place, his eyes widening a little as he stared at where his jeep was sitting parked. He wasn’t staring at the vehicle so much as the figure leaning against the back of it in such a calm manner. Waiting casually, as if he belonged there. Even yards from the man, Stiles could feel his body react, his skin warming as if an electric charge had filled the air and made his blood move faster. Everything Stiles wanted was standing right there, as if he had known he would be leaving. That thought alone had the teen’s heart changing into a much more erratic beat, and he stood in place, frozen by indecision. But then Peter turned his head as if sensing he was being watched, and blue hues found Stiles’ gaze with ease. In that moment, the indecision broke and Stiles couldn’t help himself. Starting forward at a brisk pace, he made his way to where Peter was and upon stopping in front of the man, reached up to pull the wolf into another kiss. A delighted little hum escaped him as he was kissed back, his arms moving naturally to wrap at the man’s neck as he tilted his head and was granted permission to deepen the contact. He couldn’t bring himself to pull away until his lungs burned with the need for oxygen, and as he gulped it in, he looked at Peter with a serious and hungry expression. “Take me home with you, Peter. I want you to.” When the former alpha only arched a brow at him, Stiles motioned his head in a ‘you have got to be kidding me’ manner. He then raised his hand with the keys, dangling them a few inches from the wolf’s face. “Don’t make me say it again.” The tone in his voice made it clear there were no negotiations, no debating. He wanted this, and Peter had damn well better give it to him. For a moment, Peter watched him, and then the brow fell from its arch and Peter took the keys. With a light smile and a nod, Stiles moved to the passenger side, opening the door and sliding in.

Seeing Peter slip into the driver’s seat made Stiles smile a little more. When the wolf paused and looked at him, he tilted his head as the other spoke. “Stiles are you-”

“If you ask me if I’m sure, I swear to God, Peter, I will poison you with wolfsbane, mountain ash and mistletoe.” The teen cut him off, turning to stare at Peter with raised brows. He was daring Peter to argue, but the wolf only laughed softly and started the jeep. Relaxing into his seat, he tugged his phone from his pocket and hit the volume button until it was set on vibrate. It was a kind of personal insurance that he’d be left alone for a while. Right now, hell for the next few hours or even the rest of the damn night, he needed to be away from the others. To have who he wanted for a change instead of trying to hide it. To forget about anything and everything going on. To just be a young man in love. That thought made him smile to himself. He was in love with Peter, even though there was a small part of him, the part that hated the idea of because it didn't fully trust the wolf, that kept asking, begging if he was sure. Turning his honey gaze towards the wolf as Peter drove, he gave a minute kind of nod. Yes, he was sure. He loved Peter, more than anything. And he didn’t fully understand why or how, but he knew he always would, that he would always need Peter. That if he gave himself to Peter, trusted him, the wolf would never let him go and would protect him instead of asking to be protected. That thought made a real smile curve his lips for the first time in a long while. 

The drive to the apartment downtown was quiet. Only the sound of the jeep kept the utter silence at bay. Stiles wasn’t sure what to say for a while. So when Peter let his hand fall, the teen glanced at the wolf before reaching with hesitance to take the slightly bigger hand in his own. He looked away as Peter squeezed his hand gently and looked over to give a soft smile. It wasn’t the usual kind of smile he’d come to know from the wolf. This one was soft, gentle, and it made the older wolf look more relaxed and calm. He had needed the contact, to feel truly connected, and it was clear that Peter had no problem giving him that. All the simple gestures, paired with the words the former alpha had said outside the school, their kiss and the fact that Peter had been waiting for him…Stiles suddenly realized Peter had been hinting at a confession without saying it. It was a vague way to do so, and frustratingly so, yet Stiles knew that it was also so very like something Peter would have done casually. Like a trail of breadcrumbs, leading the way but never giving the answer outright. Pulling into the complex, Stiles took a moment to look around. He was about to turn and look back at Peter when a familiar car caught his attention just a few spaces down from the jeep’s place. “You have the Camaro? How did you get Derek to give it to you?”

Peter looked over at it, shrugging nonchalantly. “Better than giving it to a total stranger that no one knows how well they’ll treat the car.” He mused. “I forget I have it from time to time.” His blue eyes finally tore from the car to look at Stiles. Tilting his head in a way that kind of read ��not a big deal’, he opened the door and climbed out, going to the passenger side to open Stiles’ door.

“Like tonight?” Stiles asked as his door opened and he arched a brow at the wolf. The devilish smile on Peter's lips sent a shiver through him.

“No, tonight I left it here on purpose.” The older man said, holding up the jeep’s keys in front of the teen. “Something told me I wouldn’t need it.”

Stiles blinked as he looked up at Peter, unable to keep from smiling as he took the keys into his hand. “I'm glad you listened to that instinct.” 

“So am I.” Peter replied, reaching to run his fingers through Stiles’ hair. “ Are you staying the night or should I be ready to take you home?”

“I don't want to go home tonight.” Stiles surprised himself as he spoke, free hand moving to guide Peter's hand to his waist. “I want to stay with you, Peter.” He was fully aware of the way Peter stroked his fingers along the suit jacket. “Take me inside?”

“Happily,” Peter responded, the hand at Stiles’ side moving to lace their fingers together and walk with the teen up to the building. Stiles stays as close as possible as they moved, and Peter is grateful for the proximity of the younger man. “Thank you,” he voices quietly as he leads them into the elevator. 

The words catch Stiles’ attention, making him tilt his head. “Hm? What for?” 

“For being yourself.” Peter responds, lifting their entwined hands to kiss the back of Stiles’ hand. “For being, well…human.”

“Being human isn't so great,” Stiles countered,his tone sad as he leans into Peter's side. 

“Please don't say that,” Peter begged softly. “You are so important, Stiles. Don't ever doubt that.”

“Everyone always has to save me. I can't do anything like you or Derek or even Allison.”

“You're the reason everyone has survived, though. Your plans almost always work. You always think of something or find something we need.” Peter's voice is quiet as he speaks, reluctant to move when the elevator opens but leading the way to his apartment door. “Whether the others show it or not, I will do everything in my power to make you are yourself the way I do. To make you understand how important you are to me if nothing else.” He's aware of Stiles’ attention on him, his inner wolf content to have that much at least, and steps aside to let Stiles’ inside. 

As soon as the door closed, Stiles felt safer than he had in over two years. It seemed into his body like a hot shower when you're cold, and he finds himself sighing in relief. He takes the time to look around, eyes slamming in the difference of Peter's living space versus the loft where Derek and the rest of the pack resided. “It's so calm here.” He let his fingers brush over the mantle of the fireplace, pausing to take in the slightly charred images in new frames. “Is this…?” His voice died, unable to form the words. 

“Some of the few photos I could save.” Peter finished with a nod. “My nieces and nephews, my sister and brothers. I have the remaining ones in the hall. My parents, a family one from Christmas the year before the fire…” He points at each of them, his own voice twinging on ache as his lips barely curve up; not quite a smile from the weight of his memories. “This is what's left of them.”

“Do you miss them?”

“Sometimes. I didn't have the best family environment, but they were family, and you only get one, you know?” He can see the curiosity behind Stiles' eyes, is very aware of the effort the young man takes to not ask. “That part of my past is for another time, Stiles. Tonight isn't about that.” He doesn't move when Stiles steps closer, allowing himself to be pulled into an emotional kiss, his hands finding purchase at Stiles’ hips. 

“You aren't alone anymore, Peter. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere, I promise.” Stiles murmured, honey eyes locking on Peter's blue ones. “I love you, and I'm sorry it took so long to realize it.” 

“You don't have to apologize, Stiles.” 

“Maybe not, but I still want to make it up to you.” 

“Oh? What exactly is going on in that clever mind if yours, hmm?”

“Kiss me again and find out.” Stiles remarked with a smirk, fingers tugging at Peter's shirt, laughing out a moan when the older man obliges with ease. The rest of the night is little more than a blur, but Stiles is aware of the way he's practically worshipped over and over. He eventually falls asleep, curled securely against Peter with his head on the wolf's chest. 

The room is still dark when Stiles stirs, but there's just enough light behind the curtains to reveal that the sun was rising. Stretching, he relaxes and looks up at Peter, taking in how peaceful the man looks. His lips curl up into a smile, lifting his hand to rest it on Peter's cheek, thumb brushing over the stubbled skin. “My wolf,” he hums quietly, startling when Petered eyes open. “Good morning, handsome.”

“Only yours.” Peter promised, adjusting to steal a kiss. “And good morning. I didn't think you'd still be here.”

“Peter, why would I leave?” Stiles blinked in confusion. “Haven't we been building to this since we met?” He grins at Peter's responding arched brow, laughing quietly. “I know all about the mate thing with wolves; had to learn it when it came to Scott and Allison.” He answered, shrugging his free shoulder. “I just didn't think it could happen-”

“Don't doubt yourself, Stiles.” Peter pleads when he interrupts. “Please don't. You are so loyal, smart and fierce. You never give up, even when it looks terrible. You are the real backbone of the McCall pack, and you would be the perfect wolf.” 

“Wolf or not, I'm not sure how Scott will handle this. He may not want me in the pack.”

“Then he's a fool and doesn't deserve you.” Peter countered, pressing his lips to Stiles’ forehead. “Without you, I would not be here, same and calm. That darkness held me for so long, I'd given up trying to fight it. And then you came along.” His hand rests at Stiles’ side, fingers brushing over the soft skin there. “You are priceless to me, Stiles. Nothing is more important than you.” He lets Stiles tuck his head into his neck, eyes closing as he took in his mate's scent. 

“Thank you,” Stiles whispers, k owing Peter will hear the emotion regardless. 

“What for?” Peter teases, fingers still mindlessly tracing over Stiles’ skin. 

“For seeing me.” Stiles answers, clearing his throat when his voice cracks. “When everything started, it was so much, and I've always been on the sidelines of it all.”

“You fail to realize the significance of your role in Scott's survival, then. He would never have made it this far without you.”

“I should have said yes when you were alpha.”

“No.��� The word is firm when Peter speaks it, pulling away just enough to lock his eyes on Stiles’. “I'm glad you said no, even if you were lying when you said it. Had I turned you, in that state, stuck in my own despair and darkness? I could have hurt you, and that I would never forgive myself for. I would rather die than hurt my reason for living.”

“No death talk,” Stiles scolded, tapping his index finger at Peter's lips. “You, Peter Hale, are not allowed to die. You are absolutely not allowed to leave me alone.” A pout distorted his face when Peter laughed quietly. “Don't laugh at me, I'm serious.”

“I'm not laughing at you, Stiles.” Peter countered, resting his forehead against Stiles’. “You're just so much like a wolf, that's all.” 

“Shut up and kiss me.” Stiles huffed, smiling when Peter listened. He was content to just stay like that the rest of the day, to shut the world and all the terrible things happening in Beacon Hills out for just a little longer. He wanted to just be happy for a little while longer, but the moment was shattered by his phone ringing, followed shortly by Peter's. “Damn it,” he cursed. 

“Don't worry, Stiles. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right at your side.” 

“Promise?”

“I swear it.” Peter assured, stealing another long kiss before reaching to hand Stiles his phone. “We're in this together.” 

“At every opportunity.” Stiles added, grinning up at Peter as he swiped to answer the call.

[ohblackdiamond]

bite the hand that bleeds (ace/paul, pg-13)

Summary: Now all that doesn’t matter. KISS is over. The makeup sold. Paul won’t ever tour again. The big payout Ace had hoped for evaporated. All that Ace could possibly want, could possibly hope for, are the last scraps of Paul’s generosity. Paul’s mouth twitches as he thinks about it, and then he reaches for his phone again.

Paul gets an unexpected art collector at a gallery show, and ends up entertaining his old bandmate for tea.

Notes: Part of a fic swap with @elrohare (prompt: afternoon tea). Please check out her lovely Whenever You're Ready (I'm Here) for a beautiful take on the same setting.

“Come now, gentlemen Your love is all I crave You'll still be in the circus When I'm laughing, laughing in my grave” -“Memo from Turner,” Mick Jagger

Forty meet and greets, that’s the evening’s agenda, with room for maybe five or six impulse buyers at the tail end.  Christian, Wentworth’s president, sends him a hard copy the morning of, with notes, though he usually only glances over it. He only really keeps an eye out for the special requests, so he can remember they’re coming up– maybe someone with cancer, or a whole family wanting a picture with him, or a video message to a kid barely out of basic training and stationed overseas– but the bulk, the very bulk of the meet and greets are simple, easy to handle. A couple signatures, a couple pictures, and a smile, and they’re mostly on their way. It takes so little to make them happy, so little. The kids never really changed– they just went from piggybanks to 401ks. 

Forty meet and greets. He likes doing these much better than the ones for KISS. He likes not sharing attention with Gene.  Most especially, even now, he likes the girls, not for anything carnal, but just that small, secret pleasure of still being wanted at the tender age of seventy-two.

He scans through the list, though he never remembers the names, just some of the faces. The names give their age  away anyway, Generation X’s finest crop of Lisas and Erics and– hm, a Paul, too. A Paul Daniel. 

It’s just coincidence. He sets his agenda down on his hotel bedside table and tries to think no more about it. He’s got four hours to kill before he needs to get down there, anyway. Maybe he’ll order something on his phone. He taps the screen, checking his messages first. One from Erin he’ll answer later. One from Gene from about a week ago he still has no intention of answering.  The phone vibrates in his hand as he’s just about to set it aside– a call, not a text. Christian.

“Hello?”

“I hate to bother you, Paul, but it’s about the event,” Christian says. He sounds a little scattered. Paul resists the urge to snap back at him– of course it’s about the event– letting him go on. Sometimes it’s hard to summon up the energy to respond much. Sometimes, even four months out from his last show, it still hurts to talk. “One of the people on the guest list.”

“If you’re thinking there’ll be some trouble, then you can handle it.”

“It’s not the usual trouble.” After ten or more years of this, Christian ought to know the usual trouble well enough by now. The stalker types, the seriously unhinged ones that believe that buying a painting entitles them to his true friendship, or more. The expectant ones, the oversharing, desperate ones, the nuts that have to be escorted out.  Usually the high price of admission keeps them away, and usually, Paul doesn’t get told they even tried to make an appearance. He has people for that. He should have people for that. “All I can say is that I’m sorry.  We had one of our new consultants– she just started two weeks ago, and she– well, you know how it is, she’s only twenty-four, she had no idea–”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you had a buyer you may not want.”

“Please don’t tell me Eddie Trunk got his fat ass over to D.C.”

Christian actually manages a snort, but the next words make the breath catch in Paul’s throat. 

“No. It’s Ace Frehley.”

– 

Paul tells Christian he’ll call him back when he ought to tell him to issue Ace a refund.

He hasn’t seen Ace in six years now. Oh, he’s seen Ace– in a parade of humiliating Tiktoks and Youtube shorts, slurring interviews, horrific concerts– but he hasn’t seen Ace. He’s heard from Ace– the occasional, completely unanswered text– but the last time he listened to him on the phone was months back. Ace’s Hail Mary, his final, desperate attempt to get let onstage for MSG. Ace had fumbled it. Ace fumbled everything. 

Now all that doesn’t matter. KISS is over. The makeup sold. Paul won’t ever tour again. The big payout Ace had hoped for evaporated. All that Ace could possibly want, could possibly hope for, are the last scraps of Paul’s generosity. Paul’s mouth twitches as he thinks about it, and then he reaches for his phone again. 

“Have you contacted him? When did this happen?”

“Not since the purchase. That was two days ago.”

“And no one checked until now?  You had Ace Frehley buy a painting and nobody noticed for two days?”

“It was on his girlfriend’s credit card.”

“That’s fucking pathetic.” Cancel it. Refund it. That’s what he should be saying. “He does that shit to people. Uses them for whatever favors he can. Uses them all up.”

“What do you want us to do?”

Paul exhales.

If it was refunded, Ace would go to the press. Ace would tell every damn news website in the world that Paul Stanley wouldn’t sell him a painting. He’d get all sorts of publicity. The avatars had gotten bad press, not that Paul gave much of a shit anymore, but if Ace capped it all off, had someone else spin it just right�� fuck. It could go so well for him. Ace could play it off like a spat-upon peace offering, and he, Paul, would come off like a bitter asshole, denying him not just the band, but five minutes of his time. He couldn’t win. He wouldn’t be able to win. 

“Call him up. Tell him he’s not coming to the gallery.” 

“All right.”

“But tell him he can meet me in an hour in Entyse.” Paul doesn’t even question if they’ll get him on the line. Or if Ace’ll show. “There won’t be any trouble.”

“Okay. Paul, again, all I can do is apologize–”

“What for? I was headed there anyway.”

He hangs up. His phone’s buzzing within ten minutes, texts, this time, and then a call, but he doesn’t so much as glance at the screen. He knows who they’re from. 

– 

Paul walks into Entyse without a reservation and gets seated immediately. It’s not much of a power play; there’s not been any satisfaction on his part in things like that for, oh, forty-five years now. Especially not when Entyse is just the Ritz Carlton’s restaurant, and he only had to head downstairs from his suite. 

They offer him the menus, but all he takes is a Coke and a water. He’d half-expected Ace to get there before him, half-wanted to see him wandering in, all stupid bravado, looking around for the front of house, aware that he’d cheated himself out of every rockstar perk Paul’s going to have the rest of his life. But five minutes, then ten minutes pass. Paul’s just about to get up– he can feel a couple eyes on him at this point, wondering, probably, why he’s alone, with a solid half of them not knowing who he is, probably more– and then he sees Ace out of the corner of his eye, getting led to his table like a pensioner to his nursing home bed. 

That’s not fair. It’s not, unfortunately, even true. Ace is walking about as well as he ever did, which isn’t well at all, struggling against his own instinct to pigeon-toe. He looks fine. He’s lost some weight over the last couple years. He’s in jeans, a black leather jacket, and a cheap Hello Kitty button-down. And sunglasses, which he yanks off as soon as he sits down, pushing them aside on the table. 

“Hey, Paul,” he says.

“Hey.”

It’s not the start he wants. The waiter’s given Ace the drink menu– Ace flips it over immediately and hands it back– and goes into the lunch options, but Ace interrupts him.

“How about tea?”

“The afternoon tea, sir?”

Ace points over to the table across from theirs, where six or seven teenage girls in puffy pastel atrocities are giggling over some tiered tea trays.

“Yeah, what they’ve got.”

The waiter seems completely unruffled. Paul narrows his eyes, looking at Ace– specifically, he’s looking for Ace’s phone– but if he’s got it on him, it must be in his pocket. The waiter pulls out the afternoon tea menus. 

“We have two options for tea.  The afternoon tea, and the royal tea. Your selections of sandwiches and sweets are completely customizable. The royal tea does include a glass of rose wine and–”

“Paulie, he’s trying to upsell you,” Ace says with a snort. 

“I don’t remember saying I would pay.”

“You invited me. And I did buy your painting. That’s how it works, right?” Ace turns to the waiter after a quick glance at the menu. “Gimme the afternoon tea. Uh. Darjeeling. Don’t gimme any of the cream puffs or mousse, all right? Just, uh, substitute in more of the scones.”

“And you, sir?”

Paul had been about to get a salad just to spite him, just to show how little time he wants  to spend entertaining him here. Afternoon tea– God, it’s comical. Ridiculous. His youngest had that at her birthday party about three years ago. What the hell is Ace doing? What’s he trying to accomplish?

He doesn’t know. 

“I’ll take the upsell. And jasmine tea. No substitutes on any of the stuff on the tray.”

The waiter nods, heading off at that brisk pace. Ace pushes his hair back behind his ear, and smiles. 

“You got a good crowd coming?”

“Yeah. It’s a good crowd.”

“’S good. I used to sell my art, too.” Ace is so matter-of-fact that Paul can almost feel his own blood pressure start to rise. He can’t ever outright call out arch meanings with Ace, the way he can with Gene, for all he’s sure they’re there. Ace doesn’t have those tells that Gene does. “It was all on the computer. I used to really like to tinker with it. Now all you gotta do is click and put a filter on it.”

“Not very tactile.”

“Nah. I got settings on my– on my webcam now, for when I do interviews. Barely even gotta put on any makeup with how well that filters out all the imperfections.” Ace peers at him. “I could show you sometime. I guess now that KISS is done you–”

“Cut the crap, Ace, and tell me what you want.”

“Nothing.”

“Cut the crap.”

“What’d you get the upsell for, Paul? Since when do you gotta have a drink to deal with me?”

Paul doesn’t answer, just grabs his Coke and takes a long swig. He used to be able to do Gene this way. Silent treatment him for hours and hours. This last tour– the last tour– it had gotten unbearable for both of them. Each show another nail in the coffin, a relief as much as it was an agony. Another shaving down of whatever was left of their friendship. 

He hadn’t even seen Gene since the last show. It hadn’t even occurred to him until just now. 

Ace takes a couple sips of his water. He’s not looking at Paul. His gaze is towards those teenage girls. 

“My fiancee’s got a girl about that age,” he says quietly. “She’s got a friend that dresses kinda like that, real frilly. She brought her over to the house once. Call themselves Lolitas or something. I don’t get it.”

“It’s Japanese.” Two words more than he’d meant to give him. 

“Oh.” Ace nods, glancing briefly at his own shirt. “I’d like to get back over there someday. I dunno that I will.”

Probably not. Ace can’t afford to tour outside of the States. Paul tries to swallow his next comment, but he doesn’t manage.

“I’m not touring again, Ace.”

“I know. I’m not asking you to.”

“I’m not helping you tour.”

“I’m not asking for that, either.”

“Then what are you–”

The waiter reemerges, first with their teas and then, immediately afterward, with the trays, laden with tiny sandwiches and sweets. Ace’s grin only widens, and he immediately snatches the smoked salmon sandwich from his tea tray and sticks the entire thing in his mouth. One bite. 

“Fuck, that was good. Are you still on the vegetarian bit? Can I have yours?”

“No. No, I’m not.” Paul takes his own salmon sandwich from his tray just to spite him, eating it more slowly. But three bites and it’s just as gone as Ace’s. Pretty good. It occurs to him, briefly, that Ace probably thinks Olive Garden is fine dining at this point in his life. It would be sad if he hadn’t done it to himself.

Ace moves onto the quiche. This one, he cuts up into raggedy thirds, stabbing each with his fork. 

“Caramelized onions on top. Y’know, my manager, he’s something of a chef, but–”

“Tell me what you want, Ace.” 

Ace pulls out his phone. Paul stiffens before he realizes Ace is just checking his texts.

“You never answered me. I didn’t think you would.” He lifts his eyes from the phone, setting it down on the table, face up. Ace’s got the font set as large as he can get it. Same as him. “What I want is company, Paulie. I want your company so damn bad I’ll pay you for it.”

“Like hell. You want an in.” The salmon feels like it’s about to come back up in his throat. “You want me to endorse you.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“You want a photo with me. Maybe a soundbyte for Youtube.” Paul forces himself to exhale. “Your album barely sold. KISS is gone and you’re still out there in the clubs. So you want a little more buzz. Maybe I’d help you get ten more butts in the seats at those fucking dive bars you play–”

“I’m not at fucking dive bars.”

“When was the last time you sold out an arena? I’ll wait. No. I know.”

Ace’s mouth is pinched, face just a little flushed. He eats the pieces of his quiche in rapid succession, then starts savagely on the remaining sandwiches, just grabbing them off the tray and stuffing them in his mouth. Then he starts on the tea, taking a quick swallow without the cream and sugars Paul remembers him always adding in. 

“Same as the last time you didn’t sound like shit.” He grabs the tongs, dropping in three sugars, then the cream, stirring them, eyes full on Paul’s face, daring him to get up, daring him to leave. “Gene told me what happened to you, back when we toured Australia together. I know all about that.”

“You don’t know shit.”

“You ruined yourself and then you blamed him with it. And he believes it, too. That’s the funny thing.” A swallow. “He was about in tears when he told me. Gene’s a snake, but he’s better than either of us. All he hasn’t sold off yet is his conscience.” 

The tea trays never looked so comical. Silver tiers, pastel sweets, bright-colored sandwiches. He’s focusing on them because there’s nothing else to focus on. Only that Ace wants him to go. Ace wants him to go so that he can feel like he’s won. But Ace hasn’t won anything. His whole life he’s given up everything he ever had like a goddamn fool, then begged the whole world for their scraps. He can’t get front row. He can’t get the Ritz Carlton. He’s lucky he got fifteen minutes of Paul’s time. 

“Gene’s a liar.”

“Not about that.” Another swallow of tea. Paul expects another sharp accusation, but Ace just swaps tactics like credit cards from a billfold. “It doesn’t matter anymore. Just like it doesn’t matter what I play like when I go out there. You… you and Gene took me to see James Brown, for my birthday that time. I remember seeing that old man out there, seeing them put all the capes on him, I thought, they should put him to bed, don’t put him out there, he’s a-a fucking dinosaur, now– but they did. ’Cause he didn’t know what else to do with himself. All he could do was sing all the old songs. Put on the capes. Be a joke.”

“You’re the only joke here.”

“We both are.” Ace keeps eating. Almost all the sandwiches are gone from his tray. He’s onto the scones. “I don’t want an in, Paul. I just want someone I can talk to.”

“Talk to Gene.”

“I can’t.”

“Talk to Peter.”

“He won’t.”

“Why me?”

Ace finishes off the scone. There’s a little butter smeared across his lip.

“You know why.”

It’s the music business. The music business. I don’t owe you friendship. I don’t owe you anything. Doc’s adage, the one he’s scrawled on one of his paintings, there in the gallery, burns somewhere in his heart: quality time remaining. Like he’s a bomb about to go off. Like someone’s subtracting his last breaths down. Quality time remaining and in just a couple hours, he’ll be spending that time doing those forty meet and greets for fans that want a moment and a picture and a couple autographs. Fans that only know him from the magazines and interviews and two hours at a time in a couple hundred concerts, but think of him like a brother, like a lover, like a demigod. Ace doesn’t know him, he wants to insist, but that’s a lie. Ace knew him when he was no one. 

Ace knew him when the Hotel Diplomat was the best they could manage. When they hauled their gear in a milk truck. When the KISS t-shirts were iron-ons they cut out themselves. When Bill was signing them onto Casablanca. When every show was a rush of adrenaline, instead of a slog. When it didn’t hurt, when he could bounce back from anything, just anything–

(when)

(when)

Long skinny legs spread across a cheap yellow duvet. A girl’s head between them. The room assignments had swapped; Peter was rooming with his wife, and Ace, Ace was lying there, getting head from that girl as Paul stepped out from the shower. 

(you want in on this, paul? and his finger crooked, beckoning lazily)

(and he did. and he did. that was the first sidle into something new, something filthy. he had taken the girl from behind while she sucked off ace, but it was only after she left that it really mattered. it was only after that that they’d fooled around together, feigning drunk after only three beers apiece.)

(you want in on this, paul?)

Those same legs in faded jeans, close to fifteen years later. No girl this time but the hotel might as well have been the same. Ace’s fortunes had declined even worse than KISS.’ And yet he’d had enough reason to spend the night with him, after the Limelight show, without a girl there for that edge of rockstar excess.

Another ten years. Another scattered handful of moments. Ace high on pills.  Paul edging on the verge of divorce. The disgust had started to fester long before then, disgust and awareness. Ace was throwing it all away again, casual and careless. Ace wasn’t what he wanted, in or out of bed, and he never had been. He was still just some crude kid from the Bronx that played guitar better than him, that crashed cars, that drank himself to stupors, only then he was nearly fifty instead of twenty-five.

He couldn’t change. Just kept making the same mistakes. Just kept playing the same old chords, the same chords anyone could play. He’d proved that afterwards, hadn’t he? He’d proved that. The fans had taken Tommy for twenty years. Ace had never been special at all. 

Paul tries to think that. Tries to assure himself of that. But looking Ace in the face stops him cold. There’s defeat there, sure. But there’s a spark in those dark, hooded eyes, too. There’s a spark that no stupid tea outing and no amount of barbs from him could ever manage to completely extinguish.

It’s a spark he remembers, and for the barest sliver of time, it’s just enough to almost make him look young.

“Maybe I’m better off trying them. Gene’s not so sore at me anymore.” Ace lifts a macaron from his tray. “He’s still the one paying his old band.”

“I know.”

“Peter’ll let it all go if I visit him.”

“He would.”

“It’s just you I wanted, that’s all.” Ace gets up, having to lean against the table in order to stand. He reaches for his Gucci purse, hooking it to his shoulder. “It’s always been you.”

“Ace–”

“Don’t let them get too weird with you at the event. Pretend you can’t hear ’em.” Ace’s words are only a little dry as he crunches the macaron, then reaches for the remaining scones, wrapping them in a napkin. Paul’s stomach starts to twist. All the fight seems out of him, all the acidity, all the hope. In tearing Paul up, he tore himself up, too. Mutually-assured destruction. “Your girl that sold me the painting, she said–”

“Which one did you buy?”

He says it suddenly, barely realizing it’s out of his mouth until Ace answers.

“What?”

“Which one?”

“The, uh, one of the abstracts.”

“Which one?”

“The blue and purple. Anyway, she said–”

“Sit down.”

“Paul–”

“Finish off the food. I will, too.”

“I’m not–”

(i want) 

“You’re coming with me.”

“Paul, c’mon, I know you don’t wanna, not after–”

“I do.”

A couple of old men drinking tea in the Ritz Carlton. A couple of young men under the covers of a Motel Six. Age shattering vocals, crippling fingers. Bitterness seeping in from every raw deal and every undercut and every canceled show, a lifetime of old pains without a salve. And yet, as Ace sits back down, easing into his chair, reaching for the strawberry on top of the tea tray, Paul finds himself almost ready to let it all go.

[theonewholivesinthemovies]

Mic perspective of aizawas first day

—————————————-

“HNGGGGGG BUT IT HAS TO BE PERFECT DONTCHU KNOW! It’s his first period day! FIRST DAY PERIODT. I can’t believe he’s actually showing up! All of the pushing… I almost half expect him to not show up today. Did you expect him to actually do it? He said Nezu was the one who, ugh that doesn’t matter, I’m sure I’m the one who convinced him over time but KAYAMA ARENT YOU LISTENING YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW that my hair HAS to be perfect!”

Finally fed up with the nonstop motor mouth on Present Mic, and maybe just a little infatuated with how cute it was for Hizashi to pretend he’s worried about Aizawa’s first day going well, and definitely not about addressing the gaps in the relationship after graduation, or the unaddressed complex feelings that Hizashi had opened up about while intoxicated one evening when everyone else had left the bar that one evening.

Kayama took the opportunity to look the imposing figure up and down. Had he not been so goofy and so dedicated to the kids having the best chance at a fun time learning, he would be a rather intimidating figure. An angular face with sharp feature, a towering figure to match the boom that Mic could drop. She gave in and fixed the piece of hair misbehaving that was causing Hizashi’s meltdown and launching him into this tizzy.

Finally with the right words to say, she looked right into mic’s signature glasses and sighed.

“It’s going to be fine. Trust in the growth that you’ve both had. You’re not the same that you were in high school. In fact, you are 10x cooler than him. Aren’t you just coming from Model United Nations set up for the kids? In fact, how many clubs ARE you sponsoring right now? How many different ways are you teaching these kids not only English, but communication skills that will save their lives and the lives of countless others because they learned from the smoothest, sexiest radio voice around!? You have grown into a leader and a top notch teach both in stats and among the students because you care!”

A sound came from Mic similar to a guttural whimper at this. His eyes darted past Midnight to check the clock, the hero now remembering he had agreed to extra tutoring sessions the first week of school for last years stragglers.

Kayama took mics rare lapse resulting in a few extra milliseconds of silence to continue.

“…Aizawa can learn from you here. Just keep being you. Help the the kids to your fullest plus ultra.”

…in addition to making sure the AV club had what they needed.

“Ugh.” Mic shook his head, admonishing himself for not being more on top of his calendar and I ignoring the comment about his friend. Well, less ignoring and maybe just not computing in the dome behind those yellow triangles.

Realizing she’d lost Mic, she put her hand on his cheek to pull him back “I know how much you care about him…but can he say the same about his growth?”

This struck Mic. He felt defensive.

“Explain.”

“Oooh bitey now are we?”

Having unexpectedly snapped him back, Her impish grin couldn’t help but flair up.

“Look at the golden retriever get defensive! Well. Despite it being tooooo cute that Sho is basically a black cat and you are clearly obsessed puppy, and it would make a cute couple -

That same noise arose from Mic’s throat, clearing dying inside at the implication of his romantic helplessness

Midnight pressed on. “…and you need to keep that in mind, your specialty is talking and charm. You are very outspoken about your opinions and it’s how you get things done! You learned how to articulate when needed to keep the tide and crowd in your favor, and keep spirits up! You step up and be a hero to put others at ease and focus on problem solving on a mass scale. That’s not exactly…*his* thing…”

Nervous if that was too far, she realized that Mic energy was returning at the thought of how helpful he was as he mulled this info over. He was essentially bouncing in place”

“…Basically, you’re not one to…to…run away. You always go above and beyond to do what’s going to have the best outcome. You learn how to do better by diving in. You deserve that respect in return too, ya know.”

And the burst-

“But I mean QUEEN! C’mon you know he’s one of the top players out there and he’s a top listener! That’s just who that cool cat is! And now he’s here!! Surely…he’s going to put in plus ultra effort with the kids…right?? Aizawa gets it done and-

She cut him off. “And that’s *all* he does. When’s the last time he went out for drinks with us?”

Kayama bit her lip when she realized that Mic’s was quivering and he started tearing up.

She needed to hold back for Mic’s sake, especially so today would go well and this soap opera could finally move forward, But she had a more than a few words for Aizawa for leaving this helplessly down bad bi-man like this��

“Yes. He is going to give his all and then some here. I’m sure of that. It would be “too irrational” to half ass raising the next generation. I think we will be able to talk and work more together. All of this is just us worrying about him because we care.”

“…whether he likes it or not” Mic added with a pout.

Deciding to bury the hatchet and see where this goes, Midnight cycled through several facial expressions before landing on a chuckle and glancing down. She thought to herself, “If he was going to be a grump, he didn’t deserve mic. A relationship takes at LEAST two to tango…”

Resolving that she would play nice, Kayama reflected that she WAS genuinely excited to see her friend return to them, but she needed to know that Mic wouldn’t get hurt in the process. They’ve grown much closer in the last several years teaching together and they *got* each other without ruining the work flow and productivity.

As much as she loved the melodrama, she too, was a dedicated teacher and needed to make sure none of their own pasts’ affected their students’ futures.

As Kayama was coming back from her own trail of thoughts she started to observe Mic’s reaction and his own descent into the day’s speculation.

Mic started to try and hide a pained face behind a toothy smile. A face that read he was having memories flooding back, causing his normally overwhelmingly tall frame to crumple in on itself…

After that graduation day, where one was filled with hopes of a future together, the other…well it was like he was gone from their life. To use his quirk on him like that…He just didn’t want to lose his best friend again mostly…there had to be a reason..his stomach burned and sank into what felt like same pits Endevors flame came from. Hot and uncomfortable. the uncertainty of it all…Surely after all of this time Aizawa blamed him. It was his fault for fucking it up, right? It had to be.

His head began swirling like clouds preparing for a storm.

Yes, they had worked together as coworker sense teaming up for different missions as necessary, but it wasn’t by choice. Just happenstance. Sure, Sho tolerated him… But did he really see him as a friend or anything else? Mic hated to admit it, but he was head over heels for him. He’s been waiting for an opportunity like that since high school, but it was never right after Oboro’s passing. And then, Shouta sank into solo work, giving the only excuse that it’s what called to him and it would be silly to do anything else he wasn’t suited for. Both teachers had stayed in contact, mostly because they were nervous about the m with the loner, but they had never talked about that though. Mic wasn’t sure what he felt stirring at his insides at Kayama’s hints to mull over Aizawa’s behavior.

He realized his teeth were clenched.

He shook his head, scrunching his nose for the full reset effect. his golden locks sways from left to right over the shoulders and back.

“OK, I guess I should get going and start heading to class.”

“Yeah it’s gonna be great. I think that eraser was a good call. Subtle. Sweet.” She realized he needed a bone.

He shrugged his thanks and waived, meaning they would catch up and gossip soon enough. Brow furrowing with the day’s agenda and sinking into tactics, Yamada Hizashi walked out and nearly bumped into what must of been a new staff member he didn’t recognize.

Clean shaven - in a suit. A duffel bag in the left hand, and his head tilted towards the walls, assuming my look for the number that will be his new home. Homeroom. His new homeroom.

When Hizashi stepped back, motor mouth already rambling apologies, there was no denying who he actually bumped into.

Fluttering with ghosts of memories walking right beside him, old classmates laughing, books dropping, the occasional bang of an accidental quirk misfire…reminding him of the days where him and his best friend roam these halls. Mic stopped in his steps about the same time his heart did.

Hizashi swallowed. Trying to recover quickly and wanting to cover up that he didn’t notice him at first for looking…looking…he couldn’t focus on that look right now, even though he wanted to consume every bit of the picture in front of him.

“Hey Sho! Looks like I finally convinced you to start working here huh?” LOOKs like the messages finally got across to my top listener!

“Don’t.” To Hizashi’s surprise, there was a rent to tint to his eyes that went out so quickly he was almost sure he’d imagined it.

All at once, Mic’s face winced and contorted, anger arose, then sank back into his stomach where they seemed to transform into chaotic butterflies, and his face twisted back catching himself on his feelings, and remembering the resolve to address *all of this* at the right time and place. He almost wondered if he was under the power of an unknown new kid’s quirk for how fast those feelings cycled.

His favorite activity was teasing Aizawa. Really trying to get him out of his shell and poke them along. Midnight told him regaling stories from when they had work study together under Purple Highness. It was true through and through that he had a hard time smiling. He missed seeing that true smile and hoped one day the jabs would bring it back.

“Grumpy grumpy! Did somebody not get enough sleep for the first day? Tsk tsk my friend. You shouldn’t use that sick power in the halls ya know, the rules still apply just like when we are kids! You wouldn’t want to set a bad impresshhh-

In the second rarity for the day, Mic cut himself off.

Alzawa’s impression was one he’d never seen before in their long history. Actual worry. Actual fear. Maybe doubt?

The train of thought stopped in his tracks. How must *he* be feeling? Present mic has been here for at least four years, but this was Aizawa’s first day at all. If he knew anything about his friend, he was an over analyzer and a critical thinker. Mic tried to reasses and approach with “curiousity and compassion” (as he was advised when his therapist could not get him to understand why he was no longer allowed to use his quirk within 50 ft of a hospital?)

His shaggy friend across from him glanced down, clearly nervous about how he would do at this gig at all. Doubt reeked from him which Mic wasn’t used at all. He couldn’t place how he knew, he just *knew*, but it soon passed with a quick shift from one leg to another, a “Tch” click from his teeth, crossing of hands, and a gentle shaking that iconic black mop back and forth. A smile that he was used to hiding underneath his key hero gear started to preface, until it realized the lack of cover and stopped.

“…and I didn’t come here because you asked me. Nezu asked me.”

Where Mic could have been hurt by this quip, he knew Aizawa well enough to figure out it was almost a defense, confirming his suspicions that maybe Mic really HAD gotten through to his buddy. He was continuing the conversation after all, which means he was hooked. A devilish grin spread across Hizashi’s face, as he leaned on Aizawa’s shoulder.

“mmmHHHHMMMMmmmmm And who else has been asking you for years?? Hmmmm?? C’mon aren’t you EXCITED to work with meEEEEE OH YEAHHHHH ITS GONNA BE PLUS ULTRA BABYYY!!!”

“I dread my productivity rates with you being around constantly. Quite simply not rational.”

He fluttered his eyes. Putting both of his hands under his chin, his yellow shades sliding down slightly to look down at Aizawa’s slump.

“Not rational cuz I’m gonna be distracting you?”

“… because you never shut up.”

“NOPE! BECAUSEEEEE you are gonna see me all the time and realize how much ya love meee and teeeaching and Midnight and Vlad and —”

His Apple Watch started ringing - warning when it was time to head to the classroom, just in time to save him from overthinking about accidentally saying “love” when he meant it like - ugh nevermind.

“OOP! Gotta run! can’t be late on your first either there, Teach!”

Standing straight, Hizashi poked his finger at Aizawa’s shoulder. “Can’t make that impression with your class!”

Aizawa’s eyes popped open, for him anyway.

Even though Mic didn’t know the reason for the violating ditch of friendship, he resolved to know more and contain the erupting feelings to both slap the man and hug him.

Present Mic turned, with his radio personality in full force, but softening his voice.

“Hey hey hey! Your gonna do great today. I’m just teasin’ ya! I gotta make sure you are a little loose for the kids right? Not to scare them?”

That clearly was not helping based on the impossibly further burrowing of Sho’s brow.

“Look, I know your nervous but we got your back buddy! Let us know if you need anything and I even left a little welcome gift on your desk! I uh, hope it helps you settle in! We can catch up after and talk TACTICS for this year’s scoundrels — whether you like it or not!

Mic hadn’t intended to say that last line. It slipped out.

Aizawas eyes met Hizashi’s. Did they seem to soften or was that too, a trick of Hizashi’s eyes?

“Oh. Thank you.”

Realizing he did not have the time to look into that reaction right now no matter how desperately he wanted to, Mic also had his own first day of school to attend, and he was no slacker. As a graduate of UA and a top hero, and radio host of the #1 station in all of Japan as his agency, he couldn’t be distracted by the lovey dicey gushy stuff right now. He had a strict calendar when it came to work. No matter how long he’s wanted this for. He shook back the thought of Aizawa not countering him about being nervous and realized that regardless, he still had a wonderful plate of fresh potential to Rick roll.

“Yeah bud! See ya around!”

Minutes later, the entire school could hear:

ALLLLLLL RIGHT!! WELCOME TO UA MY LITTLE HERO FLEDGLINGS! WHOSE READY TO BREAK DOWN SOME ENGLISH AND WORK ON SOME FRESH BEATS? YEEEEEEEAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH

…

As the fresh batch of students were walking out to make it to lunch, a shadowy figure appeared in the English classroom doorway.

[rafor]

Chapter 9 - What's the matter? - The Glitch

I was ready to move on. I had made up my mind and prepared myself for the inevitable. I even confided in Perx, but he brought up a crucial point that halted my plans: “Does he know how to do a merge?” He was referring to the human Raphael, who was clueless about his wings but somehow proficient with a holy bow. He had little knowledge of his own powers, let alone how to fuse them with mine. I admitted to Perx, “No, he doesn’t have a clue.”.

Perx then pushed for the alternative: “That’s too bad. I think the risks are too high. We should just eliminate him. I can do it for you, you know? I can strike his core and head at the same time. He won’t feel a thing, even if he wakes up at that moment.” I snapped at him, “No! He’s not going to die. Besides…” I remembered something important. “If he’s the one with the strongest powers, that means he might not die at all but regenerate a new body instead. And then he’ll run away from us, knowing we tried to kill him.”

Perx had a counterargument for everything. He knew my story and past so well that he could use them to persuade me. “You could block his powers with time locks, like you did with the other archangels, then kill him and absorb them from the lock.” That was partly true and partly false, so I clarified what was wrong with his logic. “Yeah, I could do that, but what if the lock fails? And what if I can’t absorb the powers from the lock successfully? They’ll be gone forever.” Perx said, “This lock would be different. The others didn’t have your signature, so maybe that’s why you couldn’t absorb their powers. Maybe this time, with the same signature, it will work.” He had a point, but it was still a gamble. “It might work, but it’s never been done before. And I’m not willing to risk killing someone and losing a large portion of my holy powers forever. That could have disastrous consequences.”

Perx fell silent. Maybe I had convinced him that it was a bad idea, or maybe he just ran out of ideas. We lapsed into a deep silence again, both lost in thought to the point of mental exhaustion.

Perx asked me, to change the topic slightly, “What exactly happened that made you put him to sleep?” So I told him, “He was acting so strange. I thought he was breaking down. He almost fainted, then he started staring into space, completely disconnected from reality.” Perx replied after a brief pause, “I don’t know what could have caused that, but it doesn’t sound good.” I said sarcastically, “Oh really? What gave you that impression?” He didn’t answer right away. He wasn’t expecting sarcasm from me. Then he realized and said, “Sorry about that.”

I changed the subject completely and asked him why he seemed so scared of Gabriel, Michael, and the supposed devil sinner, or at least that’s what I assumed he was scared of from what he told me. And I was right. He was afraid of them.

He explained that he hated how Michael and Gabriel would assign him endless missions of all kinds, usually just to monitor some area, which he found boring and beneath him. He preferred to be a striker who would target specific and dangerous enemies that no other angel could handle, or hunt for them with his Caelestis when he had them.

He had lost his main purpose and his faith, but now he hoped that with my return he could regain them. However, seeing me in my current state, he was more than willing to find a way to help me first and then resume his old role as soon as possible.

I was everyone’s priority. I felt so weak that I wished I could just wake up the human Raphael and teach him how to do a merge, but that would take decades and still be risky. The outcome was uncertain. Especially if his mind resets and he relapses into his previous condition by chance.

[pennzance]

Ghostbusters: Port Huron (Episode 24)

Episode 24: Served Cold

November 1st, 1998.

It was a bracing morning in Belle Isle Park. Julius sat down on the bench and offered a bag to the other person next to him. “It ain’t much, but I figured you’d be hungry.”

Stephen Kaye nodded numbly and took the bag, rustling around for a moment to pull out a wrapped cheeseburger. McDonalds. The sad man’s meal. “You can’t run forever,” Julius prodded.

“Who says I’m running?” Stephen mumbled.

“I’ve got about a hundred calls from your office looking for you. Seems like you’re running to me.”

Stephen sighed. He bent over and picked up a ghost trap, the indicator light gently flashing to show it was full. “Here,” he said in a defeated tone.

“This him?” Julius asked, taking the trap. Stephen nodded. Julius turned the trap over in his hands, just looking at it for a while. “If you ask me-“

“I didn’t,” Stephen cut him off.

“But if you did,” Julius pressed on, “I’d say it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving guy.”

“It doesn’t make it right.”

“Oh, no, probably not. Not legally, at any rate,” Julius shrugged and put the trap on the bench between them. “Morally? I don’t think I’d have done anything differently than you.”

“That may not be the shining endorsement of common sense you think it is, Julius.”

The General smirked. “Still got that wit, even at a time like this, huh? Man…” Stephen offered him the bag and he took another burger out of it. The two of them sat there a while, eating. “I can’t say I miss the old days.”

“It was five years ago.”

“Still feels like forever,” Julius sighed. “You, me, Jane, Ben. I was really happy for you two, you know? It was a nice ceremony. I mean, I hated having to hold down the fort while you guys went on your honeymoon but… I mean, you earned it. Ben was never any help though, especially then.”

“I remember. You couldn’t get him out of the office with a crowbar. He always made some lame excuse, but the truth is he was scared.”

“Oh, yeah, real ghost-o-phobe, Ben. I’ll bet he’s over it now,” Julius laughed.

“The ONE time he went out on a job. How didn’t I put it together sooner? I should have been there.”

Julius put a hand on Stephen’s shoulder. “Hey, how could you have known?”

“Jane knew. I should have listened.”

“Well, women are smarter,” Julius sighed. People were walking by, heedless of the melancholy that had settled over the bench. “I took care of the security camera.”

“You saw?” Stephen asked, his voice alarmed. It was the first real emotion he had shown.

“The video footage, yeah. No sound though. I may just watch it on a loop for a while. I wish I could have been there.”

“I lost my temper. It was a mistake.”

“It was a damn public service,” Julius growled, the memories stoking a fire in him. “The only regret I’ve got about the whole thing is I couldn’t beat the shit out of him first. Did you know? About Jane?”

“I suspected. You almost told me, didn’t you?”

Julius squirmed a little uncomfortably. “I mean… it wasn’t my place to say for sure. Like you, I suspected. It was Ben’s style, y’know? He couldn’t have her, not the way he wanted, so nobody could. I didn’t REALLY believe he’d use her like that, but… I’m sorry, Stephen. I should have done more.”

“You’ve done plenty, Julius. This job takes your whole life from you if you let it. You’ve given more than most could expect.”

“Not as much as you,” the General admitted. “Did you go get her? From the corn maze?”

“I tried.”

“Tried? What, did you get lost?” Stephen shot him a look and Julius raised his hands. “Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood.”

“I found her. She saw me. And then she was gone. Not even a PKE signature left behind.”

Julius nodded. “Well, that’s all right then.”

“All right?” Stephen snapped.

“Yeah. She’s gone, Stephen. She moved on. She was able to see you again and she’s free. Not much more you can ask for, really. We can’t RAISE the dead, just… arrest them.”

“I… I guess you’re right.” Stephen took a deep breath and sat up straight. “You said you ‘took care’ of the security camera?”

“What security camera?” Julius asked blithely.

The two men looked at each other for a moment. “You didn’t-“

“I did,” Julius interrupted him. “You’re not a bad person, Stephen, and you certainly don’t deserve to go to prison over THIS asshole.” He slapped the ghost trap for emphasis.

“What about his staff?”

“Hullford got a promotion. Ben resigned, after all. Suddenly.”

“You devious bastard. What about the body?”

“What was left of it after your little encounter? Please. I’ve covered up a lot of shit in my time, Stephen.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Julius laughed. “Your chair force girl, right? Do they all still think I’m some sort of horrible misogynistic deviant?”

Stephen chuckled. It felt good. “You ARE, Julius.”

The General laughed loud enough to draw looks from across the park. “Yeah, I guess I am. Still, in service of the greater good, right? Nobody’s perfect.”

“I need to get back to Port Huron,” Stephen said, standing up. “We’ve got a big problem brewing and Ben lost the damn containment unit.” His tone was businesslike and brusque, or in other words back to normal.

“Wait, he lost the mobile containment unit?” Julius asked, shooting to his feet. “And you didn’t think to mention this sooner?”

“It’s been a busy 24 hours,” Stephen snapped. “And yes, he signed the unit over to a dead man.”

“That god damn moron,” Julius growled. He snatched the trap off the bench and motioned for Stephen to follow him. “I wish we could kill him again.”

They started to walk quickly back toward the General’s truck. “Oh, don’t worry. I have a plan for Ben. And we may have to make a detour to get some help.”

“Sounds good, but you’re paying for gas.”

“Naturally.”

[apocalypse-shuffle]

QUEEN MAEVE | MAGGIE SHAW (the boys)

—

“The Usual” (Queen Maeve x Fem!Reader)

| You and Maeve run into each other after you’ve been accepted to The Seven. You get along so well that she starts to feel bad about how Vaught treats you, and warns you about them. Your reaction is…something.

| Reader is always black unless I say differently

| Reader’s supe persona is reminiscent of Catwoman and as such fits the M.O. of Talon from The Boys comics. So that’s Reader’s thing in this one.

| SFW, no happy ending

| 1k+

You’re in the elevator with Maeve joking about the newest marketing ploy Vaught was getting y’all to do.

“When I joined The Seven I didn’t expect so much swimwear to be involved.”

Maeve laughs as she leans against the back of the metal wall.

“The amount of thongs in the slideshow alone gave me the chills.”

“Yup. Instead of firemen calendars Vaught has the Girls Get it Done box.”

“Including calendars, t-shirts, and tiny funko pops of all our signature boss ladies!”

Maeve laughs, but it doesn’t last long.

Ever since you’ve met her you’ve gotten the gist that they used to. You’re not stupid, you saw the promotional material Vaught shoved down everybody’s throat once she publicly came out.

“Brave Maeve!” What a load of shit.

You’d seen the woman that had almost always been beside her and considering how fleeting Maeve’s smiles were, how she was always stuck quietly around corners, and the fact that you’d been here for weeks and have yet to see the lady that was attached to Maeve’s hip in all the pictures you could guess what happened.

You honestly hadn’t expected to get so comfortable around her, let alone have her requesting team ups with you, so this new camaraderie was a nice surprise. You were glad you could give her some reprieve after her break up.

When you turn back to crack another joke, maybe even compliment her on the move she’d pulled when sparring with you earlier, you’re caught up by the look on her face.

She’s stopped smiling entirely, face creasing in worry as her eyes instantly meet your own.

“Girl, are you good?”

She swallows and crosses her arms. Her lips thin, she presses them together so hard, and you shift on your feet. The elevator’s still moving so you’re not worried about getting stuck, but you knew Vaught’s cruelty better than most.

Something snarls deep in your chest. There’s a very real possibility that the reason you got so close was so that Vaught could pull a Soldier Boy and finally get rid of you. A possibility that you missed. Fuck.

Your eyes narrow, “Maeve?”

She seems to snap out of the contemplative silence she fell into. Eyes gaining a clarity they’d briefly lost.

The change doesn’t make you feel better.

“Please don’t take me saying this as me trying to be a bitch, but you know being in The Seven gets worse than them forcing you into a bikini right?” She shakes her head, “Way worse.”

You squint at her, “I mean yeah. No one’s ever one hundred percent comfortable at their job.”

She shakes her head, it’s violent enough her hair whips around her head. When she looks back at you her eyes have gone worryingly bright.

“There’s not loving your job and then being held captive in it. I like you, so I need you to know that you should leave while you still can.”

You start shaking your own head and stop looking at her as she gets a little closer. Your eyes track the elevator pinging from floor to floor.

The yellow light feels like it’s taunting you as it slowly flashes closer and closer to your floor number. You were still five floors away.

Maeve touches your arm and you bounce out of her reach. Her hands go up as she takes in the fighting stance you fall into, hand going to the bullwhip at your side in the moment.

Your breaths come out in harsh pants as you tip your head at her. You’re starting to regret leaving your talons at home. They were uncomfortable and got in the way, but they were sharp and tore through flesh almost too smoothly.

Your gaze is sharp as you take in your (maybe) opponent. Two more floors.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you all of a sudden. But I think it’d be best if you didn’t fucking touch me.”

“I’m sorry, Y/n.” As you shift so that you’re standing in front of the door she moves so that you stay in her sight, standing across from you. “But can you just listen to me?”

The door dings and you fall back before the sound has even finished reverberating around the metal box, squeezing yourself through the crack as the elevator doors open up, once it’s wide enough for you to slip through.

You don’t walk away the way you want though, not willing to turn your back on her when she’s acting so off. You ignore the people bustling past you in the hallway who seem to take in your tense stance and start rushing to leave the space.

Maeve steps out of the elevator looking much more composed than she has been and so you figure she’s more willing to talk with you than at you now.

“Why are you telling me this,” your voice is angry as you face her in the hallway.

“Because they’re using you!” Outburst come and gone, her face drops fully and she gives a hopeless shrug while glancing at you. “They’ll squeeze you dry and then kill you the second you become too much of a problem.”

She sniffs and the smile she gives you is steeped with self deprecation.

“If you’re lucky.”

Maeve’s statement doesn’t serve to do anything except upset you more.

“You don’t think I know that? I’m fully aware that I was only invited to The Seven because they lost their last resident minority and needed a new one.” You sigh, shoulders dropping. “They get to kill two birds with one stone. Replace the nazi ‘Girls Get It Done’ woman and their resident black in one throw.”

Maeve and you don’t do anything but look at each other and as the minutes tick on the both of you steadily un-tense. You sigh.

You walk over and grab one of her hands. She’s trying to do you a favor, and you appreciate it, but you don't need her to spell out Vaught’s many grievances to you.

“I know it looks bad that I don’t care, but I don’t need you saving me.”

She raises an eyebrow at you. A thinly manicured line of judgment, but she squeezes your hand back regardless. Butterflies threaten to flutter in your stomach and you bite each head off with a quiet sort of defeat.

You can’t have this any longer. She’ll get in your way.

“Okay,” her tongue glides slowly over the back of her teeth before she swallows and gives you a shallow smile. “I can respect that. What are you gonna do now?”

You tense, staring at her a little wide eyed. You expected this. The question. Why are you freezing up now?

The smile that stretches across your face feels like it’s being pinned in place. Little pinpricks that lift the corners of your mouth upwards. You’re vaguely aware that the smile is too wide. The longer you keep it up your face starts to burn and Maeve’s own tentative smile slowly transforms into a frown.

Her whole demeanor bypasses blank indifference and drops straight back into worry as you go still.

Her mouth’s moving, you’re watching it open and close in speech, but nothing’s reaching your ears from her.

Instead the voice that curls around your senses somewhere behind you is your agent’s.

“You fuck this up and it’s back to the center okay? Back to being shot up so we can make sure Temp V stays stable.”

You were a lab rat, you needed to keep it together. Rats didn’t get soft things, they got poisoned. The longer you let yourself be comfortable with her Vaught would find some way to make Maeve another rat trap.

You bounce back to yourself, smile dropping minutely but still staying in place. Your jaw aches.

“I’ve got it handled. That's all you need to know.”

You nod before slipping your hand from hers and walking off. She calls after you but you don’t respond. One foot after the other.

That’s all that mattered.

NOTES: IDK I was trying something out. I like Maeve but I couldn’t follow the current season and come up with something cute to write for her.

[soft-boi-eli]

Helloo! Could I ask for cc!SBI x GN! Streamer Reader during TwitchCon (I'm not from the US nor Europe so I probs won't be able to go next year, but at least the thought of it seems nice)? Thanks, and remember to stay hydrated! <3

Yes. And I will keep hydrated. Sorry if it take a bit I want it to be as good as possible.

Pronouns:nonbinary

Tw: cussing, mentions of anxiety

Not proofread.

Why is there a tag limit of 30?

Best friends are family.

The flight over was he'll. Leaving you tired and jet lagged as you wandered the air port.

You were to meet up with four people. As you had been a part of a huge server with them.

Not only did you guys play minecraft together. You had streams where you just talk, anwser questions, play little games with them. Even just had one of your guys just talking to the other person while they streamed. It was the only relationship you had. They were your family. Well best friends.

But that doesn't matter right?

When you finally locked eyes with this brown haired guy, glasses, quite tall, looked quite like one of your four friends you immediately froze.

This was real. They weren't fake.

"Techno?" It was quite and was nearly drowned out by the sounds of the air port.

But the brunette looked your way. Eyes widening slightly as he had seen your face on face time before. You two were faceless streamers. Or nearly faceless. Only really showing your faces on huge achievements or to people you know. So most people didn't know what you looked like.

"(Y/n)?" Nodding to him you smiled under your mask.

He had a smile in his eyes as he wrapped his arm around your shoulder. "Let's get out of this crowd. Phil took tommy and wilbur outside since they had a long flight." you both weaved through people. "Understandable. I mean look how many people exsit here." You spoke.

With a chuckle he lead you to the exit. The two blondes and one brunette stood near the door, obviously kind of relived from being out of the crowd.

"Look who I found." Technos voice brought the other three to look in your direction. "Hey! (Y/n) have a nice flight mate?" Phil's question was heartfilled but honestly you didn't want to think of the horrid experience.

"Not too bad not too good. Hopped on the soonest plane. And dear God it was hell." It was obvious by your tone that you didn't want to speak about it. So they were quick to shift the subject.

"So the b&b you're staying at? Where is it?" You looked at tommy confused. Didn't he know that you all are going to the same b&b?

"Same one as us tommy. Did you even listen to us on the flight?" Wilbur spoke up before you could deliver your sarcastic comment.

"Really? Didn't expect that." Tommy seemed confuses. Rolling your eyes at the teen you spoke. "Ah yes let's send one of the most socially awkward people out to rent a room in a b&b alone. How smart." Getting the hint tommy chuckled at the sarcastic comment.

"Oh yeah. I forgot that you had that bad of anxiety." Looking back to him with a 'bitch really?' Look he laughed. "You forgot I had crippling anxiety. It took what? 5 months before I started to fully talk to all of you? It was literally just you guys talking to me until one day out of the blue I started talking back." As you spoke you guys got to technos car.

As techno had driven here he was the one that was driving you the the b&b. No need for rental cars.

"So, (y/n), Phil, tommy, wilbur. Have do you guys wanna pick up some food first? Or nah?" Techno was quick to ask. And having a hungry teen in the car it was automatically a yes.

The day flew by. Jokes were told, food was eaten. And naps were quick to happen.

But that all came to a hard stop. TwitchCon. You weren't on the main panel like most of the others. Having been just added and just climbing up. But you did have your own meet and greet station.

And that was enough to pick at your anxiety.

But you decided to breathe through it. Hoping to get through this and live another day.

What helped was the fact that not many people came up to you. Having no idea if you were the real one. But when you got to your booth hell rang loose. You were now confirmed to be the real you and people wanted autographs, photos, videos, little trinkets you ended up selling.

It was not as bad as you thought. Not many people pushing past your boundires.

"Omg it's (t/n)! (Twitch name) they are so cool can I go say hi!" The younger child was quick to rush up to you as their parents nodded.

"HI! I wanted to say i love you and your content! I was wondering if I could get an autograph. Also how do you do it? How do you look so genderless!" This child was going miles a minute and honestly it was one of the sweetest things. "Well it takes years of work and finding what's best. here's your autograph. Would you like a photo?" They nodded so fast it was almost like their head was going to fall off.

Laughing lightly you wrapped an arm around their shoulder and they wrapped theirs around yours.

Their parents were quick to snap a photo and call their child back to them. Not wanting to take up too much of your time.

And to you luck the four boys you were waiting for had arrived. Relife.

You smiled and waved them over. "(Y/n). You seem happy." Technos voice was calm.

"Just a very kind and energetic fan. It was nice too see someone like them." You looked in the direction of the kid. Noticing something you hadn't before. They were bald. Looked kind of sickly. And seemed kind of off. Excusing yourself you grabbed something from under your table. One of the many stuffed animals you had onder there with a embroidered signature from you. It was a little stuffed snow leopard.

Rushing to find the child you tapped their shoulder. Turning around they seemed confused. "(T/n)? What are you doing over here shouldn't you be over near your stand?" You smiled under your mask.

"You seem to be going through something and I wanted to make sure one of my number one fans had something special to make them feel better. Here you go. My channels mascot with an embroidered signature so you will always remember to fight on Cub." Your followers are known as your Cubs. And this one was a special one. They made your day.

Now it wastime for you to make their day.

With gentle hands they took the plush to their chest tears in their eyes. They latched onto you as they cried softly. Rubbing their back you saw the parents tearing up. Their mother pulled her mask down mouthing thank you then pulling it back up quickly.

Nodding gently you hug the child lightly. Letting go slowly you look at them. "I belive in you. So you take these words. Fight on. Never give up. You are one of the strongest people I have seen alright? You're gonna make it through this no matter what." Patting their head you smiled as they nodded.

There was a new spark in their eye.

This powerful Cub. Phil and the other came up behind you. "Hey there mate. Having a good time?" The child seemed so happy.

This is what you guys were here for. To see these joyful expressions. To make your fans happy. To give them some kind of escape.

There was no way you'd let anything get between you and your fans. No matter what.

I needed wholesome.

So I apologize for this taking so long but I was stressed about other things and that caused a chain reaction in my life. But next week I should start school so that's a plus.

Also when I do start school again imma be working slower. And I do apologize about that.

I'll try my best to get more of these out. So E.

Anyways hoped you enjoyed.

-Eli out!!

[eeunoia]

ENHYPEN Imagines

pairing: lee heeseung x reader

summary: being the most popular students in your school, everyone can’t help but to ship heeseung and you. it was okay for you since you really like him but heeseung was just okay with it because of the benefits he gets from it.

word count: 6.4k

warnings: extra spicy and cursing

a/n: here’s heeseung’s version of niki’s concept in campus heart-throb. I will maybe post Sunoo’s after posting his prince one shot. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one because I actually had fun. ksksksk have a nice day 🌸

“y/n, how about you? will you be at the game later?” one of your classmates suddenly had asked you while you’re at the library.

It was library period and you were just silently reading a book while some of your classmates were chatting at the table where you’re sitting.

Your head raised up to face them and you already saw all of their eyes darted at you. “What kind of question was that? Of course y/n will be there. Her Heeseung will be playing, right?” one of them answered even before you can talk.

They cheered and even showed you a teasing smile. You can’t help a smirk to spread across your face after hearing how they address Heeseung as yours.

The librarian shushed you that made you chuckle and you signaled to them to just be quiet. They let out small giggles as they decided to talk more quietly again. You, on the other hand was thinking about Lee Heeseung.

A small smile was still plastered over your face as you think about him. He’s one of the most popular student in your school, president of the student council and captain of the basketball team. He was indeed the ideal type and everyone in the academy knows him.

Girls also go crazy for him but they can only stare from a far since you exist. Students in your school was shamelessly shipping the two of you with each other. They think you’ll both make a perfect couple.

You’re labeled as one of the prettiest girl in your campus. Smart, from a well-known family, and captain of the campus cheerleaders. Just like Heeseung, boys at your school adores you but they don’t even bother as they know you were already his.

It’s all almost perfect except for one tiny thing... Lee Heeseung doesn’t like you. If you’re crazy for him, he don’t even feel anything for you.

You were snapped back from reality when someone gently taps your shoulder. And when you look over the girls at your table, they have this teasing smile so you already have a clue who it was.

“Hm?” your eyes met his serious eyes as you turn and face him. He has this smile but only you can tell that it was fake.

“I won’t be able to wait for you. I’ll be off to somewhere. I’ll just see you at the game.” he mumbled enough for the students at the table to hear.

You smiled and nodded your head at him. He smirked and leaned down over to give you a gentle kiss at your forehead. Lightly shutting your eyes at the process, you can feel your heart racing by the sudden affection.

It wasn��t new, really. You two were used to giving shows for those people who ships you two. He needed this, he’ll stay more popular if he acts like this. Popularity secures his position as the student council president. In short, he was using you and taking advantage of the situation.

You weren’t ignorant about it. He was straight-forward when he said that to you. He also told you that since you love attentions so much, you can use him as well so students eyes follows you all the time. It was a good deal so you agreed. And besides, you have feelings for him.

He nodded once before smiling over at the students at the table before he turned and walk away. Your eyes were glued at him as he coolly walk out of the library. Eyes were following him as always.

“Huwaaa you two are so perfect for each other, y/n!”

“Yeah right. I envy you so much.”

“Heeseung is so hot, y/n. How can you survive him?”

They were talking nonstop and all your response was just a small smile. Even if it sounds a bit rude, you enjoyed looking how other people envy you.

“You’re a bit late.” your head snapped over at the side when somebody suddenly talked.

Your brows furrowed hardly as you saw Jay leaning over the wall, both of his hands were inside his pocket.

“Jay? Why are you here outside and why aren’t you wearing your jersey?” you asked, now approaching him.

The corner of his lips raised up and he faced you giving you a full view of his bruise at the side of his face. Your mouth fell a bit.

“I was suspended so I cannot play for today’s game.” he said a smile now plastered over his face. 

“What happened to you? Did you had that checked?” you were worried for him of course. He’s your friend and you’re close to him so seeing him at a state like that made you worried.

“It’s fine. Don’t you want to go inside? The game’s starting already.” he said and even tilted his head towards the auditorium.

You can already hear muffled screams and cheers from the inside. You gave him a nod before he gently grab your things from you so he can carry it for you. Jay’s a legit trouble maker but he’s a gentlemen so it wasn’t really surprising for you anymore.

The auditorium was crowded as expected. You had to squished yourself through the pile of students and thankfully Jay was there. His firm arms helped you so you wouldn’t be just bumped by somebody. You gave him a smile as you two arrived at the seat Heeseung had saved for you.

You saw how the players ran over the other side of it, the ball was at the opponent. Heeseung was very attentive and so focused in the game making him ten times more attractive. You really love it whenever he’s so focus about something.

The game continued and of course, Heeseung was the highlight of the game. You just smile while watching him enjoy the whole game. The whole auditorium went wild whenever he makes shots.

They won the game and you just watch as his members hover around him. They cheered and celebrated for their victory.

“You wanna go approach them?” your head snapped over at Jay when he asked you that and you just gave him a small nod.

He smirked and led you towards the court. Students paved way as they saw you approaching, they already know what you came for. His team member’s eyes darted you and you didn’t mind the obvious desires that lingers over their eyes. For you, it was only Heeseung that matters. He’s the only one who exist for you.

You smiled at him as a small smile appeared over his lips as well. He tilted his head one of his eyebrows raising at you. His arm opened a bit, indicating a victory hug.

“Congratulations, my mvp.” you said, enough for the crowd to go wild and tease the two of you.

Heeseung felt the playful nudges of his team-mates over him. He chuckled and shake his head side by side with a slow phase. “Where’s my kiss then?” he asked, sounding like as if he was challenging you.

You rolled your eyes as a small smirk appeared over your face. With a brave expression, you approached him and quickly snaked your arms over his nape to pull him towards you. The whole auditorium roars as the students saw you two making out. One of his arms slid over to your waist to pull you closer to him.

After the kiss, he pull away and rested his forehead at yours. You looked straight to his eyes, “Oh how you love the crowd, Y/n.” he whispered at you.

You chuckled, “Don’t say it like I’m the only one.” and you gave him one last gentle kiss at his cheeks before you move away from him.

He told you that he will just take a shower so you gave him a nod sending him off. You were left there together with Jay. He greeted you with his signature smirk.

“That’s quite a show.” he said that made you roll your eyes. Nobody knew about your set-up except from you and Hee’s friends.

“I was just planning to give him a peck. He was the one who deepened the kiss.” you explained because that was really the original plan. To give him a peck but Heeseung pulled you closer so you were a bit carried away.

Jay let out a chuckle, “Who would let the chance of making out with y/n slip away?” he said that made you chuckle at him.

You walked closer to him and leaned towards him, face inches away from you. “So you will make out with me if I insisted?” you joked at him. Well, you’ve been friends with them for a while too so you’re comfortable with them.

You saw a glitch of darkness pass through his eyes before he smirked at you. He raised his hand and put his two fingers over your forehead before gently pushing you away from him.

“Stop talking nonsense, y/n.” and he scoffed at you. He handed you your things before putting both of his hands inside his pocket.

“You should wait for Heeseung here. I’ll get going.” and he waved at you before turning his back and walking away.

You chuckled and just rolled your eyes before waiting patiently for Heeseung.

“Where’s your victory party?” you asked Heeseung as you walked side by side after he showered.

Now, he looked extra handsome while wearing his clean fresh white shirt paired with his black jogging pants. He do look really really attractive, with that slight wet hair. His gym bag hangs at one of his shoulder while he held your small bag using his hand. You can’t help but to bite your lip as you stare at him.

“Frat house? I’m not yet sure.” he answered. You two started walking out of the auditorium. There’s still a lot of students left and their eyes were quickly darted at your direction right away.

“Dude that three point shot at the end was perfect!” one of his team-mate walk beside the two of you.

You just gave him a smile as his eyes went over you from time to time. Heeseung responded with a thank you as you felt his hand rest over the small of your back, making sure you are closely beside him.

“Will you go eat with us before going home to get ready for the victory party?” his team-mates once again asked.

“Nah, I think I’ll spend some time with my lucky charm first. I’ll just meet you later at the party.” he said politely as he tapped his shoulder before guiding you to walk faster, dismissing any chances of him to talk again.

A small smirk appeared at your face as you two walk over to his car. “That was rude.” you mumbled as he send last wave at his team-mates then opened the door for you.

He scoffed running his hand over at his hair once, “He was annoying.” he shrugged his shoulders off before telling you to go inside.

You were checking your phone as he finally get inside. Expecting for him to start the engine already, you kept yourself busy with your phone but then you noticed he wasn’t doing anything.

“Is everything okay?” you asked, worried.

His eyes were already darted over at you-- on your exposed thigh to be specific. A smirk slowly spreads through your face as you tilt your head at the side.

“Enjoying the view? My eyes are up here, Hee.” you pointed out and even snapped your fingers in front of his face to catch his attention.

He looked up at you, “Yeah, I do and I bet all of my team-mates enjoyed it too.” you saw how his jaw clenched hardly.

You pursed your lips trying to suppress a smile to form, this shouldn’t be the time to be happy about the situation, y/n. Heeseung did said to you that he doesn’t feel the same way and even rejected you for a hundred times already. But this is one of those times where he kind of gives you missed signals.

“I wore this for you, Heeseung.” you said and smiled innocently at him. Your hand rested over at his face and you saw how he seriously eyed you.

His hand raised and held unto your wrist, with a smirk he started pulling you to straddle above him.

“Then prove it to me.” and without even warning you he pulled your face closer to his causing both of your lips to crash with each other.

You groaned a bit as you felt him bite your lower lip making you open your mouth slightly. Heeseung took the opportunity to slid in his tongue as his hands slowly undress you.

You gasped as he pull away from the kiss. His lips made contact with your neck and you let out small moans as you slowly felt his erection.

“If you didn’t made it clear that you don’t have feelings for me, I might think you're jealous right now.” you mumbled.

Heeseung was continually placing wet kisses all over your neck and as he made it over at the upper part of your chest, he shamelessly suck the skin marking you.

He leaned away and starred at his work for a while before he looked over at your eyes.

“I don’t like it when other people take interest over my toy.” and you felt his big hands rested over your tiny waist before he kissed you once again.

“I’ll pick you up at 8pm.” Heeseung said after rolling down his car window after he dropped you over at your house.

“For what?”

“Victory party. You need to be there as my date.” he said seriously. You bit your lower lip as you just gave him a small nod before waving at him.

He smirked, “Show people my masterpiece.” he shouted lastly before droving away.

You rolled your eyes after chuckling then just decided to just go inside your shared apartment with your cousin.

“Oh~ someone had fun.” you rolled your eyes as you plopped over the sofa.

“I didn’t know you were home, Jake.” you acknowledged him as you saw him sitting at one of the single sofas.

“Yeah, I went home to rest for a while because of the party later.” he said and shrugged his shoulders off.

You rolled your eyes at him, “You’re going? You know what? You have to stop fucking different girls per day, Jake. That’s not gonna be good for you.” you tried lecturing your cousin.

He smirked, “I don’t do that everyday, y/n. What are you even talking about?”

You sighed, okay maybe that was exaggerated but the thought was still there.

“I don’t even know why girls still fall for your trap. Everyone in the campus obviously know how bad of playboy you are.” you mumbled and rested your head at the backrest of the sofa.

Jake let out a snicker of laugh, “It's because of this, y/n. This--” he said pointing over his face that made you roll your eyes.

“This is the key to everything! It’s because I have a face of an angel.” he added.

You can’t disagree to him because he’s partly right. If you look at him the first time and you don’t know him, you’ll probably think that he’s very innocent. But that’s not the case, he’s very much corrupted.

“So where did you two did it this time?” Jake asked casually as his reached over the remote to open the television.

You were close to your cousin and he knew about Heeseung and everything about it. He’s cool with it as long you’re happy with your set-up.

You gulped as you fished your phone and acted like as if you’re doing something important.

“In the car.” you answered like nothing.

You can see from your peripheral that he turned his head at your direction.

“Woah, in his car? Really? Again, y/n?” he sounds like he can’t believe it. You rolled your eyes and sighed heavily.

“You two seriously need to stop doing the deed in his car. I sometimes hitch with hyung and to think you do the nasty there makes me uncomfortable.”

“Then don’t hitch anymore. You have your car for a reason.” you can’t remember how many times have you rolled your eyes already but you once again did it.

You stood up and decided to go to your room and leave him at the living room.

“Ah seriously. I just can’t understand why Heeseung hyung enjoys the thrill of getting caught.” Jake even shrugged his shoulders.

“Whatever.” and you finally left him there. He’s really annoying.

Heeseung did pick you up for the party and as you two enter, a lot of people were already there. Attentions quickly went over at the two of you as he was the main reason why there’s a party.

He stood proud beside you while his arms were possessively locked over your waist. Well, who wouldn’t be proud to have you as their date? You’re y/n after-all.

They had this cute short program for the team that made everyone laugh as they call them one by one. They were asked to give short speeches just to be fun.

“And lastly, for our MVP! Lee Heeseung.” the mc had called his name as the crowd cheered for him. Heeseung smiled and stood up from his seat which is beside you. He walked towards this small platform and a spotlight was pointed at him.

He chuckled, “Ah this isn’t necessary but yeah, I want to thank everyone for supporting and congratulating us. For coach,” he said and raised his fist for him. The crowd chuckled and so did you.

And then his eyes soon darted over you. “And of course, to my lucky charm.” he added and soon another spotlight was at you now. The crowd started teasing the two of you.

You tried smiling as your heart ache for some reason. Breath hitched at the current situation, even though you know any of this wasn’t true, you can’t help but to feel butterflies over your stomach.

“Thank you for always being there for me, y/n.” he said and he smiled meaningfully as his eyes starred right at you.

Your smile faltered a bit as you know how sarcastic his smile was. It hurts for you to know that your feelings aren’t being returned.

Your eyes roamed around as they cheered for you to go join Heeseung at the platform. You had no choice because they were really pushing you already. He was just waiting for you and when you were beside him, he then pulled you in a kiss that made the crowd roar in excitement.

As the night went deeper, people get drunker as well. You were already with some of your girl friends when Heeseung told you that he’ll just go meet his friends. You agreed, mind still occupied of what happened at the short program.

And when you noticed that Jay was already flirting at some random girls, your brows furrowed as you started seeing his friends having their own businesses.

“I’ll just go and look for Heeseung.” you told your friends and they just nodded their heads at you.

You, then proceed on looking for him since it’s really getting late and you’re starting to feel sleepy. When you turned over the corner, you saw him sitting at a couch, beside him was a girl. You don’t know her and you’re sure she isn’t from your school.

You balled your fist, starting to feel jealousy took over you. With chin raised high, you walked over at them. Good thing the students around them were pretty much wasted so they don’t have any clue that Lee Heeseung was flirting with some stranger.

”Heeseung, i’m sleepy. Take me home.” you interrupted rudely. Both of their heads snapped over your side. Heeseung’s forehead furrowed and you sort of saw that he was a bit pissed. The girl broke into a smirk.

“Oh look, your lucky charm.” you heard how she emphasize the words lucky charm and it annoyed you so much.

“Then go and find Jake to take you home, y/n.” you were dumbfounded when you heard Heeseung said that. How can he tell you that?

With a pained expression you held unto his arm when he once again turned to face the girl, “No, you took me here so you have to take me back home.” you were serious when you said it.

If you saw him a bit pissed a while ago, this time he really looked like he’s really mad. You let go from him, kind of got scared of the way he looked at you.

“There’s no more crowd, y/n. There’s no need for that anymore.” he said with a blank look over his eyes.

You stepped backward from him, “So would you please leave me alone? I’m busy right now.” he said before he turned his head without glancing over at you again.

A tear fell from your eyes as you slowly backed away from them. You saw how the girl teasingly waved at you and seems like she was really enjoying what’s happening.

You sniffed and harshly wiped off your tear before turning and left the scene. You fished your phone to go and dial your cousin’s number. Your chest was hurting so much that you can’t even process things properly.

“Jake where are you?” you said as you heard him answered his phone. You can hear muffled sounds from the other line.

“Y/n? Why? I’m somewhere.” you rolled your eyes because you know so well what that means.

“I want to go home. Pick me up back here in the party.”

“What? Where’s Heeseung? He took you there so he should-”

“He can’t take me home.” you cut him before he can even continue what he was saying.

“Why? Wait, I’m currently in the middle of something so--”

“Never mind, i’ll just go home by myself.” you said and was about to end the call when he talk again.

“What? No! Wait up, I’ll go there. It’s late already you can’t go home by yourself. Where’s Jay anyway?” he asked and you once again heard muffled sounds from his line.

“I don’t know where Jay is--”

“I’m here.” your head snapped over to the side when you heard someone interrupted you.

It was Jay and his brows furrowed as he saw your tear-stained face. “Great! Pass him the phone, y/n.” Jake said from the other line.

You sighed and gave Jay the phone. You have no energy to fight with him anymore so you just followed what he told you.

Jay talked to your cousin for a while but you didn’t really understand what it is because your mind was spacing out. He handed you back your phone after the call before he starred right at your eyes then smiled warmly.

“Let’s go, let me take you home, pretty.” he mumbled softly and you pursed your lips trying to stop yourself from crying.

Jay did take you home that night, it was a silent ride but you were somehow at peace. To know that he was just there beside you, calms you down. He was very reliable and a very nice friend to you.

“Thank you for taking me home, Jay.” you smiled a little at him.

He chuckled and extended his hand and gently messed your hair.

“Anything for you. Go inside since it’s cold.” he said and pointed the door using his chin.

“Your jacket?” you asked and motioned him his jacket that you were wearing.

“Keep it.” you starred at him for a while before you waved at him then went inside.

The next day in school, you were silent all the time. They were asking you what’s wrong but you just smile at them saying that you were just tired.

Heeseung acted like as if he wasn’t an asshole yesterday. He was doing the same things like nothing happened, walk with you in hallways, eat with you and now taking you home. You were at the parking lot of the school and there’s almost no students left.

“I really don’t like the way you acted last night, Heeseung.” you opened up.

You like him--no, you actually love him. One reason why you still kept up with this set-up with him. But last night, you were really hurt and you can’t let him do that to you all the time.

Heeseung rolled his eyes as he looked over at your side, “If you’re worrying for your image, don’t worry. Everyone was wasted that time.”

“Is that why you flirted with that bitch and sent me off like I’m no one?” you asked him. His face turned dark as he grabbed you by the wrist.

“Don’t call her like that.” you never saw Heeseung that way and it really scared you.

You gulped trying to act strong in front of him, “Well she deserves to be called like that by how she acts yesterday.”

Heeseung then smirked at you, “Then how should you be called? You let me fuck you here in my car like a slu--” you slapped him hard even before he can finish his sentence off.

He was dumbfounded as he raised his head to look over at you. Heeseung doesn’t know what to feel when he saw your eyes filled with tears. He was lost of words and his mind was clouded that’s why he didn’t have the chance to stop you the moment you walked out of his car.

You were crying so hard that you didn't even realized that you had dialed Jay’s number instead of Jake’s.

“Hello, y/n?”

“Please pick me up.” you said between your sobs.

Jay was in the middle of practice when he saw you calling. They were having a water break and without even thinking twice, he ran out of there ignoring the shouts of their coach.

“What happened?” he asked as he went out of his car. He was still wearing his basketball shorts but now wearing his plain white t-shirt.

His face looked so worried as you approach him with a blank face. You tried smiling at him to ease his worry but you just saw how he clenched his jaw hardly.

He raised his hand to cup your face gently, “If you don’t feel like smiling, don’t smile.” he said and he raised your chin so you can meet his eyes.

“And if you want to cry, then cry. It will help you feel better.” and that was your cue. You cried so hard in his shoulders that you even had a hard time breathing.

That time, you felt safe inside his embrace while Jay’s lips were near your ears whispering you calming words and his hands ran smoothly over your back.

You slept in Jay’s place that night because you don’t want your cousin to see at that state. Jay spent the night comforting you and you were very thankful for him. You don’t know what you’re gonna do if he wasn’t there.

“If it’s hurting you that much, stop with that set-up already.” he suggested while handing you over a bowl of popcorn.

You pursed your lips while watching him set up the movie.

“I love him.”

“But he’s hurting you.” he said, eyes still fixed over the television.

You stayed quiet and wait for Jay to lay beside you to give you cuddles for that night. You felt safe and a lot better because of him.

The next day, Heeseung was a bit spacing out. What happened in his car kept on replaying over his mind and he just can’t help but to curse himself.

His eyes darted over at the door of the classroom as he saw someone going inside. It was you and he saw how your eyes really looked puff, probably because of all the crying.

He was so worried and was about to call you out when another person followed behind you. You turn your head before chuckling at that person.

“Here, wear this. You look funny.” he suggested and handed you a sunglasses. You laughed but followed what he had said.

Eyes of the students followed the two of you including Heeseung. He watch how Jay sat beside you and rested his hand at the back of your chair. He saw how he lean closer to whisper something at your ear that will make you laugh.

He felt strange an unknown feeling taking over him. Were you always like this with Jay? Well, Jay’s naturally flirty so he’s not shock at all but to think you act like that around him lit up something weird inside him.

He was still deep in thoughts when the bell rang. He snapped back to reality when Jake tapped him lightly at the shoulder to tell him that they need to go at the cafeteria.

He gave him a short nod before he saw Jay walked out behind Jake. He was about to turn back at where you’re sitting but you were already standing beside his seat.

Heeseung was actually surprised as he stare at you, he watched how you raised the sunglasses showing off your eyes before smiling.

“Let’s go eat.” you mumbled with your usual smile but unlike before Heeseung knew it wasn’t sincere.

He nodded after gulping, trying to get rid of that lump over his throat. Some students pass by over the two of you and you greeted them with a soft smile.

You two walked together over at the cafeteria like the usual routine. He was really clueless but somehow a but relieved that you didn’t shut him off completely.

As dismissal came, he was already plotting how he’ll say sorry to you. He was actually nervous as you both walked side by side over to his car. You were giggling moments ago with Jay but as he went in a different direction and was left alone with him, you grew silent.

Heeseung opened the car door for you but you were still silent after muttering a low thank you. He walked around and went inside his car. The drive was suffocating that’s why he cannot find the right timing to say his apologize for you.

“uh, y/n.” he tried catching your attention because you were already busy with your phone.

“huh?” you asked coldly not even sparing him any glance.

“I just want to say sorry for yesterday. It was an asshole move.” he said. He stopped the car because of the red light giving you a chance to actually look at him.

Heeseung was taken aback at how you look at him. It was cold and blank. He can’t even recognize you, it was very different at how you look at him before.

“Don’t mention it. I understand.” was your cold response to him.

He wasn’t satisfied and he was about to talk again but the green light appeared. He once again continued driving and you went back on texting over your phone. Heeseung tightly gripped unto the stirring wheel.

“Drop me off just there, Heeseung.” he was pulled back to reality when you suddenly talked.

His brows furrowed in confusion as he saw that you were pointing over to a place not even near your place.

“Do you need to go somewhere else? I can go with you.” he offered.

You looked at him and his heart ache as he saw that cold stares again. You smiled but he can tell that they were fake.

“It’s okay, Jay’s gonna pick me up here. Thanks for the ride, take care.” you said before going out of his car without even letting him to bid good bye.

Heeseung sat at his car dumbfounded. It happened really quickly that he wasn’t even able to stop you, just like what happen yesterday. He rested his head over the stirring wheel as he slowly sort out his feelings.

He was pretty clear that he doesn’t like you. Yeah, you were ideal. Beautiful, smart, sociable and have a great status in life but he just doesn’t seem interested in you... before. You were always vocal of how you feel towards him, making it easier for him to figure you out. Maybe that was the reason why he don’t take interest in you. Seeing you now slowly slipping off from him makes him mad. Not at you but to himself.

The days continued that way. You act like nothing’s wrong but obviously there is an invisible wall slowly grew between Heeseung and you. It was the other way for Jay tho, you two became even more close. The more days you dripped away from him, the more he have come to realized that he was indeed in love with you.

“This ain’t gonna work. You need to stop hanging out with Jay that often. They’re starting to make rumors that you are cheating over me with one of my friends.” one dismissal, you were planning to peacefully go home but it seems like Heeseung had reached his limit.

You sighed, “Fuck rumors.”

He was surprised at how you responded. If it was the old you who cares so much about your image, you would’ve take his suggestions but no. Jay had told you that there’s something else you need to care other than caring for what’s the other people are thinking of you. You realized that he was right.

“Y/n...” Heeseung sounded helpless as he calls out to you.

Actually, that was his last resort to keep you from leaving him. He may appear to be in control of the situation but the truth is, he was very worried. He’s afraid you��ll leave him and he knew so well that he ain’t gonna take it so well. He’ll go crazy. He cannot lose you.

You let out a heavy sigh once again and you turn to face him, “This isn’t working anymore, Heeseung. I’m out of this set-up. I know you can still win the next election for student council president even without my help.” you mumbled continuously before you attempted to open the door of his car.

Heeseung was still processing everything. He can’t believe you really said that to him. Between the two of you, he was expecting him to pull out of this set-up.

He went back to his senses as he quickly grabbed your wrist, refraining to let you go.

“I love you, y/n.” he blurted out.

You were stunned at the sudden confession. You weren’t expecting it and to think that it was from Heeseung was unbelievable. You scoffed at him and starred at him with full sarcasm.

“You’re just saying that because you’re afraid of what you’ll gonna lose.”

Heeseung clenched his jaw, “Yeah, and that’s you.”

You starred right at his eyes and you can see that he is sincere but still, the pain that he caused you tells you that it’s not enough for you.

So instead of believing him, you chuckled, “Good-bye, Heeseung.” and you shoved away his hold from you before going out of his car and left.

The next week, Heeseung was not himself. He was lost and everyone took notice of it and instantly indicating that it has something to do with you. The students around the campus had concluded that the two of you may have fought each other.

Heeseung was always lifeless, like as if he had no will of living anymore. He was always quiet and serious, everyone is really surprised and worried about him.

And when their basketball game for their finals came, you planned on going since Jay invited you, you were greeted by their stressed out faces.

“What’s wrong?” you asked Jay handing him the drink you bought for him.

He smiled a little, “Heeseung hyung is not here.” he said.

You furrowed your brows because you know how Heeseung was never late in his games. You roamed your eyes around and you didn’t saw him anywhere.

“y/n, can you do me a favor and please call him for me?” his coach even approaches you that you quickly agreed on.

You stepped outside of the auditorium for less noises and quickly dialed his number. It took him three rings before he picked it up.

“Yah! Lee Heeseung? Where the hell are you?” you sounds frustrated and mad at him. Even if you called off the set-up, you still worry for him of course. You know how much he wanted to win so it is a very big deal for him.

“Home.”

“Home? Your game will start in 5 minutes!”

“I know.” you were out of words after hearing him say that. You thought he just lost track of time but to hear that he knew confused you.

“Then why are you still there? Go here now.”

“I’m not gonna play.” his voice sounds so firm.

“What do you mean you’re not gonna play? Are you crazy? You wanted so bad to win this and you needed this for--”

“I don’t need that. You’re the one I need.” you were dumbfounded.

“Heeseung,”

“Tell Jay I said good luck.” and he turn off the call.

You were stoned at your position the whole time and when you finally went back inside, the game was starting and they were left behind. Jay’s pretty much trying his best and of course, he’s scoring. But the duo from the other team just can’t be hand just by him.

They lost their first game in their finals and everyone seems to look so gloomy about it. Some of them were wondering why the Ace wasn’t there and you don’t know what to say to them.

The next day, it was the time where the candidates for the student council president will make a speech in front of the students. You were kind of worried for Heeseung because lately, he wasn’t himself.

Thankfully, he did appeared at the stage. He was all serious and not even smiling. When it’s his turn to make a speech, he went in front and you can see that everyone’s anticipating for him.

“Good morning. I, Lee Heeseung is here in front of you to make my speech.” his eyes roam around and as he find yours, it remained. He was silent and not talking.

He sighed and a small smile appeared over his face. “Actually, I don’t know if I can do this.” he said that made almost everyone to gasp.

You looked at him with worry. “I used to think that being the student council president is a piece of cake. I convinced myself that I’m very much made for this. That I can do this because, I am Lee Heeseung.”

You saw how the corner of his mouth lifted a bit, “Everyone may know me as a very responsible student, a role model for my hoobaes, a good friend and a good boyfriend.” and his eyes settled at you.

His smile fell as tear slowly show over his sad eyes, “Don’t get me wrong, I am indeed all of those except from one.” he added.

A smile appeared over his face as a tear fell, “I haven’t been a good boyfriend for y/n causing me to lose the most precious girl I have ever known.”

Your eyes started to water as well as you listen to him. “After losing her, I realized that she’s everything to me. She was the one who gives me encouragement whenever I get tired of my works as a student council president. She gave me assurance whenever I get nervous before my games during basketball games. And most of all, she showers me love even if I’m flawed and imperfect.”

He bit his lower lip, “Y/n, I wanna tell you that I would rather lose all of this than to lose you.”

You pouted and quickly stood up to go over at the stage to give him the warmest hug. The student cheered as you two embrace each other.

“I love you.” you mumbled.

“I love you even more, baby.” heeseung can’t explain the happiness he was feeling as he locked you into his embrace. To have you close to him sure is what he needs the most.

main master-list

[tobesoalive]

r u mine? (Jake Kiszka x reader)

hey guys...so this was fun to write, thank you to the kind anon who requested it! I currently have some fun (and steamy) Josh stuff in the works right now, but still feel free to send in requests! I might slow down a little with posting since my classes started, but I promise to get to every request! Enjoy my first Jake piece!

Warnings: SMUT(oral f-recieving, fingering, penetrative sex)

Adrenaline pumped through your veins as you headed down the hallway backstage, about to go out and face the crowd of thousands of fans. No you weren't a huge famous musician or anything, just their photographer. Basically the same thing right?

For the past three weeks you had been enjoying life on the road, it had always been your dream to be a concert photographer, and your work had caught the attention of a little band called Greta Van Fleet. Well, not exactly little. Their fan base grew everyday and now they were doing yet another headlining tour that they asked you to document. Over the past few months you had been in contact with the guys and their management, and you guys hit it off instantly, they brought you under their wing as if you were part of the family.

You basically were all one big family, you had gotten extremely close to the boys. Josh, Sam and Danny were like your brothers, and Jake...he was a little different.

Brother would be an odd way to describe him, seeing as you had a bit of a crush on him. Nothing super serious, you just thought he was a cool guy who also happened to be really fucking hot. You thought he might have a little something for you too, he was always asking you how you liked the show, and when he’d catch you editing the photos you took he’d sit himself right next to you and ask if you’d show him what you were working on. He was constantly complimenting your work, but that would mostly be in private, when he’d seek you out if he couldn’t sleep. You surely weren’t complaining, you enjoyed his company. You just wish he would say something, or even better, make a move. You could be taking his actions the wrong way, he does have tons of women who want him all around the country, maybe he does just think of you as a sister. Whatever thoughts you had about Jake you’d just push to the back of your mind, you had a job to do, and your work was more important than getting laid.

You went in front of the barricade and took some photos of the crowd and talked to fans. They liked to ask you questions about the guys and what it was like touring with them. You always tried to make them feel special by saying how thankful the guys were, which wasn’t a lie, to have such amazing fans.

All of a sudden you heard some of the fans start screaming wildly. They were chanting Jake’s name, and you turned your head only to briefly meet his eyes from the side of the stage where he was standing. Within a second he was gone, most likely rushing backstage to avoid any further commotion from the audience.

What was that all about? You thought to yourself. Did he sneak over there to just look at me? Maybe he wanted to talk or something. That can happen later, it was only a few minutes until the show started, so you wanted to snap a few more shots of the crowd before running all over during the show to catch the right angles.

During the show you had a great time, as per usual. You loved being right up front, taking photos of the guys doing what they loved. You went backstage to get some photos from the wings. Jake was about to do his signature move, playing his guitar behind his head, and you were ready to capture the moment. Right as you snapped the photo, Jake turned and winked at you, arms thrown behind his head, somehow managing to play the notes of “Highway Tune” whilst flirting with you.

Butterflies erupted in your stomach, and you felt an intense need for him. Quickly you ran back out to the front of the stage to capture a few more moments before the show was over.

“God fucking dammit, I’m in deep” you muttered to yourself, before heading to the green room to congratulate the guys on the awesome show. You slipped through the crew heading on stage to clean up the equipment, turning a corner and bumping directly into Jake.

“Oh sorry! Great job out there tonight!” you say, trying your best not to blush. What was wrong with you, it was like you were a school girl or something.

“Thanks y/n! Did you get some good shots?”

“No, I made sure to get really shitty photos, especially of you”

“Are you being sarcastic?! Now that is something new!” he teased you.

“I just know how much you enjoy my sense of humor! I like to give back to the fans y’know” you quip back, causing him to break out into a smile.

“Hey the guys and quite a bit of the crew is gonna head out and probably find a bar or something once we’re done cleaning up. You wanna join?”

“Thanks for the offer, but I might just keep it lowkey tonight, I’d prefer to edit the photos tonight so I can explore whatever city we’re going to tomorrow.”

“Totally understandable, well I’ll catch you later!”

“Yeah for sure!” you say as you go off to find the rest of the guys.

After about a half hour of chatting and checking in with the rest of your tour mates, you decided it was time to change into your pajamas and spend the rest of the night staring at your computer screen, trying to edit as many photos as you can before inevitably passing out.

Getting onto the bus you shared with some other crew members, you kicked your Vans off before checking to see if anyone else was around. Seems like they all were opting to go out after the show, which meant you got the whole place to yourself. You traded out your concert outfit for a pair of shorts and a hoodie, getting prepared for your lengthy editing session.

You made yourself at home on the couch towards the front of the bus, turning on your speaker and playing music as loud as you wanted, getting straight to work.

It had felt like only a minute when you heard a knock on the door, but after checking your clock you realized an hour had already gone by. You peeked out the window only to see Jake’s figure standing there.

“Jacob! What’s up? I thought you were going to the bar?” you said as you opened the door to let him in.

“That show wore me out”

“Yeah you did amazing, I mean like you usually do” you say, stumbling over your words and internally punching yourself. God you were not smooth at all.

“Seems like we are some of the very few who decided to stay back, I was getting lonely in that tour bus.”

“Well you’re always welcome here, I was just doing some editing.”

“Wow you’re a pretty big nerd aren’t you? You know you should take a break every once and a while, I feel like you’re constantly working.”

“Well it’s not that hard when you love your job” you tell him.

“I guess that's true, can I see what you’re working on?”

“Yeah of course” you say while making your way back to the couch, Jake plopping down next to you.

“Damn that’s fucking awesome” he remarks, looking at the image on your screen. It’s the one of him playing the guitar behind his head, and winking right at you.

“I know! Thanks for being such a good model” you tell him with a small laugh.

“The guys and management are really impressed with your work. We’ve already been talking about having you come on the European leg of the tour with us.”

“Are you for real?!” you ask in awe, giddy with excitement. You absolutely loved this job and the people, and the thought that you could travel the world to do it was a dream come true.

“Yeah, don’t tell anyone though, I don’t want to get my ass beat for it.”

“Oh my god Jake I could literally kiss you!” you exclaimed, before you had even realized what you said.

You tried your best to play it off before your thoughts were interrupted by Jake’s voice.

“I wish you would”

“Huh” you stop for a second before turning to face him.

“Listen y/n, I think you’re really cool, and you also happen to be really hot. Sorry, maybe I was interpreting things wrong. I just thought if you felt the same it might be fun. It doesn’t have to be anything serious, I just get lonely on the road and -”

Before he could say another word, you took it upon yourself to answer his question, leaning in to capture his lips in a soft kiss. You pull back and look him in the eyes, closing your laptop and setting it on the counter.

“God I’m glad you finally said something, I think everyone was starting to sense the sexual tension” you grin at him.

“Well all I could think about on stage was fucking your brains out, so sorry if I’m not too great at hiding it” he says before grabbing the back of your neck and pulling you in for another kiss, to which you open your mouth to let his tongue slip in.

You move yourself so that you’re straddling his lap, your lips moving perfectly in rhythm as Arctic Monkeys played softly in the background.

“Wow it seems like you were almost expecting this to happen” he teases you.

“Shut up and fuck me Kiszka” you say before he flips you so you’re now beneath him.  

His fingers find their way under your shirt, reaching up to cup your breast. He pinched your nipple before quickly tugging at the hem of your sweatshirt.

“Can this come off?” he breathed into your mouth.

“Yes please” you said before he pulled it off you, exposing your bare chest to him. You felt very self conscious, it had been a little while since you had gotten naked with anyone.

“Hey don’t be shy, you’re gorgeous” he said before connecting your lips once more before he stood up to remove his shirt and shorts, leaving him in a pair of boxer briefs. You tried your best to not look at his growing bulge, but it was hard to resist.

Suddenly he was kneeling on the ground, body in between your spread legs.

“Jake you really don’t have to” “Oh trust me, I want to, '' he says before running his fingers up and down over your clothed core, moving his fingers to the waistband of your shorts, pulling your panties down with them.

“God you’re so fucking sexy” he mutters before expertly pressing the pad of his thumb onto your clit, his other hand pushing on your thigh to keep your legs spread.

“Fuck, Jake, I need more” you groan, your arousal now dripping between your folds.

“Don’t worry baby girl, I’ve got you”

Those words alone probably could have made you cum, but then Jake entered a finger into you, causing your hands to tangle in his long hair, slightly pulling.

“Goddamn babe you’re tight” he said, looking at you in awe before adding another finger and leaning down to toy your clit with the tip of his tongue. His fingers were pumping in and out of you at a steady rhythm, and every so often he’d curl them to perfectly hit your g-spot.

“Jake you need to stop or else I’m gonna cum” you say as you pull his head back, looking him in the eyes.

“That’s okay” he reassures you.

“No, when I cum I want it to be around you” you say.

“Fucking hell y/n” he groans out in a raspy voice.

You get up and kiss him before pushing him down on the couch, his erection straining against the fabric of his boxers. You tug at the waistband, and he lifts his hips up to assist you. You took a moment to admire his length before wrapping your hand around it. He was a couple inches above average, with a nice girth to him. His head tipped back in bliss as you continued to give him a few more strokes before positioning yourself above him, running his tip back and forth across your slit. Slowly, you sank yourself down onto him, taking as much of him in as you could.

“Fuck fuck fuck Jake, you’re really fucking big” you breath out, only able to fit about half of him in you at this angle.

“Just do what you can baby” he says before softly pressing a kiss on your forehead, telling you that it was okay.

You started moving yourself up and down on him as best you could, starting to adjust more to his size. The stretch burned but slowly started turning more pleasurable.

After a few minutes your legs were starting to hurt and his length slipped out of you.

“Will you fuck me from behind?” you blurt out, sweat running between the valley of your breasts.

“I’d be honored” Jake responds, offering a smile before getting up.

He moves you so that your hands are on the back of the couch, holding you steady and your knees rest on the edge of the sofa, sticking your ass out towards Jake. You can hear him move behind you, hands finding their way to your ass, before you feel him run his tip up and down your slit once again.

“Ready?” he asks.

You nod in response and instantly feel him push his way into you, letting you adjust for a second before pushing the rest of his length in you.

“Oh my fucking god Jake” you say as you bury your head in the couch cushions, his dick hitting a spot in you that you didn’t even know was there.

“Oh god you’re doing so good baby girl, taking all of my cock.” he says as he begins to pump in and out of you, starting off slow but gradually picking up the pace.

It feels amazing, better than you had imagined. You wanted him to stay in you forever, make you see stars all the time. Within a minute you were contracting around him, nearing your edge.

“Jake I’m almost there, please faster”

“Me too baby, me too” he says as he starts thrusting even faster than before, wrapping his arm around you to toy with your clit.

All it takes is a few more pumps and you can feel him explode inside you, groaning your name loudly and leaning over your back, but still circling your clit with his fingers. It’s enough to bring you to your peak, walls contracting around him, burying your head in your arms. Once you’ve both come down you stay in that position for a minute, before he pulls out of you and collapses on the couch, pulling you into his chest.

“That was way better than I imagined” he breathes out, hand stroking your hair.

“Oh so you’ve thought about this before? That's embarrassing” you say in a sarcastic tone.

“Hey I’m sure you aren’t so innocent yourself” he says smiling down at you.

“We should probably get dressed, I’m sure your brothers and the other goons will be stumbling in anytime now.” you tell him as you get up and search for your clothes.

“You’re probably right. Hey, let's do this again sometime” he says, cheeks going red.

“Hmm...I’ll see if I can fit you into my schedule” you respond, giving him a quick wink.

These next few months surely were going to be an adventure, and you didn’t want to miss a second.

[absolutepokemontrash]

MC is Half Demon and They Look Awfully Familiar

(Underground Tomb edition!)

Hello friends and degenerate sinners, this is basically a mini headcanon set for Luci’s kid!MC about how the incident with Luke and the Grimoire would go down in this AU to tide you all over until Part 3 comes out! Enjoy!

It was a normal night in the good ol’ HOL... Lucifer was doing paperwork at an ungodly hour of the night, Beel was in the kitchen, and Mammon was screaming and running for dear life. Ah... sweet normalcy.

The custard incident remained the same, MC got force-fed custard and Beel threw a truly fantastic hunger tantrum that culminated in the wall connecting to MC’s room collapsing.

Cue lecture from Luci-father.

“I am very disappointed in you three.” Lucifer rubbed his temples as MC, Beel, and Mammon awkwardly stood in his room. Mammon of course, was trying to avoid the death glares MC was giving him. Poor bastard.

“Especially you two, MC and Beel.”

“Whuh?!” Mammon sputtered. “What about me?!”

“I expect this from you. These two on the other hand,” Lucifer raised an eyebrow at MC who was awkwardly trying to suppress a laugh at Mammon’s aghast expression. “Should know not to act like this.”

“We’re *snrk* sorry, father,” MC paused to try and muscle through a giggle. “It won’t happen again.”

“He ate my custard...” Beel pouted.

“So, MC won’t be able to use their room anymore due to the wall... collapsing.” Lucifer gave Beel a pointed glare.

Mammon smirked, and if he were sitting on a couch, we would have leaned back and kicked his feet up. “Well, obviously since I’m a kind and generous soul I’ll open up my room for poor MC to stay in. My babysittin’ rates are quite high though-”

“BABYSITTING?!” MC snarled, giving Mammon a death glare that could probably kill lesser demons.

Lucifer felt a twinge of pride upon seeing his child give someone his signature bone-chilling glare, if he weren’t supposed to be disappointed he would have given MC a pat on the head and let them hang Mammon from the ceiling.

“Uh- heh- MC, I’m your favourite uncle! Me babysittin’ ya should be an honour!” Mammon was sweating bullets and desperately looking to Beel for help.

“Levi is rapidly approaching favourite uncle status.” MC crossed their arms and huffed.

“Levi?! Wait- does that mean I was your favourite-”

Lucifer was almost tempted to stick MC in Mammon’s room just to have MC punish Mammon so he could get some sleep, tragically, his common sense won out. “MC will be staying with Beel. He has an extra bed in his room after all.”

MC looked over at Beel and smiled. “Could be worse, right? I’ll replace the custard.”

Beel’s smile upon hearing the last part could have lit up the entire Devildom. What a sweetie.

MC still chilled in Beel’s room. They finally got to ask more questions about Belphie, and Beel is more inclined to share what’s up because MC is his big bro’s kid after all!

Because of MC’s half demon-ness, they hadn’t met Belphie at that point in the story unlike in canon. They were just curious about their missing uncle. They ALSO already knew what Belphie looks like because Lucifer gave them an in depth tour of everything and he pointed out all the portraits.

MC, being the sadistic sweetheart they are, went out and bought themselves and Beel replacement custard. MC made sure to eat it right in front of Mammon.

But my oh my, who was texting them? *gasp!* Luke!

MC obviously let their little angel buddy into the house (Luke did not know about MC’s parental situation at that point, keep that in mind). Luke was fun to tease a little after all! And it was nice to have another kid around, but MC would never admit it.

Since MC had literally no reason to be afraid of their dear old dad, they went right up to him and asked him if Luke could stay over. No fear.

“Father?” MC leaned on the doorway to the backyard, Lucifer was playing fetch with Cerberus. MC had never seen someone play fetch so robotically.

“Yes, MC?” Cerberus’ middle head dropped a slobber covered squeaky toy into Lucifer’s gloved hand, the other two heads snapped at the middle one.

“Can I have a friend over?” MC asked, trotting over to give Cerberus some pets. On the first day the dog had tried to eat them, but after giving him some much tastier bacon treats, Cerberus was sweet as pie. Murderous and dangerous pie, that is.

“Do I know this friend?”

“Yes, it’s Luke. Can he stay over?”

Lucifer wrinkled his nose and rolled his eyes. “Cerberus is right here, you have access to a dog. Why on earth would you bring the chihuahua over?”

MC snorted and gave Cerberus’ right head some scratches behind the ears. “He’s not a chihuahua all the time, come on, it’s for the good of the exchange program!”

The two had a stare down for a little while, and to his absolute horror, Lucifer felt his resolve cracking. This child of his was too adorable for their own good. “Fine, MC.”

“Yes!” MC fist pumped as Cerberus’ middle and left heads tried to join in on the ear scritches.

“But note,” Lucifer continued. “I expect a full report to give to Lord Diavolo on this whole experience.”

MC frowned and debated sticking their tongue out at their father, they decided against it. “A paper? On a sleepover? Really?”

“Yes. Really.” Lucifer gave MC a flick on the nose. “Like you said, it has to do with the exchange program. Now go make sure the chihuahua doesn’t die and leave you with a mess to clean up.”

The look of complete terror Luke gave MC when they told him that Lucifer said he could stay over was completely worth the paper they were going to have to write.

“What?! You weren’t supposed to tell him I’m here!”

“He said you could stay.”

“Why?! Oh no... did he demand your soul as payment or something?! MC! You shouldn’t have put yourself in that nasty demon’s debt! Don’t worry, I’ll get your soul back somehow.”

MC should have been offended... but they weren’t. I mean, could you stay mad at Luke when he just offered to fight arguably the second most powerful demon in the Devildom to get your soul back?

Now that Luke’s presence in the house was known to everyone, the challenge was no longer keeping Luke hidden, it was making sure Luke didn’t say anything that would get him killed and making sure none of the demon bros made Luke cry.

Mammon was the main culprit of the teasing because Lucifer actually had better things to do. And he had a (totally not a) date with Diavolo so he’d be back late and wouldn’t be home to tease the chihuahua.

Mammon’s status as favourite uncle was hanging by a thread by the end of the first day.

Asmo thought Luke was positively adorable and also very annoying. He offered to paint MC and Luke’s nails. Luke declined, but MC was all for it. (Their cuticles were a MESS by the way, they needed the manicure.)

Luke’s nails were painted gold to match the gold on his outfit! Asmo was quite proud of his work, and was very offended when he was not allowed to try and braid Luke’s hair.

“It looks so soft!”

“You’re not allowed to touch my hair, demon!”

Satan still disliked MC on the basis that they were just a mini-Lucifer and hung out in his room or the library to avoid them and Luke.

It was incredibly annoying when Luke and MC burst into the library to look for cookbooks and treat recipes after Luke told MC about his baking endeavours. Satan debated ordering a pair of ear plugs on Akuzon...

Or perhaps a laser gun...

Both would make him stop hearing the children’s grating voices.

“You two, be quiet.”

“We haven’t spoken since we got in here...”

“You’re breathing too loud.”

Beel remained the only brother who was actually decent to Luke, they all played Go Fish in Beel’s room.

Levi was in his room playing his new video game just like in canon, but he could hear Luke and MC running around outside his room.

He was fully prepared to do that introvert thing where you stay in your room until you hear someone say goodbye to the guest.

Levi’s eyes were glued to his computer screen, just eight more skeleton monsters to kill and he’d get the achievement! His attention crumbled the moment he heard the dreaded sound of...

Guests...

“Hey MC! Whose room is this?”

The sound of a door opening and closing down the hall caused Levi to jump in his seat. Oh no... his worst fears were realized! There was another person in the house!

“That’s Asmodeus’ room. Luke you shouldn’t go around opening everyone’s doors-”

The sound of another door opening and shutting made Levi pause his game and look at Henry 2.0 for help. Maybe if he jumped into the tank and wrapped himself in his tail he’d camouflage into his surroundings...

BAM!

AAAAA! Not enough time! The guest was drawing nearer... he was going to have to... *barf*... SOCIALIZE!

“How about this room?”

Levi braced himself for the incoming social contact... Fs in the chat everyone...

“We shouldn’t bother Levi, let’s do something else.”

HAJEKDJSJSJSJD- BEEL! BEEL JUST SAVED LEVI’S LIFE!

The poor third born slumped back in his seat, the awfulness of socialization avoided. He uh... hadn’t actually left his room in maybe three days... maybe he should actually go outside... enjoy the nonexistent sunlight, y’know?

...nah. Levi went back to his game.

Since the kitchen was broken, Beel, MC, and Luke went out and get AkuDonald’s. They were all out of the toy that Luke and MC wanted so that trip was a disaster! A disaster I say!

Just the image of Beel happily chomping on his eighth burger while Luke and MC angrily pick at their fries makes me want to laugh.

Now the question you’re all waiting for, did Lucifer try and kill Luke and Beel and then MC for trying to take the Grimoire?

N O

“Whose room is behind that door?” Luke pointed to the door to the attic staircase.

MC shrugged and hit their knuckles against the door a few times. “It’s just the door to the attic. My uh- Lucifer said not to go up there because it’s just full of old junk.”

Normally MC would scoff at the idea of being told what not to do and do it out of spite, but MC was a child, and like most children, they hated scary attics. They hadn’t even attempted to open the door in the month they had lived in the house.

“Hm, maybe he’s hiding something...” Luke puffed out his cheeks and knocked on the door. When met with no answer, Luke turned the doorknob. The door creaked open, and the two peeked inside.

A tall spiral staircase greeted them as they tentatively stepped inside. Not so-good Lord, the room was freezing, but it didn’t seem to bother Luke as he walked further into the room.

“What do you think’s up there?” Luke asked, craning his neck to try and get a look at what could be at the top of the stairs.

MC shuddered and crossed their arms. “Like Lucifer said, junk. Nothing important.”

There was a tingling feeling at the base of MC’s neck, their hand flew to the spot only to find nothing, but the uneasiness didn’t cease. Something was very... very off. A shudder creeped up their spine as Luke stepped closer to the staircase.

“Come on,” Luke tutted, placing a hand on the railing. “Demons are known liars!”

Luke was quite difficult to be friends with sometimes, MC had to admit.

With every step Luke took up the stairs, the sense of dread brewing in MC’s gut grew, but they remained rooted to the spot, it was almost like something was physically stopping them from getting closer to those stairs.

Luke stopped on the sixth step and craned his neck to look up again. “Hello?” He called out.

His little voice echoed up the staircase, he was met with no reply for a moment, until a massive shudder wracked both his and MC’s spines.

“Hello.” A voice replied.

Quick as lightning MC dove forward, taking three steps up the stairs despite what felt like electric shocks stabbing into their skin, and yanked Luke back down the stairs and out the door, closing it behind them. MC heard a lazy, carefree chuckle reverberate through their head, and a message that only MC could hear.

“Leaving so soon, Lucifer?”

...

Spooky right?

Anyway- back to Luke and MC being idiots together.

They headed back to Beel’s room to watch some Devildom kid shows, I assume Tom and Jerry just played on repeat.

Luke explained the reason he ran away from Purgatory Hall, and MC legitimately debated whether or not they should throw Luke out of the nearest window for all the jabs he was taking at demons.

“Simeon was going to go out for tea with Diavolo! He even said that I could ask Barbatos to instruct me on the finer points of baking!”

“What’s so bad about that?”

“They’re demons, MC! Simeon and I are angels from the Celestial Realm! We shouldn’t be consorting with demons.”

Once again, bless Beel and his lack of murderous rage when it came to anything other than food.

“MC, Lucifer would be upset if you broke a window.”

“What’s he talking about?”

“Nothing Luke, nothing you need to worry about.”

Don’t worry, no angels were harmed during the visit.

On day two of the extended sleepover, Luke and MC decided to go running around the house again.

“And this is the basement.” MC put their hands on their hips and kissed their teeth as they looked around the Underground tomb. “Perfectly creepy.”

Luke shuddered. “Is this house nothing but one creepy room after another..?”

MC smiled and stuck out their tongue. Their fear of the attic did not extend to the underground tomb. Not that they were actually afraid of the attic or anything...

“Why? You scared some big monster is gonna getcha?” MC teased.

“No!” Luke gasped. “I’m not scared!”

MC began to walk backwards into the darker depths of the tomb, their teasing tone echoing off of the walls. “Then come on! Don’t be chicken!”

Luke looked back and forth from the door out of there, to the rapidly disappearing figure of MC, he rushed after MC.

“I’m not scared of some dark basement.” Luke huffed.

“Why not~?” MC snickered. “There could be ghosts down here... tortured souls of those who were damned to Hell for all eternity~!”

MC swiped Luke’s hat and placed it on their head, Luke jumped at the sudden contact and began to try and get the hat back from MC.

“Stop trying to scare me!” Luke yapped, MC laughed and began to jog deeper into the tomb.

“Maybe there’s a monster that eats chihuahuas down here too! Who knows!” MC twirled the hat with their fingers and ran a little faster when Luke ran after them.

“I AM NOT A CHIHUAHUA!”

Sure, maybe it wasn’t the best course of action to tease and scare one’s friend instead of telling them what they said earlier was mean, but MC wasn’t the best at decision making.

When MC reached a dead end, they stopped and looked around, Luke crashed right into them. He managed to swipe his hat back from a now disinterested MC.

MC’s gaze landed on a book being held up by a statue, they padded over and looked up at it.

“Luke, do you know what that is?” MC asked, turning to look at their now very miffed friend.

“The... book? I don’t know.”

Truthfully, MC didn’t know either. During their first tour of the house, Mammon had interrupted the Underground tomb segment and Lucifer had to cut the tour short.

“It’s uh...” MC pursed their lips and tried to think of a convincing lie. “A spell book. Lucifer told me that it makes your magic really really strong, so he stuck it down here to hide it from Solomon.”

“Did I now?”

MC and Luke screamed and whirled around, there stood Lucifer himself, not looking terribly pleased with the two of them.

“MC, care to explain why you and the angel are so close to the Grimoire?” Lucifer’s words were icily calm, and MC knew that meant if they didn’t come up with a good explanation they’d be in big trouble.

“W-we were just playing down here...” MC trailed off, looking to Luke for some kind of backup before realizing what a stupid idea that was.

“Y-yeah! We were just-”

Lucifer stuck his thumb over his shoulder and glowered at the two. “Out.”

“Yes sir.” Luke and MC mumbled as they stepped away from the Grimoire, Lucifer relaxed slightly as the two walked past him and down the hall.

When the two got back up to Beel’s room, Luke suddenly gasped and turned to MC.

“You said it was a spell book!”

After that, MC got the feeling that Luke was no longer welcome in the house. What was the big deal about almost touching the Grimoire anyway? It could only override pacts and control demons-

Oh.

Balls.

Simeon got called to pick up Luke and before the two of them left MC assured Luke that he could come over and hang out anytime as long as he texted first.

Beel said Luke could come over and bake when the kitchen was fixed, poor Beel would have to do without Luke’s baked goods for a little while longer.

MC rested their chin on the coffee table they were kneeling in front of, stewing in annoyance. Their unfinished homework was practically mocking them, but the Demonology textbook was not what had them in their funk.

“MC, do your homework.” Lucifer said from the living room couch, he was comparing his phone to notes in a binder that was placed on his lap.

A grunt from MC caused him to raise an eyebrow. Their grasp on demonic language had improved, but Lucifer did not approve of them using their new skill to sass him.

“MC.” Lucifer chided, MC turned to look at him with a deadpan expression. “If there’s something wrong, either tell me, or do your work without complaining.”

MC turned back to their homework and tapped their pencil against the textbook, before puffing out their cheek and turning back to Lucifer.

“What’s in the attic?”

For the briefest of moments, Lucifer froze, he forcibly relaxed and went back to his work.

“Junk.” Lucifer replied. “Did you try and go up there?”

MC shook their head. “No, I went into the staircase room, but not up the stairs.”

Lucifer’s eyes flashed, he then took a deep breath and looked at MC. “Good, there’s nothing of interest up there anyway. If you did go up there you might break something or hurt yourself.”

“Okay.” MC sighed, trying to push the voice from the attic out of their mind. “What about the Grimoire? Why is it down in the tomb?”

Lucifer could feel his patience growing thinner and thinner with every question. “So it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”

“Why not just destroy it?” MC asked, their question wasn’t meant to be taken as an insult or be malicious, it was just legitimate curiosity. “Wouldn’t that be safer?”

The first born hesitated before he answered. He looked over MC, before shaking his head. “...I’ll tell you when you’re older.”

MC’s eyes narrowed, but they went back to their work all the same. It would be about ten minutes of quiet before MC spoke up again.

“When Belphegor gets back from the human world, you’re going to have a lot of explaining to do, huh?”

Lucifer’s eyes snapped up to look at MC, who still had their back turned to him as they scribbled notes from the textbook. His grip on his DDD tightened as he replied.

“Why do you say that, MC?”

MC didn’t seem to register their father’s clipped tone, and shrugged. “Beel said that he isn’t answering his texts or calls, and when he sent up a letter Belphegor didn’t respond to that either.”

“The life of an exchange student is a busy one, as you can see.” Lucifer forcibly injected his last bit of remaining calmness into his words as he gestured at MC’s homework. MC laughed at that.

“Yeah well, I still make time to call my friends and ren back up in the human world.” MC giggled. “And I’m sure those text notifications about his older brother discovering that he has a child would make him pick up the phone.”

“Belphegor might have a much larger workload.” Lucifer retorted, trying to keep himself from snapping at MC.

“But still, you’d think he’d call his-”

“MC-” Lucifer snarled, MC whirled around, the fear and shock in their eyes caused anything Lucifer was going to say to die in his throat.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds, before Lucifer took another deep breath and turned back to his work.

“Not right now, MC,” Lucifer whispered. “I’m working.”

...

To be continued...

[kohanayaki]

.:Time and Time Again:. (Marauders Era x Reader) Ch 5

Harry confronts you with a familiar piece of suspiciously folded parchment, and you tell him the story of how you helped create it (mostly told through flashbacks taking place in the Marauders era).

LINKS:   CH 1   CH 2    CH 3   CH 4   CH 5   CH 6   CH 7   CH 8

___________________________________________________________

Ch 5 .:Narrow Spaces and New Alliances:. 

Your eyes drifted open slowly, the bright streams of sunlight coming in through your window strangely unbecoming of 12 Grimmauld Place. It took you a moment to get your bearings as you rubbed the sleep out of your eyes and remembered where you were. As you sat there, looking around Sirius' guest bedroom, last night's events all seemed to flood back to you at once. You groaned into the comforter, feeling your face burn as you recalled blatantly staring at his lips just minutes after crying into his shirt for at least half an hour.

Come on, get it together, you thought to yourself, you're here because Dumbledore summoned you, stay on task.

However, as soon as that memory left your head another replaced it, this one weighing heavier on your chest. You found yourself thinking back to your encounter with Severus. Well, as much as you could call it an 'encounter.' Even when you couldn't see him, you could feel him when you reached out to him with your mind. Severus was good at blocking legillemency— too good, in fact, because you would know the familiar force of his mental shield anywhere. You'd never felt it as powerful coming from anyone else. You almost laughed at the irony of it; the very thing he was trying to use to keep hidden was exactly what had given him away. That, and the smell of him, which took you back to the moment you'd first smelled that damn amortentia potion. . .

You tried to shake off the thought as you properly got out of bed and changed into some casual clothes. The next Order meeting wasn't until tomorrow afternoon, so you had the day mostly to yourself, but you knew the next time you were all in a room together you would have to address some things privately if you had any hope of working together efficiently. You gently padded down the wooden stairs, the door to Sirius' room still closed. He never was an early riser.

As you reached the kitchen you began to put a pot of coffee on when you heard someone approach the room, stalling in the kitchen entrance. You turned around to see Harry in the doorway.

“Morning,” you grinned, turning back to the counter and using your wand to bring some water to a boil, “Coffee? Tea?”

“Oh,” Harry said, a bit embarrassed you'd caught him in mid-thought, “no, I'm okay.”

“What's on your mind?” you asked.

“Um, I was wondering if you could tell me, I mean, if you have the time. . .” he trailed off, reaching for his back pocket, “well, the thing is, a few years ago I found—”

“Kreacher heard sounds coming from the kitchen and did not expect (Y/n)'s return,” Harry jumped at the house elf's sudden arrival, but you seemed unphased.  

“Though master's half mudblood godson remains here,” the elf muttered to himself, “How many more days must it be?”

“Hello, Kreacher,” you greeted him, “nothing nasty about Harry, now, alright? Don't forget he's my godson too.”

“Of course,” Kreacher said, thickly sarcastic but with respect for you in his tone nonetheless. His permanent frown seemed to deepen, however, when he saw you next to the coffee maker. “(Y/n) of house (L/n) should not have to be using the kitchen. Mistress Black would have wept to see a pureblood use muggle equipment. If (Y/n) requires refreshment Kreacher will have it ready.”

“There's no need for that,” you said, “Besides, it's done already, see? You can go on now.”

Kreacher squinted at the cup you poured for yourself. “Always peculiar,” he grumbled, stalking away at your request and muttering to himself all the while.

“He's oddly. . . nice to you,” Harry said, green eyes quizzical behind his round-framed glasses.

“He is,” you chuckled.

“But, well, you're—”

“A blood traitor?” you gave him an easy smile when you saw his expression, easing his fears that he'd actually offended you. “I know,” you said, “he's been through a lot, it's complicated. Trust me, he wasn't always like this to me. It takes time. And it doesn't hurt to be nice to him either.”

Harry decided against bringing up that the nicest person that he knew to the house elf was Hermione, who Kreacher regularly called a 'mudblood wench,' but decided to focus on the 'taking time' part of your statement, wondering  just how long this kind of progress took with the spiteful elf. Besides, you seemed to have some sort of history with him.

“Anyways, what was it you were saying?” you asked Harry.

“Oh, right,” he said, reaching back around him, “um, my friends Fred and George, you've met them?”

“Molly and Arthur's twins, of course,” you smiled, “little imps, they are. Those two could give your father and Sirius a run for their money.”

“Right!” Harry said, “well, that's sort of the point. They're the ones who gave me this.”

As you turned around to face him you stalled mid-stir, nearly dropping your mug as you did. Even as a piece of blank parchment you knew what it was, the distinctive accordion folds that met in the center giving it away.

“How in the world. . .” you trailed off as Harry handed it to you, “but Filch—”

“Didn't do a very good job of hiding it, apparently,” Harry finished, “I thought you might want to do the honors?”

You nodded wordlessly, a pang of unexpected emotion hitting you as you pressed your wand to the map's center.

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

The faded, brown ink showed itself as its protection charm was washed away, revealing the nostalgia-inducing inscription scrawled in your respective handwritings:

Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, and Fangs are proud to present: The Marauders Map

“Do Remus and Sirius know you have this?” you asked Harry, who nodded.

“Professor Lupin gave it back to me third year before he left Hogwarts,” he said, “but he never told me anything about it after that.” he seemed deep in thought for a moment before looking up at you. “If everyone else is who I think it is, you're Fangs, right?”

It was your turn to nod now.

“I always wondered, how did you do it?” Harry said, hardly containing his curiosity, and you couldn't help but think how much he looked like James in that moment. “How does it work? What sort of magic did you use? All the secret passageways, how did you find them?”

“Alright, slow down,” you laughed lightly, giving in, “I suppose there's no harm in telling you.”

Harry brightened at that, bounding into the living room and taking a seat on the couch as if to say 'we've got all day,' which you did. It warmed your heart to see him so excited, this was one of the only ways he could get to know his parents— through the stories that remained from the people who loved them. If you could help the picture of his family in his mind become a bit clearer, you would tell him any story he wanted to know. He deserved that much after everything he'd been through.

You took a seat opposite him, still nursing your cup of coffee.

“Well,” you said, “it's a long story, starting with how bad those lot were at keeping secrets. . .”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   1974   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Run!” James half shouted half laughed as Filch hobbled after the four of them. Sirius nearly bit his tongue trying to keep in his laughter as the Caretaker slung insults and promises of punishment their way, cat ears and a tail freshly sprouted from his body.

“I can't believe we actually did that,” Sirius cackled, keeping easy pace with James.

“I can't believe you dragged me into this,” Remus panted, his current body not lending itself well to physical activity. For once he actually wished he was a werewolf right about now.

“I don't know if I can keep up,” Peter wheezed, falling behind.

“Oh come on,” James said, grabbing his sleeve and helping him run, “we can out run a gummy-legged old prat like him.”

“I don't know, he's faster than he looks,” Remus pointed out as Filch rounded the corner behind them.

“Damn,” James cursed under his breath, “we'll lose him if we can make it to the one-eyed-witch passageway.”

“We'll never activate it in time,” Remus countered.

“The hallway behind the third floor tapestry?” Peter suggested.

“No, Filch knows about that one now,” Sirius said.

“Why the hell didn't you bring your cloak?” Remus huffed.

“Well getting caught wasn't supposed to be part of the plan, but someone had to let out a laugh before we could get out!”

“Just save your air and sprint!” Sirius hissed.

The extended run time was starting to catch up to all of them now, and when they'd made a wrong turn to a blocked off corridor they thought they were done for.

“Hey, morons, over here!”

Four heads snapped towards the sound of your whisper, but you were nowhere to be found. Suddenly, one of the light pillars began to shift, revealing a large crack in the wall just big enough for them to fit sideways.

No questions were asked with no time to waste, and the four boys clamored after one another so they could fit inside. Your magic moved the pillar back in place just in time, and you watched from your hiding spot as Filch reached the walled-off passage in surprise, grumbling as he looked around for the culprits behind you. You had to stifle a snicker as his cat ears lowered; was that growling coming from the back of this throat or did you imagine that? Eventually he stumbled off in frustration and you sighed.

“Alright, the coast is clear,” you said.

“Why did you help us?” James rose a brow, that signature shit-eating grin back on his face like it never left, “you haven't fallen in love with me since our truce, have you?”

“Dream on, Potter,” you rolled your eyes, pushing him out of the crevice and smirking as he tumbled to the floor.

“It seems like I'm always saving you nowadays,” you said, stepping out of the wall yourself with the rest of the boys following.

Remus was thoroughly confused, looking pointedly between you and Sirius. He knew you and James were pretty much friends now, but he also noticed that the hostile air that always seemed to be present with you and the elder Black had diminished. He'd even seen you two talking in the halls lately. Sirius gave him a look; he would explain what happened in the forest with Lucius to Remus later. Mostly he didn't want to admit that Remus was right about you not being so bad if he gave you a chance; you had actually been getting on pretty well since that night.

“You do realize it's no fun winning the house cup when you four practically make Gryffindor ineligible every year with all the shit you get up to, right?” you chuckled, “some competition would be nice for a change.”

“We'll see if you're singing the same tune when Quidditch season rolls around,” James said smugly.

“You're right,” you said, squaring up against him, “guess that's a new competition we've got going for us.”

It had recently been announced that you and James had both been selected to play Seeker for your respective houses next year. It was an arrangement that had the whole school talking, your rivalry turned (mostly) friendship now infamous, even if it was a recent occurrence.

“Hold on, how did you know that was there?” Peter asked you, pointing to the moving column, “even we didn't know about it.”

“Oh?” you crossed your arms, “and are you four supposedly some kind of all-knowing secret masters? Because clearly there's things you don't know about yet.”

Sirius slapped a hand over Peter's mouth before he could retaliate and give away what they've been working on.

“Yes, well, apparently,” he said, ignoring Peter's muffled protests.

You looked at them curiously, all four boys looking suspiciously nervous.

The next day at breakfast, James had brought up the idea of 'hiring' you to help them finish the map.

“I'm telling you, I think we can really make progress with their help,” he pitched, “they clearly know what they're talking about, and we know they can pull a hell of a prank from all the times they've gotten me.”

“How do we know they won't tell anyone?” Peter countered, “I don't know what's up with you, but you're trusting them too fast, James.”

“They're not the type that would tell,” Remus admitted.

“Oh, not you too!” Peter whined.

“I'm just saying, they'll likely appreciate what we've gathered so far and have a fair bit to add,” Lupin insisted, “it could be worth a try if you really want to finish it before we graduate—”

“Finish what?”

The four boys jolted upright, turning to see you and Lily.

“Are you guys okay?” Lily asked, concern written across her features.

“Of course!”

“Never better!”

“Why wouldn't we be?”

Remus just groaned at his friends' panicked answers. This was hopeless.

You and Lily shared a knowing look off the the side.

“Alright, whatever you say. . .”

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

Harry laughed heartily,

“Wow, I mean, I know you said they were bad, but that bad?”

“For being expert pranksters who hardly ever managed to get caught, they were remarkably terrible at hiding things,” you said, chuckling along with him, “It didn't take us long to figure out they were up to something, although they seemed to think they were brilliant at covering it up, Remus had to burst their bubble eventually.”

Harry shook his head, smiling fondly and imagining all the scenes in his head as you continued your tale.

“So that was when they were first starting to put the map together,” you continued, “but that wasn't even the biggest secret they were hiding. Of course, I wouldn't find out about that for another year, but we'll get to that part of the story later. . .”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   1975   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This tastes awful,” Sirius complained, trying to ignore the plant prodding the under-side of his tongue.

“Well if you were expecting treacle toffee I'm sorry to disappoint,” James rolled his eyes, equally nauseated by the bitter tinge of the Mandrake leaf in his mouth.

“There's no way someone can do this for an entire month,” Peter said, “How do you brush your teeth? What if you accidentally swallow it when you're eating?”

“You three have fun with that,” Remus chuckled, flipping through an old library book and his mouth gratefully leafless.

“How about some gratitude, Moony?” James said, “We're doing this for you.”

“Please, you just want to see if you can turn into a dragon or something,” Lupin chortled, “and you don't actually have to go through with all this. Who knows if this animagus stuff will actually work.”

“Well, a dragon would suit me,” James mused, “but of course we're going to see this through, mate. You know we'd do anything for you.”

Remus smiled to himself, not responding and not needing to. He knew.

“Hey guys,” you grinned, walking up to the Gryffindor table.

Peter gulped suddenly in surprise as you came up behind him, and his eyes widened in horror.

“Shit!” he coughed out, “I-I swallowed it!”

“Your. . . food?” you questioned, glancing over at the boys who all had that same, vaguely panicked look about them.

“Okay, it was funny at first, but you guys have been acting weird since last year and now it's worrying,” you admitted.

The four looked between themselves and came to a sort of silent conclusion. Maybe in this scenario it was better to tell one secret to keep the other. And so, later that night, they told you to meet them after lights out so they could tell you what was really going on. You snuck out of your dorm room and made your way through the secret tunnel to the Gryffindor common room, a route you'd taken plenty of times to mess with James.

You pushed a loose panel of wood open, coming into the warmly lit space through one of the cabinets. You pushed an armchair that was half blocking your path out of the way as you crawled through the space.

“Blimey!” Sirius jumped, “give us a heads up, would you?”

“Sush,” Remus scolded him, “you really don't understand the concept of an inside voice, do you?”

“Alright, well I'm here,” you said, brushing off your robes, “now what's this big secret? This better not be a trick because I've been working on a new hex.”

“Nothing like that,” James assured you, “we've been working on something we think you might be interested in, if you're willing to contribute.”

He stepped to the side so you could see the floor where they'd been huddled around and your eyes widened.

“Merlin,” you said. The red and gold carpet was covered in at least forty different pieces of parchment. Pages upon pages overlapped with each other, each messily detailing a different part and level of the castle in scribbles of smudged ink. “This is. . .”

“The entirety of the Hogwarts castle and surrounding land,” Sirius said proudly, “complete with secret passageways.”

“This is our lives' work, (Y/n),” James said, “be impressed!”

“What impresses me most is how none of you have any sense of scale,” you said, sifting through the papers, “you should really condense this. Kind of hard to make any use of a map if you have to flip to page thirty-three to find the kitchens.”

“Point taken,” Remus said, “it could do with some reorganization.”

“And probably a bigger piece of paper,” you mentioned.

“Right, that. . .”

“That's not all there is to it, though,” Peter said, “Sirius?”

The curly haired boy stepped forward, pressing his wand to the center of the floor.

“Revelare Popularis,”

You watched in wonder as hundreds of names suddenly appeared across the pieces of paper, all students and faculty you recognized. They were scrawled in Sirius' handwriting, as if he'd written them himself.

“This spell shows where everyone in any location on this map is at this very moment,” he said, “It's not exact, and we've been working on variations.”

“So you can plan ahead without getting caught,” you mused, “how'd you learn something as advanced as this, Black?”

“I get around,” Sirius shrugged, unabashedly showing off. Peter rolled his eyes.

“So, the only drawback, of course, is that the spell doesn't work in real time,” Remus said, “so by the time you get where you need to go. . .”

“People will have moved,” James finished, “we're willing to share this little trove of knowledge with you if you're willing to give up all the secret rooms, passages, and hiding places you know.”

“And we thought you may have a solution to our timing problem,” Remus said, “I could tell from our study sessions you quite enjoy learning ahead of your year.”

Your eyes scanned the pages, and you were admittedly impressed. There was ton of stuff on here you had no idea about, but you knew a fair amount was missing as well. It seemed like a fair trade.

“I'm in,” you said.

“What?” Peter blinked, “it was that easy?”

“This is a useful tool you've got,” you said, “I think we can all benefit from it being improved. And now that you mention it, I actually do think I've read about a similar spell to that paper charm. It was in some Gaelic tome in the restricted section on ancient magic. I'm not even sure it used a wand. It was called the Homunculus charm. From what I read it sounded like it acted as a live feed for people in any given location, clan leaders used it to plan ambushes and keep track of citizens. If we could link it to the entire castle. . .”

“We'd be able to see where everyone is—”

“And what they're doing—”

“—At every hour of every day!”

“True, albeit a bit stalkerish,” you quipped, “you let me in on this if I add in what I know, and you got yourself a deal.”

James put out his hand, and as tempted as you were to turn it green or make all the bones in it disappear, you reached out and shook it.

“I do believe this puts us in a formal alliance, Potter,” you said cheekily.

“I believe so,” James smirked.

“Terrifying,” Remus chuckled, “This school won't even know what hit it.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” James said with a cheshire grin, “let's steal ourselves a book, shall we?”

Read chapter 6 here!

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