#I love them your honor and I love their weird connection that can’t be broken

[khazadspoon]

If you're still doing prompts can I request #24 Blondie/Tuco? 👉👈🥺

I definitely am!!! I’m up for prompts anytime. If you see one you like whether I’ve reblogged a list or not just send ‘em over!!

24: “That’s a very stupid idea.”

———

“I suggest we bury the gold, a few thousand in each location, and mark it on a map so we can find it again later.”

Blondie didn’t look impressed.

“That’s a very stupid idea.”

Ah. He definitely wasn’t impressed, then.

“Is it? Well, my friend, I think it’s better than taking it all to the same bank. All it takes is the wrong person finding out and then… Boom! The wall is blown up, the safe is gone, and so is our gold! Take it from me, Blondie; robbing a bank is hard but it isn’t impossible.”

He snatched the cigar from Blondie’s lips and took a drag, blew the smoke out in rings as his partner contemplated his unquestionable statement. He could tell Blondie knew he was right. They had both seen the effect of a bank being robbed, had both heard the (slightly exaggerated) list of Tuco’s crimes at more than a handful of short-lived executions. Tuco was no fool.

Blondie thoughtfully rubbed at his chin before taking the cigar back more delicately than it had been taken from him. He pressed his tongue to the end, bit down on it and rolled it from one side of his mouth to the other as though trying to savour the taste. The motion was captivating and Tuco forgot what they were arguing about for a moment.

He mentally shook himself and patted Blondie’s thigh. “Besides… if we both know where it all is, we both have equal responsibility for it right? If something happens, it’ll be just the two of us to blame.”

Blondie levelled him with a look that spoke volumes. It told Tuco he wasn’t happy with the plan, but that it was going to happen despite his feelings on the matter. It was a look Tuco had begun to know very well after finding his ex-partner and now no longer ex-partner with several thousand dollars already spent on liquor and horse tack. And a new pair of boots. And a gun cleaning set that looked far too expensive for what it did.

“Blondie,” he drawled, shuffling closer on the hard dirt and leaning against the taller man, “trust me. I’ve got as much to lose as you have. Maybe more, since I haven’t spent mine yet.”

Blondie smiled, slow and soft and just a little affectionate, the smile he only smiled when it was Tuco he was looking at. “You haven’t spent it yet. And that’s only because you were looking for me.”

Tuco sighed perhaps a little more dramatically than was needed. He rested his hand on Blondie’s thigh and squeezed lightly, didn’t miss the way that smile faltered at the pressure. “I’ll always come looking for you, amigo. We are bound together, you and I, for good or for bad. Why d’you think you can’t get rid of me, eh? There are forces at work stronger than fate when it comes to the two of us.”

Tuco found himself faltering as a hand dropped onto his atop Blondie’s thigh. Their fingers wove together and Blondie squeezed his hand gently. “Yeah,” he said under his breath, “I guess there are.”

His pulse skipped as Blondie watched him for a long time, his body relaxed but something tensing below the surface. For a moment, just a moment, it seemed as though Blondie might kiss him. Tuco kind of hoped he would.

But the man took his hand away and used a stick to poke and prod at the fire.

“Get some sleep, Tuco. We’ll have to figure out some locations tomorrow.”

Tuco bedded down for the night, not sleeping as well as he wanted, still thinking of that moment where anything could have happened.

Forces stronger than fate, he thought, what a strange world they lived in.

[misfithive]

What Simon can teach us about boundaries!

Been seeing a lot of Simon hate again lately (mostly on other apps but i’m sure its here too) and it's getting pretty frustrating and honestly a little bit troubling that people think so little of Simon and his needs.

Simon hate feels like some weird connection to the patriarchy/heteronormativity where some people have just decided that it is okay for one person's needs to be ignored in a relationship in order to satisfy the other. Lisa seemed to intentionally try and create a dynamic in their relationship where they see each other as equals. They may struggle to see each others perspectives at times but that is true for literally ANY RELATIONSHIP where two people come together from different walks of life. Both their needs matter and their journey in the relationship is to figure out how to honor the other persons needs while honoring themselves or see if that is even possible.

Sooo I wanted to share some lessons about boundaries that people could learn through Simon instead of talking sh!t about him !!!

1. Boundaries are about what we want and need in a relationship. Sometimes people want different things and thats ok!

People love to say that Simon forced Wilhelm to come out. I even saw someone say that Simon was asking Wilhelm to "give up his family and the throne". No where does Simon ask him to do any of those things. Notice how Simon says "I don't want to be anyones secret"? This is not just about Wille. This is a boundary that he has for himself and the types of relationships that he wants to have. Everyone is allowed to have expectations or want a certain type of relationship. Saying you don’t want to be in a secret relationship is quite a reasonable request. It is also quite reasonable to say that you don't want to be in a public relationship. Sometimes in relationships, what two people need is incompatible at the time which is why it made sense for them to end things. That is the point- for both people to say what they need to feel comfortable and sometimes other people cannot meet your needs- you have to decide if that is a dealbreaker and for Simon at the time it was.

2. Boundaries ≠ manipulation

He tells Wilhelm he take as much time as he needs but you have to do it alone. That is a boundary it is NOT manipulation. He does not try to control Wilhelm or tell Wilhelm what to do. Saying a relationship wont work for you unless certain needs are met or that you dont want to do tons of emotional labor for another person is not manipulation. He is saying I am not okay with being a secret, I am not okay with having my trust broken, i’m not okay with being in a relationship where you say one thing and do another (Wilhelm made a promise he could not keep and even he has owned up to that to Nils). Simon is not saying YOU HAVE TO COME OUT RIGHT NOW OR ELSE. He is not playing mind games or trying to get Wilhelm to change his mind in order to be with him. He is willing to walk away even tho his heart is breaking because he knows it is not possible at that point for Wille and him to get on the same page.

Boundaries have become part of social media language lately thanks to instagram therapists and the like but a lot of people have misconstrued the meaning. Some people call something a boundary when they are actually being controlling. However the purpose of a boundary is about what you yourself are comfortable with, not what other people can/cannot do. Ex: “i am okay with holding hands in public but otherwise I don’t feel comfortable with PDA” (healthy boundary). Vs “you can’t have guy friends because I get jealous” (unhealthy boundary). Boundaries are healthy and necessary for a relationship to be healthy- they are not the same as manipulation or trying to control someone else.

3. What is okay for you does not have to be okay for someone else. Everyone’s boundaries are different because we are all different people with different traumas, needs, experiences, relationships, and limits. I have seen people compare the Wilmon to Narlie where Charlie is okay with Nick wanting to keep things “secret”. Besides the fact that this is a completely different relationship and context, the fun thing about boundaries is that what is okay for you does not have to be okay for someone else! Just because you would have been willing to be Wilhelm’s secret if he asked does not mean that Simon has to. Just because Charlie was willing to to do that for Nick does not mean that Simon has to. Not to mention !!! Nick also acknowledged that is not fair to Charlie and outside of not telling people they had a very loving smooth sailing relationship - people expect Simon to be like Charlie without acknowledging that Wilhelm is not giving the level of trust and security that Nick is. If you want to go there, I'm sure if Wille was acting like Nick being consistent not saying "i'm not like that", "delete my number" etc (regardless of the reason) then maybe Simon would have been more okay with it. This is not Wille hate bc i get it, but sometimes in empathizing with Wille people forget that Simon is a whole human with wants and needs. Simon needs to protect himself and his heart. We all do. Relationships should not require you to subject yourself to pain for someone else. It is healthy to have boundaries and know your needs and what you deserve. And at that point in time Wille could not give him that. Most people watching were quite proud of Simon for that so idk how the narrative got turned to him being selfish.

4. Boundaries can change

It is normal to reassess your boundaries, that does not make them any less valid. Clearly for Simon, once Wilhelm proved his trust more and and Simon reevaluated what he wanted, he decided that he was willing to be a secret if that meant having each other. If he never decided that, it still would have been totally valid. Also noting, there was no compromise/meet in the middle there in Simon deciding that he was willing to be a secret for Wille. It's just funny that Simon is getting the flack for not wanting to "compromise" or meet in the middle when in the end, Simon was willing to do exactly what Wille wanted and he gets ZERO credit from some people for that. Luckily Wilhelm sees what a sacrifice this is for Simon and does not leave Simon to sacrifice alone.

4. Boundaries protect the relationship, build trust and help relationships grow

If Simon had never stood his ground both in s1e6 and throughout s2 Wille would have likely continued the way he was going bc it was comfortable for him and he was understandably scared. They probably would have gotten in even more arguments and honestly i do not think Wille would have been forced to mature and consider Simons feelings in the way he eventually did. I know people resist Edvin calling Wille selfish but Simon has to constantly keep telling Wille “what about me? What about my family? Do you see how hard this is for me?” For some reason viewers are interpreting that as selfish ?? In a relationship you really should not have to be constantly reminding someone to consider you and your feelings.

Simon setting boundaries and saying what he wanted only made their relationship stronger even tho they had to take some time apart. Protecting yourself and wanting a healthy balanced relationship where your needs are considered as much as the other person’s is not selfish. And anyone who tells you that it is does not have your best intentions at heart. Simon is not saying his needs are MORE important than Wille’s he is saying that his needs matter TOO and are EQUALLY IMPORTANT to Wille’s. Which was the journey he needed to go on (as stated by his sister) and the journey that Wille needed to go on as well in order to create a healthy dynamic together.

Setting boundaries is hard but worth it in the end!!!

So yeah! I hope you all set some boundaries today or use this info to argue with simon antis 💖

—————-

Disclaimer// I am not a therapist i just do workshops with teens about healthy relationships and it is a passion of mine.

[writing-in-lesbian]

You wanted to sleep with a goddess but instead had to settle for a priestess

Pairing: Yelena / F!Reader

Tags: angst, fluff, happy ending, mentions of alcohol

Rating: PG-15 (I guess?)

Word count: 2.5k

Translation: Pridurok = jerk

Disclaimer: all the Marvel characters mentioned don’t belong to me (if they did, Nat would be alive and Wanda would be hugged and in therapy!)

Synopsis: Inspired on an episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S “You and Yelena have been dating for almost 3 years and you plan on proposing on your anniversary, but the universe has other plans and after a game of true or dare game you have to confess who you were actually looking to hook up the night you and Yelena did it.”

AN2: English is not my first language so I apologize in advance for any mistake. I’m also on AO3 as: writinginlesbian

~~~~~~~

The light coming through the windows is the first thing you notice, the warm sensation on your skin rousing you from your deep slumber. Groaning a little, you refuse to open your eyes, instead cuddling further into the cozy feel next to you. Now that sleeps is evasive, the second thing you notice is your bladder demanding you take a trip to the washroom.

Opening your eyes reluctantly, the third thing you notice is the mass of sand blond hair in front of you, tightening your hold on her you smile and hum contentedly, earning a little grunt from the body in front of you.

Chuckling, your lips place a kiss on her bare shoulder before you finally release her. Stretching your body, your neck and back crack a little making you moan softly at the relaxation.

“You better keep quiet y/l/n or I won’t be hold responsible if I keep you hostage in bed all day” a groggily raspy little voice informs you, her Russian accent thicker in the mornings.

Smiling and shaking your head, you get up from the bed and march to the in-suite bathroom, hearing Yelena mumble something similar to spoilsport before closing the door as quiet as possibly.

Yelena Belova. Your girlfriend.

A little angry ball on the outside but a total dorky cinnamon roll on the inside (although she would never admit this to anyone), came into your life like a hurricane. Her sarcastic side and dark humor was one of the things you noticed right away, followed by those musky green eyes, capable of grounding and keeping you in your toes with just one look. How you got her to agree to date you after hooking up one night, is still something you have troubles believing it but here you are, sharing an apartment with her, a dog named Fanny (which she got to name) and just a week away of your three year anniversary… the one where you plan on proposing.

You got the ring ready, specially custom made to your request, paid by Tony (as annoying he can be, he’s been more family to you than your blood family). He squealed (actually squealed) when you told him about your plan for proposing and insisted on being your “best man of honor”. 

Finishing your business, you wash your hands and clean your face with cold water, staring at your reflection in the mirror and smiling at the sight of Yelena’s creams and her messy side compared to the organized one of yours. You can’t wait for Saturday to get here soon enough.

The sound of the alarm from your cellphone can be heard through the door, followed by a thud and then silence. You forgot to change it last night, so of course it ringed at 7am disturbing the dreams of the beauty in your bed.

“You better not have broken my phone again Yelena” you try to be serious while walking back to the bed.

“So it’s more important a phone than my sleep time? Okey, I see how it is, pridurok” she says covered in blankets, but you know she’s pouting.

You get back to bed, picking up your phone quickly inspecting it placing it on the nightstand, kneeling in front of her and slowly you take the covers off her face. She’s looking at you with and unreadable expression and you can’t think how it’s so similar to the one her sister often gives you during training sessions.

“No, you’re more important to me love… but this would be the third phone screen you break and I doubt Tony would be happy about it” you said while bopping her nose with your finger.

Yelena looks at you and cracks a tiny smile. You kiss her forehead, standing up you try to leave but her hand at your wrist stops you. You turn to her… only to find her middle finger directed at you.

“Still that damned thing woke me up and you weren’t here, so it deserves the fall” You chuckle as you see Yelena rolls off and pretends going back to sleep.

You go downstairs and start preparing breakfast after turning on the coffee machine. You know Yelena needs a little bit of a kick to fully wake up. While you wait, you open the “just add water pancake mixture” opting to add half milk and half water with a little bit of melted butter for extra fluffiness. After getting the pancakes ready, you go to the fridge to pick some fruit before placing it at the counter to be chopped.

Hearing soft padded steps nearing the kitchen, you grab a plate and put some pancakes on it, grabbing some strawberries and quickly cutting them in four, adding it to the plate along with some blueberries. The coffee pot indicates it’s ready so you grab a blue mug and fill it with the exquisite elixir, snatching some clutter, you place everything except the cup on the table just as Yelena enters the room.

Without a word she grabs the cup form your hands inhaling it before taking a sip. A hum and nod of approval is all you receive before a peck on your lips. Smiling you gather a plate for yourself and proceed to seat with her at the table. You both make small talk while eating before she asks your plans for the day.

“I’m supposed to meet with your sister in about an hour and then lunch with Wands and Bucky. Might get to see Tony in the afternoon though, depending on how my cellphone is” you try to be serious but the smirk on your face gives you away.

“Your phone is fine pridurok, I checked it before coming downstairs”

“Okey, then I shall be back around 6ish. Wanna do something babes? Get advantage of the weekend and that?”

“Maybe”

Before you can propose a plan, Yelena’s phone sounds. She looks at the display before answering.

“Hey mama”

You wave at her and she catches your intention, passing your regards to Melina before leaving the room. You decided to send a quick text to Natasha before texting Tony telling him you’ll meet him quick before heading to your lunch date to pick up the ring.

Cleaning up the table and putting the rest of the pancakes and fruit back on the fridge, you leave the kitchen and find Yelena still talking on the living room. You finish getting ready as you don’t wanna be late with Nat. This might be the most important coffee date you have with her, you know, since you’ll be asking for her little sister hand in marriage, so you don’t want to risk it by making her angry by being late.

Of all of Yelena’s family, Nat is the one you worry must about. She’s so fierce and protective when it comes to her baby sister. Despite being reluctant at first, (she’s your BFF so she knows all your dating history) she approved of you once she saw how happy you made Yelena, not before giving you the scariest shovel talk anyone can give. Melina and Alexei both agreed immediately, both of them giving you a slightly (emphasis on slightly) less frightening talk of “you hurt my baby daughter I won’t hesitate to kill you” talk than Natasha’s. You tried to joke by saying that if you ever hurt Yelena, she would be the first one to chop your head off before them. It didn’t make them laugh.

Grabbing the keys, you check your cellphone to see Tony’s reply consisting of only a thumbs up emoji. Making your way to the living room, you wave in front of Yelena, giving her a quick peck on her lips before whispering a “see ya later babes. Love you” before leaving.

// // //

You can’t help being nervous. In all your life you never imagined thinking of getting married. You liked your space and time alone, you weren’t afraid of intimacy or commitment, but you never quite connected with your past partners in the level you connected with Yelena. Strange thing honestly, considering how you started dating: hooking up after Steve and Peggy’s wedding. You both tried to keep it casual and secret, not wanting to make a huge deal about it. And you were fine with it until one day when you were having lunch with all your friends at Natasha’s place, you saw Yelena and your breath caught in your throat and you knew, you just knew you were in love with her.

“What has you smiling like an idiot?” A raspy voice brings you back to the present.

Noticing just now, Natasha is seated in front of you cup of coffee in her hands. You must have spaced out more than you thought since there is a refilled cup where your last empty one was.

“Yelena” you said it without a doubt, a smile on your lips.

Natasha smiled amused by it. In all of the years she has known you, she never saw you this smitten and happy with someone. And honestly she was happy it was with her baby sister. You both were a cute couple, with their ups and downs, but were still going strong and you both took care of each other.

“So where did you left her? It’s weird to see you without her attached to your side”

“She’s at home. I know she wouldn’t like to be up and out this early being Saturday”

“You asked me for coffee this early on purpose”

It’s meant to be said as a joke but giving the current topic you want to talk with her you don’t laugh.

“I did actually. I wanted to talk with you about something”

Natasha sees the seriousness on your face. She stares you for a little bit before her curiosity gets the best of her.

“Okey”

Your leg stars bouncing and Nat takes notice of it. Your hands grab the cup in front of you to avoid drumming the table with your fingers, a habit you do when your nervous.

“It’s about Yelena”

Nat’s brow furrowed slightly in confusion. You were smiling a few minutes ago so it shouldn’t be nothing bad, right?

“What about her?” You can’t help to flinch a little bit with the hardness of her tone.

Your fingers drum a little on the cup, you open your mouth but no words came out. You sigh.

Nat is silently observing you, giving the benefit of the doubt and actually waiting for you to speak, but since is her little sister you wanted to talk about, she can’t help but get impatient.

You heard her huff in annoyance after what seems seconds but it has been a few minutes, you got lost in your mind again.

“Iwanttoaskforyourpermissiontomarryher” you say in one breath, taking half of your coffee in one gulp and not looking at her.

Natasha blinks in surprise, trying to decipher what you just said. Her mouth opens slightly once she process what you just dropped on her.

“You… you want to marry her. My little sister, Yelena… you want to marry her?”

Finally looking up you see Natasha is a little bit speechless. Something you haven’t seen in like never. You try to gauge her reaction but she’s a master in hiding her emotions, so you opt to answer her honestly any question she might have.

“Yeah, I do”

“Have you proposed to her though?” a fair question.

“No. I wanted to talk with you first”

“Why?”

“You’re her big sister, your blessing is important to me Tasha. I know that we both think that this tradition of asking for someone’s hand in marriage is an archaic thing and that and Yelena would probably get angry if she knew I did this, but you mean a lot to her, she adores you and respects you a lot. I know I could work around your parents but if you were to oppose, I don’t think Yelena would be as happy. Plus you’re my best friend Nat, I care about you”

Natasha stays silent thinking in what you just said. Basically, you gave her a lot of power here, if she were to say no, would you really not propose? She has seen you grow by Yelena’s side and has seen the same with her sister. She knows you never would hurt her.

“So if I would to say no?”

Your stomach hurts at hearing that. You drop your eyes to the table before answering.

“I might postpone proposing but I would still do it”

“You really love her”

“More than anything, I’m in love with her Tasha” the smile on your face and the brightness of your eyes give her all the answers to the questions she might have.

When she found out you were hooking up with Yelena she was so mad and furious with you, more so when you denied it when she confronted you about it. She was on her way to forbid you to see her sister when she caught you both asleep on the couch. Yelena had her head on your chest while you hold her securely in your arms. Both your faces were peaceful and happy.

“When are you planning on doing it?”

You looked up surprised.

“Saturday at-”

“Your dinner anniversary”

“Yeah… how-”

“It’s all I’ve been hearing Lena talk about for the last week, this big dinner plan you have for it and how you won’t tell her what it is, so she doesn’t know what to wear and is a ball of nerves, is kinda annoying actually”

You can’t help but blush at hearing that. You know the Romanoff-Belova sisters are reserved so the fact that Yelena has been gushing about your relationship to her sister has your stomach doing flops and your heart beating harder.

Natasha studies your face and can’t help but smile with you.

“Alright y/l/n, you have my blessing to marry my sister. Don’t fuck it up okey? It’s my baby sister I’m trusting you with”

You are speechless for a moment. You know deep down that she would say yes, but hearing it saying it it’s another thing. You stand up and grab her in a bone crushing hug.

“O…key… need… to breath…”

“Sorry, sorry… thank you Nat, really, you don’t know what it means to me, truly”

“So you have a ring picked yet?”

“Yes. Actually, I’m meeting Tony before lunch to pick it up, wanna come?”

“Of course, I need to make sure my baby sister gets the best of the best”

You laugh and throw the napkin at her, she catches easily but laughs with you. You’re not nervous anymore, at least for the moment.

Now, you only need to ask Yelena… easy right?

[mrsbrookegillespie]

+Perfect Harmony+ (Part One) Luke x Reader

Description: For Y/N Molina, it never came easy for her. The hardest part not being able to do the one thing she loved, creating music. With her cousin Julie joining a ghost band that she’s been secretly admiring for years, her all time crush not returning the same feelings, and having many untold secrets, something is bound to go wrong.

Warnings: ANGST, swearing, mention of suicidal thoughts, Ray not being that nice (I’m sorry Ray, we love you), mention of slight sexual harassment, mentions of death (duh), terrible writing, typos, and probably more that my brain can’t think of at the moment. 

After Writing All Of That I’m Questioning This Story, But I Do Love It So... Many Songs Will Be Featured, Feel Free To Listen To Them When They Come Up.

+Perfect Harmony+

For Y/N Molina life wasn’t easy. Her parents, one being the sister of Ray Molina, dropped her off in front of the Molina household at the age of fourteen before going off to explore the world. At the time she was upset about the situation, but it wasn’t surprising. Her parents never wanted a kid, she practically raised herself while they were in Greece eating seafood, and sipping at the finest wine, no doubt. “How are you doing?” Rose, her cousin Julie’s mom, asks. 

Y/N shrugs. “They’re never coming back, so I guess I’m going to be stuck on this couch for a while.” She actually grew quite fond of the sofa that pulled out into a bed.

“We’ll make you a room up in the loft,” Rose assures.

“So, we agree, my parents are…” Her voice fades off, inhaling through her nose.

“You know, this used to be the studio of a band.” Y/N tilts her head, looking at the older woman. “A rock band, I met them when they were going to play at The Orpheum--”

“The Orpheum?!” Y/N exclaims. “That’s amazing!” 

“They were, but they died that night.” Rose stands up, walking to a box. “This is some of their stuff.” She picks it up. “I’ve heard the music you listen to, and I think you would like them.” Setting down the box in front of Y/N, she wastes no time searching through it.

“Sunset Curve?” she questions, staring down at the logo printed on the shirt. “Cool name,” she compliments with a wide smile, setting the article of clothing in her lap. She picks up a picture showing four boys. “Were these them?” 

“Yes, that one was Bobby, he’s a flirt, Reggie, sweetie, Alex, very sassy--” Y/N giggles, “And Luke, he was the lead singer.” 

“He’s… Quite decent looking,” Y/N observes sheepishly.

“I knew you’d think so.” Rose ruffles her hair. “Listen to the CD, you never know…” 

“I will.” Y/N clutches the photo to her chest as Rose leaves. Hastily she picks up the CD that had the band's logo plastered on the plastic case. She gently places it in the player, waiting for the music to come through the speakers. And then, there it was. “They’re amazing.” She grabs the box again, pulling out an orange beanie, placing it on her head. 

By the end of the night she had searched the entire studio for more stuff, gathering it, trying things on, she stayed up ‘til sunrise listening, and trying to learn each and every one of their songs, painting each of the members on canvases, writing songs about the guitarist that even though died years ago, she couldn’t help but feel connected to. A crush on a dead guy, what’s better than that?

“Boo!” Luke poofs in next to Y/N who’s currently getting her textbooks out of her locker.

“God!” she shrieks. “You need to stop doing that to me, gonna give me a heart attack,” she mutters as her fellow classmates, and random people she had never met give her weird glances. “Make people think I’m crazy.” Luke opens his mouth to reply, but Y/N beats him to it. “Yes, Luke, I know ‘we’re all a little crazy’.”

He pouts. “Someone’s grumpy today.” He crosses his arms, leaning against the locker next to hers. “But, anyways! Do you know where Julie is?” 

And there Y/N’s heart was punched. “I mean, she has to be around here somewhere,” she answers, slamming the locker door. “Now, if you’d excuse me, I have to go to class.” She takes her time to turn around on her heels.

“You’re gonna be at band rehearsal before our performance, right?” he asks, making her stop.

Turning only the upper half of her body to look at him. “I think you forget I live in the studio.”

He lets out an airy chuckle. “Right.” He playfully rolls his eyes.

Unlike Julie she didn’t care if people thought she was crazy, for the number one reason being that people already thought that. Wacky, coocoo, freak, those were just some of the words people called her before her favorite band suddenly popped out of nowhere because Julie played their CD.

That always confused Y/N, why is that when she played the CD all that time ago they didn’t show up, but when Julie did, they did? She never mentioned her already known infatuation with the band, even though it most likely answers the question of why Julie and her can see the ghosts. “But, I’m grounded so…” She carelessly shrugs. “I’m stuck on party duty for the time being, so probably won’t be there for that, but I’ll be there for the actual performance.” Even though she would’ve done it anyway, Ray wanted Y/N to be more ‘supportive’.

“Oh.” His smile falters a little. “Cool, I’ll catch you later then.”

An awkward tension fills the air. “Yep.” She salutes towards him, walking off. 

Grounded. No phone, only can drive her car to school, and home. Y/N wasn’t even allowed to listen to her records which she’s collected over the course of three years. And it was for the reason that she's failing multiple classes, but Ray didn’t understand the struggle she’s going through.

Let’s rewind… When Rose died it left the whole Molina family broken. But, it also left another part of Y/N broken when music became Julie’s thing at that moment, Ray not allowing Y/N to even have a guitar in her room. She loved music, all she wanted to do was sing, play every instrument, write every song with any word that popped into her mind. Julie couldn’t even touch a piano until recently, and yet, it had to only be Julie’s thing. So, now Y/N has to just secretly write songs in her red notebook knowing they’ll never be used, and secretly play in the school’s band room before any student takes a foot into the building, while she watches her cousin and the guys become ‘Julie and the Phantoms’.

What does hurt her everyday, is not being able to do something she loves because they’re afraid of how it might affect someone else. But, if Julie really cared for her family member then she’d be happy for her, right? Not to mention the way Luke looks at Julie hurts a little too, the chemistry. No one can deny it. It’s not like she’s had a crush on him before they even met him as a ghost. No, the biggest crush that she’s ever had is totally not a dead guy, and no, she’s never in the past thought about killing herself in hope to meet him if there were an afterlife, which she guesses there is now. She’s sure he loves Julie not being an absolute mess for him, and he probably knows that Y/N’s in love with him and is trying to show her he doesn’t like her in the worst way possible. “Y/N!” she internally screams, hearing the familiar voice.

“Josh…” she drags out his name. Maybe she should just give him a chance? He gives her plenty of attention. She giggles to herself when the thought crosses her mind. That wasn’t funny. An inner voice replies. 

“Hey, I just… Wanted to see how you were doing, you know--just friend to friend.” 

“I actually have to go to class, so we’ll talk later, ‘kay?” She tries to turn around to leave, but Josh grabs her arm to pull her back.

“Class doesn’t start for another fifteen minutes,” he counters.

“Y/N!” Luke exclaims, poofing right next to Josh. “I still haven’t found Julie, are you sure you don’t know where she is?” He almost didn’t even notice the other boy that had also been fighting for Y/N’s attention.

“I like to get to class early,” Y/N replies to Josh. “And you haven’t seen Julie around here, have you?”

“I think I saw her in the dance room.” She gives Luke a pointed look. “You know, practicing for that dance thing.”

“Yeah!” Y/N responds, not even an ounce interested in this conversation. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she noticed Luke not leaving.

“Who’s this?” he asks.

“So, Josh, I really have to go,” she claims. “I’ll see ya around!” 

“Wait,” he starts. “Is this about when I tried to kiss you the other day?” Y/N tenses up, 

Luke’s jaw dropping slightly.

Followed by a wide smile. “Does Y/N have a boyfriend?!” he mocks. 

“No, well, yes, it is. We aren’t dating, Josh, it’s uncomfortable.” Josh huffs out. “That’s not a weird reason for why.” Y/N’s blood starts to boil.

“You should feel honored that someone would even want to kiss you, I mean your reputation here isn’t all too great, Y/N,” he states. 

“Goodbye, Josh.” She turns on her heels. 

Luke watches as she angrily walks away, glaring at Josh who obviously couldn’t see him. He turns slightly, glancing over his shoulder to see Julie by her locker. Giving Y/N one more glimpse he goes to do what he came here to do. 

Y/N sits at her desk, rereading over the words that she colorfully wrote in her journal. “You pretty thing, with pretty things inside,” she sings quietly. She slams the book closed when she finds herself getting annoyed by just how untalented she was. 

“I think that Nick guy has a crush on Julie,” Luke reports, once again magically appearing in front of her. He was taken aback when she didn’t react.

[staticscreenwriting]

Love like the movies // Bucky Barnes // 6

SIX - GHOST

Trigger warning: Alcohol, food, mention of sex (nothing graphic and no actual smut)

Masterlist

Summary: This is a story of boy meets girl. The boy, Bucky Barnes, finds himself thrown into a world that seems so different from everything he’s ever known. The girl, (Y/N) knows entirely too much about rom-coms and is quite particular about the way she eats her popcorn. Bucky meets (Y/N) a few months after returning to NYC. He knows almost immediately that becoming her friend is inevitable. This is a story of boy meets girl. This is a story about love. (Bucky Barnes x female!Reader // a few spoilers for TFATWS)

"You held hands?"

"Mmh."

"And then you cuddled."

"We didn't cuddle, I was just kind of - leaning into him. Sort of."

"So you cuddled!"

"Sure. If that's what you wanna call it. We cuddled."

"Then what?" Robin inquires. Smirking at (Y/N) over the rim of her wine glass, like a giddy pre-teen waiting for the kissing scene to come up in a romance movie.

"And nothing. That's it."

"Oh come oooon. You cozied up to each other and then just what - acted like it never happened?"

"Essentially. But that's okay. It's not a big deal. And don't say it like that."

"Like what?" Robin continues to poke and by this point, it's not so much her wanting information than her trying to rile up (Y/N). Though she's very well aware of this, (Y/N) falls for it anyway.

"Cozied up to each other," (Y/N) says and scrunches her nose up in distaste. "Like we had dirty sex or something."

"Do you want to have dirty sex with him? Oh man, imagine what that arm can do."

Holding her hand out to stop her best friend from talking, (Y/N) takes a big gulp of white wine, emptying her glass. This is a conversation that can't be held entirely sober. "First of all, don't say those things about his arm. It's- I don't know. It doesn't sit right with me."

"Sorry yeah that was … not cool" Robin apologizes and by the tone of her voice (Y/N) can tell she means it.

"I'm the first to admit that Bucky is insanely handsome and if things were different, sure. But we're friends and I really enjoy the time spent together and our friendship. I don't wanna do anything to jeopardize it or ruin it by adding unnecessary feelings to it."

"Feelings aren't unnecessary," Robin replies, combing her fingers through her fiery red curls.

"Sometimes they are. The last thing Bucky and I need is broken hearts and ruined friendships."

"What if it doesn't end that way?"

"Relationships never work out well for me, you know that."

Robin places her glass on the countertop. It means whatever talk is gonna follow, it'll be a serious one. There's been very little need for a serious talk between the girls over the time they've been friends but neither of them has ever been afraid to start those conversations and say things as they are. Sometimes that's what friendship is, being blunt even if it's not what your friend wants to hear.

"Look I'm not saying you have to take the relationship to another level. If this is making you happy the way it is, then that's all that matters to me. I just don't want you to give up on something that could be great, because you're scared and because some stupid assholes in the past didn't realize what they had in you."

Where she's only had shit luck with relationships, (Y/N) thinks she's really lucked out in the friend department. Robin is as wonderful as they come. Even if she drives her crazy sometimes.

"They weren't all assholes." (Y/N) chimes up weakly though there's not even enough determination in her voice to convince herself.

"Weren't they? Let's see ...I'm not even gonna talk about Russel. He doesn't count. Who else was there? Pete liked to show you off but he didn't like you. Did he?"

"Not really."

"See? Asshole! Kylie only wanted to be with you so she could be the cool girl who's fucked another girl once and use that as something to brag to the guys about."

"She was figuring herself out."

"She was straight, babe. She was using you and your sexuality as some kind of badge of honor so guys would think she's cool. She only wanted to make out with you at parties and when there were men around to ogle you. I’m the last person to blame anyone for trying to figure out who they are and who they like but that wasn’t the case here. She used you, and what does that make her?"

“ An asshole? “

“ An asshole!”

“ What about Ricky, he wasn’t an asshole! “ (Y/N) chimes in, filling her glass up once more.

“ Okay sure but he was your High School sweetheart and that rarely lasts. I’m not gonna count him. What about Mike —“

“— Okay, you’ve made your point. I have a bad taste in romantic partners, I get it. Doesn’t change anything. Me and Bucky we’re — we’re good as we are. No romance needed.”

“ Just don’t want you to miss out on something great.”

It’s not that the thought has never crossed her mind. In fact, when she’s being really honest to herself, it swirls around her head a lot. When he grants her one of his smiles. The rare ones that make his eyes crinkle. Or when he comes to see her and brings dog treats for Lady, just because he’s that thoughtful. Or when she noticed he put a popcorn and a sun emoji next to her name in his phone. The popcorn, as he said because she liked movies and the sun because she’s always happy and smiling. Or when he held her hand throughout the entire movie. Those are moments when (Y/N) thinks about what it would be like to be more than friends.

“ It’s great as it is now. He’s great.”

“ Then that’s all that matters to me.” Robin smiles. She has one of those smiles that makes you feel at home. Comfortable and soft. Like warm milk with honey a mom makes their child when they can’t sleep.

It’s a while later, when (Y/N) strolls back into the room, another bottle of wine in hand, that a knock sounds on her front door. Her eyes wander to Robin then to the door then back. “I’m not expecting anyone.”

“ Oh, that’s Bucky.” Robin, who’s by now migrated over to (Y/N)’s huge fluffy couch, Lady cuddled onto her lap, says with the most casual of tones (Y/N) has ever heard. As if Bucky and her have been lifelong friends. As if there is nothing strange or peculiar about this situation.

“ How do you know?”

Robin shrugs and goes back to petting Lady’s curly fur. “ He texted you when you were getting the wine. Said he was around and had food. I told him to come join us for movie night. What’s the big deal? “

“ I uh — it’s not I just — you could’ve told me. “

“ That was literally 5 minutes ago babe. I had no time to tell you yet. By the way, this man uses entirely too many emojis.”

A smile pulls on the corners of (Y/N)’s lips. She’s asked him once why he never used any emojis, or smileys as he called them (all of them — even the ones that aren’t faces). He told her he didn’t really understand when to use most of them, like the shrimp or the Hockey stick. (Y/N) told him it’s because they’re fun. Ever since then he uses all kinds of emojis with her. None really relating to his messages. It’s quite endearing if she’s being honest.

“ Are you gonna let him in? “ Robin asks, shaking (Y/N) out of her thoughts.

The smell of Chinese food floods into the apartment as (Y/N) opens her door to Bucky. He looks so effortlessly cool in his leather jacket and boots. With his hair a little longer now, all swoopy and quiffed. Like the bad boy straight from a romance novel. The one with a heart of gold. The one that gets the girl.

(Y/N) is not that girl, the one from the novels, the Hallmark movies. The one that’s quirky but never weird. The one that makes all the boys fall for her. She’s not the main character, at least according to herself. She’s the side character that shows up like twice. The one that helps the main character on their quest to self-discovery or true love. That’s who she is. Not more, not less.

“ I brought food!” Bucky exclaims as he steps inside, waving the bag around before placing it on the kitchen counter, to which Lady jumps up from her position on Robin’s lap.

Lady, (Y/N) has realized a while ago, has somehow fallen head over paws in love with Bucky. Always following him, looking up at him with her big brown puppy eyes. Always looking to be close to him. Maybe, (Y/N) thinks, it’s the treats he always carries around. But maybe it’s Bucky too and his patience and his affection and the way he greets the little dog like she’s the main reason he’s come around.

Moments like this, they come with those little flutters around the heart. People always compare them to butterflies. (Y/N) thinks that’s wrong. Butterflies are gentle, graceful, and soft. This feels like a swarm of bees. Chaotic. Overwhelming. A little bit scary.

“ Man, did you plan on coming here, or did you buy all this for yourself?” Robin asks, eyes wide in surprise at the sheer amount of styrofoam containers Bucky keeps pulling from the bags.

“ I kind of bought it with the intention of sharing, yeah. “

Robin’s eyes meet (Y/N)’s across the room and there's a silent secret there, hidden in her teasing smirk. One shared only with a friend. No words. No sounds. Just the truth and two knowing hearts connecting.

“ Am I intruding? If you guys want me to leave, I can leave. “

While he tries to keep his voice casual, the sad tint doesn’t get lost on (Y/N).

“ Absolutely not, don’t be silly. We’re just drinking wine and watching a movie and you are free to join us in both.”

While he shakes his head at her offer of wine, Bucky helps (Y/N) bring the food over to the couch and plops down in the middle of the couch, Robin to his right and (Y/N) on his left.

“ What are we watching? “ he asks, a dumpling already on the way into his mouth.

“ Well, “ Robin responds filling her glass up once more, “ it was (Y/N)’s turn to chose so —”

“ A rom-com”

“ A rom-com. “

Something about seeing these two interact and joke around inspires a fuzzy feeling to wrap itself around (Y/N)’s heart. Even if they’re making fun of her.

The way Bucky fits in here, as if it’s where he’s always belonged. The way he’s not a stranger imposing but a friend added to the mix. It’s a nice feeling. She hopes he feels it too.

“ Okay, whatever. This isn’t your usual rom-com though, there are ghosts in this one. “

“ Is it ghosts falling in love?” Robin asks and lets her laugh get swallowed by her wine glass.

“ No. Well — uh kinda but not really. They fall in love be — you know what, just start the damn movie! “

There’s an undeniable intimacy in watching your favorite movies with other people. It’s like giving away little pieces of yourself and sharing them with others. No matter how insignificant it may seem to anyone else but you. These are the things that make us who we are. Our passions. For art. For music. For books. For movies. And opening up is always scary. Even if it’s just a teeny tiny bit.

Through the corner of her eye (Y/N) glances at Bucky and Robin, trying to judge their reactions. See if they’re enjoying themselves or not. Bucky displays his ever-present scowl. It’s the default setting. Sometimes she wonders if that has always been the case. If that's just what he looks like or if years of abuse, horror, pain have left their marks on him, on not only his heart but also his face.

Maybe this can be his safe place, she thinks. Maybe she can be. Not someone to fix him, because he’s not broken, just lost. Not to fix but to hold his hand while he heals. Slowly but surely.

For a while, the three sit in comfortable silence. The kind that fills you with this inexplicable calm. Where no words are needed.

And then the beginning chords of unchained melody spill from the tv speakers. It’s a touch there, a kiss here, hands covered in clay. Bodies covered in clay. Gasps and heavy breathing. Hands grasping skin, wandering, loving.

Robin’s presence falls completely to the back of (Y/N)’s mind. Bucky’s however...

“Do you want to have dirty sex with him? “ her friend's words ghost through her head like a particularly annoying jingle for some tv ad. The room feels warm all of a sudden. Not warm — boiling. There’s a heat radiating from her right, from Bucky. So what if he’s attractive. So what if she sometimes lets her mind wander and think about how his hands would feel on her skin or his lips on hers or his — yeah okay you get the point. So what?

Bucky slumps down into the couch a little more with every second of steamy pottery sex that’s fluttering across the tv screen. Is he — nervous? Uncomfortable ? No, she must be imagining it. Projecting, that’s what this is. She’s projecting her own chaotic emotional state onto him. There’s nothing there. (Y/N) has to remind herself. Just secret little thoughts that have to be kept between her and her. As long as no one knows, no one gets hurt. It’s the easy way out. The safe way. The right way.

Right?

“ Sooo, what did you guys think?” (Y/N) asks, turning her body towards her friends and sitting criss-cross on the couch.

“ Didn’t expect all the murder. “ Bucky replies as he takes a sip from his beer. “ And the — “

“ The messy sex! I know.” a visibly intoxicated Robin cuts in.

“ Not where I was going but okay.”

She doesn’t pay his words any attention, instead of launching herself backwards over the arm of the couch, dramatically fanning herself with her perfectly manicured hand. “ I am not going to lie, oh boy that was some hot stuff. Wouldn’t say no to that.”

“Oh please,” (Y/N) chimes in, wine glass clutched in hand and smile on her face. She can clearly feel the alcohol washing through her system bringing her to the place between sober and drunk where everything feels light and your confidence seems to get a little extra boost. “ What do you have to complain about? You’re getting married in two weeks! I’m sure you get enough action as it is. “

Robin doesn’t answer right away, just throws (Y/N) a giddy, boozed-up smile. Though in her eyes, there’s a loved-up glimmer of someone about to marry the love of their life.

“ Yeah, that’s true.”

“See, so you’re not the one that should be complaining. Us, however…”

Her red curls swing around her like a spark of fire as Robin sits up again, pointing her finger at (Y/N).

“ And whose fault is that? You could be getting some if you didn’t get so lost in your romantic fantasies. And him — “ the red-haired girl exclaims before pointing her finger towards Bucky “ don’t even tell me he ain’t getting some. Look at him! Are you sexually active, Bucky? “

“ You don’t have to answer that. Robin, come on.”

“ No, you don’t have to but you should. I’m trying to prove a point. Help me prove a point, Bucky. “

“ You’re making him uncomfortable. “

“ Am I making him uncomfortable or you? “

“ Ooookay, I think it’s time for you to go to bed. “

“ Nooo, we’re having a conversation. “

“ Would you look at that, my drink is empty. I’m just gonna — I’m gonna get another one. Okay? Okay.”

Bucky doesn’t wait for an answer before getting up and rushing out of the living room and into the kitchen, clearly uncomfortable. Clearly embarrassed.

“ See what you did? You scared him off. “

“ I couldn’t scare that man off if I tried. Trust me. “ Robin murmurs, a loud yawn cutting through her argument. There’s a certain determination in her words though. Some truth hidden in there that (Y/N) can’t quite put her finger on. It’s like Robin knows something she doesn’t. And maybe it’s good this way. Maybe she doesn’t need to know.

“ Alright, whatever that’s supposed to mean, Tipsy. I’ll go see what he’s up to. You go the fuck to sleep.”

“ Whatever mom, “ Robin bickers and cuddles closer into the soft couch anyway. “ Oh, don’t forget to invite him! I like him. We’re friends now. “

“ Go to sleep! “ (Y/N) orders again, earning herself a salute from her best friend who starts snoring no more than 2 seconds later.

He feels like a 13-year-old. Actually — no. Things were easier at 13. Situations like this one were easier at 13. Being horny was easier at 13.

It was all new to him then, yes, but it was new for everyone at 13. He’s 106 now, a grown man. He should be able to talk or at least think about these things without turning into a full-blown mess. His hand is clammy, his face is probably the same shade of bright red as Robin’s hair. And by god, his thoughts are a jumbled mess, swirling around all over the place.

Truth be told, he hasn’t had a lot of time to actually think about anything even remotely physical. It was never very high on his list of things to figure out and the opportunity hasn’t really presented itself to him either. Not since the 1940s at least.

Have things changed? Surely not, right? Maybe people got a bit more experimental and for sure they talk more openly about it now but the fundamentals must have stayed the same. He sure hopes so at least.

His thoughts get interrupted as (Y/N) steps into the kitchen. Her eyes are slightly glassed over from the wine though she’s nowhere near as drunk as Robin. She seems happy, then again she always does. For a little moment, he feels jealousy wash over him. About being able to get drunk. It’s damn stupid, he’s well aware. But that doesn’t make his feelings less valid. To just drink and let go and forget, that sounds really nice.

But that’s just one of the things the serum has taken from him. By far not the worst aspect of it all but unpleasant either way.

“ Hey uh — you okay? “ she asks leaning against the kitchen island across from him.

“ Sure. Are you? “

“ I uh — might be a little drunk, “ (Y/N) confesses as she lifts her hand and indicates a tiny space with her fingers.

“ Yeah, I think you might be.” Bucky laughs. Actually laughing comes naturally when she’s around and quite honestly, at first, it made him feel guilty. Guilty about the fact that he got to laugh along with a pretty girl while so many people had to die through his hands.

He tries to push those thoughts away. They aren’t doing anyone any good. Not him and not those people either.

“ Hey, I’m sorry she was making you uncomfortable. She gets — well she has no filter when drunk. Or ever really.”

Bucky shakes his head. His finger nervously trails along the grain of the stone countertop. There are conversations he needs to have, sooner or later, if he wants to live his life. Not just coast along but actually live. But it doesn’t mean those come easy. Not for someone who’s been through all he’s been through. Not for someone who’s grown up the way he has, who’s been raised the way he has.

“ Ah, no. Don’t worry. I uh — I just. It’s been a long time since I had talks like this. “

“ Like what? “

“ Between friends, you know. About — stuff. “

“ About sex? “

“ Mmh. “

“ You don’t have to talk about it with us if you don’t want to. It’s fine. “

“ No, but I do want to talk about sex with you. I mean — not you, you. You both. But not in a weird way. I mean — with friends. “

“ Okay. “

“ It’s just that I was raised in different times and the last time I had a real actual friend that I talked to about intimate things was so long ago. Steve and I talked about everything and even then there used to be reservations. One because I don’t think Steve really wanted details and two because Steve wasn’t — he didn’t have the most experience when it came to women so it was a very one-sided conversation. And I’ve never talked about any of this with a girl. It’s all new to me but I don’t want you to think I don’t trust you. “

(Y/N) regards him with a glimmer of amusement and mischief in her eyes as she munches away on some cold leftover spring rolls.

“ You don’t have to justify yourself to me, Buck. I know you trust me, I hope you know I trust you. “

He does. And he doesn’t hate how it sounds when she calls him Buck.

“ So, Robin and Charlie are getting married in two weeks. I was wondering if you’d like to be my plus one. Back when they announced it I was under the impression Russel and I would be a thing by then but uh — clearly that didn’t happen. It’s in upstate New York. We’re all gonna stay at this gorgeous Inn and well there’s a spot open if you want it.”

“ As a plus one? “

No matter how much he wants to deny it to himself, his heart does a little flutter as she says those words. A plus one sounds like something. He’s not sure what but something, surely.

“ Yeah, as a friend, obviously. “

“ Obviously. “

There goes the flutter.

“ Robin is okay with it by the way. She explicitly told me to ask you.”

“ So Robin wants me there, not you. “

“ No! I want you there! I love spending time with you. Also, Robin’s family is crazy. I need you by my side. I need you there. I want you there. “

“The need to be needed is an individual’s sense of significance rooted in the sense of being part of a community or cause beyond themselves. The need to be needed is one of our fundamental desires. We want to feel significant in the eyes of others, even if it is only one other person. “

Bucky has read those words in one of the many magazines stacked on the little side table in the waiting room of Dr. Raynor's office. They didn’t really make much sense to him then. He always thought he’d be fine by himself.

In that moment he realizes that was all a big pile of absolute bullshit.

The feeling of being wanted, of being needed, even if it’s just one person that needs him, that means everything.

“ Okay, I’ll come. “

“ Yeah? “

And there it is again, the smile that reminds him of the sun. The smile that he’s sure could bring a thousand men to their knees, including himself.

“ Cool. I’m — I’m really happy about that. “

“ Mmh. Me too. “

For a moment they just look at each other, words unspoken swirling in the air between them, neither brave enough to let them slip from their tongue.

It’s not until a particularly loud snore coming from the living room pops the bubble and breaks the spell.

Both of them fall into giggles before Bucky speaks up again.

“ It's late I should probably go. “

“ Yeah and I should go to bed. I’ll have a hangover tomorrow for sure.”

Bucky slips into his leather jacket and places a soft kiss goodbye on Lady’s head before turning back to (Y/N).

“ For the record, I’m not getting any. “

“ I uh — okay. Good. Well not good, “ (Y/N) stumbles over her words “ not good for you. Good for me. I mean. Not that I don’t want you to have sex. But I mean, Robin was taking the piss, and if I don’t get laid it makes me feel better to know you aren’t either. Oh god, this sounds horrible. I’m just gonna stop talking now. “

Bucky smiles the brightest smile she’s ever seen him smile, it almost breaks his face in two. And even though she wants the ground to swallow her whole right then, if it puts a smile like that on his face, she’ll gratefully embarrass herself again.

“ Have a good night, (Y/N). “

“ You too, Bucky”

And with a kiss to her head, he leaves the flat, a smile staying on his lips the entire way home.

“ Why did I have to come again? This is a bachelorette party, I thought men aren’t allowed. “ Bucky grumbles as (Y/N) parks her truck in the parking lot of the convenience store. The pink and blue neon lights reflect on the wet asphalt.

“ It’s a shared party. We’re all friends so it makes sense for the couple to celebrate together. Stop moaning. “ (Y/N) exclaims as her heels create a click-clack sound.

The store is empty as they enter except for the bored-looking teenager leaning against the counter by the cash register.

There’s something about empty stores at night that makes it feel like time stands still. Like for a moment, reality is altered. There’s only you and the outdated music coming from the speakers and the hum of the refrigerators holding the soda cans.

“ I can’t believe Hannah forgot to bake the cake. It’s all she had to do. I did everything else, everything. She had one job. “

Bucky’s learned by now to just let her rant about this topic. It’s all she’s talked about for the last hours since Hannah, public enemy number one that day, has called her to inform her she’s forgotten about the cake. Why there needs to be a cake at this party, Bucky doesn’t know but hey, who is he to question it.

(Y/N) walks straight over to the counter that holds the bakery items only to be met with disappointment.

“ Well great. We can choose between one single cupcake, a box of stale donuts, and a croissant. “

“ What about this one? “ Bucky asks and points towards a bright pink cake decorated with candy roses and white icing.

“ It says Happy Birthday. “

“ Ah, don’t worry we can fix that.”

(Y/N) raises her eyebrows in doubt. “ You sure? “

“ 100%. Trust me. “

She regards him for a moment, uncertainty shining through, before granting him a little smile and a nod. “ Okay then. You get the cake, I’ll be over there for a second. “

Looking through the fridges, (Y/N)’s eyes fall onto a pack of popsicles in the shape of Captain America’s shield.

Ripping open the fridge door she calls out “ Hey Grumpy, would you like thes— “

All she hears is a smack and then Bucky’s voice exclaiming a loud “Fuck!”

And in that moment she doesn’t know what’s more shocking, the fact that she just slammed the door right into his face or hearing him swear.

“ Are you okay? I’m so sorry. “

“ I’ll be fine.”

“ We gotta put ice on it. “

“ No (Y/N) I — “

She’s already on her way to get a pack of frozen peas. And if Bucky is being real honest, his cheek does hurt quite a bit. Super Soldier Serum and all …

“ I am genuinely so sorry. “

Bucky sits on the bed of (Y/N)’s truck, frozen peas pressed to his face and a chuckle falling from his lips as (Y/N) sends yet another apology his way.

“ It’s okay, (Y/N). I told you, I’m fine. “

He pulls the peas away from his face and places them next to him, before picking up the cake and lifting the plastic lid off of the container.

“ Alright, let’s see if I can fix this. “

“ You have a bruise on your cheek. “

Bucky looks up at her with those gorgeous blue eyes of his, that (Y/N) sometimes finds herself drowning in. Calm and story all at once. Like oceans.

“ Does it make me look rough and handsome? “

“ You’re always handsome. But yes, it gives you a roguish charm. “

“ Good. “

(Y/N) feels a heat rush to her face as Bucky focuses back on the cake.

“ Mmmkay. Let me see. What if we — “ Bucky murmurs, more to himself than to (Y/N). He swipes his finger, sans glove, over the white icing letters and while there’s a good intention there, when he lifts his finger back up the cake looks like a downright mess.

“ Ta-da “ he exclaims and turns the cake towards her.

“ It says Happy day now “

“ Is it not a happy day? “ Bucky asks, eyebrows raised in question.

“ Let me rephrase that. It says ‘Happy messy white stain Day’ “

Bucky pulls his lips into a grimace, eyes wandering from (Y/N) down to the cake and back to her. “ Yeah, we can’t bring that “.

Laughter fills the air as they regard the sad mess of a cake before them. If this was a movie, (Y/N) thinks, this would be their moment. The one where they realize. The one that feels like time stops and all that matters is them.

Something wet and sticky against her cheek pulls her from her daydream.

“ What the hell? “

Bucky only grins at her. There’s the boyish charm again. It’s so insanely endearing to see these little moments flare up and push through the perpetual gloom he seems to carry with him. He doesn't hold the weight of 90 years of fighting on his shoulders right then.

“ Oh you didn’t “

Before Bucky can react she grabs a handful of the cake and smashes it against the uninjured side of his face.

“ Is that how you wanna play it? Okay. Fine. “

Cake flies through the air as their laughter rings through the night. Not a thought wasted on pain, on worries, on heartbreak.

The rooftop bar (Y/N) booked specifically for this night is covered in fairy lights and glitter decor. There’s a karaoke machine in one corner and an open bar in the other.

A loud cheer sounds from the crowd as Robin steps out into the open, fingers intertwined with those of a petite brunette with big square glasses sitting on her nose.

They get swallowed by a tidal wave of people, pulled from one hug into another, and while his eyes stay with them, Bucky feels a touch against his metal arm. (Y/N) wraps herself around him leans her head against his shoulder and stares lovingly at the couple before them.

“ I’m so glad she’s happy. I love her so much. “

“ She loves you too. “ he says.

And really how could anyone not?

A little while later, when the crowd has allowed them to breathe again, Robin and the brunette wander towards Bucky and (Y/N), matching smiles on their faces.

“ Buck, this is Charlie, Robin’s fiancee. Charlie, this is my friend Bucky. “

“ It’s so nice to meet you,” Charlie exclaims, a strong English accent dripping from her words. “ What in the world happened to your face? Are you okay? “

While Bucky smirks, (Y/N) flinches at those words and shrinks into herself a little.

“ Oh you know, funny story. Someone here was a little too excited about some red white and blue popsicles. “

Robin lets out a loud laugh “ Now that sounds like someone I know very well. “

“ They were shaped like Cap’s shield, okay. I thought it was funny and fitting. “

Charlie’s eyes move between the 3, a look of confusion settling on her features.

“ Why fitting? “

“ Oh babe, let me catch you up,” Robin says and steers Charlie in the direction of the bar.

The night flies by and for the first time in so long, Bucky doesn’t feel out of place. Not for a single moment. Even being surrounded by people he doesn’t know and while listening to music he doesn’t get. It’s nice, feeling like you belong.

Robin and Charlie have just finished their karaoke rendition of Don’t Stop Believing when a familiar voice echoes from the speakers.

“ Hello guys, my name is (Y/N). You may know me, I’m the maid of honor. I am responsible for this party — you’re welcome. Anyway, I guess it’s my turn to sing tonight but I can’t do this one alone. I’m gonna require my friend, Mr. James Buchanan Barnes up on this very stage with me. “

Oh no. Definitely no. Not in a million years. No w—

“ Because this one’s a duett. “

Her eyes meet his across the way, shining with amusement, mischief, affection. Even across the dimly lit roof, her sunshine smile seems to light up the entire night.

“ I’m not doing it, “ Bucky says and shakes his head as Robin slides up to his side.

“ C’moooon. “

“ Nope. I probably don’t even know the song. “

It’s like the universe wants to make a fool of him as in just that moment Bill Medley’s voice sounds through the night.

“ I know you know this song. “ Robin says and nudges his side “ come on don’t make her do this by herself. “

“ I — “ he looks at (Y/N) again, with her sunshine smile and those expressive eyes and the buttercream stain on her shirt. And he doesn’t see fear or pain or regret. All he ever sees when he looks at her is happiness and fun and laughter.

“ Ugh. Okay. Alright. “

Cheers follow him as he steps on stage and (Y/N) hands him the second mic. Though it’s supposed to be a duett, (Y/N) doesn’t really care and sings both parts with unfiltered joy and unapologetic passion. And while it takes a moment for him to warm up to it, Bucky can’t help but let her enthusiasm light a spark in him too and by the time the pre-chorus hits he joins her in singing their hearts out.

“ You're the one thing I can't get enough of. So I'll tell you something. This could be looooooove “

New York comes alive with the promise of a better tomorrow. One where Bucky feels like he belongs. To a place or a group of friends or a person. A tomorrow where he can laugh with a pretty girl, have food fights in a parking lot, and sing some silly song at the top of his lungs.

Maybe the song isn’t all wrong. Maybe he’s having the time of his life. And maybe, just maybe, he owes it to (Y/N).

Taglist // if you want to be added or taken off just message me :) //:

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[taeyohonic]

stolen dances | chap. 9

summary: sometimes supporting the person you love is the hardest challenge you’ll ever face.

pairing: jeon jungkook x fem!reader

rating: m

warning: alcohol consumption

additional tags: f2l, ceo!jungkook, bestfriend!jungkook, shrink!yoongi, my best friend’s wedding meets 27 dresses (if the boss/secretary couple had happened), angst-y

words: 2400

links: prev. |  next  [masterlist]

note: lower case letters intended

chapter summary: first the lasagne, now the chicken

“i’m really uncomfortable right now, _____”, yoongi says as the both of you get into the elevator. he’s carrying one bottle of scotch – the pricy one – while you’re balancing a cheesecake in your hands. the doors close – trapped in the small space, you turn to your therapist.

“i value your feelings”, you answer him, to which he just snorts.

“but i still have to meet your friends, who do not care for me.”

“you’re my friend – i’m just merging friend groups”, you try to protest but yoongi’s raised eyebrow chastise you wordlessly.

okay, maybe taeyhung’s written song ‘plus tae(one)’ about why he should be your plus one instead of yoongi, was a bit over the top. still, it was too funny not to play in front of your therapist und your barista.

namjoon has gladly stayed silent about the whole debacle with jungkook, so convincing yoongi to join the movie night has been easier than anticipated. the both of them do idolize the hosts a bit too much, making music themselves.

the doors open and before you can step closer to jungkook’s penthouse, yoongi pulls you back. you nearly drop the cheesecake while you watch in shock as the elevator doors close again.

“yoongs”, you start flabbergasted, “uhm… i don’t wanne… you know… sound condescending… but … normally, one leaves the elevator when arriving at the desired floor.”

the man snorts again right in your face, but takes a moment to respond.

“_____, i just wanted to make clear that i won’t be your therapist for the next two and a half hours”, he explains in a soft voice and looks at you with sincerity.

“i’m not here to analyze your relationships or judge your behavior”, yoongi continues and squeezes your hand in a silent promise.

“this is highly unprofessional – but… you are my friend. so… just, let me be your friend tonight.”

if you weren’t madly in love with the person living in this apartment building, you’d marry yoongi in the elevator.

“understood”, you nod and gift him a smile in thanks. but a question remains.

“why did you say two and a half hours?”, you question and press the button to open the doors, again.

“because that’s the average length of a movie. it’s a movie night”, he explains to you like you’re the dumb one. oh, sweet, sweet yoongi.

“we’re not watching movies, yoongs”, you snort while you pull out of the elevator. jungkook has rented out the whole floor, connecting the two penthouses. still, you have to ring a doorbell.

“but it’s called a movie night”, he repeats. “i brought my computer glasses, ____.”

is that a whine leaving his lips?

“that’s just semantics, yoongs”, you answer and maneuver the dessert to one hand only to pat his shoulder softly.

“semantics are important, ____”, he argues and points to your cheesecake.

“that’s dessert because society decided it shall be eaten after dinner. imagine if people just started to eat it as a main course!”

“that would be upsetting – good for us that we’ll have the cake as an entrée”, a voice beats you to your comeback and you flinch, not having noticed the open door nor the man starring at you with interest.

“jimin”, you breathe and feel yoongi’s back straighten at the sight of the former idol. he smiles bright as he takes the cake from your hand.

“____, lovely to see you again!” jimin doesn’t say anything to yoongi and dances more than walks into the apartment.

“uhm – you are real, right?”, you ask yoongi in a whisper and your guest just shakes his head.

“like i said, they do not care for me”, he explains and pushes you softly into the penthouse.

“but i do care for you”, you respond as you remove your shoes and take your pair of slippers as well as one for guests out of the cabinet.

before yoongi can point out how your support won’t be enough to make his night comfortable, jungkook interrupts.

“and when ____ cares, i care.”

the CEO looks as cozy as possible, wearing an oversized dark green hoodie and some worn dark jeans. his socks scream at you – they are customized pictures of you and the guys making funny faces. it was seokjin’s prank gift to all of you for last year’s christmas. they look adorable and ridiculous and you love them way too much to be mad at your grimace on his foot.

“you must be min yoongi – it’s a pleasure to meet you”, jungkook says and bows for a millisecond, like he wants to say ‘see? i’m polite!’.

yoongi looks at him knowingly and bows a bit lower than necessary.  

“thank you for extending the invitation”, your plus one answers.

the hallway isn’t big enough for their combined egos and you’re happy to see taehyung skipping to you.

“HONEY!”, he yells excited and pushes past jungkook and yoongi to hug you.

“and YOONGI”, the former idol continues, leaving you whiplashed as he crushes a dumbfounded yoongi to his chest.

“so glad someone can save me from jungkook’s winning streak!”, he says gleefully and takes yoongi’s scotch while ushering the group further into the living area.

“i can’t beat jungkookie at mario kart”, you state as you see the big flatscreen connected to the playstation flashing the famous nintendo game.

“well, duh”, taehyung agrees, “but i won’t be last place anymore. think about my ego, ____. it’s as fragile as a butterfly.”

yoongi just looks between the group, not sure whom to address first.

“yoongi, hon, are you any good in the kitchen?” seokjin joins the group, wearing a pinkish apron. you guess it’s not jungkook’s.

“uhm” the man next to you is clearly overwhelmed while jimin already opens his gifted scotch to fill it into plastic cups. the group has collectively decided to forego jungkook’s expensive glasses. too many have been broken. they even make taehyung use a sippy cup when playing the playstation.

“my sauce just won’t lose the weird aftertaste. i don’t get it; i’ve done everything right… come on!”, seokjin tries again, not even introducing himself. as a famous singer he rarely has to.

a silent yoongi gets dragged to the kitchen by a still talking seokjin.

“hey! i can help as well!” you want to follow them only to see the remaining three guys look at you, unimpressed.

“what? just because of one over easy steak?”, you ask.

“jiminie got food poisoning, honey”, taehyung answers and jimin pushes a glass of scotch into your hand.

“let’s toast to meeting your uhm – friend!”, he exclaims and clings your glasses together.

“shouldn’t we wait for them to come back?”, you say – already seeing jimin ex-ing the liquid while taehyung grimaces at the taste. jungkook moves closer to you.

“jin-hyung’s recipe calls for whiskey. he’s been stealing shots for an hour. yoongi will be better off than you. my whiskey is really expensive”, your best friend explains and squeezes your shoulder in comfort. you want to argue that yoongi’s scotch is just as good, but it’ll look like you’re looking for a fight. so, you swallow down the comment as well as the shot and feel the warmth traveling down your body.

“how was your advanced training, ___?”, he asks and leads you to the sofa taehyung is already occupying.

you groan, remembering the day you just had.

“they made us do a first aid course as well, it was… so much talking, talking, talking, saving lives, talking and talking”, you explain and fall down next to taehyung.

“it must suck to work”, he acknowledges and you snort at his wording.

“hey, i work as well!”, jungkook interrupts, sulking from beside you. you coo at him and pinch his cheek.

“she saved lives – you design sport shoes.” now even you have to laugh at his betrayed expression.

“she just learned how to. she hasn’t saved anyone in the six years of teaching”, jungkook huffs.

“one could argue that i saved them by giving them education – the greatest help one can receive”, you voice only to feel a harsh push from jungkook, which makes you topple over taehyung.

“i employ over half a million people. i give them more than education, i give them money”, he sulks. with an afterthought he adds: “and i gave them music, lots and lots of amazing music. some fans even said i saved them.”

taehyung and jimin are still laughing and you feel taehyung’s shaking shoulders while pressed against him. jungkook grips your tight in mocked warning.

“you can’t win this, jungkook. honey’s job is the epiphany of honorable”, jimin states and before jungkook can list off his charity work, seokjin and yoongi enter the living room.

“dinner is ready – thanks to yoongi!”, the oldest announces and you notice the pink blush on both their faces. they have been sipping on the whiskey; good, yoongi will need some liquid courage to survive dinner.

taehyung’s body leaves you in an instance as he rushes to the table, making you crush into the soft sofa.

jungkook just strokes up your calf and you hum against the cushion.

“come on, honey!”, seokjin orders and you reluctantly pull away from jungkook’s touch.

your host moves to the table to take his seat at the head, while the others shuffle to their usual places. yoongi is giving the former idols time to sit, before deciding to take a seat next to seokjin. you really want to sit next to him, but your usual place at jungkook’s right is the only empty one.

“taehyung, move!”, you order and evade your eyes from the surprised stares of your friends. but you don’t have to look to feel the heat of jungkook’s emotions.

“huh?”, the man stalls, waiting for his friend’s approval. after a tensed silence, he gets up, leaving an empty seat across form yoongi. you don’t miss a beat and sit down, a victorious smile on your lips.

“i present to you a cheesecake with fresh-ish strawberries!”, you say way too happy. all men look at their dessert in front of them. your cake looks good, you know it.

“thanks, ____”, seokjin praises softly and begins to eat. soon, the others follow. only yoongi looks at you all like you’ve grown testicle on your foreheads.

“why are we eating the dessert first?”, he asks with caution as if he’s trying not to upset a child. while taehyung just chuckles around a spoonful of calories, jungkook answers.

“____ loves dessert too much, so we decided to start with it, making us all more sober and appreciative.”

“decided sounds like we had a choice”, jimin comments with a snort.

“like we really had an option after listening to honey’s one-hour powerpoint presentation”, seokjin agrees with his mouth full.

“the vote was secret!”, you defend yourself and see yoongi starting to dig into your cake.

“like any of us could say no to you”, taehyung snorts and cleans the plate with his tongue. it’s been only minutes. your therapist does look impressed.

“did she use her gif-making skills as well?”, yoongi chuckles, “that’s always my breaking point.”

jungkook’s eyes don’t look friendly as he answers.

“nah, that was way before i brought her a photoshop license.”

“jungkookie mentioned that you know the DJ, yoongi?”, seokjin chimes in and changes the subject rather abrupt. but your friend doesn’t seem to mind and answers with an honest smile.

“yeah, namjoon and i have been friends for over a decade. he’s really good.” yoongi doesn’t praise people often. it’s nice to see.

“his mixing is decent”, seokjin agrees and you look at him in shock. he researched namjoon? even yoongi can’t hide his surprise.

“jungkookie forwarded us your spotify profiles”, jimin explains and makes the first direct/indirect comment addressed to yoongi. but that’s not the part making you jitterish.

“profiles?”, you ask jungkook and push the empty plate away from you. your best friend isn’t used to have you this far away from him and he does not care for it. it’s difficult to read your emotions from the distance.

“of course, _____”, he admits, “that’s the only information you shared about your plus one. i’d be a terrible best friend if i hadn’t at least researched his work.” the accusation is thick, and you can feel it hanging between the both of you. before you can defend yourself, the oldest gets up.

“let’s get the chicken, jungkookie!”, seokjin exclaimes enthusiastically, while you still look at your best friend who doesn’t let you out of his sight as well.

“come on, let’s get it!”, he repeats and pushes against jungkook’s shoulder. reluctantly, the host moves from his seat.

the two of them collect your plates and disappear into the kitchen.

“your mixtape is better than namjoon’s”, taehyung says softer to yoongi, who still looks uncomfortable with the situation and jungkook’s unspoken accusation. at the compliment though, the rapper blushes.

“really?”, yoongi breathes and tries to hide his reacting behind the nearly empty wine glass. you want to coo at him.

“if you ever need someone decent for the ‘so far away’ refrain, i bet jungkookie or jiminie will be more than happy to re-record it with you!”, taehyung nods and makes jimin choke on his spit. looking at the short man next to taehyung, you can’t help but notice his silence. he’s not disagreeing.

“you don’t like the collab?”, yoongi asks curiously and you try to kick him under the table.

now jimin is the one who answers, while jungkook and seokjin arrive with the citrus chicken: “nah, her voice is way too untrained. it sounds half-baked.”

silently, jungkook moves closer to you to put down the main course as the oldest hands out the homemade pasta. your best friend smells way too edible with the chicken in his hands, carefully placing it in front of you. his chest brushes against your back and you feel him inhale deeply. he must really like the smell as well, you think, and get so distracted by your friend and food, that you are not aware of yoongi’s smirk.

“so, jimin, you think _____’s voice sounds half-baked?”, the rapper teases.

__

there’ll be a part two of the dinner date! thank you so much for the feedback! i love hearing from you! there are two of bangtan’s running gags and two song titles in this chapter – who found them?

i’m really liking taehyung more and more…

stay healthy and happy and feel yourself hugged from, dana

taglist:   @livewittykid  @thequeen-kat @kagami-s-void @goldenclosethobi @youwannabelostandnotbefound @jinsalpaca @bishuthot @laabellaavitaa21 @baekstans @jalexad​ @kimluvwoo​ @jinsearthh​ 

[queenangst]

I know you have a lot of prompts already but: UA student Izuku discovers he has (a version of) AFO (the quirk) and freaks out.

for my 30 min fic challenge / read more: ‘30 min fics’ tag

replicate [read on AO3]

The first thing Izuku made with Momo’s Quirk was a replica of the Golden Age All Might figurine he saved up for and bought himself when he was seven.

That was how he knew it was Momo’s Quirk. No other Quirk could quite have given him the power it did; and he chose the figurine because he remembered each piece of it, each layer of carefully-applied paint, every detail.

Afterwards, Izuku held the figurine in his hands.

He wasn’t sure he could do it. He wasn’t sure he had Creation.

But now Izuku was sure of both.

In his room, lit only by a slit of light where the curtains didn’t meet and so allowed the sun to peer through, Izuku pulled the All Might figurine close to him. It looked real. It looked exactly as he remembered. Yet Izuku knew it wasn't the same.

The old figurine had accidentally been broken when Izuku was fourteen, the same year he’d met the real All Might. Looking at the polished paint and the wide smile, all his strength sapped away. The plastic creaked as his knees gave out from under him, and Izuku gasped.

He hadn’t told All Might yet. He couldn’t, at least not until he was sure; now he was sure, he still couldn’t, because the knowledge of what power Izuku held was the same as his greatest enemy.

Izuku began to get his things.

Not pack—he wasn’t running away, but he was leaving. He shoved his phone in his pocket, checking to make sure it was charged, and his wallet; his set of keys; and his fear.

Then he went to the bathroom, peering into his reflection for a moment. Just to see. His soft face, his freckles; his eyes, the slope of his nose; the curl of his hair, his smile. So much of that was Mom’s. But he also imagined in his mind, the same features overlaid on All for One’s face, and the thought scared him, that it might be true.

“Midoriya,” Aizawa-sensei said when Izuku went to him—he couldn’t see All Might, not now. “You know visits need to be approved in advance. There’s paperwork. The system exists to keep you safe.”

“Please,” Izuku begged. “It’s—a family emergency.”

It was, sort of. Aizawa-sensei studied him for a moment, unreadable. Perhaps he sensed that a family emergency wasn’t the whole truth. Perhaps he sensed there was something broken in Izuku; or not broken, but more. More than should exist in a single person.

“Alright, Midoriya,” Aizawa-sensei said finally, and let him go home.

Mom was there. He hadn’t stopped to think about what would happen if she wasn’t—he’d wait alone at the kitchen table, circling his thoughts, or he’d go tearing through their shared apartment looking for anything that could be considered an answer. When he unlocked the front door and threw the door open with more force than he should have.

He saw Mom, and his resolve almost crumbled. She had a comfortable set of clothes on. Her hair was tied back in a bun. She was so much the person who had raised him that Izuku’s heart stopped and tried to flee.

It can’t be true. It can’t be true!

“Izuku?” she asked, walking forwards when he didn’t move. Izuku hadn’t even taken off his shoes, but he just—couldn’t take any more steps from the doormat. Mom reached him and tugged at his shirt so she could wrap her arms around him. “Izuku, baby, it’s the middle of the week, and you didn’t say you were coming. And they usually have it approved—oh, no, no, do your teachers know you’re here? Did… Izuku? Izuku, what’s wrong?”

He’d started crying at some point. Izuku felt his breathing hitch as he tucked his head forward and shook.

“Mom,” he said.

He’d been angry earlier at the thought. At the secret she must have been keeping from him. At something All for One had said to him, in a moment when All for One could have killed him; and instead he’d tenderly brushed his fingers along Izuku’s temple and said, you look so much like your mother.

And you are exactly like me.

He’d locked that memory away for a long time. It scared him. He didn’t understand it, what All for One wanted. What he meant. Why they hadn’t fought, why All for One had let him go, and why, every time after that encounter, One for All felt different when Izuku used it.

Before, it felt like lightning. Now, it felt like the entire storm.

“When were you going to tell me?” The question burst from him because he couldn’t hold it back any longer.

The doctor, the one who diagnosed him Quirkless. The same doctor who was caught by the heroes as one of All for One’s.

Mom, after Izuku was diagnosed, hadn’t said, you can still be a Quirkless hero. She hadn’t said anything about being Quirkless. She’d only said, crying over him and repeating again and again, I’m sorry.

She pulled back now, even though he felt the same as he had when he was four, and looked into his face.

“Don’t tell me you’re sorry,” he whispered. “Mom. Please don’t. I- I need to know—”

He saw the moment she realized he knew.

So many moments that made no sense in his childhood, so many pieces, the way Mom never talked about family. And how familiar All for One seemed.

“Oh, Izuku…”

“When were you going to tell me your Quirk wasn’t attraction of small objects? Or that I-I- I wasn’t Quirkless ?” He stopped. Fear trickled in, cold water. “Because… I never was, right?”

Mom bit her lip. She didn’t say sorry this time.

“No, Izuku. You weren’t Quirkless. But—” She wiped at her eyes. “I hoped if you never knew you had inherited a version of your grandfather’s Quirk that you would never use it as he does. And… and for some reason, he agreed to let me keep it from you. That was the last time we spoke—the last time I saw him until, well…”

She didn’t seem surprised anymore. Just sad.

“Say it,” Izuku whispered. She looked so much like him. “Say his name. My… my grandfather’s name.”

Mom shook her head.

“I don’t know his name,” she told him softly. “But you call him All for One.”

She caught his hands as he cried, harder, and kissed his forehead. “I know, baby,” Mom whispered. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you. If you have One for All… I didn’t want to hurt you. All for One’s legacy… you always wanted to be a hero so badly. How could I tell you about him?”

“You should have . So I wouldn’t find out like this !” Izuku cried. He thought of Mom’s favorite hairpin, each piece of it, the red crystals forming like beads of blood, and he began to pull it from his arm, thin metal breaking through skin. Mom watched, and took it when he held it out to her. “I took someone’s Quirk. I took- my classmate… Momo. She’s, Mom, I took her Quirk. I didn’t want to, but I just—”

Izuku hadn’t felt right before training, but he pushed the feeling away. When he called One for All in the fight against Momo, it writhed under his skin. It felt different and wrong, and his body so tight he thought he would fall apart if Momo just touched him.

And then she attacked, he’d seen a threat, and a string of light snapped taut between them. Izuku pulled.

“Attraction,” Mom said, with a pained and knowing smile. She tossed the hairpin he’d made in the air and then drew it back towards her before it could go far. “It is the same thing. You feel the connection, and you pull it towards you.”

“I don’t want it.”

Her eyes crinkled. “You are more suited to your Quirk than All for One is, and you’re a far better person than me.” She squeezed his hand. “He would have never said that.”

Izuku touched the hairpin. Thought of the All Might figurine. Perfect replicas, but unoriginal. He had memorized every part of them, thoroughly. He would do the same with his own Quirk, until he could control it finely, to the point where he would never use it again.

But first—

“He said I was exactly like him.”

“You’re nothing like him.” Mom’s smile grew wider. Then she nodded solemnly. “Izuku… I know I’ve made mistakes. But I am sorry.”

She was his mom. She was the person who’d raised him. The person who had lied to him for his entire life, but she had finally told him the truth when he asked.

Izuku thought he might forgive her in time.

But first—

“Can I give it back?”

Mom cupped his hands with hers. “Of course,” she said, and began to teach him how.

Taglist: If you’d like to be added or removed from this taglist (tagged when a new fic is posted), please let me know. If your blog is unmentionable, I cannot tag you.

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[buckyownsmylife]

My Mistakes - Henry Cavill Smut

The one where Henry Cavill was your married professor and he appears on your door one night after his life falls apart.

Warnings: smut, no actual cheating in Henry’s end (althought that’s open for consideration), professor-student relationship (the student’s supposed to be in the process of achieving a PhD), dirty talk (hello, it’s me), sir kink, praise kink, actually quite a lot of fluff because these two are idiots in love

Y/N’s P.O.V.

“Henry? What are you doing here?”

Behind him, the rain poured in what would probably be the last summer storm of the year. Once in a while, loud thunder echoed around my empty house, making me jump every single time. Lord knows how much I hated lightning and thunder. 

His curls stuck to his head, some strands in front of his beautiful eyes that held so much emotion I couldn’t identify, but reacted to it nonetheless, goosebumps traveling across my body and my heart speeding up at the sight of my advisor in front of me, in my apartment, on a Saturday night. Granted, he had been here before, but those days of carefree conversations and shared nights where we’d bond over work to grade had disappeared the minute he said ‘I do’ and hid once more behind the shell I had worked so hard to break when we first met. Sure, I missed him. But I also understood the situation, especially now that he had a kid. He was someone else, he had new roles to fill and he was still getting used to his new responsibilities. I was just glad he still confided in me once in a while, allowing me to catch glances of the Henry that I used to know, the one I considered a friend. 

Still, it was probably for the best. I knew I wouldn’t have been able to continue our relationship as it was without suffering considerably, knowing I could never have him, now that he was married. When it was only dating I could deal with it, deluding myself into believing we could actually have something more, that he felt the same way I did when our hands eventually touched while sharing a bottle of wine. 

And there was that night. God, it seemed like a million years ago. We had managed to bring one of his colleagues to do a guest lecture to our class and the whole research group was in a frenzy, the relaxation after so many months of hard work and organization finally starting to hit us. They had all come here, to my house, even the invited professor and his students, and we drank together and laughed for hours. I couldn’t bring myself to care about the fact that I had an exam first thing in the morning, I was having too much fun. 

And not because of our honorable guest, my friends, or the new people I had the opportunity of meeting, oh no. It was all because of Henry. That night, it seemed like all his walls had completely disappeared, leaving a funny, breezy, touchy man behind. I had seen glimpses of this personality before, the one I assumed was his true personality, the one that he never showed to anyone, not even his wife or his mother. It only appeared when we were alone and he was drunk and something incredibly sentimental had happened, like when we had achieved the publication of one of our papers.

The last two boxes were checked, only this time we weren’t alone. But we might as well have been. He clung to me the whole night, even offering me scotch from his own glass before pulling me to him by my waist and wrapping his arms around me, warming me up from the cold breeze of the early morning on my roof. Daniel softly played something on my old guitar and in that moment I knew I would never love anyone just as much as I loved the broken, lonely, needy man holding me.

But then in the morning, he was back to his usual aloof self. And I was left wondering if I had imagined the whole thing, until suddenly he’d look at me in a certain way and I was right back to that moment, in his arms.

Yep. I had it bad for the guy. Good thing ever since he had become a father, we barely saw each other anymore. Whatever little meetings we had, shared cups of coffee and laughter, had vanished the moment his wife found out she was pregnant. It was cute, even, how dedicated he was to little Frank. But that also meant that whatever complaints about marriage and her, that he used to confide in me during those first months after they tied the knot, had simply vanished. They were suddenly the perfect little family.

And I was happy for him. Of course I was. All I ever wanted was for him to be happy, even if it wasn’t with me. After all, what right did I have over him, when we had never even shared a kiss?

Which is what left the whole situation of him appearing in my house in the middle of the night, during a storm, even more bizarre.

“What are you doing here?” I finally let out, rushing him inside. “Come in, you must be freezing.” He didn’t budge. Still staring intently at me, his eyes, that I used to be able to read so well, now indecipherable. 

“He’s not mine,” he whispered, so quietly I barely heard him over the sounds of the storm around him.

“What? Henry, you’re not making any sense right now. Come in, please, you’re worrying me.” Still, he didn’t budge. His tongue came out to wet his lips and I found myself briefly mesmerized by that sight, wondering not for the first time how it would be like to kiss him.

“Frank,” he spoke, breaking me out of my little fantasy at the name of his child. “He’s not mine… He’s not my kid.”

My heart stopped briefly. I knew my eyes had grown twice their usual size, trying to process that information that was so randomly introduced to me in such a weird situation. 

“What? Wait, are you sure? But…” My breath was coming out in quick, shallow huffs, the weight of what he had just shared threatening to asphyxiate me. “How are you feeling, Henry? Wait, that’s a dumb question… Just… Come in, please, let me help you. Let’s talk.” I reached for him, aching to feel him, needing to check his physical integrity for myself. That kid was all he had thought about for the last four months. I knew this discovery had to be killing him.

He shook his head, one of his hands moving his hair out of the way. For a moment, I thought he was refusing my touch and so I let my arms fall next to my body as I pondered just what the hell he was doing here in the first place. 

“You don’t understand. He’s not mine.” He rubbed his eyes and I felt a wave of anger wash over me. Of course I understood what he had said, I wasn’t stupid. The only thing I didn’t understand was what the hell he was doing at my door at two in the morning with this kind of news. “I have no connection to her anymore. To them,” he finally declared and I blinked twice, confused by what precisely he meant by that. “I’m free,” he proceeded, his eyes never leaving mine, still clouded with emotions I remained unable to understand.

“You were never tied to her, or even to him, Henry. You chose that life. You walked into that marriage with your own two feet,” I reminded him, my voice a bit colder than I intended. 

“True,” he admitted, nodding quickly. “But the minute I said ‘I do’ I realized my mistake. What I had left behind, and thought I would never be able to have anymore. And feeling that way… It was worse than any physical imprisonment, Y/N. ”

I had grown impatient by then, my fingers tapping a random pattern at the wooden door I still held onto.

“And what was that, Henry? What did you leave behind?” I inquired, sighing.

A beat. Outside, the storm roared, announcing its intention to stay for as long as it could. Inside, the tension was so high I started to wonder if lightning was about to fall between us, separating us for good.

“You,” he finally confessed and before I could fully comprehend what he had just spluttered, he had latched himself into me, his lips finding mine and his arms pulling me to his wet body. 

A gasp of surprise must have left me before I responded to the kiss, but the sound had been lost in the rain the minute it left my lips and his joined mine. They were cold, as expected, but softer than I had imagined, and oh, how had I imagined this moment. He kissed me sweetly, patiently, like he was savoring his favorite wine that we had shared once. His fingers trembled against my waist as he held me close and I absentmindedly worried about the possibility of him catching pneumonia when he, at last, broke our kiss to catch a breath, still leaving his forehead close to mine, his eyes closed and I suddenly realized he was nervous.

I shivered, not entirely due to the fact that he was freezing from the weather he had subjected himself to and had left me drenched too. “Henry,” I mumbled, trying to get him to look at me. 

“Shhhh…” He pulled me even closer, our foreheads still touching, his eyes never opening. “Just… Let me have this moment, please,” he all but begged, and I felt my heart breaking into a thousand little pieces. He was hurt, understandably so and he had come here looking for a way to make his wife feel the way she had made him feel. 

Another type of cold filled me as I took a step back from him, forcing Henry to release me. I caught a glimpse of his expression, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at me just before I turned my back to him, hugging myself and trying to control my thoughts before I started crying. 

“You should leave.” I hated how my voice broke, how weak I felt as I murmured what my mind knew I should say, despite the way my body felt.

I heard the door close behind me after a few seconds and allowed myself to release the breath I was holding as I waited for his reaction, the tears breaking free by then. The first sob had just escaped my chest when I felt arms wrapping around me, a freezing body hugging me from behind.

He waited patiently as I cried, his face hidden in the crook of my neck, his breath tickling me and warming me up as I sobbed. I cried for what felt like hours, the anger of what he was putting me through subsiding and leaving me lamenting for this man who had lost his entire family in a few seconds. 

“You can’t do this to me, Henry,” I wearily breathed out when the tears finally stopped rolling down my cheeks, still not turning around to look at him, who still hugged me. 

“I know,” he confirmed, as he finally raised his head from my neck to rest it on the top of my head. I pursed my lips, wanting to leave him yet again but lacking the strength to do so a second time. “Believe me, I know, darling.”

He finally let me go, walking around me to catch my face in his hands. “You deserve better. So much better than this. So much better than me. You deserve someone who will admit their feelings the minute they lay their eyes on you because you’re intoxicating from the first sight, Y/N.” 

I couldn’t uncross my arms, afraid that if I let at least this last barrier between us go I’d crumble in front of him and let him devour whatever was left of me. 

“You deserve someone who won’t cower in a loveless relationship because they are too afraid to pursue the love of their lives, because they’re scared they’ll disappoint you. I already did. I know.” He sighed, his thumb caressing my cheek with the lightest of touches. 

“You especially deserve someone who doesn’t hide all the time, despite wanting to break free every time you smile or glance my way.” His eyes searched mine, trying to make me see the sincerity in them, but I refused to acknowledge it. This time, I was the one who refused to let him in. 

I broke the connection between our gazes, looking down. I heard his sigh, feeling its echoes on the walls of my heart. 

“I know I lost my opportunity with you,” he whispered, his voice laced with so much pain I had to bite back a whine. “But as soon as I heard the news, as soon as I figured it out… I didn’t even feel angry or sad. I know I should have felt miserable. In a way, I lost a son tonight. But all I could think about was that night I told you I’d be stuck in my office all night grading papers, when in fact I just didn’t want to go home and deal with Olivia, and you appeared with pizza and my favorite bottle of wine, despite the fact that I know that you had Smith’s exam the next day. You stayed with me all night, making idle talk that distracted me to the point I forgot I was engaged and that I had someone waiting for me back home. All I could think about was how that is how it should be. That’s how I should feel every night when I come home. But I only felt it with you. And now that I was given this second chance, this opportunity to go back to a life without the responsibility of being a father, forever connected to a woman I don’t love, I could finally have what I wanted. You.”

My eyes had closed sometime during his remembrance, lost in the flashback too. I had fallen asleep sometime during the early hours of the morning and he took off his jacket to cover me, as I lay on the sofa of his office. The same couch I had found him asleep so many times, as well. I still hugged myself, at last starting to believe he might feel the same way as I did. 

I felt a cold kiss against my forehead, one of his hands gripping my nape tightly to him before letting go. “But I should have known I lost my opportunity. You will find happiness in a relationship sometime soon, with someone good, someone who deserves you and I will be here, wishing you all the best because you deserve it.” I heard his footsteps walking away from me. I wanted to turn around, to open my eyes, to pull him to me and talk about this, talk about how I was feeling about this whole situation, but I felt stuck. And then I heard it.

“Because I love you,” he heaved and suddenly I was not frozen anymore. I was connected to him again, our lips furiously dancing together as I clung to him for dear life. He moaned against my mouth and I felt as if the flames of hell had come to consume me in that precise moment.

His hands slowly traveled down my back until they found my ass. He pulled me to him and I jumped, wrapping my legs around him as I caught onto his signal. My own hands were occupied, one pulling on his hair as I tried to win control over our kiss while the other supported me around his shoulders.

He wobbled a bit, blindly walking backward until his back hit the wall. He turned around then, supporting me against it as he once again disconnected our lips to catch his breath, pressing his forehead to mine once more. “Are you sure about this?” I couldn’t help but to slur, my fingers holding the edge of his button-up shirt tightly. “I can’t be just a revenge plot against your wife, Henry. I honestly don’t think I can take it,” I confessed, inciting the tiniest of smiles on the corner of his lips.

“Darling, you couldn't be more wrong,” he whispered against my lips, quickly kissing them before continuing. “I am the one who wouldn’t be able to live without you for a single minute more. I can’t remember how I lived before you, Y/N. I don’t want to remember it. I’d rather die than cause you pain and make you leave me. I know how lucky I am for getting this second chance.”

I accepted his words, not being able to deal with the separation of our lips another second. We were eager now, trying to make up for all the time we had to keep our desires in check. His hands held my jaw as he possessed my mouth and I clung to his shirt tightly as I tried to deal with the desire burning my lower belly. 

“I have never wanted anyone to fuck me this badly,” I admitted, licking my lips as he chuckled, caressing my cheek as he laid warm open-mouthed kisses against the skin of my neck.

“I have never wanted to fuck anyone this badly,” he confessed, biting in a particular spot in my neck that made my legs feel like jelly. “But tonight I think I will make love to you first.”

His eyes searched mine then, looking for any sign of indecisiveness, but there was none. I knew I wanted him since he first smiled at me, three years before. I kissed his thumb that played with my cheeks, nodding my acceptance to his proposal.

“I love you too,” I finally professed and he rewarded me with the sweetest of smiles.

Henry’s P.O.V.

I captured her lips again, not quite believing this turn of events. I finally had her. She was finally mine. 

We kissed feverishly, our hands never stopping too long in one single place. It was like she felt it too, this need to feel every piece of skin, of guaranteeing the other person was really there, was actually real. Before long, I felt her trembling hands make their way inside my shirt and I sighed, barely believing this was real. She pulled on the fabric and I all but ripped the buttons off of my work shirt before throwing it somewhere behind me and returning my focus on the exploration of the gorgeous woman that was now looking at me with those wide eyes I loved so much.

“Don’t give me that look,” I warned her, only receiving the cheekiest of smiles as a response and a growl rose from under my chest. I pulled her to meet my lips again, this time taking us away from the wall and into the old leather couch just behind us. I laid her carefully on the warm material, pushing away a few rebellious strands of hair that insisted on shielding her eyes from mine.

For a few seconds, we simply stared at one another, our eyes silently communicating what our mouths didn’t seem to be able to speak in the moment. She looked so beautiful, even more than I already thought she did, with her lips red from my assault and a dark bruise already forming in her silky skin from my bite. 

I had to take a few deep breaths to control myself, already feeling my pants tighten as the reality of what was to happen hit me. Y/N licked her lips, her eyes showing every bit the same desire I felt run through my veins. “Like what you see?” she teased me, earning a breathy laugh that let on how nervous I actually felt. 

“You have no idea,” I admitted, leaning down to kiss her forehead sweetly before laying kisses across her face, over her lids, on each side of her cheeks, on the tip of her nose before deciding to nibble on her jaw. She shivered, her hands coming up to my curls once again, holding me to her. 

I inhaled the sweet perfume that often overtook my senses whenever she was near me. It was like an aphrodisiac to me, it never failed to get me hard. Many times I had to abruptly leave her talking by herself to tend to my member in my bathroom, imagining my hands were hers.

“You make me crazy,” I confessed, my voice hoarse as I continued my path across her skin, now licking her neck, trying not to lose my mind over the tremulous moans she let escape every time I discovered a particular spot that seemed to get to her. “I didn’t know you were so sensitive.” Teasingly, I bit right over one of her collarbones, immediately regretting my taunt as her hands found the bulge in my pants and rubbed it. 

“I could say the same thing,” she retaliated, tongue stuck between her teeth as she watched with focused interest as I threw my head back and groaned. 

“Damnit, woman, I’m trying to make this last,” I tried to lecture her, failing spectacularly as she managed to pop my button and reach inside my boxers to find me, bare and hot, pulsing for her. 

“Not interested,” she raised her back off the couch, forcing me to sit back on my heels, as she took control of the situation. “I’ve waited too long for this. If you want to make love to me, as you say, do it quickly, I need you now.” 

It was impossible not to react to her. This sweet, bubbly woman, suddenly dominant and sure of herself and what she wanted. Fuck, if that didn’t make her even sexier to my eyes. 

Still, I managed to control myself, slowly caressing her thighs with my trembling fingers until I reached the edge of her nightgown, raising it up as I continued my path across her body. Her heavy breasts came into view, her nipples hard and begging for attention. I was quick to connect my lips to one, caressing the other with one of my hands.

She moaned then, her hands coming up to pull on my hair once more as she ground down against me and I groaned at the sensation of her wet panties against my member. I had half a mind to pull my jeans all the way down, take her to bed, do this sweetly and romantically like I had planned I would do if I had the opportunity to lay with her at least once, but she was making this too difficult for me. Her tiny whimpers escaped her lips freely as I changed nipples, slightly biting on one, making her throw her head back and whine.

“Stop teasing me so much,” she begged, rubbing herself against me once more, making the decision for me, as I couldn’t stand to feel her heat and not be inside of her any longer.

Y/N’s P.O.V.

I heard him growl before I realized I had finally broken him. In a second, he had thrown himself at me, forcing me to lie down on the couch as I shivered against the cold air as his hands made quick work of my nightgown. When the sounds of his belt coming off at last rang in my ears, I couldn’t help the moan escaping my lips at the realization that this was finally happening.

“I wanted to do this nice and slow, take my time with you, worship your body in the way it deserves to be cherished, but did you allow that?” His voice was so raspy it kept reigniting the goosebumps across my skin, and as his fingers finally pressed my soaking wet panties against that spot that had been throbbing for attention, I felt like I could come right then and there. “Of course not,” he answered himself, his focus directed to where his fingers were now exploring. “Everything has to be done in your time, isn't it, miss Y/L/N?” 

Growing tired of the cotton barrier between us, he finally pulled it aside to softly collect the evidence of what he was doing to me, but didn’t make any movement towards actually relieving me of my needs. “Answer me, darling,” he whispered in my ear as softly as possible, but I knew that tone and it hid danger.

“Y-yes, sir,” I babbled without thinking and by that point, I would do anything to have him inside of me.

“Good girl.” That was all the warning I received before his member pushed its way inside of me, but as it provoked a whole new wave to pour out of me, it wasn’t as difficult as it would have been otherwise. Still, it took me some time to relax and allow his full length to penetrate me, as it was considerably large and thick.

I gasped as the head of his cock bumped my cervix. “There you go, sweetheart.” He smiled down at me, giving a quick peck to my temple. “I knew you’d be able to take it.”

I moaned at his words, incredibly excited about the fact that he apparently knew I had a praise kink. Maybe I wasn’t as cautious as I thought I was being when he complimented my work? There was no way I would dwell on this any longer, however, as he finally started to slowly thrust in and out of me, his little grunts and pants making me all the more horny.

“You’re so tight, baby girl,” he groaned, throwing his head back for a second, his eyes closed, giving me the perfect opportunity to admire his jaw and neck. “I don’t know how I managed to fit inside of you, but let me tell you…” his head had returned to my ear, before finding a nook on my neck and hiding there. “Now that I’m here, I’m never gonna leave,” he whispered against my skin, picking up his thrusts just as I started to need a little more from him.

“Good,” I managed to moan out, to which he chuckled. He continued to fuck me against my couch, permanently ruining my pussy and the fabric underneath us, as our juices slowly dripped onto it. It didn’t take long for him to bring me close to the edge, and I was trembling in his arms after a few seconds of feeling the head of his cock bumping against my sweet spot.

“Feeling needy, baby girl? Do you want to cum?” I struggled to nod, but it seemed to suffice him. “Then come for me, darling. I’m right behind you. Cum for me.” His thumb found my bundle of nerves and just like that, I was falling down the pits of desire. Throwing my head back, I pulled his chest to me, my nails certainly leaving marks across his back for him to remember me later on.

I absentmindedly noticed the sounds I was making, but as my walls throbbed around his cock, I was too far gone to care. Henry kissed the side of my face as I came until I was capable of focusing my gaze on him once more. As I did, I found him looking at him with a particular glint in his eyes, a look so soft that made my heart feel twice the normal size.

“Is it possible to love too much?” He asked, and I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came. Instead, he simply adjusted to be able to speed up into me, now fucking me into my couch in a way that made it sure I would never be able to sit in it without thinking about him again. I heard his groans of pleasure as he reached his own high, and I felt him spill into me as he did so.

We stayed connected as he calmed down. As we both calmed down, because my heart was still beating as fast as if I had been running a marathon. After a while, he kissed my shoulder and sat up, his cock leaving me. “You’re perfect,” he whispered into the night.

I followed his movements, also sitting up on the couch, enjoying how he immediately pulled me into his lap, like he couldn’t bear the thought of our skins not touching. The rain had almost stopped, I realized. No more lightning or thunder had echoed throughout the house for a long while.

“Do you really love me?” I found myself whispering into the quiet of the night. For a few seconds, he said nothing, but then he was pushing me away from his chest just enough so that he could stare back at me. 

“You ask me like you have given me any other option.” My giggles echoed throughout the house.

“I love you too.” And for once, everything felt right.

[middle-class-trash]

Rise of the Titans liveblog!!!

that intro made me unexpectedly emotional

So if Blinky is narrating, he can't die, right? Right????

BRO THE SUBWAY SCENE!!!! We're getting right fuckin into it!!!

Steve, my son!!!

I wish Toby wasn't a constant punchline 🙃 it just makes me not take his character seriously

CLAIRE!!!!!!

Something about Douxie decking Skrael at the first opportunity is just so sexy of him

Jim is incredibly brave but it's really reckless to go hand-to-hand with a demigod without proper armor

My heart goes BUMBUMBUMBUM when Douxie looks out the traincar window

Sexy traincar tracks spell WHO

THE WRECKAGE AWWWW

Oh my gosh the people stuck in the magic circle because they wouldnt get out of the way

NO NO NO DOUXIE NO

So they were arrested that early?? Jeez

Nari's such a cutie

"None of us will be talking to you" *cut to Toby spilling every bean*

TOBY'S FACE AT THE END HAHHAHAHA

Something about Nari's voice coming out of Douxie's body is so deeply odd

Oh hey, Krel to the rescue

AREA 49 HAKSHDKSKD

"And your mom."

Oh my gosh he's still broken from Wizards 😂

The Guardians are just dead set on pissing off local authorities huh

JIM!!!

STRICKLER?????

BARBARAAAAA

Stricklake supremacy 😌 they both look so good

Claire listening in 😭😭😭 she's so cute

AWWWWW ENGAGED ENGAGED ENGAGED

......does that give them death flags? Fuck. Fuuuuck fuck fuck fuck. It totally does.

AWWW DOUXIE!NARI HUGGING ARCHIE

Aja!!!!

Your majesty!!

Oh yikes, here's that running gag everyone was talking about.. pregnant Steve

Oh hey, Eli's hot now. We been knew 😂

"Mazel tov!" HAHA

Poor Jim needing a bunch of support to walk 🥺 he's such a trooper

I will simply pass away if Blinky dies

I hope Douxie is okay, we haven't seen him in Nari's body and that makes me ✨nervous✨

OH JKJK

Nari is so goddamn pretty

"Only your presence, not your commitment" is such a rapey saying

"Abra-cadabra, buttsnacks" I love that he still says that 🥺🥺 he loves his friends so much

"Do your worst" *cue both Douxie and Nari absolutely screaming in pain*

Krohnisfere? Alrighty then, that's the first mission

"I wouldn't be so sure of that" AWWW

They fixed the amulet???? DUUUUDE

"For the good of all..." 😭😭😭😭

"Or I could lock onto Nari and portal us there" *dead fucking silence*

I hate how Toby's used as a constant punchline.. a penny? Really?

TRAINTRACK MAGIC CIRCLE GO BRRRR

Poor Nari 🥺 Douxie's in so much distress

Oh no, the new amulet isn't working?? Fuckk

That absolutely gorgeous screencap of pissed Aja

Part of me is glad Nari was forced to do this and wasn't actually a traitor

Ice titan awakening sequence? Ice titan awakening sequence.

Oh Nari. Oh sweetie

Oh my gosh she's fucking tied to her titan

Boiling water!!! Or underwater explosion, that works too. Much more dramatic but that's Bellroc's style

Oh wow Steve actually has a bump?? What the fuck???

Oooh, TrollDragons?

Charlie!!!

"We still don't have a trollhunter" Aja, honey, not helpful

"Does he even trust himself? AJA, HONEY, NOT HELPFUL

Barbara being proud of her son 😭😭

OOH fusing excalibur with the armor?

Aja is so full of confidence, it's a good look for her

Steve being preggo is..really fucking weird. When they said

AWWW BLINKY AND AARRRGHHH

Your honor, I love them

OOH IS IT SOFT JLAIRE TIME

Ohhhh it's soft Jlaire time

He's always looking out for his mom 🥺

"I will always be here (head), and here (heart)" just fuck me up fam

Charlie!!!

Zong-Shi?

"Only death will come to those who go looking for it" oh dear

"The troll with many eyes" how does Charlie know Blinky? 😂

AYYY this where the banner that I found first is from!!! it was so cool seeing my screenshot circulate when we were starved for content 😂😂 everyone was posting various rott icons and banners that they got hoping they'd find a new one

Oh dear.. government

Blinky dear they can't understand you

"Holy frijole" Claire I simply adore you

WOW THAT'S PRETTYYYYY

Troll slaves???

So is Zong-Shi this ugly ass pear-lookin ass

Aja chilling with Jim even though she has doubts is an interesting strategic choice

Douxie, AARRRGHHH, and Nomura? Talk about rarepare

NOMURA CATCHING HIM 😭😭 SEXYYYY

DOUXIE RESCUING NOMURA 😭😭😭😭 SEXXYYYYY

If I havent said it yet, the animation is breathtaking

OH SHIT JIM

aaaaand here come those frozen wings

Nari cant be in control of herself, there's no way. She's still tied to the titan for Pete's sake

NOMURA????

Please dont let this be a sacrifice

PLEASE NO

BOTH CHANGELINGS????

STRICKLANDER??????

No on-screen death, so it's not real. No on-screen death, do it"# notbsmejelreal

NO ON-SCREEN DEATH BUT IT'S NOT REAL

THEYRE TALKING AHOUT HIM PAST-TENSE NOOOO

THEY RBOGUHT UP HIS DADDDDDD

"There's no revelation I can give you" is a great way of saying he's not relevant, genuinely

Oh wow this guy's freaky

Ohhhh so the green thing from the trailers and promo photos is the Krohnisfere

Archie to the rescue!!!

"That's my boy!" AWWE

"Claire nooo, no no no no YESSS, I'm free!!!" Blinky, never change 😂

Oh wow, they're already in contact with Bellroc's titan??

Different note, but the titan's designs are just different enough to make them interestun

VARVATOS??? Okay jk somehow it's gun robot lmfao

WAIT NEVER MIND HAHAHAH HI BUD

....if the bridge falls, can't Charlie just fly them across

LMAO he just saw his death?? That is what he wanted to see 🤷🏻‍♀️

It's too early to celebrate, there's no way Bellroc is down after just a few pinches

Yeahhh

Oh dear... is Varvatos in danger?

Claire being the warrior of the group is incredible and sexy and hhnnngggg

Toby is a Hufflepuff. I will not be answering questions

OH WOW THAT'S HOW HE BURNED HIS HAND??? THE HONRGAZEL?????

ARCHIE SAID GOODBYE??? NO NO NO NO NO

Douxie's gonna be a flat mess!!!

God, plus Nomura and Stricklander

NOOOO DOUXIE YOU BIG SWEETIE

Oh my gosh this is the scene with Douxie trying to connect with Nari, it has to be

"I need to try again" AWWW HONEY

That shot of Mexico was incredibly stereotypical

DOUXIE SWEETHEART 🥺🥺

He's trying to hold her hand???? AWWWW

Oh my gosh he's being choked 😳

NARI BABY!!!!

The huggos 🥺🥺

Jim being frustrated is totally realistic

Wait wait wait waittt do they have the entire titan at their disposal?

"There's absolutely nothing all the way out here" cue a titan. Any of them.

And there it is.

CLAIRE SUPREMACY!!!!!!!

White haired Claire? White haired Claire???

Oh dear it's like.. a little over halfway and there's so much left that could happen

COACH. COOOOACH

OH THANK GOD!!! Steve doesn't need another paternal figure dying on him

Time for Skrael to fuck shit up 😬

I find it interesting how Bellroc and Skrael's titans are both bipedal but Nari's is on four legs, much more animalistic

NARI, NOOOOO PLEASE NO

At least Skrael's done????

We kinds knew Bellroc was the final boss but NOT LIKE THIS

DOUXIE SCREAMING FOR HER

NOOOOOOO

No more running. GODDAMNIT

The three can no longer unite but Bellroc can still fcuk shit up

A HIDDEN PAGE??? FUCK THE WORLD IS TO BE REFORGED WITH FIRE

THE HEARTSTONE??????

Oh shit, the explanation for why Arcadia's the center of everything!!

The only heartstone?? Really???? That's scary as shit, trolls could go instinct without a reliable hearthstone!!

EXCALIBUR TIMEEE

JIMMMMMM

Come on honey, you can do it!!

Aja, honey, I love you so much but now's not the time

THE HEARTSTONE???? FUCK DUDE

.......Steve

Eli the midwife?? ...gross

Jim, my love, my baby boy!!!

The nine of them!!!

AWW BLINKY BEING THE BEST DAD

THEY WORK TOGETHER 😭😭😭😭

FUCK YEAH!!!!!!

"Quiet desperation" is a great word for it

Are we coming on to the big final battle?

Ohnoohnoohno they all said the thing 😭😭😭 someone's gonna die. At least one more is gonna die.

HE'S DRIVINGGGG. LOVE THAT FOR HIM

STICKY SPELL TIME!!!!!!

"Some sort of stickum!" Bro 😂😂

I love how he calls them all Trollhunters 😭 throwback to the OG show where the three of them were all called that

Aja Terron supremacy

Oh it's weird.. it's very weird. Why did Steve have to be pregnant again

Oh dear, there's half an hour left.. this has to be the final battle

JIM

Varvatos shielding Claire and Krel 🥺

Fuck, man, people are getting thrown left and right

DOUXIE MY LOVE

Oh here we fucking go, rematch

NEW AMULET???

Jim's about to get royally fucked up

LIKE THAT

FUCK

WHY IS SHE TAKING HIM??? GOD NO

Anti-magic beacon??

Helloooo that's smart asf

This gives Mount Doom vibes

"Embrace your loved ones for the final time" FUCK MAN STOP IT

"I already was" DAMN RIGHT BUD

NEW AMULETTTT

GO GET JIM GO GET 'IM

DAYLIGHT ARMOR!!!!!!

He was ready to just sacrifice himself like THAT

DAYLIGHT ARMORRRRR WITH EXCALIBUR??????? FUUUUCK

Jim being great at combat is just the best fucking thing

Oh fuck. OH FUCK.

STABBED??????

PLEASE NO, GOD NO

FUUUUCK

"I'm powerless" "You get used to it" WE DONT HAVE TIME TO UNPACK ALL OF THAT

JIM HONEY PLEASE DONT DIE

Is that....is that it?? Oh dear god, is that it????

JIM WHERE ARE YOU

I'm calling it now it's too early to be celebrating

Oh god the weird babies

WHERE IS TOBY

WHERE

NO

MY JAW FUCKING DROPPED

NO WAY, NO FUCKING WAY

HE'S GETTING A DYING MONOLOGUE??????

ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE

"Itll be the two of us at the end" WHY DOES THAG SEEM LIKE JIM WILL GO OUT TIO

THERE'S NO WAY TOBY JUST DIED

THHERE'S NO WAY

That was sad as fuck but in a narrative way I hope it's permanent

Oh dear, Jim's going back????

Oh shit

WWHAT IS HE DOING

NOOOOO

"I have cherished every moment with you" STOP IT HE'S HIS FATHER

"I FYOU WERE MY OWN SON" STOPPPPPP

WHAT'S HAPONEINGGGGG

CLAIRE

NOOOO

THIS IS WHERE IM SOBBING

THIS IS WHERE IM LOSUNG IT

"Dont give up on me" FUCK STOPPPP

"I WILL ALWAYS BE HERE AND HERE" FUCK IT STOPPPPP

"I would date you for a hundred lifetimes" IS REALLY BEING TESTED HUH

THERE ARE 10 MINUTES ELFT WHAT THEBFUCK

AND WE'RE BACK TO TROLLHUNTERS?.????

HUHHHH

Fuck, man. FUCK, MAN.

Oh, Toby. Ohhhh Toby

CLAIRE 🥺

ROMEO AND JULIET!!!!

Oh my fucking god

"IF YOUD COME OVER TO DINNER" AYYYYY

His smile at Steve 🥺

HE'S HAVING TOBY TAKE THE CANAL???? But wouldnt the amulet still call for Jim?????

"Nothing interesting ever happens in Arcadia" VERY FUCKING FUNNY

Destiny is a gift. Some go their entire lives living in an existence of quiet desperation, never learning the truth- that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon our shoulders is actually the sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor. That to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero. Don't think. Become.

.......it actually called his name. I can't believe it actually called his name.

The fuck is that ending??? Let Jim REST

[k-writer1998]

Who Said Love Was Easy? (2/12)

      There are many different kinds of people who come and go from your life. Some will stay constant and sturdy like a river, growing alongside you, others will come like a whirlwind who wreaks havoc and leaves just as quickly, then there is everything in between. In this twisted maze of connections, that is where our story begins. A steadfast boy, a girl with a past, a little bit of alcohol, mistakes, and some love. Where can you go wrong with that?

angsty fluff

w.c: 1.7k

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

      I’ve been spending more and more time at the pub, partly because I was still trying to coax the weary Jeongin into friendship but also Jaehyung has been inviting me to come over more, his nosy-neighbor-senses kicking in. I’ve nearly broken Jeongin though cause he’s warmed up sufficiently since running into him. Gahyeon on the other hand seems to be cautious around me but as the saying goes “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” It wasn’t like she was any bad, if anything I could see why Jeongin was so infatuated with her. She gives off girl-next-door vibes minus the naivety. Like Jeongin, she brought in a lot of customers with that personality but as the only female server a lot of guys come through in hopes to be served by her. That meant Jeongin’s eyes were constantly on her, ready to step in at any given moment.

“It’ll be faster if you just start barking at people. Then everyone would think you’re crazy and people won’t pay attention to her. Are you trying to burn holes into her skull?”

“Can you not for one day y/n?” he rolled his eyes.

“I’ll stop if you stop first,” I wink before adding, “If anyone so much as looked at her the wrong way Chan, Younghyun, and Jaehyung would be there in seconds you know.”

“There’s just been a lot more creeps lately and it’s been really packed.”

“It can’t be helped. It’s summer vacation for college students so everyone’s going out to de-stress from exams. Why so overprotective anyways?”

“She got bullied in high school. She’s the type to say what she wants so a lot of the girls didn’t like her and a lot of the guys bad mouthed her because she rejected them bluntly.”

“Oh? she looks so pleasant I would’ve taken her as a pushover.”

“Wait why am I even telling you this?” He blinked a few times at the realization.

“Because we’re good friends obviously,” I leaned forward with a smile.

“Whatever, I’m telling the hyungs you dropped the honorifics.”

“No you aren’t.”

      There was a call from the kitchen and he briskly walked away. I shrugged it off since he was still working after all but as I watched his figure disappear into the kitchen, the next thing I knew Jaehyung bursted from the door and stormed over. My mouth fell agape at Jeongin who was watching me from the kitchen door snickering to himself. Snitch.

“l/n y/n!”

“Jaehyung-oppa listen-”

      Safe to say I was thoroughly lectured but it was worth it to know I made him smile… albeit because of my sorrow but minor details. Jaehyung asked to go home together again so I sat quietly in my corner seat as they had a store meeting. Watching them interact, now and throughout my time here, their dynamic was really something. Jaehyung and Younghyun act like they hate each other and are at each other’s throats yet they match each other’s energy to work perfectly together, Chan is like the middle child who acts like the youngest but will step up when needed, Jimin always butts heads with everyone but she still makes sure everyone is cared for, and lastly there are the two newest members Jeongin and Gahyeon… long term friends from school with the same sunshine type energy that every one of the older employees love to dote on like some dysfunctional… family… 

      Allowing my mind to fill itself with thoughts of Jeongin recently, I nearly forgot what time of year it was. Almost. My thoughts betrayed me and not wanting to make Jaehyung’s worrying/nagging worse I stepped out into the summer night. First it was just the loneliness setting in but it's different now with certain annoyances making an appearance last year. It’s like they’re watching and waiting… haunting me to make sure I can’t be happy for the rest of my life. All because of something I had no control over. As I tried to collect myself before I went down the family trauma rabbit hole, I received a text notification and rolled my eyes at the message. A strong urge to throw my phone came over me as my vision blurred red for a second and felt my arm raise for a moment, phone in hand, before a voice brought me back to my senses.

“Regardless of whatever you saw on there, I would advise you not to break your phone unless you can afford a new one.”

      Of all the people, he was not the one I pegged as someone who would’ve followed me out here. My brain was racing to pull itself together, still spiralling from the earlier train of thought, that my response exposed how confused I was.

“Jeongin? What are you doing out here? Aren’t you guys having a meeting?” 

“Yeah but hyung keeps looking to make sure you don’t leave so I decided to take one for the team and tell you to come back in so he can focus.”

“And here I thought you came out for me,” I joke as my arm falls back to my side, my snarky smartass persona finally loading up again.

“Whatever makes you happy,” he rolls his eyes before asking, “Is something going on though? You almost threw your phone and hyung usually isn’t this antsy with you.”

      He noticed? I couldn’t help the small surge of happiness that shot through me but of all the things why did he have to notice this? As tense as I was at his observation, I threw on my usual smile and did what I did best.

“Awww so we really are friends, you care,” I tease and he glared back at me. “Everything’s fine, really. Jaehyung-oppa thinks I get kinda weird around this time of year cause something happened last year. He’ll be back to normal by next week.”

“... okay. Are you gonna stay out here? We’re basically done anyways,” he responded as he glanced at the group inside before eyeing me suspiciously.

“Yeah, let him know please. Also let him know to stop being a worrywart.”

“Tell him that yourself.”

      With a huff he walked back in and I was finally able to relax. Leaning against the window with a sigh, I wished it was winter so I could watch the smoke curl from my lips into the air. It’s oddly calming to watch it disappear and to feel the chill set in my bones. Instead I’m left with the stifling heat of summer and the slightly unsettling thought that Jeongin possibly saw through the act… I’m such a mess. I want him to pay attention to me and now that he has I’m getting antsy. Well this is the only exception I guess, Jaehyung only knows cause he saw it happen. If I had it my way no one would know. Once in the safety of my four walls, I fell into my bed with a groan. Today kinda sucked but I knew it would only get worse until that day comes. Looking at my desk in the corner of the living room with unfinished work strewn across its surface, I let out a sigh. Might as well work to get my mind off it.

      Ding. Ding. Ding. Drowsily raising my head from my desk, I rubbed my eyes in annoyance. The sun was up and Jaehyung knew my door code so who is being so irritating this early? Looking at the intercom monitor, I should’ve known it would be one of those vermin. With a groan I went to “greet” my half-sister, clad in her expensive private school uniform, as I glared and leaned against the door frame.

“To what do I owe the honor of a visit from the princess herself?”

“You weren’t answering mom’s messages and she wanted to make sure you’d be coming home for dinner this weekend.”

“Let me guess. Grandma is invited so I have to show up to make you people look good? Not interested so leave.”

“Don’t act so high and mighty. If you didn’t want to be a part of this family you shouldn’t have-”

“Get it right,” I sneered. “Your mother kicked me out for being a reminder of her husband’s infidelity and was forced to sign away my rights to the family and shares left to me in dad’s will just so I could get the money he left me for college. I’m sorry I actually care to visit dad besides his death anniversary and happen to run into grandma, nothing changes the fact that I’m the illegitimate child right? So run along before you’re late.”

      She stamped her foot and huffed at my indifferent face and challenging tone before turning on her heel and stomping to the elevator. I tiredly rubbed my face before running a frustrated hand through my hair. I did not need this first thing in the morning. Back inside my apartment, I grabbed my phone and called my best friend.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning wakeup call?” He groaned in annoyance. We both weren’t morning people.

“How early can we hang out?”

“Depends. On a scale of “I miss you” to “I want to pull my hair out,” how bad is it?”

“Younghee blew up my doorbell at seven in the morning to tell me to have dinner with them.”

“Oof. I’m shadowing my dad today but tomorrow night for sure, okay? I promise we’ll have fun and you can forget about them. ”

“Our handsome Changbinie is so great~ This is why you’re my best friend.”

“Shut up, I’m still two years older and I’m your only friend y/n.”

“No, I have Jaehyung-oppa and the others from the pub!”

“How can you be friends with someone who doesn’t like your best friend? I didn’t even do anything to Jaehyung-hyung to be hated like this.”

“I don’t like you and you are my best friend.”

“I- Nope, you love me by default because I’m the only one who knows all your secrets,” he countered.

“Who said you’re the only one?”

“Lover boy doesn’t count. He was drunk and probably doesn’t remember plus it’s not like you’ll see him again.”

“Wrong. I can since I have~”

“Young master, President Seo says you must get ready.”

“That’s me,” he groans, “you better catch me up! Maybe your life won’t be a revenge drama afterall," he gasped teasingly. "Is it a romantic comedy?”

“Shut up, does that make you the second lead dearest best friend?” He faked a gag and I chuckled, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

[illwork4anime]

17 bls~

Fic idea I haven't written yet.

I have so many! One for my OTP would be Sakura during the blank period feeling really lonely and overworking herself. She goes to the Nara's to get some herbs for the hospital and is surprised to see Yoshino looking disheveled and clearly struggling with depression following the death of Shikaku. Sakura, looking for purpose and connection with someone, decides to help Yoshino overcome this.

Shikamaru is also overworked. He comes home late for dinner, plays his nightly shogi and then trains. Rinse and repeat. He sees his mother struggling, but isn't sure how to help. He's struggling just as much, only hiding it better. He's surprised to come home one night and hear laughter in the kitchen. The scene is odd, Sakura and his mother fussing over dinner, Yoshino's curt instructions taking in stride and with good humor by Sakura. It becomes normal for him to see Sakura a few nights a week in his home. It's weird, but his mother is happy so he doesn't look too closely.

Sakura is amazed. She forgot what it was like to have people gathered around the table to ask and care about your day. She's addicted. And finds she likes how she fits into the picture quite well. Then feeling start to emerge for Shikamaru, so different than she remembers. So grown up and that's so attractive. But is it just her playing house or does she like him for him?

Does it even matter since he's dating Temari?

It might, because her feelings aren't totally oneside. Shikamaru finds himself enjoying her company and admiring how good she is with his mother and his clan. They take to doing activities after dinner and he admires her mind over a shogi board, her grit across a training field, her smile under the stars. Could he be falling for her too? Was that enough to throw away years and plans and feelings for another woman? He's much to practical for that.

Head in the clouds, romantic Sakura confesses first. She hasn't thought it through, just knows that she wants to be with him and he should know. The moment has been rehearsed in her head so many times that she's sure it's real. But it isn't.

"I'm in love with you."

A too long pause.

"So?"

"So?"

"What am I supposed to do with that? I'm seeing someone else."

"You're supposed to tell me how you feel.

"I'm with someone else."

"But you have feelings for me. I know you do."

"I'm marrying Temari, Sakura."

Stunned silence.

"Oh come on. What did you think was going to happen? That you'd make some big romantic gesture and we'd walk off into the sunset. You're smarter than that Sakura."

A fight insues. Shikamaru artfully skirting around the truth, never confirming or denying his feelings, but rejecting her all the same. See, this is where they most differ. Sakura is a romantic idealist. Shikamaru a practical pessimist.

"Have you even thought this through? Because here's what it looks like. You'd never give up work and neither would I. We both work ourselves to the bone and hardly see eachother. Years pass and we become roommates. More time and we become strangers. Maybe we think a few kids will fix it, but then out time together is spilt even further. You would have to quite your job at some point and then you'd resent me even more-" He goes to explain a bleak future.

"And you think Temari will just play Nara clan house wife for you?"

"Don't devalue the position. It's a lot of responsibility. And she knows what she's getting into."

"You haven't even talked about it "

He doesn't answer.

It ends with him telling her to not come to the compound anymore and be all but runs from her.

From there Sakura struggles with what to do next. Her heart is broken, but she still has live for him and his mother. She honors his wishes and doesn't go to the compound, but finds other ways to express her love. Secret ways.

She gets Yoshino a job at the hospital - head of the poisons department including training new medics. Actually it's Ino that delivers the opportunity, but only as a favor from Sakura. Yoshino's mood skyrockets, thankful to be out of the house and contributing to the next gen. Honoring the Nara legacy.

Sakura finds with Shikamaru in her life, she has a lot more time in her hands. She hears Yoshino complaining about Shikamarus increased work load and one night pulls Naruto aside to offer to help with the paperwork. He's reluctant, but she frames it as being bored and wanting to help him see more of Hinata. She has him keep it a secret as well. Shikamaru suspects something when his workload dwindles, but Naruto insists it's just a new intern taking on more work.

Shikamaru's life seems to have magically improved since Sakura left it, but he's more troubled than ever. There's just a void where she was and he feels lonely. Thinking it will help, he has Temari come to Konoha, intent on an engagement so he can put his thoughts of Sakura behind him. But when she comes, he finds their lack of communication and distance has affect their relationship more than he thought. It's not fair to compare the two- Sakura and Temari- but he finds himself doing it a the same. Something about Temari just isn't adding up. (poor Shika doesn't realize you can't rationalize love).

The resolution is still up in the air, but Sakura learns that love is more than just words. It's more than your acts being noticed. It's doing the little things and making sacrifices for the sake of the other persons happiness alone. Shikamaru realizes that sometimes a romantic gesture and trusting in your heart is what will bring him happiness.

Actually the more I think about it, the more the resolution should be centered around children and the next gen. That is a huge theme for Shika. He wants kids. Hes required to have them. I think he finds out Temari doesn't want them - which she has a right not to- but Shika has to decide if that's okay. I also have this idea of Sakura dedicating a wing of the hospital to either Shikas dad or Asuma. She invites him to the dedication, but he doesn't come. More heartbreak. Another ah ha moment later would be him going to pick up his mom and seeing the wing and being just stunned. That might be the moment he realizes the depth of his feelings for her.

I struggle with Temari in this fic. I don't want her to look like a jerk, but I need a reason why she isn't good with Shikamaru. That's the main thing stopping me. Also Sasuke's involvement is still a mystery, but I concidered Sakura deciding to be with him as a way to deal with the loneliness of her future. On both sides it would be a loveless marriage, and they would both be aware of that.

Anyway - that's my latest fic idea! Let me know what you think! 😊

[yourdeepestfathoms]

Hi! I really like your aus and you’ve made me love joan ( she seems like a really interesting person). I was wondering if there is any Edward angst? ( I love the way you charchtarise him) hope that doesn’t sound too weird😓. Have a nice day gorgeous 💙🦋

Hi! Thank you so much! 🥺 I hope you had a good day, too! 💕💕

In response to the request, not by himself, no. I can’t really come up with in-depth angst for characters I don’t vibe with. Not that I don’t like him, I do, but I just have a harder time connecting with him.

HOWEVER, I do have some angst in the wing AU. It does involve Joan, but just bear with me.

So, Joan, WE or Tour, was kept in a giant bird cage that was suspended from the ceiling of the dining hall. People could fly up and look at her, they sometimes threw coins at her to sing to them, among other stuff. This was because having a hybrid or Flightless in the kingdom was considered an honor of sorts. It made you look more powerful, so they were kinda kept as pets. When Joan wasn’t doing her LiW duties, she would be dressed up in fancy clothes and adorned with jewels and stuck inside this cage.

And Edward hated it.

He was probably one of the only avians who thought it was cruel. And he made sure everyone knew he thought that, too. He was constantly flying up to people while they were tormenting Joan in her cage and yelling at them.

For years, the prince/eventual king and the “beast” created a friendship through steel bars. Edward would bring Joan food and water and books to read for when she would be kept in the cage for hours, while Joan exchanged stories of her childhood and time as a maid for Anne. She even leaked some embarrassing things Mary had done before Edward was born, which made the boy absolutely crack up.

But then, one day, Joan was found dead in her cage.

Edward’s wings seemed to stop working and he crashed to the ground, devastation weighing every feather to the ground.

Nobody knew the cause of death. Some said starvation, others said overexertion, even suicide was considered. But Edward said it was a “broken heart.” Joan was always so sad. Edward had learned after awhile that he wasn’t going to be able to save her from her own depression, but he still tried. And every smile she cracked, every light laugh she let out, he thought he was getting closer. She had been fine the day before! She even laughed really loud! So what happened?

Edward asked his father when the funeral was going to be and Henry snorted, saying creatures don’t deserve funerals.

Or burials.

Joan’s body was dumped in a river near the kingdom.

That night, Edward had raced down to the river and searched everywhere, upstream, downstream, in the depths and along the shores, but could not find the body of his friend. And he fell to the bay and cried, apologizing to Joan, wherever she may be, for not setting her free.

[black-streak]

Waiting for the Worms - Empty Spaces

Part 2

Please heed warnings of part 1. Added warning of suicidal tendencies. If Anything about suicide makes you triggered, don't continue reading this particular story. Please be mindful of yourself. This WILL get worse.

Tag list of known masochists (I'm playing, you guys are amazing):

@northernbluetongue @thethirdwheelfriend @shizukiryuu @theatreandcomicfreak @michellemagic @karategirl119 @moonlightstar64 @my-name-is-michell @mystery-5-5 @zalladane @queen-of-the-trash-planet-tm @wuvpancakes @dorkus-minimus @jardimazul @allthebooksandcrannies @g-arya @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @persephonescat @mycupisbroken @luciferge @18-fandoms-unite-08 @dawnwave16 @alwaysreblogneverpost @kris-pines04 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @weird-pale-blonde-person @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @kokotaru @naclychilli @slytherinhquinn @clumsy-owl-4178 @ladybug-182 @darkthunder1589 @evil-elf16 @lysslovsanime

~---~

Coming to in Marinette's body was jarring to say the least. Moments earlier, pain was all he could register and now he was leaning back on a bench in the back of a classroom. 

Leaning forward and hiding his face in his arms, he focused in on the tug in the back of his mind, trying to bring it forward. To force the switch back, only to be met with harsh resistance.

"Dammit Mari, don't do this. Let me back!" He whispered under his breath, panic starting to lurch to the forefront. He started to shake all over, the longer the connection lasted and the longer she resisted.

"Marinette, please stop, please? You can't keep doing this," he murmured, slowly rocking back and forth, pushing with all he had at the bond.

"God, how pathetic can she get? Faking a breakdown for attention," a voice from the front spoke, pitched just right to be intentionally heard by him.

"Why don't you mind your own damn business," a haughty voice exclaimed from his left, before a body drew closer, arm wrapping around his shoulder. He held back a flinch, trying to tune into her normal reliance on others for comfort, instead leaning into the body, vaguely recognizing it as Chloe. 

The resistance dropped and finally the tug calmed down. He still couldn't switch back, but she wasn't fighting him anymore either. He let out a sigh as the shaking calmed down. Bruce must've found her. She was safe, but likely exhausted and unable to switch back. As much as he hated her taking the pain for him, all he could do now was wait for the bond to pull again and leave a letter detailing exactly what he thought of her little stunt here.

This time Jason did flinch. He felt the first few blows Joker landed, he could only imagine how much pain she must be in now.

"You okay there, marzipan?"

That was a new one. Glancing up into worried baby blues, he gave one soft nod and slumped into her side, paying attention to the lesson. Mari would be upset if he let her fall behind in her studies while she was gone.

…

It had been four days since then and Jason couldn't help feeling like something was horribly wrong. It wasn't the first time they switched for an extended period of time, by any means, but his gut told him this time was different.

Sure she had claimed his body for well over four days before to wait out an injury or get more extensive training with Bruce before and he had held her body hostage for over a week once when she was in the hospital with pneumonia, but normally a tug or two would tell him that one of them was holding out on the swap.

This time, nothing came. His mind was achingly devoid of her and as the days passed, he feared he might end up here longer than planned. It would make sense. Multiple broken bones, blunt force trauma, and the sheer force of their swap could easily have overwhelmed his body and dropped it into a state of unconsciousness. 

He took to her computer, trying any combination of words related to the accident to see if anything had been reported only to come up empty handed.

That couldn't be right, if she were in the hospital, if his body was properly reported as a Joker victim, the report would be made public, even if the identity was kept under wraps for being an unknown minor. Anything to indicate someone was caught up in the accident. Surely Bruce wasn't relying solely on Alfred to patch them back up?

It wasn't until a week after the incident that he received his answer, buried in a tiny little notice in the back of a Tuesday local newspaper. Like an afterthought. Amongst the obituaries. A tiny note that the late Jason Peter Todd had died.

His soulmate died in his body and didn't even make it into the citywide Sunday paper. Just a local midweeker with barely more than two sentences.

Disbelief struck first.

This couldn't be real, right? Soulmates weren't able to just. Die in the other's place. That wasn't a thing. It was his body, if anything, he would have immediately been evicted the second his body died and moved on while she returned to hers. So how the fuck was he still here?

Next came anger.

How dare Marinette die in his place. How dare she end her life for his mistakes! And by the Joker! The fucking Joker deserved to die for torturing and killing his sweet little soulmate. He deserved a life worse than death. To be strung up and peeled apart inch by inch until he begged for death. And Batman... How dare he not make it in time to save her. It'd be okay if it were him, but not her! She didn't deserve this. Mari had her own life, her own desires and dreams, her own villain to hunt down, and that was torn away from her because Batman let them down. But even worse, Bruce barely cared enough to be open about his death. To mourn the loss of her like he did, even if the man didn't know it was an innocent in that body and not him. And even if it had been, it hurt knowing that he alone wasn't worth more than a barely there acknowledgment that he was once alive in an unseen back page.

Last came devastating grief.

She was gone. Marinette, the girl who never even really met him, cared so much for him, she sacrificed her own life for his. Forced him to stay in her body and took his as her own to the grave so he could live as her. With her loving parents and colorful room and warm heart. She gave him everything and wanted nothing in return. Slept on the streets for him at times, took brutal fights on as Robin so he could have a reprieve, skipped meals so he could taste something he'd never had before that her parents made that night. Learned English from an early age so they could talk and he wouldn't be alone in the world. And now that one of them had died, she ensured that he would be left in the best environment she could provide him, even if it had become rougher around the edges from when they were younger. And now she was gone. Dead. Never to return. And as he turned towards the mirror and looked into her beautiful, glowing blue eyes, he saw the tears trail down her face before he collapsed into himself, cursing anything and everything in the universe for allowing such a cruel fate.

…

For the next month, he moved through life like a zombie. As much as he hated her classmates for treating her the way they had, he couldn't help but feel grateful that no one wanted anything to do with him. They still muttered under their breath and glared and purposefully manipulated situations against him, but no one tried to ask what was wrong.

Everyone but Chloe and Juleka avoided him like the plague, which felt accurate in a sense. He didn't have to fake a smile or pretend to be okay like he had when the class still loved her. He could sulk and cry and grieve and it went unquestioned. The others hated him and the two girls, while worried, knew that sometimes she needed the reprieve of just letting her negativity go unchecked for a little while to make up for bottling so much of it all the time, so they let it go as well. The teacher barely glanced his direction. If it weren't so beneficial to him at the moment, Jason would be pissed at the obvious neglect his soulmate had endured at the hands of this lot. As it stood, he just cried a little harder at night in his grief, Tikki curled to his neck with tears of her own. 

The two quickly bonded over their mutual loss and the inability to talk about it to anyone else. Despite the stress of it, Jason refused to let anyone else know that Marinette had died. Her parents didn't need to suffer her death while looking at her living, breathing body, knowing she wasn't in it. That it was his fault she had died in the first place. And he couldn't even imagine having to tell them how she died.

So he resolved himself to live in her stead. To live as she would for the sake of her loved ones and in her honor. He had enough practice in the past to pull it off. It helped that they had both learned to suppress their emotions to the point of nonexistent in the light of facing Hawkmoth.

That was another thing entirely, though. While he resolved to fake a smile and play the happy designer in her civilian life, Ladybug took a turn from that day forward. He warned the cat off him, not playing into the teasing and banter, becoming stoic and professional. And when the kid got too brash, too pushy, too unreliable, he stripped the ring from him and moved on. Built a team she would've been proud to lead.

Over the next three months, he slowly adjusted her mannerisms to be more natural for him. Not enough to be noticeable or seen as anything more than growing older and slightly more jaded, but enough to make it a touch easier and less like he was living a lie.

…

Six months had passed and everything was different. 

The rest of the class didn't bother him. Didn't make accusations. Throw insults. Acknowledge his existence in any way. And maybe that was meant to be punishment. To be treated as a ghost haunting an unknowing audience. But it was pure bliss. He couldn't thank them enough for their continued silence. 

At least this way he could pretend her last days of life were happy and surrounded by people who cared for her. That they were grieving her just as he was.

There were still mornings he forgot. Times he'd walk by a mirror and smile, seeing her looking back and thinking it just another of their sporadic swaps where he'd wake as her and find a note waiting for him. 

Then reality would crash around him as the little kwami would come out and look at him with those sad eyes, nuzzling his neck (her neck, this was her body god dammit). On those days it hit him differently. Sometimes he'd shut it all down, going through the motions for the rest of the day. Other times he'd break down and cuddle the small being as close as possible and share in her despair, not bothering to leave the house. Usually anger would coarse sharp and deadly through his heart, urging him to seek vengeance. On those days, any remarks made his way were brutally rebutaled, until the remarks stopped entirely. Ladybug fought with just a little more violent intent; he couldn't avenge her until Hawkmoth was defeated. Those gorgeous blue eyes set into her face turned into a deadly storm of promised danger. 

It all kept swirling and cycling through him over and over until one day, the desperation and grief and hurt all hit a little too hard and he laid on the floor, staring up at the dark ceiling, wishing he could be by her side. That he could join her and not have to feel like this anymore. That it could all just go away and he could be happy for once in his miserable life.

That night he wished for nothing more than to die. If it hadn't been for the absolute heartwrenching sight of her little, pale hand wrapped around a too big knife, he has no doubt he would have gone through with it. 

Afterwards he could only thank his cowardice for preventing him from destroying her body like that. She wanted him to live and who was he to deny her? 

That night, he curled up on the cold, hardwood floor and begged her forgiveness, promising to do better. To be better. He knew she couldn't hear him, would never respond, but he begged all the same.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Pure Blood 20 (Sirius Black x F!Oc)

A/N: Omg,I can't believe we're already in chapter 20, the good is coming

Words: 1,760

Masterlist

Chapter 19 / Chapter 21

Sirius

Yesterday

"You owe me some chocolate frogs, Padfoot," says James, lying down on his bed.

"I don't think so, Prongs. That bet wasn't fair, how could I know that bird was going to attack me?”

"Maybe because you threw rocks at him," adds Peter, and I wince.

Remus enters the room then, the boy walks in with a huge smile all the way to his bed, takes off his sweater and sits on the mattress in front of mine. The three of us are silent as we watch him, waiting for some other reaction. I told them what had happened with Persephone, omitting the fact that he was crying and… the hug.

James sits on the edge of his bed and looks at Remus.

"And well?” That makes him react, but his smile doesn't fade.

"Hello guys. How’d it go? ” I frown.

"Good," says Peter. "But I think it was better for you," he says, trying to joke, but James throws him a shirt to quiet him down.

“Yes, you're right, Pete. It was better than I thought,” Remus replies, slightly red.

"How was your date with... Trixie?" I say, trying to control myself. His face flushes even more.

“I know you don't like her, Padfoot, but I did well, she's a very- wait, how did you know that?” The spell seems to have broken.

"Someone told me,” I lean against the wooden pillar of his bed and cross my arms.

“Oh. Well… yes, it was great, we have many things in common and–”

"Remus, I love you and you know it,” James interrupts him before he gives the details. "I think you're the smartest of the four, but right now you're being an idiot." Remus looks at him confused.

“Are you on his side too? C’mon James, they don't even know her…”

“Listen," I reply. “I may not be the best person to say this, because of my stupid decisions, but…” I approach him. “Why did you leave Persephone?”

"What are you talking ab-" His eyes widen "Holy shit!” He hits his forehead.

"There it is, he finally realized," applauds James.

“Shit, I was supposed to go with her.”

"Didn't you really remember?" I ask.

"No shit, I'm the worst person in the world," He says as he gets up. "I have to talk to her…” He opens the door, but before he could get out, I grab his shirt and he turns.

"It's late, Moony, talk to her tomorrow.”

He sighs and nods, before closing the door a meow stops me. A small cat’s sitting in front of our room.

"How strange…” I don't pay attention and close the door.

"Surely she hates me," he complains.

"No, she's just upset," I say without thinking and he watches me.

"You talked to her?" He asks surprised and I feel shivers run through my body.

"Eh, yes, something like that, she seemed annoyed.”

"I'm an idiot.”

"We agree on that," adds James.

"Okay, now tell us, how did it go with Trixie?" Peter asks and I complain covering my ears.

"I don't want to know what you do with the devil!”

Night came as we argued and joked.

———————————————————————————

Today.

"Does that mean I now have an excuse to hit Snivellus?" I ask, patting her red hair.

"I thought you didn't need one to do it," Lily replies, blowing her nose.

"I need it, now I can say that it was for your honor.” My words make her laugh.

"I still can't believe our friendship is over," she says as she sits down on the floor resting her head on my shoulder.

"Welcome to the Club,” I say sighing.

"I don't think we're in the same club, Persephone," I frown.

"What are you talking about?”

"I know you’ll deny everything, but your relationship with Sirius has changed, you don’t argue like before.”

"That's because of the truce, you know about the plan–“

"If you say so…”

"Anyway, do you want to go to the lake to eat? I'm hungry,” We get up at the same time.

"Surely everyone knows now what happened," she says, wiping her tears away.

“Let them think what they want, Lily. You can't force them to never talk about you, the only thing we can do is ignore them, but if someone dares to hurt you, rest assured that you have a whole group of bodyguards-”

She laughs. "Who would say that after so many fights, we would become friends?"

I Sigh. "Yes, everything is out of balance…”

I feel a chill when I remember the hug with Sirius, but I don't say anything.

We both walk to the large dining room and just as I head over to the Slytherin table, she stops me and offers me a place at her table.

"You want the balance to fall apart, right?" Lily rolls her eyes.

"Don't exaggerate, come on," she says. We sit down with her friends, they all ask if she’s okay and Lily only answers that they will talk later, I’d also be uncomfortable with something like that.

We ate and talked about everything, the relationship with them was friendly, we are not best friends, but I’m comfortable, everything’s better when Jenna joins. After a few minutes, I was already preparing to leave, but a new person stopped me. Trixie sits across from me with a huge smile.

"May I speak to you, Persephone?" I clench my teeth.

"No thanks, I want to live," she giggles, causing a chill.

"Always so funny! But I think it's important that we talk, it's about Remus.”

I raise an eyebrow.

"Did you kill him already or what?" I feel a pinch on my left arm and I complain looking at Lily. Then I sigh. "What do you want?"

"Oh no, I meant talking in a more private place,” She looks at the girls. "I don't want to offend them, it's just that this is a bit embarrassing topic…”

"Don't worry, Persephone will go with you" Jenna says giving me orders. I grimace and get up.

We both leave the large dining room and walk a few hallways.

“Here. I don't intend to be in a secret place where you can hide my body without witnesses.”

She sighs but keeps smiling.

“Listen, I'm not stupid, I know that since the last time we saw each other many years ago, things were not right. But you have to understand that we are no longer girls and I don't think I deserve your bad attitude.”

Well shit. I was not expecting this.

"Still, I don't expect us to be as close friends as before, I know you have your group and I have mine, but our paths are perhaps coming together again," She adds, blushing a little. "Remus is a very cute boy and I don't think I've ever had such a strong connection with anyone, he listens to me and-"

"Stop there I- I don't want to know,” I stir uneasily. "I was supposed to go with him to Hogsmeade yesterday, but he left me standing because of you.”

"I know.”

"And it's not fair- wait- you knew?"

"Yes. He’s quite sorry. When I saw him at the entrance of the school, he was very happy and we started talking, he never mentioned that he was waiting for you, I found out later I- I'm sorry.”

"What?" This I was really not expecting it.

“I’m very sorry for what happened, if I had known… sorry, Persephone. What I least want is to give you reasons to hate me.”

On the one hand, I am very surprised, and on the other I don’t know whether to believe her. Before I could reply, Remus reaches our side.

"Percy, can we talk?"

They both look at each other and smile for a few seconds, but then they came back to me.

"What you did to me, Lupin, you’ll have to compensate. Trixie,” She waits anxiously. “May it never happen again.”

"I promise," She says, smiling, "I'll leave you alone, see you, Remi." She kisses his cheek and leaves.

"I'm really sorry. I completely forgot- it wasn't on purpose- I know what you think, but I'm not like Sirius,” He speaks so fast that I barely understand, so I cover his mouth with my hand.

"Okay, I accept your apology, but I warn you that if it happens again, I will not hesitate to turn you into a worm, understand?" He nods and pulls my hand away.

"So you're not upset anymore?" I shake my head.

“Remus," I say nervously "Do you really like Trixie?"

The boy blushes and runs a hand over his hair.

“Yes, I think so…”

I sigh.

“Just… be careful.”

—————————————————————

"What will you wear for the big party of important people?" Jenna asks surprising me.

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," I shrug. "My mother will surely send me something. She wants to control everything.”

"At least she has good taste," I nod. "I understand why you like going out to the gardens so much, it's relaxing," She says, lying down on the grass.

Suddenly a small orange bird perches on the book that I put aside. I laugh and look at the animal. Its colors are very bright, I have never seen a bird like that.

"Hey, how do you feel about the whole Trix and Lupin thing?" Adds my friend.

"I don't know, it's weird.”

"Wait, odd that it's with Trix, or that Remus has a girlfriend?"

“Girlfriend? No. Ha! No.”

Jenna laughs out loud.

"What is so funny?"

“You're jealous!”

"What!? Of course not!”

“Yes you are!”

"No, don't say stupid things. I'm only worried about him, Trixie is a bad person -or at least she was- agh! I don't know, but I'm not jealous, I don't see Remus as more than a friend.”

"Hey, it's not bad that you like Lupin, actually, of the four I like him the most.”

“Stop."

"I'm just saying, don't be mad," She says defending herself.

"I can't see Remus that way,” I bend my legs and rest my chin on my knees.

"You would make a nice couple," She adds, making me growl. “Although, I've seen progress with Black…”

"Do you want to stop pairing me with all of them?"

"Hey, it's not my fault! You have a history and somehow, we always end up talking about one of them.”

"I wish I could meet someone else…”

"That would break Lupin and Black's hearts."

"Jenna!"

My scream causes the bird to fly away.

Taglist:

@treestarrrrrrrr  @siriuslysirius1107      @thagreenmoon @madmaiden2890    @ren-ela  @avipshamitra   @auroraawrites @findzelda  @lizlil @siriusmuch   @chloe-geoghegan1 @reverse-hxlland  @may-rapp @the-specific-oceans​

@bloodorangemoonlight

@littledeadgirlwalking​

[gusu-emilu]

Cantatio: Chapter Thirteen

Ship: Lan Zhan / Wei Ying (POV Lan Zhan)

Summary: Wei Ying’s plan to stop the guardian lion statue requires some *physical contact* from Lan Zhan. The lion reveals who brought it to life—and it's a shock.

Cloud Recesses AU, Rated T, No Warnings Apply - read on AO3

< Ch. 12 | chapter list

* * *

“Stop!” Lan Wangji shouted.

Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, and Jin Zixuan ignored him and continued to battle the guardian lion statue. The creature barely put effort into the fight, clearly just wanting to be left alone, but even a mere swat of its paws sent the disciples flying into stalagmites and cavern walls—and then Jiang Cheng into the lake.

Jin Zixuan was the only one fighting earnestly in his senseless attempt to preserve his honor, but all three were battered and only getting worse. Lan Wangji and Wen Qing stood at a distance, watching with growing worry.

“Stop!” Lan Wangji shouted again.

Wei Wuxian glanced back at him, then made a point of fighting even harder. Jiang Cheng trudged out of the lake, spitting out equal amounts of water and curses, and swung Sandu at the lion.

Lan Wangji had never been so blatantly disregarded in matters of combat. A nerve twinged in his temple.

Maybe they needed to be forced to stop. He turned to Wen Qing, raised his eyebrows, and pretended to throw a needle.

“I could,” Wen Qing said, “but then they’d pass out on the ground and get crushed under the lion’s paws.”

That wouldn’t work. Lan Wangji squared his jaw and turned back to the chaos around the lion. “Wei Ying!”

Wei Wuxian jumped into the air and flew over to land in front of him. “What is it, Lan Zhan.”

His voice was still bitter. Still spiteful. Lan Wangji had heard this tone from Wei Wuxian before, but it made his throat tighten to have it directed at himself. How long would Wei Ying be angry at him?

Still, this was better than being ignored. As long as they could still work together.

“It speaks,” Lan Wangji said.

Wei Wuxian cocked an eyebrow and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. “The lion?”

“Trans-Himalayan.”

“So that’s what all that moaning is about?” Recognition spread across Wei Wuxian's face. “I thought it sounded familiar. It’s that dumb old language that Lan Qiren made us read poetry in! What’s it saying?”

“Horrified, the warrior realized that, like a swan crushing her eggs as she shielded them from a snake, it was his hand that plunged the knife into the Emperor’s heart.”

“…It said that whole mouthful?”

Lan Wangji nodded.

It was a line from the poem about a warrior who discovered he had been manipulated by his enemies to assassinate the emperor he served and loved. The warrior retreated from the world for eternity to atone. Lan Qiren had said this was the most important line of the poem.

“Out of all things, why would it say this?” Wei Wuxian said softly, wondering out loud rather than asking.

However, Lan Wangji had an answer. “Recitation of the most famous line to imply the entire poem."

“Exactly,” Wen Qing said. “It’s probably because the warrior's story relates to it somehow.” She looked at the guardian lion, narrowing her eyes as if watching her thoughts sharpen before her. “The daozhang had told us that guardian spirits are difficult to communicate with. A few lines of ancient poetry might be all it’s learned to say in the physical realm.”

“Hm," Wei Wuxian said. "It was his hand that plunged the knife into the Emperor’s heart…” He fell silent for a few moments, rubbing his chin. “Well, the entire purpose of guardian statues is to protect their location from evil and intruders. But this one attacked a guest disciple.”

He snapped his fingers. “It must have realized that Jin Zixuan was someone it was supposed to protect! Then it ran away to hide from the world and repent for hurting him, just like the warrior in the poem!”

A smile tugged at Lan Wangji's lips. "This is a promising theory." Wei Wuxian had figured it out so quickly.

Wen Qing shook her head solemnly. “The lion must feel terrible, having us chase after it and attack it. All it wants to do is push the young masters away, not harm them, but it keeps hurting them regardless.”

They looked over at Jin Zixuan and Jiang Cheng, who now seemed to be quarreling with themselves just as much as with the guardian lion.

“Get out of my way!”

“Why don’t you call your rich daddy to come fight instead if you can’t handle it?”

“Why don’t you call your ugly mom!”

“Fuck off!!”

“Hey!” Wei Wuxian shouted. “Stop! Leave the lion alone! And each other!”

Jiang Cheng pulled away, but Jin Zixuan did not relent. He leapt into the air and swung Suihua at the lion’s head.

“Idiot. We’re going to have to force him to stop,” Wei Wuxian said.

“That might be risky,” Wen Qing said. “If the lion sees us start attacking each other, it might choose one of us to defend. It is bound by duty to protect someone. I saw it eyeing Young Master Jiang suspiciously when those two started shoving each other.”

“Great. Just perfect,” Wei Wuxian muttered. He snapped his fingers again. “What if I try telling the lion to stop? Now that I think about, I’m pretty sure in Song Lan’s class, I did some weird half telepathic, half broken Trans-Himalayan communication with the pixiu in the spiritual realm, since I had been thinking about old Qiren’s poetry class right before I touched it. I can try the same thing with the lion. If it listens to me and stops moving, then you and Jiang Cheng can get the peacock out of its way.”

“It will require great spiritual energy,” Lan Wangji said.

“It’s just talking. I think I can manage it.”

“As you managed the pixiu?”

As soon as he said it, he knew he shouldn’t have.

Wei Wuxian shot a dark glare at Lan Wangji. “Fine. I get it. You don’t trust me.” He turned to Wen Qing. “Well, then what else should we do? Tackle Jin Zixuan and hope he doesn’t fight back?”

“I trust you.”

Wei Wuxian blinked at him several times. “Huh?”

A peculiar warmth filled Lan Wangji’s chest.

“I trust you.”

For the first time Lan Wangji had ever seen, Wei Wuxian blushed.

He made Wei Ying blush.

The warmth inside him grew hotter, filling him with heady lightness like a paper lantern floating into the sky. Perhaps there was more he should've said to apologize, but Wei Wuxian seemed to understand everything Lan Wangji meant just from these few words.

“Are we going to do something,” Wen Qing said, “or should I start playing romantic music?”

Now it was Lan Wangji’s turn to blush. Except this was more like a fire.

“Wen Qing!” Wei Wuxian said, putting one hand on his hip and gesturing toward Lan Wangji with the other. “We’re having a moment! Don’t try to make everything about you and Lan Zhan!”

The warmth fizzled away immediately.

Wen Qing raised one eyebrow as the corners of her mouth crept upward. “Wei Wuxian, for someone so smart, you’re really, really dumb.” She exhaled sharply and clapped her hands together. “Okay, come on, let’s help Young Master Jiang and Young Master Jin so they stop shouting. I already had a headache before I fell in this cave, and I'd like some quiet.” Her lips tightened with disapproval as she watched the disciples battle the lion. "And they do not need to get any more injuries."

Wei Wuxian nodded. “Lan Zhan, I’ll need your help.”

“Mn?”

“I’m going to jump onto the lion’s back. But if I spiritually connect to it, I’m afraid that I’ll lose touch with the physical world, and I’ll fall off. I need you to ride the lion with me and hold me in place while I talk to it. You can send me spiritual energy too.”

Side by side, they leapt into the air and landed on the stone back of the lion. They sat down as if riding a horse, Wei Wuxian in front with Lan Wangji behind him. They gripped the flanks of the lion with their legs to stay upright, a slight burn growing in Lan Wangji’s hamstrings as he held tight. The creature bucked up and down as it fought Jin Zixuan, who was still hacking at the its paws below.

“Alright. I’m ready,” Wei Wuxian said. “Put your hands on my hips.”

The fire in Lan Wangji’s cheeks blazed up again. He hesitated.

Wei Wuxian looked over his shoulder. “Lan Zhan? Hello? You still trust me, right? As long as you hold me, I won’t fall off. I’ll be fine.”

Lan Wangji placed his hands on the slender waist before him.

“Tighter.”

Something other than motion sickness was making Lan Wangji dizzy. He began to worry that if Wei Wuxian didn’t fall off the lion, he might himself.

He wrapped his arms around Wei Wuxian’s entire torso, hugging him into his chest. He didn’t know which gave off more heat—the body he held, or his own face.

“Perfect,” Wei Wuxian said with a slight lilt in his voice.

Lan Wangji closed his eyes and sent spiritual energy through his embrace.

The scent of plum blossoms. Pine trees. Cloves.

When was the last time he'd hugged someone?

His mother used to cradle him during the one day a month he was allowed to visit her. But she died when he was six years old. His uncle had only ever shown affection through the rare words of praise that slipped through his scolding. And his father…well, he had never been around to begin with.

The last time was when Lan Wangji was twelve years old and nearly drowned in the waterfalls outside Caiyi Town. After his brother fished him out, he hugged Lan Wangji so tight that it was even harder to breathe in Lan Xichen's embrace than it was underwater.

That hug had been freezing cold, with the river water of Lan Wangji's soaked robes between them. But this hug—Wei Ying’s—was comfortable and warm.

It was absurd to feel so at peace in this moment. They were on top of a guardian lion’s back, in an underground cave with no way out except a steep muddy tunnel, with a bloodied, kidnapped disciple slashing a sword below them. Yet Lan Wangji felt so incredibly happy.

He did not know how long it lasted, but it was not long enough. Suddenly the lion beneath them stopped moving. The clamor of swords ceased.

A honey-coated voice. “Okay, Lan Zhan, we’re done. Thanks for helping.”

“Mn.” Lan Wangji pulled his arms away and immediately shivered.

Wei Wuxian looked over his shoulder and smiled. He appeared tired, yet content. Lan Wangji realized that he felt quite tired as well.

Wei Wuxian sank back into Lan Wangji’s chest, resting his head on Lan Wangji’s shoulder and gazing up with a lazy smirk that crinkled his eyes. “No crooked path this time. Just a friendly conversation, although it took a lot of energy to talk to the old lion. I don’t think I could’ve lasted if you hadn’t sent me your spiritual energy. I’m spent.”

“Alright, help me get down from here,” Wei Wuxian said as he sat up again. The sudden absence of touch on Lan Wangji's body felt worse the second time, like a cold gust of wind. “I’ll tell everyone what the lion said.”

* * *

They dismounted the guardian lion and walked side-by-side toward the other disciples with a drunken sway in their steps from lost spiritual energy. Jin Zixuan was brandishing his sword in an indecisive half-stance and appeared to be held captive by a smug Wen Qing. The lion sat calmly and watched.

Jiang Cheng gawked at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, his eyes darting back and forth between them angrily. “The hell you smiling about?”

“Scolding me already?" Wei Wuxian said quietly, pretending to be hurt. “Why don’t you tell me I did a good job instead?”

Jiang Cheng scowled. “Not when you creeped me out with all that smiling.”

Wei Wuxian laughed. “If you didn’t want to see smiling, you should’ve just watched Lan Zhan instead.”

Jiang Cheng gave an uneasy glance at Lan Wangji, then immediately looked at the ground. “Wasn’t any better,” he mumbled, barely audible.

Had…had Lan Wangji been smiling the entire time?

He took a step away from Wei Wuxian, who didn’t seem to pick up on Jiang Cheng’s remark. Suddenly, the serenity that he’d felt a moment ago with Wei Wuxian in his arms was overtaken by a chafing awkwardness.

He had...liked it.

Could Wei Ying tell? Did he like it too?

Lan Wangji shoved the swarm of questions out of his mind. He hadn’t liked it that much. This was the time to address the problem of the guardian lion, not to wallow in frivolous thoughts.

“Hurry up,” Wen Qing said dryly. “Just tell us what happened.”

Wei Wuxian explained that the guardian lion had awoken without hearing any instructions from its life-giver. It didn't know why it had been animated, or what danger it was tasked to fight. The last time it was awake in the physical realm had been too long many years ago to count, and therefore it didn't recognize most of its surroundings.

When it saw Jin Zixuan, it thought he was an intruder, and immediately attacked. It dragged him out of the Cloud Recesses to protect the Lan Clan, but after Jin Zixuan had been shouting in a language that the lion didn't understand, it eventually realized that it was in a much different era.

It had captured and injured a guest of the Lan Clan—someone it was bound by duty to protect. After this unforgiveable mistake, the lion posed a greater threat to the Cloud Recesses than any enemy could. It retreated to the underground cave to hide and repent.

“You got all of that from Lan Qiren’s dumb poetry language?” Jiang Cheng said.

Wei Wuxian laughed. “Nope. Three quarters of it that story is just a guess. I had to connect the dots, sprinkle in some filler and embellishments. I had to at least make it exciting, right?” He crossed his arms and glanced at the lion with a small sigh. “Well, I suppose now I should ask the lion to return to the Cloud Recesses.”

“I shall be the one to do so,” said a voice behind them.

Song Lan was standing on the bank of the lagoon. Wen Ning was peeking out from behind the cultivator’s dark robes.

“Daozhang?” Wei Wuxian said.

“A-Ning? What are you doing here?” said Wen Qing.

Song Lan took a step forward and folded his hands behind himself. “Young Master Wen informed me that there were some daring disciples who hopped on swords looking for trouble.”

“Wen Ning! You ratted us out?” Wei Wuxian said.

“I’m s-s-sorry!” Wen Ning scrunched his shoulders together and stared at the ground. “I’m sorry, Young Master Wei. I was going to tell Clan Leader N-N-Nie instead because he seems like he’s friends with Second Young Master Lan…but he doesn’t like me at all…so I had to tell the daozhang.”

Song Lan inclined his head toward Wen Ning. “You should be grateful that Young Master Wen was so ardent about preserving your safety.”

It was hard to tell, but Wen Qing might've smiled at this.

“What is the meaning of this?” An indignant voice shouted. “Why are so many disciples down here with the lion? And why are they covered in mud?" Lan Qiren stormed down the path along the lake, his face red and his breath short.

“Despite the obvious need for disciplining,” Song Lan said gently, “Shifu should be grateful that these young cultivators found the lion.”

“That does not matter! This behavior is unacceptable!” He turned to Lan Wangji, boiling over with fury that Lan Wangji had not faced in a long time. “Wangji! What are you doing here?”

“Uncle—"

“Wangji, you are head disciple!”

“Clan Leader Lan,” Song Lan stepped forward to stand beside him. “Let us deal with the most urgent matters first. The lion must be returned to the Cloud Recesses.”

It took several terrifying moments for Lan Qiren’s glare to release Lan Wangji and focus on Song Lan.

“It appears that our guardian lion situation has been resolved,” Song Lan said. “However, there is one important question that must be answered. I shall ask the guardian spirit who brought it to life.”

He walked over to the lion and placed one hand on its forehead. He remained motionless like this with his eyelids softly closed for a long time.

He gasped.

A deathly white color spread across his face. He opened and closed his mouth several times as if struggling to speak, then wrenched his hand off the statue, sank to his knees, and stared blankly at the imprints the porous stone surface had left in his palm.

“Daozhang?” Lan Qiren said, leaning forward. His voice wavered. “Who was it?”

“Bao…Bao..."

Lan Qiren’s eyes widened.

“Baoshan Sanren,” Song Lan whispered.

 * * *

* * *

Thanks for reading! These chapters (and more to come) can also be found on AO3!

chapter list | Ch. 14 >

[nctzendreamz]

get you :: mark lee

who would’ve thought I’d get you?

magic. that was the one word Mark decided to use to describe your relationship. pure magic.

growing up, Mark Lee was a shy boy. he often only spoke when spoken to, and truth be told, music was the only thing that had the power to bring out the extrovert buried deep inside him. even with his church background, the idea of being too social scared him. what was the point of building connections, when they were just going to be ruined? this was his motto, whether it was correct thinking or not.

this didn’t change when he went to Korea to follow his dreams. to follow the one thing that made him feel whole. he still thinks about the fact that the few friends he chose to have thought he was dead because he left without warning. that was the kind of guy Mark Lee was. he didn’t walk to beat of someone else’s drum, only his own. he didn’t need permission to do what he needed to do, and he was certain that the day somebody came and loved him would be the same day that hell froze over.

you’re too difficult, Mark.

it was a phrase he heard too often, so much so, that he knew he was destined to be alone forever. not because he didn’t want love, but because he was too difficult. Mark was weird. he said weird things, random things. he was spontaneous. one minute he could be laying in bed watching a movie, and then ten minutes later stuffing his face in a restaurant all by himself. he couldn’t help it. as mentioned, he did what he wanted.

but then he met you.

it wasn’t anything too dramatic. he was backstage doing mark things, which included fiddling with the mini guitar that he found in nct’s dressing room. he had no idea where the rest of the members were, but he assumed there was girls around. he had tried so hard to be like his hyungs, who had no problem getting girls. they could have a different one every night if they wanted. not him though. girls saw him as too shy, or “not their type”, whatever that meant.

he was in deep thought before he heard the door open, and he was shocked to say the least when he saw you. he knew you. your group was pretty popular, and he had recently seen your face in particular quite a bit. it hadn’t dawned on him that you had no business being in his dressing room, but with how pretty you looked right now he couldn’t manage to open his mouth.

your eyes were glued to your phone, clearly reading something stimulating.

“um...excuse me.” his voice trembled. “i..i think you’re in the wrong room.”

your head shot up quickly, eyes looking as if they could pop out of your head as you made eye contact with him.

“oh my goodness.” you sighed, slapping a hand on your forehead and leaning back on the now closed door. “this is so embarrassing.”

“eh, not really. I’ve seen worse.” he commented nonchantly, going back to his guitar.

“mark, right?” you spoke up. if he was being honest, he would’ve thought you left at this point.

“yeah.” he replied, not looking up at you. in reality he wasn’t purposely being rude, but his motto. you weren’t here to make a friend anyway. this was pure inconvience.

“are you always this nice?”

“sorry.” he apologized, putting the guitar down on the ground, and looking at you once more. “i’m honestly not used to people wanting to talk to me for this long.”

“i find that hard to believe.” you said in an unbelieving tone, taking a seat in a stylist chair nearby. “you’re Mark Lee.”

he had never heard someone speak of him in such a way that wasn’t a fan. “so you do know me?”

“how could I not? it’s hard not to keep track of the good ones.”

“the good ones? what does that mean?” he was heavily intrigued now.

“this may seem very childish,” you smirked to yourself, “but I have a list. a list of all the guys who are gross, and a list of all the guys who aren’t.”

“so I’m not on the gross list?”

“you’re actually number one on my not gross list.” you beamed.

inside, Mark felt his heartbeat getting faster and faster, but he would never let you see that your smile had that effect on him.

“i’m honored.” he smiled, his dimple coming out with pride. “you know, you’re...” he wanted so badly to thank you. thank you for seeing him for who he is, and noticing what others seemed to ignore. he wanted to tell you that you had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen, and your mere giggle had made his day, but no. “you’re really nice too.” was what he decided to finish off with.

“yeah? well I’m glad you think so. maybe we can start talking more? i’m in desperate need of friends.”

“you? in desperate need of friends? you’re so popular though.”

“yeah. until people meet me and realize I’m too good.”

“too good?”

“some people can’t handle people like us, Mark.” you got up from the chair, squatting down in between his legs. “us good people. and I don’t mean the people who are only good when they want to be, or when it’s the wave,” you grabbed the mini guitar that laid beside mark’s leg, and began to play the chorus of a familiar tune. get you, by daniel caesar. “i mean people who are genuinely good all the time. we love all the time. they don’t like it.”

“you ever feel like it’s you?”

“all the time.” you dragged. “you give someone the world, and it’s still not enough for them to treat you with some respect.”

“yes.” he sighed, leaning his head back in relief.

“but you don’t say say anything when you’re angry, because they always say the same bullshit.” you smirked.

“you’re too difficult.” you both said in unison. suddenly, you couldn’t help but to burst into laughter. your squatting position turned into sitting on the floor right across from a hysterical mark. he didn’t know why this was all so funny, but it was.

“i think mine may be me though.” he breathed out once he finally calmed down.

“and why is that?”

“i don’t know. maybe I push people away? i am a little...different from people here.”

“how so? do you like marshmallows?” you eyed him dangerously.

“absolutely not.” he said with a look of disgust, “more like, I’m just random.”

“what’s weird about that?”

“well, to me nothing. but to girls...”

“don’t tell me an i.o.i girl curved you too.” you sighed playfully, putting a hand on his knee.

he couldn’t hold in his laugh. “no, that’s not what happened. it goes all the way back to Canada.” he sighed. “i just...I don’t know...never had the best luck. i guess they just don’t see me as the boyfriend type.”

“well, I’ll be the first to tell you, you are indeed the boyfriend type. the prototype, might I add.”

he had never had someone flirt with him so directly before, and he didn’t know what to do. all he knew was that his cheeks were flamed. “thank you.” he finally managed to escape from his throat. you were suddenly handing your phone to him, a new contact awaiting your device.

“you don’t have to put it in.” you smiled with a head tilt. “it wouldn’t be the first time i didn’t get what I wanted.”

he barely knew you, but he wanted to give you everything you wanted and more. he typed in his number with shaky hands, and sent a text to himself before handing you your phone back. he watched as you stood up, stretching your needed body parts.

“well, I should probably get back to my group before I get completely punished. but it was nice taking to you, Mark. i hope we can talk more.” you winked before walking out of the room, leaving mark to himself, but also a complete wreck.

the best kind of wreck.

the kind of wreck that starts from the deepest parts of your soul. he remembers it as if it was yesterday. after that, he couldn’t get you off his mind. he usually had a habit of daydreaming, but it had intensified by 1000.

he remembered everything.

“you know, you don’t have to be nervous.” you whispered as you released mark’s lips from yours. he swallowed deeply, trying his hardest to steady his breathing from all the emotions he was currently going through.

“i know. you’re just so...perfect.” he breathed out, pressing a quick peck to your lips.

“says mr. perfection himself.”

“are you sure you’re okay with this?” he questioned frantically.

all you could do was respond to him with a deep kiss, allowing your tounge to graze against his, giving him permission to fully explore your mouth. suddenly, the two of you were smiling as you leaned him over.

..........

“you okay?” a warm voice spoke to him as he stood on the balcony in search of some answers. your arms wrapped around his waist from behind, comforting him in ways you didn’t understand.

“just got a lot on my mind.” was all he could muster.

“super m stuff?”

“super m stuff.”

“there’s nothing I can tell you to make you less stressed, because traveling is stressful.” you sighed, kissing the back of his neck gently. “but what I can do is tell you to enjoy it. even though you’re exhausted, enjoy it. it’s the easiest way.”

“but I hate this. i hate how much I don’t see you. i need you, baby.”

“i know. i need you too.”

..........

“you say you need me, but you’re not acting like it!” your broken voice screamed. “you keep pushing me away and it’s not fair!”

“how is it not fair? is it not my problem?”

“how can you even say that? how dare you say something like that when you see how much we’ve worked on trusting eachother. we used to tell eachother everything, good or bad. now look at us. lying.”

“baby...”

“no. when you’re ready to trust me again, then we can talk. but until then, you can keep your problems to yourself without taking to me.”

................

“you ready?” his voice whispered, holding you as tight as possible.

“as ready as I ever will be.” you sighed.

it was only a matter of time before your dating news would be dropped. but man did you feel invincible with mark beside you, and little did you know he felt like Superman right now.

“till the end of time, Mark?”

“till the end of time.”

..........

mark felt horrible. what was supposed to be a 2 hours studio session turnt into something much more intense, and he hadn’t even realized your sleeping state until he had closed up for the night. he couldn’t wake you up. he refused.

he couldn’t help but smile as he watched you sleep peacefully. he also couldn’t help but to join you on the couch, cuddling you into his chest as he whispered sweet nothings into your currently deaf ears.

...........

“where is he?” your said in a frantic voice, following Chenle and Jisung as they led you to your boyfriend, who apparently was in a horrible state.

the second you opened the door, your heart broke. he was sobbing in his knees with a cry you had never heard before.

“oh baby, come here.” you whispered. “you have to breathe.”

“i can’t!” he whispered.

“yes you can. just focus on my voice.”

“please don’t let go, y/n!” he cried.

“i never will.” you spoke as you cradled him in your arms.

..........

“so that’s how you play that!” you said in realization.

mark couldn’t answer, as his focus was on how cute you truly were.

“what?”

“nothing. i just love you.” was all he said before kissing your nose.

.

“busy?” you questioned as you knocked on the door.

you watched as your boyfriend took a deep breath, placing his pen down on his notepad. “everything okay?”

“gotcha.” was all you said, giving him a quick peck before leaving. you understood his code for, “i need alone time.

.............

“you know, sometimes I want to quit.” you whispered to him.

“me too.” he responded, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

“but then I remember, we have to feed our kids.”

“kids?” he choked.

“what? do you not want kids with me?”

“i...of course I do. i just didn’t think you wanted that with me.”

“what do you think this is, Mark? a rental?” you laughed as you peppered kisses all over his face.

............

“let’s get married.”

“okay.” he said, continuing to iron his clothes.

“Mark, i’m not kidding.”

“i’m not either.”

............

“you’re nervous.” you teased him from behind the wall where you could only hear him, but not see him.

“damn right.” was all he could say, his familiar tremble bringing you off comfort.

“you don’t regret that right?”

“never.”

..........

the two of you swayed back and forth on the dance floor, as if there wasn’t anyone else watching.

“y/n.” his voice whispered in your ear.

“hm?”

“thank you.”

“for what?”

“for loving me. for getting me. for never letting me live a day on this earth without reminding me that I have you, but also how special I am.

“thank you Mark. you showed me that love is real, and that no matter what, it wins. and now you have me forever. and then some more.”

“I couldn’t have asked for anything more.” his voice crumbled, and without care he let his tears flow into your shoulder, and the two of you sobbed together.

...............

you loved him. you truly loved him. and he truly loved you. and it was a beautiful thing. it wasn’t difficult as the two of you had been labeled so often.

now, as he watched you half asleep on his chest, and the sight of your band resting on your finger, and your daughter, that looked just like you sleeping in her crib only inches away, it all came full circle. thank God for you, and bless the heavens for sending him someone who understood him. someone who loved him. someone who...got him.