#I am doing this because I forgot my sheet music for a song we’re playing in like 4 days at home and it’s pretty complicated

[honeyconez]

guess who learned the melody and first part of the first step by William woodpricedarerising?!!

Me. It was me.

I would LIKE to play the chords but I have an itty bitty glockenspiel and only 2 mallets so it’s not like I could try playing the chords anyway

also it’s for piano not mallets because will wood plays on the PIANO and mallets suck and marimbas xylophones and literally any other other mallets are humongous and cost like a bajillion dollars

Just wait until I learn the beginning part of black box warrior

[thatdepridragon]

This is a story I wrote a while back but just found, and yes, I know there is spelling mistakes, English is not my first language, I'm sorry.

Simon (English)

The words flew through my head, while I imagined the world. Ignored all the sounds around me. The window squeaked, and the flames made small sounds. I turned the page. Then I felt something cold on my shoulder, that felt like a hand. It touched me gently. I turned to the last page. Benedicte didn’t always read as fast as me. I waited a bit, then I put my bookmark in the book and closed it.

The door opened.” Turn on some light, you’re destroying your eyes by reading in the dark.” my dad said. I got up and turned on the lights and blew out the candles.” What are you reading?” Said dad curiously.” I am reading about ghosts, and about what happens if you’re living with one.” I said quietly. Dad wasn’t happy for supernatural stuff. He meant that it was bad.” Don’t read that, it’s not good for you.” Then he walked away.

I turned around. Benedicte sat on some of my books at looked at me through her big glasses.” Don’t listen to him, he's just a little stupid.” I spoke.” Simon, I know he's stupid, but I still don’t think he should say that I know you get sad.” She looked at me and played with one of her threads on her dress.” One day we’re going to be together every day, Simon, and then we’re running around and having fun every day. Forever. And then you’re not going to worry about him.” She laughed. I also laughed. I just wanted to get away from it all. From my dad, from my class, from the neighbours and their kids.” When do you think I can do it?” I asked her quietly.” I think you mean, when are you ready to do it?” She looked over at my bookcase, then at the loose board on my floor.” What's stopping you?” She asked. I sighed.” Rose! Your school is waiting! And it is not a choice!” I heard dad yell.” Yes dad!” I turned around so I could tell it, but when I turned around again Benedicte was gone. Typical. Then I took my music sheets and took off.

When I walked into my class, they all looked at me. I was 5 minutes late. I hurried to my chair and sat down. Unfortunately, we had math in the first class. I ended up drawing the whole lesson. I drew some big glasses and a rope. I was really going into the details in the rope. I began to draw a book, when the bell rang.

I hurried out when we had a break, with my music sheets in my hand, and ran towards the music room. As always, it wasn't locked. Weird enough, sat Benedicte in there. “What are you doing in here?” I asked. She looked at me calmy, and said: “Simon, I´ve found a perfect tree. You can even do it right now. Nobody is going to see it. But you will probably wait until after school.” I shook my head. “I don’t have it with me.” Benedicte looked disappointed.

I sat down by her and began to push down on the key. After a little time, the music flew in the room. The exact same song that mom always played for me, before she died. She would have accepted me. She would call me Simon and call me he. I began to cry. Benedicte stroked my back. Her hand was cold. Then the door opened. Carl walked in. “Oh, would you look at that. It’s CryingRose. What are you doing here? Crying? Over your dead mom? How sad. Or are you crying because nobody likes you?” His eyes were cold and evil. There was nothing to do. In a moment, he would pull my hair and lock me inside of the room.

And that was also what happened. When I finally got out, we had P.E., but because I forgot my sweatsuit home, I sat down and played with some robes. I ended up practicing the knot. The one I should use.

After P.E. we had English, and we read a book. It was about a boy who was bullied, but he ended up getting revenge. It wasn’t very exciting, very predictable.

After school I walked home and took the stuff I needed. Benedicte came often with some encouraging words like: “You’re doing good.” And “In a moment, everything is okay again.” I believed her. Why would she lie?

When I was by the tree, I could see what Benedicte meant. It was perfect. I looked at my note. Then I put it on my shirt. Then I tied the robe to the tree with the knot, I learned myself. Took the knife. Cut the name Simon into it. Then I put the knife down, took a big rock, and placed it under the tree. Then I got onto the top of the stone. Then I put my head through the loop. I made sure that nothing would go wrong. I looked at the scars on my arm. Some of them are newer than others. Then I pushed the rock away with my legs. The last thing I heard was Benedicte's laughter and my fight for air. Or that was what I thought.

[mintyminyoongi]

Idiots

Pairing: Min Yoongi x ReaderRating: T

Word Count: 7.8k

Trigger warnings: None 

Summary: Imagine you love Yoongi and Yoongi loves you but you’re both idiots and can’t say it. Or better yet, read about it.

Normally, when your phone starts ringing at 2:00 AM, you would curse the living daylights out of the person on the other end of the line. Maybe ask them if they were raised by barbarians or looking to get fully throttled. 

But when you finish grumbling curses under your breath and crack an eye open to look at your screen, you can’t help the way your heart flops over a little. Yoongi. You swipe your thumb across the screen to answer before it goes to voicemail. 

“You better be dead or dying,” you groan into the receiver. 

You hear him curse under his breath and some fumbling around. “I, um, am not dying. Coincidentally. I forgot to check the time again.” 

His low, drawling voice sends a shiver down your spine, as always. “Yeah, you did.” You find yourself chuckling, despite your initial anger. 

“Sorry,” he mutters. “You were sleeping?” 

You laugh fully this time. “Yeah Yoongi, I was sleeping. Like most people do at two in the morning on a Wednesday.”

“Ugh, sorry Y/N.” He sighs into the phone. 

You frown and roll in your sheets, sitting up fully. “Hey, you okay? It’s  been a while since you’ve spaced on time like this.” 

About three years ago, you met Yoongi. You’d just graduated from university and had been able to get an internship at a tech start up in Seoul. It was shit pay and crazy hours but you loved the work. 

You had met Yoongi in a cafe, late one night. Officially, you were off the clock but you had taken your laptop with you to try and catch up on some of your assignments. The cafe was close to your apartment, open late and had cheap, strong coffee. 

Yoongi had been set up at one of the far tables, feline eyes droopy despite the numerous coffee cups littering his table. He had a fancy set of headphones on and his bleached blonde hair had dark roots growing in. 

The cafe was busy, even during this time of night so you took one of the last empty tables near him. You tried to get work done, honestly. But between your sleep deprivation, over caffeination and this gorgeous boy sitting a table away, it was difficult. 

So he naturally caught you staring at him. And your best way to save face was to point dumbly at your own ear. His brow furrowed but he pushed one headphone off his ear anyway. 

“Sorry, just... I could hear your music through the headphones. It’s a little distracting.” It wasn’t, you could barely hear it over the other cafe noises. “Also, it’s bad for your hearing. To play music that loud.”

You wanted to disappear. Like wholly, from this plane of existence and any others that were out there. 

But he just looks at you with an amused, crooked smile. 

You didn’t know at the time that Yoongi was a successful rapper. He went by the name Agust D, and had just gotten back from his first tour after the release of his mixtape. 

And the formation of your friendship went just like that. He needed a friend that didn’t care about his fame or his reputation. And you just needed a friend. 

So what if you thought he was incredibly hot and talented and funny… Yoongi had never shown you any interest, romantically. And that was fine with you. His friendship meant the world to you. 

Anyway, Yoongi wasn’t the best at taking care of himself. So when he calls you in the middle of the night, it’s almost always because he’s been locked in his studio all day and has lost all sense of time. 

He sighs, not answering you right away. “I’m okay. Just- stuck on a song.”

You furrow your brow. “When did you eat last?” 

A beat of silence. “Um.”

“Yoongi.” You bite your tongue to hold back the full lecture. “How about sleep?”

An even longer pause. “I took a nap this afternoon,” he says. “Or wait. What day is it?” 

“Alright, that’s enough. Go home. Take a shower, sleep in an actual bed. You’re not doing yourself any favors running on fumes.” 

“I know.” 

“Nope, not buying it. I wanna hear you leave the studio.” 

“Woman,” he sighs under his breath. “Fine.”

You can hear him shutting down the programs on his computer, almost feeling the way he’s making mental notes of where to pick up in the morning. 

“So, which song is giving you trouble?” 

Yoongi starts to describe the track, how he wants a syncopated rhythm but it’s not hitting right. He muses all the way during his walk home about different things he can try.

You curl back up into bed, just listening to him and giving what little insight you could. It kind of pained you to admit how much just the sound of his voice affected you. 

Before long, you hear his front chime open. “Okay, I’m home.” You hope you were imagining just how exhausted he was. Even though you know you weren’t. 

“Good. Please take care of yourself, Yoongi. You’re starting to give me gray hairs.”

Yoongi just huffs into the phone. “Thank you, Y/N. I am sorry for waking you up. Tomorrow’s your big presentation right?” 

“It’s okay,” you say. “Yeah, it's at nine. So like,” you wince as you look at your screen. “Six hours.” 

“Fuck,” he hisses under his breath. “I really am sorry.”

“It’s fine, Yoongi. Honestly. I’m used to running on no energy and all coffee.”

You could tell he didn’t feel better with that answer. “We're still on for movie night on Friday?” 

“Yes please. I’ve been killing myself trying to avoid spoiler alerts.” 

“Okay, great. I’ll bring snacks to make it up to you.” 

You thought about protesting but knew it would be pointless. “That sounds like a fabulous idea. Now go get some sleep! And when you eat in the morning, it needs to be something that doesn’t come out of a plastic package, you hear me?”

“Aish, woman, let me live,” he gripes but you know him well enough that you can practically picture the smile on his face. “See you Friday. Good luck with the presentation, you’re gonna kill it.” 

“Thanks, Yoongi.” You hang up and have to force yourself back to sleep, always getting a bit of a high from talking to him. 

On Friday night, you were running around your apartment like a mad woman, trying to get it clean before Yoongi shows up. Even though he was terrible with the concept of time, he was never late to your movie nights. 

You had stayed late at work talking to your boss about your presentation from the day before. So when Yoongi showed up at your door right on time you were still in your work clothes, hair a mess. 

“Hi, come in. What the-” Your eyes practically bulge out of your head when you see how many bags he’s carrying. 

“I said I would bring snacks,” he says sheepishly, cheeks tinted a dusty pink. 

“Yoongi, this is like a whole store.”

He sets the bags down on your kitchen counter. “I felt bad about waking you up.”

You shove his arm, eyes widening further as he starts unbagging everything. “I told you it was fine, you dope! This is way too much food.” 

Just as he opens his mouth your doorbell rings. Yoongi looks at you guiltily, a bag of your favorite chips in his hand. 

“I may have also ordered pizza from that place you like.” 

You wanted to smack him and kiss him in the same instant. That pizza was the perfect way to end a long, stressful week. “Well, you answer the door. I’m going to change clothes.”

In your room, you quickly change into sweats and a t-shirt. You fix your hair into a normal, less insane ponytail and make your way back into the kitchen. 

You find Yoongi staring at you as you drop your hands from your hair. “What?” 

He coughs, looking down. “Nothing. The food’s all ready.”

You frown a little but leave it. Then you see the three pizza boxes sitting on the counter. “Min Yoongi you did not order three pizzas and buy all these snacks.” 

He squawks a little, unable to form words for a second. “Will you just take my apology already?” 

Your heart seizes a little at his sincerity and you try not to read into it. “Fine. Apology accepted.” You cross your way into the kitchen, grabbing some plates out of the cabinet. 

“How did your presentation go, by the way?” 

“Oh my god it went great, Yoongi! My boss loved the idea of an integrated software, and he gave me the lead on it.” You turn to see him watching you attentively, a proud smile on his face. 

“And this is the first time you’ve been the lead, right?” 

“Yeah, at least one of this size. It’s gonna be a lot of work but I’m really excited.” 

Once again, Yoongi gives you this unreadable look. His gaze makes you feel squirmy so you hand him a plate. “Well I’m proud of you, Y/N. You’ve really made a name for yourself at that company.” 

“Thanks, Yoongi.” You cracked open the first pizza box and could’ve started drooling. “Oh my god, this smells amazing.”

When you’re thoroughly surrounded on the couch with more pizza, snacks and wine than any two people could need, you start the movie.

You and Yoongi had started making movie nights a habit about a year ago. Every month you both find time to make it work. It was kind of your favorite thing but you wouldn’t tell him that. 

You really were trying to reign in your feelings for him. It didn’t seem fair, when Yoongi was only looking for platonic companionship. So you keep respectable inches between the two of you as you queued up the movie. 

Yoongi gave you a judgy look at the moan you let out around your first bite of pizza but a swift elbow to the ribs made him look away. 

The movie was pretty good, it was a slasher movie that came out earlier in the year. You watched with your mouth hung open in disbelief as the killer rose from the dead for the third time and snuck up on the lead actress. 

“Oh, come on, they can’t be serious.” You lean forward on the couch cushion, thoroughly enveloped in the plotline. As the killer brandishes a kitchen knife and raises it above his head, your reflex is to smack Yoongi in the arm. 

“Why doesn’t she just turn around?” you demand. “The house is like 800 years old the floorboards are creaking louder than your snoring.” 

You can feel Yoongi look at you in offense. “First you hit me then you insult me?” 

The girl on the screen eventually turns around and a chase ensues. You turn to Yoongi. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you. I just get so wound up at these movies.” 

“Oh, but you meant to insult me?” He says, an eyebrow raised. 

Damn, he looks good sprawled out on your couch. The thought comes unbidden. You bring yourself back to the present, to the sound of screaming and shrill horror music in the background. The present with Yoongi sitting on your couch. 

“Yeah, I mean have you heard your snoring?” 

“When have you heard me snore?” he demands.

You turn to face him on the couch, the movie forgotten for the moment. “Like three months ago, when you showed up at my door, completely wasted. You stumbled around my apartment for twenty minutes and then you passed out on the couch. You snored. All night.” 

Yoongi looks at you with his mouth hung open, speechless. He shakes his head, seeming to snap out of it. “I completely forgot about that night.”

“Yeah, it was after some event at your label. You showed up smelling like cheap perfume and whiskey, barely able to stand up straight. I gave Namjoon an earful the next day for letting you get that drunk.” 

Yoongi scoffs, suddenly finding the hole in the knee of his jeans very interesting. “He didn’t let me do anything. I can be pretty stubborn when it comes to that stuff.” 

You nod, not understanding where the uneasy mood came from. “That’s pretty much what he told me. He said that you showed up to the event pissed off, that you were an asshole the whole night and he couldn’t keep you in check.” 

“Yeah I wasn’t myself that night.” 

He still wouldn’t look at you.

 “I remember,” you say. “I’d never seen you that far gone before. Namjoon said he hadn’t either.” 

Yoongi stays silent. For long enough that you started to turn back to the TV screen, not wanting to push him. 

Truthfully, that night had kind of scared you. He had been almost incoherent when you let him in. Yoongi was a fan of a good whiskey but he usually didn’t get that drunk, let alone wasted like that. You hadn’t known what to do so you kind of just stood back as Yoongi mumbled to himself, shucking his jacket and boots before falling onto the couch and passing out. 

He says something under his breath and even though you were right next to him you didn’t catch it. You wince as a bloodcurdling scream comes from the TV screen. He doesn’t even seem to notice it. 

“What did you say?” You ask him, scooting a little closer. 

Again, he stays quiet. At which point you’re starting to get annoyed, so you let out a huff and flop back against the couch cushion.

“You had a date that night.” 

You stare uncomprehendingly at the gory scene on the TV before looking at him. “What?” 

He had turned his gaze to you, but not in your eyes. He’s looking somewhere around your shoulder, you think. 

Yoongi runs his tongue over his teeth before answering you. “That night, you had a date with some guy from your office.”

You think back, remember that you’d had a date with Minho. He was in the advertising department of your company. He had a really cute smile and loved cats so you thought you’d give him a chance. 

You thought if you just actively started dating that you would get over your stupid crush on Yoongi faster. 

Spoiler alert: it didn’t work. 

Even though Minho was attractive, and he had really funny stories you only found yourself thinking about Yoongi all night. The date had ended when he walked you to your door, and kissed your cheek. You told him it had been a nice night but you didn’t think you saw him as more than a friend. Things had been awkward around the office for a few days but he took it graciously and you two are friends now. 

Yoongi had shown up not long after you’d gotten back. You were still in your dress, heels kicked off by the door. You remember now, he had given you a once over and scoffed before stepping past you into the apartment. Before you’d gone on the date, you’d told Yoongi about it. You thought maybe if he hyped you up it would help you be more excited for it. 

Instead, he just said “have fun” and didn’t speak to you for the rest of the night. Until he showed up at your door, so drunk he couldn’t stand straight. 

He never asked about the date, you didn’t think he even remembered it. He certainly didn’t seem like he cared about it at the time. 

Belatedly, you realize the end credits are rolling on the screen. 

And Yoongi is staring at you. Not at your shoulder or somewhere in the vicinity. Right at you. 

“Yoongi…” You say, because you didn’t know what else to say.

He gulps down the rest of his wine and turns to face you fully. “I-I didn’t have the right to be jealous but I was. Of him. So I went to that stupid fundraising event and focused on the free drinks and the easy women. And ended up here anyway.” 

You swallowed thickly, trying not to overthink what he was saying. “You were jealous?” The words are strained as you say them. Your hands curled into fists because the bite of your nails in your palms helps to ground you. 

Yoongi leans in a little, sucks in a quick breath. He opens his mouth to speak just as the movie kicks back to the main menu, the title music blaring through the speakers. 

You jump reflexively. You didn’t realize how close you’d gotten to him, your face barely a few inches from his. So close you can see his pupils dilate, can smell the sweet red wine on his breath. 

And just like that, Yoongi seems to snap out of something. He stands from the couch and picks up your dirty plates and wine glasses. He’s already in the kitchen, loading the dishes in the washer when you feel yourself snap back into reality.

What the hell was that?

You were pretty sure you weren’t misreading things. He was jealous that you were dating other people. Well, had dated other people. Honestly you were tired of the whole song and dance. You hadn’t been on a date since Minho. When the right guy came along, you would try again. But you hadn’t found anyone that could hold a candle to Yoongi. And you didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. 

But… why was Yoongi jealous? He was famous, had tons of beautiful idols and models and actresses he could pick from. Maybe he was just jealous of having a normal dating life. 

Either way when you shuffle into the kitchen with the bowls of snacks, you couldn’t ignore the tension in Yoongi’s shoulders. The dishes were all loaded but he stood at the sink, clutching the edge of the counter. 

“Yoongi.” This was new for you. You’d never felt uncertain around him before. Maybe shy, when you caught yourself thinking about his adorable smile or strong hands. But never uncertain. 

He cleared his throat and turned abruptly. “I forgot I have an early morning tomorrow. I should get going.” 

You frown, not wanting to leave things in this weird state. You follow him to the door where he’s pulling on his coat. “Yoongi,” you try again. 

He falters, head hanging low. 

“Will you just tell me what’s bothering you?” You finally demand. 

Yoongi turns swiftly, pulling you close to him by your waist. He leans his forehead against yours and you suck in a breath, gasping it out at his proximity. Usually you’re the one initiating the contact, little side hugs or poking his cheeks when he’s grumpy. You always tease him about his fear of intimacy.

He huffs out a breath and closes his eyes. His hands tighten their grip on your waist. 

You let him hold you. Part of you can tell he somehow needs this. You wonder if he can feel how heavily your heart is beating inside your chest. It feels thunderous to you. 

Yoongi shifts, turning his face into your neck. You feel yourself relax a bit. This feels more familiar, closer to the hugs you’ve shared before. You allow yourself to wrap your arms around him, hoping to bring him some comfort. 

“Don’t date anyone else.” 

The words are soft, spoken against the skin of your neck. But you hear them perfectly. And your heart skips a beat all the same. “Yoongi-”

He moves, pulling his face from the crook of your neck. It takes him a minute to bring his eyes up to meet yours. And it almost seems to pain him when he croaks out “Please, Y/N.” 

One of your hands seems to have its own mind as it combs through the hair at the back of his neck. His eyes close a little as he waits for your answer. “Okay,” you whisper. 

His sharp gaze snaps up to yours and it takes you aback. Your hormone addled brain thinks that he’s going to kiss you. And it really seems like he’s going to. He moves one of his hands from your waist to cradle your face in his palm. 

You lick your lips subconsciously and Yoongi’s eyes dart down to watch the action. And then something happens in his brain because he’s letting you go and backing away. “I should go,” he mutters as he pulls a mask from his coat. 

Something about his tone is final. You don’t want to push it or question him. He turns back to you when he’s out in the hallway. “I’ll call you later.” 

You nod, thoroughly overwhelmed and incapable of forming a response. And then he’s gone. And you close the door and have to ask yourself if you didn’t just dream the whole thing. 

You were slammed at work the next week, trying to get the initial details of your new project hammered out. And maybe the lack of communication from Yoongi encouraged you to throw yourself headfirst into the work. Because you really didn’t want to stop and think about what your conversation that night had meant. 

‘Don’t date anyone else’? That could really only mean one thing, right? If he didn’t want you dating anyone else it was so you could be with him. Right?

Or maybe he just meant he didn’t want you dating the wrong guys, to protect you or whatever. As if he could know that Minho or any of the other guys you’d dated were “wrong”. 

And this whirling blackhole of a thought process is exactly why you’d been staying late every night this week. 

The sun had been down for hours when you finally left your office building. You’re on the subway home when Yoongi calls you. Your eyes widen and you feel your heart stutter a bit when you see his name on the screen. 

When you answer the phone you immediately hold the receiver away from your ear, the speaker blasting music and overlapping chatter from a crowd. “Yoongi?” 

You think you can hear him saying something in the background. After a few moments you hang up. He must’ve called accidentally. And you have to kick yourself for getting so excited. 

He’s out at a club or a concert, judging by the noise. It could be for work or for pleasure. Either way, he’s out with people and probably other girls- 

You have to stop yourself. He’s not yours. 

You get through the train ride and the walk home with a set jaw. This was exhausting. This weird, in-between thing was way worse than just suppressing your feelings altogether. 

It was a little after 10:00 when he started texting you. You’d just finished eating a bowl of instant noodles over the sink when you see it. And from the first text you could tell he was drunk. 

10:11 Yoongi: I MISs you

10:15 Yoongi: Y/N

10:15 Yoongi: This palace sucks

10:19 Yoongi: wis

10:19 Yoongi: I wish

10:20 Yoongi: Wish yu were hr

10:23 Y/N: Yoongi, you’re drunk. Text me when you’re sober. 

Not long after your message he tries calling again. It pains you to do it but you let it go to voicemail. Nothing he says right now is going to keep you from combusting. 

So you try to occupy yourself with a few episodes of trashy reality TV until you think you’re tired enough to go to bed. Yoongi hadn’t texted or called again. You hoped it was because he went home. Your brain strayed to some other girl catching his attention at whatever club he was at. Imagined her taking his mind off of you and his phone. 

You bite your lip to stem off the ridiculous tears that spring into your eyes at the thought. He’s not yours, you remind yourself again.

The incredibly overwhelming sense of deja vu hits you when your ringing phone wakes you in the early hours of the morning. Yoongi’s face is on your screen. Maybe it’s because your brain is more than half asleep or because part of you is desperate to know if he went home alone that you answer the call.

You were grateful that you didn’t immediately hear the noise of pounding bass and drunk people in the background. But you do hear traffic noise, lots of it. 

“Yoongi?” 

“Y/N, what time is it?” His voice is still heavy with alcohol and you wince. 

“It’s like one in the morning, Yoongi. Where are you?” 

“Fuck. I told you I wouldn’t call you like this again.” He mumbles and you can imagine his lips forming that adorable pout. You have to shake your head out of that thought process when you hear a car horn too close for comfort.

“Yoongi, listen to me. Where are you? Are you safe?” 

There’s a moment of silence as you imagine him looking around. “I’m- near the um, that corner store where you spilled soda all over me that one time. ‘member?” 

“Yeah, I remember. Yoongi, can you get yourself a ride? You should go home and sleep this off.” 

He continues talking, as if he didn’t hear you. And maybe he didn’t. He sounded just like that night, months ago. Who knows how much he’s had to drink. “You were so… so flustered and I-I remember you asking me how much my shirt cost because you were worried you wouldn’t be able to pay me back. And I told you it was just a regular t-shirt but really it cost $300 and I never told you that. And you were so cute. You were stuttering, and your cheeks were so red.” 

“You- you kept trying to clean me up and everyone in the store was staring. I kind of realized then that you were maybe the cutest girl I had ever seen. Like, the cutest. But I didn’t… I didn’t know how to say that. Because I don’t like people and there are very few that I choose to spend time around.” 

While (a very large) part of you loved this confession, you know it didn’t count. He was so incredibly drunk and would probably not remember any of this in the morning. And since you couldn’t see him, all your brain can imagine is that he’s about to stumble into traffic at any moment. 

“Yoongi please. I need you to put me on speaker while you get yourself a taxi. I need to know you’re safe.” 

He cuts himself off. All of a sudden the traffic noise is much louder so he must’ve put you on speaker. He grumbles as he’s tapping through the app. “Y/N thank you for taking such good care of me.” 

“You’re welcome, Yoongi.” Your voice comes out whisper-soft and he might not have heard you over the rushing cars, 

He must take you off speaker because he’s easier to hear again. “Says it should be here in ten minutes.” 

You exhale, not even realizing how worried you had been. “Okay, good.” 

“You interrupted me, you know.” Again, you can picture the pout on his face so clearly. 

You chuckle a little, leaning back against your headboard. “You’re right I did.” 

“Where was I?” You notice his Daegu accent is slipping in the more he talks. You wish it didn’t affect you as much as it did. “Oh, that people suck. Not you though, Y/N. You don’t suck and I’ve been scared to tell you that because I love our friendship. I don’t want to fuck it up.”

Your heart flutters. You try to keep reminding yourself not to read too much into this. He’s drunk and has never said anything along these lines when he’s sober. He’s had all the opportunity. But maybe you’re a masochist because you ask. “Fuck what up, Yoongi?”

He sighs. “I hate that I’ve never had the guts to say any of this to you sober. I’m such a coward, Y/N.” 

As if you somehow know what he’s going to say, you try to stop him. “Yoongi, wait.” 

“I love you, Y/N. I’m fucking stupid because I love you and I can’t even say it to your face.” 

Tears sting into your eyes because this feels so surreal and it almost physically pains you to hear the words you’ve been dreaming about for so long. 

You think you hear him getting into the cab when a car door slams shut and the traffic noise is much more muffled.  “I fucking love you, Y/N,” he sighs happily, like he’s glad to have it off his chest. 

You have to steel yourself because you can feel your brain slipping into La La Land. “Yoongi, you are drunk. Hang up and call me when you’re sober.” 

He chuckles a little. “So bossy. Just because I’m hanging up, doesn’t mean I’ll forget that I love you,” he croons. 

“Christ,” you mutter under your breath and hang up.

You flop against your pillows and try to calm your racing heart. What. The. Fuck. 

In all of your fantasies about Yoongi you had never let yourself imagine he would say those words to you. It was too painful. 

It was painful even now. Until you could talk to Yoongi face to face, you couldn’t know what he meant, if he meant any of it at all. So you were reminding yourself of this, to keep yourself sane as you lay spread eagle on your bed. Wondering what you did in your past life to deserve this kind of emotional turmoil.

When there’s a knock on your door. And a very drunk Yoongi calling your name through the cheap wood. 

You run to the door to let him in before he wakes up any of your nosy neighbors. When you open the door, Yoongi almost falls across the threshold. You reach out on instinct to steady him and close the door promptly behind him.

“Would you shut up?” you hiss. 

As he straightens and sees you, he gets this lazy smile on his face. 

You decide to speak first and cut off whatever thought process he had. “What are you doing here?” 

Yoongi pouts and rubs a thumb across your cheek. “I missed you.” 

“You were supposed to go home Yoongi.” 

“Didn’t want to,” he shrugs. 

You sigh, knowing you didn’t have the heart to kick him out when he was like this. “Fine. Will you at least take a shower before you crash? You stink.” 

“You just want me naked,” he says, waggling his eyebrows at you. 

Instead of answering him, you turn to your room to get him a change of clothes. If he were anyone else, if he hadn’t just told he loved you- this would be hilarious. You would never let Yoongi live this down. 

But it wasn’t someone else. It was Yoongi. And not only had he told you he loved you, it seems like he already forgot about it. He was so unaware of the spiral you were in it was painful. 

He was struggling with his boots when you made your way back into the living room. You swallow back the lump in your throat as you kneel in front of him. 

You nudge his hands away and make quick work of the laces. 

“Y/N.” When you look up, you’re struck with the clarity in his gaze. You’re not sure what changed in the time it took you to get him some clothes but the flirty Yoongi was gone. 

His eyes were still dropping and he was a little sideways on your couch but he seemed more like Yoongi again. 

“What?” you ask and wince when your voice cracks. 

“I meant it.” 

Your eyes close and you sit back on your heels to give yourself some distance. “Yoongi, please.” 

He doesn’t say anything more and when you finally open your eyes again, he’s running a hand over his face. “Okay,” he sighs. Then he grabs the clothes from off the floor and disappears into the bathroom. 

How did things get so complicated so quickly? 

This was exactly the kind of situation you were hoping to avoid all these years. You roughly wipe your eyes to stop any tears from falling before getting to your feet.

You hear the shower turn on as you make up the couch, tucking sheets into the cushion and bringing out extra pillows. And then you don’t know what to do with yourself. Your first instinct is to go close yourself in your room and not come out until he’s gone in the morning. 

You knew you could never do that though. You’d never been good at ignoring Yoongi. It was unclear if other people experienced this kind of magnetism towards him, but you were hopeless.

Because of the war going on in your brain, you were still sitting on the couch when Yoongi walked back down the hallway. And - in a word - oof. 

The clothes were his, some you’d stolen a long time ago but he’d put on a muscle since then so the shirt was a little tight. His damp hair hung a little longer, hanging into his eyes a little bit. 

The shower seemed to do him some good, he looked a little more alert. More himself.

You watch him warily and tuck your knees into your chest. He takes a seat opposite you on the coffee table. Then you two sit there, not looking at and not talking to each other. 

Then Yoongi heaves a heavy sigh and you dare to look at him. “Y/N…” He doesn’t seem to have more to say than that.

You turn to look at him. “Yoongi, I’m exhausted. Can we talk in the morning?” 

He nods, shoulders sagging. “Yeah. That’s a good idea.” 

You shoot up from the couch, ready to get out of this tense atmosphere. “I brought out sheets and blankets. And there’s a stack of pillows there. If you need anything else, you know where everything is.” 

“Y/N.” Yoongi’s hand reaches out, maybe to stop you or grab you. You just dart a few paces away. You had no resolve left and you were pretty sure if he touched you at this point that would just crumble. 

“I’ll see you in the morning, Yoongi.”

His sighs and it ruffles your hair, sends a shiver down your back. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

The next morning, as the sun shone brightly through your curtains, you were praying for a sinkhole to open underneath your apartment building and swallow you whole. Or maybe like a stray asteroid could come in through your window. Less casualties that way. Anything to get you out of this conversation with Yoongi.

You hadn’t slept all night, trying to decode Yoongi’s words and your own feelings. You’d been squashing them down for so long, trying to make them as small and inconsequential as possible. 

It was sometime after the sky started to turn pink that you truly allowed yourself to accept how much you love Min Yoongi. How much you always have. 

For as long as you can remember, you have cherished every moment with him. Your movie nights. When you could bring your laptop to his studio and listen to him produce music while you worked. Getting late night coffees at the same cafe you first met. 

The list goes on. 

Now it was just a matter of figuring out if Yoongi really did… love you. You know that saying “drunk words are sober thoughts.” And maybe it was true in this case. But what if he just meant he loved you as a friend?

Really, it wasn’t that far fetched. You have never met a more emotionally guarded person than Yoongi. He didn’t even want to admit to being friends until after you threatened to send a video of him dressed up as his female counterpart “Yoonji” to Dispatch. 

In short, you were getting nowhere fast. Which is why you finally kicked yourself out from under your sheets to make some coffee. Coffee always helps right?

A quick peek into the living room and you can see Yoongi curled up on the couch, still out. 

You tiptoe past him and into the kitchen. You start to brew a pot of coffee and let the comforting smell wash over you. It seemed to rouse Yoongi as well. Over the back of the couch you see him stretch his arms, groaning as he does it. 

You pour two mugs of coffee and give him time to fully wake up. 

He shuffles into the kitchen, one eye cracked open and trying to smooth his hair down with his hands. “Morning,” he mumbles.

You wordlessly hand him a mug of plain black coffee. He hums gratefully and takes a large gulp. 

Not for the first time you internally coo at his early-morning grumpiness. His eyes are puffy and his hair is sticking up in multiple directions despite his efforts. You sip your own coffee and try to figure out how to start this conversation. 

Yoongi leans against the opposite of the island counter and looks at you over the rim of his mug. “So.” 

“So,” you agree. And then leap into it. “You remember everything you said last night?” 

He takes another large gulp of his coffee before setting the mug down. “I do.” 

You lean your elbows down on the counter and grip onto your mug with both hands to have something to ground you. “Okay.” 

Yoongi looks at you, eyes wary. You can’t look at him, can’t be the one that says something that ruins this friendship.

“Y/N… can we just forget it?” 

Your eyes fall closed. You wonder at the same time if it’s possible for your heart to fall out of place in your chest because it no longer feels like it’s there. “Yeah,” you force out of your vocal chords. “Let’s forget it.” 

“I just- it was wrong for me to say those things. To you. While I was so… out of it.” Yoongi sighs. “Will you look at me? Please?” 

He’s staring at you, fully awake now. His gaze is imploring, like his words are saying one thing but his eyes are trying to tell you something else. 

“Y/N, your friendship is one of the most important things in my life. You found me when I was in a shitty place and couldn’t find any real people to be around. Everyone wanted to know Agust D, they didn’t give a fuck about me. I can’t lose that, I can’t lose you-” 

You take another drink from your mug to distract you and to hopefully hide the tears building in your eyes. This was the most likely scenario, you knew that. But you had still allowed yourself to hope for the best. 

“I get it Yoongi. You love me, as a friend.” 

He makes this noise in the back of his throat and comes around the island towards you. 

On instinct you back away, trying to keep the distance. You throw your hands up when your back hits the counter behind you. “Yoongi, please don’t-” 

He immediately stops a few feet away from you. “This is exactly what I didn’t want,” he says, voice breaking a little on the last words. “I didn’t want to upset you.” 

You realize that the tears in your eyes have fallen so you wipe them away hastily. “It’s fine. I’m fine.” 

Yoongi frowns, “You’re crying so it’s not fine.” He looks at you with such concern that it hurts. Like he would do anything to fix it if he could. 

“Please don’t look at me like that,” you say weakly. 

“Like what?” 

You are exhausted, mentally and physically. So your filter is gone. And you blurt, “If we’re going to be just friends, I can live with that but that means you can’t look at me like that. Like you love me more than that.” 

Yoongi just looks at you, jaw slack. “Let me be perfectly clear, Y/N. If we’re going to be just friends I am going to be the one living with it. Because…” he sighs and closes his eyes, as if to collect himself. “Because I do love you more than that.” 

If your heart hadn’t fallen out of place earlier it certainly did in that moment. “What?” you squeak.

He takes a cautious step towards you. “Last night, I meant everything I said. I’ve never been brave enough to say it to your face, but I have been in love with you for the better part of three years. It wasn’t fair of me to say all of that to you or to show up here and have you take care of me. And I mean it, we can be friends. Because I’d rather be friends than nothing at all. But since we’re here I might as well get it all off my chest, even if it means I never mention it again. At least that way I can finally breathe again.” 

Your chest heaves with panicked breaths as you absorb everything he just said. This time there wasn’t any way to misconstrue his words. No doubt about the meaning. Yoongi had just laid himself bare in front of you. 

“Idiots,” you mutter. 

Yoongi’s eyebrows shoot up past his hairline. “What?” 

“We are idiots,” you say and a somewhat manic laugh slips its way past your lips. When you see the hurt cross his face, you step closer and clap a hand over your mouth. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you, Yoongi.”

He pulls back a step and the action sobers you immediately. “We are both complete idiots, Yoongi. Because I’ve never been brave enough either. Brave enough to tell you that you are what kept me sane during my intern year. That getting to see you is the best part of my day. And I’ve never told you I love you because I was terrified of you not feeling the same way.” 

“Idiots,” he muses. Yoongi looks at you, eyes darting everywhere as if looking for the lie. His lips slowly curl into a smile when he doesn’t seem to find one. He closes the gap between you, cradling your face in his hands.

When he presses his lips to yours, it’s gentle. The tenderness makes your eyes slip shut, makes every time you’ve ever dreamt about this in the past pale in comparison. You could never have imagined how perfect it would feel when his hands roam the planes of your body, wrap around your waist and pull you flush against him. 

The closeness has you overwhelmed, whimpering into his mouth. You find yourself craving even more contact, pull yourself infinitesimally closer by wrapping your arms around the back of his neck. 

Yoongi pushes against you, making you stumble back a few steps until you hit the counter. Without missing a beat, his hands move from your waist down to your thighs. He grips the flesh there and hoists you up onto the countertop.

You gasp at the lift, legs wrapping around his hips for anchorage. Yoongi takes advantage and licks his way into your open mouth. You let him take the lead, feeling wholly overwhelmed by the way he kisses you. Your fingers thread in his hair, tugging on the roots when the sensations become too much. 

Yoongi groans, pressing his lips harder to yours for another second before pulling away. He immediately presses another chaste kiss to your lips before leaning his forehead on yours. 

You don’t open your eyes right away, almost afraid he won’t be there when you open them. 

“Y/N,” he whispers. Your heart flops over, probably somewhere down near your appendix at this point. “We really are idiots.” 

You smile, finally looking back at him. You tighten your legs around him, your body’s way of telling him he wasn’t allowed to go anywhere. Yoongi’s eyes slip shut as he lets out a hiss. “Woman, you’ve gotta stop doing that.” 

“Why?” you smirk.

“Because all I’ve thought about for years is being able to love you like I want to. I want to love you in every way you deserve to be loved. But I also haven’t slept in days. I haven’t slept a full night since I was here last, for movie night. If you keep doing that I’m going to take you right here and it won’t be my A game.” He kisses you slowly, making your toes curl in. “I want to give you my A game.” 

You smile fondly at the rant but relent, dropping your legs to either side of his hips. Your fingertips trace the shadows under his eyes “I haven’t slept well either. Since that night.” 

“I’m sorry,” Yoongi whispers, slumping into you. 

“Don’t be,” you say as you comb your fingers through his hair. “How about a nap? Because I too want nothing less than your A game.” 

Yoongi straightens and glares at you. You put a hand on his chest and push lightly. He backs up enough for you to hop down from the counter. You take one of his hands in yours, taking a second to appreciate how easily they fit together. 

“What, you’re not going to make me sleep on the couch again?” Yoongi says as you lead him to your room.

“I’m still not fully convinced this is all real.” You turn and pull him close again. “Until I am I need you to stay close to me. So no more couch.”

Yoongi smiles softly. “I can do that.” He kisses your forehead sweetly. 

He audibly groans as he climbs into your bed beside you. You roll your eyes at him. “Don’t be so dramatic.” 

“You try sleeping on that couch. Whoever talked you into that couch is a nutjob.”

You smack his chest. “You convinced me to buy that couch!” 

Yoongi shrugs, grinning softly. You smack him once more for good measure. Then you give into the instinct your body has been screaming for, which is to snuggle into him. You get comfortable with your head resting on his chest and one of your legs tangled between his. Your fingers fist into the material of his shirt on their own volition. 

He pulls you closer with the arm that’s under you, not seeming to be satisfied until every gap between the two of you is gone. 

“From now on, let’s be idiots together, okay?” 

Yoongi chuckles and drops a lingering kiss on the top of your head. “Deal.”

[zaptap]

ive made a few of these bingo sheets and theyre fun so i decided to make one not just for e3 but also JUST for splatoon 3 (not just for e3 but for like the whole lifetime of the game). also heres my updated list of characters id like to see in smash, ordered generally by which id like more and/or think are the most realistic

since min min got in i took out helix, and since i couldnt decide whether to add in waluigi or madeline i added another row (realistically i dont think any indies are getting in but i threw some in anyway). also i was like “oh yeah maybe theyd put in a gen viii pokemon” so i threw in hatterene since thats one of my favorites.

also as for waluigi (and shovel knight for that matter) i think it would be nice to see an assist trophy get in just to break that rule. also i remember being super surprised he wasnt in brawl (back then i thought he and wario were equally important) and even though that was based on a wrong impression ive still felt like he should be in there ever since

notes about the bingos under the cut

really is about time for those n64 games, especially now that mario is dead so theyre free to release sm64 on it. game boy games would be nice sometime too

would also make sense to include banjo-kazooie in that, nintendos had a good relationship with microsoft lately and the total absence of anything banjo-kazooie on the switch is odd since it’s a dlc character (every other one has a game on switch they can use for cross-marketing, even if joker’s took a while) and i think the best explanation for that would be that theyre holding off for the nso n64 app (this is easiest from a technical standpoint because all they have to do is make a deal to use the roms)

when are they putting octolings in mk8d

xenoblade chronicles x is one of the only wii u games left that they could port (aside from ones that wouldnt make much sense like splatoon and ssb4) so i guess that might as well happen sometime. also monolith soft might be doing something else besides helping with splatoon 3

im not ready for metroid prime 4 (im over halfway through mp2 and therefore the trilogy as a whole) but it’s been a while, they might show it and it could even come out this year

hal apparently recently hinted at a new kirby game or something

the upgraded switch is obviously going to be called the Nintendo Switch ͥ  since they already did the ds lite so theyre clearly naming everything in the family after the ds family, theres absolutely no flaw in this logic. idk if theyre showing it, but unlike 2019 they didnt say they werent showing new hardware (just that they were showing software, which could be taken as denying rumors, but they sometimes specify when certain things arent being shown)

metroid prime trilogy also might come this year. would make sense to release it before mp4 since not everyone is going to buy a wii u to get it (and at this point that doesnt get nintendo any money since they stopped making them)

where is detective pikachu 2. i hope it has the blue pikachu from that first tease they gave us in like 2014 (2013? that was a loooong time ago idk)

they said this was MOSTLY 2021 so i am absolutely getting my hopes up for splatoon 2

the two sinnoh games could likely be there

would be super cool if oddity came to switch. and almost as ironic as megalovania getting into smash

we havent seen the botw sequel for a couple years so we’re kind of due for an update on that

it’s ace attorney’s 20th anniversary this year so maybe theyre doing something. theyre already porting those games though so idk. maybe he’s getting in smash

whats with that watermelon mario render

i held off on watching a playthrough for ndrv3 on the off chance it came to switch and i could play a dangan ronpa game for real for once but it’s now been 4 years and we just passed the 10th anniversary of the series (albeit during a pandemic when i wouldnt expect them to have done anything) so it would be cool to see the series come to switch. i think if it still doesnt after this though i’ll just watch the playthrough, 4 years is long enough. amazed ive avoided spoilers this long, i still know next to nothing about the game

im about done with acnh but im still waiting on those splatoon items. and i ran out of storage in february so i need more of that too

nintendo did stuff for zelda’s 30th anniversary so i doubt theyre forgetting the 35th. maybe wwhd/tphd ports, idk

been a couple years since fire emblem, intelligent systems is probably up to something besides planning yet another paper mario spinoff

miyamoto forgot pikmin 4 in the oven 6 years ago and it got burnt to a crisp and thats why it hasnt come out yet because he had to start over

and splatoon

the inklings scared daft punk into quitting so now that theres no competition in the robot musician scene they should have a daft punk style group

i waited and waited and neither of my top two splatoon stages (flounder and d’alfonsino) came back in splatoon 2 so i hope just because splatoon 3 isnt in inkopolis doesnt mean they still wont return

would be sick as hell if there was a real hide and seek mode instead of just sticking to your own rules in private battles. havent played that since 2015 but it was super fun

show us the effects of the chaos world

i wanted mc craig to have a song in octo expansion and they didnt deliver. heres another chance

splatnet 3 baby

cant wait for nogami to do a funny 3 pose

abxy came back for splatoon 2.... am i gonna be that lucky again...?

salmon run doesnt make sense if youre friends with a smallfry but they could either change the story context (you just fight “evil” salmonids?) or replace it with an equally fun co-op mode

amiibo!!! i think i said this before but they should label them by weapons if these cephalopods dont have genders, would make more sense (the gendered ones had different weapons anyway)

returning characters!!!! would like to see everyone have a role of some kind

maybe #GearForAll wasnt successful in getting the emperor/spy/mecha gear, but perhaps theyll at least consider not making that stuff exclusive this time around

squid girl gear should be back. and they should call it a dress instead of a tunic because its a dress. and theres no gender now anyway

as ive said before... TRIPLIES!! you hold one in each hand and another in your mouth. and you can spin around like the tasmanian devil

remove splatfest tee annoyances: you should have a prompt at the end of a splatfest to pay to scrub your tee (to make sure you get the chunks) also it should be on a neutral brand so you dont end up with an overabundance of ink resistance up (or whatever else)

better online and cloud saves would certainly justify having a second splatoon game on the same console, as much as im loving that it exists

hopefully theres a global testfire again

sooner or later the workers will rise up and kill mr grizz

remember in splatoon 1 where if you had squid beatz (via the amiibo) you could “play” it in the lobby and change the music? then you were stuck listening to only bubble bath in splatoon 2? why did they take that option away they should bring it back

looking at those apartment buildings in the trailer i think it would be cool if you had your own room and could decorate it

an octavio redemption arc would be fun to see. in the manga he stole the zapfish because the octarians had an energy crisis, and in the end they worked out a deal to share the electricity

[sapphire374]

Soy Sol: Chapter 10 (Hopeful Curiosity)

Wattpad Link

Ch.1 / Ch.2 / Ch.3 / Ch.4 / Ch.5 / Ch.6 / Ch.7 / Ch.8 / Ch.9 / Ch.11 / Ch.12 / Ch.13 / Ch.14 / Ch.15 / Ch.16 / Ch.17

The gang is huddled around each other at the Jam and Roller rink. Ámbar proceeds to glance over her clipboard that carries the original sign-up sheet. “So, Ámbar, do we have enough members to make up a team for the competition.” Ámbar quickly looks Luna in the eyes and decides to call out the list of names. “The official Jam and Roller team members are Luna, Simon, Matteo, Gaston, Ramiro, Jim, Delfi, Pedro and Jazmin.” Everyone starts counting with their fingers but before anyone gets the chance to start counting, Gaston and Nina both yell out “that’s nine members, we’re missing one.” Luna rollers towards Ámbar. “Ámbar you’re not on the list. Are you going to join us? Please, pretty please join us. Whether you would like to admit it or not, you’re one of the best roller skaters out there and we need you.”

Ámbar takes a big gulp of air, processing everything that’s going on. Luna’s pout with her watery eyes has made Ámbar reconsider her decision. Before she always wanted the worst for Luna, but the past few years has made them become inseparable. She now views Luna as her younger sister plus being the manager of the gang’s favorite place has made her feel as everyone’s bigger sister, being the mature one. Ambar gives in. “Fine, I’ll do it. Especially since you guys need me so much. You guys aren’t wrong though, I am the best,” Ámbar jokes. The whole gang cheers, everyone jumps up and down and excitement enters the room.

Everyone is huddled as they all set their hands out and chant, “ready! One, two, three Jam and Roller!” Juliana enters through the chaos of excitement. “Opa opa! Seems like the group has never separated and feels closer than ever.” The gang all turn around facing her, their faces show signs of shock. No one was expecting this except one certain person in the room. “Juliana! You’re back! Wait how did you know we got the team back together for a competition?” Simón asks. “A little birdy called me and said that a certain team needed my help so I came as quick as I can.” The whole gang starts whispering, wondering who was it that reached out to her. Luna gives Ámbar and Simón a little smirk.

“So have you guys chosen which song you all are going to skate to?” Juliana questions. “Nope,” Ámbar answers. That’s when the idea hits Simón. “I have an idea! Maybe not only the team gets back together for this competition, but also the band? What do you guys say, Nico, Pedro?” Simón suggests. Nico and Pedro look at each other in disbelief and with a loss of words. “Uhh yes of course! You have no idea how long I’ve missed playing on the drums,” Pedro states. “And you guys have no idea how long I’ve missed collaborating the three of us together again,” Nico chimes in. “I guess that settles it. The band is back!!” Simón announces. The room is filled with so many emotions as everyone is so excited about what’s to come next. True nostalgia and memories really do start coming back to them since working together and competing to save their beloved place truly brings them back to old times. Just like how Matteo and Luna wouldn’t stop stealing glances at each other through the midst of it all.

This competition will be fierce including what’s called two stages. The first stage is the basic entry in which they record a video of their performance, the second stage is where they have the official competition. They first though have to make it through the first stage. For the next few days, Juliana tries to prepare them with some exercises since it has been years some of them roller skated. Then they gradually learned again how to do some simple routines as pairs then as groups. Before the gang knew it, in a week they have mastered all the skills and are ready to practice the actual choreography for the performance. Luna and Matteo still haven’t talked much though, yet they’re constant staring proves to show that they still miss and love each other.

Monday Evening at the Jam and Roller (after about a week and a half)

Juliana tells the gang that they can rest, and training has just finished. The group has finally mastered the double turns alignment but are struggling with air spins. Matteo heads over to Luna like old times, while she’s drinking water near the rails. “What’s the matter Chica Delivery? Has all the training finally tired you out?” Matteo flirtatiously says. Luna tries to hide her blushed cheeks and smirks at his comment. “Chico fresa you know that can never happen. My internal adrenaline is endless.” Luna and Matteo begin to laugh. Luna stops once she remembers why she was trying to avoid him for the longest. “Matteo don’t think I forgot everything that has happened.” She begins to stare at the floor, holding back a tear. “I’ve already apologized, what more do you want?” Matteo begs.

“You know that’s not the issue. I just feel like I can’t trust you anymore. You promised me you wouldn’t lie to me anymore and that’s exactly what you did. I don’t want our relationship to be built out of lies. I’d rather stay single instead of having someone stab me in the back unaware.” Matteo widely opens his eyes, it feels like someone has sucker punched him in the gut. For a long time, Matteo has tried to prove to Luna he has changed and does truly care about her, how can one little lie bring all the pain back. “Luna, you know I would never want to break your heart or ‘stab you in the back.’ I just lied about this because I knew you would get jealous of me hanging out with Viviana.” Luna gasps in astonishment. “Jealous! Now that’s a joke right there. For me to be jealous of her, that would mean I would want to be like her or want something she has but that’s not the case at all. I’m happy with the life I live and don’t want to change it. I just don’t like how close she’s been with you. You know I’m okay with you having female friends, but not when one tries to kiss you when I’m not around and constantly wrapping her arms around you. Even the news outlets think you broke up with me and dating her because of how much ‘quality time’ you guys spend together.”

Matteo responds with, “You know how much I miss it when you call me Chico Fresa and miss these fun bantering moments. I would never fall for her because you’re my one true love. You may not be jealous of her but you’re jealous of her getting to spend time with me. Is that it? You want to hang out more with me? How do I make it up to you?” Luna shakes her head and says, “You just don’t get it and it’s okay. I don’t feel like arguing today.” Luna rollers away and Matteo covers his face as he lays his elbows on the silver polished rails. Gastón heads to him and pats his shoulder. “She still hasn’t forgiven you?” Matteo shakes his head in response. His phone begins to ring in the pocket of his jeans. He lifts himself up and pulls it out. “Hello…. yes……. Already in a week? ..... ah I see, okay that seems appropriate I guess…...tomorrow okay, I’ll see you then.” Matteo hangs up and places his phone in his pocket again. “Who was that?” Gastón questions. “It’s my manager. They’re planning to release my music video with Viviana at the end of this week. Usually, we don’t release music videos this early but apparently she demanded for it since it would look good and perfect for this summer. Well to prepare for the release, they want me to perform with her in a live concert.” Matteo’s expression shows his stress and frustration. “But what about the Jam and Roller training?” Gastón asks him. “I’ll try to practice for the concert before the Jam and Roller training starts every day and the concert is on Saturday so that day I guess I’ll just miss training for that one day. I have no other choice.”

Gastón keeps thinking and doesn’t say a word till an amazing idea slips in his head. “I just got it! I just thought of the perfect plan that’ll get Luna to forgive you and get back together with her.” Matteo starts smiling as Gastón whispers the plan into his left ear. “Hermano, you’re a genius.”

The Benson Mansion

Ámbar doesn’t stop glaring at the letter in front of her. It was the original copy that was locked up in Sharon’s vault. This was what her biological mom wrote to her before she gave her away, it includes her phone number. She wants to call that number, desperately wants to but what if this number doesn’t work anymore? Or what if it does? She feels so confused. The closer the wedding gets, the scarier it feels for her. She wants to invite her biological mom and maybe even Sharon, she’s just undecided. It’s more than just complicated for her.

She sucks up every bit of courage left in her, grabs her phone and types in the numbers smeared at the bottom of the letter. It’s…. ringing. The longer she has to wait, the faster her heart beats. The phone stops ringing. “Hello,” the person on the other end answers. Ámbar’s voice begins to crack, “Uh… yes is this Sylvana Ariel?” Ámbar takes a big gulp of air. The person on the other end responds, “yes this is she. Who do I have the pleasure speaking to?” When Ambar hears that it’s her, she decides to move forward with the plan of meeting her. Maybe it was destiny for her to still have this phone number for so many years? “Yes, this is Ámbar, Ámbar Smith. We need to talk. Are you available today?” Ámbar takes control of the situation showing no signs of hesitation, even though her heart says otherwise. “Oh Ámbar? Yes, I’m available today.” Ámbar takes one good look at the letter and answers back, “Good. Meet me at Pachani’s restaurant today at 7 p.m.” The lady answers with an okay before Ámbar hangs up the phone.

She didn’t know this day would come so soon. Getting to meet her birth mother. What should she say? What should she do? Maybe this would help her understand her whole story and discover more who she really is before she gets married. Simón walks into the living room. “There you are. I thought you would be at the Jam and Roller; you never miss an afternoon of work?” Ámbar quickly folds the letter and slips it into her purse. “Oh yeah I just came home to… find another bridal magazine. I thought I left one of my favorite ones here in the living room.” Simón scrunches up his face, “here? In the living room of the Benson Mansion? But you always look at them at our apartment?” Ámbar clasps her purse and places the strap around her arm. “Oh well I sometimes look at them here whenever I visit the Valentes and have a cup of coffee, by mistake one of these days I left my bridal magazine.” Simón nods showing how he understands. “So how are bridal things going?”

“Pretty smooth. Luna and Nina agreed to go order the sets of flowers and decorations at the boutique right across town,” Ámbar states. “Oh, that’s nice. Luna and Nina were so kind to offer their help. What would we do without them?”

“Yes, I agree. We’re very lucky to have them indeed. Um there is one thing I forgot to tell you. At around 7 p.m I won’t be at home yet, I have a meeting with some other law school students for this project we have going on, so I won’t be home.”

Simón’s smile fades away. “Aww I’ll miss you, but I do wish you good luck on the project. I know you’ll do great on it.” Ámbar smiles from thinking how lucky she is to have a caring, understanding partner by her side. They hug each other and head out of the mansion.

*Gif not made by me. Owner of gif's name is at the bottom right hand corner :) *

Lacey’s Boutique

Luna and Nina wait at the front desk holding a slip of paper that carries a list of things they need to purchase for Ámbar’s wedding. “He said that?” Nina whispers. “Yep, I can’t believe he called me jealous when he was the one who lied and created this whole mess in the first place. When we got back together, we agreed on no secrets and to always communicate. That’s the only way a relationship can go well, just look at Ámbar and Simón?”

“I absolutely agree. I felt awful when Gaston spied on me that day, so I understand what you mean. Luckily everything is fixed now,” Nina cheers. “I’m happy for you Nina, sadly in between Matteo and I is a person who doesn’t stop flirting and hanging out with him. Plus, it’s so obvious too, even Simón thought he was dating Viviana and broke up with me. I can’t believe Matteo doesn’t believe me and instead calls me jealous. After everything we’ve been through.” The cashier heads to the counter and Luna and Nina’s conversation ends. “So, is this the list for everything?” Luna nods in approval. “Okay great, everything will be prepared in time and the delivery will be sent to the place on the date of the card.” Luna picks up the card and puts it away in her tiny backpack.

“Thank you,” she begins to head out before the cashier stops her. “Wait, I have something to give you.” He pulls out another card from his pocket. “Here’s my phone number, maybe we can have a cup of coffee together someday if you’d like?” Luna is speechless and turns to Nina for a choice of words. Nina shrugs and seems to be just as confused as her. “Um... well the thing is I’m in a relationship… well right at this moment I’m not sure…. Honestly I don’t know it’s complicated me and my boyfriend well after what he did, I don’t think he’s still my boyfriend but I don’t know…” Luna stops talking when the cashier extremely perplexed expression shows vividly. “Um… well once you get all that resorted and decide not to be with this… complicated person feel free to give me a call.” He leaves and heads to the back of the store. “Luna, I’m shocked he’s still into you after everything you blurted out. I think you even fried his brain.” Nina and Luna giggle their way out.

Jim and Yam’s Apartment

Ramiro adjusts the collar of his nicely firm long sleeve button up shirt. He’s holding a bouquet of sunflowers and is trying to collect the right words to say to Yam. He knocks on the door and waits for a response. “I’m coming,” she says. For Ramiro, hearing Yam’s voice is like a breath of fresh air.

She opens the door and is surprised to see Ramiro’s well put together fit. “Before you say anything I want to do this right. Yam, I know our relationship has been like an ongoing rollercoaster, we’ve been through the ups and the downs but the one thing that has always stayed constant is my love for you. After everything that has happened, I always knew I love you and my path ends up meeting yours. Yam would you like to go on a date with me?” Yam covers her mouth in amusement. She’s appalled from the beautiful surprise he’s presented her, and with a speech too. Usually, Ramiro is too cool for all of this but seeing what he has done has proven enough to Yam that he’s committed. “Ramiro of course, I would love to. In fact, I was always thinking what took you so long?” Yam begins to chuckle. “I guess fear from this not working out, but you can’t always live in fear for the rest of your life.”

Yam jumps into Ramiro’s arms and kisses him on the cheek.

[silvia7272]

ML Salt Songfic ~ 1 Good For You

I actually forgot about this, but I think I can put it out now considering you’ve all read about/seen my OC Rosina, if you haven’t it’s on my page. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and like the song.

Also, this is an AU of my AU? I guess that’s what I’m calling it yeah. So, it’s not canon and it never was going to be canon, when I heard this song it just inspired me to write this and I could’ve done it without my OC, but I wanted to include her. Well anyway, I hope you like it.

Word Count: 2553

Tags: @queenmj10, @fangirl39, @animegirlweeb, @northernbluetongue, @daminett4life, @raisuke06, @indecisive-mess-named-me, @luleck​, @themamaravenclaw, @emmathedestroyer, (I know you wanted it) if you wish to be tagged all you have to do is say. Sorry, it’s different but this was the reason I started posting in the first place.

***

Akuma Alert! Akuma Alert!

The alarms were blaring in the park, and yet no one could move from their place.

Because the Akuma was right in front of them.

It was Marinette, she had been Akumatized. But it seemed somewhat unusual, she didn’t look any different, but they had seen the purple mist cover her, maybe she was like Chameleon?

So then why did it feel like it had changed?

Adrien couldn’t tell, and he needed to transform into Chat Noir, but he couldn’t just leave his friends to deal with the Akuma alone? Right?

Lila didn’t think that, she tried to make her escape, but a musical note blocked her way. She really was Akumatized!

Her face was contorted with pain as the pink mask covered her face, she was trying to break free!

“C’mon Marinette, you can do it,” He shouted, He tried to reach out, but someone pulled him back.

“Are you crazy, she’s been Akumatized she’ll hurt you, it’s what she’s always done to us. She’s already gotten her other friends hurt because of that transformation!?” Lila spoke, gripping his arm like a lifeline. But it was true, Rosina, Kagami, Chloé and Luka all tried to reach out to her mid-transformation, but they all fell to the ground and no one was brave enough to check on them.

“Shut up!” It was the first time Marinette had spoken since she had been Akumatized, tears were raining down her face, but the blond couldn’t tell if she was talking to the class or Hawkmoth.

“Just shut up, stop lying already, just stop hurting me” She had to be talking about Hawkmoth, she must still be fighting it.

But not everyone thought that.

“Come on Marinette, for once just admit you were wrong already. It’s getting really tiring.” Alya rolled her eyes while reciting how that was the only reason, she got Akumatized in the first place, the piece of paper she was holding had been a music draft of Lila’s that she was going to throw away in the first place.

Everyone knew Marinette didn’t write songs, she only made clothes and baked treats, that the class wasn’t provided with the past few days, and Adrien did think it was strange that she had a music draft, she probably found it and would’ve returned it to its rightful owner.

Why was she so upset about it anyway?

But she stopped, she lifted her head up, her face full of shock.

“You… Really still think I’m lying?” She sounded so disheartened, and Adrien would’ve sent her a ‘don’t rock the boat anymore’ look but she didn’t even spare him a glance.

Weren’t they friends?

“Of course, Lila’s so talented at making song lyrics so she had someone write them down for her. And now you’re holding onto a draft claiming it to be your own, that’s pathetic, even for someone like Chloé never mind you. Just stop being so pathetic and admit it. You’re jealous of Lila and everything she could do for us while you did nothing but whine like a child!” Adrien thought that the last line was a bit overkill, but he wasn’t about to say anything.

But all of that struggling, all of that resistance had completely vanished from Marinette. Why had she given up? Why hadn’t she continued fighting?

“I’ll show you my Melody” It was a whisper that only Adrien was able to pick up. Melody? What did she mean by that?

But he didn’t have time to think of that before everything in his vision turned white. He couldn’t feel his body. He couldn’t move… He couldn’t���

***

“Adrien? Yo Adrien, wake up man” He groaned as he opened his eyes.

“Nino? Is everyone alright? Where are we? What happened? Where’s Marinette?” Nino put his hands up startled.

“Whoa easy there one at a time dude. Anyway, yeah, we’re fine, we don’t know it looks like a white void, Marinette happened and we don’t know”

He couldn’t believe it. When he took in the view, it was devoid of life, it was devoid of colour.

It was just white all around him, he didn’t understand it. It reminded him of Pixelator.

“Oh Adrien I’m so scared, what are we going to do?” He couldn’t shake her arm off so had to relent, everyone around him tried to console the girl.

“Stick together, there should be an exit around here, but I’ll post it on the Ladyblog, that way Ladybug and Chat Noir will come.” He sighed, knowing that his Lady would be all alone for this one.

“Hey, my phones not working!” The others then tried to get their phones. No result.

“Oh no we’re trapped in here and no one is going to save us! What do we do!?” Everyone was panicking, but what could he do, if Chat Noir were to show up now, they would all get suspicious.

Nathaniel wasn’t doing great either. But he stepped back and heard a crunch.

“Huh?” He looked down and found a note.

“What’s that?” Max noticed the discovery and went over to Nath to see what it was.

“It says [The Song Of Truth Is Your Only Escape In This Labyrinth] What does that mean?”

“And why is it on a music sheet?” A simple question they all couldn’t process.

♫I’ll never know why I ever wanted to restore my friendship with you!?♫ The voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. But he knew who it was.

“Marinette stop this please, we can get through this together” He shouted, he had to get her to stop being so angry.

♫Silence. I am Marilody, Marinette is no more. And you will all be punished for your lies and harassment towards your students! My friends!♫ It was there that she revealed herself.

If it wasn’t for her hair and dress, she would’ve been camouflaged with the background. But she didn’t look like a regular Akuma, no.

Her skin was pure white, along with the white flowing dress she wore. It was embroidered with musical notes, similar doodles he had seen previously on her sketchbook. It was shoulderless with the same pattern, and her hair was the same colour but in a small ponytail to the side. Her eyes were hidden by a giant accessory in the shape of a musical note resembling a hat.

If Ladybug didn’t already occupy his heart, Adrien might be thinking Marinette was more than a friend.

“Marinette please, you’re stronger than this! Don’t let Hawkmoth-”

♫Hawkmoth isn’t controlling me! The one who made me become Marilody is myself. And I will show you the truth of what I can and have done for you selfish people, my Melody will be performed before you and you will see the truth!♫

They heard the sound of a guitar being played. And notes in the air with a red dot flowing through it.

“What’s going on?” Rose and Juleka huddled together along with Ivan, Myl��ne, Nino and Alya scared. He was scared. He had the power to protect them but couldn’t use it. You could sense the irony looming over the boy’s head.

♫So you found a place where the grass is greener And you jumped the fence to the other side♫

The class was treated to a front-row seat of a scene that had just happened mere moments ago. When they were at the park.

Just what was Marinette’s power?

♫Is it good? Are they giving you a world I could never provide?♫

The scene cut to Lila being crowded around by everyone while Marinette was alone.

But she was still smiling. Even if it seemed fake.

♫Well I hope you’re proud of your big decision Yeah, I hope it’s all that you want and more♫

They saw the past of when Marinette was always handing out free pastries to them, wearing that happy and bright smile on her face, they had forgotten what it had looked like.

Because it was never directed towards them anymore.

They had forgotten.

Everything she had done for them.

♫Now you’re free, from the agonizing life you were living before~♫

Then it changed to everyone leaving her for Lila, she was telling a tale of her time in Achu, Rose couldn’t stop gushing about Prince Ali. He thought the lies wouldn’t hurt anyone.

♫And you say what you need to say So that you get to walk away It would kill you to have to stay trapped when you’ve got something new♫

They couldn’t move.

♫Well I’m sorry you had it rough And I’m sorry I’m not enough♫

Everything single thing Marinette had done for them had flashed in front of them.

♫Thank God ‘they rescued’ you♫

But then Lila appeared, and everything she said was almost out of a fairy-tale, it was amazing, they wanted to hear more. They needed to hear more of her adventures.

♫So you got what you always wanted? So you got your dream come true? Good for you Good for you, you, you!♫

They were addictive. They couldn’t get enough.

♫Got a taste of a life so perfect So you did what you had to do Good for you Good for you!♫

Marinette had vanished from view but the scenes were still playing. The blond needed to find a way to free himself. He needed to get Plagg to cause a mini-explosion, to cause a distraction maybe. Anything! But he couldn’t get to him in time. Because he saw someone who he hadn’t seen since at the park.

“Rosina?” They all turned their heads to their new red-haired friend. But Adrien was able to notice, the Cat Miraculous had certain side effects he was giddy to have but that’s not the point. Instead of a black pupil, it was a musical note.

“She’s under Marinette’s control” They all gasped, horrified at what had happened to their friend. They believed her being near Marinette was bad, never mind this!

♪Does it cross your mind to be slightly sorry?♪ 

She really was under her spell! Adrien desperately wanted to shake her awake and free her, but now his arms couldn’t move.

♬Do you even care that you might be wrong?♬ 

Kagami!? Oh god, his two friends were under Marinette’s friends. He watched as they circled each and every one of his friends.

♬Was it fun?♬ 

They flinched.

♪Well, I hope you had a blast while you dragged me along~♪ 

They started to walk away when there was a whine from Lila, they were still able to turn their heads and saw Chloé, she kept prodding Lila as she cried, he wasn’t able to tell if they were even fake tears anymore.

♩And you say what you need to say! And you play who you need to play! And if somebody’s in your way! Crush them and leave them behind!♩

Even if they wanted to help Lila they couldn’t. Their legs wouldn’t let them. It was like they were in quicksand, only they weren’t sinking into the ground, they were sinking into their sorrow and sadness they were feeling. If Marinette wasn’t already Akumatized Hawkmoth would be having a field day.

♮Well I guess if I’m not of use Go ahead, you can cut me loose♮

And then they saw it.

A scene that shocked them.

♮Go ahead now, I won’t mind♮

If her power was to sing the truth.

And all of the scenes had been of the truth.

They felt sick to their stomach.

Then the scene of Lila cornering Marinette in the bathroom must’ve been true as well.

If Lila had been so kind to everyone why were the words [Soon you won’t have any friends left at all. Trust me. You will lose your friends and wind up all alone] written underneath, they couldn’t think anymore, just look.

♫I’ll shut my mouth and I’ll let you go Is that good for you? Would that be good for you, you, you?♫

Some couldn’t believe, they kept screaming how it had to be wrong, how it might just be Marinette’s doing. But the more it came on, the more they started to believe.

♭I’ll just sit back while you run the show Is that good for you? Would that be good for you, you, you?♭

Just like how they should’ve believed Marinette, and they had only just realised their mistake.

♯All I need is some time to think♯ Max. He never needed time to think, he was the smartest one in the class.

♭(I’ll shut my mouth and I’ll let you go)♭

♯But the boat is about to sink♯ Rose. Wasn’t she meant to be the kindest one out of everyone? Why didn’t she give Marinette a chance?

♭(Is that good for you?)♭

♯Can’t erase what I wrote in ink♯ Alix. She had written some things on her desk once… Twice… She had lost count.

♭(Would that be good for you, you, you?)♭

♯Tell me how could I change the story?♯ Lila. She had been caught, and she needed to spin her story. Fast!

♯All the words that I can’t take back♯ Alya. All those mean comments claiming Marinette was a bully. She was the bully. Weren’t they friends? Besties? She didn’t deserve to be called anything like that.

♭(I’ll just sit back while you run the show)♭

♯Like a train coming off the track♯ Kim. He wanted this pain to end, he should’ve trusted her, she had been the one to console everyone before an Akuma had gotten to them. And they treat her like this?

♭(Is that good for you?)♭

♯‘Cause the rails and my bones all crack♯ Nino. They had been childhood friends! How could he think she was lying!?

♭(For You!)♭

♯I’ve got to find a way to♯

♯Stop it, stop it! Just let me out!♯ Adrien. If only she had told him Lila had threatened her, if only he had done more, taking more of the brunt, if only- no he had to stop, he had to accept it was all his fault. He could’ve stopped it, but he was afraid he’d never get to see his friends again. He had to accept that he had hurt Marinette so much she had been Akumatized. He had to accept that- maybe he couldn’t save her, after all, you could never really trust someone who had betrayed you… Right?

♭So you got what you always wanted So you got your dream come true Good for you Good for you, you, you♭

They were sorry.

But images of Marinette gone from their life terrified them.

♭Got a taste of a life so perfect Now you say that you’re someone new Good for you Good for you Good for you Good! For! You!♭

But what would it matter? She probably would never want to speak to them ever again.

♭So you got what you always wanted!♭

What had they done?

They had seen the truth.

All of it.

But they didn’t have time to dwell on that, because as they continued to watch the scenes in front of them, they couldn’t help but feel slightly tired. Only a bit… Maybe if they had a small nap it would… Help.

♫The truth will come out… There will be no more lies for anyone… Anymore♫

***

End. I changed a word for Lila because I thought it would fit better. They, in the song, are Lila and a bit of Adrien. Originally, I wasn’t going to make a two-parter, however, if anyone has an idea I could use, and then a song as well, I will consider continuing this to become a two-shot. Or even if someone wants to continue this? Feel free to do so, just tag me, please.

Well, I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you have a nice day.

Edit 1: This is how Marilody looks like, I thought she’d look a bit more fashionable since you know, Marinette. and since she has more control hawkmoth didn't design her.

[bb-tings]

campfires & kegs

rudy pankow  

requested by: @ampanonyg

summary: y/n and rudy go on their annual camping trip and meet up with their friends. 

taglist: @ampanonyg @ims0golden @jjsmentalpolaroids @stargazingstarkey @letsgofullkook @jjmbanks @maybanksbaby @1-800-jjslut @simpforstarkey @jellyfishbeansontoast @ilovejjmaybank​ @royalpogue

(i have people who have requested to be on the taglist and then i have some friends who i would like nice criticism from, but if you want off i completely understand.)

______

        The couple was so excited when they finally pulled up to the campgrounds. The time for their annual camping trip had finally come around and they couldn’t wait. When they hopped out of the car and looked around to see a few of their friends that they had made from the many camping trips in the past, the pair’s smiles grew even wider. They knew that if their camp buddies were around too then there would be a campfire party that night. 

        Rudy and Y/n began getting everything out of the car and setting the tent up. Y/n swat at the mosquitoes that attacked her skin, trying to get to the red substance beneath. As much as she loved these trips with her boyfriend, she was over the little bugs as soon as they arrived on the camping grounds. She turned to Rudy who was getting things out of the car. 

“Roo, did you get the OFF,” Y/n questioned her blonde boyfriend as they put their things inside the tent. 

“No...was I supposed to?” When she didn’t respond he turned around to see her standing with her hands on her hips with an emotionless look. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Rudy, did you at least get the bag of snacks that we packed?”

         When the blonde didn’t respond she let out a frustrated sigh and walked away from him to put the blankets and sheets on the air mattress they had brought. Rudy felt really guilty, he knew that he could be really absent-minded at times. But he was just so eager to camp with his gorgeous girlfriend that everything else just escaped his brain.

        Rudy walked into the tent and pulled the blanket away from Y/n, throwing it on the bed. He grabbed her hands and pulled her out of the tent and he sat on the bench in their camp area. Rudy reached out and pulled her hips towards him, and wrapped his arms around her. Y/n’s hands landed on the blonde’s shoulders. She then slowly made her way to the back of his neck and played with his hair. 

        “I’m sorry.” Y/n heard his words, but she avoided his eyes. She had long forgiven him, but she liked it when Rudy fought for her. In any way, whether he was fighting someone else or fighting himself, as he was doing now. She kept her eyes locked on his lips. When Rudy noticed that he launched forward and gave her a quick peck. Returning to his original position=, he noticed the small smile on her face and her wide eyes. 

“What was that for?”

“I felt like you were assaulting me with your eyes. So I put a stop to it,” the young actor responded with a smirk. 

“Oh. I was assaulting you, was I? I’m sorry, am I making you feel uncomfortable? ‘Cause I’ll leave.” She sported a big smile as she tried to pull away from the boy, but let out a squeal when he tugged her to stand in between his knees again.

“Nah, I’m not uncomfortable. I’m good. But I am really sorry for being so forgetful.” He looked up at the girl with sad blue eyes and poked his bottom lip out for effect. 

“I know baby,” Y/n let out a sigh. “But now we have to add bug spray and snacks to the list of things we need from Walmart. This was supposed to be a cheap trip, remember!.” The girl made a silly angry face and made her voice deeper. 

‘It’s alright baby. I think my bank account can take a hit of about $40 dollars. I don’t know if you know this but I’m a famous actor. I work for Netflix.” the boy smirked up at the girl. 

“Yeah, I remember. You never let me forget,” Y/n started to pull away from Rudy and grabbed his keys from his pocket. “Come on, Mr. Big Shot, Walmart waits for nobody.”

“Alright, wait for me in the car. I’m gonna go tell Luke and Annie to watch our stuff.”

        Y/n watched as he walked the 10 foot distance between their tent and the biggest RV on the grounds. Anne Johnson and her husband, Luke Johnson, were the famous when it came to the specific campgrounds. They had been there the first time the pair had gone camping. The four of them hit it off immediately, being the same age but somehow all in different stages of their lives. 

        The married couple was known for their campfire parties they threw. Renting out the biggest camp spot, they would buy 2 keggers, find logs, build a fire, play music, and then drive around on their 4 wheeler, inviting everyone on the campgrounds. Just strangers, hanging out by a fire, listening to music, and having the time of their lives. 

        When Rudy mentioned their much-needed trip to Walmart, the couple didn’t hesitate to agree to watch their stuff. When Rudy said bye and turned around walking back to his car, Y/n saw Annie and Luke waving towards her. She smiled a big small and waved back, excited for the inevitable drinks the group would share later that night. 

“Tonights gonna be so fun baby.”

                                                   -

“Rudy we don’t need 3 packs of hotdogs, we’re here for 3 nights. Not a week,” Y/n scolded her boyfriend. 

“Well, last time we ran out of food. And you know I get hangry,” the boy pouted next to his girlfriend as they made their way to check out. 

“Well, that’s because last time, somebody forgot to pack the right stuff, and instead packed the year-old weenies. OH and trust me, I know.” 

“You still love me though,” Rudy smiled as he wrapped his arms around the girl as she tried to put the groceries on the conveyor belt. “Unfortunately.”

                                                    -

        Y/n allowed her jaw to drop as she stared unbelievingly at her boyfriend. They had left the store and drove back to the camp. Rudy then walked over to help Luke build the fire, while Y/n helped Annie make some fruity alcoholic beverages inside the RV. They had been there for about 3 hours now, and to say the pair was slightly drunk would be an understatement.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Roo,” Y/n looked towards her boyfriend as he looked genuinely confused. “That bitch was all over you.” 

        When the words left her mouth, she heard Annie and some other people they had met throughout their night, start laughing. She wished the girls had been at the grocery store with them, knowing that they would have been on her side, had they seen the girl, who apparently had a death wish, giving Rudy sexual glances. 

“Babe, she was doing her job,” Rudy slurred as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, smothering the girl with his hoodie-clad chest. 

“Yeah, while simultaneously giving you bedroom eyes.”

        “Ok! Before this turns into a full out brawl, Luke is about to get his guitar out. It’s c-a-m-p-f-i-r-e-s-o-n-g time,” as Annie spelled out the famous lyrics from SpongeBob, Y/n pulled Rudy towards the benches around the orange and red flames. She made sure to grab the spots right next to the young boy with the guitar, wanting to get the best experience. 

        While Luke and Annie were talking around getting suggestions and requests for music, Y/n snuggled her way into Rudy. She was sitting beside him with her legs thrown over his through. 

        When Rudy turned his head to the left, Y/n took the time to kiss his neck. When her lips made contact with his smooth, freckled skin, she felt Rudy tense and squeeze her knee harder. “What’s wrong, bubba,” she questioned innocently.

“I don’t think I’m gonna be able to sit through this if you keep doing that.”

“What are you talking about Roo? I’m not doing anything wrong-”

“Alright! Kid rock it is!” Luke yelled to everyone and started playing his guitar.

Rudy looked at his girlfriend and glared into her eyes. “We’ll finish later.”

                                                    - 

“And we were trying different things, and we were smoking funny things!” 

When Y/n loudly sang the next lyrics she made eye contact with Rudy. “Making love out by the lake to our favorite song.”

        She felt bad for everybody who wasn’t there. Strangers sitting around a fire, roasting marshmallows and hotdogs, getting drunk, singing their lungs out. This was her favorite thing to do with Rudy. Before he met him, she had never gone camping but she was glad that he brought her along with that one year, because now she couldn’t think of another place she would rather be or other people she would rather be within that exact moment. 

                                                     -

Rudy picked up their last bags and waved goodbye to the Johnsons. He stuffed the bags in the backseat of the car, knowing that if he opened the trunk things would fall out, and then hopped into the driver’s seat. He looked towards Y/n to make sure she had all her electronics and chargers for the drive home and saw the sad look she was sporting. 

“What’s wrong baby?”

“I don’t wanna leave,” she responded with a pout. To this, the blonde boy let out a chuckle. He put his hand on the shoulder of her seat and looked behind him as he backed out of the spot, onto the main road. 

“I know baby, but there’s always next year,” he suggested this as he shifted into drive, then grabbed Y/n’s hand and placed a kiss on it. 

“That’s so far away, though.”

“Well, then you better start counting.” 

“Ugh! I’m taking a nap,” Y/n reached down between her seat and the door and relaxed as the chair slowly started to incline, while simultaneously letting out a yawn. 

“Ok baby. Dream of me.”

“I won’t.”

        When Rudy looked over towards the sleeping girl, he reminded himself how lucky he was. Watching her, he smiled to himself, thinking that she was so cute.  He loved the girl so much and he hoped he got to do just that for as long as she would let him. He just wanted to make her happy, then he too would find his happiness. 

[haikyall]

time signature

AO3

ayoo~ this is for sonderdaisies in instagram and discord! Here’s your prompt in my entry for @bnhagiftexchange WC: 4.7K

Pairings: Hawks & Miruko (Keigo Takami & Rumi Usagiyama) AU/Prompt: Musician AU, 

Summary: Music brings people together, even if you see each other at work... and live across the street from one another

Three hours. It has been three hours since Rumi has started looking for her portfolio. That portfolio had the pieces she wanted to present to her leader when they start rehearsal tomorrow. That portfolio could bring her career to new heights. That portfolio could get her a promotion. The portfolio is missing. 

Her house is already a mess because of trying to flip it upside down just to look for that flimsy clear book. She hates the fact that she is forgetful and things like this happen on the daily basis. 

Maybe it’s under the bed— you already checked the bed— how about one more ti— you checked it five times already. Inside the couch? You can’t rip open your couch, Rumi. I can watch me. Okay, where are you going to get a new one? Fuck where is it? I swear I won’t be able to practice tonight without those.

She knows it’s not at the rehearsal studio, she remembers putting it in her envelope… where is her envelope? Rumi suddenly has the motivation to look for something else. Did I leave it at the studio?!?!

Her frustration gets the better of her and she starts to aggressively look for the clear envelope. She gets more annoyed as more time passes and she hasn’t found the thing yet. Her annoyed self got more pissed to know the fact that it was ten in the night. She annoyingly grunts and then she hears it…

Soft piano playing. It was Clair de Lune, Haydn. It was calming, soothing. The volume was soft enough to be heard by neighbors whose houses are just across the street but not loud enough to be causing any disruption. It was like the house the sound was coming from was a huge music box. 

Whoever was playing the piano, was very good. The emotions were displayed perfectly and mixing some of their own. You would know if you’re emotional in playing by simply catching the attention of the unsuspecting audience. Rumi notices how the pianist speeds up by half a second and after a while of playing they would realize the speed and calm down. That’s not how you play the song.

The song calmed Rumi down. She listened to it for quite a while, settling on the couch while thinking if she did leave her life’s work at her office. Her brain goes haywire thinking if she even labeled her stuff. She scolds herself for being so damn irresponsible, this wouldn’t be happening because of it. 

Her eyelids start to droop the more she listens to the goddamn classical piano player. Times like these are when she wants to throw something to the other house to shut the people up there but this time she has absolutely no reason and energy for that.

Rumi blacks out.

Rumi Usagiyama is late and it was a difference of five minutes… five minutes led to thirty because of her extensive care for her silver hair that reaches the curves of her hips. That same thirty minutes led to an hour because of searching “how to cook pancakes” on Google and ultimately failing, leading her to just settle with cold pizza on her fridge. An hour flew to an hour and forty-five minutes as she was looking for her sheet music which led her to have a massive breakdown because she was missing pages and had to print everything again, and then she realizes that she’s running five minutes late which lead to a total of an hour and fifteen minutes late with ten minutes tardy time.

If it weren’t for that fucking pianist and their fucking Haydn I wouldn’t be so late and slept on the couch.

She frantically runs to her rehearsal room where everyone involved in the project we're talking, tuning their instruments, eating, resting, or a combination of a few. It was like this every morning, you enter a room of people you’ll work with for a few months to play for a musical, and then when the project ends you act like you didn’t know each other’s life story and how they came around with their instrument.

It was always so noisy.

The tan girl sighs as she expects another classic sermon from her superiors saying that “she should be more responsible” or that “if you loved music, maybe be more punctual”. 

Well, I happen to love pancakes too so shove your fucking violin bows up your asses. We don’t even play the same fucking instruments.

Rumi sighs as she smiles and bows apologetically to her superiors. Her superiors shake their head and leave her little space in the wide rehearsal room and rolling her eyes, she sits down, reviewing her sheet music as a way of prepping herself.

“Chill down, baby bird, you look like you were gonna pounce on them if they didn’t walk away,” Rumi sighs in relief at recognizing who’s voice now was towering over. The voice laced with concern but 90% consisted of cockiness. She looks up and sees a blond, and stout Keigo Takami with an amused eyebrow raised.

Rumi sends a scowl onto Keigo’s way, “Hahaha, very funny Kei,” Keigo chuckles as he squats to Rumi’s level as she attempts to focus on her work.

“I am quite the crowd-pleaser myself if you didn’t notice,” The blond dude says in reply and it takes for the tan girl to process what in tarnation her colleague just let out.

Rumi peels her eyes off her sheet music one more time, and shakes her head, “No, why would I— why are you even here?” She asks annoyingly to the smirking Keigo who was also looking at her sheet music.

The blond man stands up, “Just wanted to remind you we have rehearsal in five, baby bird— oh, you guys have a similar sheet music to the stringed instruments,” 

The silver-haired grumbles as she realizes that Keigo was doing her a favor, she completely forgot about the rehearsal, “Thanks, Kei, I’ll keep it in mind” Keigo turns around but seems to have forgotten to say something and turns back to Rumi who is now doing air-drumming movements, aligning her hands on the imaginary lyre, playing the piece with the correct notes in her head.

“Also, uhh you left some of your sheet music here” Keigo hands her a portfolio with her name at the front and where all of her missing sheet music pages were located. Rumi mentally slaps herself in the face to scold herself for forgetting such an important thing in her life let alone make Keigo return it.

Rumi grabs the portfolio “I was wondering where that went… thank you, sorry about that,” She apologizes and Keigo finally turns around gives her a thumbs up. She remembers a part of her conversation and yells back.

“AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, PIANOS ARE BOTH STRINGED AND PERCUSSION SO DON’T DISCRIMINATE SHIT, BABY CARROT,”

Keigo smiles to himself, finally, a decent reply. The thumbs-up he was showing just now flips and turns into a middle finger as he walks back to his little space of the rehearsal room. 

Rumi smiles at the non-verbal reply and shakes her head. He seems to know how to cheer things up huh? She examines the smooth texture of her clear portfolio, once again scolding herself, clutching the plastic material in anger.

So… I had a mental breakdown, and wasted my time for fUCKING NOTHING?!?!?!

___________________

Keigo packs up the last of the things he needs to take his leave from the rehearsal studio. He slings his backpack over his shoulder and starts to stride away out of the building.

The blond man stands in line waiting for the subway to arrive, as he does an old lady in a kimono outfit comes up behind him.

“You have grown, young bird”

Keigo is stunned, is this lady talking to the right guy? The pianist looks in both directions, checking to see if she is talking to the right person. The lady giggles as she sees that Keigo points to himself to be even more sure that it was him.

“Do I know you?” Keigo asks 

The old lady smiles, “No, but I’ve seen you grow on this exact hallway, I’m proud of what you’ve done” She then proceeds to point at the place where Keigo used to play songs as people walked by, grateful for any change they drop him with. Keigo remembers this in an instant and scratches the back of his head in embarrassment.

“O-oh, th-thank you, ma’am” He bows toward the elderly and she starts to enter the train,

“Enjoy your trip home,”

Keigo smiles, “You too ma’am” He then enters the train as well.

__________________

Keigo then arrives home to hear xylophones to be the sound that greets him. He’s aware that one of his neighbors plays the xylophone. Keigo is sure it's not anyone from work as the xylophone pieces were never the pieces they would play at work. He assumes that they would practice the workpieces given that the performance is just a week away from now. The xylophone pieces were just popular songs. He sometimes hums along to the songs his neighbor chose. It was like Keigo’s evening couldn’t be complete without at least hearing one note of the xylophone, it served as his lullaby into the night.

Keigo doesn’t complain about the noise. It’s not noise, it was one of the most beautiful harmonies one could ever hear. He would trade the world to hear it again.

“Not in the mood today, huh?” He says to himself as he hears that the xylophone notes were just being played at random, not a single beat or harmony was being made. It was like they were being played out of frustration like a person was venting their anger or whatever they were feeling onto the instrument. He decides to not join them for tonight and sighs at the fact that he won’t be practicing the piano.

Keigo wanders how his neighbor is even still playing, he swore that the amount of frustration they’re letting out onto the instrument seems enough to break the sticks used to make the sound of it. He’s impressed that the xylophone itself is still in one piece to be exact. 

Keigo never had the energy or time to know who exactly was his neighbor due to his work and his dedication to it. His neighbor may have thought otherwise and never introduced themselves when they first moved in. He didn’t mind, he respected their privacy plus, it would be extremely awkward if he introduces himself now and not five months ago.

He listens to how frustrated his neighbor seems to be. He chuckles at times when he hears the same key is being played like they were annoyed by the sound of it and tries to fix it by repeatedly playing the note. 

Even if the xylophone isn’t exactly playing any song right now, he still believes that it’s still harmony in some way, it invokes emotion… well... his emotions, it was like the instrument was talking to him, ranting on how crappy their day was, a broken music box. He found the thought both funny and intriguing. Sometimes, he wants to know what’s got the lyre player in such a sour mood like this.

As Keigo listens to the horrific music. He searches up piano music sheets as more xylophone playing was starting to give him a headache. “Your Name, huh? Is this what you wanted to learn, baby bird?” He asks himself, remembering one of the pieces that were in Rumi’s portfolio. Keigo simply couldn’t help it, the clear book was thick, and he’s a curious man.

The music then stops, Keigo looks at the time; 10:00 pm. Ah, they should stop now. He notices that whenever it was ten sharp, the music stops, even if it was in the middle of a song. It was their bedtime, Keigo then decides to also call it a night and starts to close all the lights and prepare for bed. 

___________________

Rumi barges into the rehearsal room, she sighs in relief to see that no one was there yet. She woke up early today, she didn’t get to practice any songs last night and it pissed her off. She was so busy scolding herself with forgetting the portfolio of her pieces that she had forgotten the more important matter, practicing the exact songs in her portfolio. 

She didn’t want to be a burden to the other lyre players since it was evident who knew how to play the lyre if they practiced their pieces before going to work and it would be hella embarrassing if Rumi didn’t have any songs to present her lyre group with. 

It was a tradition that the lyre group makes lyre versions of popular songs, everyone in the building loves it. The sounds resembled that of a music box, melodic, lullaby-like, gentle, and peaceful, just with six other xylophones playing. 

She then grabs a music sheet stand and shoves her portfolio on it, and she starts playing in an instant. She takes notes of the pauses and how the song escalates. Maybe the group will choose her songs, the songs she’s been choosing have been very difficult, those kinds of songs kind of gives an appealing view to their leader. 

Rumi chose quite a popular song, it was “Sparkle” from the movie Your Name. She chose it mainly because she cried at the ending more than she would like to admit. She skips the repetitive piano intro and starts straight at the D#. It was quite a simple piece, she was hoping that the leader would somehow make it more complicated. The leader would always encourage them to bring him something more simple to make it grander to play since he can turn it more difficult the more they play together.

The silver-haired girl has been tapping on the same notes over and over again but seems to slowly lose count on how many times she should be playing a specific note. “Five D#… wait no… wasn’t it four?”

She plays the notes again to confirms her suspicion and she starts to anger herself at how much she confused herself over the starting line of the notes she’s playing. “If it weren’t for me and my forgetful ass and forgot the fucking portfolio, I wouldn’t be here right now cram practicing,” she grumbles to herself as she lashes her anger on the flipping of pages on her portfolio.

She starts to get impatient with herself since she keeps on making the same mistake on the same note. For some reason, she isn’t keeping track of how many times her glockenspiel on the metal plates “GODDAMMIT ALREADY” She screams out in frustration, flinging her stick towards the other side of the room. 

The stick barely misses the incoming blond male that enters the room. His eyes follow the direction of the stick as it hits the wall, taking precautions to not get hit by another stick. He notices that the stick is not a usual drum stick but is more similar to a lyre stick… Rumi. “Woah there, take a chill pill, Rumi,” Keigo says as he enters the room.

“Keigo… hi,” Rumi breathes in and composes herself and Keigo finds this a perfect time to piss her off even more

“Hello baby‘I'm pissed and I throw my stick in anger but luckily I'm alone’bird” Keigo teases while making air quotes as he says the nickname with his index and middle fingers. Rumi rolls her eyes. She paces across the room to pick up her poor glockenspiel as the other person in the room settles his place on the piano

“Well not anymore,” She grumbles and Keigo simply chuckles.

“What you practicing?”

“Just for some presentation,” Rumi shrugs off the question and focuses to prepare to start playing.

“Can I listen?” Keigo says in pure curiosity and Rumi’s answer went out faster before she even thought of saying it.

“NO!”

“And why not?” Keigo asks, raising an eyebrow at the sudden response.

“BECAUSE I HAVENT….” Rumi answers a bit too fast again and shuts herself up and tries to concentrate again on the piece.

“You haven’t what Rumi? I’m not a fortune teller over here and even if you do say no, I’m still going to listen,” Keigo points out and Rumi huffs in frustration at the man’s persistence. She hated at the fact that Keigo is right. He’s assigned to the same orchestra as her so he can’t possibly leave the room, and it’s not like he can’t listen to it even if he wanted to.

“Ihaven’tpracticedityet” Rumi says in a quick and silent voice. Keigo was impressed she managed to speak in a volume that's still too quiet even if they were the only two people in the room

“Sorry what? You were too soft” Keigo says, genuinely and for spite. Rumi inhales deeply, calming herself down before reiterating what she just said, in a slower and louder manner. 

“I haven’t practiced yet,”

Keigo scoffs, that’s what she’s so worried about?  He looks at her dead in the eye. “I’ll help you then,” 

“What’s the piece?” Keigo asks, stretching his fingers as preparation to start playing.

“Sparkle, from—” Rumi calmly says

“—Your Name”

“Your Name,” They both say simultaneously. An awkward silence fills the room and they both freeze at the realization that they said something at the same time.

“Do you play the intro?” Keigo asks and Rumi shakes her head.

“No, it hurts the ears if I play it on the lyre” She explains and Keigo nods. 

He then shrugs his shoulders and faces the piano, “I’ll play it then,”

“Whenever you’re ready then,”

Keigo’s hands lay on the white and black pieces, awaiting the right signal to himself to start playing. He calms his senses and takes a sharp inhale of breath. His fingers then start to wander and dance on the piano and the first notes are finally played.

Rumi waits for the repetitive beginning to finally come to an end and joins Keigo in the next measure. The piano and the sound of the lyre start to compliment each other, Rumi is impressed that she can play better with the guidance of a piano… Or maybe it’s Kei— NOPE IT'STHE PIANO.

The flow of the music was so enchanting, the music was attracting the people who weren’t assigned to the studio. The piece itself was already hard to play on the piano alone, concentration only became harder for both as they hear people crowding the entrance of the room. The pressure was killing the pair in the most silent yet obvious manner.

Don’t fuck up, Rumi. Don’t you dare fuck it up now? It’s going to be so fucking embarrassing for Keigo if you dare mess it up. Oh my fucking god, too fast, too fast, too fAST—

It was obvious that the piece was escalating for some reason and Rumi was panicking at the pace they were going for many reasons. One, the tan girl hasn’t memorized the piece, meaning she has to look at both the piece and her xylophone. She’s starting to wonder why on earth she’s speeding up. 

Was she not following the time signature? Maybe she didn’t time the rests right. Shit, did she forget to play a note again? Rumi looks at Keigo and everything starts to fall into place. Keigo is panicking. 

Keigo’s eyes were so focused on playing the piece it was like he was solely playing the piano on his own. His fingers are going too fast, it wasn’t obvious to the audience but he was a least two beats advanced. He’s forgetting what piece even was in the first place. His eyes are too wide. Keigo is going too fast. 

“Keigo!” Rumi screams out. Keigo hears it and he turns around and he finally sees it. Rumi isn’t looking at him but he can see her struggle, the way her eyes are flipping from the notes to the actual instrument was her way of panicking and telling Keigo to slow it down, any faster and she’s going to have to make a mistake on the way of trying to keep up.

“Sorry,” Keigo mouths out and he tries to mellow down the speed but it ends up being too fast for Rumi’s speed again. Rumi hasn’t seen Keigo’s response Rumi feels like her arm is about to fall off. She’s just pulling through the fact that the song is about to end… Okay maybe choosing the six-minute version of the song was a bad idea. 

The song finally ends and they get applause from the people who were watching them. The pair never really processed how many people were watching. It looked like only a few caught on to the fact that they were a bit too fast and the fact they ended a bit early because of it. 

Keigo and Rumi share a hug and Rumi hit’s Keigo’s nape in the process. “That was pretty stupid of you, Keigo,”

“Sorry about that,”

Keigo and Rumi turn to the crowd and simply bows in gratitude.

“What is going on in here?” The head of the lyre group comes in, the crowd quiets down their noise. It shows on their face that they have no idea why there is a crowd and why Rumi and Keigo are bowing as it turns out the head of the lyre group has just arrived in the building and hasn’t watched the entire scene play out.

“Ah, Keigo was helping me practice,” Rumi explains with a bright smile, satisfied she even finished the song. The leader raises an eyebrow as Keigo bows in front of them, a way of greeting.

“Is that so?” 

“She couldn’t get the timing right,” Keigo explains, why he is helping her in the first place.

The leader crosses their hands on their chest, “It sounds to me, you also couldn’t get the timing right, Keigo,” They say with a menacing voice.

“He got nervous, chill out,” Rumi defends.

“A musician that can’t play at the right time signature shouldn’t be playing in the first place,” The leader says, smirking. They’ve pissed off Keigo, it was obvious by the way he was looking down, fist clenched. He’s holding in every urge to bite back at the way the leader was taunting the pair.

“Is that your way of telling Rumi her song choice sucked?” Keigo quietly asks.

“Excuse me?”

“You weren’t here for the performance, more likely you came by the end of it, I can see it in your face,” Keigo points out the bewilderedness of the guy the moment they came in. He can tell that they haven’t calmed down from the shock of the people and the ending of the song.

“That’s not what I—“

“I wasn’t finished,” Keigo says, Rumi is freaking out. She’s trying to calm Keigo down by gripping his arm and silent whispers, scolding his name but Keigo persists and continues, “Now, if you’re going to tell me and Rumi that the piece she chose doesn’t suit your style, then maybe you shouldn’t be a leader because of that selfish thought, 3/4 of your lyre group are already here and they are looking at you with pretty nasty looks,” Keigo reminds the leader as he points to some people in the crowd and the leader sees their members looking at him menacingly or not even looking at them.

“Anyways, if you don’t like the help of other people from your same orchestra, maybe you should take a chill pill,” Keigo says, packing up his stuff and leaving. 

“Keigo— wait!” Rumi says, gathering her stuff as well and following shortly, completely ignoring her leader.

“Where are you going?” She says after chasing up to the blond man.

“Home,” 

“Let me come with you,”

“but—“ Keigo tries to retort, seeing that the silver-haired girl still has work and has to present the piece they were practicing in the first place yet that same girl cuts him off,

“It’s the least I could do after everything you said, dumbass,”

“Fine,” Keigo sighs continues on his journey with Rumi.

___________________

They both wait for the subway train to arrive, and as they do so, a new but familiar voice enters their conversation, “Hello there, young bird,”

Rumi is shocked to hear an old voice from behind her so she turns around. Keigo already knew the voice so his calm stature doesn’t change, “Hello,” Keigo says, bowing in respect.

“Where are you going?” The old lady asks.

“Home, people at work like to be asses today,”

“I get that, you have a pretty guest too,” The old lady points at Rumi who has a tint of blush on her cheeks after being called pretty. 

“Hi, I’m Rumi Usagiyama,” She says, bowing as well

“Hello there, little bunny, ah… well I have to be going, have a wonderful day you two,” The elderly woman says, looking at her watch and departing.

“Take care!” Keigo says as he watches her depart from them. He notices the soft gaze of Rumi as she watches the elder woman disappear, “… you like being called pretty~” He says, teasing the smaller human.

“N-NO I DO NOT,” Rumi says, eyes wide, color creeping up her cheeks, and hits Keigo’s shoulder on instinct.

“Hey, what was that for?” Keigo says a hand goes to the injured area. Not all that injured but still painful.

Rumi rolls her eyes, “You are annoying,”

“You like it when I’m annoyin— okAY OKAY I’LL STOP,” Keigo tries to bite back but Rumi is already a step ahead and pinches and twists Keigo’s ear. The train finally arrives and the two finally calm down and board the train.

___________________

They are finally walking to what Keigo calls his home. As they walk through, Rumi notices how this path seems familiar. Too familiar. It’s like she knows it because she’s been here every day. That’s exactly what it was. 

Is he going to make a left there? But I also live there. Then straight ahead for two intersections then another left. wAIT A SECOND—

“You live here?” Rumi asks and the question catches Keigo off guard. Of course, he lives here, where else was this girl expecting?

“Yeah… is there a problem?”Keigo slowly answers. Rumi’s brain is doing the most before short-circuiting again, everything seems to fall into place. 

“Did you just so happen to hear instruments playing from your other neighbors?” Rumi asks an oddly specific question “Cause ya know, you’re not the only one who can play an instrument.” She explains and Keigo nods.

“Yeah, just yesterday this neighbor of mine must’ve been pissed~ they were making the most random of notes I swear, poor xylophone just wanted some rest,” He chuckles and Rumi nods.  Did this asshat just say xylophone? yeSTERDAY?!

“ARE YOU THE ONE WHO PLAYED CLAIR DE LUNE THE OTHER DAY?!” Rumi again asks a specific question and Keigo answer it absent-mindedly.

“Yes, how did you—“

“WE’RE NEIGHBORS YOU FUCKHEAD,” Rumi freaks out and Keigo doesn’t seem to be on the same page as her.

“… what?”

“The xylophone playing yesterday wAS ME,” Rumi explains that she was the mastermind of the horrific music and Keigo slowly starts to understand.

“YOU?!?!” Keigo points at a laughing Rumi. “WHY WERE YOU PISSED?!”

“CAUSE I LEFT THIS GODDAMN PORTFOLIO AND THE LEADER GOT PISSED AT ME FOR IT,” Rumi explains while waving the envelope she was looking for one and a half days ago. 

“BUT I RETURNED IT TO YOU” Keigo tries to make sense of the situation

“EXACTLY WHY I WAS PISSED,” Rumi says as Keigo shakes his head, everything finally clicks into place and they both have calmed down, “Thank you, for a while ago,” Rumi silently says, remembering how they even found out the new information in the first place. She sees her house and yet they turn the opposite way.

“Hmm? Oh, no problem, was getting sick and tired of them treating you like shit anyway,” Keigo simply says as they finally arrive at his home, Rumi feels weirded out at the fact that she isn’t at her house but the house right in front of it.“Care for coffee, neighbor?”

[milkybonya]

hi. can i request an angst scenario to the song Dayfly by Dean with Johnny of NCT? thank you :)

anonnie, i admire your taste in music <3 thank you for giving me something calm to listen to :”)

Dayfly - Johnny

Warnings: angst, mentions of a one night stand

Summary: Dayfly by Dean where Johnny constantly has one night stands with different people, you being one of them. You end up wanting him to stay, though.

Lyrics look like this throughout the fic

When I naturally open my eyes, I see you Oh oh who are you? You don’t have to say anything What’s more important is that we’re alive like this

Johnny awoke with a burning face, full of the sun’s light. Brushing the hair out of his eyes and shifting so his back was towards the window, his eyes fell on the figure of a stranger under the white sheets.

He was surprised that it still shocked him every morning to see someone new in his bed.

I take off my clothes that smell unfamiliar I try to wash away yesterday’s memories But it keeps repeating, as I forget about myself

After treating the person to breakfast, a very awkward breakfast, he slipped out of his clothes and threw them into the washing machine. His clothes never bore his natural scent anymore, and he wondered what he even smelled like.

The scent of Johnny stripped down to nothing but his skin and bones. No perfume, no deodorant. What did he smell like?

The gentle hum of the washing machine was like the kick of a bass drum, putting rhythm behind his otherwise lifeless footsteps that lead him to the bathroom. His reflection in the mirror was pale and lifeless. Had he always looked like this?

I ask myself again and again Am I a bad person? Or am I just in pain?

Was this the face of a man living an empty life, sleeping with people just to fill the hole in his soul? Or was this the face of a playboy, a person who played with the hearts of others without remorse?

You had told him the latter.

“You’re such a player, Johnny. You don’t care for anyone’s feelings but your own, and you don’t even feel anything. Take a look around. Look at all the hearts you’ve broken.”

He usually forgot about the people he slept with, but your words were tattooed on his heart and engraved in his mind.

The doorbell rang.

You’re looking for just one night What intentions do you have with me? Can’t you just tell me everything? You’re no different from anyone else Everyone feels the same way around this time

Your flushed face, bright red from the wind laying its fingers on you, looked like a rainbow compared to Johnny’s bleak expression.

“Why are you here so early? I don’t do anything during the day,” Johnny told you. His white tank top exposed his toned arms, the colour of dough, not given the chance to bake because he never really left the house unless the sun was down.

“Johnny, I want to learn more about you. I don’t want to leave after just one night,” you told the tall boy.

His expression looked almost disgusted. Almost.

“Come on now. [y/n] was it? It’s winter. You feel lonely. That’s the only reason why you want to ‘get to know me’,” Johnny said, mocking you with the way he said the last four words.

Nothing’s for sure in any relationship Even if it’s a coincidence, only I will get hurt There’s nothing I expect from you After today, in just one day We said goodbye

You suddenly felt embarrassed, standing in the hallway of Johnny’s apartment. Why hadn’t he let you in, seeing as how some sort of argument was going to arise between the two of you?

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Johnny said, scoffing at your silence.

“See, I didn’t want anything from you anyway. Just go back home, we already said our goodbyes 3 days ago,” he continued.

“4 days,” you corrected him. “I saw you 4 days ago.”

Your gulp sounded so loud to you, you thought the whole apartment complex would fall apart with the way it vibrated in your throat.

He scoffed yet again as he leaned against his door. You really wished he’d just let you inside.

I’m too weak to face reality So I try turning away but it’s not easy

“Please, [y/n], just go home, okay? Goodbye.”

He closed the door in your face. Not carelessly enough to slam, but not slowly enough to avoid hurting your feelings.

Back in his apartment, Johnny was leaning against the door, breathing heavily.

I did the right thing, he thought. I can’t possibly commit to anything. I’ll just get hurt. I’ll just get hurt.

pt. 2

[cherryblossomwatts]

talk soon

He wakes up and squints blearily at his phone, charging on the bedside table.

3:22 AM, it reads. That means he and Garrett have been sleeping for... almost sixteen hours now.

He moves, turning onto his side to look at Garrett, soft in the moonlight. He feels weak just at the sight of him.

Not even forty-eight hours ago, he had stepped into the bathroom at Shane's while the TV blared in the next room - called Garrett in a panic, his chest tight. Garrett had picked up on the first ring and said immediately, "I just bought tickets to Spokane - 7:00am tomorrow."

"Garrett -"

"Come with me, Andrew," he'd prompted. This was the most serious Andrew had ever heard him. "I need to make sure you're safe. My mom says we can have the guest bedroom for as long as we need."

Andrew took a shaky breath and said, "I'm driving back to my place and packing, then coming to yours."

You can read more on AO3, or below the cut!

"Okay. I, uh - love you, Andrew."

"I love you, too, bud. I'll see you soon."

They'd spent the rest of that night wrapped around each other, sleeping side by side on Garrett's beat-up couch until Andrew's alarm went off at four in the morning. They hurried to the airport and got on the quietest flight Andrew'd ever been on, and crashed on the guest bed at Garrett's mom's place four hours later, almost immediately after they arrived.

Now Garrett stirs in his arms; murmurs, "Andrew," and presses closer, snug against his chest.

"Go back to sleep, Garr," he whispers.

He does; they do.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shane 🐷🐷 5:37pm: Hey Andrew, hope everything is going ok for u and Garrett. Stay safe, don't know what I'd do without u!!!

Reply 8:16pm: sorry about the delay, was taking a nap. me and garrett are doing good:) Reply 8:18pm: hope you and ry are staying safe too 💞

Shane 🐷🐷 8:21pm: We are :) Shane 🐷🐷 8:21pm: Btw, any chance youve asked Garrett about what u and I talked abt a few weeks ago? Shane 🐷🐷 8:25pm: Feel like now's the perfect time. Nowhere for him to run

[ Read at 8:26pm ]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Garrett's mom comes each day and wakes them if they aren't up by noon, knocking softly on their door every time. Today, she comes bearing a tray heaped with food, the delicious aroma of waffles and bacon and eggs wafting into the bedroom. She is golden and merry and just as lovely as her son as she sets the meal down on the dresser next to the bed.

Andrew rubs his eyes, pushes himself up on his elbows, and smiles at Linda. Garrett remains asleep next to him. He looks small like this, burrowed into the covers as he is.

Andrew wants to kiss him.

"Good morning," Linda says sweetly, arranging and fussing at the silverware on the plates before her. "Sleep well, honey?"

Andrew loves how affectionate she is; how she rewards him every other sentence with endearments so incredibly reminiscent of Garrett. "Yeah, I did," he replies. "Still waiting to hear back from this one, though." He motions to Garrett, and Linda smiles at her son as if he's the only good left in the world.

Andrew likes to think he is, at times like these.

"Don't let him sleep in too late, sugar," she says. She pats Andrew's cheek, and he recalls a distant memory of Garrett saying she grew up in the south, although any trace of the accent she may have once had has since vanished.

"I won't." He grins up at her. "Thank you so much for breakfast -"

She tsks and cuts him off. "Anything for my boys," she starts, and Andrew loves that, absolutely adores it. He loves Linda as if she were his own mother, and revels in the way she treats him like a son. "Eat up, now, 'Drew. We can't have you two getting sick during this whole fiasco."

Then she's closing the door behind her, and Andrew is turning to Garrett, slipping an arm over his waist under the covers and poking softly at his side to wake him up. Garrett shifts and giggles, trying to escape Andrew's grasp, but he doesn't relent.

"'R'you tickling me, Andrew Siwicki?" he hears Garrett say, muffled because his head is beneath the blanket.

"And what if I am?" Andrew says, continuing to do so until he hears Garrett's rich, pealing laughter, clear as a bell. Garrett writhes and kicks the blanket off, and Andrew sees that as his chance to pin Garrett down on the sheets, pushing his hands up above his head and leaning over him and -

Garrett stills, and Andrew immediately stops, taking in the way Garrett gazes up at him. As if he's waiting for Andrew.

To do what? he thinks, blinking slowly, spellbound.

Then Garrett clears his throat and says, softly, "Breakfast is getting cold," and Andrew bites his lip, draws back, moves to let Garrett sit up. The taller of the two reaches over and settles the tray upon the bed between them.

"What do you wanna do today?" Garrett asks between sweet mouthfuls of syrupy sweetness. Andrew cannot help but think of Garrett's café lights, washing over them in a warm glow on summer evenings. Feeding ants out on the patio while they listen to some antiquated songs on Garrett's July playlist, because Garrett has the best taste in music and that's just a fact.

"Let's stay in bed all day," he says. He takes Garrett's hand and, without thinking, kisses his knuckles as gently as he can. "Harry Potter marathon," he continues, blushing bright red, and revels in the delight playing across Garrett's features.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

G 🌸🐊⭐💕 3:54pm: Hey Andrew!!!!!!!

Reply 4:00pm: why are you texting me while we're in the same room together???

G 🌸🐊⭐💕 4:01pm: I want to feel like I'm busy and important and have people to text during quarantine✨✨

Reply 4:03pm: you are very busy! and important! Reply 4:03pm: but you could just talk to me out loud

G 🌸🐊⭐💕 4:04pm: Not during the movie!!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Go ask your mom if we can go for a drive," Andrew murmurs against Garrett's neck, and relishes the way Garrett shivers beneath him.

They are curled up on the couch in the living room, and Andrew is... well, just a little bit drunk - but Garrett's only had one, and all Andrew wants is to get out of the fucking house - Linda's house, Linda's beautiful, stunningly wonderful home, but a fucking prison nonetheless - and watch Garrett with his hands on the steering wheel, and maybe imagine Garrett gripping his hips like that in bed, and -

"It's two a.m., Andrew, she's asleep," Garrett is giggling, opening his arms as Andrew nuzzles even closer to him. His hand moves up and down Andrew's shoulder, grounding Andrew, keeping him tethered so he doesn't float away, as happy as he is right now, heart swelling in his chest. "I don't think it's the best idea. We're supposed to be staying inside, anyway."

"We can just... take her keys," Andrew says. His eyes are slowly closing all by themselves, as he lets Garrett's warmth overtake him, wash over him. "She won't notice. Or mind. You know how much she, um... she likes me." He hiccups a little, which gives way to a stream of giggles, and Garrett is laughing with him, pulling him in even closer and tucking Andrew up against him.

"Please, Garrett. I just wanna get out of the house."

"Okay, fine," he relents, and Andrew hums happily, sliding the rest of the way into Garrett's lap. "Am I gonna have to carry you out to the car?"

That sets him off again, until finally, he manages, "I can still walk, you silly," and gets up just to show Garrett how good he is at doing so. If he was sober, maybe he'd notice the look of seeming disappointment on Garrett's face as he stood up.

But he's more than a little tipsy, so he doesn't.

Garrett grunts with surprise when they enter the garage and, instead of going to the car, Andrew pulls on Garrett's sleeve and leads him through the open door. "Where are we going, Andrew?" Garrett laughs, and Andrew just shushes him, until finally, they're standing in the dark grass on the front lawn.

"Andrew, what - ?"

"Look up," Andrew breathes, and Garrett does, inhaling sharply at the vast, starry expanse glimmering over them.

Silence stretches between them for what feels like an eternity, as Andrew watches Garrett and Garrett watches the cosmos, undulating above their heads.

"I forgot what it was like," Garrett says after a while, head still turned upwards. "I haven't bothered to look for them in such a long time."

"You do live in L.A.," Andrew says sympathetically.

"Yeah..." Garrett turns to face Andrew, who still isn't looking at the stars. "Do you ever -" he says, then clears his throat. "Do you ever wish you didn't live in the city, Andrew?"

"All the time," Andrew replies - maybe a little too quickly. He can feel the effects of the alcohol beginning to lift as he takes a step closer to Garrett, sobering under the intensity of his gaze.

He wants this. He wants a life with Garrett.

Maybe after all this is over, they can readjust, reassess; find a place of their own where they can sit on their porch and look out at the stars every night. Andrew could take Garrett back home, to Illinois, and they wouldn't have to live in the city or the 'burbs - they can find a nice place out in the middle of nowhere, another tiny house for them to love each other in. They can drive to Chicago whenever Garrett wants to shoot a video, and Andrew can finally say everything he wants to say to Garrett on camera, without having to think about hiding his feelings or stifling his laughter or trying not to kiss him -

"We should think about it," he says suddenly. "Once this is over. Once things go back to normal."

Garrett just looks at him, smiling in the way he reserves only for Andrew.

He thinks that Garrett wants to kiss him. He swallows.

Then Garrett seems to remember where they are, and grins, flashing the car keys at Andrew. "We should probably go," he says, and Andrew is just the tiniest bit disappointed, but still smiles at him anyway.

"Make sure you don't put those in the fridge when we get back," he teases, laughing as Garrett shoves him gently with his shoulder, before wrapping an arm securely about Andrew's waist.

They drive for about an hour, and Garrett does most of the talking, coasting down the highway and telling Andrew about a new video idea he's had and steering with one hand. Andrew lets him, basking in the brilliance of Garrett's voice, drinking his fill of the sight of Garrett's strong biceps, his shoulders, feeling an overwhelming sense of calm until he is slowly drifting off to sleep...

The next thing he knows, he is in Garrett's arms, and it feels like how his father used to carry him inside at the ends of long road trips, and he knows nothing but peace as he lets Garrett cradle him, lets his head fall against Garrett's shoulder and feels so very small, so safe.

...and if the next day, Linda comes into their room to whack her son over the head with an empty paper towel roll and give a chuckled, half-threatening, not-really-much-heart-in-it "Garrett Sageun Watts, if you ever take my car without asking again, I'll do more than just smack you" - well, then he doesn't think Garrett will mind.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ VOICEMAIL from "Ryland Adams" at 12:01pm ]

"Hey, Andrew! Hope you're doing okay! Me and Shane are all holed up in our house with the animals, and we miss you a lot! Shane was just telling me yesterday about how weird it is not having you around... Anyway, I hope you're not too bored in Washington. Call me back when you have time! We'd love to hear your voice again. Maybe we can do a FaceTime mukbang or something, that'd be fun. Oh, and Shane mentioned - what? No, I'm leaving a voicemail... Well, don't let him do that! Ugh. Sorry, Andrew, Cheeto's trying to scratch up the couch or something, so I've gotta go, but - Shane mentioned there was something he wanted to talk to you about? Maybe something about his latest edit...? Anyway - talk soon! We miss you so much."

[ ... ]

[ DELETE MESSAGE? ]

[ ... ]

[ Message deleted. ]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you okay, Andrew?"

He glances at Garrett and smiles, then returns his eyes to the road. "Yeah, sweetheart, why wouldn't I be?"

"Um," Garrett says. Andrew takes pleasure in just how flustered he can make him with one word. "Um, I dunno, I just... uh, you seem kind of, um, distracted lately?"

Shit. So Garrett has picked up on the fact that Andrew can't stop anxiously obsessing over how he's going to breach the subject of Shane to him.

He reaches over, rests his hand on Garrett's thigh. "Distracted by how cute you are?"

He doesn't know what it is about the state of the world that's instilled such boldness, such courage in him - but he doesn't care to wonder, as enthralled as he is with Garrett's nervous laughter, Garrett's rosy cheeks. He turns his palm face up without looking over, smiles to himself when Garrett takes the invitation to lace their fingers together.

"Th-that's not exactly what I was talking about, Andrew, but I think -"

"That's what I was talking about, Garr. It's all I've been thinking about, recently."

Garrett flushes bright red and tries to stammer something out, but eventually settles for a contented silence and the most adorable little smile Andrew's ever seen.

Andrew eventually turns into the grocery store parking lot and pulls the car to a stop, slowly, reluctantly drawing his hand back from Garrett's grasp. "Still got that list?" he asks, and Garrett holds it up to show Andrew Linda's slanted, immaculate handwriting, refusing to meet Andrew's gaze.

"Hey," he says, reaching over to gently turn Garrett's face towards him. "Look at me?"

Garrett hesitates, but finally meets Andrew's eyes, still blushing furiously.

"You ready, Garr?"

He nods, and Andrew grins; presses a kiss to Garrett's cheek so he won't see the worry in his eyes; gets out and locks the car.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reply 9:05am: hey. any chance shane and ryland have been acting weird w you lately?

morgchella💎🦄 1:12pm: Oops sorry justwoke up morgchella💎🦄 1:12pm: im Very hungoevr lmaooo

Reply 1:20pm: nice 🤩

morgchella💎🦄 1:22pm: But no??? has smth happened with u guys?

Reply 1:23pm: shane keeps getting on me to talk to garrett

morgchella💎🦄 1:27pm: About what?????

Reply 1:28pm: them

morgchella💎🦄 1:28pm: ??????????????? morgchella💎🦄 1:29pm: Wtf does that mean

Reply 1:30pm: oh Reply 1:30pm: has garrett not told u...?

morgchella💎🦄 1:34pm: Im so lost andrew lmfao

Reply 1:38pm: things have been really weird between them lately. ryland wont even talk to garrett anymore and shane hasn't been inviting him over at all. garrett's definitely noticed Reply 1:39pm: i mean his song hit #3 in hiphop and shane didnt say anything to any of us. that doesn't seem odd to u??

morgchella💎🦄 1:41pm: ***yOUr song morgchella💎🦄 1:41pm: (you both worked on it ad i still havent stopped listenign to it) morgchella💎🦄 1:43pm: So whys shane trying to talk to him all of a sudden?

Reply 1:44pm: i think he wants to either cut garrett off completely or make amends. i can't tell

morgchella💎🦄 1:51pm: Do u want me to talkvto them??

Reply 1:51pm: no its fine. i'll sit garrett down and tell him shane wants to talk. i've been keeping this from him for a while

morgchella💎🦄 1:52pm: The groupchat has been pretty dead recently..... morgchella💎🦄 1:53pm: I'll talk to garr soon. I didnt even realize this was happening. morgchella💎🦄 1:55pm: I justfilmed a video last night and like printed out a bunch of pics of Squad thats gonna be pretty awkward

Reply 2:00pm: hahahahahahhahsfkljglfgkl Reply 2:00pm: u good morg?

morgchella💎🦄 2:02pm: 🤪

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He hadn't meant to disappear down an editing hole, but when he finally emerges from Linda's little home office at a quarter to midnight, he cusses himself out in his head. How could he have spent the entire day away from Garrett - and why hadn't Garrett come to visit him?

"Hey," he says, knocking on the door frame of their bedroom. Garrett is sitting up in bed, scrolling on his phone, and he looks so tired, but god, if he isn't the most beautiful thing Andrew's ever seen in his life -

"Hi, Andrew!" he says cheerfully, moving over so there's space for Andrew to sit next to him.

"I missed you," Andrew says softly, staying fixed to the doorway. "A lot."

"I missed you, too."

"What've you been up to today?" he asks. He keeps looking at Garrett, whose head has dropped down to his phone again, and tries to gather up the courage for what he's about to do.

"Mm, well, I edited for most of the day, and now I'm just" - he lifts up the phone to show Andrew - "looking at Twitter. Apparently, people are wondering why we've been so silent recently, isn't that funny, Andrew?"

"I think we needed a break," he replies, finally moving forward to sit on the bed, one leg hanging off. "It's been a long time since we've just enjoyed each other's company and not thought about anything else."

Garrett sets his phone down; looks at Andrew like he hung the moon and stars; says, "I think so, too."

It can't be helped. Andrew will just write it off as the way Garrett gazed at him like he was everything, as he leans forward, touches Garrett's cheek with the palm of his hand, and kisses him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caleb 👶🎶🎶 1:17pm: Yo Andrew hope u and Garrett are enjoying ur quarantine together ;)) Caleb 👶🎶🎶 1:18pm: U better tell me when yall finally hook up Caleb 👶🎶🎶 1:20pm: Or have u already?

Reply 1:47pm: a lady doesn't kiss and tell, caleb 😘😘😘

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's flour on Garrett's shirt - and on his nose, and in his hair, and oh, Jesus, Garrett's absolutely covered in it, coated from head to toe. Andrew feels the giggles rise in his chest, exploding from his mouth as he cackles Garrett's name, realizes just how ridiculous the situation before his eyes is - and now Garrett's laughing, too, which just makes Andrew cackle even harder until he's practically crying, and the camera's shaking in his hands, but neither of them care - and he knows they're filming, but he just can't help himself, when he finally gulps down enough air to breathe, from saying, "I'm so in love with you."

He isn't scared. He thinks it's the most perfect sentence he's ever said.

Garrett is still snickering as he sets the bag of flour down, next to the bowl that was supposed to contain cookie dough by now. "Really?" he says, and Andrew almost thinks he doesn't believe him until - "You really chose this moment to tell me that you love me, Andrew? When there's so much flour on me that I look like a ghost?"

That just sends Andrew into another fit of laughter, and he can barely even complain when Garrett takes the camera from his hands, switches it off and puts it on the counter behind him. As soon as he's turned around again, Andrew is kissing him, pulling Garrett forward by the front of his shirt and tasting the light dusting of powder on his lips and grinning like a fool.

"Well, I'll have you know, Andrew Siwicki," Garrett starts when they finally pull away, out of breath -

"Yeah?" Andrew interrupts, stealing another kiss.

"- that I'm in love with you, too."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

morgchella💎🦄 9:22pm: So shane and ry are starting to get on me about getting garrett to talk?? morgchella💎🦄 9:23pm: also i heARD U AND GARRETT ARE FINALLY TOGETHER IS IT TRUE

Reply 9:23pm: fuck Reply 9:24pm: has caleb been telling everyone?????

morgchella💎🦄 9:25pm: OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG morgchella💎🦄 9:25pm: OH MY GOD ANDREW AAAAAAAHSDFJLKGSK morgchella💎🦄 9:25pm: CONGATSULATIONS I DUCKING KNEW U GUYS WOULDNT BE ABLE TOVHOLD OUT ANY LONGER

Reply 9:27pm: hahahahahahahahahahaahha omg morgan

morgchella💎🦄 9:27pm: this quarantine was actually a blessing in disguise ����😌😌😌😌😌😌😌 morgchella💎🦄 9:27pm: A global conspiracy just to get the two of u together

Reply 9:27pm: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHSDKJD Reply 9:28pm: morgan omg

morgchella💎🦄 9:28pm: No but fr I am so happy for u guys 🥺🥺🥺

Reply 9:29pm: thank u morgan. ily and that means a lot to me Reply 9:30pm: just please don't go spreading it around hahahahaha we wanna keep it on the dl

morgchella💎🦄 9:33pm: Ok I promise i won't but only if I am invited to your wedding

Reply 9:34pm: oh jesus Reply 9:35pm: ok i still gotta buy the ring tho

morgchella💎🦄 9:40pm: SJAKLSDJGFLKJBDFLKNCVCJLKSJDLFKSGOIXCLKJFHGLFKFHOIJADSKL

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It doesn't take long for them to fuck, and for Andrew to wonder why they ever wasted so much time not having sex when it's so mind-blowingly good - when Andrew's legs are slung over Garrett's shoulders, and he's a moaning, spluttering mess underneath Garrett, and they're both still getting used to touching each other like this and still laughing from time to time, and both of them are so warm and giggly and in love.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

G 🌸🐊⭐💕 2:33am: You're asleep but I just wanted to tell you that I love you G 🌸🐊⭐💕 2:34am: And that you look really pretty sleeping in my arms G 🌸🐊⭐💕 2:34am: And that I can't wait to talk to you soon when we're both awake G 🌸🐊⭐💕 2:34am: That's all :.)

Reply 10:47am: hi. you're still asleep. i love you so ridiculously much. Reply 10:49am: i hope your day is as special as you are, garrett watts 💗💗😊😊🌻🌻

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andrew is still glowing in the late afternoon after their morning sex. It's hard to believe the state of the world right now when he's with Garrett.

He's wearing one of Garrett's flannels - the greenish-blue one, that he stole and wore on Garrett's last birthday, and is always so discreetly happy to wear out in public - and running his hands through his boyfriend's hair, and he feels so at peace.

That is - until he glances down at Garrett's phone and realizes he's tapping through one of Shane's endless Instagram videos, staring unhappily at the screen with the volume muted.

"Garrett, baby," he says, letting the still-new word roll off his tongue, taking pride in the little smile it brings to Garrett's face. "Have you talked to him recently?"

Garrett shakes his head, and panic pools in Andrew's stomach.

"He's been bugging me a lot lately," Andrew says cautiously, tentatively. "I think he wants closure. Things have been sort of up in the air with you two. For a long time. And -"

"I'm not interested in talking to him."

"Well, it's clearly making you upset to -"

"He's made it clear who he prioritizes in his life."

Andrew exhales sharply, turns away. Stops petting Garrett's hair. The taller of the two notices.

"Is he upsetting you, Andrew?" he asks quietly.

"Not really. I mean," he concedes, "a little bit, yeah, but I'm not... I'll be okay."

"Is he making you anxious?"

Andrew stares at his lap and says nothing.

"Fine, I'll talk to him," Garrett says. "For you. Not for him. To make him stop bothering you."

"Garrett, you don't have to."

"For you, Andrew." He takes Andrew's hand and squeezes it tight.

Andrew shivers, pulls his phone out of his pocket.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reply 8:18pm: garrett says he'll talk. u should call him sometime today before he forgets Reply 8:19pm: and please promise me you'll leave us alone after u talk to him

Shane 🐷🐷 8:27pm: I promise. Shane 🐷🐷 8:27pm: I'll call him soon.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All he remembers is Garrett leaving at four a.m. to take a call from Shane, and him desperately trying to stay awake and wait for him to come back to bed, but -

The next thing he knows, he's squinting as the sun peeks through the blinds and Garrett is crawling under the covers, fully clothed, burying his face in Andrew's chest.

"Jesus," Andrew slurs, still caught in the throes of sleep. His arms reach out automatically to encircle Garrett as he mumbles, "What time is it, Garr?"

"Seven thirty."

"Oh, christ -" He is about to berate Garrett for staying up so late, but then he - he -

Garrett is crying.

And Andrew has never seen him cry before.

"Garrett, honey, I'm so sorry -"

"Please," Garrett says, so quietly that Andrew just barely hears - and Garrett doesn't beg, but - "Please, Andrew, let's not talk about it. Please."

"Okay. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Can you just..." Garrett trails off, pushes himself further into Andrew's embrace. "Can you just hold me?"

He does. He swears to himself he'll never let go; never forgive himself for letting this happen to Garrett.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shane 🐷🐷 7:31am: Hey, can you do me a favor and ask Garrett about J? Shane 🐷🐷 7:36am: please. It's really important.

Shane 🐷🐷 1:45pm: Earth to andrew??

Reply 3:12pm: hey. i'm sorry. garrett had a really rough night.

Shane 🐷🐷 3:13pm: I did too. can you please ask him?

Reply 3:15pm: ask him what about jeffree? Reply 3:15pm: i hope you understand that you and i are not on the best terms rn, shane. Reply 3:16pm: whatever you said made garrett really really upset

Shane 🐷🐷 3:20pm: I need you to ask him if they fucked.

[ Read 3:20pm ]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What the fuck, Shane? You can't just fucking text me that and expect -"

"Andrew, please. I can't even explain to you how important this is - you need to ask him -"

"No, you need to tell me what the fuck is going on." He hates that he's yelling at Shane. He hates that he called Shane in the first place. He hates that they're even speaking to each other at all. "Can you explain to me why the hell you've been so adamant about cutting Garrett out of your life for the past six months? Why you haven't so much as breathed in his direction since Ryland's fucking hotel video - why me and Morgan have been the only ones out of all of us to ever text him, or call, or ask him to hang out, and why you and Ryland won't even let him into your house anymore - your fucking best friend - you won't even let me -"

"Andrew?"

He whips around, sees Garrett standing in the doorway of their bedroom, a strange expression on his face.

"Who are you talking to?"

Andrew struggles to breathe. "It's no one, baby, don't worry," he says, the phone still held up to his ear.

"Ask him," Shane urges from the other line, and Andrew grits his teeth.

"Not until you start fucking explaining what's going on," he barks.

"Andrew," Garrett starts again.

"It's nothing, Garrett, I promise. I promise you, I'm taking care of it."

"You're talking to Shane, aren't you?"

"I - no, I'm -"

"Don't lie to me, Andrew," Garrett pleads. "What does he want?"

"I can't, Garr -"

"Ask," Shane says again.

Andrew hangs up on him, lets his phone fall onto the bed.

"What does he want, Andrew?"

Andrew's heart is going to beat out of his chest. Garrett is looking at him with the saddest expression Andrew's ever seen in his life.

"I..." he stutters. Tears are welling in his eyes. He hadn't expected this to hurt so much.

Garrett still just looks at him. Andrew wishes he would cross the room, come and hold him, but he doesn't.

"Garrett," he chokes out, finally; "Garr, did you sleep with Jeffree?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mama 🧡 2:29pm: Hi Baby Boy.  Dad and I are missing you so so so so SOOO much!!!  Quarantine is lonely without you :(  But we hope you and Garr Bear are having fun!!  Please tell Linda I send her ALL my love, and that I hope she's feeding you two boys well.  Make sure you are WASHING YOUR HANDS and not going ANYWHERE unless absolutely necessary!!!!  I am serious!!!!!!  This corona virus is no joke and my heart would just shatter if you or Garr Bear got sick from it. Mama 🧡 2:34pm: And make sure you don't get sick from boredom too!!!!!  Dad is already losing his mind with online work, LOL!  But I'm sure Garrett can keep you entertained while you are stuck together.  You two are such silly, wonderful boys and I know how much you love to make each other laugh.  You are both so good for each other, in ways that I don't think you even see yet.  I know you could not stand to be separated so you must make sure you both are staying safe and healthy. Mama 🧡 2:36pm: Please give Garr Bear all my endless love, and keep him safe!!!!!  Love you so much my darling boy.  Hope we can visit and see you again once this has all blown over!  Love, Mom Siwicki 😊 😊 😊

Reply 4:58pm: hi mama. you have no idea how much i needed to hear that today. garrett and i are doing really well. i hope you and dad and 🐶 are staying very safe and enjoying your time together, too. Reply 4:59pm: i love you so much and i need to call you soon. important news regarding me and garrett that i think you'll be excited to hear. talk soon 🧡🧡

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You could cut the tension in the air between them with a knife.

Garrett stares.

Andrew trembles.

"Who - ?" Garrett starts after a long, terrible silence, and Andrew wants to scream. "Who do you think I am, Andrew?"

"Garrett, please just tell me."

"No, Andrew -"

"Please," Andrew whispers, "please, Garrett, Shane won't leave us alone until you -"

"I said no, Andrew."

"Garrett -"

"No, I mean - no, I didn't sleep with him."

Andrew blinks.

Then he collapses into tears, sitting down on the bed and burying his face in his hands, weeping like he had as a high schooler, after his first ever (albeit meaningless) relationship had ended. He hears rather than sees Garrett rush forward immediately; feels his big, strong arms around him as he sobs into Garrett's chest, letting his hands fall into his lap.

"I'm sorry," he chokes after a few minutes of devastating silence, punctuated only by the miserable sound of his own crying.

"Why are you sorry, Andrew?"

"Because this is happening to you," he mumbles against Garrett's shirt. "Because I don't - I shouldn't be crying right now, I don't have the right to be crying right now."

Garrett gently tilts Andrew's head up so he's looking at him, wiping Andrew's cheeks with the broad pad of his thumb. "It's okay to cry, Andrew," he says softly, and god, does Andrew love him.

"I shouldn't be so upset by this," he tries to interject. "I shouldn't be so jealous of Jeffree -" He breaks off, tasting the salt of his teardrops as they roll down his face, brush against his lips, and he gasps as his old insecurities come to light - and Garrett - sweet, wonderful Garrett - just holds him, because of course he's known, of course he noticed how Andrew failed to laugh when everyone else had at Jeffree's awful flirting - of course Garrett had seen the look on Andrew's face behind the camera, as he struggled to keep his hands steady and tried to block out the stomach-churning sound of Jeffree's simpering voice.

Of course he knows. Because he's Garrett, and he can read Andrew like a book, that's just a given - and they know each other better than they know their own selves.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

andrew💕.m4a

[ PLAY VOICE MEMO? ]

[ ... ]

"Hey.

"I love you.

"You're out on a walk right now. Um... and, well, I thought I'd just, um, try to get my thoughts. On everything. Out. And just kind of talk for a while, because, uh - because I miss you right now, and because you deserve to know what... why Shane needed to know about Jeffree. And. Shane just called me again. And cried a lot. Which was weird. So. I know you don't like to talk to anyone when you go on your walks, which is cute - so I'm recording this instead. Um... sorry, I'm just - moving around on the bed. Uh. There.

"Um - first of all, I just - I just really love you, Andrew. I've been in love with you for a really long time, and I'm just - god, you just make me so damn happy. I can't imagine spending my time with anyone else. I'm so - this whole... thing with us, our relationship, I guess you'd call it - it's so new and fresh, and I have to admit, I'm really scared, but I'm also just so happy and content, and I didn't... I didn't ever think, in, in a million years, that you would love me back. But I'm so grateful that you do. I really am.

"Um. I love you. And. I would never sleep with Jeffree. I hope you know that. Even if I hadn't been in love with you for almost... what is it, three years now? I would've said no to him anyway. He's not... I don't want that kind of life. I don't want to, to have a sugar daddy or whatever he was offering me. I don't want to just be a quick lay. I want... I want you, Andrew. Always been you. Always just... sorry, I - sorry for getting emotional. Um... ugh, god. You're turning me into a mess, Andrew. Uh. I just really love you. And I love what our relationship's been. And I love that - that there isn't that much change, now that we're dating, from what things were like before, and I can still talk to you, and you're still my best friend, and we can still joke around and laugh at nothing and just keep loving each other. I don't want a fuck buddy. I want a - a committed relationship, and someone I know I can spend the rest of my life with - and I know I'm rambling, and I know that this might... might scare you away, because this is so, so new to you, but - I wouldn't say it if I didn't think you felt the same way. Feel the same way.

"What you and I have is... I've been trying to recreate it for years, Andrew, and I've never, ever been able to. No matter how hard I tried - no matter how much I tried to forget - I can't replace you. You're... you're everything to me, Andrew, and I think you always will be. I hope you feel the same. Even if - even if things, yaknow, don't work out, down the line, and we de- we, um, decide we're better off as friends. I can't. I, uh - I can't imagine... oh, god, sorry, Andrew - I- I can't imagine living a life without you in it.

"God. Um. Where was I? God... So, uh - I said no to Jeffree. Is what I think I'm trying to say. He made it really clear what he wanted two years ago, and I said I wasn't interested - and when he approached me again, when he and Shane were filming the second series - that's when things started getting nasty. I - he didn't say anything to my face, he wasn't rude up-front. He's too... manipulative for that. I guess is the word. Um. Because he knew Shane would realize who he really is, if he was mean to me in front of him. So - from what Shane's told me, he sort of just started dropping subtle hints. And Shane just kind of... well, you know. You know how he is. He kind of just let himself get caught up in it. And I stopped getting invited to things. Which is fine. But... I mean, you know.

"I'm not really sure how to feel. Anymore. I miss Shane a lot, but... I don't know. He told me he wants to talk in person after all of this is over and we're back in L.A. I told him I want to, too, but I'm not sure how that talk's gonna go, really. He says he's sorry, and he's realized how badly he fucked up. And I want to forgive him. I really do. But if he keeps hanging around Jeffree, then I'm not sure I'd even want to be spending time with him anymore. He's kind of... changed. A lot.

"So... that's... off my chest. Um. I know that was a lot. I just thought you deserved to know everything. Because. I love you, and. I know how upset you were that Shane wanted to know what happened between me and Jeffree. I know it can't've been easy for you to... relive those memories. On top of everything else that's been going on lately. And I'm really sorry.

"Anyway. Enough of that negative stuff. I love you so much. I'm really excited to see you when you get back, because I'm gonna make you some hot chocolate. With cinnamon. And then we can go cuddle on the couch. Because I love you. And maybe watch movies with my mom. Because she loves us, too.

"Okay. Uhh. I love you so much. I'll talk to you soon. Bye."

[ ... ]

[ Voice memo saved to "Andrew Siwicki's iPhone". ]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They recover.

They have a lot of sex, and Garrett stops being afraid of holding Andrew's hand in front of his mom, and Andrew breaks his radio silence to post something nonsensical on Instagram that he immediately forgets about.

They go exploring in the woods out behind Linda's house - "looking for cool bugs," Garrett grins - and it's nice enough for Garrett to wear shorts, because he's big and tall and always, always warm - Andrew doesn't understand how he can possibly be so constantly, gloriously warm - and they fuck around between the pine trees and look down the hill and feel just a little bit smaller.

Andrew makes sure he reminds Garrett at least every five minutes of how much he loves him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reply 10:24pm: hey you!

G 🌸🐊⭐💕 10:29pm: Who, me??

Reply 10:29pm: yeah, you. come out of your editing hole. i made pasta Reply 10:30pm: 🐊🍝

G 🌸🐊⭐💕 10:31pm: OMG G 🌸🐊⭐💕 10:32pm: Have I ever told you how in love with you I am?????????

Reply 10:34pm: hahahahahahahaha Reply 10:34pm: ❤︎❤︎❤︎

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What're you thinking about?"

Andrew pours the milk over his coffee and watches it swirl, spiral, fade and eddy out.

"I'm wondering what's gonna happen after all this," he says. Garrett hands him the silicone tray he's been holding for some time now, and Andrew takes three ice cubes - no, four - and plops them into his drink. "What's gonna happen to us once everything's back to normal."

"Oh," Garrett says. "I think we'll probably just go back to what we usually do."

"Yeah?"

"Mmhmm, I'll text you to hang out every other day or so, and we'll go to Coffee Bean and completely lose track of time, and then we'll end up getting lunch and spending the entire day together. Maybe film some videos, too."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I do." Garrett stirs his own glass with a straw - the metal one he always steals from Andrew - whipping the grains of sugar around in a little whirlpool at the bottom. "Or you could just... move in with me. If you wanted to."

Andrew nearly spills iced coffee all over the kitchen floor.

"I..." he stutters, his face a dark red. "Garrett. You'd... you'd let me do that? You want to live together?"

"Well, yeah, don't you? I mean, you practically live in my house already, Andrew; it'd just be a matter of getting all your stuff over."

Andrew sets his drink down; smiles up at Garrett; tries to pretend the glossy sheen to his eyes is just a trick of the light. "I'd really like that, Garr," he says, and then Garrett is wrapping his arms around his waist, letting his chin rest atop Andrew's head, and Andrew isn't quite sure exactly what he's done to ever deserve to feel as at peace, as content, as loved as this.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ VOICEMAIL from "Mama 🧡" at 5:03pm ]

"Hi, baby, it's Mom. Thank you so much for calling yesterday. I love you so much and I'm so glad to hear you and Garrett are staying safe. I'm so, so proud of you for finally working up the courage to tell him how you feel; that can't've been easy. I've known for a long time that you've been struggling with how you feel about him. I know you so well, Andrew, and God bless you, but you're so easy to read. Can't believe that boy of yours didn't pick up on it sooner - but I told you so, didn't I? Your father and I have always known about you two, ever since you first told us about him... Anyway, stay safe, my love. Don't go outside unless you absolutely have to. And you put a ring on that boy soon, you hear me? I'm so endlessly proud of you. Love you to bits. Talk soon."

[ ... ]

[ DELETE MESSAGE? ]

[ ... ]

[ Message saved. ]

[mxrcayong]

the avatar series: 01.16

masterlist.

previous | next 

chapter sixteen

It seemed as everyone was walking on broken glass today; creeping around as if the very words to even address the events of tonight were venomous. To replace the topic of great anticipation, discussions regarding the weather and newest music favorites echoed throughout the island.

The White Lotus Society hasn’t had to prepare for an event similar since even before Avatar Aang passed away. Consequently, even the most experienced society members are unsure how to help out Tari and her companions. Everyone, even Sukiara, has been walking around the island as if one wrong move – one misstep will cause the ocean to swallow Bak Mei whole.

The only society members who seemed to know what today needed were the chefs, as they produced what seemed to be an endless amount of food from all four of the nations in order to give everyone a little bit of home before the event of tonight.

Yuta was focused on the plate in front of him, his utensils digging deep into the series of dishes he chose from the buffet. “This reminds me so much of home.” He moaned, biting into the Komodo Chicken prepared for lunch.

“Okay but would you rather know every native language known to man or have all the knowledge, except languages, from Wan’s Library?” Sonan asked, ignoring Yuta’s praise, as she gulped down her Mango and Lychee tea.

“Wan’s Library, 1000%.” Doyoung insisted, furrowing his eyebrows and flinching his head back. The answer was obvious to him, he’d bet his extra bowl of tofu and mung bean curry.  

Yuta hummed, “I agree.”

“I’d say languages.” Jisung shrugged as he finished his side plate of octopus fritters. His answer made Yuta and Doyoung turn their heads harshly to face him in shock. “What! Native languages allows you to speak to everyone in this world, you can learn relevant knowledge from them!” His voice increased in pitch as he defended his opinion.

“No yeah, I agree with Jisung.” Kilari jumped up to defend him, despite her mouth still being full of smoked sea slug pieces. “I rather be able to talk to everyone living than know everything about the past.”

Yuta faked disgust, before turning to Johnny who was drinking his favorite cherry-berry smoothie. “You?”

“I would say languages so I can translate my articles and even reach out to larger audiences.” Johnny shrugged, “But, I would love the information on fighting techniques from the library.”

“You have to pick one!” Sonan challenged.

“You haven’t picked yourself!” Johnny teased, his head leaning in mockingly. Sonan remained tight-lipped as a result, playfully rolling her eyes as if she was annoyed.

Jisung furrowed his eyebrows, “Anyways, wasn’t Wan’s library a myth?”

To Tari’s surprise, it wasn’t only her who shook her head. Tari’s past life witnessed the sinking of Wan’s famous library, but she can’t be certain that he addressed it to the public. From Johnny, Doyoung, and Sonan nodding – she can tell that others have heard the tales. Sonan, however, might’ve been told the stories as a bedtime story as her father was actually there and one of the causes behind the sudden flooding of sand.

Tari smiled. Although the terrible events of tonight are ahead of them, they are able to relax for a while. Yes, through the last few days – they haven’t always been talking about the upcoming battle, but this is the first time Tari relished in this distraction. Despite her recent thinking she’d be better off alone, she can’t be happier with the people she was with now.

She felt overflowing with gratitude. Eventually, she dazed out of the conversation and observed the smiles on their faces – the laughter, the light-hearted conversation. For once, everything felt normal. Everything felt like it had been before the attacks. Tari ended up grinning at anything and everything. Right now, Tari can’t care less if her friendships with them doesn’t transcend lifetimes. What she cares about is that she’s with them now, and there’s no place she’d rather be.

“Tari?” Sonan waved her hand in front of Tari’s eyes, successfully breaking her out of her trance.

Tari’s eyes widened, her eyebrows lifting and humming as if to ask her to repeat what she said. She couldn’t say it with words – her mouth was full of five-flavor soup and she knew if she’d talk right now, it’d look disgusting.

“She said…” Yuta nudged Tari’s knee with his own, a small smirk playing on his lips. “…would you rather live in the Fire Lord’s old beach home or in a home Ba Sing Se?”

“Modern Ba Sing Se or past as in with the Dai Li?” Tari asked, knowing that’ll completely impact her answer. It’s all about being decisive, but like Aang said – the situation matters.

Climbing onto the bison felt like heaving a million rocks to the top of the mountain.

Maybe it’s the knowledge that there is a possibility they’ll die, or they’ll lose something about themselves, be it bending or a sense of carelessness about world events. Maybe it’s the knowledge that after tonight, the city will completely change.

The day full of distracted dialogue and varying conversations has long been forgotten with the sunset ahead of them. They have four hours until the bending event starts, which means around three hours to get there and get on the attendance sheet. It takes an hour and so to get there, but they need time to get out of their White Lotus robes, pajamas, and hand-me-down clothes.

Tari’s companions seem to have never flew a flying bison without the heaviness on their shoulders and the weights in their feet. From travelling there to travelling home, every moment on the bison was thick with tension. The Avatar only wishes that they could experience a ride free of worries. “Shall we sing a song?” Johnny joked, nudging Doyoung who took that as a sign to immediately start singing.

Tari looked at her friends’ faces - all smiling, singing and humming. Despite the anxiety coursing through her veins, she wished this moment never ends.

“I forgot how buff Johnny was.” Kilari gasped, spotting Johnny approach the meeting spot with his sleeveless V-neck black vest and tight black tactical pants Tari recognized from their adventures rock climbing.  His muscles were practically bulging, taking everyone’s - particularly Kilari’s - breath away. “Why doesn’t he show it off more often?” She whispered to Sonan and Tari, making the two roll their eyes – although they’re both truly impressed with his figure.

Sonan chuckled, “Don’t check out our friend, oh my gosh.” She rolled her eyes, “Plus, I thought you liked Yuta.” Kilari shrugged with a small smirk.

“Nothing wrong with checking out the views.” She commented off-handily before moving to look at Yuta, who like Johnny, was wearing a sleeveless shirt although more loose with the top buttons undone. “Yuta is definitely not as buff, but still, hot damn.”

Doyoung furrowed his eyebrows. “Why aren’t I getting any comments?” He playfully pouted. Tari immediately brightened up at that comment, chuckling, before going to lovingly hold his arm in a hug.

“We love you really.” Tari smiled up at him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Sonan nudged Doyoung, “It’s just you came with us so we can’t comment discreetly about what you’re wearing.” Doyoung, unlike Johnny and Yuta who were flaunting their biceps, was wearing a windbreaker over his shirt.

“How we feeling?” Jisung asked through gritted teeth as everyone formed a circle, his anxieties and concern obvious to everyone. “I think we can do it.” Tari had a feeling he was saying that due to the Law of Attraction rather than his own belief.

Tari lifted her hand up and rested it on Jisung’s shoulder, “You can go home.” She smiled sadly, knowing what it’s like to be so young and forced into a dangerous situation. Her arm slithered around his shoulders and brought him to a tight hug, hoping to calm down his nerves. “You’re on the attendance sheet, but it won’t matter. After tonight, it’ll be over.”

And she means it. She’ll die before she lets anything happen to Jisung and her friends.

Jisung shook his head. “I can hold my own.” He insisted, his lips forming a small pout that Tari understands was supposed to be intimidating. Kilari, as a result, reached over and pinched his cheek and chuckled – making Jisung flustered.

“He’s the Mouse.” Yuta winked at Tari - an action Johnny didn’t miss. “Don’t underestimate him.”

Tari sighed. “I’m not,” she explained, “You guys can all go home. This is my fight.”

If Kilari wasn’t held back by Sonan, she would’ve slapped her. “This isn’t just your fight. We love and care about you.” Kilari basically barked, “You don’t have to be alone.”

But being alone is all I know, Tari wanted to respond. You guys deserve better, she wanted to let them know.

“Stop being stupid.” Johnny sighed, “You’d do the same for us.”

“And not just because you’re the Avatar.” Doyoung seemed to read her mind.

“I know I’ve been mad at you recently, but,” Kilari let out – obviously reluctantly. She always hated admitting her mistakes. “I love you more than you know, and I’ll do anything, anything, to protect you.”

Sonan let out a chuckle, “Sounding like a real Fire Sage there, Kilari.” She winked, before reaching out to the right and grabbing Kilari’s hand. Her left hand went to grab Jisung’s. “Tari, we’re in this together. You aren’t forcing us. We’re here because we love you…and because this affects us too.” She teased lovingly. Jisung and Kilari were quick to continue reaching to their sides, holding the hand of whoever is next to them.

Her heart felt elated as she noticed everyone nodding, and slowly start to hold hands. How am I so lucky? A smile graced her face before even realizing.

“Are we really doing this cliché?” Doyoung basically groaned, earning himself a punch from Johnny. “Fine.” Doyoung did the final connection – interlacing his fingers with Tari.

“I would say put our hands in the center and scream ‘Team Avatar’, but that’ll give away our position.” Johnny whispered loudly so that everyone could hear him, making everyone chuckle. Tari could always count on him for lightening the mood.

Sonan smiled at Tari, without Tari noticing. She smiled at how Tari finally looked comfortable in her own skin, how her smile didn’t seem forced. The oldest girl felt proud for how far Tari has gone over the last few days. Tari’s smile even was present when they let go of their hands and huddled closer together. But she had to get back on track. Sukiara wasn’t here and she was the one who knew the plan best. “Okay, Johnny and I will have to sneak in cause we aren’t benders.” She reminded, “so we need at least two of you guys to cause a bit of a scene – Kilari and Yuta, right?” The attendance was sorted out by gender, therefore Yuta would help Johnny sneak in while Kilari would help Sonan in. “But we need to spread out to cover more ground.”

Everyone nodded. “Everyone ready?” And the question was met with seven thumbs up.

Almost in an act of further disrespect, the government decided to hold the event at the NCT theater. The entrances were flooding with security, and Tari was so glad that The White Lotus society created pole weapons in the shape of pens.

The reason for pole weapons? Tari insisted on avoiding causalities. The supporters of the cause may be forced into it rather than wanting to do it.

Making her way through the crowd, her heart was racing miles per second. What if something goes wrong? She thought, What if I’m not a good enough bender?

But eventually, she got to the attendance paper. And Johnny was right. As soon as she said her name, the security told her to go to a ‘special’ area after giving her a stamp on her hand. As soon as she stepped foot inside, she noticed that the shrine for the bender killed in the attacks was ruined – the candles gone. His lights have been dimmed and Tari was infuriated. Her heart hurt for his family, for his children who may forget his legacy of fighting against wrong-doers.

I will die for this cause. She reminded herself. I cannot back out now. This is for the good of everyone. So, she started looking around and memorizing the stadium as organized by the government. She needed to have an upper hand, and that meant making sure they don’t have any upper hands they think they have.

The crowd felt like an overpacked can of tuna – everyone pressed against each other, unable to have their own personal space. They are cattle, stuffed together in one big cage to be slaughtered. But there was one easy way to make through the crowds – evident through the Equalist guards, who were wearing an all-black outfit with hoods and metal masks with green eyes. They looked like they’d be ready for anything, especially as they were armed.

Tari scanned each of the routes, trying to memorize their layout like the back of her hand. The stadium was divided into four parts – ordered like the Avatar Cycle. Water and earth on one side of the stadium, while fire and air on the other side. There were guards circling the stage where boxing would happen, and even more guards marching down and up the divisions. She, herself, was standing in the box where close friends or family would sit to watch the fighters.

She knew whoever was in charge must be in the underground room, where Yuta and Jisung explained most of the training and preparation happens before a fight. I need to find escape routes, she thought as she knew she needed to make sure her friends get out of the arena if needed once the fight starts.

Eventually, her inner voice hushed down as the entrance doors had shut after an hour of waiting. This is where it starts, she thought, no turning back. Tari focused on the sounds of the doors amongst the loud noises of the crowd talking to each other. No one seemed to notice the sound of harsh locks on the door.

She continuously searched the environment, her heart thumping viciously as if it’s trying to break out of her chest. In her smaller box, she recognized four other names from the list. Jaemin and Jeno weren’t there, although they were born the same year and from the North Water Tribe. Then again, they were cancelled out as they ‘showed no signs of being the Avatar’ when visiting Roddie’s house, according to the sheet.

And within minutes, the stage went dark.

“Good evening.” A haunting voice echoed off the floors, bouncing off each body. “I am the leader, Amon.” It sounded almost ghostly yet mechanical. “We are creating a society where no one will have to live in fear again.” From the voice, Tari could describe them as confident, regretless, and eerie.

Suddenly, the lights went back up. A man wearing a mask stood in the center, where the shrine was, with G-Dragon and the Big Bang Crew chained. At every side of the square box, there was a table with someone there. Hundreds and hundreds of metal bands rested there. But dead center - just right behind the man, was a large box that looked like a soundproof booth.  “We will be implementing measures to ensure your bending goes to check.” She heard groans from the audience, people trying to push through. “This is a mandatory change, and you will be arrested as soon as you leave the building.” The movement in the crowd stopped.

“Now,” Amon paused for dramatic effect, “are you ready to be equalized?”

She knows it has to be now, she knows this is it. But she wanted to make sure everyone is okay. She felt the breath leaving her chest when she realized she won’t be able to see Doyoung and Johnny – her usual peace of mind.

Tari looked across the crowd to look at the earth nation section. She saw Jisung and Sonan standing within a feet of each other, looking over to her.

You ready? She mouthed.

Jisung closed his eyes and nodded, she turned to Sonan who gave her a look that reminded Tari to do what she needs to do, to do whatever it takes.

And then with the click of the button, the stadium went dark and the only thing she could hear were thousands of screams.

request anything for future parts / penny for your thoughts here

[27emailsicantsend]

Could you possible write a dumbass trio fic where they start a band together!!

Author’s Note: This took way too freaking long for me to write and I am so sorry. I got caught up in my AU, but I’m finally getting to writing my requests, and I wanted to start with this one because you have been patiently waiting for it. :) Everything historically reference is canon to the show and based off of the show’s timeline with the Bash-Mitzvah, I’m assuming Cyrus’ birthday is in mid-May when this takes place. They’re also sophomores in high school. Also, I’m lazy and probably won’t go back and check for typo’s, so sorry if there are some. This was fun to write though, so thank you!

Dare for a Dare: A Dumba$$ Trio One Shot

Jonah

“Jonah, you have seriously come so far. You’re almost better than me dude,” Bowie said with a wink. Jonah and Bowie had just finished another practice session at the Red Rooster. When Andi’s family moved to be closer to SAVA, Jonah continued to practice guitar every day after school. It was the only outlet he had for his anxiety, so his consistent practicing became life saving for him. When Andi decided to come back to Grant to be with her friends sophomore year, Bowie took his job back and started training Jonah in many other areas of instruments. He learned guitar, improved his singing, did decent on the drums, but also got his head stuck in a tuba and his finger stuck in a flute. He decided to stick to guitar.

“I am better than you,” Jonah retorted, with a joking undertone. “I love playing so much. I wouldn’t be nearly this good if you guys hadn’t moved back”.

“We’re happy to be back too, kid,” Bowie said as he stood up and gave Jonah’s shoulder a friendly pat. “Don’t forget to put your music stand away,” Bowie called over his shoulder. 

Jonah packed up his guitar and shut the case. He knew about all of the stickers on the case, but rarely gave second thought to them. This time he decided to observe them more closely. This was Bowie’s old guitar, so they were stickers from different places he toured. There was even a worn out picture of Bex scotch-taped to the side. Jonah gave it a small smile. 

His mind couldn’t help but think about how fun Bowie’s tour days must have been. On the road with his friends, not a care in the world, playing music and making money- it felt like the dream. Jonah knew he was pretty good and a lot of musicians start around the same age as him. Jonah was typically not an impulsive person, but he knew he wasn’t going to make a living off of ultimate frisbee the rest of his life. He realized if he wanted to make his music career happen, he was going to need to start now. And even if it flopped, it would be good experience.

“Hey, Bowie!” Jonah called out.

Bowie came speed walking back into the room. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“I think... I want to start a band”. As Jonah said this, he made eye contact with Bowie. Instead of being surprised, Bowie’s face widened into a massive grin.

TJ

“For the 100th time, I won’t do it,” TJ said sternly to Cyrus. The two of them were sitting in the choir room, having lunch. TJ had convinced Cyrus that it would be fun to see the view from the roof of the school. The teachers did not find it fun and put them in lunch detention. It felt like de-ja-vu from the first time they got detention together, stealing golf carts. 

“Please,” Cyrus begged. “No one will even be able to hear you”.

TJ got a mischievous look in his eye. “Dare for a Dare”.

“NO,” Cyrus immediately rejected. “I won’t. That is literally how we ended up here in the first place”. This was a game TJ invented shortly after he and Cyrus stole golf carts in eighth grade. Cyrus had been trying to work on his confidence and grow outside his safety bubble and this was an easy way to help him with that. The rules are simple: If someone is dared to do something and they do it, the other person has to take on a dare as well. Backing out after already promising Dare for a Dare makes the loser have to buy the winner Baby Taters for a month. Both boys didn’t have jobs (at least that’s what most people thought), so it would wipe either of their savings pretty quickly to lose- thus, the stakes were high.

“Fine then, I won’t do it,” TJ compromised.

“But TJ it’s almost my birthday and all I want is one rap from you,” Cyrus guilted TJ.

“My rapping days are over, Cyrus, you know that. Somehow everyone found out about my rap for Buffy,” TJ shot a glare at Cyrus, “so no, I won’t do it. Beg all you want- it’s not happening”.

Cyrus looked defeated, yet he continued to persist. “TJ, I told you I’m sorry about that. Buffy and I just thought it was really good so we made that video copying it to honor you. We weren’t trying to get the whole school to rap it to you- that was completely unintentional!”

“I told you, I won’t do it, Cy. My music days are over”. Just as TJ said this, as if fate itself had walked through the door, Jonah busted into the choir room.

“Jonah?!” Cyrus and TJ shrieked in unison from the jump-scare.

“What are you doing here?” TJ asked.

“I actually came to practice... wait, why are you guys here?”

Cyrus looked at TJ as if to say, “care to explain?” with his eyes.

TJ heaved a large breath, “Cyrus dared me to eat every lunch special at the spoon in one day, so I dared him to climb to the roof of the school with me and...”

“You got caught?” Jonah finished.

TJ and Cyrus nodded shamefully.

“Well, I’m actually kind of glad both of you are here. I am considering starting a band, but I don’t know anyone else in the school who does music”. Cyrus immediately looked at TJ and TJ shook his head ‘no’.

Jonah didn’t seem to notice so he continued. “I thought about asking Bowie, but I feel like he wouldn’t want to be in a band with a sixteen year old, so that’s when I thought that maybe I could make one of those cool layered videos. You know the ones? Where it’s me playing all of the instruments, but I layer it so it sounds like one song. I need piano and drums so I thought I would come in here and practice piano- if that’s alright with you guys”.

TJ gestured at the piano, “all yours”.

Jonah sat on the bench and pulled out some sheet music. It was printed, but looked fairly simple. He touched each key with shaky hands, pausing every few minutes to push the sheet music up with his other hand. He eventually gave up and only played the song with one hand, while holding the music consistently with the other.

TJ cut off his playing with a question, “you ok there? Looks like you’re struggling a bit”.

“I can’t keep the music up. Would one of you mind holding it for me?”

“Here, try this,” TJ said as he pulled a small silver “w” shaped item out of his bag. He slipped it over the papers, holding them perfectly in place.

“Whoa, that’s so cool- where did you get it?” Jonah asked, impressed.

“Uh... well... remember when I played piano at Andi’s Party in eighth grade? That’s because I had been taking lessons. Now I teach piano to some of the kids that used to go to the gym I worked at. So I just always have this in my bag”.

“Cyrus, did you know about this?” Jonah asked.

“Yes, but TJ doesn’t like talking about his musical abilities because of... something that happened a couple years ago, so I never told anyone”.

“Which I appreciate,” TJ said as he wrapped his arm around Cyrus’ shoulders and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. 

“I completely forgot you played piano, TJ!” Jonah exclaimed. “Why don’t you join my band? It would be so fun and we could make some amazing music”.

“I’m sorry, but no. I don’t want anyone in our school knowing I play”.

Jonah looked glum as he sat quietly for a couple of minutes with the boys. But then, inspiration struck. Jonah pulled a ski mask out of his backpack. Since it was the end of the school year, Jonah had been cleaning out his locker earlier and found a ski mask he ended up having to use for a particularly cold, windy day during the winter.

“Do you think you could play with this on?” Jonah asked.

“Erm... let me see”. TJ slipped the cotton mask over his head and went to the piano. He effortlessly began to play Moonlight Sonata. Jonah and Cyrus exchanged positive glances.

“TJ, would you like to join my band? No one will know it is you, it will give you something fun to do, and it could be really good practice to help you teach those kids”.

TJ pulled the mask off his head and ran his fingers through his thick blonde hair. “Absolutely,” he said grinning.

Marty

Buffy was sitting at Marty’s kitchen counter, watching him quietly put away dishes. He was humming to himself as he stacked each plate in neatly. He shut the door to the dishwasher and it began to whir, making a gentle steam sound.

He walked over to the counter across from Buffy and leaned over it, giving her a quick peck on the lips. “You ready to go do homework?”

“Am I ever ready?” Buffy asked un-amused. 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Marty giggled to himself.

Buffy sighed as she hopped down from the stool and grabbed her backpack. They walked up to his bedroom, sat on the floor, and began to work.

About two hours later, books and papers were sprawled around them. Buffy was now laying on her stomach in Marty’s hoodie (because the AC in his house was too cold for her), and Marty was thinking carefully about a math problem. He bit his pencil eraser in concentration and began to write, humming again.

“What’s that song you keep humming?” Buffy asked.

“Huh?” Marty asked as his head snapped up from the world his head was in.

“The song? You’ve been humming it all day. It’s kinda good- I was just wondering what song it was?”

“Oh, it’s called ‘Beautiful’ by Bazzi. I’m surprised you haven’t heard it. It was pretty big a few years ago”.

“Yeah, I never have... but I’ve never even really heard you sing before. Can you sing?”

“Ah... I don’t know,” Marty replied shyly. “I never really tried”.

About two hours later, after they had all finished eating dinner, Buffy and Marty laid on the couch, cuddling. He had his arm behind her, holding her up from rolling off. She was using his chest as a pillow. He began to sing, not hum, the song from earlier quietly in her ear as he traced his fingers gently up and down her arm.

Buffy began to melt. His voice was simple and pure. It took no effort for him to sing each note on pitch and keep the sound warm. He was naturally gifted- there was no question about it. When he finished singing, Buffy sat up, twisting her head to look at him. He continued to stay laying down, but scooted his body so his back was more propped against the arm rest.

“Marty, you can sing,” she said sincerely.

“What? No. That’s not true,” Marty said, blushing and looking down.

“Marty, I’m not messing around. You can sing and you’re really good. No one has told you this before?”

“I guess I never really sing in front of people. You’re my girlfriend, so I felt comfortable. But now I feel uncomfortable,” Marty swung his legs behind Buffy so that he was sitting upright on the couch again.

“I didn’t say that to make you uncomfortable,” Buffy said, slightly annoyed. “I said it because I meant it. It’s a real talent you have and you could do so much with it”.

Marty scoffed, “like what? Join a band?”

Buffy rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek. “Whatever you would like,” she said as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders and laid her head down on the one closest to her.

The Band

The next day, was a beautiful Saturday with a lot of sunshine and birds chirping freely. Marty and Buffy walked hand in hand down the main street of Shadyside. They saw Jonah as they passed Red Rooster. Buffy nodded her head in the direction of the window and the two walked in.

“Hey Jonah,” Buffy said as the two sat down on the couch. He was sitting on the coffee table playing the same chord progression over and over. He seemed to keep getting stuck at the same note.

“Hey guys, how are you?” He fumbled the progression again.

“Good,” Buffy replied. “What are you up to?”

“I’m trying to get this chord progression, but I keep fumbling on the G”.

“Can I see?” Marty asked.

“Sure,” Jonah said as he gave him a suspicious look, but handed the guitar over anyway.

Marty set the guitar in his lap and played the chord perfectly. “You were holding your hand wrong. This is how you play it”. Marty showed him once again.

Buffy watched with a bewildered look in her eye. “What else do I not know about you?”

Marty shrugged casually and handed the guitar back to Jonah. Jonah tried the way Marty showed him and got the progression immediately. “Whoa! Thanks dude!” He said, beaming. “I had no idea you played guitar!”

“Neither did I,” Buffy shot back.

“Oh, it’s just a little side hobby I’ve been learning,” Marty said, nonchalant.

They all sat in silence for a moment, then Jonah asked, “hey, I know this is weird, but how would you feel about joining a band?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Marty asked.

“No, I’m dead serious,” Jonah said and the look on his face showed he meant it. “You’re really good. That’s a hard progression and you got it immediately. I’m starting a band to help with my music career and I would love another person in it”.

“Would it just be us two?” Marty asked, more interested now.

“Well, there is one other person... but he asked to remain anonymous to the general public. You’ll know who it is when you see him”.

“Marty, you should also tell Jonah you can sing”.

This time, it was Jonah’s turn to look bewildered at Marty. “You can sing too??”

“Apparently,” Marty said, unenthusiastic.

“And he’s really good,” Buffy supported him. “Sing that song you sang to me earlier”.

Marty obliged. When he finished singing, all Jonah could say was, “whoa”. 

Buffy shook her head, “I know”.

On Sunday, Marty was in the kitchen having a snack with Buffy, when he heard his doorbell ring. The band was going to have their first practice, so it must have been Jonah and the “mysterious piano player” at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Marty said, mouth full of oreos. He swung the door open and was greeted by three faces: Jonah, TJ, and Cyrus. “Hey guys! Come on in!”

The boys gave each other fist bumps and bro-hugs to greet one another (except Cyrus who insisted on gentle, long hugs from each of them). They all made their way to the kitchen. Buffy saw Cyrus and immediately began to bust up laughing. “Ok, now I know this is a joke. Cyrus does not have musical ability”.

“Hey!” Cyrus retorted offensively.

“You know it’s true,” Buffy countered.

“I know...” Cyrus said glumly.

“Actually,” Jonah said, pulling TJ in for a side-hug, “TJ is going to be our piano player. But he can’t if he gets made fun of again. You and Cyrus have to promise not to make a video mocking him again. We don’t need a ‘rapping incident’ repeated”. 

“You take the fun out of everything,” Buffy pouted.

“Buffy... I really need you to cooperate. This will be helpful for all of us, including your boyfriend,” Jonah lectured. Buffy looked over at Marty, who was standing in the most uncomfortably correct posture she had ever seen.

“Fine...,” Buffy cowered down.

“Well, let’s go make some music boys!” Jonah exclaimed.

The five of them went into Marty’s basement and began to set up. He had a keyboard, his guitar, an old drum set from when his dad was in a high school jazz band, some music recording equipment that his older sister used at times, and a old, raggedy blue couch. The boys began to set up and choose who would play what. Jonah could also play drums, so they decided that he would switch between bass and drums depending on the song. TJ took keyboard, which left Marty with lead guitar and singer. All three boys could sing, so they decided to try and alternate who was singing at times. Cyrus and Buffy laid on the couch talking and browsing their phones while they half-listened to the boys practice. The practice was rough, but they figured it was because it was their first time playing together.

“Even though it was rough, I’m really impressed. Hey, would you guys be willing to play at my birthday party? It’s two weeks from now,” Cyrus asked, hopeful.

The boys looked at each other uncomfortably for a minute and then Jonah caved, “sure”.

TJ began to panic. “What? No! We won’t be ready by then. I won’t be ready be then, especially”.

“TJ,” Jonah said sympathetically, “we have a cover for you, we have a couple weeks to practice and it’s Cyrus’ birthday. We should do it”.

“I don’t know...” TJ hesitated.

“Dare for a Dare,” Cyrus said. This peaked TJ’s interest.

Buffy shook her head, “oh no”. She hated this game.

“I’m listening,” TJ said.

“You perform at my birthday and you can dare me. You can wear the mask, exit off stage quietly, we won’t have to say anything about you playing”.

“Ok, fine,” TJ said thoughtfully. “But you have to perform a solo dance number at your birthday”.

This absolutely terrified Cyrus and the entire room could feel that.

“What if I take on a dare for him?” Marty interjected.

“What do you mean?” TJ asked.

“Exactly what I said. What if I did Dare for a Dare instead. I dare you to perform at the party and you dare me to do something”.

“I guess we could do that...” TJ agreed.

Cyrus let out a giant sigh of relief. “Oh my gosh thank you Marty I thought I was going to die,” Cyrus said in one breath.

“Ok fine. If I play... then you have to juggle five of those baseballs,” TJ said, pointing to a small stack of baseballs in the corner of the basement. 

Marty walked over and without saying a word, picked up five baseballs and juggled them flawlessly. He began to add tricks, throwing them under his leg, behind his head and even to Jonah and catching it when Jonah threw it back.

Buffy’s eyes were wide in amazement. There was nothing he couldn’t do. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said as Marty walked back over, put the baseballs in her arms and kissed her cheek.

The next week and a half was practicing every day after school. The boys began to get really in sync with each other- sounding almost flawless. They were only practicing one song, however. But for them, practicing it that much made them sound like an actual band. Buffy and Cyrus got bored after the first practice so they would hang out at Buffy’s house while the boys practiced.

Cyrus was going through Buffy’s closet, when he came across a feathered boah. He took one end and flipped it over his shoulder. “How do I look?” he asked Buffy, one arm on his hip.

“Stunning as always,” Buffy encouraged. She stood up and put a black fedorah on her head. “How am I?”

“Beautiful as always,” Cyrus parroted.

They giggled for a minute, until Cyrus looked sad. He took the boah off and placed it back on it’s hook.

“What’s up?” Buffy asked sincerely. She took the hat off and they both walked over to her bed and sat down.

“Do you think the band will actually play? I feel really bad we ruined TJ’s music career. I think he’s really talented, but because of us he wouldn’t talk about music for almost two years. I feel like he’s ashamed because of me. I didn’t even know he was still playing and teaching piano until a few months ago. I mean, how do you go that long without knowing something like that about your own boyfriend?”

“Trust me. I get it,” Buffy said, unamused.

The night of Cyrus’ birthday party all of the boys were getting ready to play backstage. Marty was warming up his voice, TJ was massaging his hands, and Jonah was tuning the strings on Marty’s guitar. Cyrus walked in and handed TJ his mask. “For you,” he said as he stood on his tiptoes to kiss his boyfriend’s cheek. TJ looked solemnly at the mask.

“So I realized, I need to introduce you, but you guys don’t have a band name,” Cyrus said.

“I guess with all of the practicing we’ve been doing, we haven’t even thought of one,” Jonah remarked.

“I mean, they might be fine without a name,” Buffy stated. She was laying in a chair with her legs draped over the edge while she picked at a chocolate chip cookie. “Like, think about it, the only reason TJ agreed to do this was because of Dare for a Dare”.

While Buffy giggled to herself, all of the boys looked at each other and shouted in unison, “DARE FOR A DARE!”

They each began to shout, “Buffy, you’re a genius!” “That’s the perfect name!” “I love it!”

Buffy wanted to be proud, but she felt more annoyed than anything that that stupid game is what became their band name.

“I love it,” Marty said as he kissed the tip of her nose.

She just smiled as she said, “yeah, yeah, yeah” and shooed him off.

Cyrus looked at his watch, “crap! It’s time! You ready?”

All of the boys hesitated to smile, but nodded that they were. Cyrus ran on stage and introduced them.

“... and now I present, Dare for a Dare!”

The boys walked out on stage. They were in a rec center that had a small performing stage. There were a ton of people at this party and it reminded them of his Bar Mitzvah. Buffy and Cyrus ran to where the crowd was as the boys began to sing. Suddenly, halfway through the song, TJ ripped off his mask, came around from the piano, mic in hand and screamed, “and this one is for the birthday boy!”

He rapped the best birthday rap Cyrus had ever heard in his life. Everyone clapped and cheered when the boys finished and all of them ran off stage. Buffy couldn’t resist herself and immediately kissed Marty the second he was next to her. Jonah ran off to talk to some friends. TJ walked over to Cyrus shyly. “How did I do?”

Cyrus’ eyes were wide. “That. Was. Perfect. I loved it!” TJ giggled a sigh of relief and hugged Cyrus. The rest of the night the band and all of their loved ones danced, laughed, and joked around together. It was the start of a beautiful era.

Requested by: @losrgeekwhatevr

[matthewfairchildfanclub]

One shot of kit,ty and dru giving romantic advice to their nephews o maybe a christmas whit all the Blackthorns?

Songs to go with it :) 

That’s Christmas To Me: Pentatonix 

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year: Pentatonix

All I Want For Christmas Is You: Mariah Carey

Silent Night: Pentatonix

Rockin Around The Christmas Tree: Brenda Lee

Blackthorn Christmas 

Shadowhunters don’t really celebrate mundane holidays, with the exception of the New York Institute where Clary and Simon make sure the New York Shadowhunters celebrate every single one. But Christmas was one holiday that Julian and Emma could never let just slip past them. 

All the Blackthorns had gone through such a traumatic experience during the past year. Julian wanted to make sure that they had the best Christmas. And since it doesn't snow in the City of Angels, Julian rented a cabin for the family in Colorado. 

It was dark outside, but the stars were shining high above. And Christmas lights were strung from almost every neighboring Cabin, lighting the night up in a way that was breathtaking. 

Julian suddenly felt himself getting dragged by the wrist off the porch and into the snow. Emma was giggling as they stopped right in the middle of the yard. Her hair was braided back and tucked into the hood of her bright blue coat, but a few golden strands were falling out around her face. Julian wrapped his finger around one of the strands and planted a kiss on Emma’s lips. He could feel Emma’s smile as she pulled away, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. 

“We’re making snow angels now.” She dropped down into the snow and spread out her arms and legs, moving them in and out. Julian laughed but followed her lead. 

Emma had stopped and was staring at the sky in wonder. “You gotta’ carry me,” she said. 

Julian laughed. “What?” 

“You gotta’ carry me. If you think I’m about to ruin Gerald, you are mistaken.” 

“Gerald?” 

“My Snow Angel that I just worked so hard on. Now help me up.” Emma held out her arms like a little kid. Julian rolled his eyes but picked her up bridal style then dropped her in the snow a few feet away from Gerald. 

That’s when the rest of the Blackthorns came running out of the house, all dressed in coats, hats, scarves, gloves, boots, snow pants, and probably doubled socks. Courtesy of Helen, Julian could only assume. 

Tavvy was at the front of the group, Mark sprinting right behind him. Mark grabbed Tavvy by the waist and Tavvy let out a squeal of delight as Mark flung him over his shoulder then tossed him into the snowbank. 

“Again, again!” Tavvy shouted, lifting his arms up to Mark, who picked him up and threw him right back in, laughing. 

Dru and Ty were already chucking snowballs at each other. Helen and Aline sat on the porch and watched the rather chaotic scene before them, both sipping mugs of hot chocolate.  

“Watch out Ty!” Emma shouted, packing snow together to make a ball, then throwing it at Ty, who was trying to stay hidden behind a giant pine tree covered with snow. Emma missed Ty, but her snowball hit one of the tree branches. Snow came down in heap, falling right on top of him.

“By the Angel,” Emma said, about to fall over laughing. Dru ran over to help uncover her brother from the heap of snow. Ty’s eyes were shining with a kind of happiness Julian hadn’t seen since Livvy passed. 

“Let’s make a snowman family!” Emma exclaimed, giddy. She quickly started rolling up a huge ball of snow. Then she stopped. “Helen, Aline, you have to help.” She abandoned her half rolled up snowball to run over to Helen and grab her wrist, hauling her off the porch. Hot chocolate sloshed out of the edge of Helen’s mug. Aline grabbed it from her and set both of their mugs on the porch. 

About thirty minutes later, they had a whole snowman family. The Blackthorns. And the addition of Cristina, Kieran, and Diana.  

“It’s Livvy,” Tavvy said, writing Livia’s name in the snow in front of his snowman that was twice the size of him. Julian watched as Ty’s smile faltered for a minute, but he looked up over his shoulder and his smile seemed to grow bigger. Julian reached out and ruffled Ty’s hair. He leaned into the gesture. It felt as if someone was squeezing Julian’s heart. 

“I forgot!” Emma suddenly took off inside. “We haven’t made cookies!” 

“Jules, we have to make cookies for Santa!” Tavvy shouted, taking after Emma. 

Everyone filed inside, stripping off their layers. Emma was blaring Christmas music from her speaker and was using a spatula as a microphone. 

As Julian and Mark got out the cooking pans and cookie sheets, Emma was singing the opening to “All I Want For Christmas Is You” giving the Blackthorns a full performance. She then bumped into Julian’s shoulder. She winked at him, trying to get him to join in on the song. Julian sighed but he knew he was smiling, he could never say no to Emma. 

“I don’t want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need,”  He sang into the spatula. Emma giggled then took it back, continuing to belt out the rest of the song while dancing around the kitchen in her pajama pants, pointing at Julian whenever the word “you” was sung. 

“I want to make a cookie that looks like Santa Clause,” Tavvy said, digging around in the bag of cookie cutters Helen had brought. 

“That would be cannibalism, Tavvy,” Dru said, pressing down a reindeer cookie cutter into the dough. 

“What’s cannibalism?” Tavvy looked to Ty. 

“It’s where-” Mark cut Ty off. 

“It’s a made-up word,” Mark said quickly. 

“I don’t get why he can’t know what it is.” 

“He’ll have nightmares,” Helen explained to Ty. 

“Oh.” 

Emma helped with cookie cutters and taking the cookies out of the oven, and that’s about it. She then ate about five cookies while Mark lectured her about how she shouldn’t get to eat any because she didn’t help. To which Emma laughed and ate another one. 

“I think Santa would actually enjoy a glass of Vodka more than a glass of milk,” Aline said, grabbing the milk out of the fridge. 

“We are not giving Santa a glass of Vodka,” said Helen, taking the bottle off the counter and back into whatever cabinet Aline had managed to find it in. Emma got out a mug with a little Santa Clause doing a somersault painted onto it. 

Helen had demanded that they all watch a Christmas movie before bed. So they were now all scattered among different couches and chairs covered with blankets and watching Elf while eating cookies. Emma had her head resting on Julian’s shoulder as he played with her hair. Tavvy was squished in between Helen and Aline and Mark, Ty, and Dru all sat in a row on the biggest couch. 

“You know, this guy kind of reminds me of Mark,” Dru said, as Will Ferrell or Buddy wandered the streets of New York in a pair of tights. 

“I am not a giant man baby,” Mark defended himself, sending the group into hysterics. 

“He’s not a man baby, he’s an elf,” said Emma. “And it does remind me of Mark. Maybe a little more of Kieran, though.” 

“I definitely see it,” Julian agreed. 

Everyone had retired to their rooms after the movie, exhausted from the night in the snow. 

Emma crawled right into bed, shutting the lamp on the bedside table off. Julian crawled in next to her. She rolled over and planted a kiss on his lips. 

“I love you,” She whispered. “More than starlight.” she then turned over on her side and was silent. Julain felt the familiar squeeze of his heart. He wrapped an arm around Emma then closed his own eyes, letting the darkness take him away. 

Emma was still asleep around nine o'clock in the morning. Tavvy should be rushing in here any minute to wake them up. Aline and Helen had taken on the role of Santa Clause this year, so Julian hadn’t had to worry about filling the stockings last night. 

The snow was falling delicately from the blue sky, landing soundlessly and disappearing into the heaps of snow that had already fallen. The snowmen they had made lined the yard. Livvy’s name was still there, just barely, written in Tavvy’s handwriting. 

He burst through the door. “It’s Christmas! We have to open presents. Memma’!” Tavvy shouted, jumping on the bed and pouncing on Emma. “Memma, wake up!” She groaned then rubbed her eyes. “Memma, Santa came, let’s go!” He tugged on her wrist, trying to drag her out of bed. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” She said, flinging the covers off of her and stepping out of bed. She stretched out her arms and legs once before following Tavvy down the stairs into the living room, where everyone was already waiting.  A Christmas Story was playing on the TV and Dru and Ty were looking through their stockings. 

Julian and Emma took a seat on the floor as Tavvy took over handing out gifts. 

“This one is foe Memma,” He said, handing her a wrapped box from Helen. “And this one’s for Julian.” 

Emma ended up getting handed a fishbowl, with a goldfish in it. From Mark. “It’s Magnus Junior,” Mark explained making Emma fall over with laughter. 

Once everyone had all their gifts, they started unwrapping. Giving out laughs and thank you’s and “awe, I’m going to cry, you’re so sweet.” And lots of hugs. 

Julian looked around the room. This was all he had ever wanted. For them to be a family. A family with Mark and Helen and Aline and Emma. Though it still felt like there was an empty space, a hole in the family that could never be filled or forgotten. Livvy would have loved this. She would have been dancing around the kitchen with Emma the other night, helping Ty find the exact way to make the cookies the best, making fun of Mark and Kieran with Dru, sitting on the porch with Helen and Aline drinking hot chocolate. She would have covered the whole yard in snow angels and then covered them up to make more. 

And as much as it hurt, not having her here with them, Julian knew the last thing Livvy would want is from them to mope around, waiting for her to come back. Something that could never happen. She would want them to laugh, and watch stupid movies, and celebrate Christmas. Even if Julian would still count a kid missing when he made sure everyone was in the room. Even if he would almost buy something at the store because he knew Livvy would love it. 

Emma was smiling so bright it was almost blinding. Helen finally looked at peace, her constant eyebags almost all the way gone. Aline had abandoned her resting face for a small smile that reached her eyes for once. Mark was making faces at the fish in the bowl. Tavvy was running his remote control car into a wall repeatedly. And Ty was flipping through every single one of his limited edition Sherlock Holmes books, his eyes bright with wonder. Dru was explaining to Helen and Aline how they would have to watch all the old horror movies she had gotten with her, and Helen and Aline were agreeing, making her whole face light up. Christmas music was playing lightly in the background. 

Julian couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this genuinely happy. 

[shyvioletcat]

Show Me: Part 6 - Rowaelin

Sorry, I meant to post this on the weekend but I was just crazy exhausted and my writing needed heavy editing. This is the second last part. Next weekend will be the final chapter. I’m actually really excited because I’ve never finished a fic before. Thanks to these lovely people for following and asking to be tagged.

@huntress-of-velaris @aelin-and-feyre @ohmyrowan @viajandosinalas@until-theveryend @rowanismybae @bluephoenix222 @fucking-winchester-trash

Special shout out to @nish247. I think you asked to get tagged ages ago and I forgot. Sorry about that. 

If you want to be tagged or I’ve missed you let me know and I’ll add you to the list. 

~~~~~

Aelin was deflecting, and avoiding, and straight up denying any attempt by Rowan or the others to get her to play the beautiful new instrument that had arrived weeks ago.

Aelin wanted to play, she was yearning for it. But she had had lost count of the many times she sat on the bench and felt nothing. She had tapped at the keys and Rowan had even bought her an array of sheet music, just to give her that extra bit of encouragement. Aelin looked at the notes and at the keys that would bring the music to life but couldn’t bring herself to do it. 

She loved the pianoforte. It made her heart ache at how much thought Rowan had put towards the gesture. She just couldn’t bring herself to play. When Rowan had been in the room during her attempts Aelin saw him become alert, his pine green eyes intent on her. She refused to see them when they fell when nothing became of it.

Besides all that Aelin was tired.

The moments she had sat down at the instrument were stolen between meetings or before she succumbed to complete exhaustion then collapsed into bed. They had been to the theatre a couple of times and each time the music swept Aelin away, but her own expression was a void

Aelin was now hunched over her desk, going over the reports for the upcoming trade agreements with Adarlan. They seemed fair enough, she hadn’t expected Dorian to try and cheat her country of anything, it was practically an agreement between friends. But she needed to be well versed it what was being requested and also given, she didn’t want to seem like a unaware young woman who let those around her run the country. She wanted to show whoever Dorian was going to send that she did her job. And she did her job well.

Finishing the page Aelin lent back in her chair and wondered who in fact Dorian would send. Obviously not Chaol. First of all, Aelin was sure it wasn’t exactly part of his job description. And secondly, he had a small baby. She doubted her loyal hearted friend would want to leave his wife and daughter anytime soon. The thought of Chaol being a father brought a smile to her face. Aelin couldn’t help but smile as she wondered how he  had gone during the birth. Maybe Yrene educated him enough that he was less likely to bolt from the room, red faced when faced with the functionings of the female body.

There was a knock at the door and Aelin called for them to come in. Nox stepped into Aelin’s study and gave a quick bow.

“Majesty, the trade delegation from Adarlan is here.”

Aelin just stared at him for a moment, then tilted her head. “Pardon?”

“The trade delegation. They’ve arrived.”

“They’re no supposed to arrive for days,” Aelin said as she squeezed the bridge of her nose. Then she sighed. Her hands were covered in ink and her clothes were rumpled and a little too casual for meeting an official political delegation. “Thank you, Nox.”

Nox nodded and then left.

Taking one last glance at the trade agreement, Aelin left her study and made her way back to her private chambers to quickly bath and change to officially greet her visitors. She entered her suite of rooms assuming she’d be alone, Rowan was off in the city doing something that didn’t require fine clothes. So when she saw a male figure standing in her lounge area she halted and went for the non existent weapon at her side. Then she realised who it was and let out a broken laugh.

“Dorian?”

~~~~~

Dorian turned as he heard his name and smiled at the Queen of Terrasen. She came out of what he assumed was a defensive stance and walked towards him. He met her halfway with an embrace which she readily returned, they held onto each other tightly for a moment. Aelin’s eyes were shining when she pulled away and Dorian felt emotion rising in his own chest.

“You’re the trade delegation?” Aelin asked as she took him in.

Dorian gave an indulgent shrug, “I wanted to make sure you weren’t taking my country for all it’s worth.”

Aelin laughed, wiping at her eyes . “These surprises will be the end of me.”

Dorian laughed at that and went to say something along the lines of you get what you’re given, but Aelin held up her hand and waved him off.

“I know, I know,” she said, “Rowan’s already lectured me. Multiple times.”

Dorian now took in Aelin as she had him. She looked well. Healthy. But Rowan was right, there was something missing. Just that little spark. He wasn’t surprised, a little concerned maybe, but he was pressed to think of anyone who wasn’t still harbouring some form of scar after the war. Aelin led them to a couch and they sat.

“How’s Chaol? And Yrene? How are you?” Aelin rattled off and she tucked her feet under her, facing him with her arm stretched along the back of the couch.

“They’re both… tired,” Dorian said with a smile. “Myria has her father wrapped around her little finger. Yrene adores watching them together. But a baby is hard work, especially when they’re both working so hard for our country.”

Aelin was smiling, “and?”

Dorian bristled. By that wicked grin he knew what was coming, but decided to bait her anyway. “And what?”

“How are you? How are you… and Manon?”

“I think I’m much like you,” Dorian said. “Tired to my bones, barely a moment of peace. But I am well. As well as I can be.”

Aelin just gave him a long look. It made Dorian laugh.

“Manon is well,” Dorian said with a shrug, “you could ask her yourself. She’s here. That’s how I got here. Much quicker to travel by wyvern”

Aelin’s eyebrows rose in surprise, a knowing smile on her lips.

But Dorian’s face fell when he said, “She’s down on the plain.”

The two friends became quiet at that. Indeed. Everyone was carrying scars.

To make sure Aelin didn’t pry further into his and Manon’s personal life Dorian turned to the pianoforte that had become the feature of the room. He’d seen it before. He was glad it had arrived all the way from Adarlan unscathed.

“That,” Dorian said with a nod to the pianoforte, “is a beautiful instrument. That colour… it’s like whoever commissioned that knew you very well.”

Aelin gaped at him a little and Dorian smiled.

“It was you! You helped Rowan with all of it!” She gave his shoulder a shove. “How did I not think of that before.”

“Most likely because you haven’t had a moment of quiet to think about it. He didn’t tell you?” Dorian asked as he rose from the couch and went to the instrument.

“No,” Aelin replied as she followed. “Rowan said something about a gentleman having his secrets. I reminded him he’s about the furthest you can get from being a real gentleman but he still wouldn’t tell me.”

Dorian sat on the bench and patted the seat next to him, Aelin complied and sat down next to him. “I would say he’s genteel enough.”

Aelin gave a snort of laughter. Aelin still didn’t reach for the keys so he did. With one hand he started to play a simple child’s song.

“I didn’t know you played,” Aelin said, pretended shock in her voice.

“My mother had me take lessons, but I developed other pursuits,” he said glancing at Aelin.

Aelin laughed and gave him a knowing look.

“I was talking about sword fighting, Aelin,” Dorian said.

That only made Aelin laugh harder.

Dorian played the song through again and he noticed how intently Aelin watched his fingers.

“I remember,” Dorian said, playing clumsily through a few notes, “a lovely young woman who could play beautifully. She played in a way I had never heard before, she lived through that music.”

Dorian watched as Aelin’s hand hovered over the keys of then curled into a fist, then she rested it down by her thigh. Dorian stopped playing.

“I… I,” Aelin’s voice broke. “I don’t think that woman exists anymore.”

Dorian looked at Aelin, tears were falling down her cheeks and he rested his hand on her still clenched fist.

“Of course she doesn’t. Either does that boy who was reckless enough to fall for an assassin,” Dorian smiled as Aelin let out a shuddering laugh. “There was no outcome from what we went through that would let us remain whole. Everyone lost a part of themselves, for good or for bad.”

“I know,” Aelin said as she wiped her cheek with her sleeve. “But that part of my soul, my mortal soul, it… died. It held so much of who I was. I want it to be part of me again, I want to feel those things again. But they’re gone.”

Dorian wrapped his arm around his friend, pulling her closer to him.

“I shut off many parts of myself. Buried them so deep it took me a long time to reconnect with those parts. Which I know is nothing compared to what happened to you. But…” Dorian took in a deep breath as he thought of Chaol, of Manon, even Aelin, “But the thing is it took me realising that there is no going back, our only choice move forward and to rediscover or reforge those missing parts of us. I didn’t find myself, I didn’t heal, alone. We’re here Aelin. You ask and any of us will be there for you. Anyone of of your friends, your family, will do anything you ask of us. Just say what you need and it’s yours.”

“I know, I know,” Aelin said quietly. “I just don’t know how.”

Dorian sat there with his arm around his friend, waiting for Aelin to move away, letting her decide when she had taken all the comfort she needed.

It was a long while before Aelin stood up, a small and hopeful smile on her face.

[artificialqueens]

you have (5) new messages. (Branjie) - ohhthereuare

AN: Based on the night Miss Vanjie drunkenly posted some angsty and sad posts to her Instagram Story that she deleted seconds later. She also made some phone calls.

AO3

Brooke’s alarm rang precisely at 7 am and she groaned while reaching out to turn it off. All these years of discipline and waking up at unholy hours before rehearsals and performances did nothing to ease the pain of early mornings. She always kept her phone on silent with no vibrations because God knew she needed those hours of beauty rest to be able to give her all day after day, especially now since her Drag Race career has started and turned everything upside down.

She squinted at her phone in the dark, the curtains blocking some of the rising sun. She was still getting used to the tons of mentions and notifications across all social media that swarmed her every morning but something was off today. There was more than usual. Like, much more. She scrolled down the Instagram and Twitter alerts to the bottom and saw a couple of missed calls from a name that immediately made her heart beat faster and body wake up despite the previous drowsiness.

You have five new messages.

“Hiiiiiii! We out and about todaaaay and having so much fun! Silk’s here and them girls keep buying me shots. There’s some eye-candy as well but none as cute as your ass. Y’know, you could be here tonight, though I know you can’t, not really. So I thought—Bitch, you try that one more time and Imma–”

There was some rustling, someone who sounded suspiciously like Silky yelling in the background and the phone call ended abruptly. Brooke sat up in her bed, leaning against the headboard and running her hand through her curly mess of morning hair. It wasn’t uncommon for Vanessa to go out and get hammered after the gigs with her fellow sisters. From the heavy bass playing, but not being able to overpower Vanjie’s loud voice, they must have been at a club and Brooke knew the routine so well she had no trouble picturing it now. Sweaty and tired bodies, feet hurting from wearing hooker heels, slumping over the bar to down shots and get back to the dancefloor. Lights catching the ever-present remaining glitter on her cheekbones, chest, and shoulders. All the eyes are on her but she doesn’t notice, doesn’t care and keeps dancing with her own eyes closed, yelling the lyrics so loud Brooke never knew how she’s never lost her voice so far.

You have four new messages.

“You must’ve seen it, yeah, I mean, everybody did. I guess the internet is forever, bitch. Just—don’t—I mean, uh, it’s the alcohol, y’know how it turns me into this emotional messy hoe and I’m too much in my head and fuck—Just—Ignore it, okay? That was—Yeah, shit, it’s gone now. It was nothing. Bye.”

Brooke guessed she must have been referring to the thousands of mentions and tagged pictures that she still hasn’t seen. She just hoped it was nothing too inappropriate although with Miss Vanjie you never knew.

You have three new messages.

“I bet you haven’t even listened—Yeah, it doesn’t matter, you don’t really have to. The thing is, it was, y’know, a part of the game. The game! Yeah! The one we keep playing and making everyone believe it’s for real and shit and it was just another thing. So I deleted that and they think it’s even more real because why would’ve I even do that, right? So it’s all good. We’re good.”

You have two new messages.

Brooke waited for a few seconds and the voice on the other end kept silent. Everything was weirdly silent compared to the music and yelling and stumbling words that filled the previous messages. Just some random rustling and murmurs. Brooke was about to move to the last message when someone spoke up.

“You gonna be fine?”

This time it was Silky. She sounded weirdly gentle and quiet. A long murmur came in response. Vanessa must have accidentally called her from what sounded like the inside of her pocket. Brooke kept listening.

“Okay, Imma leave you here, bitch. You sure you gonna be fine?”

“Yeah, yeah…”

There was a sound of someone turning a key and doors opening. Heavy steps thudding in the silence. Suddenly a loud yelp, a few curses muttered under breath and things cluttering against the floor. More rustling. A heavy sigh.

“Ah shit.”

You have one new message.

“Uhm, hi B.”

Brooke pressed the cellphone so hard against her ear she might as well try to put it directly into her brain. People were wrong when they said Vanessa Vanjie Mateo had only one volume. Sure, when everyone was watching, whether she was in or out of drag, her voice was so loud and obnoxious she could wake the dead to make them join her party. Brooke never minded. She loved hearing her like that. All that pure nonsense she was spitting on the daily that she made up as she went. But there was another side to her that the Canadian queen only discovered as she got to know her better, as they got closer. Only then, when it was just the two of them in their quiet corner during Untucked, limbs tangled in the backseat of the van or snuggled on the sofa after a long day of entertaining interviews and gigs, Vanessa was someone else entirely. She was soft and gentle, her voice low and raspy like a cat purring, reserved only for her closest’s one to hear.

“It’s been… A mess. Yeah. I’ve been a mess. Sorry about that. I don’t know why I did that. I mean, I do. I just forgot I guess. That’s it’s not just us now. It’s everybody watching. Like it’s their fucking business. Like they know what’s going on. But they don’t know shit.”

Brooke heard a soft rustling of sheets and she imagined Vanessa settling her small frame into a nest made of out blankets and comforters. She knew the telephone must have been placed at the other side of the bed, on the pillow, the way they would talk on FaceTime to indulge themselves in the illusion that the other person was lying beside them and not so far away. The other queen’s voice was barely above a raspy whisper, the words slurring together a little bit from the alcohol and exhaustion. She took a shaky breath and Brooke closed her eyes as her heart actually hurt in her chest.

“It’s hard, y’know? I mean, of course, you know, that’s why we agreed on this shit show but… I miss you. And watching all that every week, how we were, I mean fuckwe should’ve never given that up. And this thing between us, I can’t—I just miss you. Yeah. It’s hard. Being together is hard like that but being apart and knowing we’re not—It’s the worst. I wanna be with you, B. I don’t care if I’m stuck here and you’re in fucking Canada and shit. I—”

Her voice gradually started getting quieter and quieter and Brooke thought she had fallen asleep with the phone on. 

“Our song. I kept listening to our song. It’s what got me. Damn these fucking love songs. Ne-yo was right, bitch. Am sick of this shit. I just miss you so much, it’s all I can think ‘bout.”

Brooke could hear her breathing slowing down. She imagined those long eyelashes fluttering shut and lips parting before sleep took hold of her. She had often watched Vanessa in those moments as she laid on the Canadian queen’s chest, head tucked in the nook of Brooke’s neck, small limbs wrapped so tightly around her as if she had been scared otherwise Brooke would have gotten up and left. In a way that’s what happened.

“Love you, B.”

The words were breathed out, they almost got lost in the rustling of sheets, cars driving by outside and the deafening sound of Brooke’s heart hammering in her chest. And yet she heard them. And there was nothing she wanted more but to say them back. Right now. In person.

She had a show to do tonight, then a plane to catch later that, no matter what she desperately wanted, didn’t fly to LA. Vanessa would probably be nursing her hangover at home all day before putting on her wig, stunning makeup to cover the events from the night before and taking the stage like everything was fine. They were forced to get on with their separate lives.

Brooke grabbed her phone and jumped out of bed, already opening the cheapest airlines website and going through her schedule in her head. The words stayed engraved into her memory, burning her throat and filling her chest with how badly she wanted to say them back. Soon she would. There was only one thing she needed to do first. She clicked on the contact info and chose FaceTime. She didn’t have to wait long.

“Hi, Papi.”

[ohhthereuare]

you have (5) new messages. (branjie)

A/N. I'm a mess. I did not expect to love Vanessa Vanjie Mateo so much and I certainly did not expect to devote my life to yet another ship. And yet here we are. Let's pray for the happiness of these two together and individually, and our own sanity. Using she/her pronouns about both of the queens. Enjoy!

Based on the night Miss Vanjie drunkenly posted some angsty and sad posts to her Instagram Story that she deleted seconds later. She also made some phone calls.

You can read it on AO3

***

Brooke’s alarm rang precisely at 7 am and she groaned while reaching out to turn it off. All these years of discipline and waking up at unholy hours before rehearsals and performances did nothing to ease the pain of early mornings. She always kept her phone on silent with no vibrations because God knew she needed those hours of beauty rest to be able to give her all day after day, especially now since her Drag Race career has started and turned everything upside down.

She squinted at her phone in the dark, the curtains blocking some of the rising Sun. She was still getting used to the tons of mentions and notifications across all social media that swarmed her every morning but something was off today. There was more than usual. Like, much more. She scrolled down the Instagram and Twitter alerts to the bottom and saw a couple of missed calls from a name that immediately made her heart beat faster and body wake up despite the previous drowsiness.

You have five new messages.

“Hiiiiiii! We out and about todaaaay and having so much fun! Silk’s here and them girls keep buying me shots. There’s some eye-candy as well but none as cute as your ass. Y’know, you could be here tonight, though I know you can’t, not really. So I thought—Bitch, you try that one more time and Imma--”

There was some rustling, someone who sounded suspiciously like Silky yelling in the background and the phone call ended abruptly. Brooke sat up in her bed, leaning against the headboard and running her hand through her curly mess of morning hair. It wasn’t uncommon for Vanessa to go out and get hammered after the gigs with her fellow sisters. From the heavy bass playing, but not being able to overpower Vanjie’s loud voice, they must have been at a club and Brooke knew the routine so well she had no trouble picturing it now. Sweaty and tired bodies, feet hurting from wearing hooker heels, slumping over the bar to down shots and get back to the dancefloor. Lights catching the ever-present remaining glitter on her cheekbones, chest, and shoulders. All the eyes are on her but she doesn't notice, doesn't care and keeps dancing with her own eyes closed, yelling the lyrics so loud Brooke never knew how she's never lost her voice so far.

You have four new messages.

“You must’ve seen it, yeah, I mean, everybody did. I guess the internet is forever, bitch. Just—don’t—I mean, uh, it’s the alcohol, y’know how it turns me into this emotional messy hoe and I’m too much in my head and fuck—Just—Ignore it, okay? That was—Yeah, shit, it’s gone now. It was nothing. Bye.”

Brooke guessed she must have been referring to the thousands of mentions and tagged pictures that she still hasn’t seen. She just hoped it was nothing too inappropriate although with Miss Vanjie you never knew.

You have three new messages.

“I bet you haven’t even listened—Yeah, it doesn’t matter, you don’t really have to. The thing is, it was, y’know, a part of the game. The game! Yeah! The one we keep playing and making everyone believe it’s for real and shit and it was just another thing. So I deleted that and they think it’s even more real because why would’ve I even do that, right? So it’s all good. We’re good.”

You have two new messages.

Brooke waited for a few seconds and the voice on the other end kept silent. Everything was weirdly silent compared to the music and yelling and stumbling words that filled the previous messages. Just some random rustling and murmurs. Brooke was about to move to the last message when someone spoke up.

“You gonna be fine?”

This time it was Silky. She sounded weirdly gentle and quiet. A long murmur came in response. Vanessa must have accidentally called her from what sounded like the inside of her pocket. Brooke kept listening.

“Okay, Imma leave you here, bitch. You sure you gonna be fine?”

“Yeah, yeah…”

There was a sound of someone turning a key and doors opening. Heavy steps thudding in the silence. Suddenly a loud yelp, a few curses muttered under breath and things cluttering against the floor. More rustling. A heavy sigh.

“Ah shit.”

You have one new message.

“Uhm, hi B.”

Brooke pressed the cellphone so hard against her ear she might as well try to put it directly into her brain. People were wrong when they said Vanessa Vanjie Mateo had only one volume. Sure, when everyone was watching, whether she was in or out of drag, her voice was so loud and obnoxious she could wake the dead to make them join her party. Brooke never minded. She loved hearing her like that. All that pure nonsense she was spitting on the daily that she made up as she went. But there was another side to her that the Canadian queen only discovered as she got to know her better, as they got closer. Only then, when it was just the two of them in their quiet corner during Untucked, limbs tangled in the backseat of the van or snuggled on the sofa after a long day of entertaining interviews and gigs, Vanessa was someone else entirely. She was soft and gentle, her voice low and raspy like a cat purring, reserved only for her closest’s one to hear.

“It’s been… A mess. Yeah. I’ve been a mess. Sorry about that. I don’t know why I did that. I mean, I do. I just forgot I guess. That’s it’s not just us now. It’s everybody watching. Like it’s their fucking business. Like they know what’s going on. But they don’t know shit.”

Brooke heard a soft rustling of sheets and she imagined Vanessa settling her small frame into a nest made of out blankets and comforters. She knew the telephone must have been placed at the other side of the bed, on the pillow, the way they would talk on FaceTime to indulge themselves in the illusion that the other person was lying beside them and not so far away. The other queen’s voice was barely above a raspy whisper, the words slurring together a little bit from the alcohol and exhaustion. She took a shaky breath and Brooke closed her eyes as her heart actually hurt in her chest.

“It’s hard, y’know? I mean, of course, you know, that's why we agreed on this shit show but… I miss you. And watching all that every week, how we were, I mean fuckwe should’ve never given that up. And this thing between us, I can’t—I just miss you. Yeah. It’s hard. Being together is hard like that but being apart and knowing we’re not—It’s the worst. I wanna be with you, B. I don’t care if I’m stuck here and you’re in fucking Canada and shit. I—”

Her voice gradually started getting quieter and quieter and Brooke thought she had fallen asleep with the phone on.

“Our song. I kept listening to our song. It’s what got me. Damn these fucking love songs. Ne-yo was right, bitch. Am sick of this shit. I just miss you so much, it’s all I can think ‘bout.”

Brooke could hear her breathing slowing down. She imagined those long eyelashes fluttering shut and lips parting before sleep took hold of her. She had often watched Vanessa in those moments as she laid on the Canadian queen’s chest, head tucked in the nook of Brooke’s neck, small limbs wrapped so tightly around her as if she had been scared otherwise Brooke would have gotten up and left. In a way that’s what happened.

“Love you, B.”

The words were breathed out, they almost got lost in the rustling of sheets, cars driving by outside and the deafening sound of Brooke’s heart hammering in her chest. And yet she heard them. And there was nothing she wanted more but to say them back. Right now. In person.

She had a show to do tonight, then a plane to catch later that, no matter what she desperately wanted, didn’t fly to LA. Vanessa would probably be nursing her hangover at home all day before putting on her wig, stunning makeup to cover the events from the night before and taking the stage like everything was fine. They were forced to get on with their separate lives.

Brooke grabbed her phone and jumped out of bed, already opening the cheapest airlines website and going through her schedule in her head. The words stayed engraved into her memory, burning her throat and filling her chest with how badly she wanted to say them back. Soon she would. There was only one thing she needed to do first. She clicked on the contact info and chose FaceTime. She didn’t have to wait long.

“Hi, Papi.”