#9 times out of 10 they’ll somehow end up with the happy ending (or like . the Together ending) (see hannigram)

[deanofsam]

if i had a nickel for every time i shipped two guys who are canonically referred to as brothers and have a fucked up and extremely codependent relationship with each other but who also ultimately end up in together forever in the afterlife, i’d have two nickels. which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice

[sergeantsporks]

Gilded Family

Rating: Teen and Up, Gen

Ch 277/?: New Mission

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6 , Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17,  Ch 18, Ch 19, Ch 20, Ch 21, Ch 22, Ch 23, Ch 24, Ch 25, Ch 26

In which none of the previous golden guards or wittebro died, actually, they're all fine and living happily together as one big dysfunctional family

Ao3

Phoenix stared at the ceiling of Cherry’s bedroom, barely able to make out wooden planks in the darkness. “I never checked back.”

“Mrgh?”

“On the orphanage. After I joined the coven. I knew it burned down, but I never checked to see what happened to the people there.”

Cherry grunted. “Why would you? From what I saw, it didn’t seem like anyone there really cared about you. Even the adults who were supposed to watch out for you didn’t notice you were gone.”

Even away from Petro, that sick, rotting feeling hadn’t left Phoenix’s stomach. “I just… I didn’t even think about them, not once. Not even Victoria. Even though she…”

“You didn’t know. You didn’t remember. She wasn’t that nice to you, either, not until the end. Of course you didn't think about her.”

“Still.” Phoenix scratched at the infected wounds on his arms, his heart thudding in his chest. “They died, for what? Because they knew me? Because I lived there? It’s not like they cared about me, it’s not like they would have gone looking for me, but… but they died because of me.”

“Phoenix, that’s not—”

“And I didn’t even check on them. They all died, and it was my fault, and I couldn’t even bother to—”

“Phoenix. It’s not your fault. You didn’t ask for Belos to take you away, and you certainly didn’t ask for Petro to burn down your orphanage. You didn’t do anything to cause their deaths, and there was nothing you could have done to save them.”

“Still.” Phoenix turned to lie on his side, facing away from Cherry’s bed. “I was happy it burned down. Even knowing people might have gotten hurt or killed, I was glad to see it go.” It had seemed right at the time, but thinking about how gleeful he’d been to know that there was no way he’d ever go back made Phoenix feel sick to his stomach now. He hadn’t become the golden guard yet; it had just been him that felt that way, just Phoenix. He curled up in a ball, closing his eyes. “I wish I’d found out the cost sooner.”

“Don’t lie about the scar that’ll leave.”

Phoenix stared down at Petro as he slowly turned to stone. His eyes burned through the slits in his mask, glaring at Phoenix.

“Tell him family gave it to him. Let him know that your family isn’t your friend, and they’ll cut you deeper than any enemy.”

The stone made it past Petro’s face, and the guard finally went silent, frozen in an angry half-lunge. Phoenix tried to reach out towards him, to see if he would pass right through, but his arm wouldn’t move.

The eyes of the statue glowed magenta, and Phoenix dangled a golden guard over the edge of a bridge. The guard clawed at his hands, their feet desperately kicking to find the edge of the bridge with no success.

“Don’t—”

“You want to know what happened to our family so badly?” Belos’ voice snarled from somewhere around Phoenix, “Why don’t you pay them a visit?”

Phoenix tried to stop himself, tried to hold on, or pull the guard back to safety, but one by one, his fingers uncurled from the golden guard’s cloak, and they fell. Phoenix fell, too, the world rushing past him in a blur of darkness until he stepped delicately over the broken form of the previous guard. Just a little further, and he’d be at the garden. With the betrayal of this golden guard, he needed to seed a new batch and start their growing process.

A bloody, broken hand swiped at his cloak as he passed. “Hahhhh,” the golden guard croaked, “Haaaaaaaaahhhhh…”

Phoenix kicked at their hand.

“Disgusting,” a voice hissed. Somehow, it belonged to both Belos and Phoenix, stitching the two together inseparably.

And Phoenix stared at the darkness of Cherry’s ceiling again, his body still numb from sleep and one arm under his head. He blinked, once, twice, trying to shake off the twisting, disoriented feeling of being someone else, like he’d stepped into another’s body and then been yanked back to his. His skin felt too small, and his body felt too strong, despite the aches and pains.

Slowly, carefully, he managed to drag one hand up to his face, rubbing one eye. “Mrgh,” he mumbled, stretching his other arm out. Stabbing pins and needles shot up his arm, half-asleep from being trapped under his head. “Cherry?”

No answer.

Phoenix sat up, gingerly touching his arms.

They came away wet.

“Sh—” Phoenix rolled out of bed, fumbling for a light. “Cherry, something’s—are you okay, are you—” His hand brushed a paper on the counter, and a light flared up, blinding him. Phoenix stumbled away, tripping over his own feet and landing on his back.

His heart pounded in his chest, and something viscous oozed down his arm at each throb.

“Ack—” Phoenix pulled his sleeve up. The bandages around his arms were stained green, and cursed mud burbled out between the cracks, sliming down his arms. “Ngh—stop it, stop it—”

He looked to see if he’d woken Cherry up, but his bed sat empty, the blankets folded neatly back.

“Cherry…”

For a moment, Phoenix stared at his own hands, and the empty bed. Did I…

He shook himself. No. No, right? Right. Cherry had just stepped out. He was fine. He was fine. Phoenix hauled himself up, half-stumbling into the hallway. A light glowed down the way in Sam’s lab, and Phoenix headed towards it, pressing his hands against his bubbling wounds.

“You don’t actually know where the lab is, do you? You just want us to think you do.”

Phoenix flattened himself against the wall outside of the lab, holding his breath.

“What makes you say that?”

“You knew we wouldn’t let you go, even for that location. You set them an unreasonable demand so that you weren’t in any danger of actually having to give that information.”

Petro chuckled. “And why would I pretend to have information only to demand things I can’t get? Why would I pretend to hold information that could land me in hot water if you found out I didn’t have it? It’s not like you bleeding hearts need an incentive to keep me alive. I don’t need to trick you.”

“Because you like to see people sweat,” Cherry answered evenly and immediately, “Because you want to see us go crazy wondering if it’s worth the risk. Because unstable, sweating people make mistakes when they handle prisoners. Moments of weakness result in looser bonds and distracted guards.”

“Aw, you’ve been thinking of me, Cherry Bomb! Am I in your head? It’s only fair, you got into mine.”

“I just don’t understand. All you have to do is promise not to kill Phoenix, and they’d let you go. You wouldn’t even have to stay here, you could go anywhere! Why are you trading your freedom for the illusion of revenge that you can’t get?”

“Okay, I promise I won’t kill Phoenix. Now let me out.”

“No. I don’t trust you.”

“Awwwwwwwwww, but I’m going to change! I’m going to be different! I’m gonna give him a big old hug and apologize for that time I tried to kill him! What, don’t you believe all of the painfully earnest things you said about becoming a better person and starting over?”

“I do. I just don’t think you’ve taken it to heart.”

“I don’t think you have either. You know people can’t change. Not really.”

“I have.”

Petro laughed. “No, you haven’t, Cherry Bomb!”

“Quit calling me that.”

“Or what? Gonna shove an explosive potion down my throat? Do it. I dare you. I know you want to. That’d shut me up, right? That would save your precious little Phoenix from me forever.”

“No. That’s not something I want. That’s not who I am.”

“Awwwwwwwwww, come on, Cherry Bomb, you’re a fighter. I could tell in the mindscape when you threw me into my own memories. You’re not like Phoenix, he fights like someone who wants the battle to end in a knockout. You’re a killer. You’re a direwolf pretending to be a lapdog, but you can’t hide your teeth. You’re just like me, and you don’t want anyone to know it.”

Phoenix heard the creak of wood, like Cherry had pushed on Petro’s chair. “I’m nothing like you,” Cherry snarled, “I changed. I got better.”

“Did you? ‘Coz you look awfully close to ripping my throat out right about now.”

The thud of chair legs hitting the floor echoed out of the room. “You’re just trying to rile me up so that I’ll do something stupid. You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know everything about you. Your whole life, summed up in ten pages of loopy handwriting. I read it. I read that whole journal. I know what you’ve done.”

Phoenix winced as Cherry made a sound like a squeaky toy. Don’t listen to him.

“The journal—”

“That your lab rat has. How long do you think before his curiosity gets the better of him and he reads your entry? How long before he knows? Before he tells everyone? Before your whole family knows that you’re just like me? Do you think they’ll still trust you? Irredeemable monsters, am I right?”

“I’ve changed.” Cherry’s voice cracked.

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does! They know who I am now, they know—it won’t matter. It doesn’t matter. I’ve changed, everyone here has changed, they know what it’s like. It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s fine.”

“Are you willing to risk that? I can help you out, Cherry. I can tell you where it is. You just have to do one thing for me.”

“I’m not letting you out. And I’m not killing Phoenix for you.”

“For this information? I wouldn’t demand such a high price. Nah, just a little information trade. I’ll tell you where the book is if you tell me how Belos died.”

“How does that help you?”

“Ehhhhhh, call it closure. Call it denial until I have more information. Some kind of sentiment. Whatever makes you more likely to tell me. It doesn’t cost you anything.”

“That I know of.”

“Careful, your cynical cutthroat soldier is showing.”

“I’ll find out. Tell me where the book is.”

“After you tell me what happened to Belos.”

“No. I’ll keep my word. I don’t know if you’ll keep yours.”

“Yeah, actually, I believe that. Anyway, Sam took it with him. He’s probably sleeping with it like a teddy bear. Hey, if you let me out, I could—”

“No.”

“I’ll behave.”

“No you won’t. But you could. You can change, Petro. I promise you, you can change. For real.”

“Quit wasting your breath. Or do you want everyone to find out what you’ve done, Cherry Bomb?”

Cherry inhaled sharply, then stormed out, closing the door with a quiet click. He blinked at Phoenix.

“Um—” Phoenix started, but Cherry put a finger to his lips, gesturing at the door behind him. He stalked back to his room, and started to pace. “Don’t know how far Petro can hear,” he mumbled, “Phoenix, how much of that did you—”

“Belos died because the Collector flicked him into a wall so hard he fell apart,” Phoenix interrupted, rubbing his arms, “You can keep your end of the deal.”

“Oh.” Cherry twisted his shirt in his hands, somehow seeming much smaller and younger than usual, like a kid caught sneaking out. “Thanks. I…”

“Do you really think Petro can change?”

“I have to think it. If he can’t change, then…” Cherry kept twisting his shirt. “Phoenix, about what happened in there—about the book—”

“You’re going to steal it?”

“I… yeah. I’ll put it back, I really will, I just… need to rip my pages out, first.”

“That’s not less sneaky.”

“I know. I just…” Cherry buried his face in his hands with a groan. “I don’t know what else to do.” He started pacing again, his shoulders heaving. “I mean, of course Mom and Dad know what happened, and I’m pretty sure Mole does, too, and none of them will tell anyone if I don’t want them to, but anyone could pick up that book and just read it! And I don’t want it around by the time Jason gets back, titan knows that he’ll just pick it up and read it because he reads everything, and then Jason will know, and Jason can’t know, so I’ve got to get it now and just pull those pages out. Please, please, please, please, Phoenix, don’t tell Sam, please don’t—”

Phoenix grabbed Cherry’s shoulders. His arms had stopped oozing at least, thank titan. One problem at a time. “Cherry. Take a deep breath.”

Cherry inhaled sharply.

“You’re going to be okay. They love you, and that’s not going to change.”

“They don’t know everything.”

“They don’t have to. And they know that they don’t know everything. And they love you anyway.”

Cherry just shook his head. “They’re going to hate me,” he whispered, “They’re going to hate me if they find out what I’ve done. Who I used to be.”

Okay. The practical approach wasn’t going to work here. “I’ll help you steal it.”

“What?”

“I will help you steal it,” Phoenix repeated, “I won’t read it. I’ll just help you get the book, and you can pull your pages out.”

“Why? You don’t like the idea.”

“Hey, don’t look a gift ratworm in the mouth. You thought going into Petro’s mind was dangerous, but you did it anyway to help me. Let me help you back.”

Cherry eyed him up and down. “That’s all it is?” His eyes caught on Phoenix’s arms, still stained by his outburst. “Titan, Phoenix—”

“Don’t tell Evelyn.”

“No. No, Mom told me you promised. No heroics. It comes out, right now.”

“No—” Phoenix moved between Cherry and the door. “It’s not just getting worse, Cherry, I think I’m seeing his memories in my dreams!”

“Not better. Definitely not better. That’s concerning, Phoenix. Weird dreams are the number one symptom of a magical problem.”

“It was already happening, I just didn’t realize it. It’s not new, it’s not worse.” Phoenix held his hands up. “What if it can help me find the last Grimwalker?!”

Cherry froze.

“I think you’re right. Petro doesn’t know where the garden is. So the only person that does is in a puddle of goop at the head. If I’m seeing his memories, then maybe… just for a little bit, Cherry. I’ll help you get the book. Just don’t tell Evelyn, she’ll cut it out immediately, and we’ll lose this chance.”

Cherry considered that for a long moment, then held up one finger. “One week. And if I think it’s getting even worse, I’m telling her immediately.”

“Deal,” Phoenix replied swiftly. He wouldn’t get a better offer from Cherry. If he was being honest, he was a little shocked he’d gotten this long.

Muted orange light glowed dully in the window. The house would wake up soon.

“Do you think Petro will tell? Tell Sam, I mean.”

“Beans.” Cherry tugged on his own ponytail with a groan. “I didn’t think of that. Do you think we can keep him out of the lab? No, okay, stupid thought, there is no force on the isles that will separate Sam from his lab, right, he will definitely go into the lab.”

“Don’t panic. Sam mentioned wanting to gag Petro. Maybe he will?”

“Yeah. Maybe he will.” Cherry took a deep breath, smoothing his hair down. “Okay. Okay, I’ve got this. Normal post-apocalyptic day. Normal post-apocalyptic chores. Everything is fine.” He headed for the door.

“Cherry?”

“Yeah?”

“I think maybe you shouldn’t talk to Petro anymore.”

“I know what he’s going through right now; I can help him. I’m going to get through to him.”

“Maybe, but I’m worried he’s going to get to you first. He knows how to push your buttons, and he will push them again and again until you slip up.”

It had only taken Petro one conversation to send him spiraling and start trading information. What would happen if Cherry kept talking to him?

“And what about you? He’s pretty good at getting under your skin, too.”

Phoenix rubbed his arms. “I don’t want to be around him, either. And if I can help it, I won’t be.”

“We can’t tie him up forever. We’re going to have to deal with him eventually.”

“And we will. But right now, you have enough to deal with. You don’t need ‘fixing Petro’ on your plate, too.”

Cherry rubbed his face. “Yeah. Maybe you’re right. I’ll try to stay away from him for now.”

Phoenix waited for Cherry to go, then headed down the hallway to Mole’s room. He knocked on the door, but Mole didn’t come to the door. “Mole?” he called, “It’s Phoenix. I just want to talk.”

He heard a scuffling noise, and when he opened the door, Mole was out the window and headed towards the garden.

“Okay,” Phoenix said out loud, “Still mad at me. Got it.” He climbed out the window himself, jogging lightly after the smaller grimwalker. “Mole, I’m sorry—” the garden gate wouldn’t open. The door stuck to the frame, welded shut by a fire glyph. Phoenix had never realized that he used the glyphs. “…How are you planning on getting out?”

Mole didn’t even turn to look at him, just aggressively ripped weeds out of the earth and tossed them in a big pile.

“I’m sorry, Mole. I know you miss him. I do, too.”

A weed still clinging to a dirt clod smacked into the fence right in front of where Phoenix’s face was, showering him with soil.

“That’s not fair.”

Mole sniffed, scrubbing at his face with dirt-stained hands. Phoenix sighed, sitting on the ground outside of the garden, back against the fence.

“I know Jason was the only one who really understood you. And I bet it’s been difficult for you now that he’s gone.” Phoenix twisted blades of grass between his fingers. “I had to send him away. To keep him safe. And maybe there was another way I could have done that, but at the time, I didn’t know what else to do. If I hadn’t, he’d have been captured by the Collector, too, and he would have gotten hurt.” Phoenix braided and unbraided the strands in his hands. “Or maybe he would have been able to talk the Collector down.” He chuckled. “He probably would have been able to talk the Collector down.”

Phoenix’s heart started to ache in his chest, and his hands shredded the blades of grass between his fingers, separating the leaf from the stem. “And then we wouldn’t have had to run. And I wouldn’t have left King behind.” He tied the stem into knots. “Or maybe I didn’t have to run whether Jason was there or not. Maybe I could have just stayed.” Phoenix pinched the bridge of his nose. “What am I saying? Mole, the point is, I’m sorry. If there was something I could have done to bring him back with me, I would have. And I know it’s harder for you than it is for me, so I just… if you need something, let me know somehow? I know I’m not Jason, but… I can try to understand.”

Mole heaved a shuddering breath. But when Phoenix twisted around to check on him, he was calm, pulling up weeds with careful precision instead of tearing them out wildly.

“Okay. Thanks for listening.” Phoenix stood up, gingerly touching the lumps of bandages on his arms. They were dripping again, leaving cursed mud behind on the garden fence. Phoenix retreated to the safety of the house before Mole could see, ducking into the kitchen. Outside, Mole examined the fence with a frown, rubbing his fingers together.

“Ah. Great.”

“What’s great?”

Phoenix jumped, whirling around in a panicked spin and pointing a nonexistent staff at the Grimwalker standing by the stove. The grimwalker watched him completely unphased, scrambling eggs with his left hand. His other arm was missing from the elbow down, and burn scars covered his face and remaining arm, even burning away a chunk of his hair.

“Uh. Hi.”

“Frank.”

“What?”

“My name. It’s Frankenstein, Frank for short.”

“Oh. Phoenix.”

“Nah, these are griffin eggs. Cooking phoenix eggs? Total nightmare.” Frank gestured to himself. “What do you think happened to my arm and face? You’re a couple of degrees off on the stovetop and WHOOSH, up in flames. Nearly burned the house down last week.”

“Should you… be cooking?”

Frank shook his head sadly. “No one else is brave enough after what happened to me. Tragic, really, but I am an excellent cook, so maybe it’s for the best.”

Phoenix eyed him and the stove. That did not sound like normal stove behavior. And where on the isles had they gotten phoenix eggs at a time like this?!

Frank glanced at him, and his serious face split into a wide grin. “I’m messing with you, my arm’s been gone for years.”

“Oh. And…” Phoenix gestured to his face.

“Who do you think gave me those?” Frank grabbed the handle of the pan, shaking it vigorously and tossing the eggs up in the air. “Makes cookie pan burns feel like nothing, I will give him that. Hey, if you’re going to lurk around, could you make some toast? I’d do both, but…” he waved his stump arm. “Lost it to the toaster.”

Phoenix raised one eyebrow at him. “Did you, now? Was this back at the emperor’s coven, then?”

“Haha. Sorry, I have one joke. Would you mind, though?”

Phoenix retrieved bread from its box in the pantry and the toaster, two metal grilles hinged together and attached to a metal disc.  “How does this…?”

“Fire glyphs. Mom usually uses a spell, but you can use glyphs to power it, too. Here, let me show you. Take this for a second. If you let them burn, my legacy will be forever tarnished and I must sacrifice my other arm to the cooking gods in atonement. No pressure.”

Frank handed Phoenix his spatula and pushed him to the stove. He grabbed a notepad and a pencil and sketched a fire glyph, tearing the sheet off. “Like this.” He tucked a piece of bread in-between the grilles and slapped the fire glyph down on the metal disc. Frank jumped backwards to avoid the column of fire that rose up, superheating the disc and the grill. Once the flames died down, he gingerly flipped the top grille off with a pair of tongs and removed the toasted bread.

“Ta-da!” Frank tossed the bread on a plate. “Spatula, please.”

Phoenix handed it to him, eying the toaster. “That seems… safe.”

“I am not supposed to use it without supervision.” Frank pointed up.

Phoenix looked at the ceiling to see a black mark burned in the paint over where the toaster sat. “…Ah. Not a joke?”

“Not a joke, that’s been there for a yearish and my toaster privileges have been revoked the same amount of time. Don’t draw your fire glyphs too big and you’ll do fine.”

Phoenix nodded. He traced the imprint of the fire glyph Frank had left on the next page of the notepad, pressing his own pen down hard enough to leave a dent on the next page.

“Sooooo… Frank…” Phoenix slapped the glyph on the disk and jumped back, wrinkling his nose at the wave of heat. “I’m trying to find a grimwalker.”

Frank gestured at himself.

“I don’t think so. But maybe you can help me? I’m looking for someone that…”

Slowly uncurling his fingers, watching the fear in the guard’s eyes as they fell

A broken, trembling hand reaching towards him

“Phoenix?”

“Um…” Phoenix slowly reached up to his arms, covering the bandages with his hands to hide the bubbling mud oozing out from the bandages. “Never mind, I… I’ve got to go.”

Phoenix bolted from the kitchen before Frank could say anything else, leaning against the wall outside. “Hah. Okay. Okay, you’re okay.” He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “You’re okay.” He tugged on his sleeves to make sure they covered the stained bandages, squared his shoulders, and headed to Sam’s lab.

Get the journal

Maybe find out which Grimwalker that was in the dream

Figure out where Belos’ “garden” is

Get this infection out of my arm.

Another deep breath.

This is all going to work out.

It has to.

[boldlyvoid]

For Your Eyes Only

summary: A viral tweet after the Zodiac copycat case in San Fransisco leaves Doctor Reid with a proposition. to get to know the girl who publicly announced to the world that she thought he was cute, or miss out on the best love he could ever dream of.

Warnings: Long Distance Relationships, first times, smut, fluffy emotional sex, Virgin!reader, oral (female receiving), fingering, breeding kink

*flashback in italics

word count: 6.1K

He tapped his foot anxiously as he stood in the train station, a bouquet of flowers in hand and an awkward, press-lipped smile plastered to his face.

Passing strangers smiled back, old ladies wished him luck and their husbands give him a knowing nod. Wooing a woman wasn’t something many men did anymore, it was a thing of the past, his heart loved her like he’s known her for centuries, this was only natural for him.

He takes a moment to think about that part of life, the end bit when they’ve done everything they wanted to with the love of their life, who they’re still somehow in love with… the longer he knew Y/N the longer he wanted to grow old with her.

His hands are shaky, he can’t imagine a life like that without Y/N, even if today was just the first time he was going to see her in person.

9 months ago she had a semi-viral tweet, jokingly asking him on a date while he was in San Fransisco, not thinking he’d ever see it.

Penelope finding that tweet was the best thing that has ever happened to him.

He ended up texting her a lot.

They’ve talked about everything. Through text, it was just simple and basic topics, nothing that could get him in trouble or be considered sensitive material at work. She knew all about him, he knew all about her… and then some. Penelope took it upon herself to do some digging, following her on Twitter and doing a deep dive on her own.

“So, she’s never had a boyfriend from what I’ve seen, she’s a teacher, she just finished college last year and she’s working at a daycare near her house. She lives with her parents and siblings, she’s a Swifty… I think they’ll be cute together,” he overhears Penelope as she sits on the edge of Derek’s desk.

“Her name is Y/N,” he adds without even looking up. “If you’re going to talk about her, use her name.”

“Reid, how are you so calm about this? She’s a stranger on the internet?” Derek’s voice of reason chimes in.

Only Spencer finds it completely unreasonable. “Everyone we talk to is a stranger before we get to know them. Some of the sweetest people we know are people we’ve interviewed in cases who were strangers 10 minutes beforehand. I think I know how to talk to someone and determine if they’re a safe person. I’m 30-years-old for crying out loud.”

“I’m sorry, man,” Derek understands where he went wrong. “Sometimes I forget you’re not a kid anymore.”

“And I only looked into her because I love you,” Penelope explains. “And I didn’t do a whole deep dive either, I just went through the account she tweeted you from. She seems lovely.”

“I really like her,” Spencer smiles. “We’ve been talking on the phone a lot lately. She wants me to get a better phone so we can FaceTime… would you be able to help me with that?”

Penelope’s face lights right up, “of course I can! Do you want to head to the apple store after work?”

“I’d love that,” Spencer smiles, an extra boost of happiness coursed through him and he was able to finish his paperwork faster than normal.

The first time he saw her face… he fell in love right there.

He sent her a text, keeping his same number as before, he surprised her when it popped up blue for the first time.

He checked his hair in the mirror first before anything else, nervous beyond belief and it showed. He made sure he looked nice, he cleaned his room up a bit and he tried out a few different places where he could rest his phone and look good, by the time he finally had the confidence to call her, she was calling him.

“I was about to call,” he whines as soon as it connects.

She smiles, giggling out of control, “oh my god? Hi?”

“Hello,” he’s a smiling mess right back. “You’re beautiful.”

She shrugs it off, “thanks, you’re very handsome as well.”

“Um, so, how was your day?” He leads in the way he would if they were just talking. Getting to see that glimmer in her eye as she talked was better than he ever imagined. She was so stunning he almost forgot to listen.

“… and what did you do?”

“Oh, uh,” he thinks to all the horrible things he flipped through and the conversations he had on the phone. “I consulted with and helped a detective in Orlando solve a weird case today… it wasn’t a serial but it was a strange one.”

“Gross stuff?” She asks carefully.

He nods, “yeah. I’m always astounded by how creative psychopaths can be.”

She laughs a little, “should I be scared?”

He laughs then too, shaking his head, “no. no, it’s my biggest nightmare to actually do anything that I’ve seen.”

“Intrusive thoughts?” She reads right through his wording choice. “I have them too. I’m always worried the kids will get hurt, one of my biggest fears is protecting them during a school shooting… I hate that it’s so common that I genuinely fear for it often.”

He just nods along, not giving her facts or statistics or scaring her any further, “I think that makes you incredibly strong to go to work every day with the intention of protecting them.”

“That’s a nice way to look at it,” she agrees. “You’re too wonderful to ever be a bad person, I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t worry. I don’t think you could ever do something mean on purpose.”

He smiles, believing her, “thank you.”

When they started getting to know each other on a deeper level, he met her family, with who she in fact still lived. Her mom always came in to say goodnight to her before bed, saying goodnight to Spencer as well with a smile and a wave.

Her siblings also came in a lot to say hey. She was a decent amount older than them. Lucy was 12, Emmett was 15 and Archer was 17, all still in school and all very fond of their big sister. Archer came in most nights to sit on her bed and talk to her about spider-man, something that Spencer knew a lot about from Jack and Henry. He bonded with most of her family during all their long night chats, even talking to some of them without Y/N even in the room.

Her father was very quiet and never bothered her when they were on the phone, he did however meet him when she left her laptop in the kitchen unattended.

“So you’re the boy my daughter is infatuated with,” his strong manly voice startled him slightly. He was standing in front of his coffee maker, making a pot and talking to the laptop.

He sat straight up and fixed his sweater, “yes sir. Hello, I’m Spencer Reid.”

“I know, we watched the news together as a family when she saw you the first time,” he smiles at him. “Well done on catching those copycats, I’m sure that wasn’t easy. I remember when they were in high school. Too smart for their own good.”

“It was difficult, but nothing is too hard for our team,” he doesn’t want to boast just about himself when he knows it’s more than him.

“Dad,” he hears Y/N as she walks back into the room. “Stop harassing him, please.”

“He wasn’t,” Spencer steps in. “We were talking about the zodiac copycats.”

“Ah,” she raises her brows, “I take it he’s been embarrassing me?”

“Not enough,” her dad teases. “I didn’t tell him how you said you would let him—

“Okay,” she picks up her laptop and her snack, “I’m going back up to my room now. Bye, dad.”

Spencer laughs, “bye Mr. Y/L/N.”

“Just because he’s a principal doesn’t mean you need to call him that,” she teases him as she climbs the stairs. “Please tell me he didn’t say too much about me?”

“He didn’t, he said you’re infatuated with me and that’s it,” Spencer recalls.

“Good,” she sighs, reentering her childhood purple room and sitting on her bed. “At least he didn’t lie.”

He’s also infatuated with her. She was quickly becoming the best person he knew.

They stayed on FaceTime all night when they could, with his phone set on the pillow, talking to her in his low sleepy voice about their days and absolutely falling in love with each other. It was one of those nights that he officially asked her to be his girlfriend.

She was laying there in the low light reading a book with her laptop on a pillow, the both of them completely silent as they hung out. It was how they were most nights after a certain point, after they shared their days and wanted to unwind, both being introverts and loving alone time. Only now, they love alone time together, the sound of the other person just existing was extremely calming to them.

He’s been trying to read as well, stuck on the same page as he watches her from the corner of his eye. On the tiny phone screen, he has rested on his desk, he leans in, “Hey, Y/N,” he asks lightly.

“Hmm,” she rests her book against her chest and looks over to him through the screen. Pushing her glasses up and smiling at him.

“My friends at work have been asking a lot about you… and I was wondering if it would be okay with you if I called you my girlfriend in front of them?” He asks it very carefully.

She squeals slightly, sitting up gleefully and placing her laptop in front of her so she can look at him better, “you want me to be your girlfriend?”

He nods with a shy smile, “I really do.”

“I need to come and see you soon,” she rushes out as she nods like crazy. “I really need to hold you and give you a big kiss because all this excitement inside of me is going to make me spontaneously combust at this point.”

“Really?” He feels exactly the same. There’s nothing he wants more than to hold her on nights where they just silently hang out.

“Yes,” she laughs, “you’re my favourite person, Spence. Ugh, I want to hug you so bad right now.” She tightens her hands into fists and shakes them, grinding her teeth together, she wasn’t kidding.

“You’re also my favourite person,” he replies, tilting his head slightly and staring at her affectionately.

She looks at him the same way, “it’s too early to say it, isn’t it?”

He shrugs, “if we both feel it, is it really too early?”

“Tell me when we meet,” she smirks. “I know, but I think that will be more special.”

And so he waits.

He’s been so infatuated with her for 9 long months, calling her his girlfriend for 6 of those, and now she’s on her way to DC to spend a week with him.

Banking up enough sick and vacation days to have as much time with him as possible, she packed her bags and hopped on the next plane.

Texting him to say she was on her way and sending him into a slight anxiety attack. He cleaned his whole apartment, actually bought groceries and bought new sheets for his bed so she’ll be as comfortable as possible.

He can see the top of her head as she walks towards the escalator and then she looks up, smiling at him and his whole world stands still right there. He knew he loved her just talking to her, seeing her in person made him know, for sure, that he loves her.

She lights right up when she sees him, running towards him, she drops her suitcase on the ground and jumps into his arms. He holds her tight around the middle and squishes the flowers. Her cheek rests against his, she runs her hands through his hair and silently holds him while she catches her breath.

“I love you, so much,” he whispers into her ear, feeling more content than he ever has before.

“I love you even more,” she replies just as softly.

He presses a quick kiss to her cheek before she pulls back, resting on hand on his cheek as she smiles up at him.

She shakes her head in amazement, “holy shit, you’re real?”

He nods with a laugh, “I am. So are you, and you’re so beautiful… wow.” All the air in his lungs rushes out, he’s stunned that she’s real and there and his.

“These are for you,” he hands her the half squished flowers, “I promise they were prettier before the hug.”

“It adds character,” she takes them and holds them close, “thank you.”

He can’t help himself, he pulls her in for another hug and she laughs as she settles against his chest. “We should get out of the way… we’re in everyone’s way.”

“Yeah,” he agrees but he doesn’t let go. “In a second, I have waited too long for this.”

“Okay,” she gives in, holding him close. She sighs, “you’re so cozy.”

“Let’s go home,” he says as he pulls back, “we can just cuddle for hours.”

“Okay,” she nods with a smile.

He takes her suitcase in one hand, holding her hand with the other. His heart is overflowing with joy, he can’t wait to show her his town, his apartment, his friends… he was so excited to introduce her to his life in hopes that she stayed a part of it. He knew she’d miss her family and friends, but the idea of her moving to Virginia to be with him was something he’s had on his mind for months now.

This was his chance to make her fall in love with the city, with his life and with him. Once she loved all of him, maybe then it would be easy for her to stay.

His car is old and light baby blue and so incredibly his on the inside. He has a crocheted steering wheel cover that’s purple and green flowers, it’s clean with a lavender air freshener… he has a few stuffed toys in the back seat and a police box stuck to the dash, along with a doctor who bobblehead who she would guess is the 10th... it’s exactly what she expected Spencer Reid to drive.

He’s cool, original, interesting, the smartest man she’s ever talked to, and the love of her life.

She can’t help but stare at him affectionately as he drives them home, to his home, not knowing she already felt home as long as she was beside him. All the aching in her heart instantly disappeared when she hugged him, the homesickness died and she knew where she was meant to be.

He doesn’t know it yet, but she has a job interview at a pre-school in D.C, and if she gets it she’s going to need a place to stay… if this week works out then hopefully his home will be her home and she’d never feel homesick again.

She’s spent so many nights wishing she could fly, spread her wings and go to him… she’s imagined having teleportation powers, the ability to just think about him and show up beside him. Be it in his apartment, the bureau or even a hotel room, she wanted nothing more than to be beside him.

And now she was.

“So,” she smirks playfully, “what do you have planned for this week?”

“Nothing,” he quickly smiles at her before returning to the road. “I have a list of what’s going on around us each day, but I wanted you to pick what we do. I have already seen everything here, I want to show you the things you’d love.”

Her heart swells, she reaches out for his hand and holds it tight. “On Wednesday I have something I need to do downtown… if you want to pick something and meet me there, after?”

“What do you have to do?” He’s confused, the way she knew he would be.

She smiles and thinks about keeping it to herself for a bit, “I have an interview… where Henry goes to school.”

She watches his eye widen as he turns back and forth from the road to her, “what?”

She nods, “yeah, I wasn’t going to tell you yet but I’m too excited.”

He finds a safe spot to pull off to the side of the road, he puts the car in park and stares at her with so much excitement, almost mirroring hers. “I was going to ask you to move in before you leave?”

“Ah!” She squeals, “I didn’t want to impose and ask!”

He pulls her in for a hug, “god, I love you so much.”

She wanted to wait to kiss him until the time was right. She overthought the most perfect kiss with him over the last 9 months of talking to him. And now she thinks it’s time. She pulls back, placing a hand on his cheek and staring into his eyes, “I love you.”

He’s the one who leans in, pressing his lips against hers ever so softly with his eyes closed. She’s so shocked she just watches for a moment, closing her eyes as she breathes him in and really kisses him back.

—

She’s cuddled into his chest while they lay in bed together.

As soon as their shoes and coats were off, that’s where they ended up. Not in a steamy, need-driven sense, but because they’ve spent 9 long months waiting to just hold each other.

Under the covers, legs all tangled up and her arm raised over the pillow to play with his hair as she kisses his neck and cheek lightly. His hand is under her shirt on the flat of her back, tracing the odd shape into her skin as she hums contently.

“You’re so soft,” she whispers.

It makes him laugh to himself, “you’re one to talk.”

“I could lay here forever,” she sighs, “but my arms going numb.”

He sits up with her, getting situated and comfortable once again, she pulls away and gets out of the bed, reaching for the hem of her pants, “you’re cool if I take these off right? It’s too warm.”

He nods with a smirk, “I’ve seen you completely naked, it’s not too weird.”

“I’ve seen you naked too,” she reminds him. “I wonder how your boss would feel if he knew you were sending nudes to me on the internet…”

“He accidentally airdropped a nude to Derek once,” Spencer can’t hold back his laughter for long, giggling as she opens her mouth in shock.

“You’re kidding?” She asks as she pushes her pants down to the floor, stepping out of them and kicking them towards her suitcase.

“Nope, it was hilarious hearing Derek scream like a little girl at a haunted house,” he teases.

“I can’t wait to really meet them,” she bounces a little as she sits back down beside him. Clapping her hands together, “they’re so funny on the phone I’m sure they’re even better in person.”

“They are,” he smiles just thinking back to the time she met one of his friends for the first time.

The first time he talked to her on the phone during a case, he was in a hotel room with Derek when she called. Hiding in the bathroom to talk to her, Derek finally knocked on the door after 20 minutes to ask if he was okay.

“Yeah, I’m just on the phone with my girlfriend,” he replied through the door.

“Girlfriend?” Derek hadn’t heard him use the word yet. “Can I talk to her? Please, I promise to be nice?”

Spencer laughed as he looked at Y/N on FaceTime, “did you hear that? Do you want to meet Derek?”

“I would, yeah,” she smiles, he watches her sit up and straighten out her shirt and get ready to meet someone new, it’s unbelievably cute.

When he opens the door and hands his phone over to Derek, he’s not sure what he’s expecting to happen, and yet, somehow, it’s exactly what does.

“Oh my!” Derek exaggerates, “aren’t you beautiful? Reid, how did you manage to land her?”

“I saw him on TV and I wanted him and now he’s mine,” she answers through the phone for him. Making Derek laugh even more.

“She’s ambitious, beautiful, I just hope you’re smart enough to know you can do better,” he teases.

“I’m also smart enough to know he’s exactly what I need,” Y/N’s always been very quick. “I take it you’re single?”

“How’d you know?”

“No man who’s happily with someone would joke about doing better,” she points out. “He’s what I want, I don’t care what people think.”

“I really like you,” Derek smiles at her. “I was worried when he found someone that they wouldn’t be what he deserves. I can tell he’s safe with you.”

She smiles then, and Spencer knows because she makes this little laugh through her nose when she smiles like that, “he is. And he tells me he’s safe with you, you’re always protecting him.”

“That I am,” Derek smiles back. “We all love Spencer like he’s our little brother. He’s well taken care of.”

“I have 2 little brothers and a little sister,” she admits to him. “Spence tells me you’re a middle child? Bookended with sisters… that must have been interesting.”

He looks at Spencer with a smile, “so is that what you spend your free time doing? Telling your girlfriend all about us?”

“He tells me everything,” she gets out as Spencer just nods. “Sometimes I’ll just call him when I’m sad and say a word and he’ll teach me something to do with it because hearing him talk makes me happy.”

“Awe,” Derek places his hand on his heart, “that’s honestly exactly what I hoped Spencer would get one day.”

“Really?” Spencer asks.

Derek nods at him. “I know we don’t always have the time to listen to all of your facts, but I knew when you finally found someone one day they’d love them. It’s a very unique trait of yours that we all love.”

“It’s the best, isn’t it?” Y/N asks. “He has the answer to everything in his mind, I’m never going to run out of things to ask him. It’s always so fun talking to him, you’re so lucky you get to see him every day.”

“Are you guys going to meet up any time soon?”

They both shrug, “I have a week I can take off in June, when the kids go home for the summer vacation, we’re trying to work something out.”

And that something came to fruition.

He just stares at her for a second, amazed that she’s real and in front of him. “What?” She giggles, “why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re beautiful,” he has no other words to say. “I am so in love with you… it’s crazy to think this is the first time you’re actually here with me?”

“I know,” she lets out a relieved sigh, “it’s been so long, I never thought I’d get here… I can’t believe you’re real?”

He puts his hand out to hold hers, she takes it and pulls him forward into a hug. Wrapping around each other, she pushes him back against the mattress and lays on top of him, “and you’re mine,” she adds.

“Can I be honest?” Spencer whispers as he runs his hands over her back.

“Always, hon,” she kisses his jaw slightly.

“I half expected us to rip each other’s clothes off and fuck on the living room floor as soon as we got in, with how much we’ve been teasing each other lately,” he admits.

She laughs, “believe me I thought about that on the way here too.”

“You did?” He pries, wanting to see where just talking about it could take them. Every time they’ve done anything it always started as a simple conversation.

She pulls back enough to sit in his lap and play with the buttons of his shirt. “Can you blame me? Once again, I’ve seen you naked, I know what I’ve been missing out on while we’ve been apart.”

“Me too,” his hands continue under her shirt, up towards her bra where he unhooks it with a smirk, “oops.”

She pulls her shirt off with a giggle, letting her bra straps fall down on their own as Spencer reached for the cups to hold it in place. “Are you sure? We don’t have to right away, we have all week.”

“I’m very shocked you have enough self-restraint to not look at my boobs right now,” she teases him, licking her lips and pressing them together as she shakes her head with astonishment. “I want to. I’ve wanted to for so long.”

He lets her bra fall down, and his breathing hitches as soon as he sees them. He releases a content sigh, “wow…”

She laughs again, “you’re so cute.”

“I’m fully clothed under a naked woman I’m in love with,” he retorts. “I— I can’t believe this is happening?”

“Well it is, and we’ve gotta do something about all these clothes,” she teases him as she gets off him, “I can’t be the only naked one, that's not how this works.”

“Actually, did you know that there is a fetish for having sex with your clothes on?” He explains as he unbuttons his shirt and takes it off along with his cardigan, “Endytophilia is when someone experiences a gratifying sexual release while semi or fully clothed.”

She laughs, “I’m not sure if that’s your nervous tick to explain things or if you’re trying to tell me you have that?”

He shrugs, “I’ll try anything once.”

She kneels on his bed and walks towards the edge, placing her hands on his belt and working his pants off for him, “we can introduce kinky stuff later, right now I want to make love to my boyfriend for the first time.”

“Isn't it… your first time?” He worries.

She nods, “technically, but there’s no one else I rather do this with.”

He pulls her into a hug, kissing the tip of her nose gently before smiling, “I’m going to take such good care of you, baby.”

“Take your pants off, then, mister,” she teases him and tickles his sides as she plays with the hem of his pants.

He presses his lips together, pretending to be fed up, “it’s Doctor., to you.”

“Mmm, doesn’t sound right, she keeps teasing him. “What about sweetheart?”

He nods, “I like that one.”

Pulling back, he pushes his pants to the ground and steps out, “socks? No socks? Ethan made me keep my socks on, he said I have weird toes…”

She laughs, “I don’t care… I’m not doing foot stuff with you.”

He laughs, almost losing his balance as he takes them off, “I know, I’m just nervous rambling.”

“You’re adorable, there’s no need to be nervous,” she pulls him closer as he kneels onto the bed, sitting in his lap once he’s settled, and pressing their chests together.

She pulls back enough to toss him against the pillows and lean over him for another kiss, his hands trail her thighs in search of her hips as he kisses her again, and again, her tongue on his is sweet and gentile and he could stay like that with her forever. And then she grinds against him, moaning into the kiss as his fingers dig into her skin.

Her hands in his hair, he helps her rock against his clothed cock as their make-out session gets messier and messier. More moans erupt, teeth touch, she tugs his hair too hard and he arches his head back with a moan, giving her pause to move her kisses south on her way down his body.

The wetness from her underwear has darkened his own, leaving a wet spot against his cock that makes him shiver. She yanks his boxers down as soon as she can, shimmying out of her panties and hovering over him again, “Woah,” Spencer objects.

“I need at least 20 more minutes of foreplay with you,” he whines as he carefully flips them over, hovering over her as she rests her back against the bed. “You’ve been taunting me with this pussy for months.”

Pulling her panties down, he spreads her legs and spreads slobbery kisses along her inner thighs. Leaving hickies that will surely bruise and fade by the time she goes back to California, but he wanted to mark her. He loved her body, he’s been just looking at it for so long, dreaming of covering her in kisses for months on end, he groans against her skin thinking about it.

“So pretty,” he mumbles against her skin, “and all mine.”

“Only yours,” she plays with his hair in her hands, “no one else will ever get to see me like this.”

That sounded incredibly permanent. It was more than a promise, it was a wish, a want, a craving. She never wanted him to let her go, and he wasn’t about to let her either.

—

She’s staring at him between her legs with fire in her gut, her own mouth opening in a silent gasp as she watches him get closer and closer to her pussy, “so pretty.”

She feels like the world stills, “and all mine,” he continues.

Her breathing picks up, she’s never been so horny in her life as she grips his hair, “only yours. No one else will ever get to see me like this.”

She means it. She was for his eyes only, she never wanted to be this intimate with another human being, she had found her match and she wasn’t about to just let him go.

She pulls him in closer, he’s quick to run his tongue along the length of her cunt, groaning at how wet she is, “fuck, babe,” he sucks her clit into his mouth, sloppily kissing her most private area and making her head spin.

She had no idea it could feel this good. Legs writhing in the sheets, back-arching, she grinds up against his tongue in time with his movements, fucking his face essentially. It sounded like he loved every minute of it as well, the noises he made were so incredibly sexy on top of everything else that she was closer to the edge faster than ever before.

Her orgasm hit her hard, gripping the sheets for support as she let out the loudest moan of her whole entire life, “Spence, Spence, oh my god,” she pants as her breathing works on settling itself out.

He’s smirking up at her, lightly teasing her clit still with his index finger, “if you’re comfortable and really turned on then it makes the first time easier.”

“Yeah?” She’s still breathing hard like she ran a marathon. “I’m still going to be impossibly tight… believe me.”

He takes that as a challenge, laying flat on his chest between her legs, he gathers her cum and uses it as lube to insert his middle finger all the way. It’s so hot, the way he watches as it goes in and out of her each time. He slowly adds a second finger, only pumping into her till he reaches the first knuckle, then the second and finally he’s stretching her open enough to take both full fingers. He scissors his fingers, curling them and rubbing against her g-spot as he worked her open enough to fuck her.

“I’m good,” she can’t take it anymore, so turned on and unable to cum again without clit stimulation, she couldn’t wait any longer. “I need you now.”

He pulls out carefully, kneeling between her legs as he strokes her wetness onto his cock. “Remember what we talked about?”

“Yeah,” she smirks, “I’ve been on the pill for 3 months now, I want to feel all of you the first time.”

She swears his eyes roll into the back of his head as he takes a deep breath in, “fuck, I love you so much.”

“Yeah?” She teases, “come here?”

He leans down enough for her to pull him back into a kiss, tasting herself on his lips and craving more. Messily making out, she reaches between them and spreads her legs more, pushing the head of his cock towards her entrance and pushing him in slowly.

They both pause making out, open mouths pressed together as they moan out in pleasure, “keep going,” she encourages him, “oh my god?”

“You’re so fucking tight,” he agrees, slowly pushing in as far as he can go, and then he just stays there, staring at her softly. “There you go.”

“Not a virgin anymore,” she smiles, pulling him in for more kisses as she gets used to the stretch. Then he starts to rock his hips, pulling out ever so slightly and thrusting back in with enough power to make her gasp. “Fuck me?”

“Yeah?” He goes a bit faster, “like that now?”

She nods, tossing her head back against the pillow, he continues kissing and sucking on her neck as he fucks her. Letting her moan as much as she wants, she claws at his back, wrapping her legs around him as she takes it all in. This was what she wanted when she imagined her first time.

She wanted it to be sexy, cute, funny, everything it was supposed to be when she finally had sex with the person she loved the most. Spencer was everything to her, she felt a tear slip down her cheek, feeling so much she couldn’t help it.

“Spence,” she moans his name again, “my clit?”

He hums, changing his angle and sliding a hand between them, she twitches hard when he makes contact with it. He groans, she had tightened around him too and he wasn’t going to last much longer, “fuck, babe.”

“Fill me up,” she’s used to saying that to tip him over the edge when she was on the other side of the country, now she actually means it.

His hips sputter and his rhythm changes then, he’s so fucking hot like this she takes a moment to push his hair out of his face and look at him, staring into his eyes as he fucks her, she smiles.

“I love you, so fucking much,” he’s able to say as he holds back for her, “I want you to cum with me, baby.”

That alone does it, that same familiar hear bubbling inside her veins and gathering in her loins, she came with another shout of his name as she pulled him in closer.

“Ugh,” he stills as he cums with a groan, thrusting forward with each twitch of his cock as he fills her up. It’s hot and incredible, she gasps in shock at just how much it is.

“oh my god?” She’s wrapped around him like a spider monkey, breathing heavily and not willing to let him go at all.

He giggles against her skin, kissing anywhere he wan as she catches her breath. “You okay?”

“Perfect,” she sighs, relaxing against the mattress as he pulls out and rests against her comfortably. “I don’t know what to say besides oh my god?”

“I know,” he smiles in agreement, “it was amazing.”

“I can’t believe I have to leave in a week… I want to do that every day for forever,” she exaggerates. “I love you.”

“I love you even more,” he repeats her wording for earlier. “I’m serious, you don’t have to leave. And you can come back whenever you want?”

“I want to come back as soon as I can,” she sighs, “I want to actually get a cute little house here with you and build a little life together and start being truly happy.”

“Okay,” he looks up at her, resting his chin on her shoulder, “I’ll start looking around, I’ll send you every listing and you can move here even if you don’t get the job. We’ll figure something out.”

Her heart is so full of love, she cups his face and pulls him in for another kiss, and another and another until they’re going at it again.

They don’t do much else for the rest of the week.

-

Part 2 coming soon

the road trip from San Francisco to D.C!

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[jade-parcels]

The genshin men: fatherhood edition

With: Childe, Zhongli, Kaeya, Diluc, Xiao, Venti, Albedo and Baizhu

—————————

Childe:

Ajax loves kids and he’ll make that known early on in your relationship

Like...This man wants five or more kids but he’ll settle for four. He dreams of a big family, getting to surround himself with you and your kids every night for family dinners, everyone getting together for big birthday parties or reunions! That’s his dream life! Plus, in Snezhnaya, most families have more than two kids anyways

He will cry so hard when his babies are placed in his arms for the first time, I mean he’s a mess. Nose is running, eyes puffy, lost of sniffling lmao he is so excited to be a dad!! Don’t you dare tell the other Harbingers how much he cried...What do you mean you took a picture when he wasn’t looking??? Hey??!?!

With his obscene amount of mora, he’ll buy a huge house that will accommodate everyone. Anything you want will be purchased that day or within 48 hours, the same goes for the kids

But they’ll all learn to be thankful for what they have. They’ll learn to fight, fish and speak multiple languages. He has high expectations but let’s face it, he’ll be proud of them no matter what

You’re gonna have to be the one to put your foot down though because Ajax doesn’t enjoy being the ‘mean parent’, he has trouble saying no to the kiddos which can create some tension between you and your husband. He has good intentions of course!! He doesn’t wanna say no to those cute, freckled faces!!

Zhongli:

Zhongli is nervous about having kids because he’s immortal. So this will go one of two ways. 1. You have the baby and the baby ends up not being immortal (or you adopt a baby who is not immortal) Then he loses you both. OR 2. You have the baby and it inherits his immortality and becomes an adeptus. Now he and the baby will have to watch you die while they both life forever.

Either way...It hurts him to think about because he loves you!! He wants to have a family with you!! He wants to give you that perfect family life every human desires!! But he’s torn

You two will just have to figure it out.

Zhongli will be a strong, male figure for your kid(s) and he will instill that traditional kindness and respect into their behavior. ‘Please’ and ‘thank you’ always, always offer to help someone who needs it, do good deeds and you will feel accomplished, be the best you you can be, alway try your hardest because that’s all that matters

He will be sure that your kid(s) always feel loved ALWAYS. Zhongli will tell them stories, cook for them, take them to school, anything that needs to be done. When you’ve had a rough day, he’ll step in to take over for the night without being asked. He shows interest in everything your kid(s) like and he will do his damn best to display every piece of artwork they make or every pretty rock they find

He...will make a great dad :’)

Kaeya:

Ooooh brother, at first Kaeya says no he doesn’t want kids but...Then he starts thinking about it

He observes the happy families that walk around the cobblestone streets of Mondstadt, how the kiddos smile and laugh with their parents. He’ll patrol in the afternoons, usually rounding the corner just in time to see the city’s kids leave school for the day, watching as they all run down the street to go home to their parents or play in the fountain together...Yeah, that really warms his heart

He’d want one or two kids, preferably two to avoid an only child being lonely. He isn’t on the best terms with Diluc but he can admit that they had a great childhood together, playing at the winery and running around as brothers do

Kaeya would be a very patient, understanding father. He doesn’t have much of a temper so he’d use the kids’ mistakes as learning opportunities instead of getting upset at them

He would be obsessed with the kids when they’re babies though oh man if you thought you had baby fever, he has it times ten! He loves holding the baby, watching with a twinkling eye as his baby grasps his thumb with its tiny hand... adorable

And if your kids inherited his eyes, his star shaped pupils that his ancestors passed down to him...He’s gonna get emotional

Everyone at the knights’ headquarters and the Angel’s Share will get sick of him REALLY fast cause he won’t stop bragging about how cute and smart his kids are lmao

Diluc:

Diluc would be such a soft dad don’t even get me started

He loves you so much of course he wants to have kids with you! Is that even a question?? He won’t be the one to bring it up unless he gets the feeling that you want kids but once you ask, he’ll agree so fast

He’ll be grateful to even have one kid with you :’) and he’ll be fine with however many kids YOU want. You want one kid? Perfect! You want four? No problem, the manor is big enough for ten! You...you want ten...? Time to hire some more maids then lmao

Diluc is a worry wart though, he’ll be afraid to hold the baby, feed it, bathe it, he’s terrified of hurting the baby or the baby suddenly hating him. So just help him out!! Cause when he gets comfortable with the baby, he’ll be in full dad mode

He isn’t embarrassed to walk around the manor, conducting business with a baby strapped to his chest!

Diluc is a very kind, gentle dad who will always offer helpful solutions to the kiddos’ problems. He’ll make sure all of their needs are met while also trying to avoid spoiling them... Too much... There will be a fair amount of spoiling...

His own father wasn’t too affectionate with him so that’s why he’ll be affectionate with his kids! Hugs and kisses when he tucks them in at night, big dad hugs when they get home from school, holding their hands in the busy streets of Mondstadt. His father was a great dad! He just aims to be better.

Xiao:

Like Zhongli, he worries about the mortality thing. Since he’s an Adeptus, his kid will certainly be an Adeptus too if you have kids together.

He also worries that his kid(s) will hate him. His duty is to kill demons which means that rain or shine, holidays, special occasions, day or night he’s gotta be ready to go slaughter demonic beings. So he’ll inevitably miss out on important stages in the kiddos’ lives

And admittedly... He’ll be scared of his kids lmao

They’re screaming, crying, barfing, pooping, laughing, screaming again...He can’t predict their behavior. It’s unsettling. All of that goes away one night when you sit him down and place your sleeping baby in his arms. His eyes go wide...And he just watches. This tiny, little baby...Feels no fear for him. It’s comforted by his presence. He almost cries...ALMOST

He’s still pretty much the same Xiao we all know and love but now he has a kid. “Slaying demons is what I do...Hey, go back inside and finish your dinner. Yes, even your vegetables. I don’t care that you don’t like them-...Fine. Don’t tell your mother, bring them to me. I’ll eat them” cute :)

He’s a protective dad and husband, he’d never let anyone or anything harm his beloved family

Venti:

Venti....does not want kids. He thinks they’re cute! He likes the idea of kids but he knows he wouldn’t enjoy actually having kids

You two already have so much fun together!! You don’t need a kid!! You guys have dogs!! Dogs are like kids! But they’re more independent and they’re cuter!

He’ll feel bad if you want kids and he doesn’t, he really will! But it’ll be nearly impossible to convince him cause he’s made his mind up :/

Venti’ll make it up to you somehow though, he’ll take you out more and show you all of the adventures you guys can have if there aren’t kids around

But for the sake of fatherhood headcanons, let’s pretend he gave in. Venti would be a very caring dad. He would cuddle the hell out of this kiddo and sing to them :’) the only problem is that Venti doesn’t like being tethered to one place for too long so he tends to take off and not come back for a few days... :(

Albedo:

Albedo wants kids mostly just to see what fatherhood would be like. He’s always been curious about what that part of his life would be like so why not have a kid

He’d be good with one kid, two at most cause after practically raising Klee, he knows how some kids can be and...He doesn’t have the mental capacity for more than two kids at a time lmao

He tries his best to show more emotion in his face. We all know he usually sits like this 😐 and goes ‘wow im so happy right now’. If you didn’t know him, you’d think he was bored out of his mind right? So he’s gotta work on that. And when he musters up a smile for the baby and it smiles back at him????? Yeah...He’s gonna try to smile a lot more now

He definitely softens up once he becomes a dad, he shows emotion more than he used to and surprisingly, he takes time off of work. Shocker, I know! He decides that he’s been in the lab long enough and that he wants to be able to be there for these moments with you and his kid(s) :’) :’) He trusts Sucrose and Timaeus to take over for him for a couple hours

He keeps a journal for each kid and writes down the date and time they have their firsts or just interesting things they do ->

- 8/4: Baby sees and plays with a cat for the first time

- 9/5: Baby smacked me in the face and laughed so hard she threw up

-9/12: Baby learns that pulling my hair gets my attention. She now continues to do so

-10/15: Baby stays at Aunt Klee’s house for the first time

Baizhu:

Baizhu really loves kids, he works with them a lot and he considers Qiqi to be his daughter anyway but in terms of you guys having a kid together, with his condition he can probably only handle one kid running around

He will do his absolute best to be a good dad. Even if he feels like death, he’ll help change diapers, feed the baby, care for it when you need a break. He isn’t contagious so when you’re sleeping and he feels gross, he’ll sit back against the pillows with the baby on his chest, the three of you resting together (though he doesn’t fall asleep...that would be dangerous for the baby)

Baizhu already tends to nag at you about your health and lifestyle choices but now?? He’ll be a menace. He’ll be constantly evaluating your baby’s condition, checking to see if a certain food is giving them a rash or making sure their skin isn’t drying out. He’s hyper aware of your baby’s health and will be the one to treat them if they get sick

He’s a busy guy since he runs the pharmacy but he will always do his best to be present for your baby’s big milestones! And when your kid cries cause Baizhu’s medicine tastes like shit, he’ll do his best to not be disappointed in their reaction lmao

When you leave him alone with the baby, he’ll wrap a scarf around himself to tie the baby to his chest while he works and...he looks so cute :) dad baizhu <3 <3 <3 <3

Bonus points for him buying the baby toy medical equipment so he can get your kiddo interested in medicine :)

[astaroth1357]

Brothers with an Insanely Lucky MC

Lucifer

Honestly, that kind of takes some weight off of his shoulders…

It’s a lot easier to keep a lucky MC alive, even if they’re only dodging death by the narrowest margin.

He really wasn’t sure how to take their impeccable luck at first… It was more than the fact that a weak human somehow surviving within the world of demons. Small things always seemed to go their way…

If he set them on a task, it would always somehow get done even if they forgot about it. Lesser demons could try to eat them, but they'd narrowly avoid their waiting teeth every time...

When he finally noticed that his brothers' plans wouldn't fail quite so horrendously in their presence, he actually started to encourage them to be around them more.

Don’t get him wrong, this wasn’t out of some brotherly desired to see his family succeed or anything. There'd just be less mess for him to have to clean up later... 🙄

Mammon

MC is his new religion.

You think I'm joking? After he discovered that the MC was like a talisman of luck or something he started worshiping them like a living deity.

Man waits on them hand and foot, if they need a drink then he's got it. If they need food, he'll feed them. Rest? How about a back-rub?

Of course, he's not doing this for nothing. They're his ace-in-the-hole baby!!

Pretty much uses the MC like a good luck charm of sorts. He makes them do a whole bunch of weird superstitious rituals when he goes gambling like blowing on his dice or picking numbers for him.

It all must work, because he starts getting into winning streaks more often than not!

Even MORE possessive of them if you can believe it. He almost never lets them leave his sight, lest they disappear and his future riches with them...

Pretty much proposes to them every time they net him another jackpot. He's only half joking...

Leviathan 

It took him longer than Mammon to realize how lucky they were (largely because he was mostly in his room) but even he could see it.

He started catching on when he began taking them to his merch giveaways. Any time he brought them with him, he always got something no matter how rare, how scarce, or how astronomically unlikely it was...

More or less converted to the Church of MC along with Mammon after their presence got him a limited edition Black Mage Ruri-chan figurine, of which only 10 of its kind in existence... 

After that point… well, he was almost as possessive and demanding as Mammon.

Chances are at any point of the day, Mammon and Levi are squabbling over who gets to be with the MC, especially if there's a drawing or contest happening soon.

He can, will, and has summoned Lotan against his brother before and is not sorry about it. Merch is serious business!!

Satan 

Doesn't believe in luck… or at least he didn't at first.

But after watching the MC for a while he did take notice that things often went their way… If they hadn't studied for a test, the teacher would be sick or they'd always be just in time for the last dessert in the cafeteria.

After some time he just couldn't ignore how… "lucky" they were. So he had to run some tests…

He spent a whole week doing little experiments with them. At one point he gave them a coin, told them to pick heads or tails and then had them do a 100 flips…

It was heads 90% of the time. That… that just shouldn't happen… And the rest of the tests went similarly. By the end of it, he was utterly astonished. It was like they were a black hole warping the statistics of the world around them!

In truth, they converted him to a firm believer in luck… not that he planned to use them nearly as much as Mammon or Levi.

He was more than happy to use them to his advantage when pranking Lucifer, thoug. Get the MC in on his schemes and 9 out of 10 were always successful (in some way or another). Good luck, Lucifer!!

Asmodeus 

Didn't think their luck was anything major until they started scoring the attention of even Devildom nobles…

And it’s not like they were some master of flirtation or anything. They’d just happen to be in the right place or say the right thing to become the center of attention without even trying! They could be having a completely unrelated conversation and then bam, whole room laughs! What kind of social sorcery is that??

He tried asking for their secrets but it turns out they’re just that lucky… Good for them.

Not nearly as obsessed with their luck as Mammon or Levi, but still thinks that it comes with its advantages all the same...

Asmo likes to take them out when he's looking for hookups because even he has better luck if they're backing him up.

Shopping trips are also a must. Sometimes they’ll walk into a store right as it has a sudden flash sale on his favorite brands and it makes him want to kiss them right then and there!

For Halloween, he helped them dress up as one of those Lucky Cats he sees in Levi’s anime sometimes, but that backfired hard because all it did was make Satan carry them off for the night... That was supposed to be him, dammit!

Beelzebub 

Honestly the last to notice how lucky they were, even behind Levi.

Beel’s a very “take things as they are” sort of guy so he didn’t expect that there could be a pattern to his human’s surprisingly charmed life.

Sure he noticed that he won more games when the MC attended, but that could have been anything right? He’d joke that they were like a good luck charm, but he never meant it.

Then he started to notice that the kitchens would mess up and give him bigger (than usual) portions when he’d bring the MC along…

Again, that could have been anything right…? Right?

Finally started suspecting that the MC had something to do with it when he saw Levi and Mammon fighting over them like some kind of deity meant to give them blessings… Huh…

Even after he figured it out the most he ever asked of them was to attend his games. He figured that his brothers Mammon and Levi would take enough of their time as is... Poor human.

Belphegor 

Couldn’t have cared less if they were lucky or not. He’s not a scumbag like Mammon or pathetic like Levi so he wasn’t about to go begging for them to “bless” his shoes or something.

Of course, he did get some passive benefit from it like everybody else. They were sleeping buddies after all.

He found out that on the nights they slept together something would usually happen in to the school the next day to cause either a late start or early out…

Pretty neat, but unfortunately he’d have to literally pry them out of Mammon’s whiny, irritating grasp to do so which meant it didn’t happen often.

Similar to Satan, he picked up that his pranks usually went better with them around. They didn’t even have to do much, they could just poke a tube or something and bang! Instant success.

Between Satan and Belphie, Lucifer really started to regret letting the MC help his brothers with their schemes...

Also realized that a more motivated man could try them out at the stock market, but that wasn’t him and he figured Mammon was so dumb that even luck couldn’t fix his stupid so he never brought the idea up to him. His loss.

[margarethx]

Sambucky writing prompts

Because I have a lot of ideas and no ability to focus on writing any of them right now... so I might as well share. Feel free to use any of these. You can tag me or send a link if you want to. (Unless it's ”a story about poor, sad Bucky... and Sam is kinda there to help” type of fanfiction, bacause I love Sam too much to read something like that.)

Let's go!

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1. Both Sam and Bucky are trained to be Winter Soldiers at the same time. On one of the shared missions they accidentally form a connection which helps them with slowly getting their memories back, so they can escape together.

2. The Winter Soldier is sent to kill one Samuel Thomas Wilson, but for some reason he just cannot do it. (Or he almost did and regrets it immediately.)

3. Bucky's a mechanic that Sam called to help with repairing the boat and he works very slowly on purpose to have an excuse to see Sam more often.

4. Sam can actually talk to birds (as he should!) and they start to be annoying always asking about his dating life.

5. Sam is a literal angel. That's the prompt. (And canon.)

6. Sam and Bucky go on long, separate vacation. But they somehow end up in the same country, the same town, and the same hotel. Probably the same room too. What a surprise...

7. Bucky knows a lot of things about Sam and Sam is sure he never told him about any of that. Turns out Bucky migh have done some research between 2014 and 2016 when Sam was looking for him.

8. Sam discovers that Bucky had something to do with picking the designs for his new superhero suit.

9. Bucky finally tries to bond with Redwing and Sam does a very bad job at pretending he’s not amused.

10. Bucky has to deal with a painful realisation that Sam is not a supersoldier and that no matter how strong he is he'll always be more likely to get seriously hurt on their missions.

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11. When they are frustrated Bucky starts to speak Russian and Sam responds to him in Arabic which doesn't solve the initial problem, but at least it's funny. (Bonus points if one of them - or both - pretends to not now the language the other one's speaking.)

12. Bucky has a terrible reputation and looks dangerous, so everyone prefers to avoid him, but then he meets Sam who just makes fun of his edgy persona all the time... and Bucky for some gay reason lets him. Everyone else is just very confused and worried about Sam’s safety. (Probably some University/High School AU.)

13. [It’s more like an art prompt, but whatever.] They both have long hair now. No plot. Just both of them being in love and appreciating how handsome the other one looks.

14. Since both Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan exist in the MCU canon I’d love to see Sam and Bucky’s reactions to their actors being on screen when they watch movies together.

15. Bucky didn’t have much experience with dating since 1940s and he thought he’d be the awkward one once he and Sam get together, but it turns out Sam was never in any relationship, because he was too busy and neglected that part of his life.

16. They both have the canon skills/powers, but only one of them is a superhero. The other is “their” villain. So still enemies to lovers, but a different flavour.

17. Sam always had the ability to talk to birds. He just... forgot to mention it before to other people, including Bucky. So the power-reveal is quite unexpected.

18. Sam and Bucky literally hate each other – it’s not just their canon-like amused annoyance. But then they start to learn what happened to the other one in the past and the feelings slowly shift from hatered into something else. (Might be a No Powers AU)

19. Sam thinks that Bucky misses the 40s. Well, he’s wrong.

20. Sam is a regular civilian (who never met Steve). He finds Bucky right after he escaped HYDRA and helps him go back to normal life. (He might know who he’s helping or not.)

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21. Bucky learns about Riley, but he doesn’t learn it directly from Sam.

22. Sam and Bucky come back after the Blip, see each other, and try to deal with the situation together, no knowing what has just happened.

23. Bucky explains to Steve why he won’t go back to the past with him. It’s  mostly because of Sam, obviously.

24. A story about Sam and Bucky growing apart between Endgame and tfatws and how they dealt with feeling like they’re losing yet another person so soon. (And about them coming bact to each other again.)

25. Sam and Bucky learn how other people around them see their relationship. It doesn’t really mirror how they see this partnership themselves.

26. A classic role-swap. Sam is the Winter Soldier. Bucky’s the Falcon. Their personalities stay exactly the same.

27. Sam and Bucky try to tell someone who knows almost nothing about them how they met. (They lie or they don’t.)

28. Bucky deals with people who are openly against Sam as the new Captain. Sam deals with people who think Bucky should be locked up for being “with” HYDRA in the past.

29. Sam is still The Falcon and later Captain America, but Bucky’s a regular person who also happens to be Sam’s huge fan.

30. Dr. Raynor said she heard a lot about Sam (presumably from Bucky). But what exactly did Bucky tell her?

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31. Only one of them died after the Snap. The other one has to live for five years, hoping they’ll be able to reverse it.

32. The first time Sam and Bucky saw each other: scared, feeling exhausted, really happy, genuinely laughing, truly angry, crying, completely resigned, flustered, shy.

33. After being frozen in Wakanda Bucky lost all memories related to Sam. Sam has to decide whether he should use the opportunity to start the relationship over or let Bucky know about their less-than-ideal beginnings.

34. Sam accidentally gets super-serum. Bucky helps him with adjusting.

35. Bucky accidentally loses super-serum. Sam helps him with adjusting.

36. Sam used to visit Wakanda when Bucky was frozen and talked to him a lot, even when Bucky couldn’t hear him. (Well, couldn’t he?)

37. They have a conversation about Steve, but it’s Sam telling Bucky stories from their friendship (how they met, what they did as fugatives, how Sam feels about Steve leaving without saying goodbye).

38. Sam and Bucky use time travel (because they survived the Snap or for other reasons) and they see the past versions of themselves alone or interacting with each other.

39. Sam and Bucky are stuck in Soul Stone together. The problem is that they cannot really hide their emotions or memories as well as they would be able to as real people.

40. After disappearing in the Snap Sam gets a chance to talk to Riley. They know Sam will eventually come back to life, but they still can spend time together and get some closure that will help with moving Sam’s relationship with Bucky forward.

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[im-a-wonderling]

Rules For Enduring a Family Wedding

1.               Don’t spend too much time packing your black suitcase with a small tear on the side, right next to the zipper. You’re only going to be there for a weekend. If you have to wash and rewear clothes, your grandmother has a washing machine and a dryer, plus any toiletries you might need. She even has the pair of ballet flats you accidentally forgot last time, so you’re covered even if you somehow walk out the door without shoes.

2.               Eight hours and nearly 500 miles goes faster to the tune of Adele and Criminal Minds, so be sure to download entertainment. As much as you love the road trip, you’ve already seen the bleak scenery a million times before and probably will a million times more.

3.               Stay calm when the agreed upon departure time passes by and your family still isn’t on the road yet. Your older brother almost always oversleeps.

4.               Don’t start listening to music right away. Fifteen minutes into the trip, your younger sister will suddenly remember that she left her phone or sunglasses behind, and you will have to turn around.

5.               Use the bathroom every time you stop for gas or food. Your family would never say it, but you know they get annoyed every time they have to stop because of you and your small bladder.

6.               People watching is always a good way to use up time. Notice the couple beside you at the gas station. The woman wearing hot pink crocs will do some exaggerated lunges, making the man laugh. 

7.               When driving through the small towns that usually consist of a gas station, a school, a church, and a bar, remember the time your family stopped at Happy Mountain Diner for dinner and pie once. Look for the playground you and your siblings played on the one time the car broke down. Eventually, you’ll reach the small town of your destination.

8.               Your parents will talk the whole way there, but it’s at the end of the trip that you should listen to the stories they tell, even though you’ve heard them all before. As you drive past a quaint, brick house, they’ll wave at the man watering a vegetable garden and tell you he was their math teacher in high school. Laugh when your mom tells the story about the time she was caught passing a note in class and he made her eat the note.

9.               Your grandma will come out of the house when she sees the car pull into the driveway. Hug your grandma and her husband. Don’t call him by his first name, because it’s slightly awkward that you don’t call him grandpa. Glance at your mom, who says: “Hi Matt!” She gets away with calling him by his first name.

10.            Right on schedule, your siblings will squabble about who gets what room. Refrain from telling them that they argue this every time and yet every time you guys end up in the same rooms.

11.            Pretend alongside everyone else that you don’t notice your eldest brother’s absence. 

12.            After bringing your suitcase to the upstairs bedroom, rejoin the family. Your grandma will already have cards out to play hearts or pinochle, and she’s cornered her husband, your brother, and your mom into playing with her. You watch her shuffle the cards like a poker champion. Your grandma taught you two things: how to blow a bubble with bubblegum and how to shuffle a deck of cards.

13.            Wait for the nine chimes from grandfather clock in the corner, then say goodnight.

14.            The next morning, at brunch with the grandparents from your dad’s side of the family, everything will sound yummy. Dish up as much as you want, but be sure to finish everything on your plate, down to the last crumb. Getting admonished by your grandmother in front of your cousins for wasting food is embarrassing.

15.            Attempt a new way of curling your hair to occupy yourself before the wedding, otherwise you’ll have to sit on the couch in your fancy outfit while your family gets ready.

16.            Make your family agree on when you’ll leave the wedding. 10pm.

17.            Show up to the wedding twenty minutes earlier than the invitation says. The bridal party always needs help setting up the chairs and food.

18.            Hug Cousin Marie when you see her. She’ll wish you a happy belated birthday, and you’ll seem to grow an extra inch at the reminder that you’re finally an adult now.  Deflate a bit when she asks you if you’re going to MSU, the university where all but a few of your family members went to college. Most of the girls try to get a ring by spring. 

19.            Once the chairs have been set up, join the conversation your mom’s in. They’ll be drinking something alcoholic, and while none of them would so much as blink if you got one too, decide to go with kid-friendly pink lemonade instead.

20.            At first, the conversation will be superficial. Listen. Pipe in occasionally when your mom is telling a story about the mix-up at your school that had the school in lockdown for an hour.

21.            Try not to look confused when Uncle Pete says “The line at the bar is slower than molasses coming out’a bottle,” or Aunt Jo says “He has more plans than he can shake a stick at.” The vernacular’s different here.

22.            After a few minutes of this, Cousin Marie will look over her shoulder and lower her voice. “Annie and Darnell are getting a divorce.” Look down at your lemonade at the mention of your cousin. “Darnell’s filing a restraining order against her and is trying to get custody of the kids.” Your mom doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t seem fazed either. The adults discuss this for a while, but you’ll feel strangely guilty. Try and put it out of your mind.

23.            Aunt Jo will ask you: “How was your birthday? Eighteen, huh? Big year!” Before you can answer, Aunt Rachel will suddenly turn to you as if she’s had a magnificent idea. “There’s a boy named Tyler who is rentin’ our trailer right now, and he’s your age, and he’s single! He’s coming tonight, so I’m gonna introduce y’all.” It’s okay if it takes you a while to understand that she’s trying to set you up. She’ll be craning her neck to see if Tyler has arrived yet. Abstain from looking relieved when she says she doesn’t see him. Then panic at the mischievous look in her eye as she says: “Yet.”

24.            When the conversation shifts to the groom, their eyes start to twinkle in a way that makes you nervous. “I heard his mother was almost imprisoned for insurance fraud!” Cousin Marie says delightedly, like she’s announcing she won the lottery. “She set their house on fire, and the groom’s sister died!” Know that none of your friends back home would believe this, even if you decided to tell them.

25.            When someone announces that the outdoor ceremony is going to begin, look for a seat. There’ll be plenty of options, considering you’re related to about two thirds of the guests, but go sit by your parents.

26.            Try not to grimace at the bright yellow bridesmaid dresses; they really aren’t as bad as the puke green your grandma chose for her bridesmaids when she got remarried.

27.            Thank your lucky stars you aren’t in the wedding party this time. You’ve already been a flower girl three times and a bridesmaid twice.

28.            Silently take note of which of the groomsmen are obviously not from this area. You can tell by the way they tucked their jeans into their obviously brand-new cowboy boots.

29.            Cousin Sarah will come down the aisle in a lacy wedding dress underneath a denim jacket, matching the groom’s pair of blue jeans. When the groom and bride stand facing each other, resist the urge to laugh at the image that could very well be the cover of a western romance novel.

30.            Don’t panic when you don’t know the words to the hymns spread throughout the ceremony. Your parents are singing loudly enough to cover for you.

31.            When the bride and groom say their vows, think back to the couple at the gas station. Even though your cousin wouldn’t be caught dead in a pair of crocs, much less pink ones, the expression on their faces is the same.

32.            If you get suddenly emotional, don’t cry under any circumstances. Your family will see, and you don’t want anyone to tease you later.

33.            Clap when the bride and groom kiss, signaling the end of the ceremony.

34.            Aunt Jo will poke your shoulder from the row behind you. “You’re next!” she’ll say. Laugh, even though you’re not sure she’s trying to be funny.

35.            When your family migrates towards the barn for the party, follow your dad this time. Hopefully his conversations will be about cars and John Deere instead of gossip.

36.            Look about the room as Great Uncle Carl and your dad frequently use terms you don’t understand as they talk about how the harvest is going. Your dad grew up on a dairy farm. You grew up among skyscrapers.

37.            Nudge Cousin Darnell when you see a (clearly drunk) man on the dance floor dancing like there’s a bumblebee in his pants. “Who’s that?” you ask. Cousin Darnell’s lip will curl. “That would be Aunt Jo’s new boyfriend.” Blink and glance over at Uncle Pete, Aunt Jo’s husband. “Boyfriend?” you ask. “Yeah, Jo and Pete’s divorce is finalized. Apparently, he got a vasectomy without telling her.” 

38.            Feel bad for Aunt Jo, who’s wanted kids for as long as you can remember. 

39.           Cousin Darnell will turn to you. “You’re eighteen now, huh?” Nod. He’ll chuckle. “Old enough to testify in court without parent approval.” 

40.            Tell him you haven’t signed the guest book yet and leave before he can ask you to testify against his wife. 

41.            Pretend not to see Aunt Rachel waving you over. She’s standing next to a young man by the door, and it only takes one guess to know what the young man’s name is. When Aunt Rachel starts walking towards you, turn to your dad and tell him you’re going to the restroom.

42.            Walk up the stairs to the second level of the renovated barn and hope the bathrooms are up there.

43.            Smooth the invisible wrinkles from your skirt as you look at your reflection, wondering how long you can stay in the restroom before someone comes looking for you.

44.            Aunt Jill will come in and ask for your help in zipping her paisley-patterned dress down. Oblige her. “Have you heard your Cousin Marie is dating a guy from a cult?” she’ll ask from the bathroom stall. “I mean, I know it’s slim pickin’s out there, but where did that child go wrong?”

45.            Wonder if you’ve ever been referred to as “that child”.

46.            Make an excuse and leave the restroom.

47.            Stand by the punch bowl, sip your drink, and wonder who you should go talk to. You know you missed all the speeches as the party is in full swing, but you’ve been to so many weddings at this point, you could make up a speech on the spot.

48.            Smile when Cousin Jackson sidles up to you and starts a conversation. It won’t be hard to keep the conversation going as Cousin Jackson can talk the ear off a piece of corn. Keep your mouth shut when he complains about how he can’t find a wife and then calls wives “property” in the same breath.

49.            Just when you think your family has hit on every event in a complete season of a daytime soap opera, Cousin Jackson lowers his voice and says: “Did you know Great Uncle Carl is planning to call a vote to push Grandma out of the family business?” Keep your eyes at a reasonable size when you stare at him. Your grandmother started that business with your grandfather; she has more of a right to the business than anyone else. 

50.            Find a secluded balcony and stand out there looking at the stars but be careful of the precarious railing. Let out a big sigh when the time on your phone is only 8:00.

51.            Don’t scream when someone clears their throat behind you, and definitely don’t put your weight on the railing, because you might fall and break a leg in front of everyone on the lower level.

52.            Try your best not to scowl when you see its Tyler, but if a little frown breaks through, it’s okay. When he says his name and holds out his hand, give him a weak smile as your back to him and return your eyes to the stars.

53.            He’ll say: “So your Aunt Rachel wanted us to meet, so she sent me to come find you.” Nod your head, but don’t say anything or look at him. Hope, as Tyler continues asking questions, that he’ll eventually get the hint and go find someone else to charm. You wonder if your Aunt Rachel offered him a discount on this month’s rent if he succeeds on taking you out on a date.

54.            Run his statements through your red flag database and furrow your brow when nothing comes up. He hasn’t mentioned sleeping with a gun beside his pillow, living in his mother’s basement, or having a ‘crazy ex’. He must not have grown up here.

55.            Ask Tyler what he does for a living and raise your eyebrows when he says he’s getting a nursing degree. Aunt Rachel must not know that’s what he’s studying as she always says nursing is a career for women.

56.            It’s okay if you blush when he compliments your smile, but don’t tell him its your first genuine smile of the evening. Before long, the two of you are laughing, and you’re enjoying yourself.

57.            You should realize right about now that it’s too good to be true. Stiffen when he off-handedly mentions his last name, and it’s the maiden name of your dad’s grandmother. You’re related.

58.            Laugh lightly at the way Tyler’s expression freezes when you tell him, even as you’re surprisingly disappointed.

59.            As hard as it may be, remind yourself that in some roundabout way, this is good for you. Now you’ll be more than ready to leave tomorrow.

60.            By this time, it’s ten o’clock, and you’re more ready to leave than ever. Say goodbye to Tyler quickly, because there’s no way to make it less awkward.

61.            Your family will leave early in the morning, so take the time to hug all your aunts, uncles, cousins, and your cousins’ spouses and children.

62.            Keep in mind that while the family is always late when you leave home, they’re always early to leave your grandma’s house, as if they’re reluctant to come and reluctant to stay. This trip, you don’t manage to get breakfast before everyone’s loading up.

63.            Your parents are always quiet on the return journey, and now you think you understand why. Was every family gathering like this once you were old enough to understand the words “insurance fraud” and “business takeover”? Was your family dramatic enough to become the next Kardashians? Maybe eighteen isn’t such a magical age.

64.            Groan when Cousin Marie sends you a picture of a ring on her finger.

[pupandangelscoffee]

Evan Buckley x Eddie Diaz x Reader

Genre: Angst, Fluff

Warnings: mention of car crash, scene in the hospital, arguing with doctors

Synopsis: When Buck realizes he is not just in love with you but also in love with Eddie and admits to having kissed him, will he lose both of you or will he get his happy ever after?

Taglist: @enterprise-medical

Turning around and feeling the cold covers next to him leaves a bitter taste in Buck's mouth as he remembers the previous night. The yelling, the fighting, him saying that you didn't matter to him unlike Chris and Eddie. He regretted it the moment the words left his mouth, because you did matter to him, he was just confused. His feelings towards Eddie had changed over the past few weeks and two nights ago, he had kissed Eddie in a drunken haze.

But that hadn't been the only thing that confused him. He had spoken to Maddie and after her questioning, she suggested that he may be in love with you AND his best friend. When telling Eddie about it, he expected the other to laugh, yet instead the other male just hummed and stated "so just like me".

So now he was waking up to an empty apartment, his head feeling like it was about to explode. Buck missed your scent, your soft voice when you're just waking up, how he brings you coffee while you whine about wanting to stay in bed for just 5 more minutes. His heart clenches at the thought of you placing gentle kisses along his shoulder, your chuckles, your laugh when he told you some weird fact that he read online.

Ever so slowly the day drags on. Eddie doesn't even spare him a second glance at work, only talking to him when it is work related. Even the whole team noticed something was up between the two best friends, though unsure of what it is. Well almost all were unsure, Chimney knew what was going on from Maddie, however, he was sworn to secrecy by his wife and despite not wanting to admit it, she did scare him just a bit. Though he just kept quiet and watched the two males with careful eyes, ready to report everything to Maddie.

Dragging his feet as he enters the apartment, he calls out that he is home, hoping to hear your voice from the kitchen. Instead he is met with deafening silence. A silence he wishes didn't exist, a silence that he hates being the cause of. Dropping his bag on the floor, he sets his keys on the table before falling onto the couch and letting out a loud groan. Just as he is about to doze off, his stomach lets out a loud growl and after debating whether to ignore his hunger or not, Buck decides to order some chinese food.

Once he has eaten, he just stares at the wall for a good 10 minutes before grabbing his keys and rushing to the only person he can think of. A quick 5 minute drive later, he ran 2 red lights but he is distracted, and he is standing in front of Bobby's house. Sure, Athena and Bobby may be having a cute date night, but right now he needs dating advice and who better to get it from than his captain. Taking a deep breath, he finally knocks and waits for Bobby to open the door, who looks rather shocked to see a crying Buck standing outside of the door and quickly ushering him inside.

It takes exactly 1 beer, 6 tissues and Athena's calming words for Buck to open up about what had happened between him, his partner and Eddie. After hearing the entire story, the married couple sits there in shock as Buck is trying to calm down. "So that is why you two were so awkward at work today?" Bobby asks carefully, not wanting to send the younger male into another crying fit. Buck nods, blowing his nose before wiping away the remaining tears with his sleeve.

"Look, I don't know whether you want to hear this or not, but you need to grow a pair and invite them both over to your place, so that you can talk this shit out. It might not end with you three together, but it will give you all some closure. And who knows, maybe it will end with you all three happily dating." Athena states gently, rubbing Buck's back. Somehow the younger male had weaseled his way into her heart and she worried about him, especially when seeing him so heartbroken. But there simply wasn't anything her nor Bobby could do about the situation, they could only give Buck the support that he needed right now.

After his talk with Athena and Bobby, Buck slowly drove home, this time being a lot more careful. Once again, he finds himself laying on his couch, this time staring at his phone as he thinks about sending the message he had typed out, asking you and Eddie to come over the next morning. Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, he presses send before shutting off his phone and rushing up to hide under his blankets.

The next morning comes and goes without a single sign of you. Eddie turned up around 9 and even brought some coffee and breakfast, because he figured that Buck wouldn't have eaten yet. Soon enough, it is late afternoon and Buck has checked his phone like a million time, though there was no message or call from you. Now he's pacing back and forth in his kitchen as Eddie tries to calm his nerves. "Hey, mi amado, I'm sure they're just busy and that is why they haven't reached out yet. It will be okay."

Hearing those words help calm Buck's nerve, though he still jumps to pick up the phone when he hears it ring. "Y/N? Is this you?" He asks quickly, only to frown when he hears Maddie deny it. "Buck, listen, I just had a call and normally I wouldn't be allowed to tell you this, but it's about Y/N. They were in a car crash and on their way to the west hospital. They're stable, but I figured that you'd like to visit them." Maddie explains gently, knowing that it would be a rather hard blow for Buck. After all, hearing that your loved one was just delivered to a hospital because of a car crash wasn't an easy pill to swallow. "Thank you, Maddie." Buck mumbles, quickly hanging up so that he can grab his car keys and Eddie's hand, explaining on his way out where they were going.

They didn't know what to expect when they arrive at your room, though certainly not you glaring at the doctors and stating that you're absolutely fine. "You have to let yourself be checked on, mi amor." Eddie says, recovering from the state of shock quicker than Buck did. "And who are you?" The doctor asks the men, raising an eyebrow at the pair. "We are their-" Buck begins, only to be cut off by you saying "my boyfriends. Now as I've been saying, I'm fine, I can leave." You continue arguing with your doctor as the two males stare at you in complete shock and confusion. You just called them your boyfriends, did this mean you like them back? That you were okay with trying a relationship between you three? They share a look before approaching your bedside, Eddie being the first to speak up again. "Listen doctor, I am a trained medic. They'll be staying with me for the night and if there is any sign that they are doing unwell, I will bring them back here immediately, okay?" Sighing, the doctor nods and excuses himself to get the papers for you to be discharged.

Finally, an hour later, all three of you were curled up under a blanket on Buck's couch with you in the middle and the two men holding hands on your lap. A small happy sigh escapes Buck as he watches the two people he loves, thanking the gods above that he was so lucky to be with both of you. Though the moment is quickly ruined, when he miscalculates the distance to his mouth and pours beer all over his chest.

[trevor-wilson-covington]

What could have been...

//Saw that the site I use to make mood boards has a CD Cover option and thought it would be fun to do Sunset Curve’s Demo and Unreleased Songs (+Home Is Where My Horse Is) as they would look as singles!!! I may make CD Covers for the other 13 songs in the show...if people end up really liking these ones and if inspiration strikes!

**Gave an idea of what I think the other 7 songs would be about/why they were written (said what we know Unsaid Emily, Now or Never, and Home Is Where My Horse Is are about already of course too)!!

1. Unsaid Emily: Is of course about Luke’s rough relationship with his mom, which was never resolved before his death. It touches on how he knew he should have turned around and come back home but his pride stopped him. All the conversations he had created in his head about what they would say to each other when he finally saw her again stayed that way, thoughts in his head. Wondering if he had been able to say the right things to his mom or made up with her before dying, would time not have erased the memory of him?  

2. Get Lost: I believe it is about the feeling of restlessness and wanting to just take off on an adventure somewhere new or unique. Similar to how Luke finds sleeves (zleeves) restricting, this song is about how life can feel suffocating sometimes and all you want to do is grab a bag of essentials and walk in the mist/ride off into the night to a freer life. 

3. Long Weekend: Is about the band’s friendship/brotherhood/sense of found family and how over many weekends they find themselves going through a lot of struggles and heartache together. These are the weekends that feel the longest because there is so much the four boys help each other through and many times they find they don’t want the weekend to end so they can spend more non-band time together to just be four stupid teen boys navigating all the twists and turns of life. 

4. Crooked Teeth: My thoughts are that it could have been written when he had braces/a retainer in the 90s & was self-conscious of it, so it was written to cheer Reggie up about his braces/retainer & pretty much say "hey, Reggie...people's smiles vary & they're all unique & beautiful"...instead of mocking him, like the show seems to tell us it was written to do.

5. My Name Is Luke: Is a darker, more introspective song about Luke’s struggle with an identity crisis where he feels he’s being pulled in different directions. One side is the Luke who loves his parents and wants to make them happy and have them be proud of him. The other side is the Luke. who is passionate about writing and playing music, who thrives off the feelings and energies of the crowd as they connect with him and his lyrics. Luke finds he can’t be one version of Luke without ultimately giving up the other and trying to do both is exhausting and soul crushing at times. The title is his way of saying ‘Hey, this is my name, it’s who I am, and I can be a loving son my parents can be proud of while also doing what I love and making a difference in the lives of people who listen to my music’. He just wishes his parents could come to understand that he loves music and he’s really good at it, so why can’t he continue doing it and make them proud at the same time.  

6. Now or Never: Is, as we know, about Sunset Curve’s rise to fame and how they can dream as though they’ll never die but they’re going to live their life as though today could be their last day alive. They aren’t looking to the future, because all they need are each other and the energy that is coursing through their bodies in the present. They hear a voice in their heads saying you only have this one life, so make the most of it so when you die you’ll have had no regrets about the things you did or didn’t do. This is their time to shine and even when their lives were bleak or lacking, their days were still the best of their lives because they were making music and gradually making a name for themselves doing so. 

Weaved in are of course lyrics that seem to foreshadow their 3 deaths with the mention of shock to their hearts (the defibrillators used to try to keep them alive in the alley or ambulance), clocks moving forward but they don’t get older (how for 25 yrs they were in limbo and didn’t age and are now 17-year-old ghosts in 2020), how they kept on climbing 'til their stars collided (floated up out of the ambulance to the dark place until crashing into Julie’s life (she’s a star as Luke says)), and how all that they left in the past was just the just the key to paradise (all the things they left behind once they died were just ‘stepping stones’ to the ‘paradise’ of heaven for most people or in the boy’s case the path to Julie and playing music again).

7. Late Last Night: Is about the late nights the four boys spent out at clubs/venues leading up to the Orpheum, gigs that helped them gain a decent following, and all the crazy things they saw and did. 17-year-olds out late partying, possibly drinking, on school nights. A higher energy song, similar to Now or Never to match the antics of a bunch of teens practically let loose on the music/club scene during the band’s rise in the Hollywood/LA music scene in ‘93/’94/’95. It evokes the feelings of being wild and reckless as a teen, while also somehow capturing the energy of the nighttime as you move from the crowded main strip into residential areas and how quick and jarring the change can be.     

8. Lakeside Reflection: This is a tough one, but I think it would be about the individual experiences most or all of the boys have from going to lakes during summer with their families. There’s of course all the fun time spent with family, but in the reflection on the lake of those moments the boys only see the truth of their family dynamics, what was hidden behind a pleasant façade. 

For Luke, it was the strained relationship and fights with his mom over the band and his dreams. 

For Alex, it was the looks and offhanded comments made by his parents and the looks of sympathy from his sister, ever since he told them he was gay. 

For Reggie, it was the nights spent keeping his brother and sister distracted as the walls practically shook from the volume and intensity of his parents’ almost daily fights. 

And for Bobby, it was the truth that he kept up a façade even with the boys so they wouldn’t know that his family, that the others always believed to be perfect, wasn’t perfect at all. When rarely he saw his parents and they weren’t off on business trips or working late into the night, Bobby found them to be disinterested in his life and any affection or love was relegated to a pat on the back or a quick hand held before they rushed out the door once more. 

The happy summer vibes at the lake could never truly make any of the boys forget their truths, but at least they could let loose for the extent of their trips and finally feel like a carefree teen again.               

9. In Your Starlight: This would seem to be a certain kind of love song at first glance and for some people that’s what it may be, but to me it is a very specific kind of love song. This love song is about relationships each of the boys had, the very few of them, that didn’t turn out well for some reason or another. A passion for music overshadowing the passion to keep a relationship going. The fear of long-term commitment and a short-lived bliss, before the fighting starts, ending the relationship before it ever grew deeper. The smothering of a fire in the soul so outsiders can’t see one trace of its flicker, hidden behind a lie, in case they find out the truth and react with disgust or hatred. Or the overly flirtatious and, at times, clingy antics used to get a person interested in starting a relationship. To keep them invested in the relationship, in an effort to make sure they won’t leave out of boredom or for someone better. This song is from the perspective of those other people, how they saw the relationship, no matter the length, and what they see as the thing that ended it or kept it from growing stronger. How they all in some way felt like they were pulled in by light of each of the boys (the stars) and things were good at first, before the cracks started to appear and reality truly set in.    

10. Home Is Where My Horse Is: It’s an expression of where and whom Reggie calls home. The horse had never really stood for an actual horse, but rather it represented Luke, Alex, and Bobby. The people Reggie considered his family, his home, more than he ever would the house he had grown up in. Horses symbolize freedom without restraint, because riding a horse makes people feel they can free themselves from their own bindings. There is no constraining a horse when it runs with the wind, but they also enjoy the company of family and friends. Reggie wants freedom from the stuff with his parents and his own personal demons that keep him held back. He finds with the band, his real family, he can run free and be himself...enjoying being around the boys and not having to worry about fighting and drama. His home is where he (the horse) is... able to be its true self and go where the wind takes it.     

[24hlevi]

Angstober Event

hello and welcome to my angstober (angst october) event!

for this event i will be answering ONLY angst requests for the entire month of october

New Anime/Manga I Write For:

- Bungou Stray Dogs

- My Hero Academia

note: for both i am not fully caught up

Anime/Manga/Drama I Will ONLY Write For This Event:

- Attack On Titan

- Jujutsu Kaisen

- Demon Slayer

- Chainsaw Man

- Tokyo Revengers

- Bungou Stray Dogs

- My Hero Academia

- Squid Game

- Alice In Borderland

note: you don’t have to use these prompts i’ve shown but if you send an angst request make sure to say it’s for the angstober event!

Prompts:

1 - A is dying somewhere away from B and when they call to say their last words, B doesn’t pick up, leaving A to leave a voicemail of their last words

2 - A has been in love with B for a while now, but they haven’t said anything. When A is finally ready to confess, they find B already with someone else, they were too late.

3 - A is bleeding out, dying fast. B shows up and finds them, after realizing that there’s no way to help A, B stabs/shoots themself and bleeds out beside their lover.

4 - A doesn’t have feelings for B anymore, but B is more in love with A than ever. B ends up finding A cheating on them.

5 - A promises B that they’ll be home in time for their anniversary, but they end up dying on their way home, leaving B not knowing what happened until they get a call/it’s on the news.

6 - A and B are in an argument and B ends up pushing A against the wall head first, resulting in A bleeding severely from their head. A ends up dying in B’s arms with no love or forgiveness in their eyes.

7 - A and B are in a fake relationship in an attempt to please their friends and stop being pestered about relationships, but A ends up genuinely falling in love with B. When A goes to confess and make it real, B has already told everyone that they’d broken up and that they were with someone else now.

8 - A is stuck in a time loop, one where B dies every single time, and A has to figure out how to stop it.

9 - A has always had nightmares at night when they go to sleep, and when they have one again after they and B broke up, they have a breakdown when they realize no one is there to comfort them anymore.

10 - A is hearing B talk to them, but the thing is, B died 2 years ago.

Dialogue Prompts:

1 - “I loved you, but you never loved me.”

2 - “I never should have trusted you.”

3 - “I’m doing this to protect you.” “Bullshit.”

4 - “All those years gone, in just a split second.”

5 - “Why does everyone end up leaving?”

6 - “I can’t lose you.” “You already did.”

7 - “I’m tired.” “No, don’t go to sleep!”

8 - “It wasn’t supposed to end this way.”

9 - “You started drinking again, didn’t you?”

10 - “You can’t expect me to apologize.”

11 - “Is being high/drunk all the time worth anything?”

12 - “I used to think I didn’t deserve love, now I know it’s true.”

13 - “Am I going to die?”

14 - “You’re the worst mistake I’ve ever made!”

15 - “I’m tired of living a life where I’ll never be happy.”

16 - “There’s no use for you anymore.”

17 - “When they died, I feel as if I died with them.”

18 - “Don’t look at me like you’re sorry. You’re not sorry.”

19 - “Somehow, whatever you do seems to be the wrong time. I’m sick of it.”

20 - “So none of it was real? You didn’t mean any of it?”

[peachy-rambles]

TW: miscarriage

I could only think of angst when I heard this. Alternative version, of course. 

Phil feels like somethings wrong weeks before the twins are do. He expresses his concerns with Techno and he tries to calm Phil down from his ‘nervous thinking’. Philza expresses his concerns again about a week later, only to find out that he ended up having a miscarriage. The news absolutely destroyed them both.

Oh, you want angst, anon? I'll give you angst!

Remember how I said that Phil has been pregnant before? Well, he has been, but a majority of those pregnancies often ended up being miscarriages.

See, there's something about Avian pregnancy that all the books left out and something that Phil never told Techno. And that is that Avians have a very hard time reproducing, it's why they're so rare and there's so few of them left. Live births are extremely difficult for them, most likely due to human bodies already being less than suitable for live birth - add in the hollow bones and wings of an Avian, and it's so much more difficult.

9/10 Avians die giving birth and there's no guarantee the offspring will survive, since most Avians never make it past the first 10 years of their life.

Phil is a bit of an exception to this and has successfully carried to term a few children, AND survived the birth (he was really weak afterwards but he was alive). But his body still isn't perfect and several of his pregnancies besides those children he had, were all miscarriages.

When he finds out he's pregnant with Techno's child, he is worried it might end up being another miscarriage, but he sees how happy Techno is and decides not to tell him about Phil's past pregnancies. There's no need to worry Techno because all of Phil's previous children were all sired by Avians and Phil figured that since Techno is a god, their children will be demigods and surely, surely, that means Phil won't end up miscarrying again?

But then...he does.

It devastates both of them, especially when they learn they'd been expecting twins and they both blame themselves.

Phil feels guilty and thinks it's his fault, that he shouldn't have assumed it would be alright, that his body has failed not only him but Techno. Techno had been so excited and overjoyed about the pregnancy, to finally have a family of their own and now he'll never have that. And it's all Phil's fault.

Techno feels guilty because he feels like he dismissed Phil's concern, that he should've listened and pushed Phil to see a healer if he was concerned. But Techno had been constantly worried during the early stages of the pregnancies and Phil had always soothed him, telling him it would be fine, so Techno had tried to be calm about it and not worry, again. He thought since they were so far into the pregnancy, there was a low chance of losing the babies, but he was wrong. Techno doesn't blame Phil at all, and thinks the blame should be rested on his own shoulders.

While Phil had once been so happy during the pregnancy, now he's become extremely depressed and rarely ever leaves their nest. He barely eats or drinks, and he doesn't talk, he just lays there unresponsive. He doesn't even let Techno touch him, constantly shying away from his touch and turning away.

He doesn't tell Techno the truth about his past miscarriages, too afraid that Techno will hate him for it and possibly leave him if he knows the truth, that Phil can't give him the family he wants (it never stopped Phil's past partners from leaving him). Phil refuses to talk to Techno because he's afraid if he does, the truth will spill out and he just can't tell Techno.

Techno is naturally concerned and tries his best to help Phil, while also dealing with and processing his own grief. But he takes Phil's silence and unresponsiveness to mean he's upset with Techno and blames him for it, which Techno understands. So he gives Phil space and stops sleeping in their nest with him, he starts going out more (usually claiming he's hunting and sometimes he is but sometimes he just wanders for hours outside, unsure of what to do).

This continues for a few weeks, both of them grieving and suffering alone, until one day while Techno is out hunting and he hears the sound of a baby crying in the distance.

He thinks he's finally cracked, that his grief and mourning have gotten to him, and now he's hearing things.

But the crying continues and the wolf he brought with him to help him hunt also seems to have heard it, ears pointed in the direction of the sound and getting agitated. And that's when Techno realizes he isn't hearing things, the crying is real, which means there's a baby crying somewhere in the forest with monsters and predators, who also probably hear it.

Techno follows the sound, the wolf following closely behind him. They come across a few monsters and swiftly take care of them before they find the baby.

It's wrapped in an old blanket and hidden in some undergrowth, and has clearly been there for a while. It's also a hybrid, Techno realizes, with small brown animal ears (goat? ram? deer? he's not sure, hard to tell when they're this young), instead of human ones.

Techno doesn't want to assume the worst, but he has a feeling this baby was abandoned. It can't be left alone and logically, Techno knows he should take it back home, but he hesitates. What will happen if he brings home a baby? What will Phil think? Will he try to care for it or will he react negatively?

The baby begins to let out small whimpers and Techno makes his decision, taking it in his arms and wrapping it in his cloak to hopefully keep it warm. The baby immediately quiets and nuzzles into Techno, and Techno tries his best not to feel anything when it does (best not to get attached when there's no guarantee it'll stay with them).

Techno makes his way back home and he begins panicking when the baby starts crying again. He tries his best to quiet it down, but not before apparently Phil hears and comes out of their nest for the first time in a while, approaching Techno.

"That's...a baby," Phil says once he's standing in front of him, staring down at the baby still in Techno's arm.

"Yeah, it was...abandoned, I think. I didn't-I didn't know what else to do..." Techno tries to explain, his voice trailing off.

Phil is quiet before reaching his hand out, "Can I...?"

Techno nods and hands the baby to Phil, who stops crying when Phil coos down at them.

Phil brings the baby into their nest and starts tending to them, Techno hovering nearby and watching closely. Eventually, the baby and Phil fall asleep together in their nest and Techno goes to cover them with a blanket before leaving.

But he's stopped when Phil calls out a soft "Techno" and he pauses, glancing down at Phil.

"Can you stay?" Phil asks and somehow Techno knows Phil isn't just asking if Techno will stay tonight.

"I will," Techno answers back and lays down in the bed, pulling Phil and the baby close to him, so they're both in his arms. He presses a kiss to Phil's forehead and whispers, "I'll always stay."

(Things aren't completely fixed yet. Phil still hasn't told Techno the truth and they're both still mourning, but it's a step closer to healing. They'll get through this. Together, just like they've always done.)

[iwach4n]

Teams Being Protective Of Manager Reader

happy birthday @ronnie-but-no <33333 ilysm babie hope you have a great day mwah mwah <3333

shiratorizawa aren’t overly protective of you. they look out for you but they won’t actively try to scare off anyone who tries to talk to you

thing is, they don’t even need to. they’re intimidating enough with the combination of their reputation and just the way they look that people are hesitant about approaching you

however, if you’re ever in an uncomfortable situation, the boys are on it immediately. you’re their precious manager, and they truly appreciate everything you do for them, so they’d never let anything happen to you

the first time someone tried to hit on you at a tournament and wouldn’t take no for an answer, they all pretty much surrounded the guy, not even getting to say much before he bolted

but by crowding him, they also crowded you, and that you seemed a bit overwhelmed by it no matter how much you loved your boys. this lead to a very serious club room discussion about what they should do if it ever happens again

they end up with a very specific system that they follow - goshiki and tendou take turns getting you out of there, 9/10 times by picking you up and carrying you away. they don’t even try to get the guy to back off, they’re just physically removing you (and also showing off that they’re strong)

“nope. not happening. not today.”

the rest of them stand at a distance and stare at the guy, glaring daggers

it’s all very specific and detailed. the ones standing to the side even have a set formation for maximum intimidation.

they’d never tell you about it though, because some of them (shirabu) think its embarrassing, but they still know it like the back of their hands and always stick to it

they always try to make sure to brighten your mood after as well, whether it be through stupid puns or lightly ruffling your hair

i can see taichi just booping your nose when you’re brought over to them with a stoic expression. i can see it.

the seijoh boys are stupidly protective over you. oikawa’s the most obnoxious about it (you have to tell him to stop it every time, and he only listens for about ten minutes)

if anyone tries to flirt with you, oikawa is instantly draped over you, agreeing with whatever they were saying with the fakest smile

“yeah, our manager is pretty cute, right? too bad for you that she’s ours - she’s off limits, sorry~”

iwa’s actually the most serious about protecting you, even if he keeps it quiet. if anyone approaches you he is instantly on guard and keeping an annoyingly close eye on them

if anyone’s making you uncomfortable, he won’t hesitate to step between you and pull you away, completely ignoring anything the person has to say about it

but if someone’s being really gross? or god forbid an ex shows up? the whole team’s going in

they can be pretty intimidating when they want to be, considering they’re all pretty tall and can get Serious, especially when it comes to their precious manager

kyoutani Will get physically violent, but only if you’re not watching. he doesn’t want you to be scared of him, but he’s not against punching someone for you (if you are around, he’ll settle for intimidating glares)

mattsun and makki will sometimes pretend to be your boyfriends to get you out of there. they always wing it, and if they ever end up doing it at the same time, they’ll just roll with it and pretend you’re polyamorous. they also continue to jokingly call you babe afterwards to cheer you up

kunimi just stares threateningly from a distance. he’s sitting on the floor and the person talking to you makes the mistake of glancing over at him and making eye contact. now they can’t keep looking back over to see if he’s looked away. he never has. it’s disconcerting and they find an excuse to leave so he’ll stop

kindaichi is just ridiculously tall (mans taller than bloody ushijima) and thats enough. he always gets confused as to how he intimidates them coz he doesn’t really try but it works

johzenji getting protective is like 90% just terushima getting jealous

if someone’s flirting with you he’s putting a stop to it, but if they’re actually succeeding he hates it more somehow

he’ll just insert himself between you and the person you’re talking to and start flirting with you instead. if the person gets mad at him, he’ll just pull the fact that you’re johzenji’s manager, not theirs

“sorry pal, were you saying something to our manager?”

he’s just mad that he can’t get girls even though he tries so hard and the one he’s actually kind of close to is getting flirted with, like if it didn’t work for him it’s not allowed to work for anyone else

gets to the point where if he sees you talking to anyone around your age, he’s getting in the way of it on instinct

“you know, i don’t think i’ve told you how hot you look today” “yuuji, can you let me talk to my brother please”

usually, the rest of the team doesn’t really get involved unless you’re visibly uncomfortable

but then, they’re dragging you away like a small herd of dogs. they act like the person isn’t even there, pretending there’s some very important manager thing you need to do right this second

they’re very loud and there’s a lot of them so the person doesn’t even get a chance to argue.

they’re pretty feral honestly i feel like they might bark at the person sometimes

[sixtyeightdays]

you reap what you sow

prompt from @mialuvscats : i hope this meets your expectations ! im sorry this took so long, i tried uploading it from my phone but it glitched and i could only get my hands on the computer today 

i’d like to say that i think if sabine and mari are there, damian and talia willl be relatively looser and not as uptight . mari and sabine are cold but loving and sunshiney. they keep talia and damian in check, essentially. which is why i wrote them in to be loose and free but able to be openly happy when they want to be, even if they are only happy around each other.

with sabine here i also thinkt hat talia will be slightly easier on damian, which also ties to the fact that he will not be as cold and uptight.

talia will be a good mother in this fic bc i want her to be and itll be ooc but its okay its my fic anyway

and the timeline is kinda messed up and all over the place sorry

that aside, have fun reading and i hope you enjoy!

--

talia and sabine are best friends, and before most of the class joins francois, marinette ruled the school after coming to paris with sabine. mari and damian are betrothed and the two are best friends. they can be icy one minute and sunshiney the next, although the sunshiney part is more mari than damian.

maybe the waynes come to paris, bc if theyre in gotham the others wont really know if the queen is back, and theyre kinda unsure why marinette is being timid and very unlike her ice queen demeanor she sometimes uses. mari is closest to jason in terms of batfam because firstly maybe she cleanses jason of the lazarus pit after helping damian using tikki's creation magic to counteract plagg's destruction one. since the waynes are here theres no point in mari hiding her queen status anymore and queue lila reveal

-

Talia al Ghul and Sabine Cheng were an unlikely combination, but worked perfectly well.

The two women were extremely close. Sabine was almost as deadly as Talia, but she made up for it with her devious mindset. She was the one who steered Talia away from doing anything wrong --well more wrong than usual-- and the one who was assigned to dish out punishments to usurpers.

The two could read each other like open books, and hence, when both Talia and Sabine became pregnant, Talia one month before Sabine, the two knew immediately.

They had debated whether or not to have their kids be betrothed, and eventually decided to let their children make the final call when their kids were old enough to understand.

Nine months later, Marinette and Damian were born. In the League infirmary, an hour after the two were cleaned and left there to rest while their mothers did the same, the two had already grown rather close.

Their baby cribs were next to each other, and somehow they were staring at each other through the walls of the crib, and were making small grabby hands to the other.

When Talia and Sabine were sufficiently rested and came to pick up their children, they were slightly shocked, yet gratified by their children. Sabine smiled and draped an arm around Talia’s shoulder, smiling lazily.

“I guess they’ll be as close as their mothers, non?” 

Talia smirked, and the two walked forwards, lifting their respective children in their arms and walking to their quarters.

-

The two mothers did not regret it. Their kids were enamoured with each other, practically joined at the hip.

By the time Marinette and Damian were 5, they had a very extensive vocabulary, since they had learned to speak Arabic, French and English. They were also extremely smart and skilled with weapons. 

Marinette was extremely adept at using a yoyo. It seemed weird, I know. But when the League was stormed when she was 3, she had taken out 4 men with her yoyo alone. Since then, she had been teaching herself how to use the yoyo effectively.

Damian preferred to use a katana. He looked much scarier than Marinette, even if the two were the same age. He had found a natural talent in using blades, knives, katanas and daggers included.

Marinette was the Rain to Damian’s Fire. 

She was the only one who could calm Damian down when he was mad, mad.

But make no mistake, Marinette could switch personalities in a heartbeat. She was one of the League’s most skilled interrogators at the age of 5.

After all, who would suspect a pigtailed 5 year old in pink to be scary?

Damian much preferred his stoic and icy attitude. The only people he ever let loose around was Marinette, Sabine, and Talia.

Talia and Sabine loved the children to an almost deadly extent, and the four were extremely overprotective of each other.

Marinette had taken to magic as well. She had been trained by many people in the League about sensing magic. Damian did not have the patience for magic and rituals. 

Marinette knew Damian was more of a ‘attack first ask questions later’ type of fighter, a stark contrast to Marinette’s ‘i will curse you and you will suffer in agonising pain for the rest of your life’ preferred type of fighting.

She’d never really liked getting her hands dirty, hence the magic. Killing people with magic was so much cleaner.

Sabine and Marinette had to leave for Paris when she was 9. For what, she wasn’t sure, but regardless of the distance, she and Damian constantly traded calls and letters. They would never go even a day without contact.

They were staying with one of Sabine’s old friends. His name was Tom Dupain, and he was an old wrestler and had worked with the League before. He and Sabine pretended to be married and Marinette’s name had hence became Marinette Dupain Cheng.

Damian and Talia stayed at the League, although all of them knew that Damian was to meet his birth father when he turned 10.

Marinette adapted her icy demeanor in Paris, never wanting anyone to get as close as she was with Damian. 

A few hours in, walking around Paris, she had met an elderly man in a red Hawaiian shirt, emitting the aura of magic. She had confronted him, and eventually, he opened up to her about the Miraculous. Tikki, the Ladybug kwami, and Plagg, the Black Cat kwami had taken a liking to her.

Marinette was apparently something called a True User, a reincarnation of the first Ladybug miraculous wielder. Plagg just rather liked the aura of death and chaos she apparently gave off, from the League.

She and the other Kwamis also had a rather amicable relationship, and she’d go to the ends of the Earth for the tiny gods, and vice versa.

The elderly man, named Fu, had also started to train her into becoming the new Guardian of the Miraculous.

Before, Marinette had been planning on laying low and not drawing atention to herself, but once she had beaten up two upperclassmen for bullying her classmate and somewhat accquaintance Nino, she had been fiercely regarded by both the students and faculty. 

As a result, she eventually grew close to Nino, and his friends, Kim, Alix and Chloe. She only ever let down her icy demeanour around them, showing the bright and bubbly girl persona she kept hidden. She wasn’t as close to them as she was to Damian, but they were all still quite close friends. 

It wasn’t long after that Marinette became the queen of her school, at the tender age of 10, earning her title as the Ladybug. Or, as Chloe liked to put it, the Lady, because she was lucky enough to ‘get a friend like her’.

Marinette didn’t protest. She rather liked Ladybugs, and besides, it was ironic and it reminded her a little of Damian, who sometimes liked to call her his Maribug. Because she was sometimes a pest, he deadpanned. Marinette had whacked him with a pillow. 

Everyone in the school feared the Ladybug. No one knew anything of her past. She was a mystery, an enigma that no one could solve. When new students came in after Marinette turned 14, everyone was slightly shocked to see their Lady change.

She was much more bubbly and approachable. Word had spread around that Marinette, the Lady, was trying a clean slate for the new kids. After all, not everyone should fear her.

Probably.

School eventually returned to what it was like before Marinette became the Lady, although she did still rule the school, she did it much more subtly, with more restraint and secrecy.

One of the new kids, Alya, had taken a liking to her. Marinette did not like her  very much, she was loud and clingy and drew a lot of unwanted attention. 

Marinette and her old crew, who had playfully called themselves her Consorts before the name stuck, had split up temporarily, to cover more ground and spread their branches.

Chloe was to pretend to be Marinette’s bully, Kim and Alix rivals, and Nino a shy recluse. They had had a good laugh about it beforehand, before watching Moana, because Kim wanted to compare the size of his muscles to Maui’s.

None of them had accounted for Adrien Agreste, who had tried to get the gum off Marinette’s seat like the naive, sheltered boy he was. Marinette had admittedly gotten mad at him for screwing up a perfectly good plan, before ramping up her ice persona to like, a 2/10, to get the newbies off her scent and scare Adrien away.

It hadn’t worked, because the boy was apparently as stubborn as he was naive. But besides that, Alya had been really grating on Marinette’s nerves, especially since she was convinced that Marinette had a crush on the model. It was not true, of course. 

Honestly, Marinette thought dryly, as Alya dragged her all over the place to.. somewhere, she wasn’t even sure anymore. But frankly, she didn’t particularly care. Honestly, the only boy she’d probably ever have a crush on would be Damian.

Not that she’d ever admit it.

-

When Marinette and Damian turned 10, she and Sabine had taken a plane to Gotham to meet up with Damian.

Damian had not been having a good time. He was very much unwanted here, that was clear. 

Grayson seemed to be the only one trying to interact with him. His father, had been trying his best to stay out of Damian’s way, which he reciprocated. Todd was flat out ignoring him and Drake just seemed to be busy all the time.

After all, who would want to interact with a grumpy 10 year old assassin?

He missed Marinette.

It was the day Todd finally tried to open up to Damian, that Marinette had arrived. No one had told him that she was finally meeting him again for the first time in a year. Sabine had left Marinette to figure out where Damian was on her own. She was more than capable of it.

With a quick scrying spell, she found him, and Kaalki opened a portal headed in the direction of Wayne Manor.

Meanwhile, Damian just appreciated the fact that Todd was finally extending an olive branch. He was lonely.

It hurt seeing his father care for everyone in the manor apart from him.

He had been walking along the gardens in the manor. Todd had joined him.

“Listen, I know it’s hard to feel accepted here. Sometimes, I do.” Jason gazed wistfully at the sky above him.

Damian was unsure of where the ex-Robin was getting at, so he just kept quiet. It wasn’t as if Damian didn’t know who Jason Todd was. Before he had come to the manor with Talia, he had read the Waynes’ files. In addition, Damian had known of Jason while he was affiliated with the League. They had never talked, or interacted, but he had known of the elder boy. 

“I just, uh, wanted you to know that if you ever need anything, you can come to me.” He finished lamely, running a hand in his hair.

Damian opened his mouth, then closed it, hesitating. “Thank you, Ja--Todd. I will.” He settled on saying dryly.

Jason visibly relaxed and cracked a miniscule smile. There was a sudden ‘swoosh’ sound, and both Jason and Damian turned around, bodies automatically going on the defensive.

Stumbling out of Alfred’s rose bushes, trodding on a few accidentally, was Marinette.

“Angel!” Damian exclaimed, moving forwards to help her forwards.

She brushed her shoulders off, looking around before freezing, staring at something behind him.

“Jay?”

“Pixie?” He asked, sounding incredulous.

Marinette rushed forward and wrapped him in a tight embrace. Jason laughed and hugged her back, chuckling.

Damian quashed down the bubbling feeling of rage in the pit of his stomach and settled for casting a frosty glance in their direction. Not that they noticed, since they were too busy embracing each other, Damian thought scornfully.

The two pulled apart after too long in Damian’s opinion, laughing.

“Angel? How do you know Todd?” Damian asked coldly, ever so protective.

If Jason noticed the sudden reversion to his surname instead of his first, he didn’t say anything.

“Oh, he came to Paris with Lia once and I cleansed him of the Lazarus pit madness, like I did with you.” She replied.

“What are you doing here?” Jason asked. Damian had forgotten about that.

“Visiting, of course!” She winked. “Now, let’s give your old man a good scare.” She pecked Damian on the cheek before vanishing. (Thanks, Trixx.)

Jason and Damian looked to each other. “Did you know she could do that?” Jason questioned. Damian shook his head before pausing.

“Wait.. how did she get into the manor?” 

The only response was the faint echo of a laugh.

-

It was time for dinner anyway, and only Damian, Jason, and Alfred knew of Marinette’s presence. Marinette had voluntary evelaed herself to the elderly butler after noticing his aura. 

It was Miraculous tainted. If Marinette could guess, he had been either one of Duusu’s, Sass’s, or Nooroo’s.

When the butler had retired to the kitchen alone, Marinette had unraveled Trixx’s magic veiling her and waved at the butler.

To hi credit, he didn’t so much as bat an eye before his eyes widened as he took her in. Marinette cut to the chase.

“Who was your kwami?” Alfred had surveyed her for a second before seemingly trusting her.  

“Duusu.” He answered.

Marinette smiled. “I’m Tikki’s.” From her perch in Marinette’s left pigtail, the red Kwami pried open the folds of her hair, waving once at Alfred before sinking back into the recesses of the bluenette’s locks.

Alfred blinked. Once. Twice. “I’m presuming you’re staying for dinner?”

Marinette beamed. “I’m gonna scare the big bat.” Alfred nodded, accepting this. Marinette clapped her hands and she disappeared again. Alfred shook his head, smiling faintly.

Conveniently, it was one of the times where everyone was there. Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian. Rare these days, what with Dick in Bludhaven, Tim at WE, and Jason off being Jason.

Bruce was currently on his way back from WE, although it would take around half an hour. He had told everyone to start eating first. Perfect. 

After Marinette’s encounter with Alfred, she had reappeared in Damian’s room, where she and Damian caught up. Just like old times.

She had disappeared again once she left the room, and Damian wasn’t entirely sure where she went.

Alfred set the the table as per normal, which Damian and Jason noticed right away. They looked to Alfred, who merely winked before stepping back into the kitchen and laying out the food.

There was a screech of a chair as Marinette, disguised as Bruce (Trixx in her right pigtail and Tikki in the left) sat down. Dick looked startled. 

“I thought you wouldn’t be back till later!” Dick exclaimed.

Mari-Bruce shrugged. “Faster than I’d expected.” She answered, securing the veil of Trixx’s magic around her vocal chords, making her voice sound exactly like Bruce’s.

Jason inched away slightly from Bruce, though she pretended not to notice.

Alfred nodded at her as he reentered the room.

Everyone dug in, occasionally talking. It had been about 25 minutes before the sound of the door opening could be heard. Damian and Jason’s head shot up, thinking it was Marinette.

Mari-Bruce smirked. Showtime.

Bruce entered the room, not noticing Mari at first. Until the batboys gaped at him. He looked confused. What--?

Mari-Bruce was a pretty great actress. “Who are you?” She thundered, internally laughing.

“Who are you? I’m Bruce Wayne.” He answered, looking befuddled and frustrated.

“Impostor.” Mari-Bruce accused. 

Bruce spluttered. “No! I’m the real Bruce!” 

Mari-Bruce scoffed. “That’s what an impostor would say.”

Damian and Jason seemed to figure it out, although they probably weren’t sure which Bruce was the real one yet.

Tim rubbed his eyes. “Am I seeing double, or?” 

Bruce said, “Ask me something the real Bruce would know.”

Dick looked torn, but did as requested. “Who murdered your parents?”

“Joe Chill.” They both said at the same time. Mari-Bruce and Bruce winced, selling the act.

“When’s my birthday?” Tim asked. 

“July 17th.” Both Bruces answered.

Tim looked surprised. “You actually know my birthday?”

“No shit, Tim.” Mari-Bruce said, rolling their eyes. She rather wanted to proceed to the next part of her plan. 

“Would I say that to you, Tim?” Bruce asked slightly desperately. 

“Maybe?” 

Bruce facepalmed. In the confusion, Mari took the chance to slink into the shadows where she rewrapped Trixx’s invisible magic around her.

Only Damian noticed. He smirked. “Where did he go?” He asked, placing a hand on the hilt of his katana for emphasis. He didn’t see Marinette smile at him.

Everyone looked panicked. “Search the manor.” Bruce ordered.

Jason still looked slightly skeptical but did as he said. Damian drew his katanas and tilted it in the direction he was going.

Amongst everyone, Bruce was the most attacked. While Jason and Damian paired off, Tim and Dick did as well, ("Don’t go alone!” Was Bruce’s admonished cry), Bruce had gone alone. 

If she were being honest, Marinette had always had a grudge against the billionaire. He hadn’t saved his son, he had tried to kill his son, even though he had a no killing rule --which Marinette thought was plain stupid--, and he had left Damian to suffer at the hands of Ra’s Al Ghul.

Talia could only do so much to save her son.

Yes, Marinette was aware that Bruce hadn’t know Damian existed, but now he was still treating Damian as if he didn’t exist. Marinette knew how much Damian craved affection, even if he never admitted it.

Yes, maybe Bruce was getting better, but maybe she could.. spur the process.

So Marinette retaliated in one of the many ways she knew how.

Messing with them.

So when the Waynes regrouped in the dining room, Jason, Damian, Dick and Tim came back unharmed, and Jason had been filled in by Damian of his suspicions. But Bruce? 

He came back covered in honey and feathers, drenched with water and covered in pink slime. 

“Why is he going after me?” Bruce had questioned in that annoying voice of his, after looking over his spotless sons.

Jason shrugged. “Maybe he doesn’t like you. God knows he’s not the only one.” 

Bruce looked slightly hurt but Jason didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

“Maybe this person is infatuated with you and is vying for your attention.” Damian deadpanned dryly. Marinette had smacked him on the back of his head, still invisible.

But the damage had been done.

Bruce snapped his fingers and ‘aha!’-ed at Damian. “That must be it!” Bruce crowed.

“Are you that narcissistic, you arrogant plebeian?” Marinette’s normally cheery voice was dry and dripping with distaste as she unwrapped her magic.

Bruce, Dick and Tim immediately went on the defensive, shifting into a battle stance. Marinette only scoffed.

“If I wanted to harm you, I would have already done so.” Marinette waved a hand in their direction dismissively.

Dick looked confused. “You’re like, ten.” He pointed out.

Damian glared. “I am ten as well, Grayson.” 

Tim butted in. “Are we not going to acknowledge the fact that this tiny ten year old broke into the manor unnoticed?” 

That brought everyone to their senses.

They were suddenly surprised by Marinette running at Jason, full speed. They expected him to duck or whip out a weapon, but all he did was stand still as she flipped in midair to land on his shoulders.

To their utter shock, Jason grinned, even as she fisted her hands in his hair for a better grip.

Damian only smiled fondly at his Angel. She was as short as he remembered, Damian noted. 

He missed her. More than anything.

Marinette beamed, and slid off Jason’s shoulders.

“Why did you attack me?” Bruce asked.  “Isn’t it obvious, fool?” Marinette revamped her icy demeanor and glared at the civilian Batman. “I despise you.”

Bruce looked very affronted. But Mariinette ignored him, even as he continued talking and made her way over to Damian.

“Damibear!” Marinette sang, as if she hadn’t seen him less than an hour ago.

The Waynes looked as if they expected Damian to attack her just for calling him that. They were not expecting him to grin and say, “Angel.”

Mari jumped on his back, and Damian merely repositioned himself accordingly, used to this from all her previous piggybacks.

“Okay so Jason and Damian helped her get into the manor.” Tim deduced, only to notice Jason and Damian shaking their heads.

“All by herself.” Damian and Jason chorused. Marinette made bunny ears on top of Damian’s head.

She kissed Damian’s forehead lovingly, replying to his ‘i am older than you’ with a ‘yeah by like a week’, and looked to his family. 

She winked.

Then disappeared.

There was silence, and then, “Wait, we didn’t even get her name!” From Dick.

Damian and Jason were interrogated that night, and they refused to tell them anything related to Marinette.

Marinette smiled from where she had hidden in the shadows, and made her way back to Damian’s room. She curled up in Damian’s bed, drifting into sleep. She was almost asleep when Damian returned.

And when Damian pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered, “Goodnight, Angel”, a smile made her way onto her lips.

By the time Damian had slipped into bed with her, her head leaning comfortably on his chest, she had fallen asleep.

-

When the two turned 15, Talia and Sabine sat them down and told them about the betrothal. Damian had been visiting with Talia.

It had been almost two months since Lila had turned her classmates against her, not that she cared, of course. She still had her Consorts after all.

“Marinette, Damian, we’d like to tell you something. An offer? Of sorts. I’m relatively sure you will accept, however.” 

Talia smiled as Marinette dragged a grumpy Damian over to them by the head, beaming brightly.

“Oh come on, Mian! Don’t be such a grumpy banana.” Marinette reprimanded the older boy who was rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

The boy only smiled lazily, and ran another hand through his best friend’s hair, the girl making a small noise of protest. “Thats what you get for calling me a noodle, Angel.” (if you didn’t know miàn means noodle in chinese)

Sabine cleared her throat but looked at the two with amusement clear in her eyes.

They straightened. “Sorry, maman,” Mari muttered.

“Now, before you two were born, Sabine and I had an agreement. We are perfectly fine with this and the implications of it, so it is up to you to whether to accept or not.” Talia got straight to the point.

The two children looked to each other curiously before turning back to their parents. Damian nodded in acknowledgment and Sabine picked up where Talia left off.

“How do you feel about each other?” Sabine asked, watching the two closely for their reactions.

“If that’s your way of asking us if we’re okay to be siblings, since you and Lia are dating, Maman--” Marinette started but was quickly interrupted by a barely noticeably flushed Talia.

“No, not that, and we aren’t dating, Nette.” Talia aimed a playful glare at the girl, who grinned and blew a raspberry at her.

“How would you and Damian like to be betrothed?” Sabine asked, smiling at her friend and daughter fondly.

Marinette spluttered and Damian coughed. 

Talia and Sabine burst out into laughter.

After the adults got their laughter under control and after a few glares from their kids, Damian spoke up.

“Marinette is my best friend. If I had to be betrothed to anyone, I’m glad it’s her.” Damian looked away and Marinette coughed awkwardly into her elbow.

“You misunderstand us. You don’t have to be betrothed. The choice is yours.”

Damian felt slightly attacked. He really did like Marinette, and the betrothal was an easy excuse to ask her out (even if he was a 15 year old). He didn’t know if Marinette felt the same way, and he didn’t want to impose that on her, so he kept quiet.

Marinette, who was looking deep in thought, answered.

“Can I talk to Damian for a while, privately?”

Damian, despite his better judgement, winced. This was probably the first time in a really long time that Marinette called him by his full name. It was normally Dami, Damibear to annoy him, or some other weird nickname like Mr Grumpy Banana this morning.

Regardless, the bluenette hadn’t called him “Damian” for a very long time. Two years, maybe.

She walked out of the room, Damian trailing slightly behind, before stopping a few feet outside the room.

Marinette slid down onto the floor, her back pressed against it and head in her hands. Damian frowned. He didn’t want his best friend looking so.. dejected. He ignored the slight pang of hurt that the thought of being with him could get this kind of reaction out of her.

He sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder like he always did when any of them felt upset. He was happy to feel her lean into his side like she always did. 

She turned her head and buried it in Damian’s side, breathing in his comforting scent of paints and nature. He tightened his hold on her ever so slightly and she almost burst into tears.

It wasn’t that she was opposed to being in an engagement with Damian, it was just that she didn’t particularly want to be with anyone or love anyone, especially after her father died and Damian’s father abandoned him.

Her mother and aunt didn’t show it, but they were sad about their fathers. She had heard Talia interacting with her ‘beloved’ before, and it almost always ended up in tears or frustration. (Not that Mari blamed her, Bruce was kind of an asshole.)

She felt Damian’s chin press into her scalp and a hint of a smile grazed her lips. But this was Damian. Damian who was her best friend. Damian who supported her no matter what. Damian who comforted her and was there for her whenever she needed it.

Damian would never hurt her. And she was determined never to hurt him, ever, if she could help it.

She looked up and smiled at Damian. The smile he loved so much, the smile she always had on whenever she saw him, the smile that would unconsciously fly to her lips whenever she heard his voice.

Maybe it was then that Marinette should’ve known that she loved her best friend, but then again, she was only fifteen. She didn’t know what love was. But she would. Very soon.

“We accept.” Damian told Sabine and Talia when they reentered the room.

“We thought you would.” Talia replied.

-

When Marinette turned 16, her last year at Francois Dupont, six months since she’d made Lila’s time a living hell with her Ladybug (both in suit and in school), and fashion clients connections, the Waynes had visited.

Turns out, Damian and Jason got caught trying to sneak onto the Wayne private jet but instead of stopping them, they insisted they came along too, having pieced together that Damian and Jason were going to visit the mysterious tiny girl they couldn’t find the name of.

So they had no choice.

And os that leads to now, with the Waynes standing in the courtyard, elicting a growing crowd as they waited for Marinette, looking the part of scary rich people that can end your life without a problem.

Damian suddenly started running, and he hugged a girl. No one could see who the girl was because her head was buried in Damian’s chest and his body was shielding hers.

Not many people in the courtyard was surprised when they pulled away and standing there was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. After all, she was one of the most successful students in class that didn’t get fame from famous relatives. No, al her fame was hers alone.

In fact, the only people surprised were Marinette’s class, not-so-fondly referred to as the Akuma Class.  Her Consorts were the only one who knew of her betrothed, Damian. Other than that, Marinette had never been willing to share. 

When Marinette saw the other Waynes however, after hugging Jason, she rolled her eyes. Bruce, Dick and Tim stalked forwards, looking every inch the scary billionaires they were.

It was broken by Dick hugging the girl and gushing over how cool she was. Tim smiled at her and she had smiled back. Marinette flipped Bruce the bird.

“Why are you... so sunny? You definitely weren’t like that when you threatened us in Gotham. You were such an ice queen.” Tim mentioned, failing to keep the amusement out of his tone.

“What do you mean? Marinette’s always been like that, even if she is a bitch now. There’s no way she can be cold.” Alya remarked snidely.

Alix and Chloe stalked forward, raising thier fists threatningly. But Marinette only laughed coldly.

“You wanna see cold, Cesaire?” Marinette snarled, dropping all acts of being nice. 

The Lady was back. Publicly.

The silence was interrupted by Rose, who asked, "But Lila, don't you know the Waynes?"

Said Lila had been trying to slink away unnoticed, but when her name was mentioned, all attention diverted back to her, effectively keeping her in place. Her pale face and scared eyes were enough to tell that she had indeed been lying. 

Yells and screams broke out across the courtyard as the Akuma Class berated Lila for lying to them all this while. Until, Marinette interrupted, face set in a ice cold, stony position 

"Okay, blame her for lying." She started. "But why did you believe her?" 

The Akuma Class drew a blank and didn't respond. Partially because they didn't know what to say, and partially because Marinette's mere presence was overwhelmingly intimidating. Marinette sighed and pressed on. 

"Everything the Liar has said can be found faulty by a simple internet search." It was true, and the class knew it. When no one replied, Marinette shook her head sardonically. "You reap what you sow." 

She turned to her betrothed. In an instant, her icy mood was gone, replaced with the sunshiney-ness the Akuma Class had grown used to. 

"C'mon, Dami!" She gave him a quick peck on the lips, hoisting herself up on Damian's back. Damian grasped her legs tightly, as she continued to be piggybacked by him. 

"Onward!" She cried out dramatically, pointing to the school exit. 

Damian only rolled his eyes fondly at his beloved, steering themselves out, her Consorts and his family behind them. 

None of them looked back. 

If they did, they would've seen the expressions of disbelief and regret etched onto every one of her old classmates' faces. 

Not that they would care.

-

5k words yay

also uh yeah again, sorry this took so long, i kept hitting a mental block while writing this and it didnt manage to upload from my phone for no good reason :( 

but anyway its up now, i hope u find this acceptable! :)

[emersonfreepress]

ok ok in the spirit of community, how would the ros fair in a paintball war?

(referring to this ask! like the zombie au post this ended up making me think a lot 😅)

ohh... interesting, interesting... p sure the only paintball wars i’ve really seen were the ones featured in The League, Peep Show, and Community... but let me wrack my lil head...

ok, i ended up coming at this from multiple angles like the zombie au post 😅 always so much to consider in battle environments! and in the spirit of community, I'll stick with the individual player elimination style paintball match. in the woods with other e prep seniors. last one standing wins bragging rights

Gabe

Shooting skill | 6/10 - Experience with shooting and practice with Kile ofc

Stealthiness | 8/10 - He's done a fair amount of sneaking around during his after school activities, is super observant (or just paranoid lol), and naturally light on his feet. Good luck ambushing him.

Strategy | 8/10 - Strike deals. Do favors. Form alliances. Shoot 'em in the back once they’ve outlived their usefulness. ...What? It’s just paintball.

How does he win? | Graciously. Gabe likes winning, and especially via strategic manipulation, so it puts a smile on his face. And he's in a good mood so he treats a bunch of you to ice cream or smth 👀

How does he lose? | Slumps in frustration at being outwitted or taken off-guard, sulks about it for a little while. He's not that sore of a loser but needs time to lick his wounds and stop thinking of the different choices he could have made.

Kile

Shooting | 9 - The most accurate shooter of the cast and easily one of the best shots at E Prep. Lots of practice + talent

Stealth | 10 - They're stupid good at climbing trees and 100% consider that a valid method of ambushing their classmates. People start having flashbacks to 3rd and 4th grade recess and P.E. Scanning the trees. They just start taking people out with such efficiency it quickly starts ruining the game 😂

Strategy | 0? 10?? - “...Strategy? You just stay out of sight and kill 'em all, right?” (immediately scolded by Gabe for word choice 🙄) They really do mainly stay out of sight and pick people off with max stealth, like 😆 they'd be such a terror, people would need to take them out early for anyone else to stand a chance! They spend a lot of the game staking out the most frequented paths in the area and taking out groups quickly, all at once. Then they'll get around to stalking and picking people off one by one. The real fun...

Winner type | Stoic. Likes winning combat but the stakes were non-existent, so... the win is meaningless! this just infuriates the losers more 😅 such disrespect

Loser type | Sucks their teeth and tosses their paintball gun to the ground. "Y'all suck." (they're over it five mins later tho lol)

Jack

Shooting | 3 - This is nothing like shooting light guns... ☹️

Stealth | 5 - Not just due to his size making him an easier target, but homeboy is liable to get distracted by a cute squirrel or some pretty flowers 😂 He's not great at keeping his voice down either so good conversation would make him easy to seek out. He's just out here enjoying a beautiful day 😅

Strategy | 7 - All that movie-watching (and DMing) make him a valuable creative mind for problem-solving, but he needs a cooperative team to be effective. Rescued and recruited by Rupan/Rohan early on in the game ^ ^

Winner type | Disbelief! And everyone’s content and satisfied with him winning. Except Vivian/Vincent, that jealous fool

Loser type | Doesn't mind losing at all! He just hopes he was a good teammate and was glad to have fun ☺️

Jessie

Shooting | 7 - Comes from a family of hunters, girly knows how to shoot.

Stealth | 6 - Familiar enough with woods and stalking prey to be capable of sneaking around. Having too much fun to not giggle and get overly invested in the developing plot of the game. Even more easily distracted by critters and flora than Jack 😅

Strategy | 5 - Oh, she's just here to have fun. She'll go with whatever the person she's teaming up with decides, but can adapt easily enough.

Winner type | Surprised... then elated! Bouncing and happy and it's completely contagious. No hard feelings about a single thing. Convinces Heidi to invite people to the Emerson Estate—it's a hot day and they have a nice pool

Loser type | Same as Jack! Congratulates the winner with a hug because she's sweet like that 🧁

Rain

Shooting | 2 - This... thing is so cumbersome. And ugly. At least it shoots pretty colors.

Stealth | 7 - Small and used to sneaking around different environments and seeking out hiding spots. Their height and frame makes them harder to spot too.

Strategy | 4 - Hide!!! They’re not getting assaulted with paint and pellets!! Especially not after managing to make this ugly jumpsuit look cute?? Waiting it out is perfectly legitimate. Might share snacks if you decide to join them in hiding 😆

Winner type | Falls asleep in an unexpectedly cozy hiding spot and emerges as everyone thought they’d declared the winner. I imagine R and others yelling at them to get their gun while the original winner scrambles to get theirs, just for Rain to win by pure luck of the draw. Won’t stop them bragging about it, though! (I want this spurned runner-up to be Vi bc ofc)

Loser type | "So I can stop holding this thing?" Yawn. "I'm so hungry and bored, we've been at this for hours..."

Rupan/Rohan

Shooting | 4 - Ah, shit. These don't shoot anything like light guns.

Stealth | 7 - They sneak out and around town a lot 😂 They just force themself to be careful about how loud grass and bushes are.

Strategy | 7 - They’re treating this shit like an action movie and banding together a ragtag team of misfits to take down the strongest alliances and players. Savvy enough to reject Gabe’s and Curt’s offers to join, not opposed to strategic backstabs. They're very clearly just as focused on having fun as they are on winning—and playing Predator, which honestly works with Kile runnin around. They even brought war paint and borrowed a tactical vest. Is it mostly packed with snacks and weed? Maybe. Does it prove useful for negotiations? Hell yeah.

Winner type | Raucous celebration, just pure joy and adrenaline ☺️ Celebrates with their team, brags a bit, rubs it into Vi's face, makes fun of Curt, the usual. Then invites allies out to get pizza because it's the obvious next step

Loser type | Mostly disappointed they can't keep playing. They're a little sore about being left out of the action, but soon just start chatting with other marked players about how the game went for them. Plenty entertaining on its own, they want all the details

Vivian/Vincent

Shooting | 5 - They've got a little bit of shooting experience.

Stealth | 4 - They're overly sensitive and hate being in nature. Their skin is sticky, they keep feeling bugs everywhere, they've gotten dirt all over their pants, it's so hot, they keep WALKING into SPIDERWEBS, [flails about, screaming furiously]

Strategy | 8 - They have good ideas, they're just difficult to execute alone, especially since they're getting sunburnt and getting crankier and can't stop swatting at insects 😅 they're one of the first people to figure out that someone's taking out groups from the trees, so they stay solo and try to find a single person to team up with. Really what they need is someone who's a better shot but easy to boss around. They can probably just owe them for an in-school favor...

Winner type | Barely suppressed gloating. Vi somehow finds a way to be an obnoxious winner almost entirely by the look on their face. Once they're in a smaller group, they're passionately discussing the details of the game and happily boasting about their triumphs (while glossing over all of the whining and and slip-ups lol)

Loser type | Booo, such a sore loser. (Especially in the scenario where Rain wins 🤣) If they're outsmarted or outgunned in a clear, transparent way they'll growl and stomp off, then quietly glower and sulk for way too long. If they're double-crossed or beaten in an underhanded way oh lord —they're fighting it to the end. R can't help but get involved either way, reminding them it was a damn game with literally no prize. "C'mon, Vi, chill. You want ice cream? Let's get you ice cream."

Heidi

Shooting | 6 - Some shooting experience.

Stealth | 8 - She's very aware of her surroundings and her body. Perceptive yet quiet. Tactical. All residual traits picked up from her many activities over the years.

Strategy | 9 - Most likely to outsmart everyone. The first one to figure out groups are being targeted from the trees. Goes it alone and only open to trading (unless she sees Curt with Jess in which case she puts a quick pin in her plans to rescue her 😂). She also immediately figures out it's Kile, because ofc it is. Keeps close tabs on what groups are doing, knowing that eventually Kile will come down to ground level to pick off individuals and couples. Predator becomes prey 👀

Winner type | Proud but not boasting. She doesn't need to be. Victory looks good on her, natural and fitting. Thanks everyone for a good game then takes the girls for a long ride in the Cadillac 😎 top down on a bright day, baby

Loser type | Damn. She should have won this. Maybe if she'd... She probably could have... Then she snaps out of it, roped in by the celebratory mood of congratulating the winner. She's over any feelings of frustration or regret after getting to discuss the match with the person that took her out/the winner and there's no hard feelings. If anything this was fun as hell, it should be an annual thing. ☺️

Curt

Shooting | 8 - Some shooting experience and a natural knack for it. Good reflexes.

Stealth | 8 - Curt likes to say he gets along with the woods around these parts. Sneaking around is second nature to him. Really good hearing too. He's an easy target if you manage to seduce him though, having no issue leaving himself vulnerable if it means that kind of fun 😂

Strategy | 7 - Honestly, he's most interested in seeing how long he can get away with using charm and seduction for both protection and double-crossing 😂 Eventually becomes persona non grata and gets all of his ammo stolen by a vengeful mark, barely getting away in the process. Since that jig is up, he finally starts thinking a win might be nice... and so he teams up with the only competent player who would never betray him and also inspires the least vitriol in others: Jessie. What? Is his back-up plan using her as a human shield? No! 😚 Of course not! 👉👈

Winner type | Insufferable and gloating. Rubs it in a lot of people's faces, specifically Heidi, Rupan/Rohan, and any participants who genuinely don't like him. Brags to Gabe (who is completely disinterested in gassing him up 😂), then promises he'll make things up to Jessie (who didn't mind and had fun lol). Then celebrates by asking whoever he's flirting with these days for a quick date—and a ride in the Ferrari. Makes a scene pulling out of the parking lot. Ass.

Loser type | Doesn't care one bit as long as he had fun! And he always finds a way to have fun, it's why he's so carefree 😅

[prettywordsyouleft]

The Cowboy - Part 11

Summary: Leaving the city for a rural area called Blayne seemed simple enough. Your task was to convince the people to agree with selling their land for a resort redevelopment. But once there, you soon realise that your city ways are entirely different to theirs. Winning their trust was going to take some effort, and when you start to fall for a local cowboy, you wonder if you really needed Blayne more than the city life after all.

Pairing: Jung Jaehyun x female reader

Genre: cowboy au / drama / romance / if you squint there’s some enemies to lovers up in here.

Warnings: Jung Jaehyun is a cowboy, need I say more? (a bit of angst and drama, and it sometimes might feel like you’re reading a Nicolas Sparks book, so I’m told lol) – highly suggestive scene and the angst train is back in action for this part

Word count: 2470

This series will be updated every Thursday and Friday.

Preview | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

The celebrations continued even once you were back in Blayne. News travelled that Jaehyun had come in fourth with his score at the rodeo, earning him a cash prize and a qualifying ticket. When his truck hurtled down the main street, the evening was brighter than usual.

You peered curiously at Avery and then at the diner’s lights. “Shouldn’t that be closed by now?”

“They’re waiting for us,” he mentioned with a loose grin, and you blinked blankly. “To celebrate!”

“Oh! Right, of course. Everyone knows you’ve done it.” Glancing over at Jaehyun, who had been mostly silent for the ride home, you gave him a small smile before swallowing down your emotions.

Once you had pulled away from that life-altering kiss, Jaehyun had been taken in one direction and you in the other. He had interviews to do, and people within the circuit to meet with. Although the sun had still been out when he had finished his run, dusk had swooped in and carried it away by the time you were finally loading back up into the truck.

There was so much to talk about with Jaehyun.

“We won’t stay for long,” he announced when he parked the truck into the free spot outside the diner, and a small gasp left you when you found the place bustling with people.

Avery smirked. “We’re a tight-knit community. We celebrate everyone’s successes like this.”

“And everyone’s misfortunes too,” Jaehyun muttered, plastering a smile on his face before opening the door to the truck.

You hesitated to get out, and Jaehyun turned back to look at you questioningly. Rubbing your neck, you pointed awkwardly to the party. “Should I come in or wait out here?”

“Why are you even hesitating? You’re part of this world now.”

Still unconvinced, you took the hand he offered to help you down and then nodded softly, feeling rather subdued despite the happy atmosphere.

The noise once you were all inside increased tenfold, party poppers and streamers going off around you both. Jaehyun laughed and held out his arms to the heavens. “Looks like I’m still pretty decent, huh?!”

And then you lost track of all the conversations that began around you. Jaehyun was proudly talking about his run and Avery had shown everyone the recorded clip of it. You nodded and clapped along when prodded to join in, but remained on the outskirts.

It was foreign for you to see so many people come together like this to support each other. Sure, you had friends and family, but even then, it was never like this. A text to say congratulations when you got a promotion from your parents or some quiet drinks with a few friends to celebrate an award you had received. Nothing as loud as this.

You realised you craved this more than what you had back home. The community here was one that cared about each other. Even if they gossiped endlessly and had no filter at times, each person within the diner cared about the one they sat or stood next to. They had grown together, shared their burdens and prevailed against the odds as one.

It amazed you how much you still had to learn about Blayne even after living here for a couple of months.

“Y/N, did you enjoy the rodeo?” a voice asked, and you turned, smiling warmly at June.

“It was quite the experience.”

“You look rather exhausted.”

You nodded once. “A little.”

“Jaehyun, can you run Y/N home now?”

“Oh no! This is all about him, and I’m fine. Honestly.”

Jaehyun was at your side almost immediately, and he grinned. “I bet this is all too much for Miss City here. Come on. I’ll take you home.”

“But-!” you exclaimed as he gently tugged you out of the seat you had managed to secure earlier, dragging you to the exit with a hasty farewell. He opened the door to the truck and helped you in before rounding the other side and climbing aboard.

You stared at him. “You don’t have to-”

“My Mum is a gem, isn’t she?” he stated with a small smile, waving to those inside the diner. “She always finds ways for me to escape.”

“You mean her coming over to me just now was…?”

Jaehyun grinned. “Thanks for saving my butt tonight. I get really uncomfortable after an hour of being praised. It feels foreign to me.”

“Why? You’re the golden boy. No one can touch the Jung’s.”

Jaehyun smiled sadly as he started down the road. “Attention isn’t something much that I enjoy.”

“It sure looks like you did at the rodeo,” you mentioned, and Jaehyun shook his head, changing gear on the truck before reaching for your hand.

You could tell he had been craving your touch for some time.

“I wanted to have some time with just you earlier than this.”

“It’s okay. It’s not like I need to be anywhere else.”

Jaehyun sighed. “Don’t you have people waiting on you though?”

“People where?”

“Back in the city. Your work colleagues, your friends, your family. They’ll need you.”

“I miss them, for sure. Especially Natty. But it’s not like it is out here. Relationships are different.”

“We’re different?”

“Well I’ve never met a cowboy in the suburbs,” you teased, and Jaehyun chuckled.

“What you said earlier, what we did, I get it was the heat of the moment. A different atmosphere than what we both usually-”

“Are you backing out on me, Mr Cowboy?” you asked firmly, and Jaehyun glanced at you several times before stopping the truck in the middle of the country road.

“I’m giving you an option if you want to take it.”

“Didn��t you give me that once you ducked under the bar and came to my side?”

“You’re serious?”

“You don’t think I could love you already?” you proposed, staring intensely at the man beside you.

Jaehyun opened his mouth to speak, only to close it a moment later. He grinned. “You’ve rendered me speechless.”

“Why? Because you hoped I didn’t?”

“No, I hope you fall madly for me.”

“I’m well on my way,” you confirm, and Jaehyun shook his head incredulously. “What? Has no woman ever told you that they like you?”

“I’ve never felt deserving of it, no.”

“You and that self-worth of yours,” you muttered, reaching over to cup his jaw in your hand. Jaehyun caught your gaze, and you smiled. “I love you.”

“I don’t think that’s ever going to get old to hear.”

“You’ve not said it back once,” you pointed out, and Jaehyun chuckled.

“You’ve been waiting for it, huh?”

“Normally most people describe it as one says I love you, and the next says it back. I’ve seen enough movies about it,” you mentioned as Jaehyun finally started to drive again, soon heading down the start of your driveway.

“Claim? How come you sound as if you haven’t said anything like this before?”

“Because I haven’t,” you confessed, and Jaehyun stared at you then. You darted your gaze to the drive and reached for the steering wheel to balance the truck out. “Would you watch where you’re going?!”

“Would you stop making my heart swell so much?” he breathed, and you chewed on your lip quietly, Jaehyun taking back the wheel and gripped it tightly.

The energy was charged between you by the time he turned off the ignition and opened the squeaky truck door, you soon following him out.

Stretching your fingers out to try and loosen some of the tension coiling up within you, you both walked side by side up the porch and over to your front door.

“Well, if you’re exhausted, I should let you rest,” Jaehyun stated, and you nodded numbly, reaching in your purse for your keys.

“I had a good time. Thanks for taking me.”

“Sleep well, won’t you,” he said as you opened the front door, stepping over the threshold and taking hold of the wooden frame. You turned to glance back at Jaehyun, the deep way he looked at you causing your stomach to flip.

He didn’t move, however, and you slowly moved the door to close it until his hand reached out and stopped it, your heart now pounding with anticipation.

“I’m so in love with you,” he confessed hurriedly, stepping over the doorframe and picking you up in his arms.

You curled your limbs around him effortlessly, kissing him with demand as he shut the door, hands roaming and tugging at the clothes between you both.

It felt like too much effort to follow the path up to the bedroom, Jaehyun acting disorientated as he moved around the place, shedding your upper clothing in the process. Somehow you ended up in the kitchen, a moan leaving you as he propped you down on the countertop, your hands finally ridding him of the singlet that had been under his rodeo shirt.

He equally had removed your bottoms, staring at you in a way that made you feel like the only woman made for him. You embraced him as soon as he was close enough to, and Jaehyun groaned into your ear. “I’ve been in love with you for some time now.”

“It’s not a race. Just because you hold a record around these parts, doesn’t mean you need to prove you beat me to feel something back for you.”

“You’re something else you know that? Who knew you’d come into this town and change everything for me?”

“Whatever happened to the guy who told me I wouldn’t last a month?” you breathed out, arching your back as his mouth trailed from your neck to your chest.

Jaehyun smirked at you then, his hands moving to cup your breasts within them. “You made sure about adapting to this place.”

“It’s not so bad. I mean, sometimes I would kill for the accessibility of the city, and have a Starbucks nearby. The smell sometimes out here is something I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to either.”

“I feel there’s a but attached here,” he mused, reaching up to kiss your lips passionately. It was strange to be having such a conversation with the temperature and physical needs between you increasing.

Yet when you pulled back for more air, you beamed at him. “But I’m falling in love with this place, this town, and your people. I couldn’t imagine my life any other way now.”

The new week began, and you felt as if you were riding along on cloud nine. Everything was beautiful out here. You worked, you explored, and you loved long into the summer nights with Jaehyun. Your riding lessons continued, and now that you had the hang of loping, you would often feel exhilarated riding Roger. You felt free and empowered.

Blayne was more than just a small blip on any map.

Despite it all, you still regarded the reason you came here as a priority. With your plan neatly tucked into your briefcase, and slipping into one of your more casual business attires, you looked into the mirror of the bathroom and smoothed down your hair.

“Today’s the day,” you told your reflection, smiling brightly.

Everything about you felt ready right now. You had all the signatures you had sought out, and word had travelled enough for Mr Jung to reach out for this meeting to happen a day earlier.

Today you would get the piece of land you needed to start the redevelopment.

You drove to the Jung’s homestead with your game face on, your finger tapping on the steering wheel repeatedly. You hummed a tune to yourself and ran through the opening part to your proposal in your head. When you parked the car, you smiled brightly at Avery when you crossed him on the yard, but he didn’t return the gesture quite as genuinely.

“Nice day, isn’t it?” you greeted all the same, and Avery grimaced.

“I think you might need to prepare yourself.”

“Oh, I’m completely ready for this,” you assured him, but Avery shook his head.

“Not for your plan. Listen, Y/N, things have-”

“You’re here,” Mr Jung cut in, and you turned your attention to the elder, nodding confidently at the man. “Come inside.”

Following him in and frowning at Avery’s worried expression, you stopped midway in taking the seat across from Mr Jung’s desk when you noticed Jaehyun sitting in the one next to it. “What are you doing here? I can pitch my idea to your father alone.”

“Pitch your idea?” Mr Jung repeated, laughing hollowly. “I didn’t ask you here today to listen to any nonsense about the resort plans your company has. I have no interest in them.”

“With full respect, Mr Jung, I’ve worked incredibly hard with the people of Blayne to find a happy medium.”

“And just how many of them did you sleep with or was it just my boy here?”

“Dad!”

“No. I want to hear it from her. Was it in the plan you made to sleep with my son to get the land, to trespass onto what can never be yours, and fool this idiot into thinking you could actually have something together?”

You were rendered speechless, your game face falling away and crumbling into a thousand pieces. You tried to say something, anything, to not only prove your sincerity but to defend yourself against his vicious attack.

However, Mr Jung’s tongue wasn’t done yet, and he glared at his son, shaking his head slowly. “I should have left you to die in that fire you started. If this was how you wanted to end Blayne, I’d much rather you have gone up in smokes back then than face you and your betrayal now.”

The information stunned you further, and your head jarringly turned to the man now sobbing in the chair beside you. “You were the one to start the fire?”

“It’s not how you see it!” Jaehyun exclaimed, though to whom, you didn’t quite know.

Regathering yourself, you shook your head. “Mr Jung, please allow me to explain myself, as you requested earlier.”

“You have nothing of worth for me to listen to. I’d like for you to pack your bags and be gone from Blayne before sunset.”

“Excuse me?! Surely I can do something to change your opinion-”

Mr Jung slammed his fist down on the table. “Outsiders like you only cause problems for the people who breathe for this place. Get out and don’t come back.”

Glancing at Jaehyun, who was rocking back and forth in his chair holding his head, and then back at the resolute expression on the owner of this land’s face, you finally allowed your emotions to burst through, choking on the sob that followed.

“I’m so sorry!” you announced before turning for the door and running out it.

_________________

Part 12

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[blouisparadise]

Here are some of the amazing bottom Louis fics that were posted or completed during the month of September. We hope you enjoy this list. Happy reading!

1) Hard Candy Dripping On Me (Til My Feet Are Wet) | Explicit | 1997 words

Louis gets fucked on a plane. That’s it.

2) Fucking Nightmares | Mature | 2151 words

Louis has a nightmare. Harry comforts him.

3) You Could Take A Lick (But It's Too Cold To Bite) | Explicit | 2469 words

“You look kinda thirsty.” Louis croons softly.

Harry leans back in his chair and tilts his head to the side. His eyes are covered by the pair of expensive shades, but Louis feels his eyes drifting down his backside as he lays on his stomach.

“Why don’t you bring me a bit of that ice cream, darling?”

Louis and Harry have fun in a summer day.

4) Interview With The Vampire  | Explicit | 4135 words

Note: The fic pairing is Louis/Robert Pattinson.

Working at an alpha magazine wasn't always easy for an omega like Louis, but he's just landed his biggest interview yet with an A list actor who has asked for Louis especially. Unfortunately, the interview is with Rob Pattinson, the biggest pain in the arse alpha on the planet.

Inspired by Rob’s interview in GQ Magazine and not actually about vampires

5) Conozco La Vida | Teen & Up | 4761 words

Note: This fic contains no explicit smut, but since it’s omega Louis, we’ve included it. 

"I have a son," he declared, there was a very thinly veiled layer of hesitation.

Harry was unaware in the direction which this conversation was heading but chose to stare at the man instead.

"He is an Omega," he dropped the pivotal piece of information.

Harry's attention was hooked now.

"He has been raised in an Omega convent all his life, he hasn't been in the presence of any Alpha who isn't his immediate family."

"I am still waiting for you to make a point."

"You could take him as an Omega."

Harry did not react, his face remaining perfectly free of betrayal of any sort of emotion and leaned back upon his chair, his leg crossed upon his knee. "You are selling your son to me?"

6) It’s Hard For Me To Go Home | Not Rated | 4890 words

Don’t call me baby again.

7) So Baby, Let's Keep It Secret | Explicit | 4638 words

“I’ll leave with you,” Harry said after a beat, sounding sure of himself.

“What!? No!, you can’t leave with me, Harry, you have a life here. You have a job and friends an-”

Harry kissed him in the middle of his rambling. “Which means nothing if I don’t have you.”

Into You Music Video AU.

8) ZOMOS | Mature | 5659 words

Is it easy to forget everything and start afresh? Is it easy being served with hateful glances and insults when all you wish for is to be loved? Is it easy to make it seem like everything is alright when in reality your world is crumbling into pieces with every breath you take?

Is it easy to be the omega who is unwanted by their alpha?

9) Your Biggest Fan | Explicit | 9075 words 

Just like everyone else, Louis has a few habits that he can’t seem to break. Guilty pleasures, rather. His nails are perpetually short because he can’t quit biting them, the bottom of his shoes scuffed from tapping his foot constantly. Sometimes his leg gets a cramp from bouncing it so often underneath his desk. That isn't too bad, he reckons, just some average teenage coping mechanisms.And also, occasionally, minor instances of theft.

10) Making A Splash | Explicit | 9557 words

“You want this?” Harry muses, fisting his cock as he drags his hand lazily up his thick length. Louis eyes the motion and nods his head absentmindedly. “You want to show everyone at this beach how much of a slut you are for Daddy’s cock?”

“M‘your slut,” Louis immediately replies, inching closer, inching closer with his eyes glued on Harry’s glistening cock, precome shining under the sun as it dribbles out his slit.

Harry grins widely and stops the movement of his hand to grip himself at the base again, pushing Louis’ head down. “Show everyone how much of a slut you are.”

11) Hung Up High in the Gallery | Mature | 14006 words

When Harry’s best friend, Louis, comes to support him at his art show, he decides they need to do some celebrating afterwards. How fast do the lines between friends and lovers get blurred ... or better, get painted?

12) My Home Is Your Body | Explicit | 15341 words

Note: The fic pairing is Louis/Henry Cavill.

He had seen who had made his senses go haywire. His ex was in the front row, five feet in front of him. He felt his eyes on him even as he mechanically made his way to the end of the runway, hoping to God he didn’t look like a maniac. Everything was a blur. He somehow managed to walk the rest of the way without falling or emoting anything. Why was he HERE? Of all places.

...where Louis is a successful omega model and the last thing he expects is his ex to become the co-partner of the new company he works for....

13) There's Nothing Like It (Nothing At All) | Explicit | 15471 words 

Note: This is a sequel to this fic.

His hands are outstretched on the mattress like he’s reaching out for something, reaching out for Harry. It makes his heart swell, almost bursting with affection and love. He only waits a bit longer before reaching over to turn off the light and pulling Louis to his chest, smiling when the omega immediately sighs in contentment, nuzzling into his skin happily.Tomorrow, he tells himself. Tomorrow, they’ll talk about it.-Or, Harry isn’t ready for things to change, and the end is just the beginning.

14) Seven Simple Words | Explicit | 15535 words

It’s not like he and Louis were a couple. No, they might have been a lot of things—best mates and colleagues with a seemingly convenient friends-with-benefits arrangement—but never a couple. It wasn’t Louis’ fault he didn’t feel the same way and couldn’t reciprocate Harry’s feelings in the way he’d wanted, the way he’d needed. Harry had allowed himself to get in too deep, his entire being aching to be loved back by the object of his affections. But in love, as in life, you don’t always get what you want.

15) Works Like A Charm | Explicit | 18061 words

Ever since Louis joined the team in fifth year, a few facts have become set in stone.

One: Louis is the best chaser in Hogwarts.

Two: Harry is the best beater in Hogwarts.

Three: They do not get along.

So it’s really unfair of Liam to think that forcing them to spend time together as Louis recovers from his injury will make them the best of friends. The last thing Louis would do is get along with that git.

16) The Way This River Runs | Explicit | 27417 words 

It’d be so easy to just open his mouth and plead with Harry, to scream I’m sorry until his voice disappears, but he can’t. Be it his pride or his ego or his insecurities, he just can’t do it. The worst part is that he knows Harry would probably forgive him.

But Louis doesn’t want phony forgiveness. He doesn’t want Harry’s soothing words and pity embrace, thinks he might just break altogether if he was offered them. He feels like he’s made of glass recently and it’s to the point where he kind of wants to tip over the edge, just to see if he’d shatter. Just to see who’d be there to pick up the pieces if he did.

17) Give Me Love | Explicit | 41041 words

Louis doesn't feel like a good omega, Harry doesn't remember how to be an alpha, and they figure it out together.

18) Falling Out Of Fashion | Explicit | 42123 words

Harry Styles has been the established face of the Grimshaw House of Design for two years. It’s a prestigious and coveted modeling contract Harry took away from once-famed supermodel Zayn Malik. With the model transition Grimshaw’s designs went from a more urban, Zayn-forward aesthetic, to a Harry-favoring flowery, flowing femininity in the Grimshaw designs for men.

So when Harry sees a dress Grimshaw made for a famous Marvel actress, “only a tease”, Nick says, of the evolving look, Harry knows Grimshaw is shifting his aesthetic.

Harry wonders if he can pull off the look.

19) Three Days In February | Explicit | 189346 words

Louis is cursed after a night out with the lads and the five have just three days to figure out what happened and how to break it before Harry and Louis both lose their sanity and maybe something more. Louis can hear everything Harry thinks and Harry isn’t sure he can keep his feelings for Louis a secret from his own mind.

Ridiculous amounts of banter and angst, a lot of Harry and Louis alone together, a healthy dose of OT5 friendship, and one very magical weekend.

20) Boss Bitch | Explicit | 386901 words

Harry had always wanted to work for this successful mafia; the mafia that everyone knew, everyone feared. Led by none other than the pahntom

"L'eue Courante", whom everyone knew existed, but had no other clues who this person could be. The only thing known was a high heel the phantom once left.

So this person had to be woman, Harry assumend. And man, was he wrong.

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