#I talked to them for 2 minutes and boom everyone was chill and relaxed

[nekrosmos]

My ability to calm people down in record time will never not be funny to me, useful skill to have in social work for sure

[canirove]

The invinsible princess | Chapter 1

"Champions of Europe"

Index | Chapter 2

Masterlist

“C’mom, go talk to her. Look at how miserable she looks.”

“Why don't you go talk to her?”

“Because she doesn't fancy me, Gavi” Ferran smirks.

“That's something the press made out.”

“Or not” Ferran shrugs. 

“If you don't go talk to her, I will.”

“Fermín, don't you have a girlfriend?” Gavi says.

“Yeah. And?”

“You can't go talk to the princess. That's cheating.”

“It's just talking, Gavi. Relax” he chuckles.

“Unless the press sees you and then boom! Fermín the Prince” Ferran laughs. 

“Fermín I of Spain. Sounds cool, I like it. What do you think, Pedri? Pedri?” he says, looking around for his teammate.

“Where is he going?” Ferran asks.

“He’s… Oh my God, he's walking towards the princess!” Gavi gasps.

“There he goes. Pedro I of Spain” Fermín chuckles

���━━━━━❃━━━━━━

“And then it all had been a mistake!”

“That is so funny” my dad laughs. “Isn't it, Sofía?”

“So funny” I say with my best fake smile. 

Why am I stuck with a bunch of old men? This is a party to celebrate that Spain just won the Euros. I should be out there mingling with the young people, talking with the players and their families, getting to know them all a bit and properly congratulate them. But no. I'm stuck with a man telling us about his latest golfing trip to Scotland. 

“Something similar happened to me last time we went to Mallorca” my dad says, making me already disconnect from the conversation. I know which anecdote he is about to share. I probably already know it by heart just from hearing him telling about it to everyone he's met lately. So instead of listening to him, I start looking around.

There are some players dancing with their partners, others playing with their kids (which is the cutest thing ever), others are just chilling… And then, there is someone wearing red and a medal around his neck walking towards me. Or trying to. 

“Right, Sofía?” my dad says again.

“Yeah, yeah” I nod. 

One of the good things about him having told this anecdote so many times is that, by now, I also know when he asks for my support and how I have to react to it, what I have to say. Which comes very handy when your eyes are stuck on the guy smiling and standing in front of you, and who is currently moving his head to one side to make you follow him somewhere. 

“Dad, do you mind if I go get myself a refill?” I ask him.

“Yes, sure. But just beer.”

“Just beer, I promise” I smile before finally leaving the group of men and following Pedri. 

Oh, yes. Because the guy who had been smiling at me and asking me to follow him, was freaking Pedri González. 

“Ma’am” my bodyguard says behind me. “Are you going somewhere?”

Shit. Fuck. I had forgotten about him.

“I'm just going out to get some fresh air. I'm feeling a bit dizzy” I say with a nervous laugh.

“Alone?” he says, looking at the glass door that leads outside the room, Pedri waiting on the other side.

“I… Ummm… It'll be just five minutes.”

“Ma'am…”

“Five minutes, Carlos. It's not like he can kidnap me or something with his leg like that” I chuckle. 

“He cannot, no. But what about others? You are Spain's Princess.”

“But not the heir. No one cares about me.”

“Don't say that, ma'am.”

“It's the truth” I shrug. “Anyway, can I go outside for five minutes? Please? He may just want a photo for his mum.”

“Ok, fine” Carlos sighs. “But don't leave the building.”

“I won't, I promise” I smile before basically running towards the door. He may still regret letting me go.

Once outside, it takes me a moment to find Pedri. When I spot him, he is resting against one of the huge windows, checking the brace he has to wear on his knee. 

“Is it too uncomfortable?” I ask him as I walk towards him.

“Uh?” he says, looking up. And maybe, just maybe… I gasped when the lights from outside illuminated his face in all the right places.

“The brace. Is it uncomfortable?”

“A bit, yeah” he smiles. 

“I'm sorry about what happened.”

“Thank you” Pedri smiles again. “Though everything worked out in the end” he says, touching his medal. “Do you want to try it?”

“Oh, I, ummm…”

“Here” he says, taking it off before walking towards me and putting it around my neck, carefully untucking my hair so it doesn't get tangled with the strap. “Perfect. How does it feel?”

“Heavier than I expected” I chuckle.

“It can't be heavier than a crown” he laughs.

“I don't know. I've never tried on one.”

“Wait, really?���

“Yeah. It's not like I'm gonna be the one who is gonna have to wear it. That's my sister, the heir.”

“But you still are a princess, aren't you? Don't all princesses wear crowns?”

“Nope. I may get to wear a tiara one day if I'm invited to a big event like a royal wedding or a reception for someone important, but other than that…”

“I'm sorry.”

“Oh, don't be. Sometimes being the second born that everyone forgets about actually comes with its perks. Like being here today, for example.”

“I thought it was because you liked football.”

“That too” I chuckle.

“And football players?” Pedri asks me. “Do you also like them?”

“What?”

“My friends were talking about you fancying Gavi.”

“That's my sister, not me.”

“Ha! I knew it! I knew it was her and not you. But they were so convinced they didn't want to listen to me.”

“I'm used to people mixing us, don't worry” I say while playing with the medal. “And I actually am more into dark haired guys than brunettes like him.”

“Are you?”

“Yeah” I shrug, still focused on the medal. 

“Anything else you like in your men?” 

“Why are you interested?” I ask him, looking up and at his face, a little smirk on his lips. 

“Just curious about how the future Prince of Spain could look like” he shrugs.

“Well… I like men with interesting noses.”

“What?” he laughs.

“Yeah… I don't know how to explain it. But if you look at the list of men I'm attracted to, famous or not, they all have that in common. Yours would actually make the cut.”

“My nose?” he laughs again.

“I… It is too weird, isn't it? Urgh” I say, covering my face with my hands. And that, my friends, is how you ruin things with the guy you are trying to flirt with. 

“No, no. Not at all. Is just that no one had complimented my nose before. Most girls talk about my lips.”

“Your lips?” 

“They say they were made to kiss and be kissed. What do you think?”

“What?” I say, still covering my face.

“Are my lips kissable or not, your royal highness?” Pedri says, his hands suddenly on mine, moving them away to rest at my sides. But he doesn't let go once they get there. He keeps holding them, his fingers playing with mine, his thumbs sometimes caressing my knuckles or the inside of my wrist and sending waves of heat all the way up my arms. 

“They are ok” I manage to say.

“Just ok? I think I'm gonna have to move closer so you can see them better” he says, closing the space between us a bit more. 

“They just look like lips” I shrug. But that's a lie. Because his lips do look made to kiss and be kissed.

“Maybe if we moved towards the light…” he says, his hands suddenly on my waist, moving me until my back is against the big window, the light once again hitting his face in all the right places. 

I knew Pedri was handsome, but this handsome? Wow.

“Better now?”

“Let me see…” I say as I move forward a little bit, the medal doing it with me and hitting his chest. We are so close right now… “Nothing. Just lips.”

“Well, if you can't see anything, I'll guess we'll have to try with a different sense. Like touch, for example.”

“What?”

“How does this feel, your royal highness?” he says, gently taking one of my hands and kissing it, the other still resting on my waist.

“You can start calling me ma'am now. Royal highness is just for the first time you address me.” And how I've managed to give him a protocol lesson while feeling my skin burn on the spot where his lips have been, will forever be a mystery.

“Ma'am sounds like something for someone old. What about my lady?”

“You could also call me by my name” I shrug. 

“We just met, my lady. Aren't you going too fast?” Pedri smirks.

“Me? Who is the one looking for a way to kiss me?” I smirk back.

“Busted” he laughs. 

“Though if you want to kiss me, you just have to ask.”

“Ok, then. May I kiss you… my lady?”

“You may” I whisper. 

“Thank you” he smiles. “But…” he says, stopping just as his lips brush against mine. “After I've done it, will you tell if my lips are made to kiss and be kissed?” 

“I will.”

“A princess must keep her promises.”

“I will, I promise. Now are you going to kiss me or not?”

“As my lady commands” he smirks before finally doing it and kissing me. Pedri… the Pedri… is kissing me. And it is… wow. Just wow. “And?” he whispers against my lips.

“I haven't told you to stop.”

“So bossy” he chuckes.

“Well, I am your princess, am I not?”

“You are, yes.”

“Then as your princess, I'm telling you, Pedri González, to keep kissing me.”

“With my lips made to kiss and be kissed?” 

“With your lips made to kiss and be kissed, yes” I say, making him smile before kissing me again and… Oh, my God.

I thought winning the Euros earlier had felt amazing, but I was wrong. Being kissed by him, and in the way he is right now, is what truly feels amazing. 

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

“I think this is yours” I say, giving Pedri his medal back.

“It looks better on you, tho.”

“Oh, stop it” I laugh, putting it around his neck, the place where my hands were resting not that long ago.

“It's the truth” he shrugs. “And do we seriously have to go back in there?” he says, nodding towards the party.

“We do, yes” I sigh. “But, we are meeting again tomorrow.”

“We are, yes. And you've promised me a tour of the palace. And a princess…”

“Keeps her promises” I smile.

“Exactly” Pedri smiles back. And we stay like that, just smiling like two idiots, until someone clears his throat behind us. Carlos, my bodyguard. “I think that's our cue to go inside.”

“I think it is, yes.”

“Do you think he will send the secret service after me if I kiss you one last time?” he whispers.

“There is nothing like trying” I shrug.

“Ok, then. Bro, look the other way!” he says to Carlos while I just laugh, his hands suddenly cupping my face before kissing me one last time. “No secret service?” he whispers, opening one eye. 

“No secret service.”

“Thank God” he sighs, making me laugh again. “Anyway… I should probably go in first, shouldn't I? Distract everyone with my limping so they won't look at you.”

“Oh, don't worry. No one looks at me, I'm the invisible princess.”

“Only someone blind would not look at you, my lady.”

“Thank you” I say, feeling my cheeks getting warm. We've been kissing and flirting, and him saying that is what finally makes me go shy. “But like I told you, I don't mind being invisible sometimes. This” I say, playing with the strap of his medal. “Would have not been possible if I was the heir. And the secret service would have definitely jumped at you the moment you got too close.”

“Lucky me, then” Pedri smiles.

“Lucky us” I smile back. “Now go. I can see Carlos getting impatient.”

“Urgh, fine… See you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Ok. Good night, my lady” he says, kissing my cheek.

“Good night, sir” I giggle as I watch him walk back into the party, laughing one more time when he turns around to look at me and blows me a kiss.

“Feeling better, ma'am?” Carlos says behind me.

“Much better” I smile. 

“Then I'm sorry about what I'm about to tell you, ma'am.”

“What?” I say, turning around to look at him.

“It's about him, about Pedri. Something I heard his friends talking about when I went back inside to give you some… privacy.”

“Carlos, you are starting to worry me.”

“I… I'm sorry, ma'am.”

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

The next day…

“My lady.”

“Pedri.”

“I wasn't expecting to be offered croquetas at the royal palace” he chuckles, nodding at the table in front of us.

“Yeah, well.”

“When we met earlier it was kind of awkward, wasn't it? Shaking hands with your parents and your sister, acting as if we didn't know each other and nothing had happened last night…”

“Did something happen last night?” I ask, eating an olive and finally looking at him. “Besides you winning the Euros, I mean.”

“We… you… what?” he says with a confused look.

“I don't remember anything important happening” I shrug.

“You don't… Oh. Oh, I get it. You are teasing me because out here someone could hear us” Pedri says, looking around at his teammates. After meeting the whole team inside the palace, we are now in the gardens, everyone chatting, having a drink and relaxing before they have to go to Cibeles to celebrate.

“I'm not teasing you, Pedri. I don't remember anything” I shrug again. “Wait, no. I do remember one thing” I say, moving forward. “That you are a dick” I whisper in his ear before walking away.

“That I'm what? What are you talking about?” he says before following me. 

“Is your hearing also injured?”

“My hearing is perfect, my lady” he says, struggling to keep up with me. “What I don't understand is why.”

“Why what?” I say, suddenly stopping. We've walked away from where everyone else is, kind of hidden behind some bushes.

“Why are you calling me a dick? What did I do?”

“Do you seriously have to ask?” I laugh.

“Yeah.”

“I can't believe it” I laugh again. “You fucking used me, Pedri!”

“What?”

“You used me to have a laugh with your friends! You made a bet with them to see who could get a kiss from me first!”

“What?” he says again, looking more and more confused by the second.

“Carlos heard them talking about it, so don't you dare try to deny it. I'm sure you all had a laugh this morning when you told them everything that happened between us.”

“We don't… I…”

“I was an easy target, wasn't I? The poor princess that no one looks at, the one who always is in the shadow of her sister, who always is the second option. I'm sure you felt so proud when you told them how easily I fell for your charms, how stupid I was. But not anymore, you hear me. Not anymore.”

“That's not what happened” Pedri says, grabbing me by the arm when I try to walk away, earning himself a even more deadly look than the ones I was already giving him. “Sorry. I'm sorry” he says, letting go. “But please let me explain myself.”

“Why? Why would I do that? You manipulated me once, you could do it again. I am that stupid.”

“You aren't stupid, and I didn't manipulate you. I…” he says, running a hand through his hair. “The boys were talking about who could get you out of your misery, that's true. We were watching you talking with your dad and those men, and you looked so… Bored. Like you wished to be anywhere but there. But I wasn't part of it, I swear. I actually was getting mad while listening to them and the way they were talking about you. So before any of them found the guts to go talk to you just for fun, I did it myself. Not the go talking with you for fun part. The one about finding the guts to go talk to you. Because I… I have a bit of a crush on you.”

“What?” I laugh.

“Yeah” he says, nervously touching his cheek. A cheek that had turned almost as red as his Spain's shirt. “Here, look” he says, taking his phone out of his pocket. “I have proof.”

“Proof of what? You being an idiot?”

“An idiot for you, yes” he says, showing me what he had been looking for on his phone. “It's a WhatsApp conversation I had with my brother yesterday before the game when it was announced that you were attending. You can check the date and the time, it isn't fake.”

Your girlfriend is gonna be at the game tonight 🤭 If you win she may give you a kiss 😚 Instead of Casillas and Sara Carbonero, Pedri and the princess ⚽👸🏻👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻 

“This… This means nothing” I say, giving him his phone back. 

“I can show you more messages from him teasing me about it. Look.”

People are shipping Gavi with the princess after the game 😂 Maybe he could introduce you to her little sister 😏 Gavi king and you prince 😂

“I… Pedri…”

“Everything that happened last night was real. I swear it” he says. “I didn't kiss you because of a bet with my friends. I kissed you because I wanted to. Because I like you.”

“You don't know me. Like, you barely know anything about me, only what the press publishes.”

“I know enough. Because to me” he says, taking one of my hands on his, his thumb caressing my knuckles like he had last night. “To me you aren't invisible or someone's shadow. To me, you shine brighter than anyone else. King, queen, heir to the throne or whatever.”

“That's so cheesy” I chuckle.

“But the truth.”

“Pedri, I…” I say, meeting his eyes. He isn't lying. Everything he's said about kissing me because he wanted to and not because of a bet, about liking me, about me not being the invisible princess I always believe myself to be… All that is true. I can see it in his face, on his blushed cheeks, in his eyes. He is being honest about it all. “I believe you.”

“You… You do?”

“I do” I nod.

“Thank God” he sighs. “I thought any moment now you would call the secret service and they would send me to… Where do they send people when they arrest them?”

“Can't tell you. It is the secret service for a reason” I wink.

“Makes sense” he chuckles. “But does this mean that I am not a dick anymore or…?” he says, closing the space between us a bit.

“Well… There is something you could do to make me completely forget about it” I say, also moving closer towards him.

“Something like what?” he asks, his other hand finding mine, now both his thumb caressing my skin, bringing back the waves of heat I felt last night. 

“You could kiss me with those lips of yours” I smirk.

“Here?” he says, looking around. “What if someone comes this way and sees us? Like someone from the team, your dad or… your mum. Your mum is quite scary, you know?”

“Oh, I know” I laugh. “But if we move over here…” I say, walking us behind a big tree, my back against it. “No one will see us. We'll be… invisible” I smile.

“You are anything but invisible, my lady” Pedri smiles back, his hands letting go of mine and moving to rest on my waist.

“Then show me” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck. 

“Will you then give me a tour of the palace? You promised it last night, and a princess…”

“Keps her promises, I know.”

“Exactly” he smirks.

“First we kiss, then we do the tour. But just so you know, Carlos will probably join us.”

“Wait, is he here?” Pedri says, looking around, his eyes wide.

“He may be hiding behind a bush, yes” I laugh.

“Shit. If he sees together after what he heard last night…”

“I'll explain everything to him, don't worry. But if you are being serious about getting to know me…”

“Deadly.”

“Then you better start getting used to his presence.”

“I think I can do that. Because you” he says, brushing his nose against mine and making me giggle. “Are worth it, my lady. So worth it” Pedri says before finally kissing me again, making me feel what he has been telling me since we met: that I'm not just someone's shadow, a second option. That I am not the invisible princess anymore. 

[xoxo-teddybear]

He’s Lost - Bakugou Katsuki - Part 2

Bakugou x f!reader

Warnings: angst, slightest fluff, cursing, physical harm mentions, lowkey little yandere obsessive hints, smut, 18+, daddy kink, sad boi Bakugou    :(

BAKUGOU’S MASTERLIST

Summary: Bakugou’s been going through hell ever since the breakup. He’s been so lost without you. But he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win back his Teddy bear. Everything and anything for the love of his life.

*Everyone is of age for legal consent (which is 16 in Japan, if you are uncomfortable with it please move along, thx<3)*

A/N: Bakugou is a little OOC but the main thing in the beginning starts with fixing up Katsuki a little bit. So sorry if you don’t really enjoy it all that much<3

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Melancholy music bounces off the walls of the dark room. The river of tears that flow down his once perfect porcelain skin is everlasting. As he lays in the soft bed, staring at the ceiling, he thinks about all he could’ve done better for you. In his hand, the same framed picture of you both that he’s held onto every night ever since the horrible incident. Y/N L/N. Like a song that’s stuck on loop. It’s the only thing that runs through his mind.

The door swiftly opens, and much to his disliking, a massive amount of light now enters the former den of manliness pit of depression.

To show his displeasure, Bakugou rolled himself in the blankets, covering his entire body in them and being the picture inside with him as well. With different circumstances, Y/N would’ve thought it was cute or adorable, but it wasn’t Y/N that opened the door.

“Really Bakubro?” The blonde’s best friend spoke.

Eijirou Kirishima. The best friend of our dearest sad boy. He’s been letting his Bakubro crash in his dorm room because Katsuki refuses to clean his own. It looks exactly the same as it did on Valentine’s Day. Just a little different.

Rose petals were dead and dried up on his floors, candles were nearly melted to the bottom as they lay everywhere in the room, the curry was thankfully thrown out by Kirishima claiming that he could smell the spoiled aroma all the way from his room. But the presents, letter, and new gear stayed in the exact same spots. Bakugou didn’t feel worthy enough to be blessed with all the stuff but he was oh so desperate to be worthy. Worthy of your time, your love, and you in general.

Bakugou let out a grumbled whine of displeasure. He could feel the disappointment and concern radiating off his friend. As Katsuki poked just his face out of the covers, he was met with the expression that represented those two things.

“You can’t keep living like this bro,” Kirishima began, “You can’t keep hallowing in sadness in my room. I wanna help you, but you gotta help yourself too. Ever since you and Y/N split-“ Bakugou quickly interrupted.

“We didn’t split, she left me!” The blonde cried.

“...Right, okay. Well ever since Y/N left you, you’re not the same. You stay in here, playing the same damn sad tunes, covering yourself in my blankets, crying all day, and holding onto that picture! You haven’t even been to class or training! Shit man, you don’t even come out of my room to eat food! I gotta bring your plate here just to make sure that you’re properly fed. You’re a mess Bakugou. And not even the hot kind!” His best friend was right. He was a mess. And not even the hot kind.

“Well what the hell am I supposed to do shitty hair?” Bakugou said while dragging the covers over his face once more. Inside the blanket he held onto the picture as if it were actually you.

The fake red head snatched the covers off of his friend’s body and forced him up.

The said friend didn’t take too kindly to that and growled in displeasure.

“What the fuck Kirishima,” Bakugou said, a little to calm and chilling.

“Dont give me that bull Katsuki. You gotta get her back. I would say move on, but it’s clear you can’t.” Kirishima said while rolling his eyes.

Bakugou mirrored the action and said “yea no shit genius. I can’t and won’t move on.”

“So then go get her man!” Kirishima yelled

“And how the fuck am I supposed to do that? Huh?!” Bakugou was so confused. In what way was it going to be possible to win you back?

“Figure it out! Look Bakugou, I’ll be here to help you along the way, but you gotta figure this shit out on your own. This is your relationship here, if you want it as bad as you claim you do then prove it. You want Y/N back? Then fight for her, idiot!” The blonde’s eyes seemed to go wide.

Two words stuck out to Katsuki during his friend’s little speech. Prove it. Fuck yeah he will! He’ll prove to the whole damn universe how much he wants you back. More importantly, he’ll prove it to you and win you back.

The iconic Bakugou smirk reappeared on Katsuki’s face. Kirishima took it as a good sign. “Alright shitty hair, you want me to prove how badly I want Y/N back. FINE!” The two friends pulled the iconic bro hug to seal the deal.

(You know? That shit that guys do where they high five and pull each other in with that one hand for the quickest hug and pat each other on the back? You know what I’m talking about.)

“Welcome back Katsuki.” Kirishima gladly stated. “Now get the fuck out of my room man, I’m sick of sleeping on the common room couches and you reek. Take a shower. And get your own clothes from your own room.”

As Kirishima pushed him out into the hallway and shut the door, it hit Bakugou like a bus. This would be Katsuki’s first challenge. Going back into the room filled with the torn love.

As Katsuki opened the door holding onto the picture, he felt his heart sink. He saw the damage. Melted candles, dried petals, the gifts and letter. Even the nasty smell of the spoiled curry still remained. As Katsuki gathered the courage to walk in and place the picture on the messy nightstand, it’s like the room was holding onto some sad emotions. Heartache and regret filled Katsuki’s chest. He couldn’t believe how fast it happened. He thought he would at least have a minute or two before he felt the pain again. Man, did it hurt like hell.

Katsuki dashed to his closet grabbing the first things he saw. He grabbed his shower container that held all his soaps and cleaning utensils and ran out the room, shutting the door. Once out, he let out a breath of relief.

“...after I clean myself up, the room’s next.” Katsuki said with determination as he walked towards the boy’s community showers and bath house.

When the hot water hit his skin, he felt a sense of calm. It wasn’t the same as the warmth of Kirishima’s blankets. It was better. The water and hot steam completely engulfed him in relaxation. The water washed away not only the dirt and grime, but also some of the tense feelings. For a moment, he felt at ease.

As Katsuki walked out the bathing area now fully clothed and dried, he made his way back to his room. He stood there, staring at the knob until he felt he was ready. Once he opened the door, the emotions hit him once again. Like a wave of sadness washed over his entire body. Finally, he stepped in.

First things first. Open up these windows. Let out that disgusting air filled with spoiled curry and sad emotions. When Katsuki took a breath a fresh air, he felt so alive. Much better than he has in days.

Now, we gotta move stuff. Katsuki picked up his dirty laundry and put it in his closet to wash later. He moved all his presents up off the floor and onto the bed. He swepted all the dead petals and toss them in his trash can. He threw out all the ruined candles and sprayed the room with air fresheners. He fixed up his bed and placed the picture frame back on his now cleaned nightstand. Next to it, a lit candle that smelled of caramel.

Katsuki took a seat at his desk. He was back to thinking about Y/N and all that he could do to win her back. As he checked his clock, he realized just how late it was. Kirishima came back to him at the end of class and training which was around 6. He spent an hour talking to Katsuki, and then Katsuki spent 4 hours cleaning himself and his room. It was 11:00 now. Way past his usual bed time. He’ll figure things out in the morning.

Katsuki smiled to himself as he layed in his own bed. He was finally on the right track again and one step closer to getting his teddy bear back. He turned to the picture frame, and grabbed onto it, hugging it while he slept. Katsuki was getting better but he wasn’t whole again. He needed Y/N to help him sleep alright, so holding the picture at night will have to do. He couldn’t wait till he woke up in the morning. Tomorrow he had school, he’ll get to see Y/N’s beautiful face for the first time in awhile, but before that, you bet your ass he’s waking up extra early to come up with a plan.

——————————————————————————

The next morning

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *click!*

The blonde smacked his alarm button before he rose up and stretched his body. Today was the day. He’s gets to see Y/N again. Bakugou just sits in place staring at nothing. Just taking 2 minutes to regain full consciousness. Once he’s set, he’s up and getting ready. It’s 4 in the morning now, so he begins to strategize.

Katsuki is pulling out easels and white boards. Pulling out notebooks and writing down facts. What Y/N is interested in, her favorite hobbies and foods, where she likes to spend her time, what she could need help with that Bakugou could assist her with. He’s also writing down the highlights of their relationship and what she seemed to enjoy best about him. He’ll be keeping that as a reference for when he needs to reassess on how he should treat her better. He will do better this time. That’s a promise to himself and you.

After half an hour of slightly struggling, he reaches out for help. Now at 4:30 a.m, here was the blonde knocking at his best friend’s door.

Rock music is blasting, sweat is flying everywhere and punches are being thrown at a hero. Not just any hero, Crimson Riot! As Kirishima continues to spar with his idol, he’s interrupted by a banging sound.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

“The hell?” The younger red head says. Soon his idol began to fade away.

“Crimson Riot! Hey are you okay sir?!” But it was too late, the man was gone. Now the whole room was waving around. Did Kirishima accidentally mistake his giant jug of water for vodka or something? Soon he was left in nothing but a black abyss. And then....he fell!

“Shitty hair.....Ei....KIRISHIMA!”

“AH!” The red head screamed as he shot up from the bed, head-butting his best friend right then and there. Great, a perfect dream. Ruined.

“Ah, shit!” Bakugou said in pain as he held his now throbbing forehead. “What the fuck?”

“That’s my line Bakugou,” the red head sighed, “Did you break into my room? Jeez man, what the fuck? What are you doing here at.....4:38 a.m?!?!? DUDE!”

“I know, my bad okay? But..I could use some help.” Bakugou whispered the last part so Kirishima had no idea what this man just said.

“What bro?” Kirishima asked.

“I said....I could use some help.” The blonde repeated.

“C’mon man, you’re gonna have to speak u-“

“I need your help, alright?!” Bakugou finally said. Kirishima sighed. His bro really couldn’t wait until later?

“Bakugou, you know I’m always down to help you out but this is too early man. Can we just-“ the blonde quickly added on to what he was previously saying.

“Please.”

Kirishima’s eyes shot open after he closed them to drift off back to sleep. Did the Katsuki Bakugou just ask for help by saying please? This must be extremely important.

“......alright. You got me, I’m up. But if I’m gonna be up at 4 in the morning, others are gonna be helping us too.” Kirishima bargained.

“But-“ Kirishima cut him off

“But nothing. Besides, I’m drowsy in the morning so I wouldn’t really focus all that well. And we’re just going to the people we can trust.” The red head explained.

“Fine.” The blonde gave in. So there they went, gathering the other members of the Bakusquad (minus Y/N) to help Bakugou win back his girl.

As the 4 sleepy heads sat down on Bakugou’s floor infront of the whiteboard he wrote on, The blonde began to explain some of his plans.

“So I was thinking of treating her real nice all day until she takes me back and we become friends again, eventually leading to our relationship, but then I realized she’d be into a fake me and we all know I can’t pull the nice guy act forever. Then I thought I’d spoil her with all of the things she desires, but money can’t buy you love. So I thought I could-“ Katsuki quickly noticed the long period of silence other than his voice.

There, were his 4 friends sleeping in a dog pile in the middle of his dorm room floor, completely ignoring everything he’s been saying.

Bakugou sighed and grabbed a small “heroes weekly” issue sitting on his desk, rolled it up, and wacked his friends in their heads.

“You idiots...WAKE THE FUCK UP!” Ahh, welcome back Gremlin Bakugou.

As his friends came back from the dead, they all complained.

“Aww c’mon Bakugou. We’ve been at this for an hour already, it’s 5:40.” Sero said while yawning.

“I don’t care. You idiots offered to help so here you are.” Bakugou said while turning to face the board again.

“We didn’t offer shit!” The bakusquad simultaneously replied.

Mina let out a groan while rubbing her eyes open, “Look Bakugou. We really want you and Y/N to be happy together, we really do, but maybe it’s for the best if you guys don-“ Mina was cut off by Denki slapping his hand over her mouth.

As she looked at her electric friend, she saw a nervous expression on his face. She followed his gaze and saw the back of an angry and almost insane looking and shaking Bakugou.

Hearing Mina say that he should let Y/N go triggered something in his brain. But hearing her say they wanted the couple back together enlightened him too. His mind got the two mixed up.

‘Everyone wants us back together. Not just me. So...then we are back together. Yeah. Y/N is still mine’ the now insane blonde thought to himself.

“....Ok well, time to go, get some sleep, see you idiots in the morning!” Bakugou said while pushing the group out of his room. Once they made it over the threshold, he slammed the door.

With an insane plan in mind, Bakugou checked the time and saw he could take at least a good hour long nap before he had to get ready to leave for school. And that’s exactly what he did. So he jumped into the covers, grabbing onto the picture and drifted off into sleep.

——————————————————————————

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *click!*

Bakugou’s alarm rang once more, and again, he slammed it shut. He stretched, got up outta bed and changed into his uniform. That power nap really well rested him, but it also must’ve fucked up his brain even more.

‘And now it’s time to go see my beautiful girlfriend,’ he thought to himself.

After Mina’s comments last night, it hit Bakugou with a great realization. Everyone wanted him and Y/N back together. Not just him. So why not give everybody what they want? Sure maybe Y/N might not completely want it but she’ll learn how to love Bakugou again. Everyone’s happy. And so, Bakugou was convinced that him and Y/N were back together.

At breakfast, Bakugou ran down to already see the Squad up and eating.

“Why the hell do you losers look like death?” He asked while grabbing a cup for his orange juice.

“Well we were all trying to sleep, but after what happened this morning, we couldn’t.” Mina explained.

“What happened this morning? There was nothing big except you guys helping me out.” Kirishima really couldn’t believe it. Had his dear friend not even notice his weird ass trigger moment earlier?

“Alright whatever. Anyway, wheres Y/N?” Bakugou asked after he finished his cup.

“Oh, she just left. She had an early breakfast and went for a quick walk.” Mina said.

“You planning on talking to her today Kacchan?” Denki questioned him.

“You damn Spark Plug, of course I’m gonna talk to my girlfriend today. Fucking idiot.” He said as he grabbed his bag and walked out the kitchen.

“.........Huh?” The entire squad was left in confusion.

‘Had they gotten back together this morning? Did she really accept him back that fast? What the fuck is going on?’ They all thought.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!?” Kaminari cried out as he pulled at and scruffled his hair in confusion.

Ah Denki. Always saying what everyone is thinking but the only one ballsy enough to idiotically say it aloud.

——————————————————————————

As she walked to class, Y/N hummed a little song to herself. She enjoyed her walk as it helped clear her mind from all the recent events. Her breakup with Bakugou really took a toll on her. They were together for almost 2 years (EVER SINCE JUNIOR HIGH) so of course the split hit her hard. He accused her of cheating and burned her. So much for trust, right? Not only that, but the burn left a tiny scar. Usually, due to you having a regeneration ability as part of your quirk, Phoenix, the scar should’ve healed up. Maybe the emotional damage caused it to permanently mark itself in you. Oh well, whats done is done. And now it’s time for class.

When you walked though the door, you were expecting a normal day. Ever since the split, you usually got their a lot earlier before anyone else so you could sit, do a little reading, sketch out a little drawing, or just rest your eyes until the bell rang. Except this time, when you opened the door, someone jumped on you for a hug.

“Babe! There you are you little dumbass. Jeez, I was looking for you everywhere.” Bakugou said as he let go of the hug. “I’ve missed you, haven’t seen you in a few days.”

“Uhm, you said babe??” You spoke with a confused and shocked voice.

“Yeah, I called you babe? So what? We always call each other that. You are my girlfriend after all.” He said so casually as he walked to his seat.

THISMANSAIDWHAATTT

“Uh, Bakugou-“

“Katsuki.” He deadpanned.

“Bakugou, we broke up.” You stated while walking up to him.

“Mm...no we didn’t.” He once again so casually said.

“Wha- I- we- you-....HUH?!” You stuttered out.

“Y/N-“

“L/N!” You corrected.

“Y/N. We didn’t break up you dummy, we only had a little set back and that’s fine. All couples do. But thankfully you forgave me and we’ve moved past it,” he began as he pulled you into his lap, “besides, everyone wants us back together including us so why not make it easier for everyone.”

You began stuttering out none sense right there on his lap. You were in such shock and utter disbelief that he said all that bullshit. Well maybe he was right about one thing. Everyone did want you guys back together, including you both, but that’s besides the point! Y’all broke up! He needs to accept it.

“Baku- no- I- we-“ and before you knew it, his lips were on yours.

And for some reason, you didn’t push him away. Granted you didn’t accept it either, but you slowly melted into it. The kiss was passionate and slow. It wasn’t sloppy, it was very controlled, but it was just a lotta lip and tongue. The whole thing sent butterflies to your heart and stomach. Oh how you missed moments like these with Katsuki.

He readjusted you on his lap so that you were now straddling him. His hands travelled down to your ass as he gave it a nice squeeze, one that made you moan into the kiss. Your arms went straight to his neck to pull him in for more and he took it as an invitation to start. The kiss began to get a little rougher. More tongue and teeth, both of you extremely desperate for the touch from one another. With your cunt pressed onto his crotch, he slowly thrusted up into you as you grinded down slowly on him. You both started breathing heavier and letting out little whimpers of ecstasy. He could probably feel your now soaked panties. One hand left your ass and came around to the front. He pressed on your soaked pussy through your damp underwear and it caused shutters to go through your entire body.

You began pressing down into his hand, desperate for more friction and Bakugou noticed. He moved your panties to the side and slipped in one finger. This was rewarded with a louder moan that caused Katsuki to smile into the kiss. He knew you and your body so well. He was determined to treat you right and get you to fall for him one more time. As his finger felt around your velvet walls, he slipped in another one, receiving an even louder cry of pleasure. You broke off from the kiss to throw your head back. Katsuki saw this as an opportunity to attack your neck. To mark you up and let everyone know you still belonged to him.

“K-Katsuki. Don’t...don’t stop,” you panted.

“I won’t princess, I’ll take care of you.” He smiled.

Without warning, he shoved in 2 more fingers. You were so loud and Bakugou was so proud. You were gonna let everyone know what’s happening and he was excited.

He lifted his head to whisper into your ear as you continued to moan and sigh.

“Well aren’t you just a little slut. You want everyone to know how well daddy takes care of you? You want them to hear you scream in pleasure?” His words went straight to your cunt that was now welcoming in his 5th and final finger. Completely fisting you now, you let out loud cries.

“S-uki, .....ah, AH YES! Mm, s’too much!” You cried out. You couldn’t help it, you loved him. You knew you did. Even though what he did was wrong, your body took over and your mind turned off. You fully succumbed to his wishes.

You let your feet hit the ground to stand yourself up a little bit and fall down onto his fist, meeting the thrust of his hand moving in and out of you. Watching the show, Katsuki couldn’t help but stare in delight. His hard on growing bigger and bigger each second as he bit his lip to hold back his sounds. Watching you bounce on just his fist did something to him and brought out a feral beast. He snapped.

He pulled his fist out of your aching pussy and sat you down on his desk. He stood up infront of you and tore your delicate panties off.

“Katsuki-“ you were silenced with a smack to your ass

“That’s not my name, teddy bear. C’mon now, you know exactly what I wanna hear.” He said while caressing your thighs.

“..Yes daddy.” You bashfully said.

With a kiss to your cheek he praised you.

“Good girl.” As he began to unbuckle his belt, you looked around the classroom.

“D-daddy. Someone’s gonna see!” You cautiously stated.

Katsuki reassured you with a kiss to your lips, “We’ll be fine princess, I promise,” he said while placing his tip at your entrance. You whimpered at the thought of him inside you again, it’s been so long. You were almost nervous. That is until Katsuki place a finger under your chin so you could face him in his eyes.

“I’m gonna take care of you, so don’t worry.” And with that you slowly nodded. And he finally began to press into you.

With just his tip in, you let out a breathy moan. He was bigger than you remembered. He kept pressing and pressing until he was fully inside your warm and tight hole. You both let out a moan at the feeling of each other.

“Daddy, please move.” And he did as he was told. With a steady pace set, he thrusted himself in and out of you. Both of you moaning louder every second. While you were enveloped in the euphoric feeling, Katsuki was struggling to hold back the beast inside of him. That is until you came up to his ear.

“Fuck me like you mean it, daddy. I won’t break, I promise.” You said in his ear and Katsuki swore he could hear your smirk. Gripping your ass and continuing his pace he spoke.

“Don’t be mad when you can’t walk for the next week,” he smirked. With that, he slammed himself deeper, harder, and faster inside of you. His tip hitting your cervix. You let our screams of pure pleasure and he did the same.

“Oh yesss...shit daddy..so big..”

“F-fuck! Oh you like that? Yeah princess? ...oh shit baby your pussy takes me so well. Y-Yeah, your tight little cunt takes this big cock so fucking well,” he moved faster inside, exploring you completely. His hands went straight to your shirt and and ripped it open. You had a few buttons fly everywhere, but you didn’t care. He pushed your bra up and let one of your mounds fall into his hand. He squeezed it tight to release a generous moan from you. He then dove into the valley of breast to mark your chest. You held onto the back of his head and tugged at his hair and he growled at he feeling, enjoying every second of it.

“Oh yess princess just like that. S-shit. Oh fuck yes...oh you’re mine,” he went deeper inside as he spoke.

“Fuck! Daddy yes! Right t-there! Oh my god..yess,” you cried out.

“Can you feel that. Oh fuck, can you feel my dick in your gut?” He moaned out. Katsuki went to grip the edge of his desk as you kept your hold around his neck, causing him to somehow move faster. He went up to taste your lips once more

“I love you....so much princess...you hear me...Mm, your mine,” he said between kisses and ended with a smack to your now red ass.

His words had you squeezing his cock. He knew what was coming.

“Aww, is princess gonna cum? You gonna cum on daddy’s dick?” He teased.

“Mm...p-please daddy. Please let me cum,” you said while throwing your head back. Katsuki only smirked at this.

“Not yet~” he pulled out of you, leaving you a whiny mess.

“N-no! Daddy please! Please let me finish,” you said while holding onto his shoulders, inches away from his face, pressing your chest to his. Your words caused his “little” friend to grow even harder and Katsuki only smirked and looked down at you.

“Dont worry teddy bear, Daddy’s not done with you yet.” He yanked you off the desk and pressed you down onto it, with your chest to the desk. Then he slammed back into you, returning to the fast pace again.

“Fuck yeah..oh god look at this ass. Nice and round, all red for me,” he said while pounding into you.

He gave your ass a good few smacks, countered with a thrust each harder than the last before going to lay his chest on top of you to whisper in your ear.

“You wanna be a good girl for daddy? Huh, teddy bear?” He asked.

“Mmm, yes! Yes I’ll be good, just please!” You cried out. He reached his hand over to rub on your clit. Your body began to shake with pleasure.

“Then cum with me.....NOW,” he said, and that was all it took for you to release the white liquid. As you came you could feel his hot release filling you up to the brim. He cried out in pure pleasure while you did the same.

You both stayed in that position for a bit, and you could feel the mixture of both your release dripping down your inner thighs. Soon, you felt Katsuki lower himself to kiss your neck.

“You did so good princess.” He calmly said to you. It was relieving, and you loved the sound of his voice, but you couldn’t help but feel a little off at this whole ordeal.

Katsuki pulled out of you and watched how his cum covered and filled your entire pussy. He smiled at the sight and went to grabbed some tissue on Aizawa’s desk to clean you and himself up.

He tucked himself back into his pants and you rebuttoned your shirt the best you could and flipped your skirt back down. Since Katsuki tore your panties you’d have to go commando at least until you got back to your room. You watched as Katsuki went to throw away the tissues and your torn underwear into the trash can. When he made his way back to you, he held you in his arms and attempted to kiss you. But you turned away.

“Hey teddy be-“

“No, Katsuki. Please don’t call me that.” You said while looking down. Katsuki felt his heart hurt a little. You’re always gonna be his teddy bear, why would he ever stop calling you that?

“Y/N, what’s wrong?” He asked you.

“Us. This. Katsuki, what happened today should not have happened.” You said

“What?” He was so confused and a little hurt.

As tears start to fill your eyes, you did everything you could to not let them fall. “Suki, we broke up. You accused me of cheating, you burned me! So for us to come in here and just have sex like nothing happened is wrong.”

“Y/N, I’m sorry for what happened. Seriously, after what I did it destroyed me. But please listen, I lov-“ you cut him off again.

“I know!.....I know you do Katsuki.....and I love you too Suki. So much,” this brought a smile to his face. A true, genuine smile that you loved so dearly.

“But I’m scared.” You added on. This made Katsuki’s smile drop, worry and concern fill his eyes.

“Of what exactly?” He asked you while gently holding onto your hand.

“.....You.” This shocked him. His own teddy bear feared him. Heartbreaking.

“I’m scared of the lack of trust that you have for me. And not only that, but your quirk too. Katsuki I know you’re one of the best students here at UA, but I know you’re emotions can get out of hand too. It’s clear that when you’re not in control of your feelings, your quirk can lash out. The evidence is right here,” you turned you arm that he was holding to show him the scar he left on you.

Now this really hurt Katsuki. He loved marking you with his love, not with his anger. The fact that he did that to you sent his mind into a frenzy. Until he felt your touch on his cheek.

Holding onto his cheek with your soft hands, you spoke reassuring words. “Katsuki, you were right about two things. I do want us to be together again and I do forgive you,” and with that, Katsuki leaned into your touch. Holding onto your hand that held his face, he released a single tear he didn’t know he was holding and closed his eyes in relief and satisfaction.

“But I can’t be with you again.” Your words caused him to open his eyes and stare at you in shock and fear. “At least...not yet.”

Whew, his heart rate went back down. Oh the rollar coaster of emotions this poor boy was currently on.

“Yet?” He asked hopefully.

“Suki, I’m still trying to fix myself, and it’s clear that you need to fix yourself too. I really want to be with you, but we both need time to grow for each other. I can’t leave you. I know for sure that in my heart, you’re always gonna be the one I run back to, but I don’t want to run back to someone who could possibly hurt me again. I want to come back to you knowing that when we are together again, our relationship is secured.” You explained.

A silence filled the air. You both stared at each other for what felt like forever. Nobody else in the world. Just you and him. He then pulled you in for a tight hug. As he held onto you, you could feel hot tears hitting your shoulder, and quiet sobs left his voice along with a hitched breath every now and then. Katsuki was crying.

“....I promise you. I’m gonna get better for you. I’m gonna be worthy of you and your love and it’ll stay that way for the rest of our lives. You and me. Together. Im gonna do whatever it takes to get you back and I won’t stop at anything until you’re mine again. I swear I’ll treat you better than I ever did before. As long as I know that you’re coming back to me and me only, I’ll wait for you for as long as it takes teddy bear.” He said into your neck with his arms tightly wrapped around your waist.

“I know you will Suki. And I promise I won’t make you wait too long.” You said while hugging him back.

“You better not.” The blonde said.

“Don’t forget though, I’m always yours. And just yours.” You reassured him.

“......Can we at least make this a little easier for me and say we didn’t split. We’re just on a break. A small break?” He said, now looking directly in your eyes while still holding onto you.

You put his worries at ease with your gentle smile. “The smallest break, Suki.” You softly laughed as you both went back in for another hug.

“........I like it better when you call me daddy,” the damn devil said while smiling.

“Shut up you horny idiot.” You chuckled.

‘I can’t wait to be yours again,’ you both thought

You both stayed there in each other’s embraces until the world faded away. It was just you and him. Together. You were both no longer lost. You weren’t at your destination yet, but you were on the right tracks. One step closer to each other. One step closer to love.

A/N: There’s still a little more I wanna add to the story, so there will be a part 3 to close this little short story. Sorry if there were any spelling mistakes. Thank you guys so much for the love and support. As a new writer I never expected to grow so quickly so I truly love each and every one of you bear cubs! Sorry this was so long, I hope you enjoyed! 💗🧸

[twinkies-posts]

Home

Bakugou x reader

Warning: death mention in a conversation, weed smoking, fluff

Summary: late night talking with bakugou while you both smoke weed turns out to be the beginning of a long relationship

Note: I recommend you listen to home by cavetown _ it is what I am listening to while writing this , I also inspired some of it out of the lyrics _:)

Note 2: I didn't check for mistakes yet , I got so emotional writing this so I hope it got out well...have fun!

After bakugou got kidnapped, he got really quiet, not as loud as usual

That doesn't mean he stopped being his usual self , not at all ...he just...got quieter. Not screaming all the time ... trying his best to keep his emotions to himself , to not look as week as he feels

Especially that his own mom thinks it's his fault that his got kidnapped, that allmight lost his power because of him

So , and as a way to not explode and hurt someone close to him , he decided that it's okay if he get out of his room and walked in the garden around the drooms

Setting there, under the night sky..he feels like a stranger to himself...so lost without a hope to get out of his own mind...prisoner to his own feelings ... he let out a heavy breath, throwing hi head back and closing his eyes

"It will get better kat, don't be a week mother fucker now...you have made it so far so don't give up now you fucking idiot "

Mumbling to himself, he wiped away a tear that fall from his eyes...he is so done with all of this...

Maybe he was so lost in his mind that he didn't even notice your footsteps coming from behind, Maybe he was so deep in the beginning of a panic attack that he didn't hear your feets making thir way to him

He shivered when you touched his shoulders , looking back as he get his hands out of his sweet pants pocket, ready to blow your ass up immediately

"What the fuck are you doing here now you fucking idiot?"

"Wooh, calm down boom boom boy! Jesus, am just smoking "

"What??" He asked, looking more relaxed that it was just you and not some villain...at least he is not alone with his thoughts now

"Oh , I smoke...weed..from time to time...you know? To help me relax a little "

"This shit is going to fucking kill you one day"

"Ooh , you are worried about me? How adorable " you laughed,setting on the grass , next to his tall legs

And just resting your head to the side of his legs , it's not like he minded tho , you were a sweet person and he was kinda comfortable around you .

"Want to try some? You look like you need to relax...I promise I will tell no one !" You smiled to him , you were the most chill person he ever knew...kinda like sero...it was helpful that you did ask anything, just smiled to him

"You have another cigarette?"

"Yah wait" you got one out of your pocket and gave it to him smiling, he took it and lighted it up with a small explosion from his hands and took a deep breath

"You look good with a cigarette in between your lips "

"Shut up , dumbass "

"Sorry sorry" you laughed and closed your eyes, getting more comfortable with your head still attached to the side of his leg

Comfortable silence went between you both before you layed your whole body on the grass and pointed at the empty space next to you

"Come and lay down , watch stars with me"

He looked at you for some time before he get up to lay next to you , staring at the stars

Few minutes passed, until you talked

"Are you dead?"

"W...what?" Honestly he was so confused to even use his usual angry voice

"You know , sometimes I think am dead...because I just can't feel anything.. "

"How?" He asked slowly, welling to know more.. maybe understanding your emotions will help him with his

"It's like...am not what everyone wants me to be ... not as funny as denki or as smart as deku or as strong as you..not what my family wanted and not what my friends wanted .. it feels like I am a stranger...like no one really likes me as who I am...it feels like I am disappoiment...you know?"

"Well...I think I know" he turned his head back to the sky, staring at them while he talks

"I have Always tried to be the best...but somehow...somehow I have Always been a disappointment " he whispered, not looking at you as you got yourself to set and took a deep breath of your cigarette

"It's not true tho, I know how bad it feels... I know how bad you must be feeling now...but hey! You don't have to be alone anymore!"

He looked at you with red eyes that shines from the reflection of the sky

"You have done amazing you know...going through all of this...it was never your fault...I know you think you are week and everything but kat , if it makes any difference...I am really proud of you "

"Why? Why would you be proud of me? I am not good, y/n ...I couldn't even save myself and I put my friends in danger to save me...I am the reason almight I not a hero anymore .. I can't even get my shit together and focus on studying and training! I AM USELESS .. so why the fuck would you be proud if me???"

He said, his voice is not loud but it's broken... tears falling down his face and he doesn't even try to hide it...as much as he hates that he is crying in front of someone but it was all so much.. he can't hold it back anymore

"Why wouldn't I be proud of you katski? This is the real question... you have done amazing agents all of those villains, you are back to us and you are trying your best to study and train, you are smart, strong , beautiful, loud , caring, lovely...you are doing you best and if people around you don't see this so fuck them...I am fucking proud of you and you can't change that , so just accept it because I will say it over and over again, for every day from now on if I have to , until you believe it" you said, staring at him with a serious look that you don't show often

He broke down. Setting up and crying like a little kid...God he can't remember when did anyone told him that they were proud of him

And as he cry hardly you just smiled softly and hugged him so tight

"It's okay , heros cry too you know.. let it all out okay?...am not going anywhere .."

Je cried for almost a hour, hugging you back and not saying a word

Just listing to your soft voice mumbling a "It's okay now" and a "there there.. I know it have been too much...just let it all out ... I am proud of you kat" from time to time

When he finally calmed down he talked slowly with a low voice

"Y/n...I...am a little out of it now...but .. you have always been in my thoughts to help me when I lose myself "

Ge looked you in the eyes, desperate for your love

Only you made him that happy .. only you can see him crying like this

"Will you. .go out with me sometime?"

You laughed softly and kissed his forehead, getting up and giving him a hand to get up to

"Of course I will kat, now come on...let's get inside...you must be so tired "

Yes , it have always been you.. you have always been there to give him a hand .. maybe he is not a mess up after all .. maybe he is greedy enough to want you for himself

"You have always been there for me , waiting with open arms...and I will always be there to catch you ...you will be my soft and beautiful and I will always be your strong and faithful man...until the very end" _ katski bakugou

The end ♡

[ships4you]

the innkeeper

Pairing: Sokka x reader & some motherly Katara

Warnings: Cursing, mentions of blood

Authors Note: Someone requested a shy reader afraid of confronting Sokka but I accidentally deleted the request :( So this is for my lovely anon who requested this <3 Also I’ve been trying to make my fics as gender neutral and all that jazz, but please call me out if I slip up so I can fix it!! I may split this into 2 parts, so stay tuned :):)

Prompt: The reader and their family are in charge of the only running inn of the Northern Watertribe. When the Avatar and his friends come to the city the reader finds themselves befriending our favorite Southern Watertribe prince.

“The avatar is in the city!” your younger sister, Kana yelled running into your room. She grabbed your arm before you could resist and before you knew it she was dragging you to the courtyard. “The avatar? Here?!” you responded, “What is the avatar doing in the Northern Water Tribe?” She shrugged, “I’ve heard some people say he’s here to learn waterbending. I don’t see why though he should be like 1000 years old by now.”

The courtyard was crowded with familiar faces from the Tribe, everyone had seemed to rush just to get a glimpse of the all powerful avatar. Your sister had dragged you to an empty bridge overlooking the mass of people. Suddenly a large fluffy beast entered the courtyard walking next to three kids. “Avatar Aang,” the chief boomed, his voice bringing the crowd to a hush. The youngest of the three, dressed in colorful clothing you’ve never seen before bowed before the Chief. Kana latched to your side overflowing with excitement, “Do you think that’s him?! There’s no way, he’s my age...” You lightly pushed her off chuckling, “Shush up, I can’t hear what’s going on.”

As the Chief’s welcoming speech dragged on you focused on the two dressed in large blue sweaters similar to your current outfit. They both were clearly Water Tribe, but you had never seen them around the city before. The boy was looking around, amazed by his surroundings. You smiled at his giddiness, the smile stretched across his face was so pure and cute. He had deep blue eyes that were shifting every which way. You were so distracted, it took you a second to realize he had glanced up at you. Your eyes met and he smiled offering his hand up for a friendly wave.

“Eeep!” you squeaked squatting down behind the icy railing. Did he notice you staring? Was he weirded out? Obviously he was, who stares at people- creeps! That’s who. That was so embarrass-

“(y/n).” your sister said distracting you from your thoughts, “Why are you on the floor.” she pointed out unamused. You tucked your head between your legs and groaned, wincing at your awkwardness.

***

The inn your father ran scarcely had any customers. Most of the time your customers were either locals or Earth Kingdom generals visiting to discuss the war. All of a sudden your dad’s humble business became the talk of the town. Classmates constantly bugging you with questions, “What’s the avatar like?”, “Have you seen him airbend at all?”, “What are the two from the Southern Water Tribe like?” You didn’t have the heart to say you haven’t met them yet. Your father handled their rooms when they arrived, along with your nosy sister (who threatened to scream bloody murder if she didn’t get to meet the avatar). You on the other hand had been actively avoiding the group, especially the blue-eyed boy.

When people were staying at the inn; which was basically three extra rooms in your home, you were in charge of feeding the guests. It had been a few days since the avatar and his friends started staying at the inn. You were up early in the kitchen chopping the fresh caught fish for lunch, humming an old song your mom used to sing to you. Guests mostly ignored the kitchen, usually preferring to make small talk with the adults and patiently wait for food in the dining room. It was relaxing being safe from meeting new people.

“That song doesn’t sound watertribe.” A voice rose from behind.

Startled you turned around a little too fast and cut the side of your arm with the knife. “Shit.” you exclaimed grabbing your forearm. The boys eyes widened “Ah crap, Katara!” he yelled before running over to your side, grabbing a nearby drying cloth. You stared at him speechless. Would he recognize you? Spirits you hoped not.

“I’m so sorry,” he began blabbering focusing on your arm, his fingers grazing your skin as he pressed the cloth against the wound, “I really didn’t mean to startle you, I offered to bring the dirty dishes back here. The annoying little girl told me to bring them here, I didn’t think anyone would be back here...” His words slowing as he turned to face you. His eyebrows clinched together.

Shit.

“You look really familiar.”

Shitttt.

Before he could question any further a girl with long, brown, braided hair rushed into the room. “What is it Sokka?!” Was that his name? You had never met a Sokka before, maybe it was a common name in the South Pole. “Katara, thank the spirits! We need you to do your glowy-water-magic!” Sokka said waving his hands around. The girl, Katara, ran over bending the water out of her pouch. “What happened?” she asked unwrapping the bloody cloth off your arm.

“Umm, I cut myself. It fine, really.” you said quietly while Katara pressed her hand to your injured arm. The water started sparkling a bright blue hue. You winced at feeling. Katara smiled sweetly at you, “Does it hurt?” You shook your head, “No just feels weird.” As the glowing stopped she pulled away from your arm, bending the water along with her. “Shoot, it’s still bleeding a little.” She said examining your arm, “Sokka, I need more cloth.” He quickly glanced around the room and held out the bloody cloth he used before hand. “One that doesn’t have blood on it.”

“Oh! I got it,” Sokka began unwrapping the cloth tied at the waist of his tunic and handing it to Katara, “Here, use this.” Katara rolled her eyes and began dressing your wound. “I’m sorry I couldn’t heal it completely. I’ve only been taking classes on healing for a week, the wound should be clean now and the bleeding should stop in a couple days.” Her eyes were kind and warm when she smiled at you. “Thank you, I’m sorry I can be clumsy at times.” you murmured looking down at your arm. “I’m Katara by the way, and that’s my idiot older brother Sokka.” she said gesturing behind her. You pressed your lips together in a small smile, “I’m (y/n)”

***

Since then you had grown to enjoy being around Katara. She was sweet and easy to be around. She would often come to help clean after meals, despite you opposing her help several times.

Sokka however, you avoided him like the plague. Not because you didn’t want to talk to him. You wanted to. But you couldn’t stand to face him after embarrassing yourself twice. You knew it would have to happen sooner or later, you still had his belt Katara had used to wrap your cut. It took hours to wash all the blood out but the cloth was finally clean, dry, and folded neatly on top of your bed. Mocking you.

The simple solution would to have Katara take it to him, but then you’d be mad at yourself for running away. Which you had already done. a couple times... There were times you tried to give it back to him, but in the end you would wimp out.

“Oh my spirits, just give it to him.” Kana groaned. “You don’t get it Kana, I was so weird around him he probably thinks I’m a freak...” you said shifting the folded blue cloth between your fingers. “You. are. ridiculous.” she said tightly grabbing your arm, “Come on. We are doing this right now.” She yanked your wrist, dragging you through the hallway. “Wait! Like right now, right now?!” She nodded, harshly knocking on his door. “Yup. SOKKA! (Y/N) HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU!!” she screamed before running off, “Good luck!”

Before you had the chance to run after her, his door swung open. “Uh hi,” he said “was that your sister screaming?” You stammered back “Umm yea, she was just- she uh... I have your belt.” you interrupted yourself holding out the cloth. “Oh, right, thank you. How’s your arm?” You glanced down at the newly wrapped cloth wrapped around your forearm. “It’s doing well, it wasn’t as bad as it seemed.”

“Good. Good, that’s good.” he spoke as he were tripping over each word, “You know, I had been hoping you’d come by.” your eyes widened at the comment, “No, no-no-no, that sounded weird.” He explained, “I meant the belt. It’s my lucky belt so thank you.” You hugged your sides and pressed your lips into a tight smile, “You’re welcome, sorry I took a while to bring it back.”

“It’s all good, I’m just glad you’re here now.” He rubbed the back of his neck, “Hey, so... I haven’t seen much of the city yet and it gets kind of lonely while Aang and Katara are at training. I was thinking maybe you would like to go for a stroll sometime... With me.”

You couldn’t believe he was just as nervous as you. He always seemed so confident around the Inn, you just assumed he would be more outgoing. “A stroll?” you questioned slightly giddy.

“Yea, or a walk, whichever you prefer. Or not. Either is good if you wanted to, but if you don’t that’s okay too. You just seemed like a really cool person and I feel so bad about scaring you and-“

“Sokka. I would love to go for a stroll.” you stopped his rant before he could finish. His smiled widened, “Ok, yea cool. Totally chill... So, I’ll come meet you in the kitchen after breakfast tomorrow?” You fiddled with the sleeve of your shirt, “Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow then.” You said backing away. He leaned against the door frame, waving the same way he did the first time you saw him. “Yea! Tomorrow.”

Sokka spent the next five minutes mentally screaming at his awkwardness.

***

tag list: @myexgirlfriendisthemoon

[lacielre]

circles over circles, 2 (m)

SUMMARY  Your life has been pretty stable from any university task to your social life and love life, everything has been set perfectly like a plate to a dining table. but that changes when you encounter the one person you remember to feel indifferent the most—Jungkook.

PAIRING  jimin/reader, jungkook/reader

RATING  mature

GENRE  college au | smut, romance, heavy angst, friends to “enemies” to lovers, childhood friends, established relationship 

WARNINGS  lots of dwelling in the past (again), pining, smitten!jk, cocky taehyung, a light touch of dirty talk

WORD COUNT  8k

PARTS  1, 2

FIRST DAY OF PLAYOFFS…

Time is quick and unforgiving.

You realize this when you take a swift sweep of the sixty-person-filled room you’re in and catch the hanging wall clock. Time’s almost up. Everyone’s striving to finish the examinations that will determine the fate of the scholars in this tense chamber. For some, the exams are for the fifty-percent off scholarship grant. For you, however, you’re aiming for the month-long education in New Zealand, which based by the overheard pre-exams conversations is almost everyone else’s aim.

In a few minutes, everyone, you included, submits their papers.

All you’re thinking about is that you better fucking get in. Those dreadful hours in the quiet of the libraries and the fears of walking alone at night better pay off.

Today is also the first day of playoffs and because of the thousand-item test you had, it’s impossible for you to catch up to any game. Even the final minutes of the day’s last game, ice hockey, are not granted to you. Having arrived at the venue, you only witnessed the university’s team winning hoots and cheers, sonorously booming in the stadium from the ice rink while the audience clears up the seats.

And like every college that exists, there’s a house party and it’s only blocks away from your dorm. You’re in the middle of untying your shoelaces when your phone rings with Seulgi’s contact name flashing on your screen so you answer.

Before you could even speak, a voice beats you to it.

“Hey? I’m Yeri, Seulgi’s classmate. Um, you’re on Seulgi’s speed dial so I just figured to call you—”

“Wait—what-why? What’s going on?” you ask instead, not wasting a minute.

The other line is too loud and thank God, the girl—Yeri—you’re speaking with has gone outside to lessen the noise and actually communicate.

“Seulgi is drunk and none of us could drive her home,” she sighs then gets to the point, “she’s wasted.”

“Yeahyeahokay,” you say, tying your shoes back. “I’ll be there in five. Don’t leave her alone please.”

“Yes! Of course, of course! Thank y—oh, my God, tie—put her hair back!”

In no less than five minutes, you arrive to the house party that shows exactly what it is: a Friday night house party. You feel like even if your university didn’t win ice hockey tonight, something like this would still happen.

But hell did you miss going to parties like this.

Sadly, you aren’t here to party; you’re here to pick up your roommate who you caught puking in the last seconds of your call.

Fuck it.

You enter the vibrating house, licking your lips dried-up from the hints of winter soaking and slowly freezing the autumn air. The interior looks exactly how you expect it to from how it presents itself outside.

“Ayy! _____!”

Someone shouts your name over the blasting music and you know it’s Namjoon. You turn to find him but it’s difficult when the inebriation of people around you is also clouding your vision. There’s too many people moving around.

“On your left!”

You turn so and you see Namjoon with spread legs on a wide grey couch, balancing a red cup of what might possibly be beer on his left thigh. He eases comfortably between Seokjin and an awfully good-looking guy with a perfect side profile.

Your lips heartily form a wide smile.

“Joon!” you shout, approaching him.

“Drink?” Namjoon offers, holding the cup to you.

You’re right—beer.

You shake your head.  “No, thank you.”

“Alright.” He nods. “I didn’t expect you here tonight.”

“Just here to pick up my roommate.”

Namjoon laughs, not failing to pick up the subtle hint of frustration in your tone. “Been there,” he consoles.

“Why are you even here… drinking? Isn’t your game tomorrow morning?”

“Before lunch, yeah,” he corrects. “I’m not getting drunk by the way. Just here for a few drinks then I’ll bounce. Our coach told us to relax.” The last word hotly grazes against his throat.

“And we did,” Seokjin continues, leaning back. “Nice seeing you, _____. You look great.”

“You know I doubt that but thanks.”

“So, what, I’m just not here or…?” the guy with the perfect side profile says.

“Ignore him, _____,” Seokjin mumbles.

“So, _____.” The perfect-side-profile man catches your name. “I’m Hoseok.”

“Ignore him,” Namjoon repeats Seokjin’s sentiment.

You smile at Hoseok anyway, to be polite. Now he has a name. “I’d love to catch up with you, guys, but I gotta go look for my friend,” you say in a hurry, withdrawing in tiny steps. “Bye! Good luck tomorrow!”

“Yeah, your boyfriend won’t really approve of that,” Namjoon teases.

Instead of replying with a witty remark, you already run off to another, emptier corner of the house and you even heard Hoseok double-checking Namjoon’s statement, asking something like, “How the fuck do all girls in this party have partners?”

Your phone vibrates and lights up with a message from Seulgi or well, Yeri who’s handling her phone, telling you to go to the backyard.

When you spin, time doesn’t construct itself much from your rapid recognition of whose back is facing you right now but meters away.  

It’s Jungkook.

It’s Jungkook whose arm is leaning flatly on the wall, caging a girl with his body. It’s Jungkook in the kitchen with a girl giggling in his company and by the way his back bounces, he too must also be sharing the laughter. It annoys you that you could recognize him so easily, and worse, you could recognize him smiling from the looks of his back.

That’s Jungkook, alright.

Fuck it.

It has you reeling how you’re feeling this way but Joohyun’s words from last time ring in your head. They’ve constantly been.

This is a burden you never lifted off your shoulders.

And things like that – they come full circle.

Do they really?

You faintly shake your head.

You pass by them in speedy steps, getting a whiff of Jungkook’s cologne along the way. Some things never change.

It only takes probably half a minute for you to spot Seulgi being forced to stand up by her friends. You hear her say something to them but you couldn’t pick it up since she slurred her way through it. She lifts her head and probably sees you.

She does.

“_____!” Seulgi shouts, barely pronouncing out your name correctly.

“Oh, thank God!” Yeri groans as she follows Seulgi’s gaze.

You help Yeri and two other girls with Seulgi.

“God really is a woman,” Yeri declares in a pained whisper, squeezing her eyes shut when you take Seulgi’s arm from her shoulder.

She groans from relief, rolling her shoulders.

“My car is parked right outside,” you state, wrapping Seulgi’s arm around you instead.

“Whaaayoudyoin…” Seulgi asks, pushing her head back with closed eyes. “Donnbrimehome pleaaa! Jaacallmywoommey. I haa! A woomate!”

Now Seulgi is being a pain in the ass.

Seulgi doesn’t make it easy for you to carry her with her thrashing her body sideways at almost every step you make.

“Hey! _____! I’ll help,” Namjoon shouts from the back door, jogging lightly to your destination. “Saw you from the window,” he adds. “You didn’t tell me this was your roommate. She’s been like this for almost half an hour now.”

You shrug, passing Seulgi’s arm to Namjoon’s shoulder. “Well, that’s for her to remember in the morning.”

“She’s wasted as fuck”—Seulgi kicks and almost gets to Namjoon’s leg—“and stubborn as fuck too. Goddamn.”

“That’s my roommate, alright,” you sigh, words barely under your breath. You watch Seulgi move around and Namjoon could only back off when she turns and sways, but he tries his best to steady her, alternating holds from her shoulders, arms, and elbows. “So, can you…?”

He gives off a nervous laughter. “Yeah, fuck. I’ll just need…” he looks around, “some help.” And he catches Hoseok who’s chilling on the doorstep. “Hobi! Help me out here!”

“What, can’t carry a girl only half your size, Joon?” Hoseok provokes but comes closer.

“How ‘bout you fucking try, then?” Namjoon lets go of Seulgi and Hoseok almost backs off when your drunk friend pushes them off with her arms.

“Oh, fuck,” Hoseok says.

“Are you guys really gonna help?” you ask, frustration pent up, helping Seulgi stand on your own.

“Anything for you, princess.” Hoseok winks.

God, you are so familiar with this type of talks. The sigh drawn from your lungs is probably an adequate answer but Hoseok probably failed to catch that as you do not receive any reaction from him.

With the help of Namjoon and Hoseok, you arrive to your car in no time. The other girls have already gone back to the frat house and rekindle with whatever activities Seulgi disrupted them from. Tonight is a failure to feminism, you think.

“Drive home safe,” Hoseok reminds, tapping your scrolled-down window.

Although unaccustomed of the gesture coming from him, you slowly nod.

“Okay, between the two of us, only I get to tell her that, a’right? Move,” Namjoon interferes, pushing Hoseok aside. He nods to Seulgi who’s dead asleep on the shotgun. “You sure you can bring her up yourself?”

You could only nod. Fuck, you haven’t thought of that.

Fuck it.

You swallow.

With a determined sigh, you say, “Yep. Thanks for your help, Joon.”

He flashes his deep dimples at you. “That’s nothing,” he genuinely says. “It’s nice to see you again, though, _____. Seeing you back there felt like high school, when you were still with that shithead Yoongi—fuck, sorry.”

“I’m fine! You can call him shithead as much as you like.” You laugh and he does too. “Also, yeah, it’s really been a while, huh?”

He agrees by wiggling his brows. “You took your exams today?” he asks.

“Yep! Missed all the games for that one.”

“Sucks,” Namjoon comments, his forehead furrowing in comfort. “Did mine yesterday. See you in New Zealand, baby!”

He raises a palm up and you reciprocate the high five.

You think, right.

He’s both an athletic and academic scholar. Of-fucking-course.

“You can’t be too sure.” You shake your head.  “I’m not as smart as you.”

He scrunches his nose to brush off your comment. “Eh,” he deadpans, shrugging. “I’m sure you did well, _____. You’ll get in.” He takes a pause then he exhales, gripping onto the bottom windowpane of your car. “Jungkook also took his yesterday. Hopefully, we all get in.”

You could only nod and Namjoon must’ve seen how that made you tense for a second. He clears his throat and knocks a tin of your car. “Drive home safe. Hope to see you tomorrow.”

“Oh, you will.”

“Text me when you get home.”

“Oh, I will.”

He chuckles and repeats, “I really did miss you.”

“You too. Need to catch up with… everything.”

“And ignore Hoseok, by the way. Hasn’t gotten his dick wet for a week, excuse him.”

“I’m literally standing right next to you.”

SECOND DAY OF PLAYOFFS…

Sans the library studies from your morning routine, you take into account to visit Joohyun’s shop, Irene’s, every morning for whatever you need. It could all stem from buying sweets or drinks to reheating lunch boxes to borrowing cash.

Today is for the former.

You’ll be needing to replenish energy and the way to do that is through sugar. Loads of them.

“You getting nervous?” you ask.

Amid your morning walk, you are on line with Jimin who you swear is nervous but tells you otherwise.

“How many times do I have to tell you that I feel… alright?” Jimin sighs.

“That doesn’t sound confident,” you tease. “Where’s my cocky boyfriend?”

“When have I ever been cocky?” he scoffs.

“A few times—mostly in bed—but I’ll take that point,” you goad.  

You hear him laugh on the other line. “Can’t wait to see you.”

In that, you feel the syllables stretching with the way he smiles. Before you were with him, you found it corny how you read things like hearing someone’s smile from a call but fuck do you get it now. You get it. And it feels nice catching details like that.

You bite your bottom lip. “Me too,” you reply. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited in weeks. Probably months even, for something. And all I’ve ever been was… tired and annoyed. Mostly, tired.”

“Mhm,” Jimin hums. “I forgot to ask you last night about your exams. Sorry ‘bout that.”

“That’s fine and you know what, I don’t think I did that well.” You pout. “Before you yell at me, I’m not just saying this. I swear I feel this way.”

“That can’t possibly be right.” You hear a shuffle from his line, probably him shifting on his seat. “You’re the smartest person I know.”

You couldn’t help the laugh the blooms from your chest. “Okay, now you’re just lying to my face.”

“Not to your face. And no,” he emphasizes his decline, “I am not lying.”

“It’s either that or you don’t know that many people which is impossible, by the way.”

Jimin laughs again then he composes himself. “You’re getting that grant, babe. I’m sure.”

You raise your brow. “You’re ‘sure’?”

He laughs. “Okay—maybe not sure, but you get me.”

“Whatever, Park Jimin,” you sass.

It only occurs to you that you never actually told Jimin that you’re looking forward to a month-long exchange trip in New Zealand for winter, not a fifty percent off scholarship grant. You aren’t sure why you didn’t tell him in the first place. It’s probably because you applied for it just when Jimin started his training. Then weeks went on and on.

It’s difficult for you to tell him because then, after barely seeing each other for about three weeks because of his training and your preparation for exams, it’s again another month of bare absence, of almost concrete silence between the two of you. It’s again another time for uncertain developments and yearning for lingering touches on your skin.

You’re scared that he’ll think you don’t think much about spending time with him because you do. But the New Zealand trip will be a box full of opportunities too, and you cannot risk not being able to go.

But after this for sure.

Fuck it.

Inhaling sharply, you repeat previous sentiment, “Can’t wait to see you.”

“Cheesy.” His voice is flirty, its rasp sticking to the word.  

“What do you want me to say then?” It’s a challenge you don’t want to lose. “I’m ready to suck you like a champ,” you say, tone lacing in feigned seduction before spared milliseconds of bursting into laughter. “How was that? How does that sound?”

“Sexy,” he muses, grinning. “And what if I lose then?”

“Don’t say that.” You click your tongue on the roof of your mouth. “Well, I’ll make you feel like a champ then.”

“Yeah, okay. I gotta admit, that sounds kinda hot,” Jimin laughs.

You grin. “Today should be all about you, babe. Do well and I’ll text or call you when I get there. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

When the line disappears into the plainness, into thin air, it’s just on time with Joohyun noticing you from the counter through the glassed walls of the cozy shop, allowing the central color of brown in different schemes to the exit, displaying itself for people to see orange-turning furies from the islands to the select bricked walls and to the waxed wooden floors. She does her usual routine every time she sees you: untie her apron, leave the counter, and pull her phone from her pocket.

You enter, rolling your eyes at her.

“Good morning to you too, _____,” Joohyun exclaims with a wide smile.

“Get back to the counter,” you say.

“What?” She frowns. “But I just got out.”

“Your shop opened literally fifteen minutes ago.”

“I know. I opened,” she says, mocking you with her tone. Barely. “Contrary to what you think sometimes, I do work here.”

“Exactly,” you say sharply. “I’m gonna order something.”

She rolls her eyes, reties the ribbon of her apron, and slip her phone back into her pocket. “What do you want?”

Your eyes land on the untouched blueberry cheesecake caged in glasses as an answer. Joohyun is quick to her senses, crouching down to have herself almost face-to-face with your dessert.

“How many of this do you want?”

“Four slices, please,” you declare, excitement evident in your phrasing.

She straightens her back once all the slices are neatly placed in a small paper box for you.  “Aren’t these too much for a morning?”

“Don’t shame me. Also, I have a roommate to feed.”

Her eyes widen at your response then she presents you a tight smile. “Okay.” Then she announces the price of your order. “Will you tip your cashier?”

“No. When can I get like a friend discount in here?”

“You won’t,” she says curtly, processing your order and payment into the slim machine. “Look at you getting all sugar-high for the game later.”

“Well,” you shrug, “I need all the help I need. I barely slept last night. I had to pick up Seulgi from a party then I had to bring her up to the room—it’s all such a mess last night. She almost puked in my car too.”

“You went to a party and you never told me?”

“Joohyun,” you say through gritted teeth. You point your fingers to your ears for emphasis. “Listen. I said I had to pick Seulgi up.”

“Sorry. All I heard was… party,” she says, whispering the last word into a short-lived outbreath. “So, saw anything interesting? Flaring testosterone levels? See any of my ex making out with someone? Or maybe your ex?”

“I saw Namjoon and Seokjin,” you interrupt. “Jungkook was there too.”

“You two talk?”

You shake your head. “You know what, I feel like you messed with my head, Joohyun. Because last night, I honestly felt like there was this part of me—just a small, small, small, tiny part of me—that was just ready to call his name and talk to him.”

She pushes the box with an attached receipt to you before raising her hands, admitting a defeat you never declared her to do so. “Hey, don’t blame this one on me. I was just saying.”

You look away and you could feel your forehead scrunching up to a concerned look. Without feeling the need to, you sigh.

“Well, you saying it,” you bite your lip, “just did something. Opened wounds.”

Joohyun shakes her head, not entirely getting your point. “Can I just ask? Am I okay here? Like, you’re not mad at me or anything, right, for telling you something that I’m sure you already know?”

“I’m not.”

“Okay, good. Because you don’t sound good. That didn’t sound good.”

“Is it bad that I feel this way?” You swallow and continue, “About him?”

“It’s not a crime to miss someone, _____.”

“I never said I miss him.”

“You didn’t have to, though,” she counters, not bothering to pause a little. “I think you’ll only know whether it’s a good thing or if it’s a bad thing once you start talking to him. For now, I don’t think it’s… you know, something—or anything, but you know, don’t miss the chance to turn into something.”

You nod slowly. “You’re right. Not sure about that last part though. I feel like you’re just planting stuff in my head again.” A beat for how ludicrous it sounds and you continue, “Fuck. I don’t know. I don’t know what to think. In fact, I don’t want to. Maybe I’m just missing high school in general.”

Her brow raises and you’re already so well-aware of what she’s about to say. She really has a way of making you want to eat back the words you just spat to avoid being embarrassed by her teases.

“Oh, you miss high school, huh,” she starts. “Is it because of Jungkook or… maybe Yoongi? Aw, shit. It’s been a while since I even said his name.”

“Fuck you.”

“Are you still in contact with him?” she asks, genuinely curious.

“Of course, not, Joohyun. Do I look like I don’t respect myself?” You don’t wait for her answer and beat her into speaking by saying, “Okay. Don’t answer that.”

“Do you wanna know some classified information?” she asks, shifting the topic. On her note, at the control of the conversation, she says, before you could even answer, “Jungkook and you must have pretty similar tastes—andandand before you yell at me, I can say so because he frequents here ever since he started ordering here. Thanks to you.”

“Again, fuck you,” you hiss. “I didn’t want to know that.”

She scoffs, ignoring your statement. “Whatever. Enjoy your stuff and see you later.”

The venue is already packed with people when you arrive, many of them are students. The student division of the two universities can be clearly seen from afar. Outsiders are even dressed up to support whoever they’re supporting and it, without doubt, shows. The cheering squads are already up on their feet, performing their bone-breaking choreographies, shouting on top of their lungs to make out their cheers for the players.

You text Jimin about your arrival and where you’re seated. You’re sure he’ll easily spot you later. He does it every time you attend his games.

Instead of proceeding to a crowded spot among the seats, you go to where Seulgi is and she’s sitting beside Jennie, a mutual friend, chilling at a rather bald spot in the seats, but still only a few seats far from others. Between you and Seulgi, you’ve known Jennie longer although you two weren’t that close in high school.

College really couldn’t pull you from high school.

“Finally, you’re here,” Jennie squeals. “I barely see you around anymore. Park Jimin’s really taking all your time, huh?”

“Girl, I wish. Was busy with the scholarship stuff,” you correct, yawning.

“And girl, you better get it,” Jennie proclaims before biting onto her chip. “Seulgi told me about her drunk night. I salute! Thank you for saving our fallen soldier.”

“You owe me. You owe me big time,” you sternly hiss at Seulgi and she nods adamantly. “So what you two been up to?” you ask, shifting comfortably on your seat.

“What have you been up to, huh?” Seulgi teases. “I didn’t know you were friends with most of the guys in the baseball teams! What the fuck, _____? You never gave me this information!”

Jennie faces you with a mischievous smile. “Ooh, looks like Seulgi wants an introduction with the boys. You’re freshman year ‘bout to get spicy, Seulgi! You don’t know the land of opportunities _____ is going to show you.”

“Jennie, stop planting ideas in her head!” You glare, shaking your head. “I’m not introducing anyone to anyone. And Seulgi, c’mon, now,” you say, a bit disappointed. “Them, really?”

“What? You’re friends with them! Why can’t I be?”

“Okay, fine! Whatever. I’m not your mom. But Jennie will do that for you.” You turn to Jennie. “Right, Jennie? Since this is your bright idea anyway.”  

Jennie’s smile fades but she blurts a “yes,” anyway after long negotiations with Seulgi.

Soon, the teams arrive in their team jerseys and whatever gears they need, and the volume of the cheers even turn up to a certain extent that has the seats vibrating a bit. The crowd follows the chants through and through. Of course, the cheers are louder from the home team aka your university.

The loudest is probably when Jungkook’s name was announced. But it’s also hard to make that decision when Seokjin, Namjoon, and Hoseok start to make their entrance one-by-one and the cheers seem to get louder and louder. It has your head reeling, that even when the stadium seats are not completely filled, the clusters of small groups have it in them to shake the plate.

“Holy fuck,” Seulgi chuckles as she covers her ears. “My ears!”

“Jungkook. Golden boy,” Jennie states.

The visiting team then makes their entrance and even if they’re the visiting ones, Taehyung gets his share of screams too.

Your friend, Jennie, on the other hand, chooses to sing-shout a romantic song about how time should go back, an homage for your past with Taehyung which was as shallow as it gets. She does that instead of doing what normal people do in a game—cheer. And you could only slap her leg to shut the hell up.

“Imagine you and Taehyung, what it could’ve been.”

“You know what, Jennie? No. And this is getting old.”

“No, I don’t but I’ll keep doing it.” She raises her brow and you could only shake your head. “Lighten up, _____. I was just kidding.”

“Taehyung’s hot,” comes a direct whisper on your ear, making your hairs stand.

“Fuck! When the hell did you get here?” you ask, startled, while Joohyun hops from the back bleachers and take the empty seat beside you.

“I was looking for you and I was contacting you but you weren’t answering your phone,” Joohyun complains, then she winks at Seulgi then Jennie. “Long time no see, girls!” She wiggles her brows. “Isn’t this exciting?”

“Oh, yeah, definitely! It gets more exciting every time one player comes out and we tease _____ about him,” Jennie says, chuckling.

“And so far, who? Just one. Taehyung. That’s right,” you say dismissively.  

“And Jungkook,” Joohyun points out.

“We were friends. We didn’t do anything.”

“Looks like you did, though,” Jennie backs.

“Yeah, definitely,” Seulgi agrees.

“You too? Really?” you moan.

“I don’t know—I just thought…” Seulgi defends without an drop of confidence.

“Sometimes, try not thinking.”

Joohyun groans. “We tease you because we lived boring lives, _____. Mundane. Dull. Humdrum. Monoto—”

“Got it, thesaurus,” you interrupt.

And Jimin finally comes out and you’re sure he winked at you, making you bite your bottom lip to suppress your smile. The crowd roars with the announcement of his name and you’re too flustered to even mingle in with the shouts.

“Aw, is _____ wet yet?” Jennie teases, making Seulgi and Joohyun snicker.

“Shut up,” you hiss but you’re smiling.

Fuck it.

“God, we get it, _____. You have a boyfriend,” Joohyun mumbles.

“Damn right, I do.”

Everyone gets to their position and the game starts with Hoseok pitching while Jimin twirls his ankles and gets ready to bat.

A competitive atmosphere envelops the stadium. Throughout the game, even with your few-minutes-spaced reminders to keep your eyes on Jimin, you couldn’t help but allow them to drift to Jungkook. He just plays so damn well. It’s no wonder this university recruited him when it had a chance.

That’s Jungkook, alright.

CUSP OF SUMMER, FOUR YEARS AGO…

“You free on Saturday?” Jungkook had to ask.

It looked like he wasn’t paying attention to you—or to anything really. He was busy fidgeting over your fled and crazed application papers on the counter, while managing an itch on his nape that never seemed to disappear. Crooking his head to the right as his fingers lightly lifted few pages of your forms, he took a peek.

“Hmm,” you hummed, stretching your hands heavenward with an eye closed, moaning at the delicious stretch. “If this is you asking me to go see you play then…”

He cleared his throat. “Then what?”

“Of course, I’m there. Are we even friends or what?”

“Good. I was starting to doubt that.”

“I don’t see you for like three days then you start saying shit like this to me.” You sneered before rolling your eyes.  “You’re the one on training, mister.”

“Okay—okay. You win this one.”

“Mhm. There’s a teeny, tiny problem though.”

Jungkook’s brow raised in concern. “What?”

“I forgot to buy tickets.”

“Luckily for you,” he slid a ticket from his back pocket next to your cup of coffee, “there’s this.”

“Aw, no,” you cooed. “You have this reserved for me?”

He nodded then he processed your facial expression. “That’s it. That’s the face of someone who thinks the world revolves around them.”

You ignored him with scoff. “You really can’t live without me around you, huh?”

You pressed your hands to your chest for emphasis while your brows drown a quarter span of your forehead. Your teeth couldn’t even release their bite from your bottom lip, doing their best to suppress your jokey beam. But what came next – you hadn’t expected.

Never.

And it will be in your head for quite some time.

“Of course I want you there. You’re my lucky charm,” Jungkook stated without hesitation, shifting his gaze from the ticket then to your eyes. His were earnest.

Yours were something else but they softened. Fuck it.

You did not expect it and it came worse to you. Because now, you were flustered. Flustered like the times he would envelope your hand in his when crossing streets without telling you beforehand. Flustered like when he had kissed the top of your head because you were crying. Flustered like this.

He flashed you a smile, one that only cared to lift the corners of his mouth, before leaving your sight, attending to the game he abandoned on your computer.

“Lucky charm,” you repeated in a small voice. “Lucky charm, huh.”

Not even your boyfriend said stuff like that to you.

As if on cue, your phone lit up with a message from your boyfriend, Yoongi, asking you if you would be free on Saturday.

You didn’t reply, did not even bother tapping your fingers on your phone screen. You didn’t even bother to draw your phone closer to you to read his message. You just wouldn’t and couldn’t.

You sighed. “Jackass.”

If asked to describe your relationship with Yoongi was like, the first word that would pop up in your head was – messy. That itself was enough to tell how problematic your relationship was with him but you couldn’t end it. Yoongi would fuck it up; miss out on significant events of your life, make you wait for hours for a date, leave you on read for days—weeks even, then contact you back – like today. But you took him over and over again in your arms.

“Heard that,” Jungkook announced, clearing the silence between the two of you.

“Don’t worry. It’s not you, Kook.”

“I know it’s not. It’s always one person when it comes to you and that word, _____.” He scoffed, followed by a short chuckle then his conclusion: “That was Yoongi for sure.”

“Damn right.”

When Jungkook’s game ended or after his team won, his time was quickly occupied by some guy you weren’t familiar with. He was dragged to the corner of the stadium, near the entrance made for the players.

Even then, you did your usual routine after every Jungkook game, wait by the doors of the guys’ locker room. As Jungkook was kept busy by some guy, practically all his teammates had exited the room and bid goodbyes to you along reminders of “party at Namjoon’s later” when they caught you leaning on the wall beside the doorstep.

Almost every one of his teammates were out and about in preparation for the party later, getting doses of alcohol in cans, glass bottles, and even those gigantic jugs, and also probably, well most likely, weed, when Jungkook finally gone to shower. Great. You’d be waiting for another set of dread minutes.

The door once again opened while you were busy formulating a reply to Yoongi, the classic type-and-delete approach over an apology for leaving him on read until Saturday—or today arrived. Actually it was the classic type-and-delete-and-curse approach. You were thinking this was all too late because Saturday was almost over anyway.

This was you giving in again and you surely wouldn’t be telling Jungkook about this.

You were doing so well.

Fuck it.

You started typing.

“Hey, _____,” was the greeting of a deep voice from beside you.

“Hey, Tae,” you greeted back, locking your phone.

Taehyung stood next to you, peeking from the small opening he made with the door. But he was close. Close enough for you smell his mint shampoo and a bit out-of-character baby soap. The scent matched well with his fresh face and sodden dark locks, however.

“There’s a seat here,” he noted.

“Great. My legs are killing me,” you said in relief and he opened the door wider for you.

You followed him to the lockers and it was only him left and of course, Jungkook in the showers inside.

Taehyung closed his locker then leaned his back on it, looking down on you as you sat on a bench across him, only a meter away.

If you were asked to describe your relationship with Taehyung, it’d be very easy to do so. It was as shallow as it could get. Things with him were the epitome of almost’s. He’d make a move then nothing happened next.

“You have plans after this?” Taehyung started.

“Is this your pick-up line?” you teased.

“I guess pick-up lines are my bottom-of-the-barrel approach to finally get it on with you then.” He chuckled, making you take note of the fact that his voice even sounded deeper when he did. “So, what are you up to?”

“To wherever Jungkook goes,” you answered. “It’s his day anyway.”

“So you’ll be at the party later then.”

You scoffed. “With or without Jungkook, I’ll be there for sure. Won’t miss it for the world.”

“Would you mind if we pick up where we’d always left off?” was his brazen request.

That made you stand up from being seated, meters closing into bare inches when you branded the floor with your footsteps.

Taunting to be as bold as him, you smirked.

“And where is that?” you asked breathily, grazing your fingers on the loose part of fabric clinging on his waist.

He smirked, aiming to tear down your dominant demeanor with how he towered over you but you contested, keeping your eyes locked with his. “Pretty,” he merely commented, clearing your face from the stands of your hair.

“Pretty?” you repeated.

Taehyung got a hold of your wrist but he kept his touch merely centimeters above your skin. He skimmed to your elbow and upwards, upwards, upwards until he reached to swipe his thumb on your bottom lip. “So pretty,” he repeated bending down his neck to whisper them in your ears.

He claimed a spot on your neck with a small peck just when you thought he’d claim you in for a kiss.

“You letting me take you home tonight?”

And fuck were you ready to just jump on his request.

His voice dripping honey didn’t help at all.

“That’s a question I can’t answer,” you swallowed when he nipped on your jaw to hide your panting, “right now.”

“Uh huh. Why is that?” He placed a hand on your back, dangerously close to your ass. His other hand cupped your cheek into his palm, making it easier for his lips to fan hot breaths over yours.

Again, you swallowed.

“You’ll have to convince me better,” you said weakly.

Fuck it.

“Later, yeah?” He leaned in and right when you hoped he would finally enclose his lips with yours, he only kissed the corner of your lips, making you yearn as if minutes of him playing with you weren’t enough.

You lifted your head, trying to catch his lips which after two quick attempts, he allowed with a smug chuckle.

It wasn’t a deep one. It was open-mouthed, wet. A trial for what comes later.

“Doesn’t look like you need much convincing though,” Taehyung teased, giving your ass a squeeze.

The only answer you could give him was a moan and another kiss which ran a few seconds before he pulled away.

“What now?” you whined in a shy voice, annoyed, making him chuckle.

“You’ve got to tell me though.”

“Tell you what?”

“What’s up with you and Jungkook? I need to know so I don’t fuck up,” Taehyung elaborated sharply. “I mean, you’re always together and shit.”

Your lips were left agape and you ran your tongue behind your teeth as you contemplated. You didn’t know what to tell Taehyung because you didn’t know the answer for that in one statement. You could say your best friends though but why couldn’t you?

“Jungkook!” you shouted instead, startling Taehyung.

“What?” Jungkook shouted back from the showers. “I’m coming out!”

“Okay! Good.” You turn back to Taehyung. “We’re friends.”

“So, I wouldn’t be fucking up anything then? Great,” Taehyung said that had your heart beating faster. “That’s what I liked to hear.”

“You’ve got to know though,” you added. “I’ve got a very complicated relationship with someone right now.”

Taehyung shook his head, laughing. “Yeah, I’m not really worried about getting in the middle of that,” he said, a finger sliding on your lips.

“Taehyung, back off, please,” Jungkook interrupted, a bit of frustration hinting in his tone. “I already told you; she’s taken.”

Taehyung untangled his hands from your waist but his smirk lingered.

You withdrew from Taehyung, walking up to Jungkook who stood at the boundary of the locker room and the shower room. You mouthed to Jungkook inaudibly with an annoyed expression, “Really now?”

He raised a brow at you as he tongued his cheek. “Yeah, _____,” he said sarcastically, nodding his head. “Anyway, let’s go. I’ve got something to tell you.”

The only thing you could do was follow him. He, who was walking in a real hurried pace with his gym bag. Before the two of you exited the locker room and left Taehyung alone, you looked back at him and he gave you a wink.

You two didn’t really move too far from the locker rooms anyway. Just by the doorstep when you waited for him earlier.

“Okay, what’s up?” you asked with a smile, hoping for some good news.

Before he opened his mouth, he gave in to a wide smile he must’ve been biting on his cheek to repress.

Alluring features of him smiling were of different earthly gifts.

“Oh, my God. It is good news! Wait—wait, let me guess! Is this about the guy outside?” You waited for his nod which he gave. “Okay, wait—no. I don’t wanna guess. I give up. What is it? Who was that?” were your shooting questions, putting him on hot seat.

“So that guy is the baseball coach of the national university,” Jungkook introduced slowly but he didn’t continue.

“Well…?”

“He’s asking me to try-out for them.” He paused to exhale. “And if I get in, which he kept telling me I’ve got a great chance in, I’ll go to college there. Free.”

As if it was your triumph to celebrate, your eyes widened as you jumped to hug him tightly. “Oh, my God! That’s so great! I’m so happy for you, Kook! Oh, my God! This is big!”

He let go of his gym bag to fully wrap his arms around your waist, almost completely burying his face to the crook of your neck and shoulder. “It’s still not sure though. Only if I get in—”

“Shh,” you hushed. “One thing at a time.”

“Okay.” He surrendered to you, into the embrace.

“Okay, maybe two things at a time,” you recounted. “First, your win. And this, second. Fuck, I really am your lucky charm, aren’t I?”

“You have a way of making things about you, _____,” he countered instead. But again, he surrendered to you. “But fuck yeah, you really are.”

“Everything’s falling into place for you, damn.” You hugged him tighter, leaving your cheek on his chest. “I’m so happy for you I could honestly cry but to save face, I will not.”

“Thank you, _____,” was his straight reply.

The vibration of his chest suddenly became the beeping alarm in your head on the proximity you two share. But no one was pulling away. Not you. You couldn’t.

Not when hugging him like this felt so good, so warm. So perfect.

You looked up to tease him about the fast beats of his heart, but as if you were caught in act, as if captured to an arrest, you stiffened when his eyes were already onto yours.

But no one was looking away. Again, it was not you. You couldn’t.

It didn’t take long ticks of seconds for you to feel the burning of your cheeks, pinks finally looming to your face. Yet still, you couldn’t, wouldn’t dare look away. And all this time, you were only thinking about how it was you who should look away, not realizing that he wasn’t moving either.

Because it couldn’t be him who would look away too.

It couldn’t be him who would unwrap his arms and pull away finally.

Despite all these thoughts, Jungkook knew that if no one let go, he could lean in. Fuck, he could. You were only a few centimeters away. He really would. He would yet he couldn’t so he stayed the same way you did.

Today was special. This was special.

Today was his.

“You guys have a ride?” Taehyung’s voice suddenly echoed from the locker room, making the both of you jump.

It was you who had to let go.

“Y-Yeah, Tae!” you shouted back.

“Alright,” Taehyung noted, exiting the room and moving past the two of you. He looked back to wink at you. “See you there, _____.”

You bit your lips.

“Really, ____?” Jungkook asked.

“He’s joking,” you defended.

“What is it you see in him anyway?” Jungkook still asked, ignoring your statement.

“Kook, you ask that about every guy I’ve been with,” you stated. “Nothing’s even happened between me and Tae. I just wanna fool around with someone. And everything I have with Yoongi is so close to coming to an end. So, I guess that one’s out the window.”

You waited for Jungkook to speak.

“For real, this time.”

“For real, this time?”

Your statements overlapped, except that Jungkook’s was a question. It was clear that he had enough of you saying the same thing over and over again.

You chuckled.

“Yes, Kook,” you assured. “And you know what? Let’s not talk about this. Today is your day!”

Jungkook chuckled at that, certain that you were only trying to move the discussion away.

“Get drunk as fuck and fuck who you wanna fuck tonight,” you kidded.

He looked down. “You’d think I would,” he mumbled under his breath so silently you barely heard something and you didn’t question it.

In bare silence, the best thing you could bring out was a wide smile on your lips you couldn’t bring to stop. It was enough for Jungkook to feel like he was on top of the world and he could only mentally curse at himself for feeling like this. It was just a smile anyway. Nothing big. Nothing big.

But his chest that barely caged his pumping heart could only do so much. He felt that even with you only a few inches away, you could feel the vibrations in the small space between the two of you.

He hoped it did.

All this over a smile which wasn’t anything big.

Nothing was ever a big deal until he felt your touch. Your fingers pulling at his fingers then upward to wrap them around his wrists quickly, gripping lightly higher and higher until you held onto his arms for balance, in order to tiptoe and kiss his cheek. You felt him tense.  

“Congratulations,” you said as you levelled with his stare, as if it was so simple.

It hadn’t been clear to Jungkook that it was you who leaned in.

“I hope you don’t mind,” you said when you figured he remained silent.

He shook his head. “Of course not.”

You bit your lower lip and indulged him into another tight hug, crossing your arms over his shoulders. And his, followed around your waist.

There were two chests hammering at that time.

No one could tell if it was their own or the other’s.

PRESENT, SECOND DAY OF PLAYOFFS…

Once the game is over, your arrival outside the visiting team’s locker room is one that could be classified as “a minute too late” but it’s the best thing you could do. The floods of college students and outsiders at all entrances and exits have made it impossible for you to get to the lockers as soon as the game ended.

You are left with an opened door, allowing you access to scan whoever’s left inside and no, Jimin’s not there anymore.

“Hey, _____.”

However, Taehyung is.

“Hey, Tae,” you greet back. “Is Jimin there?”

“I thought he left to come see you…” he trails, “but I do realize that that’s wrong now because you are here.”

“Nice,” you comment curtly.

“Hey, c’mon, now. Cut me some slack. I’m tired,” he says with a chuckle. “You don’t even look like you’re happy to see me.”

You quickly feel bad for how you responded to him. “Sorry,” you apologize.

He raises a brow then leans on the doorframe with crossed arms.

“For being rude,” you continue. “And for you know, the game.”

“Well, what can I say?” he says, ticking his head to the side. “You really are Jungkook’s lucky charm.”

You don’t answer, not really in the right state of mind to do so. Especially when Jungkook’s declaration of you as his lucky charm – that specific moment of your life –  is the one thing that’s been keeping your senses awake, having been replayed in your head for so many times amid the game until now.  

“Here I thought you could’ve been my lucky charm. Turns out, it’s just because we were on the same team back then,” he quips with a chuckle, wrapping a towel around his neck.

“Okay, Tae,” you breathe out, not knowing how to respond to him. “I gotta go look for him. Also, I am happy to see you.”

Taehyung gives you his most charming smile. “Go find him and tell him not to sulk.”

Meters at a turn of your heels, you see the doorstep for the home team’s locker room and some players are out there, loudly conversing. Before you could even pass by them, Namjoon, being apparently one of the players outside, doesn’t waste a second calling you.

“_____!” Namjoon shouts, making you turn. “Thanks for the good luck last night.”

You cringe. “Yeah, well…”

It doesn’t take him a full sentence to understand why. “Oh, yeah, fuck. I forgot. Sorry. And thank you. But also sorry ‘bout that. Sorry it turned out that way—which is a good thing for us but you know, sorry. Okay—I’ll stop.”

You shake your head. “That’s fine, I guess.” The best you could give is a small smile. “And congratulations, by the way!”

“Thank you!” is his quick response. “I’d hug you but I really haven’t… showered.”

“That’s fine,” you says, snickering a little.

The locker door opens and the players outside hoot because finally, it’d be their turn to shower. Of course, as though the universe has a way of telling you things, the locker room spews a newly-showered Jungkook. A Jungkook of red-tinted cheeks and drenched curls from the hot shower.

Suddenly, it’s quiet and Namjoon isn’t doing any saving.

So you try.

“C-Congratulations,” is your nervous congratulatory attempt.

And just as you think Jungkook would answer you, he doesn’t, not when his teammates round up to him and carry him on their arms to celebrate his successful contributions to the team. As it’s many of his runs that concluded their win.

You shift your gaze to Namjoon who’s just as dumbfounded as you. When you shake your head, he shrugs—the contributing factor to your decision to leave abruptly and find Jimin who still, hasn’t replied to any of your texts.

Fuck it.

[littlekatleaf]

Buried in a burning flame is love and its decisive pain (end)

Holy shitballs. Pretty close to exactly a year ago I got this idea - Junkrat and Roadhog have Christmas with some of the Overwatch crew. It was gonna be short and sweet and fluffy. I started writing in... February? 10 months and 21K words later I ended up with something almost entirely different. Oops? Thanks for joining me on the ride!  Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4  Part 5  Part 6  Part 7  Part 8  Part 9

Meds and tea and whiskey and food and mitten and probably a bit of fever still and the lingering feel of Roadie’s hand on his forehead all swirled together into an edgy excitement that made his blood fizz in his veins. Twitchy, itchy. Been looking forward to setting off the fireworks for months - been working them up that long and planning even longer. Had to get it all just right, then combine it with Lucio’s music, get the timing connected to the right shapes, the explosions to the right second… had to be focused, had to be precise and he loved the challenge. The sparks of thrill tingled along his spine and the fire they ignited burned away the lingering crud of sickness leaving him sharp and clear.

He enlisted Hana and Lucio to round up the others, betting they’d be able to convince anyone who was reluctant much better than he would. Even so, he was urging them down to the lake, torches bobbing through the dark, throwing odd shadows between the trees. Maybe talking a little faster than usual but how else was he going to impress upon them how exciting this was? 

“Know it’s cold - hadn’t really thought about that when I was planning. I mean, hadn’t planned to be here at all, just thought we’d be at the Watchpoint. Course, this is better, discounting the cold. Which is hard to do, but Roadie’s getting the bonfire goin’ - he could light a fire in the middle of a monsoon so no worries on that count. An’ Hana brought some whiskey to help so she’ll be right. Ya need to stand here, no closer. Gonna be over the water.  Safe as houses, but can’t be too careful - least according to Morrison, ha! Now turn off the torches. Better the darker it is. Lucky ain’t moonrise yet…” 

“What are we doing out here in the middle of the night when we could be curled up on the couch?” Mei asked no one in particular.

Junkrat ignored her. She’d see, they’d all see and he knew they’d love it just as much as he did if they gave it a chance. Lucio had been kind enough to not only have his sound system set up, but also brought out the box of fireworks so Junkrat didn’t have to lug it himself.

Didn’t take but a minute to set it all up, music on automatic once he started the program. All he had to do was hit the power and light the first fuse.

Music came up slow, soft, bit of piano, then edge of something electronic, rising bass and the first firework streaked up to the center of the sky and as the beat kicked in it exploded in a rain of silver and gold. At the crackling boom the others fell silent, faces tilted to the sky. The sparkles reflected in their eyes and Lucio’s soft ‘oh!’ and Hana’s squeal of delight made even the cold worthwhile. 

Let it start slow. Basic colors, red, blue, green, as well as the gold and silver. Usual shapes, circles, stars, ones that looked like fountains or willows. Then the music shifted, became rhythmic and complex with a minor edge and he sent the first special rockets. The streaks crisscrossed, intersecting like Satya’s hard light shield, like one of her knit shawls and around it burst snowflakes, all in shades of blue and silver. 

Music shifted again, bright and quick - and the second set of his own rockets split the air with a whistling crack then exploded in a crackling red heart, then a gold arrow streamed through. Lena bumped Emily’s hip with her own as their names twined through the heart. Another shift, one of Lucio’s songs, written for Hana and the rockets burst into pink bunnies and green frogs that seemed to bounce up the mountains ringing them and into the stars. 

As the music shifted a final time, setting a beat with a swing, Lena grabbed Emily’s hand and pulled her into a twirl, hands clenched firm but light, feet moving quick, spinning each other in and out and then they were dancing and so were Hana and Lucio and even Mei tugged Satya into the group. 

And then - perfect timing, as the music sang “Seeing’ stars, I’m seeing stars” the final bursts of fireworks - his favorite of the bunch - exploded overhead and Junkrat couldn’t stop his grin at the stars he’d created. Spread above him and Roadie was their night sky. The Saucepan and the Crux. Looking right, looking perfect, not upside down like here.

For a long moment Roadhog said nothing, just stood with his face tipped up, sparks reflecting in his mask as the fireworks cracked and popped and the music thumped and the others laughed and danced.

“Thought ya might like a bit of Straya,” Junkrat said finally, unable to wait for Roadhog to say something. Anything. Maybe he hadn’t recognized it after all. Or maybe it wasn't anything like he’d hoped. Maybe it only looked like home because he was remembering it so clearly. Imagining it. Making it all up again. He shoved his hand in his pocket as a gust of wind swept over them and a sneeze slammed into him, followed quickly by two more. “Huh-r’isssh! Isshh! Ishhew!” 

Didn’t even hear Roadhog move, but suddenly he was right there, shoving his hat down over Junkrat’s head and then wrapping his scarf around Junkrat’s neck. “Stay warm, idiot.”

“Trying,” he said, shivering still. He let Roadie lead him over to the fire which had grown to a roaring height, pouring out a welcome heat. Pine logs crackled and spat sparks swirling into the sky to swirl with the real stars and their backwards constellations.

Lucio cranked his own mix and the bass echoed off the mountains and Lena and Emily still danced with him and Hana. Mei and Satya huddled together, passing a mug of something between them and for a moment, just for a minute, everything felt fine. Felt good.

Junkrat glanced at Roadhog, and though the mask obscured his expression, there was a looseness in his shoulders, something in the tilt of his head that seemed to speak of relaxation and calm. Made the cold and exhaustion worth it. “Happy Christmas, Roadie.” 

“Happy Christmas, Rat.” The warmth in his tone did more to drive away the chill than the fire and Junkrat leaned against his side, letting himself enjoy the closeness. 

After a bit, the others joined them around the fire and Lena passed a joint around, “For everyone except you, Junkrat. Sorry.” 

He shrugged, pulled a flask out of his pocket. “Not gonna share my plague. Got this anyway.” The whiskey left a warm curl in the center of his belly, his muscles loose and easy. Satya told a story about a Snow Queen whose frozen heart melted with the love of a peasant girl, and though Junkrat wanted to roll his eyes, he understood the feeling. The desire to have one’s own story told in myth - to be connected to something bigger. Lena told a story about Father Christmas. Mei about a Chinese hunter, Jia Deng, who hunted with a pet wolf and left gifts of his hunt with the poor during the cruel months of winter. Then Roadie exhaled a long puff of smoke and said,

“Bet you never heard of the Holiday Boar.”

Junkrat giggled into his scarf. “Ain’t gonna tell that one to this lot, are ya?”

Lena cocked her head quizzically. “No, can’t say I have.”

“Well. Long before the Omnium exploded, before the Omnics were even an idea someone had, the Outback was still a hardscrabble place. Dusty and hot and many were desperately poor, trying to eke a living out of land that wasn’t easily giving. One day a wild boar appeared in a village, ribs showing through its skin, hair falling out in patches, it was the most pathetic excuse for a creature the villagers had seen. Most tried to chase it away with kicks and shouts and stones thrown. 

“At the edge of the village there was a farmer. He lived alone on the land. When the boar came to his homestead, the farmer’s first reaction was the same as the others - he wanted to chase it away. Nothing good could come of bringing another mouth to feed into his life. But as he raised a hand to throw a stone, he caught a glimpse of the creature’s eyes and his long dead daughter’s voice spoke in his heart. ‘Papa, please.’ His hand fell and he sighed and the boar stayed.

“In the beginning he found it annoying, an intrusion on his solitude. Still, he fed the creature, sharing the little he had, and in return it kept him company, following him like a dog and seeming to listen when he spoke. Come winter the boar was healthy and grown to a surprising size. Villagers who saw it walking with the farmer nodded knowingly - at the first cold snap he’d likely kill it, and the meat could feed them all.

“But the cold came and still the boar walked with the farmer. The villagers eyed them more than a little oddly. Finally, on the longest night of the year, the farmer was sitting by a fire with the boar at his side as usual. The farmer was lamenting that the land had been even more reticent than usual, and he was likely to lose his home to the mortgagers. 

“The boar’s stomach gave a great rumble, then it leaned forward and puked up a pile of gold coins onto the ground. The farmer never went hungry again and the village prospered.”

Junkrat couldn’t help himself, he burst out laughing. 

Hana laughed too, shook her head. “There’s no way that’s a thing.”

“It’s Australia,” Roadhog argued, deadpan voice. “It absolutely is.”

Lucio nodded, took a drag from the joint. “I could see it.”

They told stories and Lucio led them in carols and the warmth of the fire and the whiskey and Roadhog at his side and Lena’s jokes “What do you call a dinosaur fart? A blast from the past! Why does a duck have tail feathers? To cover his butt quack!” and Emily’s laughter lulled Junkrat into a doze.

“He snores louder than a boar,” Satya said, irritably. Lena giggled.

“You gave him your scarf,” Hana said to Roadhog and her tone was equal parts teasing and curious.

Junkrat felt Roadie’s shoulders move in a shrug. “Never takes care of himself, even when he’s sick.” But though he was more than half asleep, he could hear the tight coldness of the comment. The relaxed ease had gone. Junkrat wanted to sit up and interrupt, but he was just so tired.

“Gave him your cold too, huh.” Still that sing-song teasing tone, but it cut at Junkrat.

“Maybe.”

“Come on, Roadhog. What’s up with you two, anyway? He won’t give us a straight answer.”

Felt like everyone’s eyes were on them, staring. Junkrat tensed. Sit up, he told himself. Stop this. But he didn’t. He wanted to know what Roadhog would say, even more than he didn’t want to know.

Roadhog’s shoulder moved in another shrug. “Someone’s gotta keep him from offing himself on accident.”

Mei laughed; least no one else did.

Ice through his body, through his stomach, his mind, his lungs. He coughed against it, but it didn’t move. The fire had burned down to little more than embers and even scarf and hat, mitten and whiskey weren’t enough to keep him warm. He forced himself up then, away from Roadhog. Faked a yawn like he just woke up.

“Knackered. Gonna call it a night. Happy Christmas all.” Forced the words past lips that felt frozen and barely heard the others saying goodnight and thanks for the fireworks. 

The moon glowed on the snow, lighting the way back to the cabin enough to keep him from stumbling on tree roots and rocks. His foot crunched softly on pine needles and he heard Roadhog’s louder footfalls behind him. He walked faster. Just wanted to be inside, to be alone, to be warm, to be silent. Even the light of the Christmas tree seemed to mock him with its fake promise of coziness. He’d take a bath, let the water warm his bones, soothe the chills, then sleep. 

“When I said ya ain’t gotta babysit me no more, I meant it,” Junkrat said stiffly as Roadhog followed him into the bathroom. “Promise I ain’t gonna drown in the bath. Even I’m not stupid enough to do that.”

“How’re you going to get in and out?” Roadhog asked bluntly.

Junkrat turned to look and of course there were no bars to let him navigate it himself. Once he took off his prosthetics he’d be screwed. Fuck. He pushed past Roadhog and out of the bathroom. Wasn’t worth it.  

But the bedroom was just as bad. Wanted to collapse onto the bed and sleep for a century or ten, but Roadhog was standing there in the middle of the room taking up all of the space and all of the air and Junkrat knew he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep with his… looming. Instead he shoved the pillows to the head of the cot and sat against the wall, wrapping a blanket around himself. Just barely resisted pulling it over his head, too. Knew Roadie would stare and it was making him jittery. Not in a good way. His head ached again, skin tight with the too hot too cold feeling of returning fever. Should have asked Lucio for more meds. He rubbed a hand over his face, wishing for relief. Wishing for Roadie’s hand on his forehead again, cool and firm and steadying.

“Gonna tell me what’s eating you?” Roadhog asked, finally. His arms were crossed over his chest and he looked down at Junkrat from his full height. Not exactly the most inviting posture. 

“What are we?” The question spilled from him like he was vomiting. “An’ don’t give me some stupid shit like you don’t know what I mean. Hana asks and Lucio asks and you avoid the question.”

“Why do we need to put words to it? Why do they need to know anything?” 

Junkrat shrugged. It wasn’t for them that he needed words. It was him. He needed a foundation, an understanding. Because things were slippery and they could slide away from him before he had a chance to catch hold. “It’s me askin’. Now that ya ain’t my bodyguard. What are we?”

A long pause, a silence full of all the things Roadhog didn’t say. 

“Morrison said I could leave,” Junkrat blurted, unable to stand it.

Roadhog waited.

“Said if this do-gooder shit was too bloody difficult he’d have Lena turn me in. Serve my time and then whatever came next was my choice.”

No response.

“Told him I’d have to talk to you about it, but he said just meant me. I been thinkin...’ we should do it. Could probably convince him to let you go too. Then when we were far enough away could hijack the Orca, dump Lena and head back to Straya. Head home. Get the treasure, sell it to the Queen and find a place to just… live.” He blinked and the after-image of fireworks burst across his vision, constellations in all their permutations. Home. Was it? Didn’t really know anymore… But maybe there it wouldn’t be so hard, maybe there it would be like it had been.

Still no response, no movement at all. Like Roadhog’d turned to stone. Mountain. Felt his gaze go cold, measuring, calculating. Had seen Roadhog turn that gaze on others, size them up, find them lacking… but not on himself. He froze. Utterly still. Waited for the judgment to fall. Then Roadhog laughed. Not like something was funny, or maybe like he was funny and the sound was brittle and sharp in his ears.

“What’s so bloody funny, mate?” and his own voice held an edge.

“The idea that I would want to leave this,” he gestured around the room, taking in everything, “give up the good thing I got going here to… what? Live out some tiny shit life in that hellhole with you? Why the fuck do you think I’d want to go back to that? And with you?” He positively roared with laughter. “You are thick as a rock. Batshit crazy. A complete mess. Sure, when there wasn’t anyone else around who wasn’t trying to kill me, you were good for a laugh. A way to get my rocks off. But in the real world? Fuck no.”

“Fuck you too.” The words scraped his throat and he wished he had covered his head because he had that ominous prickling behind his eyes like he was going to fucking cry, or sneeze, and either way he was fucking well not going to give Roadhog the satisfaction.

“You want to know what we are, Junkrat? We ain’t shit. Nothing. Do what you want, stay or go. I couldn’t possibly give less of a shit.”

“Well that’s fuckin’ clear as crystal. Why don’t you fuck off then an’ let me sleep.” He grit his teeth, bit the inside of his cheek hard enough that he tasted iron. Not going to crumble. Watched as Roadhog turned and crossed the room. Watched the door click shut behind him. Watched the blank wall and refused to let himself crack. Silence then, that he’d wanted. But no warmth. Even wrapped in blankets felt like he was sitting in a snowstorm. Everything muffled and frozen. Freezing.

Then that chuckle in his head. You got an answer. Might not have been the one you wanted, but really Jamison, what did you expect? Did you honestly think he would go back to an irradiated waste land and a criminal life to be with you?

He thumped his head back against the wall, squeezed his eyes shut. Clenched his fist so hard his nails bit into his palm. Shut it. Ain’t real.

No? So make me be silent, then. More laughter. Oh Jamison. How do you think someone would want to be with you when your own mother couldn’t stand to be with you? 

You don’t know nothing ‘bout my mum, he told her. Nothing. But a couple tears leaked free, and the tingling prickles made him sneeze and he buried his head in the blankets and let himself go until he fell asleep, her laughter and Roadhog’s laughter still ringing in his head.

Sleep was restless, part of him kept jerking awake thinking he heard the door open. He hadn’t. When he finally woke completely he felt like he’d been hit by the ute, then had it back over him again. He stumbled out to the living room where he found Hana and Lucio playing a game with Emily, and Mei and Satya watching. 

“Morning, Junkrat,” Lucio said.

“More like afternoon,” Hana corrected.

“Potato potahto,” Lucio shrugged. “Wanna join? You can play winner.”

“Nah,” he cleared his throat, tried to sound nonchalant. “Where’s Roadie?”

“Apparently Morrison sent him on some mission. Something going on in Australia. Lena took him early this morning,” Satya said. “Guess you didn’t go ‘cause you’re sick?” Hana asked.

“Yeah. Something like that.” His head went light. Hadn’t thought Roadhog would actually leave. Take the treasure for himself and go… but there it was. He made his way into the kitchen on a floor that seemed to rock like a boat. Opened the sat comm with numb fingers. 

“Morrison.” “It’s Fawkes. I’ll take your offer. I want to turn myself in.”

[stonerchik420]

Newest Assistant.

Hi guys ! I had a dream and I thought I would share it with you ❤😁

Im sorry I've been MIA, tbings have been insane for me and I was in a bad place mentally but I think I've figured it out now.

Let me know if you think I should make this into a short series??

Warnings: flufffyyyy, light smut (the lightest of the light), mentions of drinking.

"Hey, you up? Can I come hang out ? I'm bored."

David texted you.

"Sure, im bored too" you replied

You were David's newest assistant and you were living at the house temporarily until Taylor and yourself could find a nice apartment in LA to split. Almost impossible though. The real estate here is booming and everything was either too small or too much money at the moment. You had been David's new assistant for about 2 months now and things have been surprisingly fun for you. Granted with the quarentine you haven't seen a real filming day yet and all the crazy stress that comes with it but as of right now, things were chill and fun.

Natalie and Ilya were both visiting their families together back in Chicago so that meant that you and David had the house to yourselves when Taylor went home to her apartment at the end of the day.

There was no denying that the last couple of weeks there has been some kind of sexual tension between David and yourself. Well. Maybe not sexual tension exactly but there was something ... some kind of tension.

When everyone was in the house including Jason and Joe, David would always glance at you for longer than a few seconds. He probably wasn't aware that you noticed but when you did your cheeks became warm and he would smirk. If there was a chance, he would sit next to you on the couch or at the bar. Not touching you but close enough that you could feel the heat radiating off of his body. There were beginnings of shared inside jokes no one knew about. Your secret conversations and whispering on the couch while watching movies or just hanging out with the squad making fun of them. There were late night texts to each other, sharing memes and tiktoks from separate rooms. Occasionally you would end up hanging in David's room while he played xbox or just to hang out and talk.

David entered your room smiling looking all cozy in his black hoodie, messy hair poking out under the hood, black basketball shorts on and wearing his glasses. He brought in snacks for you to share.

"Hey Y/N." He said grinning

"Hey!" You smiled, "you brought my favorite snacks !!" You said sitting up in bed clapping.

"Of course! And a glass of wine"

David and you were similar in the fact to you both didn't drink much but he knew since you had moved in you occasionally enjoyed a good glass of wine or two after a long day, especially to calm your nerves of moving so far away from your family and friends.

"You're the best!"

David settled into bed under the covers next to you with the bowl of snacks in between you. You took a sip from your glass and set it on the table next to you.

"Let's watch a movie" you suggested, "what do you wanna watch ? Iron man ?"

You knew David was obsessed with Iron Man and the movies were great !

"Nah," he said "I've honestly watched them so much I wouldn't pay attention at all"

You giggled, "okay then"

You scrolled through some movies on Netflix until you and David both settled on some dumb looking comedy knowing you both weren't really going to watch it anyways. You were both probably about to share the funny videos or memes you had found on the internet during the day and share them with each other.

"Wanna watch TikToks with me ?" David asked not even 10 minutes after the movie started, already bored with it anyways.

You laughed, "duh!"

Over the last 2 months you really came out of your shell. You started your job here kind of nervous and more reserved but within a week or two you and everyone in the house became pretty close to each other, specifically David of course.

With the bowl of snacks still in between you two, you leaned up against the pillows more to get closer to David to see his screen. You found a few funny videos and the two of you started cracking jokes back and forth dying of laughter.

The wine was starting to get to you and you felt warm and more relaxed. By now the bowl of snack was moved out from between you two and you were lying directly next to David now, the movie still playing in the background. You were very close to him now, closer than you've ever been to him before. You could smell his strawberry shampoo mixed with his laundry detergent and a slight breeze of colonge. You felt your cheeks get warmer and you bit your lip.

You couldn't deny your feelings for David had grown a lot. But there was a part of you that felt like nothing was ever going to happen between you two. I mean you worked for him. It wouldn't be professional and if things went south then you would be out of a job and screwed.

"Penny for your thoughts?" David asked smirking leaning his head away from yours to get a better look at your face.

"Huh?" You asked.

"You haven't really been watching these tiktoks, so whatre you thinking about?" David asked still looking at you with a side eye.

"Oh nothing at all," you said waving your hand. "Just relaxing honestly."

"Yeah okay Y/N" David said in a mocking voice

"Shut up!" You said smacking his chest and smiling

"You're gonna regret that" David said biting his lip.

He threw his phone on the night stand next to him and turned back over to you and started tickling your stomach.

You began shrieking and laughing trying to push him off of you but also accepting his sudden touch. You rolled over on top of him in hopes that you could pin him down and tickle him back. However, when you flipped your body on top of his you found yourself face to face with David.

He stopped tickling you and you caught your breath in your throat as you had both realized how close your faces were to each other in that moment. David was holding onto your hips now and he closed the gap between the two of you kissing you on the lips lightly.

Your heart lept. This is all you've wanted to do in the last few weeks. You pulled away first and bit your lip while looking at him.

"What?" He asked smiling up at you.

You didn't answer, you bent your head down kissing him again. This time more aggressively than before. The kisses slowly became more sloppy and you adjusted yourself on top of him so you were kneeling with both legs on either side of his hips. His hands moved from the bottom of your thighs to your butt and the kiss turned into more of a sloppy make out. He squeezed your ass and your breath hitched as it was more aggressive than you were expecting.

"Sorry," he said pulling away and smirking "I've been looking at your ass for 2 months now and all I've wanted to do was this"

You giggled then leaned down again to kiss him. He wrapped his arm around the bottom of your back and flipped himself on top of you. You shrieked at the sudden movement now smiling like crazy below him.

"I've wanted this for so so long Y/N" David said leaning back into the kiss

You wrapped one arm around the back of his neck holding tugging at the bottom of his hair.

You pulled away from the kiss first letting go of your breath. You smiled up at him and he did the same back. "What?" He asked cocking his head to the side and licking his bottom lip, smiling.

You giggled and covered your mouth with one hand fully aware of how hot your cheeks were now.

"Nothing David, just happy you did that"

He rolled over next to you and pulled you into his arms kissing the top of your head and humming into your hair for a moment. You felt his hand trail down and hold onto your hip gripping it tightly for a moment which made your heart skip a beat. You wanted to continue making out, you wanted to take it further with David. More than anything. But you were too nervous and you had a feeling that this wine wasn't helping your decision making. So you settled with cuddling for now.

"Dave?" You asked looking at the TV.

"Yes Y/N?"

"Will you stay and cuddle with me tonight ?"

"Of course I will" he said moving his hand up to your chin and pulling you in for one more quick kiss before settling back into your original positions.

[richiefuckfacetozier]

Chapter 3: Winding Me Up Inside

Story: Why Can’t This Be Love

Click to read on Archive

Art of Eddie and Richie by @whatidoisxsecret

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

___

Eddie honked profusely at the car in front of him. Everyone had decided it was idiot day on the road as one of the bridges was down from a car fire. People were cutting him off or making illegal u-turns that almost hit his car. He ended up pulling over to grab a drink at a restaurant. He wasn’t very well going to die tonight if he could calm his nerves with alcohol instead. It was unfortunate that he left his pills at home, knowing they could calm him immediately but a gin and prune juice, his healthy alcoholic beverage of choice, would have to do the trick. 

About a month had gone by since ‘The Arrangement’, something Richie had started calling their pretend dating. Eddie would’ve rather called it ‘The Nightmare’ but Richie wanted a positive outlook on the situation. 

Eddie eyed a grungy bar next to a pizza joint that looked perfect to grab a cheap drink. However, upon further observation, there was a rainbow flag sticking out above the bar’s entrance. He blinked at it, took a step forward, then froze. His body had seized up at the prospect of going in.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there but a booming voice said, “You in or out?” Tossing him from a temporary mind blank.

“Huh?” Eddie focused on the bouncer standing by the entrance, who was ripped and large. He never understood having such intimidating people be the first greeting you encounter before entering a bar or club. Don’t these businesses want people to come in? “Oh...er...no no. Just searching for a place to drink.” 

“Well, this is a bar.” The man eyed Eddie up and down, giving the impression of being humanly x-rayed. “Drinking is the main activity...among other things.” There was some prolonged eye contact between them that dried Eddie’s throat into a Sahara desert.

Eddie nodded shifting forward. He reached for his wallet, which had his ID, but his hand merely hovered over his slack's front pocket. 

“Maybe another time?” The man suggested with a lighter tone. Eddie straightened up, nodded and walked away. 

He just failed at that pretty spectacularly. What would Richie think? Probably that he was a chicken. This had been an extra hard month. With the realization, he may have stronger feelings toward guys than he had ever admitted to himself. He had stopped sleeping, barely ate, and secluded himself more. 

Suddenly, the demise of his relationship with Myra was making more sense. When she used to touch him sensually, his skin crawled. He assumed that was from the years of his mother convincing him the world was a germ-infested blackhole, girls were dirty, and how he could never truly be clean. Except he rarely felt that way when Richie touched him. Or any of his friends. Sure, they had known each other for years, but he knew Myra for a long time too and it didn’t settle into a comfortableness that relationships were meant. 

He tended to resist Myra’s kisses, fake not feeling good to get out of sex, and pushed her away constantly. Their break up had been devastating. At the time he believed it was because the love of his life left him. Now he knew the truth. 

Eddie eventually got a drink at a bar a few blocks away. The drink refreshed and calmed him immediately. It’s funny how certain things relaxed him right away because he’d conditioned himself to feel that way. His mind began thinking about tomorrow, a chilling dread running up his neck. He scratched at the nape even though nothing truly itched. 

He was seeing his friends for a pre-engagement party celebration. Just the seven of them. The thought almost made him break out into sweats. He downed his drink and ordered another. Usually, he would be extremely excited and thrilled to see the losers club, except the next step in the arrangement, was occurring. Eddie had to come out collectively to the group. A fake coming out but that fakeness was becoming authentic with every passing moment. 

He wished there was someone he could talk this out with. There was Mike, but that felt wrong somehow. The one person he wanted to tell was Richie. What would he even say? There was a nightmare scenario he replayed every day that Richie would laugh in his face, which logically he would never do but Eddie’s attempts at controlling his imagination have never come to fruition. 

While he was absently stirring his drink, his phone started ringing. A picture popped up on his screen of Richie lifting a screaming/laughing Eddie from behind. He took an extra second to remember the joyful memory, running a finger over the picture then answered. 

He sighed into the phone, “Hey, Rich.” 

“Where you at, gumdrop?” said Richie with an obvious smile in his voice.

“A bar. The traffic was crap, so I am waiting it out.” 

“What’re you wearing?” He said suggestively.

Eddie frowned, huffing out, “Work clothes, why?” 

Richie clicked his tongue, “Cause you are supposed to be at Beverly and Ben’s celebration extravaganza in,” quick pause where Eddie figured Richie was looking at his phone for the time, “20 minutes.” 

“No, it is tomorrow.” Eddie insisted.

“No, my cutie patootie Eds, it is today.” 

“No,” He said slowly. “It’s on Friday, you turd.” 

A laugh came through the phone, “Today IS Friday.” 

Eddie paused as horror sunk in fast and deep. “Oh shit…”

“Yeah, so see you at the restaurant!” Richie hung up, leaving Eddie to his panic.

He slapped down a $20 on the bar counter, despite the drink being less than half that and bolted out the door. He ran past the bouncer who shouted, “Don’t trip, kid!”

His car turned on with a roar then he zoomed out of the space. The traffic had significantly cleared which worked in his favor as his car swerved around dangerously. His heart pounded with adrenaline. When he pulled up in front of the restaurant, Richie was standing on the curb smoking a cigarette. 

Eddie gave the valet his car keys, not even thinking about how much that would cost him at the end of the night, and hurried over to his friend. 

“The prodigal son has returned!” Richie tossed the second half of his cigarette on the ground, stomping it out for good measure. As Eddie neared Richie wrapped an arm around his shoulders pulling them close together. The smell of smoke was both overwhelming and familiar. As much as Eddie despised the disgusting habit, he was so used to it that he could brush it off. 

Eddie pushed on his chest to free himself a little but not enough to break contact. “I can’t believe I fucking forgot.” 

“Take a minute to breathe, Eds. Where’s your head been at lately?” Richie asked in what he probably thought was a casual tone, except, Eddie knew better. His friend was really asking ‘Where have you been?' or 'Why are you isolating yourself?’. 

Isolation was the only solution for hiding his emotions, which had been many and increasing each day he spent alone with his thoughts. 

Instead of answering the question, Eddie shrugged and smiled lightly. 

Richie reached up and pinched Eddie’s cheek with a “Cute, cute, cute!”

“Stop it, I hate that!” 

He laughed, “You ready to do this?” 

Eddie took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, “I can’t do this.” 

“You CAN do this!” said Richie with excitement. “Just be yourself.”

“Fake coming out to my friends is the worst idea we’ve ever had. It is wrong.”

“What do you suggest then?”

Eddie nervously glanced at his feet, “I think we should just out ourselves to Bill like we planned next.”

“You think they are going to believe Bill without any pretense? No, you have to come out and it has to be tonight since it’ll be the only time we are all together before Beverly and Ben’s engagement party. If you steal her thunder in any way, she will murder. Who she’ll murder is unclear but it starts with Ed and ends with die. Hey! That was more clever than I intended.”

Eddie swallowed, “Alright, but Richie…”

He made a tracing motion toward the ground  “There will be a chalk shaped Eddie on the ground with Beverly DNA everywhere. It’s going to work, Eds. I promise.”

“Don’t call me, Eds. Listen, Rich I…”

“Stop trying to come up with excuses! It’s going to be fine.”

“No, Richie! Just shut up a second!” His heart was beating out of his chest, he had to tell Richie what he had been going through or everything could be ruined. He had to give him an out if he wanted. Eddie shrugged off Richie’s arm, so they were facing each other. “I’ve been thinking that I...I…”

“Well, spit it out Eds. Thinking what?” 

“I THINK I MIGHT ACTUALLY LIKE GUYS!”

Richie stood shocked and silent at first, just staring. Those ice-blue eyes hiding secrets and judgments that Eddie desperately wanted to hear aloud. Tears had caught in Eddie’s eyes which he blinked away quickly. “Well! Don’t just stand there, asshole! Say SOMETHING!” He demanded. 

“I...I…” Richie sputtered face turning crimson red. 

“Well, spit it out, Trashmouth.” mocked Eddie.

“I do too.” He gasped out. 

It was Eddie’s turn to stare in silence. “Sorry, I think I went temporarily insane. Repeat that?”

“I like guys, too. I have since college.” Richie sighed with relief. “Maybe longer.”

“What? You have?” This revelation made Eddie take a step back. “I had no idea.”

“Not relevant information to disclose.” Shrugged Richie. 

Eddie gave a confused look then lowered his eyes skeptically, “This isn’t a joke, Richie. I actually believe I am gay.”

“You're the one who shoved a rainbow cake with sprinkles on top of my bisexual pie.” Richie’s eyes twinkled. 

“Wow,” A smile broke out across both their faces, pure joy at the realization that they weren’t alone. They had never been alone. “What were the chances that 2 out of the 7 of us friends would be gay.” 

They stood there, in a rare silence, watching each other with a newfound comradery that didn’t seem possible after 20 years of friendship. Richie grabbed Eddie’s forearm and pulled him in for a hug, which was returned 10 fold. Tears that he forgot to keep holding in fell into the side of Richie’s neck. His emotions were on a rollercoaster with no chance of stopping. He faintly heard Richie say, “Eddie, I…”

He didn’t get to finish what he planned to say because a “Richie! Eddie! W-what’s the hold up?” Interrupted them. They quickly broke their embrace as Bill appeared beside them. He looked calm despite a bit of impatience in his eyes, then saw their faces and concern washed over him immediately. 

Bill put a hand on Eddie’s shoulder, the weight very comforting. “Everything ok?” He reached in his pocket and took out a travel tissue pack. Eddie gave a watery giggle, taking one and blowing his nose. 

“Yeah, Big Bill,” said Eddie. “Everything’s great.” And he found that his words were true.

After a few more breathes and checking himself in the selfie camera of his phone, Eddie felt ready to face his friends. The three men walked into the restaurant, heading to a back room that Ben reserved for the occasion. 

“Congrats to the couple!” Richie shouted as he bounded over to bear hug and lift Beverly off her feet. She laughed swatting at him, “Let me go you dorkface!” 

“Dorkface!” Exclaimed Richie. “Of all the sass to receive from your dude of honor.” 

Eddie watched the exchange warmly. Ben patted him on the back. “Traffic?” 

“Huh? Oh yeah.” Eddie said embarrassed. “Tons.” 

“There was a car fire and crash on the bridge.” Came the dry, toneless voice of Stanley Uris. “Surprised it wasn’t you Eddie, with all your road rage.”

Eddie gave a pout in Stanley’s direction but walked over to his friend for a handshake and a hug. “Such a kind, warm greeting from you Stan. I miss you, too.” 

“Where’ve you been lately?” He sounded unperturbed, but he wouldn’t ask if there wasn’t a genuine concern.

“Oh ya know,” Eddie trailed off with a shrug. Stanley lifted an eyebrow but didn’t push it, for now at least.

Eddie started to seat himself between Stanley and Ben when Richie grabbed his collar jerking him backward. “Scoot over, Stan the man.” 

Stanley rolled his eyes, “No.” 

“Why?” asked Richie.

“Because I am comfortable here.” 

“You’re being a stinker, Stanley. Move to the seat next to Ben. You like Ben, don’t you?” 

“Of course I…”

Richie looked right at Ben, “Too bad for you, Benny boy, it seems Stanley doesn’t like you anymore.” 

“Beep- beep, Richie,” Beverly warned while drinking a glass of wine and placing a hand on Ben’s arm. 

“I’m just saying it is suspect that the best man doesn’t want to sit next to the groom.” 

“He’s not a groom until the wedding day.” Stanley insisted. “And I am already sitting…” 

“Richie isn’t gonna let it go, Stan. Just move over one.” said Bill with strong finality. None of the losers liked to admit anymore that Bill remained the group’s leader even into adulthood. But when he made a request it was usually followed with little argument. Eddie figured it didn’t matter how independent any of them grew up to be, Bill still held a controlling rope over them. Something Stanley was known to resent.

He moved over a seat as Eddie gave an apologetic look at every one. Getting between Richie and Stanley tended to end in him being yelled at, so he rarely bothered anymore. Besides, he bickered with Richie more than anyone else so Stanley had no room to complain. 

Richie glanced around the room realizing they had a missing loser. “Where’s Mike?” 

“Bathroom,” Responded Beverly, still nursing her drink. “How was work, Eddie?” 

“Fine, I guess.” The last thing he wanted to talk about, except his mother, was his boring job. “An econ student was hired as my intern, which makes me think I’ve finally made it.” 

“Poor bastard is in for a world of ribbing by all your accounting co-workers,” said Richie, bumping Eddie’s shoulder. 

Eddie laughed, “Oh, I already made a joke at him today. Why do economists exist?” He scanned around the table then opened his mouth to answer. 

Mike’s voice interrupted from the door of the private room, “So accountants have someone to laugh at.”

“Mike!” whined Eddie. “You stole my punch line.”

“Sorry, Eddie.” He took his seat between Beverly and Bill. 

Stanley smirked, “You practiced that joke didn’t you.” 

“Shut up,” Eddie groaned. “How was your trip, Ben?” 

“Not the best,” Ben sighed, he wore a deprecating grin. No matter the story, Ben always had some kind of upturned smile, it was a unique quality. Considering most people told Eddie he had sad eyes, being able to smile at all times would be an excellent trait. “I didn’t leave early enough like I usually do because it was so early in the morning. I left my water bottle in the rental car they got me, then ran from TSA to the gate, was in my seat when I realized the sweater Bev got me for my birthday was back at security.” 

Beverly rubbed his back soothingly, “We can get you new ones of both those things.”

“I know, it’s just a bummer because they were special items before I lost them.” Eddie understood. Ben and he shared the same mentality about their personal items, each thing they owned held a nice memory. He knew that the water bottle was one Ben got from his job after the big promotion, he could ask for another one but it wouldn’t be the same as the moment he received the gift. The feeling of pride and achievement all through a meaningless material item. 

“Well, lucky for you, Ben.” Richie pulled out something from his bag, handing it across the table to Ben. “I had these made for everyone.” Richie continued grabbing water bottles from his bag, passing them around. 

“This is so nice, Rich!” said Beverly. She laughed at the label. Eddie looked down at his seeing ‘#TeamBenverly’. It was great quality, a platted maroon paint covered the bottle with the lettering in a bold white. 

“I still have the keychain you gave us for my bachelor party.” said Bill.

“That’s right!” Mike chimed in. “What does it say again?” 

“Big Bill’s Bitchin’ Bachelor Bash.” Stanley drawled. “Kinda clever.” 

Richie grabbed Eddie’s shoulder, making Eddie almost jump in confusion. He stared at Richie, who was clutching his heart in mock shock, “A compliment? I don’t think I can handle that from you, Stanley Urine.” 

“I take it back,” said Stanley, “You don’t have any cleverness. Only idiocy.” 

“Hmmmm, insults,” Richie leaned in front of Eddie, still holding his shoulder as his face got closer to an unamused Stanley. “They feed my very soul.” 

Eddie placed his hand over Richie’s face and pushed him backward the metal of his glasses digging into Eddie’s hand, “Your soul has a healthy appetite then.” 

“Oof, your words fill me up most, Eds.” 

“Eds is a dumb nickname and you know it.” 

“Alright, alright!” Mike called the attention toward him. “Let’s hear from Ben and Beverly. A decade of being together and now you’re tying the knot. How does it feel?” 

Ben looked to Beverly, who smiled sweetly at him. “Feels perfect,” said Ben simply, but in those two words, he expressed years worth of working toward friendship and partnership that went beyond infatuation. “I’m so happy. And even happier to have my best friends around to celebrate.” 

“This wedding is really about coming together,” started Beverly, “With our friends, the family we’ve chosen, to celebrate love. I think what we have with all of you is rare and...” 

Eddie thought deeply about her phrasing ‘the family we’ve chosen’. He had many issues with his mother, different than Beverly’s father problems but they both came from toxic environments. Kindred spirits in a dark and twisted way. 

With all his thoughts lately, he had pushed down how his mother would react. He may never tell her, if he could help it. Her religious views left no room for tolerance on the subject. 

He shoved thinking about his mother deep in a box in his brain and focused on Beverly, who was still speaking, “...so just thank you for being there for us. Anyway, let’s fucking celebrate!” 

They all cheered, Eddie looking around with a smile on his face. With his ‘chosen family’ he could trust them to love him no matter what. 

As the night wore on with lots of laughs, food, and stories. Ben brought up the story of when he finally got the courage to ask out Beverly, “I was waiting outside of school, sweating profusely, despite wearing 2 sweaters…”

“You always wore so many layers!” said Bill laughing. 

“Well, when you are fat and subconscious, that’s how you hide it.” Ben said, voice lowering a bit in embarrassment. 

“Ben Handsome now shows off his true glory and beauty.” said Richie with a wink. “Just the way I like it.”

“Beep- beep, Richie.” Blushed Ben. “As I was saying, I waited outside and she approached me like in slow motion. I thought I was going to throw up. As I opened my mouth to say something she said,” He motioned for Beverly to continue the story. 

She giggled, “I said, ‘Ben, let’s go to prom together’. His face drained of color and he passed out.” The whole room erupted in laughs. “I..I was knocked to the ground!” Beverly tried to say through gleeful tears, “He fell forward into me.” 

“You were a very pleasant landing.” Ben smiled in mortification. 

“You planning to faint at your wedding too?” said Stanley, “As your best man, I will need to prepare.” 

“No, I’m not. I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” said Richie. “I will have a fainting couch ready as a precaution.”

“You’ll probably just jump in front of Beverly and take one for the team,” piped Eddie.

“Speaking of the wedding,” Stanely rounded on Eddie and Richie. A dread bubbled in Eddie’s stomach. “You two having to bring dates is the smartest rule. I should have thought of that for my wedding.” 

Richie threw his napkin at Stanley’s face, “Don’t make me take YOU as my date Stan the man.” 

“You could never get this, Trashmouth.” 

“I can get whoever I want. Right, Eds?” 

“Don’t call me that.” Eddie mumbled. “While we are on the subject, just so no one is surprised, I might bring someone who none of you would expect.” Eddie felt his knee being squeezed from under the table. It took him a moment to realize it was Richie’s hand, he was giving a warning. Most likely telling him to keep the details limited, but Eddie hoped it was a touch for encouragement.

“Please, don’t bring Myra.” said Mike making the group groan collectively. 

“Now, that would be unexpected.” Richie snickered.

“Eddie, you’re not actually thinking…” said Bill seriously. “Beverly, if they get back together I blame you.” 

“Me?!” Beverly opened her mouth to fight but Eddie interrupted. 

“Hello! Back to me, losers. I am not bringing Myra. I am not even interested in women!” The words slipped out quick, and he wished they could be suctioned into his mouth once more. 

They went quiet, as the news hit them. Mike was smiling at Eddie. He felt his bravery trickling into cowardice the longer none of them said anything. 

“S-so does this mean,” began Bill. “That you-you’re g-“

“Gay? Yes, stuttering Bill.” Richie answered seeming to be frustrated by Bill’s condition for the first time in a long time. Then a chair screeched out and Beverly ran around the table, slamming herself into Eddie. 

Her soft hair tickled his neck, his heart was calming down from her sudden show of affection. He placed a hand on the arm she slung over his chest. Richie’s hand hadn’t left his knee either. Everyone else’s reactions were fairly standard, awkward congratulations or they were proud of him, all expected. The surprising reaction was Stanley, perhaps because he didn’t react at all. He was silent for the rest of the evening. 

As they all stood outside saying goodbyes, Stanley seemed to linger a little aways from Eddie. He waited for the rest to leave, Richie was the last to hug him and head to his car. He wandered toward Stanley hesitantly. The taller man was twisting his key in hand repetitively, tapping his foot methodically. 

“So,” Eddie begun lightly, “I’ll see you later?” 

“Yeah,” answered Stanley stiffly. Eddie cocked his head to the side trying to meet his friend’s eyes, then gave up turning to leave. “How do you know?” Came his voice clearly from behind.

Eddie turned around, a few paces away. “Know what, Stan?”

“That you’re into guys.” 

“Because I just do?”

“How long have you known?” 

“Er...that’s more complicated. I mean I’ve been sitting on it for a month but..”

“A month?” interrupted Stanley, he was getting pink in the cheeks. “You’ve known a month and are coming out. That’s not enough time to know.” 

“What’re you talking about?” Eddie was trying to keep his voice calm, he could feel that tingle of rage that surges in him when he feels attacked.

“Have you ever been with a guy?” 

“What does that have to do with knowing whether I am gay? I know that every time I’ve thought of girls it hasn’t been the same as with guys. Or how with Myra...” 

“Ok, yeah! Myra!” He rose his voice like winning some kind of twisted victory. “You were with her for a year and you really didn’t know?”

“Stan, you’re being a jackass.” 

“I am trying to understand why you kept this from us?” 

“From YOU, you mean? Stan, I didn’t keep it from anyone. I was figuring out my shit, then I talked about it with Mike and…”

“You told Mike first?” 

“Um...no…” He caught himself quickly. “I told Richie first then Mike.” 

A hurt flashed over Stanley’s eyes that Eddie hadn’t seen in years. “You told them before me?” 

“Stan...come on. I told the rest of you at the same time. It was just easier to tell them at the time.” 

“I’ve known you as long as Richie has. Much longer than Mike.”

“It’s not about that!” Eddie was at a loss. This was getting nowhere. “I don’t know what to say, Stan. I’m not going to apologize.” 

“There is nothing to apologize for.”

“Then why are you fighting with me like there is?” 

Stanley remained silent. His arguments lost on his tongue. “I am tired. I will talk to you later.” And he walked away. Eddie stood there, stomach twisting the food inside uncomfortably, eyes watery from the sadness creeping in his head.

_________

Thanks for the patience for the new chapter! Longer one cause I apparently had a lot to get through. I am starting a second job soon, but I will keep working on the next chapter as inspiration hits. Don't forget to subscribe!

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[ocsandallthatjazz]

ALL THE SHIP ASKS FOR SANRUS 👁👄👁

Under the cut for length! Congrats to them on listing out so much information in one go aljfdlkajfd

PRE-RELATIONSHIP

1. How did they first meet?

They technically meet in the throne room in King’s Landing, as Sansa’s engagement is cancelled. But they don’t actually talk until she’s invited to his grandmother’s garden party.

2. What was their first impression of each other?

Cyrus distinctly focused on how sad she looked and he desperately wanted to know what was going on in her head. Sansa thought he seemed too playful and relaxed for their age, questioned why he wasn’t more composed like his siblings.

3. Did any of their friends or family want them to get together?

Arya is like “this is dumb you’re dancing around each other and i will be sick.” Jon just wanted his sister to feel safe, so he’s Whatever about the idea. Margaery thought they’d be an interesting couple, but she didn’t think they would have the chance to get together.

4. Who felt romantic feelings first?

Cyrus got threw a couple of her walls and promptly realized he was starting a losing battle for himself.

5. Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

Both! Actively. For awhile! Because plot and the world at large was firm in finding things to keep them apart. Responsibilities and yknow a giant war gets in the way.

6. If you had told one of them that the other would be their soulmate, what would they think?

Sansa doesn’t believe in those anymore, she’d dismiss it. Cyrus would look at their story and say all of that was way too hard to just be Fate, so he would too.

GENERAL

1. Who initiated the relationship, and how did it go?

Cyrus, given that he was the one who originally pushed for them to get to know each other at all. Took some time but worth it.

2. Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

An “official” date would be when they’re no longer hiding any flirting and he’s like for real courting her - he’d just steal Sansa away for a walk around the grounds, most likely, want her to show him Winterfell without the rush of war prep.

3. What was their first kiss like?

Currently planned as the sweet relief of, y’know, not dying.

4. Were they each other’s first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

Cyrus’s first serious relationship!

5. What’s their height difference? Age difference?

Cyrus is 6′2″ so like 5 inches? And he’s like a year older than her.

6. What’s their relationship with each other’s families?

Sansa spent a lot of time around the Tyrells for a hot minute, and got close with Margaery. Cyrus adores Arya and he got along fine enough with Jon, not close with Bran but that’s more on Bran aldjfa

7. Who takes the lead in social situations?

Cyrus is like “foot in mouth disease - activated” even when he tries to sit back and be quiet, so it’s better off to just let him go say hi to everybody. But if it’s anything Official he’ll absolutely step aside for Sansa he’d never step over her.

8. Who gets jealous easier?

Kinda depends on the situation tbh

LOVE

1. Who said “I love you” first?

Cyrus, but he chickened out, so it came out in the “can be brushed off as just a friend bond” thing. Catch Sansa calling him out on it down the line.

2. What are their primary love languages?

Verbal affirmation and quality time.

3. How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

Cuddling at least every night and every morning, Cyrus is a deadweight in bed. PDA is pretty chill, Sansa doesn’t want to do anything too high-key noticeable. Cyrus goes over the top though and if you see him entering a room with her to dramatically go say hi and kiss her hand or something, yes you did.

4. What are their favorite things to do together?

They like their routine quiet evenings, where Cyrus is fiddling with his lute and Sansa is reading or embroidering, if she’s feeling nostalgic towards one of her childhood hobbies. Sansa makes sure they’re schedules line up so they always can have at least one meal together. Cyrus is in charge of most spontaneous activities, one of his favorites being dragging Sansa out to play in the snow with him (she claims eventually he’ll get used to snow and it’ll be dull - he never does).

5. Who’s better at comforting the other?

I made Cyrus with the idea of being a comforting personality, so he was quite literally born for this.

6. Who’s more protective?

Sansa becomes extremely protective of her inner circles as she grows up. Meanwhile, Cyrus is watching her become a badass, so as long as there’s no physical danger, he’s confident for her.

7. Do they prefer verbal or physical affection?

Verbal all the way! Showering someone in compliments, reading romantic poetry and song lyrics, Cyrus literally serenading her, I could go on, they have an old-fashioned flirting style.

8. What are some songs that apply to their relationship, in-universe or otherwise?

None in-universe, but some of my favorites on their playlist are “King of My Heart” by Taylor Swift, “Could You Ever Find Another Word for Love” by Nathan Colberg, and “Leave a Tender Moment Alone” by Billy Joel.

9. What kind of nicknames do they call each other?

Cyrus gets so giddy and proud about her, so he calls Sansa “My Queen” all the time. Sometimes when he’s songwriting he’ll refer to her as the “Northern Star.” Sansa goes for a lot of the classic lovey names, she goes for “My Love” a lot, or she’ll just endearingly call him a fool (honorific). Before they got together, if they were poking at each others’ nerves, Sansa was “she-wolf” and Cyrus was “the thorn in her side” or just “Bard” (derogatory).

DOMESTIC LIFE

1. If they get married, who proposes?

Yes, they do! Sansa brings up the topic first and Cyrus tears up.

2. What’s the wedding like? Who attends?

For the most part, a traditional Northern wedding, with all the important nobles necessary to be invited. Bran would definitely come up for it, and I know Arya would try to make it if she could. I know Cyrus would hop up on stage to join the musicians and serenade her during the feast after.

3. How many kids do they have, if any? What are they like?

What a dangerous question that I currently don’t have details about, but yeah they’ll have a few someday.

4. Do they have any pets?

I feel like they’d take some dogs later on.

5. Who’s the stricter parent?

Sansa, Cyrus was born to be a fun chill dad.

6. Who kills the bugs in the house?

The way that’s neither of their jobs, but also Cyrus would just be like “boom, done <3″

7. How do they celebrate holidays?

Throwing big feasts for everyone in the castle.

8. Who’s more likely to convince the other to come back to sleep in the morning?

Cyrus makes it his duty to delay their workdays as much as possible, so him.

9. Who’s the better cook?

Cyrus has a few recipes he can pull out of his sleeves from sneaking down to the kitchens as a kid, and stuff he’s picked up over all their travels.

ship questions

[megalodon-writes]

Matchups?!?! Schyooom here I come looking for a man 👁👁 (mha or hq is fine, you pick). I’m 5’1”, with straight dark hair down to my waist, and hazel green eyes. I’m an Aries/ENFP. I’m bubbly, friendly, and have a good sense of humor. My aesthetic is everything pink & girly 💖 I’m a clumsy DISASTER and not very athletic, but I love watching/going to sporting events! I always excelled in school— now I’m a healthcare worker 🩺 I can be super hard on myself and tend to be a perfectionist (1/2 💕)

I enjoy drawing, watching anime, eating, margaritas, and sunny days. I’m a hopeless romantic and a sucker for good looking boys. I don’t have a particular type, but I like guys who are driven, hard working, & loyal 🥰 bonus points for a lil height difference lololol size kink come thru. Thank you so much Meg bby take your time no rush or just ignore this aha okay ily bye (2/2 💕)

NESS legit I wish I could express how much love I have for you. when I saw you sent this in I was so excited I couldn’t breathe i would never ignore you hello?. Also ???? You’re shorter than me???? I feel like Hinata when he met Noya. what if I pick both especially since you take my thirsty asks anyways I love you pls accept these matchups bc I spent a lot of time with them to hopefully make you smile so yee~ 

I match you with Ejiro Kirishima!

You guys would be such a great couple that Bakugo can barely stand to be around how cute you two are

Though, he loves that Kiri absolutely adores you 

He’s not that much taller than you, but he still loves hugging you from behind and nuzzling his face into your neck probably to kiss it a couple times too

He’s very much into PDA - but not like the gross stuff, but things like holding your hand, cuddling you, throwing an arm around your shoulders… he basically will keep at least one hand/limb on you constantly - he strikes me as a very physical person

Especially when you’re alone. He loves being the little spoon because he likes to be held... it kind of feels like a breath of fresh air to him, you know? saving people can be really hard sometimes

Since you’re so great with school, you and Bakugo have study sessions together, though usually Baku just goes ‘tch. I’m leaving’ when Kiri starts to get all heart eyes towards you

This boy absolutely is head over heels in love with you. He often gets this far away look when he’s not around you and both Kaminari and Mina tease him about it

He gives you the most cheesy, romantic, goofy poems and love quotes ever 

He definitely drink him dam respek woman jooce

His favorite date the two of you ever had was when the power went out and you had a little picnic in the living room by candlelight. He loved the way your features glowed in the soft light. Honestly? That was the day he knew he was in it for the long haul

Once he becomes a pro hero, you being the number one stan you are, you buy a lot of his merch and wear it around to support him he really likes it

He likes to think he’s an artsy person so he suggests drawing competitions all the time… though obviously yours wins because his turns into a smudgy stick man

Wow he’s good at kissing… the first time was a bit awkward, but you two fit so perfectly together that it makes your knees weak

You work in healthcare? Imagine taking care of him after he gets hurt during a mission. Does he fake his hurt sometimes? Maybe. Do you still ‘help’ him? Absolutely.

Honestly, this guy thinks you’re his entire world and he’s not afraid to show you off

BONUS: You and Mina vibe so well together… like seriously… girly, pink, bubbly???

EXTRA BONUS: The man would be such a supportive s/o that he would legit wear a tutu and thigh high boots if you asked him to

I match you with Tobio Kageyama!

Okay, pretty opposite personalities but I love the look - like HELLO he’s almost a foot taller than you

The day he’s old enough to drink alcohol you convince him to have a margarita and he’s like ‘WHOA’ boom favorite drink right there

Also he loves sunny days, though he would never ever admit it especially to Hinata bc sunshine boy because he doesn’t like showing his soft side to people

Though, I like to think that the second he met you he wouldn’t stop talking and he was so confused???

This boy is so hardworking that sometimes you wish he would chill out and just relax on the couch with you

But!!!! He really loves manga and anime, so all you have to do is bribe him with that and cuddles and he’s THERE

Speaking of cuddles… the man is touch starved okay. Though, he very much dislikes public displays of affection. When you’re around anyone else, he’ll barely hold your hand. But when you’re alone boy are his hands all over you

You like that though, especially because it feels like a more intimate and personal relationship

He really likes to laugh at your jokes - I promise you’ve gotten him laughing so hard that he couldn’t breathe for a solid 30 minutes. 

THE INSIDE JOKES - you try to get him to laugh around the boys because no one believes that he actually does a lot but you haven’t ever been able to… except...

Once you were with the Karasuno team and he looks you straight in the eyes and goes ‘no he he i don’t want to pee pee’ and everyone freaking LOSES IT, including Kags

He’s so awkward omfg

The first time he tried to kiss you he missed and was so annoyed with himself he sat there for 10 minutes blushing like mad - though, after you kissed him he felt a lot better still red as a tomato though

He doesn’t really know how to …. Deal with the girly… but he loves you for who you are and actually has a pink shirt to match you occasionally

You both can get pretty hard on yourselves, so you have this thing where anytime someone starts doing that you hold each others pinkys and have to compliment yourself while staring each other in the eyes…. It was some dumb thing Suga suggested, but it seems to work

BONUS: He thinks it’s ADORABLE that you’re such a disaster omg bc he is too let’s be honest

EXTRA BONUS: Hinata actually loves you so much and Kags gets even more annoyed by him if thats possible... but he has no idea why until you’ve been dating for several months and Tanaka teases him about being jealous

I match you with me!

Will love you unconditionally

A hoe for dumb jokes

Is not a boy but will still hug you real nice

honestly? 4/10 would recommend 

.... 5′5″ 👀

sadly is only into men but will still be better support than most

[artificialqueens]

razorback, part 1/2 (branjie) - sheep

an: really all i can say at this point is: oops. warnings for slightly graphic werewolf/panic attack/anxiety descriptions. a part 2 will happen soon hopefully.

—

They meet on a Saturday night when the moon is dark.

Vanessa’s head is spinning with nicotine and tequila, and she’s stepped away from the party for a breath of the night air. Muffled music drones behind her, fading in and out as Vanessa lights a second cigarette, quickly accompanied by drunken singing.

It had taken a great amount of convincing from A’keria for Vanessa to show. More specifically, a twenty minute call on facetime, and many, many reminders that Vanessa had missed the last three parties she’d been invited to. Once A’keria started pouting, and Vanessa realized the date actually matched up with her schedule, she relented.

As if on cue of thought alone, A’keria stumbles out through the back door of the house, visibly hammered; dragging a much taller, much more sober blonde behind her. She lights up when she sees Vanessa, dropping the stranger’s hand and latching onto her instead.

“Vanjie, baby, are you good?” she drawls. Her breath smells like rum but Vanessa laughs, wrapping an arm around the girl’s waist to straighten her out.

“I’m fine. What’s wrong with you?” she sighs. She knows A’keria. She knows A’keria when she’s drunk.

“I’ve got something to show you.”

She reaches blindly behind her until she grabs hold of the unknown girl’s shirt, tugging her forward so she stands beneath the porch light with them.

It’s then that Vanessa really looks at her. Jaw cut from marble. Milky pale skin. Deep, ocean blue eyes that ripple green as Vanessa continues to stare. Her lips are colored a soft, baby pink, and the white of her daisy patterned skirt glows with the stars.

“This is Brooke,” supplies A’keria, slurring her words. “She thinks you’re hot.”

Brooke’s face flushes delicious cherry red, and Vanessa licks her lips. A’keria looks between them and grins sloppily. She spins on her heel, surprising both Vanessa and Brooke by managing to stay upright. She giggles, fumbling with the door handle.

“Get some, baby,” she calls to Vanessa before unceremoniously tripping over the doorstep. She slams the door behind her.

Vanessa dissolves into barking, uproarious laughter before she can stop herself, dropping ash onto her boots as she wheezes. Brooke chuckles too, nerves audible, and takes a larger than average sip of her Palm Bay.

Vanessa takes a drag. “So,” she hums on the exhale, “come lookin’ for a piece of the mysterious Vanjie charm?” She interrupts her own flirting with a coughing fit, hacking up half a lung before turning back to Brooke as if nothing happened.

The girl laughs in earnest, this time, tilting her head back and letting her gorgeous voice ring into the night. “Vanjie charm?” she repeats, flushed and smiling and beautiful. “Is that what they call it?”

Vanessa turns away, taking another long drag and praying that her blush doesn’t show. “That’s what A’keria seems to think,” she flicks the now finished cigarette away, attention fully on Brooke. “Sorry about her, also. One too many shots and she acts like she’s livin’ a sitcom.”

Brooke looks away before smiling. “I’ve noticed. She was looking for you. She seemed really worried, so I offered to help her find you.”

Vanessa’s eyebrows raise, but her voice has the same gravely, questioning tone as always. “Oh,” disappointment pangs in her chest, “yeah, she does that. I left without tellin’ her one time and now she gets all freaked if she can’t find me.” She rubs the back of her neck, suddenly sheepish. She doesn’t mean to meet Brooke’s eyes again, but doesn’t do anything about it when she finds herself staring into them. Brooke seems to be searching her, inviting her into the sea, and Vanessa falls in without a fight.

“I did tell her you were hot, though.”

The water is cool against her skin, and in that moment Vanessa wants nothing more than to swim to the very depths, to let her breath go. Her voice somehow sounds less shocked than she feels, and she attributes it to the shots A’keria had her do earlier in the evening. “So you are here for the Vanjie charm?”

“I suppose I am.” Brooke’s smile is sweet candy and Vanessa wants a taste, but the music inside booms and the sudden drunken chorus of Cascada’s ‘Everytime We Touch,’ causes Brooke to laugh so hard she snorts. Vanessa immediately cackles in response, overjoyed at the sound, and they each take a step closer as they laugh together.

She takes a glance at the moon. Something hopeful warms her chest, and she can tell it isn’t the alcohol. She drifts towards the door, grinning, and holds her hand out to the blonde.

“May I offer you a dance, Brooke?” She tries the name, kisses it with “what if,” and sends it off. Brooke’s hand is soft against her own, and she leads the girl inside with another gruff chuckle. She doesn’t miss the excited glint in Brooke’s eyes.

A’keria uses Brooke as bribery, after the party.

Vanessa loves her friends, she really does. She doesn’t avoid them because wants to. It’s just that the weather is getting cold, and everything gets… harder when the weather is cold.

They’re a week into November now, and Vanessa knows she’ll have to leave again soon. A’keria knows, too, by the sound of it. They’ve been friends for years now, and no matter how many times Vanessa vanishes with the first snowfall, A’keria never seems to get used to it. When temperature starts to drop, she starts inviting Vanessa anywhere and everywhere. The mall, the grocery store, one of their friends’ places. It’s a gamble whether or not Vanessa will accept, but it’s their yearly game.

And this year, A’keria has an advantage. “Come hang out at Silky’s, Brooke will be there,” or “We’re going to a movie. Come with. Brooke will be there.” As ashamed as she is to admit it, Vanessa falls for it every time.The promise of seeing Brooke again before Winter sets in is enough to get her to drag her aching body out of bed, and to to whatever bustling place A’keria summons her to. They always end up sitting together, wherever they are, just talking and drinking each other in until someone breaks them apart with a question or comment.

Today, they’re meeting at a cafe. Her hair is a fluffy, tangled mess, and the scent of everyone else’s breakfast sandwiches is sending Vanessa’s sleep addled brain into a slight frenzy. A’keria waves her over to a table unfortunately bathed in sunshine. Vanessa spots Nina, Silky, and of course, Brooke, sitting with her. They’re all nursing various sugary lattes, save for Brooke who’s drinking some sort of cold brew that looks awfully dark. She smirks, even though A’keria is looking.

“She showed up,” Silky exclaims, drawing a laugh from Nina. She looks to A’keria, and reaches out to grab Brooke’s hand. “You were right, this girl is magic. What’s your secret?”

“Leave her alone, Silk,” Vanessa huffs, shoving the girl’s shoulder and taking the seat beside her. “I came ‘cause I had some free time.” Brooke is watching her and she can tell, but it’s sort of exciting.

Nina wipes some whipped cream from her face before interjecting. “You? Free time? In November?”

Silky laughs her boisterous laugh and says, “Right?”

“Shut up,” Vanessa whines, “I don’t air your dirty laundry in public, why are you fucken’ with me?”

Brooke giggles at the exchange and Vanessa melts a little.

“Because we love you, dear, “ smiles Nina from across the table, and Vanessa grumbles her gratitude for the girl’s motherly tone.

“That, and I want to see you this Christmas.” A’keria’s eyes are suddenly serious and it shakes a nerve somewhere deep in Vanessa’s mind. “You never even text.”

Her fingers twitch against the table, and she ignores the way Brooke’s expressions morphs to one of surprise and cursed, cursed curiosity. Vanessa hates curiosity.

“Not now, A’keria,” her voice is close to a growl, and it startles everyone at the table. Heat rushes beneath her skin. She stews in regret as the silence stretches.

Silky recovers first. “She’s right, though.”

She sinks her canines into her lower lip and struggles not to look at Brooke’s face. “Shut up, Silky.”

“You’re around ‘til Halloween and then, poof, you’re gone.”

Concerned blue fills Vanessa’s tunnel vision. She struggles to breathe in, something carnal fogging her senses. “Shut up,” she whispers, weak.

“And no one hears a word out of you until March,” A’keria joins in, apparently keen on probing for an answer. “It’s ridiculous.”

She’s a word away from panic, reaching for her cigarettes, fearful instinct overtaking her. Everyone’s looking at her, eyes cold and colors mixing into a muddled mess. Another voice, though gentle, is enough to make her snap.

“Where do you go?”

Her voice bursts from her throat in a snarl, and it resembles words in only the vaguest sense. She stands quickly, everyone flinching back from her, and hurries to the door. She didn’t even get to buy a coffee.

She makes it three steps from the entrance when a hand touches her shoulder. She whirls around, unlit cigarette hanging from her mouth, body buzzing. Brooke looks back at her, worry written plain on her face. She’s only in a light sweater and leggings, and the sight brings Vanessa crashing back to earth. Before she can comment, Brooke looks at her with those horrible, lovely eyes of her.

“Please” she breathes, biting back a shiver. “Please don’t go.” She chances another touch, brushing some of Vanessa’s hair from her face. “I’m sorry for asking.”

Vanessa blinks up at her, bones aching with chill, and murmurs, “I’m sorry. I- I…” The words escape her. Her brain is running on overdrive, and she’s split between tucking herself into Brooke’s embrace or running as fast as she can.

The decision is made for her. Brooke pulls her close and the scent of her vanilla perfume is intoxicating. Almost against her own will, Vanessa relaxes.

“Are you really gonna leave?” Brooke asks, her voice is soft, yet heavy with the words, and there’s a sadness to them that Vanessa desperately wants to ignore.

She wants to lie and say maybe. She wants to be stupid and say no. Instead, she pulls the cigarette from her lips and tells the truth. “Yeah,” she rasps.

Brooke hums as if deep in thought, and slowly pulls away, reaching into her pocket to fish out her phone. “Here,” she says simply, “I’ll give you my number.” When Vanessa remains quiet, Brooke tilts her chin up so she’s staring straight into Vanessa’s confused, conflicted soul. “You can talk to me, if you want.”

Vanessa wishes that talking were enough.

They call each other every night.

With each ticking second, pain seeps into Vanessa’s bones like an illness, and she lays in aching, lazy misery for days; subsisting off only microwave meals and Brooke’s voice. Her phone bill is going to be fucked, but she doesn’t really care. She’s going to disappear soon, anyhow. None of it is going to matter until the spring, and the pain makes that feel ages away.

A’keria calls, too, but Vanessa can’t bring herself to go out and see her. Or Nina. Or even Brooke. She just waits in gruelling, visceral anticipation. She waits for the snow to start, for her anxieties to howl away with the blizzarding winds, for her teeth to grow so sharp that nothing can touch her. Her bones shift with yearning. She smokes the rest of her cigarettes within a few hours.  

And, every night as the moon grows, they whisper to each other. Brooke talks about her day, what would be mundane details capturing Vanessa’s attention and taking her mind away from her ails. Through these talks, Vanessa learns a lot about Brooke. For example, she likes dogs. Her family used to own a husky when she was a child, and when Vanessa finds this out, she makes Brooke tell her stories about the dog until she falls asleep.

Brooke likes coffee, too. Vanessa promises to take her out to the cafe, when she gets back. Just the two of them.

“So it’s a date?” Brooke sighs over the phone, her voice a dream, and Vanessa is suddenly very thankful that they aren’t video chatting.

Her face is flushed deep red but she answers, “Hell yeah,” with a conviction that makes them both laugh. She inhales, content, and shatters when Brooke speaks again.

“Where do you go, Vanessa?”

It’s the second time she’s asked, and Vanessa wants so badly to be honest with her. She wants to look her in the eyes and tell her everything. But ‘everything,’ is too ugly, too grotesque to show anyone. The secret burns the tip of her tongue and she whimpers like some pitiful little mutt. “Nowhere.”

“Then come here, love. I’ll text you my address.”

Something inside her breaks. Fat, shameful tears roll down her cheeks, and her spine aches with the despair. “I can’t,” she sobs, barely able to hold the phone. “I can’t.”

Brooke shushes her, tells her to breathe. “It’s snowing,” she murmurs, “look outside, baby.”

Vanessa’s heart drops.

“No, no, no,” she thinks, maybe out loud, and drops the phone.

She rushes towards the window, looking fearfully towards the night sky. It can’t already be the first snowfall. She thought she had a few more days. The full moon taunts her from above, calling her name.

Though that may just be Brooke. Her frantic voice is echoing quietly throughout the room, but Vanessa can barely register her own breathing over the sirens wailing in her head. Her brain dissolves into tiny white flakes and flurries away from her, leaving only biting cold and instinct.

She hangs up the call, looks at her messages, and runs.

She’s soaked with snow and sick with moonlight when she reaches Brooke’s door. She breathes in jagged puffs, an animal in her anxiety. Her body buzzes like pitch-broken glass, and she only knocks once before Brooke swings the door open, glowing bright safety before her bleary eyes.

“Vanessa,” Brooke calls her name in a sweet, scared murmur. Syrup drips thick down Vanessa’s ears, and she sways under the weight, but it instantly makes her feel the smallest bit better than when she’d been walking over here.

She takes a breath to speak, but every word she tries to start fizzles on her tongue, and as her voice gravels into nothing it takes her mind along with it. Then, Brooke’s fingertips are warm against her cheek, and she’s nothing but sticky, liquid sugar in the girl’s hand.

“Do you want to come inside,” Brooke whispers again. It’s not a question. She gently pulls Vanessa in, and the motion seems to startle her back to reality. Her breathing quickens, and the animal instinct creeps along her spine through to her twitching fingers.

Brooke closes the door, and finality of the sound makes Vanessa rabid. Panic rushes hot in her veins, bursting and bubbling beneath her skin, and she’s dying. She’s boiling herself alive, and her brain simmers with the knowledge like spice. Everything rolls and becomes molten. A scalding, soupy mush, and she’s dying. She’s raw and scorched and steaming and-

“Look at me.”

A drop of sweetness. Vanessa opens her eyes.

Brooke looks terrified, but her voice is smooth and steady. “That’s good. Just…” she pauses, swallows, exhales. “Just focus on me and breathe, okay, baby?”

The petname brings Vanessa a final moment of calm, but now that she’s been in the moon and snow, nothing can stop her.

A wet, guttural sort of cracking sound begins to emanate from her skull. She grabs fistfuls of her hair, the bones of her fingers snapping as her grip grows tighter and tighter. Brooke’s syrupy tone has been replaced with undeniable fear, but her words are completely lost on Vanessa as she writhes.

She splutters out apology after apology, deaf to anything Brooke is trying to tell her, and spits blood as her jaw fucking breaks. Brooke screams at the sound, backing away when blood oozes from between Vanessa’s fingers. She screams, too. Her body is breaking itself apart, and blood caked canine ears soon emerge from the gashes in her scalp. Her teeth grow long. Her voice fades into an animal whine. Her claws tear fresh bloody wounds as she drags them down her face, and Brooke can’t say a word.

She covers her ears when Vanessa’s spine begins to twist.

She closes her eyes when Vanessa’s face grimaces itself into a gored mess.

She cries when she feels the ground beneath her shake with Vanessa’s tremors.

Then, there is stillness.

[burning-up-ao3]

So Kiss Me  ch 2/2

Pure chaos.

Absolute pandemonium.

It was perfect.

Sid relaxed at a table the guys had pushed into a corner about thirty seconds after they’d rolled into the room. Actually, they’d pushed all the tables out of the way, making a bigger dance floor for “all of Bjugy’s moves.” Sid rolled his beer bottle between his palms and watched the mayhem.

Schultzy adding an empty to his beer bottle tower. “Physics,” he slurred to Olli, who’d added plenty of his own empties to the tower. Cully egged them on, popping another cap and handing the beer to one or the other. Sid had seen Cully grab an empty early on and pretend to take swig. Sid flashed Cully a thumbs up, supporting his sobriety that few knew about.

Dumo handing off the DJ duties to Zach Aston-Reese and grabbing the <i>Rock Band</i> guitar from Horny. He joined Guentz, Weedle, and Rusty who were destroying Green Day.

Sid laughed when Jake offered him the microphone. “Nope. I’m good.”

“Then stop laughing at us!” Jake boomed over the microphone.

Bringing in gaming systems was genius. NHL19 in one corner of the room and Rock Band in another was genius. When he paid the bill, Sid would include a generous tip because these people deserved it.

What the manager had pulled together at 11 at night was incredible. One table was actual, nutritious food—a cold carving station with a Virginia ham and a variety of cheeses. Salad greens with the choice of sliced chicken or steak. Warm, crusty kaiser rolls. Tray after tray of cheesy lasagna.

One table was pure junk food. A popcorn machine with fresh, hot popcorn. Chips and salsa. Fat homemade pretzels with beer cheese. Brownies. A tub of vanilla ice cream chilling in an ice bath. Bowls of sprinkles, jimmies, chocolate syrup, tiny marshmallows.

And an open bar. Bottle after bottle of I.C. Light. Wine for Dumo and Rusty. Jack and Coke for Guddy and Weedle.

And ice-cold prune juice for Geno.

Sid had never asked why, and Geno had never offered a reason. But Sid knew it was his guilty pleasure. Ice-cold prune juice in a frozen glass.

The guys were happy and loose, having a great time and working together. No. Playing together. In the end, their jobs were still a game, still supposed to be fun. The day they stepped onto the ice with apathy and a Fuck. Here we go again instead of with awe and overwhelming excitement was the day they needed to hang up their skates.

And right now, judging from the laughter coming from all corners of the room, they were having fun as a team. Sid laughed at Dominik Simon, holding three beer bottles with one hand and a bowl of ice cream in another as he tried to avoid Bjugy’s attempt at breakdancing.

Jared McCann hesitated before slipping into the seat next to Sid. “Hey—uh—thanks,” he said, more tipsy than drunk. “For this.” He looked at his empty glass and swirled the ice with his stirrer. “I know it’s not how you wanted playoffs to go—but man, it feels good to just be at the dance.”

Sid didn’t know how to answer. Jared was good—on his way to great. And he was young. He had a lot of playoffs ahead of him. “Yeah, I get that,” he finally said. Jared nodded, and when he stood, Sid held his wrist for a moment. “This isn’t our last one. Not your last one.”

Bjugy ran toward them and, at the last second, dropped to his knees and slid on the glossy, wooden dance floor. He grabbed Jared and drag him away to show the group their disco moves. ZAR played some BeeGees that they were all too young to remember, and to Sid, Jared’s “disco moves” were less Tony Manero and more Tony the Tiger 

“We needed this.” Jack Johnson tumbled into the empty seat, careful not to spill his drink. “You did good.” He leaned over to hug Sid, and lost his balance, almost falling into the space between the two chairs. “You’re a great captain. The best. We’re lucky to have you. Geno’s lucky to have you.”

“What does that mean?” Sid asked, taking a sip of his beer. Was he talking about them?

“As a captain,” Jack said with a touch of duh in his tone. “How much have you had to drink??”

Sid laughed. “Not as much as you, bud.”

“Glad I’m playing with you again.” Jack struggled to his feet. He dropped a wet kiss on the top of Sid’s head before straggling off across the dance floor. 

<i>God bless that man.</i> Sid laughed as Jack told the bartender some story that involved dramatic hand gestures and a lot of mime.

“If he weave and dodge like that on ice, we make him winger,” Geno laughed, taking Jack’s place next to Sid. “Better than on D.”

Sid jumped at a loud crash; physics failed Schultzy and Olli as the beer bottle pyramid collapsed.

“We’re not hurt!” Schultzy yelled over the Rock Band noise without realizing the game was paused

Jake, who was lying in the middle of the dance floor—Sid didn’t know if it was because he was too wasted to stand or he was still trying to copy Bjugy’s breakdancing—began a slow clap that caught on, echoed in the room until Olli and Schultzy bowed. 

Cully stood against the wall looking innocent.

“Mr. Crosby, I’m sorry to bother you.” The manager looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes. He stifled a yawn. “Did you have a closing time in mind, or would you like us to bring out breakfast?”

Sid looked at his watch. “Jeez, I didn’t realize it was after 4.” He looked around—most of the guys were flagging, in quiet conversation at tables or, in Olli’s case, passed out on the floor.

“Can kitchen make bacon egg sandwich for all?” Geno asked, pushing his empty glass away. “Grease and bread. Hangover be less bad. And can get maybe ten rooms for them? Not want them to drive.” The manager left, and Geno said to Sid, “Not want Uber to see. Maybe say online.”

Sid looked at Geno and love hit him square in the chest, took his breath away, and left him shocked but not surprised. Late nights, long weekends, sneaking into each other’s room on the road late at night. Waking up a few minutes early to watch G sleep—in a totally, non-creepy way. When he slept, G looked youthful, his face unlined with worry and stress, like he did the night they met in 2006. 

It was never just Friends With Benefits, was it?

Sid’s heartbeat raced, as if it knew he was standing on the edge of a precipice ready to step off. He could fall. But, what if he flew? What if Geno felt the same, that they were good, so very good, and any risk was worth the reward?

“You’re—that’s—good idea, G,” Sid whispered, afraid if he spoke his voice would give away his feelings. “We should wake them up, let them eat, before we kick them upstairs.”

They pushed away from the table to the sound of several guys snoring and Zach’s 1990s alt music; Zach had fallen asleep at a table, his head cushioned on his arms and the iPhone still resting against the microphone.

“I love this song,” Sid said as the track changed. “My mom used to play it all the time. Sometimes, she’d dance with my dad when it was on the radio.”

 Kiss me, out of the bearded barley Nightly, beside the green, green grass…

Geno held out his hand to Sid and nodded toward the dance floor. “Dance?”

Sid looked around the room at the passed-out bodies. There was no one to see, and even if there were, maybe that was okay.

He took Geno’s hand, followed him to the small open space on the dance floor between bodies. Geno wrapped his arms around Sid’s waist, his hands resting on Sid’s ass. To Sid, it felt proprietary, that he was Geno’s for everyone to see.

Swing, swing, swing the spinning step

You wear those shoes

And I will wear that dress…

 “Is okay?” Geno asked as he turned slowly with Sid. “I’m not know how to dance slow so good.”

Sid rested his head against Geno’s shoulder. “Perfect.”

 Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance Silver moon's sparkling So kiss me…

 “So kiss me,” Geno echoed and lifted Sid’s chin. Tentatively, Geno leaned closer until their lips almost touched. “I’m kiss you?” he asked, his breath warm against Sid’s lips.

 Sid nodded, his feelings too raw to speak.

They kissed softly as the music played, kissed as if they were the only two in the room, in the world. Kissed as if it were a promise of forever.

“I love you,” Sid said as the song ended. “I think I always have.”

“You say hello for first time, and I’m think, he could be friend. Then I’m know that you much more.” Geno kissed him again and said, “I’m love you.” 

The clatter of metal on metal made them jump apart. The manager had somehow dropped the dome top against the serving tray as he wheeled the cart into the room. “Sorry. So sorry. Just clumsy.”

Sid thought, judging from his grin, that it probably had been on purpose to warn them he was there. 

When they turned to rouse the guys, Sid and Geno realized that almost all of them were awake, sitting up and grinning, Cully the widest of anyone.

“Finally realized?” Tanger asked, his voice bright and clear.

“I guessed as much,” Cully added.

Horny rubbed his chin. “I think they together for year, two years.” 

“How are you guys even awake?” Sid balked. “You were sound asleep.”

Almost in unison, the three said, “Kids.”

“Kids always wake you up in the middle of the night, and you have to be 100 percent awake immediately.” Cully grinned wider as everyone laughed. 

“Is not for advice or chirping,” Geno said, waving his hand between him and Sid. “Not want.”

“Wait. Are you guys—” Jake raised his head slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

“Yes, we are,” Sid said in his captain voice. “Now can we just have breakfast?”

A few guys groaned, but most of them shuffled over for a sandwich and a room key. They left in small groups, and some joker had hit the light switch leaving Geno and Sid alone in the darkened room. The ballroom’s glass doors led outdoors to a patio, and they could see the first hints of dawn.

“I didn’t know what they’d think,” Sid said. He felt awkward, like a teenager again, unsure what to do or say.

“They think we best,” Geno said simply. “On ice and off. I’m think they know I love you. Not think I’m hide it so good.”

“I don’t think I hid it so good, either,” Sid said crowding Geno, who seemed happy to be crowded. “I got us a room. Want to show me how much you love me?”

“Don’t know if we have time,” Geno said as they left. “Have game day after today.” He slid his hand into Sidney’s and waited for the elevator to arrive.

It wouldn’t be enough time, Sid knew. But then, they had all summer to show each other. All year. All their future. Maybe even that wouldn’t be enough. “It’s a start,” Sid smiled and said, “So, kiss me.”

[admiral-migu-blog]

Day 2: Lucina's Judgement Remix

The field was silent, with the exception of the grass blowing in the wind, which suited Robin just fine. It let him focus on what was really important, Lucina holding a very sharp sword to his throat. This was pathetic, to think that he, the genius tactician that led Chrom's Shepherds to victory, would die at the hands of one of his closest allies.

Robin had met Lucina over a year ago...

At first he'd written her off as being another one of Chrom's fangirls. However, that all changed when he noticed the mark in her eye. After that he assumed she was a mysterious bastard child. He hadn't expected time-travel.

Lucina literally worming her way into his life had left him with a new perspective. Even still, sometimes he felt like Ichigo Kurosaki, down to the girl living in his closet, Only instead of hunting hollows he was looking for time-travelers and beating up cultists.

"Lucina please, just put the sword down. Let's talk about this..."

"After getting to know you I didn't want to believe it, but in the back of my mind I knew. Robin, you're the man who kills my father!"

"Bullshit!"

"You know it's true!"

"Lucina, I'm not going to kill Chrom!"

"You won't have a choice!" Shit. She had him there.

The Shepherds had gone to rescue Emmeryn and retrieve Sable from Plegia only to learn a chilling truth: Robin's father was the head of the evil Grimleal Cult, he could control Robin like a puppet, and Robin was the Felldragon's current Avatar. They'd been forced to flee with their tails between their legs after he'd manipulated Robin into giving him the Fire Emblem.

Honestly, Chrom's words were the only reason Robin wasn't dead right now. However, that would likely change once his father caught wind of the news.

"I won't lose my father again; we've already lost the Fire Emblem!"

He was tired of this, "Dammit, use your head here idiot! Killing me now accomplishes nothing! In case you forget, Chrom doesn't know you're his daughter from the future! He thinks you're just a fangirl who wants to bed him!"

Lucina flinched as Robin laid the truth bare. She'd was well aware just what her father thought of her. However, she couldn't falter! She had to avoid the bad ending! She'd promised her friends, swore on her parent's graves, she couldn't-!

"What's going on here?!" A booming voice demanded. Robin and Lucina both turned to the owner of said voice in horror, Chrom was glaring at the time-traveler with barely contained fury, and the duo gave him their best dear caught in the headlights impression's.

"Chrom?!"

"W-what are you doing here?!"

"Oh, you know, I was just wandering around and noticed you threatening my best friend!"

Lucina flinched at the venom behind his words and dropped her sword in shock. She tried to speak up, defend herself, anything! However, she was at a loss for words.

Dammit! This wasn't fair.

Thankfully, Robin came to her rescue.

"Relax, we're roleplaying."

"Roleplaying." Chrom asked, clearly not believing him. "In an empty field." He motioned to the field around them, "Alone. After what happened in Plegia? With a knock-off Falchion no less?!"

Robin looked at Lucina, then at Chrom. He looked his best friend straight in the eyes and answered, "Yes."

"Why?!"

"Authenticity?" Lucina chimed in. Robin chocked down a laugh. She'd come so far from the girl with no sense of humor!

"And we felt like everyone could use some cheering up." Robin added.

Chrom still looked skeptical, "So you're planning to put on a play huh, what's it called?"

"Roberella." A new voice chimed in from behind Lucina, who let out a horrified yelp before backing away. What was with everyone sneaking up on her today! Her cry caused the other two to jump and they glared at the newcomer.

"Tharja," Chrom muttered "You're involved with this farce too?"

"It's no farce Capitain. I've been planning it for months."

"Prove it."

"Are you calling me a liar? I'll curse the shit out of you! You'll have blue balls forever! Just think about how poor Olivia will feel, knowing that you'll never be able to give her the son she's always wanted?"

Chrom let out a frustrated sigh and Robin began to feel guilty. He didn't like lying to his friend.

But Lucina was an idiot, so it was a necessary evil. If it wasn't for him she would have dug her own grave months ago. He just hoped she'd hear him out. They could figure this out together. At the very least, he wanted to save Emmeryn.

"I'm sorry for doubting you two. Just, be careful okay? I know everyone's still reeling over the loss of the Fire Emblem but we can't let that ruin what we have!"

"Ah, that reminds me." Tharja spoke up and pulled out a sack. She tossed it to Chrom, who opened it, and he gaped like an idiot at what was inside, "I switched the gems with fakes a few days ago and forgot to tell anyone, sorry."

Chrom starred at Tharja.

Lucina starred at Tharja.

Robin starred at Tharja and asked what everyone was thinking, "Why?"

"I was curious." She answered, as if that answered everything.

Chrom laughed "Well, looks like we haven't completely lost. Good, without all five gems the Fire Emblem won't work. Seems Tharja's quirks saved us, thanks. I'm looking forward to that play you three." Chrom said, patting Tharja on the shoulder much to her annoyance, and laughing as he left the scene.

He'd completely forgotten why he'd come here in the first place.

The trio stood in silence for a good minute, watching him go, before Tharja spoke up.

"It's so nice that you've finally decided to help me with my masterpiece Robin~"

"Wait, you were serious?!"

"R-Roberella, it's real?!"

"Naturally, and now that you used it to ward off the captain I believe you're out of options."

Robin glared at the girl in front of him, "You planned this."

"No, I merely took advantage of the situation. I'll see you two at my room bright and early tomorrow." Tharja was lying through her teeth, truth was she'd known about The Dragon's Table incident for a while now, courtesy of Noire. Tharja would gladly exploit the girls lack of backbone if it meant she could keep Robin safe; besides it wasn't like the future hadn't already been changed. Whether she chose Validar's hope of Robin's Hope was irrelevant at this point. The multiverse was always moving so fate was always changing.

A pity so few of those time-travelers understood that.

Lucina began to cry.

"Hey, none of that. So what if Alter Validar made the Robin from your timeline kill Chrom. We'll figure something out." Robin said, picking up the Parallel Falchion and holding it out for the crying girl. Tharja looked on in disgust. "So get up, wipe those tears of yours and go to bed. We can discuss how we'll deal with this after dealing Tharja's stupid play."

"How rude." Tharja muttered from the side, she felt like the third wheel to the stupidest love story ever told.

Lucina nodded, Robin was right, together they could do the impossible. She'd forgotten that. She just had to believe, believe that by working together the future could be changed!

Meanwhile, at the Second Dragons Table...

Validar had just finished preforming the awakening ritual. However,

Nothing happened.

"I said awaken! Awaken! Awaken! Awaken! Awaken! Awaken!"

Nothing changed.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Robin!"

"Yes?" his super-duper genius school girl daughter asked.

"Not you, be gone whelp!" Validar demanded, pulling out a squirt bottle and spraying his daughter with it. He grabbed the Fire Emblem and threw it at her. She caught it after it bounced off her pigtailed head. The fake gems fell off too, in such a way that, it was a miracle Validar didn't notice the four were fakes earlier.

After all, they were cardboard cutouts.

"This is your fault, fix it!" Validar demanded before walking away fabulously.

Robin watched her father leave. She glanced down at the shield of seals, then at the direction her father had gone, then back at the shield. It only had one gem on it: Sable.

He expected her to retrieve the other four gems from a group of skilled Naga Zealots? Warriors who would happily gut her like a fish? Fighters that included her brother, his weirdo girlfriend, and their creepy stalker? Then bring the completed shield home?

Robin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The people of Ylisse weren't known for treating those who didn't worship their god with kindness.

"I knew there was a reason I killed him first." A hooded man muttered to himself after watching the scene play out from the shadows.

His sister would fail.

The Shepherds would regain the Fire Emblem, the final gem along with it, and preform the Awakening ritual.

Ylisse would once again pillage Plegia and the cycle would continue.

Grima sighed.

How boring.

A story where the outcome was already known wasn't fun at all. Ah well, in the end he'd never truly loose. His only bane was himself after all.

However, Lucina's face suddenly flashed across his mind. Unlike the majority of her allies that brat hadn't acted in a way he hadn't expected. Allying herself with his weaker self wasn't something he'd seen coming. He'd assume she'd antagonize him, like the rest of her bloodline had ultimately done in his timeline, yet instead they'd pushed him back at every turn.

Grima wondered if, perhaps, there was some worth in this timeline after all.

[imagine-wannaone]

Lai Guanlin Soulmate AU

I’m back with the second to last soulmate au, enjoy~

•Your soulmate key was actually pretty chill, • On the back of your hand is the neon glowing lines of a compass, like a tattoo, moving to point in the direction your soulmate is, • There’s many stories of people packing a bag and just taking off and following the compass until they find their soulmate, • But you decided maybe you’d wait a while before you get desperate, • And soulmates are fate, you’d meet at some point anyway, right? • Yes; Yes you would, • All through growing up, your compass hardly moved at all, • You honestly thought it was broken and you’d forever be lonely, • Until you realised your soulmate probably just lived very far away, • You were salty for like 6 months, because it meant it’d be harder for you to find your Soulmate, • But then you realised- There’s no point in being salty at all, • And who are you being salty to? • Your soulmate had exactly the same problem, and you can’t really be mad at F A T E, • Although you tried, • But then it got you thinking, • If your soulmate lived far away, what if they spoke a different language? • That made you worry for around 2 months, but then you realised- • (This was the year of realising things btw), • There’s literally no point in worrying? If there’s a language barrier then there’s a language barrier; there’s nothing you can do about it at the moment? • So yeah you’re pretty chill about soulmates most of the time, • It’s honestly admirable because everyone freaks out about soulmates, • But boy do you get the fright of your life when your compass point moves overnight, • You wake up and contemplate whether you’ve been reading it wrong all of your life but no, it definitely used to always point south west, • But the fact it’s now pointing north is really kinda exciting, • So imagine your elation when it starts regularly moving, • It normally stays pointing northward but throughout the day it sways east and west, • Which only means one thing- Your soulmate is close by, • Gurl is ready to go soulmate hunting straight away but you hold back , • It may be a little scary to find a girl in her PJ’s out on the street telling you you’re their soulmate, • Personally though, you wouldn’t mind, • So although you don’t go searching out your soulmate, you’re a lot more aware, often tracing the neon colours of the compass with your fingers, • A habit that slowly becomes comforting, reminding yourself there will always be someone who loves you no matter what happens, • You get a job waiting tables at a cheap little restaurant in a quiet part of town, • Because no matter what people say money is happiness, • Because the restaurant is small everyone who works there is like a small family, • And because the restaurant is off the beaten track, the customers usually aren’t too bad, and you usually have your regulars where you know all about their kids and grand kids and jobs, • You’re writing down orders for the old couple that comes every other Monday, • your compass is hyper tonight, swaying this way and that, but the old man, DoJung, is telling you about his grandson who just got into Seoul National University and you can’t be rude, • So you listen to him talk with a smile, absent mindedly slowly tracing the compass, that is…way brighter than usual? • You’re not sure though because you’re a busy person with a bad memory, • But another couple of people wander through the doors and you have to tear yourself away, making sure to congratulate the elderly couple and finally deliver their order to the chef, • You grab your little notebook and scan the cozy seating area, • You weave your way around the tables like the damn expert you are to glide to a stop infront of the 2 new boys’ table, throwing on a smile despite the fact you’re actually very tired and your legs ache from standing for the last few hours, • You greet them happily, trying to make them comfortable enough to become regular customers because you have to admit, • They’re both Hella cute and having them become regulars might just lighten your day a little, • Seonho and Guanlin, your new targets, • In a non creepy way.  . . • They’re agile looking, and tired, (and slightly similar looking), which leads you to believe they’re trainees from the nearby company, • You’re asking what they’d like to drink when you catch sight of your hand, the compass spinning with passion, making your heart leap, • You know this is the sign your soulmate is near, • Or yanno, • Right infront of you, • Your eyes float down to the 2 boys infront of you, the shyer one staring at his hand, • You watch his identical neon compass spin uncontrollably as he watches with confusion, • “Huh” • People talk about an exhilarating feeling when you meet your soulmate, but you’re calm as you wrap your mind around the fact that it looks like this squish is apparently your squish, • You lay your hand next to where he’s staring at his, Guanlin, and watch as your compasses spin in time, as if in a synchronised dance, and smile at him when his eyes rise to meet yours, • Oh, the butterflies have finally come, • “Oh, There you are. I’ve been waiting for you,” • Seonho slides the hell out of there with the widest of grins and a slap to Guanlin’s back before disappearing, • Guanlin motions you to sit in the opposite with a shy smile and blushing cheeks and you’re sure the other waiters will understand, • I mean you’ve just met your soulmate what better excuse is there to bunk off work? • (I mean there’s death but), • Honestly, it’s a little awkward, as Guanlin’s still mastering Korean, and he seems a little shy and jumpy anyway, • But you’re generally calm, so in the time of need you pull through, • After a little while Guanlin seems to relax a bit as well, and you can’t help but feel so at home in his presence, as if you’ve always been together, • You catch him staring into your eyes and scanning your face but you’re doing exactly the same, • His eyes soften with every passing moment and you’re still wrapping your head around the fact that you’ve found him, • Or rather, that he walked straight into you, • Both of you are young, and slightly shy, so you take things slow and everything is so sweet, • You go on quiet dates whenever you can, wanting to spend every minute with each other, • (Guanlin is usually exhausted from being a trainee and simple dates suit you just fine, luckily entertainment companies are quite lenient with Soulmates), • When he first slips his hand into yours, slowly and unsure, you take his hand and squeeze it reassuringly, smiling up at him, • The first time you hug you’re suprised to feel him completely surround you in his warmth despite being a skinny noodle™ and  his sense of safety and peace is heart warming, • You’re the first to peck him, playfully on the top of his nose and although it’s small you both blush instantly, • When he first wraps his arm around your waist you grin and lean into him, comforted by the small action, • When you first cuddle, you’re both half asleep and half way through a film and your limbs tangle together like they where made to, his warmth feels like home and he just seems to soft, • Your first proper kiss is slow and unsure and jittery and awkward arms, but it seems magical to you, • And your second one is more sure and determined and passionate with hands running through hair and bodies pressed together, • You start to learn a little Chinese so Guanlin can feel a little less homesick and it feels as if you can get to know him from a different angle, • And boy the smile that spreads onto his face and the fierce hug he engulfs you in is everything, • His height is next level though, you never lose him in a crowd; it’s great, • When he introduces you to the guys he’s all shy and blushy and they all tease him and damn that’s your heart going Buh Boom because you’re causing him to become a blushing mess, • Not a load of PDA because shy beans but in private it’s always gentle touches and honestly you’re always there to comfort each other, • Because sometimes life is hard and there’s nothing you can do so whether it’s gentle words or, more often, just the comforting presence without the need for verbal reassurances, you’re there for each other with open arms and open hearts, • Honestly the two of you are all so slow and soft and squishy pls

[momentsinsong]

Moments In Song No. 019 - Victor

“Moments In Song” asks people one simple question, “What are you listening to?” We believe that you can learn a lot about an individual and their experiences based off of the music they love. For every installment we ask someone to make a playlist of 10 songs they’re listening to, whether it be something new they stumbled upon, or a song they’ve always loved, and explain the story behind their choices. The person’s playlist is then uploaded, giving them the chance to share it with others. Each post aims to profile someone from a different walk of life, whether they be an artist, a student, the mailman, a school teacher, an athlete, a nurse, your next-door neighbor, anyone with a love for music; showing that no matter where we come from, what we do, or what we look like, music has the ability to bring us together.

With an ethereal set of songs that accompany his pensive thoughts, pharmacy student and rapper Victor gives us a track by track breakdown of his playlist. We talk his musical influences, Clams Casino productions, and what he thinks is the greatest song of all time.

Listen to Victor’s playlist on Apple Music and Spotify.

Words by Julian | Photos by Tayo

What was thought process behind putting your playlist together?

I just made a playlist of almost all the songs I listen to when I’m in pensive thought or songs that have a cool ethereal mood to them. I’ve always been in tune to that kind of music. That’s why I have two songs from Clams Casino on there. For me, Clams Casino is probably one of the best producers of the past decade. Very influential. His influence spans what most people can even fathom. If I look at his work with Lil B in 2009, 2010, and then look at the type of beats all these rappers are rapping on now, or their style, and how they rap, Clams Casino and Lil B were very influential.

Without Lil B and Clams Casino partnering, Clams Casino doesn’t have the platform that he has today. Then someone like A$AP Rocky probably doesn’t hear him, and so his first two projects don’t have that Clams Casino sound. You look at so many artists that started to blow up in 2010, 2011, A$AP Rocky, Mac Miller, Lil B, they were really coming out with that “drop your top, relax and cruise to music,” and I think Clams Casino is a big part of all of that.

Other songs that I put on my playlist from underground artists like Reva Devito, Thatshymn, Abhi//Dijon, these are artist I listen to when I chill, or when I study. That’s what I’m trying to go for with the playlist. Just a type of sound that you don’t have to necessarily have move to it, you can just sit back, relax, and get into your own zone.

I put my song on there at the end because I thought it helped tie everything on the playlist together.

I was listening to your playlist earlier and I noticed there weren’t any real dance or turn up kind of songs on there.  I felt like they all fell into either a boom-bap category, with like eu-IV and Reva Devito, produced by Tek.Lun, the old school Kendrick, and on the other half, that Clams Casino, Abhi//Dijon, Sango, kind of relaxed and melodic category. Did you know from the start that this is the kind of theme you wanted your playlist to encompass?

Yeah absolutely. Even though some of these songs are kind of old, like “Ignorance Is Bliss,” “Realest Alive,” and “Moments In Love,” which is from the 80’s, I listen to them either every day or at least once a week. Especially times when I’m in school, studying, or in the mood to delve into my thoughts.

“Ignorance Is Bliss” is one of Kendrick’s best songs to me. Overly Dedicated does not get the recognition it deserves as a cumulative work. I personally do believe that Overly Dedicated is on the same tier as Section.80 in terms of Kendrick’s bravado and lyricism, because he’s really rapping something serious on that song. I still go back to those to projects a lot. I feel like a lot of the themes on there are universal. There’s no filler on them. You know exactly what you’re getting.

“Moments In Love” is a long song, it’s like 10 minutes long, and that version has always been my favorite. People don’t know how influential The Art Of Noise are, just to music in general. When people listen to Yeezus or My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, or some of the stuff from Michael Jackson’s HIStory album, The Art Of Noise did that stuff back in the 80’s.

I’m not super familiar with them, are they a pop group? Electronic?

They were an experimental band in the 80’s from the U.K. So many things that people are doing today, they did 30 years ago, which is mind blowing. The way “Moments In Love” is structured, you have a lot of different part, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of different breaks. And all of these breaks evoke a different emotion, and plays into the emotions that someone might feel in a relationship. When I was making this playlist, I knew it had to be number one. In my opinion it’s the best song of all time.

Wow, that’s quite the claim.

Honestly. Out of everything that I’ve ever listened to I can’t find anything, at least in my personal opinion, that really…

Evokes that same kind of emotion,

Yeah emotion, the techniques they use for the time era they were in. If you listen to other stuff from the 80’s compared to this, this is just crazy.  It’s still even really different compared to music out today. Along with that, its influence that people may or may not know about is amazing.

And then after that I went to “Realest Alive.” Lil B’s version isn’t on any streaming sites, but it’s a great song.

What era of Lil B is that?

That’s 2010 Lil B. So that’s when Lil B was just really starting to get out there. This was back when Lil B would release 5 songs a day. Literally he would release 5 different songs a day, and he would have 4 troll songs, and one song that was great. And he would do that on purpose because when he tries he’s an extremely good rapper. The thing is that he’s a deconstructionist. If you listen to Lil B from 2008/2009 he’s rapping on perfectly on the beat, but towards the end of 2009 he released “Like a Martian” and started doing all his based freestyle, stream of consciousness stuff. So during that time, this would be the 1 out of the 5 songs he’d be serious on. By 2011 he was legitimately a well known phenomenon.

Yeah I feel like around that time he was doing a lot of work with Soulja Boy, and influenced that way he made music after that. And even guys now like Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi, there’s definitely some Lil B DNA in them.

For sure. So from “Realest Alive” it goes to “Ignorance is Bliss,” which has Kendrick rapping about a whole range of different topics.  I feel like that streamlines very well into “Numb” by Clams Casino. Now from “Numb” I wanted to lighten up the mood a little bit so I went into songs that are love related. Once you get to “IVyou Pt. 2,” “Rose Gold,” “Therapy” those songs show more of a positive side of what one can feel in a relationship.

You go to “How Do You Love Me” by Xavier Omar and Sango. That song is actually about Xavier Omar asking God, “How could you even love me, even though I am the way I am, even though I am this imperfect being?” I think it segways nicely from “Therapy” because Thatshymn talks about how weed, drinking, and sex can be a form of therapy, but for Xavier Omar he’s talking about how God can be a therapy. For me. I feel like that’s a great contrast, and shows two different forms of love.

And I just finished things with “Stu Pickles.” It’s a good mellow track, talking about relaxing with friends and everyone working together to achieve their goals. For the lyrics I say, “I’m way to blessed to not stress right now,” it’s just me talking about God blessing me to be in the situation I’m in.

I think in our society we take a lot of things for granted. I saw a crazy statistic one time when I was younger. It said if you have a house with electricity, a roof over your head, a bed, and all these other commodities, you’re already richer than 75% of the people in the world.  If you think about that it’s crazy. Everyday really is a blessing, and you try your best to fill it out, and find your way to where you need to go.

What songs and artists made you want to start rapping and making your own music?

If I’m thinking about my favorite rappers growing up, Tupac is number one by a mile. Tupac was extremely influential to me. All Eyez On Me, I know that entire double album back and forth because my dad had the OG double CD that was released in 1996. So after Tupac, it’s Nas, all of his stuff. The first album I ever bought with my own money was his Untitled album. That and the Wu-Tang Clan’s 8 Diagrams. Wu-Tang Clan was also very influential to me. Enter the 36 Chambers  I know that album so well. ODB was so ahead of his time. You listen to “Brooklyn Zoo” and the way he’s rapping is so crazy, but somehow he’s perfectly in pocket, he’s perfectly on the beat. In order to rap like that is extremely hard. ODB to me is just an extraordinary rapper.

Any final thoughts on your playlist?

It’s a microcosm of me throughout the years. It represents the type of music I listen to when I’m in a pensive mood. It’s “sit down and think” music.

Connect with Victor:

https://twitter.com/viceroy_o

https://www.instagram.com/victorolalekan_/

https://soundcloud.com/victorolalekan

Connect with Moments In Song:

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https://twitter.com/moments_in_song

https://tinyurl.com/MISAppleMusic

https://tinyurl.com/MISSpotify