#Oh wait is the boots and pants part of a mall song???

[miamochi-writes]

Daycare Snacks Vash AU Part 10

A/n: Hi everyone! Thanks for being patient with me as always! Also it helps if you read Part 9 ! Without further ado, here's part 10! Read until the end for something sweet :)

Since that night, you've been listening more to Vash's songs that he shared with you. They brought so much joy and comfort, especially when you play a particular one before going to sleep. Lately, Vash would call you for late night talks and you loved it. The morning and goodnight texts were the cherry on top. Then one afternoon, you got an invite for a soft opening for a special event. Cora noticed the message too and nudged your shoulder.

“Oh you have to invite him to this! It's the perfect thing for him!” Cora said.

“I know! I just hope he's not doing anything that day,” you replied.

“Oh please Y/n, he would clear his whole day for you if you asked. The guy would do anything for you. Come on, call him,” she insisted as she handed you your phone.

Taking a deep breath, you called him and felt your heart race a bit. One ring, two rings,

“Hey Y/n!?”

“Hi Vash! How are you?” you replied.

“I'm good, how about you?” he asked but Cora loud whispered 'GET TO THE POINT!'

“I'm great, uh listen Vash. I called because I was wondering if you had any plans for tomorrow around 2pm?” you asked.

“Oh I don't have anything going on. Why?” he answered.

“Well...I got invited to this event. When I saw the details, I immediately thought about you and thought you might like it. I'm allowed to bring a guest, and was wondering if you wanted to go with me? Just think of it as my way of saying thanks to you the past couple of days,” you explained feeling your cheeks turn red.

“Oh really? Wow that's awfully kind of you to say. Sure, I'd like to go! Do I need to bring anything? What should I expect?” he asked as you smiled.

“Thanks Vash, just bring yourself and wear something comfortable. Meet me at front of the mall tomorrow. Think of it as another small surprise from me,” you smiled.

“Oh will it be nice like that last one?” he asked as you giggled.

“Maybe, you just gotta wait and see,” you replied.

“Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye Y/n,” he finished as you hung up.

“I told you so! Now come on, let's get you ready for tomorrow!” Cora cheered

~*~

You were dressed in a crop top hoodie with black comfortable joggers. You waited in front of the mall keeping patiently. You looked around until you saw a familiar face. Vash was wearing a black shirt with a red flannel button up hanging loose. He wore black pants and combat boots. He waved at you as you waved back!

“You made it!” You chimed as he smiled at you.

“Of course, you kinda hyped up things the other day so I won’t leave you hanging. So what’s the surprise?” He asked

“This way!” You said as you grabbed his hand and led him inside. You walked until you spotted the neon sign.

“Y/n, what is this?” He asked.

“You’ll see,” you sang as you knocked on the door. You then heard the door open to see a guy walk out.

“Did you get an invite?” He asked as you brought up your phone.

“I got it through Discord channel. Sean said I could come with a plus one,” you replied.

“Okay you’re both clear. Have fun and welcome to Round One,” the guy said as he led you inside. You smiled at Vash and brought him in. There was a whole entire arcade with lights flashing and retro/tech sounds coming from inside.

“Y/n? Did I hear that right. Round 1?!” Vash asked.

“Yes! This is the soft opening for it! I got invited and saw that I could bring a guest. I immediately thought of you, and ta-da!” You explained. Vash looked awestruck as you were still smiling at his reaction.

“Oh before I forget!” You mentioned as you took out a card and put it in Vash’s hands.

“This is your card. It’s already loaded with credits. Complimentary gift from me,” you added. Vash looked at you and then at the card.

“Y/n, I don’t know what to say. Thank you! Although you didn’t have to do all this for me,” he said with a sheepish smile.

“Oh but I wanted to! You’ve always treated me, so now it’s my turn! So let’s have fun! You pick first since you're the guest,” You told him looking fondly. Vash looked at you with a huge smile and gave you a tight hug while rocking side to side.

“How did I get so lucky with you?!” he said before leading you to a multiplayer fighting game.

You played a good 2 rounds with him having the highest score while you tried to keep up. But your score improved the second time feeling proud of yourself. When you ended up at a shooting game, Vash cheered you on each time as you managed to one shot some of the enemies. You kept walking around to find other games until the rhythm games popped up from the corner of your eye. You stopped following Vash and stared at one particular machine that someone was playing on. You debated on waiting but you snapped out of your thoughts.

“Hey you okay?” Vash asked.

“Yeah I’m good! Sorry about that, let’s keep looking!” You replied. Vash looked at the machine and then at you as you tried to wave it off.

“Y/n, do you want to play that game?” He asked.

“I’m fine! Don’t worry about it! You pick the next game!” You insisted. Vash grabbed your shoulders and got you to look in his eyes.

“Are you sure? You can play too if you want. It’s not just about me you know. I want you to have fun as well,” he questioned again. You bit your lip and looked at the machine as the person finished playing. You looked at Vash again and he gave you a soft smile and gestured his head at the machine.

“Okay, just a quick game,” you said as you scanned your card. You adjusted the settings. The game started to light up with the song as you got into position. A character popped up and then started dancing as you followed along, while touching the button prompts. The song kept going until the character posed once last time as you did the same. Your score came up to S rank as you smiled at your achievement.

“Woooo! Go Y/n!” You heard cheering and clapping as you looked behind you to see a small crowd was watching you. But most importantly, Vash was cheering the loudest for you.

“I didn’t know you were good at this! That was so cool how you danced there!” He complimented as you turned red.

“Thanks, you think so,” you sheepishly answered not feeling used to all these compliments.

“Yes! I didn't know you can dance like that! Can you reach me how to play this?” He asked as you looked at him.

“Sure! I’ll show you. We can actually play co-op in this game,” you answered as you led him to the other available machine. You let him go through the tutorial so he could understand the basics of the game. Once he was done, you let him pick a song that was at his level while you adjusted your settings to moderate. You both started dancing along as Vash was keeping up.

“Hey you’re not bad yourself! Look at you go!” You cheered as you kept checking in on him. Once the song ended, he got an A ranking as you cheered for him.

“That was great Vash! You’re a natural at this,” You complimented him.

“Thanks, but you’re really good! It looks a lot of fun when you do it. How long have you been playing this?” He asked.

“Long enough. Come on let’s check out what else they have,” you nudged.

As you played other games, you noticed there were crane games in another section. Some of them had figurines while others had plushies. Both of you were checking them out until you saw a certain plush. It was your favorite character that you've wanted for a long time. You debated, but then ran up to Vash and saw that he was trying to win a figurine of Ed from Full Metal Alchemist. He was close to getting it but missed slightly.

“Man these things are hard! How do those gaming streamers do it?” he asked. You then looked and saw that there might be a way to win it.

"I'll be right back. I need to refill my credits," Vash said before leaving. You then looked at the machine and figured you give it a shot. You managed to move the figurine a good amount on two tries before one of the workers came up to you.

“Oh, here let me help. If you keep going, it'll get stuck,” he said and readjusted the figurine to where it was actually in a better position to win it. You then tried one more time and the claw finally tipped the figurine into the hole. You thanked the worker, before taking out the figurine.

“Hey what did I miss?” Vash asked as you showed him the prize.

“Ta-da! One figurine for you!” you grinned as Vash gasped.

"No way, you? Really? For me?" he asked almost tearing up as you nodded.

"I'm so glad you invited me Y/n," Vash cried happy tears as you gave him a side hug.

You both kept playing more games for another hour until you started feeling tired.

“Okay, I think I’m tapped out for now. How about you?” You asked.

“Yeah, I think I’ve played enough. I need to sit down and rest,” Vash said.

“Me too, any ideas on where we should go?” You asked.

“We can rest at my place. I can order takeout and maybe we can watch something?” he offered.

“Sounds good to me!” you smiled

~*~

Vash ordered takeout for the both of you as you left the arcade. He covered you as usual, and went to go pick it up before taking you to his apartment. He decided to show you one of his favorite TV series that happened to be an older show. You could tell from the way it was shot and how everyone dressed. The acting was comedy gold and some of the characters were really out there, and noticed why Vash liked this kind of show. You both laughed along at some of the corny moments, gasped at the main plot twist, and stifled a laugh at some of the characters.

“Soooo, what did you think?” he asked.

“I didn't know what to expect, but now I'm hooked thanks to you,” you answered.

“So does this mean you'll watch it with me if I bring the blu-ray to your place?” he asked looking excited.

“Yeah, I don't see why not. You like it a lot, and now you got me hooked,” you giggled as he cheered.

After eating your food for awhile, there was a bit of a comfortable silence until you heard Vash.

He cleared his throat as you looked at him to see if he was okay.

“Hey Y/n, I wanted to ask you something,” Vash spoke up as you turned towards him giving your full attention.

“Yeah, what's up?” you asked. He seemed like he was gathering his thoughts before continuing the conversation.

“I noticed whenever there’s something you like, you tend to stare or hesitate. I first picked up on it when we saw the photo booth the other day. You also did it a few other times we hung out, and today with that game. When I bring up those things you tend to dismiss it, until I insist. Is everything okay?” Vash began. You bit your lip and looked away.

“So you noticed, huh?” you answered feeling his eyes on you as you lowered your food on the table and grabbed your drink.

“It’s a long story,” you continued as you felt his hand on your shoulder.

“You don’t have to answer now but I’m here to listen. I won’t say anything until you’re done,” he offered as you gave him a small smile.

“No, you deserve to know. Growing up as an only child meant I didn’t really have anyone else to share what I liked at home. So when I started middle school I thought I could make friends and hope they shared the same interests as me. Turns out the music, games, and shows I liked was a bit too niche. People found it weird that I liked those things instead of something more mainstream. So I kept to myself and tried to enjoy what my other classmates liked. I figured I’d go with the flow,” you started as you tightened your grip on your drink.

“It wasn’t until one of my old crushes came up to me and asked me out. I was happy at the time, and he showed me his favorite things. I eventually got comfortable with our relationship and thought I show him some of the stuff I liked. Turned out the minute I shared with him my actual interests, he told me to stop being childish and act my age. He said I was weird for liking those things and that I should like whatever everyone else did at the time," you continued as you remembered that painful memory way back then.

"I ended up doing what he wanted so I could please him. I even forced myself to stop bringing up things that I enjoyed. It’s funny that the things I did for him to be comfortable ended up costing me my happiness. He then broke up with me and told everyone how weird I was for liking those things. I then kept my distance from people and just tried to keep appearances just so I could fit in,” you sighed as you took a quick sip from your drink.

“Then later in high school I found someone who had the same interests in me. I wanted to be their friend, but I guess all that happened in middle school still follows me to this this day. Even though I don’t talk to those people anymore, I still can’t get feel comfortable to like things openly with people. It’s ironic how I tell the kids to be proud of what they like when I can’t even follow that advice myself,” you chuckled dryly. You took another sip of your drink and waited for Vash to say something. But you only heard the minor background music coming from the DVD that played the show earlier.

“But yeah, that’s my story. I know it’s TMI, but-” before you could finish you felt two strong arms hold you. One arm held onto the small of your back while the other caressed the back of your head. Vash was hugging your back tightly to where your chin was on his shoulder. You didn’t know what to do until he spoke.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. No one should have to be told they can’t like the things that bring them joy. I hate that you had to give up liking stuff openly just so others could be comfortable,” Vash said as you felt your eyes starting to glossy.

“Y/n, I want you to know you that you can share the things you like with me. I want you to be comfortable and happy around me when you see those things like that. Because when you do, I can see your face light up. You look so happy when you do so and it makes me happy when I see that. What I’m trying to say is, it’s okay to share those with me. You don't have to pretend with me,” Vash finished.

You felt your lips quiver and the first few tears slide down your cheek. Slowly, you raised your arms to hug him back. Those words felt like a warm blanket wrapping around you and washing away all the fear and anxiety you had earlier. You could feel your inner child slowly healing from the emotional and mental pain it’s endured.

“Thank you Vash, that means so much to me. I promise these are happy tears,” you manage to choke out. Vash rubbed your back with small circles as he let you cry it out. When you finished, you noticed how damp his shirt was and felt embarassed.

“Oh my gosh, I'm sorry about your shirt,” you apologized.

“Don't be, I'm just glad I can be there for you,” he reassured as you softly smiled.

“Thank you Vash, I promise I'll work on being more open to you,” you said as he held both of your hands.

“I appreciate that, and just go at your own pace,” he commented while rubbing small circles on your hands.

“Actually, I noticed your Avatar poster. That's one of my favorite shows along with Fullmetal Alchemist. Oh and I like Pokemon too,” you commented as Vash's face lit up.

"YOU TOO?!" he asked as you smiled

“Yes! I love how well written the characters are, how they develop, and the world building in those shows!” you started going off on a small tangent. Your face lit up remembering all your favorite scenes as Vash joined in or listened during your conversation. The whole day you felt great sharing some of your favorite things to him before he took you home.

“Hey, thanks for today Y/n. It was great spending time with you today and getting to learn more about you,” Vash started.

“Aw Vash, I should be telling that to you. I had so much fun and I feel better after talking with you. Thanks for listening,” you answered.

“Of course, I like spending time with you,” he added as you felt your cheeks and ears turn red.

“Oh before I forget! Could you close your eyes real quick?” Vash asked as you gave him a confused look.

“Trust me, nothing bad I promise,” he insisted as you closed your eyes wondering what he was scheming.

“Okay and open them!” he called out. Once your eyes opened, you saw that he was holding the plushie you saw earlier in front of you while it covered his face.

“Vash, is that?” you pointed.

“I won it for you while I went to go reload my card. You didn't think I wouldn't notice?” he asked with a big grin. You hesitantly held the plushie and felt your heart soar at how thoughtful he was.

“Vash, this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me,” you choked out as Vash fondly smiled. You then gave him a tight hug while he rested his chin on top of your head.

“Hey it's the least I can do for you,” he said as his cheeks were turning pink. You reluctantly let go to smile at Vash as you started to adore him more and more.

“Thank you, I'll guess I see you again soon,” you asked. Before Vash answered, he moved some of your stray hairs away from your face and tucked them behind your ear. But he didn't let go and rested his palm and fingertips on your cheek.

“I'll see you again soon Y/n. Goodnight,” he finished and then left to his car. You watched him leave and waved before he drove off. You went inside to your apartment and held onto your plushie he gave you. You practically cuddled it once you were in bed and waited for his usual goodnight text. You replayed what happened earlier today in your mind as you held your plush tighter. You were falling deeper in love with Vash.

@marydragneell

[alfredosauce50]

What makes me human [Cyberpunk! America x reader 10]

Wordcount: 5,809 Rating: T for strong language and mild violence “Can’t you see that none of this is real? You’re living in the past, dumbass! It’s all a dream! If you don’t wake up soon, you’ll regret it!” Chapter synopsis: Half-dead, Allen falls into a strange realm of existence. It's nothing he's seen before, but it feels awfully familiar. He soon learns he's stuck in the past, and it's all in his head. He'll do whatever it takes to wake up and save Alfred from his demise he once played a part in. The reader is referred to as she/her.

Songs to listen to while you read (in order as found in playlist): 2049, Ghost in the shell - Original mix, Something about us, Cloudy day, L, The voice in my head. I have indented song titles throughout the chapter so you can change accordingly. Starting now:

2049, Ghost in the Shell - Original mix

“His condition is stable. He’s in a coma, but he’s gonna be fine.”

“A coma? For how long?”

Where were the voices coming from? Was there one person or two people speaking? He couldn’t tell. But his interest quickly changed to another subject.

Am I dead?  

With whatever brain activity he had left, that question was the only thing he heard repeating in his head like a broken record. 

He couldn’t see anything, let alone feel anything as he drifted into an abyss of nothingness. In fact, it was so empty, he couldn’t even say it was darkness he was engulfed in. Just nothingness. Was this what people experienced before walking over to the other side? Or was he going to be stuck here forever? Allen couldn’t tell. Not when there was no concept of time in this strange realm of existence, anyway. 

His eyes shot open. It took a few moments for his vision to adjust, but he came to realize he was sitting in his car. Huh. Was that all a dream? Whatever it was, it had escaped his mind so seamlessly, he couldn’t remember anything. Leaning forward to peer out the window, he was greeted with an onslaught of neon lights. Neon signs, holograms, and posters surrounded him from all angles and heights. At least that told him he wasn’t far from home. Turning to the front, he attached his hands to the wheel. Now, to get back. 

If he drove around for a few minutes, he’d surely pinpoint his location relative to Arthur’s auto shop. Revving up the engine, he heard it purr to life. As a small grin stretched over his lips, he pulled out of the cul-de-sac to move to the main street. “I missed you too.” He murmured, never letting his gaze stray from the road. Eventually, he made it to a familiar intersection. Before he could pass through it, he stopped and found himself staring at what looked like a police chase coming to an end. 

A helicopter hovered over a car stopped in the center. Over the fierce thumping of its blades, he heard a grungy voice barking out orders through a loudspeaker. He couldn’t make out what it was, but it didn’t look like they were followed. Not when the occupants in the vehicle were immediately shot upon stepping out–collapsing to the ground after a rain of machine gunfire blew them apart. 

“Jesus Christ…” He mumbled under a frown. “Poor bastards.” 

After they all dropped like flies, the helicopter took off in another direction. And just like that, they were gone. 

The police in Twilight city were ruthless as always. Quick to action, and yet, just as dismissive. But it wasn’t his business. So long as he played his cards right, he wouldn’t have to deal with them. Making a right turn, he breathed out a sigh as he made a detour. He never liked using alleyways. There was no saying if he’d run into a couple of weirdos in places like these. Speaking of weirdos, there was a couple of men huddling around a corner.  It piqued his curiosity to see them so interested in whatever it was they surrounded. Or more accurately put, who they surrounded. A girl. Slowing to a stop behind a tall bundle of crates, he leaned over to the right to get a better look. She was shaking in her boots, and her lips were trembling as she struggled to respond to the questions thrown at her. And how old was she anyway? 10? 11?

“That doesn’t look good.” Allen narrowed his eyes.

He climbed out of his car.  

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his bomber jacket, he approached the group slowly. But when one of the men took a hold of her shoulder, adrenaline surged through his veins and he burst into a sprint. When he got close enough, he grabbed said man’s shoulder before throwing his fist back. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” Punching him square in the face, he sent him hurtling towards the ground. 

Immediately, his cronies responded by pouncing on the newcomer for giving one of their buddies a black eye. After a few minutes of violent tousling, he managed to beat them all into submission. 

Leaving them groaning and wincing in the dirt, he gave his hand a rough shake. Phew. He hadn’t had a good fight in ages. Giving his bottom lip a light tap to find a small blotch of red on his fingertip. And he won against three people too,  escaping with only a busted lip. Before he could gloat about it, he glanced around to find the girl. Where did she go? 

Assuming she ran away, he shrugged and moved back to his car. If she wasn’t here, then he wouldn’t be obliged to help her any more than that. But upon nearing his vehicle, he spotted a small pair of feet poking out from the back. Then, they proceeded to shuffle back to become completely concealed. Breathing out a chuckle at that, he rested his hands on his hips. 

“I can see you.” 

No response. 

“You can come out now.” Making his way around the trunk, the child buried her face into her knees upon realizing she had been discovered. A light frown downturned his features at the sight of her shaking like a leaf. “Man, am I that scary?” He murmured, lowering himself to his knees. “Hey, kid. I’m not gonna hurt ya. I was just passing by. I promise I won’t do anything.” 

She kept her face hidden, but her trembling seemed to calm. 

“Well, if you’re not gonna say anything, I’ll be on my way. Just make sure to move out of the way so I don’t run you over.” Standing up on his feet, he turned his back to her. Before his fingers could do so little as graze over the car handles, a faint voice piped up. 

“Wait!” 

Allen grinned and spun on his heel. “Yes?”

She stood up slowly, but kept her head low to avoid his gaze. Without removing her hands from her pants, which she was clenching at, she opened her mouth again. “Could you maybe… Tell me where the train station is? I got kinda lost.” The way she spoke was soft, breathless even, and more so than Allen’s who just beat up a bunch of no-good-doers. 

“The train station?” The redhead questioned. Not that he didn’t know where it was. In fact, it was only a few blocks down, but he had to think twice about sending a ten-year-old off to wander the streets around here. The same streets a police shootout just took place, and the same streets where she was approached by a couple of hooligans. “How about I drop you off? I’m not in a hurry. I dunno if you wanna walk around by yourself after what happened.” 

He said it before, and he’d say it again. This city was an absolute shithole. 

“R-really? But I’m not sure…” The enthusiasm faded as quickly as she lit up. “I don’t know you.” 

“And I don’t know you either.” Allen hummed. “So you’re just as dangerous to me as I am to you. Sound fair?” 

The girl furrowed her brows. 

“That doesn’t make sense. You’re way older than me.”

“Oh yeah? I’m only eighteen though. Lemme guess, ten? Twelve?”

“Thirteen.” She answered, relaxing just a touch at the sound of his age. At first glance, one would have assumed he was in his early twenties, but she was relieved to know she was wrong. “Are you still in high school?”

The man blinked. Was she warming up already? “Nope. I finished nearly a year ago. But that doesn’t mean I sit around all day with nothing to do.” He opened the car door to the driver’s seat. “You’re lucky I was out and about to get your ass out of trouble. So what do you say we keep it that way?” 

The ride there didn’t take long, much to Allen’s surprise. By the time his GPS revealed that they had arrived, he had slowed down near the curb in front of one of the tallest skyscrapers in Twilight city. Sliding the window down, he poked his head out to give his surroundings a gander. The blinding lights of the liveliest commercial center forced him to squint, but he could still tell this was the city center. And that only meant the residential lots were a little further down. 

“You sure this is the right address? There’s nothing but malls and stuff around here.” He shouted over the bustle of people crossing the streets and pounding of music. 

“No, this it the right place. I live right there in that building!” Climbing over to the side, she pointed at Matsumoto Optics. 

Exchanging glances with the said building, then the girl, he gave his head a light shake. “What do you mean, you live right there? Nobody–” He paused, feeling dread settle in his stomach. “Wait a sec. What was your name again, kid?”

“(F/N) Matsumoto. My dad actually owns the whole plaza.” 

He paled. 

“Holy shit.”

Why did it feel like a gun was pointing at him?

Because there was one. 

Whipping his head to the window next to him, he found himself staring straight down the barrel of a gun. While his heart broke out into a pounding frenzy, he came to notice that his whole car was surrounded by men in suits. Bringing out every kind of shootable weapon that existed, his blood ran cold at the sound of more than twenty firearms cocking at once. From every angle there was, he was aimed at by something. “Fuck.” 

“Put your hands where I can see them!” One of the men demanded.

Allen threw his arms up. “Alright, alright!”

Glass shattered. A hand shot through the broken window and hit him in the back of the neck, hard. “Gh-!” It knocked him out immediately. Then, his unconscious body was dragged out of the car with next to no grace.

So much for following orders. 

When he finally came to, all he knew was the throbbing pain in his neck, and the rope burns around his arms and wrists. Since they were tightly bound together, he could only blink away the fuzz in his vision. This day had to be the longest yet. All he remembered was waking up in his car completely disoriented, then saving a middle-schooler from a bunch of creeps. Where was this place? An office of some sort? How did he wind up here again? All he could do was speculate as he continued to kneel on the carpeted ground. 

“My daughter told me you saved her from a group of ruffians.” A low voice began, forcing him to look up. My daughter? Did that mean he was Matsumoto? The Takahiro Matsumoto? The most powerful person on the planet? The person whose name he heard every minute of the day from slogans? His suspicions were confirmed when he found himself gawking at a beast of a man, who stood a little over six feet with a long gray beard. 

Wait a minute, this guy was old? And this… Built? “If she hadn’t, you wouldn’t have woken up.” 

Allen tensed. 

“… Right. Well, I’m sorry for whatever I did. I didn’t know she was… A Matsumoto.” He breathed. “If I did, I would’ve let her ride the train herself. Didn’t think putting her in my car warranted a death sentence.” 

“But you are alive, boy. And she is too, thanks to you.” The older man graciously responded, giving his head a firm pat. Then, he lowered his gaze to meet the other’s eyes. “I see an unwavering sense of justice from you. There were three men you had to fend off to keep her safe, and you only managed to let them hit you once.”

“…”

“You have talent.” 

“… Thanks.”

“If you haven’t noticed already, I want to recruit you.” 

The redhead had to do a double-take. Were his ears playing tricks on him, or did he actually say– 

“You wanna… Hire me?” 

Matsumoto nodded. “Like I just said. You have the skills to be a bodyguard, and we are in urgent need of one.” An ominous light glinted in his dark eyes as he opened his mouth again. “Did you ever wonder why there was a job opening?”

Allen gave a nervous laugh. On second thoughts, maybe laying low in Arthur’s auto shop was the better option. “Thanks, but no thanks. I was just lucky today, and I’m not a pro. I think you’re better off hiring somebody else–” 

The other hardened his stare at him. “We have an elaborate training program to prepare you for your duties. I see no reason for you to reject.” With a swift flick of his wrist, he beckoned over a few men who had been standing on the sidelines. “These gentlemen weren’t half as good as you when they began. Now, they are the best any secret service has to offer. Their combat skills are impeccable, and their instincts refined to perfection.” 

When he sensed he had fallen right into a trap, he wasn’t wrong. 

“I wouldn’t imagine it to be hard for them to locate anybody residing in this city. Even your friend, Arthur, the British mechanic.” 

Seeing that Allen was now at loss for words, he smiled. 

“I believe it would be in your best interest to work for me, Jekyll.”

That same day he was recruited, his induction took place. And boy, was it a lot. By the time they had finished, night had fallen. Fortunately, he could treat himself to a hot dinner in the dining court before retiring to his room. He couldn’t say being given his own condo was unexpected, but when he stepped inside to become completely immersed in luxury, he was faced with a rude awakening. Up here where the air stretched thin over the blinking lights of Twilight city, he was reminded how out of place he was.

All his life, he was at the bottom. He grew up a street rat before he was taken in by a kind mechanic. And he taught him everything he knew. Never did he imagine he would ever be this high up in the clouds, working in a high-ranking position under a man comparable to God. And the longer he lingered on this reality, thrusted to him without his say, the hotter his eyes felt. There was no saying if he could go home again.

And that meant he wouldn’t be seeing Arthur anytime soon.

The next morning, he woke up the groggiest he’d ever felt in his life. Squinting at the window that happened to take up his whole wall, he was graced with a hot orange sunrise. It cast a pinkish haze over everything in his sight like a filter, but he was far too exhausted to appreciate the scenery. He checked his phone. 6:23 AM. Twenty missed calls and twelve text messages. Crap. He’d call him later. He needed to figure himself out first.

Giving his face a cold splash of water, he rubbed his eyes clean. Lifting his head to the mirror, he found himself staring at his reflection, which of course, stared right back. Did he always look this young? He snorted. What was he thinking? Of course he did. He was only eighteen, after all. Sliding himself in a dress shirt and pants, he finished off the look by throwing on a black blazer. Then, he gave his appearance a hard stare. “… Nope. This looks stupid.” Leaving the bathroom in a white tank and bomber jacket, he ventured out into empty morning halls to find the elevator.

Once he made it to the third floor, he began his journey to the training dojo. The walls were a beige white, the floors a polished wood, and there were shoji screens everywhere. He was washed over with a strange sense of déjà vu. But considering this was his first time here, that couldn’t be the right phrase. Jamais vu was more like it. He was here with the impression he’d never been before, but he somehow knew that was a lie.

And it was a gut feeling so strong, it was kind of eerie.

He couldn’t understand why he was feeling this way. And not being the thinking type, he chose to brush it off. He had enough to worry about already, so the last thing he wanted was to overthink a foreign environment. Maybe some exercise could clear his head— and that was exactly what he’d be doing today. His rigorous training program.

Entering a spacious room, he stepped inside to feel his shoes sink into soft tatami mats.

“Don’t even think about taking another step in here with those shoes on, Jekyll.”

A very rigorous training program.

***

Something about us, L

It had only been a few days since arriving here at Arthur’s, but you were slowly regaining your strength. With every new morning, you awakened with more energy than the last. Perhaps the small light of hope of seeing Allen do the same was what urged you to become an early riser. But like yesterday, and the day before, that hope was shattered at the sight of him unconscious in bed. He didn’t even move an inch.

Nearing his side, you lowered yourself to your knees and reached out to his cheek. Talking to him while he slept had become routine to you. You’d tell him about your day, everything you did, and all your conversations you ever had. If not, you’d reminisce the past so he wouldn’t feel left out. He never interrupted, and let you run off on tangents until you were sick of talking. “I really hope you wake up soon, Allen. I feel like… I’m talking to myself here.” Your voice was soft with a heart-wrenching kind of sadness, but you refused to linger on it.

After all, how could you expect him to wake so soon? You knew how strong he was, but it would be selfish to want something impossible. So you forced yourself to leave the room, figuring you would feel better if you focused on something else. Little did you know, someone had been lurking in the halls during your visit.

Alfred had his back pressed up to the wall outside while you dropped by, and he heard everything. And not even from just this morning. Everything you ever told Allen, he listened in on too. 

He knew better than to infringe on your privacy, and hear things that were better off left unheard. But he kept finding himself hiding outside in the hall, doing it again and again—even Arthur had caught wind of it. 

He heard footsteps clunking against the metal floor, but he never bothered to turn to it. Usually, Arthur would’ve kept on walking. But not today he didn’t. “If you like her so much, you should just tell her.” He’d murmur. 

Alfred whipped his head to him with his eyes widened ever so slightly. But he visibly eased seeing it was just him. And rather than denying his claims, he tore his gaze away. “I can’t.” His brows were furrowed for creases to form between them. Arthur was almost taken aback, having never seen him so frustrated. 

“Why not?” The Brit responded, resting his back against the wall beside the man. “It’s painful seeing you loiter out here all day. I’d say I felt sorry for you, but you’ve been eavesdropping on her for a while.” At the sound of that, the other’s cheeks flushed red. So his guess was right on the mark, after all. “She’s coming out right now. Might wanna make a run for it while you still can.” 

“Guys?” Another voice joined, forcing the two men to spin around. 

The mechanic bit back a snort. “Too late. I’ll be in the garage.” He whispered. Shooting you a brief smile, he turned on his heels to leave. “You two have fun now. I have lots of work to do today.” With that said, he disappeared to do exactly that, but not without a few chuckles under his breath. For the many years he knew the guy, he never found anything he wasn’t good at. There was nothing he couldn’t do. Looking over his shoulder, he caught a glimpse of Alfred with a hand on his neck, laughing nervously. 

That perfect track record was finally ending, it seemed. 

At least he wouldn’t have to watch him fumble around with his feelings for long. You and Alfred were planning to leave in a few days to God knows where, to do God knows what. Frankly speaking, he didn’t know what you were doing, hanging around such a shady guy like him. That was right. You two arrived with your bodyguard Allen, who was half-dead then, and barely clinging to life now. What the hell happened? Wouldn’t your father be concerned?

Maybe he’d ask Allen himself, if he’d awaken anytime soon, that was. For now, he’d stay on the sidelines and help Alfred repair his missing Mantis blades as he’d requested. He was restless without them, frequently interrupting his work with, “Are you done yet?” until he finished for the day. Arthur narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue, shutting the garage door behind him. Whatever you two had planned, he couldn’t imagine it to be legal. 

***

Cloudy day

A few months had gone by, and he was finally getting settled in his new workplace. But there was no saying when he’d ever be forgiven for it. Not that he could even explain himself. What was he even supposed to say? I saved a girl from a bunch of creeps and put her in my car to take her home but she wasn’t just any girl and turned out to be the daughter of Matsumoto himself and now I’m being threatened to work for them because they know where you live. That surely wouldn’t fly. Especially when he went through all that just to be a glorified babysitter. 

He just knew Arthur was buried up to the neck with work, now that he was alone. Breathing out a sigh at the thought, he rolled his head to the said girl sitting by a cherry wood coffee table, whose nose was buried in a book. 

“You ever get bored reading stuff all day?” He began, stretching his arms across the backrest of the couch. 

She shrugged. “Sometimes. But I have to study, otherwise I’ll fall behind.” 

Allen nodded, stretching his lips into a flat line. “Fair enough. Well, I did just graduate high school, so if you need any help with… Math or whatever, just let me know.” Surely, seventh-grade level wouldn’t be too difficult for him.

“Mm… Thanks, but I don’t think you can help me with what I’m doing. This is like… College level stuff.” You gave him a sheepish smile, to where he gawked at you in response. 

“Wow, you a genius or something?” 

“I don’t think I am.” 

“You’re just being humble, kid. It’s fine to be proud of yourself, ya know. ‘Specially now, cuz it gets kinda annoying when adults do it.” Allen grinned, hopping up from his spot to give her hair a ruffle. She could only hang her head to hide the embarrassed pout on her lips. Fortunately, their height difference let her do so. 

“Thanks, I guess…” It was only when he pulled his hand away did she look up again. In her line of vision was a chest of drawers, and she reached out to point towards it. “Also, could you mind checking if my USB’s in there? I think I left it in one of the drawers yesterday.” 

The redhead spun around. “Sure, no prob.” 

Pulling out one of the compartments, he rummaged around random bits and bobs until he caught sight of said USB. Besides the connecter, the storage disk was fairly long and flat. This thing could’ve stored hundreds of terabytes of data if it could. That translated to hundreds of computers’ worth of information. Picking it up, he held it in his fingers to give it a brief study. Before he called over to you with his lips separated ajar, he found himself entranced by it. 

But what was so interesting about something as common as a storage disk? For some reason, the small object in his hand resonated with him. It was… So familiar. As if he’d seen something like this before. Or perhaps, it reminded him of something he forgot about. Problem was, he didn’t know what. And it was a gut feeling so strong, he couldn’t seem to shake it off. 

The voice in my head

That night, he was called to his superior’s office for a security briefing. Appearing through the tall double door, he walked in with his hands in his pockets. Situated deep in the room, and just by the window overlooking the blinking lights of the city, was his desk, and the man Matsumoto himself. His chair spun around to reveal a bearded man well into his seventies with a light scowl on his face. “I expect you to wear the uniform suitable for these occasions, Jekyll.” 

Allen blinked before rubbing his neck. “Right, sorry. Forgot.” In all honesty, he considered showing up in a black tie and all, but it wasn’t the most comfortable fit in the world. “So, what’dya call me in for?”

The other clasped his hands together and gave him a firm stare. “Even in my company, you have moments of… Stepping out of line. Breaches of discipline.” He gestured to his attire, letting it do the speaking. “I may overlook some inconsistencies in exchange for your services, but there is one rule you must not break under any circumstances.” 

Silence fell in the room so you could hear a pin drop. It gave Allen some room to think–to guess what his superior was going to warn him about. A secret basement that locked up human guinea pigs he wasn’t supposed to stumble into, perhaps? But that was ridiculous. So he stayed quiet, prepared to listen intently to the man. Surely, his guess was far from reality. 

“There is a… Basement a few floors beneath the lobby.” 

Allen froze. He’d heard this before. 

Otherwise, how else could he guess that he’d say this? 

“I keep my most prized possessions in there. Personal vehicles and upgrades. Nothing goes in and out undetected. So don’t even think about stepping inside.” He couldn’t believe a word he said, as calm and convincing his tone was. 

Allen had an idea why. 

He sensed something was off the minute he came here. It was all so obvious–the familiarity of the dojo halls, the USB, and even his face in the mirror. He’d seen it all before. Previously, he’d brushed it all off. But he couldn’t deny it any longer now that he had this conversation, a conversation he already had. So if his intuition was right, that meant he could guess what was actually in the basement. And there were no fancy sports cars to speak of. 

He gritted his teeth as his tanned complexion began to pale. Then, his stomach began to churn. 

“… Are you unwell?” 

He lifted his head and shook it. “Nah. Just lost in thought.” 

“You may lose yourself in the emptiness in your head as much as you desire, but not in my presence. If you don’t have any questions, you are dismissed.” 

“Yessir.” 

Turning on the spot to leave, a deep frown downturned his features now that he wasn’t facing him anymore. Something was terribly wrong. And he was about to confirm it. A couple of hours later when the whole building fell quiet, he snuck down to the basement floor through the elevator. And while he ran through the pitch-black halls to the door in the end, he couldn’t get this thought out of his mind. He’d definitely done this before, too. 

Swinging the door open, he was greeted with a familiar stench of death. But he didn’t have time to gag. Running to the two pods, he never bothered turning on his night vision. He trusted his body and his muscle memories to guide the way. And it was the right call, because he found himself standing by the pods in no time. Lifting up one of the hatches to find a mummified corpse, he stared with an unreadable expression. 

He wasn’t even surprised. And that was really telling, considering he would’ve vomited at the sight. But this only solidified his suspicions. This wasn’t new.

Nothing was. 

Turning to the other pod, he fiddled around the latches for a minute or so before giving in. This one couldn’t be opened, not without proper authorization. Okay, this was new. He didn’t remember this pod being locked. So he jabbed his fingers into a couple of buttons, unable to resist his curiosity. He couldn’t leave any stones unturned. Thankfully, his rapid button smashing eventually did do something to reveal what was inside. 

The glass that was previously fogged up cleared. 

Inside lay a man. A blonde. His skin was flawless in save for the outlines of removable plates. He was a cybernetically enhanced individual, but not one he wasn’t already acquainted with. 

“We put him to sleep for fifty years…” 

“By the time he gained his consciousness, we turned him into a killing machine.”

 “Even to this day, he remains my greatest creation.“

Fragments of his memory began to play in his head. All until he could remember the name of the sleeping figure. It was Alfred. And he had yet to wake up to go on a killing rampage, or in other words, the first time they’d ever meet.

Allen eventually retreated back to his condo. The first thing he did was go to the bathroom and splash cold water to his face. If he wanted to figure out what the hell was going on, he needed to clear his convoluted mind first. Either he was a psychic or stuck in another reality. But he wasn’t bright enough to be a psychic. And interdimensional travel wasn’t invented. Yet. So what could it be?

While he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his wet fingers, his train of thought was interrupted by a voice. And it sounded just like his, but deeper. 

Glancing up to the source, he found himself staring at his own reflection in his mirror. But he came to realize it wasn’t him–rather, it was an older version of him. They had the same face, eye color, and hair, but the person who glared back at him had sharper features, and a more defined jawline. Unbeknownst to him, it was the subconscious of his present self.

“What the hell are you doing?” He hissed.

Slamming his hands against the mirror, the loud bang caused Allen to jump. “Can’t you see that none of this is real? You’re living in the past, dumbass! It’s all a dream! If you don’t wake up soon, you’ll regret it!” 

Allen dug his hands through his hair, and before he could even question him, panic overwhelmed his system. Not that he needed to, because everything he was just told made perfect sense. “W-Wake up? But… But how?”

“What do you think genius? You have to die!” The other screamed. “If you don’t wake up soon, Alfred and (F/N) are gonna get away with the chip! You can’t let him put it in his head! The Soulkiller will destroy him!” 

Fuck. 

He felt himself tense up in all reality as more memories flowed back to him. That was right. He was in a coma after being stabbed by a katana. He remembered how desperate he was as he fought to stay awake, all so he could warn Alfred he was falling into a trap. But he failed, and wound up in another realm of reality. His dreams. And if he didn’t wake up soon, there was going to be hell to pay. 

Shoving his hand into his jacket, he pulled out a gun. 

Then, he exchanged wary glances with his subconscious, who nodded at him. 

He cocked it. “If you’re wrong… And I die in real life…” It wasn’t like he had anything to threaten him with, though. “Let’s hope I don’t.” Sliding the gun into his mouth, he screwed his eyes shut. Then, he pulled the trigger.

Shooting up with a loud gasp, he finally awakened from the longest trauma-induced sleep he’d ever had. Almost immediately, he heard somebody else let out a scream of genuine fear. “Ah–!” By the foot of the bed he was laying in was Arthur, and he’d fallen right out of his chair. “Jesus fucking Christ! If I’d known you’d wake up like that, I would’ve sat further away!”

Standing back onto his feet, he was never fast enough to stop Allen from sliding himself off the bed. “Hey– watch it! You can’t move right away!” 

“How did I get here?” 

Arthur stepped back as his friend loomed over him. “Well–I’m not sure how you fell into a coma, but it was Alfred and (F/N) who brought you in.” 

Thank god.  “And where are they now?”

The other shrugged with a look of defeat. “I don’t know, honestly. All I know is they’re doing something dangerous. Alfred wouldn’t leave before I helped him install a new set of mantis blades.” 

“Fuck!” He hissed, feeling his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. Bile was even rising in his throat as he reflected on the possibility that Alfred was already dead. “I was too late. I was too fucking late.” Shaking his head as heat accumulated behind his eyes, he paused for a moment, letting hot tears of frustration run down his face. Then, he gripped Arthur’s shoulders when he was hit with an epiphany. With the slim chance they only left recently, he still had time. 

“How long have they been gone for?”

The blonde pondered for a moment, but the concern in his eyes never faded. “Only a week, give or take. Why? What’s wrong?” 

Before Allen could breathe out a sigh of relief, he was gripped with a panic-inducing sense of urgency. “That means I can still save him!” If he remembered correctly, the Soulkiller virus needed at least two weeks before the damage became permanent. So if he could somehow find you both in seven days, he could save Alfred. “No questions. I’ll explain in the car! We have to find them as soon as possible!” 

He would’ve been dead if it weren’t for him. 

So in return for saving his life, he’d do anything to save his too. 

[inkjam-moon]

Bells Will be Ringing - Part One (M)

This is part of 12 Days of Bangtan!

Summary: What does Namjoon want for Christmas? Something you never imagined he’d ask for. You’re going to need help with this one.

Pairing: Namjoon x Reader x Jimin

Genre: Smut, fluff

Word Count: 5.9k

.

“What about this one?” You ask, holding up a navy blue blazer that almost seems to sparkle from the iridescent threads sewn into it.

“That could work.” Jimin nods. “I think he’d like it.”

“You think?”

Jimin sighs, shaking his head at you. “Y/N. You’re never going to find something that’s good enough for your standards. He’ll like it. Buy it.”

You huff as you fold the blazer over your arm. “Let’s go home.” Jimin only nods as he follows you to the register and watches as you pay for your purchases, grabbing the bag for you and carrying it out to the car.

It’s only three days until christmas and you’ve never felt less jolly in your life. Shopping for Namjoon has been impossible this year. He hasn’t told you anything that he wants or needs, so you’re left to your own creativity to come up with something amazing, but what can you get for the man that has everything?

Your other boyfriend, Jimin, came along to the mall with you today to offer advice, but he’s not being very helpful. The phrase “yeah that’s fine” has been said much too often today. He seems distracted more than usual, his brow furrowed in thought, almost never hearing you the first time you say something. You can’t help but be a little frustrated with him. He agreed to help you so that you don’t have to worry about your biggest fear at the moment: watching Namjoon’s ears and tail droop on Christmas morning when you don’t get him anything good. Maybe you should’ve asked Jin to come with you; he’s known Namjoon a bit longer, he’d probably know what Namjoon wants, or at least what he needs.

At least you have one thing you know he’ll like. Something he’s wanted for a while now: a collar. You and Jimin picked it out together; he picked the material and you picked out his nametag. It’s a black velvet collar with a gold plated tag, his name engraved beautifully on the front; it even has a bell. At least, you hope he likes it.

“Do you want me to carry the bags in?” Jimin asks as you pull up in front of your house. 

“Um. No, I’ll bring them in tomorrow when he’s at work. You know he likes to snoop.”

Jimin simply nods before getting out of the car and you follow close behind. Up the walkway and into the house where you’re immediately greeted by the face you love so much.

“Y/N-ah! Jiminie!” Namjoon cheers, nearly tackling you both to the ground.

“Oof~” You and Jimin are both pushed back by the weight of Namjoon smacking into you. “Joon, we’ve talked about this.” You giggle, pushing him back, watching his tail immediately droop.

“I know, I’m sorry. I just missed you!” He claims, pulling you close and rubbing his cheek against yours, breathing in your scent before moving on to Jimin, pulling him close until Jimin pushes him away.

“Not today hyung.” Jimin mumbles before leaving the room and heading upstairs. 

Namjoon’s ears fall flat against his head. “Was it something I did?” He asks, turning back to you.

“No Joonie.” You shake your head, reaching over to scratch his head. “He’s been upset today, but I’m not sure why.”

“Oh. Okay…” Namjoon frowns for just a second before his tail starts wagging again. “So where did you guys go?”

“Some last minute shopping.” You shrug, taking off your boots and coat and putting them away. 

“Did you get me anything??” Namjoon questions, his eyes sparkling with excitement. 

“How can I get you something when you won’t tell me what you want?”

Namjoon snorts with disapproval. “Because you know me well enough to guess?”

“I don’t like guessing.” You remind him, kicking off your shoes and walking upstairs to the living room, flopping down on the couch where Namjoon immediately sits next to you and curls up at your side. You turn on the tv with one hand and scratch his ears mindlessly with the other, watching a movie silently together, but your mind can’t help but wonder what Jimin was upset about all day when suddenly a thought occurs. “Joon?”

“Mm?” He looks up at you from where his head rests in your lap.

“What’s today?”

“Tuesday.”

“No,” You shake your head. “The date.”

“The twenty second?” He double checks his watch. “Yeah, the twenty second. Why?”

“Your heat is soon isn’t it?” 

“You think so?”

You nod. Jimin always goes into a sort of funk right before Namjoon’s heats hit. His own hormones fluctuating along with namjoons. If you didn’t know any better you’d swear he’s a dog too. Namjoon counts on his fingers for a moment. “Hm. I guess it is… Damn. Should be the twenty fifth.”

“Aw Joon bug… Do you want to put of presents and dinner until next week?”

“Nah.” He shakes his head, sitting up. “I’ll be okay. You don’t have to work around me babe.” He kisses your forehead before stretching. “You still want to order take out tonight?” 

“Yeah, go ask Jimin what he wants so I can call it in.”

“Alrighty.” 

Namjoon disappears up the second flight of stairs where your bedroom sits. It’s been about twenty minutes before you realize Namjoon has been gone for a long time. Suddenly your phone lights up with a text. You check it to see Namjoon has sent you his and Jimin’s order instead of coming down and telling you. They must be playing a game or something. You shrug, calling in the food and waiting for it to be delivered.

When the food arrives you tip the delivery man and thank him before shutting the door and calling up to the boys. It’s only a few seconds before you feel the thumping of their feet thundering down the stairs. You all sit down at the table and eat while Namjoon tells you about his day at work, working on a song with a new artist his record label just signed. Jimin seems to be in a better mood, they must’ve talked it out. 

After dinner the three of you curl up on the couch together and watch tv until it’s time for bed. Thank god you’re all off work for the next few days. You curl up happily in between your boys and are quickly lulled into a sweet sleep. 

You’re woken up in the morning two days later by a low growling sound as well as the feeling of something pressing against your most intimate of parts. 

“Hyung stop. Joon hyung stop she’s still sleeping.”

“But she smells so good Jiminie…” A deep inhale against the fabric of your panties. 

“Hyung no!” You feel Jimin grab Namjoon by the scruff and pull him away. Despite Jimin’s smaller stature, he’s still much stronger than his elder.

“Jiminie-”

“Let her sleep.” Jimin demands, his voice low. You hear Namjoon whine before he sniffs the air. 

“Jimin… You smell good too.” There’s a shift on the bed and then a thump before a small whimper, this time, it’s Jimin.

“H-hyung please. A-ah~ N-no you’re going to w-wake her.”

You take this chance to open your eyes and the sight you’re greeted with doesn’t disappoint. Namjoon has Jimin pinned to the bed, using his larger size to his advantage; one hand holding the younger boy’s wrists, the other caressing the light tenting in the front of Jimin's pants as his nose presses against Jimin’s neck. 

You can’t help but giggle to yourself as you watch Jimin give in to Namjoon’s advances almost immediately. How were you blessed with not one, but two boyfriends who are sweet to not just you, but to each other as well. 

“Good morning.” You whisper, not wanting to disturb them, but they should know that you’re awake. 

“Noona-” Jimin whimpers.

“Y/N-ah?” Namjoon stops his assault on Jimin’s neck to turn and face you, his tail raising in the air and wagging just a bit. 

“I see the two of you are busy.” You tease.

“Noona he’s been at it all morning. I’ve been trying to get him to calm down but nothing’s working.” 

“I think I know one thing that might calm him down.” You smirk, scratching Namjoon behind the ears. 

“I didn’t want to do anything while you were still asleep.” Jimin mumbles as Namjoon leans back down and starts to suck on his neck. 

“How about I go make us some breakfast, hm?” You suggest. “While the two of you sort this out.”

Jimin sits up, concerned. “Are you sure it’s okay noona?”

“Mm.” You nod as you get up. “But Joonie, don’t wear him out too much, yeah? I don’t want him to sleep all day this time.”

“Of course Y/N-ah.” Namjoon nods, giving you a wink before tackling Jimin back to the bed. 

You hum happily as you make your way to the kitchen, shutting the bedroom door behind you. It’s only a matter of seconds before you hear Jimin’s soft moans echoing through the house and it pleases you to know they’re both enjoying themselves. 

Namjoon’s rut came a day early, but honestly you should’ve expected it. They always seem to come a little early when he’s excited for something; his birthday, a new song he’s working on, or in this case, Christmas.

You pull out a pan and fry up some rice and eggs for the three of you. You grab some sweet cream filled buns out of the cabinet you’d been saving for Namjoon’s next heat and toast them up as well, pouring out some orange juice and setting the table. You fill the plates a little more than usual, knowing that you’ll all need a little extra energy to keep up with Namjoon’s cycle until lunch; it’s always the worst in the first few days, so you know he’ll want to go at least three more rounds before his second meal and his afternoon nap.

As you take the buns out of the oven, you hear Namjoon’s moans come to a peak, signaling that they should be out soon and you smile to yourself; right on time. Namjoon’s always a bit hasty the first couple times, not really paying attention to anyone but himself, so you’re not surprised when you see Jimin open the door to the bedroom and walk into the kitchen wrapped in a blanket, his hair mussed, his neck covered in bite marks, and his erection still going strong. You can’t help but chuckle at the sight of him, all bent out of shape from not getting to finish, a firm pout painted on his lips, his eyes still the tiniest bit sleepy. 

Namjoon, however, looks refreshed in his boxers and t shirt. His cheeks are a bright flushed pink, his hair sticking up in the way it always does in the morning, and a wide smile playing at his lips, his dimples poking through as he takes a seat at the table just as you walk over and set the plate of buns down in front of him.

“Y/N, what’s this?” Namjoon asks, picking up a bun and then immediately dropping it because it’s too hot.

“A treat for my boys.” You can see Namjoon’s tail wagging behind him as he picks up his chopsticks.

“It looks delicious noona.” Jimin nods, offering you a smile as you both turn to see Namjoon already digging in.

You wink at Jimin. “You’ll get your turn Jiminie, I promise.” He blushes profusely before turning to his own meal. 

Namjoon finishes his rice first, but takes his time eating the buns, giving you and Jimin a chance to catch up, both of you knowing that Namjoon is the least patient when he’s in heat, and by the way he’s already squirming in his seat, you know he’s ready to go again.

Sure enough, as soon as plates are cleaned and teeth are brushed, you come back out to the kitchen where Namjoon hastily picks you up and seats you on the kitchen table, placing his customary first bite at the juncture of your neck and shoulder, the same place he put Jimin’s.

“Joon, can’t we go to the bedroom?” You laugh, seeing the confused look on Jimin’s face as he walks back into the kitchen behind you.

“Hyung, what are you doing?” Jimin asks, wide eyed.

“I can’t wait anymore.” He growls, pulling down your panties and tossing them aside. “Get over here.”

Jimin hastily does as he’s told, walking over to Namjoon’s side and waiting for further instruction. Namjoon places Jimin between himself and you, yanking the blanket off the younger boy’s shoulders to reveal Jimin’s naked from the waist down, only a large t shirt adorning his body.

Namjoon drops his boxers to the floor and pushes Jimin’s back so he bends at the waist, leaning over you. He wastes no time in entering Jimin’s tight ass thus allowing you to watch as the younger boy’s face contorts in pleasure and pain, the sight causing your core to clench with want.

“H-hyung!” Jimin whimpers as Namjoon grips his hips tightly.

“Fuck…” Namjoon groans, reaching around Jimin and grabbing his throbbing cock, lining it up with your entrance and rubbing it back and forth, making you shiver with pleasure.

“N-noona I’m s-sorry.” Jimin whispers in your ear, already so far gone.

“It’s okay Jiminie, go ahead.” You soothe, holding your breath as you feel him thrust forward tentatively at first before burying himself in your heat with a low groan. “Oh god Jimin…” You gasp as he stretches your walls. He’s bigger than Namjoon, so having him spread you open first thing in the morning is a bit much, but honestly, it feels so good you don’t ask him to slow down.

Once Jimin’s seated inside you, you hear Namjoon growl, Jimin’s cue to start moving. One of Namjoon’s favorite things is to sandwich Jimin in between the two of you and watch him fuck you and himself at the same time. Jimin whimpers as he starts, pulling out of you, only to push himself back on Namjoon’s cock and then pushing back inside you, but apparently, Namjoon isn’t satisfied with Jimin’s sluggish pace as it isn’t long before Namjoon grabs Jimin’s waist and snaps his hips into the younger one. 

“Hyung~” Jimin cries, burying his face in your shoulder as his cock twitches inside you.

“You feel good Jiminie? Is hyung making you feel good?” Namjoon pants.  Jimin can only nod. “How does your noona feel?”

“T-tight.” Jimin whines. 

“Yeah? Is Y/N-ah nice and wet for you?”

“She’s so wet.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Namjoon grunts, snapping his hips into Jimin again before picking up the pace again, fucking into Jimin so hard that the table and Namjoon’s grip on his hips is the only thing keeping Jimin from collapsing.

You feel Namjoon’s hips stutter as he stops, but only long enough to fill up Jimin’s ass with his release before he continues, already needing another go. 

“God Jimin you feel so good for me today. So tight.” You hear the harsh smack of Namjoon’s hand against Jimin’s behind, making Jimin whimper against your skin.

“H-hyung…” At this point you can hear just how wet it’s gotten between your boys and honestly the sound is amazing, the wet slaps of Namjoon’s hips against Jimin’s backside only make you clench harder on Jimin. “N-n-noona…”

“Y/N I think he’s close.” Namjoon warns. 

“Are you close baby?”You ask Jimin, lifting his head to look at you as you run your fingers through his hair only to see just how far gone he is. Jimin’s eyes are unfocused, his cheeks are flushed, his mouth hanging open and he whines and pants, a bit of drool dripping down his chin; he’s so ethereally gorgeous and fucked out already and it’s only ten in the morning. “He’s almost there Joon.” You agree, leaning forward to plant your lips on Jimin’s to which he responds immediately, slipping his tongue into your mouth as he groans low in his chest.

“Cum for us Chim. Fill her up for me.”

“Hah~” Jimin cries into your mouth, pulling your bottom lip  between his teeth before he snaps his own hips into you harshly, his head falling forward as he does it again and against, fucking himself and you throughly and rapidly until Namjoon hits that spot inside him and Jimin’s legs quiver as he moans out loudly and you feel his hot release filling you up, but as soon as he’s done, his legs give out underneath him. Thankfully Namjoon catches him before he can fall and sweeps him up into his arms, popping out of him in the process and allowing Namjoon’s release to drip out of him onto the floor.

“Don’t you dare move.” Namjoon commands, pointing at you before carrying Jimin away into the bedroom.

You huff to yourself as you stay put on the table, shutting your legs and leaning your head back as you wait. A few moments later, you hear Namjoon’s footsteps heading back toward you and he greets your by spreading your legs and plunging his freshly washed self deep inside you.

“Joon~!” You gasp, unable to catch your breath before he starts pounding into you.

“God you are tight today.” He grunts, pulling you to the edge of the table. “No wonder Chim came so fast.” He smirks, pushing up your shirt to roughly fondle your chest, pinching your nipples harshly as he slams into you over and over before leaning down and enveloping one of your nipples with his plush lips and tugging at it with his teeth. 

“J-o-o-nie!” You whine in between thrusts. 

“Just a few… m-more… almost… there-” Namjoon moans against your skin before burying himself to the hilt and mixing his release with Jimin’s already inside you. He pants harshly, completely still for a moment except for the heaving of his chest before he pulls out and places a kiss on your neck as he whimpers. 

“I know Joon, I know baby.” You ruffle his hair as he buries his nose in your neck and inhales deeply. 

 “Y/N you’re so good to me. Why do you put up with me?”

“Aw Joonie.” You sigh as Namjoon picks you up and carries you back to the bedroom, laying you down next to Jimin, making both of you bounce on the mattress as he jumps on with you. “Because we love you.”

“Do you?”

“Of course we love you hyung.” Jimin chimes in. “Is he pouting again?” You nod as Namjoon lays himself on top of you, nuzzling into your neck. “I have an idea.” Jimin gets up and walks over to the closet, returning a few moments later with a box in his hands. 

“Jimin are you sure?” You ask, recognizing the box as the one that holds Namjoon’s new collar.

“It’s Christmas eve. Nothing wrong with getting a present one day early.”

“A present?” Namjoon sits up to look at Jimin, his tail wagging ever so slightly.

“Mhm!” Jimin nods, looking to you for approval before handing the carefully wrapped box to Namjoon.

Namjoon’s eyes light up as he unwraps the box ever so gently, taking a deep breath before lifting the lid. The reaction you hope for and the reaction you receive are on opposite ends of the spectrum. What you wanted most in the world was for Namjoon’s tail to start wagging as he opened it, for him to bounce up and down with joy and excitement, for him to tackle you and Jimin with kisses and thank you’s. But Namjoon just stares down at the box, not making a sound.

You and Jimin both hold your breath as you wait for Namjoon to say something, anything, for him to even move, but he doesn’t, and it’s quiet for a long time until Namjoon finally lifts the collar out of the box and inspects it closer. The bell jingles as the collar moves and Namjoon stares at the nametag, flipping it over in his hands to see the inscription on the back: “Love Jimin and Y/N”.

It’s still deafeningly silent except for the ringing of the bell and soon enough you can’t take it anymore. “Do… Do you not like it?” You choke out, afraid all those times he asked for a collar he was actually joking. Namjoon finally lifts his head to meet your gaze, allowing you to see the tears in his eyes. “Joon…?” Your heart catches in your throat as you reach out to him, immediately concerned that you offended him in some way as you wrap him in your arms, Jimin quickly doing the same when he sees what’s happening. Is it not polite? Is it offensive somehow in hybrid culture? Did you hurt his feelings? “I’m sorry Joon I-”

“Don’t be sorry.” He whispers against your shoulder. “It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”

You feel a weight lifted off your shoulders as Jimin sighs in relief next to you. “So those are happy tears?” Jimin double checks. Namjoon only nods as he pulls the two of you closer.

“Thank you…” After a few minutes he mumbles and pulls back. “Can… Will you help me put it on?”

“Of course.” You nod and take the collar from his hands before gently fastening it around his neck. He immediately scrambles to his feet and rushes over to the mirror on your vanity where he leans down to check his reflection, gingerly touching the collar as he stares at his reflection. You and Jimin look after Namjoon and watch as a warm smile spreads across his face, making your heart hurt from the overwhelming amount of love you feel for these two boys. “Joonie, don’t you ever forget how much I love you. How much I love you both.” You smile, grabbing Jimin’s hand where it rests on your knee.

“We won’t noona.” Jimin nods, pressing a soft kiss against your cheek. Namjoon suddenly perks up and disappears into the closet for a moment, returning a few seconds later with his own box. 

“Jimin what did you start? Christmas isn’t until tomorrow.” You laugh as Namjoon walks over and sits on the bed in front of you both. 

“I wanted to ask you guys something.” Namjoon states, fidgeting with the box in front of him. “I’ve wanted to for a while I just… I never knew how.”

“Hyung, what is it?” Jimin asks, tilting his head in question.

“Open it.” Namjoon pushes the box toward you. You look over at Jimin and shrug before you both pull at the wrapping paper and you take the lid off the box.

“J-Joon…” You gasp as you eye the contents. Inside the box is an assortment of toys; several variations and sizes of butt plugs, two different strap ons, and several bottles of lube.

“Hyung, what…?” Jimin picks up one of the plugs. “You didn’t have to get me any, I already have some. You know that.”

Namjoon takes a deep breath. “T-they’re not for you.”

Jimin looks confused before a moment until he sees a strap on and his eyes go wide. “This… This is what you meant when you asked me?” Namjoon nods.

“Asked you what?” You inquire.

“A few months back, after hyung’s last heat, he started asking me how I knew I liked being the bottom and what it was like and how I started and things like that.” Jimin explains. “Hyung, you could’ve just asked. I would’ve helped you pick things out if you wanted.”

Namjoon blushes. “I-I was too nervous. I still…” Namjoon sighs and looks at his lap.

“Joon, you don’t have to be nervous. You know you can ask us anything.” You assure him.

“I just… I don’t know. I see how much Jimin likes it and I… I want to try. If you guys are okay with it.”

“I’m okay with it if you are baby.” You assure him.

“Me too.” Jimin nods. “I’d love to help.”

“We’ve never gotten to see Chim’s dominant side.” You add, making Namjoon’s eyes go wide as he looks towards Jimin’s lap, probably terrified of his girth. Jimin sees this and laughs.

“We’ll start with something small hyung, don’t worry. Fingers are the best starters.”

Namjoon sighs with what sounds like relief before placing the box of toys on the floor and curling up at your side, pulling both you and Jimin as close as he can before he falls asleep, and having already spent so much energy, you and Jimin are quick to follow suit.

You wake up and hour or two later, wrapped in someone’s arms to the smell of someone cooking. You sit up and see Namjoon laying next you on his phone just as Jimin walks through the door with a tray of food.

“Good, you’re up!” Jimin smiles when he sees you both awake. “I made lunch.” He brings the tray over to the bed and sets it down, handing you both plates full of meat and rice, the smell of which has your mouth watering.

The three of you dig in and eat rather quickly, watching tv and chatting as you do and when you’re finished, Jimin takes the dishes back out to the kitchen and returns after washing them.

“Okay. Noona, if it’s alright, hyung and I are going to take  a quick shower to uh… prepare.”

“Okay.” You nod as you stretch. “That’s fine.”

“Great.” Jimin smiles and grabs Namjoon’s hand, tugging him up off the bed and into the bathroom asking Jimin why the whole time and just before they shut the door you hear “Don’t you want to look pretty for noona?”.

You relax as they shower, taking a few tissues and cleaning up the remnants between your legs from this morning before slipping on some clean underwear and laying back to watch tv. After about fifteen minutes, you hear the shower turn off and a few moments later, the door opens and the boys come out in towels in the process of Jimin fastening Namjoon’s collar back around his neck, the bell jingling as he does before he shakes himself like always.

Namjoon looks a bit more red in the face than he usually does after a shower and you can’t help but giggle at the thought  of what went on in there. They both slip on boxers and Namjoon grabs a shirt before climbing back into bed, whereas Jimin is squatting on the floor next to you, rifling through Namjoon’s box until he locates what he was looking for; a bottle of lube. 

“Hyung lay down for me.” Jimin orders as he climbs onto the bed. Namjoon visibly gulps, his ears laying a little flatter, before doing as he’s told, laying down next to you. “Noona, you can help with the foreplay while I get him prepped.” Namjoon whines next to you and you place your hand on his chest, rubbing small circles on it to soothe him. “Hyung don’t worry.” Jimin coos. “We’ll go slow, I promise.” Jimin places the lube on the bed beside him before sitting up on his knees and leaning over Namjoon. “Just be a good boy for me.”

Jimin winks before leaning down and pressing his lips to Namjoon. You watch as Namjoon immediately tries to take control, but Jimin quickly uses his strength to pin Namjoon’s wrists to the bed before biting down harshly on the elder boy’s neck in a surprising show of dominance, causing Namjoon to whimper, his ears flattening in submission.

You take this as your cue, getting up on your knees and sliding Namjoon’s shirt up, placing hot kisses along Namjoon’s chest until you reach one of his sensitive nipples and wrap your lips around it, tugging on it with your teeth and causing the first moan to leave Namjoon’s lips. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see a tenting start to form in Namjoon’s boxers and smile to yourself, happy you can still get him worked up so easily. 

You hear Namjoon and Jimin’s kiss break above you and feel the bed shift as Jimin moves down Namjoon’s body, his hands tugging down Namjoon’s boxers and tossing them aside before he grips Namjoon’s already dripping length. As he strokes Namjoon, you move up to press your lips against Namjoon’s, gasping when he wastes no time slipping his tongue into your mouth.

As you kiss, small moans leave Namjoon’s lips as Jimin plays with his cock, but your kiss stops completely when Jimin wraps his plump lips around his elder’s length and Namjoon whines, sitting up to watch himself disappear into Jimin’s mouth.

“Oh god…” Namjoon groans, throwing his head back as you tweak his nipples, pressing hot kisses to his throat until Namjoon whimpers. You look up to see Jimin has moved lower, sucking Namjoon’s balls into his mouth before continuing on his path, his head dipping lower, causing the elder boy to try and close his legs, but Jimin stops him.

“Just relax for me hyung.” Jimin soothes before lifting Namjoon’s legs and pushing them back towards his chest, revealing his lower half to Jimin. You give Namjoon one last kiss before sitting up and moving down to help Jimin, your eyes going wide to see what they did in the shower. Namjoon is now completely shaved and clean.

“Wow.” Is all you manage to say, not having expected this.

“D-don’t s-stare…” Namjoon mumbles.

“Isn’t he pretty noona?” Jimin encourages.

“So pretty.” You agree, reaching out to squeeze Namjoon’s cock, making him whine loudly.

You watch as Jimin leans back down, his tongue deftly flicking out against Namjoon’s perineum before his lips begin to suck on it, making Namjoon squirm. Jimin’s head moves lower and his tongue flicks against Namjoon’s asshole for the first time, making the older boy whimper.

Jimin takes the noise as encouragement and begins eating Namjoon’s ass with fervor, his tongue and lips hard at work as he slurps and kisses and sucks at Namjoon’s puckered rim. Namjoon shivers at Jimin’s touch, his length twitching in your hand as he grips the sheets beneath him. 

When Jimin’s tongue finally slips inside Namjoon, the older boy moans loudly at the unfamiliar sensation. 

“Jimin please…” Namjoon whines.

“Mmm hyung you’re so sweet.” Jimin teases, brushing the pad of his thumb against Namjoon. “Are you ready?”

“Yes…” Namjoon pants, his face flushed a beautiful pink color.

Jimin hums in understanding as he grabs the bottle of lube and squirts a generous amount onto his fingers, brushing it against Namjoon’s entrance to make sure he’s nice and wet.

“Remember hyung, just relax for me, okay?” Namjoon nods and you hold your breath as you watch Jimin begin. He tentatively prods at Namjoon’s entrance, slipping just the tip of his finger in before inching in a little more each time before finally he slides his whole finger deep inside, making Namjoon groan low in his chest, his cock dribbling on your hand.

Jimin holds his finger there for a moment, wiggling it around before pulling it out and pushing it in again, repeating this over and over as Namjoon breathes deeply, his eyes scrunched shut. After a minute or so, Jimin pulls his finger out and lines up a second one, rubbing the inside of Namjoon’s thigh with his free hand before carefully pushing both of them inside Namjoon’s entrance, making the elder boy cry out and start panting harshly. Namjoon winces and you stroke him slower to help take his mind off of it as Jimin slowly works his fingers inside until they’re as deep as they’ll go. 

“Is that okay hyung?” Jimin asks.

“Uh huh~” Namjoon nods, breathless. 

“Good. You’re doing so well Joonie.” Jimin encourages. “So good.”

Namjoon smiles as he reaches out and grabs your ass, surprising you. “Y/N-ah you smell so good.” He whines. Do you? You’ve been so focused on Namjoon that you didn’t pay attention to just how turned on all of this has made you, but as you rub your thighs together, you realize that you’re soaked.

“I’m sorry Joon.” You giggle. “I didn’t realize.”

Namjoon yanks down your underwear and pulls at your hips. “Come here.” He orders.

“Joon I’m okay.”

“No, I want to. Please?”

Well, how can you say no to that? You take off your panties the rest of the way before straddling Namjoon’s face. He immediately pulls you down against him and buries his tongue in your folds, making you curse under your breath as you lean down and wrap your hand back around his cock, stroking him slowly as you watch Jimin’s fingers slip in and out. 

When Jimin slips a third finger in, Namjoon plunges two of his own fingers deep into your core, making you moan loudly and squeeze Namjoon’s cock. Just then, Jimin flicks his wrist and Namjoon squeaks against you, his nails digging into your waist as his hips thrust up into your hand. 

“Fuck~!” He whimpers, pausing for a moment to catch his breath. “What was that?” He asks, peeking around you to look at Jimin. 

Jimin smirks. “That was your prostate. The male g-spot.”

“If you do that again I’m gonna cum…” Namjoon admits.

“Good.” Jimin states before starting to move his fingers again. You go back to stroking Namjoon’s cock, but it isn’t long before Jimin flicks his wrist again, and again, and again, until Namjoon cries out and his length throbs before his orgasm starts, his cock release hot, thick lines of his white release all over your hand and his lower abdomen. Jimin flicks his wrist one more time, making Namjoon yelp before he pulls his fingers out. You stroke Namjoon through his orgasm until he shudders beneath you and you release him. 

You try to get off Namjoon, but he holds you tight, slipping his tongue back between your folds and doing the one thing he knows gets you off the fastest; he wraps his lips around your clit and sucks hard.

“J-Joon… Joon- Joon~!” You cry, your legs shaking as your own orgasm hits you, rolling off of Namjoon to get away from his overstimulating touch.

Jimin sits up on his knees, smiling down at the two of you as you both lay panting before grabbing some tissues and cleaning the mess off of Namjoon’s lower abdomen and then swiping up between his legs, tossing the tissues in the trash and then laying down on the other side of Namjoon.

“You did so well Joonie.” He coos, brushing Namjoon’s hair out of his face.

Namjoon smiles as you place a kiss on his cheek. “I agree. You were such a good boy.” You can feel Namjoon’s tail wag next to you on the bed. “Are you gonna take a nap baby?”

Namjoon nods, already yawning. “Mhm. Wake me up for dinner?”

“Of course.” You give him one last kiss before locating your discarded underwear, slipping them on, and then heading out to the living room with Jimin following close behind.

The two of you sit snuggled up on the couch, just enjoying each other’s company until it’s time to make dinner. The two of you head to the kitchen and are about to start cooking when you hear the light jingling of a bell. 

“He’s up.” Jimin states. 

“Do you think he’ll let us make dinner first?” You ask. 

“Y/N! Chim!” Namjoon whines from the bedroom.

Jimin chuckles. “I’m going to say no.”

You smile and turn the oven back off, ready for the next round as you head back to the bedroom with Jimin.

Copyright © Inkjam-Moon 2019

[writteriguess]

Escape You | Part One

Chapter One:

Suzie, Do You Copy?

summary: it’s a normal day at StarCourt Mall until you discover one of Hawkins dark secrets.

warnings: cursing

notes: omfg I had to rewrite this :( anyway this chapter isn’t even that good, but welcome to this series! also if you want to be taken off the tag list just tell me cause I’m just gonna keep tagging all of you for each part lol.

——————

1985

Ah, the StarCourt Mall. The newest establishment of Hawkins Indiana. You had started working there earlier that summer. You only started working there to earn enough money to visit your best friend in New York. So far, the pay was decent. You worked in a woman’s clothing store across from the famous ice cream parlor, Scoops Ahoy.

That’s the only thing you hated about working at the mall. It was the fact that you had to see Steve Harrington’s face everyday. It wasn’t like you wanted to either. Every time, you looked up there he was, wearing that stupid sailors uniform with that stupid hat.

You honestly didn’t even hate Steve for any particular reason. Well, he was an asshole, and that’s why most people hated him. You just hated the idea of him. You hated the idea of running your hands through his perfect hair. Or kissing his flushed soft lips. Or walking around with him, your hands closed together, as he tried to smitten you with his pickup lines. God, you hated him.

“(y/n)!” The shouts of your name brought you out of your Steve loathed daydream. It was the all to familiar shouts of your coworker, Sarah. Sarah was younger than you by a year. She was a senior in high school. She only worked here because of her mother, who was the owner of the store. She hated her job, and you hated that you had to work with her. You hated Sarah too. But in her cause, there were a million things to hate her for. She was just simply a bitch.

Your eyes widened when they came familiar to the darkened room. “We’re closing already?” You asked. Sarah scoffed at you, “No, the power went out.” You can hear the annoyance lacing from her voice. “God (y/n), I was calling your name for the past five minutes. Are you deaf or something!” You rolled your eyes. “This daydreaming crap is getting out of hand. What if there was a costumer waiting and you blew the sale!” You could hear her favorite black boots pacing along the white tiled floor.

Suddenly, there was a slight bang, then a groan, Sarah’s angerd voice coming next, “God dammit! When is the power gonna come back on!?”

You leaned against the counter, your elbows laying against the surface. You rubbed your temples stressfully. God you hated working with her. “Can you relax? I’m sure the power will come back on soon”

As if right on cue, the once dark room gleamed with light. You looked over to Sarah to tell her ‘I told you so’ but you stifled a laugh at the image you saw infront of you. Sarah was on the tiled floor. Two of the white mannequins were sprawled along the floor, one of them actually on top of Sarah. Your mouth covered your amused smile. “Shut up” Sarah groaned to you, attempting to get off of the floor, which just made you laugh harder.

——————

You watched as Steve Harrington flirted with some girls at the counter. You tried to hold back a scoff. You heard the back doors of the shop open and watched as Sarah strutted out, your store uniform on. It was a maroon T-shirt with the stores name with dark pants. This meant your shift was over.

You gave a breath of relief, beginning to quickly pack your things to go on your lunch break. You had to at least get your mind off of Steve for an hour. Sarah took your spot at the counter. “Geez, why are you in such a hurry? I thought you liked the counter job. You get a great view of Harrington.”

What she said made you almost drop your bag. You turned to her muttering out an, “W, What?” Were you that obvious? Was the staring becoming to much? Sarah scoffed, “Oh come on, I see you staring at Harrington all the time” a clever smirk coverd her featured. “I can go talk to him for you, if you want?”

You shook your head rapidly, “No, no no. I don’t like him.” Sarah stared at you with her head to the side, like she was debating weather or not she should believe you. She shrugs, “Whatever you say (y/n).” She looks forward, towards the ice cream parlor again. “But I will say, I don’t blame you for looking.”

You look to the ice cream shop. Steve Harrington stood at the counter, but this time with the white sailors hat off. His beautiful brown locks out for the world to see. The voluminous hair seemed to curl and bounce against his forehead. Your lips were caught between your teeth and you could feel your face heating up. God did you want to run your hands through that hair.

Sarah stared at you at the counter. She watched as your eyes lit up when you saw him and she watched as you bit your lip and your face reddened. She cleared your throat, which earned your attention. She smirked widely, “You were saying?”

You quickly bolted out of the shop, wanting to die from embarrassment.

——————

On your car ride home, you sulked in the drivers seat, feeling tired from today. Thank god when you returned back to the store, Sarah’s shift was over. God, you felt so stupid. She caught you gawking over him. Literally, gawking! You wanted to bang your head onto the steering wheel for being so stupid.

You pulled up to a stoplight. You huffed, leaning back in your seat, waiting for the light to flash green. All you wanted to do was go home and sleep. A car pulls up next to you, blasting some loud rock music. You look over but immediately look away. It’s Steve fucking Harrington. His hands slam against the steering wheel, beating along with the music. His head bops along to the beat, a curl skimming his forehead every so often. A smile rested on his face as he sang along to the song. He looked good, really good.

You occasionally looked his way, but stopped when you realized what you were doing. Maybe Sarah was right. The staring was getting a little out of hand. You sighed, and decided to just try and stare out your side of the window until the damn light turned green.

Couldn’t he just go away! You weren’t even at work and here he was. You couldn’t escape him.

The light flashed green and you watched as Steve drove away down the street. You heard a honk from behind you and quickly stepped on the gas, muttering out multiple “sorry’s.”

Before you knew it you were home. You shut off your car and walked into your house, you threw your keys on the kitchen counter. You stopped when you saw a note written on the kitchen table. You leaned over, reading the letter.

Hey hon! Sorry I couldn’t be home to say goodbye to you in person, but my flight was at 2. Anyway, there is a bunch of leftover’s in the fridge, and I left you twenty dollars on the fridge to order pizza one night. Remember to take out the trash. I love you! See you in a week. - Mom.

You sighed. You forgot your mom was going on a business trip for a week. You had the whole house to yourself. To bad you didn’t have friends, otherwise you would’ve thrown a party or something. You did as you were told, walking over to the trash can.

You took the black bag out with a huff before walking to the back door. Your street was mostly dark, the only light coming from one of your neighbors porches. Ms. Driscoll’s house. You loved the woman. She made the best cookies and fresh squeezed lemonade.

With a huff, you managed to put the garbage into the pail without a problem. After wiping your hands together, you started to make your way back inside.

However, you stopped when you heard a screeching noise. It was faint but can still be heard. Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, before you followed the noise. You prayed that if wasn’t a broken tire or a broken pipe. You followed the noise which led you to the back of your house. The sight that you saw made you frown.

A rat laid on the green grass. It was a small gray one. It’s body flailed rapidly, the screeching became more painful with every thrash. You moved closer, before kneeling before it. “What’s wrong little guy?” You mumbled out softly.

Suddenly, it gave one final loud scream before exploding before you. It’s guts, red and pink, scattered out along the grass.

Your eyes widened and your mouth fell agape. You let out a scream before bolting to your house, opening the back door, and slamming it closed. You leaned against it, a hand to your chest, trying to catch your breath. What the hell was that?!

TAGS | Bold couldn’t tag

@tequilachick @stobinthings @queen1054 @soniasalvatore1 @autumn-blessings @username3549 @iluvmesomemarvelndc @curiousershipper @from-a-forgotten-kingdom @lxstdreams @k-n-teeg @nightmare-mermaid4793 @laneygthememequeen @dracaryswonder @thatlittlered

[searchingwardrobes]

Halo

Happy birthday, @effulgentcolors! You are a precious gift to this fandom, filled with so much talent. I have read everything you’ve written, including your amazing first book of short stories, 12. (Everyone, I don’t care if it’s described as a collection of holiday short stories, go buy it and read it right now!) When I get a comment from you on one of my fics (which are always so lovely), I feel like a fangirl. As I was thinking about what to write for your birthday, I thought about your book and the theme of angels you wove through it. Beyonce’s song “Halo” has always reminded me of Emma in that very first stanza, so here is my fic version of that song. I hope you like it!

Summary: “You are a stalker!” she bit out as she whipped out her knife and pressed it to his throat. She was surprised when his lips curled into a smirk and one eyebrow arched cockily. “I suppose that’s true, in a way,” he replied casually. A Captain Swan story based on Beyonce’s “Halo”.

Rating: G

Words: 5,000+

Also on Ao3

Part of my Fandom Birthday Playlist. Previous gifts: Shatter Me| White Flag| Keep Your Eyes Open| Black Balloon| Suitcase

Tagging: @snowbellewells @kmomof4 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @jennjenn615 @bethacaciakay @teamhook @thislassishooked @snidgetsafan @kday426 @delirious-latenight-laughs @winterbaby89

 Remember those walls I built

Well, baby, they're tumbling down

And they didn't even put up a fight

They didn't even make a sound

I found a way to let you win

But I never really had a doubt

Standing in the light of your halo

I got my angel now

 Everyone thought Blue enjoyed this part of her job – taking away an angel’s wings – but the truth was, it was never an easy decision to make. Which was probably why she gave August way more chances than she should have. As soon as the dejected fallen angel shuffled from the room, Blue sagged into her chair. Tiger Lily was at her side in an instant.

“You had no choice.”

Blue sighed. “I know. I think what bothers me more is the mess he’s left for his charge. And now she needs a new guardian.”

“Have you considered Killian?”

Blue furrowed her brow. “A purgatorial angel? When an angel of rank failed?”

Tiger Lily shrugged. “He must earn salvation somehow, and there’s also the prophesy -’

“Which is exactly why I must be cautious!”

“But perhaps we’ve been interpreting the prophecy wrong all this time. Perhaps she isn’t the savior of all men, but just one.”

Blue arched a brow. “I’ve never seen a cherubim take such interest in a candidate before.”

Tiger Lily sighed. “I can’t help it. His pain runs so deep . . .”

**************************************************

The first time Emma Swan noticed him, she was marching across the street, heedless of the traffic as she chased after her skip. She saw a flash of black and red out of the corner of her eye just as the sound of squealing tires rent the air, but she ignored it to confront the asshole she was after. Once she wrestled Ryan out of his car to handcuff him, her eyes found a startled pair of blue ones just before the dark figure melted into the shadows of the alleyway.

After that, she seemed to constantly notice that long, black coat and those piercing blue eyes in her peripheral vision. When approaching a skip after a long stakeout, when tripping up the stairs in her apartment building with her arms laden with groceries, even once outside her car window when she slammed on her brakes, narrowly missing a truck that was running a red light. She could never make out his face, just those blue eyes that seemed so focused on her, always melding so quickly into the shadows. And that black coat he wore, with something of deep crimson beneath, only added to the aura that made a chill run up her spine.

Emma Swan did not let anyone intimidate her. Whoever this guy was, she planned to confront him. With that decision made, she slipped a knife in her boot before heading to her favorite dive bar. He seemed to make his appearance most frequently in seedy places, and she was itching for a confrontation.

Sure enough, when she left the bar a few hours later after shoving off a rather unpleasant man who had gotten too handsy, there he was.

“Hey!” she shouted, and the man’s coat swirled around him as he dashed down the alley.

That coat was his undoing, for while he was swift, she was more so in her much more sensible red leather jacket. Not to mention the lapels of the coat were ostentatiously large, providing her with an easy way to yank him to a stop and shove him into the wall.

“You are a stalker!” she bit out as she whipped out her knife and pressed it to his throat.

She was surprised when his lips curled into a smirk and one eyebrow arched cockily. “I suppose that’s true, in a way,” he replied casually.

Emma pressed the blade further against his skin. “Not helping your case, buddy.”

He tilted his chin away from the blade, yet he still seemed completely unperturbed. “All I meant was there’s a fine line between stalking someone and looking out for them.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Let me clue you in. I’ve never been a Twilight fan. I don’t find creepers who loiter around and watch women while they sleep romantic.”

“I haven’t the foggiest idea what you’re talking about love, but I can promise you have nothing to fear from me.”

As if to prove he was harmless, he lifted his arms, and Emma shouted a warning as she pinned both back into the wall by the wrist. She was startled to discover that the left had a blunted end. He was missing his left hand.

“You’re only subduing me because I’m letting you,” he told her calmly.

Emma’s breath was coming out in pants from all the adrenaline, but as she assessed her current position and felt the muscled arms beneath her palms, it gave her pause. The alley was only half lit by a flickering streetlight near the bar, but even in the shadows, she could tell the man was slender yet well built. She had also been on the streets enough to recognize a confident fighting stance when she saw one. Neither did she detect anything but honesty in his words. She eased her grip on his arms and took a tentative step back. He sighed in relief, pushing away from the wall and rolling his shoulders to loosen them.

“Just because you don’t plan to hurt me doesn’t make it okay for you to follow me around,” she told him warily.

His jaw clenched, and something sparked in his eyes. “It isn’t as if either of us has a choice in the matter.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He sighed and lifted a hand to rub at his temple. Several gaudy rings on his fingers caught the light from the streetlamp. “Listen,” he finally said, “if I show you something, do you promise not to freak out?”

“No way, pervert!” Emma cried, backing away, hands raised.

“I didn’t mean . . . that,” he said indignantly.

“You’re not showing me anything, and you’re sure as hell gonna stop following me around. Got it?”

She didn’t wait for his answer before taking off as fast as she could.

**********************************************

She saw him again only a few days later as she walked to her car in a parking garage after buying a new pair of boots. She had waited until her old ones fell apart – literally. She’d almost sprained her ankle chasing down a skip and had no choice but to head to the mall on her way home. She hated shopping, so she was already in the worst possible mood.

“I told you to stop following me,” she snapped as she unlocked her car. She refused to make eye contact with the bastard even as he stepped out of the shadows and closer to her.

“And I told you I had no choice.”

“Bullshit.” She flung her shoes into the backseat, then slammed the door shut. She spun to face him with fire in her eyes. She was shocked to see him with hunched shoulders and a downcast expression.

“Use your super power.”

Emma blinked in surprise. His lips curved into a smile.

“Yes, I know about that. So do it. See if I’m lying.”

Emma swallowed hard as he took a step closer. The light of the parking garage illuminated him fully, and she finally got a good look at him. Handsome as sin, that’s what he was, with dark unruly hair, a strong jaw covered in facial hair, and sparkling blue eyes. A scar on his cheek marred the perfection, which somehow only made him more appealing. She forced herself to scrutinize his face for tells, especially his eyes, and found none.

“Just because you believe something doesn’t make it true,” she finally told him grudgingly.

His lips curled into a smile that would have made a lesser woman go weak in the knees. “Nor does unbelief affect truth. Wouldn’t you say?”

She shook her head. “What are you talking about? You’re following me, and I asked you to stop. You didn’t listen, so now I’ll have to call the cops.”

She turned to reach for her car door, but he reached out and gently took her wrist. “Please, Emma, let me explain.”

“And how do you know my name?” she hissed through clenched teeth, yet she didn’t pull away from his grip.

“It’s like I said, I’ve been looking out for you.”

At that, she jerked her arm away. “I can take care of myself.”

He quirked that damn brow again. “Oh, I’ve noticed, believe me. But even you couldn’t have stopped that car from running you over when you were going after Ryan. You couldn’t see your skip’s associate coming up behind you on your stake out. You wouldn’t have survived the bash on your head if you had stumbled down those stairs, and you wouldn’t have been able to stop your car in time from that truck running a red light. And that night at the bar? That lout decided against dragging you away when he saw me standing nearby.”

Emma’s eyes widened at each word. He was invading her personal space now, his nose almost brushing hers.

“And just now?” he continued. “That mugger in the shadows decided against going after your purse when he saw me looming nearby. Now whether you like it or not, I’m stuck with you. Or you with me, if that’s the way you want to look at it.”

He was breathing heavily, and the look in his eyes was almost dangerous. Yet she still knew instinctually that he wouldn’t hurt her. He stepped several paces backwards away from her, and extended both arms, his missing hand more noticeable with the dramatic gesture.

“Now lass, do be calm as I show you what I wanted to the other night.”

Emma’s eyes were already as wide as saucers, so when the enormous pair of white wings unfurled from his back, her jaw dropped. Then she gasped as a bright white light seemed to envelop his head, illuminating the blue of his eyes like sapphires. The wings, which were of pure white, stood out starkly against his black clothes. At first they were spread wide as if he could take flight at any moment, but then he exhaled, and they folded in, relaxed against him. Emma drew close to him, hesitant.

“Those . . . those are . . .”

‘Wings? Aye.”

“And that’s . . .” Emma lifted a trembling hand to his forehead, “a halo?”

He cleared his throat, a blush tinging his cheeks. “That’s what they call it, aye.” He ducked his head in a bashful way and scratched behind his ear. Which were slightly elf shaped, she suddenly noticed. Did all angels have elf ears?

Wait . . . an angel? What the hell . . .

“Don’t tell me you’re my . . .”

“Guardian angel? Aye, lass.”

Anger sparked in Emma’s eyes. “Well, if you ask me, you’ve done a piss poor job of it!”

He called her name as she marched back to her car, but she ignored him. She half expected him to magic himself, or whatever the hell angels called it, into her backseat or something, but he didn’t. She drove home, hands shaking. Tears pricked at her eyes even as she barked a cynical laugh. Emma Swan had a guardian angel? Wasn’t that the joke of the century?

**************************************************

HIs brow arched as he took a seat across from her at the coffee shop the next morning, his gaze landing on the way she clutched her butter knife in her fist.

“You know that won’t hurt me, right?”

Emma just glowered at him as she released her grip. He inched his hand across the table hesitantly, lightly brushing her clenched knuckles with his fingertips. She hated to admit, but it soothed her.

“Why are you dressed like that?” she grumbled. “This may be New York, but even here, you’re attracting attention.”

He chuckled in a self-deprecating way. “Alas, there are no costume changes where I come from. This is what I died in, so . . . “ he shrugged one shoulder as if his own death were of little consequence.

“Wait,” Emma said, raising one hand, “I thought you were an angel, not a ghost.”

“There are no such thing as ghosts, Swan,” he said with an infuriating don’t you know that look upon his face. “there are, however, purgatorial angels.”

Emma’s brow furrowed. “Purgatorial angels?”

“You’ve heard of purgatory, I wager?”

Emma nodded.

“Well, let’s just say I have quite a few centuries of atonement to work through before I can . . . move on.”

Emma leaned back in her seat, her arms crossed. “Okay, then. You got a name?”

He smiled charmingly and tilted his head a bit regally. “Killian Jones at your service.”

Emma couldn’t help smiling back. “So you save me from tumbling down stairs and getting run over by cars, but not from drunken foster fathers or dick boyfriends? Are there rules or something?”

Killian’s face melted into one of genuine tenderness. He boldly took her hand firmly in his, rubbing the back gently with his thumb.

“I’ve only been your guardian for a couple of months, Swan. The one you had before, I’m sorry to say, didn’t do right by you. He was stripped of his wings, and I was assigned to you instead.”

Emma bit on her lower lip to cover her own emotions. “Figures.” She pulled her hand out of Killian’s grip and clasped it with her other one atop the table. “Look,” she told him, leaning forward, “you’re stuck with me. I get it. You have to . . . get out of purgatory or whatever. But can you like, do it from a distance or something? So I don’t feel like there’s constantly someone over my shoulder? Can you be like, invisible or something?”

“Invisible we can’t do. Blend in, yes.”

Emma nodded firmly. “Good. Then blend in.”

He stood then, giving her a gentle smile. “As you wish.” He turned and began to walk away, then hesitated and looked back at her. “However, all you need do is call my name, and I’ll make myself known.”

He left the shop then, and Emma didn’t know why her hand trembled as she lifted her mug to her lips.

******************************************************

Killian kept his word because Emma didn’t see him again after that, not even a glimpse of black leather or blue eyes. She had expected to feel relieved, but oddly, she wasn’t. She found herself longing to see him again. The only consolation was that he’d told her he was stuck with her – that he couldn’t stop following her even if he wanted to. So even if she never saw him, it was nice knowing he was there. For once in her life, someone had her back.

Then that day on the calendar rolled around. She hadn’t even gotten out of bed when it hit her. He’s ten years old today. The ache and the emptiness followed after the realization, the same old “what-ifs” playing in her mind. What if she’d held him? Would she have changed her mind? Would she have kept him? Was he happy wherever he was? What if he wasn’t? What if he hated her for what she’d done?

Emma tried to force herself to go about her day as usual, but she only made it as far as the couch. She didn’t care about eating, she didn’t even consider numbing the pain with alcohol. She felt this was her own personal purgatory, that every year she had to torture herself for being a horrible mother and doing what she always vowed she wouldn’t: abandon a child.

She knew from years past how the day would go: staring blindly at the ceiling weighed down with regret followed by the gut-wrenching sobs. Emma Swan didn’t cry. Oh, no. She saved up her tears all year for this day. Her face was smashed into a throw pillow damp with tears when she remembered that something was different now.

“Killian,” she whispered.

Emma wasn’t sure what to expect, how long it would take to make himself known, or if she would have to explain her pathetic state. But as soon as the name left her lips, she felt a hand gently touch her head.

“Emma,” he said softly, and the couch dipped where he sat beside her.

She sat up and threw herself into his arms. On any other day, she would have been mortified at such a display, and probably would be tomorrow, but right now she just wanted to know she wasn’t alone. He held her tight, his blunted arm pulling her body close while his hand brushed through her tangled hair. She tucked herself right under his chin, clutching his leather jacket in her fists. Soon his chest hair was wet with her tears. He said nothing; he simply held her.

Finally, her tears were spent and her head felt stuffy and her eyes blood shot. “Thank you,” she whispered against his skin. She didn’t know what else to say.

“Would it help if you could see him?”

Emma gasped and pulled away to look into his eyes. “You could do that?”

He smiled softly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Aye. You wonder if you made the right decision, if he’s happy.”

Emma let out a shaky breath. “You know that because you’re my guardian angel.”

He cupped her cheek. “No. We can’t read minds, love. We’re educated on the background of our charges of course, so I knew about your son. But as to what you’re feeling, well . . . it’s just . . . you’re somewhat of an open book.”

Emma smiled shyly, ducking her head. He stood from the couch and reached out his hand.

“Ready, love?”

One minute, Emma’s hand was resting in his, and the next she was standing with Killian behind a tree on a picturesque small-town residential street.

“There he is,” Killian whispered in her ear, “his name’s Henry.”

Emma watched the boy Killian had pointed to hurry down the front walk of a large, white-columned house. He was adorable, a bit small for ten, with thick brown hair. He was dressed in a school uniform with a striped scarf around his neck like he was headed for a day of classes at Hogwart’s. Emma’s heart flipped in her chest.

“Henry!” a voice called from the doorway. A prim woman in a sensible pantsuit and heels raced elegantly down the walk after the boy. He turned and smiled as she handed him a metal lunchbox decorated with characters that Emma couldn’t make out from where they hid. Henry took the lunch as well as the hug and kiss from the woman.

“That’s his mom,” Emma whispered. Her chest ached, because she was his mom, not this woman. But then she watched Henry and the woman smile at one another, and she smiled as Henry dashed down the block towards the waiting school bus, waving and shouting bye Mom! as he went. As for the woman, she stopped at the gate of their white picket fence, smiling as she watched her son greet his friends. She didn’t go back inside until the bus pulled away.

Emma swallowed at the lump in her throat. “She loves him.”

Killian stepped closer and put his arm around her.

“And he’s happy,” she continued.

Killian enveloped her in his arms as she turned seeking his embrace.

************************************************

Other angels had told Killian that being ripped from a worldly assignment was jarring, but he never fully understood until now. He stood – or attempted to - before Blue, the room seeming to spin around him, the stark whiteness of the celestials a jarring contrast to the more muted color palate of terra firma.

“Killian, what do you think you’re doing?” Blue snapped.

He blinked, rubbing at his eyes, because it looked like there were two of Blue swimming in his vision. “Ummm . . . my job?”

Blue gave him a withering glare. “Do you know how many rules you just broke showing Emma her son?”

“But she was stuck, unable to forgive herself and move on -”

“It was her choice to have a closed adoption,” Blue cut off, “and though a guardian angel can bring comfort, it should not be offered in . . . physical ways.”

“All I did was hug her,” Killian’s fist clenched.

“And teleported her, and spied on humans you aren’t assigned to. I’m tempted to take your wings here and now.”

“Please, no!” Killian cried out.

“Blue,” Tiger Lily said gently, “he has made more progress with Emma in just a few short months than August did in years. And need I remind you how many chances you gave him.”

“You are my advisor, Tiger Lily, not my superior,” Blue bit out.

“Please,” Killian asked, infusing his voice with as much humility as he could muster, “give me another chance. I can’t be yet another person who has abandoned her.”

Blue’s expression softened. “Okay, Killian. But must I remind you how this works? If you do your job well, you will have to leave her.”

Killian bit the inside of his cheek. The thought had plagued him often. Yet he simply bowed to his archangel. “Thank you.”

When Killian left to return to earth, Blue let out a long sigh. “I fear that this will not end well, Tiger Lily.”

“You mean because he’s fallen in love with her?”

*********************************************

Though Killian still kept his distance and blended in as Emma went about her day, she found herself calling for his company more and more when she was alone. It got to the point where the first words out of her mouth at the end of the day were, “Killian, I’m home!”

They would talk for hours, cuddled on the couch or over dinner. Angels didn’t need to eat, but they could. They also could drink, and even get drunk, though she’d watched Killian down copious amounts of rum with no ill effects.

“Pirate, remember?” he’d told her with a wink.

Now she knew the reason for the outlandish outfit he died in. He’d been a pirate. She listened with rapt attention, and sometimes laughter while he wove many fantastic tales of his adventures. But he shared the pain, too. It was little wonder she was an open book to him when they had so much in common: abandoned by their parents, forced to make a way in a cruel world when they were much too young, cold nights, empty bellies. He told her about the navy, then losing his brother and turning to piracy. He told her how he lost his love and his hand on the same day, his heart turning black with revenge in the process.

His remorse for all his dark deeds ripped at her heart; surely his centuries of angelic servitude was enough to atone this man. For despite those past dark deeds, it was clear to Emma that Killian Jones deep down had a good heart.

Emma talked as well, even though he knew the basics of her past. Never had she opened herself up so completely to anyone, not even Neal. It was one thing to share the facts, something else completely to share her feelings. Yet with Killian, she did.

Angels didn’t need to sleep, so Killian would tuck her in, brush a kiss to her temple, then go find a book on the shelf in the living room to occupy him until morning. The longer time went on with their unorthodox arrangement, the more Emma yearned for him. Her eyes would drift to his lips, and the air would get heavy. Or her hand would grasp his for a long moment before he left her bedside. Yet how would that even work? Intimacy with an angel? What was that movie with Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage again. . . scratch that, Emma was pretty sure it didn’t end well.

One evening, Emma came home to find the table set with a fancy tablecloth, candles, and a bouquet of flowers. Her favorite meal, grilled cheese and onion rings from the diner down the street, was laid out on her best dishes (a mismatched, chipped set picked up at thrift stores here and there, but still . . . ) Killian stood there, grinning ear to ear.

“Happy birthday, Emma.”

The smile threatened to split her face. “I . . . don’t know what to say.”

“Thank you will suffice,” he assured her as he pulled out her chair for her.

When Killian settled across the table from her, a thought suddenly struck her, something he had said when they first met. He was stuck with her. Her heart sank as she watched him pour her a glass of wine.

“Killian,” she said thickly,

“Yes, love?”

Emma bit her lip, an ache filling her heart. “I love having you here.”

“I’m glad.”

“But . . . “ she took a deep breath before plunging on, “I don’t want you to stay because you have to. I . . . I want you to stay because it’s what you want. So, don’t feel like you’re stuck with me.”

In her nervousness, she shrugged her shoulders. Killian, on the other hand, had a look of complete shock on his face. Then he turned pale and shut his eyes tight.

“Emma,” he breathed out. The heartbreak in his voice nearly broke her own.

“Hey, I’m not kicking you out,” she chuckled nervously.

He searched her eyes intently. “Guardian angels are supposed to only be for children, Emma.”

She tilted her head. “But I had a crappy one for two decades.”

“Aye,” he said, managing only a half-smile as he placed his hand gently over hers, “and you had a tougher childhood than most. So they sent me, but now . . . “

He trailed off, and understanding dawned. Emma pulled her hand away and clasped it with her other in her lap. “Like Nanny McPhee.”

Killian furrowed his brow. “I always know when you’re making a pop culture reference.”

She smiled. “And I love that you never know what it is.” Her smile faded as she saw the depth of sadness in his eyes. “When I needed you, I didn’t want you. Now that I want you, I no longer need you.”

“And you have the mark of a savior, Emma,” he whispered in awe. He came around to her chair and pulled her right arm close, turning it palm up. His thumb swiped across the birthmark there, sending a shiver down her spine. “This isn’t just a birthmark. You were destined to save man. This man in particular. You’ve saved me, Emma. I can finally move on. My sins are atoned.”

Emma gasped as she realized what he meant. “No!” she cried as she jumped from her seat. She practically stumbled forward, and he caught her. The glow of his halo illuminated his countenance and his wings were on display. He hadn’t shown them to her since that day in the parking garage. She had a dreadful feeling she knew what that meant.

“I wish I had more time,” he told her, pressing his forehead to hers.

“I don’t want to lose you!”

“And I don’t want to lose you.” He cupped her face with his hand. “Emma, before I go, I need to tell you. I love you.” He bent his head, but before his lips could meet hers, he was gone.

“I love you too!” Emma cried, tears streaming down her face. She fell to the floor in her now empty apartment and pounded her fist to the ground. Wasn’t this how her life always went? No one ever stayed.

**************************************************

If the light of the celestial halls in the first heaven was bright, then this was blinding. There was a long corridor flanked by white columns, and he knew without anyone telling him, that this was the second heaven.

“Killian Jones,” a deep voice called, “come. It is time for you to go home where you belong.”

A door opened at the end of the corridor, the light emanating from it a comforting, ethereal glow. From what the ranked angels told him, this was the third heaven, the throne room surrounded by the lake of crystal and gems of lapis lazuli. He didn’t know what people did there, but for centuries he had longed for the one thing he had heard it offered: rest.

Yet now that he drew close to it, the only thing he felt was regret. I left her. Just like everyone else. He was probably the first man to enter his eternal rest with a tear tracking down his cheek. He stepped through and was forced to close his eyes against the sudden burst of rainbow-colored light. He blinked, and when he opened his eyes, he shook his head, sure he must be dreaming. He was in a park, and there, sitting on a bench a few feet away, was Emma.

“Swan?” he asked, voice tentative as if this couldn’t be possible.

She gasped, her ponytail whipping across her shoulder as she turned towards him. She leapt from the bench, her face awash in amazement and pure joy. It wasn’t until she collided with him and he felt her warm and soft in his arms that he believed this was real. She pulled back, shaking him by the lapels of his coat. He noticed vaguely that his wardrobe had finally changed after three centuries. He was dressed in clothes of Emma’s time – jeans, a button-down shirt, and a short leather jacket.

“How . . . how are you here?”

“I . . . I don’t know,” he gasped, “there was a corridor, and there was a voice, God I guess, and then he said I was to go home where I belong.”

“What?” Emma laughed, shaking her head. Then she surprised him by peppering his face with kisses. “I don’t care, I don’t care,” she murmured between kisses, tears pouring down her face, “you’re here, and that’s all that matters.”

He pulled her close, his fingers threading through her ponytail, and pressed his lips to hers. He wrapped his arms tightly around her as Emma tilted her head to deepen the kiss. He kissed her until neither of them could breathe, their tears mingling on their lips. When he finally pulled away, he cupped her face tenderly and pierced her eyes with his.

“No matter what else may come, Emma Swan, I will always, always be by your side.”

“Good.” She told him, then yanked him close again and kissed him fiercely.

[joneshartright-blog]

The Other Side (Part 4)

Summary: a story about love and reincarnation

Warnings: none, song: please I recomend you to listen 'Ace of Hearts by Zella day' since a think is a beautiful song and match the romance, especially this chapter in the end.

»Thank you for being receptive with the fic.This chapter is in the same day as the other, if you look carefully at the details, you'll see.Also let me now if any of you wants to be tagged! «

Gabriella didn't know exactly how the visions started, she just remember feeling really nauseated at the time.However, she went to different doctors and psychiatrists that never find anything, but tried to put the fault in the fact that "she was abandoned, by her real mother" and it somehow caused a “trauma".

She always knew, since childhood, that she was adopted.At the age of 5, in a saturday morning her 'mother' came up and told to both of the kids that she wasn't her daughter by blood.But that it doesn't really matter, because the first time she saw her, she knew, she was meant to be her daughter and Julia's sister.The little girl only smiled answering a "love you,mommy”.

Now, old enough to understand, Gabriella couldn't be more grateful for everything that her and Julia, did to her.She would be forever grateful, the way they made her feel home and happy, never ending.She couldn't ask for more, but the same for them.

But yet, this never explained why she had the visions she had.The doctors could be right, if it wasn't for the fact that she was abandoned when a baby.Now all that she could think about was that.She was worried.She didn't know the meaning of a coffee "overflowing blood" , but she was damn sure she saw it happening, in front of her eyes.However the fear of being discovered as a “crazy lady in london", was worst so she just left the cafeteria, putting the pennies at table.

It has been only one day, that she was in London and confusion was something she felt the most part of the time.Her phone rangs and with cold hands she grabbed.

“Hello?"

“Hey, Gabs" she heard the voice of her sister on the other side of the line and tried to play it cool.

“Hey"

“Are you okay?" she could tell something wasn't right just by the tone.It was hard to lie to Julia.

“Yeah, right, I just had a headache. How was it?”

“It was fine, they told me everything I needed to know before I start on Monday." There we're a loud noise of people on the other side and apparentely some yelling.

“Look, Joe called me saying that he has some of kinda of invitation to us, and asked if we could find him at mall"

“At the mall?”

“Yeah, he told me that whatever where were going I have to use a dress, and not pants and a pair of boots"

Gabriella laughed at how annoyed she sounded.

“Are you laughing?"

“No, I'm sorry, but I think he's right, I don't understand why you never use a dress."

“It's not like is never, besides I think pants are more comfortable"

“Yeah, right"

“Ok, so find me at the mall, 12 PM?”

“Fine"

[...]

“Joe, this is really necessary?"

Julia asked annoyed after trying the third dress of the day.

“Of course it is, there's going to be a lot of ladies dressed like that"

She looked at the mirror, the dress wasn't bad, it was black, long and loose, she even liked it, but she still thought that her pants, sweater, boots and olive jacket was better.

“You're not gonna tell us where kind of event we're going, that requires those fancy dresses?”

“All you need to know is that a friend of mine invinted me, and me being the best guy that I am,I'm gonna bring you two with me and well now I'm buying you a dress.”

"What a gentleman" Gabriella says smiling and looking at the shoes she was putting.

“That's the time you two should say, 'oh my god Joe, you're the best!' "

“I really hope, you're not setting up one of us in a date"

“What's the problem?I see that you finally broken up with that prick so that means you're single and Gabi too"

She rolled her eyes adjusting the strap of the dress.

“Are you not going to tell us the name of your friend?"

"Yeah your 'best mate' " she faked the british accent laughing and receiving a hard look.

“Well you now" he posed in front of the mirror touching his hair and looking back at the two girls. “No one special, just Ben, I mean Benjamin Jones"

Realization came to Julia's eyes and she arched her eyebrows.

“Benjamin, wait, what?!” Gabriella took one minute to assimilate the sentence, a little shocked.

“Benjamin Jones?Are you joking?God, I can't , he's a genius!

“Yeah and happens to be a really nice guy too, I told him about you and he offered to go."

“I didn't know you two where friends"

“Well, we are, and I think you'll like him”

“Of course she will, he's intelligent, handsome and a journalist.I would kill to have a conversation about politics or anything with him"

Julia rolled her eyes again, shaking her head at her sister, smiling.

“Yes he's really talented and everything, but now I really need to decide which dress, because we don't pretend to expend all the day here right?And since you want your conversation we need to walk" her sister nodded enthusiastic.

“How do I look?”

“Perfect"

[...]

Outside the night seemed cold, only lights iluminating,sky without stars.The blond man looked through a window taking another sip of his whisky.

“Benjamin Jones!"

The voice of his boss echoed and he turned around giving him a quick smirk.

“Mitchum"

Mitchum Huntzberger was the editor-in-chief of 'The Front Page' one of the most influent journals in town.

“How are the things?"

It was really ironic to say that they were friends, since the beggining Mitchum made it clear their positions in journal: his being the editor-in-chief, and Benjamin, well a mere journalist who had the lucky of become famous.The truth was, Mitchum really liked Jones job, but refused himself to recognize that he was, in fact, a better journalist than he, Mitchum Huntzberger, could ever be.

“Fine"

“Did you enjoy yourself at this party?There's a lot of ladies here, for all types."

Ben always hated the way he treated woman around him, objectifying them.

“Yeah I see they're all interisting”

“You should give yourself a night of relief, if you know what I mean, if you keep yourself working like a dog, you might loose the taste."

Benjamin thought that at any moment he could throw the man in front of him out of the window, but infortunately he liked and needed his job.

“Thanks for your worry Mitchum, but I'm not looking for anyone tonight." he took another sip “I might let the chances for you"

He tapped his boss shoulder walking across the room, lefting the man alone, grateful that he didn't followed him.He step aside the tall man sighing tired.

“TED talks with the boss"

“I swear I could throw him trought the bloody window”

“The feeling is mutual, my friend, but think at least now we have a reason to toast"

Ben laughed.

“To our dick 'editor-in-chief'"

They hit the glasses, drinking all the whiskey.

“Joe is really coming?"

“I guess so, I offered to him to bring to girls"

“Two girls?" Gwilym smirks intentionally at his friend.

“What?”

“Nothing you just offered to him to bring two girls and I am the desperate for love"

"Oh shut it"

He shake his head seeing his other friend entering the party.

“Joe!" he talk out loud as the music start playing in some waltz rhythm.

“Ben!" he hugs his friend tapping his back.“Gwil!"

“Give me a drink please" Joe says to the man who has been serving the drinks. “So how is the party"

“Sublime" Gwilym says ironicaly and the blond one denies with his head, smirking.

“Well I have two interisting people to apresent to you, so maybe you night could be less boring." he blinks at Ben and he reply with a mouthful "yeah".

Joe turns around going into the direction of the two girls, one of them with a short hair and other with long.

At the moment she turns around to look at them Benjamin could hear his heart skip a beat and his eyes focuse in her moviments.The resemblance was haunting.She had exactly the same pale skin, freckles on it, dark brown eyes and hair except for the fact that it was shorter than he remembered.He could feel his stomach drop, he didn't know if he was seeing was true or not, but she was there in front of him vivid and real just as his dream.No she wasn't pleading to live, neither crying or even dead.She was alive, right in front of him looking at his eyes and smiling politely as he continued staring, reminding himself of his dream.

“Ben this Julia, Julia this Ben, well Benjamin, but we call him Ben"

And he took her hand, an eletricity running trought their palms as he shaked it gently.He was sure she felt it too, by the way she looked away, at his friend.However her eyes always find his again after some minutes.

In the other side of the room Gabriella stopped, she could feel it happening again as she tried to approach the group of friends.Blinlink a few times, she looked at them.

Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her.No, she couldn't be dreaming.At one minute she was in a room, a party, but now everything seemed out of place and time.Her blood started to boil, she didn't understood why they're dressed like that, with old clothes and accessories, like in era of the queen victoria and the books that she read before.Whatever it was, it wasn't her sister or Benjamin, they looked so different, so

“Gabriella!"

She didn't felt when she fell on the ground and before she could even reply everything went black.

@strangemaximoff @alosthufflepuff @imamazzellhoe @jdroman5432 @parkersroses @benshardy @kurt-nightcrawler @imaginesbyme @destiel-stucky4ever-loki-queen @wint-er-voices @eyeballchambersgirl @blooharry @queenspur @72-mingo @toasty-fish

@onceuponadetectivedemigod @lizgarxo

[huilian]

Shopping Is Therapeutic, Just Not With An Eleven-Year-Old Assassin

Characters: Stephanie Brown, Damian Wayne

Summary:  Steph and Damian went Christmas shopping. While they were at it, maybe Steph can teach a thing or two to Damian. Maybe.

A/N:  Always love Steph and Damian being Steph and Damian! Hope you enjoy this, @sqoiler ! 

(part of Batfam Christmas Stocking 2018 @batfam-christmas-stocking) 

"Come on, Damian! If we don't go now, we're going to be stuck with the mob! Come on!"

"All right, Brown. I am ready to go."

Steph looked up to Damian coming down from the stairs. The grand staircase, because Wayne Manor is a freaking Manor. And boy, it was grand. The boy walking down, however, was not.

"Okay, no. No way you're going out with me dressed like that." She pointed back to the stairs. "Get back up, change out of that suit."

Damian had the audacity to glare at her. Seriously, what kind of eleven-year-old dresses in a two-piece suit just to go out to buy Christmas presents?

(Damian, her mind supplied. Shut up, mind.)

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

"There is no reason for me to change, Brown. At least I did not find any."

"Oh, for god's sake, Damian! Dress like a real boy for once, will you?" Steph threw her hands in the air. 

"Tt." Damian, the little bastard, glared at her. But then he said, "And how does one 'dress like a real boy'?"

Oh no. Now that urchin made her sad. Okay, breathe, Steph. You can do this. "Sweaters, jeans, sweatpants, or even a hoodie, Damian! Come on, you have gone out with Dick before, haven't you?"

"Tt." Oh, Steph was going to break him of that habit one day. But that day was not today, because today Steph was breaking him of the habit of dressing like he was going to go to a board meeting. One habit a day was enough, thank you. "Fine. I will return shortly."

While Damian went up to change into 'real boy clothes', Steph re-read the list both Babs and Dick have given her. Apparently, both of them were 'too busy' to go Christmas shopping, so they tasked her and Damian to do it. Too busy, her ass. They were probably having a good time without having any distractions. Distractions, as in Damian. Their solution? Making her babysit Damian. Her! The horror! 

But they did give her the Wayne credit card to go shopping with, and they practically gave her free reign to do with it what she will, so. Maybe she'll do it, just this once. 

A coffee machine, a camera set, a pair of boots, oh damn it. They were going to have to spend the day at the mall, weren't they? This list would take her from one end of the mall to the other. Damn it. 

(Maybe Babs and Dick did it on purpose? Oh hell. Maybe they did.)

"Damian!" She hollered up after a few minutes. "Are you ready yet?!" The kid couldn't have taken up that long to change. 

"Tt. I am ready, Brown. Now shall we begin this trip?" 

At least now he had a hoodie on, instead of that suit. He still had the suit pants on, though. Oh well. One thing at a time. 

"Sure, kid. Let's go." Is it futile to hope that this trip won't be a disaster? 

***

"Damian! Come on, squirt!"

No answer. They were just here to get the coffee machine, but it was not that easy with Damian, was it? The kid had to go off on his own and make Steph scour the store for him.

She should have guessed. That kid was in the knife area of the home improvement store. She really should have guessed. It was Damian.

"Damian! Stop ogling the knife!”

“I was not ogling the knife, Brown. I was creating plans to use them in a defensive situation.”

Steph very pointedly did not roll her eyes. No, sire, she did not.

Steph started to drag the sulking kid -He was only sulking now, instead of screaming revenge. How far they have come. Can you catch the sarcasm?-  away from the knife section of the store. Then she heard singing.

Christmas carols. It had been years since she actually heard someone singing carols. They brought up memories that Steph preferred not to remember. Going door to door, singing carols to ask for donations for the Girl Scouts. Going to the mall with Mom when her life was still intact. Having an actual Christmas celebration with her parents. It was heaven. It was hell.

“What are they singing?” Damian asked. The question hit Steph in the face. It reminded her that the kid probably never heard of Christmas carols before coming to Gotham. Growing up in a military compound out in the desert was not really a supporting environment to being exposed to Christmas songs.

God. The kid probably did not know anything about Christmas traditions.

Steph may have had a terrible childhood, what with having a villain for a dad, but the kid probably had it worse. Steph decided then that she was going to teach Christmas traditions to the kid, whatever the cost. And knowing Damian, she may probably end up being maimed or worse. Oh well. Worth it.

“Come on, kid. Let’s listen to them singing. Maybe exposure to kids your age will be a good thing.”

They were already going to have to spend the entire day at the mall anyway, no harm in taking a few minutes to listen to kids singing carols, right? And if Damian spent the next fifteen minutes listening to the carols with a thoughtful expression, it was only Steph who knows.

***

“What is that commotion near the elevators?”

“Hmm?” Steph took a moment to look up from the list. “Oh. It’s the Santa thingy.”

“Santa thingy?” Steph could hear the frown in the kid’s voice. Right. Raised in a military compound. The kid probably never even heard of Santa.

“You know Santa, right?” It couldn’t hurt to ask.

“Of course I know Santa. I’m not an imbecile, Brown.”

“Uh huh. So. Who is Santa?”

Silence. Of course.

“You’ll probably need to fact-check this, or ask Dick for further information. And I’m not going to repeat myself, okay squirt?” Steph looked at Damian. The kid was not meeting her eyes. Oh well. Dick could answer any questions the kid might have after her very brief explanation about Santa. “Santa Claus, I think he was actually a saint? He gave presents to some poor family, I don’t know. The point is that he would bring gifts and presents to kids on Christmas, but only if they were good the year before. A myth, I know. But kids these days still believe in them, so what can I say?”

“Tt. A worthless myth.”

“Nah, not really worthless. It kept kids in line. I know it worked, ‘cause it worked on me.”

A huff of amusement came out of Damian. “Do not tell me you believed in Santa, Brown.”

“Hey!” Steph pretended to be outraged. “He gave me presents. It would not do to doubt people who gave you presents.”

“Tt.”

“Oh, come on. Like you would doubt it when you were little.”

“Unlike you, Brown, I was raised to be logical. A strange man bearing presents? Highly illogical.”

“But having a grandfather who is at least a thousand years old is logical?” Steph deadpanned.

“I have proof of his age, so yes, it is logical.”

“I have proof of presents on Christmas mornings!”

“Tt. As I said, illogical.” Damian did that thing with this face that he looked every inch the spoiled prince he was. And that he looked every inch the child soldier his mother trained him to be.

This would not do. So Steph went to the most effective weapon in her arsenal. Teasing.

“So you don’t want presents for Christmas? After all, presents on Christmas mornings are ‘illogical’.”

“I did not say that!” Ah, now that face was gone. That was better.

“Wait in line with the other kids, Damian. You’re getting the whole American experience of Santa Claus today.” While saying that, Steph pushed the kid towards the commotion, as he so called it.

“What?!”

“Go on. Or I’ll tell Dick you’re not being a good kid, and you know he believes in the whole ‘Santa only gives gifts to the good kids’ thing. You might not get your presents.” It was an empty threat, because Dick would give presents to Damian no matter what, what with him never experiencing Christmas and all, but it was a good threat to make. Damian wouldn’t know.

“I will get you back for this, Brown.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’ll get your revenge for this, blah blah blah. Now get in line.”

If the photo of a sulking Damian in Santa’s lap ended up in the family’s photo album, Steph’s album for blackmail, Babs’ album for ridiculous things, and Alfred’s private album, well, that was not Steph’s fault. No sire. Not Steph’s fault at all.

***

“So, what will you give Dick for Christmas?” It was an innocent enough question. The kid loved Dick, even though he showed it in a weird way. But who didn’t in this family?

“Am I supposed to give Grayson a gift for Christmas? He did not ask for one.” What. Is this kid for real?

“He’s not going to ask for presents, Damian!” Steph tried to raise her hands, but found that she couldn’t due to the abundance of shopping bags hanging on her arm. She settled with giving Damian an incredulous look. “You’re supposed to give it to him!”

Damian frowned at her. “I did not know that.”

“You still have, let’s see, five days until Christmas Morning. Think up of something.”

It was a while before Damian spoke up again. “And what would you suggest I gave him?”

Shit. Steph was not prepared for this. This is way, way, beyond her pay grade. She just wanted to teach the kid some Christmas traditions, for god’s sake, not helping him sort out his feelings towards his brother-slash-parental figure.

“What does he enjoy?” Something Dick enjoys should be neutral territory. Neutral territory is good. Yes. This is good.

“He… Actually, I do not know. Other than the trapeze and ‘flying’, in his words.”

Steph did not know either. She had never actually interacted that much with Dick outside the whole capes business.

One thing she did know about Dick Grayson, though. He loved his family, either blood, adopted, or the people he considers family. And he loved this little bastard more than just about anything in the world.

“Well, what can you do that can create presents?”

“I can… solve his cases?” Christ. This kid. He’s really Bruce Wayne’s son, wasn’t he?

“No, that’s not it, Damian.” A memory sprung up on Steph’s mind. “Hey. You draw, don’t you?”

“Yes?”

“Draw him something. I’m sure he’ll love it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You made it. He’ll love it.”

Damian ducked his head. For once, Steph decided not to tease him about the blush forming on his face.

***

“Can we go back, now? We must have bought all of the items in your list, Brown.” It was times like this that remind Steph that despite all his posturing, Damian really is just an eleven-year-old kid.

“Okay, Damian. Just one more thing to buy.”

“One more?”

“Yup. But you have to wait here.”

The confused look on Damian’s face was priceless. “Why do I have to wait here, Brown?”

“Because this one’s for you, kid.” Okay, she was wrong.  The face Damian made now is priceless. “I don’t want to have to go back here just to get your present.”

For once, Steph managed to get Damian speechless. Sweet, sweet victory. Now to make this occurrence happen in a regular basis…

“Why can’t I know it now? I’ll found out anyway.” Ah, there’s the bratty voice again. Well, that was nice while it lasted.

“Presents are opened on Christmas morning, Damian. I can’t believe Dick neglected that part of your education.”

Damian looked at her as if she had insulted him. Knowing Damian and his ‘bond’ with Dick, he probably thought Steph’s remark a mortal insult to Dick, and thus, being a good brother, Damian would have to avenge him.

“Just stay here, okay? Only for a few minutes. Don’t go anywhere.” Then Steph ran. Couldn’t have the kid spoiling the present.

“Brown! Come back here!” Damian’s screams could be heard echoing across the halls of the mall. But he didn’t try to follow, so Steph considered it a win.

She would make a real boy out of Damian, eventually.

***