#I watched it without actually remembering anything from the original
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
watching The Little Mermaid (2023) live action during pride month is something that hits so different.
#the movie was great#I loved the dedication to keeping certain details from the animated movie the way they were and not messing with it so much#I watched it without actually remembering anything from the original#but it made me feel like I'm 3 years old again watching that movie for the first time#and I'll be honest I feel like most negative comments about the movie are racially motivated#like#the casting was on point in my opinion#the songs made me feel like I'm reliving something deep in my soul#and yeah maybe that's cringe but at least I'm not racist ÂŻâ \â _â (â ăâ )â _â /â ÂŻ#plus everything surrounding Hans Christian Andersen and his life#when you see any version of this story with this context in mind it's heartbreaking and a 1000% more emotionally moving#it was beautifully done and I think anyone that thinks otherwise misses the point#halle bailey#the little mermaid 2023#the little mermaid movie
6 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Favorite part about Death Note is that Light gets the Note and IMMEDIATELY becomes a serial killer fascist with a god complex.
No build-up, no Fall From Grace, no slow corruption of a good boy gradually becoming a monster. Just-- SPEED RUN STRATS. And I love that for him.
Tbh, I think there are a lot of folks (especially boys) from my high school days who would have immediately become monsters if given the power of life and death over every person around them.
It's kind of like how when people have apparently casual ableist beliefs, and you push them to elaborate on that just a little bit, they'll often end up openly saying stuff like "well, some people are just too disabled to be worth the resources it takes to support them." - Which is... eugenics. It's just eugenics, justified by the myth of scarcity. Now these folks almost certainly won't call it eugenics, or even think of it that way. But that doesn't make it NOT a core belief of the Nazis.
In a similar way, Light seems like a nice and well-adjusted boy with strong beliefs. No harm in that.
But to paraphrase Lindsay Ellis in her analysis of the Game of Thrones ending, "Power doesn't necessarily corrupt. Power reveals." [I think she was quoting someone else when she said this. It was someone who wrote a biography on LBJ. Whatever. Lindsay said it and she's smart as hell and I recommend her videos.]
And 15 minutes into the Death Note musical, I'm already thinking about how so many beliefs "casually" held by well-adjusted, nice people immediately reveal their monstrousness when talked through to their natural conclusion.
And I wonder how many of those people, given the power of life and death over everyone around them - the power to take their ideas to their natural conclusions - would also immediately reveal how their lack of self-reflection has laid the groundwork for them to become monsters.
#original#ableism#ableism cw#eugenics#nazis cw#death note#Death Note the musical#light yagami#death note musical#there's not really such a thing as casual ableism. because it all feeds into the same evil machine at the end of the day#because ableism done with hate and ableism done with love and ignorance have the same exact effects#there's no such thing as casual racism either. even if other white people would like to think that#so they don't have to actually call out people around them for holding heinous beliefs or doing horrible things#white culture#is basically the group agreement that we are /simply not going to talk about what we've done/#and we most /certainly/ are not going to talk about what we are currently doing. even bringing it up is considered rude.#it's bad is what I'm saying it's a bad culture and I don't think the world would lose anything without it#maybe then our churches won't feel like places God has abandoned. I'm an atheist. but I remember what white Mass felt like.#frankly I might not have become an atheist if when we sang stuff like ode to joy in church it wasn't the most joyless sound ever#our words flew up. our thoughts remained below. songs without thought never to heaven go. <3#man I gotta make some excellent art about that so I can stop talking about so much. but heavy excellent art takes time! so it'll be a while#nice is different than good#niceness can sometimes be incredibly unkind. it's nice to be agreeable. but in the face of injustice this becomes a cruelty.#back to watching the musical. LOVE how Light convinces himself his actions come from a place of love đ#'we just have to kill all the bad guys!' taken to its brutal and horrifying conclusion#and the way so many people are FANS of Kira is so brilliant. i wonder if this musical's ending is better written than the [á>%>#*than the original#edit: it totally is. the musical fucking rules.
38 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Fake HC 10 dashboard mayhaps??
0 notes
âď¸ pearlescent-post Follow
Reminder to love yourself! Smell the trees! Everything will be okay in the end đ âď¸
âď¸ pearlescent-post Follow
nvm gem ran out of pickles im depressed again
đ gemstone Follow
I RESTOCKED THIS MORNING HOW HAVE YOU ALREADY SOLD ME OUT
âď¸ pearlescent-post Follow
1,930 notes
đŁ mending-book-fanatic Follow
day 126 without a mending book
27 notes
đ scars-axasqottles Follow
uM hey @.hpo-official could i ask why you havent' received my messages?/? Every calsl Ive made just puts me on holdd
âŹď¸ hpo-official-948204deactivated
Sorry about that, sir. Admin error. I'll speak to my manager.
đ scars-axasqottles Follow
...hELLO?
đ¸ joel-beans Follow
lmao they deactivated what a loser
đŁ mending-book-fanatic Follow
Remember there's a person behind every poor worker! I see you bullies in the notes
đ gemstone Follow
@/mending-book-fanatic is a hermit permit office spy confirmed??
2,441 notes
đ¸ joel-beans Follow
Guys everyone agrees that purpur is cheap and beautiful and godlike and everyone should go buy it right now this second *sweats*
đ˛ supreme-judge-bd Follow
I feel like I'm missing something...
đ¸ joel-beans Follow
SHE HAS EYES EVERYWHERE BDUBS
âď¸ pearlescent-post Follow
Joel!
đ¸ joel-beans Follow
If I donât respond within the hour assume she got me
133 notes
đŠ symmetrical-minister Follow
anyone know a good shop for ethically-sourced wood?? i normally shop at big wood but ive heard things about a mafia :/
đŞ big-salmon Follow
That is absolutely NOT true!! If anything you should be targeting the crypto scheme at Big Wood,,
âď¸ d0ctorm77 Follow
aaaand this is why you should never trust businessmen in red suits
đŞ big-salmon Follow
says the one compensating with a massive HOURGLASS of all things
đ puppet-master Follow
Actually @.big-salmon Xisuma_voyd made a really well-explained video here going into detail about all of the shady elements of Big Wood, it's worth a watch.
đ gemstone Follow
To answer the original question OP here are some safer (privately owned!) shops :)
Gem's Moss Shop (azaleas for sale which can be bonemealed)
Bdub's Bamboo Shop (bamboo wood is a good eco-friendly alternative to your typical spruce or oak)
The Purr-purr bus (if you're okay with having slightly more exotic trees, from the End)
Hope this helped! <3
âď¸ d0ctorm77 Follow
Why would you pay diamonds for less when you could just pay a few grains of sand for the best quality wood in the shopping district? You people confuse me
đ˛ supreme-judge-bd Follow
actually the Purr-purr bus isn't ethical at all!! ive heard they blackmail people into giving them sails!!!
đ gemstone Follow
*sales
đ˛ supreme-judge-bd Follow
SHUDDUP
âď¸ pearlescent-post Follow
:(
2,750 notes
đŁ mending-book-fanatic Follow
day 131 without a mending book
34 notes
đŁ mending-book-fanatic Follow
day 164 without a mending book
đ puppet-master Follow
Grian you know you can get free mending books at the cat cafe right
đŁ mending-book-fanatic Follow
it's not the same
đŁ mending-book-fanatic Follow
I need to be able to smell the breath of the sea between its sodden pages
đŁ mending-book-fanatic Follow
continue along the same path and you'll soon be facing villager unions
2,316 notes
đĽ tongo-tak Follow
Friendly reminder that not everyone wakes up at 2am, so please tag your Pearldle spoilers for at least a few hours!!
âď¸ pearlescent-post Follow
skill issue tbh
1,102 notes
đ¸đŞ death2diorite85 Follow
hallo how flirt with pretty girl time sensitive question
đş git-gorgeous Follow
sell them something
đĽ tongo-tak Follow
bribe diamonds
đ puppet-master Follow
kill them
đ¸đŞ death2diorite85 Follow
okay will do!!!!
đ¸đŞ death2diorite85 Follow
wait
2,989 notes
đ puppet-master Follow
Happy pride month to lgbtqia+ people of all ages, genders and sexualities, you're all so valid and so loved <3 đłď¸âđđłď¸ââ§ď¸ â¤đ§Ąđđđđ
đ gemstone Follow
<3
âď¸ d0ctorm77 Follow
I'm making a rainbow beacon for pride, come look for it! i'll be with it by my husband @ renthedog's hole all week
âď¸ d0ctorm77 Follow
*HOLE
âď¸ d0ctorm77 Follow
*HOME
âď¸ d0ctorm77 Follow
WAIT I ACCIDENTALLY TAGGED IT
đž renthedog Follow
um.
2,655 notes
đ¸ joel-beans Follow
etho is just kakashi on maple syrup send post
đ¸ joel-beans Follow
almost forgot to add important additional difference! etho is also obsessed with me
1,113 notes
#ravenrambles#hermitcraft#hermitblr#fake dashboard#tw unreality#unreality#dashboard simulator#fake posts
3K notes
¡
View notes
Note
oblivious!reader x downbad!spencer whoâs not even nervous to flirt with reader anymore cuz she just doesnât get it (probs older episodes spence)
CLUELESS | Spencer Reid x reader
description: Spencer's got a crush, too bad you're entirely clueless to his dilemma. (S3!Spencer in mind)
length 1.2k
At first heâd thought it was the worldâs gentlest form of rejection, how you would dodge his questions, barely bat an eye at him laying himself bare for you, thought that maybe you were pretending not to see the way his hands shook and voice quivered to save him some face.Â
âI-I was wondering if you wanted to go see Zodiac at the movie theatre?â He stammered, obsessively tucking his hair behind his ear because it felt like it was ticking his cheeks, or perhaps that was just some residual sweat gathering on his temple because you were just so pretty when you looked at him like that, your eyes wide and excited, waiting for him to finish speaking because you always loved to listen to him, âI was thinking we could try comparing it to the actual case and figure out how accurate their hollywood version of it is,âÂ
Your face lit up like the fourth of July, and your smile was blinding, âOh, I love the movies! Itâs going to be so fun, Spence!â You chirped, whirling around in your desk chair to meet Emilyâs bored stiff expression as she scrolled through her computer, âEm, Spencer wants us to go see Zodiac, you in?âÂ
Spencer paled, because that was not what heâd meant by we whatsoever. It wasnât that he held anything against Emily, nor JJ or Penelope as they were quickly roped into the plans as well, he just hadn't had them in mind when he thought to ask you out on a date. From what he could tell you hadnât escaped spending time with him alone on purpose. He just hadnât quite been specific in his question, it was an easy mistake to make.Â
But you looked so excited as you organised who was getting what snacks, quickly dibsing the seat slap bang in the middle of everyone so you wouldnât feel like anyone got left out. He thought his chest stuttered when you grabbed his hand and asked if you could sit with him since heâd remember the most about the original case, and youâd need his big brain for the little game he had planned.Â
Spencer agreed, instead of trying to make it clear what heâd meant by his original question, because he hated disappointing people and the other girls seemed just as thrilled to go see the movie as you were. It wasnât until Morgan slapped him on the back with a chuckle, having watched the whole thing from his own desk that Spencer felt truly dumb.Â
âYouâre going to have to try better than that, pretty boy,â He exclaimed, and Spencer bit his lip in thought, âTry asking her to do something in a way that leaves no room for confusion, girls like it when youâre direct,âÂ
And he nodded vehemently, because dating advice from Morgan was usually sound and bulletproof, how else would would he have garnered the ladies man reputation?
Direct, he could be direct. Sure, Spencer could be direct.Â
He swallowed heavily just thinking about it.Â
â
âThese are for you,â Spencer jumped in before you could get sidetracked by chatting his ear off about the squirrel youâd nearly ran over on your way to work, and your expression flitted into surprise.Â
He handed you the big bunch of pink roses and babyâs breath, and your mouth cracked into a smile immediately. âOh, Spencer, these are beautiful, you shouldnât have. My birthdayâs not for another week,âÂ
âAnd I booked us a table at that Thai place on your block that you always get- wait birthday?â Spencer stumbled over his script, the words heâd been practising all morning coming to an effective halt as he realised once again his intentions had flown right over your head. And yet before he could set his record straight, just like you had last time, youâd jumped at the chance of spending time with him without understand just what you were agreeing to.Â
âI love Thai food, thatâs so thoughtful of you, Spence,â You said, hopping up out of your chair to give him a bear hug around his lithe waist, the flowers still tightly in the palm of your hand. He reciprocated, even if his expression was a terrible mix of frustration and confusion.Â
It was like someone had cast some sort of spell over his words so that heâd never be able to ask you out on a date, like he was trying to speak in a dream, the words never really coming out. You werenât dumb, not by any means, you could be a little naive sometimes, but never cruel. Spencer had no idea what the answer was. He guessed he was right back at square one.
â
âI donât know man, I tried asking her to the movies, she thought it was a group thing. I tried taking her out for dinner, she thought it was for her birthday, I even asked if she wanted to come over to mine and she thought I meant a sleepover. Whatâs romantic about pillow forts?â Spencer sighed, leaning his head into his palm as he watched you swan around the office without a single inkling of his affections, âI mean, donât get me wrong, I had fun at every one of them, but I just want there to be more. Maybe she just doesnât feel the same,âÂ
âDonât lose hope, pretty boy,â Derek comforted, the seemingly appointed love Guru that had had to witness two weeks of Spencerâs advances get sidelined. He followed Reidâs gaze to where you hummed a song to yourself as you collected files from Emilyâs desk to take them over to your own. He bit his lip in thought, âI donât think itâs personal, honest, I donât think she means anything by it. You just need to be clearer,âÂ
âClearer?â Spencer said with raised brows, using a single prod of his converse to swivel himself around to face you, and your expression perked into a smile just from seeing him. Derek watched the two of you closely, his theory all but game set and match as you seemed genuinely excited to see their resident genius who was convinced there was nothing there, âThat shirt is really cute on you. It makes your eyes look really pretty,â Spencer said, in his most direct tone possible, because the nervousness seemed to dissipate when he knew you wouldnât pick up on his intentions. The only sign youâd heard him at all was the way your fingers ruffled his hair affectionately.Â
âAw, thank you, Spencer,â You said, a little bounce in your step as you passed his desk to your own, running a gentle hand over his arm, where his blue striped shirt bunched around his biceps, âI like your purple one the best, but this oneâs quite handsome too,â You replied, grabbing the other wad of papers from your drawer without much of a reaction and heading up the stairs to Hotchâs office, and he turned back to Morgan, throwing his hands up in exasperation.Â
Morgan laughed, shaking his head and yanking his cup of coffee towards him, âSheâll figure it out some day, lover boy. I give it a month, tops,âÂ
And Spencer huffed, wheeling himself back to his desk, his eyes naturally trailing up to the large window that divided them from Hotchâs personal space, the two of you discussing something jovially as if you were none the wiser to his internal predicament.Â
He made a note to wear his purple shirt more often.
#spencer reid x reader#spencer reid imagine#criminal minds x reader#spencer reid fanfiction#matthew gray gubler x reader
2K notes
¡
View notes
Text
meet me in the city where we won't sleep
javier peĂąa x f!reader | main masterlist
summary: home: a place where we feel most comfortable, loved, and protected â where we most feel at home. except javi, who has returned from colombia and feels his home is living miles away.
childhood besties!javi x f!reader
wordcount: 9k (i'm so sorry)
warnings: childhood best friend!javi. flirting. 18+ - although just a little smutty with fingers. brief mention of drunkenness years ago. emotions (ugh) and feelings (yuk) and idiots who just don't wanna confess things but really should. javi calls you flor and you call him a pineapple. alternating times.
an: originally started for april showers, it's taken me an age to get this done because i wanted it to be perfect. i really hope it is. the biggest thank you to @thetriumphantpanda who read all of this and gave me a gold star. it would have stayed in my drafts if not for you. thank you to @rhoorl for checking my spanish.
It would have been cliche to say he fell for you in a field of bluebonnetsâyour dress white, face glum, hands ripping up blooms from the soil that you clutched in your hand.
Lost, aimless, both in the blue of the petals and in your thoughts as you continued to yank stems up and bring bunches to your nose, unaware of him watching from the tree. His legs swung, and a smile slid into one cheek as the leaves rustled above in the warm breeze.
It took a while before you noticed him, practically half a fieldâs worth in your hands, hands wound around them as your dress swished at your ankles.
âWhat do you want, PiĂąa?â
He supposed, for kids, that was an insult.
âWhat you doing in my field, Flor?â
Javi didnât know your name then. Now he struggled to go a minute without thinking it.
Sitting still hadnât seemed a possibility in the days since heâd been back.
And then, thatâs all heâd done for the last eight hours before he was greeted by rain.
Itâs relentless, an onslaught that blurs the world into a watery haze. The kind that soaks through every layer of clothing like a challenge; the type that drips from everything, making pools in the streets and turning them into dark mirrors, reflecting the grey and full clouds from above.
Not that Javi cares.
If anything, he likes it. Finds it cleansing, like the world is being washed clean, even if he knows how untrue that actually is as his eyes follow a bead rushes across the glass of the cab.
The driver has been mumbling about the weather for the entire journeyâa thing heâs barely listened to since heâd recommended waiting for a break in the weather. It was likely they just didnât wish to drop him where heâd described, rather hoping Javi would opt for someplace warmer, most likely smokier, so that he could call it a day too.
Javi doesn't do that nowâsmoking, that is.
Hasnât done since he left that apartment that never felt like his, in a city that heâd spent years in that never felt like home. Threw them in the trashcan before his Pop had picked him up, craved and wanted all the way through dinner. Heâd done it once, heâd do it again.
When the cab screeches to a halt, he pays, steps out (bag in hand) and spots the phone booth all in one fluid motion. Itâs barely lit, front weathered by time and neglect. Smirk curling into his cheek as he remembers you telling him about itâthat on cloudless days you can see it, likes to make stories about it as you enjoy a meal-for-one or crunches down cereal.
It hadnât been a thing heâd thought much about.
Then, it was all he had thought about.
Standing there, making a story that could become real. A gesture, kind and deserving of someone who had put up with his shit since they were children. Youâd always liked those big moments in the moviesâhis eyes glancing over at you, finding yours big, wide and shimmering with tears that wish to glide down your cheek.
Although, that had been well over a decade agoâthe two of you had remained in touch, close, or as much as he could allow. Your visit to Colombia had still felt like the sunniest day, a bright spot in a sea of dark; a day that coloured his world in shades he hadnât known existed, that dulled the moment heâd had to bid farewell at the airport.
It hadnât been safe for you to do another, pleading in fact to not risk it. A thing, he suspects, is not a thing heâs been easily forgiven for.
He supposes itâs why he hasnât told you he was coming. The flight had been booked, bag packedâfingers tapping, soul hoping you wouldnât turn him away once heâd gotten here. To the phone box over the bridge from your placeâthe one obscured from view by the downpour that seemed never-ending.
Because, as soon as two weeks had racked up at him being home, he found himself itching to move, to be somewhere other than surrounded by fields and the watchful stare of his Pop. Parental worry a hard thing to hide from in a home washed in memories.
Sliding open the door, cramming himself into the booth, Javi had no concern about remembering your number. It was burned into him, etched into him with a blunt toolâalmost studied, committed to memory while he ticked over godfathers and the weight of right and wrong.
He remembers when youâd changed it, when your voice informed him of the move, the chanceâall excited tone, a pitch closer to a squeak than your voice: no more roommates, just me, myself and I.
He also remembers the ember inside of him pleased that Tom joined the underserving list, slid under Mia and Rich as you informed him you were single again.
Sliding quarters in, finger punching the numbersâhe hopes youâre home. A niggling feeling threatens to unwind inside of him as the tone drills into his skullâattempts to drown out the rain rapping against the glass booth heâs standing in.
âHello?â
âFlor?â
It kisses his ear, your snort. Light. Sweet. âJavier PiĂąa, what do you want?â
You sound like you did in Colombia. Having half-expected the crackle meeting his ear to be down to the distance, rather than your shoddy home phone.
Pressing the receiver to his head, a smile thereâdesperate to flow out across his lips and exhausted face, he moves it back. âTal vez te extraùÊ.â
âMierda. I donât believe you.â
Even amidst the noise of passing cars and the relentless drumming of raindrops, he catches the melody of your laughterâa symphony of joy that unravels a part of his soul. It releases it, unlocks it, beckons it to be freeâmetaphorically makes him release his shoulders, and take a breath. The part of him hidden away, floods back through himâno longer fearful of being taken, clawed or wormed from him as he handed other parts of himself to the job, the task, the goal.
Not you, though. Javi would never surrender you.
A pocket of sunshine heâd kept close to him like your chicken-scratch letters and your tipsy phone calls when heâd caught you coming in after a night with friends.
âWhere are you, PiĂąa?â
Wiping his mouth with his thumb, he pauses. Traces his index along the hair growing above his lip, glancing out through the rain-smeared glass, the one cracked in places. Not sure if any of the lights on the other side are hers, but lingering on each just in case.
âIn a phone booth on a bridgeâŚâ
He hears you swallow, loud, almost difficult.
ââŚright across from your place.â
âShut the fuck up.â Smirking, teeth nibbling at his bottom lip. âAre you lying to me?â
Smirking, he stares out again. âNo.â
Because he couldnât, not if he tried. Not just because you see through it, but because it wounds him to do so. Picks at him, and makes him bleed in ways that donât ruin him in scarlet.
âGive me five minutes.â
The call ends before he can get in a bye.
The receiver placed back, bag straps cutting into his palms again as he exits, the heavens lashing against him as he slowly walks. Taking his time. Nervousness bubbling like a broth inside of him with each step, coming up to the top curve of the bridge, trying to look up, spot youâ
Then he does.
Running, coat billowing behindâflapping in the wind as it breaks out over your face: that smile. The one that lit fires inside of him, the one first doing so at the time his bedroom at home had its last lick of paint, it now peeling, cracked.
Dropping his bag, Javi isnât sure whether to brace or notâtaking three more steps forward before you collide with him. Arms around him, chest to chest, your wet cheek sliding past his as your soaked clothes marry to his.
It would be odd to say it felt like home hugging you, but it does. It feels right, safeâa piece completing him as he digs his chin into your head.
âYou smell the same,â you muffle into his chest.
Javi smiles, knowing the bottle on his dresser is the one from his younger years. Sun-ruined and likely faded, yet managing to linger on his skin enough to cause recollection.
Pushing past lilies, excusing himself through swarms of bodies adorned in black fabric, Javi found you sitting cross-legged between two tall stands of flowers.
Your eyes were puffyâred, swollenâand your dress was as black as his suit; your fingers were balled around a single lily and a scrunched-up tissue, the skirt of your dress skated over your bent knees.
âWhat d-do you want, PiĂąa?â
But it didnât land with the tone he had come to know.
Instead, he extended a hand you thankfully took, pulling you up from the ground before he opened his armsâletting you move in, slot yourself between them as they enveloped you close.
Letting his best friend fall apart at the back of the church, your sobs vibrated against his bones and his chin rested on your head as he whispered he had you, over and over again.
A thing you repaid when his mother passed a few years later.
Talking had always been a skillâunless he had to discuss feelings.
It wasnât that it was easy to lie, or that he found the idea of feeling difficultâif anything, it was as though he felt too much. Guilt. Affection. Righteousness. Protection. Each one a little harder to carry, to wear.
More so around you. The walls had to be tighter, or theyâd crumble into ruin, the dust spilling all his secrets before heâd confess whatever wasnât already written over his face. But, you donât needle himâinstead, you make him a plate from leftovers, tell him about some gossip your mom had informed you of, until you offer him your shower, your sofa and bid him goodnight.
âYouâll be here in the morning?â
âNot going anywhere.â
Lingering in the doorway to your bedroom, fingers playing the piano on the wood. âYouâve said that before.â
He knows he has.
It rises up in him like a storm, whipping around his organs, making his chest tighten as he lies down in comfort but stares up at the unfamiliar. He can hear the rain, how it pitters and pattersâhow it likely streams down the windows behind your curtains.
He should find it odd that he'd rather fall asleep here, than in his bed back where he grew up. A strange solace in the unknown here, a quiet surrender to the whispers he usually has to hear when the night comes.
But, they're not here.
At some stage, he must sleep, before he wakes to the scent of coffee and soft sunshine. His ears catch the sound of you calling in sickâa cough, a put-on voice, one all removed when you throw a throw cushion at him and ask him what he wants for breakfast.
Thatâs how he finds his knee kissing yours under the small table as your spoon scoops cereal before letting it drop back into the bowl. Just like when you were kids. Just like when you were all excitable, too in a rush to sit for a moment, stomach likely fluttering with agitation.
âYou keep staring.â
âDonât flatter yourself, Flor.â
The thing is, youâre not wrong.
Each time he has a second, he lingersâgazes. Metaphorically pinching himself as he forgoes digging a nail into his skin under the cuff of his shirt, just to make sure he isnât dreaming. A thing he finds heâs doing now, after a night of laughing until you couldnât keep your eyes open and a full day of exploring, you walk a little ahead before spinning on your heel to smile at him.
âI have to show you my favourite placeâbefore you go.â
He hates that thereâs an end date on this. Bought himself a few days of normal, before returning to something that feels anything but.
Scratching his jaw, brows raised and eyes wide. âYouâve replaced our spot?â
Rolling your eyes, you take his handâfingers slotting, palm pressing against his. For a moment, a reflex, he thinks of pulling away. Thinking of what else sat as perfectly in his palm as youâa thing that took, but never gave. A thing that he held more than he had ever held a woman.
âMy favourite place here.â
He expects a lot of things, maybe flowers, maybe a bar, but he finds himself inside a bookshop. One with floor-to-ceiling shelves, dark wood, the large window letting in light that barely reaches the back. He supposes itâs good they have a chandelier, one that sparkles, shinesâlike itâs as well maintained as the shelves.
âBooks?â
âBooks.â
Your finger prodding into him, facing him, body fully twisted. That smile there, the one which slides into one of your cheeks and makes his eyes flick from it to your eyes and then back.
Itâs there when you turn on your heel down an aisle, it remaining when he followsâwhen he hovers close, so easily able to pin you, cage you in between his palms.
âWhich do you recommend?â
Shooting him a look, you trail your finger over spines, over the shelf they sit on. âDidn't know you could read?â
âFunny.â
Grinning, you pull on one, handing it to him. His eyes take it in, the cover, the name, the author.
âI think youâll like the characters,â you explain, eyes lighting up as you lean. âThey're flawed but resilient.â
Chewing his cheek, he swallows. Listening, hearing you read the blurb after you lift the book in his hands so you can read it, word for word as he focuses on you. Noticing the way your eyes shine when talking about something you love, the way one of your hands begins to move as you describe the plot, and the characters. Realising, that he could listen to you talk about anything all day.
âYou should read it,â you suggest, as he flips through the pages. Having never been much of a reader, time being a factor, his job has been the reason.
âAlright,â he nods, tucking the book under his arm. âI'll read it.â
Your smile brightens even more if that's possible.
âChucho is gonna be so shocked when I tell him you bought a book.â
Frowning, he follows you, leading him down another aisle. âYou talk to my pop?â
Shrugging, like itâs nothing. Like the words that are about to tumble out of your mouth donât matter like they wonât stitch themselves to him and make him feel like pulling you to his chest.
âI check inâmake sure heâs okay. Done it weekly since you left the first time.â
His face falls, descends slowly. He feels itâwatches you take it in as yours slowly mirrors him. And, even if heâs been thinking it, it bubbling at the back of his throat, he finds himself unable to stuff it back downâto shove it between other regrets and unsaid words.
âIâve really missed you.â
Each word lands, your eyes widening as your nose does a little twitch as they do, before you whisper, resting against the edge of a bookcase, âIâve missed you too.â
Sat on the rock, the sound of a car door slamming disturbed the peace. Not needing to look, knowing that gait, that little kick of the ground as you stopped in front of him.
Hand shielding your eyes from the sun, flower tucked behind your ear.
âHello, Flor.â
âPiĂąa. Heard you were cursing Laredo.â
Smirking, you sat next to him, nudging him over. The two perched on a rock overlooking part of the cityâas his head turned but his eyes stared at you from the corner of them.
âI give it a month and someone else will do something bad enough that people cross the street.â
Swallowing, he exhaled. âThanks.â
âDid you love her?â
Turning his head, staring at youâeyes flicking from yours to a place on your face he shouldnât look. âNot enough to marry her.â
âThen you did the right thing.â
A thing he only believed when your hand slid over his, hooking your little finger over his.
âItâs because youâre in love with me, isnât it?â
Snorting, head shaking, your words washed back over him and he broke into a laugh. âShut up, Flor.â
Nudging him, taking the flower from your hair and handing it to him. âItâs okay if you do, I know Iâm a catch.â
He's embarrassed that it isn't until the second day that Javi finds the chance to really admire your place.
How itâs exactly what he imagined. So very you, all cosy, muted, with spots of colour. Plants and throw cushions, blankets and wicker baskets stuffed with things he suspects you have no recollection of.
What catches his eyes are the photographs, the memories frozen in time around your walls and on shelves. His eyes sweep over them, in a trance still from the scent of your perfume mixing with vanilla from a lit candle.
Each time he sweeps his sight over, he spots new things, remembering brief conversations, smirking to himself until his eyes land on a frame that makes his mouth part and his heart clench.
Him and you; you and him. Sunglasses far too big for your face, staring up at him as he beams at the camera. The backdrop of his ranch, his home, the one he so often left behind like it hadnât mattered.
Done it weekly since you left the first time.
The words roll around his head now. All metal and round, bouncing against other thoughts, trying to dig his heels into the present and not wonder about what kind of calls you makeâwhether theyâd be about him, whether youâd confess things youâd never admit to him.
Your clanging around is what pulls him to the present. The bangs of cupboards and pans clattering as he stares at itâas he notices how different his build is, how many years have passed. The occasional cursing from you is a rather nice anchor that keeps him in the present.
âFlor?â He waits until he hears you hum. âOrder in again, Iâll pay.â
Itâs here within the hour.
A favourite, you had told him. A quick apology that youâll be messier than last night, that youâre dying of hunger. He reminds you he doesnât care. Not as you slide the triangle slice out, the tip kissing your chin before itâs absorbed by your mouth, sauce lingering on your lipsâdust from the crust resting on your nose.
Heâs not sure whatâs better, the taste of the pizza or the sight of watching you. Having the chance to watch you.
âSo I have to ask.â
Grumbling, he pulls at the topping on his slice. âHere we fucking go.â
âDid you like the tie I sent you?â
Half-scowling, swallowing the mouthful of pizzaârecalling the box on his desk, atop files and paperwork with a note attached: One down, three to go. Written in that same handwriting he could spot in a lineupâthe one he had wished there and then would be etched into him, a mark left, a thing he could brush his thumb over when his heart ached and he felt lost.
âI was disappointed not to see you photographed in it.â
âYou knew damn well I wasnât going to wear a fucking pineapple tie to a press conference.â
Pouting, you smirk. Picking at another slice, staring up at him from the floor, all cross-legged. âThought you might have for me.â
Itâs there, ebbingâwords that feel far more intimate than they shouldâcrystallising, burning upon his tongue.
Iâd do anything for you.
Itâs there, unwritten, pulsating and breathing in the space between you and him, existing, never diminished. Memories where itâs been all but similar rising like lava, singeing him, threatening to burn away the walls he throws up for the sake of friendship.
Because he knows what people think. Saw it hung in his popâs eyes at his Tiaâs wedding when you came as a guest, an uninvited plus one that was welcomed like you were already part of the family. Heard it, in the wind between the grass before heâd left the first time, a farewell outdoor thing, your parents crestfallen, as though theyâd assumedâlike he imagined a lot of themâthe two of you would have figured it out by now.
Watching you stand, hand outstretched for his plate, you take it with a smile. A shout of two options for drinks, an unsurprising one chosen by himâit bubbling in the glass when you hand it to him, settling in beside him.
âNot sure I told you, but you have a nice couch.â
âMost expensive thing in this placeâprobably better than my own bed,â you smirk, sipping your drink. Head rolling towards him, brows raised, eyes that bit wider. âSo, are you okay?â
Youâre the only one who could ask and get a reply, he supposes. Those same words were said to him a handful of times, down the phone from Murphy, over the table from Pop, even on aisles of the supermarket when heâd been staring between brands he hadnât heard of.
âI gave you a day to tell me, and since you wonât, Iâm gonna ask. Are you okay, Javier PeĂąa?â you continue, body shifting, thigh pressing against hisâheat radiating from between yours to his. âBecause youâre methodical. Youâre not⌠get on a plane and fly to a different city just because.â
âYou not happy Iâm here?â
Grinning, all teethâit reaching and hanging in your eyes. âLos mĂĄs felices. But, are you?â
Yes. Itâs all he thinks.
Chewing his tongue, his eyes drop to his soda because heâs unsure how to say that. Not as he watches the bubbles float up and burstâthe song that had been playing coming to a stop, allowing the rain to play an interval against your windows.
It doesnât make sense, in some ways: how heâs kept youâbeen able to keep you close. Somehow not ruined you, twisted this thing between the two of you, made it rot, sullied it with disappointment and selfishness.
âI am now,â he replies.
Good, you breathe. Letting it sit, simmer. Paper over any cracks as your eyes sparkle and remain fixed on him, tracing him as though not completely sure heâs real.
That is, until you grab the remote, excitedly telling him about the night of television they have ahead of them. A blanket, at some stage, finds itself over him, you nestling into his sideâlike when they were teens before the world became a problem and narcos were all he hunted.
For a while, you catch him up, explain plots and characters. Then, you fall silent, brows crinkled in concentration. His eyes slide to the side to watch, to spot the little things you do as she settles in closer, brings your legs up, and rests almost all of yourself against him.
Between one show and another, he feels the rhythm of your breathing change, your body relaxing further against him. He glances down and finds your eyes closed, features soft and serene in sleep. Realisation dawns on himâyouâve fallen asleep. His heart does a slow tumble in his chest, a wave of warmth spreading through him. All of a sudden aware of the gentle weight of you against his side, the way your hand is loosely holding onto him. He watches, just for a moment, taking in the sight of you, so peaceful and trusting in your sleep. This moment is so intimate, so precious, he wants to freeze it in time.
What else is a guy like you gonna doâŚ
This, he thinks. Looking at you, asleep, peacefulâcurled into his side, fingers around his forearm.
Smiling, he takes the remote from your fingers, turning the volume down as he gets more comfortableâpressing a soft kiss to your hairline.
He carried a single red rose down the side of your houseânudging open the window the rest of the way, climbing in like he had done years ago.
He didnât need eyes, didnât fancy having to explain to his parents how he could do that to that nice girl and her family. Javi had faced enough judgement, enough stares.
The only eyes he wanted were staring at him, remaining so as he stepped close and handed you the flower with the thorns picked free. âCome with me.â
Sighing, eyes averting, you swallowed loudly in the thick quietness. âYou donât want that. Your best friend following you.â
Eyes flicking up to meet his, you took another deep breath. Fingers flexed at your side, weight shifting from one foot to the other before you exhaledâlouder than before.
âI donât want to follow you, best friend.â
Then donât be just that, he thought, thumb swiping over the tips of his fingers as he hovered, waited. Then he took a step closer, and another. The gap closed, becoming shorter and shorterâ
âWhat are you doing, PiĂąa?â
âKissing you.â
Lips pursing, trying not to smirk, you took the rose and put it on your dresser. âDonât feel your lips on mine, Javier.â
And then he kissed you, his fingers clutching at your jawâbody pressed against yours, tasting your whine, your moan.
He felt your fingers clutch at his shirt as he told you to be quiet.
Laid you on your bed of flowers, knees digging into stitched roses and sunflowers, as you arched off the bed when his fingers slid between your thighsâlike he wished heâd done a handful of times before now.
Heâs not sure of the time when he wakes, but itâs dark.
A contentedness in his bones that doesnât fade as he begins to blink, as he takes in his surroundings and remembers where he is. Feeling you, warm, pressed as close against him as humanly possible. Able to see the outline of you, before his eyes manage to paint the rest, how his knee has slotted between your legsâbodies a mess of limbs that takes him back to years ago.
Javi notices how the television is switched off as you try to move, to wiggle and escape. His shirt discarded, the cool air misting over him, pebbling his skin as he slides his arm around you, pinning you tighter to him.
Brain all addled with dreams and sleep, as his awakening state tries to remind him what heâs doing.
What door heâs trying to open all over again.
âJaviâŚâ
Not PiĂąa, PeĂąa or Javier. Javi, all soft and whispery, like honey dripping into his ear as he turns his head to find your stare in the dark. Somehow finding it shimmering, fixed, more than awake.
Then you whisper his name again, and itâs heavenly, a piece of it anyway. A sound he realises heâs missed more than he cares to find words to describe as he hears you push out a breathâfingers finding his arm, stroking, sliding their warmth up and down the muscle of his arm as he swallows.
Itâs slow, hand cupping your cheek as he shifts his body, and finds yours moves with him. The beginning of a partner dance, one it feels youâve both practised in small spaces but never actually have as he slides his lips over yours. Moulds them to yours. Tasting faint mint on your tongue when you deepen itâwhen you pay attention, listen, taking each cue you give him from the movement of your mouth to the way your hands grasp at him to come closer.
A whimper tries to break through, to escape through messy kisses and tangled bodies, but it vibrates through him. Makes him shudder with how much he wants you, moving your knee, hooking it over his hip as he slots his waist between your thighs and you gasp at the feel of him flush against you.
Practically whine.
Nose brushing your cheek, palm flat, fingers spreading out over your hip as he feels you roll your body into him, he smilesâbreathy, teeth nipping at his bottom lip. âForgot how soft you are.â
You hum, head-turning, mouth latching itself back to his.
âForgot how good of a kisser you are.â
Snorting, he lightly bites your lower lip. âBest remind you then.â
âBest do,â you whisper, pulling him by his hair back to your mouth.
You write a poem against his lips, signing it with your tongue against his as his fingers snake under the band of your sleep shorts, tasting your moan, your hiss and whimper when he touches you like heâs wanted to since he landed back in the States.
When two fingers slide slowly inside of you, curling, the sound of his name is like a fucking sin he wants to be draped in, wrapped in, even dressed in. Him seeking, searching, finding that spot that has your legs opening for him, nails scraping against his scalp.
âMore, Javi. Pleaseââ
âYouâre so tight, Flor,â he croons, burying the words in your neck, the tip of his tongue swiping over your collarbone as you grab a handful of his hair. âFeel so good around my fingers.â
Your hips writhe, roll them against his hand, gasping. Making a mess, dripping, practically gushing over his hand, as he fights pulling his hand free and getting a taste.
âBe betterâdios mioâaround your cockââ
Smirking, teeth nipping at your neck, âI remember.â
Head lifting, thankful the night sky is clear, that the moon is draping you in a slither of milky light so heâs able to see your eyes flutter shut. Able to witness what his fingers do to you, the effects of their teasing and the languid movements as he finds that angle, the one which makes you grind against his palm, and has your chest heaving.
He moans your name against your tongue, drinking down a blend of pleases falling from your swollen lips as he plunges deeper, walls squeezing him.
There he thinks, lips pressing kisses to your shoulder, as you dig your nails further into his scalp, tensing, bearing down on him to the point he hopes youâll leave a mark, leave a cut, a signature of this moment he can run his fingers over.
âKiss me,â you gasp, all wrapped in desperation as you pull at his shoulder.
His mouth only just pressing to yours when your cry buries against his tongue, when you flutter and arch as he continues to work you through it. His name breaks through messy kisses, it escaping effortlessly like it doesnât wish to be buried anymore.
You donât let him pull away, hooking one leg around him. Watching, not able to take your eyes from him as he retracts his handâas he licks your pleasure from his fingers and you stare with a twinkle in your eye.
âYou best fuck me now.â
Smirking, a low laugh escaping. âYeah? Want me that bad, Flor?â
Lifting onto your elbows, he waits for a taunt, a teaseâsomething thatâll bring him down a peg or two. What he finds, instead, is your fingers slowly crawling up his bare chest, around his neck, your chin tilted up.
âI need you, Javi. Need you to fuck me.â
âYeah?â
âAnd then I wanna get on top,â you whisper, dragging each syllable out, âand fuck you until the sun comes up.â
âMurphy is a nice guy.â
Eyes narrowing, he shot you a glareâwatching as you shimmied your jacket from your shoulders. Bare arms, bare legsâexcept for the thin tank and shorts adorning your bodyâthat had him thinking un-best friend things.
âYou jealous, PiĂąa?â
âOf a married guy? Fuck no.â
Grinning, you moved closerâboxing him in. Staring into his eyes, in a way that made him feel like he was being seen, read, and admired all at once. âIs that because you left a bite mark on my hip?â
Tracing his fingers along your neck, he felt himself smile. That flutter in his chest again, the one which had appeared one day when the two of you were teens and hadnât gone away since.
âAsk me to stay,â you whispered, hands on either side of himâall boxed in. âAsk me, Javi.â
Running his tongue over the front of his teeth, he raised a hand, knuckles brushing over your cheek. Wanting nothing more. A week gone too quickly. Already feeling the pressure slip back over his muscles, seeping into his bones. But he knew. He pictured it, the things he had nightmares overâeven when you were far away, never mind when you were asleep in the room next to his.
âToo dangerous.â
âThat it? I can learnââ
âNo.â
âNo?â
He stared. Thought of the things he had done. The people he had already let down. The things he had let happen to people who deserved far better. It layering, and layering, and layering andâ
Nodding, disappointment spread, before it was washed over in acceptance. âWhatâre we eating?â
When he wakes, he expects to find you dressed in corporate and apologising in a voice thatâs accompanied by a pout at the foot of your bed. The place the two of you found yourself on at 4 am.
Instead, you fake another performance. Earn an Oscar over the phone before switching to the excitable one you present to him when you sit at the foot of the bed.
Thereâs something there. It hangs in your eyes. A secret, a thing shifted and dislodged now your mask has slipped from the few hours of sleep and the ruining of your sheets.
But he doesnât ask, because if he does, he fears heâd tell you things in return. Alter the way you see him. Change it, taint it. Practically ruin the man you think he went to be and the one he's returned as.
It'll hurt him if you look at him with disgust. Youâve burnt him after all, left him winded, air knocked from his lungs each time heâs laughed. All but imprinted into his mind, a thing never filed but rather pinned up and forever there, like artwork on a fridge.
âWanna get a coffee?â
Hands pulling on a pair of jeans, buttoning them as he sees the peaks of your nipples through your white tee. And he knows your face is bare and you're dressed in clothes you just pulled out without thoughtâyet, you are, as always, the prettiest damn thing heâs ever seen.
A thing he thinks when he showers.
When he smiles as he scrubs the shampoo into his hair, feels the soreness at parts from where your nails had dug in. He doesn't stop beaming when he smears his palm across the glass, takes in his appearance as you open the door, a towel hung low on his hips, eyes dropping down.
âNow who's staring, hermosa.â
âDonât be a work of art to be admired then.â
He dresses in record time, your hand swinging beside his, so within reach, so easy to grab. But he doesnât.
None of last night mentioned, even if he knows heâs left bruises on your inner thighs from keeping them apart; even if you've left scratch marks on his shoulders from when you sunk down on him, head thrown back, jaw elongated as he rolled your nipples between his fingers.
Javi doesn't even mention it when he hears you gasp at the taste of your coffee, a noise similar to when he'd licked a stripe up your pussy, when he tasted both you and him.
It was just like in Colombia.
A thing buried, hidden underneath other topics the two of you donât discuss. Dead parents and a town you both ran from. A thing he almost wants to change, correct, but then you stop outside a flower shop.
The sign battered, peeling. Hidden between two nicer shops, yet the scent made his nose twitch.
âYou should buy me flowers.â
âShould I?â
Smirking, teeth biting your lip. âPor lo de anoche.â
Head shaking, he finds himself following anyway. Unable to stop his eyes from falling to the back pocket you shove your phone in, hand reaching, palm pressing to the globe of your ass as he hears the muffled sound of a giggleâ
âPiĂąa.â
âFlor,â he whispers, practically breathes it against your neck.
The bubble expands, knowing at some point itâll pop. Too happy, he thinks. Too settled for a man who has a solo flight back. Itâs why he drops his hand, lets you move further in, watching as you scan over already-made bouquets for one he knows you wonât find.
Because they donât know you. Not like him. Thereâs not years between you and this shopâthis place.
His fingers lightly roll over a stem, staring at the flower, before he has pulled it free from the bucket, and then another, and then another. Not at all a floristâor someone artistic enough to make a bunchâbut a person who at least knows you. Knows that in each of the pre-made bundles thereâs a flower you dislike, one thatâll remind you of something, someone.
âHere.â
You blink, eyes widening as they move from the bunch in his hand to his face. âJaviâŚâ
âThere yourââ
âFavourites,â you finish, eye narrowing, lips still parted. âYou remembered all my favourites?â
Shrugging, aware of how close he is to realâto something that could shatter, break. A thing heâll do, just give it time. Feeling it wrap its tendrils around his chest, around his heart, squeezing and squeezing until your hand slips in his. Palm to palm, fingers finding their way between his slowly, cautiously, your eyes not leaving his face as you do.
âDidnât know my pussy was good enough for flowers, PiĂąa,â you comment, voice low, a smirk there.
âYou deserve more than flowers.â
âIâm that good?â
Shaking his head, hand still in yours, he presses a kiss to your forehead, swallowing. âSiempre has sido.â
âHello?â
He heard the hiccup, the slur of his name as he smirked against the phoneâfinger and thumb massaging his forehead as he heard you hiccup again. âFlor?â
âPiĂąa, did you know that I miss you?â
Adjusting the tie around his neck, staring down at the pineapplesâthe box open, atop a bunch of files, in the office he should have been thankful for. âYou sound like youâve had a good night.â
You howled, the laugh all high-pitched. âMaybe I haveâmaybe I havenât. What I do know is that I love you.â
âI love you too.â
âNo. I love you.â
Smirking, thumb tracing an outline of one of the pineapples. âYouâre drunk.â
âStill love you.â
Swallowing, he let out a heavy exhale.
âYou doing okay, mi PiĂąa?â
He wasnât sure how to answer, how to respond. Head tilting back in his office chair, the ice melted in his whiskey and the hour so late he wondered why you were still up as you extended his nickname out into as many syllables as you could.
âI am nowâokay, I mean.â
It needs to be left alone.
He knows it. Reminds himself of it when it rears its head at every second he doesn't. Because, it doesn't need to be needled, or picked at until it bled.
But, Javi picks at it all the same when you avoid his question again.
His hand slides over his face, index finger tracing a line down his nose as he waits until your laugh fades. Your fork twists the spaghetti round and round, and when it falls, it simply lands on the table between the two of youâthe air tinged with the scent of dinner and the flowers from the shop.
âWhen were you going to tell me you hate your job?â
Your smile shrinks, like the sunlight being muted by the night. Spine straightening, chin lifting. The walls coming down both literally and figuratively, seeing you prepare for war when heâs army-less and unafraid.
âSi significo algo para ti, no lo hagas.â
He snorts, resting on his arm, letting the sheets fall to his waist. Because of course, he cares, and of course, he wants to do this. Balling up the hand beside his hip, seeing the murkiness in your eyes, the joy snuffed out and hidden, as though the hatchets were coming down to protect against his storm.
Javi says your name, softly, honeyedâdelicately drip-feeding the air each letter until itâs out there existing.
One by one, it happens. Your eyes avert, chin dipping down; your tongue drags across the front of your teeth and then your arms fold. âI hate my job. Happy? I wanted it so badâand now I have it, I hate it. I hate going in, I hate doing it. I canât tell anyone that because itâs all I wanted.â
âItâs okay.â
Snorting, fake smile sketching across your face as your eyes harden to the point theyâre brittle. âIt isnât. I left. I turned my back and got as far out of there as I could, and now Iâm stuck.â
It breaks him a little.
Seeing it then, the many shards inside of you that youâre trying to keep whole. The pieces that are so worn and tired from doing their best to fit, but struggling to do so.
Itâs why he protests that youâre not. He tries to rationalise and says the same words he knows youâd say to him if he calledâif he had told you the truth about everything when he was over there. He tries to add kindness to his words as you continue to stare at him like you wish your bed would swallow him whole.
ââYouâre saying this like I didnât say the same thing to you, and you went and did another five years.â
âThatâs different.â
âWhy?â you spit, standing now, finger pointing and nose flared. âBecause your job means more?ââ
âNo, because Iâm a fucking idiot, Flor. Youâre not.â
You mutter under your breath, curse himâa blend of poisonous Spanglish that has the heel of his palm pressing against his forehead.
Because itâs like last time.
The words surge up inside of himâexcept youâre both older now, both carrying more pain and hurt from a world that continues to pile on when bones are already struggling. Walls threw up, keeping him out in all the same waysâexcept now his mess is also between your thighs, and you arenât half as good at hiding how his words hurt you.
âCome home with me.â
âI canât.â
âYou can.â
Folding your arms, your head shaking. âI can stick it outâwork my way up, itâll get betterââ
âYou know it wonât. Know how well that went for me.â
Then you scoff. It blended with razors and sharpened to injure. âNo, I donât. Because you donât talk about what happened.â
âYou read about it.â
âBut thatâs not your story, Javi. Thatâs theirs.â
For a moment, he sees it. How hollow you look, how weak, sad and broken. So he repeats it, the request, the offer. Come home with me. But the door shuts, locks, a bolt thrown over.
And everything, all of it, splinters; it doing so before your mouth even opens and he sees what his request has done.
âIâm not coming home just because youâve decided you want to play happy fucking families, PeĂąa. The world doesnât stop turning just because youâve decided to run away, and it doesnât begin turning again because youâve come home and decided what you want.â
âThat isnâtââ
âYou left. You left me.â
ââFlorââ
ââand I asked you to let me stayâwhen I knew you were hurting. I asked and you said noââ
He whispers your name, brokenâlike it shatters the moment it greets the air.
ââI wasnât good enough then. So why am I now?â
Shaking his head, legs flung from under your sheets, he standsâaware heâs half-naked, aware this isnât the time as you step back.
You shake your head, tears dangling, resistant to fall. âI bet youâre not even staying.â
âI amââ
Head tilting, a crystal tear falling down your cheek, you scoff. Loud. Brutal. âHave you even unpacked? Or did you just get on a plane here?â
Swallowing, Javi rolls his jaw. Fingers flexing at his side, staring, urging himself to find words as his tongue thickens in his mouth. Because heâs staying, heâs staying, heâs stayingâ
âYouâre unbelievable.â
âFlorââ
âSave it.â
The door of your bedroom slamming behind you is the final sound that echoes out between you both.
It was different.
Hearing you cry down the phoneâthan when the two of you were younger.
When your first love broke your heart and he lay beside you on sheets covered in stitched flowers. Your head turned to him, the bedroom door open, as you teased your lip between your teeth. The tears had dried, but the rest had still been there, written in markers across your face as you sighed, staring, waiting for him to answer. âWhat do you want, PiĂąa?â youâd asked, and heâd swallowed that he wanted to punch them.
Now, though, there were miles between the two of you. Distance far more than there had ever beenâcities, a whole country.
âIâll be home soonâcan visit you.â
He heard you laugh, it hanging, echoing. âYeah, yeah.â
âI mean it.â
âYou mean a lot of things, Javi.â
âFlorââ
âI wish you'd never kissed me.â
It's a whisper, the way he said your name. It cracked, snapping as it left his tongue.
âI should go shower, early morning and all that.â
He asked you to stay and he heard you sigh.
âWhat do you want, PiĂąa?â
Swallowing, Javi tapped his fist on the deskâtiredness having crept over him, the last ditch at doing right in Colombia suspended over him. Tell me Iâm doing good, that it's worth losing you, Flor. âHave a good day, Flor.â
Itâs weeks.
Eight weeks and four days to be exact.
At some point, it becomes less of a want to get in touch and more of a need not to. Your number is always there on his fingers, but his digits never dialling it when his Pop nips out to go to the store, and heâs left alone with his thoughts and memories in a house stuffed full of them.
Javi doesnât expect anything else.
Having woke that next morning to find a note attached to the book he had bought: Had to go to work. Have a safe flight. Speak soonâa thing he both hoped and prayed for, even as he nursed a drink on the short flight and chain-smoked at the airport before he did the drive home.
Home.
A thing it felt even less of when he arrived this final time. Pulling his truck into its place, dust swirled and kicked up around him. Staring at the house that hasnât changed much, just the paint thinning, the sun-dyeing it.
Each day that ticks by, he thinks of you. Each week thatâs collected, he fights with himself when heâs sat alone at the dining table about flying back out and apologising.
Because he knows what he did.
Did the same thing back thenâassumed and foolishly acted as though your wants never mattered. But they do matter. A thing he rehearses in his head when heâs feeding the animals; a thing he runs over when heâs repairing a door here or a fence there.
One week adds up, then another, and another.
If his Pop thinks things, he doesnât share them. Just shakes his head occasionally, not asking what is wrong, likely knowing. Suspecting he wears it like the rest of his shame, brightly coloured and decorated in bright lights.
A foolâs outfit, he thinks. A thing he is, a thing he knows. It carved into him at this point. Scratched into the skin and muscle, yet everyone else sees the word hero.
Itâs eight weeks and four days when the door of the party opens, the sun streaming inâilluminating the back of a person in a dress adorned with flowers. It takes a second, the condensation on his beer dripping down his wrist as he stares, trying to place the shape and the style of the hair. Not wanting to imagine, not wanting to jump ahead of himself until he hears your mom say your name, all excitableâpractically a shriek.
Heâs not prepared.
Yet, itâs out of habit he moves.
Like the two of you are magnets, that realised they were supposed to be a pair. The music doesnât quiet, and the room doesnât hold its breath, but Javi doesâand he suspects you do too.
Just as time comes to a slow stopâthe hand in his watch takes an age to flick to the next second as his heart hammers into his ribs. Staring, fingers itching to reach out and ensure youâre not something heâs fabricated, not a mirage from wanting so badly and convincing himself heâd never have it.
âHi.â
âHello, PiĂąa.â
It weighs heavy thenâclots on his tongue. Almost shapes itself into bile and rests horridly against his tongue as he follows you around, hand close to reaching out to place on your lower back, but stops when he remembers where he is.
Home.
A thing it all of a sudden feels like when you turn your head, lift your chin and stare at himâeyes full of forgiveness, and understanding. âWe should talk, right?â
Right, he thinks. Trying to stop the twist in his chest from tightening, trying to stop the dread from filling him and drowning from within. Conversations never go well. A thing he thinks over, and over as his hand strokes over his face, following, one foot after the other, until the warm sun kisses his skin and he finds himself leaning against the side of the building.
âI didnât come for you.â
He says nothing, not sure if there are any to say.
âI quit. Moved back a week and a bit agoââ your hand comes up to halt him, half-pleading with a tilt and a raise of your eyes. ââand I needed to find things for me, first.â
Folding his arms, he stretches his legs, lets himself elongate, and tries to fill his lungs with air.
âBecause Iâd have resented you for being right.â Your chin dips, eyes following. âA thing I would do, because you, Javier PeĂąa, know me. And sometimes I really hate that.â
Exhaling, he finds you do the same. Head tilting, lips rolling as you take him in, trace him with your eyes as though you can't quite believe he's real.
âDid you know that every person Iâve been with, it gets to a point where I think âFuck, Javi wouldnât do this to meâ?â Meeting his gaze, you exhale. âAnd then, no matter how much I felt for them, it goes.â
âFlorâŚâ
Swallowing, you offer the smallest smile. âItâs never gone for you, though. Not when you left. Not when you came back, and left again. Not eight weeks ago when I should have asked you to stay.â
Tongue sticking, flat against the roof his mouth, he grabs your handâholds it. Runs his thumb over the knuckles as you avert your eyes.
âI live in Laredo now, further north. Did you know Iâm so good at what I do, people seek me out?â you say, beaming, letting him pull you closer. âThink theyâd have cloned me if Iâd asked for it.â
Dragging his knuckles down your cheek, heâs unable to stop the way it flares up in himâthat joy, that ember of happinessâwhen you smile.
âBecause I donât think I find the idea of being yours that terribleââ
âThat so?â
Shaking your head, fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt, he watches your smile falterâjust for a moment. âDonât do this, if youâre going to up and leave again, Javi. Because Iâd have died happily not telling you what I feel for you.â
âNot doing it again to you.â
âOkay. Then,â you sigh, sliding your arms around his neck, his hands finding a home on your waist. âWell, I guess I should tell you that I really like your moustache.â
âJust really like?â he teases, swaying you as you purse your lips together.
âFine. I love it.â
Smiling, walking you back until your back meets the wooden railings. âI love that you love it.â
Rolling your eyes, forehead meeting his chest, he feels the laugh roll through you. Rumbling.
âYou owe me flowers.â
Snorting, he rests his chin on your head. âIâll buy you a field, Flor.â
âThatâs a good start.â
Thought so, he thinks. Wrapping his arms around you, keeping your head against him, rocking you, like he's wished to do so many times before now.
Home now feeling right.
#javier pena x reader#javi peĂąa x reader#javier pena fanfiction#javier pena x you#javier peĂąa x f!reader#javier peĂąa x reader#javier peĂąa#javier peĂąa fanfiction#javier peĂąa smut#javier pena smut#javi peĂąa smut#narcos x reader#narcos fanfiction#pedro pascal characters#pedro pascal fanfiction#pedro Pascal fanfic#Javier peĂąa fanfic
674 notes
¡
View notes
Note
hello. I read your bg3 marriage headcanons and was wondering if you could do a follow-up on what their first anniversary would be like? also add rolan, even though he wasn't in the original. only if you want to.
BG3 - 1st Anniversary Headcanons
[original ask in question X]
Gale
What does Gale âgrand gestures are my love languageâ Dekarios have planned for your first anniversary? Oh nothing special.
Just all your favorite meals cooked & ready for you. Starting with breakfast in bed. A small, light picnic at your favorite shoreline spot to watch the tides come in and enjoy the sea air. Ending with a romantic candlelight dinner that would put some of the finest Baldurian restaurants to shame.
He gives you a book of love poems as your present. Paper is traditional for the first anniversary after all. It is furthermore inscribed with his own, original poem on the front cover for you.
Astarion
He actually isnât aware itâs your anniversary. Until he is reminded by someone. Itâs not that itâs not important to him. Astarion has just never celebrated one before. How could he, when none of his previous lovers ever even stayed the whole night?
He has to work fast. But luckily Astarion is extremely clever and resourceful.
Playing it off like it was his plan all along to âpretendâ to forget, only for you to be further surprised is simply part of his plan. He plays it off so well that you believe him when he tells you that he got you a new necklace because âit reminded him of your eyesâ. He makes a mental note to remember next year and be more genuine in his efforts.
A!Astarion
Of course, Astarion remembers the day you officially became his. Body, soul, and now legally.
Part of it may just be the celebration of having something thatâs his. He hasnât had anything for so long that he goes overboard. And with you, his most prized treasure, he canât help it either.
The day, like all your days, is just about the two of you. He has a portrait commissioned for the two of you and commits to having one done every year, so you remember what you look like & how happy you are together. The old ones are kept in an archive below for safe keeping.
Wyll
Heâs been looking forward to this day almost as much as getting married to you, the love of his life.
If he chose to stay in the Gate and become the new Grand Duke Ravengard, Wyll will host a ball so that you can celebrate with all those you hold dear. Old and new friends. He has the bardâs college compose a new song to commemorate the occasion, one that he can lead his partner out to the dance floor with and waltz them around all night.
If he went to Avernus to continue as the Blade, they will waltz together, alone, on the stoney rocks of the Hells. While Wyll hums a private tune between them to keep the music going.
Halsin
Halsin isnât much for ceremonies or constructs of time. Nature and time move hand-in-hand with one another without making much note of their relationship, and he feels that they should do the same.
ButâŚhe can appreciate that something like this should be marked & remembered.
He will make time to get away from his duties as âDaddy Halsinâ to be a husband for a while; no matter how short it might be. He carves them a beautiful ornament. Something of a remembrance of their year to hang on a tree by their home. Halsin tells them that he hopes, one day, it will be filled with as many happy memories as leaves. The tree growing as with their love for years to come.
+Rolan
Who has time for such frivolities? Rolan has an acclaimed magic shop & literary archive to run, along with the magical commitments he has as the new caretaker of Ramazith's Tower. Surely, as his partner, they must understand that.
Lia gives him an extremely firm talking to about how selfish and narrow-minded he is being. That itâs not just about him anymore itâs about them.
Though Rolan will never admit that sheâs right, he does make it up to his spouse. Apologizing to them for being so callous and making an effort to be more âtraditionally romanticâ. He presents them with a single white rose. Enchanted, so that it will never die, never wilt, and never fade. âIt will always be as pure and radiant as my love for you. Should I forget to tell you every day, look upon it and remember. Though, I will try to remember to tell you everyday until my last ones.â
#baldur's gate#baldur's gate 3#bg3#bg3 x reader#baldur's gate 3 x reader#astarion x reader#astarion#astarion x tav#ascended astarion x reader#ascended astarion x tav#ascended astarion#gale x reader#gale x tav#gale dekarios#gale of waterdeep#wyll#bg3 wyll#wyll ravengard#wyll ravenguard x tav#wyll ravenguard x reader#halsin#halsin x tav#halsin x reader#bg3 rolan#rolan#headcanons#baldur's gate headcanons#bg3 headcanons#bg3 hc
571 notes
¡
View notes
Text
There is No Closure, Just Adapting To Life
Ao3 link: Here Master list: Here
Summary:
Danny should have asked more questions before accepting the request to fix a different dimension's time stream from Clockwork. He didnât think he would be de-aged and live a different life where he would latch on to a new family and friends. It was nice being a part of a community of heroes.
It really wouldnât have been that bad if he stayed there. Too bad that he was pulled from that world and back into his old one, both fulfilling his wish to see his original family and killing all the relationships with his new ones.
Now he has to figure out how to live in his original dimension again. And maybe, just maybe find a way to visit the one he forcefully left behind.
Chapter 1: Your trial period is over; your account has been put on hold.
Danny shouldn't be thinking about the past life he lived, shouldn't think about the parents who adopted him only to disappear for months at a time, nor the vigilante family heâd inserted himself into during their time of need. That life wasn't his to begin with! Just a dimension with a timeline that needed fixing in an unconventional way.Â
So, why is he crying?Â
He just got back to his home, time hadnât passed here. He can see Sam, Tucker, and Jazz again! (He'll never see Cass, Jason, Dick, Damien, Steph, Kon â) He's more experienced and better at fighting now. He can protect Amity better! (He misses Gotham. The city seemed to make heroes feel like magic) Danny has his original life back⌠but damn it, he wants to go back! He doesn't want to protect a city alone again!Â
Danny curls into himself on his bed. Silent sobs racking his body. He's so different than he was before. His hair was longer and parted in the middle, nothing like his usual, (old), fringe style. His missing scars and the new ones he can't explain. Gods-Â (No, wait, it's Ancients) he is missing his spleen! How was he going to explain that, or any of this? Even as his sobs grew more violent, their volume didn't increase.Â
A trick he learned in the Wayne manor.Â
He didn't want to disturb anyone with his half remembered dreams of a different life.
Danny took a shuddering breath, the feelings heâd been trying to bury since his return hitting him full force. Heâd been sucked back to his original dimension without warning a day ago. Clockwork, that bastard, didn't even give him time to say goodbye to the rest of the Bats and Birds. He was in his apartment as Tim Drake one second and plopped in Danny Fenton's bedroom the next.Â
His talk with the older ghost didn't make the situation any better.Â
He didn't explain anything! Just that his work in that dimension's timeline was done. If Clockwork hadn't time locked the portal Danny would've been in the ancientâs lair instead of dissociating in a room that doesn't feel like his anymore. He hates not being given a choice or having a plan.Â
Jason was right; anger was so much easier than actually dealing with your feelings.
His spiraling was stopped when he heard a soft knock on his door. Oh, heâd forgotten that Jazz was home. Living through a lifetime made him forget a lot about his first one. He didn't get time to follow the new spiral of thoughts before his sister opened the door.Â
"Danny?" Her voice was soft, laced with worry.
"Yeah," He hates how hoarse his voice sounds.
 He should be better than this; heâs infiltrated the league of assassins for Ancientsâ sake. He watched as she approached his bed, buried beneath blankets. He can hear when she actually sees him by her gasp.Â
"What happened?" Jazz asked as she sat on the bed facing him.
"I⌠I fixed a timeline in a different dimension for Clockwork." Danny can't bring himself to look at her. Everything is still fresh. The feeling he can just barely comprehend as grief has yet to settle inside him. He takes a deep breath. He can compartmentalize this and deal with it after Jazz leaves.
"How long were you gone this time, a month or two?" Jazz looks at him with unending patience and care.Â
"17 years," He whispers hesitantly.
"Oh⌠oh, Danny." He couldnât have prepared himself for the shock and pained confusion on her face. She leaned her over him, pulling him into a tight hug.
Oh, he can't compartmentalize this after all. Dannyâs breath hitched as fat tears began rolling down his face, dampening his pillow even more. His life as Tim made him forget what it was like to have unending support from a sibling. He loved the hodge podge of the Waynes, but he was a vigilante first. He wasnât really family.
Just a coworker.
âYou donât have to talk about it if itâs too much. Just know that Iâll always be here for you little brother,â Jazzâs voice was gentle. Oh, did he miss her during those years. Cass and Barbara helped him cope with missing Jazz whether they knew it or not. He turned into her, relishing in the fact she was here. He may be missing a whole new family, but he got his old one back.
âI missed you, Jazz. Can you stay here with me for a little while?â He pleaded between silent sobs.
âOf course. Iâll be here as long as you need.â
---------âxâ---------
Tim woke up to the sound of typing and the sight of red hair. He must have crashed at Barbaraâs last night. He sits up, not fully awake just yet.
âMorning, Babs,â he yawns, eyes blurry.Â
The gentle but persistent clicking of keys stops with a hitch of her breath. "Danny, it's me Jazz. Is Babs someone you were close to⌠before?"Â
The voice he hears back isn't Barbara's.
It's one he barely recognizes now, made even harder to place with the barely covered pain. Jazz deserves a better brother than him.Â
What kind of brother is he, that he doesn't even remember his own sister at first glance.Â
Danny takes a deep shaky breath. No, he can't think like that. He hasn't seen her in 17 years, Of course he isn't going to recognize her. Still she hasn't changed one bit.Â
He can't tell if that makes it better or worse.
"Yeah" he croaks, voice rough from sleep and the lump that's formed in his throat. âShe has hair like yours.â
âOh⌠do you want to talk about it?â she offers awkwardly. She was completely out of her depth but still wanting to help in her own way. (Alfred would have loved to meet her.)
Danny shakes his head, pushing past the aching in his chest as he drags himself out of bed. He doesn't look back at Jazz, he doesn't want to see the pitying look in her eyes. Something ugly, angry, and raw always tends to creep into him when that particular emotion is directed at him, and she doesn't deserve that.
What a cruel joke that the one thing that he gets in spades in both lives is pity.
He needs a strategy if he plans to survive the next couple of days, (the rest of his life), and that starts small. Get ready and investigate what the hell was happening in his life before⌠his time mission. He lost so much time with his breakdown, how annoying.Â
Tim (no, he's Danny now) huffs, opening his closet. Well before he starts anything he needs a damn shower.Â
---------âxâ---------
By the time Danny was clean and dressed, Jazz had left him with a journal with his name on it and her scrapbook. Ancients, she really is the best big sister. (Cass would contest that).Â
He knows that he should dive into them right away, but⌠he can put it off a little longer. Remembering and relearning will take time, and he has all the time in the world now, whether he likes it or not. Diving deep will be too much. Heâs too emotionally raw, and just needs something to latch on to, like:Â
Next day survival plan 101, start small.Â
He can look at Dannyâs phone; heâll figure out what to do with Timâs later. Remember, one step at a time; one thing at a time. Finding the device was easy, it was on the nightstand where he always leaves it. Seems like this is one of the habits he kept in both lifes. Opening it up was easier than he originally expected; he really didn't have a sense of cybersecurity beyond Tucker back then.
(âŚNow?)
The device was familiar in so many different ways; he always did gravitate towards technology (with Tucker pushing him forward right next to him). The screen lit up, showing the basic layout of all phones; he dismissed notifications from dumb games, leaving the social media ones. What he was really looking for was his messages.
He had a couple new messages from Sam and Tucker in their group chat. He should look at the chat, but, in doing so, he'd be facing the people he had been grieving their missing presence for the last 17 years. A missing presence that had him picked up so many new hobbies, just because they reminded him of his two best friends. Danny would have never touched a camera if it wasn't for the ache in his chest everytime he passed a looming gargoyle. The hundreds of pictures will finally be seen by their intended audience, if he could only get himself to open the gods damned chat!
Shaky breath slips from his lips as he steadies his thoughts. Baby steps. Look at the messages and go from there.
â New Messages â
PettyWitch
Tucker I swear if your ass isn't up rn, I'm coming over and replacing all of the meat in your fridge with lettuce.
TFine
give me a sec 2 get down there you can stop calling meÂ
i'm not going to answer
what about Danny
how come you aren't calling HIM!!!!!
PettyWitch
Bc Danny can actually get up before noon during the weekends unlike other people in this chat! So he can be trusted to get to Nasty Burger on time.Â
TFine
HEY!
Their banter goes on. Danny scrolls through it with a painful kind of fondness draping over him. A hole that once gouged his heart was being filled, only to have a different part get ripped out for the same reason. The people he missed will always have some type of mouth on them, especially one that gets them in trouble. Moving past the too fresh grief and focusing on the conversation at hand does bring about a pressing issue, he's supposed to meet up with Sam and Tucker soon.
Shit.
Looks like he's facing more ghosts of his past-turned-present sooner than he thought. It's Tucker and Sam. They stuck with him through his death and his first hero career. If anyone besides Jazz could sympathize with him, it was them. Resolve hardened like the Bat he is (was âthere is no way back to them now), he spends the little remaining time flipping through pictures and looping handwriting as he pieces the memory of his old life back together.
306 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Vows of Rivalry
Authors Note: MY FIRST AARON FIC AHH!! Idk what is scarier the fact that this is FINALLY going out to the world or the fact that my first Aaron fic does not follow cannon events. Either way I would really appreciate any feedback you guys can give me. gif credit to original creator. I had it saved on my laptop so I really do not remember
special thanks to @boldlyvoid for beta reading the first draft of this fic. pairing: Aaron Hotchner x female reader
Without further ado here is Vows of Rivalry.
Mock trial season. Every law studentâs worst nightmare. Except for one.
Most students dreaded the possibility of being pitted against Aaron Hotchnerâreigning champion since his first year. Hotch was renowned for his ruthless precision, impeccable argumentation, and the intimidating scowl that seemed permanently etched onto his face. But for Y/N Y/L/N, the prospect of facing Aaron was anything but dreadful. In fact, she relished it.
She could see it now: his jaw clenched, his lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes narrowing whenever sheâd poke holes in his carefully laid arguments. For her, it wasnât just about winning. It was about watching Aaron Hotchner, the unflappable law prodigy, completely lose his composure.
That day was no different. The mock trial courtroom buzzed with the tension of impending arguments, the air crackling with unspoken competition. Y/N adjusted her blazer, her eyes scanning the room for her favorite opponent. There he was, already seated with his ever-present briefcase of legal weapons, jaw set and brows furrowed as he reviewed his notes. She couldnât help the smirk tugging at her lips as she walked to her seat across from him.
The mock trial had barely begun, but the room felt like a pressure cooker. Y/N had just finished outlining her opening argument when Aaron stood to cross-examine her witness. As always, he delivered each question with surgical precision, his voice sharp, his gaze colder than a winter morning.
But she wasnât backing down.
âYour Honor,â she interrupted smoothly, âhe simply doesnât have the evidence necessary forââ
âEvidence?â Aaron interrupted, his calm demeanor finally cracking. He looked like he was about to explode, his face flushed with frustration. âEviâJesus, woman, you make me so annoyed sometimes. I just want to very publicly divorce you!â
The courtroom fell silent, and Y/N stared at him, stunned by his outburst. Then, instead of being thrown off, she smiled. âYouâd have to marry me first, Hotchner.â
Aaron stormed off, leaving the room in a buzz of shock. The judge cleared his throat awkwardly and called for a recess, but all Y/N could think about was how much she had enjoyed watching him unravel.
Neither of them realizing that the judge for this mock trial, their peer Marcus, had a murderous look trained to where Aaron had left.Â
Flash forward â Present day
The BAU office was quieter than usual, the team scattered as they worked on different aspects of their current case. Aaron Hotchner sat at his desk, tapping his pen absently against a case file, the rhythm of his movements betraying his usual calm. His mind wasnât on the caseânot entirely. Instead, it kept wandering back to Y/N. Their history, their rivalry in law school, the way she always managed to get under his skin.
His mind began to drift to that impulsive night in Vegas that had been the culmination of all that tension
The neon lights of Las Vegas blared like a siren song, luring Y/N and Aaron into a world of wildness and excess. After an exhausting week of mock trials, they and their law school classmates had decided to blow off some steam and take a trip to Vegas of all places.
âOkay, Hotchner, letâs see if you can handle another round!â Y/N challenged, her voice slightly slurred as she leaned against the bar, her hair a tousled mess.
Aaron rolled his eyes, his own drink barely clutched in his hand. âI think youâve already had enough, Y/N. You know, you might actually lose your pants at the blackjack table this time.â
âHa! Please, Iâm a betting goddess! Youâre just jealous because I outsmarted you in court last week!â she shot back, leaning in closer, her breath a mixture of fruity cocktails and determination.
âOutsmarted me? You mean you got lucky!â Aaron replied, smirking.Â
âYou know what? Letâs get married!â she taunted, downing the last of her drink.Â
âWhat?â Aaron burst out laughing, nearly spilling his drink. âYouâre kidding, right?â
âNope!â Y/N declared, her eyes sparkling with mischief. âLetâs do it. Vegas style! You and me! A wedding! Right now!â
He glanced at her, both amused and wary. âYou realize that youâre completely drunk out of your mind, right? You know what they say about Vegas weddings. And I donât want to be part of a âyouâre-who-I-got-drunk-withâ story.â
She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. âCome on, Hotch! Itâll be epic! Plus, weâll have a great story to tell during our class reunion 10 years from now about how we got wasted and tied the knot on a whim!â
âYeah, and how you lost all your money at blackjack the same night!â he shot back, unable to hold back his laughter.
âShut up!â she laughed, but then her expression shifted to one of playful defiance. âI dare you to come with me! Weâll show everyone that even stoic Aaron Hotcher can do something crazy with the right company! Or are you too scaredâ
Aaron raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face. âYou think Iâm scared? You really want to drag me into this madness?â
âAbsolutely!â she insisted, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the chapel like a determined toddler. âCâmon! Whatâs the worst that could happen? Weâll wake up tomorrow, laugh about it!â
âOr we might actually end up married,â he replied, a mixture of thrill and dread filling him as they reached the chapelâs entrance. âWhatâs your plan if we do?â
âUm⌠weâll just call it a really fun mistake!â she quipped, giggling as they stumbled into the small, tacky chapel. Elvisâs âCanât Help Falling in Loveâ played in the background, setting the perfect absurd tone.
Inside, they approached the altar, barely able to contain their laughter. The Elvis impersonator greeted them, his eyes twinkling as he took in their disheveled appearance.
âWelcome to the chapel, lovebirds!â he boomed, clearly accustomed to drunken couples making rash decisions.
âLovebirds?â Aaron muttered under his breath, shooting Y/N a glance.Â
âShhh! Just go with it,â she hissed, nudging him with her elbow. âItâll be fun!â
The officiant cleared his throat. âDo you, Y/N, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?â
âSure, why not?â Y/N said with a grin, her tone decidedly nonchalant. âI mean, he does make a decent man most of the time.â
âY/N!â Aaron exclaimed, mortified and amused at her flippancy.
âAnd do you, Aaron, take Y/N to be your lawfully wedded wife?â the officiant continued, a bemused smile on his face.
Aaron shrugged dramatically, looking at Y/N with exaggerated seriousness. âI guess so. As long as she promises not to annoy me with her terrible jokes and awful puns.â
âHey!â Y/N shot back, mock-hurt. âIâll have you know my jokes are legendary!â
âLegendary at making people cringe,â he replied, chuckling as the officiant tried to stifle a laugh.
After a few more playful jabs and exaggerated vowsâfilled with drunken laughter and outrageous promisesâthey exchanged rings made of plastic and signed their names on the chapelâs official log, feeling giddy and foolish.
As they stumbled back out into the glittering chaos of the Vegas Strip, their marriage license in hand, they couldn't help but laugh that they even printed out one.Â
âIs this even legal?â she asked not expecting a reply, glancing at their license as if it might disappear into thin air. âYou would think that for a pair of law students we would know the answerâÂ
Aaron only shrugged, too drunk to think, tossing an arm around her shoulders. âLetâs hit the casino again. After all, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?â
As they walked, their banter flowed freely, filled with giggles and playful nudges. They knew they would laugh about this ridiculous night for years to come, even if they had to figure out how to disentangle themselves from the drunken mess they had just created.
The next morning had been awkward, to say the least. They had agreed to get the marriage annulled immediately, laughing about how ridiculous it all was. Except, somehow, neither had followed through on the paperwork. It had slipped through the cracks of their busy lives.
Now, his mind kept wandering back to Y/N wondering where she was now. He couldnât help but notice how the victims all had a striking resemblance to her.Â
The team had been called in to investigate a series of kidnappings, and the more they dug, the clearer it became for him how they all looked like Y/N. Where was she now? He couldnât help but think. Was she safe?Â
He leaned forward, pinching the bridge of his nose, the weight of it all pressing down on him. He had to find her, his protective instincts kicking in.Â
âDid you find something, Garcia?â Hotch asked, breaking the silence of his office when Penelope Garcia appeared at the door, her fingers flying across her tablet.
She hesitated momentarily, her usual cheerful energy replaced with a seriousness that made Hotchâs pulse quicken.
âI⌠I think so, sir,â she said, her eyes widening as she glanced at her screen. âDoes the name Y/N Y/L/N ring any bells?â
Hotchâs heart stopped for a moment. His eyes locked with Garciaâs, his mind racing. âYes,â he replied, his voice strained. âSheâs⌠my wife.â
Garciaâs jaw dropped. âWait, what?â
Hotch took a breath, the memories rushing back. âWe got married⌠years ago. It was a mistake. We were supposed to get divorced, but⌠it never happened.â
Garcia blinked rapidly, trying to process what he had just revealed. âSo, youâre telling me⌠youâre still married?â
âYes.â Hotchâs voice was tight with emotion.Â
He stood abruptly, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. âWhat did you find?â
Garcia quickly shifted gears, âwell, her co-workers reported Y/N missing yesterday after not showing up to work,â pulling up a map of the latest victim location. âY/Nâs phone pinged from an industrial area near the docks about an hour ago. The unsub is still playing games, but I believe she is the latest victim, sir. It appears he stalked her online for a couple of weeksââ
Hotchâs jaw tightened as he listened, his professional side taking over. âSend me the coordinates. I want the team assembled now.â
~~~~~
The BAU team had nearly arrived to the warehouse, moving swiftly and silently. Hotch led the charge, his mind a blur of tactical planning and personal fear. He couldnât let anything happen to her. Not after all these years. Not when he was just realizing how much she still meant to him.
Inside, the air was thick with dust and decay. The unsub had clearly been holding Y/N here, but as they searched the space, there was no sign of her or the unsub.
Hotchâs phone buzzed. A new message.
It was from Y/Nâs phone, but the words were clearly from the unsub:
âDo you remember? Do you remember how much you tried to hate her? Tried to hide much did you love her? You wonât find her in time, Hotchner.âÂ
So this was someone from their past, but who? While trying to think of anyone that wouldâve been trying to get close to her and hating him he couldnât help but recall one fateful winter day that cemented them as academic rivals while also cementing his love for her.Â
The cold bite of winter air seeped into the library, where a few stubborn law students huddled around textbooks and laptops. Outside, snowflakes drifted lazily, painting the world in white, but inside, a different kind of storm was brewing.
Aaron Hotchner glanced up from his notes, his sharp gaze falling on Y/N, who sat across from him in their study group. The usual fire was in her eyes, and the faintest trace of a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she readied herself for another round of their never-ending banter.
âYouâre completely wrong, Hotchner,â she said, her voice sharp and teasing. âYour interpretation of the case law is so off-base, Iâm surprised youâre even here right now.â
Aaron raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. âIs that so? Enlighten me, then. If you can, that is.â
Y/Nâs face flushed, her hazel eyes narrowing in mock-annoyance. The faint crinkle of her nose appearedâthe one that always seemed to surface when she was riled up. It was something he had started to look forward to, something that drove him to keep pushing her buttons just to see that reaction.
âDonât tempt me,â she said with a huff, leaning forward to point at his notes. âRight here, you missed the entire point of the ruling. You canât just cherry-pick the facts that support your argument. Youâre better than that⌠or at least, I thought you were.â
Her words were laced with sarcasm, but Aaron found himself barely hearing them. Instead, his mind focused on the way her hair fell loosely over her shoulders, how her cheeks were tinged pink from the warmth of the heated room, and how that fire in her eyes sparked every time they clashed.
She was beautiful in a way he hadnât allowed himself to fully acknowledge until now. Heâd always admired her intellect, her tenacity, the way she stood her ground no matter how hard he pushed. But todayâtoday something shifted. It wasnât just respect or admiration anymore. It was something deeper, something that hit him square in the chest as if knocking the air out of him.
God, he loved seeing her like thisâpassionate, focused, and utterly unrelenting. His heart raced as he watched her argue her point, lips moving with a confidence that captivated him. Heâd always riled her up for the sake of competition, but now he realized it was more than that. He loved it. Loved the way her nose crinkled, the way her skin flushed pink when she got under his skin and knew it.
She was like a force of nature, and Aaronâagainst all logicâwas caught in her storm.
âAre you even listening to me?â Y/Nâs voice cut through his thoughts, her eyes narrowing further as she leaned back, arms crossed.
Aaron blinked, shaking off the haze of his realization, and quickly returned to their debate. âOf course I am. Iâm just trying to figure out if you actually believe that nonsense youâre spewing.â
Her mouth fell open, and that familiar spark lit in her eyes again. âYouâre impossible!â she snapped, throwing her pen down dramatically.
Aaron bit back a grin. âAnd youâre predictable.â
That earned him a glare, but he could see the amusement behind it. She thrived on this, just like he did. The banter, the push and pullâit was their language, and heâd never felt more alive than when they were like this. But now it came with a deeper ache, a longing he hadnât anticipated.
Later that day, after theyâd packed up and left the library, Aaron lingered near the hallway, stuffing his textbooks into his bag. Y/Nâs voice drifted from around the corner, chatting with her friends.
âAre you sure you donât want to come out with us tonight?â one of the girls asked. âMarcus has been wanting to ask you out and you always shoot him down.âÂ
Y/N laughed softly. âNo, Iâm good. I promised myself Iâd focus on law school. No distractions. Iâm staying single and just keeping my head down until graduation.â
Aaron froze, his breath catching in his throat. The words stung more than they should have. He had just admitted to himself that he might be falling for her, and nowânow she was putting up a wall, and he wasnât even on the other side of it.
Single. Focused on her studies. No distractions.
It was clear where she stood, and Aaron felt a knot of frustration tighten in his chest. He could never compete with her ambitions, nor would he try. He respected that about her. But still, it hit him hard, this quiet admission of hers that he had no place in her plans.
He stood there, hidden just out of view, feeling the weight of her words settle over him. He had never been one to chase something he couldnât have, and Y/N had just made it clear she was determined to stay unattached.
But if he couldnât have her the way he wantedâif she would never see him the way he saw herâthen heâd find another way to stay close to her.
That night, as snow continued to fall softly outside the window, Aaron made a silent vow to himself. If being her rival was the only way to be near her, then so be it. He would challenge her, argue with her, push her to her limitsâbecause thatâs when she was at her best, and it was the only way he could keep her in his life.
If being her academic rival was all he could be, then he would make sure to be the best damn rival she ever had.
The blood drained from his face as he reread the words. This was personal. The unsub had been watching themâwatching their past, their history. And now, Hotch knew he was the key to finding Y/N. Could it have been Marucs? Marcus was the other relentless suitor that y/n had. Could it be him?Â
He called Garcia, âwe are almost at the location Y/Ns phone pinged last. Look into Marcus for me, he went to school with usâ he orderedÂ
âLooks like Marcus has had many girlfriends that resemble Y/N physical appearance since graduating, up until last year in which his girlfriend broke up with him to marry someone else. The wedding date coincides with the first killing sirâÂ
âThanks Garciaâ he said as they arrived at the location.Â
The SWAT team had cleared the perimeter, and Aaron Hotchner stood just outside the door of the dilapidated warehouse. The once-industrial building had long since been abandoned, its cracked windows and rusting metal exterior fitting the profile of a man like Marcus Chambersâsomeone who had faded into the shadows, but had never truly disappeared.
Aaronâs heartbeat thudded heavily in his ears, the only sound louder than the quiet murmur of the team communicating over comms. Theyâd been tracking Marcus for days, and this was their best lead yet. But there was one glaring problemâit seemed Y/N wasnât here.
And time was running out.
The door to the warehouse creaked open, and Aaron nodded to Morgan and Prentiss, signaling them to enter first. Inside, the air was stale and filled with the faint scent of metal and dust. There were scattered pieces of old machinery and boxes, but it was otherwise emptyâsave for a table and the man seated at the far end of the room.
Marcus.
His dark eyes were fixed on the team as they approached, his mouth curled into a bitter smirk. He didnât make any effort to move or run, didnât flinch as SWAT flooded in behind them, guns raised and voices sharp with commands. He sat there, unbothered, like heâd been expecting them all along.
Aaronâs jaw clenched as he approached, unable to shake the burning anger and desperation clawing at him. Y/Nâs life depended on this, and every second felt like an eternity.
âWhere is she?â Aaronâs voice was low, controlled, but the fury beneath it was unmistakable.
Marcusâs eyes flickered with amusement as he leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms lazily. âYou think itâs that easy, donât you, Hotchner? You swoop in, play the hero, and save the day.â He sneered. âBut not this time.â
Aaronâs fists clenched at his sides. The rage boiling inside him was barely contained, but he couldnât afford to lose control now. He couldnât let Marcus see just how much he was getting to him. He wouldnât give him the satisfaction.
âIâm not playing games with you, Marcus,â Aaron growled, stepping closer, his voice like steel. âTell me where she is, or I swear you wonât like how this ends.â
Morgan stepped forward ready to jump and protect his boss and close friend, hand resting on his gun, ready for any sign of danger. âYouâre surrounded, man, youâre not walking out of here, so you might as well make it easier on yourself.â
Marcus chuckled darkly, shaking his head as if amused by the entire situation. âEasier? For me? This was never about making it easy, agent.â His eyes drifted back to Aaron, and there was something unsettling in his gazeâsomething cold, unhinged. âThis was about making you pay.â
Aaron felt the weight of those words, and it took everything in him to keep his expression neutral. He had known Marcus back in law schoolâhad always seen him as a man with an inferiority complex, always jealous of anyone who succeeded around him. But that was nothing compared to the bitterness Aaron saw now.
âThis is about Y/N, isnât it?â Aaron said, voice steady but cutting. âYouâve hated me since the mock trial when I said I would marry her, but Marcus you should know we were just rattling each otherâ
âBullshitâ Marcus yelled irritatedÂ
Marcusâs smirk widened. âYou have no idea, do you? No idea what it felt like watching youâgolden boy Aaron Hotchnerâget everything handed to you. The grades, the reputation, and then⌠her.â
Could he really know about Vegas, about them actually marrying? Aaron thought. It wasnât as if they actually lived like husband and wife, they had just forgotten to annul the marriage, granted, as far as he knew neither of them had dated after that day. Could he really be this infuriated by a piece of paper? Aaron decided not to focus on the pang of guilt he felt by thinking of the marriage to the love of his life as just a âpiece of paperâ he had to figure out where she was before it was too late.
âI watched you two,â Marcus continued, his voice laced with bitterness. âWatched you marry her like it was some joke. Like she was some prize you could just win and forget about.âÂ
Aaronâs stomach twisted. It all went back to Vegas. The night theyâd gotten drunk, the night he and Y/N had woken up with rings on their fingers and hazy memories of how they got there. A wedding that should have been forgotten, annulled, but had somehow turned into something much more permanent, a silent promise that they would always be there for each other. A promise he couldn't break, not after all this time.Â
 And Marcus had been there. Heâd seen it all. And he was dead set on breaking the fragile bond that was made that night between Aaron and Y/N. Â
Suddenly, a faint sound caught his attentionâa soft, muffled cry coming from the back of the warehouse. Hotch motioned for the team to follow as they approached a locked room. Kicking the door open, his breath caught in his throat.
There she was. Y/N. Bound and gagged but alive.
You were there that night?â Aaron asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Marcus nodded, his eyes flickering with something darkerâsomething dangerous. âI saw it all. You donât even remember, do you? How you laughed about it. How you said it didnât matter, how it would all be a funny memory years down the road. But it mattered to me.â
Aaronâs chest tightened. Yes, there was laughter that night. But, he hadnât brushed it off like it meant nothing. It had scared him the days after how much that marriage had meant to him. But Marcus had twisted that memory, had held onto it all these years, letting it fester into something deadly.
âThis isnât about Vegas, Marcus,â Aaron said coldly. âThis is about your obsession. Youâre angry because you never stood a chance.â
Marcusâs smirk faltered for a brief second, but the madness in his eyes only intensified. âI didnât stand a chance because you took her from me before I even had one.â
Aaronâs fists clenched tighter, his patience fraying. âI'm done with this, Iâm done with you. Tell me where she is. Now.â
Marcus chuckled, leaning forward in his chair, his voice dripping with malice. âYou really think Iâd make it that easy for you? No, Hotchner. This is your punishment. You donât get to save her this time.â
Aaronâs blood ran cold, a chill settling deep into his bones. He stepped closer, towering over Marcus, his voice deadly calm. âYou tell me where she is, or I swearââ Aaron couldnât finish his threat, noticing Marcusâ eyes flickered to the timer he set on a nearby table.Â
Marcus met Aaronâs eyes, his smile fading into something more sinister. âYouâre too late. She will be dead in 20 minutes.â
Aaronâs heart stopped. Too late. No, that couldnât be possible. Not Y/N. Not when they were so close.
âWhere is she?â Morgan demanded, his voice rising.
Marcus didnât answer. His gaze drifted lazily around the room, savoring the tension, the desperation on Aaronâs face. âYouâll never find her. Sheâs too far gone.â
Aaron lunged forward, grabbing Marcus by the collar and hauling him to his feet, rage boiling over. âWhere is she?!â
Morgan and Prentiss moved to pull Aaron back, but he was already too far gone. Marcus laughed in his face, taunting him with the one thing Aaron couldnât afford to lose: time.
And then, in a quiet, venomous whisper, Marcus finally spoke.
âYouâre looking in the wrong place.â
The words sank in, chilling Aaron to his core. Marcus had known all along that theyâd come here, had expected this, planned for it. And while they wasted time finding himâY/N was somewhere else.
Somewhere Aaron might never reach her in time.
He released Marcus, stepping back, chest heaving with frustration and panic. They had him in custody, but it wasnât enough. Not without Y/N.
They were running out of time, and Aaron knew he couldnât afford a single second more
Back at the BAU Penelope Garciaâs fingers flew across the keyboard, eyes glued to the flurry of data populating the screen. Sheâd been digging into Marcus's background, searching for anything that could lead them to where he was keeping Y/N. âCome on, come onâŚâ she muttered under her breath, frustration buildingâuntil suddenly, a detail popped up, too familiar to ignore. âWait a minute,â she whispered, freezing. She leaned closer, eyes widening as the puzzle pieces clicked. âThe old library!â
Spencer Reid, sitting across from her, looked up from the stack of files he was pouring over. âWhat about it?â
Garcia spun her chair toward him, her face pale with realization. âThat abandoned libraryâthe one Hotch and Marcus used to study at with the group. It was scheduled for demolition last year, but the plans were scrapped. No oneâs been there in years.â
Reidâs eyes lit up with recognition, and his voice dropped. âItâs isolated. Quiet. The perfect place to hide someone.â
Garcia immediately tapped into her comms, panic lacing her voice as she patched through to Hotch. "Hotch, I think weâve found her. Sheâs at the old library. Marcus has her at the place you all used to study.â
There was a beat of silence before Hotch's voice came through, tight with urgency. "We are on our way."
Aaron Hotchnerâs heart pounded as he pushed through the crumbling doors of the abandoned library, his flashlight slicing through the dust-choked darkness. Morgan was right behind him, followed closely by Prentiss, JJ, and Rossi, their footsteps eerily silent against the cracked tile floors. The air was heavy with mustiness, and the faint echoes of their pastâyears spent studying in this very placeâseemed to haunt the hallways. But there was no time for memories. They had to find her.
A distant sound, soft but unmistakableâa faint whimperâcut through the silence. Hotch froze, his breath hitching. His pulse quickened as his eyes darted toward a door partially ajar at the far end of the room. He motioned for the team to fan out as he crept forward, fear and determination twisting in his gut.
He pushed the door open, revealing Y/Nâbound, bruised, but aliveâlying in the corner of the room. Relief surged through him like a wave, but there was no time to celebrate, she was breathing but not conscious. Morgan moved quickly to her side, cutting her restraints while JJ and Prentiss scanned the area, and Rossi stood guard. Hotch knelt beside her, his voice low but filled with an emotion he rarely let surface. âYouâre safe now. Iâve got you.â
Her eyes, though tired and scared, widened when she saw him. Relief washed over her face âY/N,â he whispered, his voice cracking for the first time in years.
She coughed softly as she tried to smile. âYou⌠you found me.â
âAlways,â he whispered, pulling her into his arms. âIâll always find my wife.â
tagging some of my friends that I know would not mind reading an Aaron fic
@samuel-de-champagne-problems @boldlyvoid @reidsaurora @milla984 @thedancingcostumeyoungadult @reid-ingandweeping @ssahotchnerr
#criminal minds#aaron hotchner x reader#aaron hotchner#aaron hotchner imagine#Aaron hotchner x fem! reader
283 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Back on my Screenwriter soap box while watching PJO: They should have bought a bunch of oil diffusers.
(Edit: This post was made before someone pointed out to me that I missed a key line of dialogue, but my points and theories still stand for the same reasons backing up my original post so Iâm not changing anything. The dialogue I missed lets us know that Hermes told Percy the lotus was being pumped into the air off-screen. Itâs also implies (? Iâm still on the fence about this one?) that Hermes told him what day it is, but I missed these during my first three watches because of how quick and vague it was. Which actually kind of supports my point on why visual indicators are so important. Without these, itâs easy to miss key information. And remember, itâs a kidâs show. ANYWAY my conclusions havenât changed, and I still believe these edits would work better than the quick line of dialogue so just keep this in mind. Thanks.)
(Iâm not being nit-picky. I swear. Just hear me out.) So the weirdest thing to me in episode six was how Percy justâŚlearned everything so quickly without any visual indicators? Like they know time passed because itâs dark outside, but how did he know it was Thursday? They know they were affected by the lotus flowers, but how does he know it was pumped into the air? This irked me because even if heâs smart enough to figure some of this out himself (which he is) we as the audience should still be able to follow his thought process instead of learning after the fact.
What if there were oil diffusers?
So imagine the trio walks into the Lotus, figures out this is like the Odyssey, and decides not to eat anything. They waltz in super confident that they cracked the code, but they were wrong. How do we know? Because the moment they enter the crowd, we get an establishing shot of a lotus-branded oil diffuser letting out steam.
Immediately, we as the audience realize their mistake, making it just that more tantalizing to watch. As the episode continues, we realize theyâre everywhere. Thereâs a diffuser in the plants, on the counter, between the game tables, always right out of the corner of our eyes. They just keep churning out lotus-scented oil into the air, which we can infer because weâre smart. (Remember that.)
Now when Percy realizes whatâs going on, we know HOW theyâre doing it and HOW Percy knows without being told!! Because they were there the whole time.
Onto Thursday.
Consider: A watch.
What if Hermes has the only watch in the casino until the trio walks in with their own?
Letâs give Annabeth one of those cheap, funky watches that gives the time, day, month, year, etc. Something you get from a kids toy catalogue. Itâs waterproof, glows in the dark, has an alarm or whatever. I feel like Annabeth would have one of those. (And honestly, she might already. I forgot.) The most important feature for us, though, is the day. It clearly tells us the day of the week.
Itâs pretty easy to establish that Annabeth has the watch. Just do it the same way they establish the date: Percabeth arguing over it in the truck. Annabeth shows him the watch. Establishing shot of the watchâs face. Thatâs it. No bells or whistles necessary. Then when they get to the casino, Annabeth checks it one more time (without an establishing shot, she just does it casually) and they walk in.
(Itâs so easy. I promise.)
While Grover is walking around alone, he tries to check the time and realizes thereâs no clocks. (Which ngl is super common in casinos already, but itâs creepy nonetheless.) Yada yada, he gets sucked in by Augustus and thatâs how he gets got.
Meanwhile, Percy and Annabeth keep meaning to check the time, but every time they do, someone tries to hand them an appetizer or a drink, which makes them forget OR Annabethâs hubris keeps her from checking. (Percy: Time check? Annabeth: Its only been five minutes. Weâre fine. We need to focus.)
And that brings us to Hermes. After their chat, yada yada, Annabeth âleavesâ and Hermes gets all cryptic, then he makes a BIG show of checking his watch, and THATâS when Percy realizes somethingâs wrong because oh no they havenât checked the time. So he finds Annabeth, they see itâs dark outside, they check her watch, and itâs Thursday.
âBut we didnât eat anything!â Annabeth says. Percy looks at the diffusers by the entrance. It dawns on him. âTheyâre pumping it into the air.â
Thatâs how you VISUALLY SHOW US THINGS instead of Percy just figuring everything out off-camera and telling us!!!!
Now, you may be thinking âOh but do they have the budget for that??â Do you know how cheap these props are? Just bulk buy like six oil diffusers, slap a homemade sticker of a lotus flower on them, and keep moving them into every shot. And theyâre quiet!! They wouldnât interfere with the sound, the steam is visible enough to be caught on camera without messing with the lighting, they actually look really cool in some lighting, and they fit the atmosphere of a hotel/casino!! Then the watch is like $15, fits with Annabethâs character, and totally matches her outfit.
Itâs CHEAP! Itâs EASY! It DOESNâT CUT INTO THE RUN TIME! Itâs AESTHETICALLY PLEASING! ANNABETH GETS A SICK WATCH!! NO DOWNSIDES!!!!
The biggest problem with this show isnât how accurate it is to the book or how much money they have or that theyâre âDisney-fyingâ it. The problem is they are TELLING US things instead of SHOWING us. And not to beat a dead horse because everyoneâs heard of âShow Donât Tellâ but like??? This is exactly why everyone is taught this over and over again in school?? Because people still do it anyway all the time???
Thereâs also something else I learned (or really just picked up) when I got my B.A. in Creative Writing: Good shows are predictable.
Whether itâs a case of the audience learning whatâs going to happen before it happens or them watching the show again and realizing how obvious the answer was the whole time, audiences always want to feel smart. They want to interact with the material. If you donât give them the opportunity to pick apart the mystery themselves by setting down clues, theyâll give up on interacting with the show and lose interest. Thatâs why you SHOW them things. There are several moments where this show is completely unpredictable, not because itâs complex but because it doesnât let you predict it. That doesnât make it badâthe comedy and character development is doing a great job of carrying the showâs weight so far. But it definitely doesnât make the show good.
Itâs like Rube Goldberg machines. Or dominoes! We donât watch those crazy 1000+ domino videos so we can watch the last one fall. We watch it to see HOW they fall. Take one domino out, and itâs unsatisfactory. It doesnât work anymore.
But some oil diffusers and a watch??? Little clues that make the realization that more visually appealing??? THATâS SATISFYING
Anyway, these are just two things that could have been done, but werenât. Most of the show is stellar. I think it just needs a little bit of editing here and there. I studied this for like years, and I needed to get this off my chest. Thatâs it.
Rick Riordan, if you ever see this, I am available for hire :) I would love to be a script doctor please please please please
#THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME YOU DONT UNDERSTAND#I swear I can be so helpful Rick#hire me#iâm a screenwriter i promise iâm legit#btw this is NOT an opportunity to say you hate the show in the notes I will find you#percy jackson#pjo#percy jackon and the olympians#percy jackson and the olympians#pjo tv show#percy jackson tv show#pjo spoilers#percy jackson the lightning thief#pjo series#screenwriting#grover underwood#annabeth chase#hermes
562 notes
¡
View notes
Text
ROMANCE-TOBER ROMTOBER â 2024 !
!original idea: @dollishbabess
Week 1: Dick Grayson (1 Oct - 7 Oct)
âłDay one: Haunted House Date You and Dick visit a haunted house attraction, but he's more scared than you are, clinging to you the entire time.
wc: 1.1 K warnings: none, no y/n used, fluff a/n: I'm tired of kinktober so here is romtober (divider: @saradika-graphics)
HAUNTED HOUSE
Itâs not like Dick hates horror movies, he actually enjoys some medium-core scary movies. Especially when he gets to use the excuse to cuddle up under a thick blanket beside you and cuddle. The more chilly weather, the warm colours, and the cool dates you can go to is his favourite part about autumn.
Like now, you are both on your way to your current date, hand in hand. Even wearing matching scarfs, it couldnât get more perfect. The sun is already setting as you enter the small gate to the wooden house, that could be mistaken for a simple cabin. âSimpleâ if it wasnât for dead trees and broken fence around it. Studying the area briefly to make sure nothing could go wrong, you finally step inside.
He thinks you donât notice but the grip on your became tighter once you stepped inside. Still, he wears his care-free smile on his face. Of course, you wonât comment on it and just follow him around. The house is definitely abandoned, no sounds beside the wind going around outside.
ÂťWell, this isnât as bad as I expected it to be.ÂŤ He shrugs lightly and steps closer to one of the drawers, looking through the framed pictures.
There were what looks to be a family from the early eighteen-hundreds. Old gothic clothing, blank faces and of course the familiar black and white filter. Well, not really a filter as they just didnât have colourised photographs back then.
ÂťDo you think they are ghosts now that watch over this house?ÂŤ
Dickâs poor attempt to scare only resulted you in giving him a stoic expression before you scare him back.
ÂťNo, they would most likely be poltergeists or other spirits. Maybe even transform into other creatures,ÂŤ taking a step closer, you presss a small kiss onto his cheek, Âťjust donât piss them off.ÂŤ
With a playful wink, you let go of his hand and explore more of the house, roaming around freely.
He gets out of his trance and follows you quickly, taking your hand into his again.
ÂťYeah, I uh⌠I wonât.ÂŤ Dick mumbles back while glancing around the house once more before focusing on you.
Itâs quiet for a while before something seems to fall in the house. Probably next room. Dick gets in front of you, seeming tense as he carefully peeks around the corner and makes sure there isnât any danger for the both of you. However, you are not having any of it. Scoffing lightly, you nudge his arm a bit.
ÂťCâmon, it was probably just a wind.ÂŤ Now Dick is a little annoyed and glances back to you.
ÂťHow can you say something like that? Weâre in a haunted house, remember? Haunted.ÂŤ
He is really trying not to sound like a concerned parent, but you can still see and hear the hint of worry in his tone. Still, itâs actually amusing to see him this riled up just because youâre in a âhauntedâ house.
Eventually, he relaxes again but keeps his hand in yours. The room that you heard the thud coming from was just a normal bedroom. Judging by the pale pink curtains and dirty, pastel pink sheets, it probably belonged to the young girl in one of the pictures you saw earlier. With no fear, you stride in quietly and just take a look around, picking up some small things to examine them further. Dick does the same, but not without glancing over to you frequently; âjust to make sure youâre alrightâ.
And thatâs definitely why he didnât jump up when another thud was heard from the room you came from. It didnât make things any better that the sun was almost completely down by now, making it dim inside. Naturally, Dick reached for you hand and continued to look around the house like this together.
He was more alert than normally, probably because he didnât want anything to happen to you. And probably because he was slightly paranoid now. Some ravens are yelling nonsense outside as he tries his best it just get along.
But it doesnât help, itâs way too many coincidences at the same time.
ÂťAre we sure we took a harmless haunted house? This doesnât seem like it...ÂŤ
He mutters to you, but it only makes you more amused.
ÂťYeah, we would be dead by now if it wasnât. Trust me, supernatural has thought me that much.ÂŤ
The casual shrug you give him is only making him a more paranoid. It might seem like you know much about paranormal stuff, but he has watched too many horror movies in the past few days to just be relaxed about it. Thereâs always some person who says nothing will happen, and then the worst thing happens after all.
Not that he would say that to you.
Right, yeah⌠anything else they thaught you? Like, being more cautious?
You didnât even have time to answer before the window of the kitchen suddenly opens up, blowing fresh breeze inside.
He shreeks and wraps his arms around you in a death grip, way more surprised than you.
ÂťSee? I told you it was a bad idea!ÂŤ
ÂťIt was your idea!ÂŤ You argue back and huff out lightly at him. His hug is almost squishing you together at this point and it actually feels a it suffocating.
ÂťCould you⌠let go?ÂŤ Dick doesnât get what you mean until he looks down at you, letting go with a sheepish expression.
ÂťRight, sorry...ÂŤ Intertwining your fingers with his, he makes his way to the exit, having to drag you out.
ÂťWait, what are you doing? Are we leaving already?ÂŤ You ask rather confused and in disbelief, looking back to take in the house again.
ÂťNo, weâre just going home. This place is weird.ÂŤ Dick answers back less amused and gets out of the old house finally, pausing once he sees a black cat cross the damn street in front of you.
ÂťSeriously? It was just getting fun...ÂŤ
You mumble back which makes him snap back into reality. He shakes his head briefly before walking out, leaving the small property.
You thought this was fun? Well⌠it⌠it was fun but ot fun like an amusement park, you know? How about we go there next?
You stay quiet for a small moment, just studying him before you just accpet it. He seems a bit spooked, so why not?
ÂťI wonât mind, sureÂŤ
He finally smiles more easily at you, his arm going around your shoulders to let you stay close. After that quick trip to the haunted house, you arrive at the amusement and play a few games, you went to a ride together and ended the night with two slushies. All in all, it was pretty fun for both of you. N matter how hard Dick held onto your hand before that, it was entertaining.
a/n: hope you enjoyed this! i'll try to make the other parts more intersting and fluffy, i'm actually very excited to be part of this small challenge!! let's see how i'll hold up though >"<
added note: i won't continue with this series, as mentioned before, this is not my original idea.
âMASTERLIST
#fanfic#x reader#dc comics#batfam#batfamily#dick grayson x y/n#dick grayson#dick grayson x you#dick grayson x reader#dick grayson x female!reader#dick grayson x male reader#dick grayson x gn!reader#writers on tumblr#romtober#live laugh october#romancetober#drabbles#drabble#one shot#nightwing x reader#nightwing#robin dc#nightwing x you#nightwing x y/n#nightwing x male reader#nightwing x gn!reader
143 notes
¡
View notes
Note
(nsfw) random prompt event generator for bucky!!
Bucky and Y/N going back to one or the other's house after a date, where they eventually end up dry-humping on the couch. Y/N only intends this as foreplay, but Bucky is already getting overwhelmed. Y/N finds this amusing and endearing, leaning close to whisper something teasingly into Bucky's ear. It turns out that Bucky is more excited than Y/N thought, and hits orgasm without any further stimulation, to the surprise of Y/N and the embarrassment of Bucky. What happens next?
pairing. bucky barnes x gender neutral! reader
summary. After a date night out with Bucky as you explore your new relationship, you unintentionally wind up taking your makeout session a little too far. Quickly you learn it's been far too long since Bucky has had a partner.
warnings. SMUT - minors DNI. kissing, praise kink, dirty talk, size difference, beefy bucky, dry humping, masturbation (bucky and you), implied/referenced trauma, reader has v but still gender neutral. p with plot, recovering!bucky barnes (half-way).
a.n. ok, i have other things to write and originally i was gonna let this wait... until i read the prompt again and saw this as an opportunity for some mild bottom/fluffy bucky. (bucky is a bottom you can't change my mind, but i'll write top for you all i promise) starts a little fluffy at first because idk how to not write some sort of context to situations, and bucky is still in recovery reasonably so
w.c. 7.6k howdidthishappen
Your date with Bucky exceeded your expectations. Wary that things would potentially be a little rough around the edges while the soldier was still trying to put himself back together, you were pleasantly surprised when he picked you up at your apartment with a bouquet of flowers - specifically an interesting combination of sunflowers and roses. You couldnât remember the last time someone had bought you flowers, and after running them inside so as to not ruin them by taking them on the trip, Bucky held your hand all the way to his motorcycle and helped you settle comfortably before embarking on the evening together. No awkward pauses or tense, heavy moments with Bucky; It was sweet and a dream come true that you didnât even know youâd had.
Heâd surprised you on where you both were going initially. Blindly trusting Bucky with wherever he chose your date location, he decided that the Art Museum was the safest choice. Dinners could be awkward - what if you donât like the way someone chews their food? Movies hardly left time to actually get to know one another, instead just sitting in the dark with occasional spared glances. Anything too physical could be exerting and hinder you from another date with Bucky. So after indecisively pondering, Bucky had chosen that an art exhibit was the best way to go.
You loved it.
So many classic paintings and countless mediums of art filled the halls as you two strode hand in hand. Bucky was on the quieter side, but not enough to deter you. Heâd smile and watch the twinkle in your eyes when you both came across a particularly marvelous work of art that you loved. Bucky had listened smittenly as you gushed about the way some pieces of art made you feel or the message you interpreted behind it all. Eventually, Bucky had begun to open up throughout the night to do the same. What felt like hours of enriched conversation and two people simply being in the moment.
Sometimes people donât need candles and rose petals, sometimes people just need someone to talk to and feel just as down to earth with.Â
Unfortunately, neither of you had finished going through the whole museum together in one sitting.
Bucky had used that as the opportunity to salvage the situation; âI guess that means weâll just have to come back together.â Heâd said fondly when you both stopped at the mini-cafe built in the museum before you both left.
Instead of letting the date die down when the museum began closing for the night, you offered to bring the party back to your apartment instead. Tempting Bucky with a bottle of wine sitting in your kitchen so you two could just spend some more time together, he didnât need too much convincing. Any excuse to stay close to you, to steal some of your time just a little longer before returning to his dull apartment.Â
âHow could I say no to you, doll?â He had said, and youâd beamed at the small victory.
Truly, you hadnât meant for it to end up where it was (not that you were complaining). When you asked Bucky to come into your apartment building, when youâd walked together hand in hand, you didnât think youâd wind up like this. But somewhere between being plastered against Buckyâs backside and having the privilege to let your hands wander and explore tight leather hiding thick arms or the adrenaline of feeling the wind whipping in your hair, youâd started to become insatiable on the trip back.
Bucky had this way with you that made you feel like a teenager in love all over again.
Sure, he was quiet, but he was misunderstood. Soft and sweet, he had a compassionate heart and an intelligent mind, the gentle giant.Â
Itâd taken some time to help Bucky bring down those walls initially - countless weeks youâd spent just trying to be his friend before he finally caved and agreed. He was a private person, you learned, but once peeling back all the layers, Bucky was amazing and worth all the work that went into opening him up. Creative and smart, a book-lover and funny, he was gentle and tender and emotional in every way that a man could be if they let themselves. He wasnât afraid to be honest, but was instead afraid to voice that too loud. He wasnât afraid to be emotional or vulnerable with those he trusted - not the unfeeling machine that so many had made him out to be. Bucky had simply needed someone who understood him - or was willing to if nothing else.
Once youâd gotten past all of it, all of the rough nights and moody days, it was worth it. Youâd watched Bucky become something he never was beforeâŚ
He was the one who had taken your relationship a step further.Â
Tentatively and timidly, might you add. Always endearing. Heâd been anxious asking you to come out with him - as though heâd been fighting with himself for a long while on whether or not he should even ask. When he finally called you and asked if youâd like to go out on a date with him tonight - yes, heâd used date - youâd been elated.Â
And sure, you were moving a little too fast at that moment, but life is short and heâs already on seventy years of borrowed time. Bucky deserves to be loved.
Warm hand had rubbed up the length of Buckyâs bicep, and you gave his shoulder a squeeze when getting off of his motorcycle with a teasing glint in your eyes.
When he walked with you into the building, you hugged his left arm to your side - refusing for any additional space to come between the both of you as you prattled on about 'Birthday', by Dorothea Tanning and how you interpreted it as the door into the imagination, and Bucky was busy trying to remember which painting it was you were talking about - it was 'the winged scared cat-creature on the floor' that rejogged his memory.
Bucky was just happy you clung so easily to the cold and hard metal of his vibranium arm as if it were his own.
Turning into your hall, youâd begun to pull Bucky by the arm. Turning on your heel and offering him a smitten smile when you tugged him closer to your body in a backward walk. His eyes crinkled at the corners with his smile, his smile wide and showing off pretty white teeth. Even the sheepish duck of his head was precious when you led him into your apartment, finally excited to have time where it could be just you and Bucky without prying eyes.
"If you were eager to get home, you could've just said so," Bucky teased you, and you gave a playful smirk in response.
"M'not, I'm just excited to finally be alone with you." you'd cooed, attempting to make the words seductive but honestly they came more sentimental than anything.
The door gave way behind you when you twisted the knob with your one hand, the other still clutching to Bucky's sleeve. It didn't give Bucky a chance to respond to your retort when you tugged him right on into your apartment. Instead, it earned a chuckle that snapped into a gasp with your pull.
It was when that door shut that something came over you. Tucked into your own little corner of the world, you didnât fear overwhelming Bucky with affection that made him uncomfortable. No worries about people gawking and making him feel out of place (or him being afraid of gawking, really).Â
When you both were just past the threshold of your apartment, you turned and used your foot to push the door shut. Fingers sliding up Bucky's arm, you used the moment to grab the lapels of his leather coat and step back - coming flush with the door and dragging Bucky right on into your tight space.
Hardly giving him a chance to protest. Wide cobalt eyes study you when you both are finally still, Bucky's hands hovering a little uselessly briefly and while shocked, still pleasantly surprised by your bravery.
"Someone is a little impatient," Bucky comments, expression softening. "Not impatient, just excited." You defend with a loving smile. "I could've sworn there was a bottle of wine mentioned..." Bucky trails. "Can you even get intoxicated?" You rhetorically question with a curious tilt of your head and a knowing grin. "Can't I drink for the taste like most people do?" Bucky retorts. "TouchĂŠ."
You both fall into a small fit of giggles and soft laughs, the small talk helping to alleviate some of Bucky's nerves. His hands slowly come to settle on your sides since you're not budging from where you'd pressed flat against the door. Enjoying being wedged between a door and Bucky - you'd be crazy not to.
Despite the way, your mind is running a million miles a minute and your gaze can't seem to draw away from Bucky's pouty lips, Bucky doesn't seem to be picking up as easily on your advances. That's okay. He's always been worth the wait.
â...Did you have a good eveninâ, doll?â he asks, flesh hand smoothing down to delicately rest on your hip.
âI was with you, wasnât I?" Bucky looks at you for a beat as if slightly unconvinced... "Yes, Bucky. One of the best dates I've ever been on... âS a shame, I donât want it to end.â You coo, drawing Bucky in closer until youâre both flush against each other. His left-gloved hand lifted to push your hair from your face tenderly.Â
âWho says it has to end right here?â Bucky hums with his signature playboy grin - no wonder why he had every girl in Brooklyn creaming their panties.
The low husk of his voice strikes you to your very core, allowing your imagination to run wild with the countless thoughts of what the man before you could really do if he tried. Really, it wouldnât take much; Bucky already had you curled around his finger, whether he knew it or not was another question.
âI thought youâd never ask,â pleased, you lay your hands flat on Buckyâs chest. Feeling under his open coat and hands finding the expanse of muscle. You tilt your head back, biting your bottom lip seductively with a cheeky grin.
You arenât ready to find Buckyâs eyes watching you so intently. The way he wets his bottom lip before worrying it between his teeth and releasing that pouty lip of his. Eyes boring right into you and keeping you pinned between him and the door. Ever so carefully, Bucky cups your cheek in his large gloved palm. Thereâs hardly a missed beat when you turn your head and nose affectionately into his palm, able to hear the soft whirring of the machinery before pressing a chaste kiss to leave behind.
âI had fun tonight,â You reiterate to him softly - the drag of your lips accentuated with every word against his palm.
âMâglad. You look good when youâre happy.â Bucky murmurs, but he seems distracted. Cobalt eyes follow every drag of your lips, Bucky exhales a shallow breath.Â
âI bet I could think of a few ways you could make me even happier, Bucky,â you singsong, hand sliding up over Buckyâs that hold your cheek to press affectionately into his touch. Always grateful for anything, nuzzling into him like a needy kitten.Â
Part of you is waiting for the next step. For him to make the next move - thatâs the dance between you two. You step, and Bucky steps one more further. Playing off of each other. It doesnât come.
âMâsure you could, sugar,â Bucky starts, and youâre waiting for the âButâ... âBut,â There it is. âMaybe we should slow down just a little. Itâs been such a good nightâŚâ
âWe could make it better,â you offer, and Bucky flushes slightly at the implication.
â...I donât want to move too fast,â Bucky says after a pause in a hushed whisper - as though scared if he speaks any louder, the universe may come in and rip this good thing away from him as it has a history of doing.
âListen, I care about you. And I had a really, really good time with you - Iâm still so happy you agreed to come out with me. But youâre not- Not some dame. Iâm not just trying to get into your pants, Y/NâŚâ Bucky elaborates tentatively, and you watch him with understanding in your gaze.
âI know,â You softly lament. âYouâre not that kind of fella, BuckyâŚâ âI want you to feel comfortable with me - happy,â Bucky emphasizes, and for half a moment your heart hurts for the man in front of you. So convinced heâs still capable of doing harm, even after all of this time. âI canât think of a time Iâve been uncomfortable around you at all, actually,â Softly you contest, and Bucky offers you a briefly amused smile.Â
âWe can take our time,â Bucky presses; You can tell itâs more for him than it is for you. âAnything you need.â No questions about it. Nuzzling into Buckyâs palm, your lips form a chaste smile. âYouâre too good to me, sugarâŚâ âFunny, Iâve found myself thinking that all night.â Bucky finds humor in the words; expression softening and some of the tension that had begun to rebuild in him falling away. Bucky laughs. Soft, but rich. He leans in and presses a lingering kiss to your temple; Protective and loving. âEarlier, you said you had fun⌠So did I. This was one of the best nights in a while for me,â The admission comes with the feel of Buckyâs lips ghosting your skin. Itâs distracting.
âIâm glad; You deserve good things, too, Bucky.â Something you tend to try to remind Bucky of often; Youâll slam that fact into his head until he one day decides to believe it for himself and see what everyone else sees. âYou are my good thing,â he whispers even quieter; Unintentionally dropping the tone of his voice and sending shivers down your spine.
No words are exchanged when your hands lift and find Buckyâs defined jaw; cradling him gently and drawing him in for a deep but loving kiss. The first of many tonight.
Both you and Bucky had soon migrated from the door in the foyer to your cozy living room. You both struggled to keep space between one another; Lips meeting together over and over again. The only sound was your own heart pounding in your ears and the soft breaths between you and Bucky.Â
You were planted in his lap. Sat on strong, thick thighs - your arms draped around Buckyâs broad shoulders. His hands sat comfortably on your sides; gloves abandoned on the coffee table when heâd wanted to feel you. Not leather obstructing him from feeling the proper warmth of your flushed skin. His head tipped back to accommodate the way you had gained a few inches on him upon being seated in his lap.
Despite the way you two were entangled, it was nothing more than kisses. His hands hadnât dared to venture below your belt, and while the kisses were definitely full of passion, it wasnât the flame you were yearning and burning for. To respect Buckyâs request though, you didnât proceed any further. Content with the taste of Bucky on your tongue, the warmth of his breath, and the barely there noises you were able to draw out of him that rumbled in his chest. His lips were soft and moved naturally against one another - It was a moment of euphoria.
Just the way your mouths slotted together alone was enough to rile you up; Itâd been so long, and no one was as tender a lover as Bucky was with you. Each time he touched you, it was with consideration and care for what you wanted, what would feel good. Never in the means of his own self-gain. It made you that much more desiring of him; the connection that you both maintained had been there for months, it was simply that you both had finally begun to act on it.Â
Youâd told yourself youâd be slow. Take this at your own pace. No one wants to rush into a relationship that has the potential to end messy. But there you were; Necking in your living room with Brooklynâs finest bachelor since 1936. Truly, you were only human, and it hadnât escalated further than that. Breathing each other in, heated and heavy. You hadnât even done it intentionally.
One could only fault you so much when your hips rolled into Buckyâs. Formerly nestled still in his lap, you found yourself moving without thought. Grinding down into the soldierâs lap, it elicited a deep groan from his throat, and tilted his head down to pull your lips apart. His hands instinctively moved to your hips; Clutching moderately tight to still your ministrations. You relished in the subtle pressure that came with Buckyâs hands securely enough to hold you still for hardly a moment. It was enough time for you to have realized the mistake youâd made.
âShit, Iâm sorryââ you stammered between the both of you, and Bucky instead took a shallow inhale. âNo, noâ It⌠It was good. It felt good, itâs-... Itâs just⌠been a while.â Bucky timidly expressed, cheeks flushed and breathless. You noticed how he struggled briefly to maintain a heated gaze with you, eyes averting before pinching shut altogether.
âDo we need to stop? Itâs okay if we do, BuckyâŚâ Let him know that he had that out if he needed it; You wouldnât be upset.
That option left Bucky shaking his head profusely. âNo,â he rasps out, and you can feel his breath fanning your face. Can still taste him on your lips. Youâre both still so close⌠You can feel the faint flex of his fingers holding you. âI want to keep going⌠Just⌠Give me a moment, alright?â He requests, and you give him a comforting smile and an understanding nod.
Your fingers card up into Buckyâs disheveled locks and brush thick hair back from falling in his face. Some of the tension leaves his body when you press a chaste kiss to his temple.Â
âWhatever you need,â you softly let him know. Youâre both still for a minute or two. Simply letting Bucky hold your hips while you kept some of the pressure on your knees - dug into the cushions on either side of his thick thighs. Soothingly rubbing your fingers through Buckyâs hair and giving him a tender hug he relishes in.
Then, slowly, he pulls you back down. Guiding your ass back into his lap and bodies coming flush together. The moment is experimental and you allow Bucky to take all the time he needs even if there is a burning in your thighs from the awkward position. Basking in the relief with a soft sigh and nosing into Buckyâs hair. His hands experimentally dare to explore a little further down. Rubbing from your waist down over your hips to the tops of your thighs. His hands feel like that of a bear's paws in comparison to your physique.Â
âHow are we feelingâŚ?â You ask, checking in on him. âA little better⌠Iâve been using that 4-7-8 breathing method my therapist recommended, actually,â Bucky says, and you can tell for a moment he just needs to play it by ear. Even if you both donât do anything tonight, heâs worth the wait.
âReally? Thatâs good,â Indulging in the moment of chit-chat as his hands still continue the back-and-forth motion. Hypnotizing and leaving your thighs tingling.
Buckyâs reply comes in a soft hum, tilting his head down to nudge his nose at your neck. You tilt your head enough for him to burrow in the hollow of your throat and nose affectionately there. His warm breath makes your skin break out in goosebumps. You let out a shaky exhale before a sappy grin spreads across your face.
He begins to slowly mouth at the sensitive skin of your throat. Gentle kisses and the faint scratch of his stubble that initially tickles enough to make you wiggle in his lap.Â
âBucky!â You squeak and you feel the grin against your skin.
âEasy, easyâŚâ Bucky lowly tells you and it burns into your core. Itâs easy to go lax when heâs the voice coaxing you back. âGood doll,â Bucky says with a chuckle - clearly teasing but it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.Â
âMâticklish,â You defend as your arms squeeze around his shoulders. âI can tell. Might come in handy one dayâŚâ His lips still ghost over your skin; ever so distracting.
âYou wouldn't.â âI might,â Bucky says, his voice smooth but thick like honey.
A playful pinch to Buckyâs shoulder makes him surrender with a laugh before tipping his head up to press your foreheads together again. This time youâre surprised to find his eyes meeting yours head-on.
âThank you for being understanding,â Bucky addresses the elephant in the room, traces of anxiety in those gray eyes. âIâm still trying to learn how to let myself be with someone elseâŚâ
The words feels so raw; A hushed confession and a moment Bucky is being fully honest with you. Not hiding from it or skirting around it - communicating his boundaries and being able to give himself the time he needs. Your chest swells with pride for the man before you in his growth; Youâre so inlove.Â
âItâs okay, really. Iâm not here just to get into your pants, Bucky. I care about you, and we can go as fast or as slow as you need.â You affirm, always wanting Bucky to know that. That heâs safe with you the way you are with him.
âI know,â he whispers, tipping his head up a little further to let your lips brush. âItâs why I like you so muchâŚâ
You smile, unable to help but feel a fluttering in your chest. Bucky draws you the rest of the way to press your lips together again. Starting from scratch so that Bucky is able to be more expecting and prepared this time. The build-up doesnât bother you in the slightest, and it doesnât take the both of you long to build up where you once were. Buckyâs comfortable kissing you. Itâs everything else that daunts him.
Bucky is the one who holds your hips tight against his lap as he gives an experimental roll of his hips up into your ass; feeling the semi-bulge through his jeans. You gasp against his lips, and he seizes the moment to lick hot into your mouth. He doesnât do it again; Teasing you and inviting you to take the next step. Experimentally, you return the gesture when you grind against Buckyâs lap. It draws a noise from both of you at that time.
âYeah..,â Bucky huskily groans. âThatâs good, fuckâŚâ Buckyâs praise eggs you on to keep pressing down into Bucky. Rotating your hips to allow both of you to grind through your clothes; Traces of Buckyâs arousal evident in his jeans.
He steals your breath with a claiming kiss. Strong hands trailing up your thighs to test the waters. Feeling over the swell of your ass and encouraging you to keep pressing down into him. Rutting against his constricted and half-swelled cock. Youâre unsure what to do with your hands other than planting them firmly on Buckyâs chest as you grind your sexes together. Fingers curling into bunch fabric of his shirt as Buckyâs head tilts to deepen your kiss further.
With each second that passes, you feel dizzier. High on the endorphins and lack of oxygen - your chest felt warm and fuzzy. Kissed senseless as Buckyâs firm hands squeeze the globes of your ass and rips a needy keen from your throat, drawing your grinds to a controlled halt. Right when you fear as though you might be too light-headed from the lack of air, Bucky shows some mercy. Freeing your lips and leaving you to gasp; Bucky licking his lips with a satisfied grin.
âI think I taste mint, did you pop a tic-tac earlier when I wasnât lookingâŚ?â Bucky breathlessly teases, both of you so close that you can feel his smile. In that moment, youâre simply trying to return to Earth for a moment between soft, airy breaths.Â
When you will yourself to finally look at Bucky again, his eyes are blown. His black pupils swallowing the blue of his eyes; leaving behind a thin ring. Something inside of him looks livelier than youâve ever seen, Buckyâs cheeks flushed and lips swollen.Â
âJesus, Bucky,â is all you manage, earning a cheeky grin from Bucky - proud. âSpeechless? Iâm relieved to know after nearly a century I havenât gotten rusty⌠Itâd be embarrassing if I was 107 and didnât know how to kiss,â Bucky jokes, and something inside of you feels so warm and fuzzy.
That you both can joke while still being in the moment and grinding into each other moments prior.
âCocky, are we soldier?â You hum after regaining some of your composure, hands lifting to hold his face. Before Bucky has a chance to speak, the wiggle of your hips draws a reminder of the length in his jeans. Bucky chokes on a stifled groan low in his throat at the way you frott into him.
âVery funny,â he asks, still slightly out of breath.
âYou took me by surprise,â you admit softly, âYou never seem so braveâŚâ âFrankly, sugar, itâs⌠Been a really long time. Iâve spent a too long runninâ and not getting to actually feel alive - Iâm not just surviving anymore. Itâs taken time and itâll still take more, but you make me feel better.â Bucky confesses fondly, and you snort with amusement. Pressing a loving kiss to his lips.
âSap.â You murmur between soft pecks. âOnly you could turn something hot into something sweet.â âCanât we have both?â Bucky cooes. âAbsolutely.â
This time, you take lead. Pecking kisses down from Buckyâs lips, over his stubbled cheek and defined jaw. His head tilts back to accommodate the way you nudge, leaving open-mouth kisses in your wake. Sucking the salty skin to leave behind loving bruises that will only last so long with Buckyâs healing factor. He groans; Adamâs apple bobbing when you stamp kisses back up his neck to the juncture of his ear and jaw. A soft kiss before you take a playful nip at his earlobe and send shivers racking through the man under you. âOh, babydoll,â Bucky sighs airly, taking it upon himself to guide your hips. You move on your own accord as Bucky grinds you into his lap; Moving you back and forth to rut together through your clothes. You donât have to do any of the work, instead just taking some time to give Bucky the loving he deserves.
When you peer at his face, his eyes are closed. Lashes kissing the tops of his cheeks and lips parted with soft breaths; the occasional clench of teeth pulls out a gravelly rumble from his chest. All of it has you so hot, so riled up. Itâs just the two of you alone in the apartment; The air is charged with electricity between the two of you. The scrape of your teeth makes Buckyâs lips curl into a devious grin.
âYouâre doinâ so good for me,â Bucky praises. âMy pretty baby, yeah⌠Godâ Do you feel what you do to me, honeyâŚ?â Buckyâs voice was hoarse, the friction working him up just as much as it was you. The throbbing between your legs was becoming insatiable - your answer coming in a whimper as you sucked another purpling bruise into Buckyâs throat.
Your hips move enthusiastically. Trying to meet Bucky for every grind; Becoming too much for him to handle at one point.Â
âSl-Slow down, baby⌠Easy, weâve got time,â he attempts to coax, but youâre busy chasing that high at that moment. You want to make Bucky feel good - this is doing that for him; Pleasing him.Â
âWhatâs wrong, big guy?â You ask with an airy giggle, nosing up to Buckyâs ear. Your lips press against the shell of his ear; âI canât get enough of you touching me, Bucky. I just want to make you come, thinking about it turns me on so muchâŚâ
You donât realize until itâs too late what the words do to him, whispered out right in his ear. Buckyâs nose scrunches up and his jaw goes slack. His body becomes taut underneath you; Hands clutching hard and leaving a dull ache in your bones despite the way youâre still trying to move. Buckyâs hips stutter harshly, and suddenly heâs gasping out. Moaning low and breathy as he rides out his orgasm with half-hearted bucks up into your ass.
Your eyes widen with a sense of wonder as Bucky comes undone in those short few seconds. His lips curl into a perfect âoâ and he shudders, eyes pinched shut. âOhhhh fuuuck,â Bucky moans, long and drawn out, and thereâs not a hotter sight than Bucky Barnes coming because of you. You smile; Pleased with yourself and priding yourself on the fact of being able to be the one to do this to Bucky. You continue the grueling roll of your hips into his hard dick - little left to the imagination while your fingers tangle in his hair and you hold him close. Watching his face all the while; Not wanting to miss a single moment.
Bucky rides it out until heâs left with beads of sweat misting his hairline, panting with the rise and fall of his chest. Taking his time, licking his lips before seemingly becoming sheepish of how easily heâd just fallen apart. No warning; Itâs been so long since heâs had another sexual partner to experience these things within a positive environment.
Your hips only stop when heâs well and done, knowing that most guys half the time are one-and-done. âThat⌠That felt really good, mâsorry, itâsâ itâs different. With, yâknow, someone else⌠Versus aloneâŚâ Bucky manages awkwardly, and you simply draw him in for a lingering kiss.Â
âI understand,â You murmur comfortingly against his lips. âYou can clean up in the bathroom; I donât have anything in your size for underwear, unfortunately, but I can find a pair of flannel bottoms that might fitâŚâ âWhat about you?â Bucky asks, raising a brow. âMe?â âYou.. You didnât get to⌠Yâknow.â
Itâs oddly endearing how he worries about the fact that you werenât able to get off the way he had. âWhat, weâre afraid to use adult language now?â You tease, and Bucky rolls his eyes. âMâbeinâ serious. I want you to feel goodâŚâ Bucky says, rubbing your thighs soothingly. âI can get it up again if you give me a minute.â He adds, and for a moment youâre confused before placing the answer upon a super soldier refractory period.
âYouâd be comfortable with that..?â You ask with a curious tilt, and Bucky bites his lips together; you can see the lingering daze in his eyes from the post-orgasm haze. âNo,â he answers almost nervously. âI⌠Tonight has been a lot already. I donât think I want to go there yetâŚâ And you expect it to end there, but: âI have something else in mind, though.â
âOh, do you nowâŚ?â you muse, curious. âHave you ever heard of mutual masturbationâŚ?â
Youâre both sat facing one another on the couch; One of your legs tucked under your body and pants long abandoned to the floor leaving you in nothing but your underwear. Youâd felt far less reluctance than Bucky had when it came to stripping down; The layers shed easily as your anticipation festered more and more to the surface.Â
Youâd be lying if you said you werenât excited. Youâve known Bucky for a while now, and letâs not lie to yourself - Heâs a good-looking man who can do things with a single look. The âBarnes Charmâ he was so popular for when he was young was still there; Showing itself in small flickers of moments from time to time. The only instances in acting on it on your behalf were in the comfort of your bedroom, alone in the sheets. No oneâs business but yours.Â
But now youâre there with him and no one else. No one to disturb your private moment.
Touch was something that was hard for Bucky - heâd expressed that to you when he stammered over what heâd been asking of you. That heâd rather watch one another right then.
Bucky had no problem drinking you in, either. His eyes were fixed on every movement you made - when youâd peeled your shirt off his eyes followed the expanse of glowing skin and studied it all. Every curve and slope of your body; There was no question of how enamored he was with you. It was the first time in a long time youâd felt truly seen. Someone who wasnât just trying to get into your pants but found you breathtaking.
It was flattering; You could feel the heat in your cheeks and the way it flustered you to be looked at in awe. There was something about Bucky that made you feel perfect. He was a man that was genuine in everything he did; Not much of a people-pleaser if he doesnât have to be. Arguably a little stubborn, actually. You knew nothing about the way he looked at you was feigned.
He chews his lip as his eyes study you. Leaned more forward from where heâs sat sideways on his half of the couch. Left hand clutching the back of the couch cushion, Bucky had that familiar bulge in his jeans (which were now unbuttoned and peeled open to show off his navy blue briefs).Â
âYou look so perfect, dollâŚâ Bucky murmurs lovingly after a moment, and your heart melts in your chest.
The words felt too intimate for you to accept easily, but you didnât want to reject the compliment either. So rather than reply verbally, you leaned back into the cushion propped up behind you and drew your right leg up; Pressed into the back of the couch. Your right leg dangles off the side of the couch and leaving you exposed to Bucky. A welcome invitation if he decides to change his mind and wants to touch you.Â
Bucky breath hitches; shuddering out a slow exhale through his nose. His gaze is hungry, his hand thoughtlessly moving to his own groin to palm the returning erection.
âIâll love you right, one of these days, sugar.â Bucky promises with a lick of his lips. âThis is just fine for tonight, Bucky,â You reassure him, and his gaze racks up to your face. âThank you again for understanding,â And the softness in his hungry eyes sends a cold desire to your core - something more intimate about that look than the one threatening to eat you whole. âAnything for you.â You tell him, meaning every word.
With that, you make a deliberate show of teasing your fingers down your chest and tummy before slinking between your legs.Â
âAww, thatâs it, sugar,â Bucky hums fondly with a breathy chuckle. âEager little thing, gonna put on a pretty show for me..?â
âOnly if you promise to do the same; This is just as much for me as it is for you,â You tease affectionately, mood defiled when you trace your hole with your middle and ring finger. The pads of your fingers are cold on sensitive skin, leaving you to shiver and sigh out an airy moan.
âMânot in nearly as a rush as you are, sweetheart.â Bucky hums, and you catch the way his hand slides down to palm at his cock through his underwear. âSo excited to be on display, are we?â âJust for you,â you exhale, preening at the way he looks at you while experimentally dipping the tips of your fingers into your wet and wanting hole.
âThank God, might have to wring someone by the neck if I gotta share a sight as sweet as this...â The tone is playful and joking, but there are traces of genuine possessiveness in Buckyâs voice. The idea alone is enough to have you showing off; gathering the wetness and making a deliberate show of smearing it over glistening skin. Bucky licks his lips with a look as though he wants to eat you alive.Â
Atleast itâll give him something to look forward to for when you both do get to the point you can be physically comfortable with intimacy. You can have more than enough fun with this.Â
âMother, mary, nâ josephâŚâ Bucky drawls; that Brooklyn accent of his coming through thick with the rumble of his words. He relaxes back into the couch while you continue the steady stroke of teasing yourself, playing with your clit and leaving your cunt throbbing. Bucky properly slides his jeans down his thighs and bunches his briefs along with them.
The evidence of his previous orgasm smeared in his soiled briefs, his cock thick and bobbing at the cool air. Bucky hisses through his teeth before spitting into his hand and stroking himself off languidly.Â
âDonât stop, sweetheart. Keep touchinâ yourself for me, I wanna see how you like itâŚâ the words were hummed low, squeaking a moan out of you with just the way he spoke to you alone. âAww, did you like that, baby? Like the way I talk to you..?â
You bite your lip, swallowing back the noises and answering Buckyâs question in a profuse nod. Fingers still insistently tracing yourself to that sweet spot, you could feel the slow knot building in the pit of your tummy.
âAh, ah, ah⌠If mâgonna talk, I wanna hear those sweet noises, babydoll. Sing for me,â Bucky cooes with a breathy chuckle, still fucking his fist on the length of his cock. Pre-come beading at the slit and making the tip glisten with the signs of his arousal.
âOh, Bucky,â You wantonly mewl out, surprising yourself with how helpless you sound. Trailing your slick fingers down to press the tip of your middle finger into your weeping cunt. Experimentally pressing in, having been pent up for what felt likes ages and aching for relief.
âThatâs it, baby,â Buckyâs hand begins to speed up over his aching cock; His thickness jerking in his palm whenever you make a particularly sweet noise. âShow me how you stuff that needy cunt; I wanna see how you - fuck - take care of yourselfâŚâ
You moan for Bucky; needy and high and airy. It just feeds into his own arousal as he jerks off across from you. His own groans deep and rough - Piercing gaze keeping you pinned to the couch. Unable to look away from the way Buckyâs gaze bore into you.
His eyes watch you expectantly; Waiting for you to do what heâs asked. You oblige.
Your fingers press knuckle-deep into your cunt; Experimentally thrusting into your channel and leaving your back to arch slightly off the arm of the couch.
âOh,â you mewl out, fingers driving into your hole, stretching your tightness and leaving your arousal to spill out.Â
Bucky jerks his thick cock, hand sliding easily and the ministration made easier by the pre-come that spills over his fist. He shifts his hips, licking his lips and grinning at the way you fuck yourself open.
âLook at you, such a pretty baby,â Bucky breathes low between pants for air. âIf I didnât know any better Iâd have thought you â mmh, god - were waitinâ for this. So eager to get that hole wetâŚâ
The way Bucky talks to you makes your chest flutter. Your face feels hot, gasping as it drives the way you fuck your hole. Watching the up-stroke on Buckyâs cock - imagining the length sliding home into you and whimpering at the thought. Your eyes screw shut, the room filled with the slick sounds of your fingers in your hole.
âOh no, babydoll, open those pretty eyes. I want you to watch me,â Bucky demands, and your eyes open on command. âYeah, thatâs it⌠Good baby, see this?â Bucky stops the stroking of his dick to let his fingers wrap around the girth and give a little tap of the tip to his thigh. Showing off the girth and his thick balls.
âYeah, yeah this is all for you, honey. Mâso hard for you, all for youâŚâ The rumble of his voice was soothing as it was arousing.
âBu-Bucky,â you squeak past trembling lips. Thighs softly quaking â Buckyâs words could get you off alone. Who knew he was such a filthy talker?
âIâm right here, sugar. âS okay, make yourself feel good. Donât gotta hold back for nothinâ, show me, pretty thing. I wanna see it allâŚâ Itâs permission if youâve ever heard it, and suddenly at that moment, you realize how dependent Buckyâs say was over your building orgasm. As if your body knew it was waiting on his approval before you could let yourself come undone.Â
Your legs draw up to clench your thighs â Stopping yourself when you remember Buckyâs eyes are still fixed upon your flushed body. Watching the hypnotizing display of the quick work you made fingering your needy cunt while he relished int he display. Stroking his cock languidly before building up a pace that matched your own; Wanting to follow your arousal with you.Â
Just because you both werenât touching doesnât mean he couldnât work with you.
It doesnât take much; Not that it surprises you. Youâd been pent up from the previous grinding into one another; hot and bothered by kisses that gave you a hint of what more could be like.Â
While your one hand is busy playing with your nub, your free hand smooths up to ruck up your shirt. Buckyâs dilated eyes light up even more when your hand moves under your top; Rolling a nipple between your fingers and drawing even more whorish noise from your swollen lips.
Bucky downright growls, hips arching subtly off the couch as he fucks up into his fist.
âFuck, you like to play with your nipples, baby? Aww, bet youâre so sensitive⌠Mm, fuck, yea⌠Mâgonna love gettinâ my hands on you when weâre ready. Gonna learn every nook nâ cranny of you; Wanna worship that pretty body of yours.â
He keeps talking like that; each word straight to your aching core and leaving you soaked. Bucky picks up on it in the way you get louder â noisier.
âYou like that? Of course you do â who knew you were so fuckinâ filthy, sugar? Aw, mâgonna come, baby,â Buckyâs voice even until it begins to find a sense of urgency towards the end. A sharp breath from him, both of your hands moving while you watch one another. Pleasuring yourselves and being your most intimate selves; On display for one another.
Your jaw is slack, gasping and moaning out pitiful squeaks while you touch yourself. Buckyâs hand moves smoothly over his arousal, the sound of skin on skin as he jerks himself off.
âOh, oh fuck, please, I-Iâm gonna come, Bucky,â you cry out, and Bucky thumbs at the tip of his cock; wrist twisting towards the head.Â
âCome for me, baby. C-Cream all over your pretty fingers â come for me, come for me,â Buckyâs words drive you over the edge.
Your walls flutter emptily; begging to be filled as you come undone under your fingers. Itâs cloud nine, riding out your high on your familiar fingers. Thighs trembling and soaked with your wetness, hips canting up into nothing as you finish on your fingers. Gasping and squealing out until youâre reduced to pathetic whimpers.
Bucky watches you all the while. Fucking his fist and growling out through his bared teeth when you come. Reaching his own orgasm and painting his fist in thick stripes of creamy white that you want to lick clean. He pants, face flushed as his cock spills his heavy load. Staining the denim of his jeans and leaving a mess (though heâs careful of the couch).Â
You both slump into the couch, still facing one another when the high has passed. Panting for air, the smell of sex and sweat heavy in the air. Youâre the one to break the quiet with an airy giggle, which Bucky grinds widely in response to.
âAre you alright, honey..?â Bucky asks curiously, his own voice hoarse and quiet. âPerfect. Howâs about a showerâŚ? Youâve already seen me from the stomach down, Iâve already seen your dick. Thatâs practically all we have. Nothing to hide,â you offer with a roughness to your own voice, swallowing thickly. You smile, still lingering in the soft air of the post-orgasmic haze.
âSounds perfect, baby. Iâll go get the shower runninâ, okay?â Bucky offers, tucking his mess back into his underwear (he wonât be wearing them much longer anyways). Scooting forward, he uses his clean hand to cup the back of your head and press a gentle kiss to your temple.Â
You nod with a soft, âmhmâ. Enjoying the settling moment's peace and serenity despite the cooling wetness coating your thighs. Moving will be awful but it was well worth it.
Bucky certainly leaves an impression. Kicking off the evening with flowers and a ride to the art museum, strolling the halls lovingly with him while partaking in art, only to come back to your apartment and masturbate together. Bucky might be more full of surprises than you thought. You couldnât be more excited.
#bucky barnes#bucky barnes au#bucky barnes fanfic#bucky barnes fic#bucky barnes fanfiction#bucky barnes x reader#bucky barnes x you#reader insert#bucky barnes x fem!reader#bucky barnes x female!reader#bucky barnes x trans!reader#bucky barnes x male reader#bucky barnes smut#bucky barnes fluff#sebastian stan#sebastian stan fanfiction#sebastian stan characters#sebastian stan x reader#sebastian stan smut#bucky barnes x reader smut#sebastian stan x you#sebastian stan fic#bucky barnes imagine#sebastian stan imagine#right on queue#bucky x you#marvel fanfiction#bucky barnes one shot#bucky barns imagine
3K notes
¡
View notes
Text
i keep seeing videos of joe playing his guitar and itâs giving me Thoughtsâ˘ď¸ so congrats (slightly NSFW- Minors DNI)
âAlright, alright!â Eddie calls. Itâs getting late, the crowd is getting a little more rowdy (or maybe just more drunk) but this is important. He decided he was going to do it a while ago and heâs finally going to commit, reputation be damned.
Especially when he sees whoâs looking up at him from the front row.
âIâve got something to confess.â He starts. âBaby, you listening?â
Steve cocks an eyebrow suspiciously.
Eddie doesnât say anything for a minute, lets the crowd get uncomfortably quiet. Watches Steveâs expression go from amusingly confused to⌠concerned almost. His eyebrows get tight and Eddie wants to kiss the tense spot between them so badly.
âStevieâŚâ He breathes. The mic makes it sound more uncomfortable than he means it to. âI lied to you.â
Steve tips his head, and thank God, he doesnât get that pale, shattered look he used to get when Eddie let a joke go on too long and his insecurities got the best of him. Now he looks apprehensive; heâs waiting for the punchline because he knows Eddie and he knows itâs coming.
âRemember when you found that A-Ha tape in my car?â Eddie adds, and itâs followed by a little strained laugh consensus from the crowd. But Steve, God, But Steve, bursts into the biggest grin.
âItâs not Elâs.â He finishes, and he canât keep a straight face anymore, letting the laugh split his face in half when Steve mouths back âI know.â
âOh do you? You sneaky littleâŚâ He rolls his eyes, but the smile wonât leave his face for a second, he knows that. âThen I guess you know whatâs coming next.â
Jeff starts it, the little duhduhduhduh-duhduh-duhduhduhduhduh of Take On Me and Gareth leaps in the third time around with a little heavier drumbeat than the original.
And Eddie? Heâs leaned over the edge of the stage, trying to keep his pitch right so he can hit the high notes later on, holding out his hand to help pull up his boyfriend, whoâs still beaming like heâs won a million dollars.
The audience, unsurprisingly, is having the time of their lives. Steve always makes a cameo in the shows, theyâd be disappointed if he didnât, but this is something else altogether.
Eddieâs halfway through the chorus before Steve is actually up there next to him (Itâs harder than youâd think) and Grant passes over a mic- the one theyâd gotten specifically for this purpose- and Steve is singing.
Eddie thought heâd get over it eventually, the soft shyness of Steveâs voice, but he hasnât before and now is not the time either. Especially when heâs trying to focus on the stupid pop chords and Steve is right there behind him, hand snaking across his waist. Hooking his chin around Eddieâs shoulder and getting so close that for a minute, itâs the mic taped to his face thatâs picking up Steveâs voice. Reaching up under his arm and over his chest to pull down the collar of his shirt and bite his neck in the .2 seconds between the second verse and the chorus.
In retaliation, Eddie joins in, almost trying to shadow out his voice because he can get his own infinitely deeper, but it doesnât work; they meld together like hot butter and thereâs a colossal cheer of approval from the long-neglected dark.
And as soon as he was there, invading every inch of sanity Eddie has left, Steve is gone, has half-crossed the stage to return the mic to the stand and then heâs dancing over to Jeff in his skin-tight jeans and heâs showing off, actually. He has to be. No one is that perfect without trying.
Not to be outdone, Eddie throws in a little improv at the bridge, glancing over at Steve when his hands donât demand his attention, and itâs very obvious that him and Jeff are talking. On stage. About God knows what.
Before he can even question it, heâs barely finished his own peacocking, Steve has Jeffâs guitar and is picking out the perfect, high, electric melody.
duhduhduhduh-duhduh- duhduhduhduh- duhduhduhduh
And obviously Eddieâs not going to pop a boner on stage- heâs not sixteen- but my god, how is supposed to be normal about this?
Steve has barely enough to time to finish his set of riffs, get the strap over his head, and put the guitar back in Jeffâs hands before Eddieâs got him by the belt loops and he is going to kiss him right now, he has toâŚ
And that cheeky bastard pushes his face away, keeps hold of his chin to stop him from fighting, so he can grab the mic stand and finish out the chorus.
(Before heâs even done, Eddieâs already licking at the corner of his mouth.)
The last chorus goes completely forgotten, Eddieâs hands shifting along Steveâs belt and up under the hem of his polo to drag him impossibly closer, Steve locking his fingers into Eddieâs tangled hair, and if Eddieâs mic picks up a few of their soft moans, well, thatâs the business of them, the band, and the 8,000 people watching them make out.
(Not that the audience minds. Theyâve been chanting âSteve! Steve! Steve!â since he first started singing)
(The band minds. Ew. Those two are menaces to society)
#steddie#steve harrington#eddie munson#rockstar eddie munson#just a dude steve harrington#stranger things#steddie fic#stranger things fic#80s music#take on me#a-ha
971 notes
¡
View notes
Text
1621-2023
Word count: 2.7K
Summary: you were a vampire back in 1621, and you were Goodyâs girlfriend. When she dies, she promises sheâll come back and find you and she does so, coming back as Wednesday Addams.
Warnings: mentions of blood, death, angst?
Pairing: Wednesday Addams x Fem!Vampire!Reader
âââ
Jericho, 1621.
A vampire. You were born as a vampire coming from a long pure line, one of the original vampire bloodlines in Jericho, and in the whole continent. You and the other types od outcasts lived in peace with one another, that is, unless no one bothered other species. There were lots of wars going on between you vampires and the werewolves, mostly because of the preys you two hunted. At first, vampires couldnât drain blood without killing people or animals. Thatâs why the werewolves always found no animals to hunt down, because your bloodlines had killed them all, you killed them, they killed you. But this aspect of yours got better with time, when finally someone figured out a way to drain blood without killing people.
Ever since you could remember your family was really good friends with this psychic family, the Addams family. Their daughter was born the same year as you, so you could pretty much say you grew up together. She was a really smart girl, and unlike her family, she had learned to control her visions, which was good, really good actually. Back then the two of you realized that you were in love with one another. You would sneak away together, as to not be seen because homosexual relationships werenât something good. You would hide in the woods, spend time together, cuddle, and god you loved braiding her hair, she loved letting you do that. At times, when the two of you kissed it was usual for her to get visions, and you learned to understand that she gets them when touching something or someone. You also learned not to be scared when those happened.
Recently though, it started getting harder for you to spend time with each other. Some Americans had come settle close by to your village. And even though it was harder, that didnât stop the two of you to sneak away, even with your parents not knowing anything. Though today, was the ice on the cake that led the hunters to hunt the two of you down. You were in âtheirâ territory, which was truly the outcastsâs, and had come looking for you to hunt you down. You were running through the woods, Goody having to wait for her as you couldnât leave her behind. âGoody, Run!â You told her after the millionth time of her staying behind, but she was getting tired âI cannot, Iâm tired my love-â she said as she stopped to catch her breath, falling to the ground. âNo no no! You cannot stop!â You rushed to her and helped her up, just then as you took a hold of her, she had a vision.
âNow it is not the time to have a vision goody! god damn it!â You said and sat on the floor with her laying in your arms, eyes wide open and head thrown back. You knew not to move her when she was having visions. The hunters were quickly getting closer and you just waited for her to get back from her vision. When she did she looked at you âyou are back! come on we have to runâ you said and she stood in her place. âI shall not run with you. They will catch me, you need to leaveâ you walked over to her and grabbed her face in your hands âI donât know what you saw in your vision, but I am not leaving you behindâ you said, with tears in your eyes â(Y/N). In the vision you were saving me from being burned like a witch. Not in this moment. You know how risky it is to alter visions, if you save me now we might both die. Just do as I say, pleaseâ she said pleadingly. You looked at her not knowing what to say before leaning in for a short but urgent kiss that she reciprocated. âI trust you, my love.â You said and stood back from her âI will come for you!â You said and ran away.
Days passed of people being catcher, from your family as well, as you hid and watched everything, waiting for some clues on when to go save Goody. You had found out that all the outcasts had been locked up in the meeting house and that they were waiting for the right moment to burn it down. Then it happened. When they caught what they thought was the last outcasts, Crackstone set the meeting house on fire. When they were distracted from the flames, you jumped on the house, breaking the roof so you could get in and find Goody. âGOODY! GOODY WHERE ARE YOU?â You coughed because of the smoke and searched for her everywhere, only to find her half passed out and chained to the floor. â(Y/N)âŚ.â She whispered as you grabbed her hand âcome on, letâs get you free..â you said and used your strength to break the chains. âS-something was wrong with my vision- this wasnât how it was supposed to goâ she said weakly, you looked at her as if inviting her to speak.
Unluckily she didnât say much else. âIn another life⌠Iâll find you, my love. I promise youâ she said as she closed her eyes and started losing consciousness. âGoody? Goody wake up!â You said and shook her body. The smoke inhalation too much for her lungs. With everyone already being dead by now, you freed her and left with her body in your arms, crying your heart out as you walked in the woods, burying her in what used to be her favorite place to be with you. She said something went wrong with the vision. Were you supposed to save her sooner? Were you the reason because she had died? Now you were alone. Crackstone had burned every outcast except from you, because he forgot about you, you had no one, nowhere to be. Yet on the other hand, you were a vampire. Youâd live forever with the remorse of not being able to save the people you loved. No, you couldnât live like that.
You werenât one to give up easily. You needed to avenge your people and your partner, you couldnât just let Crackstone slip away. This is why you decided to go back to the now burnt down meeting house. âLooks like you forgot one of us, Crackstoneâ you said and saw how he smirked âIt will not take thee much to take thy heart out of thy bodyâ he said and you smirked as well. âIâm not like any other Vampire, you know. You underestimate usâ you said and started attacking him and his people. Useless to say your attacks were stronger and soon enough you had killed them all, blood on your whole body as you walked away victorious.
Jericho, 2023.
You have been going to Nevermore ever since it opened. You knew everyone there, including Weems that was now your principal. You were stuck in your teenage form so you had to go to school like a normal teenager. It had been 402 years since you killed Crackstone. At first you were known as the girl who killed him, but with time the story amongst people changed and changed, until everyone thought and said That Crackstone died peacefully after having killed every outcasts. Too bad you were the only one who knew the truth. That is, you and the few vampires you had befriended the last years. Yoko was your best friend. She was the only one who knew the full story, she knew about Goody, and about you being the last of a pure bloodline from 400 years ago. Ever since the day you lost goody, you were a complete different person. You were pretty straight forward with others, saying whatever came to mind even if you ended up offending people. It was hard seeing you smile unless you were with Yoko, and even then your smiles werenât the brightest.
These past two years you had also became really good friends with Enid, a werewolf. She also knew about you being the last from a pure bloodline, but she didnât know the whole crackstone and Goody story. You had to thank Yoko for that, because if it were for you, you only had her. She pushed you to make more friends and introduced you to her own. But today at lunch Enid wasnât sitting with you and Yoko as her usual, because she had a new roommate and had to show her around. A few minutes after you sat down to eat, Enid came into the quad with her new roommate, and it was her. âGoodyâ you whispered as you dropped your blood sack from shock, Yoko saw and heard you, turning to look at the ravenette girl. âIs that her?â She asked, putting a comforting hand on your shoulder, having seen tears forming in the corners of your eyes. âY-yes, yes itâs her. Goody was blonde and didnât have bangs, but her features ade the same⌠same braids, same eyes, same freckles, same height, lips, dimples⌠itâs her, Iâm sure. Sheâs found her way back to meâ
You had to know her, you had to get Enid to introduce her to you. You found yourself staring at the ravenette girl even when her eyes met yours. âEnid, whoâs that over there staring at me?â The ravenette girl asked, and Enid looked in your direction. âOh Thatâs (Y/N). Sheâs a vampire, the last of a pure bloodline from 400 years ago.â The girl raised her chin and looked away from you âinteresting.â She said and with Enid she continued her tour, and then came to your table with the new girl. âHey everyone, this is my new roommateâ seeing her from up close only made tears come to your eyes again, she looked as beautiful as ever. However you got up and walked towards her. âIâm (Y/N), nice to meet youâ you said, holding your hand out for her to shake. You secretly hoped for her to get a vision when shaking your hand.
Your felt almost as if your dead heart has started pounding again and it would explode soon. She looked at your hand and then back up at you. âIâm Wednesday, Wednesday Addams.â Smart on her behalf not shaking your hand, she had probably already figured out that touching people or things would get her to have visions but yeah it was definitely her and you had the confirmation by hearing her surname. âGreat, uhm-â you pulled your hand back. âItâs good to have you here Wednesday, I hope you fit in wellâ you said and sat back down next to Yoko, sighing of relief. It will be really hard to get her to have a vision. That day like every day you went to the woods, to that exact spot where you buried Goody. âHey my loveâ you said and sat down next to the âgraveâ. You recognized it because it was the only spot where black dahlias grew in the whole forest. They started growing ever since you buried her there and you would take care of those flowers like they were your own kids.
âLooks like you finally found your way back to me⌠thank you. Wednesday doesnât know who I am yet. I need to get her to somehow touch me so she can get a vision, I know sheâll get a vision but I need your help Love⌠just send her towards me somehow. Iâm begging you Goody, I just need you back. I miss you so much.â And it looks like your pleases worked, because eventually you started spending more time with her thanks to Enid. You ended up explaining everything to her about Goody with Yokoâs help, and even though it took her a while to understand, when she did she ended up doing whatever was in her power to leave the two of you alone. Wednesday also felt very drawn to you even if she never admitted her own feelings nor touched you, but there was something familiar to you, she couldnât actually pinpoint what it was.
On a particularly cold day, you went out to Goodyâs grave, scared that the dahlias would freeze and you wanted to make sure that didnât happen. Though when you arrived, you saw Wednesday sitting against a tree next to the black Dahlias, Reading. âWednesday⌠what are you doing here?â You asked, getting closer as you tended to the dahlias, making sure they were okay. âSo youâre the one whoâs taking care of these flowers.â You nodded, and then she decided to answer your questions. âThis has become my comfort place. I come here and I relax. Plus, Black Dahlias are my-â you interrupted her. âYour favorite flowers, I know thatâ she looked at you quizzically, deciding not to interrogate on how you know that, choosing another way instead. âYouâre a vampire, right?â She asked and you nodded, going to sit next to her, though not too close, knowing she wasnât a fan of physical contact.
âI feel⌠weirdly drawn to you. I canât explain myself how, and these feelings I feel are pure torture I have to admit, and not the good kind.â You chuckled at her words, she truly did sound like Goody. âDid we perhaps know each other in a past life? Were we close?â She asked, god she was even as smart as she was. You stayed quiet for a while. It was finally time to tell her everything. âDo you trust me, Wednesday?â You asked her. She stayed quiet for a while before giving you an almost imperceptible nod. âHold my handsâ you said and held them out âI know you avoid physical contact because you donât want to get any visions, but trust me when I tell you I have experience with this stuffâ you said, and watched her sigh nervously. âyouâre gonna get a vision when you hold my hands. Then youâll knowâ you said And she sighed once again, taking a hold of your hands as her head immediately shot back.
She stayed like that for a couple minutes, quickly relieving her past life and especially the moments with you. She saw how close the two of you were, she saw the cuddles, the kisses, the sneaking out, and it made her feel good. The last thing she saw and heard, was herself saying âIn another life⌠Iâll find you, my love. I promise youâ before she came back and looked at you, shock sprawled all over her face as she tried catching her breath, still holding your hands. âSo?â You asked her and she tried to acknowledge everything. When she did, she raised a hand up to caress your cheek âI finally found you againâ she said hinting a smile. You sighed of relief and leaned in for the touch, crying as realization hit you. She finally came back to you. She left her hand there before speaking again. âAnd what happened here?â She asked, looking at the dahlias.
âWhen⌠you died from smoke inhalationâ you said and looked at her, watching her nod remembering this part from her vision âbefore you turned to ashes I freed you, took you here and buried you here. This was our favorite spot 400 years ago. From the day after I buried you here, Black Dahlias started growing here. Just in this spot, nowhere else. They were your favorite flowers back then, too. Thatâs how I knew. Iâve been coming here ever since, after I killed Crackstone, that is. Iâm the only outcast remaining from those daysâ you explained briefly, but she understood everything. Then you looked back at her, and she quickly leaned in to kiss you. The kiss was soft, yet so urgent and passionate. Hot breaths being exchanged between the two of you as she moved to sit on your lap, you put your hands on her waist bringing her closer to you as she kept her hands on your cheeks.
Eventually both of you pulled back, foreheads attached and tears leaving both of your eyes as she spoke. âNow we donât have to hide anymore, My Love.â
#jenna ortega#jenna ortega x y/n#jenna ortega x you#jenna ortega x reader#jenna ortega x fem!reader#wednesday#wednesday x y/n#wednesday x you#wednesday x reader#wednesday adams#wednesday adams x reader#wednesday addams#wednesday addams x you#wednesday addams x y/n#wednesday addams x reader
2K notes
¡
View notes
Note
tacky! if youâre not fed up with talking about it: what was your macro process for first watch of the night, soup to nuts? wondering about how you broke down outlining, drafting, editing. was it different in scope from your ordinary process, or just scaled up?
soup to nuts, baby (i had to google that, it is one of those delightful phrases that we don't use here and i'm hopelessly charmed by it).
thanks for the ask, pal. i'm always interested in people's processes myself, particularly since I came to writing so late (late 30s) and have never approached it formally. i do read an awful lot and that i think is my main influence and teacher (less so in recent years but am trying to get back to incessant reading). i have also been trying to read more works in translation and to revisit classics too, as well as try more formally inventive works. this i struggle with as i'm a bit basic when it comes to reading, i like the segue 'twixt page and brain to be seamless so it's like i'm absorbing it rather than thinking about it, while ofc a more experimental style does often necessitate thinking about it. My partner (approvingly) described my original work as a 'stylistic blank' (the cleaner the better i say) and that's exactly what i like best to read - though it's always a pleasure to be dragged by the throat out of my comfort zone too.
I would always have described myself as a pantser - I never outline, never do writing exercises or character work or beat sheets or whatever (i'm quite resistant to a very structured formal approach). every fic i ever write starts with the germ of one very specific idea - a cameraflash-quick image of a scene, a piece of dialogue... whatever it is. and then i usually start to write at the start and then work my way through.
This one was fairly similar in approach, initially. I opened one doc for loose note-taking â it's where i jot down any ideas i had for scenes, any snippets of dialogue, anything I'd need to remember. I then started writing the fic itself - in this case, I actually skipped through and wrote out of order, not that I knew what order things were going to go in, as such - but I just wrote any scenes I had thought of that felt interesting to me, and skipped a lot of the world-buildingy scenes or the sort of "texture" scenes, the ones that construct a sense of the world they're in and the relationships they have. I then found myself in the position of having to go back and write those bridging scenes, and make the connections (which in some cases did not naturally fall into place) - it was not easy, and I wish i had taken a more linear approach to the writing, in retrospect.
So by the end, some scenes in this fic were written in 2021 and some in late 2024, which means that when I finally finished the rough first draft, the writing quality was patchy, the pacing was off, and some plotty stuff really didn't make sense. That's when the real hard work started.
A few people had looked over very early scenes, but the bulk of the fic was written with no input from anyone else - just three years of writing it into a vacuum without any sense of perspective. Showing it to my alpha/beta people was so nerve-wracking. they read it at different times, which was great as i could concentrate on their feedback one by one, and all three of them had different suggestions (as well as lots of overlap ofc). It was extremely helpful to see what made sense to them, and what they liked - but more significantly, what bits they went 'what the fuck' at, or which bits all three of them had issue with (i'm thinking of the ending here, i really had to kill some darlings there when all three were unanimously just like... tacky no). i had different docs for all three of them, and i worked off one master doc, deciding which changes i wanted to incorporate and how i wanted to approach them. plot stuff was a HUGE issue. the writing quality could be smoothed out - but i'm not a plotty writer and sadly this fic has A LOT of plot. so i needed to work on that. i also have some wolfstar (including a sex scene) which i was nervous about, as i have never read any wolfstar.
Once i finished all the edits, i then did one more read-through myself. I've never edited on such a significant level before. my other two longer fics were written for fests, usually in a scramble to get them done on time â this felt expansive in a way i couldn't have imagined allowing myself to be before i was in it, but as i was working it didn't feel necessary to try to force myself into speed i couldn't hope to achieve or maintain.
@sweet-s0rr0w and i had a really happy morning organising the chapter breaks, and then i had to decide on a title and write a summary. tagging was easier as i had my friends to advise.
another big difference to previous processes is the posting schedule. now i'm posting a chapter every two days, i spend the day between posts working on the upcoming chapter one more time. in all but one chapter i have made quite a few changes immediately prior to posting, which just goes to show that the work is shaping itself as it goes. It's been fascinating to me how putting the fic out into the world is giving me a sense of perspective, creative distance, and dare i say a tighter control over the narrative now that it's not just in my head anymore? so i do think any tiny remaining wrinkles are more satisfyingly flattened than i could have ever hoped for.
so in short, this work is different in scale, ambition, and process in almost every way to anything i've ever written. I can't imagine i'm likely to be able to pour myself into something so profoundly ever again, tbh. it took me by surprise, but it's been the most creatively satisfying thing i've ever done. having people finally reading it (and so generously too) is like getting a very special gift.
Regrets? Being the slowest writer in the world, being too perfectionist (not that i think it's perfect in any way, just i wanted it to be the best i could make it, when it probably would have been grand if it was ehhh fine, you know?) Also, i think i could probably have refined the pacing a bit more. We're on chapter 7 now and six months have passed, so basically the last three months of the fic take place over the last 14 chapters đ But that's because this is where most of the romance and plot develops, so it makes sense that it would take up more space. And i do firmly believe that fics should be a bit self-inulgent, so why not stretch out in the parts i'm most interested in writing?
tagging @citrusses @maesterchill and @sweet-s0rr0w who i can never thank enough for the work they did to get me to this point. everyone already knows what brilliant writers all three are - what a lucky bastard i am to have had their insights and advice.
#jeez this was a fun lookback#thanks yikes#feels like i'm offering up my crayon scribbles to one of the old masters tbh#considering how you've been knocking my socks off with your fics#i really appreciate the opportunity to look back over the process now i'm out of it#tacky's fth#drarry#first watch#rowing and chatting
45 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Day 30: scary movies
Masterlist flufftober đ
The translations of the French sentences are at the end and I give special thanks to @cumulo-stratus for helping me check that they were fine. I hope you like it!
âWe're here,â Spencer announced, although that was obvious, when he parked the convertible car that Rossi had very kindly offered to lend to you.
Now that Halloween was so close, the doctor had invited the entire team to the drive-in theater for the broadcast in its original language of Eyes Without a Face, a 1960 French film, but everyone had found an excuse not to attend. Most of them refused due to their ignorance of the language and Emily, who was the only one who spoke it as fluently as Spencer, already had plans that night.
âI can go with youâ you had said kindly. In other circumstances you might not have accepted, but now it made you feel guilty leaving your friend alone. In addition, the plans with him were always calm and, to a certain extent, educational "But I warn you that all I know how to say in French is Bonjourâ
Your friend was happy with your response and he asked you not to worry, telling you that all you had to do was take it to him so he could translate the words for you. So Rossi told you that he would collaborate on one of his cars and Spencer almost died when he saw it, not because he was a big fan but because he was worried about how much money he would have to pay if he made the slightest scratch on it.
âThere are more people than I imagined,â you murmured, nodding toward the rest of the parking lot. The majority were couples, as expected, and a few older adults.
âIt was a very popular story during that time, despite the censorship it involved. We once had a similar case in⌠Well, I'll remind you when we finish watching it. I don't want to ruin anything for you," he murmured, smiling.
That night he had chosen an outfit that was quite common to see him in at the office: brown cardigan, an argyle vest, formal shirt, and tie. Everything was fine with that, what was really driving you crazy lately was the hair. Spencer styled his hair in a certain way that⌠you couldn't explain it, he just made you think of Prince Charming in fairy tales.
And the fact that you started to see it that way didn't help a damsel like you at all.
âIt's okay if you can't translate the entire film. Just telling me a couple of lines is enough, I will be guided by what I seeâ
âNo, that's not a problem. I can do it"
Of course you knew he could do it, it was Doctor fucking Reid. You were just worried that you would end up more focused on his whispering lips than on the screen in front of you.
Luckily the movie started and you managed to maintain the necessary composure. Luckily your brain was able to pay attention to what you saw, what you heard, and what Spencer was murmuring to you. At first you may have only agreed to accompany him out of kindness, but as the story progressed you realized that it was actually good. Little by little you were remembering a case that, as he had said, you had investigated, but that should probably be a talk for after finishing the movie.
You had to admit that something was captivating about the French language, because even if you didn't understand a thing they said, it was nice to hear it.
Calme-toi, ma chĂŠrie.
Faites-lui confiance.
One of the characters murmured and a second later you heard Spencer with the respective translation.
âCalm down, my dear. Trust in himâ
"Repeat that"
âCalm down, my dear. Trust in him?â
âNo,â you murmured, seeing him frown as if he didnât understand your request. âRepeat what he said, in French.â
The idea had come from God knows where and you had only mentioned it in the heat of the moment, otherwise you would never have asked him. It was just that the words had sounded so exquisite that you wondered if the soft voice of the man next to you would replicate them in the same way.
Spencer wanted to ask you why you wanted that, but he was afraid of ruining his only chance to impress you with his skills, so he just turned enough so you could see him better and mentally visualize the words he needed.
When he leaned a little towards you to have more privacy you felt his breath hit your neck and adding to the soft aroma of his cologne that reached your nose you felt slightly dizzy.
If a single action had been enough to make your entire body shake, it probably would have been hearing Spencer Reid whispering French in your ear.
âCalme-toi, ma chĂŠrie. Faites-lui confianceâ
âOnce again,â you laughed, thankful that the low lighting didnât allow you to see a blush on your cheeks.
"Why?" he said amused, thinking that perhaps it was prudent to inquire about your request.
âI don't know, when you talk it you sound soâŚâ so sexy ânice. Like feeling velvet between your fingersâÂ
Spencer was definitely flattered by you, you could tell by the way he chuckled and his body flinched slightly.
âI don't sound that good because I haven't practiced French for a long time, but my mom wants to go to Paris one day so if we go together, I'll be able to do it. I learned it a few years ago, it is a somewhat difficult languageâ
âCan you say anything else?â you asked excitedly, as you scooted a little further against him to the point where your knee brushed his and your faces were just a short distance away âI mean, of course you can, but could you do it?â
âHuh, what do you want me to tell you?â
âWhatever,â you smiled sweetly. You weren't even paying attention to the movie anymore, which was playing in the background, but you only had eyes for him and his pretty face.
Spencer's face. Your co-worker.Â
Despite the inappropriate course that your thoughts had taken, you kept watching him while he thought for a few seconds what he was going to say to satisfy your curiosity. A mischievous smile crossed his face as he tilted his head slightly and you swore it was almost as if he wanted to maneuver his lips to yours.
âJe pense que tu es vraiment belleâ
The phrase was just a caress, a feather sliding across your ears that managed to stop your breathing and accelerate your heart rate. Maybe French was called the language of love for a reason.
"What does it mean?" you asked in barely a whisper.
But Spencer didn't respond, he just stared at you and for a second you thought his attention had been diverted to your parted lips.
âKeep watching the movie or you'll miss the best part.â
âSpencer, what does it mean?â
âThere he is saying that she can be admitted tomorrow morning.â
âSpencer,â you said sternly. Even with the tone of your voice, he did not look to your side, pretending to be extremely interested in the movie playing, âWhat did you tell me?âÂ
âYou only wanted to hear me speak in French, you never asked for a translationâ
âReid!â You complained, extending your hand to his arm to get his attention and force him to look at you. âI swear if you offended meâŚâ
âJe ne t'offenserais jamaisâ
âStop it,â you threatened him, pointing a finger at him and frowning.
âSi je pouvais, j'effacerais ce visage en colère avec un baiserâ
You responded to that with an exasperated sigh and suddenly a scream that you didn't expect on the screen startled you greatly, causing you to instinctively jump into his arms.
It was an absolute, cheap clichĂŠ, but that didn't make it any less romantic.
"You see? Pay attentionâ was all he said, with a tone that showed how much fun he seemed to be having.
You readjusted yourself in your seat without saying anything and obeyed his words, looking at the strange black-and-white scene. Out of the corner of your eye you watched Spencer lick his lips before he started shouting explanations about the story again which you listened to carefully, trying not to think too much about what the two sentences he had told you meant but which would keep you curious for the rest of the night.
Suddenly you felt him stir next to you and raise both arms, as if he wanted to stretch his back, while a yawn left his lips. What really caught your attention was feeling that one of his limbs, the one that was close to you, when getting off was placed on the edge of the seat behind your back and not on his lap as it should be.
âTell me you didnât do that.â
"Do what?" he asked, but from the stutter in his voice you knew he knew well what you meant.
âThat's the most common tactic on earth,â you muttered between laughs. Spencer lowered his head as if he were embarrassed and ready to take his arm away from you, but you raised your hand until you took his and slid a little so that you were leaning against his body. âBut I'll let it go just because you're cute.â
Cute. The word resonated in Spencer's mind and warmed his cheeks, while he felt how you settled your head better on his chest and began to caress the back of his hand with your thumb. You were so soft and warm he felt like he was going to die.Â
âWhere is my star translator?â he heard you say and that was enough to snap him out of his trance.
You stayed in that position for the rest of the show while he whispered in your ear and you listened to the soft beat of his heart, feeling that, at least for one night, the world belonged only to the two of you.
Translation
"I think you are really beautiful" (Je pense que tu es vraiment belle)
"I would never offend you" (Je ne t'offenserais jamais)
âIf I could, I would erase this angry face with a kissâ (Si je pouvais, j'effacerais ce visage en colère avec un baiser)
taglist: @navs-bhat @reidwritings @tricia-shifting14 @spencerslove @vivian-555 @r-3dlips @rhiannonhippiegirl @taygrls @simp4f1 @sdddoobydoobydoo @taintedstranger @missabsey
#spencer reid#spencer reid fanfic#spencer reid x reader#criminal minds#criminal minds fanfic#dr spencer reid#matthew gray gubler#spencer reid x you#flufftober 2023#prompt list#writing challenge#spencer reid fluff#spencer reid fanfiction#criminal minds fanfiction#spencer reid imagine#spencer reid drabble
398 notes
¡
View notes
Text
ROUND FOUR
ROCK LEE vs HATAKE KAKASHI
Reasons for submission under the cut
Lee
ROCK LEE VS GAARA
kind as can be; willing to jump to action to help his fellow comrades even after going through a life-threatening, major surgery
practical and fashion-forward with his bright green onesie. Function over form, and is prepared at all times by carrying around a spare onesie he will give without question to anyone - even complete strangers
has a surprising edge to him at the beginning of the series; he was ready to severely maim anybody that he saw as a genius
more dedicated than anyone. Was forced to face his own mortality and make a life-or-death decision in the name of his dream, after a literal crushing defeat, and he chose to fight for it. Inspiring
embodies the ideals of original series Naruto. True underdog, had nothing going for him, came from nothing with no legacy or powers, was so disadvantaged that he physically could not meet the bare minimum abilities of his peers. But he worked harder than everyone else and proved that he can be a great shinobi despite all the adversity he faced
Sasuke had to copy Leeâs moves with his Sharingan to succeed during Chuunin exams
cute as a button. Come on.
his fans are dedicated and make amazing work, fanart and fanfic
Kishimoto said he was his favorite character to draw. Boom. Favoritism. Love to see it.
pairs well with everyone. Platonic or romantic, Lee has a great dynamic with other characters
his summer outfit from Guardian of the Crescent Moon Kingdom was the best outfit in the movie
gave us Metal Lee! Blessed us with Metal Lee, really
was the character to beat in the early series if you wanted to show how strong you actually are
Gaara vs Rock Lee was one of the most iconic fights in the series, and everyone remembers where they were when they first saw Lee drop his weights. He owned that fight so hard that people forget he lost.
was wronged by the series. He deserves to win as justice.
got [submitter] personally through the worst times; his ability to persevere face of adversity convinced me I could do it too. He wasnât special and neither was [submitter], but we didnât need to be. We can make ourselves great. If no one else got me, Rock Leeâs got me
heâs one of the first non-jutsu using ninja so make such a big impact
was the first person to actually harm Gaara
played a huge part in Gaara becoming a better person
heâs one of the only people that can catch up to Sasuke and easily rivals Naruto in Taijutsu
his kind, determined and cheerful attitude is a joy to watch
Rock Lee removing his weights is easily one of the most iconic moments in the entire anime
has helped several submitters feel better by simply thinking about how he wouldnât want them to think like that
objectively wouldâve made a better protagonist based on the themes alone
KICKS MAJOR ASS
wrecked Sasukes shit, I like Sasuke but that was really funny
he looks like a frog. Who doesnât like frogs
inspired Sasuke
fights are always entertaining, theyâre very well choreographed
he forgave Gaara for nearly killing him and nearly ending his dreams; he was never even mad at him
Rock Lee vs Sasuke was iconic
his heart is so full of love
never did anything wrong
had a squirrel befriend him
hard worker
good friend
rises to any challenge
when he does diss people they are the most brutal yet entertaining disses you ever hear
positive, weirdo, energetic, enthusiastic, joyful, chivalrous, motivated, dedicated, sweet
Lee and Neji had something homosexual going on
YOUTH !!!!
Kakashi
relatable as an adult
he is just an overworked guy who was told to watch some kids w LOTS of issues
needs therapy
good presence and guidance in Narutos life
interesting
cares about and is dedicated to his students very much
he is just cool
he is trying his best despite what he has been through in the past
is up for having fun but still knows when to be serious
was a narcissistic shit but grew out of it
has good intentions
sexy
wonderfully complex and well developed character
incredibly resilient and supportive
a sad and deeply broken man
always willing to give his life to protect them and his other precious people
just wanted everything to be ok for once in his life
hated Danzo
his friendship with Gai is adorable
the way he teases Tenzo is fun
heâs known as cool and aloof but in reality heâs a huge dork
Gai would want him to win
422 notes
¡
View notes