#I love his stupid ice block shoes so much

[what-is-love-babey-dont-hurt-me]

❄️ Born of cold and winter air and mountain rain combining...

The dinosaur you know and love: Sir Meteor! Or is it? He looks a bit different... This Frostbitten Fossil has been around since the ice age, your only chances of spotting him are in hostile frozen winters. Folklore suggests he leads travlers to safety with the fire of his blue lanters, but some stories suggest those souls are never seen again.

[butyoudidntbreakme]

Part 2

(Part 1 is also posted right before this!)

Short description: Christophe recounts the last mercenary mission which Gregory and himself had gone on before they arrived back at home and Gregory simply went off and disappeared for over a year.

“He’s what?”

“A kid!”

Gregory gathered his wits, then stood straighter, shoulders back. “And he-"

“He’s here because he heard something from his brother’s cousin’s friend and they dared him to come here. I know,” he began to defend himself, noting the way that Gregory’s lips began to form a slight frown, his eyes saying ‘and you are simply going to believe that story?’, “it sounds like a fucking trap, but he thinks there’s diamonds in there.”

“And the bag of money?”

Just then the boy who could not have been older than ten came up behind Christophe and peeked over from around his shoulder. Big brown eyes locked onto Gregory and Christophe noted that Gregory’s expression was not softening despite the child’s silent pleas.

“Tell him,” the Frenchman urged him to speak, and the boy moved to stand in front of Christophe; seeing him in the light of his flashlight, Gregory could see that he was in regular everyday clothing: a light blue t-shirt with a picture of Mickey Mouse on the front, and a pair of khaki shorts, along with classic black and white tennis shoes.

“I got the velvet bag from my grandma’s closet. My cousin said she wouldn’t miss it. I-” he picked up the speed, speaking faster, “I was going to replace the treasure with it so me and my cousin and his friend could have the real thing and, uh, I guess you guys would get the coins.”

Christophe couldn’t help but to grin: the kid reminded him of himself and Gregory when they were little, just about to get sucked into the mercenary business… though, unlike with the two of them, this kid was just being a kid, getting up to innocent trouble with his friends. Maybe it was stupid, but Christophe often looked for innocent trouble like this when back home; it was nice to get up to things but not have those things always result in violence or getting put on yet another dangerous person’s shit list.

And, with that, the kid began to rush towards the staircase, only to be stopped by Christophe who made an even faster dash in that direction, blocking him from escaping. “We still have questions.”

The kid audibly gulped, and crossed his arms; Christophe guessed that he was really wishing that he had brought that paintball gun that he had told him he had originally planned on bringing in with him right about now; but they weren’t there to hurt him. They simply could not risk falling for a story and the kid escaping, only to alert the rest of the thieves he could be working with that Gregory and Christophe were inside the pyramid.

While the two of them stayed put, Gregory went for the prize. Kneeling down, he put on a pair of primary blue rubber gloves and began to untie the knots in the battered up plastic bag’s handles. He could see a couple of old dried up specks of blood on the bag and he grimaced; it had to have come from the man who left the bag here for whoever tried to bring the prize home next to find. Then the blond reached in and, sure enough, under two layers of sparkly green and pink birthday present tissue paper, he could feel the outline of the iron key. The tissue paper made this moment feel more silly than serious in a way that made a blush rise over Gregory’s cheeks: he felt he was being laughed at in a way.

Crumpling the tissue up in his hands, he then got his first clear look at the key. Remarkably, it looked much like the drawing, and, also, quite similar to the key that he had seen framed and hung up on the wall inside Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, when he had been to Virginia on a family trip five years prior… he loved the beach, loved feeling far from the mountains of Colorado… and, of course, Christophe had been there with him, wearing an ice cream stained shirt almost every day they were there; the guy practically lived at the small family owned ice cream shops that dotted Virginia Beach. The key at Mount Vernon had been a gift to George Washington from Le Marquis de Lafayette of France; it was a key from the famous Bastille prison that had been stormed by a mob, effectively putting a start to what would become the French Revolution in 1789.

Holding the key in his hands, Gregory wasted no more seconds reminiscing, and, instead, peered over his shoulder at Christophe and the kid who was now sitting on the floor of the old pyramid as he waited for the two of them to let him make his escape. "Would you bring me the purple bag, filled back up with coins?" he asked the kid, who got right up and to work, scrambling to fill the bag back up, leaving no coin in the natural dust which had settled on the ground since the pyramid was last closed off.

Christophe caught on to the plan right away: they would leave with the key and the bag of coins would take it's place under the... was that tissue paper? He narrowed his eyes as he stepped closer, but decided not to say a word based off of the look on Gregory's face that told him ‘just don't.’

~~~

**~~~**

All of that to say that, now, here they were, the next morning, safe in their hotel room, said key safely packed up and placed into one of their suitcases. On their way out of the pyramid, Christophe had felt as if he was holding his breath: this could not have been that easy! It was never that easy! Sure, for a beginner, this would have still been quite the impressive feat, but, for them, three days in a foreign country and one time of sneaking in to a world treasure where they didn't have to use their weapons against an opponent even once was unheard of!

But, once they had made it out and Christophe breathed in the cool night air, as he felt the soft breeze cross his face and the sands around them gently blowing down and over his boots, he felt genuine relief as there was nobody around them as far as his eyes could see.

Now, lying down in bed, eyes closed and still pretending to be asleep, Christophe felt the bed sinking as Gregory sat down on the edge of it and he could hear him paging through a book; Christophe knew that they were not getting room service, but he could dream that his posh friend was glancing over a menu.

Continuing to think back to the night before, Christophe thought about that kid (they never had gotten his name, and, likewise, they never disclosed theirs to him), and how they had taken him back to the area just outside of where he lived. Gregory didn’t like the idea and Christophe, who also could not be fully convinced that this wasn’t a trick after all until they were back on that plane home, couldn’t blame him for being ready to make a run for it at a moment’s notice. In the distance, they watched as a kid who looked a lot like the kid they’d just lead back home, his cousin, rushed towards the kid they’d just left, laughing, arms raised high in the air.

“Are you crying, Christophe?”

Christophe wished that Gregory would not point it out when things got to him: the two shared so much history that the Frenchman believed that Gregory should just understand that sometimes things just hurt. Sometimes you just don’t feel like explaining it. This was one of those times: for once, they were helping someone in a kind way during one of their assignments. It didn’t happen often.

The kid may not have returned with the diamonds that he and his cousin and his cousin’s friend thought he’d come back with, but, on their walk to where he lived, the brunet had given the kid some things he had in his backpack: a crisp $100 bill, an unopened pack of gum, and a harmonica he’d gotten in California. It was the best that he could do with what he had on him; the kid seemed happy to have something to show for his efforts, something to prove himself.

Now Christophe was being tapped on the shoulder, as Gregory attempted to prod him awake. “The plane is due to pick us up within the hour,” he says softly as Christophe’s olive green eyes slowly opened. “If we leave in five minutes, we will have time before we go to stop at that cafe you were eying on the day we arrived.”

Christophe’s cheeks flushed just slightly at the mention of the cafe: Gregory, as always, had noticed things, then, quietly, he had taken note.

[alyjojo]

September 🏋🏽‍♂️ 2024 Monthly - Cancer

Preshuffle: You’ve been released from some sort of family situation that had you feeling trapped, blocked, burdened and stuck. Now you’re waiting for the apology you deserve.

Meditation: In a backyard, you slipped off your shoes and walked into the grass to “ground your energy” under a tree 🌳 which you then sat under, then laid under, and said “I can die right here and grow roots into the ground…” before you drifted off to sleep in the shade.

Main energy: Knight of Wands rev

What’s going on in September:

Page of Swords, Knight of Cups rev, 8 Cups rev, Page of Cups rev, Ace of Cups

You’re forgiving the fkboy/girl, that’s the whole reading. If they’re not that, then they’re immature & do impulsive or thoughtless things that get them into trouble and they’re manipulative af - which I’m getting is both positive and negative. They’re the kind of person that could sell ice in Alaska 🧊 very charming, probably gorgeous, likely also very funny. They can bring you out of your shell in positive ways and also do stupid shit to send you right back in there, not speaking to them. They manipulate to get out of trouble and maybe also to get you IN to some trouble, but I don’t see you minding that so much. It’s fun.

This person is going to lovebomb the fk out of you and I don’t see you minding. I also don’t see them as toxic, you may even romanticize this dynamic a bit. They mess up and now they’re outside your window with roses being all dramatic and stuff…I heard “don’t forget the poetry.” So they may like to write with this Page of Swords, long texts or poems even? Very romantic. I WILL DIE IF YOU DONT FORGIVE ME CANCER IM SORRY BABY PLEASEEE DONT GO 😫 And you eat it up, which they’re aware of, that’s why they do it. You could have an intuitive link with this person where things don’t need to be said out loud, they can read your face or vice versa.

I see you running right back into their arms and healing this connection, I think you’re already over it and just like the show in some cases 😆

Further advice: 3 Swords rev, again I don’t see this person being toxic, just immature. You two will heal this and be just fine moving forward. Well, within this dynamic anyway, they still are who they are, and will continue to be 🫨 but are they genuine in their lovebombing declarations of whatever this is: yes they are.

Signs you may be dealing with:

Heavy Pisces, Cancer, Libra & Taurus

Oracle: ✨

39 Creativity 🖼

This is a profoundly creative time period for you - whether it is in the traditional arts, music, or writing - or it could be a new curiosity about exploring a way to funnel your creative urges. To be creative, you need to access your right brain - your emotional, sensing, feeling center. Do this by trying things you’ve never done before - get physical, dance, doodle.

When we acknowledge and act upon our impulse to create, we are aligning our will with Spirit. In this we can experience the flow of being on your highest path. Start creating and notice his time has no meaning anymore. Hours fly by before you realize it. It is not a struggle. It is pure inspiration. This card can also signify the birth of a child, or of a whole new way of being!

Hidden Keys 🔐

Put things together piece by piece to reveal the bigger picture.

Sorrow Heals 🤕

In heartache’s shadow, growth awaits. Let pain refine, not define you, as brighter days are promised.

Behind the Veil 😶‍🌫️

Welcome uncertainty as an opportunity for growth and be OK with not knowing.

We enter into September as:

Emaciated Periwinkle ⚖️:

“I must create before the opportunity disappears.”

This card is a good indication that something is out of balance in your life. You may be too focused in one area and therefore neglecting another. Change takes place in proper time. Slow down. With balance we gain the love and support we need to take risks. Periwinkle is also an indication you need to look at your eating habits. This could be a plea from your body to take better care of yourself. This can also point out workaholism or any compulsive behavior that has you feeling out of whack. Is there a part of your life that needs serious attention from you? This card wishes to remind you that...you take you wherever you go.

What is to be learned in September:

Cool Lemonade 🍋

“My dreams got answered.”

There are times when chasing dreams leaves us winded and unhappy. If this gift has been given, it’s to remind you there is always a plan. If you fear you’ve been sidetracked from your right path, have faith you’ll be guided back to it. There is not always a complicated reason why things didn’t work out how you wanted them to, it may be simpler than you think. Are you sure your prayers weren’t answered? Or was it a reply you refused to hear? You will find total peace when you appreciate the gifts you have, rather than pining for what you lack. Sometimes, we all need to be reminded that the point of prayer isn’t to get what we want, but to ask to be of service. Cool Lemonade reminds us to only seek to be of service in our lives, closeness with Spirit must always be put before what we’d like to have.

Yellow may be a lucky color 💛

[bewitchingfanfiction]

Hermitcraft (2020/04/22)

He had gone over to Bdubs house, intending to put an end to him.

Doc and Etho had been friends for so long, after everything they've been through, Etho just couldn't deny his request. 

But...it did make him sad.  

They were all so close once...him, Beef, Bdubs and Doc...but now it's like they're getting farther and farther away from each other. Beef's gone off to do his own thing and hardly speaks to any of them, Bdubs and Doc are at war and Etho...

He's just trying to hold onto his friends while he still can.

But Bdubs was more than that, sure, he and Etho had some fights of their own, but no matter what, it was still Bdubs and Etho couldn't stay mad at him. 

Even when he didn't take off his shoes in the ice shop.

"Two floors, classic Bdubs." Etho chuckled a little as he followed Bdubs upstairs in his new house, he had built it just to get away from Doc for a little while.

Bdubs smiled sheepishly. "Ya gotta have two floors, ya have too. Look at this," He gestured to the railing looking over the bottom floor, his back turned  to Etho.

It would be so easy...too easy.

"Better be careful, wouldn't want to fall down there." Etho told him, a hint of a warning in his tone.

He noticed how Bdubs stiffened, before coughing a little and moving away from the railing. "No of course not," He mumbled as he led Etho to another room, it was a blue bedroom.

"This is the bedroom, tried to make it cozy and what not." Bdubs told him, sweating a little when he noticed Etho blocking his way out of the room.

Swallowing hard, he stared Etho down silently, waiting for the other to make a move first. 

And he did. Silently, Etho shut the door before casually leaning against it, keeping his eyes on Bdubs.

Bdubs stared down at the floor, feeling intimidated under Etho's gaze. "Hey um...I'm sorry we haven't ah...hung out much, things have been sorta...well, you understand." He trailed off, not wanting to talk about his angry feelings towards Doc.

"Yeah I sort of got it, when you never bothered to visit me." Etho told him in a short tone, making Bdubs wince.

"I-I wanted too...its just been hard to get around, been watchin' my back all the time...and I know you and Doc are still..." Bdubs licked his lips as he began to tremble. "He...sent you here, didn't he?..."

Etho bit his lip and nodded silently.

"...I figured...I'm sorry man, you shouldn't be caught in the middle of this...but...just go ahead I suppose, I know I can't beat you." Bdubs sighed heavily as he hung his head in defeat.

"You seriously think I'm gonna kill you? After everything?" Etho questioned, making Bdubs look at him.

Etho smiled slightly behind his mask. "Well you're right, the plan is to attempt to kill you."

Bdubs' eyes widened in alarm as Etho suddenly pounced, tackling him onto the bed with his arms pinned above his head. 

A look of lust formed in both boys eyes as they remembered old feelings from the past begin to bubble up. They had gotten so very close when they had first formed the nHo...

Leaning down, Etho placed his masked lips against Bdubs, filling Bdubs' chest with warm feelings of pure love and affection for the boy on top of him. Etho released his arms in order to cup his face and Bdubs wrapped his arms around Etho's neck, deepening the kiss.

Slowly, the two boys broke apart, smiling a little at each other with looks of happiness and embarrassment. Etho gave an eye closed smile as a blush formed on his partially covered  cheeks.

"Hmmm, looks like my plan failed, you're still alive."

"Huh?" Bdubs looked at him with confusion. Etho stood up and headed for the door.

He turned his head to smirk at Bdubs behind his mask, eyes narrowing mischievously. 

"I couldn't kill you with kindness or my affection, guess I'm not really cut out for this, good thing Doc never officially paid me." Bdubs heart fluttered as Etho left without another word.

Bdubs couldn't stop a stupid grin from forming on his lips, even if it was risky, he was gonna visit Etho soon, he'd make sure of it.

[ducknotinarow]

[2k12 - yeet]

Casey smiles as he walks up behind Raph, lank limbs encircling them in a warm hug. He grabs his own wrist with his hand, locking Raph in, though eh could probably escape easily if he really wanted to. Head tilted, Casey resting his cheek on top of their head. He idly sways back and forth as he holds them, just, enjoying the subtle coolness their body brings - he always was one that preferred ice to sun.

After a moment, he lifts his head, only to move to bend his neck down and press a kiss to their cheek, letting it linger for a second, before merely murmuring against their skin,

"Yer beauty never ever scared me."

He never said it enough, but he really did think Raphael was beautiful in their own right. Casey adores them. From their emerald green eyes, to the way their beak would curl into a faint smirk. It was all so perfect to him, as he holds them a little tighter, nuzzling his face against their own, proving he was being extra soft today,

"An' I'll never let yer go," He promises, "'Cause yer my Princess, so that makes me yer Prince, an' I gotta make sure my Princess is reminded every day how much I love 'em."

| Muse interaction

Sure going out to break up trouble was always a blast and fun, not to mention always helped to work out some stress. From dealing with annoying brothers, or something stupid that happened at school or in training for Raph. Or just literally anything that could get under either of their skins. Splinter always told Raph he should let it roll off his back, that never worked for him he needed to burn it off to cool down. Sometimes just kind of messing around with your boyfriend was another answer, Casey always seemed able to cool Raph down when his temper ran just a tad to hot. As they easy skate circled around Raph as he was trying to beat them to the goal they set up with some trash cans in the alleyway. Of course Casey was better at hockey than Raph but, it was still fun when they played street hockey like this. Playful bumping into each other and taking hits as they took turns scoring and blocking the other. Or simply an excuse to tackle the other to the ground all in the name of the game.

Raph couldn't help how it just sort of made him laugh to mess around like this. They had to be serious so much and yeah he got why and yeah he was also one of the more serious of the four at times but also sometimes he still wanted to enjoy something as simple as just getting to fun and jack around with his boyfriend. When they slammed into him and knocked him clean over, only for Raph to grab one of Casey lanky long legs and take advantage of the wheels on his shoes to decided he wasn't going down alone. soon just laughing more as he shifted to get up now pushing Casey off of himself with a bit more force than really needed.

"Get off me dork" Raph moving to sit up now as he playful punched Casey in the shoulder "An' you say I fight dirty dick." There was not a trace of malice in his tone. "C'mon best outta I dunno how many round think you need to beat me wit' out cheatin?" Raph teases as if Casey wasn't the one with both the advantage or lead in their game right now.

Shifting his weight as he moved to stand up now, hand held out to help said dork back up as well. Raph waiting as Casey pulled in against his hold to help lift himself back up to his feet. Raph waited till they were stable enough but still low to lean in a little press his beak in quickly against Casey's cheek. As he pulled harder against them and helped them stand up right. Slight laughed breathed out as he let go of them and eyed out for the hockey stick and puck they were using. Moving from Casey's side once he found them so they could get back into their little game with each other. When he hears wheels suddenly move after him. Raphael was half expecting Casey to come and tackle him again, so he stood firmly against the ground, ready to grab and toss his boyfriend to the ground. But as Casey's arms instead slipped around and encircled him in a tight hug. Raph slightly tried to lift his gaze upwards when he felt Casey's head rest on top his own, as they held on to him firmly. Even slowly started to rock Raphael with them left and right.

Raph wasn't against the hold, closing his eyes even as he relaxed into it further. He could easily break free from it after all if he wanted. But he was rather enjoying it leaning back in against Casey as he soaked in their warmth. Always seemed like a fair trade-off between them. Casey loved the cold, and Raphael, being a turtle natural, ran cold. Where Raphael himself performed warmth and Casey seemed more than happy to let him steal from them. Raph, not even sure how long they stay like that till he can feel Casey's lips press in his cheek. Break cryling up into a grin as he slightly laughs.

"Okay well now ya bein' gay." He simply teases despite the warmth he can feel creeping over his face now. Playfully giving a push. Sort of a push, there was no strength in the action as he tried to keep his face looking off to the side in an attempt to hide the look he was wearing now. It's not like Casey wasn't affectionate nor Raphael even, even anything shockingly they were both pretty soft with the other didn't mean it didn't make that usual air of confidence the turtle strutted around with, be coved in a veil of shyness for the briefest of time.

"Yer beauty never ever scared me."

Raph froze a second as he felt caseys mouth move against his skin, a slightly tingle over his neck as he picked up on their vocal vibrations. That veil more of a sheet now as he slightly turned to face Casey now. Eyes a little wide. He was used to the other complaments, but that was...different. a very good different.

"Case?" Raph slightly voices as he turns to look at them. As Casey moves to nuzzle in against his face. Raph can't help the low soft churr that bubbles from the back of his thoart. Moving to nuzzle in back against then. As he eyes shut and he let his snout press to Casey's nose. Thanks to them leaning down, he could press their forhead together right after. So easily coaxed into returning the same sap.

Raph knows his face is clearly painted red now the hope to keep it away gone as he soaks in and welcomes his sappy boyfriend's sudden affection. Moving to turn in towards Casey. Letting arms move to hold around them and keep in close to Casey. Raph loved when they got just a tad softer like this with him, even if it made him sort of crack and expose just how much he craved it. But that was something only Casey got to know and see.

"An' I'll never let yer go,"

Raph let his eyes part a little, as his smile softened a little sheepish as he couldn't even think what to say. Casey made his brain shut off a little, so he just lifted his hands to grip on to the back of their tattered hoodie. Showing he knew Casey meant that promise. That collar on their neck was enough proof for the turtle, but hearing it? Yeah, it was nice. Stupid Casey turly was turning up the charm today and making Raoh meal in again them well and over all because of it. Considering how Raph viewed Casey made sense, they held charm over him, though.

"'Cause yer my Princess, so that makes me yer Prince, an' I gotta make sure my Princess is reminded every day how much I love 'em."

"Prince?"

As sweet as that was, it made Raphs eyes snap open as he slightly jerked back, not breaking from Casey's hold still. Hands moving from behind them to grab the front of their hoodie. Slightly tugging them down a bit.

"Alright who told you about that!" Raph now demands from Casey to spill. "Was it Leo? Now could be I'd never tell I see you as a prince. It was Don uh?! Hmm no pretty sure he can't read my thoughts when I think it? Mikey it had to be Mikey he showed you the drawings didn't he!". Raph was ready to accuse his boyfriend of doing all of the before to simply call him out but the look on thker face when he shift attetion back?

"Oh...I did." He voices softly between them when he reliezed Casey was simply claiming it because they liked to call him princess.

And Raph just outted he already saw them as said prince. Slowly letting go of them as his fave turned redder than his mask was even, he swears there could be steam working out his head just now from how hot his face was feeling. As he simply planted his face in against thker chest, craving death at that moment. Maybe Casey would be nice enough to bury him in the woods near his family's farmhouse. He loved it there after all. Be a nice resting spot. Slightly tapping a fist against Casey in a very weak punch. Words were gone he was not going to recover from that now. As he basically stated, this was his stupid charming princes fault. Soon turn it around to grab on to Casey.

Sure, he was embarrassed in all truth over it, but he wanted them to know he wasn't against what they said. Slightly managing to lifted his face a bit as he turned his head to the side to rest his cheek against Casey's chest peering up at them. Green eyes slowly working the courge to look at at Casey.

"Ya you are my prince."

[ashwhowrites]

Yay! You’re talking requests! I love your writing and I really hope you like this idea!

Okay, mutual pining, idiots in love, friends to lovers

Reader is a hot alt chick and has been friends with Eddie for a while. He’s had so many chances to make a move, but he never did despite all the mutual bonding and heart eyes

Reader can’t be led on anymore and has to get over him. So, she relents and goes out with Billy since he keeps asking

*chaos ensues*

Eddie and Billy confrontation?

Eddie spills his guts?

Of course, take what elements you want and leave the rest. These are just ideas and don’t all need to be used. I trust you to craft a good story, even if you only pick one element

Thank you so much! And it's definitely a fun idea :)

I got your other message about smut with Dom Eddie so I'll give it my best shot. I'm new to Dom Eddie so sorry if he sucks

⚠️angst at first then smut

Not proofread

Y/N and Eddie, the name just fit together. They looked great together. They were alternative, matching t-shirts and ripped jeans. Black boots with matching colored laces. The left shoe is blue for Eddie, the right is red for her. No matter where they went, those laces never changed colors.

The two were side by side no matter what. His arm was thrown over her shoulder and her body tucked into his side. Anyone who saw them knew they were in love.

But yet, they weren't together, just friends.

Friends who were in love but weren't good at communicating it.

She made it clear that she was down badly for Eddie Munson, straight to his face. Always touching him in places a friend isn't supposed to touch. Staring deep in his eyes when her foot trailed up his leg. Quite literally scared of any girl that looked in his direction.

But he didn't pick up on anything

Until new years

~~

She wasn't drunk at all, she was stone cold sober because she had a plan for tonight and she wanted to remember it. She was going to kiss her best friend. If he was too dumb to pick up any of her hints, she'll shove it down his throat instead.

She was searching for the whole party as the countdown started. Anxiety in her that she was going to miss this chance.

"slow down sweetheart"

She rolled her eyes as Billy Hargrove blocked her pathway. A smirk on his pretty lips and devious in his blue eyes

"Billy not now!"

She rushed past him.

Billy Hargrove has been after her for months. But she always said no, she wanted Eddie and she wasn't going to miss her chance. Billy didn't quite take no as an answer. Always pestering and asking.

She finally found him, sipping on a red solo cup as his eyes scanned the crowd

3

She raced quicker to him, pushing back everyone in her way

2

"EDDIE!" she screamed, grabbing his attention fast as he smiled. Laughing as she threw girls over left and right

"what's up pretty girl?"

1

She didn't respond. Smashing her lips on to his with everything she had. Throwing her body into him harshly, feeling his drink drop to the floor as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Moaning as he yanked her closer. Her hands got lost in his hair. His mouth tasted of cheap beer and cigarettes but she loved it.

He pulled away first, eyes blown huge as he looked down at her.

Her lipstick was smudged, no doubt all over him.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" he yelled, screaming over the music

"NEW YEARS" she yelled back, a proud smile on her face. Kissing him again like she couldn't get enough.

If that didn't show him then she doesn't know what will

~~

Apparently it STILL wasn't enough to show him she liked him

The next morning she felt happier than ever. She got dressed for the winter cold fast, the gang were going ice skating today. The thought of holding Eddie's hand as they raced on the ice had her heart racing. Imagine him in a cute beanie with a red nose. Complaining about how stupid it is to be skating on actual ice in negative degree weather.

She pulled up to the rink excitedly, a bounce in her step as she reached the group.

Her eyes fell on Eddie first, then to the hand he was holding. It was like all get excitement vanished.

"um who is this?" She asked awkwardly. She had her tongue down his throat less than 24 hours ago and he brought a girl to their ice skating hangout.

"I'm Lia!" The girl said excitedly, high pitched voice rang through the rink

Everyone's body flinched at the sound but kept a smile on their face to be polite.

"let's get you some skates!" Nancy said, grabbing Lia and the gang with her. Leaving Y/N and Eddie alone.

"Eddie what the fuck!" She scoffed, eyes glaring at his face. She hated that he wore the stupid hat and the fact that his nose was red

"what?"

"you bring a girl on a date? When did you even meet her?"

"at the party. Look we hooked up and she wouldn't leave! She heard Dustin talk about ice skating and basically got in my van. I didn't know what to do" he explained. Flinching as he heard her loud giggle

"you slept with her?" Now that hurts Y/N way more than just getting plain rejected. She was pissed and it was clear on her face

"yeah? What's with the attitude?" He scoffed, shaking his head like he was disappointed and embarrassed by her behavior

" you are such an asshole" she practically spat in his face

"woah! Hey I didn't do shit" he defended

The one flaw about these two, they were both hard headed. Easily refusing to ever be wrong.

"are you kidding me? I kiss you and you brought another girl home?"

"yeah we kissed. It was new years. I didn't think it was a big deal. Not like it meant anything" he defended his actions. Eyes searching her face for what emotion she was feeling

And she felt her heart snap. The way he said it so carefree, like to him it was just a stupid kiss.

Her silence shook him to his core. Stepping closer as he let out a shaky breath

"it didn't mean anything right?" His voice cracked in nerves. If that kiss meant something to her he fucked up. He easily just hurt his only best friends feelings.

"yeah, you're right. Just new years" she spat, knocking into his shoulder roughly as she went to grab her skates.

"oh fuck" he sighed to himself. He fucked up and he fucked up bad. Of course the kiss meant something to him but he was scared she only did it for the sake of the holiday. Or that she was so drunk she didn't know what she was doing. When he left with Lia she was chatting it up with a boy on the basketball team. He figured she was planning to leave with someone else so he should do the same.

"wait!" He said fast. Turning around to run after her when he saw Billy Hargrove walk up to her. Jealousy burning in his skin as she giggled and smiled.

~~

"Okay Max made me come but I have never once skated. Can you please help me?" He practically begged

"is Billy Hargrove admitting he is bad at something?" She gasped, laughing as he glared over at her

"it's not funny. I can't make a fool of myself in front of this gorgeous girl so you need to help me" he winked, stepping closer to her.

At this point she usually brushes him off. Ignoring his advances because of Eddie.

But Eddie didn't seem to like her

She was just a friend to him

And a boy like Billy Hargrove can make her forget

~~

Eddie glared as he watched Y/N hold Billy's hand as they skated on the ice.

It may have been negatives out but he felt hot to the touch.

He wanted to punch the smile right off of Billy's lips

Kick him in the balls so he wouldn't get any ideas

"sorry dude. But he really likes her and that never happens. He won't give up" Max sighed as she stopped next to Eddie, leaning on the edge as she took a breather.

"well he should. Not like she's ever been interested" Eddie growled. His arms crossed over his chest as he watched them skate closer and closer

"after the big fuck up you just did, he definitely has a shot" Max laughed, smacking Eddie on the shoulder as she staked to join the couple.

Eddie watched as Billy spun Y/N around on the ice. Max laughing as she spun around too.

For once Y/N's eyes never landed on Eddie.

~~

It didn't get much better for Eddie.

Billy officially asked her on a date and she said yes.

Eddie hated that the date went well. She talked about it for days. Billy was romantic and completely took her breath away.

And Eddie hated it.

He hated watching her in her tiny dress, smiling in the mirror as she sprayed on her perfume.

Anger and jealousy forming in his stomach when she smeared the perfume on her ankles

"slutting it up tonight are we?" He growled out

She rolled her eyes and set down her perfume bottle

Ignoring him as she went to put on her boots

"no tights? You are going to give him the wrong idea!" Eddie spat out

She ignored him again, standing up as she checked herself in the mirror

"don't ignore me"

She shivered as he growled behind her, right on her ear. His hot body was practically smashed into her back.

"you want him to fuck you or something?" Eddie mocked.

She could see how pissed off he was in the mirror. Smirking at him, "jealous Eddie?"

She turned around to face him. Her own face stone cold of any expression

"no. I just don't think you need to be a whore and sleep with him on the second date"

"that's too bad. Because honestly I've been dripping ever since new years" she spat, shoving his shoulder as she walked to her bed, going to grab her jacket when she felt Eddie force her on the sheets

Growling as he laid on top of her. His knee shoved between her thighs

Air got caught in her throat as she tried to ignore the pulsing in her cunt.

"for him or me baby?" He teased, a dark smirk on his face as his hand slowly worked up her dress. Teasing her body over the thin material

"fuck you" she spat, she wanted to shove him off but one wrong move and her clit would be pressing against his knee. Making her even more weak.

"oh pretty girl. You will and you're going to like it" he growled, sitting up, his knee still in between her thighs

He yanked off his shirt, smirking as her eyes traced over his skin.

He leaned over her body, mouth close to her ear as he kissed her neck. Wet and sloppy kisses all over her throat, moving down to her collar bones

"Eddie" she moaned. Her hands wanted to dig into his hair but she needed some self control

He smirked at her moans, yanking down the top of her dress, growling as her tits spilled out

He bit down on the skin, swirling his tongue around her nipples. Leaving blotchy hickies everywhere. His hands groped them as he moved his knee further up, easily hitting her clit

"Fuck" she whined. Her head thrown back as he pressed against her clit harder. Hands still working on her tits

"you like that don't you? Pretty tits baby" he groaned, kissing the skin before pulling away

She didn't even know she was doing it at first. Her hips rocking against his knee as she pleased herself. Moaning as his rough jeans rubbed her just right.

"riding my knee baby?" He mocked. Loving how her body was moving against his

He laughed as she stopped. Eyes closing as she covered her face

"don't be embarrassed. It's so fucking hot. Ride my knee baby, make yourself cum" he growled his hands ripping hers away.

She looked at him and nodded. Watery eyes as she began to move her hips again

Moaning loudly as he moved his knee with her

He could die happily listening to her needy and pitchy moans. So submissive just like he thought she would be.

"not so tough now are you baby? You are pissed at me, hate me but yet rubbing your pretty pussy on my knee. Desperate to cum"

She whined at his teasing. Hating the way it made her body hotter and hips move faster. Closing her eyes as she desperately moved against him

"just shut up" she moaned, lifting up her dress as she moved herself faster on his knee.

He clicked his tongue with a shake of his head. Ripping his knee away from her thighs

"WAIT NO" she cried. Eyes flying open as she watched him stand up

"bad girls with bad mouths don't get to cum when they want" he hissed. Unbuckling his jeans as she breathed hard

A pout on her lips as she shivered under his heated glare

She moaned as he removed his boxers, his cock was hard and already dripping with precum.

He didn't say a word, just yanking off her dress and tearing off her panties. She moaned at his roughness as he threw her clothes around her room.

Taking a step back to look at her naked body. Slowly pumping himself as he stared at every piece of her skin

"stop staring" she whined. Going to cover herself when he threw her arms over her head, holding them in a rough grip

His voice was deep and hard as he spoke to her. His eyes are full of lust and desire. She's never seen his eyes so black and dark before

"don't you even think about hiding from me. So fucking gorgeous"

She moaned as he teased his cock over her clit. Moving himself between her lips but never once entering her. Loving the way she squirmed, her hands still being held by his harsh grip

"you want this?" He asked softly, the old Eddie appearing back in his eyes. She was dripping from the fact he was so ready to ruin her but could switch back in seconds

"yes fuck me Eddie. Please" she whined, her head thrown back as he slapped his hard cock against her clit. Her thighs twitching and trapping him between her

Then he switched back

His eyes dark as he shoved himself inside of her. Fully and stuffing her completely

"EDDIE GOD" she screamed. He released her grip, allowing her nails to scratch down his back as she tried to get used to feeling him inside of her

He gave her a few seconds to adjust. Just slowly moving his hips, using every bit of self control to not completely ruin her

"shh. You can take it" he whispered in her ear, slowly pulling out and shoving himself back in. She screamed as he picked up his pace. Roughly fucking her. Loving the way she clenched around him.

Her eyes rolling in the back of her head as she tried to grip onto his skin

Hissing as her nails continued to break his skin open but he loved it

He was moaning as he lost himself inside of her

She was wet, warm and tight. Everything he pretended his hand was when he touched himself

Always thinking about this exact moment

"SHIT...FUCK" she was screaming as he somehow went faster

His hands gripped her head board as he thrusted himself in and out of her. As hard as he can. Loving the way his balls slapped against her ass. The sound of their bodies smacking into each other. The sound of her bed creaking as he fucked out all of his anger and jealousy.

"bet he couldn't fuck you like this" Eddie growled as he grabbed her legs, throwing them over his shoulders

Inhaling the perfume she smeared earlier

Smirking as fucked her harder

"he doesn't have a good enough cock like I do. He wouldn't know how to make you fucking scream" he growled as he smashed his body on hers. Her legs wrapped around his shoulders as he pounded into her. Moaning as his naked chest was rubbing against her nipples.

She was a screaming, blabbering mess. No real words leaving her mouth

"fucked stupid now aren't you?" He mocked, his hand gripping around her throat

She whined even louder. One of her hands holding on the one that was choking her

"you don't know how long I've thought about this pussy. How many girls I fucked imagining you" he growled as he got himself closer. She was too tight, she was clenching him too good

"mhhm yeah?" She choked out. A small smirk on her face. She was taking all of it and she loved it. She loved him thinking of her, loved that no matter where she was, she was in his head

"yeah baby. Even say your name when I cum. They get so pissed"

"oh fuck" she moaned. The thought alone had her close

"you like that? Huh? Knowing I scream your name when I bust my load into other girls? You jealous slut" he released the grip on her neck

Moving between their bodies as he rubbed her clit

"YES RIGHT THERE" she screamed. Her legs unhooking from his shoulders as they shook

Her body thrashing as she moved her hips with his

"you are a jealous asshole" she teased. Yanking his hair as she dug her teeth in his neck

"yeah I am. No one gets to fuck this pussy but me. Mine now right?"

The way he was staring into her eyes had her clenching. Gasping as she felt her orgasm a blink away

"say it or you don't get to cum" he stopped his fingers completely. Just resting them on her clit, no pressure added

"NO KEEP GOING PLEASE" she cried, feeling his hips also still inside of her

"say this pussy is mine and you get to cum"

"Eddie please"

"say it baby"

"please fuck"

"say it"

"MY PUSSY IS YOURS. IT'S YOURS. ALL YOURS"

He smirked as he rubbed her faster, fucking her hard

"IM CUMMING" she screamed. Her arms reached over his shoulders. Clinging on him as she came. Soaking his cock completely in her cum. Her thighs shaking against the bed as she screamed in his ear. Holding on to him as hard as she could. Otherwise she felt she might disappear into the mattress

"good girl. Keep cumming. I got you. Make a mess on my cock. Come on"

She shuttered as he rubbed her clit through her orgasm

His cock still pumping inside of her as he chased his own orgasm

"fuck" he moaned, going to pull out but she gripped his ass

Shoving him inside of her

"cum in me please" she whined

Eddie's eyes rolled in the back of his head

"want me to cum in you? Huh? Have both our cum inside your pussy?"

"yes Eddie fuck. Cum for me. Cum in me. Fill me up" he moaned at her words

Few last thrusts and his body was shaking. His thrusts got sloppy as he shuttered against her body. Moaning as he felt his balls tighten and his load shooting inside of her

"fuck I love you" he groaned into her wet skin

"I love you too" she gasped, feeling his hot load fill her

He collapsed on her

Both breathing heavy as he slowly slipped out

Watching as their mix cum began to spill out

His quickly scooped it up and shoved it back in

She whined and tried to push his hand away from her sensitive cunt

"no more" she said breathlessly

"I know baby. Just got to keep it on you" softly fingering it back into her

They laid there for a few seconds to catch their breath, under the covers

"what time is the date?" Eddie asked as he looked over her naked body to check the clock

"there isn't one" she smirked, rolling on top of him

"are you shitting me? You brought me here to watch you get ready for a fake date?" He laughed

"how else was I gonna get you to fuck me" she teased, kissing his lips softly. Finally tasting him again. Allowing herself to fall into this kiss. Every emotion and everything she wanted to say

He kissed her back just as hard. Wrapping his arms around her naked body. Tongue slipping into her mouth as she grinded on his soft cock

"don't do that" he gasped, gripping her hips to stop her

"I'm not done with you Eddie" she smirked

Slowly disappearing under the covers

Eddie definitely got the hint now

Tags!

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @slightlyvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @manyfandomsfanvergent @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616

[silver-weasel]

Diving (Deku x Reader)

Pairing : Deku x fem!reader (aged-up characters)

Rating : E, 18+

Tags : smut • fem!reader (she/her) • best friends to lovers / childhood friends to lovers • quirkless AU • p*rn with feelings (like. a lot of them) • public sex (more or less) • switching • hair pulling? • pining • Deku being flustered and an absolute angel what’s new • Reader being a teasing brat • It’s all soft and fluffy, I’m as vanilla as you can get 🤷‍♀️ • Happy birthday to the bestest boyyy I love him so much it hurts

Word count : 10 600 (Holy sh—)

A/N : Thank you @hoe-doroki my beloved and savior for beta-ing <3

Written for @rat-zuki​’s collab in honor of our favorite birthday boy, The Deku Agenda Escapes no One. Thank you so much for letting me join! (go check out the other amazing writers and artists!)

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!

The ground grinds repeatedly under your hiking shoes, some pebbles being kicked forward on your way. You’re way too deep in the forest to hear any cars passing by and during the two hours you’ve been here you haven’t run into anyone. The place seems empty, the only souls breathing the forest’s thick air being you, Izuku and the birds chirping all around you.

The afternoon is coming to an end, the sun sinking down on its way to hide behind the mountains. The remains of its soft light are filtering through the dense leaves all around and above you. You’re surrounded by green, lush and immeasurable greenery, every plant merging into another.

You’ve left the marked paths, now wandering deep in the richest, boundless part of a forest you both know like the back of your hand after roaming it all over innumerable times. All over, except for this part, in which you’re setting foot for the first time today. Your many previous hiking sessions were shortened by your questionable sense of organization, always arriving too late to explore further into the unknown.

Leaves brush against your knees with every single step you take as you follow Izuku on his heels. He’s moving at a steady pace, his hands holding tight the straps of his yellow backpack that he’s had for as long as you can remember. He’s always so organized, has everything you two could eventually need and generally never do. Two huge flasks of water, an entire meal he calls ‘little snacks’, with sandwiches, fruits, protein bars, even hard-boiled eggs. A first-aid kit with disinfectant, bandages, scissors and painkillers. Hell, you’re even wondering if he has any pads for you in there, in case of an unexpected period. You wouldn’t be surprised if he did.

You giggle lightly when you see him stumble for the sixth time since you got here; he can’t seem to keep his curious eyes from drifting up and around, looking in every direction, probably retaining every detail and logging it in some impressive mental database of his. And he’s commenting on every little thing he sees too; he makes you notice things you never would have if it weren’t for his candid interest in everything.

“Oh! Look at that bird!” he exclaims, pointing at a branch over your heads. “Do you see it, right there, with the red mark!”

You turn your gaze to where he’s pointing and see a little bird, very cute, but so tiny you’re wondering how one could spot it without specifically looking for it. That’s probably what you like most about Izuku: his attention to detail. That’s the thing—nothing is too small for him, everything is worthy of interest. His eyes always light up with such curiosity, this child-like wonder and it was always one of your favorite things to witness growing up.

When he came over to your house at age six, he was always running around with some bug on his forearm, calling your name, yelling, “Look at this!”

Most of the time, it was a snail or a ladybug, and that always managed to catch your interest. Sometimes, it was a spider or a beetle, and he had you screaming in horror more than once, running to your mother’s legs with weeping eyes. Those times, he always watched you go with wide, sad eyes and a wobbly lip, because, “I would never hurt her, Mom! I swear I didn’t want to scare her!”

“Oh, yeah, I see it! It’s so cute!”

And it is cute, the way his huge green eyes go even rounder in amazement. You treasure these hikes for providing occasions to witness this. But as much as you wish this moment could last forever, the sun is beginning to set, you probably shouldn’t go deeper in the forest at sundown.

“We should probably head back to the car, Izuku. It’s gonna be dark soon.”

“Come on, it’s still so light—there’s no rush!” His lips crook a bit into an impish smile. “Scared that a bear is coming to get you?”

“There aren’t any bears here—we’ve been coming for five years.”

“Because if it’s the bears you’re afraid of,” he begins, ignoring you on purpose, “you know I’ll protect you, right?” he says, sticking out his chest like he’s some superhero.

“Against a bear? Right.”

“You’re underestimating me? That’s just mean.”

You chuckle at his antics, shooting him a look of yours that says, ‘Come on, please?’.

His eyes soften a bit, but he’s used to that look; it’s been years since it worked on him as well as you’d like it to.

“We can just keep going this way, then we’ll make a loop and head back to the car directly! It’ll be even shorter this way.”

“Alright, let’s do that,” you agree, and the smile it elicits from him makes something tingle deep in your stomach.

You move forward again, sinking deeper within the forest. It’s becoming harder and harder to walk, brambly branches and huge leaves blocking your way more and more with every step.

You’re a bit ahead of him when you catch sight of a sparkle behind the bushes. Just a glimpse of light, but you’re positive you saw it. Is there water here? You never really looked at a map of the place before—you just always went wherever you felt like and used the same tracks on the way back. You hurry up a bit, curious eyes fixed on that glimmer of light.

Soon enough the dense greenery comes to an end, and you’re finally out of the bushes, finding your way into a little clearing. You’re standing, speechless, in front of a pond: it’s about forty feet wide, catching the last rays of sunshine in a dazzling reflection. The water is surrounded by gigantic trees big enough to be home to an entire niche of biodiversity, and a half-sandy, half-stony shore with reeds rising from the water on both sides.

It’s all calm and quiet and massive trees, branches pouring, cascading above still water. The air feels cool, filled with a pure smell of dew and spring even though it’s the end of a hot day of July.

Izuku is close behind you and lets out a very cute, “Whoa,” ditching his backpack on the ground next to you in the middle of the cove. The both of you just stand there for a moment in complete silence, aside from the birds chirping. Izuku breaks it first:

“How come we’ve never seen this before? This place is amazing.” He sounds distant as he speaks, soaking up his surroundings like he always does.

“I guess you never know everything about anything,” you say mindlessly, without detaching your gaze of the wonderful view ahead.

He’s standing close to you, very close. You’re only noticing now that you’re coming down from the high of your discovery. Your arms are brushing, you can feel his body heat from how close you two are. It wouldn’t be the first time; you’re no stranger to being physically close to Izuku. You’ve been playing together since you were able to put one foot in front of the other. And you wish you could say it feels any different right now, but that would be a lie. Being close to him always felt the same. Always felt like the only easy thing in your life. The only constant.

Yet it’s not enough. No matter how close, it’s never enough, it never was. You hate yourself for feeling that way; you’ve never been the greedy, unsatisfied type. You have everything with Izuku. Well, almost everything.

But right now this place—this very quiet, beautiful place with no one in sight is doing things to your fertile imagination. Despite the sun just beginning to set, the summer air still remains thick with heat. You find yourself staring in the abyss of that water, admiring the masterpiece of a reflection on the surface, a painting of leaves and clouds and blue sky. It calls you, sings an irresistible song of fresh water on sweaty skin and strong, freckled arms wrapped around you.

You don’t know if the slight, insignificant detail that you would have to undress in order to dive into that water—since you didn’t bring a swimsuit—is a better reason to do it or to refrain from doing so.

You’ve lost count of how many moments you’ve shared with him just like this one. So many chances for you to take. You never have.

Back to the original issue: can you see yourself walk out of that clearing the way you always do? Can you see yourself going home, adding this missed chance to your growing collection of lost memories, of hands within your reach that you chose not to take?

The answer pops in your mind, crystal clear for the first time since you met him.

You drop your bag on the ground, turning to Izuku with a delighted expression stretching your features. The look on your face reminds him of one he’d seen on you as a kid, bouncing on the balls of your feet in front of the ice cream truck. At this moment he just knows you’ve got some stupid shenanigan in mind, like you always do. Once again, he isn’t wrong.

“Wanna take a dip?” You’re squinting at him from his side, a mischievous smile lighting up your face.

“I-I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” he stutters.

It’s been a long time since he last stuttered in front of you. He got rid of it years ago, but it still resurfaces sometimes in front of intimidating strangers or in a socially uncomfortable situation. Never in front of you, though.

“Me neither,” you answer plainly with that same impish smile, and his eyes go round at your implications.

“Wait, you can’t be—Oh my God—”

His heart does a great flip in his chest when he catches you taking the hem of your shirt up over your head. In less than five seconds, you’ve got him scorching hot, feverish and suddenly he can’t tell right from left.

His reflex is to bury his face in his hands. He respects you too much to take a peek, but you’re making things very difficult for him. He can hear you move towards the water, can hear the thump of your forgotten shoes hitting the ground one after the other, can hear the soft pad of your naked feet on the rocks.

“For the love of God, please, put it back on…” 

“What? Look at this view, it would be a shame not to make the most of it!”

He’s not looking at the view right now, he can’t let himself. He knows very well he won’t be able to focus on the trees when you’re standing pretty much naked—although he’s not sure to what extent—in front of him. You could be entirely naked right now and he wouldn’t be able to tell, his burning face still hidden in his shaking hands. His voice comes out muffled when he stammers, “I-It’s starting to get late, we really should get back to the car…”

“What, you’re scared of the bears?”

He can’t see you, but he knows you’re sporting that smug grin of yours, the one he first saw when you showed him your impressive collection of Pokémon cards on your preschool’s playground. You’ll have to take a lingering silence for an answer.

“Izuku, come on. I don’t bite.”

He’s not entirely sure the sight of you won’t gnaw him to the bone, won’t melt his entire body down and leave him a hot mess. He won’t be a man anymore, just a walking flame fueled by the heavenly sight of you. No, he can’t let himself fall into that. Obviously you don’t know what you’re doing to him.

Nevertheless, you’re probably the most stubborn person he knows. And he’s friends with Katsuki Bakugou, for God’s sake. He won’t be able to get out of this as easily as he wants, especially as he hears the delicate noise of water splitting at your feet as you enter the little pond.

He slowly moves his hands off of his face. You must have your back turned to him, so maybe he can drift his eyes off somewhere—

You are in front of him, thigh deep in the water now. In nothing but your panties. Your white, flower-patterned lace panties that are doing a very bad job at covering your backside. He lets out a long, pained whine, standing in the middle of the little shore with his arms dangling down his sides, not sure what to do with them.

“Why didn’t you at least keep your bra on?” His voice comes out way more wobbly than he intended to.

You turn a little so you can look at him, and it takes every little bit of strength he’s got left to look you in the eye. But as you’re turning around, the smooth curve of your breast starts showing, and God, is that your nipple?

He wants a giant hole to swallow him right now. He wants some forest creature to come for him right this instant, anything to keep him away from you, keep him from doing things he might regret. To punish him for having such thoughts about you, because you trust him, you’re so oblivious, so innocent, and he’s so weak against this inner monster that’s eating him away.

With a little frown, you deliver the answer like it’s self-evident as you kneel into the water, the surface just above your chest:

“I didn’t want it to get wet.”

“But you’re okay with your panties getting wet?”

The realization of what he just said is slow but surely comes. And when it does, he wishes even harder to get erased from the surface of this planet he’s already lucky enough to share with you. There is a long silence, and all he can hear for a few seconds are the birds chirping and the violent pounding of his heart against his ribcage, straining to get out.

You turn back around to look at him, dumbstruck. 

“I’m more than okay with that—”

“Please forget I just said that,” he cuts you off. He’s not sure he can bear to hear more of this.

“I’m never forgetting you said that. It’s pure gold,” you scoff.

He can only answer with a drawn-out whine. He doesn’t have any choice in this, does he?

When you dive in the water, he takes both his shaking hands to the hem of his shirt and starts undressing.

What the fuck am I doing?

The water is so pure you can see underwater as clear as day: the few rocks at the bottom, the little silvery fish all around you, and the last rays of sunlight permeating through the calm surface above your head. The water feels a bit cold on your naked skin since the sunlight and summer heat must only hit the clearing at certain hours of the day. Still, the cold water isn’t enough to clear your foggy mind.

What was I thinking?

You’ve always been a bashful person, why is it changing all of a sudden? Maybe it’s the devastating effect Izuku has on you.

You try to calm down a bit, taking a deep breath. So, you’re pretty much naked in front of him. Well, it definitely wouldn’t be the first time, and it (probably) won’t be the last. Now you just have to go through with your stupid idea. It’s no big deal, it’s only Izuku. Only Izuku.

Only Izuku.

Fuck.

You finally surface, not only because you can’t hide underwater forever, but also because, surprisingly, you’re not a fish, you have to actually breathe.

You push your dripping hair to the back of your head, still careful to keep your breasts under the water. Izuku’s already in to his hips when you turn around to look at him, your vision still blurry from the water trickling all over your face. He’s merciless, standing like that, only the elastic of his boxers peeking out of the water. You’re a bit surprised by the plain, black color. You were expecting something along the lines of blue, yellow and red. Izuku is full of surprises.

But nevermind the color of his underwear—what you find just above is mesmerizing. Your indiscreet, incorrigible gaze can’t help following the thin trail of hair tracing up to his navel, then the stunning lines of his abs, partly hidden behind his freckled forearms shyly crossed over them. The freckles spread up his powerful arms, gently sunkissed, scattering all over his broad shoulders.

Is he actually hiding, though? Doesn’t he know he looks like he was carved by the gods themselves?

“Have you done this before?”

The sound of his voice startles you a bit. Ah, right. You were shamelessly staring. It takes you a couple of seconds to force your distracted mind back into focus. “Done what?”

“Skinny dipping?”

“No, it’s my first time. It looks like it’s yours too.” His big, bright eyes drift around like they don’t know where to look. It’s really cute.

“It is,” he admits, now kneeling into the water as well. “I would’ve thought you were used to this.” You arch a single eyebrow in an amused frown.

“What, do I look like I have a professional degree in skinny dipping?”

“No, it’s just…You look confident, it just seemed like it.”

Confident? You’re nowhere near confident—you’re terrified. You try to keep your cool, but it’s probably the first time you’re putting on an act in front of Izuku.

“Well, you’re not so bad at it yourself.” You don’t miss the little blush coating his cheeks at that. “Also, I’m not exactly naked.”

“You’re not exactly dressed either, that’s a...v-very small piece of clothing.” He’s blushing a bit harder, looking away.

“Oh, seems like you paid some attention to my piece of clothing then, good to know.”

Now he’s quite simply scarlet. A very cute, very hot, freckled tomato. He’s so easily flustered, it only makes you want to tease him some more.

“Were your legendary All Might boxers in the dirty hamper? That’s a shame. I’m a bit disappointed,” you say in a mockingly innocent voice.

He doesn’t retort, simply stands there on his knees, shooting you an unreadable look and a little pout. After a few seconds, you open your mouth to continue, only to be startled by a strong splash hitting you in the face.

When you snap out of your shock, hair and face dripping all over your shoulders, you look up at him with what must be the scariest look of betrayal. Or the most ridiculous, apparently, since he starts laughing, louder and louder, and can’t seem to stop.

“Oh, you’re pretty pleased with yourself right now, aren’t you?” You can’t help but chuckle while talking, his laugh is so contagious.

“I am, yeah!” he manages to articulate, only starting to calm down.

As the calm of the forest returns, you watch his eyes go back to their usual round shape bit by bit, his face relaxing again. His smile causes butterflies to fly up and around in a whirlwind deep into your belly. You chuckle a bit at the feeling, almost embarrassed by how he’s making you feel like you’re in some dumb, cliche rom-com movie. On the outside, you must look a bit like a maniac, but he’s a nice guy, so he simply asks, “What is it?”

And before you can overthink yourself out of it, you’re hurling yourself at him. He barely has the chance to stutter a weak, “Wait!” before you’re putting all your weight on him, sinking his head deep in the water. Izuku may well be a nice guy, but you know he isn’t going to let you get away with this, so you’re not surprised when you’re dragged underwater by your legs. He lets go immediately, a bit abruptly, even, like it burnt his hands to touch you.

You both emerge from the water soon, and it takes you a second to get rid of the water blurring your vision, but then it hits you. How tantalizingly close you are to each other now, your bodies an inch away from touching. You’re both on your knees, enveloped in the coolness of crystal clear water and the reflections of the canopy of leaves above your heads. A spark of electricity makes you freeze on the spot; you’re so close to him your breasts slightly brush against his chest.

After a little eternity, you find the courage to look up at his face. He looks mindblowing, really. Despite the two decades you spent together, you’re not sure you’ve ever seen the pure, astonishing details of his freckles from this close. You would remember it, you definitely would. It’s a spectacular view, one of those visual memories that comes back to hit you in flashes. His nose and cheekbones are covered in them, drawing a mesmerizing pattern, more complex than the Milky Way itself. They’re an uncrackable equation, like a weird quirk of nature that you’ll never understand but don’t question anyway. They spread a little more scattered, but still very present, up to his forehead and down to his delicate jaw.

And his eyes—you could just drown in them. There’s this bright, blinding light there that feels like laying in the grass and looking up at the sunlight coating the leaves of this tree, the one you grew up near and always played under.

You swear you didn’t move, neither did he, and still you manage to get even closer to him. Now it’s you against the inexorable attraction that pulls you towards him like a fierce magnet. And it’s a losing battle, you think, as you’re both entering each other’s personal space like you share just one.

There’s nothing friendly about the way he can’t look you in the eye, seemingly too obsessed with your lips. You drop your gaze to his and find them calling for you. It’s been so long, now the thought of kissing Izuku seems unfamiliar despite being ever-present in your imagination for so many years. Like repeating a word so much it ends up becoming a series of meaningless sounds to your confused mind.

He’s the one who finally closes the distance, his lips landing on yours so softly you can barely feel them. He doesn’t move, simply content with the contact. You’re both eight years old again for a minute. The kiss feels like the little peck a kid would finally give to his crush in the middle of their school’s playground before running away to his friends.

Time seems to stop for God knows how long, and after what feels like no time and forever all at once, his lips move hesitantly against yours, bringing you back to reality. Right then, it all crashes on you like a tremendous wave. The distant echo of your mothers’ voices from the kitchen and the stupid cartoons they made you watch so they could talk for ten more minutes. The games alone together because no one wanted to play with you two weirdos. The piggyback rides, the dumb jokes, the video games (you always won). The neverending texting sessions at night because one of you couldn’t sleep. The fights that never lasted long enough to see the next sunrise because you both are way too weak for each other. All those stupid places that wouldn’t have looked half as breathtaking if it weren’t for him.

His lips are soft but roughly bitten. Hot and wet from the water and maybe from something else. He doesn’t taste like anything other than home, and that’s more than enough for you. His hands went up to cup your face at some point, but you’re too drowned in all the feelings coming up to the surface to pay attention to anything other than his soft mouth pressing on yours, more and more, opening up—

And it’s already over. You only notice that you’ve closed your eyes when you open them again when you don’t feel anything against your mouth other than the summer air. When your mind manages to regain any sense of function, the blurry focus of your gaze settles on his eyes. Wide open. Pupils eating up the dazzling viridian that puts the forest to shame. And a terrified expression in them.

He’s looking at you like he hurt you. His lips should still be on yours, kissing and sucking, not frozen like they are right now, obviously trying to express something painful as a few weak sounds pass their barrier before he finally manages to speak:

“Oh—Oh my God, I-I’m s—”

You don’t let him finish his stupid sentence. You don’t think twice before you take his face in your hands and lean in to kiss him again, with shameless intent this time. No more pretending—you’ve been waiting long enough for this and apparently, so has he.

It’s nothing gentle this time when your mouths crash against each other, teeth clashing and lips bruising under the weight of twenty years. You hold to his face like a lifeline, fingers sinking just a bit into his cheekbones, the tip of your nails getting caught in the knots of his dripping hair just above his ears. It’s messy, your noses rubbing before he angles his face better. One of his hands loops around your waist in a tight grip, forcing your chest to crush against his, the other burying in your hair at the base of your skull.

The feeling is electrifying, indescribable. It’s nothing like the pale, miserable depiction of your imagination. It’s discovering life in color when all you’ve always known was black and white.

The water is cool, but his body scorches against yours, burns your skin in the most exquisite way. The kiss is desperate on both parts, but neither of you is confident. His lips suck on yours with tentative motions, and you respond in kind the best you can. They are hungry, starving for flesh but don’t know how to hunt.

Your hands are gripping more and more of his hair, pulling harder, sending waves of heat all the way down his groin, and he’s not sure he can hide the bulge growing there for much longer.

He has to be sure, he has to be absolutely certain you want this as much as he does, because once he starts, he may not be able to stop. But you feel so good, all pressed against him. Your skin feels so soft under his hand at the small of your back he has to dig his nails in the skin of your waist so he doesn’t cross a line. But the curve just above your ass is begging for him to grip at the tender flesh and squeeze, fill his hands with it. He’s been dreaming about this for so long.

No, he can’t just hurl himself at you like a hunting wolf the first chance he gets—what kind of friend does that?

It takes him every bit of focus he has left to break the kiss, to part away from you. You have to discuss this, he can’t just throw away twenty years of friendship! Now you’re looking up at him with puppy eyes saying, ‘Why won’t you play with me?’ He breathes out a shaky sigh, and begins:

“Um, look. Believe me when I say I’ve wanted this for a very, very long time, and I love you so, so much. As a friend, I mean.” He sees you frown at this, catches a glint of something he doesn’t like in your eyes, then panics. “No, no, no, I mean, a-as a friend, but also more than that, o-obviously. But I don’t know what you want, you might be...d-disappointed, or...um—” His face starts heating up like it hasn’t in ages. He takes another breath, tries to clear up the muddled mess happening in his head. “Look, I just want the best for you, but you look...good, very good, and you’re making things very difficult for me, doing...this—”

“Izuku.” The deafening hubbub filling his mind falls suddenly silent, your voice a comforting, steady rock for him to cling to when his mind is storming out of control.

“Yeah?”

You get even closer to him, since he gradually set some distance while mumbling his anxious thoughts out again. You cup his face in your hands, a gentle, featherlight touch, and look up at him with determination in your eyes. You pull his head down a bit to settle on yours, your foreheads and noses connected, never breaking eye contact. Your lips graze over his, both your breaths mixing there, your voice a quiet whisper as you speak again. “Do you want me?”

Out of the jittery mess of his mind, the answer comes out like evidence, plain and simple: “Yes.”

“Then shut up and kiss me.”

You take action immediately, kissing him once again and this time he doesn’t hesitate to put his—still rather shaky—hands on you. The feeling of you is addicting, pushing his insecurities further in the back of his mind. He starts at your waist, running his thumbs there, feeling the goosebumps rising on your skin. They wander up your spine, counting every single bump of your bones, all the way to your nape. Then dragging them back down to settle on your hips, his fingers digging in the soft flesh. The little sigh you breathe on his lips causes an impressive amount of blood to run straight to his dick. 

Your mouth is distracting, dizzying, sucking on his bottom lip, nipping playfully. His tongue slides over your lips, then against your own when you open up immediately for him. You’re pressing against him even more, your breasts rubbing against his naked chest and he swears you’re going to be the death of him. You’re hanging from his shoulders by now, your arms circling his neck, still gripping a handful of green hair, pulling. You have to stop doing this—he might cum right away. He doesn’t say it aloud, only lets a moan escape him into your mouth.

He wanted this, wanted this for so long, and now that it’s real, it’s beyond everything he could have imagined. The heat of your skin, the weight on his shoulders as you cling to him, your breath in his mouth, your little sighs.

He’s only now noticing that his hands have gone to reach their destination with a mind of their own. They’re on your ass underwater, feeling the white, wet lace, the sole cloth on your entire body—that thing is just there to tempt him. He’s unsure if you like what he’s doing until you release a whimper, louder this time, enough to send a vibration against his mouth (and straight to his cock at the same time).

Suddenly, he wants to taste a lot more of you. You’re all open up to him for the first time—he has to. He trails a series of open-mouthed kisses from the corner of your mouth to your jaw, savoring every little sigh escaping your lips, then to your neck, dragging his tongue up the column of your throat.

The water is fresh all over you, and he doesn’t miss the shivers running up and down your skin at the contact of the twilight breeze. He needs to warm you up, needs to make you feel good, needs everything to be perfect for you. With his hands still on your ass, he trails lower down to your collarbone, allowing some occasional nips on the way that have you shaking. He freezes, looking up at you from there.

“Is this okay?”

The answer comes out breathy, a little desperate: “Yes, yes, please!” It sends a wave of heat all over him, the way you like what he’s doing to you, the way he’s making you feel good.

He’s not experienced or anything, only had a few hookups a couple of times, so he’s not very confident in his capacities, aside from running his hands all over you because that’s how his instincts are manifesting. You know him better than anyone—of course you would know how lost he could be in this kind of situation. But he also knows you’re not much more experienced than him, and that thought is comforting.

He’s experienced in one thing, though. He feels like the worst, filthiest person on the planet for this, but it’s astonishing the number of times he jerked off to the thought of what’s happening right now. How many times did he fuck his hand in the shower thinking about the water trickling down your skin, about licking it off your breasts all the way up to your neck.

So he does what he’s been dying to do for years. your breasts are just above the surface, so he sits on his heels and licks down your chest. When his tongue finally reaches your nipple, giving it a tentative lick, you let out a gasp, encouraging him to get bolder. And he does, closing his mouth on it like it’s the sweetest lollipop; it’s all cold and hard and raised from the water, but it warms up really quickly against the furnace of his mouth. His right hand leaves your ass to cup the neglected other, running his thumb against the bud, squeezing the flesh. That’s when you reach out to bury a hand in his hair, and pull again. God, you can pull on his hair all day and night like this; he’ll never get enough.

His left hand, still on your ass, rises up to the small of your back, feeling you arching more and more, pushing against his mouth. A harder nip has you gasping and he lets his hands run all over you, wandering without direction. It’s messy and urgent; he can’t help it—you feel so good, so soft under his hands. He’s like a kid getting to open his Christmas gifts in the morning after an endless, sleepless night waiting for Santa.

You trail your hand down his chest and his abdomen, a gentle reminder that the power he holds right now could slip through his fingers any moment. He’s willing to give it to you, especially since he doesn’t really know what to do next.

Like you just read his mind, you take his hands in yours, stopping their chaotic race. He’s feeling himself flush a bit—was he going too fast for you? Did he scare you? Or did he just let himself become overwhelmed by his feelings and it didn’t feel good for you? His eyes are looking down directly at your naked chest, he realizes he never took a proper look at them, too busy throwing himself to taste them. They look just as good as they taste, as beautiful as the rest of you.

Tentatively, he raises his eyes to find your reassuring gaze and fond smile. You lead his hands down slowly, setting them on your hips, over the criminal lace fabric preserving your modesty. Your foreheads connect again, but you never break eye contact. Lacing your fingers together, you guide his thumbs into the elastic on both sides, and now that he gets what you’re trying to do, his mind just stops.

Your voice is barely a whisper, a mesmerizing caress on his lips when you speak again. “I think I’ve waited long enough, Zuku.”

Your tone is fond, but you sound so desperate, it’s unbearably cute. His mind fogs up, the smoke of your words filling his skull and he wants to drive you as mad as you drive him. Sure, you’ve waited a lot, but so has he. He isn’t going to rush this, not if he has any say in it.

He slides your panties down your thighs underwater inch by inch. It’s even too slow for him; right now he just wants to rip the stupid piece of lace off of you and fuck you and him both stupid in the water, hard and fast. But even more than that, he wants to take his time with you, wants to take you apart piece by piece. And the testy whine it elicits from you makes it all so worth it.

You shift a bit so he can take your underwear completely off and, in a second, it lays abandoned on the sandy ground of the shore. Just knowing you’re now completely naked in front of him, it sends boiling desire flowing through every single vein in his body. He can’t see that part of you yet, the water darkening along with the sky clouding his view beneath the surface, but nightfall can’t do anything about Izuku’s wild imagination. He’s dizzy, feeling himself slowly falling into a half-conscious daze, but you anchor him right where you are, bringing him back to the reality of your arms hooked around his neck.

He rests his hands on your hips, dragging his fingertips down the soft flesh of them. The idea of touching you down there is making his head spin, he can’t wait any longer.

“Can I—”

“Yes, I want your fingers inside me,” you say before driving your lips back against his.

Without further ado, one of them goes straight to your core, making you jump a bit, breaking the kiss just for a second. He runs his index between your folds, feeling hot slick already coming out of you despite the fresh water around. His touch is light, slow, hesitant as it glides up and down, testing the waters. He’s getting a bit further, putting a bit more pressure with every stroke and earning a few pleased sighs from your heavenly mouth.

He expected a sudden reaction as soon as he found your clit, but that doesn’t mean he was prepared for the drawn-out moan coming out of your gorgeous lips, wet from his mouth and from your dip earlier. He wants to hear that again, every day for the rest of his life. He drags his thumb over it, again and again, slow at first, but then quicker and quicker, and your voice grows louder with every speed-up of his finger.

Your hands go frantic over him, running up his chest and down his abs in repeated motions that feel a lot like it’s lust driving your limbs much more than your mind. You stopped kissing him at some point, your mouth too busy expressing every ounce of pleasure you felt to focus on such basic motions. Your face is buried in his neck, your hot breath crushing against his skin.

He presses his index inside, but he’s so focused on what he’s doing, trying not to hurt you, that he doesn’t notice the shift of your own hand leaning down until he feels it cupping the painful bulge in his boxers. His eyes go wide with a gasp, and when he looks at you, you already have a playful, but intense, gaze piercing right through him.

“Did you think I was gonna let you play all on your own, Zuku?” Your fingers graze over the soaked fabric, down his entire length and to his balls, throwing gasoline on the fire that’s been consuming him for ages. “Don’t be selfish,” you whisper directly in his ear as your hands slip his underwear down his thighs.

As soon as the piece of cloth gets to join your forgotten panties on the shore, you wrap your pretty hand around him. And when you start stroking, his eyes roll so hard he swears he can see the inside of his skull. It feels better than he ever could have imagined; it’s blistering, astonishing. The only idea his brain can manage to work out right now is that he wants you to feel just as good.

He only notices now that his fingers stopped moving, and they go right back to a steady pace, but it’s a matter of seconds before he drives another finger into you. Soon, you’re both fucking the life out of each other with your hands. You’re sucking and nipping at his ear, and every single moan he draws out of you ends up turning against him, breaking into the defenses he built year after year by your side. He’s simply fucking into your hand now. He can’t help it, you feel so good. He doesn’t even want to think about what it’s going to feel like to fuck into your tight little cunt, he might cum hard just from the thought of it.

The spongy spot he finds inside you feels like he just struck gold. It’s glorious, the sounds you make right now, higher, louder. You’re tightening around his fingers, but it’s okay—you can crush them for all he cares. He wants you to moan higher for him, wants you to keep riding his fingers like your life depends on it.

“Izuku, ah—I’m close, I’m so close, please…”

“I got you, baby. I got you, shit—”

He quickens the pace again, feels like his fingers are gonna fall off his hand the moment he gets them out of you, but fuck, what his princess wants, his princess is gonna get. Your orgasms shatter the both of you to pieces, and in the bliss of his high, he can hear some birds flying away, scared by the harmonious, but probably very loud, song of your combined moans.

While his cum strikes out by ropes into the water, his clouded mind can only think about one thing.

He needs more of you.

You can barely stand on your knees, worn out from cumming the hardest you have in your entire life. You actually have to lean on Izuku so you don’t fall into the water head first like some boneless ragdoll. You just let your forehead rest on his shoulder and count the freckles there, splattered in a fascinating work of abstraction.

But apparently, he has other plans. You’re swiftly lifted up and out of the water, huge scarred hands firmly holding the back of your thighs that immediately come to circle his waist.

“Oh, nice. I don’t mind getting carried around like a baby. Where are we going?”

“Not far,” he says with a little grin, walking out of the water. “Do you think you’ll be able to walk?” His voice holds a sarcastic tone, one you’re not used to hearing out of Izuku’s angel mouth.

“I think I can manage, yeah.”

He drops you to stand on your legs, and immediately goes for his backpack. The sun has just set, its last rays of light filling the pink sky over your heads. You can still easily make out everything around you, and Izuku’s body is no exception.

You’re watching him with a raised eyebrow, letting your shameless gaze follow every curve you couldn’t see underwater. The day he started exercising in high school was the day you knew it was over for you. It was the day you couldn’t deny what you felt anymore, you couldn’t deny your best friend was everything you needed, and everything you wished for. The physical factor was only a—very pleasant— addition to the list of things that made you fall hard for Izuku Midoriya.

Your eyes linger over his impressive figure, staring at the dimples at the small of his back. You always knew they were here, but you never allowed yourself to look at them, to imagine how they would grow repeatedly hollow with every thrust of his hips into you.

He finally digs out what he was looking for: a plaid picnic blanket, because of course he would have one in there. He’s wearing a little victorious smile when he stands and turns around to spread it on a grassy spot that looks a lot more comfortable than the hard ground. He turns back to you but averts his gaze to the side, hardly looking directly at you for more than a second at a time. The heat of his gaze tracing your curves through quick glances pools deep in your core. 

“You know you can look, right?” You sure aren’t refraining from doing so after all.

His face reaches its usual redness—hasn’t he learned anything from making you cum like crazy with just his fingers? It’s cute nonetheless; Izuku will never change.

He doesn’t answer your rhetorical question, only gives you a shy command in that tentative, very cute voice of his.

“Could you lay down on this for me?”

You saw this coming, but still, you’re a bit surprised he’s asking you that out loud. You gladly oblige with your legs pressed together, slightly bent. It’s another golden opportunity to tease him a bit:. “This isn’t exactly the right use for this blanket. Aren’t we supposed to eat on this?”

He smiles at the ground while kneeling at your feet.

“Maybe that’s exactly what I’m planning to do.”

Your sly smile fades away. His tone is a contradictory mix of shyness and determination, so it’s a bit confusing but also unbearably hot—you swear an astounding wave of heat is crashing through your deepest parts, untouched, just from some words and a funny tone. You rub your thighs together before he grabs and parts them to slip himself between them.

He crawls over you and leans down to kiss you, a bit more confident than earlier. His hips are pressing between your legs, where you can feel his hardness best.

He’s rutting more and more against you as the kiss intensifies. You could think it’d be a lot less exciting now that you know he’s going to eat you out, there’d be no suspense. Wrong. The little shit apparently likes to tease you to death, because he left your lips to kiss your face, nip at your neck, suck at your ears. Dragging his devilish hands everywhere, pressing harder each time you get louder. An especially heavy whine makes him buck hard, his mouth back against yours.

“The more impatient you get, the slower it’s gonna be,” he murmurs against your lips, and starts to make his way down to where you want him, kissing every inch of you, clouding your mind with desire. It’s way too much and still not enough; it’s maddening. When he finally reaches down, you’re on the verge of a second orgasm like you hadn’t just come down a few minutes ago.

He’s holding your thighs apart in a firm grip. Just the touch of his fingers burns your skin deliciously, and the look he’s giving you from between your legs...his eyes are clouded, half-lidded, looking at the part of you he’s never gotten to see before. It feels like he’s been looking forever and just a second at the same time.

He finally dips into you, leaving butterfly kisses all over your inner thighs, punctuated by little nips, nuzzling the soft skin. He’s not looking you in the eye anymore, his gaze lingering all over your body—all over except for your face. You can make out a slight blush on his cheeks despite the dimness all around. You know him better than anyone, so you immediately recognize what’s going on in his mind just from the slightest hint in his eyes. He looks like he’s fighting a battle against himself, his shyness against his hunger. And you know who you’re both rooting for.

He finally gives in, and it takes your breath away. A single, slight lick on your clit and you’re gone. And the next ones, more and more intense, more and more hungry, push you further to tumble over your edge. He grunts into your heat, multiple times. Moans like he’s the one squirming under your mouth.

His hands hold a firm grip on your hips, squeezing the flesh and keeping you in place—he doesn’t even give you an inch to move. You can only take and take and take. But you still have the luxury of your free hands, and they rush to bury in the knots of his messy wet curls, your nails dragging, scratching his scalp.

His lips close on your clit and suck just a bit, and before you can refrain, you pull on his hair, hard. He gasps, and the moment you think you hurt him, he breathes his loudest moan, right into you. You’re filled with the vibrations—they spread all over your body, have you throwing your head back, trembling from head to toe.

The louder you are, the hungrier he gets, filling you with his insatiable tongue. You have to look at him right now. And you expected quite a show, but you certainly weren't prepared to see this—him rutting against the ground like an animal. You realize he’s getting off just from your taste, just from eating you out. His hips roll repeatedly, making you salivate just to the thought of those same hips bucking into yours, fucking you into oblivion. And the more he ruts, the louder he gets.

Now if he wants to moan, you’re going to give him a good reason to. 

You hint for him to face you with a light tug on his hair. As soon as he’s back up, he dives in to kiss you. You don’t let him. In a second he’s on his back with you seated on his hips.

“What did I say about letting you play on your own, hm?”

The ‘deer caught in headlights’ look is so cute on him. And the rest is a marvel to look at. You’re straddling him and he has no other choice than to let you devour him with your eyes—not that he couldn’t bounce you off of him with just a thrust of his hips, but he already would have if he wanted to. You let your gaze wander mindlessly over him—it’s surreal. There’s no way he’s actually under you, waiting for you to please him back with his mouth and jaw still shining with your juices. It has to be a dream—it’s always been after all.

You shift so you’re straddling his parted thighs. You can finally take a look at him. The whole thing, that is. His cock is resting against his lower stomach, hard and swollen and thick. It’s a pretty, bright pink, shining with pre-cum at the tip. Your mouth waters just at the sight of it.

He’s looking down at you, his face as flushed as his dick, that usual blush still exquisitely coating his freckles. You take him in your hand, dive in to give a lick to the tip and his head falls back down with a whimper. You let your tongue drag over the whole length on the underside, and your lips close around the tip in a wet smooch. His hips jerk up a bit, startling you.

You finally take him whole in your mouth, and you can feel his whole body tensing under you. You start bobbing up and down, going a bit further each time, earning a series of shameless moans because this boy is loud. You expected him to express himself during sex since he’s such a mumbler—and frankly, it was always one of your biggest fantasies, hearing him come undone because of you, lose any sense of shame and self-restriction when he’s such a anxious person otherwise.

But you could’ve thought about it every night and day and still never be ready for this. It’s sinful. His hand goes to grab your hair just like you did to him, and now you get why he liked it so much. The feel of his nails scratching your scalp is electrifying, soothing and destructive at the same time.

Your tongue hits a precise spot just under the tip and he jerks up again, nearly screams, “Fuck—yes, right there, please—d-do that again!”

And you do, you can only oblige—he asked so nicely. Your lips go up and down, over and over, your tongue grazing this spot with a bit more pressure every single time. You squint over him, and what you find there is a mess. Trying so hard not to buck into your mouth but failing miserably. Sounding like he’s at Heaven’s gate.

“Easy, Zuku. You’re gonna scare the birds away,” you chuckle against him, your lips brushing the tip, dripping with your saliva and pre-cum.

“Do I need to remind you…how loud you were for me earlier?” He’s looking back down at you as he speaks, a tremble in his voice telltale of his approaching climax. “You sounded...so good, baby, I swear...wanna hear you again, wanna make you scream, just for me, fuck—”

You can feel yourself soaking the blanket, can feel the slick trickle down your folds and stain the plaid cotton. Is he aware of what he’s doing? Or is he just saying whatever is going through his chaotic mind? In any case it has you starving. So you let go of his cock and, before he can protest, crawl back to his face and kiss him desperately. Tasting both of your fluids in a mindblowing mix.

You pull back just enough to be able to speak, because you need him to understand you loud and clear when you say:  “Please, Izuku, I need you inside me, I’ve waited so long. Please.”

“Okay, okay, fuck—” He cuts himself off, his eyes slightly drooping like a sad puppy. “I-I don’t have any condoms.”

“You mean you probably have pads in there for me but no condoms?” you say with your eyebrows raised, your mocking tone hinting at a teasing remark, far from criticism.

He frowns in confusion. “How do you know I have pads in there?”

“So the legend turns out to be true. After all these years—”

“Shut up, you’re impossible,” he chuckles heatlessly, resting his hands on your back.

“It’s okay. I’m on the pill,” you assure him with a soft tone.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m pretty sure I’m on the pill, yeah.”

He rolls his eyes, then clarifies, a hint of hesitation clear in his voice.

“No I mean...you’re sure you wanna do this?” He marks a brief pause, takes a short breath. “With me?”

You don’t even think before answering, it slips your mouth like it’s not even your own words: “I don’t want it with anyone else.”

There’s a silence.

“Fuck, that sounds cheesy,” you scoff, looking away.

“It does, but we’re both cheesy idiots, apparently.”

You look back at him. His smile is so fond, so loving; it melts your heart in the best way.

“I wanna be your cheesy idiot,” you say against his mouth, looking right into his eyes, willing to fall in them.

“You always have been,” he nearly whispers. It fills your stomach with familiar warmth, intense and overwhelming, comforting.

There’s a bittersweet taste in your mouth, one of regret and lost time and God, we’re idiots.

Now it’s about time you make up for it all.

You look down at him, rolling your hips against him, dripping all over his cock, coating him in your juices.

“I think I asked you something, didn’t I?”

A whimper escapes him at the feeling. His hips buck up slightly, hands gripping at your back. When you do it again, you don’t get the chance to see his reaction; you’re on your back again, him towering over you, his thigh between your legs.

He’s looking at you with something in his eyes you don’t recognize, but the tone he speaks with has your entire body quaking.

“And you’re gonna get it, sweetheart.”

He holds himself over his left forearm, his hand thumbing at your cheek while the other strokes the whole length of your thigh. Your noses are brushing, your breaths crashing together. Your hands hold tight to his nape, playing with the short hair mindlessly as you’re waiting to be filled, finally.

You feel the stretch instantly. You try to focus on those mesmerizing emerald gems he calls eyes. They look right through your soul, eating you up and you barely feel the pain. He’s taking it slow, inch by inch, giving you all the time you need, caressing your cheek with a tender stroke of his thumb.

“Relax for me, baby.”

Izuku’s voice is a soothing sound over the incessant chirping of the grasshoppers. It was always one of your favorite things to hear, its every tone another blessing to your ears. It’s loving when he asks if you’re okay, comforting when he whispers sweet nothings to you as you cry on his shoulder, heartening when he’s going on about anything he’s passionate about.

He’s kissing every part of skin he has access to, over your face, your jaw, your neck. You feel yourself relaxing around him, and roll your hips up to give him the hint.

When he starts moving it’s still slow and careful. He doesn’t break eye contact, so you can see his every reaction, and he can see all yours. His hand is still playing with your hair, even as his pace speeds up with every second. The weight of him over you feels amazing, it holds him close against you, countless parts of you both rubbing together: your chests, your stomachs, your thighs. He doesn’t even have a lot of space to move. But getting to touch and get touched by him like this, it's incredible. You always had him so close to you, always right there and still so out of reach.

You still need more; you’re insatiable. You need to see him come undone under you, because of you. You push him to roll on his back, and you end up straddling him, setting the pace yourself. You start bouncing up and down on his cock, taking balance on the hard planes of his abs. He immediately reaches up to grab your hips, guiding you along.

His face tenses up, frowning, his nose wrinkling, his lips parted just to let out a series of breathy sighs. He looks wrecked and dizzy and stunning. He’s keeping his eyes open, fixed up on you, specifically on your breasts, bouncing with your every motion. And you can feel his gaze on your skin just as much as you feel his hands gripping harder at the flesh below your hips.

“Eyes up here, Zuku,” you coo with two fingers pointed at your eyes.

He doesn’t answer, only sits up easily and wraps his arms around your waist.

“You look so amazing, you have no idea what you do to me,” he says with a trembling voice, filled with bliss.

Your heart misses a beat at his words, they fill you with warmth and comfort because he definitely doesn’t have any idea what he’s doing to you. He delves his face into your neck, kissing and nuzzling, his breath coming shorter and shorter, crashing against your skin and his hands running all over you. The sound of his hoarse voice resonates through the forest and through your soul, echoing an enchanting song.

With little effort, he puts you back under him so he can pound into you with full force, and your legs immediately come up to wrap around his waist, pulling him deeper. Your hands grab his hair, tugging to see if you get the same reaction as earlier, and it doesn’t miss: he lets out a groan right into your ear, speeding up his pace again.

The sky is dark now, and all you can hear are his moans and yours and the slap of your hips coming together repeatedly. Your head is thrown back when he grabs you by the hair, forcing you to turn your head and face him.

“Look at me. I wanna see you.”

“Izuku, I’m gonna—”

“I know, baby. Let go for me, come on.”

Just the feel of his hand trailing down your stomach awakens something in you, this familiar pressure growing tight in your belly. And when his fingers reach your clit, a couple of strokes are enough to have you screaming his name, tightening around him, and pulling him towards his climax with you. His thrusts come franticly as you milk him dry, clawing desperately at his back, panting in his mouth as he leaned down to kiss you through both your climaxes.

As soon as he comes down, he rolls over on his side, still laying close to you, an arm thrown over you. You both take a minute to catch your breaths and, weirdly enough, you don’t hear anything aside from your panting. You really must have scared the birds away. Izuku breaks the silence first.

“Do you wanna...sleep at my place?”

He’s looking over at you and, despite the sky getting dark, you can easily imagine the blush coating his cheeks right now, like he didn’t make you scream his name, drunk on his cock two minutes ago.

You can’t repress your fond smile at his proposition.

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

You take a minute to gather your clothes from all over the place and get dressed, then grab your bag to tug it over your shoulder.

“You got everything?”

Izuku is waiting for you just outside the trees. You take a quick look around, making sure you haven’t forgotten anything, and turn around without a second look at the place.

Because although it was your first time setting foot here, it definitely won’t be the last; you will come back here with Izuku every chance you get, making it your shared secret, your own little wonderland.

You gladly take the hand he’s offering, making him blush a little harder, and you head straight back into the forest together.

You walk side by side as a comfortable silence settles, only disturbed by the grasshoppers’ incessant, boisterous chirping. The sky is utterly dark now, you can make out a few stars shining above the dense trees. You walk at a steady pace, but Izuku is going a bit faster with every step. Soon enough, he’s walking a bit ahead of you, still holding your hand. Another golden occasion to tease his eagerness.

“Are we in a hurry, Zuku?”

In the dark of the night, you struggle to make out the look on his face as he turns around to look at you. A second later, he’s running, and with your hand firmly held in his, you can’t do much but try to follow along. You giggle as you run, and it quickly grows into a belly-deep laughter. He’s fast, doesn’t get tired, but you follow him anyway, probably as eager as he is. You have to zig-zag so you don’t run straight into the massive trees standing in your way.

You get to the car in no time, but you’re both out of breath when you finally get in your respective seats, ready to go home.

Izuku doesn’t even wait to catch his breath before he starts the car, the engine roaring loudly in the silence of the night, probably scaring the birds away for the upteenth time that night. You catch his happy grin in the headlights glow before he heads back into the road.

You have a feeling the night is not over; you’ve only got twenty years to make up for after all.

[en-hale-archives]

Me With You ~~~ part 3

Pairing ⑅ bestfriend!virgin!Jake x fem!virgin!reader

Genre ⑅ friends to lover, smut (nipple stim - f receiving, grinding, unprotected sex, praise kink, oral sex - f- receiving/m-receiving, clit stim, missionary/cowgirl), fluff, a bit of sad angst (if that's even a thing)

Words/read time ⑅ 7.5k/20-25 minutes.

Warnings ⑅ 18+ content, cussing. read at your own discretion

Synopsis ⑅ After a day out with Jake Sim, reality sets in that he's going back to Seoul the next morning. It's now or never to do everything...

Author’s Note ⑅ AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK STUPID LONG TO COME OUT! I had a jam-packed couple of weeks, but I'm excited to finally be able to release the last part of Me With You! While this was originally only supposed to be like maybe 2k words, it ended up being, haha -- almost 8k. For sure the most I have ever written, but I loved how it has come out. I took a bunch of observations on the #enhypenhardhours and #enhypensmut tags to be able to read how other people interpreted Jake and bring it all together so that there was something for everyone to like. Also, this is proofread, but lmk if you see any mistakes. Please enjoy!

————✧————

We walked across the bridge that led to the house, hand in hand. I re-adjusted the straps to the bag that hung on my shoulder, a gentle breeze blew beside us and brushed the fabric of my skirt against my thighs.

We spent the day doing absolutely everything: we walked through the park, went to a museum, had a picnic at sunset, stopped by an ice cream parlor, and found ourselves in the midst of an outside concert. Now, we were on our way back home.

Jake tightened his grip on my hand as we made it a block away to my house. I looked up and was met with his soft eyes glancing down at me with a slight smile.

Today was the very last day that I would spend with Jake Sim because tomorrow he would be back on a plane to Seoul, back to his dream of being an idol, back to the life that he had to live, the part of life that didn’t involve me.

I tried not to think about it too much, but the thought consumed my mind without me trying. I found my face dropping its smile from time to time, my heart would quiver when I remembered that I wouldn’t see Jake’s smile for much longer, my body ached when I questioned if I would ever feel his again. But jake was optimistic, so I never saw the worry play on his face. No faltered happiness, no drifted thoughts, no heavy sighs; just him being him, the happy Jake that never liked to be sad or especially make me sad.

As we walked through the front door, I realized that my mom’s car wasn’t sitting in the driveway, my phone rang as she sent a text explaining she was out with a friend.

“Today’s been a great day.” Jaked dropped onto the couch with a thud, letting out a sigh of relief as he kicked off his shoes. Our feet were aching as we walked around for almost two hours, most of it spent with us enjoying each other’s company in silence. From time to time, individuals would come up to him in awe, applauding him and the other members of Enhypen. It felt like a punch in my gut when Jake would quickly let go of my hand when they approached and another one against my heart when they asked for a picture and I had to be the one to take it. When they asked who I was, Jake described me as his “best friend” -- there went another punch.

Jake and I never talked about being in a relationship, most noticeably due to the fact that it would ruin his reputation and the importance of his career. The reasoning behind these awful rules I couldn’t fathom, but if being an idol made Jake happy, then that’s all I cared about.

What about my happiness? I thought. Was hiding behind closed doors and keeping our “relationship” a secret really what I wanted to do for the rest of my life? Just the thought of it made my stomach quarrel. I didn’t want to be selfish and think of myself only, but it felt like I had been putting Jake first for a while now, not remembering that I deserved to be happy too.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Jake looked up at me and met my gaze. I hadn’t realized until then that I was pulling at my earlobe and frowning at my aching thoughts -- two gestures I did when I was upset, and two gestures that Jake knew like the back of his hand.

I quickly placed a smile on my lips and told him it was nothing. I wasn’t going to let my own self-consciousness ruin the last few hours we had together.

“Do you want water or anything? We were out there for a while.” Jake asked. I sat down on the couch next to him.

“Nah, I’m okay, I just want to give my feet a minute to rest.” Jake nodded his head in agreement as I pointed out my swollen heels.

“It lowkey burns.” I bent down to rub at them, but Jake beat me to it, picking up my feet and sitting them down on his lap.

“What are you doing?” I tried sitting up, but Jake had a strong grasp on my feet.

“Helping.” He took my right foot first and messaged the soles, pressing his thumbs deep into my skin.

I let go of my posture and slid further onto the couch. “Oh my gosh, that feels amazing.” He switched between both feet and gave them a firm massage, making sure to take extra care at my heels.

“Today really was a great day.” I held back from a large sigh that would almost definitely come out as a moan when he rubbed the sensitive part of my arch. “I’m glad we got to go out and do something instead of staying in the house all day -- I’m pretty sure my mom was getting annoyed at us.”

He laughed, “I had a really good time too.” His voice was an unusually soft tone, one that I didn’t hear often unless Jake knew I was about to fall asleep. I didn’t want to question it, afraid that I might ruin the moment.

“I needed that for sure. I hope we can do that again like we used to.”

“How, when you’ll be leaving tomorrow and I won’t?” I didn’t mean for it to come out so aggressively, but it did, and I felt Jake stop for just a short second before continuing. There I went, ruining the moment.

Jake didn’t say anything seconds later, and the silence became too unbarring. I pulled my feet out of his hands and sat up. For the first time tonight and the entire time he’s been here, I saw a glimpse of distress in his eyes.

“Jake,” I reached for his hands and placed mine over his. He didn’t budge but I kept going. “I don’t want to make you sad, but you are literally leaving tomorrow.” I tried joking with him, but he didn’t laugh.

He sighed, “I know. I just don’t want to.” His fingers caressed mine, warmly moving circles on my palms. I inhaled deeply to try and keep the tears from brimming, but I felt the warm liquid flowing up.

“Don’t you worry though, We’ll have many more chances to hang out.”

But would we? When was Jake planning on coming back from this big life he lived? Next week, next month? Or would I have to wait until next year? But all I could do was nod, keeping myself wrapped in his gaze.

“I’m gonna miss you.” My voice broke and the tears let loose. I laid my head against his shoulder, letting my tears flow at an alarming rate.

Jake went to grab at my face gently, cupping it in his hands. He wiped at my tears and pressed his forehead to mine.

“Can I kiss you?”

I chuckled a bit, a little shook at his question when he knew that he already could. But I nodded my head anyway.

He pressed his lips softly on mine, keeping a firm grip on my face. I laid my hands softly on his lap, rubbing up and down his thighs. It only took a few seconds before our kiss increased, becoming heavier and heavier as time went on. I felt that arousal creep back into me, first playing at my heart and then into my bottom half. I needed him so badly that I didn’t realize I had straddled his lap and kissed him harder -- deeper. It felt like time was running out, like I had to get in all that I wanted now or it would be too late. Jake replaced his hands onto my hips and gently guided them up and down his groin, just like he did a week ago. We hadn’t done anything except kiss since that day. There were days when I felt like I wanted to do more, but my anxiousness got in the way, and that feeling would come and go too soon. I knew that I could climax on his lap again in just seconds, but this time around, I wanted the real thing.

I broke away from our kiss, panting hard. I heard a low groan come from Jake’s lips as he reclaimed mine, kissing roughly.

“Let’s go upstairs.” I blurted in between kisses. I felt Jake smile against my lips as a sign of agreement.

I kissed his ear and sucked at it a bit, moving down to his neck and giving it soft pecks. His breath hitched in his throat. I felt an all too familiar pressure against my ass, and I started grinding harder. I felt his hips buck into mine from time to time, each came with a rush of air out of his mouth.

Jake’s grip tightened on my hips in an urge for me to stop. “Okay, if you keep doing that, then I won’t last much longer.”

I giggled before shooting up off of him and hurrying up the stairs, Jake not too far behind. Once we made it to my room, we didn’t even bother closing the door, both of us sat on the bed and resumed our kissing.

My hands found themselves back onto his thighs, rubbing at an urgent pace. I didn’t realize my hand had reached his bulge until Jake let out a groan and broke his lips from mine to look down at the mess I was making of him.

“Y/n..” Jake blurted between breaths. I gazed into his eyes for a sign of pleasure in which I saw, but I also read worriedness and stress. I took my hands off quickly. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking-”

“No,” Jake grabbed back at my hands and placed them over his arousal again, “I like this.” His breath was heavy as he spoke. “I just want to make sure that -- that you want to..” His voice trailed off.

A shaky sigh came out of my mouth. The outside world no longer exists and it was just me and Jake in the room, silently enjoying the presence of each other.

I smiled and nodded my head. Jake seemed taken aback and let out a soft chuckle. I couldn’t help but laugh as well, letting the feeling set in that we were really going to this, I was finally going to be able to feel Jake Sim like I wanted to.

Jake started kissing me again, softly, as if too timid to do anything else. I felt a bit awkward too, not sure what my next move was supposed to be, so I reached for the buttons of my shirt.

“Hold on..” Jake’s hands brushed up against mine as they made their way up my silky top. Shuddering, I dropped my arms to the side and felt the strands of his hair tickling my face as he leaned closer to me, taking a good look at the buttons and how they worked.

“..I wanna do it.” His whispery breath was toasty against my ear, causing me to have a mini heart attack and a sudden shudder that caused a small chuckle out of him. His smile never deterred as his impatient hands tried fiddling with the buttons, bringing about a laugh out of me when it takes him a while to unhook them, but soon enough the first button comes undone, and I feel the heat rise inside of me at the thought of him seeing my body, not for the first time, but it still made me nervous. It didn’t take him long to unbutton the rest quickly, licking his lips as he let out a large exhale. From time to time, his hand would brush over the top of my breast that didn’t fit in my bra, and I couldn’t help but shiver, aware that my chest was now rapidly moving along with the rhythm of his own. He reached the last button and my top flew open as if it was waiting for this moment forever. Jake slid the straps down my shoulder and threw it on the ground with a sudden laugh.

“I just realized I could’ve lifted it over your head.” I couldn’t help but laugh with him. The heat of the moment had captured us in its aroma and now we were suddenly not making much sense anymore.

Jake placed a very hesitant hand over my lacey bra, tentative at my reactions. I nod my head, “It’s okay Jake, I promise.” I put my own hand over his and gave it a good squeeze. He swallowed hard at my sudden move, but it was all that he needed to know -- that I was ready and wanted him to touch me wherever he pleased.

Jake looked at my body as if wondering where to start, taking note of the way it curved and dipped. I was surprised when I hadn’t gotten shy from his gaze, but instead exaggerated my posture to show him that I needed his touch -- his lips.

And he took the bait, closing his eyes and moving his lips down to my neck, barely touching my skin but leaving tingles that tortured my deprived body. I couldn’t help but close my own eyes, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, not wanting to already moan at the very beginning of our rendezvous. He followed down my neck and onto my collarbone, took a long time to suck at the tender skin. I tightened my hand that was squeezing his atop my breast in a sudden gasp at how incredible it felt. This was all the sign he needed as he moved even further down, kissing with his tongue at the top of my chest. “F-fuck.” I cursed, the word escaped my mouth without my knowledge.

Jake raised his head and smirked at me, biting on his lip slightly as he spoke, “did that feel good baby?”

Of course it did. But instead of speaking I just nod, unable to bring about a cohesive sentence.

He kissed both of my cheeks with a longing, making sure to linger for just a second too long, making me hunger for his lips to meet mine. His mouth drifted over mine for just a second, but never landed, and I could see his teasing eyes as they made their way back down to my chest. He cupped his hand under my breasts and pushed them up as his lips came in contact and kissed deeply on my skin, teasing me once again when he kissed along my bra. I let my hand go of his to be able to hold myself up as my body shivered in pleasure and numbed under his touch. He moved along both breasts slowly and deeply, purposely kissing over the part that would be my nipple had the irritating fabric not been in the way, and out of sudden annoyance, I reached behind my back and unclasp my bra.

I felt him giggle against my breast as he sucked one and stroked the other softly with his hand. My head dipped back as my body sent shocks like a wave, suddenly feeling myself getting too excited, almost like I could climax right then and there.

A moan escaped as I put my quivering hand on Jake’s upper arm and gripped tightly, squirming under his clutch as if trying to warn him of my sudden excitement, and that we had to stop now before the feeling got the best of me.

I heard an irritated rush of air escape his mouth as I gently pushed him off and took a deep breath in to calm myself. I could tell that Jake knew I was almost close, so he backed off further, only softly rubbing my nipple in small circles. His hand moved down to my waist and played with the hem of my skirt, but before he could advance, my hands found the bottom of his polyester shirt and gently pulled it over his head. His hair got tousled in the end, but leaving him looking ever hotter in the process.

Jake peered down at my lips and licked his slowly. Before I could even try to kiss him, he gently laid me down. “Lay back baby, I like making you feel good,” his words once again made my body tingle, and I felt my heartbeat accelerate. I didn’t think twice before doing as he said and making myself comfortable, ready to feel whatever new sensation that was coming my way.

Jake never dropped his gaze with mine as he bent down onto the floor. He grabbed underneath my knees and scooted me down the bed while taking the time to observe me like I was his next meal.

Seconds passed and I could feel the smooth hands that were caressing my legs go higher up my thighs and under my skirt. His next move made my legs quivered in eagerness as he gathered the fabric of my sleek skirt and forced it above my hips. I felt the cold breeze sweep against my legs and also find its way between my legs. I couldn’t help but breathe in a sharp breath at the odd sensation of the coolness and the way it embraced my body.

“Is this okay?” I heard Jake ask, but I was so busy living in the moment of bliss that I couldn’t even respond but instead reached for his hand and placed it over my underwear.

It didn’t take him long to get the hint as he stroked my thighs and left me with an intolerant desire for his hand to be elsewhere. Just because of that little moment, I was thinking of all the possible ways I could touch him; I’ll give him a handy even though I had no clue how to, or maybe I’ll give him a blowjob and pray that I don’t actually graze my teeth against his manhood. But then, another thought popped up -- has he done this before? Had another girl gotten to experience this euphoria before I did? I wanted to ask, but was way too scared of ruining the moment, so I left it for another conversation.

I savored this moment. As much as I just wanted him to hurry up and rail me, I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to feel like this again for a while, so I relished in the warmth of his hands as they explored my thighs. With a gentle push, Jake spread my knees apart, and I could feel his hands move up and down the inner parts of my thighs, causing a chaotic war inside my mind.

Oh my god, Jake Sim was in-between my legs, staring down at my cloth undies with butterflies and lace trim. I couldn’t help but feel the heat rush up to my cheeks, feeling vulnerable but also exhilarating at the same time.

“Wow..” Jake’s voice was shallow and gruff. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Jake!” I managed to say, whining at his compliment and feeling myself getting shyer. He giggled at my reaction and I could tell that he would use that as a mechanism to tease me all night.

Jake went back to rubbing my inner thighs softly, rising higher and higher until I felt his hands graze against my arousal and I held my breath awaiting the moment he touched me, but he was once again teasing and pulled back.

I slowly let my breath out my nose in a way of trying to control my impatience, but I was becoming grumpy at the way he would leave me on the edge.

“Jake,” I whined again, feeling my breath quicken, “hurry up and touch me.” I couldn’t even fathom myself ever saying that in a million years, but here I was today wanting to shout it over and over again if I had to.

Jake’s hand squeezed against me at my sudden short-tempered words, and only a second later was he pulling off my panties and spreading my legs further apart. This time, I felt the breeze hit my outer lips and I could’ve sworn I was going to blackout at this sensation mixed with his.

Jake locked his hands under my legs and pushed them up so my feet were now on the bed, holding my legs up as he further examined me. I was too busy on cloud 9 to even wonder what he was thinking -- all I wanted was for him to touch me, and do it now.

“I’ve never done this before, so guide me if you have to,” Jake mumbled against my thigh, kissing them softly.

Question answered and pleasured executed -- that's what I call a two for one.

He continued kissing them and soon licked them up and down, the slick of his tongue grew my excitement, and for a moment I thought I was already close. But I was severely wrong, because as his lip sucked against my outer lips, I had practically felt like I had teleported to another dimension where rainbows and unicorns were born.

I bucked my hips up at the new sensation that his lips had brought, gasping every few seconds.

“You taste so sweet, baby,” Jake whispered softly. He wrapped his arms around my legs and hugged tight, bringing his face closer to my vag as his hands cluelessly massaged my hips.

I felt his tongue move at a fast pace, hitting every spot, even spots that I didn’t know were spots. His lip found my clit and sucked, circling over across it with his wet tongue.

“Keep moaning,” Jake's words came out fast and scrambled. “I want to make sure I’m making you feel good.”

I hadn’t even noticed I was moaning until he said something, and my voice oozed out even louder and longer without me having to try.

He continued to kiss and suck at a pace that left me intoxicated in pleasure. There were times that I thought I was going to go over the edge, but the excitement was so much that I felt it at times be too much and retreat.

At this point, I was letting out sounds I had never even heard come out of my mouth. His tongue swirled around, up and down my clit and folds, thrashing at my wet skin until they found its way inside of my vag and went in and out. I felt my back arch as I enjoyed the view of his head bobbing up and down as he pleasured me.

I squeezed my hands over his as I felt myself explode out of nowhere. It felt so good that I held my breath, releasing it in small gasps as I clung onto Jake's biceps and let my orgasm ride out.

Jake left gentle pecks on my thighs, giving me time to dwindle down from my high.

Jake lifted himself off the floor, leaning over my body with a smile. I couldn’t help but smile back at him, feeling the way my calmness surrounded my body, and the excitement rose in me again, as if it hadn’t just erupted seconds before.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in, giving him a passionate kiss. “You did so good baby,” Jake whispered against my ear. This was all I needed to hear as my body went back into drive, finding my way down to his black jeans and unbuttoning them. I hear him draw in a breath against my lips. His breath became hot and damp against mine, kissing me hard.

I pull off his pants as we both scoot ourselves further on the bed, Jake found his way between my legs again, kissing deep in my neck, and collarbone, and nipples. I felt him tremble on top of me as he pressed himself closer to my chest. For the first time ever, I could feel how nervous Jake was. I could feel his hands shaking as they vibrated against the bed. I could feel his legs quiver in-between mine, and his lips seemed to stop short of breath.

“Jake,” I pushed onto his chest, and he quickly popped his head up, a surprised and worried look on his face.

“Are you okay?”

“Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing,” I replied back. He smiled and gave a nervous chuckle.

“I just want to make this really good for you.” His voice was soft again, like he was about to read me a lullaby or read me a bedtime story. I touched his cheek and smiled.

“And I want to make this really good for you too,” He smiled down at me. I could feel the way his body eased up, and it didn’t take long for his mouth to find mine again.

His body was pressed firmly onto me, aware of his groin and the way it pressed against my entrance. I can’t help but thrust up into him as he circled his arms around my head, messaging at my scalp and stroking my hair.

I moaned against his lips and played with the hem of his briefs before pulling them down. He kicked them off his ankles and continued to kiss me, once again finding all of those sensitive spots on my body.

I leaned up to kiss his neck as he groaned into the pillow beside me. I was scared that I wasn’t going to know how to treat his manhood, but the only way to learn was to do so, so I gently touched it, feeling the way his veins traveled and how hard the skin was.

“Wait --” He pulled away from me, staring down at the way my hand gently caressed his hard-on.

“Will you tell me if it hurts or if I’m going too fast?” I nod slowly, a hint of nerves hitting my chest.

“And, you’re sure right?” I can’t help but smile. Even with the nerves that built up in me, I still really wanted him -- I still really needed Jake Sim.

“I know you’ll be careful Jake. I trust you, I always have.”

I locked my eyes with him in the hopes that he would see I was ready. And like a silent accordance, he did, giving me small and sweet kisses on the cheek. But just like me, I could tell that Jake was nervous too -- maybe even more nervous.

“Uh, Jake should we use-”

“Y-Yes we should.” Jake cut my words off quickly with a frantic reply. He rose off of me and vanished from my room and into his.

Seconds later, Jake returned with the wrapper in his hand.

I swallowed down whatever unnerving feeling that was rising in me, and smiled as he sat back on the bed.

“So, you just had a condom on standby? What, did you think something was gonna happen?”

Jake laughed as he took the wrapper and tore it with his teeth. “Heeseung let me borrow his travel bag cause I lost mine,” Jake started toying with the clear rubber, “we think he gets around way more than he lets on.” I laughed along with Jake.

We kept up a casual conversation while I watched Jake from behind, mesmerized by his tan skin and the way it curved, the broadness of his shoulders, his hair glistening under the lights, his back and arm muscles tightening and contracting when he fumbled around with the rubber. I squirmed as my body ached for him again. I could feel my heart beating at an unsteady pace. I couldn’t unravel the reality that I was living -- I couldn’t unravel the fact that I was going to have sex with Jake Sim. The realization made my nerves tick and clack, but it didn’t show as I continued talking to Jake like we weren’t about to get it on -- one of the many reasons why I wasn’t sure of my nerves. I knew I could trust Jake with anything, and It felt normal to talk about the food we ate and the thing we saw, even while we were both almost completely naked.

Jake let out a tense chuckle. “I can’t even get this shit on.” Jake continued to try and try again, but whatever he tried, it wouldn’t work.

“Let me try,” I lifted from the pillow and scooted closer to Jake. He turned his hips so that I could see him better, but I wasn’t prepared. While I had felt it, seeing it made it more real. It was thick and lengthy. The veins looked like they could pop at any moment, the head was light pink just like his lips, and the base was covered in curly pubic hair that looked like it was growing back.

Jake noticed my stare and laughed softly, leaping me out of my trance. I let out an awkward huff, and placed my hand over the condom, trying to pull it down.

I felt his body tremble when I came in contact. His breath hitched as I played with the rubber and his dick, growing harder for every second that passed.

Whatever I tried, it wouldn’t go all the way down. “It won’t go down.” my voice came out shy and small. “I think you’re -- too big.” I cringed at my own words, but it was the truth -- the rubber was no match for Jake's junk.

Jake grinned and redden at my words. I removed the condom and continued to gawk at the mass of what I was about to put inside me. If a condom couldn’t even fit, could I?

I don’t know what compelled me to lower my head, but I couldn’t help but want to kiss it. I leaned my head down and kissed the head of his erection tenderly. I heard Jake inhale sharply, and could feel his body tremble harder. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Jake’s was the first one I had ever seen in-person. While it was intimidating, it was also equally alluring. I didn’t know how to make him feel good, but I was about to find out.

Jake leaned back on his hands and sighed. I gave it another kiss but let it linger. I felt him twitch on my lips. I continued to give it small kisses until I felt a wet sensation on my lips.

“Y/n, please--” I had never heard Jake’s voice whine like this. I could feel myself throbbing at his words, and it didn’t matter if I didn’t know how to take him in my mouth, I was going to do it anyway.

I opened my mouth and placed it over his tip. Jake was warm and slick. I heard him let out a small whimper and took it as encouragement to continue on, but the further I went down, the wider my mouth stretched. I couldn’t take in more than an inch under his head.

“Oh, fuck.” His words came out breathy. Because I couldn’t go down any further, my brain raced to find another answer. I twisted my head and slowly pulled away, repeating this action again and again.

“Just like that baby,” Jake muttered. He placed his hand on the top of my head and gently massaged my scalp. At times I felt him push my head down gently. I continued on, increasing my speed and adding tongue, feeling my own saliva cover his hard-on.

“Y/n,” He moaned my name, “I’m gonna come.” Jake's pressure on my head grew, and I sped up, adding more tongue.

“Shit -- stop, stop.” Jake released my hair from his grip. “If you keep going I’m gonna come.”

“Was that not the point?”

Jake grinned. “Yes, but I want to wait until we actually -- you know.” I couldn’t help but laugh, but I kind of agreed. I wasn’t fluent in sex or anything, but I did know that it took guys a bit longer to refuel.

My nerves were almost dead and replaced with elation and desire. Jake licked his lips as he looked down at mine. I leaned in and kissed him. We laid back down on the bed without breaking our kiss, his mouth wild and dire against mine. He propped himself up with his elbows as he got onto me, moving his mouth against the entirety of my face. I ran my hands up and down his back, feeling his tight muscles and soft skin. I took a deep breath when I felt his mouth move to the sensitive spot on my neck. He was ever so slightly grinding against me, I could feel him against my thigh, creating goosebumps all over my legs. I moved my legs further apart and drew up my knees, resting them carefully on Jake’s sides. I felt his hand move down around his dick to try and guide it to my entrance, but instead, it awkwardly jabbed my cheek.

“Go up a bit,” I whispered.

Jake lifted himself off me to look down and concentrate better. His brows furrowed together as he worked to find it, shifting slightly and raising his hips. I couldn’t help but giggle at how focused he was, and he awkwardly laughed with me until I felt him right in front of my entrance. He gave it a little nudge, and I went stiff. He grabbed it with his hand and rubbed it slowly against my outer lips, sending shock waves throughout my body and causing an uncontrollable shiver.

Jake pressed against it, soft at first, but grew in pressure. I flinched at the hardness and wetness of it. He leaned back over me and guided it in slightly.

I can’t help but gasp. Without it even being in me, I could already feel how it was going to stretch and proddle my insides. I was worried that it wouldn’t fit, or it would hurt too bad that we couldn’t keep going.

I felt him push harder, and a second later I could feel the tip of him enter. I took in a deep breath and held it, my mind flushed with heat. I felt my mouth gape open automatically, and I tightened my grip on the sheets.

Jake looked down at me, his mouth was open too. I could see the slight golden of his hair, and the individual hairs of his eyebrows. I focused on his lips and how wet and pink they were, I paid attention to the sweat beads developing on his forehead and how they traveled down to his temples. I felt Jake inside of me. The pressure was intimidating, as well as the faint course of pain that shot through. But focusing on Jake made it subside, focusing on his rapid breathing and his own pleasure made it wane down.

Jake let out a grunt, holding himself back from going further.

“Does it hurt? You’re holding your breath,” Jake's brows furrowed as he too focused on my face. I let out a shaky breath and nodded.

“Do you want me to stop?” His voice held urgency but was tentative. He obviously didn’t want to stop, but I could already feel him moving out before I could answer.

“No, no -- keep going.” I held onto his hips before he pulled all the way out.

“Y/n, if it hurts then-” I cut him off. “Jake,” I whimpered. I squirmed against him. While it did hurt, there was still that bead of pleasure, and as long as that was still there, then I still needed him. The pain wasn’t important right now, I wanted him, I wanted him inside of me, I wanted to feel him go deeper and deeper until I felt it hit my spot and I was immersed in ecstasy.

Jake took my hint to keep going. He laid his head down beside me and kissed my neck to try and distract me from the pain, but as I felt him push harder inside, I couldn't help but wince. This time he was halfway in. The warmth of him flowed to my legs and couldn’t help but shimmer. The pressure and pain increased, but the pleasure doubled. I moved my hands to his back and clutched on hard. I felt Jake‘s hips rock gently, going in and out. The rhythm he created washed out the pain and it was almost all replaced with a frenzy of bliss.

“Can I keep going?” He asked, his voice faint.

I nod. With a gentle push, Jake slid in the rest of the way with ease. I felt myself stretch around him. The pain only lasted a few seconds until I adapted to him, and then it decreased.

Jake let out little groans beside my ear, moving slowly in and out, back and forth. Jake moved his hands underneath my head and held it lightly.

“Fuck,” I couldn’t help but cuss.

“Kiss me baby,” Jake breathed. He hovered over my face and latched his lips onto mine, kissing softly and fragilely. The pain subsided as Jake kept the rhythm, and now my whole body was taken over by a pleasurable sensation that made me moan loud against his lips.

My hands moved all around his body. From his back to his chest to his butt to his arms, I couldn’t get enough of him.

“Go faster.” I whimpered out. He did, scooting closer to my body and pressing into me as hard and as fast as he could. I saw his face go red and spread down his chest. The sweat beads dripped from his temples and onto me. I could hear how excessive my moans were getting, and the way they came out in whimpers too. Our sounds moved in rhythm with our thrusts, and I wished for it to never end. I couldn’t remember a time like this when I felt like nothing could happen to me, like nothing could worry me. The ecstasy I had longed for wrapped itself around me -- around us, and I wished for it to never end.

My body continued to quiver in excitement, Jake spoke sweet words into my ear, so sweet that I felt myself thrusting faster beneath him, longing for him to burst inside of me.

“That’s it baby, right there,” He moaned. He moaned into my ear that vibrated my entire body. My mind raced with thoughts of all the things that I had wished to do to him.

“Jake, I wanna be on top.” I felt Jake's breath hitch in his throat before leaping off and laying down beside me. I lift myself up and straddle his legs. I grinded slowly as his cock nestled in tightly between my thighs. I was nervous that it wouldn’t feel the same, but my body craved for his hard-on again, so seconds later, I slid it in with ease. Jake moaned out as I stretched against him. I hummed in pleasure.

I looked down at Jake’s face, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly open, squirming underneath me. He grabbed onto my hips and slid me up and down his length. I felt my spot getting hit with each stroke, and little gasps came flooding out my mouth.

“Oh my god,” I whined. I positioned my palms on his chest and rode him harder, bouncing up and down, grinding side to side. I had no idea that my body could even move like this, but here I was, riding Jake Sim as if I had done this a million times before.

“Holy shit.” Jake’s voice came out strained. He wrapped his hands around my wrist. My rhythm sped up every few seconds. The pleasure was so good that it was becoming unbearable. It was so much that I couldn’t form words, much less even moan.

I felt myself tighten against him, “That’s it baby,” Jake placed his hands on my hips again. “Right there, keep going.” Jake continued to encourage me, and it fed my body like food. I felt it build and build until I needed to release, but it felt stuck, like it didn’t want to come out. I whined as I moved my hips faster. Jake noticed my struggle and did something that made me gasp. He moved his hand between my legs and found my clit. His other hand dug into my hip and pushed me down harder.

I stopped moving as I let in the feeling of him rubbing me, going faster and faster. I slumped my head back.

“Come baby,” He rubbed at an irregular fast pace as heat rose all over my body. “Let it out baby.” I slammed my hips down onto him and felt my orgasm shoot through my body. I arched my back and heard myself cry out. Jake moved his hands back over my hips and continued pumping up into me. I watched as his eyes scrunched close and his breath caught in his throat. He then let out his breath in a rush with wide eyes looking up at me with desperation.

“I’m gonna come,” He pressed into me harder. “Y/n, I can’t hold it.” Jake tried pushing my hips off, but I pressed down further.

“It’s okay,” I breathed out. “Come in me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Jake, please,” I begged. I grinded down on his shaft harder.

“I’m about to-” The words caught in his throat as I felt his pace quicken. He scrunched his eyes and I felt his hands go wild against my hips and ass. He tightly squeezed as he drew in a large breath. He slammed up into me harder and harder, with a series of wild and erratic groans. I felt the hot liquid erupt into me, and couldn’t help but let out a moan.

Once he went still, I collapsed onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, his fingers digging into my shoulders, his body still shaking. I continued to rock my hips gently as I rode out the rest of my pleasure and his.

I felt his heartbeat match the rhythm of mine, harsh and rapid. I kissed along his forehead and temples, breathing in his scent.

Reality started to settle in and I felt myself fading out of my ecstasy. Everything felt different even if it wasn’t. The guy that lied beneath me was now someone that I had a new identity with, someone that I had connected with that I wouldn’t do with other people. Our reality with one another had changed. I saw Jake in a way that no one else had, I felt him inside of me, I saw him vulnerable, I heard his moans of ecstasy. And it was vice-versa with him too. He saw a side of me that no one else ever would.

I raised my head from his shoulder and was met with a worried gaze. “How are you?” Jake panted.

I giggled, nodding, “I’m great.” Jake let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. I jokingly hit him on the chest as I met my lips back with his. He started tickling my sides which made me giggle and twitch, completely forgetting that he was still inside me. Jake winced.

“Oops, sorry.” I slid off of him and let in the cold breeze that followed, I felt his liquids ooze out of me, and Jake watched with pleasure. We both can’t help but laugh.

I was living my life up until this point of it being impossible to not admire Jake’s charm. Since the beginning, we were inseparable, and even now, it grew in its intensity. There was a path that I’d been following, while it wasn’t the easiest, it still led me to him -- it still led me to Jake Sim. Now that I’ve finally reached the end of that unbearable tunnel, I never wanted it to end, I wanted to soak up this moment and the moments before until it was the only thing I could remember. Our laughter, our happiness, our love. But reality would have to settle in, time was of the essence.

“I love you,” I waned out my laughter as I let my mind speak for me. Jake laughed subsided as he looked up at me with shock. Seconds later his eyes welled up with tears.

“I love you too,” His words shook as the tears started to fall. I couldn’t help but cry too.

Me and Jake knew what the next level was, and sadly, neither of us were going to end up together. In less than a day, he was going to be back in Seoul, being an idol and living like he’d always dreamed of. And I was going to be here, working and doing school. Even if our lives weren’t lined up at the moment, we both secretly agreed that in some wild alternate universe we would have been together. Even if it took years later when Jake was no longer a kpop star, we would wait -- we would wait on each other. Because the love that we had for one another had been forever, and it would continue to be that way.

Me with him. That’s how it would always be.

~~The end. ~~

————✧————

None of the images are mine, They all belong to their rightful owners :)

[seijorhi]

Choke.

another soulmate au nobody asked for :)

Akaashi Keiji x female reader x Bokuto Koutarou

TW dub-con, implied future non-con

It wasn’t a good day to begin with.

You’re late, rushing through the busy campus hallways to make it to an exam that quite frankly you’re at least 70% sure you’re going to fail, mostly because instead of cramming last night you’d been… otherwise occupied with your boyfriend.

And you really, really just want this whole thing to just be over with already.

With your nose stuck in your textbook, frantically pouring over your notes right up until the very last second, it’s hardly a surprise that you don’t see the two of them rushing down the hallway in the opposite direction until you’re quite literally colliding with the taller of the pair – the broad shouldered one.

Your notes go flying, the last of your coffee too and for one split second, you’re pretty positive that you’re gonna end up flat on your ass with a little more than some bruised pride. But just as you’re about to hit the ground, not one but two hands reach for you, catch you, and the very second they do, you feel it:

A flash of guilt and momentary alarm, embarrassment, you think, and chagrin, each emotion hitting you like a sledgehammer, overwhelming you, one after the other in a dizzying blur that’s distinctly other, and then–

Shock.

Dawning surprise. 

A rush of something warm, adoring, a happiness so bright and blinding that it makes you physically jerk backwards, almost slamming your head against the wall in the process. And two pairs of eyes – one a deep, luminous gold, the other a cool, gunmetal blue – stare at you in wide eyed wonder a split millisecond before you wrench yourself free, gasping. 

The moment their grip falters, the torrent stops. You can breathe.

Blessed silence, save for the pounding of your heartbeat in your ears. Everything fades out around you – the students and lecturers alike bustling through the busy hallway, the humming drone of chatter that’s nearly deafening. Nothing exists but the three of you; caught in your little bubble.

And it’s dread, you think, that seeps through your blood as you stare at them. 

They’re both handsome, albeit in their own ways. The taller of the two – the one who’d almost barrelled you over – looks like he could probably bench press you without breaking a sweat. His shirt isn’t exactly clinging to him, but you can see the hints of well defined muscles beneath, and the size of his biceps alone are enough to make your heart skip a beat and your mouth dry up a little. With rippling muscles, spiky black and silver hair, a strong jawline and those round, golden eyes, he looks like a modern day adonis. 

His friend might’ve been shorter, his build leaner, but with his softer features, pretty eyes and dark hair, you think he’s perhaps the prettiest man you’ve ever laid eyes on. From the fineness of his nose to the gentle curve of his lips and his long, dark sweeping eyelashes, he reminds you of those white marble statues you’ve seen before in museums and art galleries– a beauty so divine, so perfect – so devastating – that it steals your breath a little.

And they’re both watching you, frozen entirely. Smiling in breathless delight, as if they can’t quite believe it either.

Soulmates. 

You’ve spent your whole life wondering what it would be like, experiencing somebody else’s emotions. Studies have been done and countless books and articles written about the bond between soulmates; the intimacy of sharing emotions through touch, but nobody really knows why or how it happens.  

And for some, it’s a subtle thing. A suggestion, a whisper against their own consciousness, easily brushed aside. Others feel it stronger. 

For you, it was like drowning. Choking under the sudden, intense barrage of feelings that weren’t yours. Maybe it’s because there’s two of them – and that much at least you’re sure of. You don’t have the words to explain it, but they’d felt separate somehow, distinctive from one another – kind of like fingerprints, you suppose.

There’s no denying the bond, no denying that they’re both your soulmates, and all you can think of is that you don’t want it. Not here, not now. Not them.

The dark haired one seems to realise quicker than his friend that you’re not reacting how you’re supposed to, you’re just standing there, rigid and tense, gaping at them. And the slight smile that graced his perfect lips starts to waver, his brows drawing together when finally his friend cottons on.

He reaches for you, the beginnings of a pout taking shape on his face, and you move without even thinking, jerking out of reach with a sharp breath. His hand hangs outstretched for a beat too long, a noise like a kicked puppy leaving his lips as he realises that you’re flinching away from him; away from your soulmate. He looks heartbroken, and he’s yet to utter a single word. 

You don’t give him a chance. You’re not some cold, unfeeling beast; there’s a twinge in your heart, a heaviness that’s far too close to guilt settling in your stomach, but you just can’t. And with shaking hands you bend over and hastily grab up your things, forcing yourself not to meet their confused, hurt stares when you right yourself. 

“I– I’m sorry,” you murmur, and before either one of them can try to stop you, you disappear into the crowd, racing for your exam. 

—

The lights are on when you make it back home, the familiar, comforting scent of home cooked food filling your apartment.

“Hey, babe,” your boyfriend calls out as you wearily drop your purse by the door and kick out of your shoes. His back’s to you, attention fixed on the simmering saucepan on the stovetop, but he glances over his shoulder as he continues, “How’d your exam go?”

And you can’t help it, you burst into tears.

Painful, heaving sobs that might’ve had you collapsing onto the floor if he hadn’t swept across the room to snatch you up into his arms. “That bad, huh?” Kuguri jokes, but the words sound hollow.

“I found them,” you mutter into his chest, and the way he stiffens, his grip tightening for just a moment has your heart breaking all over again. 

Kuguri doesn’t say much as he leads you to the couch, he just lets you talk. It’s almost worse, you think, the way he doesn’t react. 

Because you both knew this was coming at some point. For months you’ve tried to convince yourself that you could feel him when you were together.

You felt his love when he held you, right?

Happy when he was happy?

But you’d known, both of you, that as much as you wished it otherwise, he wasn’t your soulmate, and you weren’t his. And whether it was today or six months down the line, this was always going to happen.

“You don’t have to…” you trail off, searching his eyes desperately for anything other than the gentle resignation lingering there. “I love you.”

He smiles at that, cups your cheek in his hand and brushes away the stray tear that spills. “I know you do, but–” it’s not enough. “They’re your soulmates. Don’t you think they deserve a chance to make you happy?”

He’s gone when you wake the next morning.

—

In a university of thousands, a sprawling city campus, you honestly believe that in spite of everything, you probably won’t see them again. They don’t know your name, or what you study, you don’t live in the dorms like some of the other students; the chances of just randomly bumping into them again are slim, soulmates or no.

Of course, there are facebook groups and pages set up to reconnect lost soulmates, but you’d have to actually want to find them to try something like that.

(Part of you wonders whether they’ve tried)

The universe has a sense of humour, it seems, because when your paths cross next, it’s not at uni, it’s at the little corner store a few blocks down from your apartment. 

At 2am in the morning. 

And you’re staring intently at the freezer, mentally weighing up exactly what kind of ice cream you need to sate your craving when you hear the sharp intake of breath behind you.

“Holy crap, you’re here.”

It’s stupid, you think, the way your stomach flutters when you turn to find him staring in wide eyed wonder; the taller one, with the spiky hair and those impossibly wide, honey eyes.

He’s smiling, his entire face lit up like a christmas tree at the sight of you. As if you hadn’t run off without so much as an acknowledgement the last time you’d met. As if seeing you here, looking like shit – makeup free and dressed in your old favourite sweats – is the absolute best thing that could have happened.

And when your cheeks grow hot, you’re not entirely sure if it’s embarrassment over the way you look, the fact that he’s caught you buying ice cream that you fully intend to let melt just a little bit before polishing off at two in the morning, or if it’s shame over how badly you’d reacted the last time you’d seen him.

But if he notices your inner turmoil, he doesn’t show it, grinning widely as he calls back over his shoulder, “Akaashi!”

You still haven’t uttered a peep, haven’t moved. Just like last time you’re caught feeling like a kid with their hand stuck in the cookie jar as your other soulmate rounds the corner, his attention fixed on the ingredients list of the rice cracker snacks in his hands, a basket full of groceries tucked into the crook of his elbow.

“Bokuto, I was just around the corner, there’s no need to shout.”

Pretty steel blue eyes flicker up for a split second, then quickly do a double take as he realises that it’s you – his errant soulmate, standing struck dumb, here of all places. “Oh.”

Oh. 

Akaashi eyes you for a moment, and you watch as his throat bobs unsteadily, but just as with Bokuto, he can’t seem to help the smile that creeps across his face. It’s softer than his friend’s, not so blinding but warm nonetheless. Genuine. There’s no animosity there, and it should put you at ease – they don’t seem to blame you, at least. 

It should, but it doesn’t. 

Even now, there’s a little voice in your head urging you to forget your late night cravings, turn tail and run. Nevermind that they’d likely just follow you, much less that you’d look like an absolute fucking idiot, fleeing from your soulmates who so far have done nothing wrong.

It’s not supposed to be this awkward, right? It’s not supposed to be difficult, but even when they’re smiling at you, there’s a tension that digs its claws into you and refuses to relent. Your heart thumps unevenly, like a scared little bunny caught in a trap and the wolves are circling.

If it’s normal, then your parents and every other soulmated pair you’ve ever met certainly kept it to themselves. Maybe it’s the guilt, you think. Maybe you’re just being overdramatic. They’re your soulmates, right? They probably just want to talk, to get to know you, and right now you’re the one being standoffish and rude. 

It occurs to you then that you still haven’t spoken, and they’re both staring at you somewhat expectantly. You really are fucking this up, aren’t you?

“H-hi,” you manage to muster, forcing yourself to smile back. Tiny and timidly, perhaps, but it’s a smile. 

It seems to work, because Bokuto positively beams at you and Akaashi sets down his basket to slide in closer, a pleased little hum escaping his throat. 

Aside from the faint sound of the radio playing in the background and the cashier casually flicking through a magazine up at the register, the store is quiet. It’s just the three of you, except this time there really is no running off and disappearing into the crowd. Which is fine, you need to face them sooner or later, right?

Give them a chance?

Otherwise everything else, all that heartbreak and the lonely nights since will have been all for nothing. So you swallow tightly, take a soft, steadying breath, and press on.

“I, um… I’m sorry about last time. You know with… everything,” you finish lamely, mentally cringing at the sheer awkwardness of it. “I had an exam.”

But again, your soulmates don’t seem to take it personally, the darker haired one (Akaashi, your brain helpfully supplies) nodding slightly. 

“It’s okay. You’re here now.” He has a nice voice, calming and smooth, and though the words seem to carry a different weight you find yourself nodding along with him. You can do this, you can make an effort.

This is fine.

You swallow again, tongue darting out to wet your lips, “I’m Y/N,” you introduce, clutching just a little bit tighter at the handles of your own shopping basket.

You don’t extend a hand, nor try to go in for a hug, but standing there rigidly feels wrong too. They’re strangers, yes, but they’re also not, and you don’t quite know how to act around somebody like that, somebody you’re supposedly fated for but know nothing about. All you know is that the last time they touched you, it was too much. It hurt. And even as you catch sight of the slightly disheartened expression on Bokuto’s face, you’re hesitant to put yourself through it again.

“It’s pretty,” Akaashi compliments, and there’s a faint dusting of pink on his cheeks as he says it. “Suits you.”

Your own probably aren’t much better, with the blood that rushes to your face. You drop your gaze a little, nibbling on your bottom lip, “O-oh, uh… thank you.”

When you glance back up to Bokuto, you find him staring at you again, not with the same hurt expression as before, but something akin to wonder. He seems speechless, in awe of your flustered state, and you wonder how he can bounce that quickly from emotion to emotion without giving himself whiplash. But it seems like your attention is just the thing he needs to pull himself out of it, because he closes his gaping mouth and grins again.

“Y/N,” he repeats, like he’s testing it out, rolling your name over his tongue. “You probably heard, but I’m Bokuto– you can call me Koutarou, though.” 

There’s a beat of silence, and he’s quick to add, “And that’s Akaashi.”

“Keiji,” Akaashi corrects, shooting you another gentle smile. 

First names. It makes sense, you suppose, but the familiarity of it all still doesn’t sit quite right with you. But now that introductions are out of the way, you don't have a clue what you’re supposed to say now - ‘so, soulmates; crazy, huh?’ doesn’t exactly feel appropriate, given the circumstances.

You’re distinctly aware that it’s the middle of the night and you’re at a convenience store and while this might not be the worst time to run into your soulmates again, it’s not far off. 

Maybe that’s not a bad thing, though, because at least it kind of gives you an out. Shifting your weight from one foot to another, you clear your throat, “I hope you guys don’t think I’m being rude or anything, but it is kinda late…” you trail off, hoping they’ll pick up what you’re putting down.

And while Bokuto’s brow furrows, Akaashi at least has the decency to look a little abashed. “Yeah, no, of course. We’re just so… we’re glad we ran into you again.”

 Your cheeks heat again, and to save yourself from having to meet their gazes head on, you quickly spin around, open the freezer door and grab the first pint ice cream that you see. “I just came for this,” you laugh, fighting back a wince at how hollow and fake it all sounds. 

“Here,” Bokuto says, and before you can react he’s snatching it from your grip (thankfully keeping his hand from brushing against yours) and places it atop the basket in Akaashi’s arms. “Our treat.”

He beams at you, and you’re honestly too stunned to reply. You don’t really want him paying for it, but if it gets you out of this awkward encounter any quicker, you’ll swallow down your protests and let it go. 

And so you trail meekly after the two of them as they head to the cashier, and when Akaashi passes you the bag you’re so careful to avoid his touch, a fact he notes with the slightest of frowns, but he doesn’t comment on it. 

“It’s late,” he says instead as the three of you exit into the brisk night air. And then those gunmetal eyes are on you, studying you for a moment. You realise what he’s about to say the moment he opens his mouth again, “Can we walk you home? Or to the bus stop at least?”

Your stomach lurches at the thought of it, of two veritable strangers knowing where you live, but–

He’s not wrong, exactly. It is late, and in hindsight it was probably stupid for you to have come out at this time of the night alone in the first place, whether it was a safe neighbourhood or not. And they’re not strangers, they’re your soulmates.

You have to try. 

So you nod. ‘It’s just down the road,” you murmur, but as the two of them fall into step either side of you, sharing a distinctly satisfied look between themselves, you think that it wouldn’t have mattered how far it was. They would have walked with you anywhere.

Yet their expressions of mild surprise (disappointment, maybe?) when you stop them less than five minutes later in front of your apartment block almost makes you laugh. “This is me.”

Bokuto eyes the building for just a moment before his attention returns to you. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

Lie, that little voice inside your head urges, but you force yourself to ignore it. You have to try. “Uh, not much, I guess…”

Even as you say the words, your hands tighten on your bag, twisting nervously – a sign they either don’t read or wilfully ignore as Bokuto brightens up once again.

“Awesome! Wanna swing by ours to chill for a little bit?”

Like a date, you think as your gaze flickers between the two. Yet Akaashi’s watching you just as intently, those dark eyes far more inscrutable than Bokuto’s, which doesn’t help ease the uncomfortable feeling sitting in the pit of your stomach. There’s really no reason for you to say no, no polite way for you to turn them down. They’re your soulmates, you’re supposed to want this. “Um…”

“Or we can come here, if you want? Or head into the city and do something there, maybe go see a movie or something? Whatever you’d prefer.”

“No!” the words slip from your tongue before you can stop them, the idea of the two of them in your apartment, your home just feels like… too much. “No,” you repeat again, quieter, forcing your features to soften into a hesitant smile. “Your place is good.”

That way you can leave if it all gets to be too much. It’s just a casual hang out. It’ll be fine. 

Both of them seem to relax at your agreement, and you quickly take out your phone to grab Akaashi’s number – sending him a message so he has your number too.

“Perfect,” he says, his voice a purr that sends a ripple of something running down your spine. “I’ll text you the address in the morning.”

You smile at both of them, thanking them again for the ice cream and for walking back with you, even if it was only a few hundred metres. And you think you’re in the clear as you start walking up the steps, trying to balance your keys, your phone and your bags when the sound of your name being called makes you turn around.

Bokuto’s there, a step behind you, and before you can even so much as blink he’s grabbing at your hand, tugging you forward and kissing you.

Just like last time, it’s instantaneous and overwhelming. You feel it all – his giddy excitement, the stirrings of something deeper, less innocent as he cradles your body to his.

And the love. 

Oh god. It’s not mere affection, not some fleeting, superficial thing. It pours over you in unrelenting waves, crushing you under the force of it – you can’t even feel his tongue moving against yours, or the way he sucks on your bottom lip, groaning quietly.

You can’t breathe, can’t think. It’s too much, too much, too strong, too sudden, you can’t BREATHE.

Your trembling hands finds his shoulders, and as your head spins, nausea churning in your gut you don’t waste a second, shoving him away from you with enough force that he actually stumbles back a little.

Though you’ll admit it’s probably more from shock than any strength you actually possess. 

And you don’t dare look to Akaashi as tears fill your eyes, a heaving gasp leaving your lips. Bokuto’s eyes are wide, his mouth agape; he looks confused more than horrified as you stumble back, almost tripping over the last step.

“D-don’t touch me,” you gasp, “please.”

There’s pain in his eyes as your tears well up and spill over and you choke back another sob, but you don’t give him a chance to say anything else. Limbs trembling, you force yourself upright, clutching at the keys in your fist as you skitter towards the door.

You hear one of them, Akaashi you think, calling out your name, but you don’t pause, don’t look back – throwing open the lobby door and slamming it shut behind you. 

And your heart pounds as you climb the steps two at a time, and it’s only once you're in the safety of your own apartment, with the door shut and firmly locked that you allow yourself to breathe. You realise distantly that at some point – probably on the steps outside – you dropped the ice cream they’d bought for you, but you can’t find it within yourself to care. The first time you realise was an accident, they had no way of knowing you were their soulmate, much less how you’d react when they’d touched you. But that–

That wasn’t right.

It wasn’t normal.

Those feelings, that love, you’ve never experienced anything like it, and yet it’s left you feeling filthy; tainted. Scared. It was too much; boundless and abundant, the kind of love that devours and chokes, selfishly strangling everything in its environment to thrive. Overpowering and solely directed at you. How was it supposed to do anything but terrify you. And how can he possibly believe that he loves you like that already?

Soulmates or not, you don’t know him!

This– this whole thing is wrong.

You can’t stop yourself from checking the locks on your apartment another three times before you slip under the covers of your bed, trying to will sleep to find you.

On the nightstand beside you, your phone vibrates, but you refuse to check it, knowing full well that it’s them.

It doesn’t stop.

And with every new notification your blood pressure climbs, and there’s a part of you that’s telling you you have no reason to be reacting like this – whatever happened on those steps, it’s not like they’re going to hurt you.

It was an accident, a misunderstanding.

But they’re still blowing your phone up with notifications and they know where you live and no matter what you tell yourself, you can’t seem to quell the disquiet that eats away at you.

And it’s a cruel thing to do, you know it is, but you don’t know what else to do as you finally give in, swiping your phone up and searching for his contact. The phone rings once, twice, three times and there’s a sinking feeling in your chest when you realise he’s not going to pick up–

“Hello?” Kuguri’s voice is groggy, heavy with sleep and you can almost picture him, sitting up in bed, wiping the sleep from his eyes, running a hand through his messy bed hair. “Fuck, do you know what time it is, Y/N? Why’re you calling me so late?”

There’s a pause, pregnant and heavy, and the only sound that leaves you is the soft hitch in your breath.

“Is everything okay?” he asks, quieter this time, an edge of worry in his tone.

You haven’t spoken to him in weeks, since he’d left without a word and broke your heart, but he’s the only one you want to talk to right now.  

“I-I’m sorry for calling,” you begin, sniffling back your tears. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

—

When you drag yourself out of bed only a few short hours later, your body’s still crying out for a little more sleep, but you can’t afford to indulge.

Like you’d planned, you send the message first thing, ignoring the flood of unread texts above – both from Akaashi and an unknown number you can only assume is Bokuto’s.

I’m sorry about last night, just need some space. 

You have nothing to be sorry for – even if it wasn’t for the frankly unsettling emotions you’d felt, Bokuto’d still kissed you without your permission. But Kuguri said it was better that way – they were less likely to freak out and panic or whatever. You hadn’t questioned it too much, it didn’t really matter what you said so long as they knew you didn’t want them anywhere near you… at least until you figured this whole thing out. And you trusted Kuguri on this.

God knows why he’d even answered your call in the first place, but you’re impossibly glad that he did. Gladder still that he hadn’t hung up on you the moment he’d realised why you were calling.

You scoff down a quick breakfast, before hopping into the shower. The scalding water’s a welcome relief, waking you up more than your coffee had and allowing you the space to think.

Kuguri’s got errands to run this morning, but he’d said you were welcome to stop by his place anytime. He’d insisted on it actually, telling you in no uncertain terms to pack an overnight bag.

‘Look, I’m probably being an overprotective asshole, alright, but I don’t want you there by yourself, so either you come here or I’m coming over there.’

And the thought that you’d need somebody there to protect you, that either one of your soulmates would do anything–

But it’s not so much about them, you think, but you. You’d been a mess when you’d called him, and despite how everything had gone down, Kuguri still cared about you – you can’t just turn those feelings off overnight – is it any wonder that you’d worried him?

Distantly, you register your phone going off a few more times as you busy yourself in washing your hair. You assume it’s Kuguri checking up on you, making sure that you’re alright – you pay it no mind, humming quietly as you reach for your conditioner.

And by the time you slip from your bathroom, wrapped in a big, fluffy towel it’s probably closer to mid-morning than you’d like. You don’t bother blow drying your hair or putting on makeup, instead heading to your room to get dressed and grab some clothes to take to Kuguri’s.

Except there’s a knocking at the door that stops you in your tracks.

You hadn’t heard the buzzer for the building’s main door go off, which meant that it was probably just your landlord stopping by, or one of your neighbours. You know the little girl who lives in the apartment next to yours likes to bake with her dad and sometimes drops off freshly made cookies and treats, so you hastily throw on enough clothes to pass as decent. 

“Coming,” you sing out, racing across the room to reach the door. 

Except when you throw it open, it’s not one of your neighbours standing out in your hallway, nor is it your elderly landlord. 

Akaashi and Bokuto crowd the empty space; Bokuto grinning widely, Akaashi’s dark eyes fixed on yours. 

“You weren’t answering your phone,” he murmurs, a faint frown tugging at his features as studies your face. “We were worried about you.”

And there’s so many things wrong with the fact that they’re here; least of all being how the hell they got into the building to begin with, but you can’t afford to think of any of that. You simply need to get them out of here without causing a fuss. Now.

They’re still your soulmates, you remind yourself as your heart rate picks up. They won’t do anything to hurt you. 

“I-I told you I needed space, please go,” you mutter, clutching so tightly at the edge of the door that your knuckles turn white. “Please,” you beg again when neither of them make a move to leave.

“I told you, ‘Kaashi,” Bokuto says, his smile slipping in favour of a wounded pout, “She’s afraid of us. Her soulmates.”

And you don’t know what compels you to shake your head instead of just slamming the door in their faces, “N-no, I just–”

“She’s just skittish,” Akaashi interrupts, cutting you off mid-sentence. “Overwhelmed – this is all new to her. It’s okay, princess,” he says, addressing you this time with a teasing little smirk, “We’ll be gentle, okay? We’re going to take good care of you.”

It’s the final blow to your tentative politeness. As panic sinks its teeth into you, you skitter backwards, scrambling to shut the front door before they can get in–

Bokuto’s faster. They both are.

Stronger, too. 

[greenygreenland]

Dream A Little Dream of Me: Norman x Reader (Part Three)

-part three is here! I had to slice it in two because apparently there's a certain word block limit (at least on mobile). So get ready for part four!

Summary: You can’t remember anything.

Month four, 08:00

The last thing you recalled was the face of a boy with light hair. His eyes were bright, swirling with love and affection you looked for everyday. Whenever you woke up, you couldn’t remember his name, or his sweet voice that called out to you in your dreams.

All you had was the light of day and the rising sun. It made you sad to look upon it alone in your room. Someone else were supposed to be by your side, right next to you. But who?

And then there was the absence of a motherly figure--a woman you only recalled through song. How was it you remembered that melancholy tune but not a name or face? You wished you knew, and you prayed everyday to whoever was up there to give you another chance. Another go at life--with the people you never knew the names of.

“Good morning, Letha.”

You met the old man’s gaze with a simple nod. His crinkly voice was one of the things you actually didn’t mind, even if it was hard to hear at times. 

The old man, Alex, was kind, but the most you conversed about were your lost memories, your insane knacks for weapons, chess, and lastly, intelligence.

Time wasn’t friendly, and a month passed uneventfully. It turned into two, which turned into three and so on. Every now and then, you wondered if you’d stay like that: a blank slate. Alex said there was this one philosopher who called it a ‘tabula rasa’. For some reason, that fact reminded you of someone long ago.

Dark hair, the smell of old books, dust hidden between bookshelves...

You began to make out the image of a boy. He was no older than you, with cool eyes, a warm, yet small smile. Who was he? His name was at the tip of your tongue, yet it wouldn’t come out.

Ren? Reylo? Tired Cyclops? No, that wasn’t it. Obviously.

It hurt to think too much about it, and before you could grasp onto it, the memory faded, along with the name.

“Don’t think too hard,” Alex warmly said. “I’m sure it’ll come with time.”

He hoped to help you recover your lost memories, but in the meantime, he’d do his best to support you, just as he’d done with his long, dead daughter. For that reason, he felt it was time to bring you to the world outside. In this town you both resided in, everyone died in a war.

Alex was the only survivor.

For that reason, he was the only person you ever got to know these past seven months. There was no one your age around here, and it wasn’t like you went far anyway. Every now and then, Alex brought you a few towns over to experience a nice train ride to his favourite shops. Then he’d buy you something and take pictures.

But now? He felt it was time to take it a step further. He wasn’t sure if you’d like the idea, but it was worth a try.

SEVEN MONTHS LATER, 06:28

“Come again?” you inquired. Alex took a sip of his coffee and stood from the chair. The wooden floorboards of the cabin creaked under his weight. He waddled over to the window, drawing open the plaid curtains. Warm rays of sunlight fluttered upon your face and Alex smiled warmly like he always did.

“It’s time you get out more,” he said, “and experience the world outside this old town. I want you to look across the horizon because there’s more than the cabin.” You knitted your brows together. You didn’t like how cryptic he was being. It reminded you of someone you once knew, someone who you held close to your heart.

“Gramps, what are you trying to say?”

Alex heaved in a long breath, as if he were afraid of saying it himself. “I want you to go to school. College, if you want the specifics.” Your eyes doubled in size and you hoped, prayed, that he would take it back and say it was a joke. College? You didn’t need a degree! And besides, it was expensive. You couldn’t afford something like that. But alas, Alex wasn’t one to joke about serious things like that. He was an old man, so he always meant what he said.

This time was no different.

“You mean it,” you practically whispered. “That you want me to go to college.” Alex nodded, absentmindedly running a hand through his thick, white beard. There was a long pause and you took the time to sip your tea. Would school benefit you in some way? Was it worth the time? The work?

It didn’t make sense. You were smart. Alex said it himself: “I haven’t met anyone as smart as you”. So why did he want to send you to school? It had to be more than just to “meet people” because you did that all the time on the train every few days.

“What’s so good about college, Gramps? We can’t afford to pay for something so expensive. I don’t want to see you in debt just because of me.”

Through your calm façade, Alex noticed the spark of uncertainty in your eyes. Throughout the long days he got to know you, he realised one thing: you were never keen on showing your emotions.

“I want to give you an opportunity to find yourself,” he finally replied. “If the people you knew are around your age, then going to school might bring something back. You know, jog your memories. Besides that, I want you to have a life more than that I can offer. There’s nothing in this small town.”

“I don’t know about that. I have you here. You’re all I know, Gramps.”

Alex knitted his bushy brows together. “I know, but I can’t always be the only one you know. Don’t you want to see the world?”

It wasn’t that going to college was excruciatingly disappointing, only that it was a means of giving out false hope. How could you cling onto something so child-like and unreliable? 

Hope could only get people so far. You were no different.

That night, you lay in bed, wide awake. A nagging thought kept pulling at the back of your mind, repeating itself over, and over, and over again until you couldn’t stand the phrase. But as soon as you repeated it with your own lips, it vanished as if it never existed.

You lay in bed for a little longer, fighting the lull of sleep. It pulled on your eyes, and your head nodded as you forced down a yawn. Sleep was for the weak. If you stayed awake a little longer, maybe you might remember something, right?

-----

The grass tickled your bare feet. If it were any normal day, you would have liked to lay down in its warm embrace with Emma, Ray and Norman. You could watch the clouds together, and wonder about life outside these concrete walls.

But that was stupid to think about, wasn’t it? The liberty to relax and do absolutely nothing had been striped from your very being, like the air that you gasped and chocked on. You held your shoes tightly to your chest and frantically glanced past your shoulder. Good. All clear, just how you liked it.

Norman and Emma lay a couple hundred meters behind. They were your eyes, the two little owls that perched high above with all-seeing eyes. With a grunt, you hopped over a thick tree root and tossed aside your shoes. They landed somewhere in the brush, right where the trees parted.

You came to a stop and glared at the concrete wall towering over you. If you completed your mission and everything remained as straight-forward as you wanted it to be, then you’d escape with everyone. Just like Emma wanted. Just like you tried so hard to believe.

But what if something happened? What if Don and Gilda were caught? Or worse, what if Mama suspected that Ray betrayed her? Surely she wouldn’t go as far as to eliminate him on the spot...

...right?

You clenched a fist so tightly that your knuckles turned white. Stop. Stop it, you told yourself. You had to have faith in your family. They were just as capable as you, maybe even more, so they’d have no issues. You had to focus on your job so they could do theirs.

“My, so this is where you’ve run to?”

You sucked in a sharp breath.

No, that couldn’t be. You made sure she wouldn’t know where you were. You told all the precautions, too. Were Emma and Norman okay? What about Ray? And Don and Gilda?

“I’m surprised you managed to make this far.” Mama stiffly said. “You never were as strong as Emma, or fast either.”

It was like the sun stopped shining. Your blood ran cold. The warm rays turned to ice.

“It’s not too late to turn back (Y/n).” Her voice was silky smooth, tempting almost, as if she were coaxing a frightened sheep to the slaughter. “You’ve improved, my dear, but is it enough? Once your plan crumbles, what will you do then? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to become a mama. It’s the reliable path. You will survive and you will be happy.”

For a moment, you wondered if she actually cared about you. Maybe her love was all fake from the beginning and she didn’t care about you. Or your family. Or anything but survival in this cruel world.

You never loved us.

That was what you wanted to say, yet the words stuck in your throat like glue. If she didn’t love you, then why did she hold you so tightly when you had a nightmare? If she didn’t love you, then why did her eyes shine with pride when you got perfect scores?

“Come, my dear,” Mama coaxed. “Let’s go home.”

The sudden urge to laugh bubbled in your throat like lava.

Home? This was a prison in disguise.

It’s not too late to turn back? A lie.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to become a mama? As if.

You couldn’t afford to betray your family. Not after all you’ve done, and not after all the effort. They relied on you. You weren’t going to let them down.

You turned on your heel to face Mama. She smiled at you, but it wasn’t a nice smile. It made your stomach twist and turn, reminded you just how much of a danger she could be. Your gaze focused past her shoulder, where a familiar head of orange stood.

Emma peeked out from behind the trees and held up the bag of rope. Norman stood from a cluster of bushes and motioned the the wall. They were going to climb it while you distracted Mama. Perfect.

A bright grin broke out onto your lips. “I’m sorry Mama.” you began.

She stood like a statue with wide eyes. “Are you now?” she inquired. You were finally conceding in this fiery war of wits. After all that fuss and now would she have you back by her side? She opened her arms to welcome you. It was all she could do with her prized little girl. Finally you were being smart. Finally you were choosing the reliable path. You were going to follow in her footsteps. Survive. And outlive everyone in this house like she had.

But then something happened. Emma burst from the bushes, followed by Norman who helped throw the rope up a nearby branch. That triggered you into action, and you lunged at Mama with all the strength you could muster.

“I will never--!”

You wrestled for her watch.

“--ever--!”

Mama tugged on your little arms.

“--leave my family behind!”

You yanked the stupid watch out of her hands, but just as you stood, Mama grasped onto your leg and tugged. Hard. She gave it a squeeze, and a sickening crack echoed in your ears. You screamed. Your ears rung and you heaved in a strangled breath.

“You should have taken the reliable path.” Mama’s calm voice made you want to vomit. “None of us would be here if you had listened to your mama.”

-----

Your eyes shot open and you jolted awake. The faces, the voices, the senses--they flashed before you in a whirl of colours and sounds. Why couldn’t you recall who they were? Or what their names were? You knew every single one of them by heart, yet your mind lay completely blank. Again.

The urge to punch your mattress overwhelmed your senses.

“Good morning,” came Alex’s crinkly voice. That snapped you out of your frustrated stupor. He stood in the doorway, a warm smile on his lips and a spatula in hand. “Pancakes are almost done. Today we’ll get you settled in your dorm.”

Oh. Right. Gramps was sending you to a boarding school. The thought of leaving your beloved bed left you queasy and sluggish. Why should you go somewhere so far away from this cozy, little cottage? It was only recently that you settled here too. Maybe Gramps was taking it too fast.

With a heavy heart, you lugged yourself out of bed and threw on a pair of warm clothes. The unforgiving climate of this land was not one you would challenge. Ever.

The moment you emerged from your room was the moment you understood Gramps’s insistence. He meant well, you knew, but in a way you didn’t appreciate. Going out gave you a higher chance of meeting whomever you knew. It was completely logical.

“Are you worried?” Gramps began, placing a stack of pancakes on your plate. “I’ve already informed your school teachers of your amnesia, so they’ll understand. As for your dormitory, everything has been set. And don’t forget your breakfast, lunch, and dinner plans, as well as your--”

“You seem more anxious than me, Gramps.” you said with a subtle smile. He stared at you, wide-eyed until he mirrored you with a chuckle. “I suppose you’re right. I just want to make sure the transition goes smoothly.”

“Of course.”

“And that you’re safe and okay.”

“Gramps--”

“And that you won’t have to worry about a thing.”

“--the pancake’s burning.”

That set him off. He jolted out of his chair faster than his age and capabilities should have allowed. It was a miracle too, because the poor pancake was seconds away from catching fire on the pan. A long sigh left Gramps’s lips as he turned off the stove. “I think I’ll give this to the birds.”

“You best do that, because I won’t eat that piece of charcoal.”

You shared a quick chuckle between each other, savouring the warmth and comfort that came. If someone else had found you that day in the field of endless grass, you weren’t sure if you’d be so lucky. It was by chance Gramps was the one to discover you, so you couldn’t imagine life otherwise.

Once your pancakes were gone and your bag all packed, you traveled to the train station in the early rays of sun. Gramps was the type of enjoy the silence of nature, but to you, it was excruciating.

It didn’t matter where you went. Each time, you looked past your shoulder, to the fading mountains, to the little rabbits that scurried by. It was like you were on survival mode. But why should you be when there was nothing out here? It was so peaceful, so wonderful that you couldn’t imagine anything coming out to get you.

Smile. It’s okay, I promise. I’m here.

You froze and glanced past your shoulder towards the rolling hills and the fading grass. That voice--you knew it. But had you dreamed it up? There was no one here but you and Gramps. A short sigh left your lips and all Gramps could do was ruffle your hair comfortingly.

The train ride was nice. With the calm chugging and the way it swayed, you didn’t mind it at all. Every now and then, your eyes fluttered open and closed. Maybe you were tired. Maybe you weren’t a morning person. Whatever the reason, you submitted to the lull and closed your eyes.

-----

Not a single soul moved for what felt like centuries. The moment Ray, Gilda and Don arrived at the scene, it was clear that nothing else could be done. Mama smiled at her children viciously. She wasn’t here to play nice any longer. Today, she was the hunter and her children the prey.

“It was a clean break. She will recover smoothly,” Mama curtly announced. “And Norman?”

You didn’t like the way she looked at him, or the way her grip seemed to tighten on your limp arms. Her gaze dangerously narrowed and she said, “Your shipment date has been set.”

Your heart stopped and your blood ran cold. Norman’s shipment date had been set? No, that couldn’t be. Your plan required at least another week until everything fell into place. Norman was the core of it all. Without him, what would you do?

And speaking of which, he was going to die.

Die.

Die.

Die.

He was going to die.

You squirmed in Mama’s grasp, hoping--praying that you could maneuver around this. Norman wasn’t going to die. You wouldn’t let him.

“Let me--let me go!”

It was reckless and it was stupid to think he’d be able to evade Mama’s sight just like that, but you had to try.  Didn’t Emma say you’d all leave here together? “Norman--!”

He blinked as if he’d woken up from a long dream. The forced smile the sprouted on his lips looked painful. Don’t struggle, it said.

Don’t struggle? How did he expect you to sit around and do nothing? If anyone should be shipped out first, it should be you. Why? Because you wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if you let any of your family go.

Mama glared down at you with a cold smile. “You can’t fight me more than you can stop the sun from setting,” she said, heaving you higher off ground. Your leg hit her arm and a cry escaped your lips. Norman flinched and Emma remained frozen in place.

You were always the strong one, not Emma, not Ray, and not Norman. Because you were one of the eldest, it was your responsibility to be the shoulder to cry on and to stand when no one else could. To see you holding back tears and gritting your teeth tight enough to make your gums bleed made Norman’s little heart break.

He didn’t care about his shipment date. All he wanted was to see you safe.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of faces, voices and regrets. The sharp pain in your leg long faded, leaving only a dull throb that stayed as a reminder of your failure. Yes, that was what you were, right? You couldn’t complete the plan even with Don, Gilda and Ray distracting Mama. You were pathetic. A waste of space.

The door creaked open and you sat up a little straighter. You smiled at the trio as they entered the room. “Hey guys.”

“How are you feeling?” inquired Norman. He took a seat by your bedside and gave your hand a gentle squeeze. Ray pulled up another chair. He hid his face behind his fringe to conceal his grim frown. It didn’t work though, and you merely smiled at him. He huffed irritably, as if he didn’t want you to know he worried so much.

“I didn’t think she’d go that far.” Ray quietly muttered. You knitted your brows together with a absentminded shrug. “And to think I was that close to getting her watch.” Emma’s shoulders sagged. “I wish I had--”

“It’s fine Emma.” you said with a warm smile. “Broken bones heal, it’s not permanent.” She looked like she wanted to say something, but with the warm smile on your face, she couldn’t gather the courage to. Instead, she settled for a tight hug.

It was hard to look her in the eye anyway. The sadness she tried so hard to force down only added to your guilt, and you weren’t sure if you could think straight with all the regret.

“I’m sorry this happened.” you began. “Now that I’m hurt, you’re worrying for me.”

Emma pulled away as Norman gave a firm shake of his head. “None of this is anyone’s fault.” he stated. "None of us saw that coming, and even if we did, I’m not sure we’d be any good outwitting Mama on the spot like that.” He offered a gentle smile that made you feel just a little bit better.

-----

Gentle smiles. A warm summer breeze. Soft kisses. Tender touches. That was what reminded you of the boy in your dreams. Although you couldn’t recall his face every time you awoke, you remembered the fact that he was handsome and kind.

Gramps offered a warm smile. “Good morning.” You covered your yawn with a hand. “I’m assuming we’re here?”

He nodded. “Are you excited?” It was obvious Gramps knew the question. He only wanted to hear the answer from your mouth rather than from an assumption. As much as you wished to be excited for such a grand opportunity, you weren’t sure you’d like school. Well, how could you guess when you’ve never been to school in the first place?

At least from what you could recall.

“I still don’t know how to feel about this,” you quietly say. Gramps guides you along the walkway and out of the train, where you step out of the station and to the bustling streets of the city. You frown. Gramps said you were going to a boarding school, was it supposed to be somewhere as crowded as here?

From what you read, boarding schools needed large spaces to accommodate dormitories, classrooms, and sports fields. Was there such a thing as space in this congested collection of skyscrapers?

You shook your head to yourself and followed Gramps down whatever path his old-fashioned map led him to. He walked slow. Too slow for your liking. Not only that, but with all the people around, you couldn’t bear not to stick close to his side. What if he got lost? What if you got lost? Or kidnapped and sold on the black market for organs?

Maybe you were just paranoid.

The looming skyscrapers offered no comfort, and the cool breezes that sent shivers down your spine weren’t helping either. You hopped over a patch of ice and pulled your jacket closer just as Gramps came to a stop.

A lot of land stood in the middle of all the skyscrapers, where a pale field of grass stretched out over the acres of land. Buildings that looked like castles peppered themselves out in the form of classrooms, mess halls, and corridors.

You stood in the shadow of the tall brick walls. It separated the school from the rest of the city. An overwhelming feeling of bittersweet hope filled your system, as if you’ve stood in front of a wall like this before. Had you been here? No. You were sure this was your first time seeing the school.

“Take care Letha.” Gramps said. “Don’t forget to eat and exercise, as well as make some new friends. I expect you to call at least once a week, just so I know you’re doing fine.” You smiled a little, cheeks warm in embarrassment. “Gramps, I’m old enough to take care of myself.”

“I know, I know. Just...this is a big step for you.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“Be careful, and have fun. Even if you don’t remember anything, as long as you have fun, it’s fine.” He wrapped you in a tight hug. “And most importantly, I love you Letha.”

You basked in the warmth of his arms. You didn’t need to worry about your memories in that moment because you had Gramps. He was your world. Your family. What more could you ask for? But then he pulled away, and the warmth didn’t linger.

You were still incomplete.

The next day, you found yourself wandering the halls aimlessly, picking apart each detail and escape route in sight. The hall to your left had an exit to the school courtyard, a peaceful place with metal chairs and picnic tables. To your right sat another hall, which also had an exit to another courtyard. Then in front of you stood the front entrance, where the side exits fanned out in the halls next to it.

“Hey, you’re the new girl, right? Letha Meek-aye...Mikhaylov?”

You spun around faster than the speed of light. In front of you stood a girl, perhaps a year older with an unfriendly frown. She wore the generic school uniform: black skirt, long socks, white blouse, gray sweater vest, and a tie. Her bright, red locks stood out like a sore thumb. They curled past her shoulders in beach waves, framing her narrow, freckled face in rouge.

For a moment, you blanked out. When was the last time you spoke to someone, much less a teenager your age? Even though this girl wasn’t intimidating, it wasn’t like you wanted to talk to her. The point of coming here was to figure out if anything jogged your memory and then leave. It wasn’t playtime. “I’m new.” Your voice came out calmer than you felt. “Is that an issue?”

Despite the pointed look on her face, you had a feeling she was one of the nicer people in the area. She had a soft look in her green eyes, as if she understood what it felt like to be a new kid. “I’m Flanna Morris,” she said with a small smile. “Nice to meet you Letha.”

Flanna had an accent. By the hard ‘r’s and the elongated ‘oo’ sounds, you guessed she had to be from Ireland. Gramps told you it wasn’t too far from here, but still a while away.

You sent Flanna a cautious side eye. She was being too friendly. “Yeah, nice to meet you too...Flanna.” A hearty laugh that bellowed in her stomach echoed in the quiet corridors. “Look,” she said, “I’m not here to bully you. I just wanted to offer some help.”

Help? Yeah right. No one in this world offered help without asking for something in return. Besides Gramps maybe--but he was a special case, it didn’t count.

“Come on, I’ll show you around Letha.” The look on Flanna’s sweet face made it hard to decline. If you weren’t interested in seeing if there were any places you missed, then you would have declined. But perhaps Flanna could show you more than the shallow surface of this boarding school.

You passed to through the quiet corridors, where the sun shone through the windows overlooking the street. The sun rose over the horizon and up the edge of the skyscrapers’ base. Cars bustled about, and even through the thick brick walls, you heard all the honking and yelling of the early morning traffic.

“So, where’re you from?” Flanna inquired. You tugged on the strap of your bag’s shoulder strap. “Far away.”

“What do you mean by ‘far away’?”

“I mean the countryside.” you clarified. Flanna ‘ohhh’ed. “The city must be a huge change for you then, I know it was for me.” You knitted your brows together. So she was from the countryside in Ireland? That’s more than a simple change of scenery. No wonder Flanna wanted to help you.

“Okay, so here’s the science hall. Ms. Darsey is one of the best teachers you can have around. You’re a juniour, right? I’m a senior--if you couldn’t already tell...”

Flanna talked a lot. No, she didn’t just love talking, she loved explaining all her experiences with x, y, and z teacher, as well as what classroom and what day of the month it was. She had a wonderful memory, you had to admit, but that made her stories long. Her energy was like a breath of fresh air, and that red hair of hers sparkled like jewels in the morning light.

Flanna’s hair was fiery just like a girl’s you used to know. Her face wasn’t clear in your mind whenever you thought of her, but the joy she always brought you stayed. It made your heart warm. Flanna seemed to have a similar effect, but not as strongly as the girl you once knew.

“You have Mr. Dursley for English,” she noted. “Make sure you don’t stick out. He’s a big pain and if you’re late, he’ll give you a detention.” You raised a brow. Mr. Dursley detained teenagers for being late? What kind of nonsense was that? You decided to phone Gramps later and ask him if that were true. He’d know. Hopefully.

The look on your face made Flanna chuckle, but you had a feeling she didn’t understand your thought process. “Don’t worry,” she casually said. “You’ll be fine. I bet’cha Connor and James will be the first to get a detention. They’re both trouble makers--little devils. Especially James.” You stared up at Flanna’s bright, green eyes. They sparkled like the sun against her hair. You’ve seen that look before, the one of unsaid love and adoration. Long ago, someone looked at you like that.

But who?

You wracked your brain for answers. It was on the tip of the tongue. Right there--just in front of you. Yet it was as if something were preventing you from seeing the truth. The one postulate you knew stuck throughout the days you’ve forgotten who you once were.

Backtrack. Backtrack.

A boy. Light hair. Soft eyes. Kind smile. A laugh that was like music. And the calling of your name.

“(Y--n)!”

Yes, that was the sound of his voice, right? Or maybe it was a stranger’s instead, someone’s you’ve heard on the street. Then whose name was that? Was it even a name to begin with? Maybe it was a word instead and you misheard it as a name. That thought made your heart throb in the worst way possible. Ice filled your veins, and you found yourself pausing to stare out the crystal, clear windows.

“Something wrong?” Flanna inquired. You blinked away the haze and turned to her with a shake of your head. “Just nervous.” A bright smile burst onto Flanna’s lips. “Ah, I see. No worries, you’ll do great. And if you don’t it’s your first day, right? Nothin’ wrong with messin’ up a little.”

You wished you could believe Flanna, but something deep in your heart said otherwise. A slip-up could cost someone more than their reputation. Possibly their life. You couldn’t speak from experience, but you were sure you’d seen a sacrifice. Long ago. Far away in the distance.

Flanna stopped in front of your first period class. “We still have about fifteen minutes before school starts. Everyone’s probably in the cafeteria eating breakfast or fooling around in the field. I recommend you come early to class so you don’t get caught up in the crowd.” And with that, she waved, turning on her heel to hurry away. “I’ll see you during lunch! We have it together, so I’ll come find you in the cafe!”

She rounded a sharp corner and disappeared, leaving you alone in the quiet hall. You peeked in through the open door. At a long desk sat a teacher, who stood at the notice of your presence. She wore thin glasses on her old squarish face, a white blouse with a tie, a woolen navy blazer, and black trousers with heels to match.

The teacher had a kind face, with eyes that were soft with years of wear and tear. The smile on her lips said it all--she had seen things. Many things. “Welcome, I assume you’re Letha Mikhaylov?” She had a crinkle in her voice like the edges of her eyes when she smiled. It complimented her kindly face.

“Yes.” you replied. “That’s me.”

“Well I’m Mrs. Walker.” She motioned for you to come in, that sweet smile still on her lips. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve been informed that you have amnesia. May I ask how much you remember?” You folded your hands together. It was the least you could do to look less nervous.

“I remember skills, knowledge, and the arts. I do not recall my original name or what my life was like before, but I am still highly-functional. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Walker. ”

The way you worded your sentences was off-putting to the teacher. It wasn’t normal for high school students to be so in-line, much less well-off with their manners.

From the report she read, you were taken in by Alex Mikhaylov, a writer who lived in an old, deserted town. He claimed he’d been trying to help you re-gain your memories for nearly a year, but from the looks of it, there wasn’t much to go off of.

Mrs. Walker took a seat at her neat desk. A pencil sharpener sat at the corner along with a tissue box, stapler, tape dispenser, and a plastic name plaque. In bolded letters it said, Mrs. Walker. Of course, in cursive. A few photos were cramped by her computer, where she stood there, smiling with a young girl and a man. Mrs. Walker looked to be around twenty-eight to thirty in that photo.

You stood by her desk awkwardly. Were you supposed to sit in the back? Near the window? Or in the front? The sinking feeling of unfamiliarity plagued your mind as you ran a hand through your locks.

There weren’t any other students here besides you.

“You may take a seat wherever you’d like Letha,” Mrs. Walker said. “I do not assign seats in this class, but if there is an issue, I can if you’d like. Is there anything I should know about you?” You shook your head and took a seat by the window. The football fields, frost-bitten and white, stretched out as far as the eye could see. A little to the left of that were the dormitories. Red brick walls and sparkling clean window panes, just like every other building at the school.

Winter was a wonderful season, but you wished it weren’t so cold all the time. Maybe if there were a bit of snow, it would cheer you up, jog your memory even. “I’m not sure if I have anything of importance.” Your voice echoed in the deserted classroom like a bell. “But I hope I can do my best.”

A smile broke out onto Mrs. Walker’s lips. “Don’t hope, do.”

And so you did. You vowed to do what you could with whatever you could. You weren’t going to hope to do your best, or hope to find your memories because you would. They’d come back to you, and you were going to do everything in your power to get them back.

PART FOUR COMING SOON [GIVE ME LIKE THREE DAYS TO ADD A BONUS PORTION BECAUSE I LOVE YOU GUYS] -->UPDATE: PART FOUR HERE <--

[caramelcal]

her favorite protector

summary: its been weeks since Luke and Bambi last spoke after their argument at the club, and everything seems bleak. things take a turn for the worst for bambi, but it seems only luke can save her from this one. 

word count: 3.25k

requests: Anonymous asked:Hope your doing well and Omg you cannot leave us like that with his favorite club :( my heart is breaking. We need more!! We need cute fluffiness where Luke can change some of those controlling ways. Maybe a kidnapping or something? His worst nightmare coming true that his rivalry is using Bambi to hurt him?

Anonymous asked:For the next part of bambi and Luke, maybe while bambi is at Anna’s, a rival of Luke finds her and she’s really scared and even though they aren’t on the best terms Luke somehow finds her and rescue her

this gif...wow. he’s so pretty <3

ALSO?? LUKE IS ENGAGED TO SIERRA??? I FOUND OUT AND SCREAMED FR AHDFGHBNJHGFD IM SO HAPPY FOR THEM OMG

ᴅɪsᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀ- ɪ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴘᴏsᴛɪɴɢ ᴏʀ ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ғɪᴄs ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ᴘᴇʀᴍɪssɪᴏɴ. ɪ ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴏᴡɴ ʟᴜᴋᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴘᴜʀᴇʟʏ ғɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏ ᴅɪsʀᴇsᴘᴇxᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ғɪᴄs, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ sɪᴍᴘʟʏ ғᴏʀ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ. ᴛʜᴀɴᴋʏᴏᴜ <3

Bambi hadn’t had a particularly great few weeks. She needed space, she knew that, and she knew that time away from Luke would do her the world of good. Anna had been nothing but kind to her, hospitable, not asking too many questions about why she was there and why Luke hadn’t shown up. Anna knew of Luke’s more controlling ways, so it baffled her that he hadn’t even acknowledged the girl being away for so long.

From what Anna had observed previously, Luke could barely breathe without the girl by his side; couldn’t rest easy. Neither could his girlfriend...if they could even call each other that anymore.

Anna, in all honestly, just wanted to know what the hell happened. She knew her best friend well, and she hadn’t stopped looking like you had kicked a puppy right in front of her. Hardly even speaking, barely going out, a very small and almost unnoticeable frown on her face.

It was a miracle that Anna had managed to get her out to the club last night. Sure, the smaller girl didn’t have the best time, but it was far better than any plans that she had at the weekend. All she planned on doing was sitting around and moping, the girl was miserable.

Maybe it was selfish, but she really wanted Luke to text her. She wanted some sort of proof that he still cared for her, and compared to his normal overprotective nature, this was so...different. It was almost as if he didn’t care for her anymore, maybe he moved on. Bambi didn’t know. What she did know of, however, was that Luke had a history of sleeping around. What if he didn’t bother coming back for her and just went back to his old ways instead?

It made her feel sick.

Maybe that’s why she barely got through the first round of shots before she was telling Anna she was going to head home, not wanting to be too much of a damper on her best friend’s night.

It seemed that the plan had worked. By the next morning, Anna was nursing an awful migraine due to her hangover and was sporting many new bruises that she didn’t know where they were from. At some point during the night, she had broken a heel off of her shoes, the discarded heel nowhere to be seen.

Anna still demanded they were going out to run errands the day after, dismissing her hangover but demanding that the smaller girl drove her. Surprisingly, she had gotten used to driving after so long of not even having her hands on a steering wheel. It wasn’t her fault that Luke had always preferred that he or Jacob drove her.

Granted, the girl didn’t have a car yet, but Anna was chill about her using hers.

“Anna,” The girl called out from the room, putting her converse on and tying them up, awaiting her friend to reply to her shout.

However, her reply never came, making the girl sigh. Maybe the girl had fallen asleep or just didn’t want to shout back due to her headache. She quickly picked up her purse and walked into the hallway leading into the main front room, “When are we leaving for-”

The smaller girl cut herself off, looking up towards where Anna should have been by herself but instead was pulled against a man’s chest, tears streaming from her eyes, absolutely horrified. A gun was pointed at Anna’s head, making Bambi still in fear.

“One bad move and this bullet goes into her brain, kid,” One of the men’s gruff voices warned, making fear hit the small girl like a wave. She didn’t know what to do, she wasn’t exactly prepared for it.

Bambi stilled, eyes traveling up to meet the older man in front of her, he looked powerful, must have been their leader. He was older than her, but couldn’t have been much older than 30. Small pieces of stubble decorating his jawline and a black shirt covering his muscles, stretching across his wide chest.

“Good move, princess. You’re coming with us,” The next thing the small girl knew was that the gun was no longer pointed towards Anna, instead, it was directly facing her. One pulling of the trigger and a bullet was going to lodge its way between her eyes.

Bambi didn’t have any time to react or notice the person behind her before their cloth-covered hand was covering her mouth. She was pulled against their body, restricted, unable to scream. Her mouth was dry with fear, the strong smell of chemicals hitting her nostrils as she breathed in. Chloroform.

Bambi’s eyes meet Anna’s tear-filled ones, her figure shaking lightly with terror. Anna was pressed down against the counter now, cheek against the marble, hands behind her back, and gun pressing against her temple. She could only watch, helpless, as her best friend was being manhandled out of the house.

Bambi couldn’t do anything either -weaponless- defenseless against these guys but she knew exactly why they were there. They were there to get her, to use her as a bargaining chip against Luke, just about the biggest cliché in the book. The small girl couldn’t help but wonder what they would do to her once they found out that she was useless, and no longer affiliated with the tall Australian. Would they put a bullet in her brain? Send her in a bag to the bottom of a lake?

However, the girl didn’t get much time to question or worry about this as the chloroform from the cloth weakened her as she was about the be thrown in the car, slumping against the man behind her, eyes closed, legs collapsing from beneath her, her consciousness slowly ebbing away into nothingness.

  By the time that the girl had woken up, her vision was blurry, and she was tied to a chair, her arms behind her, legs tied to an individual leg of said chair. She was in a warehouse that looked to be completely abandoned, a hole in the roof allowing cold air to waft about. It was freezing.

“Looks like sleeping beauty had woken up,” A scratchy masculine voice taunted at the small girl, standing tall in front of her, blocking her from seeing anything.

“What do you want from me?” Her voice was also scratchy, maybe from the chloroform, she wasn’t entirely sure. She still felt disorientated, barely keeping herself from staying upright as she looked at the man who stood above her, a sinister grin on his face.

“We don’t want anything from you, kid. We want your boyfriend’s head blown off his body.”

“I don’t,” Bambi cut herself off for a moment, coughing, “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

The man above her scoffed, rolling his eyes as he looked back down at the girl again, “Don’t act like I’m stupid, princess. All you gotta do is phone him, and Hemmings will come rushing to save his little girlfriend.”

Tears gather in the girl’s eyes as the reality of the situation kicks in. It isn’t a dream, this was her real life. She didn’t want to be trapped like this, in this chair or this life. Luke didn’t care for her anymore, he hadn’t talked to her in weeks, why would he come and save her?

“He won’t come.”

“Don’t play me, princess. I’ve never seen Hemmings ever with a girl twice until you,” He pointed towards the girl, sneering ever so slightly, “You are the key to us getting his gang wiped off of the map. starting with Hemmings, then Clifford, then Hood and Irwin.”

Tears choked up the girl’s throat, her mouth opening as she thought of the fight that she had with him, then the weeks of not talking. The loneliness, the discord. Luke hadn’t bothered to reach out to her, to check that she was ok. Her head shook slightly as the strong emotions continued to arise, “He doesn’t love me anymore, it’s useless.”

The man’s hand gripped the edge of Bambi’s shirt lightly, his jaw clenching as he spoke harshly, spit flying out of his mouth as he threatened the young girl. The gun, which had loosely been held in the man’s hand was now pointed at her once more, “Didn’t ask for your fucking sob story, kid. Open your fucking phone and call him.”

Bambi was frozen in fear, it felt like ice was going through her veins as her phone was thrashed harshly into her shaking hand. At her hesitance to call him, the gun was pressed harshly into the skin of her ribcage as the man ordered again, this time with his words even more clipped, “Now.”

She knew the man wasn’t asking, it wasn’t even an order, it was a threat. This man was dangerous, and she was defenseless against him, if she even wanted a chance of survival she had to comply and hope that he prayed mercy on her and let her go when she realizes she isn’t of use. Shakily, the girl found Luke’s contact, swallowing back her tears, she pressed the call button.

It was silent in the big room in the warehouse other than the few rings the phone made out as the man made her put the phone on speaker. Surprisingly, only a few moments of the phone ringing, it stopped, connecting onto the call with the tall Australian himself.

“Hello?” Luke’s voice sounded out and the girl felt the tears begin to roll down her cheeks at the sound of his voice. It was familiar, it felt like home but at the same time, she felt her stomach clench. His voice was surprisingly soft, the only indication that Luke knew that it was his Bambi calling.

She knew that he had been expecting her to call most likely. She just wished it hadn’t happened like this. She opened her mouth to talk, but the words didn’t form as the tears fell harder, his voice sounding through once more, this time sounding more concerned, “Bambi? What is it?”

“Luke I-” She cut herself off, forcing her sobs to stay silent as she felt the man press the gun against her in annoyance, rolling his eyes before stealing the phone out of the girl’s hand.

“Hemmings, you know when I found out you had a new girlfriend I didn’t think she’d be quite as soft as this,” The man taunted as he stared down at the girl in front of him, “She’s not your usual type, is she? Where’d you find this one?”

“What do you want, Andrews?”

“I want you to meet me at the warehouse, you know the one I’m sure,” The man had rolled his eyes, not that Luke could have seen and a smirk rose to his face, “I’d tell you to come alone without any weapons but I won’t. Bring Hood, Clifford, Irwin, I don’t care. I can just wipe out you all at the same time.”

It was silent for a moment, “What makes you think I will?”

“Because if you don’t I’ll make sure the next time you see your little love she’ll have a bullet in her head. Wouldn’t want me to mess up her pretty little face, would you?” He looked back at the smaller girl again, sending her a malicious smile that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, “You have an hour, Hemmings.”

With that, the man hung up, tossing the girl’s phone to the floor and crushing it swiftly with the heel of his shoe.

The next hour was taunting for the small girl. The man didn’t leave her side, almost as if he was afraid that she would escape. At that time, she tried to distract herself with anything, but the cold warehouse was bare apart from the chair she was stuck to and the clock that stood high on the wall in front of her, taunting her almost.

The time slowly went by, and the girl lost hope. Luke wasn’t coming for her. Soon enough, the clock struck the time that would have been an hour past the phone call. Then another ten minutes passed. Another five.

“He isn’t coming,” The girl had spoken up to the man, which most definitely wasn’t the smartest thing.

The man continued to look straight forward, scoffing, “Shut up girl. He will.”

He seemed so assured of himself, of Luke. For a man that hated Luke so much, he seemed to have a lot of faith in him. The silence, which had yet again filled up the room was broken by the sound of someone talking through the radio, yet it was too broken up to hear.

The man took the radio off of the side of his pants, holding it up to his face, “Jason? Tyson? Can anyone hear me?”

Only more crackling sounds were heard until it faded off into silence. The man’s face twisted into a scowl as he cursed under his breath, getting his gun out and marching towards the door. He wasn’t very smart, clearly, leaving the girl unguarded and alone; she was all of the leverage he had against Luke.

The sound of gunshots made the girl flinch, eyes screwing shut as she began to shake. She didn’t want to be here. She just wanted to be home, in her bed. Not Anna’s guest bedroom, but her own. She couldn’t deal with this anymore.

The fighting got louder and louder until she heard someone battering right against the walls of the room she was in. The door heaved open, but she couldn’t find it in herself to open her eyes, too petrified of who could be there if she did. Hands pressed against her skin as she jumped, trying to fight them away but to no avail as they untied her bound legs.

“Bambi,” The man breathed out, and suddenly the smell of a familiar cologne clung to Bambi’s nostrils, her tears going thicker.

Her eyes opened to find Luke in front of her, crouched down, throwing the rope away that she had been tied to. She threw herself into his arms, hands going around his neck, one hand in his curls. He held onto her like he was scared she was going to evaporate right between his arms, holding her close against his body.

“It’s alright dove, I’ve got you,” He whispered, trying his best to comfort the sobbing girl in his arms. His eyes were closed, thankful to have the girl back in his embrace, and had no plan to let go of her anytime soon, “I got you.”

Calum, Ashton, and Michael had covered his back, successfully eliminating all of the threats as he had raced to get his girl, to have her safe with him once more. They had entered the room to see their best friend crouched down, practically encasing the smaller girl in his arms as she cried, him comforting her. They deserved their privacy, even after everything that had gone on, but they knew they needed to get out of here soon.

The girl’s tears subsided for a moment as she pulled away from the man, eyes darting around and voice panicky, “You need to find Anna, she was-”

“I know, she called me. She’s safe. We’ve been trying to figure out a plan to get you back for three hours now baby,” After his reassurance, he used the hand that was on the back of her head to push her towards him slightly, kissing her forehead as he played with her hair.

Soon enough, he has his leather jacket off, leaving him in only his black button-up, splaying the jacket across her shoulders to keep her warm. The drive back to their condo is silent, but that’s exactly how it should be. Luke doesn’t take his hand away from Bambi for the entire ride, despite how dangerous it could be. He just wants to remind himself that she’s there; back in his arms.

Luke had to admit, the condo felt warmer now that she was back in it. She sat on the counter in the bathroom, hand holding onto Luke’s as if it was her lifeline as he ran them both a bath, helping her strip down and get into the bath before sliding in behind her, pulling her against him.

Bambi basked in the warmth that both the water and the person behind her gave her. They barely talked for the first ten minutes, enjoying the comfort that the silence brings with it.

“I love you,” Luke murmured, pressing a kiss against her shoulder, stubbly beard itching her shoulder.

“I love you too, Lu,” The girl twisted around to face the man, pressing her lips against his, bubble-covered hand getting bubbles on his face. She doesn’t mention the beard, far too tired to make unnecessary conversation. She, however, noticed the guilty and solemn expression on her boyfriend’s face, quietly stating, “It’s not your fault, you know.”

“I should’ve protected you,” He whispered, hand reaching up to cradle her cheek, softly tracing patterns on her cheek with his thumb.

“No, you were giving me space, as I wanted. You were being respectful of my boundaries, and I love you for that.”

“It put you in danger, Bambi,” His hand that was around her waist pulled her closer when he said that, “I’ll do better, I promise. I’ll protect you.”

“No, Lu. You can’t protect me forever,” The girl said, kissing him on the cheek before speaking again, eyes never moving from the gaze that she held with the blue-eyed man, “I wanna drive, go out by myself without Jacob. I wanna go to the club-”

“Absolutely not,” Luke scoffed, shaking his head, his protective side of the smaller girl coming out.

“Luke,”

She looked up at him, head tilted slightly to the side with an eyebrow raised. He stared down at her, holding his ground before he looked away, letting out a slightly exasperated and breathy laugh, “Fine. But you only go to the club with me and you never leave my side. And you’re taking boxing classes. MMA, whatever. I’m teaching you how to fight. You need to tell me where you’re going at all times and sometimes let Jacob drive you but you still need to leave when low-level gang members are here-”

“Luke.”

“Fine. But you need to keep your distance from them, ok?”

The girl smiled beamingly, kissing him on the lips. She knew that from a protective boyfriend like Luke, that was the best that she was going to get, “Thanks babe, love you!”

Luke grumbled something lightly that sounded like ‘yeah, love you too’ as he rolled his eyes, the girl starting to clamber out of the bath. Her hands were starting to wrinkle due to the water, showing her that she needed to get out. However, she nearly slipped, thankfully being held back by her boyfriend, who helped her get out safely.

Slipping a towel over her body, she sent her boyfriend a sheepish smile, “How’re you expected to defend yourself at the club if you can’t even get out the bath, Bambi?”

“Oh shut it, Lu,” The girl laughed, making the blond’s face crack out into a small smile, “You coming or what?”

“Yeah yeah, give me a minute,” With that, the girl left, leaving the man to shake his head with a smile on his face. They were both back, with each other, where they belonged.

[wesimpforxiao]

Say My Name and I’ll Be There:  5.2

Author’s Note:  I saw this on pinterest and thought it applied to Xiao XD  P.S.  Do you readers like that the story is in 2nd POV, or should I change it to 3rd person?  My thinking is this POV allows me to get away without mentioning appearances or a chosen name so ya’ll could be put in OC’s shoes?

..............................

Is it just me, or is he looking my way?  You caught Childe in the act while you and your team retreated into the opposite tree line after Aether had taken the dragon tooth.  Something didn't feel right.  The trees seemed to close in on you like tunnel vision.  Was he planning on attacking you with the skirmishers at his side? Was he going to show his true colors now?  Is it time to face death?

He dismissed the soldiers and retreated from the direction you had all spotted the skirmishers in the first place.  He made a point to cast a meaningful glance your way.

I can't let it happen now, you looked to each of your teammates as you all ran through the snowy woods.  If he brought all of those Fatui agents on board with taking you out, the entire group would be overwhelmed.  The sheer cold puts us at a disadvantage.  Bennett could get hurt.  Xiao can't fight with his full strength.  When was the last time Aether and Childe sparred?  I can't rely on those results to protect me either.  

No one was paying attention; you could slip away and try to strike a deal with the Harbinger.  Bargain for Xiao's freedom and safety. You were hypersensitive to the weight of your coat on your shoulders, and the crunching of snow beneath your boots.  He can't hurt us now...not now!

You peeled away from the group and they continued to run towards a cave several hundred yards from their current position.  No one had heard you.  When you finally reached the first firepit, you found Childe waiting next to it.

"Oh there you are, ojou-chan!  Did you get the tooth? Where are the others?  They didn't run into trouble, did they?"  He greeted you with his signature friendly stature.

"Drop the act, Childe." You came to a halt maybe ten feet from him, with your back to the firepit.  It warmed your body significantly and you could finally feel your fingers and toes again.  He was on the far end of the open area.

"Whatever do you mean, ojou-chan?"  The mask didn't crack.

"We're alone now.  Is that what you wanted?"

Childe stared at you for a moment before breaking out into a loud fit of laughter.  "Oh ojou-chan, you know me so well〰"  He took a couple steps toward you.  "You should know I've been meaning to talk to you."

"That's close enough."  He stopped.  "I know what you're after."

"Oh?"  A dangerous glint sparked in his eyes, one that you've never seen before.  "Enlighten me then."

"I don't want Xiao dragged into whatever mess you brought upon us.  Whatever your plan entails, it ends with me."

"A noble sacrifice for a man that will not love you," he smirked.  "Why do you try to protect him when he can clearly fight for himself?"

"He's been through enough already," your hands closed into fists as you recalled his horrific past.  "I'll go with you, but only if you give me your word you won't take him too."

"Ha!  I feel no need to fight you, ojou-chan."  The sincerity in his voice attracted your gaze back to him.  "I don't wish to hurt you."

"Huh..?"  That's out of character.  Is this some sort of trap?

"I...have other goals in mind.  They require your cooperation, of course.  And your cutting of ties with the adeptus."

"Cutting ties?  Why would I do that?"  Your brows furrowed.

"My loyalty lies with the Tsaritsa, but I have a special interest with this mission after meeting you, ojou-chan," he made his way closer, and you stood in total confusion.  "I will personally see to it that you will not get harmed at all in Snezhnaya.  It all depends on your answer."

"You...I don't get what you mean.  What answer?  What exactly are you asking of me?"  Whatever it was, you sure as hell weren't going to agree with it.  But as soon as the questions left your lips, you knew.

He does like you.

Childe took note of the realization--and the fear--on your face and continued. "Surrender is a valid option, I promise I'll be gentle.  This is a simple route that avoids all the fighting and pain.  All you need to do is allow me to love you, and I won't harm your friends.  You have my word."

"L-love me?"  The words left a terrible taste in your mouth.  "I...I could never!  I could never love you, either!  You killed my Granny...you stole her house from her frail hands.  You...You!" Your sword made a metallic sound as it was unsheathed.

Childe inhaled and manifested his bow.  He nocked an arrow onto his finger and drew the string to his cheek.  "A most expected answer, ojou-chan.  Thank you for strengthening my resolve.  This will be much more enjoyable now."  Whatever turmoil that shone in his eyes was long gone  and replaced with pure malice.  "Let's make this a fair fight."  The arrow shot into the fire and extinguished it.

"Tch." You ran toward him as fast as you could in the snow, and crossed sword with lance.

"Not bad," your opponent grinned with satisfaction.  "Where'd you learn this technique from?"  You somehow managed to keep up with his unrelenting blows thanks to the muscle memory that belonged to Xiao.  "I don't recall the adeptus ever training you."

"Ngh!"  He landed a kick to your stomach and you fell into the snow.  Childe let you get back up, completely high on the thrill of fighting you and more than intent on dragging it out so he could watch your fighting spirit diminish.  I may be keeping up with him, but I can't land a solid blow like this.  You slowly removed your two remaining jackets and tossed them into the snow next to the extinguished firepit.  If I can somehow finish the fight quickly...You knew it was a hopeless battle.  A fight between a non-vision wielder and a harbinger that wields both vision and delusion? Complete and utter self-annihilation will ensue.

"I admire your tenacity, comrade," he watched the jackets fall.  "But now that I have my answer, there's no reason to wait any longer."  He shoved his lance towards you when your guard was down.

"I won't let you hurt him!"   You swung your blade to parry, and a sudden blast of material sent the two of you flying backwards into the snow.  Your vision was suddenly looking into the tree canopy.  "Ugh, wha--?"  You sat up to find ice shards scattered across the snow.  Something cool and metallic sat in your free hand.  You opened your palm to reveal what you least expected.

A vision.

You stared at your hand with bewilderment while Childe rose to his feet with a mixture of shock, admiration, and annoyance.  "I see.  An unexpected development," he remarked with cold eyes.  "It's a shame you won't have the chance to wield it properly against me.  He drew his bow and aimed for your chest.  Another block of ice manifested before the arrow could pierce you.

You placed the artifact into your jean pocket, and you rose to your feet with a newfound confidence.  Maybe you could beat him here and now.  Images of Xiao's fights involuntarily crossed your mind, and a lance of ice materialized in your hand.  You held it so that the tip pointed directly at Childe.

Another clashing of blades, this time converting Childe's into an ice sculpture.  But not before you had managed to freeze his leg into the snow for a hot second.  You ducked at his swings, parried his attacks, and followed through with a sequence of your own--or rather Xiao's--attacks.  It looked like you were gaining the upper hand until Childe caught your blade in his gloved palm.

"Thank you for the entertainment, ojou-chan," he growled.  "But this is where it ends for you."  Did you really think he hadn't studied your newfound techniques during your previous fighting session?  So naïve of you, ojou-chan.  You can't use the same tricks twice.

You retracted your weapon and lay waste another blow.  He easily parried it.  You engaged in a combo before swiping your feet at his legs; he leapt away before you could knock him down.  You were frustrated now, your movements becoming sloppier with each passing movement.

There's the real you, he mused.  His frozen blade dug into your dominant shoulder with such force that he had you pinned to a tree.  He felt nothing but sadistic pleasure course through his veins at the sight of you squirming in pain.

"Gah!" A shriek escaped your lips and your lance dropped from your hand.  You tried to claw the spear out of your body as he stalked ever closer to you.

"I don't even need Foul Legacy to kill you. You could never defeat me, not even in your wildest dreams," Childe stalked towards you as he twirled a new hydro polearm behind his body, stopping once its blade pressed against your neck.  He could kill you in an instant, and he would if he wasn't required to bring you alive.

You were seething with anger and hatred. It was stupid of you to go after him on your own, to seek a peaceful resolution to this conflict when you knew all along that there wouldn't be one. It didn't matter now. Your anger subsided, shoulders releasing themselves from the tension in your muscles once you thought of an idea. Even the pain in your dominant shoulder seemed to subside a bit.  Your sudden change in demeanor made Childe's grip loosen for a moment as he questioned the newfound peace emanating from you.

Your eyes closed and your lips curled into a smile. Adeptus Xiao, you called to him in your heart.Please hear me and answer my prayer for protection.

A sudden gust of wind blew against your back, and Childe faltered. He looked to you for an explanation, and you met his gaze through his mask. "I know, but he can."

Xiao burst into Childe at an incredible speed, knocking him square into another tree. The trunk splintered in half from the force.  He conjured his polearm and held its blade at Childe's throat. "Why the sudden politeness in your prayers?" He called out over his shoulder without taking his eye off the Harbinger.  I'm cursed with hearing her rambling whenever I'm gone, and only now she speaks politely to an illuminated adeptus?  Despite that thought, he actually loved hearing your voice reach his ears.

"I-I don't know.." WAIT, he COULD hear me all this time?!  Blush further tinted your pink cheeks that were red from the sheer cold.

"Tsk," Childe spit blood onto the snow and glared at the yaksha.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't decapitate you here."

Childe wasn't going to give him a reason and debated on conjuring his polearm instead.  Here he was, about to die at the hands of the damned yaksha, and all because he had decided to give you a chance to 'escape' a portion of the hardship that awaited you.  Signora would lose what respect she had for him if she ever found out.  Oh well.

"Ngh," you writhed against the tree.  Your feet were just inches from solid ground, making this injury all the more painful as you hung from the lance.  You couldn't move your dominant arm anymore.  Xiao let go of Childe's collar and moved to your aid.  He slipped your other arm over his shoulder so he could relieve the pressure off of your injury, then yanked the spear out without warning.  Your shout of pain scared the nearby foxes away.

Xiao gave the Harbinger one last glare before he lifted you in his arms and took off at an incredible speed.  It was only a matter of seconds before the two of you caught up with the rest of the group, who were waiting just inside a small cave that held mysterious lab equipment.

"Be careful,"  the yaksha set you on your feet but refused to remove your arm from around him.

"There you are!  W-where'd Childe go?"  Bennett paled when he saw your injury.  "Here, let me see that."  Aether, Paimon, and Xiao exchanged knowing looks while Bennett examined your shoulder.  "You should sit down.  This isn't anything I can't fix!"

"What happened? Did Childe...?" Aether trailed off once he returned with a bowl of water from a boiling pot.  

"Mn," you winced when Bennett peeled your shirt off of your bloody skin.  "I thought he was conspiring with those agents when we were making a run for it, so I followed him."

"A foolish decision," Xiao grumbled.  He took the water from Aether and held it to your lips.

"Were you at least able to find anything else out about his plans? Or Signora?"  Paimon spoke up.  "It's not worth getting hurt over if you just throw yourself in harm's way like that."

"I thought he was going to..." your eyes flicked to Xiao's for a split second before they fell to the ground.  '--Hurt you,' you wanted to say.  But the yaksha would not hear of it if you said something so foolishly naïve.  You were just a measly human after all, with little knowledge of fighting and a large heart that wanted to protect those around her.  A big heart could only go so far; it proved useless in your battle today.  Or did it?  You nearly jumped up when you remembered, "I have something! I got something from this!"  Your loud yelp scared the daylights out of Bennett, and he nearly yanked the stitch out that he had just put into your skin.  You dug into your pocket and pulled out the artifact.

"Is that--?!"  Paimon and Aether sprung to their feet simultaneously.

"A vision?"  Xiao's eyes widened slightly.  And a cryo one, at that.

"So cool!" Paimon spun around with excitement.  "You're officially one of us now! Er, not that you weren't to begin with--"

"Congrats,"  Aether nodded and flashed you a toothy grin.  

"Yeah, congrats!"  Bennett also flashed you a bright smile and observed the trinket in your palm.  "Wow, we're like, polar opposites!"

"Heh, yeah," you nodded with a faint smile.  Your eyes found Xiao's, which were locked onto your vision.  "Xiao?"

"You received a blessing from the very god that's hunting you.  Do you not find that odd?"  His lack of enthusiasm made your chest ache in disappointment.  

Was he not proud of such an accomplishment?

"Yeah now that you mention it," Paimon held her chin and thought.  "It is really weird.  Why would she make her target more powerful? Wouldn't that just make it more difficult for her to capture you?"

"Did Childe say anything about it?"  Aether prompted.

"No," you shook your head slightly and pursed your lips.  "He seemed as surprised as I was."

To be blessed with the cryo vision, one must commit an act that revolves around love, Xiao's brows furrowed.  Had she done something on the behalf of her grandmother, or is this all in the Cryo Archon's plan?  It never crossed his mind that you had gotten it on his behalf.

[tamagochiie]

pairing: timeskip!kenma x fem!reader

synopsis: You come home late from your cousin’s funeral, and though Kenma didn’t expect much from you but perhaps a few leftovers you’ve managed to steal away from the dinner, he finds you with a surprise: a sleeping child cradled around your neck and a teenage boy hovering behind you.

Your poor boyfriend wondering what in the hell it is you’re plotting…

tags: angst and fluff, time skip!, slight spoilers if you squint

warnings: mentions of death, mentions of depression, cursing 

w/c: 2.5k

a/n: welcome to the first chapter of this series! i’m very excited to start this, and i hope everyone who reads it enjoys it as well! i got the idea from a manga i was binge reading a while back, so the themes and a few of the plot points are different, but as it progresses, i’ve made it my own. 

anyway, happy christmas! see you next week! 

master list

life as she’s known it >> 

You notice the subtle clench of Kenma's jaw beneath the warm glow of the hallway's light. His hooded gaze strained by hours upon hours of gaming meets your wavering grin. The gears in his head are turning very slowly, and since silence has fallen upon the atmosphere of your shared apartment, you can actually hear the little squeaks as your poor boyfriend tries to fathom the sight before him.

You have quite a knack for bringing peculiar things home without permission; the little frog you adopted on the side of the road during your commute home one stormy night, the mud pie your nephew made for you that stunk the entire apartment for weeks because you didn't have the heart to throw it away—at least not immediately; and the dinner you brought home from the self-proclaimed "legitimate" kebab restaurant that resides in the sketchier side of the city.

All quirky things that Kenma had accepted and grown used to.

But this? This was so far from the bar you had set for his expectations, he can't help but wonder if you're pulling a prank, or maybe even actually committing a crime. But the glint of guilt and sorrow painting so deep into your face tells him otherwise.

Oh, how the poor gamer wishes it was a prank.

You swallow your fear, forcing it all the way down to the pit of your stomach. You've practiced all you've needed to say in the ride home, but all you can manage is stuttering, "I-I can..I can explain," in rather hushed tone.

There goes all my practice, you think to yourself.

Kenma raises a brow, still peering at you with the driest expression. The child in your arms begins to weigh heavier than the pressure placed upon your chest.

Ah, he just might break up with me after this...

"This is—uh, this one behind me is Eiji—Ejij say hi." The young boy behind you bows shyly, his greeting softer than a whisper it feels like you imagined it. "And this little one—sleeping soundly—this one's Yuki..."

Kenma blinks away at your words, face unamused. You regret not even trying to bring home some cake. Maybe if you did, he wouldn't be so...upset? Is he upset or is it just his face again? You can never really tell.

You huff, quietly jumping to the harsh conclusion this'll be the moment he ends things with you. But you won't go down without at least a little fight.

"Look," You sigh, shifting your hold beneath Yuki's tiny bum so he doesn't slip away, "They needed a place to stay, and no one was willing to take them!" Your lips fall dry and the more you speak, the more your words come out strained. "In a room full of people who—who called themselves your family for so many years fall silent the moment they needed help! No one spoke up to help them! It was so bad, Kenma! I-If you were there you—"

You bite your tongue, catching yourself before you're swept away by the current of your rage.

A deep, shaky sigh escapes him. His eyes finally tearing away from you as he cranes his head back, seemingly accepting his temporary defeat. "Let them sleep in the spare room and we'll talk after," is the only thing Kenma says to you before turning around walking away.

The constricting feeling in your chest eases and you sigh in relief. You mentally high five yourself for your momentary win before twisting your gaze over your shoulder to look at the young boy towering over you, motioning him to follow you.

You never noticed how wide the apartment actually is. Maybe its because of the emptying feeling you were left with back in the hallway, but it all seems so eerily wide. Like, what are two people doing with such a big space?

He'll definitely break up with me after this.

There's still a lingering prickly feeling in your heart; a mixed emotion of a win and a loss. You try your best to prepare yourself for whatever the outcome may be, but deep inside you're already prepared for a break up.

The young boy trails behind you all the way into the bedroom, leaving a considerable amount of space between the two of you.

You switch the lights on, revealing a room big enough for more than just two kids. A desk on the side, a king size bed at the center, and a window with a good view of the city. It was usually the room Hinata crashed whenever he came back from traveling with his team, but he hadn't been here in months. Traces of him were left in the form of dust.

"Will this be good enough for now?" You ask Eiji as you shrug Yuki's backpack to the floor before making your way over to the bed.

His head is lowered, eyes still failing to meet yours. He's been like this since you pulled them from under the gossiping gaze of your family.

Family, you think. The word seems so meaningless now.

"When someone speaks to you, you ought to look at them," You say it with a genuine smile, hoping that the little warmth you have left in your heart radiates off you and onto him.

God knows he needs it more than you.

"Y-yes, you're right. Thank you." He stammers, "I'm-I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude—"

"Hey," You say, gently cutting him off as you hold your smile. He's still as soft and shy as the day you first met him. You can't help but smile at the thought that he never changed. "I'm not mad or anything...Its just a teaching moment. Remember it."

You watch as Eiji slowly shifts his gaze away from the floor, slowly raising his head to meet your eyes."There you go. You've got pretty eyes, you shouldn't hide them."

He hums a quiet thank you before turning around and shifting his attention to his backpack. You take care of the little one still hanging onto you, pressing a kiss onto his little forehead and rubbing his back before settling him down onto the bed.

You're careful not to stir him as you slip his shoes off. You tuck him in, brushing his hair away from his face to reveal his long lashes and puffy eyes.

Ah, there goes the heaviness in your chest again; a recurring feeling for the day. You wonder when it'll end and your heart sinks even deeper when you remember Kenma waiting for you.

Hesitantly, you excuse yourself and make your way to the door. You let Eiji know where the bathroom is and tell him not to be scared to ask you for anything, "Please don't scared," is the last thing you mutter before leaving the boys to rest.

You tiptoe across the living room, down the hall and towards your shared bedroom. The wooden floorboards creak beneath your feet whispering, "You've done it now", "You've crossed the line", and "He's definitely going to yell at you".

You clench the knob of your bedroom door. The thumping of your heart deafens your ears and your throat grows too dry for you to swallow your fear.

You shut your eyes and pray to the deities, hoping for a good outcome—hoping for any outcome than the one you're expecting.

It takes a moment—five minutes to be exact—but you muster a sliver of courage to push the door open. For some odd reason, you imagined Kenma would be sitting at the edge of the bed, silently brewing in his anger. But instead, he's on the floor, knees up to his chest as he fiddles with his Switch.

And you can't tell if you're annoyed or relieved.

You shut the door behind you before joining him on the floor. You keep your head down, picking off your nail polish while you wait.

Kenma pauses his game, setting it down to the side before completely leaning against the bed, lulling his head back to take a breath. You shut your eyes and you take a deep breath when you feel him shifting in his place to face you.

Here it is. He's going to yell at me, you think.

"What are you plotting?" He asks, not a single trace of irritation found in his voice but rather sheer curiosity dripping from his words. You keep your head down and eyes shut. "You ought to look at someone when they're speaking to you," Your name rolls off his tongue playfully, covered in nothing more than love and sincerity.

You peak an eye at him, lifting your head. "You're not gonna to yell at me?"

"When have I ever yelled at you?" His face contorts in judgement and a little concern, wondering if his girlfriend's broken or just completely stupid. "Why would I yell at you now?"

"I brought home two stray kids..."

"Yes, you did," He says matter-of-factly, "and we need to talk about that. So, can we please talk about that?"

You nod slowly, bringing your knees up to your chest before turning your whole body to face him.

Kenma sinks his elbow onto the end of the bed, cupping his chin for support before he speaks, “Who are those kids and why did you bring them home?"

Kenma looks at you directly, his face emotionless, but a bit softer compared to when you were first standing in the hallway. He blinks at you, waiting patiently till you're ready to speak.

"They were my cousin's kids," You say in a strained whisper. "The—The one that died in the accident." Kenma hums in response, signaling you to keep going. "We weren't close—as you know or else you would've heard a lot more about him—but we felt close enough...given what our family's like..."

Growing up with the kind of family you had and having met everyone from your extended family was kind of like living in a block of ice that never melted; solid in their beliefs, slippery with their anger, and had no room for any other emotion.

You made this very clear to Kenma when you first started dating, especially when he had asked to meet your family. He wasn't one to socialize or even initiate it, but he would do it if it meant doing it for you. But you turned the idea down fast, warned him that there'd be no reason to have to go through all that stress just for you; and though he was just as stubborn as you, Kenma gave in and never brought it up again when he saw how upset you had gotten.

But in chest full of ice cubes, there was your cousin, Akihiro-san. Like you, he was different. He wasn't cold, but he was so genuine and real, you couldn't help but doubt his kindness.

A kindness you failed return when he needed it most. So, when you saw your moment of opportunity, you snatched it, regrettably leaving your boyfriend as an afterthought to your decision.

"I owe it to him, Kenma..." You plead in whisper. "I owe to him because he was the only one who was ever nice to me..."

"These are kids," He counters, dipping his head to meet your glossy eyes. He takes your cheek into the palm of his hand, his thumb tracing circles over your skin. "This would be different if it were a puppy or a plant—but these are living and breathing kids and we know nothing about raising kids. My love, we're only in our twenties..."

"But—"

"You should've called first." He cuts you off, his tone still soft , but firm. You’re at least grateful he’s called you your pet name. "You should've called me and asked."

"You would've said no..."

"How do you know? You never called me." There isn't resentment in Kenma's words. Its still  playful and light, but you can feel his hurt and you feel dumb because you know exactly why. "I would've liked to have been included in this decision...especially since this is my home and you are my girlfriend, and you promised that we would make decisions together."

You frown, tears brimming to the surface as you realized what you've done and how you've probably made him feel.You denied him of his choice, and you were silly to believe that it was okay to go over his head and behind his back.

As you whisper a string of apologies, Kenma presses his forehead onto yours, smiling at you. He was angry at first, but not so much anymore.

"Are you going to break up with me?" You sniffle, voice breaking at the thought. "I'd understand if you wanted to break up with me...But I just—I really wanted to help them. I'm so sorry I didn't ask you first, I couldn't just leave them—"

"Shhh," His breath fans against your skin, "I'm not breaking up with you, stupid. Given, this is probably the biggest wild card you've thrown at me by far, but its not enough for me to break up with you."

You hide your face into dip of his neck, sobbing into the material of his sweater, letting go of the strength you had from holding back and stain it with your tears. You had always been reckless, but it never turned him off. He never raised his voice, he always heard you out, and even when you slipped up, he always forgave you in a heartbeat.

It makes you question if you’re deserving of such a love as this. 

“I was very angry and very offended,” Kenma begins, “I didn’t like what you did. It made me feel like you couldn’t trust me, and it made me feel like you saw me as some kind of terrible person that would turn away kids that need a home...”

You shake your heard, muttering a “no” to his assumption. 

Kenma runs his fingers through your hair and down to your back, soothing you until you've caught your breaths. He'll soft press his lips against the crown of your head, discreetly swiping the little sweat off his lips to keep you from being offended.

"S-So, what do we do about the kids?" Your question muffled but Kenma can hear you just fine.

He sighs, and as he's about to pull you away from his chest, you tighten your hold around his waist. "Please look at me," Your shoulders fall and you pout when you come face to face with him. He chuckles at how ridiculously childish you look, "Do you really want to do this?"

Your eyes widen, "Y-yes. I want to do this, but if you don't want—"

"Better us than anyone else, right?" You blink at him, processing. "I don't know shit about kids, but if you really want to do this, I'll support you. But you can't expect me to be good at this."

Kenma falls onto your shoulder and rests all his weight onto you, letting out a sigh. Panic envelopes his heart, his stomach flipping and churning as he stresses over all the things that's yet to come.

“We’ve been dating for four years, and I’ve just only gotten the hang of you now...” He admits in a heavy sigh.

I'm still a kid, he thinks, groaning. He's plays games all day, forgets to shower, and doesn't know how to cook either. He works from home, rarely goes out unless he needs to or if you want to. Out of the both of you, you're--surprisingly-- more put together than he is.

Can he really do this?

"Please don't expect much from me," He begs, "I don't do well with kids, and you even took in a grown one. What if it doesn't like me or if it forget to feed it?"

You chew on your lip, holding back a laugh and quietly smile to yourself. Vulnerability paints well on your boyfriend, and you wish for even more moments like this.

“I promise it’ll only be until we kind find some other arrangement for them...Something better." You’re not entirely confident in your words, but you understand the idea of having them stay with you isn’t the most sound solution. 

"I suppose if we mess up, we'll mess it up together." He says in defeat, sprawling his legs open before wrapping it around you, pulling you as close to him as possible. He cradles your body tightly just as Yuki had done. "You don't understand how unbelievably lucky you are that I love you."

[atinydise]

Ateez reacting to their s/o packing and leaving

❦ Genre: Angst

❦ Pairing: OT8.

❦ Word count: 4k4.

 HONGJOONG

“It’s okay sweetie! We know and understand how busy Hongjoong is.” Comforted your mom. “But he promised he would be here today.” You sighed disappointed. “I know my son and for sure he has something important to do.” Added Hongjoong’s mom, washing the plates. You only smiled shyly and dried the plates again. Tonight, your boyfriend and you were supposed to eat with your parents and his. You wanted everyone to get along. Family is important for you. And Hongjoong’s knew it. Or at least that’s what you thought. Just when everyone left, you sat back on the table. The apartment was remaining calm. Would it stay this quiet for all the next times you would need to wait for your boyfriend? It is something that you want. All these questions popped one by one in your head. To erase it, you took your phone and looked at your notifications. Nothing from Hongjoong. This lack of information made you so mad. He didn’t even text you to apologize or to warn of his absence. Following the rage burning in your heart, you rushed to your bedroom. You picked the suitcase which was behind the door and throw it on the bed. Furiously, you opened the dresser and grabbed few clothes. Not caring about the weather or the look. When you slammed the cupboard, you heard footsteps coming to you. He was back home.

“Y/N, I know I messed up once again, but Eden needed me and-” He glanced at the luggage. “What are you doing?” “I’m leaving.” “Wait wait.” He grabbed your hands. “Why are you leaving? And where are you going?” “I don’t know yet. But I’m sick of waiting for you every fucking day.” You grabbed the case by the handle and left the room, bumping into your boyfriend’s shoulder. “Y/N wait, you can’t leave like this! I won’t do it again okay. I promised.” He begged, trying to take away the luggage. “You promised this, 17 times already.” You claimed. “I’m done.” “This time is going to be different! Do you want me to plan another family diner? Tomorrow?” He insisted, blocking the door. “Kim Hongjoong, we are done.” You stated, tear sliding on your face. “We both know that nothing is going to change. You are so focused on your job that you forgot to have time for you. You are missing everything.” “And do you think leaving is the best option?” “Yes otherwise, I ask you to choose me or your job.” At this dilemma, Hongjoong knew already what he was going to choose. Just when his mind was dozing off, you grabbed the luggage back. You put the first sneakers you found and opened the door. “I’ll take the rest of my stuff soon.” You said before slamming the door. Hongjoong was staring at the door dumbly, hoping that you would come back, saying that it was a joke. But you never came back.

SEONGHWA

You came back from your shower, towel wrapped around your hair. “The bathroom is free Seonghwa.” You let him know. “Thank you.” “Is there something you want to eat tonight?” “I have no idea.” “Really? We didn’t go to the supermarket for nothing.” You giggled. “Just choose whatever you want to eat. I don’t care.” He claimed coldly, walking past to you. Just before he could enter the bathroom, you caught his wrist, making him look at you. “What is your problem with me?” Seonghwa sighed, already bothered by your question. “Are you going to be this annoying again?” “I wouldn’t be if you weren’t acting like a jerk these months.” “Yes whatever…” he replied, looking at you arrogantly. “If you are not happy, it’s the same for me.” He removed your grip off his wrist and entered the room. You couldn’t believe what just happened. He was so cold, so rude, mean and careless with you since these 2 past months. You tried to see what you could do to help him to relax but he was always pushing you away. “I don’t even know why I bother staying there with you!” You yelled when you heard the shower. Furiously, you looked for your sport bag. “I’m done living with you like this Park Seonghwa.” You claimed louder. You needed to pack and leave as fast as possible. Even if it was too radical, that’s what you needed. “Did you finish the shampoo? I can’t-” Seonghwa paused when he saw you packing your belongings. “Find it.” Without even replying to him, you zipped your bag and grabbed the hoodie on the bed. “Y/N, what are you doing?” “Are you blind?” You asked sarcastically. “I’m leaving. You don’t care anyway.” You rolled your eyes. “You have nowhere to go. Don’t do this. It’s stupid.” Not giving a damn about him, you tied your hair, put your jacket and shoes on. “Y/N,” he called you again, holding his towel around his waist. “This is truly stupid.” “The only stupid thing is to stay with you and get hurt over and over again.” You faced him. “Okay, I’m sorry.” He apologized. “I don’t want your fake ass apology.” You looked at him angrily. “I’ll ask the boys to bring the rest of my stuff soon.” You said, trying to fit few more clothes on the little sport bag. Looking at you grab the last things you needed, Seonghwa was regretting his behavior towards you. He took you for granted and was sure you would stay with him no matter how asshole he is. “You better not come with them.” You warned him, before leaving. “Y/N.” He tried one last time to change your mind, but the slamming door was is only response. In the hallway, you walked slowly, trying to see if he was going to run after you. But seems like his mind was probably clear as yours.

YUNHO

You buried your cold hands on your trench pockets. It was so cold outside that you could turn into an ice cube in few minutes. Even if the air was freezing all of your body, you were more comfortable here than at your apartment. Why? Because of your boyfriend, Yunho, who was passing his nerves on you. His acting career started for a year now and he acted in so much webtoons while promoting with Ateez at the same time. You were always telling him to slow down and to not accept every contract, but he wanted to please everyone. This past month, he was very exhausted. Even if he was trying to deny it, you could see it clearly in his attitude or just by looking at the dark circles under his eyes. When you advised Yunho to rest or just to take a nap, he went immediately mad. “You can’t understand me”, “you can’t know when you are an actor”, “stop babying me” he was saying most of the time. You exhaled when you stepped in front of the entrance door. You knew that when you will push the door, Yunho would be there, asking you to leave him alone or to make less noise. It feels like constantly walking on eggs with him. Were you supposed to feel so stressed in a relationship? Of course, no.

So, what if…?

You grabbed the knob and hesitated to open it. Taking a deep breath, you entered the hallway and rushed to the dressing room, not caring about Yunho glancing at you from the other living-room. Not controlling your moves anymore, you selected few clothes and stacked up on Yunho’s suitcase. The one he was taking for his world tour. “Can you do a bit less noise; I need to focus.” He said. You wiped the tear on your cheek and acted nothing happened. “Sure, don’t worry, I won’t make noise anymore.” “Good, thanks.” He smiled. “And what are you doing by the way?” “Leaving.” Your voice cracked at the sudden realization of your actions. “Leaving? Where? You should have told me!” “And how I’m supposed to do that when I can’t even talk to you?” You sobbed, grabbing another sport bag tightly. “How I’m supposed to live with you? Can’t you see how stressed I am when I need to talk to you?” You asked, your lips shaking uncontrollably. “I feel awful next to you. I feel like a shit. Being not enough good for you. It hurts Yunho.” “Y/N, calm down please.” He said gently, holding you by the shoulders. “I acted like a jerk with you. I’m sorry.” “You are sorry? That’s all? After making me feel this way… you are only sorry?” You ran your hands through your hairs, messing your locks a bit. You were getting crazy because of him. “We love each other. We can solve this.” “I don’t want to. I’m not even sure to love you right now.” You confessed. Yunho was so surprised by your words that he didn’t make a move when you walked next to him with the luggage and the sport bag. For him, it felt like a sledgehammer. A nightmare. But for you, it was worse than that. You were conscious about the real situation. It was a living hell.

YEOSANG

You argued with Yeosang 2 weeks ago. It probably has been one of the worst argue you ever had. It all started because he was late again for your cinema date. You were upset, but you understood the situation well. His career took most of his time and you knew it when you accepted to date him. But everything went worse when he didn’t even apologize for making you wait. For some people this wouldn’t be a big deal, but for you, it needed at least a little “sorry” when you waited 2 hours outside. Yeosang straightly went annoyed by your behavior. “Don’t act like this, it’s not the first time I’m late.” “It’s not because I’m used to it that you shouldn’t be polite anymore.” “Chaeryoung, would never act this way with me.” He rolled his eyes. And there started the argue. Everyone was looking at you in the theater’s hall. It was clearly “who would yell the loudest and win this argument”. Angrily, your boyfriend enumerated why leaving his ex was not the best choice he made. Feeling sad and mad, you left the theater and completely disappeared. When Yeosang went back to the apartment the same night and didn’t see you, he started to freak out. You never answered to his calls, your phone wasn’t even ringing, and you were nowhere to be found. Finally, after 2 weeks, you entered your apartment. Yeosang rushed there, clearly relieved to see that you were doing fine. “Where you have been? I looked for you everywhere! Even the boys!” He claimed, pissed and worried in the same time. Completely ignoring him, you went straight to the bathroom, picking all of your products. You grabbed the suitcase in the hallway and messily threw all of your stuff there. “What are you doing? Are you leaving again?” A big silence as a reply again. Bumping into his shoulder angrily, you went in the living room. “Y/N.” You picked all the frame with both of you on it. “What the fuck are you doing?” He yelled, not understanding a bit of your intentions. “I’m throwing everything related to you.” You replied, opening the trash to throw all the frames. “Are you crazy?” He tried to stop you. “Yes! Crazy for loving someone rude and hurtful as you!” You pushed his hands of you. “Do you think leaving is a good idea? I’m sorry about what I said okay? I was just mad, tired and-” “I don’t care.” You sighed. Yeosang was speechless. He was regretting this whole argument and never wanted to hurt you this way. Once again, you bumped into him to leave the room. 10 minutes later, he was looking at you, still picking your clothes one by one. He wanted to say so many things, but it felt like a terrible idea. Without saying anything, you closed the case and went back to the hallway. “Y/N, please think about this well. I know you are very sad and mad, but this is the wrong choice.” He gently said, trying to persuade you once again. You took a deep breath and opened the door. “Oh Y/N, you are back!” Said Wooyoung, surprised to see you here. You didn’t reply to him too. Erasing Yeosang of your life meant that you needed to erase all of them too. You simply left, leaving both of them looking at you sadly and confused. “Where is she going?” “Far away from me.” Replied Yeosang.

SAN

San was nice. Even too much. A normal guy would understand that it’s not a good idea to bring his ex-girlfriend at the dorm. Especially when his current girlfriend was living there too. “San she can’t stay there.” You said, washing the rest of the plates. “Why? She has nowhere to stay! Her boyfriend ditched her.” He explained. “She can’t stay outside the whole night.” “She has a ton of friends; one of them will gently accept her in.” “It’s too late.” He tried to change your mind again. Annoyed, you turned off the water and dried your hands. “I said no San.” “Don’t be so heartless! At least for a night.” “I know you.” You sighed. “You are the type to say, ‘only today’, but let people live with you for the rest of your life.” “I’m just being nice.” “And you are just being blind. She clearly using you or trying to get you back.” “I don’t care I can’t let her alone at night.” He said, finishing the conversation. San went back to her, sitting at the opposite side of the couch. You kept glancing at the scene. She was smiling widely at him. It looked so fake. “So, can I stay here?” She asked, using his nicest and cutest voice. “Yes sure. I won’t let you sleep in the street.” “So, he really decided to choose her then? Okay.” You whispered, none of them hearing you except Jongho eating in the kitchen. “Huh... Y/N is upset.” “No... Y/N is done.” You rectified, throwing furiously the towel on the counter. Passing the living-room to go in San’s room, you opened the wardrobe. You saw all your clothes hanging there and which confirmed you that it was a good idea. Trying to be quiet as possible, you grabbed a suitcase, not caring who it belongs to, and set your clothes there. San knocked gently at the door, knowing that you were upset. When he opened it, he would never imagine seeing you packing your stuff. It almost gave him a stroke. “Hey hey hey! He pushed the luggage far away from you, probably knocking on the wall. “What are you doing?” “If she stays here, then I leave.” You looked straight at his eyes. “Y/N stop this. I can’t put one of you out and I don’t want that.” “Then bye.” You replied. “Stop being so jealous! It’s just for a night!” He tried to lock the door. “This is not just for a night. It’s not the first time you chose her instead of me.” You started. “Remember my graduation ceremony? No, you can’t because you were with her.” “I said that I was sorry. She just called me crying and-” “And you played the white knight for her once again. Every damn time San.” You bit your lip, trying to not say something you would regret. “You care more about her than you care about me.” “This is not true.” “Then tell her to leave.” San didn’t move a bit; you could see the hesitation in his eyes. “See. You can’t lose her, but you can lose me.” You pinched your lips together and looked at the ceiling to suppress the tears. You slowly walked to the luggage and close it carefully. San was muttering some words, but you didn’t even listen to him. In a matter of time, you unlocked the door and bowed to him one last time. “Hope you will be happy with her. But she would never love you as I do.” This was the last thing you thought that you would do today. It seemed so unreal. This morning you woke up in your boyfriend’s arms and now you needed to book a hotel room. Love is unfair.

MINGI

“How did you both met?” Asked nicely the girl in front of Mingi. “Ah come on, it’s not even funny.” You giggled, embarrassed. “Oh please!” She pouted. “Aye okay okay!” Shouted Mingi, visibly too tipsy. You tried to shush him, but he removed your hand. “Be funny at least one time in your life Y/N!” He said, tugging on your side. “Y/N is the funniest girl we know, what are you saying Mingi!” “Funny? Y/N?” He laughed. “No!” You were smiling at the group, but it was all forced. His words hurt you a bit. “Well okay okay!” He stopped the debate with his friends.” She’s funnier than pretty then!” His friends stared at you, quietly apologizing for their friend. “Why are you sorry? She knows I dated her because she’s nice! If I was looking for someone pretty, I would have dated Hyelin.” He pointed at his friend. “Stop staying nonsense.” She hit him under the table. “You are going to hurt Y/N.” “No, it’s okay.” You reassured her. “But I need to use the restroom, I drank too much water.” “Do you want me to go with you?” Asked Hyejin, making sure you were okay. “Stop babying her! She’s a grown girl.” You nodded and stood up, discreetly picking your leather jacket and bag without them noticing. But the boy sitting next to you, spotted you. “Did she… take her stuff?” “It’s probably cold in the restroom.” Laughed Mingi. Your boyfriend was unaware you were clearly going back home. You went in the 1st taxi you saw.

When you stepped in the dorm, you straightly went to Mingi and Yunho’s room. Because of the tears in your eyes, you couldn’t spot your belongings well. You were messily throwing everything on a bag, not caring if it was yours or not.

When you decided that you took everything you needed, you left the room. Before closing the door, you looked one last time at your favorite place in the world. It could be stupid, but you had so much memories here.

Wiping your eyes, you turned off the light and exited the room and the dorm. Your heart was beating so fast. You were not sure if it was the right idea but tonight, you felt so humiliated and ashamed that you only had one thought: leaving. “Hey Y/N!” Giggled Mingi, exiting the taxi. “Why you left? It was a fun night!” You ignored him and took his seat in the taxi. “Hey! Where are you going?” Asked Mingi, slowly understanding that something was wrong. “It’s late.” “Can you ride me to Itaewon… or anywhere you want. I don’t know yet.” You asked the driver. “Are you sure everything’s okay? Because your boyfriend looks completely lost.” He pointed at Mingi, face glued to the window. You glanced at him. He was visibly worried and confused. His hands were trying to open the door car, but because of the lock, he failed. “He’s not my boyfriend. And I don’t know him.” You replied. You ordered the taxi driver to leave. When you slowly realizing what you did, you busted in tears pathetically in the taxi, face buried behind your hands. “Are you sure it’s what you want?” Asked the taxi driver, sad for you. No, you weren’t sure. But it’s the only thing you thought at the moment.

WOOYOUNG

“Wooyouung,” you whined before plopping next to him on the couch. You wrapped your arms around his waist, trying to enjoy the warmness of his body. “What’s happening love?” He asked, his eyes glued on his phone. “I can’t come with all of us at MAMA, this year.” You sighed. “My brother will finally have his surgery for his knee the same day. So, I need to go.” You buried your face in his neck. It was a big award ceremony so you wanted to be there for them, but your brother would need you. “He can’t reschedule the operation?” You raised a brow, sitting up correctly. “He waited for this surgery for almost 6 months. He won’t reschedule it.” “I’m sure if you ask and tell him why, he will accept.” Smiled Wooyoung. “I won’t do that.” You replied. “He wants to play football again. 6 months without touching a ball was already hard for him.” “But going to MAMA without you is going to be hard for me.” “I think you can survive. You are a grown man.” You replied annoyed. “Don’t make a big deal of this. Just tell him you can’t go.” He kind of ordered you. “And he’s not even a pro player anyway.” Outraged and disgusted by how your boyfriend was heartless and selfish, you stood up from his laps. “Did you notice how selfish you are right now?” You asked, hands on your hips. “Selfish? Sorry for wanting you so bad with me at MAMA.” He rolled his eyes. “But this is my brother Wooyoung.” You raised your voice. “Okay fine! Then go with him! I don’t even care to be honest.” He claimed before going to the bathroom. You stayed there completely frustrated. He was so selfish now. He already took a big head in 2 years. “Then if you don’t care,” you whispered. You walked to the laundry room and grabbed the clothes you put there this morning. Just after that you rushed to Wooyoung’s room, losing few clothes on the way, but screw it. 15 minutes later, Wooyoung came out of the bathroom and almost slipped on your croc top. “The hell.” He grunted before heading to his room. “Y/N, don’t let your clothes everywhere. Seonghwa will be mad.” “Oh, thank you, I was looking for this one.” You said, throwing the piece of clothes on the bag. “What is this bag for?” “I’m going back home, and I won’t come back here for a selfish guy as you.” You resumed. “Are you serious?” He scoffed. “I’ve never been this serious in my entire life.” “Just for this little argument?” “I accepted us to live together because I was in love with you and your personality. But right now, you are clearly not the same guy I used to know.” You said disappointed. “But you don’t even care, right?” You repeated. He was thinking about the right words to say that he was sorry, but even if he did, at this point, you wouldn’t even believe him. “Call me when you are the Wooyoung I fell in love with.” You said, before slamming the door of his room.

JONGHO

“Do you want to go shopping with me tomorrow?” You asked your boyfriend. “Shopping? We can’t do that Y/N. People will see us.” He declined. You sighed again. “You can wear a hat and a mask.” “Y/N.” He called you seriously. “We can’t do that.” “We can’t do anything anyway.” You added angrily. “I’m sorry. You know that I want to hang out freely with you.” “But your career is more important.” You finished. “Not more. Just stricter.” He rectified. “Why strict? The manager said that it was okay.” “Yes, but I’m scared about ATINYs. A dating scandal have heavy repercussion on a group.” “That’s why I said that it’s more important than me.” “Just wait a bit longer.” He held your hand. You rolled your eyes; he didn’t seem to get that you were already waiting for 4 years now. In these past years, you spent most of your dates in the dorm, curtains closed. You were always looking at him flirting or acting like he was single and little by little, it started to make you insecure. “What if I don’t want to wait?” You asked, removing your hand from his. “What do you mean?” “I’m done waiting for you to be ready. All of your members are okay with our relationship. The staff too and even the CEO.” You counted on your fingers. “I’m starting to believe that you are the only one not wanting to take this relationship seriously.” “Don’t say that. This is not true.” “You just can’t see it yet.” Your lips started to shake without your consent. You tried to bite your lip to keep your composure. “I refuse to stay in this type of relationship any longer.” You got up from the bed and grabbed the little suitcase you brought here the first time he invited you to stay more than a night. “Don’t tell me you think about leaving.” He sat up. “That’s exactly what I was thinking about. I won’t wait 10 more years.” You picked all the clothes you had. Jongho was removing them instantly, but you didn’t give up. As fast as you could, you tried to pack so he couldn’t see the few thin tears sliding on your face. Jongho was shouting and begging you to stay here. These screams worsened the situation. Hongjoong and Seonghwa came to see what was happening, completely worried. “What’s happening Jongho?” Asked the eldest member, concerned. “Y/N is leaving because we can’t officialize our relation yet.” He resumed, wiping aggressively his tears. “Don’t let her pack the rest of her stuff Hyungs. She can’t leave like this. She can’t leave me.” They both noticed that you didn’t say a word yet. You were packing the rest of the clothes which were on the floor. “Jongho, I don’t think we should do that.” Started the leader. “Y/N is grown enough to make her own decision. And it’s not good for her to wait for you.” Right when you stood up, making understand that you were done with the packing, Jongho blocked the door with his arms. Seonghwa and Hongjoong had no choice but to hold him the time you exit the room. “Let her leave Jongho.” Said Seonghwa, trying to not cry because of his friend. “You both can’t be happy this way.” Added Hongjoong. “It’s just for a little amount of time Y/N!” He begged, busting in tears when you walked past to him to leave. You knew nothing will change. That’s why you took the decision to leave. You would never ask him to leave or ruin his career for you. You would feel too bad. Even if you are probably going to regret it in the next few minutes, it was the good choice for you and for your health.

[sweettodo]

LMFAO- can u headcannon the aot warriors + y/n in a zoom meeting. and y’know y/n a little baddie and wears a revealing outfit 😩😏

i just saw this tiktok of some fanart of them in a zoom meet and it was the cutest thing EVERRRR.

EREN-

• doesn’t even bother to get out of bed, he just rolls over, picks his laptop from the floor and joins the zoom only to fall back asleep.

• levi constantly attempts to get his attention, and eren doesn’t even budge.

• seldom awake, but when he IS, he will usually interrupt to ask a stupid question: ‘hange where did you get that cool plant?’ or ‘jean i smell you through the zoom call, did you shower today?’

• enjoys changing his background to an odd photo of jean or one of his friends.

• hange will be the first to kick eren out of the zoom, and it’s not like mr. jaeger cares or anything.

• not to mention, he leaves his camera on too. so everyone sees shirtless eren passed out under the blankets with not a regard in the world.

• eats while on the call.

• one day, ( he still thanks god he was awake to see this ) you were working out in the morning before realizing you were already 10 minutes late to your meeting.

• jumping on to the meeting, sweaty, in a revealing sports bra and shorts, you’re apologizing profusely to levi and hange for being late.

• ‘lookin’ good y/n’ eren cackles, but what you or your friends realizing was that eren was now breathless, trying not to stare at you with every bit of will-power he could muster up.

• ‘seems that eren’s pretty awake now, heh’ jean taunts, eren quickly turns off his camera, so he could enjoy looking at you, who decided to wear... that

JEAN-

~ also likes to change his background, plays on his xbox with or without connie, headphones on his head and screaming while levi is muting jean to proceed talking.

~ jean has the pc set up and everything with the two monitors and the colorful custom pc.

~ eren makes fun of him because he uses a microphone. like the ones that have the stand and everything.

~ his room is never fully lit. he used leds, ( blue or green tbh ) shades are always closed.

~ ‘jean, turn off the game. now’ hange swears she tells him everyday.

~ ‘hey jean, didn’t you wear that sweatshirt last time? do you have any other clothes?’ eren ridicules, of course interrupting levi, who’s talking.

~ ‘i see the crumbs on your bed, jaeger!’

~ jean finds himself staring at you once you joined the call, wearing a... revealing... tank top with a very generous bra. his mouth growing increasingly dry.

~ he assumes that no one seems to notice, but when his friends see that he’s quite literally frozen in place, mouth slightly open as he’s looking at your chest.

~ ‘jean’

~ no answer.

~ ‘jean!’

~ ‘hu- yeah, yes?’

~ ‘is your internet having issues? you’re frozen’

MIKASA-

: sits at her desk, she has a picture collage of her, eren and armin on her wall.

: pristine white walls, very clean.

: always needs to call eren to wake him up before the meeting so he doesn’t miss it.

: if she forgets to call eren to wake him up, he blames her for missing the meeting.

: mikasa and armin are always firsts to the meeting.

: she always speaks, and fully participates.

: levi and hange usually are apt to call on her first for her opinions.

: she never turns her camera off, she’s wearing a comfortable but appropriate outfit, jeans and a blouse or shorts and a t shirt.

: sends group emails, for literally whatever reason.

: compliments others backgrounds ( their rooms ).

: reminds eren that his room is a pigsty and he needs to get out of bed, ‘eren, it’s 11:30am, get up.’

: ‘jean, you need to make your bed once and awhile’

: she always compliments what you’re wearing too, ‘i love that top y/n, where’d you get it?’

: and will have absolutely no problem with putting the boys in their place when she catches them gawking at you.

: ‘you guys are like dogs’

: she tells levi to kick them from the meet if they keep staring at you.

ARMIN-

∘ always early.

∘ room is neat, warm looking and he sits on the edge of his bed with his laptop in his lap.

∘ most talkative one here besides levi and hange.

∘ also calls eren every morning to ensure he’s awake.

∘ armin has a notebook and pencil next to him, constantly writing down notes.

∘ always has a presentation ready, a powerpoint or a document to show everyone.

∘ usually sticks to casual, t shirt and jeans.

∘ room is well lit, camera and mic are always on.

∘ also reminds the others to pay attention and be quiet, pleading with them, ‘guys, captain levi is trying to talk.’ also always lectures eren to get out of bed once and awhile.

∘ he doesn’t really pay much attention to what the others are wearing, but he can’t help but glance a few times at your outfit for the day.

∘ it makes his heart pound of his chest when you move to stretch or prop for hand under your chin to listen, your chest on display, arms squeezing them together only a little. he was in awe, swallowing hard and trying not to blush.

∘ avoiding you at all costs.

∘ armin won’t admit it, but he’s a hypocrite, so he’s gonna lecture the boys not to objectify you and tells you that he’s sorry for their immaturity.

∘ but yet here he is.

LEVI-

» cup of tea ready.

» sits at his dining room table.

» dreads having to do the zoom meet, so he’s pretty short tempered the whole time.

» wearing a button up per usual.

» well lit, has a plant in the corner of the room, most likely a cat in the windowsill.

» very english teacher-esque.

» swears the whole time at eren.

» kicks eren and jean out almost every zoom meeting.

» relies on armin for detailed information and analysis’

» needed to ask hange in secret how to present his screen, pin / mute people because he was pretty inept at computers for the most part.

» doesn’t use the mouse pad on his laptop, he connects a mouse because he despises that stupid mouse pad.

» the second he sees what you’re wearing, he shakes his head, ‘tch, i can hear these hounds now’

» yells at the boys to stop being perverts.

CONNIE-

‣  similar to jean, he also used led’s most of the time.

‣  has posters on his walls of music artists, shows, games and people

‣  he sits at his desk, which is cluttered, occasionally plays video games ( not as much as jean )

‣  zones out, looking at something random and blocks out a lot of what hange and levi says.

‣  yawns like 80 times in the span of an hour.

‣  drinks soda, or surfs the web.

‣  his bed is made, and he wears sweatshirts and sweats because like eren, he just got out of bed too.

‣  though connies bed is made, he still has clothes littered here and there, has a rack of shoes in the corner of his room ( he’s a sneaker head )

‣  most likely to not turn his camera on because he leaves the room to do god knows what.

‣  plays imessage games during the call.

‣  teases eren constantly.

‣  he won’t be AS dog-ish when he sees what you’re wearing, but he will say to himself, ‘she has some pretty nice tits’ and will probably text jean saying exactly that. but then he just moved on with his day.

‣  presents memes before the meeting to try and get levi to laugh. it doesn’t work.

HANGE-

≈ shes on her couch.

≈ wears casual outfits.

≈ ushers the boys to participate.

≈ very upbeat and happy.

≈ first person to make an interactive slideshow to get everyone to participate.

≈ shes into sending levi cat memes.

≈ has a cup of coffee next to her, plants and pictures of plants on her wall.

≈ likes to unmute people purposely if their mic is muted.

≈ emails back and fourth with armin and levi for plans for the upcoming meetings.

≈ she will not tolerate anyone disrespecting one another. kicking the boys out to stop them from harassing you about what you’re wearing.

HISORIA-

‹ her room is like a oasis, pastel walls, the vines on her walls and everything.

‹ diffuser in the background and incense.

‹ shes drinking coffee, always dressed, makeup on ( if she chooses to wear it ) and she attends these meetings on her laptop, sitting in front of her vanity.

‹ wears pretty blouses, or a summery dress, hair always fixed to perfection.

‹ sometimes her mom comes in, with cut up fruit and ice water, giving it to her and then leaving.

‹ she has framed pictures of her and everyone on her wall.

‹ also has honor roll certificates on her wall.

‹ she makes sure her vanity light is on so she has good lighting.

‹ also takes notes- color coordinating notes.

‹ she does participate, she laughs at the boys when they act up.

‹ also compliments everyone.

‹ when she catches the boys looking at you, she tells levi to make them knock it off, and then shakes her head in disappointment, ‘you all are so weird, leave y/n alone, you’re making her uncomfortable’

YMIR-

≍ shes usually propped up on her side, laying on her bed or the couch.

≍ she doesn’t participate unless she’s chosen to.

≍ keeps quiet, pays good attention.

≍ she sticks to wearing a sweatshirt and shorts or just a t shirt and leggings.

≍ clean room, warm blue sheets and gray walls.

≍ she gets furious when jean and eren go at it.

≍ shes gonna defend you against the boys pertaining to what you’re wearing, saying, ‘take your dirty eyes off of her’

≍ she doesn’t mind what you’re wearing, she thinks you look really good, but you wouldn’t catch her dead making a comment on your body.

≍ won’t admit it but it makes her flustered seeing how your body looks.

SASHA-

⇝ sits at her kitchen table.

⇝ eating full meals while the meeting takes place.

⇝ doesn’t hesitate to talk when her mouth is full so levi keeps her muted.

⇝ house is very home-y, warm and decorated well, her kitchen is seen in the background with her mom or dad occasionally walking past.

⇝ sometimes asking her mom to make her another sandwich, ( after her third one ).

⇝ always laughing with connie and jean.

⇝ sticks to casual outfits, sweatshirt and leggings, hair always up.

⇝ no filter, so if she catches eren or jean looking at you, she’s gonna jump into action.

⇝ ‘i know you’re not looking at her like that!’

⇝ ‘you better stop looking at her before i go over there!’

⇝ ‘captain if you don’t kick these fools out right now i’ll go over there and kick their asses instead!’

[supergraphicultramoderngirl]

sweet like the thunder on my tongue

pairing: willex

word count: 2786

tw for light swearing

It tumbles out of his mouth before he could even think about it: “But I don’t have any powers.”

Caleb smirks. “And who told you that?”

or, in which willie realizes his true strength.

taglist is in the reblogs, fic is under the cut!

—————

“Willie?”

The skater’s head pops up, cutting off the conversation he was having to look over at his boss.

“Can I see you for a moment? In my office?” Caleb gestures toward the stairwell.

Wordlessly, Willie follows him, only growing concerned when they walk right past the office and towards another room at the end of the hall which he’d never paid any mind to before. Was that door even there before? “Caleb, what’s going on?”

Caleb opened the door to the room and ushered him inside-- well, more shoved, but who is Willie to talk back to him right now-- while all Willie could do was look around and wait for Caleb to say something. The room was dark-- pitch black, actually, and he couldn’t see anything inside. He could now barely see his own hands, if not for the single hanging light above Caleb’s head as he stood in the hallway still, blocking the doorframe. With a wave of his fingers, Caleb pushed Willie down into some kind of, apparently, vantablack chair, metal clamps fastening around his wrists as soon as he reached the seat. Caleb leaned against the doorframe, seemingly inspecting his nails. “You’ve betrayed me, William.”

Willie steels himself, squeezing his eyelids shut, and replies, “I, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His efforts to cover his tracks were pitiful, to be completely honest. He wasn’t sure how much energy he had left at that point; before he’d met the band— before he’d met Alex— he thought that the best thing about the afterlife was that he could do what he wanted for as long as he wanted, day in and day out, as long as he came back to the club to do the shows. But now, his entire perspective has been shaken up, and he’s honestly gotten sick of doing the same things every single day. Why should he go see the same sights he’s seen since 1983 when he could be screaming in a museum, or stealing an entire fucking bus, or anything that can actually make a connection between him and another person?

Except, now he can’t even do that anymore. His connections are gone. They all crossed over (except for Julie, who never saw him in the first place), and he was left to his own devices, again. Willie isn’t sure what else there is for him to do, and in all transparency, if he hasn’t figured out his unfinished business yet, he doubts he ever will. Caleb putting him out of his misery now would probably just save him a lot of trouble.

“Don’t be coy,” Caleb jabs at him, standing up straight. “After all I’ve done for you? I gave you a place to stay, food to eat, things to do, and this is how you repay me? You help my recruits escape?”

Willie sighs, the helplessness beginning to overwhelm him. “What does it matter, anyway? They’ve crossed over, you don’t have competition anymore, right?”

“William, the boys are still out there. And they’ve lost their stamps.” Willie freezes. They lost their stamps? Alex is alive— or, at least, as alive as he can be? “Regardless, I have never been worried about competition. Those boys have power, power that could rival my own. I can’t just have that out there in the world, where it could fall into the wrong hands, now, can I?” Caleb sneers, a sickenly sweet smirk on his face.

Furrowing his brows, Willie rushes out in reply, “They’re playing in a pop rock band, they’re practically harmless, what could they even—”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Caleb interrupts, his icy eyes boring into Willie’s own.

Willie shuts his mouth and swallows his nerves. And maybe his pride.

Caleb leans forward, his hands gripping the arms of the chair. “I can’t have anyone’s power rival my own. That would steal away my precious audience, my empire that I’ve built over the last hundred years. Every ghost in my club would otherwise be a threat to me, had they not signed away their powers when they sold me their souls. With their powers under my possession, I have full reign over any paranormal capabilities that this world could possibly hold.” He stands back up. “I’ve kept my enemies close, you could say.”

It tumbles out of his mouth before he could even think about it: “But I don’t have any powers.”

Caleb smirks. “And who told you that?”

Willie was looking right at him. He feels no need to answer, and even if he wanted to, his mouth is going dry and there’s a lump in his throat preventing him from doing anything other than remaining still.

“Don’t get your hopes up about the boys still being here, William,” Caleb says after a moment. “They won’t be when you get out.” He slams the door, leaving Willie in the room, with nothing but dark, dark, dark, alone.

***

“Alright, where’s our first stop?” Luke asks as Julie shrugs her backpack over her shoulder and takes a sip from her water bottle. She and the boys were walking down Sunset Boulevard, her with Airpods in so she could talk to the boys without getting odd looks from others. Julie was planning a sleepover with Flynn for the following night, and the boys jumped at the chance to help her run errands, since hanging out in the studio was getting a little boring.

“Can we stop for pizza? I know we can’t eat it, but at least I can smell it!” Reggie pleads, using his puppy dog eyes.

“Reg, that face only works on Luke and Alex. You can smell it tomorrow night when she’s over, yeah?” Julie jokes. “I was thinking—”

A dark, purple smoke appears in front of them, causing them to stumble and still themselves, the boys’ faces all paling once they realize who’s in front of them.

Caleb smiles, sickeningly sweet. “Hello, boys. And you must be Julie.”

***

He has powers.

Willie has powers, and he hadn’t known this entire fucking time.

This guy, who was supposed to be Willie’s mentor for the past, who knows, thirty-ish years now, who he had once looked up to, who had taken him in has his own, who had given him a way to keep track of time again, who somehow knew he had powers that he couldn’t manage on his own, did all of it for his own advantage. He used him to gain more power and control, while making Willie think he cared. Thirty fucking years.

Right now, he’s trapped in this room, yeah, but Willie feels more suffocated by the hurt and confusion surrounding him more than anything else. He can’t stand that Alex and the boys are probably out there right now, about to be destroyed by Caleb, because of him, again. He hates that nearly all of his afterlife has just been a giant fucking lie. And with these stupid new-but-not-really powers, he doesn’t even know where to start. So, he does what he knows best.

Willie screams.

He cries a bit too, but mostly he screams until his voice grows hoarse.

Ever since he passed away, he’s always loved the feeling that grows in his chest when he screams, knowing that he can just take up so much space without anyone (or at least, anyone important) hearing. It hurts sometimes, obviously, but really it just feels like lightning forming in his veins, sparking against his the walls of his skin, ready to burst through.

He doesn’t notice until he takes a gasp for air that this time, it actually has.

Willie gasps again, this time in shock. It’s a bright, brilliant green, wires of light darting across his fingertips and palms. He doesn’t know what to do with it.

Willie squeezes his eyes shut and makes two fists, willing the stinging of the lightning to go away by distracting himself with the stinging of his own fingernails. He realizes then that he’s created light, that he’s given himself a way out, so he reopens his hands and holds them out, looking for the door that Caleb had previously slammed. He spots it and moves to get up, almost forgetting about his arm braces. He curses under his breath, and begins to rack his brain for a way out of them, the green still dancing around his arms.

He screams again.

***

They’d been cornered into an alleyway, which was probably best for any bystander’s sanity, anyway, but it meant that they were trapped by Caleb. Again.

“What do you want with us?” Luke had asked when Caleb first appeared, walking in front of Julie with a guarding arm.

Caleb had sighed in reply, taking a step forward, “Oh, I’ve decided I don’t need you three anymore. You’re not of any use to me, not without your lifer by your side. Without a life source, you’re about as powerful as any other regular ghost. I just need her.”

Luke stood fully in front of Julie then, Reggie and Alex flanking him to protect her. “You will never get to her,” Alex had chimed in, ice in his tone.

“Bold statement from someone who still chooses to hide behind his friends.” Alex had looked down at his shoes in shame, face turning red. “Oh, don’t worry, we all know you’re not brave enough to take me on by yourself,” Caleb chuckled to himself. “Besides, you boys seem to have forgotten how powerful I am— or can we do without the reminder?” Caleb added, lifting his hand as a wisp of purple smoke curled around it.

Now, after putting up a decent fight, they stand against the building as dark purple webs tangle over them, effectively pinning them down. Julie strains against them as they burn into her skin, pointedly not looking at Caleb who is inches away. Caleb puts a finger to her chin, causing her to look into his eyes. Julie sucks on her teeth, willing herself not to cry any more than she already has. “Quite a shame that such talent, such heart has to go to waste,” Caleb says, before his hand begins to glow in a manner that Julie knows could only lead to her demise.

He’s interrupted, however, by a slew of car alarms going off. Caleb swivels his head to look over at the main road, now realizing that it’s… empty?

Almost moving to walk over, Caleb hesitates just enough for the webs’ strength to weaken, and the boys poof out of their hold. They immediately begin trying to pull the web of magic off of Julie, succeeding in doing so once they notice that Caleb’s attention is no longer on them. He’s in the road now, staring down the horizon line.

“He’s distracted now, let’s poof to the studio to buy some time,” Reggie says, but Luke quickly counters, “Julie can’t poof. We would have to go back down the road, anyway.”

While Luke and Reggie are trying to figure out what to do, Julie’s eyes stray over to Alex, who is now peering around the corner of the building, eyebrows furrowed. He suddenly runs over to the road, and Julie calls after him. The three run to catch up to Alex and stand in terror just a few feet behind Caleb, who is still seemingly frozen in place.

They feel it before they can see it.

The hair on their arms and the backs of their necks begin to stand on end, a quiet humming in the atmosphere causing an adrenaline rush kind of energy around them. The humming thrums into a pulse, concentrating around what Caleb must’ve been looking at; a sharp, sparking green light floating in the air down the road. It grows bigger and bigger, until a silhouette suddenly appears in its place, looking at the ground. “Hey, Caleb!”

Alex’s heart stops when he realizes who it is.

Willie looks up from the ground and begins to make his way over, thunderous step by thunderous step. His eyes shine fully in bright green, almost like the lightning inside of him was leaking out. He reaches forward and a beam of crackling light shoots forward, splitting and clasping itself around Caleb’s wrists in constraint. With rumbling intensity, Willie continues, “You lied to me. You’ve been lying to me my entire afterlife, pretending to care. Every time you stamped someone, you told me it was because they would be dangerous otherwise, that you were just ‘protecting the ghost world’, and then you turn and do it to my friends. You’ve hurt me, you’ve hurt the people I care about, and it doesn’t even matter to you. I don’t even want to know the number of other ghosts you’ve screwed over like you have us.” Willie heaves in a breath, his arm beginning to shake as Caleb tries to overpower him with his own powers. “I can’t let you do this anymore.”

Caleb grits through his teeth, “You don’t get much of a say, William, I own you.”

“Not anymore.” Willie screams again, causing the beam shooting out of his palm to reinforce itself, the sparks around Caleb’s wrists slowly crawling around his skin until it looked like his veins were filled with light. “You aren’t strong enough to beat me, William, I know you more than you know yourself. You can’t do this,” Caleb tries, but Willie just screams louder, drowning him out.

The screams nearly shake the air, causing Julie to lean on Luke for support, with Reggie resting a hand on her shoulder. Alex wants to reach out, to do something, but he knows there’s nothing he really can do to help. He knew Willie was one of a kind, it was obvious from every interaction they’d had up to that point, but he never expected him to be that powerful. It was terrifying, if he was being honest. And Alex didn’t want to be scared of him, especially while he was literally putting his life on the line for them, but it was almost as if Willie was losing control.

Wait.

A small, dwindling purple smoke emits from Caleb’s palms, encircling the cuffs on his wrists, and the green light inside of him dims. Willie is panting in between his screams, running out of energy. Inhaling sharply, Alex doesn’t think twice before bolting over to him, ignoring the protests from his friends.

Alex stands behind him and grips his hands onto Willie’s shoulders, focusing all of his energy into his fingertips, just like he had on that day in the museum. And, just like that day, he screams with Willie, hoping and praying to a god he no longer believes in that it helps, that it works.

It does.

The lightning bursts out at a rapid speed, nearly enveloping Caleb, almost as if it was tearing him apart, atom by atom. It grows brighter, and brighter, and brighter, until—

He’s gone. Small ashes lie in the spot where Caleb once stood, now dissipated into thin air.

Willie collapses to the ground in exhaustion and Alex grasps onto him, as if he’ll disappear himself if he lets go. After a brief moment, Willie takes a sharp breath, wincing in a burning, stinging type of pain, and lets out a breath of relief once it goes away. He knows exactly what that was, he could feel it; his soul was finally back in his body.

Willie looks down at his wrist. The familiar stamp from the Hollywood Ghost Club is still there, however it no longer has its signature purple sheen. It’s black and faded now, like a thirty-year-old tattoo he’s come to regret.

“Are you okay?” Alex asks, pulling away, his face the picture of worry. Willie notices then that Julie, Luke, and Reggie are knelt next to him, too, their own expressions almost as bad as Alex’s.

Willie smiles a sad smile. It’s a weak thing, but it’s genuine. “You’re still here.”

Recognition washes over Alex’s face, and he softly lifts his hand to Willie’s chin. “Of course I am. I told you, I’d follow you anywhere, yeah?”

Willie chuckles and ducks his head. “Yeah, well, somehow, you did.”

Alex lightly pulls on his chin so he can look him in the eye, a burning intensity present there that Willie hasn’t seen in, well, thirty years. “We can explain that later, okay? I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Willie does a small nod. “I will be.”

Alex pulls him back into a tight hug, and Willie sinks into his arms. He knows they’ll both ask questions later; all that matters right now is that they’re there, that they’ve got each other.

And now, they always will.