#Anytime I see this bird it sends me into a flashback like the guy from Ratatouille.

[the-weeping-author]

Reacquainted

A/N: hey so this is a AU! Where Eren and the reader are both 18.. so yeah lol I hope this is good.. this is my first fic into the anime fandom, and more importantly my first fic of the AOT fandom so request are open. I have a list of characters I write for so feel free to request I write angst, fluff, and smut.

Taglist: @augustweb @harrystylesupremacy

Warnings: bullying kinda?? cussing, slight angst, SEX!! 18+ quickie, oral , stimulation. Dirty talk, unprotected sex slight choking,

Summary: Y/N and Eren had parted ways as children, one wanted it the other didn't. Y/N's life was just fine until a certian brown haired guy showed up at scouts one day. Will Y/N and Eren make up?

Word count: 5,728

Enjoy 😊

Eren and I had been friends since I could remember, we were close growing up. Eren and I were as thick as thieves, but slowly over time there became a HUGE disconnection between us. I never understood when or why it had happened, but it did and it put a strain on Eren and I. It hurt more than anything, our families had always been close, but maybe that was our downfall. We had always spent summers together at the lake house.

The lake house was just 30 minutes away from the wall, and Eren and I would always ask why Titans never showed up like they did around the walls. Our parents never told us, but my father always brushed me off, and told me I wasn't old enough. I never understood what he meant until that day 9 years ago, back then I had everything.. a family, a home, friends, comfort. Now I have nothing, I was truly alone. I knew what my father was talking about now. To be a warrior you would have to be willing to sacrifice everything, and guess what? That's exactly what I did, that's what made me lose everything including Eren.

Losing everything wasn't what I wanted, but who did? I was foolish back then. I was childish and gullible about the real world, I never knew how cruel and cold the world was until the wall came down for a second time 4 years after the first. Eren leaving my life was what finally did it for me, and I thought there was no escaping the cold dark thing that I called my soul. No one was let in. It was like the whole world around me stopped, and I started to distance myself more and more from everyone.

It wasn't until I decided to join the scouts that I felt alive again, just going out and taking all the built up frustrations out on the Titans. After all, they are the reason why I am the way I am. Tell me who wouldn't feel the way I do after they lost everything then on top of that to get stabbed in the back by someone who claims to be your best friend. Eren and I had stopped talking around three years ago, and honestly it's not gonna change anytime soon.

I'll never forget the day Eren told me he didn't want to be friends anymore. In fact I'd never forget that day for as long as I lived, the day had started sunny and beautiful. The sun was warm dancing across the city, the wind was blowing just enough to send a nice calming breeze through the hot summer Hills. The birds had sung happily that morning, the air had finally felt lighter. For once everything felt… Okay, but there was no telling how long that would last.

~FlashBack~

"Y/N… why are you always so hopeful?"

I turned my head to Eren, my green eyes Shining in his gray ones. I smiled softly before he intertwined our fingers together, I laid my head on his shoulder. I Felt his toned body tense under my simple movement, and I hummed softly looking out upon the town of Shiganshina. I thought it over for a brief moment before I let out a breath answering softly.

"Well Eren, I believe that if we succumb to the horrors of life we fail not only as warriors, but as humans too. I'll never succumb to the enemy or anyone for that matter."

The few minutes of silence made me lift my head off his shoulder, and look at him. His face was unreadable, and it threw me off. Did he have this expression the whole time? Why ask a question if you were just gonna ignore it? Before my mind could go any further into the negative thoughts Eren's voice pulled me from my thoughts making me let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in.

"Y/N.. we can't do this anymore."

I looked at him, my eyes quickly searched his face for more indication of what he meant. I watched his jaw clench before he unclenched it. His hand slowly slid out my hand, he pulled it back into his lap leaving my hand alone. My stomach flipped, and immediately it locked up making my stomach twist making me nauseous.

"W-what do you mean Eren?"

His gray eyes finally locked with my green ones, and he stood up turning his back towards me before walking away. I quickly stood up, and followed after him.

"Can't do what anymore? Eren answer me!"

He stopped in his tracks, and he stood up, turning away from me. He dusted off his hands as he started walking away from me. I stood, and I clenched my fist squeezing my eyes shut as tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I felt my heart pound against my ribcage, and my lip started to quiver. When I opened my eyes my sight was hazy from the tears getting closer, and closer to breaking the dam.

Eren let out a breath, and he looked up at the sky. The grey clouds hid what was left of the beautiful blue sky. I knew his next words were gonna change the rest of my life, I stared at the brown locks covering his head. Before I knew it tears were sliding down my face, after a few silent sobs I wiped my nose sniffling a bit. Immediately I regretted it. Eren looked over his shoulder looking at me, and when his suspicions were confirmed he let out a "Tsk." He took in a breath before looking away from me.

"I can't be your friend anymore, don't try to change my mind because it's already made up. I don't need you around, you're too gullible to have around, you'll just get yourself killed after all… you're weak."

My eyes widened, and I dropped to my knees, balling my fist sitting them in my lap. I felt a few cold drops fall onto my thighs, and I looked up at the gray sky. A few cold rain drops dripped on my burning face as the realization hit me, I was alone. I let out a gut wrenching scream as Eren disappeared out of my life.. forever. I hunched over, and I let the once quiet sobs out my body, Jolting forward as each sob broke through me.

"Why me, I'm only 10 years old, why am I alone? Doesn't anyone love me?"

~End Of FlashBack~

I was walking down the street to a small building where the scouts would change, I walked into the Women's side and quickly put my training uniform on. I looked at the clock on the wall, and my eyes widened. The clock read 5:50 am.. shit If I didn't leave right now I'd be five minutes late, and Captain Levi hands out extra punishment to those who are late. It had been two years since I've joined, and I hadn't been late this far and I definitely didn't plan to start now.

I rushed out of the building, and when the wind hit my face I immediately started running. Two years on and off the field, and I didn't want to stop training. I was always quick to learn new moves, or get better at hand to hand combat. When I finally reached the field I stopped to take big breaths, and a voice caught my attention making my blood run cold. He couldn't be here... of all days why today, why me? My green eyes quickly found the voice that made my heart drop to my feet.

Eren Yeager.. my Ex best friend, the anchor that once held my body firm in the ocean unscathed by the violent waves. My eyes started to burn, and my throat started getting itchy. His gray eyes met with mine, and when Mikasa, Armin, and Levi turned towards me I quickly turned my head, and rushed the opposite way. My wrist was grabbed by someone, and my head shot up to meet Hanji''s gaze, concern sketched onto Their face.

"Y/L/N are you alright?"

I nodded my head, and I mustered up the best smile I could give them at the moment. I parted my lips softly before taking in a breath before letting it out.

"Yes Hanji I'm fine, thank you for asking."

They smiled at me before intertwining their arm with mine, and before I knew it we were walking towards the little group.. including Eren immediately I stopped in my tracks making them get pulled backwards towards me a bit at the sudden lack of movement. When Hanji turned their head to look at me, confusion was written all over their face. They followed my eyes as I glanced at Eren, and they let out a knowing oooh.

"I see now Y/L/N, your disturbance is between you and Mister Yeager. Am I correct?"

Before I could say anything they quickly cut me off their eyes shined at me softly before their lips turned upwards into a smile.

"Ah well whatever is going on you can't let it affect

you to the point where you can't be there for your team. That will only get them and you killed, so please for our sake along with yours please handle this however hard it may be. After all, what would I do if my favorite scout got killed?"

I listened to Hanji intently. I knew I couldn't face him, but Hanji had a point. This "issue" could jeopardize the safety of not only myself, but others and I wouldn't be the reason hundreds of us got killed. How could I approach Eren? Why would I? Would he even talk to me? Hanji''s voice pulled me from the depths of my own hectic thoughts. I'd have to thank them later in the mess hall, but I did plan to talk to Eren.. just not today.

The day of training was spent avoiding Mikasa, Armin, but especially Eren. A part of me envied two of the three of the trio, I was currently sparring with a new scout. My eyes looked towards Eren every once in a while, but this time it got the best of me. As soon as Eren lifted one of the trainees off the ground making his firm muscles flex. I can't help but wonder how-... I was instantly pulled from my thoughts by a fist meeting with my face.

I fell against the dirt of the huge field, I held the side of my face shaking the hit off. When I raised my head a bit I saw a few people looking over at us, Eren included. A slight smirk was on his face as his peers looked on, and I felt my blood instantly boil. I wanted to go over there, and wipe that eat shit smirk off his face. The person I was training with held their hand out to me, and I instinctively slapped his hand away. I stood up, and I dusted myself off getting into a strong sturdy stance. Of course instinctively it was the one Eren had taught me when we were kids.

Training had ended, and I couldn't be happier. My body ached, and when I showered the hot water helped ease my aching bones. Once I changed back into my regular clothes I walked into the mess hall, once I got my dinner I sat at a table alone. I started eating until I felt eyes on me, and with a quick flash I noticed Eren walking my way out the corner of my eye. I gulped, and I gripped my cup tightly. As he got closer and closer my heart thumped harder, and harder.

Mikasa, and Armin were across the mess hall watching Eren get closer. I prayed to whatever was up there he wouldn't be coming to talk to me. That it was just exhaustion altering my mind, however I was quickly mistaken when he sat right in front of me. His Gray eyes stared into mine calmly. We just stared at each other not knowing what to say, he was basically a stranger to me. He wasn't my Eren Yeager anymore, and I didn't know where to begin to search for him.

"Hey Rosie."

My stomach dropped hearing him use the nickname he used to call me. The butterflies in my heart almost gave in, and acted like nothing happened. It had though, he abandoned me like I was a nobody to him. Rosie came from my feelings towards him, every little thing he did made me blush, or get flushed. I always disliked blushing until he called me that nickname. I used to love it, but now resentment constantly burns through my veins.

"You don't get to call me that anymore."

The smirk that was once on his face faltered a bit, and he just stared at me. Neither one of us spoke, the air was thick with tension. He looked as cute as I remembered he did, his eyes still the color of the sky on a rainy day. His lips still looked as soft as ever, he looked exactly the same, but older. My Stomach turned with every glance I took at him. My thoughts were all over the place, why here? Why now? Is he gonna hurt me just like he did back then? What if he did still care about me?

"No Remember Y/N he's not your Eren anymore you don't know him, he never cared about you. He never will, he doesn't-."

As my thoughts swirled through my head like a tornado on a dark spring evening. I felt my face get warm, and my bottom lip started to tremble softly as tears stung my eyes. His deep intoxicating voice pulled me from my overbearing thoughts, he whispered across the table to keep some sort of privacy between us, his lips parted softly.

"Oh? Well why is that?"

His warm voice pushed any decent thought away, he sounded so stupid.. Why is that? Are you serious? He has to be joking right? I licked my lips before I squeezed my thigh softly. Once I cooled off some I cleared my throat, my back straightened in the chair. I wasn't gonna play his game, not now, not ever his game of cat and mouse was over. I was no longer gonna let Eren Yeager hurt me the way he had.

"You know exactly why Eren Yeager, if you want to talk to me about why you haven't talked to me in years please refrain from playing stupid. It doesn't fit you."

I grabbed my tray, and I stood from the table walking away from the table but more importantly I walked away from him. It felt good to walk away from him, but unfortunately I knew we'd have to talk sooner or later. Mikasa, and Armin both smiled at me softly. I nodded my head at them both before I kept walking, leaving everyone in the mess hall behind me. Little did I know a plan was getting made while I slept the night away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up to the birds singing, and I smiled to myself before throwing the covers off of me. I got ready for the day taking care of my morning duties. Once I finished breakfast I brushed my teeth, and after I was done I grabbed the mouthwash, swished it around my mouth and spit it in the sink. I braided my hair while I walked down the hallway, I stopped when I heard Captain Levi's voice.

"I'll let her know when I see her, for now go to the field I'll see you out there."

I heard footsteps get further, and further away until I couldn't hear them anymore. Once I knew for sure the conversation was over I stepped out walking around the corner seeing Captain Levi standing there, and I smiled softly walking up to him.

"Morning Captain."

He raised his head, and turned towards me. The blank expression on his face as he nodded his head at me his raven hair moved at his simple movements.

"Morning Y/L/N I was just about to come looking for you."

My smile faltered a bit at his words, and I tensed up a bit remembering the conversation I eavesdropped on. My heart dropped a bit, and my hands started to get clammy. I pushed the smile back onto my face, and I started to play with the end of my shirt.

"Well here I am sir, what's on your mind?"

He let out a breath, and he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. My heart almost stopped, Levi was never one to express himself no matter the situation. So to say I was nervous was an understatement, I'm sure Captain Levi could hear my heart hammer against my ribcage. I took a soft deep breath preparing myself for whatever he had to say.

"Well Y/L/N I've heard from a few of your comrades that you've been working hard, and you've taken some of the discipline I've given them.. is that true?"

My blood ran cold, I knew he was about to give me kitchen duty, or worse he was gonna make me clean the rooms again. I immediately deflated at his words, I was ready to take whatever he was gonna give me.

"Well Y/L/N as much as I am displeased by your actions, the same comrades offered to take your punishment In return for you having the day off from training so go knock yourself out."

My mouth dropped open at his new claim, my eyes scanned across his face to try and see if he was lying, which I already knew the answer to. I closed my mouth, and I licked my lips letting the moisture circulate in my mouth. My eyes looked back to him, and I smiled softly at him looking into his gray eyes.

"T-thank you Captain, I uhh really appreciate it. If you don't mind me asking who exactly told you about what I did?"

His eyes looked back into mine, and he let out a huff. This is the most I've heard him talk, except for when he's with Erwin in the mess hall or barking orders at us. Other than that it was silence, but I had to know who exactly got themselves in trouble for me.

"Well I probably shouldn't tell you, bit Armin, Connie, Jean, Sasha, and Eren."

My stomach twisted at him mentioning Eren, and my smile faltered just for a split second. Levi definitely noticed, and I knew he was gonna pry. I didn't want him to, but he's my Captain and I can't lie to him. Even if I did he'd see right through it, and I wasn't gonna let that happen at all. I'd have to run laps, clean, dishes, clean oh and did I mention CLEAN!? don't get me wrong, I loved cleaning, but not after a bunch of slobs.

"Oh well thank you for letting me know Levi, thank you oh and tell them I said thank you too."

Levi did a double take when I didn't say anything else. He looked normal, but I could tell there were a few things he had to say. I went to turn back around to get ready to go into town, but his voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Oh by the way Y/L/N… you need to deal with whatever you're dealing with, and I can tell you've been distracted lately."

I turned my head to face him, and I nodded my head at him. When he started walking the other way I did the same, when I reached my room I changed into a pastel pink summer dress. I let my hair down, and I brushed it out slipping on a pair of my black flats walking out of my room. When I reached outside the warm sun kissed my skin, and I closed my eyes for a moment humming softly.

I said hello to the scouts that passed me on my way by, I hummed a little tune as I walked. I felt eyes on my body, and I stopped midwalk looking around trying to find who was looking at me. When I didn't see anyone I just shrugged it off before I continued to walk. It wasn't until I got to a secluded area that I felt eyes on me again, and this time I stopped completely, my arms crossed over my chest.

"Okay whoever is following me, come out you're starting to annoy me."

As soon as the last word left my mouth I heard footsteps, I turned around, and my breath hitched seeing Eren come out from behind a wall. My lips parted, and I put my hand up stopping him in his tracks.

"Don't you dare come any closer Eren or I'll drop you where you stand."

A look flashed across his face I didn't recognize, and he smiled softly at me before he got closer to me.

"Oh Rosie, you still have such a temper, I thought you were gonna drop me?"

My mouth opened and closed every few seconds searching for something to say, when my hand pressed against his toned chest. A pink tint crossed my cheeks, and I let out a huff seeing his face. Anger quickly flows through me all over again before I just let my top blow.

"Eren, who do you think you are? You can't just say what you said, and then years later just come waltzing back in my life wanting me to act like nothing happened cause it definitely did."

His eyes narrowed a bit, and I saw the side of his mouth twitch. I could tell he was mad, the sudden urge to slap him was eager in my mind. I quickly swallowed that urge, and I decided to let him defend himself If he planned on it. The Eren I once knew was warm, sweet the list goes on, but the new Eren was a huge ass.

"Y/N it wasn't like that, I was only trying to protect you."

"Protect me? Eren you hurt me, you've been a dickasaurus rex."

His eyes widened at the new nickname, and before I knew it he was dragging me along with him. I tried to get out of his grasp, but unfortunately it wasn't working so I just walked quickly with him. We walked down a hallway taking two lefts and a right, and when he opened the room door I looked around the hallway noticing we were alone. When he pulled me into the room I quickly turned around, and tried to escape.

"Y/N I know I hurt you, but I thought I was doing what was best for the both of us. I know you hate me, but please just forgive me. I've wanted to reach out, but I never knew how I was afraid you wouldn't talk to me."

He pulled me back around to face him, and my heart softened at his words, but I couldn't just forgive him could I? He hurt me, and I wouldn't let him do it again. I refused to be his fool or anyone's fool again, I tried to repair myself over the past few years, and I wouldn't let Eren break down what I accomplished.

"Eren you told me and I quote. "you didn't need me around, I was too gullible to have around, I'd just get Myself killed after all… I'm weak" you know that stayed with me for a long time, but I joined the scouts instead of listening to you. I'm glad I did because I proved to you, foe's, and anyone who doubted me that I am strong, and that I could save myself if needed. So my question to Eren is if I'm so weak and we weren't good friends why have you been trying to get me to talk to you?"

Eren didn't reply for a few seconds, his mouth opened and closed just like mine did earlier. Now it was my turn to do the smirking, I knew I was fueling his fire, but I didn't care. It felt great to finally tell him how I felt and just get it off my chest. Before he could say anything I turned back towards the door, and started walking towards it.

"Eren I'll see ya around, I'm not wasting anymore of my -."

Before I could get the rest of my sentence out he was pulling me back towards him, and as soon as I faced him our lips met. It woke every part of my body up, and I was just frozen to the ground. It wasn't until he pushed me back against the wall that it registered within me what exactly was going on. My body ached for Eren, and I didn't know it until this moment. The way his lips fit against mine, or the way his rough hands moved against my soft skin.

My hands went to his pants undoing the button, and I pulled down his zipper. I let my warm fingers curve into his pants before yanking them down, and his boxers were quickly following his pants stopping around his ankles. I bunched his shirt in my hands, and I flipped us his back smacked against the wall as I pushed him against it. I dropped to my knees, and I looked up at him waiting for his permission. He let out a soft grunt, and I looked up at him, and my breath was caught once again.

Anger was slightly evident in his eyes, but his pupils were blown with lust. I hummed softly at his reaction to the cold wall making me smirk again so I decided to tease him a little bit.

"Awee what's wrong? Did little Rosie hit a nerve?"

I let out a knowing giggle, and before he could respond I was taking his hardening cock into my mouth. I moved my head softly back and forth around Eren making his hand instinctively go into my long H/C locks. I opened my eyes feeling the sentimental contact, and when I looked up it made the knots in my stomach twist tighter. The way his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, and the way his bottom lip tucked tightly between his top and bottom teeth just made my thoughts fuzzy.

Hollowing my cheeks around him made his grip in my hair grow tighter, and each time I moved my head forward his his jolted to meet my face. His now hard cock roughly grazed the back of my throat making my eyes squeeze shut, when my lips met the base of his manhood he used the hand that held onto my hair in place. I let my hands softly graze his thighs until I needed air, and when the time came I gave both of them a firm squeeze.

When he let my head go I quickly pulled back gasping for air, only a moment passed before he was burying his cock back into my willing mouth. when he slid back into my mouth something changed him, and I definitely wasn't complaining after all I wasn't glass. I used my pointer, and middle finger to tap his bare thigh softly before I tightened my mouth around him, feeling his hard throbbing cock against my swollen plump lips. The arousal pooling between my legs proved how much I wanted- (more like needed) him at this moment.

I wanted Eren so bad there was no denying it, in fact I'd be a fool if I denied it. Anyone could tell I was head over heels for the boy I grew up with regardless if he knew it or not. I wanted this just as much as he did, but we were both too stubborn to admit it on our own Accord. I knew this was bound to happen at some point. Some people call it fate, I call it intuition. The way his breath got heavy when I swirled my tongue around the tip of his member just made me want to do more.

Our eyes stayed locked together even as I teasingly moved my head back and forth sliding my wet lips down his member, and when I got half way down I moved my head back letting just the tip of his cock rest in my mouth. I sucked softly on it at first letting him catch his breath, and one look up at him was all it took for me to know he was holding himself back. The look of hesitation was very evident in his eyes, when I let the tip of his cock slide out of my mouth I heard him groan out of annoyance.

"W-wha- Why did you stop?"

I looked up at him humming softly before I kissed his swollen tip, making his breath falter as the taste of precum spread across my lips dancing onto my taste buds.

" I still dislike you, but Stop holding back Eren, I want this just as much as you do."

He nodded his head, and he grabbed my H/C hair wrapping it around his fist before he started jolting his hips back and forth into my mouth. The lewd wet noises leaving my mouth were enough to get a response from Eren.

"S-shut u-up you make it very hard to concentrate, and that's not a complete compliment."

I pinched his thigh softly at his smart remark, and before I could reply he shoved his hard cock into my mouth immediately burying it in the back of my throat making me Gag almost instantly. I slid my hands back on his thighs, and I squeezed my eyes shut moaning loudly defining vibrations around his throbbing member.

"S-sorry, but ugh. Couldn't let you think you had control."

After a few moments passed he let my head slide half way off his throbbing cock before he pushed it back down to the base of him. After a few moments the actions repeated, and at this point tears started pooling at the corners of my eyes. When he let his cock slid out of my mouth it twitched as the cool air hit his warm salivated cock.

"Get up."

Before I could get up his arm was wrapping around my arm yanking me up. Before I could get my balance I was being shoved against the wall, and he fumbled with the button of my pants undoing them. His fingers pulled my zipper down, and with one swift movement my pants and panties were on the floor. The breeze from his quick moments brushed against my wet arousal making me shudder softly against the cool wall, my perky nipples brushed against the concrete wall making me moan softly.

"E-Eren.."

"Spread your legs."

My mind wanted to tell him to fuck off, but my body reacted before I could get myself together. Before I knew it I was spreading my legs for him.. exactly as I was told.. thanks alot to whoever was watching, I hope you're happy. The feeling of the tip of his cocl rubbing against my soaked folds made me roll my hips against him sliding my folds back and forth on him, the way he sounded when he groaned was intoxicating itself.

When he pushed himself into me it was like striking a match, every inch of my body was on fire, and I didn't want it to be extinguished. I immediately squeezed his hard cock, and as it stretched me out I felt it twitch and throb as it went further and further into me. I let my head slide back against his shoulder as he started thrusting softly into me, his pace wasn't enough to cause any discomfort, but it surely got me used to taking him the more he thrusted into me.

The sound of our skin connecting, and our lewd noises echoed in the room. Little drops of sweat broke out across my forehead as he pulled himself halfway out, and rammed himself deeper into me hitting my g-spot. I arched my back into him making his cock hit at a better angle, the tip of his cock raked across my g-spot with each thrust making me squeeze his hard shaft. The knots in my stomach started making itself more evident, and my breath picked up.

His hand snaked around my hip softly going to my clit, and when his hand pressed against it I moaned against the wall the vibrations made my little tickle. I bit my bottom lip softly letting out a whimper, and his lips pressed against the top of my ear. His tongue slid across the warm skin, and when his teeth sunk into my sensitive skin I let out another louder moan. His hips snapped against my ass making the sound bounce louder off the walls, each time his cock raked against my g-spot I felt myself getting closer and closer.

I felt my walls flutter around him, his break brushed against my wet skin making goosebumps dance across my skin as his voice softly whispered in my ear.

"You can cum If you want Rosie."

Hearing his words were enough to make my orgasm crash over me, but the use of my childhood nickname gave it more of a surreal feeling. Little white stars blurred my vision, and when I closed my eyes they seemed to multiply. I rolled my hips on him as I rode out my orgasm, and I soon felt his warm seed go onto my back. As he rode out his orgasm he fell against my back his heart pounding against my back.

His breath was heavy, and he kissed my shoulder softly moving up my neck. I let out a huff, as much as I'd like to pretend everything was okay I just couldn't. Just because we had sex doesn't mean that I forgave him, and he knew it. I may have given in this once, but I already made my mind up. As much as I loved Eren Yeager for now we were just acquaintances who just so happened to get reacquainted with each other.

When he nuzzled against my jaw my eyes moved to the corner of my eyes so I could look at him, and when I did my breath hitched. His grey eyes were soft, and his smile was warm.

"Rosie.. I've missed you, and I'm so sorry, please forgive me."

I looked at him, and I hummed kissing the top of his damp head before moving my head away, closing my eyes letting out a soft breath.

"I've missed you too Eren, and don't worry it's gonna be okay one day."

A/N: thank you so much for reading!! I appreciate it alot, and thank you for the support it means the world to me!! I do birthday request fics so if you have a birthday coming up I worth for Levi Ackerman, Eren Yeager, and Steve Harrington for now!! I hoped you guys liked it mores on the way.

[avengerscompound]

It’s You and Me - Chapter 13

It’s You and Me: A Hawkeye Fanfic

Series Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Clint Barton x  F!Reader

Word Count:  1670

Rating:  E

Warnings:  smut (FM, dirty talk, semi-public sex, oral sex, gym sex, gymnastic sex, vaginal sex, light spanking, rough(ish) sex)

Synopsis: You and Clint Barton go way back.  Since you joined the circus as a child, he took it upon himself to keep you away from the people who really wanted to hurt you.  For years the two of you danced a line between dark and light.

When he chooses light the two of you go your separate ways.

Fifteen years later he tracks you down.  Those feelings the two of you shared never went away, but now he is not only an Avengers but a single father.  Can the two of you make it work after all this time when your lives have gone in such different directions?

A series told in flashbacks and current day.

Chapter 13: Now

You had started to sweat.  It had been a long time since you’d had such a good work out and even before Clint came along and burnt you, your work often kept you moving, it was rarely as much as this workout was.  Even when it was a particularly gymnastic job, it was never for long.  The key to being a cat burglar was moving quietly and being quick, not a long drawn-out session of intense mat work.

This was not a normal job though, and Steve Rogers was not your usual client.

Steve had wanted to see you in action, to make sure you could be part of the team, so you were auditioning to be part of the Avengers.  Clint had been putting you through your paces and the two of you had been showing Steve a lot of your old circus routine, mixed in with a fair amount of hand-to-hand combat.  You’d even done the blade run, you had been skeptical when Clint had suggested it, given he was shirtless and didn’t have the brace to keep the blade steady.  It turned out, Clint had learned a trick or two since the two of you had parted ways all those years ago, and he’d kept it steady as you ran along the edge, and backflipped off.

Now the two of you were just sparring with staves.  Despite the sheen of sweat clinging to your skin, it felt good to be training with Clint again.  Like riding a bike.

Without warning, Steve threw his shield directly at you.  It came hurtling towards you like a large and deadly frisbee - moving so fast the red, white, and blue blurred together.  You acted on instinct, backflipping so it sailed under you, and as you tucked your legs up, you used your heel to kick the edge of it, making it flip mid-air and stopping its trajectory.  You spun sideways and kicked it again, sending it hurtling back to Steve.

He caught it and flipped it onto his back, the click of the magnets locking it into place echoing through the large open space.  “Alright, you’ve convinced me,” Steve said.  “You’ll need to go through a security check and then put on payroll, but as far as I’m concerned, you’re on the team.”

“And I’ll be able to help you with this Swordsman case?”  You asked.

Steve looked at Clint with his brow furrowed.  Clint raised his hands in surrender but neither man actually said anything.  “Yes, assuming you pass security, you can work that case.  Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” you said sincerely.  Not because you wanted to be an Avenger, but because you wanted to be the one that got to have Duquesne.

Steve left the gym and Clint turned and grinned at you.  “I knew you could do it.”

“Obviously,” you snarked.

He chuckled and took a lazy sweep at your legs with the bow staff.  You knocked it away with yours and he reached out and grabbed your wrist.  You spun your hand and flipped his grip so you were holding his and he dropped his staff and went to grab you with the other hand.

The two of you grappled, switching grips so he would have you and you would have him as you slowly let him back you up against the wall.  When your back touched the padded surface, he pushed your hands over your head and held them there.  “I win,” he said.

“Oh yeah?”  You asked, biting your bottom lip.  “What do you win?”

He smirked and leaned in, ghosting his lips over yours.  “I think you know,” he whispered.

You took a breath, parting your lips, but not bridging the gap.  He leaned in so close to you, you could practically taste him.  Your tongue flicked out like it had a mind of its own, tracing over his top lip.  As you pulled it away again, he crashed his mouth against yours.

You kissed desperately and hungrily, wrapping your arms around him as he pressed you against the wall.  His hands slid up your thighs and gripped them.  You took the hint and jumped, wrapping your legs around his waist.  He held you up, his lips moving against yours, letting you grind down on his hardening cock.

“Clint,” you whispered, only barely breaking the kiss, so you were half mumbling into his lips.  “What if someone walks in?”

He pulled back and smirked at you. “Yeah. What if?  That’d be terrible wouldn’t it?”

“Oh, I see,” you teased, pulling his hair so he was looking up into your eyes.  “You like the idea of that, huh?  What are you imagining in your pretty little head?  You hoping someone comes in and joins us?  I bet Tony Stark would be up for that right?”

Clint groaned and carried you so you were in reach of two rings hanging from the high ceiling.  You grabbed them and arched back off him.  Clint took the opportunity to pull down your pants.  You took a step up on Clint’s chest, and wrapped your legs around his neck, letting him bury his face in your cunt.  “Mmm…” you moaned as he swirled his tongue around your folds.  “Given all the sex Stark has, you think he might swing in a few different directions?  Maybe if he walks in on us, me and him could go to town on you.  Would you like that?”

Clint groaned and sucked sloppily on your folds.  “Or maybe you’re rather it be Natasha, huh?” You hummed, rolling your hips so you were grinding your pussy on his face.  “You two used to have a thing right?  You think she might like fooling around with me a little?  We’d let you watch.”

Clint’s fingers dug into your thigh and he moaned as he pressed his lips around your clit.  It sent a soft vibration through you, making your skin prickle.  You hummed and dug your heels into his back, pulling him tighter to you.  “Or is that what you’re hoping?  Maybe one of your other friends just walks in and watches?  That Winter Soldier guy just stands in the shadows and jerks off while we’re fucking.  How does that sound to you, Clint?”

He groaned again, this time thrusting two fingers inside you and fucking you hard with them.  You gasped and jerked your hips, gripping the rings tightly so as not to fall.  Your fluids began to run from you, and he drank them up greedily, his tongue lapping from your entrance to your clit and back again.  “Or are you hoping to get busted by Steve?  How shocked would Cap be if he caught you?  I bet you’d be in big trouble, huh?”

That seemed to trigger something, he let you down and when you let go of the rings he turned you and shoved you up against the pommel horse.  “Oh my god, Clint,” you hummed as you braced yourself.  “That was it, wasn’t it?  You want Cap to get you in trouble.”

“Maybe it’s any of those things,” Clint teased and pushed down his pants, letting his cock spring free.

“Mmm, maybe it is,” you hummed as he tapped the head of his cock against your clit.  “My dirty bird.”

He chuckled and lined himself up, thrusting deep into you.  You groaned, letting him push you forward so your face was pressed on the coarse fabric of the equipment.  He gripped your hip and without waiting for you to adjust began to pound into you.  You moaned and held on as he fucked you hard.  “Fuck yes, Clint!” You mewled.  “Fuck me hard.”

He spanked your ass and continued to just rail into you.  Your legs trembled as pleasure surged through you. Clint wrapped an arm around your waist and began to rub your clit.  You cried out and bit into your fist.  The sounds of your moans and cries and the slap of your bodies hitting together echoed in the large empty space.  Each snap of his hips sent shockwaves through you and it was all you could do to hold it together.

“You gonna come, sugar?”  Clint teased, pinching your clit.  “I can feel that you’re close.”

“Don’t you want me to wait until Cap walks in, so he can see me come?”  You teased.

“Fuck…” Clint groaned and spanked you again.  It sent a current through you, blossoming out from the sharp heat in your ass cheek.  You moaned and began to bounce back against him.  “So dirty.”

You moaned and reached your hand behind you, your fingers curling into his hair.  He pulled your head back and kissed you hard, his tongue swirling in your mouth.  He never eased up his pace and you moaned desperately into his mouth, scrabbling for purchase so the two of you didn’t just fall to the floor.

He slapped your cunt.  It sent a hard jolt through you and made your core muscles seize up.  You cried out into Clint’s mouth and came hard, clenching around him, your walls milking his cock.  He grunted and with a jerk, he thrust into you and came with a groan.

You hummed, pulsing your cunt around his cock as he spilled inside you.  He slipped out and you both straightened up.  “You’re such a tease,” he chuckled as I pulled up his pants.

“You didn’t know that?”  You teased.  “But no one walked in.”

“I know and it was the middle of the day, and you were so loud,” he said.  “Imagine that.”

You laughed.  “You knew?”

“Like you said, babe,” he said, throwing his arm around your shoulder.  “Tony Stark likes to get frisky.  There’s a ‘sock on the door protocol’.  FRIDAY locks the door anytime anyone is hitting the ‘public sex’ kink.”

You broke down laughing and wrapped your arm around his waist, heading to the showers with him.  “And here I thought you were all a bunch of goody-two-shoes,” you said.  “Maybe being an Avenger won’t be so bad after all.”

// NEXT

[inseongsfoxybae]

Now and forever

Pairing: Boyfriend Yoo Taeyang + Female Reader x Best Friend Hwiyoung

Genre: Angst/Fluff

Warnings: Amnesia, mentions of drunkenness, break up

Words: 6,5k

Requested: Hi sunshine! First of all, congratulations on starting your blog and I can’t wait for what you’re going to write😚 Second, if it’s not a bother, as a fellow Fantasy, can I make a request for Hwiyoung? Like where the reader and Taeyang are dating, but the reader had an accident which caused her Amnesia, and then she starts remembering Hwiyoung? And whatever ending you feel is right you can do it🥰 Hope that wasn’t too much to ask for.. Although if that doesn’t bother you can I be🐣 anon? Thanks💖

Author's message: Dear 🐣 anon, I'm so sorry I took that long to deliver your request, but I want to say that it's finally here and I really enjoyed writing it. Hope you like it and feel free to send in a new request when you want. Thank you 😊❤️

P.S: As english is not my mother language, it may contain misspelled. Plus, sorry if there’s any other mistakes :)

Synopsis: Blurry memories and an old friend entered in your life again and now you have to decide where your heart lives: in an beautiful past or in an uncertain future.

A car accident has changed your life forever. Apparently, it was nothing too serious, but the strong impact on your head made you lost your memory completely and the doctors said it could last forever. Since then, the cute boy who has introduced himself as your boyfriend never left your side and, with your parents not being able to take care of you, he was the one responsible for you.

You tried to drive Taeyang away so many times for the past months, but now you finally starting to trust him and accepting his feelings, even if you’re not sure about your own feelings yet. Of course, he never pressured you about anything on your relationship, he just stayed with you and took care of your fragile being. He talks about your favorite things, shows some pictures and videos of your parents, friends and, of course, you too together, so you can know your beloved ones again little by little. 

After several months struggling to back to your normal life, Taeyang finally succeeds in getting you out of the house. On a pleasant saturday morning, he was helping you to prepare some of your favorite dishes for a picnic while hummed sweetly a song he knows you used to love. After all the food is ready, you packed everything and leave your flat to the park right in front your building.

Taeyang found a nice place near the little lake of the park for you to have your first date after a long time, so you both set everything on the blanket and finally were able to spend some quality time together. Taeyang sat down next to you, your knees touching, but he knew he couldn't get closer than this yet, with you still assimilating your feelings and new life. You talked about that beautiful day while eating - the birds singing on the trees, the calm waters of the lake, the sound of children laughing. A little cherry blossom got stuck on your hair and Taeyang took it off delicately and put it on your small hands, using this chance to intertwine your fingers together. You looked up at thim with curious eyes and he whispered a soft “I love you”. 

At that moment, a flash crossed your mind and you suddenly saw a strange face. Startled, you pulled your hands abruptly and your face got pale, your heart pounding hard on your chest. “Y/N, are you okay?”, Taeyang asked worried. “I-I’m okay… I just… I don’t know…”, you looked nervous all of a sudden and Taeyang thought it was about his confession, feeling a little upset. “Don’t worry, Tae. Something weird just passed through my mind, but I’m okay now”, you tried to comfort him. “Did you remember anything?”. “No, it was just a random optical illusion”. ”Are you sure? Wanna go home now?”, he asked started to packed the rest of the food you left. “No, Tae. Seriously, I’m fine. And you promised to take me to a walk on the beach, remember? I still want to go there”, you said holding his hands again. He gave you a little smile and you got all your things and took his car on your way to the beach.

When you get there, the summer breeze blew in your face and you couldn’t suppress a large smile at the feeling of the warm sand underneath your bare feet. Taeyang stared at you fondly and was caught out of guard when you looked at him, his cheeks blushing hard as you laugh at this cuteness. You then pushed him and stuck out your tongue, starting to run away from him. “Catch me if you can, silly!”, you screamed as he started to run behind you. “If I catch you, will you kiss me?”, he screamed back. “Maybe…”, you answered giggling. It gave him strength and, in a blink of a eye, he caught you, hugging you from behind. You both couldn’t stop laughing when he spun you around before turning your body to face him and cupping your cheeks. Your eyes met and he connected your lips in a slow soft kiss but still able to take your breath away while you melt between his arms. 

As soon as you broke away for air and opened your eyes, another image flashed through your eyes with the same strange guy occupying Taeyang’s place in front of you. You suddenly felt dizzy and your vision blurred, almost falling if your boyfriend’s arms weren’t holding you strong. “Baby, what happened?”, Taeyang asked lifting your head. “Tae, I wanna go home now”, you answered breaking his embrace around you. Once you got in your apartment, you told Taeyang to leave you alone. He knew you needed some space and time to process everything, so he just obliged and went home tough he were too worried. You were not rejecting Taeyang, you were just too scared of what’s going on with your mind. “Who is that guy?”, “Why does he insist on appearing right in front of my eyes when I’m with Tae?”. 

When you finally calmed down, hours later, you realized you didn’t say anything about the kiss to Taeyang and immediately text him. 

Y/N: Hi, Tae. I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I think I still need some time to myself. But, please, don’’t worry. It’s not your fault. Hope you understand TT

He answered back right away.

T: Don’t worry with me, Y/N. Are you fine now?

Y/N: Yes, I’m feeling a little better and going to bed now.

T: Okay. You know you can call me anytime if you need something, right?

Y/N: I know, Tae. Thank you <3 Have a good night!

T: Sleep well, Y/N. See you again tomorrow?

Y/N: Sure. Bye :*

Y/N: P.S: I enjoyed the kiss, so don’t give on me yet, okay? ^.^

T: I definitely won’t ;)

~~~~

As days passing by, your strange visions seemed to be even more frequent and clear, like flashbacks of your life before the accident. Although you tried to disguise the discomfort they caused, Taeyang always noticed something was wrong with you and though he was the problem. “Y/N”, he called you one night when you were walking on the park. “Hm…”, you looked at him. “Won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”, he asked serious. You froze and your mind went blank. “I mean, we’re always together but it seems like you are so far away from me. You’re super affectionate at times, but change completely one minute later… Tell me what’s wrong so I can help you”, he continued. “Please, Y/N”, he insisted when you didn’t speak a word. 

You couldn’t move a single muscle, your heart bit fast, your breath was heavy and you couldn't manage to say a single phrase. All you could that time was crying, sobbing, falling on your knees in a despair your boyfriend couldn't understand. You felt his strong arms embracing you and leaned in on his warm body, your sobbs causing you to shake hard against him. He guided you to sit on a bench and soothed you with small rubs on your back. When you recovered your breath, you managed to whisper a little “I’m sorry” for him. He just kissed your forehead and stayed quiet. Some minutes later, you start to talk again. “I’m having some flashbacks, Tae. Another guy that I don’t know appears on my mind everytime I’m with you and it scares me a lot”. “Why does it scare you?”, Taeyang tried to be strong and stable, but he was scared too. “I don’t even know... I’m just afraid of who he can be or mean to me”. Taeyang tensed around you, but still managed to hold you tighter. “Don’t think about it too much, okay? And I’m always here with you, so don’t worry”, he said trying to comforting you and himself.

Next morning, you were talking to your mom about these visions trying to get some help or advices.

Y/M: What’s he like?

Y/N: He’s a little shorter than Tae, with a long hair and a gummy smile. Do you know someone like this, mom? 

Y/M: Of course I do, Y/N. His name is Kim Hwiyoung and he used to be your best friend when you were kids. But he just disappeared when you graduated on college. 

Y/N: Why did he go away? And why I never saw a picture of him? 

Y/M: No one know why he ran away nor where he lives now. And he never liked to take pictures, that’s right you probably have nothing with him. But maybe Taeyang can help you to find him now. Ask him.

Y/N: Mom, I can’t ask Tae to look for another guy for me.

Y/M: Why not? It’s not like you’re cheating on him. Go and ask him some help.

Y/N: Fine. I’ll try it.

When your boyfriend arrived at your house later that day, you decided to try it out. “Tae, I need you to take me to someone”, you speak in a nervous whisper. “Of course, baby. Who?”, he answered with a sweet smile. “Kim Hwiyoung”, you revealed and Taeyang froze. “Why him?”, he asked with a dark look after a few seconds. “He’s the one on my flashbacks and my mother said he was my best friend but ran away when we graduated. I need to see him now and try to discover why I’ve been having these visions. Do you know where he lives, right?”. Taeyang couldn’t answer, he barely couldn’t breath. He was nervous and lost in thoughts. Why him? Why now?. “Tae, do you know where Hwiyoung lives?”, you insisted catching his attention again. “No, not anymore”, he finally answered. “Does some of the guys know?”. “I don’t know, Y/N. We don’t talk with him in ages”. “Can you ask them? Please…”, you held his cold hands. 

Taeyang reach out for his phone and called someone. After three lost calls, Chani finally answered. “What, hyung?”. “I need you to do me a favor. Now”, Taeyang talked serious. “What favor?”, Chani asked worried. “You know where Hwiyoung lives, right? Send me his address as fast as you can. I’m waiting for your message”, then he ended the call before Chani could speak anything. A couple of minutes later, Chani sent Hwiyoung’s address and added “Hope you won’t do any shit, hyung”. “Don’t worry. It’s for Y/N”, Taeyang simply answered and turned to you. “I got his address. Let’s go there now and back before nightfall”, he grabbed your hand and pulled you to the door. “Wait, Tae! Give me a time to get ready”, you whined. “Don’t worry, Y/N. I’m going with you and nothing bad will happen”, your boyfriend squeezed your hand. “I know, I’m just… nervous”, you whisper. “C'mon. Let’s get this over, huh?”, you nodded and he opened the door. 

About an hour later, you arrived at a small building and got out of the car. “It’s here”, Taeyang said as you left out a nervous “yes”. He held your hand tight and knocked the door. Some seconds passed till a strange guy open it. “Hello, how can I help you?”, he asked a little surprised. “Hi, we’re looking for Kim Hwiyoung. Is he here?”, Taeyang said politely. “He is. What’s your name?”, at his answer you froze and your heart skipped a beat. “Tell him Yoo Taeyang wants to talk, please”, your boyfriend gave a small friendly smile at the guy. “Okay. You can wait at the lobby. I’ll tell him you’re here”. “Thank you”, Taeyang said and both of you entered the building. The room had a minimalist decoration with some instruments and polaroids hanging on the wall, and some soft music resonated through the doors. “It’s a studio”, you whispered to Taeyang. “Yes, he studied music on college and always wanted his own business. I think he got it”, he answered quietly. “Tae, why do you never talk about him?”, you asked suddenly curious. “I thought he was past. But seems he’s still a threat for us…”, Taeyang was cautious with his words. “Threat? What do you mean?”. Before he could answer, the guy appeared once again. “He’s a little busy now and asked what do you want”, he shyly said. “YAH, KIM HWIYOUNG! DO YOU REALLY THINK I’M THE ONE WHO WANTS TO TALK TO YOU? IT’S Y/N, YOU FOOL! Y/N IS HERE!”, Taeyang yelled high enough to any person on that building to hear, making you surprised and even more nervous. 

At the mention of your name, on the other side of the closed studio room, Hwiyoung’s heart raced like he just woke up of a nightmare. He immediately got up of his seat and opened the door wide, only to see you standing in front of him after three years, more beautiful than ever. You both were froze, just staring at each other, hearts beating fast and bodies shaking. “I think it’s better if you have some time alone to talk. I’m waiting for you in the car, Y/N”, Taeyang broke the silence and left the building, the tension and old memories being too much for him to bear. “H-hi…”, you tried to start the conversation, but the shocked Hwiyoung just blinked his eyes still not believing it was really you. “Sunbae, won’t you invite this lady to your room?”, the other guy talked for him. “Huh? Ah, okay… Please, ju-just come in…”, Hwiyoung finally spoke, his low voice making you shiver. 

You entered his studio and sat on a small couch on the corner. “Wanna something to drink, lady?”, the guy asked you. “Oh, no… thank you”, you answered and he left, now only you and a standing Hwiyoung in the room. You were feeling very uncomfortable as he didn’t talk anything. “So…”. “Is it really you, Y/N?”, Hwiyoung interrupted you. “Ye-yes, I guess…”, you tried to look fine with that awkward situation. “I knew you had an accident and lost your memory, but do you remember me?”. “I don’t”, you looked at him nervous. “So, why are you here? I know Taeyang would never bring you here for nothing”, Hwiyoung asked finally sitting down on his chair. “I’m… Well... I don’t know exactly what’s going on with me, but...I-I’ve been having flashbacks with you. I mean, I don’t even remember you or our past, but you insist on appear on my mind everytime I’m with Tae...”, you spoke hastily. “So…?”, Hwiyoung seemed to be lost at your words. “So, I’m here to try to figure out what happened. I mean with us, with our friendship. I think it could be the reason of these flashes”, you stared at him waiting for some answers, but nothing came. “I think I can’t help you with that, Y/N. We don’t have anything in common anymore. I’m glad you’re alive and fine, but you shouldn’t see me anymore. I’m sorry”. 

His words hurt you, more than you can expect from a stranger, but you wouldn’t give up so easily. You took a deep breath and started to talk again after some minutes of heavy silence. “Why are you like this? First, you were my best friend and left me and know you don’t even want to tell me why you acted like this?”, you tried to say calmly, but your shaking voice betrayed you. “Past is past, Y/N. You must move on and not remember me”, Hwiyoung words were sharp, and you could see his fists clenching with anger. “Did you do it? Did you forget me?, you asked looking right into his eyes. He sustained the look for some seconds, still quiet, unable to move a single muscle. “No, I didn’t. I tried it in every ways possible, but I never could forget you”, he simply asked an eternity later, sadness waving through his body as the pain of the old memories washed over him. “So why?”, tears now gathering in your eyes. “There was no more space in your life for me, Y/N”, he tried to hold back his tears too. “Why don’t you tell me what really happened?”, you whispered facing your lap. “Do you mind if you talk somewhere else? I need some fresh air.”, Hwiyoung asked cautiously. “No, since you tell me everything I need to know about our past”, you answered and both of you left the building. 

Taeyang was still waiting for you on the street. As soon as he saw you leaving, he came closer and you smiled shyly at him. “Tae, I’m sorry, but I need some time to talk to Hwiyoung. You can go home, I’ll get a taxi when we’re over”, you said reaching for his hands. “I can’t leave you alone with him, Y/N. Let me go with you or let’s go home now”, Taeyang talked serious. “Tae, please. I really need to do this. Now”, you looked deep in his eyes and he simply nodded, his hands moving to the sides of your head. “Call me if you need, okay?”, he pecked your lips and turned to his car, barely locking eyes with Hwiyoung on the way. 

~~~~

You were in a small cozy café near his studio, the smell of coffee and cakes filling the whole place. “Do you know this place?”, Hwiyoung asked you after ordering two cappuccinos. “No. Is it a important place?”, you asked back. “Yeah, we used to come here after our classes and your official first date with Taeyang was here too. Didn’t he tell you this?", Hwi questioned curious. “Oh, really? He never mentioned this place. I wonder why…”, you looked at Hwiyoung who seemed to be a little awkward. “So… Were you and Taeyang friends too? I mean, before you left?”, you encouraged him to talk. “Actually, not. But he was your boyfriend, so he was always around”, he said with a bothered tone. “You never liked him, right?”, you wondered not exactly waiting for an answer. Hwiyoung kept quiet for a moment, only staring at you not knowing what to say. “You love him and that’s all the matter, Y/N”, he finally said and drank his coffee. 

You both continued your conversation for some hours, Hwiyoung patiently trying to answer all your questions, feeling a little comfortable with you after so many years - he talked about your childhood and teenage, but you still couldn't remember a single thing. 

It was already night when you entered your home only to take a quick shower and plopped down on your bed, immediately falling asleep. When you woke up next morning and walked into the kitchen to make your breakfast, there was a small note on your table: “I had to go home earlier. Call me when you got home. YTY”. Holy shit, Tae! You ran back to your bedroom and reached for your phone - 8 missed calls from your boyfriend. You called him, but he didn’t answer, then you sent a message.

Y/N: I’m so sorry, Tae! I got home late yesterday and just fell asleep. Please, don’t be mad at me TT

Some minutes later, Taeyang answers:

TY: It’s okay, bb. I’m relieved you’re safe. Have free time later? We could have dinner together…

Your heart ached a little with his message, but you had to be sincere.

Y/N: Sorry again, but I already have a commitment tonight x.x

TY: Hwiyoung again?

Y/N: Yes… I like to hear him to talk about our youth and I still have to find out why he left… Are you fine with this?

TY: Not really. But I trust you, so I think it’s okay…

Y/N: Thank you, Tae! Now, focus on your work, I don’t want to bother you.

TY: You don’t bother me at all. And meet me in the park when you come back tonight. I’ll wait for you there. 

Y/N; Okay. See you later :*

~~~~

You did had dinner with Hwiyoung that night and spent hours talking and laughing with him. And Taeyang did waited for you in the park, but you didn’t meet him nor even called him. After two hours waiting, he decided to go home, but as soon as he got up, he saw you getting off a taxi with a drunk Hwiyoung holding onto your shoulders. It broke his heart and he couldn’t stand this view anymore, so he turned around and walked home into the cold night. 

Early in the next morning, you woke up with someone knocking at your door. You were surprised when you opened it and saw Taeyang standing there, his features looking tired and upset. “Tae, what are you doing out there? You have the keys!”, you asked pulling him in. “Am I still free to simply enter your house?”, he answered not looking at you, a dark expression on his face. “What do you mean?”, as soon as you closed your mouth, Hwiyoung appears on your living room, still rubbing sleepness off his eyes, freezing when he sees you two at the door. 

Your boyfriend stared at you and you could read anger in his look. “Tae, I can explain…”, you reached for his hands. “You don’t have to do it. I see you had fun last night. He got drunk and you brought him home. You lay him down on your guest room and went to your own bed. I know that you’d never cheat on me. I told you I trust you, Y/N”, he interrupted you moving out your grip on him. “So…?”, you cautiously asked. “A simple call… was everything I needed yesterday. But you didn’t care… No, you just don’t care anymore”, he said moving his gaze to Hwiyoung, his voice full with pain and bitterness. “I… I think it’s my time to go”, your friend spoke nervously. “Please, have a talk and make up your problems”, he grabbed his jacket and shoes and passed over Taeyang who was still standing next the door. “I‘m sorry”, Hwiyoung whispered as Taeyang only clenched his fists. “Bye, Y/N. Thanks for letting me sleep here”. You just nodded and he left. 

You turned to your boyfriend again, his body trembling with anger. “Tae, let’s sit on the couch and talk, okay?”, you said only above a whisper. He walked with you, but sat on the opposite side of the couch. Taeyang stared at his lap, feeling unable to look at you when he was so angry. “Tae, I’m so sorry for letting you down”, you quietly said, but he didn’t respond. “Tae… Please, talk to me”, you whined trying to make him look at you, but he didn’t move a single muscle. You reached out for his hand to slightly touch it. “Say something”, you whispered as he sighed deeply and let go of your hand. “You don’t love me, right?”, he murmured. 

He finally lift his head and looked at you, his eyes full of pain and sadness. You didn’t know what to say and froze while tears started to form in your eyes.”You don’t know it, do you? Don’t know what you feel for me, don’t know if you love me”, his words were like knives striking your heart. “Tae…”, you tried to talk, but he cut you off. “You don’t try to love me, you don’t even care about my feelings for you”, he yelled the last part. At this point, tears were falling freely down your face, but why couldn’t you say anything to deny his accusations? Why didn’t you know how you feel about him? Why was only Hwiyoung on your mind for the past few weeks? “Tae…”, you called out for him, “I… I think I just need sometime…”, you couldn’t say much more as Taeyang only stared at you. “I like you, I want you to be happy, but I just don’t know what to do now”, you cried out. “I’m sorry, Tae… I’m really sorry”, you couldn’t control your tears anymore and sobbed right in front of him. He just nodded painfully, got up off the couch and left, leaving you alone there with your crying. 

You sank into misery and stayed at home all day, trying to control your suddenly sadness and confused feelings. Hwiyoung called you several times, but you just ignored him till you hear a slow knock at your door. It was him, a worried expression on his face. “Why didn’t you answer my calls and messages, Y/N?”, he asked entering your house. You didn’t respond, just staring at him as tears tried to back to your eyes. Seeing your messy state of mind, he put his hands on your shoulders and whispered a sweet “What happened? Where’s Taeyang?”. At the mention of his name, you cried again, holding onto him to not fall. “Y/N…”, he hugged you back. “It’s over, Hwi… I told him I need sometime, but he just left and I know he won’t come back”, you yelled in pain against his chest. “Why am I like this, Hwi? Why is it so painful?”, you desperately asked. “Because you love him, Y/N. You love him now as much as you loved him before. You just don’t know it yet.”, he calmly answered, running his fingers through your hair. 

You broke the embrace and look at him. “How… how do you know that?”. “Because I was there before and saw how you were perfect together. He could be himself next to you and was able to do anything for you. I can say the same from you. You were always happy when you were together, even in the most difficult times. That’s love, Y/N”, he told you with a painful look. “Why do you always talk about him this way if you don’t even like him?”, you were confused. “Only him, Y/N. Because only him can take you away from me”, Hwiyoung couldn’t look into your eyes anymore. “What?”, your hands were shaking. “I love you, Y/N. Since we were teenagers. I love you. But I always knew your heart would never be mine. And when you found Taeyang, I immediately knew I had lost you forever. That’s right I left you”. 

Hwiyoung’s eyes were glued at his lap, fists clenched, shaky voice. You stared at him in disbelief, mouth opened on a little “o”, teary eyes trying to control themselves as your head spun with the truth. “Why?”, you finally asked after some minutes of a deafening silence. “Look at me and say it, Hwiyoung! Why?”, your whole body trembling. He raised his head and talked “Your heart was his, Y/N. It was and it still is. Don’t you see that?”. Now, his eyes were fixed on yours, like looking into your soul. “I don’t... I can’t”, you didn’t even know what else you were talking. “Don’t you love him anymore?, he asked serious this time. “I don’t know, right? I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, I don’t know who I am anymore!”, you screamed at the top of your lungs as tears fell down your face again. “If you don’t love him, then kiss me!”, he screamed back and you froze. “What?”, you nervously asked. “Kiss me. If you can’t, then you truly love him”, he replied to your shocked being. “Just try it. Only like this, you’ll know if you love him for real”, he assured you. You nodded unconsciously and cautiously came to Hwiyoung, your bodies getting closer, your faces just inches from each other, your eyes closing slightly. But, suddenly, you stopped, you couldn’t do that. You leaned back swiftly and Hwiyoung just nodded already expected it. You stared at the floor. “Hwiyoung, please… Please, leave me alone. This is so much for me”, you now whispered as he placed a little kiss on the top of your head. “I’ll text you later, okay? Call me anytime if you need”, you didn’t move or talk and he left. Once again that day, you were left alone with your own feelings.

~~~~

Two days had passed and you were going to meet Hwiyoung at a restaurant to clarify some things. “I’m sorry for yelling at you that day”, you sincerely say when you met him. “It’s okay. And I’m sorry for telling the truth like that and for asking for a kiss. I shouldn’t have done that”, he apologized. “No, it’s okay. I would have to know that somehow one day, so… And don’t worry about it”, you answered with a lost look. “Y/N”, Hwiyoung called you. “Did Taeyang contact you?”, he asked carefully, your lost look now sad. “No. He didn’t answer my texts or calls. I guess he really doesn’t want me anymore, right?”, you tried to force a smile, but only tears formed in your eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that, but you shouldn't give up yet. Give yourselves some time and I'm sure everything will be fine", Hwiyoung tried to comfort you and you just hummed in response, but your heart was swallowed in pain. 

You both ate quietly and talked a little more about your past, when your phone buzzed - it was Chani calling you. "Hi, Chani!", you answered trying to look happy. "Hey, noonan! Can you come to the address I'm sending you right now?", he replied worried. "I'm with Hwiyoung now. What happened?". Chani sighed on the other side of the call. "That's right he's like this, then…", he mumbled more to himself that for you. "What's wrong, Chani?", you were getting nervous. "Taeyang hyung is drunk and is making a mess on the pub. He's crying and begging for you. Can you come get him or not? I'm losing my patience with him", he answered visibly annoyed. "Oh my God. Okay, I'm coming. Send me the address and wait till I get there", you rushily replied gathering your purse. "What happened?", Hwiyoung asked when he saw your despair. "Taeyang is drunk and needs me right now", your breathless said. "Okay, calm down. I'll take you there", you nodded and you both paid the bill and left the restaurant. 

When you arrived at the pub, Chani had finally controlled Taeyang, who was (almost) sleeping on the counter. You approached him and softly touched his shoulder. "Tae, let's go home, huh? It's late and you need to rest", you whispered. "I'm not going anywhere without my girl", he messily murmured as tears were forming in the corner of your eyes. "Tae, it's me. Y/N. I'm your girl", you replied trying to hold back your crying. Taeyang opened his eyes and raised his heard when heard your name. "Y/N? Why are you here? You don't want me anymore. Leave!", he was almost screaming but his eyes were full of despair and tears. "I'm here to take you home, Tae. Please, let me take care of you tonight, huh?", you insisted, your tears starting to fall. Your boyfriend continued protesting and struggling to stay on his feet, but after some minutes you and Chani could finally support him on your shoulders and dragged him for his car. Meanwhile, Hwiyoung observed everything from a distance, going unnoticed when you left. 

On the way home, Taeyang fell into a heavy sleep and you and Chani could talk. “Why did you left him? It’s not because of Hwiyoung, is it?”, Chani asked looking at you. “Not exactly. I needed sometime to think and understand what I feel for him. Hwiyoung only was there at the wrong time, I think”, you replied looking away from him. “And did you come to any conclusion now?”, he insisted. “Yes”, you simply answered and faced him. He could read the truth in your eyes and understood you. “I’m glad you already know it, ‘cuz I can’t stand him crying on my ears every time saying he loves you and wants you back”, Chani laughed a little. “Did he tell you that?”, you asked curious. “Of course, every single time since you broke up. He came to my place and cried all day long”, he continued. “Why?”, you wonder. “He loves you, noona. He really loves you. And I think you should tell him the same now that you know how you feel”, he looked at you again waiting for an answer, but you were lost in thoughts, your hands shanking and tears slipping through your face. Then, you stayed quiet till you got your home. Chani helped you to take Taeyang to your apartment and lay him on your bed. “Tell him, noona”, it was his last words before he left you alone with a drunk sleepy Taeyang. 

You looked at your worn out boyfriend with guilty eyes, took off his jacket and lay beside him on bed. You snuggled to him and reached out his face with one of your hands, caressing his still wet cheeks and beautiful features. You could feel your heartbeat increased and all the love you’ve felt for him finally showed up, coaxing you to softly kiss his cheek and hold his hand on his chest. “I love you, Tae… I'm sorry for taking so long to realize this”, you whispered. You didn’t know if he heard you or not, but he squeezed your hand a little and let out a small sigh fall from his ips. You smiled a little and got even closer to his body, both of you calm heartbeats lulling you to sleep. 

When Taeyang woke up in the morning, the space beside him on bed was empty, but he still could feel your warmth and your sweet scent on your sheets, pillows and on his shirt. A small note was on the blanket next to him and he read your little message: Meet me at the park tonight. I’ll be waiting for you. On the nightstand beside him, there was another note: I made you breakfast - it’s on the kitchen table. Don’t forget to eat it ^.^. He got up and walked to the kitchen where his favorite food was resting. On top of it, there was one more note: I have to resolve some things now. Hope to see you tonight. 

~~~~

You met Hwiyoung at the park that afternoon, the same place where you had your first flashback. You both walked for a while before you stopped near the little lake. “It was here where I saw you for the first time after the accidente. I mean, on my mind”, you told him and sighed. “And now? Are you feeling something different?”, he asked looking at the water. “No. I just see two friends admiring a lake”, you simply said and he chuckled. “What?”, you asked. “Nothing… What’s the next place you want to take me?”, he inquired. Your next destination was the beach, where you saw him for the second time. “And here? Is something different?”, he wondered. “Yes”, you murmured. “My first kiss with Taeyang after the accident was here, but you appeared on my mind right after it”, you chuckled slightly. “Oh, no. I’m sorry”, he laughed too. 

“Hwiyoung”, you called out for him. “Yeah?”. “I understand everything now. I mean, I still don’t know the reason of those flashbacks, but I know it brought you to me one more time, it gave us a second chance…”, you stopped and he hummed for you to continue. “... but also this time it’s Taeyang. As you said, I love him, I always loved him, and he’s my choice now just like he was then”, you stared at him with hopeful eyes as he stayed quiet. “But there’s a difference now”. He looked at you. “What?”. “Taeyang knows you like me, right? That’s right he doesn’t like you either”, you asked. “Yes, I told him before I left. But where’s the difference?”. “The difference is that I know that now too. And it means you don’t have to leave this time”. “I don’t understand, Y/N”. “We finally know what we feel for each other and it’s time for us to learn how to live with that and move on. We still can be friends now that we understand ourselves and we don’t have to say goodbye anymore. You’re my best friend, Hwi, and I love you. Please, stay”, you were looking deeply into his eyes as you can read a sparkling light shining on them. “I’m staying. I promise”, you both smile with his anwer and hugged to seal up your promise.

~~~~

Later that day, you were back to the park in front of your home, waiting for Taeyang this time. You hadn’t spoken all day and you were not sure if he would show up. Even so, there was you, patiently waiting for your boyfriend to come. One hour has passed. Two hours. And you were still there, already thinking he was mad and didn’t want to see you. You were walking through the park to keep warm when you saw a familiar figure next the lake, looking directly at you. You took some steps in his direction as he did the same in yours. “Tae! I thought you wouldn’t come”, you said when you were close enough from each other. “I wouldn't. But a certain threat told me you were here waiting for hours. And I had to see this beautiful image with my own eyes”, he told you and you both smiled. “I guess we have to thank this great threat, huh?”. “Nah…”, you laughed. “So, why do you bring me here?”, Taeyang asked. “I have something to tell you”, you said -  and it took by surprise how confident you were. “Well, tell me then. I’m all ears”. “Can I hold your hands before I talked?”, your words were careful this time, but he nodded and you could feel his warm hands on your again. 

You took a deep breath and start. “After all this time, I didn’t remember a single thing about my past, Tae, and it somehow scares me. But now, more than ever, I know I have you by my side. And I’m sorry for not realizing it before, but I do now. Yoo Taeyang, my Tae, I love you. I loved you then, I love you now and I’ll love you forever. So, please, I hope you still want me and still love me, ‘cuz I finally realize I can’t live without you anymore”, you told him with teary eyes and heart beating strong against your chest. Taeyang only stared at you for some moments, processing all what you had said, till he tightens his grasp on your hands and brings them to his chest, where his heart was pounding as hard as yours, and opens the brightest smile you’ve even seen. “I love you too, baby. Then, now and forever”, he finally spoke and pulled you closer to kiss you passionately. 

After that, you both went home to cuddle together till sleep in each other’s arms. 

~~~~

Y/N never recovered her memory, but she learned how to live the present without fearing the future. She and Hwiyoung remained friends. And Y/N and Taeyang built their family and stayed together till their last breath. 

[ilguna]

Metanoia - Chapter Ten (f.o)

Summary: you will be crowned victor of the 75th hunger games.

Word Count; 7.5k

Warnings; swearing, murder!

NOTES: i give reader a last name to fit the world.

DOUBLE UPDATE TODAY --> CHAPTER TEN 1/2

–

You would take the fucking birds over the spiders any day. If you could go back in time and be here instead, you would take it. Because while it was genuine torture for Katniss--since she has human emotion--it was nothing to you. You laughed for the first fifteen minutes, until it stopped being funny as soon as they pulled out fabricated screams of your very dead family.

You can’t deny that you weren't impressed, though. The amount of trouble they must have gone through just to get them had to have been a lot. They’re dead, which means that they obviously can’t torture them, so the screams have to be fake. So, they have to go back to the interview they had with your family when you were first in the games, take samples of their voices, and then manipulate it until it sounded about right.

They did a fantastic job making it sound real. You almost had a flashback to all those times you were a dick to your brothers and sisters. However, you can’t verify for your parents. They never screamed, no matter what situation they were in, they took it without any fear.

You tried to tell Katniss that the people she hears screaming are probably just fine, considering the gamemakers are morons and they just gave the entire thing away the second they chose your family. But she either literally couldn’t hear you over the birds, or she just chose to ignore you either way.

You can’t say that you didn’t try, though you didn’t care enough to enforce it in her mind.

After a certain point in time, you got fed up with the birds pelting you, and sitting around next to the wall waiting for the hour to be up, so you wandered. Of course, where you went, the birds followed. But it was better being able to move around and check out the sector to see if it was worth staying in after this. 

Compared to everything else, this section of the arena is definitely harmless. The birds fuck with the mind of those who have human emotion, but that’s about it. There’s no deadly fog or monkeys. There’s no spiders that eat flesh or a wave of water that’ll wipe you out if you can’t swim. It’s basically clean.

Although, it does hurt when the birds propel themselves into your body, beaks first. After a while, you kinda just get used to it, and learn when to swing the glaive to send the birds flying into the trees. It was fun, until you realized that if you wander too far, the gamemakers might actually try to wipe you out for entertainment.

“Are you okay?” Finnick asks, you swat his hand away.

“You think I give a shit?” you ask, “Those birds mean nothing. The screams are fake, the gamemakers were stupid enough to use my families.” you look up to the sky of the arena, “Which by the way, if you didn’t know--they’re all fucking dead!”

The look on Finnick’s face is almost priceless. He opens his mouth, but you shake your head at him. They’ve been dead for years, and no amount of apologies will bring them back to life. Everyone can say they’re sorry all they want, but you don’t want to hear a single thing out of their mouth concerning the situation unless they’re some sort of necromancer.

“They won’t touch Prim.” Peeta says to Katniss.

“Your fiance’s right, the whole country loves your sister. If they tortured her-–if they did anything to her, forget the districts. There would be riots in the damn Capitol.” Johanna laughs, and then yells; “Hey, how does that sound, Snow? What if we-–what if we set your backyard on fire? You know you can’t put everybody in here.”

You slow clap, snickering to yourself. Johanna and you may not get along, since you two come from very different places, but the two of you are similar than anyone may think. Which is the exact reason why you hate her so fucking much. You don’t want to be compared to her. While she’s loud-mouthed and unafraid to get in trouble, you’d never say some of the shit she does.

Like her stunt during the interview, not a move you would have made. Then again, your entire plan when you volunteered was to be ruthless and win. You didn’t want a target on your head back then, and you don’t really want one now either. However, in order for that not to happen, you’d have to completely ditch your group of allies here.

If anything screams target, it’s sticking around with Beetee, the guy who worked for the Capitol, knows things that he shouldn’t. Johanna, as you said, loud-mouthed and unfearful of sharing her opinions. And Katniss Everdeen, the trouble-stirrer. Plus, god knows what Snow would have against Finnick, Peeta and you.

“What?” she asks, “He can’t hurt me. There’s no one left that I love.”

“Join the club.” you swing the glaive in your hand before slamming it into the ground.

First of all, you’re not entirely surprised that her family has been killed off. When she had come out of her games, she was a big talk for a long while. Johanna played the damsel in distress role very well, which is nearly the same thing that Finnick had done. The only difference, Finnick was just looked over until the last second, while Johanna was purposely acting innocent. 

It doesn’t take a lot for the Capitol citizens to desire a certain tribute. They must have seen the fire, spunk and determination on Johanna. Snow obviously had tried to get her to say yes, but even after he had killed her family, she didn’t give in like the rest of you. 

You’ve known a couple of people that have been included in the Capitol’s antics, actually. Cashmere, Gloss, Enobaria, you. You know for a fact that Finnick was included, and you bet he said no at first too, so he’s missing a few fingers. There’s Johanna, maybe Blight but you don’t have a clue on that. A few of the other tributes that have been in here probably too.

Katniss and Peeta would be on that list, if it weren’t for them being together and the nation wanting them to be. There’s a great deal of people that want them to be married and have children and be the holy grail of perfect couples. While on the other hand, there’s a few that would desire Katniss, you’re not sure about Peeta. He’s kinda… brainless.

Anyway, Snow wouldn’t take a chance like breaking up the most loved couple at the moment to try and sell one--or maybe both!--into prostitution. He’s smarter than that.

Johanna walks off, you’re not entirely sure why, and you don’t care very much either.

“You weren’t affected at all?” Finnick asks when he can’t stand the silence. Or he’s curious over why Katniss had lost her mind and you stood like a soldier in a storm.

“Finnick, I stopped giving a shit a long time ago,” you say, “There’s two exact things that I care about anymore. One, my big cozy house in District Two. And two, my pride and joy, Tanith.” you grab a hold of the necklace, showing it off for a moment, “And before you ask, no she isn’t my daughter. She’s just one of two of my victors.”

Zavian can go fuck himself, is what you’re subtly implying. You wonder if he’s caught on to that.

“Sure, they tried to get a rise out of me using Tanith’s screams, but I wasn’t going to fall for it. I already saw what happened to numb nuts--” you motion to Katniss, “--and decided to just… not care. I’m not exactly an emotional person, if you haven’t caught on just yet.”

Peeta clearly didn’t like the nickname that you handed off to Katniss. To this, you give him a very specific look as you pass him. Almost a sneer, because you still are very much above him.

“Kids.” you mutter.

This is enough to set him off, “Seriously, what is wrong with you?”

“Peeta…” Finnick warns.

You crouch down near him and Katniss, “You know how animals get a little antsy when their prey is in front of them?” he looks like he pales, “We’re not friends, Peeta. In fact, I completely loathe you and I’ve been waiting for a moment to pounce on you and everyone else here.

“The second that this alliance fails, I’m going after you guys first. Not Johanna, or Beetee, or Brutus. You and your little girlfriend.”

“That just means that you’re afraid of what we’re capable of.”

You laugh in his face, before moving closer, whispering; “No, I just know things that you don’t.” you stand again, “I’m heading to the beach, don’t feel forced to follow anytime soon.”

You take a completely new path to the beach, making sure to cover your tracks the best you can. Last thing you want is Finnick chasing after you, thinking that you’re upset or whatever. That isn’t the case in the slightest, you’re mostly walking away so you don’t end up killing them.

Katniss is in the most vulnerable state she’s been in yet. A quick stab through her chest, and then a swing of the glaive up to Peeta’s throat--and you’ve knocked them both out of the game already. You bet Finnick wouldn’t necessarily try to kill you, but he’d definitely disarm you in some way.

Pull the pocket knife out of your boot, three people are dead. Beetee can’t run that fast, four people. It would just be you and Johanna, and she’d probably go running back to the rest of you, since that’s a lot of cannons. You’d take her out too, and then there would be only three people left inside of the games.

You, Brutus, and Chaff--as Peeta said. Chaff doesn’t have any important skills, he’d die in the wilderness. With your luck, all you’d have to do is camp the cornucopia, hidden inside, and when he would come to armor up some more--because he would--you’d take him out too. Just like that, you’d be the winner of the Quarter Quell.

Of course, this is all easier said than done. Trying to kill four people in one big burst would be an absolute pain in the ass. You’d have to pick a perfect time to do it. Like Katniss freaking out over whoever it was, and Peeta tending over her. 

Actually, instead of killing Finnick third, you think you would go for Beetee instead, and Finnick would come after. It just makes more sense that way. 

The beach is empty, there’s no one around the ring--and as far as you can see--in the treeline either. Brutus would be smart enough to stay in the jungle, and not make a run for the cornucopia just in case the rest of you are out here. He’s outnumbered considerably. He might be able to mow down a few people at first, but eventually he’ll get taken down.

You take a seat next to the tree that you guys were gathered around before the jabberjays had rudely interrupted. You run your hands over your arms, noticing that the scabs are basically gone already. It’s good news, it means that the ointment that you were given works at an accelerated pace--even more so than the cream for the cut on the back of your head.

Applying it again, you skip your legs. It’s only the upper half of your body that’s exposed anymore, and it’s because you passed on putting the shirt on. It was because of how hot it is in here. Plus, the thing is basically ruined anyway, the spiders had chewed holes in it to get through.

Hell, you bet that it’s still where you left it last.

You can’t wait until all of this is over.

--

“Who’s Annie?” Katniss asks, you raise your head from where it was resting against a tree, looking to where everyone is sitting.

Johanna is next to Katniss, Finnick is sitting in the water, and Beetee and Peeta are nearby. 

“Annie Cresta, the girl that Mags volunteered for. She won like four years--five years ago.” Johanna says.

You lay your head back down against the tree, but don’t bother closing your eyes again, instead you stare right ahead at Finnick. You’d call him insane for sitting in freezing water like that, but he comes from the ocean district. No water can really bother him that badly.

You wonder what brought Katniss’ question on. She might have overheard you when you asked Finnick that question. About what would happen to Annie if you and Finnick are soulmates. If he’d just willingly leave her like that, after he found your dislikable personality, charming somehow.

“Is she the one that went a little…” Katniss doesn’t want to say it.

Johanna hums, pauses, and then says; “Love is weird.”

Unfortunately, it is.

“I have a plan.” Beetee says.

“Finnick!” Johanna gets up.

“I have a plan.” Beetee repeats.

Finnick and Johanna come back over, arms resting on the tree branch. You don’t move from where you’re sitting, which is definitely out of the circle that they’re standing and sitting in. You’re exhausted, you need some real sleep and not some power naps every couple of hours.

“Where does Brutus feel safest? The jungle?” Beetee asks.

“Jungles a nightmare.” Johanna says.

“Probably here on the beach.” Peeta answers.

“Then why is he not here?” Beetee asks.

“Because we are. We claimed it.” Johanna spits.

You can’t believe that they’re really worrying over one person. As you’ve said to yourself over and over, Brutus is harmless if you’re all careful. Yes, he will come back to hunt, but he’s going to need supplies out of the cornucopia first. Once he gets that shit, he’ll be coming after you guys.

“And if we left, he would come?” Beetee asks again.

You hate his ‘twenty questions’ game. If you have a plan, just say it and not beat around the bush.

“Or stay hidden in the treeline.” Finnick says.

“Which in just over four hours will be soaked with water from the ten o’clock wave.” he smiles, “Then what happens at midnight?”

“Lightning strikes that tree.” Katniss points.

“Here’s what I propose,” Beetee starts, “We leave the beach at dusk. We head to the lightning tree, that should draw them back to the beach. Prior to midnight, we then run this wire–” he motions to it, and then goes to pointing, “–from the tree, to the water. Anyone in the water, or the damp sand, will be electrocuted.’

The two morons sitting in the sand feel it between their fingers as if they don’t know what damp sand feels like by now. You clench your teeth and close your eyes, leaning your head back.

Maybe you should just stay here and quit following them around.

“How do we know that the wire’s not going to burn up?” Johanna asks.

“Because I invented it.” he says, “I assure you, it won’t burn up.”

Johanna and Finnick share a look, and you can practically hear the conversation. Asking if it’s worth it, the other says it won’t. There’s really nothing left to lose, so you all might as well do it.

And then, Finnick looks at you, “What’re you thinking, (Y/n)?”

“Is there a look on my face?” you ask, raising your eyebrows.

Finnick cracks a smile, “I’m asking because you know these tricks best.”

Sighing, you lean forward, “Not that you actually care, you’re going to go through whatever you feel like is best. But if you want my opinion, Brutus is one man. We can take him on, it’s not like he’s impossible to kill. The fact that you’re going through will all of this though--” you motion between the sand and the coil of wire, “--is stupid.”

“But if you were with him, would you come after us?” Katniss asks.

“Without a doubt. However, he’s by himself, he’s smarter than you guys take him for, he’s gonna wait till we split up or something. Also, since he’s the last hope of a career--since I am very clearly tainted by your ideals--he’s pampered. The motherfucker will have everything that he could wish for.”

Johanna laughs, “Well, Beetee’s plan is better than hunting him down.”

You roll your eyes, laying back against the tree again. You don’t know why you bother.

What’s even more annoying, is that you’re considering helping Brutus come after these pretentious dicks. And now that you know their plan, it makes it even better. You and Brutus would be able to avoid the beach for a while, and if it does get electrocuted, the sand will likely be partially glass anyway.

And since you know the jungle better than Brutus does at this point, he’ll owe you more than he’ll like it.

“Yeah, why not? If it fails, no harm done anyway.” Katniss says.

Peeta nods, “Alright, I say we try it.”

“So what can we do to help?” Finnick asks.

Beetee pauses for a moment before answering, “Keep me alive for the next six hours? That would be extremely helpful.”

Beetee goes ahead and lists everything that he’ll be doing. For a while, you’re able to sit through his speech, until you develop a headache. Only then do you go ahead with getting up and wandering to the cornucopia just to get away from everyone. If you do decide to sneak off, it’ll be easier to do when there’s a structure blocking their view.

You’ve got hours to burn before you have to leave the beach and go to the trees.

It isn’t until you’re pretty far along the rocks when you realize that you’re not alone. In fact, there’s quite a lot of splashing happening in the water. Instinctively, you move closer to the other side of the rock, not really wanting to look and see if there’s a fucking mutt that also lives inside of the water. On top of the fact that the gamemakers can spin you dizzy if they feel like it.

“Smart.”

“Holy fuck, Finnick.” you stop, raising your face to the sky, “Do you ever give people personal space?”

“Remember what happened the last time we were in the middle?”

You look at Finnick now, “As you guys said, he’s probably staying hidden in the trees! Won’t come out until we’re fuckin’ gone, so what’s the harm in wandering around?”

Finnick comes up to the rocks, crossing his arms and pulling himself with them, “Was that rhetorical or do you really want to know.”

You crouch down, “What are you here for?”

“Keeping an eye on you.”

“Afraid I’ll run?”

“After that homicidal look you had on your face listening to Beetee, yeah.”

You offer your hand to him, and he takes it, so you pull him up, “Beetee not only had an annoying voice, but doesn’t know when to shut up.” you look at where he’s sitting with Johanna, “She’s probably wanting to kill him too.”

You don’t wait for Finnick to pull himself up. The cornucopia is empty, there’s no one here but you and Finnick.

You wish that there weren’t cameras everywhere. You wish that you’d be able to have a full conversation with Finnick, cutting out all the secret words. You want to ask him what happened if this plan of his actually comes true. Who’s bringing them out of here? And when?

You have a vague idea, Beetee said that you guys should keep him alive for the ‘next six hours’, and not anything past that. That’s significant, right? Maybe it will happen tonight, after all.

“What’s on your mind?” Finnick takes a seat on the box while you six in the black sand.

“Six hours to keep him alive is very specific, don’t you think?” you ask, hoping that he catches on, “Do you think he has any big plans after that?”

“He might, after midnight. Just depends if it all goes according to plan.”

Something might happen after midnight--doesn’t make sense to you, “Well, Chaff is dead already,” the cannon went off an hour ago, it can’t be Brutus, you just know it, “And if we do kill Brutus, that just leaves us.”

“Yes it does.” Finnick says.

“Which means that I should branch off while I can.” you squint, waiting for him to object.

“We’d just have to go after you next, since you have a vendetta against Peeta and Katniss, after all.” 

“So I should stick around?”

“We might surprise you.” Finnick smiles.

You stand again, heading over to the water, facing it, “Yeah? And what happens if they shoot first?”

“Come on, (Y/n). You’re telling me that you won’t be anticipating it the entire time?”

He’s amused, which annoys you. All of this is such a walk in the park for him, and he can clearly tell that none of this is as easy for you. You don’t know if you can put your trust in their hands, considering that they know your motives. If you let your guard down for even a little bit, they’d be able to take you out.

Finnick is always so smug when it comes to things. Whoever is really behind this, he must believe in them a lot. They have to be really good at whatever they’re planning to do if this is the way to go.

“I will.” you admit, “If Katniss even twitches, I’ll wipe out that boy of hers.” you slam the glaive into the rock, smiling a little bit, “And while she’s grieving, I’ll take her next.”

“You fantasize about death a lot?”

“For them, yes.” you look over your shoulder, “Could you imagine the shock on the Capitol citizen’s faces when I take out the girl on fire and her useless boyfriend? They’d loathe me.”

“You’d get yourself in trouble.”

“I’m already in trouble. I had tons of people betting on me, and I’ve wasted their precious money.”

He snorts, “They’ll have more to waste next year, too.”

If there is a next year.

“When do we head back to the others?” you ask.

“Is the sun hitting the trees yet?” Finnick is behind you, and just before you’re able to slip out of his fingers, he places his hands on your waist and leans forward, “Looks like we’ve still got some time.”

“Annie Cresta is sobbing in her psychotic rocking chair.” you elbow him to get him off, and he obliges, “What made you like her, anyway?”

“What made you like me?”

You laugh, “Ha! You think I give a shit about you!” you then deadpan, staring at him, “Sweetheart, I could drown you in these waters and come up victorious. You haven’t grown on me as much as you think you have.”

“You’re tolerating me more, whether you want to admit that or not.”

“Tolerating is a hell of a difference. Ticking time bomb--what was that song that Wiress was singing before she was subtly murdered by my admirer?” you mock a smile.

Finnick looks interested, “Admirer? Gloss admired you?”

“If you win these games, make sure they play back the tapes of every single time Gloss and I ran across each other. Watch his eyes, especially. And the interview, too, because he had the blessing of holding my hand for a minute while we played rebellion on live tv.”

He’s quiet for a moment, and then he laughs to himself, “(Y/n), you could have anyone you want, and yet you choose to be all by yourself.”

“What? Johanna and Beetee have a crush on me now? On top of you, and Gloss, and probably Brutus too.” 

“Who said I’m on that list?” Finnick asks.

You hold up your finger, before moving behind him, placing your hands on his sides, leaning into his body as close as you can manage. He’s wet from being in the water, but the effect works.

“Go fuck yourself.”

You shove him in after that, watching as he flails, and then hits the water. 

You pick up your glaive from the rocks as you move back to the cornucopia. It’s a couple of seconds before Finnick gets himself out of the water again. You don’t say a word to him, pulling out food from the boxes and chewing on it as you continue to dig through the shit.

“You don’t need to ask my permission to go to the others.” you tell him, “I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, but I’m going to sit here anyway.”

Not like he has much to do in the first place.

“Do you really think I would leave Annie for you?”

“No, and I don’t want you to either. The girl is nutty enough as it is, she’d just think that the next person she comes across that shows an interest will end up leaving her if they find their soulmate too.”

“You’d stay with someone even if they weren’t?”

You look up, “I don’t date.”

“Hypothetically, then.”

Sighing, you go back to what you were doing, “It’s not really hypothetical with me. The guy did fucking leave me because he found his soulmate when I was in the games. The motherfucker started dating her before I’d even come home. I wore his stupid trinket necklace into the games and everything.

“I was a teenager--whatever. But we had been together for years, so I would expect some hesitance, and maybe even remorse.” you look at Finnick, “If I were you, I wouldn’t even be considering leaving Annie. It would be a downgrade, because I don’t care about you, and she does.

“And before you say that ‘time would change that’, you’d be changing me, the person I am. I’m developed, I’m not changing anything. You choose someone who would love you forever, or someone who would loathe every detail about you.” you stop now, “If you saw a golden apple and a rotten apple in front of you, which would you pick? I know I would pick the golden one.”

“I am the golden one--”

“And I’m the rotten one for you.” you say, “And honestly, even if you do pick me, I don’t pick you. My opinion hasn’t changed since the tribute parade, you’re as unlikable as all the other rejects on the beach. The only people that have ever liked you are one of the three things, dead, crazy, or horny. And I’m not any of those.”

“No,” Finnick instantly disagrees, “You’re crazy.”

“Not for you.”

Finnick laughs, and doesn’t say anything more. 

You pop open another box, and lo and behold sits your sai’s. You laugh, pulling them out and turning them over in your hands. They’re shiny, new as the day as they were made.

“Look at these!” the excitement bubbles out of you, “I knew that they were here somewhere. They wouldn’t have the weapons for everyone but me.”

“Aren’t those used for disarming people, though? Not really for killing?”

You look up at Finnick, “That’s the best part. The bluntness makes it hurt.”

Getting to your feet, you spin them in your hands, and then aim them towards Finnick. You give him a pretty big smile, and he knows what you want. He picks up his trident, pointing it at your chest.

“What happens if I accidentally stab you?” Finnick asks.

“Don’t flatter yourself, you won’t even get close.” you swing first.

The bar to the trident gets stuck in the sai, and with one healthy twist, you’ve already disarmed Finnick in three moves. You grab the trident before it hits the rock, and then you hand it back to Finnick.

“That was quick.” Finnick raises his eyebrows, “What else do you know?”

“How to shoot a bow, wield a number of swords that are different variations of the same model. I know how to use the trident you’re holding, and anything close to a spear--what else?” you look into the cornucopia, “Probably the whip, the mace--with and without the chain too. The axes that Johanna has, I’d be able to use that too, but it’s a little heavy for my liking.”

When you look at Finnick, he clearly doesn’t know what to think, “Are you lying to me?”

“No.”

“What can’t you do?” 

“Swim well, and probably fish either. District Two is a barren wasteland.” you belt at least one of the sai’s before picking the glaive up, “Sun’s hit the trees, it’s about time we head back.”

You take the lead while Finnick lags for a moment.

The walk back is filled with questions, and more banter back and forth. By the time you get to the beach, the others are ready to go. Everyone packs up their shit--not that there’s much in the first place--and then you all head into the jungle, one by one.

Finnick, Beetee, Peeta, Katniss, Johanna, and then you. Johanna and you had a power struggle for a moment, until Finnick said that you probably should be kept away from Katniss and Peeta since you’re more dangerous than you let on. Johanna laughed in your face, but didn’t argue.

You guess that he isn’t wrong. You could take any of their weapons and thrive. One of the perks of being a games-trained tribute, rather than an unsuspecting child. You were taught to be able to use anything, which doesn’t mean that you don’t have preferences when it comes to certain things, of course.

You’d prefer an sai because it’s able to disarm people pretty quickly. It’s unrealistic in a deadly fight though, so you’d always go for something more simple as a sword. You would have picked that instead, if it weren’t for the fact that swords are basic, and have average reach. A glaive, a spear, or a trident is a complete different story.

Throwing a glaive is going to be easier than throwing a sword. They’re built different, swords are meant to slice through the air to move quicker. While the glaive, spear, or trident are specifically designed to be able to be thrown without fucking it up. If you threw a sword, with the handle and the blade that it has, it would spin through the air. While the others specifically have a pole made for throwing.

Also, the tip of the spear is meant to guide the rest of the weapon. It’s heavy in that one spot mostly, as the rest of it is light material--or it’s supposed to be, at least. It’s going to be a lot harder to throw one thing straight than the other.

As the sun gets lower, the jungle gets darker. The heat might be less, but that doesn’t stop the humidity. You’re sweating out all the water you drank before this hike. The entire thing is uphill, and it’s pretty steep too. You can feel the burn in your calves from it.

Capitol music interrupts the silence. But while the others stop, you don’t bother. You can see their faces and their districts in your mind already. Cashmere and Gloss from District One, Cashmere being your kill, Gloss being Katniss. Wiress since Gloss has killed her before going down seconds later.

Mags because she died due to the poisonous fog in a noble sacrifice for Peeta. The girl from five, she drowned in the tidal wave that hit at ten this morning. Next is the female morphling that died for Peeta during the mutt attack, which was just an hour after Mags had died.

Blight, Johanna’s district mate because he ran head-first into the forcefield wall or whatever when he was blinded by the blood rain. The guy from ten died from an unknown mutt attack, which would later be the same fate for Chaff.

It’s you and Brutus, Beetee, Finnick, Johanna, and Katniss and Peeta left in here. Brutus is the odd man out, while the rest of you are in a supposed alliance. By now, in any other regular games, the tributes would be at each other’s throats already. If you all were careers--which, two of you are in this case--it would be even worse. 

People would be picked off in their sleep, there would be no time to sort a plan out. Let everyone run in different directions and go from there. If you come across each other, it’s a fight to the death. Unless they’re making mini allies after that. 

“Eager?” Finnick asks as soon as you get up to him.

“If I stop walking now, then I’m not going to get back up.” you tell him, “Plus I know everyone that’s died already, and you know the exact amount too. Take a look at your arm.”

“You won’t take a moment to honor them?”

“I had planned to kill half of them, so no, I really won’t.” you then pause for a second, looking at Finnick, “May Mags have peace, though.” 

Finnick cracks a smile, “You’re soft.”

You scowl at Finnick, before going back to the hill. Finnick keeps at your pace, and in no time, you’re reached the tree. Beetee passes you guys up.

“Minimal charring, impressive conductor… let’s get started.” Beetee says, heading over to the tree.

As everyone else follows him over, you decide to stay watch instead. Finnick doesn’t move either, probably deciding that it’ll be best to stick by your sick.

“Lost puppy.” you mutter.

Beetee gets the wire going around the tree, and since it’s made up of a bunch of small trees, Beetee focuses on those and not the one main part. It takes a while before he finally gets a rhythm down, he goes much faster after that.

And since he’s Beetee, he’s also blabbing his mouth while he does it, “Typically, a lightning strike contains five billion volts of energy.”

“Fascinating.” Finnick snickers, and you look over to give him a look of amusement.

“We don’t want to be anywhere in the vicinity when this hits.”

Beetee finishes up with the wire, and then he begins off in the direction that you guys came from, holding it out to Katniss, “You girls go together now, take this. Unspool it carefully, make sure the entire coil is in the water, you understand? Then head to the tree at the two o’clock center, we’ll meet you there.”

Katniss looks between Beetee and Johanna, like she doesn’t know what to think of this. Too bad for her, you’re not entirely sure either. You have no clue what the hell is going on, but from the look on Finnick’s face, he wants you to play along.

“I’m going to go with them as a guard.” Peeta says.

You laugh, “As if you’d be much help.”

“No, you’re staying here to protect me.” Beetee then adds, “And the tree.”

“No, I need to go with her.” Peeta says in a mock authoritative tone. 

“Brutus is the size of two careers, I need two guards.”

“Finnick and (Y/n) can protect you just fine.” Peeta tries.

“Last time I checked, you’re not a girl,” you lean on the glaive.

“Yeah, why can’t Finnick and (Y/n) protect you, and Peeta, Johanna and I take the coil?”

“You all agreed to keep me alive until midnight, correct?” Beetee comes closer, glasses halfway down his nose.

“It’s his plan, we all agreed to it,” Johanna says.

Finnick chimes in too, “Is there a problem, here?”

“Excellent question.” Beetee waits for an objection.

There is none, “No, there’s no problem.”

Katniss goes to say goodbye to Peeta, and you give a look to Johanna, “I’m not holding the wire.”

“I don’t plan on it either.” Johanna says.

Johanna gives Katniss another second before telling him to pick up the pace. After that, the three of you leave to go down the hill to the sand. As you go down the way you came, you realize that Johanna seems to have an entire path planned out, she’s got a goal.

As much as you hate to say it, you’ve got to follow her lead, especially if you might screw up whatever it is that she has to do. With what Finnick said and all earlier this evening, midnight or after. Six hours has come upon you guys quite quickly, it’s not even thirty minutes or so until the lightning does happen.

You go down the hill first, allowing Johanna and then Katniss go behind you. Johanna seemed to have wanted it this way, and she even encouraged you to be the one that went first. You’d like to be paranoid about it being because she can literally backstab you in this position, but you don’t have the energy for this.

You’d really like to know the point of going all the way up the hill to wrap a wire around a tree only for it to turn out that you’d literally be going back down the hill maybe an hour to a half hour later.

It’s mostly just silence, the most difficult part is going down the rocks. You use the glaive as a walking stick as you carefully lower yourself down onto each rock. With Johanna and Katniss, Johanna takes the bow from her to allow Katniss to get down safely. Also allowing her to focus on the safety of the wire.

Johanna hands the bow back, and then says, “Come on. I want to put as much distance between me and this beach as possible. Frying is not how I want to go.”

You guys walk a couple more steps, until the sound of the wire unspooling stops altogether, and Katniss comes to a halt too. When you turn around to see, the wire is pulled tight, and each time Katniss tugs, it doesn’t move.

“There’s something…” Katniss trails off, leaning forward a little bit.

This isn’t a coincidence, you give a look to Johanna just before the wire snaps, and she nods at you. The moment you look back at the place where the wire had been stuck, Brutus emerges. In the same moment, Johanna grabs the wire from Katniss and hits her over the head with it.

“Keep an eye on him.” Johanna murmurs lowly, and she doesn’t really have to tell you twice.

Whatever Johanna does, it makes Katniss scream. By the time Johanna stands again, there’s blood on her hands, you watch as she reaches for her axe, but you stop her. You grab the sai on your belt and throw it, before shoving Johanna to get her running.

She doesn’t hesitate, and she might even be grateful of the fact that she won’t be fighting Brutus with her two tiny fists.

“Is he following?” Johanna asks.

You pause for a moment, listening, until Brutus comes running at you from the fucking trees. You swing the glaive, allowing him to dodge and get out of the way. You slip under his arm when his attention is then turned to Johanna. After that, you scramble your way up to higher ground.

As you go up, you dig your hand into your boot, searching for the pocketknife. However, you can’t seem to find it at first. You stop, make your way up to the top of the hill first, before pulling the boot off. The knife drops into the leaves, and you pick it up, flicking it open.

After that, you take off running without the shoe. You can feel the rocks and needles poking into your foot with every single step you take. You keep an eye on your right, looking for Brutus’ shiny bald head in the moonlight. And when you’re sure you caught a glimpse of it, you take a couple of steps back.

You catch your breath the best you can, and when you feel the adrenaline run through your body like a shot of energy, you bolt towards the cliff. When you hit the edge, you push off, and pull the knife over your head. Johanna clearly sees you behind him, over him, flying down like an eagle catching its prey.

Then, you sink the knife straight into the back of Brutus’ neck. It doesn’t kill him immediately, but he does fall flat onto his elbows. It’s not over yet, the cannon hasn’t signaled so you pull the knife out and sink it straight into the back of Brutus’ skull.

The cannon goes off, and you dip your head a little bit, sucking in the air between your teeth.

“Shit.”

“Don’t fucking mention it.” you tell her, getting up again, “You should find Katniss, or whatever.”

“Yeah, you’re okay?”

“Are you? I left you alone for a minute.”

“No dents.” she says.

She takes off after that, and you nod a little to yourself. You take the same path that you did the first time, finding your shoe at the top. You yank the sock off, shove your foot into the boot, pick up the glaive and then start towards the tree. You only know you’re heading in the right direction when you can see glimpses through the trees.

You slam into something solid, but you grab onto it before you bounce off. It takes you a second to realize that it’s no tree, it’s Finnick. His eyes are wide and he looks over you.

“Who’s blood--”

“Brutus, he’s dead. Johanna went to look for Katniss.”

“Peeta ran off when the cannon--we need to find Katniss first.”

“What’s the plan?” you ask, stopping Finnick.

“Find who you can and bring them back to the tree.”

This is chaos.

“Okay,” you agree, “Yeah, alright.”

You go to go by yourself, but Finnick pulls you along with him. The two of you run through the trees a little bit as he calls out for Johanna, and Peeta and Katniss. When you guys take a moment to get your heads back, you suggest that they might have just gone back to the lightning tree.

“Yeah--okay.” Finnick says.

“I’m going to look for another minute or so, I’ll be there in a second.” you push him.

“No, come with me.”

“Finnick, if they’re not at the tree, they’re out here.” you pause for a second, “I’m not going to kill anyone, promise. Just go.”

He clearly doesn’t want to agree, but he heads in that direction anyway. And just as you said, you search the ground, in the bushes, leaves and trees. You’re mainly hoping that Peeta is pulling his stupid camoflauge stunt, but you’re not entirely sure how he would have enough time to do that.

Nevertheless, you kick in bushes, and peek into trees that are split open. You sweep your foot between rocks, hoping that you’ll find something squishy, or a groan of complaint, but there really is nothing. 

Another couple of minutes, and then you decide that they have to be back at camp at this rate, right?

“Johanna?” you yell, fed up with this quiet game, because there is no threat anymore, “Peeta?”

Just as there’s rustling in the leaves, an explosion goes off above you. You crouch, covering your head as you meekly look to see what caused it. Your mouth falls open when you see the sky of the arena is black, and the hexagons that hold the arena together, are coming loose.

“What the fuck?” Johanna asks.

“Did you find Peeta?”

“No, Finnick or Katniss?”

“Finnick went back to the tree.” your voice sounds far away.

The hexagons are falling now, the mouth of the arena is now on fire. You can see all the construction that’s behind the making of these places. The tree is so far up the hill, it would take a lot of energy to run all that way again.

Neither you or Johanna move, though, staring at the opening. Then, a familiar black mass appears in the bright blue sky, lowering a claw. All the way down, until it sweeps up Beetee.

You start moving towards the tree, keeping your eyes on the hovercraft, watching as it gets dropped down a second time.

“(Y/n)--!” Johanna starts.

“I’m not staying in here!” you yell back at her, “I’m getting the fuck out of here even if it kills me!”

You struggle going up the ledge of dirt, and then the rocks too as you try not to make them dislodge and tumble. Johanna doesn’t follow you, almost like she knows something and you don’t.

The claw goes down a third time, and some sick feeling in your stomach tells you that it’s the final time. You push yourself the best you can, but you can feel your body giving up already. And just as you make it into the clearing, Finnick is already getting lifted into the air.

The ground shakes with every hexagon that falls. The jungle is on fire, and you can smell the burning wood, giving you a headache. But you don’t move from where you’re standing, watching as the claw is brought in. And just as you anticipate it coming out the fourth time.

The hovercraft flies away.

[alexhogh7137]

Rule The World with Me-

Ivar the Boneless × Reader

Story Summary: Ivar travel's to Kiev to escape his brothers, where he meets you and hopes that you will be his queen.

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Relaxing Day in Kiev

Chapter Summary: You and Ivar spend most of your day in bed. Ubbe and Torvi head back to Kattegat.

Word Count 2,035

Warnings: Fluff, a little bit of angst (not really)

_____________________________________

The sun is shining bright on this day. No clouds are in the sky, just the most beautiful blue to ever be seen. The birds are singing their tunes and the animals are dancing in the trees. You roll over to see your husband laying flat on his back. His arm is above his head and his chest rises and falls so beautifully and calmly.

You smile and ask yourself, how did I get so lucky? You use your hand to move away a piece of hair that has fallen on his face. You move your body to lay on top of his. Once you are comfortable, you squeeze him a little tighter and nuzzle your face in his chest. You feel his arm wrap around your waist and he moans. You smile and place a kiss on his chest, to which he tightens his grip. 

Ivar "Mmm, good morning princess." 

"Nope, we aren't getting up yet."

Ivar chuckles, "Oh we aren't?"

"Uh uh..just wanted to get closer to you."

Ivar squeezes both of his arms around you and nuzzles his hand into yours. "How is this?"

"Mmm much better."

Ivar "okay, kitten. Sleep tight."

…

It is early afternoon by the time you and Ivar wake back up. You probably would've stayed in bed all day if you didn't have to feed two people (you and your child). Ivar uses the chains above the bed to help lift him up in the mornings. He puts on clothing and you do the same. You decide to go with a blue and white dress for this day, you haven't worn it in the longest time. Ivar gets up using his crutch and looks up at his beautiful wife.

Ivar "So perfect." You turn around and smile at your beloved. You never get tired of how much he compliments you, given that your late husband never did.

"Thank you, babe. Do you think Ubbe and Torvi have left already?"

Ivar "No, I don't think so. Kiss?"

You walk up to him, wrap your arms around his neck and lean up to kiss him. He smiles into the kiss and pulls you closer by your waist. 

Ivar "Can I kiss you forever? Hmm?"

You kiss him again, "Yes. I would love to kiss you forever, my love." He kisses you once more and then drags you out of the bedroom doors. You walk out to see Hvitserk, Ubbe, Torvi and Igor sitting around the dining table talking and laughing. It is such a beautiful sight to see your family happy given yesterday's circumstances.

Ivar "Eating without us, are we?"

Hvitserk "Well good morning Ivar, it's almost three." You burst out laughing and lean into Ivar's side.

"Hey, you told us to sleep in! We simply took your advice." You say and take a seat at the head of the table.

Hvitserk "I'm only kidding, little sis."

Ivar "When are you leaving, brother?"

Ubbe "Before night fall. I want to spend some more time with you all before we head back to Kattegat."

Hvitserk "How is Thora?"

Ubbe "She is doing well, brother. Why don't you just come home, and see her?"

Hvitserk "No. No. I must stay here to see the birth of my godchild."

Ivar "You can go home, Hvitserk. We will send news when we think Y/n is close to delivering."

Hvitserk "But I promised Y/n-"

"It's okay, Hvitserk. Go home to your beloved."

Hvitserk grabs your hand and gives it a little squeeze. "I'm not leaving you."

Ivar "Well what about you bringing her here then, huh?"

Hvitserk "That's not a bad idea.."

Torvi "When I get back to Kattegat, I can tell her you wish to see her."

Ubbe "I'll have a few guards be with her on her travels, if you would like."

Hvitserk "Okay, let's do that. Are you sure Ivar?"

Ivar "Of course. I want you to be happy here in Kiev, not sad because you are missing your woman."

Hvitserk "Thank you, brother."

Igor "I can't wait for the day I get married.."

Ubbe "Oh yeah?"

Igor "Yes. You are all happy with your special someone's...I want to be happy too."

"Well we all have been through a lot of heartache to get to where we are today, dear boy. I was with your uncle before I met Ivar, Hvitserk was with a slave before he met Thora, and Ubbe was once married before he was with Torvi. It's not always perfect love the first time around."

Ivar "Y/n is right. You are still young, dear Igor. You will find love one day, but for right now...focus on being a kid. Because once you aren't a kid anymore, you have bigger responsibilities."

Igor "Yes, my king."

Ubbe "I remember when we were kids, brothers."

Hvitserk "Oh no.."

Ivar "So do I, it was horrible.."

Ubbe "Not every memory is horrible, Ivar."

Ivar "No but many are. You aren't a cripple are you, Ubbe...huh?"

Ubbe "No but we have some fun memories!"

Ivar "Like what? Hmm? Tell me..because what I remember is being pitied by everyone, Sigurd being mean to me every chance he got, watching father die before my very eyes and losing mother to that bitch Lagertha.. so tell me Ubbe. What is a good memory?" Hvitserk hung his head down because he knew that Ivar was right. Ivar's childhood was much different than theirs. He couldn't fight like they could, he couldn't do a lot of things that they did. 

Ubbe "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even said anything."

Hvitserk "We might not have good memories as kids but we have these past few days. These will be good memories to look back on. We won a battle together as brothers!" 

Ivar "That is true, Hvitserk. I am glad that you are all here right now. But don't tell me that I had a fun childhood Ubbe, because it was no such thing." Ubbe didn't say another word. You could see the pain in Ivar's eyes. He was probably having horrific flashbacks come into his mind because he was breathing heavily and his eyes were glassy.

"Ivar, look at me. You might have had a rough childhood but look at your life now-"

Ivar "I am going to be a father." 

You smile, "Yes you are. You have also ruled Kattegat, a Christian village and now you are ruling Novgorod with me!"

Ivar "You are right, my love. I am so happy."

Hvitserk smiles, "I have never seen you this happy, brother. And that makes me happy. I love you."

Ivar "You do?"

Hvitserk "Yes, I do Ivar. We have had our rough patches but the gods put me back into your life for a reason and ever since I have been here, I have grown closer to you every single day."

Ivar "I love you too, brother."

_____________________________________

Ubbe and Torvi are preparing to head back to Kattegat. You will be sad to see them leave but you understand why they can't stay any longer. Ivar has been mostly silent for the remainder of Ubbe's time here and it broke your heart. 

"My love, will you talk to me. What is going through your mind right now." You walk up to where he is sitting, and pull his face into your torso, unbraiding his hair.

He sighs, "My childhood. It was terrible, princess."

"From what I heard earlier, I can only imagine how hard that all was for you. And I am sorry."

Ivar "But if none of that would have happened, I probably wouldn't be here with you right now. I wouldn't be in the happiest place in my life."

"Everything does happen for a reason Ivar, good and bad. The gods always make things happen for the greater good."

Ivar "Yes, they do-"

Ubbe "Ivar, Y/n..we are leaving!" You and Ivar walk over to say goodbye to Ubbe and Torvi.

Torvi "It was so nice to meet you, beautiful! Send me news of your baby, will you?"

"Yes, of course! You as well, I can't wait to meet the little guy." Torvi agrees and pulls you into a hug. She has become one of your closest friends during this period of time. You and her talked the days away while your husband's planned the battle. You are going to miss her company.

Ivar "Goodbye Ubbe, thank you for coming to help my wife and I."

Ubbe "You are very welcome. Anytime, I will always be here for you and Y/n. You believe that, yes?"

Ivar "Yes. Safe travels home, brother."

Hvitserk walks over to Ubbe and they give each other big bear hugs.

Hvitserk "See you soon, brother." They bud heads and they walked out the door.

….

Your back started to ache, so you decide to take a bath to calm your senses. Ivar and Hvitserk sit down in the formal room and chat for a bit. 

Hvitserk "It's going to be nice to have Thora here."

Ivar "Yes, I think so too. Y/n will get along with her very well."

Hvitserk "Oh they will love each other!" They both giggle and take a drink of ale. 

Hvitserk "I want to apologize, Ivar."

Ivar looks up at his brother, "What?"

Hvitserk "You heard me. I want to apologize for fighting against you, choosing Bjorn's side..I regret it immensely."

Ivar "I know you do, brother."

Hvitserk "I really do. I was angry and acted on those feelings. I was blind to his schemes and I am so sorry for fighting against you, Ivar."

Ivar "Thank you. I forgive you. I don't want to think about the past anymore, Hvitserk. I just want to focus on the here and now and my future with my family."

Hvitserk "I agree completely. I just had to say it because it was bothering me. I love you, you are my brother and I want to stay in your life."

Ivar "You will. I love you too, dear brother. I am glad that you decided to stay...I would have been sad to see you leave."

Hvitserk "Yeah well, I'm not leaving anytime soon."

Ivar "Good."

_____________________________________

You were on the verge of dozing off in the tub when Ivar came in. 

Ivar "Awe kitten, come on. The water must be cold by now. Let's get you to bed." You reach down to drain the tub before he takes your hand to help you out of the tub. He raps you in clean fur and takes you to bed. You are so relaxed and your muscles feel so good. Once your body hits the warm mattress, you melt into it like butter. Ivar joins you after a few seconds and giggles seeing his wife so sleepy after sleeping most of the day away.

Ivar "So sleepy, huh?"

"Mmm."

Ivar "This baby is sucking the life out of you tonight!"

"Mm I'm just so relaxed from the bath."

Ivar "I am glad. Your back was bothering you earlier, I am pleased to see that the bath helped you."

"Me too, I should start to feel the baby kick very soon!"

Ivar "How exciting!" He grabs your belly, one of his favorite things to do, "I had a vision this morning about our child, my love."

"Yeah?" 

Ivar "mmhmm. It is a boy, and he has your beautiful blue eyes and my smile. He is strong and whole." He watches your smile grow bigger and bigger across your face, "and wanna know the last part of the vision?"

"What is it?"

Ivar "....Hvitserk cried." You started to laugh, making Ivar laugh with you. 

"He definitely will. He already loves it just as much as we do."

Ivar "I know he does. I can't wait to see that vision become our realities."

"It will soon enough, just a few more months, my love."

Ivar "I love you so much," he looks down, "and I love you so much little one." 

"We love you, Ivar." He kisses you and you melt into the kiss. You swear that you fall more and more in love with him everyday. You feel so blessed.

_____________________________________

@hvitserkmarcosource @youbloodymadgenius @ivaraddict @ivarthebonelessvk @ivar-andersen @ivarthebonelesspage @ivarthebloodyking @desiredposion

[pen-masta]

Crush

A one shot with Castel and Joy taking place a few years after Peace and Coffee.

Warnings: alcohol

The crisp afternoon breeze, birds singing, leaves starting to turn were all signs that summer was almost over. It was the last Sunday before school started and boy was Castel excited. Tomorrow he’d finally be starting kindergarten! He’d finally have to go to school just like his big brothers, and to say he was ecstatic was an understatement. Although he was excited for school he was enjoying the time he got to spend with his brothers and parents now.

After a pancake breakfast, a few board games, and lunch at Sonic the family had decided to make a stop at the park before heading back home to finish the day with a movie of Castel’s choice. The park was the best place ever, and the greatest place to go was the jungle jim complete with a loopy slide. Once at the park Castel raced to the climbing toy and jumped up onto the metal platform. He ran to the side with the staircase to the slide, filled with glee at the thought of riding down the twisted plastic. But once he reached the stairs all his excitement was immediately drained.

At the top of the slide he could see two boys and two girls, expect the two boys were blocking the path for one of the girls. He couldn’t hear what was being said, but from the look on the girl’s face he assumed it wasn’t nice; he climbed higher on the steps.

“The slide is for everyone,” the girl with brown curls stated and stomped her foot for emphasis.

 “Well right now everyone is just us three,” the one boy said.

“You’ve already had five turns,” the girl said, “let someone else go.”

“No this is our slide,” the other girl snarled and crossed her arms.

“No it’s not.” The brown haired girl stated again.

“Yes it is now beat it!” The other boy shouted and shoved the brown haired girl back.

With a squeak the girl stumbled back and missed the step sending her tumbling back into Castel. She turned to look at him and he helped her stand back up before turning to the other kids.

“She’s right the slide is for everyone,” he stated. “You can’t just hog it, everyone gets a turn.”

“Oh you aren’t even in this squirt,” the boy barked and shoved him as well. Although Castel was ready for it and didn’t lose his footing; instead he bit his lip and furrowed his brow.

“Fine you want the slide so bad then go down it!” Castel said and gave the boy a hard shove, catching him off guard and sends him back down the slide.

The other boy and girl watched as he went down and landed flat of his back, getting the wind knocked out of him before bursting into tears. The other boy pushed passed Castel and the brown haired girl, screaming for his mother. The other girl stared Castel down for a moment before saying, “You’ll be sorry you did that!” And with that she raced off to follow the boy.

After a long conversation between all the children and the parents, apologizes were exchanged and the three bullies left the park. Castel got a pat on the back from his daddy saying that he did the right thing, standing up for someone else; once everything settled back down Castel turned to the brown haired girl.

“Are you alright?” He asked and she nodded.

“I’m fine, are you?”

“Yes I’m good.”

She nodded again then smiled a little, “Thank you.”

Castel cocked his head a little, “For what?”

“For helping me.”

“Well they weren’t sharing, it wasn’t right.” He said and looked back up at the slide, “I don’t feel like going on the slide no mores.”

The girl looked up at the slide as well, “Me either.”

Castel looked back at her, “Do you like the swings?”

 “Yes,” she smiled.

“Do you want to go play?”

“Sure,” she nodded. “My name is Joy.”

“Mine is Castel,” he smiled.

Rain, not pouring but still…rain. He blinks and watches the windshield wipers fling the droplets off of the glass and into the night. His fingers drum an irregular beat on the steering wheel as he drives down the poorly lit road. He blinks again as the flashback from eighteen years ago fades into the backburners of his mind. He glances at himself in the rearview mirror; he looks so stupid in this bow-tie!

Irritated he rips it from his neck, rolls down the window, and flings it off into the night. So Martha gets mad at him for losing yet another one of those heinous throat chokers, so what did it matter? He lets out a gruff sigh and looks back at his reflection for a moment. He runs his hand through his hair—aggressively dislodging his combed back follicles—until there are curls around his ears and the hair stands up in the back in all directions. He sighs and unbuttons his collar and looks at the road, gripping the steering wheel with ghost white knuckles.  

She’s fine, he repeats over in his head. She’s fine, she’s fine, just get to her and everything will be fine.

As soon as he saw the caller id on his cell he knew something was wrong, very wrong. If it weren’t an emergency she would have called him on the home phone and left a message, she wouldn’t have called his cell. If answering his phone while in the middle of a press conference wasn’t grounds for scolding and harsh blasts in the press the next day, leaving the conference with no explanation most certainly was.

Castel stares at the rain hitting his windshield, he blinks and the world around him comes back into focus just in time for him to slam on the brakes. A light that he’d not been paying attention to had just turned red and he almost ran it. Although he had half a mind to run it anyway, but a ticket in the same night as having a diva moment for all to see and trying to get to your best friend was not something he wanted to experience all at once. Not to mention if he got into an accident he’d never reach her. No, it was better to obey the lights and signs and try not to speed…but he had to get to her fast!

Impatiently he taps his hand on the steering wheel, hoping the evil glare he’s giving the stop light will make it turn green faster. With another sigh he looks back in the mirror and smiles a little at the memories from his childhood.

“Come on Cassie!” Joy whined for the tenth time, “You gotta ask her!”

“Why do I gotta?” Castel grinned from his seat at his desk.

“Because you’ve been pining for this girl since the seventh grade and she’s finally free and single and ready to mingle. Now is your chance man!”

Castel looked at her over his shoulder; Joy was lying upside down on his bed staring at him. “And what if I jump too soon?”

“Oh please Mr. Paranoid,” she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Hey if you come on too strong people tend to get scared of you being desperate,” Castel said and turned back to his thesis paper. “If I’m gonna ask her out I want it to be at the time, in the right place, in the right way.”

“Fineeeee!” Joy said in an exasperated huff, prolonging the end of the word. “But do it quickly before another guy snags her.”

“Look if you were really my friend you’d help me plan how to do this the right way.” He smiled and looked back at her.

“No if I was really your friend I’d stop you from getting in your own way with all your perfectness and planning and lists and meh!” She said and flailed her arms wildly. “Sometimes you can’t plan you just gotta jump.”

He smiled and sighed again, “Well I like plans and lists. They keep me organized, you should try it sometime.” He said gesturing to her book bag which lied zipped shut, stuffed to the max with binders, torn folders, random pencils, chunks of used erasers, crumpled pieces of paper and assignments.

Her eyes grew comically wide and she placed her hand over her heart with a gasp, “Castel! How dare you insult my master piece!”

“Master piece?” He chuckles

“Yes, just like any great artist I have to work through different artistic periods. Some have their blue period, some have their abstract period, well I’m going through my trash art period!” She said and placed her hand to her forehead as if she were going to faint, “I’m so unappreciated! The pain of my tortured soul that I’ve poured into my work is being spat upon by a lowly peasant!”

“Tortured soul?” He laughed, “How are you tortured?”

“You don’t have to live with Tina, Taylor, and Haley.” She said, darkening her eyes.

“Must you be so melodramatic?” He sighed mockingly

“I will be melodramatic for as long as you are paranoid.” She grinned and winked at him.  

“I am not paranoid!” He laughed and shoved her side with his foot

“Prove it and ask Martha out!” She beamed up at him, batting away the offending foot.

“No,” Castel said and his smile faltered a little bit. “I’m trying to shake that horrible nickname and if I’m going to be successful I have to take careful steps when asking her.”

Joy looked at him with a mixture of surprise and sadness, “Nickname? That’s still going on?”

Castel nodded and turned back to his work, signaling that he didn’t want to talk anymore on the subject, but Joy wouldn’t take the hint.

“Who said it to you?” Joy asked and sat up on the bed.

“No one says it to my face, but it’s not like they talk behind my back in whispers.” Castel said solemnly.

Catch Less Cassie had started about sixth grade when he hadn’t received any valentines on Valentine’s Day. It started with some pointing and laughing and what would be categorized as mild joking, and soon from all of this the name Catch Less Cassie evolved; it’s stuck with him from there on. He had hoped that moving up to high school would change all that, but the few people who had come to the same high school with him told their friends, and those friends told their friends, and it didn’t take long for Catch Less Cassie to be back.

The name wasn’t only from being a Valentine’s day zero, that was only how it started, anytime he asked a girl out he was either rejected or laughed at. Once he had heard the nickname through a group of snickers behind him, he was determined to prove them wrong; which begun his quest for a girlfriend. After going through the few girls he was comfortable around, Castel resorted to going through his yearbook; his lack of success caused the nickname to grow and spread faster.

“You just gotta ignore them Cassie, they are just a bunch of jerks.” Joy said and came up next to him.

With a small sigh he nodded, but didn’t look up from his laptop screen. Joy chewed her bottom lip before stating, “Come on let’s prove them wrong! I’ll help you win Martha and then no one will ever have a reason to revive that retched nickname!” She smiled and spun his chair forcing him to look at her.

“I’ve been trying to do that for years Joy,” Castel said deflating a little.

“Yes, but the key is that you’ve been doing it on your own.” She grinned and pointed to herself, “You need a little Joy in your life.”

After a pause he shook his head and chuckled, “A little Joy?”

“Yes,” she nodded, “I’ll give you the girl insider opinion and help Martha become your first GF.”  

Castel looks up at the picture paper clipped to his sun vision. He smiles and remembers when he had taken it on his first anniversary with Martha, they will have been dating for five years this year. They hadn’t started dating right out of the gate when he tried Sophomore year, but they had become friends and soon that friendship had grown into a relationship. But Joy had been right he needed her help, there was no way he would have won Martha on his own. With Joy’s help Catch Less Cassie had finally been put to sleep. Although things with Martha right now, were not doing too well…

The light turns green and Castel’s foot is to the floor again. He needed to make a few more turns before he’d reach the Seven Eleven. Although it was only a few more minutes of driving it felt like an eternity before he’d finally manage to get to her. Though this distance was much better than the distance they had to deal with a few years back.

At age sixteen Castel had started college. His grades and IQ were through the roof and his principal had said it was clear high school was not enough of a challenge for Castel; he could breeze by any course with ease. After a long conversation between Castel, his parents, and his principal they had all come to the agreement to move Castel up to college. Although it was a little frightening to be sixteen and all alone on a very large campus, Castel was ready for it.

“You’re…leaving…?” Joy’s broken voice came from behind him as he packed his suitcase.

“Yes…” he had said folding his Arizona Lions sweatshirt. “I’ll only be a few hours away.”

She nodded and sat next to his suitcase on the bed, “So college? Wow.” She smiled, “Big step, huh?”

“Yeah,” he smiled and sat next to her. “Really big step.”

“I bet your mom is devastated,” she said. “How did you get them to agree to let you go?”

“Well the conversation consisted mostly of my mom yelling and muttering in French and my dad trying to calm her down so the principal could talk.”

They both laughed for a moment before Castel continued, “But in the end we finally reached a compromise. I could go if I wouldn’t go any further than Arizona State University.”

“Why there?”

“It’s only about three hours away so I could come home if I wanted to. And I’ll be really close to Zack so I’m sure I’ll be seeing a lot of him.” Castel rolled his eyes jokingly and smiled softly.

“Right, right.” She nodded and looked down at her hands. “I can’t believe you’re leaving though…”

Castel frowned and looked down as well, “It’s not like I’ll be gone forever.”

“No, but you’ll be gone.”

There was a long pause in the conversation before, “You promise to stay in touch?”

Castel looked up at her and blinked before smiling, “Of course I will.”

“Just because you get really popular with all your new nerdy friends doesn’t mean you can forget your old ones.” Joy smiled up at him, “Try not to be too much of a dork-asourus while you’re there.”

Castel smiled and knocked his shoulder into hers, “I won’t if you promise not to be so melodramatic.”

Joy smiled and mockingly gasped, “I am not melodramatic! How dare you, peasant!”

Castel had graduated with a D. ENG at the age of eighteen, extremely ahead of schedule. A degree that took a normal eight years to receive he earned in a matter of three—as his Dean had said, “it appeared that college was not enough of a challenge for his young intelligent mind”. Although college had gone by fast for Castel, those felt like the longest three years of his life. One year away from his nearly, almost official girlfriend was not nearly as painful as the three years away from his best friend.  And now those three years felt like nothing in comparison to these last few minutes of driving.

Finally, the glowing seven is in his sight and within seconds he’s screeching to a halt in the wet parking lot. He’s out of the car before the door is even flung all the way open, and he runs around the side of the car to see her sitting on the curb. Her head is down staring into a gigantic Slurpee as she stirs its contents with her straw.  He smiles and relaxes a little seeing that she’s alright, she’s safe, she’s…with a young man.

Castel’s senses are back on alert as he eyes the young man sitting next to her. His clothes show that he is an employee of the gas station they are at and he sits with his hands in his lap, watching Joy intently stirring her Slurpee. He’s the first to notice Castel’s presence.

“Who are you?” The young man asks which gets Joy’s attention.

“C-bear!” Joy shouts happily when she looks up at him. “I knew you’d come!”

“Hi Joy,” Castel smiles softly and walks over to her.

“Are you the guy she called?” The young man asks

“Yes,” Castel looks back at him and growls a little. “How long have you—”

“Before you go any further I didn’t do anything I swear,” the young man says holding his hands up in surrender. “Look I got three sisters and I wouldn’t want some sleazy dude using them when they aren’t coherent.”

“He’s telling the truth Cassie,” Joy says tugging on Castel’s pant leg as she slurs his name. “This is my new friend Jeffry!” She smiles brightly and leans more into Castel’s leg.

“I see,” Castel smiles down at his very tipsy friend.

“I saw what happened,” Jeffry says. “I felt bad and there was no one else in the store, so I kept her company.”

“He gave me a Slurpee!” Joy says and nearly flings the Slurpee into the air trying to show Castel.

“Seems that he did,” Castel chuckles. “I appreciate it Jeffry.”  

“I would have called a cab for her, but she insisted that she was fine and could do it herself.”

“She’s just as stubborn when she is drunk as she is when she is sober,” Castel rolls his eyes. “Well thanks again for taking care of her Jeffry I can take it from here.”

Jeffry nods, “See ya Joy nice meeting you.”

“Nice meeting you too Jeffry! Thanks for the stories and the Slurpee!” Joy says emphasizing her thanks by taking a huge sip from her drink, making a very loud slurping sound.

Jeffry smiles and walks back inside leaving Castel and Joy alone.

“Hey tipsy,” Castel says and pokes Joy’s head to get her to look at him. “You ready to go home?”

“Yes,” Joy says followed by a small hiccup.

Castel smiles and slowly helps her to her feet. When they had turned twenty-one they both got drunk together to see what it was like and that was the only time. Neither of them liked the feeling very much and since then neither had been a heavy drinker. Maybe a beer or glass of wine with their dinner, but no more than that.

Castel had found when he was drunk there were holes in his memory and when he woke up the next morning the table in Joy’s apartment was flipped and two of the chairs were broken. Joy said he tried to do a flip off the table but instead just managed to flip the table itself sending him to the floor, landing on his butt. He then ended up breaking both of her chairs trying to do another stupid stunt, once he was sober he was able to watch himself on the camera they had set up to record them earlier that night.

Joy on the other hand became very giggly and bubbly, even more than usual. She also was very wobbly and silly which made it difficult to get her attention, especially when walking. Although it was difficult it was doable, you just had to keep her mind focused on walking.

“Geez Joy what the heck are you doing out here?” Castel asks once they reach his car.

“Well we had stopped here to get some food before the movie and Sophie didn’t want me to throw up in her car, so they said it was better for me to stay here.” Joy says and leans more into Castel using him as her only support.

“They just left you here?” Castel asks as nicely as he can—he never really liked the pack of girls that Joy had befriended when she got the job at the theater. They just seemed like that group of mean girls in high school that never grew out of that mean girl phase. He really hated the fact that Joy trusted them so much; he knew they meant trouble, but Joy always saw the potential good in everyone and wanted to be everyone’s friend.

“Well they didn’t just leave me here,” Joy giggles, “they made sure I had my cell and some money for a cab.”

If she had money for a cab, why did she call me? Castel thinks to himself for a moment before grabbing Joy’s arm and helping her stand up again, seeing that while he was in his thought she had begun to slip slowly to the ground.

“Careful,” he says and helps her stand back up. “Come on I’ll take you home Joy.”

“Home.” Joy repeats before her eyes go as wide as saucers. “I’m missing the movie!”

Castel looks down at his watch seeing that it is one in the morning.

“Yes, you are unfortunately missing the movie.” He looks at her again, “I’m sorry Joy.”

“No!” Joy whines and falls more into Castel slinging her arms around his neck wanting a comforting hug. “I really wanted to see it!”

Castel smiles a little and wraps his arms around her tightly, “It’s ok Joy.”

It was the opening night of the last part of the Vampire Warfare series and Joy had planned to go with her “friends” from the theater to the midnight viewing. The ten book series had been Joy’s addiction since seventh grade and she had seen every movie so far. Castel wasn’t totally into the sappy, predictable, vampire love story, but he had read the first book upon the request of Joy. It wasn’t that bad, but it really wasn’t his interest; not as much as his mystery, and sci-fi novels.

Castel smiles, “I’ll take you tomorrow to see it.”

“But you hate Vampire Warfare,” Joy hiccups and looks up at him.

“It’s not that bad,” Castel shrugs. “Besides I like Teresa Channing, she’s a good actress.”

Castel helps Joy into the car and buckles her in, before getting himself in. He starts the car and turns out of the parking lot.

“Joy you’re not an alcohol addict,” Castel says as he makes a U-turn heading back towards Joy’s apartment. “What happened?”

“Well we were trying to kill some time before the movie.” Joy says.

“So what everyone just decided to drink?”

“No, no it was a game.” Joy shakes her head before holding it, as if holding her head would stop the world from spinning. “Tammy brought some Vodka and suggested we’d play truth or drink.”

“Don’t you mean truth or dare?” Castel smirks a little.

“No C-Bear,” Joy says very seriously and looks at him with wide eyes. “Truth or drink.”

“What is that?”

“Well basically you get asked a question and if you answer it you don’t drink, but if you don’t then you have to drink.”

“So whenever you didn’t want to answer you drank?”

“Yesh…” Joy says slurring the word.

Castel looks back at the road with a quizzical expression. Joy was pretty much an open book; everybody knew just about everything there was to know about her. And if you didn’t Joy was more than happy to share it with you without holding back or concealing anything. What could be so secretive that she would rather drink than tell someone?

“How many questions did you not answer to get this tipsy?” Castel asks as they slow to a red light.

“Just one,” Joy says and exhales on the cold glass of the window causing it to fog with condensation.

“One?” Castel looks at her. Joy was no light weight…

“Yes, but we were on question six which means I had to take six drinks for not answering.” Joy says and gives Castel a very sarcastic look, “Duh Cassie.”

Castel raises his eyebrows, “Six drinks?” She nods, “Joy you nearly told everyone in school when you started wearing a bra and came to me full of excitement when you started your period…what could possible be more personal that those things?”

She looks away from him and fiddles with a loose string on her jacket, “It was very personal.”

“What was the question?” Castel asks as the light turns green.

She’s quiet for a moment before muttering something at the volume of a mouse; if they were not in such close proximity he never would have heard what she said.

“Who did I have a crush on…” Joy mutters in one breath.

Crush? Joy had a crush?…and she wasn’t willing to share it?

“It’s my only deep and dark secret,” Joy pipes and giggles.

Castel smiles a little, he knew Joy had been flirting with one of the new guys at the theater, Teddy, but that was about it. Joy had met a lot of guys as a make-up artist, but the only one she ever flirted with was Teddy…if she had wanted to advance on their relation Castel was sure he’d get the four-one-one before anybody else, or at least he hoped he would. They had been friends since kindergarten, who could possibly be so dark of a crush that she couldn’t tell him?

Maybe she was crushing on a guy with a girlfriend…or maybe married, no Joy didn’t roll like that she always goes for the guys who are “fresh, new, single and ready to mingle” as Joy had said one time. So maybe she liked someone who was older…that was okay, maybe…?

“Someone older?” Castel ventures with a little caution.

“What!?” Joy snorts, “No, way!” She punches his arm, intentions on being playful but in her groggy state her fist travels at a higher velocity making the punch slightly painful.

Castel smiles and resists the urge to rub the pain from his arm. Okay so not older, not so deep and dark…but who?

“Who is it?” Castel asks and turns into the parking lot of the apartments.

“I can’t tell you,” she says sounding a little embarrassed

 “Why not?” He asks shutting off the car.

“Because,” she says. He waits but she doesn’t elaborate.

“Are you going to get trouble for it?” He asks concerned

“No, not at all.” Joy says and tries to find her seatbelt button.

Well…as long as she’s not in trouble I suppose I don’t really have any right to force her. As badly as I want to know, I don’t want to push her.

“Alright,” Castel says and guides Joy’s floundering hand to the button on her seatbelt. “Come on let’s go.”

Joy unhooks her seatbelt and gropes along the door trying to find the handle; Castel gets outs and opens her door before she can find it. She scowls at him and pouts.

“I would have gotten it,” she says pouting deeply.

“I know you would have,” Castel smiles and extends his hand out to her.

She takes his hand and starts to step out of the car, but suddenly stops. She quickly scans him over before meeting his eyes.

“Why are you in a tux?” She asks scrunching her eyebrows together.

“I was at a press conference,” he says not losing his smile.

She pauses for a moment before her eyes grow wide and her mouth falls agape.

“You left to come get me?” She asks, although it sounds more like a statement.

He shrugs then nods, “Yes I did.”

“Cassie,” she says pouting again. “Why would you do that? You’re gonna get hit so hard in the press. You could have just told me you were busy.”

“And leave you on the side of the road, in the rain, at night, alone and very vulnerable?” Castel asks and shakes his head, “No, never.”

“Martha is gonna be so mad at you though,” she says finding the ground very interesting all of a sudden.

“Martha gets mad at me about a lot of things, very easily lately.” He rolls his eyes and shrugs, “Don’t worry about her.”

“But—” she looks up at him to argue but he cuts her off.

“Martha isn’t something I can’t handle. Please, I left out of my own free will. It’s not your fault.” He smiles softly, reassuring her that it will all be okay.

She looks down again before smiling up at him, “Alright Cassie.”

He smiles and helps her out of the car, only to catch her after one unsteady step sends Joy headed down to the pavement. He catches her and steadies her back on her feet, she’s giggling now and her laughter is very contagious.

“Maybe you shouldn’t walk, you are up on the third floor after all.” Castel chuckles and sits her back on the car seat. “Here,” he kneels down in front of her with his back to her. “Climb on, it’ll be easier this way.”

She wraps her arms around his neck and climbs onto his back. Although this is a much easier way to get Joy to her apartment, it does have its challenges. First off since last September the elevator has been out of order, but considering it was only a four story apartment building it wasn’t that big of a deal. The stairs are not the challenge, but getting up them successfully is.

Joy has finally reached the point in her drunken state where she becomes very playful. She keeps blowing in his ears, tugging at his short curls, poking his sides, rocking backwards trying to throw him off balance. Needless to say by the time they actually reach the door Castel is sweating and is utterly exhausted.

“You got your key?” Castel asks with a slight pant.

“Yesh,” she says and dangles a key in front of his face.

“Thanks,” he smiles and takes it.

He goes to put the key in the lock when mischievous, playful fingers wiggle into his sides.

“Joy!” He snorts and shakes a little trying to dislodge her fingers, “Joy! Ha ha– no cut it out!”

“But I wanna plaaaaaay,” Joy says dragging out the end of the word and wriggling her fingers under his arms.

He yelps before dissolving into laughter. He wobbles and squirms, and after several failed attempts he manages to get the key in the lock and throws the door open. Suddenly everything goes dark and a moment of panic grips him before realizing Joy is just covering his eyes.

“Joy,” he laughs. “I need my eyes to see.”

“No you don’t,” she giggles in his ear, “I shall be your eyes. Go straight!”

He laughs and follows her directions to her living room, he knocks his knee into the coffee table a few times, but ignores the brief pain. Sticking his arm out, he gropes along the couch to get an idea of where he is, before turning around and dropping his friend. She falls off his back and lands on the couch in a giggling mess. Castel smiles as he closes the front door and turns on the lights.

“How about some water and a long night’s rest?” Castel suggests sheading his coat and helping Joy out of hers.

“But I want to hang out,” she says pouting profoundly.

“We can hang out later when you sober up a little more,” he says and walks to the kitchen.

In the short time it takes him to get a glass of water and come back, Joy is curled up on the couch. Smiling he sets the glass down and walks over to see her eyes are shut and her breathing is soft and slow. He gets a blanket off of her bed and throws it over her, he pulls the blanket up to her chin and tucks a loose hair behind her ear. He sits down on the love seat next to the couch.

Since they were kids Joy could always tell when Cassie was thinking very loudly and most of the time it seemed like she could read his thoughts. In turn, it became dangerous to have his own private thoughts when Joy could read him like a book. But with Joy asleep he could think as loudly as he pleased.

Gosh she’s beautiful. Drunk and passed out and stinking like alcohol and yet, she is still so beautiful. He thinks staring at Joy and smiling a little.

She turns onto her back and opens her eyes a little, “Cassie?”

Oh shoot did she hear me!? I said that in my head right!? Maybe I didn’t, no no I did. Maybe she read it on my face? No she was asleep…or maybe she wasn’t

“I’m here,” he says and leans over the arm rest of the couch, coming into her line of view.

“Don’t leave,” she says and rubs her eye with the back of her hand.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he smiles. “We can have a sleep over.”

She giggles, “We’re not ten anymore Cassie.”

“So?” He chuckles and sits back on the love seat. “You want that water?”

“Yes please,” Joy says and sits up. Castel hands her the glass and she gulps the whole thing down, “Thanks.” She says handing the glass back.

“No problem,” Castel smiles, then bites his lip—his curiosity still gnawing at him. “So do you feel like sharing who you like?”

Joy looks down before shaking her head no.

“Alright I won’t push,” Castel says.

Maybe it’s one of my friends…oh yeah that’s it Cubs she chose between all two of your friends. He rolls his eyes at himself, Even so…wouldn’t she trust me to not say anything? Maybe it’s not that she doesn’t trust me, maybe she just can’t bring herself to tell me.

“I’m sorry,” Joy says quietly

“For what?” Castel scrunches his eyebrows together.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Joy says. See I can’t think when she’s awake. He mentally curses himself.

“Joy please,” he smiles. “Don’t apologize. Your business is your business alone. I’m not mad or upset or anything, just because we’re best friends doesn’t mean we have to tell everything to each other. I mean there are some things that I don’t feel comfortable telling you. It’s alright.”

She looks up at him and smiles, “Thank you for understanding Cassie.” She almost sounds like her sober self, but the slight glaze in her eyes tells him she is still feeling the buzz. “But maybe some day I’ll tell you.”

“Whenever your ready, I’m not going to rush you.” Castel says and lays down on the love seat. “Get some rest Joy.”

She curls up and pulls the blanket tighter around her body as she closes her eyes.

“Maybe someday I’ll have roped in these crazy feelings I have for you.”

He almost missed it, those few last words that were thrown so quietly and gently into the air. His eyes widen a little and his heart flutters, he sits up to get a better look at her.

“What did you say?” He asks and waits. “Joy?”

She’s out, out for real this time. Her breathing slows down and she’s lightly snoring, she is down for the count leaving him with a mixture of confusion, doubt, and happiness. Could she really have said ‘you’?

An hour later Castel is still awake and Joy is still sound asleep. Castel has gone through a whole list of names in his head, but they didn’t really know anyone named Lou, Chou, or Dew. There’s no way she said ‘you’, she just said a name that sounded like it…although he can’t figure out what that name is he knows she didn’t say ‘you’. Whatever his name is, whoever he is, he is a really lucky man to have Joy crushing on him.

[fanfic-blog]

Junior Takeover

Yup! That’s me. You’re probably NOT wondering how I got here. But I’m gonna tell you anyways. So sit down, shut up, and enjoy the insane story that was the end of my junior year. : *begin flashback*

“JJ. Calm down. I know you’re excited that Chris asked you out, but could you maybe not yell? Remember that we’re in a car. And ,ya know, about to walk into a funeral.”

Nobody expected Brock Smith to go out that way. He was the star quarterback, was dating the head cheerleader, had a perfect 4.0 Gpa, and was bound for Auburn University. We all though he was invincible after he escaped that drunk driving accident last year after prom without a scratch. He shouldn’t have died because a bird attacked him, and plucked his eyes out. The news said he was found by a tent on the shore of Lake Hamilton, having bleed out. Although some people think that it wasn’t a bird; they seem to think that Brock wasn’t alone that night by the lake. If he wasn’t alone and it wasn’t just a crackpot bird attack, then why would someone extract his beautiful hazel orbs? All I can say, is the fanfic writters of Hawkins High School had the time of their lives using his death as a way to kill off characters in their stories.

Everyone in the completely average city of Hot Springs loved Brock Smith, so why only five other people showed up for his funeral, I’m not sure; Patricia and Jared Smith (Brock’s parents), Joe Jones, Angela Williams, and Chris Peterson. Hannah leaned over and whispered as she saw Chris walk in and stand menacingly in the back corner, “Chris didn’t even know Brock, did he? He only moved into town a month ago.” I turn just enough to see him in my peripheral vision, he looks….psychotic? Is that the right word? Hell, I don’t know how to describe the deranged look on his seemingly bloodless face.

When Chris first showed up over spring break, Hannah saw him walking around downtown. Peterson, as everyone calls him, has gauges and wears skinny jeans tighter than that of any of the try-hard girls in this crummy stuck-up school. He stands at six feet even with beautiful golden brown hair that vaguely reminds me of fresh baked cookies. He can often be found standing in the corner alone with his Juul. His pasty white skin looks like that Edward dude from those wretched Twilight movies. Hannah often blows up my Snapchat with grainy pictures of him showing me the stunning young man that she felt was to be my “high school sweetheart”; she says that because he’s the complete opposite of me.

My full name is Janet Marie Jones, I go by Jane but my close friends (basically just Hannah) call me JJ. I’m only five foot three inches tall with jet black hair that falls over my shoulders like water falls over Niagara Falls. I never leave the house without my notebook and laptop. Anytime I’m not hanging out with Hannah, I sit and write. I’m currently working on a murder mystery, very similar to season one of Riverdale.

*buzzzzz* I look down at my phone to see a message from an unknown number.

“Hey Jane! It’s Peterson You free to hang out Friday night? I was thinking we could go on that date. Maybe dinner and a movie?”

“Yeah, I’m free. That sounds great, what movie?”

“Have you seen Booksmart yet?”

“No”

“Okay cool. I’ll pick you up at 6:30 on Friday”

“Sounds like a plan!” I hit send and flop back on the bed, beginning to ponder what to wear on a date with a guy like Peterson.

Friday night rolls around and I still can’t decide what to wear, so I pull out my favorite outfit; a white t-shirt with grey horizontal stripes, a tan brown oversized knit sweater, some dark blue skinny jeans that are cuffed at the bottom, and my black ankle boot wedges. “It’s 6:25,” I murmur to myself “he should be here soon”.

He pulls into the driveway at 6:29. I walk out to the midnight black 1967 Chevy Impala (I only know what kind of car it is because I watch Supernatural and Dean is such a babe). “Damn I’m glad I killed Brock, I would have never had a chance with you if he were still alive” Chris whispers into my hair as he pulls me in for a hug.

“Awe, that’s sweet. I would have given you a chan….. WAIT! did you just say you killed Brock?! WHY THE FUCK would you think that he would have stood in the way of you getting a date with me?!”

“I saw the way you looked at him, the longing in your eyes, the sadness that came along with knowing you couldn’t have him. You would have spent the rest of your junior year pining over a senior, that you had no flipping chance with. Brock didn’t even know you exist Janet!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” I huff at him, knowing EXACTLY what he’s talking about. I’d spent every day since the beginning of freshman year wishing that Brock was dating me instead of that dumb cheerleader. “Please tell me you’re joking about having killed Brock?”

“If it makes you feel better, yeah, I’m joking.”

“Okay good”

We sit down in the back of the theater with our large white gatorades, popcorn, and junior mints. The lights dim and the movie begins.

*present time Jane telling story* “Ya know? Now that I think about it, I don’t remember anything about that movie. We made out through the whole thing.” *continue flashback*

We get in the car after the movie. I assume he’s taking me home. But after twenty minutes of driving in the opposite direction of my house, I speak up and ask “Where are we going? My house is the other way.”

“I want to show you something. If that’s okay?”

“Uh…. yeah that’s okay I guess. Can I know where we’re going at least?”

“Lake Ouachita”

Chris puts the car in park and turns to look at me. “So how are you with blood” he inquires in a voice so low, I almost didn’t hear him.

“Not too great. One time my dad and I went hunting and he killed a deer. When he cut into it, he accidentally slit it’s carotid artery; causing blood to squirt everywhere. Why do you ask?”

“Just come with me”

I hesitantly slide out of the car and follow him down to the waterfront. I can see an old tent that’s been torn to shreds, probably by the recent storms we’ve had. As we get closer to the former campsite, Chris turns on his flashlight. I follow the light with my eyes, not daring to move any further once he stops walking. My eyes first land on what appears to be a blood splattered machete. “That’s a little weird” I think to myself. Just past that, I see… A BODY?! AM I SEEING THIS CORRECTLY?!

*end flashback*

“Chris what are we doing here? Do the cops know about this? Did you do this?”

“I told you I killed Brock. I’m a serial killer JJ, it’s what I do.”

He turns towards the water, looking out at the houses across the lake; not realizing that I’ve gained one giant ass kife. I rear back, not yet used to the weight in my hand, taking a swing at Chris. I aim for his head, but miss and purge him of his left arm. He falls to the ground with a blood curdling scream. Seeing him laying on the ground writhing in pain, all I can think of is that damn mortal kombat game saying, “FINISH HIM!”. I plant my right foot on his chest to hold him in place, and swiftly behead him.

“Great! Now I have a dead body on my hands. What am I supposed to do?”

I wipe the blood that was on my hands on his chest, and remove my phone from my back pocket. “Hello? Hannah? I need some help. Meet me at Lake Ouachita.”

Forty minutes pass, and I start to wonder, “What if someone in one of those houses heard him scream and called cops? What if I get caught trying to hid the body?” Eventually, Hannah pulls up in her dad's Ford pickup. Luckily that man always keeps some tools and tarps in the bed. I’m so fortunate to have a friend like her.

“Thank god for Tumblr teaching me how to hide bodies” I joke as we bury the last piece of Chris.

*flash forwards 15 years*

As I sit here in my office at the Hot Springs Police Department, I contemplate my past. After that unusual first date, I gave up my dream of becoming a world renowned murder-mystery author, and enrolled in classes at the community college. Once I graduated with a degree in criminal justice, I joined the Police Academy.

The End