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#(why is there a christmas tree stand behind me? your guess is as good as mine)
umilily · 5 days
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the overalls are done!!
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heartfullofleeches · 9 months
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Yan Husband + G.N Monster Reader
A Slightly Fluffy/Slightly Suggestive Holiday Blurb
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What do you get someone who has everything?
"You're asking me what I want for Christmas? Why would I want anything else when I already have everything I need? A nice house, a loving spouse. I'd say I'm set for life- so why don't you tell me what you'd like this year, Sweetheart."
He's so difficult sometimes- Your dear husband had always made sure the holiday season was special for you. Even as a college student with little to his name, he wanted you to experience the same magic he witnessed as a child when his parents were forced to play the part of attentive caretakers. Presents, festive activities, decorating the house. As you've never had the pleasure of these traditions due to your origins your husband made it his duty to give you everything and more- well, except for one thing.
You wanted to be the one to go all out for him for once. To see the joy and happiness in his eyes when he unwraps the perfect present that you picked out yourself. You've tried asking him. You've tried watching him to learn more about the little things he enjoys, but it's all you. All he wants for Christmas is your life. He enjoys cooking and gardening because they're things that keep you happy and cared for.
His entire life revolved around you - and as such, the answer to your blight has been in your lap the entire time.
-
Your husband arrives home an hour early. You expected him to get off a little early due to the holiday, but what you hadn't guessed was that he'd bring guests. Springing up from your sprawled out position on the couch, you rush to the front door - grabbing and hastily tossing on a coat as the choir of voices and the jostling of keys grows closer. Securing the belt strap around your waist and a scarf around your neck, you wait for the click out of outside lock and a knock on the frame before sliding back the bolt on your side of the door. Your husband lights up like a christmas tree seeing you standing there - the soft flush of his pale cheeks accented by the warm flow of the lights strung around your shared home.
Evan steps through the door, excitement dripping from his every move as he throws his arms at your waist. "You're already dressed. I meant to call you, but I left my phone back at the office."
Glancing over his shoulder, you hug your coat tighter to your chest - cold winds nawing at the thick layers of your flesh. "Evan...Who are they?"
Evan looks back at his colleagues. He told them to stay in their cars, but what goes in on ear goes right out the other. Are they scaring you? "A few friends from work. There's a party at the office I completely forgot about today and they followed me since I've already had a couple glasses. I thought it might be a good way for you to get to know some of them.
You shift uncomfortably under their gaze. "Evan, can I talk to you privately."
"Of course." Evan shuts the front door behind him without even addressing his coworkers. Your safety was more important. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing... I was just wondering if we should stay home tonight... I have a gift I wanted to give you early."
The worry drains from his face. "Oh, hun- you didn't have to go through all that trouble for me. I've told you before that you're the greatest gift I could ever ask for. We can open it when we get home.
"Are you sure you don't want a peak now?"
His brows scrunch up in confusion. Cupping your hand against his ear, you untie your belt - letting the loose fitting coat fall freely. Even at your height the coat was a little big on you as it had been commissioned by your sweet husband as a present a few years back. The flush of his cheeks reaches all the way to his ears as you whisper.
"You've always say I'm the best gift you have ever received."
Hands tear the coat further from your shoulders. Evan looks from your face, to the ribbons wrapped around your thighs and torso, laced across your body with a finished bow sitting center on your chest. It was fitted tastefully enough to cover your assets, but with tiny imperfections between the layers of ribbon and its transparency if he tilted his head just right-
Evan presses his palm to his mouth to mask the shaky breath he exhales.
"Well?"
"Excuse me for one moment."
Evan covers you back up with a kiss to your shoulder. You press your ear to the front door as he steps back outside.
"I'm really sorry, guys. My spouse came down with something while I was out. They're extremely sick right now. You might not even hear from us till the new years. Enjoy the party!"
As cautious as he is, you've never seen your husband neglect to lock the upper locks on the front door as he did when he returned to your side. Evan sweeps you off your feet with little effort thanks to all the training he'd done for that express reason. Hooking your arms around him as he carries you to bed - you plant wet kisses to the already scarred areas of his neck and cheek.
"Do you like your present?"
Evan kisses your jaw. "None can compare...... but maybe you should ask again once I get this ribbon off.
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wooahaes · 10 months
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collaborative effort
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pairing: non-idol!95z x gn!reader
genre: fluff. domestic fic. established relationship. poly relationship.
word count: 1.1k~
warnings: food mentions.
daisy's notes: yes this references the october fic from this year where they all went on a hike together hehe
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“You know, you’re supposed to be helping us.” 
Seungcheol stood beside the Christmas tree the four of you had put up this year. Or, rather, the two of you did, because Seungcheol and Joshua were the only two working on the thing at this point. Jeonghan had yet again pulled you away from decorating the tree (he helped pick it out! And the two of you tracked down the worker so you could buy it! Technically the two of you did help since you also untangled the lights!), linking the two of you together as partners in crime yet again. It reminded you of that time the four of you rented a cabin in the mountains, actually: it always felt like Jeonghan latched onto you because he knew you’d go along with him without a second thought. Seungcheol and Joshua did, too, but Jeonghan liked how you’d ask questions later most of the time. 
“We are?” Jeonghan said from his spot on the couch, happily cuddled up with you clinging to his arm. The two of you were sharing a blanket, and he had been eating a candy cane that you suspected he was purposefully sharpening… just to keep the others on edge. “Someone has to stand back and watch it all come together.” He nodded toward you, “and they’re our second pair of eyes.”
Seungcheol rolled his eyes, picking up another ornament. “Why do I love you both…”
“Because we’re irresistible,” Jeonghan chuckled, snuggling into you further. “Besides… You and Shua got to rest while we—”
“—Untangled the lights for us,” Joshua finished. “We know.”
With a crunch, Jeonghan broke off the slightly-sharp part of his candy cane. “If you need us to help, we’ll help in a few minutes. I’m resting right now.”
Seungcheol looked over, his eyes finding yours. “And you?”
“I’m keeping him warm,” you giggled. “And observing. Cheollie, move that red one over a few branches. It’s too close to that gold one.” 
Immediately, you were met with the pouty grumbles of Seungcheol as he did as you told him. A moment later, he took a step back, taking in the sight of it.
“Well?” Jeonghan was smiling, already fully aware of what Seungcheol thought. “Were they right?”
Seungcheol said nothing, earning a soft laugh from Joshua as he glanced over to see the man’s pouty face. Sometimes it was too easy to mess with him.
“How about this,” Jeonghan spoke up again, “if you two finish the tree, we’ll decorate the rest of the house, and we all can do anything outside together.” 
Joshua looked over, watching the two of you for a moment. “I feel like you’re planning something.” 
“We’re not,” you hummed. “We’ll handle the rest of the inside stuff. I don’t mind.” 
With a sigh, Seungcheol set down the empty box of ornaments, making his way over. “Move over,” he mumbled. “I’m tired, too.”
Before he could flop down onto the two of you (something both he and Joshua have done before… and, to be fair, you and Jeonghan were equally guilty of), you dove away, giving Seungcheol enough space to rest between you and Jeonghan before you cuddled back in. You reached a hand up, brushing back a strand of his hair behind his ear as he met your eyes. 
“The tree looks really good so far,” you said, leaning over to press a quick kiss against his lips. “If you need me to help, I will—”
“It’s fine,” he said. “Just keep Jeonghan company. We’ll bring the other boxes down later.” 
Jeonghan settled in after pulling himself free from the blanket the two of you had been sharing, head resting on Seungcheol’s shoulder. “I guess we owe Shua for convincing us to get a real tree.”
As if on cue, Joshua threw himself onto the couch next to you. “Because it’s nicer.” He rested his head in your lap, and you already dropped a hand down to play with his hair. “We can use the plastic one again next year if you want.”
“You’re going to have to vacuum up pine needles,” Seungcheol flicked the top of Joshua’s head, “since it was your idea.”
“I can live with that,” Joshua let out a soft hum as he curled up closer to you. 
The four of you simply stayed there for a while, cozy and warm in one another’s company. Joshua rested a hand on your knee, thumb dragging across the fabric of your sweatpants as he gazed at a nearly-completed tree. Seungcheol’s head rested against Jeonghan’s, his hand in your free one, your other hand still lovingly stroking Joshua’s hair. You could see Jeonghan wrap his arms around Seungcheol’s, shutting his eyes for a moment happily as he let out a blissful sigh. Sometimes it took moments like these for you to appreciate just how much the four of you loved one another.
“We still need to put the tree topper up.” Seungcheol glanced between you and Jeonghan, gaze settling on the person without Joshua laying on their lap. “Jeonghan—”
“I’ll get it,” he sighed, pressing a kiss against his cheek.
“We could put Jeonghan on top of the tree,” you mumbled, shutting your eyes as you leaned against Seungcheol a little further. “Don’t people put angels on top of their trees sometimes?”
Sure enough, you heard Joshua mumble something that you weren’t entirely sure he wanted anyone to hear, earning him a soft smack against his shoulder. He immediately started cackling, earning a confused look from Seungcheol, and a knowing look from Jeonghan when he glanced over. 
“Shua!” You whined at him. “I’m not repeating it.”
“I’ll tell them later,” he said, squeezing your knee. “Jeonghan—”
He shook his head, already moving the stepladder over. Jeonghan carefully picked up the shiny star tree-topper the four of you had bought years ago (back when it was just Seungcheol and Jeonghan living together, with you and Joshua crashing constantly at their place). With slow steps, you watched as Jeonghan stepped up the ladder, carefully placing the topper in its proper place. He drew his hands back, waiting just for a moment to ensure that it was secure before he descended, stepping back to admire the finished tree.
“There…” Jeonghan turned back to the three of you. “I think we’ve earned some hot chocolate. Cheol, you’re buying, right?”
Under the sound of Seungcheol complaining and Joshua’s soft laugh (because of course Jeonghan would rope Seungcheol into paying), you giggled, smiling to yourself as you moved to untangle yourself from your partners. Yet you found yourself stuck in place, admiring how pretty everything looked when it finally came together. Joshua stood up after you, leaning against you as he, too, admired the finished tree. Soon enough, Seungcheol and Jeonghan had come back together, the four of you standing in this sweet moment you felt would last an eternity.
“You know… I think we did a pretty good job,” Joshua mused aloud. 
“We did,” you nodded, a hand curling around his bicep. With a smile, you looked at your partners. “Let’s go get that hot chocolate.”
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taglist: @twancingyunhao @wonuziex @synthetickitsune @staranghae @porridgesblog @weird-bookworm @bangchansbae @laylasbunbunny
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canirove · 8 months
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My neighbour Rúben | Chapter 8
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This year everyone had outdone themselves with the Christmas market, making it look like something from those cheesy movies, and Julia was loving it. 
She had already bought an ugly jumper to wear on Christmas day, a few ornaments for our tree, and now we were looking for one especially for me.
"You are living with us now, which means that you deserve to have your own ornament to put on the tree" Lucy said. "It must be something that represents you."
"What was yours?" Rúben asked her. He was looking so cosy and handsome with his nice coat, his hat and his scarf... It was impossible not to stare.
"A shark."
"A shark?" I chuckled.
"That's what one of my teachers told me when I finished my career, that I was a shark. So I took it as my animal” she shrugged. “What's yours?"
"A cat" Rúben and I said at the same time. 
"Oh, twins!" Julia giggled. 
"Twins indeed" her mum said. "Though Rúben, I think you are more of a tiger. Because of your size, I mean."
"It's not the first time someone tells me that" he grinned before both he and Lucy turned to look at me.
"Let's see if we can find twin cats for you!" Julia said, grabbing me with one hand and Rúben with the other. Now she was the one being my guardian angel.
But after checking most stands and not finding anything, she finally gave up. 
"Mami, can we go ice skating? I'm bored."
"Sure. But I'm afraid that’s something Rúben isn't allowed to do, right?"
"I'm afraid not. But don't worry, Julia. We'll keep searching for those cats while you and your mum have fun" he smiled.
"Oh, perfect. We'll meet later where they have all the stands with food so we can have that hot chocolate. See you, guys" Lucy said before disappearing with Julia.
"Should we continue?" Rúben asked. 
"Ok" I smiled. Or tried to. I was alone with Rúben. At a Christmas market. Looking for ornaments for my tree. Why did this look like a date the two main characters of a romantic movie would have? 
"You know, if we can't find a cat, maybe we can find a piano" he said. "I know it is something kind of bittersweet, but you wouldn't be here if it wasn't because of it."
"I guess" I said, checking one of the stands and seeing a familiar face. "Is that..." 
"Uh?"
"Come" I said, grabbing his arm and walking towards the stand. "That's your friend John, isn't it?"
"That is him, yes" he chuckled, checking the ornament. This stand had personalized ones with both City and United's players, and they actually looked pretty cool. "Do you think they'll have mine?"
"Hello, can I help you?" the owner of the stand said.
"We were wondering if you had..."
"Oh, you!" the man said with a big smile. "I know who you are! Looking for yourself?"
"I actually am, yes" Rúben replied.
"I think there are none of yours there, let me check down here" he said, opening a box behind him. "Yours sell really well, especially among women. Wonder why” he chuckled. “Here you are."
"Oh, my God" I said, looking at the ornament the man was showing us. "Do you make them yourself?" 
"I do, miss. Do you think I make him justice?" he laughed. 
"This tiny version of him is much better" I smirked, looking at Rúben through the corner of my eye. He was rolling his eyes but also smiling.
"The good thing about this one is that he will fit under your tree. The real version is too big and there would be no space for other presents” Rúben said.
"Who says I'm asking to have you under my tree?" 
"Who says you aren't?" he replied with that smirk. "We'll take it."
"Oh, wonderful" the man said. "But it is a gift."
"No, no, I can't accept that. We are paying for it."
"But you are... You!" the man said, trying to not catch people's attention. "I can't make you pay for this!"
"You spent your time and money making it. It's the least I can do" he replied, his wallet already in his hand.
"Ok, then" the man said, putting the ornament on a small package. "My son won't believe me when I tell him I sold one of these to the man himself."
"Why don't you take a photo together?" I said. "That way you'll have some proof to show to your son."
"Oh, no, there is no need. I don't want to bother you anymore, have people recognise him, and ruin your date."
"We aren't..." I began.
"It'll be fine, don't worry" Rúben smiled. "Can I ask you something?" he said after I took a few photos of him with the man.
"Of course” he replied.
"Do you know about any stand that sells cat ornaments? We are looking for a couple."
"I don't know if I've seen any, but there is one that sells like cat miniatures with fur and everything. Kids love them, they aren't creepy” he laughed.
"We'll check it. Thank you very much, sir" I said.
"Thank you both" he replied. "And Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas" Rúben smiled.
━━━━━━❃━━━━━━
"I'll take over now" Lucy said, picking Julia from Rúben's arms. After meeting with them again and finally having that hot chocolate, she started to get tired and didn't want to walk anymore, so he carried her all the way back home until she fell asleep. "Thank you very much, Rúben."
"No problem.”
"You can keep the welcome party going, tho. There is no rush to come home" Lucy winked before closing our apartment's door. Well, technically it was hers, but...
"Do you want to come in?" Rúben asked. "We've been walking for a while, you may want to rest your feet."
"Sitting down and resting my feet sounds like a wonderful idea, yes" I said, following into this apartment. Despite being the same as Lucy's, Ruben's looked very different. And not only because there were no toys laying around. 
"What do you think?"
"It looks... It looks like you."
"What?" he chuckled.
"I didn't imagine you with a house full of stuff and furniture of different colours."
"Oh, you mean that I have a boring house because I'm boring."
"That's not what I meant and you know it" I said, sitting down on his couch. His very comfy and soft couch. "Oh my God."
"Comfortable?"
"You can't even imagine. Can I lay down?"
"Make yourself at home" he chuckled.
"This is the best, Rúben. Who cares if it's boring?" I said, closing my eyes.
"Don't fall asleep."
"Too late. This is it. See you in a week."
And maybe I didn't see him for a week, but half an hour...
"Good morning, sunshine" he said when I opened my eyes. He was sitting next to me, my feet on his lap. 
"What... what happened?"
"You fell asleep."
"I did?"
"Yup."
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. But I guess I was way more tired than I thought. What time is it?"
"Almost dinner time. Do you want to stay? I can order something."
"Ok."
"Just don't fall asleep again" he smiled, putting my feet to the side and getting up.
"I'll try not to” I smiled back.
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"Don't forget this" Rúben said, giving me the package with his ornament.
"I thought this one was for you?"
"I'm not putting my face on my tree” he laughed. “Besides, we agreed you were the one putting it because the real me was too big."
"That's what you said."
"Does that mean that you will be asking Father Christmas to find me under your tree?" he smirked.
"If you come with that sofa, maybe" I said, matching his smile. And then we just stared at each other in silence while smiling, no awkwardness between us. At least until his phone rang.
"I better go pick that up" he sighed.
"I... Yes, you should."
"Good night, neighbour" Rúben said, opening the door with a little bow like Roger always does.
"Good night” I replied, trying really hard to not start smiling like an idiot and miserably failing.
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nat-20s · 8 months
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mini-fic time!!!
(all of these r also posted on ao3 lol)
Donna and The Doctor share a discussion about Christmas
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It’s during one of their many little late night chats that the subject comes up. It even happens organically, Donna noting the soft glow of the fairy lights pinned about that were, technically speaking, Christmas lights, and how the entire family had apparently conceded to this being a year round fixture. Of course, instead of focusing on the noble-temple-mott-doctor clan’s terrible consistency with interior decorating, the Doctor throws on a downright cheeky grin and asks, “So. You still hate Christmas?”
She knows the answer he’s expecting. After all, this year’s event was, perhaps, ‘lovely” and ‘joyful’ and ‘bringing tears to her eyes a few times, don’t mention it’. But. Still. Eh?She grimaces and sucks in a breath through her teeth, which is enough for The Doctor to throw the non-mug holding arm in the air and ask slightly too loud, “Seriously?”
Donna shrugs and hides her face behind her mug. “I mean…”
The Doctor blinks at her a few times, and as she has no desire to provide further details, he replies, “Huh. Really? Ialways sort of assumed that, well. You didn’t like Christmas because you had mostly bad ones?”
“What, no.I had loadsof happy Christmases. Hell, there was a good ten years where it was the only day me and mum were actually nice to each other. I just don’t really care for it. I mean, sure, there’s...parts I like, I guess. I like the lights, some of the songs are okayish, and don’t get me wrong, I have loads of fun getting to spoil Rose rotten each year but. I dunno, it’s all a bit, ugh,you know?”
When she gets a downright agog expression in exchange for her statement, she can’t help but snort. “Why the hell do you even care? I can’t imagine that Time Lords are all that arsed about Christianity, and, by the way, if you tell me that you were Christ, I’m gonna tell you fuck off, no you weren’t.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Obviously.”
“Was one of the disciples though.”
“Fuck off, no you weren’t.”
The Doctor stares at her very, very intensely, giving away nothing. For all of about 3 seconds, when his nose wrinkles up in amusement and he waves a hand. “No, I wasn’t. I’m not sure I even know all their names. Think I have some reindeer mixed up with them. On Dasher, on Dancer, on Donny, on Simon, or something like that.”
Donna manages to just roll her eyes rather than enjoy the goof, because he is derailing the conversation, again. “So my point stands. What’s your big thing about Christmas?”
After a hum and a shrug, The Doctor replies, “Oh, it’s not just Christmas. Purim, Holi, Lunar New Year, hell, I adore a good Arbor Day.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. It’s..”
The Doctor looks to the side for a second, in that non-targeted way that Donna knows means he’s trying to remember something. She takes a sip from her cocoa and practices some of her hard won patience.
With a soft hum, The Doctor finally comes back to the present and tells her, “It’s not that Gallifrey never had holidays, of sorts. But they were all very traditional and very serious and very dour. It was all ceremony and diligence and respect, not,” he nods towards the Christmas tree, “fairy lights and colored powders and silly costumes.”
Grinning now, he continues, “You know, in all the lifetimes I’ve lived and all the species I’ve met, humans are utterly unparalleled in their ability to have fun. For all your lots’ faults, of which there are many-”
“-yes, thank you-”
“-nobody celebrates like a human. Any excuse, even the basic, or, ah, often not so basic, act of survival, and you’ll start singing and eating and dancing. You have such a capacity for joy it will leak from you. Happy crying, who the hell does that?”
“Hold on, I’ve seen you do that. Three times in as many days when you first got here.”
Tilting his head in acknowledgment, he counters, “Ah, but that’s only because of the company I keep. Your laughter is infectious, literally, in the year 16,000 it gets classified as a dangerous contagion.I mean, honestly, you lot could make a Dalek snicker. It’s...it’s incredible. There’s genuinely like nothing else in the universe, and, well, I can’t help but be charmed by Christmas as a small sliver of all that relentless joy.”
After a half second pause, he adds, “Plus, yes, the lights are quite pretty.”
Donna can’t quite contain a smile, replying, “I suppose I could see the appeal of it. Through that lens.”
The Doctor grins back at her, and they let themselves sit in a companionable silence. After a minute of simply letting themselves be, and polishing off the last dregs of their cocoa, Donna tells him, “Still can’t fucking stand ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ though.”
Hearing the burst of laughter that comes from The Doctor, Donna can’t help but silently agree with him. She thinks it’s not so bad being infectious, when that infection is joy.
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tearfallpixie · 1 month
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Make Mama Happy - Chapter 12
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Only back a little. I am dragging today but I felt good enough to give you the next chapters. 🖤🖤🖤
Tags: @nerdraging4point0 @thesazzb @synthetic-wasp-570 @circle-with-me @beaker1636 @itsjustemily @witchyweeb34 @agravemisstake @cookiesupplier @cncohshit @faceless-mirror @nonamessblog @yournecessaryevil @black-damask1999
@lyschko666 @vinyardmauro @skulliecadaver-blog @some-daniela @latenightmusiclover @rye14-blog1 @somewhere-diamond @Shilohrosechicken @abiomens @awkwardalex @rumoured-whispers @miss570
“Heather!” I screamed. Vinny and I had gone to the airport to pick up my best friend and her boyfriend and to say I had missed her was an understatement. I’m sure to the onlookers it was comical to see two grown women running full speed at each other, but I didn’t care. I missed my best friend too much.
“Nichole!” We tackled each other in the middle of the walkway and stood there for what felt like a lifetime. “I missed you so much.”
“Never leave me for that long again or I’m cutting off all of your hair.” I cried; the threat completely empty but it got a laugh out of her.
“I promise.” We pulled away and I saw Rick standing behind her with a guilty expression.
“Hey brat. I kinda missed you.” He mumbled. “Can I get a hug?” I cocked my head but when he opened his arms, I found myself walking into them. We hugged each other for a second before pulling back and me landing a decent punch to his arm.
“I guess I kinda missed you too. But you deserved that. Asshole.” I huffed as an afterthought, pride coursing through my body as he rubbed his now sore arm with a grin. The boys hugged briefly before we made our way over to the baggage claim and found their luggage.
“You and Rick are getting along? Is the world ending?” Heather asked me quietly. We were trailing a few feet behind our boys so they couldn’t hear us over the roar of all the people returning home from the holidays.
“Don’t think to much into it. He texted me on Christmas with an apology and I decided to try to be friends. I don’t expect it to last.” I giggled. We got their stuff and headed out to the car, Rick and Vinny sitting up front and Heather and I sitting in the back. It was about a 20-minute drive back to Rickys place and I had to admire it. I hadn’t been there before so I didn’t realize that his house was sitting on a bit of land and tucked inside a bunch of trees. “Your home is beautiful Richard.” His house was a gorgeous white two story house that had giant windows looking into the living room to let in a lot of natural light.
“Thank you. I got lucky to find this property.” We unloaded their bags and Rick handed his to Vinny. “Can you take that up to my room please?” The drummer nodded and both him and Heather went inside and up the stairs. “So I was thinking Thursday afternoon we could go look at rings.” He said casually.
“Are we not going to talk about this?” I asked, my frustration with how dismissive he was being boiling over.
“What? I’m trying to.” He said stupidly.
“Not ring shopping Rick! You hate me! Why are you acting all buddy-buddy now?” I snapped.
“You’re dating Vinny. I’m stuck with you in my life now so I might as well get use to you being here.” He shrugged. “You guys seem happy too. So, I guess I was wrong about you.”
“Jesus! You can’t go 10 minutes without trying to take a jab at me, can you? Did you forget you tried to lie about me to my best friend? Tried to convince her I was scum who tried to steal you away?” I was getting seriously annoyed with him in that moment.
“I apologized for that! And I’m being truthful. I was wrong about you and I’m sorry!” He was getting angry now too. I didn’t know how we were ever going to try to make a friendship work if we couldn’t go 5 minutes without fighting.
“Yeah, whatever. This is still probably some joke so you and Vin can have one last laugh. I like him a lot, but I can never catch a break with you two.” I growled. Ricks eyes went wide but they weren’t looking at me. I turned around to see Vinny and Heather standing in the doorway of the house both of them looking sad but an underlying look of anger in Vinny’s eyes.
“Do you still think so little of me?” He asked slowly.
“Vin-“
“I invited you into my home, I let my mother take you under her wing. Hell, even my father loves you! And yet you still hold me at arm’s length.” He was scarily calm right now and it terrified me. Rick had moved over to Heather and pulled her away from what was sure to be a cat fight.
“This was all fake when it started Vinny. It was a show so you could get your mom off your back. I’m sorry if I am still having a hard time believing this is real.” I scoffed. He didn’t get a right to be mad at me for being scared.
“So the last two weeks meant nothing to you?” He had gotten closer to me and I could feel the fury rolling off of him.
“Oh, the last two weeks where you seem like you are walking on eggshells around me? Sure, you can call this a relationship but ever since we slept together on Christmas eve you’ve been acting weird around me.” I sighed. “Don’t forget this all started because he called me a whore and you believed him.” I jerked my hand at the guitarist.
“Fuck, I am so sick of you throwing that in his face! It was an idiot move and he apologized! Get over it.”
“You’re complaining about me not trusting you and yet you still defend him!” I laughed pathetically. I knew it was all too good to be true. “Fuck this. I take back what I said. I thought I loved you but you cant even be man enough to say it back and now this? I’m hurt. I get to be hurt. So if you want to choose his side then fine. I’m not going to deal with this shit anymore.”
“Rick, I’m going to go home. I need some air.” Vinny went back to his car and got in, quickly taking off without me and leaving me there with Heather and Rick. As I watched him drive away my eyes filled with tears and I barely felt myself collapse into a heap on the drive way. I had probably just ruined the best relationship of my life because of my stupidity and there was no way he was going to forgive me now. I laid there in a puddle of tears as strong arms reached down and pulled me into seated position, hugging me tightly. I glanced up to see Rick watching me with a sad smile and that made me cry even harder.
“I’m sorry.” I whispered. “I- I forgive you. I’m just-“ I couldn’t even finish my words but I could tell he understood. I wasn’t even mad at him anymore so I didn’t know why I couldn’t just let the situation go and trust in him and Vinny. He lifted me into his arms and carried me inside to his couch. He set me down and I drifted off, only barely registering the blanket he pulled up over my shoulder.
~~~~
“Mom?” Vinny whispered. He was currently standing on her porch, having driven around for the better part of 4 hours before he landed there. Tears were streaming down his face and he angrily tried to wipe them away but as he did new ones just fell.
“Vincenzo, honey, what’s wrong?” Rosa asked, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside. “Its cold dear. Come in and I will make you hot chocolate.”
“I messed up.” He mumbled. “Nichole, shes- shes amazing and perfect and kind and sweet and I like her and I ruined it all.” He went over to the couch and collapsed onto it, taking a pillow and burying his face.
“I’m sure that isn’t true. Now stop trying to suffocate yourself, that won’t win her back.” His mom scolded him, setting the hot chocolate on the table. He dropped the pillow to his lap and sighed.
“She’s never going to forgive me! It was ruined before it even started and it’s all my fault!”
“How is it your fault exactly?” She sat in the chair across from him and waited for him to respond. He hated how patient and understanding she was because all he wanted was to hate himself right now and he wanted her to hate him too. He was a horrible son.
“Because I believed Rick. He opened his god damn mouth and I believed him and that was before I even met Nichole. He was lying about her so that I would hate her. But I don’t. I love her and-“ He froze at his words and let out a frustrated yell. “I fucking love her. I’m so fucking stupid. She told me she loved me and I didn’t have the balls to say it back and now she’s gone.” He shoved the pillow over his face again and actually tried suffocating himself this time.
“Richard is your best friend. I’m sure he told you what he did with good intentions.” The pillow dropped once more and he shook his head. He wished he could just disappear and all of this would just go away. He just wanted to hold Nichole in his arms right now and hug her and tell her everything was going to be ok but he messed that all up.
“No. He told me she had been flirting with him behind Heathers back so the first time I saw her I told her we didn’t want her kind around us and she needed to leave. I treated her like trash only to find out moments later that Rick had lied to me because he didn’t want me to be with her.”
“I’m sorry. I’m confused. How did you two end up together?”
“Because Ky said you were going to set me up with someone! I didn’t want a relationship at the time so I asked her to fake date me for a while to get you off my back.” He froze and his eyes went wide. He had not meant to say that and from the look on his mother’s face, she was not amused. The way she leaned back in her chair and raised a single eyebrow terrified him. He had only seen that expression a hand full of times before. Once when his sister had a pregnancy scare in high school, once when Kyle had broken Vinny’s arm when they were wrestling, and once when Vinny himself had decided to drop out of college to pursue a career with this small band that had very little hope of succeeding at the time. This look was one you never wanted to see on Mama Mauro. “I can explain.”
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pastafossa · 2 years
Note
Hi Pasta!! I have a question 🙃 What do you think Matt and Jane got each other for Christmas? I cant stop thinking about it. They’re so cute 🥹
BEHOLD. Like 1.1k so rest is behind a see more, but this was in my drafts for what their gifts would be. I didn't have time to get the whole scene done with everything, but I figured this would do!
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It didn’t take long for Matt to make use of some of his Christmas gifts, and you found yourself standing by the couch less than an hour later, staring down in amusement at the happy, melted puddle that was Matt Murdock beneath the glow of a Christmas tree.
He’d burrowed down into his new hoodie, his eyes closed and his nose tucked down into the velvet-soft alpaca wool that lined the inside—some of the softest wool you’d been able to find, and something you’d searched long and hard for. Wrapped around the rest of him was a rich, red alpaca wool blanket, thick and warm and equally soft. You had a feeling that, under the blanket, he’d likely also slipped into his new fleece-lined sweats and fleecy socks, ninety-five percent of his body now cradled in soothing, warm comfort. 
“So is that a yes on those?” you said softly, relieved now that it was obvious you’d chosen right when it came to this. It had been… a while, since you’d given anything for Christmas, much less given a gift to someone who meant as much to you as Matt did. Soft had seemed a good road to take, and you’d spent ages hunting for something that he’d be able to wear even when his senses ramped up to the point of pain. “Soft enough?”
A quiet sigh, almost a moan, was his response, followed by a glutted “Mhm,” before he lazily lifted his arms out from under the blanket, opening them to you. You quickly took up the invitation, climbing into his lap and letting him wind his arms around you. You dropped your head against his shoulder, reaching over to run your palm across the velvet-soft fabric covering his chest. His reaction was instant, arching up into your hand as he purred and melted further into the couch at the sensation of the fabric sliding on his skin, his head lolling back when you nuzzled in past the collar of the hoodie so you could press your lips gently to his pulse. Briefly, you passed over the new necklace chain he wore, the little braille pendant reading ‘Always Loved’ hidden somewhere beneath the fabric, its color a match for the key around your neck. That, at least, you knew was a success, but the rest...   
“You really do like the clothes, don’t you?” you asked him, relaxing a little, curling your fingers to scratch a little as you ran them up and down his chest. “I had a good feeling on the necklace, but for these… I wasn’t sure.” “Why not?” he asked sleepily, fumbling one hand up until he could slip it up under the back of your shirt, palming the line of your spine like you were stroking his chest. You weren’t surprised; he always tried to reciprocate, or maybe he just... liked having an excuse to touch you back. “These are probably the softest things I own now. They’re perfect. They feel amazing.”  
“I was worried it was too… I don’t know. Impersonal.” You drummed your fingers a little against his chest, tucking your legs up until you were more comfortable. “But you shouldn’t have to wear things that hurt on your bad days, or at all really, so I-I guess I just—”
“The hoodie smells like you,” he murmured, tipping his head to lay it atop yours. You went quiet, still and unmoving as he continued, “I can tell that you wore it for me a little after washing it, and that it made you happy to do it, because your scent’s different when you’re happy and when you love someone. And every time I move, nothing scratches. Nothing hurts. All of these feel soft and gentle, like how you touch me when I’m bleeding, and when I need you most.” His chest expanded and then dipped on a contented sigh, and then he reached up, brushing his thumb over your cheek, his thumb coming away wet. His voice dropped to something even softer, low and tender. “So much of my life is pain, sweetheart. How could the way you touch me, the way you want to take away some of that pain from me, be impersonal?”   
You wound yourself a little tighter around him, hiding your face against his neck as you let out a shaky breath, and he pulled you in tighter with a soothing noise. You’d been so… so terrified you’d fuck this up, that you’d do this wrong after so many years of dodging it, of being alone, of being forced to avoid anything like a holiday, anything like friends or love. The idea that you’d gotten it right on your first try… 
And you weren’t the only one. 
You leaned away from him just far enough to pick up one of the two photo frames on the coffee table where it had been set atop a massive pile of books you’d wanted to read for years, years in which you’d been forced to pass them by, story by story, cover by cover until Matt hunted down those stories and placed them back into your hands. You laid back against his chest again after you’d brushed your fingers fondly over the books, and instead, you focused once more on the photo inside the elegant black frame. 
Foggy had taken it at Josie’s at some point—a candid of you and Matt crammed into a booth, his arm draped around your shoulders as you leaned into him, a bright grin on his face, your head tipped back as you laughed at something he’d said. The warmth in your eyes and his smile was obvious as you stared fondly up at him beneath the dull glow of the bar, at the very same table Foggy had once worked at to ensure your friendship with Matt was mended. There was no disguising what this was. And… 
“I can’t believe I can put this on my desk now,” you whispered, tracing your fingers over the frame. 
And you didn’t… have to disguise it, did you? There was no need to hide, not anymore. You could have his picture on your desk, could hold his hand as he walked you home, could kiss him when he came to see you at your office or you at his or when you were both out in the rain. And he could do the same with the second picture, one destined for his own desk, all so that he could proudly gesture towards it whenever you came up. 
A… a real life. 
He lifted one arm and you sniffled, crawling back around to wrap your arms around him in return, burying your face against his neck as he held you close. Held you here at home—a home for you both, for your tree, for your books, for an actual life, lived fully and completely and wholly for the first time.
“I love you, so much,” he whispered. "Merry Christmas."
“Love you, too. Merry Christmas.”
There was no bigger gift he could give you.  
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kringletheelf04 · 2 years
Text
The list and wrapping duty
(Chapter 7 of two souls entwined in the North Pole)
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It's been a week since Bernard showed up in the bakery. Dad is officially on thin ice. He showed up at Charlie's soccer game and apparently all the children lined up to sit on his lap. And he let them! I'm driving home from work and as I pull up the delivery man pulls up as well. I get out and go up to the truck.
"S.c?" The delivery man asks.
"My dad. I'll sign for it though." I say, initialing the papers.
"All right, I'll get your packages." The guy says, unloading multiple large boxes.
"Packages?" I ask, scrunching my nose slightly.
"Yes, there's many of them here." The man says.
I quickly go unlock the front door, propping it open so he can set them inside.
After over ten minutes the man finally hands the last package directly to me. I shut the door with my hip and set down the package onto the kitchen table. I get a knife and cut the package open. Inside is a list long enough to wrap around the house.
"What's this?" I mumble.
"The list." I hear a voice behind me call out.
Turning around I see Bernard standing there with several rolls of wrapping paper and a roll of ribbon. He sets them down, leaning them against the wall.
" I can see that. Why's it here?" I gesture to the multiple boxes scattered through the walkway.
"Your dad has to check them. Remember, p for present and c for coal." Bernard nods.
"What's that for?" I ask, pointing  to the wrapping paper.
"Training. Remember when I said your part is harder than your dads. Today we will be tackling wrapping." He picks up the now empty box that carried one part of 'the list'.
" Ok, I guess. But let's move to my room. I don't want my dad having a heart attack when he gets home. I don't think he'll believe you're real even if he sees you." I say taking the paper and ushering Bernard up the stairs.
I open my bedroom door and pull Bernard in, shutting and locking it behind me.
"Dad's got no sense of privacy so I'm gonna have to keep the door locked. Otherwise he'd come in and see, well, you, I guess." I explain.
"Has the santafacation process begun yet? It usually only takes three three months to be complete." Bernard asks, sitting on the edge of my bed.
"Santafacation? You mean my dad growing a beard that can't be shaved off, his hair turning white, and him gaining 150 pounds? If so than yes." I turn back to him.
"Oh good. I was afraid that the unwillingness would effect it." Bernard sighs.
"So wrapping and ribbon tying?" I ask.
"Yes, two very important parts of Christmas. We will practice until you get it just right." He pulls out tape and scissors and sets them next to the paper.
This is gonna be a long time.
(TIME SKIP BROUGHT TO YOU BY FED EX)
It's been over three hours wrapping. I finally got it just right. I've been fumbling over the ribbon tying though. I can't seem to get it right.
"Christmas Eve I believe it was 1955, Dubuque Iowa. Santa's making his way down a very dusty chimney when, CRASH- BOOM-ZING! A bow catches a rusty nail and rips off. Santa loses his footing and plummets all the way down through the chimney mr gets wedged between brick and cement and can't move. Now we don't want that to happen again do we?" Bernard monologues.
"That might be a little funny seeing my dad fall. But seeing as falling 20 feet instantly kills Santa's, maybe that's a bad idea." I look up at him.
"Is this one good enough yet?" I ask him handing the box to him.
"Exemplary, actually! I knew you could do it (y/n)!" He praises.
My cheeks heat up slightly. Somehow his praise makes me act different than others.
"Now, next time I see you we will work on placing the presents under the tree." Bernard stands.
"We don't have a tree. Mom used to buy us a real one each year, but after she passed we never bought one again." I get up off my knees.
"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." He shakes his head.
"Can you stay? Dad won't be home for a couple hours!" I ask him.
"Well, I don't feel great leaving Curtis in charge for too long." He rubs his arm.
"Please??? Just a little bit longer surly won't hurt!" I practically beg.
He sighs. "I guess half an hour more won't hurt."
I jump up, wrapping him in a tight hug. We nearly fall onto my bed with the amount of force I put into the hug.
" I like you, ya know?" I whisper to him.
"I kinda got that when you kissed me." He whispers back.
I snort and place a kiss on his cheek. Suddenly my ears start to feel like they are on fire.
"Ow!" I say, hand going up to rub my ear.
"What's wrong?" Bernard's face shows concern.
"My ears have been killing me lately. I don't know why though." I sit on my bed, legs crossed.
"I didn't think it'd happen this quickly. I guess I should have warned you." He grimaces, sitting down next to me.
"Warned me what?!" I ask, face full of worry.
"Well, uh, you're ears are changing." He takes my hands into his.
"Changing?" I ask, baffled.
"You know how your dad's changing. You're changing too. Just not as much. You've already got the power to talk to animals, but now your ears are going to become pointed. Your ears are going to hurt until they have fully transformed." Bernard discloses.
"Ugh," I groan. "how long will that take?"
"Actually I don't think you'll have to worry about that anymore." Bernard bites his thumb.
"What does that mean?" I ask.
"You might want to look in the mirror." Bernard says, like the fox caught in the henhouse.
I rush to my bathroom. Looking in the mirror I can see that my ears are now pointed. How am I gonna be able to walk around like this. Good thing that hat has ear flaps.
I walk out of the bathroom, cheeks red from partial embarrassment. Bernard's got the same look in his eyes when we kissed last.
"I love you." He blurts out, hand quickly covering is mouth and eyes going wide.
"I think I love you too Bernard." I swallow.
I walk over to him, pulling him onto the bed with me. His eyes dart from mine to my lips. I reach up and brush the hair from his face. Even sitting down, he's taller than me. He kisses me, one hand on my back and the other entwined writhing my own hand. This is different from before. More passionate. Our lips clash against each other. Suddenly a knock at my door pulls us away from each other.
"Honey! I'm back from work! I was wondering if you wanted to order pizza for dinner tonight!" My dads voice snaps is out of it.
"We'll talk later. I'm sorry we got interrupted." I whisper into his neck.
"It's fine. We will have plenty of time in ten months or so." He whispers back, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
I get up and walk to the door. I turn around and see Bernard gone.
"Yeah! Pizza sounds awesome! Can we get a veggie lovers one this time though?" I ask, unlocking the door.
I swing the door open and see my dad standing there. It seems like he's gotten bigger if possible. His eyes go to my ears and I subconsciously go to cover them.
"What the hell is this (y/n)? What's up with your ears?" He says pulling on one of them.
"First off, ow. Secondly, it's part of my transformation. Like you gained weight and grew a beard. I grew pointed ears." I explain.
"This is crazy! That was just a dream!" He says, trying to convince himself more than me.
"It wasn't a dream dad!" I argue with him.
"How do you know that?" He asks.
"Because my soulmate has been visiting me when your at work! That's how!" I burst at him without thinking.
"What? Soulmate?!" Dad stands confused.
"Yes! Bernard ended up being my soulmate. That's why I was born with a tattoo! Because it's not a tattoo, but a way of knowing who your soulmate is!" I seeth.
"Why that's wonderful!" Dad squeezes me.
"Too tight dad!" I choke out.
" I guess I knew that that night was real, but logic stopped me from realizing it." He let's me go.
"I love you dad." I hug him.
"I love you too honey." He hugs me back.
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lcs-library · 10 months
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ello i see reqs are open 👀 may i have a banrisa with christmas theme 10 (the lights one) pretty please? 🙏🏻 if you'd like help narrowing down ideas, maybe they're in isa's apartment and one of them got tangled up in the lights or smth JSHDJD they were being silly goofy ;9 thanks friend!! 🙏🏻🫶🏼
SORRY THIS IS KINDA LATE…… Ofc bestie!!! It’s short but sweet, so I hope you like it<3
“You’re sure this ain’t too much?” Banri asked, hauling a large box across Isa’s apartment. “I mean, your tree’s kinda small, I don’t think this many ornaments will fit.”
“It’ll be fine, Banri-kun, I promise!” Isa replied, fanning out the branches of her, admittedly tiny, Christmas tree, only standing at about three-quarters of her height. She stood back, framing it with her hands, making sure it was at just the perfect angle.
It was no secret that Isa liked the holiday, despite all that had happened surrounding it. The fun decorations, the tasty food, and the time with loved ones was something she enjoyed greatly, and this year, there was another reason to love it. This was the second year in a row she’d be spending with Banri, and it was always a treat for her to have him all to herself after his troupe’s show had closed for the season, even if she knew it was a little selfish.
Once Isa was sure she was happy with the tree, she turned to Banri.
“What do you think? Should we move it any more?” She asked him eagerly.
“Looks good,” he replied, bringing her into a back hug. “Of course, anything you do ‘s good.”
“You’re sure?”
“Always,” he affirmed with a smirk, planting a quick kiss to her forehead. “Is there anything else I can help ya out with?”
“Yeah, actually! Do you mind helping with the lights on the tree? They should be in the box next to the couch.”
“Of course, I’m down.”
With ease, he quickly found the box she was talking about, opening it to be met with the second-worst thing for his Easy Mode buff. Tangled cords.
This is fine, Banri. You’ve done this with earbuds, remember? Just play it cool, I’m sure she won’t notice.
He took the crumpled mess out of its prison, setting it beside him as he sat on the floor. He’d be fine so long as Isa wasn’t watching, which, as of right now, didn’t seem to be the case, as she was busy sifting through the rest of the holiday decorations she had bought on their shopping trip last weekend. He was safe.
After managing to find the plug, he slowly attempted to release it from the one crossing over it. Then the next. This was shaping up to be easy.
Wait, why was it crossing over again? He just undid it! He groaned, tossing that piece of the wire behind him. He’d deal with it later. For now, he’d worry about the task in front of him.
Ah, screw it, this one was hard too. Behind him it goes.
Then the next. Why were they all such a struggle? This one’s getting tossed, too.
Before he realized, Banri was covered from head to toe in strings of lights, somehow more tangled than they were previously. God, he probably looked so stupid right now, but he would have to ask for at least a little help.
“Uh… Isa-chan?”
She turned to the sound of his voice, only to burst into a fit of giggles.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” he said with a sigh, “can you just help me out here?”
“Just one sec, okay?”
“What, why?”
In an instant, Isa’s phone was out as she circled him, taking way too many pictures for Banri’s taste. With every one of her coos at his “grumpy kitty energy,” she called it, he grumbled, complaining more and more each time. Isa patted his head, giving his hair a quick ruffle in a rare role reversal.
“Alright, I’m done. Let’s get you out of here, okay?” She said with a soft smile.
She poked and prodded at the lights, pulling strings here and setting some there, doing her best to untangle him. Unfortunately, she was met with a struggle of her own.
“Banri-kun?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m stuck.”
“You’re what.”
“I guess we’ll have to both be tangled now, huh?”
“ISA HOW THE HELL-“
The end<3
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suntoru · 2 years
Text
ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝚌𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚖𝚊𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸 ✧˚ · .
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a/n: hi my lovely darlings! i know i’m a couple days late, but it took me a while to think of these prompts. if you would like to send a prompt, don’t hesitate to do so, choose as many ask you want! you are also welcome on giving me suggestions for more prompts &lt;3 also please people make requests i’ll feel embarrassed if nobody does /hj 🥺🥺
requests: currently closed!
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prompt 1: “hello, we’re here to report a missing person. y/n l/n, if you are still in the mall, come to the front desk. *character’s name* is there waiting for you.”
prompt 2: *holds a tree branch above you* “oh, it looks like we’re standing under the mistletoe! i think you owe me something~”
prompt 3: “that’s for me to wear and for you to enjoy.”
prompt 4: “you got me a present? you should have!” *gets a pillow to the face*
prompt 5: “aren’t you cold? here, let me give you my jacket.”
prompt 6: “look, it’s snowing! c’mon, let’s hurry so we can build a snowman!”
prompt 7: “awww, are you blushing?” “fuck off, it’s just the cold air.”
prompt 8: “does my baby need help reaching the top of the tree? well too bad, you can get a ladder.” *gets thwacked*
prompt 9: *you slip on the ice, they catch you* “be a little more careful. unless, this is what you planned?”
prompt 10: “you suck ass at decorating cookies. here, this is how you do it.”
prompt 11: “are you purposefully avoiding the mistletoe? well, i’ve got one right here.”
prompt 12: “c’mon, hold my hand, you’re going to fall if you keep on holding onto the ice rink wall.”
prompt 13: “well, i guess it’s just you and me until they let us out of the closet.”
prompt 14: “are you listening to christmas music without me?” *pouts slightly*
prompt 15: “how did you manage to tangle both of us in these lights?”
prompt 16: “i’m glad you’re spending your first christmas with me.”
prompt 17: “your present? oh, it’s me!”
prompt 18: “you want me… to pretend to be your boyfriend for christmas dinner with your family?”
prompt 19: “o-oh wow, you made christmas dinner? you shoudn’t have…” *whispers* you really shouldn’t have…
prompt 20: *you fall while decorating the tree, they catch you* “you know you can let go of me now… right?”
prompt 21: *y/n shrieking* “let go of me, your hands are so cold!”
prompt 22: “…how the fuck did you break into my house… and why is cardboard santa in my bathroom?”
prompt 23: “confessing to me on christmas? that’s a little cliche, don’t you think?”
prompt 24: “shouldn’t you be on top of the tree, angel?”
prompt 25: “i think my singing is a little off-tune.” “a little?”
prompt 26: “honey… i don’t think aizawa wants a *useless item* for christmas…”
prompt 27: “i don’t think we’re supposed to wear a reindeer outfit to the christmas party…” “oh, pshhhh, everybody’s wearing it! hahahahah…”
prompt 28: “what’s that smell? are you baking cookies?”
prompt 29: “you’re getting coal for christmas.”
prompt 30: “if you sing another fucking christmas carol, i’m choking you with the tinsel.”
prompt 31: “y/n! *character’s name!* you’re under the mistletoe so just kiss already!”
prompt 32: “hey, do you wanna go christmas shopping together?” “…it’s december 24th at 11pm…” “is that a no?”
prompt 33: “you light up my world like a christmas tree.” “…we’re breaking up.”
prompt 34: “you know i love you, but you gotta be shitting me right now.”
prompt 35: “no, we’re not getting a pet reindeer.”
prompt 36: “oh my god, i should dye my hair like a candy cane!”
prompt 37: “are you sick? i told you dancing in the snow for a tiktok wasn’t a good idea.”
prompt 38: “that christmas tree isn’t going to be the only thing with an angel on top of it.”
prompt 39: “i’d give up every christmas for a moment with you.”
prompt 40: “babe… did you hide a gift behind the toilet?”
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echantedtoon · 10 months
Text
Dragon's Treasure Ch10 Tamer Of Dragons (ft. Regidrago)
(WARNING: The pokemon does have a few scratches, reader also gets a sprained ankle but again nothing too serious.)
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Well...That little reunion between the both of you was awkward, but pleasant!
And you weren't really sure what would be in store for you all later after your work shift but you soon found out just a few hours later. The rest of the day had went by fairly well. You just did some duties behind the counter, cleaned off a few tables, brought out some food- All mundane things while keeping an eye on the time and not soon long after the sky was started to get into the late evening and your shift was over, but Raihan didn't show back up during that entire time. You hung up your apron, bid your boss good bye as he began close up procedures, and then walked out the door- Or you would've before everyone still left in the store looked up all of a sudden when the door slammed back open in a hurry, the bell above the door ringing like crazy from the sudden hit the door gave as everyone looked over and you blinked in surprise at what you saw. Standing there in the doorway, was Raihan. The gym leader was standing there in the doorway heaving and panting like he just ran a hundred mile marathon, a handful of pretty wildflowers clutched in one free hand as he gazed around the small cafe. His eyes locked onto yours in an instant and he immediately held up his free hand in a wave.
"H-Hey, Y/n!," he called with a nervous smile, free hand coming to rub the back of his neck. "I- Um...S-Sorry if I'm late."
You blinked for a moment before shaking your head. "Uh. No. You're right on time. In fact you're a little early." You motioned to the clock. "I just got off work actually."
"Really? Phew. I-I mean! AH!! I-I knew that! T-Totally wasn't worried I messed up the timing. Haha!" He tried not to go red faced when you giggled at his reaction. "See? T-Told ya I had everything under control! Nothing's too much of a challenge for the great Raihan!" 
You rose a brow amused. "I knew you could do it. So what's with the plants there?" You nodded towards the flowers he still held. "Taking up gardening as a hobby now?"
He blinked glancing between his hand for a moment before shoving the hand holding the flowers out to you. "Um!" You blinked and leaned back as he practically shoved the small flowers in your face. "T-These are for you! I-I just saw them outside the gate and it reminded me a bit of you."
You slowly blinked at the cheerfully colorful flowers before slowly reaching up to take from Raihan. Raihan...got you flowers? You stared a bit more before smiling and lifting them higher to smell the sweet scent. "These are..beautiful." You looked back at him. "Thank you. What flowers are they?"
He smiled somewhat bashfully before shrugging. "Oh, y'know. Just some wild primroses. They reminded me of you so I just picked them real quick." You let out a small 'Oh' smiling at the primroses you held. That was nice of him. "They symbolize positivity and courage." You blinked back at him and his softened smile. "That's why the-...They remind me so much of you. Y-You're a very kind an-and brace person, Y/n. In fact you c-can say that's what made me fall for you in the first place."
Your face lit up brighter than a christmas tree at the bold statement before you coughed and looked away. "Yeah? W-Well thanks anyways. I guess this was a good move on your part."
He seemed to light up more. "Well of course! Any lovely date deserves some lovely flowers. Though I can't say it compares to the way you look."
He leaned back just before you could swing the flowers at his face. "F-Flattery will get you no where! Besides, I thought you were going to take me out for dinner like you promised."
Oh shoot! He almost forgot about that part! With a smile he casually gestured back to the door with a bow. "Well then my lady, will you give me the honor of escorting such a lovely maiden to the diner?~", he asked holding out his arm for you to take.
You rolled your eyes but accepted his invitation, hanging your arm around his much to his happiness. "Such a gentlemen. Guess I'll have to accept as long as you're not a dragon in disguise waiting to carry me off to your tower."
He chuckled using his other hand to push the door back open for you. "Lucky for you I'm not that kind of dragon."
"Really?," you asked amused following him out. "Then what kind of dragon are you, Mr. Raihan?"
"I happen to be the kind of dragon who defends the princess," he proclaimed proudly placing a hand to his chest and head held high. "Who wouldn't be intimidated by me?~"
"Oh so I'm a princess now?"
"Better. You're yourself. That means you have a heart of gold, and as you know, us dragons llooovve gold." You blinked looking as he smiled at you. "And what am I to do but appreciate the dragon's treasure.~"
You stared at him silently, face lit up more than the sun-
"ACK!?" He spat out and shook his head when all of a sudden he was harmlessly wacked by some flowers.
"I-I-I said flattery won't get you anywhere!!"
"AHAHAHAHA!! It must do something! You're really cute when you're blushing-"
"STOP IT!!"
For a second date it certainly didn't feel too much like one. After all it was just a quick dinner at that small curry corner in the train station again. You were really enjoying the curry the chef could cook and Raihan finally coaxed you into trying that desert he recommended before. The pecha berry short cake with the combee honey glaze and cheri soda float he mentioned when he first saw you in Hammerlocke two months ago. You wanted to refuse but he insisted and you'd be lying if you said you weren't curious about what it tasted like, but you were sure glad you took him up on his offer. Pecha berries tasted very similar too peaches albeit a bit more sour and combee honey added too it just made it sweeter. It tasted sweeter than the normal honey you tasted back in your world. And Cheri berries were just regular cherries, or at least to you they were since they tasted the same as drinking cherry soda. You might wanna ask Chef Steven for his famous desert recipe later if he was nice enough to lend it to you. The conversation you two had was surprisingly casual as well. He mostly asked about you trips around Galar and what had happened in the time since he last saw you which surprised you greatly. You couldn't remember anyone else taking time out bothering to ask you how you day was or if you were doing well.
"-and so then I finally found the guy who ordered the food in the supermarket," you said with a groan remembering your time as an unofficial errand boy for Hulbury, "You'd think he'd be more specific with his directions! But no. The free food was almost not worth the entire thing!"
Raihan could only listen with a grimace. "Really? That had to be so confusing. I mean I don't think Lee would even be that bad with directions."
"I know right! That's what I was thinking." You sighed. "I don't know what was more humiliating. Being an unpaid delivery guy or apologizing to Oleana and Rose."
"You did what you had to do in that moment or what you thought best," Raihan comforted with a look, "I don't blame you for that. I mean we both didn't know they'd-"...he silently trailed off. You both already well knew what he was referring too.
"Yeah." You shook your head sighing once again. "But that was a long time ago now. Things are in the past and I'm just looking forward to the future...And speaking of which." Your head looked up towards the sky just outside the train station. It had gotten dark, but not completely night time. Must've just been sunset. "I better get home. Silver's probably wondering where I am by now." Turning back to him Raihan blinked when your hand reached around into your pocket and brought out your wallet.
"Whoa! Hey!" He frowned a bit and caught your attention back onto him. Without a word he gestured to said wallet in your hands. "What are you doing?"
You paused obviously confused. "Um...Paying my half of the dinner? I'm not just going to let you pay for everything y'know. That'd be messed up of me to expect you to pay for everything even if you did invite me out."   You...weren't going to let him spend a whole lot on you? he ended up staring at you longer than he meant too because you asked him. "What? Is there something on my face?"
"N-No. It's just that..no girl's b-been that considerate before to me. I-I didn't think you could get anymore perfect," he mumbled out without thinking and it made you blink before your own face was shot pink........!? He blinked. "I-I mean-! HHHAAAAA!!" He gave an awkward smile. "My bad. Autocorrect."
"You said that out loud," you pointed out changing the subject, "B-But I still can't let you pay for me especially on the second date! That's nuts!"
"Hey. I promised I'd take you out to dinner and I meant it. My idea, my treat." You didn't look very convinced other than your still red face frowning at him, so he sighed and held up his hands. "Ok. How about this? You let me pay this time and then next time we go out it'll be your treat. Say about. Mmm. I dunno-" He rolled a hand looking hopeful at you with a smile. "Maybe hypothetically next Wednesday night. Maybe hypothetically we go to the movies right around the corner and maybe just hypothetically have a good time."
You gave a dry chuckled before you looked at him in disbelief. "Is this your way of asking me out for a third time?"
"Psh. What?" He waved a hand leaning back in his chair. "No. I would never. I was only giving out a hypothetical scenario where we can have more fun. Buuutt-" He gave a sly grin your way. "I certainly would've be apposed to something like that if it were to happen."
You rolled your eyes. "Fine. You know what time I get off."
How did you let yourself get talked into these things? Oh well. At least you'd get the chance to pay him back. After having him pay and setting off out of the train station he looked at you hands in his pockets before nodding off towards the way off back towards your home. 
"So..can I walk you home?"
To which you shook your head no. "Thanks but I'll be alright. I remember my way back so don't worry. Besides, it's late and I wouldn't want to keep you."
"Oh. ..Well can I walk you out of Hammerlocke then?"
You gave a small amused sigh at him but nodded making him smile. "Sure. Why not have a big, strong dragon escort little old me through his territory?"
"That's me!," he boldly stated puffing out his chest and giving a smug smile, "No one who dare challenge the mighty tamer of dragons!"
That got a pleased reaction out of you in the form of giggles, before you started walking and to no one's surprise, he followed right next to you smiling proudly at himself for getting you to laugh. The sun had set a little lower and had already started to replace the light with darkness and stars. When you both came to the exit of Hammerlocke you both stopped and you looked up to him with a smile.
"Thanks for dinner! It was more enjoyable than I thought it would be," you thanks with a bright smile and small pink to your cheeks.
He causually waved you off. "Hey. No problem! I can't wait to hang out next week! You'll love the new movie coming out! They say you can see Melony in the background if you look hard enough."
You nodded back to him. "I'm looking forward to it. Just don't forget I'm the one paying. Or else-"
"Hey. Don't come at me. I can take a hint. Besides I think your bite's worse than your bark, Sassy."
"Oh don't worry. I don't bite." With a sly smile you reached up and he blinked when the end of your finger booped his nose. "Much.~" He froze staring cross-eyed at your hand before back at your turning form. "I'll see you later, Dragon Boy. Thanks again for the food!"
And you then left, walking away from the stunned gym leader who had stared after your form disappearing into the dark like a gengar's shadow. Ever so slowly his hand reached up to lightly graze his nose. Immediately his face lit up a bright pink and his heartbeat picked up yet again that day. Oh the things you made him feel-
Next's week date was the same after when he showed up to your after work and after your closing shift the two of you headed off for Hammerlocke's small theater. Honestly you didn't even know Hammerlocke had one since it was so small. The movie was nice. Just your standard cheesy and predictable romantic comedy soap opera, but it was still nice. Especially considering this was your very first time going to a movie theater since you were really young, that bit of knowledge surprised Raihan but you were glad when he didn't pry you more on it. And you did get to repay him for dinner by buying the tickets and food. They weren't all too expensive anyhow so it wasn't any big deal. It was really nice just being able to sit down and spend time with someone so domestically that didn't involve someone nagging you or with any ulterior motives...Well unless you count Raihan asking you out for a fourth time after that, but despite what your first impressions of him were, you found yourself relaxing around him more and more. Maybe it was because you had gotten used to him and his personality? Maybe it was the way he looked so nervous and flustered whenever he asked you out again or apologized if he thought he overstepped? Or maybe it was because his antics made you laugh more than you ever had in a long, long time?...Or maybe it was the butterflies in your stomach or the way your face always seemed to be a rainbow of pink and reds these days but you found yourself more than once staring at him for a few seconds too long, or staring at the doors of the cafe waiting to see his familiar face. Maybe it was because you finally had a friend you could see on a regular bases or maybe-...Just maybe. It was something more? Time passed and things began to change. The cool air hit as the leaves started to change color and pokemon started collecting nuts and berries to be stored away for hibernation or winter food supplies. Fruit started falling from your fruit trees and you had fun watching all the wild pokemon coming around collecting them. And you didn't see Raihan everyday. After all he was still a gym leader and legal guardian of three children with responsibilities, on top of that he was a famous man as the top gym leader. He had appearances to make. So it's not everyday you'd see him as he'd often be doing paperwork, managing his gym, traveling off to make appearances around Galar or exhibition matches, or just spending time with his trainers. He's mentioned them a few times when he'd stop by to buy food for them. You think he mentioned one of his current trips was to watch one of Camilla's soccer games in Wyndon. And that was fine by you. It'd be ludacris to expect him to come see you all the time. Besides you had plenty of things to keep you busy. The old cottage needed a bunch of cleaning and a few repairs which you were working on. There was a leak in the roof that needed to be patched up, the front door hinges creaked too loud causing your ears pain, and the hot water would randomly turn off at the worst times. It was a work in progress but things were slowly getting in order. There was way more upsides to this place than downsides anyways. You could just let your pokemon run around freely and there was a free food supply! It was his most recent trip away however was when Raihan noticed something strange, he had just flown back in the night before from Wyndon again. Something had been up with the new Chairwoman and she had wanted to ask him about some questions concerning Mr. Rose's old goings on with the powerplant, unfortunately he couldn't exactly answer a whole lot of her questions since he barely knew himself what was happening behind closed doors. Oh! And there was also that other thing mentioned to him beforehand-
He had blinked staring at the Chairwoman sitting behind her desk giving him a very serious look. "I'm sorry...You want to what again?"
"We want to release some pokemon into the reserve just behind Hammerlocke," Chairwoman Dahlia spoke to him not hesitating to get straight to the point, "Recently Sonia's come into possession of some ancient reanimated fossilized pokemon thanks to a trainer, three of which are partially dragon types. She had the idea of seeing how well they fair in the wild hoping to study some of their behaviors. I for one think it would be a great idea and trust she'll do a great job."
His brow rose higher and he gave her a deadpanned look over. "I mean-...Yeah that certainly sounds like something up Sonia's alley, but then why did you ask me to come all the way here for?''
"I'd like you to help Sonia's oversee this project."
"Wha- ME?!" He pointed at himself surprised she'd even suggest such a thing. "But why?"
"Simple. You've handled dragon types for years, if anyone could help her if anything goes wrong it'd be you."
"W-Wha- ...W-With all due respect-"
"With ALL due respect, Mr. Raihan," she cut him off with an icy tone that would put ice to shame with how cold it seemed to be and it seemed to certainly freeze him over and she wasn't even looking at him! Just shuffling some papers like all they were discussing was the weather. "There is no one else I would trust with her. Not now and certainly not after that stunt made by the brothers. I've been watching very closely to my gym circuit and the people who run them. You have a very special connection with those pokemon I haven't seen anyone else have." He didn't say too much after that and she took his silence as compliance. "The procedures have already been taken. Sonia should meet up with you when you get back. Until then I suggest you keep doing what you've been doing, Mr. Raihan. You methods are more affective than you think."
But he was glad the meeting with her was quick either way. Meant he could just get back to you-...To HAMMERLOCKE faster. He was sure everyone was missing him already, and he could use a nice break from traveling, maybe he could convince you to come watch him train the triplets! That'd be fun! Or maybe you'd even battle himself! That'd be even better! Training with you sounded like a wonderful bonding experience. Might help you become closer with each other's pokemon too. He fell asleep that night and woke up bright and early with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait to see you again and that surprised look on your face when he surprised you with his presence. Y/n probably didn't even know he was back yet! So he left for the cafe at a time he knew you'd be there, stopping for a small group of six tourist that wanted his picture, before continuing on to the cafe and walking in. The ringing of the bell going off and smiling expecting to see you standing there-...But frowned when he noticed you weren't at your place behind the counter. Instead he was met with the old store owner who smiled back noticing the gym leader's presence.
"Well if it isn't the Dragon of Hammerlocke himself," he man greeted leaning against the counter, "Built up an appetite while you were away?"
"Uh.." Raihan looked around again before shaking his head and looking back at the owner, "No not really." His hands slunk back into his pockets in his slight disappointment at not seeing you. Was it your day off? "I just stopped by to see Y/n. Is she here?"
To his surprise the cafe owner frowned and shook his head back. "No. I haven't seen her all morning. I don't know where she is."
A glass shattering sound went off in Raihan's mind as he froze and his body became rigid. His mouth pressed into a tight, thin line. "...What was that?"
"Yeah," the owner said scratching his head in a confused manner, "Haven't seen her all morning, which is strange because usually she's here by now. I would've tried to call her but I don't have her number."
Y/n doesn't have a phone. So even if he did try to call her nothing would've came from it. But...Why weren't you here?! You were always here whenever he showed up! And it wasn't like Y/n to just leave someone stranded like this without good reason or giving them a heads up. That wasn't like her. That wasn't like Y/n at all! But then...Where WAS Y/n!? Obviously she wasn't at work! But where was she if not where she was supposed to be?! Home was the most obvious answer but why didn't she tell anyone she wasn't feeling well beforehand. But was she sick?! Or hurt!? A spark of panic went through his systems at the thought of Y/n hurt in anyway! The flashbacks of just your limb self hanging in Leon's arms and being skidded off to the hospital was still strongly there in his mind and he could feel his heartrate pick up. A hummed feeling of panic set in. His world blurred and noises slurred and stopped about. If he didn't lean on the door he might faint-
B O O M!!
An earthquake hit. Or what sounded like an earthquake?? A large sound similar to that of far away exploding dynamite was heard overhead and caused both men to jump. Raihan yelped as he tripped to half a knee in shock and his face turned wide eyed up towards the ceiling, everything around him lightly shaking. The cafe owner also looking up clinging to the counter as the light shaking stopped and everything went still.
"What on Arceus's green earth was that!?," the older man shouted in fright after a few tense moments of silence.
"I-..I-I don't know." Ever so slowly he stood up legs feeling slightly like jello.
What WAS that!? There was no dynamax battles scheduled for today. Sebastian would've told him last night if there was, and there was little chance Sebastian would forget something like that! The last time he's ever felt anything like that was-....Was...Raihan's face paled, eyes blowing fully wide in horrific realization. The last time something like THIS happened was when those brothers broke into his gym and provoked that legendary pokemon into appearing! 
SLAM!!!
The door slammed open, smacking into the wall and reverberating the glass panels in it from the forced, threatening to break it into a million shards. Bells ringing in his ears. Panic set in the gym leader now as he looked around the sky. Many more heads. Many more people were also panicked looking up towards the sky as with a roar of thunder and fire, a bright white line shot across it within the not so far away distance. It-..It looked like a flamethrower combined with a comet before it fizzled out into nothing but a thing trail of smoke within seconds preceded by a similar booming noise from before. Ocean eye pupils shrank at the identification of a hyper beam. A very LARGE hyper beam from a very large pokemon. Coming from the direction of the nature reserve. Coming from the direction of HER-
"Y/n!"
Feet slapped against payment which soon after turned into grass as he ran. The billions of plant blades brushing against his legs as they blurred past him. Leaves and trees and plants meant nothing to him as he rain past. Heart pounding in his chest, his arms receiving scratches from slapping branches back and forth, left and right to get through them. To Y/n. Rocks sinking deeper and deeper into his stomach the longer it took. Until with one last brush past a bush, he broke through the tree line into a small circular clearing and nearly fell to his knees from the heat. Thin trails of dark smoke trailed upwards from the even blacker earth, a thick comet trail leading from right in front of him permanently stung into the ground burnt by star fire leading to a massacre of trees and was once a night looking piece of the clearing. And who's fault was this was at the very other end of the blackened trail. 
Between the whisps of thin smoke and sparks of leftover embers, there the giant stood. As red and circular as the sun above and as dangerous as the fire it shot from the spherical monster that dared to cause such a mess. And all he could was stare back at this monster. Blue eyes meeting several other blue eyes, seven in total, as they made eye contact. The red thing regarded him with the stare one would give if he was just a small wurmple passing through, big enough to be acknowledged but not big enough to be given anything more than a sideways glance and nothing more. A noise like a deep sound of muffled static popped out from the thing, it's unusual floating limbs giving rotations around it's body a few times like a stretch given out by arms. The rotating objects circling it's body like a planet were possibly the strangest thing on the thing. Like..Someone had taken the blackened skull of an ancient dragon of long ago and separated them before plastering them to rotate around this red sun's orb as limbs. Did it even matter what it was? The thing didn't pay him another glance, choosing to slowly rotate around on it's stubby legs behind it towards movement, and that's when he saw it. Some kind of large scratch on his backside. Was it in some kind of fight? That might explain why it was rampaging earlier. He looked back again up to the thing as it began slowly walking back towards something and that something gave off the slightest movement caught the man's attention away from whatever that pokemon was and back towards something laying there. Something that made the muscles in his body freeze and the blood in his circulation turn to ice. 
Unmoving on the ground was a lumped curled up mass that was once a walking talking human. Sprawled on their side and their arms thrown out to encase another smaller blue mass that gave off a groan of it's own. Unmoving, blackened by dirt and soot, and eyes closed as if asleep despite the dangers of what was going on.
"Y/N!!"
A scream echoed out. Panicked. Feared. Desperate. Despite it's urgent warning towards the mass, it failed to wake up. Despite the thing that was heading right towards HER!! It made more of that weird static beeping noise continuing to rotate it's limbs every few seconds-
"STOP!! STOP IT!! LEAVE HER ALONE!!" 
The thing didn't stop. Didn't listen. Too invested in it's plans. Whatever they were involving her. Deep breathing. Heavy footsteps. Feeling of helplessness. Nothing he can do- The wet blades of the grass beneath his feet gave a squeaking sound similar to that of a tire on the road as the man came to a skidding stop in front of the monster. The orb still paid not a lot of attention towards the man who dared to stop it in his tracks. A shriek of muffled static was it's only warning to him and the skull limbs held out looking as if the maws of a dragon would bite him down whole- Until a loud roar was made back to counter it. Much, MUCH more louder and echoing throughout the skies and over the tree line. Laced, and dripping with such fury that it rivaled the thunder of storms and promised nothing but malice in it's wake. And the red orbed monster stopped in it's tracks a spike of anger washing over itself.
And there he stood in silence. 
A stand off between two dragons in different forms. One silence and more beast than man and the other man with twice the ferocity of any beast in that moment. A look of wild fury in his eyes that matched the scowl he wore. The stance as tense as the burning of fire. His lungs and throat burnt from the strain of that inhuman roar that rocked the heavens that no sane human would call a scream, but he didn't care. Baring his own fangs back at the orb.
"YOUR FIGHT IS NOT WITH HER!!," reverberated from his core, belly upping into a full blown threat from how he stated it. "WHAT!? YOU'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH SOMEONE YOUR SIZE!?" His arms spread out inviting this thing to swing at him. "C'MON!!" His other arm slammed against his chest with each jab at the thing. "COME ON!! I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?" With each word his arm placed another hit to his chest and his fury rose. "AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH!? OR DO YOU PREFER EASIER PREY!? C'MON!! LET'S SEE YOU ONE UP ME!! COME ON!!"
And then something did happen. A fast black blur that sent a blast of air rushing past him, shaking the poor jacket that clung to his body, but the furious man didn't flinch. Didn't even look at the black appendage that was suddenly on him, a single tooth of that limb pressed firmly into his cheek. A warning to not move any further-
"I. Am Not. Scared of you." Each word spoken deeply and firmly with every punctuation with angry hisses. "You. Don't belong here. Leave. NOW."
Again there was silence between the two of them and it was as if time itself was frozen for just them. To let him bare his angry eyes into the seemingly cold unblinking ones as the pokemon stared at him more....Until ever so slowly the pointed tooth in his cheek was pulled away from him and the pokemon stepped back, but he kept the short distance between them by following it not backing down. 
"Get out of here. And don't come back."
It was quiet now, serene even as quiet settled in and not a pin drop could be heard. Peaceful loving, quiet-
"OW!! RAIHAN, WHAT THE HECK!?"
That was until frantic footsteps approached the body laid out on the ground and he attempted to gently pick up Y/n's upper body. Only to yelp and drop her in fright at the sudden sit up she did and annoyed scowl on her face when she fell back down. ...and he blinked hands held up as you gave him a small glare rubbing your head. 
"What'd you go and do that for?"
.....He blinked again. "I-I-I-I...Y-You were- I was just trying to-.." His arms flopped to his sides as he stared at you blankly. "YOU'RE NOT UNCONCIOUS!?"
"No! I wasn't unconcious!!," you counted back with a small hiss from all the mini bruises and scrapes on your body. Thank good you ducked when you did. Silver at this point had stood back up with a sigh and shake of his own. "I was playing dead when that giant pokemon was chased down here by a bunch of magnetons!"
"MAGNETONS!?"
"Ow!" You suddenly flinched and your hand went from rubbing your head to clutching your left leg when pain shot up it from your foot.
"W-WHAT!? WHAT HAPPENED!? WHAT'D I DO!?"
"It wasn't you! My ankle hurts!," you hissed through clenched teeth as the throbbing pain in your ankle was now made present now that your brain wasn't distracted by fear anymore. "CRAP!! I probably busted it when that thing came barreling through here!"
"Your ankle!?" He practically screeched brows shooting up and face snapping to the leg you clutch while tenderly moving to lay on your back. "W-What happened?!"
"I literally just told yo- HEY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Ignoring your protests, Raihan quickly grabbed hold of you, one hand under your hand and the other under your legs before you felt gravity give way as he lifted you up. With a squeal your hands darted up to clutch as his jacket and your face burnt red as you found yourself picked up bridal style by him. "H-HEY!! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!!"
"I'm taking you to Nurse Joy!," he stated firmly.
"NOT LIKE THIS YOU'RE NOT!! I'LL WALK!!"
"...With your ankle?"
"I'LL BLOODY CRAWL IF I HAVE TOO NOW PUT ME DOWN!!"
"...Mmmm. Nope. This way will be faster." He deadpanned before he began stepping setting at a brisk pace with your already heated face.
"YOU'RE A DEAD MAN WALKING RAIHAN!!"
"I'm aware, but first I want to be sure you're not a hurt girl in pain."
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Dragon’s Treasure Ch10 Tamer Of Dragons (ft. Regidrago)
(WARNING: The pokemon does have a few scratches, reader also gets a sprained ankle but again nothing too serious.)
Well...That little reunion between the both of you was awkward, but pleasant!
And you weren't really sure what would be in store for you all later after your work shift but you soon found out just a few hours later. The rest of the day had went by fairly well. You just did some duties behind the counter, cleaned off a few tables, brought out some food- All mundane things while keeping an eye on the time and not soon long after the sky was started to get into the late evening and your shift was over, but Raihan didn't show back up during that entire time. You hung up your apron, bid your boss good bye as he began close up procedures, and then walked out the door- Or you would've before everyone still left in the store looked up all of a sudden when the door slammed back open in a hurry, the bell above the door ringing like crazy from the sudden hit the door gave as everyone looked over and you blinked in surprise at what you saw. Standing there in the doorway, was Raihan. The gym leader was standing there in the doorway heaving and panting like he just ran a hundred mile marathon, a handful of pretty wildflowers clutched in one free hand as he gazed around the small cafe. His eyes locked onto yours in an instant and he immediately held up his free hand in a wave.
"H-Hey, Y/n!," he called with a nervous smile, free hand coming to rub the back of his neck. "I- Um...S-Sorry if I'm late."
You blinked for a moment before shaking your head. "Uh. No. You're right on time. In fact you're a little early." You motioned to the clock. "I just got off work actually."
"Really? Phew. I-I mean! AH!! I-I knew that! T-Totally wasn't worried I messed up the timing. Haha!" He tried not to go red faced when you giggled at his reaction. "See? T-Told ya I had everything under control! Nothing's too much of a challenge for the great Raihan!"
You rose a brow amused. "I knew you could do it. So what's with the plants there?" You nodded towards the flowers he still held. "Taking up gardening as a hobby now?"
He blinked glancing between his hand for a moment before shoving the hand holding the flowers out to you. "Um!" You blinked and leaned back as he practically shoved the small flowers in your face. "T-These are for you! I-I just saw them outside the gate and it reminded me a bit of you."
You slowly blinked at the cheerfully colorful flowers before slowly reaching up to take from Raihan. Raihan...got you flowers? You stared a bit more before smiling and lifting them higher to smell the sweet scent. "These are..beautiful." You looked back at him. "Thank you. What flowers are they?"
He smiled somewhat bashfully before shrugging. "Oh, y'know. Just some wild primroses. They reminded me of you so I just picked them real quick." You let out a small 'Oh' smiling at the primroses you held. That was nice of him. "They symbolize positivity and courage." You blinked back at him and his softened smile. "That's why the-...They remind me so much of you. Y-You're a very kind an-and brace person, Y/n. In fact you c-can say that's what made me fall for you in the first place."
Your face lit up brighter than a christmas tree at the bold statement before you coughed and looked away. "Yeah? W-Well thanks anyways. I guess this was a good move on your part."
He seemed to light up more. "Well of course! Any lovely date deserves some lovely flowers. Though I can't say it compares to the way you look."
He leaned back just before you could swing the flowers at his face. "F-Flattery will get you no where! Besides, I thought you were going to take me out for dinner like you promised."
Oh shoot! He almost forgot about that part! With a smile he casually gestured back to the door with a bow. "Well then my lady, will you give me the honor of escorting such a lovely maiden to the diner?~", he asked holding out his arm for you to take.
You rolled your eyes but accepted his invitation, hanging your arm around his much to his happiness. "Such a gentlemen. Guess I'll have to accept as long as you're not a dragon in disguise waiting to carry me off to your tower."
He chuckled using his other hand to push the door back open for you. "Lucky for you I'm not that kind of dragon."
"Really?," you asked amused following him out. "Then what kind of dragon are you, Mr. Raihan?"
"I happen to be the kind of dragon who defends the princess," he proclaimed proudly placing a hand to his chest and head held high. "Who wouldn't be intimidated by me?~"
"Oh so I'm a princess now?"
"Better. You're yourself. That means you have a heart of gold, and as you know, us dragons llooovve gold." You blinked looking as he smiled at you. "And what am I to do but appreciate the dragon's treasure.~"
You stared at him silently, face lit up more than the sun-
"ACK!?" He spat out and shook his head when all of a sudden he was harmlessly wacked by some flowers.
"I-I-I said flattery won't get you anywhere!!"
"AHAHAHAHA!! It must do something! You're really cute when you're blushing-"
"STOP IT!!"
For a second date it certainly didn't feel too much like one. After all it was just a quick dinner at that small curry corner in the train station again. You were really enjoying the curry the chef could cook and Raihan finally coaxed you into trying that desert he recommended before. The pecha berry short cake with the combee honey glaze and cheri soda float he mentioned when he first saw you in Hammerlocke two months ago. You wanted to refuse but he insisted and you'd be lying if you said you weren't curious about what it tasted like, but you were sure glad you took him up on his offer. Pecha berries tasted very similar too peaches albeit a bit more sour and combee honey added too it just made it sweeter. It tasted sweeter than the normal honey you tasted back in your world. And Cheri berries were just regular cherries, or at least to you they were since they tasted the same as drinking cherry soda. You might wanna ask Chef Steven for his famous desert recipe later if he was nice enough to lend it to you. The conversation you two had was surprisingly casual as well. He mostly asked about you trips around Galar and what had happened in the time since he last saw you which surprised you greatly. You couldn't remember anyone else taking time out bothering to ask you how you day was or if you were doing well.
"-and so then I finally found the guy who ordered the food in the supermarket," you said with a groan remembering your time as an unofficial errand boy for Hulbury, "You'd think he'd be more specific with his directions! But no. The free food was almost not worth the entire thing!"
Raihan could only listen with a grimace. "Really? That had to be so confusing. I mean I don't think Lee would even be that bad with directions."
"I know right! That's what I was thinking." You sighed. "I don't know what was more humiliating. Being an unpaid delivery guy or apologizing to Oleana and Rose."
"You did what you had to do in that moment or what you thought best," Raihan comforted with a look, "I don't blame you for that. I mean we both didn't know they'd-"...he silently trailed off. You both already well knew what he was referring too.
"Yeah." You shook your head sighing once again. "But that was a long time ago now. Things are in the past and I'm just looking forward to the future...And speaking of which." Your head looked up towards the sky just outside the train station. It had gotten dark, but not completely night time. Must've just been sunset. "I better get home. Silver's probably wondering where I am by now." Turning back to him Raihan blinked when your hand reached around into your pocket and brought out your wallet.
"Whoa! Hey!" He frowned a bit and caught your attention back onto him. Without a word he gestured to said wallet in your hands. "What are you doing?"
You paused obviously confused. "Um...Paying my half of the dinner? I'm not just going to let you pay for everything y'know. That'd be messed up of me to expect you to pay for everything even if you did invite me out." You...weren't going to let him spend a whole lot on you? he ended up staring at you longer than he meant too because you asked him. "What? Is there something on my face?"
"N-No. It's just that..no girl's b-been that considerate before to me. I-I didn't think you could get anymore perfect," he mumbled out without thinking and it made you blink before your own face was shot pink........!? He blinked. "I-I mean-! HHHAAAAA!!" He gave an awkward smile. "My bad. Autocorrect."
"You said that out loud," you pointed out changing the subject, "B-But I still can't let you pay for me especially on the second date! That's nuts!"
"Hey. I promised I'd take you out to dinner and I meant it. My idea, my treat." You didn't look very convinced other than your still red face frowning at him, so he sighed and held up his hands. "Ok. How about this? You let me pay this time and then next time we go out it'll be your treat. Say about. Mmm. I dunno-" He rolled a hand looking hopeful at you with a smile. "Maybe hypothetically next Wednesday night. Maybe hypothetically we go to the movies right around the corner and maybe just hypothetically have a good time."
You gave a dry chuckled before you looked at him in disbelief. "Is this your way of asking me out for a third time?"
"Psh. What?" He waved a hand leaning back in his chair. "No. I would never. I was only giving out a hypothetical scenario where we can have more fun. Buuutt-" He gave a sly grin your way. "I certainly would've be apposed to something like that if it were to happen."
You rolled your eyes. "Fine. You know what time I get off."
How did you let yourself get talked into these things? Oh well. At least you'd get the chance to pay him back. After having him pay and setting off out of the train station he looked at you hands in his pockets before nodding off towards the way off back towards your home.
"So..can I walk you home?"
To which you shook your head no. "Thanks but I'll be alright. I remember my way back so don't worry. Besides, it's late and I wouldn't want to keep you."
"Oh. ..Well can I walk you out of Hammerlocke then?"
You gave a small amused sigh at him but nodded making him smile. "Sure. Why not have a big, strong dragon escort little old me through his territory?"
"That's me!," he boldly stated puffing out his chest and giving a smug smile, "No one who dare challenge the mighty tamer of dragons!"
That got a pleased reaction out of you in the form of giggles, before you started walking and to no one's surprise, he followed right next to you smiling proudly at himself for getting you to laugh. The sun had set a little lower and had already started to replace the light with darkness and stars. When you both came to the exit of Hammerlocke you both stopped and you looked up to him with a smile.
"Thanks for dinner! It was more enjoyable than I thought it would be," you thanks with a bright smile and small pink to your cheeks.
He causually waved you off. "Hey. No problem! I can't wait to hang out next week! You'll love the new movie coming out! They say you can see Melony in the background if you look hard enough."
You nodded back to him. "I'm looking forward to it. Just don't forget I'm the one paying. Or else-"
"Hey. Don't come at me. I can take a hint. Besides I think your bite's worse than your bark, Sassy."
"Oh don't worry. I don't bite." With a sly smile you reached up and he blinked when the end of your finger booped his nose. "Much.~" He froze staring cross-eyed at your hand before back at your turning form. "I'll see you later, Dragon Boy. Thanks again for the food!"
And you then left, walking away from the stunned gym leader who had stared after your form disappearing into the dark like a gengar's shadow. Ever so slowly his hand reached up to lightly graze his nose. Immediately his face lit up a bright pink and his heartbeat picked up yet again that day. Oh the things you made him feel-
Next's week date was the same after when he showed up to your after work and after your closing shift the two of you headed off for Hammerlocke's small theater. Honestly you didn't even know Hammerlocke had one since it was so small. The movie was nice. Just your standard cheesy and predictable romantic comedy soap opera, but it was still nice. Especially considering this was your very first time going to a movie theater since you were really young, that bit of knowledge surprised Raihan but you were glad when he didn't pry you more on it. And you did get to repay him for dinner by buying the tickets and food. They weren't all too expensive anyhow so it wasn't any big deal. It was really nice just being able to sit down and spend time with someone so domestically that didn't involve someone nagging you or with any ulterior motives...Well unless you count Raihan asking you out for a fourth time after that, but despite what your first impressions of him were, you found yourself relaxing around him more and more. Maybe it was because you had gotten used to him and his personality? Maybe it was the way he looked so nervous and flustered whenever he asked you out again or apologized if he thought he overstepped? Or maybe it was because his antics made you laugh more than you ever had in a long, long time?...Or maybe it was the butterflies in your stomach or the way your face always seemed to be a rainbow of pink and reds these days but you found yourself more than once staring at him for a few seconds too long, or staring at the doors of the cafe waiting to see his familiar face. Maybe it was because you finally had a friend you could see on a regular bases or maybe-...Just maybe. It was something more? Time passed and things began to change. The cool air hit as the leaves started to change color and pokemon started collecting nuts and berries to be stored away for hibernation or winter food supplies. Fruit started falling from your fruit trees and you had fun watching all the wild pokemon coming around collecting them. And you didn't see Raihan everyday. After all he was still a gym leader and legal guardian of three children with responsibilities, on top of that he was a famous man as the top gym leader. He had appearances to make. So it's not everyday you'd see him as he'd often be doing paperwork, managing his gym, traveling off to make appearances around Galar or exhibition matches, or just spending time with his trainers. He's mentioned them a few times when he'd stop by to buy food for them. You think he mentioned one of his current trips was to watch one of Camilla's soccer games in Wyndon. And that was fine by you. It'd be ludacris to expect him to come see you all the time. Besides you had plenty of things to keep you busy. The old cottage needed a bunch of cleaning and a few repairs which you were working on. There was a leak in the roof that needed to be patched up, the front door hinges creaked too loud causing your ears pain, and the hot water would randomly turn off at the worst times. It was a work in progress but things were slowly getting in order. There was way more upsides to this place than downsides anyways. You could just let your pokemon run around freely and there was a free food supply! It was his most recent trip away however was when Raihan noticed something strange, he had just flown back in the night before from Wyndon again. Something had been up with the new Chairwoman and she had wanted to ask him about some questions concerning Mr. Rose's old goings on with the powerplant, unfortunately he couldn't exactly answer a whole lot of her questions since he barely knew himself what was happening behind closed doors. Oh! And there was also that other thing mentioned to him beforehand-
He had blinked staring at the Chairwoman sitting behind her desk giving him a very serious look. "I'm sorry...You want to what again?"
"We want to release some pokemon into the reserve just behind Hammerlocke," Chairwoman Dahlia spoke to him not hesitating to get straight to the point, "Recently Sonia's come into possession of some ancient reanimated fossilized pokemon thanks to a trainer, three of which are partially dragon types. She had the idea of seeing how well they fair in the wild hoping to study some of their behaviors. I for one think it would be a great idea and trust she'll do a great job."
His brow rose higher and he gave her a deadpanned look over. "I mean-...Yeah that certainly sounds like something up Sonia's alley, but then why did you ask me to come all the way here for?''
"I'd like you to help Sonia's oversee this project."
"Wha- ME?!" He pointed at himself surprised she'd even suggest such a thing. "But why?"
"Simple. You've handled dragon types for years, if anyone could help her if anything goes wrong it'd be you."
"W-Wha- ...W-With all due respect-"
"With ALL due respect, Mr. Raihan," she cut him off with an icy tone that would put ice to shame with how cold it seemed to be and it seemed to certainly freeze him over and she wasn't even looking at him! Just shuffling some papers like all they were discussing was the weather. "There is no one else I would trust with her. Not now and certainly not after that stunt made by the brothers. I've been watching very closely to my gym circuit and the people who run them. You have a very special connection with those pokemon I haven't seen anyone else have." He didn't say too much after that and she took his silence as compliance. "The procedures have already been taken. Sonia should meet up with you when you get back. Until then I suggest you keep doing what you've been doing, Mr. Raihan. You methods are more affective than you think."
But he was glad the meeting with her was quick either way. Meant he could just get back to you-...To HAMMERLOCKE faster. He was sure everyone was missing him already, and he could use a nice break from traveling, maybe he could convince you to come watch him train the triplets! That'd be fun! Or maybe you'd even battle himself! That'd be even better! Training with you sounded like a wonderful bonding experience. Might help you become closer with each other's pokemon too. He fell asleep that night and woke up bright and early with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait to see you again and that surprised look on your face when he surprised you with his presence. Y/n probably didn't even know he was back yet! So he left for the cafe at a time he knew you'd be there, stopping for a small group of six tourist that wanted his picture, before continuing on to the cafe and walking in. The ringing of the bell going off and smiling expecting to see you standing there-...But frowned when he noticed you weren't at your place behind the counter. Instead he was met with the old store owner who smiled back noticing the gym leader's presence.
"Well if it isn't the Dragon of Hammerlocke himself," he man greeted leaning against the counter, "Built up an appetite while you were away?"
"Uh.." Raihan looked around again before shaking his head and looking back at the owner, "No not really." His hands slunk back into his pockets in his slight disappointment at not seeing you. Was it your day off? "I just stopped by to see Y/n. Is she here?"
To his surprise the cafe owner frowned and shook his head back. "No. I haven't seen her all morning. I don't know where she is."
A glass shattering sound went off in Raihan's mind as he froze and his body became rigid. His mouth pressed into a tight, thin line. "...What was that?"
"Yeah," the owner said scratching his head in a confused manner, "Haven't seen her all morning, which is strange because usually she's here by now. I would've tried to call her but I don't have her number."
Y/n doesn't have a phone. So even if he did try to call her nothing would've came from it. But...Why weren't you here?! You were always here whenever he showed up! And it wasn't like Y/n to just leave someone stranded like this without good reason or giving them a heads up. That wasn't like her. That wasn't like Y/n at all! But then...Where WAS Y/n!? Obviously she wasn't at work! But where was she if not where she was supposed to be?! Home was the most obvious answer but why didn't she tell anyone she wasn't feeling well beforehand. But was she sick?! Or hurt!? A spark of panic went through his systems at the thought of Y/n hurt in anyway! The flashbacks of just your limb self hanging in Leon's arms and being skidded off to the hospital was still strongly there in his mind and he could feel his heartrate pick up. A hummed feeling of panic set in. His world blurred and noises slurred and stopped about. If he didn't lean on the door he might faint-
B O O M!!
An earthquake hit. Or what sounded like an earthquake?? A large sound similar to that of far away exploding dynamite was heard overhead and caused both men to jump. Raihan yelped as he tripped to half a knee in shock and his face turned wide eyed up towards the ceiling, everything around him lightly shaking. The cafe owner also looking up clinging to the counter as the light shaking stopped and everything went still.
"What on Arceus's green earth was that!?," the older man shouted in fright after a few tense moments of silence.
"I-..I-I don't know." Ever so slowly he stood up legs feeling slightly like jello.
What WAS that!? There was no dynamax battles scheduled for today. Sebastian would've told him last night if there was, and there was little chance Sebastian would forget something like that! The last time he's ever felt anything like that was-....Was...Raihan's face paled, eyes blowing fully wide in horrific realization. The last time something like THIS happened was when those brothers broke into his gym and provoked that legendary pokemon into appearing!
SLAM!!!
The door slammed open, smacking into the wall and reverberating the glass panels in it from the forced, threatening to break it into a million shards. Bells ringing in his ears. Panic set in the gym leader now as he looked around the sky. Many more heads. Many more people were also panicked looking up towards the sky as with a roar of thunder and fire, a bright white line shot across it within the not so far away distance. It-..It looked like a flamethrower combined with a comet before it fizzled out into nothing but a thing trail of smoke within seconds preceded by a similar booming noise from before. Ocean eye pupils shrank at the identification of a hyper beam. A very LARGE hyper beam from a very large pokemon. Coming from the direction of the nature reserve. Coming from the direction of HER-
"Y/n!"
Feet slapped against payment which soon after turned into grass as he ran. The billions of plant blades brushing against his legs as they blurred past him. Leaves and trees and plants meant nothing to him as he rain past. Heart pounding in his chest, his arms receiving scratches from slapping branches back and forth, left and right to get through them. To Y/n. Rocks sinking deeper and deeper into his stomach the longer it took. Until with one last brush past a bush, he broke through the tree line into a small circular clearing and nearly fell to his knees from the heat. Thin trails of dark smoke trailed upwards from the even blacker earth, a thick comet trail leading from right in front of him permanently stung into the ground burnt by star fire leading to a massacre of trees and was once a night looking piece of the clearing. And who's fault was this was at the very other end of the blackened trail.
Between the whisps of thin smoke and sparks of leftover embers, there the giant stood. As red and circular as the sun above and as dangerous as the fire it shot from the spherical monster that dared to cause such a mess. And all he could was stare back at this monster. Blue eyes meeting several other blue eyes, seven in total, as they made eye contact. The red thing regarded him with the stare one would give if he was just a small wurmple passing through, big enough to be acknowledged but not big enough to be given anything more than a sideways glance and nothing more. A noise like a deep sound of muffled static popped out from the thing, it's unusual floating limbs giving rotations around it's body a few times like a stretch given out by arms. The rotating objects circling it's body like a planet were possibly the strangest thing on the thing. Like..Someone had taken the blackened skull of an ancient dragon of long ago and separated them before plastering them to rotate around this red sun's orb as limbs. Did it even matter what it was? The thing didn't pay him another glance, choosing to slowly rotate around on it's stubby legs behind it towards movement, and that's when he saw it. Some kind of large scratch on his backside. Was it in some kind of fight? That might explain why it was rampaging earlier. He looked back again up to the thing as it began slowly walking back towards something and that something gave off the slightest movement caught the man's attention away from whatever that pokemon was and back towards something laying there. Something that made the muscles in his body freeze and the blood in his circulation turn to ice.
Unmoving on the ground was a lumped curled up mass that was once a walking talking human. Sprawled on their side and their arms thrown out to encase another smaller blue mass that gave off a groan of it's own. Unmoving, blackened by dirt and soot, and eyes closed as if asleep despite the dangers of what was going on.
"Y/N!!"
A scream echoed out. Panicked. Feared. Desperate. Despite it's urgent warning towards the mass, it failed to wake up. Despite the thing that was heading right towards HER!! It made more of that weird static beeping noise continuing to rotate it's limbs every few seconds-
"STOP!! STOP IT!! LEAVE HER ALONE!!"
The thing didn't stop. Didn't listen. Too invested in it's plans. Whatever they were involving her. Deep breathing. Heavy footsteps. Feeling of helplessness. Nothing he can do- The wet blades of the grass beneath his feet gave a squeaking sound similar to that of a tire on the road as the man came to a skidding stop in front of the monster. The orb still paid not a lot of attention towards the man who dared to stop it in his tracks. A shriek of muffled static was it's only warning to him and the skull limbs held out looking as if the maws of a dragon would bite him down whole- Until a loud roar was made back to counter it. Much, MUCH more louder and echoing throughout the skies and over the tree line. Laced, and dripping with such fury that it rivaled the thunder of storms and promised nothing but malice in it's wake. And the red orbed monster stopped in it's tracks a spike of anger washing over itself.
And there he stood in silence.
A stand off between two dragons in different forms. One silence and more beast than man and the other man with twice the ferocity of any beast in that moment. A look of wild fury in his eyes that matched the scowl he wore. The stance as tense as the burning of fire. His lungs and throat burnt from the strain of that inhuman roar that rocked the heavens that no sane human would call a scream, but he didn't care. Baring his own fangs back at the orb.
"YOUR FIGHT IS NOT WITH HER!!," reverberated from his core, belly upping into a full blown threat from how he stated it. "WHAT!? YOU'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH SOMEONE YOUR SIZE!?" His arms spread out inviting this thing to swing at him. "C'MON!!" His other arm slammed against his chest with each jab at the thing. "COME ON!! I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?" With each word his arm placed another hit to his chest and his fury rose. "AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH!? OR DO YOU PREFER EASIER PREY!? C'MON!! LET'S SEE YOU ONE UP ME!! COME ON!!"
And then something did happen. A fast black blur that sent a blast of air rushing past him, shaking the poor jacket that clung to his body, but the furious man didn't flinch. Didn't even look at the black appendage that was suddenly on him, a single tooth of that limb pressed firmly into his cheek. A warning to not move any further-
"I. Am Not. Scared of you." Each word spoken deeply and firmly with every punctuation with angry hisses. "You. Don't belong here. Leave. NOW."
Again there was silence between the two of them and it was as if time itself was frozen for just them. To let him bare his angry eyes into the seemingly cold unblinking ones as the pokemon stared at him more....Until ever so slowly the pointed tooth in his cheek was pulled away from him and the pokemon stepped back, but he kept the short distance between them by following it not backing down.
"Get out of here. And don't come back."
It was quiet now, serene even as quiet settled in and not a pin drop could be heard. Peaceful loving, quiet-
"OW!! RAIHAN, WHAT THE HECK!?"
That was until frantic footsteps approached the body laid out on the ground and he attempted to gently pick up Y/n's upper body. Only to yelp and drop her in fright at the sudden sit up she did and annoyed scowl on her face when she fell back down. ...and he blinked hands held up as you gave him a small glare rubbing your head.
"What'd you go and do that for?"
.....He blinked again. "I-I-I-I...Y-You were- I was just trying to-.." His arms flopped to his sides as he stared at you blankly. "YOU'RE NOT UNCONCIOUS!?"
"No! I wasn't unconcious!!," you counted back with a small hiss from all the mini bruises and scrapes on your body. Thank good you ducked when you did. Silver at this point had stood back up with a sigh and shake of his own. "I was playing dead when that giant pokemon was chased down here by a bunch of magnetons!"
"MAGNETONS!?"
"Ow!" You suddenly flinched and your hand went from rubbing your head to clutching your left leg when pain shot up it from your foot.
"W-WHAT!? WHAT HAPPENED!? WHAT'D I DO!?"
"It wasn't you! My ankle hurts!," you hissed through clenched teeth as the throbbing pain in your ankle was now made present now that your brain wasn't distracted by fear anymore. "CRAP!! I probably busted it when that thing came barreling through here!"
"Your ankle!?" He practically screeched brows shooting up and face snapping to the leg you clutch while tenderly moving to lay on your back. "W-What happened?!"
"I literally just told yo- HEY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Ignoring your protests, Raihan quickly grabbed hold of you, one hand under your hand and the other under your legs before you felt gravity give way as he lifted you up. With a squeal your hands darted up to clutch as his jacket and your face burnt red as you found yourself picked up bridal style by him. "H-HEY!! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!!"
"I'm taking you to Nurse Joy!," he stated firmly.
"NOT LIKE THIS YOU'RE NOT!! I'LL WALK!!"
"...With your ankle?"
"I'LL BLOODY CRAWL IF I HAVE TOO NOW PUT ME DOWN!!"
"...Mmmm. Nope. This way will be faster." He deadpanned before he began stepping setting at a brisk pace with your already heated face.
"YOU'RE A DEAD MAN WALKING RAIHAN!!"
"I'm aware, but first I want to be sure you're not a hurt girl in pain."
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twoidiotwriters1 · 2 years
Text
Copycat: Cryptomnesia —(Marvel Fem!Oc)
A/N: Hope you guys had a nice Christmas! I just realized the chapters lined up with the holidays that is so cool lmao -Danny
Words: 2,155
Phase Five Masterlist
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Listen to: ‘skinny dipping’ -by Sabrina Carpenter
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xxii: A Christmas Miracle
The moment Cat got rid of the last man standing —without killing him— she saw the Christmas tree falling into the ice rink.
"Kate, you had one job!"
"I got it done, didn't I?"
"We do not destroy more than necessary!"
"Now you care about a dumb tree? Who are you and what did you do to Copycat?"
"This is Copycat!" She exclaimed. "I was sloppy Cat before!"
"Guys, while I'm glad to hear C.C.'s finally behaving like an adult, I am surrounded by a bunch of armed men, so if you could hurry..."
Cat teleported and Kate ran towards her, she put her arms around Cat's neck and both appeared next to Clint on the ice rink. Kate shot several smoke arrows, but it wasn't enough.
"We're too exposed, let's go!" Clint shot a magnetic arrow at one of the poles surrounding the rink and urged them to hide behind the fallen tree. "That should hold them off for a bit..."
He took off the shirt he was wearing to reveal a suit identical to Kate's.
"Oh, my God, you wore it!" Kate beamed.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah—"
"Oh, my God, it looks so good, I told you!" Cat couldn't help but think her excitement was cute.
"Listen to me," Clint insisted. "We need to get off this ice, okay? The only way off this ice is up those stairs."
"Great," Kate groaned, looking at all the men. They were recovering from the beating Cat had inflicted. "There's only about a thousand of them and three of us."
"I count for at least three," Cat frowned, she was upset about how quickly the men had recovered, but if she was planning not to kill anyone when working with heroes, she had to get used to it.
"Here, take these," Clint grabbed a bunch of his arrows and placed them inside Kate's holder.
"No way!" Kate gasped. "Is it time?"
"It's time."
Kate looked at her looking for double confirmation, Cat shrugged.
"The only way to be ready is to get out there and do it. Welcome to the Avengers, Princess Bishop."
The girl gave her a winning, beautiful smile.
"All right, girls," Clint grabbed an arrow, he smiled at them. "Let's give 'em hell."
Cat ran, jumped, and teleported around the rink to take down as many people as she could. She used her spear and thought of how convenient it'd be if she could split it in two like Daredevil's baton.
"Kate! Your mom just came out of the side door!" One of their larpers announced.
"Copy," Clint replied.
"Yeah?" Cat showed up next to him.
He gave a start. "I wasn't talking to you! I said copy as in we heard it!"
"Oh!" Cat pouted. "Yeah, this happens. Spider-man used to say 'beep-beep' instead of copy so I wouldn't get confused."
"Like the roadrunner?" Kate smiled. "That's so cute. He sounds like a fun guy."
"He's sloppy like you," Cat pointed at the Christmas tree. "Go find your mom."
"I, uh... can you come with me?"
"Why?"
"We're partners, Copy."
Cat hummed. "Yeah okay, let's—"
A gunshot interrupted her, behind them, on the opposite side of the rink, Kazi was holding a gun and he had two guys standing on each side of him.
"Just go," Clint told them. Kate obeyed, but Cat rush back to his side. "Cat—"
"I'll catch up with Kate, this will be quick," she raised a brow. "Or are you too slow?"
Clint picked up an arrow, shot it, and the projectile was divided in three. Kazi caught the one directed at him, but the remaining two got the other men in the chest.
"Nice shot!" Kazi shouted sarcastically.
"Yeah, no shit!" Clint looked at her. "You were saying?"
She snorted. "Guess you're not that old after all..."
Cat teleported, she pointed her watch at Kazi ready to shoot him tranquilizers, but before she could do it, Maya arrived in a byke and almost ran over her.
"Shit!" Cat jumped out of the way.
"You should've left, Maya!" Kazi signed, then spoke out loud. "You know what I have to do..."
The mutant watched the scene in silence from her place, none of them looked happy to be reunited. Maybe they would take each other out. With this in mind, she believed Kate needed her more than these two.
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Unfortunately for her, Kingpin found the Bishops first. After making sure Kate's mom wasn't dead, Cat got inside the toyshop and stopped the man from hurting Kate. She tried to tase him, however, when the weapon came into contact with him, Cat realized he was wearing the same armor Matthew owned.
"Goddamit."
"Copycat," he groaned, fixing his shirt. "we meet at last."
"Last indeed, you're going back to prison," she replied.
Her claws jerked out and she aimed for his face, he lifted a fist that she scratched deeply, making him hiss in pain.
"I'm surprised," she extended her spear and enlarged the blades on each end. "None of you get my name right on their first try."
"I've heard a lot about you," Fisk said, stepping forward. Close action wasn't gonna help her with this guy, so she stepped back. "I've heard some interesting rumors... about who you're friends with."
He was surprisingly fast for a man his size. He seized her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Cat tried to free herself, but she wasn't successful. She tried to use her spear to stab his side and he slapped it away, the weapon rolled across the floor.
"Where is Daredevil?" He growled.
Cat teleported out of his grip and landed behind him, she used her watch to shoot several tranquilizers at his back. The suit got ruined, but he was still standing.
"Are you made of cement?" She coughed in annoyance.
"So you can teleport, what else can you do?" He turned to face her, unbothered by her attempts to take him down. "Smyerdakov told us all kinds of stories..."
Cat straightened her posture and stared at him through the goggles. "What?"
"I don't want to kill you," he explained, and once again tried to approach her. "We're all trying to get you, and now you're here, so I'll get you before them. If what Billy said it's true, and the powerbroker sent you as a way to claim a territory that—"
"You guys are all so stupid," she said in exasperation. "Whatever that dumbass told all of you, she was lying and so was Smyerdakov. He underestimated my abilities and it got him killed."
"INCOMING!" Kate shouted unexpectedly.
When the arrows at Fisk's feet exploded, Cat teleported over to Kate, spreading her cape to cover both of them from the explosion.
The mutant moved a little, cupping Kate's face to examine it. "You okay? How many eyes are on my face?"
"Aren't you supposed to ask how many fingers am I seeing?" She mumbled, blinking off the dust from her eyes.
"Can't show you any fingers, I'm holding your face," Cat pushed her goggles away. "Mouse, check her vitals..."
"She's stable. Her mother might be in need of assistance, though."
Copycat pushed herself up and then helped Kate to her feet. "Let's go."
"What was that thing Kingpin said about you and a power-something?"
Cat's expression darkened. "I'll take care of that later."
She went back to Kingpin, crouched close to his face, and tilted it to the side with her claws. She shot four tranquilizers in line on his neck.
"That should keep him under control..." she hesitated, then shot one last dart. "Okay, now we can go."
Cat heard police cars approaching once they made sure Kate's mom was okay. "I have to check on Clint, he said he'd be here but he's not and Yelena's still out there..."
"Yeah, go ahead. I should talk to my mom alone, anyway," she eased her. "I'll see you in a few, yeah?"
She squeezed the girl's hand. "See you in a bit."
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She found Yelena standing above Clint, ready to kill him. Cat landed next to him and was about to attack Yelena when he caught her ankle.
"Don't... it's okay..."
Yelena's expression was one of heartbreak, she wasn't trying to kill him.
"Lena?" Cat asked tentatively.
The blonde looked up at her in frustration. "It's not fair, that you got so much time with her."
"We did," Clint agreed weakly.
"It shouldn't have gone this way," Yelena's eyes got teary. "If I was there, I could have stopped it. I could have— I could have changed it."
"Nothing was gonna stop her, Yelena... you know Natasha," Clint replied. "She made her choice... We're gonna have to find a way to live with that."
The statement was as much for Cat as it was for Yelena. She'd claimed that her hurting would forever blind her, but somehow, she saw things clearer in what she could only call a Christmas miracle. After two whole years of mourning and guilt, a new perspective arose:
Her brother had been the fastest man alive, she knew how his powers worked. The day Pietro died, he hadn't rushed in trying to stop the spear, he was looking at her, making sure she was okay.
When Tony was dying, he didn't ask about Thanos, he asked about Peter and the Maximoff twins, cause all he wanted to know before leaving was if they were okay.
There was no point in inflicting all those punishments on her person, her friends hadn't died for her. Staying miserable was not a proper way to honor their sacrifices. Nothing could hurt them anymore, and it was up to her to continue their mission.
"I loved her so much..." Yelena sobbed.
Between doing things the way she wanted, and the way others thought was better, the key to a happy life was to choose kindness regardless of what she knew.
"You're not alone, Lena," she said gently. "You have the other widows, they're your sisters too... and you have us if you ever need help."
Yelena didn't speak, she approached slowly and offered a hand to Clint so he could stand. The two women helped him stand, and he placed his hand on Yelena's shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
The agent started to walk away, and Cat followed her.
"C.C..." Clint warned her, but she was quick to put his worries to rest.
"I'm making sure she gets out of here safe, that's all," she threw her spear and her taser at his feet. "I promise."
Yelena walked with her until they reached a quiet street, where the blonde stopped and glanced at the sky. Cat pushed the hood off her head and her mask disappeared, she inhaled the cold air, it stung her, but she didn't mind the feeling.
"Russo and Kingpin are not the only ones trying to find you," Yelena said at last.
"I guessed as much," she admitted, not even surprised to find out Yelena knew about it. "But the only way I'll work as a bag guy's minion is if they reach my price or kill all my friends... and the number both is pretty high."
"I didn't know it was a setup," Yelena revealed. "I found out at the same time as you. I couldn't warn you. I don't hate you, Z... but I saw how this life worked for my sister, and you can't change that."
Cat smiled a little, gazing at the sky. "I don't want anything to change. If I die fighting... it's a good way to go."
"Can I ask you something?"
"I'm listening."
"You grew up in a lab because of these people, all the bad things that'd happened to you, it's because of them... why help them?"
"My brother wanted a normal life," Cat looked back at Yelena. "He got what he wanted. Nat didn't want to live in half a universe, so she fixed it. Heroes don't have perfect lives, but most of their dreams come true in due time... you wanna know why I help them?"
Yelena just stared at her, so she continued.
"I thought I could fix my problems alone, but that's not what makes me good at what I do. It's who I become when I'm part of something. Having a soft place to land where I stumble, that's where my real power resides."
The agent hummed, looking up again. "You lived in space for a while, yes?"
"Three good years."
Yelena took a moment to form her question. "Was it pretty? The place where she died?"
Cat swallowed the lump in her throat. "Looked like a heaven."
The widow closed her eyes. "I won't tell Valentina you're Copycat, but this is the only time I'll cover for you."
"We can find a way to hide you, you don't have to go back to her—"
"I don't have a problem with what I'm doing, Z." She replied calmly. "If I need help I'll call you, but don't come uninvited."
"Alright," she knew this was as close as they'd get to becoming friends. "Take care, blondie."
"Don't die," the woman turned and started to walk away. "Don't waste my mercy."
She smiled and raised her voice. "Don't worry, Death doesn't want me around, she knows I'm insufferable."
Yelena stopped and spoke one last time, moving her head a little to the right. "Will you give me a tour around the city next time, or do I point a gun at your girlfriend's head to convince you?"
She tried not to laugh. "Okay. Stop threatening Kate's safety, she's not my girlfriend yet."
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Next Chapter—>
Taglist.
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moipale · 3 years
Text
2021 Holiday Truce
Hello @arisu-artnfics! I’m your truce gifter this year! It was a pleasure to work with your prompts, and I tried to incorporate all of them (gifts, green and red, ugly sweaters, christmas decorations, christmas), since they work so well together. I hope very much that you enjoy the fic I wrote!
“Are you hiding?”
Danny barely avoids starting at the sound of Jazz’s voice, and looks over his shoulder up to where she’s standing behind him.
“Ha-ha. Who wouldn’t be?” He gestures down at the living room below them. He’s sitting at the top of the stairs, his legs dangling between poles of the railing, staring down at the whirlwind that is his parents, in full holiday swing. There are boxes of decorations strewn about the living room, the tree is tilting in its stand, half-wrapped presents which he and Jazz politely pretend not to see are shoved behind the couch—the December usual. Things haven’t devolved into their annual argument, following last year’s resolution, but Danny still finds himself on edge for it—still, this year, with their tentative agreement that Santa is a ghost, it feels a little bit easier.
“Punk,” Jazz says affectionately, and sits down beside him, plonking a Santa hat on his head as she does. He scowls at her and receives a faux-innocent smile in return. When she takes a closer look at him, Jazz blinks in surprise. “You’re wearing the sweater!”
Aunt Alicia—who will be coming down to visit for Christmas Day, a veritable Christmas miracle, considering how little she leaves her neck of the woods—had knitted the whole family personalized ugly holiday sweaters. It had surprised them all, and she won the unofficial annual gift-giving competition in short order; no one expected her to go for something so personal, and so delightfully awful to look at.
“Yeah, well, I risk Ghost Writer kicking my ass if I don’t,” Danny replies, ducking his head. Jazz sees through him.
“We’ll make a Christmas lover out of you yet, little brother,” she teases, knocking her shoulder against his. He grumbles, but notably doesn’t protest.
Together, they watch the chaos. Sometimes it’s nice that their parents are so oblivious, and so it is now, that they can sit together on the landing and look down unnoticed into the din, people-watching as a party of two. Danny has never liked Christmas, but he might understand now why everyone emphasizes family during the holidays: he loves his parents, their sweet bumbling and all. Downstairs, they work together in tandem, building the holiday; even through their scientific fervor, they make time to decorate and wrap gifts, and despite himself, he loves them for it.
“Aw, look at you.” Jazz is smiling at him. “It’s nice to see you so relaxed at this time of year.”
The old instinct to pull away is there, but Danny doesn’t let it rear its head. Instead, he smiles back. “Feels nice, too.”
 “What’s this?”
This time, Jazz does manage to make him jump, and he turns around sharply, mind already scattered with stress. “Huh?”
She gestures at large to the mess surrounding him: tissue paper and wrapping and flat gift bags, receipts, conspicuous boxes. A smile plays on her lips. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were wrapping Christmas gifts.”
He scowls, without as much indignance as he intends. “Get out of here before you start guessing which one’s yours.”
“You got a gift for me?” The glee in her voice is almost enough to wash away his embarrassment. Almost. Baby steps, Danny, baby steps.
“Yes, now shoo! I need to finish this and I’m already tearing my hair out.”
“Want help?”
The offer surprises him, and he stops short, the nervous energy surrounding him calming just a bit. He’s never known Jazz to make offers in jest, but he studies her expression for a moment anyway; as always, she is genuine. She’s a good sister.
“Yeah, okay. But shut your eyes for a second! I need to hide your thing—!"
 It’s at Jazz’s gentle urging that he delivers his gifts in person, and on the Eve, one by one, he drops them off with their recipients. Mom and Dad and Jazz herself don’t count, thankfully, so he leaves those neatly beneath the decidedly less neat tree, still leaning in its stand. From there, he has only three stops—all human, since the Truce isn’t on Christmas this year, and he’s refusing to worry about Truce gifts until he has to—and Phantom heads off into the night to make them.
He goes to Sam first, since she’ll give him less shit about his newfound Christmas spirit. She accepts the gift gracefully—he and Tucker had long ago cleared it with her, whether she wants them to get her Hannukah or Christmas gifts or both—and with minimal teasing, and keeps him for an hour or so to chat quietly in her dark room, lit only by his own glow. He’s always enjoyed being around Sam most this time of year; she’s always been gentle with him, commiserating when he bitterly complained and now allowing him room to give the holiday another chance, separating it from the context he’d hated it for.
“Who else have you gotten something for, besides me and Tucker?” she asks, eyeing the third gift bag Danny carries. He’s finally pulled himself from their conversation, wary of the late hour and eager to get back home before too long.
“Valerie,” he reveals, toying with the tag on the bag. “Should I not have?”
Sam pauses. Her feelings about Valerie have always been complicated, but in the past year, through a million dangers, they’ve all found it easier to see people’s separate layers. “No, I think it’s sweet. She’ll appreciate it.”
“Yeah?” He perks up.
She smiles at him. Ready for bed, Sam isn’t wearing any make-up, and Danny enjoys seeing her plain face, knowing that she trusts him with it. “Yeah,” she assures him.
He stops in on Tucker next, crashing intangibly into his room purely to make Tucker yelp. He gets the desired reaction and then some—the expected teasing, and eventual sappy thank-yous and Merry-Christmases—and regrets to cut it short, but it’s already eleven and at this point he has no idea how late Valerie stays up.
“Good luck, hotshot!” Tucker shoots him a wink as he leaves, and Danny rolls his eyes, catching the implication. He’s not sure if he’s going for anything here, giving this gift—he liked Valerie, definitely, but it’s been months since they were together. Mostly, he misses her friendship.
 When he, human, knocks on the door to Valerie’s apartment—an address he should not know, and which he prays no one questions him on—it’s her dad that answers the door. It takes Damon a moment to recognize him, but then his expression clears, and he says, “Danny! Merry Christmas. What brings you here?”
“I have a gift for Valerie. Is she here?”
Damon casts a briefly frustrated glance inward, though he hides it admirably. “No, she’s gone out. I can take it for her.” He reaches to receive it, but Danny pulls back, the movement slightly sharper than he intended.
“Ah—I really wanted to give it to her in person. It’s been a while since we’ve talked, so I wanted to… yeah.” He trails off, embarrassed. At that, Damon’s gaze softens.
“I gotcha. Feel free to stop by tomorrow morning if you have time, or I’m sure you’ll have the chance to hand it off when you’re both back at school.” He pats a kind hand on Danny’s shoulder. “She’ll be glad you thought of her. She misses you too, you know.”
A happy blush colors Danny’s cheeks. Thankfully, they’re already red from the cold, so it doesn’t give much away. “Thanks, Mr. Gray. Merry Christmas.”
It’s both disappointing and relieving to fly out of Elmerton, gift still in hand. He really wants to start moving toward friendship with Valerie again, but too its kind of terrifying; he doesn’t need much persuasion to put it off a bit longer.
Thus, it’s to his surprise when halfway home, he sees her: the Red Huntress, not quite Valerie, but it is her regardless.
Danny stills in the air. Valerie’s back is to him; she’s sitting on the edge of a billboard platform, looking out over the city, spinning her hoverboard around one dangling foot. Her helmet is retracted; her hair flies free in the chilly December air. It hasn’t snowed yet this year, but Danny can imagine how pretty a picture it would be: her, glowing red against the frost.
Maybe he still likes her a little bit.
He can’t approach her as Fenton like this, he knows; he can’t give his gift in the way he originally intended to. But it’s Christmas Eve—Christmas Day, by now, actually—and he’s trying. And New Year’s is right around the corner, and perhaps this can be his resolution: a different kind of trying.
Danny Phantom tears the tag that says “from D.F.” off the gift bag, and flies forward.
Her suit must alert her to his approach, but Valerie doesn’t move until he’s settled beside her, and even still that motion is only a slowly-drawn ectogun pointed loosely at his face. He can spot a hundred ways to disarm her, a hundred more to dodge, but she doesn’t shoot, and so he doesn’t move.
Against the dark swath of the billboard, between advertisements, blank and unlit, they each glow green and red: Christmas lights in their own.
“Hi, Valerie,” Phantom says.
“Come to ruin the holiday?” she bites.
A hundred ways to respond, and last year, he would have. But Ghost Writer made him stop and stare and listen, last year, and since then he’s been doing a lot of looking, a lot of listening. He misses Valerie. He misses the early joy of the holiday, when he’d been young enough his parents’ argument had passed him by. He’s a year and change into his afterlife, and he’s just remembering how to be optimistic, how to hope. He thinks often of how wonderful it would be, how easy, if the Red Huntress and Phantom worked together.
“No,” he says instead, offering her a smile. “I got you a gift.”
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penaltbox · 3 years
Note
Can you do prompt number 33 please? “I’ll let you sit on my knee.” If you’d be willing to write for patrick moynihan? If not, that’s ok!! As a back up I’d say owen lindmark 🥺 please and thank you!
this was a cute one! thank you!
31. “I’ll let you sit on my knee.” - Patrick Moynihan
__
“Hi Mrs. Ford, it’s so nice to see you again!”
The voice sends a shiver down your spine but a smile quickly finds its way to your face. You peek around the corner from the living room and see Patrick standing there talking to your mom with Parker. To two of the four in the house, there was no clue as to why you’d be so excited that Pat was home with your brother. That secret stayed between you and Pat, and was typically left behind at school. Apparently the holidays would be proving a little different than usual that year.
You clear your throat as you head into the kitchen to fill your water bottle up, “What’s wrong, Moynihan? Parents kick you out for Christmas already?”
“Just couldn’t get enough of you,” he smirks, laughing with your mom and brother. 
They don’t realize it’s not as much of a joke as they may think and his words make you blush. You see yourself back to the living room with a mumbled ‘yeah, whatever’. You bury yourself back into the blanket you’d left on the couch and continue watching your Netflix binge. A minute later you feel someone lean over the back of the couch. You look up to find Pat giving you a soft smile that you easily return.
“Hi, pretty girl,” he says quietly, leaning forward to kiss you softly. 
You return it, reaching to hold his hand while you could, “why didn’t you tell me you were coming here during break?”
“I needed it to be a surprise so your family didn’t clue in on it.”
“Ugh, I guess. Now I have to act like I don’t want to date you though,” you playfully roll your eyes.
Pat snorts, “you do hardly want to date me.”
“Patrick…” you sigh heavily, having gone over this before with him.
“I know, I know. Parker will kill us.”
He leaves it at that and walks off with one last squeeze of your hand. It’s a small sign but you know it means you’re on good terms. You lean into the couch again and try to not run after the boy you were honestly crazy about.
You find out Pat’s only there for the night, which bums you out, but really makes things easier for your stress levels. Or it was until your mom announces that everyone gets to open one present that night because her and your dad had gotten Pat something. You delay leaving your room for as long as possible but it backfires. When you get back to the living room you see that every seat is already taken. 
“Mom, where am I supposed to sit?” you ask, slowly walking towards Pat subconsciously.
Before your mom can answer, a smart ass remark flies out of him, “I’ll let you sit on my knee.”
Your eyes go as wide as your brother’s but your mom, dad, and sister all seem to find it hilariously. There’s a volley of responses thrown back at Pat, ranging from your mom’s ‘this isn’t a visit to Santa’s workshop’ to Parker’s ‘over my dead body, Moynihan!’ 
Your face is as red as possible but your sister’s voice comes through at the end, “you guys would be really cute.”
“Olivia,” you warn, and Parker echos it. 
Out of the corner of your eye you see Pat’s head hang a little and you know you have to reel things in. You move over to him and sit on the ground between his legs, leaning back against the couch.
“Can we just get this over with?” you say, the statement holding a few different meanings that slowly get picked up by the others in the room.
“I knew it,” Olivia smirks, heading to grab the presents from under the tree.
Parker almost speaks up to argue but one look from your mom levels him quickly. He grumbles, crossing his arms even, but leans back without another word. Presents are opened quickly and you squeeze Pat’s ankle right before standing up and announcing you were headed to bed for the night. Even though it was only 8 o’clock. A soft knock on your door a few minutes later reveals Pat behind the door with no one following him.
You immediately walk over and wrap your arms around his waist, hugging him tight, “was that a disaster way to do that or what?”
“Well,” he laughs, “it could have been way smoother, but at least it’s out there.”
“Are we going to be okay, you think?”
“Of course we are. I’ve always got you,” he smiles, and you know he means it.
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hxseok-honee · 3 years
Text
blossom | part 16
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blossom [part 16] || 'Hoseokie'
[‘cause all i need is to see you blossom out, blossom out, blossom out]
previous || masterlist || next
a/n : I cant tell if this is a hobi chapter or a yoongi chapter but i am very in love with them both thats for sure -- lmk what you think!
“Hobi, hi!” Y/n had practically slammed face first into the front door in her rush to answer it, and she’s a little breathless when she finally greets him. She’d honestly been expecting maybe a different, more confident Hoseok than the one she’d become familiar with to be standing there -- after all, he certainly looks the part today. But she’s pleasantly surprised to find that he’s still the same old Hoseok, rocking back and forth on his heels on her porch while he takes in the exterior of her home with bright, wide eyes.
He turns those eyes to her now, his smile boyishly charming as his red ears poke out cutely from beneath his winter hat.
“Y/n! Your house is so cute!” The compliment rolls off his tongue immediately, because frankly it’s all he could think about as he’d walked up the path to her door. It suits her perfectly, this lovely little home on the outskirts of town. He holds up a bag when she thanks him, shaking it lightly while he steps inside, following her into the entryway.
“I know you said no gifts, but I couldn’t show up with nothing!” He sets the bag into her waiting hands, pulling out four flower crowns -- they’re perfect, clearly crafted with care and delicacy that borders on professional. Each one is unique in size and style, somehow a set of matching winter crowns but created with individual intent. She can’t even bother to hide the look of endearment she shoots him.
“Hobi, you really didn’t have to do all of this.” He waves her off while he removes his hat, and she sets the bag down so she can take his coat while he explains.
“It’s nothing, seriously. I didn’t know what I could possibly buy you and your family because I don’t know what they like, so I thought I’d stick to something I know… I tried to make the one for your dad a bit more, uh -- manly? It was hard, though.” He laughs off his slight embarrassment, but Y/n’s mind is stalling on what he’d said. She turns to him with an awkward smile.
“Ah… I thought the big one might have been to fit Yoongi’s massive head… I think it still would fit him, to be honest.” When Hoseok blinks at her in confusion, she only offers an uncomfortable laugh. “My dad’s not around, actually… There’s only three of us.” Hoseok’s eyes go wide, and he finds himself swearing internally. He hadn’t even noticed that she’d never mentioned her dad before.
“Shoot, I’m sorry -- I didn’t even think about it--”
“No, you’re fine! It’s okay, it’s my fault for forgetting to mention it.” When he tries to apologize again, Y/n only sets the larger flower crown on his head to silence him. It hangs low on his forehead, making her smile. “Seriously, Hobi -- you’re sweet for even thinking of all of this.” He opens his mouth, still feeling unsure, but another voice cuts in before he can say anything.
“Yoonie’s here! Oh-- you’re not Yoonie…” Sliding into the doorway with small socked feet is a literal carbon copy of Y/n -- granted, she’s about a head shorter and very clearly a child, but the resemblance is uncanny. Hoseok blinks at the girl, and she only blinks back, hands on her hips in what can be described only as disappointment. Y/n rolls her eyes playfully.
“Hoseok, meet Hana, my 8-year-old sister. Hana, meet the boy that brought you a handmade flower crown -- so be nice.” Immediately, Hana’s arms are dropping in surprise, her eyes wide as she glances at Hoseok’s hands. He smiles kindly, picking out the crown with the smallest circumference and handing it to her. The girl’s eyes almost sparkle with excitement as she moves to take it from him, fingers delicate as she sets it on her hair.
“I had to guess at what size your head would be, but I hope you like it!” Y/n’s sister blinks up at him with an expectant gaze when he’s done talking, clearly waiting for an assessment.
“Do I look nice?” Hoseok warms immediately, finding the girl entirely endearing. He nods, handing Y/n her own crown while he responds. He has to stop himself from doing a double-take when she puts hers on.
So pretty…
“Yay! Thank you for the pretty crown!” Hoseok blinks, realizing he’d definitely just said that out loud. Luckily, the sisters had taken it as a response to Hana’s question, and he feels relief flood his body at the coincidence. He’s so busy thanking whatever higher power had just saved him from that awkward moment that he misses the sound of the front door opening behind him.
“Yoonie!” Coming back to reality, Hoseok barely has time to jump out of the way as the 8-year-old barrels past him, charging with purpose for the person entering the home.
“Monkey!” The voice that hits his ears is familiar, but it’s entirely unlike the person he knows it belongs to. Looking up, Hoseok can only stare lamely as Hana all but flies through the air, caught securely in the arms of one Min Yoongi. The Slytherin laughs loudly at the sudden attack, swinging the girl around in greeting before taking a good look at her.
“Jeez, do you ever stop growing? I’m getting nervous over here, kid.” Yoongi sees Y/n and Hoseok then, and he greets them with nothing more than a nod and a cool grin.
“Happy Christmas, nerds--” Somehow managing to hold onto Hana with one arm, he extends the other out to Y/n, passing her a large bag of gifts. “The one on top’s for you -- don’t even think about it, loser.” Y/n had peered curiously at the topmost gift when he’d said it was hers, eyeing it with excitement. She rolls her eyes now, letting the bag hang at her side as she waves Hoseok into the next room -- a living room, decked out in warm blankets and an even warmer fireplace. There’s a staircase on the far end of the room, the wooden steps uneven from years of use. The home is small but very clearly lived in, and Hoseok’s happy to think that he’s been allowed into Y/n’s childhood home.
There are a few picture frames on the fireplace mantel, and he can’t help but wander over to them while Y/n sets the gifts under the decorated tree in the corner. He looks over the photos with a smile, listening as Yoongi and Hana catch up behind him.
“What’s that on your head, Monkey? I like it.”
“A flower crown from Y/n’s boyfriend! He said it looks pretty on me.” Y/n chokes on her own saliva when she hears those words -- Y/n’s boyfriend -- and Hoseok finds himself overheating just slightly. He swears it’s from the crackling fire in front of him, and he tugs a few times at the front of his dress shirt in discomfort. Y/n glares at Yoongi, who’s barely managing to contain his laughter.
“Hoseok’s not my boyfriend, Hana--” The girl turns, maneuvering her way out of Yoongi’s arms and onto his back while she responds, clearly confused.
“But the last boy you brought home was Stinky Koo, and he was your boyfriend!” Hoseok’s immensely glad that he’s still facing the fireplace, because the name Stinky Koo is much more amusing to him than it should be. He turns to face them only when he’s got his face under control, but he almost cracks when he sees how proud Yoongi looks -- it must have been him that had nicknamed Jungkook for the young girl.
Desperate to change the subject, Hoseok gestures at the photo in the middle of the mantel -- a portrait of the sisters and their mother.
“Your mom’s beautiful, Y/n. Like a queen.” Y/n smiles shyly, Yoongi nodding appreciatively behind her. He's doing just fine, Yoongi thinks to himself, seeing how obviously nervous Hoseok is.
“Well, thank you, young man! Y/n, I like this boy.” The photograph in question is nothing compared to the woman that enters the room, and Hoseok swears the genetics in this house have seriously won the lottery. Y/n’s mother has the kindest eyes he’s ever seen, and he feels like all he wants right now is to see those eyes look at him with approval. It would mean the world, honestly.
She steps toward the group of kids, smiling sweetly at Hoseok before immediately turning to Yoongi with an evil glint in her eye. The boy never stood a chance, only having enough time to inhale sharply before her fingers are coming down on his cheeks, pinching with all her might. Y/n snorts when Yoongi lets out a pained wail.
“Release me, woman!” Hoseok’s shocked at the tone Yoongi takes with her, but Y/n’s beside him in an instant to do damage control.
“My mom’s favorite pastime is antagonizing him -- Yoongi’s been around long enough that formalities just… don’t exist… You get used to it.” Hoseok only nods as he watches her mom start in on the Slytherin.
“Never in my life have I seen a boy with so little meat on his body -- do you even eat, or is the sickly look in style these days?” The woman pinches at Yoongi’s torso for emphasis, and he starts to wriggle away from her, Hana barely managing to hang onto him for dear life.
“This is why I never come here -- the bullying is insufferable!” Yoongi hops around the living room with the 8-year-old glued to him, racing for the doorway into another room when he sees that Y/n’s mom isn’t giving up anytime soon. She almost follows the pair when they disappear, deciding instead to stay in the room with Y/n and Hoseok, an innocent grin on her face.
“You look much healthier than that bag of bones over there--” Hoseok realizes she’s addressing him and smiles, extending a hand to greet her and ignoring Yoongi when he lets out an enraged ‘hey!’ in the other room.
“You have such a lovely home, Ma’am-- Oh! I made you this!” He’d almost forgotten about his gift, but it’s hanging from the wrist he’s using to shake her hand, making him look both awkward and cute as he struggles to hand it to her with some semblance of elegance. “I hope you like it-- I can mend it if it’s too big! But… I left my bag at home, so I’ll have to run to get the scissors and twine-- Oh, it fits!” Y/n’s mom had watched him stumble over his words for a moment before decisively setting the crown on her head with a smile.
“I love it, Hoseok -- thank you.” He blinks, realizing that she knows his name although he had forgotten to introduce himself, and it clicks that Y/n’s talked about him to her mom before. The shy smile on the Gryffindor’s face only confirms his suspicions, filling him with joy. He smiles brightly, following Y/n’s mom when she waves him into the room where Yoongi had gone.
It’s a kitchen, small but comfortable, with a dining table positioned in the middle of the room. When they enter, they find Yoongi bent over the open oven door, lifting a large dish out of it and setting it on top of the stove. Hana’s clung tightly to his back, but the Sytherin moves around the kitchen with ease, dropping the oven mitts on the counter on his way to grab plates from one of the cabinets. It’s obvious not only that he’s very used to having Y/n’s sister stuck to him, but also that he’s comfortable in this home, fully aware of how the house functions.
“What in the world do you think you’re doing? Get out of my kitchen -- you’ll break something!” Y/n’s mom makes a beeline for Yoongi, swatting him away with an oven mitt scooped up from the counter. He complains loudly, grabbing at it and arguing with the woman.
“Will you please just sit down and let me do this?! You’re in my way -- go sit down, Mom!” It looks like a fight -- by all standards, it’s a mother and son arguing and nothing else. But Hoseok looks around the room, taking in the table full of homemade food, the sink full of dishes from the cooking. He sees the light sheen of sweat on the woman’s face, knowing just by looking that she’d been working tirelessly to make Christmas dinner for them. And when he looks to Yoongi, he sees that the boy knows this, too -- that he’s urging her to sit down and relax, that he’s just making it seem like he’s annoyed instead of openly caring for her. That, along with the fact that Hana is very clearly emotionally attached to the Slytherin, makes it obvious to Hoseok that Yoongi belongs here. That this Yoongi belongs here, not the promiscuous one that the entirety of Hogwarts knows. Hogwarts doesn’t know this Yoongi.
“You’re doing that thing again.” Hoseok jumps, realizing when he turns that Y/n’s watching him closely. He smiles, cocking his head to the side in confusion. The chaos of the room never stops, happening in the background while he and Y/n stand in the doorway.
“What thing?” She grins, pointing at his face.
“That observant badger thing. You’re just watching and taking mental notes.” He flushes slightly, not even realizing that he does this often enough to classify it as a ‘thing’. He gestures to her best friend, a question slipping out in the form of an observation, something he’s apparently good at.
“I didn’t realize Yoongi was good with kids.” Y/n snickers, shaking her head.
“He’s not, actually. One time, he tripped over a kid at the store because he hadn’t seen them walking past, and for the rest of the day he kept saying ‘children are the evil groundhogs of the world… waiting to pop their little heads out of the ground and scare you’. It was kinda dramatic.” Hoseok blinks, utterly dumbfounded by that story because it sounds exactly like something Yoongi say, but the Yoongi in the kitchen right now is not showing any of that malice.
“So… then how did this happen?” He gestures to the pair hopping around the dining table, Hana now clinging to Yoongi’s leg while the boy sets out utensils, all the while bickering with her mom. It’s not hard to imagine, seeing how the girl hangs off of him, why Yoongi calls her Monkey.
“Well -- Hana’s 8, which means Yoongi’s been in her life for… almost the entirety of it. And, although I doubt he’d say it, I know he feels some sense of responsibility for her since our dad’s not around. He’s just kind of always looked after her, so she definitely relies on him a lot.” Y/n looks at peace when she says it, and Hoseok gets the feeling that she appreciates Yoongi’s involvement with her family more than she’s letting on.
“They’re pretty cute… It’s nice to see.” Y/n smirks at Hoseok’s final assessment before beckoning him further into the kitchen, commenting in a low voice as she moves to the table.
“Don’t let Yoongi hear you say that -- his ego needs to be kept under control as it is.” Yoongi looks up when he hears his name, lifting an eyebrow but asking no questions as he examines Hoseok and Y/n. Letting it go, he glances down at the child sitting on his foot.
“Let’s wash our hands, Monkey. I dont need your dirty germs getting in my food.” Hana protests loudly but allows Yoongi to haul her off to the bathroom to wash up. He sets his phone on the table when he goes, and Hoseok can only imagine how much trust he has in Y/n to leave her with it -- especially because it keeps buzzing with notifications, and Hoseok can tell even from here that Yoongi has his message previews on.
When they return, Y/n passes the boy his phone, but not before it lights up again in her hand. Without meaning to, she glances down at it, and Hoseok’s not sure what she sees, but it has Yoongi looking at her with wide eyes once he’s gotten a chance to read it, too. He eyes her almost guiltily, but she only smiles knowingly and turns back to the table, taking the seat next to Hoseok.
“Let’s eat!”
--
Dinner passes surprisingly easily for Hoseok -- he’d been nervous all day, changing and re-changing his clothes until finally he’d just given up and left his apartment. But now, sitting here with Y/n and her family, he feels welcomed, included immediately in the chaos of the group dynamic while they eat. Her mother insists on piling his plate high with insanely delicious food, although it’s not nearly as much as she feeds Yoongi, who looks disgruntled at being called a walking skeleton but eats it all with vigor, anyway.
Just as they’re finishing dinner, Hoseok jumping to his feet to help clear the table, Hana rests her elbows on the wood, peering up at him curiously while he moves around the room. He has to purse his lips to stop himself from smiling when he spots her legs swinging back and forth from her chair, not yet able to reach the floor.
“Who’s that other flower crown for? Is it for you? It’s kinda big on you!” His eyes widen just a fraction, and he looks to Y/n for help as he hums. Y/n starts talking at the same time he does.
“Oh, it’s just an extra--
“He just accidentally made it too big--”
“It’s for me!” Yoongi cuts them both off with finality, sticking his hand out almost childishly for the crown hanging low on Hoseok’s head. Hoseok looks at him in shock, forgetting to mask his emotions for the young girl in front of him. But it’s fine because Hana’s only looking at Yoongi, something the Slytherin's clearly aware of when he waves his awaiting hand, dramatically impatient for her sake.
“But then why haven’t you been wearing it the whole time?” The girl’s questions are straight to the point, and Y/n’s mom starts to tell her not to pry, but Yoongi’s always ready for Hana’s inquiries.
“Obviously, Hoseok’s a little shy about giving me a Christmas gift -- he’s been waiting for the right time!” He sounds so sure of himself, like he actually believes it. But as Hoseok’s lifting the crown off of his head and setting it in Yoongi’s hand, he sees the look the boy gives him, and he knows that Yoongi’s aware of the assumption he’d made about Y/n’s father.
And of course Yoongi knows -- he’d made the exact same mistake the first time he’d visited the home at 11 years old, walking in with expensive gifts for both parents because his mom had always stressed that ‘you never go to someone else’s house empty handed’. Hana was much too young then, only a year old, and Yoongi’s not about to let the girl catch on now and risk souring the Christmas spirit. He knows how insecure she gets sometimes about not having a dad, so he saves Hoseok from the moment with practiced ease.
Looking away from the Hufflepuff and turning to Hana while he sets the crown on his head, he points up at it.
“How’s it look, Monkey?” The girl hums, squinting for a moment before nodding.
“It fits! Probably because you have a big head.” Y/n snorts loudly, even Hoseok coughing out a laugh while he sets dishes in the sink. Yoongi only nods, accepting that he’s just been blatantly insulted by an 8-year-old, made worse by Y/n’s mom running her hand over Hana’s hair in amused approval.
“That’s my girl -- you tell the skinny boy how it is.” Yoongi opens his mouth to protest, but the woman’s standing to retrieve something from the fridge, and immediately his complaints are replaced by an excited gasp.
“Is that--”
“Well, someone’s gotta feed you your favorites!” Hoseok only glances over his shoulder while he and Y/n clean up, seeing that the woman’s setting a pumpkin pie on the counter and reaching for a knife to cut it. Another glance tells him that Yoongi’s argumentative nature’s been won over by the dessert, and he’s standing to help her serve 5 plates of it, shy smile peeking through.
“Thanks, Mom…” The woman grins, bumping him with her hip but not saying anything about the embarrassment on his face. She turns, holding two plates and gesturing toward the fridge while she heads for the living room.
“Grab the whipped cream on your way, will you, Hoseokie?” Hoseok almost drops the dirty plate he’s setting in the sink, all the hair on the back of his neck standing on end when he hears the name Y/n’s mom calls him. Y/n notices that he stills suddenly beside her, but before she can mention it, he’s blinking, the moment gone as he moves to the fridge with a smile.
The group migrates to the living room, Y/n’s mom taking the armchair by the tree while Y/n and Hoseok share the couch. Yoongi’s sitting on the floor with his legs crisscrossed, Hana seated comfortably in his lap. The plates of pie sit on the table next to Yoongi’s head, and he keeps glancing anxiously at them, like he’s wondering if he can sneak a bite without anyone noticing. Y/n’s mom’s voice rings out, and he knows he’s been caught.
“Not a chance, Yoongi -- presents first!” Rolling his eyes but nodding anyway, he turns his attention back to the group, where Y/n is passing out presents to everyone. The biggest ones always go to Hana, who seems very excited but is somehow even more enthused about finally giving everyone her own gifts, small trinkets she’d picked out with immense care during her school’s holiday field trip. Y/n has to stop herself from snapping a photo of Yoongi’s face when he unwraps a snake plushie, watching with amusement when he cradles it close to his chest, eyes full of adoration as he mouths "I love her" to the Gryffindor. Hana doesn’t even notice how dramatically sentimental he is, her short attention span having her already turning to Hoseok with a large smile and a small gift.
“This one’s for you, Hoseokie!” Hoseok chokes on his saliva, paling slightly when he hears that name again. Y/n picks up on it for sure this time, but she doesn’t say anything, not wanting to interrupt his and Hana’s moment.
Hoseok takes the gift with shaking hands, masking whatever’s running through his mind with a shy smile.
“You didn’t have to get me anything, Hana -- thank you!” The girl watches with intense interest while he peels the wrapping paper off, revealing a pink ballpoint pen in the shape of a flower, explaining when he holds it up in the light.
“Y/n told me you liked flowers when I asked! Do you like it?” Hoseok smiles brightly, pressing down on the center of the flower with a quiet click and running the tip of the pen along the knuckle on his thumb to test the ink.
“I love it! I’ll use it every day!” Y/n smiles then, thinking how endearing he’ll look, using a pink ballpoint flower pen in a school that still standardizes quill and ink. But she knows he means it and won’t even think twice about using it. Hana beams up at him, but her eyes become curious almost immediately.
“But -- do you not like the name ‘Hoseokie’? You looked a little sad when I said it…” Y/n cringes, cursing the fact that her sister is both extremely observant and completely lacks a filter. She’s like the perfect mix of Hoseok and Yoongi, something that would be really funny if the situation hadn’t just gotten really uncomfortable.
Hoseok gapes at the girl, letting out a breath of laughter when she only tilts her head to the side curiously. It’s fine that he’d been caught -- it’s just a little embarrassing that it had happened here at Y/n’s family dinner, where he’d been trying to make a good impression and leave only good energy behind. With a slight sigh, he shakes his head to answer Hana’s question.
“I don’t not like ‘Hoseokie’ -- I actually really like it… it’s just--” He glances quickly at Y/n, feeling a bit awkward. “My little sister used to call me that…” Immediately, Y/n’s looking to Yoongi out of the corner of her eye, finding that he’s doing the same, the alarm in his eyes matching her own. Hoseok had never mentioned a sister.
“It’s a little… uncomfortable, so I feel bad…” Hoseok looks to Y/n’s mom then, watching carefully for her reaction when he continues. “My parents run an apiary -- they’re very big nature types, all about the ‘way of the natural world’ and stuff like that… that's why--" He cuts off, gesturing vaguely to the crown on the woman's head. That's why I know how to do this, he means. Clearing his throat, he continues. "So it didn’t really… go well… when I turned 11 and got the letter saying I was a wizard.” Y/n hears Yoongi inhale sharply from where he’s sitting, and she knows he’s putting the pieces together like she is.
When Hoseok sees that Y/n’s mom is watching him with a guarded expression, almost worried about where he’s going with him, he bites at the inside of his cheek nervously. Y/n had never explicitly said it, but he could tell the minute he walked into the house just a few hours ago that she’s also a muggleborn. Wizarding homes always show signs of magic -- dishes that wash themselves, hanging plants that can’t be found anywhere in the muggle world, that kind of thing. He hadn’t seen anything to give away a magical upbringing, almost shocked at how much Y/n’s home reminded him of his own childhood.
He can see now that the woman is glancing at her own daughter, and he knows what she’s thinking. Y/n and Hoseok are the same, but his world had been entirely different. He sees her making that connection, so he just decides to rip off the metaphorical band-aid and finish explaining.
“My parents didn’t want something ‘unnatural’ living in the house, influencing their innocent daughter, so they kicked me out. Agreed to help me pay for an apartment and bills as long as I promised to never reach out to them for anything else -- Dumbledore helped me out the first few summers, let me stay on the grounds since I wasn’t old enough to be on my own. I moved into a place not far from here when I turned 15.”
He’s got his eyes screwed shut now, terrified of the pity he’s going to find when he opens them again. It’s too quiet, and he feels his ears warming, knowing that it looks like he’s been thrown away, discarded. He doesn’t feel that way, having accepted his situation when he was still young -- having decided to accept his situation because it was better than being bitter. But he knows what people will see when they find out, so he’d gone to great lengths to hide it. Because he doesn’t need pity, he’s happy as he is.
While he’s thinking of how to ease everyone’s tension, he’s completely unprepared for the arms that wrap around his neck. Cracking his eyes open, he realizes these arms are quite small, that the person hugging him is quite small.
“Will you come back for family dinner every year?” Hana’s question is muffled in his neck, but the words have his heart stuttering because he really hadn’t been expecting this. Glancing quickly at Y/n, he finds that the pity he’d been preparing for isn’t there. She looks completely heartbroken, her eyes shining with unshed tears, but more than anything she looks mad.
She blinks it away when they make eye contact, and she nods while reaching for his hand. He’s not sure what she’s nodding at, and he gets the feeling she doesn’t know either, but he takes it as her understanding. Understanding that he doesn’t want to talk about it further, understanding what he’d meant in the forest that day about being happy alone.
Just past Y/n, Yoongi’s standing from his spot on the floor with a groan and a crack of his spine. He moves for Hana, who’s still clinging to Hoseok’s neck.
“Of course he’ll be back, Monkey. He’s not goin’ anywhere.” It’s said so simply, without any particular feeling to guide it, but Hoseok’s so immensely grateful for Min Yoongi in that moment. Not only because he hadn’t changed at all in the way he’d looked at Hoseok -- his eyes are still even and calm, if not laced with slightest bit of emotion when their gazes lock -- but because Hoseok had just received clear and direct approval from the one person in Y/n’s life that he’d been most nervous about.
It’s one thing to be nervous about family or the entirety of her friend group -- those things are normal. Min Yoongi is not normal, not to Y/n. He’s the only person that knows Y/n better than she knows herself, and Hoseok hadn’t even realized just how terrified he’d been that Yoongi wouldn’t accept him suddenly appearing in Y/n’s life the way he had. But he sees now, while Yoongi is slowly peeling Hana off of him and carrying her to the staircase, claiming that it’s ‘way past her bedtime’, that Yoongi’s just let him in. The girl waves goodnight to the rest of the group, almost immediately sleepy now that Yoongi's carrying her to bed.
When Hoseok looks to Y/n, eyes wide with surprise, he sees that she’s noticed Yoongi's behavior, too. Because she’s got her eyes closed, but she’s smiling fondly, like the telltale signs of Yoongi’s respect have finally revealed themselves, decidedly giving Hoseok his stamp of approval.
He’s so busy reveling in the fact that he’d just gotten all the reactions to his life story that he’d been expecting the least that he barely feels Y/n’s mom set a hand on his shoulder when she stands. He looks up now, taking in her kind eyes, and he thinks she’s going to say something sentimental, but--
“I like you a whole lot more than I liked Jungkook.” Hoseok’s jaw drops, and Y/n’s scoffing loudly beside him.
“Mom!” The woman smiles, leaving the two them there on the couch while she grabs the plates of pie, mumbling something about ‘needing to pack Noodle Arms a plate to go’ before heading into the kitchen. Hoseok can do nothing but laugh when he looks to Y/n, who’s still completely scandalized by her mom’s comment.
“I can’t tell if I should feel highly approved of, or just regularly approved of since Jungkook is apparently low on the Family Opinions list.” Y/n nudges him with her elbow playfully, and they sit there quietly together on the couch for a moment. He finds himself reaching out to brush his fingers across her knee insecurely.
“You know, you don’t have to feel bad for me. I really am okay -- I said it before, but I just… I’ve been okay not having anyone. It never really haunted me or hurt me or anything I’m sure you’d expect an abandoned child to feel. I just… took the bad with the good and decided to focus on the happy moments of my childhood because, believe it or not, I had a lot of them. It’s just easier to remember my parents as they were before, so that’s what I do.” Y/n nods slowly when he’s done, feeling a lot of things but wondering if maybe it’s not her place to say it. He sees it anyway, because he sees everything.
“You’re angry. That they left me.” Y/n glances at him quickly, wondering if he’s upset at all -- this is such a delicate subject, and she doesn’t know if she’s allowed to feel this mad for him. But he’s smiling, like he can tell she’d been trying to hide it and he’s finding her incredibly endearing for it. She purses her lips and nods shyly, confirming his suspicions.
“That they left you… yes. But I’m angry that they kept your sister from you.” It’d been obvious in the way Hoseok had talked about his parents that he’d become purposely detached from them, that he’d accepted the situation and doesn’t feel any certain way about them. But the name -- ‘Hoseokie’ -- it had set him on edge in a way she’d never seen in this carefree, sunny boy before. His sister’s a sore spot, probably the one thing that hurts most. His smile tells her everything she needs to know, because she’s never once seen him smile bitterly. And yet there it is, forcing his dimples to make an appearance in a way that isn’t as heartwarming as it usually is.
“The last time I saw her, she was Hana’s age… she probably looks so different now.” If a person could physically deflate into nothingness, Y/n would have successfully done it. Hoseok can’t help but snicker, the image of Y/n almost melting into the couch too endearing.
“I -- I can’t even imagine… not knowing what Hana will look like in a few years.” It breaks her heart all over again, the way Hoseok nods, because he knows exactly what that feels like. But he refuses to dwell on it, clapping his hands down on his knees decisively and shaking Y/n from her stupor with the noise.
“Spend New Year’s Eve with me!” Y/n’s brain stalls, trying to process what he’d just said. He waits patiently, smiling while she switches mental gears and catches up to him.
“Huh? I mean -- sure? Yes? But, huh?” He laughs under his breath, finding her confusion almost obnoxiously cute.
“I’ve never had anyone to spend it with. Now that I do… I really want to spend it with you.” Y/n swallows hard, wondering where these butterflies in her stomach are coming from -- maybe it’s the way he’s watching her, eyes curious as he waits for her reaction. She only nods, suddenly very shy under his gaze.
“I’d love to, Hoseok…” He warms at how low her voice is, and now he’s the one feeling shy, pressing his palms into his thighs and staring down at his lap. They’re quiet for a moment, the soft crackling from the fireplace filling the silence, until--
“Oh, just kiss already!” They both turn quickly toward the voice, finding Yoongi standing at the bottom of the staircase, a look of disgust filling his face. He shakes his head when they gape at him, going so far as to wave his hand quickly, his palm passing through the air with intent. “Look, I even helped.” He’s looking at the space above their heads, and when she and Hoseok follow his eyes, they find a piece of mistletoe growing from the ceiling, hanging down between them.
Y/n groans in annoyance while Hoseok sits there, blushing brightly at Yoongi’s forwardness. As if to make things worse for him, Y/n’s mom enters the room again then, noticing the mistletoe right away as she’s handing the comically large stack of to-go containers over to Yoongi.
“Oh, cute! Did they kiss?” She looks at Yoongi when she asks, and he shakes his head in disappointment -- Hoseok gets the feeling they’re enjoying pretending he and Y/n aren’t right here when they start snickering in unison.
“Well, I gotta go--” Yoongi stops to glare at Y/n when she looks at him knowingly, eyebrows raised. Hoseok wonders if maybe this is about the messages she’d seen on the Slytherin’s phone earlier. “-- but I’ll catch you guys later. Happy Christmas, nerds!” With that he’s heading for the entryway, and Hoseok can hear him bickering with Y/n’s mom all the way to the door.
“Yes, I brought my coat--”
“You don’t have a hat! I’m sure they make hats for big-headed people, too--”
“That is so offensive on so many levels--”
“I’ll just have to make you one myself--”
“Mom! Stop working so hard, I promise I’ll go buy a damn hat!”
“Don’t you take that tone with me, Big-Head!”
--
“I got us takeout!” It’s the first thing she says when Hoseok opens the door to his apartment, emphasized by the large bag she’s shaking in his face with enthusiasm. He pokes his head around it, smiling brightly at her.
“I also got us takeout!” Lowering her bag in surprise, she follows Hoseok into the small studio when he beckons her in, slipping her shoes off at the door as she looks to the kitchenette, where an equally large bag of food sits. She only looks to Hoseok, dumbfounded, and she finds he’s giving her the same look.
“How are we gonna eat all this--”
“No idea.” Y/n snorts when he looks between their two bags, face deadpan as he reaches for hers and sets it on the table beside his. He looks at them for a moment longer, finally speaking.
“Did we get takeout from the same place?” Y/n hangs her head with a groan when she realizes the bags look exactly the same. When she looks up again, he’s heading for the cabinets to get plates, his shoulders shaking with laughter. It’s infectious, and soon she’s shaking her head, turning to look around the apartment while she laughs openly. Her breath is cut short almost immediately when she looks at the living area.
“Holy plants.” Hoseok glances over to where she’s looking, a nervous laugh leaving him.
“Too much?” To put it simply, they’re everywhere. Floor plants, hanging plants, windowsill plants -- everywhere. There’s even a massive plant overtaking the table next to his bed in the corner, not an inch of space for him to put anything else. She feels like she just walked into a jungle.
“Your air must be really clean…” Hoseok laughs loudly, not having expected that to be her one assessment of his plant collection.
“You’re lucky I haven’t covered the couch in plants, too -- where are we gonna sit to watch TV?” As if the universe has decided to test him at this very moment in time for absolutely no reason other than to make him suffer, the apartment goes dark with the booming sound of the entire room powering down.
Hoseok barely manages to hold in his groan when he hears Y/n turn in his direction in the dark.
“I wasn’t watching anything good on TV these days, anyway.”
--
“Come on, come on -- where are they--”
“Hoseok, it’s fine--”
“I swear I had candles--”
“Hoseok--”
“Aha!” He pokes his head up from where he’s crouched by the closet, holding a stack of small candles triumphantly. Y/n’s sitting at the dining table, having cast lumos long ago and unpacked their copious amounts of food with nothing but the light of her wand. She’s smiling at him fondly now as he shows her the candles.
“Are you feeling better now?” Hoseok lowers his candles, sending her a sheepish smile as he rises to his feet and moves to join her at the table. He’d immediately started apologizing to her when the power had gone out, thrown into a panicked rush to fix things as he flitted around his apartment. She’d tried to reassure him that everything was okay, but he’d still felt really bad for messing up their night.
“I’m sorry, Y/n… I told my parents that I’m still in school until the spring, but I don’t think they heard that part when they said they were gonna stop helping me pay for stuff after graduation… I’ve been applying for jobs all year, but they just don’t really start accepting people until they see our NEWT results and transcripts and stuff, so--”
“Hobi.” He stops at the nickname, realizing when she levels him with a hard stare that he’s devolving into anxious rambling again. She reaches across the table, taking his hands in hers.
“Stop apologizing, Hobi. This isn’t your fault, and you haven’t ruined anything. I promise.” He’s slow to nod, but eventually he accepts her words, seeing how insistent she is.
“I do have one question, though.” He blinks, humming curiously when she continues and wondering what she’s going to say. “Do you… have spare blankets? Because it’s going to get very cold in here very fast.”
--
“I don’t think I want to eat anything ever again.”
“Mmm… Mmmm…”
“So you agree.”
“Mhm… Mmm…” Hoseok throws his head back against the couch, completely unable to form words after the meal they’d just had. Y/n snorts, nodding as she gets used to his various sounds of exhaustion.
“Me too, Hobi.” They sit there quietly for only a moment before Hoseok is lifting his head, urgent. Y/n looks at him, wondering what’s happening in his head when he turns to her, face deadpan yet again.
“I bought us ice cream on my way home with the food.” Immediately, she’s groaning, and he joins her in flopping around on his couch dramatically. Y/n takes a moment through her food-induced haze to appreciate their little setup.
The candles are set strategically on his coffee table and counters, clear of any plants because the last thing they need tonight is a fire. She’d been right in assuming it’d get cold, and they’d eventually stopped trying to manage with small blankets, dragging his comforter right off the bed and curling up together beneath it as they ate dinner. She can’t even recall what they’d talked about, the entire thing a confused fog from the food.
She knows they’d been giddy the whole time, on a weird high from the collection of ridiculous things that had happened in the first five minutes of her being here. That, along with the sheer amount of food and the wine Hoseok had pulled out for them, ended up creating nonstop laughter over the smallest things. She’s comfortable here, never having experienced a bubble of quiet happiness like this. She feels no pressure and she’s worried about nothing -- everything had fallen away when she’d walked in the door, the rest of the world blocked out from this safe space, here with Hoseok in his apartment.
“Oh! It’s almost midnight!” Hoseok’s squinting at his phone in the dark before showing her the screen -- 11:55pm. She glances at her own phone, sitting peacefully on the table in front of them, and she hates that the only thing she can think of is Jungkook. She’s scared that this period of silence between them will have done nothing, that as soon as the new year starts, he’s going to be back to badgering her constantly. She just wants everything to return to normal, and she’s scared that she only has five minutes left before that dream falls apart.
“Hey… Where’d you go just now?” Blinking, she sees that Hoseok’s peering at her, brow furrowed in concern. His phone toggles when he moves closer to her, a small pout set in his features, and the screen lights up again. 11:57pm. She hates that, after such a good night, it had taken only this to have them both frowning. She hates it.
“I just… I really just want all of this to be normal again. I want Jungkook to be normal again. I want the new year to be something good again, and I’m terrified it won’t be. I just want to forget everything bad from this year and start fresh.” She rolls her eyes at herself, hating that she’s ranting to Hoseok about her love life again, when they’d just wanted to have a nice New Year’s Eve together. But his mind is elsewhere, a thought crossing his mind suddenly. He checks his phone again. 11:59pm.
“Maybe I can help with that?” Y/n looks to him when he says it, confused.
“What do you mean?” He blinks, trying to decide if he’s really going to do this. The nervous feeling building in his stomach is somehow telling him this is a bad and good idea. He turns to her quickly.
“With that fresh start… forgetting the bad from this year… Maybe I can help…?” Y/n’s not sure what he means, but she doesn’t see why she would say no. Hoseok’s never done anything but help, even when he doesn’t realize it. If anyone’s going to help her forget, it’s him.
So she nods, waiting for him to explain. And then she’s gasping, because he’s leaning in, and she can see even in the dim lighting that he’s looking at her lips -- that he’s going to kiss her.
He pauses for a second to give her time to push him away. When she doesn’t, he’s glancing up and finding that she’s looking at him nervously, her gaze flicking back and forth between his eyes and his mouth. With a small inhale, he lets his eyes drift shut, closing the gap between them carefully.
Y/n’s not even sure she’s kissing him back -- she’s too focused on the feeling of his lips on her, how gentle he’s being as he applies just the slightest pressure to her mouth with his own. But she must be kissing him back, because he’s responding to something, his lips pressing harder when he feels her reciprocating.
It’s only one kiss, one that he pulls back from slowly after a moment, their breaths mingling warmly in the small space he’s created. Neither of them makes a move, eyes hooded and noses brushing in his dark apartment as they try to make sense of this haze long enough to figure out if this has really just happened. If Hoseok’s really just kissed her on New Year’s Eve.
And then her phone is lighting up on the table, celebratory texts from her friends pouring in, and they turn at the same time to glance at the screen. 12:00am.
Hoseok turns back to her then, eyes searching hers for something -- he’s not really sure what it is, but when a shy smile starts to dance at the edges of her lips, he knows he’s found it.
“Happy New Year, Y/n.”
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