#If I had to stay behind at competition instead of buying food none of you would offer to buy me shit

[espopstar]

No one gives me any attention (unless you're in one particular server- you're the only real ones) I see how it is you all fucking hate me and want me dead.

[innerfare]

Luffy Fluff // Angst Compilation 

Summary: A compilation of Luffy angst and fluff from my multi character posts (You're Wounded, Brushing Your Teeth Together, Flowers, Type of Date, You See His Cabin, Fighting and Making Up, Paradise, Nightmares, I Love You, You're Jealous, Wearing His Hat).

Genre: Fluff // Angst

CW: None // SFW

———

You’re Wounded: 

Makes a light joke, inspects the wound himself even if there’s a doctor present, will help bandage you up if you need it. Pretends to be nonchalant about the entire thing, is panicking inside. Fully realizes the depths of his affection for you, is terrified to realize it’s love.  

Brushing Your Teeth Together: 

Turns it into a competition. “First one done wins!” “Luffy, no!” Also gets toothpaste absolutely everywhere. If he was in the habit of wearing shirts, all of his would have toothpaste (and food) stains on them. 

Flowers: 

Not one to buy you flowers. Instead, he picks them. Sometimes they’re weeds he thought looked pretty, other times, he presents you with a lush bundle of pink carnations you think he must have picked from a commercial flower field (this man has no concept of private property). He’s always very proud to present them because he worked hard to secure them; you'd better give him a kiss for his effort. Has, on occasion, accidentally brought you some that are poisonous. Also once brought you a bundle of radishes because he thought you would like the color. Receiving flowers from Luffy can be a bit like receiving a lizard from your pet cat. 

Type of Date: 

Everyone thinks he’d want to take you to dinner, probably to an all you can eat buffet, but this boy would actually drag you to an amusement/theme park. You’ll go on all the rides, riding the scariest ones multiple times over, and by the end of the day, you’ll have a stack of photos taken just before the roller coaster dropped. He’ll probably want to grab a bite to eat afterward, as if he didn’t already sample everything the amusement park had to offer; definitely something casual, like a burger or bbq joint. 

You See His Cabin For The First Time: 

He's literally so proud of just his hammock. Insists it can hold the both of you and could probably hold the entire crew if you tried, asks if you want to try, asks you if you’re sure when you say no. Definitely has a couple of dirty dishes that he’s forgotten about, as well as a few wrappers on the floor. Has some fishing poles, a net, quite a few different games, and a bookshelf that’s full of both comic books and snacks so that he doesn’t have to go all the way to the kitchen if he gets hungry in the middle of the night. 

Fighting and Making Up: 

You fight about his recklessness. You knew who he was when you fell in love with him and you don’t want to change him, but sometimes, it gets to be too much and you lose your cool. One perk of dating Luffy, though, is that he has very high emotional intelligence, so if it’s one of those fights where you just need your space, he’ll give it to you, waiting patiently for you to approach him to make amends (although it does weigh on him quite a bit when the two of you are at odds, like he’s waiting for the hammer to drop on your relationship; he has such an intense fear of you leaving him it’s unreal. He also struggles with the separation because he’s so clingy). He doesn’t really talk through the fight and do the whole apology thing, just pounces on you and kisses all over your face as soon as he can sense you’re good and ready to receive his affection again. If it was a really bad one, he might pick some flowers to give you. 

Paradise 1: 

Meandering through the woods in search of the tallest, most impressive tree, him giving you a boost up to the first branch to get you started before climbing up himself, staying behind you the entire time so he can catch you in case you fall. Finally piercing the canopy and poking your heads up above the forest, his hand on your leg to keep you steady, the two of you grinning as birds fly by, basking in the afternoon sun. 

Paradise 2: 

Escaping the chaos of life and climbing a desolate hill, sharing a late afternoon snack as you stare up at the clouds and point out different shapes, saying, “that’s you,” when you see a funny one. Arguing over which one of you gets to be the dragon cloud, your argument turning into roughhousing and the two of you accidentally rolling down the hill, him laughing and kissing your cheek when he knows you’re okay and then starting the argument again. 

Nightmares: 

He grins at the sight of you standing on a cliffside looking out over the water, tranquil in the peace of night. He hurries toward you and puts his hand on your shoulder to turn you around, ready to place a happy kiss on your lips, only to stop short at the sight of your face. You’re completely devoid of joy, the life and will to live sucked out of you by a force he can’t control. You’re a husk, and he’s powerless against it. He realizes the darkness isn’t from night, that there are no stars glimmering in the sky, that the world has had the goodness sucked out of it, yours along with it, leaving you empty. He wakes up with tears in his eyes and buries his face in his pillow to muffle his sob. 

Wearing His Hat: 

Luffy is very protective of his hat. It’s his most prized possession, given to him by his beloved father figure. He’d fight the bloodiest war in human history to get that hat back should someone steal it from him. It’s for that reason he’s shocked by his own reaction when you get a little tipsy one night and pluck it off his head, placing it atop yours. 

“Call me Captain,” you tell the crew, going member by member and giving them orders, getting onto Zoro’s case for not saluting like Usopp and Chopper did. 

He doesn’t feel the urge to snatch it back, doesn’t feel even a touch of anxiety that you could misplace or damage it. Rather, he feels a sense of pride- everyone knows him by his straw hat, so if you’re wearing it, everyone knows you’re his. And it’s in that moment he realizes that you’re his- not his belonging, but his person. You’re the one he wants to walk through this life beside, the person who chose to wear his hat. 

I Love You: 

He showed it first, asking you to join his crew, making sure you had a safe and healthy place to be yourself, fighting anyone who stands between you and your dreams, saving his funniest jokes until you're around to hear and giggle at them, even going so far as to share a little (really, only a little) bit of his meal with you, but you were the only who actually said it first. He gets severely injured after a nasty fight, and you stay by his side while he sleeps it off like he normally does, though it takes him longer than usual to wake up. When he does finally wake up looking for you and something to eat, you fling yourself on him and tell him how much you love him. You didn’t intend on confessing, but you were so worried about him and the words fell from your lips as soon as you knew he was okay. Your brows are still furrowed, and when Luffy asks why, you voice your insecurity that he doesn't feel the same way. Luffy just laughs at that and ruffles your hair. “Of course I do.” With that, he crawls out of bed in search of food. He quickly falls into the habit of telling you in the morning when you wake up, and it fills you with so much joy, it’s like he’s giving you a happy vitamin to start your day. And saying those words bring him so much joy that saying them is like he's taking a happy vitamin, too. 

You’re Jealous: 

He never told you Boa Hancock was in love with him, and when you find out, you have to remove yourself from the situation before you have an emotional outburst and start something with the Pirate Empress. The problem is, you don’t even know which emotion will spill out of you. Finding out the world’s most beautiful woman, and a powerful Warlord, no less, is desperate to marry Luffy is a whirlwind, to say the least. Luffy can seem clueless at times, but his emotional intelligence is through the roof, and he picks up on what has you upset almost straight away. He knows to give you some space, and when he senses you’re ready, he approaches you with a handful of wildflowers he picked. He doesn’t really say much, just pulls you into a hug, presses a few kisses into your cheek and temple, and says in your ear, “you’re my girl.” 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[br-disaster]

Nie Huaisang’s outfits appreciation post

After the terrible loss of our second best dressed cultivator and fashion icon Nie Mingjue, the cultivation world now lacks one of it’s pillars. But little did they know, our fashion king had a disciple, someone capable of honoring his legacy in many ways.

While we all grief, a new icon rises.

And I’m here to prove that Nie Huaisang deserves his late brother’s title not only because Mingjue’s no longer serving looks -may his fashionable soul rest in peace-, but because Huaisang has always been a stylish icon on his own.

I mean, this look right here is enough proof:

 Huaisang has quite a lot of robes, and they are all so different, I decided to compile them chronologically:

1. the “assigned fashionable at birth”one

Look at this small bean with his cream-colored robes. Whoever chose this color for him did a great job, though it’s a bit weird that they looked at baby Mingjue and went “all you’ll wear is dark gray from now on” and then Huaisang was born and “cream it is!” And we don’t really see anybody else from the Nie sect wearing this color, I wonder if it has anything to do with Huaisang’s mom, or if it’s just for the dark\light color contrast,  the two young masters can’t possibly wear the same colors, it would ruin the aesthetic.

 It looks just like his main-possibly-stay-at-home-robes, like he just really loved this especific set and had a lot of other robes that looked just the same growing up.

Really small, really cute, makes you want to carry him around saying: look at my baby, he’s so stylish!

2. the “good old Gusu days” one

This is like a uniform, there’s nothing really special about it. But I’d like to point out two things:

One: the silver embroidery on the shoulders and the silver on his waist belt matches the pristine white of his robes really well.

Two: look how wide his shouders look, there you go, Huaisang, keeping the Nie shoulder game strong!

3. The “it’s called fashion, dage” one

Cream-colored again! It embodies teen!Huaisang’s aesthetic perfectly: it’s expensive, it’s pretty, it looks comfortable, but it’s minimalistic.

I mean, I have no idea if it is actually expensive, but it surely looks expensive.

It has no discernable patterns, but the fabric just looks so good, look at the texture. It looks warm and heavy (rip Ji Li). And it’s pleated, look at him! Everything about this one screams rich-carefree-spoiled-delicate-pretty-gongzi.

And well, we see him strolling around and getting in trouble instead of going straight home in this robes, then on Fatal Journey we see him painting landscapes instead of practicing and claiming he doesn’t want to become the Nie sect leader in this very set of robes. Maybe he has indeed been wearing similar robes since his childhood and wants to, you know, go back to when things were as simple as taking the long way home coming back from Gusu.

4. the “didn’t really engage on the war but needed to look good regardless” one

This one is so pretty, y’all. It’s silver and white and gray, the brothers  are matching with their disciples’ robes, you won’t find a Sect with a superior fashion sense.

I can totally understand why he didn’t change to some post-Sunshot robes. Imagine looking this good at home, with none of your friends or disciples or brother to see you. Nope. This robes belong to a banquet, even one as unpleasing and akward as this one.

(They technically saw him, since he wore the same robes while they were planning the whole Sunshot thing, but no one was paying attention to it, right? And you can’t let such a nice look go to waste)

One of my favorites, for sure. It even matches his fan. It’s peak aesthetic.

5. the “I’m only here for the food and the drama” one

I didn’t really like this one at first. It looked kinda futuristic in my head, you know? It’s probably just the really structured fabric and the color, but It was a bit too much.

But now, looking at it as I take screenshots, I like them. It’s bold and fierce and remember the shoulder accessories being a code for battle? Well, I doubt Huaisang shot a single arrow that day, but he was supposed to be competing, so it makes a lot of sense that he’s dressed like this while his brother is wearing his pretty, dark yet lighter civillian robes to watch him.

He’s even wearing epaulettes (well, I trust that that’s the name) that matches the ones Mingjue wore with his Sunshot robes! Are they the same pair? Did he borrow it? Or do they secretly comission the same robes and accessories  and wear them on alternate occasions?

These are the most battle-coded (and at the same time is not battle-coded at all, it’s too ostentatious) robes we see him wearing until now, and he is representing his sect at the hunt, he has to look like a proper heir that is capable of fighting, whether he likes it or not - and judging by how unenthusiastic he was during the opening shoot-the-wen-prisioners ceremony, I’d say he was not enjoying it at all-.

But it’s such a cool look, I really like it now.

6. the “he will throw hands with a non-corporeal entity while giving his big brother all the love and understanding he deserves” one

 This may look like the same robes we usually wears at home, but they lack the pleated part and I don’t think his long sleeves would fit inside his wirst thingy, which I now know it’s called a vambrace or a bracer,  they were quite wide sleeves.

Anyway, we again have his minimalistic aesthetic. No patterns, the only addition being the outer robe that realy looks like the one Mingjue wears with his stay-at-home robes, except with no sleeves; and the bracers\vambraces.

But look how different this looks in comparison with the previous one; he wasn’t fighting shit in those pompous silver robes, but he was so determined here, ready to face anything. This is the difference between a battle-coded look and a battle-codded Huaisang.

It’s practical, it’s pretty, looks comfortable and it’s perfect for scolding your older brother then comforting him because he gets emotional when people argue with him, ok?

Huaisang is the best younger brother, fight me

8.the “sad, sad” one

I’ll just say that the inner robes are really similar to the one Mingjue wears with his stay-at-home robes, though they are not the same. Perhaps my theory that they did comission a lot of similar itens is correct after all.

I don’t think this look is particularly good, and the context surely doesn’t help at all, but it’s interesting to see him in gray and black.

 Overall, I hate it here.

9. the “somehow even worse” one

Look, if I had to compile all his outfits, I had to include this one. But there’s nothing to say about it except just looking at him wearing it makes me sad.

10. the “you didn’t see that coming, did you?” one

This one here is a trick, ok? At this point of the story we have no idea of what’s going on and if this misterious person is important or not; all we know is that he is quite fond of patterns and dark clothing. And that he has some money.

But damn, once we find out who this is, it instantly becomes something else entirely. 

It’s so fucking DARK!! It’s Wei Wuxian’s kind of dark, it’s crazy to think our boy Huaisang, who’s been wearing light grays, white and cream all his life would come up with something like that. It doesn’t even look Nie, and that’s probably what he was going for, y’know, so no one could recognize him and all of that.

But jesus, this look is just wow.  It’s perfect for a scheming mastermind, even though we don’t really know about it yet. The scales pattern is really nice and I love when he wears this sort of robe, with the fitted sleeves and the extra fabric at the shoulders. The flame (I think) pattern is nice too, though it’s a bit too much here, just a bit. But he seems to like this pattern a lot, so let him have it

And the craziest part is: we know these robes. And i’ve seen a couple of posts about them, it’s the same inner robe he wore at the Phoenix Mountain night hunt competition, almost 16 years ago. 

Like what are these robes made of??

11. the “sneaky, sneaky” one

The famous Nie pattern, am I right?

I love all theories about this one and as I took the screenshots, I noticed how his inner robe is the same as robe number 8. Huaisang says no to excessive buying, please reuse your clothes!

I’m particularly fond of the theory that Nie Mingjue comissioned robes for both his didi and his boyfriend Xichen, but I can accept that Huaisang just inherited his brother’s robes, though the flame pattern (once again proving we won’t guess Huaisang is behind everything not even after seeing him wearing the same patterns as in episode one twice) at the bottom is definetly a Huaisang thing.

I really like how heavy it looks, and the black thin stripe.We know it’s the same pattern as Xichen’s robe but seeing it combined with the back and light gray of the Nies really gives it a distinct identity.

12. the “and the oscar goes to...” one

Look at him, all innocent-looking placing all the chess pieces on their right places. Gotta love director Nie.  And it makes so much sense that he would wear something as light as this robes for this moment. He wore light colors for most of his youth, when he was carefree and naive and harmless; he cultivated a reputation of being dependent, fearful and stupid even. In this moment, more than ever, he needs people to believe this is exactly who he is, and what’s the best way of doing it?

Yes, reminding them of your old self. All he does is pretend and lie while he cries and faints.  A director and an actor too!

Throw yourself at your brother’s sworn brothers trying to look harmless while annoying the hell out of them? check.

Faint conveniently as your brother’s murderer lies at your face about killing said brother because even you have limits and you can’t watch that fuckery and not want to murder him right there? check.

Pretend to be stupid while conducting the protagonist and pretty much everybody else to ask the right questions and therefore unmask the terrible things your nemesis did?  also check.

And the robes are really pretty, look at the texture at the bottom right!! Silver and white go really well together. Wide, wide sleeves and this heavy-looking fabric. Superb, really, one of my favorites again.

And look at him carrying his saber (which he  probably left at Pier Lotus later)!

13. the “...and cut!” one

Look at these robes and tell me they don’t absolutely look like something Nie Mingjue would wear. You know he would. 

And it’s such a contrast to his previous robes. The white and silver one for looking innocent and lost and funny; the dark gray to look like a serious sect leader who will endorse the accusations against his enemy (Ok, he did act confused and lost and innocent in these robes, but he also showed real shock and grief and sadness, he did show his true feelings too)

He’s honoring his brother here, he did it, he brought justice to him, he defeated his brother’s murderer.  He spent years wanting and waiting for this moment, it’s only fair he would do so while looking so much like his beloved older brother.

I love everything about this look. The color palette is almost the same as the one robe his brother wore to the post-Sunshot campaign banquet. The dark,shining gray, the black, the thin bronze\golden stripe at the collar. Even that extra overlaid fabric at the bottom front of his robes is the same as Mingjue used to wear. Beautiful, really.

He would be really proud of you, I hope you know that, Huaisang.

14. the “I may or may not steal your chief cultivator status, watch out Wangji” one

I know he would never steal Wangji’s post, cql!NHS doesn’t even want it; but like, we deserved Chief cultivator!Huaisang, right? So it was worth the joke, I think.

The inner light gray robe yet AGAIN, I suspect this is his favorite inner robe.

We have some bold patterns here, so elegant. I really like when he wears this kind of outer robe, accentuating his shoulders, suits him really well, And this is such a Nie color palette, just like the previous one. In fact, Huaisang wears way more dark colors than we give him credit for. Especially after becoming sect leader. 

Sleeve game on point too, really long. And it matches his fan as well.

Lovely look, I wish we could have seen more.

In conclusion: 

King of versatility, resusing 16 year-old robes AND looking damn good while doing it! He looks good scheming, he looks good lying, he looks good fainting, he even looks good tricking people into stabbing other people!

 Name a more iconic king, I’ll wait.

[koganegawasimp]

Hello! I’m so happy about how my request had turned out! I noticed how you said you would live some poly seijoh requests... that would’ve have been apart of my last one but I didn’t think you wrote for that. So! What I’m saying is, how about you write some of your own poly seijoh headcanons! Anything you’d like! I really love those boys and would kill to read it! 🤍🤍

Hi!! I loved writing these so much oh my god!! I also added to my rules that I’ll write for poly relationships!! I kind of went a little bit overboard with this, and I wasn’t 100% sure about how to end it, but I hope you enjoy!! I tried to write an equal amount about each boy but I feel like I didn’t write as much for Iwa but oh well. And thank you SO MUCH for requesting them I love them so much!! (There’s a part two now, you can find it right here!

Poly Seijoh Third Years

Word Count: 3000 words (...yeah)

Warnings: some timeskip spoilers, proceed with caution if you don’t know their timeskip occupations

You’ve all been very good friends since first year, and are practically inseparable

Since you’re all a pretty popular friend group, there are a lot of people who have crushes on you guys and end up confessing

But none of you ever end up accepting any confessions, which leads to some rumors about how you’re all hooking up or how some of you are dating

And I mean the rumors are at least a little bit based in reality; I mean no one can miss how Makki and Mattsun walk around with their pinkies practically interlaced, or how Iwaizumi always buys you and Oikawa lunch and snacks, or how Oikawa stares at Makki in class when he thinks no one is looking, or how Mattsun teases you in the hallways, or how you all borderline cuddle in public whenever one of you have a bad day

You’re all hanging on a precipice between friendship and dating, and everyone’s too terrified of making a move and risking “the end of your friendship” (even though I don’t think any of them would actually end a friendship over a crush)

One night after their practice, you’re all hanging out at Oikawa’s house

The fast food you got earlier is strewn all over the coffee table, and everyone’s draped all over the living room furniture while you watch (heckle) shitty horror movies

Oikawa is sitting in Mattsun’s lap, Makki’s head is on your thighs, Iwaizumi has his arm flung over your and Mattsun’s shoulders

It’s somehow both incredibly calm and comforting, as well as tense

Out of basically nowhere, Mattsun picks up the remote and pauses the movie

“Hey, is everything ok?” Iwaizumi asks, clearly very concerned.

Mattsun just sucks in a deep breath

“Hey, I really like you guys” he finally says

“Uh yeah I sure hope so? We’re best friends it would kind of suck if you couldn’t stand us” Makki laughs nervously

“Not like that dumbass. I mean I like you like I want to be able to hold hands with you guys and kiss you and go on dates that we actually call dates instead of just ‘hang outs’ you know?”

Everyone breathes out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding

“Oh thank god, I was so worried I was reading all the signs wrong” Oikawa says

You just kind of sit in silence for a little longer, it’s a lot to process! You just found out that your friends all want to date you, and you want to date them too!

“So...does this mean we’re all...dating now??”

Everyone just kind of nods in agreement and in an incredibly anticlimactic fashion, you all just go back to watching the movie

So now you’re all officially dating!

Literally no one at school is surprised

Going from a platonic friend group to a romantic polyamorous relationship is incredibly smooth

It’s basically the same as it was before, but now you hold hands walking around school, and you kiss each other goodbye, and you finally get to tell each other how you feel about them whenever you want, and Oikawa stares at Makki in class without caring about who’s watching (once they got detention because they were literally blowing each other kisses in the middle of Calculus. You and Mattsun found it absolutely hilarious. Iwaizumi was not amused.)

You also all had a pretty long talk at the very beginning about boundaries (communication is super important especially if your relationship has more than two people!!)

Everyone is on a different level of comfort when it comes to PDA, but they’re all ok with at least some of it

Oikawa is the most comfortable and oh my god he is so clingy

He will literally drape himself on top of you in public if he feels like he’s not getting enough attention

Hanamaki is in second, he has no shame and he really likes physical affection (I think one of his main love languages is physical touch) and he’s also really flirty (but more in goofy way)

He tends to stick to holding hands and cheek/forehead kisses, but he will occasionally pick you up and kiss you all over your face while calling you his “personal ray of sunshine” to make you giggly and embarrassed

Matsukawa is in third, he is also pretty shameless but he does prefer being affectionate at home and in private

He does almost always have his arm around someone’s shoulder or waist, and sometimes he’ll just hug you from behind and rest his head on your shoulder while you’re in the middle of a conversation

Iwaizumi is the least comfortable with it, but he still likes it!! He’s just worried that he’ll end up making the people around you uncomfortable if you’re all too affectionate

He likes it when you lay your head on his shoulder whenever you’re both sitting down

Also, because there’s so much communication and because you’ve all been close to each other, there’s almost never any jealousy or fighting

Even when there are arguments and fights, it’s almost always resolved by the end of the day, and there are no hard feelings after the fact

You all go on dates every weekend! Oikawa likes going on super fancy and romantic dinner dates, Hanamaki likes amusement park dates, Matsukawa loves arcade dates (once you all had a laser tag date and it was incredibly fun but also so competitive that you almost got kicked out) and Iwaizumi actually really loves museum and aquarium dates

Whenever you guys don’t really feel like going out for a date you just watch movies together at home while cuddling

Once Iwaizumi tricked Mattsun and Oikawa into studying by promising a “study date” which actually just ended up being Iwa yelling at both of them to focus

Also sometimes some of you will go on dates with only two or three of you (you all have a groupchat, and everytime there’s a date like that everyone on the date spams the groupchat with cute date pictures)

Pet names! There are so many pet names!

They use such a wide variety of pet names on you and each other, Iwa usually sticks to the classic ones like baby, Makki calls you sweetheart (both in a genuine way and to be a little shit), Mattsun calls you gorgeous/handsome, and Oikawa has SO MANY names for you (sunshine, prince/princess, angel, my love, etc.)

Once Mattsun called Oikawa his “handsome prince” as a joke and Oikawa blushed SO hard (he never lived that one down)

Whenever you all have sleepovers it is so soft and wholesome oh my god

They’re all so so cuddly

Oikawa is definitely a little spoon BFDBGBSG he just really likes being held! He genuinely loves how safe and warm and at home he feels in your arms

Hanamaki likes sleeping on his stomach with his head on your chest so he can hear your heartbeat

Matsukawa is a little bit of a starfish, so he’s always just super spread out. He usually ends up just kind of draping his limbs on top of everyone else

Iwaizumi sleeps like a koala! He will fully wrap his whole body around one person, and it’s somehow both incredibly comforting and a little bit suffocating

It doesn’t really matter how you guys are positioned when you fall asleep, when you wake up in the morning you’re all just a huge tangle of limbs

Getting up is a challenge because in addition to being stuck in the middle of a bunch of ridiculously tall dudes, you have to deal with Iwa holding you hostage and Oikawa whining about how he just wants to stay in bed all day

Makki is absolutely the type of person who would fart and trap you under the covers while cackling maniacally

Mattsun has the WORST morning breath but he also loves sleepy morning kisses

When Oikawa wakes up before you, he likes to turn around in your arms and play with your hair and watch your face, he just thinks you look so peaceful and happy in your sleep!

Lazy mornings with them are the absolute BEST you can not convince me otherwise

Even after you’re all awake, you all just stay in bed cuddling until someone has to get up to pee or you’re just too hungry

Mattsun is such a good cook! He makes everyone a really nice breakfast!

Oikawa helps him out by decorating all the food, he definitely knows how to cut fruits into like flower shapes and all that fancy shit

Once graduation rolls around, you’re really worried that you’ll all grow apart and break up once you’re all in college and actually working

But they’re all quick to reassure you that they all love you so much and they’re all willing to try and make the relationship work

You all go to college pretty close to each other, so instead of moving into a dorm, you just get an apartment together

Some of your parents are worried that you’re all moving too fast, and that you’ve only been together for just over a year, but you’ve all been this close for such a long time that moving in together just feels natural

Speaking of parents, not all of your parents were really 100% accepting of this relationship

But over time, everyone can see how happy you make each other, and eventually accept it

So anyway, now you’re all officially living together!

It doesn’t really change your relationship much, besides doing chores and getting ready in the morning together

Everyone divides up chores pretty evenly between the five of you

Matsukawa still cooks for everyone, and sometimes if he’s feeling really sweet he’ll pack lunches for everyone

Oikawa usually requests being on laundry duty, something about it is super comforting and relaxing for him

Getting ready in the morning is...interesting to say the least

Iwaizumi wakes up at the asscrack of dawn to go for a run, and usually drags Oikawa out of bed to go with him

Mattsun gets up around half an hour later to make breakfast

Makki stays in bed as long as possible, usually until Mattsun announces that breakfast is ready

Oikawa and Iwa get home sometime while Matsukawa is in the middle of cooking, and take a quick shower (once they did not shower before breakfast and the rest of you complained about how much they stank the whole time BFGFBFDBGH)

You all sit down to breakfast and talk and laugh and joke around until someone points out that you’ve all gotta leave in twenty minutes

After that it’s a mad rush to get dressed, brush your hair and teeth, and do the whole rest of your morning routines

On weekends or any days where you’re all free, it’s a lot more relaxed, Iwa and Oikawa stay in bed with the rest of you until past 10 a.m

Also speaking of showers! They all really like taking showers with you (NOT in a sexual way, it’s just really cute and domestic) as long as you’re comfortable with it!

When Oikawa tells you all that he’s moving away to pursuit volleyball, he is in tears, and he’s terrified that your relationship won’t work out while he��s so far away

But you reassure him that you’ll all still love him no matter how far away he is

Long distance actually works out really well for you all

You keep the group chat going strong in his absence, you all send him pictures of your lives and he sends some back!

You also videocall him almost every single day

It feels almost as if he’s never left, since he’s still so involved in your life

He visits whenever he can, which is not as often as you’d like, but you all make the most of it

The years pass, you’re all still together, Iwa’s still lecturing Oikawa for staying up too late, Mattsun’s still making shitty puns constantly, Makki’s still posting the goofiest candid photos if everyone else, and you all love each other so much

Iwaizumi is such a stable and comforting presence, always checking to make sure that you’re feeling alright, holding you whenever you cry

He is pretty busy helping out the Japan team though, and Matsukawa also has work, so if you’re ever at home during the day you’re probably hanging out with Makki

Mattsun and Makki are constantly teasing each other about their respective professions (or lack thereof)

“Oi Mattsun, what’s it like spending your whole work day with dead people?”

“Oi Makki, what’s it like spending your whole work day-oh wait.”

When the Olympics roll around, you, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki go to support Oikawa (and Iwaizumi)

He looks a little bit nervous before the game, but the second his eyes fall on the three of you sitting right at the edge of the court, he visibly relaxes

The whole game, everyone around you is staring at you because of how loud you’re cheering, but you’re just so proud of them!

You take a moment to think about how much those four have changed since you met them as first years so long ago. If someone told you at that point that you would end up in a strong romantic relationship with them, you wouldn’t have believed it, but now looking at the guys you love, it feels like the most natural thing in the world

You can’t believe how far you’ve all come, and how happy you all are

When Oikawa finally sets up for the winning point, you all scream and run outside to meet up with him and Iwa

You run into Iwaizumi first, who tells you about how Oikawa’s swamped with fans

When you finally find him in the middle of a crowd, he makes eye contact with you and smiles, pushing through the crowd and coming straight for your little group

He pulls all four of you into a big group hug, everyone’s laughing and crying and taking pictures and screaming as you all just hold onto each other

Oikawa breaks the hug first, and takes a few steps back, before getting down on one knee

[symphonicmetal101]

Brother Bonding(?) HCs

^^

Lucifer

Mammon

He and Mammon have a bit of a complicated relationship, in that Mammon is always getting into trouble, and Lucifer always has to get him out of it, and then takes it upon himself to scold him for getting them into trouble. However, there are times when Lucifer helps Mammon pull pranks on the other brothers, under the condition that Mammon doesn't tell anyone, otherwise he loses Goldie permanently. The pranks are well executed, and often the blame is but on Belphie or Satan instead.

Levi

We know that Lucifer is responsible for Levi's obsession with Ruri-chan and anime as a whole. Lucifer is often concerned for Levi, as he is familiar with self-doubt, and sympathizes with Levi's constant stream of it. He tries to set aside at least one day a month where he will rewatch old anime with Levi, listen to his spiels, and leave him an allowance to use however he would like. If Lucifer is too busy with paperwork, he'll invite Levi to his office and ask him about the latest games and mangas, even if he isn't listening the entire time.

Satan

Ah, this is a little more complicated. Truthfully, they don't spend much time together. However, if Satan happens to mention a book he wanted, even offhandedly, Lucifer will make sure it ends up in Satan's possession somehow, even if it's through MC. Satan notices this, and as much as he wants to hate Lucifer, those days he makes an extra effort to try and not tease or humiliate Lucifer. It's almost like a silent truce.

Asmo

Yeah, yeah, Asmo paints everyone's nails. But Asmo also knows massage and aromatherapy. When Lucifer is particularly stressed, he'll take it upon himself to try and help him relax. If he has the patience, Lucifer will listen to Asmo explain the science between different scents and how they help the mind and body. Sometimes Asmo isn't sure if Lucifer is actually listens, but within three days of their chats, he finds a small package on his bed with different oils, and a note that says, "I look forward to learning what these oils can do." - Lucifer

Beel

Beel likes to cook, bake, etc. Because Lucifer is always on the go, Beel tries to come up with meals that are easy to walk around with. Lucifer is always the one Beel asks to taste test, (if Beel manages to resist eating the entire thing himself), because Lucifer will give him an honest opinion. It's rare that Lucifer has anything but praise for Beel, but on the off chance he doesn't, he'll walk him through a couple of ideas he could do to improve it, and Beel will deliver.

Note: this is also how Beel found out that Lucifer has the lowest spice tolerance out of the brothers, and he is not to mention it to anyone.

Belphie

Another relationship that serves to be more complex. Lucifer often finds himself wanting to reconcile with Belphie, almost to restore the kind of relationship they had when they were angels. But when you lock someone in an attic against their will, (even if it was to protect them), they tend to hold a grudge. Again, they don't really spend time together unless Beel is present, but Lucifer tries to help Belphie in little ways, like switching his linens weekly, fluffing his pillows, making sure he actually makes it to a bed when he goes to sleep. Belphie just assumes it's Beel doing these things though, and Lucifer lets him. He hopes one day Belphie will realize how much he really does care for him.

Mammon

Levi

They usually don't get along, mostly because of financial issues between them. However, when they are able to put that aside, they can actually enjoy each others company. Mammon has a lot of energy, and Levi likes video games. As a compromise, they regularly play games such as DDR or Just Dance. The whole time, they will insult each other, but lovingly.

Satan

Satan will actively look for books on finance, budgeting, business, etc. To help Mammon. He pitches it as ways to help him get rich, and they will spend hours together trying to form a business plan. While Mammon doesn't usually have the patience, for the sake of spending time with his little brother, he pushes through. Satan usually does this only after one of Mammon's bigger schemes fell through, or when Lucifer tells Mammon to stop.

Asmo

These guys both model. Mammon will set aside some money and time to go spend with Asmo on clothes, accessories, etc. Mammon is just as skilled behind the camera as he is in front of it, so whenever Asmo wants to model, doesn't matter where, Mammon is ready. Sometimes when they've planned their outing with enough notice, Mammon will have saved enough money to buy something for Asmo.

Beel

Whenever Beel is cooking for himself, he usually adds a lot seasonings. Sometimes, it's in hopes that spice will slow him down. Other times it's because he really likes the food, but has almost become desensitized to the taste😥 however, when he makes these batches of food, he'll sometimes invite Mammon to join him. Mammon has an ungodly high tolerance for spice, at least when he's eating. (His stomach may or may not suffer later). Mammon sometimes foolishly challenges Beel to a speed eating contest. Beel tries to decline; he just wants to eat, and he does not want to watch Mammon give himself indigestion or heartburn, but Mammon, persistent as ever, will try and eat as many servings of Beel's food as quickly as possible. This is one of the few times Beel doesn't get mad, he just watches with mild amusemeny and concern.

Belphie

Belphie and Mammon are surprisingly close, despite being complete foils of eacb other. Mammon has lots of energy, Belphie has none. Mammon likes to go out, Belphie likes to stay in. However, building forts? Hell yes, Belphie has enough energy for that. They usually build pillow and blanket forts in the observatory. Belphie will direct Mammon in how to build it for the most amount of comfort. Usually they'll just end up plugging in their headphones and listening to their own music in each other's company until they fall asleep and/or Beel joins them.

Levi

Satan

Levi introduced Satan to VR, and their relationship has taken a turn for the better since then. Satan is more interested in medical simulators and animal simulation games. Levi once made the mistake of playing Mario Kart with Satan, and his room was left in shambles, so now they only do sims to avoid the competition with other players. Satan also likes to play Among Us, as it gives him a chance to flex his detective skills. His self-control is much better with this, for whatever reason.

Asmo

Levi and Asmo are constantly at odds. Not like Mammon, but Asmo cringes every time he sees the way Levi is sitting, every time he hears Levi has ruined his sleep schedule, and every time he sees him sleeping in tje goddamn bathtub. Yes, it has lots of pillows, but none of them are really good for support. He is constantly trying to get Levi to at least stretch or do yoga every once in a while, as well as sit properly in his chair. These stretching session are also when Levi starts to talk about the next cosplay he's working on, which Asmo will undoubtedly want to help with.

(Ik that its implied that Levi taught Asmo how to sew and stuff, but that hc is everywhere, otherwise I would elaborate. It's really cute though.)

Beel

Although Levi spends a lot of his time in his room, he is still the Grand Admiral of Hell's Navy. He does dedicate some time to working out, and when he does, he does it with Beel, because he knows Beel will help keep him on track. Beel is also Levi's biggest source of encouragment. Levi thanks Beel in mass quantities of food from Akuzon later, sometimes in hopes of winning something from a draw, other times as a genuine thank you.

Belphie

Introvert buddies! Belphie doesn't really care for video games, Levi doesn't have the same speed as Mammon for building a pillow fort, but sometimes Belphie will ask to come into Levi's room to look at his aquarium. He finds it relaxing. They don't really talk to each other, they just enjoy each other's company. If Belphie is feeling curious or notices Levi is kind of upset, he'll start asking Levi about the different fish in his aquarium, which quickly cheers Levi up. Belphie's favourite thing about Levi though, is that he is usually awake the same time he is, helping him feel a little less lonely.

Satan

Asmo

I've mentioned this before in my random hcs post, but Asmo and Satan like to study astrology together. They find it fascinating in how accurate it can be, especially since they only get to see the *real* stars, moon, sun, and planets when they're in the human realm. Asmo actually introduced it to Satan, as he used to study it in the Celestial Realm as well.

Beel

Beel is constantly coming up with new recipes, so Satan documents them all for him. He'll be a scribe, while Beel tells him exactly what he's doing the whole time. The other brothers don't know, (Beel asked to keep t a secret), but Satan has helped Beel publish 3 cookbooks already.

Satan also attends Beel's games whenever possible, and Beel has attended Satan's debate team or sometimes book club meetings whenever possible. Because Satan and Belphie are close, so are Satan and Beel.

Belphie

>:)

They are constantly coming up with ways to inconvenience Lucifer, which is their main form of bonding. However, Belphie also taught Satan the constellations when they were younger, so now they will often go stargazing together. Satan doesn't remember, but he used to make up stories about the constellations, and Belphie has a written record of all of them. Sometimes, Belphie will retell the stories from memory to see if Satan recognizes it, but to no avail. Instead Satan will tell another story he has read about the stars. They tell each other stories and stargaze until they fall asleep.

Asmo

Beel

Beel will do warm ups with Asmo; basic stretches, a jog, etc. They will sometimes do yoga together. However, Beel works out a lot, and sometimes his muscles get sore, so Asmo gets to work. Being around Asmo brings out the gossip girl in Beel, so while Asmo is giving him a massage, he's also getting all the tea from all the clubs that Beel is a part of. Beel is very careful with his delivery, but he trusts Asmo to never spin his words the wrong way and to use the new info for good.

Belphie

Asmo has his own fashion line. He often asks Belphie to rate the comfort of his clothes, as he wants them to be fashionable, functional, and comfortable. Belphie never pulls his punches, and Asmo is grateful for the honest criticism. However, sometimes it does get on his nerves, but Belphie makes up for it later by getting Asmo new linens, often silk, because Belphie knows Asmo's preferences. Asmo always asks him where he finds it, but Belphie never answers.

Beel + Belphie

These two can bond almost over anything. However, one of their favorite things to do together is make Quetzalcoatl brain soup. Belphie stays awake long enough to remind Beel to leave some for him.

(My brain just left me here to rot apparently, I'm sorry.)

Oof

Masterlist

[princess-of-inarizaki]

this is so random but can you do a fluff headcanon of seeing his s/o in a kimono for Sakusa, Suna, and Atsumu. And maybe kuroo, komori, and kita too I watch this todomomo CD drama the other day where the two saw each other in festival and they're like so cute frickin' cute todoroki compliment Momo, being kinda open towards her, and Momo just being really soft and cute makes me giggle and smile.

AHHH that is just such a good idea. I'm always so soft when they see each other wearing yukata's or kimono's at festivals. I only wish they had that sorta stuff where I live too 😭🤚💕💕💕✨

And omg yghhhh todomomo is such a cute ship, like I genuinely adore them both so much >:(

The boys seeing their cute s/o in a kimono

Characters: Atsumu, Kita, Suna, Kuroo, Sakusa

Warnings: none

Atsumu

Okay so Atsumu would definitely be extremely smooth. like he's internally freaking out and thinking you look so adorable!! but on the outside he's just trying to play it cool so you don't catch on.

His eyes would literally not leave you and he's just taking in how you look the entire time.

“yer ready ta go babe?” with this hot ass smirk on his face.

You're just blushing and you nod and follow him, your geta making sounds beneath you.

When you reach there, you're buying takoyaki, and you ask him if he wants some.

He ends up eating almost everything, like what the heck, man?

Apologizes and buys you more.

Would definitely try to show off and win you stuff at the festival to prove how manly™ he is, and also hopes he impresses you in the process.

“hey babe, watch me win this for you” and he's having a full-fledged war with the kid he's competing with.

He ends up winning and sticking his tongue out at the kid. Because it's basically canon that his mental age drops to 5 when he's competitive about things.

You just ruffle his hair and congratulate him.

Would definitely do the whole yawning and bringing you closer to him thing, when you've decided to take a break and rest.

He's trying to be slick, please don't call him out.

Your friends text you, telling you about the firecracker show and you ask Tsumu if he'd be okay to stay for that.

He practically jumps!! at the chance!! I mean, more time spent with you is always good :]

Asks if he can have your first kiss under the firecrackers. He's a consensual king

After you say yes, he'd just gently cup your face and lean down (WE LIVE FOR MFING HEIGHT DIFFERENCES!!) and kiss your lips gently at first, as the sky is filled with bursts of colour.

Y'all definitely end up making out but that's a different story

Walks you home after everything is over, and tells you how much he liked spending time with you on the way home.

“ya looked beautiful today, y/n-chan” and he has the shyest look on his face.

You kiss his nose and walk inside, leaving him flustered on your doorstep.

Kita

Plans this weeks in advance, after hearing about the festival, and musters up the courage to ask you to go with him.

You jump at the chance. At first you think the whole team is coming along, until a flustered Kita says “i hope it would just be the two of us.”

Your eyes widen and you're both just blushing messes looking at the ground.

You both arrive early, and laugh, seeing how you had the same idea to come a bit earlier.

He looks at you in the kimono and takes a few deep breaths before genuinely complimenting you in the most poetic way possible?

“your beauty is unrivalled, y/n-san. Even the brightest lamp is nothing when compared to the radiance you emit.”

And you're just so Mcfreaking flustered™?????? Like where did he learn how to make your heart go doki doki like that omg

You guys would probably be very rational about making your way around the festival.

Food first, and maybe we'll play some games later?

He definitely pays for everything ugh, such a gentleman, eventho you told him it was okay.

And old lady at one of the stalls flusters the two of you by saying he has such a pretty girlfriend.

And he just smiles, with flushed cheeks. Neither of you disagree.

It starts drizzling and the two of you find shelter under a tree.

You're a bit sad about how your kimono got a bit ruined after slipping in some mud, and he gently helps your roll the area up and wipes it with a tissue.

He also smiles and tries to crack a joke by saying “the clouds thought you were so beautiful, they started crying” as he gestured to the rain.

Although the fireworks show was cancelled, Kita wrapped his arms around you and kept you warm, as you talked so many things, whilst waiting for the rain to stop.

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise :)

He gently holds your hand at some point too, and plays with your fingers, pressing a small kiss to the back of your hand.

The rain finally stops and he walks you home, thanking you for spending time with him.

You take a deep breath and kiss him before entering your house, and he smiles through the kiss.

“i've always wanted to do that” he says softly, after kissing you gently again and waving goodbye.

Suna

Going out with Suna was definitely an impromtu plan of some sort. Like he just randomly texts you, asking if you want to go and you agree.

Definitely sends you a few memes about how he can't wait and begins to get ready.

You guys meet there and both of you are just so shocked at how the other looks.

Suna thinks you look gorgeous, and he tries to tell you in a teasing way. Much like Atsumu, he's trying to play it down when he's actually so flustered.

“hey dork, you don't look too bad”

You're not good at hiding your thoughts though, and you blurt out a rushed “Suna were you always this hot?” gesturing to his Yukata.

Y/n-chan I think you broke Suna.

He's just a flustered mess and he doesn't reply, instead saying he's hungry and buying something to eat. He buys one for you too, and suggests you guys walk and eat at the same time.

Definitely shows you memes and takes videos of you as the night progresses and the two of you loosen up and start doing dumb stuff.

Takes lots of pictures of you so he can document how pretty you look and keep it with him.

You pose for some, whilst some are just totally candid, with absolutely no pretense, your beauty in its natural glory.

Suna is just so whipped, and he knows he'll regret it if he doesn't tell you honestly, so he wipes some sauce off from the side of your lip and kisses you gently.

It's a quick peck, but it took lots of courage.

“i mean to tell you earlier, y/n, but you look beautiful in this kimono”

You smile, and he's just so super happy he got over his nerves.

“thank you Suna. I think you look amazing in your yukata” you say softly, as you run your fingers along the hem of it, feeling the soft material beneath your fingers.

The fireworks are just streaking bursts of colour across the sky, and you're looking into each others' eyes with so much adoration.

“just now's kiss was too short” you murmur softly as you capture him in a passionate kiss.

It gets really late, and you guys go home. He makes sure you're walking back with your friends before heading home himself.

Calls you after he reaches home and tells you he had an amazing night.

He definitely looks over all the pictures he took of you and makes one of them his lockscreen

Kuroo

I actually mean this if I could date any of the hq boys I would date Kuroo. He's such a sweetheart and I adore him to bits and pieces.

So Kuroo asks you to the festival with a bet. He's like “if Nekoma wins this match, you'll go on a date with me to the festival, kitten.”

And he has the hottest smirk on his face. Like stfu and leave some pretty for other men >:(

You're so flustered but you eventually agree.

No surprise that Nekoma wins both sets and it's mainly because Kuroo didn't let a single ball go past him, he was literally on fire.

So he's smiling and tells you he'll pick you up at 8.00.

I'm pretty sure Kuroo is a total gentlemen, so he meets your parents they totally love him and he's just waiting for you to come down when he sees how lovely you look in a kimono, and he's the literal embodiment of the 😍 emoji.

Like he can't tear his eyes off of you and you're getting so flustered, so you just drag him out of the house and to the festival.

“Such a dom, aren't you kitten?”

When you're at the festival he tries playing a game. He wants to win you something, so he's pretty serious and focused.

He ends up winning and he's all like “so I got reward for you. Do I get a reward from you?” and he's just lowering his face to meet yours.

So you grudgingly kiss his cheek but you definitely loved it, ok?

He definitely buys food and will not eat any of it unless you feed him.

Feeds you too, and takes cute selfies to post on his Instagram.

You guys end up taking a lot of selfies together and trying out all the cute filters. Kuroo's favourite picture is one of you looking at him whilst talking to him, your eyes super bright, and he's just smiling for the camera, but his eyes are on you.

Makes it his phone wallpaper on the spot, to your delight.

Informs you of a fireworks show happening in a little while, and settles down to find an empty place to enjoy it.

Wraps as arm around you because it's apparently "cold" and "your kimono won't keep you warm like his arms will"

You complain but secretly love it.

He then goes full-on nerd more and explains the science behind fireworks, whilst the colours are filling the night sky.

But he soon goes quiet after seeing the colours reflected in your eyes. He's so shy, and he literally can't help himself, he kisses your lips softly.

You guys totally smile into the kiss ugh this is so cute.

Takes you home responsibly and thanks you and your parents before leaving.

Sends you a thank you text before falling asleep, dubbing the night he saw you in a kimono "the best night of his life, to date"

I'm gonna cry Kuroo is so important to me, I love him so much.

Sakusa

Okay in my opinion, you'll have to be the one asking Sakusa out. He'll be super moody about it, but internally, he's dying to go.

You arrive at his doorstep to pick him up and he's just blushing at how cute you look in the kimono.

Like wow aight thank God I'm wearing a mask because this blush is fresh as heck +_+

Silently passes you a tube of hand sanitizer and you're so confused.

“if you put this on, we'll be able to hold hands.”

You're close to dying, no one has ever been able to touch Sakusa's hands, or hand sanitizer before. So you eagerly put it on, and intertwine your soft hands with his.

He's just so touch starved, so he holds your hand tighter as you guys make your way to the festival.

Sakusa hates it there. He waits for you to buy food before finding a secluded area to get away from the crowds.

You're also kinda glad you'll get to spend some time alone with him, so you aren't complaining.

You guys talk about lots of things, you definitely being the more flirty one in the conversation.

You suddenly muster up the guys to tug his mask down softly, seeing his pink cheeks and soft smile.

“can I kiss you?” you ask gently, eyes fixated on his lips.

“yes” he breathlessly replies, as your lips make your way to his, the sky is lit with fireworks, but the two of you hardly notice.

Your hand is tangled in his soft curly hair, and you're both blushing messes.

He walks you back, this time, and thanks you for spending a wonderful night out with him.

Low-key feels bad that you didn't get to enjoy the festival properly, so he tries to make it up to you by buying you lunch the next day. Very wholesome 10/10

[Ari's note: AHHHHH This was such a whirlwind to write it actually took me so long so I hope you enjoy this <3]

Taglist: @k-sakusa-old

[theyreonlynoodlesmike]

hello lovely maybe a fic where the reader is friends with all the boys and with david, not because they like each other but just because he’s the leader and he called dibs when he saw a pretty girl, and maybe after seeing how much marko swoons over her he gives up his pride just one time for the first time ever to let them be together instead of keeping her for himself 😳 just thought that would be cute, thanks in advance :)

Honestly, I love the idea of David doing something for his boys!! Here you go I hope you like it!!!!

You Can Have Her (Marko x Fem!reader) fic

Warnings: none

Word count:

It had been a few weeks since you'd first waltzed into the boys lives. You were pretty, pretty enough to catch David's eye. He'd decided not to eat you, simply because they were missing some eye candy in their group. And, quickly, they realized that you weren't just a pretty face.

He was the leader, so he got to call dibs. And he did. But that didn't mean he didn't notice just how much Marko seemed to fawn over you. How Marko seemed to even be...disregarding his claim. Challenging him.

It was never outright. Marko would buy you food, the two of you perhaps sharing a little bit. David recalled just last night how the two of you had shared some cotton candy, giggling over something the two of you had seen on your walk to go get it. He would offer to take you the arcade, and Paul would join the pair of you for some fun. But David always noticed how Marko seemed to be just slightly disappointed that his usual partner in crime was tagging along. Almost as if he wanted the alone time with you. But did he argue? Never. Especially not when David and Dwayne decided to come with too. If Marko wanted to play a game, David would too.

Marko would take a step forward, and so would David. If anything, it almost excited the platinum blonde. He loved games, and he loved competition. If Marko thought he could win you over first, he was definitely going down. He started flirting with you more, and, for once, David almost couldn't read the other vampire.

He saw the way Marko stared whenever he would subtly flirt with you. How hard the curly haired blonde would watch as David brushed your hair behind your ear. How you would blush and shoo his hand away, telling him that he was "such a player". David would smirk, and quip back,

"I'm just being friendly, sweetheart." He assured, but you knew he was full of shit. You were aware David had called dibs, even if the two of you didn't quite mesh. While you were friends with all of them, it was clear which one of the boys was willing to take it further than just friends. Even if it was just because he'd thought you were hot. However, a certain blonde had caught your eyes.

The way he smiled at you. How happy he seemed to be whenever he was around you. How the two of you seemed to be able to talk about anything. How he seemed to actually like you.

Like a piece of rope, the two of them were yanking you back and forth. The second Marko tried anything even resembling flirting, David would pull you back. Invite himself to whatever the two of you were going to do. Make sure to flirt with you and perhaps, just perhaps, make you consider what it would be like to be his. It had been going on for a short while, and you were starting to feel like perhaps the two of them needed to sort things out.

Until David finally realized. You and Marko were standing underneath the bright lights of the boardwalk. The two of you were talking about something, honestly anything, when David had saw something. Sure, he'd seen it as a game before. A simple tug of war that would eventually lead to him getting you. But he'd seen the look in Markos eyes when you'd started rambling on and on. The way his eyes softened. How a small smile had come over his features. How he seemed to not even realize that he was reaching out to pull you closer. Away from the crowd and more towards him. He was practically swooning, and suddenly David realized that perhaps this wasn't a game. Perhaps he'd been wrong. He watched the two of you talk, really talk. He seemed so enamored with you, and David felt just an inkling of guilt. David wasn't cruel, at least not towards his own boys. Their childish game had never been one in the first place. Marko genuinely liked you. Perhaps even wanted to make you his mate. And David had gotten in the way of that.

Finally, after a minute, he decided something. For once in his life, David was going to let someone else win. That night, David hadn't tried anything. He had even gotten the others to stay back when Marko tried to get you alone. He'd invited you to go on some rides, and David wasn't surprised when you accepted. Marko had glanced back at the blonde, almost as if he was expecting David to finally decide to join them. But he didn't. He watched as the two of them walked off, and saw how Marko seemed to pull you just a bit closer as the two of you walked.

David wasn't surprised when the two of you were giggling like a couple of kids when you came back, or when Marko reached out to thumb your cheek. David didn't need to be a mind reader to guess what had happened during your extended time alone.

He didn't need to be a mind reader to guess that Marko had finally made a move. A solid, undeniable move. One that David hadn't been there to undermine or interrupt. One that Paul couldn't make a joke out of. And one that Dwayne wouldn't give him a warning look for. He'd threw out his line, and apparently you had bitten.

It was that night that Marko decided to come clean.

"Um, David?" The boy asked, looking surprisingly unsure. David didn't even seem bothered, and he didn't lift his eyes from his book.

"Yeah?" He responded, and then he waited. Marko seemed to be taking his time, and his voice was almost small as he said,

"You don't like y/n, do you? I mean- Not really, right?" Marko asked, and David had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. He placed his book down, and his glare was flat. Marko almost looked like he regretted even asking, until David said,

"You can have her."

[bucky-of-the-opera]

Just Desserts

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: A dessert thief brings about the unlikely duo of Bucky Barnes and Y/N

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1,800ish

A/N: This is for mermaidxatxheart’s 500 Followers Writing Challenge! This takes place at the Avengers Compound in an alternate universe where they all live together. My prompt is “They told me you’re the guy to see.” “For what?” “Murder.”

The beeping from your alarm woke you from your slumber. And the warmth of your bed was so soothing that you almost turned the thing off and went back to sleep. Almost. But skipping one of Captain America’s mandatory training sessions was like signing your own death warrant. One of the other recruits had once made the mistake of arriving late for training, and was asked to stay behind afterwards. To this day, no one knows what Captain America said or did to the recruit, but that was the last day he was seen at the compound. So, you begrudgingly rolled out of bed. 

The day consisted of intense endurance training that had your body aching by the end of it. One hot bath later, and you were back in your comfortable pajamas, walking to the kitchen designated for the recruits. There was a slice of pie sitting in the refrigerator that you had been saving, and it was calling your name. 

You pulled the door open and grabbed the container. It felt lighter than you remembered. You removed the lid to find a note in place of the pie. 

Pie will interfere with your training regimen.

— S. Wilson

P.S. It was delicious

You crumpled up the paper, shoved it in your pocket, and stormed back to your room. There was no way Wilson was getting away with this, even if he was an Avenger. He was going to pay, and you were going to get help from the best to make sure of it.

The next morning, you marched into the main kitchen where you found the man you had been searching for: Bucky Barnes.

He was sitting at the table alone, reading a newspaper. You marched over toward the table and pulled out the chair across from him; it screeched to announce your presence.

Bucky lowered the paper just enough so that he could watch you as you plopped down in front him. He was intrigued; the recruits were usually too intimidated by him to even glance in his direction. And yet, here you were.

“Can I help you?” he asked, looking back at the paper.  

“I believe you can, Sergeant Barnes. I’m Y/N; a new recruit.” You rested your hands on the table, interlocking your fingers. “They told me you’re the guy to see.” 

He flipped to another page. “For what?” 

“Murder.”

That caught his attention. Bucky set down the newspaper and looked fully at you. 

“You know I’m not a mercenary anymore, right? I’m an Avenger; which means I’m only allowed to kill someone if I have permission from people who hold important positions. And you…” he trailed off, looking you up and down before meeting your eyes. “You are not one of those people.”

He leaned back in his chair and resumed his reading. 

You took a moment to compose yourself after his harsh, albeit honest, statement. “Okay,” you said as you cleared your throat, “maybe ‘murder’ was the wrong word. What about something a little less permanent?”

Bucky glanced at you. “Like what?”

You tapped your knuckles on the table. “I don’t know; something that sends a message.”

He huffed. “Why not send a strongly worded email instead?”

The man was infuriating, you thought. No wonder people tend to avoid him. Before you could respond, he spoke again. 

“Out of curiosity,” Bucky began, “who’s the target?”

You paused before announcing his name. “Sam Wilson.”

The corners of Bucky’s mouth twitched upwards at the mention of his teammate’s name. Dare you say it was a smile? But just as fast as it appeared, it had already vanished. “Birdbrain, huh? What did he do to get on your bad side?”

“He stole my pie.”

“Your pie?” he asked, incredulously.

You nodded. “And I have proof.” You pulled the slightly crumpled paper out from your pocket and slid it across the table toward Bucky. “He left this note in the container.”

“That’s his chicken scratch,” Bucky confirmed. “But why don’t you just take it up with him? I’m sure he’d buy you another pie if you asked nicely.”

“You don’t understand; my uncle baked it. There’s people who wait all year for his pies.” You leaned forward. “Sergeant Barnes, I wait all year for his pies. The man has perfected the pumpkin pie and the apple pie. Any other bakery or store bought replacement would be an insult–”

“All right, all right,” he interrupted, rubbing his face. “Forget I asked. But why do you need my help? Can’t you come up with some brilliant plan all on your own?”

You rubbed your arm, glancing down. “Well, I could. It’s just… he’s an Avenger. And I’m a recruit…”

“You think you’ll get fired if you retaliate?”

“That, or I’ll mysteriously disappear. Never to be heard from again.”

Bucky chuckled. “You recruits have been listening to too many rumors.” He considered you carefully before saying, “Okay.”

“Okay?” you repeated. 

He nodded. “I’ll help you.”

You sighed in relief. “Thank you so much, Sergeant Barnes!”

“Bucky,” he corrected you.

You smiled. “Thank you, Bucky.”

He gave you a tight-lipped smile in return. “So, now we have to figure out how to hit Wilson where it hurts. Lucky for you, I may already have an idea or two in mind.”

***

After much consideration, you and Bucky had opted for the “eye for an eye” route. He told you that the plan was simple enough that he would take care of everything. You just had to act normal and not draw any unnecessary attention toward yourself. Which hopefully wouldn’t be too hard. 

A few days later, you were back in the gym with the rest of the recruits. Steve had split the group up into sparring pairs and had asked Bucky to help him oversee the day’s training. You had begun the match with your opponent when Sam entered the gym and made a beeline for Bucky who had stopped his rounds to observe you. 

“Have you seen Redwing anywhere? He’s not with any of my gear,” Sam said.

His presence had distracted you and caused you to lose your footing. Which allowed your opponent to pin you onto the mat. 

“Mind your footing, Y/L/N.” Without tearing his eyes away from where you lie on the ground, he responded to Sam. “I haven’t seen your pet anywhere, Wilson. You should really take better care of your belongings.”

You were struggling to break free of your opponent’s grip while simultaneously trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. You snuck a glance toward the two men. Bucky looked calm, almost bored. Meanwhile, Sam was irate. He opened his mouth to speak just as Bucky cut him off.

“Now if you don’t mind, I’m trying to teach here.”

Sam huffed. “I know you’ve got something to do with this. You don’t fool me.” He spun around and marched out of the room, in search of his missing drone. 

Bucky watched him leave before turning back to face you. He gave you a wink before finally moving on to observe the next pair. 

When your training session had ended, the recruits were dismissed. You hung back until just you and Bucky remained in the gym. He was staring at you with his arms folded.

“You’re gonna blow our cover from the get-go.”

“Sorry. I’ll be more cautious next time.” You rubbed your arm, staring at the ground.

He sighed. “What’s the matter?”

You hesitated before finally responding. “What’s going to happen when he finds out I was responsible for the kidnapping?”

“First of all, you can’t kidnap a drone. We’re simply borrowing it.”

You let out a chuckle, and he gave you a rare smile in return. 

“You’ve got nothing to worry about; Wilson will never know you were involved. As long as you don’t give us away,” he added.

You grinned at him. “Ya know, you’re not as scary as people say you are.”

“Yeah, well, don’t go spreading that around. I don’t need more recruits coming up to me and asking for favors.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Bucky.”

***

Several days had passed, and tensions between Sam and Bucky were still running high. The two sat on opposite sides of the couch in the common area, with Steve between them. Sam had grabbed the remote, flipping through the channels until he finally landed on a cake baking competition. 

“Man, a cake sounds so good right now,” Sam said. 

“Thought you’d be more of a pie guy,” Bucky mumbled.

“What was that, Tin Man?”

“I said that you seem more like a pie guy.”

“Hey, I don’t discriminate. I’m down for any kind of dessert.”

Bucky smirked. “Especially if it’s free, right?”

Sam narrowed his eyes at Bucky. “What are you talking about?”

“I may have heard from a little bird that you stole a pie from the recruits’ fridge. And before you deny it, I saw the note.”

Steve turned to Sam. “You stole a pie? And left a note?”

“It was in there for days, and there was no name on it! I figured whoever it belonged to had forgotten about it. And it would’ve been a shame for such a delicious pie to go to waste.”

Steve and Bucky both stared at Sam. 

“Ugh. Why are we even talking about pie when we should be talking about how you stole my drone?” He pointed at Bucky. 

“Did you steal Redwing?” Steve asked. 

“There’s no proof that it was me. And besides, even if I did steal it, I’d say it would make us even for the time you stole my arm.”

Sam chuckled. “You gotta admit, that was pretty funny though.”

“For you, maybe,” Bucky muttered.

“Bucky, give Sam his drone back. And Sam, stop eating the recruits’ food.” Steve shook his head. “Unbelievable. I train these rookies all day, and then I have to parent the two of you.”

“Whatever,” Bucky groaned before leaving the room. 

He was headed back to his bedroom when he crossed your path in the hallway. He stopped in his tracks.

“So, uh, Steve is making me give the drone back. But we drove Sam crazy for a few days, so I’d say we still accomplished our mission.”

“I’d say so too.” You smiled at him. “I know you’re busy and probably find recruits annoying, so, um, thank you for helping me.”

“Most recruits are annoying. But you’re…” his eyes met yours as he searched for the words to say. “... tolerable.”

“Bucky Barnes, you’re an actual teddy bear, aren’t you?”

A blush dusted his cheeks; he was at a loss for words. 

You laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “Well, maybe we can mess with Sam again sometime.”

“I look forward to it,” he said, smiling back at you. “I’ll see you around, Y/N.”

“See you, Bucky.”

[clickforspoilers]

mad libs for a mad lad.

WHO: Stephanie @clickforspoilers and Jason @thatsjasonfkntodd WHERE: SCPD Jail WHEN: May 19th 2020 WHAT: Stephanie is the first to visit Jason in jail bc this isn’t her first rodeo. She’s surprised to find that she can actually relate to him on some level.

Steph: As soon as Steph heard that Jason was in jail, she assumed Dick or Bruce brought him in for what happened and the docks and she was filled with righteous indignation. Then she talked to Tim and got the backstory, which was somehow even worse.

Regardless, she was one of the first to fill out an application to be a visitor and even picked up a few extra for the others. The receptionist was new, but Steph got a wave in to Gordon. She practically grew up around the police department with how often her father was in and out of jail and prison.

As soon as Jason's commissary was up she made sure there was money in it. After having several Thanksgivings with prison food she couldn't imagine it was much better in jail. Probably worse, especially with how out of date the place was. She also brought a ton of books she knew would be approved, asking Alfred which were Jason's favorites since no one else seemed to know.

"Wow, you look... orange." Those were the first words out of her mouth. A bit of levity. Jason: Jason had known that people would show up. He wasn’t sure who or when, exactly. Steph being at the head of the line did genuinely surprise him a little, considering how much time recently he’d spent getting in her way. None of it had been malicious, exactly, but he still wouldn’t have figured she’d show up before the others.

“Yeah, well, I told them that red was more my color but nobody seemed to care.” She had something with her, some kind of package, and he nodded toward it. “That for me?” What kind of screening process had the SCPD managed to drum up when they could barely keep officers on streets? Steph: "No, I just figured I'd read all these books and do all these Mad Libs in front of you as my own personal brand of torture." Steph could never keep a straight face even when she was being sarcastic. "Oh, I also put some cash in your commissary so you can live off twinkies or Snickers bars. They had a whole episode on Dateline about where they get jail food and trust me, you don't wanna eat it."

Maybe she was a little annoyed about the whole patrol thing, but she knew what Jason was doing. Maybe part of her enjoyed the petty competition. It introduced a little chaos into the regimented NOVA patrol-watching she would otherwise be doing. Not that she would actually admit it. Jason: “You read books? Color me impressed. The Mad Libs I believe.” Not that one single part of him actually thought Steph was dumb. Nowhere close. She’d be dead again if that was the case. Ignorance as a vigilante was a death sentence more than any knife or gun.

He reached one hand through the bars, though they were too narrow to get far. The books would fit. “I ate out of the trash in Crime Alley for years. I’ll survive jail food.” But he wouldn’t turn down a Twinkie either. Steph: "Fuck you. I read all the time." Maybe not everything she read was a book, but still. Steph preferred the more hands on method. She learned better that way.

Smirking, she handed him a Mad Libs book even though she knew that wasn't what he wanted. "Why eat maggots when you don't have to? That's seriously what they found in some of the food, y'know." Jason: “Protein is protein.” He wasn’t being serious, and even his incredibly low standards were still standards. “Pretty sure Dick might slip me a burger or something if it gets that bad, but I’ll keep my eyes open for creepy crawlies in the oatmeal.”

Jason took the mad lib book with a barely suppressed sigh. What was he, eight? Who did Mad Libs? Had he ever actually done one? In his whole life? He was fairly sure the answer was no, because he barely remembered what they were supposed to be. Since she’d brought it, though, he opened it and started to flip through, only to find that words had already been filled in.

“Seriously? You brought me used Mad Libs?” Only as he asked did he catch ‘Tim’ as one of the words. He read the rest of it quickly and sighed. “Yeah, well, everybody is upset.” Steph: Steph made a face at the idea of maggots in oatmeal, but she didn't say anything. She was too distracted watching Jason go through the Mad Libs. Maybe writing a note in there was a little hokey, even for her, but at least he was reading it.

"Yeah, Tim told me everything. I'm caught up." She hoped there wasn't anything else to know, at least. Even though she hadn't been involved in the Deathstroke plan, she hovered behind Babs and watched the whole thing go down. The entire day had been more than a little tense. "I know, but I think we should all try to be on the same page. It'll make things easier, at least. You know?" Jason: “All of us on the same page? Did you get high before you came in here? Have you met all of us?” They were never going to be on the same page about anything, or at least not on the same line of the same page. Still, the last time he’d spoken to Tim in a non-official capacity hadn’t exactly gone well. He hadn’t been in the mood for more feelings and of course that was the exact time that Tim, of all people, had wanted to have some.

Jason dropped the Mad Lib book to his side and ran his free hand over his jaw. “It’s not like I’m ignoring him. I just didn’t want a fucking heart to heart when he tried to have it, alright?” Steph: "I mean about this whole thing, not about literally everything ever." That was never going to happen and Steph wasn't naive. She might be less strict than the others about procedures and whatnot, but she generally followed the same code. It was something she accepted and it was the antithesis of what her dad had been. Sometimes she wondered if Jason was trying to do the same thing, but... opposite. Sort of. "I know you wouldn't ignore him, I'm just saying, you could reach out. You get phone calls, right?" Jason: “Are you kidding me? Why do I have to call him when you’re going to see him probably as soon as you leave? I’ll write a note in the Mad Libs and you can take it back to him.” Did it have to be so dramatic? He was in jail. That was hardly a position to be coddling somebody else’s hurt feelings, especially when Tim had been more than willing to pop off that night, too. It hadn’t been all on one side. Steph: Steph gave an exaggerated sigh, but his offer was certainly better than nothing. There was a reason she asked for something big first. This seemed like a fair compromise, even though she knew Jason wasn't about to write anything touchy feely. "I might be okay with that. It depends. What are you gonna write?" “How about stop being a fucking nerd and come see me in jail. Does that hit the right note? It’s an invitation.” If Tim holding out for some kind of apology, though, that wasn’t going to show up in Mad Lib or any other form. Once in awhile Jason offered them, he’d even given one to Tim before, but he had to feel well and truly in the wrong before he did it. In this case, he didn’t. Tim hadn’t known when to quit, he’d pushed and then snapped when he didn’t get the kind of response he wanted. It was on him as much as it was on Jason. Steph: "Maybe don’t be an asshole and leave the first part out. Then it's -" Steph clicked her tongue. "Perfect." Leaning on her elbow, she watched him for a few seconds before saying anything. "Maybe it was the wrong time or whatever, but you know how he is about showing feelings. He's not good at it. He admires you, so... go easy on him." Jason: “But the first part is how he knows I really wrote it.” Not that he had anything to write with. Maybe Steph had a pencil stub stuck in her bag. Was that a weapon? Probably. He could’ve made it a weapon. All he needed it for was writing the dumb Mad Lib note, though. “Fine. I’ll be the bad guy.” As always. “Am I supposed to do this in blood or can the SCPD spare a crayon for me?” Steph: Steph waved a pen and handed it over. “Flexible ink well.” She was prepared. Her father had to have one of the bendy pens when he’d been in prison, or a really short pencil. “This is you being the good guy, Hoodie. Not to put a bad taste in your mouth or anything, but when you aren’t an asshole you actually are a pretty good guy.” Jason: “How dare you slander me right to my face.” He took the pen and held the Mad Lib book  against the wall to scribble his note to Tim. It said exactly what he told her that he was writing, minus the first part, though he did add “nerd” onto the end before signing his name as though Tim might suspect Steph had done it instead. Once he’d finished, he held it back through the bars to her and motioned for the rest of what she was holding. “Can I have the actual books now?” Steph: "I'll take my vengeance in small ways." Steph had a plan to get Jason back for the pizza incident, but then this happened. She reached for the Mad Libs and glanced at what he wrote. Sliding the box over, she took out one book at a time so she could pass them through the bars. "I got my information from Alfred. If it were up to me you might've ended up with the newest issues of Seventeen." Jason: “Your vengeance. For what? That crummy pizza? There’s twenty bucks in the nightstand by my bed. Buy another one.” Or he was pretty sure there was, anyway. There was probably something in there. He’d just bailed on the manor with his bag to stay with Dick for all of about a day before everything went down and couldn’t remember what he’d left or not left.

Jason rolled his eyes and started collecting the books one by one beneath his arm. Alfred, unsurprisingly, had given Steph his favorites and a few he hadn’t actually read before. It would keep him Bush for a little while. “Thanks for bringing these,” he said, suddenly serious as he took the last one. Steph: Rolling her eyes, Steph made a scoffing sound. "You're not getting off that easy." There was no way she planned all that for nothing. "I'll totally take the 20$ though," she added as an afterthought.

It was so rare that Jason was sincere that it sometimes took her a second to recognize when it was happening. She nodded, even though she still passing him various puzzles like Sudoku and a book of Crosswords. "Sure," she said once there was nothing more to hand over. Holding the empty box on her lap, she hesitated before asking, "Have you talked to Bruce yet?"

Jason: “You can always throw in some theft charges against me,” he offered, like that was going to make much difference alongside the murder and all.

His demeanor changed the instant that Steph brought up Bruce. He hadn’t laid eyes on him since Dick told him what had happened with Joker, and the mere thought of it gave him a whole fresh wave of anger. “No, and I don’t have a damn thing to say to him if he deigns to show up.” Steph: "Wow. Money, charges, and my own personal brand of revenge. Any more ideas?" Steph grinned, as if she fully intended to take every suggestion Jason was willing to throw her way.

The smile faded at the dramatic change in Jason's mood. "I know you hate him on principle, so don't bite my head off or anything, but what the fuck? Aren't you staying at the manor?" Jason was never on good terms with Bruce, but this went beyond their usual tension. Jason: “Fresh out, but those should keep you busy for awhile. They’re worth one pizza.” Not to mention that whole scenario had been hilarious, even if Steph had been unwilling to see it.

“On principle,” he repeated bitterly, like hating Bruce came as naturally as the properties of gravity or something. Any objects heavier than air will fall and Bruce Wayne is a bastard. Did any of the rest of them know what had happened with Joker? Someone did, surely. Dick had said Babs tried to stop him from going after him, Tim had been there. “I was. The day before we went after Deathstroke I started crashing with Dick,” he said, not immediately offering the explanation. Steph: "Best way I could think to describe it," said Steph with a sigh. Unlike Jason, she didn't hate Bruce despite his failings. Then again, she hadn't died and been resurrected in a Lazarus Pit.

No one told her about Jason leaving. She'd even stopped by his room to see if he were in the mood to spar in the gym. When she didn't get an answer, Steph just assumed he needed a break from the manor. She expected him to be elusive. "...Why? The whole reason you came to the manor is because Bruce has an amazing security system. I mean, Babs designed it." Jason: “Why? Because if I’d sooner punch him than look at him and I figured Alfred shouldn’t have to clean up the blood.” It had been a long time since Jason had truly entertained violent notions against Bruce, aside from an empty threat here or there that he made against practically everyone, but what Dick told him had stirred up something deep that Jason genuinely thought he was beyond.

“You don’t know, do you?” He didn’t owe Bruce enough to keep his secret, but maybe he owed Dick. It wasn’t like the story wholly belonged to Jason. He swiped a hand over his mouth and shook his head. “Ask Dick.” Steph: Surprised, Steph's eyes widened and she sat back in her seat. Even though the intention took her off guard, even if it wasn't a serious one (...she was pretty sure it was), her expression was more confused than horrified.

"Know what? Is it about the files? Because he has files on us?" That was the only thing she could think of that was at all related to recent events and might have pissed Jason off. It seemed like a small thing, considering it was Bruce and his obsessive information gathering wasn't new. "I'm not asking Dick, I'm asking you." Jason: “No, it’s not about the files, but it might be in Dick’s.” He’d realized that in retrospect, but they’d never made it past the line about Deathstroke and Jason hadn’t gone back to check.

Jason stared through the bars at some fixed point past Steph. “He brought Joker back to life,” his voice was low, not for privacy but because repeating it had added a threatening edge to his tone. “He brought him back because Dick killed him and Bruce...” suddenly his eyes were back on her, “Bruce places more value on the fucked up golden calf he’s made out of Dick than on our lives or anyone else’s.” How many people had Joker gone on to kill after that resurrection? Steph: Jesus. All this was making Steph really dread ever finding out what was in her file. Hopefully it was all stuff she already knew and not stuff she made a point to block out.

The news didn't elicit any shock from her. Her shoulders slumped and she nodded. "I know. I was there." She'd watched Bruce resuscitate Joker and witnessed the aftermath. Uncharacteristically quiet, her nails picked at the edges of the box on her lap. Even though she knew Bruce had been determined to get to the Joker before Dick killed him, she never expected it would end the way it did. "But why?" She finally whispered, meeting his eyes. Bruce's motivations weren't even something she'd venture to guess at. She'd always been wrong in the past. Jason: “You were there?” Did everybody fucking know except for him? Had they all just sat back for years and let him think that Joker had walked free and clear after killing him, when the truth of it was that Bruce refused to let him stay dead? Had they all known?

Jason clenched his hand and took a step back from the bars and away from Steph. “Why? Who cares? Why does it matter why? Would the answer make you feel better?” Because it wasn’t going to help Jason. Bruce’s explanation was never, ever going to be good enough. Steph: "Yeah. I got there at the same time as Bruce." Steph dug her fingernail into the box and watched it turn white. "He was dead by then."

She shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not. He didn't avenge me either, Jason. Maybe I wasn't dead, but he didn't know that, so I at least know how shitty it feels to know the guy who fucked your life up is still out there walking around and no one cares enough to make him pay for it. I'd be beyond pissed if he actually brought Sionis back to life." She swallowed hard. "But I'm not his kid. It's worse for you. I'll never say you should forgive him." Jason: Jason could have killed Black Mask. He’d meant to, eventually, at the end of all of it, except he hadn’t got the end that he’d been expecting and by then Roman had gone back underground to lick his wounds. Steph deserved better than that, even if Jason hadn’t been around or been part of things when she’d “died.” He’d been too preoccupied with his own revenge against Bruce to make Black Mask any kind of priority. He’d suffered at Red Hood’s hands, sure, but he shouldn’t have been drawing breath by the end of it. A loose end. He didn’t say any of that to Steph, but he put it somewhere in the back of his mind.

“I’m sick of his bullshit. I’m tired of hearing him defended. I won’t do it anymore.” Not after learning everything. It was worse, somehow, than Bruce refusing to kill Joker himself. “I’m not going back to the manor when I get out of here.” Steph: After Steph's return, she was shocked to find out so many people even knew she died. Her stint as Robin was so short that she would have believed it didn't even count, if it weren't for those words Bruce said to her in the hospital. They were still words she held onto, even now when she knew she shouldn't. His approval still meant something to her. He might not deserve her loyalty and maybe she should be as bitter and angry as Jason, but Steph just didn't have it in her. She'd wanted to be Robin. Her last act was her own doing.

But that didn't mean she didn't understand Jason's wrath just because she responded with hurt rather than rage. "Where are you going to go?" She asked with a frown, concerned. "I thought you didn't have a safehouse yet." Jason: "I'll figure it out. I have money," his own money. "It talks." Just because he did not burn through it as rapidly as Roy didn't mean it wasn't there. Jason had spent the last few years still working, even after the Red Hood & Arsenal venture had come to its end, and even though he didn't do everything for pay, he still did plenty. The accounts weren't in his name, and in all likelihood nobody knew about them but him. It was a rainy day fund, more or less, and suddenly it had started fucking pouring. Steph: "Too bad it doesn't walk," Steph quipped, even though her tone was dry. She didn't like seeing Jason in here. It didn't seem right, even if he killed people and all that. He wasn't a villain. "You didn't go to the manor because you didn't have money. You went because it was safe." She frowned suddenly, glancing around the jail as if her immediate surroundings might give some indication. "Are you safe here? I mean, I know it's jail and all, but that isn't saying much." Jason: "Yeah, and the manor was always supposed to be temporary." He'd never wanted to have to stay there, but it had been the best short term option at the time. Maybe leaving hadn't been in the best interest of his safety, but it was certainly in the best interest of everyone else's. He knew where his head had gone after that conversation with Dick, and whether Dick said it aloud or not he was fairly sure he knew it, too. Maybe that's why he'd been so quick to offer Jason a room at his place.

At the second question, he just scoffed. "Here? Probably not. If I actually wanted to get out of here, I've already thought of about four different ways, and if I can think of ways out that means it's a lot easier to get in." But he'd known that when he'd had the idea, not to mention how quickly both Roy and Dick had pointed it out. Steph: Steph winced. "And you just sitting in a cell with nothing but Mad Libs as a weapon. Fantastic." It was some comfort that Dick was there, but he wasn't there every second. Gordon could also hold his own even if he wasn't a vigilante. At least the officers were armed. "It's not likely to happen though, right? I mean, seems dumb to attack a jail even if it isn't as secure as you'd think." It was Jason's helplessness that was troubling. They could literally just shoot him through the bars.

A buzzing sound made her roll her eyes. "Time's almost up." Jason: "I'm not worried about it. If I was, I would've thought up something better than this." Maybe some of that was bravado, and a little more was for her benefit (and everyone else's) than his own, but still. He wasn't losing sleep over it. He'd played out a few different scenarios in his head, put together a little mental list of who (if anyone) was most likely to come for him there. "I've got good improv skills. I'll handle it."

He looked back down the hallway and nodded. "Yeah. Go buy a pizza and give Tim that dumb note. Thanks for the books."

[bluespiderlilies]

Reincarnation | Hashibira Inosuke

⟵ previous (chapter six). current (chapter seven).  next (chapter eight).   ⟶

❝some memories never leave your bones. like salt in the sea, they become a part of you.❞

— and you carry them (p a p e r w i n g s by april green)

“Make sure they get to their recipients, Kemuri. When you come back, I promise you lots of fruits and nuts, alright?” You told your crow, securing the letters you had written earlier around her legs.

She merely cawed back in reply before snatching the almond that you had been snacking on earlier before flying off.

You blinked and looked at your hand, where the almond had been previously.

Well. No matter how much training they went through, their inner instincts came first.

“That was the last one, too.” You mumbled in disappointment, walking over to Inosuke who was swinging his swords against trees and tree branches.

“Inosuke?” You called out, poking his shoulder gently.

He didn’t respond as he continued to slice off the branches with clean cuts, but you knew you got his attention which he paused for that mere millisecond before swinging his sword again.

“I suggest we go look for a village to heal up for a night or two. Eat and maybe buy some things, too,” you prodded, tilting your head at him. “You know, get our fill of tempura, sashimi, udon, donburi…”

His head snapped towards you, the snout of the boar mask he was wearing touching your nose. Your eyes widened, not realizing that you were this close to Inosuke.

You felt your cheeks grow hot.

“Well? What’s that look for? I know you’re hungry for some tempura. Let’s go.” You said, turning your head to the opposite direction and walked away from him, swallowing down any of the feelings you had felt just now.

You had no idea what you were going through. Was it…was it an allergy from his boar mask? No, no…you’re beside Inosuke all the time, you had never gotten an allergic reaction from it before.

Then what is it?

Maybe I should ask Shiori when I go back…

Your eyes shifted to the boy who was now walking in front of you, with his arms crossed and head held up high.

You unconsciously smiled, shaking your head. He liked making competitions out of the smallest things—you supposed that’s just how he grew up. But lately, he hasn’t been challenging or trying to compete with you—you had no idea why, but you let him be. Besides, if you were to ask him (which you definitely would not. Confrontation was something you are not fond of, and they only happened with bursts of adrenaline or anger).

“Inosuke, you can pick out the restaurant when we arrive to a village, since I promised you that I’ll pay.” You reminded him, patting the pouch that had your money in it, a soft jingling sound being heard.

He turned to you at you, a mischievous glint in his eye—oh, oh, no…what is he thinking?

“Then what are you waiting for?! You’re so freaking slow!” Inosuke yelled; within a second, you were holstered over his shoulders like some damn sack of potatoes, breaking into a run.

“Inosuke! What are you doing?” You huffed, swaying slightly in his hold.

He didn’t reply; instead, he increased his pace. You sighed, deciding to just go with it. Because the boy was as stubborn as a mule (or boar, perhaps? Hah, you’re so funny), and you didn’t bother to say anything about it. Hey, at least you didn’t have to use your feet.

The inner lazy part of you was content with that.

“Inosuke, how’d you find out about the Final Selection Examination? I never got to ask you.” You asked, closing your eyes. You started to feel a bit dizzy from looking at he rapidly moving ground, as well as from the swaying—so, you tried distract yourself.

“I fought and beat up a Demon Slayer who invaded my mountains!” He started, seemingly proud. “I got my swords and he told me about demons and the test.”

You could imagine him with a smug smirk and steam blowing out of the mask’s nostrils as he spoke.

“Really? Wow, you’re so strong, Inosuke.” You praised light-heartedly, knowing that he would take you seriously.

“Of course I am! I’m the god of the mountains!” He cackled, pace increasing as he got more riled up from your compliment.

You sighed, shaking your head. Inosuke is a tough person to tolerate, you could tell by how he acts and the way his personality is—but, for some reason, you felt like ever since the two of you met, you sort of just…clicked, per se.

You liked being friends with him.

“Oi, woman! We’re here!” Inosuke barked, causing you to open your eyes and look around you. Indeed, the both of you had arrived to the village—the familiar chatter of people and the sounds of giggles of children playing entering your ears.

You half expected to Inosuke to just…throw you onto the ground; however, much to your surprise, he gently placed you back on the ground onto your feet.

“Thank you, Inosuke. I had fun with you carrying me,” You smiled gratefully at him, brushing off any dirt from your hakama; however, your lips soon turned into a concerned frown. “Are you sure I wasn’t heavy, though? I feel like I might’ve broken your shoulder or something.”

“I’m fine! I’m strong and I could carry ten billion of you if I could!” He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

You bit your lip. You couldn’t really tell if he was lying since you couldn’t see his facial expressions, but his body language seemed to scream ‘I could carry you one billion times over and over if it was possible.’

“Okay, I believe you. Now, you should—” You were cut off by Inosuke abruptly pulling you by the hand, heading towards a restaurant.

Well. You were about to tell him to choose a restaurant.

You took a seat beside him as he took off the boar head, placing it on the chair beside him. The elderly man smiled at the both of you as you greeted him politely, and gave you both a set of menus.

While you skimmed through the sheet of mulberry paper with the handwritten food choices, you felt him nudge you harshly.

“Mm?” You hummed, not bothering to glance over at the boy beside you, despite him nudging you multiple times.

“I don’t know how to read or write! Order for me, woman!” He demanded, slamming the menu on the counter.

You blinked.

Oh.

“You could’ve said so earlier when the man handed it to you,” You chided, taking his menu and put it under yours. “I’ll read the options to you, and tell me if you want them, yeah?”

He grunted in response.

Your eyes looked over the familiar kanji, clearing your throat before you read it aloud to him.

“Tempura.”

“Hell yes!”

“Yakitori.”

“Yes!”

“Gyoza.”

“Yes!”

“Udon.”

“Yes!”

…this is going to take a while.

∞

I wonder if there’s an inn or a place where we can stay, you thought, after paying and thanking the man for your meal—or, well, meals, since you had to order a lot for the boar boy who was currently beside you, hands behind his head and walking in a relaxed manner.

He looked so satisfied.

Maybe I should spoil him more if he ends up acting like this.

Your lips curled upwards into an amused smile, shaking your head at the thought. Honestly, if you did, you would have no more money left. And you would never ask Shiori for money—you didn’t want to burden her.

As your eyes looked over at the handwritten ink kanji that displayed the name of various shops within the village, none of them said inn. You were patient, however, and if you couldn’t find one—well…you supposed you and Inosuke would end up sleeping under the stars tonight.

It was better than asking people if you two could stay over for a night, right?

Of course. Because being a burden to someone was one of the worst feelings ever. You…you knew that feeling quite well.

“Hey, woman.” Inosuke called out, breaking you away from your thoughts.

Your attention shifted onto him, blinking a couple times before answering with a hum of acknowledgement.

“That’s the same picture of the place we stayed at last time.” He pointed out, gesturing to the house with a crest of a wisteria flower.

“Ah. So it must be one of those Wisteria Family Households Akio was talking about.” You realized, quickening your pace.

Inosuke easily caught up to you with just a couple strides. “Hah? Who’s Abita?”

“It’s Akio,” you sigh, “you know, the guy who tried to flirt with me. He sat beside me at the restaurant in the other village.”

He gave you a blank look. “What the hell is flirting?”

You stopped in your tracks. Is he serious? He didn’t know what flirting was? Did living in the mountains make him this oblivious?

“It’s, well…it’s when someone acts that they like you in a, um, romantic way, but it’s actually playful—not serious. Most of the time, that is.” You stuttered, explaining to the best of your ability. You didn’t have to explain such a thing to anybody before—of course you are going to struggle.

“What does liking someone in a romantic way mean?” He questioned.

“I don’t know,” You huffed, throwing your arms in the air in an exasperated manner. “I’ve never felt that way before.”

“Huh? I thought you knew everything!” Inosuke barked, pointing a finger at you accusingly.

“Well, clearly, I don’t. I’m only fifteen. I know what I know because I either read them in books, observe, or people who are experienced tell me,” You told him, pausing for a moment before speaking up again. “And said people have told me what it feels like to like someone romantically, so I’ll relay what they’ve told me.

“When you like someone in a romantic way, you get all happy and tingly when you see them laugh or smile. I guess notice the small things? Like how their eyes light up when they talk about the things they like, their nervous habits, and the like. You feel comfortable yet anxious around them, since you mostly want to impress them and not say anything that may make you bad.” You paused for a moment, trying to remember what other things the women of the village talked about.

“You, um… feel connected to them in emotional way. Whether it’s how they express how they feel, or the way they talk, you feel attracted to it. You want to support them and be there for them no matter what—especially during their happy moments and hardships, or something. You want to comfort them when they are sad, you want to be the reason why you make their day.

“Their looks don’t matter. Sure, it may be a factor in why you love them, but it’s only a small one. Their personality is what stands out to you. Whether it’s the good or bad, you love them for all their flaws and imperfections. Sometimes, you can’t focus because of them—because they occupy your thoughts most of the time. No matter how hard you try to get rid of the thoughts of them, you can’t. Because they’re stuck in there.

“You always want to be close to them and not necessarily in a…” you swallowed, biting the insides of your cheek, “very… intimate way. You want to feel their warmth, hold them tight in your arms, inhale their comforting scent, and just relax in their presence, because that is the only thing that would matter to you on those moments.

“When you’re around them, all you can focus on is them and the way your heart is beating much faster, you have weird feeling in your stomach, you feel all hot and giddy at same time. That, all in all, is what liking someone romantically means.”

Phew. All that explaining really made you feel breathless.

“…that sounds dumb.” Inosuke commented with a nonchalant shrug, walking ahead of you.

Your eyebrow twitched. Did you just explain all of that for nothing?

“Oh, gods above, please help me.” You muttered, following after Inosuke. He had already knocked—no, banged—on the door of the house, waiting for someone to just open it.

He was about to bang once again when it opened, revealed two identical women—the only difference was their kimono pattern.

They were about your height, their slowly graying, plum purple hair styled in the traditional maru-mage, framing their round, petite face that had light wrinkles on their forehead, eyes, and the corner of their thin lips. They had drooping, almond shaped eyes that had that color of teal—which matched the jewels on the hairpins they donned.

The one of the right had a kimono whose color was that of cream, with sky blue chrysanthemums and green leaves decorating the clothes. The one of the left had a kimono whose color was of peach, majestic cranes with their beaks carrying pink cherry blossoms, decorating the clothes.

How stylish.

“Hello, kids!” The one on the right smiled warmly, stepping aside along with her counterpart so the two of you could enter. “Welcome to the Wisteria Family Household.”

“Thank you…” You trailed off, as you didn’t know their names.

“Ah! I’m Fujimoto Kotone,” the one in the peach colored kimono introduced, “this is my twin sister, Fujimoto Kohana.”

The said woman, Kohana, frowned. “I can speak for myself, big mouth.”

“I’m just being nice, you idiot. I guess you don’t understand because you’re never nice to me.” Kotone answered with a huff.

You blinked. Are they fighting right now?

“I’m, um, I’m (L/N) (Name),” You said, trying to cut off their pointless bickering. “That’s Hashibira Inosuke.”

Kotone paused, pinching her sister’s side (causing Kohana to wince and slap her hand away) before smiling sweetly at you. “It’s wonderful to meet you both. Here, let me show you to the room. You can change into your yukata there.”

You nodded, following her into the hallway before stopping in front of two rooms, which were right across from each other.

“I’ll prepare your meals with my sister.”

“Actually,” You piped up, stopping her from leaving. “We ate a big meal before coming here, so it’s okay.”

Kotone nodded. “Alright, then. I’ll call over a doctor. Please, take your time.”

She flashed you two a warm smile before disappearing into the corridor, going to who-knows-where.

“I claim this futon!” Inosuke shouted, jumping onto the futon in your designated room that was on your right.

“Sure.” You shrugged, stepping into the room. You slid the door close, taking off your bow and unstrapped your quiver, placing them on the ground.

Why didn’t they give us separate rooms? Goodness…

“Inosuke, look away.”

“Why?! I can do whatever I want!” He said, turning his head to look at you and crossed his arms.

“Inosuke, a guy, like you, shouldn’t look when a girl is changing. That’s how it is.”

“Huh? Why?”

You sighed, frowning. “Because that’s how it works. Now turn around.”

Inosuke grumbled to himself, turning away.

You slipped out of your clothes, folding them neatly and placed them beside your futon. After getting dressed in your yukata, Kohana announced that the doctor had arrived.

Kohana lead you to the room where the doctor was in, your eyes widened in recognition.

“Hello—oh! (Name)-san! I didn’t know that I would see you soon again.” The doctor from Akio’s household, Kimoto Botan, greeted as she looked up from her bag.

“Yes…we just came back from a mission.” You replied, bowing your head out of politeness.

“We?”

“My partner, Hashibira Inosuke.”

“Ah! The rowdy one.”

You smiled out of amusement. “Yeah, the rowdy one. Want me to bring him over?”

“That’d be ideal! Thank you.” She said, placing her bag down on the ground and began to take out the supplies.

You slid the shoji to the room open, seeing him sprawled on the futon with his boar mask on, hearing a faint groan.

“Inosuke? The doctor is here. You should come over to the other room to get checked out.” You spoke gently, placing a gentle hand on his bicep.

“No. You already did everything for me.” He grunted, turning his head away. You heard a faint wince.

“But, what I did at the farmhouse isn’t enough. Please, can you come with me?” You coaxed, taking his calloused hand in yours and tugged it lightly.

He gripped your hand, slowly getting up from his spot and trailed after you with sluggish steps. You weren’t so sure what was wrong with him—perhaps due to the wounds and painkillers you had given him, they had finally taken effect and he mellowed out—after all, the herbs you used helped calm and sooth a person from any pain they were experiencing.

“Huh? Is everything okay with him? I thought he’d be very energetic.” The doctor wondered, letting him sit down in front of her as she began to check his wounds.

“I gave him some painkillers. I think they made him soften up.”

Botan looked up at you, eyebrows raised. “What were they?”

“White willow bark and lavender essential oil.”

“I see. (Name), were you a herbalist before you became a demon slayer?”

You shook your head. “No. But, growing up, I had to learn such things.”

She frowned, unwrapping the bandages on Inosuke’s torso and shoulder. “What? Where did you grow up?”

“In a—”

“W-wait, (Name), your nose is bleeding!”

“Huh?”

Indeed, she was right—your nose was bleeding from both of your nostrils, blooding sliding down your lips and onto your chin, dripping into the tatami floors and your yukata.

You cursed in your mind, trying to wipe away the blood—thankfully, however, Botan gave you a cloth to put over your nose, instructing you to pinch your nose while leaning forward.

You were silent after that, instead watching her stitch and disinfect any of Inosuke’s wounds before wrapping new bandages on his body.

You didn’t know why you had gotten a nosebleed; but, you speculated that it was because you used the technique that Izumi-san taught you.

She did warn you that there were after affects for those who didn’t use the technique often enough—and the most common was getting a nosebleed or seriously sore muscles. Worst case scenario? Temporary paralysis.

“Alright, (Name), let’s clean you up and get you checked. I think I saw you limping.”

Damn. How’d she catch that? You internally sighed, moving to side in front of her.

“Why don’t you treat your own injuries?” She asked, while slipping off your yukata.

“They’re not serious.” You shrugged, laying on the futon; you made sure to wrap bandages around your chest area earlier just in case the doctor needed you to take off you’re the yukata.

“Oh, my…(Name), what’s with all those scars on your back?” She whispered, thumb gently brushing over each of the long, thin scars. You felt like each one she touched elicited the painful memories.

45 lashes for dishonesty.

30 lashes for disobedience.

35 lashes for discipline.

50 lashes for disloyalty.

And for what? Because you could never satisfy him.

Your father.

∞

You let out sigh, adjusting the lamp near on the short-legged table you sat in front of in the corner of your room, your journal in front of you.

It was opened on a clean, blank page—to which you would write the events of your day. You took the ink brush and stroked it against the ink stone, before beginning to write in the journal.

You felt Inosuke’s stare on your back, causing you to pause and look over your shoulder. “Inosuke? Do you need something?”

“What are you doing?” He asked, brushing his hair out of his face and sat next to you, looking at your journal. Though he couldn’t understand a single word, he tried to decipher the contents of the page.

“Writing a journal to my mother and grandmother. Itʼs a comfort thing.” You replied simply, swiping the brush over the ink stone before continuing to write.

“You have family?”

You paused for a slightest moment before turning to the next page. “No, they’re dead. But, I have a new family, even if they’re not blood-related to me.”

After that, Inosuke was silent.

You didn’t know why, but you didn’t bother to question him. Instead, you finished writing in your journal.

About to turn off the lamp, the door to the room slid open, revealing Kotone. She smiled warmly at the two of you, greeting you.

“Hello, you two. I saw that you still haven't gone to sleep.”

“Sorry,” you felt guilty. “I needed to do write some things before I went to sleep.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “No, no, it’s quite alright. I just wanted to tell you both something.”

You watched the way Inosuke perked up at Kotone’s words, eyes narrowed.

“So? Hurry up and tell us!”

She laughed once again. “It’s nothing much. Tomorrow, our village will be holding out annual wisteria festival. I thought maybe you two would like to join us?”

You pursed your lips, averting your eyes to your fidgeting fingers. It’s been a long, long time since you had last attended a festival—which made you a little nervous. You only performed during them, only rarely would you have gotten to explore and actually have fun.

It would be a good change.

“Okay,” You nodded, looking over at Inosuke, “What about you?”

“I’ve never been to a festival!” He grumbled.

“Well, there’s lots of games and food—”

Inosuke perked up at the mention of food. “I’m going!”

Kotone grinned. “Wonderful! Make you two get lots of sleep. Goodnight.”

You bid her a goodnight as well, turning off the lamp before slipping under your covers.

You couldn’t wait for tomorrow. It would be a good change of atmosphere.

∞

“No, no! Kohana, this is the perfect kimono for her! Look at it! It’s gorgeous and suits her!”

It was only late afternoon, yet the two middle-aged women were fighting about what you would wear to the Wisteria Festival—which would be happening in the evening.

“Then, why not?” You answered, resting your chin on the palm of your hand on the chabudai table. “I’ll wear it.”

Kotone let out a childish squeal. “Yes! See, Kohana?”

Her twin narrowed her eyes at her. “Did I fucking say I didn’t like it? No, so piss of with the bragging.”

Kotone rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind her snippy attitude, (Name). She’s just disappointed that the man she liked is engaged to another woman.”

Kohana slapped her sister’s arm. “Shut up! That is my personal business.”

Kotone frowned. “So? It’s not like she’s gonna announce it to the entire country. (Name)’s quiet.”

“I don���t—”

You immediately zoned out of the conversation, not wanting to listen to their bickering. It was quite exhausting, to be honest. You didn’t like being around conflict much—despite, well, certain circumstances. Like being a Demon Slayer.

You took the kimono that Kotone seemed to love, walking behind the folding screen. You took off the yukata they had provided you and slipped on the nagajuban, then the kimono. It wasn’t bad looking it at; it was black and white with a flock of cranes flying as a design below the bronze colored obi, which contrasted the colors of the kimono.

It was simple yet stylish—just how you like it.

“Oh, I think I’m going to cry!” Kotone sniffed, a bright smile on her features as you stepped in front of the folding screen.

Kohana rolled her eyes, features softening upon the sight of you. “You look stunning in the kimono, (Name).”

Oh.

Shit, how do you respond to compliments?

You merely blink at the woman, lips sealed shut, mind racing with thoughts.

Kohana laughed at your blank expression, patting you on the back. “You don’t have to respond. Your blank face is amusing.”

“Hey, don’t make fun of her. She just might be socially awkward, that’s all.” Kotone chided, pushing Kohana away from you and side-hugged you.

You scrunched your nose. How straightforward.

“I’m going to my room to get prepared for the festival. Thanks for the kimono.” You bowed politely, sliding open the shoji before exiting Kotone’s room.

You sighed. You were sort of nervous thinking about the festival—after all, you’d never really got to enjoy them…instead, you had to perform, doing kagura dances and entertaining other people.

But now? You got to go on your own free will, this time you being the one entertained, and not you doing it.

It was sort of refreshing, to say the least.

“Where is he?” You muttered, sliding the door open to the backyard of the house.

There he was, sitting on the engawa, leaning backwards with his arms supporting him. He, surprisingly, did not have his boar mask on—he was merely staring off into the distance, dazed.

“Inosuke.”

“Gah!” He jumped, startled by your sudden presence. “What is your problem?!”

“Don’t blame me. You’re the one daydreaming.” You deflected, sitting down beside him.

“I would’ve senses your presence, but you barely have one!”

You hummed, crossing your arms and looking over at him. “But that’s not my problem, now is it?”

“You…!”

“Now that we have settled that, you should get dressed for the festival soon. It’s almost evening.”

He huffed. “No! Why can’t I go in this?!”

Inosuke gestured to the yukata he was wearing before he crossed his arms over his chest.

“That’s informal and used to wear at homes other than the jinbei. Besides, Kotone-san already has one picked for you,” You explained, poking his chest. “You don’t want to be late and all the food to be gone, now do you?”

“Huh?! No way!” He shouted, immediately getting up, heading to Kotone’s room.

You laughed quietly to yourself, getting up from your spot on the engawa. You looked up at the slowly changing colors of the sky, the sun gradually beginning to prepare for its slumber.

You headed to your room, opening the shoji before sliding it shut. You rummaged through your sack, taking out some of your small weapons.

Kunai, shuriken, and a tessen fan.

In a normal situation, such things were deemed extremely unnecessary—why would you bring weapons to a festival? But, then, you are reminded of your current occupation—you are a Demon Slayer. This is your life now. You are to be prepared for anything. Who knows if a demon would attack, considering it’s a festival with lots of humans gathered.

Though, yes, there were going to be wisteria—after all, the village were surrounded by them, but who knows? There could be demons that could get into the village by some sort of unknown means, or perhaps demons even immune to such things.

Man, you are so paranoid.

So, without a thought, you concealed the weapons throughout the kimono, making sure they wouldn’t slip out from any accidental gestures or sudden movements.

Unfurling the fan, it revealed a beautiful design of a golden moon in the middle of what it seemed like the night sky, orange lilies facing the moon.

Elegant, but deadly.

It reminded you of someone.

∞

“So many people…” You muttered, eyes darting around at the crowds of people laughing and conversing, as well as the giggles and squeals of children running about—indeed, the atmosphere felt familiar; it was positive and bustling, like the others you had attended before.

You felt a tug on the side of your kimono, turning around to see Inosuke gripping your obi, and had a troubled expression on his face. His eyes seemed to dart around at the crowds of people, his frown deepening.

Ah.

He wasn’t very used to crowds of people, huh?

“Inosuke, does anything catch your attention?” You asked, hooking your arm around his and began to guide him to the stalls, where the multitude of people lessened.

He tensed under your touch before relaxing, looking over at you glancing at the stalls. “What’s that?”

“Ah, I think that’s where you goldfish scoop.” You answered before greeting the man at the stall politely. You gave him some money before he handed over the two of you a poi and a bowl, which had washi paper over it.

“Look, you have to put as much goldfish as you can inside of the bowl before the washi paper tears.” You explained, proceeding to scoop the squirming goldfish before placing it in the bowl.

“This is a dumb game! I want something more challenging!” He demanded.

You rolled your eyes. “Fine. Whoever gets more inside the bowl wins and gets to eat the other’s dinner.”

Inosuke’s emerald eyes seemed to shine brightly with determination. “Hah! I’m going to beat you!”

So, you let him.

You couldn’t help it—it was too endearing. His easily excitable self was amusing—besides, he let you keep the goldfish. You made a mental note to let them free later.

You guided him to each of the games and stalls, teaching him how the traditional games worked—surprisingly, he was good at them; even if it was his first time. The best part? You got to keep his winnings.

“Why are you giving them to me, anyways?” You asked, hugging the stuffed animal—a rabbit—close to your chest.

“I don’t need them. They’re useless.” He answered, taking a bite of his yakitori.

“But they make good souvenirs and memories, don’t they?”

“Hah? Does it look like I care? I only want to get stronger!” He puffed out his chest proudly.

You hummed in response. “I care. I barely have any good ones, so I want to make as much as I can. It sort of sounds silly, but,” you smiled, tucking a stray hair behind your ears. “It makes me happy.”

Inosuke almost choked on his food, the sight of your genuine smile catching him off-guard. Not to mention the lighting of the warm, gold lamps made it seem like you were glowing—the sudden skip of his heartbeat made him feel flustered.

What the hell was that all about?!

He scrunched his nose in distaste, throwing away the skewer. He didn’t want to occupy his mind with such thoughts.

“Ah, Inosuke. I think it’s time for the lanterns to he set in the river and the fireworks to start.” You said, taking his hand in yours as you began to work your way through the crowds, holding both your and Inosuke’s lantern with the other.

For some reason, you liked the touch of Inosuke’s hand—it was large and calloused, but very warm and comforting. Not to mention that your hand fit with his perfectly, a warm feeling spreading in your chest.

You stopped when you arrived to the front of the lake, sitting down and patted the spot beside you. “Here, we let the chochin float about in the lake.”

“What’s the point in this?”

“To ward off evil spirits and the like.”

“Those don’t exist.”

“Many people do believe in them, though.”

“Those people are dumb.”

“Inosuke,” you huffed, looking at him. “Just put it in the river.”

He grumbled, placing the lantern on the lake at the same time as you. You pushed them, watching as the light glow of the many lanterns illuminating the lake, giving it a warm shimmer.

Loud explosive sounds began to ring out in the air, causing the two of you to jump put of surprise. However, you immediately calmed down upon noticing it was only the fireworks, the colors bursting into the sky in large sparks—dancing among the stars momentarily before disappearing.

“What the hell? Those are fireworks?” Inosuke grumbled, pointing to the sky.

“Yeah. Those are it. Aren’t they cool?” You smiled, looking up at the sky.

He watched as the sparkling lights and colors reflected against your irises, your small smile brightening your face. Inosuke felt his cheeks warm up, causing him to huff out of annoyance.

“No, they’re fucking boring. It makes me wanna sleep.”

Your attention shifted over to him, watching as he rubbed his eyelids and how he barely managed to keep them open. “Okay, then sleep on my lap.”

“Huh?! No!”

“It’s better than sleeping in the grass.”

“I don’t—!”

You cut him off by tugging on his yukata harshly, the side of his head landing on your lap. “Sleep, you big baby. Don’t complain too much.”

You began to run your fingers through his hair in a gentle manner, causing him to relax under your touch once again. He felt his muscles loosen up and his eyes begin to close, a wave of tiredness washing over him.

You smiled to yourself, looking up at the fireworks. You were already used to such things—the little boys in the village always liked to hang out with you before they got tired, sleeping on your lap as you brushed their hair with your fingers.

However, for some reason, this moment felt awfully intimate with Inosuke. You felt the heat in your cheeks rise as you peeked at his sleeping face, a relaxed expression on his features as his lips parted with each breath he took, chest rising and falling.

These feelings...what are they?

[onwardintolight]

Han x Leia, ESB, Trip to Bespin, angst, hurt/comfort, fluff

Summary: ESB from Leia's POV. A journey from despair to hope, a blossoming, an opening to vulnerability and love.

Warnings: Deals with some heavy themes, incl. working through trauma, depression, self-harm, attempted sexual assault. Each chapter will be individually warned.

Note: I’m currently in the process of reposting the first nine chapters here in full, since when I first wrote this fic, I only shared links to the chapters on AO3 and FFN. I will try to post at least weekly. In the meantime, if you’d prefer to binge-read it, the entire fic is posted in full on AO3 and FFN.

Part: Masterlist | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Epilogue

Soundtrack

~~~

Author’s note 11/2019: Major spoilers for Solo: A Star Wars Story

Warnings for chapter: none

~~~

It was a relief to relax again; to simply enjoy the feel of each other’s lips and hands on each other for a little while, there in the circuitry bay. Leia tried hard to quiet her worries, and for a moment, she almost succeeded.

That moment was soon interrupted, however. Chewie stuck his head in the door, braying something about it being time for food, with an addendum about how it would be great if they pursued their mating rituals somewhere outside of his sight and hearing.

«Besides,» he noted, «I’ve prepared something special.»

Duly chastised, they made their way to the dejarik table. Emotionally, Leia felt as though she’d just flown through some particularly rough in-air turbulence, and she wasn’t that hungry—at least, not until she caught the scent of whatever was in the bowl Chewie was carrying in. He deposited it on the table in front of them with a flourish.

“What’s this?” she asked.

Instead of answering, he disappeared again to the corner of the hold, quickly returning with a large plate of ration sticks and reconstituted Bilbringi pies.

«A feast,» he announced. «I made a sauce to go with the rations. It will make us feel like our feet are rooted to the ground again.» He passed out bowls and utensils, and the three of them eagerly dug in.

Leia dipped a spoon into her sauce-covered Bilbringi pie and lifted it for a taste. Immediately, she closed her eyes, savoring the rich, spicy flavor. “How in the galaxy did you manage this, Chewie?” she asked.

Han cut in between bites. “Oh, he always keeps a bunch of spices and stuff around, just in case.”

«One never knows when they’ll be stuck onboard for three weeks,» explained Chewie. «It’s good to—» here he made a series of sounds Leia wasn’t familiar with, and she looked at Han inquisitively.

“He means it’s nice to have something special to break up the routine.”

“I’ll say,” she replied, taking another bite. It wasn’t just the weeks on the ship; it was the endless cold rations on Hoth, too. When had she last had a proper meal? Ord Mantell, maybe? “Honestly, Chewie,” she said, “this is as good as any royal feast I can remember.”

After their stomachs were suitably stuffed—Leia had only found two Wookiee hairs in her bowl, and the last bite was every bit as mouthwateringly delicious as the first—Han turned on some music and conjured up a sabacc deck and a handful of Corellian ales. Soon the hold rang with laughter. Leia had generally been too caught up in her duties to play the game much, but Han and Chewie, while fiercely competitive towards each other, were rather generous teachers. Soon she was holding her own—which for now, she surmised, meant not losing every hand. She suspected Han was going easy on them.

After a long time the music quieted, the album having played through twice already.

“And… Pure Sabacc.” Han layed out his hand triumphantly. Chewie bellowed, waving his arms in frustration. Leia laid out her cards in defeat—she’d had a good hand this round, but at twenty-one points, it wasn’t nearly enough. She briefly thanked the old gods that they weren’t playing for a sabacc pot; otherwise she might have just lost… a lot.

“You’re watching a master at work,” Han crowed, tipping back his second Corellian ale, and Leia and Chewie both rolled their eyes.

She took a small sip of her own drink. “Where did you learn to play sabacc, Han?”

“Oh… around.” He waved dismissively.

«Han was already a master of it when we met, and he was barely more than a cub in human years, then.»

“So… you learned it on Corellia?”

Han shrugged. “We may have been scrumrats, but we were still kids. It was one of the few ways we had fun.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

“Do you ever miss your home planet?” Leia asked.

“No,” Han said firmly. There was no hesitation in his voice.

Leia nodded. She leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand, and thought for a moment. She needed to tread this conversation carefully—considering the lightheartedness of the evening and the alcohol Han had consumed, she suspected he might be a little more open than usual to talking, but she still didn’t want to push too hard. “When you finally escaped… how did it feel? Did you feel free, or was it bittersweet?”

Han and Chewie exchanged a brief look. Then Han leaned back in the seat, raking his fingers through his hair. “Uh,” he muttered. “It’s… complicated.”

She nodded, giving him space to go on if he wanted to. After another mouthful of his ale, he did.

“So, uh, there was this girl.”

Leia stiffened a little, but she just as quickly relaxed again. Of course there was a girl, she told herself. There’d been multiple girls; she was already well aware of that. Don’t be silly; listen. She didn’t want to miss out on this part of his story just because of some childish sort of jealousy.

“We tried to escape together,” he continued. “But… I made it; she didn’t. They grabbed her right as we went through the gate at the spaceport, and I couldn’t do a damn thing.” He shrugged. “I spent the next three years in the Imperial Navy planning out how I was gonna buy my own ship and go back to Corellia. To find her. So yeah, as much as I hated Corellia, you wouldn’t’ve believed it back then.”

“Did you do it? Did you go back and find her?”

He took another sip. “Didn’t have to. Turns out, she was sold right after I left—to Crimson Dawn.”

Leia’s breath caught in her throat.

“She was owned by one of the syndicate’s head honchos,” Han continued, “and somehow she managed to work her way up to being his lieutenant. We ran into each other on my first job after the Empire. Chewie n’ I were with a crew doing a job for Crimson Dawn, and she came with us to Kessel.” He face lit up in a grin. “The trip where I made the run—”

“In less than twelve parsecs. We know,” Leia said, rolling her eyes. “So what happened to her? Did she ever get free?”

“She… no, she didn’t. At least I don’t think so. I, uh, thought, at the end, that we had won, and that she was gonna come away with me and Chewie. She killed the guy who owned her. But… I guess she had other ideas.”

Leia frowned, feeling the glimmer of deep pain in Han’s past. “She took his place,” she said, the realization coming as she said the words. She wondered if this girl was still alive… and if she was still at the head of the notorious cartel.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “Eh, it was a long time ago. I was a kid, naïve. She’d always been like that; a survivor, a climber. In it for herself, no matter what—or who—was in her way.” His words, even after all these years, sounded bitter.

Leia raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like somebody I once thought I knew.”

Han ignored her comment. “It wouldn’t’ve worked out.”

«Hmm. It wouldn’t have,» Chewie agreed. «But Han was sad for a long time.»

“Thanks, fuzzball,” he retorted. “It’s not like nobody ever broke your heart.”

Chewie chuckled. «There was a young Wookiee before Malla,» he explained, turning to Leia. «I was also sad for a long time when we ended the hunt.» He paused. «These things are hard. But when you meet the right person, the sadness of the past seems very small next to the happiness you’ve found.»

With that, Chewbacca stretched and rose from the dejarik table. «I’m going to leave you two to continue your mating ritual. Just stay away from the number three hold.»

Leia blushed. “Chewie, it’s not—we’re not—”

The Wookiee only laughed, eyes twinkling. «Goodnight, cubs.»

The main hold was quiet for a little while in Chewie’s absence. Then, Han scooted closer to Leia on the bench, putting an arm around her and shifting his ale to his other hand. He massaged her shoulder, looking thoughtful.

“You know,” he said, “I’ve had a lot of disappointments. A lot of heartache.” He took another sip. “Everyone I’ve ever cared for has either abandoned or betrayed me, the whole lot of ‘em.” He made a scornful sound. “Usually both. And I never… I never took it easy.” He glanced at her. “I’ve had to learn to face the galaxy on my own. Well, not completely—I’ve got Chewie, but you know what I mean. I’ve had to learn not to trust people, not to commit to anything.” He swallowed, looking into her eyes. “I… Leia… I want that to be different, with you.”

Leia opened her mouth to respond, then she closed it again. She wasn’t sure what to say. His words had stirred something deep within her, and her mind was still working through what all it meant. He wants to commit, she thought. He wants a life together. How impossible that would have sounded, once. Still sounded, if she were honest. Was it? All she knew was that she desperately wanted it, too.

“I love you,” he murmured again, and bent down for a lingering kiss. They parted, and she laid her head on his shoulder, nestling into him, wishing she had more to give. Several minutes passed in silence.

And then, finally, she knew what to say, what to do.

She took a deep breath. “On Alderaan,” she began, “women’s hair is regarded as sacred, in a way. There’s all sorts of meaning behind how we wear it.” She paused. “And… there’s a lot of meaning behind who gets to take it down. It’s… incredibly intimate.” She sat up, trembling. Slowly, she drew a pin out of her hair and laid it in his hand. His eyes widened.

She hoped he would understand. It wasn’t a spoken “I love you,” nor was it a lustful consummation. But it was a sign, and, she hoped, a promise of things to come. A powerful act, words without words. Would he hear them? She rotated on the bench, presenting him with the coil of braids that were wrapped around the back of her head.

Slowly, he reached out and touched them. Then he kissed the nape of her neck, making the tiny hairs there stand on end. She let out a shaky breath. He began to search, his fingers wandering over the braids. He pulled out one pin, then another. Every time he removed one, he planted another kiss—this one on her shoulder, that one on her cheek, another one on her neck again.

Finally, the last pin was out and her hair was unraveled. She felt it spilling like a waterfall over her shoulders and back. From behind her, Han made a quiet, agonized sort of sound. She’d never worn her hair down around him before. With reverent care, he dug his fingers into her loose tresses, slowly running through them, gently smoothing out the tangles. “Leia,” he murmured, voice cracking. “It’s… kriff, you’re so beautiful.” He buried his head in it, kissed it.

Once again, Leia didn’t know what to say. A lump had formed in her throat; it seemed to come from a bubble of joy inside her that was growing larger and larger by the second. There were no words for this. She simply turned around to face him, drew his forehead to hers, and then kissed him again, long and deep, while his hands wove through her hair.

[sarakuper]

Santa Marta & Tayrona National Park; the coast of Colombia

Stop #8, January 28-February 5

We arrived in Santa Marta on Tuesday night with little expectation of what Santa Marta had to offer. Blog’s I’ve read had mixed reviews about this city, as were the reviews I heard from friends and other travelers. Either way, we had such an exciting month that took lots of planning up until now, and now we have no plans other than where we are sleeping at night.

We stayed at La Guaca hostel and got a private room. The hostel is really nice and clean and overall just has good vibes! This place quickly became my favorite hostel.

Wednesday was our first full day, and after sleeping in and taking our time with breakfast we headed into town. It turned out to be a really wonderful day. We wandered the streets of Santa Marta, both the touristy and non touristy spots. We picked up fruit and water at the grocery store to help out some of the young Venezuelan refugees in the area. We stopped in a suuuuuuuper hippy dippy cafe that was so beautiful; an entire wall was covered in plants! And, I swear, I recall a waterfall.. and mist spraying from the ceiling. Its so hot here in Santa Marta, the mist was a pleasant surprise! We continued to walk around and then we explored the free gold museum which was actually quite lovely. It showcased the lost golf of the indigenous Taironas. Lastly, we walked along the bay before renting chairs on the beach for the last 2 hours of sunlight. We were continuously asked to buy things from several vendors, but I only said yes to a young pregnant woman selling massages. I’ve been wanting one anyway, and I totally have a soft spot for pregnant women!! She is from Cartagena originally and already has one child, but the competition is too high in Cartagena so they now live in Santa Marta. Once it was over I stripped down to my undies, not expecting to swim today, and went for a dip. Luckily for me I was wearing granny panties so this time my white behind wasn’t blaring at everyone.

About an hour later we starting chatting with the family that rented chairs next to us. They are Colombian, living in Medellin, and are on vacation. It was a husband and wife named Oscar and Elisabeth, and their 18 year old daughter Mariana. The family was immediately welcoming and were really impressed with our Spanish. We talked about our favorite foods in the country and when I mentioned the delicious coconut rice in the caribbean coast, Elisabeth immediately invited me to her house in Medellin to teach me how to cook it. Hers, she says, is way better than any restaurants. :) We ended up hitting it off with this family so well that we exchanged numbers and planned to go to another beach together, the next day.

The next day we met at a bus stop at 11:00am to get on the local bus to Tagana, the neighboring fishing village with their own beach. Once we arrived we chatted with the boat companies at the dock and arranged for a transfer to Playa Grande. The boat ride was about 5 minutes, and we appeared on a blue beach with many other locals and tourists. We spent the day reading, drinking, swimming, and snorkeling with Oscar’s basic snorkel gear. I was so surprised by how many fish there were right along this beach! It was a great day with our new friends, and it was especially enjoyable to experience Santa Marta like locals (from Colombia) instead of gringos :)

For the next day, January 31st, we decided to splurge on a tour to a beach in Tayrona National Park. The park will be closing for the month of February, so unfortunately we won’t have time to explore it. They close every year for one month for restoration, and also so that the indigenous people living there can have time off from the tourists to connect with their roots. Our hostel offers a day trip to one of their many famous beaches, and so thats what we did!

Our early morning transport to Tyrona came at 6am. I slept on most of the journey, but once we finally arrived to the coast we took a boat for about 5 minutes to Playa Crystal. There were more people than I thought there would be, but it was a stunning beach none the less. The water is crystal clear (hence the name), and there was fantastic snorkeling. Sean bought some basic snorkeling gear at the grocery store the night before so we didn’t have to continue paying for rentals. It was a smart move, because even if we don’t take them with us once we leave it still saved us money. We made some friends on this tour as well, a couple from Spain and another Colombian couple that live in England now. We shared the cost of beach chairs in the shade and enjoyed another beautiful day on the beach. This beach was definitely the most beautiful one we were able to visit.

The next day we did absolutely nothing! Well, we actually did a lot of important things, but from bed. We had been so sun kissed and tired from the snorkeling this last week we decided to take the day off! I worked on my Colorado license for teaching, booked our next flights, organized our next hostels, uploaded photos (and worked on my tumblr posts), etc. Sean completed both our applications for a visa extension which was more complicated than it probably should be! He also went food shopping for us, buying lots of guacamole ingredients which I planned to prepare for the Super Bowl. We also both did a ton of Duolingo; we’ve been super into it lately, as its the only Spanish class we have at the moment! It was actually a very productive day, and in the evening we took a taxi to meet our Colombian friends Elisabeth, Oscar, and Mariana, for beers and people watching on a busy strip of beach in Rodadero. We danced, ate, drank, chatted, and really just continued to enjoy each others company!

The next day, Super Bowl Sunday, we slept in, went out for lunch, and then headed back to La Bahia de Santa Marta, the bay of Santa Marta. We met our friends again, swam, played Uno (which they gave us as a gift), and headed back with plenty of time to shower and watch the super-bowl pregame. Did the Super Bowl half time show have a lot of Spanish!? We watched the same show, right!? I thought it was a great coincidence that Shakira was one of the performers, because she is from Colombia! And I also loved how JLo held the Puerto Rican flag during the show. YASSSS QUEEN! 

On Monday we finally made it to Sisiguaca, a tiny beach close to Playa Grande in Taganga that the receptionist at the hostel told us about. We took a boat from Taganga beach about 5 minutes to Sisguaca where we shared a small beach with maybe 15 others. We sat in the shade close to the water, relaxed, and snorkeled. At this point our Colombian friends had flown back to Medellin. They invited us to stay in their home whenever we get back to Medellin; we look forward to seeing them again! Anyway, back to Sisiguaca. I ordered my favorite dish, arroz de coco (coconut rice), with a side of patacones at the tiny restaurant along the shore. The snorkeling was fabulous, as was our quiet surroundings. After throwing the nerf football around as the sun began to set, we headed back to Taganga via boat and then bus to Santa Marta. 

As per usual, we stopped at the grocery store on the way home to pick up some ingredients for our go-to dinner at “home”... pasta! But by this point we’ve gotten into the habit of buying water and bananas for the Venezuelan refugees seeking help outside the grocery store. Its became part of our routine in Santa Marta. Bottles of water and bananas/some other food is the least we could do and cost very little. The women with their baby girls were always happy to see us, as was this one disabled man that Sean helped out, every time we visited the store.

Next stop is Minca where we plan to stay for 4 nights before coming back to Santa Marta for a flight.

Thanks for reading fam, love you all. <3

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

The French Connection - Chapter 1

A HardyxMiller AU

Ellie Miller is left to go on her honeymoon alone after a devastating secret about her fiance comes to light - halfway through the wedding ceremony.  Sitting in St Pancras International in London waiting for her train, she runs into none other than her uni rival/best friend Alec Hardy, on the run from his own recent heartbreak.

They decide to make use of Ellie’s pre-paid trip, rekindling their friendship and escaping real life; yet, it turns out their years at uni are the hardest to outrun. Based on this prompt from @timepetalscollective  

Chapters will be posted every Wednesday and Sunday.  Beta’d by the wonderful @stupidsatsuma

Masterlist  |  AO3

---

Ellie Miller sat slumped over a table for two, picking at her unappetizing, healthy breakfast wrap as she waited for her train.  She still had twenty minutes before she could begin boarding, and despite having already made the effort of getting into London, wasn’t even certain she would be on the train when it pulled out.

In fact, she might be quite happy to remain at this table forever.  No one who knew her, no one to bother her, offer advice or sympathy, scold or belittle her.  She might, if she was lucky, never have to hear her own name ever again.

“Millah?”

Spoke too soon, she thought bitterly, eyes slipping closed and turning her head away from the direction of the voice, hoping whoever it was would believe they were mistaken and continue on.

“The hell are you doing?”

Her eyes snapped open as her table jostled, and sure enough, it was exactly who she’d suspected (feared) now in front of her.

“Fuck off.”

While most men would cower at her vitriolic tone and icy stare, Alec Hardy had been her rival for top of the class at uni, and was therefore all but immune to her intimidation tactics.  Being a Scot, he probably considers that a friendly greeting, she rolled her eyes.

He’d helped himself to the chair opposite her, folding his arms on the table and leaning towards her, that curious look in his eye that said he thought he was on the scent of something.  “Well aren’t you a ray of fucking sunshine?  I thought I was the grumpy one.  I distinctly remember you ordering it to be so.”  The corner of his mouth twitched, and despite her irritation, hers quirked in response.

“What’re you doing here?”

“Running away.  You?”

“The same.”

Staring down at her sad breakfast, she could no longer stomach the thought, and pushed it across the table at her one-time schoolmate.  “Here, it’s rabbit food, you’ll like it.”

Hardy made a face, poking at it, before shrugging.  “Thanks.”  He took a bite, grimacing as he chewed, and gingerly set it back down.  “You know attempted murder’s a crime, don’t you?”

“You should arrest the bloke in the shop then, ‘cause he promised me it was good.”

That got her a soft laugh, and they sat in silence for a minute, not quite meeting each other’s eye.

“So, how long has it been?” he eventually asked, brow furrowing as if trying to do the math himself and getting nowhere.

“Eight years?”  She hadn’t seen him since graduation – or more specifically, the morning after graduation.  Involuntarily, her cheeks flushed at the memory.

Hardy froze for just a moment.  “Right,” he said, perfectly neutrally, the moment growing more awkward by the second as they both tried to pretend everything was normal.

“What’re you running from?” Ellie asked, just to change the subject, before wincing.

“My girlfriend was having an affair with one of our coworkers, I decked him in the middle of the bullpen, and am now on forced vacation.”  He rolled his eyes, slumping down in his chair.  “I’d been working thirty-six hours straight so they let me off with just a warning, but strongly suggested I take the next two weeks off.”

Ellie hummed in sympathy, cuddling her coffee cup to her chest to resist the temptation to reach out to him.  “I’m sorry.”

He nodded.  “Me too.”  He paused a moment, before glancing up with a wry grin.  “It was a shitty punch, didn’t even break his nose.”

She laughed, some of her tension easing, though it reappeared instantly when he continued speaking.

“What about you?  What’re you running from?”

“Eurostar, London to Paris, now boarding.  This is the first call for Eurostar to Paris.”

That was her, but she ignored the announcement to confess, “Yesterday was my wedding day.  Halfway through the ceremony, my husband-to-be was arrested on child porn charges.”

“Shit.”  Hardy’s eyes went wide, and let off a low whistle.  “Shit.  Sorry, yeah, that’s worse.”

“It’s not a competition,” she tried to laugh, lower lip wobbling.  Don’t cry.  Whatever you do, do not cry in front of Hardy.  “But, thanks.  Anyway, I’m off on our honeymoon alone.  Maybe.  Where are you headed, though?  Where’re you spending your time off?”

He shook his head, shrugging.  “I was just going to buy the cheapest ticket and see where it took me.  Anywhere but here, you know?”

“You could come with me,” slipped out before she even thought about it, cheeks flaming as she realized what she’d said.

“What?”

“I have two tickets,” she explained, ignoring the little voice saying what’re you doing?  Wouldn’t you rather be alone?  “Everything’s paid for, and I promise not to ask about your ex if you don’t ask about mine.”

“Second call for Eurostar to Paris.  All passengers please make their way to Track Two for boarding.”

Hardy stared at her, a slightly incredulous expression on his face, but after a moment, he shrugged.  “What the hell.  If you’re sure, why not?”

“Excellent!” Ellie chirped, jumping up and grabbing her luggage.  “Shall we go, then?”

-

As soon as they found seats and settled in, Ellie fell asleep against the window, leaving Alec alone with his thoughts as he watched the countryside fly past.

Eight years, he wondered, slightly amazed.  Has it really been that long?  In some ways, it did feel that way – it felt like ages since she’d been a part of his life, and it had been jarring, going from seeing her near every day to never again.  They’d had a complicated friendship while in school to say the least, one that barely even qualified for the word ‘friendship’, but it was the best description he had.

In other ways, it felt like only yesterday they were antagonizing each other, fighting for top of the class and trying to out-perform each other.  In the moment, he hadn’t realized how much fun it was to have her for a sparring partner.  For as much as they would argue, it never felt like fighting.

Focusing on her reflection in the window, he considered the utter coincidence that they had both ended up at St Pancras’ on the same morning wanting to run away from their relationship problems.  He wouldn’t go so far as to say it was fate, given he didn’t really believe in the concept, but he also didn’t believe in coincidences after so long as a detective, and yet running into her had to be one.

If nothing else, this will be a memorable trip.

-

Doubts plagued Ellie as soon as the train began to move, and she quickly feigned sleep to avoid any conversation.

Apparently she feigned a bit too well, because the next thing she knew Hardy was gently shaking her shoulder.

“We’re here,” he said quietly, and she sat up, yawning and brushing the hair from her face, horrified to find a bit of crusted drool on the side of her mouth, which she tried to frantically swipe away as they shuffled off the train into Paris’ famed Gare du Nord dragging their luggage behind them.

“Now what?” Hardy asked when they came to a stop in a relatively quiet, out of the way corner, and Ellie let go of her suitcase to dig through her purse for the folder she’d made with all the arrangements.

Yawning again, she re-committed the hotel address to memory before safely storing the documents.  “Taxi to the hotel.”  She reached for her suitcase again, only to find his hand already there.

“I got this,” he shook his head, “you just lead the way.”

Feeling disoriented for so many reasons that had nothing to do with the foreign country or language, she led him through the train station and out onto the street, joining the queue for a taxi.  Thankfully it moved quickly, and soon enough, they were settled in a cab and winding their way through Paris.

“Look at this,” she murmured, staring out the window at the architecture flying by.  “Isn’t it gorgeous?”  They didn’t pass any famous sites on the way, but Ellie wasn’t bothered; she’d be seeing them soon enough.

On the plus side, I’ll actually get to accomplish my itinerary instead of staying in bed all day, she thought wryly, focusing on Hardy’s reflection in the glass.  He was looking out the other window, which was probably for the best.  She was still more than a bit stunned at his presence, but after the chaos of the previous twenty-four hours, it was low on the ‘shock’ factor.  And he’s certainly not going to ask me about Joe.

The thought of her former fiancé hurt, but she couldn’t quite muster the energy to cry – she’d spent the entire night doing that, curled up alone in her bed, sobbing why? over and over.

She’d hadn’t gotten an answer.

The driver cleared his throat, and she realized they had arrived at their hotel.  Situated on the north side of the Seine directly across from the Île de la Cité, it offered an amazing view of the city, and was conveniently located for walking to all the top sights.

“Merci,” Ellie said, but before she could pull out her money, a few notes crossed in front of her nose, and she turned to find Hardy with his arm outstretched.

“I got it,” he shrugged, gesturing his head for her to climb out.  He followed quickly, unloading their suitcases from the back, and with a final check, they sent the cab off and headed into the hotel.  Again, he grabbed her suitcase before she could, sending her ahead.

I don’t remember him being such a gentleman, she thought, before pasting on a bright smile and checking them in with her admittedly rusty French.

Within moments she was handed two plastic room keys with a cheery Felicitations!, and with a nod, she led him back towards the lifts.

They rode in silence, smiling awkwardly at each other, but thankfully it was a short trip and they quickly spilled out into the hallway.  It wasn’t until she opened the door that Ellie remembered she had booked the premiere honeymoon package.

“Shit,” she muttered, holding open the door as she stared inside, Hardy looking over her shoulder.  It was a romantic’s dream, but at the moment, the vision just made Ellie want to throw up.  “Oh, fuck.”

It was a fairly decent sized room for Paris, a small bathroom immediately on the right before opening up into the main area.  A desk and chair sat under the window, offering a view of Paris and in the distance, the towers of Notre-Dame rose above the rooftops.

The main feature, of course, given that it was the honeymoon suite, was the bed.

“Am I losing my mind,” Hardy asked from behind her, “or is that bed really heart-shaped?”

It was, with a delicate canopy to boot.  Loose rose petals covered scarlet sheets, while battery-operated white candles were arranged on every flat surface, giving the room a romantic glow despite the lack of real flame.  A bottle of champagne sat nestled in an ice bucket next to the desk, two flutes ready nearby.

“Uh huh,” she said faintly, finally moving forward enough to enter the room and letting him in behind her, neither paying any mind to the door slamming shut behind them.

He coughed, shifting his weight.  “This is cozy.”

“This was a terrible idea.”  Tears welled in Ellie’s eyes, and she had to viciously bite her lower lip to keep it from trembling.  “This whole thing.  I never should’ve come – what was I thinking?  Oh, fuck.”

“Hey, Miller, it’s okay,” Hardy fumbled, patting her back, only pushing her closer to tears.

“Just give me a minute,” she sniffled, turning into the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind her before letting her emotions go.

-

Left alone in the entryway, Alec looked around the room with a frown.  Doing his best to ignore the sobbing from the bathroom he stepped further into the main area, crossing his arms as he took it in.

Deciding to try damage control, he cleaned up the rose petals and shut off the candles, doing his best to remove the more romantic overtones.  Not that he could do anything about the shape of the bed.

Glancing towards the bathroom door he saw no indication she would soon be emerging and investigated the room a little, pulling open drawers and closet doors to see what they were working with.

No evidence of a sleep sofa meant they would have to share the bed, and he grimaced at the thought.  Not that he didn’t think they could do so without incident, but more because he feared it would absolutely send her over the edge.

Eyeing the champagne, he decided to open it – it came with the room, and maybe a little alcohol would ease the tension.

Not too much, the little voice in the back of his mind warned as he popped open the bottle, the last thing either of us needs is a repeat of graduation night.

He kindly told the voice to get stuffed.  Just as he finished pouring the second glass the bathroom door opened, and he held out one of the flutes towards Ellie, hoping she wouldn’t take it the wrong way.

“Champagne?”

[vernonfielding]

Life Writes Its Own Stories

Chapter 9. (AO3)

By mutual agreement, they declared a ban on “fancy” dates, which were defined as anything requiring a tie (for him) or high heels (for her) or financial gymnastics (for both of them). “I just don’t think we’re that kind of couple,” Amy said. “I just don’t think I have more than a dollar in my bank account,” Jake said. He could tell she thought he was joking and he was disinclined to correct her, for the time being.

So they got creative.

Amy treated him to a picnic at their fountain in Prospect Park, with Italian subs from the deli that he said was his favorite but never went to because his third favorite was closer to the precinct.

She took him to the T-rex exhibit at the natural history museum and made out with him in a dim corner of the gem room, where they got caught by a trio of middle-schoolers on a field trip who followed them around the rest of the afternoon.

She dragged him to the button store near Bryant Park, so he could experience the insanity of an entire shop with nothing but buttons. She’d loved visiting the store as a child with her mother, she said to him, and just as she had when she was young, she filled a silky pouch with mismatched buttons, picked out by both of them. She told him to keep it, and he stuffed it in his sock drawer, then changed his mind and set it on his bedside table instead. On nights he wasn’t with her, he’d hold it in his hand while he messed around on his phone or watched TV; the slip and slide of the buttons through the cloth, the gentle clacking sound they made, was soothing to him.

Jake took her to his go-to thrift store for undercover attire, and made Amy buy clothes for her alter ego, Eldora Senegal, and he picked out something for Pineapples, and they wore their costumes to a shady bar near his apartment and day drank and fell asleep on his couch at 8 p.m. on a Saturday.

He led her on a midnight crime tour of Brooklyn, and the next morning he bought her breakfast sandwiches from the sketchy looking bodega across the street from his apartment, and she said they were the best she’d ever had.

He took her to a kids’ soccer game at Prospect Park, where they set up cheap folding chairs and shared a bag of peanuts and drank PBRs out of paper bags, and each of them picked a team –  the winner got to control the TV for two weeks. They got aggressively, perhaps inappropriately, competitive, and in the lulls between plays, Jake told her about the one season he’d played soccer as a kid, after his dad had left and he’d quit Little League. And she didn’t look at him with pity or indulgence, just smiled softly and brushed her thumb over his cheek, then screamed at the goalie on her team for diving the wrong way on a shot.

Amy figured out pretty quickly that Jake was kind of a slob and that it was true she’d have to get used to him showing up late for dates or canceling last-minute when he got stuck on a case. Eventually he had to tell her about the crushing debt, when she gently suggested he might need a new mattress. Her eyes grew wide with alarm, and for the first time he felt he’d disappointed her and it was awful. But then the dismay on her face shifted to something more like fond exasperation –  the same look when she saw the stacks of unwashed cereal bowls in his kitchen sink or when he showed up for dinner with his hair still wet from a precinct shower –  and honestly, that wasn’t so bad.

Jake learned Amy was a terrible cook and a nerd about word games and kind of a control freak, and that she was prone to absurd bouts of stubbornness when she was having a bad day. He could always tell when the Times or some other newspaper had beat her on a story because she would refuse any help or small kindness from him for the rest of the day, even if it was just opening a door for her or offering to pick up takeout before coming over.

And he found that she’d meant it when she said her career was her priority, which wasn’t to say he ever felt pushed aside, or like she took him for granted. But she worked as many nights as he did, and though she didn’t often go into the newsroom on weekends she almost always had her police scanner on low at her apartment and she obsessively checked Twitter for breaking news. 

“I have a new rule,” he said to her one lazy afternoon, as he came up behind her and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. She was sitting at her kitchen table, working on the Sunday Times crossword puzzle; her phone sat next to the paper, buzzing at irregular intervals.

She angled her head to expose more of her neck and said, distracted, “What’s that?”

“Turn off Twitter notifications.”

She stiffened and looked over her shoulder at him. “Are you crazy?”

Jake sighed and sat next to her. “You’re making me a little crazy, Ames.”

She assessed him, eyes narrowed. “I’ll turn off 30 percent of the notifications.”

“Deal.” He leaned over and they kissed, a promise, and she turned back to her puzzle. “Also, no more scanner during sexy times.”

“Now you’ve gone too far, Peralta,” she said. But then she got up and turned off the scanner humming low in the corner, and straddled him in the chair. So yeah, he knew she had her priorities just right.

+++

A month after they started dating, they went to Gina’s dance recital in Queens, where they sat in the last row in the dark and whistled and cheered at her solo moves. When it was over they dropped off flowers for her with someone backstage but they didn’t stick around to say hi. Gina didn’t know they were dating, and Jake wasn’t entirely opposed to telling her, but he wasn’t sure how she would react, if she’d be angry or happy for him or just bored by the news.

A few days later, Jake was at Shaw’s with Rosa after an especially dumb day chasing scooter thieves – “We should just let them go, they’re doing the city a favor,” Jake said. “Yep,” Rosa said. They caught the guys two hours later – when someone called out “Jakey!”

He looked up and saw Amy at the same moment he spotted Charles, who was waving and pointing crazily at Jake. Amy’s jaw dropped and Jake was convinced for a second that he’d been roofied because it was the only way to explain these people all in one place at the same time. Then Rosa hit him.

“Dude, why is your girlfriend here?”

For a second Jake wasn’t sure if she was referring to Amy or Charles, but he knew Rosa would never make fun of someone’s masculinity and he felt bad about the thought even crossing his mind. “How did you know?”

“You’re super obvious,” Rosa said.

Then Charles and Amy had crossed the room and were standing at their table, and Charles was saying something about how he thought they’d be perfect together and he’d been trying to make this happen for so long and what did they think, was it a love connection? And Rosa said, “Shut up, man, they’re already dating.”

Charles looked wildly between them before his knees buckled and he fell into a chair that was conveniently just under him. Rosa pushed her beer across the table to him and he picked it up and finished it in one go.

“I’m Rosa,” Rosa said to Amy.

“Amy,” Amy said.

“I can’t believe this,” Charles said.

“Seriously, how do you know everyone I work with?” Amy sat down next to Jake and stole his beer.

It was like this, Jake told her: He’d met Charles five years ago, when Charles’ ex-wife had been holding his sperm hostage and Charles had filed a complaint, and the case had been too obviously insane for Jake to not take it. He’d known Charles’ job had something to do with editing but he hadn’t realized he worked at the Bulletin.

“How can you not know that?” Amy said.

“We kind of only ever talk about my job,” Jake said.

Charles nodded agreeably. “Jake’s work is way more interesting than mine.”

“Oh, and we talk about food. Super gross food.”

“Also true,” Charles said.

When Rosa got up to get more drinks and Charles got up to ask about the Shaw’s selection of balsam liqueurs (“None. I’m sure it’s none,” Jake told him, but Charles wanted to check anyway), Jake turned to Amy and kissed her, firm but fast, and said, “You need to get out of here.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, but this is a cop bar and there are so many people watching us and-” He flapped his hand around weakly, because he didn’t want to have to say it.

“And you can’t be seen with me,” she finished for him.

It was too loud and too dark in the bar for him to read her, but his heart seized up at the words. “It’s not that I don’t want to-”

“Jake, it’s okay,” Amy said. She took his hand and squeezed it, then quickly let him go and stood. “I’ll grab Charles and get him to take me home. Call me later?”

She wasn’t even annoyed when he called that night, perched on the edge of his bed with his shoes still on, prepared to go to her if she was mad or upset or just sad.

“I get it,” she said.

He flopped back on his bed. “I don’t think I deserve you.”

She laughed and said he probably didn’t. “Also, you are definitely taking me and Rosa out to dinner soon and no, I don’t care about your debt, because I didn’t have time to win her over tonight,” Amy said.

Jake was too crazy about her to argue.

+++

The second weekend of November was cold and drizzly and gray, the perfect weather for staying inside all day with a week’s worth of notes to transcribe and catalogue and a man to send out for snacks as needed. But it was also the weekend that Amy was going to introduce Jake to her family, or some of them: David was having a barbecue at his Flatbush apartment.

They were swarmed within a few minutes of their arrival, and Jake was introduced to three of her seven brothers all at once, though he’d met some of them before, just not as their sister’s boyfriend.

And that was what she called him. “This is my boyfriend, Jake,” she said to Manny, the fourth brother in attendance, who was supervising the grill in the backyard (Amy was never not going to be annoyed that David had managed to find an affordable apartment in Brooklyn with an actual backyard). The “boyfriend” probably wasn’t necessary because she had her arm looped through Jake’s when she said it and she went up on her toes to kiss his cheek. But she liked saying it, and Jake beamed when he heard it.

“You’re with the Nine-Nine, right?” Manny reached out a hand to shake, then dug into the ice chest at his feet and handed over two Tecates. “Only the best for Amy and her boyfriend.”

Jake chuckled and popped open the beer, briefly tapping his can against Manny’s and Amy’s before taking a sip. “Isn’t it a little cold for a barbecue?”

“It’s fucking freezing, but David’s boyfriend asked for our mom’s pollo asado for his birthday, and Mom can’t resist David, so-”

“Wait, Mom’s here?” Amy said, her voice gone high-pitched as she looked all around the backyard.

“She’s in the kitchen. David didn’t tell you?” Manny sounded genuinely surprised, but Amy could tell by the look on his face that he found the situation hilarious.

“He did not,” Amy said, her grip tightening around Jake’s arm.

Jake was looking a little panicked but obviously trying not to show it. “Is your dad here too?”

Manny busted up laughing and slapped him on the shoulder. “No, man, you’re safe for tonight.” He nodded his head toward the house. “Go inside and talk to her, sis. I’ll keep Peralta occupied.”

Amy glanced at Jake and he gave her a small nod and a kiss on the forehead. She squeezed his arm and then let go, squared her shoulders, and walked toward the backdoor.

She hadn’t yet told her mom she was dating anyone, let alone a cop. Family politics such as they were, she was afraid that bringing an NYPD detective home was going to be instantly divisive, solidifying her place on Team Cop and firmly pitted against Team Not-Cops, which was led by Camila Santiago – loving mother of eight, champion of the people, and vice president of her neighborhood chapter of Black Lives Matter.

Bringing Jake to David’s barbecue had been a calculated move on Amy’s part. She’d counted on a gentle Santiago initiation, an opportunity for him to gain a few allies before meeting the rest of the family. Leave it to David to foil her plans, again.

She found him in the kitchen, chopping cilantro and singing along with a showtune she vaguely recognized. Amy hissed in his ear, “You did this on purpose.”

“Amita! You made it!”

Amy punched him in the arm. “Do not call me that, traitor.”

“Amy! My only daughter, come here.” Her mom crossed the kitchen and swept Amy in a hug, kissing both of her cheeks. She smelled faintly of garlic and chilis, and the floral-scented face powder she’d been using as long as Amy could remember.

“Mom, I’m sorry I haven’t called-”

“You’re very busy, I understand.” She held Amy at arm’s length, looking her up and down, and then peered over her shoulder toward the backyard. “David told me your boyfriend was coming.”

Amy could practically feel David smirking at them. “He’s in the backyard.” She took a deep breath and let it out all at once. “Mom, Jake’s a detective. In the NYPD.”

“So David said.”

“It wasn’t like I planned to date a cop, it just happened,” Amy said, in a rush. “I don’t want you to think I’m choosing sides. And I don’t want you to hate him. He’s really great, Mom. If you just give him a chance-”

But her mom was laughing. “Mija, I married a cop. And I happen to love your father very much.”

Amy stared, dumbstruck, because somehow that very important detail hadn’t occurred to her.

“Come,” her mother said, tucking her arm through Amy’s and steering them toward the backyard, “let’s go meet Jake.”

Amy smiled, and she wasn’t even annoyed – much – at the smug look on David’s face when she caught his eye. At the top of the stairs down to the yard, Amy’s mom stopped her and just looked her over again, long enough that Amy felt a blush rise to her cheeks.

“Mom?”

“I’m proud of you,” her mother said. “I know I don’t say it enough.”

Amy felt her eyes fill and didn’t trust herself to speak. Her mom stroked her hair, tugging a little at the ends, and said, “You need a haircut.” Amy laughed, and she pulled her mom forward to introduce her to her boyfriend.

CHAPTER 10

[thesilverdragoon]

Little Ladies’ Day

“I’LL KILL HIM- LET GO-”

“FOR BLOODY SAKE SOMEONE GRAB HOLD OF THAT SHRIEKIN’ DEVIL-”

And grab hold of the miqo’te, they did. Well… the bravest roegadyn they had anyway.

“SHE’S A LUNATIC, I’M NOT FIGHTING THAT- IT WOULDN’T EVEN BE A FAIR RIGHT!!” Some young punk had the wind knocked out of his sails.

Ul’dah’s arena was always lively, but this was a bit much. The host of this particular venue (or event or whichever it was)made a noise of annoyance or disapproval or both, and then stomped over towards the hurricane of claws. “Get a hold of yourself yeah?!? Ya see what ya bloody do? I’m tryin’ ta run a business here and all YOU’RE doin�� is scarin’ away all the competition, and if there’s none of THAT,” He grabbed the back of her shirt roughly from the guard and jostled her around. “Then there ain’t any GIL comin’ in!! Yer runnin’ me damned DRY!!”

“Then get me someone who can FIGHT who’s not such a CRY BABY AND WE’LL-” Cat hissed.

“I’ll not be bargaining with the likes of a devil. Much less you!!! Now you go cool off or else yer goin’ ta take that stub of yers an’ shove th’rest of it up yer arse!!”

They tossed her back out into the street with that final word.

Cat sprang to her feet and puffed up, ready to start screaming at the door, but she thought better of it at the end.

Instead she grabbed a nearby empty crate off a whole stack of them and threw it into the street before storming off, back to the main walkway of the city.

Cool off… how dare they. It wasn’t her fault they could hardly find anyone brave enough to face her AND her wrath.

Despite it being later in the evening, many people were out and about. The city was still lively. Not like Ul’dah ever slept anyway.

There were blossom trees that had been brought in big pots up and down the street, ribbons tied everywhere, colorful confetti and flowers all over the place too. Everything she hated. Except the flowers. Maybe.

The sights made her bitter if anything. Fathers out with daughters, husbands with wives, siblings with one another, all having what looked to be a good time.

Many of the girls had flower crowns made of daisies, in all sorts of colors. And they were fragrant too. It smelled like flowers all over the place. Cat wrinkled her nose.

Why did she even walk in this direction? It only made her more upset than she already was, though for entirely different reasons.

So she stomped on past, looking for a side street to occupy. And when she found one, she sat down and fell back against one of the stone walls, closing her eyes, brows furrowed angrily.

She could still hear the crowds. But that was as good as it was going to get.

Then her stomach rumbled.

And no coin meant no food. Or a place to stay. Or anything.

Everything, well, nearly everything Lowrey said would happen, did. She could hardly keep a job, the law was on her ass constantly with all of the brawling, and she was usually a slave to whatever work she could find. Like now. But even they were at their wits end. She didn’t have any skills, any talents. Nothing. Only fighting.

And screaming.

She’d have rather died than telling that idiot he was right.

Besides… it wasn’t like she hadn’t lived this way before. She could do it.

Then why was it such a pain?

Hesitantly, she got up again and meandered towards the market place. At least she could steal something to eat, if they weren’t making any holiday snacks for free already.

Food stalls lined the bazaar, cooking away as usual. Cat easily slipped back into the crowds, eventually eyeballing a really busy kabob stand. Perfect.

She pushed her way to the front and waited. Everything looked so tasty… and orange. But it looked like it would be hard to reach from where she was.

Cat frowned. Maybe it wasn’t worth it.

She turned and immediately crashed face first into a whole lot of blue. “OW-” It didn’t hurt, but that was what came out. Followed by a strangled hiss.

When she looked up, her ears flattened. “You-”

“Sorry, you should be more careful on where you are-”

“YOU’RE THE SON OF A BITCH WITH THE BIKE!!!” Cat shrieked angrily. If it wasn’t for that damned thing Lowrey wouldn’t have taken it-

“Excuse me??” The elezen looked down at her before realizing. “Wait- I know you-”

“LIKE HELL YA DO-” Before Cat could fly directly towards his face, the knight picked her up by the back of her shirt and held her up like a helpless kitten.

“I had wondered where you had gotten off to after the whole incident back there by the Ruby Sea. Your companion said you came back to Eorzea.”

“LET GO OF ME-”

Some of the locals nearby recognized the yelling, and even saw it from afar. And they said nothing.

Anyone who could render Cat useless was good in their books.

“Stop shouting. I would like to hear what you have been up to. Not here, though.” Vesevont glanced around before making his way out of the crowd by the food stands and heading towards the nearest city gate.

They left Ul’dah behind, stepping out into the dry lands with nothing but the crickets and other things that lived out there.

Only then did he put Cat down. They sat on the edge of a crumbling wall nearby, looking out over the craggy hills.

Cat kept her arms crossed defensively. “This is so fucking stupid. This is all YOUR fault this happened. If it hadn’t been for your dumbass bike then we wouldn’t have BEEN IN that MESS.”

Ves hardly reacted. Being verbally abused like this was comforting in a twisted way. It reminded him of Mischa. If anything, he missed it. “Your friend, loathe as I am to call him as such, stole the device from me. And the trouble that came with it. I did not set the Garleans on you.”

“I DON’T CARE!! I LOST MY STUPID TAIL CUZ OF YOU IF YOU AIN’T NOTICED YET!!” Cat sprang up again, clenching her fists tightly.

Ves looked down at them, and then up at her. “I’m sorry.” He had nothing to be sorry for and he knew it.

But saying so thankfully defused the miqo’te’s growing temper, for the time being. Instead, she looked away and threw her arms in the air momentarily before letting them drop in defeat.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes, until Cat decided to sit back down once more.

“....Guess none of it fucking matters now anyway. I don’t work for that ungrateful fuck anymore. Or that lousy cheat.”

“I heard.” Ves answered.

“Yeah? What ELSE did you hear?” She snapped.

“Nothing beyond that.” The knight scratched at his face idly. “I had just found it odd, or maybe surprising to hear at the time was all.”

“Hmph.”

The silence came again.

“This holiday they’re having in the city is interesting. I’ve never seen one like it before.”

Cat glanced over at the elezen again. “What?? Oh. I dunno. Little Ladies’ Day or something. It’s so dumb.”

“I think it’s quite lovely actually.”

“Lovely. You think it’s ‘lovely’???” Here was this scarred up Ishgardian dragon slayer calling the holiday ‘lovely.’ It didn’t make any sense to her, and she laughed in disbelief at that. “Ok well I guess if you got a girlfriend or a wife or a kid then fine, I guess.”

Ves sighed. “I do not. No. Only a son.”

“Well there, see? Good for you.”

“I don’t think he would be interested in many of the things I’ve come across in my travels around Eorzea.” There was a note of defeat in there somewhere.

Cat’s ear twitched. “Well… kinda hard to like old-people things. They’re pretty boring.”

Ves made no facial reaction in particular. “If we all liked the same things, that WOULD be boring. Yes. Though.. I would not say I am terribly exciting. You are correct.”

The miqo’te gave a smug grin of satisfaction. “Yup.”

“Regardless,” Ves leaned back, looking up to the night sky. “If you were not happy there, then better that you left. There’s no point in staying in a place that doesn’t make you happy. ..Provided you have no one counting on you to stay.”

Cat frowned. “...I guess.”

The elezen nodded, before standing again. “So, have you had anything to eat? We can go back, now that you’ve calmed down.”

Cat’s stomach grumbled on cue, and her face flushed red. “Shut up.” She growled.

Ves shrugged, and turned back to head into the city. And Cat, not wanting to be alone, reluctantly followed.

They went back to the marketplace, and he offered to buy her something to eat. Anything she wanted. And she most certainly pointed out some of the more expensive snacks in an attempt to get him to snap at her and tell her that it cost too much money.

But he didn’t. And she got everything she wanted.

If anything, it confused her. And made her angrier, but it fizzled out once they had finished eating and gone back to the main plaza in Ul’dah. There were still a considerable amount of people out, though, it was clear that they would start turning in for the evening soon.

A few lalafell stood nearby handing out flower crowns to anyone who wanted one. “We’re not leaving until we’re out of supplies! Which will be very soon! Come get one!!” Ves’ ear twitched, as did Cat’s (and at about the same time no less.) He looked down at her, and she quickly looked elsewhere, again, giving the most sour expression she possibly could. “Would you like one??” “HUH?? NO FLOWER CROWNS ARE FOR BIG BABIES!”

Ves pursed his lips with a half lidded gaze. He didn’t buy it. “Wait here.” “What??? NO! No that’s so EMBARRASSING! STOP IT! NOO!!-” Cat shrieked and went after him, but there was little she could do.

“I’ll take one.” “Of course sir! Lucky you, this one is second to the last! But no lesser than the others! And who is your lucky maiden tonight?-” “STOP-” “There she is.” “Ah, I see.” Cat crashed into the elezen again as he turned around, almost knocking herself completely to the ground. “I don’t WANT it, put it BACK! Give it to someone ELSE! People will laugh at me if they saw me wearing something like that!!-” “What, this??” Ves held up the flower crown and looked down at her, clueless look and all. “Why? I’m sure it would look very pretty on you.” “W-Well it WON’T!! And I’m NOT little so it wouldn’t even WORK-” She was growing more and more flustered by the minute.

“With all due respect miss, the crowns are for any maiden! Both large and small! And you seem very lucky to have a seneschal of your own here this day!- EEP-” The lalafell chimed in before hiding behind his other companion as Cat hissed in their direction.

Ves sighed. “Close your eyes.” “I swear if you put that thing anywhere NEAR ME-” “Just do it.” “I MEAN IT I’LL KILL YOU-” “No you won’t.”

Despite being so monotone about it, there was something behind it. An immense amount of power or authority, or something else- something to be feared maybe. Or...or maybe it was just a very dad-ish flavor. Cat had no idea what it was, but she hated it. Reluctantly, she closed her eyes, teeth bared and ears flat.

“I mean it.” She snarled. There was a slight weight on her head and the smell of daisies then. Damn it. Damn it all. She kept her eyes shut and could feel her lip quivering already, face about as hot as a bed of coals.

“All right. You can open your eyes now.” When she did, she couldn’t see anything. Everything was blurry and full of globby tears and a tonz of upset.

Ves seemed unperturbed by the crying. Not in a bad way though. “I told you. You look lovely.”

“Shut up,” Cat sniffed, sounding all stuffed up.

“I will. I was just about to be on my way. I was not sure what I would find here in Ul’dah, but I didn’t mind accidentally becoming your seneschal for the evening. Even if you did.” The miqo’te wiped at her eyes furiously. She suddenly felt sad that he was going to leave. But her pride be damned if she said anything now. So she didn’t. “Yeah well…” She still refused to look at him.

Ves understood though. He’d been through this song and dance before. And he smiled gently. “Likewise thank you for being my young maiden for the night.” It sounded a little awkward but Cat knew what he meant. He even stood at attention and offered a very formal and graceful bow.

“Ok ok… Just...fine, whatever…”

Ves knew there was a thank you in there somewhere. Like Mischa, it was probably physically killing her to say it. But he wasn’t cruel.

With one more nod, they parted ways. Or rather, the knight did. Cat stayed standing where she was for a while longer before meandering off towards an alleyway. The sky overhead looked dark and gloomy. The clouds had rolled in, and it started sprinkling.

Once she found a place to sit, she took off the crown and turned it over a few times, trying very hard not to cry again. Instead, she just buried her face into her knees as she hugged them tight, feeling very, very lonely.

[sakurachoi2096]

What is Love? [ Chapter 6 ]

Title: What is love?  Chapt 1 | Chapt 2 |  Chapt 3 | Chapt 4 |  Chapt 5

Genre: Fluff | Angst | Smut

Characters: Im Jaebum | Got7 | Reader

Warning/s: none

Summary: Jaebum was your childhood friend. Both of you had a beautiful, strong bond. Like sister and brother after all your families practically saw each other every day. However, he entered in JYP to be a trainee and you was preparing for medical school. Since then both were only able to talk trough kakao talk, after a few years once he was stable as an Idol and you as Doctor, you guys decided that it was finally time to meet again. Having no idea what was about to come next.

Author: Sakura Choi (me)

A/N: New Character [ Jooheon Monsta X ]

Few days have passed and finally the moving day was come, after you washed up and ate some good breakfast to go throughout the day since you didn’t knew when you were going be able to eat something again, actually your plans was to move the things to your house, clean really fast and try to cook something. With that in mind you called Mark, since he offered himself to help you

‘’Y/N-ah, hello’’ he said with his calm voice

‘’Markie, the van for the moving is here I will be there with them like in 30 minutes, could you wait me outside to check them ? It’s my first time moving and I am kind worried’’

‘’Markie?’’ he giggled ‘’Of course, I will be waiting outside don’t worry too much’’

You ignored the question he made ‘’Thank you so much I will see soon then’’ immediately after hanging up the phone the people that would help you with the boxes and everything knocked on the door, you opened and in that moment, you started shaking, this uncontrollably smile came to you face, your muscles hurting almost from it. It was it. The new chapter of your life was starting and what a great new start, with you childhood friend Jaebum like a neighbor, the boys who were already really close with you  and Jooheon who was starting to get some impact in your life but not so much to be in first place still. Sounds cruel. However, that is how life works sometimes; not everything that goes on need to have an impact sometimes it just happens. For some reason, you remembered why you didn’t like before dealing with relationships in particular; friends would come to you telling their problems with their partner, one would get overly jealous over a little thing or they would breakup because of a fight that had no sense. How could they be with each other if they act like t2o years old, is that supposed to be love? You asked yourself a million of times. If they don’t like each other, or if they fight too much, why keep up with a relationship? That is one of the reasons you wanted to start slowly with Jooheon, not as girlfriend and boyfriend but as friends that are seeing if they match, you don’t want to hurt yourself or him.

With those thought in mind, the time literally went so fast you were already in front of your new house. You pecked over your car and you saw Mark waiting in from of your gates.

‘’Markie thank you for helping me seriously, I have been saying this a lot but this means a lot to me’’ you smiled nervously

‘’Don’t worry too much, should I help them with the boxes or something?’’

‘’Nonono, that is not your job’’ both laughed ‘’Just stay here checking them while I go inside and tell them where I want the boxes to go’’ Mark nodded while you went inside skipping with excitement, like a little girl. You knew exactly where you wanted everything, the boxes filled with books would go in this room in the first floor that had a big window for the backyard that place you decorate like it one of those dream offices you had in mind. However, you wanted to apply the Feng shui in your house and harmonize everything. The other boxes were literally just clothes, which they went directly to the second floor to the master room, was the biggest room of the house with a beautiful balcony that had glasses door, which was directed to the horizon, you could see the park that was nearby. After a while, everything was over, you payed the people that brought your stuff and invited Mark inside for the first time.

‘’Wow, never knew this house was so beautiful and had a lot of details going on here’’

‘’I know, right? That’s why I like this house so much I’ve always wanted a place on my own you know and finally’’ You sighed loudly

’’But I thought you were bringing some furniture with you, I mean like a fridge or a small bed at least?’’

‘’The bed I had was from the apartment which was not mine, my fridge was incredibly old and ugly so I just figured out I could by some take out or something and sleep on the floor you know ?’’

‘’Girl hell no, we are going to buy some stuff today I can let you be like that otherwise you will sleep with us’’

‘’I don’t know man and also I promised Jae that he would help me with that … Well whatever at least lets go buy a mattress for here and some groceries and I can cook for you guys? Jinyoung gets home today, right ? I want to talk to him about a few things he told me’’  

‘’I see you got close with Jinyoung too, girl you are on fire but that sounds good for me’’

You look at Mark weirded out ’’What do you mean with that ?’’

‘’don’t worry you will figure it out soon or later’’ He laughed as he grabbed your arm to get going

‘’What?!’’ you said hurriedly, what a little piece of shit you thought to yourself. You did not like those kind of games he was trying to pull, maybe you were overthinking but something was clearly going on. However, those thoughts suddenly disappeared as you started to have fun while you were out for groceries and for the mattress; your feelings were easy to change when you were not feeling really. In personality, you were really chill, funny and incredible serious at the same time; you did not take things for granted but you had this ‘’don’t piss me off’’ thing, but it was whatever for some people. The night came, you set everything in your house and went to the boys dorm, they were all there expect for Jinyoung who was on his way to the dorm and Jaebum who was in Japan filming a commercial. You asked what they wanted and they had all this different ideas so, you kind of tried to make everything for them. Youngjae and Bambam were helping you, Yugyeom was telling you about the dance competition he had, Jackson was talking to Mark and being loud as always. Suddenly, the door opened and Jinyoung arrived, everyone greeted him happily, so you too

‘’Oppa, welcome back! You had a nice flight?’’

He nodded ‘’wow, thank you for cocking for us. I heard from Mark hyung that you have food in your house’’

‘’I need to buy a new fridge, Jae is coming back tomorrow by morning right? So, he will help me’’ Everyone looked at each other with this face ‘’I know something you don’t know’’

‘’Yeah … oh right, I actually brought you something that I thought we could open tonight as a celebration to your new house, it’s a Wine from Chile’’

You looked shocked and happy ‘’oh my god thank you but how did you know I liked Chilean wine ?’’

‘’I asked Jaebum Hyung but he told us to not let you drink to much’’ they laughed

You smiled forced, remembering that you were somewhat mad with him and since the last day he called you guys haven’t talked, guiltiness raised up your whole body; it was weird not talking to each other for so long. You snapped out of your thoughts ‘’Lets celebrate then, why don’t you go freshen up while I finish this with this cute sunshine and the pretty boy’’ he nodded and left. Youngjae cracking up as always and Bambam got pretty shy, you finished and asked them to set the table while you went to the balcony for a moment.

You saw this black car park in front of the building, but you didn’t pay attention to it; you grabbed your phone and texted Jaebum ‘’Jae? I am sorry for the last time I hung up the phone’’ ‘’Are you mad?’’ ‘’We haven’t talk’’ ‘’I know you are busy but…’’ immediately it appeared the read mark on the messages but no response; he is really mad you thought to yourself. You heard in the distance a door closing, you thought it was Jinyoung who finished changing, but when you stood in the living room and looked up you saw him, with his tall presence and glancing direct at you his black piercing eyes.

‘’Wha-?!’’ you couldn’t finished

‘’I am home, were you scared?’’ he laughed looking at you while he brushed his belongings to the side of the living room

‘’I thought you were coming home tomorrow’’ you said in a low tone

‘’Something came up besides we have things to do tomorrow, you and I .. and what is up with those texts I just received from you?’’ he said with a big smile, while the boys looked at you intrigued with what was happening between you two

‘’I thought you were mad at me or something you piece of shit, why didn’t call or texted? I am the one who is supposed to be angry and not apologizing’’ you said fast

He laughed his lungs off ‘’I am sorry I got busy-‘’

‘’Ohh hyung acting all cool I see you’’ said Jackson teasingly, Jaebum looked at him with his prominent chin, pissed. Jackson went behind Yugyeom laughing; you looked at them and went to give Jaebum a hug and punched his arm but instead of hurting his arm it hurted your hand

‘’Man what the heck is your arms made off?’’ you growled ‘’Anyways whatever let’s eat otherwise the food will get cold’’

‘’Hyung, Y/A Noona made all this~’’ said BamBam ‘’But I helped and Youngjae Hyung too~’’ he said proudly

‘’Since when you cook?’’ Jaebum asked surprised

You looked at him and rolled your eyes ‘’Since when your mom obligated me to learn, she said I need to learn if I ever wanted to get married someday-‘’ before you could finish the boys started crackling up with the idea of you getting married, you laughed with them too but it was actually not going to happen.  

Next day you woke up with the sound of someone knocking on your door vigorously, you ran to the door to only see it was Jaebum ‘’Jae what are you doing here it’s only 7 in the morning?’’

‘’Come on, go change so we can eat breakfast and go buy your furniture I already ordered a few stuff that I know you will like’’

Since you were half sleep and half awake, you did not payed attention to what he said and went to take a shower. You changed in some comfy clothes and head up with him to buy your things, Jaebum was a little too comfortable around you and knew exactly how you liked things and how things should be done, he didn’t even asked and took your keys to drive.

‘’So I was thinking about having like a small party this weekend of you course I want you and the boys to be there, I was planning to invited a few more people that is close to me too’’

‘’That’s great tell me if you want help in the day to set things up’’

‘’Really ? Then lets do this, I will do this on Saturday and on Sunday we can go to your moms house to stay until Tuesday?’’

‘’Fine for me, I called her yesterday and told her we were going by the end of the week so she is so happy’’

You looked to Jaebum pleased as you guys searched for new furniture to the house, kitchen things, new bed sheets, basically everything you needed.