#I'm hoping Porter learns how to open up | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

nightfurynova1217 · 3 months ago

Text

@deathnotetober 2024 #5 - First Kill

One heck of a prompt to be posting on General Conference weekend, lol. In any case, here's my take on some Beyond Birthday headcanons, and I'm super happy with how both the story (under the cut) and the drawing came out! Hope you enjoy!

Time Taken (for drawing): 1:50 hours

Rated Mature Content warning: Mention of sexual assault - Murderous thought processes - Graphic depiction of violence Words: 1597

Beyond Birthday met Trinity Goldberg two days ago. She was stumbling out of a bar, heavily intoxicated, and being not-too-gently tugged along by a much older man. The name that hovered above his head was Dexter Porter, and he was practiced in his craft. He cleverly and expertly claimed to be Trinity’s father and was sternly taking her home. If Beyond didn’t know better, he might have believed it. But once approached, Trinity was clearly drugged, and her remaining lifespan suggested that her death was not going to be an accident.

In case Dexter was a step-father, Beyond asked for their names. Trinity was too incapacitated to respond, and Dexter might have gotten away with his crime if he hadn’t lied about his identity and claimed again that they had the same surname. After that, Beyond pretended to be satisfied and let them proceed. Just as they were passing each other, however, Beyond rammed his shoulder into Dexter, surprising him and faltering his balance. In the second it would have taken for him to regain it, Beyond swung his fist at the man’s jaw. Not hard enough to knock him out, but it got him on the ground.

A wrestling match commenced between the two, but Beyond already had the upper hand, and all he had to do was stall for time. Police were called and arrived on the scene. Trinity was tested for drugs and taken care of, the few injuries Beyond received were treated, and an investigation opened on Dexter.

Two days later, Beyond visited Trinity’s apartment to check up on her. The poor girl didn’t think anything of the fact that he’d found her address. Instead she was more concerned with thanking him profusely for saving her that night. Then, there at her doorstep, they planned a date for that evening. If only she knew she wasn’t saved from anything. Trinity Goldberg was doomed to die in less than eight hours. And Beyond Birthday wanted to know how.

They were walking along an empty bridge in the cold night air of mid-spring, over an hour into their date. Trinity had only minutes left. This was not the first time Beyond had been this close to someone who was on the brink of death. First was his grandmother. Then his father. Then his mother, and all the other passengers who boarded the same train. Another handful of others, and then of course… A, just before he hung himself…

Beyond’s expression darkened. A was dead, and the existence of L was to blame for how it happened. He wanted L to pay. He couldn’t kill him, L wasn’t supposed to die for another almost sixty years, but Beyond wondered if he could ruin him. Destroy his reputation. So many ideas have spun in his head as to how he could do it–his favorite was to create a criminal case that was too difficult for L to solve–but none of them have stuck, as endless problems arose to successfully execute any plan.

However… Every death he’d witnessed, every victim of fate he’d ever crossed paths with, he’d try to alter the outcome. He learned quickly they would still die regardless of anything he did, but through experimentation, he discovered he could change how. He also couldn’t kill before their time was up, he’d tried that too. But Trinity was going to die in just a few minutes. If he timed it just right…

That would open up a lot of options for how he could ruin L.

Beyond glanced at Trinity, she was still talking about her childhood pet, and stared at her number. He stopped at the center of the bridge and leaned against the railing. She followed suit. He kept her occupied with conversation topics. The number ticked lower. He nonchalantly glanced around, successfully avoiding suspicion by appearing as though he was simply looking at the clouds and scenery. They were completely alone. Which then begged the question, how was she going to die? The barricade over the edge of the bridge was too high for her to trip and tumble over by accident. Unless she sat on it and lost her balance…?

It dawned on him then. Fate had decided she was going to die in less than five minutes from now, and had made that decision the moment she was born. He saved her from being trapped in a killer’s basement. Or if not trapped, she’d be set free after the man had his fun with her and she’d take her own life, unable to cope with the horror of what she’d gone through. Or be hit by a car. Or accidentally swallow glass. Or any number of things, really, there was no way to tell. If you saved someone from one thing, everything else will align to ensure the time of death remains the same.

And everything had aligned that there was no other way she could die, except by his hands.

He’d learned earlier on their date that going to the bar was a regular activity for Trinity, specifically for the purpose of finding a date. She was a young and outgoing woman–barely a year older than he was–relishing in new experiences, even when they were dangerous. Though the event just two days ago was the first time she’d ever been drugged, so by her perception up until that point, she was safe. But despite that, despite the very close call she’d just had, she had no reservations in being alone, outside of any public eyes, with a man she’d never met and knew nothing about. Though in her defense, the information she did have about Beyond was that he’d saved her from the close call, so it was a reasonable assumption that he was a safe person. It nonetheless taught him that she was spontaneous. Which made him wonder…

Beyond tilted his head as he watched her talk. He got closer, brushing his hand against hers. She noticed, grinning, and returned the gesture by getting closer to him as well, looking into his eyes and, very quickly, at his lips. Just as he thought, to her, a first date was plenty of time for a kiss with someone new. After all, she was young and outgoing. So he leaned down and did just that, and she eagerly complied. He repositioned his body to press her against the railing while he trapped her there between his arms, and she was none the wiser.

She urged the kiss into something more heated, more passionate, and this time he followed her, keeping count in his head at the same pace as her timer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he lifted her up to sit on the railing. She commented with a laugh that he was stronger than he looked, before immediately returning her lips to his, and spreading her legs to both let him stand closer, and to lend a hint that she wanted more.

He played along with the subtle request and ran his right hand down her thigh, prompting a giggle that bled into a moan as she held him tighter. He reached his left hand into his hoodie pocket and grabbed the bundle of napkins he kept from the restaurant they went to for dinner. Beyond pulled away, successfully playing it off that he was out of breath, and took one last glance at her timer. Less than a minute left.

What would happen if he did it early? By his understanding of the numbers, she wouldn’t die, her heart wouldn’t stop beating, until it reached zero. But the question he really wanted to know was whether or not he had to time it absolutely perfectly. Did he have to calculate how long it would take for her to fall, and he wouldn’t be able to push her until then? Would fate decide it was close enough and her timer would stop prematurely? Or… what?

She grinned at him as she gasped for air. Beyond Birthday tilted his head as he made a decision. Trinity Goldberg was going to die anyway. He repositioned his right hand to the back of her head, and she took it as a gesture to pull her into another kiss. The only thing he timed was when she inhaled. When she did, he shoved the napkins into her mouth, while holding a tight grip of her head to lodge them in her throat. Just as planned, she unwrapped her arms from around his neck in shock, and reached to ungag herself, amidst muffled chokes.

As soon as she moved, he returned his grip to the underside of her thigh and put his other hand on her shoulder, then thrust her off the ledge. Curious, he watched her fall. All she could do was look up, hair in her face, and reach toward him.

Trinity hit the rocks in the shallow stream, landing at an odd angle on her neck and back of her head. It didn’t immediately kill her. Instead, she laid there, her name and single-digit number still above her head. And then she twitched. Beyond had to admit, it was a gruesome sight. It was too dark to see if she was bleeding from her skull into the stream, or if her demise would come by drowning in her own bile as she convulsed again, wanting to vomit the napkins out of the way. Or if the seizures snapped her neck the rest of the way.

Either way, Trinity Goldberg died after thirty-one seconds, when her number finally reached zero.

DeviantArt Comic Tumblr Instagram Twitter AO3 YouTube Discord: @nightfurynova4112

#death note #death note fanart #death note fanfic #my post #my art #my work #my writing #Beyond Birthday #death note headcanons #deathnotetober #deathnotetober2024 #deathnotetober 2024 #death note another note #death note labb #los angeles bb murder cases #death note los angeles bb murder cases

10 notes · View notes

lorelite333 · 11 months ago

Text

thank you to @sclairereject for the inspiration for the post, because i never have anything to post about half the time. however as someone who does do tarot (i'm spiritual), i wanna put my own twist to this. (ppl have their own interpretations, but the cards still have definitions)

Redacted Boys (includes Alexis) Major Arcana Tarot Cards:

I'd also like to say that these are just my takes, and things that I've noticed and felt. I don't have everyone on here, as I got tired writing this halfway through, so I don't have everyone on here.

SHAW PACK:

David Shaw is the Magician, specifically because he was trying to find his power and voice as leader, in which he did.

Milo Greer is the Chariot, because of sense of direction and will power. He tries his best to do what's right, even if it hurts him in the process.

Asher Talbot is the Strength card, due to his overcoming self-doubt, his compassion, and his bravery in situations. In reverse, this card represents self-doubt, lack of confidence, and vulnerability.

SOLAIRE CLAN

Vincent is the Lovers card, standing by his personality alone, resembling unity, balance, partnerships, and choices.

Sam is the Justice card, associated with fairness, truth, balance, and legal matters. I feel like Sam genuinely cares about what's right, and wants to help no matter what, even if he says he wants to stay out of things. He has this sense to try to make things right, even if things may get rocky. He's a healer by heart, and tries his best to do what's best for everyone in a situation.

William is the Hierophant, it is associated with education, knowledge, traditions, and institutions. I dont really have a reason for this one other than vibes.

Alexis the Judgement card, due to her past actions as well as her personality. This card represents reflection, rebirth, transition, and decision-making. In reverse, this card represents self-doubt, poor choices, stubbornness, blame, and confusion.

Porter is the Tower card. It represents trauma, destruction, unexpected change, revelation, chaos, awakening, and warning. We know that Porter is in fact "The Blade" of the Solaire Clan, and we know that he somewhat regrets it in some way, as well as him having trauma from this and his maker.

DAMN SQUAD

Gavin is The World, as it symbolizes success, fulfilment, and an end of a cycle. I feel like this represents him due to his change with the Freelancer, him being able to open up and enjoy his life with them and his friends. Gavin never really considered Aria his home, but more so just a place he lived at. In his SBW, he talks about how Dhalia has become his home, as Freelancer and the DAMN squad had helped him change his view on it (as well as change him).

Damien is the Sun, mostly in reverse, this academic over-achiever has a little bit of an ego. He's also quite pessimistic and has unrealistic expectations that were set on him by other people. However, the Sun is also associated with positivity, happiness, freedom and vitality. Which I think Damien has learned throughout his years of being friends with the Freelancer, that it's okay to take a break sometimes and just have fun.

Huxley is the Star, as he tries to maintain his happy and positive self for everyone else, turning to inspire others and give them hope with their problems. However Huxley also experiences negativity, hopelessness, failure. I think Huxley somewhat feels like the things in life get too repetitive, and he sometimes loses interest in certain things or just becomes bored with them from a tedious routine.

And finally Lasko, is the Fool, mostly from vibes, however The Fool is an air element card, which represents new beginnings, a leap of faith, and loyalty. Lasko sees the DAMN squad as family, in which he's very loyal to. I feel like during his time at DAMN, he's experienced time after time a new beginning, from Damien and him becoming friends to him and Coworker having a relationship.

35 notes · View notes

bookishwenchmeltha · 5 months ago

Text

Sifki2024 Playlist

@sifkiweek Okay, so, I have never posted a playlist to Tumblr before, and I'm hoping this works right. If not, my apologies in advance.

This jumps all over in terms of time (they've been alive a thousand years plus, so there are a lot of valid options!), genre (Cole Porter to NIN to Dolly Parton to Springsteen), and connection (unhealthy relationship, childhood sweethearts, pining, madness, and a little nod to Sif as goddess of the harvest via Sting). I hope you enjoy it. :)

“Gone” – U2 You're taking steps that make you feel dizzy Then you get to like the way it feels. You hurt yourself you hurt your lover Then you discover What you thought was freedom is just greed.

“The Old Ways” – Loreena McKennitt As we cast our gaze on the tumbling sea A vision came o'er me Of thundering hooves and beating wings In clouds above Turning to go as you call out my name Like a bird in a cage spreading its wings to fly "The old ways are lost, " you sang as you flew And I wondered why.

“A Matter of Trust” – Billy Joel Some love is just a lie of the heart The cold remains of what began with a passionate start And they may not want it to end But it will it's just a question of when I've lived long enough to have learned The closer you get to the fire, the more you get burned But that won't happen to us 'Cause it's always been a matter of trust

“Here You Come Again” – Dolly Parton Here you come again Just when I'm about to make it work without you You look into my eyes and light those dreamy eyes And pretty soon I'm wondering how I came to doubt you All you gotta do is smile that smile And there go all my defenses Just leave it up to you and in a little while You're messing up my mind and filling up my senses

“You’re So Vain” – Carly Simon You had me several years ago when I was still quite naive Well you said that we made such a pretty pair and that you would never leave But you gave away the things you loved And one of them was me

“You’re No Good” – Linda Ronstadt Feelin' better now that we're through Feelin' better, 'cause I'm over you I learned my lesson, it left a scar Now I see how you really are

“He’s a Pirate” – Klaus Badelt (Pirates of the Caribbean)

“Cold” – Annie Lennox Time it may take us but God only knows How I've paid for those things in the past Dying is easy it's living that scares me to death, ooh, yeah I could be so content hearing the sound of your breath, ooh, yeah

“Charade” – Henry Mancini When we played our charade We were like children posing Playing at games, acting out names Guessing the parts we played

“Truly Madly Deeply” – Savage Garden I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need I'll love you more with every breath, truly, madly, deeply do

“Torn” – Natalie Imbruglia Well, you couldn’t be that man I adored. You don’t seem to know Seem to care what your heart is for But I don’t know him anymore. There’s nothing where he used to lie. My conversation has run dry. That’s what’s going on. Nothing’s fine, I’m torn, I’m all out of faith.

“Secret Garden” – Bruce Springsteen She’ll let you in her heart If you got a hammer and a vise, But into her secret garden, don’t think twice. You’ve gone a million miles, How far’d you get To that place that you can’t remember And you can’t forget?

“Something to Save” – George Michael We're moving further from heaven And closer to the deep blue sea 'Cause I have no secrets from you And I have nothing left to hide And I'm open to all your questions Why can't you reach inside like I have Like I have for you And all these games that you play Don't tell me how a man should be

“Come Undone” – Duran Duran Words, playing me deja vu Like a radio tune, I swear I've heard before Chill, is it something real? Or the magic I'm feeding off your fingers Lost, in a snow filled sky We'll make it alright to come undone

“Fields of Gold” – Sting See the west wind move like a lover’s soul Upon the fields of barley Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth Among the fields of gold I never made promises lightly And there have been some that I've broken But I swear in the days still left We'll walk in fields of gold

“Found Out about You” – Gin Blossoms Is there a line that I could write That's sad enough to make you cry? And all the lines you wrote to me were lies Months roll past the love that you struck dead Did you love me only in my head?

“Possession” – Sarah McLachlan Through this world I stumble, So many times betrayed, Trying to find an honest word, To find the truth enslaved. You speak to me in riddles And you speak to me in rhymes. My body aches to breathe your breath, Your words keep me alive.

“Everything You Want” – Vertical Horizon You howl and listen, Listen and wait for the Echoes of angels who won't return. He's everything you want, He's everything you need, He's everything inside of you That you wish you could be. He says all the right things At exactly the right time, But he means nothing to you And you don't know why.

“Days of Wine and Roses” – Cassandra Wilson The days of wine and roses Laugh and run away Like a child at play Through a meadowland toward a closing door A door marked “nevermore” That wasn’t there before. The lonely night discloses Just a passing breeze Filled with memories Of the golden smile that introduced me to The days of wind and roses and you

“Night and Day” – Billie Holiday Night day you are the one Only you ‘neath the moon and under the sun. Whether near to me or far, It’s no matter, darling, where you are I think of you night and day.

“Demon Seed” – Nine Inch Nails It keeps growing And I can feel it breathe I have been trying To behave myself

“Two Princes” – Spin Doctors Marry him or marry me. I'm the one that loves you baby can't you see? I ain't got no future or a family tree, But I know what a prince and lover ought to be, I know what a prince and lover ought to be.

“The Sweetest Taboo” - Sade If I tell you, if I tell you now Will you keep on, will you keep on loving me? If I tell you, if I tell you how I feel Will you keep on bringing out the best in? You give me, you give me the sweetest taboo.

#sifkiweek24 #sifki #playlist #loki #sif #fic inspiration #Spotify

7 notes · View notes

chichiscloset · 2 years ago

Note

hello baby I love your blog and I'm learning more every day with it you help a lot of women especially us black women thank you so much you are amazing💗 I try to level up every day, I recently entered the world of hypergamy and femininity, more like you said in another porter about most black women were raised by black women of masculine feminine energy, my mother as a single mother has a lot of this masculine energy I learned a lot from her to have this type of masculine energy too, I'm every trying to break this pattern is more and more difficult at times because I am the "man" of the house I work and bring support to my house, I help my mother and younger sister, I try to buy things for myself and pamper myself more sometimes I think in my family and I end up leaving myself aside, I would like to hear from you some advice to tell me what I can do to be more feminine and have that energy completely when I am the provider of my home and my family, I think there are women like me who want that energy but can't because we have a very heavy load on us as if we were the man of the house, I hope you can answer me and thanks for your blog💗

Hey love!

Thank you for being vulnerable & sharing your story! Although I am not a single mother. I have a friend, who also had a similar story to yours.

Being a single mother is not an easy task... taking on the role of 2 people and having to put other people first can be draining!

I decided to make this post along with my friend and share some of the advice we both have. And hopefully give you a better insight.

How you can step into your feminine energy for single mothers

1. Do only what you can and respect your energy

Just learn to say no to other people’s requests and also to your urge to do more. Check out our post on boundaries we need to set in our relationships.

2. Take time to rest and pamper yourself as a priority

Make sure you carve out time to focus on yourself daily or at least weekly. Go for a manicure or a massage, a yoga class, take a bubble bath, dance, take a nap, read a book, or just do nothing! In other words, take time to be in your feminine energy.

Check out our infamous post on self-care tips for the high-maintenance woman (link) & our my personal weekly routine(link)

3. SLOW DOWN! & Engage your senses

There’s a saying that if you don’t have 10 minutes to meditate, then you need to meditate for 1 hour. This basically means is that if you live in a constant hurry, you need to slow down.

Masculine energy is the energy of getting things done. In a fast and efficient way. So start doing things at a slower pace, walk slower, and talk slower to your kids and other people in your life. Also, be understanding to yourself, your kids and others.

4.Give yourself a sense of validation

Many Single Moms often prioritize their kids and everything else before them. However, they might not validate how they might feel. So listen to how you feel. When you listen to how you feel and validate your feelings, you’ll also listen more to how your kids feel. You’ll be truly connected to them, and they will feel your presence and your understanding. You’ll be emotionally available and open to yourself and to them. And to life.

5. Stop the perfectionism

Being a perfectionist and wanting everything to be perfect like the house cleaned all the time. This is the result of a need to control everything. Wanting everything perfect is an illusion and is self-sabotaging. Not only to you but to everyone else around you, It will also make you cranky, anxious and out of control. Try to learn and accept that things are as they are.

I hope this advice was helpful! Please send me a DM if you have anymore questions.

Feel free to book a girl chat & talk to me personally!

-Chichi

55 notes · View notes

moonfromearth · 2 years ago

Text

Celebratory Sim Dump!! (the sequel)

I am very very late to do this, but, I'm releasing a sim dump to celebrate 100 followers!! 😄

That's so cool!! Thank you so much everyone who follows, likes, comments, or even interacts at all with my posts!! It means so much to me, really, and I'm so grateful for every interaction, big or small 😁😁

But enough of the cheesy thank yous, onward to the sims!!

Here are eight cc free sims, all Young Adults, for download!! All have two skills set to level three as well as set careers (also at level three). Do as you'd like with them, but I did write out little blurbs for them as a starter 😉😉

~ download (google drive) ~

[sim info below cut]

A little about the sims...

Mara McCoy (she/her) - Friend of the Animals, Cat Lover, Loner, Jealous - Mara ran away from home as a teen and never looked back (was actually a sim I used for a runaway teen challenge that I didn't finish 😅). She prefers plants and cats to people but can occasionally be persuaded to socialize.

Delany Milton (she/her) - Academic Success, Ambitious, Perfectionist, Bookworm - Delany has an intense love of both teaching and learning. She never got the chance to go to college to become a full fledged teacher or professor, but she hopes that one day she'll finally be able to achieve her goals and move beyond her assistant teaching position, or (since it's the sims) work her way up through the ranks.

Jonas Mosher (he/him) - Master Actor, Cheerful, Childish, Glutton - You might recognize him from the teen a day challenge, but now he's a young adult and striving to be an acting superstar! He's still best friends with Courtney.

Courtney Cason (she/her) - Joke Star, Goofball, Unflirty, Erratic - Also from the teen a day challenge! She's on her way to becoming a famous comedian, having started gigs in comedy clubs when she was still a teenager. She's still best friends with Jonas.

Jennifer Nora (they/them) - Archaeology Scholar, Clumsy, Family Oriented, Loves the Outdoors - Jennifer loves archaeology and has dreams of publishing their findings and uncovering ancient artifacts that will cement them in scientific history! They're very close with family and friends (especially their cousin, Blake, who's like a brother to them).

Kellan Stanford (he/him) - Neighborhood Confidant, Gloomy, Outgoing, Lactose Intolerant - Kellan is a very social character. He's always hanging around others, even strangers. There aren't many that can tell you exactly how they met him.. He just sort of appears and is seamlessly integrated into social circles. He's a good sim to know, though, as he's great at giving advice, earning himself the title of neighborhood confidant.

Ernest Porter (he/him) - Master Chef, Good, Foodie, Squeamish - Ernest has big dreams of master chef stardom. However his squeamish and very picky nature tends to lead him more towards baking rather than cooking. One day he hopes to open his own restaurant/bakery combo.

Grant Meade (they/them) - Friend of the World, Loyal, Paranoid, Freegan - A chaotic entity, Grant spends most of their time chilling in whoever's basement they're currently crashing in while crafting conspiracy theories about how the sim world is going to end. Despite their eccentrics, they're a good friend, and will always be the first on the scene should any of their companions need help.

62 notes · View notes

myfaveisfuckable · 1 year ago

Text

Rants!

Jane/Amelia: Ok my love for this ship started a million years ago with this video:

youtube

But seriously they are so much fun. Amelia is one of the few people smart enough to keep up with Jane and challenge her, and Jane is one of the few people so consistently principled that Amelia would actually be able to trust her and let her guard down. Amelia is the Captain who can take Jane wherever she wants to go to perform her research, and they get to open doors for each other. Plus let's be real, Jane hooking up with an alien sounds 100% right that girl is not capable of having a vanilla relationship.

Hope Diyoza/Echo: Listen barely anyone even watched the last season of that show, most of us sapphics lost interest post Lexa but it's such a tragedy. My girl Hope is only in that season and so many people dislike her 8( anyway the fandom immediately agreed that Hope was a lesbian and then Echo entered her storyline and fam. How the writers didn't see it is beyond me. It's been almost three years and it's looking like I'm never gonna get over them. "You must think I'm so weak..." - 'No. The opposite." Hhhh and Hope killing for Echo when she wasn't even able to do that for her father figure. Oh god and "How could you let her do this!?" - "Because I want her to." My little babies off to (attempt to) commit genocide :') other highlights include some cowards not wanting to ship Hope with her aunt's brother's ex-girlfriend (there was time fuckery involved, they're close in age when they meet, also who cares?? the CHEMISTRY), Echo Spy Shenanigans TM and the fact that I still want to write that Mamma Mia AU every time I hear an abba song. Lord help me now I want to rewatch s7 for them again

(second submission from the same person)

Hi hello sorry if this is a double submission I don't remember if i submitted them or dreamt it shout out to my adhd. ANYWAY Hope and Echo ruined my life back in 2020 literally thought about them 24/7 from june until October. Picture this: feral girl child of two terrorists who was isolated her whole life, literally nearly alone on a planet for 20yrs and has only truly known exactly 3 people ever and then matured through trauma trauma ptsd trauma and is now determined as All Fuck to go rescue her mother and aunt figure meets ex child soldier master spy redeemed antagonist who only learned what feelings are and how to deal with them a few years ago who is determined to go save her lame ass bf who is bein held in the same place as the other girl's mum and aunt. They join forces and train together and teach each other everything they know and get matching haircuts (this is canon look it up I'm obsessed). The first time Hope kills somebody is to save Echo's life; the first unfamiliar person Echo hugs and comforts is Hope. They invade a planet with their science nerd friend and enable each others genocidal tendencies so bad I love them ♡ after that whole ordeal goes wrong which includes Echo's shitty bf dumping her so she can't keep him from torturing their friend (notably not because of the attempted genocide lol) they are like each other's go to human at all times... until the 100 writers once again show their incapability of writing sapphic stories by forcing Hope to kiss a man who she met literally like a week ago (her and Echo have known each other for 5yrs at that point, there is time fuckery involved) and who would have been a great bestie for her. Boo! Hope is a lesbian! Every queer person who watched s7 agrees! Anyway after she show ends Hope and her boo realise that this is absolutely not what they want and Hope and Echo get to slow burn their way into what they were always meant to be and would have been if the writers had gone with actor chemistry over what they wanted to write from the start. I'm kidding Echo needed time to grieve her shit bf first but like I said. Eventually they got together and they lived happily ever after. Check the Echope tag on tumblr if you wanna see them, a fic rec for their dynamic could be "otherwise sensible women" by penguinofprose ao3. Sorry if I ranted too much thenksies if you read this far mwah :*

#poll #tournament #treasure planet #the 100 #disney tarzan #Youtube

9 notes · View notes

colemacgrathtkz · 2 years ago

Text

No Owlet Home

The Collector is no longer a threat. The Owl house gang was reunited with everyone on the Boiling Isles. The legend of "Luz the human" echoed like a roar from the titan, himself.

With Belos's defeat, the C.A.T.S. moved in to assist in the reconstruction of Bonesborough. So many citizens were left unsure of the future after being deceived for so long. The coven sigils on their arms was the shadow Belos left looming over them. A scar left on an entire race.

But despite this, the young generation came through with wonderful aspirations. Hexside (literally) carved itself into the history of the demon realm. Willow Park, Augustus Porter, and Amity Blight rallied their surviving classmates into becoming trailblazers for wild magic studies. Even as just students, these members of the resistance became the most famous kids in all the Isles. But especially "Eda, the owl lady", the mighty King of demons, and Luz the human. Three rebels reside in their owl house.

Raine Whispers and Lilth Clawthorne were conducting an inquisition into the details of Belos's reign. Much to their disappointment, it would appear that the emperor planned to destroy all records of himself on the day of unity. Effectively eliminating many of his secrets.

While many of the adults were busy with their recovery efforts, Luz had a mission of her own. Under the pretense of finishing her Hexside studies, she received permission from her mother to remain in the demon realm.

In reality, the possibilities that opened up in front of her eyes sparked a new hope. Something she had thought she'd put long behind her. She'd hoped to be reunited with her father.

Late into the night, while the Clawthorne sister reminisced about the past, a familiar face came a knockin.

Hooty( shrieking with delight): "Hey, Luz!"

Luz(stifling the bird worm): "Hooty, not so loud!"

Edalyn warmly greeted her apprentice. With hard apple blood bottles decorating the room, the young minor decided to begin her proposal right away.

Luz: "Are you two having an after-after-after-after party?"

Lilith: "No, Edalyn just opens two bottles for each one I pick up."

Eda: "Lily finally gave up after...what day is it?"

Luz: "The day of unity."

Eda(genuinely shocked): " Again? Or did we really dream all of that?"

Luz immediately snatched her mentor's bottle.

Luz: "And that's enough."

Lilith scooted next to her sister on the couch. Someone managed to get a bottle out of her hand. Now, she was going to keep it that way.

Luz: "I was wondering if you heard anything from Raine? Did they find anything about how Belos did what he did?"

Lilith: "I'm sorry, but no. Belos's personal archives weren't full of anything except ash and soot. It seemed as though he didn't want to risk leaving anything to chance."

Eda: "Can't have anyone learning the cosmic kid's secrets. But why so invested in that tyrant?"

Luz clenched her fists as she felt her stomach squirm.

Luz: "So..um... I wanted to know more about grimwalkers."

Both sisters set their undivided attention on their guest.

Luz: "When we found out about Hunter was, I didn't really think about what that meant. But, I don't know if this could work, I was wondering if we could bring anyone back?"

Eda began to sober up as she looked her apprentice in the eye.

Eda: "Kid, I'm all for helping you for whatever you need."

Lilith( quickly interrupting): "But even if we wanted to, we don't have any clue where to begin. Minus the former golden guard himself. I don't suppose you'd want to put him through experimentation?"

Luz dropped her gaze to the floor, disappointed.

Luz: "No, right, sorry. This was just a waste of time."

Eda opened her mouth to protest, until an idea began to spur in her head.

Lilith: "No, it was so nice to see you again. If there's anything else we can help you with, don't be afraid to let us..."

Eda: "Hold that thought, Lily. Who’d you want to bring back?"

Luz gulped before she revealed her desire to bring back her father. An uneasy atmosphere was shared amongst them.

Eda: "You two could make this work."

Lilith: "What?!"

Luz: "Really?!"

Lilith: "I think my sister needs to rest now. She really has grown frail. Edalyn, you can’t celebrate like you used to. Have you not heard what we just said? Or did you forget everything in the last two minutes?"

Eda(snarky): "I haven't forgotten anything. Like how you two time traveled to the past and met Philip? Or did you not hear my student mention "time"?"

Luz's face lit up as Lilith's dropped.

Lilith: "Time pools are rare. We would still have to face paradoxes and the bloody fly effect..."

Eda: "Wont stop me from remembering your promise just now."

The owl lady stood behind Luz with her hands resting on the young girl's shoulders.

Eda: "Whatever this one needs from me, I got her."

Lilith understood the weight of the situation.

Lilith: "Even if we do find one that opens to the time we want, we can't allow ourselves to alter history too much. Our last trip proved that time is on a closed loop. Meaning paradoxes are a real risk."

Luz beamed with excitement at her "cool aunt" Lilith.

Luz: "So, you'll help us?"

Lilith: "I'll still be in charge of this expedition."

Eda: "*snort* Yeah. Sure, sis."

Author's note: I know I'm not the first person to try a "Spider-Man: No way home" AU. But I've been kicking this one around my head for a while as well. I figured, why not?

#THE OWL HOUSE #No owlet home #No Owlet Home AU #luz noceda #eda clawthorne #lilth clawthorne #luz the human #story i pieced together

5 notes · View notes

jerzwriter · 3 years ago

Text

Delaying the Inevitable - Chapter 26 - Crossing Paths

Book: Open Heart 3 (Post Series)

Pairing: Tobias Carrick x MC, Ethan Ramsey x MC

Rating: Chapter: Teen

Summary: Extended Series WIP – Love Triangle. In this chapter: Tobias & Casey's romantic date screeches to a halt when Ethan & Floria show up; Tobias's lack of enthusiasm for Casey's success leads to tension between them, and Floria is looking for an alliance with Tobias.

Category: Extended Series (WIP)

Warnings: Drinking, language

A/N: Hi everyone! As many of you know, my schedule has been very crazy, so I am going to try something new, slightly shorter chapters that may be posted more frequently. I'm going to give it a shot and see how it goes.

A/N 2: I want to take a moment to thank @liaromancewriter and @genevievemd for taking some time to chat with me. They helped me realize that I need to stop worrying about a schedule, stop worrying about how many chapters are left or how long this will be, stop worrying about pleasing everyone, and concentrate on writing the story I want to tell. They're right. This has freed my mind to embrace this story with the enthusiasm I had in the past once again. It's a new day. Thank you, ladies! I hope you all enjoy the chapter.

SERIES MASTERLIST

The windowless room was dark when he entered. Much darker than it had been any time before. He slid one arm out of his coat and then the other as he made his way to the closet. That’s when he saw the culprit. The bulb on one of the ornate antique floor lamps had blown out. He mindlessly twisted the switch in hopes that it merely needed to be turned on to no avail. He walked to the corner and took a seat, too dark to read the book he had hoped to catch up on. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. At least he could get a little rest.

“Hello, Evan.”

His calm interlude interrupted, he jumped out of his seat.

Across from him, a tuft of Auburn hair popped out from behind an opened newspaper. A newspaper. He smiled. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who still read them. Most considered them relics.

Her two hazel eyes appeared as she slowly lowered the paper, then he barely made out her smirk in the darkened room.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

“Yes. Imagine that. But my name isn’t Evan… Sonia.”

“Shit. Ernest?”

“Ethan. For someone who was so eager to learn my name, you have done a poor job in retaining it.”

“Slow down, cowboy. I wasn’t exactly eager to know it. I was just being polite. Damn, I hope you’re working on your social cues with Dr. Fernandez. They sure could use some help,” she grinned.

“Hmmm… and will you be working on that sarcasm with Dr. Porter?”

“Oh, hell no. It’s part of my charm. So, is this your standing appointment time? Because as of today, it’s mine too.”

“Isn’t that delightful?”

“It is. We are going to become the very best of friends!”

She laughed out loud. The room may have been dark, but it was impossible to miss the look of horror that spread across his face.

“Relax. You just noted that I’m sarcastic. You don’t have to worry that another human may actually join your limited social circle.”

“Well, that’s good to know. But, for your information, my social circle is just fine.”

“Whatever.”

“And I enjoyed how quiet the waiting room was on past few visits.”

“You lie,” she smiled before lifting her paper again.

“I thought I was the only one who still read those things, you know?”

“Oh, I turn back to my article, and that is when you want to make small talk?”

“I’m sorry, I….”

Her pleasant laughter filled the quiet room once again.

“You’re too easy. As for the newspaper, I prefer reading them. My phone doesn’t excite me… you can say I’m an old soul, I guess. My friends mock me.”

“Well, perhaps you need new friends.”

“They’re lovely people. We just prefer different communication methods. Besides, it doesn’t seem as if most people in Boston want to become friends. Especially ones you meet in waiting rooms.”

“Dr. Ramsey?”

“Hi, Dr. Fernandez. Well, it’s been interesting, Sonia.”

“Doctor Ramsey. Interesting.”

“Don’t worry, by next week, you’ll think I’m an attorney.”

“Probably,” she answered without looking up from her paper.

____________________

“Making friends in the waiting room?” Dr. Fernandez joked.

“No, just making small talk.”

“So, how have you been. You said you had a busy week ahead on your last visit. How did it go?”

“It was… eventful. I presented at a medical conference in Aspen.”

“Oh, I hope it was productive.”

“You could say that….”

Dr. Fernandez sat back and waited, giving him time to say what she could feel he was holding back.

“I was there with Casey.”

“Are you… together again?”

“No,” he chuckled. “Not at all. I have neglected to mention that she and I work together. She is one of four members of the diagnostic team that I direct. We were presenting together.”

“Oh, my. She reports to you?”

“No. When we became official, we made arrangements to have her report to someone else. After, we felt it best we continue with that practice.”

“But you work closely together, on a small team. Even that must make for interesting dynamics.”

“Yes, and her new… boyfriend… my former best friend… is also on the team.”

“On the team of four?”

“Yes.”

“And who rounds this team out?” She asked sarcastically, “Your ex?”

“As a matter of fact.”

“Oh my. Well, this all presents challenging situations, I’m sure. But if none of you are looking for employment elsewhere, you will need to learn to work within it… and it’s not likely to be easy.”

Ethan chortled.

“Don’t I know it. Although my ex, Harper, and I, we’ve established a pleasant friendship and respect each other as colleagues. Maybe I can get there with Casey someday.”

“I would like to ask since you’re the director of the team, was Casey going with you… by design?”

“Excuse me?”

“Was there a reason Casey was selected to go and not one of the other team members?”

He instinctively began to formulate a cover. Deep down, he knew that he had been lying to himself about the reason all along. So admitting it to himself and another human being was not something he relished. But as he began to speak, something came over him. He thought about his reasons for being there and realized, lying wouldn’t get him anywhere. If he wanted to make progress, this was the time for unfiltered truth.

“We were asked to present on one of four cases that our team had great success with… and I picked the one that she and I worked on alone. That ensured that she would need to be the one to go with me.”

“Thank you for your honesty. It is commendable. But, what was your purpose in doing that?”

“It really was the most compelling of the four topics presented.”

Dr. Fernandez gave him a questioning look.

“It truly was, but… yes, any of the other three would have excellent topics to cover as well. My real reason for the selection. I wanted time with her. This is the first time I have admitted that to myself, not only you.”

“We have discussed how forcing interactions with her can be detrimental to your recovery, Dr. Ramsey. Now, progression is never a straight line, so I am not judging, but I am cautioning you against doing something like this again. If you feel you can’t control it, perhaps we should put something in place to prevent it. Maybe requiring your supervisor to select the participants who need to go on a trip, for example.”

“I’ll think on it.”

“But since the trip already occurred, how did things go? How did you feel about it?”

“It wasn’t terrible. It was a tense start but, we talked. We were able to clear the air, at least a little. We agreed that we don’t want to be awkward in each other’s presence. That, perhaps one day, we can be friends again. I also know now that… she really loves Tobias. It’s not some rebound, revenge, or infatuation. I’m not proud to admit it, but that was one of the things I had hoped to learn on the trip, and I did.”

“And did learning that make you feel better?”

“No.”

“This is one of the reasons why you have to put Casey aside as you work on yourself. You’re not here to heal a relationship that no longer exists. You’re here to heal you. As to feeling awkward, sometimes awkwardness exists for a reason. Until you can establish proper boundaries, feeling awkward around each other is actually a positive mechanism to keep you both in line… and you crossed that line. You need to recognize that and do your best to not let it happen again.”

“Fair enough.”

“I think it’s important for you to recognize that, in this case, the factors that led to the destruction of your relationship were not born of the relationship itself. They stem from your history. The answers are not in Casey. They lie in your past. That’s where your healing is. Casey may have been a substitution, a way of proving that you were worthy of the love that your mother denied you. Punishing her away was just a way for you to tell yourself that you weren’t lovable after all, which isn’t true. I don’t want you looking to her to be a salve for your wound yet again. And given her proximity, it is far too easy for that to happen. It’s a danger zone.”

“You’re right. I can’t deny it. But we need to be clear, Casey was never just a salve. She was not just a replacement. Obviously, I’ve had other women in my life and, if that was all I was looking for, any of them would have done. Casey was different, she broke down the walls, and I truly loved her. I do love her.”

“Which is exactly why you must exercise caution.”

“Noted.”

“I have a proposition for you. We have made progress understanding your family dynamics and how they impact you, but I’d like to delve in deeper. Would you be amenable to your father joining us on a session or two? I think it could be beneficial.”

“My father? Why?”

“Because he was there. He may have insight that you don’t, and repairing your relationship could be one of the keys to making you whole again.”

“My relationship with my father is fine. It doesn’t need….”

“If it were fine, why did you turn on him when Louise left? It wasn’t just Casey. Can you honestly tell me that you haven’t kept him at arm’s length, even when you really haven’t wanted to?”

She could see him visibly swallow, but he remained silent.

“Are you amenable to the idea?”

“I can mention it to him.”

“That’s fine. But the choice of whether to do so or not isn’t his. It’s yours. You need to take ownership of these things. Let me know what you decide. It’s your choice, but I believe it could be a big step toward your healing.”

____________________

That evening was especially cold, even by Boston winter standards. But Casey and Tobias barely felt it. Being in love can have that effect on people. They came across a fruit market as they strolled, hand in hand, from the parking garage to Mistral, and Tobias stopped in his tracks.

“Hey, hold on second,” he grinned.

He emerged with a single rose in his hand. Bowing exaggeratedly, he handed it to her with aplomb.

“For my lady,” he grinned.

Because it was so cold, it was impossible to tell Casey’s red cheeks were caused by blushing or the biting winds, but he liked to believe it was the former.

“Tobias, was buying every rose in the state of Colorado not good enough for you? Do you now wish to acquire all in Boston, as well?”

“Well, if that were true, I would have gotten you more than one just now, wouldn’t I? It’s just a reminder,” he said as he took her in his arms. His gloved hands brushed errant strands of hair from her face as he stared down lovingly into her eyes. “I always want you to know how special you are.”

Casey cupped his cheek in her hand. “T. You always make me feel special.”

“Good! Then I’m doing my job right, and I don’t have to worry about getting an ass-kicking from my mother. It’s a win-win situation,” he grinned. “By the way, what did you end up doing with all those roses?”

“Let’s just say that every member of the housekeeping staff went home with an armful of flowers,” she smiled. “And that made happier than having them in my room did… not to be unappreciative… I loved having them in my room too.”

Tobias smiled while opening the door to the restaurant.

“No offense to be taken. You’re amazing, kid. You know that?”

“You keep saying….”

“Well, don’t get tired of it because I plan on continuing.”

The maître d saw them to a cozy table toward the back of the dimly lit restaurant. The tables around them were empty, and while unlikely, they hoped it would remain that way.

“This is perfect.” Tobias smiled, “Not too crowded, out of the way. I get you all to myself.”

“So why are we all dressed up at an expensive restaurant if that’s what you wanted, T. You could have easily had that at home.”

“Nah. I love our alone time, but I also like to show you off every so often.” He put his menu on the table as his eyes began slowly taking in every curve highlighted in the dress she was wearing. She felt the heat of his stare, and she felt her own arousal piquing. Maybe staying home would have been preferable after all.

“What are you doing? I feel like you’re undressing me with your eyes.”

“You think? In that dress,” he winked. “I believe I made it quite clear what that dress does to me the day we bought it.”

“Yes. You made it clear to me and anyone in our vicinity at Saks that day. Hopefully, you can contain yourself a little more here.”

“Only because I want to spare us indecent exposure charges. I only had to bribe one sales clerk there. Here, it would be more costly, and I don’t think everyone would understand.”

“But it would be worth it,” spilled from both of their mouths in unison, followed by a fit of laughter.

“Sometimes I think this is a dangerous thing, T. You and me together.”

“It’s dangerous as hell! But it’s the best kind of danger.”

____________________

Across town, Ethan sat in his double-parked car in front of Floria’s home. He needed to get out more, and, as of late, she has been a good friend, yet, he had second thoughts about this throughout the day. Why had he suggested Mistral? It wasn’t a diner or a corner café, it was the next level, and it could be easy to misconstrue the meaning of an invitation there. He considered dressing down, thinking that could send some sort of a message. But the idea of doing so went against his very constitution, and, in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. So there he sat in his new Berburry suit as she walked toward his car. She was wearing a black velvet coat over a stunning red dress with matching heels. She looked very much dressed for a date, a Valentine’s Day date, and he shuddered. As unlikely as it had seemed, he liked the friendship that they were forming. That’s all it was, and she knew that too. They both knew it. Or at least he tried to convince himself of that.

“Hi,” she beamed, sitting in the passenger’s seat. Casey’s seat, he thought. It would always be Casey’s seat. “Nice suit. New?”

“It is. I haven’t had a chance to get my dry cleaning, so this was ready and….” He was trying to convince her that the suit wasn’t for her. And he felt like a heel. He didn’t say she looked nice, which she did, but what if…

“It looks great, but where the heck is your coat? It’s freezing out!”

“I’ll be outdoors a total of 10 minutes, maximum. I don’t need a coat,” he smiled. “But I’m glad you’re wearing yours.”

“Great, you’re one of those do as I say, not as I do guys.”

“I thought you would have known that by now.”

“Oh, for a long, long time now, Ramsey, a long time.”

____________________

Tobias poured the last dribble of wine into Casey’s quarter full glass.

“What do you say? Do we go for a second bottle?”

“Tobias Carrick, are you trying to get me drunk?”

His eyes lit up, and a titillating smirk delivered that dimple that drove her entirely crazy. She gazed back with a stare so seductive that it took all his strength not to clear the table and have her right there. It was still hard for him to wrap his head around it at times: she was his. He was hers. After all of the longing and resigning himself to the fact that they could never be together, there she was. Her foot was teasing his leg under the table, and the look on her face rendered him helpless. There were still moments when he had to pinch himself to be sure he wasn’t dreaming and, right now, was one of them.

“I don’t think that’s necessary. But hey, it may lead us to be even more creative.”

“Yeah, that could be perilous,” she smiled, placing her glass to her lips.

“A risk I’m willing to take.”

“Sir,” the waiter interrupted, placing an elaborately staged dish of Osso Bucco in front of Tobias.

Casey smiled as her Mistral linguini was finally placed in reach. She was starving, and it looked magnificent.

“Someday, I’m going to get her to not order the least expensive item on the menu.”

“Hey! It’s what I wanted, and it looks delicious.”

“I assure you it is,” the waiter smiled. “And sir, it’s not such a bad thing to have a frugal wife.”

They were so immersed in their conversation that they did not notice the couple being seated just behind them. But the gentleman in that party was acutely aware of them. Her laugh, that captivating, beautiful laugh, he could single it out even if it were drowned out in a sea of a thousand voices.

“Oh, I’m not his wife,” she laughed, amused by the assumption. “When we were friends, everyone assumed we were lovers, and now that we are a couple, everyone assumes we are married.”

“It makes you wonder what they will assume when we are,” he winked.

“That is when your goal is to have them believe you’re a newly established couple, having just fallen in love,” The waiter laughed as he topped off their water glasses, “and I do apologize for the assumption.”

“Oh, no worries at all, my friend. Somewhere in DC, my mother felt a pleasant disturbance in the force. I’m shocked she hasn’t texted me yet.”

“Or me,” Casey laughed, “with something along the lines of ‘do you prefer roses or lilies. You know what, both can be tastefully intermingled.”

“How do you deal with that?” the waiter laughed.

“We ignore it.” They said in concert.

Though their mannerisms were playful, almost in jest, the comfort with which they discussed marriage struck him like a thunderbolt. Tobias was truly giving her something he never had right from the start. It didn’t take him years to acknowledge what he had; he knew it from day one. Seething would be the best word to describe him, even though his logical mind reminded him that he had no right to be jealous. But right or not, at that moment, there was no denying that he was. Not only was he there with Casey on his arm, but he also treated her the way she deserved from day one. Their love was an abundant garden, not a battlefield. That’s when he realized the real anger boiling inside him was directed at only one person, and that was himself.

Floria recognized his change in demeanor, and she knew exactly why. She eyed Casey and Tobias’s table.

“We can ask to be moved if you’d like.”

Ethan peered around the room, the restaurant was reasonably crowded now, and each table was marked “reserved.”

“I think we’ll be fine,” he smiled as he took his seat.

Casey and Tobias were lost in themselves, the Pope could have been seated next to them, and they wouldn’t notice unless it was brought to their attention. Floria’s eyes glanced over from behind her menu, and she felt envy begin to course through her veins. The way Tobias gazed at her. There was a time she would have given anything for him to have taken her in like that. It would have been nice if her husband would have looked at her like that in all of the years they shared together. She would love it if Ethan did it now.

What was it about Casey MacTavish? How did she earn the utter devotion of the two men most women would kill to be with. Sure, there was a time the two of them were a bit obsessed with her, too, and she threw it away; however, while the feelings they had for her brought them both to the brink, they never took them over the edge. Not the way they did with Casey. She directed her attention back to her menu. This was not how she intended for her night to go, and she was not about to let it take her away from her plans.

Ethan noticed how distant she had become.

“Floria, are you all right sitting here?”

“Me? Oh, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I know he isn’t exactly your favorite person.”

“That’s an understatement. However, I’m not having dinner with him, am I?”

“No,” he smiled, “you’re not.”

The contrast between the tables was apparent, even if only two of the four were aware of it. One was acutely aware of the awkward situation; the other was in ignorant bliss. One struggled to make conversation, where the other was just so delighted to be in each other's presence, it flowed.

Trying to break an uncomfortable tension, Ethan told a very bland joke. It wasn’t all that funny, at all and he knew it. But Floria responded with laughter that filled the room. That’s when he felt every hair on his body rise. He couldn’t miss that laugh anywhere, but not because it filled his heart, but because it filled him with dread. Casey snuck a peek over Tobias’s shoulder, and the way her features twisted confirmed all he needed to know.

“Of every restaurant in the city of Boston,” Casey whispered.

“I’m game for ignoring if you are.”

“It’s a deal!”

They enjoyed the rest of their meal, careful to keep their voices down. But even having to do that, they realized the mood was dampened.

“Well, I can’t hold it any longer. I have got to go to the ladies room. Which means we’re about to blow our cover,” she whispered.

“It’s almost time for dessert anyway. Do you want to have it someplace else?”

“And miss out on their Crème Brulee? Are you nuts!”

“We could take it home?”

“We could eat it on the couch… naked.”

“Then I would have to feed you.”

Casey smiled seductively, “Why don’t you get the check while I’m gone. I’ll be back in five.”

It was impossible not to acknowledge them as she passed the table, so she plastered on her best smile.

“Ethan. Floria. How are you?”

Ethan stood up to greet her without realizing he was doing so, making the exchange more awkward.

“Casey, hi. You look lovely.”

“Thank you.”

Floria looked over at Tobias. “Imagine running into you here?”

“Yeah, only 3,000 restaurants in the city. What are the chances?”

“Well, you two always have had similar tastes,” Floria sneered.

She soon regretted those words when she realized those words cut Ethan as much as they had the others.

“Hmm, I suppose,” Casey replied nonchalantly, “now if you’ll excuse me, I do need to use the ladies room. Enjoy your evening.”

“You know, I could stand to go myself. I’ll join you.”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Ethan’s eyes widened as she stood to go. Now he and Tobias were stuck, just feet away from each other, surrounded by an uncomfortable silence. Tobias would have been happy to retreat to their own tables until the women returned. But, he knew that would be in poor taste, so he tried to inject some humor.

“You know, I nearly took her to Sorellina’s. This all could have been avoided.”

“That would have also been an excellent choice. In any case, I’m glad the two of you managed to get in your Valentine’s dinner after all.”

His voice was dripping with sarcasm, and Tobias snorted in response.

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t going to miss out on our first Valentine’s Day. I am not going to miss out on any to follow either. No matter what obstacles are put in our way.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched. He took a deep breath and waited until he could answer with a more measured response. Both men were acutely aware of how childish they were behaving. It felt like the end at Hopkins all over again, and, honestly, both wanted to stop it.

“Well, I did ask you to treat her well. I’m happy to see that you’re doing so.”

Receptive to Ethan’s change in tone, Tobias responded in kind.

“Thanks, buddy,” both men were shocked that the words came from his lips. It had been quite some time. “I didn’t take that promise lightly, and I intend to keep it.”

Casey was reapplying her lipstick when Floria walked up to the sink next to her. She looked up from washing her hands and watched Casey meticulously apply layer upon layer. Truthfully, she was doing much more than she usually would, but she just needed a diversion. Anything to avoid talking to her.

“That’s a beautiful shade, Casey. Very flattering.”

“Thank you, a girl can never have too many shades of nude, right?”

“I suppose not. It’s lovely to see you and Tobias… so happy. You’re a very lucky woman.”

Casey’s looked at her guardedly from the corner of her eyes as she capped her lipstick and dropped it back into her purse. She took her time to blot and take in her appearance in the mirror before she responded.

“Yes,” she said with almost chilling calm, “I am. Thank you for noticing.”

“But how are you handling it all?”

“Handling what?”

“Come on, Casey. Working with Tobias and Ethan? I imagine it must be awkward as fuck. Oh, excuse my language, but then again, from a Baltimore girl to a Philly girl, I’m sure you can overlook it.”

Casey plastered on an obviously fake smile.

“I don’t think it’s a fitting conversation for us to be having, Floria. But, if it puts your mind at ease, we have been managing quite well.” She kept the so far, in her head.

“I’m delighted to hear it. I’m also happy to see that you and Tobias are out in the open now. I mean, if you’re in love, there is no reason to hide, right?”

Casey crossed her arms defensively. “We are in love, and we were never hiding it. That said, we weren’t required to make an announcement.”

“Nevertheless, it’s a good thing. It also gives Ethan the reassurance to move on himself. That is what you want, after all. Isn’t it?”

The pang in Casey’s stomach made her uncomfortable. It wasn’t the thought of Ethan moving on. It was the thought of him moving on with her. Despite everything that had happened between her and Ethan, she had spent too long caring for him, loving him, to just flip a switch and be indifferent. She couldn’t understand why he felt the need to pick her out of all the women in the world. Someone who nearly destroyed him and, frankly, Casey wasn’t so sure she wouldn’t do it again.

“Well, I’m so happy our being public is benefiting you, Floria. That was clearly in the forefront of our minds when we made the decision.”

A cynical smile crossed her face as she realized that Casey believed that she and Ethan were dating, and she wasn’t about to correct her.

“It is mutually beneficial, Casey. There is nothing wrong with that. You don’t want him back after all,” watched reaction closely.

“I’m happy with Tobias if that’s what you’re asking. I’m not a threat to you in any way. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to him.”

“Of course, we wouldn’t want to keep the guys waiting.”

Floria followed on her heels. Casey gave Ethan a cursory smile as she walked by. Ethan and Tobias both took note of the tense look on Casey’s face and the sly smile on Floria’s as they returned to their respective tables.

“Did you get the check?” She asked Tobias before sitting.

“All taken care of, doll. You ready to head home?”

“More than,” she smiled.

Home. The word hit Ethan hard. Realistically, he knew that they lived together, but it just dawned on him. Now they lived together. Tobias loved her. He would show her off to the entire world if he could. He talked freely about a future together. She shared a bed with him… every night. In the space of a couple of months, Tobias got to a place that took him nearly four years before he tossed it away. For months he had wished he could go back to the night he ended things with Casey and do things differently, but right now, he realized that wouldn’t be enough. If he really wanted to do right by her, he would have had to go back to the beginning. She didn’t deserve a do-over from their end, she deserved one from their start, and his biggest regret, he’d never get to give it to her.

____________________

One month later

The coffee maker in the office wasn’t working, again. Casey marveled at how such an expensive machine that only four people in all of Edenbrook so much as knew about seemed to be broken all the time. She decided right there to replace it with a bare-bones Keurig, and the thought of the look of horror on Ethan’s face brought an impish smile to her face.

“Hey babe, here is your caffeine, at least your first cup.”

“Thanks for running out for this, hon. I’m still half asleep.”

“Well, you had a long day yesterday. I told you, you should have stayed over. Mom would have been delighted to have you.”

“Mmm,” she said, placing her coffee on the table. “Yeah, she’s already texted me a dozen times to let me know how unhappy she is.”

His eyebrows shot to his forehead, “She’s unhappy with you?” He asked defensively.

“No! Unhappy with the circumstances.”

“Well, she really loves you.”

“I would never have guessed!”

They both turned their heads toward the office door as it opened with a crash.

"Well, congratulations!" Harper beamed.

"Congratulations?"

"Obviously, you haven't seen the news?"

She threw a copy of the Boston Globe onto the table.

“Looks like Edenbrook has our own new celebrity!”

Casey’s jaw went slack.

“Holy… I knew he was listening to me. I knew it went well… but I didn’t have any idea that… this is amazing! I mean, it’s only a first step, but this is great news!”

“It sure is,” Ethan said, entering the room. He gently tapped Casey’s shoulder as he walked past her. “Congratulations are certainly in order. I think I can speak for all of us in saying we’re very proud of you.”

Tobias took the paper from Casey’s hand. A photo of her conversing with Rep. Kenner was on the cover. He read the accompanying headline aloud. “Rep. Kenner’s Meeting With Edenbrook Doctor Leads to Change in Course - Funding Cut Bill Could Be DOA.”

A pleasantly surprised look came to his face, though it was not lost on Casey that his exuberance didn’t begin to match that Harper or Ethan. She lowered her eyes for a quick moment when he gently touched her forearm.

“Good work, Case. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks!” She beamed, “His office contacted me just this morning and invited me down to additional meetings, but they never mention that he reversed his opinion. This is great!”

“I never doubted you, but I have to admit, even I am amazed that you worked your magic this quickly,” Ethan smiled.

“Well, I don’t think it was magic. I just talked facts.” She turned to Tobias, “Do you think you could join me this time? They said they’d love the opinion of other physicians, and I think having another voice from our team could be invaluable. Especially one that happens to be Vivian Carrick’s son.”

His face fell instantly. “I don’t know, Casey. I don’t think having two doctors on the team away right now is a good idea.”

“It will be two days, tops. I’m sure we could even whittle it down to one, if necessary.”

“We can manage the workload with two,” Ethan added.

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll think about it.”

“Well, with that enthusiasm, you’re bound to hit a home run, Carrick. This is too important for our program and for those who can’t afford healthcare in general. I’ll tell you what, I’ll go. Casey, do you think it would be an issue?”

“I, I can’t see how having a world-renowned physician’s voice there would be a negative.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll join you. Get me the details, and I’ll have Naveen’s office make the arrangements.”

Tobias’s jaw tightened as he fixed his stare out the window. He removed himself from the conversation as Ethan and Harper continued to shower Casey with accolades. No matter how many times she attempted to engage him, the most she would receive was a curt nod. She saw the wall going up around him, but she couldn’t understand why.

____________________

Tensions seemed to have settled by the time they were home that evening. Casey slipped up behind Tobias as he washed the dishes after dinner. She wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder.

“I will never understand. You have the most expensive dishwasher known to man sitting right there, yet you choose to do the dishes by hand every night.”

“It’s just the two of us. It seems silly to turn it on for a job that will take me less than ten minutes to complete.”

Tobias reached over and pulled a dishtowel off the knob of a nearby cabinet.

“And you, my beautiful love, are now officially on drying duty.”

“Damn, I knew I should have stayed inside,” she smirked.

The silence between them was perfectly comfortable, but Casey couldn’t get her mind off this morning. It needed to be addressed.

“T, this morning, it didn’t look like you were happy about me going back to DC later this month.”

He placed the last dish in the drainboard and slowly dried his hands.

“That would be because I’m not.”

“Why? Is it because Ethan is going? Or…”?

“Casey, we’ve been through this. While I’m not crazy about you and Ethan going off on another trip, I trust you. It’s not that.”

“Well, I would have preferred if you would have stepped in and joined me. But that’s off the table now.”

He didn’t answer. The silence between them was no longer comfortable, and it lasted far too long.

“So?”

“Tobias, if it’s not that, then what is it?”

“Casey… that’s just not my life. It’s not my game… that’s all.”

“OK, but you’re not doing it. I am. It’s not exactly “my game” either. Medicine is my game. Helping people, healing people is my game. To me, this is just something that I need to do to help that along.”

“And that’s fine.”

“Then why the cold shoulder? I thought… I thought you’d be proud of me.”

“Come here,” he pulled her in his arms and kissed her forehead. “I am proud of you. I’m always proud of you. I just like to stay away from that world. Sure, it’s not me in it, but you’re are the woman in my life, and I know how easily people get sucked in. It’s just a matter of time before I’m heading off to dinners to you with some stuffed suit or another and… I’m not looking forward to it. That’s all.”

“I think you’re putting the cart before the course, Tobias.”

“Casey, I’m familiar with the world. You’re not. I want you to mark this night, mark it on the calendar because one day you’ll look back and see, I know what I’m talking about.”

“Well,” Casey said, squirming out of his embrace, “if the day should come, I’ll be more than happy to endure those events on my own. You know, I am more than capable of doing it without my boyfriend at my side. Though it would be nice to have him there.”

“I’m not suggesting that you aren’t capable, Casey. I know you are. And for the record, no, I am never going to watch as you fight passionately for what you believe in and not support you.”

“But that’s what you’re doing right now, T. I’m not feeling very supported. I’m feeling resented.”

He looked at the ceiling and let out a sigh. He knew she was right, and she deserved better than what he was giving. These were his issues, not hers.

“Then I have to do better. Because I am so proud of you. Your passion for what you believe in is one of the things I love the most about you. I promise I’ll be a more supportive partner.”

“I’d like that,” she said, falling back into his arms.

“So, when is this trip anyway?”

“Next week. I’m waiting on the dates, and it looks like we can limit it to an overnighter.”

“Well, that’s good because I hate sleeping without my baby. How about I take you to the airport this time. See you off. I should have done it last time.”

Her eyes brightened as she smiled up at him, “I’d like that. Thanks, T.”

“Don’t mention it.”

____________________

“You’ve got your boarding pass?”

“Right here.”

“And you’ve contacted my mom? If she doesn’t see you this time, she may have a coronary.”

“Yes,” she chuckled, “I’m meeting her during our lunch break tomorrow. I am pretty sure she’ll be sitting outside of Kenner’s office waiting for me.”

“Oh, count on it,” he smiled. “It’s getting late. When is Ramsey supposed to get here?”

“Right now,” a deep voice barreled from behind him.

“Speak of the devil,” he said, turning to greet him. That’s when he saw Floria trailing behind. “Yeah, the devil.”

“Good morning to you too, Tobias.”

“It was,” he muttered to Casey, who jokingly smacked him in the chest.

“Surprised to see you here so early, Floria. You still have a long day of work ahead.”

“I told her I could have easily gotten a car. On the hospital's dime, no less.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m normally up at this hour for my Pilates class, and skipping a day won’t hurt.”

“Hm, you never know,” Tobias snickered.

Ethan glowered in his direction, “I think she’ll be just fine.”

“I was joking,”

Jet Blue flight number 219 to DC will start boarding at gate 23…

“Well, that’s our cue,” Casey said.

Tobias gave her a hug and a quick peck on the cheek. “Please let me know when you’ve arrived?”

“I will,” she said, hesitant to let go.

She couldn’t easily show the same affection to Ethan, but Floria did find an opening.

“Ethan, come here,” she raised her hand and caressed his cheek. “You’ve got some powder there.”

“That’s what I get for indulging in a powdered doughnut for breakfast,” he grinned.

“Oh, you have to live a little,” she smiled. “Please be safe. I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to, I can….”

“Try to stop me. Besides, I loved the soup and grilled cheese stop on the way home last time I picked you up. I say we make that a tradition. Maybe you two could join us?” she grinned.

“I’ll be on the clock,” Tobias answered.

“Oh, too bad. Then maybe you could come, Casey? No need to rush home to an empty apartment.”

“I’ll see how I feel. I may want to rush home to a warm tub as much as I’d want to run home to Tobias.”

“I’m hurt!”

“Well, I’m joking!”

“We better go,” Ethan nodded.

“Yep, let’s do this.”

Tobias rolled on the balls of his feet as he watched Casey and Ethan make their way down the ramp. Floria made her way up and stood shoulder to shoulder next to him.

“This is getting to be a habit,” she sighed.

“What is?”

“The two of them… off on a trip together.”

“They work together. It’ll happen.”

“You should have gone.”

“What?”

“Ethan mentioned that he only stepped in to go because of your lack of enthusiasm to join Casey. What were you thinking?”

“Floria, how is any of this your business? It’s probably better for Ethan to be there representing the team.”

“Well, that is undeniable, but you could have avoided them getting more alone time.”

“I’m not worried. I trust Casey implicitly.”

“You’re full of it, Carrick.”

“Believe what you wish, Floria. I’m not going to change your mind anyway.”

“I’d reconsider if I were you. Should another occasion arise. You can act as nonchalant as you want, but those two had something special. Don’t delude yourself into believing it couldn’t spark again. I see how you look at her, and I know that’s the last thing you want.”

Tobias turned and stared down at Floria with eyes of stone.

“Then I’m sure you have seen how she looks at me, too. I don’t know what your game is here, but Casey and I are not some fling. I love her, she loves me, she sleeps at my side every night, we want a future together, and, most importantly, I trust her… with my life. I’m sorry if you don’t know what it’s like to share that, but that’s not my problem at all. I’m out of here.”

He went to walk away, but Floria grabbed the arm of his jacket. He quickly shrugged her off.

“Keep telling yourself that, Tobias. I’m not playing any game. I don’t care about the relationship between us. I couldn’t care less about it, but it could be mutually beneficial for us to work together here. Don’t be stupid, Tobias.”

“Stupid would be entertaining this, Floria. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to work.”

Floria slowly strolled to the large glass windows to watch as the plane carrying Ethan and Casey began to taxi toward the runway. A sardonic smile remained on her face as she sipped her coffee.

“You do that, Carrick, you do that.”

SERIES MASTERLIST

Permatags: @barbean @binny1985 @bluebelle08 @bluerosesbloom @brokenmemoriesblog @charisworld @chemist-ana @cokesbetterthanpepsi @crazy-loca-blog @custaroonie @everybodyscreamsposts @icecoffee90 @jamespotterthefirst @jennieausten @kachrisberry @kalinahonore @lady-calypso @mia143 @mjlbwork @mm2305 @phoenixrising308 @pixelberrygirl @potionsprefect @schnitzelbutterfingers @secretaryunpaid @shewillreadyou @shygirl4295 @socalwriterbee @thegreentwin @toadfrog26 @txfledglingscribe @wanderingamongthewildflowers

@choicesficwriterscreations

#delaying the inevitable #open heart fan fic #ethan ramsey #tobias carrick #ethan ramsey x mc #tobias carrick x mc #choices fics writers creations #cfwc fics of the wekk #fics of the week

61 notes · View notes

greyeyedmonster-18 · 3 years ago

Note

Its currently 01.15 here and I should definitely be asleep by now. But you see Grey, I started this very nice story and I just couldn’t put it down. I’m to tired to scream to much about it so I’m just gonna tell you my favorite things about the story, in the order they appears and not ranked. You already know I love the characters and the friendship but other than that:

- James manifesting every year with Effie, writing down the things he hopes to accomplish the following year.

- Sirius, being open for love.

- Porter, actually being really nice and good.

- Remus challenging Sirius about him deserving more than green tea, and Sirius breaking up with Porter.

- Remus snapping at regulus and Sirius loving it.

- Effie and Monty buying a piano.

- All the tea references where people who loves Sirius takes the time to know that tea he prefers.

- “You listen to me, Sirius Black, someone is going to love you . Someone is going to look at you one day and find you so absolutely beautiful, with all your mistakes. No matter the wreckage.” (I was bawling)

- No snape, I just realized

- Sirius flirting shirtless and Remus only looking at his face

- Sirius slowly paddling back to shore

- The handholding!!!!

- My darling

- Pillowtalk

Thank you for making my day better. It was worth all the tears.

I loved it.

*crying in the club* anon this is all so sweet, i cannot even handle it.

but also, i'm just going to scream back at you and say i love it when people pick up on little sprinkles i put in there and for NMTW the TEA was one of them (how everyone who really, truly, loves and sees Sirius knows his tea preference, its not hard and Sirius realizing that ITS NOT HARD to learn a tea preference and he deserves someone who knows his.)

also-- no snape. yes. actually, i think i used his name once. in a single sentence. where sirius made eye contact with him and that was it.

probably the most controversial thing ill ever say, aside from Tall Sirius Rights, is that people who write snape into their marauders at hogwarts stories that give him a POV or use him as more than a plot device, or a whisper in the background, just wanted an excuse to write Snape. otherwise, he does...very...very little for a compelling. Snape should only be used the way a car wreck or a Quidditch accident should be used. plot point. that's it. and tbh, car wrecks are more interesting.

My darling.

PILLOWTALK, PILLOWTALK!

you are so welcome, anon. thank you for making MY DAY with this love. you are sensational <3

#asks #grey answers #no matter the wreckage

11 notes · View notes

chaotic-noceur · 4 years ago

Text

malaysia truly asia

paring: Nanami Kento x Malaysian!Reader

summary: the story of how Nanami had come to know about Malaysia and his first trip to the country he had longed to visit

warnings + contents: food/eating, beach, multilingual reader (malay is mentioned, the rest is implied), malaysia references (contextual notes are provided!)

a/n: I never thought knowing the Malaysian slogan would come in handy but here I am. Words cannot express how excited my Malaysian heart got when Nanami mentioned Malaysia so I'm hurling this into the tumblr void for anyone interested :)

contextual notes + malay transalation

terima kasih = thank you

ringgit = Malaysian currency

tokyo is an hour ahead of kuantan

sunrise is around 7am in Malaysia, anytime from 4-6am in Tokyo (according to google)

roti canai = 'Indian-influenced flatbread dish' (wikipedia)

roti tisu = similar to roti canai, except thinner and shaped like a cone

pasar malam = night market, usually on closed off sections of road

flag erasers are often collected by school kids who purchase them from the on campus bookshop

"You're not from here." He says it with such assertion that there was no room to deny it, not that you were going to. You quirk an eyebrow up at him instead from your place on your bed. He nods to the english book currently in your hands as if it's a way of answer. Your head tilts to one side and he sighs before continuing. "Your Japanese is good, but you speak it with hints of... uncertainty, like it's not your mother tongue." I would know, he doesn't say. Your gaze falls from his bashfully and he seems to realise the implication of his words. "I apologise, I hadn't meant it as an insult. I was merely hoping to ask about your childhood."

Your mouth forms an o before you reply with a curt "I grew up in Malaysia and then my family moved here." He seems to consider your answer for a moment before nodding and returning his attention to his book. The pair of you fall silent, residual noise from Gojo's graduation party filters in to fill the gap. Before long, you notice his gaze flitting around the room as he shifts in his seat, a sure sign that he was looking for an opportunity to speak more. You chuckling lightly before putting your book away. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything." Your eyes narrow slightly to deduce if he's teasing. But his eyes hold nothing but genuine curiosity. It was rare for Nanami to ever display his true emotions but there was something about his eyes that was always readable to you. So you talk. You tell him about the road trips you used to take up the peninsula, showed him photos of your childhood, pointed out the few bits of home that were scattered around your room. He clings on to every word as you tell him about the near-constant summer, complained about the humidity, and reminisced about the food that you dearly missed.

Truthfully, you are surprised by his interest. Few people had even heard of the small, dual-part country, even fewer have shown any interest in learning more. Maybe this is the moment you fell in love with him. Or at least, it's the moment you accept your feelings for him as something beyond an passing crush but as something worth fighting for.

“I hope we can visit it some day,” he says when you finish.

We, not I, you think. Your heart flutters in your chest at the realisation. He is seemingly unaware at the implication. You reply with a simple “maybe”, refusing to give in to the false hope that he returns your feelings.

Some months later, you find him huddled in a quiet corner of the Jujustu High library engrossed in a book of Malaysian history, a small notepad open beside him. Where he acquired the book was beyond you. With nothing better to do with your rare moment of free time, you shrug your shoulders before heading towards him, making noises as you move so as to not startle him when you settle beside him.

You're flipping through your book in search of the bookmark when he speaks, "would you like me to read to you?" You turn to look at him so fast he's concerned you might have gotten whiplash. His cheeks are flushed slightly and he refuses to meet your eye. You blink at him for several moments and he clears his throat awkwardly. "I just - well, I was hoping to practice my English with you. It's um.." he rubs at the base of his neck, "it's been a while since I've spoken it."

"Oh," you begin for lack of words. For as long as you've known him, he has never once mentioned being multilingual. Then again, he rarely ever talked about himself. Preferring to let Yuu take the lead in conversations or to direct questions away from himself. "Sure, I'd love to help!"

"Te-li-ma kah-sir?"

"Te-ri-ma ka-sih," you correct as you swipe through the selection of in-flight movies. Nanami repeats after you and you nod before smiling at him.

"And what about 'where is the toilet?'"

Your tapping stops momentarily. "Formally, or informally?" He deadpans at you and you chuckle in response. "Di manakah tandas?" His pen glides along his pocket notebook before he repeats after you once more. "Love, you know you'll be fine with just English right?"

He drops his pen and takes a sip of beer from the clear plastic cup before responding. "I know, but it's a sign of respect to make an attempt to learn the official language." A soft smile graces your face before you resume your scrolling. You really are the luckiest human on the planet to be able to call him yours.

It's mid-afternoon when you finally leave Kuatan Airport. Travel fatigue begins to set in on the taxi ride to the beach resort Nanami had booked. You loop your arm with his before settling you head on his shoulder. Instead of telling you that you should've slept on the plane like he would've done if it was anyone else, he simply graces your forehead with a kiss before returning his gaze to the map on his phone.

Checking into the resort is a smooth process. Nanami makes quick work of talking to the receptionist before the pair of you make your way to your room, the resort porter guiding you. Nanami had been inclined to refuse but the porter rejected his offer. The pair of you make light conversation with the resort porter as you walk, Nanami using his arsenal of Malay when he can.

When you arrive at your room, Nanami takes your bags from the porter as you unlock the door. He settles the bags inside as you shake the porter's hand in thanks, passing along a 5 ringgit bill. They thank you with a bow before taking their leave. Nanami shoots you a look of surprise when he notices the action. "I wasn't aware that there was a tipping culture in Malaysia."

"There isn't, not to the extent that westerner do anyway. It's really just porters and housekeeping." You shrug.

He scowls at your slightly. "Regardless, you should have informed me," he grumbles. You chuckle at him before patting his chest lightly, avoiding his sunglasses that hang from the v of his button up.

"Well, you'll have plenty of opportunities to leave a tip for housekeeping." You're staying here for two week after all.

As Nanami does a quick sweep of the room, you set up the wifi for your respective devices before making your way to the snack cabinet. You whoop when you find a packet of your favourite childhood snack. Nanami pokes his head out from the bathroom at the sound, only to raise a curious eyebrow when he finds you crouch on the floor, holding the packet as if it was your child. "What?" you exclaim, "I haven't seen these in years!" His arms shoot up in surrender before he returns to his checks, his lips curling into a smile at your antics.

When Nanami returns to the bedroom, he finds you asleep on the sofa, phone slipping from your grip. He removes it before it falls as he rubs at his eyes as the travel fatigue begins to hit him too. The long flight and layover hadn't done either of you any favours but he supposes that what he gets for choosing a city with a small airport.

He changes you out of your travel clothes before moving you to the bed. Once he stashes your valuables into the safe, he freshens himself up before crawling in beside you. You smell of an airport and the mist the flight attendants had sprayed in the cabin but he doesn't care as he nuzzles his nose into your neck.

This is peace, he thinks. No missions, no curses and no Gojou Satoru. Just the two of you and a (mostly) endless supply of sunshine. He likes the thought of that.

When he wakes from his nap, you’re no longer by his side. He panics for a moment before he turns and finds you sitting out on the wooden deck, admiring the ocean view as the sun begins to set. Raking a hand through his hair, he climbs out of bed and makes his way to you. You smile at him as he sits down before laying your head against his shoulder, his arm looping around your waist.

“Sorry I threw us off schedule,” you say after a while.

You feel his head shake against yours before he says, “as long as you're by my side, there's nothing to apologise for. We’re on holiday. Let’s enjoy the peace while it lasts.”

“Afraid Gojou’s going to appear out of thin air?” you tease. He groans at the mention of his senior's name.

"Don't mention that name again. You'll jinx us." This time, you can't help laugh against him. You peck his cheek in consolidation and he think maybe, just maybe, for once in his life, Gojou will keep his meddling fingers out of things that are none of his concern.

The next two weeks go by in a blur of delicious food, sandy toes and a ridiculous amount of sweat. If there was one thing you didn't miss about Malaysia, it was the humidity. But it never stopped Nanami from intertwining his fingers with yours or ghosting a kiss onto your temple. The pair of you had quickly settled into fragments of a routine since you had first arrived.

Every morning, Kento watches the sunrise from the cushioned seat on the wooden deck. The first time it happened was unintentional. His body had become habituated to waking up early for work. That, combined with the 1 hour time difference and the fact that the sun rose significantly later in Malaysia, meant that he had woken up well before the sky had shown any indication of light. You were still fast asleep, unmoving even as he slowly untangled himself from you. So as to not disturb you, he made himself a cup of tea and read from his Kindle on the wooden deck until the sun had began poking out of the horizon.

Then it just became his own little ritual. On occasions where you wake with him, the pair of you take a walk along the beach. The ocean waves kiss your bare feet to the beat of a song you do not know as you talk about your plans for the day. You stumble across a sea turtle laying her eggs one morning and the pair of you settle onto the sand, far enough away as to not spook her, but close enough to marvel at the rare sight.

Nanami pulls out his phone after a while to record a quick video and sends it to Yuuji. Not long after, Gojou attempts to facetime him and Nanami turns off his phone without hesitation. You chuckle at their antics before you feel your phone vibrating in your pocket. Nanami declines all of Gojou calls for you and he gives up after 7 rejections. In hindsight, Nanami really should have seen that coming but he blames the cloud of holiday bliss that fogs his mind.

The rest of your days are spent enjoying the ocean breeze (or more often, the ocean heat), exploring the local attractions, immersing yourselves in the culture and best of all, devouring authentic Malaysian food. Nanami had made a list of the most recommended dining locations ranging from high end restaurants to road side food stalls and you make it your shared mission to visit every single one before you leave.

At each shop, he informs you of the best rated dishes but trusts your instincts/cravings for the most part. You point out any items that he 'has to try, at least once' and he asks questions about the items that pique his interest. More often than not, the pair of you will order a variety of dishes and share them, not able to settle on just one. Being the bread lover that he is, he takes a liking to roti canai. Although he isn't particularly unadventurous with his choices, always settling for a plain roti canai and opting for experimenting with curries instead. So, you take the plunge for him, knowing he'll likely be intrigued by the pointy hat shaped crepe that sits before you — he later learns that it's a roti tisu, or the stuffed roti that arrives. (He thanks you later.)

On your last night there, the pair of you make your way to the biggest pasar malam in the city. Nanami had a list of local fruits that he was hoping to buy while you had a list of souvenir ideas for the kids and your coworkers. You walk hand in hand, following the flow of footfall as your eyes scan the stalls. Nanami doesn't particularly know what he's looking for as he passes the snack stalls but he's enjoying himself all the same as he watches you converse with the stall keepers in a foreign tongue. He slips out of his daze when he feels a cold packet being pressed against his hand. "What's this?" He slips his wrist through the plastic loop and grips the tied-off section of the bag.

"Sugar cane!" you chirp, radiating an excited aura that rivalled Yuuji. Must be the atmosphere, he thinks. He takes a sip through the straw as you receive your change. Sweetness floods his taste buds but don’t overwhelm them. He savours the refreshing coolness it brings, contrasting the humidity. You look to him expectedly as you tug him further down the street. “Good?” you ask over the noise from the crowd.

“Acceptable.” There's a look of content tugging on his features that contradicts his tone and a soft smile tugs at your lips before you're promptly distracted by another stall.

When you finally arrive at the fruit stalls, you’re armed with a packet of cheap flag erasers for the students and an assortment of sugary snacks for the school staff room. The crowd had dwindled as you moved further towards the back of the market, allowing you a clear view of most of the stalls before you.

Nanami tugs on your intertwined hands before leading you towards a stall with mountains of rambutans and mangosteens. He nods politely at the elderly couple manning the store and accepts the plastic basket they hand him. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice the smile that tugs at his lips when they greet him in English. Undoubted pleased to be able to use his skills.

“I assume I should pick the ones that are not blackened and soft?” he says to you when the couple finish explaining the pricing. You nod in response as you begin carefully placing fruits into the basket. Nanami mimics your actions beside you before his attention is grabbed by the fruits to your right. “Is that what I believe it to be?”

You follow his gaze as he speaks. When they fall on spiky green fruits and packets of yellow, your eyes light up in delight. “Mhmm,” you hum before turning back to face him. There’s a sparkle of wonder in his eyes that makes you laugh before you turn to speak to the woman, “how much for a packet of durian?”

You look wistfully at the whole durians as the lady bags your items. As much as you would love to see Nanami use his 7:3 technique on the fruit (you can almost sense your ancestors rolling over in their graves at the thought), you know you won't be able to finish it off by yourselves. Besides, there is no guarantee that Nanami wouldn't hate it.

Rather uneventfully, Nanami does not hate durian on instinct — "the smell is uninviting, but the fruit itself is decent," he says as he helps himself to another. So, with the remnants of fruit juice clinging to your lips and the lingering smell of durian on your breath (despite your best efforts to get rid of both), the pair of you now walk along the beach's shoreline. Your pinkies are looped as you rejoice in the complete and utter sense of peace. There are no curses to be worrying about, no impromptu visit from a certain colleague. And for the first time in a long long time, Nanami feels like he can let his guard down. He feels like he doesn’t need to keep looking over his shoulder all the time. He doesn't feel the weight of the country's safety settling in his chest.

“We should come back some time,” he says as the waves lap at your feet gently.

You raise an eyebrow at him, “not sick of fending off mosquitoes and melting in the heat yet?” There’s a teasing glint in your eyes and he chuckles along with you.

He smiles at you then — genuinely, without fear of showing his emotions, shakes his head and kisses your temple gently. “Maybe we can visit your family next time. You can show me where you grew up, your favourite places, where you had your first date...” You smack him across his chest for his teasing while he chuckles at the action.

“Maybe one day.” He interlocks your hands then and ghosts a kiss over your knuckles before looping it over your shoulder to pull you into his chest. One day... when you’re both rid of this curse-riddled life.

#nanami x reader #nanami x you #nanami kento x reader #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #asian!Reader #malaysian!Reader #**jujutsu kaisen #kay writes #this will get all of 5 notes but eh #it was self indulgent #food #food mentioned #eating #eating mentioned #beach

108 notes · View notes