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boldlyvoid · 3 years ago

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Amoreena | chapter thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

main summary: Heaven is a real place and it's located exactly 14.6 miles away from the FBI, Quantico Headquarters. Off behind a small park, under a fantastical willow tree surrounded by wildflowers, in every colour young minds can imagine.

Don't forget, heaven also comes with angels.

Chapter Warnings: fluff like unbelievably fluffy!

word count: 6.1

here's the playlist for the fic, the last song in the playlist if looped will lead right into Amoreena at the beginning and it works pretty well timing-wise if you like to listen while you read !!

from the beginning <3

All their bags were packed by Friday morning, Y/N and Amoreena waking up extra early with excitement for the weekend ahead of them, and they didn’t even know what was going to happen yet.

Y/N made sure everything was packed and ready for a 3rd time on Saturday morning, right before they left on the trip; making sure they had sunscreen and aloe vera, all her medicine and ginger ale by the pack for her random bouts of morning sickness that lasted all, day, long... And their dresses and his suit hanging behind the driver's seat, beside Amoreena, they all piled into Y/N’s car and took off down the road on their adventure.

Amoreena was awake for the first half of the 9-hour trip, singing like crazy as they drove through Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, it was so amazing she couldn’t stop cheering the whole time. It was more than she’s ever seen before, even though they lived so close to New York, she’s never been through it before.

Once they arrived in Rhode Island, Spencer pulled over at the closest gas station to make sure the girls were all prepared and ready for the big surprise he had for them. They filled the car, used the restroom and bought some lemonade before getting back into the car, he turned in the driver's seat to see Amoreena and Y/N better, looking at their wide eyes memorizing the calmness in their faces before he told them.

He didn’t want them to freak out too much, he was worried about Y/N’s blood pressure and how loud she might scream and any stress that a situation like this could put on her body. He’s seen how people react to Taylor Swift, he just didn’t know how they would.

“Now, I'm only telling you so you don't freak out," he repeated the same worry she had when she broke the news of the baby, "I didn’t have to rent a place on the water because my friend lives up here, so we’re going to stay in her guest house,” he explained it simply.

“Rossi's wife?” Y/N asked, confused about who it could be and if she knew this woman yet.

“No, actually I think you might know her, her name is Taylor?”

“No,” she shakes her head furiously, “no, nope, there's no way you did this, Spencer Walter Reid I am not kidding I’m going to pass away if I see her.” She's holding both her hands in fists as she tries to stay calm, closing her eyes quickly before letting out a deep sigh.

“Taylor who?” Amoreena yells, undoing her seatbelt and standing between their seats, she almost jumps into his lap as she leans over and grabs a fistful of his shirt, “Taylor WHO?”

“Go get in your seat and I’ll show you,” he teases, watching her follow orders and get back in the seat as quickly as possible, shouting at him to drive the second he hears the seatbelt click again.

Y/N is completely speechless for the next 20 minutes of the drive, eyes wide and a hand on her stomach as she stares out the front window. She’s like a statue, not able to hear anything Amoreena is saying but that doesn't stop her from going on and on with her stories.

“Mom!” She’s finally able to break her out of the haze, “pass me your phone!”

“Yeah,” she doesn’t even question it, handing her the phone back to the antsy 7-year-old so she could continue her internal panic.

They see her house on the hill as they approach, “holy shit,” Y/N whispers as Amoreena turns on the last great American dynasty, knowing exactly where they were going.

Taylor asked for his licence plate number and car model when they were emailing, letting her gate guy know to let Spencer right in so he could keep it a secret. But they knew the house, there was no point in not telling them. Y/N looked a little relieved that he gave her the time to freak out alone and not as soon as they crested the hill.

Her driveway felt never-ending as they got closer and closer, Amoreena was still in disbelief as she squealed in the back seat, hands flailing as she tried to calm the excitement inside her body with her favourite stim.

Then Taylor walked out into the front yard and Y/N was a mess. Crying as she waved her hand in front of her face, not wanting to be a mess in front of Taylor fucking Swift, “I told you nothing crazy! How did you do this?”

“Yes, but I said 'define crazy’ and you didn’t,” he reminds her with a cheeky smile.

She shoves him, “I didn’t think you could do this?!”

Once they’re parked the door automatically unlocked, and as much as spencer hated that non-safety feature, he's glad Amoreena can get out quickly before she's screaming bloody murder. Amoreena is out the door and in Taylor’s arms faster than they’ve ever seen her move, she should be a track star. It almost knocks Taylor to the ground as she takes her in, holding the sweet little girl against her chest with the biggest smile on her face. Amoreena snuggles right into her, with a hand on her cheek and her other arm wrapped behind her neck. She couldn't be any closer to her, it was like she was her favourite relative who she hasn't seen in a while.

Amoreena is talking her ear off already by the time Spencer’s helping Y/N out of the car and walking her to Taylor, she’s holding his hand like she’s going to pass out or something, “and this is my mom Y/N and my dad Spencer but somehow you know him already,” Amoreena introduces her.

“Hi, Y/N, it's a pleasure to meet you, Spencer's told me a lot about you.” Taylor’s sweet voice saying her name alone makes her stutter out a bunch of nonsense, not to mention the fact Spencer's been talking to Taylor fucking Swift about her.

Amoreena moves out of the way for Taylor to wrap her up in a hug, and Y/N cries harder than he’s ever seen on her shoulder, “thank you,” is all she can say, it’s frightening to Amoreena at first to see her mom cry like that but she knows her mom just loves Taylor like family.

What she doesn’t know is just how much Taylor saved her life. If she didn’t have someone to listen to, someone to take the pain and replace it with hope, she wouldn’t be here and by default neither would Amoreena. Spencer owed everything to Taylor swift at this point, she was a blessing in his life that he took for granted. Not realizing until that moment just how much she meant to him as well now.

“Sorry,” Y/N finally says as she pulls off her, “I’m pregnant, I can’t help it.”

Taylor’s hands fly right to her stomach, “holy crap, you never told me that she’s pregnant in your emails, oh my god!” She’s genuinely so happy for them, “how far along are you?”

“6 weeks on Sunday,” she smiles, feeling like herself again even though it’s incredibly strange to be telling Taylor before her parents even knew. “No one really knows, it’s all very new but when you know, you know… y’know?”

For a woman with an English language degree, she sure knew how to make a sentence, all of them laughing at the words she chose, but they understood.

“We should have used paper rings!” Amoreena yells, holding her hand over her eyes in disbelief as she shares her head with a sigh, she couldn’t believe she forgot that song existed.

It made Taylor laugh, scooping the little one up in her arms and starting the walk inside.

“Well come on in, I’ve got a big lunch spread ready for us and then we can go to the beach for the ceremony whenever you want this weekend, does that sound good?” Taylor is beyond excited to make new friends, much like Amoreena, they got along famously.

“Where are the cats? Do they live here or in LA or Nashville?” Amoreena changed the topic in the form of a yes and proving just how much she knew about Taylor.

“They’re here, Olivia and Benjamin will probably find us soon, Meredith isn’t very open to new friends now that she’s an old lady,” Taylor explained as she set Amoreena down in the entryway, bending down to be at her level and pointing off into the living room, “oh, see, there one is!”

Amoreena saw one of them laying on the floor under a sunny spot, running to it and petting it gently, “hi Benjamin, I loved you in the ME video,” she whispers as she pets him, making Taylor swoon.

“She’s amazing,” Taylor swooned, “I can’t wait to have one.”

“You should!” Y/N agreed, reaching to take Taylor's hand on impulse, and Taylor held it back with a smile, “oh that would be so wonderful, I can just imagine the beautiful stories you’ll create when you discover what it’s like to love someone how your mom loves you.”

Taylor’s smile was priceless, "that's the best way to think about it," she beamed at Y/N the way Spencer did, she had that effect on people. They followed her into the dining room, taking a seat near each other and digging into all the food Taylor made for them.

“Ah,” Amoreena said as she finally joined them, sitting on her knees on Taylors nice antique chairs. “Shark coochie,” she whispers the words to herself, not able to stop her mind from repeating it, but still not wanting Taylor to hear it in case it was inappropriate. She was incredibly well-mannered for someone who had a hard time reading social queues.

“It’s a hard word to say,” Taylor agreed, making her feel less awkward. Spencer may have told her about her autism in advance, wanting his little girl to be respected by everyone she met, for who she truly was, “my mom called it a coochie spread once, actually, she's going to be over tomorrow for father's day.”

"Yes! Oh, I love Andrea," Amoreena laughed at how cool this day was, smiling at Taylor the way she smiled at him that first morning at breakfast like she just found yet another person to love. “You’re so wonderful, Taylor.”

“Oh, thank you, you're pretty enchanting yourself,” she smiles, “I take it you’ve known about me for your whole life?”

“Yep,” she smiled, reaching for a chocolate-covered strawberry and taking a huge bite, covering her mouth before she continued, “I was born a month after Red came out, November thirteenth, it really is a lucky number now, mom says so at least.”

“It is!” Taylor agreed with a smile, “I have some markers, do you want to wear matching 13’s today?”

“Mom, can I colour on my hand?” She turns so fast Spencer thinks she’ll get whiplash.

“Yeah, go for it!” She agrees, spreading cream cheese on a croissant and layering tomatoes on top, definitely pregnant.

So Taylor gets a marker and both their left hands now have matching numbers. Amoreena asks to take a million photos, eventually just taking Y/N’s phone from her, permanently, to take photos of all her favourite things around the house.

She runs off with the cats at a certain point, giving Y/N a chance to thank Taylor without tiny ears listening in. “Can I get really emotional and tell you how much you mean to me or is that too weird for our first chat?”

“Not weird at all, knowing you’ve used my music to raise that beautiful child makes me love you just as much, I’d love to hear why you picked me, of all musicians, to show her how to love,” Taylor replies, as regal and kindly as humanly possible.

“My first fiancé, Stephen, he was actually like an angel and our first kiss was quite literally in the rain, but he passed away in 2010,” she explained it with a smile so Taylor knew it wasn’t a touchy subject anymore, “I bonded with Fearless in a way I can’t even describe to you, it’s my life, he was my superstar, and white horse, I mean come on, I can’t tell you how many times I cried to that after he died but it helped me not feel alone. I wouldn’t be who I am without Fearless, and then Speak Now was there for me when I needed a good cry, Last Kiss really broke me but it wasn’t until Lover came out that I realized I could find someone again, and it’s always just like you released things as I needed them like you were helping me through all the bad things,” she’s never even told Spencer all this, it was special to him that he got to give her this moment.

“When you re-released it with the vault songs, I met Spencer literally a month later. I cried my eyes out to you all over me, but That’s When makes me think of Spencer and now the whole album has a new memory in my heart that’s better. It's just like why you re-released it, to replace the bad things that happened that took all the happiness out of something you cared so much about." Y/N took a second to breathe, shaky as she got to the end of her rant that she seemed to have prepared in the 20 minutes before she had to talk to her.

"I love you, honestly. You’re my best friend and you didn’t even know me then, but you’ve held my hand through it all, so thank you,” she cried a little, holding her belly with one hand as she tried to hold the tears in.

Taylor was out of her chair and in Y/N’s arms within seconds, crying into her arms as she held her. She rubbed Y/N’s back as she cried too, “I’m so sorry that happened, but I’m glad I could be there.”

“Do you want to be this baby's godmother?” She asks on impulse without even asking Spencer if he’s okay with it, he was, it made him laugh.

“Eleonora Taylor Reid,” Spencer says from across the table, making them both turn to him with wide eyes.

“Yes,” Y/N agrees fast, “that's the name if it’s a girl, if it’s a boy he can be Taylor as well?”

“Holy shit,” Taylor smiled wide, “yes, I want to come to visit the farm and buy them baby gifts and throw you a baby shower! I inadvertently helped make them so it’s only fair.”

“Hopefully she gets your voice too, Y/N,” Spencer adds and Y/N shoots him a panicked glance, “it’s the Taylor legacy to be a good singer.”

“You can sing?” The question Y/N feared coming past Taylor's lovely vocal cords, almost on queue.

Y/N can't help but glare at spencer, he had too many tricks up his sleeve and she was at her limit.

“Yes,” Y/N finally answers, “I was going to go to theatre school, but I switched to become a Librarian, I’m not good with crowds or competition and that's basically what the industry depends on. I like the quiet, telling stories on paper is just as easy as singing it to a crowd.”

“That's fair,” Taylor agreed, “would you and Amoreena like to sing some song with me? I have my guitar or the piano? I’m not used to having new friends over without sharing at least 1 song with them. I’m sure you’ve seen my listening parties?” She was really trying to convince her to sing, Spencer knew why and what she had planned.

Amoreena came running in then, “I can play piano too, can we do the long live new year's day from the tour movie?” She rests her hands on Taylor's arm, looking up at her with the biggest puppy dog eyes.

“Of course, come on,” she says taking Amoreena’s hand and rushing into the piano room. “Here, we’ll record it too,” she offered, setting her phone up on the music stand to capture the moment forever.

They sat side by side on the bench, Amoreena showing her how she could play the opening perfectly and surprising Spencer. He knew they had a piano at home, he’s just never seen her play it before.

“She has perfect pitch,” Y/N bragged, “she can play a song after hearing it once.”

“Really?” Spencer had no idea, unbelievably proud of her as he listened to her play.

She’s quietly playing the intro to Long Live as Taylor watches, joining in with the harmony of New Year's Day, “this one reminds me of my mom and dad.”

“Does it?” Taylor coo’s, smiling at her softly as Y/N tries not to cry beside Spencer.

“They’re the knight and the princess of our kingdom,” she explained before the two of them started singing the words together, like they always have, only Taylor was beside her and not just on the TV.

“I said remember this moment, in the back of my mind, the time we stood with our shaking hands, the crowds in the stands went wild,” Amoreena’s tiny voice lead-in, fearlessly as she played away.

“We were the Kings and the Queens, and they read off our names, the night you danced like you knew our lives would never be the same... You held your head like a hero, on a history book page... It was the end of a decade, but the start of an age,” Spencer couldn’t help but cry as she sang with Taylor.

This was on the concert movie, he showed her after school, this song came on and she was silent, listening to the words as she stared at him and then back at the TV. Her mind was connecting little dots, making a story about her mom and dad being the king and the queen, it all made sense now.

“Long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shined just for me and you, I was screaming long live, all the magic we made and bring on all the pretenders, I’m not afraid,

Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life, fighting dragons with you, I was screaming long live, that look on your face, and bring on all the pretenders, one day, we will be remembered,”

Their fingers moved in sync on the keys as they harmonized almost perfectly, she wasn’t kidding about Amoreena having perfect pitch. She knew all the words and sang them almost louder than Taylor.

“And hold on to spinning around, confetti, falls to the ground. May these memories break our fall…”

The piano changes, the cords softer as they move into a new song, smiling at her mom and dad like she knew something. She had no idea what happened the night of the fake wedding, just that they had a party without her.

“And hold on… To spinning around… Confetti… Falls to the ground…”

Spencer wraps his arms around Y/N then, resting his chin on her shoulder as they sway to the tune, she’s barely whispering the words beside him as she smiles as her baby.

“There's glitter on the floor after the party, girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby, candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor, you and me from the night before, but… Don’t read the last page, but I stay when you're lost, and I'm scared and you're turning away. I want, your midnights, I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day,”

Y/N’s hands rest on top of Spencer’s, she squeezes them three times, right before the next lyric.

“You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi, I can tell that it's gonna be a long road. I’ll be there if you're the toast of the town, babe, or if you strike out and you're crawling home,

Don't read the last page, but I stay, when it’s hard or it’s wrong or we’re making mistakes. I want, your midnights, but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day,”

“Hold on, to the memories, they will hold on to you,” the two of them chanting along with Taylor in beautiful harmony, Spencer felt like he was in heaven among the angels, but for real this time. “And I will hold on to you…”

The piano is so soft, it’s just Amoreena’s fingers hitting them as Taylor goes silent, letting her take the lead with a soft smile, “Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh, I, could recognize anywhere. Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh, I, could recognize anywhere.”

They stop for just a moment for Amoreena to smile up at Taylor, just like the break in the concert, “I really do love you,” she reminds them all before playing again.

“We love you, too, sweet girl,” Taylor replies for them using the same nickname for her because it was the truth. She was the sweetest girl, that Amoreena.

“There's glitter on the floor after the party, girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby, candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor. You and me forevermore, don't read the last page, but I stay when it’s hard or it’s wrong or we’re making mistakes and I want, your midnights, but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day,”

“Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you,” the girls all chant together, swaying back and forth to the rhythm before taking different parts in the song like they’ve planned it before.

“And Long live,” Taylor takes the one song, while Amoreena takes the other.

Please don't ever become a stranger…

The walls we crashed through..

Whose laugh I could recognize anywhere…

I had the time of my life

Please don't ever become a stranger…

With you…

Whose laugh I could recognize anywhere…"

Amoreena plays the rest, smiling wide at the best day of her life. Meaning every single word she’s saying. “And Long live, the walls we crashed through. I had the time of my life… With you…” Amoreena ends with a few extra notes, making Taylor smile as she held her in a side hug.

She turns back to the piano then, starting to play Amoreena by Elton John. “No way..” Y/N gasps, before getting ready to sing along with all the confidence in the world, alongside Taylor Swift of all people.

“It’s just that; Lately, I've been thinking, how much I miss my lady, Amoreena's in the hayfield, brightening the daybreak,” Taylor changes some of the words, much to Y/N surprise.

“Livin’ like a lusty flower, runnin’ through the grass for hours, rollin’ through the hay, oooh, like a puppy child! And when it rains, the rain falls down… washing out the cattle town… and she's far away somewhere… in her eiderdown… And she dreams of crystal streams, of days gone by when we would lean… Laughing, fit to burst, upon each other…”

Y/N turns to Spencer then, singing to him softly as she wraps her arms around him and sways her hips to the song, pressing against him like they were in the movie Dirty Dancing, something she’s always wanted to do, clearly, with the smile on her face as she sings.

“I can see you sittin’, eatin’, apples in the evenin’. Fruit juice, flowing slowly, slowly, slowly down the bronze of your body. Livin’, like a lusty flower, runnin’ through the grass for hours, rollin’ through the hay, oooh, like a puppy child.”

Amoreena’s voice was the loudest in the chorus, this was her song after all. She belted it out like it was made for her.

“And when it rains, the rain falls down! Washing out the cattle town! And she's far away somewhere… in her eiderdown! And she dreams of crystal streams, of days gone by! When we would lean, laughing, fit to burst upon each other…”

Spencer knew the words as well, who didn’t? It was Elton John's best song. He hugged Y/N, snuggling into the crook of her neck as they twirled in Taylor Swift's living room, swaying with her, forgetting they weren’t alone for a moment.

“Oh, if only I could nestle, in the cradle of your cabin. My arm's around your shoulder, oh… The window wide and open, while the swallow and the sycamore, whoa! Are playing in the valley. Oh, I miss you, Amoreena, like the king bee misses honey!”

“And when it rains, the rain falls down! Washing out the cattle town! and she's far away somewhere… in her eiderdown! And she dreams of crystal streams, of days gone by when we would lean! Laughing, fit to burst upon each other, oooh!”

Amoreena and Taylor playing the iconic piano solo together, Y/N can’t help but move in closer to watch over her little girls shoulders.

“Lately, I've been thinking… How much I miss my lady… Amoreena's in a cornfield, brightening the daybreak. Livin’, like a lusty flower! Runnin; through the grass for hours! Rollin’ through the hay, woah! Like a puppy, like a puppy, child…” Y/N’s voice loud enough to be on the recording Taylor was making as the song ended.

Taylor stopped it then, just as Y/N swore, “holy shit, that was the coolest thing that’s ever happened in my whole life.”

“Mom,” Amoreena looked at her like she broke the law or something, “you don’t swear in front of her…” she mumbled.

Taylor laughed, wrapping her up in another hug, “have you heard champagne problems? It’s okay for big kids to swear here,” she teased her.

They laughed like they were family like they’ve been there before and were always meant to return. Something just clicked with them, and without a doubt, they’d be returning. Taylor Swift of all people slipped right into their little life, filling the shoes of big sister, best friend and coolest aunt in the world all in one day.

It was the most perfect afternoon.

—

Just before the sunset, they all changed into their wedding attire. Meeting out on the beach for their small, extremely intimate wedding ceremony with miss Taylor Swift. Getting it out of the way so they could have the whole weekend for whatever Taylor had planned for them. She said she had a few surprises up her sleeve still.

They filled out all the paperwork required on Taylor's kitchen table beforehand, she had all the right documents from when she registered to ordain online. All they had to do was submit it at town hall and they’d be legally married.

But it didn’t matter to them, this was enough.

Taylor and Amoreena stood side by side at a homemade arch on the beachfront that Taylor owned, waiting patiently for Spencer and Y/N to walk down the fake aisle, hand in hand. They couldn’t stop smiling as they saw Amoreena at the end, a big smile on her face as she bounced with excitement.

They reached the end, turning to each other, Amoreena took Y/N’s bouquet, it was her duty as maid of honour and best man.

“Spencer and I have been emailing for 2 weeks about today, he’s been filling me in little by little about you both as he got to know you, I’ve really gotten to see his love for you in the form of letters,” Taylor described with a large smile on her face.

Y/N looks at him with an open mouth, shocked as she shakes her head in disbelief at him. “You’re kidding, is she who emailed you when we had lunch 2 weeks ago?”

Spencer nodded with another cheeky smile, “she emailed me as you told me not to plan anything too crazy.”

Y/N just laughed at the insanity, “sorry Taylor, please continue.”

“It’s okay,” she laughed along, “it’s actually kind of interesting how Amoreena picked long live and New Year’s Day to sing because from what I’ve learned about you both, the intermission poem from that tour really was written for you, somehow. Almost like by design or some violent, exquisite happenstance…”

Y/n’s eyed do that thing they always do when she’s remembering something she’s heard before, finding the exact filing cabinet in her mind and opening it. She finds the words.

“When she fell, she fell apart. Cracked her bones on the pavement she once decorated as a child with sidewalk chalk,” she starts the poem with a small nod, letting Taylor continue the monologue in the form of vows.

“When’s she crashed, her clothes disintegrated. And blew away with the winds that took all of her fair-weather friends, family and lovers. When she looked around her skin was spattered with ink. Forming the words of a thousand voices, echoes she heard even in her sleep: whatever you say, it is not right. Whatever you do, it is not enough. Your kindness is fake. Your pain is manipulative.”

Y/N hasn’t watched the concert recently, unlike Spencer. She didn’t realize how much it sounded like them. Spencer, however, spotted the coincidences the second he heard it that night with Amoreena. Telling Taylor, explaining in detail how Maeve and Stephen were their personal last kiss storylines, but they’ve found a lover in each other. Cheesy, but it was the best way he could describe it.

“When she lay there on the ground she dreamed of time machines and revenge. And a love that was really something. Not just the idea of something.”

She turned her attention to Spencer, replacing the pronouns to fit him for the next part, Y/N looked at him already knowing why, smiling as she made the connection in her mind.

“When he finally rose, he rose slowly. Avoiding old haunts and sidestepping shiny pennies. Wary of phone calls and promises, charmers, dandies and get-love-quick-schemes.

When he stood, he stood with a desolate knowingness, waded out into the dark wild oceans up to his neck. Bathed in his brokenness. Said a prayer of gratitude, for each chink in the armour he never knew he needed.

Standing broad-shouldered next to him, was a love that was really something. Not just the idea of something.

When they turned to go home, they heard echoes of new words: may your heart remain breakable but never by the same hand twice. And even louder: without your past, you could never have arrived so wondrously and brutally, by design or some violent, exquisite happenstance… here.”

“What she said,” Y/N says with a quick giggle, leaning in as she laughs, taking him down in a giggle fit with her.

Amoreena’s lightly tugging on Taylor’s dress then, “you have to say it, please you can’t not say it, I had this planned out before I even knew you’d beee here…” she whispers like Taylor has any clue what she’s talking about.

Y/N just starts to shake her head with a smile, “I think she means the speak now bridge,” she reminds her.

“Ahh,” she smiles, picking Amoreena up to be at eye level with them all, she sings. “I hear the preacher say speak now or forever hold, your, pee-E-eeace,” she sings it exactly like it is on the album, almost as if she’s been practicing to release it again…

“There’s the silence there’s my last chance, I stand up with shaking hands all eyes, on me,” Amoreena lightly signs right back. “Horrified looks from everyone in the room but I’m only looking at you!”

Spencer laughs then too, smiling at his little girl living out the fantasy of a lifetime, seeing her mom dressed like a princess and marrying the broken knight with rusty armour, while Taylor Swift of all people holds her. Nothing about the life they had together felt real, but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I think it’s only fair if I get a say in who marries my mom because I’ve known her the longest,” she adds, “and I’m not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on this white veil occasion, but you happen to be the best dad in the whole world, so I think it’s cool that you love my mom.”

Y/N lets out a choked sob, she clearly had no idea that Amoreena was planning to say all that, but of course, she was. She knew all about every single Disney princess wedding, every fairytale ending and happily ever after, Taylor has helped her learn about love and vows and true feelings that cannot be stopped.

She knew what to say and she meant every word.

Spencer reaches out to take Amoreena from Taylor, holding her in his arms instead as Y/N snuggled in close to them, both his girls in his arms.

“I think it’s only fair I give some vows to you as well, I’m committing my whole life to this family, you should know how much that means I love you, too, Amoreena.” She snuggles in closer to his neck as she holds him back, Y/N’s head resting on his other shoulder.

“Till the day I die, I am going to be here for you: with unconditional love, with the best stories and the best morning cuddles. I don’t care if you pull me out of bed at 5 in the morning to feed the goats, or the chickens or just because you think the sun looks pretty and want me to see it too. I love you Amoreena, you’ve completed my life."

"Do you remember that day you asked me to be your dad?” his voice is so soft as he bumps her cheek with his nose.

She wipes her tears as she pulls away from his shoulder, overly emotional at the events of the day and extremely tired from the excitement she let out earlier. She nods softly, “I meant it.”

“I know honey,” he can’t help but start to cry a little as well, dropping his manly facade and being real with her. She deserved to see exactly what she meant to him, “I watched you pouring glitter glue all over that table, making the biggest mess ever, but it made me think… I had a hole in my heart for so many years, there was a part of me missing for so, so, so long, and then I found a little Eden by beautiful little kingdom, and the fairest lady in all the land took me in, and she patched up my broken heart with glitter glue.”

Amoreena tried to smile the tears away, sniffling as she tried to nod, “that's how I felt when you told me I could pick you to be my dad.”

Y/N was a sobbing mess, having to crouch down to her knees as she let it all out, steadying herself by holding onto Spencer’s leg like a child would at that height, “is she okay?” Amoreena worried.

“Your mom loves us so much, and the baby does too, so it’s making her a bit more emotional than normal,” he explains, wishing he could scoop Y/N up and hold her as well.

She wipes the tears from her face as she calms herself down and stands back up with help from Taylor, “thank you,” she manages to whisper to her with a smile.

She’s also been crying, watching the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. A family built on true love coming together, using her songs to form a bond that she’d never understand.

And she didn’t want to, some stories were best kept in families, to be sent down the line, generation after generation, to fall into the lap of someone like her one day and create a whole world with it.

“With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband, wife and daughter, the royal Reid family,” Taylor’s voice is soft as she plays along with Amoreena’s fantasy land, hushed to match the moment as Spencer leaned in to kiss Y/N.

Amoreena doesn’t cry out in disgust this time, instead, resting her head on her dad's shoulder as she watched them peck each other's lips gently. Watching a fairytale happy ending unfold in front of her very eyes, blessed to be the result of this happy union.

...

A/N: my anon is on now if anyone wants to come talk about the fic with me!! i love to share little hc's and things with you over here (also this was the original planned ending I wasn't going to continue past here but I'm probably going to write this for the next 10 years its too fun not to)

tag list: @shemarmooresfedora @spencers-dria @spookyspence @reidsfish @manuosorioh @mochionly @samuel-de-champagne-problems @jswessie187

#spencer reid #spencer reid smut #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x you #spencer reid self insert #spencer reid request #criminal minds smut #criminal minds imagine #amoreena

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anxiousstark · 4 years ago

Text

Gone with the waves | JJ MAYBANK

Request: Could I please get an imagine w JJ where everyone knows that you’re his only weakness and then something happens so y/n gets hurt so we get protective and worried JJ🥺 maybe Barry or someone else hurts her

I wanted to be original, and I got this idea! I believe it is quite cool? Hope it’s up to the anon’s expectations and that you all enjoy it as much as I did writing it! I’m quite proud of this tbh!

Warnings: Mentions of severe injuries, shark-related content, blood, swearing (a lot). Angst, but really just protective JJ confessing his feelings.

Word Count: 2067

A/N: If you guys like Teen Wolf or Dylan O’Brien, I have a Teen Wolf Rewrite. I would be so happy if you guys check it out.

BIG MASTERLIST

People screamed, cheering on. Smirks decorated their faces while their eyes followed the waves of the sea and the people riding the waves as if they were controlling them. Plastic bags were everywhere, hoping that people would throw their trash there, avoiding more sea pollution while they enjoyed the tournament.

A cold object against the back of your neck made you jump, a tiny screech coming out from in between your lips. "JJ, you scared the shit out of me." The blond boy smiled, sitting down on the sand, next to you. His fingers gripped a cold water bottle, extending his arm and offering it to you.

"The sea it's going to be colder today." He brushed his hands together, trying to get rid of the sand as he wanted to take off his shirt. You tried not to make it obvious that you were glancing at his body. "Nervous?" He grabbed your bag, pulling his shirt inside.

Swallowing two big gulps of freezing water, you nodded. "Yeah," You gave him back the bottle, which he gratefully grabbed, taking some sips. "It's been so long."

A couple of months ago, you had arrived at the Outer Banks with your big brother and his soon-to-be wife. Sadly, your parents passed away when you were younger, but you were lucky to have someone like Scott, your big brother. Emily, your sister-in-law, was also marvellous.

Back where you used to live, surfing was what kept you from wanting to give up. The heat of the day against the cold water, both fighting to change the temperature in your body. The sound of the calming waves, elegantly getting bigger and louder. The way your fingers grazed the water, helping to get you deeper into the sea.

However, two years before you had an accident.

The day you arrived at the Outer Banks, you spent the night wandering along the seashore. For you, the sound of the waves at night was magical. You were completely sure it had healing properties. The calm of the night was interrupted by a storm. A storm rounded by pretty girls, trying to flirt with him. A storm with blue eyes and blonde hair.

Without noticing, you got closer to the storm, which is something no one in their right minds would do. His name was JJ Maybank, and he was telling the story of how a shark had bitten him. You snickered, and he noticed, asking what was so funny about something that almost got him killed.

JJ Maybank didn't expect seeing you rolling your pants up, showing a real shark bite. For him, it was cool and badass. He immediately wanted to get to know you. He was even more mesmerized when he knew you were new to OBX. He wouldn't have forgotten your face so easily if you were from there.

For you, it was terrifying. It made you fear what you loved the most. The sea. It also meant that you weren't able to get into the sea. The physical and emotional pain being too much to withstand.

Now, exactly 11 months after arriving at the Outer Banks, you were ready to participate in your first Surfing tournament after what happened. You had to thanks JJ, who walked beside you, helping you get over your aversion towards the sea.

"Where are the others?" You asked, fingers slightly grazing your surfboard.

"They went to buy some food and drinks." He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the breeze caress his hair. He completely ignored the people screaming, and the ones that were participating in the tournament. "Told them to buy you something for when you come out of the water."

You hummed. Your heart started beating wildly when some of the participants came out of the water, meaning that the next ones would have to start getting ready. It was your turn.

"We are here!" Kiara's mouth was full of french fries, hands tightly holding a brown paper bag, offering it to the blond sitting next to you. The others were back too, sitting behind you two, knowing that your anxiety was kicking, and knowing that JJ was the only one capable of soothing you.

"Please, from number 5430 to number 5440. Get ready." The voice sounded all around the beach, making you gasp, trying to breathe.

"Okay," JJ moved, now looking directly at you. His hands grasped your thighs, moving you, so you were staring at him. "Did you warm up?" You nodded. "Did you put suncream?" Nod. His hands went down to your ankles, fingers rubbing circles, massaging them. "Any pain?" This time you shook your head. "Alright. Did you have a good breakfast and long ago?" Again, you nodded.

"Please, from number 5430 to number 5440. Go to the seashore. You know how this works. Every surfer will have their judge. They will take into account the precision to ride the waves, the height of the waves, time taken by the participants to ride them, times you fall, and times you continue trying. Have fun and enjoy the waves."

Maybank got up from the sand, one hand helping you stand. His other hand grabbed the surfboard, without any trouble, placing it under his armpit. He walked with you towards the seashore.

The surfboard was stuck into the sand, he turned you around, pulling up the zipper of your neoprene suit. "You got this." He whispered. When he stood in front of you, his eyes examined yours, knowing you were anxious. He bit his lower lip. "What did the great white shark say to the surfer?" You gazed at him, confused by his words. "Don’t worry, I’ll catch you."

You gasped, not being able to hold your laugh. "JJ, stop!" You groaned, a smile still in your face. "Don't do jokes like that!"

"At least you smiled!" He grinned, kissing your forehead. "You better concentrate on how loud I'm going to cheer you up." His hands squeezed your shoulders. "I believe in you. Good luck."

When JJ went back to the others, he couldn't eat his food. His stomach was upset enough to make him bite his nails, no appetite. "Should I say it now?" Sarah voiced, glancing at John B, who nodded. "Topper is in the tournament."

The blond moved his head so fast that he almost got dizzy. "As in at the beach?"

John B shook his head, burger being left on top of a brown paper bag resting on his lap. "As in the tournament. He is participating."

"What number?" JJ asked, glaring at them.

"5433." A voice behind him sounded. When JJ turned around, he saw Rafe Cameron, a smirk decorating his stupid face. "Isn't Y/N 5434? Aw, they are going to be next to each other."

Blue eyes snapped to the blue sea. You were already sitting on your surfboard, like the other participants, waiting for a great wave to come your way. Topper was a couple of meters away from you, but still quite close, also ready to ride those waves. "I swear to god," He suddenly got up, pushing Rafe. "If Topper does anything to her I will drown you both with my own hands." His fists clenched as he saw how Rafe walked away, smiling to himself. JJ turned around, looking at his friends. "Why did no one told me about Topper before Y/N went into the water?"

"Dude," Pope decided to speak. "Even if we had told you, you can't forbid her to get into the water just because of Topper."

"I can." He was convinced. "I can if I know Topper is in there. You guys know he doesn't play fair. She doesn't need to go through any of his fucking insane jokes."

"She's going to be alright." Kie tried to calm down her friend. However, she was terrified of what Topper could do. He wasn't going to play fair. He would do anything to win, especially when money was involved.

You kept calm, remembering all the things JJ had taught you. You were so thankful. Not only had he taught you to enjoy the waves again, but also to keep calm. At first, it was difficult. The fear of something big swimming under you, ready to attack, being fascinated by the smell of your blood. It terrified you more than ever.

There was no time to get lost in your thoughts as you perceived a magnificent wave coming your way. "This is it." Your chest was immediately pressed to the surfboard, arms moving faster, taking you to your destination.

You could hear people cheering back at the beach. They were cheering for you. You were riding the biggest wave of the day. Smiling to yourself, you forgot about concentrating because you were enjoying it, which was better than focusing.

However, you felt your surfboard abruptly shifting. Thankfully, you were able to maintain your balance. "Yo, get out of my wave." You snapped your head quickly, looking behind you. Then, concentrating on your balance again. Topper was so close to you. He was in YOUR wave, the front of his surfboard hitting the back of yours.

You could hear the commotion on the beach. Not only the judges had noticed that Topper was getting too close to you, breaking the rules. Not willing to follow the rules. "Stop," You screeched, your entire body tensing as you felt him hitting your board again.

Everything happened so fast, one minute you were telling Topper to get away from you, the second you were falling out of your board. The fins of Topper's board slicing your left shoulder. The sea consuming you.

Back at the shore, everyone fell silent, gasping. JJ held hands with John B, eyes wide open, dry mouth, heart beating like crazy. You weren't coming out of the water.

His hands went to grasp his hair as he saw three red boats getting father into the water, hoping to find you. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He gasped for air. "Oh my god." He aggressively rubbed his face. "I'm going to kill them."

JJ thought he couldn't feel as worse as he felt at that moment. However, when the boats came back with you, he almost passed out. You were violently sobbing, blood covering your entire left arm. One of the lifeguards was pressing as many clothes as possible, trying to cut the blood.

The blond boy didn't think twice, running towards the boat. He was scared of touching you, terrified of hurting you. "Oh my god." He didn't dare to ask if you were okay, you clearly weren't. "I-I-."

"Hey boy, who are you?" The lifeguard asked.

"She's my girl." He nodded, eyes not leaving your wet face. "Yeah, I'm her boyfriend." The man explained to him that he had to press the clothes tightly against your shoulder as he had to run back to the tower, getting what he needed to take care of you while the ambulance was on its way.

"S-so I'm your girl now?" You continued whimpering, avoiding looking at the blood dripping down your entire arm.

"Always were." He offered a quick smile, swallowing hard. "Just making it official."

As the ambulance came and you were taken into the back, JJ held your hand tightly after telling the others to meet you two at the hospital. He sighed. "I-I thought you were going to die." He started crying, tightly holding your hand.

"You aren't getting rid of me so easily."

"I think you are too busy not trying to bleed out, but you won."

You groaned, whimpering a little due to the pain. "Did I win because of this?" You referred to the wound. JJ shook his head, letting you know that it was already decided before Topper threw you off your surfboard.

"You are bleeding out, I thought you almost died, I'm going to kill Topper and you are 100,000 dollars richer."

"50,000 dollars."

"No, the prize is-."

"I know." You turned your head to look at him. "My intention all along was to give you half of the money if I got a big prize. All if I got a small one." JJ's heart thumped painfully. "You deserve it, and you need it." He was going to complain, but you didn't let him. "Just a girl sharing her prize money with her boyfriend." You grinned.

"Well, at least it wasn't a shark this time."

"JJ!"

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dork-empress · 3 years ago

Text

Singing in the Dead of Night Pt 3

Lucy and Damian visit Metropolis.

Past chapters are under my tag 'lucy quinzel' and the whole fic is on my AO3 (url in my description). Please reblog and leave comments.

Flock of Robins

Timtiminey:Guys. Guys. Guess what???

Jason: I thought I deleted this chat.

Timtiminey: Ha funny you think I’d allow you to do that

Timtiminey: And you didn’t guess.

Dickbutt: Tim I’m on a mission.

Dickbutt:.....

Dickbutt: TIM CHANGE MY NAME

Timtiminey: You’re still not guessing.

Dick Grayson’s name was changed to DickiestButtiest

Stephaluffagus: Whatever Is It, Tim?

Jason: Why is Stephanie even on here?

Stephaluffagus: I was a Robin!

Timtiminey: And she asks the questions. Well, you SEE

Timtiminey: DAMIAN GOT A GIRLFRIEND

Stephaluffagus: WHAAAA?!:?HSLHFADSKLJFKL?????

Dick Grayson’s name was changed to DatAssTho

DatAssTho: Awwwww, that’s so cute!!!

DatAssTho: Our little hellion is growing up

DatAssTho: It’s like it was just yesterday he was threatening to stab us all

Jason: That was last week at dinner.

Jason: Who the hell said yes to go out with him?

Timtiminey: That’s the best part! The old man set them up.

Stephaluffagus: ALKSDAN LFKSNDAFLKNDASKLF

DatAssTho: Well thats just not fair. He never set up me on a date.

Jason: He put you on the Titans.

DatAssTho: Watch it, Todd

DatAssTho: Also, you type like an old man

Jason: With proper punctuation?

Stephaluffagus: Guys, we’re straying from the topic: Who is it??

Timtiminey: Harley’s niece, she’s got some like, clown ballerina thing going

Jason: QUINN?!?!?!

Jason: LIKE JOKER’S GIRLFRIEND????

DatAssTho: Dude, they broke up ages ago

Stephaluffagus: Yeah, she’s basically more hero than you are

Jason: You really want to go down THAT route Brown?

Timtiminey: OOOOHKAYYY

Timtiminey: Rest assured, the old man vetted the girl. She’s…..unique? I’ve only seen her file, or part of it anyway

DatAssTho: Bruce has secret files doesn’t he

Timtiminey: I think I made it through the first encryption, but I’m working on the next between other cases.

Timtiminey: After all, we have to make sure she’s alright for our little Dami-kins

Stephaluffagus: Isn’t he on this chat?

Timtiminey: He’s had this muted for ages

Jason: YOU CAN DO THAT?!

Timtiminey: I mean, YOU can’t. I will turn it off for you

Jason: …….

Jason: Well you know it’d be a shame if I

Jason: @DamianWayne

Timtiminey: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

Damian: You’re dead Drake

DatAssTho: RIP

Stephaluffagus: He will be remembered

Jason: Prick.

“Get on already,” Damian said, exuding as much disinterested and grumpy energy as his body could manage.

Lucy skipped over to him, and looked at the seating arrangement on the Robin Cycle. “Hmm”, she said, “I don’t know if I’ll fit.” She climbed up to the back of the cycle only for her tutu to spring her backwards.

“What the hell is in that thing?” Damian asked, scowling. whatever had hit him was way more solid than fabric.

“Oh all sorts of things!” she said, “It’s my utilitutu!”

Damian really should have been used to this by now. “Your what.”

“Utility Tutu. I’ve got my balloon animals, my gas bouquet, my tamborine…”

“Well get rid of it or something,” Damian said, and was somehow surprised she did as was asked. Left in just a leotard, she hooked the tutu around her arm and jumped up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Luckily, he was wearing his helmet, so no one could see him blush.

He revved up the motorcycle to try and drown out his thoughts. They’d been particularly loud ever since Tim said what he said...and, maybe since Lucy said what she said.

Were they dating? Is that what was happening? Lucy had called it a date, but Lucy was weird. It wasn’t like Damian understood how these things were supposed to work. This was super not in the training regime for the League of Assassins.

Did he...want it to be a date? He was even less sure. Lucy was...odd, but she had grown on him. She was the exact opposite of him, cheery where he was brooding, she was peaceful, he was violent. She was...kind and funny and playful. He was super not. they were both smart, but that seemed to be where the similarities ended.

And yet, it kinda worked. She was pretty, in a girly way, or at least thats what he could tell from under her makeup. He’d never been...really interested in girls or anyone. He didn’t know what it was supposed to feel like. If this was how it was supposed to feel like.

Well, he wasn’t going to be forced to be in a relationship with anyone. If she tried anything, he would tell her no, in no uncertain terms. Then he could get Tim and the others to shut up.

Once the decision was made, of course, he was left to ruminate for the remainder of the ride. He might have welcomed some of Lucy’s chatter, just to get his mind off things. Damn Bruce, not letting him use the batmobile…

Finally, a blur appeared beside him. “Need a lift?” Jon asked, rushing along beside him. Damian couldn’t help a smirk as he followed him through the city.

They came to a stop in an alleyway, though it didn’t hide much. “Whoa,” Jon said, eyebrows raised, “Hello, who’s this?”

Lucy stood on the top of the motorcycle, slipping her tutu back on and giving a deep curtsy, “Greetings! I am Commedia, The Dancing Delight, Columbina of Gotham and--”

“She’s Harley Quinn’s niece,” Damian said, cutting her off, “Lucy, Superboy, Superboy, Lucy.”

Lucy jumped down, eyebrow raised, “Now, come on. Surely you boys know how hard it is being defined by those who came before you.”

“Yeah, Robin,” Superboy said, holding out his hand for her to shake, “Honestly, no manners. Nice to meet you, Comme...Colum..um.”

“Lucy’s fine,” she said, “Aunt Harley said it’d be good for me to go and see some of Metropolis, maybe get some shopping done.”

Jon smiled, “Well, there’s plenty to do around here, and you picked the perfect tour guide! Come on, Mom and Dad are working today. I’ll show you around.”

Damian followed the pair of them around at a pace where you could just barely tell he was part of the same group. He was in his black outfit again, with sunglasses so that Lucy couldn’t tell who he was, and all of Metropolis wouldn’t know Robin wasn’t in Gotham.

Jon took them on the full tourist tour, going to see the many wonders of Metropolis. Though, a few stops Damian was pretty sure weren’t on the main route, like when they went to the top of the Daily Planet building. Other than that, though, it was a lot of pretty buildings, old buildings, the Superman memorial/dedication (they just left it up when Superman came back) and other sites that were considered important.

Damian sulked, having seen all these before and not finding them any more impressive than the first time or any time after that. What did surprise him was that Lucy didn’t seem any more impressed than him. He would have thought she’d go Gaga over the tourist trappings, considering she react to abandoned (allegedly) mines like a family at Disney World.

But she looked at each one, nodded in appreciation, and went onto the next thing.

Jon was kinda weirded out by it too, Damian could tell, not that Jon was ever subtle. He kept looking to Damian as if to try and explain her behavior, not that he was ever going to be doing that.

“Ok,” Jon said, as they sat outside the capitol, “Is there anything you WANT to see?”

Lucy shrugged, “To be honest, buildings don’t really interest me that much. But I’m glad to have gone with you, of course.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Damian said, “What’s the point of going around like this if you don’t even like it? We went around all damn day for YOU!”

Lucy tilted her head, “We went so that Superboy could show us things and we could get to know him.” She smiled at him, “You clearly admire Superman a lot, and you’re clearly like him. I’m glad you get along with your dad so well.”

Jon smiled, confused, but appreciative, “Thanks?” Damian grumbled. “But, I’d like to get to know YOU better as well. So if there’s something you like, the city has everything.”

Lucy hummed, “I honestly mostly just like to people watch in my free time.”

Jon beamed, “Oh man, I have the perfect place then.”

With a hop, skip, and a kryptonian-powered jump, the three of them were in the rafters of the Metropolis Subway station, looking down at everything and everyone as they went by. Damian was just glad they were inside, and being underground had him feeling a bit more at home.

Lucy practically sparkled, leaning way too far over to look at everyone. “What are they saying? Can you hear them?”

“Uh, which ones?” Jon said. She pointed aggressively. “Well, that one’s a family on vacation, the dad there is going over the itinerary, he’s got it printed out. The daughter there is trying to get him to skip the museums so they can get to the aquarium faster.”

“Ohh, what’s at the aquarium?” Lucy asked, kicking her feet like a child.

“Some fish, jelly fish are cool...Oh, they got a new shark there, I think.”

Damian groaned again, “Ugh, who CARES? If you wanted to go to the aquarium, then lets go to the aquarium! Instead of just watching someone TALK about it! These are all just normal people!”

“Robin, dude,” Jon said, “If it’s what she wants, why not? We are here for HER after all.”

That in of itself would have been enough to shame Damian, but Lucy was staring at him. She stared unblinking, and unsmiling. It was actually creepy. Like she was staring through him.

“Nobody’s normal.” She said, very seriously, her voice no longer taking on the cheery affectation. “Not a single one that I’ve ever met. Many of them TRY to be normal, but it is an illusion. A moving target, an ideal that doesn’t exist and people are shamed for not attempting to achieve.”

Damian could feel himself resist leaning away from her. “Uh, Lucy?” Jon said, “Something you want to talk about?”

Lucy blinked like she was remembering she was supposed to. “I suppose it is personal to me,” she said, “My…mother was always a little scared of Aunt Harley. First scared of her success, then scared of her villainous career. She always wanted to be normal. She wanted…me to be normal. She was scared of what I’d be. Who I’d be like.” She smiled, an echo of her previous smile, “It’s not quite the same as being a disciple for a great hero like Superman or Batman.”

Jon was suddenly looking very awkward. “Well,” He said, “I mean, having Harley Quinn as your aunt isn’t that bad. And you’re good anyway! So, no need to worry.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Lucy said, “It doesn’t matter if I was good or bad. It just matters that I was strange.” She tilts her head, looking down at the mass of people rushing back and forth. “Ever since I was little, people didn’t feel…real. They’re just. Stories. I couldn’t relate to my peers, as my teachers would say. I don’t know how to explain it. The only time I tried, my mom was so scared she sent me to a camp. One of those meant for bad kids to help them behave.” She tilted her head, “But they weren’t bad. They all had different stories. I realized there were no normal people. Just people with stories.”

Damian couldn’t have spoken if it was to yell for help. He stared at Lucy, trying to decide if he should be concerned or sympathetic.

Jon cleared his throat. “Well, I think you’re nice. And that’s what’s important. No problem with learning more about people and helping them.”

Lucy smiled, “Thank you.”

Jon’s head whipped to the side. “Ah, shoot, Dad’s calling me. I’ll be right back.” Lucy’s cheery attitude was back and she nodded, as Jon took off.

Lucy looked over at Damian for a moment. Damian felt he should say something. Apologize, maybe? He wasn’t sure what would be appropriate, and if it was appropriate, would Lucy want it. She worked on a whole other level, that was clear.

Lucy went back to watching people below her.

“My mom,” Damian started, not sure where he was going to end his sentence. Rule one of being in his family was to not reveal details about himself. But it was Lucy and she…she was his friend. “She was a…she’s a villain. I was supposed to be too. Maybe would have been if I didn’t go to live with Batman.”

Lucy nodded, “That sounds like a very interesting story,” Lucy said, “Thank you for telling me.” She tilted her head towards him. “Hey Robin, there’s this comedy place here in Metropolis I looked up. I was hoping maybe we could go tonight? I’m kind of a comedy nerd, and it’s always good to support people at an open mic. Maybe you’d even laugh once.”

Damian braced himself. This was a date. She was asking him on a date. He had prepared himself for this. “I can’t,” Damian said, the words practiced, “I don’t think of you that way. We can hang out and…be friends, but no.” There. No question about it.

Lucy looked at him, and tilted her head, thinking. “Ok,” She said, simply. Didn’t seem too heartbroken. It was a relief. “Hey Superboy,” She said, voice raise just slightly on the sounds of trains, “Do you want to go on a date to a comedy club tonight with me?”

There was a brief pause, then with a burst of wind, Jon jumped up back to the rafters. “Yeah, that sounds good,” and they shared smiles, “Robin, I can get her back to Gotham if you want to head home.”

Damian blinked, trying to process what exactly was happening. “I–,” technically, he wasn’t supposed to leave Lucy, for reasons Batman hadn’t been overly clear about. But if something was going to happen, she’d be plenty safe with Jon. Still, he wanted to argue this, even though he had nothing, and he knew he had nothing. “Sure, that sounds fine.”

Jon held out his hand to help him down, but he could easily get out by himself. And so, alone, he went home. And he didn’t understand the strange feeling in his gut.

Bruce stretched his neck coming down to the batcave, seeing Tim on the computer. “Commissioner Gordon has kindly invited Batman and Robin to the Wayne charity Christmas Party on my behalf,” he said, “I’ve got Dick coming down to wear the Batsuit for me. I’m going to work to have Damian as Robin, but would you and Steph take on patrols that night? At least some of us should actually be doing work.”

Tim didn’t answer. He stared blankly into the computer. Bruce sighed, most likely he didn’t hear him. “How long have you been down here? You’re going to ruin your–”

“Are you planning on telling Damian?” Tim asked.

Bruce paused and looked at what Tim was staring at. It was medical records of Delia Quinzel, specifically of her pregnancy.

Specifically the fake pregnancy records that Bruce had made. “What are you talking about?” Bruce asked.

“Please don’t insult me,” Tim said, face stoic, “You really think I can’t recognize your digital fingerprint all over these files?”

Bruce took a few deep breaths. “Have you told anyone?”

“Hell no,” Tim said, finally looking up, “And I cleaned up your mess. But I don’t know if anyone else has looked into this before now.” Tim glared at Bruce, “So I ask again, are you planning on telling Damian that you’ve put him in charge of protecting Joker’s biological daughter from her own father?”

Bruce came over and looked at the corrected records. They were, in fact, cleaner. Bruce’s were too normal. Tim added in complications that could have happened, just enough to make people think they’d already found what was wrong. “We don’t know what Joker knows.”

“Oh, and he just happened to escape Arkham and disappear at around the same time a teen starts hanging around his ex-girlfriend.” Tim said, dryly.

“If he does know,” Bruce said, “Then its our job to stop him. If he doesn’t, then we still stop him. But Lucy has a target on her back one way or another.”

“Which is why you put Damian in front of it?” Tim said.

“I trust Damien,” Bruce said, “To protect her. But I don’t want him to be biased against her because of her parents.”

“So, you’re putting him at risk, so that he can make friends?” Tim demanded, arms crossed.

Bruce took a deep sigh. “One day,” he said, “Lucy is going to have to confront where she’s come from. And the rest of us are too. I’m trying to give us all the best chance.” Bruce said, “Besides, Damian needs more friends other than Jon.”

Tim screwed up his face, then snorted. “Alright, old man,” he said, “I’ll go with your plan for now. But if something goes belly up, I reserve the right to at least one ‘I told you so.’”

“A fair compromise,” Bruce said, “What have you found about Joker’s movements?”

“He’s going quiet right now, which isn’t much like him,” Tim said, “But I think I’ve tied him to this fancy surgical robot that’s gone missing from Gotham Hospital.”

“Well, I’m sure there’s nothing mind-breakingly awful he can do with that,” Bruce said, sarcastically. “Let’s take it to the streets.”

Tim jumped up and followed him to the batmobile.

#lucy quinzel #damian wayne #bruce wayne #jon kent #DC comics fanfic #dc comics fanfiction

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mrvdocks · 4 years ago

Text

Plus One

Things get real. Can you totally hide your feelings for Steve any longer?

smut warning

(chapter four) @mochminnie @wolfish-willow

You’re in the bathroom trying not to freak out or let it show just how much your mind was reeling from earlier. It couldn’t be happening, right? There’s no way you were falling for Steve Harrington.

No, no way. He was so different from you.

But opposites attract right?

You grimaced, thinking back to the way his eyes flickered from your eyes to your lips. The way he too seemed unsure of going for it.

This would change your entire dynamic. Were you even ready to open up to someone else?

Steve knew you, sure, but just the things at surface level. Things you wanted him to know. You were afraid to even tell him about everything else back home, thinking maybe he would freak at the first sight of a parent gushing over how perfect he seemed.

If there’s anything a person never is, it’s perfect.

In many ways, Steve just didn’t seem like an ideal candidate. He never put his things away, snores too loudly, had the romantic personality of a ninth-grader, was obsessed with his hair way more than you were, and he looked for superficial things.

He knew it too deep down, it was better to ignore the flaws for the love we think we deserved instead of feeling contrite when the ugly truth was out there.

That’s where you differed. You needed honesty, it was the only way to live.

Knock.

“Hey, you okay?” Steve’s voice echoed from behind the door.

You squeezed your eyes shut. He just had to be here right now, didn’t he?

You think of something gross enough to keep him on the other side.

“I think the food’s not agreeing with me right now.”

“Oh okay, do you need anything?” Damn it, leave!

“No! I mean - no. It’s alright. I’ll be right out.”

You count down from ten, trying to ease your anxious nerves. You take deep breaths and exhale once you get to the primary numbers. At one, you stand straight and march out of the bathroom as if nothing happened. Steve sits on the edge of the bed in his dress shirt now, his blazer discarded onto the chair next to him.

He’s watching the tv blankly, a rerun of a show you both had seen back home fills out the room. You grab your night clothes and return to the bathroom, changing as fast as you can to slide into bed and call it a night. When you return, Steve’s still where he was before, only now fidgeting with the cuff links on his wrist.

You should be paid for how much you’re able to get out of him.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re about to cry or something.”

“My dad’s getting married.”

It takes you by surprise. Steve’s never talked about his dad before, not even to Robin.

“Oh,” You say simply. “Like renewing his vows or something?”

He shakes his head.

“My mom moved away a while ago. My dad, he uh…..met this woman half his age after her. She’s got kids from another marriage.” He flicks the cuff link.

“Before I moved to New York with Robin, I would just see and hear them all the time at home. He was nicer to them, do things with them that I had to beg him to do with me when I was a kid.”

You sit next to him, bringing your hand to rest atop his own.

“The night before I left, I just told him off. I told him it wasn’t fair that he got to start over with another family just because he messed ours up. He called me before we got here saying he wanted me to be his best man.”

He falls silent, his lip quivers but he purses his lips into a straight line to keep himself from letting it out. You can’t say much that will help him, but you understand his disdain and avoidance of weddings thus far.

“What’d you tell him?”

He shrugs. “I told him I’d think about it. He expects an answer when we go home.”

“Well, at least he’s happy.” You sigh.

“Yeah, for now. And then it’s onto the next one.”

You don’t want to do it, but since you’re just letting the skeletons out of the closet, you might as well.

“You know my parents are still together?” you start. “My mom’s always been this, overbearing cross that my dad carries around. She yells at him all the time but I think he’s checked out already. They didn’t want to divorce because they thought it would damn them or mess me up. But I think it did anyway.”

Steve’s entranced by you, you were opening up.

“They’ve stuck it out since they had me. And it’s just sad now. I think about them sometimes, just sitting in that house, eating their dinner and sleeping together, not saying a word to each other.”

Steve opens his mouth like he’s about to apologize for even bringing the parent topic up.

“Sure your parents split up, but at least they’re not miserable. I can tell you from experience you would’ve liked that a lot less.” You conclude, removing your hand from his and leaving to go to bed.

It’s been a weird night.

Steve stops you though, his fingers snaking onto your wrist. You turn back, thinking he’s going to talk more about his family or dive deeper into some other trauma. Imagine your surprise when he stands and bends to your level to pull you into his arms, bringing you in tight and firm. You’re taken aback, arms flying up but eventually settling on his broad back. Your fingers clutch his shirt in fistfuls, taking in the smell of him.

“Hey, Steve?”

He hums.

“I’m totally reading your boner right now.”

“And the moment’s over.” He says, pulling away. You almost frown at the loss of his body pressing against yours.

“I’m kidding!” You huff, pushing him back onto the bed.

You settle in after he changes, pulling the covers up to your chest and putting your arms above them in thought. Steve sees you staring at the ceiling.

“Have you gone catatonic on me?”

“No, it’s just….this is the most I’ve gotten out of you in two years.”

“You’ve known me for two years.” He crawls in, getting comfortable.

“Yeah but, you know, are these really things you’ve told Robin before?”

“Not really.”

“Why not?”

“She never asked.”

Truthfully, it wasn’t that. While Robin felt comfortable revealing the truth about herself that Fourth of July, Steve had learned to keep things to himself. It’s how he was raised. But you and Robin changed that, especially with the way you tended to overshare things sometimes.

You turn onto your side, facing him. He’s thinking about something, and he looks so magnificent doing it. The way his hair rests on his forehead, the way his fingers curl around the blanket...

Oh no. Is this how it starts? Admiring him? Craving his touch like earlier? Wanting his attention fully on you and not all these other women? It was so juvenile, feeling like this was your first love again. The strong feeling hitting you just like the waves did earlier.

It was no secret you were touch starved, but there was something in the way his touch relaxed you. It made you think sometimes. Whatever this feeling was, it was different from what you felt with Danny. You jumped the shark with him, you didn’t really know him.

But with Steve, you were starting to. He was bare bones with you.

“Goodnight.” He whispers, turning the bedside lamp off.

“Goodnight.”

“Are you telling me you don’t know how to ride a bike?” You ask Steve, watching him shift uncomfortably and unevenly on the beach cruiser.

It was your last day being in Virginia, and you didn’t want to sit in the hotel and gorge on food until you passed out. That’s what home was reserved for.

Joyce had spoken of how lovely the horses and horseback riding was here, but that was closed so you settled for the next best thing. Riding bikes at the beach.

“No I - I do know, I’m just saying this is a hard seat.”

He’s been adamant about this for five minutes now. Every now and then a girl will pass by and he’ll try to sit, only to fall on his side. You’ve taken so many snapshots of this, each time bellowing with ridiculous laughter.

“When we go home I’m developing this and hanging it on the fridge.”

“Erase this footage!” He gestures to the camera, losing balance again.

“Make me, Harrington!” You can’t help but shoot back.

Passersby found it funny the way you two were bickering. Even more so when you lent over to show Steve how to keep his arms and legs on the bike, him reassuring you he knew where everything went.

“I can do it.”

“Okay, let’s see then.” You cross your arms and stand aside waiting.

He mutters to himself and puts both his feet on the pedals, not falling to either side this time. He grips the handlebars and pedals forward, passing you with an excitement lighting up his face that a child would have when they were first learning.

He can’t manage the turn and falters, sticking a foot and hand out to cushion his fall. You catch up to him, ready to help but he lays down onto the grass and accepts his failure.

“Come on, you’ll get the hang of it. You just need more practice.”

You hold out your hand, waiting for him to take it.

“I know this keeps you healthy, but at what cost?” He grabs on, using you to balance him when he gets to his feet again. He’s too tall and heavy for you, prompting you to waver slightly and hold onto him.

You pull away when you realize your hands rested on his chest, his other arm holding onto your lower back. He scratches the back of his head nervously uttering an apology.

Feeling the blush creep to your cheeks, you return to your ride, mounting and waiting for him to do the same.

“Try to catch up.” You smirk, racing off down the hill and squealing.

“What are you, Evel Knievel?!” He yells after you, wobbling and gritting his teeth as he follows after you.

You have the upper hand on him the entire time, often hiding behind shops and emerging from behind him when he thinks he’s faster. You ride until the sun sets, enjoying the breeze and the little bit of sun before stopping at an ice cream shop. Steve thinks he’s something of an ice cream connoisseur when you look at flavors. You two end up fighting on flavors before settling on two different ones and eating outside in a garden the shop owner called a hidden gem.

“No way, cookies ‘n cream is the best one.” He remarks, finishing off the cone.

“Mint chocolate is actually superior and I won’t hear another word about it.” You took your time, enjoying the sensation your mouth was on.

He shakes his head. “It’s basically gum! It’s disgusting!”

“But it tastes so good!” You take another bite teeth first and moan in delight.

He groans in disgust but nonetheless is amused when you try to get him to eat a bit of it. He avoids your hand, moving his head out of the way every time it’s shoved in his face. You wait, plotting.

“You have some on your lip.” You say, pointing toward his top lip. He licks at it, tasting nothing.

“There’s noth -”

He’s muffled by a mouthful mint chocolate. You can’t help it when the corners of your lips lift into a smug smirk.

“Funny, huh?” He says, wiping it off with his hand.

He takes the rest of the cone and dips his fingertips in it, turning his attention to painting your cheeks and lips with as much as he can. You recoil and gasp as the cold sensation, trying to get it off but he keeps attacking.

“Okay! Okay! Truce!” You wave a figurative white flag. He stops, proud of his work, and tops it off by rustling your hair.

“I’m so gonna get you,” You promise, wiping at your cheeks and going to get him with the residue when you turn to face him and find your faces are closer than ever.

You fall silent, the trouble maker in you declining to come back for an encore.

“What, no smartass remark this time?” He teases.

As cliche as it might sound, you’re lost in his smugness. His smile falters, his brows furrowing as he realizes what he’s doing, the gap between your faces closing. You close your eyes first, testing the waters and pressing your lips against his softly. He pauses for a moment, suddenly aware of the gravity of what you were doing, bringing his hand up for your cheek to rest on. His eyes flutter shut soon after, diving into your lips and tasting the mixture of sweets.

He kisses you feverishly and desperately, sighing as he relaxes into you. Your fingers tug at his hair and the back collar of his shirt. He leads you down onto the grass, flowers decorate your head in a red halo. He settles in between your legs and holds himself up by his forearms, his fingers entangling themselves in your hair as he cocks his head to the side to get more of you.

It’s been a while but both of you are antsy and eager. You kick off your shoes and immediately make quick work of his belted pants. He catches your drift and helps you with your skirt, pulling the long pleated material up to snag both ends of your panties.

“Ow.”

“Sorry.” He whispers.

“No, it’s okay, just - here,” You grunt as you try to help him from where you’re laying, lifting your hips up to let the fabric slide off. The cool air of the night makes you shiver.

Steve peppers you with kisses as you reach for the belt and unbuckle it. Hearing it come undone makes you even more aroused.

“Hold on.” He says in a breathy voice, reaching between your bodies and lining himself in. You tease him by wrapping a leg around his torso and pushing him in slowly with the heel of your foot against his butt.

The feeling overwhelms him, letting out a sharp exhale. He glances back to your smug face and glares at you momentarily.

You move in sync, your hand grasping onto his broad shoulders and the other on his bicep to keep the pace. He grunts into your shoulder, lost in the lust. His hand comes to rest under your head to support it while also gripping it with each thrust he bucked into you.

Each thrust was different, pleasurable, and enticing. It fulfilled the need for him you had that night at the beach. You catch yourself smiling, knowing none of the bridesmaids or guests he tried flirting with got this far. Not even Sissy.

He hits a spot in you that rouses you out of your thoughts and leaves you mewling wantonly. You know he won’t last, not at the rate his thrusts are going. He’s crying out, bucking against you in fervor, gripping your hair harder, and groaning louder into your neck. You made him this way.

Ever since the first wedding, seeing you out of your element made him reconsider some things. Sure if he’d gotten a girlfriend out of this, it would be good for him. But something about you made him feel the way he thought he felt for Nancy.

He felt seventeen all over again, giddy and in love and a little horny. He just didn’t know if you felt the same. But after the beach incident and the way you took the lead first, all doubts went away.

Thinking about you, he slides his thumb into his mouth and lubricates it, snaking it down to the neglected pearl in between your legs. Your eyes shut in ecstasy at the added sensation, your back arching into him. You feel your legs shake and your feet writhe against his ass trying to amplify the feeling. His heavy breaths, needy kisses, and raunchy whispers in your ear are absolute heaven to you.

You come before him, muffling your lewd moans into his shoulder and milking him for everything he’s got. He comes with a final sloppy thrust and collapses onto you, knocking the wind out of you and leaving you catching your breath.

He pants, breath hot and heavy against your collarbone. Your legs unwrap from their previous position, now shaky and limp.

Once you two catch your breath after about a minute or two, Steve lifts his head to rest his forehead against yours. You both chuckle, finally acknowledging the broken tension.

Steve kisses you again, this time without fear or doubt. Just pure adoration.

You don’t really feel yourself fall asleep, neither does he. But you’re definitely mortified in the morning when you hear voices that wake you up with a start.

“Cooter’s out.” The old gardener points out.

The statement wakes you up, and when you realize you just flashed your privates you stand up quickly and shake Steve awake. He groans, but opens his eyes, his smile dropping once he notices the man in front of you two.

“Cooter’s out.” The old man repeats.

You pull the skirt all the way down and grab your shoes quickly while Steve tucks himself back in and apologizes profusely. You grab his hand and race out of the garden, red as a tomato and grab the bikes to go back to the hotel.

The car ride to the airport is quiet. You thank yourself for bringing something to read to avoid mentioning the embarrassing aftermath. Steve didn’t bring anything to distract him like you did, but he glances at you every so often. When your eyes meet, you both turn away quickly. But the smile on both your faces betrays you both.

Steve doesn’t even bother flirting with the flight attendant this time, his eyes are completely on you. It feels odd. You can’t even find a smart-ass thing to say, it’s like you’re short-circuiting. You didn’t know what he was thinking, but if the constant staring and easy smiles and looks of adoration he gave you were any indications, he was whipped.

You sigh in relief as you plop onto the couch, letting all your things fall after Steve gets in. He takes the initiative to break the ice when he collapses onto your chest.

You’re winded again. “Whoa, someone ate too much shrimp at the wedding.”

Steve suppresses a chuckle, taking you in. You had some type of glow he’d never noticed before.

“So…” He begins.

“So…”

“About last night,” he starts but you cut him off.

“We don’t need to talk about it, you know if you don’t want to.”

“I do.” He murmurs into your chest. He hugs your body, his head resting on your chest the same way Mickey would do it.

Damn it, you actually liked this.

“Great sex.” You blurt, shutting your eyes in disbelief at how awkward he suddenly made you.

His dimples peeked out as he felt himself chuckling. “Yeah, great sex.”

“I’m sorry,” you jittered. “I’m never usually like this.”

“Oh, I know. But it’s okay. I had fun.”

You haven’t felt this excited for something to potentially happen since you met Danny. But even now you were hopeful.

“Steve?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you want me to go with you to your dad’s wedding?”

He must’ve remembered he had to answer that best man question because he’s unmoving.

How bad can it be? He thinks. Now that I have you.

“Yes please.”

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington imagine #stranger things imagine #joe keery x reader

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brelione · 4 years ago

Text

The Goddess Part Three (JJ Maybank x Reader)

Swearing,mentions of boners,JJ being JJ

He looked down at you with wide eyes. “What?”He asked.You blushed. “You said that they are small but they'll get bigger so I said “That's what she said.””You repeated.He nodded. “So when did you get a sense of humor?”He asked.You scoffed. “Wow,JJ.Are you trying to say that i'm not funny?”You asked.He nodded. “Yep,exactly.”He grinned.You bit your lip. “You’re smiling right now!”You called him out,staring down at him.He nodded. “Im smiling because you’re not funny.”He replied,letting a small laugh slip out. “You’re laughing because i'm not funny?”You asked.He nodded. “Mhmm.”He hummed,biting his lip to prevent another laugh from coming out.You grinned. “I guess that makes perfect sense.”You shrugged.He nodded,trying not to laugh.You reached forward,pulling the green hat off his head.Before he could realize what had happened you sprinted down the beach,closer to the water while clutching onto the hat.

You could feel him running after you. “God,(Y/N)!You’re such an ass!”He exclaimed as he reached forward,grabbing onto your sweater.From grabbing your sweater he was able to grab onto your waist,pulling you into his chest. “Can I have my hat back?”He asked.You shook your head,trying to get away from him but it was no use.You looked up at him,seeing him smiling like a child as he watched your struggle. “Sweetheart,don't make me punish you.”He grinned.You looked up at him,confused.Before you could wrap your head around what was happening he had thrown you over his shoulder,running into the water. “JJ!”You squealed.His breath hitched in his throat,feet skidding to a stop when he was at his knees in the water.You giggled,wrapping your legs around his waist and placing his hat on his head.He smirked before dumping you into the water.You fell in with a splash,your sweater and hair getting soaked in the process.

He tried to run away,knowing he had started a war.You got up from the water quickly,running after him.You jumped onto his back,soaking his shirt. “Asshole!”You exclaimed,letting your wet hair fall onto his neck.He blushed,holding onto you so you wouldn't fall off of him. “You did take my hat,Sunshine.”He grinned.You rested your chin on his shoulder. “Ight,but you threw me into the water.That's kind of dramatic.”You smiled.He shrugged. “You took my hat.”He defended himself.He kind of just stood there with you on his back and your chin on his shoulder.He could've got you off of him if he wanted too but he didn't really mind.He had never actually touched you until today.You hadnt really held a conversation either but it seemed a lot of things were changing today. “The waves are getting bigger.”He observed.

You nodded. “Good job,Captain Obvious.”You grinned,sliding off his back.He felt cold from your sudden absence.You grabbed your surfboard,taking off your sweater and shorts before running past him and into the water.He just stood there,dumbfounded.You had to have been some sort of witch.That would at least explain the amount of herbs you grew in your garden.Maybe you had put some sort of poison in his breakfast.That was the only explanation for his quickly beating heart and the odd feeling in his lungs and stomach.He couldn't let himself fall for you.He didn't have room in his life to care about anyone else.But it seemed that he had already fell.It wasn't a small fall either.It was the kind of fall when you slip backwards,smack your tailbone on the ground and then land on your back.It was like that commercial with that old lady screaming that she had fallen and couldn't get up.Thats how he felt.He watched as you paddled out on your board,a wave forming a bit far out.

He grabbed the board that he kept here,the one that he kept leaning against a tree and paddled out to catch up to you.He watched as you stood on your board,gliding across a ten foot wave.Everything went into slow motion for him.He had heard about out of body experiences before and if he didn't know better he'd say he was experiencing one now.He couldn't really hear anything and now he couldn't feel anything either.He couldn't even feel the fast beating in his chest or how heavy his head felt.He just felt nothing.He couldn't feel his board under his hands.He felt like he was floating,he couldn't feel the air coming through his lungs.He watched the way your hips moved,how your arms kept you balanced and how your hair was moving around,a few strands sticking to your face.It was all brilliant and graceful like you had done it countless times before.You had done it countless times.As the wave died you slid under the surface of the water,coming back up a second later.

The water had slicked your hair back,you lifted your hands off the board to wipe the water from your eyes.You looked over at JJ who was only three or four yards away from you.He could finally feel again,the noises of the water and the whistle of the wind against tree branches slowly came back to him. “Jesus,J.You look like you just saw a ghost.”You giggled.He didn't notice that how his jaw had dropped,eyes wide and fingers holding onto his surfboard so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.He closed his mouth,licking his lips and looking down at his reflection in the water. “Hey,are you good?”You were in front of him now,surfboard steady between your things.He nodded. “Yeah...yeah im good.”He replied.You raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you sure about that?”You deepen your voice as low as it could go to sound like the John Cena vine.JJ chuckled. “Oh Yeah!”He laughed,sounding like the kool aid man.

This was not how you thought your morning would go.He paddled out,waiting for another good wave.A few small ones came but they were so small that they barely even moved his board.The good ones only seemed to come for you.He’d watch in confusion as you’d paddle far out,only to realize that large waves coming your way.Around an hour later the two of you were laying on your stomach’s on your boards,catching your breath and calming yourselves down. “How do you do it?”JJ asked,eyes closed as he enjoyed the sun. “Do what?”You sighed,looking over at the almost asleep blonde boy. “Just...everything.”He mumbled,readjusting himself so the side of his head rested on his arms.You looked up at him,eyes half closed. “Elaborate,please.”You grinned.He sighed. “You just….what are you?A witch?A goddess?”He asked.You laughed quietly. “I am honored you think of me that way,but no.Why do you ask?”You blushed.

He splashed some water at you. “You surf...well,you surf like that.Its like the waves are made specially for you and you sing like a disney princess and you make the best jam and bread i've ever had.How do you do it all?”He asked.You bit your bottom lip,making eye contact with him. “You ever think that maybe you're just bad at surfing?”You grinned.He scoffed,flipping your board over.You fell with it,falling into the water.You swam down as far as you could,going under his board.You were down there long enough for him to grow concerned,looking around in the water for you.He was about to go into the water to find you when you swam up under his board and flipped him off of it.He spit water out,glaring at you. “Hey,I'm just getting even.”You grinned.He shrugged. “Truce?”He asked,offering his hand.You shook your head.

“I'm not falling for that.”You scratched at your eyebrow.He frowned. “Wow,so now you're calling me a liar.”He smirked.You shook your head. “When did I say that?”You asked,resting your arm on his board.He grinned. “So now youre calling me dumb?”He asked.You put your head down on your arm with a loud,dramatic groan. “JJ-can you please shush?Please?”You asked.He smiled. “Nope.No I cannot.”He replied,resting his chin on the board. “Imagine if a shark just came up and attacked us right now.”You grinned.He rolled his eyes. “It's a one in a million chance and an even slimmer chance of dying.One of your cows is more likely to kill you.”He shrugged.You stared back at him,eyebrows raised. “And you know this for why?”You asked.He grinned. “I had a shark phase back in seventh grade.I was convinced that I was a merman.”He chuckled.You smiled at his confession. “Maybe your great great great great grandfather was a merman.I have this big theory about mythology,i've got some folktale books if you’re interested.”You offered.

He bit the inside of his cheek. “If I let you tell me your theory and show me these books can I have more bread and jam?”He asked.You scoffed. “You should be honored that i'm giving you the chance to hear my theory.”You grinned,tapping your fingertips on the board.Your’s was still tied to your ankle,floating only three feet away from you.You liked being this close to him though,it sent a weird feeling down your spine.He wasn't gonna complain,he enjoyed being this close to you. “So no bread and jam?”He asked.You rolled your eyes. “You can have two jam sandwiches,deal?”You asked.He nodded,holding out his hand. “Deal.”He waited for you to shake his hand.You didnt,poking his fingers until they folded into his palm,placing his thumb over his fingers so he was making a fist.You grinned,gently bumping his fist with yours. “I don't like handshakes.”That sentence sent him back to the last time he had seen you,when Pope tried to shake your hand.

If someone had asked him to repeat everything you had ever said to him in order he could do it without thinking.His brain just liked you a lot.He didn't like you.He was sure he didn't like you,his brain just liked you and that was it.You were faster than him,getting to the shallow water and untying your board from your ankle and dragging it across the sand and back to the tree line.He hadnt gotten the chance to really look at the bikini you were wearing.The top matched the bottom,deep olive green.A goldish loop connected the material of your bottoms on your hips.He could see a few stretch marks through the loop,biting his lip.He had always thought stretch marks were beautiful and seeing them on you just made him-just made his brain like you a bit more.You pulled your shorts up over your hips,buttoning them.He couldn't stop staring at you.

Usually it wasn't this bad,he could force himself to look away from you and convince himself that he hated you,that you were manipulative and annoying.But not today,not with the way you had shredded those waves and the way your eyes lit up as you offered to show him the folktale books.He watched as you pulled your sweater on.It was wet and probably heavy but you didnt care.You bent over,collecting your hair on top of your head and twisting it into a wet,messy bun.He dragged his feet as he pulled on his shorts,hoping you hadnt noticed the tent growing in his swimsuit,pulling on his shirt and putting his hat on backwards. “Lead the way,Starboy.”You waved your hand towards the woods.

@yallneedtocheckyourselves @sexualparkour @xlittlemissydjx

#jj maybank #jj maybankxreader #jj x you #jj outer banks #outer banks #jj obx #sarah cameron #pope heyward #kiara carrera #john b #rafe cameron

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wolfygirl1900 · 4 years ago

Text

My Guardian Crow

Chapter Four

It had been almost a week since Kara had found and cared for Itachi and he was healing very well. she'd visit him daily before chores, training, or even clan meetings with her father. She had told them both that there was a special barrier around the clan compound that protected them and kept spies from finding them and had gotten to know Kisame and him pretty well since the barrier let them relax a little more.

She smiled and went to their shared room since Kisame insisted on staying near Itachi. She decided to give them a room with two beds so they were both comfy. She knocked on the door and waited for Kisame or Itachi to answer. she beamed up at the shark man and said cheerfully. "Good morning, Kisa!"

Kisame smiled and shook his head at her little nickname. "Good morning, shorty." he said and laughed when she growled and puffed her cheeks out at him. "sorry, sorry.... pufferfish." he teased and laughed more when she made a whiney squeak at him defensively. he let her in and sat on his bed he had just made.

She set the tray of food on the nightstand between the two beds and gave Kisame his scrambled eggs. She sat on Itachi's bed and smiled at him. his eyes were still bandaged but he still had a happy smile when she was near. she placed his plate on his lap and blushed. "I'm sorry if it's a little burned. I was trying to make a breakfast version of Dango.... since I know how much you like it."

He smiled gently and found one of the skewers. He ate one of the waffle ironed Dango and almost melted. Kara blinked and smiled at him.

"you're a wonderful cook." he insisted and grinned at her, making her blush. He touched his bandages and sighed a little bit.

"What's wrong?" Kara asked, looking up at him when he sighed and watched him.

"When can I take these off? I want to see the beautiful face belonging to my sweet angel," he whispered so only she could hear and smiled at her. Kara's face reddened and she whined, hiding her face.

"I am not pretty I swear," she said and bit her lip. she blushed feeling his slender fingers brush over her cheeks and looked up at him.

"I don't honestly care about looks, kara. you'll still be beautiful to me," he reassured quietly and smiled at her. Kara blushed a little bit and smiled. she scooted closer and reached up, taking the bandages off carefully. she slipped the last of it off and watched him.

Itachi scrunched his face slightly at the new light and slowly blinked until his eyes adjusted to the light. His vision was blurry for several minutes but soon he could see clearly. He looked at kara and gasped blushing brightly. "i-i knew you were beautiful but I wasn't expecting this."

Kara blushed as bright as her hair and fidgeted looking away. she gasped a little and blushed as Itachi pulled her close.

"Thank you.... my sweet angel," he whispered in her ear and nuzzled her shoulder softly. Kara couldn't pull away from his strong grip and decided to relax into the hug. she blinked, feeling a wet spot forming on her shirt and smiled softly. she shifted and snuggled into him, closing her eyes.

"Am I interrupting something?" Akira asked from the door with a small smirk and stepped in slowly. Kara jumped at her brother's voice and looked at Itachi. She helped him wipe his face and smiled at him.

Itachi gave her a small smile and turned his stony face back on as he always did when they were with others. Akira smiled as Kuro trotted in meowing loudly as if telling them his thoughts and hopping on his bed kneading on Itachi's lap.

The Uchiha gently petted him and smiled at the cat. "So why are you visiting, Akira?"

the blind male turned his head towards Itachi and said. "our father asked me to come to get kara for the clan meeting....." the corner of his lips twitched slightly as kara groaned and flopped back. on Itachi's bed.

"Do I really have to? you know I hate getting dressed up like a stupid porcelain doll.... those kimonos are too stuffy and hot, I can't breathe properly and I have to put my hair up in those stupidly complicated ass styles.... not to mention that whenever I try to help papa, the elders always either ignore me or interrupt me and tell me to be quiet," she complained and scrunched her fingers in her hair in frustration.

"Kara, it's so we're prepared to take over after dad retires or dies." Akira said gently and smiled at her sympathetically. "And some of the elders listen to you, they just don't like to admit when you're right or have a good idea."

kara huffed and whined. "what's the point? Hotaru or you are probably gonna be chosen as the clan leader. plus I really don't want to go, I have other things to do that are important to. the clan festival is in a few days and I wanted to help get it ready."

Akira sighed and said. "You don't know that for sure, little sister." He stepped closer and petted her hair gently. "Plus dad would be sad if you skipped. you're his favorite kid after all."

Kara rolled her eyes and said. "I am not." She sat up and hugged him. Akira hugged her back and rubbed her back.

"I'll help you get ready... find you something that isn't so stuffy." he offered and touched her cheek gently pausing for a moment and felt under her eyes where she had started to get dark circles from lack of proper sleep.

"kara? What happened? your eyes feel kind of puffy." he asked concerned and tilted his head slightly.

Kara sighed and decided to be honest with him. "I haven't been able to get a good night's sleep for a few days..."

Akira furrowed his brow worriedly and asked. "Is it because of nightmares?"

she nodded and sighed. "yeah... you'd think after five years I'd be okay.... but....." she whispered and bit her lip.

Akira was about to say something when their loud red-haired brother burst in and sighed.

"AHA!!! I knew it, I knew you two were nothing but trouble!!!" Hotaru yelled and rushed to fight with Itachi and Kisame but was stopped by ice that suddenly covered one foot, tripping him.

Kara watched him face plant into the hardwood floor and Akira pulled away and grabbed their brother's braid dragging him out.

"oh, and Kara?" Akira said just before leaving and gave her a sweet smile. "I'll tell dad you're not feeling well and need some rest, so go take a nap or something, okay?"

Kara smiled back and said. "thanks.... and you're my favorite now."

Hotaru struggled against Akira's dragging and whined when Kara chose Akira over him again. Kara snickered hearing him challenging him to a duel somewhere in the hallway and shook her head.

"well... that was interesting," Itachi commented and smiled at kara.

Kara smiled at him and asked. "Are my eyes really that puffy?"

Itachi inspected her and made a hand gesture that usually meant kinda. "he is right though, you do need sleep."

she sighed and nodded looking away.

"you know... if you ever feel the need to, you can come bother us when you have nightmares?" Kisame offered and smiled at her gently.

Kara smiled at him and said, "Thanks, I'll remember next time, Kisa."

Itachi smiled slightly and nodded as well. He paused when Kazumi poked his head in and watched curiously.

"Hey cuz, you skipping the meeting this time?" he asked and stepped in smiling.

she yawned and nodded. "Yeah, Akira told me I should take a nap." she said and rolled her eyes slightly.

Kazumi nodded and thought for a moment. "Well, if you don't actually want to sleep we could go to the special hot springs that yazi has taken us to." he said and smiled at him.

she looked at Itachi and Kisame thoughtfully and said. "Well, it would help Itachi get better faster...."

Itachi perked up a little bit although his face didn't show much.

"Perfect, we'll all get ready and meet up in say.... ten or twenty minutes?" he said and smiled at them all. "We'll meet in the courtyard, under that cherry tree."

Kara nodded and smiled at her cousin. she stood and said. "I'll be back." She went to get a backpack and put a few things for them. she hummed putting in towels, extra clothes, and a few small things and went back to the other two.

"Are you ready?" she asked and smiled. Kisame nodded and helped Itachi.

"We don't have much," he said.

"it's okay, we don't need much." Kara said and smiled at them. She helped Itachi as well and led them to the cherry tree. Kazumi soon arrived and smiled at them.

"Ready when you are." he said and smiled. He took his cousin's bag and watched as she changed into her dragon form. He helped Kisame get Itachi on her back and then got on as well. Kara took off carefully and flew to the springs. Itachi looked around curiously and laughed quietly to himself. The wind felt wonderful and the view of the trees below was amazing.

Kara smiled hearing the quiet laugh and purred slightly. She liked the sound of it and wanted to keep making him happy. She soon began to slowly descend and smiled, smelling the sulfur and sweet wildflowers.

Itachi looked around at the mixture of different shades of greens, blues, and purples and let the awe show on his face. The trees formed a special shield around the steamy crystal aquamarine-colored springs. The tan and grey stones and boulders created the perfect circle trapping the hot waterfall inside.

Kara smiled and let him and the others off before changing back. Kazumi smiled and set their bags in a safe spot before he stripped down. He slipped into the water and swam around for a few moments.

Kara smiled and began to do the same pausing to peek at Itachi.

he was looking away glimpses of a dark blush showing through his dark hair.

Kisame chuckled slightly and smirked at kara. "someone definitely works out a lot."

Kara rolled her eyes at Kisame and smirked back. "Oh shush and get undressed, both of you." she said and looked at Itachi once more. she waded into the warm water until it was deep enough for her to begin swimming. she soon leaned her head back wetting her hair and slicked it back before looking at the guys. "Come on, slowpokes."

Itachi looked at his friend for help and gulped slightly. the image of kara's lithe slender body, a few small scars peppered her smooth fair skin, and oh did she have curves in all the right places.

Kisame smiled slightly at Itachi and nodded quietly and knowingly. He helped Itachi to a secluded area and the two men undressed and got into the water. Kisame stretched slightly and smirked a little bit before leaving his friend to fend for himself.

Itachi glared at Kisame half-heartedly and dipped down to where only his eyes were above the water to hide the dark blush that was forming. that image of kara naked wouldn't leave his mind... thanks to his stupid Sharingan the memory was now burned into his memory.

"Why so pensive, dear?" a silky feminine voice asked next to him, making Itachi almost jump out of his skin. He looked up to see a deep blue and white dragon with fins framing her face and started studying her for a moment.

he sighed and answered a little awkwardly. "I just... I'm not used to... co-ed hot springs..."

the female dragon snickered slightly and lowered her head to be eye level with him. "We dragons aren't ashamed of our bodies as you humans are~." she purred, flirting slightly. "however you smell like you've been claimed by one of us... our dear kara to be exact."

Itachi was glad they were in the hot water because now he could hide the blush that had been stuck on his cheeks. "We haven't done anything." he said and watched him. the dragon laughed and smiled.

"You don't have to mate with each other to be claimed by a dragon, my dear. I can tell you've been injured previously and she's been taking care of you mainly.... am I wrong?" she asked and smiled.

he looked away slightly and tensed a little, noticing kara swimming over.

"Hey Suki, how are you?" the redhead asked and smiled oblivious to Itachi's current issue.

the dragon smiled and said. "I'm doing quite well, dear. yazi will be happy to know I'll be laying our eggs soon."

Itachi blushed watching kara but blinked. He looked up at suki and asked. "you're yazi's mate?"

Suki looked at the Uchiha and nodded. "yes. he's a good mate." she answered and smiled kindly. she purred, making the water ripple around them and watched him. she playfully pushed him closer to kara with her tail and smirked before going back under.

Itachi glared at where she disappeared and hesitated to look at kara.

Kara blinked slightly and blushed looking up at him. she smiled at him and touched his cheek gently. "Are you okay?"

Itachi nodded tight-lipped and hoped she didn't notice his issue. He mentally cursed his eyes and gulped when she touched his cheek before finally slowly looking at her.

She smiled and hugged him, blushing brightly when she felt something long and hard poking at her thighs. She didn't say anything and pretended not to notice. She did notice how tense itachi suddenly got and peeked at him. He was hiding his face in his hair before he hugged back, hiding it against her shoulder instead.

Kisame smirked a few feet away and waited until Itachi looked up before gesturing for his best friend to have some naked fun with kara.

itachi gave him a half hearted death glare but otherwise kept talking to kara and suki. Kara smiled up at him and tugged his hand gently before leading him to the others. itachi tried not to stare at her lovely toned ass and swallowed trying to keep his mind out of the gutter to give her some respect.

Kara smiled at him with a light blush and said. "the waterfall is good for meditating if you would like to join me?"

itachi stiffened and stammered slightly. "ah, n-no. i-i'm just... why don't w-we swim around some more?"

Kara blinked at his reaction and swam closer to him again touching his forehead slightly. "Are you feeling okay? Do you feel overheated?"

Kisame snorted, stifling a laugh and smirked at itachi. poor itachi couldn't seem to form an actual sentence for a moment and the shark man answered for him. "Itachi is just.... overwhelmed by the beauty of his surroundings." he smirked a little more, showing his sharp teeth and added quietly. "so to speak."

Itachi's eye twitched just slightly and he ignored his friend.

Kara blinked a little bit, seeming pretty innocent for a moment before blushing brightly and nodded looking away shyly.

Itachi watched her and swallowed slightly. He gasped slightly, blushing just as bright as her hair when something very large with smooth scales pushed him into kara. He froze for a moment seeing that he was now inches away from her face and forgot how to think for a few minutes.

Kara blushed and watched him getting herself lost in his eyes as they stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity. she felt a little disappointed when he pulled away and reached out to touch his hand. "Are you feeling any better?"

he looked at her and nodded. "nothing really hurts now... I actually am feeling a lot better, thank you kara."

Kara smiled at him and swam away, slightly going to the waterfall. She carefully climbed onto the rocks and began to meditate.

Itachi watched her and took a few deep breaths, calming himself down completely despite seeing her fully nude. he swam over and carefully got up, settling next to her meditating as well.

Kara smiled a little without opening her eyes and breathed slowly, relaxing her body letting out any negative energy out through her slow exhales. she peeked at him with one eye and smiled seeing that he seemed to be doing the same. It was nice to relax and meditate with someone. somehow she felt more relaxed in his presence and smiled softly. she looked at the sky seeing that it was early afternoon and her stomach growled a little bit. she blushed and jumped a little hearing his soft chuckle.

"time for a break?" he asked and smiled down at her. Kara stared up at him and nodded. She slowly looked down at his body and blushed a little bit more. He was lean but also had muscles. her eyes got stuck on his stomach and her ears burned as his soft chuckle snapped her out of it.

he smiled gently but his eyes had a glint of amusement in them. "Come on, little dragon. let's go eat." he teased softly and went to the shore where their things were. Kara followed suit and smiled, going to her bag and bending over to grab the towels. she paused hearing a strangled gurgling behind her and turned to see itachi facing away from her stiffly. she blinked slightly but soon noticed the scarlett tinge to her ears and blushed as well realizing what he might have seen. she quickly wrapped one of the large towels around herself quickly and went over to him. she froze slightly seeing something of his standing at attention and gulped a little bit. she turned away and blushed brightly, tossing the towel on his head.

"h-here..." she stuttered and went to her bag to grab a towel and her sweatshirt and shorts. She quickly dressed and hid her face with her towel covering her head.

Kisame watched them and smirked while swimming to the shore. He grabbed dry shorts for Itachi and himself and stretched a little bit. Kazumi came back to shore as well and put on his boxers grabbing the picnic basket and blanket setting it all up with the food. He sat down and summoned his guitar from a special sealing scroll.

"of course you'd bring that." Kara teased and smiled at him sitting near him glancing at Kisame and Itachi as they came over to join them. She nibbled on a cookie and listened to Kazumi playing his guitar humming along softly.

Itachi watched her smiling softly and ate politely elbowing Kisame's side as he whispered a rather risque joke in the uchiha's ear. He watched her some more and smiled softly as the two cousins worked on a song together. his expression fell slightly remembering his own cousin and missed him for a moment.

Kara noticed his sad expression and bit her lip slightly. she shifted and pulled a bag of dango she had been hiding. She went over to itachi and sat next to him, placing the bag on his lap. she watched as surprise replaced the sadness and pain in his eyes and smiled gently. "missing your brother?"

Itachi opened the bag smiling softly and looked at her. "yes but I was thinking about my cousin, shisui."

"isn't that the name of one of your crows?" she asked and tilted her head curiously.

he nodded and said. "yes but it's because of that sharingan eye he has...." he fiddled with one of the dango as he sighed and told her what happened to shisui. He looked at her again and expected to see pity in her eyes however that wasn't the case.

Kara listened and kissed his cheek. "at least you have a piece of him left... he must have cared very deeply about you to keep watch over you with that crow." she said and smiled softly.

Itachi was slightly stunned by her answer but smiled at her, poking her forehead. "you're right."

The rest of the afternoon passed seemingly way too quickly. Kara looked at itachi and tugged his sleeve gently. she smiled slightly when he looked at her and asked. "Come with me?" She took his hand and led him to a high up spot where the trees weren't in the way. she smiled at him and said. "I figured you wouldn't mind watching the stars with me."

Itachi smiled and nodded. "Sounds wonderful." he said and sat down laying back next to her as she did the same. He watched the night sky and peeked at her smiling softly. He used his Sharingan to memorize how the moonlight looked on kara and whispered. "beautiful."

Kara heard him and blushed looking up at him. "the sky?" she asked innocently but she had a feeling that he had meant her since he was still staring at her.

his lips tweaked up into a small grin and he answered. "both, but mostly my angel."

she blushed and looked away shyly. she heard shifting next to her and looked over at itachi. she blushed brightly seeing how close he was now and looked at him.

itachi smiled gently and lifted one of his large hands poking her forehead with two of his slender fingers. "We should probably head back home soon."

she blinked a little bit at the poke but nodded sitting up. "yeah... let's go."

The two of them walked back to the others and Kara smiled, changing into her full dragon form. She waited for the guys to get on and flew back home. she landed carefully and let them get off before changing back to human. She smiled at them and paused flinching as she heard her father yelling her name. she looked over at the tall waist-length red-haired male who was walking over with her brothers trailing behind him.

Kara turned to face her father and widened her eyes slightly as he hugged her tightly.

"I was worried when I didn't see you at dinner.... I'm glad you're safe." he said softly and breathed a sigh of relief.

Kara blinked a little bit and then smiled, lifting her head to kiss her father's stumbled cheek gently. "I'm sorry, papa. I just thought if I took Itachi to the dragon springs it would help his injuries."

"Wait, what?!" hotaru gasped and growled glaring at itachi and kisame. "So you saw my dear baby sister naked?!"

Kara glared at her brother and watched as Akira bonked the redhead male with his sword's sheath. she sighed as the two brothers fought over the issue and growled irritated.

"and this is why kisame is my favorite now." she announced to both of them and watched them look at her in shock and sadness.

"b-b-b-but..." they both stuttered in unison and winced as she glared at them.

"Kisame and Itachi are part of our family now, I expect you two to treat them as such, understand?" she growled lowly and glared.

Kisame blinked slightly and tried his best not to laugh at the situation. He smiled softly and watched her fuss at her brothers.

akira was the first to calm down and looked at the two former akatsuki. "as long as you keep my sister safe, i have no problems with you." he said calmly in a kind tone and smiled.

Itachi sighed and said, "We should all get some rest, it's getting late."

#Wolfy fics #itach uchiha #itachi x oc #romance #kisame #kisame is a jerk hehe #getting a little spicy in here!#blushy boi

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themousefromfantasyland · 4 years ago

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The Yule Man (5/7)

Told by ME

This was meant to be a short story, but it became too big, so I separated it in seven parts. I want to turn my blog in a space where I can share my writting every once and a while.

This is the first time I post one of my stories on a public space. This is the first time anyone besides my sister will be able to read, so I'm pretty exciting and anxious. I want honest criticism. I hope you all enjoy it.

On the Solstice Eve of that year Chris arrived back in Arnsberg close to the old bridge. Once again, he dressed in a long fur coat and dirty beggar clothes, carrying an old bag. He touched his face and discovered his shaggy beard hadn't changed at all. Deep down he still had hoped things to be different.

The town changed even more from the last time. Entire neighborhoods seemed to have withered away. Filthy tenements with shattered windows and people dressed no better than him. Beggars and homeless children scattered everywhere. Pain and sorrow stamped on everyone's faces.

"What happened here?"

He walked faster as he could until he reached a church in a better part of the town. Exhausted, he rested leaning on a statue of the Silver God. As soon as he saw him, the priest shoved him away as a dog. Somethings never change at all.

He wandered in those streets, until an old woman stopped him. She looked exactly like the grandmas in Sophia's picture books.

"You're the Yule Man, right? I know her." The old woman chuckled. "She told me if I saw you, I should send you to this address."

And she gave him the address and went her own way.

"Mia?" He looked to the piece of paper in his hands.

The address lure him to a small building downtown. Candlesticks illuminated the windows. Rows of holly and mistletoe were hanged through it with care. The sign in the door announced the place to be closed, yet they forgot the door open.

A huge man dressed in all black from the head to the toe stepped out of the store. On his way out he bumped with Chris.

"Happy Yuletide!" He took off his bowler hat to greet him, when Chris thought he saw all the evil of the world in his eyes.

He then disappeared in the mundane crowd. Chris entered the store, without knowing what he had saw.

Still confused, he called:

"Is anyone here?"

He saw full-body mirrors, measure tapes and cushions lying on the floor. Pieces of fabrics were scattered everywhere. Some carefully sorted and saved in shelves and cabinets. Others dropped over wooden tables. Someone had engraved dozens of needles on the heads of the mannequins. That unsettled him.

A woman in a purple dress shirt turned to him from the balcony. Seeing her face drove all his fear and worries away. In what seemed like the interval between seconds, he jumped to her arms, which closed tight around his body. He had returned to Mia.

He glared at her. She didn't look like the rich girl he had met. Her clothes showed simplicity this time. Modest and simple. A purple coat and skirt, covering a blue waistcoat.

She served him a cup of hot cocoa. She knew exactly what would fill him with happiness and made him warm. By the look in his face, she did it right again. She brought him to a small apartment over the store. The place stroked as tiny, yet still cozy and not uncomfortable at all. Chris saw a moderate Yule tree with some Yule Goats around, and he knew Mr. Hayek lived there.

They sat by her blue coach. He made a silly face that said to her. "C'mon, tell me what happened."

She took a sip from her teacup and started.

"After the Yule, I took my part in father's inheritance and left the shrew alone." She told him, and both on that room felt deep pride for her.

There was a sense satisfaction in her face. He loved finding that in her. Chris managed to smear himself with the drink and it made her happy.

"You're a tailor now?" He teased her.

"Being a writer wouldn't work out for me." She smirked.

She gave him a white blouse.

"Dress it."

From the bathroom he came as handsome as she remembered him. Mia struggled to keep her good form.

"I didn't say to shave the beard. You can keep if you want."

"I don't want!" He winked to her.

She continued telling him her year.

"I bought this place from an old woman. She wanted to retire and pass more time with her family. She actually helped a lot setting all this up."

He turned to her.

"Was she the woman who bring me here?"

"Possibly." Mia gestured with her shoulders. "I told everyone that I knew that if they saw you, they should give you the address of this place."

"And who was that man I saw getting out of the store. He creeped me out."

Mia grew quiet. She exhaled. Talking about him never brought her any pleasure.

"It would be Franz Müller, the Cat’s-eye. He's a loan shark who thinks a lot about himself. Each month me and all business in the neighborhood have to pay his fees. Don't think much about him, most of the time he just takes the money and leave us alone.

The question frightened Chris.

"What happened to the town?"

Mia shut her eyes.

"Economic crisis, and my father can't help them this time."

"What about the ball in the Hayek’s mansion?"

She raised her voice to him.

"Which ball!"

That sudden change of mood made him jump out of his place.

"Sorry, mother closed the gates of the mansion to the town. She's still rich. Made a deal with my father's business partners. She guaranteed hers but forgot about everyone's else." She said full of deep resentment.

"I kind learned this by myself because you. I don't want to brag, but I'm good at this." She continued. "I bought this place. Learned a trade. Started to work."

"So, you're a working-class woman now?" He smirked.

"It's what it looks. I still have part of my father's inheritance. And with the work I got I can sustain myself quite comfortably for quite a while."

Night had come. Chris released his bag over her terrace, filling the sky with the magical snowflakes. All the town saw the light and cold dash up into the clouds. Billions of ice crystal dancing and flowing through the air. Mia never got tired of seeing that scene.

She launched the Yule Log into her simple fireplace, and they both sat close by it.

"I want to give you something."

She gave Chris a box. A beautifully wrapped present.

"Happy Yuletide." She couldn't wait to see his reaction.

He opened the box. A tiny bottle full of shiny white sand inside, and little seashells keeping it in good company. He knew exactly where they were from. His eyes filled themselves. He started to cry, to sob even, and still laugh of happiness. He hugged her, and he didn't let her go. His first Yule present ever.

They sat on that place for hours, and still hadn't ran out of things to say to each other.

"Your mother?" He asked.

"Still angry with me. After a time, I stopped trying to save our relationship. It wasn't worth it in the end. I still get to see my siblings. Will take them to Yulesing tomorrow. Without the Solstice Eve Ball, I worry how they will spend the holidays."

Mia explained to Chris how things had got different. This year she couldn't take him to party through Arnsberg.

"I don't care. I only want to be near you."

They stayed hours doing completely nothing. They enjoyed each other's conversation and company in general. The cold was the best sensation ever and the room was as cozy as it could be.

In the end of the night Chris tasted Mia's lips. She had thought they would never come to that. She led him to her room, where she felt his body in hers. Soft, tender, perfect.

They stayed in bed hugged to each other. Through the window in the wall opposite to them they could see the snow slowly dressing the world in white.

"I love you." She said resting her head on his chest.

He felt physical pain saying that:

"This isn't love. It's just a romantic fantasy. What you have for me isn't real. I'm not real. You can't love a person you only spend thirteen days within the whole year." He forced a small laugh.

Her mouth twitched.

"I can if it's true love."

His forehead puckered.

"You don't have to put up with me for the rest of the year. We don't go through the same stuff other couples go through. When the holidays are over, I'm gone. I'm won't think, I'm won't feel, I won't remember a thing. I won't be."

"Chris!"

"Sorry. What we got are only moments."

"So, why are you so against enjoying them. In general, everyone's life is just a moment. They live, they die, and it's over. At least I can enjoy a time with you. For me it's already worth it."

He closed his eyes.

"I'm dying to go to Lichthafen City with you."

He gave her a faintly smile. The room then became quiet.

In the next day they went to take the Hayek children to Yulesing. Mia knew very well that Chris loved it more than the children. Her siblings were nothing more than an excuse for doing that. Yet, he loved her siblings. They stayed with them for half of their days together. They had fun.

In the other half they stayed alone in Mia's apartment over her tailoring shop. Cuddling in her bed, eating sweets, and watching the world through that window. Best days ever, for both of them.

The Yule Log turned to ashes. Time to go again, and again in the next year he returned, in the exact same manner. Time passed, and he left, and left, and still returned to her. Each year, thirteen days only.

Chris watched the town change and change around him, and only he stayed the same. In a wink of time, Sophia, Fritz and Thomas started to leave childhood. How much that stroked pain in him. Even Mia started to look more like his older sister than his lover.

Poverty spread through the town as if a disease. Good and respectable neighborhoods crumbled to ruins before his eyes. Organized crime and urban violence turned Yulesing a thing of the past. Mr. Müller became much more than a simple loan shark.

Everything changed, less him.

#christmas #holiday season #yuletide #my writting #writters on tumblr #my story #The Yule Man

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write-like-you-mean-it · 4 years ago

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A Hunter’s Prey: A Spider’s Web

The restaurant was a crowded mess of customers, waitstaff, bussers, people waiting, and many more. It was the perfect place for conversations to get lost in the noise. Dishes clinked together, parties were being thrown, and many drunk people shouting at their friends from across the bar. No wonder Machi picked this restaurant. It was perfect.

I didn’t see her yet so I grabbed an open table at the bar rather than wait out in the open. I was a little early too. Machi arrived twenty minutes late. I’d received a text earlier in the day that she would be a little late. I’d been sipping on my jack and coke the entire time. I didn’t want to be drunk for the conversation but maybe a bit tipsy.

Machi, on the other hand, ordered a simple water. The tension between us was palpable. The waitress just placed a second drink for me and her water and left. Machi sighed while I took another drink. Our game of who would talk first was getting a little embarrassing.

“Y/N, what happened? What’s going on? Why do you know about my line of work?” Once Machi starts talking, she sometimes doesn’t stop. Maybe this was how Illumi felt with my line of questioning.

I took another sip in hopes that the alcohol would reach my body faster. “Well, it started at the bar you dragged me to last time you were in town-.” Once I started, I had to finish. I didn’t want to leave out any detail. I told her about being kidnapped, about the Zoldycks, about Illumi’s and me, and I told her about the mission. Everything spilled out at once. My mouth refused to shut. All the feelings that I kept bottled deep down within me due to Illumi’s lack of voice rang out like a siren.

Machi, rather than react, sipped on her drink. I knew she was paying attention due to the small nods she’d give me throughout. Once I was done, she finished the last bit of her water and sighed once again. “Let me get this straight,” she said while placing her glass at the end of the small table. “You’re supposed to be Illumi’s wife because he told you that you were and instead of calling me or the police, you decided to stay.”

“My phone was taken away while I was officially kidnapped,” I mumbled. “The first time I got it back was when I texted you to meet up.”

The pink haired girl leaned back in the seat. “Makes sense. I was going to see if any of my troupe would want to help me out in finding your location. It’s not like you to not text me.”

“That’s why Hisoka was following us. Illumi had an urgent mission that required his attention.”

“No wonder that son of a bitch wouldn’t tell me anything. Truly, I thought he was following me.”

I chuckled a bit. “So you’re with the spiders?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. The kind waitress came back to refill drinks and see if we wanted anything to eat. Machi shooed her away. “They’re like my second family. I originated from Meteor City so I knew all the crew. We decided to become a team when we realized that life could be a lot more fun if we were filthy rich and had a lot of power.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah. It’s nice. Plus we’re kinda close. We all have a job to do and follow our boss.”

I nod my head while finishing my drink. The effects are starting to hit me a bit. Just enough of a fuzzy brain to feel as though all of her words make sense. “Illumi sent me on a mission.”

“I was surprised that he’d let you out of his sight. He seemed pretty controlling when I saw him awhile ago. I don’t sense anyone watching us.”

“Yeah,” I muttered. “It seems to be a learned behavior.”

“Well what’s your mission. Maybe I can help.” Machi leaned in close so that if anyone was listening, they wouldn’t be able to hear over the noise. “Or help you escape if that’s what you want.”

I paused for a moment. Did I want to escape? Machi was giving me an out. Out of anyone, she could help me; however, it might be the alcohol but I didn’t. “No, just the mission is fine. I’m supposed to convince your boss to let Illumi join the spiders.”

Machi sat back in her chair. “Illumi wants to join my group. Why?”

“He said you all have a common enemy. Don’t ask who it is, I don’t know. I’m to convince you and your boss to let him join. I don’t know why he sent me. Illumi could’ve persuaded your boss himself.

Machi looked up and down me. “I know why he sent you to talk with Chrollo. Really you don’t want to talk with him. Illumi shouldn’t have sent you. This mission will be a failure. We already have Kalluto. A second family member might not be that great for our brand. We’re not in his line of business.” She was being cautious of her words. Grabbing too much attention could hurt our chance of staying hidden. “What even makes you want to do this for him after everything he’s done to you?”

I thought for a moment. During this break, the waitress brought our check. I was the only one that bought something but Machi picked up the tab and paid. She’s rarely paid for me due to our work and play life to be separate.

“I guess it has to do with some good that’s deep down within him. It’s the quiet moments that are the best. I can tell he needs me even if he says he doesn’t. While he isn’t the best guy or the best talker or the most compassionate, there’s something there. It’s..” My thoughts drop off for a moment. “It's the small gestures. He’s trying even when it’s hard for him.”

A busboy came by to pick up the empty glasses. Machi finally stood up. “You know, I asked why you’re helping him, not why you’re falling for him. He hasn't passed my approval yet but I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I’m not falling for him,” I say while following her out of the restaurant. “Also where are we going?”

“Yeah sure you aren’t falling for him. You just slept with him many, many times and miss him dearly.” Machi continued to walk out of the restaurant and down the street. She was dodging through the random people that were walking through town. I follow suit. “I’m taking you to see my boss. While I don’t think it’s a good idea, you’re already in too deep for me to convince you otherwise.”

I could feel the heat on my cheeks as I quickly ran after her. “Oh so we can just meet the boss. We don't have to make an appointment or anything.”

“Oh no. We’re meeting Chrollo and the rest of the gang too.” I almost misstepped. I could feel goosebumps running up my spine. Meeting the rest of the Troupe was not my goal. All I wanted was to talk to the boss then maybe get to hang out with Machi until Illumi picked me up. This was way out of my paygrade and Illumi had better reward me.

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

Meteor city was more desolate than I imagined. A lot of buildings were run down or demolished. Only a few structures seemed like they were built well. One of the more run down buildings, Machi went into. I followed closely behind.

“Machi brought a friend,” a voice from behind me. I jumped a little and turned around. However, I didn’t see anyone.

“Cut it out Feitan,” Machi said without turning around.

“I thought we shouldn’t have outsiders because of the last time,” said the voice again. I turned towards where it was coming from and again was met with nothing. I walked a little faster to keep up with Machi.

“This isn’t like last time. I know who I bring into the safe place. Plus we’re not staying here long. She barely knows Nen and has a mission. Is Chrollo here?” From the shadows came a short man. He had most of his face covered by a collar that led into his jacket. He was carrying an umbrella even though it wasn’t raining.

“He’s here. He wasn’t left.”

“Good.” Machi only stopped for a second. We went into another part of the building. This one has a little bit more put together. It had tall ceilings that reached so far up, I doubt anyone had cleaned them in years. Inside, sat multiple people. They were either playing a card game, polishing some old weapons, or looking at old paperwork.

“Chrollo, I have someone to talk with you,” said Machi while grabbing my arm. She pushed me further into the center of the room. Every cell in my body screamed for me to leave. All these terrifying people were looking at me. Every one of them could kill me in a second. My only solace was Machi and Kalluto standing far away in the corner.

The man holding the old-ish papers set them down on top of some wooden boxes. The guy from earlier grabbing them quickly and shoving them into a satchel.

“Machi, you have brought us a friend,” said the man. He was covered in a jacket that exposed his torso. Every inch of his chest was shown for the world to see. His jacket had some old feathers that were worn down from use. His hair was slicked back to the point that grease was shimmering off of it. The main focal point was the inverted cross on his forehead. This was Chrollo, the boss of the Phantom Troupe.

Chrollo walked up to me. Instead of talking or introducing himself, he walked around me. Machi had let go of my arm without me realizing it. It was as if I was sitting prey and a shark swam around me. “What��s your name?”

“Y/N,” I responded as Chrollo had finished his lap. He stopped right in front of me. “My name is Y/N.”

“Y/N.” On his tongue, my name felt like a fly trap. “Beautiful name to fit a beautiful girl. You know Machi?”

“Yes,” I responded. “We’ve been friends for years.”

“I’m guessing you're the girl that disappeared for awhile. She was about to employ a few members in her quest to find you.”

“I-I haven’t been missing that long. Plus I’m found alive and well.” Chrollo, instead of talking, looked me up and down once again. I could get a taste that he found something interesting within me. Something that I didn’t know was there. It was almost embarrassing.

“Hmm,” said Chrollo while turning around and going back to his seat. I look around to notice the rest of the members staring at us as if this all was a show. “I’m guessing you want something. However I won’t hear it yet. Stay enjoy the troupe. We’ll revisit your query in a few days.” He flashed a showy smile that felt more like a rabid dog showing its teeth than a human’s smile. “I want to get to know you.”

Next Chapter

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#illumi x reader #illumi zoldyck #hunterxhunter #Hxh #A Hunter's Prey #Chrollo #phantom troupe #Chapter 19

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nyxicnymph · 4 years ago

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Horizon and Edge

#4: The Never-Ending Show

Bright lights. People are staring at me. Cameras filming me without permission. This is my worst nightmare!

I’m screaming, but no one hears me. WHY AM I HERE?!

Suddenly, someone is up in my face. He--I assume that he’s a he--is wearing a black and green outfit, with what appears to be night-vision goggles, so you can’t easily identify gender, or see his eyes.

He asks me, “Are you ready to play a game?”

I say, “Nnnnnnn....”

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.” He turns to the crowd. “Now, how shall we put her through her paces?”

Someone yells, “Make her recite poetry!”

I shudder. I do NOT like poetry. And someone knows that.

“Ah, yes,” he says, “Poetry. You must recite a set of poetry, of your choice. You may even recite your own poetry. You must recite three pieces, at least eight lines, of any type.” He pauses. “The only exception to the eight-line rule is haikus.”

I stare at him.

He stares right back. “You must start... Now.”

I think frantically. What am I going to recite?!

Haikus. I can do haikus. Five, seven, five. No rhyme necessary.

I take a deep breath. “I stare at the sky,

Wondering about the night,

Moonlight and starlight.”

That’s the first one. I’ll do one more haiku, and end with something... else.

I close my eyes. “My hands open wide,

reaching for inspiration,

but cannot find it.”

This one last one... I hope I can do it.

“Rena's ring, ran away

Ran away to be safe.

Rena's rage, roars greatly

And asks the ring to abate.

Rena's ring, returns today

Rena’s rage roar fades away.

Rena's ring, returned at last,

Rena's rage, restored in the past.”

I stop. That’s the end of the poem, which I wrote for a school assignment about alliteration. But it works great here, too.

The guy contemplates me. “Hmm... That was some good poetry, what a way to finish the show! Am I right, everyone?”

The audience cheers, while I blink confusedly. But I thought that it had just started?

The show dude continues speaking: “Tune in next time, when you’ll hear me say...”

The world distorts around me, and everything goes... fuzzy, for lack of a better word.

“Welcome to the Never-Ending Show!”

“NO!” I yell. It’s been reset. I have to do the poetry all over again!!!

“Are you ready to play a game?”

“NOOO!”

“Well, too bad,” he says. “You’re going to play one anyway. How should we put our guest to the test?”

“A super high obstacle course! With spikes!”

“NOPE!” I yell, and attempt to walk off the stage.

The host grabs me around the waist with inhuman speed, and sets me right back onstage. “Ah, ah, ah. You can’t leave yet! You have to take the Hightly-rated Obstacle Course, With Spikes!”

I’m all of a sudden standing at the beginning. I see the path they mean for me to take, fraught with perilous balancing sections, and walls of fire. Oh, and spikes. Because I need more injuries, in the case of...GULP. Falling.

But... I also see another path. It’s a little trickier, and I’ll have to rely on some jungle-gym experience, but there’s less chance of dying... I hope.

I hear the buzzer ring, and I take off, heading in the “correct” direction, until I grab a metal support beam, and swing. The obstacle course goes halfway around the stage. I’ll get there way faster like this.

Until he starts pressing buttons.

A column of flame erupts right in front of me, nearly searing off my bangs. I yelp, and go around it. Then there is a storm of arrows, and a truly diabolical moment with some tesla arcs and metal wires. I finally reach the end, turn towards the host, and raise a pinky finger at him. Thank you, Annemarie.

The host chuckles. “We couldn’t let you have an easy win. That would have been boring. But, now, the show’s over. Good night, everyone, and tune in next time, when you’ll hear me say...”

The weird distortion happens again, and again I hear him say:

“Welcome to the Never-Ending Show!”

I scream at the ceiling. This is truly my worst nightmare.

**********************************************

I’ve been through so much tonight. They’ve made me swim with sharks, dance in front of people, do a VR skydiving simulation... The list goes on. I can’t catch a break. They even made me parse a sentence, without textbook help. That wasn’t so much a nightmare as much as me making shtuff up, and then screaming at the host.

I’m panting on the floor. The whole thing has just reset, again, and I’m waiting for my next trial.

POOF!

I jump, and almost yell. Edge is right in front of me, holding his index finger to his lips in the “shh” sign.

I never understood that sign. One finger does not keep someone’s mouth from running. Heck, in some cases, a whole two hands and a roll of duct tape wouldn’t do that. Not naming any names... *Cough, cough* Liam.

Anyway, I see him do that, and then he disappears. But not with a poof. He just fades, so I’m pretty sure he just turned invisible.

Right in my ear, I hear, “Just stay calm. I’m going to fix this.”

I nod ever-so-slightly. I feel a whisper of wind, and know that he’s gone. I stand up and turn towards the host. I dunno what Edge is going to do, but I know what I’ve been itching to do ever since the tesla arcs.

I walk up to the host. “Hey, Mr. Host-dude.”

He turns to me. “Yes? We haven’t picked the task yet.”

I smile sinisterly. “But I have.”

He cocks his head. “Oh, really?” A skeptic if I’ve ever met one.

I flip my hair. “Yeah, it’s called, ‘What’s Super-hard and Can Be Shoved into a Super-jerk’s Face?’”

He strokes his chin, and I adjust my stance ever-so-slightly. Super-jerk is super-dumb.

“I haven’t heard of that one. Is it a game of riddles?”

I shake my head. “I’ll show you. Just come a little closer...”

He leans in... and I punch him in the mask-covered face.

He recovers and looks in my direction... or where I used to be. I run across the stage and jump off.

“HAILEY!” Edge yells at me. I just wink over my shoulder. I have no idea where he is, but, he’ll probably grab the bad guy, and keep me from being torn to pieces.

Probably.

I turn around, just in time to see Edge pummel the host, ripping through an illusion. Oh, boy. The real version of the host is super creepy. I’m mildly creeped out.

Edge is unphased, and continues to beat the host.

“You need to quit forcing people into living their nightmares, Nightmare Host!”

Well, at least his name makes sense.

Edge puts his foot in the small of Nightmare Host’s back, and raises his hands up. They begin to glow golden light, and then he aims at the villain, slashes through the air, and Nightmare Host vanishes.

The world distorts one last time, and I’m back in the dark street. I’m on my knees, peering at the world confusedly. A second later, I realize that Edge is right beside me, panting. He sounds like he just ran two consecutive marathons.

“Are you okay? Did you kill that guy?” I pause. “How long was I in there?”

He sits up a little straighter. “I didn’t kill him. I don’t do that. I simply banished him for a while. When he comes back, he’ll be powerless, and in jail.” He takes a deep breath. “I’m okay, just drained. That power takes a lot of energy, that’s all.” He stands up, only a little unsteady on his feet. He pulls me up as well. “You were only in there for a few minutes. It only seemed longer because it was a mindscape. He made it seem longer than it actually was.”

I nod. “Thanks for getting me out of there. If you hadn’t, I probably would have lost my mind.”

He looks at the sky above us. “And then I would have had to fight you, and get you out from under his control.”

I shudder. “I hate being controlled and manipulated,” I say. “And I’m glad that you don’t have to that.”

“Me, too.”

I begin to walk. “Guess I’ll see you around.”

“I guess so. Try and stay out of super-trouble,” he warns.

I turn around and roll my eyes. “I already do that. It’s trying to get trouble to stay away from me that’s the problem.” I pause, thinking to myself, This was the first time.

He chuckles. “Maybe you’re the trouble.”

I retort. “Sure, I’m trouble. Just my life.”

He smiles. “You better get home. You look like you need some sleep.”

I turn towards home, and remark, “After that game show of doom? Uh, yeah.”

He laughs again, then disappears.

Me, I head home.

#horizon and edge #h&e #hailey jardin #kaylee quintant #bethany harvord #erik quintant #Hero Edge #my story #original story #send me asks

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youarejesting · 5 years ago

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BTS365 Prompts.Week 21

[Masterlist] [Prompt Masterlist]

Please tag me in your work if you use my prompts. I want to see your work. Ever your Jester.

Tell me your birthday and I will tag you on your special day!

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May 21st - 27th

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Kim Seokjin: Sing out [Song]

You were standing on the side of the road, with a music station and started singing an English cover of Epiphany. You’re a little screen in front of your station, had the name of the song and the original producers and vocalists so that you weren’t claiming that they were your songs. So as you changed the slide to reveal the original creators and that this was an English cover, you took the mic.

As you were singing a small group with the cameras were walking by and you heard a bunch of voices calling and they were pushing each other forward until one of them pushed forward his hood falling to reveal Kim Seokjin.

I'm the one I should love in this world the soul I once knew, shining so bright breaking through I'm accepting myself, so I love me though I'm not perfect, there is beauty inside of me I'm the one I should love

You continued singing, ears turning pink, You reached into your music station and switched on the second mic. Taking the time to change the instrumental to a faster pace and tweaked the music until it sounded like the song he was used to. And you gave him a thumbs up and you sang the second verse in Korean and his mouth fell open. You gestured for him to join.

Saranghago shipeo in this world Bitnaneun nareul sojunghan nae yeonghoneul Ijeya kkaedara so I love me Jom bujokhaedo neomu areumdaun geol I’m the one I should love

“I’m the one I should love” You sang as he took the high notes and you grinned as a crowd began forming listening to this song they knew nothing about. Not knowing that the singer was actually there on the streets with them.

“I’m the one I should love” Seokjin took the last line and you sank behind the music station, your heart racing, tears falling down your face and you could hear his friends cheering and clapping.

“You know BTS?” His voice spoke through the speakers and you laughed as he was speaking through the mic to you. You nodded and he grinned “am I your favorite?”

“Who else could it be with that handsome face?”

Min Yoongi: Musical instrument [Song]

“That is him the school's most talented pianist, I heard if you get him as your accompaniment you are guaranteed to get a good grade” some girls were gossiping nearby and he saw what appeared to be a floating hard case that held at a guess a large cello or a small double bass. The slowly moving case moving towards the lecture hall, the very same one he was headed to.

On closer inspection Yoongi saw two tiny shoes shuffling along under the giant instrument, he wondered what you were doing. Surely you weren’t tall enough to play a full size cello, he followed behind watching you sleepily walk to the lecture hall.

He was standing behind the hard case using it to conceal himself from the Sharks that would beg him to be their accompaniment. So hidden out of sight it was obvious they would talk about him. “He is such an ass, I just know he is the best”

“What piece are you playing?”

“Pachebel’s canon in D”

Yoongi heard a snort at the same time he blanched. “Something wrong with that piece?”

“It’s overplayed and boring as hell, you expect some amazing accompanist for that”

“What are you playing?”

“Vivaldi’s four seasons specifically spring”

“God I actually want to cut your violin strings, please move. I have to get through”

“Well what piece are you playing?”

“Boccherini’s cello concerto in B flat major” you hummed “it’s not about the song it’s how you play it, and stop relying on the pianists and maybe put more effort into your own work and your grades will rise on their own”

“What do you know, you the transfer student who got accepted on a rural scholarship” they scoffed.

You entered the lecture hall and stood on stage with the professor “good morning everyone, this is y/n she is a cellist and she is going to show us what she can do, what are you going to play?”

“Elgar cello concerto in E minor, op 85 the first movement” you said softly yawning and stretching as you opened the case and set up your cello. “I am sorry my life revolves around playing music so I don’t sleep often”

“How tall are you, you would be better off using a three quarter?” One of the students asked and you sat down. The professor at the piano and the two of you began playing.

Yoongi listened, feeling his very breath pulled from his chest he felt his heart absolutely soar at the emotion you were expressing. He was mad, you were perfect but the old professor was getting rusty he could play it better, he wanted to play it. For the first time in Yoongi’s life he wanted to collaborate with someone.

Jung Hoseok: Hunt @youarejesting (mature themes: Alcohol)

You had a lot of titles, you were his Neighbor, Colleague, Wing man… well lady, and you were most importantly his best friend for man years. You had been friends since you were born, you were younger, barely but he didn’t let you forget it.

How did you get here, one minute, you are keeping Hoseok out of trouble while he chases skirts in High school, at work, at the club and even in your gosh darn apartment building. The next you are laying in your bed listening to him argue with his current fling.

Sighing as you hear her leave you grab a bottle of vodka and a bottle of his favourite mixer Sprite. Walking next door you knocked and he sighed from the kitchen table “Y/n, I really don’t wanna talk?”

“I didn’t say we were going to talk Hobi” You used the nickname you had given him when you were younger. It was a special privilege and no one else was allowed to call him that except you.

He unlocked the door and you walked in on your own accord, opening the bottle and he walked dutifully to collect a mug each. Hoseok didn’t have many fancy glasses as the girls he would invite over in their fake tipsy stupor would smash them. Hoseok hated people with a passion when they were drunk and he wasn't, it all seemed so fake.

When he was drunk, he wasn’t happy so why do they pretend to be so happy and bubbly and think that acting like a crazy person was acceptable because they had one shot. You both sat there drinking slowly before you got dressed up and headed out to the club. It was your favorite. The bartender was a flirty young man and DJ Gloss was the best in the business.

So dressed in one of your club outfits, a small neon purple dress with cut outs under the breasts and some heels that you would definitely abandon on your way home, you got to work on hair and make up with something simple yet sexy.

“Are you sure about that dress, it is awfully bright?” Hoseok said, eyeing the dress in question and you gave him a sly smile.

“A girl has to grab attention on the floor and under the black lights, she gonna be lit” He nodded realizing you were right and that must have been why you had bought him a shirt in a neon green you looked like you were part of a really amazing hip hop music video and he was all for it.

Wasting no more time you walked out the front of your house and across the road to the pizza joint. “Hey Yuta, can you give us a lift to the club”

“Yeah I got a delivery right now jump on?” You stepped out to see a vespa and blanched

“What happened to the car?” You whined

“It’s in the shop, you want a lift or what”

Squeezed between Yuta and Hoseok you moved along arriving at a house party you showed up and grinned holding the five pizza’s and the door opened. “Heyyo baby, you order some pizza’s?”

“Uh yeah” he seemed flustered “Soobin where is my wallet”

“Take your time sweetheart” You grinned they were so young you felt almost bad being the one to deliver the food, but Yuta wanted to get a big tip with your assets.

He gave you some money and blushed “You can keep the change”

“Thank you so much” You flashed him a brilliant smile and turned running off in your heels. With a grin you threw your leg over the bike and Hoseok climbed back on behind you. Yuta dropped you off at the club and you grinned stepping onto the curb and pulled the money from your bra and he tipped you some for your service.

The line into the club was backed up around the corner and you grinned walking forward. “Hey, Monster, looking particularly buff this evening” You grinned squeezing his bicep and he snuck you and Jhope in ahead of the line.

“Why do they get to go in first?” Two boys in line shouted, they looked at you and blushed

“We are the dancers” you grinned “What’s your name, I will see you inside?”

“Jungkook” The deeper voiced one grinned “and my name is Taehyung”

“Well boy’s, you can find me on the dance floor, you won’t miss me” The two of you stepped inside nodding to the two bartenders. “Baby G, My love can you get my friend here a drink, it seems tonight he is on the Hunt.”

“Again!” the bartender said, shocked mixing two drinks and sliding them your way. “On the house Happy Hunting”

“Hey Mister World Wide, I better get a dance from each of you at some point tonight” You gave them a pointed look and they laughed nodding promising you a dance. You didn’t realize it, but as you danced Hoseok seemed reluctant to leave your side, he spent the night circling you warding off any unwelcome dancers, reluctantly letting you have a moment with the bartenders when it got quiet.

You don’t know how it happened but Gloss played an original song that turned everyone feral and you were dancing with Hoseok.

Kim Namjoon: Towel

You woke up in the rain confused, you had no idea where you were or what was happening. You remembered a name and that was about it, walking along the road barefoot. Your arms and legs covered in cuts and bruises and you didn’t know what from.

Walking along the road you saw a small building, You saw a light traveling towards it when You stumbled upon a dog that barked and chased you over a fence. You fell in a garden bed with an audible thump, prying yourself from the branches and leaves.

Following the light you came across a large glass sliding door peering inside. You were shivering and knocked gently against it, they all turned some of them shrieking making you back away scared and run. You were surrounded by fences and they were outside before you could escape.

“Hey, are you okay, are you hurt?” One spoke and you watched him tilting your head. He looked at you, kneeling down. “Come inside okay, you are hurt and it’s cold”

He held out his hand and you held out yours slowly. He led you inside and he grabbed a towel wrapping you up and giving you a warm bowl of kimchi jjigae.

Park Jimin: Sunscreen

Jimin looked around out of all the people he could have been stuck on an island with; it had to be with an army. He could hardly stand you at the best of times and here he was forced to live every single day on this deserted island from hell. He applied sunscreen to his face and sat under the shade of a tree.

He couldn’t even speak to you, you were an international army and spoke English and he didn’t want to bother translating. So here he sat waiting patiently to get rescued, he knew they wouldn’t be too long. It was a night gone wrong. He had a few too many and was playing on the deck when he fell overboard. You who worked for the crew, had dragged him into a lifeboat and he in his drunken stupor yelled at you, called you a stalker fan and lost both the paddles.

He felt a little guilty getting you stuck out here too but, he knew people would come for him soon. Watching you work you collected fire wood into a pile ready to light it as a signal fire. As one night became too, you went out and laid a rock formation in the shape of a V during low tide. He thought you were insane but when high tide came and went he saw a small collection of fish stuck in the V formation you had made.

You collected fruit and fish, started fires, made him a shelter, gave him the soft foam life jacket to lay his head and the emergency blanket to keep himself warm all night. He knew you knew he had the sunscreen and bug repellent but you didn’t complain or demand anything of him. He saw you every afternoon rubbing some weird plant juice on your skin and heard you hiss in pain.

You were burnt even your burns had burns. He took the strange plant from the water. “What this?”

“Aloe vera, helps sunburns” You breathed he appreciated you chose simple words and kept your replies succinct he didn’t have to translate articles and conjunctions just simple nouns and verbs.

He broke open a leaf and poured the gel like substance onto his palms, it was so cold. Was it because you had placed the plant in the ocean water. His palms touched your back and you whined. He felt the heat of your skin and felt guilty. Your skin had been burning while he was sitting comfortable in the shade.

“I am sorry”

Kim Taehyung: Hamburger

It was a painting workshop and you had to work on a small project piece to show the class, you were trying really hard to find something that expressed who you were in a picture and while you were staring at a blank canvas you saw the absolute character to your left bobbing to rap tunes in his ear.

He was careless with a brush or so it seemed, so when you leaned around you saw the most beautiful and odd photo you had seen in your life. It was a Hamburger, but it looked absolutely beautiful, he was painting with what you could only describe as in the style of Van Gogh, his paint was thick and he used a tiny spatula instead of a brush. The painting was playful and he grinned pressing a little more paint here and there.

How could he just commit and paint, it was so totally him, quirky and beautiful. He spun around to grab some more tan paint and realized he was out. He looked up, his mouth falling open at being watched and he smirked and raised his eyebrows quickly in a cocky ‘What about it?’ fashion. You laughed wholeheartedly and reached for your extra paint and lent over handing it and his smirk fell and he pulled out an earbud.

“I like your painting, it looks delicious” You giggled deciding you would go with something that was so totally you. “Your style is Van Gogh right it is really nice”

“I like your laugh” he grinned back at you. You Laughed some more and started sketching out quickly an outline and then went in with paint shaping the image.

You had slipped on your own headphones and got to work. He leaned over and grabbed your phone and gestured to you and you nodded and he changed the song you were listening to to match his and played them at the same time.

He watched you while he danced the two of you were grinning at each other working. He had finished his project early in what seemed like three short days. Yours, however took the whole week, especially since you got lost in watching him dance and exchanging songs with one another.

When it came to showing the class your project you blushed and turned your canvas’ in, they were displayed the next week, you watched as he walked into the class walking around appreciating each painting and smiled speaking with the owners and he saw his and grinned explaining to his peers and he moved on and saw yours and paused.

He looked at how each brush stroke was delicate and precise, you made him look so soft as he grinned up holding his spatula out to you. It was when he was jamming to a song and he had been singing into the spatula and he held it out to you to sing along. He listened to that song every day during the class and did that everyday because it was his favorite line and when he did it you would blush every time.

He looked at you with a sly grin and you turned away hiding your face from him he saw the ear buds in your ear and your grip on your phone he took the phone and played a song

Jeon Jungkook: Basket (Mature: Mental disorders)

You were what the cool kids referred to as a Basket case. Except you didn’t know if the cool kids actually said that cause you never met nor hung out with any. Yeah no one really referred to you as anything. You were here because you had issues let’s leave it at that.

The teen ward was split into two sides: the boy and the girls, you heard there was a kid who had seen some things. He had apparently jumped off a building and landed on a car, miraculously he was still alive and hadn't broken a single bone. The weird part is how he looks different every day, sometimes he can walk other days he is crippled in a wheelchair like a totally different patient.

He had lost his mind in recovery, they had sedated him, numbed his mind and slowly he lost touch of reality. From what people knew he had lost all his friends tragically and jumped to end his suffering.

But now, he assured anyone who asked that they were coming to visit him. He was handsome and a really creative guy. You were sitting beside him at dinner and he lent over and pointed at your watch.

“What’s the time? My hyung’s are going to come soon, they said we are going to the beach” He grinned his bunny teeth on show, how did he still have teeth was he some sort of iron man.

“Um… It is six. Are you sure they are coming tonight?”

“Yes we go every night, sometimes we are all there and sometimes we aren’t. I hope we are all there tonight. We relive it everyday, our deaths, our undoing. Taehyung goes to prison sometimes, sometimes they get to him in time, sometimes I am saved and sometimes I fall and die only to wake up again the next day and do it all again.

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what-even-is-thiss · 5 years ago

Text

Off of Land, Out of Water, Part 2, Help

It’s part 2 of the mer au. Let me know if I need to add warnings. 2,721 words

Abstract: Logan and Virgil relearning some things.

Part 1 Next

2. Help.

Virgil held onto Logan’s arm for a while at Logan’s insistence.

“You didn’t sleep, you shouldn’t be swimming much.” he had said.

For once Virgil didn’t protest.

They got to the school, a low building in more shallow waters where people went to memorize the history of merfolk. Undersea people had no written language so a select few with good memories were chosen as young children to learn trade secrets, history, how the systems of government worked, and yes, any interaction they had ever had with humans. Logan was appointed as a a history scholar but always felt he would be better at memorizing things found in science and math and magic. The masters had insisted, however, for whatever reason, that he learn history. So that is what he did. The names and places of all merfolk from the central Atlantic region, their ancestors’ place of origin, their previous migration patterns, the major things that happened in their politics and history were all in his head. Soon, if he passed this test, he would work as an archivist. Keep relics safe, answer merpeople’s questions about their family history when they came to the school. When he’s older he’ll take on an apprentice and teach them everything he knows. Literally. All that was ahead of him though. For now in this moment he had to start reciting.

And his chest was feeling weird.

“Virgil, I don’t like to use this word more often than I have to, but my chest feels weird.” Logan said casually as they waited outside the stone exam room where people had carved many pictures in the stone walls of teachers being eaten by sharks or stabbed with spears.

“Your chest feels…. weird?” Virgil asked.

“Yes. Strange. Odd. Queer.” He also made a low humming in his throat in mer language to further solidify his point that whatever he was feeling definately wasn’t ordinary.

“Like are you anxious?” Virgil asked, a horrible note of hope in his voice.

“Hardly.” Logan said. “I know everything I should. But my lungs, my inner gills, I…”

Virgil suddenly grabbed Logan’s arm and started pulling him away.

“Virgil! The test!” Logan exclaimed.

“No time for tests! Your stomach is going to start hurting soon! I knew it was you. I just knew it. Oh God, why did it have to be you?” Virgil said.

Logan swore very loudly with a whistle and a click as his stomach started hurting just as Virgil had predicted. His head went light. People made extremely disapproving noises as Virgil pushed them out of the way. They knocked a decorative rope made for graduation season and New Years off of a building. Virgil was moving upwards at a dangerous pace, somehow not bothered by the change in pressure, his black and grey scales and pale skin both began to reflect real sunlight rather than the bottled kind.

“Virgil take me to a healer!” Logan called, trying to fight his way out of Virgil’s grasp.

But it was no use. Even on Logan’s best day and Virgil’s worst Virgil was still stronger, bigger, and had a much tighter will than him. His fear made him unstoppable. Logan could vaguely hear shouts and other confused noises behind him as his skin began to feel gross. Just really, really gross. The shimmering light of the surface became visible. Everything was expanding too quickly. Somehow Virgil didn’t slow down. His desperate grip on Logan’s arm began to draw blood. Logan’s stomach reached critical levels of pain. Oxygen bubbles began forming in his lungs.

“Surface… too… fast…” Logan managed. His vision went blurry.

He blacked out.

……….

“Keep walking, Virgil.” dad said. “The car’s that way.”

“Dad… it…” Virgil started.

He fell to his knees.

“Verge!” his mom yelled.

Through his blurry vision Virgil thought he could see her straight curtain of bleach blonde hair. The boardwalk was hard and yet somehow soft under his knees.

“Mom, what’s wrong with him?” Virgil heard his brother say.

“Be quiet, Roman. We need to think. I told you we shouldn’t bring him to the ocean until he’s grown. I told you!”

“I told him to not touch the water, Jen!”

“What…” Virgil tried. “My stomach… Mom?”

He fell fully onto his side. His lungs were starting to burn.

“It wants him now, John! There’s no one around! That witch made sure of it! Do it!”

“This wasn’t supposed to happen yet! He’s only thirteen!”

“Look at him! The ocean doesn’t care! Do it!”

The air suddenly felt very dry despite the sea spray around him. For some reason Virgil knew this had to do with when he had stood in the waves despite his parents’ warnings. Though why suddenly being sick would be related to that he didn’t know. He felt his heart increase to a dangerous pace as some arms belonging to he didn’t know who began pulling his clothes off of him.

Virgil cried. But he couldn’t cry. Some hands, he didn’t know whose, threw him into the air. He felt water engulf his naked body. He couldn’t move his legs apart. He gasped in a mouthful of salt.

He blacked out.

……….

Logan opened his eyes and tried looking around. Everything was heavy except for his lungs which were horribly light. It was almost as if they didn’t exist. His body hurt. The surface under him was hard. All he could see was blurry grey shapes.

“Vir-gil?” he asked. He tried to whistle out his friend’s mer name but found that he couldn’t. His mouth felt strange. His hair felt strange. His skin felt strange. His tail felt… His…

“H… huh?” he asked nobody in particular.

A hand on his back helped him sit up.

“They’re called legs.” said a familiar deep and ominous voice.

“My teeth are…”

“Not pointy. Take it slow. It’s hard to adjust.”

Logan ran his tongue along his teeth. Most of them were flat. They had become… what’s the word? Omnivorous? Flat? Annoyingly small?

“I’m going to put something on your face now.” Virgil said. “I borrowed them from my younger brother. They’re his old prescription. It’ll be better than nothing.”

Virgil carefully put some kind of glass and wire thing on Logan’s face over his eyes and Logan stopped seeing a blur and finally saw his friend’s face. His black hair wasn’t floating around, nor was it plastered to his head with water. It was dry. Before now Logan hadn’t even known what that word truly meant. He ran his fingers into his own hair. Dry. He looked at Virgil. Down his body. He was…

“You are…”

“Human. Yeah. Try looking down.”

Logan looked down.

“Okay clearly that isn’t natural.”

His friend laughed. “You said you know how full mammals reproduce.” Virgil said. He lifted up his shirt and pointed to the large inverted scar on his stomach. The one Logan had asked about every time he’d seen him for the past ten years. “That’s how I got this scar. From being born. We call it a belly button. Or, a navel I guess.”

Virgil jumped up and went to what Logan recognized from drifting junk he had seen in the ocean to be an ice chest. He looked around and saw that they were under a cliff face, or he assumed it was a cliff face from carvings he’d seen. He also slowly realized that he was physically human now and that according to what he’d heard about human customs....

“You need help putting these on?” Virgil asked, pulling some clothes out of the ice chest.

“Most likely. I’ve never had to… um…”

“You’ll get used to it. Don’t try to understand anything yet. Trust me. It isn’t worth it.”

Virgil gently helped his friend into a pair of boxers and some jeans. He brought out a polo shirt.

“You’re about my younger brother’s size so I brought some of his clothes. Hope you like polo shirts. That’s basically all he wears. Well, except for things with cats on them.”

Virgil instructed Logan on how to put a shirt on, helping him put his arms through the holes.

“Now, before I see if you can walk, word to the wise, don’t take your shirt off in front of people. Almost every human that has ever lived has a belly button, and you don’t.”

“Why?” Logan asked. “What is any of this? What is happening? What are you?”

“Okay, L. Clearly you were lying when you said that you know how mammals reproduce. I’ll have the talk with you later. I’ll have a lot of talks with you later. For right now, I’m gonna help you stand.”

……….

“That’s it. Put your entire body into it.” she encouraged.

Virgil clicked out her name angrily and huffed, but he moved his tail nonetheless.

“That’s good. You’re getting better at pronouncing my name!” she whistled.

“I’ve been thinking about a human name for you. I decided. I’m gonna call you Val in human.” Virgil said.

“If that makes you feel better. I don’t need a human name though.” Val said.

“Am I done yet?” he asked.

“Do you think you can swim next to me?” she asked.

“Ugh, fine.” Virgil spat. “You’re too happy.”

“So you keep telling me, guppy.”

“I’m already an adolescent!” Virgil hissed, showing his teeth.

Sometimes instincts really did override what he’d learned as a human. Even though he was, for all intents and purposes, physically a merman now, he did age a bit faster than other merpeople. A merman his age would normally be figuring out social rules and not have any hormones to speak of. The equivalent of a human nine year old. Virgil, on the other hand, was now supposed to be learning how to be an adult, which he couldn’t do when he didn’t know how to move around or speak in full sentences. He was supposed to be wrestling his younger brother and defending him from their mom, going to his older brother’s music recitals and hating it, learning how to cook from his parents, crying over final exams, worrying about which high school he was going to. Watching Gators football games and cursing as he stabbed himself in the eye with a mascara brush for the first time.

But instead it was like he was a toddler all over again.

Val and Verge swam slowly together in silence to the edge of the reefs where her house was, dangerously close to human civilization. Virgil was exhausted.

“Why am I even here? Why can’t I just stay human?” he asked as she held him tight when he was ready to sleep.

“It’s because of what came before us, guppy.” Val said, running her fingers through his hair. “It’s just something you got caught up in. I’ll tell you soon.”

……….

“I am so heavy.” Logan said, rubbing his injured knee.

He had knees now. He… no, don’t process that. Save it for later.

“Everyone’s heavy. It’s just more obvious on land.” Virgil said, holding his hand out again.

Logan took a deep breath of briny sea air and pulled on his friend’s hand. He managed to stand with some help.

“We can carry you to the car if you can’t make it.” Virgil said.

“No. Cars sound horrifying and I’d rather know that I’m able to get away from it. And your brothers. They don’t sound agreeable. Let me go.” Logan said.

“Alright, but I hope you know that almost nobody learns to walk in one day.” Virgil said.

“I’m not a child!” Logan exclaimed.

“Yeah that’s what I said too.” Virgil said as he let go.

Logan looked down at his feet now trapped in things called “tennis shoes” and took a breath.

“Just focus on not falling down.” Virgil said.

“You’ve already said that. And I have a good memory. I…”

“Yeah, I know L. Just look up. Look at me. Step forward. Just one step for now.”

Logan looked up. Virgil was a lot bigger than him even as a human. It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair. He wanted to take a step towards Virgil to point at him and tell him that this wasn’t fair. He tried to do that but took two steps and fell into Virgil’s arms instead.

“Further than you got last time.” Virgil said.

“You’re never this patient.” Logan grumbled into Virgil’s chest.

“I have a long term memory, you know. Swimming isn’t easy to learn as an adult. Or a teenager.” Virgil said. “Come on, we’ve got another hour before they get here. Maybe I can see you fall face first into the rocks a few more times.”

Logan tried standing up again.

“Virgil, how long were you… before we met?”

“A hundred days.” Virgil said. “Just living with Val, learning how to exist again. It was another year after that I got to visit my family again.”

Logan took a step forward.

“I can’t wait a hundred days. Much less a year.”

He took another step forward. Then another. Then he fell over again. Virgil caught him before he hit the ground.

“Well at least you’re giving me a good arm workout today.” Virgil grunted, lifting his friend up again. “God, Patton is rubbing off on me. I just looked on the bright side of something.”

“I don’t know who that is, but he’s clearly corrupting you.” Logan paused. “That was a joke.”

“I know, dude. You don’t have to tell me every time. He’s my younger brother.”

He sat Logan down on the rocks.

“Well I suppose I know where you go when you leave without any warning now.” Logan said, rubbing his face underneath the glasses. He clicked his tongue in a small curse. Some equivalent to “Crud” or “Shoot.” in mer speak.

“Yup.” Virgil said. “Florida. Lucky you.”

“That sounded suspiciously like sarcasm.” Logan said as he rubbed his suffering knees.

“It was.”

……….

Virgil focused on breathing slowly. He swam up cautiously.

“You’re shaking, buddy. Come on, you’ve been growing. They’re gonna want to see that.” Val said.

“I can’t.” Virgil said, stopping suddenly. “I can’t.”

He turned around. Val grabbed him by the arm.

“Hey, you survived the first day of school and talked to the elders. You can do anything.” She said.

She gently ran one of her hands along his neck and to the base of his spine, a gesture he recently learned was used to soothe people when they were nervous, especially between parents and children. He nervously flicked his tail at that realization. How did Val see him, really?

“They’re your family. They want to see you.” she said. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve become. And next year? You’ll get to visit them properly. Go on.”

She gestured upwards. Virgil swallowed.

“Alright, but I won’t like it.”

“Sure you won’t.”

He swam cautiously upward on his own. It had been so long since that day at the boardwalk where everyone had suddenly disappeared and his stomach had started hurting. The day he had been thrown in to appease the ocean and hadn’t seen his family since. How much did they know? How could they forgive him for not listening? How could he forgive them for not telling him why he couldn’t touch the water? Could he explain everything to them? How he looked like a freak even down there? How badly he wanted to come home? How badly he wanted to stay?

He caught sight of the correct pile of rocks and aimed for it. Two almost familiar figures were peering into the water. He broke the surface.

“Virgil, baby!” his brothers were pushed aside and almost fell into the water as his mom knelt and hugged him around the neck.

Virgil blew the water out of his lungs and smiled with all his teeth despite how embarrassed he was at the size of them. He saw his dad standing behind them and when it was his turn he hugged even harder. If merpeople could cry Virgil knew he would be doing it.

“Hi dad.” he whispered into his father’s shoulder. “Hi.”

Patton and Roman both smiled at him from behind their parents’ tearful babbling. Roman gave a wave. The same one he did whenever a piano recital was over. Virgil sighed. It was alright.

#roman said a thing #mer au #sanders sides au #sanders sides #roman wrote a thing #analogical #platonic analogical #fanfic #fan fic #fanfiction #fan fiction

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fabulousahoy · 4 years ago

Text

Original Story - J & O - Chapter 1

I wrote an original story... well part one of it. Dunno if it any good, but imma posting anyway.

A defeated and resigned Pumpkin Man gets a visit from his old “friend” which causes him a lot of trouble.

Far away from all civilization, in a dimension between life and death stands a small house. Hidden from prying eyes of humans and other creatures alike, this house belongs to a certain being. He who once struck fear into the hearts of men, yet now resides here. Alone, detached from everything. He who once commanded the entire might of Underworld, the Lord of Pumpkins himself... Jack'O.

* * *

Returning home with groceries was usually the best part of the "shopping day". Though of course, it's not like Jack'O actually bought stuff. It was more akin to stealing, though he preferred to call it "borrowing without giving back". After all, the only place he ventured to from his pocket dimension is the human world. Buying stuff is quite challenging(impossible) when you have a giant pumpkin for a head. Besides, he did not have any money anyway.

As he crossed over from the usual dirty alley into the dimension his home was in, Jack'O let out a sigh of relief. Navigating human cities always gave him anxiety, even if he does it after dark. Now that he stood at his front porch however, everything was peachy. He snapped his fingers in order to close the dimensional gateway and without even turning back he opened the door with his right foot. There was no need to lock them ever. No one could get into this dimension without him allowing it anyway. Humming to himself Jack'O entered the house, unaware that the gateway did not close completely. A small hole remained through which some sort of black liquid slowly poured in. After couple of minutes it stopped, and the hole closed itself. As if it was alive, the huge pool of black goo began to move towards the house.

After putting away everything he bought, Jack'O sat down down in his favorite(only) armchair by the fireplace and sighed in relief. Reaching out with his right hand towards the table, he took a dart out of a cup full of them and set his aim on the dartboard hanging above the fireplace. This particular one is a custom, which Jack'O made in the image of the creature he despised the most. The dartboard itself had the shape of a demon's head with crudely painted details, such as a shark-teeth smile and an eye patch.

Before he had a chance to throw the dart, a loud knocking noise came from the front door.

- What the...

Jack'O got up from his chair, taken aback by this impossible situation. He simply stood there as the sound continued.

- Who's there?!

The knocking stopped for a couple of seconds, only to resume again at a faster pace. Losing his patience, he decided that the only right course of action is to open the door and face whoever or whatever it is. After arming himself with a frying pan he slowly approached the door and in one swift move opened it. But there was no one there. He stepped out into the porch but he found no signs of anyone or anything.

- Maybe it was the wind. Or maybe I just need more sleep.

With that said, Jack'O returned inside the house and shut the door behind him. Once back inside however he noticed someone is sitting in his armchair.

- Cozy house you got here, Jacky. Mind if I crash here for awhile?

A long time has passed since he last heard this voice. Voice of the repulsing demon who betrayed him and because of whom he became a literal nobody.

- You...

- Indeed. Me.

The entire house shook to its foundations when Jack'O fired a giant beam of dark matter energy from both of his hands. His poor and trusty armchair exploded into nothing in an instant taking the table and darts with itself. Laying on the floor near the fireplace was a demon woman. Long black hair, pale skin, all white Gothic-like coat, a huge eye patch over the right eye and of course a pair of pointy horns. The look on her face was a mix between shock and genuine confusion.

- How dare you show your face to me, you foul carcass of the abyss?!

Jack'O began preparing another attack. Within his hollow eyes burned a fire, one which hasn't burned for long years.

- Look, Jacky. I know last time we saw each other, we had a bit of an uh... scuffle, you and me but...

The Lord of Pumpkins roared like a crazy beast and fired another shot, this one destroyed the fireplace along with the rest of the wall. The woman avoided the blast at the last second by jumping towards the kitchen then rolling into it like a ball. She stopped by hitting the sink so hard the faucet almost came loose. Now laying on the back with legs over her head she watched as the furious Jack'O towered over her like some sort of murderous madman with a vengeance.

- Okay, could you please stop trying to kill me, Jacky? I'm not here to fight you, and besides, I have had enough of a roller coaster ride today as it is.

- Then why are you here?

- Look, if you'll stop destroying your house and we just sit down like civilized Underworlders, I'll tell you everything.

The Lord of Pumpkins' fire seemed to have been instantly extinguished the moment he realized he just destroyed a wall, an armchair and a table. After short overlooking of the rotten fruits of his carnage he turned to the demoness on the floor.

- This better be good, Ovelia.

* * *

Another day, another load of paperwork done. Although she would never admit it in front of anybody, the amount of dumb requests citizens of the Underworld make is astronomically high. For instance, just today she had to deny thirty different pleas from Underworlders who wanted cleaner air. Like, what is she supposed to do about it?

Yawning, she got up from her chair and looked outside the giant window of the office. Thanks to her efforts the once horribly medieval Underworld became a technological juggernaut. Combining magic and technology yielded results surpassing those of humans. So what if the air is not as clean as it used to be? Everyone(who is a first or second class citizen at least) gets free cable TV and all the wondrous perks of magic and technology at the same time. It's a win-win all around, unless you're a complete failure and can't even afford shoes. In which case, oh well.

Taking out a small mirror out of the pocket in her coat, Ovelia took a look at her eye patch, and seeing that it is crooked she fixed it up.

- Well, nothing wrong with indulging myself a bit.

Back at her desk, she pressed the button four on her intercom. After two beeps a tired voice answered the call.

- Yes, miss Ovelia?

- Hans, if I have any appointments today then I want you to cancel them. In fact, tell everyone I am out and about doing charity or whatever it is.

- You want to watch "Funnies in the Family", right?

There was a brief but tense silence.

- Shut up.

She pressed the button again to terminate the call. Now that all of the "chorepointments" were null and void, she could enjoy the luxury of her favorite sitcom... or so she believed, because the lights went out, and the reinforced glass window behind her simply shattered.

- What. - She mumbled, quite confused.

With multiple pieces of glass now lodged in her back, Ovelia turned into black liquid and then swiftly reshaped back. Now free of the pieces, she took a look around her office which had shards of the window everywhere.

- This is going to be a witch to clean up. Welp, good thing it is not going to be me.

She pressed button four on the intercom couple of times, until it hit her that it wasn't just the lights that went out.

- Drat. Now I'll have to walk.

- Excuse me! Can you finally turn around for scariness' sake?!

Ovelia sighed and turned around towards the raspy voice. What her eyes beheld, could be simply explained as black floating rags, some chains and a bag of bones with barely any meat on them.

- By the seven pits... who let you in here, you filthy hobo?!

- What? I'm not...

- Yeah, yeah. Sure. You probably prefer to be called a "jobless individual". What? Cannot find any work for a fellow of your education?

The bag of bones and rags laughed like a maniac who smoked one cigarette too many in his life.

- Well, you see. I'm not going to be jobless for much longer, Abyss Demon!

- Indeed. That is me.

- Because I'll be taking your seat at the top of the Underworld!

With that said the bag'o'rags laughed again. Ovelia smiled wryly in response.

- Okay, that was cute and all. Now get your tattered bones out of here before I'll have to remove you myself.

- You... you don't remember me, do you?

She raised an eyebrow.

- Should I?

The hobo shrugged and took out a book from behind his ragged cloak. Upon opening it, and quickly skimming through a couple of pages, he began reading a passage in a language most ancient. A magical circle appeared under Ovelia's feet.

- I think I have had enough of your wacky hijinks. Get... out!

Usually at this stage she would make a very scary face, the air would tense up and the intruder would have been knocked out of her office, in pieces at that. Instead, she just lost her balance and fell face-flat onto the floor.

- Buh-wha? - She mumbled, spitting out a shard of glass from her mouth. The raspy laugh resounded again.

- It worked! It worked! Bless your dark heart, Abysswalker!

- What just happened?

Ovelia got up slowly and arrived at the conclusion that she feels much less powerful than usual. It was almost as if she had no crazy broken powers at all anymore.

- This spell was made specifically to deal with you, Ovelia! To be more precise, it seals most of your great power!

Before she could even process this information the raggedy hobo grabbed her by the hair and dangled outside of the window.

- It's a long way down, little abyss runt.

- Who in the seven pits of hell do you think you are?! You will not get away with this!

- Who? Why, I am... The Boogeyman!

With that said, he let go of her hair and in accordance with the laws of gravity, Ovelia plummeted down. In the brief moments during her fall she could hear the raspy, yet roaring laughter of victory. Then, there was only darkness and silence.

* * *

- Hold up. Boogeyman? The same Boogeyman we trashed completely and threw down into the Sea of Gehenna?! That Boogeyman?

- Well, considering he seems to kinda hate me, I think so.

Jack'O sighed.

- Look, if he hates me, then he hates you as well, Jacky.

- He only went after you because you were the top dog in the Underworld. Now that you were thrown away like yesterday's trash I'm sure he has more important things to do than go after me. Besides, he can't find me anyway, secret dimension, no?

- Uhh...

Jack'O sent Ovelia a cold piercing gaze.

- Which brings me to my next point. How did you find me?

- After Boogeyboy noticed I am not dead, he sent multiple assassins after me. I high-tailed it to the human world to lose them. After I wandered a bit, I noticed you going about in the dark with your bags of merchandise. I knew I could hide inside your dimension if I followed you. It was a pretty lucky coincidence, I must say.

- Mhm. - He shrugged. - Alright.

Jack'O turned around towards the kitchen, only to quickly turn back and punched Ovelia right in the gut. The might of the hit sent her flying right into a bookshelf. It immediately collapsed right on top of her. He carefully watched her turn into liquid then reform back into regular form next to him.

- What was that for?! - She asked, pouting.

- You tell me. While I would be otherwise inclined to believe in our "lucky" and "coincidental" meeting, I just simply can't. You said you "knew" about my dimension. From where? Who else knows?

- Uhhh...

Jack'O cracked his knuckles.

- Alrighty! Fine! I kept spying on you after you left, so I could laugh at you! I had special cameras installed at almost every place you visit! That way I always had a fresh stream of your misery!

They both stood there in complete silence for a bit.

- I can't believe this. I need a drink.

With that said, the Lord of Pumpkins simply went into the kitchen and returned with two cups filled with vodka. After staring at puzzled Ovelia for a couple of seconds, he poured both cups down his throat, one after the other.

- So... can I stay here?

- No.

As if on cue, the sky of the dimension split open with a loud and terrible noise and through the crack flew in a giant dragon. Alongside him a four armed being, whose head seemed to be composed of flames, descended upon the house.

- I have found you at last, wretch of the abyss! By the order of the almighty Boogeyman, I, Pyreman - Lord of Fire and Ashes, will cast burning judgment upon you and your comrade!

Upon finishing his speech, he threw a bunch of fireballs down onto the house and laughed proudly as everything around quickly went ablaze.

#original story #spooks #well kinda spooks #jack'o lantern #ovelia

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silencecunt · 5 years ago

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i finished KNY the other day and it's really all i have been able to think about. i read the whole manga in just about two days (it's only 205 chapters and they're relatively short so it was pretty easy) and i am just overwhelmed with emotion.

i understand a lot of people may be upset with how the manga ended--it's normal to feel like we are missing out on a lot of story possibilities bc frankly we are! gotōge, as far as i know, didn't want the series to end as quickly as it did, but certain unavoidable things popped up and they had to make that decision. it's fine to feel however u feel about it, but don't be upset with them bc i'm sure they're plenty upset about it themself.

i agree that the ending was rushed (bc it had to be), but i don't think the flow of events don't make sense. on the contrary! i think the way things happened do make a lot of sense. in my eyes, it's kinda obvious to see where certain things were pushed in order to transition to the last arc (nezuko suddenly being able to withstand the sun, for example). that isn't necessarily a bad thing and i know that this development would happen eventually. nezuko was, from the beginning, a different kind of demon. she was special from the first chapter on--not eating tanjiro, using sleep to recover rather than consume humans, remarkable strength, etc. i do not believe her developing to withstand the sun was "jumping the shark" nor do i think it was a cheap gimmick of any kind. i guess what i'm trying to say here is that, yes, i think it happened a bit abruptly and could have come later after a lot more development if the circumstances were different. seeing as they're not, it is what it is. i don't think it was done poorly, it just makes me wonder how it could have been better introduced if gotōge had more time.

having said that, it makes me think of how early we are introduced to muzan. he is the Big Bad, someone who no one else had seen before, and we meet him in chapter 13. this is part of why i don't think kny is all that rushed and the ending coming so soon isn't all that disappointing to me. now, granted, many manga introduce the Final Boss pretty early. BNHA introduced shigaraki in chapter 11, for example. but, with shigaraki, we see development in both his character and abilities. we watch as he comes into his own so he needed to be introduced early so horikoshi had time to see him mature. muzan, on the other hand, is more akin to all for one--someone who is borderline overpowered (i would argue muzan is overpowered, but i guess it makes sense considering he's lived ~1000 years, so one would get pretty fucking jacked after all that time plus demons get more powerful with the amount of people they eat soooo) and has posed as a threat to the heroes of the story for a Long Ass Time. i personally feel it would have been better had muzan not been introduced so early if the manga was allowed to be more fleshed out, as i'm sure gotōge planned/hoped. however, it works with how short the manga is. i don't really have a problem with it, it's just something i found interesting to think about and i haven't seen a lot of criticism on.

now, i am making a lot of assumptions on what gotōge had planned--perhaps they planned it to be shorter than i would have anticipated and the end just came a little bit faster than expected. perhaps they planned this to span for 400, 500, 1000 chapters. who knows? i am, after all, projecting my own thoughts on the pacing of the story and what would be appropriate. in my mind, i expected the series to follow tanjiro until he, himself, became a hashira. i would expect it to take hundreds of more chapters to reach that point before the final confrontation loomed on the horizon. i am in no way saying that that is the correct pace the story should have been at. again, it's just my thoughts. i would like to say i am in no way disappointed with how the story turned out. i don't think it was too rushed, i just feel like it's obvious there was more gotōge wanted to tell. we were only just (relatively speaking) introduced to the hashira and now all but 3 are dead. no doubt the quickness is elevated for me since i finished the whole series in 2 days, so things that spanned over years happened in a blink of an eye. however, i would argue that seeing the whole story in a short amount of time emphasizes just how short of a timeframe we are looking at (i realize there are timeskips, but i am speaking from a storytelling perspective).

rengoku dying quickly after being introduced is effective as a tool to show that even the hashira have trouble combatting the upper kizuki. this effectively conveys how much of a challenge the demon slayers have laying ahead of them. it was important to tanjiro especially to see how strong his opponents are. if upper 3 could strike down rengoku, arguably one of the most skilled of the hashira, single-handedly then muzan is a bigger threat than he could have anticipated. from a narrative perspective, this sets the tone to how much of an upward battle tanjiro was facing. it also effectively conveyed to the audience that tanjiro would not be the sole person to end the demons, that he would need help from his friends and peers to end things. this, in my eyes, is so important. yes, a part of me wanted tanjiro to be singularly responsible for muzan's defeat, but i know it wouldn't have been a good decision. when facing an impossible opponent, u have to rely on teamwork. this is something that has been conveyed from nearly the beginning. tanjiro wouldn't have made it to final selection had it not been for sabito and makomo helping him; he would have been overwhelmed and died on his first mission without nezuko; tanjiro wouldn't have been able to save kiyoshi (and teruko + shoichi) without zenitsu and inosuke there to kill the other two demons; he certainly would not have been able to kill the Spider Family by himself; etc. Teamwork has been the focus of the story from the beginning and rengoku's death reminded the audience that the demon slayers needed everyone they could in order to even come close to beating muzan.

still, seeing so little of the other hashira before they died is, understandably, disappointing. i wish we got to know them better, i wish we got to see the trio becoming tsuguko, i wish we got to see the five that passed final selection become hashira themselves, i wish i wish i wish. but it's okay that it didn't happen that way. gotōge still made me care about them in such a short amount of time. i sobbed when they died. genya hits especially hard. he and sanemi only just reconciled and then he died....and sanemi loved him so much. there was so much unsaid when he died and, as of right now, we won't get that resolution. again, not a bad thing. sometimes, while it hurts and you want to know, some questions are best left unanswered.

it hurts thinking about all the people who died. i am still getting choked up at just the thought. chapter 204 hurt me a lot--when nezuko smiled and sanemi saw genya....ouchie!!!! it hurts me so so much and i am so heartbroken and distraught over it. mitsuri and obanai dying in each other's arms, feelings still unsaid but it wasn't necessary bc they knew. they knew they loved each other so much. himejima seeing his orphans again and finding out they were just trying to protect him....and he spent so much time hurt by them running away.....god. it all just hurts so so much. i am so sad. i really don't have the words to capture how much my heart is aching. i fell in love with all the characters and i had to watch them die, watch as the ones they loved and loved them come to terms with their loss, and somehow i'm expected to be okay???? i'm not lmao i am heartbroken. i don't like things a normal amount so after i was done, i literally triggered a depressive episode. i hate it!!! i don't regret reading it and i think the story is beautifully done. the deaths were impactful and they meant something--i don't think anyone's death was unnecessary. they just....hurt. it's a beautiful story and i will recommend it to anyone who wants to try reading it (hopefully those people aren't reading this considering i spoiled uhhhh everything lmao).

thank you, gotōge, for sharing this amazing story. i loved it so much. it was a pleasure to read and i am so excited to experience it animated. seeing rengoku die in theaters will diagnose me with Sad Bitch Disease and i am ready 😌🙏🏻

especially thank you for this ❤️

#kny #kny manga spoilers #bnha manga spoilers #kinda?#im on mobile so i cant do read more lol sorry

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shijiujun · 5 years ago

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History3: Trapped FanMeeting Summary - I am an embarrassment to this fandom

Okay guys let me summarise what happened today for the fanmeet - I fucking, absolutely fucking died - Like I died both from excitement and quality content and more importantly, for BEING A FUCKING EMBARRASSMENT IN FRONT OF CHRIS BUT MORE ON THAT IN A SEPARATE FUCKING POST OH GOD

General comments on the event: Chris and Jake’s friendship is okay I think, and I guess putting it in perspective, Andy and Kenny are way better at fanservice and knows what the fans want, while Jake firstly isn’t really the kind to really go overboard on the fanservice with Chris due to his personality I feel, although there was still quite a bit of fanservice between them both - But it was more genuine I feel because Jake or Chris would jump in with something clever and a bit flirty, it felt really natural actually - And also because Jake srsly looked confused half the time regarding what they were supposed to do for the games and segments - More on that below

But more importantly I think jake is legit busy with work, and he’s not really a person to do stuff on social media, it’s not in his personality but he tried today hahaha with a post after the event - jake says that whenever he logs on once in a while he always sees chris’ handsome photos and he looks so good, and chris replied that jake looks... down to earth in his photos hahahahaha

So a few highlights:

Freebies!! There are so many freebies from dedicated Taiwanese fans literally just giving out shit for free - banner prints, stickers, hair clips, photo cards etc. - We took a lot and we’re going through what we have right now, but would you guys want some of the freebies? Let me know!!! If the shipping cost makes sense I’m totes fine with sending you guys some of the loot

Saw Jake’s back going into the building in the morning in front of all the fans because I was too slow but I did see his back

WeStar is literally in the heart of downtown and it was frickin packed - We started queuing at like 11am+? And there were only 2 lifts to get everyone up to the EIGHTH FLOOR and each lift could only hold like less than 15 people? And there were like 700 of us. Luckily my friend and I were in the front of the queue and managed to get upstairs with the second round of lifts (the staff were asking some of us to take the stairs because it was faster, and it wouldn’t be faster if I died on the stairs while getting upstairs)

In terms of organisation - It wasn’t half bad because we were lucky where we were, we were always in the right queue and right area, but there were literally zero directions or instructions on where to queue or how to go upstairs etc. etc.

Too bad we were seated in row 16 which was actually pretty far, and we were blocked by too many people in front of us and i’m literally like 157cm so wow I really was blocked really bad BUT we could still see the stage

There were like two tables in the hall that allowed us to leave gifts for the four of them - So in my other video you guys saw that I actually did deliver the message books! They’ll definitely get it I think, no chance of it dropping out or mistaken for anything else considering the covers

The event actually started more or less on time - And the hosts were great - There’s Xiao Yi and Chen Chen (they’re both hosts from showbiz, the variety show) and they were fucking good as hosts - Xiao Yi has hosted quite a number of their events, and if it wasn’t him the event would have gone a bit differently

They started singing the opening song for the show first together, coming on stage and like rotating turns to sing a line - They tried the boyband formation it was quite hilarious

They introduced themselves as always - And can I be the one to first say that Jake’s fugly shirt - Fashion was absolute shite at his event - At least Chris had like a suit on even tho i take issue with the print on the suit itself, but wow Jake really went for... wannabe gangster loan shark OR grandmother’s quilts put together - i dont know which is worse idk guys, is it just me or my eyes or is it really fugly - Andy and Kenny were perfect tho

So they began with some best couple scene recaps through the show:

Jack/ZZ - 1st grandma/instant noodles scene, and the ep 20 scene where Jack is trying to confess to ZZ while ZZ is angry

Tangfei - Jealous andy scene at the tea place, the touching hospital scene, and the lift scene from ep 1

They recapped these scenes one by one, alternating btw the couples and then the hosts asked what they thought about each scene when they were filming it and LOL jake and chris were like laughing and being embarrassed when certain scenes came on, and then for the 1st grandma/instant noodles scene, kenny said it was a really cold day that day when he filmed that scene and the noodles were actually ice cold and he had to keep eating it - andy like patted kenny on the back

for the touching hospital scene - jake said that it was easy to act out because the emotions always came through the moment he looked at chris, and chris said he was really touched by that moment, by jake’s acting

the lift scene was quite tough to act out because of how long they took to get the logistics right

And while the angry ZZ and jack scene from ep 20 was being shown on the screen, ON STAGE kenny and andy were literally reciting their lines and re-enacting the scene

And then Xiao Yi asked the audience which scenes would we like the couples to act out - and everyone was just yelling for the lift scene re-enactment - but logistically that was hard to do and chris was like, “if there’s no lift we can’t do the scene!!!”

Then Andy and Kenny offered to be the walls of the lift for them but Chris was like whoa then that’s a bit weird because when Jake is slammed against the wall in the lift, that part, Jake will turn around and crash into Andy hahaha so they decided to re-enact the jealous scene instead - with a few additional lines hahaha and then andy and kenny re-enacted the part where jack asks zhao zi if he wants him to stay or go

and then the next segment - there was a game where each couple is supposed to stand together on a piece of newspaper and play rock-paper-scissors, and whoever loses will get their piece of newspaper torn into half - in the end chris and jake won hahaha but both jake and kenny ended up being piggy-backed by chris and andy respectively hahahaha it was cute

then chris and jake went off stage to take a short break, and since andy and kenny lost, they were punished to do the titanic pose and lines which kenny had to do in half english and chinese

then jake came on stage to sing I’m Yours - he was super nervous so he false started a few times, but he was pretty good and he has a very nice smooth tone - and i think a lot of people didn’t know the song in the audience LOL and then as he left the stage after his performance he left a bouquet of flowers for chris who was coming up next

chris came up after to play the piano and sing some chinese song i’ve heard before but don’t know the name of - and then after he finished he was very touched by the bouquet and then some member in the audience shouted to ask for the bouquet and chris protectively hugged it, but decided to give her one stalk anyway, and when he was giving it out, jake literally came out and then chris was explaining to him like why he was giving away his gift, and jake said, “yeah that’s okay, he knows my heart” AWWWW

then they all came back on stage for a segment of talking where Xiao Yi revealed their childhood photos - jake/kenny/andy were very talkative and chatty when they were younger and andy was isolated in the middle of the classroom, while kenny was directly placed outside of the classroom because he was so noisy, and omg jake was a little chubbier when he was younger and he didn’t like to study HAHAHA

chris was a shy boy and still is apparently!!! and he got a lot of love letters when he was younger and he couldn’t believe that jake/kenny/andy didn’t get any, and then when jake’s childhood photo came out he jokingly said, “now i can finally understand why (you didn’t get any letters”

then we had andy and kenny singing and dancing to marry you totally out of beat, poor guys they tried, and kenny totally missed an entire line, but they were so sweet - they ran off the stage and threw sweets at the audience, and andy said he was thankful to kenny for practicing the dance repeatedly with him because he’s not good at dancing and then they hugged awww it’s cute

fan games: LOL okay so interesting thing was that all the fans said they didn’t want to play the games with the cast but instead wanted to watch the cast play the games so in the end they randomly chose four of the audience to go on stage to watch the cast play the game LOL - so the ones picked were two men and two women #genderequality

1st game: chris/jake and jack/kenny had to feed each other a sushi piece i think, or a pastry i’ve no idea but one of them was filled with chilli, so the challenge was for the audience to guess which of the four of them ate the chilli one, and jake said he can’t stand spicy food and if he had it he’d totally show it on his face - in the end it was kenny who ate it and literally no one could tell

then the second part there was a huge confusion because the hosts weren’t very clear on who was supposed to play the game in the next part - anyway, so they had a how-well-they-know-the-cast quiz with the fans - and here we know that chris likes blue, winter because that’s his birthday period and then he and jake had a moment where they were like ‘oh your birthday is in december too?!!!!’ LOL, kenny likes to eat bbq meat

then the next part, they had the fans on stage and jake + andy drink a sweet drink and also a bitter drink, everyone had to figure out who is the one with the bitter drink and lol jake was so sweet he didn’t want the fans to be punished with the bitter tea, and chris said that he’ll help him to finish the drink if it’s really bitter, and jake was like, “because you’re here, i’m not scared”

afterwards, ezu came out to sing a ballad version of the opening song that made people around me cry hahaha

and also kenny announced a third fanmeeting stop in taiwan after chengdu, on 18 august in taichung

and then there was the hi-five touch and photo thingy - and you guys already know that i fucked it up i am still wanting to cry - i know he doesn’t remember but god I WANT TO BE THE ONE WHO DOESN’T REMEMBER

but i touched their hands hahaha

anyway at the end, jake said that no matter where he is, where we see him in the future, he’ll always be the same jake, and i think this is beautiful

they had the afternoon tea party after the event and from photos i see that it was like a mini-fanmeeting where fans could sit closer to them and really like be able to talk to them, and jake/chris and andy/kenny were very friendly and accommodating from what i see

when we went back to the building at about 6.20pm there was still this long queue outside the entrance, and i went for dinner so i didn’t actually stay to wait for them to come out, but a lot of fans did - jake was surprised so many people were waiting for them outside and he left first - andy/chris/kenny left together in a van and chris was holding a huge bouquet of flowers

if you go on twitter/weibo you can see that jake talked to a lot of fans, said hi to the ones who called out his name, and someone asked if he was tired and he said he was still okay

chris was bowing repeatedly the entire time he was walking through the crowd to the van <3

#history 3: 圈套 #history3圈套 #history 3: trapped #history3: trap #history3: trapped #chris wu #andy bian #jake hsu #kenny chen #history fanmeeting #taiwan fanmeeting #history party #summary #trapped news desk

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fae-fucker · 5 years ago

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Zenith: Chapter 52-55

Chapter 52

Valen interrogates Andi about his father’s decision to make her his rescuer, and instead of going “take that up with your dad because I don’t know his reasons for doing this,” Andi tries to be all apologetic about all the Kalee stuff and saying how she’s changed and Valen’s like nu-uh!

“It was a mistake,” Andi said again. “If I could take it back—”

Valen gritted his teeth. “Murder isn’t a mistake.”

Have I finally gone off the deep end or is this fucking funny?

“If I recall, you were the one who allowed your little sister and her friend to sneak out for a joyride on your father’s brand-new transport,” Andi replied. Her words were soft and casual, but her eyes were on fire.

“Spectre,” Valen said. “Spectre first, and always. You failed her as that.”

“Again,” Andi said, “it was a mistake. I’ve had to live with the cost of it.”

“Kalee didn’t!” Valen screamed. “She didn’t get to live, Androma!”

It’s honestly impressive that whenever I go into a chapter that’s relatively short and think it’s gonna be fine and I’ll just skim over it, Shinsay proves me wrong by including more bullshit that I just have to talk about. But hey, part of the reason I have this blog is so that people know what not to do and examining why certain things just don’t work, with the added bonus of having the context for it.

It’s also impressive how two women somehow keep making the wrong choice for the same one book, over and over and over. Every narrative choice in this book is wrong.

So, what’s wrong with this particular bit? Remember when Dex and Andi were having their stupid argument and Dex, right after trying to apologize for what he did and explain himself, turned around and started blaming Androma for it instead? Here it’s even more jarring, because Andi genuinely believes she was to blame for Kalee’s death and genuinely wants to atone (or she claims to want that, at least). So when she, out of nowhere, starts trying to defend herself and shift the blame onto Valen? That shit don’t make no sense, y’all.

I think this is a result of the book having too many pointless POVs. We’re in Valen’s right now, so obviously he needs emotional triggers to react to and start monologuing over. He needs to be provoked and damn logic and character consistency, he’s gonna get provoked! Andi’s words make no sense and will not be examined closer once we’re back in her POV, she just said this OOC shit for the sake of drama, yet given everyone’s awful characterization, even small things like these serve only to undermine the characters and their motivations even further.

Shinsay don’t understand that sometimes, no arguments is far more impactful than a dramatic verbal battle of cheap witticisms. Instead of this, Andi could’ve just sat there, quietly, letting Valen dunk on her because she feels she deserves it. Hell, this entire conversation could’ve been saved if only Andi’s blame-shifting line had been given to someone else! I didn’t even read it as her saying it at first and had to double-check and that’s when it fell apart to me.

God, I could go on like this forever. Feel free to send me asks if you want me to elaborate on dialogue and characterization, I guess? Let’s just move on.

The others try to figure out how Valen was taken and what happened when he was, asking him if he knows anything about Queen Nor, at which point Rage Unlocks Within Him, and he gets up and leaves.

I also want to mention that Valen talks about “things being tense after Kalee was gone,” but Kalee’s been dead for four years, while Valen was taken two years ago. Sooo uh ... huh? He makes it sound like it was two months after and not two years. He could’ve said things “changed” after her death and it would’ve sounded better. Idk just a preference I guess.

Also ... I just realized Valen’s been missing and tortured for two years. How he still talks normally is ... pretty bonkers, to say the least.

Chapter 53

Andi goes out to find Valen but finds Lon instead, his blue tiddies out.

Lon leads Andi to where Valen is, all while dropping hints that Lira has something to say to Andi and that Andi shouldn’t try to influence her decision. To her credit, Andi says she won’t, and that she loves Lira as her sister.

Andi and Valen sit around in nature for a bit and talk about Valen’s art. I don’t hate it?

“When I was locked up, I almost forgot what colors looked like,” [Valen] said, lazily brushing the stick back and forth against the mud. “Did you know that black is more than just a single shade?”

Anish Kapoor would like to know your location.

Valen says he can’t forgive Andi for what she did, but he can also not forgive himself for being part of those choices(????). Andi speculates that her accusation earlier must’ve struck him deep, but that’s all we get on that, no explanation as to why she accused him at all.

“In Lunamere, I had nothing to keep me company but my pain and my thoughts. I had lots of time to think about that night, and everything leading up to it. Time to realize that we were raised in a society where perfection is the only option. But that doesn’t mean it’s always possible. We all made bad choices that night, not just you. She got on that transport herself. And I chose to stay behind.”

Andi wanted to speak, but she feared it would shatter this strange, heart-wrenching moment they had somehow found themselves in.

Thanks for telling me it’s heart-wrenching, lest my idiot self got lost in all this emotion and forgot to realize what was happening.

Christ, even when Shinsay have a decent dramatic and emotional moment going, they just can’t keep their grubby little hands to themselves, huh? I know it’s your book but can you shut the fuck up for a moment and just let the prose stand on its own?

God, if only there had been an editor.

Both Andi and Valen admit they wish they’d died with Kalee and in any other more competent book this would’ve been quite touching.

“Without Kalee...” Andi began, finally voicing the realization she’d come to terms with these past few days. “Without Kalee, there wouldn’t have been a sentence for me to run from. And without that running, I never would have found Dex. And without him...”

“You wouldn’t be the Bloody Baroness,” Valen finished for her. “My father would not have hired you.”

It was a vicious cycle, one that Andi wished she could have undone before it had ever started. But it was her story. Her life.

Her life is a series of reactions to things outside of her control? Love that for a protagonist.

Listen, I know it’s supposed to be sad and stuff, but even Andi’s backstory reinforces her reactionary personality and the way the plot is driven by things completely outside of her control. It’s hard to feel invested in a character when they never make choices and instead only react to whatever happens to them.

Anyway, Valen and Andi seem to have gotten over their differences and go to the festival together. That was easy. I guess it’s to throw us off the scent and make it more surprising when he suddenly turns out to be evil? I’m honestly not sure. It’s pretty bad either way, but I don’t have to tell you that.

Chapter 54

We’re with Lira again and she’s staring off into the distance thinking about the festival. Lon appears again, tiddies still out, but now his muscles and “sculpted” chest feels kind of weird to comment on since we’re in Lira’s head? Whatever, maybe Adhirans are weird like that.

Lon says some cutesy shit about how technically Lira is this planet’s princess but she doesn’t reply or even think about how that would make him the prince? He just says he’s her brother and has to guard her. Maybe Adhirans also don’t let men have political power because that’s what Shinsay think feminism is.

Anyway, they join the other girls and head to the festival while Lira mopes about her decision and how she can’t have two families. Except you can. But whatever. Logic isn’t dramatic enough, I suppose.

“It’s time to let loose,” Breck said. “Lir, you look like you’ve just puked up a pound of Moon Chew.”

“Lira doesn’t puke,” Gilly said.

“That’s ridiculous. Everyone pukes,” Breck added.

“I’ve never seen her do it. And I spy on her, like, all the time.”

Lon chuckled beside Lira. “I see it,” he whispered. “What draws you to this crew.”

I don’t.

Also they’re in the same close space it seems, so I have no idea how they 1) don’t bother to ask Lira what’s going on and 2) don’t notice Lon being all whispery and shit. Convenient!

Gonna gloss over the spying bit as well, I see. Hey, they do have those eye implants that you don’t need consent to activate. Maybe Gilly’s been using it to perv on the rest of the crew.

Lira decides ... not to decide, and just fuckin party down for tonight. I guess in this universe it means she’s gonna get blackout wasted, because That’s What Adults Do. I should also mention that she decides not to decide and then never has to decide anyway because the plot intervenes and the choice is made for her. Love that for a character.

*sigh*

Chapter 55

We’re in Dex’s POV and we get some decent descriptions of how cool the festival is with more incidental aliens and traditions. Dex spots the crew and thinks about how they’re his crew now and realizes he’s bonded with them. I’m glad this is spelled out because I would not have noticed it myself, and frankly I both do and don’t mean it this time.

They’ve only been together for a couple of days, tops. I guess extreme situations make people bond faster but I really feel like we’re jumping the shark here. At the same time I can tell that Dex clearly fits into the crew pretty well, and this just feels forced and redundant. All in all, this comment is just unnecessary. Let the characters evolve and grow closer naturally, Shinsay. You don’t need to convince us they’re a crew, you can just show us and we’ll believe it!

Dex spots Valen and Andi and of course we get a horny description of how cool and sexy Andi is and how impressed Dex is that she and Valen are already friends. Then he decides to get drunk and eat some meat.

Frankly? Relatable. Chapter? Pointless.

#eff reads: zenith

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